Miranda''s face softened, but that warmth vanished the moment she heard Ynda''s words. She hade to offerfort out of consideration for the younger woman''s age. But if they were to get to the bottom of it, Ynda herself had started the trouble. If Juniper hadn''t moved out of the way in time, Ynda wouldn''t be lying in a pile of manure; she''d be lying in a hospital bed. Not only was she refusing to reflect on her own actions, she was trying to me someone else?


    "Ynda, it was your horse that spooked first and charged at Juniper," Miranda stated, crossing her arms. The warmth was gone from her face, her tone turning cold. "If Juniper hadn''t dodged in time, do you really think this would have ended so simply?"


    "I..." Ynda choked back a sob, stunned that Miranda would take Juniper''s side.


    "Get some rest," Miranda said, her gaze turning distant. "Are you going to continue with the rest of the filming?"


    "No," Ynda mumbled, shaking her head. The humiliation was too much. Going back out there would just make her aughingstock.


    "Alright," Miranda nodded. After instructing an assistant to look after her, she turned and left without a second''s hesitation.


    Ynda walked to the balcony and looked down from the window. The segment had just ended. Juniper was dismounting and feeding her horse a treat. Miranda was standing beside her, her usually neutral expression now reced with a beaming smile. Her attitude waspletely different from how she''d treated Ynda.


    It was obvious. Director Miranda really liked Juniper.


    "Vixen," Ynda muttered, her hands clenching into fists. She knew it. Juniper wouldn''t have gone to such lengths to get on this show if she didn''t have a hidden agenda. She was either trying to charm Miranda tounch a career in entertainment or to marry into the Schwartz family. Whichever it was, Ynda wouldn''t let her seed.


    But wait—wasn''t Juniper traumatized by horses as a child? When did she learn to ride?


    Outside, Juniper felt exhrated after severalps around the arena.


    "Tired?" Miranda asked, walking over with a water bottle and a towel during the mid- session break, her smile gentle.


    "Thanks, Miranda." Juniper took the water and drank it down in one go, the long, elegant line of her neck perfectly defined.


    "I thought I heard you couldn''t ride," Miranda asked.


    "Oh?" Juniper swallowed, a faint smile ying on her lips. "I was bullied by a horse when I was little,


    so I was scared of them for a while. But then, bullied them back


    "Huh?" Miranda was baffled by that. What did she mean, ''bullied them back''?


    "I rode them around the arena for two months straight," Juniper answered withplete


    seriousness, her eyes crinkling into happy crescents. "By the end of it, they were scared the moment they saw me."


    "Hahaha..


    exnatHearing Juniper''s , Miranda couldn''t hobet


    back herughter How could anyone be this adorable?


    "Next time you have a chance, you have to take me for a couple ofps," she said.


    "Deal," Juniper nodded confidently. "With me here, they won''t dare bully you."


    Miranda had to stifle anotherugh. Juniper was just too cute.


    After filming wrapped for the day, the cameras were put away, and the guests headed to the dressing rooms to change.


    As Juniper was walking, Jiana popped out of nowhere, her eyes sparkling.


    "Juniper, are you looking for a girlfriend? What do you think of me?"


    "Huh?" Juniper stopped in her tracks. What the hell?


    Little did she know, Shanley, who had been waiting in the dressing room for some time, slowly narrowed his eyes.