Since Jimmie was abroad and couldn''t be contacted directly, she decided to pursue two avenues at once. On one hand, she would find a way to get a sample of Juniper''s hair for a DNA test. On the other, she would have Cybeic Shadows dig up her entire history. If this really was her sister, she wanted to know what her life had been like during their dozen years apart.


    "Of course," the Cybeic Shadows customer service agent replied robotically. "We will need to register your real information for our records."


    Ebony Fox hesitated. Her identity was sensitive.


    "Rest assured, Cybeic Shadows has a strict policy against disclosing client information," the agent added. "This is simply to prevent malicious requests."


    "Huntsman Institute, Senior Instructor, Ebony Fox."


    "Understood." After verifying her credentials, the agent continued, "Please provide the name of the person you wish to investigate.”


    "The top scorer on the university entrance exam, Juniper Payne," Ebony Fox stated, enunciating each word.


    "Who? Juniper Payne? Isn''t that our future boss''s wife?" the agent thought, rmed. Why would an instructor from Huntsman Institute be investigating her?


    "Right away,” the agent said, careful not to reveal his shock. After ending the call, he immediately dialed Shanley.


    "Chief, Ebony Fox, an instructor from Huntsman Institute, is investigating Ms. Payne."


    "What?" Shanley was in line buying dessert for Juniper when the call came. An icy aura instantly enveloped him. "Huntsman Institute?"


    "Yes."


    Huntsman Institute was a ce that trained special forces and mercenaries from around the world. It was also known for undertaking high-level "assassination" contracts. They had no idea why this person was looking for Ms. Payne.


    "Get me everything you can on this Ebony Fox," Shanley ordered, his voice dangerously low as he got into his car with the dessert. "And In mean everything." y ?wnovels


    Juniper had grown up in Era City, and he''d never heard her mention the Amazon rainforest. Could it be that she''d made an enemy in the past, and a hit had been put on her? If so he wouldn''t spare this "Ebony Fox or anyone else involved.


    Era University.


    After finishing her meal, Juniper walked out, sipping on a milkshake. The recent events had turned her into a campus celebrity, earning her a legion of fans.


    "The parking lot?" she said into her phone, talking to Shanley. "Okay, I''m on my way."


    “Alright,” Shanley replied softly, his eyes fixed on the road outside his car window. A few momentster, the girl he''d been longing to see appeared.


    “Juni—” Shanley started to call out as he lowered the window, but a boy seemingly materialized out of nowhere, stopping directly in front of Juniper.


    Shanley''s words caught in his throat. He narrowed his intense eyes, watching the scene unfold.


    “J-Juniper...” the boy stammered. He was wearing a white t-shirt, and his fair face was flushed with a nervous blush.


    "Yes?" Blocked, Juniper instinctively looked up, her gaze locking onto him.


    "I..." The boy fumbled for words, then pulled a small, exquisite box from


    his pocket and pressed it into her


    "?


    hand. “I put a lot of thought into this.


    hope you like it."


    “Huh?” Juniper waspletely baffled by the object suddenly shoved into her hands. Before she could say a word, the boy was gone.


    What the hell was that? Why did he run off so fast? It wasn''t a bomb, was it?