After ending the chat, Juniper tossed her phone aside, put on a pair of gloves and safety goggles, and began to meticulously sand the sandalwood beads. They still needed to be polished and strung together. Shanley''s birthday was just a few days away; she had to work faster.


    At the Schwartz Group headquarters, Shanley had just finished a four-hour-long remote meeting.


    "Boss," Flint said, approaching him with a phone in hand and aplicated expression. There was good news, and there was bad news.


    "Go on," Shanley said, leaning back in his chair and slowly massaging his temples, a hint of fatigue on his handsome face.


    "It''s about Ms. Payne..."


    As soon as Flint spoke her name, the man who had been resting with his eyes closed suddenly snapped them open.


    "Boss, you and Ms. Payne are trending together," Flint said quickly, unnerved by his boss''s intense stare. He decided to lead with the good news.


    Shanley took the phone and saw the headlines. Juniper was the top scorer with a perfect score. She had chosen Era University''s Genius Program, making her his future fellow alumna. Seeing their names in the same headline was indeed a pleasant development.


    "Boss, I took screenshots," Flint added with a fawning smile. "Including all the well wishes fromizens. I saved everything."


    "Well done," Shanley said, a smile touching his lips as he scrolled through thements. "Flint, you''ve been quite proactivetely."


    "I would go through fire and water for you and Ms. Payne, Boss. It is my honor," Flint dered, standing ramrod straight, his expression more earnest than a new recruit''s.


    "Is there anything else?"


    "Yes." Flint pulled up another article, his voice cautious. "Some people are questioning whether Ms. Payne''s score is legitimate. They''re saying she cheated and are demanding an exnation."


    "That''s to be expected," Shanley said, his smile unwavering. He wasn''t even slightly angry. "Not everyone can get a perfect score without even finishing high school."


    Coming from anyone else, the suspicion would be understandable.


    "How is she handling it?"


    "Ms. Payne has decided to hold a press conference tomorrow afternoon at Aurora High School," Flint reported. "As for what she ns to do, she hasn''t specified."


    "Mm," Shanley said with a light chuckle, unconcerned. "School''s about to start anyway. Let her have some fun. A little rxation."


    "Yes, sir." Flint nodded. As he turned to leave, Shanley suddenly spoke. "Wait."


    Flint stopped, turning back with a questioning look.


    "Lately..." Shanley began, frowning slightly, looking uncharacteristically awkward. "Have you noticed


    anything different about Ms. Payne Maybe her going to the mall, buying things?"


    Flint waspletely lost. He had no idea what his boss was getting at. "No, sir, I haven''t," he answered honestly.


    al.n


    Shanley''s lips thinned, a wave of disappointment washing over him. Dana had told him she''d let it slip Juniper that his birthday wasing up. It was next week. If the girl nned on celebrating with him she would surely be preparing a gift by now.


    But there was nothing. Did that mean she wasn''t nning on celebrating with him?


    The thought soured his mood. He had been nning to use the asion to ask for


    a ''birthday wish'' from her.


    Now, he wasn''t so sure.


    Had she forgotten? Maybe he should drop another hint?


    Later that evening, Shanley returned home. He found Juniper lounging on the sofa, chatting away with her friends.


    Queenie and J had both just


    heard from the admissions team at


    Era University. One was going for political science, the other forw, Both were thrilled with their O


    2.


    "By the way, Juniper..." After the excitement about college died down, J popped


    a question out of the blue. "Did you know next weekend is Mr. Schwartz''s birthday?"


    "How did you know that?" Juniper shot back, bewildered.