"It took a lot of effort to win her over," Qadir said, grinning like a fool, both proud and happy. “You have to keep the good things in the family, right? Besides, I''d rather a great girl like her be with me than let some other guy get her."


    "Oh, shut up." Queenie gave him a light kick, smiling awkwardly. "Juniper, don''t listen to his nonsense."


    “It''s great,” Juniper said, chewing on a spicy jerky stick with a raised eyebrow. "If he ever gives you trouble, just tell me. I''ll take care of him."


    "Never, never," Qadir quickly pledged his loyalty. "I can''t love her enough as it is."


    "Ooh, ''can''t love her enough as it is''," Dolce mimicked, before she and J burst intoughter. Queenie was so embarrassed she wished the ground would swallow her whole. This boyfriend of hers was truly insufferable. She was starting to regret saying yes.


    "By the way, Juniper, when are you and Mr. Schwartz going public?" Qadir asked, his words muffled as he gnawed on a chicken wing. Recently, rumors had started circting around school that Juniper had a boyfriend. Not just one, either. He had no idea who started such a ridiculous rumor.


    Hearing this, Juniper pressed her lips together. "In a while,” she said quietly. Shanley was in the middle of a major international case, and she had the show to film. Announcing their rtionship now wouldpletely overshadow the show''s publicity, and she didn''t want to cause any trouble for Miranda.


    Later, Juniper went to the restroom. On her way back, she ran into Jerrold in the hallway. "What are you doing here?" he asked, reeking of alcohol and clearly surprised to see her.


    "None of your business." Juniper shot him a cold nce and tried to walk past.


    "Trying to earn some money?" Jerrold blocked her path. The alcohol had gone to his head, and the scent of her perfume made his mind wander. "Juniper, are you that desperate for cash?” He let out a cold, superiorugh. “You know, with your looks, you could easily find a rich and powerful boyfriend." If he remembered correctly, her current boyfriend was a broke nobody.


    "Rich and powerful?" Hearing this, Juniper stopped and crossed her arms, her eyes scanning him from head to toe. A mocking smile yed on hertips. "Are you referring to yourself?" Jerrold choked, about to retort, but she cut him off "Ever take good took in the mirror if you don''t have one, at least you have your own piss to look into, right?”


    "Juniper!" Jerrold''s face turned livid.


    “Shh,” Juniper interrupted again, her toneced with amusement. "Settle down, prostate-boy, it''s not your turn to get inmed yet."


    "Don''t push your luck. Know your ce," Jerrold snarled, his anger boiling over. "Your boyfriend''s a broke loser. Instead of letting him sleep with you for free, you should be with me. I''ll give you tens of thousands a month. I guarantee you''ll live a better life than anyone."


    "With skin that thick, why hasn''t the


    government used you to make


    bulletproof vests?!" Juniper slowly advanced until she was standing right in front of him. "You useless mutt,” she said, her voice dangerously low. "You just wasted two minutes of my time. Let''s settle this score."


    Settle? How?


    Before Jerrold could process her words, Juniper lifted her leg and delivered a powerful kick to his


    chest. With a heavy thud, Jerrold et


    copsed onto the hallway floor, out cold. When he came to, his head was throbbing and his anxious driver was leaning over him. Why was he lying here? Where was Juniper?


    "I didn''t see Ms. Payne," the driver said, looking utterly confused.


    “Check the security footage,” Jerrold growled.


    That damn woman dared toy a hand on him. “The cameras are broken too," the driver said helplessly. “Mr. Lonsdale, could it be that you were so drunk you were hallucinating?"


    Hallucinating? Jerrold shook his head forcefully, nowpletely bewildered by the driver''s words.


    Could it be? Was he really so obsessed with Juniper that he had imagined the whole thing?