《Don't Mess with the Girl with Candy》


 Chapter 1

    "Get out!"


    The first thing Juniper Sherwin saw as she arrived at the old family home was the somber funeral wreath hanging on the main gate. The next second, a jumble of misceneous items mixed with a few old clothes was thrown out, scattering in the muddy water.


    "Your grandfather doted on you more than anyone, yet you couldn''t even be bothered to show up for his funeral!"


    A woman dressed in the mourning clothes, her makeup exquisite and her air aristocratic, stood on the steps, using her with haughty indignation. "The Sherwin family took you in until you were eighteen. We''ve done more than enough! From this day on, you are no longer our daughter!"


    At the sound of her voice, the funeral guests turned to follow the gaze of Frigga, thedy of the Sherwin household.


    There, standing miserably in the rain, was a girl in a white t-shirt and ck pants, covered in mud and scratches. A light breeze swept her messy bangs aside, revealing a delicate face to the crowd. Her brows were perfectly arched, her eyes captivating, and her features were so clean they seemed untouched by the mortal world. She was breathtakingly beautiful.


    Even in a city like Era, famed for its beauties, a face like hers was a showstopper.


    "Whoa..."


    The guests gasped as they got a clear look at her. So this was the Sherwin family''s infamous fake heiress!


    The story was well-known. Years ago, the true heiress, Ynda Sherwin, had been critically ill. With hospitals giving up and issuing one dire notice after another, the desperate family had listened to a spiritual advisor''s suggestion: adopt an orphan of the same age to bring good fortune. That orphan was Juniper Sherwin.


    And it worked. Within a few years, Ynda made a miraculous recovery.


    Out of generosity, the Sherwins hadn''t sent Juniper away but had raised her as their own for fifteen years. Who would have thought she''d turn out to be a lost cause? Her character and grades were nothingpared to the real daughter''s. She was known for brawling and causing trouble, and was even rumored to have tried to seduce her sister''s boyfriend.


    Now that her biological rtives had been found, she was apparently refusing to leave, clinging to the wealth and luxury she''d grown ustomed to.


    So what if she was beautiful? She was just an empty vase, all style and no substance.


    The crowd''s murmurs filled the air, but the girl seemed not to hear them. She clutched a rare restorative herb she had crossed mountains to find, her bloodshot eyes fixed on the old man''s funeral portrait, her pale lips trembling.


    "You broke your promise, old man.¡±


    He had sworn he would hold on until she returned with the medicine to save him.


    "Stop the act. You just want money, don''t you?" Frigga sneered, her red lips twisting cruelly. "Ynda!"


    ¡°Here, take this. It''s five thousand dors," Ynda said, stepping forward and offering a bank card to Juniper. Her gentle voice wasced with condescension. "It''s not much, but it''s more than your family in Moulnds could save in years."


    Moulnds, the most notorious slum in all of Era City, if not the entire state of Borealia.


    Juniper ignored her, crouching down to sift through the messy pile of clothes, searching for her grandfather''s belongings.


    "Oh, and one more thing," Ynda continued, stepping closer. She deliberately shed a million-dor ring on her hand, her smile dripping with smugness. "Isn''t it beautiful? Jerrold gave it to me. He said he''s going to propose as soon as my college entrance exams are over. By then-"


    "Ynda, are you running for office?" Juniper finally spoke, her voice cutting through the air as she carefully wiped her grandfather''s photos clean and ced them in her backpack.


    "What?" Ynda froze, caught off guard.


    ¡°Because you''ve got more faces than a politician!" Juniper lifted her gaze, her eyes cial. In a low, deliberate tone, she said, "Don''t make me p you today."


    Her grandfather had just been buried. She didn''t want to disturb his peace.


    "You " Ynda''s carefully constructed smile shattered, her face turning a mottled red and white as her expression twisted with rage.


    "That''s enough!" Malcolm Sherwin, her adoptive father, stepped in. He was disgusted with Juniper, but with so many of Era City''s influential figures present, he had to maintain appearances. He feigned a fatherly tone. "Juniper, we don''t want you to go either, but we think it''s best for you to be with your real family."


    "Don''t worry," he added magnanimously. "If you ever need help in the future, we''ll do what we can."


    The family''s disy of "kindness" earned them murmurs of approval from the onlookers, which only fueled their condemnation of Juniper.


    Yet, the girl at the center of it all remained unfazed, calmly wiping the mud off her grandfather''s things. She didn''t bother to reply, not even sparing them a nce.


    The crowd was baffled. Trying to provoke her was like kicking a pillow.

 Chapter 2

    After carefully packing her grandfather''s belongings, Juniper knelt on the ground. Facing the memorial hall, she bowed her head. Her tears mixed with the rain, vanishing as quickly as they fell.


    After a few seconds of silent mourning, she rose and faced the Sherwin family, her voice cold and final. "From this day on, I have nothing to do with the Sherwin family. As for this money..."


    Her gaze swept over the bank card. "Keep it. Maybe you can buy an enema to flush the crap out of all three of your heads!"


    ¡°Juniper Sherwin!" Malcolm''s mask of civility nearly cracked under the sheer humiliation.


    "My name is Juniper Payne!" Juniper corrected him sharply. Pushing down the grief in her heart, she turned and walked away without a second nce.


    The guests exchanged confused looks. Wasn''t she supposed to be a greedy leech, refusing to leave? What was going on?


    ¡°She left that easily?" Frigga muttered under her breath, her jaw tight with suspicion. "I guess she doesn''t know about the inheritance."


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Malcolm hissed, shooting her a warning look. He scanned the crowd before lowering his voice. "What does the Sherwin family inheritance have to do with some stray?"


    The Sherwin family had seen a meteoric rise, transforming from a small-townpany into a respectable corporation in just a few years, allowing them to move to the prestigious Era City. Ynda had even caught the eye of a young master from the Lonsdale family, one of Era''s wealthiest ns, securing a brilliant future.


    But the family patriarch, Lemuel Sherwin, had been utterly bewitched. He ignored his own blood and instead showered affection on the adopted Juniper, even nning to leave her eighty percent of his estate.


    If Lemuel hadn''t taken pity on her and insisted on keeping her around all those years ago, they would have thrown her out in a heartbeat. Now, without Lemuel''s protection, crushing her would be easier than crushing an ant.


    It was a damp spring day. A fine mist enveloped the city, and the streets were quiet.


    A man with amanding presence and refined air sat reclined in the back of a sports car, his long legs crossed elegantly. He was casually flipping through a file, but the sharp, intense aura around him was palpable.


    "Report," he said, his head slightly bowed. The dim light in the car cast shadows across his handsome, chiseled face.


    "Boss, the trail''s gone cold," Felton reported, bowing respectfully. "We''ve found no trace of any other Subterra Vanguard members. Only Specter."


    Subterra Vanguard was a new arms manufacturer that had risen to prominence in Australis, led by the enigmatic ''Specter.'' In just a few years, they had be a formidable rival to their own Sigma Network in Borealia. The two factions had shed multiple times over markets and resources, and Sigma Network had suffered several setbacks. They had tracked Specter to Era City, but just as they closed in, the trail had vanishedpletely.


    The man''s fingers paused on the file, his expression darkening with a chilling intensity. ¡°Keep searching,¡± he ordered, his voice sharp as steel.


    Just then, a phone rang, jarring the tense silence.


    "Shanley, dear, did you look at the photos?" an elderly woman''s cheerful voice chirped through the speaker, sounding slightly out of ce. "Are you satisfied?¡±


    The man, Shanley Schwartz, tugged at his ck tie, his handsome face a mask of cold patience. ¡°Grandma, I need an exnation. Why was there a man in the portfolio of potential dates you sent me?"


    "Oh-uh..." The voice on the other end faltered for a moment before she mumbled, "Well, I was just worried you didn''t like girls, so..."


    "Don''t you worry, dear. Our family is very open-minded. As long as you''re happy, we''d wee a puppy if that''s what you chose."


    Shanley slowly closed his eyes, a hint of weariness in his deep gaze. A wry smile touched his lips. "That''s awfully thoughtful of you, Grandma."


    He chuckled softly and turned his head to look out the window.


    Suddenly, his eyes locked onto a slender figure shrouded in the misty rain, and his gaze froze.

 Chapter 3

    Outside the car window, a girl stood under the eaves, staring nkly into the distance. She was soaked to the bone, leaning listlessly against a wall, her face drained of all color. She looked like a lost, homeless kitten.


    "Isn''t that the fake heiress the Sherwins just kicked out?" Flint, in the passenger seat, recognized her immediately. That face was too memorable to forget.-


    "Fake heiress?" Shanley narrowed his eyes, taking a drag from his cigarette. The emotion in his gaze was unreadable.


    "Yes, sir. While we were tracking Specter, I saw them throw her out," Flint replied respectfully. "The whole family was ganging up on her. It was pretty pathetic."


    "Is that so?" Shanley''s long fingers tapped ash from his cigarette onto the car''s window ledge. He watched the girl, his gaze deepening.


    After staring into space for a few moments, the pitiful-looking girl pulled her gaze back. She took a small, clear bottle from her backpack, then rolled up her right sleeve to reveal a gash so deep it exposed the bone.


    Her expression remained unchanged. She casually wiped away the blood, uncapped the bottle with her teeth, and without a moment''s hesitation, poured the entire contents of the antiseptic onto the wound. Blood and disinfectant dripped down her arm, forming a crimson puddle on the ground.


    "Holy-!" Flint nearly lost his grip on the steering wheel, his eyes wide with disbelief.


    "She''s tough as nails!" he muttered, wincing in sympathy.


    Even hardened men like them, who had been through hell and back, would scream like banshees while cleaning a wound like that.


    But she acted as if she couldn''t feel a thing, her expression perfectly calm. She even popped a piece of hard candy into her mouth midway through.


    A car horn red nearby. Juniper nced up, and her eyes met a pair of deep, piercing ones. She paused for a second, realizing the man was looking directly at her.


    "Felton," Shanley said, extinguishing his cigarette as he met the girl''s confused gaze. "Go ask if she needs any help."


    She looked so young. He didn''t want her to fall into the wrong hands.


    "Yes, sir."


    But before Felton could move, Juniper had finished tending to her injury. She looked away and turned to leave.


    After a few steps, however, she suddenly stopped and turned back. With her hands in her pockets and her chin tilted up, she said coolly, "Your fuel tank''s housing, seven o''clock position. It''spromised."


    It was the anniversary of her grandfather''s death; she didn''t want any bloodshed. Besides, she''d overheard the man''s earlier conversation. This was her way of repaying a small kindness.


    "The fuel tank?¡± Felton and Flint immediately got out to check and, sure enough, found the problem. If it hadn''t been caught, friction during travel could have caused a fire, leading to an explosion.


    "The tank on this model is well-hidden. How did she even spot that?" Flint marveled. Even a specialized mechanic would have had to dismantle it to find the damage.


    Watching her retreating figure, Shanley''s Adam''s apple bobbed slightly, and the corner of his mouth curved into an almost imperceptible smile.


    A fake heiress? Interesting.


    "Hello? Hello!" Hannah''s voice squawked from the phone. After talking to herself for half a minute with no response, she was fuming. "You brat, are you trying to give me a heart attack? Just give me a straight answer, boy or girl!"


    ¡°Grandma,¡± Shanley said, closing the file. A faint, roguish smile yed on his lips. "Your grandson''s preferences... are perfectly normal."


    Two hourster, Juniper found herself in Moulnds, a remote and impoverished corner of Era City. Countless dpidated houses were crammed together along muddy, rutted roads. Under the hazy moonlight, the entire vige seemed gray and deste, as if cut off from the rest of the world, giving it an eerie, unsettling feel.


    Following the map on her phone, Juniper navigated the winding alleys and finally stopped in front of a modest house.


    This was, technically, her rtives'' home. ording to the Sherwins, this rtive was a distant rtion on her mother''s side. She was supposed to call her ''aunt.''


    In truth, they weren''t blood-rted at all. When she was three, her family had been in a shipwreck. Her parents had used theirst bit of strength to toss her, their youngest child, onto a small fishing boat skippered by a woman named Saskia Payne. That was how she had survived.

 Chapter 4

    Unfortunately, Saskia''s husband had died young, and as a single mother raising her own daughter, she didn''t meet the legal requirements for adoption. Heartbroken, she had no choice but to ce Juniper in an orphanage. Believing Juniper had found a better life after being adopted by the wealthy Sherwin family, Saskia never interfered. Now that the Sherwins had sought her out, Saskia had agreed without hesitation to take Juniper in.


    It was only through this that Juniper learned she had parents, three older brothers, and three older sisters. They had all been missing since the shipwreck, their records lost to time.-


    "Your cousin Juniper is used to the good life. I wonder if she''ll find this ce too shabby," a inly dressed middle-aged woman sighed as she swept the small house. "They say she''s withdrawn and difficult to manage.¡±


    "Hmm,¡± J Wilcox replied, crouching on the floor as she washed vegetables. ¡°People have hearts, Mom. If we''re good to her, she''lle around eventually¡ª"


    She broke off as a pair of mud-caked shoes stopped in front of her.


    J looked up, her gaze traveling up a pair of long legs until it rested on a face that was strikingly beautiful, despite being smudged with dirt.


    "Are you...?" J swallowed nervously. "Miss, who are you looking for?"


    ¡°Hello,¡± the girl said, her lips pressed into a thin line. "I''m looking for Saskia Payne. I''m from the Sherwin estate."


    So this was her cousin, the one who''d just been kicked out by the Sherwins?


    "Mom! Mom!¡± J scrambled to her feet, her voice trembling. ¡°Juniper''s here!¡±


    With a tter, the broom fell from Saskia''s hands. Her eyes reddened the moment she saw the girl''s face.


    ...


    Half an hourter, Juniper, now in clean clothes, sat obediently at the dining table. She had a big appetite and hadn''t eaten all day, so two bowls of stew barely touched the sides. Saskia ended up cooking all the remaining stew and brought the whole pot to her.


    "Thank you," Juniper said politely before continuing to eat.


    She''s grown so much, Saskia thought, watching her from across the table, her heart aching. But why is she so thin?


    Beautiful, polite, skinny, and helpless. And... a very healthy appetite. To Saskia, she seemed like a perfectly good kid, nothing like the troubled girl from the rumors.


    ...


    After dinner, Saskia gave Juniper her only bedroom.


    "It''s not much, but please make do for now." Knowing that Juniper was grieving Lemuel''s death, Saskia didn''t press her with questions. ¡°But don''t you worry. As long as I have food to eat, I''ll never let you go hungry."


    "That''s right, Juniper," J added, handing her a clean set of pajamas. Her round eyes were full of sincerity. "Please, make yourself at home here."


    Not wanting to disturb her, the mother and daughter quickly left the room after tidying up.


    Juniper noted that the house was tiny-just one bedroom and a living area. They were clearly struggling, yet they still took her in.


    After a moment of thought, she pulled out her cracked phone and dialed a number.


    ¡°Juniper! Juniper!" Lue Langley''s boisterous voice boomed through the phone as soon as the call connected.


    "I''m still alive,¡± Juniper said dryly, holding the phone away from her ear.


    ¡°We heard about Lemuel Sherwin. My condolences,¡± Lue said, her tone softening. She ran a hand through her short, silver hair, her androgynous style giving her a roguishly handsome look.


    "It''s for the best," Juniper replied, taking her grandfather''s photo out and cing it on the desk.


    "The Paynes aren''t even your real blood rtives. Why did you have to go there?" Lue sighed. "Come back to Australis. The guys at the base miss you."


    "The Paynes are good people,¡± Juniper said with a yawn, scrolling idly through her phone. ¡°Besides, I have to get into college."


    "Tsk, tsk." Lue rolled her eyes, finding the situation absurd. "What college is so prestigious that it requires your personal attention to get into?"

 Chapter 5

    "I promised my grandfather." Juniper''s lips thinned, and her expression darkened. His dying wishes were for her to go to college and find her family. He''d told her: ''College will teach you to think for yourself, to know how to take care of yourself. And if you find your family, you''ll have even more people to love you.''


    "Alright, then," Lue said, sensing the shift in tone. She dropped the teasing and got down to business. "I''ve got a lead on that bracelet you were looking for. I sent the details to your email."


    "Got it,¡± Juniper acknowledged. Just before hanging up, she added, "I need you to do one more thing for me."


    "Anything for you, boss," Lue purred, swirling a ss of wine.


    "Buy a building in the city center and trade it for thend in northern Moulnds. We''ll be moving there soon."


    ¡°Cough, cough¡ªwhat?" Lue nearly choked on her wine. Trade a downtown property worth hundreds of millions for a plot ofnd in a godforsaken ce like Moulnds?


    She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. "Leaving aside the whole building thing for a second, what on earth are you going to do withnd in Moulnds?"


    Juniper wiped her grandfather''s photo frame clean and replied without a second thought, ¡°nttro, I guess. I liketro.¡±


    Lue''s jaw dropped, her beautiful face a canvas of disbelief. Spend hundreds of millions on a piece ofnd... to grow a demonic weed liketro? Fine! This is how rich people have fun, apparently!


    At six the next morning, Saskia was peeling an egg for Juniper.


    "Which school do you go to?" she asked gently. "I''ll take you after breakfast."


    "I''m not in school," Juniper replied calmly, stirring her soup. "I''ve been on a break for over a year."


    When she was younger, the Sherwins couldn''t stand her. Whenever her grandfather was away at a religious retreat, they would find ways to make her life miserable. When her grandfather found out, he started taking her with him. She attended a school near the sanctuary and also trained with a master to build her strength. But just after her first year of high school, her grandfather fell gravely ill, and she returned with him to Era City for treatment. When her second year began, she got a lead on the rare herb and took a leave of absence to find it.


    The Sherwins, however, lied and imed she had dropped out because she hated school, and they officially withdrew her. The tuition refund was used by Ynda to buy designer clothes for her dog.


    After that, her grandfather''s condition worsened, and she was too busy caring for him to think about school. By her calctions, she should be in her senior year now.


    "You''ve been out of school?" Saskia was so shocked she nearly dropped her fork. Juniper was only eighteen. Could the rumors about her being a delinquent be true?


    She looked at the quiet, well-mannered girl across from her and shook her head. It didn''t seem possible.


    "She''s in my grade,¡± J said, her cheeks puffed out with a bite of her sandwich. "The college entrance exams are in three months. We need to find you a school quickly."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll figure something out,¡± Saskia said, her expression determined.


    Era City didn''t allow students to repeat a grade, so Juniper would have to enroll as a senior. It would be tough for her to catch up. But whether it was a four-year university or amunity college, it didn''t matter. It was always good for a girl to have an education.


    "Mmm-hmm," J nodded, peeling her own egg and cing it in Juniper''s bowl. "Don''t worry, Juniper. I''ll help you catch up on all the lessons you''ve missed."


    J''s family wasn''t well-off, but she was a brilliant and hardworking student who had earned her spot at Era High School, one of the best in the city.


    ¡°Saskia, actually....." Juniper began, not wanting to burden the kind mother and daughter. "You don''t have to find a school for me. I''ll be fine for the entrance exams. I can just study on my own."


    What? Study on her own for the college exams? The mother and daughter stared at each other,pletely dumbfounded.


    After breakfast, Saskia and J left for work and school. Juniper changed into a ck hoodie, put on a baseball cap and a mask, and headed out with her earbuds in.


    "Are you sure you don''t want me toe with you?" Lue''s voice came through the earbuds. She was clearly at a casino, and the sound of her casually tossing chips onto a table was followed by the squeals of admiring girls.


    "Worried I can''t handle myself?" Juniper asked, riding a rental bike to a garage. There, among a fleet of luxury cars, she found her own electric scooter tucked away in a corner.


    "Of course I''m worried! You''re worth a fortune, boss!¡± Lue said, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. ¡°I heard some people from Sigma Network are looking for you. If anything happens, those old geezers at the base will lose their minds!"

 Chapter 6

    "Let theme if they''ve got a death wish," Juniper retorted with azy smirk, her tone dripping with arrogance.


    Lue was speechless. True enough. Who in their right mind would dare to provoke this particr powerhouse? The Sigma Network must have a short memory if they were still looking for trouble.


    After hanging up, Juniper put on her helmet. With a stylish flick of her wrist, she revved the electric scooter, which shot out from between the luxury cars like a gust of wind.


    Thirty minutester, she arrived at Borealia''s most famous underground ck market-the Phantom Bazaar. It was a ce hidden deep beneath the earth, a shadowy world of illicit trade where strange and exotic goods were bought and sold, along with people and services that existed outside thew.


    The bracelet she was looking for was here.


    Juniper parked her scooter, popped a candy into her mouth, and strolled casually down the main street of the Bazaar. With no natural light, the ce was eerily illuminated by artificialmps, giving it a surreal, ominous vibe.


    No one dared to venture into the Phantom Bazaar alone, especially not a young girl who was now sauntering through the streets as if she owned the ce. Her audacity quickly drew the attention of the Schwartz family''s guards patrolling the area.


    After a quick look around, Juniper found what she was looking for in a small antique shop tucked away in a corner: an imperial green jadeite bracelet.


    Years ago, when her grandfather''spany was on the brink of copse, her grandmother had sold it to save the business. Her grandfather had spent years trying to find it again, but he had passed away before he could.


    "I''ll take this bracelet,¡± Juniper said, her voice clear and direct after confirming it was the right one.


    "Who''s buying?" a middle-aged man clutching a string of prayer beads hurried out, his face beaming. But when he saw Juniper, his smile vanished. Although she was bundled up and wearing a mask, he could tell she was just a young girl. And her clothes looked cheap, like something a beggar would wear.


    "Go on, get out of here! Don''t cause trouble," the owner grumbled, slumping back into his chair and fiddling with his tea set. "This thing is five million. Do you even have five hundred on you?"


    Juniper''s chewing slowed. A dangerous glint appeared in her downcast eyes as she pulled out a bank card and tossed it onto the table.


    The owner skeptically motioned for his clerk to check the card''s bnce. To his surprise, it really had five million.


    Fine. He''d bought the bracelet for three million, so selling it for five was a good profit.


    Just as he was about to get it from the case, however, his clerk leaned in and whispered something in his ear.


    "My apologies," the owner said, stopping his movements. A cunning smile spread across his face. "Another customer has also taken an interest in this bracelet."


    "I saw it first,¡± Juniper stated, her eyes turning a dangerous shade of red. A chilling pressure began to emanate from her. She was in a foul mood and felt an urge to kill someone. But her grandfather''s mourning period wasn''t over yet. She had to restrain herself.


    "The rule of the ck market is simple: highest bidder wins," the owner said, unafraid of a mere girl. He held up a hand. ¡°The other party is offering eight million."


    He wasn''t a fool. He wasn''t about to turn down more money.


    ¡°Ten million,¡± Juniper bit out, forcing down her anger.


    The owner ryed the new bid. ¡°Fifteen million from the other party.¡±


    Juniper''s eyes turned cial, and the fists at her sides clenched tightly. "Twenty million."


    Meanwhile, in a private room nearby, a man satnguidly on a leather sofa. His imposing figure was rxed, his long legs crossed, and a cigarette was held loosely between his elegant fingers. The warm light cast a golden halo around him, entuating his air of cold, noble authority.


    "Boss, the other party has bid twenty million," Felton reported respectfully.


    "Keep going,¡± Shanley said without looking up, his voice a low,manding rumble.


    Back in the shop, after receiving thetest bid from his clerk, the owner turned to Juniper with a word of advice. "Look, kid, you should probably just give up. You don''t want to mess with this person."


    He had heard the other bidder''s car had a license te starting with ''S.'' In all of Borealia, only the ancient and powerful Schwartz family used ''S'' tes. The Schwartz family''s main estate was right here in Era City. He couldn''t afford to offend them.


    Juniper slowly turned her head, her gaze sharp and cold. "And you think I''m easy to mess with?"


    The owner was taken aback. Who was this girl? Dressed so inly, yet throwing around tens of millions without batting an eye.


    Now he was in a tight spot, afraid to offend either of them.

 Chapter 7

    "The other party has bid thirty million. They''re determined to have it," the owner said with a helpless shrug. "If you want it, you''ll have to keep bidding. And the market doesn''t ept transfers, only direct card payments!"


    He was subtly reminding her that her card only had five million on it.


    Juniper''s eyes were cold as steel, the fury simmering within her ready to erupt. She forced herself to pop another candy in her mouth to calm down, then pulled out her phone and texted Lue.


    Lue: [Didn''t you bring enough? I checked, the bracelet should only be five million tops!]


    Juniper: [Ran into an idiot.]


    A five-million-dor bracelet being bid up to thirty million. The person had to be insane.


    Lue understood immediately. Knowing how much the bracelet meant to Juniper, she instantly transferred several tens of millions more to her ount.


    ¡°Forty million,¡± Juniper announced, putting her phone away.


    That was her limit. If the price went any higher, she wouldn''t hold back anymore. It was time to see what this rich idiot looked like.


    "Forty million?"


    Hearing his subordinate''s report, Shanley finally looked up, a flicker of surprise crossing his calm face. This bracelet wasn''t a top-tier piece; its value was around five million at most. But his grandmother had been searching for it for years, so he didn''t mind overpaying. He just hadn''t expected someone else to be willing to pay forty million for it.


    Shanley nced toward the room across the hall. He couldn''t see clearly, only make out the silhouette of a girl. It seemed his opponent had no intention of backing down.


    He had already spent too much time here, risking exposure. Besides, Hannah had always been frugal. No matter how much she loved something, she wouldn''t be truly happy receiving a gift that was so excessively overpriced.


    "Let''s go,¡± Shanley said, his eyes narrowing. He closed the boring catalog he''d been flipping through and strode out of the room with long, decisive steps.


    "Yes, boss," Felton and Flint said in unison, draping a coat over Shanley''s shoulders. As they left, they couldn''t help but nce back at the other room. It was the first time they had ever seen someone win something out from under their boss.


    ...


    After paying, Juniper tucked the bracelet into her backpack and left the antique shop. As she rounded a corner in the parking garage, a group of menacing men suddenly surrounded her.


    She stopped, tilting her head up slightly as she pulled off her mask. Beneath the brim of her cap, her face was exquisitely beautiful, but her eyes were like chips of ice.


    "Well, well, look what we have here. A pretty little thing," the leader sneered, his eyes raking over Juniper. Seeing that she was alone, his grin widened. "There''s a great bar nearby. How about youe have some fun with us?¡±


    Secrets didn''t stay secret for long in the ck market. News of her spending tens of millions on a bracelet had already spread. Now, they weren''t just after her money; they wanted more.


    ¡°Get lost,¡± Juniper said, her hands still in her pockets. Her voice was t andced with irritation.


    Get lost? This little brat clearly didn''t know whose territory she was on.


    "Oh, I''m game,¡± the man said, stepping closer, his eyes filled with lust. "Let''s find a nice, quiet ce, and we can all have some fun together."


    Not far away, Shanley and his men had just gotten off the elevator and witnessed the scene.


    ¡°What''s she doing here?¡± Flint eximed, still in awe of how Juniper had spotted the issue with their car. "And why is she always getting picked on?"


    A girl that small looked like one punch would be enough to send her to the next life.


    Shanley paused, his lips pressed into a thin line as he looked over. He could only see the girl''s profile. She stood with her head down, backpack on, hands in her pockets. Her clothes were old and oversized, making her look frail and defenseless, like a delicate flower anyone could crush.


    He frowned. What was she doing in a ce like this instead of being in school?


    "Give me your gun," Shanleymanded, his eyes turning frosty. The air around him dropped several degrees.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Felton and Flint exchanged a look. Since when did the boss handle trash like this himself?


    "Yes, sir," Felton said, quickly handing over his weapon.


    But before Shanley could even raise the gun, they watched as the supposedly frail girlshed out. A single left hook connected with the man''s face.


    The blow was explosive, fast, and brutal. The six-foot-tall brute went flying, his bulky body mming hard against a concrete pir. He spat out a mouthful of blood and crumpled to the ground, out cold.

 Chapter 8

    Felton could only stare. "Huh?"


    Flint was equally stunned. "Huh??"


    The boss hadn''t even had a chance to aim.


    Flint rubbed his eyes. He was beginning to think he had a serious misunderstanding of the word "frail."


    "Heh."


    A low chuckle rumbled from Shanley''s chest. He watched the girl intently, his lips curling into a smile. If he wasn''t mistaken, she had used her left hand.


    An outcast from a wealthy family? A victim? This girl was full of surprises.


    "Boss, are you okay?" one of the thugs stammered, helping his leader up. The man spat out a broken tooth and pointed a trembling finger at Juniper. ¡°Kill that little bitch!"


    Enraged, the remaining thugs drew their weapons-guns and knives¡ªand charged at Juniper like a pack of rabid dogs.


    ¡°Boss.....¡± Felton began, seeing the situation escte.


    "Don''t move. Watch and learn," Shanley ordered, leaning casually against the car with his arms crossed, a look of keen interest on his face. He was enjoying the show.


    "Yes, sir."


    The parking garage echoed with the sickening thud of fists on flesh, the sharp crack of bones, and agonized screams. In less than two minutes, it was over. The thugs were all on the ground, twisted in pain and moaning, their injuries varied but severe. Felton and Flint were speechless. So were the rest of the bodyguards.


    Was this a beautiful girl or a one-woman army?


    ¡°Get lost,¡± Juniper said, calmly straightening her clothes and wiping her left hand. Her aura was terrifyingly powerful. "Don''t make me say it a third time."


    The thugs exchanged fearful nces, then scrambled to their feet, dragging their unconscious leader with them as they fled.


    Once the garage was quiet again, Juniper didn''t leave immediately. Instead, she leaned against a pir, her gaze fixed on a spot not far away.


    "She saw us again? Does she have X-ray vision or something?" Flint muttered, scratching his head in confusion.


    Shanley''s lips curved into a slight smile as he watched the girl who, just moments ago, had been a ferocious fighter, now standing there quietly. He pushed off the car and walked towards her, Felton and Flint hurrying to keep up, their faces full of awe.


    "Fancy meeting you here," Shanley said, his voice smooth. He bent down, picked up a piece of candy that had fallen to the ground, wiped it clean, and held it out to her. "We meet again."


    At nearly six-foot-three, he towered over her like a mountain, his presencemanding and almost suffocating.


    Juniper disliked having to look up at people. She said nothing, but her beautiful face clearly conveyed a single message: I''m not happy. Don''t mess with me.


    "Mango candy. My favorite, too," Shanley noted her mood, a deeper amusement in his eyes. He inclined his head slightly, his tone polite. "Heading home?"


    Felton and Flint''s expressions wereplicated. Mango was their boss''s most hated fruit.


    Juniper raised an eyebrow. He wasn''t asking why she was here? Or how she could fight?


    He had a surprising amount of respect for boundaries. And more importantly, he also liked mango candy.


    "Oh." She took the candy and popped it into her mouth, but her posture remained wary and distant, like a little iceberg.


    "The Phantom Bazaar''s exits were temporarily sealed ten minutes ago," Shanley informed her, his gaze falling on the keychain in her hand. "Do you have a clearance pass?"


    Ten minutes ago? Juniper checked her phone and saw the notification. She had been too busy fighting to notice.


    Her mood soured even further.


    "If you don''t mind, you could ride with me,¡± he offered, his voice a clean, maic baritone. His deep eyes held hers, his expression calm and sincere.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not a bad person. Consider it my way of thanking you for yesterday''s warning."


    Juniper looked up at him, then nced at the car behind him. A Koenigsegg Gemera. The world''s first four-seater hypercar, with a price tag of over 10 million and a global production limited to only three hundred units. Its specs and design were top of the line, earning it the title of the world''s most powerful hypercar. The silver-gray exterior was understated yet screamed luxury. It wasn''t something you could buy with just money.


    "Whether you''re a bad person or not doesn''t really matter to me," Juniper said with a blink, her tone nonchnt. ¡°But the roads to my ce are terrible. If your car gets scratched, I can''t afford to pay for it."


    Not worried if he was a bad person?


    She had some nerve.

 Chapter 9

    "It''s insured," Shanley replied, his voice a low, pleasant rumble. His eyes were locked on hers. "If it gets damaged, you won''t have to pay."


    No payment required?


    "Alright, then." With her main concern addressed, Juniper agreed readily. Before getting in, she took a quick photo of her electric scooter''s location to have Lue send someone to pick it up.


    Shanley''s gaze followed hers to the inconspicuous scooter parked in the corner. The vehicle looked old and unremarkable, but to a trained eye, it was clear this was no ordinary scooter. It had been rebuilt with top-of-the-lineponents, giving it performance that surpassed some sedans. It was easily worth five million.


    A fake heiress who rode a five-million-dor custom scooter, came to the ck market alone, and could take on five men at once?


    Shanley looked away from the scooter and back at the girl who was now sitting in his car, swinging her feet as she gazed out the window. The intrigue in his eyes deepened.


    Inside the car, the silence was thick. Felton and Flint kept stealing nces at the girl in the back through the rearview mirror. Juniper sat with her knees together, her backpack on herp, and a candy in her mouth, her expression calm as she watched the scenery fly by. This quiet, well-behaved demeanor made it hard to reconcile with the image of the fierce fighter who had just taken down five men without breaking a sweat. It was incredible.


    "Thank you for yesterday," Shanley said, turning slightly to look at the girl. "I''m Shanley Schwartz. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    He extended his hand, a hint of warmth softening his usually cool and noble features.


    "My name is Payne," the girl replied, turning her head but not taking his hand. She merely gave him a brief nce. "Helping others is a virtue. You don''t need to thank me."


    A virtue?


    Shanley''s lips curved. "Well, if you ever need any help in the future, Ms. Payne, feel free to contact me," he said smoothly. He then very naturally took out his phone and said, "Let''s exchange contact details, shall we?"


    Juniper was about to refuse, but then she remembered that the Sigma Network''s headquarters were in Borealia. She didn''t know much about the area. Having a local contact might not be a bad idea.


    "Okay."


    She took out her phone, but just then, Flint spoke from the passenger seat. "Boss, your grandmother just messaged, asking about the jade bracelet. What should I tell her?"


    Jade bracelet? Juniper''s thumb paused.


    "I can''t very well tell her you spent thirty million and still couldn''t get it, can I?"


    Thirty million? Juniper''s head snapped toward Shanley, her brow furrowing. So, he was the rich idiot who had driven up the price!


    Her expression instantly turned to ice. She shut off her phone and put it away.


    "What''s wrong?" Shanley felt a subtle shift in the air, a puzzled look in his deep eyes.


    Why was she suddenly upset? Had Flint''s talking bothered her?


    He shot a warning re at Flint.


    Flint nearly bit his tongue, shrinking back into his seat and shutting his mouth.


    "Is there a problem, Ms. Payne?" Shanley asked, leaning slightly closer. His voice was noticeably softer.


    Juniper crossed her arms, turned her head away, and closed her eyes,pletely ignoring him.


    They were sitting close enough that Shanley could see her clearly. A stray lock of hair was tucked behind her ear, revealing its delicate shell. The sunlight streaming through the window highlighted the graceful line of her jaw. A faint blush of anger colored her cheeks, making her look like a feisty kitten with its fur on end.


    Shanley found the little wildcat endearing and had an urge to stroke her hair and soothe her, but he suspected he might get scratched if he tried.


    Felton and Flint struggled to suppress theirughter. In all their years with the boss, they had never seen anyone give him the cold shoulder like this. And what was even more surprising was that the boss wasn''t angry. In fact, he seemed to be... indulging her?


    ...


    Thirty minutester, the GPS route became more and more remote, the roads increasingly treacherous.

 Chapter 10

    A quick check confirmed their location. This was Moulnds, Era City''s infamous slum.


    Looking at the drizzling rain and the pothole-ridden dirt road ahead, Felton''s eyes widened. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, terrified of identally driving into a ditch. One trip through here would wreck the hypercar''s chassis.


    What a costly favor this was turning out to be for his boss. He didn''t get a contact number, but he was out tens of millions.


    Soon, the car came to a stop. Juniper grabbed her bag and moved to get out.


    ¡°Ms. Payne, one moment," Shanley said, stepping out of the car. He quickly walked around to her side. "Flint, the umbre!"


    "Yes, sir."


    Just as Flint opened the umbre, Shanley took it from him. He held it in his left hand while opening the car door with his right, tilting the umbre to ensure not a single drop of rain touched the girl. He was treating her like a priceless treasure.


    Flint felt the cold rain hitting his face and sighed. Another day, another world where only he was getting hurt.


    "Not necessary," Juniper said, clearly ufortable with the proximity. Still angry, she ducked out from under the umbre.


    "Thanks," she added, fulfilling the basic requirements of politeness. She pulled up the hood of her sweatshirt and quickly disappeared into a narrow alley.


    Felton and Flint were once again dumbfounded. Ms. Payne had given the boss the cold shoulder twice.


    So cool!


    Shanley stood motionless in the rain, not a hint of anger on his face. In fact, the smile in his eyes deepened. She was feisty and wary. That was good. It meant she wouldn''t be easily fooled by anyone.


    Only after her figure vanished did Shanley get back in the car, the warmth in his expression gone. "Those men from the ck market. Deal with them."


    "Yes, sir,¡± Felton and Flint acknowledged.


    It was to prevent any retaliation against Ms. Payne, they assumed. But still, wasn''t the boss getting a little too invested in this girl?


    ...


    ¡°I''ve found a school,¡± Saskia announced as she set down her lunchbox, toweling her damp hair. "Given the circumstances, it had to be a private one. The facilities aren''t the best, but at least you''ll be in a ssroom."


    Saskia hadn''t even had time to eat. After sharing the good news with Juniper, she rushed back to work.


    Juniper pulled out her phone and looked up the school. It was located in the city but was rtively small. As a private institution with limited funding, it wasn''t highly regarded. While its graduation rate was decent, very few of its students got into top universities. It was clear this was the best school Saskia could find with her limited resources, and she must have put in a lot of effort.


    After lunch, Juniper took the jade bracelet she had bought to the cemetery and ced it by Lemuel Sherwin''s grave. She sat and talked to him for a while. As she was about to leave, she received a text from Lue.


    Lue: [Moonlight Peak has a new menu. Want to try it?]


    Juniper wiped her grandfather''s portrait clean, remembering his final words: Live your life to the fullest.


    She replied: [Okay.]


    An hourter, Juniper arrived at Moonlight Peak. It was one of Era City''s most prestigious fine-dining restaurants, known for its beautiful ambiance, exquisite cuisine, and jaw-dropping prices. It was a popr spot for the city''s elite to meet and socialize.


    [Which floor?]


    Juniper texted Lue as she walked in.


    Lue: [The rooftop garden.]


    Moonlight Peak had ten floors, each tiered by price. The higher you went, the more expensive it was. The rooftop garden was rarely open for reservations and was inessible to the general public.


    [Ok.]


    Juniper replied, pocketing her phone. As she approached the front desk to check in, a sharp, grating voice cut through the air.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Juniper turned around to see Ynda, decked out in designer brands and wearing a full face of makeup, ring at her with disdain.


    "I have a reservation. The rooftop garden," Juniper said, ignoring Ynda and addressing the hostess.


    Rooftop garden? Even Jerrold could only get them a table in the main hall on the first floor. Did this pauper even know what the rooftop signified? The nerve of her, putting on such airs!

 Chapter 11

    "You knew Jerrold was taking me here to cheer me up, so you came to block his way on purpose, didn''t you?" Ynda nced at Jerrold Lonsdale, who was parking the car, a scornful smirk ying on her lips. "Your little attempt to seduce Jerrold failed before. Are you trying for aeback now?"


    Juniper ignored her.


    "Or maybe..." Ynda hated how Juniper, even in her fallen state, still carried an air of detached elegance, as if she were above it all. Her taunts grew sharper. "You finally realized that with Grandpa dead, you have no one to back you up, so you''ve learned to tuck your tail between your legs? If you want to hook up with Jerrold, you should first see if you''re even worthy-"


    Before she could finish, Juniper, having signed the document, spun around and grabbed Ynda by the neck, yanking her forward. ¡°Just because I don''t treat you like a human doesn''t mean you have to stop acting like one, does it?"


    "Ah!" Ynda''s body twisted in pain, a strangled cry caught in her throat.


    "You''re right about one thing," Juniper''s voice was chilling as her grip tightened, ¡°Grandpa is gone, which means you people have no one to protect you anymore. So if you want to live a long life, you''d better not mess with me!"


    Ynda finally saw it then. The girl before her had changed. This wasn''t the quiet, reserved Juniper anymore. Her eyes were filled with frost and a murderous glint, like a demon that had wed its way out of hell. For the first time, Ynda truly believed Juniper might actually kill her.


    Fear finally set in, and she whimpered, ¡°Juniper... sis..."


    "Let me hear you speak disrespectfully of my grandfather again, and that useless thing on your neck won''t be so safe. Understand?"


    "I understand." Ynda''s heart hammered against her ribs as she nodded frantically.


    "Then again, I don''t think that brain of yours is worth fixing." Juniper shoved her away, wiping her fingers in disgust. "Even if it were cured, you''d still be drooling."


    With that, she stepped into the exclusive elevator to the rooftop, leaving Ynda staring in shock.


    "Are you okay?" Jerrold finally arrived after Juniper had left. He offered a fewforting words to Ynda, but his eyes were fixed on the girl ascending in the ss elevator. He was stunned, but more than that, he was intrigued. A temper like that, paired with such a beautiful face, was more than enough to ignite a man''s desire to conquer.


    Ynda leaned against Jerrold, ying the victim. "How did my sister get ess to the rooftop garden? She must havetched onto some rich man. After all, it wouldn''t be the first time."


    Jerrold frowned but said nothing.


    Back when Juniper was Lemuel''s favorite, everyone spected she would be one of the heirs to the Sherwin Group. He had tried everything to get close to her then, but the fake heiress hadpletely ignored him. Worse, she had privately uncovered the fact that he was an illegitimate son of the Lonsdale family. To punish the ungrateful woman, he had spread rumors that she was a social climber trying to seduce him.


    Now that Lemuel was gone, she had lost her only support. Had she really stooped so low as to sell herself for money? She may be gutter trash now, but that face was still something to look at. If she came begging... he wouldn''t mind spending a little money to keep her as a diversion.


    "Jerrold, what are you thinking about?" Ynda asked, noticing his distraction.


    ¡°I was just thinking about whether we should hold our engagement party here,¡± he replied with a hollow smile, a clear attempt to cate her.


    "Really?" Delighted, Ynda started to walk inside, only to be stopped by the manager.


    "I''m sorry, but you two have been cklisted from Moonlight Peak. Please leave."


    "What?" Ynda''s smile froze. "We have a reservation under Jerrold Lonsdale''s name."


    "I don''t care if you''re the Lonsdales or whoever," the manager stated tly. "You''ve offended our distinguished guest on the top floor. This orderes from above."

 Chapter 12

    Ynda and Jerrold stood there, wrapped in their own separateyers of humiliation.


    "Lucy, the top-floor guest has booked the entire venue for today. Close up shop!" the manager called out before shutting the door, leaving the pair outside.


    "It must have been her," Ynda said, seething with jealousy as she stared at the entrance to Moonlight Peak. "She must have had her sugar daddy do it. How does a disgraced, disowned nobody manage to hook a man that powerful?!"


    Booking the entire ce... that must have cost a fortune!


    Jerrold''s face was dark as he remained silent. There were only a handful of people in Era City who couldmand Moonlight Peak to close its doors for them. Who exactly had Juniper gotten involved with?


    Meanwhile, in the rooftop garden, Juniper had just pushed open the door when a dark figure lunged at her. A slight smirk touched her lips. Her feet remained nted as she kept one hand in her pocket and used the other to counterattack. With swift, ruthless precision, she had her attacker''s arm pinned in a matter of seconds.


    "Okay, okay, stop!"


    The lights flickered on, revealing Lue, a woman with stylishly short silver hair and an androgynous ir, raising her hands in surrender. "Damn, you really don''t hold back!"


    "You asked for it," Juniper said with azy smile, releasing her and hooking a nearby chair with her foot to sit down.


    "Remind me who owns this ce?" Lue whined, rubbing her neck as she sat beside Juniper and started peeling an orange. "You''ve reached a level of absentee ownership where your own manager doesn''t even recognize you. Don''t you think you should reflect on that? Please, I''m a busy woman. There are plenty of pretty girls out there waiting for me to shower them with attention."


    "Hmm?" Juniper paused, chewing on a slice of orange. "I''m the owner?"


    Lue shot her a death re. "Who else?"


    How could she forget about a nine-figure private restaurant?


    Juniper thought for a moment, a slow smile spreading across her face. ¡°Oh, right. I guess I am." Oops, too many properties. She''d forgotten.


    "Let''s get some food up here. I''m starving," Juniper said, blinking innocently to change the subject.


    "Fine." Hearing she was hungry, Lue immediately called the kitchen and ordered a feast, specifically requesting three bowls of rice.


    Yes, three.


    While they waited, Juniper opened a secure app on her phone and typed "Era City Schwartz family."


    A few lines of text appeared.


    The Schwartz family is a prestigious, century-old n from Borealia, a top-tier family with immense power in business and politics, their influence reaching into every corner of society. Their estate was located in the heart of Era City.


    Fifteen years ago, the eldest grandson, Shanley, then only twelve, had entered the family business and founded the Schwartz Group. In just a few short years, its reach had be global, its assets immeasurable. The Schwartz family''s influence was felt worldwide.


    Beyond that, there was no other public information.


    Impressively discreet!


    ¡°Shanley?¡± Lue, finished with her call, nced at the phone screen. "I''ve heard that guy is calcting and ruthless, definitely not someone to cross. More importantly, he''s got... you know, that kind of problem."


    "Oh?" Juniper tilted her head, propping her chin on her hand.


    "He''s twenty-seven and has never been seen with a woman. Can you believe it?¡± Lue''s inner gossip was on fire. "He''s either ying for the other team or... he can''t get it up."


    Can''t get it up? Juniper''s eyshes fluttered as she listened intently.


    "I heard some starlet who didn''t know any better tried to create a scandal by


    sneaking into his car," Lue added. "Shanley was furious. He had the car, with her still inside, thrown into a junkyard. If that''s not a sign of a problem, I don''t know what is."


    Juniper blinked, picturing the tall, imposing figure of the man.


    Impotent? You really couldn''t tell just by looking at him.

 Chapter 13

    Back at Moulnds, Saskia threw her arms around Juniper the moment she walked in. ¡°Juniper, we''re moving!"


    "Oh really?" Juniper''s lips curved into a faint, knowing smile.


    ¡°It says here someone''s redeveloping thisnd, and they''re giving us an apartment in the city to move into next week.¡± Saskia''s hand trembled as she held the official notice. "I''ve checked it three times. It''s real."


    "This dump? Even dogs turn their noses up at it. What kind of rich sucker would trade a city apartment for this? It''s not a scam, is it?" J chewed on her pen, looking at Juniper with wide, cautious eyes. ¡°Juniper, what do you think?"


    Juniper met her gaze. "Maybe they''re just... incredibly rich?"


    "Argh!" J clenched her fists and punched the air. "There are so many rich people in the world! Why can''t I be one of them?"


    "You will be," Juniper said with a softugh, patting her head.


    J stared at her,pletely bewildered. What did that even mean?


    ...


    The next day, Juniper went out with Saskia and J. After several bus transfers, they finally arrived at Aurora High School.


    "You must be Juniper Payne?" asked the principal, a kind-faced woman whose hair was white despite being only sixty.


    ¡°Hello, Headmistress,¡± Juniper replied respectfully, standing straight and shedding her usual rebellious air.


    Beforeing, she had done her research. The woman standing before her was Salma, the school''s founder. She and herte husband had been teachers in a poor, rural area. After he passed away, she had poured everything she had into establishing Aurora High School to continue their shared dream. Unfortunately, limited funding meant the school''s resources and facilities paled inparison to the city''s top schools. Even as enrollment dwindled, Salma remained true to her mission.


    "I hear you took a break from school and have fallen behind in your sses," Salma said patiently, leading Juniper toward a ssroom.


    "Yes." Juniper nced around nonchntly. The facilities were old, but the campus was clean and had a schrly atmosphere.


    "I see..." Salma pushed her paint-chipped sses up her nose. "Well, there''s still some time before the college entrance exams. I think we can get your scores up with some private tutoring."


    Tutoring? Teachers buzzing in her ear morning, noon, and night, plus homework? She was going to have a meltdown.


    Juniper paused, about to refuse. "I-"


    "Let''s get you to ss first. We can talkter."


    Just then, her phone rang. Salma handed Juniper off to the homeroom teacher and hurried away.


    Juniper stood frozen, a headache already forming. She was only finishing school to honor her grandfather''sst wish. Honestly, she was a perfectly capable self- learner; there was no need to waste resources on her.


    A few secondster, a still-dazed Juniper was led into the ssroom.


    At the sound of the door, the students looked up from their work. Standing at the front of the room was a tall, slender girl with exquisite features. Even the drab school uniform looked stylish on her, a testament to her natural beauty.


    "Whoa, since when do we get girls this gorgeous at Aurora High?"


    "Her looks, that vibe... she''s way prettier than Ynda, the so-called ''school beauty'' at Era High!"


    "Hey, Qadir, Qadir! Do you know this girl?" a boy in the back row excitedly asked, turning to his ssmate who was dozing against the wall.


    Qadir was the richest kid at Aurora High. His family was in agriculture, and they were ridiculously rich. He wasn''t academically gifted and refused to let his family pull strings to get him into a public school, so his father had sent him to Aurora High to get a diploma before he went home to inherit his billion-dor fortune.


    "Shut the hell up!" Qadir grumbled, prying his eyes open. His gazended on Juniper, and he froze for a second before snapping, "No, I don''t!"


    "That''s weird," the boys muttered, frowning in confusion.

 Chapter 14

    A face like that should have been famous in Era City by now. How had they never heard of her?


    "I heard she onlysted a few days at Era High before getting expelled," a dissenting voice cut through the murmurs of admiration.


    "My cousin goes there. After I heard her name yesterday, I asked around." The student continued, "Skipping ss, fighting, bad grades, terrible attitude... let''s just say she''s got a reputation."


    "A problem student? For real?" one student asked, his mouth agape. "If that''s true, why would Salma put her in our ss? What if she affects Queenie?"


    Queenie was the first student in Aurora High''s history to rank in the top fifty in the entire state. If she could get into Era University, it would boost the school''s reputation and might even save it from being shut down.


    At the mention of her name, Queenie, who had been focused on her work, nced up at the new girl. She looked aloof, with a rebellious streak that suggested she wasn''t to be trifled with. Her looks, her reputation, her past¡ªnone of it concerned Queenie. But if she caused trouble that brought shame to Aurora High or disrupted her studies, Queenie wouldn''t hesitate to put her in her ce.


    "You''re tall. Is the back row okay for you?" the homeroom teacher asked softly, pointing to an empty seat.


    "It''s fine." Juniper nced over and walked to the back, dropping her bag beside the empty desk.


    "Hey, new girl."


    As soon as she sat down, Qadir crossed his arms and spoke with a hostile tone. "This is Aurora High. You need to keep your head down and not mess with our studies, got it?"


    Juniper hadn''t even noticed someone was sitting there. She turned her headzily and her eyes fell on his report card. Every subject marked with a ''F''!


    She was speechless. With scores like that, was there even room to get any worse?


    "What are you looking at?" Qadir''s heart skipped a beat when he saw her staring. He quickly shoved the report card into his desk, his cheeks flushing. ¡°Just remember, if you cause any trouble and distract Queenie from bringing honor to our school, I''ll..."


    So noisy. Juniper couldn''t be bothered. She stood up to throw something away, nudging her chair slightly as she did.


    "Whoa!" Caught off guard, Qadir tumbled to the floor with a loud thud.


    "Hahaha, Qadir!¡± The surrounding boys erupted inughter.


    The new girl had some personality.


    After a morning of ying the model student, Juniper was starving. Given her apparent reputation, no one approached her. Just as she was wondering where the cafeteria was, a girl with a sweet-looking face walked up to her.


    "Hi, Juniper. I''m Dolce, the ss president. The teacher asked me to show you to the cafeteria."


    Juniper looked up, her gaze falling on Dolce. The girl wasn''t very tall, but her skin was fair, and herrge, bright eyes seemed to sparkle. She spoke in a small, shy voice.


    Dolce? The name suited her.


    "Sure," Juniper agreed, always happy to follow the promise of food.


    "You probably don''t have a meal card yet, do you?" Dolce offered her own. "You can use mine for now."


    A meal card? She definitely hadn''t had time for that.


    "Thanks, Dolce." Juniper took the card politely and made a beeline for the food counter. "This, this, this... and that, that, and that... I''ll have them all!"


    Soon, a tray loaded with arge chicken leg, spicy beef, a bowl of egg soup, a side of eggnt, and three packed bowls of rice was sitting on the table.


    Dolce''s expression froze. "Juniper," she whispered, "we can''t possibly eat all of this." The cafeteria staff here were notoriously generous with their portions.


    "We?¡± Juniper held her knife and fork, replying casually, "Dolce, this is my lunch. Do you need me to get yours too?"


    Honestly, her normal portion was even bigger, but the cafeteria staff, fearing she would waste food, had refused to give her any more.


    She''s going to eat a meal for four all by herself? Dolce''s jaw dropped. She was pretty sure she had misheard.

 Chapter 15

    Half an hourter, Dolce, who was full after a single te of pasta, sat in stunned silence, staring at the pile of empty tes in front of Juniper. Her expression had shifted from one of mild surprise to utter disbelief. Juniper was tall and looked like she barely weighed a hundred pounds. How could she eat so much and not gain any weight?


    Dolce surreptitiously pinched the flesh at her own waist. Sometimes, being at a dinner table felt like a crime scene.


    Just then, Qadir and his friends passed by the cafeteria on their way back from lunch with Queenie. Seeing Juniper''s ¡°battlefield," he eximed, "Whoa, is the new girl a reincarnated hungry ghost or something?"


    ¡°Seriously, this doesn''t exactly fit the image of the delinquent princess we heard about," one of his friends added.


    Qadir smirked. "Yeah, she can really pack it away!"


    Curious, Queenie, who had been reviewing vocabry, nced over. She saw the new student holding a bowl bigger than her face and slurping down thest of her soup, even picking out thest few bits of green onion from the bottom. She was a model citizen of food conservation.


    "Don''t you guys think..." Queenie closed her book, her gaze fixed on Juniper, who was now leaning back in her chair with a satisfied, dazed expression. "...the new girl is kinda cute?"


    Qadir and his friends looked again. "You know, she really is!" Fiercely cute.


    ...


    After lunch, Juniper got a meal card and returned to the ssroom. The afternoon was devoted to math, and the lesson was on advanced problems from past college entrance exams. The difficulty was cranked to the maximum. While the teacher lectured with passion, the students below sighed in despair, the air thick with more gloom than a haunted house.


    As a transfer student, Juniper hadn''t received the review materials. Her desk was empty except for a nk sheet of paper and a pen, so she had to rely solely on listening. Halfway through, she realized she''d encountered simr problems when she was six. They weren''t difficult at all; in fact, she could think of even simpler ways to solve them.


    Utterly bored, Juniper propped her head on her left hand and began doodling on the paper with her right.


    "I couldn''t solve thisst problem myself, so I want you all to give it a try. We''ll go over it tomorrow," the math teacher announced.


    As he finished, he looked up and saw Juniper staring off into space. He sighed internally, "Another lost cause."


    His blood pressure started to rise. Shifting his gaze to calm down, he unfortunatelynded on Qadir, who was fast asleep under his jacket.


    His blood pressure skyrocketed. What had he done to deserve these two?


    Qadir woke up, feeling refreshed. He instinctively nced at his new deskmate and saw her holding a pen, seemingly working on the math problem. Her scratch paper was covered in numbers, letters, and a mess of symbols. He recognized them individually, but together they werepletely foreign, like some kind of coded message.


    He''d always thought his own handwriting and formatting were bad, but the new girl''s was a disaster. He''d heard she''d attended a rural school for elementary and middle school and had dropped out not long into her sophomore year of high school. Now she was jumping straight into senior year material. There was no way she could solve these problems. She was probably just like him, putting on a show to pass the time.


    Thank God. Barring any miracles, his long-held title of "Last ce King" was about to be passed on. The thought made Qadir''s mood soar, a grin stretching across his face.


    When the final bell rang, Juniper slung her bag over her shoulder and left.


    Queenie was collecting homework for the teacher. As she passed Juniper''s desk, she noticed the scratch paper in her drawer. The handwriting was messy, but the strokes were confident. More importantly, she recognized the problems on the paper -they were the ones the teacher had just covered. But the solutions sketched out here were far more concise than the teacher''s methods.

 Chapter 16

    Queenie frowned slightly. She ttened the paper and saw there was more


    underneath. Thest problem was the one the teacher hadn''t been able to solve and had assigned for homework. Though the steps were abbreviated, the answer was


    correct.


    The new girl had solved a problem the teacher couldn''t? But wasn''t she a poor student who hadn''t even finished her sophomore year?


    Queenie pursed her lips, lost in thought.


    ...


    After leaving Aurora High, Juniper walked toward the bus stop while checking her phone.


    Lue: [Remember that mysterious client who wanted you to design a piece of jewelry? The offer is pretty good.]


    Juniper frowned. [Toozy.]


    Between studying, moving, and adjusting to a new environment, she didn''t have the time or energy.


    A long silence followed her message.


    Then, another message came through.


    Lue: [Regarding your response, I have just six words for you... ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?!]


    Who turns down a mountain of cash because they''re "toozy"? It was infuriating. Sometimes she really wanted to throttle these rich people.


    Lue: [By the way, the base looked into that major maritime disaster from fifteen years ago in Era City. It''s strange. All the records have vanished.]


    At the mention of her family, Juniper''s expression darkened. If they had been rescued, surely they would remember they had a daughter, a sister, right? And if they hadn''t survived... Her family had loved her. They must have, otherwise they wouldn''t have worked together to push her onto Saskia''s fishing boat during the disaster.


    Thinking of this, Juniper pulled her jacket tighter, a heavy feeling settling in her chest.


    Lue: [But it''s very possible your family washed ashore and was rescued, just like you.]


    Mist: [Thanks. I feel so much better now. Not.]


    Lue: [You''re wee! Hehe.]


    Just then, amotion erupted nearby. Someone shouted, "A doctor! Is there a doctor here?!"


    Juniper looked over and saw an elderly man with white hair clutching his chest. He had copsed on the sidewalk, blood trickling from his nose and mouth. A middle- aged man with him was crying out for help.


    Cars swerved to avoid them, but no one on the street dared to get involved, afraid of getting into trouble.


    [Gotta go.]


    Juniper sent the quick reply, pocketed her phone, and pushed through the crowd. She knelt beside the old man, checked his pulse, and then his pupils.


    A sudden heart attack. Without immediate intervention, he would die.


    Juniper opened her backpack and took out a sandalwood box. As she prepared her needles, someone in the crowd remarked, "Hey, what''s she doing? Acupuncture?" "She''s in a school uniform. She''s just a student. Does she even know medicine?¡±


    "Kids these days spend too much time online. Look at him, he''s bleeding everywhere. A few needles aren''t going to save him!"


    ¡°The ambnce is on its way. Don''t let her mess things up!"


    "What do you think you''re doing?" The middle-aged man by the old man''s side shoved Juniper''s hand away in a panic. "Don''t touch him!"


    "This is an acute heart attack. The golden window for rescue is four minutes," Juniper said, her voice raspy and her face pale but stern as she held a needle. "From the looks of it, you''ve already wasted three and a half.¡±


    Silence.


    "You have ten seconds left. Do you want him to live, or die?"


    ¡°I¡ª¡± The middle-aged man was frantic, trembling all over. "Live! Of course, I want him to live!"


    If anything happened to the old master, his own life wouldn''t be enough to pay the price.


    His eyes were red, his face ashen. "Can you promise you can save him?"


    Juniper disinfected a needle and shot him a sidelong nce, her expression unreadable. "If you shut up, maybe."

 Chapter 17

    The middle-aged man immediately fell silent and backed away obediently. This was hisst hope; he couldn''t give up.


    "You''re really going to let her do it¡ª" one of the onlookers started to protest, but he quieted down after meeting the girl''s cold, unwavering gaze.


    No one dared to speak up again. They just huddled closer, whispering amongst themselves, ready to watch the drama unfold. If she didn''t listen to reason and something went wrong, it would serve her right.


    Juniper expertly held a needle in her right hand while her left located the pressure points. With practiced ease, she inserted needles into three key points on his arm and wrist. Instantly, the bleeding from the old man''s nose and mouth stopped.


    The murmuring crowd fell silent.


    "Huh?" This girl actually knew what she was doing.


    Given the severity of the heart attack, Juniper applied three more needles to points on his face and chest. The unconscious man''s eyes suddenly flew open, and he gasped for air.


    Then, Juniper took an ubeled bottle from her bag, shook out two small, dark pills, and ced them in his mouth. Within seconds, the old man''s breathing became steady and even, and rity returned to his eyes.


    "Master!" The middle-aged man stumbled forward, tears streaming down his face. "Are you all right?"


    "Cough, cough¡ª" The old man''s gaze fell on the beautiful, well-behaved young girl before him. He blinked in confusion, his voice hoarse. "Am I in heaven?"


    He must be. Why else would he be seeing such a lovely angel?


    "You were close," Juniper said, retracting her hands once she confirmed he was stable. She looked at the middle-aged man. ¡°Help him up, but don''t let him move around too much right now."


    "Yes, of course." The man was overwhelmed with gratitude, bowing repeatedly to Juniper.


    "Wow, she actually saved him!" The crowd erupted. "And with acupuncture! That''s amazing!"


    ¡°Her technique looks professional, but she''s wearing an Aurora High uniform..." "Aurora High is right by my house!" an older woman chimed in. ¡°I had no idea the students at that private school were so capable!"


    "What were those ck pills she gave him? They seemed miraculous!"


    "Hey, littledy, are those pills for heart conditions? Can you sell me a few?"


    The initial skepticism had transformed into a wave of admiration.


    Amid the lively discussion, a ck sedan pulled up to the curb. Several men in sharp suits emerged, nking an elegantly dressed elderly woman with red-rimmed eyes.


    "Oh, you old fool!" the woman cried, rushing forward. "Why did you run off like that?"


    The old man immediately took his wife''s hand, patting it against his own cheek. He then pulled a pastry from his pocket with a doting smile. "You love these. I got one for you."


    He had snuck off just to buy this for her? Looking at the pastry, the old woman couldn''t bring herself to scold him further.


    "Ma''am, this youngdy is the master''s savior," the butler said, gesturing to Juniper, who was packing away her needle case.


    "Is that so?" Her emotions settling, the old woman turned to Juniper and gratefully took her hand. "My dear, I don''t know how to thank you..."


    Her husband had disappeared while they were out for a walk that afternoon. It wasn''t until the butler called that she knew something had happened. If it weren''t for this girl, her old fool might already be gone.


    "It''s nothing." Ufortable with the physical contact, Juniper gently pulled her hand back and took out a few more pills. ¡°Have him take these on schedule for two days, and he''ll be fully recovered.¡±


    "Thank you, thank you so much." The old woman had one of her men take the pills and fumbled for her wallet. "How much do I owe you? I...¡±


    "I don''t charge for good deeds," Juniper said, stopping her. Her face was calm andposed.


    It was then that the old woman got a clear look at the girl''s face.

 Chapter 18

    She was exquisitely beautiful, with an air of quiet sophistication that was incredibly calming. This girl... wouldn''t she be a perfect match for her good-for-nothing


    grandson?


    "The needles can be removed in two hours," Juniper reminded them as she organized her backpack.


    "They have to stay in that long?" The old woman''s eyes twinkled, her expression turning grandmotherly. "Would it be convenient for you toe home with us? That way, our family can thank you properly."


    Juniper nced at the time. It was almost six. If she was toote, Saskia would


    worry.


    "I''m sorry, I have other ns,¡± she said, shaking her head.


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± The old woman looked disappointed but didn''t want to impose. She quickly thought of another solution. "Well, then let me get your number. That way I can arrange to return your needles."


    Another person asking for her number? Juniper frowned. It seemed to be happening a lottely.


    But the needles were important. They were made of a special material, impossible to rece.


    "All right," she agreed, concerned about getting her needles back. She and the old woman exchanged contact information.


    After giving a few more brief instructions, Juniper gave a slight nod and boarded the bus.


    As the bus pulled away, the old woman watched it go, a wistful look on her face. Then she remembered to call her grandson. "Shanley, we found your grandfather. He was lucky. A young girl who knows medicine saved him. He''s fine now."


    "That''s good to hear." Shanley rubbed his temples, a weight lifting from his chest.


    "I''ve been around traditional medicine for years, and I know what I saw. That girl is an absolute master."


    "Is she?" Shanley rxed, leaning back against the car seat as he resumed typing on hisptop. "Make sure you thank her properly."


    "Of course, we will," Hannah said, pausing for a moment before her tone turned sly. ¡°Actually, I''ll send you her contact info. You should add her and ask her out to dinner."


    Shanley knew exactly what his grandmother was up to. He stopped typing, his eyes darkening. ¡°That''s enough, Grandma. Stop meddling. I promise I''ll bring a girlfriend home within a year."


    What did he mean by that? He''d been single for nearly thirty years and was just on a blind date a few days ago. Now he suddenly had someone he liked? He was probably just saying that to get them off his back.


    "Don''t you try to fool me!" Hannah huffed. "You don''t understand. This young doctor is just wonderful-she''s polite, beautiful, and isn''t motivated by money. She has this incredible grace about her. Trust me, if you met her, you would absolutely love her."


    If they could just chat, and if they hit it off...


    Oh, the more Hannah thought about it, the more excited she became.


    Polite and beautiful girl? Shanley''s mind involuntarily conjured the image of a certain defiant figure. Beautiful, yes. Polite... that was debatable.


    "Alright, Grandma. I''lle see you and Grandpa tonight." Shanley pinched the bridge of his nose, eager to end the conversation. He used the excuse of a work emergency and quickly hung up.


    After ending the call, Shanley raised azy eyebrow and nced at Felton in the driver''s seat. "Any news from J-Five?"


    "She declined, Boss."


    Five was a legendary figure in the jewelry design world, specializing in bespoke pieces. Her designs were highly sought after by socialites and wealthy matriarchs. Unfortunately, she was notoriously low-key and only eptedmissions when the mood struck.


    His boss had offered an eight-figure sum for a custom piece for Hannah, but even that had been rejected.


    "Did you increase the offer?" Shanley''s brows furrowed, a hint of frustration clouding his handsome features.


    ¡°We did,¡± Felton answered honestly. "The designer''s response was, er, that she''s not short on that kind of pocket change."


    Eight figures was pocket change? Cocky!

 Chapter 19

    "Keep trying," Shanleymanded, loosening his tie. "Price is not an issue."


    His grandmother adored this designer. After failing to acquire a bracelet for herst time, he was determined to make her happy now.


    "Understood," Felton replied with a respectful nod. "Sir, you have an international conference call in thirty minutes."


    "Back to the office."


    Just as Shanley gave the order, he caught sight of a child happily skipping along with a lollipop. "Wait."


    A thought seemed to strike him, and a small smile touched his lips.


    "Go to the nearest mall."


    The mall? They would miss the meeting.


    "Yes, sir." Flint, in the passenger seat, was about to object, but seeing the serious expression on his boss''s face, he knew this must be more important. He immediately gave Felton the new direction, and the car sped off.


    Ten minutester, in the snack aisle on the lower level of the mall, Felton and Flint stood frozen like statues, their jaws on the floor as they watched their boss meticulously selecting mango-vored candies.


    "So, the boss ditched a hundred-million-dor conference call... to buy candy?" Flint turned to Felton, his mouth twitching.


    "Apparently so," Felton replied, standing ramrod straight with his hands behind his back, his expression a mixture of confusion and disbelief.


    "First of all, the boss hates mangoes. Second, he wouldn''t be buying them for us..." Flint narrowed his eyes, adopting a detective-like focus. "So who are they for?"


    Felton turned his head slowly and gave Flint a look that said it all.


    "No way!" Flint''s mind reeled. Had the ice king finally thawed?


    ...


    Back at Moulnds, Juniper had just finished dinner when J ced a thick stack of textbooks beside her.


    "Juniper, you should get familiar with these first. I''ll help you catch up as soon as I finish these few problems."


    "You don''t have to "


    Before Juniper could refuse, J was already engrossed in her worksheet, head down in concentration.


    With nothing better to do, Juniper idly flipped through the textbooks to pass the time.


    Half an hourter, she had finished skimming the books and saw that J was still struggling.


    "This problem is way above our level!¡± J muttered, chewing on her pen and ruffling her hair into a messy nest. "I''m seriously questioning the mental state of whoever wrote this. Can anyone actually solve it?"


    Juniper nced at the worksheet, propped her chin on her hand, and smiled. ¡°The answer is 8." It was a bit harder than the problems from ss. It had taken her until she was seven to learn that concept.


    "That''s right!" J''s head snapped up, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Juniper, how did you know?"


    "Assume angle A is 30 degrees, then draw a line here, connect BE.....¡± Juniper picked up a pencil and sketched on the paper. With just a little guidance, realization dawned on J''s face. "Yes, that''s exactly it!"


    Then, her smile froze.


    ¡°Juniper,¡± J said, leaning closer, herrge, clear eyes fixed on her. ¡°This is Math Olympiad level."


    Many college students couldn''t solve it, let alone someone who had onlypleted their freshman year of high school.


    Juniper blinked, unable toe up with a better exnation. ¡°I just read the book," she said dismissively.


    What? She could solve Math Olympiad problems just from skimming a textbook once? For real?


    "I have a few more I''m stuck on. Could you help me with them?" J licked her lips, looking at Juniper with hopeful eyes. "I''ll make you fried chickenter."


    Fried chicken? Juniper''s eyes lit up. She pushed her ss of lemonade far away, her tone as resolute as if she were taking a solemn oath. "Bring me the problems."

 Chapter 20

    "You got it!" J quickly produced the worksheets, covering everything from math to physics and chemistry.


    This was more than a "few" problems!


    J added enticingly, "Fried chicken covered in cheese, with a freshly squeezed mango juice on the side."


    "Deal." Now that they were talking, her exhaustion suddenly vanished.


    Juniper exined the problems with meticulous detail. J sat frozen, pen in hand, staring at her with wide, star-struck eyes like a little wooden doll.


    "Anything else you don''t understand?"


    "Nope, all clear!" J shook her head vigorously, her voice filled with adoration. ¡°Juniper, you''re amazing! Your methods are even simpler than our teacher''s."


    ¡°Extra cheese, please. I love cheese,¡± Juniper said, patting J''s shoulder. She popped a mango candy from her pocket into her mouth and headed for the bathroom.


    Saskia walked in just then, looking around. "J, are you done tutoring Juniper?"


    J slumped onto the table, staring nkly at the ceiling,pletely devastated. "Who am I to tutor Juniper?"


    Saskia was confused.


    "From this day forward, Juniper is my one and only goddess!" J leaped up from her chair as if possessed and recounted everything that had just happened.


    ¡°So.....¡± Saskia was stunned, her mouth agape. "When Juniper said she could get into college by studying on her own, she wasn''t bragging?"


    "Of course not!" J nodded emphatically. She gathered her books, rolled up her sleeves, and headed for the kitchen. "Juniper is exhausted from tutoring me. I''m going to make her some fried chicken."


    What was going on? Listening to the sound of the shower, Saskia sat down in a daze, her mind reeling. Juniper, who had only finished her freshman year, was tutoring J, a top-thirty student in the city from a ma high school?


    Good heavens. Had she brought home a hidden genius?


    The next morning at Aurora High, Juniper walked onto campus with her bag slung over one shoulder, listening to a call on her phone.


    "Remember that rich client who wanted a jewelry design?" Lue''s voice came through, a hint of a smile in her tone. She held a slim cigarette between her fingers but hadn''t taken a drag.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Juniper tried to recall. There had been a lot of rich clients wanting designs. She couldn''t remember.


    "The one who offered you eight figures." Even through the phone, Lue''s excitement was palpable. ¡°I was bored, so I traced the client''s information. Guess who it is?"


    "Who?" Juniper pulled a small cookie from her bag and nibbled on it, responding nonchntly.


    "The CEO of the Schwartz Group-Shanley Schwartz!"


    At the mention of his name, Juniper stopped in her tracks, the chewing motion of her jaw slowing.


    "He said you can name your price, as long as you agree." Lue''s cigarette burned down, forgotten in her fingers. "Isn''t he the one who supposedly can''t... you know? Why would he bleed that much cash for a piece of jewelry? Who''s it for?!"


    Juniper lost her appetite for the cookie. Her mind was filled with the memory of the auction, of Shanley driving up the price of the jade bracelet, forcing her to pay an extra thirty-five million. Thirty-five million! Think of all the mango candies and cookies she could have bought with that!


    "I know you''re busy, so I already rejected his offer again,¡± Lue said with augh.


    "Don''t," Juniper said, her voice turning cold. "I''ll take hismission."


    ¡°Huh?¡± Lue was baffled. Why the sudden change of heart?


    "He''s got money to burn, does he?" Juniper''s longshes lowered, her clear eyes narrowing dangerously. ¡°We''ll see just how much money he really has."

 Chapter 21

    Lue waspletely lost. "What''s your beef with Shanley?"


    "The bracelet."


    Juniper''s eyes darkened with a chilling hostility, the words escaping her lips like shards of ice.


    "Ahem." Lue nearly choked on her cigarette smoke and sat bolt upright. "Are you telling me the idiot on the ck market who drove up the price and made you overpay by thirty-five million was Shanley?"


    Juniper didn''t answer, the crunch of the small cookie in her mouth echoing ominously in the silence. It was actually quite terrifying.


    "Got it." Never one to miss out on some drama, Lue grinned. "I''ll have him talk to you personally."


    Messing with her boss''s money was far more serious than threatening her life. If things went as expected, this Shanley was about to lose more than just a little skin.


    ...


    After ending the call, Juniper tossed her phone into her bag and strode toward the ssroom on her long, slender legs. As she rounded a corner, she saw Qadir and Queenie slumped on the steps, looking utterly defeated, with two towering stacks of documents beside them. They were clearly exhausted.


    "Need a hand?" Juniper asked, raising an eyebrow at their flushed faces.


    "With that tiny frame of yours?" Qadir nced up at her, noting that her legs were thinner than his arms. She looked like a strong breeze could snap her in two. "No, we''re good. Just go get a couple of guys for me."


    Queenie just stared at Juniper, her mind still reying the image of that draft paper covered in correct answers.


    "Too much trouble." Juniper rolled up her sleeves. Before their astonished eyes, she effortlessly lifted both stacks of documents, one in each hand.


    "The way?"


    Qadir and Queenie stared nkly for a few seconds before scrambling to move aside, clearing a path.


    Without so much as a flushed cheek or a heavy breath, Juniper carried the two stacks up the stairs, taking them two at a time at a brisk pace.


    Qadir''s expression was frozen in disbelief, his world turned upside down.


    "Am I freaking seeing things?" he muttered. The two stacks weighed nearly a hundred poundsbined, possibly more than she did. Yet she carried them as if they were weightless.


    Was she even human?


    "You''re not seeing things." Queenie averted her gaze, a small, radiant smile gracing her lips.


    She was beginning to think her new ssmate wasn''t just cute, but also incredibly interesting.


    ...


    In the ssroom, Qadir tilted his head, cautiously observing his new deskmate. Her backpack was a men''s style-clean, but crumpled and with a hole in the bottom. The ones he threw in the trash were in better condition. The phone on her desk was a thick, off-brand model with paint peeling off the edges. The logo was unfamiliar. Her uniform jacket was slightly open, revealing a hoodie underneath with sleeves that were a bit too short. She was probably hungry, devouring a in, hard bread as if it were a gourmet meal. He''d heard she lived in the slums. It made sense now- she couldn''t afford proper food or clothes.


    How tragic!


    Remembering how hostile he''d been when she first arrived, Qadir felt a pang of guilt. ¡°I''m such a jerk.¡±


    "Keep staring and I''ll gouge your eyes out," Juniper warned coolly, not even looking at him as she continued eating her bread.


    Qadir''s heart skipped a beat. "Hey, uh, thanks for earlier," he stammered, opening his backpack and dumping a pile of snacks onto her desk.


    He was starting to realize that, aside from her cold personality, being terrifying when angry, and being a fellow academic failure, Juniper was actually a pretty decent person. Kind, even.


    Juniper nced over at the mountain of snacks and raised a delicate eyebrow.


    "We''re probably going to be getting hauled into the principal''s office together a lot, so we''re basically brothers in arms now," Qadir dered, puffing out his chest. "Don''t worry, I''ve got your back. No one at Aurora High will dare to mess with you." Mess with her?


    The concept felt foreign.

 Chapter 22

    "Oh." Juniper selected a few snacks she liked, a faint smile ying on her lips. "Thank you, kind sir."


    Meeting the girl''s beautiful gaze, the "kind sir" pathetically blushed.


    At lunch, Juniper treated Dolce to a meal to return the favor. Qadir overheard and insisted on joining, roping Queenie in as well for a livelier atmosphere. In the end, Qadir, the son of a farming tycoon and a ssic rich kid, snatched the bill.


    "For the city-wide graduation g this year, Era High is sending Ynda," Qadirined after putting down his fork. "Thepetition hasn''t even started, and those Era pricks are already iming first ce is theirs."


    "I heard Ynda got an inside scoop and started practicing two months ago. She''s even doing the same dance she won a gold medal with," Dolce added, her face scrunching up. "How is that any different from the whole thing being rigged? It''s so unfair."


    This year''s graduation g was a big deal, with all public and private high schools required to participate. Important city officials would be attending, and the winner would not only receive a cash prize but also be featured on the local news. "Queenie, you''re preparing a dance too, right? What''s it called again?" Dolce asked gently, turning to Queenie, who was studying vocabry shcards while she ate. Queenie was a gifted dancer who had won numerous awards before high school. But when her family fell on hard times, they could no longer afford the expensive lessons. Eventually, she had to give up her passion to focus on her studies. After all, college and a good job were the surest paths for a kid from a poor family.


    "''''Dawn,"" Queenie replied, her fingers tightening as her expression grew wistful. "It''s Master Lunar''s most unique work."


    Lunar had been a ''genius choreographer'' who took the dance world by storm a few years ago, responsible forunching the careers of several top dancers. The catch was, Lunar''s identity was aplete secret, and after creating ''Dawn,'' they had vanished without a trace.


    Lunar? Hearing the name, Juniper, who had been focused on her food, paused for a second before a smirk touched her lips. She thought, ¡°Queenie certainly has good taste."


    "I think your dancing is way better than Ynda''s," Dolce said, trying tofort Queenie. "I''lle with you to the rehearsal on Saturday."


    Even if she couldn''t offer technical advice, she could at least make sure the Era High kids didn''t bully her.


    "I''ming too," Qadir chimed in, then looked at Juniper. "You''re free, right?"


    Juniper, full and content, shrugged. "Sure."


    "Great!" Qadir pped the table, buzzing with excitement. "Those Era students are always going on about Ynda''s goddess-like looks. We''ll bring Juniper along and show them what real beauty is!"


    He added, "After the rehearsal, I''ll treat you all to fondue. Their desserts are to die for."


    All Juniper heard was, "h h h... desserts to die for!"


    ...


    After school, Juniper had just stepped out of the gates when her phone buzzed.


    "My dear miracle worker, I hope I''m not disturbing you?" The old woman''s voice was electric with excitement, her joy palpable even through the phone.


    "Not at all."


    Juniper popped a candy into her mouth and opened the address the woman had sent. "I''ll be there in about twenty minutes."


    "Wonderful, wonderful!" the old woman chirped. "I''ll be waiting for you at my little farm."


    After cheerfully ending the call, the old woman opened her contacts and dialed the number saved under "Ungrateful Grandson."


    "Grandma."


    "Shanley, dear... cough, cough..." The old woman''s demeanor shifted instantly, her voice turning frail and weak. "Grandma''s not feeling so well. Could youe home and check on me?"

 Chapter 23

    "Not feeling well?" Shanley had just returned from a business trip to Australis when he got the call. Hearing the surprising strength in her voice, he arched an eyebrow. "Are you sure it''s you who''s not feeling well?"


    "Ah? Well, it could be your grandfather," Hannah retorted, her lie exposed but her tone shamelessly defiant. "It doesn''t matter who''s sick. The point is, you need to be back at the manor by six o''clock today."


    "Or else¡ª" Hannah resorted to her usual threat. "You can just stop calling me Grandma."


    "Beep, beep, beep..."


    ,


    Before he could ask for more details, Hannah had already hung up.


    Shanley pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head in resignation. It seemed Hannah was growing more childish with age.


    "Call Dana," Shanley instructed, toying with a mango candy he''d brought back from Australis.


    "Yes, sir."


    A momentter, Felton had the real story. "Sir, it seems your grandfather''s savior will be visiting at six this evening. Your grandmother would like you to be there to entertain her."


    So there it was. Just as he''d suspected. He was twenty-seven, not seventy-two. How little confidence did Hannah have in him that she was this desperate to find him a wife?


    "Schedule a meeting with the senior management," Shanley said, slipping the candy into his suit pocket. His sharp features softened into a mask of cool indifference. "Tell my grandmother I''ll be homete."


    After a pause, he added, "And prepare a thank-you gift for our guest." He might not be there in person, but proper etiquette still had to be observed.


    "Understood," Felton replied, immediately getting to it.


    "Sir, this is the file on Ms. Payne," Flint said, retrieving a dossier from his briefcase and handing it over with both hands.


    Juniper Payne, eighteen years old. Orphaned at three, adopted by the Sherwin family. At eighteen, she was kicked out for her rebellious behavior, questionable morals, and promiscuous lifestyle. She was currently living with rtives in the Moulnds slums. Her academic record was poor; she''d been expelled during her sophomore year for skipping sses and fighting, and had been out of school for over a year. She had just recently reenrolled at Aurora High School. The file included detailed ounts of her promiscuity, truancy, and fights. Any single one of these details was enough to paint a grim picture.


    "Seducing her younger sister''s boyfriend..." Shanley paused his reading, his eyesnding on a photo of said boyfriend.


    "Hah." A cold, mockingugh escaped him. His handsome face remained impassive, but his eyes were frosted over.


    The girl might be young, but she wasn''t blind.


    And the rest of it... An uneducated delinquent who could diagnose a faulty fuel tank at a nce? A slum resident who rode a custom-built electric scooter worth millions?


    As for the fighting, from what he''d seen, she had azy, aloof demeanor. She wouldn''t start a fight unless provoked. Brawling and delinquency? He just didn''t buy it.


    "Hmph." Bored, Shanley tore the file to shreds and tossed it into the trash can.


    "Two days, and this is the garbage you bring me?" he asked, his voiceced with ice.


    "Sir, that''s truly all we could find," Flint replied.


    It was bizarre. There was so little information on Ms. Payne, and what little existed was entirely negative. The records of her decade-plus at the sanctuary seemed to have been deliberately wiped clean. Every inquiry hit a dead end. He was starting to wonder if she''d even been living on the same.


    "Sir, should I get the hacker team from Sigma Network involved?" Flint asked cautiously. The team wasprised of the world''s topputer experts; they could dig up a person''s entire ancestry, let alone the history of an eighteen-year-old girl. "No need." Shanley''s gaze deepened, a flicker of interest in his eyes as a casual smile yed on his lips. Everyone had their secrets, and there was no need to dig to the bottom of things. If the girl didn''t want people to know, she had her reasons. He would respect that.

 Chapter 24

    Perhaps, in the near future, she would be willing to tell him herself.


    ...


    On the outskirts of the city, Juniper stood frozen, the old woman''s words echoing in her mind: "My home is just a small farm in the suburbs."


    But what stood before her was a sprawling manor, thousands of square feet of architecture nestled amidst babbling brooks and lush greenery. It was as beautiful as a hidden paradise, and she estimated it was worth at least a couple hundred million. And this old woman called it a "small farm"?


    Just then, the old woman emerged, a wide smile on her face, and warmly took Juniper''s hand. "My dear miracle worker, you''re here!"


    "Hello, Madam," Juniper greeted with a slight nod, her demeanor polite and demure.


    "Madam? That''s so formal!" The old woman beamed, her eyes drinking in the sight of the girl-the simple hoodie, the hair cascading over her shoulders, her fair and delicate features. She was absolutely delighted.


    "Just call me Grandma, like my grandson does."


    Hmm? Like her grandson does?


    The implication left Juniper a bit bewildered.


    "My old man wasining about not feeling well this morning," the old woman said, leading Juniper inside while spinning a bald-faced lie. "We might need a bit of your time today to have you take a look at him!"


    "Of course." A healer''s duty was to save lives. Besides, the old man and woman were around her grandfather''s age. Seeing them always made her think of him.


    In the bedroom, the old many in bed, feigning illness and taking cues from his wife''s expressions. He coughed convincingly every now and then. As Juniper ced her fingers on his wrist to take his pulse, the old man spoke up.


    "Thank you so much, little one."


    He looked at the well-behaved girl and felt a sense of satisfaction. His wife was right; she was far more pleasant than any of those overly dramatic socialites.


    "You''re wee." Juniper offered a small smile, her gaze resting on the old man''s face. Suddenly, a wave of familiarity washed over her. She''d felt it before¡ªthat he reminded her of someone, though she still couldn''t quite ce who.


    ...


    While Juniper was upied, the old woman slipped outside. "Where is Shanley?" "Um," Dana hesitated, looking troubled. "The young master just called. There''s an urgent meeting at thepany, so he can''t make it back just yet."


    "That scoundrel!" The old woman was furious, her frustration boiling over. "If he dares to lose me such a perfect granddaughter-inw, I''ll never forgive him! Keep calling him!"


    When she returned to the room, the examination was over.


    "My dear, is my husband''s condition serious?" She asked anxiously, craning her neck to see over Juniper''s shoulder. "Perhaps you should stay the night and give him some acupuncture treatments?"


    The old man''s eyes widened in rm. He thought, "Treatments for what? You''ll be the death of me!"


    "There''s nothing serious. He just needs to rest well," Juniper exined, amused. She disinfected her silver needles and ced them back in their case. After taking her medicine, it would be difficult for him to have any problems.


    "Nothing serious?" The old woman''s brow furrowed in disappointment. "How can there be nothing wrong?" she muttered to herself. "Dear, could you check him again? Or you could check me," she offered, clutching her chest. "I think my heart is hurting."


    "Madam, your heart is on the left side," Juniper pointed out, her expression aplex mix of pity and amusement. "You''re holding... your right side."


    She added, "And besides, you sound perfectly healthy. You don''t need a check-up."


    "Is that so?" The old woman''s smile was strained and awkward.


    If Juniper left now, they would probably never see each other again. She decided to make onest-ditch effort for her hopeless grandson.


    "My dear, do you have a boyfriend?"

 Chapter 25

    A boyfriend? Juniper was stumped. What in the world was that?


    "If you don''t, would you consider my grandson?" the old woman asked, gripping Juniper''s hand as if to prevent her escape. Sheunched into her sales pitch. "He''s been a perfect gentleman his whole life, handsome, in great shape, and he makes a ton of money."


    "But most importantly, we have a wonderful family dynamic. The women in our family are treated like queens!"


    The first rule of the Schwartz Group''s family creed was: Listen to your wife, spoil your wife, and you will prosper. It was the reason the Schwartz Group had endured for centuries, growing ever more powerful and wealthy.


    Juniper finally understood. The old woman was trying to set her up.


    "I¡ª" Juniper started to refuse, but was immediately cut off.


    "Don''t answer just yet! Look at a picture first, then decide." The old woman hurried off to find the photos, as if a second''s dy might mean her grandson would be left on the shelf for good. Shanley might be a little old, but he was certainly handsome, and years of exercise had kept him in excellent shape. She hoped his looks or his money could seal the deal.


    Juniper waited for a while, but the old woman didn''t return. Instead, she got a call from Lue. "Shanley''s people have contacted the J-Five design department again. It sounds urgent," Lue said. "The meeting is in fifteen minutes. I''m leaving the pricing to you."


    "Okay."


    With time running out, Juniper had no choice but to leave a farewell note. Her original reason for staying in Era City was to fulfill her grandfather''sst wish. Once she graduated, she would return to Australis. It was probably for the best that she hadn''t rejected the old woman to her face. If things went as nned, they would never meet again.


    ...


    Hannah rummaged through her drawers, carefully selecting the perfect photo. She finally found one of Shanley with his cor slightly open, hinting at the abs beneath. She''d heard young girls were into that sort of thing.


    "Found it! My dear-" She emerged triumphantly, only to find the living room empty. Seeing the note, Hannah froze, the feeling of a prized treasure slipping through her fingers washing over her. All that effort for nothing.


    Sighing, Hannah looked at the pills Juniper had left. Her ungrateful grandson was just unlucky, destined to be single forever.


    "Honey, honey, where did the miracle worker go?" Kent Schwartz, the patriarch of the Schwartz family, emerged from the kitchen wearing an apron and carrying a tray of snacks, looking around expectantly.


    "This is all your fault!" Hannah''s smile vanished, her anger finding a target.


    Kent looked utterly baffled. What did Shanley''s inability to find a wife have to do with him?


    "You raised a useless son, who then raised a useless grandson," Hannah fumed. "I had to help your son find a wife, and now I have to worry about my grandson''s too? It''s infuriating!"


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, and she marched outside and started pulling up all the vegetables Kent had nted.


    Kent could only watch in silent despair. "My poor vegetables..."


    ...


    In his car, Shanley had just finished his meeting when he heard that Hannah was on


    a rampage, having destroyed the entire vegetable garden. Kent, not daring to confront his wife, had called Shanley instead, warning him to get home immediately and smooth things over.


    Shanley''s head throbbed. He had never seen his grandmother react so strongly. What kind of girl could have provoked such a response?


    "Back to the manor," he said, settling into his seat and loosening the top two buttons of his shirt. "And contact J-Five."


    Hannah would not be easily appeased this time. He would have to resort to a grand gesture. Otherwise, their rtionship might truly be on the rocks.


    The car had not been driving for long when Flint''s voice broke the silence. "Sir, I think that''s Ms. Payne."


    At the sound of her name, Shanley, who had been resting, snapped his eyes open and looked out the window.

 Chapter 26

    There she was, standing at a bus stop, leaningzily against the wall with a single earbud in. The setting sun cast a golden glow around her, making her stand out, beautiful and captivating.


    Her head was bowed as she rummaged through her bag for something. Finally, she pulled out an empty candy wrapper. With a frustrated frown, she slumped to the ground, looking utterly dejected.


    Though it had only been two days, to Shanley it felt like a lifetime. In that single moment, all his exhaustion vanished, reced by a sense of quiet joy.


    "Stop the car."


    Shanley unfolded his long legs, walked over to the girl, and squatted down in front of her. "Hey there, waiting for something?" he asked, his voice a low, rich murmur.


    Juniper, who had been stewing over herck of candy and the impending jewelry design negotiations, was nning to take out her frustration on Shanley. She looked up, only to find the very target of her ire appearing before her as if summoned.


    The man was dressed in a dark blue suit, his cor slightly open, and as he leaned forward to speak, the elegant line of his neck came into view. Below that, she could see the defined muscles of his chest. Lue had educated her on such matters, and Juniper guessed he probably had an eight-pack.


    Tsk.


    "What is it?" he asked, a glint in his deep eyes as he noticed her gaze fixed on his cor. He casually pulled the fabric down a little further.


    "I wasn''t looking at your abs," Juniper retorted after a beat, calmly averting her eyes.


    "Hah." A lowugh rumbled from his chest. The sound vibrated through the air, sending a strange, tingling warmth through her veins.


    "What''s so funny?" she asked, looking at him with a hint of confusion as a faint heat rose in her cheeks.


    "It seems Ms. Payne remembers me after all," Shanley said, his handsome, refined face breaking into an even wider grin at her reaction.


    Juniper pressed her lips together. The man who had cost her thirty-five million? She''d remember him even if he were reduced to ashes.


    "Looking for this?" Shanley held out a candy to her. "I happen to have some. Give it a try."


    As she saw the brand, her eyshes fluttered. It was the mango candy from Australis. The brand was incredibly popr there but produced in limited quantities, making it hard to get even if you queued for it.


    Australis was a long way from Borealia, and she hadn''t had a chance to buy any herself. She''d been craving this vor for a long time. She never expected him to like the same brand.


    "Thanks."


    The sugar craving was hitting hard, and she needed something sweet to calm her frayed nerves. In the end, she couldn''t resist the temptation and took the candy.


    "It''s about to rain. I''ll give you a ride home," Shanley said, ncing at the darkening, misty sky. A storm was brewing. It wasn''t safe for a young girl like her to be heading back to Moulnds alone.


    As if on cue, the sky filled with dark clouds, and the first drops of rain began to fall, quickly growing heavier.


    After a moment''s hesitation, Juniper got into Shanley''s car.


    As soon as she was settled, Felton''s voice came from the front. "Sir, it''s time for the meeting with the designer, J-Five."


    "Understood."


    Shanley nced at Juniper''s thin clothing, picked up a clean nket, and gently draped it over her.


    "I have to take care of some work. Make yourselffortable," he said, his tone soft, as if he were talking to a child. He was careful not to touch her, maintaining a respectful distance.


    Looking down at the nket and then at the candy he had given her, Juniper furrowed her brow slightly. epting his kindness made her feel a little indebted. Maybe... maybe she''d give him a small discount.

 Chapter 27

    From her corner of the car, Juniper lounged with her legs crossed, headphones on, casually ying a game on her phone while simultaneously managing the negotiation through a chat window.


    "Sir, J-Five is quoting fifty million," Flint reported, his eyes nearly popping out of his head as he stared at the price on the iPad. For that kind of money, she might as well just rob a bank.


    Ten million would have been a high price, but J-Five had the audacity to demand five times that. Who gave her the nerve?


    "Fifty million. She''s got guts," Shanley remarked, his brow furrowing as he scanned the proposal. A cold, sharp arc formed on his lips. He couldn''t deny J-Five''s designs were top-tier, but this price was treating him like aplete sucker.


    "Tell her that price is uneptable."


    He pped the proposal shut and tossed it onto the console, his eyes dark with shadow.


    Hearing this, Juniper, who had been happily engrossed in her game,zily lifted her eyelids. She typed a few words: [Fifty million. Non-negotiable.]


    She''d lost thirty-five million on that bracelet. Asking for fifty million now seemed more than fair. After a two-second pause, she added: [You have five minutes to consider.]


    Even through the screen, her arrogance was palpable. It was the same five-minute ultimatum he had used to drive the bracelet''s price up to forty million. Seeing the man''s face darken with frustration, a sense of satisfaction washed over Juniper.


    "Has the Schwartz Group had any prior conflicts with her?" Shanley asked Flint, his face like a thundercloud and his gaze cold enough to freeze water. He could feel a distinct hostility from this J-Five designer.


    "Not that I recall, sir," Flint replied after a moment''s thought.


    This was their first time working with this particr designer. When they had initially reached out to J-Five, the response was simply that she was too busy and not eptingmissions. Then, she had suddenly agreed, but her attitude had been abysmal ever since as if they''d stolen money from her.


    "Fine, agree to her terms." Shanley''s face was grim. To think that after all these years, he''d be backed into a corner by some designer.


    Hannah had specifically requested a piece made with blue benitoite, a gemstone that only J-Five had ess to. He had promised her long ago that for her seventieth birthday, he wouldmission J-Five to create a custom jewelry set as her gift.


    With the birthday only two weeks away, time was short, and they had no other choice but to go through J-Five. And she had the nerve to jack up the price...


    If she knew who she was dealing with, would she still be so bold?


    Not wanting to bore the girl beside him, Shanley didn''t waste any more time on the matter. "Agree to it."


    "Yes, sir," Flint acknowledged. "Your grandmother will be thrilled with this birthday gift."


    At those words, Juniper''s fingers froze over her game. She slowly turned to look at the man.


    So he was paying this exorbitant price not for some other woman, but for his grandmother? He was surprisingly filial.


    ...


    With the contract confirmed, the deal was set. Fifty million was swiftly transferred into Juniper''s ount.


    "Juniper, you''re a genius! Buying up the global supply of blue benitoite yesterdaypletely cut off Shanley''s escape route," Lue said, a cigarette dangling from her lips as her foxy eyes narrowed with delight. "He has the money, but we have the materials and the talent. The perfect storm. Fifty million¡ªhe had to pay it, whether he wanted to or not! Not only did we get back the thirty-five million he cost you, but we also made a fifteen million profit. That''s enough to cover our base''s expenses in Australis for a week. I bet he''s furious!"


    That''s what he got for messing with her boss. He had picked the wrong person to


    cross.


    "So, how does it feel? Much better now, right?"


    Listening to Lue''s cheerful chatter, Juniper licked her lips. Yes. She felt much, much better. Even Shanley didn''t seem quite so annoying anymore.


    With the business concluded, Shanleyposed himself and turned to the girl beside him.

 Chapter 28

    He found her ying on her phone, a faint smile gracing her lips. She seemed to be in a good mood.


    "Why do you like mango candies so much?" Shanley asked softly, handing her a bag filled with them. "These are all for you."


    It was a collection he had amassed¡ªsome from the local store, some imported from Australis. He had been keeping them in the car, waiting for a ''chance encounter'' to win the girl over.


    Juniper blinked, looking at the bag of candies and trying to decipher his intentions.


    "I was in a rushst time and didn''t get to thank you properly, Ms. Payne," Shanley exined, his voice gentle and persuasive as he watched her. "It''s just a small token."


    "Alright." Juniper studied his face for a few seconds, then raised an eyebrow. "Thanks, Mr. Schwartz."


    "You''re wee," Shanley said, smoothly pulling out his phone. "Let''s exchange contact info. When you run out of candy, I can bring you more."


    "More?" Juniper lifted her gaze, her clear eyes meeting his chiseled features.


    Tsk. A handsome face really was a pleasant sight to behold. She opened her phone''s contact sharing page. A soft chime confirmed the connection.


    "Be safe on your way." They had arrived at her destination. Shanley watched Juniper until her figure disappeared from view before looking away.


    "Ms. Payne seems to be in a good mood today," Flint remarked, surprised. She hadn''t even given his boss the cold shoulder.


    Looking at her contact on his phone, Shanley''s lips curved into a smile. It turned out the girl wasn''t so hard to please after all. He just hadn''t been using the right method.


    ...


    The next day, Juniper dutifully attended her sses and ate her meals on time. As she passed the dance studio, she heard a familiar piece of music: "Dawn." It was a song and dance she had choreographed when she was sixteen, while her grandfather was ill. The style was contemporary, like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, demanding immense explosive power that most dancers couldn''t handle. Peeking inside, she saw Queenie practicing her final run-through. The dress rehearsal was tomorrow, and the performance the day after.


    Queenie, dressed in a white leotard, moved with grace. Her limbs were slender, her waist trim, her body flexible, and her emotional control was perfect. She was a born dancer. Her talent and form were miles ahead of Ynda''s clumsy attempts. "Anchor with your left foot, point your right hand to the sky, and don''t slouch..." Hearing the voice, Queenie turned to see Juniper sitting on a chair, sipping a smoothie and watching her with azy expression. Queenie didn''t stop, instead trying to incorporate the correction. The effect was immediate and dramatic.


    "You know how to dance to Master Lunar''s work?" Queenie asked, walking over after she finished, a look of confusion on her face.


    "Huh?" Juniper gave a faint smile. "I''ve seen some of her videos. They''re not bad."


    "Right? She''s amazing!" Hearing that Juniper was also a fan of her idol, Queenie''s face lit up. "I just hope I don''t embarrass her on stage."


    During her darkest times, it was Lunar''s dances that had gotten her through. To her, Lunar was not just a dance mentor, but a spiritual pir.


    "Do you want to win?" Juniper tilted her head, a yful smile on her lips.


    "I can''t," Queenie said with a self-deprecatingugh. "Master Lunar''s dances are really difficult. There are several moves where I just can''t find the right point of leverage. And this costume... I''ll be aughingstock the moment I step on stage."


    While she had the foundation, her resources werecking. She''d heard the costume Ynda had prepared was worth a small fortune.


    "You can." Juniper tossed her empty cup into the trash can, her tone light but firm. "If I say you can win, you will win."

 Chapter 29

    "Phew..."


    Two hourster, Queenie copsed onto the floor, utterly exhausted. She looked over at Juniper, who was casually perched on a desk with her legs crossed, and felt her world tilting on its axis. "It''s like you downloaded Master Lunar''s entire brain into your head."


    Juniper''s familiarity with "Dawn" was uncanny. She knew every single move and could break them down to the finest detail. Under Juniper''s guidance, Queenie had made rapid progress on sections that had previously stumped her. The improvement was staggering. If she didn''t know better, she''d think Juniper was Lunar herself.


    "Your dancing is fine. Just stick to the techniques we practiced, and get a feel for the stage during tomorrow''s rehearsal," Juniper said.


    "As for the costume..." she mused, "I have a friend who used to dance. She has a simr dress that you can borrow."


    "ss is about to start, let''s go." Juniper yawned, hopped off the desk, and started walking, trying to remember where she''d stored that seven-figure dress.


    "Juniper, wait!" Queenie scrambled to her feet and hurried after her, her earlier suspicion now reced with pure admiration. "Is there anything you can''t do?"


    She was now certain that the answers on that draft paper were Juniper''s work too. Whoever had spread the rumor that she was a good-for-nothing was aplete idiot. The rumors were dead wrong.


    ...


    Meanwhile, other students watched as Queenie, the top student, followed the ''delinquent'' Juniper, beaming like a sunflower.


    "Why is the star student hanging out with Juniper?" a few girls whispered in a


    corner.


    "Did you guys hear? Someone saw her eating at Moonlight Peak a few days ago." "Moonlight Peak?"


    The name made all the girls'' eyes widen.


    "That''s a super exclusive restaurant. I feel inadequate just walking past the entrance."


    Most students at Aurora High came from average families. They rarely ate at restaurants, let alone one where a single meal could cost more than an ordinary family''s ie for decades.


    "Doesn''t Juniper live in Moulnds? How could she possibly afford Moonlight Peak?!"


    "She''s pretty," one of the girls said with a sneer. "Sometimes a pretty face is more useful than a good family or good grades. She''s only been here a few days, and she already has Qadir wrapped around her little finger."


    "Seriously?" The others looked on with disdain. "I don''t know why they let someone like her in. Queenie''s definitely going to be corrupted."


    "Exactly," the first girl said, crossing her arms with a malicious smile. "Someone like her should be kicked out of Aurora High, don''t you think?"


    The other girls nodded in agreement.


    On Saturday, Qadir and Dolce apanied Queenie to the Era City Cultural Center for rehearsal. Juniper had to take care of some business with the ''jewelry design'' and took a cab to meet them there.


    After getting out of the car, she pulled her cap down low, obscuring all but the lower third of her delicate face. With one hand in her pocket and a lollipop in her mouth, she walked while talking to Lue on the phone. She exuded an effortless coolness.


    "Yeah, that''s the dress. I''ll pick it upter."


    Just as she finished speaking, a wave of loud, gratingughter came from nearby. "You won''t believe this, but I just saw some people from Aurora High backstage." Hearing her school''s name, Juniper slowly lifted her gaze. A group of students in Era High uniforms were clustered around a girl in a dance costume with borate makeup. She recognized her. Ynda.


    "Don''t tell me they''re doing a poetry reading again this year?" The students howled withughter. "Can you even imagine howme that was? A poetry reading in the middle of all the dance, singing, and instrumental performances?"


    "The best part was the speaker got so emotional she started crying over her own poem."


    "What, are the Aurora High kids trying to get extra credit for public speaking or something?"

 Chapter 30

    Every word dripped with contempt for Aurora High.


    Juniper abruptly ended her call with Lue, saying, "Something came up.''


    She scanned her surroundings and spotted a few broken pieces of chalk in a corner. Picking one up, she rolled it between her fingers, her cool, clear eyeszily watching the group. The temperature around her seemed to drop with every mockingugh.


    "I heard it''s not a poetry reading this year. They''re doing a dance," a boy in designer clothes sneered.


    "Pfft-"


    This sent the surrounding students into an even bigger fit ofughter.


    "Performing a dance right after our goddess Ynda? Do the students from Aurora High have a death wish?"


    All the high schools in Era City were participating in the g, with each school presenting one act. Performances were scheduled by district, and since Aurora High was close to Era High, their performance was scheduled immediately after.


    "Exactly! Our Ynda is a dancepetition champion, not to mention smart and beautiful. Who''s more suited to be on the news cover?" one of her sycophants gushed.


    "First ce is definitely going to Ynda this year."


    "You guys, don''t say that," Ynda said, blushing as she had her makeup touched up. She lowered her head shyly, her voice feigning modesty. "There are so many talented performers here. I''m not guaranteed to win anything."


    She said this, but inwardly she was ecstatic. This year''s g was different. Not only was there a cash prize, but the winner would also be featured in the news. Her social standing among the Era City elite would skyrocket, giving her ess to a more exclusive circle.


    Who knew, she might even meet a wealthy heir more powerful than Jerrold. Someone like the most famous man in Era City, the heir to the top-tier Schwartz family¡ªShanley. She''d heard he was single and didn''t even have a girlfriend. If she could capture his attention and marry into the Schwartz family, her life would be set. To that end, she had chosen a highly difficult dance by Master Lunar and had been preparing for months. She had already won an award with this piece; there was no way she would fail now. The news feature was hers for the taking.


    "Alright, alright," said a boy carrying Ynda''s bag, waving his hand dismissively. "Let''s not ruin a perfectly good day by talking about that trash from Aurora High."


    "Totally," another boy chimed in. "Just thinking about them makes me lose my appetite. Let''s stay far away from themter so we don''t catch their poor, unlucky vibe."


    The group erupted inughter again, the sound grating on Juniper''s nerves.


    Tsk. Such foul mouths!


    Juniper crushed the candy in her mouth, raised her left hand, and with a flick of her finger, sent the piece of chalk flying.


    "AGH!"


    Theughter stopped abruptly, reced by a cry of pain. The boy''s mouth waspletely swollen.


    "Who the hell hit me with chalk?!"


    At two in the afternoon, Era High''s rehearsal ended. The three friends walked Queenie to the entrance, just as Ynda wasing off stage, holding the hem of her skirt. Her performance of ''Heaven'' had earned her a thunderous round of apuse, and she was now preening like a victorious hen.


    "I heard you''re also doing a dance by Master Lunar?" Ynda deliberately stopped when she noticed Juniper was there. Seeing her shabby appearance filled Ynda with a sense of superiority.


    Qadir rolled his eyes.


    "Go on, it''s your turn," Juniper said, her attention focused on her phone as she expertly picked off enemies in her game.


    "Okay." Queenie squeezed her hands together and nodded determinedly.


    "Well, what can I say?" Ynda chuckled, eyeing Queenie''s simple costume. "Some


    things are best left to the professionals. Good luck, I guess!"


    With that, she sashayed over to the audience seats, ready to watch Aurora High make fools of themselves. After all, a little contrast would only make her performance seem more perfect.

 Chapter 31

    "Our next performance is a solo dance called ''Dawn'' from Aurora High School. Let''s give them a round of apuse!"


    The host finished the announcement, but instead of apuse, the audience erupted in murmurs.


    "Aurora High School? Which one is that? Is there even a school by that name in Era City?"


    ¡°Oh, you know, that little private school next to Era High. It''s tiny and rundown, and they''ve never produced anything noteworthy. It''s normal not to have heard of them."


    "What kind of decent performance coulde from a school like that?"


    "Can we just skip to the next one?" someoneined loudly. "After watching the amazing Ynda''s professional routine, everything else is just going to be boring.¡±


    What followed was a sea of indifference. People were chatting, ying on their phones, and some were even eating, showing apleteck of respect for the person on stage.


    "Fuck!" Qadir clenched his fists, unable to hold back a curse.


    Since when did going to a private school make you second-ss? Just wait, he thought. Once Queenie gets into Era City University, these snobby bastards will be green with envy.


    "Here shees, here shees!" Dolce whispered excitedly as the lights dimmed.


    Juniper finally exited her game, putting down her phone to watch the stage.


    The music began. Queenie walked out slowly, her body hunched as she stood under a solitary beam of light.


    "What the hell is she wearing?" a student from Era High snickered upon seeing her drab, worn-out dress. "The standards for getting on this stage are really low. Anyone can get in."


    ¡°What is she doing? Can she just start dancing already?"


    "You have to admit, the kids from Aurora High have guts, performing right after the goddess Ynda."


    "I have a feeling I''ll need to rewatch Ynda''s dance just to cleanse my eyes after this."


    "Oh,e on, you guys, don''t be mean," Ynda said, feigning modesty, but the praise swelled her ego.


    Just then, the music swelled, and the girl on stage began to move. Under the cold light, her dance was both sorrowful and beautiful.


    ¡°Huh? She actually looks like she knows how to dance!" a girl who had studied dancemented. The friends next to her, who had been engrossed in their phones, looked up.


    Queenie''s movements grew faster, the music elerating with a blend of different instruments. The rhythmic beat of the drums pounded against the audience''s hearts, a sound of struggle, of breaking free to find light and a future.


    Unconsciously, the crowd was captivated. Their hearts tightened with the music and the movements, their emotions stirred to a fever pitch. With a tremendous crash in the music, Queenie leaped into the air,nding heavily on the stage.


    "Whoa!"


    The difficult move drew gasps from the audience.


    Suddenly, the chatter stopped. The snacking stopped. Nearly everyone was staring at the stage, holding their breath, waiting for her next move.


    A phone ttered to the floor, the noise finally snapping Ynda out of her trance.


    She clenched her fists, her face pale. She realized with a jolt that she had beenpletely mesmerized.


    She had assumed some student from Aurora High performing a Master Lunar piece was just trying to ride her coattails, expecting a few sloppy moves before they shuffled offstage. She never imagined this. The girl could not only dance, but she danced exceptionally well. Her technique, her emotional expression, her explosive power-they were all things Ynda herself couldn''t achieve.


    While Ynda was lost in thought, Queenie rose to her feet. The music for ''Dawn'' had reached its climax, fierce and soul-stirring.


    ¡°Yeah! Go, Queenie!¡± Qadir and Dolce jumped to their feet, pumping their fists in the air.


    It was explosive. Absolutely explosive. As the stage lights gradually warmed in color, Queenie''s movements softened. The dance transitioned from fierce to gentle, perfectly portraying a journey through despair, struggle, effort, and finally, sess.

 Chapter 32

    At the end, the light converged back into a single beam, shining on the center of the stage. The once-lonely girl wrapped her arms around herself, resting her head on them with a gentle, blissful smile on her face.


    The solo dance, ''Dawn,'' was officially over. The music stopped.


    Queenie''s breathing was ragged as she cautiously lifted her head. She saw everyone staring at her, their eyes wide, and her heart began to pound.


    Just as her anxiety peaked, apuse and discussion erupted simultaneously.


    "Holy crap! I was expecting a train wreck, but that was a masterpiece!"


    "A student from Aurora High? I need to know everything about her within the minute!"


    "Wait, a private school on the verge of closing down is pulling a stunt like this?¡±


    "I admit, I was way too loud with my criticism earlier."


    "Does anyone else think this girl''s dance was better than Ynda''s?"


    "Yes, yes! I think so too," a female student whispered, covering her mouth. "Ynda has great technique and perfect form, but watching her feels draining, like it''s the end of the world. This girl''s dance was different. It was positive, radiant, and uplifting. It left you feeling energized and full of hope."


    ¡°I think at the officialpetition tomorrow, Aurora High might actually win an award for this."


    The girl''s attempt to whisper was futile. Ynda and her clique heard every word. "What are you talking about?¡± a boy at the front of the group stood up defensively. "Who does she think she is,paring herself to Ynda?"


    A student from a ce like Aurora High? No grades, no connections. How dare she try to steal his goddess''s spotlight? He''d ruin her.


    "It''s just the truth," the two girls said, shrinking back in fear before grabbing their bags and scurrying away.


    Ynda''s hands, hanging at her sides, balled into tight fists, her face growing even paler. Anyone who knew dance could see that this girl from Aurora High was no amateur.


    But... how could she perform ''Dawn'' so perfectly? Many of the subtle details looked as if she had been coached by Master Lunar herself. They were identical to the master''s own movements.


    The thought made Ynda scoff. She had offered a fortune to get a lesson from Master Lunar and had been rejected. How could a poor girl like Queenie ever get near her?


    Ynda''s mind was in turmoil. She had been preparing for so long. This was her most important chance to break into the upper echelons of society. Losing to someone from the bottom rung of society like this... she would be aughingstock among the heiresses who already looked down on her background.


    No matter what, she had to win. A sinister glint shed in Ynda''s eyes.


    The sessful rehearsal left Qadir, Queenie, and Dolce ecstatic. They celebrated with arge meal, ordering several extra dishes. Seeing the beautifully presented and fragrant food, even Juniper was in a good mood.


    "Did you see their faces? The jerks from Era High looked darker than charcoal," Qadir said, pping the table andughing, feeling more vindicated than ever. "It''s a shame Juniper enrolled sote, otherwise she could have performed with Queenie.¡±


    "With Juniper''s looks, just standing there would have been enough to blow everyone away. Those Era kids wouldn''t have stood a chance."


    "Totally," Dolce mumbled, looking up from his te. "She''s got the looks to rival my idol. If she went into showbiz, she''d be a massive star."


    Speaking of which, Dolce put down his fork and knife, leaning closer to Juniper to study her face. "You know... Juniper, you really do look a bit like my idol."


    Juniper just looked confused.

 Chapter 33

    "What idol?" Juniper was focused on her food and hadn''t heard Dolce clearly.


    "The nation''s top star! A superstar in film, TV, and music. The award-winning, wealthy heartthrob, Jimmie Tate," Dolce said, putting his food aside in his excitement. "Juniper, don''t tell me you''ve never even heard of him!"


    "Never," Juniper replied casually, taking a sip of water. Most of her time was spent living with her grandfather at the sanctuary, and when she was in Era City, she was usually holed up in ab. She never paid attention to pop culture.


    "Let me show you." Dolce quickly pulled out his phone, opened Twitter, and found Jimmie Tate''s ount. A photo of him was pinned to the top.


    "See, Juniper? Doesn''t he look a little like you?"


    Juniper stared at the photo of the handsome, unsmiling young man. Her fingers tightened on her fork, and the corners of her lips drew into a faint line.


    Huh. He did look a little like her.


    ...


    At the Moulnds.


    Juniper was helping Saskia pack her belongings. The apartment in the city was almost ready, just needing some final renovations and airing out. In another week, they could move in.


    "Saskia..." Juniper set a box in the corner. The man she saw online was still on her mind. ¡°Back when you rescued me, did you see my family?"


    ¡°Huh?¡± Saskia froze, her smile fading as a flicker of panic crossed her eyes. "Juniper, you..."


    ¡°Saskia, I''ve known from the beginning,¡± Juniper said with a gentle smile, her delicate face glowing softly in the light. She had thought she would be alone in Era City after her grandfather passed away, and she was deeply grateful for Saskia and J''s presence.


    ¡°I did see your family,¡± Saskia said, wiping away a tear as her eyes reddened. ¡°I was out on a fishing boat when I saw your parents'' ship go down in a storm."


    "Even in the pouring rain, your family fought with all their strength to get you onto my small boat. They begged me to take good care of you, but..." Saskia''s voice choked with emotion, overwhelmed with guilt.


    "It''s all in the past," Juniper said softly, patting Saskia''s hand tofort her.


    "The rain was too heavy, so I couldn''t see your parents'' faces clearly, but I saw several other children with them. Three boys, all about the same height, maybe around ten years old, perhaps a bit older."


    Juniper blinked, recalling Jimmie''s profile. He was twenty-eight now, about ten years older than her.


    "As for the others..." Saskia struggled to remember after so many years. "Right, there were sisters, too. It was all so chaotic, I can''t clearly recall how many."


    If only Juniper''s family had survived, no one would have dared to bully her. How could such a wonderful child have lost her entire family?


    "I see," Juniper said, having gotten the information she needed. She reassured Saskia, "No matter what, you and J will always be my family."


    "I know," Saskia said, deeply moved. She vowed to work hard and raise both J and Juniper, ensuring they would never have to endure hardship again.


    After finishing the packing, Juniper went back to her room and opened her phone. She searched for "Jimmie Tate." His profile only listed his height, weight, and filmography. Nothing else useful.


    Closing the search page, Juniper opened WhatsApp and sent a message to Lue: [Look into this person for me.]


    She then attached Jimmie''s photo.


    [Who''s this pretty boy? Kinda handsome!]


    Lue replied instantly, suddenly wide awake.


    Juniper: [Just look him up.]


    Lue: [You got it.]


    As Juniper put down her phone, she noticed another notification at the bottom of her


    screen.

 Chapter 34

    S: [Are you asleep?]


    Juniper nced at the time. 7:30 PM. Who goes to bed at 7:30? Ridiculous.


    She shot the message a cool nce, tossed her phone onto the nightstand, and grabbed her clothes to head for the bathroom.


    After her shower, J roped her into helping with a few homework problems. By the time she was done, it was around ten o''clock.


    Lying in bed, Juniper stared at the yellowed ceiling. She closed her eyes but couldn''t sleep. After tossing and turning for a few minutes, she reached for the candies Shanley had given her. She popped one in her mouth and felt a wave of calm wash over her.


    Later that night, Juniper had a dream. In it, Shanley stood before her, his deep eyes fixed on her as his elegant fingers slowly unbuttoned his shirt.


    "Do you enjoy the view, Ms. Payne?"


    His shirt parted to reveal a lean, muscr chest with well-defined abs. Lower down was the seductive V-line of his hips... and even lower...


    ¡°Did you not get a good enough look?¡± the man smirked, his entire being exuding a maic, almost dangerous allure that threatened to pull her in. "This time, I''ll let you see everything, Ms. Payne."


    As the man moved closer, Lue''s words echoed in Juniper''s mind. "Oh, him? He can''t get it up."


    The thought jolted her awake. She sat up in bed, her cheeks burning.


    Why on earth would she dream about Shanley? It must be because he kept showing up around her so often.


    That had to be it!


    ...


    On the other side of the city, in a luxurious, quiet private room, a tall man was sunk into a booth, his long legs crossed casually. His right arm rested on the armrest while his left swirled a ss of red wine. His lips were pressed into a thin line as he stared intently at his WhatsApp screen.


    Three whole hours had passed, and the message he''d sent still had no reply. Clearly, the little miss didn''t want to talk to him.


    "Flint," Shanley''s sharp brows knitted together, a hint of fond indulgence hidden in his casual tone. "Send someone to Australia to buy some mango candies. Have them delivered by private jet before noon tomorrow."


    "Yes, sir." Flint''s initial surprise had long since turned into stoic eptance. To win Ms. Payne''s affection, there were bound to be even more extravagant requests. He had to maintain hisposure.


    Fine.


    "What kind of candy requires a private jet?"


    Just as he spoke, the door to the room swung open. Jimmie walked in, dressed in a windbreaker and a face mask. He took off his hat, tossed it onto the sofa, rolled up his sleeves, and downed two sses of wine before asking quizzically, "I thought you hated mango candies."


    "A certain youngdy likes them," Shanley said, his eyes narrowing as a soft smile yed on his lips, a look that was both casual and deeply indulgent.


    A youngdy? Jimmie sensed there was more to the story, his tone yful. ¡°Don''t tell me you''re defying your grandmother for her?"


    He had heard that a while back, Hannah had picked up some "miracle doctor" girl off the street and had taken such a liking to her that she insisted on having her as a granddaughter-inw. Shanley had deliberately avoided meeting her, which had made Hannah so furious she''d threatened to disown him.


    Jimmie found it quite surprising. He knew how devoted Shanley was to his grandmother. He''d never liked the blind dates, but he always went along with whatever Hannah arranged.


    This time was different. Truly remarkable.


    "What kind of girl could capture the heart of the great CEO of the Schwartz Group?¡± Jimmie raised his ss with a tilt of his chin. ¡°Got a picture? Let me see!¡±

 Chapter 35

    "Don''t have one." Shanley took a drag from his cigarette, exhaling a slow, smoky ring that seemed to carry a hint of frustration.


    Jimmie tilted his head, a flicker of confusion on his handsome face.


    "Still trying to win her over," Shanley said, flicking the ash from his cigarette. The slight twitch of his brow and the faint smile on his lips showed no trace of shame, only determination.


    ¡°There''s someone you, the great Shanley, can''t win over?" Jimmie burst outughing, his strikingly beautiful eyes curving into crescents.


    Just how special could this girl be?


    "She''s an amazing girl. It''s only natural she''d be hard to win over." Shanley nced at his phone again, his longing palpable.


    "Tsk.¡± Jimmie drained another half ss of wine, his mood seeming to darken.


    "How are things on your end?" Shanley moved the wine bottle out of his reach and signaled for Flint to bring some water to help him sober up.


    "It''s not that easy." Jimmie''s smile faded, his expression growing somber. "Fifteen years... maybe..."


    Maybe there was no hope left.


    He swallowed the rest of the sentence. Fifteen years ago, he had woken up in a strange ce in a foreign country. A severe blow to the head had erased nearly all his memories. The elderly couple caring for him said he had been in aa for three years. They had tried to find his family during that time, but with no sess.


    After waking up, a single thought persisted in his mind: Find my sister. That was the only memory he had left. He had a sister, but he didn''t know her name, her age, or even where she was.


    After years of fruitless searching, he decided to enter the entertainment industry. He pursued film, television, and music, bing a famous celebrity who was constantly on screen. He hoped that if his sister was still alive, she would surely see him.


    Years passed, and while he became a global sensation, there was still no sign of her.


    "Just wait a little longer. Sigma Network is also on the case," Shanley said, his eyes darkening slightly. "They''ll notify you as soon as there''s any news."


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Jimmie raised his ss to him, pushing aside his mncholy.


    ¡°Don''t mention it," Shanley replied, a low, pleased note in his voice. ¡°Your sister is like a sister to me. When we find her, she''ll be getting another big brother. And when she gets married, I''ll give her a generous wedding gift."


    "Alright then. On behalf of my sister, thank you, Mr. Schwartz."


    The lighthearted teasing managed to lift Jimmie''s spirits. He had to find her, dead or alive. As long as there was no proof of her fate, he would never stop searching.


    ...


    At midnight, Shanley looked at his silent personal phone and let out a frustratedugh. The ungrateful little girl!


    "Flint," Shanley said, putting the phone down, not wanting to disturb her sleep. "What''s the status of the demolition in Moulnds?"


    Moulnds was filled with shady characters. As skilled as she was, she was still just an eighteen-year-old girl. If she stayed there too long, something dangerous was bound to happen. He didn''t want to risk even the slightest ident befalling her. "Sir, three days ago, someone acquired the northern part of Moulnds," Flint reported respectfully. "Ms. Payne''s residence was included in the purchase.¡±


    "Three days ago?" Shanley''s expression changed abruptly. A cold glint appeared in his eyes, and his voice became chillingly devoid of warmth.


    "And in one week, the residents will be relocated to Cloudscape Community."


    Cloudscape Community was in a prime downtown location, and property there wasn''t cheap. Trading part of Moulnds for Cloudscape Community? That was a deal that would lose over a billion. Who would do such a thing?


    "Who was the buyer?" Shanley pressed.


    "All we know is hisst name is Langley, male, 23 years old, and he came from Australia six months ago," Flint answered. "Beyond that, we haven''t found any other useful information." Australia was Subterra Vanguard''s territory, making it impossible for their hacker group at Sigma Network to investigate freely.


    "Also, sir,¡± Flint added, as if remembering something. "The intended use for the Moulnds property has been announced. It''s for..."

 Chapter 36

    Flint paused, choosing his words carefully. "ntingtro."


    Male? Twenty-three years old? Shanley seized on the key details, his lips tightening as a chilling aura emanated from him.


    ntingtro? He''d better be telling the truth, and not have any other motives.


    ...


    The next day, the graduation g was held. Student representatives from every school in the city were invited to participate, and the cultural center was buzzing with activity.


    After picking up the dress, Juniper searched for a while before finding the spot designated for Aurora High¡ªa corner of the lobby, right next to the brooms and trash cans. There weren''t enough chairs, so the Aurora High students were forced to cram together.


    Salma stood politely by the door, ready to greet the teachers from other schools. However, most of them deliberately ignored her outstretched hand as they passed. Salma smiled awkwardly, but quicklyposed herself and went to talk to her students.


    Juniper''s lips thinned, a dangerous glint in her cold eyes.


    ¡°Juniper, you''re here?¡± Salma saw her and walked over, her steps a little unsteady.


    "It''s so hot out. Thank you for doing this, dear," she said gently, treating Juniper with the same warmth she showed every other student, regardless of her reputation as a troublemaker.


    "It was no trouble." Juniper''s gaze was fixed on Salma as she spoke, her voice a little hoarse.


    "Tell Queenie not to be nervous. The most important thing is to be safe. Winning an award doesn''t matter."


    Compared to the other teachers who were drilling their students on technique and focus, Salma''s words were incredibly heartwarming. All she wanted was for her students toe to school and return home safely.


    "It doesn''t matter?" Juniper''s pink lips curved into a smile, her voice deep and cold. "I think it''s quite important."


    "What?" The lobby was noisy, and Salma hadn''t heard her clearly.


    "Salma, you should sit and rest. You''re going to be very busy soon." Juniper didn''t repeat herself. She told Qadir to look after Salma and then headed backstage with the dress bag.


    Busy? What on earth was this girl talking about? Salma watched Juniper''s slender yet resolute back and sighed with a helpless smile.


    ...


    Backstage, all the performers were getting ready in onerge room. Queenie sat nervously in a corner, wearing the same dress from the rehearsal. The g was set to start in less than twenty minutes, and she had no idea if Juniper had managed to borrow a proper costume.


    The students from Era High nced at Queenie, then deliberately spoke up. "Oh my god, Ynda, you changed your dance costume?"


    "Is that a high-end custom piece from ''The One''? It must be incredibly expensive!"


    "Expensive? My mother bought it, so I''m not sure. I think it was only around fifty thousand dors," Ynda said with a faint, breezy smile. "I was just picking something from my closet and realized this one suited today''s dance better than yesterday''s."


    Wow. A random dress from her closet cost over five figures. This was a true heiress. Just how rich and powerful was her family?


    "Ynda, with that dress, you''ll be the center of attention." The girl showered her withpliments, trying to cozy up to her while raising her voice to make sure Queenie heard. "Unlike the dress some people are wearing. Even my grandmother would look old in that."


    Laughter erupted.


    "By the way, Waheed already bought a cake to celebrate when you win."


    "Great," Ynda replied with a serene smile. She nced at the anxious Queenie and the rags she was wearing, and the sneer on her lips widened.


    After yesterday''s rehearsal, she had felt uneasy, afraid she might actually lose to Queenie. So, she had her father pull some strings and, through gritted teeth, spent fifty thousand dors on a dress from ''The One.'' The brand was famous for its high- end, custom-madepetition wear. Wearing it would increase her chances of winning by at least half.


    Plus... Ynda looked over at the man in charge of the music, who gave her a slight nod.


    Her confidence soared. Everything was ready.


    Compete? How could a country bumpkin like Queenie even think ofpeting with her? What a joke!

 Chapter 37

    The g officially began. With each performance limited to ten minutes, the program moved quickly to the schools in the west side of the city.


    Ynda stood up, her ssmates fussing over her luxury costume as they walked her toward the waiting area, their heads held high with pride.


    As they rounded a corner, someone pointed. "Ynda, that''s the girl from Aurora High. I think she''s holding Queenie''s costume."


    Ynda followed their gaze and saw the poorly dressed Juniper carrying a ck trash bag.


    "I heard Queenie didn''t have a costume. She probably borrowed one."


    "Borrowed?" Yndaughed, her tone dripping with disdain. "What kind of quality dresses in a trash bag?"


    "Exactly," the other girls chimed in, quick to agree. "It almost feels beneath you, Ynda, to be on the same stage as Queenie, wearing your fifty-thousand-dor dress."


    "Well," Ynda said, flicking her hair, "looks like we''re in for another joke this year."


    ¡°Juniper, you''re here!" Seeing Juniper, the anxious Queenie immediately stood up and rushed over to her. "It''s hot, have some water."


    "Go try this on." Juniper took the water bottle and handed the bag to Queenie. ¡°I had it professionally cleaned. It''s ready to go, no issues."


    ¡°Okay.¡± Queenie opened the bag, and when she saw the dress, she froze. She had seen this brand on television before. It was called ''The One,'' specializing in high- endpetition costumes. The cheapest ones were said to cost five figures, with some going as high as seven.


    She''d never seen this particr dress before and had no idea of its price, but judging by the design and material, it was definitely not cheap.


    "Juniper, isn''t this dress... too expensive?" Queenie asked cautiously, afraid she might damage it and cause trouble for Juniper. "Maybe I should just wear my own."


    "It''s not expensive." Juniper set the bottle down and crossed her legs, her tone nonchnt. "This is her cheapest one."


    There had been a few more expensive ones, but she had no idea where she''d tossed them.


    "But..." Queenie hesitated, reluctant to wear it.


    "You have fifteen minutes," Juniper said, giving her a stern look. "Don''t waste time." "Okay.¡± Queenie didn''t dare argue. She nodded. "I''ll do my best."


    Soon, the host announced Era High''s performance.


    Under the spotlight, Ynda danced, her dress shimmering with a dazzling light that immediately captured the entire audience''s attention.


    "Out of all the performances, this is the only one worth watching," one of the judgesmented to another.


    "Indeed. Master Lunar''s piece, ''Heaven,'' is quite difficult. To perform it this well is impressive."


    The female judge on the left, a professional dance instructor, added with a smile, "But..."


    "But what?"


    "The technique is solid, and the movements are fluid, but it''s like she''s trapped in a box-beautiful, yes, butcking any real soul or spontaneity."


    It was too aggressive, with no emotional investment.


    The judge frowned. She wasn''t particrly fond of students like this.


    "There''s one more dance performance left," the judge said, flipping through the program. Her face lit up when she saw the title ''Dawn.'' Two students were performing Master Lunar''s work?


    Comparatively, ''Dawn'' required far more emotional investment and was much more difficult than ''Heaven.'' Most dance students wouldn''t dare choose this piece. She was actually a little excited.


    With a final flourish, Ynda''s dance concluded. The judges nodded in satisfaction, giving her high scores.

 Chapter 38

    Herposite score was 91, the highest in thepetition so far. With only a few acts left, it was almost certain that Ynda from Era High would be the champion, barring any major upsets.


    The students from Era High were ecstatic. As they crowded around Ynda, they saw Queenie heading for the stage. She was wearing a stunning ck and white dress, her hair swept up high to reveal a long, graceful neck. Under the lights, she was breathtakingly beautiful.


    That dress...


    Ynda''s smile froze. It was from the same brand as hers, but it was a much more expensive model, one that cost over a hundred thousand dors. She had only ever seen it on TV. How could a poor nobody like Queenie afford it?


    Therefore, what she was wearing had to be a fake.


    At this thought, a mocking smile returned to Ynda''s face.


    "Let''s go," Ynda said, tearing her eyes away.


    As she passed the tech booth, she exchanged a subtle nce with the sound technician. Then, she calmly took her seat in the audience, ready to enjoy the show.


    The host finished his introduction. As Queenie walked onto the stage, a smallmotion rippled through the crowd, mostlypliments on her beautiful dress. "Ynda says it''s a fake," one of her friends whispered to those nearby, shrugging. "A fake?" Others were surprised; it looked so incredibly elegant. But since Ynda often wore this brand, she would surely know.


    "She must have heard that our Ynda was wearing ''The One'' and tried to copy her to steal the spotlight. But..." The girl sneered in disgust. ¡°She tried to be a tiger but ended up looking like a dog. I''m embarrassed for her."


    Ynda, who had just finished texting her parents the good news, felt the smile on her face widen. The real embarrassment was yet toe.


    The lights dimmed, and a soft chime signaled the start of the music. All eyes focused on the stage. Many had seen Queenie''s powerful performance during the rehearsal, and now that she was in full costume and makeup, anticipation was at an all-time high.


    "Let''s hear it for her!" Qadir, the self-appointed head of the cheer squad, shouted excitedly. Salma led the Aurora High students in a round of enthusiastic apuse.


    Juniper put down her phone, pushed up the brim of her cap, and fixed her clear eyes on the stage.


    Everyone waited with bated breath. A minute passed. No music.


    Five minutes passed. Still no music.


    The audience grew restless. The host came out and announced, "Apologies, everyone. We''re experiencing a technical difficulty with the yer, and the music file has been corrupted. Our staff is working on it now. We''re not sure how long it will take to fix."


    Queenie stood frozen under the spotlight,pletely at a loss.


    "Juniper, what do we do?" Qadir turned to her, sensing something was wrong. "What the hell? How can we be this unlucky?"


    The next few acts didn''t require a music yer. Why did it have to break right at her turn? How could she dance in such a massive venue without any musical apaniment?


    The thought alone was suffocating.


    Juniper''s lips were pressed into a thin line, her dark expression unreadable. After a few seconds, she muttered something, stood up, and strode towards the backstage


    area.


    ¡°Juniper¡ª¡± Qadir called after her, utterly confused about what she was nning to do.


    "This is hrious. Why does Aurora High always make a fool of themselves like this?¡± the Era High students jeered, their voices loud enough for the Aurora students to hear.


    "Weren''t they all cocky and cheerful yesterday?"


    "Why aren''t theyughing now? Maybe they''re just not happy people."


    "You don''t need music for a poetry reading, so you shouldn''t need it for a dance, right?"


    Laughter filled their section.


    "Those Era High..." Qadir red at them, muttering "assholes" under his breath.

 Chapter 39

    "There''s nothing we can do. The yer''s circuits arepletely fried," a technician was exining as Juniper arrived backstage. "It''ll take hours to fix."


    ¡°Hours?¡± a staff member next to him paced anxiously. "We can''t make the judges wait that long!"


    They were all important figures in the district; they couldn''t afford to offend them.


    ¡°Director Damaso, how about this?" someone else interjected casually. "It''s just a private school, not that important. She can either dance without music or get off the stage. The rest of the acts are all live instrumental performances anyway, so they don''t need the yer."


    Damaso checked the program. Aurora High, was it? He''d heard their enrollment was so poor the school was set to close next year. Whether they performed or not was inconsequential. The following schools, however, were all top high schools. They couldn''t be slighted.


    "Alright, then just have her¡ª" The director thought the suggestion was reasonable and was about to give the order.


    "Who says she has no music?"


    A clear, icy voice cut in from behind them.


    The director and the other staff members all turned around. They saw a girl in an Aurora High uniform and a baseball cap, one hand in her pocket, her gaze sharp and cold. Even from a distance, and without seeing her full face, they could feel the powerful presence shemanded.


    Huh? Aurora High had a student with such an impressive aura?


    "What do you mean by that, youngdy?" Damaso asked, confused.


    The technician also stared at her, a flicker of panic in his eyes. Don''t tell me she can actually fix it?


    "All the instruments on stage are usable, right?¡± Juniper asked as she took off her school jacket and rolled up the sleeves of her sweatshirt.


    "Yes, they are," Damaso nodded, still bewildered. The drum kit, piano, violins, cellos, electric guitars... the cultural center was fully equipped to amodate student performances.


    "Good." Juniper tossed her jacket aside and, to the astonishment of everyone present, walked directly toward the collection of instruments.


    What was going on? Damaso and the other officials were all dumbfounded. Was this girl actually nning to y the music for ''Dawn'' live? They knew just howplex that piece was. Even Lunar herself probably couldn''t perform it live from memory...


    Queenie had been waiting on stage for several minutes, not for music, but for a rising tide ofints from the audience. Most were telling her to leave. Some were even using Aurora High of deliberately causing trouble.


    The pressure was immense. She bit her lip, hot tears welling in her eyes.


    Just then-


    "Follow your own rhythm. I''ll match you."


    Queenie whipped her head around and saw Juniper sitting at the piano, her expression calm as she watched her.


    "Juniper!"


    The pale yellow light fell on her, making her shine like a small sun that instantly thawed Queenie''s frozen heart. Her eyes immediately reddened, tears threatening to fall. But she knew the most important thing was to finish the performance. She took a deep breath, rxed her body, and got into position.


    "What''s that girl in the corner doing?" The audience had noticed Juniper, their heads full of questions. "Is she going to y live?"


    "The track for ''Dawn'' uses over a dozen different instruments. If she can y all that by herself, I''ll cut off my own head and let her use it as a ser ball!¡±


    "Aurora High is such a joke. A new embarrassment every year, without fail."


    Ynda''s face was a mask of indifference, but she felt augh bubbling up. She knew Juniper couldn''t y any instruments. She spent all her time with her grandfather in the mountains-a country bumpkin, a total hick. She had probably never even touched a piano before.


    y the music for ''Dawn''? Hrious!


    The judges had also fallen silent, watching the two girls on stage with curiosity.

 Chapter 40

    A clear note from the piano echoed through the hall. Instantly, Queenie began to dance, her arms flowing through the air.


    The piano melody was soon joined by the rich tones of a cello, and then the powerful beat of drums, all weaving together seamlessly. It sounded exactly like the original ''Dawn'' track, but the live performance made it even more electric and explosive.


    Queenie waspletely immersed in the music, bringing the entire stage to life.


    Then, as Juniper transitioned to the drum kit, the entire venue erupted. Some were cheering, others were in absolute shock.


    "What?"


    "What?!"


    "WHAT?!"


    ¡°No way, is she for real? Is she ying all those instruments by herself?"


    "Hey, buddy who offered his head, you sweating yet?!"


    "Oh my god, I''m shook! My brain just short-circuited!"


    "Go, Juniper! Go, Queenie!"


    The Aurora High students all jumped to their feet, so excited that Salma had to tell them to sit back down. Salma''s breathing was uneven, her eyes red with emotion.


    What brilliant children!


    "How is this possible?" Nearby, Ynda sat frozen like a mannequin, her eyes filled with disbelief. Juniper had always been a good-for-nothing who excelled only at eating. How could she y musical instruments?


    And so many of them!


    Ynda''s eyes filled with venom. That old man must have secretly taught her!


    If Juniper made her lose thispetition... she would never forgive her.


    ...


    The one-woman orchestra and the stunning dance had electrified the atmosphere. Everyone''s eyes were glued to the two performers on stage, and excited chatter had already begun. People were saying that Aurora High''s performance was far better than Era High''s, and that the top prize would surely go to them this time.


    "Are both of these students from Aurora High?" the judges were discussing among themselves, their smiles far brighter than before.


    "Why haven''t I heard of this school before? Their students are so talented!"


    "The dance was excellent. She had both the emotion and the technique, a perfect interpretation of ''Dawn."" The female judge finished praising Queenie, then her eyesnded on Juniper, practically glowing. ¡°And this girl is gorgeous, with such a great stage presence. How has she not been discovered by a talent scout?"


    Moreover, her ability to y the entirety of ''Dawn'' from memory was nothing short of genius. A talent like that couldn''t possibly remain unknown.


    An idea sparked in her mind. The judge pulled out her phone and sent a message to Jimmie Tate: [I know you''ve been looking for a lead actress for your new music video. I think I''ve found the perfect candidate.]


    Jimmie replied almost instantly: [Busytely, not seeing anyone.]


    He had met too many people and had yet to find someone suitable. He was tired of


    it.


    The judge texted back: [An absolute beauty and a musical prodigy. Are you sure you won''t regret this?]


    Jimmie: [I won''t.]


    Five minutester, the final note faded from the piano, and Queenie''s dance came to an end. The hall was silent for a few seconds before erupting into thunderous apuse.


    As the lights dimmed, Juniper slipped on her jacket and quietly exited from the


    corner.


    Queenie remained on stage, waiting for the scores.


    "Who was that ying? She was amazing!"


    "Did Aurora High level up this year? Their students are incredible!¡±


    "I''ll bet you a bag of chips that Aurora High is taking first ce today!"


    ¡°Didn''t Era High''s PR say Ynda was a shoo-in for the news cover? This is gonna be a p in the face, isn''t it?"


    ¡°Era High?¡± someone sneered. "They think they deserve to be number one in everything. It''s about time they got taken down a peg!"


    "The scores aren''t out yet," an Era High student retorted, their pride on the line. Just as they spoke, the host''s voice rang out: "The scores are in!"

 Chapter 41

    Ynda, who had been sulking in a corner with a pale face, felt her heart lurch.


    Everyone at her school had been certain she would win an award at this little g. Ten minutes ago, she''d confidently told her family she was going to be on the news. Her mother had been so thrilled she''d already started bragging to everyone. The news of her supposed victory was probably already making the rounds in her mother''s high-society circles.


    If she didn''t win...


    Ynda felt a chill run down her spine, unable to imagine the mockery she''d face from her ssmates and the debutantes who already looked down on her.


    "For Aurora High School, Queenie, with her dance ''Dawn,'' total score¡ª96.¡± The announcement sent the Aurora High students into a frenzy of cheers. Queenie covered her mouth in disbelief, her eyes welling up with tears.


    She''d done it. She hadn''t let Aurora High down. The prize money didn''t matter, and neither did the news feature. What mattered was that she had finally silenced everyone who had ever belittled their school.


    Meanwhile, Ynda felt like she''d been doused in ice water, her mind buzzing. It was over. She was five points behind Queenie. A dancepetition champion like her, losing to someone like Queenie? It was unbearable!


    "Hey, how did we lose?" The students from Era High looked like wilted flowers,ining amongst themselves. "We''re number one every year. What happened this time?"


    "Isn''t Ynda a dance champion? How could she lose a simple school g?"


    "And to Aurora High, of all schools. Their students are going to be insufferable now." "This is so embarrassing!"


    Unable to stand the pitying and mocking stares, Ynda shot up from her seat and stormed out, her eyes red with fury.


    As she passed Queenie, her gaze turned icy. If it weren''t for that nobody, Juniper, the one getting all the attention and the news feature would have been her.


    Ynda shot Queenie a venomous re, a chilling smile spreading across her lips. If she couldn''t make the news, nobody else would.


    ...


    The g concluded with Aurora High''s solo dance taking first ce, winning a ten- thousand-dor prize and a television interview.


    When Juniper returned from the restroom, she saw several reporters crowded around Salma and Queenie. After scheduling the interview and filming, the reporters left, and a few teachers from other schools immediately came over to offer their congrattions. Salma maintained a gracious smile, handling the praise with humility and speaking proudly of her students.


    Juniper smiled faintly and was about to walk over when a woman approached her.


    "Hello there."


    Juniper turned and recognized her as one of the judges.


    "Hello," She replied politely, stopping in her tracks.


    "That was a truly wonderful performance. If you''re willing, the television station would be happy to feature both of you in the interview."


    Although Queenie''s dancing was excellent, the girl''s musical apaniment had been the deciding factor. She was exceptionally talented.


    "I''d rather not," Juniper said, pulling her hands from her pockets. Her posture was proper, but her refusal was blunt.


    "Why not?" the judge asked, surprised.


    This was an interview with a major statework; countless people would see it. It was a golden opportunity for fame, and she was turning it down.


    ¡°Because I don''t want to," Juniper replied, her beautiful face tilted up, her eyes clear and bright. Despite her polite tone, she projected an aloofness that kept people at a distance. She was stunning, with a fierce personality.


    The judge found herself liking the girl even more.


    "Alright then," the judge said with a resigned smile, feeling a strange sense of familiarity, as if she''d met the girl somewhere before.


    "In that case, have you ever considered a career in the entertainment industry? A celebrity friend of mine is filming a music video and needs a female lead. His name is..."

 Chapter 42

    "Not interested."


    Juniper shook her head again. She was hungry and had no patience for further conversation. She gave a polite nod. "Thank you, ma''am."


    With that, she pulled on her cap and walked away.


    The judge stood there, watching her go, a slight frown on her face. She was sure she recognized that face. Where had she seen her before?


    After Queenie''s first-ce win, the students of Aurora High walked with their heads held high. Along the way, students from other schools kept ncing in their direction, whispering about Queenie''s dance or Juniper''s performance.


    "Juniper, you were amazing today," Queenie said, clinging to Juniper''s arm like a limpet. "I would have been a total disgrace without you."


    "Seriously, Juniper!" Qadir eximed beside them, practically bouncing with excitement. "How do you know how to y so many instruments? Have you been learning since you were a kid?"


    "Yeah,¡± Juniper replied nonchntly, popping a piece of candy into her mouth.


    "How long have you been practicing?" Qadir''s eyes widened in admiration. ¡°I counted at least seven or eight different instruments. You yed each one so perfectly. You must have been practicing for over a decade, right?¡±


    "Not really."


    "More like a month, allbined," she thought. She had wanted to keep practicing, but her tutors told her she was just there to show off. They''d seen prodigies before, but never one who surpassed their masters in a single month. Juniper mentally shrugged. It wasn''t her fault she was a natural; she learned things almost instantly.


    Her phone buzzed, and she nced at the message.


    "You guys go on to dinner without me. I have something to do."


    ¡°Oh,¡± Queenie said, looking at the bag in her hands. ¡°Juniper, I''ll wash the dress and return it to you."


    "Don''t worry about it," Juniper said, slinging her backpack over her shoulder and pulling her cap down. "You can keep it."


    Before Queenie could process what she''d said, Juniper had already vanished.


    "Holy crap!" Qadir gasped, spotting the tag on the dress. "Is this from The One? I saw a dress like this on my mom''s phone. I think it was over one hundred thousand dors."


    "How much?" Queenie almost dropped the bag. She knew the brand was expensive, but she never imagined it could cost that much.


    ¡°Are Juniper''s friends that rich?¡± Qadir wondered aloud. ¡°Giving away a dress just like that."


    Queenie fell silent, clutching the bag with both hands now, treating it like a fragile treasure. Juniper had been kind enough to help her; she couldn''t possibly ept such an expensive gift. She had to return it.


    ...


    At J-Five''s Studio.


    "What happened to your hand?¡± Lue asked, sitting up from the sofa where she''d been lounging and ying a game on her phone. She had spotted Juniper''s badly swollen right hand.


    "Huh?"


    Juniper tossed her backpack onto the sofa and flexed her wrist. "It''s nothing, just a minor injury.¡± She''d probably hit the instruments too hard and strained a bone.


    "You call that minor? How are you going to draw jewelry designs with your right hand injured?" Lue frowned, her voiceced with concern. "You need to rest for a couple of days."


    "I''m fine," Juniper said with a dismissive smirk. She couldn''t afford to dy; she had to finish the design in time for Shanley''s grandmother''s birthday g. She may have overcharged the man, but she still had her professional ethics.


    "Besides..." Juniper held up her left hand and wiggled her fingers. "This one works just fine, doesn''t it?"


    Lue''s expression went ck as she remembered. Oh, right. She''d forgotten her prodigy was even better with her left hand than her right.

 Chapter 43

    An hourter, Juniper hadpleted the initial draft with her left hand. A stunning ne of gems and diamonds came to life on the paper. A delicate white chain was adorned with snowke-like pendants. At the center of each pendant was a benitoite gemstone, surrounded by a halo of wless, smaller diamonds. The pendants were interconnected, creating a pattern that resembled a burst of fireworks in the night sky. It was breathtakingly beautiful.


    ¡°A masterpiece, as expected from J-Five," Lue said, handing Juniper a ss of lemonade, her praise genuine. "Shanley was lucky to find you."


    This design was exquisite enough to be featured in a museum.


    "But you have to admit..." Lue sat down next to Juniper and pulled up a photo of Shanley on her tablet. "This Schwartz guy is seriously good-looking."


    She had stumbled upon his picture while researching Jimmie. The man''s looks and physique were undeniable.


    ¡°He''s got the height, the build..." Lue mused, resting her chin on her hand. ¡°He looks lean in a suit, but I wonder if he''s ripped underneath."


    Juniper took a sip of water, her expression calm. "Probably."


    "How would you know?" Lue tilted her head, her eyes wide with curiosity.


    Juniper''s fingers tightened around the ss as an image from that strange dream shed in her mind a defined chest, chiseled abs, the lines of his hips. Yes, he was definitely ripped.


    "Just a guess," she said, forcing a calm tone as she felt a blush creep up her cheeks. She quickly changed the subject. "Did you find anything on Jimmie?"


    ¡°I did." Lue, oblivious to Juniper''s reaction, presented her findings. It was simple: Jimmie had been adopted, and his adoptive parents had passed away years ago. He was the only one left in his family, the Tates. Beyond that, his file was a dazzling chronicle of his sessful career in the entertainment industry.


    Adopted, and about a decade older than her. It all seemed to line up.


    "The guy''s a notorious workaholic. He''s already worth hundreds of millions but still works nonstop," Lue said with a click of her tongue. "Just yesterday, he flew to Europe for a location shoot. Word is he won''t be back for another week."


    A week? Juniper frowned. How was she supposed to get a hair sample from him for a DNA test?


    "You still haven''t told me why you''re investigating him," Lue said, swirling a ss of wine. Her silver bob shimmered under the lights, and the diamond stud in her ear gave her a roguish air. ¡°Juniper, don''t tell me you have a crush on him."


    "Definitely not," Juniper replied, her voice low. "There''s just something I need to confirm." Falling for your own brother would be a cosmic joke.


    ¡°I knew it!¡± Lue eximed, relieved, taking a drag from her vorless e-cigarette. ¡°Your taste isn''t that bad. If you were going to fall for someone, it should be a guy like Shanley."


    Wealthy, powerful, handsome... aside from that one issue, he was top-tier. He might just pass muster with the elders back at the organization.


    Hearing Lue''s words, Juniper choked on her water.


    ...


    After leaving the Studio, Juniper was walking down the street when her WhatsApp notification chimed.


    S: [Have you eaten?]


    She was about to put her phone away when another message came through.


    [Found some new candy vors. They''re pretty good. Want to try some? (Image.jpg)]


    It was a picture of imported candies in a variety of vors beyond just mango, all colorful and tempting.


    Juniper pressed her lips together and typed a reply. [No]


    S: [Where are you? I can bring the candy over, and we can grab a bite.]


    Juniper: [OK]


    She had been so focused on the design that she hadn''t had time to eat.

 Chapter 44

    A few minutester, a silver-gray Koenigsegg pulled up to the curb. The door opened, and a tall, elegant man in a dark suit unfolded himself from the car. Shanley walked over to where she was waiting.


    "Have you been waiting long?" he asked, a smile touching his lips as he saw her sitting patiently on the edge of a nter.


    Then he saw her right hand. It had been nearly healed, so why was it suddenly so swollen? Had someone hurt her?


    "No." Juniper stood up, her eyesnding on his face. She raised an eyebrow. He really was handsome.


    "Get in," Shanley said, holding the door for her.


    Once she was settled inside, he asked, "What are you in the mood for?"


    "Anything''s fine." Juniper''s eyes scanned the car''s interior and immediately locked onto a beautiful box of candies on the seat.


    "They''re all yours." Seeing her stare, Shanley chuckled and handed her the box, his smile tinged with indulgence. He turned to the driver. "Moonlight Peak."


    "Yes, Boss."


    Moonlight Peak? Juniper nced at him, opened her mouth to say something, but ultimately decided against it.


    On the way, Shanley had the driver pull over and stepped out for a moment. When he returned, he was holding a mango milkshake and a small white box.


    ¡°It''s mango,¡± he said, unwrapping a straw and putting it in the milkshake. He ced it on the small tray table by her left hand. "Can I see your right hand?" he asked softly, his tone polite and respectful.


    Juniper''s gaze fell to the white box, and she realized it contained some kind of anti- swelling ointment.


    He was worried about her hand? Her heart gave a little flutter, and a surprising warmth spread through her chest.


    After a moment''s hesitation, she slowly extended her hand.


    Up close, the injury looked worse. The wound had reopened slightly, and the area around the bone was inmed. Against her fair skin, the bruising looked rming. "This ointment works well, but it might sting a little," Shanley said, his deep eyes darkening. He twisted open the cap, dipped a cotton swab in the medication, and added in a gentle, coaxing voice, "Just bear with it, okay?"


    Juniper looked up and met his gaze, which felt as deep as the ocean. Her already unsteady heart fluttered erratically. Why was he being so nice to her? The candy, the medicine...


    "Okay,¡± she murmured. The injury hadn''t bothered her before, but now that he was tending to it with such care, it inexplicably began to ache.


    The car fell silent. In the front seat, Felton and Flint held their breath, staring in disbelief at their boss, who was so tenderly treating the girl''s hand. He was gentle and patient, a world away from the decisive, ruthless man they knew. If they sent a picture of this to the guys at Sigma Network, their eyes would pop out of their heads.


    "Try not to put any more strain on your right hand," Shanley instructed, his touch as light as if he were handling a priceless treasure. "Apply this three times a day. If the swelling doesn''t go down, tell me, and I''ll take you to a doctor."


    Juniper sipped her milkshake, her clear, bright eyes fixed on the man''s handsome face.


    "Why are you staring at me?" Shanley asked, looking up when she didn''t respond. For the first time, her expression seemed to hold a hint of warmth toward him.


    Had he finally managed to break through her defenses?


    ¡°It''s nothing,¡± Juniper said with a slight shrug. ¡°It''s just that you remind me of someone, Mr. Schwartz."


    "Oh?" Shanley''s heart skipped a beat, and his expression grew serious. "Who?"


    Felton and Flint pricked up their ears, terrified she was about to mention some unforgettable past love.


    "Well..." Juniper set down her milkshake and slowly uttered two words.


    "My grandfather."

 Chapter 45

    He was like who?


    Her grandfather?!


    The words hung in the air, plunging the car into a dead silence.


    Shanley''s hand froze mid-motion. The smile vanished from his face, and his eyes stared at her like chips of ice.


    In the front seat, Felton and Flint desperately wanted tough but didn''t dare.


    Their boss had been trying so hard-buying her candy, tending to her wounds-and all for what? In the end, not only was the girl not moved, she actually thought he was like her grandfather. In Ms. Payne''s eyes, their boss was just an "old man."


    "How so?" Shanley managed to ask, forcing a smile and suppressing his irritation while keeping his voice gentle.


    "When I used to get hurt, my grandfather would put ointment on my wounds just like this," Juniper exined nonchntly, sipping her milkshake and chewing on the popping boba inside.


    "And no one else has made you think of him?" Shanley asked, his touch so light she could barely feel it.


    "Hmm?" Juniper looked up, her starry eyes blinking for a second. "No one else has ever treated my injuries before."


    When she was little, her grandfather was always the first to notice even the smallest scrape. As she got older and her medical skills improved, she started taking care of any injuries herself. As long as it wasn''t fatal, she didn''t really care.


    The injury on her hand was from a fall she''d taken while gathering herbs for her grandfather. It had been mostly healed, but ying the drums so intensely on stage had probably aggravated it. It would have been fine in two or three days; she hadn''t even considered putting medicine on it.


    "Is that so?" A faint smile touched Shanley''s eyes as the girl''s words sank in. His dark mood lifted. So, besides her grandfather, he was the only one who had ever been this close.


    Fine. If he was like her grandfather, so be it.


    The gloom on his face vanished. He capped the ointment and tucked it into the side pocket of her backpack.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Juniper said, flexing her wrist. Whether it was the medicine or just a cebo effect, it already felt less painful.


    "Don''t mention it," Shanley replied, his deep eyes crinkling as he watched her finish her milkshake. "Was it good?"


    "Mmm," she nodded, easily pleased.


    "If you like it, I''ll buy it for you often.¡± Shanley''s smile was full of satisfaction as he continued to charm her.


    "Is this your way of repaying me?" Juniper asked, tilting her head. Her eyes were clean and bright, as clear as a summer sea.


    "Yes," Shanley nodded, lying through his teeth. "You saved three of our lives. It''s a debt heavier than gold. Helping others is a virtue, and so is repaying kindness."


    Juniper studied his face for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. "Fine by me." Shanley was charmed. She was such a smart girl; how could she not see his real intentions?


    Oh well. She was still young. He would just have to be patient and wait for her to grow up. If she knew the truth now, she might run away. He would simply have to win her over slowly.


    ...


    Moonlight Peak, The Rooftop Garden.


    Shanley was about to hand Juniper a menu, but before he could, she had already reeled off a list of dishes with practiced ease.


    He paused, surprised. The dishes she''d ordered were exclusively for guests of the rooftop garden. And from her familiarity, it was clear this wasn''t her first time here.


    ording to his investigation, although the Sherwin family had taken her in, she''d had a difficult life, spending most of her time living in a sanctuary with her grandfather. So how had she frequented a ce that even the Sherwins couldn''t get into?


    Street fights. The ck market. Moonlight Peak...


    This girl, he realized, was full of secrets. And he found it utterly fascinating.


    During the meal, Shanley barely touched his own food. Instead, he used the serving utensils to fill Juniper''s te, carefully picking out any ingredients he noticed she disliked.

 Chapter 46

    After picking out the things she disliked, he started peeling shrimp for her.


    Felton and Flint werepletely bewildered by the meticulous care he showed. It was like watching him take care of a child.


    "Why aren''t you eating?¡± Juniper asked, finally looking up at him after she''d had her fill.


    "I''m full," Shanley replied with a smile, watching her nibble away like a little squirrel, a roguish grin ying on his lips.


    "Our boss has a weak stomach, Ms. Payne. He eats small meals more frequently," Flint exined as he refilled her water, adding a detail he thought might be useful. She certainly had a healthy appetite. Theyplemented each other well.


    "A weak stomach?" Juniper put down her fork and knife, wiped her hands with a sanitized cloth, and said in a low voice, "Give me your right hand.¡±


    Shanley blinked, confused for a moment before extending his hand.


    "Your pulse is quite weak," Juniper said after a few seconds, her fingers resting lightly on his wrist. "You have irregr eating habits and probably stay upte a lot."


    Felton and Flint exchanged a look of astonishment. Ms. Payne was spot on. To be skilled in traditional diagnostic methods at such a young age... She was like a treasure chest, full of surprises every time they saw her.


    "It''s not too serious, though," Juniper said, withdrawing her hand. She opened her backpack and took out a pen and paper. "Take this herbal form once in the morning and once at night. Your stomach should feel much better in about two weeks. I can give you another prescription then." She scribbled down a list of herbs in neat, beautiful script.


    Then? Did that mean they would see each other again?


    "You know holistic medicine?" Shanley asked, his voice deep and rich as he rubbed the spot her fingers had touched.


    "A little," Juniper replied casually, finishing thest of the food in her te before setting down her utensils. "I should get home."


    "Alright." Shanley didn''t press further. He stood up and took her backpack for her.


    Juniper nced at him but said nothing.


    Fine. Her grandfather used to carry her bag like that, too.


    ...


    Back at Moulnds, Juniper slung her backpack over her shoulder. "Thanks for dinner," she said to Shanley.


    He smiled and pulled a cake box from the car. "I noticed you liked this, so I got one to go. You can share it with your family."


    Juniper paused, surprised by his thoughtfulness, and took the box after a moment. "Thank you." She really did like it.


    ¡°Between us, you don''t always have to say thank you," Shanley said, his gaze deep and steady as he met her clear eyes.


    Juniper, who had been admiring the cake, looked up abruptly.


    Between them? What was between them?


    After a second''s thought, she found her answer. Oh. The rtionship between a savior and the saved.


    "Okay," she said, epting the gift without any more hesitation and giving him a small wave before she left.


    Watching her slender figure recede, Shanley''s eyes darkened, the corners of his mouth lifting. From ignoring himpletely to resisting him, and now to waving goodbye-they were making great progress.


    Seeing his boss''s longing gaze, Flint couldn''t help but whisper to Felton, "You know, he kind of reminds me of the big bad wolf."


    "What?"


    "The big bad wolf, patiently luring the little white rabbit in, nning to devour her bite by bite."


    "I don''t know if our boss is the big bad wolf," Felton replied seriously, "but Ms. Payne


    is definitely no little white rabbit. Have you forgotten her taking on five guys at once?"


    Flint shuddered at the memory of Ms. Payne in a fight. He could still feel the goosebumps.

 Chapter 47

    The moment Juniper was out of sight, Shanley''s gentle expression vanished. ¡°Find out how she got that injury,¡± hemanded.


    "Yes, sir.¡± Felton knew that protective look. If Ms. Payne had been bullied, the culprit wouldn''t live to see another sunrise.


    "Get this prescription filled," Shanley added, handing the paper to Flint while rubbing his right wrist thoughtfully.


    "Yes, sir.¡± Felton and Flint exchanged a shocked nce. They hadn''t expected the boss to trust Ms. Payne sopletely.


    ...


    At Moulnds, J bounced over to Juniper the second she walked in the door, practically vibrating with excitement. ¡°Juniper, I saw the video of you ying! Oh my god, you were so cool! And they got Ynda in the shot-her face was priceless!" she gushed. "Juniper, can you teach me how to y sometime? Please?"


    ¡°Sure,¡± Juniper said with augh, setting down her backpack as J clung to her like a ko. She patted her head gently. "Here, have some of this."


    "Is that cake from Moonlight Peak?" J''s eyes lit up at the sight of the elegant packaging. "I''ve seen my ssmates eat it before."


    Era High School, where J attended, was full of wealthy kids. A meal at Moonlight Peak was expensive, but the desserts were reasonably priced.


    ¡°A friend gave it to me," Juniper exined, sitting down and resting her chin on her hand, watching J tenderly as she cut the cake.


    "I see." J respected her privacy and didn''t pry, focusing on serving the cake. "This is delicious!"


    She gave a slice to Juniper and her mom first, saving a small piece for herself, which she ate with pure satisfaction. "By the way, Juniper, did you know the standardized tests areing up?"


    Tests? Juniper pushed her slice toward J and shook her head. "No, I didn''t."


    But Dolce had mentioned something about it today, that tutors were arranged for the underperforming students. Apparently, the school grouped them together for somest-minute cramming, focusing on the easy, foundational questions. She was on that list of "underperformers."


    ¡°There''s so much I still don''t get,¡± J said, her brow furrowed as she looked at Juniper with pleading eyes. ¡°Juniper, could you help me study?"


    "Of course." Juniper had seen J''s report card; her grades were solid across the board. Getting into a good university wouldn''t be a problem, but if she wanted to aim for Era University, she''d need a little guidance.


    "So, which university are you going to, Juniper?" J asked, using the word "going" instead of "applying to." With her cousin''s abilities, she suspected this year''s top scorer might just shock everyone.


    "Doesn''t matter," Juniper replied casually. As long as she could fulfill her grandfather''s wish, any school would do. Then she added, "By the way, which school has the best cafeteria food?"


    J just stared at her, "Huh?"


    ...


    At Aurora High School, the video of Juniper backing up Queenie during thepetition had gone viral among the students, making her an overnight sensation.


    Before, students would give her a wide berth in the hallways. Today was different. People were sneaking photos of her, and the braver ones came right up to ask for an autograph.


    Juniper just held up her bandaged right hand with a faint smile, making it clear she couldn''t sign.


    "Oh, that''s okay!" The girl''s face flushed redder at her smile. "Juniper, a thumbprint would be fine too!" she said, thoughtfully producing an ink pad.


    She was a huge fan. She''d watched the video of Juniper ying at least ten times and was sure that talent agencies would be knocking on her door any day now. If she acted fast, she could be one of her very first fans.

 Chapter 48

    ¡°Juniper, please?" the girl pleaded, her round eyes sincere.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Juniper found her impossible to refuse. She pressed her thumb onto the ink pad and then onto a photo of herself. It felt a little strange.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± The fan was ecstatic to get her idol''s signature¡ªor rather, thumbprint and skipped away happily.


    Suddenly, a snide voice cut through the air. ¡°She isn''t even famous yet and she''s already putting on airs."


    Juniper turned to see a group of girls standing nearby. The one in the lead, a girl with long, flowing hair named Jolene, was also a senior at Aurora High. She was staring coldly at Juniper, a mocking smile on her face.


    "What a coincidence," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "The music yer just happened to break right when it was Queenie''s turn. And what a coincidence that someone just happened to know how to y every instrument and stole the show,pletely overshadowing Queenie."


    "Did you hear? A TV station came by asking specifically to interview the one who yed the piano," another girl chimed in.


    "Exactly," a third girl sneered. "And have you seen thetest news online? The dress Queenie wore was a fake! I heard that brand hates counterfeiters and sues anyone they find. Queenie wearing a fake on the news? The brand would never allow it."


    "Well, if Queenie can''t be on the cover, there was someone else on stage, wasn''t there?" Joleneughed, the ridicule thick in her voice. "And wasn''t it a certain someone who borrowed that dress for Queenie in the first ce?¡±


    The implication was clear: Juniper had orchestrated the entire thing. Sabotage the music yer to get on stage and hog the spotlight, then use the "fake dress" scandal to keep Queenie out of the news, ensuring she would be the one on the


    cover.


    The girls went on, trading barbs,pletely ignoring Juniper.


    "Are you talking about me?" Juniper finally strode over and stopped in front of Jolene, her eyes like ice.


    "If the shoe fits, wear it," Jolene shot back, meeting Juniper''s gaze with open defiance. It didn''t matter if Juniper had done it or not. What mattered was that the dress was fake, and Juniper had been the one to borrow it. Her goal was to ruin Juniper''s reputation and get her thrown out of Aurora High.


    "Are you having digestive issues? Did you crap your brain out?" Juniper''s eyes narrowed, her entire presence radiating a cold fury. "Or did someone forget to put the cover back on the sewer, letting you crawl out to spew this garbage?"


    "What did you just say?" Jolene''s face contorted with rage. Ynda had told her cousin that Juniper was a timid mouse you could bully and insult freely. She''d even promised a reward if she could get Juniper kicked out of Aurora High.


    "If your mouth is that bored, go lick a toilet. Don''t stand here running it," Juniper said, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she fought to control her temper. She had promised her grandfather she''d be a good student, and good students didn''t get into fights at school.


    "Juniper-!" Jolene was so incensed she couldn''t think of aeback and could only shriek her name.


    "Why are you yelling so loud? You think I''m scared of a barking dog?"


    A passing student couldn''t help but snort withughter at Juniper''s scathing insults.


    "Bitch!" Jolene lost allposure, raising her hand to p Juniper.


    But in the next second, Juniper caught her wrist mid-air. Before Jolene could react,


    a sharp "smack" echoed through the hall as Junipernded a hard p across her face.


    She had promised her grandfather she wouldn''t fight. But the other girl started it. This was just self-defense.

 Chapter 49

    Jolene''s head snapped to the side from the force of the blow, a red mark instantly blooming on her cheek.


    "Juniper, you dare hit me!" she shrieked in disbelief.


    ¡°I just did. Do I need to make an appointment?" Juniper pulled her hand back and calmly wiped it with a wet wipe, the defiance in her eyes practically burning.


    "I''m telling the headmistress! I''ll have you expelled from Aurora High!" Jolene clutched her stinging cheek, tears welling up as she red venomously at Juniper. She never imagined this fake heiress would actually fight back.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Juniper unhurriedly popped a candy into her mouth, her eyes half-lidded. "Good thing there are security cameras. Let''s see who was spouting insults and who threw the first punch. Wanna bet on who gets expelled first?"


    At that, Jolene''s eyshes fluttered. A flicker of panic crossed her face. It was true ¡ªshe had started the name-calling and had tried to hit Juniper first.


    "And another thing." Juniper took a step forward, and Jolene flinched back, nearly suffocating under the girl''s chilling gaze.


    "I just want to study in peace. Don''t mess with me." Juniper stuffed her hands in her pockets, her gaze sweeping over Jolene and her friends. ¡°I, Juniper, never start trouble, but I''m not afraid of it either,¡± she warned slowly. "If you mess with me, you''ll face the consequences."


    Her eyes locked onto Jolene''s flushed face, her expression turning cial. "Next time, it won''t be just a p."


    "You" Jolene tried to retort, but the words caught in her throat as she met Juniper''s cold, fierce expression.


    "By the way..." After her warning, a faint smile appeared on Juniper''s face as she nced at the other girls behind Jolene. "What was it you were saying about me earlier?"


    "N-nothing," the other girls stammered, shaking their heads frantically, terrified by the example that had just been made of their friend.


    "Right." Juniper readjusted her backpack, lifted her chin, andmanded with quiet authority, "Move."


    Instantly, the girls scrambled to either side, clearing a path down the middle. Hands in her pockets, Juniper strolled away at a leisurely pace toward her ssroom, every inch the untouchable queen.


    It wasn''t until her figure disappeared around the corner that the girls dared to breathe again.


    "Aaargh!¡± Jolene shrieked, her eyes red with fury, her fists clenched. "I swear, I will not rest until that bitch Juniper is kicked out of Aurora High! It''s her or me!"


    ...


    When Juniper arrived in her ssroom, the fake dress incident was already the topic of heated discussion.


    "Juniper was the main reason Aurora High won this time."


    ¡°But some people are saying she did it on purpose to get famous, that she


    deliberately gave Queenie a fake dress so she''d get on the news."


    ¡°What? And that she had someone break the music yer?"


    The rumors were spiraling out of control.


    "What are you all talking about?" Qadir shot up from his seat. "What does a broken yer have to do with Juniper? And she would never give Queenie a fake dress! You think I haven''t seen that dress? You think I can''t tell a real from a fake?"


    "Juniper is a hero to this school, and this is how you treat her?" Qadir grew angrier as he spoke, not caring about hurting feelings. ¡°You''re a bunch of ungrateful brats! Without Juniper, Era High would have wiped the floor with us!


    "Let me hear anyone say another bad word about Juniper, and they''ll have to deal with me first," he dered.


    "And me," Queenie added, standing up, her fury matching Qadir''s. "Anyone who nders Juniper again, I''ll rip their mouth out."

 Chapter 50

    "Juniper, you''re here?"


    The words silenced the ssroom instantly.


    "Juniper," Qadir and Queenie rushed to her side, whispering words offort. "Thements online are awful. Don''t look."


    "Someone is definitely trying to stir up trouble," Qadir said, fuming. ¡°Juniper, I''ll get my dad to hire a hacker to track them down."


    "A hacker?" Juniper stuffed her backpack into her desk cubby and pulled out a notepad and pen.


    "Yeah." Qadir nodded emphatically, leaning in conspiratorially. "You''ve heard of Binary Oracle, right? The best hacker group in the world."


    The only realpetition was the hacker collective under the Sigma Network.


    Binary Oracle? Juniper raised an eyebrow at the name, a faint smile ying on her lips. ¡°Their fees aren''t cheap."


    "It''s fine, my dad''s got money," Qadir said, puffing out his chest confidently.


    "Oh." Juniper looked up, her eyes glinting. "He''d have to sell thepany to afford it. Save it. I''ll handle this myself."


    "How are you going to handle it?" Queenie asked, sitting down beside her. She hesitated before carefully asking, "Is the dress really...?"


    She wasn''t doubting that Juniper had given her a fake. But the dress was borrowed from a friend of Juniper''s, and she was worried something had gone wrong along the way. If that was the case, she was prepared to step forward and rify that Juniper had nothing to do with it. As for the media attention... she only ever wanted to bring honor to Aurora High School, not get famous.


    "Of course it''s real," Juniper said, her chin resting on her cool hand, her eyes clear and steady.


    "But..." Queenie frowned, worried. ¡°People online are saying there''s only one of that dress from The One, and it was bought by Master Lunar.¡±


    Juniper had said the dress was from a friend. Was her friend Master Lunar?


    Before Queenie could ask more, Salma walked in, interrupting them. "Juniper, Queenie, could youe to my office?"


    In the office, Salma poured two sses of water for the girls. "Don''t be nervous,¡± she said gently. "Have a seat."


    Juniper and Queenie sat down.


    "I''m sure you''re aware of what''s happening online," Salma said, maintaining a gentle smile. "The brand, The One, has released a statement saying they never lent the dress to Queenie. They''re demanding all videos of her be taken down, or they''ll file awsuit."


    "The TV station called as well." Salma sighed, her expression full of regret. ¡°The public outcry is too much. I''m afraid Queenie won''t be able to do the news interview. Because of the dress controversy, they''re giving the interview to the second-ce winner."


    Thework was ying it safe; an interview was an interview, and they''d rather avoid any controversy.


    ¡°What''s the problem with the dress?¡± Juniper finally looked up after Salma finished, her expression cool and serious.


    Salma paused for a few seconds. "Isn''t the dress..." she whispered.


    The dress was borrowed by Juniper, who surely had good intentions. She just never expected it to blow up like this. Salma didn''t have the heart to me her.


    "The dress is real," Juniper stated, a sharp edge to her voice and a flicker of steel in her eyes. ¡°First ce belongs to Aurora High School, and the interview belongs to Queenie. Why should she have to give it up for someone else? Salma, I will take care of this."


    "How will you do that?" Salma frowned slightly. "The dress was purchased by Master Lunar. Don''t tell me "


    Juniper met her gaze, her eyes cold as she enunciated each word clearly. "Then I''ll have Lunar prove it."

 Chapter 51

    What? Get Master Lunar to personally prove it?


    Queenie''s head snapped up, her bright eyes shining with a newfound light. Juniper knew Master Lunar''s choreography and music so well; she must be in regr contact with her.


    Oh my god. The person who lent her the dress... was it really Master Lunar?


    Salma, however, remained silent, her gaze fixed on the confident girl before her, lost in thought.


    ...


    Across town, in a luxurious vi, Ynday on the sofa, leisurely scrolling through the news on her phone. It was all hate directed at Queenie, Juniper, and Aurora High School. Queenie was being called a vain poser for wearing a fake. Juniper was used of stealing the spotlight. Aurora High was being mocked for producing students with no moralpass.


    Master Lunar''s fans were leading the charge.


    "The real version of that dress was bought by Master Lunar three years ago. How dare some student from Aurora High wear a knockoff to perform her dance?"


    "A cheap imitation, an absolute disgrace."


    "Yes! The One already called her out."


    "They should! What did Master Lunar ever do to deserve being dragged into this mess and trending online?"


    "Right? And some people are even questioning if Master Lunar''s dress is the fake one. Seriously, do these people need to get a life?¡±


    ¡°And that Juniper..." one user wrote, deliberately fanning the mes in her direction. "You think just anyone can y Master Lunar''s ''Dawn'' on the spot like that? She was way too practiced in the video, like she''d done it a thousand times. And she''s the one who lent Queenie the dress. If you ask me, she orchestrated this whole drama herself."


    "Maybe she''s trying to break into the entertainment industry and using this for clout."


    "I have to admit, she has the face for it. So pure and beautiful, totally unique. She could probably make it big."


    "What a scheming bitch!"


    Ynda felt a thrill of satisfaction reading the deluge of hatefulments. But her eyes turned cold when she saw the praise for Juniper''s looks.


    A few secondster, she sent a message to the online trolls she had on payroll: [Post all the juicy details of Juniper''s colorful life online.]


    "Juniper, you want fame? I''ll give you fame."


    In less than five minutes, new hashtags stormed the trending topics list.


    #Juniper The Fake Heiress


    #Juniper The Backstabber


    #Juniper The Delinquent


    The inte erupted again.


    "She''s the adopted daughter of the Sherwin family? As in, Ynda Sherwin''s family?"


    "Whoa, Ynda was in the samepetition."


    ¡°An insider online ims that when Juniper lived with the Sherwins, she was always stealing things from the real heiress. And in thispetition, Ynda was supposed


    to be a shoo-in for first ce until Juniper suddenly pulled this stunt."


    "She ate their food, lived in their house, and still bullied the real daughter? What a pathetic leech."


    "That''s nothing. I heard she did even worse things, like trying to seduce rich heirs and failing miserably."


    Soon, the inte was a cesspool of vitriol.


    At the Schwartz Group headquarters, Felton burst through the door, his face grim. "Boss, it looks like Ms. Payne is in trouble."


    At his words, the man bent over his work snapped his head up, his handsome features instantly icing over.


    "So that''s how she hurt her hand," Shanley said, his voice dropping several degrees as he finished reading the online posts. She had performed with such passion; no wonder her hand had swollen up like that. The girl had chosen a seat in the back and left the moment the music ended. If she wanted to steal the spotlight, all she had to do was stand on stage to capture everyone''s attention. She didn''t need to resort to tricks.


    Shanley mmed hisptop shut, his face so cold it could freeze water.


    "Find out who''s behind this."

 Chapter 52

    "Yes, Boss." Felton nodded and turned to leave, but Shanley''s voice stopped him. "Wait."


    Felton paused, looking back at him in confusion.


    Shanley pulled out his phone and opened his chat with Juniper on WhatsApp.


    [Juniper, do you need my help looking into this online mess?]


    Their rtionship wasn''t that close yet, and he worried that interfering without her permission might upset her.


    Juniper''s reply came almost instantly: [No need, I''ll handle it myself.]


    Even through the screen, he could almost feel her confident aura.


    Shanley: [If you need anything at all, just ask.]


    Juniper nced at his message. She was about to type "Thanks" but remembered him telling her not to be so formal. Instead, she just sent back, "Okay."


    Seeing that one word, a slight, unconscious smile touched the corners of his lips. So obedient.


    "Never mind the investigation," Shanley said, standing by the floor-to-ceiling window. He stared into the distance, a chill surrounding him.


    The girl said she could handle it, so he would let her. She wasn''t the type to let herself be pushed around.


    ...


    After replying to Shanley, Juniper opened Twitter and created a new ount. Username: Lunar.


    Once the ount was active, she posted her first tweet-just three short sentences.


    1. I am Lunar.


    2. The gown Queenie wore was a gift from me.


    3. nderers will be held ountable.


    After hitting ''post,'' she put her phone down and went back to eating with her fork and knife.


    Soon, the tweet from "Lunar" shot to the top of the trending list.


    ¡°Juniper, look at Twitter! Master Lunar showed up!" Qadir, who had been glued to his phone, eximed in excitement.


    "Mm," Juniper responded with a nce, her expression unchanged as she continued eating.


    ¡°Juniper, you¡ª¡± Qadir stopped, puzzled by her calm demeanor. Just then, amotion erupted in the cafeteria.


    Someone shouted, "Trouble! Queenie''s been cornered by reporters outside!"


    "There are a ton of them! Queenie''s so scared she''s crying!"


    "What?" Qadir dropped his fork. Before he could even stand up, the girl across from him was already on her feet. She furiously kicked her chair back, a frosty aura emanating from her as she strode towards the exit with a thunderous expression.


    ¡°Juniper!¡± Qadir, startled, scrambled to follow her. Seeing her like that, he worried she was about to get into a fight.


    ...


    At the school gate, a dozen reporters had Queenie surrounded, shoving cameras in her face and firing questions at her from all directions.


    ¡°Queenie, was the music yer malfunction an ident or intentional?¡±


    "Did you know the gown was a fake?"


    "Could a person with a history like Juniper''s be using you to get famous?"


    "No, that''s not true! Juniper isn''t like that!" Queenie cried, her voice cracking. The reporters'' microphones were practically touching her face, and her small frame was trapped with nowhere to hide. Her eyes welled up with tears.


    Just then, one of the reporters said, "Master Lunar just posted on Twitter."


    "What?"


    At the mention of the name, all eyes shifted away from Queenie as everyone scrambled to check their phones.


    Lunar was notoriously mysterious in the dance world; for years, her fans hadn''t even gotten a clear look at her face. Despite this, she had a massive, loyal following. The idea that she would suddenly create a Twitter ount to defend a student from some no-name school seemedpletely unbelievable.

 Chapter 53

    "It''s fake!"


    "This has to be fake!" one reporter dered without bothering to verify. "Twitter ounts require real-name registration. Can someone check who this impostor is?"


    "It''s probably Juniper herself!"


    Other reporters agreed that it made sense. The ount had no verification and just boldly imed, "I am Lunar." By that logic, any of them could im to be Lunar. If she was going to lie to save herself, couldn''t she at least be smarter about it?


    Ynda saw the trending tweet at the same time as the reporters. She was momentarily surprised, then found the whole situation hrious. Master Lunar had faded from the dance scene three years ago. Ynda had tried everything to contact her, hoping to be her student to learn her skills and leverage her fame. But despite her best efforts, she couldn''t find a single trace of the elusive dancer. And now, this recluse was suddenly creating a Twitter ount for Juniper and Queenie? As if.


    Ynda smirked and sent a message to her paid trolls: "Find out the name registered to this ount''s IP address."


    A short whileter, the reply came: Juniper.


    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Ynda nearly fell off her chairughing.


    Juniper? Was she really stupid enough to use her own name to create a fake Master Lunar ount? After all these years, she was still just as brainless.


    Ynda couldn''t wait to see the inte''s reaction. With a sense of malicious glee, she "helpfully" leaked the "truth" online.


    Then, she turned to her mother with a triumphant smile. "Mom, could you iron my performance dress for me? I''ll need it for the interview."


    The interview was on short notice, and with Aurora High embroiled in scandal, thework didn''t want any trouble from The One. They had decided to interview her instead. It was a live broadcast, so everything had to be perfect.


    ...


    It was lunchtime. Besides the reporters, the gate of Aurora High was crowded with students from both Aurora and their rival, Era High, all eager for a spectacle.


    "Did you see Twitter? Someone dug up the IP registration for the Lunar ount. It''s registered to Juniper."


    Juniper was Lunar? That was the biggest joke they had heard all century. As if someone like Lunar would be a student at a dump like Aurora High.


    "Hey Queenie, if Juniper is really Lunar, why isn''t she here to save you from this mess?¡± an Era High student taunted.


    They had taken a lot of heat a few days ago, and now they were relishing their chance for revenge.


    Queenie wanted to run, but she was trapped. She''d rather stay silent than say a single bad word about Juniper.


    Hearing the Era student''s taunt, her heart trembled. Juniper tweeted that she was Lunar? Knowing her, she never lied. Either someone was framing her, or she really was Lunar.


    Queenie bit her lip, her heart pounding. As the situation unfolded, she felt the second possibility was more likely. The thought made her so nervous she could barely breathe.


    "She probably didn''t expect her lie to be exposed so quickly," a boy sneered. "With all these reporters here, if she dares to show her face, I''ll... I''ll call her queen."


    Before he could finish, his friend beside him chuckled. "Speak of the devil... herees your queen."


    In an instant, everyone turned to look at the school entrance. A girl in a school uniform, her hair in a high ponytail, so beautiful it was breathtaking, was walking toward them.

 Chapter 54

    The sunlight seemed to wrap around her, creating a golden halo that made her fair, stunning features shine even brighter.


    Even the reporters, who had seen their share of beautiful faces, couldn''t help but raise their cameras.


    The students from both Aurora High and Era High were shocked. They couldn''t believe Juniper actually had the nerve to show up. They were curious to see how she would exin the Twitter fiasco.


    "Queenie,e here," Juniper said, stopping beside the reporters and looking at Queenie.


    "Okay." Queenie seized the opportunity to slip through the crowd and cling to Juniper''s arm.


    ¡°Juniper, are the rumors online true?" All the cameras swiveled to focus on her as a reporter asked aggressively, "What is your motive for impersonating Master Lunar?"


    "Why would I need to impersonate myself?" Juniper looked up, her gaze sweeping coolly over the crowd. A faint, sharp smile touched her lips. "As for my motive... it''s to shut you clueless reporters up."


    She just wanted to study in peace, but they all just had to force her to reveal her identity, didn''t they?


    Her tone was cold and arrogant. The nerve of this girl! The reporters were almost impressed by her ability to lie with a straight face.


    "No one has ever seen Master Lunar, so she can say whatever she wants," one reporter muttered to another. They started a live broadcast to let the world watch the joke unfold.


    "It''s simple,¡± another reporter challenged loudly. "The dress was bought by Master Lunar, so there must be a purchase record. All it takes is a call to The One to confirm it, right?"


    The one who suggested it felt like a genius. They couldn''t stand arrogant people, and they were eager to see this girl get taken down a peg.


    "Fine," Juniper said, stepping forward until she was right in front of the reporter, her eyes glinting like ice. "Watch closely."


    With that, she took out her phone and contacted The One.


    Everyone watched, most of them with smug expressions, waiting for her lie to grow bigger and bigger until it copsed. After all, while Master Lunar was unreachable, The One was not. Exposing her would be easy.


    Queenie wrung her hands, her mind aplete nk as she stared at Juniper on the phone.


    Juniper sent an email with her ount details, order number, and all relevant information to The One.


    But just as she imed to be contacting them, The One posted a new tweet, stating their zero-tolerance policy for counterfeit goods.


    Didn''t that just prove Queenie''s dress was a fake? What exactly was Juniper rifying?


    "You have to be pathologically shameless to be this calm," an Era High student sneered, shaking his head. "Acting soposed, you''d almost think she really was Lunar."


    The reporters on the scene were convinced the girl was a lost cause, apulsive liar. They were certain now: Juniper was lying. Lunar was a fake, the dress was a fake, everything was a fake.


    They eagerly began typing up new headlines.


    #Juniper Lies


    #Juniper Exposed By The One


    But before they could hit post, Twitter exploded again.


    The One had deleted their previous tweet and posted a new one.


    [Just moments ago, Master Lunar personally contacted us. Based on the


    information provided, we can confirm that the gown worn by Ms. Queenie of Aurora High School is indeed an authentic piece from The One. We sincerely apologize for the misunderstanding Ms. Queenie has endured. @Lunar]


    At the end, they even tagged Lunar''s ount.


    "Huh?"


    "Is that really The One''s official ount?"


    The reporters, suddenly terrified, frantically clicked on the profile. When they saw


    the official checkmark, their faces went pale.

 Chapter 55

    The One''s official ount had just cleared Queenie''s name and tagged Juniper''s Twitter handle at the end. What did that mean?


    Juniper was really Lunar!


    An eighteen-year-old high school student from a bottom-tier school was the world- famous choreographer, Lunar. It was unbelievable.


    Before they could process the shock, Juniper posted her purchase receipt on Twitter, followed by a slew of cease-and-desist letters that had clearly been prepared in advance.


    The inte went into a frenzy.


    "What? Juniper is Lunar? For real?¡±


    "The One confirmed it, so it must be true!"


    "Holy cow. At eighteen, she''s a master choreographer. At eighteen, I... never mind, I have nothing good to say about myself, I''m out!"


    "It all makes sense now! That''s why she could perform ''Dawn'' perfectly without any sheet music."


    "So, Master Lunar is attending Aurora High! Someone get me all the information on that school in the next two minutes!"


    "Where are all the people who were insulting Juniper before? Cat got your tongue?"


    ¡°Queenie and Aurora High were treated so unfairly! I fully support Master Lunar sending out those legal notices!"


    "They should investigate who started these rumors and sue them too!"


    Seeing the legal notices, the reporters finally snapped back to reality and began frantically deleting their posts, terrified of ending up in court. Thew firm representing her, Trust-Law, was known to be a beast. Its win rate was nearly one hundred percent. The word on the street was that hiring Trust-Law wasn''t just about winning; it was about destroying your opponent.


    Queenie was equally stunned. She stared at Juniper, dumbfounded, forgetting to even blink. She had thought it was shocking enough that Lunar was Juniper''s friend. She never imagined that the idol she had worshipped for years was standing right beside her.


    "Is there anything else?" Juniper took a step forward, her cold gaze sweeping across the reporters. Her voice was quiet but carried an intimidating weight.


    The reporters, still reeling, could only shake their heads.


    "Good." Juniper''s face was like stone as she raised her phone and took photos of each reporter. "You might be free now, but you''re about to be very busy."


    They had ndered her online and then chased her down in person, all to bully a young girl like Queenie for clicks. They were nothing but vultures.


    Did they really think this was over? She wasn''t just going to sue them; she was going to make sure these soulless reporters never worked in the industry again.


    ¡°Master Lunar, this is all a misunderstanding," the reporters stammered, their faces changing color as they rushed to apologize. If they ended up in Trust-Law''s crosshairs, their careers would be over.


    "Mywyers will be in contact with you about the rest," Juniper said curtly. She took the still-dazed Queenie by the arm and turned to leave without a second nce. "Juniper-" Qadir arrived just as the drama was ending. He looked utterly confused, jogging to keep up with them. "What happened? Why do all the reporters at the gate look like they''ve seen a ghost?"


    Queenie turned and whispered, ¡°Juniper is Lunar!¡±


    "What?" Qadir froze in his tracks, trying to process her words.


    Across town, Ynda was dressed in her own gown from The One, her makeup perfectly applied. She sat primly on the sofa, the very picture of a poised youngdy, as the reporter set up the camera for a live interview.


    "Ynda, do you have anything you''d like to say about thepetition?"

 Chapter 56

    "Well..." Ynda''s eyes darted around for a moment before she offered a gentle, sweet smile. "For this festival, I just wanted to do my best for the audience. I wasn''t thinking about winning an award," she said softly. "Getting this opportunity was a wonderful surprise, and I''m very grateful."


    "The dress you''re wearing is beautiful. Could you tell us a bit about it?¡±


    ¡°Of course." Ynda smiled demurely, a proud look on her face. ¡°This dress is from The One. It took a lot of effort to acquire it.¡±


    She paused deliberately, her eyes finding the camera lens. She then frowned slightly and said, "Speaking of the dress, I''m sure everyone is aware of what''s been happening online. Yes, it''s true that Juniper was adopted by my parents, butter..."


    Her eyes reddened as she trailed off, leaving the audience to fill in the nks. "I''m sure my sister didn''t mean any harm. She''s only eighteen, and her grades aren''t good. It was hard for her to even get into a school. I hope everyone can give her another chance. Thank you."


    Since it was a live broadcast, the chat was soon flooded with Ynda''s die-hard fans. The screen was nearly obscured by a torrent of praise. The general consensus was that Ynda was beautiful, kind, and a great student with apassionate heart, while Juniper was a good-for-nothing troublemaker.


    The interviewing reporter was also moved by Ynda''s supposed kindness. "Juniper is lucky to have a sister like you."


    "My sister is wonderful, too," Ynda replied, her vanity soaring as she watched the screen fill withpliments. She had achieved her goal: boosting her own reputation whilepletely tarnishing Juniper''s.


    But just as the interview was proceeding smoothly, ament suddenly cut through the noise: [LUCKY FOR HER, OR A CURSE!]


    The fans were confused.


    Then anotherment appeared: [The tables have turned, check Twitter! Juniper is Lunar! Juniper is Lunar!! JUNIPER IS LUNAR!!!]


    Soon, the entire chat was spammed with the same message.


    What?


    The host and Ynda saw thements at the same time and both froze.


    [There was nothing wrong with Queenie''s first ce win! The One already rified that the dress was a gift from Lunar, not a fake]


    [What kind of reporter changes the interviewee without doing any research?]


    [This interview belongs to Queenie from Aurora High! She won fair and square.] [Am I the only one who realizes what ''Juniper is Lunar'' means? Ynda said Juniper was a delinquent who never studied. How does she exin her being a master choreographer?]


