The design director stood speechless. Juniper stared back at him, equally silent.


    There was no mistake. A face as stunning as his boss''s was a once-in-a-lifetime sight. But... hadn''t his boss been furious with Shanley over that jade bracelet incident? She''d been so angry she looked ready to kill him! So why were they showing up together now?


    And if he wasn''t mistaken, the backpack Shanley was holding was hers. The water bottle in his other hand was also hers-the one she treasured so much that she never let anyone else touch it. She was standing incredibly close to him, and she was even wearing his suit jacket... They were clearly intimate.


    The director scratched his head, feeling a headacheing on.


    "Bo—" he started to say, craning his neck.


    "This is J-Five Studio, right?" Juniper cut him off, her tone a little strained. "We''re here to pick something up."


    It took the director a few seconds to process. Could it be that Shanley still had no idea that the girl beside him was J-Five? No wonder she didn''t want to blow her cover. After all, she had given him quite the runaround and charged him a fortune.


    "Yes, yes, this is J-Five Studio," the director recovered quickly, turning to the tall man beside her. "You must be Mr. Schwartz?"


    "I am." Shanley nodded slightly, a knowing smile on his lips. He decided to y along.


    "The item is ready. This way, please." The director gestured for them to follow, leading them towards the VIP lounge while sneaking nces at the pair.


    He''d suspected his boss might have gotten a man, but now he had proof. It made sense, though. What woman could resist a face like Shanley''s? Especially not his boss, who was notoriously picky about looks.


    The door to the VIP lounge opened,


    and Juniper strolled in as if she owned the ce. She sank into a massage chair, expertly found the controls, and casually ordered, "A red-eye, no ice, with a little cream."


    "Right away," the director nodded respectfully before turning to Shanley. "And for you, Mr. Schwartz?"


    "Just some warm water, please." Shanley sat down next to Juniper, his gaze lingering on her face, his smile growing wider. She certainly knew her way around.


    "Of course."


    The director had someone prepare the drinks, then put on a pair of white gloyes and opened a ck


    velvet box. A stunning ne


    crafted from countless. Benitoite gemstones, fay nestled inside. It was elegant and exquisitely designed, its brilliant facets catching the light and scattering it in a dazzling disy.


    "This ne..." Shanley began, his eyes narrowing as a yful smile touched his lips.


    At his words, Juniper, who had been nervously nibbling on a snack, whipped her head around, a dangerous glint in her eyes.


    What about the ne? She''d designed it herself! What was wrong with it?


    "Mr. Schwartz, is there a problem?" the director asked, feeling like he was walking


    on eggshells as he saw his boss''s thunderous expression.


    Was Mr. Schwartz about to criticize the design? With his boss''s temper, she''d probably tear him apart right here and now!


    As terrifying as that thought was, a small part of him was morbidly curious to see the man who struck fear into all of Era City get taken down a notch by his boss. He secretly cheered them on. Fight! Fight!


    "This ne," Shanley continued smoothly, "is truly a testament to J-Five''s craftsmanship. It''s wless."