His grandmother had said the gifted doctor saved his grandfather using those very same techniques. And Juniper had told him she had something important to do today. It was all too much of a coincidence.


    Could it be...?


    Shanley strode toward the maids, his voice low and dangerous. "What were you just saying about J-Five Studio?"


    The maids practically jumped out of their skin, stammering, "We... we weren''t saying anything."


    "You said the gifted doctor gave my grandmother jewelry from J-Five Studio?" he pressed, his cold gaze pinning them to the spot. The air around him crackled with intensity.


    "Yes," they squeaked, nodding.


    "What does this doctor look like?" Shanley''s voice was tight with urgency.


    "Huh?" The maids looked at each other, confused. They had expected to be reprimanded for gossiping, not interrogated.


    Shanley just stared, his deep eyes demanding an answer.


    "She''s..." one of them began, "...wearing a ck jacket and a cap. She has long hair. She''s tall and thin... and very beautiful. She has this... air about her."


    Shanley let out a soft, humorlessugh. The stuttering description perfectly matched


    the image of Juniper in his mind. "Is she still in the lounge?"


    The maids, bewildered by his reaction, nodded quickly. "Yes, she''s with the matriarch and Young Master Kurt."


    Oh, right, Kurt. It was then that Shanley realized he had done something incredibly stupid. If the gifted doctor really was Juniper, then he had not only repeatedly rejected his grandmother''s attempts at an introduction, but he had also actively pushed her toward Kurt.


    He could no longer remain calm. He turned and marched toward the lounge with purpose.


    "Sir," Flint said, intercepting him. "The guests have nearly all arrived. Are you heading out now?"


    "Let them wait!" Shanley snapped, not breaking his stride.


    What was going on? Flint had rarely seen his boss this agitated, except when it involved, Ms. Payne He hurried to keep up, a sense of foreboding washing over him.


    The maids stared after them,pletely baffled. "Do you think he''s angry because she gave a fake gift?"


    "Definitely. He refused to meet her before. Now that he knows she''s a fraud, he''s probably going to throw her out."


    "Let''s go watch," they whispered, sneaking after him, eager for the drama.


    ...


    Inside the lounge, Hannah was


    doing her best to sell Kurt to


    who was staring into space,


    thoroughly unimpressed.r


    >


    "So, Juniper, what do you think of him?"


    W9


    "Hmm?" Juniper looked over at Kurt, her lips twitching slightly. "He''s... passable as a human being."


    Hannah and Kurt stared, speechless.


    Just then, the door was thrown open. A tall, imposing figure stood in the doorway, his face a mask of thunder.


    "Shanley!" Kurt cried out, a wave of


    relief washing over him. Shanley''s presence had to be enough to


    intimidate this girl, right? Content” >