    [The interview belongs to Queenie! We want to see Queenie!]


    [Can someone get Ynda off the screen? What is she even saying about Lunar with that fake, two-faced act?]


    [YES! Finally, someone else sees it! Ynda is ying the victim while reaping all the benefits. What a hypocrite!]


    The tide in the live chat turned in an instant, with everyone calling for Ynda to get off the screen.


    Staring at the endless stream of "get out," Ynda sat frozen in ce, a single phrase echoing in her mind: Juniper is Lunar!


    How could this be...? How could that useless waste of space be the master choreographer, Lunar?

 Chapter 57

    "Impossible..."


    The whish was too much for Ynda. Her face turned ashen as she shook her head in disbelief. Juniper spent all her time running wild in the mountains. When would she have had time to learn to dance? For the past fifteen years, Ynda had never once seen her dance. This had to be a trick!


    As the reporter, Jaxon, wondered how to salvage the situation, his assistant leaned in. ¡°Jaxon, The One tweeted again. It turns out someone was wearing a fake dress, but it wasn''t Queenie from Aurora High..."


    "Then who was it?" Jaxon was starting to get PTSD from the words "fake dress." This whole situation was giving him a massive headache.


    "It was..." The assistant licked his lips, his expressionplicated as he nced at Ynda.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ynda''s temper red at his look. "Mine is authentic!"


    Her father had spent fifty thousand dors and pulled countless strings to get it.


    "See for yourself," the assistant said, holding out his phone.


    Sure enough, three minutes ago, The One had posted a tweet. It directly used her of wearing a counterfeit.


    What? How could her dress be a fake?


    At that moment, the online narrative hadpletely flipped, and everyone was attacking her.


    "So Ynda was the one wearing the fake?"


    "Her live stream was apparently spotted by someone from The One. I heard their head of design reported it personally."


    ¡°This is hrious. A minute ago, she was telling everyone to be magnanimous and give Juniper a chance. Turns out she was the fraud all along.¡±


    "I bet she was the one who started the rumors about Queenie''s dress being fake in the first ce."


    "She''s so shameless, all this just to get on the news!"


    "How dare she go live wearing a knockoff? Is she not afraid of getting sued by The One?"


    Reading thatstment, a shiver went down Jaxon''s spine. He quickly ordered his assistant to shut down the live stream.


    "Miss Sherwin, perhaps you should handle this issue with the fake dress first."


    "I''m not wearing a fake! This is nder, a vicious attack! Aurora High will really stoop to any lie to steal back first ce, won''t they?"


    "You should probably check Twitter again..." Jaxon had no patience left for her. He had felt bad about canceling her interview on such short notice, but it turned out she was the one crying wolf all along. Now, at least, they had a legitimate reason to cancel.


    "How could this be..." Ynda gripped her phone, her fingers scrolling frantically.


    In total, The One had posted three times today. The first was to acknowledge Juniper as Master Lunar and apologize to her, Queenie, and Aurora High. The second was to state they had received a report of someone wearing a counterfeit. The third had been posted just thirty seconds ago. The One had posted a photo of the actual dress she was supposedly wearing, exining that it had never been sold and was still in their warehouse.


    So, the dress she was wearing was, without a doubt, a fake.


    What on earth was going on?


    After the reporters left, Ynda furiously dialed her father, Malcolm. "Dad, send me the purchase record for the dress. Now."


    She was going to shove it in the faces of The One and all those online trolls.


    "Ynda, listen to me..." Malcolm''s voice was hesitant over the phone. "About the dress..."


    "What about it?" Hearing his evasive tone, a sense of dread washed over Ynda. "Tell me! Where did you buy the dress?" she demanded, her voice rising hysterically.


    "I did have someone look for the real one, but it was on very short notice, and the process with The One is slow. I was afraid you needed it urgently, and since it was just a simple school festival, I figured no one would notice. So..."


    "So you bought me a fake?"

 Chapter 58

    Ynda swayed on her feet, her face a deathly mask.


    "Yes," Malcolm admitted. It was a fake, but a high-quality one. It hadn''t cost fifty thousand, but it had still set him back a few hundred dors.


    "Dad, you''ve ruined me!" Ynda screamed, tears streaming down her face. "How can I ever show my face in my social circle again? How can I go to school?"


    And what would Jerrold think of her now?


    "Ynda, calm down," Malcolm said, trying to soothe his hysterical daughter. "This is Juniper''s fault, isn''t it? Don''t worry, Dad won''t let her get away with this!"


    Ynda was so furious she just hung up. She then opened the school''s online forum, where thements were even more vicious than on Twitter.


    "Aaaargh!" Ynda couldn''t bear to look anymore. She hurled her phone to the ground and let out a bloodcurdling scream.


    She would never, ever forgive that bitch!


    ...


    Back at Aurora High, Juniper had barely sat down in her ssroom when she was swarmed by her ssmates.


    "Juniper, you''re actually Master Lunar! That''s so amazing!"


    "Master Lunar, can I have your autograph?"


    ¡°Master Lunar, can we get a picture?"


    "I was here first, don''t push!"


    For the next several minutes, Juniper sat frozen in her seat like a statue,


    amodating wave after wave of ssmates wanting photos and signatures. Just when she thought it was over with her own ss, a new crowd gathered at the doorway.


    "Master Lunar! Aaaah!"


    Juniper''s head was pounding. She was about to refuse when the ss president, Dolce, called out, "Juniper, Queenie, Salma is looking for you."


    "Oh." Juniper seized the chance to escape and quickly slipped out.


    This was exactly why she had never wanted to reveal her identity.


    ...


    In the office, Salma was beaming. She had guessed Juniper might know Lunar, but she never imagined Juniper was Lunar.


    "Juniper, you never mentioned this before."


    "It''s just dancing. Nothing worth talking about," Juniper said dismissively, her tone casual.


    Queenie, standing beside her, nearly fainted. The title of ''master choreographer'' was reduced to ''just dancing'' by the master herself?


    "I understand." Salma was overjoyed to have such a talented student. "Thework contacted us again. They''ve rescheduled the live interview for tomorrow afternoon." She paused. ¡°They were hoping you would join as well. What do you think...?"


    ¡°Juniper, pleasee," Queenie pleaded, looking at her with puppy-dog eyes. She was too scared to do the interview alone.


    "I have things to do in the afternoon, so I''ll pass,¡± Juniper said in a low voice. She had no interest in interviews.


    Besides, she still hadn''t solved the issue with Shanley''s grandmother''s jewelry. An image of his face shed through her mind.


    "Alright." Knowing she was a girl with her own mind, Salma didn''t press the issue. "By the way, I wanted to talk to you about the tutoring sessions. They start tomorrow afternoon in the empty ssroom on the third floor. It''s an hour every day. Make sure you''re there."


    Although Juniper was an excellent dancer, her academic performance was abysmal. Salma hoped that with some effort, she could get into a good university. It would be the icing on the cake.


    ¡°Actually, ma''am, I was thinking¡ª¡± Juniper began, about to refuse.


    "No, you weren''t," Salma cut her off, her expression suddenly serious. She had seen Juniper''s report card. She knew struggling students never wanted tutoring.


    Juniper was speechless.

 Chapter 59

    After school, Juniper got a call from Shanley.


    "Are you free? Let''s get some dinner." The man''s voice was rich and low, with an alluring quality. "I know a restaurant with pretty good food."


    Through their few interactions, Shanley had discovered the girl''s primary interest: food. She loved to eat. A little glutton.


    "Sure," Juniper agreed without her usual hesitation. She had found that she didn''t mind Shanley''spany. Being with him gave her a strange sense offort, almost like her grandfather was still around. She liked it.


    "Great, I''ll pick you up," Shanley said, a smile in his voice. "Find a shady spot to wait so you don''t get sunburned."


    Fifteen minutester, a sleek, dark gray sports car pulled up by the traffic light on the west side of the school. The man unfolded his long legs from the car and walked straight to the wooden bench where she was waiting. He leaned down slightly, a smile ying on his lips.


    "Milkshake?" he asked, holding one out along with a small bag of snacks.


    Juniper looked up, her eyes meeting his handsome face, and her heart gave another one of those strange, frantic beats.


    "Is your bag heavy?" Shanley reached for her backpack. "Let me get that for you."


    Juniper looked down at her hands-snacks in her left, milkshake in her right¡ªand realized it would be awkward to carry her bag. After a moment''s thought, she nodded and handed it to him.


    "Let''s go." A grin touched Shanley''s lips as he took the backpack in one hand, falling into step beside her.


    He opened the car door, and Juniper slid inside. As soon as she sat down, she wrinkled her nose at the smell in the car.


    "What''s wrong?" Shanley asked softly, noticing her expression.


    "It stinks," Juniper said, looking at him with her clear eyes, her voice muffled. "Do you smoke?" The distaste in her tone was obvious.


    "You don''t like the smell of smoke?" Shanley immediately shot Flint a look and had him turn on the air vents and open the windows. "How about now?"


    "Better," Juniper''s expression rxed, and she started sipping her milkshake, her defensive posture softening considerably.


    "Is everything taken care of?" Shanley asked gently, cing a napkin by her hand.


    "Mostly."


    The timing wasn''t quite right yet; the most important part was still toe.


    "Good," Shanley responded softly. Just as the word left his lips, the car suddenly jolted.


    "Careful.¡± Shanley''s eyes shed with cold light as his arm shot out instinctively to steady the girl beside him.


    The lurch was so unexpected that Juniper, who was in the middle of drinking her milkshake, was thrown off bnce. The back of her head bumped into a broad, hard chest, and the milkshake in her hands went flying.


    "Hiss-"


    A low grunt escaped Shanley, and Juniper instinctively looked back. She saw him frowning slightly, his arm protectively around her waist. Arge, wet patch had spread across his white shirt, faintly revealing the toned muscle underneath. Juniper''s cheeks grew hot, and she tried to pull away, but the car was still unsteady. "Don''t move just yet," Shanley murmured, holding her securely until he was sure she was safe. After a moment of gentle reassurance, he red at Felton in the driver''s seat. "How are you driving?!"


    In an instant, the temperature in the car plummeted below freezing.


    "Sorry, Boss." Felton lowered his head, his palms sweating. "The car in front of us suddenly changednes."


    "If this happens again, you can go back and get your license retrained," Shanley growled, his face dark with anger. His girl had almost been hurt.


    "Yes, Boss." Felton''s face was grim, but he didn''t dare argue. Everyone on the boss''s team was highly trained. He and Flint, as personal bodyguards, were the elite of the elite. Their reflexes were top-tier; they shouldn''t be making mistakes like this.

 Chapter 60

    It was just... His boss''s tone with Ms. Payne had been so gentle, it had caught him off guard. He''d only been distracted for a few seconds, but that was all it took for disaster to strike.


    Luckily, Ms. Payne was in the back, and his boss, afraid of scaring her, didn''t yell too harshly. Otherwise...


    Felton didn''t dare to imagine. He sent up a silent prayer of thanks to Juniper.


    The car quickly stabilized. Shanley looked down at the girl in his arms and asked softly, "It''s okay now."


    Juniper immediately pulled away, her eyesnding on the wet patch on his chest. She blinked, embarrassed. "Your shirt..."


    "It''s fine." Shanley had only just noticed his own disheveled state. He wiped at it casually with a tissue. "Are you hurt anywhere?"


    Looking at his damp shirt, Juniper''s cheeks warmed. She was fine, of course. But the jolt from him shielding her must have hurt. Wasn''t he worried about getting injured?


    "What is it?" Seeing her silence, Shanley grew tense, his voice cautious. "Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Felton, to the hospital!"


    "I''m fine," Juniper murmured, her clear eyes fixed on him. She was a doctor herself, after all. She was just... curious. Was this man being a little too nice to her?


    "Okay." Shanley gave her a once-over, and only after confirming she was unharmed did he rx. "Rest for a bit. We''ll be there soon."


    Juniper nodded and settled back into her seat. She nced at the pile of snacks in herp, then stole a peek at the man beside her, who was still dealing with his shirt. She couldn''t figure him out.


    At the restaurant, Juniper sat obediently, sipping a freshly bought milkshake. When she casually looked up, her eyes met Shanley, who had just returned after changing his clothes.


    He had changed into a ck silk shirt, the top two buttons undone, paired with matching trousers. With one hand in his pocket, he walked slowly toward her. The sunlight streamed over him, outlining his sharp features and highlighting a physique that was almost unfairly perfect.


    Juniper stared, forgetting to sip her milkshake. So this was what Lue meant by a ''handsome man''? He was definitely more striking than Jimmie Tate.


    "Like what you see?" Shanley noticed the girl staring at him. He tapped his finger on the table, a low, huskyugh rumbling in his throat, full of affection and warmth.


    Juniper snapped back to reality, a yful smile touching her lips. "Not bad," she said lightly.


    "What part is ''not bad"?" Shanley sat down, draping one arm casually over the back of the chair in azy, handsome pose.


    Juniper took a sip of her milkshake, unable to quell the heat rising within her. She raised an eyebrow. "What part do you want me to say is not bad?"


    Shanley was momentarily speechless. He had intended to tease the youngdy, only to find the tables turned on him.


    Felton and Flint exchanged a look, trying to stifle theirughter. Their boss had truly met his match.


    The awkward moment was broken when the waiter began serving their food. Juniper was in a good mood and ate quite a bit. After finishing the soup Shanley had personally served her, she stood up. "I''m going to the restroom."


    "Should Ie with you?" Shanley immediately stood up, his eyes filled with worry. Juniper stared at him, an amused smile ying on her lips. "I''m not a child." Shanley realized he really had been treating her like one, spoiling her. And he found he wanted to keep spoiling her forever.


    Shanley''s logic: Be nice to the girl, buy her snacks¡ªthat''s how I woo her.


    Juniper''s logic: He''s so nice to me, just like my grandfather.

 Chapter 61

    After washing her hands, Juniper was rounding a corner when she ran straight into Ynda and her parents.


    "What are you doing here?" Frigga, who had been looking for a chance to settle scores with Juniper, felt her anger re upon seeing her.


    Last time, Ynda had imed Juniper was cozying up to some rich man to get into the top-floor at Moonlight Peak. Frigga had been skeptical, but seeing her here now,


    a restaurant with such an exorbitant price tag, how else could she afford it but through a sugar daddy?


    The shameless tramp!


    "Were you behind what happened online?" Frigga, itching for a fight, red at Juniper. "Is this how you repay the Sherwin family for raising you? What good does it do you to ruin Ynda?"


    Repay them? Ruin Ynda?


    Juniper looked up, her gaze sweeping over the three of them, a faint chill gathering in her eyes.


    "You''re going to contact the reporters right now and tell them you''re not Lunar and that the dress Ynda wore wasn''t a fake. Clear her name!" Frigga demanded, her elegantly made-up face contorted with rage.


    The tide of public opinion had turned drastically, and Ynda was being torn to shreds online. If they didn''t do something soon, her reputation would be destroyed. It wouldn''t be the first time Juniper had been forced to take the me for something.


    "Are you short on money?" Malcolm, dressed in a sharp suit that did little to hide his smug demeanor, pulled out his wallet and fanned out a thick wad of cash. His tone was one of charity. "Do as we say, and we can negotiate the price."


    Juniper''s lips curled into a smirk, the warmth draining from her face.


    "Alright then," she said, her voice deceptively sweet. "Let''s negotiate."


    Seeing her apparently swayed by the money, Malcolm sneered inwardly. So what if Master Lunar was famous? She was just a dancer. How much could she possibly be worth?


    "Name your price!" Frigga hissed, wishing she could y Juniper alive. She had been bragging to her circle of wealthy friends about Ynda making the news, only for everything to blow up in her face. Now everyone knew that the Sherwin family''s adopted daughter was the famous dance master, while her own meticulously raised daughter was not only inferior but also aughingstock for wearing a knockoff. Frigga herself had be fodder for gossip, and it was all Juniper''s fault.


    "Let me think..." Juniper casually wiped her hands, her eyes glinting with amusement. "How about one hundred million?"


    "How much?" Malcolm and Frigga stared, their eyes wide with disbelief. "One hundred million? You might as well ask for a billion!"


    "A billion? That works too!" Juniper tossed the used paper towel into the trash can, her hands sliding into her pockets. She tilted her chin up, her expression songuid it was chilling. "Wire transfer or check? I can ept either."


    Malcolm and Frigga were struck dumb, having shot themselves in the foot.


    "Are you happy now that you''ve done this to me?" Ynda, her eyes swollen like walnuts from a night of crying, looked as if she were the world''s greatest victim. Her gaze was filled with pure hatred.


    "Quite happy, actually." Juniper''s eyesnded on Ynda''s face, her lips curling into a bright smile that felt like a p.


    "You-" Ynda''s mind was a mess from all the crying, and she couldn''t form aeback, which only made fresh tears stream down her face.


    Seeing her daughter in tears shattered Frigga''sposure.


    "You little brat, who gave you the nerve to be so arrogant!"


    She lunged forward to teach Juniper a lesson. In the past, she had to restrain herself because Lemuel was still around.

 Chapter 62

    But now that Lemuel was gone... she could do more than just discipline her. She could have her killed, and no one would care.


    The next second, the sharp crack of a p echoed through the hallway. A stinging pain exploded across Frigga''s face, and she staggered backward on her high heels, crashing heavily to the floor.


    "Juniper, you hit my mom!" Ynda was the first to react, wing her way toward Juniper like a wild animal. "I''ll kill you! I''ll kill you!"


    Juniper stood her ground, her face hardening into a mask of pure fury. Her patience had run out, and a simmering rage was about to boil over. If she didn''t get serious, they would really think she was a pushover.


    Juniper''s eyes turned icy. With lightning speed, she grabbed a handful of Ynda''s hair and yanked it back hard.


    "Juniper¡ª" Ynda was forced to crane her head back, her face contorted in pain. Before she could recover, Juniper dragged her into the women''s restroom and shoved her toward the sinks, turning on a faucet full st.


    "Juniper, what are you doing?" Ynda shrieked, struggling in terror at the sight of the water.


    But before she could finish, her head was shoved down, and icy water cascaded over her scalp, stinging her eyes so badly she couldn''t open them.


    "Aaaahhh!" Ynda''s agonized screams filled the restroom. "Dad, Mom, help me!" "Ynda! Ynda!" Malcolm and Frigga, shocked into action, scrambled after them. "Juniper, what do you think you''re doing?" Malcolm bellowed. "I''m calling the police!" "Should we call the reporters, too?" Juniper held Ynda by the neck with one hand and waved her phone with the other. "You wanted to clear Ynda''s name, right? A face-to-face confrontation would be most effective!"


    "You think we''re afraid of you?" Frigga''s face was a mess of tears and rage. "Where''s the phone? I''ll call!"


    Juniper''s words snapped Malcolm back to his senses. He snatched the phone from his wife''s hand. "Call who? Don''t be a fool!"


    They couldn''t call the police or the reporters. The Sherwin family had just managed to establish a foothold in Era City. If the authorities got involved, who knew what outrageous things this little tramp would say? It wasn''t worth risking thepany''s reputation.


    "Juniper, calm down!" Malcolm was genuinely frightened now. He had never seen her so vicious. In his memory, she was like a weak vine clinging to Lemuel, someone they could crush at will. When did she learn to dance? When did she be like this?


    "What do you want? Just tell us!" Malcolm forced the words out through gritted teeth, his voice strained with suppressed fury.


    "I want your lives. Are you giving them?" A faint smile yed on Juniper''s lips, but her voice was devoid of any warmth.


    The words hung in the air, and the restroom fell silent. Malcolm and Frigga were too stunned to even breathe.


    What did she want? Their lives? How dare she!


    The couple stood frozen as Ynda struggled weakly under the running water. The scene was utterly bizarre.


    Meanwhile, Shanley was growing concerned. Juniper had been gone for fifteen minutes, far too long for a trip to the restroom.


    "Boss, should I go check on Ms. Payne?" Flint asked respectfully.


    "Have the waiter bring two slices of cheesecake," Shanley instructed after a moment''s pause. Then he stood and headed toward the restrooms himself.


    As he neared the corner, he overheard people whispering about a fight, about a girl getting a vicious beatdown.


    Shanley''s eyes went cold. He picked up his pace, breaking into a light jog. But when he reached the restroom and saw the scene inside, he froze.

 Chapter 63

    The girl he''d been so worried about was calmly holding someone''s head under a faucet. Standing nearby was a middle-aged couple, looking utterly defeated and helpless. He recognized them from his files as her adoptive parents or rather, the family that had taken her in on Lemuel''s behalf. They hadn''t treated her well.


    Seeing that Juniper was perfectly fine, Shanley''s racing heart returned to normal. He dialed Flint. "Delete all the restaurant''s security footage."


    "Boss, you mean this restaurant? The one we''re in?" Flint asked, confused. He thought Shanley was looking for Ms. Payne. Why the sudden order about surveince?


    "Yes." Shanley''s gaze sharpened, his voiceced with a dangerous edge. "Wipe it clean. Make it unrecoverable. And find everyone who passed by the restrooms in thest fifteen minutes. I don''t want a single piece of news about Juniper getting into a fight appearing online."


    Ms. Payne in a fight? Flint''s mind shed back to thest time she''did someone out¡ªfierce, efficient, and incredibly cool. A thrill of excitement shot through him. When did this happen? He wished he''d been there to watch and learn.


    "Yes, Boss."


    Flint hung up and immediately headed for the security room. There was a camera pointed right at the restroom entrance, which had perfectly captured Juniper''s beatdown.


    Wow! Watching the footage, Flint couldn''t help but be impressed. Ms. Payne might look young and slender, but she was a formidable fighter. If she and the boss ever got together...


    Flint grinned. The boss might actually be on the losing end of an argument.


    The thought was surprisingly delightful.


    ...


    After giving his orders, Shanley stood back, his intense gaze fixed on the young woman, waiting to see how she would handle the situation.


    Seeing Malcolm and Frigga''s terror and Ynda''s limp, half-drowned form, Juniper let out a soft chuckle.


    Pathetic. All bark and no bite.


    "I told you, with Grandpa gone, you should learn to keep your heads down. Don''t provoke me." Juniper lifted Ynda''s face so their eyes met, her own gaze ck and piercing. "Did you forget? Should I carve it on your tombstones for you?"


    "Cough, cough..." The words terrified Ynda. She tried to beg for mercy, but her lungs were filled with water, and only choked gasps came out.


    "Don''t..." Her parents started to step forward but froze, afraid of angering Juniper further. She was acting like a madwoman, and there was no telling what she might do to Ynda.


    "My patience with you is limited," Juniper said, patting Ynda''s cheek, her voice t. "Push me too far, and I''ll settle all our debts, new and old."


    New and old debts? Malcolm and Frigga exchanged a look.


    "When I was six, while Grandpa was away, you locked me in the attic for a month, giving me only one piece of bread and half a cup of water every two days. Did you think I''d forgotten?"


    She had nearly starved to death that month, wasting away to skin and bones. It was the reason she now ate more than the average person¡ªshe was terrified of going hungry.


    Frigga opened her mouth to argue but couldn''t; it was the truth.


    "And you!" Juniper''s gaze shifted to Malcolm, her face pale, her eyes bloodshot. "Whenever anyone in the Sherwin family did something wrong, it was all my fault. Drinking, gambling, whoring... what did any of that have to do with me?"


    Malcolm scowled but said nothing. He had never considered Juniper his daughter. In his mind, providing her with food and shelter meant she should be willing to take the me for the family. What was wrong with that?


    "As for you..." Juniper looked down at Ynda. "Do I need to remind you, piece by piece?"


    Ynda bit her lip, her entire body trembling.

 Chapter 64

    "And don''t think I don''t know what you all did to Grandpa." At the mention of her grandfather, Juniper released Ynda, patting her cheek again as a dangerous glint shed in her eyes. "If you''re eager to die, just keep it up."


    She, Juniper, owed nothing to anyone, except for the debt she could never repay to her grandfather. She had promised him she wouldn''t hold a grudge. But once that debt of gratitude was paid, she wouldn''t let a single person who had wronged her get away.


    "Mom!" Finally free, Ynda stumbled over to Frigga''s side.


    "Let''s go! Now!" Malcolm helped his wife and daughter to their feet. As he left, he shot a venomous re at Juniper.


    The little stray had be far too bold. She knew too much about the family''s affairs. If this continued, she could easily hold it all over their heads. He needed to find a permanent solution to get rid of her.


    From his corner, Shanley had heard everything. So that was why she loved food so much¡ªshe had been starved for a month as a child. Her notorious reputation was the result of being framed. He could only imagine the other hardships and injustices she had endured to develop such a guarded, defensive personality. She was only eighteen.


    After a few moments of silence, Shanley walked over and gently draped his jacket over the girl''s shoulders as she stood lost in thought.


    "Don''t catch a cold."


    Juniper looked up and met his gentle gaze.


    "How long have you been watching?" she asked, her voice hoarse.


    "A little while," Shanley answered honestly, a warm smile on his face. "I saw you


    were teaching them a lesson, so I didn''t want to interrupt."


    "Don''t you think I was bullying them?" Juniper''s clothes were soaked. She instinctively pulled his jacket tighter around herself, her pink lips curving into a slight smile. "I beat them pretty badly."


    Her tone waszy, her smile proud and defiant. Anyone else would have thought her a cruel bully.


    "You must have had your reasons." Shanley took out a tissue and gently dabbed the water from her hair. "If someone bullies you, you bully them back. What''s wrong with that?"


    Juniper swallowed, her eyshes fluttering. He was right there.


    "The restaurant''s security footage has been taken care of. There won''t be any trouble."


    His meaning was clear: even if she had killed someone, not just beaten them up, he would have handled it for her.


    Juniper stared at him, his words causing a ripple in her calm heart. They had only known each other for a short time, yet he respected, protected, and helped her, even believing in her unconditionally.


    "Shanley Schwartz..." Juniper took a step closer, tilting her small, pale face up to him.


    "Yes?" Shanley bent his head slightly to meet her gaze, making it easier for her to speak. "What is it?"


    This was the first time she had initiated closeness. He waited, anticipating what she would say.


    "I''ve discovered..." Juniper blinked, choosing her words carefully before saying, syble by syble, "You''re a good person."


    Shanley had to fight back a smile. First the ''grandfather card,'' and now the ''good person card''? She was unbelievably cute.


    "Am I?" he chuckled, his voice rich and deep. "This is the first time anyone''s ever called me a good person."


    To be honest, he was far from it. If she knew about some of the things he''d done, she would probably be terrified.


    "Have some candy." Juniper pulled a piece of candy from her pocket-her absolute favorite-and handed it to him. Then she took out her phone and texted Lue:


    [Add a pair of earrings to Shanley''s jewelry order, on me.]


    Lue: [???]


    On her?


    Was she reading that right?


    Wasn''t Shanley her sworn enemy?

 Chapter 65

    Lue: [Why?]


    A pair of earrings, personally designed by J-Five, was worth at least ten million. Giving them away for free wouldpletely undermine their n to milk him for money. This was cash they were talking about. Was her little boss really willing to part with it?


    Juniper thought for a moment before replying: [He''s a good person.]


    Lue: [What?]


    Who was?


    Shanley?


    That was terrifying.


    ...


    Shanley''s gaze fell on Juniper. Her sweatshirt was soaked down the front and on the sleeves, and there was a cut on her right hand. She looked incredibly fragile. "My house is nearby. Would you like to go there for a shower and a change of clothes?" Shanley asked softly. "Your family might worry if you go home like this."


    Juniper looked down at her own disheveled state. After a moment''s thought, she nodded.


    "Let''s go," Shanley said, a smile touching his lips as he tore open a packet of small cookies for her.


    Juniper took them naturally and started eating with relish.


    "Yes, sir."


    Flint and Felton exchanged a look. Their boss was certainly smooth. It had only been a few meetings, and he''d already managed to lure Ms. Payne back to his ce.


    Fifteen minutester, the sports car pulled up in front of a luxurious private vi. The modern, minimalist design, dominated by ck and white, gave it an air of quiet mystery that sparked one''s curiosity.


    "Boss." A bodyguard opened the car door and froze for a second when he saw the extra person in the back. Other than Dana, the old madam, and the firstdy of the house, no other woman had ever set foot in this home.


    "Careful," Shanley said, getting out first and holding his hand over the top of the doorframe for Juniper.


    The surrounding bodyguards looked on, their eyes practically popping out of their heads.


    Holy crap! They must have woken up too fast this morning and were hallucinating. Otherwise, why would they be seeing the boss bring a girl home and even shield her head from the car door? What happened to the cold, aloof man who had no interest in women?


    Juniper, holding her bag of cookies, had nowhere to put the empty wrapper. A momentter, Shanley took it from her. As she bent to get out of the car, the hem of her sweatshirt rode up slightly, revealing a sliver of her pale, slender waist. The unexpected sight made Shanley''s gaze deepen for a moment before he quickly looked away.


    After the news broke, he had looked up her dance videos online. She was like a celestial being, ethereal and breathtakingly beautiful. It was no wonder so many people adored her.


    Shanley carried her backpack while Juniper, wrapped in his suit jacket, walked calmly beside him. All along the way, bodyguards bowed their heads in greeting. The moment she passed, they immediately huddled together, whispering about the mysterious girl.


    "Did you see? She''s wearing the boss''s jacket!"


    "I''ve only ever seen the boss holding a gun. Seeing him carry a woman''s bag... it''s just in weird."


    "Which family is she from?"


    "She looks pretty young. Isn''t the boss robbing the cra-mmph!"


    "Shh! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"


    ...


    Inside the living room, Dana came out from the kitchen.


    "Mr. Schwartz, you''re back?"


    Her smile faltered slightly when her eyesnded on the girl beside Shanley.


    "And this is?"


    "Hello, my name is Juniper Payne," she said, looking up at Dana with a polite and gentle expression.


    Dana finally got a clear look at the girl. She had a delicate, beautiful face, skin as white as snow, and an air of unmistakable grace. Her polite and gentle manner was immediately endearing. She just seemed a bit young. Perhaps she was the daughter of one of Mr. Schwartz''s friends?


    "A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Payne," Dana said, her face warm and weing as she took in the first girl her employer had ever brought home.

 Chapter 66

    "Dana, take Juniper upstairs for a shower," Shanley said, cing the backpack on the sofa. "And ask the kitchen to prepare some mango-vored desserts."


    Mango? If she remembered correctly, Mr. Schwartz hated mangoes. For him to change his preferences for her... this youngdy was definitely special.


    "Yes, sir." Dana nodded respectfully and smiled at Juniper. "This way, Ms. Payne."


    Juniper nced back at Shanley before obediently following Dana to the bathroom. After they left, Shanley''s gaze lingered for a moment, and he loosened his tie, a look of immense satisfaction on his face.


    "Boss, a message just came in from J-Five," Felton reported respectfully. "They''re adding aplimentary pair of earrings to our order."


    "J-Five is being generous?" Shanley''s fingers paused, a faint, skeptical smile ying on his lips.


    "It''s true." Felton hadn''t believed it at first either and had double-checked. The other party imed it was J-Five''s own decision, with no strings attached. The earrings would be delivered along with the ne.


    "Keep an eye on it," Shanley said, pursing his lips. His eyes narrowed slightly, a mix of belief and suspicion. First, they swindled him out of tens of millions, and now they were sending him free gifts?


    He was starting to seriously question J-Five''s mental stability.


    ...


    After her shower, Juniper changed into the clothes Dana had prepared for her: a simple, elegant white knee-length dress that suited her perfectly.


    "Ms. Payne." Dana ced a pair of slippers on the floor, her smile warm and affectionate. "You look beautiful in this dress."


    "Thank you." Juniper tucked her hair behind her ear and looked around the room. It was spotless, as if no one had ever lived in it.


    "Are you looking for something, Ms. Payne?" Dana asked, staying close by her side. "You''re the first young woman the master has ever brought to his home."


    While Juniper was showering, Dana had gotten the full scoop. She wasn''t some friend''s daughter. The master had met her and had been trying every trick in the book to get closer to her. And now, he had finally managed to bring her home.


    Dana nearly burst outughing. Mr. Schwartz was quite the operator, managing to win over such a beautiful youngdy.


    "Hmm?" Juniper paused, a little surprised by Dana''sment. She hadn''t been paying attention to that; she was just thinking..... this room was huge.


    "Rest assured, Ms. Payne, the master has always been a perfect gentleman. He never messes around," Dana continued, growing more enthusiastic. "He''s twenty- seven and has never had a girlfriend."


    Dana meant: The master has never been in a rtionship because he''s never met anyone he truly likes.


    What the straightforward Juniper heard was: The master can''t perform, so he can''t get a girlfriend.


    "Oh..." Juniper pursed her lips in sympathy. After a moment of silence, she added, "I''ll do my best to help treat him."


    Although her medical skills were considerable, she had never really dealt with... this kind of problem before.


    "Ah?"


    Now it was Dana''s turn to be confused. She scratched her head, not understanding what Juniper meant. Treat what?


    Once she was ready, Juniper went downstairs to the main hall.


    Shanley had changed intofortable loungewear and was standing by the floor-to- ceiling window, sipping a ss of red wine. The warm light of the setting sun fell on him, making the already tall man seem even more imposing. He had shed his usual cool reserve, reced by a touch ofzy charm.


    Juniper bit her lip, her gaze drifting downward, toward the area between his legs.


    Hmm... It was hard to tell just how serious his... condition was. How was she supposed to write a prescription? Maybe she should just ask.

 Chapter 67

    Sensing someone behind him, Shanley turned slowly. He saw the girl standing at the top of the stairs, dressed in white with her long hair cascading over her shoulders. She was breathtaking, like a figure from a painting, utterly captivating.


    "What are you looking at?" Shanley put down his wine ss and walked over to her, a fond smile on his face.


    "I should get home," Juniper said, blinking to feignposure. "I''ll return the clothes next time."


    "No need." Shanley had the kitchen bring out the special desserts he''d ordered. He gazed at her face and said in a low, husky voice, "I''ll take you home."


    "Okay." This was a secluded, wealthy neighborhood of private vis; there was no public transportation.


    "Ms. Payne, you''re wee back anytime," Dana said, handing Juniper a box of pastries with a warm, motherly smile. "Next time you visit, I''ll make you different kinds of desserts."


    "Okay," Juniper replied obediently, not thinking too much about the hidden meaning in Dana''s words.


    Next time? Shanley''s lips curved upward, a deep satisfaction in his eyes.


    Dana was sharp. Her sry and bonus for the month would be doubled.


    ...


    In the car, Felton and Flint sat in the front, with Shanley and Juniper in the back.


    Juniper was scrolling through her phone, looking at news about Jimmie. ording to some reports, he would be finishing his work and returning to the country ahead of schedule in three days. Once he was back, they could do the DNA test.


    If he wasn''t her brother, that was that. But if he was... Juniper''s face scrunched up in worry. She didn''t know how she would face him. Would he be able to ept having a sister?


    Shanley nced over and happened to see her phone screen. He noticed she was staring intently at a photo of Jimmie.


    "You like him?" Shanley''s brows furrowed, and his deep eyes narrowed, a strange emotion mingling with his usual warmth.


    "Hmm?" Juniper snapped out of her thoughts and turned off her phone.


    "No," she replied casually.


    "He''s a national idol. I thought all young girls liked him." Shanley felt an inexplicable sense of relief, and the curve of his lips deepened. "If you want autographs or photos, I can get them for you."


    "No, thank you." Juniper raised an eyebrow slightly. If she wanted those things, it would only take a few taps on her phone.


    "Alright." Shanley chuckled, the fondness in his eyes growing even stronger. As long as she didn''t like him. That Jimmie fellow was, after all, quite popr with the youngdies.


    As they neared Moulnds, Juniper sat with her hands ced properly on her knees, hesitating over how to bring up his "health" issue.


    Just before getting out of the car, she took out a pen, wrote down a prescription on a piece of paper, and mustered up her courage to hand it to him.


    "I heard you''re not in the best of health. You could try this herbal remedy." She couldn''t guarantee a 100% cure, but it would definitely have some effect.


    Shanley was confused. "The medicine for my stomach? I haven''t finished it yet."


    "This isn''t for your stomach." Juniper tilted her head, unable to look him in the eye. Her cheeks flushed as she tried to sound nonchnt. "An unmentionable problem is still a problem. It needs to be treated."


    "What?" Shanley frowned, even more baffled. What was she talking about?


    "The rumors are all over..." Juniper clutched her backpack straps tightly, blinking. "They say you... can''t perform, Mr. Schwartz. And that''s why you can''t find a girlfriend."


    "You''ve helped me so many times, so I guess we''re friends. And as a friend, I should help if I can. Take this for now. If it works, I can adjust the prescription for youter."


    After she finished, Shanley finally understood. She was giving him medicine for impotence!


    The words hit him like a ton of bricks. He was a vtile mix of angry and utterly helpless.

 Chapter 68

    Can''t perform?


    Who on earth was spreading these rumors?


    Felton and Flint, who had heard everything, stared wide-eyed.


    Wow! Ms. Payne had just openly told their boss he "can''t perform." That was a greater insult than stabbing him twice in the heart.


    They wanted tough, but they were terrified of the consequences.


    "Alright, then." Having said her piece and feeling there was nothing else to add, Juniper pushed open the car door and bolted.


    After a few steps, she turned back and added kindly, "And cut back on the alcohol!" Shanley just stared at her, his expression too dark for words.


    "Bye!" Juniper knew this was a sensitive topic rted to a man''s pride. After giving her final piece of advice, she vanished into the night.


    Beneath the quiet moonlight, the dark gray sports car sat parked on the winding road. The wind rustled through the trees, adding to the deste atmosphere. Inside, the refined and powerful man''s face was a thundercloud, his handsome features so grim they looked like they might drip ice. The air in the car was thick with a deadly silence. Felton and Flint were too scared to even breathe.


    "Find them," Shanley finally said, his voice raw and cold, his eyes bloodshot. "Find out who is spreading these rumors!"


    "Yes, Boss!" Felton and Flint flinched in unison.


    Their boss was truly furious this time. And who knew what Ms. Payne was thinking now? They had thought she was starting to warm up to him, that his n to win her over would soon seed. Now... the ship hadn''t just sailed, it had crashed into a giant iceberg. And there was really no way for their boss to exin this one.


    How awkward!


    The next day, Juniper arrived at school early to see the news station''s interview with Queenie being broadcast on therge screen, along with a promotional video for Aurora High School. Era High School and Ynda were also trending, but for all the wrong reasons.


    Online forums were flooded withments calling Ynda vain and demanding she apologize to both Queenie and Juniper. Now, Ynda couldn''t even hold her head up at school. Overnight, she had fallen from the pedestal of the popr school belle to a pariah.


    Juniper smirked, satisfied with the oue.


    When she got to her ssroom, she found her desk piled high with snacks, letters, and notes. Apparently, they were from students in other grades and sses¡ªboth boys and girls.


    "Juniper, I''ll help you with this," Qadir immediately offered, eagerly organizing the items and wiping down her desk and chair like he was serving a queen.


    "Just return everything. Tell them I appreciate the sentiment, but this is a ce for learning. We don''t need all this clutter," Juniper said, putting down her backpack and taking out her textbooks to start her homework.


    "Yes, Juniper!" Qadir obeyed at once, ordering his underlings to handle it.


    "Juniper, if you don''t understand anything, you can ask me," Queenie said, popping open a carton of milk for her and unwrapping a small pastry. She sat beside her, resting her chin on her hands with stars in her eyes.


    "Alright," Juniper replied cheerfully, munching on the pastry.


    ...


    At 5:30 p.m., after dinner, all of Aurora High''s underachieving students gathered in one ssroom for tutoring. Today''s subject was math, taught by the head of the senior year''s math department, with Queenie as his assistant.


    The math teacher pushed open the door and saw Juniper sitting in the front row. This student was a brilliant dancer, but her grades were abysmal. Salma had given him the target of raising her score to at least 40. The pressure was immense.

 Chapter 69

    The math teacher began his lecture. Less than ten minutes in, the room was filled with yawns. The students looked miserable, as if they weren''t learning but having their souls drained.


    "Juniper, are you sleepy?" Qadir asked, hiding his face behind a book, his eyelids feeling heavy.


    "I''m okay," Juniper replied, turning to look at him and blinking wearily. The problems were ridiculously simple, like asking what 1+1 was. It was mind-numbingly boring. But sleeping would be disrespectful to the teacher, so she popped a candy in her mouth to stay awake.


    "Alright, ss, try to solve this problem," the math teacher said after exining an example, pointing to the ckboard. "It''s not very difficult. Just use your heads, and you''ll find the answer."


    "What the hell..." Qadir muttered, chewing on his pen and letting out a long yawn. "Why are weparing the speeds of a car and a bicycle?"


    It was a word problem about calcting speed. Juniper nced at it and got the answer in less than a second. So boring.


    As the teacher strolled around the room, he happened to see Juniper. She was resting her chin on her left hand, a pen held loosely in her right, and hadzily written a single number, ''2'', on her scratch paper. For such aplex problem, there was no process, no reasoning, not even any calctions. Her paper was cleaner than her face.


    Did she really think she could solve it with mental math? Did she think she was a genius? He was sure she had just gottenzy and looked up the answer in the back of the book.


    At that thought, the math teacher''s face darkened. He despised students like her- not very bright, unwilling to put in the effort, and always trying to be clever. Raise her score to 40? With an attitude like that, she''d be lucky to raise it by 4.


    After math tutoring ended, Juniper walked ahead with Qadir and Queenie nking her like bodyguards. The trio ambled toward the cafeteria.


    "Juniper, let''s grab the ss president. How about fondue for lunch?" Qadir said, lookingpletely drained. "I used up way too many brain cells and need to refuel. My treat, order whatever you want."


    "Don''t think I didn''t see you. The teacher lectured for an hour, and you slept for forty minutes," Queenie teased, not holding back. ¡°The remaining twenty minutes you spent staring into space."


    Qadir''s face flushed. "Come on, genius, give me a break!"


    "I think you should really try harder," Queenie said, pursing her lips. "It would be so boring to just inherit your family''s business after graduation. College is a lot of fun!"


    "No worries," Qadir said, sidling up to Juniper with a grin. "I''ve got Juniper with me."


    Juniper turned her head, giving Qadir a quizzical look. "Who''s with you? I''m going to college."


    "No way, Juniper!" Qadir was stunned. "With our grades? Even if we study like crazy for three months, there''s no way we can improve that quickly."


    Not to mention, Juniper''s grades were far worse than his.


    "Want to bet?" Juniper stuffed her hands in her pockets, her expressionzy but her tone dangerously confident. "Queenie, you keep an eye on him. If he dozes off in ss again, just hit him with a hammer."


    She had noticed that Qadir was actually quite smart; he just didn''t like to study. If he applied himself even a little, he could definitely get into college.


    "If you don''t study, you won''t even be able to count the money from selling your family''s pigs. You''ll run your family''s business into the ground!"


    Qadir frowned, chastened and unable to retort.


    "You got it," Queenie said, stifling augh at Qadir''s defeated expression. She leaned in and whispered, "Juniper''s not like you. You can''t even imagine how high her IQ is."

 Chapter 70

    ¡°Huh?¡± Qadir waspletely lost. "What are you talking about?¡±


    "You''ll find out eventually," Queenie replied, her expression turning serious. "My idol can do a lot more than just dance."


    The three of them chatted cheerfully,pletely oblivious to Jolene staring daggers at Juniper from a corner.


    "Qadir is following Juniper around like a lost puppy," one of her friendsined.


    "I can''t believe Juniper is actually Master Lunar," another added, bewildered. ¡°But being a good dancer is useless if your grades suck."


    "You have to do something, Jolene, or Qadir''s really going to get stolen away."


    To them, Juniper was just a fake heiress who''d been kicked out of her home and now lived in the slums. With bad grades and only dancing to her name, she was utterly ssless and obviously needed totch onto someone rich. And at Aurora High, no one was richer than Qadir.


    Jolene used to talk to Qadir all the time; they were pretty close. But ever since Juniper showed up, he hadn''t given Jolene the time of day.


    Jolene stood frozen, her hands clenched into tight fists, her eyes burning with hatred. She hadn''t forgotten the p Juniper had given her. Sooner orter, she would make her pay for everything.


    ...


    After they finished their fondue, Qadir generously offered to buy everyone milkshakes.


    "I''m full, so I''ll go get them," Dolce, the ss president, volunteered. "I know a ce that makes the best shakes."


    "Sounds good." Qadir handed her some cash with avish gesture. ¡°Get whatever you want, don''t hold back. We''ll meet you there after we finish off the meat."


    "Go on," Juniper nodded, pulling out her phone to continue her search for information on Jimmie. His flight was scheduled tond in Era City at six tomorrow evening.


    He was a national icon, incredibly famous. That meant he''d be surrounded by security, so she had to figure out a way to get close enough to snag a lock of his hair.


    As she was pondering her options, Queenie suddenly eximed, "Juniper, I think Dolce''s in trouble."


    Juniper looked up and saw a group of students in Era High uniforms pointing and jeering at Dolce. They weren''t far, and their taunts were loud and clear.


    "Damn, another Aurora High student. Why do we run into them everywhere? Such a jinx."


    "Seriously. This food court used to be exclusively for Era High. Then the Aurora kids started showing up. What gives them the right to hang out in the same ce as us?"


    ¡°Look at her, fat as a pig, and still stuffing her face? She should spend less time eating and more time studying to get some brains in that head."


    Dolce, who was already a bit chubby, blushed crimson as they pointed and insulted her.


    "Don''t cut in line! Get to the back!" the one they called Waheed shouted, arrogantly turning the tables on her.


    "I didn''t cut!" Dolce retorted, her face flushed. She had clearly been there first.


    "Oh yeah? Who saw you?" Waheed draped his uniform jacket over his shoulders, smirking like amon thug. "Everyone behind me saw you cut in line."


    He sneered, "So this is the kind of student they raise at Aurora High, the school that got lucky and beat my goddess on the news? No ss at all.¡±


    Era High was still bitter about Aurora High''s victory, which had been a public humiliation. To make matters worse, Ynda was Waheed''s personal goddess, and he was determined to stand up for her. Seeing Dolce, small and alone, he figured she''d be an easy target.


    "Let''s go check it out." Juniper stood up and started walking over.


    ¡°Juniper, wait for Qadir," Queenie said, grabbing her arm worriedly. "They''re all guys. You''ll be at a disadvantage."


    Of all the times for Qadir to go to the restroom, it had to be now.


    A disadvantage? The thought made Juniper chuckle. The person who could put her at a disadvantage hadn''t been born yet.

 Chapter 71

    "Get to the back, fatso!"


    ¡°Are all the students from Aurora High deaf? Can''t you understand in English?"


    Faced with the menacing boys and their hurtful insults, Dolce was terrified. These were the notorious rich brats of Era High. They used their family''s money and power to do whatever they wanted, especially bullying students from Aurora High.


    The leader, Waheed, was rumored to be the son of the investor who owned this entiremercial district. Nearly every shopkeeper in the area had to suck up to him.


    Dolce knew she couldn''t win an argument with them and didn''t want to cause trouble for the headmistress, so she decided to just let it go.


    Just as she was about to step aside, a crisp female voice cut through the air from behind her.


    "What do you think you''re doing?"


    Dolce turned to see Juniper and Queenie walking toward her.


    "Waheed, those are the ones who bullied your goddess, Ynda," one of the cronies whispered, recognizing them.


    "What?" Waheed''s eyesnded on Juniper and Queenie, and his anger red. One had stolen Ynda''s interview spot, and the other had ndered her online. If he hadn''t found Ynda crying by the bathroom and pressed her for details, he never would have known how much she''d been suffering. No one was going to get away with hurting the girl he protected.


    "So, you''re the two who''ve been bullying Ynda, huh?" Waheed stepped forward to confront them, his expression dripping with contempt.


    Juniper nced at himzily. Oh, right. She''d seen him once before¡ªYnda''s personalpdog.


    ¡°So what if you got the interview?" Waheed, a cigarette dangling from his fingers, smirked at Juniper like a low-life thug. "Aurora High is a pathetic little private school. Even if you get lucky ten times, it won''t change the fact that you''re shutting down next year."


    The school''s impending closure was a sore spot for every Aurora student, and Queenie and Dolce''s faces fell at his words.


    "My father manages all thend in this district. Whether your school gets torn down or saved is up to him." Waheed took a drag from his cigarette and slowly blew out the smoke, his expression insufferably arrogant. "Get what I''m saying?"


    Queenie and Dolce understood perfectly. Nothing good ever came out of that creep''s mouth.


    "Oh," Juniper said, her hands stuffed in her pockets, her posture casual andmanding. "No, I don''t."


    Waheed''s smile faltered. All beauty and no brains? And this girl was supposed to be Ynda''s sister? What an insult to Ynda.


    "The two of you will kneel and apologize to Ynda. If you do, I''ll consider asking my dad to save Aurora High," Waheed dered.


    Hisckeys immediately chimed in.


    "You heard him! Do as Waheed says! Get on your knees and beg!"


    "Otherwise, crushing you and your school is as easy as snapping his fingers for Waheed''s dad!"


    "I don''t know how," Juniper said, tilting her pretty face up. Her delicate brows arched, but there was no hint of a smile on her lips. "Why don''t you demonstrate for me?"


    "What?" It took Waheed a second to realize she was mocking him, telling him to kneel to her. He couldn''t believe someone from a backwater school like Aurora High had the nerve to be so sharp-tongued.


    "Juniper, don''t push your luck. You can do this the easy way or the hard way," Waheed spat, his eyes fixed on her with a venomous re. ¡°I''m giving you a way out."


    "You''ve been kicked out of the Sherwin family. What do you think you are now?" he sneered. "You''re not even worthy of shining Ynda''s shoes."


    "So?" Juniper pulled a piece of candy from her pocket and popped it into her mouth, her eyes lifting slowly. "I''m not taking your way out. What are you going to do about it?"


    Waheed was left speechless, his face darker than the bottom of a burnt pot.

 Chapter 72

    His cronies were stunned. No one in this area ever dared to defy Waheed. Juniper was the first. She was unbelievably audacious.


    "Nothing to say?" Juniper shot Waheed a cool nce. "If you''re buying something, get in line. If not, get lost."


    Ignoring thempletely, she turned to the counter and calmly ced her order. "I''ll have a lemonade, half sugar, no ice."


    "Uh, okay!"


    Dolce, snapping out of her daze, scurried back to her spot and quietly ordered.


    "Waheed, that little bitch just humiliated you!" one of hisckeys hissed. "If word gets out that you can''t even handle a girl, how are you going to show your face in Era City again?"


    Waheed was used to being in charge, and he had never been so disrespected. That struck a nerve. He had to defend Ynda''s honor.


    This girl Juniper had been thrown out into the slums, with no one to care about her. So what if she died? Besides, his family owned everything around here; erasing some security footage would be a piece of cake.


    "Like hell you''re getting a drink!" Waheed threw his cigarette butt to the ground, rolled up his sleeves, and stomped toward Juniper.


    "Smash all their drinks!"


    Today, he was going to teach these arrogant students from Aurora High a lesson they''d never forget. From now on, they would know to bow their heads whenever they saw an Era High student.


    ¡°Juniper, look out!" Queenie screamed, trying to run and stop him, but it was toote.


    Juniper, her back to Waheed, didn''t move.


    Her hearing was exceptionally sharp. The instant Waheed was close enough to touch the cups, she sidestepped to the right and shifted her left leg slightly forward.


    Waheed''s upper body lunged into empty space. His feet tangled, and he lost his bnce, pitching forward uncontrobly.


    BAM!


    His face mmed directly onto the counter. He bounced off it and crumpled to his knees on the floor. A pained grunt mixed with the sickening thud echoed through the shop.


    "Aghh-"


    Waheed staggered to his feet, wiping his face. His hand came away covered in blood. A gash was split open on his forehead, his nose was bleeding, and he''d lost a few teeth. His face was already swelling up, a pathetic, mangled mess.


    "Waheed!" His cronies stared in disbelief.


    Waheed hadn''t even touched Juniper. How did he end up like this?


    Queenie and Dolce were still processing what had happened. Clutching their freshly made drinks, they backed away to stand beside Juniper, utterly bewildered.


    "What just happened to him¡ª?¡±


    "He must have lost his footing," Juniper said, taking a sip of her milkshake. Delicious!


    "My face, my face..." Waheed trembled with pain and rage. He pointed a shaking finger at Juniper and snarled, "Get her! Grab that bitch!"


    "If she fights back, beat the shit out of her," he raged. "My dad can afford to pay for a hundred dead peasants from Moulnds!"


    "Yes, Waheed."


    At hismand, the cronies stripped off their uniform jackets and advanced menacingly toward Juniper.


    "Juniper, we have to run!" Queenie and Dolce shouted in unison. These guys were known for being reckless. No matter how badly the other person got hurt, they always walked away without consequences.


    "Hm?" Juniper stood her ground, took a few more sips, then handed the cup to a terrified Dolce. ¡°Hold this. Stand over there. Don''t spill it."


    The two girls just stared at her.


    "Wait." Juniper couldn''t resist. She took the cup back and had another sip. "This is really good. I''m getting another er."


    What? Dolce and Queenie were dumbfounded. Was this really the time to be reviewing milkshakes? A whole group of guys was about to beat up one girl... She was going to get destroyed!

 Chapter 73

    ¡°Who the hell dares to touch Juniper!¡±


    Qadir, fresh out of the restroom, saw the Era High punks ganging up on them. He immediately sprinted to Juniper''s side, ring fiercely at the group. ¡°Juniper, don''t worry, I''ll protect you."


    "You think I need your protection?¡± Juniper raised an eyebrow, a faint, mocking smile ying on her lips. She turned her gaze to the pack of lightweights across from her. "So, how do you want to do this? One-on-one, or all at once?"


    Qadir''s brain short-circuited. Had Juniper lost her mind? There were several of them, and they were all guys. He didn''t mind a fight-he was tough enough-but the girls would definitely get hurt.


    "Let''s just go all at once," Juniper said, ncing at her watch. "I have to get back for my afternoon nap. Let''s not waste time."


    The punks stared at her. Seriously? Just because she was Master Lunar, she thought she was invincible? They''d never met a girl this arrogant. She was clearly begging for a beating.


    "You think we need everyone to deal with you?" the leader of the group sneered, his arrogance off the charts. "Today, you''re going to learn the price of pissing off Waheed."


    "Don''t hold back! Beat them to a pulp!"


    Waheed''s family was rich; a few worthless lives were nothing they couldn''t pay for.


    As he finished speaking, another one of his cronies lunged forward, his fist aimed straight for Juniper.


    ¡°Juniper, move!¡± Qadir''s face paled, and he reached out to push her out of the way. But she didn''t budge. The next thing he knew, his cor was grabbed, and his entire body was lifted and set aside, narrowly avoiding the attack.


    Qadir''s mind went nk. By the time he recovered, the fist was about to connect with Juniper.


    "Juniper, look out!" Qadir, Queenie, and Dolce all screamed at once.


    Juniper stood her ground, casually raising her left hand to block the punch. A sickening crack echoed in the air, the sound of bone shattering.


    Qadir, Queenie, and Dolce froze, their faces drained of color. Whose bone just broke?


    "Aaaargh!"


    Before they could process it, the boy who''d thrown the punch was on the ground, clutching his hand and howling in agony.


    Meanwhile, Juniper hadn''t even shifted her feet, her expression perfectly calm. "What happened?" Queenie blinked, staring at the scene in disbelief.


    "I don''t know," Dolce replied, shaking her head in a daze. ¡°I just saw the Era High guy charge at her, Juniper blocked it, and now he''s on the floor screaming like he''s dying."


    Seeing their friend writhing in pain, the other boys exchanged nervous nces.


    "What are you looking at? All of you, get her!" Waheed, leaning against the wall and still holding his broken teeth, shouted incoherently.


    "Get her!"


    The remaining boys swarmed forward. Less than two minutester, every single one of them was sprawled on the ground in various states of disarray, groaning in pain.


    Qadir was still in a fighting stance, not having had a chance to throw a single punch. Queenie and Dolce just stood there, their mindspletely nk. Juniper had moved so fast they hadn''t even seen how she took them down. They had only ever seen skills like that in action movies.


    ¡°So?" Juniper dusted off her hands, retrieved her milkshake, and took a leisurely sip. "Are we still fighting?"


    Her opponents, nursing their injuries, could only stare up at her from the floor, grimacing in pain. They couldn''t speak, only shake their heads.


    Was this girl even human? She looked so frail, but she fought like a demon.

 Chapter 74

    ¡°And you?" Juniper took a step forward, stopping in front of Waheed and looking down at him. "Weren''t you going to kill me?"


    Waheed seethed with humiliation but didn''t dare say a word.


    "Are we done here?" Juniper asked, satisfied, turning to her three stunned friends. "Back to ss?"


    ¡°Uh? Yes!¡± The trio nodded like chickens pecking at grain and fell in line behind Juniper, following her every step as they left.


    Only when they were a safe distance away did Waheed dare to scramble to his feet and yell after her retreating back, "You just wait, Juniper! My dad won''t let you get away with this!"


    Juniper, who had been sipping her drink, paused at his words. Before she could even turn around, Waheed and his cronies had vanished, running for their lives.


    A faint smile touched Juniper''s lips as she muttered a single word: "Amateurs."


    "Holy crap!"


    "Holy freaking crap!"


    Once the scene quieted down, the staff at the drink shop couldn''t help but exim. They had thought those Era High kids were about to start something big, but instead, they''d just crashed and burned.


    That girl was a total beast. Not only did she take on a whole group by herself, but if they weren''t mistaken, she had barely moved her body during the entire fight. She was clearly a trained fighter.


    But they also knew she was probably in for a world of trouble now.


    ...


    Back in the ssroom, Juniper was slumped over her desk, sleeping with her headphones on. News of her off-campus fight had already spread like wildfire.


    "Is it true?" A ssmate cornered Qadir, asking eagerly, "Did she really knock out that bastard Waheed Farley''s teeth?"


    "You bet." Qadir gave a thumbs-up, feeling immensely satisfied. It was about time someone put that punk in his ce. He deserved it!


    "Juniper is a legend!" The boys around them were ecstatic, demanding every detail.


    ¡°Haha, someone finally taught those arrogant Era High pricks a lesson. Juniper did a great job."


    ¡°But...¡± Dolce turned to nce at the peacefully sleeping Juniper, her voiceced with worry. "Waheed''s family is really rich. They''re definitely going to cause trouble for her."


    She''d heard about a time Waheed got into a fight off-campus and left the other guy with a serious head injury. The victim threatened to sue, but Waheed''s dad just threw money at the problem until it went away. That was why he acted so brazenly, relying on his family''s resources.


    "Qadir, I think I just saw a police car pull up to the school," someone pointed out.


    Qadir looked outside. It was true. That coward Waheed must have called the cops. He started the fight, and now he had the nerve to call the police? What a snake!


    Just then, Salma appeared at the ssroom door, her expression grave. "Juniper, Queenie, Qadir, and Dolce, can the four of youe with me, please?"


    Every head in the room turned to watch them, whispering that Juniper was probably done for.


    When Juniper was woken up, she was not happy. Her face was dark, and a chilly aura emanated from her.


    "Waheed reported to the police that you assaulted him off-campus, and that he''s seriously injured,¡± Salma said, her brow furrowed. "They need you toe to the station to give a statement. You should all call your parents and ask them toe down as well."


    If it had escted to the police station and the other party wasn''t backing down, it was better to have family there.


    Qadir, Queenie, and Dolce reluctantly pulled out their phones. Only Juniper remained still.


    She leaned against the wall, hands in her pockets, her expression sour. Saskia wouldn''t be able to get time off work. There was no one else in her family to call. Who was she supposed to ask?


    Juniper took out her phone, idly scrolling through her contacts. Her gazended on a name: "Shanley."

 Chapter 75

    Juniper: [You there?]


    When Juniper''s message came through, Shanley was in the middle of an international conference call. The high-level executives on the receiving end of his verbal assault were all hunched over, barely daring to breathe. The atmosphere in the massive conference room, built to hold a thousand people, was suffocatingly


    tense.


    "Ding-ding-"


    The cheerful notification sound shattered the silence. In an instant, every head shot up. Who was suicidal enough to leave their phone''s volume on during a meeting with Mr. Schwartz?


    Their eyes scanned the room, finallynding on the man at the head of the table. The impably dressed, ice-cold man was holding his phone, a slight curve to his lips and a soft light in his eyes. He was unmistakably smiling.


    What? They must have been hallucinating from the stress. How could Mr. Schwartz be smiling? This was the first time any of them had ever seen him smile!


    Who on earth was on the other end of that message?


    "This meeting is over." Shanley stood up and, without a second thought, strode out of the room, leaving a crowd of bewildered executives in his wake.


    "Mr. Schwartz was smiling!" someone whispered. "The message must have been from a girl!"


    "Are you saying Mr. Schwartz is dating someone?"


    ¡°We need to find out who the future Mrs. Schwartz is. If we get on her good side now, maybe she can talk him down the next time he''s on a rampage," one executive dered, clutching his chest and taking a deep breath. "My heart can''t take much more of this."


    "I wonder which socialite managed to melt our ice-cold president''s heart."


    Once out of the conference room, Shanley replied to Juniper: [What''s wrong?]


    It was the first time the girl had ever reached out to him on her own. The smile on his face was impossible to hide.


    Juniper: [Something came up and I need a guardian. Can you help me out?]


    She had just started school and didn''t want to worry Saskia. But she couldn''t get Salma off her back without a guardian. It was a pain.


    [Of course. Send me the address.]


    What could have happened that required a guardian? Judging by her tone, it wasn''t anything good. Shanley shot a look at Felton, signaling him to investigate.


    Soon, Juniper sent the address: Westgate District Police Station.


    "Cancel all my afternoon appointments," Shanley ordered coolly as he headed for the exit, phone in hand.


    "Yes, sir." Felton Flint didn''t dare ask why. By now, he was used to it. Nothing was more important than Ms. Payne.


    ...


    At the police station, several luxury cars were parked out front, surrounded by a group of tall, broad-shouldered men in ck suits. They looked like a gang of thugs, exuding an intimidating aura. They were all Waheed''s family bodyguards.


    Seeing the scene, Salma frowned slightly and said reassuringly, ¡°Don''t be afraid. Just tell them what happened clearly."


    On the way over, she had carefully questioned the four students. She was confident that the other party had started the fight and that her students had acted in self- defense. They weren''t the ones at fault.


    "Okay,¡± Juniper nodded, walking inside with a nk expression.


    As they approached the interview room, they saw a balding, pot-bellied man yelling


    at three adults. "Where are they? Got the guts to hit someone but not to admit it! I''m telling you, you hurt my son, and you''re not getting away with this!"


    ¡°Hmph!¡± The man who spoke next was Qadir''s father. He was no pushover. He mmed his hand on the table and retorted, "The investigation isn''t even finished, so don''t you dare use my son."


    "I know my boy. Sure, his grades are terrible, his habits are bad, and all he does is mess around, but his character is solid," he dered. "I''d never believe he''d start a fight for no reason."


    "My Queenie is a good girl. She would never do something like this."


    "And Dolce is too timid to even think about fighting."


    The three parents stood up, fiercely defending their children.


    "Are you kidding me? Then how did my son end up looking like that?"

 Chapter 76

    Waheed''s father, Dustin Farley, struck a condescending pose.


    "What about the other girl?" he demanded rudely. "I hear she was the ringleader! Have her parents shown up yet? I want to know how they raised such a child!"


    "Then let''s pull the security footage!" Qadir''s father, Ondo, said in a deep voice.


    "The footage?" Dustin, who had anticipated this, remained perfectly calm. "Fine. Let''s see it. Just don''t try to deny what''s on itter."


    With that, Dustin had one of his men hand over a drive to the staff.


    Seeing him soposed, Ondo frowned. This old bastard had definitely messed with it.


    The mediation room was in chaos, with the staff unable to get a word in edgewise. Just then, the door opened.


    "Dad, that''s her!" Waheed shouted arrogantly as soon as he saw Juniper enter. Juniper lifted her gaze, her clear, cold eyesnding on the people opposite her. "Sh-she was the one who hit me!" When his eyes met Juniper''s chilling stare, a primal fear resurfaced in Waheed. He instinctively retreated behind his father, his voice weakening.


    "You''re the one who beat up my son?" Hearing this, Dustin''s face darkened with anger as he advanced on Juniper.


    "Sir, please calm down." Salma immediately stepped in front of Juniper, her demeanor respectful but firm. "Nothing has been properly investigated yet. Please don''t frighten the children."


    "What''s not clear?" Dustin''s anger red. "Look at my son''s face! It''s covered in bruises, and he''s lost a tooth! If she didn''t do it, did he run into a wall himself?!"


    Waheed touched his face and guiltily looked away.


    "That''s right," Qadir stepped forward with a mischievous grin, looking just as defiant as his father. "He did it to himself. Juniper didn''ty a single finger on him!"


    "We can vouch for that, too," Queenie and Dolce added, speaking up for Juniper. "Waheed started the fight, and the bruises on his face are from when he fell on his own."


    "You''re all in this together, of course you''d cover for her," Dustin sneered, his voice grating. "Besides my son, several other students were also injured to varying degrees. If they were the ones who started it, howe they''re the only ones hurt while you all are perfectly fine? They must have been too scared to fight back, just standing there while you bullied them!"


    "Because they''re weak!" Qadir retorted, his anger growing. He had the same fearless attitude as his father. "He picked a fight with Juniper and couldn''t win. If I were him, I''d find a shoce and hang myself out of shame. Crying to his parents and calling the police? Has he been weaned yet?"


    "Who are you talking about?" Bolstered by his father''s presence, Waheed jumped up and demanded aggressively.


    "You." Juniper, who had been standing quietly with her eyes lowered, finally spoke, a cold, sharp edge to her voice as her lips curled into a slight smirk. "We''re talking about you, Waheed, you little baba''s boy."


    Her few words were both incredibly intimidating and deeply insulting.


    Waheed immediately deted. Not daring to face her, he turned to his father. "Dad, we have witnesses and evidence. Get them to arrest her now!"


    He had already looked into it. Juniper was eighteen, which meant she could face up to three years in prison for assault and battery. He and his friends were genuinely hurt, and with a slightly exaggerated medical report, it would be easy to get her locked up.


    Besides, his father had already hired a hacker to take care of all the security footage in the area. After being kicked out of the Sherwin family, Juniper was just some poor


    girl from the slums with a single low-life rtive. His injuries were irond proof. How could these peasants possibly stand up to his father''s legal team?


    Today, that bitch was going down!

 Chapter 77

    "Officer, I have the surveince footage right here," Dustin said, sinking into a


    nearby sofa and crossing his legs. His arrogance was palpable; he wasn''t scared at all. "It will prove that my son is indeed the victim."


    At his words, Qadir and his friends frowned. There were indeed cameras in the area, but wouldn''t showing the footage just prove that Waheed and his group started the fight? Would Dustin and his son be stupid enough to hand the police evidence of their own wrongdoing? This had to be a trap.


    And it was. When the video yed, everyone in the room was stunned.


    On the screen, Juniper''s initial movements to dodge Waheed were edited to look like a malicious shove, sending him crashing to the ground like a helpless victim. The subsequent footage showed Juniper attacking the other boys, who writhed on the ground in agony. The part where she was fighting back was there, but the initial provocation¡ªthe part where they attacked first¡ªhad beenpletely cut out. The video painted Juniper as the sole aggressor and the Era High students as defenseless victims.


    "Do you have anything else to say?" Dustin took a drag from his cigarette, a smirk ying on his fleshy face. "I demand that Aurora High School expel the attacker immediately. I will be pressing charges to have her detained."


    "This footage is fake!" Qadir shouted, refusing to ept that Juniper would be expelled. "We demand you pull the original footage!"


    Just then, another officer entered, holding aptop. "Carl," he said in a low voice, "all the cameras near the milkshake shop are down. We''ve tried to repair them, but the original data ispletely corrupted. The chances of recovery are basically zero, unless we get one of the two major hacker groups involved ''Binary Oracle'' from Subterra Vanguard or ''Cybeic Shadows'' from Sigma Network."


    "Then we''ll proceed with the evidence we have," Carl said, his head already throbbing from all the shouting. Dustin was a well-known real estate tycoon in the area, and the precinct relied on his patronage for many of its facilities. With video evidence in hand, it was clear that the Aurora High students were at fault. Any sensible person would know how to handle this.


    All the cameras near the milkshake shop were down? What a coincidence.


    Salma nced at Dustin, who was still puffing on his cigarette, a triumphant smile aimed in their direction. He had maliciously edited the footage and then destroyed the original, leaving them with no way to prove their case. It was despicable!


    The three parents exchanged worried nces, their hearts aching for the lonely girl in the corner. Ultimately, while their children were involved, she was the one who had done the fighting. To resolve the matter, it was likely she would be the only one expelled.


    But they had all heard stories about Juniper from their kids. They knew she came from Moulnds, that her living conditions were tough, and most importantly, that she was a poor, vulnerable orphan without parents. They also knew she was a talented dancer and incredibly loyal. Today''s conflict had started because she was defending a ssmate. If she were expelled and sent to jail, wouldn''t her entire life be ruined?


    "We don''t believe for a second that this girl started the fight," Ondo was the first to speak up, standing tall. "Give me some time. I''ll find someone to recover the footage."


    All three of their children had insisted they weren''t the aggressors, and as parents, they believed them. So what if they had to hire a hacker? He''d just sell a few more pigs. He had the money.


    "That''s right," the other two parents chimed in, equally furious. "We demand a hacker be hired to recover the data. We''ll pay whatever it costs."


    So what if those Era High students were rich? They wouldn''t let the guilty walk free while the innocent were wrongly used.


    Juniper looked up at the three adults, a pang of warmth spreading through her chest.

 Chapter 78

    It was no wonder Qadir and the others were so kind; their parents were setting a perfect example.


    "What''s all the shouting about!" Carl mmed his hand on the table, annoyed. He red at Juniper. "The footage proves you started it, and the other party is seriously injured. ording to regtions, you''re not going anywhere tonight. We need a parent or guardian to sign off."


    He then asked impatiently, "Why aren''t your parents here yet?"


    Juniper nced at the time. At this hour, her "guardian" should be on his way.


    "Alright, that''s enough," Carl said, eager to get off work and grab dinner. He tossed his cigarette pack onto the table and looked at Salma. "You''re the headmistress, right? Sign for her parents! She stays here, and the rest of you can go."


    They could deal with the formal procedures when her parents finally showed up.


    "We can''t just take their word for it. The other surveince footage is conveniently corrupted; who''s to say the video he provided is even real?" Salma stared at the police report, which was heavily biased against Juniper. "I won''t sign anything until this is properly investigated."


    "We have a witness and evidence. Besides, just look at the two of them. One is covered in injuries, cowering in the corner. And the other..." Carl''s gaze fell on the girl''s impassive face, her defiant and untamed demeanor clear to see. He frowned. "She''spletely unharmed, still arrogant, and shows no remorse or fear whatsoever."


    She looked like a typical troublemaker who hated studying and spent her days causing chaos. He dealt with dozens of delinquents like her every year; he was used to it. What a waste of time.


    "Exactly!" Seeing the officer on his side, Dustin grew even more confident. He waved his hands and bellowed, "My son is a student at Era High! He''s a senior and about to apply for college. Now that he has a head injury, who knows if it will affect his chances of getting into a top university!"


    "Pfft-"


    As soon as Dustin finished speaking, augh echoed from the corner where Juniper was standing. It was loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, and all eyes turned to her.


    Her friends and their parents were baffled. She was about to be detained, so how could she still beughing? Had the stress finally gotten to her?


    "What are youughing at?" Dustin''s voice trailed off, his fleshy face scrunching up in displeasure as he red at her.


    "Because what you''re saying is utterly ridiculous," Juniper said, tilting her head up slightly. A faint smirk yed on her lips, but her eyes were devoid of warmth. "Waheed has been at the bottom of his ss in every single exam since he was a child. After middle school, you paid a hefty sum to get him into Era High."


    "College?" She nced at the timid Waheed, who wouldn''t even meet her gaze, and narrowed her eyes. "Maybe you should make a doctor''s appointment first and see if his brain needs fixing."


    "You-" Dustin instantly caught the mockery in her tone, and his smile vanished. Before he could retort, the girl spoke again, her voice dripping with arrogance.


    "Actually, don''t bother," Juniper said, leaning against the wall with her hands in her pockets, nonchntly kicking at the floor. "Given his condition, he''d probably still drool even if he were ''cured.'' You''d be better off having him learn a trade. Maybe he could jump through ming hoops in the park or something. That way, if the Farley family ever goes bankrupt, he can at least make a living as a street performer."


    "You little bitch, how dare you curse my son!" Dustin''s face contorted in fury. He raised his hand to p her across the face.


    "Juniper, watch out!" Qadir cried out in rm.


    Just as everyone gasped, a hand, d in the sleeve of a ck suit, shot out and intercepted Dustin''s arm with perfect precision.

 Chapter 79

    A palpable chill filled the air, and everyone whipped their heads around. Standing in the doorway was a tall, slender man in an expensive suit, his features sharp andmanding. He gripped Dustin''s wrist, his deep eyes as unreadable as the ocean. Even the golden sunlight streaming in from outside couldn''t temper the aristocratic coldness that emanated from him.


    "Wh-who''s that?" The man''s overwhelming presence was so intimidating that Qadir swallowed hard and stammered.


    Queenie and Dolce shook their heads. They had no idea. He was handsome, sophisticated, and a little terrifying.


    Juniper turned as well, her doe-like eyes meeting the man''s deep, worried gaze. She hadn''t expected him to arrive so quickly. A small smile touched her lips, and a flicker of light danced in her starry eyes.


    "Are you okay?" Shanley had rushed over, practically flying down the highway. He had been terrified the girl would be at a disadvantage. But when he arrived, the first thing he heard was her verbally eviscerating someone with razor-sharp wit. She didn''t seem to be at a disadvantage at all.


    "I''m fine," Juniper smiled, tactfully moving to stand beside Shanley. After all, he was her "guardian" for the day.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" A sharp pain shot through Dustin''s wrist, and he struggled to break free. "Someone, help!"


    At his call, Dustin''s bodyguards moved forward, only to be stopped by another group of men before they even reached the door. It was obvious that Shanley''s bodyguards were leagues above them in both presence and skill. A single nce was enough to make them halt in their tracks.


    "Sir, may I ask who you are?" Carl, being a seasoned official, could tell from Shanley''s appearance, attire, and aura that he was no ordinary person. He immediately stood up, his face wreathed in a weing smile.


    "Who was it you were going to strike?" Shanley ignored Carl, his menacing gaze fixed on Dustin''s face. His voice was as cold as ice.


    "I¡ª" Dustin tried to resist, but the man''s grip was crushing his bones. "No one! No one!"


    Was this man rted to Juniper? Waheed had told him she was just a fake heiress who''d been cast out by her family, a nobody from the slums who would be easier to crush than an ant. But the man before him was clearly an acquaintance of Juniper''s, and he was not someone to be trifled with.


    "See that it stays that way," Shanley said coldly, flinging Dustin''s hand away. He took a sanitizing wipe from Felton, and meticulously cleaned his own hand as if he had just touched something foul.


    "Juniper, is this..." Salma, also sensing the connection between them, asked in a low voice.


    "He''s my..." Juniper stared at the man''s face, contemted for a moment, and then slowly uttered the word, "...brother."


    The word, crisp and clear with a hint of a yful pout, drifted into Shanley''s ears like a spring breeze. He felt a faint flutter in his chest, as if something had gently grazed his heart. That one word, "brother," sounded so incredibly pleasant.


    "Brother?" Salma was taken aback. As far as she knew, Juniper only had an aunt named Saskia who lived in Moulnds under very difficult circumstances. This "brother" of hers was clearly anything but ordinary.


    Juniper nodded, her heart pounding slightly. She bit her lip and added, without batting an eye, "A distant one."


    "Is that so?" Salma was about to ask more, but she caught the distant brother''s gaze and shivered, swallowing the words that were on the tip of her tongue.


    "Hello. My surname is Schwartz," Shanley stepped forward and offered his hand.


    "A pleasure, Mr. Schwartz," Salma quickly extended her own hand for a brief, polite shake.

 Chapter 80

    A wave of relief washed over Salma. With such a distinguished ''brother'' to back her up, Juniper would surely be fine.


    Schwartz? The name hit Dustin like a physical blow. In all of Era City, only a handful of families bore that name, the most famous being the legendary, untouchable Schwartz family. No matter which branch this man belonged to, Dustin couldn''t afford to offend him.


    "Mr. Schwartz!" The officer, Carl, straightened his uniform and rushed forward with a broad smile, extending both hands. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Schwartz. I''m Carl, the officer in charge here at the Westgate District precinct."


    The Schwartz family was the stuff of legends in Era City. Who would have thought this little orphan girl had such a powerful distant rtive? No wonder she carried herself with such an air of defiance.


    Damn it. Carl wanted to gouge his own eyes out. Of all the people to offend, he had to cross the Schwartz family. He didn''t have enough lives to spare for that mistake.


    Shanley merely nced at the man before sitting down, crossing his long legs and resting his hands on the armrests, tapping them rhythmically.


    The sound was faint, but to Carl, it was bone-chilling. His outstretched hand was left hanging awkwardly in the air.


    "So, you were saying that my distant... little sister started a fight?" Shanley tilted his head, his gaze deliberately falling on the girl beside him.


    Juniper pressed her lips together. What was that look for? Didn''t he understand they were role-ying?


    "Uh..." Carl didn''t dare repeat what he''d said earlier. He quickly passed the buck. "It''s like this, Mr. Farley and his son called us, alleging that Juniper had assaulted someone. But... I never really believed it myself, so we''re still in the middle of our investigation."


    Tch! The other parents rolled their eyes at his tant hypocrisy. The man changed his tune faster than he could turn a page. He should quitw enforcement and be a street performer.


    With the spotlight now on him, Dustin broke out in a cold sweat. "Mr. Schwartz," he stammered, "we have video evidence. It shows that Juniper... identally injured my son. But I''ve looked into it. It was just kids fooling around. It''s all in the past now. Haha, all in the past."


    "Assault?" Shanley looked up at the little girl beside him, who was pouting unhappily. He softened his voice. "How many did you take on this time?"


    Juniper blinked.


    "Mr. Schwartz, they were the ones who started it! Juniper only fought back because they were bullying our friend!" Qadir blurted out, afraid that Juniper would be misunderstood by her own family. "And that old geezer destroyed the original footage to frame her!"


    At this, Shanley turned his head to look at Qadir, his deep eyes narrowing dangerously.


    Hmph. This boy was quite protective of her.


    "Since the footage is corrupted, have someone restore it."


    "Our technicians have been trying, but it''s beyond recovery," Carl said meekly, his face pale.


    "That''s because your technicians are ipetent," Shanley scoffed. He looked at his assistant. "Felton, get someone from the corporate office over here."


    "Yes, sir."


    As Felton was about to leave, Juniper suddenly spoke up. "Don''t waste time. Is there aputer? I''ll restore it myself."


    She had been about to do it herself earlier, but Shanley''s sudden arrival had thrown her off her rhythm.


    Instantly, every eye in the room swiveled to her. Did they hear that right? She was going to restore the footage? A task that even professional technicians couldn''t aplish, and a high school student was going to do it? Was she joking?

 Chapter 81

    "You''ll restore it?" Shanley rose to his feet, his eyes fixed on the girl, a knowing smile ying on his thin lips. She certainly didn''t sound like she was joking.


    "Can I use that?" Juniper scanned the room, her gaze settling on an old officeputer.


    "Y-yes, of course." Carl, still stunned by her deration, stammered for a moment before asking, "Juniper, have you studiedputer science?"


    "I know a little," Juniper replied nonchntly as she sat down at the desk.


    "Juniper, this is the original data drive from the shop''s security system," an officer said, respectfully handing her a USB drive.


    Juniper took it and began importing the files. Her ten fingers flew across the keyboard, opening some kind of ck software interface. But after several moments of frantic typing, the screen remained unchanged. The deleted footage was still marked as "Data Corrupted."


    After watching Juniper''s flurry of activity yield no results, Dustin''s heart, which had been lodged in his throat, finally dropped back into ce. He''d thought she was some kind of prodigy, but it seemed she was all talk.


    "Juniper, is it working?" Qadir whispered, his palms sweating.


    "Anyone else might fail, but Juniper?" Queenie said, crossing her arms thoughtfully. She then dered with conviction, "She''s not just anyone!"


    Anything Juniper set her mind to, she aplished.


    "Sir, should I still call for the hacker?" Felton leaned in and asked Shanley quietly. Ms. Payne had been at it for a while with no progress. She probably didn''t know what she was doing.


    "No need." Shanley remained seated, his deep-set eyes intently watching her fingers. Every keystroke was rted to programming; she wasn''t just typing randomly. If he wasn''t mistaken, the precinct''sputer system was too outdated, so she was building a new program from scratch.


    This girl was a hidden gem. Interesting. A slight smile graced Shanley''s lips, his gaze filled not just with fondness, but also with genuine admiration.


    ¡°Beep-beep¡ª


    11


    Five minutester, the dark screen suddenly flickered with a page of symbols. Ten secondster, the symbols vanished and were reced by a green interface.


    [System Build Sessful]


    Juniper arched an eyebrow with a roguish ir and continued to type. Soon, the corrupted surveince footage reappeared on the screen.


    "It''s back!" Qadir eximed, running over to stand behind her. "Juniper, you''re amazing! I want to be your apprentice!"


    Juniper nced back at him with a smile.


    Watching her smile so brightly at someone else, the warmth in Shanley''s eyes instantly cooled. He was not pleased.


    Carl craned his neck to get a better look, confirming that the original data was indeed being restored.


    As the footage yed, beads of cold sweat dripped down Dustin''s forehead.


    Finally, after a few more minutes, the corrupted video was fully recovered. The screen clearly showed the Era High students harassing Dolce first. Juniper had approached to mediate, but they had responded with verbal abuse and then physical aggression. Waheed''s injuries were a result of him tripping and falling while trying to attack Juniper. As for the other boys...


    Carl rubbed his temples. It was almost too embarrassing to watch. Severalrge boys ganged up on one slender girl and still couldn''t win. What a disgrace.


    Who would have thought that the small, quiet girl was such a formidable fighter?

 Chapter 82

    "See? See? I knew this youngdy was framed!" Ondo boomed, making sure everyone could hear him.


    Salma also looked at Juniper, pushing her sses up her nose, her expression aplex mix of emotions. Ever since it was revealed that she was the famous dancer ''Lunar,'' Salma had suspected there was more to this girl than met the eye. How could an eighteen-year-old girl, raised in a rural sanctuary, kicked out by her foster parents, and living in the slums, know so much? She was bing more and more of an enigma.


    "Mr. Schwartz, I-" Dustin''s heart hammered against his ribs. Unable to bear the psychological pressure, he dropped to his knees, his entire body trembling.


    "Dad, what are you doing?" Waheed, clutching his swollen face, red at Juniper defiantly. "Who are these people? Are they richer than us? Let''s just hire goodwyers! I want to see Juniper rot in jail!"


    "SMACK "


    Dustin swung his hand back and pped his clueless son, yanking him down to kneel on the floor. "Shut up!" he hissed.


    The idiot. All he ever did was cause trouble. Could they afford to offend the


    Schwartz family? A contest of wealth? The Farley family''s entire fortune wasn''t even a fraction of what the Schwartz Group was worth.


    "Now, apologize to them," Dustin ordered, forcefully pushing Waheed''s head down. "Especially to Juniper."


    The p stunned Waheed. The pain in his already injured face intensified, and tears streamed down his cheeks.


    "Say it!" Dustin pped him again when he remained silent.


    "Waaah..." Waheed pressed his hands to his face, his tear-filled eyes fixed on Juniper. "I''m sorry, Juniper," he whimpered. "I shouldn''t have been disrespectful to you."


    "Is ''sorry'' supposed to fix everything?" Qadir scoffed, standing tall. "If Mr. Schwartz hadn''t shown up, and if Juniper hadn''t restored the footage, you would have had her wrongly convicted!"


    Carl and Dustin remained silent, not daring to speak.


    "How do you want to handle this?" Shanley gestured for Juniper to sit in the chair next to him.


    "Weren''t you the one who said the ringleader should be expelled, prosecuted, and sent to prison?" Juniper sat down primly and threw Dustin''s own words back at him.


    "Mr. Schwartz, Juniper, please, can''t you forgive him just this once?" Dustin''s face was ashen, his tone utterly subservient. "I promise I''ll discipline him strictly from now on. I''m begging you, please give him another chance."


    Shanley said nothing, his gaze remaining on Juniper.


    "No," Juniper popped a piece of candy into her mouth and refused without


    hesitation. "If it had been anyone else, you would have had them locked up by now, wouldn''t you?


    You''re not begging because you''re truly sorry; you''re begging because you''re afraid of ruining your son''s future.


    I don''t bother people who don''t bother me, but if you cross me, you have to face the consequences. Whatever you nned for me, you can do to him."


    Juniper lifted her gaze, her eyes cold and clear as she enunciated each word. "Expulsion, prosecution, and prison. Not one less."


    She was no soft-hearted saint. She believed in an eye for an eye. And her temper was formidable.


    "Phew.¡± Hearing Juniper''s verdict, the other parents and students let out a collective sigh of relief. They knew all too well what a menace Waheed was. Letting him off the hook would be like releasing a rabid dog back into the wild. Thank goodness Juniper wasn''t the forgiving type.


    What a relief. It was so satisfying.

 Chapter 83

    "Do you understand?" Only after Juniper had spoken did Shanley turn to the officer, his deep, maic voiceced with authority.


    "Yes, sir," Carl nodded hastily.


    "Mr. Schwartz-" Dustin started to protest, but one look into the man''s cold, menacing eyes sent a chill down his spine and he mped his mouth shut. He was terrified that one more word would infuriate the enigmatic head of the Schwartz Group.


    "I don''t want anyone else to know about what happened here today. Understood?" "Understood." Dustin clenched his jaw and fell silent.


    As they were all leaving, Shanley finally asked the question that had been on his mind. "When did you learn to do that withputers?"


    "Guess," Juniper shot him a sidelong nce, a yful, proud smile on her lips that was both cute and cocky.


    "Heh." Shanley chuckled, amused. He pulled a box of candy from his pocket and handed it to her. "This version has less sugar, so you can eat more without it being too sweet."


    Juniper took the box and froze when she saw the brand. "Isn''t this from that shop in Australis? I thought their candy had a fixed sugar content."


    They weren''t supposed to have a low-sugar version.


    "Yes, it''s from Australis," Shanley said, his eyes softening as he watched her excitement bubble up. "From now on, the shop is yours."


    Juniper stared at him, bewildered.


    "I acquired thepany. From now on, you can have them produce any vor you want. Whenever you want some, just have them deliver it."


    Acquired it? Juniper''s mouth fell open in shock. Buying thatpany would have cost tens of millions, at least. And he did it just because she liked their candy? What was this man''s endgame? What did he want from her?


    "Juniper!" Just then, Salma walked over. "We have another ss, we need to head back."


    "Okay," Juniper nodded obediently.


    "Mr. Schwartz, thank you for everything today," Salma said with a polite nod.


    "Of course. After all, Juniper is my... sister," Shanley replied, a slight smile on his lips as his gaze intentionally flickered to the little liar.


    Juniper''s cheeks grew warm for no reason. She shot him a re and turned away. He was really getting into this role.


    Something about the exchange felt odd to Salma, but she couldn''t quite put her finger on it.


    "I''m leaving. Pay attention in ss," Shanley said with a final yful tease. As he walked past Qadir, he paused.


    "M-Mr..." Qadir snapped to attention, standing ramrod straight.


    "Study hard," Shanley said, his voice low and firm. "And don''t get into a rtionship too early."


    It was a thinly veiled threat disguised as concern.


    "Huh?" Qadir was confused but nodded frantically. "You got it."


    Was Shanley worried about him and Juniper? He had to admit, he''d had a bit of a crush, but after seeing her fight that afternoon, he was thoroughly intimidated. A small fry like him was no match for a powerhouse like Juniper.


    Back at Aurora High School, Juniper stood straight in the office, hands at her sides, listening meekly as Salma spoke.


    "Your dance andputer skills are excellent, but your academic scores..." Salma trailed off, looking at her file with an awkward smile. "We''ll need to work on bringing those up."


    Juniper followed her gaze. Her academic record was filled with zeros. It wasn''t that she''d actually scored a zero, but final exams always seemed to coincide with some crisis that only she could solve one moment a medical emergency, the next aputer breach. If she didn''t go, the old men in her various associations would have a meltdown and blow up her phone.

 Chapter 84

    "I..." Juniper started to exin, then thought better of it. It was tooplicated.


    "You havenguage arts tutoring this afternoon," Salma said, patting her on the shoulder encouragingly. "There are only three months left. You''re a smart girl; I''m sure you can improve."


    "Okay," Juniper nodded obediently.


    Just then, the school''s dean of students entered, his face grim. "The official notice came down," he said to Salma. "It looks like the school closure is..."


    "Hold on," Salma interrupted him, calmly asking Juniper to return to her ssroom.


    Closure? Juniper remembered hearing the other students talk about it when she first arrived. If Queenie could get into a top university, the chances of Aurora High being shut down would decrease. And if they could produce a top-scoring student...


    Juniper''s expression darkened as she turned and left.


    "Juniper!"


    "Hey, Juniper!"


    "Juniper, want a milkshake?"


    On her way back to the ssroom, students kept greeting her. Shezily lifted her eyes, a slight frown on her face. This was all very strange.


    During the afternoonnguage arts tutoring session, Juniper, who hadn''t slept at lunch and had spent hours at the police station, was exhausted. She couldn''t help but doze off.


    By the evening study hall, the news had spread throughout the school: Aurora High''s new top dog, Juniper, had zoned out in math ss and slept throughnguage arts.


    "We should just let her go," a teacher in the staff room said, shaking his head. "She''s only just arrived and has already caused so much trouble, and she doesn''t even pay attention in ss. Queenie and a few other well-behaved students are getting close to her. If this continues, she''ll drag the whole school down."


    "That won''t happen," Salma said, maintaining her gentle smile. "Juniper is a good kid. She has many skills; she''s just a bit behind academically."


    "But exams are all about scores!" another teacher countered. "Queenie is one of our most promising students. If she gets led astray..."


    The teachers fell into a worried silence.


    "The monthly exams are next week. If shees inst..." thenguage arts teacher said with a frown. "I suggest we ask her to withdraw."


    A student like that was beyond saving.


    "So that''s basically what happened..." Qadir recounted, waving his hands animatedly as he ryed everything he had overheard in the staff room to Juniper.


    "Oh," Juniper replied distractedly, staring at the candy Shanley had given her.


    "Oh''?" Qadir was more anxious than she was. He crouched down beside her. "Juniper, aren''t you worried about being expelled?"


    "Expelled? Why would I be expelled?" she asked.


    "Because you''ll best in the exams," Qadir said with a grin. "Juniper, I heard you got a lot of zeros before."


    Tsk, tsk. Her grades were even worse than his. She was definitely going to be at the bottom of the ss.


    "That was before," Juniper said, propping her chin on her hand and blinkingnguidly. "Queenie, drag him over there to do some math problems."


    "You got it," Queenie giggled. She had no doubts about Juniper''s abilities.


    With Qadir gone, Juniper finally had some peace and quiet. She took out her phone


    and opened her chat with Lue. Lue knew men; she would definitely know what Shanley was up to.


    Juniper: [I have a question for you.]


    Lue: [Oh?]


    The little prodigy of their organization, the one they called ''Miss Know-It-All,'' actually


    had a question she couldn''t answer? This was new.


    Juniper: [So there''s this guy who''s being really nice to... a friend of mine.]


    Lue: [Your friend?]


    Since when did their little prodigy have friends?

 Chapter 85

    Juniper''s fingers tightened on her phone, but she maintained herposure.


    [Yeah, my friend.]


    Lue: [Okay, tell me about it.]


    Lue wasn''t too worried. The girl wasn''t likely to get involved with a guy. Given her personality, it was a miracle she hadn''t twisted his head off already.


    Juniper: [This guy is being really nice to my friend. He takes her out to eat, drives her home, and is always showing up around her.]


    Lue: [Is he handsome?]


    Juniper thought for a moment. [I guess so.]


    Among the men she knew, Shanley was definitely the best-looking.


    Lue: [Is he old?]


    Old? Juniper mulled over the word for a few seconds before replying.


    [Pretty old, I think.]


    Shanley was twenty-seven, nearly a decade older than her. That counted as old, right?


    Lue: [Anything else? Any other strange behavior?]


    Juniper: [He likes to buy my friend candy.]


    Lue: [Your friend likes candy too?]


    Juniper: [Yeah.]


    Lue: [Old, you say? And he likes to buy her candy... It''s probably nothing. Sounds like an elder doting on a younger person.]


    Was that it? Her grandfather had also loved to buy her candy when he was alive. No wonder she didn''t dislike Shanley. It turned out he was just like her grandfather.


    Lue: [Someone''s causing trouble at the casino. I have to go deal with it. Text me if you have any more questions. XOXO.]


    After ending the chat, Juniper took out the candy Shanley had given her and ate it without a second thought. He gave her candy, and she would give him jewelry. It was a fair trade.


    ...


    After the evening study session ended, Juniper was walking to the bus stop when her phone rang.


    "Hello." A gentle female voice came through the line. "Do you remember me? We met at the graduation gpetition. I asked if you were interested in joining the entertainment industry."


    "I remember," Juniper said, popping a piece of candy into her mouth. She sat on the bus, gazing idly out the window. Just then, she saw a massive promotional poster of Jimmie Tate stered across the entire facade of a shopping mall. A crowd of fangirls was gathered below, taking pictures.


    "I apologize for the intrusion, Master Lunar. You can call me Rachel. I work at the Era City Dance Academy," the woman said, her voice filled with excitement now that she knew Juniper''s true identity. "I hope you''ll reconsider the offer I madest time. We can negotiate thepensation."


    She added, "The star we''d like you to work with is very famous. Countless people would kill for this opportunity."


    Besides being a dance instructor, Rachel was also Jimmie Tate''s exclusive dance director.


    "How famous?" Juniper asked, leaning against the cool window pane, a wave of annoyance washing over her.


    "Well..." Rachel hesitated, thenughed. "I''m not supposed to reveal this beforehand, but to show you how sincere I am, I can let you in on the secret. The artist is the superstar, Jimmie Tate."


    "Jimmie Tate?"


    The name instantly snapped Juniper to full attention. She had just been wondering how she was going to get a strand of his hair.


    "That''s right." Hearing the excitement in Juniper''s voice, Rachel''s confidence soared. She thought, "All my effort wasn''t in vain after all.¡±


    "Mr. Tate has been preparing for his new music video for a long time, but he''s very particr and hasn''t found a suitable choreographer or dancer yet."


    Juniper had no interest in dancing, but this was a chance to meet Jimmie. This was a golden opportunity.


    "If you''re interested, I can arrange a meeting between you and Mr. Tate."


    "I''m in," Juniper agreed immediately. "The sooner, the better."


    "Of course. The day after tomorrow at thetest," Rachel promised, assuring her


    she would call back as soon as the time was confirmed.


    It seemed Mr. Tate''s name was all it took. Who knew it could even sway a dance prodigy like Master Lunar?

 Chapter 86

    "Alright," Juniper said, hanging up.


    Just then, her WhatsApp buzzed. She opened it to find a message from the old woman she''d helped before.


    The old Woman: [My dear, it''s been a while! Best Wishes.]


    Juniper smiled slightly. [It has. How is your husband doing?]


    The old Woman: [He''s doing wonderfully, thanks to you! But the medicine you gave him is almost gone, and I was hoping to buy some more.]


    Juniper was a kind girl; she''d left the medicinest time without taking any payment, and the old woman still felt guilty about it.


    Juniper: [It will take some time to prepare more, about ten days.]


    The old Woman: [That''s perfectly fine! Ten days from now happens to be my birthday banquet. I was wondering if you would grace us with your presence and join us for a drink?]


    A birthday banquet? So many people were celebrating birthdaystely.


    Juniper was about to decline when another message came through: [You saved my husband''s life and gave him that expensive medicine without asking for a cent. If you won''t take our money, you must at least let us treat you to a meal to show our gratitude. Otherwise, I won''t be able to sleep at night. I might just kick the bucket from all the worrying!]


    Juniper couldn''t help but chuckle. Who jinxes themselves like that?


    After a moment''s thought, she replied: [Alright, I''ll bring the medicine over then.]


    It was just a meal, after all. It wouldn''t take too long.


    The old Woman: [Wonderful! I''ll be waiting for you, miracle doctor!]


    Juniper: [I''ll be there.]


    After ending the chat, Juniper opened the page for her studio to check on their progress. A staff member quickly sent her a picture.


    [Boss, we have all the jewelry materials ready. When will you being in to work on them?]


    Juniper: [Sometime in the next couple of days.]


    She tossed her phone back into her bag, looking utterly drained. Staring out at the city lights, a single thought echoed in her mind: I''m so tired. She wanted to retire, move to the countryside, raise pigs, and growtro. But she still had four years left in Era City.


    The thought only deepened her gloom. She finally closed her eyes, deciding to just let it all go. Whatever. Let the world burn.


    ...


    The next day, at six-thirty in the morning, her phone rang. It was Rachel, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm. ¡°Master Lunar, good morning!"


    Juniper was leaning against the wall, half-asleep, her expression so frosty that Qadir and Queenie didn''t dare speak to her.


    Good morning? What student, forced to wake up at 6 a.m., could possibly be having a good morning?


    "Master Lunar, we''ve set a time with Mr. Tate. The day after tomorrow in the afternoon. Does that work for you?"


    The day after tomorrow was Saturday. "It works," Juniper replied tly. "And you''re sure I''ll be meeting this... Jimmie Tate, right?"


    "Ah?¡± Rachel paused for a second before answering with a smile. "Of course, you''ll be meeting the award-winning actor, Jimmie Tate.¡±


    "Then that''s fine." Juniper gave an indifferent shrug and casually mentioned she had to get back to studying before hanging up.


    Rachel stared at her phone,pletely baffled. With a face and talent like hers, she could skip school, join the entertainment industry, and make a lifetime''s worth of money in a single year. What a shame. People who weren''t swayed by money and were dedicated to their studies were a rare breed these days.


    Done with that call, Rachel immediately dialed Jimmie, her tone hardening. ¡°I''ve arranged the meeting. Are you going or not?"


    Jimmie had just gotten off a ne and was exhausted. All he remembered was Rachel rambling about some master dancer.


    "If you don''t agree, I''ll jump off the nearest overpass. Your call!" she threatened. "Oh," Jimmie said, rubbing his temples. "Then jump."

 Chapter 87

    "Aaaah!"


    Rachel let out a piercing shriek, forcing Jimmie to hold the phone away from his ear.


    "Just watch the videos!" she insisted, firing off a barrage of links. "I promise, you''ll be blown away! Master Lunar''s choreography and dancing are top-tier. There are very few people in the industry today who canpare."


    To prove her point, she had stayed up all night watching every single video of Lunar dancing, selecting the three most wless performances.


    "Fine, I''ll watch," Jimmie said, his head throbbing from the noise. "But if I''m not interested after watching them, you can''t force me anymore."


    He had extremely high standards for his work, releasing only one song a year, but each one was a guaranteed hit. The more famous his work became, the greater the chance his sister would see it. He preferred to invest his time in perfection rather than waste it on fruitless efforts.


    "Watch them now! I''ll stay on the line while you do," Rachel demanded, her inner teacher emerging in full force.


    Jimmie''s face darkened, but he sighed in resignation. The first thing he was going to do when he got back was fire this dance director who clearly thought she could boss him around.


    A few seconds of silence passed as Jimmie opened WhatsApp and saw the three videos. He tapped on the first one, a ssical dance. The dancer in the video cleverly concealed her face, but her movements were graceful and showcased a deep, technical foundation. A dancer of this caliber would be wasted even as a principal.


    "Hmm. Not bad. She''s definitely got skill."


    His interest piqued, Jimmie opened the second video: a contemporary piece. The girl wore a crop top and cargo pants, revealing a slim, flexible waist. Every move was powerful and spirited, perfectly synchronized with the exhrating music, making his heart race.


    A small smile touched Jimmie''s lips as his expression turned serious. "She''s really something."


    He moved on to thest video: a ballet performance. The girl was dressed in a pristine white swan costume. The camera captured her long, slender neck, giving her an ethereal, almost unreal beauty.


    But it was the fleeting, dreamlike glimpse of her face as the camera swept past that made his heart skip a beat.


    ¡°Finished?¡± Rachel''s anxious voice broke the silence. ¡°Wasn''t she amazing? Better than any dancer you''ve ever worked with, right? Including me, of course."


    "Yeah," Jimmie admitted. She was incredible. It was rare for a video to evoke such a strong emotional response in him.


    "And she''s absolutely gorgeous..." Once Rachel started talking about Juniper, she couldn''t stop. "I''m almost forty, and I''ve never seen a more beautiful girl. More importantly, she looks just like your¡ª"


    "The meeting is for tomorrow afternoon?" Jimmie cut her off, not wanting to hear any more.


    "That''s right,¡± Rachel confirmed. "The girl has a bit of a personality, so you''d better be on your best behavior and not scare her off with that temper of yours."


    "Okay," Jimmie agreed meekly.


    After hanging up, he leaned back in his seat and picked up a nearby photograph-a picture that showed only the silhouette of a person, with no facial features. His expression grew heavy.


    "My dear sister... where in the world are you?"


    Juniper had ss on Saturday morning, followed by abined science tutoring session in the afternoon.


    "Sir, I have something to take care of. I''d like to request leave,¡± she said politely. She didn''t want to cause trouble, but this was a prime opportunity to get a hair sample, and she couldn''t miss it.


    "Absolutely not."


    Her physics teacher, Keith, was a balding old man with a reputation for being peculiar. The students all called him "Cranky Keith."

 Chapter 88

    He''d recently heard the rumors circting about Juniper in the staff room, so when she asked for leave, his face immediately soured.


    "Juniper, we teachers are giving up our own rest time to help struggling students like you catch up. Do you think we have nothing better to do?" Keith snapped, his voice sharp with disapproval, stopping just short of pointing a finger in her face.


    Juniper sighed. His words were harsh, but he had a point. The teachers at the school were genuinely concerned about their students; their intentions were good. "What do I have to do for you to grant my leave?" she asked, trying to keep her patience. She didn''t want to provoke the cranky old man into having a heart attack; she didn''t have time to treat him.


    "If you can pass this test, I''ll let you go," Keith said, pping apiled paper of past college entrance exams forbined science onto his desk. He wasn''t about to be outsmarted by a teenager.


    ¡°Deal,¡± Juniper agreed without hesitation. She took a pen from her bag, sat up straight, and began working on the test.


    Keith blinked, taken aback by her calm reaction. This was an advanced paper he''d prepared for top students like Queenie to push their limits. Every question was difficult. How many points could she possibly score?


    He huffed and decided to ignore her, sipping his coffee while waiting for the ss bell to ring.


    Juniper focused on the test. A passing grade was 60 out of 100. In a hurry, she decided to answer only the multiple-choice questions first. She read a question, knew the answer in a second, and filled in the bubble. Just like that, 30 points. Then she scanned the paper, picked one long-answer question from each section worth 10 points, and solved them to get another 30.


    From start to finish, the entire process took her less than ten minutes.


    "Sir, I''m finished," she announced, handing the paper to him. She even thoughtfully borrowed a pen from a ssmate and stared at the old man expectantly. The message was clear: Grade it.


    Keith had barely taken a couple of sips of his coffee. He nced at the paper, seeing that only the multiple-choice sections were fullypleted. He wondered if she''d just guessed randomly.


    He picked up the pen and began grading with reluctance.


    First question, correct.


    Second question, also correct.


    Third, fourth... all of them were right. Every single multiple-choice question was correct.


    Keith put down his cup and pushed his reading sses up his nose, looking from Juniper to the test paper and back again. He had just printed this paper out; no one had seen it before. And he had watched her the entire time, so cheating was impossible.


    "Sir, the other thirty points are here," Juniper added helpfully, pointing to the three long-answer questions.


    When Keith finished grading, he tallied up the score. Everything was correct. 60 points. Exactly passing, not a single point more or less.


    "Sir, may I go now?" Juniper asked, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. Her icy expression suggested that if he didn''t let her go, she might just make a scene.


    Keith was speechless. He could only nod dumbly.


    It wasn''t until her figure had disappeared down the hall that he snapped out of his stupor. He grabbed a nearby student who had just walked in and said excitedly, "Here, you grade this again!"


    He must have been seeing things. How else could a student who normally scored zero inbined science get a 60 on this paper in just ten minutes?


    ...


    Era Media was Borealia''srgest mediapany, boasting the most artists under its management. Its top star, Jimmie, was a household name, his face stered on promotional materials everywhere, cementing his position as thepany''s king.


    As soon as Juniper arrived downstairs, she sent Rachel a message. She was dying to find out if this "pretty boy" was really the brother she''d never met.

 Chapter 89

    "Master Lunar!¡± Rachel eximed, practically running to meet her, slightly out of breath. ¡°Come on, let''s head up!"


    "Okay.¡± Juniper had changed out of her school uniform and was now wearing a simple white t-shirt and a ck baseball cap, its brim pulled low to obscure half of her face.


    Rachel couldn''t help but marvel internally. The girl''s beauty was wless, as if she were a masterpiece sculpted by the gods themselves. If they could sign her... with Jimmie as their top male artist and Juniper as their female star, theirpany would be unstoppable in the entertainment world.


    "Master Lunar, Mr. Tate''s meeting room is straight ahead and to the right," Rachel said, ncing at her watch with a smile. "He''s in the middle of a magazine cover shoot, but it should be over in about five minutes. Wait here, I''ll go hurry him along.¡±


    "Alright." With her hands in her pockets, Juniper idly scanned her surroundings. The room was stark white, a cold color palette that made it feel like an ice cer. The only ssh of color was a pink photo album on the table, which immediately caught


    her eye.


    Drawn to it, she walked over and picked it up.


    Inside was a picture of a girl, but it was just a silhouette with no facial features. It looked strange. In the bottom right corner of the album was a messy signature, but she could vaguely make out the words: My sister.


    Sister?


    The word sent a jolt through Juniper''s heart. ¡°Could it be that he couldn''t remember her face, so he didn''t draw her features? Is Jimmie really my brother?"


    "What are you doing-?"


    Before Juniper could process the thought, a sharp voice barked from behind her. "ng!"


    Startled, the album slipped from her grasp and crashed to the floor, the frame shattering into pieces.


    She spun around to see Jimmie, dressed in a casual ck suit with light makeup on, ring at her coldly. The moment the album fell, his expression had changed drastically. He strode forward and shoved her away.


    "Thud!"


    Juniper''s body hit the doorframe with a painful jolt.


    "Who told you you could touch my things?" Jimmie frantically swept away the broken ss, carefully picking up the photograph as if it were a priceless treasure. He then turned his zing, bloodshot eyes on Juniper.


    Juniper froze, her own gaze, hidden beneath the cap''s brim, fixed on the man''s furious expression.


    "Get out. Get out now!" Jimmie roared, clutching the photo, his eyes turning red as he pointed toward the door.


    "What''s going on?" Rachel asked, returning just in time to hear Jimmie''s outburst. She had been hoping to see his reaction to meeting Master Lunar, not this. She saw Master Lunar leaning against the door, her clothes slightly wrinkled and her face pale, looking small and pitiful.


    "Mr. Tate, this is Master Lunar," Rachel said, then her eyes fell to the shattered frame on the floor, and her own expression soured.


    Everyone knew that the photograph in that frame was Mr. Tate''s most cherished possession; he took it with him everywhere. He must have just arrived at thepany and left it in the meeting room temporarily before his shoot.


    "Get her out of my sight, now!" Jimmie yelled, rising to his feet like an enraged lion. "I don''t want to see her again."


    He didn''t care if she was Master Moon or Master Sun; no one was allowed to damage his sister''s picture.


    ¡°Mr. Tate.....¡± Rachel was in an impossible position. She knew Jimmie was beyond reason when he was angry, so she forced a smile and turned to Juniper. "Master Lunar, you...".

 Chapter 90

    "Psycho," Juniper spat out coldly before turning on her heel and walking away without a backward nce.


    "Master Lunar!¡± Rachel waspletely stunned. This girl''s temper was just as fierce as Jimmie''s.


    "Jimmie, you..." Rachel wanted to scold him but couldn''t bring herself to, knowing how desperately he''d been searching for his sister. "It took me so much effort to get Master Lunar here. Now that you''ve offended her, it''ll be impossible to get her back."


    "Find me a new frame," Jimmie said, sinking onto the sofa. He ignored Rachelpletely, focusing only on wiping the photograph over and over.


    "Fine!" Rachel threw her hands on her hips, both furious and helpless. "You''ll regret this!"


    With that, she stomped off to find him a new frame. Only when the photo was safe would he return to some semnce of normal.


    ...


    After leaving Era Media, Juniper sat on a nter by the roadside, staring at the single strand of hair she had managed to snatch during themotion. The memory of Jimmie''s furious face made her own expression darken.


    After a few moments of collecting herself, she took out her phone and made a call. "It''s me. I have something for you to handle."


    Soon, a man arrived at the building, bowing his head respectfully. "Boss."


    "A DNA test. What''s the fastest you can get the results?" Juniper asked, handing him the hair.


    "Normally, it takes two to three weeks," the man replied. "But if it''s urgent for you, Boss, I''ll fly back to Australis immediately and use the equipment at our base. The absolute earliest would be three days."


    "Notify me as soon as you have the results."


    "Yes, Boss." The man carefully secured the sample, bowed once more, and departed.


    With that handled, Juniper took a taxi to her studio and worked until ten at night.


    As she was about to call for a ride, her WhatsApp chimed.


    Shanley: [Hey, little sister. Salma told me you missed your tutoring session this afternoon, so I thought I''d check in.]


    Juniper froze for a second. Salma tattled on her to Shanley? Did she really think he''s her brother?


    Before she could reply, another message came through.


    Shanley: [Salma said your aunt is very busy and also has a high school senior to look after. When we were at the police stationst time, she and I exchanged numbers, and I told her to call if anything came up.]


    Turns out, the first call was to report on her. Salma had said Juniper was a bright kid but wasn''t applying herself. He seemed to think she was afraid of him, which is why he called him to "educate" her.


    Juniper typed back, annoyed: [I had permission to leave!]


    The exmation point was a clear sign of her anger.


    Keith had ndered her!


    Shanley smiled to himself. [I see. So where are you now?]


    Salma had told him she left school but hadn''t gone home yet, and he was a little worried.


    Juniper sent him her location. Shanley arrived shortly after, driving his own car this time.


    "Get in," he said, opening the passenger door for her. Once she was settled, he handed her a warm box of egg tarts.


    "These are good." Juniper was starving and wasted no time digging in.


    "Lift your arm for a second." Seeing her nibble away like a little squirrel, Shanley chuckled and leaned closer.


    She instinctively leaned back, but he moved forward, closing the distance between them until she could smell the faint, pleasant scent of mint on him, untainted by smoke.


    As his handsome face loomed closer, Juniper''s heart began to pound, her cheeks flushing. She even forgot about the egg tart in her hand.


    What was he trying to do?

 Chapter 91

    As the man leaned in even closer, Juniper''s face scrunched up, and she prepared tond a punch on his head.


    "Click."


    The sound of the seatbelt buckle snapping into ce echoed in the quiet car.


    "You have to follow the traffic rules, little sister. Always wear your seatbelt," Shanley said with a grin, straightening up and cing his hands on the steering wheel.


    Juniper, still holding her egg tart, took a moment to process what had just happened. Oh. He was just buckling her seatbelt. For a second there, she thought he was about to make a move.


    The sports car glided smoothly down the road. Juniper sniffed the air again; there wasn''t a trace of smoke in the car. Had he quit smoking?


    "So, where did you run off to today?" Shanley asked, ncing at her.


    "I had something to do," Juniper replied nonchntly, sipping her milk, her tone deliberately vague.


    "Alright." Since she didn''t want to talk about it, Shanley didn''t press her. As long as she wasn''t hurt, it was fine.


    "Salma mentioned you''re falling behind in your studies," Shanley said, his voice taking on the serious tone of a parent. When Salma had contacted him, she had sent along Juniper''s report card. For three years of middle school, she had scored zero in many of her subjects. Her test papers were nker than her face.


    "There are only three months left. Do you need me to find you a private tutor?¡±


    "No," Juniper refused tly. "I can study on my own."


    "On your own?" Shanley raised an eyebrow in doubt.


    "You don''t believe me?" Juniper stopped chewing, her starry eyes fixing on him with an unfriendly glint.


    Staring at that long list of zeros, Shanley found it incredibly hard to convince himself.


    "I believe you," he said, his words not quite matching his thoughts, as he met her cold gaze. He quickly changed the subject. ¡°Here, finish your food before it gets cold."


    Thirty minutester, Shanley dropped Juniper off at Moulnds. As she got out of the car, he asked, "Are you free on the 30th? It''s my grandmother''s birthday banquet. I''d like to take you. Since you''re my little sister now, I should introduce you to the family."


    He added with a tempting smile, "There will be lots of good food."


    The 30th? Juniper''s brow furrowed. That was the same day as the old woman''s birthday.


    Shanley was wealthy, so his family''s banquet was bound to have amazing food. It was a shame, but she couldn''t break her promise.


    "I have ns on the 30th," she said softly.


    "Alright, then," Shanley said with a slight frown, but he didn''t push. "Get home safe."


    He watched her leave, shaking his head with a helpless smile.


    Bringing her home to meet his family? Was that moving too fast?


    He felt like the girl had the mindset of a three-year-old; all she seemed to care about was food,pletely oblivious to his intentions.


    But that was okay. She was eighteen now. If he made his intentions a little more obviouster, perhaps she would understand.


    Just then, his phone rang.


    "Boss, we have news on Mr. Tate''s sister," Felton''s voice came through the line.


    "Understood," Shanley replied, his expression instantly turning serious. He ended the call and drove to Jimmie''s vi.


    Inside, Jimmie sat on the sofa, poring over the documents Cybeic Shadows hadpiled. They had confirmed that there had been a massive maritime disaster in the South Sea around that time, with many casualties. However, a witness had seen a small girl being rescued by a fishing boat. The boat''s trail had gone cold since then, but they were still searching for leads.


    "The alliance estimates they''ll have finished their search within a few days," Shanley said, leaning back on the sofa. ¡°All the records from that disaster were destroyed, which has made the investigation difficult."


    "A few days?" Jimmie looked up, his face pale but his eyes bloodshot. "Are you sure they can find my sister?"

 Chapter 92

    "Positive," Shanley replied, taking a sip of red wine with a confident, devilish smirk. ¡°Have you forgotten what Cybeic Shadows is capable of?"


    A rare smile finally broke through Jimmie''s grim expression. ¡°Sorry, I only remember Cybeic Shadows getting its butt kicked by Binary Oracle for two years straight.¡±


    Every year at the global hackingpetition, the top contenders were always Cybeic Shadows and Binary Oracle. Before Binary Oracle appeared on the scene, Borealia''s Cybeic Shadows had consistently held the championship title. Then, Australis''s Binary Oracle emerged, and history was rewritten.


    "I didn''t quite catch that. Say it again,¡± Shanley''s gaze turned icy, the look in his eyes sharp enough to kill as he swirled the wine in his ss.


    "Tsk." Jimmie knew when to quit while he was ahead. He gave a faint smile and clinked his ss against Shanley''s. "Thanks, man. I owe you."


    "How are you going to thank me?" Shanley asked, raising an eyebrow with azy drawl.


    ¡°Well.....¡± Jimmie savored the wine, the rich aroma clouding his judgment as he said with a half-joking smile, ¡°You don''t have a girlfriend yet, do you?"


    He had known Shanley for years and trusted his characterpletely. If his sister was around the same age, Shanley would be a worthy person to entrust her to.


    Shanley looked up, meeting Jimmie''s gaze and instantly understanding his intention. "I don''t have one now, but that doesn''t mean I won''t in the future."


    "Huh?" Jimmie''s smile faltered. "Who in their right mind would fall for you?"


    ¡°A proud, little spitfire,¡± Shanley said, a fond and gentle smile spreading across his lips at the thought of Juniper.


    ¡°Little?¡± Jimmie pursed his lips,tching onto that one word and scoffing, "You predator."


    So Shanley didn''t want his sister, huh? His loss!


    ...


    While waiting for the DNA results, Juniper spent the next few days in a daze. She would asionally zone out in ss and get called out by her teachers every single time. It was as if they had ruler-straight vision, aimed directly at her and no one else. Consequently, the rumor that "Juniper is a cker with no ambition" quickly spread throughout the entire school, leaving the teachers restless and gossiping amongst themselves.


    "Ahem..." Keith, the cranky physics teacher, held an old thermos, slowly blowing on the steam. "You all think she''s a bad student? I''m not so sure about that," he said with a smile.


    All the other teachers turned to look at him in unison, whispering among themselves.


    ¡°I heard Juniper skipped ss on Saturday and made the old man furious.¡±


    "It''s true!" a female teacher whispered, covering her mouth. "A student told me he wasughing one minute and muttering to himself the next, even calling Juniper a genius!"


    "Pfft!" Another teacher couldn''t hold back a snort ofughter. "With that attitude of hers? She thinks she''s all that just because she can dance a little. At this rate, she won''t even get into amunity college!"


    The teachers, their brows furrowed with worry, urged the dean to report the situation to Salma. One teacher had already lost his mind because of her; if she stayed, the entire faculty might go insane.


    ¡°Juniper, the exams are next Wednesday. How''s your preparation going?" Queenie asked, worried by the campus gossip. The teachers at their school weren''t unreasonable; they didn''t dislike students with poor grades, but they detested those who were smart but simply refused to study. And right now, Juniper was the poster child for that.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Juniper, leaning against a wall with her legs crossed, was munching on nuts. ¡°What''s there to prepare for? All you need is a hand to write with, right?"


    Queenie was speechless.


    Just then, Juniper''s phone vibrated. A message popped up: [Boss, the DNA test results for you and Jimmie are in.]

 Chapter 93

    [Boss, I''ve sent the report to your email.]


    Juniper''s fingers trembled, and the nuts in her palm scattered to the ground.


    Qadir immediately scrambled to pick them up, then ordered one of hisckeys to buy another bag.


    After a moment''s hesitation, Juniper opened her email and clicked on the first message. The report was several pages long, but her eyes immediately locked onto the final conclusion: a 25% gic simrity. The typical gic simrity between full siblings is 25%. To further confirm the rtionship, theb had run additionalparisons. The final determination: the subjects were brother and sister.


    The words hit her like a ton of bricks, leaving her dizzy and unable to think.


    Jimmie was her brother. That jerk who had pointed a finger in her face and screamed at her to get out was her brother?


    No. It didn''t feel right.


    Juniper jabbed at the screen, closing the email and opening WhatsApp. [Are you sure this report is urate?]


    Her subordinate replied: [Boss, there are rarely any issues with the equipment at our base.]


    He added: [Of course, a blood sample would provide more urate results.]


    Juniper clutched her phone, leaned her head back against the wall, and stared up at the sky, feeling utterly defeated.


    ¡°Juniper, what''s wrong?" Queenie asked, her round eyes fixed on her with confusion. It was like she''d been frozen in ce.


    Juniper suddenly shot to her feet and began shoving her things haphazardly into her backpack.


    ¡°Juniper, we have physics tutoring this afternoon," Qadir reminded her softly, looking at her with concern. Her expression was terrifying.


    "I have something to do," Juniper said, slinging her bag over her shoulder and marching straight to Keith''s office. "Sir, I need to request leave."


    Keith looked up and saw it was Juniper. He immediately opened his desk drawer and pulled out a prepared test paper. "Do this."


    ¡°Okay.¡± Juniper didn''t argue. She took out a pen and sat down opposite the old man. "What score do I need this time?"


    "Hmm?" Keith paused, hesitating for a moment. This was a paper from a physicspetition. He had given it to all his top students, and the pass rate was less than sixty percent. Thest test had been difficult, but perhaps Juniper had gotten lucky with the multiple-choice questions, and the long-answer questions she chose were rtively basic. This time, even he had to think through some of the problems.


    "Sixty points will be enough," Keith said, not wanting to make it too hard for her. If she could score sixty on this, the college entrance exam would be a cakewalk.


    "Deal." A faint smile yed on Juniper''s lips as she picked up her pen and began to read the questions.


    Keith put down his cup and watched her intently, not even blinking. He had seriously doubted the resultsst time, suspecting she might have looked up the answers. This time, he was determined to see for himself.


    One minute passed. Three minutes. Five minutes...


    Juniper held her pen but made no move to write, instead flipping the paper back and forth, examining it several times.


    Keith''s brow furrowed in deep suspicion. Could it be thatst time really was a fluke? Was he happy for nothing?


    Just as doubt began to creep in, Juniper lowered her head and finally started writing. She barely nced at the questions, her pen flying across the page as she filled in A, B, C, D. After finishing the multiple-choice section, she moved on to the long-answer problems, again writing down the solutions without seeming to read the questions.


    Fifteen minutester, she stopped, gave the paper a satisfied once-over, and handed it to Keith.


    "Ahem."


    Keith quickly put on his reading sses and eagerly grabbed his pen. With a flurry


    of strokes, he marked check after check. All correct!

 Chapter 94

    "Well, well," he thought. "This girl has some real brains. Who was it that called her useless? I''ll tear their tongue out!"


    Just as Keith was getting into the rhythm of grading, he realized the answers stopped abruptly. What? Where''s the rest?


    "Sir, I did the math. You asked for sixty points, but I did ny," Juniper exined as she calmly packed her bag, her tone respectful and polite.


    Since she had given him an extra thirty points, surely he would sign her leave slip


    now.


    The old man froze, pen in hand.


    So, she could actually control her score?


    "Sir, could you please sign this for me?" Juniper asked, cing a pre-written leave slip respectfully on his desk.


    "Ah? Oh." Still in a daze, the old man dazedly picked up his pen and dazedly signed


    his name.


    "Thank you, sir."


    "You''re wee."


    It wasn''t until Juniper had left that the old man snapped back to reality. He shot up from his chair, mmed his hand on the desk, and burst outughing.


    "There''s hope! There''s hope for Aurora High School! In all my years of teaching, I''ve never met a student like this! Ahahaha!"


    Teachers from other subjects, passing by his office, heard his manic shouts and were thoroughly rmed.


    A new rumor began to spread: Juniper had driven the physics teacherpletely insane again. And this time, it was even worse than before.


    ...


    Before leaving school, Juniper checked Jimmie''s schedule. At seven in the evening, he was meeting a friend for dinner at Moonlight Peak. She still had doubts about the hair sample fromst time and nned to get a blood sample instead. If the result was the same, she would just have to ept her fate.


    When she arrived at the rooftop garden, she was surprised to find that Jimmie''s friend was none other than Shanley.


    No wonder Shanley had said he could get her Jimmie''s autograph. She had thought he was just some rich guy who could throw money around to buy photos. If she had known, she wouldn''t have gone to so much trouble for a few strands of hair.


    Juniper sat in her own private booth, her eyes glued to the two men. Music was ying on the rooftop, making it hard to hear their conversation. All she could see was Jimmie piling an absurd amount oftro into his bowl.


    Juniper was speechless. The only other person she knew who lovedtro that much was herself. This was practically written in their DNA. Did she even need any more proof?


    "Turn off the music," Juniper messaged the manager. The music on the rooftop immediately stopped, and she could finally hear their conversation clearly.


    ¡°You liketro, too?" Shanley asked, his eyes narrowed in a half-smile.


    "Too?" Jimmie paused, his fork hovering in mid-air as he looked up, his handsome face illuminated by the cool light.


    It was the first time Juniper had gotten a good look at him. His eyes were just like hers.


    The realization only made her angrier. He had pushed her, and her arm still hurt from where she hit the door.


    The jerk!


    "Yeah." A smile touched Shanley''s lips as he thought of Juniper. "My little girl lovestro, too."


    "Is that so?" Jimmie had heard him mention this girl several times now, and his interest was piqued. "I wonder if my sister likes it, too..."


    Sister? At his words, Juniper''s gaze darkened. The album she had broken had beenbeled "My sister".


    Was that why he had gotten so angry? If that was the case, she supposed she could forgive him. Ten percent. She still had to get revenge for the other ny percent.

 Chapter 95

    "Tsk." Shanley leaned back, his tall frame rxing into the chair, a faint smile ying on his handsome face. "A love fortro can be cute. Just as long as she''s not a stone-faced grump like you."


    "One look at my face, and you know my sister can''t be anything but gorgeous," Jimmie retorted with a cold sneer. "Definitely better looking than your girl."


    "I wouldn''t be so sure about that," Shanley said, his eyes narrowing as a devilishly charming smile spread across his lips. His little girl had a beautiful smile. Most people couldn''tpare.


    Juniper''s brow furrowed as she listened to Shanley''s words. She thought, "What does he mean? Judging my looks based on Jimmie''s face? Does he think I''m as ugly as Jimmie? When did he go blind?"


    As expected, birds of a feather flock together. Neither of them was any good.


    Just as she was stewing in her thoughts, her phone rang.


    ¡°Juniper!¡± Lue''s excited voice came through the line. "I heard that pretty boy Jimmie hired Borealia''s Cybeic Shadows, part of the Sigma Network, to find you! The nerve of that guy, going to our mortal enemies for help!¡±


    Lue was furious.


    Juniper''s mood soured even further. The Sigma Network was her biggest rival. Theypeted for clients, for territory, for hacking rankings... for everything. The leader of the Sigma Network must have been a bandit in a past life. And now her cheap, long-lost brother who had told her to get lost had hired her arch-nemesis to find her? Hrious!


    Her mood was now officially in the gutter.


    "Juniper?" Lue asked tentatively when she didn''t get a response.


    "I''m here."


    "I remember you had me investigate that pretty boyst time," Lue recalled, sensing there was more to the story. "What''s going on?"


    "It''s possible..." Juniper bit her lip, reluctantly admitting, "that Jimmie and I are rted."


    "What?" Lue''s voice shot up, sharp with shock. "Don''t tell me I was right and you two are secretly in love!"


    "No!" Juniper frowned, her voice low and cold. "Jimmie... is my brother."


    "Brother? Oh, I thought he was your boyfriend. Never mind then," Lue said with augh, relieved. ¡°I was about to say, that pretty boy Jimmie has no looks, no ss... he''s not worthy of you at all!"


    Thank goodness. She couldn''t bear to see the little girl she had watched grow up get snatched by some pig.


    "Wait!" Lue''sughter stopped abruptly, her voice taking a sharp turn. "What did you say? What did you just say?"


    "Jimmie is my long-lost brother," Juniper said all at once, her tone awkward. "The DNA test is done. It''s ny-nine percent certain.¡±


    The remaining one percent had just been confirmed moments ago. Only the two of them could eattro with such insane devotion.


    Lue''s mind went nk as she reyed Juniper''s words. If Jimmie was Juniper''s brother... hadn''t she just insulted him rather crudely?


    What had she said? "No looks" indirectly calling Juniper ugly. "No ss" indirectly saying Juniper had no ss. Oh, right. She had also called him a pretty boy.


    "But I''ve already blocked all your information," Lue said, each word spoken with extreme caution. "Cybeic Shadows is good, but it would take them a long time to find anything now." And in that time, they could create countless fake profiles to mislead them. She hoped her little boss wouldn''t be mad at her for losing the brother she had just found.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Juniper propped her chin on her hand, her beautiful eyes narrowed as she watched the two menughing and chatting outside. A sly smile crept onto her lips.


    "Excellent work."

 Chapter 96

    Lue''s worry vanished, reced by confusion. ¡°What?¡±


    "That so-called brother of mine pissed me off," Juniper stated, each word dripping with an annoyance so palpable it could be felt through the screen.


    This was one score she intended to settle.


    "So, your info..." Lue hesitated, unsure what to do. "Should I still give it to... uh..... Jimmie?"


    "Keep it blocked for another two days," Juniper said with a faint smile. ¡°He''s arrogant. Time to take him down a peg."


    "You got it." Lue breathed a sigh of relief. "And congrattions," she added softly. "Our Juniper has a brother to dote on her now."


    A brother? The word still felt foreign.


    After ending the call, Juniper stood up, slung her bag over her shoulder, and left. While waiting at the bus stop, she ran into Shanley, who had left just before her. ¡°Juniper, what are you doing here?" Shanley asked, a hint of excitement in his voice. Juniper shot him a long, hard look, remembering his earlier words about her being "his." She said nothing, turning her gaze away.


    The re left Shanley''s smile frozen on his face. Why did she seem angry? He hadn''t done anything to provoke her.


    ¡°Juniper.....¡± Shanley pursed his lips, frowning slightly. He was about to get out of the car to ask her what was wrong when the bus pulled up. Without a backward nce, she boarded it and was gone, heading in the opposite direction.


    Shanley was left awkwardly frozen in the middle of getting out of his car.


    "Boss, Ms. Payne seems to be angry," Flint helpfully pointed out, adding fuel to the fire.


    "You think I need you to tell me that?" Shanley snapped, sinking back into his seat. He pulled out his phone, found her number on WhatsApp, and sent a message, his tone sufficiently humble: [Juniper, what''s wrong?]


    She didn''t reply.


    Shanley: [I have some candy. Want me to bring it to you?]


    Still no reply.


    He tried a video call. The instant it connected, she hung up.


    Shanley was at a loss. Just a few days ago, when he''d gifted her that candy shop, she had been so happy she''d even smiled at him. What could have caused such a drastic change in her attitude in just a few days?


    Unless...


    Shanley''s eyes narrowed as he remembered the boy he''d seen at the police station. He and Juniper had seemed quite close.


    "Felton, donate five million to Aurora High School anonymously," Shanley ordered, his face grim as he stared at his unresponsive phone. "Tell Salma to focus on improving the school''s academic standards. And especially..." He paused, the wordsing out cold and sharp. ¡°No student dating.¡±


    "Yes, sir,¡± Felton replied, hiding his surprise.


    Could his boss be..... jealous? If Ms. Payne really did fall for a ssmate, would he be facing the first major defeat of his life?


    The thought was a little heartbreaking, but also... kind of hrious.


    ...


    Two dayster, Juniper received another call from Rachel.


    "Master Lunar, please..." Rachel''s voice was practically a sob. "Jimmie wasn''t feeling well that day. He didn''t mean to snap at you. Please give us another chance.


    We really need you for this music video."


    "Fine," Juniper agreed without hesitation.


    Rachel''s fake crying cut off abruptly. "Huh?"


    She was so stunned she almost didn''t register the word. She had been fully prepared for rejection. For Master Lunar to be so agreeable... it didn''t feel right.


    After hanging up, Juniper immediately called Lue, a smirk ying on her lips. "You can un-hide my information. Let Jimmie find it."


    So, he was looking for his sister, was he? And he told her to get lost? Let''s see how this ys out.

 Chapter 97

    "Besides un-hiding my information, add one more word to the file... Lunar." Juniper tapped her cheek lightly with her fingertip.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Lue paused for a second, then caught on. "Got it. Those guys at Cybeic Shadows are so useless, they''ll never find you without a keyword."


    After all, they were the losers from thest hackingpetition,pletely crushed by Binary Oracle.


    ¡°Release the information at one p.m. sharp,¡± Juniper instructed, a dangerous glint in her clear eyes.


    "Will do.¡± Lue knew that pretty-boy brother of hers had gotten on Juniper''s bad side, and her little prodigy never took an insult lying down. She was actually looking forward to the drama when he finally realized who his sister was and had to grovel.


    After school, Juniper got a call from Rachel. Jimmie''s music video was set to be released in less than a month, but he had yet to approve the choreography or the lead dancer. As the dance director, Rachel was at her wit''s end. So, swallowing her pride, she had begged Lunar toe back to thepany.


    "Master Lunar, you haven''t eaten yet, have you?" Rachel asked, arranging a food tray with an overly cautious smile. "Why don''t you have a bite first? There''s no rush, right?"


    Jimmie was such an idiot. He was still holding a grudge just because Master Lunar had identally knocked over his sister''s photo frame. He was t-out refusing to see her again. Rachel had practically dragged him to the studio today; she was prepared to tie him up if she had to.


    "Hmm?" Juniper, happily munching on a fragrant chicken wing, blinked. "Oh, I''m not in a hurry."


    This sudden agreeableness threw Rachel for a loop. She didn''t even dare to smile too widely. The stark contrast in Master Lunar''s attitude felt unreal. In fact, her smile now was somehow more terrifying than her cold expression fromst time. Was she hallucinating from all the stress Jimmie had caused her?


    Rachel shivered and hurried toward the studio.


    Inside, Jimmie had just finished a photo shoot and was rxing in a lounge chair. He held a ss of red wine in his left hand, while his right gently caressed the newly repaired photo frame, his expression uncharacteristically tender. Cybeic Shadows had told him they''d find his sister within a couple of days. His mood had been excellent all day.


    Until¡ª


    ¡°Please, I swallowed my pride and practically knelt to get Master Lunar to agree to give you another chance!" Rachel pleaded, crouching beside him. "You can''t just let here all this way for nothing! She''s Master Lunar!"


    "So what?" The warmth vanished from Jimmie''s face. He looked up, his expression cold and emotionless. "Does being Master Lunar give her the right to touch my sister''s photo frame?" Even the king of heaven wouldn''t get a pass. For the rest of his life, he, Jimmie, was an sworn enemy of this person named Lunar.


    "Telling her to get lostst time was me being merciful," Jimmie said, his tone icy and hostile. ¡°You''d better get her to leave. If she appears in front of me again, don''t me me for being rude."


    "But what about your music video?" Rachel frowned. This album was supposed to be his ticket to the Grammys. After all this time and preparation, to throw it all away over a photo frame...


    ¡°I only made this video to get more exposure so my sister might see it,¡± Jimmie said seriously. "They''re about to find her. Whether I get into the Grammys or not doesn''t matter anymore. Not to mention," he added, turning to Rachel with a terrifyingly grim look, "she broke my sister''s photo frame!"


    He practically bit off each word of thatst sentence.

 Chapter 98

    The depth of his hatred for Lunar was terrifyingly clear.


    Rachel sighed. She knew his sister held a special ce in his heart, but she hadn''t realized he was this obsessed. She had no idea where this sister was or what she looked like, but if they ever did find her, Jimmie would undoubtedly spoil her rotten.


    "If you turn Master Lunar away this time, you''ll burn this bridge for good. Are you sure about that?" Rachel made onest attempt, her expression strained. For a dance genius like Lunar to condescend to work on his music video... it was the luck of a lifetime.


    The ungrateful, sister-obsessed fool!


    Jimmie remained silent, his scowl saying it all. What bridge? If he had his way, he''d never hear the name "Lunar" again in his life.


    "Fine!" After failing to persuade him, Rachel gave up. "I''ll go tell Master Lunar you''ve rejected her."


    She shut the door behind her and stomped away, muttering curses under her breath. She was in such a foul mood, she probably would have kicked a passing dog.


    Twenty minutester, Jimmie''s phone buzzed. It was a file from Cybeic Shadows.


    [Your sister is alive.]


    [Your sister is in Era City.]


    [Your sister is eighteen years old.]


    And thest line: [Your sister''s idol is-Lunar!]


    What? His sister''s idol was... Lunar?


    The name mmed into his vision like a sharp sword, jolting his brain. If that was the case, and he had just antagonized Lunar, would his sister be angry with him? Would she refuse to acknowledge him? Would he lose his sister forever?


    The realization hit him like a physical blow. Jimmie shot to his feet, phone in hand, and strode out of the room, dialing as he went.


    "Mr. Tate, we still have one more set..."


    "Get out of my way!" Jimmie shoved the director aside, his pace quickening as he bumped into several crew members.


    "What''s wrong with Mr. Tate?"


    Everyone in the studio stared in shock at the man who seemed to have lost control. The crew, many of whom had worked with him for years, were used to the calm, cool, and collected Mr. Tate. Today, he was like a different person. A scary person.


    The line to Rachel''s phone just rang and rang. The second time, she hung up. The third time, he discovered she had blocked him.


    "Dammit!" Jimmie''s brow furrowed as he frantically jabbed the elevator button, praying Rachel hadn''t gotten to Lunar yet.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in another building at Era Media, Juniper was happily finishing her meal when she saw Rachel leaning against the doorframe, her eyes red.


    No sign of Jimmie. It was clear what had happened.


    That temper of his... she wondered who in the family he got it from. Definitely not her.


    "Master Lunar, about that..." Rachel began, looking deeply apologetic but unsure how to exin. "He wants me to get lost again, right?" Juniper asked, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs, a faint smile ying on her lips. It seemed Cybeic Shadows hadn''t found any useful information yet.


    "Well, not exactly..." Rachel grimaced. What Mr. Tate had actually said was much worse than just ''get lost.''


    "Master Lunar, please don''t be angry, his brain really just¡ª¡±


    BANG!


    Before Rachel could finish, the door was thrown open with tremendous force.


    "Name your price!"


    A sweaty, pale-faced Jimmie stood in the doorway.


    Juniper stared. So did Rachel.

 Chapter 99

    "Name... your price?" Rachel stared at the man who had just appeared, his expression grim. She waspletely bewildered.


    Just moments ago, he was practically snarling at the mere mention of Master Lunar, looking like he wanted to eat someone alive. Now he was storming in here, ready to throw money around? What was wrong with him?


    "Join the music video production. Name your price," Jimmie repeated, catching his breath. His intense eyes were fixed on the girl, his voice devoid of any warmth.


    Jimmie was tall, well over six feet. Juniper, though not short, was sitting down and wearing a hat, so all he could see was the top of her head and her general silhouette. He didn''t bother getting a closer look; what she looked like didn''t matter to him. What mattered was that his sister liked her. In a couple of days, after he found his sister, he nned to introduce her to ¡°Lunar¡± as a gift. His sister would be thrilled.


    Juniper, who had been nibbling on a chicken leg, paused. Hearing the man''s words, her brow furrowed. The chicken suddenly lost its vor.


    By now, Binary Oracle would have released her file. Cybeic Shadows should have already figured out her connection to Jimmie.


    So why was he rushing in here like this? Not to reunite with his sister, apparently. With that aggressive stance and icy expression, he looked more like he was here for revenge. A deep-seated one at that.


    "What do you mean?¡± Juniper lost her appetite. She tossed the chicken leg back onto the te and casually wiped her fingers, her tone just as cold as his.


    "You can name any price, but I have two conditions," Jimmie said, his patience thin. He harbored a deep resentment for the person who broke his sister''s photo frame and didn''t want to waste a single extra word on her.


    "First, you join the music video team as the lead choreographer and dancer."


    The production would take at least two weeks. That way, it would be convenient for his sister to meet her whenever she wanted.


    "And?¡± Juniper leaned back, wincing slightly as she bumped her sore arm.


    "My sister is a big fan of yours," Jimmie stated after a brief pause. "I want you to have a meal with her."


    Juniper''s heart skipped a beat, and she took a longer look at him. The first skip was because she was surprised at how much Jimmie genuinely cared for his "sister." The second was... a dawning, incredulous realization. She had been merciful, telling Binary Oracle to add the crucial keyword "Lunar" to her personal file. But Cybeic Shadows had clearly misinterpreted the clue. Instead of realizing Lunar was the sister, they''d concluded that the sister was a fan of Lunar.


    Ha. The leader of the Sigma Network had really raised a bunch of ipetent fools.


    So that''s why Jimmie was acting like a lunatic, one minute telling her to get lost, the next groveling with money for the sake of his "sister."


    And here she was, ready to forgive and forget and finally meet her brother, only for him to pull this stunt.


    Giving her an attitude, was he? Insulting her, ¡°Lunar," with money?


    "Alright,¡± Juniper said, shifting slightly and feeling another twinge in her arm. "I hear Mr. Tate is a global superstar with an immense fortune. My price won''t be cheap.¡± "Here''s a check," Jimmie said impatiently, clearly wanting to be done with her. "¡°Fill it in yourself."


    Wow. Her brother was loaded. Money was Juniper''s favorite thing, so she happily took a pen and began to write, stroke by careful stroke, on the check.


    Rachel gasped as she saw the first number go down. Master Lunar was ying for keeps. But honestly, after all the grief Jimmie had caused her recently, she found herself feeling a little bit of schadenfreude.


    Jimmie, however, paid her no mind. He was absorbed in his phone, constantly


    checking for updates on his sister. His mind was consumed with a single thought: Almost there. I''m about to find my sister.

 Chapter 100

    "Sign it,¡± Juniper said, finishing with the numbers and pushing the check toward Jimmie.


    He nced down. Every single space on the line was filled. A string of nines, amounting to 9.9 billion and then some more nines... She had some nerve.


    "For that price, I guarantee I''ll make Mr. Tate''s sister very happy," Juniper dered, crossing her arms with a confident smile. And she was genuinely happy. A few more days of waiting to meet her brother in exchange for nearly 10 billion, plus the chance to thoroughly humiliate those idiots at Cybeic Shadows? It was a win-win deal.


    Jimmie had initially thought her demand was outrageous, but hearing her promise, his frustration evaporated.


    Make his sister happy? That was all that mattered. As long as his sister was happy, no amount of money was too much.


    "You''d better be able to," he said coldly. He signed the check, left it on the table, and hurried out, phone pressed to his ear.


    Juniper overheard the conversation-it was Cybeic Shadows, reporting a problem with their investigation.


    She rolled her eyes. Of course there was a problem. They were looking for the sister right in front of her. Bunch of morons.


    ¡°Master Lunar, I''ll see you tomorrow, then," said Rachel, who was the happiest person in the room now that this drama was resolved. She excitedly took Juniper''s hand. ¡°By the way, has anyone ever told you that you look a lot like... Mr. Tate?"


    She had been observing them, and the more she looked, the more she saw the resemnce. Especially when they were angry, their eyes were practically identical. She was starting to suspect Master Lunar might actually be Mr. Tate''s long-lost sister. She had to find a way to get a picture of Master Lunar to show him.


    Juniper''s expression shifted instantly. She pushed up the brim of her hat with a slender finger, revealing her beautiful face. ¡°I''m much better looking than he is,¡± she stated seriously.


    "Uh..." Rachel gave an awkwardugh, then nodded firmly. "Well, that''s true."


    Master Lunar was even more exquisitely featured than Mr. Tate.


    ...


    Just after leaving Era Media, Juniper received another WhatsApp message from Shanley: [Candy.jpg]


    It was a type she''d never seen before, beautiful and tempting. Did he think he could buy her off with a few pieces of candy? She wasn''t that shallow!


    Juniper turned off her phone, tossed it into her backpack, and walked on with her head held high, feigning indifference.


    A few minutester, she couldn''t resist pulling her phone back out and typing a short reply: [What vors?]


    She definitely didn''t want any; she was just curious.


    After days of being ignored, Shanley felt a wave of relief wash over him when he saw her message.


    [A new vor they just developed. It''s delicious. Want me to bring some over?] he typed back, seizing the opportunity. A faint smile touched his lips, and the cold aura around him melted away, reced by a gentle warmth.


    In the front seat, Felton and Flint let out a collective sigh of relief seeing their boss finally smile. The candy R&D team''s sleepless nights had not been in vain. Otherwise, they''d be pulling another all-nighter.


    Juniper: [I''m busy the next couple of days.]


    Busy meeting her brother!


    Shanley: [Okay, take care of your business. But remember to contact me when you have time, okay?]


    Having just been on the receiving end of the cold shoulder, Shanley had learned his lesson and didn''t want to push too hard.


    Besides, he was a bit busy himself. There was trouble over at Cybeic Shadows. They had been so close to finding Jimmie''s sister, but something had gone wrong, and now the search waspletely off track. Jimmie was about to lose his mind. Shanley had to get to the alliance base to see what was going on himself.


    And speaking of coincidences, Jimmie''s sister was a fan of Juniper. She had good taste.

 Chapter 101

    The next day, Juniper had just finished ss when she got a call from Rachel.


    MV production was aplex beast involving choreography, filming, editing, and final approval, all on a very tight schedule. With Jimmie preupied with searching for news of his sister and having no desire to deal with Lunar, the unenviable task of coordination fell to the ever-hustling Rachel.


    "Master Lunar, how long does it usually take you to choreograph a dance?" Rachel asked, crouching beside Juniper and eyeing the girl as she flipped through the project proposal. With less than two months until the release date, she was worried they wouldn''t make it in time.


    Juniper lifted her chin, hesitated for a moment, and then held up one hand.


    "Five... five weeks?" Rachel''s jaw dropped in astonishment. Choreography time varied, but for a major production aimed at the Grammys, even experienced choreographers would prepare at least a year in advance. The fact that Master Lunar only needed a month was unbelievable. This woman was on another level.


    "Hmm?" Juniper wiggled her fingers, a yful arch in her brow. "Five minutes," she said, her voice light and casual.


    "How many?" Rachel shot to her feet, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Did you say five ''minutes''?" Five months would have been wild, let alone five minutes.


    "Yeah, five minutes." Seeing Rachel''s over-the-top reaction, Juniper blinked innocently. "Is there a problem?"


    The moment she understood the MV''s concept, the dance just materialized in her head. After reading the proposal, the entire choreography was essentiallyplete. Five minutes was, if anything, generous.


    "No, no problem," Rachel stammered, shaking her head so hard she could barely speak. She was beginning to realize she would neverprehend the world of geniuses. Sometimes, the gap between two people was wider than the gap between a person and a dog.


    After a long moment, Rachel finally regained herposure, her eyes filled with nothing but pure reverence. "How soon can you have this dance finalized?"


    "Two days," Juniper answered without a second thought.


    The members of Cybeic Shadows had their share of idiots, but a few were sharp enough to figure out the truth eventually.


    And while Jimmie was infuriating-snapping at her, telling her to get out¡ªshe still felt a twinge of guilt for taking his nearly 10 billion dors. If she delivered on her end of the deal, maybe their eventual family reunion wouldn''t be quite so awkward.


    She sighed and rubbed her forehead. What kind of brother-sister rtionship started out like this?


    Later, after finalizing the MV details, Juniper performed the entire newly- choreographed dance for Rachel, who recorded it on her phone.


    "A-plus! Perfect score!" Rachel gushed, so excited she stumbled over her words. Who else in the entire entertainment industry coulde up with choreography of this caliber?


    As Juniper packed up to leave, Rachel stopped her. "I noticed you seem to enjoy snacks, so I got you some." She handed over arge bag filled with treats.


    "Thanks," Juniper said, her eyes lighting up as she hugged the bag tightly.


    "Don''t mention it," Rachel replied, her smile feeling a bit stiff. "Mr. Tate really was busy today and couldn''t make it. Maybe another time¡ª"


    "No need to reschedule," Juniper interrupted, tucking the snacks into her backpack with a faint smile. "By tomorrow, he''ll be begging to see me."


    "He will?" Rachel froze. The idea of the notoriously aloof Jimmie begging to see anyone, let alone Master Lunar, was less likely than the world ending tomorrow. There was only one person on earth who could make Jimmie bend the knee: his sister.


    "By the way, Master Lunar, they''re auditioning backup dancers next door. Do you want to take a look?" Rachel asked. With a star like Lunar as the lead, the supporting cast had to be top-notch just to keep up.

 Chapter 102

    "You guys can decide," Juniper said with an indifferent shrug. With her in the lead, even a troupe of amateurs could make this MV shine.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the dancer audition area at Era Media, a dejected Ynda stood by the window after failing her audition.


    A group of sessful dancers crowded around, craning their necks to look outside. They''d heard the rumors: that Rachel had convinced Mr. Tate to hire some incredible choreographer who was not only a phenomenal dancer but also stunningly beautiful. This neer had apparently swooped in and snatched the lead role from Elvira Sutton, the entertainment world''s reigning dance queen. Everyone knew Elvira had been preparing for this MV for a full year and was considered the only choice for the lead. It wasn''t until thepany called her in to audition as a backup dancer that she learned the part had been given to someone else. Now, Elvira stood off to the side, her face a mask of bitter curiosity, waiting to see who had stolen her spot.


    "There she is!" someone eximed, and all eyes turned toward the door.


    Juniper? Ynda''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    The new choreographer and star of Jimmie Tate''s MV was Juniper? The sight of her brought back a flood of recent humiliations. She''d been ostracized at school, with people whispering about her being two-faced and maniptive. After pulling countless strings, she had finally managed to get on Elvira''s good side, hoping a role as a backup dancer in Mr. Tate''s MV would be hereback. And now, she had to run into Juniper. Her failed audition¡ªthat must have been Juniper''s doing too. That bitch!


    "Who''s that?" one of the other girls asked. They had just returned from training abroad and, thanks to the Sherwins scrubbing the inte of the scandal, were unaware of what had happened.


    "Lunar!" Ynda spat, her hands clenched into fists.


    "Lunar?" another girl gasped. "You mean the Lunar?"


    Elvira''s head snapped up. She had heard of her, of course; Lunar was a legend in the dance world. If it was truly Lunar who had taken the role, she could almost ept it.


    "I can''t believe it''s her," Ynda sneered, before adding in a poisonous whisper, "If that''s the case, she''s nothingpared to you, Elvira."


    Instantly, all eyes were on Ynda. Feigning distress, she continued softly, "To be honest, she''s the adopted daughter of the Sherwin family. She got kicked out after we exposed her for trying to seduce my boyfriend. The girl is deeply maniptive; she learned to dance in secret behind our back. After she left, she was immediately seen going to exclusive clubs with other rich men... It''s just so strange. Everyone knew the lead role was yours, so how did she suddenly steal it away?"


    Her insinuation was clear: Juniper had used underhanded, likely sexual, means to secure the part.


    "Oh my god, is she really that disgusting?"


    "Elvira, you were robbed!"


    "Mr. Tate made this MV as a tribute to his lost sister. If he knew the lead was some scheming, tainted woman-"


    Elvira''s hands tightened, her face a storm of resentment.


    Listening to them all denounce Juniper, Ynda smiled with satisfaction. If she couldn''t be happy, then Juniper certainly wasn''t going to be. Everyone knew Jimmie Tate was fiercely protective of his sister''s memory. Once he found out Juniper had trampled on that sacred ground... Well, let''s see how happy she was being the star then.

 Chapter 103

    The next day after school, Juniper spontaneouslypleted a physics worksheet. Keith was so thrilled that he convinced thenguage arts teacher to grant her a leave of absence. With her hard-won pass in hand, Juniper strolled out of school, leaving thenguage arts teacher wondering if Keith needed a psychiatric evaluation. The old man was practically aiding and abetting the enemy.


    When Juniper arrived at the Era Media dance studio, she found only a few scattered dancers. Clearly, not everyone had shown up, even though she double-checked the time Rachel had sent.


    "I wonder when Mr. Tate ising back," one of the girls said, ignoring Juniperpletely. "Times have really changed. Just anyone can star in an MV these days."


    "Well, she''s got skills, you know," a short-haired girl chimed in, shooting Juniper a look of pure disgust. "When you''re pretty and know how to y the game, you can get anything you want."


    "Exactly," a long-haired girl sneered, her re sharp and mocking. "Mr. Tate is pouring a fortune into this MV to find his lost sister. Does this person really think a fancy title can cover up all the filthy things she''s done? She should take a good look at herself. Does she really think she''s worthy of portraying someone so precious?"


    "She should just leave now if she knows what''s good for her. When Mr. Tate finds out she''s tainted his tribute to his sister..."


    The girls exchanged knowing smirks. Everyone knew Jimmie was cold and ruthless, a madman when it came to anything concerning his sister. All Lunar''s dancing skills wouldn''t save her then; she wouldn''t even know what hit her.


    Juniper listened to their chatter, her brow furrowing slightly. So that was it. They thought she was unworthy of the role because her reputation didn''t fit the pure image of the ''sister.''


    As the sister in question, she found the whole thing rather ironic.


    "It seems you all feel it''s beneath you to be my backup dancers," Juniper said coolly, not bothering to exin herself. She stuffed her hands in her pockets. "I''ll give you a choice. Those who want to stay can stay. Those who don''t can leave right now."


    Originally, she thought the MV would be better without backup dancers anyway. It was only because Rachel had mentioned this group had trained abroad for two years specifically for this project that she''d agreed. Now, it seemed she''d been too considerate.


    "It''s not your call to make!" one of the dancers snapped, standing up and storming out.


    "Yeah, we''ll see who''s the one leaving!"


    With a leader to follow, the other dancers strutted out, heads held high. They were certain thepany couldn''t rece them on such short notice.


    Besides, Elvira was waiting right outside to tell Mr. Tate the truth as soon as he arrived. Once he knew, Juniper would be thrown out on the street. They''d see how smug she was then.


    Soon, only one dancer remained.


    Juniper looked at the girl cowering in the corner. "Why didn''t you leave?"


    "Master Lunar, I''m a fan of yours," the girl whispered, looking up timidly. "I don''t believe any of the things they were saying."


    She had followed Master Lunar for years and felt she knew her character. A choreographer whose work sold for fortunes didn''t need to rely on men for money. As for that Ynda, she seemed like bad news from the start. She didn''t believe a word of her.


    "And if you ask me, you look a lot like Mr. Tate. More than..." The girl paused. "More than Elvira. You''re a much better fit for the role."

 Chapter 104

    She''d never thought Elvira was right for the part. It was only because of her family''s wealth and connections that everyone else ttered her, making her believe the role was already hers.


    "You''ve got good taste," Juniper said, pulling a bag of snacks from her backpack and tossing a pack of cookies to the girl. "Have some."


    "Thank you." The girl caught them, a sweet, shy smile gracing her lips. "Master Lunar, I still think you should go exin things to Mr. Tate. The rumors they''re spreading are... really nasty."


    "No need," Juniper said, tearing open her own snack with a smirk. "It''s just the two of us for this MV now. I''ll give you all the other dancers'' screen time."


    "What?" The cookies fell from the girl''s hand, her expression turning grave. "But Mr. Tate has a terrible temper, especially when ites to his sister. He..."


    "Have you ever seen Jimmie smile?" Juniper asked with relish as she opened a bag of chips.


    The girl went silent. The question was too mind-bending. Mr. Tate... smiling? The very thought sent a shiver down her spine.


    "Don''t worry," Juniper said, tearing into a savory chicken drumstick with gusto. "I''ll make him smile for youter."


    The thought of reuniting with her brother was making her nervous. She''d been so on edge she''d barely eaten lunch and was starving now. She needed to fuel up before she could properly discipline him.


    The girl''s remaining cookies tumbled to the floor as she stared at Juniper in disbelief. Had Master Lunar finally snapped from the pressure?


    ...


    Meanwhile, from a corner outside, Ynda watched the dance studio with glee. Seeing Juniper''s dancers abandon her one by one filled her with a thrilling sense of victory. Finally, the bitch was getting a taste of what it felt like to fall from grace. But it wasn''t over yet. The real show was about to begin. The thought of Jimmie putting Juniper in her ce sent an excited shiver through her entire body.


    Across town, Jimmie had been up all night waiting for news of his sister. He was on his way to the office, nearly dozing off, when his phone suddenly vibrated.


    "Hello!" He shot upright, wide awake the second he saw the caller ID. "Do you have news about my sister?"


    "Yes, sir," a respectful voice from Cybeic Shadows replied. "We''ve confirmed your sister''s location."


    "Who is she?" Jimmie''s fingers tightened around his phone, the pressure causing the screen to crack.


    "She''s an eighteen-year-old senior at Aurora High School..." the agent began, carefully reciting the details.


    "Just get to the damn point!" Jimmie snarled, his face dark. He already knew all of that.


    "Yes, yes, of course." The agent, thoroughly rattled, stammered out the crucial information. "Her name is Juniper Payne. She''s also known as a master choreographer, and online, they call her..."


    At the word ''choreographer,'' a strange feeling washed over Jimmie, and the image of that annoying girl inexplicably shed in his mind.


    "Lunar!"


    "What?" The name struck Jimmie like a physical blow. A sharp pain shot through him, and his voice was raw with disbelief.

 Chapter 105

    Lunar! Lunar!! His sister was Lunar!!!


    "Uh, here''s the thing, sir," the agent from Cybeic Shadows said hesitantly, breaking the deafening silence on Jimmie''s end. "We dide across Lunar''s file during our initial investigation and noted the resemnce to you. But since you had already met her twice in person, we assumed you would have recognized her if she was the one, so we never made the connection."


    Met her? Jimmie''s entire body began to tremble, the blood draining from his face.


    Yes, he had met her twice. The first time, Rachel brought her to thepany, proposing her as the choreographer and star for the MV. The girl had identally knocked over the photo frame of his ''sister,'' and he had coldly yelled at her to get out.


    The second time, thinking she was merely his sister''s idol, he had crudely tried to throw money at her.


    He''d had two chances to see her, to truly look at his sister''s face and recognize her. But what had he done? What kind of monster had he been?


    "Mr. Tate, we haven''t collected a DNA sample yet, but please take a look at this photo for now." The agent sent an image to his phone.


    Jimmie''s fingers tightened. After taking a long, deep breath to steady himself, he shakily tapped the image open. The moment he saw his sister''s face, he felt the blood reverse in his veins. A void in his mind was suddenly filled, and the floodgates of his memory burst open.


    "Bro, bro..."


    "I love my bro the most... I want a hug..."


    "Waaah, I want candy, bro, buy me candy..."


    Her clear, sweet voice echoed in his ears, perfectly matching the face on the screen. It was all so familiar. She truly did look like him, especially her eyes-so simr that a paternity test might be deemed unnecessary. But her features were more delicate, more beautiful than his, a perfectbination that was simply breathtaking.


    Jimmie gently caressed the image on the screen, his eyes slowly welling with tears of relief and bitter regret. If he had just paid more attention, if he had just looked at Lunar for a second longer either of those times, he would have known. He wouldn''t have let it drag on this long. He had finally found his sister. He had found his family. He hung up and immediately dialed Rachel.


    "Where is Lunar?" he demanded, his voice like ice, before she could even say hello.


    The tone sent a jolt of rm through Rachel. What was he nning to do to Master Lunar now?


    "What do you mean, ''where is she''?" Rachel retorted, her own defenses rising. "The money''s been paid, she''s been hired. It''s toote for you to back out now!"


    Jimmie gripped his phone tighter, his voice dropping several degrees colder. "I''m asking you, where is Lunar?!"


    The raw, unhinged shout nearly made Rachel drop her phone. She had seen Jimmie angry before, but never like this, never so utterly out of control. What on earth was happening?


    "She''s at the studio," Rachel relented, sensing this was serious. "Jimmie, what do you need her for?"


    Jimmie didn''t answer. The words ''at the studio'' were all that registered. He was less than ten minutes away. He would see his sister soon.


    What would he say? Would she hate him for how he''d treated her?


    The more he thought, the more his heart ached, and he wished he could turn back time and p himself for his blindness.

 Chapter 106

    "Hello? Say something!" Rachel pleaded into the silence, hearing only Jimmie''s ragged breathing on the other end. It sounded like he was on the verge of exploding. This had to be about his ''faceless'' sister again. Only she could drive him to this level of madness.


    "Just calm down and talk things out," she urged, her patience wearing thin. "You know what, don''t say anything. I''m on my way back from the school now. If you offend Master Lunar again and mess up this MV, I will personally kill you. Jimmie, are you listening to me¡ª"


    The line went dead. He''d hung up on her.


    "Oh god, this is going to be a disaster," Rachel groaned, tossing her phone into her bag and urging the driver to speed up. Neither of them was the type to back down. With Jimmie''s temper, Master Lunar might just haul off and p him, and he''d probably deserve it. The thought of their confrontation made her legs feel weak.


    ...


    Back at Era Media, Elvira had been waiting by the entrance and finally spotted Jimmie''s car. The door flew open, and a disheveled Jimmie, dressed in casual clothes with his hair unstyled, stormed into the building, his handsome face a mask of cold fury.


    "Mr. Tate," Elvira called out, hurrying to intercept him. "There''s something you have a right to know about Master Lunar."


    Jimmie, who had intended to ignore her, stopped dead in his tracks. Hearing his sister''s name, he turned, his voice chilling. "What is it?"


    "Lunar is nothing like the person she pretends to be online," Elvira said, her sense of injustice burning away her reason. "She''s ungrateful and morally corrupt. She''ll do anything, no matter how shameless, for money and fame."


    "What did you say?" Jimmie''s already cold eyes grew colder, a murderous glint appearing in their depths. His sister? Ungrateful? Morally corrupt? Shameless?


    "I know this MV is a gift for your sister," Elvira pressed on, too consumed by her own rage to notice the dangerous shift in Jimmie''s demeanor. "Someone as depraved as Lunar has no right to be the star."


    "Who told you this?" Jimmie asked quietly, his hands slowly clenching into fists at his sides as his own fury began to simmer.


    "Someone very close to her," Elvira replied, believing her usations were working. A thrill of victory shot through her. "Mr. Tate, I just don''t want to see your heartfelt project ruined."


    "Is that so?" Jimmie stared at her, his deep eyes boring into hers.


    "Yes," Elvira said, forcing herself to nod despite the fear creeping up her spine. "Where is Lunar?" Jimmie''s voice was a low, hoarse rasp, his expression icy. "In dance studio one," Elvira answered instantly. "What''s your name?"


    "Elvira Sutton," she replied, a triumphant smile spreading across her face.


    Jimmie gave the smiling girl onest, long look before turning and striding toward the dance studio without another word.


    It seemed Mr. Tate had believed her and was going to settle the score with Lunar. That Ynda girl had actually been useful for something. Elvira smirked and hurried after him, eager to watch the fireworks.

 Chapter 107

    Inside Era Media, the backup dancers saw the grim-faced man stalking toward them, radiating fury, and their eyes lit up with excitement.


    See? They knew it. Mr. Tate was obsessed with his sister''s memory; he''d never tolerate someone like Lunar tarnishing it. He was here to put her in her ce.


    "Mr. Tate-" one greeted.


    "Mr. Tate" another chimed in.


    They all fell in line behind him, puffed up with self-importance, now that they had someone powerful on their side.


    Jimmie, however, was so focused on seeing his sister that he didn''t even notice them. He stopped abruptly at the studio door and turned, his menacing gaze sweeping over the crowd behind him.


    The sight of his murderous expression stopped them in their tracks. He looked terrifying. Thest time they''d seen him look like that was in a movie where he yed a psychopathic killer. If he was this angry, Lunar was in for a world of hurt.


    The dancers practically vibrated with anticipation, gathering at the transparent ss wall of the adjacent studio to watch the show.


    At the door, the usuallyposed Jimmie found his palms sweating and his back soaked in cold sweat. A profound anxiety gripped him, unsure if his sister would ever forgive him. He made a silent vow: he would do anything, absolutely anything, if she would just forgive him.


    After a few moments, he managed to steel himself, pushing down his fear and mustering the courage to open the door.


    The first thing he saw was a slender, simultaneously familiar and unfamiliar figure. The girl had her back to him, sitting on a sofa with her long legs elegantly crossed. One hand rested on the armrest, tapping a light rhythm, while the other casually cracked open a nut. She was in a good mood, happilyining about him.


    "What kind of girl would be blind enough to fall for a guy with a personality like his?" she muttered. He was lucky he was her brother. Otherwise, with that foul temper of his, she''d beat him up every time she saw him. And she wouldn''t hold back.


    Mid-rant, the door creaked open. She didn''t turn around, but the girl sitting opposite her jumped to her feet in fright.


    "M-Mr. Tate!" The fan was so terrified by his sudden appearance that she stammered.


    Oh no. She had just been enthusiastically agreeing with Master Lunar''sints. Had he heard?


    Juniper didn''t turn, focusing on finishing the remaining nuts in front of her. It would be a waste not to.


    "Master Lunar, Mr. Tate is here!" the fan whispered urgently, trying to warn her. "You should stop eating!"


    Mr. Tate was a notorious neat freak and hated people eating in the dance studios. Someone had once gotten an earful for just having a lollipop.


    And here was Master Lunar, not only eating but also badmouthing him while doing it. She had just walked straight into a minefield.


    "Don''t rush me, I''m almost done," Juniper said with a slight arch of her brow, her tonezy and unconcerned, a clear sign she couldn''t care less about the man behind her.


    What? The fan watched in horror as Master Lunar, instead of stopping, poured the rest of the nuts out of the bag. Her brain simply shut down.


    "You can go," Jimmie said, his eyes fixed on his sister''s back. His voice was unconsciously gentle.


    "Oh, yes, sir." Seeing Mr. Tate''s stone-cold expression, the girl nodded weakly. As she left, she desperately tried to catch Juniper''s eye, but Juniper pointedly ignored her. The fan felt like she was about to faint. This was going to be an all-out war. From the ss room, Elvira and the others watched, their faces filled with contempt.

 Chapter 108

    "Even though we can only see their backs, you can just imagine how furious Mr. Tate must be," one dancer whispered.


    "Lunar is so arrogant. How dare she ignore Mr. Tate to his face?"


    "She must know she''s crossed a line and can''t fix it, so she''s just given up."


    "She''s acting calm, but I bet she''s panicking inside!"


    "Elvira, you should get ready to take her ce."


    "Exactly," Ynda chimed in eagerly, quick to tter her new ally. "Elvira is the only one who''s right for this role."


    Elvira smiled, then nced at Ynda. "With your skill level, you''d make a fine backup dancer." Once she was the lead, it was only natural for her to pick her own team.


    "Thank you, Elvira!" Ynda beamed. Juniper would be cklisted from the dance world, disgraced and forgotten, while she would rise to international fame in Mr. Tate''s MV. The thought alone was intoxicating. This was the oue she had been waiting for.


    Inside the studio, the only sound was the crisp cracking of nuts. Jimmie took a step forward, finally seeing the girl''s face. In that instant, his breath caught in his throat.


    There was no need for a DNA test. One look at that face was all the proof he needed. This girl was his sister!


    "My sis¡ª" Jimmie started, his voice cracking. He clenched his fists, afraid of scaring her, and quickly changed his words. "You..."


    "Tsk," Juniper tilted her head back, meeting his gaze without a hint of fear. "I''m just eating some nuts. Mr. Tate, you''re not going to tell me to ''get out'' again, are you?" "No," Jimmie said, his face paling in rm. "Eat all you want. Anything you want." He''d let her eat bullets if it made her happy.


    "Or maybe..." Juniper raised an eyebrow, her hands never ceasing their work, a subtle smile ying on her lips. "You heard the rumors about me, found out I dismissed the dancers, and came to settle the score?"


    "No," Jimmie shook his head, his eyes stinging, a lump forming in his throat. How could he ever be angry with her? He only wanted to spoil her.


    "Oh." Juniper seemed satisfied with his response. She cocked her head, her voice softening slightly. "Mr. Tate, I''ve heard that you''re devoted to your sister''s memory. Aren''t you afraid my bad reputation will ruin the MV you''re making for her? After all,st time, I just identally touched her photo frame, and you shoved me into the door. My arm was bruised for days."


    Her tone wasced with a genuine sense of grievance.


    "I''m sorry," Jimmie choked out, the memory ofying a hand on her filling him with agonizing regret. "I didn''t know then. I didn''t know you were my..."


    Sister...


    The word was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn''t bring himself to say it. He had acted like such a monster, he had even hurt her. She must despise him. If he told her the truth now, would she ever ept him?


    "You didn''t know I was your what?" Juniper set aside the nuts and slowly rose to her feet. She walked toward him, her clear eyes locking onto his.


    "You didn''t know I was your sister, did you? Bro!"


    What? What did she just call him?


    Bro?!


    It felt as if something had just exploded in his brain.

 Chapter 109

    "You-"


    The word "Bro" left Jimmie frozen in ce. A thin veil of mist clouded his bloodshot eyes, and a crushing weight seemed to settle on his mind, making it impossible to think.


    How did she know? And more importantly, did the fact that she had just called him ''bro'' mean she was willing to forgive him?


    Juniper watched his stunned, guilt-ridden expression with a sigh. Before, he had been all too ready to tell her to get out, throw money at her, and demand she have dinner with his ''sister.'' He was so eloquent then, going on and on about his precious ''sister.'' Now that the sister in question was standing right in front of him, he was suddenly speechless.


    "Want to know how I figured it out?" Juniper asked with a wry smile,zily rubbing her wrist.


    "Yes," Jimmie managed, his body as rigid as if it had been cast in concrete. He stared at her, terrified that if he blinked, she would disappear.


    "A ssmate of mine is a fan of yours. She showed me your picture, so I did a little digging," Juniper exined calmly. "Turns out it''s a small world."


    "When did you know?" Jimmie''s throat was dry, his voice a rough whisper.


    "Last Saturday," she said with a soft huff, popping a piece of candy into her mouth to quell her lingering irritation. "When you pushed me, I managed to pluck a couple of your hairs."


    Last Saturday? Jimmie''s mind shed back to their first meeting. So she had known, even back then, that he might be her brother.


    "I''m sorry," he whispered, his already pale face growing even paler. His voice trembled. "Your brother didn''t¡ª"


    Juniper nced up at him, and he immediately corrected himself. "I didn''t mean it. I really didn''t."


    Seeing the broken man in front of her, the candy in Juniper''s mouth suddenly tasted


    sour.


    "It''s not entirely your fault," she said, blinking to hide her own awkwardness. "I knocked over your photo frame, you pushed me into the door. Since neither of us meant it, let''s just call it even."


    At those words, Jimmie''s ashen face flickered with hope. He looked at her, asking carefully, "You''re really not angry?"


    Juniper nodded. She had been, a little, but then she realized that everything he''d done stemmed from his deep love for his sister. That made him a good brother in her book, one she could forgive. Besides, she had conned him out of nearly 10 billion dors.


    "Here," Juniper pulled the DNA report from her bag and handed it to him.


    "How did you get this?" Jimmie took it, his surprise momentarily overriding his relief as he saw the results. When had she done a DNA test?


    "I told you, I plucked a few of your hairs during our first meeting," she reminded him.


    Jimmie clutched the report, reading the confirmation over and over. Juniper was really his sister. His actual sister!


    "Does it still hurt?" he asked, his gaze falling to her arm. He wanted to check it but was afraid she''d pull away, so he could only ask timidly.


    "Huh?" Juniper had been tempted to tease him, to say it still hurt a lot, but she didn''t have the heart.


    "It''s okay, I guess," she said instead.


    ''Okay'' meant it had hurt. Jimmie''s expression shifted. He turned, walked to a corner of the room, and returned with a wooden stick.


    "Hit me back," he said, his expression deadly serious. "Hit me hard. As hard as you need to feel better."


    Juniper froze, the candy still in her mouth.


    Yeah, that was probably a bad idea. One swing from her and she might not have a brother left.

 Chapter 110

    "Whoa!"


    Jimmie''s sudden move shocked the crowd of onlookers.


    "What on earth did Lunar say to Mr. Tate to make him grab a stick?"


    "So what if she''s a great dancer? After offending Mr. Tate, she''s finished in this industry."


    "Ynda, your sister really has some nerve," someone remarked. Mr. Tate was about to beat her, and she was still standing there, refusing to leave.


    "Shees from nothing, a low-ss background. We can dress her up, but we can''t change what''s in her blood," Ynda sneered, her mood soaring. "See? She can''t evenpare to a single strand of Elvira''s hair."


    Elvira just listened, a faint smile on her lips.


    "But Lunar was hired by Rachel. Do you think she knows about all this?" another dancer wondered. After all, Rachel had a say in casting the lead.


    Just as they were gossiping, Rachel came running in, looking frantic.


    "Rachel," someone called out, eager to stir the pot. "Mr. Tate found out about Lunar''s scandals and he''s furious. They got into a huge fight, and now he''s about to hit her."


    "What?" Rachel, already sweating and out of breath, only registered the words "hit her."


    "It''s not Mr. Tate''s fault," Elvira stepped forward, repeating the same story she had told Jimmie. "Lunar has no morals. She''s just not a good person. Mr. Tate felt she was insulting his sister''s memory and wanted her to leave, but she refused. That''s why he got so angry."


    "What?" Rachel''s voice shot up an octave. She stared at Elvira in disbelief, certain she''d misheard. Lunar wasn''t a good person? What kind of nonsense was this?


    "You can ask Mr. Tate yourself," Elvira said, pleased with Rachel''s shocked reaction. "Lunar is... well, she''s a piece of work."


    "Yeah, she is," the others chimed in.


    Rachel gave Elvira a long, hard look. She wanted to tear into her right then and there, but her worry for the two in the studio was more pressing.


    "Don''t you go anywhere," she said coldly. "I have something to discuss with youter."


    "Of course," Elvira replied with a gentle nod, content to wait. With Lunar about to be kicked out, the lead role in the MV would be vacant. And who was the most obvious recement? Her, of course.


    Rachel swore she had never run so fast in her life. Panic and adrenaline surged through her, her heart threatening to beat out of her chest.


    She knew someone must have been feeding Jimmie lies, poisoning him against Master Lunar. And with his temper, especially concerning his sister, all rationality would be gone. He wouldn''t just hit someone; in a rage, he was capable of murder.


    Finally, she reached the dance studio. She threw her weight against the door, yelling to stop whatever was happening inside.


    "Stop it! Don''t you two¡ª"


    The door swung open, and the scene before her made the words die in her throat.


    There stood the aloof superstar Jimmie, holding a stick, his body slightly hunched as he stood before Lunar. His voice was soft, almost pleading, "Please, just hit me. It''ll make me feel better."


    Rachel froze on the spot, her mind nk. She stared at the two of them, utterly bewildered.


    Was she hearing things? Was Jimmie actually asking Master Lunar to beat him? What in the world was going on?

 Chapter 111

    "This doesn''t make any sense. It''spletely illogical. Maybe I just ran too fast and my brain hasn''t caught up yet. Yes, that must be it.¡±


    Rachel patted her head, backed out of the room, and took several deep gulps of air. Once she felt clear-headed, she pushed the door open again.


    "If you''re too tired, you can have someone else do it," Jimmie said, his face pale and his tone even more deferential than before.


    Rachel stood frozen, so bewildered she didn''t know what to do with her limbs.


    She wasn''t hearing things. She wasn''t seeing things. Mr. Tate was actually asking Master Lunar to hit him. The tone, the look in his eyes, the attitude... It was intimate, gentle, doting.


    In the dozen or so years she''d worked for Mr. Tate, she had never seen him wear such an expression.


    Could it be...


    Rachel''s mind went nk for a few seconds before a shocking thought struck her. "Are these two... dating? And am I just part of their role-ying scene?"


    Before Rachel could snap out of her wild fantasy, she heard Jimmie speak again. "From now on, your big brother will never hurt you again."


    What?


    Big brother!


    Rachel''s eyes widened, her mouth fell open, and her eyeballs nearly popped out of her head. Her expression changed faster than a chameleon changing colors.


    If Jimmie was calling himself her big brother, then Lunar must be his... sister?


    Holy crap!


    Rachel stumbled, her body swaying violently as her back mmed against the door.


    "CRASH "


    The loud noise made both Jimmie and Juniper turn their heads to look at her.


    Oh, my god! Seeing their faces together was a visual shockwave. He was strikingly handsome, and she was breathtakingly beautiful, each with their own unique appeal.


    More importantly, looking at them closely like this, they really did look alike.


    "You... you two..."


    Rachel pressed herself against the doorframe, barely managing to stay upright, too shocked to form aplete sentence.


    "Are you tired?" Jimmie patted the chair beside him, which he had padded with his own jacket for his sister. "Sit down and rest for a bit. Your big brother will go see what''s going on."


    "Hm?"Juniper stared at Jimmie, her starry eyes narrowing slightly.


    Brother?


    "Ahem."


    Jimmie ced the wooden stick next to her hand and awkwardly looked away.


    Even if his sister hadn''t officially called him ''brother'' yet, he could call himself that. It sounded nice.


    After making sure Juniper wasfortable, Jimmie finally walked over to Rachel, closing the blinds of the dance studio on his way.


    The crowd of onlookers exchanged confused nces.


    "What happened? Why didn''t Mr. Tate do anything?"


    "Not only did he not do anything, he let Lunar sit down!"


    "Rachel must have gone in and sorted it out. Besides, Mr. Tate is a gentleman. He wasn''t really going to get violent."


    "I agree. Rachel will definitely handle this for Mr. Tate. Terminating the contract will be a piece of cake."


    "By the way, Elvira, didn''t Rachel ask you to stay?"


    "Yes." Elvira, no longer concerned with what was happening inside, sat scrolling through her phone, asionally humoring Ynda.


    "Congrattions." The others, understanding the implication, started to tter her. "When you be the lead, can you make sure we get a little more screen time?" "It''s not a done deal yet," Elvira said modestly, but inwardly she was already celebrating.


    Mr. Tate had asked for her name, and Rachel had told her to wait. The meaning was obvious.


    Everyone was happily congratting Elvira, except for one girl who had been ostracized. She was the only one who seemed to notice something odd.


    Didn''t they think... that the way Mr. Tate helped Master Lunar sit down was incredibly gentle?

 Chapter 112

    "Phew..."


    Rachel sat down, clutching her pounding heart and gasping for air.


    It was a good thing she exercised regrly and had a high tolerance for stress. Otherwise, she might have had a heart attack right then and there.


    "What in the world is going on?" Rachel finallyposed herself, looking back and forth between Jimmie and Lunar, her brain struggling to keep up. "How is Master Lunar your sister?"


    "It''s true," Jimmie said, grabbing a handful of pistachios. He shelled them one by one and gently ced the nuts near Juniper''s hand. "Juniper is my sister."


    As he spoke, he deliberately spread out the DNA report, raising an eyebrow with a hint of pride. "My biological sister."


    Rachel snatched the report and read it over and over. It was true. They were rted.


    "See! I knew it!" Rachel, who had just calmed down, shot up from her seat again, eximing, "I said from the beginning that Master Lunar and you looked alike. I can''t believe you''re actually rted!"


    Admit it, her eye for these things was impable!


    "Keep your voice down," Jimmie chided with a slight frown, his tone displeased. "You''re disturbing Juniper''s snack time."


    Rachel''s smile froze, and her mouth twitched.


    He just found his sister, and suddenly, he''d be aplete stranger to Rachel!


    "Hmph," Rachel huffed, then scurried over to Juniper''s side and took her hand. "Master Lunar, congrattions. I''m so happy for you. Congrattions to you, and congrattions to me."


    As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.


    She no longer had to worry about Mr. Tate having a meltdown and canceling the project at any moment. She didn''t have to worry about Master Lunar getting angry and walking off the set. She didn''t have to worry about the two of them getting into a fight during production.


    The world was a beautiful ce again.


    "So, are you two going public with this?" Rachel asked, finally getting to the heart of the matter.


    The whole world knew Mr. Tate was searching for his sister. They would surely be thrilled for him.


    Jimmie didn''t answer, instead looking at Juniper with hopeful eyes.


    "Hm?" Juniper, busy with her pistachios, noticed them both staring at her and mumbled, "I don''t think so."


    "CRACK-"


    Rachel could practically hear Mr. Tate''s heart breaking. He seemed to dete on the spot.


    "Actually, not going public is the right move," Rachel said after a moment, trying to console him. "Mr. Tate, your influence is massive, and Master Lunar has her college entrance examsing up. Announcing it now would only cause her unnecessary trouble."


    "Mmm," Juniper nodded in agreement. School was already a drag. She didn''t have the energy to deal with anything else.


    "Is that the reason?" Jimmie let out a sigh of relief, a smile returning to his face. "I''II listen to you. We''ll have plenty of opportunitiester."


    Thank goodness. It wasn''t because she was ashamed of him as her brother.


    "I should get back to school."


    It was about time. The brother-sister reunion was over, and Juniper slung her backpack over her shoulder, ready to leave.


    "Juniper." Jimmie shot up from his seat, his eyes filled with urgency. "Can I get your number?"


    They still had so much to talk about.


    "Sure," Juniper paused for a second before pulling out her phone.


    Jimmie was so excited that his hands trembled, and he fumbled with the screen


    several times before he could unlock it. In the end, Rachel had to help him.


    Once they were connected, Juniper created a contact for Jimmie: Brother.


    Seeing the contact name, Jimmie finally broke into a wide grin. But then he remembered something else, and his voice turned grim. "Juniper, before you leave, there are some people and things that need to be dealt with."


    Rachel knew exactly what he meant.


    ndering Mr. Tate''s sister? They had no idea who they''d messed with.

 Chapter 113

    "Creak-"


    The door to the dance studio opened.


    The crowd of gossips snapped to attention, their eyes fixed on the person emerging.


    "It''s just Rachel. Where''s Mr. Tate?"


    "Rachel looks furious. She must be livid."


    "It looks like Rachel is holding a new contract." A sharp-eyed girl looked at Elvira, her excitement palpable. "Elvira, is that for you?"


    Elvira nced over, her heart pounding in her chest. It seemed Mr. Tate had really gotten rid of Lunar.


    "Go to the room upstairs," Elvira instructed Ynda as she stood up and smoothed out her clothes.


    Ynda wasn''t an employee of thepany, so it was against the rules for her to be in the dance studio.


    "Okay." Ynda slipped into a room, pacing back and forth with excitement.


    Juniper was going to be cklisted, wasn''t she? The thought made Ynda giddy with anticipation. She couldn''t wait to see her fall from grace.


    ...


    "Rachel." Elvira stepped forward, positioning herself at the head of the group of backup dancers, and greeted her respectfully.


    Rachel stopped, her icy gaze sweeping over the group beforending on Elvira''s face.


    She had handpicked this group of dancers herself; they were all at a simr skill level. But she''d heard whispers that Elvira, who came from a moderately wealthy family and had studied abroad, was arrogant and constantly tried to one-up the others. Thanks to her generosity with money, she had quickly be their de facto leader.


    It seemed this whole mess had something to do with her.


    "I heard you all had a disagreement with Master Lunar and walked out on her," Rachel said, her brow furrowed.


    "It wasn''t a disagreement," one of the dancers immediately retorted, unwilling to back down. "We''ve been training for this music video for years. No one wants it to be perfect more than we do."


    "But to choose someone with such a questionable character as the lead, and then expect us to be her backup..." The girl scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain. "I refuse."


    This music video was aiming for the Grammys. If Lunar''s scandals were exposed, all their hard work would be ruined by someone like her.


    "That''s right, we won''t stand for it," others chimed in, their voices rising in a chorus of protest. They were confident thepany wouldn''t dare rece all of them, which made them act all the more arrogant.


    Rachel took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. If Mr. Tate, who was still inside shelling pistachios for Master Lunar, heard this, he would probably twist their heads off.


    "This isn''t what you think..." Rachelposed herself, preparing to exin. "Master Lunar is "


    No matter what, they had put a lot of effort into this project, and they were talented. She was willing to give them one more chance.


    But before she could finish, Elvira cut her off.


    "Rachel," she said softly, "we''re doing this for Mr. Tate''s sake. We hope that when


    his sister sees the music video, it will remind her that he exists. Lunar is nothing but


    a maniptive, ungrateful, and morally corrupt person. Mr. Tate wouldn''t want someone like that as the lead, would he?"


    "You" Rachel was terrified by Elvira''s reckless words.


    Just then, Jimmie''s voice came from behind her. "Morally corrupt people are indeed unsuitable for this music video."


    In an instant, everyone looked toward the source of the sound. There stood the tall, handsome man, his eyes half-lidded, his expression indifferent as he stared at Elvira.


    What did Mr. Tate mean? Did he think she had a point?


    Elvira''s heart raced, and a joyful smile spread across her face.


    "Rachel," Jimmie said, his hands in his pockets, his voice as cold as a winter''s night,


    sending shivers down their spines, "terminate the contracts."

 Chapter 114

    Terminate the contracts?


    At those words, the dancers exchanged triumphant nces. Lunar was finally getting kicked out. With Elvira as the lead, they wouldn''t have to worry about screen time.


    Elvira breathed a sigh of relief, a smile gracing her lips.


    But that smile hadn''t evensted two seconds before Rachel spoke.


    "Here are the termination agreements. As of now, you are no longer dancers for this music video, and you have no further affiliation with Era Media."


    What?


    Hearing this, everyone stared in disbelief, their eyes widening.


    Wasn''t Lunar the one getting fired? Why were their names on the contracts?


    "Rachel, what are you talking about?" Elvira asked, her smile frozen on her face as she looked at the stack of papers.


    "Isn''t it obvious?" Rachel mmed the contracts onto a table. "You maliciously ndered Master Lunar, defamed her character, and acted without integrity."


    "I just spoke with Master Lunar. You all voluntarily withdrew from the music video. And Master Lunar has decided she only needs one backup dancer for this project. As for the rest of you, feel free to leave."


    Maliciously ndered? Elvira''s face drained of all color, bing deathly pale. "We didn''t," she stammered. "Someone told us she..."


    "See for yourselves!" Rachel pulled out her phone and showed them the recent, positive news articles about Lunar.


    As Elvira scrolled, her expression grew uglier and uglier.


    How could this be? Ynda had sworn that her stepsister was a terrible person. She had even shown them a mountain of negative reports about Lunar.


    She had trusted Ynda, and she had been deceived!


    "Do you have any idea how much effort I put into convincing Master Lunar to do this music video? And you all had the audacity to disrespect her? Era Media is a small pond, and we can''t amodate whales like you," Rachel said bluntly. "After you sign your papers, someone will handle your off-boarding."


    It was only then that they all realized what had happened. They had been yed by Ynda. Not only had they failed to get rid of Lunar, but they had also lost the opportunity of a lifetime to dance in Mr. Tate''s music video.


    And worse, who in the entertainment industry would dare to hire anyone fired by Era Media?


    Termination was tantamount to being cklisted.


    It was over. Their dancing careers were over.


    "Rachel, please give us another chance." Panicked, they didn''t dare look at Mr. Tate and could only plead with Rachel. "We were wrong. We''ll apologize to Master Lunar, we''ll get on our knees and beg for her forgiveness."


    "I can''t lose this opportunity, I can''t..."


    Rachel looked at Jimmie, awaiting his instructions.


    "My... Master Lunar shouldn''t have to look at such filth," Jimmie said, his handsome face grim, his expression utterly cold. "You know what to do."


    Rachel nodded. Of course she knew. When it came to his sister, termination and cklisting were getting off easy. She had no doubt that if there had been a knife handy, Mr. Tate would have dly used it on anyone who ndered or bullied his sister.


    After Jimmie left, Rachel finally spoke, "You have thirty minutes to clear out your things. If you''re not gone by then..... you''ll face the consequences."


    With that, she turned and walked away without a second nce.


    "Elvira, what do we do?" the other dancers cried, turning to Elvira, who stood frozen, as if all the blood had been drained from her body.


    What could they do? Mr. Tate himself had told them to get lost. Who would dare to stay? She could have at least been a backup dancer if she didn''t get the lead role... but now, she had nothing.


    And it was all Ynda''s fault.


    Snapping back to reality, Elvira clenched her fists and stormed upstairs. She was going to make that witch pay!

 Chapter 115

    Upstairs, Ynda was pacing anxiously, phone in hand.


    What was happening? By now, Juniper should have been fired and cklisted by


    Mr. Tate! Why hadn''t Elvira called with the good news yet?


    Just as she was wondering, she heard heavy footsteps approaching.


    "Elvira!" Ynda opened the door, her face lighting up when she saw her.


    "Congrattions! You must have gotten the lead role, right?"


    Elvira said nothing, her bloodshot eyes fixed on Ynda, burning with pure hatred.


    "What''s wrong?" Ynda asked, confused.


    The next second...


    Elvira''s hand flew, striking Ynda across the face with a loud, sharp crack.


    "Ah!" The force of the blow sent Ynda stumbling and crashing to the floor.


    "Elvira, what happened?" Ynda was stunned, clutching her stinging cheek and staring in disbelief at the enraged girl.


    "You have the nerve to ask me that?" Elvira''s face was a cold mask as she advanced on Ynda, her eyes red with fury. "Weren''t you the one who told me Lunar was a terrible person?"


    "She is," Ynda whimpered, nodding fearfully. "She''s always been a worthle¡ª"


    "Don''t you dare lie to me again!" Elvira, incandescent with rage, pped her again, then grabbed a fistful of her hair. "You used me as your pawn. You must have a death wish."


    After seeing the real news online, Elvira understood everything. Ynda had a grudge against Lunar. So, while the dancers were in intensive training and cut off from the news, she had spread malicious rumors. Then she''d used Elvira toin to Mr. Tate and Rachel.


    If it had worked, Elvira would have be the lead and would have certainly promoted Ynda to a backup dancer, setting her up for life.


    And if it failed, Ynda herself would suffer no consequences.


    Brilliant. It was a wless n!


    "I didn''t..." Ynda cried out as Elvira yanked her hair, the searing pain making her struggle desperately.


    "Thanks to you, not only have I lost the music video, but I''m also going to be cklisted from the entire dance industry!" Elvira''s grip tightened, as if she wanted to tear her apart.


    "Aaaah!" Ynda screamed and cried, unable to break free.


    "I''m telling you, this isn''t over," Elvira snarled, then violently shoved her away.


    THUD-


    Ynda''s head mmed into the floor, arge lump immediately forming on her forehead. Before she could even get up, the other dancers rushed in, their eyes zing with fury as they stared at Ynda.


    "There she is!"


    "Our careers are ruined, and it''s all because of this bitch!"


    "Let''s get her!"


    Then, the dancers swarmed her, a flurry of ps raining down on Ynda. "Help me!"


    The sound of ps mixed with cries of pain echoed through the room. "Hmph." Elvira stood with her arms crossed, watching coldly. The dance studio was soundproofed. Ynda could scream her lungs out, and no one would hear.


    Besides, the Sherwin family was currently in negotiations with the Sutton family, and they were the ones asking for the favor. Let''s see if Ynda dared to report this assault.


    "Hit her harder," Elviramanded, feeling even more emboldened.


    The pping grew louder.


    ...


    Downstairs, Jimmie, having dealt with the "trash," returned to his sister''s side.


    "Which school do you go to?" he asked softly. "I''ll drive you."


    "Huh?" Juniper popped the rest of the pistachios Jimmie had shelled for her into her mouth.


    "No need," she saidzily.

 Chapter 116

    "Why not?" Jimmie''s brow furrowed, his tone both pleading and cautious.


    Why wouldn''t she let her brother drive her? He really wanted to.


    "It''s too shy," Juniper said, pulling on her hat. "Besides¡ª"


    She tilted her head back, her clear eyes meeting his. "We need to finalize the choreography for the music video tonight. I''ll send you the proposal. Let me know if you have any issues so I can make adjustments."


    Jimmie had a million questions for his sister, but knowing she had to get back to ss, he simply nodded. "Okay."


    On that note, Rachel chimed in. "All the dancers have been fired. I don''t think we''ll have time to audition new ones."


