He Gave Me Hearing, Then Taught Me What Silence Really Means novel Chapter 9

Every word she had spoken was the truth, just as every promise she had ever made him was the truth.

She stood frozen until Caleb gently tugged at her sleeve. "Let's go."

She turned her head back to look, but Nelson was already gone, disappearing as if he had never been there at all.

Her mind felt completely scrambled as she blindly followed Caleb out of the estate.

Only after climbing into the passenger seat did she turn to stare blankly out the window.

Caleb was driving. Technically, this was supposed to be Juniper's job, considering he was her boss.

But in her current state, she was in no condition to get behind the wheel.

Caleb gripped the steering wheel and let out a heavy sigh. "Try to avoid those two from now on. Nelson is like a quiet, caged predator, and Lydia hides daggers behind every smile. You're definitely not equipped to deal with them."

Although the exchanges had been brief, every single word had been drenched in toxic history and unresolved grudges.

Juniper closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the seat, a cold sweat dampening her spine.

"Caleb, if I told you that I genuinely have no idea what I did wrong, would you believe me?"

Her only mistake, it seemed, was being foolish enough to believe Nelson's words and blindly trusting the beautiful future he had painted for them.

Caleb kept his eyes on the road ahead. "I'm a businessman. As long as it doesn't impact your work, I don't care. But let me warn you: crossing people with their kind of power never ends well. Either one of them could destroy your career with the snap of their fingers."

Furthermore, even though Juniper had attended Capital University, she hadn't actually secured her degree. On paper, she only had a high school diploma.

Caleb had only been willing to hire her because he knew her character and recognized her raw talent.

She lowered her eyelashes, took a deep breath, and managed a weak smile. "I know. I'll stay out of their way."

Her only assignment for the day was to assist Caleb with the transaction. Now that it was handled, he generously gave her the rest of the day off.

Juniper went back to her apartment and crashed for a few hours before a call from the hospital sent her rushing out the door.

She pushed open the door to the ward, spotting a frail, exhausted woman inside. Her cheekbones jutted out sharply, and she looked completely drained of energy.

But the moment the woman saw her, a spark of life returned to her eyes. "June!"

Missing the underlying tension entirely, Mrs. Lucille offered the woman a warm, grateful smile. "Ma'am, I'm perfectly fine. Thank you so much for bringing me to the hospital."

The woman nodded, but her icy gaze remained locked on Juniper. "Can we talk?"

Juniper gave a curt nod and followed her out into the hallway.

The second the door clicked shut, the woman's face twisted into an ugly sneer. "I recall telling you never to show your face in front of me again. Did you forget?"

"My job is in the city."

"Juniper Lane!"

The woman's tone turned incredibly harsh, her eyes practically dripping with pure, unadulterated revulsion.

Juniper distinctly remembered the way this woman used to look at her, and it had never been like this. This venomous hatred was new—as if she wanted to rip Juniper apart with her bare hands.

Nelson's mother had always prided herself on her flawless poise. She shouldn't be losing her composure like this.

Juniper lifted her chin, meeting her glare dead-on. "Mrs. Saint, I have no plans to relocate for my job anytime soon. But if any out-of-town assignments come up, I'll take them, and I do travel for business frequently."