Chapter 185 Blocking the Knife for Her
Juniper suddenly popped the question, catching Magnus off guard.
Naturally, he wanted it. For a guy who'd been celibate for over a year, only occasionally using his hand, it was practically torture.
In the 389 days since Juniper left, not a day went by that Magnus didn't want to hold her, kiss her.
But only if she wanted it too.
When she asked, her face was serious. It wasn't because she wanted it; it felt more like she was fulfilling a duty or compensating him.
Magnus looked at her with cold, playful eyes, a mocking smile on his face. "Is this a breakup fee?"
Juniper was stunned.
Magnus paused, then spoke again, his tone icy, "How could I forget? We're not even together now, so how can there be a breakup fee? If it's not that, Juniper, tell me, what is this?"
Juniper didn't expect to anger him and lowered her eyes. "I owe you 1.4 billion dollars. Staying by your side for a month and doing anything with you is only natural. If you want..."
She wasn't naive enough to think Magnus wanted her around just to hold hands and kiss.
Before, she played dumb because she wasn't used to him after their reunion, and her stress response was too strong.
After spending more time with Magnus and increasing physical contact, along with medication, Juniper found her stress response had improved.
Magnus cut her off, his cold tone tinged with anger, "Of course I want to. No man wouldn't, unless he's impotent. But Juniper..."
He paused, gritting his teeth as he stared at her. "If you're trying to use this to make up to me or soothe me because you'll be leaving in ten days, there's no need. In ten days, if you want to leave, I'll let you go. You know I always keep my word. You don't need to use your body to make a deal with me."
Juniper said, "It wouldn't be the first time we've used this to make a deal. Does one more time really matter?"
Her tone was light, but it was like a thorn piercing Magnus's heart.
When he hated her before, he did use this to make deals with her, 10 thousand dollars each time; she remembered it clearly.
Magnus gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot with anger.
But she remained indifferent.
Sometimes he wondered if she really had no feelings for him at all. So when he touched her, she subconsciously resisted, was repulsed, even disgusted.
Thinking about it, Magnus closed his eyes, seething with anger.
He clenched his fists, losing any desire to keep shopping with her. "I'll be in the car. If you want to come, then come."
His voice was cold, laced with clear anger.
Magnus strode out of the store, heading straight for the underground parking lot.
Juniper took a deep breath, walked into a fast fashion store, grabbed a few T-shirts and jeans at random, paid, and left.
Suddenly, a middle-aged woman rushed up to her. "Juniper! It really is you!"
Juniper looked closely and saw it was her stepmother, Isolde.
Isolde grabbed Juniper's hand, her tone excited. "Your dad and brother are locked up. They know they messed up. And you bear the Beaumont name. The Beaumonts never did you wrong. Your dad put you through all those classes when you were little. By 13, you'd aced the tenth grade in violin. He treated you so well; how could you turn on him like this?"
Isolde continued, "Juniper, I'm begging you; go retract your statement, or go beg Magnus! After you helped him retract his statement, he should have forgiven you by now! Go beg him to get your dad and brother out of jail! With his power in the Imperial Capital, it shouldn't be hard for him!"
Juniper shook off her hand in disgust. "You're asking the wrong person. I won't save them. Give up."
Isolde was wearing a janitor's uniform from the mall.
Unexpectedly, after the Beaumont family fell, she was living so miserably, but she deserved it.
She was a mistress, instigated Alexander to divorce Lyra, and flaunted her son Dashiell in front of Lyra's sickbed. Juniper would never forgive her in her lifetime.
Juniper grabbed her things and tried to leave, but Isolde suddenly dropped to her knees.
The first floor of the mall was crowded with people.
This scene immediately attracted a lot of curious onlookers. They gathered around.
Isolde loved to put on a show. She grabbed Juniper's arm, crying loudly, "How can you treat us like this? Even if you don't care about your brother, what about your dad? He's your biological father suffering in jail! You sent your dad and brother to jail for a man who isn't even related to you by blood! How can you be so heartless!"
Juniper frowned and said coldly, "What are you shouting about? I'm not your daughter. Isolde, let go of me. If you don't, I'll call the police!"
Isolde shouted, "Go ahead! I'm not afraid of you! I know you're just temporarily confused by that man! But your dad and brother have been in jail for a whole year. I'm begging you, I'll even kneel to you, save your dad!"