    "We don''t need to," Juniper said, already walking toward the exit. As she reached the door, she nced at a figure huddled in the corner. "One backup dancer is enough."


    "Huh?" Rachel blinked, then hurried after her. "Just one?"


    "Mmm-hmm." Juniper beckoned with her hand, and the girl immediately scurried over, her head bowed timidly.


    "Mr. Tate, Master Lunar, Rachel," she mumbled. She had seen everything that just happened. In less than ten minutes, an entire group of dancers had been fired and cklisted. It was terrifying. She had been trembling in the corner the whole time, thankful she had stayed out of it.


    "She''ll do," Juniper said, gesturing toward the girl with a nod of her chin.


    "Is one backup dancer really going to be enough?" Rachel asked carefully, biting her lip. It wasn''t that she doubted Master Lunar''s talent, but the original n had been choreographed for ten dancers. Changing it now could be a major problem.


    "If I say it''s enough, it''s enough," Juniper said, looking at Rachel with a deep, steady gaze. Her voice was low and soft, yet it carried an undeniable authority that was surprisingly intimidating.


    "Oh! Okay!" Rachel felt goosebumps rise on her arms and didn''t dare to argue.


    "That settles it. We''ll do as Juniper says," Jimmie dered, handing Juniper her backpack. His voice was impossibly gentle. "Call me anytime, okay?"


    Juniper nodded and reached for her bag, but she couldn''t pull it away. Jimmie was holding on tight.


    Juniper shot him a warning look.


    "Be careful on your way back," Jimmie said, reluctantly letting go. His gaze then shifted to Rachel, his expression serious. "Make sure she gets back to school safely."


    Rachel rolled her eyes. She was starting to think that Mr. Tate, having found his sister, was even more unhinged than before.


    The remaining dancer was also stunned, her mouth hanging open. She had just seen Mr. Tate not only carry Master Lunar''s bag but also speak to her with such incredible tenderness.


    "Alright, I''m leaving," Juniper said, shouldering her backpack. She took a couple of steps, then seemed to remember something and walked back to Jimmie. She tilted her head up. "Smile."


    Jimmie''s brow twitched. What did his sister want him to do?


    Smile? He wasn''t very good at that. But if his sister wanted to see it, he would try.


    And so, the bewildered dancer watched as the famously stoic Mr. Tate suddenly broke into a wide, stiff grin.


    tter-


    The items in her hand fell to the floor as she recalled Master Lunar''s words from earlier: "Have you ever seen Jimmie smile? I''ll make him smile for youter!"


    Oh my god! She had seen Mr. Tate smile! What on earth had happened in thest fifteen minutes? How had Master Lunar tamed the untouchable superstar?!


    After personally seeing his sister off, Jimmie pulled out his phone and found Shanley''s number. That guy was always so arrogant, boasting that the girl he liked was beautiful, kind, one-of-a-kind, and that even Jimmie''s long-lost sister couldn''tpare. Now, he could finally rub it in that old man''s face!

 Chapter 117

    At that moment, a silver, priceless sports car was cruising smoothly down the road.


    Inside, Shanley was slouched casually against his seat, his intense eyes fixed on his phone screen. The enclosed space of the car felt several degrees below freezing, chilled by the cold aura radiating from him.


    Felton and Flint sat in silence, not daring to make a sound. Their boss had sent several messages to Ms. Payne, and she hadn''t replied to a single one. Unable to direct his frustration at her, he was stewing in his own anger. They were starting to wonder if Ms. Payne now thought he was... impotent, and was ghosting him as a result.


    "Ring... Ring... Ring..."


    Just as the two felt they were about to suffocate, a sharp ringtone broke the long silence.


    Jimmie? Seeing the name, Shanley''s tightly furrowed brow rxed slightly as he answered the call.


    "I found my sister," Jimmie announced from his sofa, fiddling with the pile of pistachio shells Juniper had left behind. A broad smile stretched across his handsome face.


    "Congrattions," Shanley said sincerely, pinching the bridge of his nose.


    He had been in the middle of sorting through clues about his sister the day before when Hannah had suddenly called him home for something urgent. He figured they would find her eventually, so he hadn''t pressed for details. He was surprised it had happened so quickly.


    "She''s a sweet young girl," Jimmie continued, his voice full ofughter. "Beautiful, well-behaved, incredibly smart, and talented."


    "In the entire entertainment industry, no one canpare to my sister in terms of looks or talent."


    "And of course, she''s definitely prettier than your little girl!"


    He clearly remembered how Shanley had defended his own girl while ''belittling'' his sisterst time.


    "Is that so?" Shanley chuckled, an image of Juniper''s defiant face involuntarily popping into his mind, which only widened his smile.


    In an industry filled with beauties, that was high praiseing from Mr. Tate. Of course, the source was highly biased. The guy was clearly smitten with his sister and could see no one else.


    "You should bring her out to meet everyone sometime," Shanley said with azy, roguish grin. He really hadn''t met many girls more beautiful or unique than Juniper.


    "Maybe in a while," Jimmie said, his brow knitting slightly. "We''ve just reconnected, and the kid is still a bit cold toward me. Besides, with that fierce look of yours, you might scare her."


    "Hah." A low, maicugh rumbled from Shanley''s throat.


    "However..." Jimmie paused as if remembering something. "You might have see¡ª" Before he could finish the word ''seen'', Shanley interrupted.


    "In a while, bring your sister over. I''ll personally host a wee party for her, as her honorary big brother."


    "Deal," Jimmie agreed with a slight smile. "I''ll let you be her honorary brother."


    Having one more person to dote on her couldn''t hurt. Especially when that ''brother'' was Shanley, the overwhelmingly powerful king of Borealia. With his protection, no one would ever dare bully his little princess again.


    Shanley hadn''t expected Juniper to call him herself. He hastily ended the call with Jimmie to answer hers.


    "Juniper," Shanley purred, his voice soft and enchanting. The gloom that had clouded his face all day instantly vanished.


    Felton and Flint let out a collective sigh of relief. Finally. A little attention from Ms. Payne, and their boss was back to normal.


    "I was busy," Juniper said, sitting in the back of a car with headphones on, idly twirling the cord around her finger.


    "I know," Shanley replied patiently, listening to her exnation. The smile in his eyes deepened. "And I wasn''t mad at you, little one."

 Chapter 118

    If she didn''t reply, it was obviously his fault.


    Yes. Mr. Schwartz was learning to gaslight himself.


    "Oh." Juniper pursed her lips, feeling a little embarrassed. "Um... the candy."


    She was out of candy and wanted more. It was strange. Ever since Shanley had given her those special sweets from Australis, she couldn''t get used to any other brand. And now that he had bought out the candy shop, the only way to get more was through him.


    What a pain.


    "You want more candy?" Shanley''s voice was gentle, as if he were talking to a child. "Perfect timing. We''ve just developed some new vors. I''ll bring them to you after school, okay?"


    "Okay." The promise of candy lifted Juniper''s spirits. "I''ll be waiting."


    "Good girl," Shanley replied softly, unable to hide the massive grin on his face.


    Tsk. Look at him, giving it all away for free. Felton and Flint just shook their heads. It was too much to watch.


    In the car, Juniper hung up and looked up, her eyes meeting Rachel''s in the rearview mirror.


    "Hehe, it''s nothing," Rachel said, sensing something was up but not daring to ask directly, so she just yed it off.


    "Oh." Juniper coolly averted her gaze and went back to ying a game on her phone.


    Rachel snuck a nce at the girl. The person on the phone with Master Lunar had sounded like a guy. And when she was talking to him, all of her usual guardedness seemed to melt away. It was like she trusted himpletely.


    Could it be... she was dating someone?


    After dropping Juniper off, Rachel returned to thepany and told Jimmie what she had observed.


    "A man?" Jimmie''s head snapped up, nearly dropping what he was holding.


    Was Rachel implying that the precious little sister he had just found might already have been snatched up by some pig? And he didn''t even know what kind of pig it was. His sister seemed so sweet and vulnerable; she could easily be taken advantage of.


    "It''s just a suspicion," Rachel said, pursing her lips. "Master Lunar is only eighteen. It''s a time for crushes. It''s normal for her to like someone."


    Jimmie stared down at the thick file of information he had on his sister, his face as pale as a sheet and dangerously grim. Juniper had grown up as an orphan. She would easily grow attached to anyone who showed her a little kindness.


    He also saw that her grades weren''t great, and her final exams were just over two months away. This was a critical time for her studies. He didn''t want her getting distracted by some punk.


    He had to find a way to get someone to keep an eye on her, someone who could take care of her.


    Jimmie thought for a moment. An image of a certain man appeared in his mind. Shanley. He was older, responsible, and had no ill intentions. He seemed perfect for the job.


    At Aurora High School, Juniper walked into her ssroom to a chaotic scene. "Juniper, you''re back!" Queenie happily slid into the seat next to her, handing her a lemonade she had bought.


    "Thanks." Juniper took a long sip. "What''s all themotion about?"


    "Some anonymous donor gave a huge amount of money to the school, supposedly several million," Queenie said, propping her chin on her hand, her eyes shining. "It''s weird, though. The donor only had two conditions."


    "What?" Juniper asked casually, still drinking her lemonade.


    "First, the school has to raise student grades. And second..." Queenie paused, a


    faint blush creeping up her cheeks. "No student dating."


    "Oh." Juniper didn''t stop drinking, showing little interest.


    The benefactor must have had his heart broken at this school. He had suffered in


    the rain, so now he wanted to tear up everyone else''s umbre.

 Chapter 119

    Before ss, Juniper was summoned to Salma''s office for having missed several consecutive tutoring sessions.


    She stood with her feet together, back straight, and hands sped behind her. It was the standard posture for a reprimand, yet on her, it looked almost defiant.


    "The other teachers have a lot ofints about you. They''vee to me several times saying you''re a delinquent who disrupts other students, and they want me to expel you," Salma said with a sigh, her tone patient and earnest.


    "I had excused absences," Juniper replied with a slight frown, her words serious. "I submitted the forms."


    Besides, she had been paying attention in ss. But because of her past ''record,'' the teachers had alreadybeled her a troublemaker. They watched her with suspicion, blowing every minor infraction out of proportion. The final exams hadn''t even happened yet. How could they say she was a bad student?


    "Juniper, are you having some kind of trouble?" Salma asked gently, her gaze soft and understanding rather than usatory. She knew Juniper''s situation well; the girl had a difficult life. If there was any way to help, she would do her best.


    "Ma''am," Juniper said, shaking her head and lifting her pale face, her tone earnest. "On the quiz next week, if I get a good score, will the other teachers stop bothering you?"


    "Hmm?" Salma was taken aback by the question and stared at her, momentarily speechless.


    It was true. The teachers''ints stemmed from their belief that she was a poor student who refused to put in the effort and was dragging down her ssmates.


    "I understand," Juniper said, reading Salma''s expression. "Don''t worry, I''ll take the test seriously. I won''t let you down."


    Salma pushed her sses up her nose, unsure what to say. Juniper had been attending sses for less than two weeks and had only been to a few tutoring sessions. No matter how seriously she took the test, her score probably wouldn''t be very impressive.


    "As long as you have a good attitude, that''s what matters to me. As for your score... just do your best," Salma said, not wanting to put too much pressure on her. After all, the girl had grown up without family, living in foster care. She was bound to be fragile.


    "I''ll handle the other teachers. You just focus on your sses and don''t worry about it."


    "Thank you, ma''am." Juniper nodded respectfully. As she turned to leave, Salma spoke again. "By the way."


    "Yes?" Juniper turned back, standing at attention again.


    "Do you know what''s been going on with the physics teachertely?" Salma asked with a puzzled frown.


    She''d heard that after giving Juniper a couple of tests, his behavior had be... erratic. He was often seen muttering to himself in the staff room, saying things like, "You''re all blind," and "With a student like this, I''ve struck gold!" He even dreamed during his lunch break, yelling for Juniper to take a day off.


    If she was absent, she''d have to do a test paper. And every time she did one, he discovered more of her incredible potential. It had been years since he''d encountered a student with such a natural talent for physics.


    The other teachers were saying Juniper had driven him mad.


    "Huh?" Juniper looked genuinely confused, blinking her eyes. "I have no idea."


    She had barely exchanged a few words with Keith.


    "Alright, I see," Salma said.


    Seeing her reaction, Salma decided not to press the matter further. The physics


    teacher had always been entric; perhaps something had just set him off recently.


    ...


    In the afternoon, as soon as the final bell rang, Juniper''s WhatsApp buzzed.


    Shanley: [I''m at the school gate. image.jpg]


    The attached photo showed an assortment of candy in various vors, along with milkshakes and small snacks. They were all her favorites.


    A small smile touched Juniper''s lips. Following the location in the picture, she quickly found Shanley.

 Chapter 120

    Shanley was leaning against his car door, dressed in a ck trench coat with his


    long legs crossed. His deep eyes gazed thoughtfully into the distance. The golden sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a dappled, hazy light on his face, making him look exceptionally striking.


    This man... was actually quite handsome.


    Juniper found herself staring, lost in thought.


    Until Shanley sensed someone behind him and turned his head, his eyes meeting


    her captivated gaze.


    "Juniper, over here," Shanley said, straightening up and waving her over.


    Juniper licked her lips and obediently walked over to him.


    "Did you run?" Shanley''s eyes lowered, noticing the faint sheen of perspiration on the tip of her nose. He gently brushed it with his finger. "Walk slowly next time. I won''t leave until you get here."


    Juniper''s first instinct was to pull away from his touch, but in the end, she didn''t move. It seemed... she didn''t mind his closeness.


    "It''s hot out here. Let''s talk in the car." Shanley opened the car door, carefully guiding her inside.


    The car was empty. On the small table in the back, a spread of snacks wasid out, all prepared just for her.


    Juniper''s eyes lit up, a warm feeling spreading through her.


    "Do you have evening sses?" Shanley asked softly as he opened a small packet of mango-vored biscuits for her and ced a straw in her milkshake.


    "Mmm-hmm." Juniper nodded as she ate. When a crumb got on her face, Shanley would gently wipe it away.


    "You seem to be in a good mood today," Shanley remarked with a slight smile, noticing the hint of a grin on her lips.


    "It''s alright." Juniper''s delicate eyebrows arched as the sweet milkshake melted on her tongue. Finding her brother, having a family... it was a pretty good feeling.


    "Eat slowly," Shanley said, dabbing her mouth with a napkin, his gaze impossibly gentle. "If you like these, I can bring them to you every day."


    Every day?


    Juniper turned her head, her eyes meeting his doting gaze. In that instant, her heart began to race, and a warmth spread across her cheeks.


    "Ahem." Lost in the moment, Juniper identally choked on her milkshake.


    "Are you okay?" Shanley frowned at her reaction. "Are you too hot?"


    "A little," Juniper nodded, guiltily looking away.


    Shanley immediately turned down the air conditioning.


    A few minutester, Juniper still felt hot, with a strange, itchy feeling inside that she couldn''t describe. She decided the car''s air conditioning must be broken.


    When it was time for her to go, Shanley packed up the leftover snacks for her.


    "You can have snacks, but you have to eat your three meals on time."


    "I bought you a water bottle. Remember to stay hydrated."


    "If you''re really struggling with your studies, tell me, and I''ll find a way to help you."


    Juniper stood with her hands in her pockets, kicking at the ground, a bored expression on her face. He was fussier than her grandfather.


    But despite her silentints, she listened carefully to every word.


    "And..." Shanley handed her the bag of snacks, then lowered his head to meet her gaze, his tone incredibly serious. "Little girl, you''re not dating anyone, are you?"


    "Dating who?" The girl, who had been spacing out, instinctively looked up, her beautiful face filled with confusion.


    "As long as you''re not."


    Her reaction said it all. A satisfied smile touched Shanley''s lips, and his voice became dangerously alluring. "Your priority right now is to study. You can''t be dating anyone else, understand?"


    Not dating was one thing. But what did he mean by... not dating "anyone else"?

 Chapter 121

    "Also¡ª" Just as Juniper was about to leave, Shanley spoke up again.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Juniper paused, a bag of snacks in her hand, and stared at him with a puzzled look in her clear eyes.


    ¡°The stomach medicine works great. As for the other... performance-enhancing medication..." Shanley''s deep eyes narrowed slightly as he said tly, "It''s not needed."


    "Huh?"


    Juniper blinked, not quite understanding. She''d given him a pretty strong dose; how could it have no effect? Unless... his condition was truly beyond saving?


    "Juniper..."


    Seeing her mind wander again, Shanley closed the distance between them in two strides. He leaned down slightly, a flicker of frustration in his deep eyes, and said through gritted teeth, "The story about my... condition... is a rumor. A false rumor.¡±


    "I''m normal. Perfectly normal. I don''t need that kind of medicine," he insisted. "Understand?"


    "Oh."


    Juniper froze for a moment, her expression almost cute in its confusion. She supposed she understood.


    Whoever started that rumor must have really had it out for him. Who was it again? Then she remembered-Lue!


    "Alright," Shanley said, his tone softening as he tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. He gave a helpless little smile. ¡°Go on, get back to ss."


    She was still young. She''d understand these things eventually.


    "Okay," Juniper replied simply. She gave him a little wave and headed back to the ssroom with her snacks.


    Closing her eyes, she nned to rest for a few moments, but Shanley''s image immediately appeared in her dream. He was unbuttoning his shirt, a mischievous look in his eyes as he stared at her. "I told you I''m fine, so why do you insist on medicating me?"


    "If you still have doubts, Juniper, why don''t you test it for yourself?"


    Test it how?


    "Don''t youe near me!"


    Juniper woke with a start, her forehead beaded with sweat and her cheeks flushed.


    "Juniper, are you okay?" Qadir, who was working on problems beside her, jumped at her sudden outburst.


    "I''m fine," she mumbled, grabbing her pen to busy herself with her work, trying to hide her embarrassment.


    Damn it. This was the second time she''d dreamed about Shanley. She''d never dreamed of any man besides her grandfather.


    After a moment''s thought, she pulled out her phone and opened her WhatsApp chat with Lue.


    Juniper: [I have a friend who keeps dreaming about the same man. What does that mean?]


    Lue replied almost instantly: [Two possibilities. Either your friend wants to kill him, or...]


    Juniper: [Or what?]


    Lue: [She likes him, duh. What you think about by day, you dream of by night.]


    The word felt foreign in Juniper''s mind. She didn''t know what it meant to like someone. But besides her grandfather, Shanley was the only man she didn''t feel an aversion to.


    Lue: [Wait a minute, Juniper. You''re always asking for this ''friend'' of yours. Who is she? Do I know her?]


    Lue: [Hold on. You''re not just ''asking for a friend,'' are you? Are you the one who''s fallen for some jerk?]


    As expected of the head of "Binary Oracle," Lue had some serious detective skills.


    Juniper bit her lip and lied without batting an eye: [No.]


    She was absolutely not captivated by Shanley. Even if he was ridiculously handsome, had a great body, and was incredibly wealthy...


    Lue: [Really?]


    Feeling a twinge of guilt, Juniper meekly typed a single word: [Yeah.]


    Lue sent a voice note: [Okay, good. You scared me for a second. Juniper, it''s fine


    if you want a boyfriend, but you have to let us at the base vet him first. You have no


    idea how many scumbags are out there preying on young girls. Good thing you''re not the type to fall for a pretty face, or you''d be in real danger.]


    Juniper popped a candy into her mouth, feeling too guilty to reply.

 Chapter 122

    A pretty face, huh?


    She was definitely guilty of that.


    ...


    Meanwhile, after watching the youngdy walk away, Shanley immediately called Felton.


    "How''s that thing I asked for going?"


    "Reporting to you, Boss. The house has been purchased. It''s right next door to Ms. Payne''s new ce," Felton answered respectfully. "You can move in anytime."


    "Good," Shanley said, tapping his phone thoughtfully. "Let''s make it tonight."


    If he remembered correctly, Juniper was moving tomorrow. By moving in a day early,


    he could manufacture a chance encounter that wouldn''t seem suspicious.


    "Yes, Boss." Felton agreed, mentally giving his boss a thumbs-up. The man was a master strategist!


    After school, Juniper returned to Moulnds to find Saskia packing.


    ¡°Saskia,¡± Juniper began, dropping her backpack. She hesitated for a moment before telling her the day''s news. ¡°I found my brother."


    The box in Saskia''s hands ttered to the floor. She stared at Juniper in disbelief. "You found your brother?"


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Juniper nodded, her voice soft. "The DNA test came back. It confirmed we''re rted."


    ¡°Then..." Saskia paused for a second before rushing to Juniper''s side and taking her hands. Her eyes immediately welled up with tears. "Now that you''ve found him, are you going to leave me?"


    Saskia had a feeling this day woulde ever since Juniper first mentioned searching for her family, but she never expected it to be so soon.


    ¡°Juniper, are you leaving us?" J chimed in, her expression full of sorrow.


    Over the past few days, they hade to see her as their own family. The thought of her leaving was unbearable.


    "No," Juniper said with a gentle smile, patting J''s cheek. "My brother has his own things to do, and besides...¡± They had only just met and didn''t know each other well. Living together right away would feel strange. "For now, I''m not going anywhere."


    ¡°Really?¡± J''s face lit up. She looked at Juniper with wide, curious eyes. "So, what does your brother do?"


    ¡°Um.....¡± Juniper thought for a moment. Jimmie seemed to be good at everything. After a few seconds of contemtion, she replied, ¡°He''s in showbiz¡ªyou know, sings, ys instruments, that sort of thing."


    "Showbiz?" J''s excitement was palpable. "Is your brother a celebrity? What''s his name?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.


    "Jimmie," Juniper answered without a second thought.


    "Who?" J rushed forward, grabbing Juniper''s hands and shaking them


    frantically. ¡°Juniper, who did you just say your brother is?"


    ¡°Jimmie Tate,¡± Juniper repeated, blinking as if it were no big deal.


    "Oh my God!" J squealed, covering her face in disbelief. "Jimmie Tate! Your brother is the award-winning actor! The Jimmie Tate!"


    And she had just described him as someone who just ''sings and ys instruments''!


    Juniper sat on the sofa, calmly cracking open nuts,pletely unfazed. Was her brother really that big of a deal?


    "Juniper, can you get me an autographed photo?" J crouched by her feet, hands sped together, her eyes sparkling. ¡°He is a national treasure! I absolutely adore him."


    ¡°An autograph?" Juniper raised a delicate eyebrow, a nonchnt look on her face. "I''ll arrange for you to meet him one of these days."


    Meet him? J pinched her own cheek to see if she was dreaming.


    Ouch. She couldn''t even imagine how incredibly lucky she''d be on the day she got to sit down and have dinner with Jimmie.

 Chapter 123

    That night, Jimmie had to work up his courage before finally dialing his sister''s number.


    "Juniper..." The moment the call connected, a smile bloomed on the usually stoic actor''s face, his voice instinctively softening. "I reviewed the dance choreography proposal for the music video. It''s perfect."


    His sister was brilliant; she''d even prepared two versions. The one without backup dancers was clearly superior.


    "Good," Juniper said, holding the phone with her right hand while her left guided a stylus across her iPad, making final adjustments to a jewelry design.


    ¡°Juniper,¡± Jimmie said, a hint of disappointment in his voice when she didn''t call him ''brother." "Are you free tomorrow? I''d like to take you out to dinner and introduce you to a friend."


    For the next two months, he would be busy with the music video, which likely meant frequent travel. This MV was a gift for his sister, and he couldn''t afford to mess it up.


    He''d heard her adoptive family was a single mother with a daughter in herst year of high school. It must be tough for her to manage two kids. With Juniper''s university entrance exams approaching and those local thugs still lurking around, he had been racking his brain for a solution. He needed to find someone to look after her temporarily.


    The perfect candidate: Shanley. The man had plenty of free time and, more importantly, was already smitten with someone else, so he certainly wouldn''t develop any inappropriate ideas about Juniper. Having him watch over her was the perfect solution.


    A friend? An image of Shanley''s face involuntarily popped into Juniper''s mind.


    "Let''s do the afternoon," she said, a small smirk ying on her lips. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she added casually, "I''ll head over after my sses. Just send me the address."


    "Okay," Jimmie agreed with a smile, then started asking if she''d eaten, if she was tired from studying a stream of chatter he seemed reluctant to end.


    ¡°Bro..." Finding him a bit long-winded, Juniper couldn''t help but cut in. ¡°You should probably get some water."


    He''d been talking nonstop for ten minutes; he had to be thirsty.


    Bro? Hearing her finally call him that, Jimmie felt a wave of satisfaction, and his smile widened. "Alright, I won''t keep you from your rest. I''ll see you tomorrow, Juniper."


    "Mhm," she mumbled in response before adding, "Bye, brother," and unceremoniously hanging up.


    She really had to wonder about this brother''s mental state. Were they actually rted?


    On the other end, Jimmie stood by the window, savoring the moment with a faint smile on his lips. Juniper had called him brother! Twice!


    After a while, he dialed Shanley''s number.


    "Let''s meet tomorrow afternoon. I want to introduce you to my sister."


    "Sure," Shanley agreed readily, a chuckle in his voice. "What does she like? I should bring a gift for our first meeting."


    Jimmie''s sister was his sister. Besides... the little sister was a fan of Lunar, right? Good taste. The gift had to be something special.


    Jimmie thought hard about his sister''s hobbies and finally came to one conclusion: "Food. She loves to eat."


    "Food?" Hearing this, a smirk yed on Shanley''s thin lips, and a deep, huskyugh rumbled in his throat. A fan of Juniper''s, right down to the hobbies. How fitting!


    "I''ve got it," Shanley said, an idea already forming in his mind. "I guarantee she''ll love the gift."


    ...


    Meanwhile, just as Juniper finished her design sketch, a call came in from Shanley. ¡°Hello?" She hesitated for a second before answering.


    ¡°Juniper, are you free tomorrow afternoon?" Shanley asked, standing before a ss window, idly fiddling with a photo of ''Lunar'' dancing. His eyes were full of warmth. "Tomorrow afternoon?" Juniper tossed her stylus onto the desk and leaned back against her headboard, recalling her brother''s earlier call. He had asked her to dinner in the afternoon and mentioned introducing her to a friend. Could that friend really be Shanley?


    "A friend of mine just found his little sister who was lost for many years," Shanley exined, his voice a low, smooth drawl. "I heard she''s a big fan of your dancing, so


    I was hoping you could join us for dinner. It would make her really happy."


    So it was true.


    "Are you sure about that?" Juniper asked, her mood lifting as she nced at the colorful candies on her desk.


    "Hmm?" Shanley didn''t quite catch her meaning. "What''s wrong? Are you busy tomorrow?"


    "I''m free,¡± Juniper said, a slow smile spreading across her lips. "See you tomorrow afternoon."


    "I''lle pick you up."


    "No need," she declined, her voice tinged with a light,zy tone. "I''ll be in the area anyway. I can get there myself."


    "Alright.¡± Shanley rarely questioned her decisions. ¡°I''ll make sure there''s plenty of good food."


    "Just make sure you still have an appetite when the timees," Juniper replied cryptically before hanging up.


    Listening to the dial tone, Shanley frowned slightly, not quite understanding what his little girl meant by that.

 Chapter 124

    The next day, Saskia and the two girls were up at the crack of dawn to move. After everything was settled, she stood in the empty room, her heart a mix of emotions. She had lived in the slums for nearly twenty years, enduring the death of her husband and raising her daughter alone. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would one day leave this ce for a prime piece of real estate in the city center.


    "Don''t be sad, Mom," J said softly, patting her shoulder. "I heard the rich fool who bought this ce isn''t nning to tear it down. He''s just going to use thend to growtro. You cane back and visit Dad''s memory whenever you want."


    Juniper remained silent.


    ¡°I know,¡± Saskia nodded, wiping away a tear. "Seeing us doing better, your dad will be at peace knowing this."


    With that, Saskia took onest, long look at their old home before getting into the moving truck.


    J''s dad? It seemed to be the first time Juniper had heard them mention herte uncle. J had vaguely said before that he had sacrificed a lot for them before his tragic death. That was why J was studying so hard-to make her father proud.


    And Wilcox? The surname echoed in Juniper''s mind. If she remembered correctly, there was a prominent family in Era City with the same name.


    Could there be a connection? If so, how did Saskia and J end up in the slums?


    ...


    Soon, the truck left Moulnds behind and arrived at Cloudscape Community, a luxury apartmentplex in the heart of the city. Their new home was on the top floor. There were three units on the floor, but each was well-separated, ensuring excellent privacy.


    After helping Saskia unpack, Juniper was in a hurry to get to school. As she rounded a corner, she saw a familiar figure.


    "Ms. Payne, what a coincidence," Flint said with a toothy grin.


    "What are you doing here?" Juniper recognized him as one of Shanley''s men. "Unit 1 is my boss''s temporary residence," Flint recited, repeating Shanley''s instructions word for word. "He has a project nearby, so he''ll be staying here for a while. I can''t believe you live here too, Ms. Payne. What are the odds, huh?"


    Juniper stuffed her hands in her pockets, her eyes cool beneath the brim of her cap. Her silence was unsettling.


    Flint''s smile faltered under her intense gaze, and he awkwardly closed his mouth. His boss was right. Ms. Payne wouldn''t buy the story so easily; she''d definitely give him the cold shoulder. And here he was, taking the bullet for him.


    "Well, I guess we''re neighbors now. Makes it easier to bring you candy and stuff, right?¡± Flint''s face was stiff from smiling.


    "Is that so?" Juniper lifted her chin, her gaze drifting past Flint to the door behind him. "Quite the coincidence indeed," she said with a smirk, then walked away without another word.


    ¡°Boss,¡± Flint said, returning to Unit 1. "I don''t think Ms. Payne bought the coincidence story. It seems like she saw right through your n."


    "It doesn''t matter," Shanley said with a rich smile. "I was counting on her to see through it."


    After school, Juniper received identical texts from Jimmie and Shanley: Moonlight Peak, private room 2.


    "Tch." She tossed her phone into her backpack and hailed a cab to the restaurant.


    At Moonlight Peak, Jimmie and Shanley were already seated across from each other, leisurely sipping red wine.


    "Where''s your sister?" Shanley swirled the wine in his ss, his eyes scanning the room, but he didn''t see any other young women.


    "She''s still in ss," Jimmie said, ncing at his phone. "Should be here in about ten minutes."


    "My little girl should be arriving around the same time," Shanley said, setting down his ss. He signaled a waiter to bring some milkshakes and desserts. Juniper loved sweets, and she was probably hungry after ss.


    Jimmie watched him order, noticing that everything was something his sister loved. This old man was surprisingly thoughtful. He hadn''t even met her yet, but he''d already done his homework on her preferences. Not bad.


    "The main reason I wanted to meet today was to ask you for a favor,¡± Jimmie said, his tone turning serious.


    "Go on," Shanley replied, typing a message to Juniper.


    "I''m going to be busy for the next two months, and my sister''s studies are getting intense. I was hoping you could help look after her for a while," Jimmie said quietly. "Two months at most. Once the music video is done, I''ll take over."


    ¡°Look after her?" Shanley''s fingers paused over the screen, his dark brows furrowing. "That might be... inconvenient."


    Even if she was his friend''s sister, they weren''t rted by blood. More importantly, he already had another youngdy to look after; he didn''t think he could manage anyone else. Maybe it would be better to find someone else reliable to watch over her?

 Chapter 125

    ¡°My sister is quite independent; she doesn''t need much looking after,¡± Jimmie exined, toying with his wine ss. ¡°I''m just worried about her getting into a rtionship and letting it affect her studies."


    "Dating too young?" Shanley lifted his gaze, a wicked curve to his lips. "No, a youngdy certainly shouldn''t be doing that."


    "Exactly," Jimmie nodded. "She''s young, beautiful, and delicate. She''s already attracting attention. I just haven''t figured out what kind of trash is circling her yet."


    If he let his sister get snatched away by some ill-intentioned jerk, he was pretty sure his family would have his head.


    "Ordinarily, it wouldn''t be a problem," Shanley said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his long legs elegantly, his expression serious. ¡°But she''s a young woman now. It wouldn''t be appropriate for me to personally look after her, would it?"


    "How about this," Shanley paused for a moment before continuing, "let your sister stay at your ce, and I''ll send Dana over to take care of her."


    Dana was his personal housekeeper, who had looked after him since he was a child and was very experienced.


    "I''ll keep a close eye on her schoolwork and well-being to make sure no punks lead her astray. What do you think?"


    Young women could be difficult to handle; he was still figuring out how to manage the one who held his heart. He wasn''t keen on getting too close to other girls, especially not one who was practically an adult.


    Jimmie considered it. Juniper might not agree to live with him anyway. Having a female housekeeper would certainly be more convenient.


    "That could work," Jimmie agreed, raising his ss to clink with Shanley''s. A smile touched his lips. "I''ll be relying on you for the next little while, then.¡±


    "Don''t mention it." Shanley''s lips curved into a faint, impossibly charming smile. "Your sister is my sister, isn''t she?"


    He would definitely treat her as his own.


    After they''d settled things, Jimmie noticed his sister still hadn''t arrived. He pulled out his phone to check on her.


    Juniper replied: [At the elevator.]


    "My sister''s here. I''ll go meet her." With that, Jimmie stood and walked out.


    His sister was here, but where was Juniper?


    Shanley took out his own phone and texted her, quickly receiving a reply: [Almost there.]


    Almost there? Could she be arriving at the same time as Jimmie''s sister? That girl was her fan; he hoped she wouldn''t get too excited and scare anyone.


    After a moment''s hesitation, Shanley also stood up. Just as he was about to head out, the door to the private room swung open. Jimmie walked in, carrying a ck backpack.


    That backpack..... it looked familiar, a lot like Juniper''s.


    Shanley frowned, his deep-set eyes fixed on the backpack as he fell into a brief, thoughtful silence.


    Before he could process it, a tall, slender figure emerged from behind Jimmie. The girl was dressed in a simple white t-shirt, ck pants, and a ck baseball cap. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, and beneath the brim of her cap was a delicate, stunningly beautiful face.


    Juniper?


    Shanley''s brain shut down. His body went rigid. How could she be with Jimmie?


    Unless...


    "Juniper, this is the friend I told you about. The President of Schwartz Group, Shanley," Jimmie said,pletely oblivious to Shanley''s reaction. "From now on, you can just call him bro."


    "Bro?" Juniper took off her cap, casually twirling it in her hands. Her bright, starlit eyes gazed with amusement at the astonished man before her.


    "That''s right,¡± Jimmie said, leading his sister to the table. "Mr. Schwartz said he wants to treat you like his own dear sister."


    So, of course, she should call him brother.


    Dear sister? The words hit Shanley like a ton of bricks. He felt like he''d just dug his own grave.

 Chapter 126

    How could Juniper possibly be Jimmie''s sister? The coincidence was staggering. Was it toote to take back his offer to be her honorary brother?


    "Hello, bro," Juniper said, her red lips curving into a polite, yet teasing, smile.


    Shanley stared at the young woman''s arched eyebrow and smug grin, feeling a mixture of frustration and helplessness. So, she and Jimmie had already reconnected, and she knew about his friendship with her brother.


    Yesterday, when he''d invited her to this dinner, supposedly as a celebrity meeting a fan, she must have deliberately kept quiet, just waiting to watch him make a fool of himself.


    "What''s wrong?" Jimmie asked, finally noticing Shanley''s strange expression as he stared intently at his sister.


    "Nothing," Shanley replied, snapping back to reality. A warm smile spread across his handsome face. "Hello, little sister."


    Juniper simply stared back at him, saying nothing. The atmosphere in the room turned strangely tense.


    Once they were all seated, Shanley had the desserts he''d pre-ordered brought out and ced them all in front of Juniper.


    "Thanks," she said, nonchntly digging into a small pudding with her fork.


    "Shanley, didn''t you say your little girl wasing?" Jimmie asked, ncing at the time. ¡°You even said you were bringing a big gift.¡±


    But there was no sign of another girl, nor any gift.


    Shanley lifted his eyes and met the gaze of the youngdy across from him, who was looking up at him with wide, blinking eyes.


    This little minx...


    "Ahem," he cleared his throat to cover his embarrassment, affecting a calm demeanor. ¡°She had somethinge upst minute. Couldn''t make it."


    "Somethingst minute?" Jimmie peeled two shrimp for his sister, then looked up at Shanley, a sly glint in his eyes. "You didn''t tell her not toe because you were afraid she''d be outshone by Juniper, did you?"


    Shanley''s lips twitched.


    "Yes," he admitted in a low, resonant voice. "She can''tpare."


    Jimmie''s hands froze mid-peel. He was genuinely surprised. Thest time they''d talked, Shanley had been fiercely protective of his mystery girl. What had changed?


    "As for the gift, I did prepare one," Shanley continued, pulling out his phone and opening a file. ¡°Juniper seems to like candy. I''m giving her this candy store chain as a wee present."


    Jimmie knew this wasn''t just any candy store. It was a major brand with international exports, valued in the tens of millions. Shanley had gone through a great deal of trouble to acquire it recently. And now he was just handing it over to Juniper?


    "Isn''t that a bit too extravagant?" Jimmie asked with a cid smile.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Shanley replied, his gaze returning to the girl across the table. A subtle, almost predatory smile yed on his lips. "For Juniper, only the best will do."


    Juniper snuck a nce at the man, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks.


    Jimmie''s smile felt a little stiff. This was all very strange. He was starting to feel like Shanley was more of a doting brother to Juniper than he was.


    ¡°Alright, then,¡± Jimmie said, deciding not to refuse. He poured Shanley a ss of wine. "On Juniper''s behalf, thank you."


    "Of course," Shanley said with a low chuckle. He picked up his knife and fork, carefully removed the chopped green onions from a dish, and pushed it toward Juniper. "Try this. It''s quite good."


    "Okay,¡± Juniper epted it naturally and began to eat.


    ¡°This one is good too," Shanley added, cing a piece of fish in her bowl, having meticulously removed the skin he knew she disliked.


    Juniper ate happily.


    Jimmie''s brows furrowed as he watched them. Was this really their first time meeting?

 Chapter 127

    Half an hourter, as the meal was winding down, Shanley had a mango pudding brought out for Juniper.


    "Low sugar, no ice, extra mango."


    Jimmie, wiping his mouth, could no longer contain his curiosity.


    "How do you know my sister''s preferences so well?" he asked. He, her actual brother, hadn''t even had the chance to learn them yet.


    Juniper just blinked, saying nothing.


    "A guess," Shanley exined without missing a beat. "It''s what most young girls like."


    A guess? That urate? Or did the girl he was smitten with just happen to have the same taste?


    "You¡ª¡± Jimmie felt something was off and was about to press further when Juniper suddenly spoke up. ¡°I''m full.¡±


    "Okay,¡± Jimmie immediately dropped his line of questioning, turning his full attention to her, offering water and a napkin. ¡°Juniper, there''s something I want to discuss with you."


    "Hmm?" Juniper replied, her bright eyes focused on the mango pudding. She really liked this vor.


    "With your university entrance examsing up, I was thinking of arranging for someone to look after you. It would ease the burden on Saskia and let you focus on your studies,¡± Jimmie exined, carefully watching her expression. ¡°The person is..."


    "I''ll take care of Juniper," Shanley interjected smoothly, elegantly wiping his hands. A faint smile yed on his lips, his voice calm and steady.


    ¡°Didn''t you just say it was inconvenient?" Jimmie asked, turning his head.


    ¡°It''s convenient now," Shanley said, clearing his throat. His eyes flickered up, his voice even and firm. "I''ve been thinking. Dana is getting older. She''s great with meals, but Juniper has exams to prepare for. There will be subjects she needs help with. If I''m looking after her, I can tutor her as well."


    Jimmie listened intently. It made sense. Shanley had a dual degree; his intelligence was off the charts. If he tutored Juniper, her grades would surely improve quickly.


    "Also," Shanley paused for a moment before continuing, "if I''m not mistaken, Juniper is moving to Cloudscape Community, right? I happen to have an apartment there, and I need to be in the area for work. Looking after her would be no trouble at all.¡± "What a coincidence,¡± Jimmie said, staring at Shanley. If he didn''t trust him so implicitly, he''d swear the man had an ulterior motive.


    "Yes, quite the coincidence," Shanley replied, his gentle gazending on the girl''s fair, beautiful face.


    "Juniper, what do you think?" Jimmie asked her softly.


    Juniper, full and rxed, leaned back in her chair andzily lifted her eyes.


    ¡°Dana can cook a wide variety of cuisines; you can have basically anything you want,¡± Shanley said, pouring the girl a ss of water. "She''s especially good at desserts. Her mango cake is to die for. If you stay with me, you can have whatever you''re craving, whenever you want."


    After delivering this, Shanley watched her with an intense gaze. He saw her eyes light up and knew his sugar-coated bribe had hit its mark.


    "Fine," Juniper said with a slight arch of her brow.


    What did it matter where she lived? If there was good food involved, that was all that mattered.


    She agreed. Just like that. Jimmie was bewildered; it all felt too easy. His sister was a very reserved person. Even with him, her own brother, he could feel a certain distance, a barrier. Was he imagining things? He felt that her attitude toward Shanley was different from her attitude toward him. She seemed more rxed around Shanley.


    Strange. Wasn''t this their first time meeting?


    "Well then, I owe you one," Jimmie said, his mind still swirling with questions as he raised his ss in thanks.

 Chapter 128

    "Don''t mention it," Shanley said, taking a small sip. A smile spread across his face, his mood clearly buoyant. "We''re all family now. No need for formalities."


    Family? Jimmie gripped his wine ss, a chaotic feeling swirling inside him. Something felt off, but he couldn''t put his finger on it.


    Oh, well. Shanley was older and more responsible. His sister would be in good hands. At least that was one less thing to worry about; he wouldn''t have to fret about her being led astray by some punk.


    ...


    After dinner, Jimmie left to deal with MV-rted matters, while Shanley drove Juniper back to school.


    In the car, the girl was curled upfortably in the corner, her fingers flying across her phone screen as she expertly yed a game.


    "Where''s the ointment?" Shanley asked, ncing at the scabbed wound on her right hand. His brows knitted together, the pressure in the car dropping. She clearly hadn''t been taking care of it properly.


    "Side pocket,¡± Juniper replied, jerking her chin in its direction without taking her eyes off the game.


    Shanley let out a helpless sigh and retrieved the medicine. "Give me your right hand," he said in a soft, coaxing tone.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Juniper obediently extended her hand, continuing to y one-handed without any noticeable drop in skill.


    "Even though the wound is healing, you need to keep applying this," Shanley said, dabbing the ointment on gently with a cotton swab. "Otherwise, it''ll leave a scar."


    "Don''t have time," Juniper said, ncing at the mark on her hand dismissively.


    She''d once been abandoned in a rainforest for two months, fighting off wild animals. Her body had been covered in wounds; she''d nearly died. This little scratch was nothing.


    "Don''t have time?" Shanley''s lips pressed into a displeased line. Was it ack of time or ack of concern? Why was this girl so careless with her own well-being?


    Shanley sighed again, patiently continuing his task. "I''ll apply it for you from now on."


    After all, she was a young woman. A scar wouldn''t look good.


    "Hmm?" At his words, Juniper''s gaze finally shifted from her game to the man''s face.


    Damn. He really was handsome. Looking at that face every day would be a pleasure, enough to lift anyone''s spirits.


    More importantly, every time she saw him, she was reminded of her grandfather. That was why she didn''t mind his presence.


    "Go on inside. I''ll pick you up tonight," Shanley said, having parked the car in a discreet spot where other students wouldn''t see.


    After she disappeared from view, he called Salma to get an update on her academic situation. The summary was short and brutal: her grades weren''t good, and she needed a lot of extra help.


    Shanley frowned. Was his little girl really struggling that much? He found that hard to believe.


    ...


    That evening, Shanley arrived early at the school gate as promised, a warm sweet potato in his hand.


    Before long, he spotted a tall, striking figure in the throng of students. She walked amidst the crowd, nked by two girls on her left and a boy on her right. The boy was carrying her backpack, holding her milkshake, and grinning like an idiot.


    Wasn''t that the same boy who''d been fawning over her at the police station?


    Shanley''s expression darkened. He got out of the car and sent Juniper a text: [Juniper, intersection to your right.]


    Juniper followed the direction and saw the man''s figure standing in a shadowy corner. Against the night sky, his silhouette was elongated by the moonlight, casting a halo around him. His chiseled features were breathtakingly handsome. It felt as if the entire world had faded into the background, leaving only his face in sharp focus.


    Her heart began to race uncontrobly again. Damn it. Who was he trying to seduce, looking that good?

 Chapter 129

    "Juniper, over here," Shanley called, straightening up and waving as he saw her looking his way.


    Juniper pursed her lips and walked over.


    "It''s a bit chilly tonight. Wear this." Seeing her thin t-shirt, Shanley frowned slightly and draped his suit jacket over her shoulders. He leaned in close, and a subtle, woody scent of cedarwood drifted into her nose, crisp and soothing. She couldn''t tell if it came from the jacket or from him, but it smelled wonderful.


    "Good evening, Mr. Schwartz," the three friends stammered, their easy smiles vanishing the moment they saw Juniper''s ''distant rtive.'' They were so intimidated by Shanley''s powerful aura that they snapped to attention like they were at a military inspection.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Shanley nodded curtly, his gaze sweeping over Queenie, Dolce, and finally settling on Qadir. More precisely, on the backpack he was carrying.


    Meeting Shanley''s icy stare, Qadir''s breath hitched. He immediately held out the backpack with both hands. "Mr. Schwartz, this is Juniper''s bag.¡±


    "Thank you," Shanley said, taking it while giving Qadir a long, meaningful look.


    "No, no, not at all," Qadir waved his hands frantically, puffing out his chest with a goofy grin. "It''s my honor to be of service to my leader, Juniper."


    Leader? It seemed his worries were unfounded.


    "Heading home?" Shanley asked, holding the car door open. His eyes were cool, his voice neutral. ¡°Get in. I''ll give you all a ride.¡±


    Queenie and Dolce exchanged a look, neither daring to move a muscle.


    "Thank you, Mr. Schwartz," Qadir said casually, about to step forward until he caught the man''s indifferent gaze. The look in Mr. Schwartz''s eyes was terrifying. It felt less like an offer for a ride home and more like a trip to the crematorium.


    "Actually, it''s out of your way. We can get back on our own. We wouldn''t want to trouble you, Mr. Schwartz," Qadir said, stopping in his tracks. He bowed respectfully to both of them. ¡°Juniper, Mr. Schwartz, we''ll be going now."


    "Is that so?" Shanley nodded, satisfied. "Alright then."


    The three of them stood frozen in ce, stunned.


    "Is there something else?" Shanley raised an eyebrow, a dangerous glint in his deep-set eyes.


    "Oh! No, no, nothing!" they all shook their heads in unison and scurried away, disappearing into the night.


    They learned quickly enough.


    "Have some of this. It''s very sweet," Shanley said with an imperceptible smile. He ducked into the car and handed Juniper the sweet potato he''d been keeping warm. Juniper stared intently at the man for a few seconds before looking away.


    Twenty minutester, at Cloudscape Community, Juniper stared at the mountain of boxes and shopping bags in the trunk. She nced up at him. "Did you two buy out the entire mall?"


    "Your brother said he''s busytely and can''t afford to be careless about thanking the people who helped you. He''ll pay them a proper visit when he gets a chance," Shanley exined, taking the jacket from her shoulders. "The Payne family took good care of you. This is nothing."


    Nothing? Juniper scanned the items, recognizing all of them as luxury brands. A rough estimate put the total at over a million.


    "My brother still has money?" Juniper''s thickshes fluttered, a faint smile ying on her lips.


    Shanley knew perfectly well that she, as Lunar, had scammed Jimmie out of nearly 10 billion right before they officially reunited. The whole incident had started because Jimmie, failing to recognize his own sister, had rudely told her to get lost. The young girl got angry, and so she taught him a 10-billion-dor lesson.


    "Anyone who dares to make Juniper angry..." Shanley said, leading her inside. He leaned closer and lowered his voice conspiratorially. "...deserves to be taught a lesson. 10 billion was letting him off easy."

 Chapter 130

    Juniper stopped in her tracks and looked up at the man, her beautiful face etched


    with a knowing expression. He had the gall to talk about others? He''d been swindled out of tens of millions by her as well.


    "What is it?" Shanley asked, puzzled by her stare.


    "If you made me angry, and I scammed you out of some money, would you be mad?" Juniper raised a delicate eyebrow, her voice azy drawl, her eyes dancing with amusement.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Shanley paused for a second before a warm smile spread across his face. "Of course not. Good for you, Juniper."


    "Then we''re good," Juniper said with a shrug, turning and walking ahead with a bounce in her step.


    Shanley followed behind,pletely bewildered. What on earth was she talking about?


    ...


    Inside the top-floor apartment, Saskia and J were so intimidated by the tall, handsome, and impably dressed man that they barely dared to breathe. The apartment was spacious, but his presence seemed to suck all the air out of the


    room.


    "So, that''s the situation," Shanley said, doing his best to soften his intense aura and curve his lips into a gentle smile. "For a number of reasons, I will be looking after Juniper from now on. My apartment is right next door, so you cane over and see her whenever you like."


    ¡°Juniper, is this true?" Saskia asked, looking at the girl who stood with her eyes downcast.


    "Yes," Juniper nodded calmly. "Saskia, I''ll move over tonight."


    Ever since she had arrived, Saskia had poured nearly all her attention into making her feelfortable. But J''s university entrance exams were just around the corner, and she needed special care. With her around, Saskia couldn''t fully focus on J, which might affect her daughter''s studies. The arrival of her brother and Shanley presented the perfect opportunity.


    "Tonight..." Saskia nced at the room she had just finished setting up, a look of disappointment on her face. But her biological brother had arranged it; as an outsider, she couldn''t really object.


    ¡°Saskia, we''re only separated by a couple of walls," Juniper said, pouring her a ss of water. "We''ll still see each other all the time."


    "Juniper, can I still ask you for help with my homework?" J asked, her eyes red as she struggled to ept the separation.


    "Of course," Juniper said, affectionately stroking J''s head with a small smile. "You can ask me anything, anytime."


    "Juniper!" J cried, throwing her arms around Juniper and burying her head in her embrace.


    Watching the scene, Shanley''s deep eyes darkened, and his fingers tightened around the ss he was holding.


    "Juniper," he said, setting his ss down and cutting in at just the right moment. "It''s gettingte. We should go."


    "Okay," Juniper released J and stood beside Shanley. "Saskia, J, you two get some rest."


    "Alright,¡± Saskia and her daughter said, tearfully walking Juniper to the apartment across the hall.


    "Don''t cry, Mom," J said, patting her mother''s shoulder. "Juniper is only ten steps away."


    "I know, but..." Saskia wiped away her tears, a sour feeling in her heart. "I just feel like that man isn''t a good person. He looks less like a guardian and more like some slick operator trying to whisk a young girl away."


    J couldn''t help butugh. Mr. Schwartz clearly exuded an air of sophistication. "With two brothers watching over her, Juniper''s future is bound to be bright."


    ¡°Really?¡± Saskia sighed, looking disinterestedly at the pile of priceless gifts. "All these things... it feels less like she''s moving next door and more like we''re giving her away in marriage!"

 Chapter 131

    Inside another suite in the Cloudscape Community, the furniture and decor had


    been hastily rearranged. As soon as Shanley learned Juniper was moving in, he had sent a team to make adjustments.


    The suite was a two-story duplex, spacious and well-designed. The living room was now filled with lush green nts, and the balcony had been converted into a small herb garden.


    Juniper''s bedroom, in particr, had been meticulously prepared. It wasn''t avish princess room, but a simple, elegant space with a pure white design. It felt clean and bright, instantly calming.


    "Do you like it?" Shanley asked, his eyes fixed on her face.


    "I do.¡± Juniper nced around, thoroughly pleased. It was as if this man could read her mind.


    "Good." Shanley gestured for Dana toe forward. ¡°You remember Dana,¡± he said gently. "From now on, she''ll be looking after you."


    "Good day, Ms. Payne," Dana said, bowing her head respectfully.


    "Please, call me Juniper." Juniper recognized her from Shanley''s house. Dana had been so kind, and her cooking was incredible.


    "That wouldn''t be proper." Dana shook her head, her demeanor both humble and affectionate. ¡°Ms. Payne, if you need anything at all, just let me know."


    Dana was genuinely fond of the girl. She was stunningly beautiful and had a sweet personality, but...


    Dana stole a nce at Shanley and gulped, thinking to herself, she''s just a bit young.


    Having raised Mr. Schwartz since he was a boy, she could read him like an open book. She had always assumed he would marry a youngdy from aparable high-society family and settle into a life of convenience. But then, he met Ms. Payne. In all these years, she had never seen him so devoted to anyone.


    "You should get some rest," Shanley said, his deep eyes gazing at her with a hint of a smile. "I''m right next door. Just text me if you need anything."


    "Okay," Juniper nodded, feeling a little awkward. Other than her grandfather, she''d never lived in such close quarters with any man.


    After Shanley and Dana left, Juniper opened the closet and found it filled with new clothes in various styles and colors, all fresh and vibrant, perfectly suited for someone her age. On the desk in her bedroom were her favorite snacks and candies, and next to them was a ss of water, a thoughtful touch to bnce out the sweets.


    She sat on the bed, staring nkly at her new surroundings. A small crack formed in the walls around her heart, which had been locked away in darkness for so long.


    So this was what it felt like to be cherished unconditionally. It was a novel feeling.


    ...


    The next day, she woke to the morning light, surprised that she hadn''t suffered from insomnia as she''d expected.


    As she entered the living area, she saw Shanley sitting at the dining table, flipping through the financial news. He was dressed in casual loungewear, his hair simply styled, and hecked the cool, ascetic aura he usually projected. His features were sharp and elegant, his every movement refined, making it hard to look away. But he seemed to have slept poorly; there was a touch of weariness in his eyes.


    "Mr. Schwartz, you were so worried Ms. Payne wouldn''t be able to sleep in a new environment that you stayed up all night," Dana said as she poured him a cup of coffee. "Why don''t you go back and get some rest?¡±


    "I''m fine." Shanley nced at his watch. Juniper would be up soon. If she didn''t see him, she might be disappointed.


    Juniper froze. He had stayed up all night just because he was worried about her?


    Just then, Dana spotted her standing at the entrance to the dining room. "Good morning, Ms. Payne," she said with a smile. "Breakfast is ready. Please,e and sit."

 Chapter 132

    "Thank you, Dana." Juniper walked over and sat across from Shanley, sneaking a peek at him. The dark circles under his eyes confirmed it¡ªhe really hadn''t slept.


    "I''ll take it from here," Shanley said to Dana. "Could you prepare some lunch and snacks for Juniper to take with her?" He didn''t want her always eating unhealthy food out.


    "Of course,¡± Dana replied with a knowing smile and discreetly left the room.


    Now it was just the two of them. Juniper took a spoon and began sipping her soup in small mouthfuls. Shanley peeled a hard-boiled egg and ced it by her te, then spread mango jam on a slice of toast for her. She didn''t have to lift a finger; she was being waited on hand and foot.


    After breakfast, Shanley stood up, picked up her backpack, and draped her school zer over his arm.


    Juniper was still not used to this level of attentiveness. There was nothing left for her to do. She ran a hand through her hair and simply fell into step beside him.


    "Dana, please make some fish soup for dinner tonight," Shanley called out, his eyesnding on the slightly dazed girl with an amused smile. "It''ll be good for Juniper."


    Fish was brain food, after all. With her examsing up, he nned to start tutoring her tonight.


    ...


    In the car, Juniper was leaning back against the seat, texting someone on her phone.


    "Juniper..." Shanley turned to her, a slight frown on his brow. "Give me your hand."


    "Oh." She knew what he meant and habitually extended her right hand for him to apply the ointment.


    "There''s still a bit of a scar," he murmured, his gaze fixed on her hand. The mark stood out against her fair skin. ¡°Just two more weeks, alright?"


    "Okay," she nodded. After pulling her hand back, she took a mango candy from her pocket and offered it to him. "Here.¡±


    Offering snacks was her highest form of courtesy.


    Shanley took it, holding it between his fingers without moving. The smell... was a little hard to stomach.


    "Go on, eat it. I thought you liked mango candy," Juniper said, watching him with a serious expression.


    "I do," he managed, a pained smile on his face. Forcing back the wave of nausea, he popped the candy into his mouth.


    "Is it good?"


    "Delicious."


    Remembering how he''d stayed up all night for her, Juniper felt a surge of gratitude and pulled out another one.


    Shanley''s face fell instantly. He hadn''t expected the consequences of his lie to arrive so swiftly.


    In the front seat, Felton and Flint were trying so hard not tough their faces were turning red. Ms. Payne was definitely their boss''s kryptonite.


    ...


    At Aurora High School, the quiz was just around the corner, and the rumors were flying. Everyone was saying that if Juniper ended up at the bottom of the rankings, she would be kicked out. Many of the teachers, who had long disapproved of her, were certain she was a goner.


    "Juniper." As soon as she sat down, Dolce leaned in and whispered, "Do you want us to highlight the key points for you?"


    Her textbook was so pristine it looked like it had never been opened. How was she going to pass tomorrow''s quiz? A littlest-minute cramming was better than nothing.


    "Yeah," Qadir added seriously. "Juniper, you better not score lower than me." Queenie propped her chin on her hand, observing the calm girl.


    "Hmm?" Juniper raised an eyebrow, looking at the mess of red lines in their books with aplicated expression. How could they possibly call that a summary of key points?


    Queenie sighed and shook her head. How could those two be so clueless? After spending so much time with Juniper, hadn''t they figured it out yet? Who would be helping whom was still up for debate.

 Chapter 133

    "Alright, open your books," Juniper said, a candy in her mouth. She rested her chin on her left hand, her eyes half-closed, revealing long, beautifully curledshes.


    "Okay!" Dolce blinked, realizing Juniper was actually going to listen. She quickly opened her textbook. "Juniper, page one."


    ¡°Skip page one,¡± Juniper cut in, her voicezy but steady. ¡°Page 21. Memorize the first ten sentences of the third paragraph.¡±


    Dolce fumbled to page 21 and stared. The paragraph Juniper mentioned was one she had marked as a key passage to memorize.


    How did she know? Juniper had never studied the sophomore or junior material, had she? How could she know exactly what was important on every single page?


    "Next..." Juniper shifted, propping her chin up bing tiring. She crossed her arms and her legs. "Page 40, fifth paragraph."


    "Uh, okay!" Dolce scrambled to mark it down with her pen.


    "Page 66, first paragraph."


    Qadir and Queenie exchanged a look and quickly took out their own pens. The three of them huddled together, the sound of furious highlighting filling the air.


    "Page 101, memorize the form for velocity."


    Ten minutester, Juniper had gone through all the key points for the next day''s Literature and Math exams.


    ¡°Phew.¡± She leaned back in her chair, took out the bottle Shanley had packed for her, and took a long drink. It was lemon-vored, sweet and sour. She liked it.


    "Juniper..." Dolce flipped through the newly marked pages, swallowing nervously. "When did you ever study this stuff?"


    "Hmm?" Juniper thought for a moment, then squinted. "I don''t really remember. Maybe when I was eight? Or ten."


    ¡°Juniper, have you been secretly studying this whole time, nning to blow everyone away?" Qadir asked, his jaw practically on the floor. Her confidence was making him nervous. If he ended up at the bottom of the ss again, his dad would kill him.


    "Do I need to study?" she shot back with a disdainful look. ¡°Just review what I told you. You won''t do too poorly."


    "Really?" Qadir looked at his book, skeptical. "If I actually pass Literature this time, Juniper, I''ll buy you lunch for a whole month."


    "Deal," she nodded.


    Dolce scratched her cheek, a million questions swirling in her mind but not knowing where to start. Queenie, however, was beaming as she reviewed the notes, marveling at them. If Juniper were in charge of writing study guides, the teachers who wrote the exams would be in for a world of hurt. And to think some of them wanted her expelled. When the test scores came out, they were going to be eating their words!


    ...


    The school let out at five since there was no evening study session before the quiz. Juniper walked to their designated meeting spot. From a distance, she saw him standing under arge tree, waiting for her in a ck trench coat, holding a bag of food.


    They had agreed on five-thirty, but it was only ten past five. He''d been waiting for a while.


    Juniper pursed her lips and walked over.


    "Are you tired?" Shanley asked softly, reaching for her backpack.


    "I''m okay." She handed it to him, her eyes falling on the bag in his other hand. "Is that cake?"


    "Mango-vored." Shanley stepped aside to let her into the passenger seat before walking around to the driver''s side.


    "Did Jimmie tell you he''s flying to Egypt?" he asked, leaning toward her to grab the seatbelt. ¡°There you go. Lower your head a bit, let me get that for you."

 Chapter 134

    "He did," Juniper replied. With a piece of cake in her left hand and a fork in her right, she had no free hands and obediently ducked her head down.


    From that angle, her gazended directly on his chest. Shanley wasn''t wearing a tie, and the top buttons of his shirt were undone. As he moved, his shirt gaped slightly, revealing the sharp line of his Adam''s apple and his handsome, defined corbones. Juniper''s chewing slowed, and a faint warmth crept into her cheeks.


    "Click."


    The seatbelt fastened. Shanley pulled back, his eyes meeting her clear gaze. A smudge of white cream dotted the corner of her lips, making her look yful and adorable.


    "Is it good?" His eyes darkened slightly as he sat up straight, taking a napkin to gently wipe the cream away.


    "Mhmm," Juniper hummed, licking her lips with a satisfied arch of her brow.


    "I''ll bring you some every day from now on." Shanley straightened up, his hands on the steering wheel, his eyes filled with a soft, indulgent warmth. The girl was surprisingly easy to please.


    ...


    Back at Cloudscape Community, Juniper dropped her bag, washed her hands, and sat down for dinner. Dana''s cooking was perfectly to her taste, and she ate quite a bit. Throughout the meal, Shanley attended to her, peeling shrimp for her one moment anddling fish soup the next.


    After dinner, Juniper stood up to leave, but Shanley''s voice stopped her. "You have your quiz tomorrow?"


    "Yeah.¡± She paused and turned to look at him.


    "It''s still early. Bring your review materials over here. I''ll go over them with you." He took off his jacket and began to slowly roll up his shirtsleeves, his movements graceful and elegant.


    Juniper was at a loss for words, remembering his promise to Jimmie to not only take care of her daily needs but also help her with her studies.


    Crap. She''d only been focused on the food part of the deal.


    "I..." Juniper frowned, about to refuse. She was tired and wanted to sleep.


    "After we review, I''ll have Dana make you a fruit sd.¡± Shanley patted the seat next to him. His expression was indulgent, but his tone was firm. "Juniper,e sit next to me."


    Fruit sd! The refusal died in her throat. Using food to tempt her was just cruel.


    In the end, the young girl reluctantly brought her backpack over and sat down beside him. She spread her materials on the table, propped her chin on her left hand, and picked up a pen, her posture radiating unwillingness.


    ¡°Graphical analysis isn''t actually that difficult..." Shanley began, pointing to a section in her review packet and exining it in a gentle voice.


    Juniper listened quietly, but at some point, her attention drifted from the book to the man beside her. His high-bridged nose, the clean lines of his jaw, the perfect shape of his lips...


    From her angle, she could see his features clearly, unable to find a single w. His looks were truly impable; no wonder even a notorious heartbreaker like Lue had praised him.


    ¡°Juniper.......¡± Shanley noticed her staring into space and turned his head, gently tapping her forehead. His voice was a soft, affectionate murmur. "Are you going to get a high score by staring at my face?"


    Actually, looking at his face during the test might just keep her from dozing off and help her score a few extra points.


    "Probably," Juniper muttered, identally saying her thoughts out loud.


    Hearing this, Shanley''s eyes narrowed. He leaned his handsome face closer to


    hers, his voice a seductive whisper. "Is that so? Well then, should I let you get a closer look?"

 Chapter 135

    Juniper''s breath hitched as his face suddenly filled her vision. Her long, feather-likeshes trembled, and a warmth spread across her cheeks.


    "Nice view?" the man murmured, his gaze intense as his warm breath fanned across her skin. His eyes were as deep as the ocean, threatening to pull her in.


    ¡°It''s alright,¡± Juniper managed after a moment, blinking as she feignedposure.


    "Just alright?"


    A smirk yed on Shanley''s lips, the tenderness in his eyes nearly overflowing. He had always thought his face was better than just ¡°alright.¡± The girl certainly had high standards.


    Still, at least she didn''t dislike it. He considered that a win.


    ¡°I''m just teasing,¡± he said, pulling back and pushing a ss of milk toward her. "Drink this, and then we''ll continue."


    Half an hourter, just as Juniper was about to drift off, his phone rang.


    "Juniper, try solving these two problems," he instructed before taking his phone out to the balcony.


    Juniper nced at the questions, picked up her pen, and jotted down the answers: 5 and 10. No steps, just the results, written in a bold, carefree script. After writing, she tossed her pen aside and yawned, slumping onto the table.


    ¡°Right,¡± Shanley said into the phone. He turned around to see her fast asleep. She was resting her head on her arms, her face turned toward him. Her eyes were closed, her thickshes casting soft shadows on her cheeks. Under the light, her already fair skin looked almost translucent. She looked so innocent when she slept. "I''ll call you back." Shanley ended the call with a helpless smile and walked over to her.


    "Mr. Schwartz...¡± Dana appeared, about to ce a nket over Juniper.


    "I''ll do it." Shanley gave her a look, and Dana immediately handed him the nket.


    His eyes fell on the review materials. She had finished the two problems he''d left for her, the answers scribbled down with audacious confidence.


    He''d been gone for less than five minutes. They were difficult problems; how could she have solved them so quickly? No scratch paper, no process shown. Either she knew the answers beforehand, or...


    Shanley''s eyes narrowed. This girl was full of secrets.


    ¡°Dana, please prepare that fruit sd for Juniper. Add extra mango." After giving the instruction, Shanley gently draped the nket over her. He slipped an arm under her knees and carefully lifted her into his arms. Sleeping like that would have left her


    sore.


    The movement stirred her, and her eyes fluttered open, instantly alert. But when she saw who was holding her, the defensiveness vanished, and her body rxed.


    "Go back to sleep," Shanley whispered, his voice soft and soothing.


    Hershes fluttered once more before she closed her eyes, settlingfortably into his embrace.


    Holding the soft, pliant girl in his arms, Shanley''s heart meltedpletely. After watching her for a few more moments, he carried her to her room, gently ced her on the bed, and tucked her in. Worried she might need something, he decided to stay by her side for a while.


    Just then, his phone rang again. It was Hannah.


    Shanley frowned and answered in a hushed tone. "Grandma."


    "You rascal, where have you been?" Hannah''s voice was agitated. "You turned down that brilliant young doctor, and you refuse to meet any other girls, insisting you already have someone in mind. If you do, then bring her home for me to see!"


    She was starting to seriously suspect he was just making excuses.


    "Just a little longer, Grandma," Shanley said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It''s not a good time right now."

 Chapter 136

    "Not a good time? What''s so inconvenient?¡± Hannah muttered before her voice suddenly rose. "Don''t tell me... Don''t tell me you''re actually interested in men, are you?"


    That would exin why he refused to bring anyone home.


    ¡°Grandma...¡± Shanley let out a frustratedugh, unable to exin. He couldn''t very well say that his future wife was still in high school, could he? If Hannah found out, she''d probably break his legs. Besides, the girl was only just starting to warm up to him. He''d have to wait until she graduated before he could even think about pursuing her. He had no desire to bebeled a predator.


    "I don''t care what your excuse is," Hannah said sternly. "I''ve invited that brilliant young doctor to my birthday banquet. You have to be there, no matter what."


    Shanley sighed wearily. He didn''t understand what kind of spell this doctor had cast on his grandmother. If he didn''t show up, Hannah would never let it go.


    "Fine," he relented, hoping to appease her.


    "It''s your loss if you don''t want her,¡± Hannah huffed, wishing she could smack him. "There are plenty of other eligible young men in the Schwartz family. I''ll just find the best one for her myself. Whoever marries that girl will be blessed for generations."


    "That''s great, Grandma," Shanley replied with a resigned smile. ¡°Please, find her the best match. If it works out, I''ll be sure to give them a generous wedding gift." Hannah was speechless. She couldn''t be bothered with him anymore and mmed the phone down.


    That ungrateful boy! He was driving her mad.


    Juniper slept until eight that evening. When she woke up, she instinctively looked around. She remembered studying in the living room and then dreaming that Shanley had carried her... She''d been dreaming about him a lottely, so she''d assumed it was just another dream. But looking around her own bedroom, it seemed it had actually happened.


    She ran a frustrated hand through her hair. Around him, it was like she had no defenses at all. She hadn''t always been like this.


    It was a good thing he wasn''t her mortal enemy. If he were that bastard leader from Sigma Network, she''d probably be dead by now.


    Just thinking about him made her teeth ache with hatred. That son of a bitch. He''d better hope she never found him, or she''d kill him.


    ...


    The next morning, Shanley drove a more understated sedan, a practical choice for dropping Juniper off right at the school gate.


    "Your right hand hasn''t fully healed, so don''t strain it," he said, rearranging the snacks in her backpack and cing her bottle where she could easily see it. "Just do your best on the test. Don''t put too much pressure on yourself."


    "Got it." Juniper flexed her wrist, unconcerned.


    When she''d fought that bastard from Sigma Network, her right hand had been shot, nearly crippled. Everyone said it couldn''t be saved, but she had performed surgery on it with her left hand and nursed it back to health over several months. It was tougher than it looked.


    "It doesn''t matter if you don''t pass," Shanley continued, handing her jacket to her. ¡°I have money. I can take care of you."


    "You have money?" Juniper paused, a slow smile spreading across her face. Her voice wasced with azy amusement. "How much money are we talking about?"


    "However much you want,¡± he answered, a devilish grin on his lips, his affection for her on full disy.


    However much she wanted? Wow, so generous. Good-looking and rich he had it all.


    "You know, I''m very expensive. Most people can''t afford me.¡± Juniper hugged her backpack, her tone light and yfully arrogant. "You''d better start saving up."


    Shanley froze for a second, then a slow grin spread across his face.


    Was that her giving him a green light?

 Chapter 137

    "Deal,¡± Shanley said, his lips curling into a soft smile. "I''ll work hard to make sure you have more than enough to spend."


    Juniper blinked, momentarily stunned. She had just been teasing, trying to convey that she was high-maintenance and not easily won over. She hadn''t actually expected him to provide for her. It wasn''t like she was short on cash.


    ¡°You.....¡± She started to exin, but when she looked up and met his deep, adoring gaze, her soul seemed to tremble, and the words caught in her throat.


    "What is it?" he asked, amused by the way she was staring at him, the tips of her ears turning a cute shade of pink. He reached out and gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead, a roguish smile on his face.


    "Don''t you believe me?" He was, in fact, quite good at making money. She could spend as much as she wanted.


    "No, it''s not that." Juniper shifted back slightly, feigningposure. "I was just wondering... You say you''ll take care of me, but would my brother agree to that?"


    Her tone was even, her eyes clear, filled with a hint of mischief.


    Shanley''s smile froze on his face, and his expression darkened.


    "Well, you get to work making all that money. I''m off to school." Juniper fluttered her eyshes, havingnded her blow. She slung her backpack on, decisively opened the door, and cheerfully walked toward the school.


    Shanley sat there, his face as ck as the bottom of a pot.


    A few secondster, a snort ofughter escaped from the front seat. Flint couldn''t hold it in any longer.


    Felton, meanwhile, was digging his nails into his palm, desperately trying not to join in. Ms. Payne''seback was a finishing move. Their boss spent all his time plotting to lure the girl into his arms, but if Mr. Tate, who was notoriously protective of his sister, ever found out he''d willingly delivered her into the lion''s den...


    The thought of that scene was too terrifying to even imagine.


    "Flint." Hearing theughter, Shanley turned his head, his icy gazending on him. "You seem to be in a very good moodtely."


    "Not at all, boss," Flint said, quickly lowering his head like a coward. "I''m just a naturally cheerful person."


    Felton nced at him and offered a silent prayer.


    "Is that so?¡± Shanley''s brows furrowed, an ominous aura radiating from him. ¡°Sigma Network is looking for a sparring partner. You can go for two days."


    A sparring partner? The words sent a chill down Flint''s spine. Those brats would never let him return in one piece.


    "Boss-"


    "Three days," Shanley interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument.


    "Yes, sir," Flint mumbled, swallowing his protests.


    Meanwhile, in a nearby shop, Ynda Sherwin and Jerrold Lonsdale were sitting by


    the window and happened to see Juniper get out of a ck car.


    "Isn''t that my sister?" Ynda asked Jerrold, her voice deliberately loud. "I remember that car isn''t cheap. Do you think the person inside is her... ?"


    She left the rest unsaid, the implication clear.


    "And..." Ynda pursed her lips, feigning innocence. "I think the person in the driver''s seat has white hair. He must be pretty old."


    Flint, with his dyed-white hair, would have been very confused.


    Jerrold followed her gaze, his eyes narrowing.


    Not cheap? It was just an old model that cost several hundred thousand; it had depreciated significantly by now. How much money could the owner possibly have? And indeed, the driver had a full head of white hair. He looked to be at least sixty.

 Chapter 138

    He scoffed. Back when her grandfather Lemuel was alive and doted on her, Juniper had been so arrogant she wouldn''t even give him the time of day. Now that Lemuel was gone, she had no problem lowering herself to be an old man''s mistress.


    How amusing.


    ¡°At the graduation g, if it wasn''t for her scheming, I wouldn''t have..." Ynda pouted, trying to repair her image in Jerrold''s eyes. The scandal from that night had been a huge embarrassment for him, and she''d heard the Lonsdale family wasn''t happy about it. And then there was that other time... Ynda subconsciously touched her cheek, where a thickyer of foundation covered the bruises, her eyes shing with hatred.


    "That''s enough." Jerrold cut her off, his mind still on Juniper. "Don''t bring that up again." Everyone who was anyone knew the Lonsdale and Sherwin families were nning to unite through marriage. To save face, he had spent a fortune suppressing the scandal.


    If it weren''t for the fact that debutantes from more prestigious families looked down on his illegitimate status, why would he ever have agreed to an alliance with the Sherwins?


    Jerrold nced at Ynda, frowning deeply. In his opinion, her looks, ss, and figure didn''t evene close to a fraction of Juniper''s.


    "You should focus on your studies for now," he said, stirring his coffee distractedly. "If you rank among the top in the exams, it will reflect well on both our families. People will naturally forget about those rumors."


    "Okay, Jerrold," Ynda replied meekly.


    After Ynda left, Jerrold took out his phone. Staring in the direction Juniper had gone, he sent a text to a private investigator: [Find out who the old man paying for Juniper is.]


    She wanted money, didn''t she? In that case, what did it matter who she slept with? He''d wanted her for years. He could certainly afford to pay.


    ...


    At Aurora High School, the exam seating for the four senior sses had beenpletely randomized. Juniper found her assigned ssroom on the notice board. As she walked in, she saw Queenie and Qadir waving excitedly at her.


    "Juniper!"


    "Over here!"


    Juniper smiled and took the seat in front of Queenie. "Fancy seeing you two here," she said, turning around to face them.


    "Yeah, what a coincidence!" Qadir grinned and pulled a few mango candies from his pocket. "Here, I noticed you like this vor. Try these."


    "Thanks." Juniper popped one into her mouth. The sweet and tangy mango vor filled her senses. It was a strange, indefinable taste... not as good as the ones Shanley gave her.


    ¡°Juniper, how did your studying go?" Qadir asked curiously.


    Honestly, he was a little skeptical about the key points she had given them yesterday. After all, Juniper''s report card had even more zeros than his. Still, he''d taken a look at them anyway.


    "It was fine," Juniper yawned, digging through her bag for a pen. Her hand brushed against the bottle Shanley had packed. She took it out and set it on her desk, nning to put it away after she found what she was looking for.


    "Whoa, Juniper, is that pink bottle yours? It''s kinda cute." The bottle immediately caught Qadir''s eye, and he reached out to get a better look.


    "It''s mine!"


    Before he could even touch it, Juniper snatched it back like a startled cat and stuffed it deep into her bag.


    Both Queenie and Qadir froze, staring at her in bewilderment. They had never, ever seen Juniper act so possessive over anything before. Who could have given it to her?

 Chapter 139

    After securing the bottle, Juniper realized she might have overreacted.


    "Is that bottle really important?" Qadir asked cautiously, shrinking back a little.


    "Kind of," Juniper admitted, blinking ufortably.


    Dana had told her that Shanley had designed the bottle himself and had it custom- made. It was one-of-a-kind and incredibly expensive. For whatever reason, she didn''t like other people touching it.


    "Oh." Qadir nodded thoughtfully. A few secondster, a gossipy grin spread across his face. "Was it a gift from someone you like?"


    Someone she liked? At those words, the pen she was twirling flew out of her hand. Qadir and Queenie exchanged a look, both sensing something was up.


    ¡°Juniper, you''re blushing!" Qadir eximed excitedly. "So there is someone! Who is it? Who?!" Crap. The great Juniper was actually blushing! She must have another guy on the side.


    Juniper''s distant brother had strictly forbidden her from dating. He''d been watching her like a hawk, trying to protect his goddess from any lowlifes, but it seemed someone had slipped past his defenses. Who was it that had stolen Juniper''s heart?


    "Shut up."


    His yelling was getting on her nerves. She gave him a light kick under the desk. Qadir''s words had sent her calm heart into a chaotic flutter. So what if she liked him? He was handsome, was it a crime to find him attractive?


    "Mmph." Qadir mped a hand over his mouth. He wanted to ask more, but just then, the proctor walked in with a stack of exam papers. The entire room fell silent. It was the Literature exam, and the tension was palpable as everyone sat up straight.


    In a corner of the room, Jolene witnessed the entire exchange with a smirk.


    How ridiculous! With the top-ranked student in the ss sitting right there, it would be hard for Juniper not to do well.


    She''d heard Salma had arranged the seating herself. She wasn''t even trying to hide her favoritism, clearly nning to protect Juniper. She''d better behave, or else...


    Remembering the two ps Juniper had given her in public, Jolene''s fingers slowly curled into a fist, her eyes filled with hate.


    ...


    The papers were distributed, and the exam officially began. Juniper looked at the test and remembered Shanley''s promise: if she did well, he''d treat her to a delicious meal. A small smile touched her lips as she picked up her pen and began to write. Students weren''t allowed to hand in their papers early. Juniper finished the two-and- a-half-hour Literature exam in less than an hour. Done, she propped her chin on her hand and scanned the room. Everyone else was still working furiously.


    Crap. It seemed she had worked too fast, and now she was bored. She made a mental note to pace herself better next time.


    Out of sheer boredom, her eyelids began to droop. As long as she wasn''t disturbing anyone, a short nap wouldn''t hurt, right?


    Meanwhile, Qadir was flying through the questions with newfound ease. Several of the major questions on the exam were topics Juniper had pointed out yesterday. They weren''t identical, but the core concepts were the same. She was amazing! If she could guess the questions so urately, she must be doing well herself, right? He decided to sneak a peek at her progress. But when he turned, he saw her propped on her hand, eyes closed, sleeping soundly.


    What? Qadir checked the time. It had only been an hour. Had Juniper finished already? Impossible! She must have given up!


    He frowned, worried. If things went south, he''d have to ask his dad to sell off some assets and donate another building to the school. It had worked to keep him here; it could work for Juniper too.


    Compared to Qadir''s panic, Queenie was the picture of calm.

 Chapter 140

    As Queenie worked, she marveled at Juniper''s predictions. She had truly pinpointed the most crucial topics. The people who wrote the university entrance exam study guides should just hire Juniper. It would be a game-changer.


    At the front of the room, the proctor¡ªa teacher temporarily pulled from the sophomore division-happened to notice Juniper dozing off. Although he''d never had her in ss, he was well aware of her reputation, especially the infamous story about her driving the physics teacher mad. He knew her attitude toward her studies was poor and that her teachers had collectively protested her presence.


    This quiz was herst chance; if she ranked at the bottom, she''d be expelled. For a student who''d skipped her sophomore year and joined in the middle of her senior year to suddenly get good grades would be a miracle.


    The proctor shook his head. She was on her way out anyway. He decided not to wake her, to avoid disturbing the other students, especially the top-ranked student sitting in front of her.


    "Tch." Jolene, whose own paper was half-empty, sneered. Even though she was a poor student herself, she despised those who were even worse.


    With expulsion on the line, how could Juniper have the nerve to sleep? What a freak.


    Then again, maybe she was just so hopelessly out of her depth that she''d decided to give up entirely.


    The thought made Jolene feel a little better. She couldn''t wait for the scores to be posted so she could watch Juniper get kicked out in disgrace.


    ...


    Two and a half hourster, the final bell rang. Juniper straightened her exam paper and waited for the proctor to collect it. When he reached her desk, he did a double- take. When had she filled the whole thing out? It was written on, sure, but he wondered how many points it was actually worth.


    "Juniper, why did you fall asleep?" Qadir bounced over to her desk as soon as the papers were collected, his brow furrowed with worry.


    "I was bored." Juniper leaned back, took out her bottle for a sip of water, and popped a candy into her mouth. "Go get Queenie and Dolce. We''re getting fondue for lunch."


    "You got it!" Qadir immediately trotted off to find them.


    "Juniper..." Queenie fell into step beside her as they walked out. "It looked like you finished the exam in an hour today."


    Most people struggled to even finish the essay on the Literature exam in two and a half hours. She knew Juniper was brilliant, but an hour... wasn''t that a bit of an exaggeration?


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Juniper said, stuffing her hands in her pockets. She turned to Queenie with azy expression. "I was actually going slow this time. I''m usually faster."


    It was mainly because of her injured right hand. Shanley had told her not to strain it, so she hadn''t written as quickly as she could have.


    Usually faster?


    Queenie''s mouth fell open, unable to form a reply. This waspletely beyond herprehension.


    The afternoon exam was Math, whichsted for two hours. After that, they could go home without staying for the evening study session. Juniper was in high spirits.


    Having learned from her morning of boredom-induced napping, she deliberately slowed her pace on the math test. First, she did all the calctions in her head, which took about thirty minutes. Then, she painstakingly wrote each answer on the answer sheet, which took another thirty. In total, she was done in an hour, with a full hour left to spare.


    She looked at the clock, exasperated. She''d slept enough that morning and wasn''t tired anymore. But if she just sat there staring into space, her mind would inevitably wander to a certain someone...


    After a moment of silence, Juniper took out a nk piece of scratch paper and began to idly sketch jewelry designs.


    Perfect. J-Five Studio had been nagging her for new drafts anyway. She might as well toss them a couple of ideas now. Otherwise, their constant whining would drive


    her crazy.

 Chapter 141

    Juniper dawdled, finally managing to finish the jewelry designs just under the sixty- minute mark. A few pencil sketches of jewelry adorned the low-quality white draft paper. They were simple, uncolored drawings, but the lines were fluid and the concepts exquisite-breathtakingly beautiful.


    With a sigh, Juniper put down her pencil, rubbing her wrist. She crumpled the sketch paper into a ball and casually tossed it into her pocket. These pieces were pretty good; she figured they could probably sell for a few hundred million. Enough to fund the base''s expenses for a while.


    "Juniper, let''s go," Qadir said with a grin, jerking his chin toward the door.


    "Yeah." Juniper arranged her answer sheet and left with Qadir and Queenie, chatting as they walked.


    "Juniper, you''re amazing! You actually guessed so many of the key topics..." Qadir''s voice wasn''t quiet, and Jolene, who was nearby, heard him clearly.


    Guessed the key topics?


    As Jolene walked out, she deliberately nced at Juniper''s test paper. Her eyes widened. The answer sheet, including the two notoriously difficult final questions, waspletely filled out.


    A girl who hadn''t even attended her junior or senior years of high school could answer these questions? That was hrious.


    She remembered that during the exam, Queenie''s paper had identally fallen on the floor, and Juniper had picked it up for her. Could it be... that Queenie had orchestrated the whole thing just to let her copy the answers?


    Tsk, tsk. Cheating and copying answers, and she had the nerve to fill out the entire paper? How bold!


    It was a tradition at Aurora High School to grade exams the same day they were taken. The teachers despised cheating. When they saw Juniper''s paper, they''d probably be furious. She would surely be expelled immediately, right?


    The more Jolene thought about it, the happier she became.


    ...


    After the exam, Juniper didn''t go straight back to Cloudscape Community. Instead, she went to J-Five Studio. The director had called to inform her that the jewelry designed for Hannah Schwartz wasplete and needed her final confirmation.


    "Boss." Upon seeing her arrive, the other designers stood up and greeted her respectfully.


    "Where''s the jewelry?" Juniper, dressed in her school uniform, holding a bottle in her left hand and a lollipop in her mouth, lookedpletely out of ce among the older designers with her youthful face. Yet, the powerful aura she exuded was so intimidating that those around her didn''t dare to look her straight in the eye.


    "It''s in the vault," the director said. Noticing the backpack and bottle in Juniper''s hands, he tactfully reached out. "Let me hold that for you."


    "No need." Juniper sidestepped him, opened her backpack, and ced the bottle inside.


    The director''s hand froze in mid-air, a look of confusion on his face. Did he see that right? This was the boss who would casually toss around diamonds worth millions, yet she was treating a simple bottle like a precious treasure?


    Inside the vault, Juniper donned gloves and a pair of magnifying sses, sitting under a brightmp to make the final adjustments to the jewelry.


    The director stood behind her, bent slightly at the waist, not daring to breathe too loudly. The boss had stressed the importance of this order. He had hired only the top artisans and had personally supervised the entire process, terrified of any mistakes.


    If he recalled correctly, this order was from Shanley Schwartz, the CEO of the Schwartz Group. Hadn''t the boss had some conflict with him before? She was paying an unusual amount of attention to this particrmission.


    Once she was certain everything was perfect, Juniper removed her gloves and sses. She scanned the room, her gaze finally settling on a magnificent emerald ne.


    Next week was the birthday banquet for that olddy and she''d been invited. She couldn''t very well show up empty-handed.

 Chapter 142

    Juniper asked nonchntly, "Wrap this ne up nicely. It''s a gift."


    A gift? The director nced at the price tag and nearly had a heart attack. He counted the zeros... there were so many. His boss was just casually giving away something so valuable?


    "It''s all wrapped," the director said, not daring to ask any questions. He was just an employee, after all.


    "Actually..." Juniper slung her backpack over her shoulder, her gaze sweeping over the staff working overtime. "You all really don''t have to work this hard."


    She wasn''t a fan of her employees workingte. Maybe she was paying them too much? They were so motivated that they were practically using her, the boss, of not being dedicated enough. It was frustrating.


    "Thank you for your concern, but we''re not tired!" the employees chimed in, beaming at her, their faces screaming "Voluntary Overtime!"


    "Uh." Juniper was at a loss for words. After a few seconds of silence, she said with a sigh of resignation, "Order them some dessert. And... give everyone a fifty percent raise this month."


    "Yes, Boss!" A brilliant smile spread across the director''s face, his voice booming.


    Juniper looked away and was about to head out when her phone suddenly rang. The caller ID read: Shanley.


    "Hello." Juniper paused for two seconds before answering. She usually kept her phone off during work hours and had forgotten she was living with someone now, which meant she needed to let them know if she wasn''ting home.


    "Juniper, you''re not home yet. Are you held up?"


    Shanley stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, his tall figure shrouded in a thin mist. His handsome face was etched with worry, his voice terrifyingly gentle.


    School let out at five-thirty, and it was already eight. When he hadn''t found her at home and her phone was off, he had been so anxious he hadn''t even changed his clothes. Just as he was about to track her location, the call went through.


    "Something came up," Juniper said, her pace quickening slightly. Her voice was uncharacteristically timid. After all, she wasn''t used to anyone calling to check if she wasing home.


    "As long as you''re okay." Shanley''s tense nerves finally rxed, his tone bing gentle and doting. "Are youing home now?"


    Home? The word tugged gently at Juniper''s heart.


    "I am," she replied, biting her lip, her voice softening without her realizing it. Coming home meant Dana''s delicious food and plenty of snacks... She actually quite likeding back to this home.


    "Send me your address. I''ll pick you up," Shanley said, grabbing his car keys and heading for the door. "It''s starting to rain. Find a ce to stay dry while you wait, okay?"


    "Okay." Juniper ended the call and obediently sent her location to Shanley. When she turned around, she was met with the curious stares of her designers.


    "Is there a problem?" Juniper''s expression turned indifferent, her tone a few shades cooler. Everyone immediately sat down, heads bowed, not daring to speak.


    Juniper looked away, pulled on her hood, and walked out. The moment she left, the designers all stood up and huddled together to gossip.


    "Whose call was that? Our boss looked so nervous."


    "I know, right? It''s the first time I''ve ever seen her look a little flustered. It was like..."


    a female designer paused for a moment before continuing, "...like a girlfriend who got caught sneaking out by her boyfriend."


    "I thought the boss only knew how to say ''get lost.'' I never expected her to sound so cute and obedient when she said ''okay."


    Cute? Obedient?


    Hearing those words, the other designers shot him looks of disbelief. He must be new here. They''d let him form his own opinions after he''d been around for a while.

 Chapter 143

    Night fell, and a light rain drifted down, nketing the neon-lit city in a gray haze.


    Juniper hugged her backpack, squatting under a sheltering eave, her clear eyes watching the passing cars. A strange sense of disappointment welled up when she didn''t see a certain someone''s car.


    "Where are you headed, littledy?" A taxi driver, feeling sorry for her, rolled down his window and kindly asked, "The rain''s getting heavier. I can take you home."


    "That''s okay," Juniper said, checking the time and shaking her head. "Someone''sing to get me. Thanks."


    "Alright then," the driver said with a good-natured smile. "Well, stay safe."


    "I will." Juniper nodded slightly and popped a candy into her mouth from her pocket. Her mood lifted a little as she continued to watch the traffic expectantly. Finally, just as the candy was about to dissolve and her patience was wearing thin, a low-key ck sports car screeched to a halt beside the road.


    "Juniper." The car door opened, and a tall, imposing man holding an umbre stepped out hastily. Juniper looked up and met Shanley''s handsome, worried face. He seemed to have left in a hurry; his tie was askew, his hair was slightly messy, and he hadn''t even changed out of his slippers. The usually cool and noble man looked a bit disheveled, but his face was still as handsome as ever.


    "Sorry, I''mte." Shanley stopped in front of Juniper, tilting the umbre entirely over her, hisrge frame shielding her from the wind and rain.


    "There was an ident on the north side, caused some traffic." He exined patiently, "Are you cold?"


    Even though she had been under the eave, her clothes and hair were still damp. Without a moment''s hesitation, Shanley took off his jacket and draped it over her, wrapping her up tightly. By now, the rain was pouring down, drenching the man. His white shirt turned transparent, clearly revealing the contours of his muscles under the streetlights.


    "I''m okay." Juniper averted her gaze, embarrassed, then couldn''t help but look back for a second nce.


    Was this the kind of perfect physique-broad shoulders, narrow waist-that Lue always talked about?


    "The rain''s too heavy. Let''s get in the car," Shanley said. Holding the umbre with his left hand to keep her dry, he used his right to gently pull her closer. Their distance closed in an instant, and a distracted Juniper stumbled into his arms.


    "Oof." Her forehead knocked against his hard chest, a tingling sensation spreading through her.


    "Are you alright?" Shanley quickly opened the car door, shielding her as she got in, and asked with concern.


    Sitting in the passenger seat, Juniper''s senses were filled with the clean, pleasant scent that was uniquely his. She parted her lips, "I''m fine."


    "Let''s go home." Shanley went around to the other side, got into the driver''s seat, and started the car, heading straight for Cloudscape Community. After being out in the wind and rain, he worried the girl might get sick.


    In the quiet car, Juniper was wrapped in his suit jacket, her body feeling warm. In contrast, Shanley''s shirt was soaked, and his neat hair was dripping with water.


    "You..." Juniper bit her lip, found a tissue in her bag, and handed it to him. "Want to wipe your face?"


    "Hmm?" Shanley turned his head, his eyesnding on her face. After a two-second pause, a wicked smile yed on his lips. "I''m driving. How am I supposed to do that?"

 Chapter 144

    "Unless... you''d care to help me?"


    Seeing the girl''s bewildered expression, Shanley leaned closer, his voiceced with a captivating charm.


    Help him? Juniper nced at the handsome face now magnified before her, then at the pouring rain outside. She was afraid he might get into an ident if he wasn''t paying attention.


    "Oh." After a moment''s hesitation, Juniper took the tissue and began to gently wipe the raindrops from his face.


    The car fell silent. His jacket sleeves were too long on her, making the task a bit awkward. As she wiped, the pad of her finger identally brushed against his skin ¡ªa fleeting contact of warmth and coolness. In that instant, a strange sensation shot through her, momentarily stunning her senses. Her body trembled, and she instinctively pulled her hand back, feigningposure. "There. Just focus on driving."


    "Thank you, Juniper," Shanley said, his deep eyes crinkling as he smiled in satisfaction. "Don''t worry, I''m a very good at this."


    Juniper''s head snapped toward him, then, after a two-second stare, she whipped her face away to look out the window. She had a nagging feeling his words had a double meaning. He was talking about his driving skills, right? He''d better be.


    Back at Cloudscape Community, Shanley immediately urged Juniper to go take a hot shower.


    "Sir, you should go take a shower too," Dana said,ing downstairs after helping Juniper get settled, only to find Shanley carefully cleaning the girl''s things.


    "I''m fine." Shanley wiped the backpack clean, set it aside, and then shook out her school jacket. "Dana, please prepare some ginger soup for Juniper."


    Just as he said that, a crumpled piece of white paper fell to the floor at his feet. It was balled up tightly. Shanley picked it up and gently smoothed it out. Several beautiful jewelry designs came into view, immediately capturing his attention.


    The designs on the draft paper were clearly sketched casually, but they were exceptionally unique and intricate-not something an ordinary designer could create in a short amount of time. Schwartz Group had its own jewelry designpany, and he hadn''t seen a design this brilliant in at least thest two years. The style even resembled...


    Shanley''s gaze drifted down to the other designs. In the bottom right corner, he spotted a very faint signature: J-Five.


    The name was all too familiar to Shanley. He had been swindled out of tens of millions by her for his grandmother''s jewelry.


    This was J-Five''s design draft? How did her draft end up in Juniper''s pocket?


    Shanley stood frozen, his mind racing with two possibilities. One: Juniper knew J- Five. Two: Juniper was J-Five.


    J-Five had made a name for herself in the jewelry world five years ago, producing numerous sensational designs. How old was Juniper back then... Thirteen. A thirteen-year-old girl, an emerging dark horse in the jewelry world, defeating several world-renowned designers? Anyone would find that story utterly preposterous.


    But... his Juniper had be a famous dance master in her early teens. A jewelry designer didn''t seem entirely impossible.


    "Heh." At this thought, a low chuckle escaped Shanley''s throat. The expression on his stern face was aplex mix of helplessness and affection. If Juniper really was the designer J-Five, didn''t that mean the girl knew all along that he was the one who hadmissioned her for the jewelry?

 Chapter 145

    Staring at the crumpled design sketch in his hand, Shanley''s expression was indescribablyplex. He couldn''t figure it out... what had he done to make this girl rip him off for tens of millions? Especially during theirmunications-her attitude had been so hostile, it was as if she wanted to kill him.


    Shanley carefully ced the sketch back where he found it, the smile on his lips widening.


    Just how many secrets was this girl hiding? This whole J-Five business, he had to get to the bottom of it.


    Upstairs, Juniper finished her shower but couldn''t find a hairdryer. With her hair still dripping wet, she headed downstairs to find Dana.


    As she reached the turn of the staircase, she saw Shanley, d in a gray-blue bathrobe, standing by the window on a call. His hair was slightly damp, the belt of his robe tied loosely, entuating his lean waist. Below that were his well- proportioned, strong calves. The warm light from above cast a golden halo around him, making him look both casual and dazzlingly captivating. A single nce was enough to make one''s heart race.


    Juniper stopped in her tracks, an unbidden thought popping into her mind: Tsk. He''s old, but he''s kept himself in great shape.


    "Yes, keep an eye on her new productunches," Shanley said, turning his head slightly. His gaze caught the girl on the stairs, and he frowned.


    "That''s all." He ended the call, tossed his phone onto the sofa, and strode towards Juniper. "Why didn''t you dry your hair?"


    Juniper''s gaze flickered. Just as she was about to speak, Dana rushed out from the kitchen. "I''m so sorry, Ms. Payne! I was just about to bring you the hairdryer, but I got distracted in the kitchen and forgot."


    She added, "Have a seat, I''ll dry it for you."


    Ms. Payne''s right hand was injured, so it wouldn''t be easy for her.


    "Give me the hairdryer." Just as Dana was about to step forward, Shanley reached out and took it from her.


    "I''ll take care of Juniper," he said in a low, firm voice. "You get back to the kitchen. She''s probably hungry."


    When he''d picked her up, she''d looked like a wilted little mushroom. She clearly hadn''t eaten. What was she doing out there anyway? Since she don''t want to say, he wouldn


    pry


    into her privacy. As long as she was safe, that''s what mattered most.


    "Oh?" Dana paused for a second, then quickly recovered with a smile. "Of course, Mr. Schwartz." With that, she tactfully retreated to the kitchen, even dosing the door to avoid. disturbing them. Suddenly, only the two of them were left in the living room.


    "Juniper, sit here." Shanley plugged in the hairdryer and beckoned to the dazed girl.


    "Oh." Juniper walked over and sat


    obediently on the sofa. The low hum of the dryer filled the air as warm air swirled above her head. Shezily lifted her eyelids and found Shanley Standing in front of her. His tall frame was bent slightly forward, a position that caused the belt of his robe to loosen, leaving the cor gaping open.


    And... following the line of the belt upwards, she had a crystal-clear view of his chest. It was strong, well-defined, and handsome.


    "Cough, cough." Juniper''s face flushed red, and she instinctively leaned back, trying to create some distance.


    "Stay still, now," Shanley said softly, gently patting her head. "You''ll burn yourself."


    The hairdryer was quite hot. A girl with such delicate skin couldn''t afford to get burned.


    Juniper''s body tensed. A momentter, she felt his long fingers running through her dripping hair. Hebed through it, carefully drying it strand by strand, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a fragile treasure.

 Chapter 146

    Juniper felt no difort at all.


    Tsk. His technique was really good. He must have done this for someone else before, right? Definitely!


    Juniper pouted, feeling a strange sense of unease. She decided to just close her eyes and not look at him.


    Ten minutester, once he was sure every single strand of her hair was dry, Shanley turned off the hairdryer. He then picked up ab and carefully smoothed out her slightly messy hair, instructing her in a soft, gentle voice, "From now on, if you''re going to bete, you need to tell me or Dana beforehand. Otherwise, we''ll worry, understand?"


    Juniper was still stewing over his skillful technique and didn''t want to respond.


    "What''s wrong?" When he didn''t get an answer, Shanley stopped what he was doing and crouched down in front of her, meeting her gaze. "Hmm?"


    Juniper''s eyes fell on his face. After a few seconds of hesitation, she looked away irritably and muttered a single, unhappy word, "Nothing."


    "Are you hungry?" Shanley didn''t press the issue. He patted her head affectionately. "Come on, let''s eat. Dana made your favorite roast chicken."


    Juniper went to the dining room and sat down, noticing two ce settings on the table. He hadn''t eaten either?


    "Mr. Schwartz came homete, and then he went to pick you up, so he didn''t have a chance to eat," Dana exined with a smile as she brought out the dishes, having noticed Juniper''s questioning look.


    Juniper nced at the man washing his hands, and the furrow in her brow rxed.


    "Drink some ginger soup before you eat," Dana said lovingly, cing a cup down. "Mr. Schwartz specifically asked me to make it for you, he was worried you might catch a cold. Why don''t you try it?"


    Juniper sniffed it. The ginger smell was overpowering. She hated ginger.


    "I..." Just as she was about to refuse, Dana''s voice rang out again, full of pleasant surprise. "I never would have guessed, but for Mr.


    Schwartz''s first time drying a girl''s hair, he did a really good job."


    "First time?" Juniper looked at Dana in confusion, her pupils widening slightly.


    "That''s right," Dana said with a radiant smile as she arranged the cutlery. "Besides you, there have been no other girls around Mr. Schwartz."


    In many ways, she thought to herself, it was his first time.


    "Oh..." Juniper blinked, a barely perceptible smile touching her lips. Her mood had clearly improved.


    "Ms. Payne, drink up before it gets cold," Dana urged again.


    "Thank you." Juniper picked up the cup and took a small sip. It was a bit unpleasant. But in the end, she forced herself to drink the whole thing.


    At the dinner table, Shanley diligently served the girl food with the shared utensils Juniper now in a goog


    had a good appetite and ate


    thing he put on her te.


    "Juniper," Shanley said, putting down a peeled shrimp and wiping his hands, a meaningful smile ying on his lips, "can you draw?"


    Juniper paused mid-shrimp, slowly lifting her chin to look at him with suspicion.


    "Just asking," Shanley said, a smile tugging at his lips as he noticed the flicker of panic on her delicate face. His low voice was tinged with "I saw a few drawings


    amusement. looked like you


    in your room.


    drew them yourself."


    "Oh." Juniper guiltily averted her gaze and went back to eating, her voice muffled. "A little."


    The drawings in her room were indeed hers-portraits of her grandfather. But she remembered not signing them. Shanley couldn''t possibly know... that she was J- Five, could he?


    "Is that so?" Shanley chuckled, his deep eyes fixed on her, growing even more profound. He was certain it was more than just ¡®a little''.

 Chapter 147

    The next morning, before leaving for school, Juniper turned on herputer, scanned the jewelry design sketches she had drawn the day before, and sent them to the J-Five studio.


    A secondter, the director called, his voice ecstatic. "Boss, these designs are absolutely incredible! They''re going to be bestsellers when we release them. You must have put in so much time and effort. Thank you, thank you!"


    "It did take a bit longer than usual," Juniper said, her voicezy. "It should have taken half an hour, but it ended up taking a full hour."


    If she hadn''t been just killing time, it probably wouldn''t have even taken that long.


    On the other end of the line, the director suddenly fell silent. Had he heard that right? The boss was saying these top-tier designs took her only an hour to create? How were other design studios and jewelry designers supposed topete? There was no one on her level.


    "Now that you have something to make money with, don''t bother me for a while," Juniper said, deliberately lowering her voice as she walked downstairs.


    Usually, bosses were the ones hounding their employees to make money. But in her case... it was theplete opposite. Her employees were constantly on her case to make money. She wasn''t even sure who the real boss was anymore.


    "So fast?" the director hesitated for a second, then chuckled nervously. "Boss, since you''re so quick, could you maybe draw a few more?"


    "What?" Juniper stopped in her tracks, her brow furrowing deeply.


    "Look, boss," the director pressed on, undeterred, "if you can draw four designs in half an hour, that''s eight in an hour. In a 24-hour day, that''s 192 designs. In a month, that''s 5,760!" His excitement grew with each word, the sound of a calctor tapping away audible over the phone. "And if we sell each design as a product for at least six figures, let me see... tens, hundreds, thousands, dad, grandpa, great-grandpa..."


    Holy cow, that''s a lot of money. He couldn''t even say the number.


    "Boss, boss..." His voice cracked with excitement,pletely lost in his dream of getting rich.


    "Yes, that is a lot," Juniper replied calmly, "but I''m not going to do it."


    "Why not, boss?" The director''s excitement instantly deted.


    "Figure it out yourself," Juniper''s voice turned icy. "If you can''t figure it out by ten o''clock, you can step down from your position as director."


    "Boss..." The director was terrified and tried to argue, but the line had already gone dead.


    He was screwed. The boss always meant what she said and never showed any mercy. If he couldn''t figure it out, he would definitely be dealt with. So, why wouldn''t she want to design more jewelry and make more money?


    Meanwhile, Juniper hung up the phone, stuffed it in her pocket, and rubbed her temples, annoyed.


    J-Five was a high-end, private


    custom jewelry studio. It had always been about quality over quantity. If it were purely for profit, with her skills, she could churn out eighty designs a day, let alone eight. What was the


    if


    Paint of calling it rare and high en anyone ould easily buy it? What she wanted was for every piece from J-Five to be a ssic,parable to any major brand. Brand value would always be her top priority.


    Juniper was a bitte because she had been scanning the design sketches and hadn''t had time for breakfast. To make sure she didn''t miss the exam, Shanley had packed her food to eat in the car bread, milk, and a box of fresh cherries.


    "Eat slowly, there''s still time," Shanley said, watching the girl take small sips of milk, his eyes full of tenderness.


    "Have some fruit." After she finished the bread and milk, Shanley opened the box


    and held a cherry to Juniper''s lips. "The cherries you wanted."


    Juniper looked down and saw the box of fresh red cherries, slightly surprised. She had only mentioned it once in passing to Dana. And in just two days, Shanley had managed to get them for her if she remembered correctly, cherries were out of season here.

 Chapter 148

    Where did he have them flown in from?


    "Try one. They''re quite sweet," Shanley said, wiping the water off the cherry. His tone was doting, like he was coaxing a child to eat.


    Juniper really wanted one and was about to reach for it when she realized her left hand was holding bread and her right was holding the cup. She didn''t have a free hand.


    Shanley chuckled softly and brought the cherry directly to her lips. After a two- second hesitation, Juniper finally gave in to the temptation and ate it.


    Instantly, a sweet vor filled her mouth, so delicious that she couldn''t help but close her eyes in pleasure.


    "You like them?" Seeing her joyful expression, Shanley knew he had guessed right and continued to feed her.


    "Mhm." Juniper just opened her mouth and ate, one after another. It was almost time for ss. She decided to have onest cherry before heading to school.


    But she was too eager, and as she leaned forward, her lips identally brushed against his fingertips. In that moment, she felt both of their bodies stiffen. The smile on the man''s face froze, his deep eyes gazing intently at her. The atmosphere in the car suddenly became charged.


    Juniper abruptly pulled back, her body hitting the car door with a loud thud that brought her back to her senses.


    "I-I have to go," she stammered. Without giving him a chance to react, she pushed open the door and hurried away. After a few steps, she ran back, awkwardly grabbing the backpack she had left behind. She turned, walked a few more steps, then broke into a run, quickly disappearing from sight.


    Watching her hasty retreat, Shanley''s lips curled into a smile, and he let out a softugh.


    So the girl could be shy, huh? Did this mean... that Juniper wasn''t entirely indifferent to him?


    The thought put him in a great mood, and the temperature inside the car seemed to rise.


    "Ahem." Flint, the driver who had been silent in the front seat, saw his boss''s smile and seized the opportunity. "Boss, the training at Sigma Network is almost done. Do I really need to go for thest day?"


    Shanley lifted his eyes and nced coolly at Flint.


    "It''s like this, boss," Flint took a deep breath, discreetly pinching his thigh to stay calm. "Felton has something on today, so he can''t be with you. And someone needs to pick up Ms. Payne after school tonight. If we send someone else..."


    "You don''t need to go back to Sigma Network," Shanley interjected before Flint could finish. "You''ll pick Juniper up from school personally."


    He didn''t trust anyone else.


    "Yes, boss!" Flint let out a sigh of relief, silently wiping the sweat from his brow.


    Phew. It''s all thanks to Ms. Payne.


    He made ¨¤ decision right then m now on Ms. Payne was


    there


    his number one boss.


    Schwartz... could be number two.


    "Whew¡ª" Juniper ran all the way to her seat, her heart still pounding.


    "Juniper, what''s wrong with you?" Qadir and Queenie both leaned in at the same


    time, eximing in surprise, "Whoa, why is your face so red?"


    1? 11


    "It''s hot," Juniper mumbled, trying to look calm as she rummaged through her bag. As luck would have it, her eyesnded on the bottle Shanley had prepared for her, and she couldn''t help but think of what had just happened. Her face grew even redder.


    "Here, Juniper, have some water," Qadir said, twisting open a bottle of mineral water and handing it to her.


    "Hot?" Queenie propped her chin on her hand, looking at the misty sky outside, then back at Juniper. "Huh?"


    Juniper said nothing. She yed dead.


    Just then, a buzz of conversation erupted at the ssroom door.


    "A perfect score? Who did you hear that from?" a girl asked, covering her mouth in shock Infiterature? How could anyone get a perfect score in literature?"


    "Not just literature, math too. Even Queenie only got a 95."


    "Who could it be? Perfect scores in two subjects?"


    "They must have cheated!"

 Chapter 149

    "Cheating? Who cheated?"


    The conversation grew louder, drawing the attention of other students in the ssroom.


    "I don''t know," the girl said, shaking her head and deliberately lowering her voice. "I was just passing by the office and heard the teachers talking about it. They said someone got perfect scores on both exams yesterday."


    "What?" The students were so shocked their jaws dropped. "A perfect score in math is possible, but in literature..."


    "The teachers think it might be cheating," the girl added after a pause.


    Not even a genius could get a perfect score in literature. This had to be the most ridiculous cheating scandal in Aurora High School''s history.


    "I know who it is..."


    As the students were gossiping, Jolene walked in, a triumphant smile on her face.


    "Who?" The others immediately gathered around, their curiosity piqued. They wanted to see who was foolish enough to cheat and get a perfect score in literature.


    "This person..." Jolene lifted her chin, her eyes scanning the ssroom before finallynding on a certain girl. "I heard she sits next to the top student, Queenie."


    Instantly, all eyes followed her gaze, their pupils widening. Juniper?


    The girl in question was slumped over her desk, idly poking her bottle, looking bored andpletely oblivious to what they were saying.


    There were only two people sitting next to Queenie: Qadir and Juniper. They all knew Qadir was a terrible student who sometimes didn''t even bother to write his name on the test; he couldn''t be bothered to cheat. That left... Juniper.


    After all, if she failed this exam, she would be expelled. It wasn''t surprising that she would resort to desperate measures. But to not only cheat but to cheat her way to a perfect score in literature... she really wasn''t afraid of getting caught.


    It just proved the saying: all beauty, no brains.


    "Anyway, we att have a pretty good idea who it is, so let''s not make usations," Jolene said, her smile widening as she feigned innocence. would be awkward if it turned out not to be her." Not her? It was almost certainly her.


    ...


    "What the hell, cheating?" Qadir, chewing gum, vaguely heard the voices from outside.


    "Sounds like it," Queenie replied, engrossed in her science review materials. She wasn''t paying much attention to the gossip. It had nothing to do with the three of them, anyway.


    Juniper was even less interested, her mind already wandering to what she would eat after the exam.


    ...


    Fifteen minutes before the exam


    was scheduled to start, a male student rushed into the ssroom, shouting excitedly, "The Dean of Students is here! I can''t believe the cheater is actually in our exam hall."


    "Oh my god, it can''t really be Juniper, can it?"


    As soon as he said that, all eyes turned to Juniper, their expressions a mix of emotions. It had to be her.


    "What are you looking at?" Qadir, sensing the tense atmosphere, immediately stood


    up. "What does cheating have to do with Juniper?"


    Juniper was toozy to even write, let alone waste time cheating and copying


    answers.


    "Perfect scores in two subjects? The


    person is definitely in our exam hall," Jolene said, pretending to calmly


    organize Merexam supplies.


    gloating smile on her face. "As for


    who it is, we''ll find out soon enough, won''t we?"


    "Perfect scores in two subjects?" Queenie finally registered the key information and


    whipped her head around, her round eyes staring at Juniper in disbelief.

 Chapter 150

    "Juniper, it couldn''t be you, could it?"


    "Queenie, what are you talking about!" Qadir smacked the back of Queenie''s head, annoyed. "You don''t actually suspect Juniper of cheating, do you?"


    "What! No!" Queenie rubbed her sore head and shot Qadir a re before turning back to Juniper, who was casually twirling a pen. "I was going to ask if you were the one who got those two perfect scores."


    Juniper''s pen stopped spinning. She blinked, her expression sincere. "I don''t know. I did finish all the questions, though."


    "Huh?" Queenie''s mouth fell open, unable to process what she''d just heard.


    Was that a confession? She knew Juniper was smart, but she''d thought she was just above average, not aplete genius.


    A perfect score... in literature... Oh, god. She knew nothing about her dear Juniper''s true abilities.


    Just as Queenie was about to press for more details, the Dean of Students appeared at the doorway. He pushed up his ck-framed sses, his expression stern as he scanned the students. The ssroom fell silent, a wave of tension washing over everyone.


    "Queenie, Qadir, and Juniper..." The dean''s eyes swept across the room before finally settling on Juniper, his expression darkening. "The three of you,e with me. I need to ask you some questions."


    In an instant, all eyes were on the trio.


    So Queenie really had helped Juniper cheat? The three of them had been inseparabletely. It wasn''t impossible that she''d helped her cheat.


    "I can understand Qadir, but Queenie is a top student. Now she''s caught up in a cheating scandal," Jolene remarked with a smug smile. "It just goes to show, some people are a bad influence."


    "Tsk, tsk," another student chimed in, their face full of disdain. "Cheating? That''s just asking for trouble."


    "If she''s caught cheating on this exam, not even Salma will be able to protect her."


    "Of course Jolene replied with a smile. "A student with such poore character like Juniper should never have been admitted in the first ce tooks like this time, she''s really gone for good."


    Queenie understood what was happening, and her face turned pale. Her dear Juniper had actually gotten two perfect scores breaking Aurora High School''s records. But the teachers didn''t believe it.


    "Let''s go," Juniper said, putting away her bottle. She stood up, stuffed her hands in


    her pockets, and walked out with a nonchnt expression.


    Queenie and Qadir immediately followed.


    "Juniper..." Qadir''s neck felt stiff as he turned to her, his voice barely a whisper. "You''re not really the one who got two perfect scores, are you?"


    "Probably, Juniper replied, a faint smile ying on her lips, her tonezy. Those questions were about as hard as asking what one plus one was. A perfect score seemed pretty normal to her.


    "Holy crap!" Qadir''s eyes widened in shock, and he nearly swore. "Juniper, we were supposed to be ckers together, and you secretly became a genius!"


    Could someone please exin how Juniper, who had only finished her freshman year of high school, could get a perfect score?


    "Aaaah!¡± Qadir pped his cheeks, feeling like his brain was short-circuiting.


    "Wait!" Realizing something, Qadir''s tone changed, his expression bing serious. "Does the dean think you cheated to get those perfect scores?"


    Juniper turned her head, a hint of coolness in her clear eyes, her voice tinged with indifference. "I guess so."


    Getting a perfect score and they were this worked up. They really hadn''t seen much of the world.

 Chapter 151

    "But..." Qadir was so stunned he could barely speak, stammering, ¡°Juniper, didn''t you skip your junior years?"


    "I did," Juniper replied with a faint, unconcerned smile. ¡°But I still studied the material."


    "When did you study it, Juniper?¡± Queenie immediately scooted closer, seizing the chance to ask. The question had been bouncing around her head for ages, and her curiosity was killing her.


    Qadir stared at her eagerly as well. Someone as brilliant as Juniper must have been studying for a very long time.


    "I don''t remember exactly," Juniper said, her eyes half-lidded. "Maybe when I was five or six, or maybe seven or eight. In any case, it took me two years in total."


    She had breezed through elementary, middle, high school, and college material until there was nothing left for her to learn, at which point her teachers had essentially kicked her out.


    "How old?" Queenie''s voice shot up, convinced she had misheard. If she could, she would have cracked Juniper''s skull open just to see if her brain was made of the same stuff as a mere mortal''s.


    "How many years?" Qadir echoed, so shocked he stumbled and nearly fell over. Two years to finish every subject? He had been kind of pleased before, thinking Juniper was a cker like him. Now... the thought was like a p in the face.


    "Alright, that''s enough." Reaching the office door, Juniper gently pinched Queenie''s bewildered cheek and smiled. "When the dean asks you anything, just be honest. I''ll handle the rest."


    Queenie and Qadir exchanged a worried nce. Would the old-timers in the administration really believe that Juniper had finished the entire curriculum by the age of ten? That she could actually get a perfect score?


    ...


    Inside the Dean''s office, Juniper, Queenie, and Qadir stood in a line against the wall. The Dean of Students was there, along with all the senior year teachers.


    The only exception was the old physics teacher, who kept sneaking nces at Juniper, his lips twitching between a smirk and a frown. At one point, he seemed to recall something amusing and let out a small chuckle.


    The rest of the teachers, however, wore grim expressions, their eyes fixed on the casually postured, unfazed girl as if she were on trial. Their faces and gazes were dripping with disdain.


    "These exam papers are yours, right?" the Dean asked sternly, pointing to two test papers on his desk.


    Juniper nced down and saw her answer sheets for Literature and Math. A perfect score on both. How neat. It was strangely satisfying to her obsessivepulsive side.


    "Yes, they''re mine," Juniper said, straightening up slightly, her tone respectful. "Is there a problem, sir?"


    The other teachers'' faces shifted, almostughing at her audacity. A cker getting a perfect score wasn''t just a problem; it was the problem. And she had the nerve to y dumb? The gall of this girl!


    "I want the truth. How did you get perfect scores on both of these exams? The Dean nted his, hands on his hips and marched over to her his eyes zing. "And where did you get the answers for the other subjects?"


    He had just returned from a business trip yesterday and was immediately greeted with tales of the new problem student stirring up all sorts of trouble. First, it was a brawl and now she was cheating on a gulz. If there was one thing he detested, it was academie dishonesty, especially when it involved a good student like Queenie.


    He had no idea why Salma had admitted such a menace into their school. Well, with Salma away, it was the perfect opportunity for him to restore some order A student with such poor character and a knack for trouble should have been expelled long ago.


    ¡°Speak up!¡± he thundered when Juniper remained silent, his furious voice shaking the room. "If you can''t give me a straight answer, you can forget about continuing your studies here!"


    The force of his yell made both Qadir and Queenie jump. The Dean was infamous for being strict and ruthless.

 Chapter 152

    He was particrly merciless when dealing with "bad students.¡± Even Qadir had often been berated by him into silence, too scared to even lift his head. A delicate girl like Juniper would surely be frightened to tears.


    Just as Qadir raised his head, worriedly trying to gauge her reaction, Juniper spoke.


    "How did I score so well?" she asked, tilting her chin up. Her starry eyes narrowed slightly as she answered calmly, "With a pen and my hand, of course."


    "You¡ª!¡± The Dean was momentarily speechless, wanting to get angry but realizing her answer was technically correct.


    "As for the answers..." Juniper pressed her lips together, her voice dropping to a low, husky tone. "They were in my head."


    "You-you-!" The Dean was once again choked up by her words, unable to form a response. She was answering his questions normally, even politely, yet somehow her words left him utterly defenseless.


    Qadir and Queenie stole a nce at the Dean. His face had turned a shade of sickly green. They had been worried about Juniper bursting into tears, but now... maybe they should be worried about the Dean. Didn''t he have a heart condition?


    "Also," Juniper added with a slight smile, "I earned those scores myself. It has nothing to do with Queenie or Qadir. The exam is about to end, so I hope you''ll let them return to the hall. If you want to investigate, fine. I''ll stay here with you."


    Stay and be investigated? The Dean looked at her intently, noticing the serious expression on her face. There wasn''t a trace of fear, as if she truly believed she had earned those perfect scores. Her confidence was almost unnerving.


    But she had onlypleted her freshman year. Impossible. Absolutely impossible.


    "Sir, I have the surveince footage!" another teacher announced, rushing in with aptop.


    The Dean''s eyes fell on the screen, which showed the footage from Juniper''s examination hall. Someone had reported that Qadir and Queenie had helped her cheat. The video showed Queenie''s paper falling to the floor and Juniper kindly picking it up for her. Juniper never nced at the paper, and the two exchanged no words.


    After watching the video, the teachers breathed a collective sigh of relief. They had been worried Queenie had been led astray. As long as she wasn''t involved, that was all that mattered. As for Juniper...


    The video showed her finishing the literature exam early and then napping on her desk. She finished the math exam in an hour, spending the rest of the time doodling. To get two perfect scores in such a short amount of time? It was only possible if she had memorized the answers beforehand.


    met


    "Alright, you two can go back to your exam," the Dean said sternly to Queenie and Qadir. He trusted Queenie''s character and had only called her in as a matter of procedure. As for Qadir, while his scores had improved, he still hadn''t passed. Who would copy from him?


    ¡°Sir, Juniper couldn''t possibly have¡ª¡± Queenie refused to leave, her face creased with worry as she tried to defend her friend.


    "Queenie!" Juniper cut her off, ncing at the time. Her expression was serious. "Go back and finish your exam. I''ll take care of this little issue, and we can grab dinnerter."


    Dinner? Qadir was so worried he was on the verge of tears, but hearing Juniper talk about dinner... he managed to choke them back down.


    In the end, under Juniper''s ¡°persuasion,¡± the two had no choice but to leave the office.


    "I''m so scared she''ll be bullied..." Queenie said, her eyes red with concern. So many teachers disliked her; they would surely use this as an excuse to get rid of her.


    "What if..." Qadir paused for a moment, his eyes suddenly lighting up. "What if we call Juniper''s distant brother?"


    With his support, Juniper would surely be fine.

 Chapter 153

    "You mean Mr. Schwartz?" Queenie''s face brightened, then fell into thought. "But we don''t have his number."


    ¡°Uh... I do.¡± Qadir nced around, scratching his head as he lowered his voice. "The other day, Principal Salma had me move some water coolers for her, and I happened to nce at her phone''s contact list. It was just a coincidence, but Mr. Schwartz''s number was right there on the screen. I memorized it." He never thought it would actuallye in handy.


    "Okay, then." Queenie hesitated for a second before nodding decisively. "Call him. Quickly." After the call, they had to rush back to the exam. If they missed it and Juniper found out, she''d chew them out. When she got angry, she was terrifying.


    At the Schwartz Group headquarters, Shanley sat in the conference room, his well- defined fingers resting on the arm of his chair. His deep-set eyes were slightly narrowed, and a thinyer of frost seemed to coat his handsome features.


    "Mr. Schwartz, that''s the general n for the second half of the year," an executive reported, cautiously looking up at the man at the head of the table after finishing his presentation.


    "Regarding the jewelry line..." Shanley began, his forefinger tapping idly on the table as he lifted his gaze. His voice was low and maic.


    "Yes, Mr. Schwartz?" The executive shot to his feet, his legs trembling. He had no idea what was wrong with the jewelry proposal.


    "There''s nothing wrong with this n," Shanley said, the icy demeanor on his face softening slightly. "The J-Five Studio is promising. I want you to reach out to them and see if we can arrange a coboration for a co-branded jewelry line."


    J-Five Studio? The executive was taken aback. Thepany had never had any dealings with them before. Why the sudden interest?


    "Mr. Schwartz, the thing is," the executive began, bowing his head slightly in a respectful but earnest tone, ¡°J-Five has never coborated with any corporation. The one exception was for a charity event, and their fees were quite high."


    If the goal was profit, it didn''t make much sense, especially since the Schwartz Group had its own sessful jewelry brands


    Moreover, the owner of J-Five was notoriously difficult to work with.


    ¡°I see,¡± Shanley mused, his voice a low, drawn-out hum. ¡°Then approach them from


    a charitable angle for the coboration. As for the money, give her whatever she asks for."


    Whatever she asks for? The other executives in the room looked up in unison, their faces etched with surprise. With so many other options, why was Mr. Schwartz so insistent on J-Five?


    Just as they were pondering this, the shrill ring of a cellphone cut through the silence of the conference room. All eyes turned to the man at the head of the table.


    ¡°Boss, it''s for you," Felton said, holding out the phone as he leaned down respectfully. "It''s a private call, an unknown number."


    An unknown number? Shanley paused in his review of the documents, his eyes fixed on the phone screen. Very few people had his private number family, friends, Juniper, and her school.


    ¡°Should I hang up, boss?" Felton asked tentatively.


    "Give it to me."


    It could be Juniper borrowing someone''s phone. He couldn''t risk missing it.


    Shanley took the phone and


    answered. Before he could say a word, a torrent of frantic speech erupted from the other end. He


    quickly pieced together the


    key


    information: the caller was one of Juniper''s friends, saying that Juniper had scored perfectly on her


    Literature and Math exams, but the


    teachers didn''t believe her and were


    using her of cheating. She was


    currently being held in the dean''s office.


    Cheating? A shadow of darkness crossed Shanley''s eyes, and the temperature in


    the room seemed to drop several degrees.

 Chapter 154

    His Juniper, with her unwavering integrity-cheat? As for the perfect scores...


    A small smile yed on Shanley''s lips, his expression turning deep andplex. It seemed the girl was about to give him another little surprise.


    "This meeting is adjourned."


    Hanging up the phone, Shanley stood up abruptly, tossing out the single sentence before striding out of the room. On his way, he dialed Salma''s number to inform her of the situation.


    ¡°What?¡± Salma was clearly caught off guard. Hearing that Juniper had achieved perfect scores in two subjects, she nearly dropped her phone. After calming herself, she replied gravely, "Mr. Schwartz, I''m on my way back to the school right now." Salma had always felt there was more to Juniper than met the eye, that she wasn''t as poor a student as she appeared. She just never expected this. In the entire history of Aurora High School, no student had ever achieved perfect scores in both Literature and Math simultaneously.


    Watching their workaholic boss leave so suddenly, the executives exchanged confused nces. It had to be that girl again, the one who had calledst time. Only she could make Mr. Schwartz lose hisposure like this. Had anyone figured out who this girl was, this kryptonite to their formidable boss?


    ...


    Back at Aurora High School, in the Dean''s office, the room was now upied only by Juniper and the senior year teachers after Queenie and Qadir had left.


    ¡°Juniper.....¡± The Dean took a moment topose himself, his tone softening into one of earnest guidance. "Just tell me where you got the answers. If you''re honest, I''ll be lenient."


    Juniper felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. With her longshes lowered, a hint of weariness touched the corners of her eyes. ¡°Sir, I''ve already answered you. The answers are in my head."


    "So you''re going to keep spouting nonsense, are you?" Before the Dean could respond, the literature teacher, who had been sitting by, shot to her feet her face vid. "This was not an easy exam. Do you really think youre the only one capable of a perfect score? Do you have what it takes?"


    Initially, the literature teacher hadn''t held any particr opinion of Juniper, even thinking she might be salvageable. But seeing the perfect score on her paper, she had nearly had a heart attack. A perfect scare? In all her years of teaching, she had never seen one.


    "Hmm?" Juniper sighed, a note of resignation in her voice. "To get a perfect score, I''d say I''m pretty capable, wouldn''t you?"


    The literature teacher was speechless.


    "And as for why no one else could get a perfect score," Juniper continued, her lips pressed into a thin line, "you''d have to ask them. I can''t answer that for you."


    The literature teacher was once again at a loss for words, unable to form a rebuttal. The girl was impossibly quick-witted.


    ¡°Juniper!¡± The math teacher stood up next, his expression stern. ¡°We suspect your scores are fraudulent. We believe you obtained the answers beforehand and cheated."


    Her academic record was clear in her file. She had dropped out after her freshman year. Was she going to im that a few tutoring sessions were enough to get her a perfect score? Unless she was a genius!


    "I didn''t cheat, and I didn''t copy any answers," Juniper said, lifting her face. Her pure eyes met theirs calmly as she stated, word by word, "I earned those two perfect scores through my own ability."


    "Ability?" The math teacher, a man in his fifties who had seen every type of student imaginable, had never encountered one who could he so brazenly. "If you really earned that perfect score, I''ll call you myo master!"

 Chapter 155

    Call her his master? At that, Juniper blinked, her pretty face a mask of sincerity. ¡°Oh, I don''t know... wouldn''t that be a little awkward?"


    The math teacher choked, sputtering in anger. Did she really think she could pull it off?


    "Pfft¡ª¡± Before the math teacher could recover, a sharpugh echoed through the


    room.


    Everyone turned to see the physics teacher, Keith, sitting on the sofa with his arms crossed and his eyes closed, a wide grin on his face.


    ¡°Keith, what''s so funny?" the math teacher demanded, his face dark with confusion. Was his deration that ridiculous?


    "Nothing, nothing," Keith said, opening his eyes and waving his hands dismissively. But a secondter, he let out another snort ofughter. The image of the math teacher calling Juniper his master was just too much to resist.


    The math teacher was silent. So were the other teachers. Juniper''s expression was one of wide-eyed innocence.


    "Keith,¡± the Dean interjected with a frown, ¡°be serious. This is a serious situation."


    "Right." Keith immediately wiped the smile off his face and closed his eyes again. The situation was serious, sure. Whether the matter at hand was, he wasn''t so certain.


    "You im you earned this score yourself. Can you prove it?" the Dean asked coldly. It wasn''t just the perfect score. It was the fact that she had finished each exam in about an hour. He refused to believe such a prodigy existed.


    The other teachers nodded in agreement. They didn''t believe it either.


    "This problem here," the math teacher said, pointing to the second part of a major question. ¡°Tell me how you solved it." It was a tricky question, with several twists that required some effort.


    Juniper nced down, not even bothering to look at the original question on the paper beforeunching into her exnation. ¡°Assuming x equals 3 and y equals 4, then..."


    Her voice was soft and her words were clear, without a single hesitation.


    The math teacher was stunned. The steps were all correct. But he quickly recovered. If she''d seen the answer key beforehand, of course she''d know the solution.


    "What about this one?" he pressed, pointing directly to the final problem. was them most difficult on the test, requiring abination of high schootend even some college level concepts. Queenie hadn''t scored a single point on it. It had taken him nearly an hour to solve it himself the day before.


    "For that, need a pen." Juniper didn''t look at the question or her answer sheet; she had already memorized it. It had been a bit challenging, after allt had taken her a whole two minutes.


    ¡°Here.¡± The math teacher pulled a pen from his shirt pocket, waiting to see what trick she would pull.


    "Thank you." Juniper took it, grabbed a nk sheet of paper, and began to write. The math teacher gave her a second look, frowning. She was surprisingly polite. The Dean and the other teachers gathered around to watch her "solve the problem live."


    Juniper wrote slowly, detailing every step.


    "There''s another way to solve it?" the math teacher thought, scratching his head. Just as he was about to ask a question, she filled the page and flipped it over to continue.


    Five minutester, theplete solution wasid out on the paper, dense with calctions that made the other subject teachers'' heads swim.


    "Let me check this..." The math teacher eagerly took the paper and reviewed it several times. The steps were detailed, and the answer was entirely correct.


    "But this one problem took you five minutes, one teacher pointed out. "How could you have finished the entire exam in an hour? The other problems required just as much work."


    "I was afraid if I simplified it too much, you wouldn''t understand."

 Chapter 156

    Juniper set down the pen. Her hand twitched towards her pocket, searching for a piece of candy, before she remembered she was being reprimanded and pulled it back out. She delivered the line without a hint of emotion.


    The teachers were struck dumb. Afraid they wouldn''t understand? They nced from her answer sheet to the new scratch paper. It was true. The steps on her test were highly condensed, while this new solution was meticulously detailed, easy for anyone to follow. But for her to say it like that... wasn''t that a little insulting?


    "What about the literature exam?" the literature teacher spoke up, flipping the answer sheet over and over. "I''ve never seen a perfect score."


    "Oh?" After being questioned relentlessly, Juniper''s patience was wearing thin. "Well, now you have, haven''t you?"


    The literature teacher''s mouth hung open, but no words came out. The other subject teachers, whose exams weren''t in question, remained silent.


    Suddenly, the office fell quiet. All the teachers stared at Juniper, who had effectively silenced them with herebacks. They were angry but couldn''t find a way to argue back. The atmosphere was thick with an awkward tension.


    The Dean had been observing Juniper closely and was struck by how unnervingly calm she was. For every question they asked, she had a polite, clever, and logical answer. He looked around the room at his staff, who had gone from being


    aggressive interrogators to a silent, dumbstruck audience. It was proof of how sharp her mind was.


    And she had just solved that math problem right in front of them, no tricks involved. He was starting to believe she really had earned those scores. But she had onlypleted her freshman year... It was baffling.


    "Alright, how about this..." the Dean said after a few moments of silence, his voice unconsciously softening. "You will retake both exams. If you can achieve a high score within the allotted time, we''ll believe you.¡±


    "Fine," Juniper agreed without even looking up. "Shall we start now?"


    Her quick, clean eptance left the Dean momentarily speechless. After a few seconds, he turned to the dazed math teacher and the pensive literature teacher "Do you two have any objections?"


    "No," they both said in unison. It was the best way to prove her innocence. If she was truly that good, she could excel on any test.


    ¡°Prepare the papers, then. We''ll start in ten minutes,¡± the Dean said, ncing at Juniper. ¡°You can have a seat for now."


    "Thank you." Juniper sat down obediently, cing the pen within reach.


    Seeing her so calm andposed, the other teachers began to wonder. Could she actually be the real deal?


    ...


    With university entrance exams approaching, there was no shortage of practice tests. The two teachers carefully selected new exams that wereparable in difficulty and length to the quiz.


    "Levon, what do you think? Is she for real or not?" the literature teacher whispered to the math teacher as she held the exam papers. ¡°She''s so calm, it''s making me nervous."


    Levon wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, his expression grim"I have no idea anymore," he said, his voice weary. He had been so sure she was a cheater, but after all this, he was full of doubt.


    "This student is so strange," the literature teacher said with a sigh frowning. "A perfect score in an hour how is that even possible? If she gets a perfect score again. don''t know how I''ll face her..."


    Face her? Levon''s mind was a mess, his expressionplicated. If Juniper really


    did get another perfect score... he would have to make good on his promise and call her... his master.

 Chapter 157

    Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, inside a ck sports car, Salma sat rigidly in the back seat, her hands ced nervously on her knees. In all her life, she had never been in such an expensive vehicle and was terrified of breaking something, so she barely dared to move.


    ¡°Juniper must have caused a lot of trouble for the school recently," Shanley said, turning his head. The cold aura around him dissipated as he spoke to her with utmost respect. "On behalf of her and her family, thank you."


    "You''re too kind, Mr. Schwartz,¡± Salma replied, still tense. ¡°I should be the one thanking you. You were a great help with those documents."


    When Mr. Schwartz had called about Juniper, he had learned she was out dealing with a work issue and had encountered some bureaucratic hurdles. He had personally intervened, resolving in under two minutes a problem she had been struggling with for two weeks.


    "I heard there was an issue with cheating on this recent quiz..." Shanley began, his voice calm and even, yet it carried an unnerving weight. "I find that hard to believe."


    He knew Juniper well. She had money, talent... and was usually aszy as a kitten, preferring not to lift a finger. She wouldn''t, and more importantly, wouldn''t deign to do something like that.


    "It''s likely a misunderstanding," Salma agreed with a nod, her own expression troubled. She had known Juniper since she''d enrolled. The girl was polite, talented, and possessed a strong sense of justice. She still remembered her performance at the g and how she had stood up for her ssmates. It just didn''t fit the profile of someone who would do something so foolish.


    ¡°Rest assured, Mr. Schwartz, I will investigate this thoroughly and ensure no one wrongfully uses her,¡± Salma promised, her nerves on high alert. The Dean was a strict, upright man who couldn''t tolerate any misconduct. His crackdown on "cheating" came from a ce of concern for the school, but his direct personality and short temper often made him speak without thinking. She hoped Juniper hadn''t been too frightened by him.


    "Thank you for your trouble, Salma," Shanley said with a slight, elegant nod.


    Salma managed a small smile, her gaze sweeping over the man''s face. He exuded an air of nobility, like a god descended to earth. Mr. Schwartz? What was


    rtionship


    to the Schwartz family, the wealthiest family in Borealia? She had a feeling Juniper''s "distant brother" was someone far more significant than he let on.


    Back at Aurora High School, inside the Dean''s office, the senior year teachers sat


    on the sofa, their expressions serious as they watched Juniper at the desk.


    "We''ll give you a little extra time for the literature exam, say, two hours. For the math..." the Dean began kindly as he handed her the papers.


    "No need." Before he could finish, the girl, who was unscrewing her pen cap, cut him off calmly. "Let''s stick to the rules. I''ll take the same amount of time I took before."


    If she was going to prove her innocence, she would do it so thoroughly that no one would ever doubt her again. She didn''t have the energy to go through this another time.


    Hearing her audacious words, the other teachers exchanged nces, muttering among themselves. She certainly acted like a genius. They just weren''t sure if it was confidence or a desperate bluff.


    "Don''t say didn''t warn you," the


    Dean said, cing the exams down and retreating to the sofa. "The clock


    is starting. You may begin. If you want to give up at any point just say So


    Juniper merely smiled faintly and, without another word, picked up her I began to write.


    The room fell


    ell silent, with more than


    a dozen pairs of eyes fixed on her, a mixture of doubt and anticipation in the gaze she failed, she wou probably be expelled. But if she really did get a perfect score. wouldn''t that make their school famous?


    pen and

 Chapter 158

    Juniper worked with incredible speed. She would nce at a question and


    immediately start writing the answer. In less than ten minutes, the left side of her literature answer sheet was nearly full, her handwriting neat and elegant with a touch of ssic ir.


    "She certainly writes fast," one teacher whispered, covering her mouth. "But who knows how many of her answers are correct."


    ¡°So far, all the multiple-choice questions are right,¡± the literature teacher noted, her brow furrowed in concentration. "I haven''t had a chance to check the answers for the long-form questions yet." But to finish all the multiple-choice questions in just a few minutes, and get them all right... even she couldn''t do that.


    Just as the teachers were puzzling over this, Juniper, halfway through the literature exam, suddenly stopped writing and looked up. "Excuse me, sir¡ª"


    Her sudden voice startled the teachers out of their reverie, especially the Dean. "What is it?" he asked, standing up and looking at her with a frown. Surely she wasn''t giving up already?


    "May I have some water?" Juniper asked, licking her dry lips. She really wanted some candy, but that would be rude during an exam. Water would have to do to calm her restless mind.


    Water? Now of all times? Wasn''t she worried about running out of time?


    "Y-yes, you can," the Dean stammered,pletely thrown by her request.


    "Thank you," Juniper said with a polite nod. She unzipped her backpack and took out a pink water bottle. She unhurriedly unscrewed the cap and took several long gulps before cing the bottle on the corner of her desk, within easy reach.


    The teachers stared. Why wasn''t she panicking? They were panicking for her! After her drink, Juniper set the literature paper aside and started on the math exam. The teachers were baffled. What was she doing? Did this mean she couldn''t solve the remaining problems?


    In reality, Juniper was just getting sleepy. If she didn''t switch things up, she was afraid she might doze off.


    ...


    On the other side of the school, the sports car pulled to a stop. Felton and Flint opened both car doors.


    "Boss, Ms. Payne is retaking the exams in the Dean''s office."


    "I see." Shanley and Salma got out of the car and walked swiftly towards the administrative building. As they passed the security office, he caught a glimpse of the monitor. The screen showed duniper, head down, taking. her test while the teachers watched her intently, the atmosphere thick with pressure.


    Any other girl would have been in tears by now. But Juniper was writing with her right hand while idly twirling her pen cap with her left, asionally staring into space for a second, lookingpletely at ease. She didn''t look the least bit scared or nervous. In fact, it was the teachers who looked tense, their faces growing darker by the minute. An outsider might have thought Juniper was the one in charge.


    "She''s in the middle of her exam, so I''d rather not disturb her," Shanley said in a low


    voice. "We can watch from here."


    From the security office? Salma


    paused for a second, then agreed it


    was a good idea. A student might


    get nervous with a ¡°guardian¡±.


    present, and they didn''t want to affect her performance.


    "She just started not long ago, so we might have to wait a while," Salma said, having someone bring them coffee. ¡°Please, have a seat, Mr. Schwartz."


    "Thank you." Shanley sat on the sofa, turning a transparent coffee cup in his hands, his deep eyes fixed on the girl on the screen.


    Finishing early and getting a perfect score... she was clearly brilliant, yet just the other day, when he had offered to tutor her, she hadn''t refused. Was she ying him for a fool?

 Chapter 159

    In the office, Juniper continued to work, switching from her math paper back to her literature one and then back again. The teachers werepletely bewildered; they had never seen anyone take a test like this. What was she up to? She had better be getting the answers right.


    Time ticked by. The nk spaces on both answer sheets dwindled until there were none left. The teachers slowly realized that she had finished the entire math exam and was now just writing the conclusion to her essay. There were still fifteen minutes left on the clock. The end of the essay would take five minutes at most. Did that mean..... she had finished early again?


    The teachers'' eyes widened in disbelief. She hadpleted two full exams in under two and a half hours? The literature exam alone was supposed to take that long.


    The Dean shot to his feet, his eyes glued to the tip of Juniper''s pen. It moved without the slightest pause, with a speed that was almost frightening. Did she not need to think at all? He had to get a closer look.


    As the Dean stood, the math and literature teachers, along with the others, rose as well, their curiosity piqued. Her timing was impable, now all that was left was to grade the papers. At this point, their attitude towards her had shifted dramatically. They no longer dared to make any assumptions about her score. They were too afraid of being proven wrong again.


    "Click."


    Just as the teachers were exchanging uncertain nces, the crisp sound of a pen being set down drew their attention.


    "I''m done, sir," Juniper announced, rubbing her wrist. "May I have them graded now?" If they graded them now, she could still make it to lunch. She had ns with Qadir and the others.


    ¡°Huh?¡± The Dean,pletely out of it, scratched his head and looked at the equally stunned math and literature teachers. "You two... grade them. Here and now."


    "Alright." The two teachers walked to the front, and Juniper politely stepped aside, retreating to a corner of the room.


    "This... this is..." A few minutester, the literature teacher was the first to speak, or rather, stammer.


    All eyes turned to her. She was holding up Juniper''s answer sheet with trembling hands, repeating the word "this" over and over, unable to finish her sentence. Was it that good, or that bad?


    "What''s wrong?" the literature teacher from another ss asked, leaning in. "Is there a problem?"


    "Wow," she breathed as she saw the paper, her eyes lighting up. "Her handwriting is beautiful." "It really is," the third literature teacher agreed, captivated ive never seen such a neat and clean answer sheet.¡±


    During the initial quiz, the three of them had divided the grading. To ensure fairness, the student names had been covered Because Juniper''s handwriting was so good and her answers so well-written, they had all given full marks for the sections they graded, which had resulted in abined perfect score.


    "I thought her essay was excellent when I graded itst time," the second teachermented. "This one is even better. The structure is moreplete."


    To be honest, in her decade of teaching, she couldn''t write an essay this good.


    ¡°Well, let''s grade the rest. Maybe it''s just the multiple-choice and the essay that are good," one of them urged.


    At their prompting, the first teacher


    picked up her red pen and began to grade against the answer key.


    Multiple-choice, all correct. Po


    fill-in-the-nks, all correct.


    ve


    ssical text analysis, all correct. By this point, her hand was shaking, and her head was buzzing.

 Chapter 160

    The final sections were readingprehension and the essay-the hardest parts of the exam. The questions were numerous and the answersplex, so the literature teacher reviewed them with intense focus.


    "Juniper''s answers don''t seem to match the standard key," the chemistry teacher pointed out curiously.


    "No, they don''t," the literature teacher agreed, her voice muffled. "But... they''re better than the standard answers." Her logic andnguage were wless. She couldn''t find a single reason to deduct points.


    "The essay..." She looked at it helplessly. "What score do you think it deserves?"


    The other two literature teachers didn''t dare to venture an opinion. The essay was good enough to be published. What right did they have to judge it?


    Another perfect score!


    The three literature teachers stood frozen, while the other subject teachers rushed over excitedly. "Let me see, let me see!"


    "Don''t push! I''ve never seen a perfect literature paper before, let me get a glimpse!" The desk was swarmed with teachers, their chattering voices creating a cacophony. From her corner, Juniper peeked out. Seeing that no one was looking, she swiftly pulled a candy from her pocket, popped it into her mouth, and then folded her hands neatly in herp, resuming the posture of a well-behaved student.


    Watching this unfold on the monitor, the gloom on Shanley''s face vanishedpletely, reced by a deep, indulgent smile.


    That girl had actually done it again. iming she''d only finished freshman year, with a transcript full of zeros... What a little liar.


    "Let me see!"


    The


    Dean tried to push


    through the crowd to see the


    literature paper but couldn''t get


    through "Give it to me..." After a


    great Struggle, he finally managed to squeeze in, only to have the paper passed around again, Sweating His sses nearly falling off he gave up.


    "Quiet down!" he barked, wiping his forehead. "What about the math paper? Is it graded yet?"


    "Yeah, where''s Levon?" someone finally asked.


    The group started looking for the math teacher. They found him huddled by the trash


    can with the other two math teachers. Three grown men, squatting on the floor,


    lookingpletely dejected and questioning their existence.


    "Levon, how did it go?" The Dean, wiser now, dashed over before anyone else and snatched the math answer sheet. He started counting the ports. Section one fulkmarks Section two full marks section three: full marks. Another perfect score?


    The Dean, fearing he had made a mistake, flipped the paper over and back again, but he couldn''t find a single error. No wonder Levon was so emo. Reality had just pped him hard in the face.


    A perfect score in Literature, and a


    perfect score in Math. This time, the exam waspleted under the watchful eyes of every senior year teacher. The test itself was a confidential paper they had just received, so there was no way the answers could have leaked


    Therefore, both perfect scores were the result of Juniper''s own ability. She hadn''t cheated.


    If that was the case, her academic level far surpassed that of the top student, Queenie. If she was this good in her other subjects, then at the university entrance exams... even the top student in all of Era City might not be able to beat her.


    At this thought, the teachers'' breath caught in their throats, and their eyes began to sparkle. Good heavens! It seemed their school had just hit the jackpot.

 Chapter 161

    Inside the monitoring room, Salma''s aged face was a mask of astonishment as she gazed at Juniper''s exam paper. She had tried to brace herself, but seeing the results with her own eyes was still a profound shock.


    Not only had Juniper finished early, but she had achieved a perfect score. In all her years as principal, Salma had never encountered a student with such raw talent.


    But then... why had Juniper''s guardian, Saskia, imed she had onlypleted her freshman year of high school? How could a student with that level of education get a perfect score? It was simply mind-boggling.


    Unable to contain her excitement, Salma shot to her feet. She turned to the man beside her, who watched with a gentle smile ying on his lips. "Mr. Schwartz, the exam is over. Shall we go see her?"


    "The situation has been resolved, so I''ll stay here," Shanley replied, his tone cid as he inclined his head. "Just have Junipere by when everything is wrapped up."


    The girl had proven her innocence on her own merits, and she clearly wasn''t one to suffer an injustice quietly. His presence wasn''t necessary.


    "Of course," Salma said with aposed smile. "Please, make yourselffortable, Mr. Schwartz."


    Shanley gave a slight nod. As soon as Salma had left, his gaze drifted back to the monitor,nding once again on the girl in the corner. She stood with her hands by her sides, as quiet and still as a cat.


    A dance prodigy. A jewelry designer. An academic genius...


    Shanley''s eyes narrowed, a sly,nguid smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. The interest gleaming in his gaze was unmistakable. Beyond all that, just how many other secrets was she hiding?


    ...


    In the administrative office, the two exams had been graded and the scores tallied. To ensure there were no errors, the Dean and the other teachers present had double-checked everything. The result was unchanged.


    A perfect score!


    The teachers nced at the girl, whose expression remained calm andposed, and a wave of embarrassment washed over them. No one knew what to say to break the thick, awkward silence.


    Just as the tension became unbearable, footsteps echoed from the doorway. Salma pushed the door open to find more than a dozen teachers huddled together in a somber group, guftily stealing nces at the girl in the corner. No one dared to be the first to speak.


    "Salma, you''re back!" Seeing her, the Dean rushed forward as if he''d found a savior,


    his expression a mixture of relief and shame.


    Salma shot him a stern, reproachful look before saying a word.


    "She... I...


    welly


    "the Dean


    stammered, wanting to exin but finding himself at a loss for words He knew he had handled the


    situation rashly But who could have predicted the girl was some kind of prodigy, acing the test like it was nothing? You couldn''t really me him for being suspicious.


    Ignoring the Dean, Salma walked straight over to Juniper, her voice warm. "Juniper."


    "Yes," Juniper replied, immediately straightening up with polite respect.


    "I know what happened today. I''m so sorry you had to go through that," Salma said, her eyes fixed on the girl''s face, unwilling to look away for even a second.


    "It''s true that I never went past my freshman year, so it''s normal for the teachers to be suspicious," Juniper said with a slight pout, looking more annoyed than angry. "Besides..."


    She paused for a moment, her lips pursing slightly before she added unhurriedly, "After all, a perfect score isn''t exactly easy toe by."


    The other teachers collectively held their breath, feeling as if they might faint. Her casual tone, her nonchnt expression, her breez exnation... It felt less like a


    defense and more like a deliberate,


    resounding p in their faces.


    "It certainly is rare," Salma agreed, a bead of sweat forming on her brow. She


    pressed gently, "But I recall you onlypleted your freshman year."

 Chapter 162

    At her words, the other teachers perked up. They were curious, too.


    "I finished the entire high school curriculum years ago," Juniper exined patiently. "So, whether I attended ss or not didn''t really matter."


    Years ago? She was only eighteen now. How early could she possibly mean? Her early teens? Or when she was just a child? The more they thought about it, the more their heads spun.


    "You finished... all of it?¡± Salma swallowed hard, struggling to get the words out.


    "Yes." Juniper gave a slight nod, her delicate features showing no trace of arrogance. It was as if mastering every subject was a trivial matter to her.


    The other teachers could only stare, utterly stunned.


    "I see." Salma was too shocked to say much else for a moment. Recovering, she continued, ¡°Well, we clearly misjudged the situation and used you unfairly. Tell us what you want. You can ask for anything."


    An apology, for instance. The other teachers, especially the math teacher, grew tense. They had wronged her, after all, and an apology was only fair. But he had also furiously sworn that if Juniper got a perfect score, he''d call her ''Master.''


    The math teacher''s face fell. Could he perhaps do it privately? If he said it in front of everyone, Keith from the physics department would mock him for the rest of his life.


    Just as the math teacher was squirming in his seat, Juniper spoke up. "I do have one request." She tilted her head slightly, thinking for a second before saying calmly, "Now that we''ve cleared this up, can I go?"


    "What?" Salma froze, not quite processing it.


    "It''s almost lunchtime," Juniper said, pressing her lips together earnestly. "If I''mte to the cafeteria, it''ll be packed, and they''ll run out of the beef stir-fry."


    She was really looking forward to the beef stir-fry today.


    The other teachers could only stare at her, baffled. Had they heard her correctly? After being so wrongly used, all she could think about was lunch?


    It was true. The mind of a prodigy was simply beyond theprehension of ordinary people.


    "But you were treated unfairly..." Salma said, her brow furrowed with concern.


    "And now it''s been cleared up," Juniper said with a shrug, a faint smile ying on her lips as she looked directly at the bewildered Salma.


    "Oh." Salma was stunned for a moment before it dawned on her. Was she... letting them all off the hook? What a remarkably kind-hearted girl!


    "Well, the bell is about to ring.


    Salma smiled at Juniper, then turned to the dean and the other teachers. Her smile vanished, reced by a stern expression Do any of you have something to say?"


    So what if they were teachers? At Aurora High, students and faculty were equals. If


    they wronged a student, they owed her an apology.


    The teachers exchanged uneasy nces, the room falling silent. After a long moment, the dean stepped forward. He stood before Juniper his face etched with guilt.


    ¡°Juniper, we used you without investigating the facts. I sincerely apologize. I hope you can forgive us."


    A secondter, the literature teacher followed, her face pale. ¡°I need to apologize to you as well. I''m very sorry."


    Finally, it was the math teacher''s turn. He clenched his fists, stammering, "Juniper..."


    Before he could finish, Juniper cut


    ol


    him off with a strained smile. ¡°I ept your apologies," she said quickly. "Alright, that''s settled Can we all go now? content


    She was really going to miss lunch at this rate!

 Chapter 163

    The math teacher''s apology died in his throat. He stared at her, aplex mix of relief and awe washing over him. She was letting him off the hook.


    He sighed, feeling a pang of shame for his earlier hostility. This girl had more grace than most adults he knew. He was certain she was destined for greatness.


    "If there''s nothing else, you''re all dismissed,¡± Salma announced, noticing Juniper''s impatient frown. The girl was clearly starving.


    "Wait!" the math teacher from ss Two called out. "ss One is already quite full. Why not transfer Juniper to my ss?"


    "Are you serious?" Juniper''s current math teacher shot back, his eyes shing with anger. "You''re trying to poach my student right in front of me?"


    "ss One already has Queenie to focus on. We have an open spot in ss Three, Juniper would be wee there," the literature teacher of ss Three added with a sly smile. A student with this level of talent was a golden ticket for the uing college entrance exams. She wasn''t just a top scorer for the state; she could be a national merit schr.


    "Hey!" Juniper''s literature teacher protested. "She''s perfectly happy in our ss. Don''t you dare try to unsettle her!"


    The chemistry teacher chimed in, craning his neck. "Juniper, how are you with the sciences?"


    Juniper, who had been quietly packing her bag, nced up and offered a faint smile. "They''re alright, I guess."


    That was all the encouragement he needed. "Salma, let Junipere to ss Three!" he urged excitedly.


    "ss two has a ce for her!"


    "Dream on!" her math teacher roared. "You want a seat for her? Fine, she can sit on the podium at the front of my ss!"


    The other teachers just stared at


    him. Was he insane? If a girl who looked like Juniper sat at the front of the ss, none of the other students would ever look at the ckboard again.


    As the teachers descended into a heated argument over who would im her, Juniper finished packing her bag.


    "Excuse me..." she began, but her


    §Ö§ä


    voice was lost in the chaos. With a helpless shrug, she stung he backpack over her shoulder and


    slipped out of the room unnoticed.


    Just then, Keith burst in, waving a science exam paper triumphantly. "I found it! Juniper, let''s see you get a perfect score on this one too!"


    He had a feeling she''d been holding back before and wanted to see her true potential. But when he looked around, his smile froze.


    ¡°Where did she go?¡± he demanded, his voice rising. ¡°Where''s Juniper?"


    The arguing instantly stopped. The teachers looked around the empty room.


    With a frustrated smack, Keith mmed the test paper on the desk.


    "This is all your fault!" he fumed, his sses trembling on his nose. "You and your baseless usations! You scared her off before she could even take my test you two are happy with the perfect literature and math scores, but what about me?¡±


    The other two teachers could only look away, because truth be told, they were pretty


    happy.

 Chapter 164

    Leaving the office, Juniper started toward the cafeteria, rummaging in her bag for a piece of candy. After a moment of fruitless searching, a dreadful thought urred to her: she was out. She still had exams this afternoon, hours to go. How was she supposed to get through it without sugar? Her shoulders slumped, and she felt like a wilted flower.


    An image of a certain man shed in her mind. If he were here, his pockets would surely be full of candy. She''d found some in there more than once.


    Shanley... The name echoed in her thoughts as she stared at her feet, walking aimlessly.


    As she neared the security office, a tall, imposing figure suddenly blocked her path.


    Juniper slowly lifted her gaze, her eyes traveling up a pair of long, well-tailored trousers to a handsome, sharply defined face.


    Shanley? She stopped dead in her tracks, her dull eyes suddenly sparkling with light as her heart began to pound against her ribs. One second he was in her head, and the next he was standing right in front of her.


    No way. She couldn''t be hallucinating just because she was craving candy, could she? At this time of day, he should be at the office.


    She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to clear her head. When she opened them again, he was still there.


    "Heh," Shanley chuckled, amused by her dazed and bewildered expression. He stepped closer, his deep voice washing over her. "You''re not seeing things. It''s me."


    He was so tall she had to tilt her head back to see his face. Her longshes fluttered. ¡°What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice filled with disbelief.


    "I heard there was some trouble at


    school, so I came to check on you," he said, gently straightening the cor of her uniform. He took backpack from her, his tone softening with affectio candy?"


    Outof


    And she distinctly remembered Dana mentioning he had an important meeting at eleven this morning. Did he cancel it for her?


    How did he know about e


    Juniper pressed her lips together, saying nothing, but her eyes were glued to his jacket pocket. She wanted some. Badly.


    "Left pocket. Help yourself,¡± Shanley said, his one free hand holding his phone. ¡°Go on."


    She stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and slipped her fingers into his suit pocket. It was filled with candy.


    Why did he carry so much with him?


    She nced up at him, her eyes meeting his tender gaze.


    "Ahem."


    A blush crept up her cheeks, and she quickly looked down. She pulled out a single piece, unwrapped it, and popped it into her mouth. The sweetness instantly melted on her tongue, washing away all heofatig¨¹e and irritation. It was delicious.


    Grinning, she instinctively reached for another, but her hand was stopped in mid-air


    as Shanley''s fingers gently closed around her wrist.

 Chapter 165

    Juniper froze. The unexpected touch sent rm bells ringing in her head, and a flicker of defensive hostility shed in her eyes.


    In the past, anyone who touched her without permission would have a broken hand by now. But when she looked at Shanley''s strong, elegant fingers and his gentle expression, the defensiveness melted away, reced by an unfamiliar warmth that rushed through her, challenging herposure. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She blinked, her feelings in turmoil. She had always detested physical contact with men, yet Shanley''s touch didn''t bother her in the slightest.


    "Sorry," he said softly, noticing her frown and immediately releasing her hand. "I just wanted to remind you that we''re about to eat. Too much candy isn''t good for you. I didn''t mean to startle you."


    Juniper studied his sincere expression, knowing he was right.


    "Oh," she mumbled, her gaze falling to her wrist, where a faint warmth seemed to


    linger.


    ¡°Exams are tiring, aren''t they?" Shanley asked, relieved to see her rx. "What would you like to eat?"


    "The beef stir-fry," she answered immediately, stuffing her hands in her pockets and falling into step beside him. She tried to act casual, to ignore the chaotic rhythm of her heart. ¡°But I already made ns to eat with Qadir and Queenie.¡±


    ¡°We''ll bring them along," Shanley decided, ncing at his watch. "I''ll take you all to Moonlight Peak."


    Moonlight Peak? It had been a while since she''d eaten there. And she remembered Lue had texted herst night, asking her toe by and review the restaurant''s ounts. This was perfect; she could kill two birds with one stone.


    "Okay," Juniper agreed, obediently getting into the car. Felton was dispatched to fetch her friends from their ssroom.


    While they waited, Juniper sat curled in her seat, ying a game on her phone, her expression a little downcast.


    "Still want more candy?" Shanley asked gently, draping a soft nket over her legs.


    She just shot him a look, but her face said it all. Of course, she did.


    Shanley sighed with a fond smile. He relented pulling another candy


    his pocket, unwrapping it and


    to her lips Contelom


    holding


    "This is thest one before your meal," he said, his voiceced with indulgence.


    "Mmm," she hummed, opening her mouth to ept it. The corners of her eyes instantly lifted. She was happy again.


    "Give me your right hand,¡± he said,


    taking some ointment from the glovepartment. He''d been applying it for her every day, and the wound was healing nicely, leaving only a faint scar.


    "Here," she said, cing her hand on the armrest while her left hand continued to tap away at her game.


    "So, you got perfect scores in literature and math on this exam?" Shanley asked casually as he gently applied the cream.


    "Yep,¡± she replied, her tone nonchnt, as if getting a perfect score was the most ordinary thing in the world.


    "Hmm?" Shanley''s movements


    paused. He turned to look at her, his


    eyes narrowing in mock suspicion.


    "If that''s the cas


    why did you agree


    to let me tutor you all this time?"


    At his question, Juniper''s fingers slowed on the screen. She looked up at him, her clear eyes meeting his.


    "You said," she began slowly, "that if I finished my tutoring sessions, you''d treat me to delicious food."


    "What?" Shanley almost couldn''t believe his ears. The only reason she''d gone along with his tutoring was for the food?

 Chapter 166

    A world-ss foodie, indeed!


    Shanley stared at her for a second before a deep, melodiousugh escaped him, filling the car.


    From the driver''s seat, Flint nced in the rearview mirror, his eyes widening. His boss wasughing. Actually, genuinelyughing. He never thought he''d live to see the day. It was... unsettling.


    ...


    Meanwhile, the moment the final bell rang, Qadir and Queenie turned in their exams and bolted from the ssroom.


    ¡°Juniper still isn''t back. I wonder what''s happening," Qadir said, his face grim as he hurried down the hall.


    "Mr. Schwartz should be here by now, right?" Queenie added, jogging to keep up. Her eyes were red-rimmed with worry. "Do you think she''s cleared her name?"


    As they reached the stairwell, they saw the dean leading a group of senior-year teachers across the courtyard.


    "Looks like they''re done dealing with Juniper''s cheating incident,¡± a student nearby whispered. "I wonder what the verdict was."


    "The verdict?" Jolene sneered, emerging from her ssroom with a triumphant smirk. "Just look at the teachers'' faces. Does that look like good news to you? Juniper isn''t in the office and she isn''t back in ss. There''s only one exnation."


    "What?" another student asked eagerly.


    "Her parents obviously came and picked her up," Jolene said, letting out a smugugh. ¡°Fighting, cheating on exams... What school would keep a student like that?!"


    ¡°That''s bullshit!¡± Qadir roared, spinning around to face her. ¡°My friend Juniper would never cheat!"


    Jolene''s face paled at his outburst, and she bit her lip, looking wounded. "But she¡ª¡±


    "Shut up," Queenie cut her off coldly. "If I hear you say one more bad word about Juniper, I swear I''ll p you."


    She had a strong suspicion Jolene was the one who reported Juniper in the first ce.


    "You don''t believe me?" Jolene retorted with a cold smile. "Just wait and see."


    Right on cue, Dolce, the ss president, came panting up to them. "Queenie! Qadir!"


    "Dolce!" they cried, rushing over to her. "Where''s Juniper?"


    "Juniper''s gone," Dolce gasped, bending over to catch her breath.


    Gone? As in, expelled?


    Qadir and Queenie''s faces went white This couldn''t be happening.


    There had to be a mistake. Seer Actions speak louder than words," Jolene gloated.


    ¡°I''m going to see Principal Salma,¡± Qadir said, ready to storm the principal''s office to demand justice for his friend.


    "I''ming with you,¡± Queenie dered.


    "No, wait


    Dolce grabbed Qadir''s


    arm, finally catching her breath,


    You''ve got it all wrong. Cathet


    wasn''t expelled."


    "What?" Qadir and Queenie froze, while the smile on Jolene''s face vanished.


    "Nope," Dolce said, a huge grin


    spreading across her face. "I just ran


    into the physics teacher. He said


    Juniper took the retest


    and got perfect scores on both subjects.


    Again."


    A stunned silence fell over the hallway.


    Perfect scores? Again?

 Chapter 167

    "For real?" Qadir''s face broke into a massive grin, and the color returned to Queenie''s cheeks.


    "Absolutely," Dolce confirmed, nodding emphatically. "And her brother came to pick her up to take her out to lunch."


    "So that''s why she left..." Qadir clutched his chest in relief, feeling like he''d just dodged a bullet. He had been mentally preparing to convince his father to donate a new library to the school to get Juniper reinstated.


    "Are you sure that''s what you heard?" a ssmate pressed, inching closer. "Juniper got another perfect score?"


    "Yes," Dolce announced loudly, making sure to shoot a pointed look at Jolene. ¡°ording to the physics teacher, not only did she ace it again, but she finished early. I followed the teachers for a bit and overheard them talking. Apparently, Juniper already learned everything years ago¡ªall of high school, maybe even college-level stuff."


    The surrounding students gasped, their jaws practically hitting the floor. While they were ying in the mud as kids, Juniper was apparently mastering advanced calculus.


    "Then why did the teachers look so upset when they came out?" someone asked, getting to the heart of the matter.


    Dolce stifled augh. ¡°Oh, that. The teachers from the other sses were trying to get Juniper to transfer. Our teachers wouldn''t let her go, and things got pretty heated. From what I hear, if the principal hadn''t been there, a full-on brawl might have broken out."


    Their friend Juniper had be the school''s most prized possession.


    Queenie burst outughing. It reminded her of when she first enrolled, and the teachers had nearlye to blows over who would get her in their ss.


    "By the way," Dolce added, "Juniper''s brother said you two should meet them at the school gate."


    ¡°Got it,¡± they said in unison, immediately heading off.


    Jolene stood frozen, the students'' excited chatter ringing in her ears.


    Dancer, genius... It was like she had all the luck in the world.


    Frustration and envy coiled in her stomach. If she couldn''t get Juniper kicked out, how was she supposed to collect the money from Ynda? Hermands clenched into tight fists hereyes darkening with resentment.


    Later, in a private garden on the rooftop of Moonlight Peak, Qadir and Queenie sat


    stiffly at the dining table, their eyes wide with awe.


    They had never imagined that "going


    out to lunch meanting to a ce like this. Qadir''s family was well-off, but not "private rooftop dining at Moonlight Peak" well-off. Queenie was even more stummed; she''d never dreamed she''d even set foot inside the city''s most exclusive restaurant, let alone on its roof. They truly owed Juniper for this.


    "...and three desserts. Add extra mango to one of them," Shanley instructed the waiter after cing. their order The waiter bowed respectfully and departed.


    ¡°Juniper,¡± Shanley said, pouring her a ss of lemon water. ¡°Put your phone away


    for a bit and have some water."

 Chapter 168

    "Okay," Juniper replied, obediently setting her phone down and taking a small sip. It was a little sour for her taste.


    "Drink some more," Shanley urged with a slight frown. "You''ve been eating too many sweetstely. I specifically asked them to use less sugar in this."


    Juniper pouted but didn''t move.


    "Be good," he coaxed, pushing the ss closer. "I made sure they added extra mango to your dessert."


    With a reluctant sigh, she took another drink.


    Across the table, Qadir and Queenie exchanged a look of disbelief. Juniper was so...pliant around Mr. Schwartz.


    "I''ll be right back, just need to use the restroom,¡± Juniper announced, using the excuse to go check on the restaurant''s ounts.


    "Be careful," Shanley said, his eyes following her until she disappeared from view.


    With Juniper gone, an awkward silence descended. Qadir and Queenie, already intimidated by Shanley''s powerful aura, felt even more nervous without their friend as a buffer. They both stared down at theirps, too afraid to look at the formidable man sitting across from them.


    ¡°Has Juniper been doing all right at schooltely?" Shanley asked, breaking the silence as he signaled for a waiter to pour them some water.


    Queenie was too nervous to speak, so she just picked at her fingernails.


    "She''s fine!" Qadir piped up, forcing a goofy grin. "Don''t you worry, Mr. Schwartz. With me around, no one would dare bully Juniper.¡±


    Shanley raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over Qadir''s slight frame.


    Him, protect Juniper? It was more likely that Juniper could send him flying with a single punch. He wondered who was protecting whom.


    After a moment, he asked, his voice low, "Has anyone been giving her love letters?" "Huh?" Qadir nearly bit his tongue.


    So this was an interrogation about dating. This wasn''t a friendly lunch; it was a trap.


    "No love letters..." he began, then hesitated, unsure if he should continue.


    "No letters Shanley said, picking up a cherry and meticulously removing the pit, a faint smile ying on his lips But perhaps something else of special nature?"  fo


    "No, no, it was just a bottle!" Qadir blurted out, then immediately regretted it. What if the bottle really was from some secret boyfriend? He would have just thrown her under the bus! Mr. Schwartz was dearly against her dating. Qadir wanted to cut his own tongue out.


    "A bottle?" Shanley repeated, setting the cherry aside and wiping his fingers on a napkin.


    Qadir mped his mouth shut, refusing to say another word.


    Seeing his dilemma, Shanley''s smile widened. "The bottle was from me.¡±


    The kid was surprisingly loyal to Juniper. A decent little sidekick, he mused.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Qadir let out a huge sigh of relief. "So you were the one who gave it to her! No wonder she treasures it so much!"


    He had been so worried she was getting mixed up with some boy. Thank goodness it was just her brother.


    ¡°Treasures it?¡± Shanley''s eyes narrowed slightly, the curve of his lips deepening as he savored the words.


    "Oh yeah," Qadir confirmed with an enthusiastic nod. "She loves that thing. Keeps it with her all the time and won''t let anyone else touch it. She''s Super protective of it. If it'' wasn''t from you, Mr. Schwartz," he added taking a sip of water would''ve thought she was looking at it and thinking of some secret


    admirer."


    Thinking of him, was she? Shanley listened quietly, a pleased, subtle smile gracing


    his handsome features.

 Chapter 169

    Meanwhile, Juniper, wearing a baseball cap pulled low, strolled into the top-floor management office of Moonlight Peak.


    "Ms. Payne, can I help you?" the general manager asked, immediately rising to his feet. Anyone brought here by Mr. Schwartz had to be important, and he intended to be on his best behavior.


    "Are you waiting for someone?" Juniper asked, walking directly to his desk and casually flipping through a ledger that was alreadyid out.


    "I am," the manager said, watching her nervously. "Ms. Payne, please don''t touch that."


    "Hmm?" Juniper''s fingers paused, and she shot him a sidelong nce.


    ¡°Our owner ising to inspect the ounts today,¡± the manager exined, his expression strained. ¡°She is... incredibly demanding. If this report isn''t perfect, she will rip me to shreds."


    ¡°She will?¡± Juniper blinked. She couldn''t recall ever doing that. "Have you two even met?"


    In the three years since Moonlight Peak had opened, Lue handled all the operations. Juniper''s only role was to provide the capital and collect the profits.


    ¡°We haven''t met in person, but I report to her over the phone every year," the manager said with a grimace. "Last year, I got two numbers wrong, and she absolutely chewed me out. I still have nightmares about it."


    Usually, the report was just a phone call, but this year, Lue had informed him that the owner was bored and wanted to make an appearance to avoid any future awkwardness. The news had sent him into such a panic that he''d been up since three in the morning double-checking everything. After three years, he was finally going to meet his boss. It was surreal.


    "Ms. Payne, I''m afraid I have to ask you to leave for now," the manager said politely, ncing at the clock. "If you need anything, the lobby manager can assist you."


    "There''s no need to wait," Juniper said, her lips curving into azy smile as she continued to scan the ledger. "I''m here."


    "What?" The manager leaned forward, notprehending.


    .n


    "I''m the owner of Moonlight Peak," Juniper stated inly, her longshes fluttering as she looked up "First year''s revenue was thirty million Second year, sixty million. This year, it looks like we''re on track to double that. I also noticed that some of the equipment is showing its age. I''ll wire over some funds for you to oversee recements."


    Did he hear her correctly? She was the owner? His billionaire boss was a high school student? Before the manager could even process this, his phone rang.


    "Sir, the owner just transferred a


    atanton the other


    end said


    excitedly. "Did you know about this?"


    He was frozen, his mind reeling. Of course, he knew.


    Ms. Payne had just told him, and a secondter, the money had arrived. Not only that, but she knew the restaurant''s exact revenue figures down to thest digit. No one but ? the owner would know that.


    meant... he had just been


    Which


    UM


    strict boss... to her face. Was he about to be fired?


    ¡°Yes, yes, I know,¡± he stammered, quickly ending the call. He looked at the girl across from him, his face ashen. "My apologies, Boss. I had no idea it was you."


    "It''s fine,¡± Juniper said, leisurely closing the ledger. "You''ve managed Moonlight Peak well. Thank you for your hard work."


    "It''s my duty, Boss."

 Chapter 170

    The manager stood stiffly, intimidated by the sheer force of the young woman''s presence. How on earth was Ms. Payne his boss? She was just a teenager, but shemanded the room with terrifying authority.


    "The ounts are in order," Juniper said, rising from her chair and heading for the door. "I''ll be back to check in again sometime."


    "Of course," the manager replied, bowing his head and following a few steps behind her.


    As they walked, Juniper''s steps faltered. Her gaze hadnded on a bowl of candy on a nearby table.


    "Would you like some, Boss?" the manager asked, quickly grabbing the bowl and offering it to her.


    Juniper''s lips pursed, and she instinctively started to reach for a piece. But halfway there, she seemed to remember something and sheepishly pulled her hand back, stuffing it in her pocket. "No, thank you," she said firmly, then started walking again. "And by the way, don''t let anyone else know about my connection to this ce."


    "Anyone else?" the manager asked timidly. "Do you mean... Mr. Schwartz?¡±


    "Yes," Juniper mumbled. She felt like she''d already revealed too many of her secretstely; she wasn''t sure how she would exin this one to Shanley.


    "Understood," the manager said, though his curiosity was piqued. As they reached the corner, he stopped and bowed deeply. "Take care, Boss."


    "Mmm," Juniper nodded and was about to turn away when her eyes met a tall, imposing figure standing just around the bend.


    It was Shanley, dressed in a crisp white shirt and a dark blue tie, his sharp eyes fixed on her.


    "Mr. Schwartz," the manager stammered, being the first to recover.


    Oh, no. The boss didn''t want him to know, but he had practically shouted his farewell. Mr. Schwartz must have heard him.


    Shanley walked toward them, his movements fluid and graceful. "You were gone so long, I got worried," he said to Juniper, his voice a low, maic hum.


    Juniper tilted her head up to look at him, her lips parting slightly. "Did you... hear what we were saying?" she asked tentatively.


    "Hmm?" Shanley reached out and tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear a yful smile, touching his lips. You mean when the manager called you ''Boss''?"


    Juniper froze, her expression crumbling. He had heard.


    "I never would have guessed," Shanley said, leaning down so they were eve to eye his smite growing wider and more affectionate Our little Juniper is the owner of Moonlight Peak. What a wonderful surprise."


    Moonlight Peak had been founded three years ago and had quickly be the top restaurant in Era City, yet its owner had always remained aplete mystery: Who could have imagined that the mastermind behind it all was


    fifteen-year-old girl?


    A dancer, a designer, a genius, and now, a restaurant tycoon. This girl was full of surprises.


    "Ahem..." Juniper''s cheeks grew warm. She blinked, forcing a casual,zy smile. "Well, I suppose I can give you a ten percent discount on today''s bill."


    Moonlight Peak never offered discounts. For him, she''d make an exception.

 Chapter 171

    ¡°Ten percent off?" Shanley chuckled, his voice alluring.


    "Is that not enough for you?" The girl''s pretty face scrunched up, her voice rising in a fierce, high-pitched tone. It was thousands of dors, after all¡ªenough to buy her a mountain of candy and cookies.


    ¡°No, it''s perfect." Shanley''sugh was low, the corners of his eyes crinkling with a captivating charm. His voice wasced with endless affection. "Thank you, Juniper."


    ¡°You''re wee.¡± Her expression softened considerably. Pouting her lips, she mumbled, "I''m hungry."


    "Let''s go. The food is ready." Shanley extended his hand, his arm hovering protectively around her as he guided her forward.


    Only after they had left did the general manager dare to stand up straight, clutching his chest and gasping for air.


    Normally, a visit from Mr. Schwartz alone was enough to put the entire staff of Moonlight Peak on edge. But now his boss was here too. And the main problem? They always came together. Oh, the heavens! How much more could their poor hearts take?


    After the meal, Shanley picked up a napkin and gently wiped a smudge from Juniper''s cheek.


    "It''s going to rain this evening," he said softly. "Come out as soon as your foreignnguage exam is over. I''ll send someone to pick you up."


    "Send someone?" Juniper''s eyes fixed on him, the question tumbling out before she could stop it. "You''re noting?"


    "Do you want me toe?" Shanley''s fingers paused on her cheek for a moment, the tenderness in his eyes deepening.


    "No." Meeting his deep, adoring gaze, Juniper pouted and deliberately looked away, feigning indifference.


    "I have something to take care of today. I promise I''ll pick you up myself next time, okay?" Shanley slid a dessert in front of her and set a fork beside it, his tone gentle and coaxing. "Have a bite."


    He was attending to matters for his grandmother Hannah''s eightieth birthday banquet next week, a milestone celebration where nothing could go wrong.


    "Oh." Seeing that he was genuinely busy, Juniper responded with a muffled sound and picked up the fork to eat her cake.


    After one bite, she frowned. Even though it was made by the same chef with the same ingredients, it tasted different from before¡ªa little sour, and not very good.


    She took another couple of bites before setting her fork down, her appetite gone. Resting her chin in her hands, she stared out the window with a frown, looking unhappy.


    "I put some candy in your backpack," Shanley said, sensing her mood. He emptied his own pockets of candy and stuffed them into her bag. "Feeling any better now?"


    Juniper nced at the pile of sweets, and the tension in her brow eased. She leaned back, crossing her arms with a defiant tilt of her head. ¡°I wasn''t unhappy."


    "Oh, really?" A smirk yed on Shanley''s lips, his deep voicezy and enticing. "Good to hear." He then looked over at Qadir and Queenie who had practically buried their faces in their bowls. "Are you two finished? It''s almost time for the exam; you should head back to school."


    "We''re done!" Qadir and Queenie shot up in unison, nodding vigorously. They had finished eating long ago but had been too


    timidated by the atmosphe


    between Mr. Schwartz and Juniper to say a word. Their only option was to pretend to be mute and stuff their faces until they were about to burst.


    ...


    On the way back to school, Juniper closed her eyes for a nap. As she drifted off, her


    head lolled sideways,ing to rest on Shanley''s shoulder.


    ¡°Turn up the heat," Shanley instructed the driver softly. He gently draped a nket


    over her, his every movement a study in tenderness.


    Qadir and Queenie watched from the


    side, marveling silently. Mr. Schwartz was truly the perfect brother, treating her like a precious gem he was afraid to break. They couldn''t imagine how heartbroken he would be when Juniper eventually got married.

 Chapter 172

    "Goodbye, Mr. Schwartz," Qadir said, hoisting Juniper''s bag onto his shoulder. Just as he was about to follow the girls, Shanley spoke.


    "Does your family own a livestock farm?"


    ¡°Huh?¡± Qadir paused, then nodded honestly.


    "Thank you for letting me know what happened this time," Shanley said, his eyes on Qadir, a faint smile on his lips. ¡°Juniper is a simple girl. Don''t let any ill-intentioned punks get near her."


    "Of course, Mr. Schwartz," Qadir replied with a grin. "Don''t worry, everyone at our school is a dud. Juniper wouldn''t be interested in any of them."


    "Good." Shanley nodded in satisfaction and gestured with his chin. "Go on, then.¡±


    After the three had left, Shanley settled back into the car, loosening his tie. ¡°Look into Qadir''s father''spany," hemanded in a low voice. "Invest some money into it."


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡± Felton immediately set off to handle the task.


    Twenty minutester, Qadir, who still hadn''t made it back to his ssroom, received a call from his father.


    "Qadir, you''re not going to believe this! Some mysterious person just invested tens of millions into our pig farm!"


    Qadir was speechless. "What?"


    Back at Aurora High School, the way students looked at Juniper hadpletely changed after the morning''s events. None of them had ever met someone who could achieve a perfect score.


    ¡°Juniper, can you share some study tips?" a ssmate asked, leaning over her desk with a sincere expression.


    "Tips?" Juniper was fiddling with a bottle. She frowned at the question. "You just... study."


    "What do you mean?" the other students asked, confused.


    ¡°You just learn it,¡± Juniper tried to exin, finally deciding to just be honest. "I listen


    to the teacher''s examples, read the book... do this and that... and then I just know


    it."


    "What?!" The students'' eyes widened in disbelief. "Do you stay up all night studying?"


    There was no other way to learn so many subjects in just a few years.


    "Stay up all night?" Juniper thought for a moment, then a faint smile touched her lips. "Sure."


    "Really?"


    The students let out a collective sigh of relief, their faces breaking into bright smiles. Even the genius had to pull all-nighters. That made them feel much better.


    But before their relief couldst another second, she added casually, "Does staying up all night to y video games count?"


    Silence. They felt as if they''d been stabbed. Twice.


    "Then do you..."


    "That''s enough,¡± Qadir cut in, annoyed by the incessant chatter. "Do you really think getting a perfect score is about study methods? It''s about having a brain!"


    The students, utterly crushed, shuffled away with pale faces.


    During the final exam of the day, foreignnguages, Juniper found it even easier than the other subjects. It was mostly just filling in bubbles with very little writing She finished the entire test in thirty minutes. With the paper done, she propped her head on her desk and stared nkly at her bottle, her mind consumed with the fact that Shanley wasn''ting to pick her up.


    "Fine, don''te," she thought irritably. "If I''d known, I wouldn''t have given him that discount."


    Feeling disgruntled, Juniper stuffed the bottle into her bag and slumped onto her desk to sleep. Outside the ssroom window, teachers from other subjects were pecking in one more excited than the next. The foreignnguage teacher was practically vibrating with


    anticipation, eager to see what a perfect paper looked like.


    "I heard someone is sleeping during the exam?" Just as they were whispering, the Dean of Students walked over, his face grim. He nced into the ssroom, and his expression twitched when he saw who was asleep.


    Juniper?


    Oh. Well, in that case, carry on.

 Chapter 173

    The exams ended, and as soon as the papers reached the office, the teachers eagerly sorted through them, pulling out Juniper''s.


    "Well, well," the foreignnguage teacher for ss One said, marking red check after red check, unable to hide his grin. "As expected, another perfect score."


    He paused when he reached the final essay, his movements slowing as his smile faded. "What is this word?"


    *Shanleyschwartz*


    Was it a name? A ce?


    It appeared out of nowhere, as if written in a moment of distraction. A mistake at such a critical point. One point off.


    While the teacher was grading, a crowd of students waited outside to hear the results.


    "It''s not a perfect score! It''s not perfect!" a student at the front whispered urgently to the others. "Really?" they replied, a strange sense of relief washing over them. "That''s a relief. For a second there, I thought Juniper was a genius in every subject."


    ¡°But..." the messenger paused for a second before adding, ¡°she only lost one point. The teacher said the point was deducted for a careless spelling error. Otherwise, it would have been another perfect score."


    What was the real difference between that and a perfect score? The students'' smiles vanished.


    "If she had taken the scienceprehensive exam, would her rank have surpassed Queenie''s, making her first in the entire school?" one student wondered aloud.


    "Definitely," another replied. ¡°With scores like these, she could be number one not just in the school, but in the entire province, maybe even the country."


    "If Aurora High School produces a national top schr, do you think the school will be saved from losing its reditation next year?"


    The question hung in the air, met with stunned silence.


    ...


    Outside the school gates, Juniper walked with her backpack slung over her shoulder and a hat pulled low, her eyes downcast.


    "Ms. Payne." Flint spotted her and immediately got out of the car.


    Juniper looked up and nced inside the vehicle. Empty. He really didn''te.


    "Ms. Payne, please get in," Flint said with a cheerful smile, holding the door open.


    Juniper shot him a look before reluctantly climbing in, staring out the window with a wooden expression.


    "Ms. Payne, my boss asked me to bring this for you.¡± Flint opened bag and set out its contents


    of pastries and bottle of


    of


    Juniper nced at them without interest, her appetite gone.


    ¡°Alright, Ms. Payne, we''re heading off,¡± Flint said, sliding into the driver''s seat and starting the sports car.


    During the drive, Juniper hugged her backpack and stared out the window in


    silence. The quiet in the car was unnerving.


    "Ms. Payne, how about I tell you a joke?" Flint offered, his palms sweating on the steering wheek The boss had specifically instructed him to keep her happy.  fo


    Juniper blinked but didn''t respond.


    "Ahem," Flint cleared his throat. "Why did the scarecrow win an award?"


    Juniper finally turned her gaze from the window to look at him nkly.


    ¡°Because he was outstanding in his field! Hahaha!" Flint roared withughter.


    ¡°Ms. Payne, I''ve got another one for you. Why did the flower get sent to the principal''s office?"


    Juniper frowned, picked up the lemonade, and took a long drink.


    "Because it was caught talking in the garden! Hahaha, isn''t that funny, Ms. Payne?" Flint chuckled, ncing in the rearview mirror.


    Instead of daughing, Ms. Payne was


    giving him a look one might reserve for aplete idiot The next


    second, the stic bottle in her hand crumpled under her grip.

 Chapter 174

    ¡°Haha... uh.¡±


    Flint''sughter died in his throat. A chill ran down his spine, and he quickly shut his mouth, terrified that after crushing the bottle, she might crush his neck next.


    Ms. Payne seemed so calm when the boss was around. Why was she like this today? He should have let Felton handle this.


    ...


    At the Cloudscape Community, for the first time since moving in, Juniper was eating dinner alone. ¡°Mr. Schwartz was dyed by some business and might be backte,¡± Dana exined softly as she arranged the dishes. "Please, Ms. Payne, go ahead and eat."


    ¡°Okay.¡± Juniper picked up her knife and fork but only took a few bites of her favorite dishes before setting them down. Nothing tasted good.


    "Are you finished, Ms. Payne?" Dana asked, surprised. "Is the food not to your liking?"


    She had barely eaten anything, a stark contrast to her usual hearty appetite.


    "No, I''m just not very hungry," Juniper said, standing up. ¡°Thank you for cleaning up, Dana. I''m going to visit Saskia."


    Seeing the untouched dinner, Dana grew worried that something was wrong and immediately called Shanley.


    "She came home from school and hasn''t eaten anything?" Shanley, who was at the family estate, frowned with concern. "I''ll be back as soon as I''m finished here."


    After hanging up, he turned to find his grandmother, Hannah, studying him intently. "From school?" she asked, her expression serious. "This girl you''re so smitten with is still in school?"


    Shanley pressed his lips together, his silence a confirmation.


    "You...," Hannah stammered, clearly shocked. "You wouldn''t be..."


    "Grandma, your grandson is not that kind of person," Shanley said, shaking his head with a weary patience. "She''s an adult, just still in school. And rest assured, we are just friends for now."


    He would never cross any lines at an inappropriate time.


    "No wonder," Hannah said, shaking her head with a look of utter disdain. ¡°With that ice-cold expression of yours, what girl could possibly like you?"


    Especially not a young one. It was no surprise he''d been chasing her for so long without sess.


    "Grandma, I''m your grandson," Shanley reminded her, a shadow of frustration crossing his handsome face.


    "If you were really my grandson, you''d have listened to me and met the gifted doctor," Hannah retorted, sitting off the sofa with her arms crossed and tips pursed. "But it''s toote to change your mind now. She already has another prospect."


    ¡°Oh?¡± Shanley picked up the water pot and poured Hannah a ss of water.


    "Your second uncle''s son ising


    back from abroad soon," Hannah


    huffed. "That boy is only in his


    twenties. He''s a much better match


    for her And you, at your age had the nerve to look down on her I''m embarrassed for you!"


    "Him?" Shanley felt an unexpected wave of relief, and the corners of his mouth turned up. ¡°Yes, they are a good match."


    At least now his grandmother would stop trying to set him up with that woman.


    "Are you going to bring this girl of yours for me to meet this time?" Hannah red at him, annoyed by his cheerful expression. She wanted to ?mack him. She had to see for Herself What kind of extraordinary girl had captured his heart so


    "Not yet," Shanley declined, grabbing his jacket. "She has something else on the day of your birthday banquet."


    Besides, the girl was shy around strangers and likely wouldn''t enjoy such a formal event. He would wait a while longer, at least until he could openly pursue her and win her over.

 Chapter 175

    Hannah watched how protective he was of this girl and snorted. "You''d better know your limits and behave yourself."


    Still in school... she probably wasn''t very old. For him to be so fixated on her already, he was truly a scoundrel.


    "I know, Grandma." Shanley put on his jacket and gave a slight bow. "The preparations for the banquet are nearlyplete. Please get some rest. I''ll be heading back now."


    With that, he turned and strode out of the house.


    "Mr. Schwartz..." Wendy emerged with ate-night snack, ready to call him, but he was already gone. She asked curiously, "Didn''t Mr. Schwartz say he was hungry?"


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Hannah sighed, a faint smile on her lips. ¡°He heard his precious darling wasn''t eating, so he rushed back to see her."


    Her grandson had always been unppable, but she had never seen him so devoted to anyone.


    "Are you worried the girl isn''t good enough for Mr. Schwartz?" Wendy asked.


    With the Schwartz family''s wealth and status, countless heiresses were desperate for a chance to marry in.


    "Of course not," Hannah replied, her aged but elegant face softening into a warm smile. ¡°Shanley has always had excellent judgment. Any girl he chooses is bound to be remarkable. I''m just worried..." She gazed out the window, sighing again. "He''s pining after a young girl. Do her parents even know? If they found out, wouldn''t they break his legs?!"


    At that very moment, thousands of miles away, Jimmie Tate, who was on a business trip, suddenly sneezed.


    "Are you all right, Mr. Tate?" his assistant asked.


    "I''m fine.¡± Jimmie waved his hand and continued reading his script. Perhaps his sister was thinking of him. The thought of her made him eager to return home, but he quickly rxed. Shanley, his reliable friend, was taking care of her. He had nothing to worry about.


    ...


    Back at Cloudscape Community, Juniper was tutoring J Wilcox.


    It was already ten o''clock at night, and there was still no sign of movement from next door. Was Shanley noting back tonight?


    Just as she was lost in thought, a knock came at the door, followed by Dana''s voice. "Ms. Payne..."


    "I''m heading back now," Juniper announced, immediately getting to her feet.


    "Oh? Okay!" J, still holding her pen, was caught off guard as Juniper bolted out the door. What was wrong with her? She had been distracted all evening.


    Juniper rushed into her own house and scanned the living room. Seeing no sign of the man she was looking for, a wave of disappointment washed over her she turned to look at Dana, who was wearing an apron and holding a bowl of sweet pear soup.


    Dana stared back, confused. "Mr. Schwartz isn''t back yet."


    She had just prepared ate-night snack to warm Juniper''s stomach, which was why she had called her.


    "Oh." Juniper''s shoulders slumped, and she sat down at the dining table, dejected.


    "I don''t want..."


    "Mr. Schwartz requested it," Dana said, cutting her off when she saw Juniper was about to refuse. "Please have a little."


    After a few seconds of silence,


    Juniper finally picked up the spoon and finished the entire bowl. Afterwards, with nothing else to do, shey on the sofa, ying games other phone and asionally ncing at the clock on the wall. At some point, her eyes drifted shut.


    In a drowsy haze, she felt a gentle touch on her hair. Her eyelids


    fluttered open, and she found of


    staring into a pair of eyes as deep. as the ocean, yet incredibly gentle.


    It was Shanley.


    Was she dreaming?


    Juniper blinked, trying to shake off the sleepiness.


    "Why are you sleeping out here?" Shanley asked softly, crouching by the sofa and


    tucking the nket around her.

 Chapter 176

    Juniper''s lips parted, her voice husky with sleep. "I was bored. I must have fallen asleep ying games."


    "Mr. Schwartz, you''re finally back!" Dana eximed, emerging from the kitchen with a cheerfulugh. "Ms. Payne has been waiting for you in the living room all


    evening."


    Juniper''s face instantly flushed with heat, a flicker of guilt in her eyes. That wasn''t true. She hadn''t been waiting for him at all.


