"How dare the sister of some actress act so high and mighty in front of you?" Deirdre said,forting Yelena, a hint of malice creeping onto her perfectly made- up face.


    “And J...” Yelena added through gritted teeth, wiping her tears away. “She''s using Juniper''s influence topletely disregard me. She also knows I''m the ''daughter of a mistress.""


    "What a shame. We should have gotten rid of her for good back then." Deirdre''s beautiful face twisted into a snarl as she pulled out her phone. "Don''t worry, sweetie.


    I''ll make sure this problem disappears long before the scores are released."


    A few thugs would be more than enough to handle those two little brats.


    ...


    Leaving Moonlight Peak, Juniper walked ahead while J followed with small steps, her bright eyes darting around curiously. Juniper had said she had private security watching over her, but J couldn''t see anyone.


    "One at your three o''clock," Juniper said, her hands in her pockets and a piece of candy in her mouth, her gaze fixed straight ahead. "Two at ten o''clock, one directly behind us, and..."


    She suddenly stopped, tilting her head a fraction to the left. A faint smile touched her lips as she spotted someone. "And one at your eight o''clock."


    “Huh?” J followed her gaze and saw a man in a hat quickly duck back into a corner. They really were there! But... he looked a little familiar.


    "Juniper, that bodyguard looks a lot like your brother Melvin," J eximed with innocent surprise. "What a coincidence."


    Juniper pinched the bridge of her nose, speechless. Not only had Melvin blown his cover, but he''d also shown his face. If any of her Subterra Vanguard agents performed this poorly, she''d kick their ass.


    "Alright,” Juniper said, walking J to her car and instructing the driver to take her home. "I have something to take care of."


    "Okay," J nodded obediently. "Juniper, you''re my only acknowledged cousin and, apart from my mom, the closest person to me. Please be safe."


    "Cousin..." Juniper mused, her hand resting on the car door as she nced meaningfully at the man still hiding in the corner.


    "What''s wrong?" J asked, suddenly nervous she had said something wrong.


    "Nothing," Juniper said, patting J on the head, looking like an amused bystander.


    She was just thinking, if Melvin actually managed to win J over and they got married, J would be her sister-inw. Damn it, That was a serious downgrade in seniority for her!


    After seeing J off safely, Juniper hopped on her motorcycle and sent Shanley a text at a red light.


    [You had Melvin act as a bodyguard? Are you hoping something does happen to J?]


    Out of the five or six bodyguards, he was the


    only one who was be


    perfectly concealed. Even J


    could spot him, let alone a


    professional assassin.


    Shanley: [He''s your brother. I can''t exactly tell him what to do.]


    Juniper: [???]


    Shanley: [Besides... isn''t he trying to woo your cousin?]


    At the word "woo," Juniper''s cheeks flushed slightly.


    Juniper: [Fine, I''ll talk to him.]


    Ending the chat, Juniper called


    Melvin and got straight to the point. "Stop talling J like a creep


    Youre going to blow her cover and


    attract unwanted attention."


    "What? I..." Melvin started to protest.


    "What do you mean, ''what''?" Juniper grumbled, clearly annoyed. "If you don''t have


    the skills, don''t y bodyguard."


    “I get it,” Melvin said, seeming to understand her meaning. He didn''t dare argue back. "I''ll leave now."