Chapter 454
Juniper stood like a statue sculpted from shame, her head bowed so low her chin almost touched her collarbone. The silence in the opulent drawing-room, broken only by the sharp, accusatory voice of her father, Edward Vittileo.
“Because of you,” Edward began, “I can’t even look the Alpha King in the eye! What possessed you to petition for Dominick to take the throne? Was simply marrying him, becoming his Luna, not enough for you, you grasping fool p>
Edward’s two sons, Daxton and Cillian, were positioned like judges on the plush, mahogany-framed sofa chairs, their eyes fixed on their adopted sister with disgust.
“Forgive me, Father,” Juniper stammered in a low voice. “I—I thought p>
“Thought!” Edward roared, cutting her off with a vicious snap of his hand. “You thought to become the next Queen? Why? Then, you went so far as to call the little prince ’not a Sinclair’! How could you commit such treasonous foolishness? There is no excuse for the mistakes you have made, June. You were supposed to be the perfect wife, the obedient mate, the exemplary daughter-in-law in the Royal Palace. But look at what you’ve accomplished! I never imagined you could be this utterly useless p>
From the sofa, Daxton Vittileo, the eldest of the brothers, leaned forward.
“Father, I told you long ago to send Juniper to the orphanage the moment she showed signs of decept,” Daxton interjected. “Juniper has always been a liability, an expert in conjuring trouble. None of this catastrophe would have occurred if she hadn’t deliberately provoked Prince Gabriel. Everyone in the kingdom avoids him for a reason. And Juniper? She launched a direct, public attack on the legitimacy of his son. Father, the time has come to correct the sentimental mistake Mother made. Throw Juniper out of this house p>
Juniper’s eyes widened with fear and shock. She dropped instantly to her knees on the expensive rug.
“No, please, I beg you!” she choked out in a trembling voice. “I cannot leave this house! This is the only place in the world I have ever known as my own. Father, I promise, I will find a way to make everything right. Please, I implore you, do not abandon me!” Hot, desperate tears finally spilled over, streaking paths down her pale cheeks as she pleaded with the man who had reluctantly sheltered her for years.
“You bring nothing to this family but misfortune and shame, Juniper,” Cillian Vittileo affirmed, his tone icier than Daxton’s.
“You are incapable of turning anything right. Dominick has entirely severed ties with us. I tried yesterday. Daxton also tried. We were both refused to have an audience with him. Do you have any idea what people are whispering about the Vittileo name right now?” His rage boiled over.
“I thought if I could be the next Queen she whispered.
Her voice trailed off, extinguished completely when Edward bellowed at her, his fury shattering the last shreds of her composure.
“SILENCE p>
The tears streaming down Juniper’s face instantly froze, but she did not dare to raise her head.
“You have no place in this house any longer,” Edward announced. “You are a disgrace to everything we stand for. Pack your insignificant belongings and leave by this afternoon. I do not want you breathing the same air as my family. We are cutting all ties with you, Juniper. You are nothing to us. Now, leave this house p>
“Father, please, don’t do this! Mom wouldn’t want it!” Juniper cried, clutching at the only emotional shield she had left.
“Just shut your mouth!” Edward roared, his face contorted. “You are no longer a part of this family. Do not use Rosie in your defense. It is because of her sentimentality alone that I allowed you to live here for all these years. Now get out of my sight. Your pathetic, tearful gaze only makes me angrier p>
Edward Vittileo’s harsh, crushing words demolished what little remained of Juniper’s hope and spirit. She pushed herself off the rug and ran upstairs to her room.
Once inside her room, Juniper sank onto the bed and cried profusely.
“My greed to rule destroyed everything,” Juniper murmured. She took out a trolley bag and filled it with her clothes. She didn’t know where she would go. The card given to her by Dominick was already blocked. So, now she had left with the little money her adopted mother left in her name. Once done, she walked out of the room, giving it a last glance.
Memories from her past freshened her mind. The first time she was brought into this house. She was so happy to have a family. But her brothers never considered her as their sister. When their mother passed away because of illness, her brothers would bully her with their friends. That was the moment she was determined to become someone who would be untouchable. But she forgot that the man who once loved her, who was her mate, was enough to shield her from everything.
With a heavy heart, she dragged out her luggage as she walked downstairs. Her brothers were still present in the living room while Edward could nowhere be seen. She didn’t say a word to them and simply moved toward the door.
“Juniper, it will be better if you don’t live in the capital. Move far from this place. You don’t deserve this place either. And if you choose to die, that will be much better,” Cillian said bitterly.
Juniper didn’t say anything and walked out of the house. The memories she made in this house weren’t great, but they were enough to drive her forward. At least, she had a family unlike most of the orphans. These were her thoughts whenever she was told by her brothers repeatedly that she had no one.
As she stepped out the gates of the house, she turned around to look at the villa once more. Tears escaped from the corner of her eyes. Shaking her head, Juniper walked ahead, not knowing where she would go.
Just then, at a two-way route, she saw an old lady, stopping in her way.
“Do you need my help, dear p>
Juniper frowned for a second.
“I know what happened with you. Consider me a guide sent by the Moon Goddess,” said the old lady. “I am here to help you, Juniper p>