With Joel Patel on the crew, things proceeded with JL Company, which brought a new phase of the business. June is busier as she takes on individual and corporate projects while Lucy is made vice president for the firm.
Things are also chaotic at home, following Luis’ drastic change of character. Ever since she was revealed as Rafael’s wife, Luis had yet to have a conversation with her.
June decided to speak with her little prince in the room, hoping they could find a bridge and settle their differences. Although Luis was glad to see his auntie peek into his room, he remained seated and adamant as he watched some documentary that played on the TV.
“Baby..” June entered the room and sat beside him, “I miss you.”
Luis huffed, still upset. “I am not your husband.”
June hid the smile that threatened to break out her lips. “But you are my baby, my favourite. Auntie’s heart is broken.”
Luis spared her a glance but kept his mouth in a pout. “I was supposed to marry you. Not my father! He wasn’t supposed to be your husband. I met you first!”
June didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the sweetness of her boy. If he was his father’s age, she’d marry him without a second thought. She loved him so much. He was her little sweetheart.
“Do you want me to divorce your father? I would if you ask me.” She winked, “You will always be my favourite baby.”
“Don’t call me baby! I am a man! Just like my father!” The little man said with folded arms. June thought he was cute.
When June kept her lips pursed, the little one thought he had made his auntie upset, and he quickly remedied the situation. “I don’t want you to divorce him.”
June raised a brow, “But you are so upset. I don’t want my little prince to be upset anymore. My heart can’t take it.” She said with a pout, fighting the urge to ruffle his pretty curls.
Luis felt happy that his auntie still cared about him. All these while, he’d been afraid that his father would take her away from him. She didn’t even sleep in his room anymore.
Now that it was cleared up, he put up a thoughtful face as he calculated the odds. He was too young to marry Auntie himself, and if his father didn’t marry her, someone else would before he was old enough to take her as his wife.
Which would have led to him losing his auntie. Suddenly, having his father marry his auntie wasn’t so bad after all. But where did that leave him? Where did that leave his relationship with his auntie?
A light bulb suddenly went off in his head and he asked a question that upset and elated June. “Does that mean you are my mommy?”
June stiffened – a reaction that Luis took for rejection and immediately added in a small voice, “You don’t have to be my mommy if you don’t want to. I will-”
“Of course, I’d love to be your mommy!” She hugged him tight, “Call me only mommy from now on, okay? Is that okay?”
Luis smiled in her hug, “It’s perfect, mommy.”
From then on, Luis never left her side as they spent quality time together with him playing puzzles and June designing models for the firm. Soon enough, Rafael came back and they all had dinner together.
“How are you preparing for the shareholders’ meeting son?” Beatrice asked after the meal. “I heard the meeting was rescheduled. When is it holding?”
“Tomorrow.”
Beatrice looked startled. “And where is it holding?”
“Why? Do you plan to make an appearance?”
“I am the mother of Ambrose Corporation. Is it that bad if I show up?”
“It is. Especially since I plan on showing off my wife to the board.”
June blinked in confusion. “W-what?”
“My father wants to introduce you to the board,” Luis explained like she didn’t understand his father’s words.
“Thank you, son.” Rafael chipped.
“No, no, no. When were you planning on telling me I had to be presented to the board? What if I have plans?”
“Do you?” Rafael asked, intensity burning in his gaze.
June felt her cheeks heat up, “I don’t but-”
“Then that settles it. You will be with me at the next shareholders’ meeting tomorrow. It would be an intimate meeting but very important you attend as my wife.”
Beatrice thwacked her son in the head, and he made an ow sound. Luis was nothing short of entertained.
“What’s that for?!”
“You don’t treat my daughter-in-law in that manner.” She sussed, then turned to June. “Don’t worry my love, I’ll make sure you are set up for success. Not like their input matters because you are already my daughter-in-law, but I would make sure you make an impeccable impression.”
June’s smile was strained. “Thank you, mother.”
“It’s no problem, my love.”
Beatrice smiled, she was so happy to have such an obedient child as a daughter-in-law. She couldn’t wait for the day of the wedding when she could finally show off what a beautiful daughter-in-law had.
Later that night, June was preparing for bed when Rafael showed up.
“You should knock before entering my room,” June said without looking back at the door.
Since the last time, he always slept in her room. Rafael worked deep into the night and retired to her bed afterwards. The first time, it was a struggle to sleep, knowing she had a six-foot hot-blooded male lying beside her.
The second night, she pretended to be asleep until she fell asleep. Today was the third night and unlike the other times, Rafael was turning in early.
“I didn’t realise I needed to knock to enter my wife’s room.”
June felt her heart skip. It always did when Rafael was around and saying these sorts of things. It seemed like she needed to book an appointment with Doctor Carson.
“You came in early today.” She muttered and took her side on the bed. “Don’t you have work to do?” She asked to fill in the silence.
Rafael took his time removing his clothes until he was down to his boxer briefs. “Don’t tell me you are those kinds of wives who love when their husbands take trips throughout the year.”
“Those husbands also send their wives a shit tonne of money to make up for their absence. Throw that in and it’s not as bad.” June said with a shrug.
“I am not that kind of man, June,” Rafael said, stepping out of his briefs. “I like to be present. I love spending time with my wife and enjoying the privileges that come with it.”
June was hyper-aware of the fact her husband was standing before her naked as the day he was born. But she refused to acknowledge it.
“Yay me.” She turned to face him, fighting the urge to look down. “About that shareholders meeting,” She started. “Do I need to be there or-”
“Join me in the shower?”
“!!!”
“I already had my bath.” She managed to say.
“Who says that’s the only thing we could do?”
Before June could say a word, Rafael picked her up from the bed, bringing a mild scream from her lips as they walked into the shower together. Soon enough, she was a mess of cries, pants and whimpers.