Looking at Orville''s ashen, devastated face, Juniper delivered the final, merciless blow. "Don''t worry, I will make sure you are alive to witness theplete and utter ruin of the Wilcox family and everyone in it."


    As Juniper left the room and turned, she came face to face with Shanley.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "Mm," Shanley said, naturally taking her hand. “I was worried about youing alone."


    "Worried about what?" Juniper raised an eyebrow, her tone light. "That the Wilcox family would hurt me?"


    "No," Shanley chuckled. "I was worried they''d dirty your hands. So I came to hold the knife for you."


    "Oh." Juniper slowed her pace, tilting her pretty face up to look at him with a meaningful glint in her eyes. “I was worried they''d dirty your hands, too,” she purred.


    These Wilcox idiots were practically begging for an early grave. She wouldn''t even need to get her own hands dirty.


    "Did you hear my conversation with Orville?" Juniper asked, watching his eyes, feeling an odd sense of nervousness. She had been... rather ruthless in there.


    "I heard," Shanley replied, stopping to gaze down at her. A fond smile touched his lips. “Juniper, you did the right thing. If you want the Wilcox family to disappear from Era City, it would only take a few minutes. Do you need my help?"


    "No need." Juniper blinked, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly. “Ending it so quickly would be letting them off too easy. The suffering J endured... the Wilcoxes deserve to taste it for themselves."


    "As you wish." Shanley led her toward the parking garage. "But what was thest thing you said to Orville?" he asked, curious. Her voice had been too soft for him to hear clearly.


    Thest thing? Juniper thought for a moment. It must have been when she said, “I am Master Nocturne." Hmm... he might feel pressured if he knew she had so many secret identities. Best not to tell him for now.


    "Nothing important," she said with a dismissive blink. "Let''s go home and shower. Seeing those Wilcox people makes me feel grimy.”


    Shanley knew she was lying, but he didn''t press her. It didn''t matter. As long as she was safe, he would support her in whatever chaos she chose to create.


    In the parking garage, Juniper mounted her motorcycle while Shanley got into his sports car. They pulled out at the same time.


    On the road, Shanley carefully maneuvered his car, matching her speed and creating a protective buffer to keep other vehicles away from her.


    Juniper nced over at the sports car beside her, a mischievous smile ying on her lips. In the next second she gunned the engine and. shot forward, leaving Shanley far behind.


    Watching her retreating figure, Shanley felt a brief moment of déjà vu. Her silhouette... it looked so much like Specter, the leader of Subterra Vanguard.


    He had once faced off against Specter, who had also been on a motorcycle while trying to kill him. The way Juniper executed that


    Sharp turneerily simr to that.


    old bastard''s moves.


    But just as quickly, Shanley shook his head, a wry smile on his face. He was overthinking things. How could a young girl like Juniper possibly be Specter if she were would he eally be able to lie peacefully beside her every night?


    ...


    Back at Cloudscape Community, J and Juniper were curled up on the sofa watching TV.


    "This is insane," J muttered with a frown. "Why won''t he just leave me alone?" Trent had messaged her again, asking her to dinner. Annoyed, J blocked his number. She wanted nothing to do with anyone from the Wilcox family.


    “He''s that desperate?” Juniper saidzily, ying with her phone. “Go meet him. And while you''re at it, let him know you know about the will."