"Juniper, what are your ns now that the training camp is over?" The advisor, knowing her fondness for them, handed her a milkshake with a wide, ingratiating


    smile.


    "Going home." Juniper epted the drink but didn''t take a sip. The advisor''s smile was a little too eager for her liking.


    "Ah, home." The advisor continued to beam. "You brought great honor to our ss during the camp. All the students are so grateful to you."


    Juniper just watched her cautiously, saying nothing.


    "You''re not only beautiful and intelligent, but you also have such a strong sense ofmunity..."


    The advisorid on thepliments thick and fast.


    Juniper''s brow furrowed. "Ma''am, if you have something to say, please just say it."


    "Always so sharp," the advisor said, momentarily taken aback before recovering. "Well, the thing is, the opening ceremony is next Monday, and the school administration thinks you''re an exceptional student... so they''d like you to be the freshman representative and give a speech on stage."


    "No, thank you," Juniper replied without hesitation.


    "Why not?" The advisor was surprised. It was an honor most freshmen would kill for.


    "I just don''t want to," Juniper said tly. "I don''t like public speaking."


    "Is it the speechwriting? Is that what''s bothering you?" the advisor asked, a spark of inspiration in her eyes. "Don''t worry about that. I''ll prepare the script for you. All you have to do is read it."


    The truth was, Era City hadn''t produced a student with a perfect score in years. The university was determined to showcase her, partly to gloat and partly to stick it to their rival, Sundale University, who had shamelessly tried to poach Juniper after the recent bullying rumors.


    Even after hearing the advisor''s exnation, Juniper just shook her head,pletely uninterested. The opening ceremony was already a tedious affair. As a member of the audience, she co at least zone out or take a nap. If she had to give a speech, she''d have to be waiting backstage for ages. It sounded


    horribly boring.


    "Juniper, please..."


    The advisor was about to press on when her phone rang.


    "Just a moment," she said, her eyes widening when she saw the caller ID. It was a university administrator. "What? Shanley Schwartz is reallying to the opening ceremony?"


    Although Shanley was an Era


    University alumnus, his status was


    er


    legendary. He rarely made public appearances, let alone at something asrge-scale as the opening ceremony. Rumor had it that Shanley himself had called the university and requested to attend Sending the administration into a frenzy of excitement.


    Shanley Schwartz? At the mention of his name, the girl who had been looking down


    at the ground felt her eyshes flutter.


    "Yes, yes, I understand." The advisor hung up and grabbed Juniper''s hand, her


    voice filled with urgency. "Juniper, this is a huge deal. Not only will the university and city leadership be there, but a very important guest ising. Shanley, you know who that is, right?"


    Juniper pursed her lips. She knew him quite well.


    "This is a once-in-a-lifetime


    opportunity, the advisor pressed on.


    "Schwartz Group has major


    partnerships with Era University. and they re the titans of the tech industry. You''re so brilliant. Ifyou could catch his eye, it would be a huge boost for your future studies and career. The sries at Schwartz Group are ridiculously high. Don''t you want a shot at that?"


    Juniper blinked, resisting the urge to inform her advisor that not only was the CEO


    of Schwartz Group hers, but so was all his money.