Chapter 616
Gabriel stepped out of the car, his eyes scanning the perimeter before he quickly opened the door for his mother. The royal bodyguards had already formed a discreet but impenetrable perimeter around the building, ensuring that no threat could approach the Queen.
They moved through the lobby and up to the apartment where Juniper was staying.
Gabriel allowed his mother to step in first, following her closely. Inside, Juniper was seated on a sofa. The moment she saw the Queen, she stood up instantly, bowing her head in a formal greeting.
“Your Majesty,” Juniper murmured.
Gabriel walked over to Karmen, who was standing near the window. Before a word could be exchanged between the men, Mabel turned to them.
“Gabriel, Karmen… Please leave us,” Mabel requested. “I would like some private space to talk with Juniper p>
Both of them immediately stepped out of the door, shutting it behind them.
“Take a seat,” Mabel said. She lowered herself onto the wider side of the sofa. Juniper sat across from her on the sofa chair, her back as straight, and her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
“I heard you came to the palace,” Mabel began, her eyes searching Juniper’s face for any sign of the girl she used to know.
“Yes,” Juniper admitted in a whisper.
“We want you to move on. I know life has been hard for you, and I know the mistakes made have left deep scars. But you need to give yourself a chance,” Mabel said. She leaned forward slightly. “You and Dominick were together for seven long years before you married. Though the marriage itself didn’t last long, I understand that as the former daughter-in-law of the Sinclair Family, you deserve your share and your rights. We do not cast our own into the street p>
Juniper gulped, a lump forming in her throat that made it hard to breathe.
“I—I don’t need anything, Your Majesty,” Juniper murmured, her gaze fixed firmly on her own trembling hands. “I only wanted to see Dominick one last time. I heard he was seriously injured because of… Because of the witch p>
She remained still, her head bowed, looking like a child waiting for a lecture she knew she deserved.
Mabel sighed, realizing that despite the betrayal and the divorce, Juniper was still anchored to the man who had let her go. “Dominick has recovered fully,” Mabel said softly. “But he is not the only one who was hurt. Juniper, you are hurting yourself more than anyone else by refusing our help. Is this about pride, or is this about your fear of being beholden to us p>
Juniper finally lifted her head, her eyes brimming with pain and defiance as she met Mabel’s gaze. “Your Majesty, Nick’s words… They hurt me deeper than any wound. He thinks I’m nothing but selfish. I admit, I was selfish enough to create chaos in this family, but it was because I loved him. I still do. He doesn’t see it. He has completely torn me out of his heart just because of someone else p>
“You cannot hate Zilia for this,” Mabel stated. “She is struggling with her own past, fighting a battle you cannot see. You and Nick… You cannot be together anymore, Juniper. At this stage, you two will only bring more pain to each other. If there was even an ounce of hope left for your marriage, I would not have allowed this divorce to happen. You know me better than that,” Mabel asserted, her tone softening with a heavy truth.
Mabel’s words finally shattered Juniper’s remaining defenses. She began to weep, not the quiet, dignified tears of a lady, but the jagged, gasping sobs of a heartbroken child.
“I-I am sorry,” she gasped out, her voice breaking. “I thought… I thought She was unable to continue as the tears overflowed, spilling down her cheeks and onto her clasped hands.
Mabel stood up from her seat. She moved across the small space and sat beside Juniper on the sofa chair, placing a comforting hand on the girl’s shaking shoulder. She allowed her to cry, knowing that the anger Juniper had been carrying was finally being washed away by grief.
Mabel watched the young woman before her, seeing the shattered pieces of a life that had once been so carefully curated. She stood up, her regal posture returning, but her eyes remained soft.
“The Alpha King and I think you should take the alimony,” Mabel advised. “The lawyer will confirm the papers with you tomorrow. Do not look at this as charity, Juniper. It is your right, compensation for the years you gave to this family. Use it to start fresh. Explore the world, pamper yourself, and most importantly, find out who you are without a title. And yes, stop blaming others for your miseries. In the end, you are the only one answerable for your own heart p>
Juniper had finally stopped crying. The frantic gasps had settled now. She reached for Karmen’s handkerchief, wiping the tears from her eyes as Mabel withdrew her hand and took a few steps toward the door.
“This is the last time I am seeing you,” Mabel stated, turning back one last time. “If you have something more to say to me, now is the time. Once I walk through that door, the Sinclair family’s obligations to you are finished p>
Juniper looked up, meeting the Queen’s gaze without the mask of pride or the veil of anger for the first time. “Please forgive me for everything I did,” she apologized. “I never received love from my adopted family, but you… You were always good to me. You never let me feel like an outsider in the palace. Forgive me for failing you. Forgive me for not standing up to your expectations p>
Mabel nodded slowly. “You are forgiven, Juniper. Now, go and live a life that doesn’t require anyone’s permission. And if you need me in any moment of your life, don’t hesitate to call me. You’ve my number, don’t you p>
“I-I don’t have a phone. I lost it a few days ago,” Juniper replied.
“Hmm. I’ll provide you a new one,” Mabel stated. “I take my leave now p>
With those final words, Mabel turned and left.