As she spoke, Isolde really started kowtowing to Juniper on the marble floor, completely disregarding her dignity.
Juniper forcefully shook off her hand. "I'm no longer part of the Beaumont family. You're crying to the wrong person!"
Isolde lunged at her again. "Don't leave! Even if you won't accept me as your mom, can't you at least care about your dad? He's sick in jail, your brother's taking beatings. I'm scrubbing floors just to get by here in this mall, while you're living the high life! You've got it so good now; can't you lend us a hand?"
Isolde continued, "You falsely accused your father and brother for that man, but I don't blame you! As long as you realize your mistake now, I'll be grateful to you!"
A crowd of curious onlookers had gathered around.
The bystanders, unaware of the truth, began to criticize.
"She's so irrational, sending her father and brother to jail for a man?"
"If my daughter did that, I'd rather not have given birth to her."
"Is she disowning them because her father and brother are in jail?"
"She just prefers the rich over the poor. Look at her mom working as a janitor, while she's wearing expensive clothes. Such a woman has a negative impact on society!"
"She's so pretty, looking familiar. Is she a celebrity?"
"I think I've seen her on a live stream! Isn't she called Harper Beaumont?"
"Seems like she is!"
Some onlookers started taking photos and videos with their phones.
Juniper heard those harsh voices.
Standing there, held by Isolde, Juniper's face turned pale. The feeling of drowning, like a shadow, completely enveloped her.
The past grievances, which she had desperately tried to bury, were now being ripped open.
Those terrible memories, like a raging tide, were about to overwhelm her.
Juniper had committed perjury. She was a sinner. She had betrayed Magnus and her biological father; there was no way to explain it.
Tear welling up, she forcefully pushed Isolde's hand away and snapped, "I told you to let go of me!"
Isolde shouted, "Don't be angry..."
Isolde pretended to be pitiful and weak.
Juniper pushed her away and turned to leave, but the crowd had surrounded them. Juniper's vision blurred, and for a moment, the people around her seemed to spin.
Her head buzzed!
A tall figure pushed through the crowd and strode to Juniper's side.
Juniper saw who it was. "Magnus..."
She tightly grasped Magnus's hand, like holding onto a lifeline.
Magnus pulled her into his arms, ready to take her away, but Isolde suddenly screamed, "Juniper! You can't leave!"
A shiny knife slashed towards Juniper!
Magnus raised his arm to block the knife for Juniper!
This scene caused panic among the onlookers.
Magnus lifted his long leg and kicked Isolde to the ground!
Magnus' right arm was cut; his white shirt sleeve was torn. The wound was deep, and bright red blood soaked his entire forearm, dripping onto the ground!
The bloodstains on the white marble floor were glaring; Juniper felt faint.
Some onlookers were still recklessly filming!
"She really is Harper Beaumont!"
"Didn't expect her to be like this!"
Magnus pressed Juniper's head into his chest with his left hand, shielding her face, and angrily shouted, "Stop filming!"
However, the crowd, like madmen, only filmed more fervently.
Magnus snatched one of the phones and smashed it on the ground, his eyes bloodshot. "I told you to stop filming! Are you deaf?"
His eyes were full of menace! He exuded a murderous aura!
The onlookers, frightened, retreated a bit. Magnus held Juniper's face tightly against his chest and quickly left the first floor with her.
Finally, they reached the car.
Juniper looked at his still-bleeding right arm, her voice choked with sobs. "I'll drive. We need to go to the hospital."
She was about to get out of the passenger seat when Magnus held her down.
His eyes fixed on her. "In your current state, Juniper, do you want us to die together?"
His deep voice even carried a hint of amusement.
Magnus wiped the blood dripping from the wound with a tissue, wincing in pain, but he reassured her. "Sit still. I'm fine."
Juniper reminded him. "The wound is deep. You can't use a tissue; it will get infected."
Magnus seemed unfazed. He looked at her with bright eyes and asked hoarsely, "Then what should we do?"
Juniper replied, "Go to the hospital first."
Magnus said, "I have a first aid kit in the trunk, with iodine and gauze. Help me bandage it first. Otherwise, if it keeps bleeding like this, I'll be out of blood before we reach the hospital."
Juniper quickly went to the trunk to get the first aid kit.
She wiped her hands several times with alcohol and said, "I'm not very skilled. If it hurts, bear with it."
Magnus said, "Okay, it won't hurt if you do it."
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