    "Is that so?¡± Shanley gently stroked the girl''s hair. "Don''t wait for me next time. It''s too cold in the living room; you should sleep in your room."


    "Okay." Juniper pushed the nket aside and struggled to sit up. But having been in one position for so long, her legs had gone numb, and her body tilted uncontrobly to the side.


    "Careful."


    In that critical moment, Shanley''s arms shot out, catching her securely.


    Juniper stumbled into his embrace, her cheek pressing against his chest, where she could feel the frantic thumping of his heart. For a brief moment, their eyes locked, and an unspoken, electric current passed between them, charging the air with a palpable tension.


    "Are you okay?" Shanley asked, his voiceced with concern, thinking he might have hurt her.


    "I''m fine."


    The moment of rity came quickly. Juniper pushed him away and, with her head down, mumbled, "I''m going to bed. Good night."


    She then scurried into her room, and he heard the distinct click of the lock.


    Shanley stood frozen for a second, then a slow, meaningful smile spread across his face as he watched her adorable retreat.


    ...


    That night, Juniper tossed and turned, unable to sleep. When she woke up, there were dark circles under her eyes.


    "Oh my!" Dana eximed, her voice rising in rm. ¡°Ms. Payne, what happened to your eyes? Did you have trouble sleeping?"


    Juniper, who was sipping soup, nearly choked.


    She nced up guiltily at Shanley, who was sitting opposite her. He was watching her, a yful smirk on his lips.


    What was he so happy about?


    "I didn''t..." she started to deny, but his phone rang, interrupting her.


    "It''s your brother," Shanley said, answering the call and putting it on speakerphone before calmly peeling an egg for her.


    "Juniper," Jimmie''s voice came


    through, uncharacteristically "How ha


    e you beente g


    Shanley taking good care of you?"


    Juniper nced at the small mountain of breakfast piled on her te and poked at it


    with her spoon.


    "He''s taking good care of me," she mumbled.


    Jimmie was pleased. He hadn''t


    expected this old friend of his to be


    so good at looking after a kid. "I''ve bought you lots of snacks," he continued, having packed several suitcases full, as if he wanted to bring her the entire world.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Juniper replied listlessly. "Thanks, bro."


    "You''re wee."


    Hearing her call him ''bro'' was music to his ears. Jimmie flipped through his script, his voice growing even softer "Don''t worry, I''ll be back next


    week When i get home, I''ll bring you home to live with me."


    Shanley was an outsider, after all. And it would be better for the siblings to live together to bond.


    Bring her home? Did that mean leaving Cloudscape Community?


    At the thought, Juniper instinctively looked up at Shanley.


    He met her gaze, a deep, knowing look in his eyes. A small smile yed on his lips


    as he asked softly, "Do you want to leave, Juniper?¡±


    Juniper''s lips moved, but no answer came out.

 Chapter 177

    ¡°And Juniper,¡± Jimmie continued, not hearing a response from his sister, ¡°your exams areing up soon. Make sure you stay away from any boys with bad intentions, you hear me?"


    The exams were just an excuse. He had plenty of money to support her whether she got into a good university or not. The main point was to keep her away from opportunistic young men.


    Boys with bad intentions? Juniper licked her spoon, her eyshes fluttering as she shot a subtle nce at Shanley.


    "With me here, no punk will get near her," Shanley said, cing a freshly sliced apple into her bowl before casually wiping his fingers.


    ¡°I appreciate you looking after her all this time,¡± Jimmie said with a low, sincereugh.


    "Don''t mention it," Shanley replied, his deep eyes fixed on the girl, a smile ying on his lips. ¡°We''re family. It''s what I should do."


    Family?


    The word made Juniper''s fingers tremble almost imperceptibly.


    Jimmie, however, paused for only a second before agreeing warmly, "Yes, we are.¡±


    He figured Shanley was acknowledging her as a little sister. Of course they were family.


    After a few more words of instruction, he hung up,pletely at ease.


    Silence returned to the dining room.


    "You have the day off. Any ns?" Shanley asked, his gaze soft as he watched her.


    ¡°I''m going to the mall to buy some things for Saskia and J.¡±


    Juniper had finished eating and was looking for a napkin when Shanley swiftly pulled one out and gently wiped a smudge of juice from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes flickered, and a faint blush crept onto her cheeks.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shanley nodded, azy yet mesmerizing smile on his lips. ¡°I''ll drive you.¡±


    "Okay," Juniper agreed with a yawn.


    Saskia and J lived frugally, always skimping on food and clothes Even after Saskia bought her new outfits, the two of them still wore their old things. She wanted to use the weekend to buy them something nice.


    When Shanley came downstairs, dressed to go out, he was holding Juniper''s bag.


    He handed her a ck card. "There''s no limit on this. Buy whatever you like."


    ¡°Aren''t you afraid I''ll spend all your money?" she teased, twirling the card between her fingers.


    "Heh." Shanley leaned in close to drape her jacket over her shoulders, one eyebrow raised. "Don''t worry. have plenty of money I can afford to support you. Spend as much as you want Their faces were so close she could smell the faint, clean scent on him. It was a nice smell.


    Juniper blinked and pushed the card back into his hand. ¡°I have my own money. I don''t need it." She still hadn''t touched the money she''d conned out of her brother.


    "Fine." Shanley gave her a deep look and took the card back with a light chuckle. ¡°I''ll hold onto it for you, then. After all..."


    "What?" she asked, looking at him curiously.


    *After all, it will all be yours someday.*


    ¡°Come on, we''ll bete.¡± Shanley didn''t answer, simply picked up her school bag, and headed for the door. Juniper followed obediently, a puzzled expression on her face.


    In the parking lot, Saskia and J wereing downstairs, their faces bright with excitement. But when they saw who was in the car they froze, their smiles turning stiff and awkward. "Mr. Schwartz."


    ¡°Hello,¡± Shanley said, stepping out of the car. He gave a slight, respectful bow. "Please, get in."


    Saskia and J exchanged a wide-eyed look. This friend of Juniper''s brother was clearly someone important. His presence was incredibly intimidating.

 Chapter 178

    ¡°Saskia, J, get in,¡± Juniper called, poking her head out of the car.


    "Oh, right!"


    They nodded quickly at Shanley and scrambled into the back seat. Flint was driving, with Shanley in the passenger seat, while Juniper, Saskia, and J sat in the back.


    ¡°Juniper.¡± Shanley unscrewed a bottle and handed it to her, his voice soft and coaxing. "Have some water."


    He had noticed she rarely drank water unless someone reminded her.


    "Okay."


    Juniper took it without a second thought, drank a few gulps, and handed it back.


    "Call me when you''re done shopping. I''ll send someone to pick you up," Shanley said, capping the bottle. He then grabbed a few pieces of candy and passed them to her.


    "Mhm." Juniper nodded, taking the candy and offering it to Saskia and J. "Have some."


    Still reeling from the sight of Shanley waiting on Juniper hand and foot, Saskia and J barely managed to stammer, "Thanks, Juniper."


    As they ate the candy, they snuck nces at the man in the front seat. On the surface, Mr. Schwartz seemed cold and unapproachable, radiating an intimidating aura that kept people at a distance. They never would have guessed he could be so gentle and attentive. No wonder Juniper''s brother had entrusted him with her care.


    With that thought, Saskia''s anxieties finally settled.


    ...


    Half an hourter, they arrived at the mall. Flint got out and opened the doors for the threedies in the back.


    "Goodbye, Mr. Schwartz," Saskia and J said politely.


    "Goodbye." Shanley inclined his head, his gaze then settling on Juniper, who was standing with her arms crossed, adjusting her clothes. ¡°Juniper, remember to drink more water."


    "I will," she replied, nodding briefly.


    "Go on, have fun."


    Satisfied with her answer, Shanley


    turned his attention away and instructed Flint to drive off. Juniper


    stood on the curb, watching the car disappear into the distance,


    strange sense of mncholy washing over her.


    "Juniper, what''s wrong?" J asked, linking her arm through Juniper''s. "Nothing." Juniper shook her head.


    It was just an empty feeling inside. She was beginning to think Shanley had cast some kind of spell on her. Why else would she always want him around?


    Inside the car, Flint caught a glimpse of Ms. Payne''s downcast expression in the rearview mirror. "Boss, it seems like Ms. Payne has been getting a little attached to youtely."


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Shanley, who had been elegantly reviewing a document with his legs crossed, slowly looked up.


    "Yesterday, when you didn''t pick her up, she was unhappy the whole ride home. She didn''t even eat her dessert," Flint reported with dramatic ir.


    For Ms. Payne, a notorious foodie, to refuse food was unheard of. It just showed how disappointed she must have been.


    "I see," Shanley murmured, a deep,


    thoughtful light entering his eyes.


    "


    His voice was low and resonant.


    "Rearrange my schedule. From now


    on, book no appointments for me


    around the time Juniper gets out of school."


    "All of them, boss?" Flint swallowed hard, struggling to process the order. Thepany had many important projects, and a single change could have a massive ripple effect. The potential losses were incalcble.


    "Is there a problem?" Shanley''s eyes narrowed, his handsome face frosting over with a severe chill.


    "No, sir." Flint immediately mped his mouth shut. "I''ll have someone handle it right away." Holy crap! Ms. Payne''s ce in the boss''s heart


    had officially surpassed the arte<ppany''s. From now on, he''d have to be extra careful in serving this little princess.

 Chapter 179

    At the mall.


    Just as Ynda Sherwin arrived at the entrance, arm in arm with Jerrold Lonsdale, she spotted Juniper up ahead.


    "Jerrold, look," Ynda eximed, her voice dripping with disdain. "Isn''t that the old man who''s sponsoring her?"


    Though the man''s back was to them, his full head of white hair made it clear he was much older. Tsk. She must be truly desperate to stoop so low.


    Jerrold remained silent, adjusting his gold-rimmed sses as he stared intently at Juniper.


    "This mall is incredibly expensive. How could she possibly afford to shop here?¡± When Jerrold didn''t respond, Ynda continued her rant. ¡°I knew it. She must havended a sugar daddy to be unting this kind of money."


    Just because she could dance didn''t mean she had any money. If she did, she wouldn''t be living in that rundown neighborhood, let alone hooking up with some rich old man.


    "Let''s go." As Juniper entered the mall, Jerrold averted his gaze and quickened his pace to follow.


    "Okay!" Ynda trotted to keep up, a malicious smile ying on her lips. Finally, a chance to get back at Juniper. She was going to make that bitch pay.


    ...


    The clothing boutiques were on the second floor.


    Juniper was dressed simply in a white t-shirt and ck cargo pants, her smooth, long hair falling loosely over her shoulders under a in ck cap. She had a casual, rxed air about her.


    "Juniper, everything here looks so expensive, doesn''t it?" Saskia whispered, trailing timidly behind her and gazing around the opulent disys with wide eyes.


    "Not really. The clothes are nice," Juniper replied, paying no mind to the prices. She stopped in front of a trendy designer store. "J, why don''t you go take a look?"


    "Huh?"


    J, who had never set foot in such avish mall before, felt her eyes ache from the sheer glitter of it all. She picked up a small t-shirt and peeked at the price tag.


    How much? Seven hundred and eighty dors?


    "Do you like it?" Juniper asked.


    "Not really," J said, shaking her head vigorously. "Juniper, let''s look at some other stores."


    ¡°Alright.¡± Believing she genuinely disliked it, Juniper didn''t press the issue.


    Unfortunately, Ynda witnessed the entire exchange.


    "Doesn''t like it?" she sneered to herself. "More like can''t afford it." It seemed her sugar daddy wasn''t as generous as she''d thought.


    When she saw Juniper walk into an even more expensive boutique, Ynda''s expression darkened. While Jerrold was in the restroom, she hurried after them.


    ¡°This one..." J furtively checked another price tag, and her jaw nearly hit the floor.


    A thousand dors for a single piece of clothing?! It was terrifying.


    ¡°Juniper, I don''t really¡ª"


    "Yes, you do,¡± Juniper cut her off, seeing right through her hesitation. She turned to the sales associate. "Could you please find this in her size?"


    The brand belonged to one of her former apprentices. It was known for its strong design aesthetic and wearability, perfect for a younger crowd. She hadn''t realized the brand had be so sessful ithad a storefront in a major mall like this. And to think, her apprentice was always calling herining about creative blocks and needing her help.


    ¡°Hmph. Just looking for an excuse to ck off,¡± Juniper thought wryly.


    The sales associate turned, her gaze sweeping over Saskia and J with disdain.


    What were they wearing? Their entire outfits probably cost less than twenty dorsbined. Did they think this was some kind of flea market where you could pick up a shirt for ten bucks?!


    "This piece?" the associate asked, barely ncing at them as she picked at her nails. "We don''t have it in her size," she said dismissively.


    "You didn''t even look. How would you know?" Juniper turned, her eyes fixed on the woman''s face, her tone icy.


    "Tsk."


    The associate''s annoyance was palpable, but she forced a


    condescending smile. "Miss, this is a high-end designer brand. This top is one thousand dors. With the camisole underneath, ites twenty-eight hundred. If you''re sure you want it, then I''ll go look."


    ¡°No, no, we don''t want it, thank you!¡± Saskia blurted out, horrified by the price. She tugged on Juniper''s arm, trying to pull her away. Good heavens, that wasn''t twenty- eight dors. There was no need for something so extravagant.


    "How will we know if it fits if we don''t


    try it on?" Juniper pushed back the brim of her cap with a long finger, revealing a delicate, fair face and eyes cold as frost. Her voice was sharp with displeasures this how Jennie taught you to treat customers?¡±

 Chapter 180

    Jennie? Hearing the name of the big boss, the sales associate froze.


    Could this girl actually know the owner? But she looked like a middle schooler. How could she possibly know a world-renowned designer like Jennie?


    While the associate hesitated, a sharine voice floated in from the entrance.


    "Don''t bother. Even if you find it, she can''t afford it.¡±


    If seven hundred scared her off, how could she possibly afford twenty-eight hundred? She was just a fraud.


    "Ms. Sherwin, it''s been too long!"


    The associate immediately pushed past J, her face beaming as she greeted Ynda.


    "We have many new arrivals that would look perfect on you. Shall I show you?¡±


    "Of course," Ynda said, clutching her hundred-thousand-dor handbag. She deliberately strutted over to Juniper and looked her up and down.


    Dressed like a beggar. Her old man was clearly a cheapskate, not even willing to buy her a decent outfit.


    "Oh, my dear sister, long time no see," Ynda purred, flicking her hair back to show off a dazzling diamond ne.


    ¡°It has been a while,¡± Juniper replied, her hands in her pockets, her cold eyes sweeping over Ynda. "I''m surprised you weren''t beaten to death at the dance studiost time."


    "You"


    The mention of the studio wiped the smile from Ynda''s face. The humiliation and pain of that day were still fresh in her mind.


    "Don''t think I don''t know you arranged all of that!" she hissed, ring at Juniper with pure hatred.


    "That''s right." Juniper took a step closer and blinked innocently. "I did it on purpose. What about it?"


    Ynda flinched back, having learned from past encounters not to confront her directly.


    Pathetic. Juniper sneered and turned her gaze back to the sales associate. "Find every piece of clothing in the store in her size,¡± shemanded, her voice leaving no room for argument.


    "What?" The associate''s brow furrowed.


    "If she wants them, go get them," Ynda chimed in with a smirk. "This is the famous Master Lunar, after all. I''m sure she can afford it."


    The associate frowned. The girl really didn''t look like she had the money. But Ynda was a major client, so she reluctantly went to gather the clothes.


    "J, go try them on," Juniper said, pulling Saskia down to sit on the sofa and crossing her long legs.


    J hesitated. It was too expensive.


    "Go!" Juniper''s sharp tone left no room for refusal.


    "Okay."


    Terrified of this version of Juniper, J obediently took the pile of clothes and scurried into the fitting room.


    Saskia wanted to tell Juniper not to act on impulse, but one look at the girl''s icy expression and the words died in her throat. Sometimes she felt like Jumper was the adult and she was the timid one.


    Ynda watched her calm demeanor, her disgust growing. "Keep pretending," she


    thought. ¡°Let''s see how long you can keep it up.¡±


    "Bring me that haute couture trench


    coat, the one that costs over a


    million Ynda announced,


    crossing her arms and unting her


    manicured nails. Over a millor


    Juniper must be dying of envy.


    ¡°Juniper...¡± Saskia fretted. There were dozens of outfits. If they damaged any of


    them, they could never afford to pay for them.


    "Have a piece of candy," Juniper


    said, handing one to Saskia before opening her backpack. She


    obediently took a sip of water, then pulled out her phone and found Jennie''s contact she typed a quick message: [You wanted to see me? I''m free now.] Content b¨¦tongs


    She then sent her location.


    Jennie, seeing the notification from her mentor, shot up from her chair, her fingers trembling as she replied: [Yes! I''m on my way! Please wait for me.]


    She was also in Era City. This was the perfect chance to show her mentor hertest designs. She was sure to be praised.


    A giddy smile spread across her face.

 Chapter 181

    Inside the boutique, J emerged from the fitting room, blinking her wide, innocent eyes.


    "Juniper, what do you think?" she murmured.


    Juniper finally nced up from her phone, her gaze sweeping over J before a frown settled on her face. "Try something else."


    J was clean-cut and pretty, with a refreshing air about her, but the outfit did nothing toplement her natural charm.


    "Okay." J nodded obediently and slipped back into the fitting room.


    "Take your time," Juniper called after her, returning her attention to the game she was ying while lounging on the sofa.


    Over the next while, J tried on several more outfits, but Juniper found each onecking. It was then that she pinpointed the core issue with her apprentice''s design philosophy. The clothes were stunning at first nce, but they lost their magic the moment they were worn. They had a strong sense of design, but an overabundance of elements stripped them of their aesthetic appeal. It was clear she needed a few more lessons.


    "Miss, you''ve tried on so many. Is there nothing you like?" the sales associate asked, rolling her eyes with undisguised contempt.


    There was a protocol for serving customers; she was stuck with this group until they left, which meant she couldn''t move on to the next client. If these three nobodies hadn''t walked in, she would have been assisting Ynda, a woman known for hervish spending. In fact, Ynda was currently trying on the million-dor bespoke trench coat that no one else dared to touch. Themission on that sale alone would be staggering.


    At that thought, the associate''s expression soured further, and she wished she could just sweep the three of them out with a broom.


    "No, there really isn''t," Juniper replied without looking up, her fingers flying across her phone screen. Her tone was dismissive. "Jennie''s designs this season are just not up to par."


    "What?" The associate let out a derisiveugh.


    "Jennie is one of the hottest young designers out there. She just won a gold medal for design in Paris,¡± she retorted sarcastically. To im the head designer''s work was subpar? That wasughable.


    "Miss, if you can''t afford it, just say so. Don''t nder our boss.¡±


    Before Juniper could respond, Ynda chimed in from across the room, her voice dripping with condescension. "Exactly. If you can''t afford it, you should just leave. Don''t make things difficult for the employees here."


    "Thank you, Ms. Sherwin," the associate said, her eyes full of gratitude.


    Ynda adjusted the expensive trench coat on her shoulders, crossing her arms as she addressed the staff. ¡°Can you have the manager handle this? Having such riff- raff in the store is really ruining the mood."


    "Of course.¡± The associate nodded awkwardly and quickly fetched her manager.


    After a brief exnation and a cursory nce at Juniper''s simple attire, the manager made his assessment. She certainly didn''t look like someone who could afford their brand. Ynda, on the other hand, was a major client who spent a small fortune in their store every year and was now considering a couture piece. Her satisfaction was clearly the priority.


    With a strained smile that didn''t reach his eyes, the manager approached Juniper. "I''m sorry, but our service time is limited. You three have been here for quite a while, and it''s disrupting our normal business operations If you havent found. anything you like, I''m going to have to ask you to leave for now."


    "A long time?" Juniper finally switched off her game, tilting her chin up. "I recall correctly, she "INT came in at the same time we did,¡± she said gesturing toward Ynda. "Besides, we''ve only tried on three outfits."


    And all three, she noted silently, had been deliberately ugly choices picked out by


    the sales associate. It would be a miracle if anyone liked them.


    ¡°Ms. Sherwin has the means to make a purchase, so she isn''t wasting our staff''s


    time," the manager said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "As for you three... I don''t think I need to say more."

 Chapter 182

    The manager looked pointedly at Ynda, then back at Juniper, his strained smile firmly in ce. "You either buy something, or you''ll have to leave."


    They dealt with penniless window shoppers all the time; no one wanted to waste their time on them.


    Juniper''s brow furrowed, and she was about to put the man in his ce when a male voice cut through the tension. "Ynda!"


    ¡°Jerrold!¡± Ynda flitted over to him like a social butterfly, her voice turning cloyingly sweet. "What took you so long?!"


    "Hm," Jerrold grunted, his attention fixed on Juniper. Behind his sses, his eyes narrowed with a predatory gleam. "What''s going on here?"


    ¡°Well.....¡± Ynda clung to Jerrold''s arm, speaking in a stage whisper. ¡°My sister came here to buy clothes but can''t seem to afford them. When the staff pointed it out, she got angry and started making a scene."


    "Youngdy, there''s no need to be so nasty. Who''s making a scene?" Saskia snapped, her patience wearing thin. She''d been holding her tongue out of respect for the Sherwin family patriarch, Lemuel, but Ynda was going too far. She was an elder, after all, and wouldn''t normally stoop to arguing with someone so young, but this was too much.


    "Can''t afford it? Our Juniper is a master choreographer, and her brother is an incredibly powerful..." Saskia started to spill the beans but caught herself, the words dying in her throat.


    "Who? Go on, tell us!" Ynda prompted, leaning in with mock curiosity. "A brother? Don''t you mean some old, pot-bellied sugar daddy with white hair?"


    "What did you just say? I''ll tear that foul mouth of yours off your face!" Saskia couldn''t take it anymore. She rolled up her sleeves, ready for a fight.


    "Saskia, calm down." Juniper let out a smallugh, patting her shoulder reassuringly. "It''s just a few pieces of clothing."


    Jerrold pushed Ynda''s hand away and stepped directly in front of Juniper, his voice slick with insinuation. "See anything you like? Go ahead, pick it out. I''ll pay."


    "Jerrold!" Ynda''s face fell, her voice sharp with disbelief. She couldn''t have heard him right. Jerrold was offering to buy things for that tramp, Juniper?


    "She was your sister once, after all," Jerrold said, his eyes locked on Juniper, his intentions obvious. "It''s nothing to buy her a little something."


    Ynda was left speechless, practically boiling with rage.


    "You''ll pay?" Juniper raised an eyebrow, casually ying with a bottle in her hand as a slow smile spread across her lips.


    "That''s right." Jerrold was pleased


    with her reaction, his ego swelling. A


    woman who could be bought with


    money was simple enough to


    handle He thought she was so high and mighty


    pure and


    untouchable, but in the end, she


    bowed to money just like everyone else.


    "Alright then," Juniper said, twisting open the bottle for a small sip. She popped a candy into her mouth to quell the mat sea rising in her


    stomach. Then, in a calm, deliberate


    voice, she announced, "Wrap up


    everything in the store. This


    gentleman is paying."


    Silence fell over the boutique. Everyone stared,pletely stunned.


    Jerrold''s triumphant smile froze on his face.


    "Ev-everything?¡± the manager stammered, his eyes darting between Juniper and Jerrold. "Mr. Lonsdale, are you sure?"


    The color drained from Jerrold''s face. He couldn''t speak. A few thousand he could manage, but this... As an illegitimate son, where would he get that kind of money?


    Juniper''s lips curled into a smirk. "Can''t afford it?" she said, her voice dripping with scorn. "Of all the things you could''ve pretended to be you. aded to be you


    had to be a phony."  fo

 Chapter 183

    The sharp, mocking words hung in the air, followed by a thick silence. All eyes were on Jerrold, the so-called big shot whose bluff had just been called.


    Saskia and J, who had been furious just a moment ago, now struggled to hold back theirughter. It was incredibly satisfying. Mess with Juniper? That was just asking for trouble.


    Jerrold''s fists clenched at his sides, his face a mottled mess of shame and anger as he felt the weight of everyone''s stares.


    "Everything?" Ynda finally broke the silence, her face a cold mask of fury. "Jerrold was just being polite. I can''t believe you had the nerve to make such an outrageous demand. I think you came here just to cause trouble."


    She raised her voice, turning to the manager. "If you don''t handle this, I''m escting myint to your superiors. If I remember correctly, I can email your designer, Jennie, directly."


    The threat of contacting the boss sent a chill down the manager''s spine. Ms. Sherwin was a VIP; herint would be taken seriously. More importantly, he knew for a fact that Jennie was currently in Era City. She could show up at any moment.


    "Ms. Sherwin, please, calm down," the manager said hastily. "Why don''t you have a seat and rest? I''ll take care of this."


    "Hurry up. We have other ces to be," Ynda said, taking Jerrold''s arm and leading him to the sofa, where she began touching up her makeup.


    Jerrold remained silent, his face stony as he seethed with a quiet rage. It was clear now that Juniper was just toying with him, making him look like a fool.


    Fearing Ynda''sint, the manager decided to pick on the easier target. His tone became harsh. "Miss, if you and your friends don''t leave now, I''ll have to call security."


    He had tried to be civil, but they had pushed him too far.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Juniper settled onto the other end of the sofa, crossing her slender legs. She tapped her fingers lightly on the armrest, her voiceced with frost. "It seems no one here is capable of serving us."


    The manager and the sales associates remained silent, their expressions confirming her statement.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Juniper said with a slight lift of her brows. "We''ll just have to find someone else."


    Find someone else? The manager and his staff exchanged confused nces. Who else was there? It was official: this girl was here to sur up trouble.


    "Alright, you leave us no choice," the manager said, picking up the phone to call mall security.


    ¡°J, are you sure Juniper will be okay?" Saskia whispered, her palms sweating.


    "Of course," J replied, lookingpletely unfazed, even a little amused. "My cousin never picks a fight she can''t win."


    She had never seen anyone get the upper hand on Juniper.


    "If you say so," Saskia mumbled, though she still felt a knot of anxiety in her stomach. They were calling security, after all.


    Just as the manager was about to dial, a sales associate rushed to his Sir!" she whispered urgently... "It''s Jennie She''s here.


    ¡°What?¡± The manager whipped his head around, nearly dropping his phone.


    "Jennie, our boss and head designer! She just got here. She''s downstairs and will be up in a few minutes the associate said, practically bouncing on her feet with anxiety.


    How could that be? They hadn''t notified her. Unless...


    The manager''s eyes darted toward Ynda, his heart pounding.


    Could she have already sent thatint email? If Jennie was rushing over this


    quickly, she must take Ms. Sherwin''s business very seriously.

 Chapter 184

    This was bad. He should have kicked them out sooner. The manager''s mind raced with regret.


    Ynda, meanwhile, paused her makeup application.


    Jennie was really here? But she hadn''t even sent the email yet.


    Still, it didn''t matter how it happened. With the head designer on her way, Juniper would surely be too embarrassed to stick around.


    A wicked smile yed on Ynda''s lips as she anticipated the public humiliation Juniper was about to face. She had to capture this moment.


    Discreetly, Ynda took out her phone, switched to a secondary social media ount, and started a livestream, aiming the camera directly at Juniper.


    Everyone online thought the great ''Master Lunar'' was so pure and untouchable. Today, she would show them all just how pathetic their idol really was.


    ...


    Minutester, the sales associate hissed, ¡°Sir, Jennie''s arrived! She''s walking very fast and doesn''t look happy. It looks like she''s here to back someone up."


    Back someone up? The manager''s heart sank. It had to be Ms. Sherwin.


    "Hello, Jennie!" Before he could react, the staff lined up and greeted their boss in unison.


    Jennie was slightly out of breath, her forehead glistening with a thinyer of sweat and her makeup smudged. She had clearly run all the way here.


    "What brings you here, Jennie?" the manager asked, forcing himself to step forward, his face pale as he prepared to exin. ¡°What happened was..."


    "Where is the customer?" Jennie cut him off, her eyes scanning the store frantically.


    Three years ago, she had connected online with a mysterious expert in clothing design. This person had an incredible eye and could pinpoint the ws in Jennie''s work instantly. She had taken this expert as her mentor, and under her guidance, her skills had soared. She never would have won the international designpetitionst year without hei: mentor''s encouragement and the month of intense,te-night coaching sessions. Though they hadmunicated for three years, they had never met in person; Jennie only knew her mentor was a woman. Her countless invitations to meet had always been declined.


    She thought she might never get the chance, but then, a text had arrived out of the blue, and she had dropped everything to rush over.


    "The customer is right here," the manager said, gesturing quickly to Ynda, his stomach churning with nerves.


    "Jennie, hello,¡± Ynda said, rising from the sofa. ¡°I''m a VIP client at your store. I asked for you because..."


    §Ö§ä


    "Wait a second." Jennie stared at Ynda, her shy outfit, and her garish makeup, and froze for a moment. This was her mentor With


    this...... aesthetic?


    It couldn''t be. Jennie''s eyes swept the room again, passing over Saskia and J


    beforending on Juniper.


    The girl sat with her legs crossed, a


    baseball cap pulled low over her eyes, casually fiddling with a pink bottle. Her glothes were simple but she possessed an undeniable,manding presence. And the cap she was wearing... if Jennie wasn''t mistaken, it was the one she had custom-designed for her mentor as a gift after winning her award.


    Could it be?


    Was her revered mentor... a teenage girl?

 Chapter 185

    Jennie blinked, studying the young woman across the room. The girl''s head was slightly bowed, but the warm lighting illuminated the stunning features beneath the brim of her cap, casting her in an ethereal glow. She exuded a powerful, almost intimidating aura. But she couldn''t be more than twenty. How could someone so young possess such profound design expertise? Enough to guide her to an international award?


    The idea seemed preposterous. Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe her mentor hadn''t arrived yet, and the cap was just a coincidence.


    Jennie frowned, consumed by doubt.


    Just as she was lost in thought, the manager stepped forward. "Jennie," he said respectfully, "we''ve already called security. They''ll be here shortly to remove these troublemakers."


    "Troublemakers?¡± Jennie asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.


    "Yes," the manager reported, sweat beading on his forehead. "This youngdy has been deliberately causing problems for our sales staff. She tried on numerous outfits, imed she couldn''t afford any of them, and then had the audacity to say..."


    He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "...that your designs for this season are subpar and not to her liking."


    Her designs were subpar? That was the exact phrase her mentor had used in her critiques. Jennie''s gaze snapped back to Juniper, her heart pounding. This had to be more than a coincidence. She needed to approach her, to find out for sure, before she made a terrible mistake.


    "Yes, and for a shameless freeloader like her, security is the only answer," Ynda interjected, stepping in front of Jennie and blocking her path. She made sure her phone''s camera was angled just right.


    "Jennie, I happen to love your designs," she said with a sharine smile. ¡°But having certain people who are just here to cause trouble really ruins the customer experience."


    She was practically begging Jennie to personally throw Juniper out.


    Jennie gave Ynda a fleeting nce, noticing she was wearing the million-dor bespoke trench coat. A wave of irritation washed over her. That coat, a piece she had perfected with her mentors guidance and which had received rave reviews, looked utterly cheapened on this woman. It was almost impossible to distinguish it from a thirty-dor knockoff.


    Could she refuse to sell it to her?


    "Of course, of course," Jennie replied dismissively, forcing a polite smile. "You can continue trying on your things, and she can try on hers. There''s no conflict As for the


    disturbance, I''ll handle it myself.


    Please, don''t worry about it."


    With that, she sidestepped Ynda and made her way toward the sofa where


    Juniper was sitting.


    Ynda, basking in what she


    perceived as special treatment, was certain Jennie was about to publicly humiliate Juniper. She quickly adjusted her phone making sure the livestream camera had a perfect view of the impending confrontation.


    Instantly, the chat exploded.


    [What? Juniper is at a luxury store and can''t pay?]


    [No way. She must make good money from her choreography, right?]


    [Not necessarily. Master Lunar has never mized her dances. She releases all her choreography for free.]


    [The manager just said she tried on a ton of clothes and refused to buy or leave. So entitled.]


    [Let''s wait and see. This doesn''t sound like her. She once gifted a dress worth a fortune without batting an eye. How could she not afford a few thousand dors?]


    [If she could afford thousands, she''d be at an elite private school, not a ce like Aurora High.]

 Chapter 186

    [I heard Juniper lives in Moulnds. Maybe she really is broke.]


    [Oh my god, Jennie the designer is going over to confront her personally!]


    Thatment set the inte aze. The livestream, titled ¡°Juniper Gets Called Out by Designer for Posing as Wealthy," shot to the top of the trending list, and a flood of hatefulments poured in.


    Meanwhile, Jennie''s mind was consumed by a single thought: was this young woman her mentor? Desperate for confirmation, she pulled out her phone and dialed the number she had saved for her mentor.


    A momentter, a clear, ringing tone echoed through the silent store.


    Jennie''s heart leaped into her throat. She followed the sound with her eyes, her gaze locking onto Juniper. The girl was holding up her phone, an amused arch to her eyebrow, the screen clearly disying Jennie''s iing call.


    The hat, the phone number...


    It was her. It was really her.


    "Mas..." Jennie''s expression shifted from shock to pure tion. She felt an overwhelming urge to drop to her knees and bow right then and there. But just as she was about to speak, her phone buzzed with a text message from Juniper: [Keep it low-key.]


    Of course. She was so young, so brilliant. If her identity as the mastermind behind an international design award winner was exposed, it could cause a huge stir and disrupt her studies. Jennie instantly understood. She mped her mouth shut, her face breaking into a radiant smile instead. She had finally met her mentor! And she was just as beautiful and poised as she had imagined.


    But her joy was short-lived. A staff member entered the store, leading two security guards and pointing directly at Juniper''s group.


    "That''s her. They''re deliberately causing a disturbance. Please escort them out.¡±


    "Right away," one of the guards said, his face grim as he and his partner started toward Juniper.


    Escort who out? Jennie''s mind went nk with panic. Had her staff really thought her mentor''s expert


    critiques were theints


    the


    Someone who couldn''t afford clothes? Anyone else might be bluffing, but when her mentor said something was subpar, itwas because it was subpar.


    "Out!" Jennie shrieked, her voice trembling.


    The online viewers went wild. The chat feed scrolled at lightning speed.


    [It''s happening! Jennie is actually telling Juniper to get lost!]


    [Total poser, caught in the act!]


    Thements grew increasingly vicious.


    Ynda could have jumped for joy. A public shaming, broadcast live to the entire inte. After today, Juniper''s reputation would be in tatters.


    "I said, get out!" Jennie rushed past Juniper, then pivoted to face the approaching security guards. ¡°There is no disturbance here. Your services are not needed. Please leave."


    The viewers: [?]


    What just happened? Weren''t they kicking Juniper out?


    "But your employee said she..." one of the guards began, thoroughly confused.


    "She?" Jennie tur


    eturned back toward


    Juniper, her posture suddenly


    deferential, her tone filled with the


    utmost respect.


    she is my most.


    honored guest. And from this


    moment on, I will be serving her personally."


    The announcementnded like a bombshell. Jennie was personally serving this broke girl? Ynda was so stunned that her hand jerked of liquid.


    sending a streaked was


    foundation spilling down the front of the trench coat.

 Chapter 187

    "Ah!"


    Ynda cried out, scrambling to wipe away the dark liquid. But the trench coat was pristine white, and the beige foundation spread quickly, staining arge patch right across the chest. It was impossible to hide and impossible to remove.


    Her n had been to show off in front of Juniper and then leave after buying a small, inexpensive essory. She never imagined something like this would happen. This was a bespoke piece, worth a fortune.


    Her parents were still furious with her over the dance fiasco and the botched business deal with Elvira Sutton; there was no way they would pay for this.


    And Jerrold? He wouldn''t fork over that kind of money for her.


    What was she going to do?


    Ynda nced at Jerrold, only to find himpletely oblivious to her predicament. His eyes were glued to Juniper.


    That tramp! Even after being cast out of the Sherwin family, she was still trying to seduce Jerrold. An unwanted orphan had no ce in the Lonsdale family, and Ynda would make sure she never got in.


    But first, she had to deal with the immediate crisis. She sat frozen, clutching the stained fabric, her mind racing. Maybe... maybe she could slip the coat off and just leave, pretending nothing happened? Her back was to the security camera, and the angle was poor. She could deny everything.


    But in her frantic attempt to clean the mess, she had identally knocked her phone. The camera, once focused solely on Juniper, was now pointing directly at her, capturing her panicked expression and, more damningly, the massive stain on her chest in perfect rity.


    [OMG, is that Ynda Sherwin?]


    [It is! I thought I heard her voice earlier!]


    [Look at that coat she''s wearing. I think that''s the new couture piece. Wait... what''s


    that weird spot on the chest? Is that part of the design?]


    [No, it''s not the design. I just saw her spill foundation all over it!]


    [Whoa! A stain that big will nevere out. She''s going to have to pay for it!]


    [Wait, you guys are missing the point. Am I the only one who sees Jennie practically bowing to Master Lunar?]


    Thatment shifted everyone''s


    yel


    attention. The livestream now showed Jennie, the famous designer, following Juniper with humble, almost subservient posture.


    "This piece she''s wearing..." Juniper said, her tone cool as she gestured toward a mannequin, "Do you really think a hemine like that is ttering?"


    Jennie bit her lip, avoiding her mentor''s gaze. "It''s awful," she mumbled.


    "And this color..." Juniper pointed to a brown blouse with a look of pure disgust.


    ¡°Let''s just say my grandmother would turn her nose up at this.¡±


    Jennie''s face paled. She hung her head, unable to argue. "You''re right."


    The color was rather dated. Why hadn''t she seen these ws during the design process? It really took her mentor''s sharp eye to see the truth.


    The manager and the other staff members stared, their jaws on the floor. What in the world was happening? Their boss was


    notoriously proud of her work


    hated criticism To have senteone point out ws so bluntly was like p in the face. Yet, not only was she taking it, she seemed to be agreeing with every word.

 Chapter 188

    "Sir..." one of the sales associates whispered nervously to the manager, "who is that girl? Jennie seems... afraid of her."


    "Yeah, Jennie won''t even look her in the eye when she speaks."


    ¡°She must be a major potential client," the manager guessed, wiping sweat from his brow, though he couldn''t reconcile that with her simple clothes. ¡°But her outfit....... doesn''t scream wealthy."


    "I know, right?" another associate chimed in, on the verge of tears. "I''m the one who called security on her. What if Jennie gets mad at me?"


    The manager said nothing. He had his own neck to worry about.


    ¡°The neckline on this needs to be brought in by four inches," Juniper continued her assessment. "And these pants... are they meant to be worn as a jumpsuit? The rise is absurdly high. You also need to be more inclusive with your sizing. This obsession with making everything for the stick-thin needs to stop. Healthy bodies are what''s beautiful."


    As J finished trying on her selections, Juniper moved through the store, and in just ten minutes, she had identified every major design w in the collection.


    "That''s about it," she said, taking a sip from her water bottle.


    "I understand,¡± Jennie said, ncing around before leaning in to whisper, "Thank you, Mentor. I''ll make the changes."


    A good student always listened, and she couldn''t risk losing such an incredible teacher.


    "Good." Juniper finally cracked a small smile, and Jennie felt a wave of relief wash over her. At just twenty-five, she was still young enough to be flustered by her mentor''s approval. She beamed, showing a row of bright white teeth.


    Juniper picked out four outfits for J from the ones she had tried on.


    "Bag these up," Jennie instructed the manager. Then she turned back to Juniper. "Please, pick out anything else you like. It''s on the house, a small token of my appreciation."


    "What?" The manager''s hands trembled, nearly dropping the clothes.


    Did he hear that right? Not only were the clothes free, but she could pick anything she wanted. The staff stared, their eyes wide This was a real alt you-can-take offer, not like the empty promise Jerrold had made earlier.


    Several pairs of eyes flickered toward the man in question. Jerrold frowned, shifting ufortably and adjusting his tie. He was starting to think that Jennie and Juniper knew each other. But how How could a lone orphan possibly be connected to someone of Jennie''s stature? He wasn''t the only one confused; the livestream audience was buzzing with theories.


    The chat was now divided into two camps.


    One was obsessed with Juniper''s mysterious authority: [LOL, Juniper looks like she''s a CEO inspecting her own store. Who''s the real boss here?]


    The other was focused on Ynda: [What''s she waiting for? Is she really trying to ditch the bill for that ruined coat?]


    "Ms. Payne, this one, and this one, and this one... they would all look amazing on you,¡± Jennie said, eagerly pulling items off the racks, ready to gift the entire store to Juniper.


    "Oh! And there''s a couture piece that would be perfect for you."


    She turned to find the trench coat, her eyes scanning the room until theynded on the woman wearing it. But as her gaze settled on Ynda, her smile vanished,


    reced by a


    k of horror There. on the front of her masterpiece, was


    a ring, ugly stain.

 Chapter 189

    "Ms. Payne, one moment, please!" Jennie strode over to Ynda, her eyes wide with disbelief as she examined the damage. It was true. The coat was ruined. That piece had been her pride and joy, the result of half a month of painstaking work. There was only one in existence, and she had nned to give it to her mentor.


    "Ms. Sherwin, what happened here?" the manager asked, his nerves fraying as he, too, noticed the problem. The coat was made of a special silk blend that could only be dry-cleaned. A stain thatrge and dark was almost certainly permanent.


    Jerrold finally turned his attention to Ynda and saw the mess, his expression souring instantly. If she couldn''t pay for it, he knew they woulde after him, her boyfriend. He didn''t want to pay, but not paying would damage his reputation as a Lonsdale.


    "I... I don''t know what happened," Ynda stammered, scrambling to her feet, her face ashen. "It was like this when I put it on."


    "That''s impossible," the sales associate who had been helping her protested immediately. "That coat was wless when I brought it out for you. You can''t just lie like that!"


    Their store had strict quality control; they would never put a damaged item on the floor.


    "Fine, then check the security cameras," Ynda challenged, her voice rising as she tried to project confidence. "For all I know, you''re the one who stained it and are trying to frame me."


    "You..." The associate''s eyes welled up with tears at the shameless usation.


    "Since Ms. Sherwin denies it, let''s check the cameras," Jennie said calmly. She instructed the manager to pull up the footage on aptop.


    Ynda twisted her hands together, her heart hammering in her chest. The only camera above her was at an angle, a blind spot And her back. was toit. There was no way it could have captured the moment she stained the coat. They had no proof.


    "Jennie, this camera didn''t capture it," the manager whispered, his brow drenched in sweat. ¡°But... you can see her trying to wipe something off the front..."


    Hearing this, Ynda breathed a small sigh of relief.


    ??


    Jennie said nothing, her eyes fixed on the screen, her anger simmering. It wasn''t just about the ruined coat. It was about this woman insulting her mentor, trying to get her thrown out by security.


    And her name... Ynda. A light bulb went off in Jennie''s head. She remembered the news from a few weeks ago about the socialite who tried to frame a dance prodigy.


    That''s right. Ynda Sherwin. Her malicious n had backfired spectacrly,


    leaving her own reputation in tatters. And now she had the nerve toe after her mentor again?


    "Ms. Sherwin, you don''t really think a


    luxury boutique has only one


    security camera, do you?" Jennie


    asked her gaze turning to "Lock"


    the doors want the footage from every single camera reviewed."


    ¡°What?¡± Ynda froze, her hands clenching into fists as panic flooded her eyes.


    "Yes." The manager nodded, his own head spinning from the bizarre turn of events.

 Chapter 190

    Just as the manager was about to lock the doors and retrieve the full security footage, a calm voice cut through the tension.


    "Why waste all that time and money? The answer is already online."


    Juniper had settled back onto the sofa, her legs crossedzily. She lifted her gaze, a knowing look in her eyes.


    Online? Jennie pulled out her phone, confused, and opened her brand''s social media page. She was immediately blinded by a sea of notifications.


    What on earth? She personally ran the ount and rarely engaged beyond posting official announcements. She tapped into the notifications and found countless tags and mentions from other users.


    @Jennie Come see! Ynda is the one who stained the coat!


    [This woman is shameless. She ruined the coat and is trying to me the staff to avoid paying.]


    [I have a screen recording of Ynda staining the coat. Check my profile!]


    [Does anyone have the full livestream?]


    [FYI, someone just figured out the livestream ount is Ynda''s alternate ount.]


    [Oh my god, what a mess. Did she really try to stream Juniper getting kicked out, only to identally film herselfmitting the crime?]


    [Thementer above nailed it.]


    ...


    Jennie quickly clicked on the user''s profile and found the video. The clip clearly showed Ynda''s hand slipping, spilling foundation all over the front of the trench coat as the dark liquid spread across the fabric.


    "How could she do that?" a sales associate eximed, staring at her own phone in disbelief. "ying the victim after what she did... I''ve never seen anything like it."


    "The livestream is still going. Based


    on the angle, the phone must be in the store the manager said, his es scanning the room beforending on the table next to Ynda. "Ms. Sherwin, are you


    livestreaming?"


    The question made Ynda''s head snap toward her phone. At some point, the camera, which had been aimed at Juniper, had been turned around to face her directly. The chat was a waterfall of insults.


    What was going on? Why was everyone attacking her? And what was this about evidence? Had her own livestream captured her staining the coat?


    Her blood ran cold. Ynda lunged for the phone and frantically ended the stream But it was toote. Private messages flooded her inbox. Her finger slipped identally opening a link someone had sent. It was a screenshot from the video, showing her, clear as day, ruining the coat.


    In that moment, Ynda felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She stood


    frozen, her mindpletely nk.


    "Ms. Sherwin, do you have anything


    else to say?" the manager asked his voice sharp with disapproval. "This is a screenshot from your own livestream: I don''t think anyone can im it was faked."


    ¡°I...¡± Faced with undeniable proof, Ynda began to tremble.


    "I didn''t mean to," she pleaded, shaking her head desperately. "I really didn''t mean


    to."


    "Oh." Jennie gave her a look of pure disgust. "Whether it was intentional or not is irrelevant. You still have to pay for it."


    She turned to the manager, her expression hard. ¡°Draw up the bill for our customer.¡±


    "Yes." The manager and the rest of the staff let out a collective sigh of relief. At least they had found the culprit and wouldn''t be held responsible for the astronomical cost.


    The manager ced the bill on the table in front of Ynda. "Ms. Sherwin, will that be card or digital payment?"


    Ynda stared at the seven-figure number, her face turning a deathly shade of white.

 Chapter 191

    Ynda kept her head down, saying nothing.


    "Ms. Sherwin, you have ten minutes," the manager said, his patience worn thin. Ynda''s silence was grating, and the manager felt a surge of resentment. If Ynda hadn''t fanned the mes, he never would have been so rude to Ms. Payne. Now, Jennie would deal with her, and then the manager was surely next on the chopping block. His job was on the line, and he was determined to see this through.


    "Don''t... don''t call the police," Ynda finally stammered, her face pale with fright. "Let me just make a call."


    Era City''s high society was a small, gossipy world. If word got out that she''d been taken to a police station, her reputation would be ruined forever. She''d never be able to climb back up the socialdder.


    Ynda fumbled for her phone and dialed her mother, Frigga, but the call went straight to voicemail. She tried her father, Malcolm, next, with the same result. Both their phones were off. It was then she remembered: after she had offended Elvira and caused the Sherwin family to lose their partnership with the Suttons, her parents had been scrambling to repair the damage. They were probably at the Sutton estate right now, groveling and apologizing.


    With this new scandal now blowing up online, she could only imagine how furious they would be. After several more failed attempts, she gave up.


    "You have five minutes left, Ms. Sherwin," the manager announced coldly, ncing at his watch.


    Ynda felt like she was being roasted over an open fire. In desperation, her eyes darted to Jerrold, who had remained silent throughout the ordeal. "Jerrold..."


    Jerrold clenched his fists but didn''t respond.


    Jennie, observing the scene, turned her gaze to him. "This gentleman here, he''s the youngest son of the prestigious Lonsdale family, isn''t he? And your fianc¨¦, Ms. Sherwin?"


    She looked him up and down, barely concealing her disgust. "Since you''re engaged, why don''t you pay for her? After all, you were the one boasting about buying any dress these other girls Wanted Surely the great Mrs, Lonsdale wouldn''t hesitate to spend on his fianc¨¦e, would he?


    He had the nerve to hit on her mentor while he had a fianc¨¦e right there. He clearly didn''t know his ce.


    "Let''s start a live stream," Juniper chimed in nonchntly, crossing her legs. "We wouldn''t want the inte to get the wrong idea and think she''s trying to skip out on the bill. It''s a great opportunity for everyone to see just how generous and doting Mr. Lonsdale is."


    Jennie''s eyes widened for a second before


    grin spread across her face. Damn, he mentor was brilliant. A live stream was the perfect way to turn their own tastics against them. It would expose them for who they really were and use public pressure to make them pay up. It was killing two birds with one stone.


    "Start the live stream," Jennie ordered a nearby employee, who immediately pointed


    a phone camera at Ynda and Jerrold. If they wanted to bully her mentor, they


    were about to learn a very public lesson.


    The sudden focus of the camera made Ynda shrink back, wishing the ground would swallow her whole.


    Jerrold, who had been nning to


    wash his hands of the situation, was


    now trapped. If he abandoned


    Ynda now, in front of a live audience, he would be crucified online, dragging the Lonsdale family name through the mud. His father, who already disliked him for being an illegitimate son, would be furious. But paying... it was a huge sum to waste on Ynda. He was seething.


    "Two minutes left," Jennie said cheerfully, taking a seat next to Juniper. She watched their panicked faces with amusement. "Once time''s up, you can take it up with the police."


    She then turned to the girl beside her, who was casually ying a game on her phone. "Are you enjoying the show?"


    Juniper nced up at her, a faint smile ying on her lips. "If you put this much cleverness into your designs, would I still have a reason to scold you?"

 Chapter 192

    "Hey now," Jennie whined softly, leaning closer. "No scolding. Just enjoy the show. You can yell at me after we''re done with these two clowns."


    Juniper shook her head with a helpless smile. What a little schemer!


    Jerrold looked up at the phone screen, wherements from the live stream were scrolling by at lightning speed.


    [Is this guy for real? He was all talk when he was hitting on another girl, but when it''s time to pay for his own fianc¨¦e, he shuts up?]


    [He''s a Lonsdale, for crying out loud. Don''t tell me he can''t afford it?]


    [He can, so what''s the hesitation?]


    [Oh my god, is he broke? I thought the youngest Lonsdale son was the family favorite!]


    [Favorite? He''s got several older brothers.]


    [Hitting on his fianc¨¦e''s sister right in front of her. Seriously, what a creep.]


    [They call him the youngest Lonsdale son, but I swear he only appeared on the scene in his teens. Am I the only one who finds that weird?]


    [Could he be an illegitimate son?]


    Thements were getting more vicious, dangerously close to exposing his secret. Gritting his teeth, Jerrold finally gave in. "I''ll pay for Ynda."


    "Wow, Mr. Lonsdale is such a devoted fianc¨¦!" Jennie eximed, pping dramatically with a smirk. "Card, please."


    The manager hurried over with the payment terminal. A few beepster, the transaction wasplete.


    Jerrold''s hands were balled into tight fists. He red at Jennie. "Can you turn off the live stream now?"


    "Of course." With their goal achieved, Jennie gestured to the employee, who promptly ended the broadcast.


    "Jerrold..." Ynda breathed a sigh of relief and moved to take his arm.


    SLAP!


    Jerrold, his anger boiling over, struck her hard across the face.


    "Jerrold!" Ynda knew she was in the wrong and didn''t want to lose him, so she choked back her tears and endured the sting of his hand.


    Ignoring her, Jerrold stormed out of the store. As he passed Juniper, he paused his cold eyes locking onto hers "Juniper, you''l pay for this," he hissed.


    hen, clutching her reddening cheek, Ynda scrambled after him, sobbing. Finally, the store was quiet. Juniper stood up and walked to the checkout counter.


    "Juniper, don''t¡ª" Jennie started, trying to stop her. "It''s my honor that you''d even consider buying one of my pieces."


    "Business is business," Juniper said. Her clear eyes met Jennie''s. "When you buy something, you pay for it. And when you mess up, you get a scolding."


    Jennie immediately lowered her head, bracing herself.


    "It doesn''t matter how good your clothes are if


    stinks Staff''s attitude


    Juniper stated, her hands her pockets. "Your brand''s


    philosophy is to enhance a


    customer experience, not to cause them trouble. You''re talented and


    have a long career ahead of you.


    Don''t let other people ruin it for you."


    Seeing that the intelligent girl understood, she didn''t bbor the point. "That''s all for today. If you need anything, just text me."


    "Yes," Jennie nodded, her eyes welling up. Ever since she''d won her award, everyone had been praising her endlessly. Only Juniper pointed out her ws.


    After Juniper left, Jennie turned to her staff, her expression cold. "You''re all fired."


    Then, she sent an email to her executive team with a simple subject line: "Temporary Closure for Reorganization."


    ...


    Meanwhile, across town, Shanley was just finishing a meeting when he saw Flint


    staring intently at his phone.


    "Boss, Ms. Payne was in some trouble. But she-"


    "What happened to Juniper?" Shanley snatched the phone before Flint could finish. His eyes scanned the screen, which showed a rey of the live stream with countlessments floating over it. But his gaze locked onto one sentence in particr:


    [Master Lunar was hit on by a man!]

 Chapter 193

    Hit on by a man?


    Shanley''s pupils contracted, his icy eyes radiating a murderous aura that seemed to freeze the air around him.


    "Boss," Flint said quickly, seeing the storm brewing on Shanley''s face. "Ms. Payne had a small conflict at the mall with her stepsister. But don''t worry, she came out on top. In fact, the woman and the guy who was hitting on her gotpletely owned."


    Flint coughed, carefully pulling up the videos. "Here, take a look..."


    The first clip showed Jerrold''s pathetic attempt to flirt with Juniper, only to be shut down so brutally that his ego was left in tatters. The second showed how Juniper masterfully used the live stream to force the pair to cough up over a million dors. They lost their reputation and their money, while Juniper sat back like a kingpin pulling the strings,posed and effortlessly in charge.


    Even through the screen, Flint could feel her powerful presence.


    The third video was simpler, showing a famous designer bowing respectfully to her.


    "Who is this toad?" Shanley asked, his voice cold, the fury in his eyes slowly receding as he watched the videos.


    Toad? Flint blinked, then grinned. That was the perfect word for him. Ms. Payne was young, beautiful, and incredibly talented. Not to mention, a phenomenal fighter. Besides the boss, he''d never seen anyone with such skills. Sometimes, Flint even thought Shanley was barely good enough for her, let alone any other man.


    "His name is Jerrold Lonsdale. He''s Ynda''s fianc¨¦," Flint reported.


    "Fianc¨¦?" Shanley''s gaze sharpened, a storm brewing in their depths. "So he''s the one Juniper was rumored to have unsessfully seduced?"


    "Yes, boss." Flint nced at him nervously. Surely, a piece of trash like that wasn''t worth his boss''s jealousy?


    "Seduce?" Shanley''s eyes returned to the girl in the video, a cold, fond smile on his lips. "My Juniper isn''t blind."


    The implication was clear: if Juniper wasn''t even interested in him, there was no way she''d spare a nce for a toad like Jerrold.


    "Teach the Lonsdale family a


    lesson," Shanleymanded, his voice dropping to a dangerous low


    to everyone:


    He had to make it cle don''t


    his girl was off-limits. You don''t


    covet her, and you certainly don''t touch her.


    "Yes, boss." Flint nodded and immediately got to work.


    ...


    Jerrold had shaken off Ynda and returned home, still fuming.


    "Sir, the chairman wants to see you," a maid said, her tonecking any of the respect usually afforded to the family''s eldest son While outsiders didn''t know, everyone in the household was aware of his@tatus: Jerrold was just an illegitimate son.


    "Alright." Jerrold nodded, nervously pushing open the door to the study. It had to be


    about Ynda''s mess. At least he had paid, so it shouldn''t have affected the Lonsdale family''s reputation.


    SLAP!


    Before he could even speak, a sharp blownded across his face.


    "Look what you''ve done! Why in God''s name would you provoke Juniper?" Forbes Lonsdale, Jerrold''s father, mmed a file down on the desk and jabbed a finger in his son''s face Because of what happened today, trading on Lonsdale Group''s stock was halted!"


    "Halted?" Jerrold froze, his eyes wide with disbelief. "How is that possible? I paid the money. It should have been over."


    "See for yourself!" Forbes grabbed the file and hurled it at Jerrold. "The other party was very clear. This is a lesson for you and Ynda for offending Juniper."

 Chapter 194

    Jerrold snatched up the documents, his face draining of color as he read. The stock had indeed been halted. In just half an hour, the Lonsdale Group had lost millions. And the attack wasn''t stopping.


    Who could be behind this? Jerrold scrambled to hisputer and tried to trace the ount that had targeted their stock, but all the information was hidden. There were only a handful of people in all of Era City capable of forcing a halt on the Lonsdale Group''s stock in under thirty minutes. Just who had Juniper gotten involved with?


    "If the Sherwin family wasn''t useful for our business expansion, a girl like Ynda wouldn''t even be allowed to set foot in our home," Forbes sneered. "And that wild child, Juniper, has apparently cozied up to someone very powerful."


    Jerrold said nothing, his jaw tight. It had to be some rich, ruthless old man... But who? Regardless of who was backing her, he swore he would make her pay for this.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Juniper had finished a shopping spree, buying a mountain of things for Saskia and J-clothes, necessities, everything they could possibly need. When she got home, she copsed onto the sofa and unlocked her phone. A news alert from two hours ago immediately popped up: trading on the Lonsdale Group''s stock had been suspended.


    Two hours ago? That was right after the incident at the mall. Who would have retaliated on her behalf?


    After a moment, Juniper''s fingers flew across her phone''s screen. She hacked into the Lonsdale Group''s stock system and traced the attacker.


    Oh. It was Shanley.


    The incident had made waves online, so it was no surprise he''d seen it. She just hadn''t expected him to quietly deal with the Lonsdales for her. A warmth spread through her chest.


    "Beep-beep."


    As Juniper stared at her chat with Shanley, wondering how to thank him, another message appeared.


    Ghoul: [J, are you there?]


    Form 1 Racing, also known as F1, is the pinnacle of motorsport. And "J" was a legend among legends in the F1 world.


    Four years ago, at just fourteen, a driver known only as J had shattered tradition,peting as a minor and storming the circuit. J defeated multiple former F1 champions to im the title bing an o overnight sensation. For the next two years, J continued to race and remained undefeated.


    Then, at seventeen, after securing a third consecutive championship, J vanished from the world of F1. Incredibly private, J had never shown dce, and their gender


    remained a mystery. No one knew


    what happened to the prodigy, but the records J set remained


    unbroken.


    J?


    Juniper raised an eyebrow at the familiar, yet distant, codename.


    J: [?]


    Ghoul: [J, is it really you? Am I actually talking to the living, breathing J?]


    Ghoul was practically weeping with joy. For the past two years, he hadn''t been able to reach J. Rumors had spread that J had died in a racing ident, and he had mourned for a long time. He''d sent today''s


    message on a whim, never


    expecting a reply.


    J frowned and typed slowly: [Yeah, still breathing.]


    Ghoul''s reply was instantaneous: [J, the new F1 season is kicking off in Era City!


    Are you going to race?]


    Racing? It felt like a lifetime ago. A thrill for a reckless youth.


    Now... all she wanted was to study, go to college, and fulfill her grandfather''sst


    wish. And then, finally, just rx and do nothing.

 Chapter 195

    J: [Not racing.]


    Juniper popped a piece of fruit into her mouth, typing with one hand. She''d had too many of her identities exposed recently and still hadn''t exined thest one. The memory of Shanley''s and her brothers'' bewildered looks was... annoying.


    Ghoul''s excitement faltered: [J, are you sure? A lot has happened in F1 since you left.]


    He exined that after J''s retirement two years ago, the national racing scene had taken a massive hit. No new top-tier drivers had emerged, and thest two championships had been won by foreignpetitors. The country''s racers were constantly belittled on the international stage.


    This year, they had finally secured the honor of hosting an F1. However, of the three slots allocated per country, they had only managed to find one driver who met the stringent requirements.


    The uing race would be a massive event, drawing the best drivers from around the globe, including several previous champions and runners-up. Their lone driver would be isted and likely bullied by the other teams. If they couldn''t even break into the top ten on their own home turf, they might lose their eligibility topete in future F1 seasons altogether.


    Ghoul: [J, can we meet? It''s too much to exin over text.]


    Heid out the bare bones of the problem and waited anxiously for her reply.


    J: [Not convenient.]


    Juniper''s response was immediate. Ghoul was the agent she''d worked with back then. She had only nned to race for one year, just for the experience. But after she won, Ghoul had shamelessly begged her toe back every year, always with some sob story about the national racing scene being in peril or foreign drivers disrespecting their country, pleading with her to "defend the nation''s honor." And so, she had been "forced" to race for three consecutive years. This time, she knew he was just cooking up another excuse to get her back on the track.


    Ghoul: [J, I''m not tricking you this time...]


    J: [That''s what you said the second and third times, too.]


    Ghoul was speechless, wanting to p himself. This time, it really was a crisis. If they didn''t get a good result, the country''s professional racing scene would be finished.


    J: [Busy. Gotta go.]


    After sending the message, Juniper blocked him without a second thought. The world was finally quiet again.


    That evening, Juniper sat at the


    dinner table, her chin propped in her hands, eyes fixed on the wall clock Shanley had texted saying he''d be home at seven. There were only three minutes and twenty-eight seconds left. She sighed, a little dejected.


    "Click."


    Just as she was counting the seconds, the front door opened. She turned her head


    to see the tall, imposing figure of Shanley, dressed in a sharp suit.


    "You must be tired from all that shopping," he said, walking over


    her after washing his hands.


    1.bet


    He


    gently smoothed down a few stray


    strands of her hair  fo


    "It was okay." Juniper blinked and pushed a small te of sliced oranges towards him.


    "Mr. Schwartz, Ms. Payne prepared those for you herself," Dana, the housekeeper, added with a warm smile.


    Juniper ducked her head and focused on her food, her cheeks feeling a little warm. He''d stood up for her, so she got him some oranges. It was only fair.


    "Is that so?" Shanley picked up a slice and popped it into his mouth.


    "Thank you, Juniper," he said, his voiceced with affection. It was the first time


    she''d ever prepared fruit for him. It had to be sweet.


    As the vor exploded in his mouth, the incredibly sour taste shot


    straight to his brain is smile froze He had never tasted an orange this sour in his entire life.


    "Is it sweet?" Juniper asked, looking at him earnestly.

 Chapter 196

    Shanley clenched his jaw, forcing down the acidic wave rising in his throat. He managed a fond smile. "Very sweet."


    Really? Then her half-hour of careful selection at the market had been worth it.


    "You can have them all," she said happily. She had nned on having a piece herself, but seeing how much he seemed to enjoy them, she generously gave him the whole te.


    Shanley pressed his temple, not knowing whether tough or cry. "That''s sweet of you, but next time, just let Dana handle it."


    Juniper assumed he was just being considerate, concerned about her hands. It wasn''t untilter, when Shanley stepped away to get some water, that she snuck a piece for herself. It was so sour it made her eyes water.


    ...


    After the exam incident, Juniper had be the apple of every teacher''s eye at Aurora High School. She and Queenie were now considered the school''s "two most precious assets," and students and teachers alike gave them a wide berth, as if they were made of fragile ss. The remedial sses were, of course, no longer necessary.


    Juniper went back to the ssroom to pack up her belongings, most importantly the stash of candy Shanley had bought her.


    "Juniper!" The typically stern math teacher greeted her, his smile as bright as a sunflower. "Here to get your things?"


    "Yes," she replied politely. "Please, don''t mind me. You can continue with your lesson."


    "Alrighty then!" the teacher chuckled and returned to the front of the ss.


    As Juniper finished packing, she nced at the ckboard and frowned. The solution to the problem written there seemed overlyplicated. The students, who were already struggling, lookedpletely lost.


    "Is there a problem, Juniper?" the teacher asked, his heart sinking as he saw her expression. Had he made a mistake? He quickly re-checked his steps.


    "It''s not wrong," Juniper said, shaking her head. "But there''s a simpler way."


    "Really?" The teacher broke into a cold sweat, unable to see an alternative solution on the spot.


    "Mhm." Juniper nodded, walked up to the ckboard, and picked up a piece of chalk.


    The math teacher sheepishly grabbed his own hair, then quietly sat down at an empty desk, taking out a pen to follow along.


    "And so, the final answer is 2,"


    Juniper concluded. A problem that had taken the teacher fifteen


    minutes to exin, she had solved in five in a way that every student in the room understood.


    "Juniper, what about the second problem? Is there another way to solve that one


    too?" the teacher asked, his eyes shining with intellectual curiosity.


    "There is." Since she had the time, Juniper exined that one as well.


    At that moment, Salma and the


    school''s dean were making their rounds. They peered into the remedial ssroom out of habit and froze in disbelief. There was Juniper, confidently teaching at the front of the room, while the veteran math teacher sat among the students, head tilted up, listening intently and asionally raising his hand with a question.


    Salma and the dean exchanged a bewildered look. Who exactly was the teacher here?


    On Saturday, after school, Juniper received a text from the olddy: [Good


    afternoon, my little miracle worker!]


    Juniper replied: [Good afternoon.]


    The olddy: [Don''t forget my birthday banquet tomorrow! You have toe!]


    Her other grandson was back in the country, and she was dying to introduce the two of them. Even if Shanley didn''t appreciate the girl, her other grandson might have better taste. Either way, she was determined to make this miracle worker her granddaughter-inw.


    The thought made her giddy.

 Chapter 197

    Juniper checked the time and replied: [Don''t worry, I''ll be there on time.]


    She needed to drop off more of the old gentleman''s medication anyway.


    The olddy was overjoyed: [Wonderful, wonderful! I''ll be waiting for you, dearie!]


    Juniper: [Okay.]


    After ending the chat, Juniper remembered that today was the deadline to deliver the custom jewelry. She couldn''t possibly hand it to Shanley herself. If he found out that the person who''d charged him a small fortune was her... the scene would be incredibly awkward.


    After some thought, she contacted her studio and had them notify Shanley that his order was ready for pickup.


    Just as she sent the message, her phone buzzed again. It was Shanley: [Juniper, I''m outside the school. Usual spot.]


    Juniper: [Okay.]


    She grabbed her backpack and hurried out.


    "Juniper!" Qadir called out, grinning as he saw her rush. He guessed it had something to do with Mr. Schwartz. Only Mr. Schwartz could make her move that fast.


    "Is your brother waiting for you outside?"


    At his words, Juniper stopped dead in her tracks, her beautiful eyes fixed on Qadir. "Wh-what''s wrong?" Qadir froze, unnerved by her cold stare.


    "He''s not," Juniper said, her lips barely moving.


    Not what? Qadir waspletely bewildered.


    Queenie also sensed her friend''s displeasure and stayed quiet, blinking curiously.


    "He''s not my brother," Juniper stated, her voice clear and firm, emphasizing each word. "Shanley Schwartz is not my brother."


    Qadir and Queenie stared,


    speechless. If he wasn''t her brother, then what was he? They were both bursting with curiosity but neither dared to ask.


    "R-right," Qadir stammered, nearly biting his tongue. "I''ll remember that."


    "Good." Juniper''s expression softened slightly, and she continued on her way.


    Once she was gone, Qadir immediately turned to Queenie, frowning. "What''s with Juniper? Did she have a fight with Mr. Schwartz or something?"


    To disown him as a ''brother'' like that...


    "A fight?" Queenie rested her chin on her hand, her eyes narrowed in thought like a detective on a case. "I don''t think so."


    "Then what is it?" Qadir leaned in closer, his warm breath fanning across her face.


    Queenie''s cheeks immediately flushed. She instinctively took a step back and turned away, pretending to collect homework. "How should I know?"


    There were only two reasons a girl


    wouldn''t want to call a guy she


    ''e''


    wasn''t rted to her brother. One was that she disliked him. But it was obvious that Juniper didn''t dislike Mr. Schwartz, in fact she seemed closer to him and relied on him more than anyone.


    The other reason... was that she liked him. Because she was in love with him, she didn''t want him to see her as just a little sister.


    Which one was it? Based on Juniper''s reaction just now, Queenie felt the second possibility was much more likely.


    Of course, this was just her theory, and she wasn''t about to share it with a bbermouth like Qadir.


    "Why are you moving so far away?" Qadir clicked his tongue, annoyed. "First Juniper gives me the cold shoulder, and now you too?"


    "I''m not!" Queenie insisted, looking utterly innocent.


    "Really?" Qadir''s mood brightened instantly. He pped her on the shoulder like a buddy. "Great! Go grab Dolce I''ll treat you guys to obster


    Queenie nced at the hand on her shoulder, the heat in her face intensifying.

 Chapter 198

    "Why are you covered in sweat?" Shanley took the backpack from her shoulder and gently wiped her brow with a tissue. "Take your time next time, no need to rush."


    "Okay," Juniper mumbled, rxing as he fussed over her.


    "Here, eat something." Shanley had Felton lower the car''s temperature and unwrapped a rice ball for her. "I might need you toe with me to take care of something in a bit."


    "Mhm." Juniper took the rice ball and ate absentmindedly. She was starving, and her head felt fuzzy, making it hard to think.


    "Go on, eat," Shanley said with a soft smile. He uncapped a bottle of water, ready to hand it to her as soon as she was finished.


    "Get some sleep. I''ll wake you when we get there," he said, noticing the weariness in her eyes. He draped a soft nket over her.


    The car fell silent. Shanley was focused on hisptop when he felt Juniper''s body slowly lean towards him. Frowning slightly, he quickly steadied her head. Then, he grabbed a throw pillow, ced it on hisp, and gently guided her head to rest upon it.


    Perhaps it was the familiar,forting scent, but Juniper only stirred for a moment before settling into a deep sleep.


    Staring at the beautiful, radiant girl so close to him, Shanley''s heart began to beat erratically. His fingers rose, as if of their own ord, but stopped just shy of touching her cheek. He let out a slow breath and turned to look out the window, trying to calm the storm inside him.


    He had to remind himself. She was still so young. He couldn''t be a monster. He just had to wait a little longer. At least until she understood her own heart, and the nature of love between a man and a woman.


    Half an hourter, the car pulled up in front of the J-Five Studio.


    "Juniper," Shanley said softly, gently tapping her hand, afraid of startling her.


    Juniper had a bit of a temper when woken up, especially if she hadn''t slept well, But as her eyes fluttered open to meet Shanley''s handsome face and his fond smile, the irritation. that had been building in her chest instantly dissipated.


    "We''re here. Time to get out," he teased with a devilish grin, seeing her staring at him, transfixed.


    It was only then that Juniper realized she had, at some point, ended up sleeping on Shanley. On hisp, to be precise. The position was far too intimate.


    "Oh." She shot upright, and to cover her embarrassment, she quickly looked out the window, The next second, she froze. Her eyes


    widened, and her expression turned


    to one of pure shock.


    J-Five Studio? The ce Shanley had to ''take care of something'' was her own headquarters?! Was it toote to run?


    "Juniper, what''s wrong?" Shanley asked, a faint smile ying on his lips as he watched her every reaction. His deep eyes were fixed on her.


    "Nothing," she said, blinking rapidly. She feigned calmness and followed him out of the car.


    "Let''s go," Shanley said, his smile widening. He was curious to see how long she could keep up this act.


    The director of J-Five Studio had


    been waiting anxiously at the entrance ever since he heard that


    the president of the Schwartz Group himself the renowned Shanley, wasing to pick up the jewelry.


    Hearing footsteps, he stered on his most weing smile and rushed forward. "Mr. Schw-"


    He stopped mid-word, his smile frozen on his face. The youngdy standing next to Shanley... looked exactly like his boss.

 Chapter 199

    The design director stood speechless. Juniper stared back at him, equally silent.


    There was no mistake. A face as stunning as his boss''s was a once-in-a-lifetime sight. But... hadn''t his boss been furious with Shanley over that jade bracelet incident? She''d been so angry she looked ready to kill him! So why were they showing up together now?


    And if he wasn''t mistaken, the backpack Shanley was holding was hers. The water bottle in his other hand was also hers-the one she treasured so much that she never let anyone else touch it. She was standing incredibly close to him, and she was even wearing his suit jacket... They were clearly intimate.


    The director scratched his head, feeling a headacheing on.


    "Bo¡ª" he started to say, craning his neck.


    "This is J-Five Studio, right?" Juniper cut him off, her tone a little strained. "We''re here to pick something up."


    It took the director a few seconds to process. Could it be that Shanley still had no idea that the girl beside him was J-Five? No wonder she didn''t want to blow her cover. After all, she had given him quite the runaround and charged him a fortune.


    "Yes, yes, this is J-Five Studio," the director recovered quickly, turning to the tall man beside her. "You must be Mr. Schwartz?"


    "I am." Shanley nodded slightly, a knowing smile on his lips. He decided to y along.


    "The item is ready. This way, please." The director gestured for them to follow, leading them towards the VIP lounge while sneaking nces at the pair.


    He''d suspected his boss might have gotten a man, but now he had proof. It made sense, though. What woman could resist a face like Shanley''s? Especially not his boss, who was notoriously picky about looks.


    The door to the VIP lounge opened,


    and Juniper strolled in as if she owned the ce. She sank into a massage chair, expertly found the controls, and casually ordered, "A red-eye, no ice, with a little cream."


    "Right away," the director nodded respectfully before turning to Shanley. "And for you, Mr. Schwartz?"


    "Just some warm water, please." Shanley sat down next to Juniper, his gaze lingering on her face, his smile growing wider. She certainly knew her way around.


    "Of course."


    The director had someone prepare the drinks, then put on a pair of white gloyes and opened a ck


    velvet box. A stunning ne


    crafted from countless. Benitoite gemstones, fay nestled inside. It was elegant and exquisitely designed, its brilliant facets catching the light and scattering it in a dazzling disy.


    "This ne..." Shanley began, his eyes narrowing as a yful smile touched his lips.


    At his words, Juniper, who had been nervously nibbling on a snack, whipped her head around, a dangerous glint in her eyes.


    What about the ne? She''d designed it herself! What was wrong with it?


    "Mr. Schwartz, is there a problem?" the director asked, feeling like he was walking


    on eggshells as he saw his boss''s thunderous expression.


    Was Mr. Schwartz about to criticize the design? With his boss''s temper, she''d probably tear him apart right here and now!


    As terrifying as that thought was, a small part of him was morbidly curious to see the man who struck fear into all of Era City get taken down a notch by his boss. He secretly cheered them on. Fight! Fight!


    "This ne," Shanley continued smoothly, "is truly a testament to J-Five''s craftsmanship. It''s wless."

 Chapter 200

    Shanley peeled an orange slice and offered it to her, his voice a low, maic hum that seemed to resonate deep within her soul. "Don''t you agree, Juniper?"


    The director was left speechless.


    "Huh?" Juniper took the orange and popped it into her mouth, feeling a pang of guilt. "It''s... alright, I guess."


    "Just alright?" Shanley''s smile turned wicked. He used a napkin to gently wipe a bit of juice from the corner of her lips, his voice a seductive whisper. "Perhaps we should have J-Five''s designere out and hear what''s not ''alright'' about it."


    Juniper choked, the fruit getting stuck in her throat.


    "Are you okay?" Shanley frowned, quickly patting her on the back and holding a ss of water to her lips. He immediately regretted teasing her. She was a terrible liar. A little poke and she was already a flustered mess.


    "Wrap it up," Shanley said, his tone shifting back to business. He decided to let it go. He would give her the freedom to tell him herself, in her own time. If she wanted to, she would. If not, he wouldn''t force her. As long as she was happy and healthy, the source of her many talents didn''t matter to him.


    "Mr. Schwartz, it''s all packaged for you," the director said respectfully.


    "I''ll take it," Shanley said, intercepting Felton who was about to step forward.


    "Yes, sir." Felton paused for a second before retreating. He understood. Anything rted to Ms. Payne was a priceless treasure in the boss''s eyes, not to be touched by anyone else.


    On the drive back, Juniper received a text from the design director: [Boss, Shanley just transferred a huge sum of money to the studio.]


    Director: [He said he was extremely satisfied with the design and added this to cover the pair of earrings you included.]


    Juniper stared at the transfer record,


    her fingers tightening around her


    phone.


    She studied Shatley''s profile


    Had he figured it out? A payment thisrge felt like more than just a


    tip.  s?novels


    But he was actingpletely normal. Maybe... he really was just that impressed with her design?


    "What are you looking at?" Shanley''s eyes fluttered open. "Something you want to say to me?"


    "No." After observing him for a moment, Juniper decided he probably hadn''t discovered her secret. She felt a wave of relief.


    "Here, have some candy," she said, pulling a piece from her pocket and carefully unwrapping it for him. "It''s mango vor."


    It was her absolute favorite, a treat she rarely shared.


    Shanley opened his mouth and epted it, his gaze impossibly deep. He


    understood. This was his Juniper''s way of saying thank you. She fed you.


    ...


    The next morning, at the breakfast table, Shanley was peeling an egg for her Einish up your business and came early, he instructed


    softly. "If anythinges up, call me immediately, understand?"


    "Mhm," Juniper nodded, her spirits low. A birthday banquet couldst for hours. That


    meant she wouldn''t see him for a long time. She wasn''t happy about it.


    Once she had nearly finished eating, Shanley stood up and ruffled her hair. "I have


    to go. I''ll be back as early as I can to be with you."


    He had to get to his grandmother''s party early to help greet the guests.


    Juniper didn''t say anything, just watched him leave with sad eyes His grandma''s birthday banquet... every socialite in Era City would be there wouldn''t they? All those heiresses and debutantes.


    Tsk. Juniper snorted. Suddenly, the egg in her hand didn''t taste so good anymore.

 Chapter 201

    After breakfast, Juniper Payne returned to her room and changed into something more practical: a short ck tactical jacket, te-gray cargo pants, and a dark baseball cap. Her soft, wavy hair fell loosely over her shoulders, framing an exquisite face that was captivating even in such a casual outfit. There was an effortless, almost dangerous beauty to her that was impossible to ignore.


    "Ms. Payne, are you heading out now?" Dana asked as Juniper came downstairs, a backpack slung over one shoulder. "Mr. Schwartz has arranged for a driver to be at your disposal."


    "No need. I have a ride," Juniper replied, popping a piece of candy from a handful she''d grabbed into her mouth. She offered a slight smile. "I''m off."


    Before Dana could say another word, Juniper was gone.


    A ride? Did Ms. Payne even have a driver''s license? Dana had never heard anything about it.


    Just as the question crossed her mind, the roar of an engine echoed from the driveway. She hurried to the balcony and looked down. There was the slender young woman, throwing a leg over an electric scooter and leisurely putting on a helmet.


    Dana had to admit, the scooter was quite stylish¡ªlight and chic, perfect for a young woman. A momentter, with a sharp whine, the e-scooter shot forward in a perfect arc, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake.


    Dana rubbed her eyes, sure she was seeing things. That little scooter moved with the gut-punching force of a motorcycle. The speed was unreal!


    ...


    Out on the highway, Juniper was on a call with Lue Langley.


    "The manager at Moonlight Peak told me you had dinner with Shanley a few days ago," Lue said, her voice buzzing with excitement. "What''s the deal, Juniper?"


    Weren''t they mortal enemies after that whole bracelet incident? Dinner? Since when was her Juniper so forgiving?


    Juniper adjusted her Bluetooth earpiece, lowering the volume. "It''s...plicated." "Then unplicate it," Lue pressed. "Talk slower if you have to."


    "It''s just not something I can exin easily," Juniper said, feeling a pang of guilt You know my brother is friends with him, right? He just asked Shanley to look after me, then..."


    "What?" Lue''s voice shot up an octave, nearly bursting Juniper''s eardrum. ""Look


    after you?"" Lue smelled a story, her interest piqued. "Don''t tell me you''re living with Shanley now."


    Juniper chewed on her lip, feigning innocence. "My brother arranged it. It had nothing to do with me."


    "Right," Lue scoffed, unconvinced.


    poke i not


    "Forced you? Who in the world could force you to do anything? I seem recall you avoiding men like the gue keeping a ten-foot pole between your and any guy who ?o much as breathes in your direction. And now you''re willing to live with Shanley? Don''t tell me you''re..."


    "I''m not!" Juniper blurted out, nearly biting her tongue.


    "I haven''t even said what it is you''re not. Why so defensive?"


    Juniper was speechless.


    "Juniper, Shanley is not someone to be trifled with," Lue warned, her tone serious. "He''s vtile, ruthless... you should really keep your distance."


    Keep her distance? Juniper pursed her lips. That seemed unlikely now. Habit was a powerful thing, and she''d grown ustomed to Shanley''s care it wasn''t something she could easily give up.


    "Why aren''t you saying anything?" Lue''s voice wasced with panic. "Juniper, are


    you serious? Have you really fallen for him?!"

 Chapter 202

    While Juniper was no pushover,pared to a scheming, older man like Shanley, she was bound to get hurt. That''s right. He was so much older than her. What was her brother thinking, throwing her to the wolves like that?


    "Rx," Juniper said, sidestepping the question of her feelings with a cool, confident tone. "No one takes advantage of me. Not even Shanley."


    Seeing she was runningte, Juniper quickly ended the call before Lue could work herself into a frenzy and fly over to confront her. She hung up just as she reached a red light.


    Suddenly, the deafening roar of an engine shattered the quiet, and Juniper nced back to see a man d in ck leather on a ridiculously expensive motorcycle speeding toward her. He screeched to a halt right beside her, the powerful engine kicking up a cloud of dust.


    Juniper coughed, waving the grit from her face as she shot him a cold re.


    The man ignored her, still on his phone. "What do you mean, notpeting? Did you make the terms clear?"


    She brushed the dust from her jacket, her annoyance growing. What a jerk!


    "Is J scared topete, or has J just gotten rusty and doesn''t want to be embarrassed?" he grumbled into the phone. After a pause, he punched the handlebars in frustration. "I''m just dying to know what this legendary racer ''J'' even looks like."


    At the mention of ''J'', Juniper''s brow furrowed and her fingers tightened on the grips.


    "Shows up right before the race, leaves without the trophy...?" the man chuckled. "Based on the driving style, it''s gotta be a man."


    Juniper remained silent.


    ?


    "Alright, keep trying," the man said, flipping his visor down. "If it doesn''t work, handle it. Money talks, and if that fails, we''ll just drag to the u track."


    Drag her? Juniper''s lips curved into a contemptuous smirk as she studied his face.


    "Gotta go. I''mte for my grandma''s birthday party."


    The light turned green. The man shoved his phone in his pocket and lifted his visor, his eyesnding on Juniper.


    "Hey, littledy, how about I go first?" he said with a patronizing grin. "This bike''s got


    a lot of kick. Wouldn''t want you to get blown over."


    The girl looked like a strong gust of wind could knock her down.


    Without a word, Juniper twisted the throttle. Her scooter shot forward, the back wheel kicking up a precis spray of dust directly into the man''s face.


    AUMS


    He coughed violently, and by the time he recovered, the girl was already a speck in the distance. Well


    now. She had some nerve! But no one, absolutely no one, was faster thank him on the road The man grinned, revving his engine. It was time to teach the littledy a lesson. His high-end machine versus her little e-scooter? This would be fun.

 Chapter 203

    At first, the man kept his speed low, cruising leisurely behind Juniper. He was a professional racer, after all; there was no honor in bullying a little girl on a scooter. But soon, he noticed something was wrong. The gap between them was widening, so much so that he could barely make out her silhouette.


    What the-? How was her little e-scooter so fast? It defied thews of physics. He twisted the throttle, pushing his bike faster to close the distance.


    Still too slow.


    "What''s wrong with my bike?" he muttered, flooring it again.


    Two minutester, the distance hadn''t shrunk; it had grown. The entire time, all he''d seen was the back of her helmet.


    How was this possible? He was now pushing speeds he''d normally only hit on a racetrack. Forget a scooter, most race cars couldn''t keep up with his bike at this pace.


    Refusing to ept defeat, he pushed the throttle to its limit, the motorcycle screaming down the suburban highway. He was getting closer, inch by inch... and then, in the next second, the girl executed a wless turn into a bend and vanishedpletely.


    By the time he rounded the corner, the road was empty, save for the faint whisper of wind left in her wake. He slowed to a stop, pulling off his helmet and gasping for breath, his heart pounding. He had risked his life, pushing his bike to its absolute maximum, and he still hadn''t caught her. Was she riding an e-scooter or a fighter jet?


    Interesting. He had to find out who that girl was!


    Just as he wasposing himself, his phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, his demeanor instantly shifted to one of respect. "Shanley!"


    "Where are you?" Shanley''s voice was cold andmanding,ing from the top floor of the manor as he gazed toward the Cloudscape Community.


    "Ten minutes out," Kurt Schwartz reported dutifully. "Don''t worry, Shanley, I won''t bete for Grandma''s party."


    "Good," Shanley said, idly fiddling


    al


    with a piece of candy. "I hear Grandma is introducing you to a girl today. Don''t defy her. Just meet the Our


    "But Shanley, you don''t even have a..."...girlfriend, so why is the marriage pressure on me?* Kur dared not finish the sentence His passion was racing, not romance.


    "Grandma speaks very highly of her," Shanley said, his voice a low,zy drawl. "Just meet her. Fulfill Grandma''s wish. That''s all."


    Of course, if they hit it off, that would be even better.


    "Okay," Kurt mumbled, feeling wronged but powerless to object.


    "That bike you had your eye on is avable," Shanley added, a sly smile ying on


    his lips. "Pick out the specs and color, then contact Flint."


    "Really, Shanley?" Kurt, who had been sulking, instantly perked up. "Thank you, Shanley!"


    His parents had frozen his ounts


    to stop him from racing, but his


    cousin, Shanley, had always


    supported him. He''d been wanting this new


    model for


    but at his


    prize money was tied up in preparing


    for his F1 career.


    "Just perform well," Shanley said, his voice soft but carrying immense weight. "Keep Grandma happy, and you''ll be rewarded."


    "Mission epted!" Kurt dered with gusto, nearly bowing to the phone.

 Chapter 204

    So, it was just a little meet-and-greet to make Hannah happy. And who knows? Maybe the girl would be beautiful and sweet, just his type. A win-win!


    After ending the call, Shanley turned from the balcony. "Where is my grandma?"


    "Sir, she heard the gifted doctor arrived and went to greet her personally," Flint replied respectfully.


    "Personally?" A small smile touched Shanley''s lips. "It seems my grandma is quite taken with her."


    "Sir, are you still nning to go down?" Flint asked carefully. Shanley was supposed to be with his grandmother, meeting guests around this time.


    "Let her be for now," Shanley said, tugging at his tie, his thoughts drifting to Juniper. "I''ll be in the lounge."


    Showing up now while Hannah was upied with her new favorite might just cause trouble. Better to let her have her fun first.


    With that, he turned and headed toward the guest wing. Just as the lounge door clicked shut, a maid led Juniper past the entrance. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a familiar back turning a corner down the hall.


    Juniper paused.


    "Is something wrong, miss?" the maid asked, stopping with her.


    "No, it''s nothing." Juniper shook her head, disappointed. It must have been her imagination. What would Shanley be doing here?


    Meanwhile, in the grand hall, an elegant elderly woman in a ssic violet dress waited anxiously by the door.


    "My dear, you''re finally here!" she eximed upon seeing Juniper. She rushed forward, taking Juniper''s hand with a warm, affectionate grip. "You must be tired. Come, sit down and rest."


    She then ordered the maids, "Bring the refreshments I prepared."


    "I''m not tired at all, Madam. Thank you for your concern," Juniper said with a polite smile.


    The old woman, Hannah, led Juniper to a sofa, her eyes twinkling with adoration. "You''re about the same age as my grandsons. Why don''t you call me Grandma, just like they do?"


    She was confident that even if that


    blockhead Shanley wasn''t


    interested, Kurt would surely be charmed. Besides, Kurt had a much


    better personality than Shanley; he''d be a perfect match for this girl.


    "That wouldn''t be appropriate," Juniper replied, her cheeks flushing slightly as she set down her


    backpack. She''d noticed the scale of the party on her way in the guest list was a who''s who of Era City. This elderly woman''s status was clearly immense, and it wasn''t a connection to be made lightly.


    "Nonsense!" Hannah insisted, patting her hand. "I''ve taken a real liking to you, dear."


    Beautiful, well-mannered, and a healer to boot. She was a world apart from those socialites who only cared about designer bags and jewelry.


    "You''re too kind," Juniper said, still feeling it was improper. She opened her backpack and took out two boxes to change the subject. "This is for your husband. Another month of this medicine, and he should be fully recovered."


    She opened the second box, revealing a stunning gemstone ne. "And this is a gift for you. I wish you a long, happy, and healthy life."


    "A ne..." Hannah lifted the piece, her eyes widening in recognition and delight. "Oh my, this is a J-Five, isn''t it? Heavens, how did you know she''s my absolute favorite designer?"


    Juniper froze for a second, genuinely surprised. This sweet olddy was also a J- Five fan? What a coincidence.

 Chapter 205

    "Oh, it''s absolutely gorgeous," Hannah gushed, quickly fastening the ne and admiring her reflection in a nearby mirror, her face beaming with joy. "I''ve never seen a more beautiful piece in my life. Don''t you all agree? This youngdy has impable taste."


    "Yes, absolutely," the maids chimed in.


    The ne was truly stunning. They knew that J-Five Studio''s creations were all one-of-a-kind and astronomically expensive. Getting one required being on a waiting list, with no guarantee of sess. A piece this exquisite had to have cost a fortune. This young doctor dressed so simply; they hadn''t imagined she could be so wealthy.


    "Could it be a fake?" one of the maids muttered under her breath.


    "You think so?" another whispered back, her eyes darting between Juniper and the ne. She had her doubts too. An item worth millions, given as a gift from a student? It was highly likely a knockoff.


    "Quiet!" Wendy, the senior maid, overheard them and hissed, "On the matriarch''s birthday, do you two have nothing better to do than gossip? She detests loose tongues. One more word out of line and you''ll be packing your bags. Now get out!"


    "Yes." The two maids scurried away, but not before casting another skeptical nce at Juniper. They couldn''t fathom what spell she''d cast on the old woman to earn such favor, especially when there were so many high-societydies to choose from. A fake gift? How tacky!


    "My dear, do you know the designer, J-Five?" Hannah asked, stroking the ne as if it were a precious treasure. As a collector of J-Five''s work, she could tell instantly that the ne was authentic-and an exceptionally valuable one at that. A piece of this quality would have taken months, if not years, to acquire. How did this young woman manage it?


    "Ah?" Juniper, who had been nibbling on a slice of watermelon, feignedposure. "We''re somewhat familiar."


    "Really?" Hannah scooted closer, her eyes sparkling. "Would it be possible for you to introduce me? I''m such an tour


    admirer of her designs. Her each piece so unique, so forward-thinking, each with its own story."


    An introduction? Juniper''s chewing slowed. That might be a bit difficult.


    "You know, my grandson also had a nemissioned from her for me not too


    long ago," Hannah continued cheerfully.


    Juniper frowned, a strange feeling creeping over her. This olddy knew about J-Five, and her


    grandson had recently ced a


    order


    the past few months, the


    onlymission she''d takenwas from Shanley. Could it be?


    "J-Five was so generous," Hannah went on. "Not only was the ne exquisitely


    designed, but she also included a matching pair of earrings as a gift."


    Juniper lost all interest in her watermelon. She looked at Hannah, about to ask, when a knock came at the door.


    "Madam, the eldest young master''s gift has arrived."


    "Bring it in," Hannah said, then turned to Juniper with a knowing smile. "This is the one. Take a look."


    A maid entered carrying an elegant,


    reddish-brown wooden box,


    nov.


    l.ne


    hand carved with the image of rising phoenix. The box, the


    design-it was all her own work.


    The maid opened the lid, and Juniper''s eyes fell on the contents inside.

 Chapter 206

    It was the exact ne she had designed for Shanley, along with the matching earrings she had included.


    And just like that, everything clicked into ce. This olddy was Shanley''s grandmother. The person she had been so eager to introduce her to was... Shanley. Juniper''s lips curved into a wry smile. What a small world.


    "You know, I was nning to have you meet my eldest grandson, but I''ve changed my mind," Hannah said, leaning in to whisper conspiratorially. "That rascal is nowhere near good enough for you. Today, I''m going to introduce you to someone much more interesting."


    Hannah then turned to Wendy. "Is Kurt back yet? Tell him toe here."


    Kurt? Who was that? Hearing footsteps, Juniper turned toward the door just as a handsome young man in a sharp suit walked in, a wide grin on his face.


    Juniper''s expression instantly turned to ice. It was the obnoxious jerk from the highway.


    Looking closer, she could see a faint resemnce to Shanley, but he wasn''t as tall, as handsome, or as charismatic. Beyond a superficial simrity in their eyes, he couldn''t hold a candle to Shanley!


    "Grandm¡ª" Kurt started, holding arge bouquet, but his words caught in his throat as his eyesnded on the girl sitting next to his grandmother. His pupils dted in disbelief. It was her! The girl on the e-scooter who had left him in a cloud of dust.


    He''d even had people trying to track her down... and now she was right here. He had to ask her how she made that little scooter smoke his high-end bike.


    Seeing Kurt''s transfixed gaze, Hannah''s heart soared. See? Her grandson Kurt had much better taste than that ungrateful Shanley. He was already smitten, and she hadn''t even had to do any work.


    "Grandma." Kurt finally snapped out of it, his eyes still darting toward Juniper as he


    approached. "These are for you. I wish you a long and happy life."


    Grandma? So this idiot was Shanley''s brother?


    "Thank you, dear. I appreciate the thought," Hannah said, passing the gifts to Wendy before getting down to business. "Have a seat."


    "You bet, Grandma." Kurt reflexively moved to sit beside her.


    "Not here," Hannah said, blocking the spot next to her. She gestured to the empty seat beside Juniper with a smile Sit next to our gifted doctor¡± Your young people will have more to talk about."


    Gifted doctor? So this was the girl Shanley said Grandma wanted him to meet? She was cuter than he expected, but with a wild streak.


    "Hello..." Kurt stepped forward, extending his hand, but froze when he met the girl''s icy re. It was a look that screamed ''back off''. He quickly retracted his hand.


    "You know, Grandma," he said sheepishly, "I think I''ll just sit here with you."


    Hannah''s smile froze on her face. She rolled her eyes in exasperation. One grandson was as useless as the other Was there something wrong... with the Schwartz family genes?

 Chapter 207

    "My dear..." Hannah started, trying to break the icy silence.


    "Madam, please, call me Juniper," Juniper offered, her demeanor suddenly polite, a faint smile ying on her lips.


    Kurt stretched his neck to get a better look. The instant his eyes met hers, Juniper''s face hardened, the smile vanishing as she shot him another venomous re.


    He frowned. What had he done? She looked like she wanted to murder him. How was he supposed to ask her about the race now?


    "Juniper," Hannah said, quickly adopting the name. "This is Kurt, my youngest grandson. He studied abroad for years and is an excellent racer."


    Then she turned to her equally useless grandson. "The party won''t start for a while, and Juniper doesn''t know anyone here. Why don''t you take her for a drive? Show her your skills."


    Skills? Kurt shrank in his seat. He couldn''t bring himself to speak. Her skills were light-years ahead of his.


    "Well? Say something!" Hannah pped his arm in frustration. Shanley was impossible, and so was this one. Useless, the both of them!


    "Madam..." Juniper spoke up, saving him. "I''m not a big fan of dangerous activities. I''m perfectly happy to just sit here with my phone. Please, go and entertain your guests. Don''t worry about me."


    Kurt nearly choked. Not a fan of dangerous activities? Was the person who''d left him eating dust a ghost, then?


    He wanted to call her out, but one look at her face and he lost his nerve.


    "You''re right," Hannah conceded, looking at Juniper''s delicate frame. "Of course. We''ll just sit here for a while."


    "Okay," Juniper nodded, staring nkly at her hands.


    Kurt kept his head down, asionally stealing nces at her. Hannah sat between them, looking from one to the other, feeling her blood pressure rise.


    Meanwhile, in another part of the manor, Shanley was pacing, staring at his phone. He''d open a chat with Juniper, type a few words, then delete them Type again, delete, again. He wanted to know what she was doing but didn''t want to seem overbearing.


    Giving up, he left the lounge. He wondered how Kurt was getting on with the gifted doctor. As he walked down the corridor, he overheard two maids whispering.


    "Totally, it has to be a fake. I saw her clothes. Her whole outfit couldn''t have cost more than fifty bucks. How could she afford a gift like that?"


    Shanley paid them no mind, heading for the stairs. "Exactly. A normal gemstone ne costs a fortune, let alone one from J-Five Studio."


    At the mention of J-Five Studio, Shanley stopped and turned back. Someone else gave his grandma a gift from J-Five?


    "I think she cast a spell on her," one maid whispered conspiratorially. "Why else would the matriarch keep calling her a gifted doctor''? She''s just a teenager, probably hasn''t even started college. How could she know anything about medicine? Saving the patriarch was just a lucky fluke."


    The gifted doctor... gave his grandma a gift from J-Five Studio? Shanley''s eyes narrowed as his mind raced. And Juniper was a brilliant healer who knew ancient putse diagnosis techniques...

 Chapter 208

    His grandmother had said the gifted doctor saved his grandfather using those very same techniques. And Juniper had told him she had something important to do today. It was all too much of a coincidence.


    Could it be...?


    Shanley strode toward the maids, his voice low and dangerous. "What were you just saying about J-Five Studio?"


    The maids practically jumped out of their skin, stammering, "We... we weren''t saying anything."


    "You said the gifted doctor gave my grandmother jewelry from J-Five Studio?" he pressed, his cold gaze pinning them to the spot. The air around him crackled with intensity.


    "Yes," they squeaked, nodding.


    "What does this doctor look like?" Shanley''s voice was tight with urgency.


    "Huh?" The maids looked at each other, confused. They had expected to be reprimanded for gossiping, not interrogated.


    Shanley just stared, his deep eyes demanding an answer.


    "She''s..." one of them began, "...wearing a ck jacket and a cap. She has long hair. She''s tall and thin... and very beautiful. She has this... air about her."


    Shanley let out a soft, humorlessugh. The stuttering description perfectly matched


    the image of Juniper in his mind. "Is she still in the lounge?"


    The maids, bewildered by his reaction, nodded quickly. "Yes, she''s with the matriarch and Young Master Kurt."


    Oh, right, Kurt. It was then that Shanley realized he had done something incredibly stupid. If the gifted doctor really was Juniper, then he had not only repeatedly rejected his grandmother''s attempts at an introduction, but he had also actively pushed her toward Kurt.


    He could no longer remain calm. He turned and marched toward the lounge with purpose.


    "Sir," Flint said, intercepting him. "The guests have nearly all arrived. Are you heading out now?"


    "Let them wait!" Shanley snapped, not breaking his stride.


    What was going on? Flint had rarely seen his boss this agitated, except when it involved, Ms. Payne He hurried to keep up, a sense of foreboding washing over him.


    The maids stared after them,pletely baffled. "Do you think he''s angry because she gave a fake gift?"


    "Definitely. He refused to meet her before. Now that he knows she''s a fraud, he''s probably going to throw her out."


    "Let''s go watch," they whispered, sneaking after him, eager for the drama.


    ...


    Inside the lounge, Hannah was


    doing her best to sell Kurt to


    who was staring into space,


    thoroughly unimpressed.r


    >


    "So, Juniper, what do you think of him?"


    W9


    "Hmm?" Juniper looked over at Kurt, her lips twitching slightly. "He''s... passable as a human being."


    Hannah and Kurt stared, speechless.


    Just then, the door was thrown open. A tall, imposing figure stood in the doorway, his face a mask of thunder.


    "Shanley!" Kurt cried out, a wave of


    relief washing over him. Shanley''s presence had to be enough to


    intimidate this girl, right? Content¡± >

 Chapter 209

    Juniper slowly turned her head. There stood Shanley, his expensive suit slightly disheveled, his deep eyes locked on her in a state of shock. She said nothing, simply blinking at him.


    "Young Master Shanley," Wendy greeted him respectfully. "What brings you here?"


    After all the matriarch''s attempts to get him to meet Ms. Payne, his sudden appearance was a surprise.


    Hannah watched him, her sharp eyes missing nothing. The way he was staring at Juniper... it was intense, electric. After a few seconds, the shrewd old woman knew. Something was going on here.


    "Shanley? What is it?" Kurt asked, moving to his cousin''s side,pletely bewildered by his unwavering focus on the fierce girl. Sure, she was pretty, but Shanley had seen his fair share of beautiful women. And wasn''t he already involved with someone?


    "Grandma," Shanley finally said, tearing his gaze away long enough to incline his head respectfully, though his eyes immediately flickered back to Juniper, a faint smile touching his lips.


    Hannah''s suspicions solidified. Her wayward grandson was smitten. But he had told her his heart already belonged to someone else. Was he nning to pursue both of them?


    "What do you want?" Hannah''s voice turned cold. She smoothed her dress, trying to contain her anger. "If you have nothing important to say, go entertain your guests. Kurt and this youngdy are having a lovely chat. Don''t be a nuisance."


    They were having a lovely chat? Shanley''s expression darkened as his gaze fell on Kurt.


    "That''s right! We''re getting along great!" Kurt whispered


    conspiratorially to Shanley, his mind on the promised motorcycle. promise I''llplete the mission


    and make Grandma happy"


    "That mission is no longer necessary," Shanley said grimly, still staring at Kurt''s cheerful, oblivious face.


    "Huh?" Kurt didn''t understand.


    "This youngdy saved


    Grandfather''s life, making her an honored guest of the Schwartz


    family," Shanley announced, his gaze shifting to Juniper, his voice softening. "As such, it''s only proper that I entertain her personally."


    "That won''t be necessary," Hannah retorted, still annoyed about being stood up so many times by him. You''re too old for her. You two would have nothing inmon. You should be paying more attention to the treasure of your heart


    A phnderer. She wouldn''t let him treat this girl like just another conquest!


    The treasure of his heart? Shanley paused, then realized his grandmother thought he was trying to two-time someone.


    Juniper, who had been quietly enjoying the show, raised an eyebrow. The treasure of his heart? Who was that?


    "So, Shanley," Kurt interrupted, puffing out his chest. "How am I doing? I''m doing a great job keeping Grandma happy, right?"

 Chapter 210

    Kurt''s smug expression was thest straw. Shanley''s face was a thundercloud.


    "You can go entertain the other guests now, Shanley," Kurt said, oblivious to the impending storm. "I''ve got things covered here."


    He''d seen his friends woo women before; he knew a few tricks.


    "You are not needed here," Shanley said, his voice dropping to a dangerously low temperature as he red at Kurt. "Go outside and greet the guests."


    "What? Shanley, why are you kicking me out?"


    Kurt''s confidence evaporated. Just half an hour ago, Shanley had been ordering him to chat up the doctor. Had he messed up somehow?


    "Shanley," Kurt whined, his voice turning pleading, "it''s not my fault. She won''t talk to me! Look at her face... she''s terrifying."


    Shanley nced at Juniper, who promptly shot him a re of her own. He had to admit, she was fierce. But she was also incredibly cute.


    "See? She''s even ring at you!" Kurt eximed. "I''m telling you, Grandma is throwing me to the wolves!"


    "Enough," Shanley snapped, tired of theints. "Go wee the guests, and you''ll still get what I promised you."


    "Really?" Kurt''s eyes lit up.


    "If you''re not gone in ten seconds, the deal is off," Shanley warned.


    "Yes, sir!"


    With that, Kurt bid a hasty farewell to his grandmother and practically sprinted out of the room.


    As Kurt''s footsteps faded, a tense silence fell over the lounge.


    Hannah looked from Juniper''s impassive face to Shanley''s lovesick one, and her anger boiled over. At first, she''d wanted to set them up. but ever since she''d learned he was in love with someone else, she had given up. Shanley was her grandson, but if he dared to trifle with this young woman''s feelings, she would not forgive him.


    "Ms. Payne," Shanley said, stepping forward and formally extending his hand. "It''s a pleasure to finally meet you."


    Juniper remained seated, tilting her head back to look up at him. Her eyes, sparkling like a gxy, held a hint of amusement.


    "The pleasure is all mine," she said, her voice dripping with irony. She made no move to take his hand.


    Hannah''s eyes widened. She had


    never seen anyone dare to give her formidable.grandson the cold shoulder. The girl looked so young and delicate, yet her presence was in no way diminished by Shanley''s to fact: her grandson looked a little intimidated.


    Finally, someone who could put him in his ce. But it was a pity... he already had a


    sweetheart. She was probably a wonderful girl, too.


    Hannah sighed, a wave of regret washing over her. As for Kurt... he was a lost


    cause. Setting him up with Juniper would have been an insult.


    An idea formed in her mind. She would host a family ceremony and formally adopt Juniper into the Schwartz family. If she couldn''t be her granddaughter-inw, she could certainly be her granddaughter.

 Chapter 211

    Shanley watched the listless girl, but surprisingly, he wasn''t angry. A faint smile yed on his thin lips. "Wendy, could you please get Ms. Payne a warm drink?"


    "I don''t want one." Juniper clutched the ice cream protectively, her face scrunching up as she retorted defiantly, "I like this."


    At home, Shanley was always managing her, and things like ice cream werepletely off-limits. This vor was especially good, and she''d only had a few bites. No way was she letting him throw it away.


    "Oh?" Wendy, who had been about to leave, paused at Juniper''s words.


    "There''s no sun this morning; it''s not good to have something so cold," Shanley said, stepping closer and holding out his hand. "Have something warm now, and I''ll get you more ice cream this afternoon."


    Juniper hugged the container tighter, her expression a mix of grievance and displeasure.


    Watching their exchange, Hannah scratched her head, confused. She turned to Wendy and whispered, ¡°Is it just me, or is there something strange about how they interact?"


    It looked like a host showing concern for a guest, but her grandson wasn''t the type to meddle in other people''s business.


    "I find it odd, too," Wendy whispered back. "They seem so natural with each other, like they''ve known each other for a long time."


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Hannah was taken aback. They knew each other? That seemed impossible. She figured Shanley had taken a liking to the young doctor and was trying to impress her.


    "Shanley, let the youngdy eat what she wants. Why are you interfering?¡± Hannah''s brow furrowed as she spoke sternly. ¡°She is my honored guest. Mind your manners."


    Her words were a clear warning for him not to overstep. Fortunately, the girl seemed to be a woman of strong character who didn''t bow to authority and had a cool demeanor. Hannah guessed she probably couldn''t be bothered with him anyway.


    Just as the atmosphere grew tense and Hannah was covering her mouth to hide a smirk, Juniper suddenly, and obediently, handed the ice cream to Shanley.


    "Wendy," Shanley said, passing the ice cream to her, "bring some pastries, too. She likes sweets."


    "Of course."


    Wendy was a bit stunned. First, by the fact that the youngdy actually did as Shanley asked, and second by the fact that she had never seen Shanley care for someone like this before, especially a woman. He had always been so aloof around women that people whispered he might


    prefer men. Well, well, welf was over. He had clearly fallen for the youngdy and was about to be a scoundrel.


    "Have some fruit..." Shanley knew he had upset the girl and was about to try and smooth things over when Juniper suddenly stood up breed to use the restroom."


    "I''ll go with you." Shanley


    immediately got to his feet, to follow her but Hannah stopped him. She''s a woman. What would it look like if you apanied her?"


    Shanley halted, turned to a maid, and ordered in a low voice, "Take Ms. Payne to the restroom."


    Juniper pped her hands together lightly and walked past Shanley, keeping a wide berth. It was obvious she wanted nothing to do with him.


    After Juniper disappeared from view, Hannah tapped her cane on the floor. "Kneel,¡± shemanded in a severe tone.


    "Grandma, what did you say?" Shanley''s gaze was still fixed on where the girl had been, and he didn''t quite register his grandmother''s words.


    ¡°I said, kneel!¡± Hannah stood up, her aged face stern and serious. ¡°Is this how our family taught you to behave?"


    Shanley, bewildered by the scolding, still obediently bent his knees and knelt on the floor, his back perfectly straight.

 Chapter 212

    "You''ve fallen for the young doctor, haven''t you?¡± Hannah demanded, pointing her cane at Shanley.


    Fallen for her? Shanley''s lips curved into a faint, unhurried smile. He didn''t deny it. "Yes."


    "You ungrateful boy..." Hannah stood and shuffled unsteadily toward Shanley, raising her cane as if to strike him.


    ¡°When I tried to set you up, you refused, insisting you already had someone in your heart. Fine, I didn''t push you. But now that you''ve met her in person, you''re suddenly smitten. Have you forgotten about the one you have at home? You said she was the only one for you. How long has it been, and you''re already moving on?"


    "Shanley, I''m warning you. The Schwartz family has maintained its integrity for generations. I will not tolerate any scandalous behavior."


    Moving on? Hearing those words, Shanley finally understood. His grandmother was defending the honor of the girl he supposedly cherished.


    "It''s not like that, Grandma," Shanley said, catching the cane as she swung it. He gave a helpless, wry smile.


    "What''s not like that? I saw it with my own eyes!" Hannah scoffed. "You may like her, but she clearly doesn''t feel the same way about you."


    The girl''s earlier expression of annoyance was proof enough that she wasn''t interested in either of her grandsons. What a disgrace to the Schwartz family name!


    "I''m warning you, get rid of these foolish ideas right now," Hannah said, her tone serious. ¡°I''m nning to take her under my wing as an adoptive granddaughter. From now on, she''ll be your sister."


    With that path blocked, she figured he wouldn''t be able to pursue her.


    "Grandma you..." Shanley''s lips parted, a sense of utter helplessness washing over him. "You''ve


    misunderstood. There''s no el.ne


    The young doctor and my girl


    they''re the same person."


    "What do you mean, the same person?" Hannah was too furious to think clearly, her


    mind fixated on the idea of Shanley two-timing some poor girl.


    "I know the young doctor," Shanley sighed, a hint of a smile gracing his handsome


    features. ¡°She''s the girl I told you about before.... Her name is Juniper Payne.¡±


    "What?" Realizing what he''d said, Hannah shot to her feet, so shocked she forgot all about her cane. "You''re saying the doctor is the girl you like?"


    "Yes." Shanley nodded slightly, his smile calm and steady. "I never expected that Juniper would be the one who saved Grandpa''s life. We knew each other long before you did"


    "Oh," Hannah sniffed, rolling her eyes and muttering under her breath, unconvinced.


    "If that''s the case, then why does she act like she can''t stand you?"


    "The girl just has a strong


    personality She''s usually very


    sweet," Shanley said, shifting his weight His knees wete starting ache.Grandma, since Thaven done anything wrong, can I stand up now?"


    Juniper would be back any minute, and he didn''t want her to see him like this.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Hannahtched onto a key phrase he''d used. Her eyes narrowed. ¡°Usually1?¡± she asked coolly. ¡°Are you telling me you two are living together?"


    Shanley wanted to deny it, but he hated lying. He simply nodded. ¡°I can exin. Grandma, please let me get up. Juniper will be..."


    Before he could finish, a voice came from the doorway. "Ms. Payne, please watch your step."


    The next second, the door swung open, so fast that Shanley had no time to stand.

 Chapter 213

    As the two entered, they were met with the startling sight of a man on the floor.


    "Ms. Payne, this way..." The maid turned, and the smile on her face vanished instantly when she saw Shanley kneeling. Oh my god. Was she seeing things? Why was the young master on his knees?


    Juniper saw him too, her sleepy eyes widening slowly. Shanley was tall and well- built; even his kneeling posture was strikingly handsome.


    "What are you looking at?" Flint, who was guarding the door, caught a glimpse of the scene inside and was just as shocked.


    "Nothing, I didn''t see anything," the maid stammered, quickly covering her face and stumbling away as if nothing had happened. She feared that if she lingered a second longer, Shanley might have her silenced.


    "Juniper, you''re back?" Seeing her, Hannah immediately rose, beaming as she beckoned her over. "Come, my dear, have a seat."


    She then nced at Shanley and hissed under her breath, "Get up. I''ll deal with youter."


    Shanley hadn''t expected the girl to return so soon and could only manage a wry smile.


    "You entertain our guest. I''ll take care of Juniper,¡± Hannah instructed.


    "Very well," Shanley nodded, knowing what his grandmother intended to do. She didn''t trust his word and wanted to question Juniper herself.


    Before leaving, Shanley walked over to Juniper and handed her a key card. "Lunch won''t be for a while. If you''re bored, you can rest in my room,¡± he said softly.


    Juniper nced down at the card but didn''t take it.


    "It''s my private room here at the estate," Shanley said, his eyes fixed on her beautiful face, a slight smile on his lips. "It''s very clean. No one else has been inside."


    "Oh." Only after hearing that did Juniper''s tight frown rx, and she epted the card.


    Hannah''s expression soured. No one was allowed in that room except for the regr cleaning staff. To think he would willingly let Juniper stay. there. It seemed her grandson had, truly fallen for this girl.


    "Wendy, please put some fresh fruit and desserts in the room. No ice cream," Shanley instructed thoughtfully before he left. "And don''t set the air conditioning too low."


    ¡°... Yes, of course, understood." Wendy stood there, dazed, nodding repeatedly. She knew how to look after a guest, but the young master was being incredibly attentive.


    "Thank you for your help," Shanley added before straightening his clothes and striding out of the room.


    "Please, sit."


    After Shanley left, Hannah invited Juniper to sit down.


    "I heard from Shanley that you two are living together?" she asked tentatively, holding her coffee cup.


    "Yes," Juniper nodded.


    The next second, Hannah''s cup trembled violently. Had he really done something so indecent? She had wanted to y matchmaker, but she knew the girl was still in school. She thought they could get to know each other, build a connection, so no one else could snatch her away Who knew he''d make his move so quickly? The girl was so young; if her parents found out, they''d break his legs.


    "So, have you two...?" Hannah felt her blood pressure rising and forced herself to remain calm.


    Have they what? Juniper noticed the old woman''s panic and thought back to Shanley kneeling. Oh. It seemed the matriarch had gotten the wrong idea.


    "No, Ma''am, it''s not like that,"


    Juniper said, her lips curling slightly as she patiently exined. "My brother and Mr. Schwartzare friends My brother is very busy with work, so he asked me to stay at Mr. Schwartz''s home so he could look after me."


    "Your brother?¡± Hannah''s heart rate began to steady, her expression puzzled.

 Chapter 214

    "My brother''s name is Jimmie Tate,¡± Juniper exined politely, her eyes lowered. "My biological brother."


    "Oh, that boy!" Hannah knew Jimmie and had heard he had a younger sister. She never imagined it would be Juniper.


    "So..." Hannah paused, her voice a little hoarse. "You''re living together just so he can look after you, and nothing else."


    "Nothing else," Juniper confirmed with a small nod.


    "I see."


    The weight on Hannah''s chest finally lifted, and a smile returned to her face. She knew Shanley wouldn''t do anything inappropriate.


    That foolish boy, he should have exined things more clearly. But really, it seemed like fate. Looking after her now was a good way to build their rtionship, and when Juniper was a little older... everything would fall into ce perfectly.


    With the situation rified, Hannah saw how tired Juniper looked and immediately urged her to go rest.


    Juniper pushed open the door to Shanley''s room and was greeted by a refreshingly minimalist, all-white design. The furniture, the decor... everything was a spotless white, and a faint, clean scent hung in the air. It was a familiar scent, the same one that clung to Shanley.


    She stepped inside, looking around. It was definitely his space. Feeling more rxed, Juniper quickly washed her face and leaned against the headboard, scrolling through her phone. Before she knew it, she had drifted off to sleep.


    In her dream, she was at Hannah''s birthday banquet again. Shanley had his arm around avishly dressed woman and was walking toward her. ¡°Hi, Juniper,¡± he said, "this is my future wife."


    When she woke up, she felt something cool and ticklish moving across her face. She opened her eyes to see Shanley''s handsome face, his expression tender and doting.


    ¡°Hungry?¡± he asked, brushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead, his voice a soft whisper. "Let''s get you something delicious to eat."


    Juniper just stared at him, a hint of displeasure clouding her beautiful eyes.


    "What''s wrong?" Shanley''s lips curved into a casual smile, his gaze incredibly soft.


    Juniper sat up and nced behind him. No one was there. It must have been a dream.


    "Nothing," she mumbled, pushing back the covers. She got out of bed, put on her cap, and followed him out.


    For a normal al party, the cap wouldn''t be necessary. But this was the Schwartz family... the top family in all of Borealia. Countless reporters would be waiting outside. If they got a picture of her... it wouldn''t be good. She had too many enemies and wanted to live a few more years.


    Seeing her put on the cap, Shanley didn''t say a word. He simply adjusted it for her, making sure no one could get a clear shot of her face.


    The birthday g for Hannah, the Schwartz family matriarch, was a major event. Every prominent family in Era City was in attendance. The Lonsdales and the Sherwins normally wouldnt have qualified for an invitation, but they had paid a hefty sum to secure one


    Jerrold Lonsdale and Ynda Sherwin were seated at a table in the very back, unable to even catch a glimpse of the matriarch.


    Jerrold figured it was still a connection to the Schwartz family, something he could brag about. And if he could meet some influential people, all the better.


    Ynda, on the other hand, hadn''t stopped scanning the room since she arrived, her eyes like a wolf''s, searching for prey. She was hoping to run into Shanley, dreaming of her Cindere moment.


    Soon, a smallmotion rippled through the crowd. Someone whispered, "Shanley Schwartz brought a woman to the banquet. She''s sitting at the main table. Must be the future Mrs. Schwartz."


    "A woman?" someone else chimed in, incredulous. "I thought Shanley was into


    men... I can''t believe he already has a fianc¨¦e."


    So the futuredy of the Schwartz


    family was already chosen? Hearing this Ynda''s hand trembled so


    violently she almost dropped her fork. Which socialite was so lucky? Did this mean her chance was gone?

 Chapter 215

    Ynda craned her neck, trying desperately to see which family''s heiress had captured him. Anyone who could win over the Schwartz family had toe from an impable background. She strained to see past the sea of heads, but it was no


    use.


    Just then, another piece of gossip floated over: "Her clothes are quite in, she doesn''t look like a socialite, but she has incredible presence.¡±


    "Maybe Mr. Schwartz doesn''t care about family background?"


    "I heard the younger Schwartz brother is back, too."


    The younger Schwartz brother? At that, Ynda''s eyes lit up. She felt a renewed sense of hope. If she couldn''t get Shanley, someone else from the family would be just as good. As long as she could marry into the Schwartz family... Thinking of this, she nced at the man beside her, a flicker of disgust in her eyes.


    ...


    At the banquet, Kent Schwartz, the family patriarch, and Hannah sat at the head of the main table. Shanley was seated to their right, with Juniper right next to him. Across from them were Kurt''s parents, and further down the table were other important Schwartz rtives. Shanley''s own parents had never made a public appearance. Rumor had it they had died long ago, while others imed their professions were too sensitive for them to be seen.


    All eyes were curiously fixed on the unfamiliar young woman. They had heard she was Kent''s savior, but watching them now... it seemed her rtionship with Shanley was anything but ordinary.


    "Who is she?" Monique, Kurt''s mother, leaned over to her son, who was busy devouring his food.


    "Your cousin personally escorted her here," she whispered.


    Throughout the meal, he had been serving her food and even peeling her shrimp, treating her like royalty. She had never seen him act like that.


    "Huh?" Kurt, who had been subsisting on fried chicken and sandwiches abroad, was too preupied with the gourmet food to talk. He nced across the table at the affectionate pair and mumbled with his mouth full, "My future cousin-inw."


    He had already gotten the full story from Flint. This little spitfire was the apple of Shanley''s eye. Best not to cross her.


    "Future cousin-inw?" Monique eximed, her gaze on Juniper turning from curiosity to scrutiny. "She''s very cute, but isn''t she a bit young?"


    "Don''t let her age fool you, she''s a wild one," Kurt said, wiping his mouth now that he was full. "Ah, it''s tooplicated to exin."


    He needed to find a way to get closer to Juniper and ask her about racing.


    Once they had eaten enough, and feeling the weight of everyone''s stares, Shanley decided to lead


    Juniper way. Their rtionship was it wasn''t


    Still undefined, an righ


    time for a formal introduction to the family.


    Back in the private lounge, Shanley had just poured Juniper a ss of water when a


    head peeked around the door.


    "Shanley..."


    Kurt clung to the doorframe, his eyes fixed on him-or more urately on Juniper. The look in his eyes was like that of a starving man staring at a feast, practically drooling could it be that he d actually fallen for Juniper at first sight?


    ¡°What is it?¡± Shanley handed the ss to Juniper and turned to block Kurt''s view, his expression cold.


    ¡°Shanley, I''m here to see Ms. Payne," Kurt exined hastily, intimidated by his cousin''s re. ¡°Don''t get the wrong idea. I have something important to ask her.¡±


    He absolutely had no ulterior


    motives. Maybe it was because she


    was always with Shanley, but his future cousin-inw, despite her age, had a terrifyingly strong presence.


    He wouldn''t dare even think about it; just getting close to her was unnerving.


    ¡°Important?¡± Shanley narrowed his eyes, a sardonic smirk ying on his lips. ¡°What


    kind of important business could you possibly have?"


    Kurt clutched his chest, feigning injury. He might not be the most serious person, but his question was absolutely serious.


    "Ms. Payne..." Knowing he wouldn''t get anywhere with Shanley, Kurt pinned his hopes on Juniper. ¡°Would you mind if I asked you something?"

 Chapter 216

    "I would prefer not to," Juniper replied without even looking up, rejecting him tly.


    This was the guy who had sprayed dust in her face, hadn''t apologized, and had threatened to drag her to a racetrack? What was there to talk about with him? So rude!


    Kurt looked like he was about to cry. In his desperation, he blurted out, "Ms. Payne, my dear cou... cousin-inw?"


    Juniper''s hand jolted, and she nearly choked on her water. What did he just say?


    "What are you talking about?" Shanley, after a moment of stunned silence, stepped forward and tapped Kurt on the head.


    "What''s with the name-calling?" he warned in a low voice. Although it was a reprimand, there was no trace of anger in his tone. In fact..... he sounded a little pleased.


    "It''s going to happen sooner orter," Kurt muttered, then looked at Shanley with pleading eyes. "Shanley, help me out here. It''s about the F1 race. It''s really urgent."


    Thepetition was less than two weeks away, and he had to improve his speed. Since the merciless J wasn''t participating, he had to be the one to step up.


    ¡°The F1 race?¡± Shanley nced back at the petite girl, his brow furrowed. "What would Juniper know about F1?"


    "She knows!" Kurt''s voice rose with certainty. "Shanley, you have no idea. On the way here, Juniper on her little electric scooter left me in the dust."


    And he had been riding a custom, high-end motorcycle. It was too embarrassing to even talk about.


    Shanley fell silent, his gaze on the young girl''s face growing thoughtful. F1 racing?


    Juniper had no desire to deal with Kurt, but hearing that, she had to speak up. "Let him in."


    After a few seconds of silence, Shanley jerked his chin toward the door, his tone subdued. "Come in."


    Kurt, observing Shanley''s


    surprisinglypliant demeanor, scratched his head in amazement He had thought Shanley would be the one to tame the little spitfire''s wild spirit but now it seemed he had overestimated his cousin.


    "Ms. Payne." Kurt stood before Juniper, not even daring to stand up straight. "On the road earlier,¡± he said guiltily, ¡°I didn''t mean to cut you off.¡±


    "It''s not about you cutting me off." Juniper set down her ss, her eyesnding on an orange on the table. The next second, Shanley expertly picked it up, peeled it, and ced the segments on a te beside her.


    Kurt watched, dumbfounded. The ssic Schwartz family gene-being hopelessly wrapped around their woman''s finger.


    "When you stopped, your


    motorcycle''s exhaust blew right in


    my face... Juniper said, her cheeks


    puffing out as she chewed on an orange slice, her icy olgeced with


    a hint of cuteness. "But you never


    apologized!"


    She deliberately emphasized thest few words.


    "I didn''t realize," Kurt said, finally understanding. He bowed his head and offered a sincere apology. "Ms. Payne, I''m truly sorry."


    "Fine." She had gotten her revenge by spraying him back, so they were even. "Go on. What did you want to ask me?"


    "I wanted to ask who taught you to drive like that?¡± Kurt didn''t dare meet her eyes.


    "You must be able to handle a race car too, right?"


    He could tell from her technique that she was definitely a racer.


    "I can''t answer that," Juniper replied, arching an eyebrow, her tonenguid.


    "Why not?" Kurt''s expression fell, worried he had offended her again.


    "Because..." Juniper propped her chin on her hand, her eyelids lifting slightly as she drawled, "I''m self-taught."


    Kurt froze, a look of pure bewilderment on his face. He wasn''t born yesterday; she couldn''t possibly be serious!

 Chapter 217

    Kurt stared at Juniper for a few seconds, her expression remaining perfectlyposed.


    "Ms. Payne, are you serious?" he asked, disbelieving.


    "Do I look like I''m joking?" Juniper tapped her cheek with a fingertip, her gaze lowered, a hint of arrogance in hernguid demeanor. "Self-taught. Is there a problem with that?"


    "No." Kurt was utterly stunned, his eyes filled with adoration. He stood up straighter, his attitude far more respectful.


    "Master, could you please share some of your racing expertise?"


    Even though she was on an electric scooter that day, her drift and cornering were all professional racing maneuvers.


    "Your technique is decent,¡± Juniper said, munching on the orange slices Shanley peeled for her. ¡°It''s good enough for the track."


    It was the truth. From their brief encounter on the road, she could tell he had skill. No wonder he was representing the country region.


    ¡°But I need to ce in the top five," Kurt said, frowning as he exined. "If I don''t, our country region will lose its entry qualification for next year."


    "Lose its qualification?" Juniper''s chewing slowed.


    "That''s right." Kurt nodded,ying it all out. "Ever since J retired three years ago, our country has been ranking near the bottom every year. Based on the three-year average, I have to make the top five to earn back enough points for our region."


    ¡°But...¡± Kurt''s eyes dimmed with despair. "This year''s F1petition is huge. There are a lot of new talents, and champions and runners-up from previous years are all participating. I''m pretty sure first ce will go to Melvin Steele again, the winner of thest two championships. As for the others..." The more Kurt spoke, the less confident he felt. ¡°Everyone is so good. If I can''t make the top five, the racing scene in Orient Country is finished."


    Juniper listened intently, her brow furrowing slightly. So, that old geezer Ghoul wasn''t lying to her this time.


    "How much time is left until the race?" Juniper asked. She turned to look for a napkin to wipe her hands but Shanley was already there, holding one out for her. She nced at him, then naturally extended her hands. Shanley smiled and gently wiped them for her.


    "Next weekend," Kurt said, his face grim. "Even if train every day, it might not be enough. If only... if only J werepeting." A sigh escaped him. "But J. is cold-hearted and refused. It''s okay, though. I have a backup n."


    The cold-hearted Juniper remained silent. She knew exactly what his backup n was. Kidnap her and force her onto the track, right? Bold of him!


    "Shanley,¡± Kurt turned his head, looking at his cousin cautiously. "Can you help me find any information on J?"


    ¡°J?¡± Shanley murmured the letter, mulling it over for a few seconds before his gaze slowly settled on the young woman before him.


    Juniper blinked, feigningposure as she tilted her head away.


    "Alright," Shanley agreed.


    "I have ss," Juniper said after a moment of thought. "But for the next few days, I cane to the training grounds in the afternoon to take a look."


    "Thank you, Juniper!"


    Kurt was ecstatic, like a child who had just gotten what he wanted. He threw his arms open, about to give her a hug.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" Shanley''s voice was ice. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"


    "Sorry, sorry, I just got back from


    abroad, forgot to adjust my


    etiquette Kurt said, scratching bres head with a sheepish grin. "Juniper, I''ll see you tomorrow then!

 Chapter 218

    With that, Kurt, not wanting to disturb their tender moment any longer, wisely took his leave, closing the door behind him.


    Now, the two of them were alone in the room, and the silence was a bit awkward.


    "Juniper..." Shanley turned his head, his warm gaze fixed on the girl, "Do you know


    J?"


    Juniper''s expression stiffened slightly. She pursed her lips and said very seriously, "No, I don''t."


    J was J. What did J have to do with Juniper? Three years ago, she had fractured her leg in a racing ident. Her grandfather, worried sick, had stayed by her bedside for three days without sleep, nearly copsing from exhaustion. She had promised him then that she would never engage in such a dangerous sport again. She couldn''t break her promise.


    "You really don''t know J?"


    Ever since discovering the girl''s multiple hidden talents, Shanley hade to believe she was a genius, a treasure trove of skills. Kurt''s racing ability, while not world-ss, was at least top-tier. For her to beat him on an electric scooter was no small feat.


    Faced with his questioning, Juniper couldn''t be bothered to respond. "You should get back to your event. I''m going home."


    "Okay.¡± Shanley picked up her bag and stood up with her. "I''ll have Flint drive you."


    His grandmother''s party would go on for a while longer, and she would just be bored here.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Juniper replied nonchntly. To avoid anymotion, she followed Flint out through a side door.


    As fate would have it, Jerrold and Ynda were seated right next to that exit. Lost in their own thoughts, they happened to nce over and spot a familiar figure.


    "Juniper? What is she doing here?" Ynda eximed in surprise.


    The white-haired man walking in front of her must be her sugar daddy.


    "Jerrold, didn''t you have someone investigate the man who''s sponsoring my sister? Who is he?" Ynda''s fists clenched, her teeth nearly grinding to dust. Anyone who could attend the Schwartz family''s barquet was no ordinary person. H¨¢d Juniper reallytched onto someone from the upper crust?


    "Yes." Jerrold''s eyes were also fixed on Juniper, filled not just with a sense of possession, but with a deep-seated hatred.


    He pulled out his phone and called his private investigator to check on the progress. But the answer he received was startling.


    "Who did you say he is?"


    Ynda''s palms grew even sweatier. Had that little tramp Juniper really hit the jackpot? The thought of Juniper one day being able to look down on her made Ynda''s breath catch in her throat, her eyes burning with jealousy.


    "A driver?" Jerrold''s tension eased, and a faint smile touched his lips. "I''ll transfer the money to you shortly."


    After that, he hung up.


    "He''s Shanley''s driver,¡± Jerrold announced, his voice dripping with contempt. He''d thought it would be someone important...


    Still, the Schwartz family was incredibly wealthy, and this driver


    ave


    had been by Shanley''s side for years it was possible he was involved in the attack on the Lonsdale family''s stock. As a trusted aide, getting Shanley to do a small favor wouldn''t be out of the question.


    "A driver?"


    Hearing this, Ynda couldn''t help but burst outughing. She had really overestimated Juniper. She


    thought would at least be


    wealthy businessman, but a driver? As expected of someone with no ss, Juniper didn''t even know how to pick a proper man.


    Jerrold, however, looked meaningfully in the direction Juniper had gone. A driver, was he? In that case, he had even less to worry about. This time, he would make Juniper get on her knees and beg for mercy.

 Chapter 219

    At Aurora High School, inside the staff office, the dean held up the request form, his expression stern.


    "You want to take off four consecutive evening study halls? Absolutely not. There are exams every night from now on."


    While her grades were excellent, she couldn''t rely on luck to get a perfect score every time. Pridees before a fall, and he wouldn''t let her ck off at such a critical time.


    "I know," Juniper nodded, her attitude surprisingly pleasant. "That''s why I''m requesting to take the exams in advance."


    That way, she wouldn''t fall behind, right?


    Before the dean could respond, the other teachers in the office chimed in, "We agree! We agree!"


    They hadn''t gotten enough of her perfect test papersst time. The physics teacher, Keith, was particrly excited. "Approve her request! Approve it now!" he shouted.


    "... You all just spoil her," the dean grumbled, but he helplessly stamped the form and stormed out of the office. A few stepster, he poked his head back in. "If she doesn''t get a high score, I''m docking all of your pay."


    The other teachers looked at Juniper, their faces screaming, "We don''t want a pay cut!"


    Juniper tilted her head, a corner of her mouth lifting into a reassuring smile. Seeing that confident grin, all the teachers breathed a collective sigh of relief.


    And so, Juniper spent her lunch breaks taking exams and skipped her evening sses.


    "Alright, you can go," the literature teacher said, holding a perfect paper with a beaming smile. "Walk slowly, don''t trip."


    Juniper was now Aurora High''s prized possession; they couldn''t afford for anything to happen to her.


    ...


    Later, at the Fracetrack located on


    a mountain road north of Era City, preparations for the event had been underway for


    rack do Wyears, and the


    beenpleted


    Before the race, the registration channel remained open, allowing all participants to practice on the track.


    Juniper had gone home to change into a ck windbreaker and matching ck pants. She wore a ck baseball cap pulled down low, obscuring her face and revealing only the delicate line of her jaw.


    The ce was swarming with drivers from all over the world. The sun beat down, kicking up dust from the ground.


    "Juniper!" Kurt, who had been waiting for her, saw her and immediately pulled Ghoul over. "This is the little spitfire I was telling you about... I mean, the master driver!"


    "Her?" Ghoul''s eyes fell on the girl, and he was instantly unimpressed. "Are you sure you''ve got the right person?" he blurted out. This delicate girl who looked like sh


    frown just from being in the sun? A


    master driver? Was this a joke?


    "That''s me. What about it?" Hearing the disdain in Ghoul''s voice, Juniper turned her


    head slightly, her nonchnt tone dangerously sharp.


    Ghoul felt goosebumps break out on his skin under her gaze, a strange sense of unease washing over him.


    "You''ll see what Juniper is capable of in a minute," Kurt said, not bothering to exin further. He grabbed the helmet from Ghoul''s arms and handed it to Juniper. She took it, put it on, and shot Ghoul a merciless re as she walked past him.


    Ghoul rubbed the back of his neck, feeling deeply unsettled. Was Kurt just trying to pick up this girl?


    This wouldn''t do. He still needed to find a way to convince J to race.


    For this year''spetition, Kurt was the only driver from the Orient Country region whose points qualified him for entry. But his luck was terrible; he had drawn a track position on the far edge. Onane like that, it was difficult to control speed during sharp turns, making it easy to fly off the track. It was also more susceptible to interference from other drivers, which could cause a vehicle to flip.


    No wonder Kurt was so anxious.


    "Juniper, that one up ahead is my car. Pretty sweet, right?" Kurt said, walking beside


    her with a wide grin, eagerly awaiting her praise.

 Chapter 220

    Juniper nced at Kurt''s car. It was a mboyant, gaudy red, decorated like some kind of butterfly. It was hideously ugly!


    "Juniper, look! That''s Melvin''s car!" Kurt eximed.


    Following his gaze, Juniper saw a modified, matte blue race car parked in the number onene. The door opened, and a tall, well-built man in a racing suit stepped out. His back... it looked so familiar, like she had seen it somewhere before. Juniper narrowed her eyes, a strange tightness gripping her heart.


    "That''s Melvin Steele," Kurt exined. "The champion of thest two F1petitions. They say in the industry that the only one who can match him is himself... and J." He sighed. "Ugh, it''s bad luck to even mention J.¡±


    Whenever J came up, Kurt got depressed. If J had just agreed to race, would he be training like a dog right now?


    "Shut up," Juniper snapped, her tone cold. "Get in the car."


    "Right away." Kurt immediately fell silent and obediently climbed into the driver''s seat.


    "Do ap. I want to see what your problem is."


    As Juniper fastened her seatbelt, she nced outside and happened to make eye contact with Melvin, who was inspecting his vehicle. Both were wearing helmets, their features obscured, but even through the windshield, Juniper could feel his hostility. He was looking at her with disdain.


    She red right back. As she tried to ce where she knew him from, the car shot forward with a roar.


    "Melvin, what is it?" his assistant asked, noticing him staring off into space.


    "Is the driver inne ten from the Orient Country region?" Melvin asked in a low voice, his eyes fixed on the red car.


    "Yes," the assistant confirmed.


    "His skill level iscking.¡± Melvin identified the problem at a nce, his voicezy. "No technique, and hes hitting on girls during practice time? The racing scene in Orient Country is hopeless."


    He paused. "By the way, any news on J?"


    Melvin walked to the lounge area and took off his helmet, revealing a handsome, youthful face. He had deep, narrow eyes, thick brows, and a high-bridged nose-an air of undeniable charisma.


    "None." The assistant took the helmet, answering respectfully.


    J was Melvin''s idol. For three years, J''s racing had inspired him to train relentlessly, just for the chance topete against J on the same track. But then, without warning, J had announced the retirement. Three years had passed without single trace of The Orient Country region wouldn''t even have qualified for this year''s F1petition under normal circumstances. Melvin had pulled a lot of strings to make it happen, all in an attempt to lure J out of hiding.


    No news? Melvin sat on the sofa, sipping a cold soda, his eyes dangerously deep. J would never sit back and let Orient Country region''s racing legacy die. What had gone wrong?


    "And..." Melvin set down his drink, his expression turning serious as he smoothed his hair. "Is there any word on my family?"


    Melvin had known since he was a child that he wasn''t a Steele by birth. He had parents, brothers, sisters, but he had been separated from them in an ident when he was young. He had been searching for them for years, but the clues were so scarce the often wondered if his memories were just a figment of his imagination. Perhaps... perhaps his family was long gone.

 Chapter 221

    "Melvin..." Seeing his despondent expression, the assistant offered aforting word. ¡°I heard about an incredibly skilled hacker group in the country called Binary Oracle. They say if you pay them enough, they can find anyone or anything, no matter how obscure."


    "However¡ª¡± The assistant hesitated. ¡°Rumor has it the leader of Binary Oracle only takes jobs when the mood strikes. They''re not easy to hire."


    "Try anyway," Melvin said, his eyes fixed absently on therge monitor. "As long as they can find them, money is no object."


    He had spent thest decade abroad, leaving him with no connections back home.


    "Understood," the assistant nodded, then mused aloud, "Still, with so many people looking, how could we not find a single one?"


    Melvin remained silent, his face grim. He''d been asking himself that same question for years. During the shipwreck, he had watched with his own eyes as a fisherman rescued his youngest sister, while one of his brothers had lost his footing and plunged into the sea.


    His parents had fought desperately to get life jackets on him, his older brother, and the three other sisters who hadn''t made it off the boat in time.


    Then... the ship capsized. He could still hear his parents'' desperate final words: "Until your youngest sister is an adult, do not look for each other. And do not reveal any clues about what happened today."


    ¡°Remember, it''s the only way you''ll all survive. You must remember.¡±


    That scene had reyed in his mind countless times. He never understood why they had to wait until his sister turned eighteen to search for one another.


    Doing the math... she would be eighteen this year. An adult.


    All these years, he had honored his parents'' wishes, neverunching a high-profile search for his two older brothers and four sisters. But he always held out hope for a chance encounter, a reunion with any one of them. But that hope had been crushed every time.


    Finally, the year his youngest sister turned eighteen, he returned to Era City to begin the search in earnest. The clearest lead was his sister of she was still alive, she would be starting college this year, wouldn''t she? Without their parents or older siblings to protect her, the little girl drop who used to cry at ! of a hat... he couldn''t imagine what her life had been like. Had she been bullied? And his other brothers and sisters... where were they?


    "SCREECH-!"


    Just as Melvin was lost in thought, the harsh sound of braking tires erupted from therge monitor.


    Kurt was back. His shy red sports car was an eyesore on the screen. Of course, the girl getting out of the passenger seat was even more attention-grabbing.


    Her back was to him, and she was fanning her face with her hand. Though he couldn''t see her expression, he could tell she was angry. Kurt was hovering around her, offering coffee and water, clearly trying to cate her.


    Melvin''s brow furrowed in disapproval. Though he was a citizen of Moralia Country, Orient Country blood ran through his veins. He naturally hoped to see another star like ''J'' emerge from his home country and bring it glory.


    He''d done a little research on Kurt.


    The kid had some talent, but it was unrefined. With the right training aver the next few days,


    e could


    definitely improve his skills enough to have a shot at the top five But here he was, chasing girls during such a critical time.


    ????


    "Two things," Melvin said, a flicker of disdain in his eyes as he stood up and grabbed his helmet. "Keep tracking any news about J, and contact Binary Oracle. Also, inform the organizers that starting. tomorrow, no unauthorized personnel are allowed on the training grounds."

 Chapter 222

    Unauthorized personnel? The assistant nced at the girl and understood immediately.


    "Right away," the assistant confirmed. "I''ll make sure nothing interferes with your training tomorrow."


    On the other side of the track, the moment the car stopped, Juniper scrambled out, fanning her face to cool down. She was afraid that if she stayed in there a second longer, she might just snap Kurt''s neck. This test drive had revealed just how many bad habits Kurt had. Scolding him the entire way had left her tired and thirsty.


    ¡°Juniper, I get all the points you made. How about I do anotherp?" Kurt asked meekly, offering her a cup of water with both hands.


    To his credit, even though he''d just been verbally pummeled by Juniper, he knew she was right about everything. There were even several moments when she''d had to grab the wheel to correct his steering. With one hand, no less. Effortlessly cool, wless execution.


    If it weren''t for the fact that Juniper didn''t have the points to qualify for F1, he''d want her to race in his ce. Her skills were on par with any seasoned professional.


    "You think about it tonight. Tomorrow, you''ll do one more run. If you make the same basic mistakes again..." Juniper took a sip of water, shoved the cup back into Kurt''s hands, and added with a sharp edge to her voice, "I''ll knock your block off."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll fix it! I promise!" Kurt yelped, instinctively covering his head as he forced a smile.


    "You''d better,¡± Juniper said dismissively. She nced at the time, pulled on her cap, and started walking away.


    As she passed the lounge, she ran into Ghoul, who was still glued to his phone, frantically messaging ''J.'' But every message he sent was met with a delivery failure notification.


    Right. She''d blocked him.


    Seeing him hunched over, looking pathetic as he typed out his long, rambling


    messages, Juniper pursed her lips. She had been wrong to assume he was lying


    about wanting her in the race. In a fit of anger, she''d blocked him.


    Fine. She had misjudged him. Time to take him off the blocklist. "Yes!"


    Ghoul shouted, jumping up and down with joy as his message finally went through. J had unblocked him! Did this mean there was sti chance J''apete?


    Just as he was about to type a follow-up, his eyesnded on Juniper.


    "Hmph." Ghoul''s smile vanished,


    reced by a look of utter disdain. Leaving after less than an hour? Some racing guru? He couldn''t see anything remotely expert-like about her He figured Kurt must have been hallucinating from the pressure.


    Juniper stopped, a question mark forming in her mind. Hmph? Who was that snide little sound for?


    Alright then. Her gaze hardened. She pulled out her phone, found Ghoul''s contact, and tapped it.


    [Add to blocklist]


    "No!" The moment she did, Ghoul let out another cry of despair, staring at his phone in horror. He was blocked again!


    Ghoul stood frozen, going from tion to devastation in less than ten seconds.


    ...


    After leaving the track, Juniper


    only walked a few steps when beret


    phone vibrated. It was a message from Binary Oracle: [Boss, new job.


    Juniper: [?]


    Binary Oracle: [Client ced two orders at once. Said we can name our price.] Juniper: [Details.]


    Binary Oracle: [Both are search jobs. One is to find J, the three-time F1 champion...]


    Find who? Juniper, who had just popped a piece of candy in her mouth, nearly bit her tongue. They wanted her to find herself? Ridiculous!


    Binary Oracle: [The second is to find family. Client says two older brothers and four younger sisters.]

 Chapter 223

    Juniper''s head throbbed as she read the rest of the message. Two brothers and four sisters... did he want her to find him a whole ser team while she was at it?


    Juniper: [Client''s name?]


    Binary Oracle: [Melvin Steele, the recent three-time F1 champion.]


    Melvin? That pretentious poser from the training grounds who looked down on her? He was paying a fortune to find her?


    Why? Was he that afraid she''d actually get on the track and steal his championship title? Sometimes... she didn''t have to be the one racing to win.


    Binary Oracle: [Boss, should we take it? He added that we can start by looking for the youngest sister.]


    Juniper: [No.]


    It was true. She only took jobs based on her mood. When she was in a good mood, she might help someone out for free. But when she was in a bad mood...


    Well, she was in a very bad mood right now. That poser really rubbed her the wrong way.


    Binary Oracle: [Boss, if we turn it down, he''ll probably go to Cybeic Shadows, the hacker collective from Sigma Network.]


    Let her arch-nemesis get the payday? That didn''t sound like her at all.


    Juniper smirked, typing back with confidence: [Let them. Finding a whole ser team will keep them busy. As for J...]


    She paused for a second before continuing: [If Sigma Network can find J, I''ll call their leader my new boss.]


    The members of Binary Oracle scratched their heads,pletely baffled. Finding J shouldn''t be that hard for a group like Sigma Network, right? Why was the boss so certain they would fail?


    ...


    Cloudscape Community.


    Juniper sat at the dining table, intently reviewing F1 races from the past few years. She hadn''t paid any attention to the circuit since she retired. The more she watched, the darker her expression became.


    After her three consecutive


    championships, she had donated all her prize money to her home country''s racing development program. She had hoped to see


    vel


    more racers from the Orient Country


    on the world stage. But


    she never


    imagined the domestic scene would be so barren. Since her


    departure, the number of drivers


    qualifying for F1 had dwindled each


    year. Kurt was their only hope this season.


    "How was Kurt''s training this afternoon?" Shanley asked gently, cing a te of


    fruit next to her. His eyes nced at her iPad.


    "It was okay," Juniper said, closing the device. "A few more days of intensive training, and getting into the top five shouldn''t be a problem."


    ¡°That''s good to hear.¡± Shanley peeled an orange, feeding the segments to her one by one with a faint smile on his lips.


    "What are you smiling about?" Juniper frowned, puzzled by his rxed demeanor.


    ¡°If Kurt couldn''t cut it, you were nning to race yourself, weren''t you?" Shanley met her gaze, his eyes full of affection and concern.


    From the looks of it, she probably wouldn''t have to. Racing, especially F1, was incredibly dangerous, with countless idents every year. resulting in death or permanent injury. His little girl was brilliant, but she hadn''t touched a race car in three years. There were no guarantees. But thankfully, Kurt would be the one on the track, not her. Of course he was happy.


    Juniper pressed her lips together, not saying a word. She had to admit, Shanley had read her mind perfectly. She had apanied Kurt today specifically to gauge his abilities. If he could make the top five, she would let himpete. If not... even though she had promised her grandfather she''d never race again, she couldn''t just stand by and watch her country''s racing legacy crumble.


    ¡°Right,¡± Juniper said, taking a sip of juice in tacit agreement. After a few seconds of silence, seeing that Shanley wasn''t saying anything else, she tilted her head up. "Don''t you have anything to ask me?¡±


    "I do," Shanley said, picking up a napkin to gently wipe the corner of her mouth. His voice was warm and maic. "But it''s about something else."

 Chapter 224

    ¡°Oh?¡± Juniper watched Shanley, her clear eyes suddenly deepening.


    "Someone''s been asking around about the shipwreck from over a decade ago,¡± Shanley said, pausing for a moment before adding softly, "They specifically mentioned... a little girl rescued by a fishing boat.¡±


    "Clink."


    Juniper was eating an orange slice, but at his words, it slipped from her fingers and fell back onto the te with a soft sound.


    All records of the shipwreck were supposed to have been destroyed. Very few people knew what happened, let alone that she had been rescued by a fishing boat.


    ¡°Are you saying..." Juniper''s lips moved, but the words felt stuck in her throat.


    "Yes," Shanley said, gently stroking her hair in a soothing gesture. ¡°Juniper, the people looking for you... might be your family."


    It could be her parents, or her siblings. Which meant his Juniper was about to have more people to dote on her.


    "For now, just focus on the race. Your brother and I will handle the family matter."


    Jimmie was the one who had discovered this, and they had waited until they were sure some rtives were alive before telling her.


    Family? Juniper sat there, her mind aplete nk. She was still getting used to having one brother... Wasn''t this all happening a little too fast?


    The next afternoon, Juniper went to the training grounds as usual, only to be stopped at the entrance.


    ¡°Unauthorized personnel are prohibited from entering the training area."


    Unauthorized? Who? Her? What a joke!


    "Since when does F1 have that rule?" Juniper tilted her head back, her fair face turning icy as she spoke with a sharp edge. The facilities here weren''t top-tier; assistants were usually allowed to apany drivers.


    "Since today," a maic male voice sounded from behind her. "Is there a problem?"


    Juniper turned to see Melvin, dressed in his racing suit and holding a helmet, staring


    at her coldly. "This is not a ce for you," he said bluntly.


    Her face was too striking, too distracting for the drivers. Kurt, in particr, was at a critical stage of his training and couldn''t afford any disturbances More importantly, the track was aplex and dangerous ce. A young girl like her would just end up getting hurt and crying about it. Who had time for that?


    Juniper arched an eyebrow, a humorlessugh escaping her lips. Not a ce for her? This dump? She could driveps around it with her eyes closed. Back when she was mastering this track, this poser was probably still ying in a mud puddle somewhere.


    It was obvious he was targeting her.


    "Someone get her out of here," Melvin ordered a nearby security guard, not bothering to exin further. A little scare was usually enough to make girls like her run off.


    "F1 Regtions, Section Three, Part


    Three, Article Seventy: During apetitor''s training session, the number of personnel present on the track may be reasonably adjusted..." Juniper took off her cap, revealing her full face as she recited the rulebook from memory.


    Seeing her clearly, Melvin was taken aback for a second, more surprised than anything. Her face looked... familiar. And how did she know the F1 regtions in such detail?


    "Part Five, Article One: Any


    modification topetition rules


    must be submitted to the Racing Committee for approval at least two weeks in advance," Juniper continued, standing her ground, her Voice calm and her argument wless. "So, which is it? Are you dense, or just illiterate?"


    Melvin was left speechless, unable to argue.

 Chapter 225

    "An F1 champion should know the rules, shouldn''t he?"


    Juniper''s eyebrow twitched in amusement as she watched his expression darken. She despised people like him who would resort to underhanded tactics just to win. On one hand, he was privately investigating J''s whereabouts, and on the other, he was actively trying to sabotage the Orient Country''s team.


    "Or perhaps..." Juniper held up her phone, azy smile ying on her lips. "We could call F1 headquarters and have them exin it to you personally?"


    Melvin''s face was a thundercloud. He had indeed acted selfishly, trying to bar her from entry because he was worried she''d distract Kurt. He never expected this young woman to be so sharp-tongued. Not only did she know the regtions inside and out, but she even had the number for F1 headquarters. Did Kurt tell her?


    "You''d better behave yourself," Melvin grumbled, not wanting to argue further as his training time was approaching.


    "You should watch yourself," Juniper shot back coolly, her posture casual but her eyes dark. "You poser."


    "You-!" Melvin sputtered, but before he could retort, she had already shoved her hands in her pockets and sauntered past him with an air of brazen confidence.


    "Hmph." Melvin stood there, hands on his hips, feeling a rage so intense he thought he might have a heart attack.


    Who raised her? So beautiful, yet her words were so venomous! Thank God she wasn''t his sister, or he''d have to teach her a lesson she wouldn''t forget.


    "Melvin,¡± his assistant said, approaching just in time to witness the scene. "Why don''t you publicly announce that you''ve applied to change your citizenship back to the Orient Country?" "It''s not necessary,¡± Melvin said, walking away with his helmet, his eyes following Juniper''s retreating figure. "Besides, the citizenship transfer might not even be finalized before the race."


    He had started the processst year, but the authorities in Moralia were dragging their feet. It had taken a significant effort to speed things up even slightly. If the transfer was sessful before the race, his results would count for the Orient Country, and futurepetitions would be straightforward. If not... then Kurt was their only hope. That was why he was so worried about Kurt''s performance.


    "By the way..." Melvin stopped, his expression turning serious. "How are things with that task I gave you?"


    "Binary Oracle rejected the job," the assistant replied respectfully, bowing his head. "I''ve contacted Cybeic Shadows at Sigma Network instead."


    Binary Oracle and Cybeic Shadows were the two top hacker collectives in the country, easily on par with international groups.


    ¡°As you instructed, this time I only requested they find J."


    After all, finding his family would be a time-consuming task that could be done anytime. Finding J was urgent.


    "Good." Melvin nodded and put on his helmet. "The race is just a few days away. Tell them to find J as soon as possible."


    "Yes, sir." The assistant nodded,


    feeling a wave of admiration. Melvin was truly giving his all for the Orient Country''s Lacing scene. The next time he heard someone call him a traitor, he wouldn''t be so polite.


    ...


    Inside a private lounge at the training grounds, Kurt was hunched over, carefully preparing a te of


    fruit for Juniper. Ghoul sat on the floor hair a mess staring lifelessly at his phone screen.


    Juniper nced down and saw what was on the screen. It was her chat window.


    Ghoul had sent a barrage of messages, all of which had failed to deliver.


    "Is he okay?" she asked, blinking curiously at his catatonic state.


    "He''s fine," Kurt said, bringing the


    fruit with a mischievous grin


    "Just got his heart broken by that heartless He''ll be over it ma couple of days."


    The heartless J was speechless.

 Chapter 226

    "Let''s go, Juniper." Kurt grabbed two helmets, his usualid-back demeanor reced by a look of intense focus. He had to train seriously, to break into the top five. Otherwise...


    Kurt nced back at Ghoul''s empty shell of a body and shook his head. If he lost the race, the guy might actually lose his mind.


    "Alright." Juniper gave a slight smile, took the helmet, and settled into the passenger seat. "Follow what I taught you yesterday. Onep."


    "Yes, ma''am.¡± Kurt straightened his back. As he was about to start the car, he caught sight of the man inne one out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Juniper, it''s Melvin!"


    Kurt''s heart hammered against his ribs, his palms slick with sweat. Damn it. That was the three-time champion! Besides J, Melvin was the racer he admired most. Training alongside him was nerve-wracking.


    It was a shame, though. The guy had Orient Country blood but chose to help those dogs bully them...


    "So what about him?¡± Juniper fastened her seatbelt, her voice cool andnguid. "Get ready. Weunch in three seconds."


    To her, he was just some irrelevant stray.


    "Right." Kurt wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and added cautiously, "Juniper, Melvin''s driving style is pretty aggressive. We should probably keep our distance."


    Juniper shot him a disdainful look.


    Three secondster, Kurt focused and mmed on the gas. The sports car shot out from the starting line like a bullet. Melvinunched at the exact same moment. Initially, their speeds were matched, but Kurt knew this was just Melvin''s strategy. The second half of the race was where he truly dominated.


    ¡°More gas," Junipermanded from the passenger seat, arms crossed as she stared ahead. "Stay right. Keep it steady."


    Kurt gripped the steering wheel, his nerves shot. He was terrified of making yesterday''s mistakes and getting his head bashed in by Juniper.


    "Nice," Juniper remarked as they perfectly navigated the first turn.A hint of a smile touched her lips, but her tone remained strict. "elerate, brake, elerate agam then cut the Corner."


    "But..." Kurt''s back was drenched in cold sweat, his voice hoarse. "Melvin''s on our left. We could collide."


    "We won''t,¡± Juniper said, ncing at the other car in the rearview mirror. Tsk. A three-time champion, and his technique was just so-so.


    "When I say cut, you cut," Juniper''s voice turned sharp and cold. ¡°You''re afraid to die, but so is he."


    Racing wasn''t just about skill; it was a mental game. This corner was particrly dangerous. The slightest Mation would let the car behind you overtake. A few seconds could create a fatal gap.


    "Yes, ma''am."


    Kurt had never driven like this before, but he trusted Juniper''smand and mmed the car into the turn.


    "SCREECH!"


    The tires screamed against the asphalt, kicking up a thick cloud of dust that enveloped the track.


    Watching the car beside him, Melvin''s eyes narrowed in surprise. Kurt actually dared to elerate, brake, and elerate again at this point? He wasn''t afraid of flipping the car?


    If he remembered correctly, Kurt had never driven like this before. Who taught him? This was a technique that not just anyone could control.


    Melvin sped up, pulling parallel to the other car, and got a clear look at who was in the passenger seat. The girl was holding a half-eaten apple in her lefthand, while her right hand was helping K¨¹rt control the steering wheel, instructing him on racing


    techniques.


    Melvin froze. It was the sharp-tongued girl!

 Chapter 227

    Every word from her mouth was incredibly professional. She was even pointing out subtle techniques that he himself hadn''t known. How did she understand all this?


    From the way she handled the steering wheel and controlled the pedals, it was clear she didn''t just understand it¡ªshe was a master. How could a teenage girl be so skilled at racing?


    In the two seconds Melvin was distracted, the shy red sports car surged past him.


    Melvin scowled and floored the elerator. The two cars began a high-speed chase around the track, a deadly dance with no escape.


    "Holy crap!"


    The other racers, who had been resting nearby, all jumped to their feet, their eyes glued to therge screen, letting out gasps of disbelief.


    "Am I seeing things? The car keeping pace with the great Melvin... is that the Orient Country car?"


    "It is," a blond man confirmed, his blue eyes wide with shock. "Since when did the Orient Country team get this good?"


    Before this, they had never considered the struggling Orient Country team a threat. In fact, they were certain this would be theirst yearpeting in F1. But in just two days, something had drastically changed. What happened?


    "Could it be they have an expert coaching them?" a man in sses asked with a smirk, chewing on his gum.


    "An expert?" The other racers burst outughing at the suggestion. "You don''t mean the girl sitting next to him, do you?"


    They all turned their gaze to the passenger seat. A momentter, the area erupted in loud, crudeughter and jeers.


    "Coaching him where? In bed? Then I''d believe it!"


    They had never seen a woman dare to participate in this extreme sport, let alone a delicate-looking, fragile woman from the Orient Country.


    "The Orient Country team is looking really strong today. If they keep this up, they have a real shot at the top five."


    At these words, the smiles on the faces of several racers vying for those top-five spots froze. If the Orient Country team made it, that meant one of them would be kicked


    aut next year. They had to kicked


    Something to prevent that from happening.


    With that thought, the group of foreign racers exchanged knowing nces, sly, cunning grins spreading across their faces.


    Nine minutes and two secondster, Melvin was the first to cross the finish line. His time was two


    seconds slower than he''d hope


    Kurt''s car had been constantly changing techniques, forcing him to adjust his own speed. Plus the


    image of that girl''s face had been a persistent distraction.


    Ten minutes and three secondster, Kurt''s red sports car roared past the finish line right behind him.


    "No way!" Kurt stared at the timer, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. ¡°Juniper, am I seeing that right?¡±


    Did he really just post that time? After all this training, his best time had been eleven minutes. He had just shaved off a massive chunk. He''d finally broken the eleven- minute barrier!


    If he could maintain this pace during the race, he could definitely secure a spot in


    the top five. The Orient Country racing program was saved!


    "And you have the nerve to smile at that time?"


    Juniper took off her helmet, tossed it into the back seat, and fixed him with an ice-cold re. She let loose a string of criticisms. If he hadn''t been so timid in the middle of the fap, afraid to elerate, his time could have been even faster.


    Kurt hung his head, taking the verbalshing without a word. Juniper was a genius.


    As long as he could win, she could yell at him all she wanted.


    "Get ready. We''re doing anotherp.¡± Juniper pulled a piece of candy from her bag


    and popped it into her mouth, her mood instantly improving.


    The second round of training began. This time, Melvin didn''t join. He stood silently in front of the monitor, watching their every move.

 Chapter 228

    Whenever the girl spoke, Kurt would adjust immediately. His speed was faster and more stable than in the first round. His progress was astounding.


    Melvin stood with his arms crossed, a deep smile forming on his lips, a look of genuine pleasure he hadn''t shown in a long time.


    "Melvin, what are you smiling about?" his assistant asked, surprised, as he arrived at the finish line with a coffee. It had been ages since he''d seen him smile like that.


    "Don''t you think..." Melvin narrowed his eyes, speaking slowly, "that girl has a bit of J''s vor to her?"


    Her racing style, in particr, was strikingly simr. Why hadn''t he ever seen her on the national or international circuits?


    "Her?" The assistant nced at Juniper and chuckled. "How can shepare to J?"


    J was a legend in the racing world. Even Melvin himself had to show deference in J''s presence.


    "With some training, she could be the next J," Melvin said thoughtfully.


    No wonder Kurt had brought her to the track. Where did he find such a gem?


    "Melvin, are you saying..." the assistant paused, then asked tentatively, "you want to take her on as your apprentice?"


    Melvin just smiled, his silence a confirmation. If she was willing, he would teach her everything he knew. If it were possible, he would even ask J to train her personally. The first female F1 driver in history, hailing from the Orient Country... That news would shake the world.


    But the deadline for his team''s "entry" was tonight. His initial attitude had been poor, and he had definitely offended her. If he approached her now, he wasn''t sure if he could win her over.


    ...


    Ten minutester, Kurt''s car crossed the finish line. He was three seconds faster than thestp. With a bit more work, he could break the tep minute mark of he


    If do that,


    not only would a top-five finish be guaranteed, but he might even have a shot at the podium.


    We could a


    "That''s it for today. You keep practicing," Juniper said, gathering her things as she gave him final instructions.


    As she was about to leave, a tall figure blocked her path.


    Oh. The rude poser. What bad luck!


    "What do you want?" Kurt immediately stepped in front of her, eyeing Melvin warily. As much as he admired Melvin, his country came first. This poser was the enemy.


    "Could I have a word with you?" Melvin ignored Kurt, his gaze fixed on Juniper as he spoke in a low voice.


    ¡°No, you can''t,¡± Juniper replied, tilting her head up slightly. Her face was cold, her tone distant and dismissive.


    Melvin froze, taking a moment topose himself. She certainly had a temper. This wasn''t going to be easy.


    "Ms. Payne, I apologize for my rudeness earlier," Melvin said, his tone sinc¨¨re. "At first, I was genuinely concerned you would distract the drivers. After all..." chances of a woman appearing on an F1 track were practically zero. Who would have thought a teenage girl would be a training partner? It was incredible.


    "Anyway, your technique is excellent. Why haven''t I seen you on the national or international circuits?"


    asked


    Has anyone ever told you


    "Has


    he


    that your racing style is very simr


    to''s? You know of J, right?"


    Hearing his barrage of questions, Juniper finally looked up, her patience worn thin. "What do you want?"


    Melvin had nned to be more diplomatic, but since she was cutting to the chase, he decided to be direct. "Are you interested in joining my team? In the future, my team will serve the Or-"


    "What the hell?"


    Before Melvin could finish, Kurt lost his cool. No wonder he''d been staring at Juniper, practically drooling. He was trying to poach her!

 Chapter 229

    "As long as you''re willing to join the S Team, you can name your price," Melvin said, his eyes fixed on the girl''s impassive face.


    "Name my price?" At this, Juniper''s quiet expression shifted. Shezily lifted her gaze to meet Melvin''s. "I''ll have to think about that."


    ¡°Juniper!¡± Kurt''s face went pale when he heard her reply.


    Was she actually considering joining the S Team? It was true that Melvin''s S Team was the most powerful and famous team in racing right now, having swept the top three spots in recent years. Joining them was the ultimate dream for many drivers.


    But the S Team belonged to Moralia Country! If Juniper joined, she''d be helping another countrypete against her own homnd. He would be furious!


    "Tell me your conditions," Melvin pressed, sensing her wavering. It was probably about money and status, things he could easily provide.


    "I want J as my coach," Juniper said, raising an eyebrow as the words left her lips, cool and indifferent.


    What? Melvin was taken aback, a look of surprise on his face. J as her coach... that was indeed a difficult condition to meet. The main problem was, he hadn''t even found J yet. This girl was clearly just trying to make things difficult for him.


    Kurt, who was about to intervene, nearly burst outughing when he heard her demand. It wasmon knowledge that while J was entric, mysterious, and had a terrible temper, J was fiercely patriotic. There was no way she would ever agree to train this traitor.


    "Alright," Melvin said, his gaze filled with admiration as he looked at Juniper. "I ept your condition. I promise you, I will get J to be your coach."


    ¡°Fine,¡± Juniper replied, giving him a long look with a faint smile on her lips. "Good luck with that."


    With that, she and Kurt turned and walked away.


    Melvin watched her go, convinced of her potential. She was young and talented; with a little guidance, she would undoubtedly be a star on the world stage. Besides, if his citizenship transfer went through, the S Team would merge with the Orient Country''s team. For the good of their country''s racing future, J would have no reason to refuse. He was determined to have the girl on his team.


    "Melvin, what are you looking at?" the assistant asked, handing him a coffee.


    Now that they had an agreement, shouldn''t he be focused on finding J?


    "Nothing, was just thinking..." Melvin sipped his coffee, a faint smile on his face. "The way she argues, so sharp and quick-witted. it realfinds me a little of my youngest sister."


    Though he couldn''t remember his sister''s face perfectly, he had a vague impression


    in his mind. Seeing her up close, there was a definite resemnce.


    The assistant opened his mouth, then closed it. Over the years, Melvin had found many people familiar, but investigations always proved they were rted. This was probably just another case of him seeing what he wanted to see.


    "Any news from Cybeic Shadows?" Melvin asked, his focus returning to the matter at hand.


    "They''re still investigating," the assistant replied. ¡°They said it shouldn''t be a difficult search and expect to have results in a few days."


    "Good." Melvin nodded. "As soon as they find J, have them start on finding my siblings."


    "Yes, sir."


    ...


    Cloudscape Community.


    Juniper was lounging on the sofa, eating fruits with one hand and furiously tapping on her phone with the other, ying a game. Her movements were swift and ruthless, sending her opponents scattering.


    "Beep."


    A message from Binary Oracle came through: [Boss, Cybeic Shadows has taken the job to find J.]

 Chapter 230

    Juniper: [OK.]


    Binary Oracle: [They''re iming they can find J within a week.]


    Within a week? If she didn''t want to be found, they could have thirty years and they still wouldn''t find her. A bunch of amateurs.


    Juniper: [I don''t need to teach you how to be sarcastic, do I?]


    She bit into a slice of orange, the crunch echoing her annoyance. It was clear how much she despised the people at Sigma Network, not just their hacker collective, Cybeic Shadows.


    Binary Oracle: [Nope, we''re experts at it.]


    Binary Oracle and Cybeic Shadows were bitter rivals, constantly trading barbs online. They knew the drill.


    Juniper: [Tell them if they find J in a week, Binary Oracle will be theirckeys.] Binary Oracle: [...]


    Damn. Wasn''t that a bit extreme? J wasn''t aplete ghost; finding J wasn''t impossible. Why was the boss so confident? Did she know J personally?


    The team member didn''t dare ask. They posted Juniper''s exact words online, making sure the people at Cybeic Shadows would see it by making the title bold, oversized, and tagging them directly.


    Cybeic Shadows: [???]


    How arrogant!


    Furious, the members of Cybeic Shadows immediately took a screenshot and sent it to their Leader.


    Shanley was in the kitchen, cooking for Juniper. When his phone vibrated, he nced at the picture his subordinate had sent. A meaningful smile crossed his handsome face, his deep eyes narrowing slightly. After all these years, the people at Binary Oracle were still so bafflingly overconfident. It seemed it was time to teach them a lesson.


    Shanley nced back at the beautiful girl on the sofa, his smile widening.


    J, was it? So far away, and yet so close. He could find her whenever he wanted. He just wasn''t sure of the client''s intentions, so he couldn''t reveal Juniper''s identity just yet.


    Shanley: [Tell them that not just any trash can be ackey for Cybeic Shadows. And we may not even need a week to find J.]


    [Yes, Leader.]


    The team at Cybeic Shadows mimicked their rivals, taking a screenshot and posting it.


    Binary Oracle: [Our boss said it''s impossible, so it''s impossible! Wanna bet? If you lose, Cybeic Shadows has to call our boss ''Grandmaster''!!!]


    Cybeic Shadows: [Our Leader said it won''t take a week. Just because you''re useless doesn''t mean we are.]


    Binary Oracle: [If you''ve got the guts,e face us in person!]


    Cybeic Shadows: [Youe here!]


    Binary Oracle: [No, youe here!]


    Cybeic Shadows: [Youe here!]


    The two groups engaged in a furious war of words, neither willing to back down, but neither brave enough to reveal their actual location.


    Trash? Huh?


    "Thud-"


    Seeing the response from the leader of Cybeic Shadows, Juniper was so enraged she threw her phone on the floor.


    UT


    That old bastard! He''d better hope she never got her hands on him, or she''d skin him alive. Whatever her Binary Oracle did, Cybeic Shadows always had to interfere. The resentment between them had been building for years ready to explode at any moment.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Hearing the noise, Shanley quickly put down what he was doing and rushed into the


    living room. The phoney on the floor, its screen dark.


    "Ran into an idiot," Juniper grumbled, looking up at Shanley. She was so angry she


    had lost her appetite for orange.


    "I see," Shanley said, picking up the


    phone wiping it clean and cing it


    Ther


    table. He gently stroked "Who was this idiot?"


    He leaned in closer, his voice a soothing murmur. ¡°Tell me, and I''ll take care of them for you."

 Chapter 231

    "Some old, ugly, annoying fossil," Juniper fumed, punching a sofa cushion in frustration. ¡°Even if I told you, you''d never find him.¡±


    "Oh, really?" Shanley chuckled, finding her anger both endearing and amusing. It was the first time he''d seen her this worked up.


    "And what makes you so sure I can''t find him?" he asked softly.


    He was, after all, the leader of Cybeic Shadows, one of the world''s top hacking collectives. Aside from the mysterious head of Subterra Vanguard, there was virtually no one he couldn''t track down.


    Juniper turned to look at him, her clear eyes shimmering. For years, Subterra Vanguard and Sigma Network had been searching for each other to no avail. How could Shanley possibly seed?


    "You see, I''m-" Shanley began, a smirk ying on his lips as he prepared to reveal his identity, but he was cut off by the phone ringing.


    It was Jimmie. Juniper snatched the phone and epted the video call. "Jimmie."


    "Juniper," Jimmie''s voice came through. He had just wrapped up filming and was packing to return home. "I should be back in Era City by the morning after next, at thetest."


    The flight from his location to Era City was over twenty hours.


    "Okay," Juniper replied quietly.


    "Start packing a few things. I''lle pick you up and take you home as soon as Ind."


    She understood his words perfectly but said nothing.


    "Juniper, did you hear me?" Jimmie asked, raising his voice when he got no response. ¡°I said, pack your things. The first thing I''m doing when I get back is bringing you home."


    He waited for her reaction. Living with Shanley must have been inconvenient for her in so many ways. He was sure she''d be thrilled toe home.


    One second passed. Then ten.


    "Okay," she mumbled, her head bowed as she listlessly picked at the sofa fabric. Her voice was t, devoid of any excitement.


    Jimmie was confused. What was going on? Shouldn''t she be happy abouting home?


    "Juniper''s been busytely; she''s probably just tired," Shanley said,


    taking the phone from her with di


    righthand while using his left to offer her a piece of oran


    his


    on a fork.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Jimmie said, relieved by the exnation. ¡°Well, in that case, could you help her with the packing? I''d appreciate it.¡±


    The call was on speaker, and Juniper heard every word. She ignored the orange and stared intently at Shanley, waiting for his answer.


    "About that..." Shanley''s gaze met hers, a faint smile on his lips. ¡°Let''s talk about it when you get back."


    Satisfied with his response, Juniper finally opened her mouth and ate the orange. It was incredibly sweet.


    Jimmie, however, was puzzled. Something felt off.


    "Alright, We''ll sort it out then," he said, deciding not to press the issue since he was in a hurry to catch his flight. It wasn''t like Juniper had much to pack anyway.


    "Oh, by the way..." Just before hanging up, Jimmie remembered the search for their family. "I was nning on hiring Cybeic Shadows again for this."


    At the mention of that name, Juniper''s mood soured instantly.


    "No," she snapped before Shanley could speak. "Cybeic Shadows took forever to find mest time. How can they call themselves top tier Hacking group?! Ift were their leader, I''d be so ashamed I''d go dig a hole and nevere out!"


    "Juniper, you don''t understand, Cybeic Shadows is-" Jimmie began, frowning. Did his sister not know that Shanley was their leader? Thest search was a fluke, his own fault for giving them the wrong information. Besides, insulting Cybeic Shadows right in front of its leader...

 Chapter 232

    That was like grinding Shanley''s face into the dirt.


    "Ahem, let''s just find someone else," Shanley interjected quickly, his expression strained. He couldn''t let Jimmie expose him. He had just started winning the girl over; if she found out he was the person she despised, his romantic prospects would be shattered.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Jimmie was utterly confused. "If not Cybeic Shadows, then who?"


    "Binary Oracle," Juniper mumbled through a mouthful of orange. "They''re faster, cheaper, and more importantly, they''re actuallypetent."


    "Gotta catch the flight. We''ll talkter," Jimmie said, and then he hung up.


    Shanley stared at Juniper, his face a mask of indescribable frustration. So she thought he''s ipetent? All because of one botched investigation that took a little longer than expected. He couldn''t believe she held such a grudge. Not only did she reject Cybeic Shadows, but she also wanted to hire his mortal enemy.


    ¡°Juniper, you know about Binary Oracle?" Shanley asked, his lips tightening as he continued to feed her orange.


    "Of course," she said, still simmering with resentment and seizing the opportunity to vent. ¡°I even know about a garbage group like Cybeic Shadows, so why wouldn''t I know about Binary Oracle? I heard that atst year''s hackingpetition, Binary Oraclepletely wiped the floor with them."


    Shanley''s face grew darker with every word, but Juniper was on a roll and didn''t notice.


    "And another thing..."


    "Juniper," Shanley said, taking a deep breath topose himself and gently cutting her off. "It seems you really dislike Cybeic Shadows."


    "You got that right," she confirmed with a defiant flick of her eyebrows.


    "What if..." Shanley paused, using a napkin to dab a bit of orange juice from the corner of her mouth. "What if the leader of Cybeic Shadows was standing right in front of you? What would you do?"


    Juniper''s head snapped toward him,


    her clear eyes instantly filling with a murderous glint. "I''d twist his head off," she said her voice tow a and deliberate, "and use it as a ser


    batt. Every single day."


    "What a savage little thing,¡± he thought, bewildered. What heinous crime had hemitted to provoke such a violent reaction? Any thought of revealing his identity vanishedpletely.


    "By the way," Juniper said, her mood much improved after her rant, "what were you going to tell me earlier?"


    "Nothing important," Shanley replied with a wry smile. "I just wanted to say that if anyone ever bullies you again, don''t get angry. Let me handle it."


    "Really?" Her eyes lit up.


    Shanley was the wealthiest man in Era City, with immense resources. Cybeic Shadows was also based here. He could genuinely be a huge help "Just wait," she thought I find his headquarters and make that old fossil kneel and call me Grandmaster."


    "Of course," Shanley said, leaning closer until his face was just inches from hers. "I told you I''d protect you for a lifetime."


    A lifetime? The words sent a jolt through her, and her heart began to race. But then


    she remembered... she was supposed to leave him soon.


    The thought plunged her back into gloom. After a moment of silence, she stood up and ran upstairs. A few minutester, she reappeared, looking at Shanley with an innocent expression. "The lock on my bedroom door is broken."


    Guess she couldn''t pack her things, could she?

 Chapter 233

    "The door is broken?" Shanley''s eyes fixed on her, a smirk ying on his thin lips as a maicugh rumbled in his chest.


    "Mhm," Juniper said, tilting her head casually, her foxy eyes curving into crescents. "I didn''t do it."


    "I see," Shanley replied, the amusement in his eyes deepening. "What a coincidence."


    Juniper blinked, remaining silent. ¡°That''s right,¡± she thought. ¡°It''s just a coincidence."


    "The door''s broken?" Dana, the housekeeper, had juste out of the kitchen and overheard them. "I''ll call someone to fix it right away."


    "No need. We can get it fixed in a couple of days," Shanley said, stopping her. A barely perceptible smile touched his lips.


    A couple of days? Dana paused, confused. ¡°But if it''s not fixed, where will Ms. Payne sleep?"


    The top floor only had three rooms: Mr. Schwartz''s bedroom, Ms. Payne''s bedroom, and the study, which had no bed. Besides, fixing a door wouldn''t take long at all.


    Juniper said nothing, her eyes locked on Shanley.


    "Juniper can sleep in my room. I''ll take the sofa," he announced, his voice smooth and captivating. ¡°Dana, could you get things ready?"


    ¡°Huh?¡± Dana''s eyes darted between the two of them, trying to process the situation. She knew Ms. Payne''s brother wasing to take her home, but looking at them now... one clearly didn''t want to send her away, and the other didn''t want to leave. Having looked after Ms. Payne for so long, she had grown attached. The thought of her leaving was sad enough, let alone for Mr. Schwartz.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Dana said, a wide smile breaking across her face as she finally understood. "I''ll go get everything ready right now."


    Later that evening, after dinner, Juniper realized she had left her backpack in her room when she''d rushed to "break the lock earlier She went back to the door an fiddled with the broken lock. With a soft click, it opened in under five seconds.


    She grabbed her backpack and a few changes of clothes, then shut the door again, making sure to properly break the lock this time. Now it really wouldn''t open.


    Smirking in satisfaction, she turned around and nearly collided with Dana, who was justing out of Shanley''s bedroom.


    Their eyes met. Time seemed to freeze as an awkward silence filled the air.


    "Ahem, my eyes have been bothering metely, everything''s so blurry..."


    Dana was the first to react, turning away and muttering to herself as she headed downstairs, pretending she hadn''t seen a thing.


    Juniper''s lips curved into a sly, captivating smile. "Dana is great," she thought. "I should remind Shanley to give her a raise."


    At ten o''clock that night, Shanley finished his work and quietly pushed open the bedroom door. He saw her


    immediately, slumped over the desk with pen in he hand fast asleep.


    The test paper under her cheek was mostly nk.


    "With her perfect scores, does she even need to do homework?" he wondered with


    a slight frown.


    He walked over to her side and


    leaned down. "Juniper," he


    sleep


    whispered. Startled from a deep Juniper''s drowsy eyes held a sh of irritation but it vanished the moment she saw his face.


    ¡°Go sleep in the bed. You''ll catch a cold out here," he said, his voice husky as he gently touched her cheek. "Be good."


    "Not finished,¡± she mumbled, yawning, her eyes barely able to stay open. "It''s due tomorrow morning."


    ¡°You sleep. Leave the rest to me," Shanley said softly, taking the pen from her hand. "I''ll do it for you."

 Chapter 234

    Do it for her? Juniper tilted her head back to look at Shanley, her clear, doe-like eyes sparkling. ¡°Okay,¡± she said, then pulled her backpack open and dumped a pile of workbooks on the desk in front of him. "These need to be done too. Thanks.


    Goodnight."


    With that, she guiltlessly climbed into bed and burrowed under the covers.


    Staring at the mountain of homework, Shanley pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a soft, helplessugh. The girl really didn''t hold back.


    "Go to sleep," he said, tucking her in. He turned off the main lights, switched on the small deskmp, picked up a pen, and began to diligently work his way through the assignments.


    In the bed, Juniper stirred, slowly opening her eyes. She watched the silhouette of the man under themplight, a faint smile gracing her lips.


    ...


    Juniper woke up feeling well-rested. Her gaze instinctively scanned the room and, just as she''d hoped,nded on the figure on the sofa. Shanley, dressed in loungewear, was ufortably curled up, his long legs awkwardly propped on the armrest. It was clear he hadn''t slept well.


    On the nearby desk, her homework and test papers were stacked in a neat pile. A quick nce revealed that the handwriting was a near-perfect imitation of her own. "Looks like I''ve found someone to do my homework from now on," she thought with a smirk.


    She padded over and crouched beside him, resting her chin on her hand as she studied his face. He was handsome, had a great physique, and an even better presence¡ªthe whole package. A dangerous thought popped into her head: she wanted to hide him away, to keep him all to herself.


    ...


    Downstairs, Dana was setting up breakfast.


    "Good morning, Ms. Payne," she said, then nced behind her. "Is Mr. Schwartz not up yet?"


    "No. He had a rough night. He''s still sleeping." Juniper replied, taking a seat at the table and listlessly nibbling on a piece of toast. She didn''t have much of an appetite without him there.


    At that moment, Felton and Flint walked in and nearly bit their tongues. Their boss had a rough night? Did that mean... he and Ms. Payne... did that?


    The two men exchanged looks, their expressions a mixture of shock and confusion. "But shouldn''t Ms. Rayne be the one too tired to get ou + Of bed?" they wondered. Is their boss really in such bad shape?"


    Dana froze, holding a bowl of soup, her eyes wide with shock. Had their rtionship progressed that quickly? Ms. Payne was so young! How could Mr. Schwartz do such a thing?


    Seeing their expressions, Juniper realized she''d been misunderstood. "Oh, I mean he was up all night doing my homework. He''s exhausted."


    Doing homework? Dana, Felton, and Flint were stunned once again. They had seen their boss take people out, but doing homework? It was an image they couldn''t even begin to fathom.


    "I''m heading to school,¡± Juniper said, putting down her knife and fork and walking past the dumbfounded trio "Tallshantextm going to the training grounds this afternoon. I''ll be leaving at seven."


    ????!


    Not long after she left, Shanley came downstairs, his hair slightly disheveled and dark circles under his eyes, looking utterly drained That girl must have saved up days of homework; he''d been writing essays and filling out test papers until six in the morning. He''d never put that much effort into a


    billion-dor deal.


    "Boss," Felton said, rying Juniper''s message.


    "Seven o''clock?" A small smile yed on Shanley''s lips.


    "Cancel my evening appointments,¡± he said calmly. "I''m going to the training grounds to pick her up."


    It was the perfect opportunity to see for himself just who this Melvin character investigating her was.

 Chapter 235

    At the training facility, Kurt''s speed was improving by leaps and bounds under Juniper''s guidance. In his final practice run, he finally broke the ten-minute mark, which all but guaranteed him a spot in the top five.


    "Ms. Payne, here''s some water for you," Ghoul said, holding a cup with both hands, his back bowed in a show of utmost respect. His face was stered with a fawning smile.


    Seeing Kurt''s incredible transformation, Ghoul had finally recognized the girl''s talent. His initial disdain had morphed into reverence, and now he was practically sucking up to her.


    Juniper took the water. "You didn''t poison it, did you?" she asked nonchntly.


    "Of course not," Ghoul said, lowering his head in shame. ¡°I was blind before, aplete fool. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, Ms. Payne.¡±


    He exined that he had just been anxious about Orient Country''s racing future and frustrated with that scoundrel, J. He insisted he meant no harm.


    ¡°Oh," Juniper said with a slight lift of her brow before taking a sip. It tasted fine.


    "Allow me, Ms. Payne," Ghoul said, smoothly taking the cup from her and offering a box of tissues. He grinned. ¡°Anything you need, just say the word."


    With her training, Kurt had broken ten minutes-a result they hadn''t even dared to dream of before. With a day and a half left until the race, a little more coaching could push his speed even further. It was only natural to treat her like royalty.


    Just then, Juniper''s phone vibrated. A message from Shanley popped up: [Juniper, I''m at the gate.]


    A smile spread across her face. He had understood her perfectly. When she told him she was leaving at seven, she knew he woulde to pick her up.


    "That''s enough for today," Juniper said, ncing at Ghoul.


    "You''re leaving already, Ms. Payne?" Ghoul''s face fell, and he scurried to keep up with her. With the race just two days away, he was hoping for every extra minute of training for Kurt.


    "If I keep watching him, Kurt''s nerves will snap," she said with a slight smirk. "You stay and have him run a few moreps. Record it and send me the video."


    Her presence made Kurt too tense to perform at his best. Without her watching, he might do even better.


    ¡°But there are still so many areas where Kurt needs¡ª"


    ¡°Just do as I say," Juniper stopped and fixed her gaze on him, her tone serious. "With me here, Orient Country will not lose."


    Her confident words and


    unwavering expression made Ghoul swallow hard. With J still missing, all their hopes were riding on Kurt. Ms. Payne clearly had skill... if she said they wouldn''t lose, he would believe her. It was a long shot, but wh?t other choice did they have? The rest was up to fate.


    ...


    Outside the training grounds, Shanley leaned casually against his sports car,


    holding a milkshake in one hand and his phone in the other.


    "Shanley," Kurt''s voice came through the phone, sounding agitated. "That guy Melvin has been staring Juniper the whole time, te''so definitely up to no good."


    Shanley listened, his eyes narrowing dangerously.


    "If Melvin actually finds J, what''s going to happen to Juniper?" Kurt worried aloud.


    At that moment, Shanley saw her emerge from the facility, with Melvin following close behind.


    "He won''t find J,¡± Shanley said, a cold smile touching his lips, his voice filled with certainty.


    "How can you be so sure?" Kurt asked. "I heard he hired Cybeic Shadows. They''re supposed to be legendary. They said that for the right price, they can dig up your family''s entire history."

 Chapter 236

    "I said he won''t, and he won''t," Shanley repeated, his eyes fixed on Melvin. Just as Kurt had said, the man''s gaze was practically glued to Juniper. "Now focus on your training."


    He hung up and strode forward.


    "Ms. Payne..." Melvin called out to Juniper, a faint smile on his lips. ¡°Do you have a moment? I''d be honored if you''d join me for a cup of coffee."


    Her driving technique today, many of her moves, had been strikingly simr to J''s. J''s style was notoriously difficult; countless drivers had tried to imitate it, only to end up in fiery crashes. It wasn''t something an ordinary person would dare to attempt. How had someone so young managed to learn it? Could it be that J had taught her? "That''s not going to happen," Juniper replied, shooting him a cold look.


    "Ms. Payne..." Melvin took a step closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "This isn''t about racing. It''s personal."


    Personal? Juniper''s expression remained frosty. She had nothing to say to him.


    "You look a lot like someone I used to know," Melvin said, his voice thick with emotion.


    Ever since he''d met her, he''d been dreaming every night. In his dreams, her face kept merging with his little sister''s. He just wanted to ask about her family, to put his restless mind at ease.


    "Oh?" Juniper arched an eyebrow, a single, cold word escaping her lips. "Don''t tell me you''re going to say I look like your sister."


    "How did you know?" Melvin''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    ¡°Please,¡± Juniper said, stuffing her hands in her pockets and tilting her chin up. ¡°Are cheesy pickup lines like that still a thing wherever you''re from?"


    Melvin stood frozen, his face flushing red then paling. "Ms. Payne, I''m serious," he said, his expression earnest. ¡°Do you have any siblings.....¡±


    "Juniper."


    A familiar voice cut through the air before Melvin could finish. They both turned to see Shanley


    vel


    approaching, backlit by the setting sun, his presencemanding.


    ¡°Here''s your milkshake,¡± Shanley said, putting a straw in the cup and handing it to her.


    Then, his gaze shifted to Melvin, and his eyes turned deadly.


    "Go wait in the car," Shanley said softly, taking her backpack. "I''ll handle this."


    "Okay,¡± Juniper nodded obediently. She took a sip of her milkshake, then added quietly, "I didn''t agree to get coffee with him."


    "Hmm?" Shanley paused for a second, then broke into a smile. Was she worried he''d misunderstand?


    "I know," he said, patting her head gently. "A girl like you wouldn''t waste her time on someone like him."


    Melvin frowned. Someone like him? What''s that supposed to mean?


    al.n


    "Right," Juniper mumbled, biting on her straw, an odd feeling stirring inside her. Why did she feel the need to exin herself to Shanley? Unwilling to meet his intense gaze any longer, she turned and walked towards the car.


    ¡°Ms. Payne¡ª¡± Melvin started to follow, not ready to give up.


    ghis


    "If you value your life, stay away from her, Shanley said, blocking path Achilling aura emanated from him as he delivered the warning, each wordced with ice.


    Melvin was forced to stop. He looked Shanley up and down before asking coolly,


    "And you are... to Ms. Payne?"


    Given his age, he had to be an uncle or some other rtive, right?

 Chapter 237

    ¡°Her future husband." Shanley stood before Melvin, a good half a head taller, his deep voiceced with a chilling authority.


    "Future husband?" Melvin couldn''t suppress augh. "Does the littledy''s family know about this?"


    If he remembered correctly, she was only eighteen, not even in college yet. And this man..... he looked to be pushing thirty. As the saying goes, every three years is a generation gap. There were at least three of those between them. Would her family really approve? If Ms. Payne were his sister, he certainly wouldn''t.


    At his words, Shanley''s expression turned frigid, a cold light glinting in his deep


    eyes.


    "Heh," Melvin chuckled, realizing he''d hit a nerve. "You''re overthinking things. I only admire Ms. Payne''s talent; I have no other intentions."


    "See that you don''t," Shanley retorted, his gaze icier than a winter storm. With that, he left.


    Melvin had hoped to learn about Juniper''s family through Shanley, but seeing the man looked ready to pounce and rip his throat out, he decided against it. He''d have to find another way to investigate privately.


    He nced over at the car where the girl was contentedly sipping her milkshake. The feeling of familiarity was overwhelming. Was he just desperate to find his sister, or was it something more?


    Melvin pulled out his phone and called his assistant. "Kane, I need you to run a background check on Juniper."


    ...


    Four days of training came to an end. Kurt''s speed and technique had improved dramatically. Barring any unforeseen incidents, he was a lock for a top-five finish tomorrow.


    Watching the footage of the confident, skilled driver on the screen, a smile yed on Melvin''s lips. The girl really was something special.


    "Melvin, we have a problem," his assistant, Kane, burst in, his face pale. "Cybeic Shadows... canceled the job."


    "Canceled?" Melvin frowned in confusion. Of the two top hacking groups in the world, Binary Oracle wasn''t taking new clients, and now Cybeic Shadows had backed out Could it be that had powerful connections?


    ¡°Let''s put the search for J on hold for now," Melvin said with a calm shrug. ¡°Kurt is more than enough."


    As long as Kurt secured Orient Country''s spot for next year''spetition, they could deal with the J situationter.


    "Right,¡± Kane nodded, then added, "There''s been aplication with your nationality transfer. Moralia Country has stipted that if you leave, you must forfeit all your past records and achievements."


    Kane''s expression soured. ¡°Essentially, if you renounce your Moralia Country citizenship and leave their racing team, you''ll have to start your entire racing career over from scratch."


    He had spent years climbing to the top of the international circuit. Starting over meant his points would be wiped clean. He''d be back at the bottom with the rookies. And Melvin was almost thirty, his prime as a racer was nearly over.


    "It doesn''t matter,¡± Melvin said, a faint smile on his lips, his voice steady. "Nothing is more important than my sister."


    Starting over was a small price to pay. He had the skill, and it was a gamble he was willing to take.


