Chapter 52 Farewell, Magnus
Juniper took a bite of her sandwich, s savoring the rich, fragrant chicken that was flavorful without being greasy, and pleasantly chewy.
Out of the blue and seemingly unrelated to the conversation, she remarked, "This sandwich is really good. Want to try one?"
Her calmness belied the fact that she had heard his words.
Magnus's brow furrowed, his gaze intensifying.
He reiterated, "Juniper, you are free."
Wasn't this what she always wanted?
Now that he was granting her wish and letting her go, she should be happy.
After finishing her sandwich and feeling a dryness in her throat, she took a sip of her soup before looking up to ask, "I... I didn't quite understand. Are you saying you don't hate me anymore, or that you're not seeking revenge?"
But Juniper was certain of one thing: Magnus wasn't forgiving her just because she had taken a knife for him.
The tall, imposing figure of the man stood bathed in shadow and light, emanating a sense of solitude.
"I can't stop hating you. As for revenge, you took a knife for me; that settles the old scores from six years ago."
Months ago, Juniper dreamt of owing nothing to Magnus.
Now that he had truly let her go, she should be elated, yet why did she feel an aching pain in her chest? The pain, like waves, rippled outwards, growing more intense by the moment.
It was becoming suffocating.
Suppressing the pain, she forced a smile and asked, "So... can I still work in the sales department at Sycamore Group?"
Magnus visibly paused, seemingly caught off guard by her question.
But then, it made sense.
What she cared about most was her livelihood and money, wasn’t it?
She had even dared to accept Mary's money.
"Do as you wish, but if you stay at Sycamore Group, keep out of my sight."
Had he grown so repulsed by her that even the mere sight of her disgusted him?
Juniper's face fell as she stared at the bowl of oatmeal, her thick eyelashes hiding the emotions in her eyes. She responded in a low voice, "Okay, I'll look for another job as soon as I can, and I'll quit once I find it. But until I do, I'll do my best to avoid you, and if we happen to run into each other, I hope you can bear with it."
The man's lips were tightly sealed, his expression icy, and he remained silent.
A memory struck Juniper, "Oh, right, about that 1.5 billion..."
"Don't worry about it. What you owe me is well beyond that amount."
Juniper forced a smile, stretching her lips, "Mr. Blackwood, you're so generous."
"I'm not generous. You couldn't pay it back anyway."
"..."
True enough.
Even if she sold herself, she wouldn't fetch 1.5 billion.
Juniper nodded mechanically, "I understand what you're saying. Since I'm already awake, if you're in a hurry, Mr. Blackwood, you can go now."
She knew he didn't want to spare her another glance, not even for a second.
And Juniper, who always liked to keep her dignity, didn't want to lose him and her pride as well.
"I've asked Joseph to find a caregiver for you. They'll be here in the morning to take care of you, if you need anything..."
Before Magnus could finish, Juniper cut him off, "I know, you should go. Don't worry, I won't call you, won't cling to you. You know I don't have your current number."
She spoke quickly, all in one breath.
As if eager to get rid of him.
It seemed freedom had changed her; she didn't even bother to pretend anymore.
Six years later, their paths had crossed again, and they had even shared a bed, the most intimate of encounters, but ironically, he had always contacted her through Joseph.
She didn't have his number, and he didn't have hers.
In this regard, Juniper and he indeed shared a tacit understanding.
He knew the light brown mole on her right chest and every sensitive spot on her body, yet he didn't have her number.
That's probably the definition of "the most familiar strangers."
Magnus just stared at her coldly.
Juniper held back the sting in her eyes and asked calmly, "By the way, when you said you wouldn't bother with me anymore, Mr. Blackwood, you meant it, right?"
"From now on, whether you're dead or alive, it's none of my concern."
"Then I'm relieved. When I get married and have kids, I won't notify Mr. Blackwood. An ex should be just like someone who's passed away."
No sooner had she tasted freedom than thoughts of marrying someone else and starting a family began to surface?
Was it William? Or was it Michael?
But what did that have to do with him?
Magnus clenched his jaw, handsome face taut, but ultimately, he spoke with indifference: "I don't want to see you, nor do I want to hear anything about you. So, you'd best stay away from Michael."
Michael?
She had indeed been on good terms with Michael before.
But actually, Magnus was mistaken. Her closeness with Michael was, in fact, because of him.
If they were separated, she would never seek out Michael.
She would make every effort to steer clear of his circle.
"Mr. Blackwood, rest assured, once I've saved up enough money, I'll leave Imperial City and stay far away from all of you."
Magnus didn't give it much thought, simply assuming Juniper was talking tough.
Imperial City was vast, and it was difficult to encounter anyone by chance; thus, whether she was in Imperial City or not didn't make much of a difference.
Juniper checked her phone screen; it was two in the morning.
"Mr. Blackwood, I'm tired and want to sleep."
Magnus wasn't a fool; he could tell Juniper was showing him the door.
He picked up his suit jacket from the chair, stretched his long legs, and strode out of the hospital room.
Juniper sat on the hospital bed, watching his retreating figure, and waved, "Goodbye, Magnus."
Magnus's pace didn't falter, he simply left her with, "Goodbye then."
"Alright, then let's make it goodbye for good."
His broad back disappeared from Juniper's blurred vision.
She must have been far away by now.
Juniper bowed her head and continued eating, slurping the porridge and stuffing sandwiches into her mouth with big bites.
Choked.
Tears unabashedly spilled over.
Juniper, what are you crying for?
Wasn't this the freedom you'd dreamt of?
Now, you’re free; as soon as you save enough money, you can take Jennifer and your mother away from Imperial City at any time.
Isn't that wonderful?
But why were the tears so disobedient? The more she tried not to cry, the more furiously they flowed.
Those tears fell into her porridge.
The sweet oatmeal porridge suddenly tasted so bland.
Her chest ached.
She clutched the fabric over her chest, unable to discern whether it was the ache in her heart or an actual wound that hurt.
This feeling of loss, she had experienced it twice.
The first time was six years ago; the second time was now.
Magnus sure knew how to torture her, forcing her to endure the agony of a breakup twice.
She couldn’t fathom how others weathered heartbreak.
Overwhelmed with sorrow, she felt like she was plummeting, a free fall with no landing in sight. The sensation of weightlessness made her heart skip beats, almost suffocating her.
The fabric over her chest wrinkled under the grip of her trembling hands.
Her body shook, and her tears fell heavily, dampening the comforter.
Even her crying was silent.
She had no right to be dramatic, no right to regret, and even less of a right to chase after him... After all, it was she who had betrayed their relationship first, and she acknowledged it.
But could she allow herself to be foolish just this once, just one more time...
She yearned to run after him, even if it meant just standing at a distance, merely watching him leave.
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