Besides, shouldn''t Mr. Tate be even angrier that this guy was harassing Ms. Payne? Shouldn''t he join the fight and make it two-on-one?


    Seeing their hesitant expressions, Jimmie didn''t have time to exin and strode forward himself. The two fighters were locked in a standoff, ring at each other, their faces bruised and battered. Melvin had clearly gotten the worst of it, which was no surprise. Who could stand up to Shanley in a fight? If this continued, Melvin might actually get killed.


    "As long as I''m here, you won''ty a finger on Juniper," Shanley snarled, gripping Melvin''s cor. "If you know what''s good for you, get lost. Otherwise, I''ll kill you.”


    "Even if I leave, I doubt Juniper would want me to," Melvin retorted, defiant despite his injuries. "Why don''t we ask Juniper who she prefers-me, or an old man like you!"


    Realizing the girl was watching, Shanley had been holding back to avoid scaring her. But this guy was just asking for it.


    "You''re dead!" Shanley clenched his fist, ready to teach him a real lesson, when Jimmie suddenly appeared beside them.


    “He''s family! What are you fighting for?" Jimmie''s voice was low and firm.


    Family? What did this creep have to do with their family? Unless—


    Shanley''s mind shed back to Melvin saying Juniper looked like his sister, and he hesitated for a fraction of a second.


    "WHAM!"


    Seizing the moment, Melvin countered with a solid punch to Shanley''s left cheek. He put all his pent-up fury into the blow, sending Shanley staggering back several steps, a dark bruise already forming on his handsome face.


    Melvin''s hand hung in the air, a look of surprise on his face. He''d been on the losing end of the fight the entire time, but this time, Shanley hadn''t dodged or fought back. The punch felt incredibly satisfying.


    The fight came to an abrupt halt, and the room fell silent.


    "What did you just say?" Shanley asked, ignoring the stinging pain in his jaw. He looked at Jimmie, his expression grim, his voice raspy. "What do you mean, family?"


    "Twenty minutes ago, Binary Oracle sent a message,” Jimmie said with a slight nod. "The DNA test confirmed it. Melvin is the person we were looking for."


    He paused, letting the words sink in. "In other words, he''s Juniper''s brother. My brother."


    What? Her what? Her brother?


    Shanley''s gaze shifted to the


    battered and bruised Melvin. His


    dark brows, knitted together. So all of


    Melvin''s efforts to get close to


    Juniper to win her over... it wasn''t a romantic pursuit? It was just a


    brother''s affection for his sister?


    He remembered how he had dered his ownership of Juniper in front of Melvin, calling himself her future husband And just now, he had beaten him mercilessly What a small world. He had just brutally assaulted his potential future brother-inw.


    Shanley''s lips tightened. The usually calm and collected man felt a wave of guilt and panic wash over him.


    "That''s right. I''m Juniper''s brother."


    Melvin had been waiting for this


    moment. He pulled out the test results on his phone, his cold gaze fixed on Shanley as he said, word. word, "From the first moment I saw Juniper, I felt she looked like my little sister. So, I hired someone to


    investigate."


    He let out a triumphant, bitterugh. “And what do you know? It''s true. Juniper really


    is my long-lost sister."


    Shanley was left speechless.