    Friday was race day, scheduled to start at 9:30 AM. With less than an hour to go, Juniper walked into her ssroom to find her ssmates buzzing with excitement.


    "This race is huge! So many champions arepeting, especially Melvin. I''m a massive fan."


    "His technique is incredible, and he''s so handsome... too bad he''s from Moralia Country."


    If he were from Orient Country, the student would have skipped ss to cheer for him in person.


    "I heard he''s been trying toe back to the country for a while," another boy chimed in. "My uncle works in immigration, and he said they received Melvin''s application for a nationality transfer ages ago."

 Chapter 238

    Juniper paused. Melvin wanted to transfer his nationality back to Orient Country? But that would mean all his previous aplishments would be nullified. He had been so determined to find J, terrified she would take his championship title. Why would he be willing to give it all up so easily? She couldn''t figure him out.


    And yesterday, he''d strangely imed she looked like his sister...


    Tossing her stic water bottle into the bin with a sharp tter, a thought suddenly struck her. One of the two things Melvin had hired Binary Oracle to investigate was his family, right? His sister.


    Juniper tried to recall Melvin''s features. He didn''t look anything like Jimmie.


    ...


    At nine o''clock, the bell rang, signaling the end of ss. Students immediately


    pulled out their phones to watch the F1 race live stream.


    "Only half an hour to go! Whichne is the Orient Country team in?¡±


    "It''s a shame J isn''t racing. None of these guys are even worthy of polishing J''s shoes."


    "The viewership ratings during the three years Jpeted were the highest in history. Orient Country racers were respected everywhere they went. Too bad J just vanished from the scene."


    "I heard J was in an ident and died," someone whispered, spreading a rumor. "That''s a load of crap!" Qadir, a die-hard J fan, shot to his feet, his face red with anger. "Don''t you dare curse my idol! I''m sure J''s alive and well."


    "If so, why isn''t Jpeting?" the other student retorted. ¡°J ims to be so patriotic, right? Doesn''t J know that if we lose this race, Orient Country could be barred from F1 next year, maybe forever?"


    Qadir was speechless, his eyes welling up. He didn''t have an answer. All he knew was that he trusted J had some reasons.


    ¡°Juniper, do you think we''re going to lose?" Qadir asked, turning to her. Her predictions were always eerily urate. If she thought they had a chance, they had a chance.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Juniper propped her chin on her hand, azy brow arched. "Why would we lose?"


    If Kurt lost this race, she''d personally break his legs.


    "Okay, that''s all I needed to hear," Qadir said, relieved. He pulled up a video of one of a''s races on his phone. "Juniper, look at my idol. Handsome, right?"  fo


    She


    Handsome? Juniper blinked, her expression unreadable. "Yeah," thought, "pretty handsome." No wonder everyone thought she was.


    some old guy.


    "Switch to the live stream," she said, ncing at the time. The drivers should be heading to the track.


    ¡°Right,¡± Qadir said, quickly switching feeds.


    "Wait a minute," he mumbled, "aren''t we supposed to be inne 10? Why is it empty?"


    Staring at the emptyne, Juniper frowned. Just as she was about to call Ghoul, her phone rang.


    "Hello?" she answered.


    "Ms. Payne, it''s a disaster!


    Something happened to Kurt!"


    Ghoul''s voice was trembling


    violently.


    There was an ident...


    both his legs are broken. I don''t think


    he can race..."


    At that exact moment, the live broadcast showed an ambnce arriving at the


    scene.


    "What? Kurt''s legs are broken? How can he race now?"


    "He''s the only onepeting for Orient Country! If he''s injured, does that mean we have to withdraw?"


    "Withdraw?"


    "It''s over! Kurt was our best shot. No one else stands a chance. Unless... unless J shows up."

 Chapter 239

    "Ms. Payne, what are we going to do?" Ghoul, a man nearly forty with borate tattoos snaking up his arms, was sobbing, tears and snot streaming down his face. "There''s only half an hour until the race. It''s toote to find a recement. Even if we could, we''d still lose."


    It was over. They had no viable driver, and no way to contact J. The future of racing in Orient Country was about to be extinguished.


    "Ms. Payne..." Ghoul wiped his eyes, his voice choked with despair. "Thank you for all your help training Kurt. I..."


    "Who said Orient Country is going to lose?" Juniper''s voice cut through his sobbing, sharp and firm, her grip tightening on the phone. Her words wereced with an explosive power.


    "What do you mean, Ms. Payne?" Ghoul asked, confused. They werepletely out of options.


    "Stay put. I''m on my way," she said and hung up, quickly stuffing her things into her bag.


    "Juniper, where are you going?" Qadir and Queenie asked, watching her with puzzled expressions.


    ¡°I have something to do,¡± she replied, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. She tore a piece of paper from a notebook and scribbled: [Juniper is requesting one day of leave. Approval appreciated.]


    Then she took out a test paper covered in correct answers and handed it, along with the note, to Qadir.


    "You need the dean''s signature for a leave request..." Qadir stammered, looking down at the hastily written note. Juniper had just taken a leave of absence; asking for another one so soon was unlikely to be approved by the dean. Besides, he didn''t have the guts to take it to him.


    "I know," Juniper said, her gaze fixed on him. "Give the test paper and the note to the physics teacher. Tell him if he gets the leave slip signed, I''ll solve the remaining problems for him when I get back."


    The only person in the entire school who could strong-arm the dean was their notoriously difficult physics teacher, Keith.


    With that, Juniper strode out of the ssroom.


    Qadir clutched the note, wondering if the physics teacher would actually go to the


    dean for her. It wasmon knowledge that the two were bitter rivals.


    Hesitantly he pushed open the door to the physics teacher''s office. "Sir, Juniper needs to take a day off for an urgent matter. She was hoping you could get the dean to sign her leave request."


    "Leave again?" Keith grumbled, not looking up from a test paper he''d been struggling with all day. The thought of Juniper taking time off only souted his mood further, "Absolutely not."


    Thest time she''d taken leave, the dean had lectured him endlessly. He wasn''t about to go through that again.


    "Sir, if you''d just look at this..." Following Juniper''s instructions, Qadir gestured toward the test paper attached to the note.


    "Look at what Tell her there''s no


    way I''m getting her..." Keith''s eyes flickered to the paper, and his words died in his throat. He snatched it up, his eyes widening as he flipped it over and back, examining the solutions. The first few problems on this notoriously difficult test were all solved correctly. This was exactly what he needed.


    "Juniper said if you take care of the leave slip, she''ll take care of your remaining problems,¡± Qadir ryed.


    "No problem. Leave it to me," Keith dered, grabbing the note and marching toward the dean''s office.


    A few minutester, Qadir crept to the dean''s office door and listened in. He could hear the two men shouting.


    Keith: "I don''t care, you are signing this today!"


    The Dean: "Is Juniper trying to start a rebellion?"


    Keith: "So what if she is? If the sky falls, I''ll hold it up for her!"


    The Dean: "When she gets back, tell her to report to my office immediately!"


    Keith: "You dare yell at her? You upset her, and you''ll answer to me!"


    "If her mood is bad, she can''t focus," Keith thought, ¡°and if she can''t focus, how is


    she supposed to teach me how to solve this problem?"

 Chapter 240

    Listening to them argue, Qadir pulled out his phone and sent a message to Juniper: [Leave slip signed.]


    Just as he hit send, a notification from the official F1 racing channel popped up on


    his screen.


    [Driver Kurt has been injured in an ident. Orient Country has requested a substitution. The recement driver is pending.]


    ¡°Damn,¡± Qadir sighed. It didn''t matter who they substituted. Unless it was J, it was hopeless. And that was clearly impossible.


    ...


    Twenty minutester, Juniper arrived at the racetrack.


    A crowd of doctors stood outside Kurt''s private lounge. ording to reports, after inspecting his car, he had been walking past another team''s area when he identally slipped and fell into a maintenance pit. A heavy piece of equipment, weighing dozens of pounds, hadnded directly on his legs. Both were fractured instantly, the bones severely disced. He couldn''t even move, let alone race.


    But Kurt was obsessed with the race and refused to give up. No matter how much Ghoul pleaded, he wouldn''t leave. If he got into that car with those legs, he might not survive the race.


    "Can''t you get your priorities straight?" Ghoul yelled, his own heart aching. ¡°Life is more important! I''m trying to contact other drivers..."


    "What''s the point of bringing in someone else?" Kurt gritted his teeth, his forehead slick with sweat from the pain. "If I''m going to die, I''ll die in that car."


    He was carrying the hopes of his family and the entire future of racing for Orient Country. He couldn''t back down.


    He nced over and saw several foreign drivers across the way, arms crossed, smirking at him. It clicked. If he ced in the top five, those very drivers would be eliminated. This wasn''t an ident; it was sabotage.


    "Those sons of bitches," Kurt snarled, his fists clenched and his eyes red. "Ghoul, help me to the car."


    If he withdrew now, every racer from Orient Country would be aughingstock for years toe. He would not let anyone look down on his country.


    "Stop this madness," Ghoul said, trying to restrain him. He swallowed hard. "Ms. Payne said she''sing. She told us not to worry. She said... Orient Country will not lose."


    But there were less than ten minutes until the race started. Where was she? Five minutes before the start, if a driver wasn''t in the prepne, they would be automatically disqualified.


    ¡°Juniper?¡± Kurt clutched his broken legs, his face pale. ¡°She can''t do anything. She has no points, no license topete."


    Ghoul fell silent. It was true. Even if Juniper had the skill, she couldn''t legally get on the track.


    As the clock ticked down, Orient


    Country''sne remained empty. On the broadcast, fans from Orient Country


    began to tower their heads


    and silently put away their gs. Some were already heading for the exits. The race... was truly over. C¨®ntent


    Meanwhile, Melvin stood by his car, his brow furrowed as he stared at the empty tenthne. He hadn''t expected such a disaster. With Kurt injured and J refusing to appear, Orient country''s racing legacy was about toe to an abrupt end.


    "Final ten seconds..." the announcer''s voice boomed.


    Once the countdown finished, the prepne would officially close. Orient Country''s driver had failed to appear, meaning they had forfeited. Their score would be zero. "Five... four... three..."


    The announcer''s voice was like a series of daggers plunging into the hearts of the spectators. They had been prepared to lose, but they never imagined they wouldn''t even get topete. There was no point in cheering now. It was better te leave than stay and be humiliated.


    "Let''s go, let''s go," fans muttered, turning to leave.


    "Two..."


    Before the final number could be spoken, another announcer''s voice, trembling with excitement, cut through the air: "Orient Country''s substitute driver is in position!"

 Chapter 241

    What? Orient Country actually had a substitute driver?


    F1 wasn''t like any other race. It required an umtion of enough points just to qualify. Orient Country only had a handful of drivers eligible topete in F1, and besides their top driver, Kurt, the rest were all training abroad. Even if they wanted to race, they couldn''t possibly make it back in time.


    So, who else could it be?


    Could it be... the legendary J, who had vanished for years?


    The announcement sent a ripple through the crowd. Fans andpetitors alike craned their necks, their eyes glued to the massive screen.


    Melvin''s nerves tightened. In a crisis like this, only J could possibly turn the tide. Could it really be J? He held his breath, his hands slowly clenching into fists as he stared at the screen.


    A momentter, a tall figure appeared. d in a white racing suit with a red belt cinched at the waist and a helmet obscuring their face, their gender was impossible to determine as they walked slowly into view.


    A roar erupted from the stands.


    "J!" someone screamed at the top of their lungs. "It''s really J!"


    "No way, is this for real? I can''t believe I''m seeing J in my lifetime!"


    "Ahhh! It''s true, it''s true!¡± a man yelled, his voice raw with emotion. "J is my idol! I''d recognize J even if J were reduced to ashes!"


    "With J on the track, Orient Country is saved!"


    "How is this possible..."


    The three drivers from Ynia Country exchanged looks of pure disbelief. Weren''t the rumors true? Hadn''t J died in a car ident?


    "J has never shown a face. How do we know this isn''t just some imposter they hired?" one of them muttered.


    "I''ve seen J race before. The resemnce is uncanny," the bug-eyed driver said, his voice hoarse as he stared intently at the figure. ¡°If J is racing, what chance do we have?"


    Their team had been disqualified in previous races for foul y, leaving their point total just as low as Orient Country''s. To secure their spot for next year, one of them had to finish in the top five. Their n hadbeen simple take out Orient Country''s driver. They never expected to show up. With J on the track, what chance did anyone else have?


    "We proceed with n B," the blond driver said, popping a piece of chewing gum into his mouth, his expression turning venomous. n A was to cause an ''ident'' to prevent Orient Country frompeting. If that failed, n B came into effect. Only one of their three drivers needed to ce in the top five. The other two could run interference, employing sacrificial tactics to block Orient Country''s car. More importantly, they had already tampered with Kurt''s race car. Winning? He''d be lucky to get out alive.


    "Understood," the other two men replied with a knowing nod.


    So what if it was J? Anyone who got in their way wouldn''t be leaving the track in one piece.


    While others debated the identity of


    the mysterious driver, Melvin


    recognized the driver instantly. During the three years J had been gone, he had watched J''s race


    videos every single day, memorizing everything from J''s physique to driving style. There was no mistake. It was J.


    Orient Country was saved. His dream was finally within reach. A wide smile spread across Melvin''s face, his heart pounding with excitement.


    Meanwhile, in the lounge, Kurt was struggling to crawl towards the door, determined to race despite his injuries. Ghoul was right behind him, desperately pulling on his


    leg.

 Chapter 242

    "Holy crap!"


    Ghoul''s eyes went wide as he saw the figure on the screen. He let go of Kurt''s leg and rubbed his eyes furiously, hardly daring to believe it. "It''s really J! That legend finally showed up!"


    "Aaargh!" Kurt cried out in pain as his leg was abruptly released.


    "Sorry, sorry!" Ghoul snapped back to reality at the pained shout and scrambled to help him.


    "Who?" Kurt, drenched in a cold sweat, grabbed a fistful of Ghoul''s hair, his excitement overriding the pain. "Who did you say is here?"


    "J," Ghoul yelped, feeling his scalp protest as he was pulled into a contorted position.


    Kurt stared at the big screen, where the racer''s name was now disyed: J.


    He had heard the legends about J but had never seen J in person. He never imagined their first meeting would be under these circumstances. Suddenly, his two broken legs felt entirely worth it.


    "How did J know you were in trouble? The timing is perfect," Ghoul wondered aloud. Less than half an hour had passed between Kurt''s ident and J''s appearance.


    "Never mind that," Kurt finally calmed down, his voice strained with pain. "Get the doctor in here, I think I''m gonna pass out."


    Ghoul scoffed. "Weren''t you just screaming about getting back to the race?"


    Thankfully, J had appeared. Otherwise, he had no doubt this idiot would have actually tried to race with two broken legs.


    ¡°But still.....¡± Ghoul frowned, his gaze fixed on J with concern. "J hasn''t raced in three years. What if J''s skills are rusty?"


    The track was unfamiliar to J, and then there was the car... For a racer, the car was a critical factor in winning or losing.


    "Hmph," Kurt sneered through gritted teeth. "That''s not what J


    who should be worried are those


    should be worried about. The et


    three bastards in thene next to J."


    "Damn them,¡± Ghoul said, his fists clenching as he remembered who was responsible for Kurt''s condition. "They think J is some kind of pushover?"


    They were about to pick a fight with a legend; they wouldn''t even know what hit them.


    On the track, the entire stadium echoed with chants of J''s name, the atmosphere electric.


    ¡°This race has all the champions from thest few seasons. J hasn''tpeted in three years. Can J still perform at that level?"


    "Melvin''s no slouch either. J is stepping in at thest minute; a win is far from guaranteed."


    Juniper calmly fastened her suit, strolling unhurriedly towards the tenthne.


    Melvin watched the mysterious,pletely covered figure approach, a powerful sense of familiarity


    washing over him. Was something


    wrong with his eyestely?


    ? Why did


    everyone seem so familiar?


    "It''s an honor to meet you," Melvin said, breaking the silence. And he meant it. He


    finally had a way to convince J to take Juniper on as a student.


    "You''re celebrating a bit too soon," Juniper replied, turning her head slightly, her voice casual.


    Melvin froze. Did he hear that right? It sounded like a woman''s.


    As she walked past the Ynia Countryne, Juniper paused, her gaze sweeping


    over the three men. Through her visor, her eyes were like ice.


    The three of them swallowed hard, a nervous tension gripping them. It was J, the god of the racing world. Every race J entered, J won.


    ket


    But even the greatest skill in the world couldn''t save you from a car designed to fail. If they weren''t mistaken, today''s biggest headline would be Dies in Frery Crash


    A triumphant smirk appeared on all three of their faces.

 Chapter 243

    "Final minute of preparation."


    As the announcer''s voice echoed, a faint smirk yed on Juniper''s lips. Shezily retracted her gaze and settled into Kurt''s car.


    "Ready."


    A hush fell over the crowd.


    "BANG!"


    The sharp crack of the starter pistol shattered the silence, and nine cars shot forward with incredible speed. The car in the tenthne followed at a more leisurely pace.


    The race was twentyps around the circuit, with rankings determined by who finished first. The faster the time, the higher the rank and the more points awarded. The points from this race would be added to the totals from previouspetitions. Only the top ten countries would qualify for the next F1 season.


    Both Ynia Country and Orient Country had made critical errors in earlier races, leaving them at the bottom of the leaderboard. To break into the top ten, they had to finish in the top five in this race. Consequently, all eyes were on them.


    Ynia Country had three drivers, three chances. Orient Country had only J. Despite J''s legendary skill, the crowd quickly noticed something was wrong.


    "What''s going on? We''re onep in, and J is inst ce!"


    "Melvin is in first, the Ynia drivers are in fourth, fifth, and sixth, and J is deadst in tenth!¡± a man eximed, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. He was one of J''s most devoted fans and had been to nearly every one of J''s races. J had never started a race without immediately iming the lead, let alone falling to the very back of the pack.


    "Maybe J''s rusty after not racing for three years?"


    "Really?" Other fans grew uneasy, their faces etched with concern. Was J actually going to lose?


    Orient Country had drawn a poor starting position. The tenthne was on the far outside, making it treacherous on the turns; a slight miscalction could send the car flying off the track.


    Since it was her first time on this circuit, Juniper took the first twops slowly, familiarizing herself with theyout.


    Seeing J so far behind him, the blond driver from Ynia Country smirked. So this was the legendary J? Not so impressive after all.


    Melvin, while maintaining his lead, kept a close eye on the car at the back. What was happening? This wasn''t J''s true level of skill.


    The entire stadium held its breath,


    eyes fixed on J''s car. Threeps down, and J was still inst ce. If this continued would never be able to catch up, no matter how fast. Was the legend of J about to end?


    Just as doubt began to creep in, the car at the rear of the pack began to elerate. With a deafening roar, the red car shot forward like a


    gale force wind, weaving past car after car with a wild yet steady grace.


    The blond driver''s smirk hadn''t even faded when the very person he was mocking shot past him in a blur. His smile froze on his face.


    In moments, Juniper had overtaken the cars ahead and pulled up alongside Melvin. The two cars were now parallel. The duel of masters had officially begun.


    "YES! J is back! This is the J I know!"


    "That''s J''s signature style! Go, J, go!"


    The once-somber atmosphere in the stadium ignited with Juniper''s sudden surge. Cheers and shouts echoed through the air, shaking the entire venue.


    With only fourps to go, Juniper heard a strange sounding from her car, seemingly from the fuel tank. She nced at her rearview mirror and saw sparks flying from beneath her tires.


    I. n.


    On an F1 track, at these speeds, a problem with the fuel tank could lead to a catastrophic explosion Thats why every car underwent rigorous pre-race inspections. There was no doubt in her mind: Kurt''s car had been deliberately sabotaged.


    A cold smile touched Juniper''s lips as her hands tightened on the steering wheel.


    Anyone else in this situation would immediately stop to save their own life. A fuel leak was a serious issue, and repairs would be slow. Stopping now meant forfeiting the race.

 Chapter 244

    But she was not anyone else.


    "Did you see that? J''s car is sparking!" someone in the stands shouted, pointing out the anomaly.


    "You''re right, it''sing from the fuel line," another fan, who knew about cars, confirmed. ¡°If the fuel tank catches fire and J doesn''t stop immediately, that speed will definitely cause an explosion."


    "But look! J is not showing any signs of stopping!"


    In the lounge, Kurt and Ghoul saw the situation unfold on the live broadcast.


    "Damn it!" Ghoul shot to his feet, his eyes wide with horror as he stared at the screen. "Why isn''t J slowing down?"


    Kurt, freshly bandaged, ignored the searing pain in his legs. ¡°Call J,¡± hemanded, his voice grim. The car was equipped with amunication device.


    "Right, right," Ghoul fumbled for his phone and dialed the car''s number. The moment the call connected, he yelled, "J, your car''s on fire! Slow down and pull over, now!"


    Juniper, her helmet on, was too focused on the mes and the track ahead to spare a moment to speak.


    "J, did you hear me?" Ghoul knew what J was thinking and pleaded desperately. "It''s okay if we lose this one! There will be other chances!"


    Orient Country''s entire racing future depended on J. If something happened to J, what would they do?


    "J, stop the car!" Kurt couldn''t help but shout, his voice cracking. He finally believed J was truly racing for their country.


    Juniper heard them but remained silent. Only twops left. But the sparks were growingrger. She knew she would have to elerate for the final twops, and when she hit the gas, the car would undoubtedly burst into mes. Gripping the steering wheel, with beads of sweat forming on her brow, her mind raced, searching for a solution.


    Melvin nced back and saw the mes licking at the rear of J''s car, growing more intense by the second.


    "Stop!¡± he yelled, waving his hand frantically at J. Was J insane? Was a win really worth a life?


    Juniper turned her head slightly, her eyes narrowing. But she didn''t slow down. Stopping? She had never stopped on a racetrack, never forfeited a race in her life.


    Seeing that J had no intention of slowing down-in fact, J was getting faster-the blond Ynia driver frantically signaled his two


    2???


    teammates. They nodded, yanking their steering wheels hard, preparing to use a kamikaze tactic to force J''s car to a halt.


    Juniper''s eyes darkened at the sight, a wider, colder smile spreading across her lips. She turned her wheel, steering directly towards them.


    The two drivers couldn''t believe it. Not only was J not dodging, J wasing right at them. J''s car was on fire! A collision would kill them all. This wasn''t part of the n.


    As the distance closed, terror seized them. At thest possible second, just before impact, they desperately swerved away. But it was toote Their Cars, unable to separate time, collided and stalled out on the track. Both drivers were knocked unconscious.


    "Dammit!" the blond driver mmed his fist on his steering wheel as ke watched J leave him in the dust. He quicklyposed himself. It was the finalp if Jdidn''t slow down, the car was going to explode.


    "J!" Melvin could see J was choosing victory over the life. He pushed his car to its limit, chasing after J. The gap between them was barely two seconds, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t catch up.


    As the finish line grew closer, the fire engulfing J''s car grewrger. The hearts of everyone watching were in their throats.


    800 meters.


    500 meters.


    300 meters.


    Almost there. Just a little further. Less than ten meters from the finish line...


    "BOOM!"


    Juniper''s car erupted in a massive fireball.

 Chapter 245

    The mes leaped high into the air, quickly consuming the entire car as thick ck smoke billowed across the track.


    "Did the car cross the finish line? The fire''s too big, I can''t see!"


    ording to the rules, the entire car had to cross the line for the finish to count.


    "What about J? Is J still in there?"


    "Where are the safety crews? Save J!"


    "Who would dare get close to a fire that big?"


    As the crowd descended into panic, a second, more violent explosion ripped through the burning car.


    Melvin reached the finish line just then. Without a second''s hesitation, he leaped from his car, grabbed a fire extinguisher, and charged toward the inferno. But the intense wave of heat forced him back.


    "BOOM!"


    The explosions continued, painting the sky a terrifying shade of orange.


    "Melvin, wait!" a track official grabbed him. "The fire trucks are on their way!"


    J hadn''t emerged yet; the oue was grimly obvious. Rushing in now was suicide.


    "Get off me!"


    Melvin''s mind was consumed with one thought: save J. He shoved the official aside and activated the extinguisher. Even if the chance was slim, he had to try.


    "J!"


    In the lounge, Ghoul and Kurt watched in horror as J''s car was engulfed in mes. Their faces went pale.


    "You stay here, I''ll go check," Ghoul said, holding down Kurt, who was trying to get up.


    Kurt was frantic, but his legs, freshly set with steel tes, were useless.


    "Ahhh!" he roared in anguish, mming his fist into the sofa, his eyes turning red If he hadn''t let his


    eyes and fallen for the trap


    guard down


    wouldn''t have had to step in. If hadn''t raced, this wouldn''t have happened. It was all his fault.


    As guilt tore through him, his phone rang. It was his cousin, Shanley.


    "Sha-" Kurt answered, his voice hoarse. Before he could finish, Shanley''s urgent voice cut through the line. "Where is Juniper?"


    ¡°Juniper?¡± Kurt, lost in his grief, was slow to react. ¡°She said she wasing to the track, but I haven''t seen her."


    "The car that''s on fire-have they put it out yet?"


    Shanley''s cold voice wasced with a desperate urgency that sent a chill down


    Kurt''s spine. His own legs were shattered, yet Shanley wasn''t asking about him. He was asking about Juniper.


    "Speak!" Shanley''s roar was so loud it nearly made Kurt drop the phone.


    The live broadcast had been cut after the explosion. All Shanley knew was that Kurt had been injured and y was subbing for him. He had


    suspected Juniper might be, but it was unconfirmed Before he could get to the track, he heard that J''s car had exploded. He had hacked into the security cameras, but the scene was pure chaos, and there was no sign of the girl getting out of the car.


    Kurt stammered, his face ashen. "The fire... The fire''s not out yet!"


    The car''s fuel reserves wererge, and J''s constant eleration had caused a major leak, making the ze incredibly difficult to extinguish.


    ¡°Boss, we can''t reach Ms. Payne''s phone," Felton''s voice suddenly came through from Shanley''s end. "Qadir said she took leave from school half an hour ago."


    Half an hour ago? A thought


    suddenly struck Kurt like lightning. Juniper had also said she wasing to the track half an hour ago. If he remembered correctly, the time arved at the track perfectly matched the time Juniper would have left school.


    He recalled how skilled Juniper had been when she was teaching him to race, how


    she had confidently dered that Orient Country would not lose...


    Could it be...?


    Kurt''s mouth fell open. ¡°Shanley,¡± he asked, his voice trembling with disbelief, "is Juniper... J?"

 Chapter 246

    Shanley didn''t answer, his eyes fixed on the live security feed.


    Kurt''s suspicion hardened into certainty. Juniper was J. If that was true, then the person in that burning wreck... was Juniper. If something happened to her, how could he ever face Shanley?


    "Someone, get in here!" Kurt could no longer remain calm. He screamed for the doctor, his face a mask of terror. "Take me to the track, now!"


    Soon, news that the legendary J had returned after three years only to perish on the racetrack shot to the top of every news outlet.


    At Aurora High School, Qadir and the other boys in ss were inconsble, their sobs echoing through the halls. Someone even suggested they pool their money to buy offerings for J''s memorial.


    Meanwhile, at the F1 circuit, the other drivers had crossed the finish line. The race was officially over. Everyone stared at the burning wreckage, their brows furrowed. From their vantage point, it looked as though the rear wheels of J''s car hadn''t fully cleared the finish line. If that was the case, J might have sacrificed the life for nothing, failing to secure Orient Country''s qualification. That meant Ynia Country had sessfully ced in the top five, defeating Orient Country.


    The race would surely go down in history, but for all the wrong reasons. The legend of the racing world had changed. There would be no more drivers from Orient Country on the international F1 stage.


    The event was hosted in Orient Country, and over ny percent of the audience were locals. Their tion at J''s appearance had turned into profound grief. Orient Country had lost not just its spot in F1, but also its most brilliant driver. Had they known this would be the oue, they would have preferred J never showed up. At least then, with J still out there somewhere, there would have been hope for Orient Country''s racing program to one day rise again. But now... it was all over.


    Melvin stood frozen, the empty fire extinguisher still in his hand, his body covered in ash. He stared nkly at the mes, a crushing sense of helplessness washing over him.


    "We won," one of the Ynia drivers said, a victorious smile spreading across his face as he watched J''s funeral pyre. This race had not only eliminated a rival country but had also taken out


    the very driver who


    had once crushed their country''s


    pride. Finally, they had their revenge.


    On the highway, Shanley had pushed Flint aside and taken the wheel himself. He


    floored the elerator, the car moving so fast it became a blur.


    Flint clutched his seatbelt, his heart pounding in his chest. In all his years working for his boss he had never been in a car moving this fast it felt like his soul couldn''t keep up with his body.


    "Boss, the fire is starting to die


    down," Felton reported, holding


    tablet with a live feed. His voice wasced with dread. "There''s sto


    sign of... Ms. Payne."


    The fire had raged for a full five minutes. For Ms. Payne to still be missing... the outlook was grim. He didn''t dare say the words out loud.


    "Juniper is fine,¡± Shanley''s voice was firm, but his handsome face was drained of all color, as pale as paper. His hands trembled on the steering wheel.


    Felton and Flint exchanged a worried nce. They couldn''t imagine what would happen to their boss if Ms. Payne had truly perished in the mes.


    Just then, the announcer''s shocked voice red from the tablet: "Look! Is that J?"


    Shanley snatched the tablet, his bloodshot eyes locking onto the screen. He saw...

 Chapter 247

    A slender figure in a white racing suit and helmet emerged from the heart of the fire. Surrounded by roaring mes and swirling smoke, the figure stood with an aura of


    defiant power.


    "It''s really her." Shanley kept one hand on the wheel while his other gently caressed the image of the girl on the screen. Even though her helmet and suit concealed herpletely, he knew in an instant it was his girl.


    "Thank God," Felton finally let out the breath he''d been holding the entire drive. As they neared the circuit, he asked respectfully, "Boss, are we going to the track?"


    Shanley''s presence would surely cause a stir.


    "Yes," Shanley''s voice, low and hoarse, had regained some of its warmth. "Go check on Kurt. His legs are broken, correct?"


    "Yes, sir," Felton nodded. It was a relief. The boss had finally remembered Kurt.


    "J! It''s J! J''s alive!"


    As the figure became clear, the silent, grieving crowd erupted into a deafening roar of cheers and disbelief.


    Melvin, who had been standing like a lifeless statue, snapped his head up. His eyes lit up, and a slow, brilliant smile spread across his handsome face. Of course. This was J. J had dominated dozens of international races without a single mishap. How could J possibly die on the home turf?


    "What?"


    The celebratory mood among the Ynia Country team vanished. How could J possibly be alive?


    "Boss, what do we do?" the two drivers asked the blond man, their faces pale with panic.


    "What are you afraid of?" the blond man shot them a cold look, his voice steady. "So what if J''s alive? J didn''t cross the finish line. No score."


    The top-five finish still belonged to Ynia Country.


    The other two looked at the wreckage, their hearts pounding. From their angle, it looked awfully like... J had made it.


    Juniper rolled her wrists. She had barely taken a step out of the fire when Ghoul copsed at her feet, wailing loudly.


    "J, I thought I''d never see you again!"


    he sobbed. "Thank heaven, thank


    earth, thank every deity thank eight generations of my ancestors for watching over you..."


    Juniper looked down at him with a hint of disdain. That sounded suspiciously like a


    curse. His ancestors were probably not pleased.


    "As long as you''re okay, that''s all


    that matters, Ghoul wiped his tears, shakily getting to his feet. He nced at the charred skeleton of


    the can his heart still racing W


    fear "As for the race, it doesn''t matter if we lost. We''ll have other chances."


    Lost? Juniper narrowed her eyes. That word wasn''t in her vocabry.


    "You handle the award ceremony. I have something to do," she ordered, her voice intentionally low.


    She checked her phone and started walking away. Shanley had called her dozens of times. He had just texted to say he was at the track. He must have seen what happened. He was probably going to need someforting.


    Award ceremony? Ghoul was confused. Didn''t their car fail to cross the finish line?


    Just then, the announcer''s voice boomed over the speakers.


    ¡°Lane ten, Orient Country, final time..... eight minutes. First ce!"


    "With this race, J has once again broken their own record, ushering in the 8-minute era."


    The broadcast immediately cut to a close-up of J''s car.

 Chapter 248

    An official was carefully measuring the distance between the rear wheel and the finish line. A momentter, the conclusion was announced. J''s car had crossed the line by exactly three centimeters.


    "J''s result is valid! The winner of this race is J, representing Orient Country!"


    The only remaining mystery was how J had managed to cross the finish line with such precision and escape the car just moments before it exploded. As other countries began to question the result, the racemittee, following protocol, yed the footage from the dashcam.


    On the video, J could be seen pushing the car to its limits the moment the fire started. This reckless eleration caused the fuel tank to overheat, which would lead to an explosion, but it also generated a massive increase in thrust, making the car faster than a normal eleration would allow. In essence, the fire itself was propelling the car forward.


    As for J''s escape... all the other racers leaned in, their eyes glued to the screen, not wanting to miss a single detail. Ten seconds before the final explosion, J had done the unthinkable. J had cut the brake lines, using the resulting loss of hydraulic pressure to counteract the force of the throttle. One wrong move and it would have elerated the explosion. But this was J. In the final seconds, J controlled the steering perfectly, calcting the exact moment the car would cross the finish line. Then, J kicked open the door and rolled out onto the asphalt. The instant J hit the ground, the car blew up in a plume of smoke and fire.


    When the footage ended, the racers in the room were speechless. A madman''s n could only be executed by a madman. Anyone else would have given up out of fear. But J had gambled with life, and J had won. They had to admit, they werepletely and utterly outssed.


    "Where''s J?" the racers finally snapped out of their stupor, looking around. "And Melvin''s gone too."


    "Are there any further objections to the race results?¡± an official asked.


    "Yes," Ghoul spoke up, his face grim. "We have reason to believe that the injuries sustained by our driver, Kurt, and the malfunction of his vehicle were the result of malicious


    sabotage Therefore, Orient Country. officially requests a full investigation of all security footage from the circuit."


    Malicious sabotage? At his words, all eyes in the room turned toward the Ynja. ?ountry team. Everyone had seen them try to box in J during the race They had the most to gain from Orient Country''s loss. Besides, Yatania Country had a history of foul y. It wouldn''t be surprising if they''d resorted to their old tricks.


    The blond driver clenched his fists but maintained a calm expression. Let them investigate. They wouldn''t have made a move like this without covering their tracks. They had paid a top-tier hacker a fortune to infiltrate the surveince system and alter the footage. No ordinary expert would be able to spot the tampering. To restore the original video, the organizers would need to bring in someone from Cybeic Shadows or Binary Oracle.


    ...


    As the organizersunched their investigation, Juniper, still in her racing suit and helmet, was walking toward the lounge. She hadn''t gone far when she saw Shanley striding towards her, his face dark and a chilling aura radiating from him.


    "Yikes", she thought. "He looks really... mad." But then again, he probably couldn''t recognize her in this getup, right?


    Just as she was feeling smug, Shanley suddenly opened his arms and pulled her into a tight, crushing hug.


    Juniper froze.

 Chapter 249

    Aside from her grandfather, Juniper had never been hugged by a man before. A strange, indescribable feeling shot through her, and her mind went nk. She was still in her racing suit, her helmet on. How on earth did Shanley recognize her?


    Shanley said nothing, just held her as if she were a priceless treasure he had almost lost forever.


    "Ahem..." Juniper finally managed a weak cough as her lungs began to protest. She poked a single finger into his chest.


    "Let go", she thought. "It would be ironic to survive a fiery explosion only to be suffocated in his arms."


    "Sorry." Shanley immediately released her. His handsome face was still pale, and his voice was unbelievably hoarse. "Are you hurt anywhere?"


    ¡°No, but.....¡± Juniper shook her head, then pulled a few pieces of candy from her pocket. Her voice was muffled and indignant. "They''re... all... crushed!"


    Shanley had bought her this candy himself! She hadn''t even eaten a single piece!


    Shanley stared at her. At a time like this, she was worried about candy? He didn''t know whether tough or be angry.


    "As long as you''re okay," he finally said, a wave of relief washing over him. His voice softened. "As for the candy, I''ll buy you more. As much as you want.¡±


    "Oh," Juniper mumbled, her anger subsiding.


    "Aren''t you hot?" Shanley''s gaze fell on the heavy helmet on her head, and he frowned. "Shouldn''t you go to the lounge and change?"


    The area was in chaos, with everyone moring to get a glimpse of J. Her racing suit was far too conspicuous.


    "Mmm," Juniper nodded. She wasn''t ready to reveal her identity just yet.


    "Let''s go." A faint smile touched Shanley''s lips as he instinctively took her hand his brow furrowing slightly. "We should also check on Kurt white we''re at it."


    As Shanley''s hand closed around hers, a warm current flowed through her, and her longshes fluttered.


    When he noticed she wasn''t moving, Shanley turned back, realizing he had acted without thinking. He started to let go. "Sorry, I was just... afraid of losing you."


    Those few minutes while he waited for her to emerge from the fire had felt like centuries. For the first time, he understood what true terror felt like.


    Hearing his words and seeing his pale face, Juniper pursed her lips and quickly grabbed his hand before he could pull away.


    "Then you can keep holding it," she said softly.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Shanley''s eyebrows lifted, surprised by her initiative. His eyes stared intently at her.


    "Are you going to hold it or not?" A blush crept up Juniper''s cheeks. She turned her head away, trying to act nonchnt.


    ¡°I am,¡± Shanley''s lips curved into a gentle smile as he led her toward the lounge.


    The race rules stated that the lounge was forpetitors only.


    "You go change. I''ll go to the medical office and check on Kurt," Shanley said. He had heard that when Kurt found out about J''s ident, he had


    nearly crawled to the track after the doctor refused to let him go.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Juniper nodded. After they parted ways, she headed for the lounge. She had


    only taken a few steps when a man''s voice called out from a nearby corner.


    "J!"


    Melvin? Juniper was surprised to see him. When her car was on fire, he was the only one who had tried to save her. Dight he want to win the championship? Why would he risk his life for her? He should have been on the track, waiting for the official results.

 Chapter 250

    If she hadn''t actually crossed the finish line, the championship would have been his. What was he doing here? It was strange.


    "J, it''s an honor to meet you." Melvin walked up to her, taking off his gloves and extending a hand.


    Juniper didn''t move, her gaze fixed on him through her visor. He really did seem happy to see her.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Juniper returned the handshake briefly before pulling her hand back. "Is there something you need?"


    Melvin paused for a moment, a flicker of confusion on his face. J''s voice... it sounded distinctly feminine.


    "Yes," he said, recovering quickly. He knew J had a habit of disappearing right after a race. He had to state his purpose before J vanished.


    "J, I need you to watch this video," Melvin said, holding out his phone.


    Juniper took it, nearly dropping it in shock. It was a video of her teaching Kurt how to drive.


    "What is this about?" she asked, her voice low and muffled.


    "She''s an eighteen-year-old girl, but her racing technique is exceptional..." Melvin began to praise her enthusiastically. "The most important thing is, her style is incredibly simr to yours, J. With systematic training, she could be a true prodigy..."


    Juniper''s cheeks grew warm as she listened to Melvin praise her so earnestly.


    ¡°If a talent like her could join Orient Country''s national racing association, our country would undoubtedly shine on the world stage in the future," Melvin finished in a rush.


    Juniper frowned. "Join Orient Country''s racing association?" she asked, puzzled. She had assumed he wanted her to join his team, which was based in Moralia Country.


    "Yes," Melvin nodded. "I applied to transfer my citizenship to Orient Country two years ago. I''ve run into some difficulties, but I''m still working on it. A talent like MS Payne... I hope she can stay and


    race for our homnd."


    Homnd? For the first time, Juniper looked at him with genuine respect.


    "Ms. Payne''s only condition for joining is that you, J, personally agree to be her coach. If you agree, she said she would ept any terms."


    "Whye back?" Juniper asked, her voice raspy. "You''re at the peak of your career right now. Moralia won''t let you go easily, will they?"


    "It just means starting over..." Melvin gave a faint smile, making years of hard work sound like a trivial matter "As for why I''ming back. He paused for a few seconds before continuing. ¡°Because my family is here. And nothing is more important than my brothers and sisters."


    Juniper was silent for a long time. She never would have guessed. Melvin was not


    only patriotic, but also devoted to his family. She hadpletely misjudged him.


    "J, I hope you''ll consider it," Melvin


    elin


    said, his head slightly bowed in gesture of humility. He gave a


    helpless senffe "That girl is stubbom.


    I''m out of ideas.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Juniper couldn''t bring herself to refuse him. Azy smile touched her lips. ¡°I''ll think about it and contact you."


    As she turned to leave, she suddenly remembered his search for his siblings. She stopped and asked one more question. "How many brothers and sisters do you have?"


    "Hmm?" Melvin looked surprised but answered, "Two brothers and four sisters."


    Two brothers and four sisters? She also had three older brothers and... three older sisters. And he had said before that she looked like his sister...

 Chapter 251

    Could he be one of her long-lost brothers?


    Juniper stared, carefully observing the man before her. She and Jimmie looked so much alike. As for Melvin... not so much.


    Was she overthinking things?


    "Okay," Juniper said, not asking any more questions. She simply left him with the words, "I''ll get back to you within the day."


    Back in the lounge, she picked up her phone and messaged Lue Langley: [Run a check on Melvin Steele for me.]


    She''d know soon enough if he was another one of her surprise brothers.


    After changing, Juniper went to the infirmary.


    "J-J! The legendary J!"


    Seeing her, Kurt, who had been lying on the bed looking like life had lost all meaning, immediately shot upright, stammering her name.


    Who would have thought that the person who taught him his techniques was his idol, J. He truly had been blind. No wonder Juniper could dominate a superbike worth a fortune on a beat-up old scooter. And he''d actually wanted to challenge her... The thought made him wish the ground would swallow him whole.


    "Yeah," Juniper acknowledged with a slight lift of her chin.


    "Are you okay?" she asked, concerned.


    "A fracture, but nothing too serious. He just needs to rest for a while," Shanley said, getting up to give Juniper his chair. He stood beside her as she sat. "Sit here."


    "Oh." Juniper nced at him, obediently sat down, and instinctively handed him her backpack to hold.


    "Juniper..." Kurt was on the verge of tears, his eyes red with grievance.


    "Those sons of bitches from Ynia Country yed dirty. And your ident midway through the race-I''m sure they were responsible for that too," Kurt said, clenching his fists in anger. "But the problem is... Ghoul said there are gaps in the track''s surveince footage. A lot of it is missing. They sent the video back to headquarters for restoration, but they couldn''t fix it."


    They were all racers; everyone could see through these cheap tricks. It was obviously Ynia Country. But because the incident involved Orient Country, the headquarters, which already looked down on them, naturally sided with the other team. When they said it couldn''t be restored the final word.


    twas be


    The official conclusion was that


    Ynia Country was not involved,


    unless Orient Country could produce irrefutable evidence.


    Missing surveince footage? A cold sneer escaped Juniper''s lips. If she remembered correctly, this was the third time Ynia Country had pulled something like this. Was this pathetic trick the only one they knew?


    ording to the rules, three malicious racing incidents would result in a permanent ban. Not just from international circuits, but from anypetition worldwide. Ynia Country would be disqualified for good.


    Juniper''s gaze fell on the broadcast. Ghoul was arguing his case, but the result was the same: the footage was missing and couldn''t be restored. They were betting that even if everyone suspected the Ynia team, no one could prove it. The matter would likely end unresolved, just like thest two times.


    On the screen the three little bastards from Ynia Country wereughing and joking without a carezin the world. Even though they lost this race, the worst they faced was being barred from the next 1 season. But with ther methods," they could probably fight their way back up from smallerpetitions in a few years. Who knew how many other racers they would harm in the


    process.


    "If I ever get the chance to race against those scumbags again, I won''t let them off


    easy," Kurt gritted out, feeling both furious and helpless.


    "A chance?" Juniperzily averted her gaze, a slight smile ying on her lips, her voice a mix ofnguor and ice. "I don''t think they''ll ever have the chance to get on a track again."


    "Juniper, what do you mean?" Kurt looked at her sharply, confused.


    "Time to teach them a lesson." Juniper smiled faintly and pulled out her phone, dialing Ghoul. "Tell the headquarters and the judges we have the original video."


    "The original video?" Ghoul''s voice was hoarse from arguing. Fearing he''d misheard, he reminded her, "The appeal window is only fifteen minutes. Even if we found a master hacker, there wouldn''t be enough time."

 Chapter 252

    The headquarters was tantly biased towards the Ynia team. It was disgusting. "Fifteen minutes?" Juniper scoffed, her voice low and firm. "Five is all I need."


    As she spoke, she ced her phone aside, her eyes fixed on theptop in Felton''s hands.


    "Ms. Payne," Felton said, promptly passing it to her and setting it up securely on herp.


    "Need any help?" Shanley asked softly, gently wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead.


    "Nope."


    Juniper''s fingers flew across the keyboard, a blur of motion as countless lines of code danced across the screen.


    Kurt watched, utterly mesmerized. Damn. Was there anything Juniper couldn''t do?


    ...


    At the race venue, Ghoul was still wrangling with the officials and the Ynia team.


    "If Orient Country cannot provide theplete surveince video on time, we will proceed ording to the rules regarding the mutualints," an official stated coldly. "You have two minutes left."


    The members of the Ynia team were supremely confident, some even lighting up cigarettes. They had a very close rtionship with the headquarters. If it hadn''t been for theirst stunt getting them caught red-handed and their results nullified, they wouldn''t have been reduced topeting with the ''lowly'' racers from Orient Country. Winning this time was just a stroke of luck for their opponents. Once the dust settled, they''d pull some strings,e up with an excuse to kick out a low- ranking team, and they''d be right back on the circuit.


    "We''ll have proof," Ghoul retorted, chin held high, while calling Kurt. "What''s going on? Where''s the evidence?"


    Kurt replied with unshakable calm, "What''s the rush? If J says it''ll be done, it''ll be done!"


    At that moment, Kurt was aplete J fanatic. Juniper said Orient Country wouldn''t lose, and they didn''t. She said she could restore the footage, so she definitely could. He just couldn''t wrap his head around how an eighteen-year-old student knew so much. It was humbling.


    As the final seconds ticked away and the crowd''s patience wore thin, the massive screens around the venue suddenly flickered to life, disying theplete, uninterrupted surveince video.


    On screen, it clearly showed the Ynia team deliberately causing the ident that injured Kurt. It also captured their lead driver tossing a screw into Orient Country''s race car. They had been so stealthy, thinking that even if the video were restored, their faces would be too blurry to identify But this version was crystal clear, their faces blown up in high definition. You could see every pore, every bead of sweat on their skin.


    In an instant, the entire stadium erupted in an uproar, followed by a unified chant for


    the Ynia Country racers to get the hell out of Orient Country.


    The three drivers'' faces turned ashen. "This footage is fake!" they argued desperately.


    The headquarters staff shot them a look, wanting to defend them, but in a globally televised event, with the evidence right there, they were speechless.


    Ultimately following the regtions, the headquarters announced the permanent disqualification of Yma Country from all racing events. Their presence would never again be seen on any track.


    Furthermore, the three Ynia


    drivers would face prosecution in Orient Country for dangerous and illegal racing, subject to various criminal penalties they were led away by security amidst a torrent of jeers and insults from the crowd.


    With the drama concluded, the award ceremony began.


    Juniper closed theptop. Using a few "tricks," she found Melvin''s contact information.


    [I agree to your proposal. Meet me in the infirmary. ¡ªJ]


    Upon receiving the message, Melvin immediately sprinted towards the infirmary, texting Juniper as he ran.


    [Juniper, I got in touch with J. I did what I promised, so you should honor your end of the deal, right?]


    [F1 circuit infirmary. J and I are waiting for you.]


    Just as the message sent, Melvin arrived at the infirmary. The next second, he saw


    a young girl sitting in a chair, eating ice cream.


    Juniper?


    Melvin froze. He had just sent the text. How did she get here so fast?

 Chapter 253

    "You..." Melvin stood at the doorway, phone in hand, staring quizzically at the girl inside the infirmary.


    "Fancy seeing you here, Mr. Steele," Juniper said, tossing her empty ice cream cup into the trash. She casually held her hand out to the man beside her to be wiped, a subtle curve ying on her lips.


    "Melvin,e on in, have a seat," Kurt said. He genuinely admired Melvin, and hearing that he was transferring his nationality to Orient Country had boosted his opinion even more.


    "You already know Juniper. This is my cousin, Shanley Schwartz," Kurt introduced.


    Cousin? One was his coach, the other his cousin. It seemed normal for them to show up when Kurt was injured.


    "It is a coincidence," Melvin said, relieved. He walked straight to the empty seat beside Juniper. Just as he was about to sit, Shanley''s icy voice cut in. "Flint, get Mr. Steele a chair."


    Flint''s eyes darted between the two men, instantly getting the message. He brought a chair and ced it a very, very long way away from Juniper.


    Kurt was a bit puzzled. What was going on? His cousin seemed hostile towards Melvin! Was this... jealousy? Then again, the way Melvin looked at Juniper wasn''t exactly innocent.


    "J will be here shortly." Melvin nced at the distant chair, chuckled, and sat down. "You won''t go back on your promise to me, will you?"


    "Of course not," Juniper replied, leaning back and studying Melvin with a faint smile. Ever since she learned of his patriotism and love for his family, she found him much more agreeable. Especially now that he might be her long-lost brother.


    Shanley watched her stare at Melvin with a smile on her face, and a sense of crisis washed over him. He quickly pulled a piece of candy from his pocket, unwrapped it, and held it to her lips, coaxing softly, "Mango vor. Your favorite."


    "Oh." Juniper obediently opened her mouth to ept it, her eyes still fixed on Melvin. She had just been scrutinizing photos of Jimmie, carefully examining his features. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but she felt that Melvin bore a slight resemnce to him. Especially... his eyes.


    "I''m thrilled you''re joining the S Team." Receiving her confirmation, Melvin was overjoyed. He stood up walked over to Juniper, and extended his hand. "No should say, wee to the Orient Country team."


    Juniper hesitated, looking at the hand before her. Before she could


    decide whether to shake it, the man beside her intercepted, gripping Melvin''s hand with a voice that was terrifyingly cold. "Thank you."


    Melvin turned to Shanley, his smile vanishing. He tried to pull his hand back but found the other man''s grip was incredibly tight. Tsk. This old man was seriously possessive.


    "Don''t mention it," Melvin said, feeling a pang of sympathy for the young girl. He felt Shanley was unworthy of her.


    "Now that Juniper is joining the team, we''ll be seeing each other often to exchange techniques," he said with a hint of provocation. "It''s my honor."


    Hearing those words, Shanley''s handsome face clouded over. He knew the way Melvin looked at Juniper was off; he was clearly harboring ulterior motives.


    "By the way, Juniper, while we wait for J, let me tell you a bit about J Melvin tried to wiggle his hand free "Mr Schwartz, what is the meaning of this? Can''t bear to let go?"


    Juniper nced over and saw their hands were indeed sped tightly. Or more


    urately, Shanley was gripping Melvin''s hand and refusing to release it.


    Shanley''s face went frigid. He abruptly released Melvin''s hand with clear disgust. "She doesn''t need you to introduce J to her."


    Melvin retracted his hand, ncing at the red marks on his wrist. The man hadn''t held back.


    "I don''t need to?" Melvin looked at Juniper, and after a few seconds of silence, his eyes slowly widened. "Don''t tell me you''re¡ª"


    Juniper pressed her lips together, saying nothing. Unexpectedly, he turned out to be quite sharp.

 Chapter 254

    "Don''t tell me you''re..." Melvin paused, then said, word by word, "J''s apprentice!"


    Her racing technique and moves were so simr to J''s, and she had specifically requested J as her coach... It must have been fate.


    Juniper''s expression froze. She mentally deleted her earlier praise for him. She had clearly overestimated him.


    Not wanting to waste any more time, she pulled out her phone and dialed Melvin''s number.


    "Ring... ring... ring..."


    Seeing the call from J, Melvin grew tense. "Just a moment," he said, quickly swiping to answer, his tone gentle. "Hello?"


    "I''m here," Juniper said slowly, holding up her phone. "Turn around."


    Where? Melvin turned and saw Juniper on the phone. What? This girl was J? No wonder she''d set the meeting ce in the infirmary, no wonder "Juniper" had arrived so quickly... She was J.


    She was eighteen this year. How old was she when she firstpeted years ago? Fifteen? Maybe even younger! A teenager who had won the F1 championship three years in a row? Who would even believe that?


    "Mr. Steele, do you still want to tell me about J?" Juniper asked, hanging up and propping her chin on her hand, her expressionzy and casual.


    "tter-"


    Melvin''s phone slipped from his hand and hit the floor. He remained frozen for a long moment.


    "Mr. Steele, you have ten minutes left," Juniper said, tapping her fingers lightly on the table, an eyebrow raised. "Are you sure you want to keep spacing out?"


    Melvin snapped back to reality and returned to his chair, a look of disbelief mixed with admiration on his face. "I never imagined J would be so young."


    "I ept your proposal," Juniper said, her pink lips parting. "After you return to the country, you can join the Orient Country Racing Association directly. You''ll be in charge of it from now on."


    She had only taken the title in name and had no time to manage it. Besides her, Melvin was a true racing legend. No one would object to him leading Orient Country''s racing association.


    "But Melvin''s citizenship hasn''t been transferred yet, has it?" Kurt asked worriedly. Would Moralia Country really let go of such a prize asset?


    "They will," Melvin said with a faint


    smile. He had left behind all his


    honors and wealth. Moralia Country been using him to


    had only been


    to make


    money if they refused to let him go he could just sandbag it and throw the races. They would be the ones to suffer the most from a protracted stalemate, so they would surely release him.


    Just as he finished speaking, Melvin''s assistant appeared at the infirmary door.


    "Melvin, the citizenship transfer went through. The call had juste in."


    "Is that so?" A slow smile spread across Melvin''s face. Suppressing his excitement,


    he asked quietly, "Has the awards ceremony started?"


    "Not yet, they''re preparing now."


    "Good," Melvin said with a calm smile. "Change mypetition profile. Moralia Country bes Orient Country."


    From this moment on, he would devote himself wholeheartedly to Orient Country.


    Soon after, when the announcer dered that both the champion and the runner-up were from Orient Country, the venue and the inte exploded. It was already insan that Onent Country had J. Now they had


    Melvin too? They were unstoppable! Who would darepete against Orient Country in the future?


    ...


    After a long and exhausting day, Juniper was wiped out.


    "Ready to head home?" Shanley asked softly, gently taking her hand. "Dana made barbecue ribs and a hearty vegetable soup"


    "Let''s go." Juniper''s eyes lit up. She let Shanley lead her out of the room.


    Home? Were they already living


    together? Did their families approve? Melvin''s eyelids twitched at the word. His thoughts immediately turned to his own little sister


    were his sister... he would beat that cradle-robbing Shanley to death.

 Chapter 255

    Melvin took out his phone and contacted Binary Oracle again. With the racing and citizenship issues resolved, he could now focuspletely on finding his two brothers and four sisters. Thest hacker group he''d hired had bailed on him without warning. No wonder they''d lost to Binary Oracle in the hackingpetition. So, he decided to try his luck with Binary Oracle once more.


    Just as Melvin contacted them, Binary Oracle reached out to Juniper.


    Her WhatsApp notification chimed while she was ying a game. She switched apps and saw the message.


    Binary Oracle: [Boss, Melvin''s back. But this time... he''s only looking for his sisters.] Juniper thought for a moment and replied: [What''s the situation with his sisters?] Binary Oracle: [Melvin says he can only disclose the details once we confirm we''re taking the job.]


    So secretive? Juniper pursed her lips, slightly annoyed.


    Shanley, sitting beside her, noticed her smiling as she texted and couldn''t help but ask, "What are you chatting about?"


    "Hm?" Juniper nced at him. Not wanting to reveal anything about her potential family ties yet, she gave a vague reply. "Just talking about Melvin. He''s... an interesting guy."


    His name on her lips sent a chill through Shanley. His warm expression instantly frosted over, and the temperature inside the car seemed to drop several degrees.


    "Interesting?" he repeated with a coldugh, his eyes like chips of ice. "Juniper, he doesn''t seem like a good person. You should keep your distance from him in the future."


    "Really?" Juniper was still messaging her team and didn''t catch the coldness in his tone.


    "He seems alright to me," she replied absently. If he really was her brother... at least his character was sound, and he was decent-looking. He wouldn''t embarrass her.


    Hearing her defend Melvin not once, but twice, Shanley''s hands tightened into fists, a fire of frustration building in his chest. They had only met a few times, and she was already developing a liking for him? He knew she never got this close to any other man.


    "Juniper..." Shanley started to say more, but she shot him an annoyed re. "You''re being noisy."


    She couldn''t even think straight.


    The rest of Shanley''s words caught in his throat. His face darkened to a shade she had never seen before. After finally getting to hold her hand, she was already tired of him? Calling hipt noisy Melvin was far more talkative than him!


    Shanley turned his head away, his handsome face a cold mask, an unapproachable aura radiating from him.


    Felton and Flint exchanged a look


    from the front seats, feeling the murderous intent. This was bad. What if Ms. Payne really did fall for Melving. Their boss''s springtime. romance would be over before it even began. Uneptable! Maybe they should just... quietly take care of Melvin.


    Juniper texted: [Take the job. I''ll handle the investigation personally.]


    Binary Oracle: [Boss, what should we quote him?]


    Juniper considered it. Melvin had spent his entire fortune just to return to the


    country; he probably didn''t have much left. Oh, well.


    Juniper: [Make it 20,000.]


    The team member on the other end nearly thought the system hade glitched. Was she sure she hadn''t missed a few zeros? Twenty thousand wouldn''t even getyou through Binary Oracle''s front door.


    get


    Binary Oracle: [Boss, did you say twenty thousand?]


    Juniper: [Is there a problem?]


    Binary Oracle: [Nope.]


    Juniper: [If I recall, we made a bet with Cybeic Shadows, didn''t we?]

 Chapter 256

    If Cybeic Shadows couldn''t find J, they''d have to bow down to her.


    At the mention of this, the members of Binary Oracle grew excited. It was true. They''d heard that J had revealed herself on her own terms, having nothing to do with Cybeic Shadows'' efforts.


    Juniper: [Good. You know what to do.]


    With their boss''s permission, Binary Oracle immediately infiltrated the Cybeic Shadows'' official website. A taunting message filled the screen: [Hey, kids. Your masters are here. Aren''t you going toe out and greet us?]


    Cybeic Shadows yed dead. Finding J should have been a simple task, one they could have easilypleted. But for some reason, their leader had forbidden them from looking into it. In the end, J had appeared out of nowhere, and now they were being humiliated by those dogs at Binary Oracle. It was a miserable feeling.


    Juniper navigated to the Cybeic Shadows website and raised an eyebrow. Her little minions were fast.


    At the same moment, Shanley''s phone vibrated. He nced at the screen, and the content made his already grim face darken even further.


    He looked over and saw the girl beside him smiling brightly. He nearlyughed out of sheer anger. The little traitor! For her sake, he had dropped the mission, which had led to this public mockery from Binary Oracle. And here she was... having a delightful chat about Melvin.


    Just then, the car hit a bump.


    "Drive steadily," Shanley snapped, unable to direct his anger at the girl, so he took it out on Flint. "If you can''t drive, get out."


    "Yes, sir," replied Flint, the innocent scapegoat, silently enduring the unjust me.


    Soon, the car finally pulled to a stop at Cloudscape Community. The door opened, and Shanley got out, storming inside in a silent fury.


    Juniper, ustomed to him opening the door for her, sat in the car, puzzled, watching his retreating back.


    "Flint, what''s wrong with your boss?" she asked with a deep frown.


    Flint wiped a bead of cold sweat from his forehead. "He''s angry."


    "Angry?" Juniper blinked, not getting it. "Just because the car wasn''t steady? Is he really that upset over it?"


    "Uh..." Flint stared at her, speechless. "It''s not my fault."


    Being stuck with these two was truly something else.


    "Then it was Felton?" Juniper asked, looking at Felton in the passenger seat with a serious expression.


    Felton and Flint remained silent.


    they


    "Let''s go," a voice said. Just as the atmosphere turned awkward, the


    angry man returned. Though he!!!


    still upset, his tone was as gentle as ever. "Get out of the car."


    "Oh." Juniper walked over to him and finally noticed how dark his


    expression was. She blinked anne?


    offered a quiet word offort. Felton and Flint didn''t mean it.


    Felton and Flint? Shanley''s brow furrowed slightly. "Why do you think I''m angry?" he asked, his voice hoarse.


    "Wasn''t it because the ride was bumpy?" she asked, tilting her head up, her face a picture of innocent charm.


    Shanley pinched the bridge of his


    nose, augh escaping his lips despite his frustration, He gently patted her head. Alright Since


    you''re pleading their case, l''Ifforgive them this time."


    He''d deal with the other matterter. If Jimmie, her actual brother, couldn''t take her


    away from him, an outsider like Melvin stood no chance.


    Just as they reached the front door, Dana appeared, looking flustered. "Sir, Ms. Payne''s brother is here! He says he''s taking Ms. Payne with him!"

 Chapter 257

    Jimmie was back? Shanley''s tall frame stiffened slightly, his deep eyes instinctively ncing at Juniper. The girl''s lips were pressed into a thin line, her pretty face wrinkled in a slight frown, her expression unreadable.


    "Understood," Shanley replied, then turned to Juniper and said softly, "Let''s go, Juniper."


    Juniper didn''t move. She stood her ground, her clear eyes fixed on him.


    "What is it?" Shanley asked, curious.


    Juniper pursed her lips, her voice a little husky. "My bedroom door is broken, right? And my things can''t be taken out?"


    "That''s right," Shanley said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He took a step closer, lowering his head slightly to meet her gaze, his eyes warm and fond. "You don''t want to leave, do you?"


    "I have this bad habit..." Juniper licked her lips, her expression serious. "Once I get used to a ce, it''s hard for me to adapt to a new one. Changing ces will affect my studies."


    Affect her studies? The girl who had skipped two years of high school and scored perfectly on every subject was iming a change of scenery would affect her studies?


    "What are you smiling at?" Juniper''s cheeks flushed a light pink, a hint of annoyance in her voice as she saw the smile on his handsome face grow wider.


    "Nothing," Shanley murmured, his eyes soft. He gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, the corners of his mouth lifting.


    "I understand everything you''re saying, Juniper. I''ll talk to Jimmie in a minute. I''ll get him to agree to let you stay here for a while longer."


    As for the future... after this little girl finished her exams, he had other ns in mind. "Okay," Juniper nodded, her expression softening. "Let''s go then."


    Shanley smiled helplessly. If the girl was this attached to him, what chance did anyone else have? Melvin was just ying with fire by trying to get close. Once he joined the Orient Country Racing Association, he''d better behave and stay away from Juniper. Otherwise...


    At the thought, Shanley''s gaze turned sharp and cold.


    Inside the top-floor penthouse of Cloudscape Community.


    "Juniper." Upon seeing her, Jimmie stood up eagerly and walked towards her with open arms. "Come, give your brother a hug."


    The sudden embrace startled Juniper, causing her to take two steps back.


    "Careful." Shanley swiftly steadied her, pulling her into his arms to prevent her from hitting the hard wall.


    Seeing his sister''s rejection of him and the intimacy between the other two, Jimmie''s expression grew thoughtful.


    "You two..."


    "She just got back. Don''t frighten her," Shanley said calmly, releasing Juniper and turning to Jimmie. "If you think about it, you two have spent less than half an hour together in total. Even though you''re her brother, she''s grown up now. It''s natural for her to be a little shy."


    Jimmie considered Shanley''s words and found them reasonable. He kad been a worse brother to her than Shanley had. No wonder Juniper was closer to him and distant with her own flesh and blood.


    But that was fine. Aside from the MV production, his recent work was


    mostly


    piched. He could spend


    quality time with her now. He would make up for everything she had lost.


    "Juniper,e sit with me." Jimmieposed himself and patted the spot next to


    him on the sofa. "I brought you presents."


    Juniper nced at Shanley before finally moving to sit beside her brother.


    "See if you like these."


    The moment she sat down, Jimmie eagerly produced a huge shopping bag filled with luxury goods. Bags, jewelry, designer clothes, essories...

 Chapter 258

    They were all incredibly expensive.


    "Juniper, you''ll definitely love this," Jimmie said, presenting a royal blue box as if it were a treasure. "I had to pull a lot of strings to get this. It''s a very young and fashionable jewelry brand, and I heard it''s a favorite among girls your age."


    Juniper frowned, wondering what rare item could make an international superstar pull strings to acquire.


    When the box opened, her expression froze. It was a bracelet from her own J-Five Studio. And it wasn''t just any piece; it was thetest, one-of-a-kind global premiere, worth tens of millions. That certainly would have been hard to get.


    "Do you like it?" Jimmie asked softly as he fastened the bracelet on her wrist. "If you do, I can contact J-Five herself and have her design something custom-made just for you. Whatever jewelry you want, I''ll buy it for you."


    "Thank you, bro. I love it." Looking at the dazzling diamond bracelet on her wrist and listening to Jimmie''s words, Juniper felt a warmth spread through her. "But as for finding J-Five, let''s not."


    She really didn''t want to blow her cover.


    As she spoke, she inadvertently nced at Shanley. He was watching her with a deep, knowing smile in his eyes. What did that smile mean? She strongly suspected he already knew she was J-Five.


    "As long as you like it," Jimmie said, his heart filled with satisfaction. He continued to present his other gifts.


    ...


    Half an hourter, with all the gifts given, Jimmie stood up. "It''s about time. Let''s go home."


    His words were met with dead silence.


    "Dana, where is Juniper''s luggage?" Jimmie asked, looking around, oblivious to his sister''s reluctance. He had told Shanley to pack her things in advance, hadn''t he?


    "Um..." Dana didn''t dare speak, looking to Shanley for help.


    "Ahem."


    Shanley ced a peeled orange in front of Juniper, his handsome face showing a hint of awkwardness. "Here''s the thing," he began in a low, husky voice.uniper has her, exams


    in less than two months. She''s just settled into this environment and gotten used to Dana''s care. Suddenly moving to a new ce might be difficult for her to adjust


    to."


    "Difficult to adjust?" Jimmie looked at Juniper, his brow furrowed. What was there to


    adjust to? Being with her brother, she would be cared for even better than Dana could manage.


    Juniper nodded guiltily, remaining silent.


    "How about this," Shanley continued smoothly. "You''ve just finished your work and need a good rest. Plus, you have the MV to deal with and the investigation into Juniper sother brothers and sisters. You''ll be busy. Why don''t you let Juniper stay here to focus on her exams? You cane see her whenever you want."


    Jimmie frowned. It was true he had a lot to handle, but he would never neglect his sister. Was Shanley... trying to steal her from him? He remembered hearing that as a child, Shanley had begged his parents for a little sister and cried for days when he didn''t get one. His sister was beautiful and adorable; Shanley must have taken a liking to her as a sibling. The old fox!


    "Juniper, what do you think?" Jimmie asked, turning his gaze to his silent sister. "You want toe home with your brother, right?"


    No matter what, they were rted by blood. That had to be closer than her bond with Shanley, her stand-in brother.


    "Hmm?" Juniper was in the middle of eating an orange slice. She looked up, her lips moving as she spoke. "I do want to go home with you, bro, but¡ª"

 Chapter 259

    Jimmie''s heart soared when he heard her say she wanted to go home, but his joy was short-lived as his sister continued.


    "This ce is closest to school, so it''s convenient for me. Saskia and J live next door, so I can talk to them whenever I want."


    "And..." Juniper''s eyes involuntarily flicked towards Shanley before quickly looking away. "My bedroom door is broken, so I can''t get my luggage out."


    Jimmie''s brow furrowed. What kind of excuse was that?


    "Bro, I like it here," Juniper said, looking at him with pleading eyes. She wanted to refuse outright but didn''t want to hurt his feelings.


    Like it here? At that, a subtle twitch crossed Shanley''s brow.


    "You really want to keep living here?" Jimmie asked, his shoulders slumping in disappointment. "It seems your brother here has been taking good care of you."


    "He has," Juniper nodded earnestly. "Let''s talk about it after my exams."


    Talk about itter? That meant she didn''t want to leave even after her exams. Shanley''s eyes narrowed, the curve of his lips widening. The girl had a conscience, after all.


    "Fine," Jimmie sighed, relenting for the sake of her studies. "In that case, I''ll have to trouble you and Dana to look after her for a while longer."


    "No trouble at all," Shanley replied instantly. "If you''d let me, I''d take care of her for a lifetime."


    "You wish," Jimmie retorted, speechless.


    "With all this time on your hands, why don''t you find a girlfriend? Then your grandparents might stop calling me to check up on you."


    He paused for a second. "Actually, do you have someone in mind? Your grandmother mentioned on the phone that you have someone like but you''re unwilling to bring them home. She even asked me to discreetly find out if this person was a man."


    A man? Juniper''s head snapped up, her eyesnding on Shanley. Lue had said his face could charm women and men alike. In other words, he swung both ways.


    Shanley let out an exasperatedugh. "I do find a certain youngdy interesting," he said, his voice a low,zy drawl. "But it''s not the right time to pursue her yet."


    "There really is someone?" Jimmie''s interest was piqued. Oblivious to his own sister''s slightly flushed cheeks, he pressed Shanley for details "Which family is she from? What do you mean it''s not the right time?"


    "Thedy is still young," Shanley said, his gaze fixed on Jimmie¡ªor rather, on the girl just behind him. A devilish smile yed on his lips. "I''m afraid of scaring her. I''l wait."


    "I didn''t realize you were such a creep," Jimmie chuckled. "But if any old man had designs on my sister, I''d break his legs."


    His words were met by a sudden, heavy silence from Shanley, Dana, Felton, and Flint. The mood in the room dropped.


    "Ahem," Flint coughed, whispering under his breath, "He might lose more than just two legs."


    Looking at the international star''s ferocious, sister-obsessed demeanor... their boss was going to have a hard time winning Ms. Payne''s heart.


    "I''m hungry," Juniper announced, breaking the tense atmosphere.


    "Let''s eat," Shanley said, stepping forward to pull out a chair for her.


    Jimmie watched them, a question mark forming in his mind. Was this how attentive he was to her on a daily basis?


    During the meal, Shanley constantly served Juniper soup, peeled shrimp for her, and even held her water ss, Jimmie''s eye began to twitch. He, henactual brother, had never done anything like that. Could it be... that the girl Shanley liked was Juniper?

 Chapter 260

    The thought sent Jimmie''s mind into a tailspin, but he quickly calmed himself.


    No, that couldn''t be right. He knew Shanley''s character. He wasn''t the type to prey on someone so close to him. He was probably just treating Juniper like the little sister he never had, and this was simply a brother''s affection.


    Yes, that had to be it. Reassuring himself with this logic, Jimmie felt much better.


    ...


    After dinner, Jimmie brought up the topic of their newly discovered brother.


    "I heard he''s returned to the country," Jimmie began. "But he''s extremely cautious and has released very little information. All we know for sure is that he was also in a shipwreck fifteen years ago and was separated from his parents and siblings."


    Few people knew about the shipwreck from fifteen years ago, aside from those involved and skilled private investigators. Based on that information alone, they were ny percent certain this person was rted to them.


    He''s back in the country? Juniper, who was nibbling on pistachios, raised an eyebrow. Melvin had also returned recently. The simrities were piling up.


    "Since Juniper dislikes Cybeic Shadows, I hired Binary Oracle instead," Jimmie said.


    "You hired them?" Juniper looked up.


    "I did," Jimmie nodded with a small smile. "Don''t worry, I''ve already paid them, so Cybeic Shadows won''t get a dime."


    As he said this, he shot a look at Shanley.


    Paid them? Juniper pulled out her phone and messaged her team at Binary Oracle


    to ask about it. They still didn''t know she was Jimmie''s sister.


    When they heard her asking about Jimmie Tate''s case, the team members were ecstatic.


    [Boss, Mr. Tate is loaded! He offered fifty million for this job.]


    Fifty million? They hadn''t even finished spending the money she''d scammed from him the first time, and now this...


    Well, at least Jimmie didn''t know Binary Oracle was hers. Otherwise... she''d probably be short one brother.


    [This month, we not only have Mr. Tate''s huge contract, but also one from the racing king, Melvin. Boss, how are we doing?]


    The team member continued, clearly fishing for praise. Their monthly revenue was projected to break a hundred million. Their money-loving boss would surely have to praise them.


    [You have my thanks!]


    Juniper typed back before closing the chat, a headache forming. If Melvin really was her brother... it meant she had just scammed two of her brothers simultaneously.


    Tsk. It wasn''t exactly ethical, but the money was undeniably sweet.


    ...


    That evening, Juniper sat at her desk, her fingers flying across the keyboard. On the screen was the information Melvin had sent her just three minutes prior, which he''d only agreed to release after confirming She would be handling the case personally.


    She opened the file, her heart tightening with each key detail she read. She slowly scrolled down and saw the most crucial point: The youngest sister was three years old During the shipwreck, she was rescued by a fishing boat.


    ?


    Juniper''s hand clenched into a fist, her palm growing damp with cold sweat. If what Melvin said was true, it meant there was a very high


    brother


    probability, he was her brother,


    missing for fifteen years.


    While the information matched, a DNA test was the only thing that could provide conclusive proof. It looked like she''d have to pluck one of his hairs.


    Juniper picked up her phone and sent a message to Melvin: [Let''s meet tomorrow afternoon.]


    After the message sent, she stood up and headed for the bathroom.


    At that exact moment, Shanley walked in with a te of fruit and saw her phone screen, the chat with Melvin still open.

 Chapter 261

    [Let''s meet tomorrow afternoon.]


    Shanley''s hand tightened on the te of fruit as he stared at the message on Juniper''s phone. A dark shadow passed over his handsome, refined face.


    Juniper had never been one to get close to guys, and this was the first time she had ever asked one out. Could she really be falling for Melvin?


    Setting the fruit down, Shanley nced at his reflection in the window, his brow furrowed. He was just as good-looking as Melvin, wasn''t he? He was starting to seriously suspect that the girl''s reliance on him was purely tonic; that she really did just see him as a brother.


    Shanley rubbed his temples with a resigned sigh and a wry smile. It seemed it was time to move things along. Otherwise, that girl would never get the hint.


    The next day, after "tutoring" her physics teacher on thetest exam, Juniper headed to the coffee shop.


    "J."


    Melvin was already there and stood up to greet her the moment she walked in. Even though she was much younger than him, she was his senior in the world of racing, and Melvin respected the hierarchy.


    "Sit," Juniper said casually, tossing her backpack onto a chair. She turned to the waiter. ¡°A milkshake and a slice of mango cake, please.¡±


    The order arrived quickly. Juniper eagerly picked up her fork and took a bite of the cake, but her brow immediately furrowed in disappointment.


    "What''s wrong?" Melvin couldn''t help but smile at her cute reaction.


    "It''s not very good," Juniper mumbled, stuffing another bite into her mouth, her cheeks puffing out. It wasn''t as good as the ones Shanley and Dana made.


    Melvin''s smile deepened as he watched the te empty. "If it''s not good, why did you finish the whole thing?"


    "It''s a shame to waste food."


    Juniper washed it down with most of her milkshake before finally pulling a file for the "Orient Country Racing Association" from her backpack and handing it to Melvin. "This is for you. If there''s nothing else, I''m heading out."


    Melvin nced at the file. It was full of information he could easily find online. Did she reallye all this way just to deliver this? She''d spent more time eating cake than talking to him. Was she here for business, or just for the dessert?


    ¡°Alright.¡± Melvin knew she didn''t y by the rules and had a quirky personality, so


    he didn''t press the issue. "Going back to school? I''ll give you a ride.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Juniper waved him off. As she walked past him, she surreptitiously plucked a few strands of his hair.


    "J..." Melvin called out, following her as she was about to leave. "Do you know what kind of person Shanley is?" he asked, a note of concern in his voice.


    He had done some digging of his own. Shanley, twenty-seven years old, a full nine years older than her The financial tycoon of Borealia, the wealthiest man in Era City He was a map of immense power an influence, but he was also known for his ruthlessness. He wasn''t someone to be trifled with. Did she really think she could handle a man with such aplex and calcting mind? He was sure she couldn''t.


    "Hmm?" Juniper stopped and slowly turned around, a piece of candy from Shanley still in her mouth. ¡°Him? I guess you could say I know him well enough.¡±


    Rich, handsome, and in good shape. What else mattered?


    "So, you really like him? You''re not being forced into this?" Melvin narrowed his eyes, studying her expression.


    ¡°Forced?¡± Juniper had tough. "If anyone''s doing the forcing, it''s me.¡±


    Melvin was speechless.


    "That''s a good question," Juniper said, popping another candy into her mouth, hertonezy and t. "Don''t ask it again. Read that file carefully and take care of what you need to m the next day or two. After that, you might not have the time."

 Chapter 262

    Melvin waspletely bewildered. What could possibly happen in a couple of days?


    By the time he processed her words, Juniper was already far down the street.


    Watching her go, Melvin sighed. "So cute. If only she were my sister."


    The thought prompted him to pull out his phone and message his contact at Binary Oracle.


    [Any news about my sister?]


    Binary Oracle: [Our boss is handling it personally. Rest assured, it won''t take more than a week.]


    Less than a week? The thought of finally meeting his sister made Melvin''s heart pound with a mix of anxiety and excitement. After so many years, he should probably get her a gift, right?


    He contacted his assistant. ¡°What''s a good gift for a young girl?"


    "Jewelry," the assistant replied instantly. "There''s a brand called J-Five that''s incredibly popr with girls your sister''s age. It''s expensive, though, and quite hard to acquire."


    "Sell all my properties in Moralia,¡± Melvin ordered grimly. ¡°Then contact J-Five. I want tomission a piece of their finest custom jewelry."


    As long as his sister liked it, the cost didn''t matter.


    In a car not far away, Flint was giving Shanley the scoop, a cigarette dangling from his lips.


    "Boss, Ms. Payne was only with Melvin for about ten minutes,¡± Flint said, exhaling a ring of smoke. "She seemed normal, same as always. But Melvin... he doesn''t seem to have the purest intentions."


    Even after Ms. Payne had walked a good distance away, his eyes were still glued to her.


    Just in case his boss couldn''t read between the lines, Flint had snapped a photo of Melvin''s longing gaze and sent it over.


    "Hmph." A cold, humorless chuckle escaped Shanley''s throat as he


    looked at the picture. His entire


    demeanor turned dark and


    menacing. As a man, he knew


    exactly what that look


    meant-gentle, yet full of interest.


    He knew it. Melvin was up to no good. Thinking he could steal Juniper from him... In his dreams!


    ...


    With Melvin''s hair secured, Juniper went straight to ab on the outskirts of the city.


    If she left it to the staff, the DNA test would take at least a week. If she did it herself, three days at most.


    Afterpleting the first stage of the analysis, she rushed back to school for evening study hall.


    When ss ended, Juniper packed her things and handed a stack of papers to Dolce.


    "I''m leaving the review materials with you. Anyone who needs them can make a copy. If you start now, you''ll be in good shape for the midterm simtion exams."


    "I''ll take one!¡± Qadir was the first to raise his hand, rushing forward to grab the papers.


    "Me, me, me, want one too!"


    Queenie''s eyes lit up as she eagerly flipped through the notes. It was exactly what you''d expect from a student who got perfect scores op everything. The notes were concise and straight to the point.


    "We want copies too!"


    Who wouldn''t want review materials from a genius? The other students swarmed around Dolce, chattering excitedly.


    Juniper just smiled, slung her


    backpack over her shoulder, and headed out. As always, she walked to the designated spot. Seeing the sports car parked under the trees, her pare quickeried, and a faint smile touched her lips. But as she got closer, she saw it was Flint waiting outside, not Shanley.


    He didn''te? Juniper''s smile froze on her face.


    Flint looked rather awkward. "Mr. Schwartz had a bit to drink at a business dinner,"


    he exined quickly. "He''s resting in the car."


    "Oh." Juniper''s expression softened at his words.

 Chapter 263

    "Please, Ms. Payne, get in." Flint held the car door open for her respectfully.


    Juniper leaned in and saw Shanley with his eyes closed, resting quietly against the leather seat. The faint scent of alcohol wafted through the car. It seemed he''d had quite a bit.


    She slipped into the car as quietly as possible, setting down her backpack and inching closer to him. Just as she was about to check his pulse, the man''s eyes


    fluttered open.


    For a moment, their gazes locked. Juniper stared, mesmerized. In the depths of his serious, intense eyes, she could see her own reflection. Being so close, she could smell the alcohol on his breath, mingled with the faint, warm scent of sandalwood. Her heart suddenly lost its rhythm, thumping erratically against her ribs.


    ¡°Juniper.......¡± Shanley shifted his neck, his voice a low, rich murmur as he whispered her name. "My head hurts. Let me lean on your shoulder for a bit."


    Before she could answer, he tilted his head and rested it gently on her shoulder.


    Juniper froze, turning her head slightly. Her eyesnded on his chest. His tie was loosened, and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing the sharp line of his Adam''s apple. She blinked, her gaze drifting lower... but she couldn''t see anything more.


    ¡°Flint, turn on the AC." As if reading her mind, Shanley tugged at his cor, pulling it wider. Now, she could not only see his corbones but could practically count his abs.


    "Yes, boss." Flint, now in the passenger seat, nced back at Shanley and fought to keep a straight face. His boss''s "drunken" act was surprisingly convincing.


    "Water," Shanley mumbled, his performance continuing.


    "Oh." Juniper looked around but couldn''t find another cup, so she unscrewed her own water bottle and held it to his lips.


    "Why did he suddenly decide to go drinking?" she asked Flint.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Flint''s mind raced for a second. "Well, the business dinner was part of it, but


    I think it was mostly because he identally saw your chat history."


    Juniper turned to him, confused.


    "I think he saw that you asked Melvin out, Ms. Payne," Flint borated, carefully watching. Shanley''s expression Mr. Schwartz has been down in the dumps all day, in a terrible mood."


    Juniper thought back. Shanley hade into her room right after she sent that message. That must have been when he saw it.


    "Why is he drinking just because I asked someone out?" she muttered, ncing at the man beside her.


    "I was wondering the same thing," Flint said, going for the direct approach. "I''ve been with him since we were kids and I''ve never seen him care about a girl this much. You''re the first, Ms. Payne


    Juniper listened quietly, her thoughts in a whirl.


    "But then it hit me," Flint added, his voice full of manufactured drama. "He''s probably


    afraid of losing you, so he''s trying to drown his sorrows."


    Losing her? All because she met Melvin for a meal?


    "Ms. Payne..." Flint continued when she didn''t respond. "Please don''t tell Mr.


    Schwartz I was the one who told you he likes you."


    Like? Although she had sensed it, hearing the words spoken so inly left her feeling a little dazed. She could handle a fight no problem, but this "liking" someone stuff... It was apletely new battleground for her.


    "Besides, I doubt you see anything in Melvin, right?" Flint coughed. "He''s not as handsome as Mr. Schwartz. And as for money, well, there''s noparison."

 Chapter 264

    A subtle, knowing smile yed on Juniper''s lips. "He''s actually not a bad guy," she said deliberately.


    Of course her brother wasn''t bad. She just hoped Melvin never heard this conversation, or Shanley... well, she could only pray for him.


    Shanley, feigning sleep, almost broke character at her words. Damn it. She''d only known Melvin for a few days, and she was alreadyplimenting him. What''s so good about him?


    The rest of the drive passed in silence, punctuated only by Shanley''s soft, intimate whispers of her name. Juniper''s mind, however, was buzzing with Flint''s words: He


    likes you.


    Finally, the sports car pulled to a stop in front of Cloudscape Community.


    "Boss, let me help you." Flint parked the car, but as he opened the door to help Shanley out, he was met with a re that was sharp with warning.


    "Uh..." Flint immediately retracted his hand and turned to Juniper. "Ms. Payne, I have to run an urgent errand for Mr. Schwartz. It can''t wait,¡± he said calmly. "Could you please help him upstairs?"


    Without waiting for a reply, Flint jumped back in the car and sped away.


    Juniper was left with no choice but to wrap an arm around Shanley to support him.


    "Juniper..." Shanley kept most of his weight off her, his voice a seductive, husky whisper.


    "Don''t look at me." Her cheeks flushed, and she poked his head away. His eyes were dangerously deep, as if they could pull her soul right in. He was like a siren, luring her in.


    The elevator doors opened, and she managed to drag him to the apartment, knocking on the door.


    "Oh my, what happened to Mr. Schwartz?" Dana gasped, shocked to see Shanley in such a state.


    ¡°He''s drunk,¡± Juniper exined, her arm still around his waist.


    "Drunk?" Dana tilted her head, studying Shanley carefully.


    "Who in the world could outdrink him?" she muttered. The man was known to be able to drink anyone under the table. His tolerance was legendary.


    "Dana, could you open the bedroom door?"


    "Of course." Hearing Juniper, Dana stopped wondering and hurried to open the door.


    "Careful." Juniper guided Shanley unsteadily toward therge bed. But as he fell onto the mattress, he pulled her down with him, his long arms around her, trapping her in his embrace.


    Juniper struggled for a moment but found she couldn''t break free. If it had been anyone else, she would have snapped their limbs by now. But this was Shanley... so she relented.


    Dana, seeing their position, quickly turned away.


    "Ms. Payne, you take care of Mr. Schwartz. I''ll go make some soup to help with the hangover," she announced, hastily closing the door behind her.


    The room fell silent. Cradled in his arms, Juniper listened to the strong, steady beat


    of his heart, and the chaotic feelings inside her began to settle.


    "Juniper," Shanley whispered, his eyes partially open, his handsome face softened by an adoring smile. "Don''t go looking for other guys. They hurt you. Only I will be good to you."


    "Oh?" The word caught her attention. Juniper smirked, her gaze fixed on his face.


    "How good? Good enough to give me all your money?"


    "Yes," Shanley answered without hesitation. "My money is yours, and so am I. For the rest of my life, you''re the only girl I''ll ever be good to."


    Juniper''s heart skipped a beat, but then her mind cleared. He was answering far too coherently.


    "Shanley," Juniper purred, leaning in so close their noses almost touched. "You''re faking it, aren''t you?"


    Shanley''s act crumbled.

 Chapter 265

    Silence. The room was suddenly still, the air thick with unspoken emotions.


    "Heh." Shanley''s eyes fluttered open, dark and mesmerizingly deep as they fixed on the girl before him. "How did you know?"


    They say a man who''s only slightly drunk can act his way into your heart. He


    thought his performance had been pretty convincing.


    "I was suspicious when I tried to check your pulse, and I was sure when you started talking,¡± Juniper replied with a slight nod and a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°I suppose I underestimated you.¡± Shanley managed a wry, slightly embarrassed smile. He had forgotten she was a miracle healer.


    "Since you saw through my act, I wonder... can you see through other things as well?" Shanley''s gaze was intense, his warm breath fanning across her face in a subtle, teasing caress.


    "See through what?" Juniper''s longshes lifted slowly, her eyes narrowing as she answered with perfect calm. ¡°The fact that you like me?"


    Shanley had been mentally drafting a speech, trying to find the right words that wouldn''t scare her away. He never expected her to be so bold, to call him out so directly. It left him at a loss for words.


    "Yeah,¡± he finally managed, a resigned sigh escaping his lips. ¡°I thought I was being obvious enough."


    Juniper pursed her lips. He was. Even she, someone who didn''t understand the first thing about "liking" someone, had felt it.


    "I was originally going to wait until after you graduated to talk to you about this properly." Shanley gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead, a helpless smile on his face. ¡°But I''m afraid someone else will snatch you away."


    "And who do you think is going to snatch me away?" Juniper''s heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her cool facade. "Melvin?"


    At the mention of his name, Shanley didn''t answer, but his brow furrowed in clear distaste.


    "Others might be a possibility, but Melvin..." Juniper blinked, her lips curling slightly. "That''s impossible in this lifetime."


    Shanley''s eyes widened. Was he hearing things? Juniper didn''t like Melvin?


    Wait. What was that first part? Others might be a possibility? Who were these "others"? Besides Melvin, who else was after her?


    ¡°Juniper...¡± Shanley frowned, about to press her for more, but she cut him off.


    "I hate the smell of smoke and alcohol." She poked his cheek with her finger, her expression a mix of fierce and adorable. "This is thest time. If I ever smell it on you again..."


    "I''ll revoke your permission to like me," she finished, her eyes glinting with a mischievous, upward flick.


    ¡°So, that means I currently have permission?" Shanley''s face felt hot as he stared at her, his eyes unwavering.


    "You should also spend some time working on your physical fitness Juniper said, changing the subject Her voice was husky. "Oh, and especially your marksmanship."


    "What?" Shanley blinked, thrown by the sudden shift. Liking her was starting to


    sound like preparing for battle.


    "You''ll find outter," she said with a


    n¨¦


    yawn. "My elder peers from the monare formidable. You can talk to me about liking'' me,after you can beat them in a fight


    Elder peers from the monastery? Shanley remembered she had lived in a monastery for many years. He assumed she was talking about the people there.


    ¡°Alright. I''ll do my best,¡± he said softly. ¡°And I''ll try to make sure they go easy on me."


    Anyone the girl respected must care for her deeply. If it meant winning her over, taking a beating was a small price to pay.

 Chapter 266

    Juniper shot him a look, then closed her eyes. "I''m sleepy," she mumbled, showing no intention of moving.


    "Okay, get some sleep." Shanley gently pulled the nket over both of them, a slow smile spreading across his face. It seemed the girl wasn''t entirely immune to him after all. He should have made his move sooner.


    The next morning, Juniper opened her eyes after a full night of peaceful sleep. The first thing she saw was a handsome, sharply defined face with striking features, startlingly close to her own. Her gaze drifted down to his elegant corbones and well-defined chest.


    With his eyes closed, the usual cold, intimidating aura he carried had dissipated. Sunlight streamed through a gap in the curtains, illuminating his face. The sight was inexplicably captivating.


    The man every woman in Era City wanted to marry? He certainly lived up to the hype.


    Juniper raised a hand, gently tracing the line of his eyebrow, a smile blooming on her lips.


    Sensing a presence near his face, Shanley''s eyes snapped open. The next second, the murderous, defensive aura that had red up vanishedpletely.


    His reflexes were so fast that Juniper barely registered the movement. There was something familiar about it, as if they had crossed paths, or even swords, before. But that was impossible. She had never met Shanley beforeing here.


    "Good morning, Juniper." Seeing her face, Shanley rxed, a warm curve gracing his lips. "How did you sleep?"


    "Fine," she replied. "You?"


    "Very well." He nced at the clock and patted her head gently. "Time to get up for school."


    "Oh." Juniper touched her hair, still a little dazed. It felt like she''d been possessedst night. Lying in his arms had been sofortable that she had fallen asleep almost instantly. She usually slept poorly and was gued by nightmares, butst night had been wonderfully, unusually peaceful.


    "Very well," Shanley repeated with a slightly stiff smile as he sat up, a grimace of pain shing across his face. His arm waspletely numb and difficult to move.


    "Are you okay?" Juniper asked, a hint of guilt in her eyes.


    "I''m fine." Shanley shook his head with a smallugh. "Go get ready. After breakfast, I''ll take you to school."


    "Okay." Juniper obediently went to the bathroom.


    When she came back, she found him shirtless, struggling to put on his clothes. He was standing in front of the full-length mirror, giving her a perfect unobstructed view. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, not an Qurice of fat on him¡ªhis body looked like it was straightout of aic book. It was clear he trained regrly.


    ¡°Impressively disciplined,¡± she thought, finding herself momentarily lost in the sight.


    "Juniper." Shanley turned and caught her interested gaze. He raised an eyebrow. "Could you give me a hand?"


    "Sure." Juniper walked over, stood on her tiptoes, and carefully began buttoning his shirt. When it came to the fe however, she was stumped. don''t know how  fo


    She was more familiar with how to strangle someone with it.


    "I''ll teach you." Shanley took her hands in his, guiding them through the motions of looping and knotting the silk.


    Juniper nced up at his face but


    didn''t puff away. The proximity,.


    warming their bodies, filled the room with a palpable, intimate tension.


    Just then, a knock sounded at the door.


    "Sir, Mr. Tate is here," Dana''s voice called out, followed almost immediately by


    Jimmie''s. ¡°Shanley, why isn''t my sister in her room?"


    Shanley and Juniper froze.

 Chapter 267

    "Knock, knock, knock-"


    Jimmie''s knocking grew more insistent, his voiceced with urgency. "Are you awake? My sister''s not in her room, and she''s not downstairs either."


    He had gotten up early to make a wide variety of breakfast foods, hoping to give his sister a taste of a warm family wee.


    Dana stood silently to the side, her head bowed in guilt.


    "My brother''s here," Juniper said, calmly finishing the knot on the tie. She tilted her chin up, her clear eyes looking at Shanley with unconcealed amusement. She wasn''t worried at all; in fact, she seemed to be enjoying this. It was obvious she was looking forward to the show.


    "I know." Shanley''s lips curved into a faint smile. He picked up her backpack. "Let''s go."


    ¡°Okay.¡± Juniper stuffed her hands in her pockets and sauntered to the door.


    When the door swung open, Jimmie was caught mid-knock, phone in his other hand. He froze, his words dying in his throat as he saw the two of them emerge from the room together. This was Shanley''s room, right? So why was Junipering out of it first thing in the morning?


    Juniper just pursed her lips, saying nothing.


    "Morning," Shanley said smoothly, stepping forward. "I was helping Juniper with her homeworkst night. She left her backpack, so she came to get it."


    "Homework?" Jimmie looked from Shanley to Juniper, his eyes filled with suspicion. "Isn''t Juniper''s homework excellent?"


    Did a student with perfect scores really need tutoring?


    "Yes," Shanley replied, his expression unblinking. It was a beating he''d have to take eventually, but he''d postpone it as long as possible. The girl had just given him permission to pursue her; he hadn''t even officially won her over yet.


    "There were a few things she didn''t know."


    Like how to tie a tie, for instance.


    "Is that so?" Jimmie was still skeptical. He pulled his sister to his side, his eyes fixed warily on Shanley. "Juniper, what kind of problem did you have?"


    ¡°Math," Juniper said coolly. She thenunched into a wless recitation: "An ideal in the polynomial ring Clxylis scaling invariant if, for pair of non-zero elements A,u, the ideal generated by all elements of the form f(¦Ëx,¦Ìy), where f(x,y) I I, is I itself..."


    Jimmie''s expression grew even more strained. He didn''t understand a single word But Shanley was a global mathpetition champion It seemed usible that Juniper would ask him a math question.


    "Ms. Payne, you''re going to bete, and you haven''t had breakfast yet," Dana interjected at the perfect moment.


    "Let''s eat first." Jimmie dropped the subject and led his sister to the


    dining table, presenting the feast he had prepared. "I didn''t know what you like, so I made a little of everything."


    Since his sister wouldn''te home with him, he would just have toe to her. Juniper propped her chin on her hand, looking at the spread with a distinctck of appetite.


    "You were up early," Shanley remarked, looking at thevish breakfast before cing a ss of oat milk in front of Juniper. Her eyes immediately lit up, and she took arge gulp.


    ¡°Juniper, try some of what your brother made." Shanley picked up a knife and fork and began serving her pieces from each dish.


    "Okay." Juniper obediently ate whatever Shanley put on her te.


    "Juniper, try this." Seeing Shanley''s attentiveness, Jimmie felt a pang of jealousy and also picked up his cutlery to serve his sister. A savory pastry with chives.


    Juniper took one bite, immediately put it back on her te, and pushed the te far away. Her face said it all: disgust.


    Jimmie''s smile faltered, a wave of defeat washing over him. His sister liked Shanley more than him.


    ¡°Juniper doesn''t like chives," Shanley exined softly. ¡°She doesn''t like anything with a strong vor."


    Juniper nodded in agreement. Her eyes then fell on the braised shrimp in front of Jimmie.


    "Bro," she said, speaking up for the first time. "I want some of that."


    "Of course." Jimmie''s spirits lifted instantly, and he happily began peeling shrimp for her. Juniper, to her credit, ate every single one he gave her.

 Chapter 268

    "Dana, is Ms. Payne''s backpack ready?"


    As they finished eating, Shanley instinctively reached for a napkin to wipe Juniper''s hands, but he caught Jimmie''s stare out of the corner of his eye. His fingers twitched, and he awkwardly dabbed at his own lips instead.


    "It''s ready." Dana brought out the backpack.


    Shanley checked its contents. "Put some bread in there. Juniper gets hungry in the afternoon."


    "Oh, my memory, Ipletely forgot," Dana said with an embarrassedugh, rushing to add the snack.


    Jimmie, who had lost his appetite, simply watched the entire exchange in silence.


    "Let''s go, Juniper." After a final check to ensure nothing was missing, Shanley turned to her. "Bring a jacket. It''s supposed to rain today."


    "Okay.¡± Juniper obediently grabbed her jacket and followed Shanley out the door.


    From start to finish, aside from peeling a few shrimp, Jimmie hadn''t been able to contribute at all.


    On the way to school, Juniper sat quietly in the corner, ying a game on her phone.


    "Ahem."


    She had eaten too much that morning, and her stomach felt a little upset.


    "Have some water."


    Just as Jimmie was about to find her some water, Shanley had already twisted open a bottle and was holding it to her lips. Juniper didn''t even have to turn her head; she just drank from it as it was held.


    The motion was so practiced, so familiar, it was as if they had done it a thousand times before. Was this how they always were? What kind of brother was so meticulously attentive to his sister?


    After watching his sister walk into the school, Jimmie felt a growing sense of unease on the drive home. He pulled out his phone and called his agent. ¡°I need you to find out which girl Shanley is seen with the most."


    He knew Shanley supposedly had someone he was interested in. If he could just confirm who it was, he could rest easy. But if Shanley really had his sights set on Juniper...


    Jimmie''s expression darkened, his fists clenching.


    After school, Juniper found herself cornered by several of her teachers.


    "We agreed today was for essay writing! Don''t you understand firste, first served?" the literature teacher dered.


    "You clearly said it was math today! I even prepared the worksheets," the math teacher countered.


    "Is my chemistry ss not important? It''s worth a hundred points!" the chemistry teacher chimed in. Students in their sses were a waiting for Juniper to break down the key topics so they could pass the information along.


    ¡°I don''t care, she''s mine today," insisted the literature teacher.


    "Anyone who tries to take her from me is making an enemy," threatened the math teacher.


    "Fine by me,¡± the chemistry teacher shot back.


    The arguing gave Juniper a headache. Finally, unable to take it anymore, she was forced to create a tutoring schedule. Half an hour every afternoon. For her teachers. Today''s lottery winner was the math teacher.


    After the session, the math teacher walked her to the school gate. "I heard you have something on tonight, so you''ll be a bitte for evening study hall?"


    "Yes," Juniper nodded. ¡°I''ll be back as soon as I can.¡±


    "No rush," the math teacher chuckled. "Just be safe. As long as you''re here before ss ends, it''s fine."


    He''d heard the physics teacher was always giving her time off. After all the tutoring Juniper had given him that old man was now confidently preparing to enter the Global Physics Olympiad He wanted enter the math one mimself but was just missing that special something. Juniper was that something. He had to keep her happy.


    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± Juniper politely bid him farewell and hailed a cab to theb.


    The preliminary gic analysis report was ready. Her fingers


    trembled as she read the word


    "simrity The matching giet


    markers indicated an extremely high probability of a close familiab rtionship. Just two more tests, and it would be confirmed.


    The likelihood that Melvin was her brother was incredibly high. Barring any


    surprises, she would have her answer tomorrow.

 Chapter 269

    At that same moment, on the other side of the city, Melvin woke up from a


    nightmare, his forehead slick with sweat. He had dreamt of the shipwreck again¡ª the one that had killed his parents and torn his family apart.


    His phone rang, piercing the silence. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he answered. "Hello?"


    "Sir, we have preliminary results from the DNA sample you sent," his assistant''s voice came through the line.


    "And?" Melvin sat bolt upright, his body tense.


    After Juniper had left the coffee shop the other day, he had found a few strands of her hair on the table. Since all his background checks on her hade up empty, a DNA test seemed like the fastest way to get answers. He was so desperate to find his sister that he couldn''t afford to ignore any possibility. He had sent the hair to theb that very day.


    "They said that based on the current analysis, there are a significant number of gic simrities,¡± the assistant said, his own voice filled with excitement. "Of all the potential candidates we''ve tested, the match between you and J is by far the highest."


    Though the analysis wasn''tplete, it was a spark of hope.


    "What did Binary Oracle say?" Melvin asked, his fist clenching, unable to contain his excitement.


    "They said they''ll have news for you in the next day or two," the assistant replied. "They sounded very confident. The person is in Era City, they just need to confirm the identity."


    His sister was in Era City, he thought Juniper resembled his sister, and now their DNA showed a high degree of simrity... The conviction that the girl might be his sister grew stronger with each passing moment.


    "Understood." Melvin nced at the time. It was noon.


    Juniper would be on her lunch break. He had to go see her.


    Hanging up the phone, Melvin changed into a fresh set of clothes and headed for Aurora High School.


    At that moment, Juniper, Qadir, Queenie, and Dolce were just leaving the cafeteria.


    ¡°Come on, milkshakes are on me,¡± Qadir announced boisterously, herding the group towards the school gate.


    Queenie and Dolce said nothing, looking to Juniper for the final decision.


    "Milkshakes?" Juniper tucked her hands in her pockets and tilted her chin upzily. "I was thinking of another round of fried chicken."


    The cafeteria food today had been terrible. She was still hungry.


    "Let''s go, let''s go!"


    The four of them chatted happily as they walked towards the snack street. They had just ced their order and were waiting at the milkshake shop when a male voice called out from behind them.


    "Juniper."


    All four of them turned in unison to look at the man.


    "H-holy crap." Qadir, a huge racing fan, recognized him instantly. "Is that Melvin? Am


    I seeing things?"


    ¡°No, that''s him,¡± Queenie confirmed.


    They had secretly watched the F race live in ss just a few days ago. "That race was insane, so thrilling. Melvin''s skiffs are unbelievable." Content Belongs


    "Melvin is good, I guess, but I like J more," Dolce chimed in, her round cheeks puffing out as she offered a staunch rebuttal. "J is way cooler Especially that moment J walked out of the fire-it was better than any action movie."


    At the mention of J, Dolce''s cheeks flushed slightly, her eyes shining


    with adoration. It was the first F1 race she had ever watched, and she had beenpletely captivated by J. From now on was her idol, ane she wouldn''t let anyone say a bad word about J.


    "You''re right,¡± Queenie said, quickly cating her. "Our J is definitely the best."


    Taking on a race at thest minute and winning first ce? No one could steal that spotlight.

 Chapter 270

    ¡°It''s just a shame we don''t know what J looks like," Dolcemented with a pout.


    Juniper listened from the side, aplicated expression on her face.


    "Juniper, I think Melvin is calling you," Qadir said as the man approached, her inner gossip lighting up. "You two know each other?"


    "Yeah." Juniper nodded, looking at Melvin with a puzzled expression. "What''s up?"


    "I heard you were talking about getting fried chicken?" Melvin reached them, holding up a bag. "I bought you some."


    Juniper narrowed her eyes, staring at him. "You came all this way just to buy me fried chicken?"


    "Is there a problem with that?" Melvin''s gaze was fixed on Juniper, and the more he looked, the more he saw the resemnce to his mother, especially her eyes and mouth. So beautiful.


    The others also turned their attention to Melvin. In their eyes, Juniper was a prodigy who could do anything. Knowing Melvin wasn''t a surprise; they wouldn''t have been shocked if she knew a god.


    But was there a problem? They thought there was a huge problem! Melvin''s intention to win over Juniper couldn''t be more obvious. Was he trying to pursue her?


    Juniper stood her ground, not taking the chicken, her mind racing. What was he doing? Smiling at her like that, so happily. The gentleness in his eyes was the same look she had seen on her brother''s face, and on Shanley''s.


    Oh god. A horrifying thought struck her. Could he... like her?


    Juniper shuddered and instinctively took two steps back, creating some distance. "No, thank you." Qadir, sensing his ¡°ill intentions,¡± stepped forward protectively.


    "Our Juniper only eats things given to her by Mr. Schwartz. She doesn''t ept food from other men," he announced with a huff, making it clear that Juniper was already taken.


    "Is that so?" At the mention of Shanley, Melvin''s thoughts turned to his sister possibly being snatched away by some old man, and his face instantly darkened. "Anything he can give her, I can give her too."


    Qadir and her friends exchanged looks. So they were right. Melvin


    was interested in Juniper. Not only was he trying to woo her with gifts, but he was openly dering var on Mr Schwartz. Content Belongs


    "I bought a lot," Melvin pressed on, that Juniper wasn''t taking the


    seeine are wings,


    bag drumsticks and nuggets...¡±


    Juniper listened, her mouth starting to water. It had been so long since she''d had fried chicken.


    "Oh." After a moment''s hesitation, she reached out and took the bag.


    "Thanks," she said calmly.


    "As long as you like it."


    A smile spread across Melvin''s face. He realized his sister was a foodie, just like their mom.


    "Shanley probably doesn''t let you eat this stuff, does he? If you ever want it in the future, I''ll buy it for you."


    Juniper frowned. ¡°What''s your motive?" she asked in a low voice.


    "Motive?" Melvin chuckled. "Does wanting to see you happy count?"


    If she was his sister, even better. And if she wasn''t... well, he could just treat her like


    one.


    Juniper didn''t reply. She nced at her friends. "Let''s go."


    Melvin''s smile was giving her the creeps.


    "Okay, Juniper."


    As they walked away, Qadir kept looking back at Melvin. Did Mr. Schwartz know about this? The thought prompted him to pull out his phone and secretly fire off ate message to Shanley.


    [Mr. Schwartz, you have a rival.]

 Chapter 271

    A notification pinged on Shanley''s phone while he was in a meeting. It was his private number, and he had a specific alert set for any messages concerning


    Juniper.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± he said, his expression turning icy as he saw the sender''s name.


    The executive who was speaking immediately fell silent. Everyone else looked up, confused, as their CEO, his face suddenly grim, began typing furiously on his phone. What was going on? Was it about the girl he was so smitten with? Thest few times their boss had lost hisposure, she was the reason.


    The executives exchanged nces, but no one dared to speak.


    Shanley texted Qadir: [Rival?]


    Qadir replied instantly: [Yeah, that racing champion, Melvin. He just showed up at school looking for Juniper and even bought her fried chicken.]


    Melvin? Shanley''s fingers tightened on his phone, his face clouding over. The guy was like a bad penny.


    Shanley: [Juniper didn''t take anything from him, right?]


    Qadir: [Uh, she did.]


    She did? Why would Juniper ept a gift from someone else? A knot of frustration formed in Shanley''s chest. He felt like he didn''t understand her at all anymore. Was she trying to y the field? But if she was going to do that, she could at least pick someone younger. Melvin was just as old as he was.


    Shanley replied: [I see. Thanks for the heads-up.]


    Qadir''s response was immediate: [No problem! I just think you''re the only one in the world who''s good enough for Juniper.]


    Qadir had seen firsthand how well he treated Juniper. Besides, they were a perfect match, in looks and in spirit. He wouldn''t let anyone break up his favorite couple.


    "Heh." A small smile touched Shanley''s lips as he read Qadir''s message. The kid was young, but he had good taste.


    Ending the chat, Shanley turned to Felton and said in a low voice, "Invest another twenty million in Qadir''s family farm."


    "What? Oh, yes, boss," Felton replied, startled.


    Meanwhile, Qadir had just finished his report when he got a call from his father.


    ...


    "Son," his dad, Ondo, said, "that wealthy stranger just invested another twenty million in our farm."


    "What?"


    Qadir''s head was spinning. Another twenty million? Who was this rich? It seemed like every time he reported


    over


    on Juniper to Mr. Schwartz, his family received an investment. Could the investor be... Mr. Schwartz?


    het


    Holy cow. Qadir pped his forehead, trying to clear his head From now on, he decided, he had to be even more vignt and keep any weirdos away from Juniper


    When school let out, Shanley was waiting at the gate as usual.


    "Right on time," Juniper said, expertly handing him her backpack as she slid into the car. She picked up the milkshake from the small tray table. want some cookies.


    Shanley got in beside her, tore open a pack of cookies, and held one to her lips.


    "Yummy," she said after a bite, her face breaking into a wide, contented smile.


    ¡°Did you have a good day at school?¡± Seeing her smile, Shanley''s expression softened, and his voice grew gentle.


    ¡°It was okay,¡± Juniper repliedzily, sipping her milkshake.


    "Anything interesting you want to share with me?" Shanley coaxed, wiping a stray drop from the corner of her mouth.


    "Hmm?" Juniper crunched on her cookie, thinking for a moment before looking up at him. "You want to hear about it?"


    "I do," Shanley said, his gaze deepening. He was curious to see just how honest this girl would be.

 Chapter 272

    "The physics and math teachers got into a fight over my ten-minute break between sses,¡± Juniper said, her tone animated and full of enthusiasm.


    Shanley''s brow furrowed. "And what did you do?" he asked, his voice strained.


    "I watched them fight," Juniper shrugged nonchntly. "By the time they were done,


    it was time for the next ss. Problem solved, no one got the break.¡±


    Of course, it wasn''t a real fight-just a lot of arm-waving and posturing, with neither one brave enough to throw the first punch. It was all very dramatic.


    "Anything else?" Shanley asked, his lips twitching, not having heard what he was expecting.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Juniper shook her head and went back to her snacks, ignoring himpletely.


    Shanley sat beside her in brooding silence, a storm cloud gathering over his head. The suspicion that she was ying the field grew stronger. If that was the case..... could he at least be her first choice? That way, she would have to like him more.


    ...


    Half an hourter, they arrived home.


    "Mr. Schwartz, Ms. Payne," Dana said, setting out their slippers. "The door has been repaired. Ms. Payne, you''ll be able to move back into your room tonight."


    "Good," Shanley nodded. He felt that until their rtionship was defined, a little distance was necessary. He then turned to Juniper. "Still hungry? Want ate-night snack?"


    "No." The news that she had to move back to her own room had soured Juniper''s mood, and her appetite vanished.


    Later that night, Juniper tossed and turned, her wide eyes staring at the ceiling. It was strange. Before, even with the constant nightmares, she could at least fall asleep. But after a few nights in Shanley''s room she was suddenly struggling with insomnia.


    After staring into the darkness for what felt like an eternity, she grabbed her pillow,


    got up, and padded toward Shanley''s room.


    Halfway there, an idea struck her.


    She went back to her bedroom and "locked" the door. There. Broken again. Which meant she had to borrow a room for the night once she was certain the door wouldn''t open, she knocked on Shanley''s. C¨®ntent


    ¡°Juniper?¡± Shanley was surprised to see her at his door.


    ¡°The door''s broken,¡± she announced, walking past him and expertly climbing into his bed.


    The door was broken again? Seeing how practiced she was, Shanley couldn''t help but chuckle. That poor lock.


    "Alright," he said softly, tucking her in. "You sleep here. I''ll take the sofa."


    As he turned to leave, she grabbed his hand. ¡°I can only sleep if your arm is around me."


    With a gentle tug, she pulled him onto the bed and snuggled into his embrace.


    Shanley froze, his breath catching in his throat. This girl was bold. He was, after all,


    a perfectly normal man. He stayed still, gently patting her back.


    "Go to sleep," he murmured.


    Within five minutes, her breathing evened out and she was sound asleep in his arms. He watched her, his fingers lightly tracing the curve of her cheek, his brow furrowed in thought. Did she like him or not? If she did, how could she tolerate another man''s advances?


    Shanley sighed. He was nearly thirty and had never felt so utterly clueless. It was


    driving him mad. What could he do to make her care for him and him alone? Maybe... maybe he should just get rid of Melvin.

 Chapter 273

    The next morning, Juniper was her usual self, sitting at the dining table eating breakfast. Shanley sat opposite her, his handsome face grim as his long, elegant fingers peeled an egg. Juniper sipped her soup and nced at him. There he goes again, getting angry over nothing.


    "Dana, I won''t be home for lunch," Juniper announced. "I have something to take care of at the racing association."


    The racing association? Shanley slowly lifted his gaze, his deep eyes shadowed. That meant she would see Melvin. He desperately wanted to forbid her from seeing that creep, but he didn''t want to control her life and earn her resentment.


    "Very well," Dana nodded, instinctively ncing at Shanley. She had heard from Flint about the race car driver who was trying to woo Ms. Payne. No wonder Mr. Schwartz looked like he was about tomit murder.


    Dana then looked at Juniper, who was happily eating,pletely oblivious to the dark mood of the man across from her. Such a carefree girl. She hoped she wouldn''t get snatched away.


    ...


    When the car pulled up near Aurora High, Juniper opened the door to get out.


    "Wait."


    Just as she was about to step out, Shanley grabbed her wrist. Juniper froze, looking at him in confusion. In the next moment, Shanley leaned over her, his fingers brushing against the seatbelt buckle by her side.


    "You didn''t unbuckle your seatbelt," he murmured, his voice low and husky.


    "Oh." Juniper didn''t move, letting him handle it. With a soft click, the seatbelt released, but the man leaning over her didn''t pull away. His eyes stared deeply into hers. Juniper met his gaze and raised an eyebrow.


    "Something you want to say?"


    "Yes," Shanley said, a faint smile on his lips. ¡°Exams areing up. You should focus on your studies and not get involved with the wrong sort of people."


    "The wrong sort of people?" Juniper pondered his words for a second, then her eyes narrowed yfully. "You mean Melvin?"


    Shanley was momentarily speechless that she had figured it out so quickly.


    "He doesn''t seem like the wrong sort


    of person," Juniper said, a


    mischievous smile ying on her lips Pet voice was light andzy "Actually... he''s not bad."


    Not bad? Those two words were like gasoline on a fire. The man''s face darkened, looking as if it might freeze over.


    "Melvin..." Juniper started to exin,


    but the test results weren''t definitive yet, and she was short on time. It


    could wait. Once the report came in tonight he wouldn''t be jealous


    anymore.


    "I have to get to ss. I''m leaving."


    Watching the girl walk away cheerfully towards the school, Shanley yanked at his tie


    in frustration. ¡°Cancel my afternoon schedule,¡± he ordered coldly.


    "All of it, boss?" Flint asked cautiously. The afternoon meetings were quite important.


    Shanley didn''t reply, just shot Flint an icy re.


    "Understood, boss," Felton interjected immediately. "We''ll take care of it."


    "Right," Flint muttered, catching on. Damn it, how could he forget? Anything rted to Ms. Payne was top priority. Judging by his boss''s expression was he going to catch her cheating?

 Chapter 274

    At noon, as soon as she left school, Juniper''s phone rang. It was from theb.


    "Boss, the results for the DNA sample you sent are in."


    "Email the report to me."


    Hanging up, Juniper opened her email. Theb was fast; the full report was already there. Taking a deep breath, she opened the file.


    A smile spread across her face as she read the conclusion. It was wonderful. She had another blood rtive in this world. She suddenly found herself looking forward to seeing Melvin''s reaction when he found out.


    With that thought, she hailed a cab and headed straight for the racing association.


    Thirty minutester, the car pulled up, and Juniper could see Melvin waiting for her at the entrance.


    "J," he said with a gentle smile, personally opening the car door for her. "You must be hungry after ss."


    In his heart, Melvin truly saw her as a younger sister. For some reason, he just loved talking to her and being around her.


    ¡°Yeah, a little,¡± Juniper nodded, her eyes asionally flicking to his face.


    "I''ve already had lunch prepared," Melvin said, reaching out to take her backpack, mimicking a gesture he''d seen Shanley do.


    ¡°It''s okay,¡± Juniper said, shaking her head and clutching the bag tightly. ¡°I can carry it myself." Shanley had bought her this bag, and it held the candy and bottle she cherished.


    Melvin''s hand met empty air, and he gave a slightly awkward smile.


    It was Saturday, and the racing association was officially closed for the weekend. Besides Melvin and his assistant the entire building was empty. With the security cameras turned off as well, Juniper didn''t bother with a disguise and walked in openly.


    "Let''s eat first, Melvin said, leading her to the conference room where an impressive spread of food wasid out on the tablele sat down opposite her and handed her a knife and fork. "We can discuss this year''s development n after we eat."


    For the past three years, with J''s retirement and no other star drivers to lead the association, many promising racers had been poached by other countries for huge sums of money. The ones who remained, aside from Kurt were mediocre at best. To restore their former glory, a


    solid n was crucial. That''s why Melvin had asked her here.


    "Okay.¡± Juniper sat down obediently, her eyes fixed on the delicious-looking food. It was fragrant, and made her mouth water.


    "Go on, eat,¡± Melvin said, picking up his own utensils and piling food onto her te. Juniper didn''t hold back, eating with gusto.


    Watching the empty tes pile up in front of her, Melvin frowned. Didn''t Shanley feed her enough? How could she eat so much? The thought only deepened his dislike for the older man.

 Chapter 275

    After finishing her lunch, Juniper picked up some grapes and popped one into her mouth. Her gaze lingered on Melvin as she asked, "You seem to really like your sister."


    "Of course." At the mention of his sister, Melvin''s smile widened, his eyes filled with warmth. "As far back as I can remember, she was always sticking close to me. Out of all our brothers and sisters, she liked me the best."


    "Is that so?" Juniper paused, a grape halfway to her lips. She narrowed her eyes, a knowing smile ying on them. She seemed to recall Jimmie saying the exact same thing-that she had been closest to him. Two brothers, two different stories. How


    odd.


    "J..." Melvin stared at the young woman before him, his voice slightly hoarse. "I heard you''re an orphan. Do you remember if you had any family?"


    Although he had already sent a hair sample for testing, this was a perfect opportunity to ask.


    "I had brothers and sisters..." Juniper picked up her fork and slowly ate a piece of mango. "Why?"


    "You have brothers and sisters?" Melvin''s smile froze. He had beenpletely unable to find any information on her past. To think she had siblings. Recalling the preliminary DNA results showed a high probability of a match, his heart pounded with excitement. This meant there was a strong chance Juniper was his sister. What had he done to deserve such a brilliant and beautiful sister?


    "I do," Juniper said, setting down her fork. She rested her chin on her sped hands and looked directly at Melvin. "After you find your sister, what do you n to do?¡±


    Melvin''s throat tightened. He cleared it and answered seriously, "I''ll make it up to her, love her, and protect her with everything I have. Then, I''ll find our other siblings so we can have a family reunion.¡± He nced guiltily at Juniper and added in a low voice, "After all... I am the oldest brother."


    After hearing his words, Juniper''s smile widened. She leaned back in her chair. "With such sincerity, I''m sure fate will help you find your sister. Who knows, you might even find a brother too."


    Melvin stared at her, puzzled by her cryptic remark. Just then, his phone buzzed, pulling him from his thoughts. It was a message from Binary Oracle: [Mr. Steele, we have a positive identification on your sister. Please remit the final payment. You will receive theplete file in ten minutes.]


    Ten minutes? Did that mean he had really found his sister? It was so sudden; he wasn''t mentally prepared. If his sister was really ... how was he supposed to break the news to her gently? Would it scare her? Besides, the gifts he had prepared for her hadn''t even arrived yet.


    For the next few minutes, Juniper calmly continued eating her fruit, while Melvin, pale-faced, struggled to type in his bank password with trembling fingers.


    "Beep. Payment sessful."


    After settling the bill, Melvin waited anxiously for the full report. He was more nervous now than he had ever been before a life-or-death race.


    Across the city, Jimmie was in his studio, busy with a music video shoot butpletely distracted. His mind was consumed with the thought of the precious girl being snatched away. Worse, he was the one who had led the wolf to her.


    Jimmie pinched the bridge of his nose, a throbbing pain in his temples. He couldn''t bear the


    thought that Shanley might be


    predator. As he was lost in thought, his phone vibrated. A message from Binary Oracle: [Mr. Tate, your task isplete. Please remit the final payment. You will receive the


    Jimmie shot up from his seat, rereading the message again and again.

 Chapter 276

    It had only been three days. Was Binary Oracle really that good?


    He finally understood why Juniper looked down on Cybeic Shadows. They really were second-rate. Shanley needed to get his house in order, or they''d get crushed by Binary Oracle again at this year''s hackerpetition.


    Jimmie quickly entered his password and paid the fee. He wondered if Binary Oracle had found his older or younger brother... It had been so long, he couldn''t remember his ce in the birth order. His brothers probably didn''t remember either. In that case, he would just be the eldest brother. The eldest brother had more authority.


    A man''s status in the world is what he makes it!


    Right, he should tell Juniper the news first. After the payment went through, Jimmie eagerly texted her: [Juniper, I found your other brother, my younger brother.]


    Juniper blinked, pondering his message. Well, now someone should suggest the two of them have a fight to decide who gets to be the oldest.


    Juniper replied: [I''m at the racing association. Come here in ten minutes.]


    Meanwhile, Shanley, having finished his work, was striding out of the office.


    "I heard the racing association is closed today. Right now, it''s just Ms. Payne and Melvin inside," Flint reported, jogging to keep up. "They''ve been in there for almost an hour, and all the security cameras are off, so... we don''t know what''s happening."


    Flint''s heart pounded in his chest. This felt exactly like a scene from a movie where someone was about to catch a cheating spouse. How exciting!


    An hour? Shanley pulled out his phone to call Juniper, but it went straight to voicemail.


    Of course it did. At that moment, Juniper had switched cards and was messaging Melvin and Jimmie under her Binary Oracle identity.


    Voicemail? The news made Shanley''s face even darker, and he broke into a near


    run.


    "Quick, keep up!" Felton urged Flint, sensing the urgency.


    "Our boss looks like he''s about to kill someone," Flint shuddered, the hair on his arms standing on end. ¡°We''ve done our fair share of dirty work, but this is the first time we''ve been on a cheater hunt."


    It was, he had to admit, a novel experience.


    ...


    Ten minutes passed.


    Let


    Melvin and Jimmie received emails from Binary Oracle simultaneously. They opened them hearts pounding, and scrolled straight to the end.


    Melvin''s report: [Sister: Juniper Payne. Brother: Jimmie Tate.] With attached files.


    Jimmie''s report: [Brother: Melvin Steele.] With attached files.


    "Melvin?"


    Jimmie was stunned when he read the name. He knew of the man-a big shot in the racing world who had inth recently returned to the country with his team. Didn''t Juniper just say she was at the racing association? Melvin was probably there too. Had they already recognized each other? "Pause the shoot," Jimmie said, grabbing his jacket and striding out the door.


    Melvin had also received his email. He stared at the conclusion, then looked at the girl in front of him in diskelief, bis lips trembling, Juniper was really his sister. His intuition had been right all along.


    "CRASH!"


    Melvin shot to his feet, knocking over several tes. His eyes were red as he stared at her. "You..."


    "Yeah, it''s me,¡± Juniper said calmly, a slow smile spreading across her face. ¡°What a coincidence, bro."


    Bro? Had she known all along?


    "My sister..." Melvin''s mind was a mess. His eyes welled up as he stepped forward, opening his arms to embrace her.


    ¡°?¡±


    Before he could say anything, a man''s voice, colder than ice, roared from behind him.


    "Let go of Juniper!"


    Melvin and Juniper both turned to see Shanley, his face a mask of fury, storming towards them.


    "You have a death wish, touching her?"


    With that, Shanley swung his fist,nding a heavy blow right on Melvin''s face.


    Both Melvin and Juniper were taken aback.


    Jimmie, arriving at the doorway, was stricken with the same shock.

 Chapter 277

    The punch was swift and brutal, sending Melvin staggering back into the wall.


    "Who gave you permission to touch her?" Shanley snarled, grabbing Melvin by the cor, his eyes burning with a murderous rage. "I warned you to stay away from Juniper."


    He knew this guy had ulterior motives, but he never imagined he''d be brazen enough to force himself on her. The girl he wouldn''t even dare to touch-how could he let someone elsey a hand on her?


    "Stay away?" Melvin''s mouth was bruised and bleeding, but a smirk yed on his lips. He shot back without hesitation, "I''m afraid you''re going to be disappointed, Mr. Schwartz. From now on, I''m only going to get closer to Juniper."


    "Say that one more time, you bastard!" Shanley''s eyes were bloodshot, radiating a terrifying chill. Calling her ''Juniper'' so casually¡ªthe nerve!


    ¡°I said, I''m going to be by Juniper''s side from now on, and there''s nothing you can do about it," Melvin dered, his voice loud and firm. "In fact, the one who should get lost is you!"


    This old man not only preyed on his younger sister, but he didn''t even feed her properly. Who knew how long the girl had been starving to eat that much today? He was going to settle this score with Shanley.


    In an instant, the two men were brawling, trading vicious blows aimed at each other''s weak points. It was clear both were skilled fighters.


    Juniper frowned and yelled, "Hey, can you two stop fighting and listen to me for a second?"


    But they were lost in the heat of battle,pletely deaf to her words. As Melvin stumbled backward, he identally swept the te of chicken wings Juniper had been saving forst onto the floor.


    Her chicken wings! A sh of anger crossed Juniper''s face.


    They wanted to fight? Fine. Let them get it out of their system. She''d talk when they were done.


    Just then, Jimmie arrived and saw the chaotic scene: Shanley and Melvin were locked in a fight, while his dear sister sat calmly to the side Sipping a milkshake and watching with detached interest.


    "What are they doing?" Jimmie demanded, turning to the panting,te-arriving


    Felton and Flint. "Why is your boss fighting with Melvin?"


    "Catching a cheater!" Flint gasped, wiping sweat from his brow.


    "Catching a what?" Jimmie was already confused, and now he was certain he''d misheard.


    ¡°Him, Melvin,¡± Flint said, pointing. "He had the nerve to make a move on Ms. Payne. And if that wasn''t bad enough, he just grabbed her and forced a hug on her."


    The two of them had seen it with


    their own eyes. Ms. Payne was just sitting there, and Melvin suddenly got up and pulled her into an


    embrace. How could their boss not lose it? He was probably going to beat him to death.


    Make a move? Jimmie''s face went through several shades of color. The


    whole situation was absurd. He could believe Shanley making


    move on Juniper, but Melvin was her Brother!


    Wait. Melvin probably didn''t know about their blood rtion yet. All the food, the smiles, and now a forced hug...


    A terrible thought crept into Jimmie''s mind. Could Melvin have fallen for Juniper? Was this one of those cosmic jokes where soulmates turn out to be siblings?


    ¡°Break them up, now!" Jimmie said, rubbing his temples and looking at Felton and Flint with exasperation.


    Felton and Flint exchanged a look. "We can''t, not without our boss''s orders," they answered in low voices.

 Chapter 278

    Besides, shouldn''t Mr. Tate be even angrier that this guy was harassing Ms. Payne? Shouldn''t he join the fight and make it two-on-one?


    Seeing their hesitant expressions, Jimmie didn''t have time to exin and strode forward himself. The two fighters were locked in a standoff, ring at each other, their faces bruised and battered. Melvin had clearly gotten the worst of it, which was no surprise. Who could stand up to Shanley in a fight? If this continued, Melvin might actually get killed.


    "As long as I''m here, you won''ty a finger on Juniper," Shanley snarled, gripping Melvin''s cor. "If you know what''s good for you, get lost. Otherwise, I''ll kill you.¡±


    "Even if I leave, I doubt Juniper would want me to," Melvin retorted, defiant despite his injuries. "Why don''t we ask Juniper who she prefers-me, or an old man like you!"


    Realizing the girl was watching, Shanley had been holding back to avoid scaring her. But this guy was just asking for it.


    "You''re dead!" Shanley clenched his fist, ready to teach him a real lesson, when Jimmie suddenly appeared beside them.


    ¡°He''s family! What are you fighting for?" Jimmie''s voice was low and firm.


    Family? What did this creep have to do with their family? Unless¡ª


    Shanley''s mind shed back to Melvin saying Juniper looked like his sister, and he hesitated for a fraction of a second.


    "WHAM!"


    Seizing the moment, Melvin countered with a solid punch to Shanley''s left cheek. He put all his pent-up fury into the blow, sending Shanley staggering back several steps, a dark bruise already forming on his handsome face.


    Melvin''s hand hung in the air, a look of surprise on his face. He''d been on the losing end of the fight the entire time, but this time, Shanley hadn''t dodged or fought back. The punch felt incredibly satisfying.


    The fight came to an abrupt halt, and the room fell silent.


    "What did you just say?" Shanley asked, ignoring the stinging pain in his jaw. He looked at Jimmie, his expression grim, his voice raspy. "What do you mean, family?"


    "Twenty minutes ago, Binary Oracle sent a message,¡± Jimmie said with a slight nod. "The DNA test confirmed it. Melvin is the person we were looking for."


    He paused, letting the words sink in. "In other words, he''s Juniper''s brother. My brother."


    What? Her what? Her brother?


    Shanley''s gaze shifted to the


    battered and bruised Melvin. His


    dark brows, knitted together. So all of


    Melvin''s efforts to get close to


    Juniper to win her over... it wasn''t a romantic pursuit? It was just a


    brother''s affection for his sister?


    He remembered how he had dered his ownership of Juniper in front of Melvin, calling himself her future husband And just now, he had beaten him mercilessly What a small world. He had just brutally assaulted his potential future brother-inw.


    Shanley''s lips tightened. The usually calm and collected man felt a wave of guilt and panic wash over him.


    "That''s right. I''m Juniper''s brother."


    Melvin had been waiting for this


    moment. He pulled out the test results on his phone, his cold gaze fixed on Shanley as he said, word. word, "From the first moment I saw Juniper, I felt she looked like my little sister. So, I hired someone to


    investigate."


    He let out a triumphant, bitterugh. ¡°And what do you know? It''s true. Juniper really


    is my long-lost sister."


    Shanley was left speechless.

 Chapter 279

    Seeing the mortified look on Shanley''s face, Melvin''s smirk widened. "A brother and sister reuniting, a little hug seems pretty normal, don''t you think?" His smile


    vanished, reced by an icy re. ¡°So, I have to ask, Mr. Schwartz, what was the meaning of you charging in here and attacking me?"


    Shanley''s lips pressed into a thin line. His face was grim, showing a rare and profound embarrassment. He wanted to exin, but he didn''t know where to start. After all, he really hadn''t held back.


    "Furthermore," Melvin continued, making no attempt to hide his disdain, "what is your rtionship with my sister that made you so frantic?"


    "Mr. Schwartz is Juniper''s guardian," Jimmie quickly interjected, trying to mediate the tense situation. ¡°Just like us. Juniper is currently living with him.¡±


    ¡°Guardian?" Melvin repeated the word, his tone dripping with skepticism as he looked at Juniper. "Is that true, Juniper?"


    Juniper, who had been quietly eating fruit, looked up. If she admitted the truth, what kind of guardian gets jealous all the time? But if she denied it..... she nced at Jimmie and Melvin. They''d probably murder Shanley. So, she chose to remain silent.


    Seeing his sister''s hesitation, Jimmie''s suspicions resurfaced. He turned to Shanley. "You were the one who insisted on this arrangement. Being her guardian is part of the deal, right?"


    Shanley felt utterly defeated, unable to say a word. It was true. He had insisted on it. Looking back now, it felt like he had shot himself in the foot.


    "It''s over, it''s all over," Flint muttered like a broken record, shaking his head. "What was supposed to be a dramatic cheating scandal has turned into a scene of epic social suicide for our boss."


    Felton frowned, his expression grim. Their boss hadnded some heavy punches on his future brother-inw. Anyone would be embarrassed in this situation.


    Wait. He was a ''potential'' future brother-inw before this happened. Now...


    Mr. Tate, oblivious to their boss''s


    intentions, had foolishly entrustedet


    Ms. Payne to him. But Melvin knew, and now he had a serious grudge He wouldn''t let this go easily


    Just as the awkwardness reached its peak, the girl who had finished her fruit finally


    spoke up. "Shouldn''t the focus be on me, not Shanley?"


    This was a family reunion. She was the family being reunited.


    "Yes, you''re the focus," Jimmie said, deciding to put the issue of the "old fox" aside for the moment.


    Shanley looked up and met Juniper''s gaze. Was she... trying to help him out? A small smile touched his lips He might have lost a rival, but he had gamed the favor of the girl he adored. He''d take the beating for that.


    CUMS


    He sat down to the side, deciding not to interrupt the siblings'' reunion. His own


    problems, he suspected, were far from over.


    "It''s been a long time," Jimmie said, walking over to Melvin and extending his hand. "I''m Jimmie. Your big brother."


    "Good to see you," Melvin replied, shaking his hand. He narrowed his eyes with a slight smile. "If you''re the big brother, then what does that make me?"


    ¡°What?¡± Jimmie''s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°From what I remember, I was definitely the


    oldest. You''re... either number two or number three."

 Chapter 280

    "From what I remember, I was the oldest, too," Melvin countered, unwilling to back down. "How about I be the big brother?"


    Number two? Number three? Neither sounded very appealing.


    "Why don''t we ask Juniper who she wants as her big brother?" Jimmie''s fondness for this newly found brother was rapidly plummeting to zero. Didn''t he understand the concept of firste, first served?


    "Fine, let''s ask our little sister," Melvin agreed with a nod.


    In the next second, four eyes were fixed on the girl sitting in the chair, her chin propped on her delicate hand as she watched them with an air of casual amusement.


    Jimmie: ¡°Juniper, who do you want to be the big brother?"


    Melvin: "Speak from the heart. I won''t hold it against you."


    Jimmie shot Melvin a look. Did this guy have no shame? Suddenly, he felt that Shanley hadn''t hit him hard enough.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Juniper shifted in her seat, slowly unwrapping a piece of candy and popping it into her mouth. "You want me to choose?"


    "You choose!" the two brothers said in unison, their eyes filled with anticipation. Whoever she chose would be the brother she liked best.


    ¡°How about this....." Juniper blinked slowly. ¡°You two y rock-paper-scissors. The winner gets to be the second oldest, and the loser will be the third oldest."


    There was another brother out there, wasn''t there? He could be the oldest. Since they both disliked being second or third, this way they could both be unhappy, which would create harmony, right? She was a genius.


    Jimmie and Melvin stared at each other in silence.


    "So, uh, do you remember much from when we were kids?" Jimmie asked, deftly changing the subject.


    "I remember some things," Melvin replied, understanding Jimmie''s intent. Neither wanted to be number two or three, so they tacitly agreed to both be big brothers for now They talked for a while, and many of their memories matched up, though the details were fuzzy.


    "There''s still one brother and three sisters out there," Melvin said, his expression turning serious. ¡°I don''t have any leads on the others."


    "Don''t worry, we''ll find them eventually," Jimmie reassured him. "For now, you should talk with our little sister."


    "Right." Melvin finally turned to Juniper, his face a mixture of nervousness and excitement. "I can''t believe the legendary J is my sister."


    The person he had idolized for years was his very own sister. He must have saved the gxy in a past life.


    "It is surprising," Juniper said, raising an eyebrow. Her voice was clear and pleasant. "Hello."


    ¡°Hello,¡± Melvin said, gently taking her hand. His voice choked with emotion. "From now on, your big brother will protect you. Especially from maniptive men who prey on young girls."


    As he said this, he deliberately nced at the maniptive man in question¡ª Shanley. "Tell me, how did this so-called guardian force you into this?"


    Force? Jimmie''s gaze shifted between them, his stomach churning with unease. The way they had interacted at breakfast that one time had seemed more natura than a long-married couple. Something was definitely off. But surely Shantey wouldn''t be so shameless?


    "If I recall correctly," Melvin said,


    deciding it was time to settle the


    score for the beating he''d taken, "the first time we met, Mr. Schwartz


    introduced himself as Juniper''s... future husband."


    What? Future husband? Juniper and Jimmie''s heads snapped toward Shanley in unison.

 Chapter 281

    Jimmie''s eyes narrowed, and his handsome face quickly frosted over. Icy words


    slipped through his lips, dripping with menace. "Melvin, are you sure you heard that right? That doesn''t sound like something Mr. Schwartz would do, given his character."


    Shanley lowered his eyes, saying nothing.


    ¡°Ha,¡± Melvin scoffed from the side, wincing as the movement pulled at his injuries. The pain only sharpened his tone. "Why don''t you ask the honorable Mr. Schwartz yourself if he''s been hitting on his friend''s sister? Tsk, tsk. It''s not even a sure thing yet, and he already has the audacity to call himself her future husband. If our family gave him the green light, he''d probably drag her to the courthouse immediately, wouldn''t he?"


    Jimmie was speechless. He turned to Shanley, waiting for an exnation.


    Shanley''s lips were pressed into a thin line, his sharp brows furrowed. A few cuts marred his refined face, and the corner of his mouth was crusted with dried blood. He had taken off his suit jacket, and his white shirt clung to his well-built chest, his tie hanging askew. With his short hair slightly disheveled under the harsh, cold light from above, he had a strangely worn-out look.


    Juniper found herself staring, gradually captivated. Say what you will, but his face was undeniably handsome.


    Seeing Shanley remain silent, a sense of unease grew in Jimmie. He nced over at his sister, only to find her gazing at Shanley with undisguised interest, a faint smile ying on her lips. Jimmie couldn''t help but feel that the way Juniper was looking at Shanley was... far from innocent.


    "Shanley, is what Melvin said true? Are you really after my sister?" Jimmie felt as if he''d been struck by lightning. He could barely breathe, forcing himself to suppress his rage as he asked the question through gritted teeth.


    Juniper watched him quietly, waiting for his answer. If he dared to admit it, her brothers would never let him off the hook. But if he didn''t... she had no interest in a man who couldn''t take responsibility.


    "Yes," Shanley said, lifting his head. His voice was low but unwavering. "It''s true. I have feelings for Juniper."


    "Say that again!" Jimmie exploded, surging forward to grab Shanley by the cor, his eyes bloodshot. "I trusted you! I entrusted my sister to your care, and this is how you take care of her?"


    Melvin leaned back, a smirk on his face, thoroughly enjoying the show. "Weren''t you so smug earlier?" he thought, "Go on, keep it up!"


    Juniper stood her ground, though a flicker of nervousness entered her clear eyes.


    "I have feelings for Juniper," Shanley repeated calmly, his hands hanging at his sides as Jimmie held him. "It''s a long and somewhat unbelievable story. But as for my feelings. the one who fell first."


    was


    He knew that going after someone''s sister meant a beating was inevitable. He just hadn''t expected it toe so soon.


    At his words, Juniper''s brow rxed almost imperceptibly, and a casual smile touched her lips. He actually


    admitted it. then


    Alright she would try to hold them back a little when


    they started hitting him.


    "You..." Jimmie''s mind went nk, all ability to think gone.


    He had been the one to send his sister to Shanley. Had he just delivered her straight into the wolf''s den? This old man was surely skilled in his methods. How else could he have charmed Juniper so


    Jimmie wondered just how far things had gone between them. Recalling how close


    they had seemed earlier...

 Chapter 282

    Jimmie''s head was ringing. With a roar of frustration, he swung his fist,nding a solid punch on Shanley''s jaw. The newly formed scab on Shanley''s lip split open again.


    Seeing the fresh wound on his face, Juniper frowned. If this kept up, he''d be scarred, and that would ruin his good looks.


    "My feelings for Juniper are serious. I''m thinking about marriage," Shanley said, casually wiping the blood from his mouth. He stood tall, his voice firm and resolute. "For the rest of my life, she''s the one."


    Marriage? Jimmie''s frown deepened in surprise. He had known Shanley for a long time, and it was precisely because he knew his character that the phrase "she''s the one" was so shocking. Jimmie had once suspected Shanley would die alone. Now, it seemed his feelings for Juniper were genuine.


    "How far have things gone between you?" Jimmie asked, taking a deep breath to steady himself, though his fist remained clenched. His sister was only eighteen. If Shanley had crossed any lines... he would never forgive him.


    "We haven''t even started," Shanley replied, ncing at Juniper with a helpless twist of his lips. His voice was maic. "I originally nned to wait until she started college to confess my feelings, but then-"


    He shot a deliberate look at Melvin. If it hadn''t been for Melvin''s appearance, he wouldn''t have felt such a sense of crisis and sped up his timeline. But at least he now knew for certain that the girl had feelings for him, too.


    "Really?" Melvin wasn''t convinced. He walked over to Juniper and said in a grave tone, "Juniper, is this Schwartz fellow threatening you? Is he using some kind of trick to force you to stay with him? Don''t be afraid. Just tell me, and I''ll take care of it for you."


    "No," Juniper said, her pink lips parting slightly. "He''s been very good to me, and he''s never done anything inappropriate. Also...¡±


    Also what? Three pairs of eyes were fixed on her, waiting for the rest of her sentence.


    "I knew he liked me, and I''m okay with it."


    Her answer made Jimmie and Melvin''s faces darken. Had she really been bewitched by this older man?


    "He must have forced her to say


    that," Melvin muttered, still fuming at the sight of Shanley''s faint smile. He rolled up his sleeves, ready for another round. "Look at yourself! klow old are you, and how old is my sister? You think she could possibly like an old man like you?"


    Before Melvin could take another step, Juniper moved, positioning herself in front of Shanley.


    "Bro, don''t touch him again," she said, her young face set with displeasure, her voice cool but earnest.


    Melvin stopped in his tracks, staring at his sister in disbelief. Was he seeing things? Was she actually defending this old man?


    A sharp painnced through


    Melvin''s heart. He couldn''t ept that the sister he''d just found after


    fifteen years was already bein stolen away.


    "Juniper..." Shanley was both moved and terrified that she would get caught in the crossfire. "It''s okay. Go stand over there."


    He was prepared to ept whatever her brothers dished out. But giving up on Juniper was impossible.


    Juniper didn''t move, making it clear she intended to protect him.


    The three siblings stared at one another, in the end, Jimmie and


    were the first to back down.


    Who could possibly resist such adorable sister?

 Chapter 283

    "Fine," Melvin conceded, the single, soft-spoken word "bro" from her enough to soothe any grievance.


    "Juniper, why don''t you step outside for a minute?" Jimmie said with a helpless sigh, his voice gentle. "Your second brother and I need to talk to Shanley alone."


    Melvin shot him a look at the words ''second brother'' but didn''t argue.


    Juniper''s expression remained cool as she eyed them with suspicion. What, were they nning to double-team him? Shanley was a much better fighter than Melvin; if he had really wanted to hurt him, Melvin would have been knocked out long ago. But in this situation, Shanley wouldn''t fight back. Were they going to beat him to a pulp? She wasn''t having it.


    "We won''t touch him," Jimmie promised, sensing her thoughts. His temples throbbed. He never should have let Shanley look after her. Now the man had practically cared for her all the way to the altar. That animal!


    Juniper blinked, then turned her gaze to Melvin.


    Melvin desperately wanted revenge, but meeting his sister''s warning re, he forced a smile. "I promise I won''ty another finger on him, alright?"


    ¡°Okay,¡± Juniper replied, satisfied. Only then did she step aside. As she left, she couldn''t help but nce back at Shanley, memorizing the injuries on his face.


    "Wait for us outside," Shanley said softly, pulling a pack of crackers and a few pieces of candy from his suit jacket. "Flint has some fried chicken. If you want some, just ask him."


    "Mm-hmm," Juniper nodded, taking the snacks and obediently leaving the room.


    Watching the two of them, Jimmie and Melvin''s faces fell. They felt like they had gotten their sister back, but notpletely. Still, as much as Shanley was a Scoundrel, he genuinely seemed to care for her.


    After Juniper left, silence descended upon the conference room. The three men stared at each other, the atmosphere thick with awkwardness.


    "Sit," Jimmie said, his expression softening slightly as he looked at Shanley''s rather serious injuries. He had yelled, he had punched. His anger had subsided considerably.


    "Alright," Shanley acknowledged, sitting down ramrod straight across from them. A long table separated them with arge conference light directly overhead, giving the scene the air of an interrogation.


    ¡°Mr. Steele...¡± Shanley began, straightening his tie and looking at Melvin with a serious expression. He lowered his head slightly. "Today was a misunderstanding. I apologize."


    "Hmph," Melvin scoffed, crossing his arms and tilting his chin up, though the bruises on his face made the gesture look a little pathetic.


    "However, Shanley continued before Melvin could speak, "not knowing your identity at the time, if I had to do it all over again I would still have thrown the first punch. I won''t allow anyone to harm Juniper."


    So, it didn''t matter who it was. If they posed a threat to Juniper, he wouldn''t let them off.


    Melvin''s cold gaze wavered slightly at Shanley''s sincere apology. The top dog of


    Era City, bowing his head... he had to admit, it felt pretty good.


    "And Jimmie," Shanley said, his


    usualmanding presencepletely retracted, his tone earnest. "To be honest, I met Juniper before you did. So this wasn''t some whim based on her looks."


    It was more like a long-held n, or perhaps, destiny.


    "What?" Jimmie frowned. "You met her before I did?"


    "Yes." Shanley recounted the story of how they had first met. "That''s when I got to know her. In a way, Juniper is my savior."


    Melvin took the opportunity to roll his eyes. ¡°So, what, you''re repaying the favor by offering yourself in marriage?"

 Chapter 284

    ¡°I admit I had selfish motives when I agreed to look after Juniper," Shanley continued. ¡°I didn''t want any riffraff getting close to her and distracting her from her studies. If it weren''t for Mr. Steele''s appearance..." He paused for a moment. "My n was to wait until she started college before I confessed my feelings. Until then, I''ve only treated her as a younger sister. Everything I''ve done has been perfectly appropriate."


    Except for that one time he''d pretended to be drunk, a ruse the little vixen had seen right through.


    Jimmie leaned back in his chair, his hands sped on the table. ¡°Juniper isn''t just some girl you can mess around with," he said sternly. "I won''t let anyone hurt her in the slightest."


    Even if it was Shanley, a man with immense power. If he hurt his sister, Jimmie would stille after him.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Shanley nodded. "This is the first time in my life I''ve ever had feelings for a girl. I promise, I will dote on her and keep her safe."


    "And rest assured," he added, a sincere look on his face, "I will wait until Juniper graduates to formally pursue her, and I will respect her decision."


    He would never cross any lines before they were officially together. However, if the girl decided to do something to him, well, he was powerless to stop her. After all, she had a mind of her own, and he couldn''t control her.


    "She might not even like you," Melvin interjected, throwing cold water on the situation. ¡°Her school is full of handsome young guys. An old man versus a hot young stud... any smart person knows which one to choose."


    Shanley''s expression nearly cracked. He had to admit, Melvin knew exactly where to hit him where it hurt. He was, after all, nine years older than her. He couldn''tpare to the eighteen and neen-year-old boys.


    But he had money, and Juniper seemed to like money quite a bit. He would spoil her until she couldn''t imagine living without him.


    "You''d better," Melvin grumbled, standing up. "In that case, we''ll be taking our sister home now."


    With Shanley''s intentions out in the open, they couldn''t feel at ease leaving her with him. Besides, once she was away from him, she might quickly forget all about him.


    "Home?" Shanley rose slowly, his hands in his pockets, his expression cool. "Why don''t you ask the youngdy what she thinks first?"


    "Why do we need to ask?" Melvin said, walking towards the door. "She''ll be thrilled to live with her two brothers."


    Could her actual brothers really be less important than this stranger?


    Jimmie''s brow was furrowed, his expression unreadable. Thrilled? He wasn''t so sure about that. It seemed Shanley had cast some kind of spell on his sister, and he doubted she would be easily swayed.


    Outside the door, Juniper sat on a chair, asionally ncing back toward the conference room. Even her favorite chicken wings, sitting in front of her, couldn''t hold her


    interest. Just as she was about to get up, the door creaked open. The three men emerged, one after another.


    Juniper immediately shot to her feet and strode towards them.


    Jimmie and Melvin''s eyes widened, and they opened their arms in happy anticipation.


    The next second, Juniper breezed right past them and stopped directly in front of Shanley.


    Jimmie stood frozen. Melvin did, too.


    Juniper hafted before Shanley, her


    bright eyes carefully examining his face. His eyes and nose were still where they should be, and there were no new injuries. Good, His face was still pleasant to look at.

 Chapter 285

    "I''m fine," Shanley said, his lips curving into a gentle smile as he saw the girl''s


    concern.


    ¡°Oh." Juniper''s suspended heart slowly settled back into ce now that she''d confirmed he wasn''t newly injured.


    "Hey, sis," Melvin called out from the side, his brow furrowed in a pout. "Aren''t you focusing on the wrong person? Your brother''s hurt, too."


    Juniper nced at Melvin''s sullen face, then opened her backpack and pulled out a small bottle of ointment. ¡°This stuff works really well. A couple of days and you''ll be fine."


    Melvin was bruised, but Shanley had held back, so it was mostly just swelling. Shanley''s injuries were different. Her brothers had gone all out, leaving his cheek swollen and his lip split. He''d nearly been disfigured.


    "Thanks, sis,¡± Melvin said, taking the bottle, a smile breaking through his gloom. She gave it only to him, not to Shanley. That had to mean her brother was more important.


    "We can discuss the racing clubter," Melvin said. "You must be tired after ss. Why don''t youe home with us for now?"


    Home? At his words, Juniper''s brow, which had just rxed, furrowed once more. She looked at Shanley, her cheeks puffing out in silent, obvious anger. Did he agree to this?


    "Your brothers said they want to take you home to live with them," Shanley said, deftly passing the buck.


    "That''s right," Melvin added earnestly. ¡°Before, it was because Jimmie was too busy with work to take care of you. But I have time. I can look after you."


    Juniper remained silent, her expression unhappy.


    "Come on. We''ll have an assistant pick up your luggageter," Melvin said, confidently reaching for his sister''s hand, only for her to pull away.


    "Juniper..." Melvin''s hand froze mid-air. He stared at her, hurt. What did this mean? Between Shanley and her two brothers, she had chosen Shanley?


    ¡°Just give me some more time," Juniper mumbled, her voice low. "I''m used to my current routine. Living with you guys would mean getting used to something new all over again. I don''t adapt well to change, and if I don''t rest well, my performance suffers. And if my performance suffers, it''ll affect my exams."


    "Affect your exams?" Melvin frowned. "Didn''t Jimmie say you''re an amazing student? Perfect scores in every subject?"


    "Yeah," Juniper replied, her expression flickering as her flimsy excuse was exposed. She quickly recovered. "I can''t get perfect scores if I don''t sleep well."


    Melvin fell silent. He had a strong feeling his sister was making things up.


    "If Juniper doesn''t want to leave, let her be," Jimmie said, stepping forward.


    Though they were her brothers, they had just met and were still practically strangers


    to her. It was clear that Shanley was taking good care of Juniper, and that she enjoyed being with him. Forcing her toe home would only strain their new rtionship.


    Besides, he trusted Shanley''s


    character. If he said he wouldn''t


    cross any lines, he wouldn''t. At least,


    not before Juniper''s exams. As for


    the future... his sister was an adult


    and could make her own choices. As long as she was happy he would respect and support her.


    "You agree?" Melvin wanted to object, but Jimmie''s cating look silenced him. He finally understood This wasn''t about Shapley tricking. his sister. The infamous J could never be so easily fooled. The mey with the old fox''s incredible skill; he had effortlessly captured his sister''s heart.


    "Fine," Melvin sighed, his tone heavy. "Stay if you want. But if you''re ever mistreated


    or unhappy, you tell me. I''ll have your back."


    ¡°Okay,¡± Juniper nodded, quietly moving to stand beside Shanley.


    "This is a little something from me," Melvin said, handing Juniper a package his assistant had rushed, over. His eyes were red-rimmed. "From now on, whatever you want, I''ll get it for you. He''d heard her first eighteen years had been hard. He would do everything he could to make up for it.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Juniper said, taking it. She paused, then added, ¡°Thanks, bro.¡±


    Having brothers felt good, but after fifteen years of being alone, she needed time to adjust.


    "Your mock exams are next week. Don''t put too much pressure on yourself. It''s okay


    if you don''t do perfectly," Jimmie added, not wanting his sister to be overworked.


    ¡°There''s no pressure,¡± Juniper said with a slight pout, her tone casual.

 Chapter 286

    What was there to stress about? It was just a matter of picking up a pen.


    "Good to hear," Jimmie said. Then he and Melvin, their faces equally grim, turned and walked away, afraid that if they stayed any longer, the sight of their precious sister being stolen away would make them beat Shanley to a pulp.


    In the back of the car, a faint smile yed on Shanley''s handsome face.


    "What are you smiling about?" Juniper asked, dabbing ointment on the cut on his lip.


    Her expression was a cute mixture of awkwardness and concern.


    "I''m happy you chose me,¡± Shanley replied, his voice a low murmur. "Today''s beating was worth it."


    ¡°Oh," Juniper arched an eyebrow, not denying it. "What did you say to my brothers?" For them to actually agree to let her stay was surprising.


    "I told them..." Shanley leaned closer to make it easier for her, his eyes swirling with emotion as he gazed at her. "That this is the first time in my life I''ve ever fallen for someone, and that I''m aiming for marriage."


    At his words, Juniper''s fingers trembled. She looked up, her eyes meeting his deep, vortex-like gaze, and her heart began to pound.


    ¡°I also said.....¡± Shanley''s lips curved, his maic voiceced with a captivating charm, "that I will cherish her, protect her, and respect her. And that after she graduates, I will seriously pursue her."


    "Oh..." Juniper swirled the cotton swab, a smirk ying on her lips. "And what if you fail?"


    "That''s okay," Shanley said, gently brushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead. His voice was azy, maic drawl. "I''m very persistent. If I fail, I''ll just keep trying until I win her over."


    Juniper finished applying the ointment and tossed the swab into a trash bag. She pressed her fingers lightly against his chest, a bright, knowing smile spreading across her beautiful face.


    "You certainly are determined... But I''m quite a difficult person to win over. You''ll have to try very hard."


    "I will," Shanley promised with a low, bewitchingugh.


    Juniper was momentarily


    mesmerized, then quickly turned to look out the window, her cheeks feeling warm. She finally understood what people meant by a face that could topple nations. Sometimes, you really couldn''t me people for falling A handsome man could truly lift one''s spirits, making it impossible not to be drawn in. As long as Shanley took good care of that face, his chances of sess were... probably pretty high.


    "Ms. Payne, your things," Flint said timidly, finally daring to speak after Juniper had


    finished and he''d been force-fed a dose of their romance.


    Juniper took the box, a flicker of recognition in her eyes. So, Melvin was the ridiculously rich client her studio had been talking about, the one who only wanted the most expensive pieces.


    "Something from J-Five?" Shanley''s lips curved into a meaningful smile as he


    looked at her. "You and J-Five seem to have a real connection."


    "I guess so,¡± Juniper said, blinking, trying to feignposure.


    ¡°I''m quite a fan of J-Five''s work myself," Shanley continued with a smile. ¡°That''s why Schwartz Group has decided to buy out their entire new collection this season."


    The entire collection? A quick mental calction told her the new line was worth at least nine figures.


    Juniper stared at Shanley, her gaze deep.


    "By the way," Shanley added, raising an eyebrow, "at my grandmother''s birthday party, I remember your gift was also from her studio. As I recall, that piece was quite difficult to acquire. Don''t tell me you know someone at J-Five Studio?"


    Juniper''s lips moved as she tried to think of a usible lie, but her phone suddenly rang.


    "Boss! Shanley offered nine figures to buy out our entire new collection!" The design, director was practically screaming with excitement. "He seem to be obsessed with your designst He''s being very aggressive, absolutely insistent. What do you say? Should we raise the price a bit more, squeeze some more cash out of him? A few dozen millionst time was way too little!"


    ¡°Boss?¡± the director asked when he heard only silence.


    Of course, Juniper couldn''t answer.


    She was too busy dying of embarrassment in her haste, she had identally hit the


    speakerphone button, and the director''s entire speech had echoed


    through the car. Shanley, Felton, and


    Flint all stared at her.


    After a few agonizing seconds, Juniper silently ended the call and calmly uttered the


    words: "You have the wrong number."

 Chapter 287

    After her deadpan response, Juniper put her hands primly on her knees and stared intently out the window. As long as she wasn''t embarrassed, the embarrassment was someone else''s problem. As long as she didn''t admit it, she wasn''t J-Five. J- Five was J-Five. What did that have to do with Juniper?


    A call alert chimed. It was Lue.


    To break the awkward silence, Juniper answered it.


    ¡°Juniper! I heard Schwartz Group sent the contract over to J-Five Studio? You scammed him out of tens of millionsst time and he still hasn''t learned his lesson. He can''t be too bright. You should ask for more this time, at least a few hundred million! That guy Shanley is loaded. Don''t go soft on him. We really need the money right now!"


    Juniper hadn''t realized her phone was still on speaker. Lue spoke so quickly that she didn''t have time to hang up. The phone''s high-quality speaker broadcast every word with crystal rity throughout the car.


    ¡°Juniper? You there? Why aren''t you answering me?¡± Lue asked.


    Juniper couldn''t answer. Twice in the span of a few minutes. She couldn''t show her face.


    Felton and Flint couldn''t hold it in any longer. They both turned around, their mouths agape, wide enough to fit an egg.


    What? Ms. Payne was J-Five? That notoriously difficult designer who scammed their boss out of millions was Ms. Payne? And she''s nning to do it again?


    Shanley, however, simply maintained the gentle curve of his lips, his handsome face full of adoration. His deep eyes twinkled with amusement as he watched the girl''s little performance. Her acting could use some work.


    Juniper picked up her phone to send Lue a voice message. "You''ve got the wrong person."


    Lue replied with a question mark, but Juniper had already turned off her data and powered down the phone, continuing to y dead.


    "So many wrong numbers today," Shanley remarked with a softugh. He opened a bottle of water and handed it to her. "Here, have a drink."


    "Yeah, a lot, Juniper said, turning to face him. She felt a twinge of guilt, but her expression was defiant, as if to say, "So what if I''m J-Five and I took your money? What are you going to do about?"


    Shanley paused for a second, then the smile on his face widened, spreading across


    his features. His heart felt like it was melting. The car filled with the sound of his low, captivatingughter.


    Juniper held the water bottle, her face scrunched up in an annoyed re.


    Shanley reined in hisughter, leaning backzily. "So, Juniper, what do you think is a fair price?"


    "You''re asking me?" Juniper looked at him, her clear eyes sparkling like stars. A sly, fox-like grin yed on her lips. "Well from


    Five''s


    perspective, the more the better of


    course."


    "Done," Shanley said, a distinct smile touched his lips. ¡°Felton, contact J-Five. Triple the price."


    Felton''s eyelids twitched. The boss''s


    initial offer was already incredibly generous. Tripling, it would bring the total to peanly a billion a billion. Felton w Felton was lost in thought, the sheer numbers making his head spin.


    "Wait," Shanley said suddenly, before Felton could recover from his shock.


    "Yes, boss?"

 Chapter 288

    Felton turned back around respectfully. Did his boss realize he offered too much?


    "Make it five times the original price," Shanley said, unwrapping a piece of candy and holding it to Juniper''s lips. The warmth in his eyes spread to the corners of his mouth. "If we''re going to work with J-Five, we need to show our sincerity."


    "...Yes, sir.¡± Felton''s mouth twitched. He had clearly been overthinking it. This was Ms. Payne''s studio, after all. Forget money; the way the boss doted on her, he''d probably give her his life if she asked. A frightening thought urred to him: his boss might be hopelessly lovesick.


    Five times the price? Juniper did a quick mental calction. How generous!


    "You''re so generous,¡± she said, a wide smile blooming on her face as she took the candy from his fingers. In her daze, her lips identally brushed against his skin.


    Shanley''s gaze darkened instantly, and he swallowed hard. He quickly averted his eyes, feigningposure as he tugged at his cor. "Flint, turn the temperature down a bit."


    Juniper nced at him. Was it really that warm?


    At the Cloudscape Community, Juniper finished her shower and flopped onto her desk, scrolling through her phone while propped up on her homework.


    Qadir had started a four-person group chat with her, Queenie, and Dolce.


    Qadir: [I''m almost done with the review materials Juniper gave me. I feel unstoppable. I wish the exam was tomorrow.]


    Queenie: [Juniper, have they released the exam schedule? I wonder where our school is testing.]


    The uing mock exam was thest major test before graduation. The results were generally a strong indicator of final scores, and reporters often used them to predict the year''s top student. For years, the top scorer in Era city hade from Era High School, and everyone assumed this year would be no different.


    Dolce: [I know! The teacher just sent it to me. We''re testing at Era High.]


    Qadir: [Ugh, how unlucky.]


    Queenie: [So unlucky.]


    They all hated that ce.


    Juniper: [I heard the food in the Era High cafeteria is pretty good.]


    After sending the message, Juniper switched to the J-Five Studio''s group chat. The design director had spammed her with a flood of messages, the most prominent being: [Boss, what did you whisper in Shanley''s ear? He increased the original offer by five times!]


    There were so many zeros he had to count them several times to be sure.


    Juniper replied: [Sell them to him.]


    He had the money, and it would be a waste not to take it.


    Design Director: [Boss, Schwartz Group also wants to partner with us. They said we can name our price.]


    Schwartz Group was a financial


    titan, and Jive had a huge


    reputation. A partnership would be a


    ein


    powerhouse coboration. The director was so excited he sent a voice message "OMG, BOSSD Your


    man is so rich! Where you two"


    getting married? After you''re married, will his money be your money? The richest man in Borealia, the pride of Era City, and he''s hot. Go for it! Get him!"


    Juniper''s face flushed. She was sure the director had lost his mind from counting all that money. She was about to reprimand him when she looked up and saw Shanley standing in her doorway watching her with knowing look. He narrowed his eyes and asked softly, "Another wrong number?"

 Chapter 289

    Juniper quickly turned off her phone and shifted in her seat. "When did you get here?" she muttered.


    Her senses were usually sharp; the slightest disturbance would catch her attention. But after spending so much time with him, she found her guard slipping.


    "Hmm?" Shanley brought over a te of peeled apple slices and set it in front of her. He leaned down, his deep eyes level with hers. "Probably around the time your ''wrong number'' was advising you to get..."


    "Ahem." Juniper knew exactly what he was about to say. Her face went hot, and she quickly cut him off. "I''m hungry."


    Shanley gazed at her, a wide grin spreading across his face, his eyes growing warmer. The words were innocent enough, but in context, it sounded suspiciously like she really did intend to pounce on him.


    ¡°I want some cake,¡± Juniper added quickly.


    ¡°Have some apple first to tide you over," Shanley said, a charming smile on his face. His voice was a soft, captivating whisper. "From now on, just tell me what you want. I can give you anything."


    Juniper''s cheeks burned. She ignored him and focused on eating the apple slices.


    "As for the money..." Shanley continued, "I promised I''d make money to support you. My money is naturally your money."


    "Alright," Juniper said. She picked up her phone and called her design director. ¡°I agree to the partnership with Schwartz Group."


    The message was clear: The gig is up. I''m not pretending anymore. I am J-Five. "Boss, what should I quote them?" the director asked.


    "Fill up five checks," Juniper said with augh, popping another piece of apple into her mouth.


    The director quickly checked the maximum amount for a single check. Nine hundred and ny million... Five of those would be nearly


    five billion Five billion, not fifty dors! He knew his boss was a shark, but he never expected her to be this ruthless.


    "Boss, isn''t that a bit much?" the director asked cautiously. "Your man doesn''t know you''re J-Five, does he?"


    Last time they''d met, it was clear she wanted to keep her identity a secret.


    The words nearly made Juniper choke. "Who are you calling my man? Speak properly," she snapped.


    "Sorry, boss," the director chuckled. He supposed "your man" was a bit crude. He paused for a second before venturing, "So, um... is your future husband with it?"


    Juniper''s eyes widened, a blush instantly coloring her cheeks.


    Before she could respond, the man beside her spoke into the phone. "This is Shanley Schwartz. A team from Schwartz Group will be at the studio tomorrow morning to discuss the details of our partnership Add another billion to the offer


    What? The director''s mind went nk. He wasn''t hearing things, was he? The person on the phone was the CEO of Schwartz Group, Shanley? He was with Juniper thite at night? Were they living together?


    "Yes, of course! Absolutely!" The director quickly hung up, feeling light-headed. Their rtionship was clearly serious. If he''d known, he would have encouraged their boss to ask for even more money.


    After the call, Shanley looked at the blushing girl beside him. ¡°The people at your studio.....¡± he said, his gaze intense, ¡°...are very well-trained."

 Chapter 290

    Juniper rolled her eyes at his meaningful smile. A billion for one tittle? Tsk. Men who''ve never been in love are so easy to fool.


    ...


    It was ten o''clock on a weekend night.


    After eating her fill, Juniper sat at her desk, yawning as she held her pen. She fidgeted, rearranging things on her desk, and kept ncing towards the bathroom door. What''s taking him so long?


    Just as she was about to doze off, the bathroom door creaked open. Shanley emerged, wearing a bathrobe, his hair still damp.


    "Towel." Juniper immediately shot up from her chair and walked over to him, towel in hand.


    "Thanks, Juniper." Shanley looked up and saw the girl staring at him intently, a faint smile ying on his lips. So that''s where the towel had gone; no wonder he couldn''t find it.


    "You''re wee." Juniper''s brow archedzily. "One good turn deserves another, right? I hand you a towel, and you help me with my homework. That''s fair, isn''t it?¡±


    With exams approaching, every teacher was in overdrive, assigning test after test in a relentless barrage of practice. This weekend was no different; she had returned with a stack of papers, including an essay for literature. Between finding her family and dealing with Jimmie''s music video, Juniper hadn''t had a spare moment to work on them.


    Shanley, who had been drying his hair, froze. A slow, amused smile spread across his face. So that was her game. All this sudden helpfulness was just a prelude to this.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Juniper said, pressing the pen into his hand before he could refuse. She gave him a fake smile. "I''m going to bed. Good night."


    With that, she expertly climbed onto Shanley''s bed and closed her eyes, already looking half-asleep.


    Shanley stared at the imperious girl who had justmandeered his evening, then looked down at the pen in his hand and shook his head with a helpless sigh. Pine What could he do? She was the little tyrant


    All he


    e had insisted on keeping could do was spoil her.


    He gave his hair a cursory towel-dry and sat down at the desk, tackling the stack of papers one by one.


    At three in the morning, Shanley finally finished thest assignment, his neck stiff. He made a mental note to have a chat with Salma about the excessive homework load, especially for Juniper''s ss. He could barely keep up!


    After organizing the papers, Shanley walked over to the bed, intending to grab a pillow and sleep on the sofa Given their current situation, maintaining a proper distance was he leaned over


    important But as stance the


    girl, who had been sleeping fitfully, suddenly opened her eyes.


    The next moment, she shifted over, making room for him beside her.


    ¡°Juniper.....¡± Shanley frowned, about to patiently exin.


    Juniper''s face scrunched up, and she mumbled in a hoarse voice, "I can''t sleep.¡±


    Although she''d gone to bed early, she had been tossing and turning, unable to settle down.


    "Alright,¡± Shanley sighed, lifting the covers and sliding in. As soon as hey down, the girl snuggled into his arms, resting her head on his bicep.


    "How am I supposed to exin this to your brothers?" he murmured, looking down at her. She hugged his waist tightly, her eyes closed, her breathing already even and calm He had just promised them he would treat her with propriety, and now she was in his arms. While nothing had happened, it was enough to drive the two overprotective brothers insane.


    ¡°This is killing me,¡± Shanley whispered with a wry smile, gently stroking her hair. A wave of heat pulsed through him. "Good thing it''s only a month until graduation."


    Otherwise... holding her like this every night was practically begging him to lose control.

 Chapter 291

    It was early morning when Juniper finished her breakfast and headed out the door. Shanley followed close behind, her school zer in one hand and her backpack in the other.


    "Juniper, good morning!"


    J Wilcox was justing out of her house when she spotted Juniper, and her face lit up with a cheerful wave. But when her gaze shifted to the tall, imposing man with a stoic expression beside Juniper, her smile vanished instantly.


    "Mr. Schwartz," she greeted cautiously.


    The man might be handsome, but his stern, unsmiling demeanor was genuinely intimidating. J couldn''t imagine how Juniper dared to live under the same roof with him.


    "Mm," Shanley acknowledged with a slight nod, his voice deep. "Heading to school? I can give you both a ride."


    J usually left for school much earlier, so it was rare for them to run into each other. She didn''t dare respond, instinctively looking to Juniper for a cue.


    "Let''s go," Juniper said, raising an eyebrow as she pulled a handful of candy from her pocket and offered it to J. "The mock exam is tomorrow. How are you feeling about it?"


    "Juniper, your review notes are amazing!" J eximed, falling into step beside her, her face beaming with excitement. "I learned so much after going through them."


    Many of the points were things she''d never even noticed before.


    "Just do your best," Juniper said, ruffling her hair with a faint,zy smile. "With a little


    push, your scores are good enough for Era University."


    Era University was the most prestigious university in Era City, with an incredibly high admission threshold.


    "I''ll try my hardest," J nodded emphatically. "I definitely won''t let my mom or you down."


    "Don''t put too much pressure on yourself," Juniper said, her tone softening as she nced at her. "How''s Saskia beentely?"


    "She''s doing well," J replied, then paused. "It''s just... she''s beenining about headaches recently. I told her to get it checked out, but she keeps putting it off."


    "Headaches?" Juniper frowned slightly. "Howe neither of you mentioned this to


    me?"


    Saskia''s work schedule meant she left early and came backte, so they rarely crossed paths.


    "Mom told me not to tell you," J sighed with worry. "But she promised she''d go to the hospital this weekend."


    "Okay," Juniper said, her brow


    and her voice subduedet


    furrowed a


    "Let me know when Saskia gets home tonight. go check on her."


    "You''ll check on her?" J asked, confused. "Juniper, you know how to treat people?"


    Juniper seemed to know how to do everything. At this point, J would probably believe her if she imed she could fly.


    "A little," Juniper replied with a smile, getting into the back seat and patting the spot next to her. "Come on, get in."


    "Okay."


    J obediently slid into the car and sat beside Juniper, cing her hands primly on her knees.


    Walking behind the two girls, Shanley nced into the car, his deep eyes narrowing slightly.


    "The little brat didn''t even think about where I''m supposed to sit did


    she? cant possibly squeezedid


    in the


    back with them!" he thought.


    Juniper stared back at him, blinking innocently.


    "Hah," Shanley let out a helpless chuckle and walked to the driver''s side.


    Flint was just buckling his seatbelt when he looked up and saw his boss''s menacing expression. A quick nce at the back seattold him everything.


    "Boss, here," he said, quickly unbuckling and getting out of the car.


    Just then, Felton got into the driver''s seat, revved the engine, and sped off, leaving


    a cloud of dust behind.


    Left standing on the curb, Flint pointed at himself in bewilderment.

 Chapter 292

    With the mock exam scheduled for tomorrow, the teachers at Aurora High were rushing through practice tests andst-minute key concepts. The students were paying unusually close attention, answering every question in perfect unison.


    The teachers were baffled. The questions were quite difficult, yet everyone seemed to understand them. It was onlyter that they found out why: nearly every senior had a copy of the review guide Juniper hadpiled.


    Juniper''s work? Oh. Well, in that case, it must be good. But still... could a study guide really be that effective? For them to improve so quickly?


    After ss, the chemistry teacher walked over to Juniper''s desk. His eyesnded on the girl dozing off, and he forced a pleasant smile. "Juniper."


    At the sound of her name, Juniper immediately stood up, her posture respectful and polite. "Sir."


    "Whoa, no, no," the teacher said, startled, quickly waving his hands. "Please, don''t be so formal. I don''t deserve it."


    Juniper was confused. The other students were just as bewildered. What the hell? The world''s turned upside down.


    "I was hoping to ask you something," the teacher began. "I heard you have a review guide, and I was wondering if I could..."


    "Here," Juniper said simply, handing the guide to him.


    "Oh, wonderful!" The teacher hastily epted it with both hands, chuckling. "Thank you so much."


    "You''re wee," Juniper blinked, then asked calmly, "Was there anything else?"


    "Nope." The teacher took two steps back, his tone equally polite. "Sorry to bother you. You can go back to sleep now."


    "Okay." With permission granted, Juniper sat back down and rested her head on her desk to sleep.


    Her ssmates were speechless, utterly dumbfounded.


    After evening study hall, Juniper returned home and immediately headed next door to look for Saskia, only to learn she was workingte tonight.


    "Alright," Juniper said to J, her brows furrowed. "Get some rest, and good luck


    on the exam tomorrow."


    She''d check on Saskia when she got back tomorrow.


    "Juniper, you too, good lu-" J started to say, her eyes shining as she looked at her, but she caught herself mid-sentence and her voice softened. "I mean, just do what you normally do."


    Juniper just smiled. After telling J to get some rest, she walked slowly back to her own house.


    Shanley was still at the desk doing her homework, the warmmplight casting a pleasant glow over him. "Damn. If I''d known he''d do my I ha I have


    homework for me, wight."


    moved in sooner she thought.


    "Get me a ss of water," Shanley said without looking up, his voice a low, gentle


    murmur.


    "Okay." Juniper looked around but couldn''t find his ss. Not wanting to go downstairs, she simply handed him her own water bottle.


    Shanley paused when he saw the bottle, then a slow, small smile curved his lips. He took it, had a sip, and went back to the homework.


    "You have an exam tomorrow, so get to bed early tonight," Shanley said, his eyes glinting warmly in themplight.


    "Not sleepy," Juniper muttered, sitting beside him and propping her chin on her hand. "Why isn''t there more homework today?"


    "This isn''t a lot?" Shanley nced at her, a smirk ying on his lips. "I''m getting old.


    I can''t pull all-nighters like I used to."

 Chapter 293

    "Then you should probably work on your stamina," Juniper teased, her clear eyes fixed thoughtfully on him.


    "Don''t worry," Shanley leaned in, his thumb gently brushing her cheek, his voiceced with amusement. "I''ll work hard. I won''t let you down."


    "And I certainly won''t give any other pretty boys a chance", he thought. "It''s a shame the legal age for marriage in this country is twenty. Otherwise, I''d marry her right now and put an end to all this worrying."


    ...


    The next morning, Shanley woke a groggy Juniper. After she got ready and had breakfast, he drove her to the Era High School exam center himself. They arrived with less than half an hour before the exam started.


    Just as she was about to get out of the car, Juniper''s phone rang. It was the hospital.


    "Which hospital?" she asked into the phone. After hanging up, her face drained of all color. She turned to Shanley, her body trembling slightly. "Saskia copsed."


    J had already gone into the ssroom and turned off her phone. The hospital couldn''t reach her, so they had called the secondary emergency contact.


    "The doctor said... it''s a cerebral hemorrhage. It''s critical."


    "Stay calm," Shanley said, taking her hand. He had rarely seen her look so frightened. Heforted her softly, then told the driver, "Felton, go to the city hospital. Now."


    He knew that between her family and an exam, she would always choose family.


    Juniper took a deep breath and nced at him, her eyes wavering slightly. He understood her.


    "Yes, sir," Felton said, immediately changing direction.


    The exam was no longer an option. All the teachers at Aurora High were eagerly awaiting her triumphant return, hoping she would bring honor to the school. With that in mind, Juniper pulled out her phone and called Salma to exin the situation. didn''t matter she missed the exam, but it was different for J. She didn''t want to do anything that might affect J''s performance.


    "I understand," Salma said, his voice gentle and soothing. "Family is more important. Let me know if you need anything at all."


    "Okay," Juniper murmured, pressing her lips together. "And don''t worry, Salma. Aurora High''s scores will be just fine this time."


    After hanging up, Juniper''s breathing became ragged with anxiety. A cerebral hemorrhage... That''s how her grandpa died.


    "Don''t be afraid," Shanley said, pulling her into his arms, his voice rich and reassuring. "I''m here. You won''t have to face this alone this time."


    Juniper''s throat felt tight, her eyes stinging. Yes. She wouldn''t let history repeat itself. She wouldn''t let anything happen to Saskia.


    Felton drove like a man possessed, turning a thirty-minute trip into fifteen. Before the car even came to aplete stop, Juniper pushed the door open and sprinted towards the emergency room.


    "Saskia Payne has significant bleeding in her brain. At this point, there''s not much more we can do," the doctor said, holding out a critical condition notice and looking at Juniper with pity. "It''s likely..."


    "I want to see her," Juniper said to Shanley, ignoring the notice and forcing herself to stay calm, though her face was pale.


    "I''ll handle it," Shanley said, patting her head and signaling for Felton to take over.


    A minuteter, the doctor''s


    expression changed, his eyes widening in disbelief as he looked at the man beside him. Shanley


    Schwartz? The top mogul of al no


    financial elite was at their hospital?


    He was not someone to be crossed.


    "Ms. Payne, this way, please," the doctor said quickly handing Juniper a set of scrubs and a mask to enter the operating room. But what''s young girl like her going to do i there? It''s not like she could magicallye up with a solution.

 Chapter 294

    Inside the operating room, several doctors were gathered around Saskia''s bed, discussing treatment options.


    One doctor said, "A craniotomy? Her brain is filled with blood. She could die mid- operation."


    Another added, "It''s either that or we wait and hope the blood gets absorbed on its own."


    "A craniotomy?" a third scoffed. "Who would dare perform such a difficult surgery? You''d need a miracle worker like Nocturne for that."


    "Nocturne? Are you kidding? That''s just a legend in the medical world. We don''t even know if they''re real," the first doctor retorted.


    Juniper ignored their chatter and walked straight to the bedside. Saskia was lying there, lifeless, an oxygen mask covering her face.


    "Give me all her test results," Juniper said, steadying her emotions, not wanting to waste a single second. The shadow of her grandfather''s death still haunted her.


    "Who are you?" one of the doctors asked, staring at her in confusion. "Where did this kide from? How did she get into the OR?"


    "Where are the reports?" Juniper raised her eyes, her voice as cold and sharp as ice.


    The doctors were taken aback by hermanding presence.


    "Ms. Payne, the reports," the head surgeon said, immediately handing her the file and signaling the others to be quiet. He figured she just wanted to see the results to prepare for the worst. It''s not like she could even understand them.


    Juniper quickly scanned the reports. Saskia''s condition was indeed dire. Without effective treatment in the next two days, she wouldn''t make it.


    "Youngdy, have you made a decision? Surgery or medication?" the head surgeon asked gently.


    With medication, she would die


    slowly. With surgery, she could die on the table, but there was a chance she might live. Given their hospital''s capabilities, that chance was slim. Either way, the patient was ingrave danger. The girl should be prepared.


    "Don''t touch her," Juniper said after finishing the report, her words clipped and cold


    as she hurried out of the operating room.


    "Juniper," Shanley said, rushing to her side. "How is she?"


    "Saskia needs a craniotomy," Juniper said, pulling off her mask, her tone deadly serious. "And I''m going to be the one to do it."


    "What?" Shanley froze for a few seconds. He knew she had medical knowledge, but a craniotomy was major surgery, something even experienced doctors hesitated to perform.


    "This hospital won''t let me operate," Juniper said, her hands clenched at her sides,


    a sheen of sweat on her brow. "I need a private operating room."


    In all of Era City, the only person who could arrange that on such short notice was Shanley. "Well, maybe that old geezer from Sigma Network too, she thought. But he was an enemy and would never help her.


    BUMS


    "Juniper, do you know what you''re saying?" Shanley asked, his gaze fixed on her, his voice low and serious.


    "I do," Juniper said, pressing her lips together and emphasizing each word. "I''m doing the surgery. I''m the only one who can do it. And I''m the only one who can guarantee she''ll live."


    Shanley was stunned, his eyes filled


    with disbelief. He knew she was ridiculously talented-dancing, racing, academics-but now medicine too? And not just basic knowledge either How could someone so young know so much?

 Chapter 295

    "Leave it to me," Shanley said, his gaze steady on her. He turned to Felton and Flint. "Contact the private hospital under the Schwartz Group. Have Saskia transferred there immediately. And have all the top neurosurgeons on standby."


    "Let''s go. The doctors here will handle the transfer," Shanley said, gently taking Juniper''s hand. A flicker of pain crossed his eyes. The girl he knew was always so carefree and fearless; he had never seen her this helpless before. It broke his heart.


    Juniper came back to herself. Looking down at their intertwined hands, a bit of warmth seeped back into her cold body, and the crushing anxiety began to subside.


    "Okay," she murmured, letting him lead her out.


    ...


    The Schwartz Group''s private hospital was the pinnacle of medical care in Era City, boasting top specialists from around the world and state-of-the-art equipment.


    "Based on the current results, the sess rate for this surgery is only twenty percent," a neurosurgery specialist said, looking through the reports. "I''ve heard rumors of someone seeding before, but it''s just that¡ªa rumor."


    "Who?" Shanley asked, his voice cold.


    "Nocturne," the specialist replied, his tone a mix of reverence and hesitation. "But this person has never shown their face. They say Nocturne has the skill to snatch patients from the jaws of death. There was a case in a neighboring state¡ªa respected elder, critically ill with a cerebral hemorrhage. Every hospital had given up. Nocturne operated and saved him. The man is still alive today."


    Nocturne often published medical insights and treatment methods online, earning the deep respect of doctors and medical students alike. Some even affectionately called Nocturne a ''miracle worker.''


    "But no one knows where to find Nocturne. Nocturne''s identity is aplete mystery."


    Nocturne? Shanley''s brow furrowed


    at the name. He''d heard of this person before. When his grandfather''s health was failing and he kept fainting, they had consulted Countless doctors to no avail He had tasked Cybeic Shadows with finding this miracle doctor, but they came up empty. If Cybeic Shadows couldn''t find them, did they even exist?


    Standing nearby, Juniper''s eyshes fluttered for a moment as she listened to their conversation, but she showed no other reaction.


    "Mr. Schwartz," the specialist asked, "you asked us to prepare for surgery earlier. Have you found a suitable surgeon?"


    Saskia''s condition required surgery tonight, but as far as he knew, no one in the country was willing to take on such a risky procedure.


    "Yes," Shanley nodded, looking at the girl beside him. "She will be performing the operation."


    Tel


    "What?" The specialist thought he must have misheard. He pushed his sses up his nose and studied the girl. She looked no older than seventeen or eighteen, with a backpack still slung over hero shoulder. She was clearly a student. H¨¦r? The surgeon? Surely Mr. Schwartz was joking!


    "This is a list of everything I need for the surgery. Have it ready within two hours. We operate at five p.m.," Juniper said, ignoring the specialist''s horrified expression as


    she quickly scribbled on a piece of paper.


    The specialist took the list,


    tell if Mr. Schwartz was trying to


    save this patient or kill her. If he


    wanted to save! her, how could he let


    like


    Faslip of a giris into an


    operating room? It was utterly absurd.


    "Do as she says," Shanley urged, his voice firm, seeing the doctor hesitate.


    "Yes."

 Chapter 296

    "One more thing..." Juniper said, sitting down in a nearby chair and looking at


    Felton. "Could you please pick J up after her exam this afternoon and bring her here?"


    A surgery this major wasn''t something she could keep from J.


    "Of course, Ms. Payne," Felton replied respectfully and left to make the


    arrangements.


    The hallway fell silent. Shanley walked over to Juniper and crouched down in front of her. "Are you hungry?" he asked softly.


    Juniper shook her head, not in the mood to eat.


    "Drink some water, then," Shanley said, not pushing her. He opened a bottle and gently coaxed, "Just a little."


    Juniper shook her head again, tilting her chin up to look at him, her eyes tinged with red. She looked so small and helpless, it made his heart ache.


    A few secondster, she suddenly stood and burrowed into his arms, resting her forehead wearily against his shoulder.


    Shanley''s body went rigid. He didn''t dare to move,pletely caught off guard by her sudden embrace. She was only eighteen, and she had already lost someone so close to her. The guilt from failing to save Lemuel still weighed on her. To Juniper, Saskia was just as important as Lemuel had been. She must be terrified of watching another loved one die, powerless to stop it.


    Juniper pressed her head deeper into his chest and murmured, her voice muffled, "Saskia''s going to be okay."


    This time, she would save her family!


    "She will be," Shanley whispered, his mind full of questions about her medical skills. But the words caught in his throat. It felt wrong to ask now. If she wanted to tell him, she would.


    Just then, hurried, chaotic footsteps echoed down the hall. Jimmie and Melvin, having heard about Saskia, had rushed to the hospital.


    Saskia wasn''t their sister''s biological


    aunt, but she was family. She had not only saved Juniper but had per but had also


    taken her in when she was kicked out of the Sherwin family. The brothers were eternally grateful.


    But as they rounded the corner, they saw the very man who imed he would treat their sister with t the utmost respect holding her tightly in his arms.


    Jimmie froze. Melvin stopped short.


    "Ahem," Flint coughed, seeing the two men. "Boss, Ms. Payne''s brothers are here."


    Shanley turned his head and saw them staring at him, their expressions as cold as ice. He


    pressed his lips together a


    instinctively opened his hands as to prove his innocence.


    if


    Jimmie and Melvin remained silent, their expressions unreadable. From their angle,


    it really did look like their sister was the one clinging to him.


    "Juniper, your brothers are here," Shanley said softly, patting her head. "You should probably let go. I''d like to live a few more years."


    Juniper nced at him and released her hold, and they stepped apart.


    "Juniper, are you okay?" Jimmie and Melvin''s faces softened as they rushed to her side.


    "Saskia''s still in the ER. Surgery is this afternoon," Shanley exined, pulling a piece of candy from his pocket and giving it to her.


    "I heard her condition is critical, that no doctor is willing to operate," Jimmie said, his brow furrowed in confusion.


    "That''s true," Shanley paused for a second before adding, "which is why Juniper will be performing the surgery herself."


    "What?" Jimmie and Melvin eximed in unison.


    Juniper knew medicine? Seriously? They came from the same mother, how did her brain turn out so different?

 Chapter 297

    "Did I hear you right? You''re saying..." Jimmie''s handsome face was a mask of disbelief, his voice hoarse. "Juniper is going to perform a craniotomy on Saskia?"


    This was surgery. Not just any surgery, but one of the most difficult procedures possible. Juniper hadn''t even started college yet. How could she?


    "Juniper, when did you learn medicine?" Melvin asked outright. He knew his sister was brilliant, far beyond her peers, but medicine wasn''t something you could master in just a few years.


    "Years ago," Juniper replied, her voice raspy and dry. Many, many years ago. She had been studying medicine for longer than most specialists.


    "Years ago?" Melvin and Jimmie exchanged a look of pure shock. Just how capable was their sister? What had she been learning all those fifteen years they were apart?


    "She needs to rest before the surgery," Shanley interjected, bringing the brothers back to the present. "There''s still a lot to prepare."


    The two men said nothing more, allowing Shanley to lead their sister to a quiet rest


    area.


    About ten minutester, Shanley came out and found the brothers waiting by the door.


    "You''re really going to let her do this?" Melvin asked, leaning against the wall, his eyes fixed on Shanley.


    "Juniper is a master dancer, the racing legend ''J'', and a student with perfect scores across the board. These are just the things she''s picked up recently," Shanley said, his hands in his pockets, his deep eyes narrowed slightly. A faint smile touched his lips. "Oh, and she''s also the founder of J-Five Studio. Before any of that, she saved my grandfather''s life when he was on the brink of death. Juniper never does anything she isn''t sure of. I trust her."


    Jimmie and Melvin were dumbfounded by the flood of information.


    "But she''s only eighteen..." Jimmie began, his expression grave. "This is brain surgery."


    "Age has nothing to do with it," Shanley said, ncing back at the girl resting on the bed inside. His voice was firm and certain. "What matters is that she''s Juniper. If she says she can do it, she can. After all, I''ve spent the most time with her. I know her."


    Jimmie and Melvin were left speechless. No ordinary person could acquire so many skills. Perhaps... their sister was no ordinary person.


    ...


    At five o''clock, Juniper confirmed that all the surgical equipment was ready.


    "I need an assistant," she said, her gaze sweeping over the room full of specialists and senior surgeons beforending on the man in the center.


    "Sorry, I''m busy," the lead specialist said, seeing this whole situation as a


    farce. Assisting a teenager in a craniotomy... wasn''t that


    tantamount to malpractice, to treating a human life as worthless He couldn''t believe Mr. Schwartz had brought in someone like this. It was madness!


    Juniper frowned and looked at the others.


    "The surgery is too risky. I can''t be a part of it."


    "Me neither."


    "I refuse."


    "No."


    The other surgeons also refused, one by one.


    "You," Juniper said, tired of arguing, pointing directly at the lead specialist. "You''ll be my assistant."


    The specialist was a man in his forties with a salt-and-pepper buzz cut and a face that radiated stern integrity.


    "I said, I refuse."


    "Refusal denied," Juniper retorted,


    at him. "You''ve never


    have you? Ever figured out why

 Chapter 298

    The lead specialist was speechless. It was true. He had performed many surgeries of this kind, but because the condition was always so aggressive and fast-moving, he had all failed. For years, he had been researching, trying to find a solution, but had alwayse up short. He often wished a true master could guide him, show him what he was missing.


    This young girl spoke with such certainty that the surgery would seed... It was almostughable.


    "Be my assistant, or I''ll have Shanley fire you."


    "You-" The specialist''s face paled.


    A position at a Schwartz Group hospital was a dream for countless doctors; it wasn''t something he was willing to lose.


    "Fine. If she wants to y games, I''ll y along," he thought bitterly. He''d see just what kind of mess she was about to make.


    Outside the operating room, Shanley nodded in approval as he saw the specialist behind her.


    "Dr. Landon is a very skilled surgeon," he said. "With him assisting, it should be easier for you."


    A craniotomy was no small feat. It could take anywhere from a few hours to several days. She couldn''t possibly manage it alone.


    "Is J here yet?" Juniper asked, looking toward the hallway with a slight frown. As if on cue, J ran over, her backpack still on, her eyes red and puffy from crying.


    "Juniper! Is my mom okay?"


    On the way here, Mr. Schwartz''s men had told her what happened.


    "She''ll be okay," Juniper replied, her voice strained. She nced at the time. There was no time for a long exnation. "Saskia has a cerebral hemorrhage. No doctor in the country is willing to operate, but her condition can''t wait. If we don''t operate tonight, she might..."


    "Then what do we do?" J cried, fresh tears streaming down her face. "Juniper, I don''t want to lose my mom."


    "So, I''m going to do the surgery," Juniper stated clearly.


    "What?" J stammered, wiping her eyes. "Juniper, you''re doing it?"


    "That''s right," Juniper said, licking her dry lips. Her voice was quiet but firm. "J, do you trust me?"


    J stared at Juniper, her mind a whirlwind of confusion. She couldn''t process any of it. She didn''t


    understand how Juniper knew


    medicine, or if her mother was even


    going to survive.


