"Are you certain?" Juniper''s voice was barely a whisper, as if shrouded in mist.


    "It''s confirmed for now," the subordinate reported. "Because he was a homeless orphan with no one to im him, a well-known local charity arranged a proper funeral for him."


    "Get me a definitive answer." Juniper leaned on the desk, feeling a cold sweat break out on her back.


    After giving her orders, she hung up and bent down to pick up the broken ss, but the door suddenly swung open.


    "What happened?"


    Shanley, dressed in loungewear, rushed over and grabbed her hand.


    "Don''t touch that," he said anxiously.


    Juniper was still in a daze, her mind reeling from the news that her brother might be dead. Shanley helped her to the bed, then carefully picked up the ss shards with a tissue and threw them in the trash.


    "Are you hurt anywhere?" he asked, returning to her side and examining her hands carefully.


    Juniper looked up, her gaze falling on Shanley''s concerned face. A few secondster, she reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his chest, her spirits at an all-time low.


    "Juniper..." The sudden closeness flustered Shanley, and the words caught in his throat. He stiffly returned her embrace, patting her shoulder, careful not to hold her too tightly.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked gently, wondering if she had somehow found out the truth. But he had just spoken to Jimmie; it was unlikely she knew.


    "Nothing," Juniper shook her head, keeping her worries to herself. "What, am I not allowed to hug you?"


    Until it was absolutely confirmed, she didn''t want anyone else to share her grief.


    "You are," Shanley''s lips curved into a smile, and he breathed a sigh of relief. His voice was a bit stiff. "You can bug me for as long as you want but your hair is still wet. You catch a cold. Also..."


    Shanley''s gaze drifted down to her slightly open robe. The neckline was parted, revealing her long, elegant neck, and further down...


    Ahem. Shanley felt a flush of heat and quickly averted his eyes, his voice raspy. "How about you change first, I''ll dry your hair, and then we can hug?"


    "Oh," Juniper replied absently. She stood up and took her pajamas from the bed, heading into the bathroom.


    After she left, Shanley sat on the bed, his breathing ragged and his heart pounding erratically. He chuckled to himself. The girl hadn''t done anything, yet here he was, flushed and breathless. He stood up, adjusting his pajama pants to make them a bit looser and conceal his body''s unruly reaction.


    Soon, Juniper came out and


    in


    obediently handed him the hairdryer. Shanley smiled gently and carefully began to dry her hair. During the process, Juniper leaned against him agam,zy and content like a little dolphin. They were so close, and with the heat from the hairdryer, Shanley felt his entire body temperature rising steadily.


    "Juniper." Once her hair was dry, Shanley put the hairdryer down and gently pushed


    her away. His voice was incredibly hoarse. "You sit here for a bit. I need to step out."


    "Hmm?"


    Before Juniper could react, Shanley strode out of the room.


    "Mr. Schwartz, are you going to take a shower?"


    Dana''s voice chimed in at the perfect moment.


    A shower? Juniper leaned against the headboard, a look of innocent confusion on


    her face. Didn''t he just take one?