"The elevator is broken." Shanley lied through his teeth, looking down at the girl beside him without missing a beat.


    Juniper stared at him in silence, her dark eyes practically saying, "Try lying one more time."


    "Fine, it''s not broken."


    Shanley quickly confessed. He wrapped an arm around her waist, leaning in close


    to whisper in her ear, "It''s the future Boss Lady''s first visit. I had to let everyone get a good look at you."


    Juniper nced around. Everyone''s fingers were aggressively typing on their keyboards, but their eyes were practically glued to them.


    They were crossing their eyes trying to look.


    "Let''s go."


    Shanley squeezed her hand, coaxing softly. "Now that they know what you look like, if I ever dare mess around at thepany, they can secretly report back to you."


    "No need."


    Juniper let him pull her along, strolling leisurely beside him. She looked up and said inplete seriousness, "If that day everes, I''ll just end you myself."


    "Deal."


    Shanley chuckled, gently stroking her hair. "If that day everes, I hope you do." Though-


    The chances of that were absolutely zero.


    ...


    The building was tall.


    Shanley didn''t have the heart to make her walk all the way down, so after showing off enough, they took the "broken" elevator straight to the underground parking garage.


    "Get in." Shanley opened the door to his sports car.


    "Want to try my ride today?"


    Juniper didn''t move. Instead, she nodded toward something in the distance. "It''s fast, convenient, and best of all, immune to traffic jams."


    She had only taken one bite of that cake, and her cravings had fully kicked in. And then-


    Shanley dramatically dropped it.


    Right now, she just wanted to get food as fast as possible, and driving would mean getting stuck in traffic.


    Plus-


    His car was far too shy; they''d probably end up being stared at like zoo animals again.


    "Your ride?"


    Shanley followed her gaze and


    it-a battered, peeling electric scooter standing out likea


    O among the sk


    A beat-up little e-scooter sitting next to cars worth millions.


    He had always wanted to try it out.


    "Sure."


    Shanley nodded, shut his car door, and led the girl toward her tiny scooter. "Who''s driving?"


    "You sit in the back." Juniper tossed him a helmet, looking fully confident. "I''m driving. Trust me."


    "Alright."


    Shanley obediently put on the safety helmet and pulled down the visor.


    Thoroughly concealing his face.


    While this was admittedly quite romantic, it was also slightly absurd.


    Given his towering height and tailored suit, the visual was striking.


    If reporters caught a picture of his face, it might genuinely impact thepany''s stock.


    Spawning rumors like: Schwartz Group Going Bankrupt? CEO Reduced to Riding a Beat-Up Scooter.


    Wearing the helmet.


    Shanley awkwardly folded his long


    legs onto the footrests and wrapped


    his arms solved Aiber''s


    waist.


    "?"


    Juniper turned to look at him, then down at his hands.


    "I''m scared." Shanley leaned in and kissed her ear, his voice low and teasing. "Let me hold you, okay?"


    Juniper shivered, goosebumps erupting across her skin.


    "Oh, really?" She raised an eyebrow, a sly gleam in her eyes. "You''d better hold on


    tight then."


    Before Shanley could register what she meant.


    "Vroom-"


    With a twist of the throttle, the beat-up scooter shot out of the garage like a rocket. The


    eleration was so fierce Shanley nearly fell off backward.


    Was this girl flying a spaceship?


    Good night.