    "Juniper, will my mom be okay?"


    "Yes," Juniper replied, checking the time again. It was almost time. "I''m here. She will live."


    "Juniper, I trust you," J finally said, gripping Juniper''s hand, her voice thick with tears. "I''ll be out here waiting for you and my mom."


    "Good," Juniper said, patting her cheek with a reassuring smile. She then turned to her two brothers behind her. "Take care of J."


    Melvin raised his eyes and met the gaze of the crying girl, whose face was blotchy and tear-streaked. "I''ll look after her," he said softly.


    Jimmie nced at him. Well, wasn''t he eager.


    Inside the operating room, Juniper changed into scrubs and began the sterile scrub-in procedure Every


    movement was as precise and


    meticulous as if it were from a


    textbook.


    "Anesthesiologist in position. Push the cart to my right..."


    The team of specialists and senior


    surgeons, forced to assist, stood by reluctantly, their faces grim as if they were walking to their own execution. They clearly didn Drake her seriously.

 Chapter 299

    "Are you deaf?" Juniper asked when no one moved after her instructions. Her expression turned cold. "Anesthesiologist in position. Final tool check. Disinfect the scalp..."


    The doctors all looked to Dr. Landon, waiting for hismand. After all, he was the top surgeon in the hospital.


    Dr. Landon nced at the patient, whose head was now shaved, and finally relented. This wasn''t the time to argue with a child. "Prepare for surgery," he sighed.


    Instantly, the operating room sprang to life.


    Juniper pulled on her gloves, her eyes fixed on the unconscious form of Saskia, and a familiar ache filled her chest. "I''m here now," she whispered. "There won''t be any idents."


    She wouldn''t let Saskia die like her grandfather had, fading away before she could reach him.


    "Supine position..."


    After confirming the local anesthetic had taken effect, Juniper picked up a scalpel to make the first incision. She made small hash marks every three to five centimeters to ensure perfect alignment during closure.


    As the de touched skin, every doctor in the room held their breath. Wait a minute... She actually knew what she''s doing. Her scalpel work was incredibly precise, even more so than that of surgeons with decades of clinical experience.


    Dr. Landon watched her technique with a deep frown. It was truly extraordinary. But she looked so young, how could she possibly...


    "Help me," Juniper said, putting down the scalpel and ncing at the mesmerized doctor. "ce your fingers on the incision."


    This step required an assistant to gently retract the scalp.


    "Right," Dr. Landon stepped forward, his movements now focused.


    Juniper then used scalp clips and sharp dissection to raise the skin p down to its base. To prevent vascr lusion, she quickly covered it with saline-soaked gauze and moved on to the second step: the craniotomy.


    The only sound in the OR was the steady beep of the heart monitor. Every doctor''s eyes were glued to Juniper''s hands. Her incisions were exact, her cement wless, her control unwavering. The patient''s vitals remained perfectly stable. This girl had more than just a few tricks up her sleeve.


    "Cotton pads..." After cutting the bone p, Juniper began the dural incision.


    Three hours had already passed. The other assisting doctors, unable to keep up, had already started taking breaks in shifts Only Juniper, remained standing firm, her focus absolute, her hands g with


    swift efficiency.


    "Hemostat."


    "Here," Dr. Landon responded instantly, handing her the instrument. He then turned


    to a nurse. "Wipe Ms. Payne''s brow."


    Juniper nced at him but said nothing.


    "Yes," a nurse quickly dabbed the sweat from Juniper''s forehead and stepped back, continuing to watch, afraid to miss a single detail.


    ...


    At eleven p.m., the surgery had been going on for six hours and still wasn''t over.


    Shanley, Jimmie, and Melvin were all waiting outside. J was crouched in a corner, her eyes red raw from crying.


    "Eat something," Melvin said, offering her some food he''d bought. "Your mom will need you to take care of her when she gets out."


    "I''m not hungry, thank you," J said, shaking her head.


    Melvin frowned, trying to think of another way to persuade her, when Shanley''s voice cut in. "Juniperdeft instructions for you to eat if you


    don''t, when shees out...


    "I''ll eat," J immediately took the rice ball and began to chew, forcing it down


    even though she had no appetite.


    Melvin raised an eyebrow. Dis his sister reallymand that much authority?


    ...


    Four a.m. Eleven hours into the surgery, they were finally approaching the end.


    "Do you see?" Juniper asked,


    exining theplex structure as


    she worked. "In future surgeries


    don in area for linger this


    three seconds."

 Chapter 300

    "It can easily cause a major hemorrhage and lead to cardiac arrest."


    "Understood," Dr. Landon and the other doctors murmured, leaning in closer and nodding in agreement.


    "Ms. Payne, what about this area here...?" Dr. Landon asked, pointing out another uncertainty. "Would manipting it cause problems?"


    "It would," Juniper exined patiently, even demonstrating her technique. "Watch what I do."


    "So that''s how it''s done," Dr. Landon said after she finished, his eyes wide with excitement. "No wonder my previous craniotomies always failed. This was the issue."


    The details were so fine, so easy to overlook. This girl was more than just skilled. She was a prodigy. How could someone so young possess such profound medical knowledge? The doctor''s gaze shifted from initial disdain to admiration, and now, to deep respect. It was a perfect example of ''first I scoffed, now I''m studying her every move.'' It was incredible.


    "Blood pressure and heart rate, report," Junipermanded as she finished the


    final step.


    "All normal," an assistant responded immediately.


    "Prepare for closing."


    Juniper picked up the needle, but before she could begin, Dr. Landon spoke up.


    "Ms. Payne, allow me. You should sit down and rest."


    Hearing the respectful address, a faint smile touched Juniper''s lips.


    "Alright." She stepped aside and sat down on a nearby stool. The closing was straightforward; they wouldn''t make any mistakes.


    At five a.m., the surgery was finally over.


    "Ms. Payne, the operation was aplete sess," the doctors said, gathering around her, their faces flushed with excitement. After so many surgeries on patients with this condition, it was the first time one had made it off the table alive. And they had witnessed a truly breathtaking procedure, learning techniques they had never encountered before. They felt a pang of regret for their colleagues who had refused to assist. They''d missed out on so much.


    "Thank you all for your hard work," Juniper said, gently pulling the nket over Saskia. After operating for more than a dozen hours straight, she was utterly exhausted.


    "Not at all," Dr. Landon and the other doctors replied in unison, their attitudes now reverent. Over twelve hours of non-stop surgery, without food or water. It was superhuman.


    "Move the patient to the ICU for close observation," Dr. Landon instructed, then turned to Juniper. "Ms. Payne, you must get some rest. We''ll watch over her."


    "No need," Juniper shook her head, her body swaying as she walked toward the door. "The surgery was sessful, but the post-op infection period is the most critical phase."


    She had to watch over Saskia herself to be at ease.


    Dr. Landon didn''t argue. He knew she was right. If an infection did ur, they might not know how to handle it.


    The operating room doors slid open, and everyone waiting outside got to their feet.


    "Juniper!" J rushed forward, her eyes swollen like walnuts. Her voice trembled as she asked, "How''s my mom? Is she okay?"


    During the long wait, she had


    learned the full extent of her


    mother''s condition. No one had


    dared to operate except for Juniper.


    Whether her mom survived or


    not


    she was deeply grateful


    "She''s fine," Juniper said, her face pale, forcing a weak smile. "Don''t worry."


    As she spoke her eyes scanned the


    crowd, searching for a particr


    e2


    person. She felt so tired now. An instantter, a pair of strong hands wrapped around her waist, and she felt herself leaning back againsta warm, solid chest.


    Juniper looked up and met Shanley''s worried gaze. Finally allowing herself to rx,


    she went limp in his arms.

 Chapter 301

    "Juniper!"


    Shanley, Jimmie, Melvin, and J all cried out at once.


    ¡°Low blood sugar,¡± Juniper murmured, her cheek pressed against Shanley''s chest as her hands weakly gripped the hem of his shirt.


    "Ms. Payne has been in surgery for over ten hours," a doctor quickly exined. "She hasn''t eaten anything and has only had a few sips of water."


    "That''s right,¡± another doctor added, his face etched with worry. "Ms. Payne is truly remarkable. The surgery was wless."


    "Mr. Schwartz, you should take her to rest,¡± another suggested.


    "Yes, absolutely," Dr. Landon urged. "Ms. Payne, please, go and get some rest."


    Shanley''s lips curved into a faint smile as he observed the assembly of medical experts, who had been so skeptical before the surgery, now looking at Juniper withplete admiration. His girl, it seemed, had a knack for winning over the toughest crowds.


    "Felton, get some food ready," Shanley ordered, his brow furrowed with concern. He bent down and swept Juniper into his arms, carrying her toward a nearby lounge.


    As he passed Jimmie and Melvin, he paused deliberately. The two brothers exchanged a look for a second before sighing in resignation. "Go on, take her to rest."


    As soon as she''de out of the operating room, she''d immediately started looking for Shanley. To her, it was as if her two older brothers were invisible. Fine. As long as someone was taking care of her, that''s all that mattered.


    "J, your mother is fine. You should go get some rest, too," Jimmie said softly. J was about the same age as Juniper, and he naturally saw her as a younger sister.


    "Thank you, Jimmie." J gave him a polite bow, but clutched her backpack, unsure of where to go.


    "You-" Before Jimmie could finish, Melvin suddenly stepped in front of him, took J''s bag, and said with forcedposure, "Follow me."


    Jimmie was speechless.


    ¡°Okay," J replied, ncing up at Melvin just in time to see him


    looking town at her. She quickly lowered her head again, resembling a timid quail as she quietly followed him.


    "Interesting," Jimmie muttered to himself with a smirk, watching them walk away.


    ...


    Inside the lounge.


    Juniper was propped up against the headboard while Shanley patiently fed her spoonfuls of soup. Jimmiez sat nearby, unable to help and feeling utterly useless, is expression was gun. Who smer brother here, anyway?!


    "Do you want anything else?" Shanley asked gently after she finished the soup, wiping her mouth with a napkin.


    ¡°No,¡± Juniper shook her head, unable to stomach anything more. ¡°Have you guys eaten?"


    Jimmie and Shanley fell silent.


    "You should go eat," Juniper said, ncing at the time. "I''ll be fine on my own."


    ¡°Jimmie, you go. I''ll stay here with Juniper," Shanley offered. The food that had been delivered was only for Juniper.


    "What about you?" Jimmie countered.


    "I have food." Shanley picked up the tray with Juniper''s leftovers and began to eat. She hadn''t had much of an appetite, so most of it was untouched.


    Jimmie, who had been about to suggest Shanley leave so he could take over, was rendered speechless. The old fox was genuinely good to his sister. It made him, her actual brother, feel a little inadequate.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Jimmie finally said, standing up. Knowing his sister needed rest, he relented. ¡°I''ll be in the next room. Call me if you need anything."


    "Bro," Juniper called out, her voice raspy as she met his gaze. "Where''s J?"


    ¡°Oh, her?¡± Jimmie''s smile wasced with suspicion. ¡°Melvin''s taking care of her.¡±

 Chapter 302

    "Melvin?" Juniper was taken aback, unable to picture the two of them together.


    "Yep," Jimmie nodded. "He''s been with her this whole time. And I have to say... he''s being surprisingly attentive."


    Juniper blinked, deciding not to press the issue. But what is he up to?


    After Jimmie left, the room fell quiet. Juniper leaned against the headboard, watching as Shanley used the same spoon and fork she had to finish her leftover meal. She pursed her lips, an unexpected warmth creeping into her cheeks.


    Once he finished eating, Shanley adjusted the reclining bed, tucked the nket around Juniper, and whispered, "Go to sleep. I''ll be right here with you."


    Her face was so pale,pletely drained of color. He couldn''t imagine how she''d managed to endure surgery for over ten hours.


    "Okay,¡± Juniper nodded and closed her eyes. But a few minutester, they fluttered open again. She couldn''t sleep. She shifted over, making space on the small bed, and looked at Shanley.


    The invitation was clear.


    A small smile yed on his lips. He took off his jacket,y down beside her, and stretched out his right arm. Juniper immediately rolled into his embrace, pressing her cheek firmly against his chest. Within moments, she was sound asleep.


    "You stubborn girl," Shanley murmured, his fingers gently stroking her face. His heart ached for her.


    But he was also deeply curious. A surgery that had stumped the nation''s top surgeons... how had a teenage girl like Juniper pulled it off?


    Dancer? Race car driver? Jewelry designer? Master surgeon? Which one was the real her? What had his Juniper been through all these years?


    ...


    Juniper didn''t sleep for long. When she woke up, her first instinct was to reach for her phone.


    A momentter, a phone was ced in her hand.


    "Your cousin is outside," Shanley''s voice rumbled beside her.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Juniper nced at the time. Eight in the morning. The exam would start in an hour. This was an important test; J couldn''t afford to miss it.


    Steeling herself, Juniper climbed out of Shanley''s arms. They left the room one after the other.


    In the quiet hallway, J was sitting on a chair, half-heartedly reviewing vocabry words. Melvin stood nearby, his gaze fixed on her.


    It was a look Juniper recognized all too well-the same way Shanley looked at her. It spelled trouble.


    "Juniper!" J''s face lit up, and she


    immediately stood up. But she must have been sitting for too long, because her fegs gave way and she swayed violently.


    ¡°Careful!¡± Juniper''s expression changed. She reached out to steady her, but Melvin was a step ahead.


    J stumbled right into Melvin''s chest, her forehead bumping against him with a soft thud.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Melvin had never been in a rtionship, let alone been this close to a girl. A strange sensation coursed through him.


    "I''m fine," J said, slowly looking up while rubbing her forehead. "Thank you, Melvin."


    She quickly disentangled herself and rushed to Juniper''s side, clinging to her arm affectionately. "Juniper, the doctor said my mom''s condition is stable Once she''s through the... twenty-four-hour observation period, she''ll be okay."


    "I know." Juniper patted her head, her eyes shifting to Melvin. He pursed his lips and guiltily averted his gaze. After all he was


    twenty eight, and J was eighteen. Not long ago, he''d been lecturing Shanley about robbing the cradle. Well... maybe he should take his own advice.

 Chapter 303

    Juniper''s gaze returned to J. "Go take your exam. I''ve got things covered here.¡±


    "Juniper, aren''t you taking it?" J asked, her face crinkling with guilt.


    "It doesn''t really matter if I do or not," Juniper replied with a casual shrug and a quirk of her brow. "I''ll find someone to drive you."


    "I want to "


    J wanted to stay, not wanting to leave Juniper alone, but her cousin cut her off with a stern look. "No, you don''t. Pack your bag and go take that test."


    J wanted to argue, but one look at Juniper''s determined face and her resolve crumbled. "Okay," she mumbled.


    ¡°Felton.....¡± Juniper started to call for Shanley''s assistant, but Melvin stepped forward. "I''ll take her."


    ¡°You?¡± Juniper narrowed her eyes, studying him with a knowing look.


    "What, you don''t trust my driving? I''m an internationally renowned race car driver, you know," Melvin said with a slight, almost forced, smile.


    "It''s not your driving I''m worried about..." Juniper trailed off, her meaning perfectly clear.


    Melvin didn''t dare respond. Shanley, however, understoodpletely, a faint smirk ying on his lips. So, his brother-inw, the one who so vehemently opposed cradle-robbing, was thinking of doing a little robbing himself? How amusing.


    "Go on, let Melvin take you," Juniper finally said to J. "Focus on your exam. I promise Saskia will be fine."


    "Okay." J''s eyes welled up as she nodded, giving Juniper a tight hug before she left. Her mom had beenining of headaches for two years, but this time it hade on so suddenly and violently. If it weren''t for Juniper, her mother might not have made it. Her mom was right. Juniper was their family''s guardian angel.


    "I''m leaving, Juniper. I''ll be back as soon as the test is over." J promised tearfully.


    ? then turne


    to Melvin and gave a respectful bow. "Thank you for your trouble, Melvin."


    In her mind, Melvin was Juniper''s older brother, which automatically made him an elder she had to treat with deference.


    "Don''t be so formal," Melvin said, taking her backpack. "Let''s go."


    "Okay.¡± J seemed intimidated by him, keeping her head down as she meekly followed him out.


    After they left, Juniper turned and found Shanley smiling.


    "What are you smiling about?" she asked.


    "Nothing," Shanley replied, his voice a low, rich timber. "Just thinking that Melvin... is very kind-hearted."


    "Right,¡± Juniper scoffed. She knew exactly what he was smiling about. From now on, there''d be one less person giving him grief about their rtionship.


    With a roll of her eyes, she stuffed her hands in her pockets and headed toward the ICU.


    As she entered the observation room, all the doctors, including Dr. Landon, immediately stood up, their attention fixed on her.


    "Ms. Payne, Mr. Schwartz, please, have a seat." Dr. Landon personally pulled out a chair for her before respectfully stepping aside.


    ?


    "Thank you, Juniper said softly, her eyes already glued to the monitor disying the live feed from the ICU, Saskiay peacefully in bed, her head wrapped in bandages, while the heart monitor beeped steadily.


    "Ms. Payne, her vitals arepletely stable," Dr. Landon said with a deferential bow and an admiring smile. "Your surgical technique js truly extraordmary, May I ask where


    mentor


    you studied, or Woo


    was?"


    As far as he knew, almost no one in the country could perform that procedure. Except, perhaps, for one person: the legendary surgeon, Nocturne. But no one had ever met the elusive master.

 Chapter 304

    "I never attended a formal medical school," Juniper answered truthfully. "As for a mentor... I did have one, but he passed away."


    A long time ago, in fact. He was just an old man at the monastery who spent his days tinkering with herbs. She''d been bored and had passed the time by helping him organize his supplies and reading his medical texts. The knowledge just sort of stuck.


    "I see," Dr. Landon said, running a hand through his hair. It seemed like such a loss. "Your mentor must have been an incredible master."


    ¡°He was alright,¡± Juniper replied casually.


    A bit worse than her, actually. She recalled several "medicalpetitions" where he had fainted from sheer frustration, muttering about how teaching an apprentice only meant the master would starve. He''dined that she had no tact, always showing him up so thoroughly. And she had only been using half her skill. The old man had passed out cold when he found that out. After he died, her other seniors would joke that she''d literally annoyed him to death. She waspletely innocent, of course.


    "Ms. Payne, we have a few particrly difficult cases. Would you mind taking a look?" Dr. Landon asked, holding out a file with a hopeful, deferential air.


    "Sure." Juniper took the file and instinctively nced at Shanley, licking her lips.


    "Give me your bag," Shanley said immediately. He opened her backpack, pulled out her water bottle, uncapped it, and held it to her lips.


    Dr. Landon and the other doctors exchanged bewildered looks. Was that... Mr. Schwartz, waiting on someone? This girl was clearly special to him. Could she be the future Mrs. Schwartz?


    ¡°Alright, everyone, gather around..." Juniper said after taking a sip.


    The doctors swarmed her instantly. Shanley stepped back, giving them space. He leaned casually against a desk, arms crossed, his eyes fixed on the young woman who was now confidently exiningplex medical concepts. She was brilliant, beautiful, and had a captivating voice.


    A true prodigy!


    ...


    At five in the afternoon, after nearly two days at the hospital, Juniper finally agreed to get some fresh air once she was certain Saskia was out of danger Shanley drove her Era High School to pick up J.


    As the final exam ended, students


    poured out of the building. In the


    crowd, they spotted Qadir, Queenie,


    and Dolce, who excitedly waved


    who wayed at


    Juniper from the car window.


    "So you''re really okay." Queenie said, relieved. ¡°That''s good. You had us so worried."


    "But Juniper, you''re not going to have a score for this exam," Qadimented. "I was hoping you''d be here to teach Era High School. lesson, the whole thing Without feels pointless."


    "Not entirely pointless," Juniper said with a raised eyebrow, ncing at Queenie and Dolce. "We still have them."


    ¡°This exam actually felt a lot easier than the others,¡± Dolce chimed in with a shy nod. "Your study guide was incredibly helpful, Juniper.¡±


    "d to hear it," Juniper smiled, then turned to Felton. "Has J answered her phone yet?" The girl should have been out by now.


    "No, Ms. Payne," Felton replied respectfully. "However, Mr. Steele has gone to the other gate to look for her."


    "My brother?" Juniper frowned. "Don''t tell me he''s been waiting at the school gate this whole time."


    Felton''s silence was all the confirmation she needed.


    "Tsk," Juniper clicked her tongue in disapproval. "He''s really going for it. Shameless."


    "...Don''t say that,¡± Shanley muttered, his jaw tightening slightly as he tried to remain calm. Juniper''s words had, after all, hit two targets with one stone.

 Chapter 305

    "Call Melvin,¡± Juniper instructed.


    "Yes, Ms. Payne," Felton said, immediately dialing.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the back gate of Era High School, J was cornered in a girls'' bathroom by a group of immactely dressed students in school uniforms.


    "We warned you to stay out of Yelena''s way. What, is your brain too small to remember that?" a girl with sharp bangs sneered, looking down at J with undisguised contempt.


    "I was here first," J said, her hands twisting the hem of her uniform as she fought to stay calm.


    "Oh, so you''re saying it''s Yelena''s fault?" the girl shot back, crossing her arms like a seasoned bully. "Do you even know who you are? How dare you suggest Yelena is in the wrong. I bet you knew she was back from her arts program and decided to cause trouble for her on purpose."


    "Alright now," Ynda said, stepping forward with a gentle, disarming smile. "I''m sure she didn''t mean it. How about this..." She fixed her gaze on J. "You get on your knees and apologize properly to Yelena, and we''ll call it even.¡±


    Ynda knew J. She was the daughter of Juniper''s poor aunt, Saskia. Just thinking about Juniper was enough to put Ynda in a foul mood.


    Yelena Wilcox, standing behind them, tilted her chin up, looking at J with an air of arrogant expectation. She was waiting for her to kneel.


    "Why should I?" J retorted, her expression turning cold. "Get out of my way."


    She needed to get back to the hospital to be with her mother.


    "Why?" The girl with the bangsughed mockingly. "Because you''re a disgrace to the Wilcox family, that''s why!"


    J''s face paled, and she began to tremble with rage.


    "Everyone knows your mother seduced Zorion, the eldest son of the Wilcoxfamily, drove his fianc¨¦e to suicide, and tried to marry her way into a life of luxury. But the Wilcox patriarch + h never fell for her little act and didn''t agree," the girl taunted. "And Zorion was a fool, giving up his inheritance for a woman like that. But karma came for him, didn''t it? He died not long after."


    "You''re lying!" J shouted, her voice shaking as she defended her parents. "My mother didn''t drive anyone to their death! She and my father truly loved each other. They didn''t wrong anyone!"


    "Oh, dear," Ynda said, linking her arm with Yelena''s in a show of mock sympathy. "Yelena is offering you a way out. Why won''t you take it? It''s just a simple apology. Don''t tell me¡ª" Ynda''s voice dripped with poison as she fanned the mes. ¡°You actually think you''re the heiress of the Wilcox family?"


    "As if she''s worthy!" At Ynda''s words, Yelena''s expression soured, and she red at J.


    "Your mother is shameless, and your father was heartless," Yelena spat, stepping closer. "My grandfather is still bedridden because of what your father did to him, and you have the nerve to say it wasn''t your fault? you have nothing to do with the Wilcox family So don''t you dare entertain any fantasies about


    J


    The Wilcox family was one of Era City''s elite. Over a decade ago, a scandal had rocked them. The


    eldest son, Zorion Wilcox, had affair leading to his fianc¨¦e''s tragic suicide. The family patriarch was so enraged that he suffered a stroke and fell into aa. Now, the family was under the control of the second son, Ezra Wilcox. Yelena was Ezra''s daughter, and she had an older brother currently studying abroad.

 Chapter 306

    However, very few people knew the whole story.


    Yelena''s mother was Ezra''s second wife. He had married her almost immediately after his first wife passed away. Three monthster, Yelena was born. Anyone with inside knowledge understood what that implied.


    Yelena detested the term "homewrecker" and lived in constant fear that someone would discover her mother had also been the other woman. So, she took out her frustrations on J. The more people who knew J was the daughter of a homewrecker, the more secure Yelena felt in her own position as a legitimate heiress.


    "I''ll say this onest time. My parents did nothing wrong," J said, clutching her backpack tightly as she tried to push past them. "Say one more word, and I''ll tear your mouths apart."


    She was already on edge from the past two days and was itching for a fight.


    "You dare!" Yelena scoffed. She wasn''t afraid of J. The girl was a nobody who had only gotten into Era High on a schrship. Everyone looked down on her for living in the slums. Now, all she had left was a broken home and a dying mother. If Yelena hadn''t been away at a training camp this semester, she would have crushed her long ago.


    "Yelena, I think a teacher ising this way," the girl with the bangs whispered nervously. "We should go."


    "You just wait," Yelena hissed, pointing a finger at J before storming off.


    "Yelena," Ynda said, hurrying after her. "The only reason J dares to talk back to you is because of my so-called wonderful stepsister."


    "Stepsister?" Yelena asked, turning her head.


    "Yes," Ynda said, her voice full of feigned grievance. "Ever since shended a rich boyfriend, she''s be so arrogant. And that J''s mother is her aunt."


    ¡°Birds of a feather flock together. They''re all trash,¡± Yelena sneered. ¡°I''ll find a time to put her in her ce. Otherwise, she might actually start believing that sharing the Wilcox name gives her a im to our family."


    "Exactly," Ynda nodded. ¡°And don''t forget about Juniper.¡±


    The thought of someone else doing her dirty work made Ynda''s heart leap with joy.


    ...


    After searching everywhere, Melvin finally found J sitting forlornly under arge tree by the back gate. She was sitting quietly, her backpack op herp her eyes red and her ga?e fost in thought.


    "J." A wave of relief washed over Melvin as he strode toward her. "Why didn''t you answer your phone?"


    "Melvin?" J jumped, startled.


    She quickly rummaged through ker bag for her phone and saw that it was on silent she''d been ambushed by Yelena right after her exam and hadn''t had a chance to check it.


    ¡°I''m sorry,¡± she mumbled, shrinking back slightly. She was a little afraid of Melvin;


    she was afraid of most adults, the way a student is afraid of a teacher.


    "Why are your eyes so red?" Her sudden apology made him feel ufortable. He softened his tone. "What happened?"


    "Nothing," J shook her head.


    She didn''t know how to exin it As


    far as Era City was concerned,


    her mother was a homewrecker, and she was the homewrecker so


    daughter.


    "Alright." Melvin frowned, not believing her for a second, but he didn''t press.


    "Juniper is waiting for you at the front gate. You should-"


    ¡°Juniper''s here?" At the mention of her cousin''s name, J immediately grabbed


    her bag and hurried off,pletely forgetting he was even there.


    Melvin was left standing alone.

 Chapter 307

    ¡°Juniper!¡± J cried, running up to the car.


    "Your mom is fine," Juniper said as she opened the car door. She then introduced J to her friends. "This is my cousin, J."


    ¡°Hi, J,¡± Qadir, Queenie, and Dolce greeted her with warm smiles.


    J, who came from a poor background and was often ostracized at a school filled with the children of the elite, was taken aback. No one had ever been this friendly to her.


    "Hi, hello," she stammered, nodding repeatedly like a pecking chicken.


    "Hey, we are now friends," Qadir said, sensing her awkwardness. He was a natural at making people feel at ease. He slung a friendly arm around her shoulder. "Era High and Aurora High are pretty close. We should all grab dinner after school sometime. Milkshakes are on me."


    J stiffened slightly at the casual contact. Juniper''s friends were... a bit much. Just as Juniper was about to intervene, Melvin appeared.


    "It''s not safe on the side of the road. Let''s go," he said, his voice t as he smoothly removed Qadir''s hand from J''s shoulder.


    "Holy crap!" Qadir''s eyes widened as he recognized the man. "You''re... the racing legend, Melvin Steele!"


    Melvin shot him a look, his mind still fixated on the image of Qadir''s arm around J. He was not pleased. He remained silent, his expression cold.


    "Juniper, Juniper, is this for real?" Qadir, unfazed by the cold shoulder, turned to Juniper. "You know him?!"


    Outside of J, Melvin was his favorite race car driver. He was skilled, charismatic and had recently given up every turn to his home country. A true patriot! Who wouldn''t be a fan?


    ¡°Huh?¡± Juniper blinked, replying nonchntly, "Yeah, I know him. He''s my brother."


    ¡°Your brother, huh?¡± Qadir said, processing the information before his voice shot up several octaves. "Wait, what? The legendary Melvin is your brother? Your actual brother?"


    "Yep," Juniper nodded. "Same mom."


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Qadir clutched his head and let out a squeal. He had just stumbled upon the secret of the century. The famous Melvin was Juniper''s brother.


    "An autograph! I need an autograph!¡± Qadir frantically dug through his backpack for a pen and paper and approached Melvin with the utmost reverence. "Mr. Steele, could you please sign this for me?"


    Melvin just stared at him nkly.


    Qadir scratched his head,pletely baffled. What was going on? Melvin didn''t seem very friendly.


    ¡°Actually,¡± Shanley interjected, unable to watch any longer. "Qadir''s a good kid. He doesn''t mean any harm. When he says he sees Juniper as a ''bro'', he really means it."


    Melvin understood the implication immediately. He took another look at the boy, who had a goofy, harmless smile. Maybe he had overreacted.


    "Hello,¡± Melvin said, his tone softening as he took the pen and paper and signed his name with a flourish. "And thank you for looking after Juniper."


    "Of course Qadir was ecstatic to get the autograph. He lowered his voice conspiratotially By the way Mr. Steele, do you know J? Is there any chance I could get J''s autograph too?"

 Chapter 308

    At the mention of J, Dolce''s eyes lit up. ¡°Mr. Steele, could you help us get J''s


    autograph? We''re all huge fans," she asked excitedly.


    Melvin froze. He had no idea how to answer that. He instinctively looked to Juniper


    for help.


    Juniper raised an eyebrow.


    "What''s wrong?" Qadir asked, a sense of unease creeping in as the atmosphere grew tense. Had he stumbled upon some rivalry between the two racers? He''d heard that J had handed over the racing association to Melvin, so it couldn''t be that bad, could it?


    "Give me the pen and paper," Juniper said, holding out a hand to Qadir, her tone casual.


    Though confused, Qadir did as he was told. Juniper took the items and scrawled a single letter on the paper: J. The signature was stylish and untamed, the tail of the J curling with a wild energy.


    ¡°Is this..." Qadir and Dolce huddled together, staring at the signature. They looked at each other, then back at Juniper. Had Juniper just signed J''s name? It looked remarkably authentic.


    ¡°Juniper...¡± Dolce stared for a few seconds, a sudden realization dawning on her. "Don''t tell me... you''re J?!"


    Dolce was J''s biggest fan; she had watched every race countless times. J wasn''t particrly tall or muscr, and there was even a certain grace to their movements. She''d always assumed it was just part of J''s personality, but now, looking at Juniper, she realized their builds and mannerisms were strikingly simr.


    "What?" Dolce''s question hit Qadir like a ton of bricks, his jaw dropping so wide a pig could have fit inside. "Juniper, you... you''re J?"


    "You got your autograph. Now go home and study," Juniper said with a slight arch of her brow, tossing the pen and paper back to Qadir. ¡°And keep this to yourselves."


    "Ahhh!"


    Another squeal pierced the air, but this time it was from Dolce. Ovee with emotion, she threw her arms around Juniper. "Oh my. god, niper you have no idea how much I love you My phone my room, my textbooks-they''re all covered in pictures of you!"


    Shanley''s brow twitched as he watched the girl clinging to Juniper, but he said nothing.


    "I know, I know," Juniper chuckled,


    ¨¦t


    patting the ecstatic Dolce on the back. "Go home and study hard. If you score higher than usual, you a personally signed photo."


    give


    ¡°Really? Really?" Dolce squeezed her tighter. "Don''t worry, Juniper, I''ll study harder than ever before!"


    "Good," Juniper said, ruffling her hair. "Now go on."


    Dolce finally let go.


    Qadir, having recovered from his shock, stepped forward with his arms wide open. "Juniper, I¡ª"


    "Let''s go. We need to get back to the hospital," Shanley said, stepping in and pulling Juniper into his arms, his tone a bit sulky.


    "Oh, okay.¡± Juniper nodded obediently and waved goodbye to her friends.


    "Get in," she said with a smile from inside the car.


    Shanley smiled back and was about to get in after her when Juniper''s smile froze. ¡°I was calling for J, you know."


    Shanley silently retracted his leg and


    let J get in instead. The car pulled away, leaving the two


    men now united in their


    cradle-robbing tendencies to face each other.

 Chapter 309

    Shanley stared at Melvin. Melvin stared back. The ride to the hospital was going to be awkward. They had been at each other''s throats before, but now they were in the same boat, and it was a boat with only one car left to take them back. The silence was deafening.


    "So..." Melvin broke the silence first, running a hand through his hair. "Get in."


    "Alright." Shanley didn''t argue. He opened the passenger door and got in.


    The car was quiet, the only sound the low hum of the engine.


    "Ahem..." Melvin cleared his throat, then pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offered one to Shanley.


    "I quit. Juniper doesn''t like the smell,¡± Shanley said, declining.


    Ever since he''d learned that Melvin was following in his footsteps, Shanley felt a renewed sense of confidence. They were both robbing the cradle; neither had the moral high ground.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Melvin paused for a moment, then tossed the pack into the glovepartment with a wry smile. "You really listen to my sister, huh?"


    "I have to," Shanley said, adjusting his tie. ¡°It''s an old Schwartz family saying: listen to your wife, and you''ll prosper."


    Melvin nearly lost his grip on the steering wheel. "Your family has... some interesting rules,¡± he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. It seemed his sister wouldn''t be pushed around if she married into that family.


    "Bro," Shanley began after a moment, his voice casual, ¡°about that whole cradle- robbing thing..."


    Thement hit Melvin right where it hurt. He remembered how harshly he had judged Shanley, and now... karma was a funny thing.


    "Ahem..." Melvin coughed to cover his embarrassment. "When ites to matters of the heart, sometimes things are out of our control. As long as you''re good to Juniper, age isn''t an issue."


    Shanley watched him, fighting the urge tough. He decided to spare his future brother-inw some dignity. "You''re right," he nodded in agreement. "Love can ovee anything, especially age."


    "Exactly," Melvin said, a look of relief on his face. He lifted a hand, and Shanley met it with his own in a gesture of solidarity. The two old men had reached an understanding.


    "By the way," Melvin said, a thoughtful expression crossing his face, "how did you win my sister over?"


    Given her prickly personality, it was a miracle she let Shanley get close at all.


    "I guess..." Shanley thought for a moment, ¨¤ fond smile gracing his lips didn''t really. have to do much,


    I jus brought her food, turned on the charm..."


    "The charm?" Melvin scoffed. "My sister isn''t the type to fall for a pretty face."


    Shanley just looked at him, saying nothing.


    Melvin''s confidence wavered under his silent gaze. Wait... was his sister really that shallow?


    "Girls her age are easily swayed by a handsome face." Shanley said with a softugh. ¡°You might want to ditch the biker look. It can be a little intimidating."


    ¡°Right.¡± Melvin got the hint. ¡°We should grab a drink sometime,¡± he offered.


    ¡°Let''s make it dinner," Shanley replied. ¡°Juniper doesn''t like it when I drink, either."


    Melvin just shook his head. His sister really knew how to run a tight ship.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the other car, J sat hunched in a corner, anxiously picking at her fingers¡ªa nervous habit she had when she was upset.


    "What''s wrong?" Juniper asked gently. "Did you do poorly on the exam?"


    "No, it went well," J lied. She didn''t want to worry Juniper. The Wilcox family was not to be trifled with, and even though Juniper had Mr. Schwartz to protect her, they weren''t married yet. She was afraid that if the Wilcox family started spreading rumors, they would drag Juniper into it and tarnish her reputation with the Schwartz family.


    ¡°Good,¡± Juniper said. She knew J was lying but didn''t call her out on it.

 Chapter 310

    J''s expression was a clear sign that something was wrong. Fine. Juniper would let it go for now. With J''s exams and Saskia''s recovery, her hands were full. But as soon as she had a moment, she would deal with it.


    Saskia made it through the 24-hour critical period and was moved from the ICU to a regr room. After herst exam, J rushed back to the hospital and found her mother awake.


    ¡°J, why are your clothes wet?" Saskia asked, her voice weak as she looked at her daughter with concern.


    Juniper noticed it too. It wasn''t just her clothes; her hair was damp as well, though it looked like she had tried to dry it. The clothes, however, were still noticeably wet.


    J put down her backpack, a pained smile on her pale face. "It''s nothing, Mom. I walked past a car wash and got sshed by ident. The attendant already apologized."


    "Is that so?" Saskia''s lips barely moved as she spoke. "If something happens, you have to tell me, do you understand?¡±


    "Really, it''s nothing," J insisted, her head down. "Mom, I think I did well on my exams this time. A lot of the questions were on topics Juniper helped me review."


    ¡°Juniper,¡± Saskia took Juniper''s hand, her eyes filling with tears. "Thank you."


    If it weren''t for her, she would be dead. It wasn''t death she feared, but the thought of leaving her poor daughter alone to face the world''s cruelty. But now, she wasn''t afraid anymore. She had Juniper, who would protect J.


    "We''re family. There''s no need for thanks,¡± Juniper said with a gentle smile, patting Saskia''s hand. "You focus on getting better. I''ll take care of J for a while."


    "You can count on us, ma''am. We''ll look after J," Melvin, who had been quiet until now, suddenly chimed in.


    Saskia looked at the kind young man, thinking how good-hearted Juniper''s brother


    was.


    ¡°J,¡± Saskia said, turning to her daughter. "I heard Mr. Steele has been driving you to and from school these past couple of days. He''s Juniper''s brother, so from now on, you must treat him with the same respect you would your own brother, understand?"


    "I understand," J nodded.


    The room fell into a heavy silence. Melvin''s smile vanished. He finally understood the crippling


    awkwardness Shanley must have felt when he first started pursuing his sister.


    After leaving the hospital, Juniper leaned back in her seat, the exhaustion of thest two days finally catching up to her. Her nerves had been stretched taut, but now that Saskia was safe, she could finally rx.


    "Headache?" Shanley, sitting beside her, gently began to massage her temples. "Is the pressure okay?"


    ¡°It''s good,¡± Juniper murmured, melting into his embrace. She rested her head against his chest, her voicezy.


    "Did you take lessons? You''re as good as a professional. I bet you''ve done this for plenty of other girls."


    "What?" Shanley paused, then chuckled, his voice a low rumble. "You''re the only one."


    "Oh," Juniper pouted, snuggling deeper into his arms and closing her eyes. "Flint, look into what''s been going on with J at school recently."


    "Mr. Schwartz already asked me to It''s being investigated," Flint replied respectfully from the driver''s seat. "You and Mr Schwartz are really in sync."


    swny


    "Oh." Juniper pursed her lips. "I guess we are."


    "Flint,¡± Shanley said, a triumphant smile on his face, ¡°you get a raise this month. Double."


    "Thank you, Ms. Payne!"


    Juniper rolled her eyes. Wow, this guy could mine forpliments and strike gold every time.

 Chapter 311

    The mock exams were finally over, and the students were given a two-day break. Juniper was thrilled, and Shanley seemed to be in a good mood too.


    Ah, of course. If she didn''t have school, he didn''t have to do her homework.


    "Dana made a nourishing meal for our aunt. I had Felton deliver it to the hospital," Shanley said, settling onto the sofa next to Juniper. He was dressed in casual loungewear and began feeding her cherries one by one.


    "Our aunt?" Juniper''s gaming paused for a second. She looked up at him, her beautiful face filled with confusion.


    "What''s wrong?" Shanley''s lips curved into a faint smile. As he leaned forward, the cor of his shirt shifted, revealing a glimpse of his well-defined corbone and chest.


    "Oh," Juniper said, staring at him for a few seconds before deliberately looking away.


    "Nothing," she replied casually, though a thought lingered: Saskia was her aunt. They weren''t even married yet, and he was already calling her family with such


    ease.


    "Dr. Landon just called. She is eating normally, and her speech and reflexes are fine," Shanley continued, popping another cherry into her mouth. "You should get some proper rest at home these next two days."


    She had been running back and forth to the hospital, and even at home, she was constantly on edge. It was time for her to rx.


    "Okay," Juniper murmured, returning to her game.


    "By the way, Flint has the information you asked for."


    "Already?" Juniper was surprised. It had been less than half a day.


    "Yeah," Shanley nodded.


    Flint was the type who would do anything for money. After being promised a month''s bonus, he''d probably pulled an all-nighter. Besides, the Wilcox family''s secrets weren''t that well-kept, making the investigation rtively easy.


    "The Wilcox family is a moderately wealthy family in Era City," Shanley exined, summarizing the report to save her the eyestrain. the patriaron, Orville Wilcox, has two sons. The older one, Zorion Wilcox, chose love over fortune. He cut ties with the family to be with the woman he loved."


    "Rumor has it that this woman was his mistress, and she drove Zorion''s fianc¨¦e to her death. The scandal caused Orville to have a stroke, and he''s been paralyzed and bedridden ever since."


    "That left the younger son, Ezra Wilcox, to take over the family business. He''s been married twice. His first wife gave him his eldest son, Trent Wilcox, and his second wife gave him a daughter, Yelena Wilcox."


    Juniper kept ying her game, listening intently.


    "All over Era City, the story goes that Zorion was a heartless, disloyal son. His wife is seen as a shameless, maniptive homewrecker. People say it was karma when Zorion suddenly died from a mysterious illness a few years after leaving the family."


    "Oh, and they had a daughter named J Wilcox, Shanley added after a pause. "Even though they live in the same city, the Wilcox family has never acknowledged her or her mother. The other day, Yelena was the one who bullied J at school, which is why she came home so upset."


    "A homewrecker?" Juniper stopped her game, her eyes turning icy as she looked at Shanley.


    "That''s what the report says." Shanley gently patted the head of his now-bristling


    girl.


    "But I don''t believe Saskia is that kind of person," he said softly. When the Sherwin family threw Juniper out with nothing, Saskia had struggled But insisted on taking her in Ne couldn''t believe someone with that kind of character would be morally corrupt.


    "There''s something else that''s even more interesting," Shanley said, his lips twitching. "Ezra married Yelena''s mother less than three months after his first wife died. And when she moved in, she was already six months pregnant."

 Chapter 312

    If you do the math, it''s obvious Ezra cheated on his wife. As for his first wife... the official story is that she died of depression, which makes it all the more suspicious.


    "So, what''s your n?" Shanley asked in a low voice. "Do you need my help?" "Help?" Juniper''s eyebrows arched slightly, a faint smile ying on her lips. "If I wanted to kill someone, would you help with that too?"


    "Of course," Shanley answered without hesitation. "You kill, I''ll hand you the knife." Juniper studied him; he didn''t look like he was joking.


    "Tch," Juniper scoffed, turning her head away. "If I really wanted to kill someone," she said nonchntly, "I wouldn''t need you to hand me a knife."


    She wouldn''t need a knife at all.


    Shanley''s eyes narrowed at her arrogant words, the smile fading from his face. Did she do this sort of thing often? She was so young, an age where she should be cherished by her family. Yet she''d been through so much...


    "I''m serious," Shanley said, his tone heavy. He put down the te of cherries and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Just say the word, and the Wilcox family will disappear from Era City by tonight."


    A warm feeling spread through Juniper''s chest.


    "Not yet," she refused. "Saskia and J have suffered for years, bearing so much nder and injustice. They deserve to have their names cleared and get the justice they''re owed."


    Just making them disappear... would be letting them off too easy. Besides, J was still in school, and Saskia hadn''t fully recovered. A bigmotion now would only hurt them the most. She would wait. A month, at most.


    "As for Yelena..." Juniper''s lips moved, her voice soft but firm. "Bullying J, was she? She needs to be taught a lesson."


    "I''ll take care of it," Shanley said, patting her head gently. Her hands didn''t need to be dirtied with this kind of thing anymore. He would handle. He didn''t mind getting his hands dirty.


    Two dayster, at six in the morning, Juniper sat up in bed, yawning sleepily. She did not want to go to school. Could she just drop out and take the final exams?


    "Ms. Payne, are you awake?" Dana''s voice came from the door. After getting a response, she peeked in with a smile. "Mr. Steele is here again. He and Mr. Schwartz are busy in the kitchen."


    "Oh." Juniper threw off the covers, twisted her hair into a messy bun, and quickly washed up. "He''s certainly persistent," she muttered as she walked downstairs.


    When she reached the dining room, J was already at the table, diligently studying vocabry.


    "Mr. Schwartz, Mr. Steele." When she saw the two of them bringing breakfast over, J immediately stood up and gave them a deep bow.


    "No need for formalities. Please, sit," Shanley said with a pleased smile.


    He thought Juniper was


    but. Melvin was even more clueless. He could already imagine how rough things were going to be for Melvin.


    "What are you smiling at?" Melvin demanded, scowling at Shanley.


    "Hm?" Shanley raised an eyebrow, lookingpletely rxed. His voice was maic andzy. "Perhaps... I''m just a naturally cheerful person?"


    Melvin was speechless. He wanted to curse but held back, not wanting to scare J. That old fox! It was like he''d been caught in the rain and now he wanted to tear everyone else''s umbre to shreds.

 Chapter 313

    J silently sat back down, watching the two men bicker like oil and water. She didn''t dare say a word. "No wonder," she thought. "Mr. Schwartz is quite a bit older than Juniper. Mr. Steele must not be happy about that."


    "Juniper!" Seeing her, J rushed over as if she''d been rescued.


    "Let''s eat," Juniper said, patting her head. "The test results are out today, right?"


    The Era City school district was efficient; it only took two days to grade the exams and calcte the rankings.


    "Yeah." J sat across from her, feeling a knot of nervousness in her stomach. She felt like she''d done well, but she wouldn''t know for sure until she saw the


    scores.


    "Eat first," Juniper said, and J moved to sit beside her.


    Throughout the meal, Shanley was constantly putting food on Juniper''s te, so attentive he almost seemed to want to eat for her.


    Seeing this, Melvin picked up an egg, peeled it, and ced it on J''s te. "Eat it while it''s warm," he said softly.


    J just stared at the egg, her fork and knife still.


    "What''s wrong?" Melvin asked nervously. He had been trying to imitate the old fox- peeling the egg gently, speaking softly. It seemed to work on his own sister.


    "Melvin," Juniper said after finishing the egg Shanley had peeled for her. She swirled her orange juice. "J''s allergic to eggs."


    "...Is that so?" Melvinughed awkwardly and picked up the milk carton. "Then..."


    "Melvin," Juniper cut in again before he could finish. "J is alsoctose intolerant. She can''t drink milk."


    Melvin froze, his face flushing then paling.


    Shanley couldn''t help but chuckle. It seemed his girl was much easier to please.


    At Aurora High School, Juniper walked into the ssroom and went straight to her seat in the back row She took a piece of candy Shanley had packed in her bag and popped it into her mouth, the sweetness chasing away some of her


    drowsiness.


    "Why is it so quiet today?" Juniper tossed her bag under her desk and started twirling a pen between her fingers.


    "The results are out. Everyone''s pretty nervous," Queenie mumbled, taking a sip of water, her voice tight with anxiety.


    "Oh?" Juniper propped her chin on her hand and blinked. "Is it that big of a deal?"


    "Yeah," Queenie nodded. "Our school didn''t do very well on thest exam. I heard the principal, Salma, even got called into the district office for a reprimand."


    It wasn''t that Aurora High didn''t


    have good students. But Salma had a big heart and epted many "underachievers" who had been rejected by other schools. These students weren''t bad kids; they just learned at a different pace But because of their low scores, they were often looked down upon by teachers and shunned by other schools. Salma couldn''t stand it so she put out the word: anyone who wanted to learn was wee at Aurora High. But with more students came a lower school-wide average. On thest mock exam, Aurora High ranked deadst.


    "If we''rest again this time..." Queenie sighed, feeling dejected. "Salma will probably get yelled at again."


    "That won''t happen," Juniper said with azy smile after hearing Queenie''s story.


    "What makes you so sure?" Queenie tilted her head, looking at Juniper with curiosity.


    "Because. Juniper''s smile vanished


    as she enunciated each word clearly,


    "if anyone dares to fail after using my study guides, I''ll personally crack earth and every one of


    open."


    "Eek!" Queenie instinctively covered her head.


    rheads...


    Just then, Qadir burst into the ssroom, shouting, "The scores are posted!"

 Chapter 314

    In an instant, the entire ss scrambled to their feet and rushed towards the bulletin board.


    "Juniper, I''m so nervous," Queenie said, clinging to Juniper''s arm. "Will youe with me?"


    "Sure," Juniper agreed. She''d eaten too much for breakfast anyway and could use a walk. Plus, it was a chance to see how her ''students'' had fared.


    ...


    When they got to the bulletin board, a huge crowd had already formed.


    "No way! Did I really get a 450?" a boy eximed, grabbing his friend''s shoulders and shaking him. "I only got a 370st time! Pinch me, see if I''m dreaming!"


    "Huh?" His friend looked dazed, nearly shaken apart. "To be honest, I don''t believe my score either."


    A 510. He''d never broken 400 before. An improvement of 110 points? ''He'' was the one who needed to be pinched.


    "Ahhh!" While others were merely surprised, Qadir was going absolutely wild. "430! I got a 430!"


    He grabbed person after person, demanding, "Look, does that say 430? It''s not 340, is it? No, even 340 would be too high."


    Based on his previous track record, he was lucky to break 200. In his father''s words, his ''main ount'' was a lost cause, and it was time to consider starting a new one.


    "Juniper,e look..." Qadir spotted Juniper and grabbed the hem of her shirt, his eyes red with emotion.


    Juniper pulled her shirt back with a look of distaste. Shanley had just bought this for her; she didn''t want it getting dirty.


    "That''s right, 430," Queenie confirmed helpfully, then nced at her own score. 680. An improvement of 40 points!


    Before, she''d only had one foot in the door of Era University. With a score like this, not only could she get in but she could probably pick any major she wanted.  fo


    Dolce had also run down. 560. Just shy of the cutoff for a top-tier university, but she


    was confident she could make it with another month to study.


    Juniper''s eyes scanned down to the bottom three names on the list. Third tost:


    210. Second tost: 208. Deadst: 0.


    Zero? A sh of anger surged


    through her. Who dared to get a zero


    after using her study guide? She


    nced at the name next to the score: Juniper Payne] content


    Oh. It was hers.


    "Our school did really well this time," Queenie said, beaming at Juniper. Her expression clearly said, "Wow, wow, wow. My head is safe!¡±


    "Juniper..." Qadir, fresh from


    reporting the good news to his. father, gave Juniper three deep bows. "If you don''t mind, I''d like to


    rly thank you."


    His father had been so thrilled about his 400+ score that he''d immediately wired him a hefty sum of money.


    "Something more practical would be better," Juniper said, raising an eyebrow at him. "From now on, I''ll cover all your meals at school," Qadir promised, puffing out his chest.


    "Deal," Juniper said, patting his shoulder. The kid knew how to y the game. With him around, she''d be eating well.


    "By the way, are the state-wide rankings out yet?" Queenie asked Dolce.


    "I think..." Dolce was about to answer when someone nearby shouted, "They''re out, they''re out! But Principal Salma looks really upset!"


    What? Upset? Did that mean other schools had also improved, and Aurora High was at the bottom again? A fresh wave of tension washed over the students.

 Chapter 315

    "Let''s go," Qadir urged, wanting to check on Salma. If she was really in trouble, they could at least apologize and promise to work harder, which might make her feel a little better.


    Queenie and Dolce agreed. They nced at Juniper, who was calmly eating a piece of candy, and said cautiously, "If you had taken the exam, Juniper, Aurora High would have shone bright even if the rest of us rankedst."


    After all, a perfect score across the board was something else. What a missed opportunity for an epiceback.


    "Let''s head up," Juniper said with a nonchnt smile, offering no further exnation.


    The group made their way to the principal''s office, only to find all the senior year teachers crowded outside the door. Their faces were grim, darker than the overcast sky. Inside, Salma was on the phone. They couldn''t hear the other side, but Salma just kept nodding and saying "yes," nervously fidgeting with her clothes and wiping sweat from her brow. Something was clearly wrong.


    "Juniper''s here!" Qadir yelled, not daring to push through the crowd.


    At the sound of his voice, the teachers all turned around.


    "Juniper''s here?" The math teacher was the first to react, eagerly making space.


    "Come on through," the other teachers chimed in, parting to create a path for her. "Watch your step," they added with weing smiles.


    "Thank you," Juniper said, nodding politely as she walked forward.


    "My leader Juniper sure gets respect," Qadir thought, giving a silent thumbs-up as he tried to follow. But just as he took a few steps, the path the teachers had made closed up again.


    Qadir was baffled.


    "What are you looking at? Get back to studying," a teacher barked.


    "But I..." Qadir started.


    The literature teacher cut him off. "But what? If you don''t finish memorizing those poems today, I''ll break your legs."


    "But Juniper hasn''t memorized them either!" Qadir protested.


    "Good heavens, the nerve of you!" the literature teacher eximed. "Comparing yourself to Juniper? Just think about what''s in her brain, and then think about what yours."


    Qadir wanted to argue, but he couldn''t find a single valid point. In fact, he kind of agreed with the teacher Juniper''s brain was filled with a universe of knowledge; Kis was just... a brain. It felt like a personal attack.


    Qadir sulked over to a wall, leaning against it with his arms crossed, tapping his foot in frustration.


    "Don''t be upset," Queenie said with a sigh, seemingly used to this kind of preferential treatment. "The teachers are telling the truth, though. You really can''tpare yourself to Juniper," she tried to console him. "She''s so smart, she remembers everything after one look You, on the other hand, can study for three days and still get it mixed up, so..."


    "Stop!" Qadir''s eye twitched. Her words weren''tforting at all; they just made him feel worse. "Stop trying to console me. Not a single thing you''re saying is helping!"


    Salma finally finished her call. She hung up and slowly turned her stiff body to face the anxious teachers.


    "Salma, was that the district office?" the math teacher asked, swallowing nervously.

 Chapter 316

    "What did they say?" The other teachers'' hearts were pounding.


    "Don''t be too discouraged. There''s still another month," one saidfortingly.


    "That''s right, the kids have been working really hardtely. If they keep it up, their scores are sure to improve."


    "Remember what you always tell us, Salma? Don''tpare ourselves to others, only to ourselves. Our goal is just to get these kids into college, no matter how well other schools do."


    "Yes, it was the district office," Salma said, her expression a little dazed. "The head of academic rankings called to tell me... that Aurora High didn''te inst."


    A smile finally broke through her worried expression, a hint of excitement in her voice. "Not only were we notst, but our ranking jumped by more than ten spots."


    "More importantly, we used to have only one student in the top 100 in the state. Now, we have one in the top 50, and over a dozen in the top 100." She continued, "Queenie''s score is better than many students in the honors program at Era High. In fact, she''s not far behind the top scorer in the entire state for this mock exam."


    "Really?"


    A wave of relief washed over the teachers, their faces breaking into brilliant smiles. They immediately started patting themselves on the back. "See? I told you my math ss would pull up the average!"


    "Oh, listen to you," the literature teacher retorted. "My poetry section added five points to everyone''s score. And we guessed the essay prompt correctly!"


    Another teacher chimed in, "Alright, alright, take all the credit. Ahem, but who taught the student who ranked third in the state? Was it you? Or you? No, it was me! Ha!"


    The boisterous bickering came to an abrupt halt when they turned and


    saw Juniper quietly enjoying her


    candy. They had been showing


    front of the master. How


    off in


    embarrassing!


    "Actually, the real credit goes to Juniper," the math teacher said with a sheepish grin.


    "Exactly," the literature teacher agreed. "Thanks to her study guides, our jobs were much easier."


    "Yes, Juniper is truly amazing..."


    After a sufficient amount of praise, the math teacher changed the subject. "By the way, Juniper, do you have any more of those amazing study guides?"


    "I do," Juniper said after a moment''s thought, a yful look on her face. "But on one condition."


    "Name it!" the teachers chirped, craning their necks like a flock of hungry baby birds.


    "From now on, I don''t want to do any homework," she said softly.


    The truth was, Shanley did all her homework for her, and she couldn''t sleep until he was done. It was


    affecting her own rest. So, to


    get


    more sleep, she had to make this


    deal.


    Yes, it was purely for her own sake, definitely not because she felt bad for Shanley.


    With the mock exams over, most students had tasted the sweet fruit of theirdabor and were now studying harder than ever. When they weren''t gating or sleeping, they were glued to Juniper''s study guides.

 Chapter 317

    After school, Juniper took a cab straight to Era Media. The choreography wasplete; it was time to shoot the MV.


    As soon as Juniper arrived at Era Media, Rachel rushed out to greet her. "Sweetheart, you''re finally here!"


    "Hi, Rachel," Juniper greeted her with a polite smile.


    "Come on, sweetheart." Rachel affectionately took Juniper''s hand and led her upstairs, her eyes fixed on her face.


    "Honey, are you absolutely sure you don''t want to get into showbiz?" she pressed. A face and figure like that were going to waste.


    "Nope," Juniper said, shaking her head seriously. "I''m not interested in the


    entertainment industry." With her temper, she''d probably be in the tabloids every day for being a diva. She''d rather not cause that kind of trouble.


    "Aww," Rachel pouted, looking disappointed. "Well, if you ever change your mind, you know who to call."


    "Got it," Juniper said with a small smile as she followed Rachel into the studio.


    "Master Lunar." The one dancer who hadn''t been fired immediately stood and bowed when she saw Juniper enter.


    After Ynda and Elvira''s little scheme, they had angered both Mr. Tate and Master Lunar. In a fit of rage, Mr. Tate had fired the entire dance crew, sparing only this girl, who hadn''t been involved.


    But now, rumors were spreading that Master Lunar was arrogant and vindictive, firing the dancers out of a personal grudge and jeopardizing Mr. Tate''s music video. Since it was announced that she would be the female lead, the online bacsh had been overwhelming, mostly from Mr. Tate''s fans.


    What''sWithThisPersimmon: [Lunar might be a good choreographer, but Mr. Tate''s dance team trained overseas for years for this video. How can she just fire them all?]


    ShitStirrer: [Mr. Tate poured his heart and soul into this MV, and Lunar ruined it in a heartbeat. Now she gets to be the lead? On what grounds?]


    NobelPrizeForCuteness: [I don''t know what happened, but how can you ask ''on what grounds''? It''s because she''s MASTER LUNAR! This is Lunar we''re talking about!]


    TinyTantrum: [So what if she''s


    Lunar? Does that give her the right to trample all over my idol''s hard work? If he doesn''t win that international award, he''ll be devastated...]


    Saint: [Come on. If Mr. Tate trusts her, there must be a reason.


    Besides, Master Lunar has the looks and the talent Why can''t she be the


    lead? You think you could do better?]


    LunarGetOut: [If that''s you, Lunar, use your real ount! You have the guts to fire people but not to show your face?]


    MarryMeMrMoneybags: [I''m starting to suspect Master Lunar and Mr. Tate made some kind of shady deal. Why else would he choose her out of everyone?]


    MrTatelsMyHusband: [Mr. Tate, open your eyes! Lunar is not right for this!]


    RetiredSteelBar: [LUNAR GET OUT OF THE MV! GET OUT! GET OUT! Say it three times because it''s important!]


    "How''s the choreographying along?" Juniper asked, her voice smooth andzy as she tossed her bag on the sofa and took off her jacket.


    "I''ve learned it all," the girl replied nervously quickly turning off her phone so Juniper wouldn''t see the negativements. Some of the moves might not be perfect ?et, though."

 Chapter 318

    Master Lunar was amazing. Even though she was the lead, she had given her, a backup dancer, a significant part. And the choreography itself was incredible, the best she''d ever danced. Paired with Mr. Tate''s song, it was destined to be a massive hit. The people online had no idea what they were missing.


    "What''s your name?" Juniper asked, a small smile ying on her lips as she noticed the girl hiding her phone.


    "Myra," the girl answered softly.


    "That''s a nice name. It suits you," Juniper said, stretching her wrists. "When the video is released, I''ll have them add your name to the credits."


    "What?" Myra was stunned. "W-Wouldn''t Mr. Tate have to approve that?"


    On a major production like this, usually only the main artist and the female lead were credited. A nobody like her didn''t stand a chance.


    "He doesn''t need to approve it. I''m calling the shots," Juniper said, tying up her long hair and gesturing to Myra. "Come on, run through it for me."


    "...O-Okay." Myra felt like she was floating as she moved into position. Didn''t need Mr. Tate''s approval? This was the most important music video of his career, one he was making for his sister. And Master Lunar could just make decisions about it? Recalling how they interacted at the studio entrancest time...


    Oh my god. A shocking realization dawned on her. Could Master Lunar be... Mr. Tate''s girlfriend?! Now that she thought about it, they did look good together. It all made sense.


    ...


    During the shoot, Juniper''s dancing and acting were wless. She had more screen presence than actors with over a decade of experience. Myra was nervous and made a few mistakes, but under Juniper''s guidance, she corrected them quickly. The filming went smoothly, with the director frequently pping his thigh in approval.


    "Cut!" the director yelled as the final scene wrapped.


    "Put this on, it''s a bit cold," Jimmie said, immediately draping a jacket over Juniper''s shoulders. "Are you hungry?"


    "I''m okay," Juniper replied, pulling the jacket on. "Have them add Myra''s name to the video credits."


    Jimmie nced over at Myra, who was shivering slightly, her neck hunched against the chill.


    Myra froze, her breath catching in her throat. Master Lunar''s tone wasn''t a suggestion; it was a direct order. She had never seen anyone, dare tomand Mr. Tate like that. Would he agree?


    "Done," Jimmie said before Myra could even process it.


    "The director, Drew Landon, is casting for a new film. Have her go audition for it." He had been


    watching Myra; her dancing wa


    good, and her performance was strong. With a little polish, she could be a star. No wonder Juniper had given her so much screen time. She had a good eye for talent.


    Juniper turned to look at Myra.


    "Thank you, Mr. Tate! Thank you, Master Lunar!" Myra stammered, overwhelmed with gratitude. Drew Landon was a famous director; people lined up for a chance to be in one of his movies.


    "You''re wee," Juniper said with a smile, then turned to Jimmie. "You catch on quick."


    "You''re the boss. How could I not listen to you?" Jimmie replied, patting her head with undisguised affection.


    Oh my gosh! Myra clenched her


    fists, her mind racing with this juicy gossip. The subtle affection


    between Master Lunar and Mr. Tate was just too much! She swore to herself that she would keep their rtionship a secret until they decided to go public.

 Chapter 319

    "I''ve still got a few things to wrap up here, you can head home," Jimmie said, picking up Juniper''s backpack and handing her a mango juice.


    "Alright," Juniper nodded, taking the juice and starting to leave.


    "Juniper," Jimmie called out just as she was about to go. "About the news online..."


    "Ignore it," Juniper said nonchntly, taking a sip of her juice, her expression unconcerned.


    Some things only get moreplicated with an exnation. They were just questioning her talent and her right to be the lead in his video. In that case, she''d let the final product speak for itself. A war of words was pointless. She preferred action over talk. And action was much simpler.


    "Okay," Jimmie nodded. He walked Juniper to the door and said softly, "I''ll listen to you. We''ll announce our rtionship whenever you say the word."


    Their rtionship? Myra, who had been trailing behind them, practically swooned. Her ship was real! So Mr. Tate and Master Lunar really were a couple. With their looks, bodies, and talent, they were a perfect match!


    "Mr. Tate, the director is looking for you," an assistant interrupted.


    "Okay," Jimmie said. He gave Juniper a fewst-minute instructions, his eyes briefly sweeping over Myra as he turned to leave.


    Myra immediately mped her mouth shut, putting on her most sincere "I heard nothing, I saw nothing" expression. Master Lunar had been so good to her; she would definitely keep their secret. She''d just have to ship them in private.


    "Goodbye, Mr. Tate," Myra said respectfully, bowing her head.


    Once Jimmie was out of sight, Myra scurried over to Juniper.


    "Master Lunar, thank you so much for looking out for me in the video and for rmending me for Drew''s film," she said, her voice filled with emotion.


    Juniper tilted her head, studying her for a moment before a faint smile touched her lips. "You''re wee."


    "Don''t pay any attention to what


    those people are saying online.


    They''re just jealous. No matter what,


    I believe in you," Myra said, trotting


    to keep up with Juniper, her fists clenched in anger. "I just spent a while arguing with a bunch of them. I guess I was too aggressive, because they reported me and my ount got banned."


    She added quickly, "But it''s okay, I have plenty of alternate ounts. I''ll keep defending you."


    She was a grateful person who knew right from wrong. Master Lunar was a good person, and she wouldn''t let anyone nder her idol.


    Seeing the sparkle in Myra''s eyes, Juniper''s lips curved into a slight smile. It seemed she had chosen the right person after all.


    "And one more thing..." Myra nced around to make sure no one was listening before lowering her voice. "I will absolutely keep your rtionship with Mr. Tate a secret."


    "Oh, you figured that out?" Juniper blinked, feigning surprise. Then again, she thought, it wasn''t that surprising. Jimmie was always so attentive to her and they looked so much alike it was natural forMyra to connect the dots.


    "Thanks," Juniper said, patting Myra''s shoulder with a small smile.


    "Of course, Master Lunar." Myra''s cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkling with happiness.


    Just then, Juniper''s phone rang. A soft smile spread across her face as she saw the caller ID. "Hello?"


    "Okay," she said in azy tone.


    A momentter, a sleek ck sports car pulled up. Myra didn''t recognize the brand, but it looked incredibly expensive.

 Chapter 320

    The car stopped, and the door opened. The first thing Myra saw was a pair of long, straight legs. Her eyes traveled up... and she gasped, her pupils dting. He was gorgeous. Which celebrity was this? How had she never seen him before? With a face like that, he should be famous.


    Just as Myra was about to ask who he was, Juniper walked over and stopped right in front of the man.


    Myra was confused. Of course, Master Lunar knew him.


    "Tired?" Shanley asked, taking her hand in his left and gently caressing her cheek with his right. His handsome face was filled with a doting smile.


    "Sort of," Juniper leaned into his embrace,ining wearily, "The food on set was terrible. I want Dana''s cooking."


    "Okay," Shanley chuckled softly. "Dana''s already prepared everything. It''ll be ready when we get home."


    "Good," Juniper nodded. Before getting in the car, she turned back to the stunned Myra. "I''m heading out."


    "Goodbye, Master Lunar," Myra managed, raising a hand in a weak wave. Her face had gone pale, and she looked utterly possessed. She stood frozen until the car disappeared from sight, then her mind started reeling as she reyed the scene.


    The way Master Lunar interacted with that man was clearly far more intimate than her interactions with Mr. Tate. And they were going home to eat together... Could they be living together?


    No, no, that couldn''t be right. Myra shook her head, trying to clear it. Weren''t Master Lunar and Mr. Tate in a secret rtionship? So who was this guy? Was Master Lunar dating two men at the same time?


    Oh my god. Was she that progressive and bold? And more importantly, both men were incredibly handsome and charismatic.


    Wait a minute. This meant she had stumbled upon several of Master Lunar''s secrets in a single day. Especially what she just saw with this man... Would Master Lunar be angry? Would she get her cklisted? Myra clutched her head in fear, backing away. All the joy she''d felt moments ago had vanished.


    That evening, after her shower, Juniper leaned against her headboard, ying a video game. She controlled the characters with both hands simultaneously, her movements fluid and impressive.


    "Did you see the news online?" Shanley asked, sitting beside her with a serious expression. "Should I..."


    "No," Juniper cut him off without looking up, her tone calm. "Being known as Mr. Tate''s sister would


    probably cause me mare trouble. than people saying I''m not worthy of being the female lead."


    She had idly scrolled through the news earlier. Tsk. Her brother had a lot of crazy fans. If their rtionship was revealed now, she could perfectly imagine the swarm of paparazzi and obsessive fans that would camp outside Aurora High every day. It would be exhausting and would disrupt not only the school but also the students trying to study for their exams.


    "We''ll deal with itter," Juniper said with a yawn. "I''m tired. Let''s sleep."


    "Okay." Shanley tucked her in. "You go ahead and sleep. I have to take care of something quickly."


    Even though Juniper didn''t want to reveal their family connection, he couldn''t stand the nasty things being said about her online. The ounts needed to be banned, and the posts


    had to be deleted.


    Juniper just stared at him in silence.


    "I''ll be back in five minutes," he promised.


    "Fine," she said, ncing at the clock, clearly starting a timer.


    "This girl," he thought with a sigh. He was pretty sure she just used him as a human sleeping pill.

 Chapter 321

    The next day, after school let out for lunch, Qadir, the future heir to a farming fortune, enthusiastically invited Juniper, Queenie, Dolce, and J out to eat. He specifically chose a nice, centrally-located restaurant with a great ambiance, keeping J in mind. It was also quite expensive.


    ¡°J, you got a 690?" Queenie asked, her fork and knife pausing mid-air as she stared at J with pure envy. Top students always recognized their own.


    "Yeah," J smiled shyly, then nced at the girl beside her who was busy chowing down. ¡°Juniper tutored me whenever she had free time and gave me some amazing review materials. That''s the only reason my score improved so much."


    Before, she could barely break 620.


    "That''s incredible," Queenie nodded emphatically, pumping herself up. ¡°I need to work harder, too. I''m going to push my score to the next level on the finals."


    "You can do it," J returned the smile before turning to chat with Dolce and Qadir. Even though it was only their second time meeting, the group clicked instantly.


    Just as the conversation was getting lively, amotion erupted at the entrance. J looked up, and the smile vanished from her face. It was Yelena and Ynda, along with a few of their male ssmates.


    Yelena''s left arm was in a cast, and her face had a few scrapes. Rumor had it she''d been in a car ident a couple of days ago and was lucky to be alive.


    Ynda spotted J''s table first. Her eyes fell on Juniper sitting next to J, and her expression immediately turned cold. She leaned in and whispered something in Yelena''s ear, and Yelena''s gaze on J and Juniper became venomous.


    "You can afford to eat here?" Yelena sauntered over to their table, arms crossed, a sneer twisting her lips. "This one meal probably costs more than what your mother makes in a month of odd jobs, doesn''t it?"


    "What''s it to you?" J retorted, her face hardening as she gripped her cutlery She didn''t want to cause trouble before the exams, especially while her mother was still sick, but that didn''t mean she would let people walk all over her.


    "Looks like you still haven''t learned your lesson, Yelena said, irritated by J''s self-righteous act. To make matters worse, J had ced in the topten in their year on the recent exams, while Yelena herself had only scored a 380, not even high enough to meetst year''s art academy admission requirements they were both Wilcoxes, so why the hell was this little bitch J so much smarter than her?


    "Knock that fork out of her hand," Yelena ordered one of her minions coldly.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" Qadir shot up from his seat, blocking the boy''s hand. His expression was grim. "Try it. I dare you."


    "Hah," Yelena sneered. "Well, well. Been a few days and you''ve made some friends, have you, J? I''m surprised anyone would want to be seen with you."


    Qadir, Queenie, and Dolce red at


    her, furious What was that


    supposed to mean? J was a


    wonderful person; of course she had


    friends Juniper, meanwhile


    continued to calmly eat her meal, her expression unreadable


    ¡°Gics are a scary thing," Yelena continued, her voice dripping with malice. "For example, the daughter of a mistress..."


    At those words, the color drained from J''s face, and her hand holding the fork began to tremble.


    "So, I''m just giving you all a friendly warning. Don''t get too close to someone like her. You might just get a knife in your back."


    Yelena had expected the others to turn on J, but instead, Qadir fired back. "That''s bullshit! Who are you to be running your mouth about J, you old hag!"


    J''s mother was Juniper''s aunt. There was nothing wrong with her.

 Chapter 322

    "Who are you calling ''old hag''?" Yelena''s smile vanished, reced by an angry re.


    "You, obviously," Qadir shrugged with a provocative smirk. "Who else here looks like an old hag?"


    Ynda had to stifle augh. She had long grown tired of Yelena lording her superior family background over her. It was about time someone put her in her ce. ying it smart, Ynda stood back silently to watch the show.


    "You-!" Fuming, Yelena raised her good hand to p J, deciding to take out her frustrations on her. The car ident had left her with a lot of pent-up anger, and J was unlucky enough to be the nearest target.


    But before her hand could connect, her wrist was caught in a firm grip. Yelena followed the arm up and saw the girl, Juniper, holding her wrist with one hand while calmly popping a piece of meat into her mouth with the other. Her expression was as cid as still water.


    "You must be the orphan that mistress brought home, right?" Yelena struggled against the grip, unafraid. "No wonder J can afford a ce like this. It''s because you''re footing the bill. I heard you snagged a rich boyfriend. But isn''t he... older than your father?"


    Qadir and the others exchanged confused nces. Mr. Schwartz was old?


    "If you don''t want me to expose your dirty little secrets, you''d better mind your own business," Yelena threatened.


    "A mistress?" Juniper finished chewing, dropped her utensils on the table, and slowly turned her head. Her clear, cold eyes fixed on Yelena. "Everyone knows that less than three months after Ezra''s first wife died, he married a new one. And funnier still, when the new wife moved in, she''d been pregnant longer than the first wife had been dead."


    Yelena''s face went deathly pale. She stared at Juniper in disbelief. How could she possibly know that? No one outside of her parents had ever been told.


    "Let go of my hand," Yelena swallowed hard, ncing nervously at the surrounding tables. Many of the diners were students from Ecfara High. If they heard this, her reputation at school would be ruined.


    "Oh, by the way," Juniper said, not only refusing to let go but tightening her grip, her voice rising in pitch. "Yelena, are you aware that your own mother might be the real mistress here?"


    Ynda and Yelena''s male followers looked at each other, stunned. All they knew was that Yelena was the sole, esteemed youngdy of the Wilcoxfamily. They''d never heard anything about a mistress If that was true, how dare she parade around calling J the daughter of one?


    "You''re lying!" Yelena thrashed, but couldn''t break free. She desperately called out


    to her friends, ¡°Are you all just going to stand there? Get her off me!"


    "Let go of Yelena!" The boys finally snapped out of it and rushed forward, eager to y the hero.


    "Thump-"


    Before they could even get close, Juniper dispatched them with a swift kick each, sending them sprawling into a corner, unable to get up.


    "Tsk. Skinny as rails and they want to be heroes?" she thought. "Kicking them just got my new shoes dirty. What a waste!"


    Yelena felt as if her wrist was about to snap. Tears of pain streamed down her face. "Call the police! Somebody call the police!"


    She was going to have her father destroy these two bitches!


    "Fine by me," Juniper said with a slight arch of her eyebrow and a faint smile. "Qadir, copy down what just said and post it on the Era High online forum. Let everyone the dignity of Ms. Wilcox, the mistress''s daughter."

 Chapter 323

    Juniper''s words struck Yelena like a bolt of lightning. Her face turned ashen, and her body trembled uncontrobly. Online? She had just passed her art academy entrance exams and was nning to study film. If her identity as the "daughter of a mistress" was exposed, her future acting career would be over before it even began.


    No. She absolutely could not let that information get out.


    "Don''t..." Yelena was terrified. She finally understood that this parentless wild child was not someone to be trifled with. Wisely, she softened her tone. "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have bothered you while you were eating, and I shouldn''t have said those things."


    "Sorry?" Juniper''s lips curled into a cold smile. "Sorry to who, exactly?"


    "To you," Yelena ground out through clenched teeth, deliberately avoiding any mention of J.


    "Is that all?" Juniper''s gaze hardened, her patience clearly wearing thin.


    ¡°Juniper, should I post it now?" Qadir asked, his phone already in hand, the message drafted and ready to send.


    "No, wait! There''s more!" Yelena quickly interrupted, turning her face reluctantly toward J. "J... I''m sorry."


    "I can''t hear you," J shot back, staring her down. Her pretty face was a mask of displeasure, showing none of the saintly forgiveness Yelena might have hoped for.


    A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched Juniper''s lips as she watched the exchange. She had initially thought J was a pushover, someone who would just take the abuse. But now, it seemed she had some backbone after all.


    "You-!" Realizing J was deliberately making things difficult, Yelena''s nasty nature red up. She was about tosh out when she caught Juniper''s different gaze and froze. She bit her lip, swallowing her anger.


    Damn it. Had Juniper trained in martial arts or something? How was she so strong?


    "J..." Yelena stood up straight,


    then bent into a deep, ny-degree bow. Her voice was much louder this time. "I''m sorry. I''m truly, truly sorry was in a car ident


    recently,


    and I''ve been on a lot medication. I haven''t been thinking clearly. The things I said I didn''t mean them." Now that her own secret was out, she didn''t even dare use the word "mistress" anymore. "So, please, can you forgive me?"


    J listened silently, her expression softening slightly. After a few seconds, she took a step forward until she was standing over the bowing Yelena, looking down at her with cold eyes.


    "The reason I didn''t fight back before


    wasn''t because I was afraid of you.


    It was because I didn''t want to


    §Ö§ä


    cause trouble for the school, for my momor for myself when I needed to be studying. But everyone has their limits." J''s lips moved each word delivered with sharp precision. Yelena my mother and I have zero interest in the Wilcox family fortune, and I couldn''t care less about the title of ''the Wilcox heiress.'' Frankly, I''ve never wanted anything that you hold so dear. This is yourst warning. If you ever dare to act so brazenly in front of me again..." J''s eyes, now bloodshot, locked onto Yelena''s. "We''ll settle all our scores, new and old."


    Yelena was stunned into silence. She stared at the girl who had always silently endured her taunts, now suddenly so articte and fierce. How had J changed so much?


    ¡°Juniper, let''s go,¡± J said, turning away.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Juniper released Yelena and meticulously cleaned her hand with a wet wipe, her face a mask of disgust.


    Qadir, Queenie, and Dolce followed, equally shocked. They never would have guessed that the gentle, quiet J could be so formidable.


    As they walked past Ynda, Juniper paused for a beat.


    Ynda sucked in a sharp breath and averted her gaze, too cowardly to meet Juniper''s eyes.

 Chapter 324

    With an indifferent nce, Juniper withdrew her gaze, stuffed her hands in her pockets, and sauntered out with her little crew in tow. As she passed, the boys she had kicked to the ground lowered their heads, daring not to say a word. The entire restaurant was eerily silent.


    A few minutester, once she was sure the group was gone, Yelena lost control and swept all the tableware off the table with a crash.


    "Aaargh!" she shrieked in humiliation, clutching her head.


    "Yelena," Ynda said, rushing forward with a look of feigned innocence. She took Yelena''s arm, her eyes red and her voice trembling. "Now do you believe me? With Juniper backing her, J dares to yell at you today. Tomorrow, she''ll be fighting you for the title of the Wilcox family''s youngdy."


    "Yelena, to deal with J, you have to get rid of Juniper," Ynda added, fanning the mes. "Once Juniper is out of the picture, what power will J have? Her fate will be in your hands."


    "J... Juniper..." Ynda''s words stoked the fire of Yelena''s fury. Her eyes became bloodshot as she swore viciously, "I will make those two little bitches pay."


    "By the way," Ynda said, hiding a triumphant smile, ¡°that old man Juniper is involved with is just a driver for Shanley Schwartz."


    "So what if he works for the Schwartz family?" Yelena shot her a re. The memory of her humiliation ignited a burning hatred within her. ¡°She''s with a driver, not Shanley himself. Do you really think my Wilcox family should be afraid of some lousy chauffeur?"


    Ynda was satisfied. Her n was working perfectly.


    ...


    After leaving the restaurant, Juniper walked ahead with J quietly by her side, her head bowed, the fierce energy from beforepletely gone.


    "Don''t you want to know why I didn''t publicize Yelena''s secret?" Juniper asked, a lollipop stick hanging from her lips.


    "I know why," J said, lifting her head to look at Juniper earnestly. "You did it to protect me."


    ¡°Oh?¡± Juniper squinted, a faint smile ying on her lips. "Tell me."


    "My mom is still recovering, and I have my final examsing up. Exposing


    Yelena''s secret right now would certainly hurt her, but it would also bring a lot of trouble to me and my mom."


    "Go on..." Juniper''s smile widened. She hadn''t expected the girl to be so sharp She''d once worried that J was too weak to handle a shrewd man like Melvin. Now, she was beginning to think Melvin was the one in danger.


    "Now we have something to hold over Yelena''s head. I doubt she''ll dare to bully me again."


    "Smart girl Juniper said, patting her


    on the head. "For the next month just focus on your studies. After


    your exams are over, I''ll help you


    take care of anything you war anything you want to


    deal with."


    "Thank you, Juniper," J said, deeply moved. After a moment, she couldn''t help but ask, "How did you find out about Yelena''s family History? Even my mom and ever heard anything about that


    "That''s a secret." Juniper looked away and waved a hand at J. "Alright, head back to ss." The matter of Binary Oracle was not something a kid needed to know.


    "Oh, one more thing," Juniper suddenly remembered, calling J back. She ran a hand through her hair. "What do you think of Melvin?"


    ¡°Huh?¡± J froze, snapping to attention like a soldier. "Melvin is a good person."


    "And?"


    "And what?¡± J asked,pletely bewildered.


    Juniper just smiled. J''s reaction reminded her of her younger self. It seemed Melvin still had a long and difficult road ahead of him.

 Chapter 325

    Life returned to its normal rhythm. Juniper found herself counting the days, wishing the final exams would just hurry up and arrive so she could finally get to college and officially start cking off.


    One day, she walked into her ssroom, yawning, to find her ssmates huddled together, buzzing with excitement.


    "I heard Era High invited Wilder to perform at the school to cheer on the students!"


    Wilder was a hot new rising star-handsome, a great singer, and a talented actor. He was the dream husband of countless young girls.


    "Wilder? It must have cost a fortune to get him."


    "Apparently, Yelena''s family pulled some strings to make it happen.¡±


    The news made all the other schools in the area green with envy.


    "I wonder if our school will even have a year-end party," one girl sighed, wiping a bit


    of drool from the corner of her mouth. ¡°It would be amazing if we could get Jimmie Tate."


    Herment was met with stunned silence. Everyone turned to stare at her.


    "Are you okay?"


    "Get a grip!"


    "We''re talking about the superstar actor, Jimmie Tate!"


    Wilder wasn''t even worthy of carrying his shoes. Aurora High could barely afford to hire a street performer, let alone Jimmie. That wasn''t just a dream; it was a full- blown fantasy.


    "If Mr. Tate shows up, I''ll chop my own head off!"


    "If Mr. Tatees, I swear I''ll study until I drop. As long as it doesn''t kill me, I''ll study myself to death."


    "We''re just one street over, but I can already imagine how ecstatic the Era High students are going to be."


    "Era is going to be so smug about this."


    "Sigh, at the end of the day, there''s just a huge gap between our school and the others."


    The entire ss slumped over their desks, sighing in collective despair.


    "Is Jimmie really that big of a deal?" Juniper asked, leaning against the wall with her


    long legs casually crossed, a mango-vored lollipop in her mouth.


    "Of course!" Queenie nodded vigorously, her homework


    "I can," Juniper said honestly, blinking. If he weren''t her brother, she probably wouldn''t even be able to remember what he looked like.


    "Well, of course," Queenie whispered, leaning closer with a mischievous grin. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Compared to Mr. Schwartz, I guess Mr. Tate does fall a little short."


    "Tsk," Juniper clicked her tongue, nonchntly. "I guess. He''s just a bit taller than Jimmie, a bit leaner... and has better stamina."


    "Stamina?" Queenie froze, her cheeks instantly turning beet red. "Y-you even know about his stamina?" she stammered.


    "Yeah,¡± Juniper admitted breezily, her voice light andzy. ¡°Shanley has amazing stamina. He works until three in the morning every night."


    "Ah-!" Queenie squealed, covering her flushed face. Her mind was racing, and the way she looked at Juniperpletely changed. They''d only been together for a short While, but they were already moving that fast And Juniper was stikso young, a delicate girl. Three in the morning... Oh my god. Wasn''t Mr. Schwartz being a little too aggressive?


    "What''s wrong?" Juniper asked, raising an eyebrow at Queenie''s shocked expression. She slowly. moved her lips. ¡°You guys have so much homework. You don''t stay up until three doing it?"


    ¡°What?¡± Queenie realized her misunderstanding, and her face grew even redder. "You''re talking about... homework?"

 Chapter 326

    "What else?¡± Juniper twisted open her water bottle and took a few gulps. ¡°He''s been doing homework until three a.m. for several nights in a row and is still full of energy the next day. If that''s not good stamina, what is?"


    Jimmie, on the other hand, was not so great. After filming the music video, he had beenpletely wiped out. When it came to stamina, Shanley was definitely superior.


    Queenie felt like crying. She really needed to get her mind out of the gutter. Then again, she didn''t drink or gamble. What was wrong with a little bit of innocent fantasizing?


    "Anyway, Juniper, can you really get Mr. Tate toe?" Queenie asked, changing the subject.


    ¡°I can try,¡± Juniper said, pulling out her phone and typing rapidly. ¡°If he says no, I''ll just have to resort to... special measures. Like kidnapping."


    "What?" Queenie was horrified. "I know Mr. Schwartz is powerful, but Mr. Tate despises people who throw their weight around! You can''t afford to offend him, or you might lose your role in the music video."


    "Right," Juniper smiled, not bothering to exin further. "I''ll be nice."


    ...


    When his sister''s call came, Jimmie was driving on the highway.


    "Juniper," he answered, his voice warm.


    "My school is having a year-end party to cheer everyone on for finals. If you''re free, you shoulde sing a couple of songs. The kids in my ss are big fans of yours."


    "What?" Jimmie couldn''t help butugh. ¡°Juniper, do you have any idea what my appearance fee is?" And she wanted him to sing for a bunch of high school students.


    "I know, tens of millions," Juniper grumbled, before firing back without missing a beat. "But do you know how much a sister is worth? If you don''te, you won''t have one anymore."


    "Are you threatening me, my dear sis?" Jimmie wasn''t opposed to the idea, but he was swamped with work from the music video and othermitments.


    "I am. Are you feeling threatened, bro?" Juniper''s voice was sickeningly sweet, melting Jimmie''s heart and making him forget all about his busy schedule and appearance fees.


    "Alright, alright,¡± he chuckled, stopping at a red light. "Send me the time. I''ll sing whatever you want to hear."


    "Okay,¡± Juniper''s tone immediately returned to its usual calm. "Gotta go, ss is starting. Bye." And just like that, she hung up.


    ¡°Beep, beep, beep...¡±


    Listening to the dial tone, Jimmie chuckled softly. His sister was a clever little imp. He wasn''t sure if


    she took after their mom or the e


    dad, but she definitely wasn''t much like him or Melvin. Thinking of his family, the smile faded from his face, reced by a more somber expression. He wondered when they would be able to find the others.


    As Jimmie was lost in thought, the deafening roar of an engine shattered the air outside his window. He winced.


    Jimmie had sensitive hearing, and the motorcycle had pulled up right beside him, making the noise unbearable. He nced out and saw a person in a leather jacket with short blond hair and surprisingly fair skin... probably a guy, talking on the phone. His expression and tone were incredibly sleazy.


    "Honey, I''m in Era City. Aren''t you going toe out and let me spoil you a little?¡± Luetta Langley purrede deliberately pitching her voice highe "You got a boyfriend and forgot all about me? Is he really more fun than your dear old friend?"


    Jimmie frowned. The term ''punk on a bike'' came to mind. "So tacky," he thought.

 Chapter 327

    "Fine," Lue said, flipping up the visor of her helmet to reveal a face with sharp, well-defined features. Her short, blond hair fell over her slightly upturned eyes, giving her a roguish, handsome look.


    "Honk! Honk!"


    As Lue was talking, the car next to her startedying on the horn like a lunatic, making her ears ring. She realized the light had turned green. Her bike was angled a bit, sure, but she wasn''t blocking his car. It was a ssic case of a bad driver ming the road.


    "Gotta go. See youter."


    After hanging up, the smile vanished from Lue''s face. She turned to look at the sports car beside her. After a moment, she addressed the man behind the window with a snide tone, "Hey, if you can''t drive, stay off the road. Maybe you should stick to your stroller at home."


    "You-!" Jimmie''s face darkened. He rolled down the window to retort, but in the next second, the "boy" gave him the middle finger, revved the engine, and sped away, disappearing from sight.


    "You better hope I don''t see you again, kid," Jimmie muttered, fuming. He had been bested twice in a row by some little punk. His heart was practically racing with anger. If he ever ran into that brat again, he was going to teach him a lesson on behalf of his parents.


    With only four weeks left until the final exams, the tension at school was palpable among both students and teachers. To help everyone de-stress before the big test, the school held an annual year-end party where the underssmen would put on performances. This year was no exception.


    As fate would have it, Aurora High''s party was scheduled for the same night as Era High''s.


    "I heard Era High is livestreaming their party," the students chattered, their voices filled with envy. "When we went to get milkshakes earlier, we ran into some Era students. They looked so smug, you could see their grins from a mile away."


    "Of course they are," another student chimed in. ¡°Several students from Era''s elite ss didn''t even score as high as our top students on thest exam. They have to find some way to feel superior."


    "But they have Wilder..."


    That silenced the room.


    At seven p.m. the party officially began. Juniper sat in her designated ss section, one leg crossed over the other ying games on her phone with one hand and eating pistachios with the other. Qadir had shelled them for her.


    ¡°Juniper, let''s just sneak out,¡± Qadir suggested. ¡°These underssmen performances are kind of boring."


    The stage was set up on the sports field, with basic sound and lighting. The students at Aurora High didn''t have much exposure to the arts, so the few. acts they had cobbled together at thest minute weren''t particrly impressive.


    "Sit down," Juniper said, shooting him a cold re. "Even if it''s not great, you''re


    going to watch it. Do you have any idea how much work they put into this?"


    "Yes, yes, you''re right," Qadir immediately backed down. "My mistake."


    "Era High''s livestream just started!" someone from the next section suddenly eximed. Wilder was scheduled to be the final act and his fans were already flooding the stream The viewer counthad already surpassed half a million. With Wilder''s massive fanbase, it was sure to hit over a million. Era High was once again stealing the spotlight.


    "Our school hasn''t started its recruitment n for next year yet, has it?" Juniper asked casually, looking up from her phone as she sipped her milkshake.


    ¡°Recruitment n?" Queenie handed Juniper a handful of shelled peanuts. ¡°Whether our school will even be open next year depends on this year''s exam results."

 Chapter 328

    The better their scores, the higher the chance the school would remain open.


    "Right." Juniper took out her phone, her fingers flying across the screen. Within moments, she had pulled up the official school ounts and passwords for TikTok and other social media tforms.


    ¡°Juniper, what are you doing?" Qadir asked, surprised to see her navigate to the livestream page. "You''re not thinking of streaming too, are you?"


    Era High was only streaming because they had Wilder. If Aurora streamed now, the chat would probably be flooded with mockery from Era students. There was no point.


    Juniper ignored him and started the livestream. "Get the tripod out of my backpack," she ordered.


    A tripod? Had Juniper nned this all along? She wasn''t one to look for trouble, so what was she up to?


    Though confused, Qadir did as he was told.


    The livestream began. Just as Qadir had predicted, the stream was rmended to users in the area, and soon, students from Era High flooded the chat.


    [LOL, is Aurora High trying to be a pathetic copycat? Era streams, so they have to stream too?]


    [Please, we have Wilder. Who do you have?]


    [Five minutes in and not even 100 viewers. Hahaha.]


    [I''m dying. What is this garbage performance? Is that supposed to be street dancing? It looks more like they''re trying to sweep the floor with their feet!]


    [Aurora High has some nerve. They''re still not ending the stream after all this hate?]


    [OMG, Era people, you have to see this. Aurora High''s party is hrious. I''m paying to boost this stream so everyone can have a goodugh.]


    Seeing the stream of mockingments, the Aurora High students looked at Juniper with confusion. The dean of students even hurried over, crouching in front of her. ¡°For heaven''s sake, child, where did you get the ount info? Turn off the stream, quickly!"


    "No," Juniper said, pulling her phone back as the screen shook slightly. "Aurora High has a big star for our final act, too."


    "A big star?" The dean blinked. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Jimmie Tate,¡± Juniper replied without hesitation.


    The dean fell silent, his face a mask of calm disbelief. Even if he wasn''t a celebrity follower, he knew who Jimmie Tate was a global


    superstar. How could a small struggling school like thers possibly


    get him toe?


    "What?" The other students overheard and their ears perked up. "Mr. Tate ising? For real?"


    "I think it''s true!" one student eximed. "Juniper worked with him on that music


    video, right? Maybe she actually invited him!"


    Another student was skeptical. "I


    don''t think so Weren''t there rumors that they were fighting? Their dance director had to mediate."


    A third student chimed in, "But Juniper never makes empty promises. Everything she says she''ll do, she does."


    The others thought about it and realized it was true. Could it be? Did she really get Jimmie Tate toe?


    Before they could debate further, Qadir was already spamming the livestream chat.


    [JIMMIE TATE IS COMING TO AURORA HIGH!!!!]


    He added so many exmation points that they nearly filled the entire screen. He trusted Juniperpletely. If she said Jimmie Tate wasing, then he wasing.


    Meanwhile, in the Era High auditorium, Ynda and Yelena sat side-by-side, smugly watching thements mocking Aurora High.


    Suddenly, the words "Jimmie Tate ising to Aurora High" appeared on the


    screen.

 Chapter 329

    Jimmie Tate?


    Yelena and Ynda slowly turned their heads to look at each other, their expressions stiff.


    A few secondster, Ynda burst outughing, her face a mixture of contempt and disbelief. ¡°Yelena, did you see that? The kids at Aurora High are iming Jimmie Tate is their final act."


    "Hahaha,¡± Yelenaughed so hard she identally jostled her injured arm, her smile twisting into a grimace. ¡°Does someone need to give them a reality check? We''re talking about Jimmie Tate, not some street performer who''ll sing a song for ten bucks."


    Yelena scoffed. Her father had pulled countless strings just to get Wilder. Aurora High? What a joke!


    After Qadir''s announcement, the Aurora High livestream was flooded with new viewers-die-hard fans, curious Era High students, and random onlookers there for the drama. Most thought it was impossible. A small minority held out a sliver of hope.


    "Juniper, you''re not joking, are you?" the dean of students asked, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead as the viewer count climbed higher and higher.


    "Do I look like I''m joking?" Juniper''szy gaze fell on him, a faint curve to her lips. "Stop hovering. You should probably go get a team started on next year''s student recruitment n. Tonight, I''m going to give Aurora High''s future enrollment a major boost."


    A major boost? Having witnessed Juniper''s unique methods before, the dean decided not to stop her. Fine. The students were about to graduate anyway, and the school''s future was uncertain. Let the kids have their fun.


    ...


    Time passed. With only two hours left in the event, Wilder appeared on stage at Era High. Their livestream exploded, shooting to the top of the trending charts. The students at Aurora High started to get restless.


    "Is Mr. Tateing or not? It''s almost over."


    "Yeah, the people in the chat are roasting us even harder now."


    "Someone should go ask Juniper. She''s the one who said he wasing."


    "Yeah, who''s going to ask?"


    "Who dares talk to Juniper? You go. I''m not doing it."


    "If you''re not going, neither am I."


    Despite their grumbling, no one dared to approach Juniper. After all, she was their academic savior, their study guide guy. Offending berwas not an option.


    Juniper, however, remained unconcerned, tapping away at a game on her tablet.


    She asionally switched apps to message Jimmie.


    Juniper: [Where are you?]


    Jimmie: [At the school gate. Using the back entrance to avoid a scene.]


    Juniper: [Hurry up. My little ducklings are getting impatient.]


    Jimmie: [You feel bad for your ducklings, but what about your poor brother?]


    He had rushed over right after work, without even grabbing a bite to eat. Such a demanding sister, and such a hard life for him.


    Juniper yawned and casually typed back three words: [I feel you.]


    Jimmie: [...] Could she be any more dismissive?


    As the final performance wrapped up and Jimmie still hadn''t appeared, the students started yawning. They sighed. They had gotten their hopes


    up for nothing, foolishly thinking they might actually see Jimmie Tate.


    [LOL, it''s over. Let''s go.]


    [If Jimmie Tate shows up, I''ll chop my head off and let the Aurora High students use it as a ser ball My IP address will show my name and ss at Era High:]


    [Era High student +1]


    [+2]


    [+10086]


    The chat was filled with people so certain Jimmie wouldn''t appear that they were willing to bet their heads on it.


    "Tsk," Juniper quit her game. "A bunch of morons. What''s so fun about kicking a head around?"

 Chapter 330

    ¡°Qadir, point the camera at the stage and get ready to count down from three."


    As soon as Juniper spoke, all the lights on the field suddenly went out. A beautiful, melodic piece of instrumental music began to y, filling the entire field.


    Everyone looked up at the stage in confusion.


    "Is that... a cappe? It sounds like Mr. Tate''s voice," a die-hard fan in the crowd shouted excitedly.


    What? Before anyone could process what was happening, a single spotlight illuminated the stage, revealing Jimmie sitting on a high stool. He was dressed in a simple white shirt and ck pants, a ck guitar resting on his casually crossed leg. His eyes were closed as he softly hummed the melody of one of his most famous songs.


    "Ahhh! It is! It''s his voice!"


    "Oh my god, Jimmie Tate is really here! Juniper wasn''t lying!"


    "She really did it! She got Jimmie Tate toe!"


    "Jimmie Tate! Jimmie Tate!"


    The entire student body leaped to their feet, their cheers and screams echoing through the night.


    The mood in the Aurora High livestream chat flipped instantly. The entire screen was flooded with question marks.


    [Wait, what? Why is Jimmie Tate singing at this crappy school?]


    [Girls, I think I''m hallucinating! My eyes are ying tricks on me!]


    [Oh my god, I can''t believe I''m hearing Mr. Tate sing his ssic hit live again. This is the best day ever!]


    [There''s definitely something special about this Aurora High...]


    In a sh, the viewer count for the Aurora High ivestream skyrocketed. One hundred thousand. Two


    hundred thousand. Five hundredmet


    thousand. In just three minutes, the number of online viewers broke one million and was still climbing rapidly pushing the Era High stream down to the number two spot.


    Back in the Era High auditorium, Yelena shot up from her seat, her eyes wide as she stared at the image of Jimmie on the screen. She wasn''t mistaken, was she? Was that really Jimmie Tate? Not an impersonator?


    "I think that really is Mr. Tate," Ynda confirmed after a moment, her face a mask


    of disbelief. ¡°How could Aurora High possibly afford him?¡±


    "I heard Juniper was the one who invited him..." one of their friends whispered.


    "Juniper?" Ynda''s voice rose, her eyes burning with jealousy. "Her? She can get Mr. Tate toe?"


    Lowering his status to sing for a bunch of private school students? It was preposterous!


    "It''s very possible," Yelena said, lost in thought. A few secondster, a vicious look crossed her face. "Didn''t Juniper Star in Mr. Tate''s music video thought it was strange when so many talented dancers out there. Why her? What does she have besides a pretty face? Now I get it."


    they picked fier. There an


    A cold, cruel smile spread across Yelena''s lips. "I never would have guessed that cousin of J''s had such seductive wiles. First, she hooks up with Shanley''s driver, and now she''s got Mr. Tateing down from his pedestal for her."


    So, Juniper had seduced Jimmie? Ynda remained silent, clenching her jaw so hard it ached.


    "What do you think would happen," Yelena mused with a sneer, "if we


    posted all of her dirtyundry online? She''s just an orphan with no


    _background and no future


    She got


    Zeroes on herst exams. Getting rid


    of trash like her would be easy."


    Once the news broke, Jimmie''s fans would tear her to shreds. The thought of it


    made Yelena tremble with excitement.

 Chapter 331

    "Hmph." Ynda, having regained herposure, added fuel to the fire. "Juniper is just some orphan with no family to speak of. She has the gall to walk all over you? She needs to be taught a lesson."


    Yelena''s eyes were glued to the livestream, her fingers tightening around her phone. Ynda was right. Juniper could expose her secret at any moment. If she didn''t get rid of her, she''d be under Juniper''s thumb for the rest of her life.


    At that thought, the hatred in Yelena''s eyes deepened.


    ...


    "It''s Mr. Tate!"


    "Oh my god, is anyone sneaking out to go see Mr. Tate at Aurora High next door?"


    "Me, me, me! I''m going!"


    ¡°Who needs Wilder when you''ve got Jimmie!"


    The auditorium at Era High School erupted in chaos as students mored to rush over to see Jimmie. On stage, Wilder was speechless.


    Just as the chatter reached a fever pitch, another roar came from the Aurora High livestream.


    During his halftime break, Jimmie had taken the microphone and announced, "Starting this year, I will be attending Aurora High''s graduation party for the next ten years."


    The students at Era High were stunned, their minds buzzing. Not only had Aurora High''s rankings skyrocketed, but now they had Mr. Tate, and he wasing back every year. It was as if Aurora High''s principal had made a deal with the devil.


    Online,izens were equally dumbfounded, and opinions were sharply divided. On one side, onlookers and students from other schools were green with envy.


    [I''m applying to Aurora High next year.]


    [Same here.]


    [Aurora High did pretty well on the mock exams this time. Plus, they have that awesome food street right next door!]


    [A hundred days of hard work, and I''m going to Aurora High.]


    On the other side were Jimmie''s fans, who thought he was debasing himself. Some even directed their anger at Juniper.


    [Juniper was the one who meddled and got the female lead in the music video reced. Now she''s dragged him into this high school gig. What kind of spell is she casting on Mr. Tate to make him so obedient?]


    [Seriously, Mr. Tate has changed so much in thest two months. Are they... in a secret rtionship?!]


    [Shut your mouth! A secret


    rtionship? Is an orphan like


    Juniper even worthy? Mr. Tate was a


    once-in-a-century triple-threat


    genius an untouchable star in everyones eyes. The only person worthy of him would have to be


    beautiful, from a good family, and well-mannered.


    Juniper? Please. Everyone knew she was the fake heiress kicked out of the Sherwin family. Someone even imed to have seen her going into high-end establishments with some old man.]


    [No, we can''t just stand by and watch our idol''s career get ruined by Juniper.]


    Soon, the inte was flooded with


    posts boycotting Juniper''s


    Y.n


    appearance in the music video and spreading all sorts of malicious rumors about her. Someone even photoshopped her picture into a funeral portrait. While the hashtag #Jimmie Opens At Aurora High trended, Juniper''s name was also being dragged through the mud.


    Qadir, always online, was the first to see the news. He rushed over to show Juniper, cursing, ¡°What is this crap these trolls are spouting? They''re even saying you and Mr. Tate have something going on."


    Juniper had Mr. Schwartz. Why would she even look at anyone else? These idiots online needed to get their eyes and brains checked.


    "Oh." Juniper casually scrolled through the screen. When she saw her own funeral portrait," a small smile yed on her lips. They actually did a pretty decent job... but they made my face crooked."

 Chapter 332

    "Juniper!" Qadir nearly had a heart attack. How could she be critiquing her own funeral portrait at a time like this?


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Juniper looked up from the phone at a distraught Qadir. ¡°So the inte is saying my rtionship with Jimmie isn''t exactly simple?"


    "Yeah," Qadir nodded emphatically.


    ¡°Juniper, don''t listen to that nonsense,¡± Queenie quickly chimed in, angry on her behalf. ¡°People on the inte have such nasty mouths."


    "That''s right, Juniper," Dolce added,forting her gently. "We believe you. Don''t let it get to you."


    "Well, they''re not entirely wrong." Juniper''s gaze drifted to Jimmie on the stage. She crossed her arms, her voice clear andzy. ¡°My rtionship with him really isn''t simple."


    Qadir, who had just taken a sip of water, sprayed it everywhere.


    "Juniper, what did you just say?"


    Queenie and Dolce werepletely floored. Her rtionship with Mr. Tate wasn''t simple? But wasn''t she with Mr. Schwartz? Had she moved on? That didn''t seem right.


    ¡°Jimmie is my older brother," Juniper said with a blink, her voice low and unhurried.


    A trio of shrieks erupted from the audience, causing nearby students to turn and stare.


    ...


    Jimmie''s surprise appearance extended the party by a full two hours. As it drew to a close, he picked up the microphone, his gaze sweeping warmly over the crowd. His deep, pleasant voice filled the hall.


    "I''d like to dedicate this next song to the most important girl in my life."


    As the melody began to y, everyone started guessing who Mr. Tate was talking about. A few dared to whisper Juniper''s name but were quickly shot down.


    "Are you crazy? Juniper isn''t even out of high school. Does Mr. Tate want a scandal on his hands?"


    "Oh, right, right. Mr. Tate wouldn''t be a creep like that."


    Others spected he was talking about his sister. The story of Mr. Tate searching


    for his long-lost sibling was famous, and the song''s lyrics seemed to convey a deep sense of longing for a sister.


    Qadir, Queenie, and Dolce just stared intently at Juniper, their eyes filled with a mixture of shock and intense curiosity. At that moment, she was far more fascinating to them than the international superstar on stage. The world-famous actor was her brother And the globally renowned


    race car driver was her other


    brother?


    "I remember Juniper once mentioned she had three brothers and three sisters," Queenie, whispered, covering her mouth, "We''ve only met two, and they''re already this incredible. Imagine the other four."


    Qadir wiped sweat from his brow. "Fake heiress?"


    Dolce swallowed hard. "More like a total boss!"


    Holy cow. She was a true blue-blood. What other secrets was Juniper hiding?


    Juniper, trying to enjoy Jimmie''s performance, was getting annoyed by the six eyes boring into her. She shot them a cold look. "If you keep staring, I might just gouge your eyes out."


    The three of them immediately


    averted their gazes back to the


    stage, only to sneak nces at her


    again momentster. With a


    powerhouse like her in their corner,


    Aurora High''s future was looking brighter than ever.

 Chapter 333

    After the party, Juniper followed the directions in a text message and walked to the school gate. A ck sports car was parked discreetly under arge tree.


    She had her backpack on, hands stuffed in the pockets of her school jacket, and a hat pulled down low over her face. The dim streetlights cast shadows that only partially illuminated her features, which were still breathtakingly beautiful.


    "Over here." Jimmie was leaning against the car, and he waved her over.


    Juniper walked up but peered behind him, not seeing Shanley anywhere. He picked her up every day. Was he cking off just because Jimmie was here?


    She pouted, tilting her head with azy, sullen expression, and refused to get in the


    car.


    "What''s wrong?" Jimmie knew exactly what was on his love-struck sister''s mind and decided to tease her.


    Juniper remained silent, her expression gloomy.


    "He dared not to pick you up? I think that old man is getting too full of himself." Jimmie cleared his throat, feigning anger. "How about this? Youe stay with me for a few days. Give him the cold shoulder."


    "No." Juniper lowered her gaze, her small face sinking into her jacket, her voice muffled. ¡°Take me back to Cloudscape Community."


    "He''s getting cocky. If you don''t put him in his ce now, how are you going to manage himter?" Jimmie was getting into it now.


    "Cloudscape Community," Juniper repeated, lifting her eyelids to reveal dark, intimidating eyes that could make a person''s heart stop.


    Jimmie froze, staring at his sister for a moment before bursting outughing. He really needed to check if Shanley was slipping some kind of love potion into her food. How else could she be sopletely smitten?


    "Jimmie, don''t tease her."


    Just then, a low, maic voice came from nearby.


    Juniper''s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively looked up. Under the dim streetlight, a man in a sharp suit was walking toward her. He carried a cake box in his left hand and a milkshake in his right bisng, straight legs moving with purpose, a warm smile on his face.


    Juniper pulled her face out of her cor and shot Jimmie a fierce re.


    "My sister''s loyalty is seriously misced," Jimmiemented, ncing at the treats in Shanley''s hands and raising an eyebrow. "No wonder you disappeared the


    moment the car stopped


    certainly know how to win her over."


    "The littledy likes them," Shanley said with a slight, smug arch of his brow. "Isn''t that right, Juniper?"


    Juniper didn''t say a word, but she expertly took the milkshake from his hand.


    Jimmie just clicked his tongue and slid into the driver''s seat, afraid that watching them any longer would give him a heart attack. Who was her real family here, anyway?


    In the car, Juniper sipped her milkshake while listening to Shanley and Jimmie chat.


    "I''ve already had my people look into our other siblings," Jimmie said, his expression turning serious. "But there are absolutely no leads on the others."


    He wasn''t even sure if his remaining brother and three sisters were still alive.


    "I''ll have my team help with the search as well," Shanley said, holding the milkshake bottle for Juniper. "It''ll just take some time."


    "It''s okay." Jimmie sighed, ncing back at Juniper, who was quietly enjoying her


    snack. His throat tightened. "At least I have Juniper and Melvin now."


    Having family with him in the search made him feel less alone.


    "When does the music video drop?" The atmosphere had be too heavy, so Shanley changed the


    subject. "I hear you''re aiming for an international music award. Confident


    ¡°Heh." Jimmie smirked, his pride showing. "With my sister''s choreography? The odds are very good."


    The music video was finished and had been submitted to the awardsmittee on the final day.

 Chapter 334

    The awards ceremony was in a week.


    "When are you two going to announce your rtionship?" Shanley asked, a slight curve on his lips. His girl was getting absolutely trashed online, but she wouldn''t let him intervene.


    Jimmie didn''t answer, instead looking to his sister for her reaction. He wouldn''t dare make a move without her approval.


    "Let''s wait a bit longer," Juniper said, finishing her milkshake and handing the empty cup to Shanley. She leaned back in her seat, content and rxed. "Don''t bother with the onlinements for now. Just save the evidence. It''ll be useful for thewsuitter."


    This time, she was going to teach those nderers a lesson they wouldn''t forget.


    Back at Cloudscape Community, Juniper had just stepped out of the shower when her phone vibrated. It was Lue.


    ¡°Juniper, you ditching your old friends for your new man?"


    Lue''s voice came through the speaker. She was lounging in a bar booth, one leg casually crossed over the other. Beside her, a pretty, innocent-looking girl was nervously pouring a drink, her face blushing.


    "Tomorrow," Juniper replied, toweling her wet hair, her tone rxed. "After school, at the bar.¡± ¡°Just you?" Lue chuckled suggestively. "Not bringing that old man of yours for me to check out?"


    Juniper''s lips tightened. "Say he''s old one more time. I dare you."


    "Tsk, tsk. You''re not even married and you''re already this protective?" Lue clicked


    her tongue and took a sip of the wine, nearly choking.


    "When ites to spotting


    scumbags, I''m the expert," Lue


    said, turning to shoot a flirtatious


    wink at the girl beside her. With


    slightlymessy hairstyle and


    ve


    masculine clothes, coupled with deliberately manly'' gestures it was hard to tell rue''s gender. To an outsider, she simply looked like a very handsome ''man''. "Gee, thanks," Juniper said dryly. Hearing footsteps approaching the door, she quickly said, "Gotta go."


    The call ended just as Shanley walked in, happening to catch her abrupt reaction. It seemed like she had hung up suddenly because she heard himing. Whose call was so urgent that he couldn''t know about it?


    "Why is your hair still wet?" Shanley didn''t ask about the call, his focus immediately shifting to her with a slight frown.


    "I''ll go get the hairdryer." Juniper put down her phone and turned toward the bathroom.


    Shanley had never felt the urge to snoop through her phone and had no idea who was in her contacts. But in that fleeting moment, his gaze unintentionally fell on the screen, which showed her recent calls. caff from 45 seconds ago was with someone named ''Lue Langley''.


    Lue Langley? The name made Shanley''s nerves instantly tense as certain pieces of information clicked in his mind. If he recalled correctly, this was the person who had swooped in and bought the O Moulnds district for a high price, only to nttro there. Even Juniper''s apartment in Cloudscape Community was purchased by this ''Lue Langley, More importantly this was a man


    who on earth was he that even Cybeic Shadows couldn''t dig up any information on


    him? And why was Juniper talking to


    him sote at night?


    He recalled the scene just moments ago when he opened the door. The girl had definitely looked a bit flustered. Shanley''s expression darkened, a knot of panic forming in his stomach.


    Crap. Was she going to leave him?

 Chapter 335

    It seemed Juniper had known him longer, and they had a good rtionship.


    The phone screen went dark. Shanley sat on the chair, a heavy weight pressing down on his chest, making it hard to breathe.


    A wealthy man... He wondered what he looked like. For the first time, Shanley felt a true sense of crisis.


    "Squeak-"


    Juniper emerged from the bathroom with the hairdryer to find Shanley sitting dejectedly on the chair, his tall frame slightly slumped and his face visibly pale. "Are you not feeling well?"


    She dropped the hairdryer on the table and pressed her palm against his cheek, frowning. ¡°You don''t have a fever. Is your stomach bothering you again?¡±


    As she spoke, she moved to check his pulse, but Shanley grabbed her hand, gently pulling her into his embrace. The sudden intimacy left Juniper momentarily bewildered.


    "Is there anything about me you don''t like? Anything you want me to change?" Shanley held her hand, tilting his chin up to expose his handsome throat, his voice raspy. "Huh?"


    Juniper waspletely lost. She blinked, confused. "You don''t have any homework tonight. Are you just bored?"


    Shanley''s handsome face darkened several shades, a helpless smile touching his lips.


    "Let me dry your hair." He stood up behind her, picked up the hairdryer, and began to gentlyb through her hair with his fingers.


    It didn''t matter. So what if she knew him first? So what if he was rich? Juniper''s heart was here, with him, and he wouldn''t let anyone take her away. If someone dared to try, he wouldn''t be merciful.


    ...


    At midnight, Juniper was nestled in Shanley''s arms, stirring restlessly in her sleep. She seemed to be having a nightmare; her pretty face was scrunched up and her lips trembled slightly.


    Noticing her distress, Shanley immediately propped himself up, looking down at the girl in his arms. A momentter, he heard Juniper mumble a few indistinct words: "Lue..."


    Lue? The name was like a sharp dagger stabbing into his heart, the intense pain spreading rapidly through his entire body. Juniper was dreaming and calling out Lue'' name. Was that man really so important to her? And what about him? What was he to her?


    That night, Shanleyy awake until dawn. What he didn''t know was that the full sentence the sleeping girl had mumbled was: "Lue, you dare touch Shanley and see what happens!"


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, the nightlife was just getting started.


    Jimmie had just gotten home when he received a call from a director with an offer. They agreed to meet at a bar to discuss the


    coboration-Azure Spiel


    located in the heart of the city,


    ce of dazzling lights andvish indulgence.


    Wearing a mask, Jimmie walked alongside the director as a staff member led them


    inside. As they passed a booth, a familiar figure caught his eye.


    Wasn''t that the ''guy'' he encountered on the highway, the one who''d given him the middle finger? The ''man'' was leaning back on the sofa, one leg casually crossed over the other. Beside him sat a girl in a super short skirt and heavy makeup The girl''s head was bowed, tear bowed, tear stains on her. face, and her body was curled into a ball. She clearly looked like she was being bullied.


    A rich yboy? The words formed in Jimmie''s mind.


    "Have a drink?¡± the man offered, swirling a ss in front of her.


    "No." The girl shook her head frantically, like a frightened deer.


    "Mr. Tate, what is it?" The director noticed Jimmie had slowed down and followed his gaze.


    OMG! That guy was gorgeous. Since Mr. Tate was definitely looking at him, maybe the rumors were true... that he was into men? It would exin why he''d never been linked with any female celebrities in all his years in the industry.

 Chapter 336

    "It''s nothing," Jimmie said tly, pulling his gaze away and following the director into a private room.


    Just as their conversation was wrapping up, a loudmotion erupted outside the door.


    "What''s going on?" the director asked with a frown.


    ¡°Someone''s causing trouble,¡± an assistant replied respectfully. ¡°It''s getting pretty rowdy out there. Maybe we should head out now.¡±


    Given Mr. Tate''s celebrity status, if a crowd gathered and recognized him... all hell would break loose.


    "Let''s go." Jimmie put on his hat and mask.


    As they reached a corner in the main hall, a man covered in designer brands and tattoos flew unexpectedly toward them. With a loud thud, his body mmed into the wall before bouncing back onto the floor. His mouth was bruised, blood trickled from his nose, and he writhed in agony.


    "Whoa." The director jumped back in rm. Jimmie, however, stood his ground, his eyes fixed on the arrogant ''man'' who was now nonchntly rubbing his knuckles.


    "Didn''t you hear me?" Lue casually picked up a bottle and handed it to the trembling girl beside her, her voice icy. "I told you to smash it over his head. You don''t know where his head is?"


    The girl was forced to hold the bottle, her body shaking like a leaf. She just shook her pale face, unable to do it.


    "Hah." Lue smirked at the girl''s reaction. "Pathetic."


    "Mr. Langley..." The girl crumpled to the floor, her face streaked with tears. "Is... is he going to be okay?"


    "Okay?" Lue took out a wet wipe and meticulously cleaned the blood from her hands, then picked up a ss and swirled the contents, wicked smile on her face. "This state, he probably feels worse than dead. But don''t worry..."


    Lue pulled the girl into an embrace, pinching her chin and smiling carelessly. "I''m


    rich. Even if I beat him to death, it wouldn''t be a problem.¡±


    Lue turned to the girl. ¡°Go tell the manager you''re leaving with me.¡±


    She pulled a credit card from her pocket, holding it between her fingers with a flourish. ¡°His medical bills and any damages here can be charged to this card."


    The girl took the card and stumbled towards the back.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Lue seemed to remember something and called after her. Then, addressing the entire bar, she announced, "Sorry to spoil the mood. Everything tonight is on me. Enjoy."


    On her? Whoa!


    "Who is that?" The crowd murmured, staring at the brazen Lue. "I''ve never seen that face in Era City before. What a spender."


    "I heard the girl was originally with Mr. Whitman. This Mr. Langley just waltzed in and snatched her awaye The Whitman family is notoriously ch. No way he''d let someone take what''s his. He came out swinging a bottle."


    But his threats had been empty. A few words were exchanged, and the next thing everyone knew, Mr. Whitman was lying on the ground like a stray dog.


    Listening to the surrounding chatter, Jimmie''s frown deepened. After a moment, he turned to leave. They had separate cars and went their own ways.


    Jimmie had just driven a short distance when he saw Lue''s motorcycle parked on the side of the road. The girl who had left with her was staring at her, tears streaming down her face. "Mr. Langley, I''m begging you."


    What now? Jimmie had never had a good impression of these violent, profligate rich kids who threw money around. The girl was about the same age as his sister.


    ve


    Frowning, Jimmie put his foot on the brake, ready to push open his car door and intervene when he


    suddenly heard her continue-

 Chapter 337

    "Mr. Langley, please, let me stay with you," the girl pleaded, her delicate face tilted up, tear stains glistening under the streetlights, making her look even more pitiful. ¡°If you hadn''t stepped in just now, Mr. Whitman would have... killed me."


    The girl was eighteen, a freshman in college. With her parents sick and in need of money for medical bills, she had no choice but to work at the bar. It was only her third day.


    Mr. Whitman, arrogant with his wealth, treated women like objects. The past two days, he had forced her to drink so much she nearly ended up with a bleeding stomach. A little while ago, she had tried to refuse a drink, and he had thrown her to the ground and pped her, calling her a "worthless tramp." He''d boasted about getting rid of countless women like her and threatened that if she didn''t obey and serve him well, he would make her wish she were dead.


    She was terrified and wanted to run, but everyone just watched,ughing. No one would help her. Just as she had lost all hope, Mr. Langley appeared.


    Jimmie was stunned. He slowly pulled his hand back from the door handle. So it wasn''t bullying... he was saving her.


    "Don''t," Lue said, taking a step back, horrified at the prospect of a real-life "repay you with my body" scenario. She tly refused. "I saved you because I can''t stand seeing women get bullied. It wasn''t just you; I''d do the same for anyone."


    The girl bit her lip, staring at Lue with a deep, heartfelt gaze. It was the look of someone falling in love.


    "Also..." Lue lit a thin cigarette, holding it between her fingers. She took a drag and exhaled slowly. "Your priority right now is school. Your education is your way out. After all.....¡± she said nonchntly, ¡°no one can save you forever, you know?"


    "I thought..." The girl''s fragile heart was touched by these words, and tears began to stream down her face again. "I thought you were just like the others, Mr. Langley, that you wanted something from me. I''m so sorry."


    "Hey,¡± Lue took another drag, a devilish smile on her face. "Alright, take this."


    "I can''t..." The girl refused the bank card. She wasn''t trying to follow him because she was greedy.


    "Just take it." Lue tossed the card into the side pocket of the girl''s backpack and gestured with her chin. "I have more money than I can spend anyway."


    A look of confusion swept over the girl''s face as she blinked and murmured, "Huh?"


    "Okay, then.¡± Lue nced at the car lurking nearby and raised an eyebrowzily. "I''ve got things to do. You should go."


    "Thank you, Mr. Langley," the girl said, giving Lue a sincere bow.


    Once the girl was gone, Lue leisurely tossed the cigarette butt into a trash can and leaned against her motorcycle. Her eyes, hidden under her short hair, narrowed. "Looks like you''re not just a bad driver, but a real creep, too Eavesdropping, are we?"Content


    Jimmie had intended to just leave and not waste another word on him. But this


    arrogant rich kid just kept provoking him.


    "What''s the matter? Got the guts


    listen in, but not to get out of the car?" Lue popped a piece of gum into her mouth and started onewing loudly. "Tsk, tsk. What a coward."


    Jimmie''s temper red. He unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the car door with a grim expression.


    Lue''s eyes narrowed. She was


    curious to see who this guy was. To


    get a better look, she switched on


    her motorcycle''s headlight. A


    momentter the car door opene


    revealing a pair of long, straight legs.

 Chapter 338

    Following the legs up, Lue''s eyes traveled over narrow hips and a slim waist.


    Not a bad build!


    Chewing her gum, she continued her appraisal until her gazended on the man''s face.


    Holy! Lue squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again. And again. Her chewing slowed to a stop as a cold smirk spread across her face.


    Well, well, well. If it wasn''t Juniper''s brother, the pretty boy-Jimmie. Which meant the person she''d flipped off on the road was him. What a twisted coincidence.


    "Mr. Langley, is it?" Jimmie stopped in front of Lue, his height advantage forcing him to look down slightly. From a distance, he had only gotten a rough impression. Up close, he could see every detail, even the fine pores on her skin. He''d seen plenty of pretty boys, but none as delicate-featured as this one.


    ¡°That''s me. What about it?¡± Lue raised an eyebrow, her expression growing even more defiant. She had no intention of being polite. She''d heard that when Juniper went to find him, he''d told her to get lost. Not even she had ever said something so harsh to Juniper.


    "First, the other day, I only honked because you were blocking my way. Maybe my driving isn''t the best, but giving me the finger was uncalled for, don''t you think?¡± Jimmie stared at Lue, his voice cold.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Lue almostughed out loud. Was Jimmie trying to lecture her like a schoolchild?


    "Second, I stopped just now because I saw the girl crying and was worried she was being bullied. I was about to help. As for eavesdropping..." Jimmie shrugged, gesturing around them. "This is a public space, is it not?"


    "Third, you will apologize to me."


    Lue blew a bubble with her gum and popped it. She looked at Jimmie with amusement. "Such a huge difference."


    Juniper was so adorable, but her brother was... insufferable.


    "What?" Jimmie didn''t catch that and frowned.


    "Your hearing is bad, too, huh?" Lue gave him a dirty look and retorted, her words sharp as needles.


    "First, you honked and scared me, so I gave you the finger. We''re even."


    ¡°Second, this is a public space. Don''t tell me you stopped here in the middle of the night to admire the scenery, Mr. Tate you were eaveshopping So what? It''s not like


    I''m going to eat you."


    ¡°Third, an apology? Thest person who asked me for an apology... well, the grass on their grave is about as tall as you are."


    "You¡ª¡± Jimmie was rendered speechless. He never expected a grown man to be so sharp-tongued.


    "Anything else to add, Mr. Tate?" For Juniper''s sake, Lue decided to show some mercy. "If not, I''ll be on my way. We''ll... be seeing each other."


    With that, Lue hopped on her motorcycle and sped off.


    Be seeing each other? Jimmie''s face was grim. He took deep breaths of the empty air, trying to calm himself. He had absolutely no desire to see that rude punk ever again


    ...


    The next day, the weather was beautiful. Warm sunlight streamed through the


    window, illuminating the white marble dining table.


    "Sir, breakfast is ready." Dana set


    down a bowl of soup, stealing a nce at the man who had been silent and sullen sinceing


    downstairs. The master''s mood was


    awfult


    today. He hadn''t even stayed


    up fate doing homeworkst night. Could it be... that Ms. Payne had


    given him a hard time again?

 Chapter 339

    "Sir, is Ms. Payne not awake yet?¡± Dana hesitated for a few seconds before asking cautiously. Normally, the two of them came down together.


    "Don''t mention that heartless little thing." Shanley''s brows were knitted together, a frostyyer covering his handsome face. He sounded both angry and helpless.


    What? Heartless little thing? Mr. Schwartz dared to call Ms. Payne that?!


    "I serve her the best food and drinks every day, and all she does is make me miserable." Shanley picked up an egg and began to slowly peel it, his deep eyes dark as he grumbled.


    What Lue? Some ghost? Was that person as good to her as he was? He didn''t even know what this Lue looked like. Was he younger? More handsome?


    Dana stood frozen, holding a towel, staring at Shanley inplete confusion. Mr. Schwartz sounded like a jilted lover.


    "Dana..." Shanley grew more depressed the more he thought about it. He looked up at Dana, who looked even more confused than he felt, and asked glumly, "Am I very old?"


    ¡°What?¡± Dana jumped, carefully studying the man''s face. He wasn''t really old. He was only twenty-seven. But...pared to Ms. Payne, there was a nine-year age gap. So maybe he was a little old.


    "Sir, how could you possibly think like that?" Dana was no fool. She beamed. "A young man in his twenties, how is that old? Now, these old bones of mine, that''s what you call old."


    ¡°What if.....¡± Shanley paused in his egg-peeling, his eyes locking onto Dana''s, his expression grave. "If you were Juniper, and you had two equally wealthy men to choose from¡ªone young, and one a bit older-who would you pick?¡±


    Dana''s breath caught in her throat. Both wealthy? Well... that made it a bit tricky.


    "Of course I would choose you, sir,¡± Dana said, recovering quickly and forcing a wide smile onto her wrinkled face. "You are truly good to Ms. Payne, sir. No matter how young or rich someone else is, how could theypare to you?"


    "Besides," Dana continued, seeing Shanley''s mood gradually improve, "with Ms. Payne''s personality, not just any man could catch her ey The way she relies on you can only mean one thing: she likes you."


    "Really?"


    f


    ttered by Dana''s praise, Shanley''s lips curved into a faint smile, the gloom on his face vanishing. She was right. Juniper relied on him, even more than her two brothers. What could it be if not love20 Otherwise, she would have gone to find that ''Lue'' a long time ago.


    Just as Shanley was reassuring himself, Dana''s voice broke in. "Morning, Ms. Payne."


    "Morning, Dana." Juniper came downstairs, rubbing her sore neck.


    "Ms. Payne, is your neck bothering you?" Dana asked with concern.


    "A little." Juniper sat down opposite Shanley, frowning slightly. "Didn''t I sleep on your armst night?"


    "Yes," Shanley replied, cing the peeled egg on Juniper''s te, feeling too guilty to meet her eyes He would never admit that he''d spent the entire night sulking on the


    herealb


    balcony after hearing her calb


    .n


    another man''s name in her sleep.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Juniper responded lightly, figuring she must have just slept in an awkward position.


    ¡°Juniper.....¡± Just as Shanley was about to speak while buttering some toast for her, her phone buzzed.


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Juniper stopped him, picked up her phone, and began tapping out a reply. After she was done, she ced the phone beside her.


    Once again, Shanley saw the WhatsApp contact name: Lue Langley. It was him again!

 Chapter 340

    "What were you about to say?" Juniper asked Shanley as she ate her toast.


    "Nothing." Shanley had lost his appetite. He was determined to investigate this Langley person thoroughly. Know your enemy, and you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.


    Juniper''s chewing slowed as she stared at Shanley. He''d been acting strangely since yesterday. Who had set him off? Felton? Or Flint?


    ...


    At Aurora High School.


    After bringing in the new review materials and getting Mr. Tate to perform, Juniper had be the undisputed queen of the school. Teachers greeted her warmly in the halls. ¡°Juniper, have you eaten today?¡± Students respectfully bowed their heads when they saw her. The five-minute walk from the school gate to her ssroom involved at least a hundred greetings of "Hi, Juniper." She was numb to it.


    She had barely sat down when Qadir, Queenie, and Dolce marched over and sat across from her. Other ssmates followed, surrounding her desk, propping their chins on their hands and staring at her with gleaming eyes.


    "You can get Jimmie''s autograph, but you have to trade your grades for it," Juniper said, putting her backpack in her desk andzily taking out a textbook.


    "For the weekly test, every point you improve your total score gets you one signed photo. If you improve by more than thirty points, you can choose which part of him is in the signed photo."


    ¡°Choose... which part?¡± The girls in the ss instantly got excited at the thought.


    "Appropriate parts only," Juniper added with a frown, her tone serious. "Keep it ssy. Like his abs, or a shirtless photo... "


    The girls'' faces all turned red.


    Juniper narrowed her eyes. "Understood?"


    "Understood,¡± they all chorused.


    "If you understand," Juniper said, looking at the crowd still standing in front of her, "then why are you still here? Don''t you want the autographs?"


    In an instant, everyone scattered back to their seats.


    A few secondster, a girl from the front row timidly approached her again. ¡°Juniper,


    this..... this promotional event, is it open to students from other sses?"


    Promotional event? Juniper, who was taking a sip of water, almost choked What the hell? There were hundreds of seniors, If they all participated, Jimmie''s hand would fall off from signing.


    No. She had to be a kind sister.


    "Yes, it is," Juniper replied with a smile after a moment''s thought.


    "Thank you, thank you!" The girl excitedly ran to the doorway and yelled to her friends, "Juniper said yes!"


    A briefmotion erupted outside, and then it fell silent.


    Juniper found it odd and nced outside. It wasn''t ss time yet; usually, students


    would still be messing around in the hallway.


    "They all went back to their


    ssrooms to study for the


    autographs, Qadir said, giving


    Justiper a thumbs up. "Juniper, ryou


    hade to Aurora High sooner, Era High wouldn''t have stood a chance."  s?novels


    "Cut the crap,¡± Juniper said, shooting him a look and tilting her chin. "Have you finished memorizing your vocabry?"


    "Oh." Qadir immediately ducked his head and went back to his book. He wanted one of Mr. Tate''s autographs too.


    Just as Juniper finished dealing with


    the autograph frenzy, her phone


    vibrated. It was a message from Lue: This year''s pharmaceutical auction is in Era City This weekend. Perfect. Our research institute is running low on medicinal herbs.]

 Chapter 341

    Juniper: [Got it.]


    Just as their chat ended, a text from Shanley came in: [Any sses this weekend? I want to take you somewhere I think you''ll like.]


    He followed up with an invitation to a pharmaceutical auction.


    What a coincidence. Juniper''s lips curved into a smile.


    That weekend, Juniper happily packed her bag and went to the designated spot.


    "Ms. Payne." Flint bowed respectfully, opening the car door for her.


    Once she was settled, Flint brushed a hand through his white hair and slid into the driver''s seat. He started the sports car and headed toward the auction house.


    Meanwhile, under arge tree not far away, Ynda and Yelena were eating ice cream, their eyes glued to the departing vehicle.


    "That car..." Yelena''s family was wealthy, but she''d never ridden in anything so luxurious. ¡°It must cost millions, right?"


    It wasn''t just expensive; it was exclusive, with a long list of requirements for purchase. Her own father had wanted one but couldn''t afford it and didn''t qualify.


    "Just showing off," Ynda sneered. "That''s obviously Shanley''s car. That old, white-haired driver must be using it to pick up girls."


    "My stepsister has never been around nice things,¡± she continued coldly. ¡°It''s no wonder she''d fall for some ordinary old driver."


    "I bet she''s not only close with Shanley''s driver but is probably involved with Mr. Tate, too." Yelena paused, crushing the ice cream cone in her hand. The posts he posts I''ve been


    spreading online the past few days either get deleted or have their traffic restricted. Who else but Mr. Tate would have that kind of power?"


    "Ynda..." Yelena turned to the jealous girl beside her. "Could it be that Juniper


    has really managed to seduce Mr. Tate?"


    From casting her as the lead in his


    music video to performing at Aurora High School for her, it was clear something was up. Everyone knew Mr. Tate was a professional who had never been so close to a woman before. She couldn''t think of any other exnation.


    Ynda was momentarily stunned by the question. At first, she''d thought Mr. Tate just picked Juniper for her dancing skills. But now... she wasn''t so sure. After all, she''d seen how good that bitch was at wrapping men around her finger years ago.


    "Wouldn''t that be even better?" After a moment, Ynda''s expression twisted into a malicious grin. ¡°It''s time the world saw what a disgusting person Juniper really is."


    "And besides," she added, "some of Mr. Tate''s fans are terrifying. They think no one is good enough for him. Anyone who gets close gets torn to shreds online. Yelena, what do you think his fans would do if they found out a woman like that had her hooks in their idol?"


    Yelena''s eyes lit up with understanding. ¡°I didn''t realize you had a cunning side, Ynda."


    "Mr. Tate''s music video is up for a major international award next week," Ynda said, growing more excited. "If a scandal about him and Juniper breaks right now, we wouldn''t even have to lift a finger. His fans would tear her apart alive.¡±


    Never underestimate the inte mob. They were capable of anything.


    ¡°All you have to do now is spread rumors about her promiscuous lifestyle. Leave the rest to them."


    Yelena nodded, finding Ynda''s logic sound. If Juniper really managed to climb her way up bytching onto the superstar, Jimmie, she''d be walking all over them. That tramp had to be taken down!

 Chapter 342

    The auction was an annual event, its time and location changing each year, drawing attendees from every continent. Figures from both legitimate businesses and the underworld, along with high-society elites, all mingled in one ce.


    Shanley''s invitation was for the highest tier, a private suite on the top floor with maximum security and exquisite catering.


    Before they got out of the car, Shanley handed Juniper a hat and a jacket he had prepared. "Put these on."


    This ce was full ofplex characters, and any one of them could be an enemy of his. He wasn''t worried for himself, but now he had Juniper to think about. He didn''t want to expose her to any danger.


    "Okay," Juniper said, obediently bundling up until she was well-covered before following Shanley to the VIP elevator.


    They had only taken a few steps when another car pulled up nearby. The door opened to reveal a man in a sharp suit, with handsome, refined features and an air of elegance in every movement.


    "Boss, that''s Harold Houston," Felton reported respectfully.


    To ensure Ms. Payne''s safety, Felton and Flint had researched every person attending the auction. The man before them, with his gold-rimmed sses and distinguished air, was Harold Houston. At only 28, he was a medical prodigy with a Ph.D., a rising star destined for greatness. In the medical world, he was being hailed as the next legendary healer.


    If you were to ask who the current one was, it would be the elusive genius known only as "Nocturne?¡ªa legend who, despite their absence, was a constant presence in the field.


    "Juniper, have you heard of Harold?" Shanley asked softly, gently taking her hand.


    Since Juniper knew medicine, he figured she would have followed prominent figures in the field.


    "Harold?" Juniper followed his gaze and narrowed her eyes slightly. A faint smile yed on her lips as she said slowly, ¡°Is he famous? I''ve never heard of him.¡±


    In her experience, the medical world was full of quacks who called themselves geniuses. She disliked that atmosphere and kept her distance from themunity He looked young, but she wondered how much actual skill he possessed.


    ¡°He''s a leader in the medical field," Shanley continued. "Besides him, there''s also Nocturne. If you''d like to meet Nocturne, I can have someone find the person."


    He knew Juniper''s medical skills were impressive, but he didn''t know the full extent, she was interested, he could gather the world''s most renowned medical experts for her, even for one-on-one tutoring.


    "Nocturne?" Juniper blinked, her voicezy yet certain. "That one has a notoriously difficult personality. Don''t waste your time."


    "So you''re interested?¡± Shanley smiled. "Then I''ll find Nocturne for you."


    Juniper just tilted her head and blinked, choosing not to exin further.


    "Let''s go," Shanley said, tightening his grip on her hand as they stepped into the elevator. ¡°See anything you want to bid on?"


    "I do." Juniper pulled out her phone and showed him a picture of an unremarkable- looking nt.


    "Viper''s Tail," she said. ¡°It''s a newly cultivated hybrid herb. It''s incredibly potent, but its survival rate is extremely low. This is the only one left."


    It already looked half-dead, and she doubted it would survive even if she won it. Among all the items up for auction, it was utterly


    inconspicuous, and she figured no one would risk bidding on it. But only a true expert would recognize its immense medicinal potential.


    Just then, Harold arrived at the elevator bank and overheard the words "Viper''s Tail,¡± freezing in ce. Someone else was interested in that worthless-looking weed?


    He lifted his gaze, trying to peer into the elevator.

 Chapter 343

    The elevator doors chimed shut just as Harold looked up, and he only caught a blurry glimpse of her eyes. In that instant, his heart hammered in his chest, and a splitting headache tore through him.


    ¡°Dr. Houston, are you alright?¡± his assistant asked, rushing to his side.


    ¡°I''m fine,¡± Harold said, waving him off. He took a few deep breaths and gradually felt normal again. It was probably just his old ailment acting up.


    ording to his father, he''d suffered from these headaches since childhood. Each attack was excruciating, so much so that he had no memories of his life before the age of thirteen. He must have selectively forgotten the pain.


    "That''s a relief," the assistant said. "Shall we go up?"


    "Yes," Harold nodded. But as they reached the top floor and walked toward their private suite, his heart began to pound violently again. He''d never felt anything like it before. Strange.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Juniper had just settled in, her fingers flying across her phone screen as she texted Lue. Shanley sat beside her, elegantly rolling up his sleeves as he peeled fruit for her.


    Lue: [What? That old man Shanley is there too? I wanna see, I wanna see, I WANNA SEE!]


    Juniper: [You dare show your face here and see what happens!]


    Knowing Lue''s unhinged personality, she would probably scare Shanley off.


    Lue: [???]


    Juniper: [I''ll let you meet them all tonight.]


    Lue: [Them?]


    Juniper: [Yeah. The ''old man,'' and my other two brothers who are even older than him.]


    Older by one year still counted.


    Lue: [Deal.]


    Besides, her main purpose at the auction was to bid on medicinal herbs and sell thetest drug developed at their facility. Business first. Shanley had already fallen into Juniper''s clutches and wasn''t going anywhere, so she could meet him anytime.


    ...


    Thirty minutester, the pharmaceutical auction officially began.


    Juniper''s only target was that one wilted little herb, so she paid little attention to the other items, content to munch on snacks.


    Finally, when the auctioneer


    mentioned a new drug called "P30,"


    the girl who had been


    who had been focused on


    her food, slowly lifted her gaze a flicker of interest in her eyes.


    X8


    "You want this?" Shanley, who had been watching her reactions closely, immediately opened the auction catalog P3.0 is thetest drug developed by a med-research institute in Australis. It''s used to treat blood vessels and can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascr disease. The Schwartz Group''s hospitals happen to be in need of this."


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Juniper blinked, a smirk ying on her lips.


    Quite perceptive of him.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the starting bid for the P3.0 drug is three million. Please ce your bids."


    As soon as the auctioneer finished, a flurry of bidding paddles shot up. It was clear the drug was in high demand.


    "I heard P30 is the upgraded version


    "}


    of P2.0, $ Someone in the main hatt


    eximed. "The buyer who won P2.0st time must have made a fortune content


    "If we can get our hands on 3.0, it''s bound to be even more profitable."


    Inspired by thesements, buyers all around began to raise their paddles.


    "Five million."


    "Eight million."


    "Twelve million."


    After a few rounds, the price for P3.0 had been pushed up to twenty million. Juniper


    was very satisfied with that figure.


    "Twenty-five million," the man beside her suddenly said.


    "Yes, boss," Felton acknowledged, pressing the button on the bidding device.


    While others were raising the bid by one or two million at a time, Shanley hade


    in and immediately raised it by five million.

 Chapter 344

    Juniper licked her lips. The price was on the high side, but it was still a guaranteed profit for whoever won. Not bad.


    ...


    In another private suite, Lue was sipping red wine while monitoring the prices. When she saw the room number of thetest bidder, she sat bolt upright.


    Well, well. Wasn''t that the room belonging to Juniper''s old man? He needed P3.0 too?


    The richest man in Borealia, was he? The one who swept her best friend off her feet?


    Lue had been looking for a way to blow off some steam, and now, opportunity hade knocking. She was going to make Shanley bleed for this.


    VIP Room 2 (Lue): "Thirty million."


    Juniper''s eyes widened slightly when she saw Lue''s bid. She knew perfectly well that Room 1 was Shanley''s. Was she raising the price on purpose?


    Although P3.0 belonged to their institute, they had submitted it anonymously to protect their identities.


    "Boss, someone ispeting with us for P3.0," Felton reported.


    "Keep going," Shanley said, his eyes still downcast as he carefully peeled a piece of fruit for Juniper. His voice was low and casual. ¡°The hospitalb has needed this for a long time. Get it, no matter the cost."


    This was the reason he hade to the auction.


    Juniper chewed on a slice of apple, her big, clear eyes fixed on Shanley.


    Room 1 (Shanley): "Thirty-five million."


    Room 2 (Lue): "Forty million."


    Room 1 (Shanley): "Forty-five million."


    Room 2 (Lue): "Fifty million."


    Lue matched his bids without hesitation, clearly enjoying herself. The price should have topped out at twenty-five million, but who would have thought Shanley would ru into her Juniper must be having a fit right now, she thought with a giggle.


    "Boss, they''re staying right on us," Felton said, his hand trembling slightly on the bidding device. "Should we... keep going?"


    Even he could see that the drug was now worth far more than its market price. Even


    if they won it, the subsequent research costs might turn it into a loss.


    Juniper watched Shanley silently, waiting for his reaction. From what she knew of him, he was incredibly wealthy, but he wasn''t a fool.


    "It''s not just about making money,"


    Shanley said, cing the peeled fruit in front of Juniper. He finally looked up at Felton, wiping his fingers. slowly Anyone can buy this drug. But only toon ensure its potentialis fully realized. If it falls into the wrong hands..." Content belong


    Shanley''s lips tightened, a harsh glint in his eyes. "I heard P2.0 was resold to a profiteer at an exorbitant price. To this day, many people still can''t afford it."


    Juniper''s eyebrows shot up in satisfaction. She picked up a piece of fruit and held it to his lips.


    "Thank you, Juniper.¡± Her small gesture clearly pleased him. He gently patted her head.


    "Felton, keep bidding."


    "Yes, boss." Felton said no more and returned to the bidding device.


    At the same time, Juniper opened her chat with Lue.


    Juniper: [You raise the price one more time and see what happens.]


    Lue: [Alright, alright! He''s your man, and his money will be yours someday. I''ll do you a favor and save you some cash.]


    More importantly, she could tell Juniper was genuinely angry. If she pushed it any further, she might get her neck snapped tonight.

 Chapter 345

    "The buyer from VIP Room 2 has withdrawn."


    Just as Felton''s trembling fingers were about to punch in another zero, the auctioneer''s voice rang out.


    Withdrawn? Weren''t they just bidding like their life depended on it?


    "The P3.0 drug goes to the buyer in VIP Room 1."


    With three raps of the gavel, it was final. A staff member promptly delivered the item to their suite.


    "Send this to Dr. Landon at our hospital," Shanley instructed Felton after confirming the item was correct. "Tell him the research budget is unlimited, but I want to see progress within three months."


    "Yes, sir,¡± Felton said, carefully taking the multi-million dor purchase and leaving respectfully.


    Once his instructions were given, Shanley turned to find the young woman beside him staring at him without blinking.


    "What is it?" he asked with a gentle smile, picking up a bottle of water and twisting it open. "Thirsty?"


    "A little." Juniper epted the bottle and took a small sip, her eyes still fixed on him.


    Ruthless, cruel, and merciless? This didn''t seem so bad. In fact, it was quite admirable. As she watched him, she felt her heart begin to race and her cheeks grow warm.


    "Are you hot?¡± Noticing her flushed face, Shanley ced a hand on her forehead to check her temperature, then instructed Flint, "Turn the air conditioning down a bit."


    Juniper said nothing, just took a few more gulps of water.


    Right. The AC must be on too high.


    An hourter, under Juniper''s direction, Lue had acquired a number of medicinal herbs and forms. The auction was drawing to a close.


    Finally, a staff member wheeled out a cart carrying a droopy nt with leaves that were already shriveling... a weed. Yes, a weed.


    "Is this the legendary Viper''s Tail?"


    Murmurs rippled through the crowd as they eyed the half-dead nt. Viper''s Tail was said to be a marvel, cultivated in extremely cold climates by grafting multiple rare herbs. 4ts. Properties we rumored to be applicable to both internal and external medicine, with significant research value for cirction and organ health.


    However, due to its specific growing conditions and immature cultivation techniques, out of hundreds of


    nts developed over five years ?


    only this one had survived the


    journey to Era City. And even this orte looked like it was on itsst legs.


    ¡°Forget it,¡± a wealthy man in the upper seats said, shaking his head. ¡°Buying that thing would be a huge waste of money."


    "It''s too fragile. Whether you could even make a profit is another question,¡± a middle-aged woman next to him added. ¡°It''s a rare specimen, but what a pity." Suddenly, the hall fell silent. No one made a bid. No one wanted to gamble on whether the nt would live or die. With that kind of money, they could buy other, more reliable drugs.


    "You want this?" Shanley took the bidding device and handed it to her, his voice indulgent. "If you want it, buy it.¡±


    "Aren''t you afraid I''ll spend all your money?" Juniper asked, lifting her longshes with a yful curve to her lips.


    "My money is your money," Shanley leaned in, his handsome face close to hers, his tone both serious and tender. ¡°Spend it however you like."


    Juniper''s heart skipped a beat. He was handsome, rich, and so considerate. She''d really hit the jackpot.


    "Alright," she said with a smile,


    adding a hundred dors to the starting bid of five million. Five million and one hundred dors, No one else wanted this sorry little weed anyway. She was just making a token gesture.


    Having ced her bid, she started packing her snacks back into her bag, considering the taskplete. But then the auctioneer''s voice called out, "VIP Room 6 bids five million, five hundred thousand."


    Juniper''s hand froze, and a small cookie dropped onto the table. She turned back to the main screen in disbelief.

 Chapter 346

    Someone else actually wanted the wilted little herb.


    Room 1: [Six million.]


    Juniper lost interest in her snacks. She shoved her bag at Shanley, tilting her chin in a silentmand for him to pack the rest. Shanley just chuckled helplessly. As long as she was happy, the cost didn''t matter.


    After a few more rounds:


    Room 6: [Twenty million.]


    Juniper was baffled. She had assumed the other bidder was just ying around, but they were serious.


    "Who''s in Room 6?" she asked Flint.


    "Ms. Payne, Room 6 is upied by Harold Houston," Flint replied. ¡°He came today specifically for the Viper''s Tail."


    Harold? The so-called medical prodigy, her supposed sessor? It was interesting that someone else shared her fascination with a dying weed. He certainly had a


    good eye.


    "I also heard..." Flint continued, "that Harold flew for over twenty hours just to get his hands on this nt."


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Juniper toyed with the bidding device, hesitating. She didn''t ce another bid. Instead, she said in a low voice, "Flint, find out whichb is storing the rest of this batch of Viper''s Tail."


    "Huh?" Flint was confused for a moment. "Ms. Payne, didn''t that entire batch wither and die?"


    "They might be dead now, but that might change once I find them," Juniper said with a faint smile, tossing the bidding device onto the sofa. "Let''s go."


    "Didn''t you want it?" Shanley frowned, taking her hand. "Flint, bid for Ms. Payne. Whatever the price, just match it."


    "No," Juniper shook her head, squeezing his hand in return and raising an eyebrow. We could buya lot of snacks with that much


    oney." As for the Viper''s Tail, let''s leave it to someone who''s fated to have it."


    She was curious to see just how skilled this "genius doctor" really was.


    Shanley paused, looking down at her hand holding his. Ultimately, he didn''t argue, simply telling Flint to investigate the storage location of the other nts.


    "Let''s go,¡± Shanley said, carrying her bag in his right hand and holding tightly to her hand with his left.


    Juniper, who was used to walking


    with her hands in her pockets, took a few steps before realizing a man was still holding her hand. She gave it a little shake and looked


    Shanley questioningly. Content w


    "What''s wrong?" Shanley''s lips curved into a devastating smile, his eyes full of yful intent. "Weren''t you the one who took my hand first, Juniper?"


    Was she? Juniper thought back and realized he was right. But if she didn''t admit it, it didn''t happen.


    ¡°Did I?¡± she asked, letting him lead her along. She tried to pull away again, but he only held on tighter, his warmth seeping into her, melting the frost around her heart.


    ¡°Shanley...¡± Juniper bit her lip, about to speak. "Are you nning to follow me into the restroom?"


    Lost in his happiness, Shanley looked up and realized she had led him straight to the women''s restroom entrance.


    "I''ll hold your hand again when youe out," he said, reluctantly letting her go and watching her disappear inside. Thinking about how she had taken his hand, his smile grew wider.


    Flint, waiting nearby, just shook his head. The boss was way too easy to please. It was embarrassing to watch.


    ...


    After washing her hands, Juniper was walking out when she rounded a corner and nearly collided with a tall figure. Her eyes were immediately drawn not to the man, but to the Viper''s Tail in his arms.


    Harold''s gazended on the girl''s face. In that instant, his heart began to thud violently in his chest.

 Chapter 347

    Blocked, Juniper slowly lifted her head, her bright, sparkling eyes visible beneath the brim of her hat.


    The moment he saw her face clearly, Harold felt his heart pound even harder. A strange, unfamiliar emotion surged from deep within him, threatening to break free.


    Seeing the man blocking the exit and staring at her, Juniper''s lips tightened, a flicker of annoyance in her eyes. "Is there a problem?"


    Her sharp tone snapped Harold out of his daze. ¡°My apologies,¡± he said, politely stepping aside.


    Juniper gave him a cool, dismissive look and walked past without another word.


    "Ready to go?"


    Shanley, who had been waiting by the door, saw the interaction and instinctively pulled Juniper into his arms, his gaze drifting to the man down the hall. For a split second, their eyes met, and an almost audible crackle of static filled the air between them. The tension was thick.


    Was that her boyfriend? Harold frowned, an inexplicable difort settling in his chest. Why did he feel this way? He had never met her before, yet she felt incredibly familiar. And seeing her so close to another man filled him with a strange, irritating frustration.


    "Yeah," Juniper said, grabbing Shanley''s hand and yawning. "Let''s go."


    "Okay."


    The feeling of her warm fingers in his instantly dispelled Shanley''s cold, sharp demeanor. This was the second time Juniper had proactively taken his hand. She must be doing it to show that other guy, that toad, that she was taken. His girl was too beautiful; it was only natural that she attracted attention. It didn''t matter, as long as she was his.


    ...


    "Dr. Houston, what are you looking at?" Harold''s assistant found him standing outside the restroom, clutching a withered nt and staring down the empty corridor. He grinned. "A pretty girl?"


    It was the first time he had ever seen the self-proimed workaholic Dr. Houston staring after a young woman.


    Harold''s thoughts snapped back to the present. He calmly lowered his gaze as his racing heart began to slow with her departure.


    "By the way," his assistant added thoughtfully, stroking his chin, "that pretty girl seemed to have a boyfriend."


    "Is that any of your business?" Harold had lost all interest in using the restroom. He clutched the precious herb and said in a hoarse voice, "Schedule my annual physical exam for earlier this year."


    ¡°Huh?¡± The assistant was confused for a second before replying, "Of course."


    "The Viper''s Tail won''t survive long. Postpone my work with the Australis Medical Research Institute for now." Harold started walking, cradling the nt be staying in Era City for the time being."


    "Yes, Dr. Houston." As the assistant spoke, he caught sight of the girl through a car window. "Dr. Houston, look over there!"


    Harold instinctively turned, his eyes locking onto Juniper''s face. One second, and his heart pounded. Two seconds, and it was hammering against his ribs After three seconds, he quickly tore his gaze away forcing himself to breathe evenly. C¨®ntent


    What the hell was wrong with him? How could he have such a strong reaction to a girl he''d just met? And strangely, this fluttering in his chest wasnt possessive at all. So what was causing it? Was there actually something wrong with his health?


    In the car, Juniper was leaning back in her seat, ying a game on her phone.


    Shanley sat beside her, his handsome face turned toward the window. Since getting in the car, she had been ying for exactly twenty-five minutes and eleven seconds.

 Chapter 348

    The only time she had looked at him in the past three seconds was to silentlymand him to give her a sip of water.


    So, the game was more important than him?


    Shanley''s lips were pressed into a thin line, his displeasure written all over his face. The oppressive atmosphere in the car was suffocating.


    Felton and Flint, ncing at their boss''s thunderous expression in the rearview mirror, barely dared to breathe.


    Meanwhile, the culprit was happily tapping away at her game.


    "Ahem." Flint cleared his throat and said loudly, "Boss, the crabs you had specially chartered a flight for, all the way from overseas for Ms. Payne, have arrived."


    He made sure to emphasize the words "for Ms. Payne."


    ¡°Hmm?¡± At the mention of food, Juniper''s head snapped up. She looked at Shanley, her eyes sparkling. "You bought me crabs?"


    "Yes." The moment she spoke to him, Shanley''s grim expression vanished, reced by a humble smile. "You said you were craving them yesterday, didn''t you?"


    Juniper blinked, aplex emotion welling up inside her. It wasn''t even crab season; she had just mentioned it offhandedly. She never thought he would go to such lengths to have them flown in for her from another country.


    "Aren''t you just the best?¡± she murmured, her lips curving into a smile that made her eyes crinkle at the corners. Her voice was light and sweet.


    "Of course. I''d give you anything you want," Shanley said, his smile deepening as he watched her. He gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead, his voice a soft, intimate murmur. "Including... my life."


    His life? The words hit her with unexpected force, making her fingers tremble. On her phone screen, her character died, but in her chest, her heart softened and swelled at his deration.


    "Alright,¡± Juniper said, leaning forward slightly. She blinked her pretty eyes and raised an eyebrow. "I''ll take your life, then.¡±


    From now on, he was hers. His person, his life, all of it belonged to her. No one else could touch him.


    "It would be my honor," Shanley said, pressing his advantage by covering her hand with his, his smile both regal and captivating.


    Juniper looked down at their intertwined fingers. He was giving her his money and now his life. She supposed she could let him hold her hand. She wouldn''t pull away.


    Shanley was ecstatic. And with the boss happy, Felton and Flint could finally breathe again.


    ...


    Forty minutester, the car stopped in front of aboratory on the outskirts of the city. This was where the rest of the Viper''s Tail batch was stored.


    Just as Juniper had suspected, theb was filled with rows of "dead" Viper''s Tail nts.


    "Ms. Payne, as you instructed, we''ve purchased all of them," Felton reported respectfully.


    "How much did it cost?" Juniper asked, ncing over them.


    "Two million," Felton answered.


    When he had contacted the seller, the man had gone silent for a full thirty seconds. Then he''d asked the price. After hearing the offer he''d fallenSilent for another thirty seconds before blurting out, Let''s sign the contract. Right now."


    He probably thought Felton was an idiot for spending two million on a pile of dead weeds. To be honest, Felton himself still wasn''t sure if M Payne could actually revive them.


    "Two million?" Juniper''s lips curved into a wry smile. "Compared to twenty million for


    one, that''s an absolute bargain."


    More importantly, she now had hundreds of them. With a little care, some were bound to survive.


    "Good work," she said, offering a rarepliment.


    "Thank you, Ms. Payne!" Felton was floored by the praise, a wide grin spreading across his face. But his smile hadn''t even reached his eyes before he turned and met his boss''s meaningful stare. His gan froze.


    "Because my boss is an excellent teacher to me," he quickly amended.

 Chapter 349

    Shanley preened, clearly waiting for his own praise from Juniper.


    "He can only teach you because you''re smart enough to learn," Juniper said, directing thepliment back to Felton.


    Felton looked at Shanley, his shoulders slumping innocently.


    "What''s wrong?" Juniper asked, sensing the sudden silence as she looked up at Shanley.


    "You''re right," Shanley said, crouching beside her and gently stroking her hair. "The air quality in thisb isn''t great. I''ll have someone move these back to the house so you can look at them properly."


    ¡°Okay.¡± Juniper had no objections. Confident that the nts could be saved, she pped her hands and stood up, instinctively holding out her hand.


    Shanley had already taken two steps before he realized she wasn''t following. He turned to see her standing there, hand suspended in mid-air, looking straight at him. He let out a soft chuckle, walking back to gently take her hand in his.


    Juniper lowered her head slightly, letting him lead her away like a docile kitten. Habit, she thought, was a terrifying thing.


    ...


    After a long day, Juniper was exhausted. She fell asleep in the car, her head resting on Shanley''s shoulder.


    The persistent buzzing of her phone broke the quiet in the car. Annoyed, Juniper stirred, frowning as she fumbled for the phone to silence it. By a stroke of bad luck, her thumbnded on the sensor, unlocking the screen and opening directly to her messages.


    The sender: Lue.


    Lue: [What''s with the silent treatment?]


    Lue: [Baby girl, are you that scared of me meeting Shanley?]


    Lue: [Don''t worry, it''s not like we''ve only shared a bed for over a decade.]


    Lue: [Reply, reply, reply! Or I''ming over!]


    "Careful," Shanley murmured, adjusting her head as it lolled to the side. As he did,


    his eyes fell on the screen and the barrage of messages.


    Baby girl? Shared a bed for over a decade?


    hithir


    The words hit him like a physical blow. A loud ringing filled his ears. First, Lue was a man. Second, Juniper had shared a bed with him for over a decade. And third... third....


    His mind was in such chags that he


    couldn''t form another thought.


    He looked down at the girl sleeping peacefully in his arms, her arms wrapped around his waist. A


    ovel


    hundred impulses urged him to wake her up and demand an exnation. But then he remembered what right did he have? He wasn''t even her boyfriend just a suitor. Asking about Lue so abruptly might destroy any chance he had.


    What if... what if Juniper liked Lue, too?


    If he stayed silent, maybe she would stay by his side. But if he exposed her secret...


    she would probably leave him in a fury.


    Shanley gritted his teeth, silently turning his gaze away as his arms tightened around her.


    From the front seats, Felton and


    Flint had seen the messages in the rearview mirror. Seeing their boss''s miserable, repressed expression, the two exchanged a look of utter despair. A popr inte meme came to mind: I''m willing to be the side piece. Looking at their boss now...


    Dear God. Was he really about to be the other man for the sake of love? It seemed highly likely!


    Juniper slept groggily for several hours. When she finally woke up, it was five in the afternoon.


    She opened her eyes and instinctively nced at the desk in the room. Usually, Shanley would be home with her on the weekends.

 Chapter 350

    Whenever Juniper took a nap, she would always wake up to find him at the desk in the room, handling his work. But today, the room was empty. He was gone.


    Juniper frowned, picking up her phone and seeing the mountain of messages from Lue. Already in a sour mood, the endless scroll of texts and minute-long voice notes only made it worse. She promptly changed Lue''s contact name to "The Reaper."


    Juniper: [You pick the ce.]


    Fine, she''d let them meet. Otherwise, the nagging would never end.


    Juniper: [But you behave yourself.]


    Lue: [Already behaved. Have mercy.]


    Soon after, Juniper received a text from Lue with the location: a restaurant in a five-star hotel. She happened to love the food there. She saved the address and confirmed the time.


    Then, she slipped on a jacket and headed downstairs. The kitchen was empty. The living room was empty. The entire house felt deserted.


    "Ms. Payne, you''re awake," Dana said, returning from grocery shopping with a smile. ¡°There was an issue at thepany, so Mr. Schwartz had to go in."


    "Oh."


    Any lingering hope of finding him in the living room vanished. Juniper copsed onto the sofa like a boneless rag doll. The meeting with Lue was at six, less than an


    hour away.


    Unable to find him, she opened her phone. Shanley''s name was pinned at the top of her chat list. He left for the office without telling her? Not even a text? He''d been acting so strangelytely, getting angry over nothing. Why were men so hard to figure out?


    Remembering how much money Lue had scammed out of him, Juniper felt a pang of guilt and sent him a simple message: [1]


    At that moment, Shanley was sitting in his office, his head in his hands, radiating an icy aura. Outside his door, the executives shivered, none of them daring to go in and face his wrath.


    A notification chimed. Shanley opened his phone and saw the message from her: [1].


    It was adorable.


    Shanley''s lips twitched into a faint smile. He replied: [You''re awake. I''ll be back as soon as I''m done with work.]


    Juniper: [Is it that busy?]


    From what she knew of him,


    working on a weekend meant it was a real emergency. Maybe she should reschedule the meeting? But she had already told Jimmie and Melvin, who were probably on their way to the hotel.


    Juniper thought for a moment, then typed: [I have a get-together this afternoon. Want toe with me? I''ll introduce you to a friend.]


    Shanley''s hand froze. A friend? What friends did Juniper have that he didn''t know about? It couldn''t be... Lue, could it?


    The memory of Lue''s messages shed in his mind, and his fingers tightened on his phone, his eyes turning a frightening shade of red. Was this it? Was Juniper going toy her cards on the table?


    Shanley: [Send me the address.]


    No matter who it was, he had to see for himself. And if it really was Lue...


    Shanley pinched the bridge of his nose. A heavy weight settled on his chest, making it hard to breathe.


    "Felton."


    "Yes, boss?¡± Felton and Flint pushed the door open together, their words catching in their throats. "What... what can we do for you?"


    They had never seen him look so terrifying.


    "Juniper is taking me to meet


    someone," Shanley said, rising from his chair and striding toward the door, his expression grim Have the department store prepare a few outfits. I''m on my way to try them now."


    on


    Who was their boss going to meet that required such a formal preparation? The two exchanged a look and sudden, dreadful understanding dawned on them. It had to be Ms. Payne''s childhood sweetheart... the one she''d shared a bed with for over a decade.

 Chapter 351

    Inside a closed-off luxury menswear boutique, the store manager and a dozen sales associates stood in a nervous line, their eyes fixed on the big boss sitting on the sofa. ording to his executive assistants, Felton and Flint, Mr. Schwartz was preparing for a face-to-face with a rival. He had already tried on several outfits, none of which seemed to meet his approval. The atmosphere in the store was thick with tension, and the staff barely dared to breathe.


    "Mr. Schwartz, thesest few pieces are also in your size,¡± the manager said, wiping sweat from his forehead as he presented the final options. "This navy blue suit is a newer, more casual style. It has a younger feel to it, which might not be what you typically prefer..."


    Before he could finish, Shanley slowly looked up, his deep eyes flickering with interest. "Bring it here," he said, his voice a low rasp.


    ¡°What?¡± The manager''s heart skipped a beat, his confusion in to see. Mr. Schwartz''s wardrobe, always custom-tailored by their brand, was exclusively formal and business-oriented. When had he ever shown an interest in a "younger" style?


    "Yes, of course." Snapping back to reality, the manager personally brought the suit over. "Please, Mr. Schwartz, try it on."


    Momentster, Shanley stood before the mirror.


    The navy blue suit perfectly entuated his tall, powerful frame-broad shoulders, a narrow waist, not an ounce of fat on him. Paired with his sharp, wless features, the manager could only think of one word: perfection.


    ¡°This one," Shanley decided, removing the tie and unbuttoning the top of his shirt with long, elegant fingers, intentionally revealing the corbone and Adam''s apple that Juniper adored.


    "Excellent choice, Mr. Schwartz." The manager finally breathed a sigh of relief, beaming as he escorted him out. With looks like that, what rival could possibly pose a threat? He couldn''t help but wonder what kind of woman could make Mr. Schwartz feel so insecure.


    ...


    In the car, Shanley leaned back against the seat, his expression unreadable as he stared out the window.


    A notification chimed. It was a message from Juniper, forwarding the address for their meeting. Shanley opened it and saw it had been forwarded from a contact named "L."


    L? Lue?


    A cold, mocking smile touched his lips. So, he really was meeting him.


    Felton and Flint exchanged nces. One ran a hand through his hair, the other scratched his chin. Who in their right mind suggests a hotel for a first meeting? This Lue


    character was clearly making a


    power y trying to


    intimidate the


    boss from the start. This rival wasn''t


    pulling any punches!


    "Boss...¡± the two assistants began, looking at the dark aura emanating from the man


    in the back seat, awaiting his orders.


    "Follow the directions Juniper sent," Shanley said, exiting the chat.


    He gazed at the photo of Juniper on his phone, his eyes darkening. Unless Juniper herself told him she was choosing Lue over him be wouldn''t back down. If Lue truly intended to fight him for herp Shanley was prepared to turn the whole city upside down.


    On the other side of the city, Melvin and Jimmie had left their respective offices. They called each other on the way, specting about the invitation.


    Melvin began, ¡°Juniper is introducing Shanley to a friend. Why are we invited?"


    "Probably to stop Shanley from getting beaten to a pulp. I hear it''s a childhood friend of Juniper''s, and the key part is, it''s a guy."


    "A childhood sweetheart," Melvin said with a smirk, clearly looking forward to the drama. ¡°This is going to be good."


    If a fight did break out... he''d make sure not to pull them apart too forcefully.


    "Oh," Jimmie said, steering with one hand, his eyes narrowing. "I hear J has older siblings, too. I wonder what they''d think if they knew some guy even more of creep than Shanley was after their little sister."

 Chapter 352

    Melvin fell into a long, profound silence.


    "By the way," Jimmie added, twisting the knife, "you''re a year older than Shanley, aren''t you, Melvin?"


    If he recalled correctly, the three brothers were fraternal triplets, which exined their different appearances. At twenty-eight, Melvin was indeed a year older than Shanley.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Melvin said, gritting his teeth, feigning a bad connection. ¡°My signal''s cutting out."


    Jimmie: "No problem, I''ll say it again¡ª"


    "Can''t hear you," Melvin cut him off before he couldnd another blow. "Let''s talk when we meet. Hanging up."


    Dammit. That bastard Jimmie. He hoped he''d be single forever!


    "Hahahaha." Hearing the dial tone, Jimmie threw his head back andughed heartily.


    "CRUNCH-¡±


    The next second, his joy turned to disaster. He''d rear-ended someone.


    "Sorry about that!" Jimmie''s smile vanished as he scrambled out of the car. "Are you hurt?"


    A car to his left had suddenly elerated, forcing him to swerve right and clip the back of a motorcycle. The bike wobbled and fell, shattering a mirror, though the rider seemed to be okay.


    Lue cursed as she climbed to her feet, pulling off her helmet. She was


    e''


    about to unleash a storm of fury when she saw Jimmie''s face. It was this pretty boy again. She was, staring to think she must haves desecrated his family''s ancestral graves in a past life. Why else would fate keep throwing him-and that menace Juniper-in her path?


    Jimmie froze, stunned to see her.


    "Tsk," Lue clicked her tongue, setting her helmet down. She leaned casually against her bike and ran a hand through her stylishly short hair, her eyes glinting with amusement. "I know I left you speechlessst time we met, Mr. Tate, but isn''t this a bit extreme? If you were going to try and take me out, you could have at least picked a dark and stormy night. Doing it in broad daylight is just rude."


    Jimmie''s face paled slightly, his throat tight. "It wasn''t intentional," he said, his voice hoarse. "Are you injured?"


    "I suppose so Lue flexed her


    wrist and strolled toward him, tilting.


    her head up: The faintest hint of


    dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth as che smiled "My hand is scraped, and my bike is damaged. How do you think we should handle this, Mr. Tate?"


    Her sudden proximity and that look on her face made Jimmie''s breath catch in his throat.


    "You want money, is that it?" he asked, instinctively taking a step back. He pulled out a business card from his wallet. "I have somewhere important to be right now. Here''s my contact information. I''ll cover your medical bills and the repairs."


    Money? Lue stared at the card, almostughing in disbelief. What did he take her for, a grifter trying to scam him?


    "You want money, is that it?" she mimicked. Seriously, what kind of nonsense was that?


    "What is it?" Jimmie frowned, noticing her intense stare. "Don''t worry, I''m not going to run off." He couldn''t shake the feeling that this kid had some strange animosity toward him.


    "Tsk." Lue took the card, casually stuffing it into her pocket. A cold, indifferent smile yed on her lips. "Of course you can''t run off."


    After all, she had Juniper.

 Chapter 353

    "See you around, Mr. Tate."


    Lue put her helmet back on and righted her motorcycle. With a roar of the engine, the bike sped off.


    Jimmie stood there, watching the slender figure disappear. The boy''s image lingered in his mind. His upturned face, teasing smile, the hint of dimples...


    "Honk honk-"


    The honk of a car behind him finally snapped him out of it. What was he thinking? He got back in his car and headed for the hotel.


    At the hotel, Juniper arrived first and called Lue.


    "Come up to my room," Lue said, changing clothes. ¡°I had a little ident on the way here, got my clothes dirty."


    "Alright."


    Juniper found the room number and let herself in. Lue had already changed into a fresh outfit: a white t-shirt, loose-fitting ck jeans, and her short hair tousled into a stylish mess. A dazzling sapphire stud gleamed in her right ear, making her look youthful, sunny, and incredibly handsome.


    "What happened to your hand?" Juniper asked, her brow furrowing as she noticed the scrape on Lue''s elbow. "Get into a fight?"


    ¡°Nope.¡± Lue had considered telling her about the incident with her idiotic brother, but it was too long of a story. "Bike tipped over, I took a little fall.¡±


    She walked over to Juniper and slung an arm around her shoulders with a yful grin. "So, can I¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, you can''t,¡± Juniper interrupted, removing Lue''s arm. ¡°You are not to bully Shanley."


    The main issue was that Lue had always presented herself as a man, so revealing her true gender to


    Shanley was out of the question


    And Shanley being the jealous type would undoubtedly overthink thing''s if he knew how close she and Lue were. He''d get angry, and then she''d have to coax him out of it, which was just a hassle.


    "Wait, what?" Lue''s yful expression turned serious. "Juniper, are you for real? Have you actually fallen for Shanley?"


    She had assumed Juniper was just attracted to his looks, that it was a fling she would eventually get bored of.


    Juniper pursed her lips, her silence a clear confirmation. When had she realized her feelings for Shanley were real? Was it when he saved her at Phantom Bazaar? Or was it the constant stream of candy, the way he picked her up from herte-night study sessions without fail, rain or shine? Was it the time he rushed to the school to stand up for her? Or maybe... maybe it was when he told her his life was hers to take.


    "What are you thinking?¡± Lue shot to her feet, pacing the room with her hands on her hips. "Besides being rich and good-looking, what else does Shanley have?¡±


    He was hardly worthy of Juniper. He probably didn''t even know the first thing about her other identities.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Lue stopped and faced Juniper, her tone grave, ¡°do you have any idea how many enemies Shanley has made to get where he is today? Being with him puts you in constant danger."


    "Oh?" Juniper picked up an orange from the table, peeling it slowly. She looked up with an innocent expression. "Who''s in danger? Tell me again, who''s in danger?"


    Lue was speechless. Juniper was formidable, yes, but even she couldn''t fend off Shanley''s endless list of enemies. And if that old bastard from Sigma Network. ma Network found. out, wouldn''t that put Juniperin even greater peril?


    ¡°Juniper, you need to think this through very carefully,¡± Lue urged.


    "I have," Juniper replied after popping a slice of orange into her mouth. She paused


    for a moment, her expressionpletely serious. "I''m going to marry him."

 Chapter 354

    ¡°What?¡± Lue, who had been reaching for a ss of water, nearly stumbled. "I was talking about dating. What are you talking about, marriage?"


    ¡°Shanley said his life belongs to me," Juniper said with a blink, her beautiful face a picture of sincerity. "In that case, I''ll take it."


    "I don''t approve." Lue couldn''t bear the thought of her best friend belonging to someone else.


    "Shanley is rich,¡± Juniper said, standing up and walking over to Lue. "Very, very rich. Richer than our entire base. If I marry him, his money bes my money. And my money is the base''s money."


    Lue''s eyes lit up for a second before she quicklyposed herself. "Fine," she muttered. ¡°But I''m going to have to test him first. He only gets my approval if he passes."


    Juniper just smiled and patted her shoulder. "Let''s go downstairs. My brothers are here."


    Her brothers? Lue''s nerves tensed. That meant she''d have to see Jimmie again. Oh well. As long as she wasn''t the one feeling awkward, the awkwardness was all his.


    ...


    When Juniper and Lue arrived at the dining area, they found Jimmie and Melvin sitting on opposite sides of the table, pointedly ignoring each other. Melvin, in particr, looked furious.


    "Jimmie, Melvin," Juniper called out. Both men turned at the sound of her voice, their eyes falling not only on their sister but also on the "childhood friend" standing behind her.


    "This is Shanley''s rival?" Melvin stammered, his eyes wide with disbelief. He''s so young and handsome, with a face that could easily make it in Hollywood. Suddenly, Melvin felt a pang of worry for his own future prospects.


    Jimmie, however, remained silent, his gaze fixed on Lue, as if trying to make sure he wasn''t seeing things. It''s him. No wonder he''d said Jimmie couldn''t run off.


    "These are my brothers, Jimmie Tate and Melvin Steele,¡± Juniper said by way of introduction. "And this is Lue Langley, my friend."


    "Nice to meet you," Lue said, brushing her hair back. She looked at Melvin with a charming smile. "You look much younger than Shanley. You must have a girlfriend, right? I bet she''s older than our


    Juniper."


    It was a roundabout way of calling Shanley a cradle-robber, hoping to get Melvin on her side against the "old man."


    Melvin, who was also technically robbing the cradle, didn''t dare say a word.


    Juniper covered her face, regretting not having stitched Lue''s mouth shut before they came down.


    "Not much of a talker, are you, Melvin? A bit shy, huh?" Lue chuckled trying to ease the tension before her gazended on Jimmie. "And you must be the eldest brother?"


    "You-" Jimmie began, but Lue cut him off.


    "I''m a friend of Juniper''s," she said pointedly. "A legitimate friend. I don''t make a


    habit of scamming, cheating, or faking idents for money."


    Jimmie looked away, embarrassed. The kid certainly knew how to hold a grudge.


    ¡°A pleasure,¡± Lue said, extending her hand to Jimmie.


    "You too," Jimmie replied, taking her hand.


    The moment their hands touched, Jimmie felt a crushing grip on his fingers, a sharp pain shooting up his arm.


    ?


    "My hand just got hurt, so yours shouldn''t feel too good either," Lue whispered, her voice low. "I''ll give you a fifty percent discount on medical bill. We''re even."


    Jimmie snatched his hand back, his face turning pale from the pain.


    Juniper watched the strange interaction between Lue and her brother, her


    curiosity piqued, when the sound of expensive leather shoes on the floor announced another arrival.

 Chapter 355

    The sharp click of leather shoes on the floor echoed from the entrance, and Juniper instinctively turned her head. ¡°Shanley''s here," she said.


    Lue, Jimmie, and Melvin all looked toward the door in unison.


    "How do you know it''s him?" Lue asked, stepping closer to Juniper and peering at the empty doorway.


    ¡°A feeling,¡± Juniper replied, her hands in her pockets and her chin tilted up in a casual,zy manner.


    ¡°A what?¡± Lue thought she must have misheard. Since when did Juniper develop psychic abilities?


    Just as she said it, the ss door swung open, and a tall, imposing figure stepped inside. The man was dressed in a navy blue casual suit, the cor unbuttoned. The cool light cast sharp shadows on his handsome profile, and he exuded an aura of natural elegance and authority, like a god who was not to be approached or trifled with. He kept his head slightly lowered, his deep eyes calm until they found Juniper. In that instant, the coldness in them melted, reced by a warmth that could rival a thousand stars, drawing you in.


    Lue narrowed her eyes, studying Shanley from head to toe. She had only seen pictures before and thought he was decent enough. But seeing him in person... well, he certainly had the looks to charm a woman. No wonder Juniper had fallen for him.


    Jimmie and Melvin''s eyes widened as they stared at Shanley, a thoughtful expression on their faces. The old man looked different today. Had he actually dressed up for this? He looked several years younger.


    "Juniper," Shanley said with a smile as he approached. But when his gaze fell on the "man" standing beside her, his smile froze and then vanishedpletely. So, this was Lue. He looked to be in his early twenties, dressed like a college student¡ª vibrant, sunny, and handsome. Compared to him, Shanley suddenly felt his age. But..... would Juniper really be interested in a boy like this?


    "Have you been waiting long?" Shanley asked, his voice now cold as he looked at Lue. He tantly took Juniper''s hand, his defenses on full disy.


    "Not really," Juniper replied nonchntly, then made the introductions. "Lue Langley, Shanley Schwartz."


    "Ah, Mr. Schwartz," Lue said, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. Her tone was dripping with sarcasm. "I''ve heard of you. Juniper mentioned you to me before."


    ¡°Did she?¡± Shanley''s posture straightened, and he nced down at Juniper with a hint of surprise, a small flutter of joy in his heart.


    ¡°Oh, yes,¡± Lue said, crossing her arms and tilting her chin up. ¡°Juniper told me you were old, had a bit of money, and were "


    Before she could finish, Juniper mped a hand over her mouth.


    "No, wait, let me exin," Juniper pleaded, looking at Shanley with a guilty expression. She had


    back when they first met. At the


    time, his attentiveness had seemed suspicious, making her think he had ulterior motives. She never imagined Lue would have the guts to call her out on it in front of him.


    Shanley''s face darkened. It wasn''t


    because she had called him old, but


    because Juniper was now in close physical contact with Lue. Luefta''s mouth was pressed against her palm-a ce ever he had never touched.


    "I understand. No need to exin." Shanley''s brow furrowed deeply. He pulled Juniper back to his side, using his height to look down on Lue. "Any friend of Juniper''s is a friend of mine he said, his lips curling into a tight smile. ¡°A little teasing between friends is perfectly normal."

 Chapter 356

    "How gracious of you, Mr. Schwartz." Lue rolled her eyes.


    "Still, you and Juniper haven''t known each other that long, have you?" she continued. "We''re different. We go back at least ten years." She savored the number. ¡°Ten years. We''ve done so many things together, shared a room, slept in the same bed... we even almost died together once."


    With every word Lue uttered, Shanley''s expression grew darker.


    Jimmie and Melvin, along with Felton and Flint, watched the exchange with bated breath. The air was thick with tension. This childhood friend was relentless, repeatedly putting Shanley in an awkward position. Any other man would have lost his temper by now, but Shanley was holding his ground.


    "That is a long time," Shanley said, quickly regaining hisposure. A faint smile touched his lips, his voice a low, maic hum. ¡°But I don''t care about the past. From now on, Juniper and I will have many decades together."


    Lue, who had been enjoying the dark look on his face, felt her triumphant smile falter. She had thrown her heaviest punches, yet Shanley had met them with a calm smile. How was he so emotionally stable? What happened to the cold, ruthless, and mercurial man from the rumors?


    "Please, Mr. Langley, have a seat," Shanley said with polite smile, guiding Juniper to the table and gesturing for Jimmie to sit next to her, hoping to keep Lue at a distance.


    But Lue was too quick, slipping into the seat beside Juniper before Jimmie could move. Therge table was arranged with Shanley and Juniper side by side, Lue next to Juniper, and then Jimmie and Melvin.


    Lue turned to see Jimmie''s annoyed expression and shot him a withering re. Jimmie silently vowed that if Shanley decided to throw a punch, he would dly help.


    As soon as the food arrived, Lue picked up her fork, ced a shrimp on Juniper''s te, and said with a sickeningly sweet smile, "Juniper, you love shrimp, don''t you?"


    Juniper paused, her gazending on Lue with a clear warning.


    Lue feigned ignorance, a yful grin on her face.


    "Thank you, Mr. Langley," Shanley said, setting down his own cutlery. He calmly picked up the shrimp, pested it with practiced ease, and cedit back on Juniper''s te. "Juniper doesn''t like peeling them. I always do it for her."


    Lue''s smile tightened. She hadn''t known that.


    "Oh." Undeterred, Lue pushed a bowl of ice cream toward Juniper. "Well then, Juniper, try this." She knew for a fact that Juniper loved ice cream.


    ¡°My apologies, Mr. Langley," Shanley said, smoothly intercepting the bowl. His voice was low and tinged with a cool detachment, Junipers stomach has been a bit sensitivetely. She can''t have anything cold."


    Lue felt a surge of irritation and looked at Juniper, certain she wouldn''t let Shanley dictate what she could eat, especially when it was her favorite vor.


    Juniper stared longingly at the ice cream for a few seconds before turning her clear eyes to Shanley.


    ¡°Be good,¡± Shanley said softly, patting her head. ¡°You can have some when you''re feeling better, okay?"


    ¡°Okay,¡± Juniper mumbled, disappointed, and went back to eating her shrimp.


    Lue''s eyes widened in disbelief. She stared at Juniper, who was acting as docile as a kitten, It was over The Queen of Australischad well and truly fallen for a man!

 Chapter 357

    ¡°Juniper¡ª¡± Lue started, determined to find another way to needle Shanley.


    Juniper looked up, her gaze cool and sharp, silencing her instantly. Lue leaned back in her chair, wisely deciding to shut up. The table finally fell quiet. For the rest of the meal, Shanley attended to Juniper''s every need, proving he knew all her preferences and dislikes intimately.


    Lue watched them, a thoughtful expression on her face. Juniper had always been aloof, treating everyone with a cool detachment, a trait that had only intensified after her grandpa''s death. But now, with Shanley, she saw a genuine happiness and contentment on Juniper''s face that she hadn''t seen in years. It was clear he treated her exceptionally well.


    With that realization, Lue''s prejudice against him began to soften. He was handsome, his heightplemented Juniper''s perfectly, and most importantly... he was rich. He checked all the boxes.


    As the meal wound down, Jimmie finally broke the silence. "Mr. Langley, how did you and Juniper meet?¡± He couldn''t quite picture his sister getting along with someone so annoyingly cheeky.


    "Fighting, of course,¡± Lue said, setting down her fork and swirling the wine in her ss. "About ten years ago, Juniper was ying the hero..."


    "And she saved you?" Melvin interjected, eager for a little payback. "I never would have guessed you were so weak back then."


    "Of course not," Lue retorted, the motion of her hand freezing. A sh of anger crossed her face. ¡°She was ying the hero, alright, but she mistook me for a street mugger. She chased me down and, without a word, kicked me so hard she broke several of my ribs."


    Lue had been out for a stroll when she saw a thief snatch a wallet. She had chased him down and retrieved it, only to turn around and be met with Juniper''s size-six sneaker. Juniper had only been eight or nine at the time, but that one kick had sent her flying. It was humiliating!


    A brief silence fell over the table after Lue finished her story.


    "Well, I did get you healed, didn''t I?" Juniper mumbled through a mouthful of juice. "And I apologized, too.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Lue said, taking arge gulp of water. "After that, we started training at the same dojo and slept under the same roof for ten years."


    Jimmie and Melvin''s eyes widened, and they both shot a nervous nce at Shanley. Slept under the same roof for ten years. That was incredibly close. How could Shanley possibly be okay with that?


    Shanley, who had been peeling an orange, identally squeezed too hard, crushing the fruit into a pulpy mess. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay calm. It was This was all part of Juniper''s past, her history. e has a past right? As long as Juniper was his now, nothing else mattered. It was


    fine. It was fine. It was... fine.


    He picked up another orange, and with a sickening squelch, crushed it as well. On second thought, would it be possible to just kill Lue? The sight of him was making his chest tighten.


    "Right," Juniper nodded, her eyes, twinkling with mischief. "Our master used to say, The sky is our roof and the earth is our bed. Anyone who trained at the dojo was considered to be sleeping under the same roof.¡±


    Shanley, Jimmie, and Melvin all stared at her. So that''s what she meant? They weren''t lovers, just training partners?


    The crushing weight on Shanley''s chest lifted, and a slow smile spread across his face. He had lost two nights of sleep for nothing.


    "So..." Lue''s yful tone vanished, reced by a serious one as she looked directly at Shanley. ¡°You should know that winning her over is a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck."

 Chapter 358

    "If you ever dare to make her shed a single tear, I will make you regret it," Lue warned. And the people of their base in Australis would make him regret it even


    more.


    "Don''t worry," Shanley said, standing to pour Lue more wine. His demeanor was calm and respectful. "If I ever treat her poorly, others will get to me long before you do."


    "Them?¡± Lue nced at Jimmie and Melvin with a cold smile. "I doubt they''d be much use. Especially our Mr. Tate here, who seems to have poor judgment."


    "You-" Jimmie''s face darkened as he started to retort.


    "What about me?¡± Lue''s dislike for him was palpable. If it weren''t for Juniper, she would have already broken a few of the pretty boy''s limbs for all the trouble he''d caused her.


    Juniper watched their bickering, rubbing her nose in curiosity.


    ...


    After the meal ended, Juniper and Lue stepped aside to talk while Shanley waited with the two brothers.


    ¡°I don''t think that kid''s intentions toward Juniper are entirely pure," Melvin said, narrowing his eyes as he studied Lue. "You better be careful he doesn''t try to pull something."


    ¡°He won''t,¡± Shanley replied with a light, relieved smile. ¡°If Juniper were that easy to win over, I wouldn''t have stood a chance."


    "You seem pretty confident," Jimmie scoffed. "But he''s not as simple as he looks."


    "Oh? You''ve met him before?" Shanley asked, turning his head.


    "No," Jimmie lied, unwilling to admit he''d been bested three times already. He quickly changed the subject. ¡°Just make sure the people at Cybeic Shadows keep up the search for our other rtives."


    "It''s ongoing," Shanley confirmed. "I''ll notify you as soon as there''s any news."


    Finding the brothers was one thing, but three sisters were still missing. Given Juniper''s tooks, her sisters were likely just as beautiful if they had been rescued after a shipwreck... Shanley frowned hoping for a good oue.


    Meanwhile, Lue wasining to Juniper "For the sake of his money was incredibly restrained, and what do I get? You ring at mel So, your f more important


    than your friend now, is that it?"


    ¡°Well.....¡± Juniper said, looking a bit guilty. After a moment, she lowered her voice. "Shanley recently invested arge sum into J-Five Studio. If the Australis base needs it, you can use it."


    "Really?" Lue''s expression changed, her eyes lighting up.


    "But you have to keep my rtionship with Shanley a secret."


    ¡°Oh,e on,¡± Lue groaned, stepping back. ¡°I knew there was a catch. If those old geezers back home find out I lost track of you... they''ll have my legs for it!"


    "I''ll give you the entire next quarter''s earnings from the jewelry studio."


    "That''s not..." Lue hesitated, a conflicted look on her face. "You''re putting me in a difficult position. It''s not like I''m a person who''s motivated by money."


    "Two quarters."


    1.n


    "Deal," Lue agreed without a second''s hesitation. Her mission had been to "protect" Juniper, and she couldn''t bring the girl back, bringing back a pile of cash was the next best thing. Everyone loved money, after all.


    Their conversation finished, Juniper rejoined Shanley.


    ¡°Until next time, Mr. Langley,¡± Shanley said, extending his hand.


    ¡°Right.¡± Lue turned her head away, her hands stuffed coolly in her pockets. She wasn''t about to touch Juniper''s man.

 Chapter 359

    Shanley wasn''t fazed by Lue''s cold shoulder. He simply smiled. ¡°We''re friends now," he said smoothly. "If you ever need my help with anything in the future, Mr. Langley, don''t hesitate to ask."


    ¡°Really?" Lue''s eyes lit up. ¡°In that case, could you kill someone for us?"


    The richest man in Borealia had to have resources and powerparable to that bastard who ran Sigma Network. If Shanley could take him out, it would save Juniper and the Australis base a world of trouble.


    Jimmie shot a sharp,plicated look in Lue''s direction. The ''boy'' looked so clean-cut, yet he talked so casually about murder. He hoped he wasn''t a bad influence on his sister.


    Shanley had just been making a polite offer. He never expected Lue to actually take him up on it. ¡°Oh?¡± he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Tell me, who did you have in mind?"


    "Well, there''s¡ª" Lue began, but stopped short when she met Juniper''s dark, warning gaze. The words "that bastard who runs Sigma Network" died in her throat. Was Juniper worried he couldn''t handle the old man from Sigma Network? Tsk. They weren''t even married yet, and she was already taking his side sopletely. What would happen in the future?


    "Never mind,¡± Lue said, stuffing her hands back in her pockets and lifting her chin defiantly. "There are too many people on the list. I''ll send you the details when I''vepiled it."


    Juniper and Shanley exchanged a look. "Alright, I''m off,¡± Lue said. She stepped forward and patted Juniper''s cheek. ¡°I have to head back to Australis for a bit, so I won''t be able to see you as often. Call me if you miss me."


    "You talk too much," Juniper grumbled, but she listened to every word.


    Shanley stood by silently, his expression darkening as he watched them. "Don''t get angry,¡± he told himself. ¡°Do not get angry.¡±


    "See ya," Lue said with a wave. As she passed Jimmie, she shot him a wicked grin. "You know, Juniper is a world-famous race car driver. Her skills behind the wheel are second to none. You should ask her for some lessons sometime, Mr. Tate."


    "Instead of worrying about my driving, you should worry about yourself," Jimmie retorted, his eyes burning with anger as he stared at the kid''s smug face. "It''s a miracle you''ve managed to live this long with a mouth like that, Mr. Langley."


    Lue''s smile froze. She flipped him the middle finger before grabbing her helmet


    and stalking off. Any longer in his presence, and she might actually punch him.


    "When did those two get on each other''s bad side?" Melvin asked, sensing the tension.


    "Who knows, Juniper said with a


    helpless shrug. She yawned.


    "Jimmie, if you see Lue in the future, just walk the other way. And whatever you do, don''t get on Lue''s bad side of else


    She


    trailed off, but her serious_


    expression made the consequences


    clear.


    "He holds a grudge, does he?" Jimmie thought, his lips pressed into a thin line. He was beginning to see that.


    ...


    In the car, Shanley took Juniper''s


    hand and began gently wiping her palm with a wet wipe, over and over, as if trying to scrub something. away Juniper watched him,pletely baffled Einally, after going through a dozen wipes, Shanley stopped, a satisfied smile on his face.


    "You know,¡± Juniper said, guessing the reason for his strange behavior. She blinked earnestly. ¡°Lue and I are just friends. You really don''t need to worry."


    "I know," Shanley nodded, his gaze soft and adoring as he looked at her. ¡°You might see Lue as a friend, but that doesn''t mean he feels the same way."

