Chapter 49 Jennifer is Actually Your Daughter
Juniper's eyelashes quivered with apprehension.
"How... how did this ring end up with you? I had..."
"You had thrown it away, isn't that right?" Magnus scoffed, almost mockingly.
"Where on earth did you find it?"
"I don't have the leisure to search for a ring without any significance. I was visiting a relative at the wellness center and ran into your mother. It was she who asked the sanitation workers to find it."
Magnus turned back to his seat, tossing the ring carelessly onto the desk as if it were trash.
Juniper's lips tightened, "If Mr. Blackwood feels this ring is meaningless, then there's nothing wrong with throwing it away, right?"
"Nothing's wrong. Get out and take your trash with you."
His gaze remained fixed on the computer screen, emotionless in his tone.
By "trash," he was referring to the ring.
Juniper tightened her grip on the ring and left the study.
Magnus sat at his desk, holding a pen.
As Juniper closed the door, the pen in his emotionless grip snapped in half.
His eyes held a brooding depth.
Juniper left Jennifer in Ophelia's care and headed out early the next morning with Magnus to S City. After a four-hour drive, they finally entered the outskirts of S City, a town by the sea basked in brilliant sunlight.
As the sleek black Maybach cruised over an overpass, it skirted a stretch of the ocean. Juniper, sitting in the backseat, found her gaze involuntarily drawn to the view. It was afternoon, the sun at its peak, its golden rays lavishly kissing the deep azure waves, transforming the ocean into a shimmering tapestry.
She gazed out the window at the vast sea, while Magnus turned his attention to her. Six years ago, on her birthday, she made a wish—to see the ocean together. At the time, he planned to take her to S City during her summer break. But, things happened... and this was the first time they had seen the sea together.
Joseph, driving up front, captivated by the majestic seascape, rolled down the windows. The humid sea breeze, with a touch of warmth, wafted into the car. Only then did Juniper remember to reach for her phone. By the time she rushed to open the camera app, they had already driven past. The grand scenery, not captured in a photo, felt like a lost opportunity to her.
Magnus, who had been silent throughout the journey, spoke up suddenly, "The restaurant where we're having dinner has a view of the ocean."
"Really?" Juniper turned towards him, her eyes lighting up with surprise.
Magnus, maintaining his usual serious demeanor, merely responded in a soft voice, "Yes."
Joseph chuckled, "We'll be in S City for a couple of days, Miss Beaumont. You'll have plenty of chances to see the ocean. You might even get tired of it."
"Do we have time to go to the beach?"
"That... you'd have to ask Mr. Blackwood."
As Juniper turned to inquire, she found Magnus already leaning back in his leather seat, eyes closed in rest. Clearly not in the mood to entertain her—a man of few words.
Juniper made a fierce, silent face at him, then swiftly turned her attention back to the scenery outside.
The resting man's lips curled into the slightest of smiles.
...
Upon reaching downtown, they started with lunch at an oceanside restaurant. No rest for the weary—they continued hustling right after, making their way to a place called Peace County.
Juniper had no clue why they were heading to the countryside. Could it be that the Sycamore Group had expanded its operations to the rural areas?
She didn’t ask questions, choosing instead to see this as a free trip accompanying Magnus.
S City was sprawling, and it took a full three hours to drive from downtown to Peace County.
Juniper dozed off in the car, curling up against the cold from the strong air conditioning and hugging herself into a corner.
The orange glow of the evening sun filtered into the vehicle, bathing her face in a warm light.
Magnus reached for a throw blanket nearby and gently covered her with it.
Juniper slipped into an even deeper sleep.
They drove from Peace County to their final destination, Rushmore, as dusk fell.
Joseph spoke up, “Mr. Blackwood, we’ve arrived. Should we head straight there, or...?”
By now, Juniper was also awake.
She glanced around subconsciously; the sky was dark, and the roads in this place felt narrow and confining.
“Where is this place? What are we doing here?”
“Stay in the car,” instructed Magnus. “Joseph and I have some business to attend to.”
Once Magnus and Joseph stepped out and walked away, Juniper pressed her face against the car window, watching their retreating figures. A sense of foreboding washed over her.
Magnus had said it was a business trip, yet they ended up in this scarcely populated hamlet.
The village had dim streetlights and very few houses with lights on, suggesting a sparse population and giving off an eerie desolation.
Magnus’s phone was left behind in the car.
Feeling uneasy, Juniper grabbed his phone and got out to follow them.
...
Magnus and Joseph walked towards the end of the village, stopping at a house.
“This is it, Mr. Blackwood. Anthony lives here,” Joseph informed.
Magnus stepped forward to knock on the door when suddenly, the sound of a scuffle came from inside.
Juniper arrived at the doorstep, out of breath, “Magnus, your phone...”
The door burst open and a gleaming dagger cut through the night, thrusting towards Magnus!
“Watch out!”
Juniper rushed forward, shielding him with her own body!
The sharp dagger pierced into her flesh, making a dull "thump" as it sank into the body.
The blade pierced Juniper's left chest.
She lowered her head slowly to look, her chest overflowing with blood!
Magnus's long legs kicked upward, sending the assailant tumbling to the ground with force!
The attacker was quick to respond, scrambling to his feet and bolting out the door!
Joseph rose, intent on pursuit, but Magnus held him back.
"Anthony's hurt, too! We need to focus on saving them!"
Inside, Anthony lay on the ground, also covered in blood.
Joseph hastily lifted the unconscious Anthony.
Magnus scooped Juniper into his arms, carrying her horizontally.
"To the hospital!"
A black Maybach sped down the highway, racing towards the nearest hospital!
Juniper lay with a dagger in her left chest, covered in blood.
Anthony, with multiple stab wounds, presented a terrifying sight!
The county hospital, citing lack of resources, refused to admit them!
An ambulance was dispatched, taking them to the city hospital.
Magnus quickly climbed into the ambulance to accompany Juniper.
Joseph, driving his car, followed closely behind.
Lying on the stretcher, Juniper looked down slowly at the dagger protruding from her chest.
The pain was tearing through her.
"Am I... am I gonna die?" she asked, eyes reddening as she looked at Magnus.
"Don't talk nonsense! Someone as wicked as you, Juniper, won't die that easily!"
Juniper couldn't help but let out a wry laugh, even as tears rolled down her cheeks.
With pale lips, she quipped, "I'm dying, and you can't even... say a kind word?" She stopped mid-sentence. "Magnus, I have a last wish. Come closer."
Magnus grasped her hand tightly.
The man's eyes were bloodshot, his tone fierce and cold as he said sternly, "I don't want to hear any last wishes, nor will I fulfill them! Whatever unfinished business you have, Juniper, you better stay alive and deal with it yourself!"
Juniper looked at him with sorrow in her eyes.
With great effort, she pulled a ring from her pocket.
Her palm was soaked in blood, staining the ring with a crimson hue.
"I didn't... I didn't mean to throw it away. You're engaged now, and I didn't know how to face you," she choked out, her voice quivering with fear that Miss Sinclair might misconstrue seeing her wear the ring. "I was also afraid it would stir inappropriate thoughts. Magnus... I truly wanted to forget you, but standing before me, it's hard to remain indifferent. Throwing it away was all I could do. I'm sorry. I'm probably not going to make it... Can you... can you forgive me?"
With every word she uttered, the blood from her chest oozed out more furiously, in sync with her trembling breaths.
Speaking every word felt like lapping blood from the edge of a knife, the kind of pain that cut deep to the bone.
But if she didn't speak now, she feared it would be too late.
She looked up at Magnus, her eyes pleading and filled with burning tears, "There's something... I've never told you. I actually..."
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