It seemed Juniper had known him longer, and they had a good rtionship.


    The phone screen went dark. Shanley sat on the chair, a heavy weight pressing down on his chest, making it hard to breathe.


    A wealthy man... He wondered what he looked like. For the first time, Shanley felt a true sense of crisis.


    "Squeak-"


    Juniper emerged from the bathroom with the hairdryer to find Shanley sitting dejectedly on the chair, his tall frame slightly slumped and his face visibly pale. "Are you not feeling well?"


    She dropped the hairdryer on the table and pressed her palm against his cheek, frowning. “You don''t have a fever. Is your stomach bothering you again?”


    As she spoke, she moved to check his pulse, but Shanley grabbed her hand, gently pulling her into his embrace. The sudden intimacy left Juniper momentarily bewildered.


    "Is there anything about me you don''t like? Anything you want me to change?" Shanley held her hand, tilting his chin up to expose his handsome throat, his voice raspy. "Huh?"


    Juniper waspletely lost. She blinked, confused. "You don''t have any homework tonight. Are you just bored?"


    Shanley''s handsome face darkened several shades, a helpless smile touching his lips.


    "Let me dry your hair." He stood up behind her, picked up the hairdryer, and began to gentlyb through her hair with his fingers.


    It didn''t matter. So what if she knew him first? So what if he was rich? Juniper''s heart was here, with him, and he wouldn''t let anyone take her away. If someone dared to try, he wouldn''t be merciful.


    ...


    At midnight, Juniper was nestled in Shanley''s arms, stirring restlessly in her sleep. She seemed to be having a nightmare; her pretty face was scrunched up and her lips trembled slightly.


    Noticing her distress, Shanley immediately propped himself up, looking down at the girl in his arms. A momentter, he heard Juniper mumble a few indistinct words: "Lue..."


    Lue? The name was like a sharp dagger stabbing into his heart, the intense pain spreading rapidly through his entire body. Juniper was dreaming and calling out Lue'' name. Was that man really so important to her? And what about him? What was he to her?


    That night, Shanleyy awake until dawn. What he didn''t know was that the full sentence the sleeping girl had mumbled was: "Lue, you dare touch Shanley and see what happens!"


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, the nightlife was just getting started.


    Jimmie had just gotten home when he received a call from a director with an offer. They agreed to meet at a bar to discuss the


    coboration-Azure Spiel


    located in the heart of the city,


    ce of dazzling lights andvish indulgence.


    Wearing a mask, Jimmie walked alongside the director as a staff member led them


    inside. As they passed a booth, a familiar figure caught his eye.


    Wasn''t that the ''guy'' he encountered on the highway, the one who''d given him the middle finger? The ''man'' was leaning back on the sofa, one leg casually crossed over the other. Beside him sat a girl in a super short skirt and heavy makeup The girl''s head was bowed, tear bowed, tear stains on her. face, and her body was curled into a ball. She clearly looked like she was being bullied.


    A rich yboy? The words formed in Jimmie''s mind.


    "Have a drink?” the man offered, swirling a ss in front of her.


    "No." The girl shook her head frantically, like a frightened deer.


    "Mr. Tate, what is it?" The director noticed Jimmie had slowed down and followed his gaze.


    OMG! That guy was gorgeous. Since Mr. Tate was definitely looking at him, maybe the rumors were true... that he was into men? It would exin why he''d never been linked with any female celebrities in all his years in the industry.