 Chapter 360

    Juniper was such a wonderful girl; it was only right to be wary of others on her behalf.


    Juniper was at a loss for words. She couldn''t very well tell him Lue was a woman, could she?!


    After a few seconds of silence, Juniper scooted closer to him, her clear eyes fixed on his. "I said you don''t have to worry, and I meant it."


    Shanley hadn''t expected her to get so close. If he just tilted his head down, he could easily touch the tip of her nose, her red lips.


    "There is absolutely no chance that Lue and I will ever be a thing," Juniper said, licking her lips and adding with rare patience, "and I''m not interested in any other men, either. Does that put your mind at ease?"


    Shanley''s breathing grew ragged. He fought back the surge of emotion rising within him and asked in a low, husky voice, "Am I included in ''other men''?"


    Juniper''s delicate brows furrowed in confusion. She was literally sleeping in his bed. How could he even ask that?


    "Oh," Juniper pouted, then said with a straight face, "If you''d like, I can lump you in with them."


    "Don''t."


    It dawned on Shanley, and the tightness in his chest instantly eased. He instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist as she started to pull away, his tone surprisingly meek. "I don''t want that."


    They were so close that when Shanley spoke, his warm breath fanned across her face. As their eyes met, an intimate tension, thick with unspoken feelings, began to spread between them.


    If either of them moved even a fraction of an inch forward, their lips would meet. Juniper''s gaze settled on the man''s face. Slowly, her eyes drifted downward... Hmm. This older man''s lips were actually quite nice. What would they feel like to kiss?


    Just as Juniper''s mind began to wander, Shanley suddenly pulled his hand back. "Ahem. Be a good girl and sit properly."


    Juniper didn''t understand, but she figured he must be cated now, right? No more jealousy over Lue? No more random moodiness? Good enough.


    "Okay," Juniper said, happily returning to her game.


    Shanley turned his head away, feigningposure as he adjusted his clothes to hide the evidence of his arousal between his legs. He really was a dead man!


    ...


    Time flew by.


    ud


    In the blink of an eye, a week had passed. There were less than two days until the music video release and the overseas music awards ceremony. The online news about Junipers "cast couch" scandal was indeed spiraling out of o


    It got to the point where everywhere Juniper went at Aurora High School, she could hear all sorts of gossip.


    The most ridiculous rumor of all was that she hadpromising photos of Mr. Tate, which was why he had to do whatever she said. Others imed that she was two-timing, cheating on her ancient, white-haired sugar daddy by secretly hooking up with Mr. Tate. Someone even posted online that she should write a book titled "How to Make an A-Lister Fall for You", adding earnestly that they would "sell their soul to learn her secrets."


    "Juniper, don''t look. It''s all just hatements." Qadir, who had been


    furiously replying to troll quickly


    covered his phone


    reen when he


    saw Juniper leaning over.


    "Tsk." Juniper stuffed her backpack into her desk cubby and propped her chin on her


    hands, her big eyes staring nkly at the ckboard.


    ¡°Juniper, don''t get mad,¡± Queenie and Dolce chimed in tofort her. ¡°These morons would probably have a heart attack if they found out Mr. Tate is your brother."


    Juniper blinked. Keeping it a secret was turning out to be a real pain.


    In that case, why not just go public?


    Juniper pulled out her phone and sent a message to Jimmie on WhatsApp: [Do you want to go public with our rtionship?]


    Seeing the message, Jimmie''s hand trembled violently. He carefully typed back a few words: [Are you serious? Can we?]

 Chapter 361

    He had been waiting for this day for over a decade. If it hadn''t been for Juniper''s reluctance, he would have announced her existence to the world the moment he found her.


    Juniper: [Yeah, you can handle it. The news online is getting annoying.]


    Jimmie: [Okay. You focus on your studies, and leave the rest to your big brother.]


    Since they were going to announce it, he knew he had to pick the right time and ce to give his sister the grand debut she deserved.


    After their chat, Juniper opened Twitter and, after a few simple steps, registered a burner ount. Then, she systematically replied to everyment that called Shanley an "old man," tearing their arguments apart. Still not satisfied, she then quietly hacked and disabled all their ounts.


    There. Much better.


    Juniper was eager to check on her precious little nts at theb, so she decided to ask for time off. She stood at the dean''s office door, lips parted, ready to speak.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± The dean didn''t even look up, just waved her off, granting her leave. "Thank you, sir.¡± Juniper silently pocketed her hastily written leave request and strolled out with her backpack.


    As she passed the athletic fields, she ran into her literature teacher.


    ¡°Juniper, asking for leave again today?" the teacher asked, smiling at her. "Ah, yes,¡± Juniper nodded, a bit embarrassed. "I''ll get my homework done."


    "No rush," the teacher chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "Have fun!"


    She was the school''s star student now, and everyone doted on her.


    Juniper was ttered and promised again that she would do the work. After all, she wasn''t the one who had to do it anyway.


    In the suburbs of Era City, variousboratories were scattered about. The


    Schwartz Group''sb was thergest, located to the north.


    Juniper was slightly taken aback when she walked in. Shanley had really spared no expense. Twenty billion dors worth of equipment all dedicated to serving her


    two-million-dor humble nts... That was so much money. It pained her to think about it. If she didn''t manage to save a few more of them, she''d never be able to justify such a massive investment.


    "Ms. Payne," Dr. Landon greeted her cheerfully as soon as she entered. "The sun is so strong outside. Whye all the way out here


    did youe have just called,


    yourself?


    and would have brought the report toyou."


    Ever since Ms. Payne''s impromptu lesson on brain surgery, his team had learned a great deal. Under her guidance, they had sessfully performed several simr operations. The entire department held her in the highest regard.


    "How are the nts?" Juniper asked, blinking as she put down her backpack and donned a mask and gloves. She led the way, and Dr. Landon followed dutifully, giving her a report as they walked.


    The summary was simple: the nts were in very poor condition, and their chances of survival were extremely low. In just a week, more than half had died, and the rest were barely hanging on.


    ¡°I see,¡± Juniper said, unsurprised. She knelt in front of nt number 11, examining it closely. The stem was shriveled, and the leaves were withered.


    "Throw all of these out..." Juniper began, and Dr. Landon immediately took out a pen to take notes.


    "Ms. Payne, are you sure you didn''t discard the wrong ones?" Dr. Landon asked cautiously, clutching his pen. "The ones you threw out looked better than the ones you''re keeping."


    "I know." Juniper casually picked up one of the ten remaining nts, her delicate eyebrows arching slightly "These were in this condition when they were first delivered," she exined calmly. "The fact that they''ve held on this long without withering proves they have strong life force."

 Chapter 362

    "As for the ones you mentioned..." Juniper''s gaze swept over the discarded pile. "Go look at the photos from when they arrived. You''ll understand why after youpare them."


    Dr. Landon didn''t dare argue. He immediately opened hisptop. He had documented every single nt upon its arrival. Sure enough, just as Ms. Payne had said, the ones that were discarded had been in the best condition initially but had withered rapidly over the week. The ten she kept, however, hadn''t changed much at all.


    "Ms. Payne, how did you remember all of them?" Dr. Landon asked in amazement. There were hundreds of nts!


    ¡°Hm?¡± Juniper paused for a second, then replied helplessly, "My memory is decent, I guess? You could call it photographic."


    Photographic memory was just ''decent''? Dr. Landon''s mouth twitched. He felt like he''d just been pped in the face for no reason. How humbling.


    "You can get back to your work," Juniper said, turning to him politely. "Thank you for all your hard work this past week. I''ll take over the cultivation from here.¡±


    "It was no trouble at all!" Dr. Landon waved his hands quickly, a brilliant smile spreading across his face. Ms. Payne had taught him the cultivation method, and he''d learned so much in just one week.


    "Ms. Payne, if you have any work like this in the future, please don''t hesitate to call me."


    ¡°Alright,¡± Juniper murmured before disappearing into theb.


    ...


    An hourter, after finishing her work, Juniper slung her backpack over her shoulder and prepared to leave. She spotted Dr. Landon at a desk, looking miserable as he fiddled with a chemical agent. Juniper recognized it immediately-it was the P3.0 form Shanley had bought at the auction.


    ¡°Why is the data wrong?¡± Dr. Landon sighed, running ab over his balding head in frustration.


    Juniper walked over, nced at the form''sposition and the data on theputer screen. Without a word, she added 2ml of distilled water to the vial.


    "Try testing it again," she said, pulling on her hat. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and walked away.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Dr. Landon watched her leave,pletely bewildered. He followed her instructions and re-ran the test.


    "It worked!" he eximed, bursting intoughter. Was Ms. Payne some kind of miracle worker? She was incredible!


    Finished for the day, Juniper sent Shanley a text: [I''m waiting.]


    Shanley: [I''m on my way now. Find a ce to sit for a bit.]


    She put her phone away and sat on a bench by the road, fiddling with her bottle and watching the intersection expectantly.


    Just then, Harold emerged from the adjacentb, closing his eyes for a moment of rest.


    "Dr. Houston, there''s your dream girl,¡± his assistant whispered excitedly, recognizing Juniper''s unforgettable face instantly.


    Dream girl? Harold frowned slightly


    and opened his eyes, looking out the window. It was her. She wasn''t wearing a mask today, and her hat was off, revealing her full face. The softyellow light of the streemp. Huminated her features, making her already exquisite face seem even more beautiful and radiant.


    Why did she look so familiar? Had he seen her somewhere before?


    Harold instinctively ced a hand over his racing heart, his eyes fixed on her face. He couldn''t bring


    el?


    himself to look away Could it be... love at first sight


    "Dr. Houston, opportunity knocks but once," his assistant prompted with a grin. "She looks gentle and she''s all alone. Thisus your chance to make a move."  ?wnovels

 Chapter 363

    "Dr. Houston..." the assistant chattered on, then nced up at the gloomy, overcast sky. "Looks like it''s starting to rain."


    Harold focused his gaze. Tiny raindrops were beginning to fall, casting a hazy, enchanting veil over the girl under the streetlight. This was an area ofbs and special factories, deste and sparsely popted. What was a delicate youngdy like her doing here all alone?


    "An umbre,¡± Harold said softly as the rain starteding down harder.


    "Here you go,¡± his assistant quickly handed him one.


    "Good luck, Dr. Houston," he added with a cheerful grin. Dr. Houston was tall, handsome, and a rising star in the medical field. The line of women pursuing him could stretch all the way around the equator. For this young woman to catch his eye, she must have been blessed.


    At that moment, Juniper was bored and ying a game on her phone when a tall, dark shadow fell over her.


    She instinctively looked up, her clear eyes narrowing slightly as she met the man''s gaze. What was his name again? Harold something?


    "Fancy meeting you here again," Harold said, tilting the umbre to shield her from the rain. Being this close, he could feel his heart beating even faster.


    Juniper shot him a wary look and scooted away, returning her attention to her phone without a word. He''d blocked her way in the restroom, outbid her at the auction... what now? The way he was staring at her, he definitely seemed up to no good.


    Her guarded reaction left Harold feeling a bit helpless. After all, this was the first time he''d ever taken the initiative to approach a girl.


    "Don''t be afraid, I''m not a bad person," Harold said softly. "We met at the auction."


    ¡°So?" Juniper was getting annoyed. She closed her game and looked up at him impatiently.


    ¡°I just wanted to ask you a question,¡± Harold said, lowering his voice. "Have we met before?"


    Her face was so familiar, but for the life of him, he couldn''t ce where he''d seen her.


    "Heh.¡± Juniper stood up abruptly, taking several steps back. "Are you going to tell me I look like one of your long-lost sisters or something?"


    "A sister?¡± Harold was momentarily taken aback, then a small smile touched his lips.


    "I do have a sister, but you don''t look anything alike."


    Juniper rolled her eyes, convinced this was just some cheesy pickup line. "Stay away from me," she said coldly.


    "I''m really..."


    Harold took a step forward to ask again when two blinding headlights cut through the darkness behind him A car door opened, and a tall imposing figure holding an umbre strode purposefully toward them.


    "What took you so long?" Juniper''s defenses immediately dropped at the sight of Shanley She walked over to his side,ining, you said twenty minutes, and it''s been... a whole minute over."


    "My fault," Shanley said, gently squeezing her hand and passing her the smoothie


    he''d brought. "Who were you talking to?"


    As his gaze felt on the other man, it


    turned to ice. Harold? If he


    remembered correctly, Harold had


    looked at Juniper the same way


    outside the restroomst time a


    mix


    of confusion, interest, anda bint of


    affection.


    Shanley sighed internally. Just when he''d dealt with the major threat of Lue, another suitor had appeared out of nowhere.


    ¡°Mr. Schwartz,¡± Harold said, stepping forward. His gaze shifted between the two of them, his tone respectful. "I''ve had the pleasure of seeing you in magazines and at the auction."

 Chapter 364

    "I''m Harold Houston. A pleasure to finally meet you."


    "Is there something you need?" Shanley ignored his outstretched hand, his eyes sharp as he stared at Harold.


    "I was just passing by from theb and saw this youngdy sitting here alone," Harold exined calmly, retracting his hand without any awkwardness. "I was worried she might run into trouble, so I came over to check. May I ask if she is your...?"


    "Yes," Shanley said, his voice low as he tightened his grip on Juniper''s hand. "She''s mine."


    He had wanted to say "girlfriend¡± or ¡°fianc¨¦e,¡± but considering she hadn''t officially given him a title yet, he settled for a more ambiguous im. ''She''s mine.'' A double- edged statement.


    Juniper sipped her smoothie, ncing at him as she chewed on a tapioca pearl. After a moment''s thought, she didn''t deny it. Fine. If he didn''t get some reassurance soon, Shanley, who was constantly worried about fending off rivals, would probably go crazy.


    ¡°Boyfriend and girlfriend?¡± Harold asked, a polite but slightly strained smile appearing on his face after a moment of surprise. It didn''t quite fit. He had assumed they were uncle and niece.


    "Thank you for your concern, Dr. Houston,¡± Shanley said, feeling an inexplicable dislike for the man. He didn''t like the way Harold looked at Juniper. "We''ll be going now."


    "Of course," Harold replied with a nod, watching them leave until the sports car disappeared into the misty rain.


    "Dr. Houston, are you alright?" his assistant asked sympathetically as he walked up beside him. "That girl looks so young. How does she already have a boyfriend?"


    Harold remained silent, feeling his heartbeat return to normal. There was something undeniably special about that girl. He didn''t know her, yet the sense of familiarity was overwhelming. He even had to admit... he was attracted to her. But it didn''t feel like romantic attraction. What was it then? It seemed he would have to find a chance to investigate.


    "Don''t be too heartbroken, Dr. Houston," the assistant continued, trying to console him. "It''s not like they''re married yet. With enough effort, you can always win her over. If you like her, you should fight for her.¡±


    And honestly, the girl and Dr. Houston looked like they could be a couple. They had a simr aura.


    "Win her over?" Harold pulled his gaze back and looked at his assistant. ¡°Next time there''s a thunderstorm,¡± he said tly, "stay far away from me.¡± The assistant was utterly confused.


    ...


    In the car, Juniper sipped her smoothie while sneaking nces at the silent, tense man beside her. Was he upset again?


    She was starting to see a pattern. Whenever a guy showed her any attention,


    Shanley would get moody. Did he really have so little confidence?


    Juniper was about to offer him a piece of candy to cheer him up, but she realized she''d eaten it all. She leaned closer. "Are you angry?"


    "I''m not angry," Shanley replied, turning to face her. His expression softened at the sight of her trying to


    appease him his tone a mixture of


    helplessness and affection. reflecting."


    "Reflecting?" Juniper didn''t understand.


    "Yes." Shanley gently smoothed


    hair, his voice rich and tenderet


    "


    giris too exceptional. Theed to work even harder to be worthy of you."


    Otherwise, he''d be living in constant fear of losing her to someone else. What kind


    of life would that be?


    "Oh."


    smoother took a sip of her


    her eyebrows


    "It''s not thatplicate


    just need to make more money.  s?novels


    You


    She liked rich men, and as far as she could see, he was the richest of them all.

 Chapter 365

    "Money?" Shanley paused for a few seconds, a sexy smirk ying on his lips. If that was all it took, things were about to get a lot simpler.


    ¡°Juniper...¡± he whispered, leaning in close until his lips were right beside her ear. He murmured a few words, a wicked grin spreading across his face.


    Juniper''s eyes widened, her favorite smoothiepletely forgotten. After a moment, she grabbed her phone and messaged Lue.


    Juniper: [Shanley just made a deposit.]


    Lue: [???]


    Juniper: [Just now. He gave me his bank card and safe passwords. Said... it was a deposit for being his future girlfriend. Once I ept it, I can''t like anyone else.]


    Lue: [HOW MUCH?? TELL ME HOW MUCH!!!]


    Juniper: [I tried to count the zeros, but I ran out of fingers, so I lost track.]


    Lue: [And you epted?]


    Juniper: [It was a hard offer to refuse.]


    Lue: [Good!]


    Who would have thought? The old man knew how to y to his strengths. That little move had hit Juniper right where it counted. Now, even if just for the sake of his fortune, Juniper would never leave him.


    ...


    At the airport, with only one day left until the international music awards were announced, Jimmie packed his things and headed to the venue.


    "The inte is in an uproar. Do you know what they''re calling our sister?" Melvin stared at Jimmie, his voice low and tense. "What''s the n?"


    "Soon," Jimmie said, his expression grave. "I will give Juniper the justice she deserves and make those who ndered her pay the price."


    He was a public figure, and revealing his rtionship with her would undoubtedly cause a massive stir f Juniper was at school when the news broke, she would be


    overwhelmed. He had


    right time to make the


    choose the


    announcement.


    "Alright." Since Jimmie had a n, Melvin didn''t press further. As long as his sister wouldn''t be wronged, that was all that mattered.


    Jimmie nodded, his gaze softening as he looked at the quiet girl beside him. "Are you sure you don''t want toe with me?"


    She was, after all, the choreographer and lead actress in the music video. If it won, the credit was all hers.


    "No," Juniper shook her head. Those kinds of events were boring. Thest time she''d attended one, she was sitting on the judging panel.


    "Okay." Jimmie didn''t insist. He reached out and stroked her hair gently. "Stay home


    for the next couple of days. Let Shanley and Melvin handle everything else."


    "Okay.¡± Guessing he was about to make the announcement, Juniper nodded obediently. "Got your eptance speech ready?"


    "That confident?" Jimmie smiled warmly, though his tone was modest. Although he felt the music video was perfect, the voting was blind this year and he didn''t know the quality of the other entries.


    "Of course," Juniper pouted, radiating self-assurance. "If I say it''s going to win, it''s going to win."


    ¡°Alright,¡± Jimmie''s smile widened. "If it wins, the prize money is all yours."


    The music video had been made for her in the first ce. She was the star.


    Neither of them noticed a paparazzi hiding in a nearby corner, camera raised. The angle was perfect, capturing the tender moment as Jimmie gently stroked Juniper''s hair.


    ????


    He''d hit the jackpot! He had just photographed Mr. Tate''s rumored girlfriend fit was only a rumor before now he had concrete evidence. The head pat! The gentle smile! Who would believe this was the same Mr. Tate who hadn''t been linked to a single female artist in his entire career?


    The paparazzi''s hands trembled with excitement as he saved the photos.

 Chapter 366

    The music awards were this weekend. If he released the story the day before, the traffic would be insane. In that moment, he had already decided which brand of sports car he was going to buy.


    ...


    Saturday, after school.


    Juniper had just walked out of the school gates when she ran into J.


    "Juniper!" J rushed forward eagerly, pulling a slice of tiramisu from her bag. "It''s your favorite mango vor," she said excitedly.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Juniper epted it, eating as they walked. "ss let out early?"


    "Yeah," J said, smiling contentedly as she watched her. "I turned in my test early so I could walk home with you."


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Juniper took a bite. It was pretty good. A faint smile yed on her lips, but her eyes were sharp as knives.


    "No, not really." J was a little scared of this version of Juniper and confessed, "There''s just so much nasty stuff online, I was worried it would get to you."


    Especially that morning, a paparazzi had released photos of Mr. Tate and Juniper''s ¡°head-patting¡± moment, paired with disgusting headlines. Things like ¡°using her youth to seduce Mr. Tate" and "two-timing cheater." Some even imed Juniper had used illicit means to be the lead actress, ruining the music video Mr. Tate had spent years preparing. They spected it was so bad that it wasn''t even released domestically and was sent straight to an internationalpetition. As for winning... there was probably no hope.


    These rumors attracted many of Mr. Tate''s anti-fans and rivals'' supporters, who deliberately muddied the waters and tore Juniper to shreds online. Some even urged Mr. Tate''s fans to abandon him. Right now, thement section of his official ount was a war zone.


    "That''s it?" Juniper asked, munching on her tiramisu, her mood surprisingly good.


    "There''s a lot more..." J said, cautiously observing Juniper''s expression. "When the truthes out, it''s going to p them all in the face."


    "By the way," J blinked, asking seriously, "When is Mr. Tate going to announce your rtionship?"


    "Sometime soon, I guess," Juniper replied with a faint smile, her eyes darkening. She hadn''t cared much about the online drama, but


    they were dragging her brother into his


    it and trying to tarnish bro nowe


    reputation... She couldn''t let that stand.


    Still, she had no idea what her brother was nning. If he didn''t go public soon, hisment section would bepletely destroyed. How was he supposed to make money after that?


    "Juniper," J said, linking arms with her, her face beaming with an excited smile.


    "I can''t wait to see everyone''s reaction when the truthes out."


    "Oh?" Juniper pinched her cheek, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. "You should be looking forward to what happens to them."


    After all, she usually didn''t bother to fight back. But when she did, she made sure they learned their lesson.


    ---


    Meanwhile, Ynda was lounging on her sofa, scrolling through the news on her phone, growing more delighted by the second.


    Mr. Tate''s fanbase was terrifyingly


    If Mr. Tate failed to even get a


    nomination at tomorrow''s music


    awards, Juniper would be


    he


    throw


    protect some worthless girl?


    Ha! She couldn''t wait to see tomorrow''s headlines.

 Chapter 367

    At Cloudscape Community.


    Juniper sat on the sofa, shelling pistachios while scrolling through the onlinements. The more she read, the angrier she got.


    "Idiots!" she muttered under her breath.


    "No swearing," Shanley said, walking over with a ss of lemonade. He gently patted her head. "Don''t take what those people say to heart."


    Juniper didn''t respond, just shoved her phone in his face.


    [Old man!]


    [Old geezer!]


    [Old fossil!]


    The screen was filled with variations of "old," each one striking a nerve with Shanley. Okay, they definitely deserved to be cursed at!


    "Any ount that used the word ''old,'' disable all of them," Shanley ordered into his phone, his face cold. "Do you hear me? All. Of. Them!"


    Juniper blinked. So much for not taking it to heart.


    ...


    On Sunday, at three in the afternoon, the 10th Global Music Awards officially began. For the first time ever, Jimmie''s studio broadcast the event live, and a massive wave of fans and curious onlookers flooded the stream.


    -What''s going on? Weren''t the rumors that this MV was poorly made and had little chance of winning? Why are they livestreaming? Aren''t they afraid of being humiliated!


    @Jimmie''s Studio, you have time to stream but not to rify the rumors?


    -This is definitely Juniper trying to stir up drama and drag our idol down with her.


    -Stir up drama? Your idol was the one patting her head, right? He was the one smiling so gently, right? So it''s secret rtionship, but when things go south, you me the girl? How shameless!


    -Exactly, and they''re spreading fake rumors about Master Lunar. Can the world be any more hostile to women?


    -If Mr. Tate had the guts to admit it, I''d respect him for it.


    -Oh look, the two posters above must be Juniper''s burner ounts. Hey girl, that desperate for fame?


    -There are so many beautiful women in showbiz. If Mr. Tate wanted a girlfriend, people would be lining up. Why would he even look at Juniper?


    -For real, if Mr. Tate is involved with her, I''ll eat my hat.


    -@Jimmie''s Studio, are you just going to stand by and watch Juniper ruin him?


    -Can Juniper just die? Go mess with some other lecherous old man and leave Mr. Tate alone.


    The next second, the user who sent thatst message received a notification about vitingmunity guidelines. Her ount... had been banned.


    As thements in the livestream grew increasingly vile, Jimmie''s studio posted a message: [Regarding the online rumors, Mr. Tate will address them personally.]


    This announcement caused an


    immediate uproar. People


    spected that Jimmie would either confirm the rtionship or deny it. Given the situation, it seemed most likely that he would confirm it. After all he''d been the target of clout chasing starlets before and had always ignored them. This time, not only was his studio


    livestreaming the event, but he was also going to address the issue personally. It had to be love.


    Some pundits even predicted that Mr. Tate''s career would plummet after he announced his rtionship. His rivals were probably already popping champagne.


    An idol blinded by love? Jimmie''s fans were losing their minds.


    On the other side of the city, Juniper woke up from her nap andzily opened her phone. There was still some time before Jimmie''s award category was announced.


    Bored, she nned to open Twitter to pass the time. She had to admit, this generation ofizens was creative their insults were never repetitive. She''d learned quite a few


    past few days, and


    new things these past


    her verbal sparring skills had leveled up dramatically.

 Chapter 368

    The moment she opened the app, Juniper froze. What the hell? She had expected to see the usual-usations of her being a two-timing seductress, morally bankrupt, a pretty but empty-headed vase... But after just one nap, the headlines hadpletely changed.


    Top Trending: #Mr. Tate''s Bold Deration Of Love For Juniper


    Trending #2: #Secret Rtionship Exposed?


    Trending #3: #Mr. Tate And Juniper''s Love Story


    Trending #4: #Juniper''s Belly Protrudes Suspected Pregnancy


    Juniper, who was still full from lunch, was speechless. The headlines were getting more and more ridiculous. She couldn''t bear to look. This just confirmed that going public was the right decision. If they kept it a secret any longer, she''d probably be rumored to be on her second child.


    "These photos might be paparazzi shots, but you look quite cute in them," Shanley remarked, sitting beside her and feeding her a grape.


    He then nced at Felton. "Don''t bother suing that mediapany."


    Just then, the award presenter walked on stage, their fluent English ratcheting up the tension in the room.


    "The nominees for the Global Best Music Video Award are..."


    The number of viewers in the livestream skyrocketed past ten million. Aside from Jimmie''s fans, most were there to watch the drama unfold. When someone stays at the top for too long, it''s only natural for others to want to see them fall, and fall hard. Jimmie was no exception. Hispetitors weren''t about to miss this golden opportunity to drag him through the mud.


    At that moment, apart from the "Jimmie''s rtionship" news, the most prevalent headlines were about his "MV failing to win an award."


    There were six nominees. When the first five were announced without his name, Jimmie''s fans felt their hearts sink. They flocked back online tovent their frustration, ming Juniper once again.


    Then, in the next second, the name "S" and a clip from the video appeared on the big screen. Almost simultaneously with the nomination announcement, the full music video for "S" was officially released worldwide. While waiting for the results, people clicked on the video. They were dying to see what was so special about this thing Juniper had supposedly thrown together in less than a month, recing the lead who had trained for three years.


    In less than a minute, the view count for ¡°S¡± soared, quickly breaking ten million, and


    thements flooded in like a tidal wave.


    -Wait, this MV is actually really good. Especially the dancing-it''s unique and powerful, not at all worse than the others.


    -Damn, I think it''s pretty great too.


    -I suddenly understand why Mr. Tate wanted Juniper to choreograph and star in it.


    ¡ªI take back what I said earlier. Mr. Tate and Juniper actually look really good together.


    ¡ªIf he wins the award, I guess we could be okay with him dating Juniper.....


    -Haters, what are you even talking about? Don''t forget Juniper is a two-timer. -So what? Mr. Tate obviously likes her.


    In an instant, public opinion of Juniper began to shift. While his


    die-hard fans still couldn''t ept fans casual viewers who watched the music video were quickly won over. The chemistry in the video was undeniable. Who doesn''t love a sweet romance? Some people even started shipping the two of them.


    "And the winner of the 10th Global Best Music Video Award is..." the presenter


    smiled, slowly drawing out the words.

 Chapter 369

    ¡°Congrattions to Jimmie Tate for ''S''!"


    The moment the words left the presenter''s mouth, every camera swiveled to Jimmie. Dressed in a white suit, he watched the clips of his music video roll across the giant screen, a faint, gentle smile ying on his lips. The look of pure tenderness and affection in his eyes was captivating.


    ¡ªAHHH, THE MV ACTUALLY WON! I admit, I was way too loud about Juniper earlier.


    ¡ªNot a fan of anyone here, but speaking impartially, this is the best music video I''ve ever seen. The choreography, the cinematography, the music-everything is top- notch.


    -Where are all the people who were ndering Master Lunar now? Why so quiet?


    -I knew my idol had good taste! He spent three years preparing this as a gift for his sister, there''s no way he would mess it up. I''m so sorry, Jimmie, I misunderstood.


    -I''ve seen the original lead who trained for three years. Her dancing skills are nowhere near Juniper''s level.


    -Master Lunar is on another level.


    -Wait, is anyone else noticing the look in Mr. Tate''s eyes? The way he looks at the photo of Juniper... it''s pure love.


    -Sorry everyone, but I''m officially shipping Mr. Tate and Juniper now.


    -??? Can someone exin the two-timing thing?


    -If Mr. Tate and Juniper are really together, wouldn''t that make him the other man?


    Seeing the tide turn so drastically in Juniper''s favor, Ynda was frantic. She grabbed her phone and messaged Yelena: [Yelena, did you see the live stream?]


    Yelena: [I didn''t expect Juniper to actually have some talent.]


    Ynda was grinding her teeth: [Do you think Mr. Tate is actually dating her? If this keeps up, it''s not going to be good for you.]


    That snapped Yelena back to reality


    If Juniper really managed to


    onto a powerhouse like Jimme


    J would be walking all over her in the future.


    Yelena: [Didn''t you say you had a trump card?]


    Ynda smirked: [You mean the fact that the old man she''s seducing is actually


    Shanley''s driver? I have the photos, but...]


    Yelena: [If you''re too scared to post them, send them to me.]


    Yelena was in disarray. She had been so confident she could ruin Juniper. Instead, after spending so much money on paid trolls to get Juniper trending, she hadn''t tarnished her reputation at all. In fact she''d madvertently created, a massive wave of publicity and


    attracted a horde of new fans. Even the anti-shipping ounts she''d created were being hailed by fans as founding members of the ship, saying things like, ¡°Hey, you''re


    basically a veteran shipper now. If Jimmie and Juniper get together,


    you deserve a wedding favor."


    It was sickening.


    Ynda: [I don''t know if that''s a good idea.....]


    She sent a series of photos featuring Flint and Juniper, then quickly unsent them.


    Yelena saved the photos, a cold


    smile spreading across her face. This was proof Juniper was a two timer. She refused to believe that Mr Fate would still want Juniper after seeing this.


    Amidst thunderous apuse, Jimmie walked gracefully onto the stage.


    "Mr. Tate, could you tell us why the music video is named ''S''?" the host asked with a smile.


    ¡°Sister,¡± Jimmie replied, his gaze fixed on the screen, his eyes full of warmth. "It was made for my sister."

 Chapter 370

    Jimmie then went on to exin the inspiration behind the music video: his search for his long-lost sister.


    "We hope your sister sees this and is reunited with you soon," the host said with a polite smile, before deliberately changing the subject. "The music video caused quite a stir back in your home country after its release. It''s said that you reced the lead actress who had been training for three years. Could you tell us why you chose the girl in the video? Rumor has it that you two have a... special rtionship."


    It was amon tactic. Public figures from his part of the world were often targets of pointed questions at major international awards. Jimmie had just beaten several artists to win a major award, making him an even bigger target. The host, aware of the online controversy back home, had deliberately brought it up during the global broadcast, clearly intending to humiliate him.


    At the question, Jimmie pressed his lips together, not answering immediately. The audience in the livestream held their breath, staring intently at their screens. His studio had promised he would personally address the controversy. As things stood, Juniper was embroiled in a scandal, used of two-timing, and photos of her being "intimate" with an "old man" were all over the inte. If Mr. Tate confirmed their rtionship, he would be branded as a man who knowingly got involved with a taken woman. His reputation, career, and future... all would be destroyed. The smartest move was to deny everything. But doing so would leave Juniper to face the public''s wrath alone, her reputation ruined for life.


    Everyone assumed Jimmie would choose to deny it. Just as they were waiting for the inevitable, a small smile touched Jimmie''s lips.


    "Juniper Payne and I," he began slowly, "do indeed have a rtionship that is not ordinary."


    Not ordinary? What did that mean? Was he admitting to being the other man? Was he willing to throw away his future for a woman? Netizens and fans erupted into chaos. The people at the awards ceremony began whispering amongst themselves, eager to see how he would handle the fallout.


    "It''s just as you''ve all seen-" Jimmie''s voice cut through the noise. "The head pat was real. The gentle smile was also real. Ms. Payne is one of the most important people in my life. I will love and protect her for the rest of my life."


    Was that a confession? The media went into a frenzy, keyboards ttering as they scrambled to publish the breaking news and grab the headlines.


    Soon, the first headline appeared: Mr. Tate Confesses Love at Awards Ceremony, Bravely Embracing Homewrecker Status!


    The second: Mr. Tate: A Homewrecker For Love


    The inte exploded.


    -I''m unstanning! In my book, being blinded by love is a cardinal sin


    gender!


    -The other man? Wow. Just wow.


    -Does anyone know who Mr. Tate''s rival is?


    -I can''t ept this. Mr. Tate, you''re so in love it''s tragic. I''m crying!


    -Can someone please tell me when Mr. Tate went blind?


    -Juniper can go die, die, die!


    -Yessss, my ship is real! (Don''t judge me, I have no morals.)


    Seeing the online reaction, Ynda and Yelena breathed a sigh of relief. Who knew Mr. Tate could be so bold? Too bad. Now, not only was Juniper ruined, but his own career was over too.


    Just as the two were celebrating their victory¡ª


    "Allow me to reintroduce her to everyone..." Jimmie cleared his throat, his deep voice resonating through the hall once more. "Juniper Payne the choreographer and lea actress of the music video ''S is also my long-lost sister."

 Chapter 371

    The crowd of international artists, who had been enjoying the drama, froze, their expressions locked in disbelief. They were already disgruntled that the award had gone to an artist from their country, and they thought they''d finally found a scandal to tarnish his victory. But the radiant woman in the video, the one with breathtaking beauty and grace, wasn''t his mistress... but his sister?


    "My sister was responsible for the entire MV-the choreography, the performance, the coordination. So why did I choose her as the star?" Jimmie stood tall, holding his trophy. ¡°Is there really any need to ask? Her talent speaks for itself."


    ¡°I originally nned to announce this after my sister finished her studies, but the rumors have gottenpletely out of hand..." Jimmie''s expression turned serious as he faced the cameras. "I will pursue legal action against every single one of these baseless rumors and malicious nders. To the fullest extent of thew."


    "And finally," Jimmie paused for a moment before his gaze softened, his handsome face filled with affection. "I''d like to take this opportunity to say something to my sister. Juniper, your big brother will always love you. I''ll always be your rock."


    The words sent a shockwave through the onlinemunity. The live stream''sments section exploded.


    [Sister? Juniper is Mr. Tate''s long-lost sister!]


    [WHAAAAAT? The ship I was sailing sank in less than half an hour? I guess it''s true what they say, all great loves are just siblings in disguise!]


    [Mr. Tate finally found his sister. I''m crying.]


    [This is disgusting. People just made up a whole story from a single picture. Who was the first person to say she was seducing Mr. Tate?]


    [Hold on, everyone, I have to go delete somements...]


    The media reporters, who were furiously typing up articles about the "superstar''s affair exposed," saw the live broadcast and immediately scrambled to delete their posts. The headlines were swiftly reced by ''Mr. Tate Joyfully Reunites with His Sister''


    Ynda shot up from the sofa, her eyes wide with shock as she saw the headline trending number one on Twitter. Juniper was Jimmie''s sister? How was that possible? She was just some unwanted stray, abandoned by her parents. How could she be a superstar''s sister?


    Just as Ynda''s world was crumbling, her phone rang. It was Yelena, who sounded equally frantic.


    "Ynda, didn''t you say Juniper was an orphan?"


    ine


    "She is... I mean, I thought she was." Ynda Stammered, her mind aplete nk. ¡°Maybe... maybe it''s just. RR stunt from thepany to control the narrative?"


    "They released a DNA test report,¡± Yelena snapped, her voice shrill.


    Ynda''s heart sank. She


    immediately opened Twitter again, and there it was, the top post: a DNA report. The conclusion clearly stated, a sibling rtionship."


    To make matters worse, fans had already created side-by-side photoparisons


    of the two, and the family resemnce was undeniable.


    Not only that, but Jimmie''s studio had posted another tweet rifying the other rumor about Juniper being with a rich old man:


    [1. The man in question was Shanley''s driver, who happens to have white hair. He is not a wealthy old man.


    2. Jimmie and Shanley are friends. It''s perfectly normal for a friend''s driver to give his sister a ride.


    3. If you don''t believe it, feel free to ask Shanley himself.]


    Ask Shanley himself? The mere thought sent a shiver down the spine of everyizen who read it. This was the man who ran Eraz City Who would be stedal enough to question him?


    Besides, would Jimmie Tate''s sister really be interested in a driver?

 Chapter 372

    The music video''s release created a massive stir both domestically and abroad. Rumor had it that several major international productionpanies were scrambling to sign Juniper. In the blink of an eye, her public image flipped from being universally despised to universally adored. A wave of fans began moring for her to enter the entertainment industry. An "Official Juniper Fan Club¡± even appeared, quickly amassing over a million followers, and the number was still climbing...


    "How is this possible?" Ynda''s face grew paler as she scrolled through the news, her body trembling with helpless rage. "How could Juniper be Mr. Tate''s sister?"


    A superstar''s sister, the choreographer and star of an award-winning music video...


    Those two titles alone were enough tounch her into a stratosphere far beyond Ynda''s reach. She clenched her fists, her face contorted with jealousy. She couldn''t ept it!


    "What do we do now?" Yelena''s voice trembled with panic on the other end of the line. "Mr. Tate is going to investigate the source of the rumors. What if they trace it back to me?"


    She had been so sure that Juniper was a nobody she could crush without consequences. Now, if they investigated, she would undoubtedly be exposed.


    Ynda listened to Yelena''s meltdown with a flicker of fear, but also relief. She''d learned her lesson from past mistakes and had kept her mouth shut this time. As for Yelena... she was the one who spread the rumors and posted the pictures. What did that have to do with her?


    "I... I don''t know..." Ynda forced a weak, delicate tone. "But Juniper and J are good friends, and you''re J''s cousin, after all. I''m sure they wouldn''t be too hard on you."


    "Don''t you dare mention that little bitch to me," Yelena seethed.


    The thought of her, the great heiress of the Wilcox family, being at the mercy of that unwanted child made her grind her teeth. She had bullied J for years. Now that J hadtched onto Juniper, did anyone really think she''d be forgiven? Never!


    Yelena knew she had to find a way to end this permanently. Perhaps by getting rid of Juniper for good.


    ...


    At Cloudscape Community, Juniper was curled up on the sofa, happily crunching on


    a bag of chips while scrolling through her ss group chat.


    [OMG, so Mr. Tate is Juniper''s brother! No wonder she was able to get him to visit Aurora High!]


    [I can''t believe I''m ssmates with Juniper. By extension, that basically means I''m connected to Mr. Tate. Squeal!]


    [The MV was incredible. Juniper totally deserved that award.]


    [It was awful how much hate she was getting, but I''m so d her brother stepped in.


    Now Juniper has a brother to protect her!]


    [Congrattions on finding your brother, Juniper!]


    [Congrattions...]


    The screen was flooded with warm wishes, and an unconscious smite spread across Juniper''s face it was nice. From now on, she had a brother who could openly dote on her


    "So, Jimmie''s side of things is sorted out. What about the others?" Shanley asked gently, taking her hand.


    "The others?" Juniper blinked. "You mean my other brother, Melvin?"


    Shanley''s lips thinned, but he said nothing.


    "It doesn''t matter to me. I can ace


    my exams with or without the drama. Melvin is busy setting up the racing association right now, and he


    doesn''t need the distraction,"


    Juniper said with a light smile.


    "Public or not, he''s still my brother."


    "I see,¡± Shanley nodded, toying with her fingers. He then added intively, "Anyone else?"


    "Anyone else what?" Juniper asked, sipping her drink through a straw and looking at him with wide, innocent eyes. Everything was resolved, wasn''t it?


    Shanley''s deep eyes darkened, his


    expression aplex mixture of


    hurt and frustration. There was still him the old man who had been insulted thousands of times online.

 Chapter 373

    Juniper stared at Shanley, waiting for him to borate.


    "It''s nothing," he said with a helpless sigh, his lips twitching into a faint smile as he met her clear, star-like gaze. He decided to let it go. He hadn''t truly won her over yet, so any talk of making their rtionship official was premature. He had time.


    ¡°Just rx for a bit. I''ll go make you some soup,¡± Shanley said, patting her cheek. He stood up, a hint of disappointment in his posture, but was stopped as she suddenly grabbed his hand.


    "What is it?" he asked, his voice softening as he looked down at her.


    "It''s not the right time," Juniper said, tilting her head back to look up at him. Her voice was quiet as she spoke. ¡°Are you sure you want people to know that the ''old man'' is you?"


    Shanley froze, not quite understanding. Then, Juniper released his hand, revealing the emblem on her uniform¡ªthe Aurora High School crest. If their rtionship became public, the bacsh wouldn''t just be about him being an ''old man.'' It would be a full-blown scandal.


    The sight of the crest was a sobering reality check. He''d been too hasty. But it was fine. The final exams were less than a month away. He could wait thirty days. He could wait thirty years if he had to.


    ...


    On Monday, the moment Juniper set foot in school, she was met with stares from every direction. The superstar''s sister was a student at their school. Aurora High was really moving up in the world.


    ¡°Juniper, here are the results from this week''s exam," Dolce said, handing her a thick stack of papers as soon as she sat down. "There are 230 students across all five sses. Here''s the list of everyone who improved..." Dolce chattered on. ¡°By my rough calction, we''ll need about 1,000 of Mr. Tate''s autographed photos."


    Juniper, who had just taken a sip of water, nearly choked. "Weren''t the weekly exam questions supposed to be difficult?"


    She had offered the photos as an incentive, but she never expected this many students to seed.


    "They were!" Dolce nodded emphatically. "But everyone has been studying day and night for Mr. Tate''s autograph. The results were amazing this time. The teachers are apparently ecstatic."


    Juniper rubbed her nose, feeling a pang of guilt. A thousand photos. She wondered if Jimmie would regret acknowledging her as his sister.


    She quickly pulled out her phone and opened an app, searching for "how to make your brother happy." She collected a few articles and forwarded them to Jimmie


    [The World''s Best Big Brother]


    [A Kid with a Brother Is a Happy Kid]


    [How to Deepen the Sibling Bond]


    Seeing the messages from his sister, Jimmie was deeply moved. His little sister was finally maturing, her world no longer revolving solely around that old man, Shanley. Just as he was basking in the warm feeling, another notification popped up.


    Juniper: [Happy, bro?]


    Jimmie: [Very happy.]


    Juniper: [Since you''re so happy, could you maybe give me some autographed photos for my ssmates?]


    Although Jimmie had a bad feeling about this, he still replied: [How many?]


    Juniper: [Not too many. Just 1000.]


    Jimmie: [What was that you said a minute ago?]


    Juniper: [Are you happy, bro?]


    Jimmie: [Who''s your brother?!]


    That little wolf. He knew it, all that ttery was just a smokescreen. A thousand autographs, just like that She was trying to please her ssmates without any regard fo his well-being. What a wonderful'' sister.


    "So, are you giving your sister the autographs?" Jimmie''s manager asked, barely suppressing augh.

 Chapter 374

    "What do you think?" Jimmie sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He was exhausted from his flight back from overseas. "Besides spoil her, what else can I do?"


    He shook his head, a fond smile ying on his lips. This was his sister, who had suffered for so many years. He''d give her his life if she asked for it, let alone some autographs.


    "Also," his assistant said, his tone turning serious, "we''ve caught the people who started the rumors. One of them is the heiress of the Wilcox family, Yelena."


    "Prosecute the others ording to thew," Jimmie instructed quietly. "As for Ms. Wilcox... leave her for now. Let Juniper handle it."


    If Juniper dealt with it, she wouldn''t just be targeting Yelena; she''d be taking on the entire Wilcox family.


    That evening, Juniper was ying a game when a message popped up. The sender was listed as "Baldy Fox."


    Baldy Fox was the eighty-year-old president of the Orient Country Medical Association. He waspletely bald but still stubbornly dedicated to his work.


    Three years ago, the association had suffered a major setback, facing a joint boycott from medical associations in other countries. By a stroke of luck, he had met a teenage genius. With her help, in just six months, the association developed several core medicines, published groundbreaking medical journals, andpleted countless high-difficulty surgeries. The Orient Country Medical Association returned to the global stage, securing a prominent position.


    Baldy Fox: [Kiddo, are you freetely?]


    Juniper: [No.]


    She had no fond memories of the old man. She had only helped him back then because she''d felt sorry for him after finding him crying by a dumpster, bullied by foreign medical associations. But he had taken her kindness for granted, relentlessly exploiting her talent. She was forced to research drugs, write papers, and even train his underlings. Worst of all, Baldy Fox was incredibly cheap. All the money went into research, leaving her with barely enough to eat three meals a day. She, a growing girl, was left hungry. The injustice still stung!


    Baldy Fox sent a voice message, his voice cracking with despair.


    "Cough, cough... Kiddo, please, just listen to me... cough, wheeze..."


    He sounded like he was on hisst breath.


    Juniper: [Just say what you need to say. Don''t die in my DMs.]


    Baldy Fox''s tone immediately returned to normal, full of sycophantic cheerfulness.


    "The Global Medical Alliance


    Association is about to hold its new member elections. This year, Orient Country Wants to give it a shot. So, I was hoping you could help tramm someone for us. He''s got excellent qualifications, he''s smart, and he has that same spark you had back in the day."


    Orient Country had been ater to the modern medical scene, and its technology had initiallygged behind, earning it little respect. But in recent years, with economic development, and the influx of top tier talent, its medical. technology had advanced rapidly,


    making other nations nervous.


    This year, they had finally secured a nomination. Baldy Fox wanted to win onest battle for his country before he retired.


    Baldy Fox: [Kiddo, he really has potential. To be honest, every time I watch him in surgery, his posture reminds me of you. It''s like you two were cut from the same cloth.]


    Juniper: [Huh?]


    Baldy Fox It''s true, I swear! Please,


    Kiddo, you have to help me.


    Otherwise, I won''t be able to rest in peace. Ite haunt you every


    night... cough, cough, cough...]


    He was making it clear that if she refused, he would happily die on her conscience.


    Juniper sighed. [Who is it?]


    Baldy Fox: [Excellent! Just a moment, Kiddo, I''ll have him add you.]


    A few secondster, a friend request popped up.

 Chapter 375

    Harold Houston? The guy who had snatched her rare herb, stared at her for no reason, and then tried to strike up a conversation? He hadn''t seemed particrly bright. How could he possibly be the chosen sessor for the Orient Country Medical Association?


    Juniper''s brow furrowed. As she was pondering this, a low, maic voice sounded from behind her. "What are you spacing out about?¡±


    Shanley''s gaze fell on her phone screen. A friend request from Harold?


    It had taken him considerable effort¡ªdriving her to and from school, showering her


    with delicious food-just to earn the privilege of being a contact on her WhatsApp. Who did this Harold think he was? And how did he even get her number?


    ¡°Juniper.......¡± Shanley''s smile vanished, reced by a dark cloud of gloom. His throat felt tight. "Why is he adding you?¡±


    Juniper looked up and met his resentful gaze.


    "He looks like trouble," Shanley grumbled, his voiceced with jealousy. "I bet he has ulterior motives. Delete him, Juniper."


    Lately, it felt like his days were spent fending off one rival after another. Why did everyone have their eyes on his girl? He had a powerful urge to hide her away at home, where no one else could see her.


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Juniper asked, her red lips twitching as she blinked up at him.


    "You''re only just noticing?" Shanley gently tapped her forehead with his finger, a mixture of frustration and amusement in his eyes. "I''ve put my entire fortune on the line for you. Of course I''m scared of being abandoned."


    His entire fortune? Right, all that money. Juniper''s expression shifted.


    "You don''t have to worry about that. Even if he did have bad intentions, it wouldn''t work. We''re inpletely different generations,¡± she said, a yful curve to her lips. "Technically, he has to call me... Grandmaster."


    "Call you what?" Shanley asked, watching in confusion as she epted Harold''s friend request. As expected, a message from him popped up instantly.


    Harold: [Grandmaster, hello. I''m Harold Houston.]


    "Remember I told you I helped the president of the Orient Country Medical Association? Well, he insisted on making me his mas Juniper exined looking Shanley earnestly. "Harold is his student, so naturally, that makes me his Grandmaster."


    The president of the Orient Country Medical Association? Shanley''s eyes narrowed. He knew that old coot. The man was as stubborn as a rock and looked down on everyone. And he had willingly made Juniper his master? Shanley was suddenly very curious about how she had


    managed to tame him.


    "The association wants to secure a spot in the Global Medical Alliance Association this year. So he


    shamelessly begged me to help train his student Juniper finished her exnation, then looked at Shanley with a serious, slightly pouty expression. "I wasn''t the one who


    sought out Harold."


    Was she proactively exining herself to him?


    "I know," Shanley said with a nod, his mood instantly lifting. He was quite pleased.


    "Did you agree to help him?"


    "Not yet." Juniper picked up her phone and started typing.


    Juniper: [I can train him, but I have two conditions.]


    Baldy Fox: [Anything, my dear. You name it.]


    He knew she didn''t offer her help lightly. Whatever her conditions were, he''d agree.


    It was a blessing he''d been granted this chance at all.


    Juniper: [First, I want to test Harold''s skills. I don''t teach idiots.]


    Baldy Fox: [Absolutely! Just teach him. He''s all yours. You can hit him, scold him, whatever you want. Just leave him breathing for thepetition.]

 Chapter 376

    Juniper: [Second, I want that piece of rare red sandalwood in the left drawer of yourb.]


    A heavy silence followed her message.


    Shanley knew the wood she was talking about. It was said to be centuries old, blessed by multiple masters, and worth several Rolls-Royces. The old man treasured it like his own eyes. His grandfather had once merely touched it, and the man had given him the silent treatment for a month.


    Juniper: [No deal? Then forget about me training your student.]


    Baldy Fox: [Please, ask for something else! Anything but that!]


    Juniper: [No.]


    Another silence. After a few seconds, Juniper typed again.


    Juniper: [Fine, I''ll trade you that reagent you''ve been eyeing.]


    Baldy Fox: [Two vials! I want two vials!!!]


    Juniper: [?]


    Baldy Fox: [Okay, okay, one vial it is. But my dear, what do you need my sandalwood for?]


    Juniper nced at Shanley''s wrist. A hand that handsome would look even better adorned with a string of beads carved from that very wood.


    Juniper: [None of your business.]


    Baldy Fox: [Alright then. I''ll leave my student in your hands.]


    Juniper didn''t reply, instead opening her chat with Harold.


    [Be at theb in the suburbs tomorrow at 6 PM.]


    She needed to see what he was made of. She had no time to waste on someone with a slow mind.


    Harold: [Understood.]


    "Tomorrow afternoon?" Shanley pursed his lips, cing a peeled grape by her mouth. "What a coincidence don''t have any work tomorrow afternoon. How about i go with you?"


    ¡°Such a coincidence?" Juniper popped the grape into her mouth, a knowing smile ying on her lips.


    Just then, a knock came at the door,


    and Dana''s voice followed. "Sir,


    Felton just called to remind you. about the important meeting tomorrow afternoon He said not to forget."


    The entire room fell silent.


    ...


    The next day, after school, Juniper had to fight her way through a crowd of admirers. To show their gratitude for the autographed


    photos, her ssmates had Stuffed her backpack full of snacks.


    Shanley was already waiting by the school gate. "Tired?" he asked, stepping forward as she emerged.


    "I''m fine." Juniper slid into the car and sat next to him, immediately pulling out her phone to check her group chat. The chat included her, Jimmie, Melvin, and now Shanley.


    The team at Binary Oracle was also searching, but so far, there was no news of their other lost brother. If even she couldn''t find him, was he still alive?


    Jimmie: [I have a vague memory that one of our brothers has a scar near his heart. He got it saving Juniper.]


    Melvin: [Just checked. Not me.]


    The scar was in a ce that wouldn''t normally be visible. Just when they thought they had a solid lead, it went cold.


    Juniper: [Saving me?]


    Jimmie: [Yeah. You were climbing something high, you slipped and fell. He shielded you, and a branch scraped him. It was a close call, almost pierced his heart.]


    A heart injury? And a scar?


    Juniper exited the group chat and opened her direct messages with Lue.


    Juniper: [You have a collection of ab photos of handsome men from all over the world, right?]


    Lue replied, panicked and defensive: [Don''t you dare nder me! The whole world? It''s not that many... just... a few tens of thousands...]

 Chapter 377

    Juniper: [Any that are particrly memorable?]


    Particrly memorable? Lue had to rack her brain. She''d seen so many that her memory was getting a little fuzzy.


    Wait a minute. Why was Juniper suddenly asking such a..... personal question? Could it be that she wasn''t satisfied with the old man''s physique and wanted to do someparison shopping? Or perhaps she wasn''t satisfied with his technique?


    Aha! Juniper was finally seeing the light! Lue had been saying all along that Shanley was nothing but a pretty face. This was her chance to rmend some top-tier specimens.


    Lue: [Oh, yes, yes, yes! There''s this one guy, absolutely gorgeous. Huge pecs, eight-pack abs.]


    Lue: [And another one from Froskia Country..... Juniper, I''m telling you, he''s on another level. Way better status than your old man, too.]


    Using voice-to-text, Lue fired off a dozen messages in half a minute, including several unttering critiques of Shanley''s body.


    His body... Juniper snuck a nce at the man beside her. She had seen it, but not in its entirety or with much rity. Besides, she''d never seen any other man''s body, so how could she possiblypare?


    Lue: [Are we just talking chests? I''ve got photos of other parts too. High-def, just for you.]


    "Juniper." Shanley''s low, deep voice cut through her thoughts. "Is this what Lue usually teaches you?"


    "Huh?" Juniper''s head snapped up, meeting his scrutinizing gaze. She felt a pang of guilt, as if she''d been caught red-handed. "No."


    ¡°No?" Shanley leaned closer, his deep-set eyes narrowing, a knowing smile ying on his lips.


    "Really," Juniper insisted innocently. ¡°Lue charges for these photos. A hundred thousand dors a pop. They''re very expensive."


    Shanley''s expression darkened. "So you''d look at them if they were free?"


    "Of course. Juniper started to


    admit, but one look at the jealous


    her


    man before her made fisk quick backtrack. She squared her


    shoulders righteously. "Of


    course


    not. I have very high standards."


    "Is that so?" Shanley watched her, his smile widening. "It seems our Juniper is such


    a good girl," he praised, his tone dripping with insincerity.


    Good girl Juniper remained silent, not daring to breathe a word. The truth was, she


    had tried to haggle with Lue. But it hadn''t worked.


    "Also..." Shanley''s eyes scanned their chat history, and he seemed to notice something new. "Lue... likes men?"


    "Yeah," Juniper nodded without thinking. Lue was a woman, so of course she liked men.


    But then it hit her. To the rest of the world, Lue was a man. So, a man who likes men... Well, that was a misunderstanding she couldn''t. easily clear up content


    "I see," Shanley said, a faint smile on his lips. The knot of tension in his chest instantly dissolved. All that worrying he''d done before had been for nothing.


    Lue: [Juniper, answer me!]


    Seeing no reply, Lue nudged her again.


    Juniper (voice message): "Are there any with scars near their heart?"


    Lue (voice message): "Scars near the heart, no. But I have a few with thigh scars.


    Is the old man with you? I can send them over."


    Juniper (voice message): "He...¡±


    Just then, Shanley''s voice cut in, clear and deep, recorded on the same message: "To your disappointment, I am."


    Messages were swiftly retracted, one after another, until the chat history was wiped clean. Then, silence from Lue.


    Juniper''s head throbbed. They were almost at theb, so she quickly sent Lue a message exining the real reason for her search.

 Chapter 378

    Lue replied instantly: [Looking for abs? I''m an expert at that.]


    Juniper: [Deal.]


    Lue: [Seriously, Juniper, think about what I said. There are so many hot guys out there. Kick that old man to the curb, and you can have your pick.]


    Juniper''s brow twitched, and she quickly closed the chat window. She couldn''t believe it, but she was actually a little intimidated.


    As their text exchange ended, the sports car pulled to a stop. Shanley unfolded his long legs and led Juniper towards the research facility. Harold''sb was in the left wing; it wasn''trge, but it was well-equipped. Shanley had rented the space on Baldy Fox''s rmendation. Had he inadvertently invited a wolf into his own territory? He hoped Harold would behave himself.


    At theb entrance, Juniper stopped. "You should wait for me out here," she told Shanley.


    Medical experiments required intense focus. If he was in the room, she knew she wouldn''t be able to concentrate.


    "Alright," Shanley agreed without a moment''s hesitation, giving her hisplete trust. "Here''s some lemonade. It''ll help you stay sharp."


    "Thanks." Juniper took the bottle, passed through security, and headed towards Lab Nine.


    ¡°Boss, are you sure about letting Ms. Payne be alone with Harold?" Flint asked, unable to hide his concern. The way that guy looked at Ms. Payne was definitely not tonic.


    "It''s fine," Shanley said, sitting down and crossing his legs elegantly. He offered azy smile.


    His girl was exceptional; it was only natural that she would attract admirers. As her partner, he couldn''t be overly possessive. When Juniper went to university, she would be surrounded by men younger than him. He couldn''t keep her locked away. It would suffocate her, and he couldn''t bear to do that. The world was vast, and he wanted her to run to y, to explore. He would always be waiting right here for her when she returned. He trusted that, in the end, she woulde back to him. She had given him her promise, and he would give her his trust. Love was a two-way street, wasn''t it?


    Inside Lab Nine, Harold, d in a whiteb coat, was meticulously arranging his equipment and reagents. His teacher''s master was a mysterious figure who never showed their face in


    public teclusive, entric, and notoriously difficult to please. His own teacher, a man of iron will, had once been scolded so badly by this Grandmaster that he''d lost six pounds in three days from stress. To make a good impression, Harold had


    arrived early to prepare.


    As he worked, that strange, sharp difort red in his chest again. Just then, a


    voice cut through the quiet hum of theb.


    "Is Harold here?" Juniper asked casually, her hands shoved in her pockets.


    Harold''s head snapped up. When he saw her, his expression went nk with disbelief. It was her, the girl who made his heart race.


    "What are you doing here?" He put down his work and strode toward her, his face serious. ¡°This is a chemicalboratory. It''s dangerous. Who let you in?"


    For some reason, Harold felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity and warmth whenever he saw her. He had nned to have someone look into her background so he could. approach her properly, but now she had appeared right here.


    Unfortunately, this wasn''t the time for a chat.


    "I..." Juniper started to answer, but was cut off by Harold''s phone ringing.


    "Just a second," he said, then answered the call. "What? My teacher''s foul- tempered, impossible-to-please master is almost at theb?"


    Juniper just stood there, an unreadable expression on her face.

 Chapter 379

    "Okay.¡± Harold hung up the phone and turned back to Juniper. "Right, you were saying you were looking for me?"


    "I was," Juniper said, her gaze sweeping over theb. Itnded on a beaker filled with a multi-colored liquid.


    "Tsk." She shot him a look, azy smile ying on her lips. "And here I thought you were the future president of the association Baldy Fox rmended. Can''t even get a simple reagent ratio right?"


    Baldy Fox? The name made Harold pause. That was the exclusive nickname the Grandmaster used for his teacher. How did she know it?


    ¡°Don''t touch that!" he cried out in rm as Juniper expertly slipped on a pair of gloves and picked up a dropper filled with a red liquid. It was a highly corrosive chemical agent. For an uninformed girl to touch it so casually, was she trying to get herself killed?


    Juniper ignored him, calmly adding two drops to the beaker before cing it in the data analyzer. ¡°You¡ª!¡± Harold''s face paled as he rushed forward. That was the culmination of days of careful preparation for the Grandmaster''s arrival. Adding another liquid would throw off the entire ratio. Given the Grandmaster''s infamous temper...


    But as he fumed, the control panel lit up with the test results. The data was urate to six decimal ces¡ªa level of precision he had failed to achieve after countless attempts.


    Harold stood frozen, staring at Juniper in utter disbelief. If he remembered correctly, she hadn''t even measured the drops. She had achieved perfect uracy just by feel.


    "Also," Juniper continued, her eyes now on the air conditioner, "the temperature in here is too high. It can affect your judgment of the ratios."


    "How..." Harold stared at her, struggling to find his voice. "How do you know so much?"


    him directly, her voice clear and


    "Because. Juniper turned to t


    deliberat


    "I am the four tempered


    "I am the


    impossible to please master you were just talking about."


    "What?" Harold was sure he had misheard. His eyes widened in shock, his voice


    dry. "You''re saying you''re my teacher''s master?¡±


    "That''s right," Juniper replied, casually sitting down and crossing her legs as she took a sip of lemonade.


    went into aplete


    Harold''s mind we


    tailspin. He had always imagined his


    teacher''s mentor to be a


    cantankerous old man in his


    seventies, not a young woman who couldn''t be more than twenty Three years ago... she would have been even younger. A fifteen op sixteen-year-old girl was guiding his teacher? And now, at eighteen, she was his Grandmaster?


    His mind reeling, Harold quickly sent a message to his teacher for confirmation. The


    reply came almost instantly.


    Baldy Fox: [That''s right. My mentor was only 15.]


    [Wait, it''s been three years. She''s 18 now.]


    [Don''t worry. At 18, she can be held legally responsible. She''s probably not as brutal as she was three


    years ago l He He


    could still feel the


    phantom ache on his bald head


    from all the times she had whacked


    it.  swhovels


    [Harold, don''t let her age fool you. She''s a damn genius. I had to beg, borrow, and


    steal to get you this opportunity. You have to cherish it.]


    Harold lowered his phone, his expression dazed as he looked back at Juniper. Their eyes met in a silent standoff.

 Chapter 380

    "Last time we met, you said I looked familiar," Juniper said, setting down her bottle. Her voice wasced with ice. "Do I still look familiar now?"


    Harold was so intimidated by her powerful aura that he was rendered speechless. Did she think he had been trying to hit on her? That wasn''t it at all!


    "You..." Harold opened his mouth to exin, but was immediately cut off.


    "What are you supposed to call me?" the girl asked. She was a good head shorter than him, still in her school uniform with her hair tied in a messy bun, yet she radiated an imposing authority.


    Harold''s mouth opened and closed before he finally managed to utter a single word: "Grandmaster."


    "Louder," Junipermanded, her tone sharp. How dare this little punk challenge her authority? Shanley wouldn''t even need to lift a finger; she''d skin him alive herself.


    ¡°Grandmaster,¡± Harold repeated, his voice much clearer this time. A man nearing thirty, he now stood with his head bowed like a scolded cat.


    Satisfied, Juniper gestured him over to theb bench. ¡°Come here," she ordered gruffly. "Show me what you can do. If you''re not good enough, I''m telling Baldy Fox the deal''s off."


    ¡°Understood.¡± Harold''s brow furrowed as he obediently walked over. It was strange. He had never been treated like this before and should have been angry. But for some reason... her bossiness was strangelyforting. He didn''t just like seeing her; he liked hearing her speak.


    Could it be? Was his assistant right? Had he fallen for his Grandmaster at first sight?


    "Keep staring and I''ll gouge your eyes out," Juniper threatened, ring at him.


    If it weren''t for that piece of red sandalwood she wanted from Baldy Fox, she wouldn''t be wasting her time with him.


    "My apologies.¡± Harold quickly averted his gaze and focused on her instructions.


    He was, as it turned out, quite intelligent. He understood everything she exined and could answer all her questions. Juniper''s dislike for him diminished by a microscopic 0.00001%.


    ...


    Two hourster, with Juniper''s guidance, Harold sessfullypleted the first stage of development for a new drug.


    ¡°Grandmaster, what do you do for a living?" Harold asked quietly, ncing at her. Juniper, still holding a scalpel, shot him a look that clearly said, "Are you serious?"


    "That''s not what I meant," Harold


    tonined. "I''m just curious


    quick


    You''re still a student. How did you


    be so skilled in mo


    "You know who Einstein is, right?" Juniper asked nonchntly as she removed her gloves.


    "I do," Harold replied,pletely baffled.


    ¡°Well,¡± Juniper said, "this has nothing to do with him."


    The subtext was clear: mind your own business.


    Harold couldn''t help but smile. His Grandmaster certainly had personality.


    ¡°When do the elections for Global Medical Alliance Association begin?" Juniper asked, tossing her gloves into the trash bin.


    "In twenty-five days."


    That would be mid-June, right after her final exams.


    "Alright.¡± Juniper finished disinfecting herself and looked at Harold. "From now on,


    we''ll meet here every Tuesday and Saturday."


    "Okay," Harold replied obediently. In


    just two short hours, he had


    witnessed her incredible talen


    She


    was so young, yet her medical skills


    were astounding, even surpassing his own.


    In the field of medicine, there were only three people he truly admired: the legendary Dr. Nocturne, his own teacher, and now a third had been added to the list-his grandmaster.

 Chapter 381

    After giving her instructions, Juniper clutched her precious bottle, nced at the time, and strode out of theb. Two hours. Shanley must have been waiting for a while.


    "Grandmaster," Harold called out, hurrying after her. The sense of familiarity he felt around her was growing stronger with each encounter.


    Juniper stopped, her patience wearing thin. "What?"


    "I want to apologize for ourst abrupt meeting," Harold said, bowing his head slightly in a gesture of sincerity. "I only approached you because you seemed so familiar. I had no other intentions, I promise."


    He looked up, his eyes searching hers. "Are you absolutely sure we''ve never met?"


    "Is that so?" Juniper''s brow furrowed, her expression turning icy. "Thest person who asked me that..."


    Harold stared at her, waiting for the rest of the sentence.


    "Well, let''s just say he''s been pushing up daisies for a while now," Juniper finished, her voiceced with venom. "Harold, if you want to live a long life, I suggest you stay out of my business."


    Harold was left speechless, feeling a bit helpless. He truly meant no harm; he just couldn''t shake the feeling that he knew her from somewhere. A friend? A childhood ymate? Something else entirely?


    Unfortunately, a past head injury had wiped out all his earlier memories. He made a mental note to ask his father about his childhood. Perhaps he had met her before he lost his memory.


    Back in the car, Juniper slumped into the seat, lookingpletely drained.


    "Tired?" Shanley asked gently, massaging her temples. "Have some cake. It''ll help."


    "Okay," she mumbled, picking up a fork and taking a half-hearted bite. She had no appetite.


    Shanley watched her, a concerned frown on his face. Something was clearly bothering her. She wasn''t even interested in her favorite dessert.


    "Did Harold upset you?" he asked, his brow tightening. What had happened during those two hours? Juniper hadn''t even looked at him properly since she came out.


    "No," Juniper said, putting the fork down. She turned to face him, her expression serious. "Harold said I look familiar and asked if we knew each other from before."


    Shanley''s eyes darkened, and his entire body tensed. It was the oldest trick in the book.


    "What if he really does know me?" Juniper wondered aloud, fiddling with her fork.


    "He''s not your brother," Shanley said, forcing a small smile. "I looked him up while I was waiting. Haroldes from a family of doctors, a veryplete and stable family."


    "But what if it''s some other kind of rtionship?" Juniper persisted, biting her lip. After a few seconds of silence, she added, "Like, you know... childhood sweethearts?"


    Shanley froze.


    "The novels Dana gave me are full of stories like that," Juniper exined earnestly, "They meet as kids, get separated by some ident and then.. mean, I was about to gouge his eyes out, and he still had the nerve to say I looked familiar. It''s suspicious, right?"


    "Those novels ar


    are fiction. You''re not


    allowed to read them anymore," Shanley said, pushing the cake


    towards her. His voice was a l sweetheart can''t hold a cancel


    growl Besides, a childhood


    to the


    one who shows up and changes your world."


    Juniper paused, her fork halfway to her mouth, and looked at Shanley. He certainly


    had a point. He was quite the world-changer.


    When they got home, the first thing


    Shanley did was rece all of


    e


    Dana''s novels. The ''childhood sweethearts'' collection was swapped out for stories of ''love at first sight and slow-burn romance.'' childhood crushes were allowed in Juniper''s world. And he was definitely going to find out what Harold was really up to.

 Chapter 382

    The days that followed were a whirlwind for Juniper. She was swamped at school, with teachers and ssmates constantly hounding her to create study guides. Outside of school, she had to deal with "training" Harold.


    Sensing that Harold''s intentions might not be pure, Shanley''s work schedule suddenly cleared up. Multi-million dor deals were postponed without a second thought.


    Juniper felt this was a bit much. After all, if they ended up together, his money would be her money. Every dor he didn''t earn now was a dor less for her future. She tried to persuade him to focus on his work, but her heartfelt pleas only resulted in Shanley moving his entire office setup into theb.


    Juniper was dumbfounded. What a power move.


    Inside theb, after wrapping up a project, Juniper and Harold headed to the break room. The moment they entered, Shanley, who had been pretending to work, snapped hisptop shut and strode over to Juniper''s side.


    Harold sighed in exasperation. "We ran into some issues with the project today," he said quietly. "Thanks for all your hard work, Grandmaster."


    He gestured towards a small kitchen area. "I had some food prepared. Would you two care to join me for a meal? The spread is quite good."


    Juniper was about to refuse, but then Harold listed the menu: "Braised chicken, sweet and sour fish, crispy ribs, roasted quail..."


    She listened, her eyes widening slightly without her realizing it. That sounded amazing. If they left for Cloudscape Community now, they''d hit rush hour traffic, and it would take at least an hour to get home. If he hadn''t mentioned the food, she might have been able to resist. But now... her stomach was already rumbling.


    "Alright," she agreed without hesitation, her eyes sparkling.


    Shanley nced at the te of pastries he had brought for her, which she hadpletely ignored. He didn''t want to stay, but he didn''t dare say no.


    In the small dining area, Juniper and Shanley sat on one side of the table, with Harold opposite them. The table wasden with beautifully arranged dishes, a perfect mix of meat and vegetables, all of which happened to be Juniper''s favorites. More than that the dishes were prepared exactly to her liking-no ginger or garlic, and an extra generous helping oftro.


    Shanley''s jaw tightened, his eyes darkening. This felt familiar. It was the same strategy he had used to win her over: capture her stomach, then her person and finally, he heart. She was immune to money and jewels, butpletely defenseless against good food.


    Harold had certainly done his homework. And he had the audacity to im he wasn''t interested in her? That liar!


    "It''s all cooked to my taste, so I hope you two don''t find it too disagreeable," Harold said with a polite smile as he arranged the silverware.


    Shanley surveyed the table, picked up a piece of the least conspicuous-looking ribs, and ced it on Juniper''s te. "If you don''t like it, we''ll go home and eat."


    "Okay," Juniper mumbled, taking a small bite of the rib. She paused.


    "Not good?" Shanley asked, a slight smirk ying on his lips. He had spoiled her pte; she was picky about her food now.


    "No," Juniper shook her head, taking a muchrger bite. "It''s delicious." Shanley''s smile froze. He then served her a piece of each of the other dishes. Juniper ate them all, not just ate them, but devoured them with obvious delight.


    Shanley felt a wave of despair wash over him. He seriously suspected there was a traitor in his camp. How else could Harold know Juniper''s preferences with such pinpoint uracy?


    Harold, for his part, was a little


    surprised to see all his beloved


    hadnexpected uniper to have


    such simr tastes in food. What a


    coincidence.

 Chapter 383

    After the main course, Harold had his assistant bring out dessert. There was mango cake, mango juice, and a tter of freshly sliced mango.


    He even knew her favorite fruit. Shanley felt a fire igniting inside him. So this was Harold''s game, currying favor by catering to her every whim.


    "Tsk," Juniper clicked her tongue, ncing disdainfully at the mango-themed spread. She casually picked up a slice and popped it into her mouth before turning


    to Harold. "Did Baldy Fox tell you all my preferences?"


    "Hmm?" Harold blinked, momentarily confused. Her preferences? She liked mangoes too? Another coincidence.


    His favorite leafy green wastro, and his favorite fruit was mango. No wonder he felt such a connection to her; they had so much inmon.


    "I''m d you like it," Harold said with a gentle smile, his voice softening. "Feel free toe over whenever you want. It seems our tastes are quite simr."


    "Dr. Houston, you needn''t trouble yourself," Shanley interjected, his deep eyes turning cold. "Juniper has examsing up, and we need to be very careful with her diet."


    Harold looked up at him, a knowing smile touching his lips. He was certainly protective. Then again, with such a significant age gap, he must have put in a lot of effort to win her over. It was only natural he''d be on guard.


    "It''s really sweet," Juniper said, cing a slice of mango on Shanley''s te.


    Shanley stared at the piece of fruit, his brow furrowing deeply. He detested mangoes. He only ever prepared them for Juniper and never touched them himself.


    "Mr. Schwartz, you don''t like mangoes?" Harold asked, noticing his hesitation.


    "What?" Juniper, who was happily eating, turned to look at him.


    "Of course I do," Shanley said, his expression instantly shifting. He gracefully picked


    up his fork, ate the mango, and even added, "You''re right, it''s very sweet."


    Seeing how much he seemed to enjoy it, and remembering he hadn''t eaten much of the main course, Juniper kindly pushed the entire tter of mangoes in front of him. "Here, the rest is for you."


    Shanley continued to chew, forcing himself to swallow against the growing nausea


    in his stomach. He didn''t even dare to breathe too deeply.


    "Is that enough?" Harold asked, a smirk ying on his lips. "If not, there''s more in the kitchen."


    For the past few days, he had been putting up with his grandmaster''s temper and her older boyfriend''s


    passive aggressive remarks. He


    wouldn''t dare cross Juniper, but he wasn''t going to pass up a chance to get back at her boyfriend.


    "That''s plenty," Shanley ground out, his eyes shooting daggers at Harold as he stuffed another piece of mango into his mouth.


    Minutester, holding his breath, Shanley finished the entire tter. He forced a smile and stood up. "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom. You two carry on."


    "Okay," Juniper nodded, already engrossed in a game on her phone. "Grandmaster..." Harold seized the opportunity. "Is Mr. Schwartz really your boyfriend?"


    Juniper shot him a look but didn''t answer.


    "I see," Harold said with a wry smile. Given his grandmaster''s fiery temper, she would have blown up if she disliked the person or the topic. Her silence was an answer in itself.


    "If you don''t mind me asking, what do you see in him?" Harold asked, his gaze fixed on her, genuinely puzzled. She was about the same age as his younger sister, an age for innocence and romance. His sister was only interested in young, attractive guys and referred to anyone nearly a decade older as a "middle-aged uncle." If he were Juniper''s brother, he''d think the age gap was a bit much. Did her family approve?


    "He''s quiet," Juniper replied coolly, her fingers never stopping their dance across the


    screen.

 Chapter 384

    Quiet? Harold was taken aback, a sense of resignation washing over him. She was clearly telling him to shut up.


    The atmosphere grew awkward. When Shanley didn''t return after a while, Harold got up to check on him. As he rounded the corner to the restroom, he found Shanley leaning against the wall, his face flushed and looking decidedly unwell.


    "You''re allergic to mangoes?" Harold realized instantly. He pushed open the door to an adjacent room and quickly returned with a bottle of anti-allergy medication. "Take this."


    Shanley eyed the bottle warily and didn''t take it.


    "Rx," Harold said, leaning against the wall with azy air. "Juniper treasures you. If anything happened to you, do you think she''d let me off the hook?"


    Treasures him? The words seemed to do the trick. Shanley took the pill and swallowed it. The medicine worked fast, and within five minutes, the allergic reaction subsided.


    "If you''re allergic, why would you eat so many?" Harold asked, perplexed.


    "Juniper gave them to me," Shanley said with a slight smile. The mere mention of her name brought a look of doting affection to his stern face. "I usually carry my medication, but I forgot it today."


    "Here," Harold tossed the bottle to Shanley. "Keep it. You might need it again soon." The implication was clear: he nned to serve mangoes again.


    "Don''t think you can win Juniper over just by catering to her tastes," Shanley said, his voice serious as he toyed with the bottle. "Dr. Houston, she''s not someone you should be coveting."


    "Mr. Schwartz, I think you''ve misunderstood," Harold replied, shaking his head wearily. "I honestly just feel that she''s familiar, as if we''ve met somewhere before. Beyond that, she reminds me of my younger sister."


    "Is that so?" Shanley wasn''t buying it. He had started out wanting to be her brother, too, and look where that had led. He knew that game all too well.


    "Of course," Harold nodded. After a brief pause, he added, "And besides, I''m married."


    "What?" Shanley''s eyes snapped open, his gaze locking onto Harold.


    "And I ampletely devoted to my wife," Harold stated with conviction. "Furthermore..."


    Shanley remained silent, waiting.


    "I''m not interested in younger women," Harold said, raising an eyebrow with a hint of mockery. "Especially not one who''s a decade younger. I couldn''t bring myself to do


    it."


    Shanley''s face stiffened, a flicker of anger in his eyes. He had to hand it to him, the man was sharp-tongued. He''d only ever considered Juniper his equal in that department. Now, it seemed he''d met his match. He made a mental note toin to Juniperter; Harold wouldn''t get off easy.


    After a moment, Shanley recovered, a slow, deliberate smile spreading across his face. "Dr. Houston, instead of worrying about others, perhaps you should focus on your own... disharmonious marital life."


    Harold''s smile vanished. The jab hit its mark, leaving him speechless.


    Shanley''s eyebrow arched in


    triumph. So, he''d guessed right.


    Harold''s file didn''t mention his wife''s


    identity but the look on his face


    when he''d said the word "wife was one of utter misery. An unhappy marriage was the only logical exnation.


    "What are you two talking about?" Juniper appeared just as the tension between them reached its peak. They were ring at each other, ready to trade blows.


    "Nothing," Shanley said, immediately breaking eye contact with Harold. He walked over to Juniper and took her hand. "Your new prot¨¦g¨¦ is having some marital problems. I was just offering him somefort."


    Harold clenched his fists, fighting the urge to punch him. If it weren''t for his grandmaster, he would have. He regretted giving him the allergy medication the should have given him something to make him mute.

 Chapter 385

    Back at Cloudscape Community, Juniper''s body ached after hours of standing in theb.


    "A nice foot soak will help with the fatigue," Dana said, looking at Juniper''s slightly swollen legs with concern. "I''ll get some water for you."


    When the basin of warm water was ready, Dana knelt down to help, but Juniper quickly pulled her feet back.


    "I''m not used to people touching me," Juniper said apologetically, letting out a yawn. "But thank you, Dana."


    "I''ll take it from here," Shanley said, taking off his suit jacket and rolling up the sleeves of his white shirt. "Could you please make some lemon water? Juniper had a rather rich dinner tonight."


    Juniper nced at him and quietly extended her feet from under the covers again.


    "Of course, sir," Dana replied, her face beaming as she watched the couple. They were growing closer every day. Dating this year, engaged next year, a baby the year after... Hannah''s chances of bing a great grandmother within three years were looking very high. She had to report this progress to Hannah and share the good news.


    Once the door was closed, Shanley knelt by the bed, his eyes on the girl hugging a pillow. Themplight cast a warm glow on him, entuating his tall frame.


    "The water temperature is perfect," he said.


    "Okay," Juniper replied, a little mesmerized by the sight. She obediently ced her feet into the basin.


    "Shall I give you a massage?" he asked. Although they shared a bed, the most they had ever done was hold hands. He wasn''t sure if she would befortable with him touching her feet.


    As he hesitated, the girl flopped back onto the bed, covering her head with the pillow. "Go ahead," her muffled voice came from underneath.


    She was shy. Shanley smiled and began to gently massage her feet. At first, Juniper felt a bit awkward, but his touch was so soothing that she soon drifted off to sleep.


    Just then, his phone rang. Shanley carefully tucked the nket around her and walked out to the balcony to answer.


    "Shanley, we heard back from Cybeic Shadows," Jimmie''s voice came through the line. "We have a lead on my middle brother."


    "The middle brother?" Shanley''s focus shifted from the sleeping girl curled up on the bed. His gaze softened with affection.


    "Yes," Jimmie said, his voice low and amused. "If remember correctly, the three of us are triplets. I''m the oldest, and we used to get the other two mixed up but then Melvin remembered that one of them had a heart injury."


    He continued, "The one with the heart injury is the middle brother."


    Melvin had always wanted to be the oldest, but since he''d lost that title to Jimmie, he''d set his sights on being the second. He was convinced he was the middle one Anything but the youngest.


    "Melvin''s ecstatic right now, more motivated than anyone to find him," Jimmie mused. "I don''t have the heart to burst his bubble just yet."


    "My dear brother-inw is going to be crushed, isn''t he?" Shanley chuckled, his voice deep and maic.


    "Of course he will-" Jimmie started, then cut himself off, his tone bing serious again. "Who''s ¨¨ your brother inw? You''re not even officially her boyfriend yet, and you''re already getting ahead of yourself."


    "Soon," Shanley replied, counting down the days. Juniper''s exams were just over twenty days away. Once they were over, he nned to move their rtionship forward.


    "About my middle brother," Jimmie said, getting back to the point. "We started with what we knew about Melvin and found that they were both swept away by the river together."

 Chapter 386

    "One was rescued upstream, the other was washed further downstream."


    Melvin was the one found upstream. The other was in Australis.


    "We''ve also checked the records for all the rivers in Australis from that time. There were no reported drowning deaths in the two weeks following the incident."


    That meant their second brother was very likely alive and had been rescued by someone in Australis.


    "Shanley, can Cybeic Shadows operate in Australis?" Jimmie asked quietly. "I''ve already got Binary Oracle on it, but if both ourworks are searching, we''ll have a better chance of finding him."


    "It''s tricky," Shanley said, a dangerous glint in his eyes.


    Australis was Binary Oracle''s territory. Years ago, his Sigma Network had shed with them. He''d only bombed one of their bases, destroyed ab, and burned down a vegetable garden, but the leader of Binary Oracle had gonepletely insane. She targeted anyone and anything rted to Sigma Network with a vengeance.


    Justst year, one of his ships had barely crossed into Australis''s waters when the leader of Binary Oracle personally ordered a dozen ships to open fire. His vessel was blown to smithereens.


    "However..." Shanley paused. "Their leader has been missing for over a year. Rumor has it she might be dead."


    She was ruthless and arrogant; it wouldn''t be surprising if one of her many enemies had finally taken her out. Good riddance. It might be time for Sigma Network to expand into the Australis market.


    "Let''s give it a try," Shanley agreed, his voice low. "It''s been three years. I''m curious to see if Binary Oracle has improved at all."


    ...


    Meanwhile, Juniper woke up to a flurry of messages on her phone. One from Jimmie said they had a lead on her second brother in Australis. As she scrolled down, her eyes fell on a message in her private group chat, and her expression turned icy.


    Binary Oracle: [Boss, Sigma Network is trying to breach our border defense system.]


    Still groggy, Juniper sat up and typed a reply: [Those fucking idiots.]


    She should have aimed her cannons directly at the Sigma Network leader''s headquarters. No, directly at his head.


    Binary Oracle: [Boss, I think it''s your arch-nemesis himself this time.]


    She had to admit, for an old relic, he had skills. Her underlings were no match for him.


    Juniper: [Patch me in.]


    A link appeared on her screen.


    Juniper started countering the attack from her phone, but it was clumsy. The old bastard had gotten better Deciding she needed a proper setup, she got out of bed and headed for Shanley''s study.


    "Juniper?" Shanley instinctively half-closed hisptop when she walked in,


    remembering her disdain for Cybeic Shadows.


    "I need aputer," she said, trying to sound casual. She sat cross-legged on the sofa and grabbed a nearbyptop. "I''m just going to y a game. You keep working."


    "Alright," Shanley replied softly, his attention returning to his screen.


    But within moments, he noticed


    ¨¦t


    something was wrong. The opponent''s defense had suddenly be imprable, blocking his every move. It had to be that psycho leader from Binary Oracle. So she was still alive. What a


    disappointment.


    Furious keystrokes echoed from his desk. He wanted to curse, but a nce at Juniper, who seemed intensely focused on her game, made him swallow his frustration and redouble his efforts.


    From a distance of fifteen feet, the two legendary hackers were locked in a fierce battle. He advanced, she parried. He retreated, she pursued. Neither could gain the upper hand.

 Chapter 387

    The study filled with the frantic tter of keyboards as Shanley and Juniper typed furiously.


    At one point, Juniper nced up at Shanley. He was fast, she had to give him that. He had the makings of a top-tier hacker for Binary Oracle.


    Shanley, in turn, stole a look at her. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, a blur of motion. She was a natural. With a little training, she could easily take the top spot at Cybeic Shadows.


    Ten minutester, both their systems crashed, heavily infiltrated by the other. It was a draw.


    "That psycho", Shanley thought, stopping his work.


    "That old relic", Juniper fumed, closing her game.


    They stood up at the same time.


    "Finished with work?" Juniper asked.


    "Done with your game?" Shanley countered.


    "Yeah."


    "Mm-hmm."


    They looked at each other, neither suspecting a thing, and walked downstairs together, shoulder to shoulder. All that fighting had made them hungry.


    Soon after, news came from Binary Oracle confirming that Juniper''s second brother was indeed in Australis and still alive. Jimmie called again.


    "I know," Shanley said into the phone, his expression grim. "Right. Offer Binary Oracle more money to put in extra effort. I tried getting into their system myself and failed."


    That psycho''s skills had improved dramatically; even he couldn''t breach her defenses now, which meant his own team members stood no chance. Without getting past Australis''s firewall, they couldn''t ess the detailed records they needed.


    "I seem to recall the annual Hacker Competition ising up soon," Jimmie said, failing to suppress augh. "You know what they say, man shouldn''t trip over the same stone... four times, right? If you lose again, it won''t just be Cybeic Shadows'' reputation on the line. You might lose your girl too."


    "I''mpeting myself this year," Shanley dered, his face a mask of cold resolve.


    He gritted his teeth, his voice a low growl.


    For the past threepetitions, he''d been preupied with fighting that old relic from Binary Oracle over overseas markets and financial


    dominance, leaving the tourname


    to his subordinates But this year to win Juniper over, he would enter the ring himself. He still couldn''t figure out what her problem was with Cybeic Shadows. Why did she hate them so much? The uncertainty hung over his head like a sword.


    "The leader of Binary Oracle is a tough nut to crack. I look forward to hearing good news," Jimmie said with a grin. "By the way, I heard Juniper is teaching the vice


    president of the Orient Country Medical Association?"


    His sister, a high school student,


    teaching a medical vice president? It sounded absurd. But then he remembered she was a top student, a race car driver, a jewelry designer, a dance prodigy... being skilled in medicine didn''t seem so far fetched. As siblings, why was there such huge difference in their abilities? It was like the girl was powered by magic.


    "Yes," Shanley replied, his face darkening at the mention of the man. "And his intentions are not pure. He''s trying to make a move on Juniper."


    "I thought the association''s president was an old friend of your grandfather''s. The person he rmended shouldn''t be like that....." Jimmie frowned, his interest in Harold piqued.


    "He knows Juniper likestro and mangoes, and ims he likes them too," Shanley said, his voice low and tight, each word forced out. "Besides Juniper, I''ve never met anyone who eatstro like it''s a main course."

 Chapter 388

    It was clearly a calcted attempt to win her over.


    "Cntro?" Jimmie, who had been enjoying the gossip, suddenly went still. If he remembered correctly, Juniper''s second brother absolutely lovedtro and mangoes. They used to fight overtro all the time when they were kids, arguments that the second brother always lost because his crying was never as loud as Juniper''s.


    "Also..." Shanley paused, then added, "He''s a year older than me."


    Jimmie''s face was nk. Who asked about his age?


    "Shanley, didn''t you run a background check on Harold?"


    "I did," Shanley said, sensing the change in Jimmie''s tone. "Harold mentioned that Juniper seemed familiar to him. Given the previous mistaken-brother incidents..." He''d nearly alienated everyone, so he was being extra cautious this time.


    "I looked into it thoroughly. Harold is from Australis, but his records from birth to the present arepletely intact. He has parents, a sister, and a wife. There''s no way he was adopted or joined the familyter."


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t dare give Harold such an attitude.


    "Alright," Jimmie said. He trusted Shanley''s work; he never missed a detail. Perhaps their second brother was still somewhere else in Australis.


    ...


    At that same moment, in ab on the outskirts of Era City, Harold sneezed. Finishing his work, he went to the break room, removed his whiteb coat, and unbuttoned his shirt. A prominent scar was visible on the left side of his chest, near his heart. He touched it, trying to recall how he got it, but his mind drew a nk.


    "Dr. Houston," his assistant said, knocking before entering. "Your medical report is here."


    Harold took it and immediately


    turned to the sections on his brain and heart. His heart was fine. However, there was a small shadow in the left hemisphere of his brain. It had been there for over a decade, supposedly from a fall he took as a child. It was the likely cause of his amnesia. He had considered having it removed, but the location was incredibly delicate, requiring absolute precision. The slightest mistake could leave him paralyzed. Since it didn''t affect his daily life, he had abandoned the idea.


    He had, however, heard of a legendary physician known as "Nocturne," who could work miracles with acupuncture, even saving


    stroke patients. Unfortunatelyel.ne


    despite his discreet inquiries over the years, he had found no leads on Nocturne''s whereabouts


    "There''s one more thing..." the assistant hesitated.


    "What is it?"


    "Your father wants you to return home immediately," the assistant said carefully. "He said if you don''t give him a grandchild this year, he''s going to demolish yourb."


    "Then let him Harold said, his


    expression hardening. His voice was low andced with a strange


    emotion. "I told him from the


    . I married the woman he


    begin studied the medicine


    chose for nge. I


    he forced upon me. What do from now on is none of his business."


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. His father was like a cold- blooded animal, treating him with indifference his whole life. He felt less like a son and more like a pawn. He sometimes wondered if he was even his real son.


    As the thought crossed his mind, Harold froze. It was a terrifying idea, but... he didn''t really look much like his father.

 Chapter 389

    Harold looked at his assistant, his expression grave. "I need you to do something for me."


    "What is it?" the assistant asked, his eyes wide with confusion.


    "Go back to Australis and get a strand of my father''s hair."


    Harold traced the scar on his chest, thinking back over the years. His father would often stare at him in a daze, as if looking through him at someone else. His mother''s eyes always held a deep sadness. And then there was his wife, Lorelei...


    The thought of her made his mind falter, aplex emotion shing in his eyes before disappearing.


    "Get his hair?" The request seemed bizarre, but the assistant nodded. He''d long thought that Harold and his father, Faulkner Houston, looked nothing alike. Oh no. Could Dr. Houston be the product of his mother''s affair? That would exin Faulkner''s terrible attitude towards him.


    ...


    Two dayster, the assistant rushed back to Era City with a hair plucked from Faulkner''s head.


    "How is everyone at home?" Harold asked calmly as he ced both hair samples into the analysis machine. "Is my mother''s health alright?"


    "Your parents are both fine," the assistant replied respectfully. He nced at Harold''s stoic face and added, "And your wife is doing well, too."


    Harold looked up sharply. "Who asked about her?"


    The assistant fell silent. Weren''t they talking about family? As his wife, wasn''t she family? He knew their marriage was forced and loveless, destined to end in divorce. That''s why he had been hopeful when Dr. Houston seemed interested in Ms. Payne. But it seemed he was just a little toote.


    "Dr. Houston," the assistant said, changing the subject, "what will you do if it turns out you and Faulkner aren''t rted?"


    "We''ll see when the resultse in," Harold replied, his gaze distant as he looked out the window. Regardless of the oue, his mother had always been kind to him, providing him with a good life and a fine education. He just wanted to know the whole truth.


    "One more thing," Harold added after a moment. "Run a detailed background check on Juniper."


    The more time he spent with her, the stronger the feeling of familiarity became.


    ...


    With less than two weeks until the exams, every student was cramming, memorizing textbooks even while they ate.


    Recently, J had started joining Juniper for lunch, using the time to ask questions about topics she didn''t understand. Juniper agreed. While everyone else was studying frantically, she didn''t need to While they were memorizing, she had nothing to do. Even Qadir was too Busy studying to hang out with her. So, she weed J''spany. It was a good way to pass the time; otherwise, she''d just sleep, and her neck was getting sore.


    "Wow," J eximed, looking at Juniper, who was casually sketcking while sucking on a lollipop. "Juniper, your way of solving problems is so unique!" She understood the Concepts in just a few moments


    "What was your score on thest physics quiz?" Juniper asked.


    "Ny-one," J replied with a bright smile, holding up ten fingers. "I improved by ten points!"


    Her teacher had said she''d be lucky to maintain an eighty. After Juniper''s tutoring, she felt she could do even better.


    "I''m going to get a perfect score too," J dered, pumping her little fist. "And if I don''t, I''ll just dere it again!"


    Juniper chuckled, amused by her spirit.


    "You''re smiling, Juniper," J said, tugging on her arm. "You look so pretty when you smile. You should do it more often."

 Chapter 390

    Juniper stiffened slightly at her words.


    Smile? It was true. In the years her grandfather had been ill, she had almost forgotten how. But she was lucky. She had found the best family and friends. "Alright," Juniper said, gently pinching J''s cheek. "Come on, let''s head back." "Okay!" J nodded eagerly, packing her books and clutching the milkshake Juniper had bought for her as she trotted to keep up. On the way, she gave an update on her mother, who was recovering remarkably well thanks to Juniper''s medicine and the constant care arranged by Shanley. She might even be well enough to see them off on exam day.


    Juniper listened calmly, a sense of peace settling over her. She was d she had been able to save Saskia, that another tragedy had been averted.


    As they pushed open the door to the restaurant, they ran straight into Yelena and Ynda, who were about to enter.


    At the sight of Juniper, Ynda''s expression soured, and Yelena froze in ce.


    The recent online "nder incident" had ended with Mr. Tate filingwsuits. Many of the people who had spread rumors about him and Juniper received letters from hiswyers, forcing them to pay fines and issue public apologies.


    Yelena had been living in fear, terrified that Jimmie would trace the rumors back to her. But as time passed and nothing happened, she had begun to rx.


    Juniper stood her ground, one hand in her pocket, her cold gaze fixed on the two girls. Yelena and Ynda didn''t want to back down, but under Juniper''s murderous re, they felt a wave of panic and instinctively stepped aside.


    "Let''s go," Juniper said, patting J''s head. "Come over for dinner tonight. Dana''s making fish."


    "Yelena..." Ynda whispered, watching them leave with a look of disdain. "I bet Mr. Tate found out it was you, but he doesn''t dare do anything about it."


    "What do you mean?" Yelena asked, her eyes still on Juniper''s retreating back.


    "You''re a Wilcox," Ynda said pointedly. "The Wilcox family is a big deal in Era City, with connections in business and polities Jimmie might be famous, but he''s just an actor Do you really think he''d risk a direct confrontation with you?"


    "You''re right," Yelena said, her confidence restored. "If he tried anything, we could ruin him."


    The only problem was that Juniper knew the truth about her being an illegitimate child. She was a threat that needed to be eliminated, but Yelena bad to find the right opportunity, one that wouldn''t lead back to her.


    "How annoying," J muttered, huddling closer to Juniper. "Let''s go this way."


    Just then, a ck Bentley pulled up


    and stopped in front of them. The


    door opened and a man in his twenties with a tall, weft built frame and handsome features stepped out


    J''s face paled the moment she saw him.


    "What''s wrong?" Juniper asked, looking at her. "Do you know him?"


    "That''s Yelena''s older brother," J whispered. "Trent Wilcox."


    As soon as Yelena saw Trent, she obediently walked to his side. "Bro," Yelena said, immediately bing docile. She had always been afraid of him.


    Ynda had heard Yelena had an older brother, the heir to the Wilcox family, but she had never seen him before. She hadn''t expected him to be so attractive.


    "Mm," Trent grunted in acknowledgment, his gaze drifting past his sister andnding on Juniper.


    Juniper met his stare. A Wilcox, huh? What was he looking at?

 Chapter 391

    Trent stood impably dressed in his suit, his eyes narrowed with interest as he stared at the girl before him. With her hands in her pockets and a lollipop in her mouth, her features were stunningly beautiful, and she possessed an almost otherworldly grace.


    It was her. If he remembered correctly, her name was Juniper Payne. She was the notorious adopted daughter of the Sherwin family, one of Era City''s elite, who waster sent to live with the Payne family. She was also the long-lost sister of the acimed actor Jimmie Tate.


    He had been abroad for the past two years and had only returned yesterday, so he''d only done a quick catch-up. This Ms. Payne was no ordinary person; she had been responsible for quite a few earth-shattering events recently. The only thing was, she was too cold. She carried herself as if wrapped in a thickyer of ice, studded with sharp thorns that kept everyone at a distance.


    "Hello, Trent." Seeing Trent fixated on Juniper, Ynda stepped forward, her jealousy masked by a radiant smile. "I''m a friend of Yelena''s. My name is¡ª"


    The Wilcox family''s status was far above the Lonsdale family''s. If she could get in with the Wilcoxes, she could easily kick Jerrold Lonsdale to the curb. But before Ynda could finish her affected introduction, Trent turned his head away.


    "It''s been a while. Forgotten how to greet people?" he asked, his question directed at J.


    "Mr. Wilcox," J said, lifting her head slightly. Her face was a little pale, her tone distant. "Mm," Trent grunted, an eyebrow twitching. His gaze then shifted to the indifferent Juniper, and he took the initiative to greet her. "Hello, I''m J''s cousin." What? Hearing Trent''s introduction, Yelena''s eyes widened. Cousin? How could that mistress''s daughter, J, possibly be worthy of being called his family?


    Yelena wanted to object, but she didn''t dare act out in front of Trent. He was the future heir of the Wilcox family, after all. Her mother had warned her since childhood that Trent didn''t particrly like them. She was supposed to do everything she could to win his favor, which would help her secure a portion of the Wilcox family fortune. Juniperzily lifted her eyelids, ncing at the hand extended toward her. She kept her hands in her pockets, showing no intention of acknowledging him.


    "Let''s go," she said, striding right past Trent without a second nce.


    "Oh? Okay," J blinked and hurried to catch up.


    Trent''s hand was left hanging awkwardly in mid-air. He looked a little embarrassed as he watched them walk away without looking back.


    How interesting.


    "Bro¡ª" Yelena licked her lips, seizing the opportunity toin. "With Juniper backing her up, J doesn''t even spare us a nce anymore."


    Trent withdrew his gaze. When h? looked at Yelena, his eyes were filled with nothing but coldness, and his


    voice was terrifyingly icy. "Behave yourself from


    now on. Don''t looking for trouble with J."


    "What?"


    Yelena didn''t


    ''t understand. In recent


    years, it seemed her brother''s opinion of J had changed considerably. He even initiated.


    conversation with her sometim!.!


    Had he lost his mind? J''s father had been kicked out of the Wilcox family twenty years ago. J had absolutely no connection to them. She was his real sister by blood, even if they had different mothers.


    "Don''t you understand me?" Trent''s gaze hardened, his tone sharp. "If you ever dare


    to bother J again, don''t me me for being harsh."


    "Yes," Yelena bit her lip, not daring to argue.


    After the scolding, Trent ignored the baffled Yelena and walked toward the restaurant.


    "Yelena..." Ynda stepped forward, gently taking her hand as she stared at Trent''s


    retreating back. "You''re clearly his sister. Why is he....."


    "Who knows," Yelena said, growing


    even angrier. She shot a vicious


    re at J''s back. "As


    long as


    here she can forget about evers returning to the Wilcox family."

 Chapter 392

    If J returned to the Wilcox family, wouldn''t Yelena have to give up her position as the eldest daughter?


    Absolutely not!


    ...


    Inside the car, Juniper turned to J. "Are you and Trent close?" she asked casually.


    "Huh?" J put down her schoolbag, her brow furrowed. "We were strangers before, we never really interacted. But in thest few years, he''s started meeting with me asionally, sometimes offering money..."


    "But we never took it," J added quickly, muttering, "I don''t want to get involved with the Wilcox family."


    She couldn''t even figure out Trent''s intentions. Didn''t the entire Wilcox family look down on her and her mother? The man was being inexplicably strange.


    "Good," Juniper said with a satisfied smirk, raising an eyebrow. "He doesn''t look like a good guy."


    "Okay," J nodded obediently. Whatever Juniper said was right.


    Meanwhile, Harold''s DNAparison results with his parents were in.


    "Well?" Harold asked, sitting on the sofa and staring grimly at his assistant.


    "Dr. Houston, you were right," the assistant said, holding the report with a troubled expression. "You and Mr. Faulkner Houston have no biological rtionship."


    Harold felt his body tense, his breathing bing shallow. Even though he had prepared himself for this, the confirmation still left him feeling lost.


    "Also¡ª" the assistant paused for a few seconds before continuing, "you have no biological rtionship with Mrs. Houston either."


    For a moment, the assistant didn''t


    know whether to be relieved or sympathetic. The good news was that Mrs. Houston hadn''t been unfaithful. The sympathy was for Dr. Houston, who, it turned out, wasn''t their biological son.


    Harold took the two reports andpared them over and over. The results were irrefutable. So, he really wasn''t his parents'' biological son But from what he could remember, his parents had never adopted a child and his personal records from birth to the present wereplete. Surely he hadn''t been kidnapped, right?


    And then there was the mysterious amnesia he suffered before the age of thirteen.


    Too many questions weighed on his mind, making it hard to breathe.


    "As for the information on Ms. Payne you asked me to find..." The


    assistant pulled a file from the folder and ced it in front of Harold.. "There''s very little. We only know she was an orphan and recently found her brother."


    With that, the assistant ced photos of Juniper and Jimmie on the table.


    Harold looked down, studying their faces. They looked very much alike, clearly biological siblings.


    So, when had he met Juniper? He must have interacted with her extensively at some point; otherwise, his heart wouldn''t race every time he saw her.


    "Book me a flight," Harold said, putting down the photos. His head was pounding. "I''m going back to Australis to figure this out."


    ...


    At that moment, at Era Media, Jimmie had just finished a shoot when he received a call from Shanley.


    "You need to prepare yourself for this," Shanley said, his voice low and heavy.


    "Go on," Jimmie said, clutching his phone, trying to remain calm. "Is there news about my brother?"


    "Yes," Shanley replied, his voice slightly hoarse. "Fifteen years ago, a hospital did treat a boy who had washed ashore. But he didn''t make it through the first twenty- four hours. He passed away."


    "What?" Jimmie froze, his mind goingpletely nk.

 Chapter 393

    "Does Juniper know that?" Jimmie asked after a long silence, his voice strained and


    raw.


    "I haven''t told her yet," Shanley said, his face pale, concerned about the girl''s emotional state. "The people at Cybeic Shadows are still investigating to get a final confirmation. I just wanted to give you a heads-up so you could prepare." "Okay," Jimmie replied in a muffled tone. "Don''t tell Juniper for now. It''ll affect her exams."


    The girl usually acted so cool and detached, as if nothing mattered to her. But after spending time with her, he realized she was quite fragile underneath, especially when it came to family.


    "I know."


    After hanging up, Shanley immediately called Cybeic Shadows. "Keep digging. I want a definitive answer."


    "Mr. Schwartz, Binary Oracle..." his subordinate said, hesitating. To put it simply, Cybeic Shadows was Binary Oracle''s number one target. Any move they made was instantly countered. The news of the "death" had been extremely hard to uncover. They had tried to break through Binary Oracle''s satellite blockade and had lost several firewalls in the process. Dammit. Each firewall cost at least a million. In just fifteen minutesst night, they had found a sliver of information but had lost over a hundred million in the process.


    "Keep digging, regardless of the cost," Shanley ordered, his fingers tightening. His voice was as cold as ice from a deep valley, chilling to the bone. "If Binary Oracle keeps acting so brazenly, send people to bomb all their eastern bases."


    His subordinate didn''t dare say another word, his heart pounding in his chest. Bomb their bases? That was like taking a dump on the head of that maniac who ran Binary Oracle. The two titans of cyberspace, if they went to war...


    The thought was terrifying.


    ...


    In her bedroom, Juniper had just finished her shower when her phone rang. It was her subordinate of Binary Oracle.


    "Hello?" she answered, not bothering to change into her pajamas as she tossed her hair towel aside.


    "Boss," her subordinate on the other end sounded dejected. "There are two things I need to report."


    "Go on," Juniper said, standing by the window. She felt a tightening in her chest, a vague sense of unease.


    "First, Cybeic Shadows went nuts for some reason. They suddenly started attacking our firewalls in the middle ofst night."


    Just hearing the name Cybeic Shadows soured Juniper''s


    Just wait, she thought het n all down sooner oret


    "Did they break through?" she asked calmly.


    "No," her subordinate said, startled by his boss''sposure. "We were jolted from a dead sleep and fought back like our lives depended on it, We ended up breaking several of their firewalls, costing them over a hundred million."


    Cybeic Shadows was probably hiding somewhere, cursing their luck. Heh. That made him happy.


    "What''s the other thing?" Juniper asked, annoyed by his rambling.


    "We have a lead on the person you asked us to look into."


    Juniper''s hand, which was reaching for a ss of water, tightened. "Spit it out."


    "Based on the specific time you gave us, we used multiple channels and confirmed that a boy was washed ashore in Australis from the sea."


    "And?"


    "But....." Here, the subordinate''s tone became cautious. "He passed away the same day he was rescued."


    "Crash"


    Juniper''s heart jolted, and the ss


    in her hand slipped, falling to the floor and shattering loudly. The sound startled the subordinate "Boss Are you alright?" he asked anxiously.

 Chapter 394

    "Are you certain?" Juniper''s voice was barely a whisper, as if shrouded in mist.


    "It''s confirmed for now," the subordinate reported. "Because he was a homeless orphan with no one to im him, a well-known local charity arranged a proper funeral for him."


    "Get me a definitive answer." Juniper leaned on the desk, feeling a cold sweat break out on her back.


    After giving her orders, she hung up and bent down to pick up the broken ss, but the door suddenly swung open.


    "What happened?"


    Shanley, dressed in loungewear, rushed over and grabbed her hand.


    "Don''t touch that," he said anxiously.


    Juniper was still in a daze, her mind reeling from the news that her brother might be dead. Shanley helped her to the bed, then carefully picked up the ss shards with a tissue and threw them in the trash.


    "Are you hurt anywhere?" he asked, returning to her side and examining her hands carefully.


    Juniper looked up, her gaze falling on Shanley''s concerned face. A few secondster, she reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his chest, her spirits at an all-time low.


    "Juniper..." The sudden closeness flustered Shanley, and the words caught in his throat. He stiffly returned her embrace, patting her shoulder, careful not to hold her too tightly.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked gently, wondering if she had somehow found out the truth. But he had just spoken to Jimmie; it was unlikely she knew.


    "Nothing," Juniper shook her head, keeping her worries to herself. "What, am I not allowed to hug you?"


    Until it was absolutely confirmed, she didn''t want anyone else to share her grief.


    "You are," Shanley''s lips curved into a smile, and he breathed a sigh of relief. His voice was a bit stiff. "You can bug me for as long as you want but your hair is still wet. You catch a cold. Also..."


    Shanley''s gaze drifted down to her slightly open robe. The neckline was parted, revealing her long, elegant neck, and further down...


    Ahem. Shanley felt a flush of heat and quickly averted his eyes, his voice raspy. "How about you change first, I''ll dry your hair, and then we can hug?"


    "Oh," Juniper replied absently. She stood up and took her pajamas from the bed, heading into the bathroom.


    After she left, Shanley sat on the bed, his breathing ragged and his heart pounding erratically. He chuckled to himself. The girl hadn''t done anything, yet here he was, flushed and breathless. He stood up, adjusting his pajama pants to make them a bit looser and conceal his body''s unruly reaction.


    Soon, Juniper came out and


    in


    obediently handed him the hairdryer. Shanley smiled gently and carefully began to dry her hair. During the process, Juniper leaned against him agam,zy and content like a little dolphin. They were so close, and with the heat from the hairdryer, Shanley felt his entire body temperature rising steadily.


    "Juniper." Once her hair was dry, Shanley put the hairdryer down and gently pushed


    her away. His voice was incredibly hoarse. "You sit here for a bit. I need to step out."


    "Hmm?"


    Before Juniper could react, Shanley strode out of the room.


    "Mr. Schwartz, are you going to take a shower?"


    Dana''s voice chimed in at the perfect moment.


    A shower? Juniper leaned against the headboard, a look of innocent confusion on


    her face. Didn''t he just take one?

 Chapter 395

    Juniper grabbed Shanley''s pillow and hugged it tightly. Before long, she drifted off to sleep.


    When Shanley returned from his shower, he found Juniper lying in bed, her brow furrowed, sleeping restlessly. What was wrong with her? She had seemed perfectly fine when she got back this afternoon.


    Shanley gently tucked her in, then took out his phone and opened a WhatsApp chat with Qadir. [Hi Qadir, has anything happened with Juniper at school recently?]


    Receiving a message from Shanley, Qadir shot upright, clutching his phone as he carefully typed his reply: [Mr. Schwartz, nothing''s wrong with Juniper. She just, you know, lectures the teachers a bit, tutors some ssmates. When she''s hungry, she goes to the cafeteria, and when she''s sleepy, she naps in the ssroom...]


    Qadir reported every detail meticulously. Suddenly an idea urred to him. He added: [By the way, no boys dare to approach Juniper, so you can rest assured.] Shanley pinched the bridge of his nose as he read the long, rambling message. [How was her appetite this afternoon?]


    Qadir: [Juniper ate three tes of pasta, spicy chicken, pizza with minced meat, stir- fried greens...]


    Was he reading a menu? But it seemed Juniper''s appetite was fine.


    Shanley replied with a "Thanks," then leaned over the bed. He gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead, his heart heavy. Why was she so unhappy? It broke his heart to see her like this.


    Meanwhile, in Australis, Harold went straight to the old family estate afternding. The Houston family was a renowned medical dynasty in Australis, famous for their phnthropic work.


    "Good day, Mr. Houston," the servants said, their eyes widening in surprise when they saw him. "What brings you back?"


    "Why can''t I be back?" Harold shot a cool nce at the servants, his tone icy.


    "No..."


    The servants quickly lowered their head, stepping aside respectfully. It wasn''t that they were shocked, but the young master didn''t have a good rtionship with his family and rarely came home more than once a year. Besides, didn''t he have a very importantpetitioning up? Shouldn''t he be holed up in hisb right now?


    "Mr. Houston, your father isn''t in Australis," a servant whispered, following behind


    him. "Your mother and your wife are in the music room."


    Harold hesitated for a moment before continuing up the stairs. From around the corner, the melodious sound of a violin drifted a violin drifted through the air. It was a cheerful piece, but it sounded incredibly mncholic.


    "Knock, knock-"


    Harold paused for a second before knocking on the door.


    "Come in."


    It was Noemi''s voice. She had expected a servant, not her long-unseen son.


    "Harold?" Noemi stood up, her face lighting up with joy. "You''re back!"


    "Screech-"


    The woman ying the violin beside her flinched, her fingers slipping and producing


    a jarring note.


    "I need to talk to you about


    something, Harold said, his tone softening, He nced at Lorelei. She was wearing a pale, form-fitting dress her hair styled in an elegant updo held with a pin adorned with a pale green gem, which entuated her delicate features. It had been a while she seemed to have lost weight. Shouldn''t she be happier without him around?


    Lorelei stopped ying and looked up at Harold. For a moment, their eyes met.


    Both expressions were neutral; neither spoke first.


    "I have something I need to ask you," Harold said, breaking the silence as he looked away from Lorelei and toward Noemi.


    "Something to ask?" Noemi nced at Lorelei, then gave an awkward smile. "You two haven''t seen each other in half a year, have you? Why don''t you sit down and talk for a bit?"

 Chapter 396

    Harold just remained silent.


    "I''ll step out for a moment," Lorelei said, putting down her violin and heading for the door.


    As she passed Harold, he shifted slightly to the side to let her by. Lorelei''s


    expression flickered for a second before she regained herposure, closing the door behind her without a word.


    The room fell silent again.


    "What did you want to ask, Harold?" Noemi poured him a cup of coffee, her face beaming with a gentle smile.


    Harold took the cup and took a sip. "I recently met a doctor with superior medical skills. She might be able to help me recover my memories."


    At his words, Noemi''s hand trembled violently, and a sh of panic crossed her face.


    "So, I need my personal records from before I was thirteen," Harold said, setting down his cup and looking intently at his mother, who was trying to feignposure.


    "Records?" Noemi''s eyes darted around, her smile strained. "Didn''t I tell you, darling? When we moved, a lot of things went missing."


    "Is that so?" Harold gave a faint, bitter smile. How could personal records just disappear during a move? And why had all the photos of him before the age of thirteen been wiped from the family archives?


    "It''s true," Noemi insisted, trying to maintain her calm. She quickly changed the subject, fearing she would slip up. "By the way, aren''t you preparing for the medical association''s membership election? If you be a member, your father will be so happy."


    Happy? The word stung Harold. Growing up, his father had treated him like a tool to be molded. If he won a medical award, his father was pleased. If he made a mistake, he was met with a cold shoulder.


    By now, he was almost certain his mother knew the truth. Perhaps his life before thirteen belonged to someone else. Perhaps he had only joined the Houston family when he


    as thirteen. If he was adopted, then where was his parents'' real son? If not... then what was his connection to the Houston family?


    "I have things to attend to in Borealia. I''m just going to grab something from my room, and then I''ll be leaving." Harold had wanted press for answers, but with the election so close... Well, he had waited over a decade; a few more days wouldn''t make a difference.


    "Harold..." Noemi stood up abruptly, her heart pounding with fear. "No matter what happens, you must know that I truly love you."


    Perhaps she had sensed something. Harold was too smart. There was no wall that didn''t have a crack; some secrets were bound toe out eventually.


    "You should get some rest," Harold said, turning back with a slight smile. "We can talk about certain thingster."


    At the very least, he needed to find out what was really going on. If he wasn''t a Houston, did he have his own family and friends?


    As the thought crossed his mind, Juniper''s face surfaced once more. Was she his family? or friends Since he had his suspicions, he might as well use the process of elimination. A DNA test would settle it.  swhovels


    After packing his things, Harold paused and sent a message to his assistant: [I need


    you to do something for me.]


    The assistant: [Plucking another hair? Whose?]


    Harold: [My grandmaster''s!]


    The assistant: [Whose? That little terror? I get nervous just being near her. This is like trying to pull a tooth from a tiger! Wait, you don''t suspect...?]


    Harold: [Also, get me Jimmie Tate''s file.]

 Chapter 397

    Back in Borealia, Juniper checked on her ten pathetic little nts. On her way out, she passed Harold''sb and, on the principle of ''since I''m already here,'' decided to prepare for the next day''s lesson.


    "Ms. Payne..." Harold''s assistant said, trailing behind her and eyeing her cautiously.


    "Is there something else?" Juniper asked, putting on gloves to mix a solution. "I don''t need help here. You can go do your own thing."


    "Yes," the assistant replied meekly but didn''t leave. Instead, he mirrored her every move. When Juniper went left, he went left. When she went right, he went right. At one point, Juniper suddenly changed direction, and the assistant, unable to stop in time, mmed his face into a wall. His nose immediately started bleeding.


    Ouch. This hurt! He just couldn''t find an opportunity to get close.


    "Is something wrong with you?" Juniper stopped, handing him a tissue with a look of annoyance.


    "Nothing," the assistant mumbled, clutching his nose with a long face.


    Juniper pulled off her gloves and turned to leave. What a weirdo, she thought, just as neurotic as his boss. As she was walking, a document on a desk caught her eye. The words "DNA ANALYSIS" were particrly prominent.


    Curious, Juniper walked over and nced at it. Her eyes widened. She had seen something she shouldn''t have. Harold was not the biological son of the Houston family! If she remembered correctly, Harold''s father was a famous phnthropist in Australis. And hadn''t her brother been buried by a charity?


    With that thought, Juniper quickened her pace and dialed Binary Oracle. "Have you found the grave?"


    "We found it," her subordinate replied promptly. "Boss, I sent the photo to your WhatsApp."


    Juniper opened the image and frowned. The grave was in a scenic spot, nestled between a mountain and a body of water, and was exquisitely maintained. Flowers and nts grew all around it. More importantly, it was clear that someone visited the grave often.


    Who would visit an orphan''s grave? What kind of charity would go to such lengths?


    "Have you found out which charity it was?" Juniper''s expression grew serious.


    "Not yet," the subordinate said cautiously. "It seems like someone deliberately erased all the records. We only found out about the rescue and burial by interviewing residents near the coast."


    "Send all the files to my email," Juniper said, walking faster. "I''ll look into it myself." "Yes, Boss."


    Not daring to dy, the subordinate sent all the relevant data within half a minute.


    "Oh, and boss" the subordinate added, remembering something else. "Cybeic Shadows is still attacking our system. They''re up to Something in Australis don''t know if they''re trying to cause trouble ahead of the hackerpetition or what."


    "Fucking idiots!" Juniper was already in a bad mood, and hearing the name "Cybeic Shadows" only made it worse.


    "They have money to burn? Let them waste it," she said coldly. "Just don''t let any of them in."


    ...


    Back at Cloudscape Community, Juniper went straight to the study and opened theptop. Using the information from Binary Oracle, her fingers flew across the keyboard.


    Australis. Phnthropist. Fifteen years ago.


    As she processed the information,


    her typing speed increased. Lines of


    code scrolled rapidly across the


    screen as relevant data was slowly extracted fen minutester, a list of all charitable organizations and phnthropists in Australis appeared.


    Juniper stopped, resting her chin on her hand as she stared at the list.

 Chapter 398

    She went through the list, eliminating names one by one. Finally, her eyesnded on a very familiar one: Faulkner Houston. Harold''s father was the most renowned phnthropist in Australis.


    Seeing the name, Juniper couldn''t help but recall Harold''s reaction when he first met her. He had even said she looked familiar. So, it was highly likely that the person in that grave was either the Houston family''s biological son... or her brother.


    The quickest way to find out was a DNA test. Or she could just rip open Harold''s shirt and check for a scar near his heart.


    The thought that Harold could be her brother made Juniper''s expressionplicated. All this time, she''d been teasing him, calling him a fool, while he respectfully called her his grandmaster... only for him to turn out to be her brother. Just as she was lost in thought, the door opened and Shanley walked in.


    "Dana said you ran upstairs as soon as you got back."


    Her mood had been off for the past two days, and Shanley suspected she might have found out about her middle brother. He approached her cautiously. "What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing," Juniper leaned back, a faint smile ying on her lips. "Just working on something. What''s that in your hand?"


    "Egg tarts." Shanley opened the box, carefully observing her expression. She was smiling, her tone was light, and she seemed to be in a much better mood.


    "I want one." Juniper opened the box and took one, taking a bite. Mmm. Delicious! "Want some?" Juniper offered the half-eaten tart to Shanley. "Try it, it''s good." "Okay." Shanley let out a sigh of relief and took a small bite.


    "Come sit."


    Shanley''s study was simple, with only a bookshelf, a desk, and a single chair, which the girl was currently upying. Shanley paused. Where was he supposed to sit?


    Just as he was wondering, Juniper suddenly stood up and gestured to the chair. "You sit here."


    "No, you can have it," Shanley''s smile widened, not wanting her to stand.


    Juniper didn''t move. She just


    Intra


    chewed her egg tart and stared at him. Shanley hesitated fore mament, then obediently walked over and sat down. A few secondster, Juniper moved closer, turned, and gracefully sat down on hisp.


    "Juniper....." The sudden intimacy caught Shanley off guard, and his whole body tensed.


    "Shh." Juniper silenced him and happily continued eating her tart, asionally feeding him a bite.


    Afraid she might lose her bnce and fall, Shanley wrapped his arms gently around her waist, his voice raspy "You can''t sit !


    of your two brothee this in front


    you know?"


    "Hmm?" Juniper looked down, her beautiful face filled with confusion.


    "There will be consequences," Shanley said, taking a napkin to wipe a crumb from the corner of her mouth. He smiled helplessly. "I''d probably get a beatdown from both of them."


    "You could fight back," Juniper suggested.


    "I can''t," Shanley''s lips twitched. He leaned his handsome face closer to hers, his voice a low whisper. "I can''t afford to offend my future brothers-inw."


    Juniper stopped chewing and stared at Shanley. After a few seconds, she just said, "Oh and went back to eating. From the looks of it,


    probably wouldn''t be a beatdown from two of them. It would be three.

 Chapter 399

    Just ''oh''? Shanley''s eyes darkened, and he gazed at the girl with a profound look. Did "oh" mean she agreed with what he''d just said? He was going to marry her! And she would agree?


    Shanley wanted to ask, but he held back. He could wait. A few more days wouldn''t hurt. Right now, the most important thing was to find out the truth about her middle brother.


    Over the weekend, Harold flew back from Australis. The moment he walked into theb, he saw his assistant sitting on the sofa, his face bruised and swollen.


    "What happened to you?" Harold asked, ncing at him. "And how did it go with the task I gave you?"


    "Well-" The assistant looked utterly wronged and immediately stood up toin. "I couldn''t get close to Ms. Payne at all! Look what she did to me!"


    Harold took a closer look, his brow furrowed. "She hit you?"


    "Not exactly," the assistant mumbled. But Ms. Payne''s expression had already turned sour. If he had kept following her, he was sure he would have been beaten up.


    "I''ll handle this myself," Harold said, seeing his assistant''s sorry state. "You can take the next couple of days off."


    Anyway, his grandmaster wasing overter. He could get the hair sample himself.


    In the afternoon, Juniper arrived at theb with Shanley in tow, right on time.


    "It''s hot out. Have some fruit first."


    Ever since learning that Juniper loved mangoes, Harold had prepared a variety of mango-themed desserts, along with some watermelon to amodate a certain someone with a mango allergy.


    "Oh," Juniper nodded slightly, sitting on the sofa and giving him a rare pleasant look.


    "Mr. Schwartz, have some watermelon," Harold said, pushing the te forward and asking with a meaningful tone, "It seems the mangoesst time didn''t agree with you."


    The moment Shanley was about to take a piece of watermelon, he looked up, a sh of vignce in his deep eyes. What was this guy up to now?


    Juniper, who was eating mango, slowly lifted her head and looked at the man across from her. More urately she was staring at his chest she was dying to know what his chest looked like under that shirt. She couldn''t just publicly rip his clothes off, could she?


    Fet


    Noticing the girl''s gaze, Harold''s expression softened into a gentle smile. If she really was his family.. would she be a sister, a niece, or a cousin She likedtro and mangoes, just like him. He hoped she was his sister. He would be very proud to have such an exceptional sister.


    Seeing their interaction, Shanley''s thick brows furrowed. It was bad enough that Harold was secretly staring at Juniper with ill intentions, but why was she staring back at him?


    "Juniper," Shanley said with a slight smile, his tone casual. "Don''t eat too much of that. Too much will be bad for you."


    "Oh." Juniper tore her gaze away and took a sip of water. But a few secondster, she couldn''t help but look back at Harold, her eyes fixed on him with an unmistakable interest.


    Shanley suddenly felt that the


    watermelon in his hand wasn''t sweet anymore. Why was his Juniper looking at Harold like that? Could be that after spending time together, she had developed an interest in him? But just yesterday, she had hugged him and sat on hisp. She couldn''t have lost interest that quickly!


    On the other hand, Harold''s gaze towards the girl had also changed since his return from Australis.


    Suddenly, Shanley thought about Juniper''s strange behavior over the past few days.

 Chapter 400

    The day her mood had plummeted was the day Harold left for Australis. And the day she was happy, she had rushed upstairs and spent hours on theputer. Could she have been chatting or video calling someone? With whom?


    Shanley squeezed the piece of watermelon, his eyes instantly turning cold as he shot an icy re at Harold.


    "It''s about time. Let''s go in," Juniper said, her attentionpletely on Harold. She didn''t notice that the man beside her had a face as ck as the bottom of a pot.


    "Okay," Harold nodded. Perfect. With Shanley staring at him like a hawk, it would be difficult to get a hair sample anyway.


    Both of them stood up eagerly.


    "Juniper....." Seeing how eager she was, Shanley stood up as well. Usually, when it was time for an experiment, she would drag her feet, clearly despising being alone with Harold. This was the first time she had been proactive.


    "Hmm?" Juniper stopped and turned to look at him.


    "Your bottle." Shanley handed her the water bottle, his fingers gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His gaze was tender and doting. "I''ll wait for you out here."


    "Fine," Juniper replied casually, then looked at Harold again, her tone slightly impatient. "Let''s go."


    "Alright." Harold couldn''t help but smile and followed her obediently. This little rtive of his really had a short temper.


    Shanley was left standing alone, watching them disappear into theb. Was he being too sensitive?


    ...


    Inside theb, Juniper sat with her legs crossed, fiddling with the medical equipment as she stared at Harold, who was wrapped inyer afteryer of clothing. She fell into deep thought. He was wearing way too many clothes. How was she supposed to see his chest?


    "Grandmaster, let''s begin," Harold said softly once he was ready.


    "Oh." Juniper walked over, ced her hands under the magnifying ss, and began the simtion.


    "Mmm," Harold listened attentively while sizing up Juniper''s hair.


    Just as he was about to make his move, Juniper shifted to the side, pulled her hands back, and tilted her chin. "Your turn to try."


    "Okay."


    It was Harold''s first time trying something as sneaky as stealing a hair sample. He


    had almost been caught, and his back was now covered in sweat.


    ve


    .n


    He wanted to ask her directly but was afraid of scaring her. After all, thest time he had merely said looked "a little familiar," she hadbeled him a pervert. If his suspicions turned out to be wrong, he would have deeply offended her And with her temper, she would probably tear theb apart.


    Juniper stepped back, crossing her arms as she carefully studied Harold''s body. Should she just rip his shirt open? No, that would


    probably scare him to


    death o


    had to find a way to make him take it off himself.


    With that in mind, Juniper turned, unscrewed her water bottle, and deliberately sshed water on him.


    "Oh, my bad," Juniper said with a small smile. "It''s wet now. You should probably take off your coat."


    Harold froze for a few seconds, suspecting she had done it on purpose. How could someone be so clumsy as to pour water all over his shoulder?


    "It''s fine." Harold forced a smile, not daring to offend this little terror, and silently took off his whiteb coat But underneath, he was still wearing another jacket and a shirt.


    Juniper''s expression soured. Tsk. She had no choice but to get more water and


    return to Harold''s side. Then, she poured it on him again.

 Chapter 401

    "Oops," she said, shaking the bottle, her beautiful face perfectly calm. "I identally spilled water on you again."


    This time she''d poured a lot more, soaking arge patch from his left shoulder down.


    Harold had just taken off hisb coat and hadn''t even put down the instrument in his hand when he heard the girl behind him speak again. He turned his head and, well, what do you know. The first time, he suspected. This time, he was sure it was intentional. What had he done to provoke her?


    "You should probably take off your jacket," Juniper said, shaking the empty bottle, her delicate face tilted up, her tone unnervingly serene.


    "Grandmaster....." Harold was on the verge of tears,pletely exasperated. "Did I do something wrong?"


    "Nope," Juniper replied earnestly, blinking her eyes.


    Speechless, Harold silently put down his instrument and started unbuttoning his jacket.


    Theb''s air conditioning was on, keeping the temperature low, so Harold was wearing threeyers. Lab coat, off. Jacket, off. Now just the shirt remained. To get him to go shirtless, she''d need to put in more effort. Maybe pour it over his head this time?


    Juniper''s eyes darted around theb. There were no basins or buckets, so drenching him from above would be tricky.


    Besides, after the first two "idents," Harold was being extra cautious. While doing his experiments, he deliberately stood opposite her, keeping one eye on his work and the other on her.


    After a few moments of silence, Juniper''s attention was drawn to a bottle of chemicals on the shelf. Non-toxic, harmless, but... smelly. If it got on you, you''d have to strip off all your clothes immediately.


    "Add the iodine," Juniper said, walking toward Harold.


    Harold was terrified of her at this point. He didn''t dare yell or scold her. Seeing her approach, he instinctively dodged away.


    "What are you doing?" Juniper asked innocently, holding up her empty hands. "I''m not holding a bottle."


    Harold looked closely and saw that she was, indeed, empty-handed. The heart that had jumped into his throat finally settled.


    "If we change this reagent to 5ml, will it affect the cardiac functions? Harold having found no opportunity no to pluck a hair, decided to focus on the experiment for now.


    "No," Juniper said, strolling over to the chemical storage rack. She picked up one of the bottles with her elegant fingers and gave it a gentle shake. Mmm. It really did have a smell.


    "Then what if....." Harold was continuing his question when he suddenly saw her


    hand tilt, and the chemical from the bottle began to spill...


    "Don''t touch that!" Harold''s face


    paled. He tried to dodge, but it was toote. He watched in horror as the chemical sshed onto his clothes. Instantly, a foul odor assaulted his senses.


    What was wrong with this girl today? Could it be that his assistant''s attempt to get her hair had angered her?


    Harold didn''t have time to ask. Holding his breath, he immediately started taking off his shirt.


    Juniper pinched her nose, her eyes wide with anticipation.


    Seemingly aware of the intense stare from across the room, and mindful that she


    was a girl, Harold frowned. "You stay here. I''m going to go change."


    "Change here," Juniper said, cutting to the chase. "I want to see your body."


    "Wha... what?"


    Harold thought he had misheard.

 Chapter 402

    What did Ms. Payne just say? She wanted to see his body? How could such an explosive statemente from her young mouth?!


    Harold gave her a long, deep look, realized she wasn''t joking, and scrambled for the door.


    "Harold!"


    Juniper frowned and strode after him. In her haste, she tripped over a nearby chair and instinctively pitched forward.


    Normally, Juniper could have caught herself, but seeing the room full of expensive reagents, she chose to take the fall. Breaking them would cost money, and that was a waste.


    "Watch out!"


    Harold saw her falling, his expression changing instantly as he opened his arms to catch her. "THUD-"


    Juniper crashed into his chest. The momentum sent them both tumbling to the floor.


    "Are you okay?" Harold asked, worried.


    "I''m fine."


    Juniper''s attention, however, was fixed on his half-unbuttoned shirt. She went straight for it, her hands tearing at the fabric. "Let me see here..."


    "What are you doing?" Harold''s face went white with panic as he instinctively tried to stop her. This girl seemed possessed today.


    Outside, Shanley was growing increasingly uneasy. He went to the break room, changed into ab coat, and went through the disinfection protocol before heading toward theb. He wasn''t going to go in, just take a peek from the door.


    He was a man approaching thirty, yet he felt like an eighteen-year-old boy, terrified that someone would steal his girlfriend.


    As he neared theb, Shanley suddenly heard amotion from inside. He quickened his pace and threw open the door. The scene that greeted him almost made him ck out He saw


    Youngdy be


    adored straddling Harold, her left hand pinning his head down while her right hand frantically tore at his clothes.


    With a loud rip, the front of Harold''s shirt was torn open, revealing his bare chest. And there, over his heart, a scar was clearly visible. There really was a scar. So, he really could be her brother, lost for fifteen years?!


    In the next second, taking advantage of her momentary shock, Harold managed to break free, flipping her over and pinning her beneath him.


    "Get away from her!" Shanley finally snapped back to his senses. His face darkened as he stormed forward, yanking Harold up andnding a solid punch on his face.


    He knew it. He knew Harold had ill intentions. He was right outside, and Harold dared to make a move on Juniper.


    Harold, clearly stunned by the blow, retaliated with a punch of his own. "Are you insane?!"


    Both of them seemed to have lost their minds today! He was the victim here. He was!


    "I warned you not to have any ideas about Juniper!" Shanley snarled, grabbing Harold''s cor. His eyes were bloodshot, his face radiating a terrifying killing intent.


    Harold winced in pain, and before he could even begin to exin, he saw Shanley''s fisting at him again¡ª


    "Wait!"


    Juniper, having regained herposure, quickly stepped between them, forcing them apart.


    "Shanley, you..." she began, standing in front of Harold. The situation felt surreal, her voice hoarse. "Don''t touch him for now."


    Don''t touch him? Seeing her


    defending another man, Shanley felt a sharp pain in his heart. He was her future boyfriend, wasn''t he? Was Juniper taking Harold''s side? How long had they even known each other? They only run a few experiments together...


    And if he wasn''t mistaken, Juniper had been the one actively trying to undress Harold, and she''d been desperate. If Juniper had fallen for Harold, he swore he would tear that Baldy Fox''s entire medical association apart.

 Chapter 403

    "Juniper-"


    Shanley stood frozen, his expression wounded as he watched Juniper shield another man across from him.


    "Grandmaster-"


    Harold, lookingpletely innocent, quickly buttoned up his shirt.


    What had he done to deserve this? He was just trying to conduct an experiment, and suddenly one person was pouring water all over him and tearing at his clothes, while another burst in and punched him without a word. Now his face and his back were both aching.


    "Hold on," Juniper said, rubbing her temples. She didn''t have time to exin to Shanley. Turning to Harold, she said bluntly, "Take your shirt off again. I need to see."


    Harold blinked. "Huh?"


    Shanley stared.


    "No, that''s not what I mean," Juniper said, taking a deep breath topose herself. "I want to see the scar near your heart. What it looks like."


    A scar? Harold paused. All this fuss was just to see a scar? He did have one. But how could she possibly know about it?


    "A scar?" Shanley''s tense posture suddenly rxed as he connected the dots. So Juniper suspected Harold was her second brother. But his investigation had shown that Harold wasn''t an orphan. Had there been a mistake somewhere?


    "Show her," Shanley said, stepping forward. His tone softened considerably. "We''re looking for someone who has a scar on his chest."


    Harold''s eyes darted between the two of them, his heart pounding. They were also looking for someone? Someone with a scar on their chest?


    After a few seconds of silence, Harold slowly unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the left side of his chest. The scar was distinct, clearly from an injury that had happened many years ago.


    Shanley immediately took out his phone, snapped a picture, and sent it to Jimmie with a note: [Lab. Come now.]


    Jimmie replied almost instantly: [On my way. Just found something on my end.]


    ...


    Later, in the break room.


    When Jimmie and Melvin opened the door, they found Shanley and Juniper sitting side-by-side on a sofa. Across from them, Harold, his hair stil damp from a shower was learing Back in a chair. No one was speaking. The atmosphere was strange.


    "Juniper," Jimmie said, walking over to her side.


    ¡°Jimmie,¡± Juniper replied, looking up at him. ¡°Is the scar the same?"


    "It''s very simr," Jimmie confirmed with a nod. Even after fifteen years, he


    remembered the wound vividly. His brother had lost so much blood they thought he wouldn''t make it.


    And there was more. The Cybeic Shadows had just confirmed that Harold was not the Houston family''s biological son.


    "I''ve already sent our hair samples for a DNA test,¡± Juniper said quietly. ¡°We''re just waiting for the results."


    But really, what were the chances of such a coincidence? She was almost certain Harold was her brother.


    Listening to their conversation,


    Shanley shot a guilty look at Harold. Well, that settled it. His faint hope was gone Why did every reunion with one of her brothers have to be so mortifying for him? This time, he''d actually hit the guy, and pretty hard at that.


    "So..." Harold said, his brow furrowed as he looked at the group


    whispering amongst themselves


    elves


    His voice was low. What exactly dos


    you suspect, and what is my


    rtionship to all of you?"


    de


    "We suspect you''re our brother, the one we lost fifteen years ago,¡± Jimmie


    answered, turning to face him. ¡°Juniper''s older brother.¡±


    Her brother? Though he''d had his suspicions, hearing it confirmed out loud was,


    Harold had to admit, incredibly satisfying.

 Chapter 404

    "Do you remember anything from before?" Jimmie asked, sitting down with Melvin and studying Harold closely.


    It was strange, Jimmie thought. The three of them were triplets, but fraternal, not identical. Besides being male, they didn''t share many physical simrities. In the end, it was he and Juniper who looked the most alike. He felt a little lucky for that.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Harold replied, moving to sit beside Jimmie. ¡°I have no memories before the age of thirteen. It was probably due to a head injury that left a blood clot."


    "You never had surgery?" Jimmie''s expression shifted, a hint of pain in his eyes.


    "No," Harold said. ¡°It''s in a difficult spot. Most surgeons wouldn''t dare operate. The only one with a real chance of sess is Master Nocturne."


    Master Nocturne? Juniper, who had been sitting quietly nearby, blinked at the mention of her alias.


    "I haven''t been able to find the master yet," Harold continued. "Because of my memory loss, I only recently found out I''m not the Houston family''s biological son.¡±


    He then turned his gaze to Juniper, a faint smile ying on his lips. "Did my ''Grandmaster sister'' and I spend a lot of time together as kids? Is that why you felt so familiar the first moment I saw you?"


    Grandmaster sister? What an awkward title.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Jimmie said with a grin. ¡°Of the three brothers, you were the one Juniper loved following around the most."


    "Is that so?¡± Harold''s smile widened, his eyes crinkling. "My little sister liked me that much, even back then?"


    "Not exactly," Melvin cut in dryly. "It''s because out of the three of us, you always had the most snacks and were the easiest for her to bully."


    Harold''s smile faltered. Melvin really didn''t need to add thatst part.


    "About the Houston family..."


    "I''ve basically figured out what''s going on with them," Harold said his expression hardening at the mention of the family, though he remained calm "I''ll go back and handle it after thepetition is over." "Content"


    ¡°Alright,¡± Jimmie said, knowing the Houstons had treated Harold well. ¡°Handle it carefully. Don''t be too impulsive."


    "I know," Harold replied with a faint, slightly weary smile. He wasn''t the type to be ungrateful and just walk away.


    "I heard..." Melvin began, his eyes lighting up with admiration, "that you''re married? You started early!"


    Harold''s expression clouded over, and he remained silent.


    "Bring your wife to meet us sometime,¡± Melvin pressed on, getting to his main point. "You don''t remember a lot of things, so you


    probably don''t know the birth order This is Jimmie, the oldest I oldest I''m the


    second oldest, and you''re number


    three. We still have three younger


    sisters to find."


    Number three? Harold didn''t like the sound of that. He looked at Jimmie. "Is that right?"


    "If I remember correctly, you''re the second oldest," Jimmie revealed without a shred of mercy.


    "No way!" Melvin protested, looking flustered. "What''s wrong with your memory? You''ve got to have that wrong. I''m number two, and I won''t ept anything else!"


    Harold was getting confused. It was too much information at once, and he didn''t have the energy to argue about birth order right now.


    "By the way" Harold''s gaze shifted,nding on Shanley in the corner. He dragged out his words deliberately. "So this old man who was just dragging me around and hitting me is"

 Chapter 405

    At Harold''s question, everyone else''s eyes snapped open andnded squarely on Shanley.


    "I" Shanley began to exin, his tone softening, but Juniper cut him off.


    "It''s my fault, really. I didn''t exin the situation, and my actions were too sudden, causing a misunderstanding," she said, stepping forward.


    "It was wrong of Shanley to hit you, but you hit him back. So..." Juniper licked her lips, ying the peacemaker with surprising seriousness. "For my sake, let''s just call it even."


    Shanley couldn''t hide his delight as his girl defended him, a proud smile gracing his lips.


    "Boyfriend?" Harold asked nonchntly as he fastened a button on his shirt.


    Shanley didn''t dare answer, his gaze fixed on Juniper. She didn''t answer either, but she lowered her eyes, a faint blush creeping up her fair cheeks. That was all the confirmation anyone needed.


    "And you two knew about this?" Harold asked, gesturing toward Jimmie and Melvin. "You approved?"


    ¡°Heh,¡± Jimmie let out a helplessugh. "What choice did we have? It''s not like we could say no,"


    Melvin added with a shrug, his expression just as grim. "Are you going to object?"


    Of course Harold wanted to. His sister was so young, still in the prime of her youth, not even in college yet... and she''d been snatched up by a man nearly a decade her senior, practically thirty. Who could possibly ept that?


    "I..."


    Harold opened his mouth to protest, but he was stopped short by the icy re his sister shot him. She said nothing, but the warning was crystal clear.


    He sighed. His sister was truly smitten with this older man. He''d seen it over the past few weeks; Shanley treated her incredibly well, and they were practically


    inseparable. It was obvious she


    genuinely liked him. .


    Fine. The man was rich, powerful, and handsome... not entirely useless. And given Juniper''s fiery temper, objecting would likely mean losing his sister on the spot.


    "Of course not," Harold said, forcing a smile. "If my sister is happy, I have nothing to say."


    ¡°Sister?¡± Melvin smirked. "You''re getting into character fast.¡±


    His memory hadn''t returned, and the paternity test results weren''t even back yet.


    "There''s no greater surprise in the world," Harold said with a soft smile. "I liked her from the moment I saw her. Now I know why."


    "By the way, I heard you call Juniper something earlier," Melvin said, bringing up the one topic he shouldn''t have. ¡°Grandmaster? How did Juniper be your grandmaster?"


    Juniper blinked, her hands resting innocently on her knees. This had nothing to do with her. It was his own fault for being Baldy Fox''s student; the hierarchy was clear.


    "About that..." Harold didn''t exin right away. Instead, he looked at Juniper and asked gently, "Juniper, you''re only eighteen, How didyou be so skilled in medicine?"


    He knew that years ago, she had somehow be his own mentor''s mentor.


    Everyone else turned to look at her, curious.


    "Let''s not get into that," Juniper said, pursing her lips. After a moment''s thought, she added slowly, "If I told you, none of you would be very happy."


    "Tell us," Melvin urged, his interest piqued. He wanted to know how his sister had learned everything. Jimmie was the artistic one, which exined Juniper''s talent for dance. He was a race car driver, but Juniper was even better.

 Chapter 406

    And now the third-born brother, a medical professional, had to respectfully call her Grandmaster.


    "I''m just smart, I guess?¡± Juniper said, looking up nonchntly.


    Harold was speechless. So was everyone else.


    "I''ve always been a fast learner," Juniper exined earnestly. "I see something, I can do it. I learn something, I master it."


    She didn''t dare tell them that she''d learned most of her medical knowledge from books. Later, when she met the doctors at the base, she started following them around, originally assigned to do menial tasks. But as she worked, she just... picked everything up. Eventually, the doctors stopped letting her hang around,ining that she was there to sabotage them and steal their jobs.


    Silence fell over the room again, everyone wearing aplex expression.


    "Why is everyone so quiet?" Juniper asked, ncing around the room, her tone perfectly calm.


    Of course they had no response. Because in her presence, they all felt like idiots.


    "Ahem." Sensing the awkwardness, Juniper decided to change the subject. ¡°Let''s talk about my middle brother''s condition."


    Middle brother? Hearing her call him that, Harold paused, momentarily confused. It was quite a promotion.


    "Hey, I''m the¡ª¡± Melvin started to object, wanting to stake his im as the second brother. Juniper simply gave him a warning look, and he immediately deted.


    Harold handed Juniper his previous medical reports, his expression grave. "The location is too difficult to reach. Every doctor I''ve seen rmended a craniotomy." The only exception was Master Nocturne, who had suggested a needle-based treatment was possible. Unfortunately, the master was impossible to find.


    ¡°Do you trust me?" Juniper asked, her clear eyes locking onto Harold''s after she finished reviewing the scans. Her voice was crisp and clear. ¡°Let me perform the acupuncture."


    "You?" Harold''s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°You know acupuncture?"


    "A little," Juniper replied, ncing at the time. If you agree, we can start tomorrow. Based on your current condition, you if probably need two consecutive courses of treatment."


    A course was fourteen days. Two courses would perfectly align with the end of his election campaign.


    "Don''t worry," Juniper added, seeing the concern on his face. She gave a slight smile. ¡°You''re in my hands. I guarantee you''ll live."


    Guaranteed to live? For some reason, that didn''t sound veryforting.


    "Alright," Harold agreed after a moment''s thought. The memory loss was a constant frustration, and he was desperate to know what had happened with his family.


    "We''ll start tomorrow," Juniper said, looking at her phone. She let out a yawn. "Everyone''s tired today. Let''s get some rest."


    And just like that, the impromptu family reunion was over.


    "Wait,¡± Harold called out as they were about to leave. "Did I have a name before?"


    "Yes and no," Jimmie recalled, his expression growing distant. "As I rememberit, our parents only ever called us us by our numbers. As for ast name... I never knew it. We didn''t even go to school until I was thirteen."


    "What?" Harold frowned, hearing this for the first time.


    Juniper''s head snapped to the side, a look of bewilderment on her face. Nost name... no school.... Just what did her her parents do? And that, shipwreck thirteen years ago was it really an ident?

 Chapter 407

    "Our parents must have had their reasons for doing things that way," Jimmie said from the sofa, his eyes welling up. "Otherwise, they wouldn''t have made us wait until we were adults to find each other."


    Jimmie looked up at his siblings, his voice choked with emotion. "Maybe... maybe when we find our other sisters and our parents, we''ll finally get all the answers."


    "Yeah," Harold and Melvin nodded in unison. The priority now was finding their three remaining sisters and their missing parents.


    Juniper, however, remained silent, lost in thought.


    Did her parents have enemies? To make them live in hiding, orchestrate a massive shipwreck, and then erase all traces of their existence... How powerful would those enemies have to be?


    Before getting into the car, Shanley handed Juniper her backpack with a gentle smile. "You get in first. I''m just going to have a quick word with your brother, Harold." "Hm?" Juniper''s eyes flickered with worry, and she instinctively grabbed his hand.


    Harold hadn''t dared toy another finger on him while she was there, but if he went back alone..... she couldn''t make any promises. After all, Shanley hadn''t exactly been friendly to Haroldtely.


    "It''s fine," Shanley said, patting her hand reassuringly. His handsome face broke into a fond smile, his voice deep and charming. "Regardless of the circumstances, I struck first. Whether he''s your brother or not, I owe him an apology."


    He gave a wry, helpless smile.


    "Besides, I am going after his sister. It''s only natural he''d want to hit me. Don''t worry," he added, "I won''t fight back."


    "Oh." Juniper stared at him, a warm feeling spreading through her as she saw the sincerity in his eyes. "You''re pretty tough, then."


    "Heh." Amused, Shanley ruffled her hair. "Be good. Wait for me here."


    With that, he turned and walked back into theb, approaching Harold directly. His attitude was humble. ¡°Dr. Houston, I want to apologize again for what happened earlier."


    ¡°It''s fine,¡± Harold said, surprised he''d returned. He nced at the girl peering anxiously from the car window, a knowing look in his eyes. "Just let me hit you back."


    "Okay,¡± Shanley agreed, lifting his chin, his expression deadly serious.


    Harold clenched his fists and slowly rolled his wrists, watching him. Shanley didn''t flinch. Was he really willing to let him take a free shot?


    Pet


    "At first, I was really curious why Jimmie and Melvin agreed to this," Harold mused, a smirk ying on his lips as he narrowed his eyes. "But now I see. You''re not just ich, powerful, and handsome. You have a sense of responsibility, and your genuinely love Juniper."


    He took a step closer.


    "Shanley, I may have just reunited with her, and my bond with Juniper might not be


    as deep as yours, but I am her brother. I will not allow anyone to hurt her.¡±


    "Her other two brothers said the


    same thing," Shanley said, standing tall, his voice low and steady"


    And


    my answer hasn''t changed. If ever fail Juniper, you can have my life."


    He paused, ncing back at Juniper, his eyes filled with a soft, adoring light.


    "But," he said, enunciating each word, "that day will nevere."


    "You''d better remember that."


    Harold had done his research on Shanley. He knew the man was moreplex than he appeared-ruthless and unpredictable, with a harsh


    e


    reputation. At first, he''d been worried


    for his sister. But after spending time with them, he realized his sister was no saint herself.

 Chapter 408

    In fact, around her, Shanley was more like a clingy puppy.


    Heh. His worries had been unnecessary.


    "Go on, get back to her," Harold said with a resigned shake of his head, watching his sister crane her neck to see them. "If you stay any longer, she''ll think I''m doing something to you ande charging over here to settle the score."


    Jimmie and Melvin were easygoing enough, and he considered himself pretty reasonable... but his sister? Just thinking about her gave him a headache. ¡°Hmm,¡± Shanley replied with a smile. Business settled, he returned to the car. ¡°What did Harold say to you?" Juniper asked, staring at him intently.


    "Nothing much," Shanley said with a slight smile, his voice a low murmur. "Dr. Houston is a good brother."


    That one sentence said everything.


    Juniper nced back at Harold, who was still standing by the entrance, a wave ofplex emotions washing over her. It was true. All of her brothers were wonderful. Which was why she couldn''t let anything happen to them.


    ...


    Back at Cloudscape Community, Juniper immediately took out her case of silver needles. She began practicing the angles for the procedure over and over, referencing the scans of Harold''s head injury. The location was incredibly tricky; the slightest mistake could lead to severeplications.


    She practicedte into the night, with Shanley staying by her side the entire time, bringing her water and cutting up fruit for her. It wasn''t until the first light of dawn touched the sky that she finally set the needles down.


    "I''ve already called the school for you," he said softly. "Get some sleep this morning. I''ll take you to theb this afternoon."


    "Okay," Juniper replied without moving, her eyes fixed on him.


    "What is it?" Shanley frowned with concern. "Are your legs asleep?"


    "Yeah." After sitting for so long, her legs had gonepletely numb. She wiggled


    them slightly, feeling the sensation slowly return.


    Just as she was about to stand, Shanley stepped forward.


    "Let me carry you," he said softly.


    Juniper, who had just started to lift herself up, slowly sat back down. "Okay," she said calmly.


    In the next second, Shanley slipped his arms under her knees and lifted her effortlessly into his arms. After setting her down in the bedroom, he went to get her some breakfast.


    Just then, his phone rang. It was a call from Cybeic Shadows.


    "Boss, while we were investigating, Binary Oracleunched an


    investment scheme and took down


    severa


    of our systems." The subordinate''s voice trembled as he spoke. The losses were staggering.


    Shanley felt a surge of anger, but the thought of having sessfully found Juniper''s brother helped him push it down.


    "Also, boss-" The subordinate hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Registration for this year''s hackerpetition has begun. Should we participate?¡±


    "What do you think?" Shanley asked through gritted teeth as he stirred a bowl of nourishing soup.


    He had been waiting for a chance to deal with that old pervert from Binary Oracle. Perhaps defeating them would finally change his girl''s opiston of Cybeic shadows This was a critical moment in his quest for her approval; he couldn''t afford any mistakes.


    "Yes, sir," the subordinate replied. "I''ll handle it right away."


    Carrying the soup, Shanley was just about to enter the bedroom when he heard the girl''sughter.


    "That old bastard actually dared to challenge me again. He learned kis lesson didn''t he?" Juniper yawned "If thadn''t been busy, do you think those little punks would hav@gotten away unscathed?"


    Cybeic Shadows lost over a billion, and their systems were fried. She felt a deep sense of satisfaction.


    Shanley paused at the door, catching snippets of her conversation. She was cursing someone out. Old bastard? What old bastard?

 Chapter 409

    "What''s wrong?" Shanley gently pushed the door open and carried the breakfast to the bedside, a faint smile on his lips.


    ¡°Just ran into someone annoying,¡± Juniper said, ncing at the food before letting out a massive yawn. "I don''t really want to eat."


    ¡°Just have a little before you sleep," Shanley insisted, setting the tray down and lifting the bowl of soup to her lips. "Your stomach will hurt if you don''t eat."


    Juniper frowned slightly. She hated being pressured into doing something she''d already refused. If it had been anyone else, that bowl of soup would have already been flung across the room.


    She remained silent, but Shanley didn''t give up, coaxing her with a soft voice and the patience of someone calming a rebellious child. After a tense thirty seconds, Juniper sighed internally and opened her mouth, letting him feed her.


    After she''d had half the bowl, Shanley took the food away and tucked her into bed. "Aren''t you going to sleep?"


    Juniper asked, instinctively grabbing his hand, her eyes looking a little red around the rims.


    "You want me to stay with you?" Shanley''s body tensed slightly as he posed the question.


    "Suit yourself," Juniper retorted, turning her face away from him.


    Shanley chuckled helplessly. After clearing away the breakfast things, he returned to the bedroom, lifted the covers, andy down beside her. The moment he settled in, the half-asleep girl instinctively snuggled into his warmth.


    "I''m here," Shanley whispered, gently stroking her hair. A question lingered in his mind. She seemed tock a sense of security. He wondered what she had been through.


    The next day, Juniper went straight to theb. On the way, she received the DNA analysis report. As expected, Harold was indeed her brother.


    "Juniper," Shanley said, looking at the report, his curiosity getting the better of him. "How did you suddenly recognize that Dr. Houston was your brother yesterday?"


    "Hmm?" Juniper looked up abruptly.


    was a tricky one. She


    That question w


    couldn''t very well say she was the head of Binary Oracle and had investigated Harold, could she? She had spent all this time in front of them trashing Cybeic Shadows. Admitting the truth how would be incredibly awkward.


    "Because..." She thought for a moment and came up with a usible lie. "I


    identally saw it when he was changing his shirt."


    The words left Shanley speechless. He wanted to be jealous, but the man was her brother. But then again, he was still a man.


    "Is that so?¡± Shanley managed a strainedugh, his voice hoarse. ¡°What a coincidence. You shouldn''t be looking at things like that in the future.¡±


    Juniper shot him a look but ultimately said nothing.


    ...


    At theb, Juniper walked ahead, a lollipop in her mouth, with Shanley by her side. Felton and Flint followed closely behind, carrying a case.


    "Hi, Juniper." Harold was already waiting at the door and greeted her as soon as she appeared.


    "Bro," Juniper replied obediently.


    ¡°Dr. Houston.¡± Shanley, ever the tactful one, knew he hadn''t earned the title of boyfriend yet and didn''t dare get too familiar.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Harold said, his expression softening slightly as he watched Shanley help Juniper get settled.


    Once seated, Juniper opened the case she''d brought, revealing rows of needles in different colors¡ªgold, silver, and even ck.


    "What do need to do?" Harold


    asked. He wasn''t very familiar with


    this, but he knew acupuncture


    wasn''t something to be trifled with.


    Mastering it was another mattek entirely.


    "Keep your heart rate steady,"


    Juniper said, a faint, mischievous et


    smile ying on her lips as she noticed Harold''s slight nervousness. s almost at 120, isnt


    Harold checked his pulse. Sure enough, it was exactly 120.

 Chapter 410

    Not a beat more, not a beat less. She could tell just by looking? This teenage sister of his was a medical prodigy!


    "I''m going to begin the treatment now," Juniper announced, preparing her instruments as she moved behind Harold. ¡°It might hurt, but don''t move, no matter what. We don''t want any idents."


    "What kind of idents?" Harold chuckled, trying to sound rxed. "Full-body paralysis? Or maybe I''ll end up brain-dead?"


    "Nothing that dramatic," Juniper replied, sterilizing a silver needle. ¡°It might just affect... certain other functions."


    Other functions? Harold froze, not immediately understanding.


    Juniper pointedly emphasized a nerve cluster located very close to his lower body. He could figure out the rest.


    It took Harold a few seconds, but when realization dawned, he instinctively recoiled.


    "Don''t be scared, bro," Juniper said with a wicked grin. "I''ll be extra careful to protect your wife''s happiness for the rest of her life."


    His wife? At the mention of her, Harold''s face paled slightly. The rest of their lives... there was no "rest of their lives" for them. Once this was all over, they would go their separate ways.


    The treatment officially began. Despite her teasing, Harold remained perfectly still. The entire processsted an hour. Juniper was meticulous with every needle, and Harold felt no significant difort.


    "All done," Juniper said, removing thest needle. "Try not to overexert yourself for a while."


    "Thank you, Juniper," Harold said.


    He didn''t know if it would actually work, but he chose to trust her. Just as Juniper went to wash her hands, his phone vibrated. The screen disyed the name "Lorelei."


    "Excuse me," Harold said, his smile freezing. He answered the call, his tone as cold and distant as if he were speaking to a stranger is something wrong?"


    "Mom said¡ª¡± Lorelei began, but stopped abruptly when she heard a girl''s voice in


    the background. "This mango tastes pretty good..."


    The rest of her sentence died in her throat. She hadn''t misheard. It was definitely a girl''s voice, and she sounded very young. She couldn''t


    remember him ever having women around. Who was she?


    "What is it?¡± Harold asked when the line went silent, a hint of urgency in his voice.


    "Did something happen?"


    "It''s nothing," Lorelei''s voice


    weakened. She pretended she hadn''t heard anything and continued, "Mom said you left a file folder herest time. Does she need to send over?"


    "No, don''t bother," Harold replied curtly.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lorelei answered softly. Neither of them had anything more to say, yet neither of them hung up.


    "Who are you on the phone with?" Juniper asked, walking back over while eating a slice of mango. She noticed Harold''s grim expression.


    ¡°It''s nothing,¡± Harold said, lowering his voice. ¡°There''s yogurt in the fridge if you want some."


    "I should go,¡± Lorelei said, unable to listen any longer, and hung up.


    ¡°She was¡ª¡± Harold instinctively started to exin, but the line was already dead.


    "Who was that?¡± Juniper asked, plopping down next to Shanley. Her clear eyes studied Harold. "My sister-inw?"


    Harold''s brow furrowed. After a few seconds of silence, he slowly let out a single word: "Yes." For now, she was. But she might not be for much longer.

 Chapter 411

    ¡°Oh," Juniper said, deciding not to press further after seeing the strange look on Harold''s face.


    Just as the atmosphere turned awkward, Shanley''s phone rang. It was a call from the family estate.


    "My grandparents invited Dr. Zigmund for dinner tonight. They want to know if we''reing back," Shanley said, his eyes on Juniper.


    "Dr. Zigmund?" Harold paused for a moment before it clicked. "You don''t mean the president of the Orient Country Medical Association?"


    "That''s the one," Shanley confirmed with a nod, his voice maic. ¡°Dr. Zigmund and my grandfather are old friends."


    "What a coincidence," Harold said with a small smile. "My professor called mest night and asked me to join him for an interview."


    He never imagined it would be at Shanley''s family home.


    "Is that so?" Shanley tilted his head, his gaze fixed on the girl devouring her mango. "My grandmother mentioned she''s preparing a lot of new dishes this time. Are


    you..."


    ¡°I''m in,¡± Juniper cut him off, looking up without a moment''s hesitation.


    Shanley wanted to weep. She was such a little foodie.


    "See you tonight, Dr. Houston," Shanley said, helping Juniper to her feet.


    "See you tonight," Harold replied with a smile.


    He was well aware of the Schwartz family''s prestige and status in Era City, and indeed all of Borealia. Compared to a powerful dynasty like that, his own family''s background felt a bit thin. Such prominent families cared deeply about social standing. He wondered if they looked down on Juniper''s origins. This visit would be a good opportunity to find out.


    If the Schwartz family dared to disrespect Juniper or cause her the slightest bit of grief, he might not approve of this union either.


    That evening, at seven o''clock, Juniper finished tutoring her teachers for the day. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and walked out, talking to Shanley on the phone.


    "It''s rush hour and the traffic''s bad. I''ll just go to the estate myself."


    If he came to pick her up, they''d just get stuck in traffic together on the way back. It would be rude to bete for dinner.


    "Alright," Shanley conceded, though he was still worried. "Be safe.¡±


    ¡°Tch,¡± Juniper scoffed, a piece of candy in her mouth. "Don''t worry. I can take on five guys with one hand."


    In fact, she hadn''t had a good workout in a while. A few thugs to practice on would be nice.


    At the Schwartz family estate, which was closer to thepany headquarters, Shanley was the first to arrive.


    In the living room, his grandparents were engaged in a lively conversation with Dr. Zigmund, also known as Baldy Fox.


    "It''s true, don''t doubt it for a second!"


    Hannah eximed, waving her hands excitedly, her face beaming with pride. "She may be young, but her medical skills are incredib She''s the one who saved my husband''s life."


    ¡°Really?" Dr. Zigmund asked, holding his coffee cup, clearly skeptical. "How old is she?"


    "I think she''s still in herst year of high school," Hannah replied after a moment of thought.


    Dr. Zigmund fell silent, his disbelief


    now obvious. A high school girl with incredible medical skills? The only young medical genius he knew of


    was his Master. Anyone else w


    probably just a case of a blind squirrel finding a nut.


    "She''sing overter. I''ll introduce you," Hannah said, her smile growing wider at


    the mention of Juniper.


    "Fine, fine," Dr. Zigmund agreed half-heartedly.


    Nic


    As a guest, it wouldn''t be polite to argue. A high school senior, was it? If she truly had some talent, she could pick a medical-rted major i college He had plenty of students he could assign her to, and with their guidance, she might amount to something.

 Chapter 412

    "The young master is back," the butler announced, interrupting their conversation.


    "Grandma, Grandpa, Dr. Zigmund." Shanley, who had overheard everything, greeted them respectfully, a faint smile on his lips.


    "It''s been years, Shanley. You''ve be quite the mature young man," Dr. Zigmund said, sizing him up. He then asked cautiously, "Do you have a girlfriend? If not, I can introduce you to someone."


    He had always believed that no one in the world was good enough for his kind, brilliant, and exceptional Master. But seeing Shanley today... he had to admit, they looked like a good match.


    "Oh?" Shanley sat down, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.


    "My Master," Dr. Zigmund began,unching into a stream of praise. "I dare say, you won''t find anyone in all of Borealia more beautiful than her. And more importantly, she has a wonderful character and phenomenal medical skills."


    "Your Master?" Shanley''s deep eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of a smile ying on his thin lips. His voice was a low, amused drawl.


    "Yes," Dr. Zigmund leaned forward, pushing his sales pitch. "Because her skills are so advanced and her personality is so... upromising, she tends to make enemies. When I think about it, you''re probably the only one in Borealia who can protect her."


    He sounded genuinely distressed at the thought of his Master being all alone, with no one to care for her. Plus, Shanley was rich. If he could make a match happen, he might have a good reason to ask the Schwartz family to pay for all the equipment his Master had broken in her fits of anger. He was a genius!


    "I''m afraid that won''t be possible," Hannah said, jumping to her feet and waving her hands frantically like a pinwheel. ¡°Our Shanley is already spoken for. Don''t you go starting trouble here."


    "Spoken for?"


    The phrase nearly threw Dr.


    Zigmund for a loop. How prominent must the woman''s family be for the heir to the wealthiest family in Era City to be merely "spoken for"?


    "Alright," Shanley agreed calmly, while his grandmother was panicking. ¡°I ept."


    ¡°What?¡± Hannah''s face changed, and she red at her grandson as if he were a cheater. "What nonsense are you talking about? Are you trying to two-time her?"


    The brat! Had he and Juniper fought and gotten dumped? Was he already looking for a recement? What a disappointment!


    "Grandma, please calm down," Shanley quickly soothed her, smiling helplessly. "I was just joking."


    "You''d better be,¡± Hannah said, slowly lowering the iron rod she had just picked up. She kept it close by, just in case.


    "Right, I have a student of mineingter," Dr. Zigmund said, swallowing nervously.


    He wouldn''t dare meddle in a rtionship. He still remembered how fierce Hannah had been in her youth, swinging that iron rod. He''d made the mistake of giving Kent Some bad advice when he was courting her and had nearly been


    beaten senseless for it.


    ¡°I also have someone I''d like to introduce to Dr. Zigmund,¡± Shanley said, pouring some coffee with a meaningful look.


    "My future granddaughter-inw," Hannah chimed in with a grin. "The young miracle doctor I was just telling you about. I guarantee you''ll like her."


    Dr. Zigmund just sipped his coffee with a silent, polite smile. He


    couldn''t believe this. If he had known that visiting would involve being Saddled with some half baked amateur, he would have skipped it.


    Suddenly, his appetite was gone.

 Chapter 413

    "Mrs. Schwartz, Mr. Schwartz,¡± the butler announced as he approached. ¡°Dr. Zigmund''s student, Dr. Houston, has arrived."


    "Please, show him in," Hannah said eagerly.


    She had heard Dr. Zigmund mention this Dr. Houston before, a young man with exceptional medical skills. He was apparently a candidate for the Global Medical Alliance Association, an organization long dominated by other countries. No one from Orient Country had managed to join in nearly half a century. To even qualify for consideration was a testament to Dr. Houston''s incredible talent.


    "Yes, ma''am." The butler bowed slightly and, a momentter, returned with Harold, who was impably dressed and carrying several gifts.


    "My!" Hannah''s eyes lit up as she saw Harold, her gaze sweeping over him with approval. ¡°What a fine, sharp-looking young man! Such remarkable presence!"


    He was just as exceptional as Dr. Zigmund had described.


    "Thank you for having me. I apologize for the intrusion," Harold said, handing the gifts to a servant before greeting the elderly couple with perfect decorum.


    "Sit, please!" Kent said with a warm, friendly smile. "You are Zigmund''s student, which makes you like a nephew to us."


    "That''s right," Hannah added, beaming at Harold. "Make yourself at home. No need to be so formal."


    "Thank you," Harold replied with a graceful nod.


    "By the way," Hannah spoke up again after a moment. "Are you married, Dr. Houston?"


    Instantly, Kent and Shanley both shot her a look. They knew exactly what the old matriarch was up to. She couldn''t resist ying matchmaker for every promising young person she met. She was probably already mentally scrolling through the eligible young women in the Schwartz family.


    ¡°Grandma¡ª¡± Shanley began, frowning as he tried to intervene.


    "I''m just asking!" Hannah shot him a re. "If you have time to meddle in my business, you should be checking to see where your girl is."


    Seeing the fire turned on him, Shanley immediately fell silent.


    ¡°I am married,¡± Harold answered respectfully.


    ¡°Married?¡± Hannah looked a little disappointed, then gave a weak smile. "What a pity."


    "Yes, he married quite young," Dr. Zigmund chimed in. "It''s been three years, hasn''t it, Harold?"


    "Three years, two months, and eight days," Harold replied, a smile on his handsome face that didn''t quite reach his eyes.


    "Speaking of which," Dr. Zigmund


    said, remembering Hannah''s


    request. He lowered his voice.


    "Hannah wants to introduce me to a


    young person who is supposedly


    very skilled in medicine:


    "Oh?" Harold''s eyes narrowed, his expression turning serious. A skilled young person?


    "Apparently, she''s still in high


    school," Dr. Zigmund said, his tone


    dripping with disdain. If it were


    anyone else''s house, he would have already left. "Harold, have someone from the junior team at the O association check her qualifications first."


    But honestly, so young and without any formal training? She was probably a lost cause. What a waste of time!


    "Well...¡± Harold, guessing it was his sister, hesitated for a moment before saying diplomatically, "Perhaps you should reconsider. She might be a diamond in the rough."


    "No!" Dr. Zigmund made a firm gesture of refusal, his voice sharp with annoyance. As if not busy I''m enough! I still have to track down" your grandmasterter. I don''t have time for this."


    Harold wanted to exin, but he could see Dr. Zigmund wasn''t listening. In the end, he chose to stay silent.


    "Shanley," Hannah turned to her grandson. "Since my future granddaughter-inw isn''t here yet, why don''t you show Dr. Houston around?"

 Chapter 414

    She figured the young men would be bored listening to old folks talk.


    "Of course," Shanley agreed, rising to his feet. He arched an eyebrow at Harold. "This way, Dr. Houston."


    "Thank you, Mr. Schwartz," Harold replied politely, following Shanley out of the main hall.


    As they walked, they started chatting.


    "Why didn''t you tell him that Juniper is his Master?" Shanley asked.


    "Baldy Fox is usually so strict," Harold said with a mischievous grin. "I thought it would be fun to let Juniper take him down a notch."


    "Using your sister to do your dirty work?" Shanley asked, his eyes narrowing. "I''m worried."


    "She''s my sister, what''s wrong with using her a little?" Harold retorted without hesitation. "Besides, it''s not like she''s the one who''s going to get hurt here."


    "I''m worried about Dr. Zigmund."


    Back in the living room, the three elders had run out of things to talk about, and the conversation inevitably circled back to the young miracle doctor.


    When the topic was food, Dr. Zigmund would offer a polite smile. When the topic was the young miracle doctor, his smile would vanish.


    "Strange, why isn''t she here yet?¡± Hannah nced at the time with a slight frown. "Dr. Zigmund, you make yourselffortable. I''m going to go check on the girl."


    "Excellent," Dr. Zigmund nodded eagerly.


    He couldn''t wait for her to leave.


    wait


    He''d been dying to escape the conversation but hadn''t dared to say anything. He had hoped Kent would intervene, but the old fool was even more timid than he was. What a miserable existence!


    As soon as Hannah was out of sight, Dr. Zigmund put down his coffee cup and scooted his chair closer to Kent.


    "I''m telling you, you two are being ridiculous. Do you have any idea how busy Lam? And you still try to foist someone on me." Facing Kent alone Dr. Zigmund held nothing b?ck. I don''t care. You go and tell, your sweetheart that I can''t take on her granddaughter-inw?"


    It wasn''t that he wouldn''t teach her personally, but even his subordinates were chosen through a rigorous selection process. This was like asking a champion ping- pong yer to teach a kid how to y with marbles.


    "The girl really is brilliant," Kent exined patiently. "Just meet her. I''m sure you''ll like her."


    "She hasn''t even been to college. How brilliant can she be?" Dr. Zigmund crossed his arms, his face sour. "Does she think she''s a genius? Does she think she''s like my Master?"


    If there was a true genius in the world, it was his Master and his Master alone. No one else came close.


    ¡°Zigmund¡ª¡± Kent began, trying to reason with him, but he quickly realized the old man was stubborn. He decided to drop the pretense.


    "What do you mean you can''t? Have you forgotten who funded yourb? My wife rmends one person to you and you want to embarrass her? If she''s not happy, Kent gestured vaguely, "then my life" bes very difficult."


    "And my life will be easy if you send that little amateur to me?" Dr. Zigmund shot to his feet, incensed.


    "Keep your voice down!" Kent hissed, making a shushing motion. "If my wife hears you calling Juniper a little amateur, she''ll kill you."


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Dr. Zigmund, stubborn as ever, refused to back down. ¡°I''ll call her what she is¡ªa little... amateur!"


    Just then, Juniper, backpack slung over her shoulder, appeared at the doorway.

 Chapter 415

    A little amateur?


    Was that bald old fox really getting so worked up over her?


    "Oh, there you are!" Hannah''s voice chimed in just then. "You came in through the side entrance, dear. I was waiting for you at the main gate."


    "Good day, Mrs. Schwartz," Juniper said, pulling her gaze away and standing up straight to offer a respectful greeting.


    "None of that ''Mrs. Schwartz'' business! Don''t be such a stranger!" Hannah took Juniper''s arm affectionately, her face blooming into a wide smile. "You''re with my good-for-nothing grandson now, so you can just call me Grandma!"


    Grandma? After a few seconds of silence, Juniper''s lips moved, and she slowly managed the word. "Hello, Grandma."


    "Yes!"


    Hannah''s eyes widened in surprise, then crinkled with delight. Honestly, she had just been saying it. Thest few times the girl had visited, she''d been a bit distant, only willing to call her Madam. After all, her grandson hadn''t officially won her over yet, so she didn''t want to push it. She hadn''t expected this! Her grandson was making progress!


    "Wonderful, wonderful," Hannah beamed, her heart swelling with affection as her voice softened. "Why are you standing out here? Why don''t youe inside?"


    Before Juniper could answer, another voice cut in. "Master!"


    In the next second, Dr. Zigmund shot up from his chair like a spring, rushing to the door in disbelief. He stared at Juniper, a mix of surprise and tion on his face. "What are you doing here? I was just nning to find an opportunity to pay you a visit personally."


    In the presence of his Master, Dr. Zigmund''s entire demeanor became incredibly deferential. He bowed slightly and asked, "By the way, that boy Harold, he hasn''t caused you any trouble, has he?"


    Juniper stared at him, her expression unreadable. "What was that I heard a moment ago?" she asked, her voice cool. "Something about a little amateur?"


    "Ah, yes!" The mention of it set Dr. Zigmund off again. He leaned in


    close to Juniper''s ear and whispered conspiratorially, "Hannah met some young quack somewhere and is Convinced she''s a genius with brilliant medical skills."


    genius


    Juniper remained silent, letting him vent.


    "She''s still in high school, hasn''t even had any formal medical training. What kind of genius is that?" Dr. Zigmund felt much better after getting that off his chest in my book, she''s nothing but adittle amateur."  s?novels


    "A little amateur?" Juniper''s eyes narrowed dangerously as she repeated the word.


    Having finished his rant, Dr. Zigmund finally noticed the familiar way Juniper and Hannah were holding onto each other. "Master," he asked, puzzled, "how do you know Hannah?"


    "Master?" Hannah spoke up before Juniper could reply. "Dr. Zigmund, you know Juniper?"


    Juniper? The name sounded familiar to Dr. Zigmund. He was sure he''d heard it recently. Wait a minute. That old codger Kent had just said it. Could it be...?


    Dr. Zigmund''s head snapped up, his eyes wide with astonishment as he stared at Juniper. Young? Still in school? A medical genius? Wasn''t that a perfect description of his Master?


    "Is she..... is she..." Dr. Zigmund''s lips trembled, his tongue tied in shock.


    "Yes, yes!" Hannah nodded enthusiastically, introducing her proudly. "It''s her! She''s the young miracle doctor I was telling you about."


    It really was her. So, his Master and the medical prodigy Hannah had been raving about were one and the same person. And when Hannah had suggested the girl be ! student, what had he called ber? A... little amateur. Oh, dear God!


    This


    "Juniper, you two are...?" Hannah sensed the awkward tension between them and


    knew something was up.

 Chapter 416

    "Yes," Juniper confirmed with a nod. "Dr. Zigmund and I are acquaintances. We''ve known each other for a long time. Isn''t that right, Dr. Zigmund?"


    "Yes, yes, of course!" Dr. Zigmund nodded frantically, his face a mask of misery. "Master, this is all a misunderstanding. I didn''t mean to....."


    He trailed off, mortified. There was no exining his way out of this. Could he just kneel and beg for forgiveness?


    "I haven''t said anything," Juniper replied with a slight smirk, her eyes scanning the living room, clearly looking for someone.


    "Looking for Shanley?" Hannah guessed, immediately sending someone to find him.


    "Come on in, it''s too hot outside." She happily led Juniper inside, with a dejected Dr. Zigmund trailing behind them.


    Once they were seated, Hannah couldn''t help but gloat a little. "So, what do you think now? Not only is Juniper a medical genius, but she''s also Shanley''s future wife. And you wanted to introduce him to another girl? Could she possiblypare to our Juniper?"


    Future wife? Dr. Zigmund''s head shot up again, his heart pounding. So his Master really was Shanley''s girlfriend. What a coincidence!


    "Introduce him to another girl?" Juniper sipped her coffee, then nced quizzically at Dr. Zigmund.


    "A misunderstanding, aplete misunderstanding!" Dr. Zigmund quickly exined. "I originally thought you and Shanley would make a perfect couple, Master. I was nning on ying matchmaker for the two of you! Who knew it was already fate, a match made in heaven, destined to be..."


    "Is that the only reason?" Juniper stared at him coolly as he rambled on, one eyebrow raised. "It wasn''t just him you were interested in, but his money as well, right?"


    "Ahem!" Caught, Dr. Zigmund''s old face flushed. He couldn''t admit it, but he couldn''t lie and deny it either. All he could do wasugh awkwardly to cover his embarrassment.


    "So Juniper is Dr. Zigmund''s Master!" Hannah and Kent eximed in unison. "And here we were, thinking she could be your apprentice."


    "Never! I wouldn''t dare!" Dr. Zigmund shot to his feet, hands sped in front of him, head slightly bowed in a gesture of utmost apology.


    "Well, this is a case of friendly fire, isn''t it?" Kentughed heartily. "It makes things much simpler now that we all know each other."


    As they were chatting, Shanley and Harold returned from their walk in the garden. "Over here, quickly!"


    Dr. Zigmund waved Harold over,


    desperate for a distraction. If he set


    heat his Master''s re was going to kill him content belongs to


    "Professor," Harold said with a polite smile.


    "Be serious," Dr. Zigmund said, pping Harold on the back. "Your grandmaster is here too."


    "Huh?" Harold looked over and saw his sister''s nonchnt expression, then nced at his professor''s terrified demeanor. He immediately guessed Dr. Zigmund had gotten on Juniper''s bad side


    "What do you mean, ''huh''?" Dr. Zigmund felt like he was about to have a heart attack. This was not the time to provoke his Master further.


    "Oh," Harold drawled, a smirk ying on his lips. "Juniper, my dear sister, how long have you been here?"


    "Are you trying to get us killed?" Dr. Zigmund gasped, nearly fainting on the spot.


    What did Harold just call her? Juniper! Sister! Even he didn''t know his Master''s first name, and Harold had the nerve to act so familiar? The dot! Was he out of his mind?

 Chapter 417

    "Master, please don''t mind him," Dr. Zigmund exined hastily, breaking out in a cold sweat and forcing a smile. "This foolish boy..."


    "He''s my brother," Juniper interrupted calmly.


    "Brother?" Dr. Zigmund paused for a second before nodding. "When did you two be sworn siblings? Isn''t that against protocol?"


    He called Juniper ''Master'', and Harold was his student. By rights, he should call Juniper ''Grandmaster''. If they were sworn siblings... that would put him in a very awkward position.


    "My biological brother," Juniper rified.


    "Bio... biological brother?" Dr. Zigmund''s eyes widened as he looked back and forth between Juniper and Harold. He''d never heard that the Houstons had another child. Besides, they didn''t look anything alike.


    "That''s right." Fearing Dr. Zigmund''s brain might short-circuit, Harold stepped in to exin. "I''ve had some issues with the Houston family, but Juniper is indeed my youngest sister."


    "Youngest sister?" Dr. Zigmund stammered, his mind struggling to keep up.


    "Correct," Harold nodded with a smile. "Besides her, I have two brothers. I''l introduce you all someday when there''s time."


    Dr. Zigmund stood there, utterly dumbfounded. What was happening? He hadn''t seen Harold in a month, and somehow in that time, his student had be his Master''s brother?


    "So," Harold continued after rifying their rtionship, clearing his throat and deliberately lowering his voice, "if you ever think about using me as cheapbor again, making me water your flowers and tend your garden, I''ll just have to tell my little sister."


    "You¡ª" Dr. Zigmund''s face darkened. He red at Harold, so angry his bald head seemed to gleam even brighter.


    ""''You'' what?" Harold grinned, looking quite pleased with himself. "I have a sister now!"


    "You brat!" Dr. Zigmund seethed through clenched teeth. "You''ve finally found someone to hide behind!"


    "What can I say?" Harold slung an arm around Dr. Zigmund''s shoulders. "I''m just very eager to improve, Professor."


    Dr. Zigmund shot him a frustrated look before turning his gaze back to Juniper, his expression instantly shifting to one of beaming delight.


    Juniper nced at him, the corner of her mouth twitching into an involuntary smile.


    After some light conversation,


    Hannah ushered everyone to the et diningzzed Harold about his


    dining room. At the table Dr.


    Zund


    training progress while they ate.


    "Master, do you think he has a chance of getting into the Global Medical Alliance Association?"


    It wasn''t easy, They tested theory, practical achievements, and even on-the-spot procedures. This year to make it even harder for applicants from the Orient Country, they''d


    added a Q&A session it was


    obvious Harold would be getting the


    toughest questions.


    Hearing Dr. Zigmund''s question, Harold also put down his fork and knife and looked toward Juniper.


    "Well..." Juniper took a bite of a small bread roll, her voice soft but firm. "If the


    process is fair and impartial, he shouldn''t have any problem."


    "That''s a relief," Dr. Zigmund said, clutching his chest.


    Then, Juniper''s voice cut in again, cool and sharp. "But do you really think they''ll be fair?"


    Dr. Zigmund''s smile froze on his face. Of course not. Not only would they be unfair, but they would do everything in their power to exclude anyone from the Orient Country


    "I''ll do my best in the time I have left," Harold said, his voice hoarse.


    He licked his chapped lips, dark circles visible under his eyes. He had already been pushing himself to his limits recently.

 Chapter 418

    Pushing himself any harder would likely break him, doing more harm than good.


    "I''ll go with you when the timees," Juniper said, her gaze distant as she sipped her juice. Her tone was light, but it carried an undercurrent of deadly intent.


    "Master, please don''t do anything reckless," Dr. Zigmund warned with a nervousugh. "You''re so petite. If you cause a scene, those foreigners will just toss you out."


    "I wouldn''t be so sure about that," Shanley interjected. He ced a peeled grape onto a small te, his eyes fixed on Juniper with a soft, knowing smile. "It''s not certain who would be tossing whom out."


    Dr. Zigmund was speechless. From the sound of it, Shanley was going to back her up. With the Schwartz family''s wealth and influence, it was usible. As long as his Master didn''t get hurt. Otherwise, with her temper...


    Dr. Zigmund rubbed his bald head, sighing internally. He was genuinely afraid she''d see her brother being bullied by the foreigners, leap onto the stage, and start punching the judges.


    After dinner, Dr. Zigmund had to leave. As a gracious host, Shanley walked him to the door, with Juniper following along.


    Just before he left, Dr. Zigmund leaned in close to Juniper, his eyes darting between her and Shanley. "That wood you got from mest time," he said pointedly, "was it to make a bracelet for him?"


    Juniper didn''t answer. It was supposed to be a secret; she hadn''t told Shanley yet. She''d overheard Felton and Flint talking and learned that Shanley''s 29th birthday wasing up. As for a gift... Shanley wanted for nothing, so she had to give him something more personal.


    "I see, I see," Dr. Zigmund chuckled. Though his Master was silent, her expression said it all.


    "I wish you two a long and happy life together, and may you have children soon..." He trailed off, realizing thest part might be inappropriate, and swallowed the words.


    "Shanley, I''ll be off then," Dr. Zigmund said, turning to him with the air of a proud father-inw. "You''d better take good care of my Master. A treasure like her is impossible to find twice."


    "I will," Shanley replied, personally opening the car door for him with a slight bow. "Take care."


    "You two head back inside," Dr. Zigmund said, waving smugly at Shanley before his gaze fell on Juniper, his attitude instantly reverting to one of humble respect. "Master, I''m entrusting Harold''s matter to you. It''s easier to scold your own family, after all


    "Just go already," Juniper said, tired of his chatter, and pushed the car door shut. "Felton, drive."


    "Wait, I wasn''t finished! Shanley, you know myb, right? All that equipment is very expensive! And my Master-argh!"


    Before Dr. Zigmund could finish, the sports car shot off down the driveway.


    Finally, the world was quiet.


    you


    "Do


    I dislike Dr. Zigmund?" Shanley asked softly, taking Juniper''s hand and leaning down slightly.


    "No," Juniper mumbled. Dr. Zigmund was actually very good to her; he just talked too much.


    "Still, don''t get too close to him," Juniper added, looking up at Shanley. "Why?" he asked, confused.


    "Before..." Juniper averted her gaze, a faint blush on her cheeks as her voice dropped to a mumble. "...we were doing an experiment, and he insisted on provoking me foot angry and smashed his equipment."


    The old man had probably assumed she was too poor to pay for it and just epted the loss. But now that he knew abget her rtionship with Shanley...


    The way he had been looking at Shanley earlier, his eyes were practically glowing.


    He wasn''t looking at a person; he was looking at a pile of cash.

 Chapter 419

    "Heh." A low, maic chuckle escaped Shanley''s throat as he listened to herint. "While it''s true I need to work hard and save up for our wedding, I''m not so broke that I can''t cover something like that."


    Besides, while Dr. Zigmund could be sharp-tongued, his earlier words had been quite pleasant. He''d wished them a long and happy life together. Shanley couldn''t think of a nicer sentiment.


    "That''s not it..." Juniper stopped walking and looked up at him, her expression serious. "He''s desperate for the Orient Country''s medical field to make a breakthrough, so he''s been conducting a lot of experiments on himself that are damaging to his health. That''s why I got angry and smashed his equipment."


    If he didn''t have the money, he couldn''t buy new instruments. Fewer dangerous experiments meant he might just live a few years longer.


    "So that''s the reason," Shanley said, a little stunned. He hadn''t realized she had such a soft heart, willing to take the me without ever exining herself.


    "In that case..." Shanley considered for a moment. "How about I send him some rare medicines and some new, safer equipment to soothe his wounded pride?"


    "That works," Juniper agreed after a thought.


    When she''d smashed hisb, the old man hadn''t been able to win the argument and had snuck off to the bathroom to cry. He''d seemed genuinely heartbroken.


    "Alright," Shanley nodded, squeezing her hand again. "I''ll have Flint arrange it immediately."


    Meanwhile, in the car, Dr. Zigmund pulled out his phone and edited Shanley''s contact name to "My Golden Goose."


    ...


    Back in the living room, Kent and Hannah were still engrossed in conversation with Harold. Ever since they learned he was Juniper''s biological brother, the elderly couple had be even warmer and more gracious toward him.


    "Don''t you worry," Kent assured him, patting his chest. "With us here, we will never let Juniper be wronged. If Shanley dares to mistreat her, we''ll break both his legs."


    Harold nearly choked on his coffee. That was a bit extreme. His sister wasn''t exactly someone who let herself be bullied. If anything, he was more worried about Shanley.


    After chatting for a while longer, the three of them prepared to leave the Schwartz Manor. As they were leaving, Hannah clung to Juniper her eyes welling up. "My dear, you muuste back and visit an old. woman like me often. Don''t be like that heartless Shanley."


    "I will," Juniper promised with a small smile. "I gave the medicine to your butler. Make sure you and Grandpa take it."


    "Of course, of course!"


    Hearing her call them Grandpa and Grandma sent the two elders over the moon with happiness.


    Once they deft the main hall, Harold departed first. Before they left, Juniper brought up Kurt Schwartz,


    who was still recovering from va


    fracture he''d sustained in a race.


    "Alright, let''s go see him," Shanley said, leading Juniper to the car and driving toward a smaller vi on the estate.


    "Kurt has been moring to see you for a while now," he added softly. His leg injury and Juniper''s busy schedule had made it difficult.


    "Okay." Juniper rested her head gently on his shoulder, a faint smile ying on her


    lips.


    Kurt was a decent guy with real


    talent. Once he recovered, she''d get him into the racing association. With


    him and her brother managing it together, the Orient Country''s racing scene would be unstoppable.


    About ten minutester, the car pulled up in front of a vi. Shanley led Juniper


    inside, but as they reached the door, they could hear Kurt''s loud shouts.


    "Ah, the Racing Goddess! My queen! I love you! You''re the absolute best!" Shanley''s brow furrowed as he looked inside.

 Chapter 420

    The walls were covered in posters of Juniper from her races, and a video of one of herpetitions was ying on the television. Kurt, one leg in a cast, was hopping around and shouting excitedly, yelling things like "Goddess!" and "Incredible!"


    "Your mother told me you were depressed, that you''d lost your appetite..." Shanley''s voice dripped with ice as he entered. "But from the look of you, you could probably take down a bear."


    "Shanley!" Kurt immediately muted the TV. When he turned and saw the girl beside his cousin, he started screaming again. "Aaaah!"


    Juniper frowned in annoyance.


    "Quiet!" Shanley snapped, helping Juniper to a seat. "Have you forgotten your manners?"


    "Yes, sir." Kurt immediately sat down straight, his eyes glued to Juniper. Ever since he found out his future cousin-inw was the Racing Goddess, he''d been smiling in his sleep. It was a shame his injury had prevented him from meeting her sooner.


    "Say hello," Shanley prompted.


    "Miss... Race..." Kurt stammered, his tongue feeling tied. After a moment''s thought, he settled on a more respectful term. "Hello, my dear cousin-inw."


    Shanley''s expression softened slightly.


    Juniper pursed her lips but didn''t object.


    "You''re recovering well," she said after a brief examination, before outlining the next steps for his rehabilitation. "With Melvin in the racing association as well, you should be happy to join."


    "Whatever you say," Kurt agreed readily.


    "Just focus on getting better. If you have any questions about racing, you can ask me."


    "Thank you!" Kurt nodded, grinning so wide his mouth nearly reached his ears.


    "By the way¡ª" Kurt turned to Shanley, his expression pleading. "Are you still good for your promise?"


    "Of course," Shanley said, crossing his long legs with an air of rxed elegance. "The bike you want is out of stock. The waitlist is two years. Can you wait that long?"


    "What bike?" Juniper asked curiously.


    "A Dodge Tomahawk," Kurt answered immediately,unching into a gushing description of the famous motorcycle. The standard version cost a fortune, and his cousin had promised him the high-end model, which cost millions. The only problem was the long wait.


    "Oh, that one," Juniper said, a brow cocked. "That bike is..."


    "Have you seen one, Juniper? Isn''t it amazing?" Kurt asked excitedly.


    "Not really," Juniper replied with a slight smirk. "It''s just okay. If you don''t mind a hand-me-down, I have a slightly better one. Bought it a while back, but it''s just been sitting in the garage. Haven''t had time to touch it."


    "What kind of bike is it?" Kurt asked, craning his neck.


    "An Ecosse Spirit ES1," Juniper stated calmly.


    The name left not only Kurt speechless but also stunned Shanley, who knew little about motorcycles.


    The Ecosse Spirit ES1! It was one of the top three most expensive superbikes in the world, with a price tag exceeding twenty million dors. Its performance and design were so advanced it was said to make the rider feet like they were inauter space. People called at the bike built exclusively for billionaires.


    Kurt''s mouth hung open, no sounding out. He waspletely floored.


    P.n


    Shanley just stared at the young woman beside him, his expression grave. She was offering to give away a bike worth over twenty million dor without even batting an eye. Just how rich was his girl? Could


    be even wealthier than him? wonder she told him he feeded to work hard to earn the right to marry her.


    A sense of crisis washed over the old man.

 Chapter 421

    "Well? Say something." Seeing both men staring at her nkly, Juniper raised an eyebrow. "If you don''t like it¡ª"


    "I''ll take it! I''ll take it!" Kurt hobbled to his feet, sped his hands together, and bowed deeply to Juniper. "Thank you! You''re the best!"


    An Ecosse Spirit ES1 wasn''t even in the same league as the bike he wanted. It was something he didn''t even dare to dream about, and his cousin-inw was just giving it to him.


