"Then you should probably work on your stamina," Juniper teased, her clear eyes fixed thoughtfully on him.


    "Don''t worry," Shanley leaned in, his thumb gently brushing her cheek, his voiceced with amusement. "I''ll work hard. I won''t let you down."


    "And I certainly won''t give any other pretty boys a chance", he thought. "It''s a shame the legal age for marriage in this country is twenty. Otherwise, I''d marry her right now and put an end to all this worrying."


    ...


    The next morning, Shanley woke a groggy Juniper. After she got ready and had breakfast, he drove her to the Era High School exam center himself. They arrived with less than half an hour before the exam started.


    Just as she was about to get out of the car, Juniper''s phone rang. It was the hospital.


    "Which hospital?" she asked into the phone. After hanging up, her face drained of all color. She turned to Shanley, her body trembling slightly. "Saskia copsed."


    J had already gone into the ssroom and turned off her phone. The hospital couldn''t reach her, so they had called the secondary emergency contact.


    "The doctor said... it''s a cerebral hemorrhage. It''s critical."


    "Stay calm," Shanley said, taking her hand. He had rarely seen her look so frightened. Heforted her softly, then told the driver, "Felton, go to the city hospital. Now."


    He knew that between her family and an exam, she would always choose family.


    Juniper took a deep breath and nced at him, her eyes wavering slightly. He understood her.


    "Yes, sir," Felton said, immediately changing direction.


    The exam was no longer an option. All the teachers at Aurora High were eagerly awaiting her triumphant return, hoping she would bring honor to the school. With that in mind, Juniper pulled out her phone and called Salma to exin the situation. didn''t matter she missed the exam, but it was different for J. She didn''t want to do anything that might affect J''s performance.


    "I understand," Salma said, his voice gentle and soothing. "Family is more important. Let me know if you need anything at all."


    "Okay," Juniper murmured, pressing her lips together. "And don''t worry, Salma. Aurora High''s scores will be just fine this time."


    After hanging up, Juniper''s breathing became ragged with anxiety. A cerebral hemorrhage... That''s how her grandpa died.


    "Don''t be afraid," Shanley said, pulling her into his arms, his voice rich and reassuring. "I''m here. You won''t have to face this alone this time."


    Juniper''s throat felt tight, her eyes stinging. Yes. She wouldn''t let history repeat itself. She wouldn''t let anything happen to Saskia.


    Felton drove like a man possessed, turning a thirty-minute trip into fifteen. Before the car even came to aplete stop, Juniper pushed the door open and sprinted towards the emergency room.


    "Saskia Payne has significant bleeding in her brain. At this point, there''s not much more we can do," the doctor said, holding out a critical condition notice and looking at Juniper with pity. "It''s likely..."


    "I want to see her," Juniper said to Shanley, ignoring the notice and forcing herself to stay calm, though her face was pale.


    "I''ll handle it," Shanley said, patting her head and signaling for Felton to take over.


    A minuteter, the doctor''s


    expression changed, his eyes widening in disbelief as he looked at the man beside him. Shanley


    Schwartz? The top mogul of al no


    financial elite was at their hospital?


    He was not someone to be crossed.


    "Ms. Payne, this way, please," the doctor said quickly handing Juniper a set of scrubs and a mask to enter the operating room. But what''s young girl like her going to do i there? It''s not like she could magicallye up with a solution.