Why did he have to be so brutal?


    Then again, what did she expect? This was Shanley Schwartz-the decisive, universally feared titan of Era City.


    "The Yardley family''s upbringing is really deteriorating, raising someone reckless enough to provoke my fiancée."


    The moment the words left Shanley''s mouth, a collective shiver ran through the crowd.


    His statement carried a dual threat. First, he publicly dismantled Sheryl''s fabricated "childhood sweethearts" narrative to firmly back Juniper, broadcasting to everyone that she was the undeniable futuredy of the house. Second, he made it clear that because Sheryl had the audacity to nder his fiancée, he wasn''t just going to punish her he was going to crush the entire Yardley family.


    To be targeted by the Schwartz Group meant the Yardley family''s future was effectively over.


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Schwartz."


    rm bells rang in Sheryl''s head. She snapped her gaze up, her face chalk-white as she scrambled to exin. "My words might have caused a misunderstanding."


    "Mr. Schwartz really did only speak to me once. Any time I saw him after that, it was just me watching from a distance and secretly having photos taken."


    Though they were in the same frame, she had never dared to actually approach him. She always stood far away andter paid editors to digitally move them closer together, creating the illusion of intimacy.


    She assumed Shanley had been around countless women and couldn''t possibly remember exactly when or where he had seen her. She never expected him to recall the details so sharply.


    She couldn''t afford the price of provoking him and bringing his wrath down on her family.


    Hearing her confession, the rest of the guests practically rolled their eyes.


    Childhood sweethearts? Young lovers?


    They originally thought Shanley was just a fickle man tired of his old me, but it turned out the entire thing was a one-sided, fabricated delusion by Sheryl.


    No wonder the Schwartz family had never bothered to issue a public statement to rify the rumors back then. It turned out the Yardley family wasn''t even significant enough to warrant an official response. Absolute indifference was the ultimate insult. To not even be friends, yet have the nerve to parade around in front of his actual fiancée? Sheryl was out of her mind.


    Shanley stared at her with icy detachment, saying nothing. His gaze was so cold it felt like a physical de.


    "Ms. Payne, I apologize for offending you."


    Sheryl swallowed her pride, walked up to Juniper, and offered a stiff, humiliated


    apology. The untouchable princess had be a public joke.


    Juniper sat with her legs crossed, leisurely looking Sheryl up and down. From the panic in the other gis eyes it was obvious Shanley had told the absolute truth. Sheryl had orchestrated the entire fantasy herself.


    But still—her obsessive crush on Shanley was very real, wasn''t it? "You really were offensive."


    Miranda stepped in at the perfect moment, standing protectively in front of Juniper with a deep scowl "Ms. Yardley, I noticed your


    l.ne


    choctes were fakes right from the start 1 chose not to expose you to


    spare your dignity."


    "I didn''t expect you to turn around and try to frame my daughter-inw to save yourself."


    "Exactly," Hannah added, tapping her cane against the floor with a scowl. "Even if my granddaughter-inw gave me a box of empty air I''d love t. I dont need outsiders running their mouths about it!"


    Between Grandma and Miranda, the defensive firepower was so intense that Juniper couldn''t even get a word in edgewise.


    The young woman simply sat back, sipping her juice obediently.


    Sheryl bit her lip,pletely paralyzed by the scolding. The Schwartz family protected Juniper with such ferocity that she didn''t even need to defend herself.


    "It''s the new year, a time for celebration. We don''t need you bringing your bad luck in here."


    Hannah ordered the staff to return everything Sheryl had brought. Including the fake choctes Juniper had tossed into the trash, which were unceremoniously shoved back into Sheryl''s arms.


    Forced to hold the literal garbage, Sheryl''s face turned as pale as snow. She looked like an absolute clown.