Suddenly put on the spot, Shanley straightened his back, his voiceced with guilt.


    "Here''s what happened..." he began, carefully omitting any mention of the Cybeic Shadows. "I noticed someone was following Juniper and assumed it was an enemy looking to harm her. To ensure her safety, I felt I had to take drastic measures..."


    "So you decided to strike first?" Melvin interjected, rubbing his still-sore wrist as he fanned the mes. "Since when does our Juniper have so many enemies?!"


    "Well....." Juniper bit her lip, mumbling indistinctly, "quite a few, actually."


    "What?" Ebony Fox shot her a surprised, heartbroken look, murmuring to herself, "A lot of enemies?"


    Wasn''t her sister just a student? Could it be that Shanley''s enemies were targeting her instead? The thought made her skin crawl. Shanley was far too dangerous; he wasn''t right for her sister.


    "I''m kidding," Juniper said quickly, holding a slice of watermelon to Ebony Fox''s lips in a cating gesture. "I don''t have any enemies."


    Most of them had learned to give her a wide berth after she''d dealt with them. Assassination? They''d have to be out of their minds.


    "Juniper..." Ebony Fox took a bite of the watermelon, her attention shifting back to Shanley. "What is your rtionship with this gentleman?"


    Shanley held his breath, looking at Juniper with pleading eyes.


    "Um..." Juniper poked at her own slice of watermelon, her head slightly bowed as she answered slowly, "He''s my boyfriend."


    "Boyfriend?" Although Ebony Fox had suspected it, hearing her sister say the words was still a shock. The age gap was one thing, but Shanley''splicated and dangerous life was another. How could her sister, a sweet girl of eighteen, possibly handle all that? Had she been tricked? And had Jimmie and the others just stood by and watched her get snatched up?


    "Yes," Juniper confirmed.


    With that confirmation, Shanley''s posture straightened considerably. "Ebony Fox, I want to apologize again for what happened earlier."


    He dipped his head slightly, his tone respectful but not subservient. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. I''m Shanley Schwartz, Juniper''s boyfriend."


    Ebony Fox stared at him, then back at Juniper, her silence making her disapproval clear.


    Feeling helpless, Shanley nced at the nonchnt Melvin, who was lounging with his legs crossed. "I


    hear a new shipment of top-tier et


    motorcycles is arriving in Yria Country soon, Mr Steele Feel free to pick any one you like. Just let Felton know, and he''ll ce the order."


    Melvin cleared his throat, suddenly sitting up straight. He ran a hand through his hair, feigningposure. "Well, I''m not a petty person. It was an ident. I can''t really me you."


    Shanley then turned to Harold. "Dr. Houston, Schwartz Group will cover all of yourb equipment and funding for the next quarter."


    Harold brushed a wrinkle from his jacket and cleared his throat. "Melvin''s right. We can''t put all the me on you."


    Finally, it was Jimmie''s turn.


    Knowing money wouldn''t work, Shanley spoke earnestly, "Mr. Tate if someone with a questionables background was furtively


    approaching Juniper, wouldel.


    you


    react the same way I did?"


    "... You have a point," Jimmie admitted, unable to argue. When t came to Juniper''s safety, he might have reacted even more irrationally than Shanley He really couldn''t fault the man for this


    Ebony Fox''s face remained grim as she watched in silence. On the way here, the four of them had made a pact to give Shanley a hard time. And now, they were all turning on her.


    She was starting to suspect her three brothers had practically sold Juniper to Shanley.