    "Alright." Juniper took out her phone and sent a message to Lue Langley. "Someone will deliver it to the main house in a week."


    "Okay!" Kurt couldn''t stop grinning, his eyes practically glued to Juniper.


    "That''s enough," Shanley said, stepping in front of Kurt to block his view and turning his gentle gaze to Juniper. "We should head back so you can rest. You have school tomorrow."


    "Okay," Juniper nodded. Before leaving, she reminded Kurt to focus on his recovery.


    In the car, Shanley kept stealing nces at the young woman beside him. He had so many questions but didn''t know where to start, afraid of overstepping.


    "What do you want to ask?" Juniper said without looking up from the game she was ying on her phone. "Curious about why I have so much money?"


    "Yes," Shanley admitted with a helpless smile, leaning closer. "I am very curious. Are you willing to tell me?"


    "Tsk." Juniper''s fingers flew across the screen as she answered nonchntly, "I made some money in business, then tried my hand at the stock market, and it just kept growing. The more money I made, the more I invested. It sort of spiraled out of control from there."


    "The stock market?" Shanley was surprised, trying to recall all of her known identities. There were so many he couldn''t even remember them all at once.


    "How long did it take you to learn how to do that?" he asked, his voice low.


    "About half a month," Juniper said, tilting her head back to look at him with a cocky grin. "I had a lot to learn, so it took a little longer than usual."


    Half a month? As a young teenager, she''d learned the stock market in two weeks? And had been consistently profitable?!


    "Alright," Shanley said after a pause, his voice soft. "I''ll work harder to make more money. I''ll never let you down."


    "You''ll need to," Juniper said,


    stopping her game and turning to him with a serious expression." might need to call on your financial resources and influence in the future."


    "Oh?" Shanley stiffened slightly, confused.


    "I have an enemy," she exined, her face darkening at the thought, each word sharp with hatred. "I need to deal with him eventually."


    "An enemy?" Shanley''s gaze turned cold.


    Juniper had an enemy? She never started trouble, so someone must have wronged her. Whoever it was deserved to die!


    "Not right now," Juniper said, giving him a reassuring look. "I can handle him for the time being. But before I eliminate himpletely, I have a little n."


    For example, Sigma Network was always trying to swallow up Subterra Vanguard in Australis. It was time to give them a taste of their own medicine. She had simr


    ambitions. Borealia was a nice ce-beautiful, peaceful and


    economically prosperous?


    And... Juniper''s eyes rested on Shanley''s face, her lips curving into an almost imperceptible smile. The people weren''t bad either So, she was ever more determined to destroy that old bastard and bring


    Borealia under her control


    "Is he a threat to you?" Shanley asked, his body tense with worry. "Could you get hurt?"

 Chapter 422

    "Him?" Juniper leaned back, her tone dripping with the casual confidence of someone who feared nothing. "He''s a loser I''ve already beaten. Hardly worth mentioning. If he dared to stand in front of me now, I''d destroy him."


    "Good." Her words were enough to ease Shanley''s immediate fears. "If you need me, just say the word. I''d go through hell and high water for you."


    His earnest promise made Juniper''s heart skip a beat. Her eyes crinkled with pleasure as she leaned slowly toward him.


    The distance between them shrank until Shanley could smell the faint, clean scent of her shampoo and feel the warmth of her breath on his skin.


    What was she doing? He pressed his lips together, his hands clenching into fists. His brain screamed at him to pull away, but his body betrayed him, inching forward ever so slightly. Her face was so beautiful. Her lips... looked so soft. What kind of lip balm was she wearing? It smelled like strawberries.


    Just as Shanley''s internal battle between reason and desire reached its peak, Juniper stopped, a mere millimeter from his lips. A yful smile touched her eyes as she whispered, "Then thank you in advance, Mr. Schwartz. I won''t be shy about asking."


    With that, she pulled back just as quickly as she''d leaned in and went back to her game.


    Shanley froze, a mixture of colors shing across his face. Fine. He had clearly been overthinking things. For a moment there, he''d actually thought she was going to... kiss him.


    Less than a week remained before the university entrance exams. The seniors were all frantically cramming, so stressed they could barely sleep. The principal, Salma, couldn''t bear to watch it anymore and asked Juniper if she could hold a review session to help calm everyone''s nerves.


    "Fine," Juniper agreed. Salma''s request, coupled with the giant fruit basket she''d brought as a bribe, made it hard to refuse.


    Given the size of the senior ss, Salma gathered all the students in therge, multi-hundred-seat auditorium. Juniper sat at the podium on stage, with Salma beside her, asionally pouring her water or handing her a book. The rest of the teachers and students sat below, a sea of anxious faces, pens poised over notebooks, looking up at her like hungry baby birds.


    "From today until the day before the exam," Juniper began, her voice low but clear "we''ll cover one subject a day I''ll go over the key points pay attention."


    "Yes!" the entire auditorium responded in unison, the sound echoing like a military drill.


    "Let''s begin." Juniper opened a textbook and started her lecture. Halfway through, there was a knock on the door.


    "Excuse me," said Jolene, clutching her backpack and looking flustered as she stood in the doorway,te.


    Get


    Juniper nced at her. Right. The girl who was always picking fights with her the one who had used her of cheating. She remembered now.


    "Hurry up and find a seat," a teacher said disapprovingly. "The exam is just around


    the corner. What''s with the tardiness?"


    "Yes, ma''am." Jolene looked up, her eyes meeting Juniper''s knowing gaze.


    "Who does she think she is?" Jolene


    thought bitterly. "Acting all high and


    mighty She clenched her fists and


    walked stiffly to an empty seat,


    refusing to give Juniper so much as


    nce


    "What is wrong with her?" Queenie muttered in disgust. "She''s the one getting free tutoring, and she still has the nerve to pull a face."


    "No ss at all," Dolce added. "But Juniper won''t stoop to her level. She''s not worth the trouble."


    "Ungrateful leech," Qadir snorted, clenching his jaw. "She''d better stay in line, or I''ll deal with her myself."


    After sitting down, Jolene opened her phone. A single text message was disyed on the screen.

 Chapter 423

    [Seed, and you''ll get 500,000 dors.]


    Jolene stared at the number, then at Juniper speaking on stage, her heart hammering against her ribs.


    Half a million dors. For her family, earning that much money would take years! With that thought, Jolene switched off her phone, her resolve hardening.


    Two days before the exam, Jolene stood on thending of a staircase she knew Juniper would have to take, her forehead slick with nervous sweat.


    The instructions were clear: make sure Juniper couldn''t get to the exam. A little physical injury would be best. A fall down the stairs was the most direct method.


    For the money, and for revenge, she had to try.


    Just then, she heard Juniper''s voiceing from the top of the stairs.


    "Your brain has actually been making some progresstely. Go home and get some rest, you''ll do fine."


    "Really?" Qadir was bouncing around Juniper like an excited monkey. "My dad said if I can get into a good university, he''ll buy me a car!"


    "Is that all you care about?" Juniper shot him an amused, exasperated look.


    To his credit, Qadir was a good kid. His family was wealthy, but he wasn''t a spoiled brat and didn''t waste money. He was alright.


    "Juniper, the exam''s the day after tomorrow," Qadir said. "We won''t see each other tomorrow since it''s a study day, so how about we grab dinner? I''ll call Queenie and Dolce. There''s this new wild mushroom and chicken fondue ce that opened on the east side. I heard it''s amazing."


    "Sure," Juniper agreed without hesitation.


    School had just let out, and the hallways were swarming with students. Juniper kept to the side of the crowded staircase, but suddenly her path was blocked.


    She looked up. It was Jolene.


    "Hey, watch where you''re going!" Qadir snapped. There was plenty of room on the stairs, so why was she deliberately trying to bump into Juniper?


    "Why don''t you move?" Jolene retorted coldly. "You don''t own the staircase. I''ll walk where I want."


    Standing two steps above her, Juniper had a perfect vantage point. She could clearly see the guilt and anxiety on Jolene''s face. This was no ident. She was intentionally trying to run into her. What was she nning?


    "You¡ª" Qadir''s face flushed with anger, and he looked ready to start a fight.


    "Let''s go," Juniper said, stopping him with a calm, dismissive tone.


    "Fine." Qadir, ever obedient to Juniper, immediately backed down. The exam was right around the corner; he didn''t want anything to mess with his focus.


    With that, Juniper started down the stairs with Qadir, resuming their conversation about dinner.


    Seeing them about to pass, Jolene knew this was her chance. As nned, she pretended to stumble aiming her left foot to trip Juniper''s right the move would send Juniper off bnce tumbling down the entire flight of stairs. If she was


    lucky, she''d break a leg. If she was


    unlucky... she might not survive.


    The thought sent a chill down Jolene''s spine, but she pushed it away, and as no one


    was looking, she stuck out her foot.


    Just as her foot was about to make


    contact, Juniper, who had been looking straight ahead, suddenlyunched herself forward in a single fluid leap. She cleared the remaining stairs entirely,nding perfectly on the t ground below.


    "Ah!" Jolene never imagined Juniper could dodge her. Her foot met only air. In her haste, she overextended and stammed her ankle hard onto the edge of a step. Her body furched sideways, and losing her bnce, she pitched forward down the unforgiving concrete stairs.

 Chapter 424

    A sickening series of thuds echoed down the stairwell, punctuated by her own strangled screams.


    A few secondster, Joleney in a crumpled heap at Juniper''s feet, face up. Blood trickled from her nose and the corner of her mouth, and her face was already scraped and bruised. The violent fall had left her unable to move, her eyes wide with pain and despair as she stared up at Juniper.


    "Holy crap!" Qadir, who had witnessed the whole thing, stood frozen in shock.


    What just happened? One second she was standing, the next she was rolling down the stairs like a ball. And how had Juniper jumped down more than ten steps andnded without a scratch?


    "There''s blood! Someone get a teacher!" The other students started shouting, their chatter turning into panicked cries.


    Teachers and the school nurse arrived quickly.


    "Multiple fractures, and likely some internal bleeding," the nurse announced grimly after a quick assessment. "She''s seriously injured. We need to get her to a hospital now. In this condition, there''s no way she''ll be able to take the exam."


    "What?" The students gasped, their pity for Jolene growing.


    "That''s awful!"


    "Is it?" another student whispered. "I think I saw Jolene try to trip Juniper. But Juniper saw it and just... whoosh, flew down the stairs. Jolene''s n backfired, and that''s why she fell!"


    "No way!" a girl whispered back, covering her mouth in shock. "If that''s true, then she got what she deserved."


    "She totally deserved it!" another witness chimed in. "They''re changing the


    curriculum next year. If she can''t pass this time, with her grades... ha, she''ll be lucky to get a job washing dishes."


    Joleney helplessly on the ground, tears streaming down her face. She couldn''t move, and the pain was too intense to even make a sound, but she could hear every word.


    Juniper knew what she was trying to do and deliberately dodged her, at an angle so precise it was clearly designed to make her fall. What was she going to do now? She failed the task she wouldn''t get the money, and now she was so injured sh might miss the exam.


    It was over. Her life was over.


    And if it was, she would never, ever let Juniper get away with it.


    ...


    On the way to the restaurant, Qadir kept stealing nces at Juniper, who was walking with her hands in her pockets, an icy expression on her face.


    "Juniper..."


    "Spit it out," she said curtly, not looking at him, her aura intimidating.


    "Jolene..." Qadir chose his words carefully. "Did you know she was going to do that? Did you see iting?"


    "Yeah," Juniper replied tly.


    What an idiot! In a TV show, a viin with that level of intelligence would be killed off in the first episode. And she dared to try something on her? She was asking for it.


    "I heard some students saying you did it on purpose..." Qadir trailed off, then quickly


    corrected himself. "But I know you wouldn''t do that."


    "Oh, but I did," Juniper stopped and turned to face him. She tilted her chin up slightly, her beautiful face etched with a chilling expression as she spoke, enunciating every word. "My rule is three strikes. First she talked trash about me behind my back second she framed me for cheating. Third, she tried to send me down a flight of stairs. For scum like her, giving her three chances was already an act of charity on my part."


    Juniper''s lips barely moved, her voice soft but carrying a weight that struck the soul. "So, yes. I did it on purpose. I wanted her to fall."


    Because she had never been a good person. She repaid kindness with kindness.


    But when it came to her enemies... she would never let them get away with it.

 Chapter 425

    "I wanted her to die."


    Juniper arched an eyebrow, a slight curve on her lips. But her smile never reached her eyes, which were filled with an unnerving chill that seemed to radiate from her.


    Qadir froze, swallowing hard, too scared to speak. This side of Juniper was terrifying. It reminded him of when she first transferred to Era High and dealt with a few of the school''s troublemakers.


    All this time, he''d thought she was just an easygoing person, but now he understood. Juniper wasn''t just nice; she was nice to people who didn''t cross her. If you dared to provoke her... well, Jolene, who ended up with a face full of blood today, was the perfect example.


    "Don''t be scared," Juniper said, her voice calm as she softened her expression, sensing the boy was about to short-circuit. "As long as you don''t do anything stupid, I won''t let you die."


    "I promise I''ll be a good person!" Qadir immediately straightened up, his expression so serious he was just short of saluting her.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Juniper said with a blink, her gaze shifting. She shoved her hands back in her pockets, and the fierce aura around her vanished instantly.


    "Ask Queenie and Dolce if they''ve arrived yet," she askedzily.


    "Yes, ma''am." Qadir pulled out his phone with trembling hands to contact them.


    Juniper nced at him, frowning slightly. She wasn''t that scary, was she?


    ...


    At the restaurant, Juniper sat on a slightly worn chair, curiously examining the simple decor. It was a far cry from the usual ces they went for their get-togethers.


    "Juniper, it took me forever to find this ce," Qadir said, pouring her a ss of water and puffing out his chest proudly. "Don''t let the decor fool you, the food is amazing. I came to try it myself before I dared bring you guys here."


    "It looks fine,¡± Juniper said with a slight smile, showing no sign of disappointment. As long as there was food, she didn''t care where she was.


    She remembered when she was first brought from the orphanage to the Sherwin family. Her grandfather was in the hospital, and Ynda Sherwin and her family couldn''t stand her. They took the opportunity to dock her in the attic with only water starving her for days She was only about six years old then, too weak to escape. She''d been so hungry she''d eaten paper.


    "Thanks for this," Juniper said, patting Qadir''s shoulder. "Where are Queenie and Dolce?"


    "On their way," Qadir replied, a light blush dusting his cheeks. "They said they''re stuck in a bit of traffic, so it''ll be a while."


    Just then, the owner brought over a steaming pot of wild mushroom and chicken fondue, the aroma filling the air.


    "You''ll have to wait a bit before you can eat this," the owner said with a warm smile, flipping an hourss on the table. It needs apgat twenty-five minutes. If you eat it before it''s fully cooked, you could get poisoned."


    ¡°Thanks, we know,¡± Qadir replied confidently. "Don''t worry, we''ve gotmon sense."


    "Okay, enjoy!" The owner said before heading off to another table.


    Twenty-five minutes? Juniper nced at the sand slowly trickling through the hourss, then at the bubbling, fragrant fondue Her


    mouth started to water. She really wanted to eat.


    After chatting for a while, Qadir got a call from Queenie. They were lost.


    ¡°Juniper, you wait here. I''ll go get them."


    ¡°Alright.¡± Juniper nodded without looking up, engrossed in a game on her phone.


    ...


    Two roundster, Juniper finally looked up and realized her friends still hadn''t returned. The sand in the hourss, however, hadpletely run out.

 Chapter 426

    Twenty-five minutes had passed surprisingly quickly. It just went to show that time flew when you were doing something interesting.


    Juniper sent a text to Qadir: [Where are you?]


    Qadir replied almost instantly: [They took a wrong turn, I just found them. If you''re hungry, go ahead and eat, Juniper.]


    Eat first? Juniper lifted the lid of the pot, and the fresh scent of wild mushrooms mingled with the rich aroma of chicken. It smelled divine. But her friends hadn''t arrived, so naturally, she couldn''t start without them.


    Still... a little taste of the broth wouldn''t hurt, right? No, better not.


    A few secondster, Juniper put down her phone, picked up a spoon, anddled a small amount of broth into her bowl. She took a sip, and her eyes lit up. It was delicious.


    Well, since she''d already had one sip, another wouldn''t be too much to ask, would it? Not at all.


    Having convinced herself, she poured arger portion this time, holding the bowl with both hands and blowing on it as she took small, satisfying sips, her eyes narrowing with pleasure.


    Before long, Qadir walked in with Queenie and Dolce.


    "Perfect timing, we can eat right away," Qadir announced, busying himself with serving everyone.


    With exams in two days, this meal was meant for rxation, so no one mentioned studying.


    "Juniper," Qadir said after a while, putting down his fork and knife. He looked at her with keen interest. "So, after graduation, are you and Mr. Schwartz going public?"


    "Public?" Juniper, who was nibbling on a bone, froze and looked at Qadir in confusion. She and Shanley were justndlord and tenant, right? Besides, he had never even confessed his feelings to her.


    "What are you prying for?" Queenie smacked Qadir''s arm and quickly changed the subject. ¡°Juniper, Mr. Schwartz ising to pick you up, right?"


    They had overheard her phone call earlier.


    "Yeah."


    "Then we''ll get going," Queenie said, standing up. Qadir and Dolce followed suit, waving goodbye.


    "Okay,¡± Juniper didn''t press them to stay. "Good luck on the exams."


    After they left, Juniper rested her chin on her hands, her head feeling woozy. What was going on? Did she eat too much?


    Once they were out of the restaurant, Qadir sidled up to Queenie. "Why''d you cut me off back there?"


    "I don''t think Mr. Schwartz and


    Juniper are officially together yetet


    Queenie exined seriously. "It seems like he hasn''t confessed his feelings


    "Really?" Qadir scratched his head. ¡°Why not? I think Juniper likes him a lot.¡±


    All that was missing was the official gesture.


    "It''s about timing,¡± Queenie said, rolling her eyes. "With emotional intelligence like yours, you''ll never find a girlfriend."


    ¡°Are you cursing me?" Qadir''s expression soured. ¡°Just you wait. If I can''t find anyone, I''ll just have to bother you instead."


    Queenie''s head snapped up. She


    suddenly realized how close they were standing. Her heart started racing, and her cheeks grew inexplicably hot.


    Qadir stared back at her, a newyer of awkwardness settling between them.


    "What''s with you two?" Dolce leaned between them, a mischievous grin on her face. "You don''t need to be


    this close to argue, do you?! Any _closer and you''d be arguing with s your mouths... literally!"

 Chapter 427

    "Who''d want to be that close to him?"


    "Who''d want to be that close to her?"


    At Dolce''s teasing, Qadir and Queenie spoke at the exact same time, their voices dripping with disdain.


    "Haha, you two are in sync," Dolce remarked, her eyes darting between them with amusement.


    "No, we''re not!"


    "No, we''re not!"


    They both turned their heads away, once again speaking in perfect, mortifying unison.


    ¡°Hahaha...¡± Dolce couldn''t hold it in any longer and burst outughing.


    "What''s so funny?!"


    "What''s so funny?!"


    After they said it again, they stared at each other in disbelief, a hint of guilt in their eyes. What was going on? How had they suddenly be so synchronized?


    "Alright, alright,¡± Dolce said, stepping in to break the tension, trying to stifle herughter. ¡°Queenie was just joking earlier. Qadir, you''ll definitely find a wife. And Queenie, you''ll find your soulmate. When the timees, we can be each other''s bridesmaids and groomsmen."


    Her words were met with silence. A few secondster, Qadir and Queenie awkwardly boarded separate buses.


    Dolce stood there, confused. She thought her well-wishes were nice. Why did they get angry?


    Back in the restaurant, Juniper''s head felt heavier and heavier. She was so sleepy. As she drifted in a daze, she saw the man she''d been waiting for walking toward


    her.


    "Have you been waiting long?" Shanley handed his coat to Felton and gently took Juniper''s hand soft smile on his face Ready to go. home?"


    "Mhm," Juniper mumbled, swaying as she stood up. She leaned in close to Shanley''s face and blinked her clear, beautiful eyes.


    "What are you looking at?" Shanley touched his own face, confused. "Is there something on me?"


    "Yeah," Juniper nodded seriously. "There was a butterfly, but it just flew away."


    A butterfly? Shanley''s frown deepened. He turned to his men. ¡°Was there a butterfly?"


    "Huh?" Felton and Flint exchanged nces and shook their heads. They hadn''t even seen a mosquito.


    ¡°Did you drink?¡± Shanley asked, noticing how unsteady she was. His gaze swept over the table, but he only saw soft drinks, no alcohol.


    "Nope," Juniper yawned and snuggled into his arms, nuzzling her nose against his chest. "Don''t move so much. I''m dizzy."


    "Okay."


    Assuming she was just tired, Shanley carefully helped her into the car.


    On the way back, Juniper rested


    woozily in Shanley''s arms, her eyes fixed on the shing neon lights outside Suddenly, she saw the city skyline begin to warp. The skyscrapers transformed into


    colorful mushrooms, which giggled and chattered at her.


    1.n


    Juniper shook her head, and the mushrooms vanished, reced by a sky full of bubbles and tiny, adorable sprites. Then she saw her own reflection in the window had turned into a yellow milkshake-herfavorite, mango-vored.


    ¡°Juniper, today you¡ª¡± Shanley began, worried by her strange behavior.


    ¡°Shh!¡± she interrupted, putting a finger to her lips.


    Juniper lifted her head, her gaze hazy as she leaned closer to Shanley. Her rosy lips parted slowly. "Do you want to drink a milkshake?"


    "What?" Shanley froze, his body tense with her so close. He had no idea what she was talking about. Why was she suddenly offering him a milkshake?


    "It''s mango-vored," Juniper whispered, moving even closer, her tone urgent. "Have a taste, go on."

 Chapter 428

    Taste it? How?


    "Juniper, what''s wrong with you?" Shanley swallowed hard, his throat tight and his voice raspy. Did she have a fever? He reached out to feel her forehead, but she grabbed his hand.


    "I''m a milkshake. You can only drink me, you can''t just touch me," she said, practically climbing into hisp. She rubbed against him,pletely oblivious to his struggle. "You''ll... spoil... me."


    Up front, Felton and Flint, who were driving, didn''t know where to look.


    Damn it. They should have brought a car with a privacy divider. In this situation, were the two of them about to be part of the boss''s and Ms. Payne''s game? Maybe they should just... leave?


    "Are you going to drink it or not?" Seeing that Shanley was just staring at her, Juniper''s patience wore thin. She draped herself over the back of the front seat and asked them earnestly, "Do you guys want some milkshake?"


    "No, no, we''re good!" Felton and Flint shook their heads frantically. Drink the milkshake? Did they have a death wish?


    ¡°Juniper¡ª¡± Shanley was now certain something was seriously wrong. He held her still andmanded in a strained voice, "Go straight to the hospital."


    "Yes, sir." Felton didn''t hesitate, immediately changing direction.


    The sudden turn made the car swerve sharply. The movement seemed to agitate Juniper. She clutched the top of her head anxiously and called out to the driver, "Slow down, I''m going to spill."


    Felton and Flint exchanged a look. They were genuinely concerned about Ms. Payne''s mental state.


    "Hold it, quick, help me hold it," Juniper urged as the car sped up.


    "Okay.¡± Shanley quickly cupped her head with his hands, his own face pale as a sheet, his fingers trembling slightly.


    He''d heard there had been an


    ident at Aurora High after school. Could his little girl have hit her head? Seeing her act this way. he was


    starting to really believe it.


    ¡°Felton, faster!¡± Shanley''s expression was grim. "Flint, get the hospital ready!"


    "Yes, sir," they replied in unison.


    With Shanley holding her head,


    Juniper gradually rxed. Soon, the


    car screeched to a halt at the


    hospital entrance. Shanley wasted no time carrying her into the emergency room.


    After a brief examination, the doctor asked, "What did she eat today? It looks like some kind of poisoning."


    "Poisoning?" Shanley thought back and remembered the address from the navigation. "She had a wild mushroom fondue earlier."


    "Wild mushrooms?"


    The doctor paused for a second,


    then nced at the girl squatting by the door pretending to be a


    "milkshake." He suppressed a smile.


    "Mushroom poisoning it''s caus


    hallucinations. Well draw some


    blood and then start an IV"


    He turned back to Shanley respectfully. "Don''t worry, Mr. Schwartz, it''s not serious.¡±


    Shanley nodded. He coaxed the girl into a private room. After the blood draw, he whispered gently, "The milkshake is too sweet for me. I''m just adding some water." "...Okay.¡± Juniper, who had been ring murderously at the doctor, obediently held out her arm. "Not too much," she added seriously. "It''s better sweet."


    Better sweet? Shanley''s gaze fell on Juniper''s lips, his chest tightening. Too bad he hadn''t gotten a taste earlier. He really had no idea just how sweet it was.

 Chapter 429

    "Alright."


    Looking at her adorable, dazed expression, Shanley''s heart fluttered, and a wave of tenderness washed over him. He was used to her cool, unapproachable demeanor. Seeing her this innocent and cute... was a first.


    Perhaps if she hadn''t endured so much hardship as a child, his Juniper would have always been this carefree.


    Soon, a nurse came in, drew blood, and quickly set up an IV drip.


    As the medicine began to take effect, Juniper grabbed Shanley''s hand and


    mumbled a final instruction, "Don''t drink too much. Save some for me."


    "Okay," Shanley sat by her bed, a mix of amusement and affection on his face. His voice was uncharacteristically soft. "It''s all for you."


    ¡°Oh.¡± Satisfied, Juniper closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.


    Once she was settled, Shanley turned to Felton and Flint, his tone turning icy. "Call and check on the other students who ate with Juniper this afternoon. And find out what''s going on with that restaurant."


    With exams so close, an incident like this could affect everyone''s performance.


    "Yes, sir." Felton and Flint immediately went to work.


    Five minutester, Felton returned, looking rather awkward. "Boss, the others are all fine."


    "Fine?" Shanley''s brow furrowed, his eyes turbulent.


    "Yes," Felton confirmed. "There were four of them. Besides Ms. Payne, the other three are perfectly fine."


    "Boss." Just as Felton finished, Flint entered the room, his voice low. "We''ve investigated the restaurant. It turns out... you should see the surveince footage.¡±


    Not knowing how to exin, Flint simply handed over his phone.


    The video showed Juniper, after Qadir had left to pick up the others, lifting the pot lid and taking a sip of the broth. The crucial detail was that the hourss the restaurant provided was faulty causing the sand to run through much faster than it should have. The twenty-five minutes the owner had advised was actually only eighteen. Juniper had gotten poisoned because she drank the undercooked mushroom broth.


    By the time Qadir and the others returned, the mushrooms were fully cooked, which


    was why they were unaffected. As for Ms. Payne... she was just a little too eager to


    eat.


    Flint, watching the video over


    Felton''s shoulder, almost burst out


    done.


    Shanley shot Flint a look, and the cold, murderous glint in his eyes was enough to


    make Flint instantly wipe the grin off his face.


    "You may go."


    "Yes, sir."


    Felton and Flint quickly left, and the room fell silent. Shanley sat by the bed, quietly keeping watch over Juniper.


    Later, her three brothers arrived at the hospital Hearing their sister was poisoned from eating mushrooms the expressions on their faces were priceless: To avoid disturbing he rest, they stayed for a short while before leaving.


    Just before they left, Melvin suddenly asked, "The exams are the day after tomorrow. Will Juniper be able to take them in this condition?"


    ¡°She will,¡± Shanley answered before Jimmie or Harold could, his tone serious. ¡°Let


    me put it this way: even if she took the exam while she was still poisoned, she''d get a perfect score."


    His Juniper seemed to have limitless potential. It was frightening.


    "That''s good to hear,¡± Jimmie said, the tension leaving his shoulders. "Going to college has always been Juniper''s dream."


    Although they had many ways to get her into any university she wanted, they wouldn''t resort to them.

 Chapter 430

    Morals aside, they had too much pride for that. Besides, Juniper was so brilliant, she could get into any school she wanted with her own abilities.


    "I''ll leave her in your care," Harold said, giving Shanley a slight nod. His attitude toward him had noticeably softened. ¡°Thank you for your hard work."


    "It''s no trouble at all," Shanley replied with a smile, acting as if he were already part of the family.


    The three brothers looked at him for a few seconds but ultimately said nothing more. You had to admire his thick skin.


    ...


    Juniper drifted in and out of consciousness, unsure how long she had slept. When she finally opened her eyes, she was staring at a in white ceiling, and the faint smell of disinfectant hung in the air. Where was she?


    "You''re awake?"


    Seeing her eyes open, Shanley immediately stood up. "Are you feeling ufortable anywhere?" he asked with concern.


    Juniper turned her head, her gaze shifting from the IV in her hand to Shanley''s face. He looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes, clear evidence of a sleepless night.


    "How did I get here?" Juniper''s lips were pale, her voice hoarse.


    Wasn''t she having fondue with Qadir and the others? Then they left early, and she waited for Shanley. After that... she couldn''t remember what happened.


    "The hospital." Shanley gently ced a pillow behind her neck, his voice soft. "You ate something bad yesterday. Don''t you remember?"


    Juniper was still groggy and let Shanley fuss over her without protest. A few secondster, it dawned on her. "Mushroom poisoning?" she asked, her voice still raspy.


    "Mhm." Shanley''s lips curved into a smile as he gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead. "How much do you remember about the hallucinations you had?¡±


    Juniper''s eyes widened, a guilty look shing across her face. "Hallucinations?"


    "You don''t remember?"


    "Not a thing." Juniper shook her head.


    From Shanley''s expression, she knew she must have done somethingpletely ridiculous. Even if she remembered, she wouldn''t admit it.


    "Alright," Shanley didn''t tease her further. "Luckily, you didn''t eat much. A couple of days on an IV should do it."


    "Oh." Juniper leaned against the headboard, her brow furrowing as she looked at him. "Shouldn''t you get some sleep?"


    He looked like he''d been up all night.


    "I''m not tired," Shanley said, arranging her breakfast. He seemed to be in good spirits.


    While sipping her soup, Juniper suddenly thought of her friends. "By the way-"


    "Don''t worry, they''re fine," Shanley said, a smile ying on his lips. "The hourss was broken."


    "No wonder..." Juniper sighed. "I thought time was passing unusually fast."


    She swore to never be so greedy again.


    After breakfast, Shanley went into the bathroom to freshen up. He


    hadn''t had a chance to take c


    of


    himself while watching over her all night. .


    Listening to the sound of running water, Juniper picked up her phone, suddenly very curious about what shed


    done during her hallucinations A momentter, she hae skillfully pulled up the surveince footage from the restaurant and the car. C¨®ntent


    She froze, staring in disbelief at the girl on the screen acting cutesy and ridiculous. A milkshake? And she''d


    opened her mouth and asked


    Shanley if he wanted a drink? Sh


    even climbed into hisp and


    She''d


    snuggled against him... It was too


    mortifying to watch.


    Juniper''s face burned. She quickly turned off the footage and closed her eyes, trying


    to calm herself.


    "Nope. That wasn''t me. As long as I deny it, the person acting crazy in the video couldn''t possibly be me."

 Chapter 431

    When Shanley emerged from the bathroom, he found Juniper''s cheeks as red as an apple. He nced at her illuminated phone screen and knew exactly what had


    happened.


    ¡°Juniper, want a milkshake?¡± he asked, a teasing glint in his eyes.


    With a sharp crack, a pillow flew through the air and hit him squarely.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Ynda and Yelena were sitting in a coffee shop.


    "What?" Yelena stopped stirring her coffee, her eyes wide. "It was Jolene who went to the hospital, not Juniper?¡±


    "Mhm." Ynda nodded innocently and whispered, ¡°Yelena, keep your voice down. There are fans of Jimmie Tate everywhere. You don''t want them to overhear."


    "Absolutely useless!" Yelena leaned back, her face pale with anger. "She swore to me, guaranteed that Juniper would end up with a broken leg. And this is the result?" She had followed Ynda''s advice, thinking she had found the perfect way to take care of Juniper while keeping her own hands clean. But it had all been for nothing.


    "I heard she fell pretty hard..." Ynda sipped her coffee, watching Yelena''s fury with a hint of feigned regret. "It would''ve been so much better if Juniper had been the one to fall."


    "Exactly," Yelena spat, her mood for coffee gone. She gritted her teeth. "Why wasn''t it that bitch Juniper who died? And I heard her grades at Aurora High are pretty good..."


    Although, specifics were hard toe by, as the students there were notoriously tight-lipped.


    At the mention of grades, Ynda''s superiorityplex kicked in. "How good could they be? She only


    finished freshman year and then et


    came back for a few months of


    year She


    senior year


    he didn''t even show up for thest mock exam. Besides, a trashy school like Aurora High? You could probably get a terrible score and still rank near the top. Only Queenie and a couple of others there are any good."


    Growing up, their grandfather had always said Juniper was clever and quick-witted. What could she


    nov


    possibly have learned at that sanctuary? Ynda was determined to show him that his own


    granddaughter was the best, and Juniper, that stray he picked up, was nothing. She wouldn''t even be able to get into college.


    "Is that so?" Yelena was skeptical but wanted to believe it.


    Just then, Ynda''s phone rang. After reading a message, a wide smile spread across her face. ¡°Yelena, I have some good news."


    "What is it??"


    ¡°Juniper got mushroom poisoning." Ynda couldn''t hide her glee. ¡°She might not even make it to the exam tomorrow. And if she does, she''ll definitely bomb it."


    "Really?" Yelena felt a surge of satisfaction and scoffed. "So she got lucky this time. Once my exams are over, I''ll have plenty of time to deal with her."


    "Exactly," Ynda said with a sweet smile, adding fuel to the fire. "Every day she''s alive is another day she''s a threat to you. A menace like her should be dealt with sooner rather thanter."


    "You''re right,¡± Yelena said, looking at Ynda with gratitude. "I''m so d I have you to help me n."


    "You''re my best friend, after all." Ynda took Yelena''s hand, her eyes welling up with fake sincerity. haven''t really done much. You''re the one doing all the work. I just can''t stand to see Juniper act like a bully."


    Yelena felt a strange unease at her words but couldn''t quite put her finger on it. It didn''t matter. They both had the same target. After the exams, she would finish Juniper for good!


    ...


    After another day on an IV, the toxins were gone, but Juniper still felt groggy. Shanley prepared everything she needed for the exam.

 Chapter 432

    She got in the car in a daze and got out in a daze.


    "Good luck, Juniper,¡± Jimmie, Harold, and Melvin were all there to cheer her on, though their status required them to stay inside the car.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Juniper mumbled, her hands in her pockets as she swayed on her feet.


    "Are you sure you''re okay in this state?" Melvin asked, genuinely worried she might fall over, let alone think clearly. The doctor had rmended she stay in the hospital for a few more days of observation.


    "I''m fine,¡± Juniper replied nomittally, her gaze drifting to the man standing silently beside her, watching her intently.


    Shanley stepped forward, pulled a piece of candy from his pocket, unwrapped it, and ced it in her mouth. "I''ll be waiting right here for you," he said softly.


    "Mhm." Juniper nodded. The simple piece of candy seemed to infuse her with a burst of energy, and she instantly felt more alert.


    The three brothers looked at Shanley withplicated expressions. How could they shake the feeling that they were probably going to lose their little sister to him? The old man was already this bold; they couldn''t imagine what would happen after the


    exams.


    "Juniper."


    J, who was taking the exam at the same school, called out to her. To be safe, their teachers had booked them rooms at a hotel next to the school.


    At the sound of J''s voice, Melvin immediately pushed open the car door and got out. The others stared. What was that about? He moved so fast he practically flew out of the car. Why was he so excited to see J?


    Jimmie and Harold exchanged a look with Shanley, their expressions silently asking: *Is he taking a page from a certain someone''s book and robbing the cradle?*


    Shanley''s thoughts were clear: *I''ve learned my lesson, give me a break.*


    "Good morning, Mr. Steele," J managed a polite smile before walking straight to Juniper''s side. "Are you okay?"


    Melvin froze, embarrassed.


    "I''m fine," Juniper said, patting J''s head with a slight smirk. "As long as I''m awake, I can write."


    "We wish you both the best of luck," Melvin said, stepping forward again. His eyes were fixed on J, a gentle smile on his face.


    "Thank you, Mr. Steele," J replied politely, then immediately turned her attention back to Juniper. ¡°Juniper, are Qadir and the others at Era High too?"


    "Yeah," Juniper nodded. "But seeing me would just make them nervous, so we decided to go our separate ways."


    The two girls then walked toward the examination hall, chatting happily.


    Melvin was left standing alone in the cold wind. After a few moments, he returned to the car and met the knowing gazes of the others. He


    awkwardly rubbed his nose an silently sat down next to Shanley. The scene shifted: now it was Jimmie and Harold staring at the two of them withplex expressions.


    Shanley remained silent.


    Melvin remained silent.


    ...


    Not far away, Yelena and Ynda got out of their car, just in time to see J


    helping Juniper walk into the school.


    "How is she even on her feet?" Yelena''s face hardened.


    "Actually..." Ynda clutched her exam admission ticket, a thoughtful look on her face. "I''m d she came."


    Yelena looked at her, confused.


    "If the nation''s favorite actor''s sister gets a terrible score..." Ynda''s tips twisted into a dark, malicious smile. "Shed be torn to shreds online wouldn''t she?"


    ?


    "She does poorly, gets med online until she has a breakdown, and then kills herself..." Yelena steered that sounded like a fitting end for Juniper. She was almost looking


    forward to it.

 Chapter 433

    After parting ways with J, Juniper followed her admission ticket to find her exam room on the third floor, at the far left end of the hall.


    "It''s Juniper!"


    "Look, it''s Juniper!"


    "Jimmie Tate''s sister!"


    Whispers followed her down the corridor. People stared at her, their excitement palpable.


    "She''s so talented in her own right," a girl with short hair said, full of envy. "The music video she choreographed went viral. I heard a bunch of agencies tried to sign her, but she turned them all down."


    "I wonder how she does in school, though?"


    "Not very well, I think..." another girl whispered, covering her mouth. "They said she only went up to freshman year, then came back for just three months of senior year. And before that, she was at some school in the mountains."


    ¡°A school in the mountains, you know what that means,¡± a long-haired girl added, sharing all the gossip she''d found. The teachers there were probably not even as knowledgeable as the students at Era High. How good could their students possibly be?


    "She probably skipped thest mock exam because she was afraid of dragging down Aurora High''s ranking."


    "Really?" The others gasped. ¡°With so many people watching her, it would be a disaster if she did poorly."


    Not only would she get dragged, but Mr. Tate would be pulled into it as well. Was she going to bring him down with her? At that thought, the gazes of the onlookers- both passersby and fans-began to change.


    Juniper''s head was already pounding, and the constant buzzing in her ears was making it worse. She whipped her head around to re at them. The chattering students instantly scattered in fear.


    Juniper pursed her lips, annoyed. People really loved their drama, gossiping even at a time like this.


    After finding her exam room and passing through security, she located her assigned seat number 17 the first desk in the second row. Just as she was about to sit down, Yelena and Ynda appeared at the door.


    Juniper frowned. What a small world.


    BUMS


    Yelena and Ynda saw her at the same time.


    Ynda immediately looked away, pretending not to see her as she quietly made her way to a seat in the back.


    It seemed her little lesson had been effective. Whether Ynda was still plotting in secret or not, at least she didn''t dare confront her openly.


    Yelena, however, was a different story. As she walked past Juniper''s desk, she


    leaned in and said with sharine sarcasm, "Good luck."


    Juniper shot her a nce before turning away,pletely unfazed. She needed to conserve her energy, not waste it arguing with a fool.


    At precisely nine o''clock, the bell rang, signaling the start of the exam. Juniper


    picked up her pen and began to write, yawning repeatedly.


    From where Yelena was sitting, she had a clear view of Juniper''s condition pale, sleepy-eyed... and she was filling in the answer sheet directly without even using scratch paper. While other students were stiffon the third multiple-choice question, Juniper had already finished the section and moved on to the ssical literature portion.


    "She must be guessing," Yelena and Ynda thought, exchanging a look of relief. They had initially estimated she might get a couple hundred points, but now, it seemed they had overestimated her.


    ...


    Her head was spinning. After finishing about half the exam, Juniper closed her eyes for a short nap.


    The proctors Saw her but didn''t say anything. To fall asleep during such an important exam meant one of two things: you were either supremely confident or hadpletely given up. To avoid disturbing the other students, they chose to ignore her. Afterall, exams were a way of weeding people out.


    With only forty minutes left, Juniper opened her eyes, picked up her pen, and began


    to write.

 Chapter 434

    She spent less than thirty seconds on each question before quickly writing down the answer. Even if she were just making it all up, she couldn''t write that much that fast. Then came the essay.


    A patrolling proctor stole a nce at her paper. The opening was brilliant. It was as if she had a memory card in her brain; she wrote without hesitation, her thoughts flowing seamlessly onto the page. Her handwriting was beautiful and neat, and her pen never paused. An essay that would take others an hour toplete, she finished in twenty minutes. If he weren''t supposed to linger near a student for too long, he would have loved to see how she''d answered the earlier questions.


    The final bell rang. Everyone stood up as the teachers came around to collect the answer sheets and test papers. When the proctor reached Juniper''s desk, his eyebrows shot up in surprise.


    Yelena and Ynda saw his reaction and exchanged a knowing look. They hadn''t seen her answer sheet, but they had caught a glimpse of her test paper. It was pristine, without a single mark or calction on it.


    They both smiled. Judging by the proctor''s reaction, Juniper must have left a lot of questions nk.


    After the exam, Juniper stuffed her pencil case into her pocket and strode out of the


    room.


    "She''s walking so fast. Must be embarrassed," Ynda sneered at her retreating back. She couldn''t understand how her grandfather could have been so blind, praising a girl like this as brilliant. He''d even said that Juniper''s future would be limitless and warned them never to cross her, iming the entire future of the Sherwin family depended on her.


    Now, looking at her... she was just a hopeless case, aplete joke.


    ...


    At the school gate, a spacious RV was parked discreetly under arge tree. A man


    in a sharp, impably tailored suit stood by the door, his eyes fixed on the entrance. From the vast sea of students, he spotted Juniper''s figure instantly.


    "Over here." Shanley stood up straight and waved to her.


    The moment he looked over, Juniper saw him too, and her pace quickened.


    "Get in the car first," Shanley said, opening the door for her as the crowd grew thicker.


    "That''s a huge bed," Juniper blurted out as she stepped inside.


    With traffic controls in ce for the exam days, Shanley had specially brought the RV to save her the trouble of


    eeling back and forth t


    had a bed where she could rest during the lunch break.


    "How was it?" With just the two of them in the RV, Shanley opened a prepared lunch box and asked gently.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Juniper mumbled, looking up from the chicken leg she was biting into.


    "Your body," Shanley rified, pouring her a ss of water. "Are you still feeling unwell?"


    A small smile touched Juniper''s lips. "I''m fine," she said nonchntly. After a beat, she tilted her head, an eyebrow raised. "Aren''t you going to ask me how I did on the test?"


    "Do I even need to ask?" Shanley


    took a napkin and gently wiped the


    corner of her mouth, his tone


    indulgent. ¡°A hundred and fifty is the maximum score on the paper not the maximum for you."


    Juniper blinked. She couldn''t argue with that.


    After lunch, shey down on the bed to rest but couldn''t fall asleep, tossing and turning. Shanley closed hisptop and sat on the edge of the bed beside her "Go to sleep, he murmured, his voice a low, maic hum. "I''ll wake you upter


    "Mhm." Juniper shifted closer to him and closed her eyes, feeling a sense of peace.


    Soon, her breathing became soft and steady.


    After tucking her in, Shanley opened his phone and saw a trending notification from Twitter.


    #Mr Tate''s Sister Sleeps During Exam


    #Juniper Has Break down

 Chapter 435

    Netizens were even trying to predict Juniper''s score. Most guessed around 200. A few ventured 300. Some even wondered if she''d manage to break 100, considering she hadn''t even finished high school.


    Watching the girl sleeping peacefully beside him, a small smile touched Shanley''s lips. He borrowed an ount from Flint and posted a new tweet.


    F: [I bet Juniper''s total score will be 700+.]


    Worried it would get lost in the flood of posts, Shanley paid to boost the tweet. Soon,


    it shot to the top of the trending list, and thements started pouring in.


    [?]


    [??] [???]


    The screen was a dizzying blur of question marks.


    [Man, are you serious? 700? You sure you didn''t add an extra 0?]


    [Everyone knows Juniper has a weak academic foundation and didn''t finish high school. If she can score 700, I can score 7000.]


    [I can''t tell if you''re a supporter or a troll being sarcastic.]


    [I believe it.]


    Amidst the sea of doubt, one dissonantment appeared. Shanley clicked on the profile and saw that the user was a student at Aurora High School.


    Ah, an Aurora High student. That exined it. He could have imed she''d get a perfect score, and no one from Aurora High would have doubted it. To their credit, the school had been remarkably discreet, not leaking a single word about Juniper''s abilities to prevent any sabotage.


    F: [If you think Juniper can score 700, vote yes on the right. There''s a prize for those who guess correctly.]


    Most users assumed he was a troll and didn''t take it seriously. Within five minutes, over a hundred thousand people had voted. 99.9% voted NO, while only 0.1% voted YES A quick took showed only 20 people had clicked yes most of them were from Aurora High, with a few who had clearly misclicked.


    That afternoon was the math exam, which was Juniper''s strong suit. Most importantly, it didn''t require much writing. Her mood was significantly better than in the morning, and she flew through the


    problems untess than sixty minutes,


    the entire math paper wasplete.


    She felt like napping again but worried it would end up online and tarnish Jimmie''s reputation. To kill time, she spread out a nk sheet of scratch paper and began to doodle with her pencil.


    When the proctor came to collect


    her paper, he noticed her exam sheet was pristine and her answer card was immacte. The scratch


    paper however waste


    ina


    calctions, but in adorableo chibi-style caricatures of everyone in the exam room, including the proctors. He even spotted his own little mustache.


    And what was this? A little boy sitting next to her cartoon self? A crush, perhaps? The proctor, having been young once, understood.


    But as he flipped through the rest of the scratch paper, he found no traces of any calctions. None on the exam booklet, none on the scratch paper, yet the answer card waspletely filled out. Could it be that she did all the calctions in her head?


    In all his years of teaching, he had never encountered a student with such genius. Especially not one who hadn''t even finished high school. The proctor waspletely bewildered.


    Juniper sailed through the final two exams as her strength slowly returned. Afterward, Shanley and her three brothers were already waiting for her in an RV.


    "Are you tired?"


    "Are you hungry?"


    "Are you sleepy?"


    The three brothers sat in a row, tripping over each other to show their concern for


    her.

 Chapter 436

    "What?" Juniper pursed her lips and drawled, "It was just an exam. Why is everyone so worked up?"


    "This is the university entrance exam!" Melvin insisted.


    "Yeah, I know." Juniper sipped her water, her expression casual. "So? What''s so special about it?"


    Her three brothers fell silent. Right. They''d forgotten their sister was a genius who could probably get a perfect score. For her, the exam was just a formality.


    "Juniper hasn''t been resting well these past couple of days," Shanley, sitting beside her, gently reminded them, his eyes on her pale face. ¡°Let''s talk about everything else another time."


    "Alright,¡± Jimmie agreed, but then a yful smile crossed his face. "You know, the reason Juniper was staying with you was so she wouldn''t be distracted from her studies. Now that the exam is over, perhaps she shoulde home with us."


    He had bought arge vi, and both Melvin and Harold had already moved in. The princess suite for their little sister was already perfectly decorated.


    His words hung in the air, and the RV fell quiet.


    Shanley was the most tense of all, his gaze fixed on Juniper. The excuse was valid before, but now... it was time for them to have a chance to be a family. As for him, he had the rest of his life. He could wait.


    Juniper clutched her cup, saying nothing.


    "Juniper, would you like toe live with us?" Melvin asked softly. "We siblings haven''t had a real chance to bond yet."


    "You could try it out," Harold added. "If you don''t like it, you can always move back."


    Otherwise, it felt like their sister belonged to Shanley, and he was getting all the benefits. Maybe if they spent more time together, she''d remember more about their childhood and it would help them find their other three sisters.


    Juniper looked up, her gaze shifting from her three brothers to Shanley. She really had been neglecting them. But... could she bring Shanley with her?


    "How about Dana goes with you to help you settle in?" Shanley offered, sensing her dilemma. "And you cane back whenever you want."


    After a few seconds of silence, Juniper whispered, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Okay?! The three brothers had only been testing the waters, assuming the chances were close to zero They couldn''t believe it. Their sister was actually willing toe home with them!


    After dinner, Juniper left with her brothers for the vi. As she parted ways with Shanley, she didn''t even nce back, her departure swift and resolute.


    "See? I don''t think our sister likes Shanley that much after all," Melvin said smugly, rubbing his chin. "She ditched him without a second thought."


    "It is a bit strange,¡± Harold agreed with a smirk.


    Jimmie, however, remained silent. He understood perfectly. His little sister was doing this so that Shanley wouldn''t feel awkward and so they wouldn''t be hurt. Her willingness toe home meant she had truly epted them as her brothers. But still...


    ¡°Let''s make a bet,¡± Jimmie said, sinking into the sofa and sipping his coffee, a knowing smile on his face. "How long can our sisterst?"


    Her body might be at the vi, but her heart and soul were still with Shanley.


    "Six months," Melvin dered.


    "Three months," Harold guessed.


    "Too long," Jimmie drawled, a meaningful glint in his eyes. "I bet one week.


    His brothers just stared at him.

 Chapter 437

    That evening, the four siblings sat around the dining table.


    "Wee home, sis,¡± Jimmie said, raising his ss first and delivering a sentimental speech. ¡°Juniper, you''ve got brothers to back you up now. No matter what happens, we will always be your strongest support."


    "Wee home," Harold and Melvin echoed, their faces beaming with affection as they looked at Juniper. "And congrattions on graduating."


    "Thank you, my brothers,¡± Juniper replied, clinking her ss of juice against theirs.


    "Shanley said you love mangoes," Melvin said, pushing a te of sliced fruit in front of her. "Here, try some. See if you like them."


    Juniper ate a piece. It was perfectly sweet, but for some reason, it tastedpletely nd. "They''re good," she said, forcing a smile, not wanting to hurt his feelings. "You guys should have some too."


    "Okay."


    The three brothers exchanged a look. Their sister seemed happy, but it was as if something was weighing on her mind. Or rather, someone.


    ...


    After dinner, Juniper sat on the sofa watching TV, feeling bored. She tried ying a game on her phone, but that felt boring too. Everything was just... boring.


    Her brothers hovered nearby, trying to make small talk, but Juniper only gave distracted, asional replies.


    "Ms. Payne, some lemon water,¡± Dana said, bringing a ss over to her. "Thanks, Dana."


    Juniper took a sip. It was warm. She was about to ask for ice when Dana quietly exined, "Mr. Schwartz said that your period is due in a few days and specifically instructed me not to give you anything cold for now."


    ¡°Oh.¡± A faint blush crept up Juniper''s cheeks. It was strange how Shanley remembered these things when she couldn''t even keep track of them herself.


    "It''s gettingte. You''ve had a long day, Juniper, you should get some rest," Jimmie said gently. Harold and Melvin nodded in agreement.


    Jimmie walked her to her bedroom. He pushed open the door to reveal a massive, dreamy princess room. The open-concept closet was filled with designer clothes perfect for her age, and a crystal chandeliercast brant light across the space t was stunning.


    "Let me know if there''s anything you don''t like," Jimmie said, his voice soft as he looked down at his sister. "We can have it changed tomorrow."


    "Thank you, Jimmie," Juniper said, a wave of warmth washing over her. "It''s perfect. I love it."


    "Good." Jimmie breathed a sigh of relief. "Sleep well. I''m right next door. Call me if you need anything."


    After the door closed, Juniper sat on the bed, staring at the ss of lemon water on the nightstand. She couldn''t resist. She picked up her phone and sent Shanley a message.


    Juniper: [.]


    Less than five secondster, a video call came through.


    Tsk. Juniper scoffed internally. So now he remembers to video call her? He had all day and couldn''t even send a single text. She really didn''t want to answer. Her mind screamed no, but her finger had a mind of IES own and tapped ''ept''.


    "Hi, Juniper."


    On the screen, Shanley was still in his suit, clearly at the office. It was nearly midnight, and he was still working. She remembered that when she was living at Cloudscape Community, he never came hometer than seven.


    Juniper propped her phone on the nightstand and sat cross-legged on the bed, silent.

 Chapter 438

    "Are you having fun with your brothers?" Shanley, of course, knew exactly what she was thinking. A low, huskyugh rumbled in his chest,ced with affection. "I didn''t want to interrupt your reunion, that''s why I didn''t contact you today."


    ¡°Oh," Juniper mumbled, leaning closer to the camera to get a better look at him. ¡°My brothers are great."


    They were wonderful to her. She felt at home here.


    "Are you happy?" Shanley asked again.


    "Happy,¡± Juniper replied. It wasn''t a lie. She was happy, but there was an


    undeniable emptiness too.


    "That''s good," he said, relieved. "It''ste, you should get some rest. I''ll call you again tomorrow, okay?"


    Just then, Felton''s voice cut in from off-screen. "Sir, the international conference call will begin in five minutes."


    "I''m hanging up," Juniper said quickly, not wanting to disturb his work, and ended the call.


    At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Dana came in with a small box. "I''m so sorry, Ms. Payne. Mr. Schwartz asked me to give this to you, and Ipletely forgot."


    Juniper opened it to find an assortment of her favorite candies in all different colors and vors. Her gloomy mood lifted slightly.


    But to her surprise, that night, she suffered from insomnia. For the first time in her life, shey awake from dusk till dawn. She only got up when Dana came to tell her breakfast was ready. It was eight in the morning. She had been awake for nine straight hours. Even her beloved candy hadn''t helped.


    The thought of another sleepless night ahead soured her moodpletely.


    After freshening up, Juniper went down to the dining room and sat down.


    "Good morning."


    "Morning


    Jimmie started to reply with a smile, but stopped short


    when he saw her exhausted face.


    The dark circles under her eyes were especially prominent Had she slept. poorly, or... not at all?


    "Have some sweet soup," Harold said,dling a bowl and cing it carefully in front of her.


    "Juniper, have an egg," Melvin added, doting on her.


    They had consulted with that "old


    man" Shanley and prepared all of her favorite foods. But it seemed


    Juniper had no appetite. The gir


    who normally ate so much only managed two sips of soup.


    "I''m full," she said, putting down her spoon and forcing a smile. "You guys go ahead." Then she went to the sofa to y games on her phone, looking utterly dejected.


    The three brothers exchanged nces, their hearts aching for her.


    "It seems my previous guess was wrong," Jimmie said, slowly eating a piece of toast, a helpless smile on his lips. "One week? I overestimated our sister."


    Harold and Melvin looked over at their listless sister. You''d think they were the viins who had broken up a happy couple. That old fox Shanley really had his methods. In just three short months, he had made their sisterpletely devoted to him.


    ¡°Just eat,¡± Jimmie said, pulling out his phone to send a text. "As much as I want us


    to be together as a family, I want Juniper to be happy more."


    Harold and Melvin knew what he was thinking and silently agreed. Their sister''s happiness was the most important thing. Besides, they trusted Shanley to take care of her.


    Jimmie typed out a message: [Bring my sister''s soul with you.]

 Chapter 439

    After breakfast, Juniper, feeling drained and sporting two adorable dark circles under her eyes, went back to her room to try and get some sleep.


    As she was drifting off, she vaguely heard the door creak open, a slight breeze wafting in. She instinctively opened her eyes and was met with an impossibly handsome face.


    Shanley? Didn''t Felton say he had urgent work to attend to? Was she hallucinating? She must be.


    Juniper stared for a two-second beat, theny back down and firmly closed her eyes. Then, she opened them again. Shanley was still there, a fond smile on his face as he watched her.


    "It''s me."


    Juniper shot up, her eyes wide as she stared at him.


    "I brought you a milkshake,¡± Shanley said, gently brushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead, his eyes filled with concern. "Didn''t you sleep wellst night? Why do you look so pale?"


    "I''m fine," Juniper denied stubbornly.


    Thest thing she wanted was for him to know she''d missed him so much she couldn''t sleep. After all, the only other thing that had ever kept her up at night was money.


    "Is that so?" Shanley didn''t press, the smile in his eyes deepening. "The milkshake is downstairs. Want to go drink it?"


    "Okay."


    Suddenly, all her sleepiness vanished. She scrambled out of bed, but having not slept and getting up too quickly, she felt a wave of dizziness and stumbled forward.


    "Careful "


    Shanley''s expression changed, and he reflexively reached out to catch her.


    With her keen instincts, Juniper tried to steady herself by leaning back, but the momentum was too much In an instant, they both tumbled onto the bed with himnding on top of her Their bodies pressed together. their eyes met, and the air crackled with a sudden, charged intimacy.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Shanley asked, his voice husky. He propped himself up with one hand on the bed and kept the other around her waist, trying to avoid crushing her.


    Juniper just shook her head, her gaze fixed on his face-specifically, on his eyes, where she could see her own reflection. It was a little blurry, so she tried to lean in closer.


    "Good," Shanley said, his voice growing raspier. He forced himself to look away from her, his reason barely hanging on.


    Just as he was about to push himself up, the bedroom door swung open, and the three brothers appeared in the doorway.


    "Juniper, Shanley is "


    Their words died on their lips as they took in the scene. The three of them froze, their expressions shifting through a kaleidoscope of emotions.


    In the span of thirty seconds, a thousand thoughts raced through their minds. That old fox was really pushing his luck. They give him an inch, and he takes... their sister If he dared to hold her today, he''d be confessing his love tomorrow an marrying her the day after. They wanted to break his legs-but Shanley knew martial arts. They probably couldn''t win. Maybe they could hire someone to take him out-but their "disloyal" little sister would probably wage war on them.


    Forget it. It was a lost cause.


    Shanley moved off of Juniper,


    carefully helping her sit up. He then faced the three murderous res


    I said


    and exined calmly "If I said Juniper just fell and I was trying


    Catch her..."


    ¡°...you just so happened to fall on top of her?" Melvin finished, his arms crossed and


    his voice dripping with sarcasm.


    "And you just couldn''t manage to get up right away?" Harold added cuttingly.


    "What a coincidence," Jimmie drawled, his lips twisting into a tight smile.


    Shanley arched an eyebrow, a flicker of awkwardness on his face. But that was exactly what had happened.


    "Juniper, go wash your face," Jimmie ordered, then jerked his chin at Shanley. "You. Downstairs. We need to talk."


    "Fine," Shanley replied with a helpless smile. ¡°Juniper, I''ll go down first."

 Chapter 440

    "Okay,¡± Juniper nodded. As she walked to the bathroom, she shot a cold, warning re over her shoulder at her three brothers.


    They were speechless. They weren''t even officially together, and their sister''s loyalties had alreadypletely shifted!


    In the living room, Jimmie, Harold, and Melvin sat in a row on the sofa, six eyes drilling into Shanley like daggers. They had "agreed" to let him pursue their sister, but he hadn''t even started yet. He didn''t even have the title of "boyfriend," yet he was already making moves? If they hadn''t walked in, would they be expecting to be uncles in a few months? The thought made their teeth itch.


    "Juniper may have graduated, but aren''t you being a little too eager?" Melvin burst out angrily. "Shanley, my sister is only eighteen!"


    "That''s right," Shanley replied, meeting Melvin''s gaze with his deep eyes. A faint smirk yed on his lips as he said slowly, "At least Juniper is eighteen. Some girls, I hear, haven''t even..."


    That one sentence hit Melvin right where it hurt. He immediately deted and said, "Pursue her if you want, but you should also be mindful of your methods.¡±


    Juniper''s younger cousin, the girl he was interested in, was still a couple of weeks shy of eighteen. If anyone was a cradle robber, he was far more shameless than Shanley. Melvin sank back into the sofa, not daring to say another word.


    Damn it. The old fox had him cornered!


    Jimmie and Harold were silent. Was cradle robbing contagious?


    "It was a misunderstanding," Shanley exined, his tone sincere. "I know my limits."


    Juniper was their treasure, but she was his as well. He would never dream of letting her get hurt. Besides, he wasn''t even sure of her feelings yet; he was afraid of offending her by simply holding her hand.


    "You''d better," Jimmie huffed, though he knew he could trust Shanley''s character. ¡°Juniper is used to being with you. Just take her back."


    "But you guys..." Shanley began, a confused look on his handsome face.


    "My sister''s heart is with you," Jimmie continued. ¡°She''ll only be truly happy when she''s with you."


    Besides, the girl was bound to be a part of the Schwartz family sooner orter. What difference did it make if it was now orter?


    "What does Juniper think?" Shanley asked.


    As if on cue, the light patter of footsteps sounded from the staircase. All three brothers turned to look. The sister who had been listless and zombie-like just


    verr


    moments ago was now practically glowing with energy, Right on time. Shanley had arrived, and her soul had returned to her body.


    "And..." Jimmie added with a helpless smile, "Juniper has to deal with the Wilcox family matter With you by her side, we''ll be more at ease."


    "Alright," Shanley said, unable to hide his delight. "Don''t me me for this."


    "Now you''re just gloating," Jimmie


    grumbled, his voice thick with


    "If I had found Juniper first,


    galo''t have even stood a


    you


    ance."


    He was sure he would have been the one Juniper depended on most.


    "I wouldn''t be so sure," Shanley countered, raising an eyebrow with confidence. ¡°I


    have something Juniper likes most."


    The three brothers stared at him, their curiosity piqued.


    "My face," Shanley said with a slow, self-satisfied smile, ¡°and my money."


    Face and money. With either one of those, he was invincible in the eyes of their sister.

 Chapter 441

    "My face, and my money," Shanley repeated, a triumphant smile ying on his lips.


    Jimmie, Harold, and Melvin were utterly speechless. It was an answer so ridiculous it looped back around to being impressive.


    "You know, you''re with her without any official title," Jimmie shot back, knowing just how to needle him. "Isn''t that a bit inappropriate?"


    The remark hit its mark. Shanley''s deep eyes narrowed thoughtfully. He had been holding back because she was still in school, but now that she had graduated... a lot of things were suddenly on the table.


    "Where''s my milkshake?" Juniper''s voice cut through the tension. Her earlier gloom was gone, reced by a radiant energy.


    "Right here,¡± Shanley said, waving her over. He thoughtfully put a straw in the cup and reminded her gently, "It''s warm. Be careful.¡±


    "Oh." Juniper took a sip, her pretty face wrinkling slightly. "Tastes okay," she muttered, then proceeded to down half the bottle in one go.


    "What?!¡± Melvin stared, his world turned upside down. ¡°I gave you the exact same milkshake yesterday, and you said it didn''t taste good!"


    "Huh?" Juniper paused mid-sip, her longshes fluttering as she gave Melvin an innocent look. "Was it the same kind?"


    "Yes!" Melvin insisted, feigning a wounded expression. ¡°I even asked that old fox for the recipe and bought it myself!¡±


    The temperature, the sweetness¡ªeverything was identical. How was it that Shanley''s tasted better?


    "Oh," Juniper said, her eyes darting away guiltily. "I forgot."


    "Tsk." Melvin couldn''t help butugh at her tant favoritism. Choosing a handsome face over her own brother!


    "You have things to do at thepany, right?¡± Jimmie interjected. "Alright, you two should get going."


    You two? Juniper looked up, confused.


    "Juniper, do you want toe back with me?" Shanley asked, his smiling gaze fixed on her.


    Juniper''s lips parted, her eyes


    screaming ''yes.'' But then she


    hesitated. If she just left her brothers like this, it would break their hearts. She should probably stay with them a little longer.


    "I..." She shook her head, about to refuse, when Harold spoke up. "You are yourself first, and our sister second."


    Juniper fell silent, listening intently.


    "I asked Jimmie. Shanley has been the one taking care of you ever since we found you. The three of us can''tpare to the bond you''ve built over three months together. I also heard from Dana that you often have trouble sleeping, and it''s better when Shanley is with you." Harold looked at his sister, his smile gentle. "All we want is for you to be happy. If being with Shanley makes you happy, then we''d rather you be with him."


    The memory of her heartbroken expression from yesterday until just moments ago was still fresh in their minds. It hurt to see her like that.


    "Don''t worry," Jimmie added. "No matter where you are, you''ll always be our sister. And soon, you''ll have three sisters too. If Shanley ever dares to bully youte trailed off, then added with a helpless sigh, "Actually, I don''t think he could bully you even if he tried."


    When it came to their sister getting the short end of the stick, he wasn''t worried at


    all. Anyone who tried would probably end up dead.


    Juniper''s lips trembled, but in the end, she said nothing.


    ¡°Alright, take her,¡± Jimmie said, waving them off. ¡°Go."

 Chapter 442

    If she stayed any longer, not only would her soul leave her body, but her entire spirit would probably wither away.


    "Okay.¡± Shanley stood up and made a solemn promise. ¡°Juniper can stay with me for the next two months. J lives next door, so they can keep each otherpany. If you miss her, you cane over anytime. I''ll send you all the security code."


    After the two-month summer break, once her results were out, she''d be off to a university dorm.


    "Alright," Jimmie nodded, watching them leave.


    Once the door closed, the three brothers gathered at the window, looking down at the pair below.


    "You know, there was another option..." Melvin mused. "We could have just had Shanley move in with us."


    That way, their sister would have her "human sleeping pill," and they could see her whenever they wanted.


    ¡°Have him move in?" Jimmie scoffed, his hands in his pockets. ¡°Seeing how lovey- dovey they are, are you sure you could watch that every day without wanting to punch him?"


    Melvin had noeback for that.


    "Don''t worry," Harold said, his voice steady as he watched how attentive Shanley was with their sister. "With him around, Juniper won''t be wronged."


    In this world, aside from her family, Shanley was probably the person she relied on the most.


    ...


    In the car, Juniper was happily ying a game on her phone, taking out enemies with swift, ruthless precision.


    "Do you want toe to the office with me, or go back to Cloudscape Community first?" Shanley asked, his eyes focused on her hands as they flew across the screen.


    ¡°Neither,¡± Juniper replied after a moment''s thought, a smirk ying on her lips. ¡°Qadir and J invited me out to eat."


    It was supposedly a meal, but really it was an excuse for her to grade their exam papers and estimate their scores so they could start thinking about universities.  fo


    "I''ll pick you up when you''re done," Shanley said, pulling up to the restaurant. As he


    was about to drive off, she suddenly grabbed his wrist.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked, turning back to her with a frown.


    "You said you''d pick me upter..." Juniper began, her voice a little husky. "Where would we be going back to?"


    Shanley paused for a second, then understood. He gently squeezed her hand, his voice a low, alluring murmur. ¡°Of course, we''d be going back to our home."


    Our home? Cloudscape Community?


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said, satisfied. She immediately released his hand, her tone bing casual again. "You can go now."


    And with that, she turned and walked away without a backward nce.


    Shanley stood there for a moment, watching her confident retreat, his eyes filled with nothing but warmth and affection. It seemed it was time for him to change their rtionship status. He was tired of being her ''brother.'' He wanted to be her boyfriend.


    ¡°Felton, Flint,¡± Shanley said, turning to the two men behind him. "How do you win a girl''s heart?"


    Felton, who had never been in a rtionship, wisely remained silent.


    "Gifts," Flint answered confidently. He hadn''t dated either, but he was an avid fan of romance dramas and had picked up nty of


    tips


    "Jewelry, flowers, luxury cars. Find


    out what she likes and give it to her. Cater to her tastes."


    Cater to her tastes? Shanley thought about what the girl liked, and one word came to mind.


    Money. That was easy. Money was the one thing he had in abundance.


    "Felton, have the finance departmentpile aplete list of all my assets, both liquid and fixed," Shanley ordered, a slow smile spreading across his face.


    This was one "gift" he was sure she would love.

 Chapter 443

    In the restaurant, Juniper arrived to find Qadir, J, Queenie, and Dolce all sitting obediently in their chairs. Neat stacks of score sheets and pens wereid out on the table. The air was thick with tension, and no one spoke.


    "Juniper." As she walked in, they all rose in unison.


    "So, how are your score estimates looking?" Juniper gave a slight nod, sat down, and began to carefully review the papers. The four sheets showed different scores. J''s total was 680; she''d been modest, underestimating her score by about ten points. Queenie had 660, a solid and realistic estimate. Dolce had 580, calcted strictly by the answer key. Qadir had 460.


    Seeing thest score, Juniper arched a delicate eyebrow and shot Qadir a wry, teasing look. ¡°Aren''t you the prodigy?"


    The cutoff for most local science programs was 420st year. If he really scored a 460, he''d have no problem getting into a university in the city.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Qadir said, puffing out his chest with pride. ¡°I checked the answer key carefully. That''s my real score."


    His dad had been so thrilled he''d already promised him a new car. His exact words were: "We just had a great month on the farm, we''ve got money, pick whatever you want."


    ¡°Alright,¡± Juniper said, flipping through their sheets. ¡°Have you thought about which schools you want to apply to?"


    J and Queenie were shoo-ins for Era University. Dolce could get into a top- tier school, and Qadir''s score was good enough to scrape into a decent second-tier university.


    ¡°Juniper, where are you thinking of going?" Queenie asked, her eyes fixed on her.


    Juniper propped her chin on her hand. She hadn''t really considered it. "Whichever school calls first, that''s where I''ll go,¡± she said casually.


    As long as it was in Era City, she didn''t care which one it was. After all, she was only doing this to fulfill her grandfather''sst wish.


    "With Juniper''s skills, I don''t think any school is good enough for her," Qadir eximed.


    If things went as expected, she would likely ace every subject again. The professors at Era University would probably think their eyes were deceiving them Not to mention the teachers and students at Aurora High School were practically bursting with anticipation, waiting for Juniper to bring glory to their school.


    Just as Qadir finished speaking, a harsh, coldugh cut through the air from nearby.


    All five of them turned in unison.


    It was Yelena, with Ynda in tow, staring at them with arrogant disdain.


    "What''s so funny?" Qadir demanded, annoyed.


    "I heard a joke, of course,¡± Yelena said, her eyebrows twitching with provocation. "Era University is a top-ranked global institution. You think it''s some run-of-the-mill private school like Aurora High?"


    She had been in the same exam hall and had seen Juniper''s performance clearly. Did she even score two hundred points? The idea of her getting into Era University was utterly insane.


    Juniper finished the fruit on her te and slowly rose to face Yelena and Ynda. She took a single step forward without saying a word.


    "Yelena!" Ynda''s face paled. She instinctively tugged on Yelena''s sleeve and whispered, "Don''t provoke her. When Juniper loses it, she actually gets violent." She''d been on the receiving end before, and Juniper didn''t hold back.


    Yelena was seething, but the thought that she would be able to deal with these two wretches soon


    cooled her temper, it wasn''t worth getting into a physical fight now and causing herself more trouble.


    "And remember, Jolene has been demanding to see you," Ynda reminded her. "If


    you don''t go, she might start running her mouth.¡±


    "Let''s go."


    Yelena shot them onest cold look before she and Ynda pushed the door open and left.

 Chapter 444

    Jolene was a sharp de that had yet to be fully wielded. Because of Juniper, she had broken her leg and missed the university entrance exams, effectively ruining her life. Her hatred for Juniper must be immense. Now was the perfect time to add fuel to the fire.


    "Cowards," Qadir muttered angrily as he watched them leave. "J, how can someone like Yelenae from the same family as you?"


    J bit her lip. "I''m not a Wilcox," she answered quietly. She never was, and she had no desire to be.


    Just then, her phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, her brow furrowed and her expression soured. After a few seconds, she answered, her voice cold. ¡°Hello?"


    "J, are you free? Let''s grab dinner sometime," said the caller, Trent Wilcox, Yelena''s brother.


    "I''m not." J''s tone was distant as she tly refused. "Mr. Wilcox, if there''s nothing else, I''m hanging up."


    With that, she ended the call, turned off her phone, and grumbled, "He''s nuts. Why does he keep asking me outtely?"


    "He keeps asking you out?" Juniper picked up on the key detail, her eyes narrowing slightly.


    "Yeah," J nodded, exining softly, "It''s so weird, like he wants something from me."


    But besides her mother, she had nothing. The Wilcox family was like a persistent shadow she couldn''t shake.


    Juniper listened silently, a dark glint in her eyes. Trent, was it? He and his sister were two of a kind; neither of them looked like decent people.


    After their get-together, Juniper and J waited in the restaurant for Shanley to pick them up. In the meantime, a WhatsApp notification pinged on Juniper''s phone. Lue: [The Wilcox family is looking for Master Nocturne. I hear it''s to treat the old man, Orville Wilcox.]


    A momentter, another message came through: [If I remember correctly, Orville is your cousin''s biological grandfather, right? Are you taking this case?]


    Biological grandfather? Juniper stared at the words, then at J, who had endured so much hardship, and a cold smile touched her lips, the man had blindly cut ties with his own son and ignored his


    granddaughter, watching her suffer


    for eighteen years. Did amold fool


    like that even deserve to be called a grandfather?


    Juniper: [Let him rot. Look into the major incident that happened with the Wilcox family eighteen years ago.]


    Lue didn''t dare argue. J was her precious cousin, and if Juniper actually went to treat Orville... whether he''d live was uncertain, but the probability of him being helped into an early grave was quite high.


    Less than ten minutester, Lue sent over the details. The gist was this: eighteen years ago, Zorion Wilcox, the eldest son, and the


    daughter of the in


    family were


    being forced into an arranged


    marriage, despite both having people they loved. They agreed to get engaged to secure power within their families and then immediately break it off.


    However, on the day of the engagement, Ms. Miller''s boyfriend died in a car ident. Unable to cope, Ms. Miller attempted suicide. Though she was saved, she


    reportedly suffered a mental breakdown and was never seen in public again.


    At that very moment, someone


    deliberately leaked the existence of Saskia Payne. To protect their reputation, the Millers imed that their daughter''s suicide attempt was due to Zorion''s infidelity. The Wilcox family, trying to quell the scandal, demanded Zorion publicly sever his ties with Saskia. Zorion, of course, refused. In a fit of defiance, he cut ties with the Wilcox family himself The shock of it all was what made Orville gravely ill. Later, Zorion died in an ident, leaving Saskia and J to struggle on their own.


    What a series of convenient coincidences, Juniper thought. The Wilcox family, was


    it? After holding back for so long, it was time. Let everything that deserved to be destroyed burn.

 Chapter 445

    Juniper: [What about the other members of the Wilcox family?]


    Lue: [Orville is a muddle-headed old fool. Who knows what his other son, Ezra Wilcox, was up to back then. And you know Yelena Wilcox... she''s unhinged. As for that Trent Wilcox, he came back from his studies abroad six months early. Something''s definitely fishy about him.]


    Fishy? Juniper mulled over the word, her eyes narrowing.


    This sudden charm offensive from Trent... he had to be after something. What could J possibly have that he wanted so badly? Sibling affection? From the looks of him, he didn''t have a decent bone in his body. So what else could it be?


    ...


    Back at Cloudscape Community, Juniper sat cross-legged in front of herptop, her fingers flying across the keyboard.


    It only took her a few moments to pull up Orville''s medical records. Eighteen years ago, he''d suffered a massive cerebral hemorrhage, which led to a stroke that left him partially paralyzed, severely affecting his mobility and speech. Though he''d been receiving treatment over the years, he was barely clinging to life.


    Juniper closed herptop and stood up. As she passed Dana, she paused. "I have something to take care of. Could you please let Shanley know? I''ll be back soon."


    Before Dana could ask any questions, Juniper had vanished.


    A short whileter, Shanley emerged from his shower, dressed in loungewear.


    "Where''s Juniper?" he asked, puzzled.


    "Ms. Payne..." Dana ryed Juniper''s message respectfully. "I didn''t have a chance to ask where she was going, but she seemed to be in a real hurry."


    In a hurry? Shanley''s expression changed. He immediately picked up his phone and dialed Juniper''s number.


    ¡°The hospital,¡± Juniper answered through her headset as she weaved through traffic on her motorcycle. "Going to see the Wilcox patriarch, Orville. Need to find something out."


    The Wilcox family? Shanley guessed she was finally starting to deal with them.


    "I''ll be back soon," Juniper said curtly before hanging up.


    Listening to the dial tone, Shanley frowned slightly. He changed his clothes, grabbed his car keys, and headed out the door.


    ...


    At Era Hospital, Juniper parked her motorcycle and walked straight to the inpatient wing. She found the right room and pushed the door open.


    The Wilcox family had money, so Orville had a private room. As it happened, he was alone, lying frailin the hospital bed. His face was a web of wrinkles, and the long years of being bedridden and medicated had left him looking utterly ravaged.


    Hearing the door, the ashen-faced Orvilleboriously turned his head, his cloudy eyesnding on Juniper.


    "You..." He was on a venttor, and his breath came in ragged whooshes. His gaze was filled with confusion.


    "I''m J''s cousin,¡± Juniper said, pulling up a chair and casually crossing her long legs.


    J? At the mention of her name, Orville''s pupils dted, and a flicker of emotion crossed his face.


    "I''m just here to ask a few


    questions," Juniper said, her expression neutral, hertone


    chillingly cold. "Were you aware that Yelena has been bullying J at school?"


    Orville blinked but didn''t shake his head.


    ¡°Second question." A cold smile yed on Juniper''s lips. "Are you aware that Trent has returned to the country and has been repeatedly trying to get close to J?¡±


    At this, Orville''s gaze sharpened, a look of shock and confusion shing in his eyes. It seemed he had no idea.


    "J''s father cut all ties with the Wilcox family eighteen years ago. All these years; she and her mother


    have had no contact with you


    Juniper tapped her finget


    gers on


    table, her foot gently swinging. Her voice was ice. "So why has Trent suddenly changed his tune and started pursuing J?"

 Chapter 446

    Orville listened intently, his eyes darting back and forth.


    "My guess is..." Juniper''s lips curved into azy smile. ¡°She has something that Trent wants."


    Orville stared at her, trying to speak, but found he couldn''t form a single word.


    "And what could that be?" Juniper blinked, then stood up, her hands in her pockets. She looked down at him from her full height.


    "Your will," she said slowly, her voice leisurely but firm. It wasn''t a question; it was a statement. Trent wouldn''t be making a move unless Orville had left a significant inheritance to J.


    Tears welled up in Orville''s eyes. So, she''d hit the nail on the head.


    "The truth is, you''ve known all along that Zorion was framed." Juniper had no patience for his disy of grief, and her every word was a dagger to his heart. "But when it came to a choice between your son and the family''s prosperity, you chose the family."


    "You forced him into an arranged marriage, forced him to leave the woman he loved, and even forced him to dere his own daughter illegitimate to the world..."


    Juniper let out a coldugh.


    "But you didn''t expect Zorion to be a real man. He was willing to give up a fortune for his wife and daughter."


    Orville was forced to listen as she tore open his old wounds, and tears streamed uncontrobly down his face.


    "Now you''re gravely ill, and you''ve had a sudden attack of conscience, so you''ve decided topensate them..."


    Juniper paused for a moment before voicing another suspicion. "I also hear that Trent has been searching everywhere for Master Nocturne to treat you."


    Orville stared at Juniper, wondering what else she could possibly deduce. She was just a teenager, yet she radiated an aura of formidable power. J''s cousin? That shameless Saskia''s family had someone like this?


    Juniper smiled, her voice light. "If you''d sought proper treatment earlier, you could have recovered by now. Dragging it out until now, looking for some miracle doctor, it can only mean you''ve added someone else to your will. They don''t want you to die."


    She paused again, then added slowly, ¡°No, that''s not right. They don''t want you to die yet. Back then, the scandal with Zorion and Ms. Miller was blownpletely out of proportion. I bet your younger son had a big hand in that."


    If she wasn''t mistaken, the will likely stipted that it would take effect immediately upon his death. Trent was getting close t to try and bring her back into the Wilcox fold Only by having her under their control could they get their hands on her inheritance. And that was why they couldn''t let Orville die just yet. What a family of vipers!


    Orville seemed to realize what his monstrous son was plotting, and his face was a mask of despair.


    "Don''t you worry." Having said her piece, Juniper''s gaze returned to him. "I will get justice for J and her mother. And..." Her voice was like steel. "Everything the Wilcox fansily owes them, will on their behalf. So you just lie here and watch how I make the Wilcox family, and those fools in it, pay the price."


    ve back


    ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± Juniper added as she was about to leave. ¡°I am Master Nocturne. Your illness can, in fact, be cured. But..." A derisive smile yed on her lips. "I have no intention of saving you!"

 Chapter 447

    Looking at Orville''s ashen, devastated face, Juniper delivered the final, merciless blow. "Don''t worry, I will make sure you are alive to witness theplete and utter ruin of the Wilcox family and everyone in it."


    As Juniper left the room and turned, she came face to face with Shanley.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "Mm," Shanley said, naturally taking her hand. ¡°I was worried about youing alone."


    "Worried about what?" Juniper raised an eyebrow, her tone light. "That the Wilcox family would hurt me?"


    "No," Shanley chuckled. "I was worried they''d dirty your hands. So I came to hold the knife for you."


    "Oh." Juniper slowed her pace, tilting her pretty face up to look at him with a meaningful glint in her eyes. ¡°I was worried they''d dirty your hands, too,¡± she purred.


    These Wilcox idiots were practically begging for an early grave. She wouldn''t even need to get her own hands dirty.


    "Did you hear my conversation with Orville?" Juniper asked, watching his eyes, feeling an odd sense of nervousness. She had been... rather ruthless in there.


    "I heard," Shanley replied, stopping to gaze down at her. A fond smile touched his lips. ¡°Juniper, you did the right thing. If you want the Wilcox family to disappear from Era City, it would only take a few minutes. Do you need my help?"


    "No need." Juniper blinked, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly. ¡°Ending it so quickly would be letting them off too easy. The suffering J endured... the Wilcoxes deserve to taste it for themselves."


    "As you wish." Shanley led her toward the parking garage. "But what was thest thing you said to Orville?" he asked, curious. Her voice had been too soft for him to hear clearly.


    Thest thing? Juniper thought for a moment. It must have been when she said, ¡°I am Master Nocturne." Hmm... he might feel pressured if he knew she had so many secret identities. Best not to tell him for now.


    "Nothing important," she said with a dismissive blink. "Let''s go home and shower. Seeing those Wilcox people makes me feel grimy.¡±


    Shanley knew she was lying, but he didn''t press her. It didn''t matter. As long as she was safe, he would support her in whatever chaos she chose to create.


    In the parking garage, Juniper mounted her motorcycle while Shanley got into his sports car. They pulled out at the same time.


    On the road, Shanley carefully maneuvered his car, matching her speed and creating a protective buffer to keep other vehicles away from her.


    Juniper nced over at the sports car beside her, a mischievous smile ying on her lips. In the next second she gunned the engine and. shot forward, leaving Shanley far behind.


    Watching her retreating figure, Shanley felt a brief moment of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Her silhouette... it looked so much like Specter, the leader of Subterra Vanguard.


    He had once faced off against Specter, who had also been on a motorcycle while trying to kill him. The way Juniper executed that


    Sharp turneerily simr to that.


    old bastard''s moves.


    But just as quickly, Shanley shook his head, a wry smile on his face. He was overthinking things. How could a young girl like Juniper possibly be Specter if she were would he eally be able to lie peacefully beside her every night?


    ...


    Back at Cloudscape Community, J and Juniper were curled up on the sofa watching TV.


    "This is insane," J muttered with a frown. "Why won''t he just leave me alone?" Trent had messaged her again, asking her to dinner. Annoyed, J blocked his number. She wanted nothing to do with anyone from the Wilcox family.


    ¡°He''s that desperate?¡± Juniper saidzily, ying with her phone. ¡°Go meet him. And while you''re at it, let him know you know about the will."

 Chapter 448

    "The will?¡± J shot up from the sofa, her eyes wide with surprise. ¡°Juniper, what will?"


    "Here." Juniper handed her phone to J, showing her the information she''d just found. ¡°Orville left you two-thirds of the family assets. By my calction, that''s worth a few hundred million."


    A few hundred... million? J stared at the phone,pletely stunned. Had the world gone mad? Since when did her life involve figures with that many zeros? She thought Orville hated her and her mother. Why would he...


    "Guilt," Juniper exined, sucking on a lollipop. ¡°First, you''re brilliant, and Orville thinks you can bring honor to the Wilcox name. Second, he feels guilty about your father and wants to ease his conscience. And third, after being sick for so many years, his mind isn''t what it used to be."


    J listened, her feelings a tangled mess.


    "Do you want it?¡± Juniper asked, her gaze fixed on J''s face. ¡°Just say the word, and I won''t just get you the inheritance, I''ll hand you the entire Wilcox family on a tter."


    Zorion was the eldest son. J was the legitimate heiress of the Wilcox family. No one else had any right to challenge her im.


    "No." J answered without hesitation, a weary smile on her face. "We may be poor, but we have our pride. If I could, I''d trade all that money to have my father''s name cleared, and to get justice and restore my mother''s honor."


    "Good." After hearing her out, Juniper squeezed her cheek in approval. "That''s my J. You''ve got integrity."


    "However," Juniper paused for a second, "you need to make the Wilcoxes think you want it."


    "Huh?" J didn''t understand.


    "A cornered animal will do something desperate," Juniper exined calmly. "The car ident that killed Ms. Miller''s boyfriend, and even your father''s ident... I doubt they were entirely idental."


    "Juniper, are you saying..." J''s eyes instantly reddened with disbelief.


    "I suspect Yelena''s father was behind it," Juniper confirmed.


    In the fight for power and money, even brothers could turn on each other. But Ezra


    was a clever man; he had destroyed all the evidence from back then.


    Did he really think he could get away with it scott-free? Howughable.


    "So, you want to provoke the


    Wilcoxes into making a move on et


    me?" J''s voice trembled. "And u?e that opportunity to catch them and bring them down?"


    "Clever girl," Juniper nodded, her tone gentle was going to wait a little longer, but now..." She peeled a banana and ced it in J''s hand, her voice turning icy. "Since they re in such a rush to die, might


    dre tmight


    as well oblige them.¡±


    She would settle this before J started university. It would be the perfect matriction gift.


    J clutched her phone, her face pale, and said nothing.


    "Getting soft-hearted?" Juniper asked, her eyes narrowing.


    "No." J lifted her head, her eyes so red they looked like they might bleed im thinking about,¡± she said,


    each word deliberate, "what kind of


    punishment would make them


    suffer the most."


    Her father''s death, her mother''s pain, the years of insults and humiliation she had endured... Soft-hearted? Not a chance.


    As she spoke, J took out her phone and unblocked Trent''s number.


    ¡°Juniper, what should I write to really piss him off?"


    Juniper took the phone and casually typed a few words: [That''s right. Your grandpa


    left me a few hundred million. Hehe.]

 Chapter 449

    Staring at the message Juniper had sent, J was stunned for a second, then silently gave her a thumbs-up. "Juniper, you really know how to go for the jugr."


    That little ¡°hehe¡± at the end was guaranteed to make someone explode with rage.


    "Starting today, I''ll have people protecting you and Saskia," Juniper said with a smirk, re-blocking Trent''s number. ¡°Don''t be afraid. I promise you''ll both be perfectly safe."


    "You have to be careful too, Juniper,¡± J said, shuffling closer and grabbing her hand, her expression worried. "Ynda and Yelena are both bad news. They might justsh out at you unexpectedly."


    "Hmm?" A sly grin spread across Juniper''s lips. "I''d be more worried if they didn''te after me."


    J stared at her, confused.


    "The time I was nearly tripped and pushed down the stairs at Aurora High? That was Yelena, using Jolene to do her dirty work."


    ¡°Really?" J jumped to her feet, ready to call the police. "We have to get her arrested!"


    She''d heard Jolene had broken her leg and couldn''t even take the entrance exams. Thank goodness Juniper was skilled enough to dodge it. Otherwise, she would be the one lying in a hospital bed right now. Such a vicious person had to be stopped.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Juniper said, unwrapping a piece of candy and handing it to J to calm her down. ¡°Yelena is still two weeks shy of her eighteenth birthday. If we expose her now, she''ll get off with a p on the wrist."


    "Besides," Juniper''s lips curled, her beautiful eyes narrowing. "I know her secret. Do you really think she''d let me off the hook so easily?"


    "What are you going to do?" J asked.


    "Wait for her to try and kill me, of course," Juniper said with a yawn. She spoke of life-and-death matters as if they were a childish game. ¡°When I take them down, I''m going to make sure they can never get back up."


    It was overkill to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut. A simple sting operation would be more than enough for that family.


    J listened, dumbfounded, her eyes shining with adoration as she looked at Juniper.


    The next day, with no early sses to wake up for, Juniper slept in and woke up in a particrly good mood. After freshening up, she went downstairs.


    "Good morning, Ms. Payne," Dana greeted her with a smile as she prepared breakfast. "Do you have any ns for today?"


    "Mhm," Juniper replied casually, taking small bites of toast. "Going for a walk. Waiting for them toe kill me."


    "Wh-what? Dana was so shocked


    she swayed on her feet, nearly dropping the cup in


    in


    now


    Perhap


    had overheard parts of the


    conversation with J yesterday.


    "Ms. Payne, you should call Mr. Schwartz and ask him to send some bodyguards!" Dana urged, worried.


    MS


    Payne looked delicate she...


    didn''t want anything to happen to her.  s?novel


    ¡°It''s fine,¡± Juniper said coolly.


    Having finished her toast, she pped her hands and stood up.


    "Dana, I''m in the mood for that special chicken casseroleter. Thanks."


    By the time Dana snapped out of her shock and ran after her, the girl had already vanished.


    Dana was genuinely worried about


    Juniper. Over the past few weeks,


    she hade to see her as a


    dialedare


    granddaughter: She quickly dialed.


    Shanley''s number and exined the


    situation.


    ¡°I see,¡± Shanley replied with a calm smile,pletely unruffled. "No need to send


    anyone. Let her have her fun."


    ¡°Fun?¡± Dana''s hand holding the phone began to tremble.


    "Don''t worry. With her skills..." Shanley let out a low, fondugh. ¡°There are probably very few people in this world who would dare to touch her."


    "O-okay."

 Chapter 450

    Dana was still confused, but if Mr. Schwartz said so, she felt a little more at ease.


    ...


    After hanging up, Shanley turned to Felton. "How are the arrangements for


    protecting Saskia and J?"


    "All set, sir. However..." Felton hesitated for a moment. "Mr. Steele''s men joined in unexpectedly."


    "Melvin?" Shanley looked up, his voice deepening.


    "Yes, sir."


    "Fine," Shanley said with a faint smile. "Don''t worry about his people. Just make sure ours are on their toes."


    "Yes, sir," Felton nodded respectfully.


    Just as he finished his report, Shanley''s phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.


    "Grandma."


    "So, how is it going?" Hannah asked impatiently as soon as he answered. "Has Juniper agreed to go out with you yet?"


    He had said he was waiting because she was still in school and it felt inappropriate. But the exams were over now, so what was the hold-up?


    Shanley pinched the bridge of his nose again, replying wearily, ¡°I haven''t found the right moment to ask."


    "What?" Hannah''s voice shot up several decibels. "Shanley, can you please get your act together?


    School is about to start, and once Juniper is on campus, she''ll be surrounded by handsome, energetic young men.¡±


    "And you?" Hannah continued, her words firing like a machine gun. "You''ll be twenty-eight soon. If I were her, and I had to choose between you and a younger guy, I''d definitely pick the younger guy.¡±


    "You know what? I''ll ask her for you." Hannah adjusted her reading sses. "After all, your own father only managed tond your mother because I was the one who proposed. I know how this works."


    "Grandma, please don''t!" Shanley


    was genuinely rmed. "Juniper has a lot on her mind right now. I don''t want to add to her stress," he said patiently. "Don''t worry promise I''II market myself to her before any of those younger guys get a chance, okay?"


    Market himself? Hannah huffed, impressed by his self-awareness. "Well, you''d better hurry up," she threatened, her voice sharp. "If you let my granddaughter inw sli away, you can forget about ever calling me Grandma again


    "I know."


    Shanley hung up the phone with a resigned smile. The truth was, he was anxious too, but hecked the confidence and feared rejection.


    Besides, his assets were so vast that liquidating and organizing them was taking


    time. At thetest, everything would be sorted by his birthday.


    He wondered if this year, he might receive the most precious gift of his life.


    At the Wilcox estate, Trent''s face turned livid when he received J''s text message.


    "How could J know about the will?"


    "She knows about the will?" Trent''s father, Ezra shot to his feet. After


    reading the text, his expression hardened. "My father must have fost his mind, leaving two thirds of th Family fortune to an illegitimate child."


    ¡°It looks like.....¡± Ezra sank back into his chair, a murderous glint in his eyes. "She


    ns to fight us for the inheritance."


    Her father had already been disowned, and it wasn''t even certain if J was a true Wilcox.


    ¡°Trent, your grandfather''s health is failing,¡± Ezra said coldly. ¡°Your original n isn''t going to work anymore."


    The initial idea was to trick J into returning to the Wilcox family before she turned eighteen. As her guardian, Ezra could then legally transfer the inheritance to his own name.


    But now... if they couldn''t solve the problem, they had to eliminate the person causing it.

 Chapter 451

    "You''re right," Trent said, leaning back in his chair, his face a mask of grim


    determination. ¡°We can''t find the miracle doctor, and Grandpa doesn''t have much time left."


    There were two conditions for the will to take effect: Orville''s death, or J turning eighteen. ¡°J and that woman have no connections,¡± Ezra stated coldly. "They should be easy to handle. Just make sure it''s clean. Leave no trace."


    "Understood."


    Trent nodded and stood to leave, but Ezra''s voice stopped him.


    "Wait."


    Trent paused and looked back at his father.


    "I hear that woman has a niece..." Ezra began. "Her brother is a famous movie star. While he''s just an actor, he has some influence. Don''t provoke her."


    The priority was to deal with J and secure the inheritance. There was no need to stir up other trouble.


    Saskia''s niece? The image of a beautiful, feisty girl shed in Trent''s mind. She did seem fierce and unapproachable. But still, she was just a teenager. What was there to be afraid of?


    "I know," Trent replied before striding out of the room, already on the phone. "Find someone reliable. I need you to take care of something for me."


    On the other side of the city, Juniper was treating J to dessert at Moonlight Peak.


    Since Juniper had told her that the point of this outing was to get someone to "try and kill them,¡± J''s hands hadn''t stopped trembling. Even though she knew they were protected, she was terrified, expecting a killer to jump out from behind a corner at any moment.


    Juniper, on the other hand, was the picture of calm. A pile of empty tes sat in front of her, and she looked to be in an exceptionally good mood.


    ¡°Juniper, are you sure Yelena will show up here?" J whispered.


    As if on cue, Yelena walked in with a group of girls,ughing happily.


    Seeing the two of them, Yelena''s smile froze on her face. What terrible luck. She couldn''t seem to escape these two wretches.


    "Yelena, what''s wrong?" one of her friends asked.


    "Nothing."


    Yelena had been about to leave, but reservations at Moonlight Peak were hard to get. Besides, she had already bragged to her friends that she was treating them to a meal on the third floor. These girls all came from families with slightly higher social standing than hers and she had managed to get close to them by being generous with her money. She was counting on them to introduce her to more influential socialites, so she couldn''t just back out now.


    ¡°Let''s go in,¡± Yelena said, forcing a smile.


    The hostess seated them at a table directly across from Juniper.


    "Are there any other tables avable?" Yelena asked, trying to hide her unease.


    Juniper and J both knew her secret¡ªthat she was the daughter of a mistress. Who knew if their twisted minds would lead them to expose her and cause a scene? If that secret got out, her life would be over.


    "Of course," the waitress said with a smile, handing her the menu. ¡°Please, take a look and see where you''d like to move."


    Yelena opened the price list for the


    seating. Even on the same floor, different locations had different prices. Her current table had a minimum spend of nearly two thousand dors per pershe cheapest option. Other tables cost seven or eight thousand, and some were well over ten thousand.


    100%


    ???


    The Wilcox family was wealthy, but her parents rtionship was strained, and her mother hadn''t managed to secure much of the family fortune She was counting on Yelena to marry well and bring them prestige. The eight thousand dors for this meal was already a huge stretch for her. She simply couldn''t afford any more.


    ¡°Actually, this spot seems better than the others," Yelena said, caught in a dilemma.


    "Let''s just stay here."

 Chapter 452

    "Next time, I''ll take you all to the top floor," Yelena bragged.


    "The top floor?" Her friends stared at her with envy.


    "I''ve only been there once with my dad, and we just sat in the main hall. I can''t even imagine going to the very top."


    "It''s nothing," Yelena said, lifting her water ss, lying without batting an eye. "From now on, we can go whenever we want."


    As she spoke, her eyes unexpectedly met Juniper''s meaningful gaze. Juniper was leaning back in her chair, slowly eating pistachios, but her eyes were locked on Yelena.


    Yelena''s heart skipped a beat. She was so startled that her hand trembled, nearly dropping her ss.


    "Yelena, look, it''s J," one of the girls pointed out. "And Juniper."


    Yelena didn''t dare say a word.


    ¡°Oh, Juniper''s here?¡± another girl sneered, lowering her voice. ¡°No wonder the home-wrecker''s daughter can afford a ce this fancy."


    "Exactly," her friend added, sipping her juice. "In our social circle, every heiress and wife is legitimate. A girl like J isn''t even worthy of cleaning my shoes."


    Although the girls were whispering, Yelena heard every word clearly. The repeated phrase "home-wrecker''s daughter" felt like a series of ps across her own face.


    "The home-wrecker''s daughter?" Just as she was reeling, Juniper suddenly spoke up, swirling her ss. "Funny you should mention that. I know a story about a home-wrecker''s daughter. Want to hear it?"


    "Yes!" J responded enthusiastically, ying along perfectly. "I want to hear it!"


    "Alright." Juniper took a small sip of her juice, her lips moving slowly. "Actually, you know the real home-wrecker''s daughter."


    "What do you mean?" The other girls werepletely lost. What did she mean by the real one?


    Yelena''s breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of her chest. Was Juniper really going to say it? The news would spread through their Social circle like wildfire. All her


    dreams of marrying into a powerful


    family or bing a famous


    actress would turn to dust.


    ¡°She is...¡± Juniper finished thest of her juice and wiped her lips, thenpletely


    changed direction. "I''ll tell you on our way out."


    "Okay."


    Seeing the absolute terror on


    Yelena''s face brought J a deep


    sense of satisfaction. So, this is


    what it felt like to be put on the spot?


    The difference was, J was innocent etena however, was getting exactly what she deserved.


    As Juniper and J left, Yelena finally let out the breath she had been holding, trying to appear calm as she wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.


    "Yelena, you look so pale. What''s wrong?" a friend asked.


    "What do you expect when you run into the girl who ruined your family''s reputation?¡± another friend chimed in. "And what was Juniper talking about, saying someone else is the real mistress''s daughter?"


    "Besides J, who else could it be?" Yelena''s fingers clenched into tight fists, her nails digging into her palms. The pain helped her to calm down and think clearly. She couldn''t wait any longer. She had to get rid of Juniper, and soon.


    After the gathering, Yelena rushed home to find her mother, Deirdre. When Deirdre


    heard what had happened, she exploded with rage.


    ¡°Juniper?¡± Deirdre spat. "Who the hell does she think she is, trying to ckmail you?"


    "Mom," Yelena pleaded, her face still pale with fear. "We need to hire someone to kill her. I can''t take this anymore!"

 Chapter 453

    "How dare the sister of some actress act so high and mighty in front of you?" Deirdre said,forting Yelena, a hint of malice creeping onto her perfectly made- up face.


    ¡°And J...¡± Yelena added through gritted teeth, wiping her tears away. ¡°She''s using Juniper''s influence topletely disregard me. She also knows I''m the ''daughter of a mistress.""


    "What a shame. We should have gotten rid of her for good back then." Deirdre''s beautiful face twisted into a snarl as she pulled out her phone. "Don''t worry, sweetie.


    I''ll make sure this problem disappears long before the scores are released."


    A few thugs would be more than enough to handle those two little brats.


    ...


    Leaving Moonlight Peak, Juniper walked ahead while J followed with small steps, her bright eyes darting around curiously. Juniper had said she had private security watching over her, but J couldn''t see anyone.


    "One at your three o''clock," Juniper said, her hands in her pockets and a piece of candy in her mouth, her gaze fixed straight ahead. "Two at ten o''clock, one directly behind us, and..."


    She suddenly stopped, tilting her head a fraction to the left. A faint smile touched her lips as she spotted someone. "And one at your eight o''clock."


    ¡°Huh?¡± J followed her gaze and saw a man in a hat quickly duck back into a corner. They really were there! But... he looked a little familiar.


    "Juniper, that bodyguard looks a lot like your brother Melvin," J eximed with innocent surprise. "What a coincidence."


    Juniper pinched the bridge of her nose, speechless. Not only had Melvin blown his cover, but he''d also shown his face. If any of her Subterra Vanguard agents performed this poorly, she''d kick their ass.


    "Alright,¡± Juniper said, walking J to her car and instructing the driver to take her home. "I have something to take care of."


    "Okay," J nodded obediently. "Juniper, you''re my only acknowledged cousin and, apart from my mom, the closest person to me. Please be safe."


    "Cousin..." Juniper mused, her hand resting on the car door as she nced meaningfully at the man still hiding in the corner.


    "What''s wrong?" J asked, suddenly nervous she had said something wrong.


    "Nothing," Juniper said, patting J on the head, looking like an amused bystander.


    She was just thinking, if Melvin actually managed to win J over and they got married, J would be her sister-inw. Damn it, That was a serious downgrade in seniority for her!


    After seeing J off safely, Juniper hopped on her motorcycle and sent Shanley a text at a red light.


    [You had Melvin act as a bodyguard? Are you hoping something does happen to J?]


    Out of the five or six bodyguards, he was the


    only one who was be


    perfectly concealed. Even J


    could spot him, let alone a


    professional assassin.


    Shanley: [He''s your brother. I can''t exactly tell him what to do.]


    Juniper: [???]


    Shanley: [Besides... isn''t he trying to woo your cousin?]


    At the word "woo," Juniper''s cheeks flushed slightly.


    Juniper: [Fine, I''ll talk to him.]


    Ending the chat, Juniper called


    Melvin and got straight to the point. "Stop talling J like a creep


    Youre going to blow her cover and


    attract unwanted attention."


    "What? I..." Melvin started to protest.


    "What do you mean, ''what''?" Juniper grumbled, clearly annoyed. "If you don''t have


    the skills, don''t y bodyguard."


    ¡°I get it,¡± Melvin said, seeming to understand her meaning. He didn''t dare argue back. "I''ll leave now."

 Chapter 454

    "Melvin..." Juniper''s expression turned serious. "Are you really interested in J?¡±


    Melvin fell silent, too ashamed to answer. The memory of how harshly he''d called Shanley a "cradle robber" was now excruciatingly awkward. Shanley was only nine years older than Juniper; he was ten years older than J.


    ¡°Juniper, you''re not going to object, are you?" Melvin asked cautiously, swallowing hard.


    "Not really," Juniper replied.


    From what she''d seen, her brother was a decent guy. If he was sincere about J and she liked him back, it might not be a bad thing. But the problem was¡ªJ didn''t seem to have the slightest interest in him.


    "If you want to win her over, you''ll have to try harder," Juniper advised, adding, "School is starting soon, and there will be plenty of handsome guys there, so..."


    The way she trailed off was particrly pointed.


    Melvin hung up, feeling utterly defeated. He needed to get some advice from that old fox Shanley. If he could win over someone as difficult as Juniper, then J should be a walk in the park byparison.


    ...


    At the J-Five Studio, Juniper waspletely absorbed in her work. Wearing protective goggles, she sat under a small deskmp, meticulously polishing a sandalwood bracelet.


    ¡°Boss,¡± the director said, knocking before entering with a cup of coffee. "You should take a break and have something to eat."


    She had been there for three or four hours without even looking up. Who was this bracelet for? It must be someone important for their boss to be so focused.


    ¡°I''m fine,¡± Juniper replied curtly, not pausing her work.


    "Ouch-"


    Distracted for a moment, the polishing tool slipped and grazed her finger. A dark bruise immediately formed on the pad of her finger.


    "Boss, are you okay?" the director eximed, quickly handing her a wet wipe. "Let me do it. I have some experience with this."


    "Don''t touch it!" Juniper snapped, pushing the tray away with a stern expression.


    "Yes, boss." The director, startled, quickly retracted his hand.


    Juniper casually pped a bandage on her finger and went back to work. Shanley''s birthday was next week, and she had to finish the bracelet before then. This particr piece of sandalwood was exceptionally rare and required meticulous


    craftsmanship, which naturally took a lot of time.


    On top of that, she had so many other things to deal with: her other brothers illness the Wilcox family the section for the Medical Alliance... She was worried she


    wouldn''t have enough time.


    At six in the evening, Juniper left the studio, rubbing her neck as she walked. After


    just a few steps, she noticed someone tailing her.


    Tsk. Couldn''t they wait?


    Juniper raised a sarcastic eyebrow. This could be interesting. She decided to test the quality of the hitmen they''d hired.


    She started her motorcycle. When she turned left, they followed. When she turned right, they followed. The moment she elerated slightly, the car behind her sped up recklessly. Juniper deliberately mmed on the brakes, her motorcycle leaping over arge puddle.


    With a loud crash, the pursuing car, too focused on her to notice the road, plunged headfirst into the water. Thick smoke billowed from the wreckage as the upants were knocked unconscious.


    Juniper nced at her watch. Not even ten minutes. Seriously? These were supposed to be killers?


    At this level, she might as well just turn herself in. How boring.

 Chapter 455

    At Cloudscape Community, Juniper showered and immediately fell asleep on her bed.


    Shanley opened the door and walked quietly to her side, intending to cover her with a nket. But he stopped short when he saw her injured finger.


    What happened?


    Just as he was wondering, the sleeping girl''s eyes fluttered open.


    "You''re awake?" Shanley gently touched her hair, then stood up to get the first-aid kit. ¡°How did you hurt your hand?"


    ¡°Oh," Juniper said, waving her hand nonchntly. "I was bored this afternoon, so I went to the jewelry studio. I slipped while cutting a piece."


    "Give me your hand." Shanley opened the kit, his handsome face etched with


    concern.


    ¡°It''s just a scratch, don''t worry about it," Juniper said dismissively. "Compared to the time I nearly got my head chopped off, this is nothing."


    ¡°Behave,¡± Shanley insisted, holding a cotton swab and looking at her intently.


    "...Fine, fine." Unable to refuse, Juniper impatiently ced her hand in his.


    "What do you mean, your head was nearly chopped off?" he asked in a low, husky voice, carefully cleaning the wound.


    "Oh," Juniper said, leaning against the headboard and yawning. "Just an old rival of mine. He couldn''t beat me fair and square, so the piece of trash resorted to dirty tricks and ambushes. He threw a bomb at my house, and itnded right on my bedroom roof..."


    Juniper''s face turned cold, her voiceced with a terrifying venom. "The house copsed, and a shard of ss nearly sliced my neck open."


    It was a huge, sharp piece of ss. If her reflexes had been any slower, her head would have been separated from her body.


    "Let''s not talk about him. It''s bad luck," Juniper said, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. ¡°I''ll deal with him properly when I have the time."


    When the time came, she''d make the leader of Sigma Network kneel before her and whip him to death.


    Shanley said nothing, just watched her quietly, unable to imagine what she had been through. She''d nearly died several times. The more casually she spoke of it, the more his heart ached for her. She was


    young, yet she acted so tough.


    ¡°Juniper,¡± Shanley said, taking her hand. "I''m here now. I won''t let anyone hurt you ever again."


    Her rival? Once he found out who it was, he would tear them limb from limb.


    "Alright,¡± Juniper said, meeting his gaze as a warmth spread through her heart.


    ...


    Trent, persistent as ever, asked to meet J again. This time, she agreed.


    "You and your mother have suffered all these years," Trent said gently, pouring her a ss of water. "I''ve already spoken with our grandfather, and he''s agreed to let you both return to the Wilcox family."


    "Return to the


    Wilcox family?" J swirled the water in her ss, a sarcastic smile ying on her lips "Is the Wilcox estate some kind of paradise? And what kind of desperate person do you think I am, that I''d be begging to go back?"


    Trent''s attempt at kindness was met with a cold shoulder. He hadn''t expected J to be so arrogant, and his expression soured Thest time he saw her, she was a timid, weak girl. It seemed Orville''s inheritance had given her a backbone.


    "Trent,¡± J said, following Juniper''s instructions to the letter, "I never wanted anything to do with the Wilcox family, so it would be best if you all left my mother and me alone. As for the inheritance..."


    She paused for a moment before continuing, "My father poured his heart and soul into the Wilcox family. They owe their current sess to his hard work."

 Chapter 456

    "Besides, he left with nothing. You know better than I do what happened to all his assets... So this three hundred million," J said, clenching her fists, her voice firm, "don''t you think I''m entitled to it?"


    If her father were still alive and running the Wilcox Group, a few hundred million would be nothing. But s, Trent''s ipetent father had ruined everything.


    "You''re an illegitimate child! What right do you have to the family inheritance?" Trent, infuriated, dropped the act and mmed his hands on the table. ¡°J, don''t make me do this the hard way."


    "Sign this agreement, and I''ll give you two million. Otherwise..." Trent leaned across the table, his face menacingly close to hers. "Don''t me me for what happens next."


    J, who had always been gentle and avoided conflict, had never been in a situation like this. Her legs trembled uncontrobly. But then she thought of Juniper, who had promised she would be there for her. With that thought, J managed to hide her fear.


    "Go ahead and try," J retorted, clenching her jaw.


    With that defiantst word, she turned and strode away.


    Trent was left standing there, his face pale with rage. So she wanted to y tough? Fine. He wouldn''t show any mercy.


    Trent took out his phone and made a call. "Starting today, keep an eye on J and her mother. Find an opportunity... I don''t want them alive."


    Once J was dead, there would be no heir to Orville''s will, and the inheritance would naturally revert to them.


    ...


    In the car, J gulped down water, her body still shaking.


    "You were that scared,¡± Juniper said, wiping J''s mouth with a tissue.


    Listening to the conversation between Trent and the hitman through her earpiece, she smirked. ¡°The show is about to begin.¡±


    While they were having coffee, Juniper had hacked into Trent''s phone and installed a listening device, recording his every move.


    The father evades taxes and hires hitmen, and the son follows suit. Like father like son. Ezra and Trent were looking at thirty years minimum. And then there were Deirdre and Yelena... she just needed to give them a little push.


    ...


    The next day, after finishing Harold''s treatment, Juniper deliberately chose a


    secluded path home, one with no security cameras.


    Sure enough, she hadn''t gone far before a beat-up van screeched to a halt in front of her. Four menacing men got out.


    "Are you Juniper Payne?" the leader, arge man, asked, looking down at her as he brandished a dagger.


    Juniper remained calm, slowly popping a piece of candy into her mouth as she scanned each of them. "Kidnappers?"


    ¡°Huh? Yeah!¡± The four kidnappers, caught off guard by her response, answered instinctively.


    "Cut the crap and get in the van," the leader said, regaining hisposure. "You''d better not scream, or I''ll kill you."


    "I''m not screaming," Juniper replied,


    nonchntly a


    the knife at have


    Sat. "I''ll cooperate, but


    three conditions content belongs.


    "What?" one of the goons asked, craning his neck in curiosity. This was the first time


    they''d ever had such a cooperative victim.


    Juniper calmly listed her terms:


    "First, I get carsick, so I have to sit in the front passenger seat."


    "Second, connect my phone to the Bluetooth and y my ylist."


    "Third..." Juniper nced at the stra


    shaped goon to her right.


    "Keep his face out of my sight.


    have a thing about ugliness,

 Chapter 457

    The four kidnappers were stunned. They felt deeply insulted. In their years in the underworld, they''d built a reputation for themselves. In over a decade of kidnapping, they had never encountered such a calm victim. How dare she make demands? Damn it! They were kidnappers! Could she at least show a little respect for their profession?


    "Enough talk!¡± the leader snapped impatiently, his face contorting as he waved his dagger. "You''d better behave if you know what''s good for you."


    Juniper shot him a disdainful look, casually walked to the van, and slipped into the passenger seat. She even conscientiously fastened her seatbelt.


    Again, the kidnappers were dumbfounded. Was this girl crazy? Worried they had the wrong person, the leader quickly took a photo of Juniper and sent it to his client.


    Deirdre: [Yes, that''s her.]


    As long as it was the right person, that was all that mattered. They were just here for the money.


    "Get in," the leader ordered his men, keeping the dagger pressed to Juniper''s neck.


    "Wait¡ª¡± Juniper''s voice cut in. She nced in the rearview mirror at the oddly shaped goon. "If he sits there, I''ll be able to see him, and it''ll hurt my eyes."


    "You-!" The ugly goon''s face twisted in anger, and he lunged toward her. Did this little brat not understand the situation?


    ¡°Shut the hell up! There''s a caring," the leader yelled, pulling the goon into the seat directly behind Juniper. From that angle, she couldn''t see him.


    ¡°Let''s go!¡± the leader urged, then warned Juniper, ¡°Don''t make a sound, got it?" "Connect the Bluetooth and y my music," Juniper said, tossing her phone to the driver. She then crossed her arms and calmly closed her eyes.


    The leader was bbergasted. Was the dagger in his hand just for decoration? Why wasn''t she scared at all?


    The van started up and headed toward a more secluded area, eventually stopping in front of an abandoned factory.


    The door slid open, and a goon grabbed Juniper''s arm. "Get out."


    Juniper, who had just woken up from a nap, was still groggy and irritable Seeing the hand on her arm, her gaze turned icy. With a slight turn of her body to the left, the goon went flying several feet away.


    He was speechless. What just happened?


    The other three blinked, not quite registering what they had seen. Did this girljust throw him Her hands, were tied behind her back, and she was as thin as a fork. Where did she get that strength?


    Juniper ignored him and walked into the factory on her own.


    "This girl''s a real piece of work," the leader said, finally snapping out of it. He motioned for his men to follow. "Keep a close eye on her. Don''t let her pull any tricks."


    He then took out his phone to call their client.


    "I know," Deirdre said with a contemptuousugh when she answered. She thought Juniper would be some formidable opponent, but she was captured so easily.


    "Keep an eye on her. We''ll be there soon."


    After hanging up, Deirdre looked at Yelena. ¡°How we deal with her is up to you, sweetie."


    These men were experts at making people disappear without a trace. No matter what they did, they would clean up afterward, ensuring no evidence was left behind.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Yelena said, a cruel smile spreading across her face. "I''ll make sure she suffers."


    "By the way," Deirdre added, gazing lovingly at her daughter, "don''t let your father or Trent know about this. Your father is busy dealing with his mistress, and Trent looks down on us.


    we cause any more trouble, we''ll lose our ce in the Wilcox family."


    Her goal now was to groom her daughter for a career in entertainment, making her a


    star so she could marry into a top-tier wealthy family.

 Chapter 458

    On the other side of the city, Ezra and Trent were also preparing to make their move on J. The doctor had said Orville''s condition had taken a sudden turn for the worse; he only had a few days left.


    Before taking action, Ezra and Trent paid a visit to the hospital. Orvilley in bed, hooked up to various tubes, his eyes weakly fixed on his son.


    "Where is the will?¡± Ezra demanded coldly. "You always favored my older brother, and now that he''s dead, you''re secretly leaving his daughter your fortune."


    Orville couldn''t speak, but tears of regret streamed from his eyes. Why was he leaving everything to J? Ezra really had no idea?


    For years, Orville had believed that his eldest son, Zorion, had betrayed the family for a woman. In a fit of rage, he had cast him out. Not long after, Zorion died in a car ident.


    Over the years, Orville had his suspicions about the ident. It wasn''t until recently that he overheard his second son, Ezra, talking. Only then did he learn the truth. Ezra had arranged the car ident that killed Ms. Miller''s boyfriend. He had also orchestrated Zorion''s fatal crash. It was all a plot to seize control of the Wilcox family.


    That was why, while he was still lucid, he had secretly written a will leaving two- thirds of his fortune to J. He never imagined that not only Juniper and J would find out, but now his ruthless son knew as well.


    "It doesn''t matter if you don''t tell me," Ezra sneered. "Whether or not J can im your inheritance is another story."


    Hearing this, Orville''s lifeless eyes widened in horror. What was Ezra nning to do to J? Harm her?


    He remembered the girl''s threat. If he wasn''t mistaken, she knew Ezra was nning to make a move. This was all a trap she''d set, waiting for Ezra to walk right into it and be a murderer...


    This crime would be enough to destroy both him and the Wilcox family. Although he was furious with Ezra for what he''d done to his brother, which had driven a wedge between them, Ezra was still his son. He couldn''t just stand by and watch him be ruined.


    Orville tried to stop him, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t make a sound. He could only watch helplessly as Ezra left.


    The door clicked shut, and Orville closed his eyes in defeat. This was a fate he couldn''t escape.


    ...


    After leaving the hospital, Ezra and Trent talked in the car.


    "I found out Saskia has a follow-up~~ appointment today," Trent said, pushing up his sses. ¡°And J has something to do at school, so they''ll be separated."


    "Good," Ezra nodded, his face grim. "Deal with J first. As for Saskia...


    leave her for now." Taking care of both at once would attract too much attention. If J died, Saskia


    probably wouldn''tst long anyway.


    "Understood," Trent replied, but he didn''t move to leave. "Dad, once this is done, I want 50% of the Wilcox family''s shares. Is that a problem?"


    "Fifty percent?" Ezra stared at his son in disbelief. What an appetite.


    "That''s right," Trent said, his gaze cold. "Or would you prefer I share my inheritance equally with your illegitimate son?"


    Did Ezra really think he didn''t know about the mistress and son he kept on the side?


    "Also," Trent paused, then continued, "you probably don''t want anyone to find out you have your own brother''s blood on your hands, do you?"


    "Trent, are you threatening me?" Ezra growled, sitting up straight.


    "I''m just taking what''s mine,¡± Trent answered coolly. "I''ll handle things with J."


    Ezra was left speechless, watching Trent walk away. His son was a cunning one. But as long as J was out of the picture, the money was a small price to pay


    ...


    At the Schwartz Group.


    ¡°Sir,¡± Flint said, rushing to Shanley''s desk with a hint of excitement in his voice. "Ms.


    Payne has been kidnapped."

 Chapter 459

    Hearing the excitement in Flint''s voice, Shanley looked up from his work. "What''s the situation?"


    ¡°Sir,¡± Flint said, suppressing a grin as he handed over his phone, ¡°this is a video from the scene."


    Shanley''s stern expression softened into a fond, gentle smile as he listened to the conversation between Juniper and her captors. She gets carsick and needs to sit in the front? Kidnapped? With her fearless demeanor, she looked more like the leader of the kidnappers than their victim.


    "Should I send someone to keep an eye on Ms. Payne?¡± Flint asked.


    ¡°No need,¡± Shanley replied, a slight curve to his lips. "Those thugs are barely a warm-up for her. She''s been stressed with her studiestely, so let her have some fun."


    Have some fun? Flint''s jaw nearly dropped. These four were notoriously ruthless in the underworld... and they were just a ything for Ms. Payne? Incredible!


    "Also..." Flint paused before continuing his report. "The Wilcox family is preparing to make a move on J."


    "Are her bodyguards in ce?"


    "Yes, sir,¡± Flint confirmed. "Felton is leading the team personally. There won''t be any issues."


    "Good." Shanley nodded in satisfaction. He then picked up his phone and called Dana. "Make a few extra dishes tonight. Juniper will have worked up an appetite."


    "What is Ms. Payne doing?" Dana asked.


    ¡°Right now, she''s being kidnapped. Later..." Shanley paused, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "There might be a fight."


    It was strenuous work, after all. She''d be hungry.


    "What??" Dana eximed.


    ...


    At the abandoned factory, Juniper sat calmly in a chair, one leg crossed over the other, swinging it idly.


    "Boss, don''t you think she''s a little too calm?" one of the goons whispered to the leader, eyeing Juniper nervously.


    "You coward, is this your first kidnapping?" the leader shot back, kicking him in the butt. ¡°She''s in our hands. What''s she going to do?"


    "Right, right," the goon said, rubbing his sore behind. "But boss, she''s really pretty, hehe..."


    "Hehe, my ass!" the leader spat, taking a drag from his cigarette before kicking the goon again. "But you''re right she is a looker. And she looks untouched too


    Damn, it had been a while since he''d had a chance with someone so young and delicate.


    "Boss, the client won''t be here for a bit. Why don''t we... you know, have some fun?" the goon suggested eagerly. "You first, of course!"


    The leader stared at Juniper, feeling a rush of heat. Damn. That face, that body,


    that aura... she was hotter


    IVS


    than any movie star. It would be a waste not to take a taste. Content"


    "Alright," the leader said, unbuckling his belt. "You guys wait your turn. I''m¡ª¡±


    As he spoke, he reached a grimy


    hand toward Juniper''s face. But just


    inches away, Juniper''s eyes


    snapped open. Sheshed out with a single kick, sending the leader flying. Hended hard, struggling to catch his breath.


    "Get her..." the leader gasped, clutching his stomach. "Get that little bitch and hold her down..."


    "Yes!"


    The other goons, who had been stripping off their clothes, froze for a second before rushing forward.

 Chapter 460

    This little brat has some nerve. How dare she attack their boss? They were going to kill her!


    The three men lunged at her at once, but Juniper was faster. She had already freed her hands from their restraints. She grabbed a nearby pipe, and with a series of punches and swings, she had all four kidnappers on the ground, groaning in pain, in under two minutes.


    "Tsk." Juniper tapped the pipe against her palm, her brow furrowed in disgust. "And you call yourselves kidnappers?¡±


    Not wanting to waste any more time on them, Juniper pped her hands together, then took a roll of tape from one of the kidnappers'' bags. She taped their mouths shut, tied them up, and tossed them into a back room before calmly returning to her chair and retying her own hands.


    ...


    Not long after, Deirdre and Yelena arrived at the factory. Seeing Juniper tied to the chair, their faces lit up with glee.


    "How does it feel? Being scared isn''t fun, is it?" Yelena sneered, looking down at Juniper.


    "It''s alright,¡± Juniper replied, her expressionzy and rxed. "Did you two hire someone to kidnap me?"


    "That''s right," Yelena answered without hesitation, a triumphant smile on her face. "You thought you could use the secret of my mother''s affair against me? Did you ever imagine this day woulde, Juniper?"


    "I see,¡± Juniper said, her tone calm. "And you sent Jolene to mess with me, didn''t you?"


    "Yes," Yelena admitted, seeing no reason to hide it now that Juniper was cornered. "I told her to push you down the stairs, to kill you, preferably. But Jolene was useless..."


    "Right,¡± Juniper said, her voice remaining steady. "So, what are you nning to do next?"


    "What do you think?" Yelena said with a malicious grin, pulling a small bottle from her bag. "This is a neurotoxin. One sip, and you''ll lose your sight and hearing The whole bottle with make you mute erase your memory, and turn you into an idiot."


    Originally, she had nned to let the kidnappers kill Juniper. But then she had a better idea. Death was too easy. A life worse than death was much more satisfying.


    "Yelena, don''t waste time talking to her," Deirdre said, adjusting her elegant clothes. "Do you want to do it, or should I?"


    "I''ll do it, of course," Yelena said, unscrewing the cap. "Who does J think she is? An illegitimate child, daring topete with me for the title of the Wilcox Family''s heiress? After I''m done with you, I''ming for her."


    "You won''t have to," Juniper said, swinging her leg and yawning. "Don''t worry, your brain-dead father and idiot brother are working hard to get their own ''passes'' to prison so you can all have a family reunion You have to admit it''s fitting that you''ll all be going to prison together. At least you''ll all be living off the state. You should be thrilled."

 Chapter 461

    What prison passes? What living off the state?


    "Yelena, do it now!" Deirdre urged, feeling a strange sense of unease at Juniper''s words. Once the girl was drugged, blind, deaf, and mute, her daughter''s future


    would be secure.


    "Right." Yelena''s eyes glinted with malice as she unscrewed the cap and moved to force Juniper''s mouth open.


    But just as she got close, a hand shot out and mped around her neck. Yelena''s face contorted in shock. She stared at Juniper, not evenprehending how she had moved so fast.


    The next moment, Juniper effortlessly lifted her up and tossed her to the ground like a bag of trash, wiping her fingers in disgust.


    "Yelena!"


    Deirdre rushed to her daughter''s side. They both stared in terror at Juniper, who was now looking down on them with amanding presence. She was supposed to be tied up! When had she gotten free?


    ¡°How dare youy a hand on my daughter?¡± Deirdre scrambled to her feet and charged at Juniper. "I''ll kill you today!"


    With a single kick, Juniper sent her kneeling to the ground. She leaned in close, her voice like ice. ¡°You''ve caused Saskia a lot of trouble, both openly and behind her back, haven''t you?"


    "What do you want?" Deirdre stammered, shuffling backward in fear.


    "I want your lives, of course," Juniper said, casually sitting down and popping a piece of candy into her mouth.


    Their lives? Deirdre was terrified. She knelt on the ground, her perfectly made-up face now a mask of terror, all traces of her high-societyposure gone.


    "Mom..." Yelena crawled to her mother''s side, her face ashen. "I heard Juniper is a good fighter. We should get the kidnappers to handle her.¡±


    "Right."


    Deirdre grabbed a wooden nk from the floor, trying to keep Juniper at bay while her daughter made the call.


    The phone rang and rang, the sound echoing from the next room.


    "Looking for them?" Juniper kicked the door open with an arrogant smirk. "Too bad. They couldn''t beat me either."


    Yelena and Deirdre exchanged a look of dread. This was bad. They scrambled to escape, but as they threw open the main door, they ran straight into the police.


    "Freeze!" A dozen police officers stormed in, guns aimed at Yelena and Deirdre. "We received a report of a kidnapping and attempted murder at this location!"


    Yelena and Deirdre screamed in terror, shaking their heads frantically. It was over. If they were caught, they were finished!


    "It was her Yelena, thinking fast,


    pointed at Juniper. "Officer, she''s the


    She


    one who kidnapped those ment Sh


    was trying to kill us to silence us!


    Look, the men she kidnapped are


    right in that room."


    The officers followed her gaze and saw severalrge men tied up on the floor, struggling. Then they looked at Juniper The girl was sitting in Chair, legs crossed fiddling with a candy wrapper, a look of detached amusement on her face.


    "Did you call the police?" an officer asked.


    Yelena and Deirdre remained silent.


    ¡°I did,¡± Juniper said, standing up. ¡°They hired those men to kidnap me and then tried


    to kill me to cover their tracks. I have proof.¡±


    Proof? What proof?


    Before the mother-daughter duo could process what was happening, Juniper yed a video on her phone. The first part showed the thugs kidnapping her The next part clearly showed Yelena and her mother admitting they wanted to kill her and force-feed her the poisom? Every word was recorded.

 Chapter 462

    The color drained from Yelena''s and Deirdre''s faces. They froze for a few seconds before the realization hit them.


    "This is a setup! Juniper, you did this on purpose!"


    She had deliberately provoked them, pushed them into hiring men to kill her... Now she had irrefutable proof. There was no way they could talk their way out of this.


    "Wow," Juniper feigned surprise, her voice dripping withnguid sarcasm. "You finally figured it out?"


    The mother and daughter were left speechless.


    "You''re the victim?" the officer asked, eyeing the girl who stood with her hands in her pockets like a mob boss. He then nced at the fourrge men tied up on the floor and the two injured women beside them. With an aura like that, she didn''t exactly seem like the type to get kidnapped easily. But the surveince footage clearly showed otherwise.


    "Sir," one of his subordinates spoke up. "These four are fugitives we''ve been hunting."


    They hadmitted a string of crimes-robberies, murders... The police had been after them for years. To think they''d be caught here.


    "Take them back to the station," the lead officer ordered with a wave of his hand. "Bring these three as well. We''ll sort this out there."


    Juniper was perfectly cooperative,zily trailing behind the officer and ncing around curiously. She looked less like a kidnapping victim and more like an actress on a film set.


    "No, we''re not going!" Yelena and Deirdre, terrified, clung to each other and refused to get in the car. "What kidnapping? It has nothing to do with us!"


    Several officers had to step in, finally managing to cuff the pair and haul them towards the police car.


    "Juniper, you little bitch! How dare you plot against us..." Deirdre shrieked. "Did that bastard J put you up to this? We''re her aunt and cousin, for god''s sake! How could she be so vicious?"


    "Juniper-"


    "Gag them," the officer said coldly, having heard enough.


    ...


    At the police station, Yelena and Deirdre were still trying to argue their way out, demanding awyer.


    Juniperid out all the evidence: surveince footage from the kidnapping, the factory''s security cameras, chat logs call records between the mother-daughter duo and the kidnappers, and even the discreet payment transactions.


    Looking at the mountain of irrefutable evidence,bined with the four kidnappers'' testimony, the officer knew the charges against Yelena and Deirdre for attempted murder-for-hire were practically sealed.


    "You knew they were going toe after you, didn''t you?" the officer asked,


    intrigued. "Otherwise, how could you have gathered so much evidence?"


    "Whether I knew or not is irrelevant," Juniper said, a faint smile on her lips. "The only question is, did they break thew?"


    The officer was at a loss for words. They most certainly had.


    "And then there are those


    kidnappers... Juniper paused for a


    moment, ther voice clear and cold. "Solve both cases at once, and if I''m not mistaken, you''ll be up for a


    promotion to Deputy Chief


    end of the year, right?


    ge


    by the


    Congrattions."


    Those four were major fugitives. Capturing them was a huge aplishment.


    ?


    "Thank you, the officer said, a broad grin spreading across his face. He''d been stuck at his current rank for years, and now a golden opportunity for promotion hadnded in hisp with almost no effort on his part.


    "As for the mother and daughter, what''s your desired oue?" the officer asked.


    "Life in prison," Juniper said, her eyes lifting slightly.


    "Life? That seems a bit harsh," the officer said, looking troubled.


    "What if you add this to the pile?" Juniper leaned back and tossed her phone onto the desk in front of him.


    As the officer read what was on the screen, his pupils dted, his face filling with utter shock.

 Chapter 463

    On the screen was a file, a dozen pages long, detailing a litany of usations against Yelena and Deirdre.


    It started with Deirdre, who was involved in not only illegal loan-sharking but also moneyundering. During one dispute over interest payments, she had maliciously pushed someone from the eighteenth floor of a building,ter using the Wilcox family''s influence to cover the whole thing up.


    Then there was an incident when Yelena was ten. After losing a dancepetition to a girl from another ss, Deirdre had her driver wait at an intersection near the little girl''s house and run her over, leaving the child permanently disabled. The driver responsible was the leader of the four kidnappers they had just arrested.


    The list went on and on.


    As for Yelena, she was hardly any better. She had cheated on her entrance exams and pulled strings to get into Era High School. While enrolled, she repeatedly bullied students from less fortunate families.


    "Where did you get all this?" the officer asked in astonishment, scrolling through the dense file.


    "That''s not your concern," Juniper said with a slight blink and a yawn. "Just follow procedure."


    Word came from the interrogation room that the four kidnappers had already confessed, and Yelena and Deirdre were on the verge of breaking.


    "Alright." The officer nced at the time. "When will your guardian be arriving?"


    "In a little while." Juniper pulled out her phone and started a game, casually adding, "Go take care of your work. You''ll have another tricky situation to deal with soon."


    "What situation?" The officer waspletely bewildered.


    "Just wait," Juniper said vaguely, her fingers flying across the screen.


    The officer found the girl utterly baffling. He decided he would just wait for her guardian to arrive.


    "VICTORY" shed across her screen. Juniper exited the game and opened WhatsApp to message Flint: [How''s it going?]


    Flint replied almost instantly: [Ms. Payne, that moronic father-son duo from the Wilcox family took the bait. They couldn''t wait to make their move.]


    Juniper: [Good. I''ll be waiting for you at the station.]


    Flint stared at his phone, stunned. They hadn''t even sprung the trap yet, but Ms. Payne was already so sure of the oue.


    ...


    Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the city, J was riding her bicycle as instructed, trembling with fear.


    "Don''t be afraid, Ms. Wilcox," Flint


    reassured her confidently through


    her earpiece


    quarantee they wORT


    "Okay," J nodded meekly.


    As her bike turned onto a side road, arge truck that had been waiting by the curb


    roared to life and sped towards her.


    "Ms. Wilcox, take the path to your left," Flint instructed.


    J obeyed, her palms slick with cold sweat.


    "Shit!" the truck driver cursed,


    Oney


    with the wheel while the


    about to do it. I want to


    see the money


    "Don immediately transferring the


    "Don''t worry, you''ll get paid," Trent


    depo


    And listen carefully. Want


    her dead on impact.


    "When I do a job, I do it right," the driver said before hanging up. He mmed on


    the elerator, closing in on J.


    Just as the truck was about to hit her, someone darted out from nowhere and yanked her out of the way.


    BANG! The bicycle was sent flying, but J waspletely unharmed.


    "Damn it!" the truck driver swore under his breath. He gripped the steering wheel, intending to flee the scene.


    "Felton, the bastard is heading in the opposite direction. He''s all yours," Flint said into hisms.


    He then turned to a still-shaken J and said respectfully, "Ms. Wilcox, you can call the police now."


    "Okay," J agreed, her face pale.

 Chapter 464

    "Someone showed up and saved her," the truck driver said in a low, grim voice into his phone. "We''ll have to find another time."


    Just as he finished speaking, his truck was cut off.


    "We suspect you''re connected to a homicide investigation. Put your hands up and get out of the vehicle!" a police officermanded, gun drawn.


    The phone ttered to the floor of the cab as the driver, looking utterly defeated, stepped out of the truck.


    ...


    At the Wilcox residence, Trent had heard the entire exchange with the police before the line went dead.


    "What the hell? A homicide? How did the police track him down so fast?"


    Just as confusion gripped him, a knock echoed through the house.


    "Mr. Trent! There are guests!"


    Trent opened his door and nearly collided with Ezra in the hallway.


    "Who is it?" Ezra asked.


    "I think... I think it''s the police," the housekeeper answered nervously.


    "Did the driver rat us out about J?" Trent cursed under his breath. As a precaution, he grabbed his phone, wiped it clean, and tossed it into the fish tank.


    "That''s unlikely," Ezra countered, frowning. "This is a murder charge. He wouldn''t confess so easily."


    Besides, J was unharmed, so they couldn''t even prove a crime had beenmitted. It had to be something else.


    Ezra rubbed his temples, baffled by the turn of events. "Where are your mother and Yelena?"


    "Sir, Mrs. Wilcox and Ms. Yelena went out and haven''t returned yet."


    "Fine." Ezra waved a dismissive hand. Since J was safe, the police investigation would likely go nowhere.


    The father and son went downstairs, where the lead officer presented them with a warrant. "We''ve received a report linking you both to a case of premeditated murder.


    novome


    with us to assist with the investigation."


    "Murder?" Trent''s gaze turned icy as he repeated the word.


    "That''s right," the officer confirmed. "You know a J Wilcox, I presume..."


    At the mention of her name, both men tensed, the blood freezing in their veins.


    ...


    At the police station, just as Ezra and Trent walked through the doors, a familiar


    voice cut through the air.


    "I demand to see my family! I want awyer!"


    It was Yelena, her hair a mess, shrieking like a madwoman.


    "Yelena?" Ezra was the first to spot his daughter, utterly confused as to why she was there.


    "Dad!" Yelena cried out, trying to run to him but was blocked by an officer.


    "Your daughter hired a hitman. The evidence is conclusive, and the victim is pressing charges." The officer eyed the family with undisguised contempt.


    "Like father, like daughter," he thought. Not only do they both hire killers but they do it on the same day No need to calk for family, they''re all here now.¡±


    "Hired a hitman?" Trent heard clearly now, his brow furrowed. "To kill who?"


    "Me," a cool voice drawled from a


    nearby bench. It was Juniper,


    lookingpletely rxed. "M


    Wilcox and Ms Wilcox are now officially attempted murderers."


    In an instant, both Trent and Ezra spun to face her, their eyes widening in disbelief.


    Juniper? How in the world did Yelena get tangled up with her?


    "Mr. Wilcox, I think you should be more concerned about yourself right now," the officer advised dryly. "By the way, your victim is here as well."


    Trent followed the officer''s gaze and saw J, sitting in another chair, staring at him with cold, hard eyes.

 Chapter 465

    It wasn''t just him and his father. Yelena and her mother were also implicated in contract killings. The coincidence was terrifying. Trent''s eyes darted between J and Juniper, and something in his mind snapped.


    "J, what are you trying to do?" Ezra demanded, pointing an using finger at her.


    "Mr. Wilcox, please calm down," an officer said, restraining the agitated man. "You have a lot of questions to answer. You''d best save your energy."


    Ezra''s head swam, a profound sense of dread creeping into his heart. Could they have found out about what happened all those years ago?


    "I won''t answer any questions until mywyer is present," Ezra said, his voice tight with anxiety.


    "Don''t worry, you''ll have time to call yourwyer," the officer replied calmly.


    Several major cases had broken in a single day, all connected to past crimes and all involving the prestigious Wilcox family. If the charges stuck, the officers handling this would be looking at promotions.


    Trent took two steps forward, his gaze fixed on J''s face as his hands slowly clenched into fists. They had been set up! J had dug a trap, and they had walked right into it!


    No, that wasn''t right. Knowing J, she didn''t have the guts to orchestrate


    something like this. Trent''s eyes flickered from J''s face to Juniper, who sat there with an air of unnerving calm.


    Juniper! It was her!


    Juniper''s gaze met his, her eyes deep and venomous, so cold they sent a shiver down his spine.


    "Juniper, what the hell do you want?" Trent demanded, his voice trembling as panic set in.


    "I''m just doing my civic duty." Juniper crossed her legs, azy smile ying on her lips. "You reap what you sow. A life for a life, you know."


    "But J was never-"


    "Never what?" Juniper raised an eyebrow, her smile widening slightly. "Never actually killed? Is that it?"


    Trent''s face went pale, and he was rendered speechless.


    "This way, gentlemen." Before Trent could say another word, officers escorted him


    and his father toward the interrogation rooms.


    "Juniper! J! I''ll get you for this!" Yelena shrieked hysterically as she was dragged into an adjacent room.


    After they were all gone, J moved to sit beside Juniper, her hand gently taking hers. "Juniper..."


    "Just a little longer." Juniper pulled a piece of candy from her pocket and offered it to J. "Once this is all settled, we''ll go home and have dinner," she soothed.


    "Will they really confess?" J asked worriedly. The Wilcox family wasn''t at the top of Era City''s elite, but they had influence Otherwise, they wouldn''t have gotten away with their crimes for so long.


    "Of course not," Juniper said with a cold,nguid smile that held a hint of wild confidence. "But the evidence is irond. It doesn''t matter whether they confess or not."


    J nodded, sitting obediently by Juniper''s side as they waited for the oue of the interrogations.


    Inside, Trent and Ezra were


    questioned in separate rooms. Both


    started by denying everything,


    arguing their innocence vehemently. But then the policeid out the evidence-not only the text messages to the hitman but also audio recordings of the phone calls made during the attempt.


    "Mr. Trent, do you have anything else to say?" the officer asked.


    "How is that possible...?" Trent stared at the evidence in disbelief. He had been so careful, deleting


    everything immediately after the et


    exchange to be safe, he''d even hired a hacker to permanently wipe the data. The hacker had assured him that only the world''s top expert could ever recover it.

 Chapter 466

    "The truck driver has already confessed. He confirmed you hired him to kill J Wilcox," the officer stated tly. "Combined with this evidence... you''re looking at a minimum of five years. You should probably get a goodwyer."


    "Impossible!"


    The thought of going to prison made Trent snap. He shot up from his chair, hisposure shattering. "This is all a setup by Juniper and J! I won''t confess to anything!"


    "Mr. Wilcox, please calm down," the officer advised.


    "I want to see mywyer!" Trent waspletely unhinged, unable to fathom spending his prime years behind bars. He shoved the table aside and tried to storm out of the room.


    "Grab him!"


    The officers moved in immediately, but Trent resisted violently. In the struggle, he threw a punch that connected with an officer''s face, knocking the man out cold.


    "Don''t move!" another officer shouted, drawing his gun. Only then did Trent freeze.


    "Attempted murder and now assaulting an officer in a police station..." The officer who had cuffed him spoke with grim finality. "The bestwyer in the world can''t help you now."


    "I want to see my father!" Trent yelled. His father had connections; surely he knew someone high up.


    "As for your father..." The officer gave a cold smirk as he stamped the detention papers. "His situation is a lot worse than yours."


    Worse? Could it be? Had they found out what he did to J''s father?


    Trent stood frozen, a dead silence falling over him as the horrifying realization dawned.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the other room, Ezra had been ying dumb, denying everything. But as the evidence wasid out before him, his psychological defenses began to crumble.


    "Moneyundering, bid-rigging, and..." The officer ced one final file in front of him. "Two car idents from many years ago. It seems you had a hand in those as well."


    One had involved Ms. Miller''s lover. The other, his own brother.


    "Mr. Wilcox, you can continue to deny it," the officer said, tapping the documents. "But we have more than enough evidence to prove you''re the murderer. Dragging this out will only harm your case content


    "Get your chief in here. I''ll speak to him," Ezra demanded, ast-ditch effort. He stared at the evidence, his voice hoarse.


    "Calling him won''t do any good," the officer said with a chilling smile. "To be honest with you, we have orders from the top to handle your family''s case with extreme care."


    "The top?" Ezra''s fists clenched, his eyes bloodshot.


    "The Schwartz family," the officer replied.


    The Schwartz family? Era City''s most powerful family... He recalled that Juniper''s brother, Jimmie, was good friends with Shanley the heir to the Serwartz fortune And J was Juniper''s cousin.


    So that''s why the Schwartz family was stepping in for J. With themwyer, no matter how


    ved, ho


    skilled, could save him. Ezra''s body


    went limp, and he slumped back into his chair, utterly defeated. It was over. Everything was over.

 Chapter 467

    "Family?" J repeated theughable word, her head bowed and hands hanging limply at her sides.


    "Yes!" Seeing that J hadn''t pushed her away, Deirdre sensed a glimmer of hope and immediately forced Yelena to her knees as well.


    "J, I was a monster before. I swear, I''ll never bully you again. No..." Yelena shook her head frantically, stammering, "From now on, you''ll be the only youngdy of the Wilcox family. As long as you drop the charges, I''ll do whatever you say."


    "J, for your father''s sake, please forgive me this one time!"


    "Family..." J slowly lifted her head. Her face was pale, but her eyes were a terrifying shade of red, brimming with tears. She kept murmuring the word "family," and then, she started tough.


    "So now you acknowledge my father was part of the Wilcox family?" J''s voice was like ice. "He gave up his inheritance and moved away to Moulnds. What more did you want? And yet, you hunted him down to the bitter end!"


    Silence fell as everyone stared at her.


    "And you have the audacity to mention my father?" J stepped in front of Deirdre and Yelena, bending down slightly with a twisted smile. "Listen to me very carefully. Not only will I not let you go, but I will do everything in my power to ensure you receive the harshest sentence possible."


    "Ezra, Trent, Deirdre, and you, Yelena..." J enunciated each name, her voice frosted over, every word a piercing de. "You will all face the judgment of thew!"


    Yelena and Deirdre copsed to the floor, tears streaming down their faces.


    As Trent and Ezra were led past J and Juniper, they paused for a few seconds.


    "J, you''ve really outdone yourself," Ezra said, his weathered face twisted in a sneer. "With a daughter like you, I suppose Zorion can finally rest in peace, can''t he?"


    "Don''t be so sure," J shot back, her fists clenched. "Soon enough, you can go down and ask him yourself."


    All the color drained from Ezra''s face, leaving it as white as a sheet.


    "Let''s go," an officer urged. "Time to transfer you to the correctional facility."


    Outside the police station, the moment the Wilcox family emerged, they were swarmed by a horde of reporters. Camera shes exploded around them.


    "Don''t take my picture! Stop!" Yelena cried, ducking her head and hiding behind her mother.


    Microphones were shoved in their faces, leaving Ezra and Trent no room to escape. The reporters shouted questions over one another:


    "Mr. Wilcox, is it true that years ago you framed your own brother andter had him murdered?"


    "We hear you also tried to kill his daughter to secure the inheritance!"


    "And Yelena, aren''t you the real daughter of a mistress? What right did you have to nder J?"


    "It''s true what they say, the apple doesn''t fall far from the tree. A whole family of criminals!"


    "Mr. Wilcox, say something!" a reporter at the front pressed, his tone sharp. "The truth is, Zorion


    never abandoned his fianc¨¦e. H


    was forced into an arranged marriage by your father. And Ms.


    Jada lover but you


    Miffer already


    had him killed to secure your position as heir, making it look like Zorion was the one who abandoned


    her, and letting J and her


    mother carry that shame for over a decade!"


    The crowd of reporters began to piece the whole sordid story together.


    "Why didn''t the Miller family say anything?" one journalist shouted, hitting on a key point.


    "Because. The first reporter


    paused for effect. "Because Ms. Miller''sdover was another woman. The Miller family was afraid of the scandal so they let the me fall on Zorion."


    "What?"


    A wave of shocked murmurs rippled through the crowd. Now it all made sense. In the end, the true victims had been Zorion and his wife and daughter.


    "Ezra is a monster!" a photographer yelled, furiously snapping pictures of the family''s disgraced faces before posting the photos and the whole truth online.

 Chapter 468

    The story quickly went viral, igniting a firestorm of public outrage. Netizens sympathized with J, demanding that the culprits pay the ultimate price.


    "Stop filming! Stop!" After the reporters had their fill, officers struggled to escort the Wilcox family into a transport vehicle. A harsh legal judgment awaited them.


    "But wait..." one reporter piped up as the vehicle drove away, "With Ezra''s entire family in prison, does that mean J inherits everything?"


    "ording to a reliable source, the family patriarch, Orville Wilcox, stipted in his will that two-thirds of the Wilcox family fortune would go to J."


    "So, was this whole thing just a ploy for her to get the inheritance?"


    "Speaking of which, where is she?"


    By the time the reporters started looking, Juniper and J had already slipped out through another exit.


    In the car on the way to the hospital, J''s head was bowed, tears falling silently onto herp.


    "What are you crying for?" Juniper patted her head, her voice unusually soft and gentle. "Your father would be so proud of you."


    "Juniper, thank you," J said, her voice choked with emotion as she looked up at her cousin. "If it weren''t for you, I..."


    "You don''t have to say that," Juniper interrupted, a faint smile on her lips. "It''s only natural to protect my family."


    "Yeah." J nodded, her eyes still red, and hugged Juniper tightly. "We''ll always be family."


    "Right," Juniper said with a smile. Whether they''d ''truly'' be family, well, that depended on her brother, Melvin.


    ...


    Before heading home, Juniper took J to the hospital. She had said the family would be together, and that meant leaving no one out. With the younger generation dealt with, it was time to handle the older one.


    Inside the hospital room, a news broadcast was ying on the television, detailing the arrest of Ezra and his family. Orville Wilcox was on his deathbed, his eyes staring nkly at the screen.


    When the door opened and J walked in, a flicker of light returned to his gaze. She looked so much like her father. Seeing her was like seeing the son he had disowned.


    He had known Zorion was innocent, but his pride had been wounded... He was furious that his brilliant son would throw away his legacy for a woman he deemed unworthy. So he had cut Zorion off, expecting him toe crawling back, begging for forgiveness. Instead, the next news he received was of his son''s death After that, his resentment toward J and her mother only deepened. Even knowing of their miserable existence, he did nothing.


    "You..." Orville moved his fingers, his lips struggling to form words. "I''m... sor..."


    "You want to say you''re sorry?" J''s throat felt dry as she looked at the dying old man, the grandfather she had never met.


    Orville blinked, a confirmation.


    "I understand, J took a deep breath before continuing, her voice steady. "On behalf of my mother and myself, I do not ept your apology. As for my father. Her voice


    II


    cracked. I believe he wouldn''t forgive you either."


    "I came here today for two reasons. First, to fulfill my duty to my father and see you onest time." A heavy weight pressed on J''s chest, making it hard to breathe, but she forced herself to go on. "Second... I wanted to tell you that what my father didn''t want, I don''t want either. I, J Wilcox, still have no connection to the Wilcox family, and I will not ept a single thing from you."


    "I''ve said what I needed to say." J gave a polite bow and turned to look at Juniper.


    "Let''s go," Juniper said with a slight arch of her brow. The old man had maybe five minutes left. It would be bad luck to have him die in front of them.

 Chapter 469

    "Beep... beep... beeeeeep¡ª"


    Just as they reached the door, the frantic, tlining tone of the heart monitor echoed through the room.


    "Juniper..." J''s knees felt weak, and she instinctively looked to her cousin. "Is he... going to be okay?"


    As much as she despised the Wilcox family and wanted nothing to do with this so- called grandfather, she had never wished for his death.


    "Of course he''s not okay," Juniper replied, patting J''s head with a cool smile. "He was paralyzed from a stroke. It''s a miracle hested this long on medication. He brought this upon himself."


    Zorion''s actions might have triggered the initial copse, but it was theck of proper care afterward-perhaps an intentional oversight by his younger son, Ezra, who was eager to take over-that had sealed his fate. But Orville had been tough, clinging to life until now.


    "Let''s go home." Juniper gestured with her chin and started walking, hands stuffed in her pockets.


    "Okay." J nced back at the hospital room onest time. Her ties to the Wilcox family were nowpletely severed. She hurried to catch up with Juniper.


    ...


    On their way downstairs, a sharp cramp suddenly shot through Juniper''s stomach, and a fineyer of cold sweat broke out on her forehead.


    "Juniper, are you alright?" J asked, worried by her sudden paleplexion.


    "I''m fine," Juniper shook her head. As she was about to call a cab, her phone rang. "Juniper." Shanley''s gentle voice came through the line. "Is everything taken care of? I''m in the hospital parking garage."


    "Yeah." Juniper didn''t ask how he knew to be there; she just pressed the button for the lower level.


    As the elevator doors opened, she scanned the garage and immediately spotted his car. Shanley, dressed in a ck silk shirt with the top buttons undone, was leaning casually against the door, holding two milkshakes.


    "Juniper, over here." He smiled and waved when he saw her. But his expression quickly shifted to concern. He handed the drinks to Felton and strode toward her.


    "What''s wrong?" Shanley gently supported her waist, his brow furrowing as he took in her pale face. "Are you not feeling well?"


    "A little," Juniper admitted, leaning into his embrace, her cheek resting against his chest.


    "Your stomach?" He noticed her slightly hunched posture and guessed the source of her difort.


    "Mhm," she hummed, turning her slightly flushed face away.


    "I''ve got you." Without another word, Shanley bent down and scooped her into his arms. He then looked at wide-eyed J and said gently, "Let''s get in the car."


    "Right." J nodded obediently and wisely climbed into the front passenger seat.


    In the back, Juniper nestled against Shanley, the cold sweat on her forehead growing more pronounced.


    "Turn up the heat," Shanleymanded Felton, his tone serious as he draped a nket over her.


    "Yes, sir." Felton quickly adjusted the climate control.


    As the car warmed up, Juniper''s pain began to subside.


    "Does this happen often?" Shanley asked softly, his eyes fixed on her.


    "No," Juniper shook her head, her voice weak. "I fell into icy water during the winter once. It caused some issues."


    It was that old bastard, the leader of the Sigma Network. He hadunched a surprise attack on one of Subterra Vanguard''s cargo ships in the dead of winter. She and the ship had plunged into the freezingsea. It happened to be that time of the month, leaving her with this lingering side effect: excruciating cramps with every period. It was normally manageable with preparation, but with everything going on this month, she''d forgotten.


    "Just hold on, we''ll be home soon." Mindful that she was a young woman, Shanley didn''t press for


    details just soothed her with met


    gentle voice. On the way, he discreetly searched his phone for ''how to relieve menstrual cramps.''

 Chapter 470

    Twenty minutester, the car finally pulled into Cloudscape Community.


    "Juniper..." J started to lean over to check on her but was deterred by the powerful aura emanating from the back seat.


    "The police might still need to ask you some questions, and you''ll have to exin what happened with Saskiater," Juniper said. "You should go home and rest."


    "Okay." J nced from Juniper to the man beside her and decided it was for the best. With Mr. Schwartz here, she probably wouldn''t be much help anyway.


    ...


    Back at their residence, Shanley gentlyid Juniper on the bed and covered her with a nket.


    "Where''s your medicine?"


    "In the drawer below."


    He got her a painkiller and a ss of water. "You''re soaked in sweat. Do you want to change your clothes?"


    "I don''t have the energy. I can''t," Juniper replied, too weak to lift a finger.


    "I..." Shanley began, instinctively about to offer his help, but caught himself when he saw her startled expression. Whoa, almost crossed a line there.


    "Should I get Dana to help you?" he asked gently.


    "No," Juniper said, her gaze fixed on him, her voice muffled.


    "...Alright." Remembering her aversion to being touched by others, Shanley simply used a warm, damp cloth to gently wipe her face. By the time he was done, she had already drifted off to sleep, her head resting on his hand.


    Shanley carefully tucked the covers around her and was about to leave when she suddenly tightened her grip on his hand.


    "I''m just going to get something. I''ll be right back," he whispered, his thumb stroking her brow in a tender, loving gesture.


    Only then did Juniper rx her hold and close her eyes, falling into a peaceful sleep.


    ...


    Downstairs.


    "Dana, how do you make a hot ginger drink?" Shanley asked, standing somewhat helplessly in the kitchen with a pot in his hand.


    "Huh?" Dana was so shocked she almost dropped what she was holding. She thought, "Mr. Schwartz is making that for Ms. Payne? I''ve seen it all now!"


    "I''ll show you, sir," she said, beaming as she walked him through the steps.


    "Besides the drink, a heating pad on her stomach will also help."


    "Okay." Shanley listened intently,mitting every word to memory.


    When Juniper woke up again, she found a steaming mug of the ginger drink on her


    bedside table and a warm heating pad resting on her abdomen.


    From the balcony, she could hear Shanley on the phone, his tone sharp. "The legal team will be pulled directly from the Schwartz Groups bot need to teach you how to handle the Wilcox family? Don''t bother Juniper with these trivial matters."


    "Yes, boss." Flint, on the other end of the line, hung up, feeling thoroughly chastised.


    "Isn''t Ms. Payne the one on her period? Why does the boss seem so irritable? Is this thing contagious?"


    The Schwartz Group''s legal team was legendary in the industry, an undefeated powerhouse known for being so formidable they could get opposing counsel thrown in jan The Wilcox family stood no chance against them.


    Seeing that Juniper was awake, Shanley quickly returned to her side, a gentle smile gracing his handsome face. "Drink some of this. The temperature is just right."


    "You made this?" Juniper eyed the drink, her lips parting slightly to ask.


    "Dana taught me." Shanley held the mug to her lips, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Give it a try."


    "Oh." Juniper took a small sip. Her brow arched slightly, her expression unreadable. Tsk. It''s actually pretty good.


    "Have you made this for other girls before?"


    "Hmm?" Shanley''s deep gaze settled


    on her, a helpless but fond smile touching his lips. He leaned in, his voice a low, patient murmur. "You know, I''ve only ever served one youngdy in my life."


    "And for the rest of my life," he thought, "there will never be another."

 Chapter 471

    Hearing Shanley''s words, the slight furrow in Juniper''s brow smoothed out, and her mood lifted considerably. She took the mug from him and finished the ginger drink in one go. The warmth spread through her, andbined with the heating pad, the pain eased significantly.


    "Flint will handle the Wilcox family''s case," Shanley said, gently dabbing her lips with


    a tissue. "You just focus on resting for the next couple of days."


    "Okay." With the Schwartz Group''s elite legal team on the job, she had no objections.


    ...


    A few days of restter, Juniper was fully recovered and ready to focus on Harold''s situation. The selection for the new member of the Global Medical Alliance Association was only three days away, and she needed to make sure her brother was perfectly prepared.


    On her way to theb, she saw the news stered all over the inte. Ezra had been sentenced to death for intentional homicide, with all his assets confiscated. Trent received fifteen years for contract killing and assaulting an officer. Deirdre got twenty years, and Yelena, ten. The inte was flooded with condemnation for the entire family.


    As for the inheritance thatizens were so curious about, awyer had announced Orville''s will immediately after his death. The moment the will was read, J released a statement: she would be selling the Wilcox Group and donating all the proceeds to charities for rural education and women''s aid.


    This announcement silenced all the critics who had used J of orchestrating her family''s downfall for money.


    Before that story could even fade, another headline shot to the top of the trending list: [Schwartz Group Acquires Wilcox Group at a High Price].


    The Schwartz Group? Just as she was processing this, a text from Shanley arrived. It exined that the Wilcox Group held a piece of her uncle''s life''s work. It was better to sell it to one of their own than to let a stranger ruin it.


    One of their own? Those words made Juniper''s heart skip a beat, a faint blush warming her cheeks. She was starting to realize... that man was getting very good


    at knowing exactly what she wanted. It seemed she would have to put even more thought into his birthday present.


    ...


    At theb, Juniper administered


    final injection for Harold. After


    weeks of treatment, the blood clotin


    his brain was almost gone, and his memories were gradually returning.


    "Remember anything yet?" Jimmie asked, watching him intently from the sofa. "Especially about our three sisters."


    "I..." Harold rubbed his temples,


    straining to recall. "I only remember


    our fourth sister," he said with-


    difficulty. "She was incredibly strong,


    and very quick. The other sisters... can''t remember them yet."


    "Fourth Sister?" Jimmie leaned forward, curious. "Why do you only remember her?"


    As he recalled, all three of his younger sisters were quite a handful, though perhaps not as much as the youngest.


    "Ahem..." Harold cleared his throat, reluctantly lowering his voice. "She... uh... she beat me up when I was ten," he mumbled.


    "What?" Juniper and Jimmie eximed in unison, not having heard him clearly.


    "She beat me up!" Harold repeated, his expression a mixture of embarrassment anger and resignation. "She punched me right in the face. I went flying, and had a ck eye for days."


    It hurt like hell. How could he possibly forget?


    "And you told us you fell," Jimmie recalled, seizing the opportunity to tease him. "Real impressive."


    Harold was ten, which meant their fourth sister would have been only seven. To be able to send him flying... she must have been incredibly strong indeed.


    Juniper thought that she and this fourth sister sounded a lot alike. She found herself looking forward to meeting these sisters of hers.


    "We fly out tomorrow," Harold said, shifting back to the matter at hand. "Get some rest. Don''t overwork yourself."

 Chapter 472

    "Okay."


    As Juniper nodded and turned to leave, Harold called out again, "Is your maning too?"


    Her man? Juniper paused for a second, then a slight smirk yed on her lips.


    "He is," she replied calmly.


    She admitted it? Jimmie and Harold exchanged a look.


    "Well, that sister is officially spoken for," Harold sighed, standing up. "Time to find the next one."


    "Right," Jimmie said, a smile spreading across his face. "Let''s hope our other sisters haven''t been snatched up by some other scoundrels."


    "Who''s snatching who is still up for debate..." Harold muttered, a wry smile on his face as he organized his materials for the next day. Their sisters were never the type to be trifled with, and Juniper was living proof of that.


    ...


    The next day, at two in the morning, their private jet touched down at an airport in Moralia Country. Felton and Flint led the way with their men, nking Harold in the middle, while Shanley supported a very sleepy Juniper at the rear.


    "Is the hotel secured?" Shanley asked in a low voice once they were in the car, his gaze fixed on the girl nestled against him.


    "Yes, boss. Our team arrived ahead of schedule and confirmed everything is secure," Flint replied respectfully.


    Moralia Country was notoriously chaotic. Given the boss''s sensitive identity as the leader of the Sigma Network, if any of his enemies¡ªespecially anyone from Subterra Vanguard¡ªfound out he was here, it could spell trouble. They could handle themselves, but now Ms. Payne was with them. She was the boss''s most prized possession, and there could be no idents.


    Because of that, he and Felton had dispatched a team two weeks prior to ensure their security was airtight.


    "Good," Shanley murmured, his attention returning to Juniper. "Go to sleep. I''ll wake you when we get to the hotel."


    From the front passenger seat, Harold nced back at the two of them but said nothing. He had epted the reality of his baby sister being stolen away.


    ...


    Half an hourter, the car arrived at the hotel. A drowsy Juniper followed Shanley out of the car. As they crossed the lobby, her eyes inadvertently caught sight of a familiar man¡ªor rather, a familiar object in the man''s hands.


    Moralia Country was a nation where firearm possession was legal, and this hotel catered to a high-profile clientele. In addition to the hotel''s security, guests often brought their own. But the man before her was clearly not hotel staff. His gun was marked with a distinctive S logot, a logo she had seen firsthand years ago during a firefight with the Sigma Network. Judging by the weapon, he was a high-ranking member.


    What would a high-ranking member be doing in Moralia Country? Could it be that


    the old bastard himself was staying at this very hotel?


    At that thought, Juniper''s gaze turned cial, and she instinctively tightened her grip on Shanley''s hand.


    "What is it?" Shanley sensed the sudden change in her and leaned down.


    "Nothing," Juniper replied coolly, but her eyes had already sharpened into lethal points. That old bastard had been hunting for her for a long time. If he found out she was here there was no telling what kind of madness he would unleash. She didn''t mind if he came after her, but Harold and Shanley were another story.


    Back in their room, Juniper immediately dialed Lue''s number. "Get a team to the hotel. Now."


    "What?" Lue''s wine ss ttered onto a table, her expression instantly turning grave. "Are you saying that your arch nemesis, that old bastard leader of the Sigma Network ? Moralia Country and staying at the same hotel as you?"


    "Yes," Juniper''s face was a mask of ice, her voice frigid. "Let''s find a chance to finish


    him."

 Chapter 473

    "This is the perfect opportunity!" Lue''s voice crackled with excitement through the phone. "You two focus on preparing for thepetition. Leave the arrangements to me!"


    "Deal."


    Juniper hung up just as she heard the door open, her expression calm as she


    looked up.


    "The hotel perimeter is secure,¡± Shanley announced as he and Harold walked in side by side. "You can rest easy."


    "Didn''t see anyone suspicious?" Juniper asked, leaning backzily in her chair. Her clear eyes were fixed on Shanley.


    "Hmm?" Shanley walked over, twisted the cap off a water bottle, and handed it to her.


    "Suspicious like who?" he replied coolly.


    "...Never mind." Juniper took the bottle, her brow furrowed slightly, but she didn''t say anything more.


    That old fox, the leader of Sigma Network, was as elusive as a ghost. It wouldn''t be that easy to find him.


    "It''ste. Let''s get ready for bed," Shanley said gently before turning to Harold with a raised eyebrow. "Dr. Houston, did you need something else?"


    Harold stuffed his hands in his pockets, a look of confusion on his face as his deep- set eyes narrowed slightly. "Juniper''s not leaving?"


    Juniper just looked up at him without a word.


    "Right," Harold sighed, pressing his lips together in resignation as he headed toward the adjacent suite.


    ...


    After her shower, Juniper changed into her pajamas andy in bed waiting for


    Shanley, texting Lue about the men she was sending.


    "It''s all handled," Lue said, her


    voice buzzing with energy. "I''ve sent Subterra Vanguard''s top assassins. Once we pinpoint the Sigma Network leaders location, they'' make sure he pays dearly."


    And with Juniper delivering the final blow, the old man wouldn''t stand a chance.


    "Good," Juniper murmured, her voiceced with ice. "Confirm his location. As soon as Harold''spetition is over, I''ll make time to deal with him."


    It was too good an opportunity to waste.


    "Roger that,¡± Lue chirped. ¡°So, after the old man kicks the bucket, can I be the new boss in Borealia?"


    ¡°Sure,¡± Juniper replied, a faint smile touching her lips. "Want to take over Australis while you''re at it?"


    There was a two-second pause before Lue''s voice came back, noticeably subdued. "Just forget I said anything."


    She had only been joking, but


    Juniper was actually trying to dump


    Australis on her. The old guards in


    and


    Australis were stubbe cone


    cantankerous, and only someone as fearless as Juniper could keep them in tine.


    ¡°Juniper.....¡± Just then, Shanley walked out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. "Where''s the hairdryer?"


    "A hairdryer?¡± Lue''s voice immediately shot up. ¡°Juniper, are you two not just living together, but sleeping in the same bed?"


    "I..." Juniper started to exin, then realized Lue was technically right. They were living together. And they were sharing a bed.


    "Holy crap!" Lue swore. "How old are you? Shanley is a damn predator!¡±


    "He''s not!" Juniper shot back, her eyes involuntarily flicking toward the man in question.


    Shanley was wearing a bathrobe, the belt tied loosely, revealing a glimpse of his strong, pale chest. Droplets of water trickled from his hair, down his sharp jawline, and onto his corbone. The overhead light cast a warm, golden halo around him, making him look devastatingly handsome and alluring.


    "Not what?¡± Lue pressed, her tone skeptical. "He hasn''t taken advantage of you?


    Or... is it true what they say? He can''t, you know... perform?"

 Chapter 474

    Lue practically shouted thest part, loud enough for Shanley to hear even without speakerphone.


    ¡°Seriously, Juniper, what''s the point of a handsome face on a guy who can''t get it up?"


    Juniper watched as Shanley''s movements slowed, his intense gaze settling on her.


    ¡°You should just kick him to the curb,¡± Lue continued,pletely unfiltered. "I don''t know why, but I''ve always had a bad feeling about him."


    Bad feeling? Shanley kept staring at Juniper, a shadow falling over his handsome features. ¡°Is Mr. Langley referring to me?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.


    ¡°Uh.¡± Lue''s rant came to an abrupt halt. ¡°What was I just saying?" she asked, trying to sound casual. "Sorry, I''ve had a bit to drink. My memory''s a little foggy."


    "Anyway, Juniper, something''se up. I''ve gotta go," Lue said, and the line went dead.


    A heavy silence filled the room as the two stared at each other.


    After a few moments, Shanley tossed the towel onto a chair and strode to the bed. He braced his arms on either side of her, a faint smile ying on his lips. ¡°Juniper... did you tell Lue I can''t perform?"


    "I did not," she said, forced to tilt her chin up to meet his gaze. His warm breath on her skin made her cheeks flush. "Lue found out about your alleged impotence and preference for men all on her own."


    "What?" Shanley almostughed in disbelief. Impotent was one thing, but liking men? Was Mr. Langley intentionally spreading rumors?


    "Is that so?" he murmured, a low, maic chuckle rumbling in his chest. "Well, it seems Mr. Langley''s investigation was wed."


    They were so close, both in their pajamas, that the slightest movement from Juniper brought her into contact with his body. And then... she felt something. She might not have hands-on experience, but she wasn''t clueless. It only took her a couple of seconds to understand, and a deep blush crept up her face.


    "My body is perfectly fine," Shanley leaned in closer, his handsome face just inches from hers, his voice a seductive whisper, "And as for whether I prefer men or women... think you''re in the best position to know, aren''t you?"


    Her heart hammered against her ribs as she looked at him, so close she could feel the heat radiating from his skin. After a few seconds, she ced her fingers on his chest, gently pushed him back to create some space and then quickly dove under the covers, her voice muffled. "I''m going to sleep."


    She immediately rolled over, turning her back to him. If she looked at him for another second, she couldn''t be sure what she might do.


    Seeing the little lump under the nkets and feeling his own body''s reaction, Shanley backed away. "You sleep. I''m going to take another shower."


    With that, he walked briskly back into the bathroom, and the sound of running water started up again.


    Juniper frowned. Didn''t he just take a shower? Why was he taking another one? But before she could puzzle it out, she drifted off to sleep.


    ...


    When she woke up, bright sunlight


    was streaming through the


    windows. She shifted, realizing she was curled up against Shanley''s


    chest one Jeg thrown ?ver h his waist. He was still asleep, his features sharp and handsome, his corbone and chest exposed. He was quite the sight to wake up to.


    Juniper picked up her phone and replied to Lue''s message.


    Juniper: [He''s normal.]


    Lue: [?]


    Juniper: [Confirmed.]


    Lue: [Amazing!]

 Chapter 475

    After sending the text, Juniper put her phone down, slipped out of bed, and walked out onto the balcony of the magnificent, mysterious Gothic-style hotel.


    Given the Sigma Network leader''s cautious nature, he would undoubtedly choose the most secure location avable. And in this hotel, that meant one of the presidential suites on the top floor.


    There were dozens of them, and he certainly wouldn''t be registered under his real name. It would take some time to track him down.


    "What are you thinking about?" A robe was suddenly draped over her shoulders. Shanley hade up behind her, his gaze soft as he watched her.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Juniper replied coolly. Just a few homicidal thoughts, that''s all.


    "Let''s go down for breakfast. We need to head to the conference hall soon," Shanley said, gently taking her hand. "I had them prepare your favorite dishes."


    "Okay." Juniper''s fingers curled, returning his grasp.


    Shanley''s eyes lit up, a proud smile spreading across his face. He could feel her slowly letting him in, step by step.


    "What are you looking at? I''m going to get ready," she said, noticing his expression. She pulled her hand away, a little flustered, and walked back into the room.


    Shanley chuckled softly, the adoration in his eyes lingering like a thick fog.


    Just as the bathroom door clicked shut, his phone rang. "Hello."


    "Boss," Flint''s voice was tense and urgent. "We think ''Specter,'' the head of Subterra Vanguard, is here in Moralia Country."


    "What?" Shanley''s expression turned to ice, his fingers tightening around the phone.


    "Our intelligence unit just intercepted a satellite signal from Binary Oracle," Flint reported respectfully. "Not only is Specter in the country, but their.st known location was this very hotel."


    This hotel? A chill radiated from Shanley, and his voice dropped, low and cold. "Find out which room. Specter is in. What the hell is that old guy doing in Moralia Country?"


    "It doesn''t seem like Specter is here for us," Flint continued. "Knowing Specter''s personality, he would never stay under the same roof as anyone from Sigma Network the knew you were here, he would''vee at you with guns zing by now."


    Flint paused, then suggested, "Boss, it looks like Specter doesn''t know you''re here. This is the perfect chance to eliminate him."


    Once he was gone, Australis would naturally fall into Sigma Network''s hands, and the boss would have one less threat to worry about.


    "Investigate," Shanley agreed. He had been putting up with Specter for years. "Pinpoint his location. After I handle Dr. Houston''s situation, we''ll deal with him."


    First and foremost, he needed to make sure Juniper was safe. He couldn''t let Specter find out about her, let alone harm her.


    "Yes, boss," Flint responded dutifully. "Don''t worry, we have our people in the hotel. We''ll guarantee Ms. Payne''s safety."


    "Flint," Shanley''s eyes narrowed, his voice a low drawl, "Well done. You''re getting a raise when we get back."


    A raise? Was it because he mentioned protecting Ms. Payne? She really was his lucky charm!


    "Thank you, Ms. Payne! Thank you, boss!" Flint was ecstatic, his voice now brimming with even more enthusiasm.


    ...


    After breakfast, Shanley''s group took a private car to Mosby Axis, where the Global Medical Alliance Association was holding its member selection conference.

 Chapter 476

    The conference center was teeming with medical elites from all over the world. The alliance was only epting three new members this year, but dozens had applied.


    "I''ll get out here," Harold said, clutching his briefcase and looking at Shanley seriously. "Moralia Country can be a bit chaotic, Mr. Schwartz. Please take good care of my sister."


    "Don''t worry." Shanley squeezed Juniper''s hand and gave a slight nod. "We''ll be waiting for your good news."


    "Juniper, I''m heading in."


    "Okay," she nodded, her voice soft. "Just do what you do best. You''ve got this."


    While at breakfast, she had quickly looked up the other candidates. Though many were professors and researchers from prestigiousbs in developed nations, her brother was in no way inferior.


    After Harold left, the car proceeded to the underground parking lot. Later, Shanley and Juniper put on masks and found seats in a corner at the back of the auditorium, a perfect vantage point to see the stage without being easily noticed.


    Once they were seated, Shanley took off his suit jacket and gentlyid it over herp. "You''re still recovering. Don''t catch a chill."


    ¡°Okay.¡± Juniper nced at him, letting him fuss over her as she pulled out her phone to y a game.


    Just then, an email popped up in her inbox. The sender was Dr. Lauren, the president of the Global Medical Alliance Association.


    The message read: [Master Nocturne, the Global Medical Alliance Association member selection conference is underway. We sincerely invite you to attend.]


    Juniper''s brow furrowed, but she didn''t reply.


    She had only interacted with Dr. Lauren online after she had effortlessly solved aplex medical case in Moralia Country, a case thatter won the country numerous awards. She had only intervened because a patient''s life was on the line-a patient from her own home, Orient Country.


    Afterward, Dr. Lauren, under the mistaken impression that she was from Moralia Country, hadunched an aggressive campaign to recruit her into Moralia''s medical research association. During their


    conversations, he had consistently belittled doctors from Orent Country, insisting their medical skills were inherently inferior.


    Consequently, Juniper had never liked him.


    Today, she was going to show these arrogant members exactly what someone from Orient Country was capable of.


    Ten minutester, the selectionpetition officially began. Among the twenty contestants, only three were from Yondend Continent, the same continent that Orient Country is located in.


    Thepetition consisted of four rounds: professional knowledge, presentation of personal research a practical skills demonstration, and finally a Q&A with the alliancemittee. Contestants would be eliminated after each round until only six remained for the final interview, from which the three new members would be chosen.


    As a staff member started the timer, test questions appeared on therge screen,


    and the contestants began. The first fifteen to finish with the highest uracy would advance.


    The hall fell silent.


    Juniper hadplete faith in Harold''s theoretical knowledge and wasn''t worried at all. She casually opened her phone to discuss the assassination of the Sigma Network leader with Lue.


    Meanwhile, Shanley, after peeling a candy and preparing some fruit for her, also took out his phone to coordinate the n to eliminate "Specter," the leader of Subterra Vanguard, with Felton and Flint.


    Mid-discussion, they both feigned innocence and looked up at each other.


    Shanley asked, "ying a game?"


    Juniper countered, "Handling business?"


    They both replied in unison, "Yes."

 Chapter 477

    The first round concluded. Harold finished early with a high uracy rate, easily advancing to the second round: the presentation of personal research.


    His research, which Juniper had assisted him with, was a case study of Saskia''s brain surgery. Harold had prepared aprehensive and well-reasoned presentation. As soon as he submitted his materials, they caught the attention of the judges.


    "Excuse me, who conducted the research for submission number three?" one of the judges asked, his face alight with admiration as he scanned the contestants.


    Harold, sitting in the middle row, raised his hand.


    Upon seeing his face, the smiles on the judges'' faces vanished. A man from Orient Country? This was a surgery that only a handful of doctors in the world could perform, and not a single one from Moralia could manage it alone. Was it possible that Orient Country had a doctor with such advanced skills?


    They began to doubt the report''s authenticity. It was an impressive paper, but now it seemed riddled with holes. Had he fabricated the case just to advance in thepetition?


    ¡°Themittee has doubts about the authenticity of this paper."


    At that, Juniper, who had been engrossed in her game, slowly lifted her head.


    "May I ask what the issue is?" Harold stood up, his demeanor calm and respectful.


    This case was extremely rare and the oue had been a sess. Moreover, with Juniper''s input, every detail had been meticulously handled. He was confident his research was top-tier and wless.


    "We question its validity," one of the judges sneered, tossing the report onto the table with a look of disdain. "A sessful surgery of thisplexity in Orient Country? Contestant, please don''t insult our intelligence."


    Juniper let out a coldugh. This wasn''t about questioning the research; it was tant discrimination against Harold because he was from Orient Country. In their eyes, Orient Country was ater and would always be inferior. They were too proud to ever admit that a doctor from there could surpass them. If someone from their own country had submitted this report, they would be singing its praises.


    Juniper''s hand tightened around her phone, a cold fury rising within her.


    "Have a candy," Shanley whispered, sensing her anger. He gently tried to soothe her.


    Juniper nced at him and opened her mouth to ept it, muttering through clenched teeth, "I''m not angry."


    "Of course," Shanley chuckled, patting her back gently. "You''re not angry at all.¡±


    Juniper crunched down on the candy, the sound sharp and aggressive as she red at the judges'' panel.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Harold said, a calm smile on his handsome face. ¡°To address the


    judges'' concerns, I have prepared supplementary materials."


    He produced a USB drive and


    handed it to a staff member. A moment fater, a video appeared on therge screen, showing Juniper and Dr. Landon performing Saskia''s surgery The entire procedure, from preparation topletion, was disyed in crystal-clear detail.


    A gasp rippled through the audience as they watched the surgeon make a swift,


    precise incision on the patient''s scalp.


    The judges stared, transfixed. The


    video was unedited and yed at normal speed, each step executed with textbook perfection. It was almost like watching a training video.


    This surgery was real? And performed by a doctor from Orient Country? When had


    Orient Country produced such a talent?


    "The surgery was quite long," Harold


    interjected, mindful of the


    The medical records would prove the authenticity of his research.


    The judges exchanged nces. They couldn''t find any grounds to object and reluctantly allowed Harold to advance to the third round.


    Juniper''s dark expression finally softened, and she returned to her game.


    Seeing her mood improve, Shanley breathed a sigh of relief and went back to his phone, getting an update on Specter from Felton and Flint.


    Felton: [Boss, we''ve spotted Subterra Vanguard members near the conference center.]

 Chapter 478

    Shanley looked up, his cold gaze sweeping across the room. Although he had shed with Specter many times, he had never seen their face. He only had a vague impression of an older man.


    (Juniper: If only they knew Lue forced me to cosy as one of the old geezers from the base, hence the ''older man'' disguise.)


    Could Specter be in this crowd?


    ¡°Juniper...¡± Shanley adjusted his mask and gently ced a hand on her waist. ¡°Let''s switch seats."


    ¡°Hmm?¡± she asked, curious, butplied.


    ¡°Go on, keep ying," he said with a satisfied smile, his tension easing slightly. Now, a pir was on her right, shielding her from view, and he was on her left. If anything happened, he could block her from harm.


    At that exact moment, Juniper received a message from Lue: [That old fox from Sigma Network is near the conference center.]


    Juniper''s fingers froze over her game as her cold eyes scanned the crowd. No one here looked particrly threatening. Was he really here?


    A few minutester, thepetition entered the fourth and final round. Six contestants remained for a Q&A session with the judges, with the highest scorer earning a spot. To ensure fairness, the database contained three different sets of questions.


    The contestants woulde up one by one, while the others waited in a soundproof room.


    The first to go was from Moralia Country. He conveniently drew the first set of questions. As the judges asked, he answered, responding so smoothly it was as if he had memorized the answers beforehand. Out of 20 questions, he answered every single one correctly.


    The audience erupted in apuse, and the judges beamed with satisfaction.


    Juniper narrowed her eyes, a sarcastic smile ying on her lips. She had nced at this guy earlier while waiting for her game to load. He had stumbled through his research presentation less coherently than one of the dogs she kept at her base. Now he was answering these difficult questions wlessly? Who would believe that? The second contestant, from Rustica Country, drew the third set of questions and only answered half of them correctly.


    "So that''s how they''re ying it," Juniper murmured, a smirk gracing her lips. It was clearly rigged. The three contestants from Moralia


    Country would conveniently dr


    sets one, two, and three, while the others were left to chance.


    "Mr. Schwartz, where''s yourptop?" she asked.


    Shanley blinked, momentarily stunned.


    "Right here," he said, opening theptop and cing it on herp. "The password is 0320."


    0320? Juniper''s head snapped up, her expressionplex. That was the anniversary of her grandfather''s death. It was also the day she and Shanley had first met.


    Her heart skipped a beat. She


    quickly looked away, fanning her


    vel


    face as if it were suddenly too hote Her fingers flew across the keyboard, and in less than two minutes, she had breached the


    medical alliance''s database. Without pausing, she spent another few minutes rewriting the second and third sets of questions.


    Shanley watched, impressed. While he wasn''t a medical expert, he knew enough to see that the questions Juniper was creating were moderately difficult but tested


    fundamental knowledge thoroughly.


    Most importantly, they were questions she had never shared with Harold. It was fair.


    The moment she finished, the third contestant took the stage. He walked with his chin held high, radiating a confidence that suggested he already knew he would seed.


    "Please select your questions."


    He ced his hand on the mouse, and after a brief animation, the cursornded on the second set. A huge grin spread across his face. It was in the bag.


    "Please see the first question," a judge announced, ying along with the charade. The test paper opened, and the smiles on all the judges'' faces froze instantly.

 Chapter 479

    "What is this..." the judges huddled together, their faces grim as they whispered amongst themselves.


    "Maybe there was a mix-up."


    "Where are the original questions?"


    "This is a global live broadcast. How can we check the originals now?"


    Besides, the new questions seemed perfectly legitimate. Changing them on the fly would undoubtedly arouse suspicion. Their reputation was more important than getting their preferred candidates in.


    After a quick deliberation, the judges decided to proceed. After all, of the six finalists, three were from their own country. Surely the other three couldn''t outperform their handpicked choices.


    ¡°Contestant, please begin,¡± one of the judges announced.


    The contestant stared at the screen, utterly baffled. These weren''t the questions he had memorized. He had never seen them before! The sudden change rattled him. He stammered through his response to the first question and got it wrong.


    Juniper couldn''t suppress a delightedugh.


    Shanley turned to look at her, a smile touching his own lips. She was such a little devil.


    Fifteen minutester, the contestant had answered only nine questions correctly, performing worse than the man from Rustica Country. With that score, there was no way he would make the top three.


    Realizing something was wrong with the question bank, the staff tried to restore the original files, but the system seemed to be locked down, making it impossible to tamper with.


    Next up was the third contestant, a thirty-year-old from Tenovia Country, a nation neighboring Orient Country in Yondend. He seemed earnest and capable. He drew the third set of questions, and while his answers weren''t perfectly smooth, he did remarkably well, answering eighteen out of twenty correctly. For now, he was in second ce.


    Only two contestants remained: one from Moralia Country, and Harold.


    Harold was the fifth to go. He drew the first set-the one intentionally made the most difficult to filter out the Yondend candidates. The judges felt a sliver of relief. With such tough questions, he was bound to fail. Even if they couldn''t get all three of their candidates in, two would still be a victory.


    But as Harold began to answer, their hopes dwindled. He responded to each question with precision and thoroughness. After the first five correct answers, the judges began to look uneasy. By the tenth, they were panicking. When he finished the final two questions, his answers matching the official key word-for-word, they slumped in their chairs, utterly defeated.


    How could Orient Country produce such a talent? Unless... had Harold somehow altered the questions himself and seen the answers?


    "One moment," themittee chairman said, standing up after Harold had answered all twenty questions. He pped politely before revealing his true intentions. "Dr. Houston, your theoretical knowledge is truly impressive," he said with


    a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "We have a few more questions for you, if you don''t mind."


    The entire audience turned to look at Harold. Most of the spectators were from Moralia Country, and though the few Yondend attendees murmured in protest at the unfair treatment, their voices were quickly drowned out.


    "Please, go ahead,¡± Harold replied, his confidence unshaken.


    The judge posed a question. Harold answered. The judge posed another. Harold answered again. Every response was perfect.


    After ten additional questions, the judge ran out of material and was left standing there awkwardly.


    "Anything else?" Harold asked calmly.


    The judges exchanged nces, none of them speaking.


    "Thank you," Harold said with a slight nod, and walked off the stage.


    The audience''s perception of him hadpletely changed. Some were already on their phones, looking him up.


    "Your brother is quite something," Shanley murmured, leaning close to Juniper. "Well, he is ''my'' brother," she said, lifting her chin proudly.


    "Indeed," Shanley''s smile widened as he stroked her hair. "And Juniper is brilliant too."


    "Are you trying to humor a child?" she scoffed, knowing he was just cating her. She gave his side a yful pinch. It was surprisingly firm; her own fingers hurt more than he probably felt.


    She turned her attention back to the stage.


    The final contestant took his turn. As


    expected, he drew the third set


    Juniper had created for him. Though


    slightly


    sier than the first, he still


    had his work cut out for him,


    answering seventeen questions


    correctly. He ced fourth.


    The final ranking was clear: Harold and the first contestant were tied for first with perfect scores, and the contestant from Tenovia was second. Two of the top three were from Yondend Continent.


    The judges'' faces were thunderous, but with the event being broadcast live and the results undeniable, they had no choice but to announce Harold as a new member of the Global Medical Alliance Association. It was the first time anyone from Orient Country had earned a spot.


    "Let''s go," Juniper said, a satisfied smile on her face as she stood up. "Back to the hotel."


    With the leader of Sigma Network nearby, she couldn''t risk running into him here. Thepetition was over. Now, she could finally focus on taking out the old fox.

 Chapter 480

    Back at the hotel, Juniper flopped onto the bed and yawned. "I think I''ll take a nap."


    "Tired?" Shanley sat on the edge of the bed, his thumb gently stroking her cheek. He smiled warmly. "You rest, then. I have some business to take care of."


    The Schwartz Group had operations in Moralia Country, after all.


    "Okay," Juniper said lightly, not bothering to ask for details. "Bring me back some dessert."


    "Of course," Shanley chuckled. His little foodie was easy to please. "Go to sleep. I''ll stay with you for a bit."


    Juniper obediently closed her eyes. Ten minutester, once he was sure she was asleep, Shanley quietly got up and left the room.


    The moment the door clicked shut, the warmth vanished from his face, reced by a chilling intensity.


    "Felton, have you found him?"


    "Yes, boss," Felton replied respectfully. "It seems Specter''s visit to Moralia was unnned, so his security wasn''t as tight as usual."


    "Get everything ready," Shanley ordered, his pace quickening.


    "Everything is in ce, boss. Men and equipment are ready," Felton confirmed. "We''re just waiting for Cybeic Shadows to give us a final position, then we can move on Specter."


    They would catch himpletely off guard.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the hotel room, Juniper, who had been feigning sleep, threw back the covers the moment she saw Shanley''s car pull away from the hotel. She grabbed her backpack from the sofa, pulled on a baseball cap and a mask, and headed out the door while on the phone.


    "Alright, I''m on my way."


    Her Subterra Vanguard team was already waiting in the parking garage.


    "Specter!" they greeted her, bowing their heads respectfully as she appeared.


    "Give it to me,¡± Juniper said, sliding into the back seat and taking off her cap, her expression cold.


    "Yes, ma''am.¡± Baldy, her second-inmand, immediately handed her a duffel bag. "Everything is prepared as you requested."


    Juniper opened the bag. Inside was a set of ck tactical gear and a CheyTac M200 sniper rifle, one of the most urate long-range rifles in the world it was a clear sign she tended to end the Sigma Network leader for good.  s?novels


    She inspected the weapon, confirming it was in perfect condition, then quickly changed into the gear, tying her long hair into a bun and putting her cap and mask back on. With her casual, confident posture, no one would guess she


    was


    woman.


    ¡°Boss,¡± another subordinate said, his voice tense. "We''ve tracked the Sigma Network leader''s location."


    Apparently, their target had also been searching for someone, which is why he had activated the Cybeic Shadows system within the country.


    "But the location is a bit remote," he said, turning hisptop screen towards her. "It''s


    an abandoned factory about fifteen kilometers from here."


    "That''s where our men were supposed to rendezvous," Baldy said, looking at


    Juniper in rm. "Boss, do you think he found us?"


    "So what if he did?" Juniper nced at the screen, then leaned back and closed her


    eyes. ¡°He wants a direct confrontation? Let him try."


    Baldy and the other men exchanged nervous nces.


    "Drive to the factory," Juniper said, a slight frown on her face. "The Sigma Network team probably just arrived and is busy trying to track our movements If we gorow, the ming will be perfect."


    Her men''s eyes lit up in understanding. Of course. The hunter bes the hunted.

 Chapter 481

    They could strike now and catch the leader of Sigma Networkpletely by surprise. It was a brilliant n.


    "Boss, get some rest. We''ll wake you when we get there," Baldy said, urging the driver to speed up, clearly eager for the fight. Years of animosity were finallying to a head.


    At the abandoned factory, Shanley confirmed from hisptop that this was thest known location of Subterra Vanguard''s signal. Furthermore, a search of the parked vehicles outside had turned up items linked to the organization.


    "Boss, we have the perimeter secured," Felton reported. "He''s likely inside."


    "Good." Shanley checked the time, closed hisptop, and elegantly rolled up his shirtsleeves. He put on a mask and a cap. "Give me my rifle," he ordered coldly.


    "Yes, sir." Felton handed him an M200 sniper rifle, identical to Juniper''s.


    "Be careful during the operation," Shanleymanded, adjusting the rifle''s scope. "Whoever captures Specter alive gets a private vi in the north district of Era City."


    A property worth at least 80 million!


    "If he dies..." Shanley paused, his voice low. "The reward is twenty million."


    It wasn''t a vi, but it was still a fortune.


    The promise of such a reward sent a jolt of anticipation through the Sigma Network assassins. They all had one goal: to be the one to take down Specter.


    "Move out," Shanley ordered.


    Felton and Flint nked him like loyal guards as they exited the vehicle. The other members melted into the shadows of the factory, beginning their search.


    Meanwhile, Juniper led her team in through an undiscovered underground garage.


    "Boss, there''s movement upstairs," Baldy whispered, positioning himself in front of her.


    "BANG!"


    The word had barely left his mouth when a loud shot echoed from around the


    corner.


    Juniper''s eyes turned to ice. She shoved Baldy to safety just as a bullet whizzed between them, burying itself in the wall behind.


    ¡°Thanks, boss,¡± Baldy gasped, shaken. ¡°Damn, I almost cashed in my chips at twenty-five."


    That single shot ignited a fierce battle. As two of the world''s most formidable.ndestine


    vel


    organizations, both sides wereposed of elite operatives. Gunshots rang out, but no one could see their targets. The factory, long abandoned, was thick with dust, severely impairing visibility.


    "Watch out!" Juniper spotted the barrel of a rifle poking out. She raised her own weapon with her right hand while pulling a subordinate behind her with her left.


    "BANG!"


    "BANG!"


    Two shots rang out simultaneously. Juniper''s bullet shattered her opponent''s rifle barrel.


    Flint, now holding a useless firearm, was stunned. ¡°Boss, it''s.Specter!" he velled, cradling his broken rifle like a ed child. "It''s that old


    bastard!"


    The precision was unmistakable; it was the same expert marksmanship he''d faced before.


    "I''ll handle this. You two deal with the others," Shanleymanded.


    To be able to spot Flint from that distance and disable his weapon so effectively...


    his old rival had clearly improved. He had underestimated him.


    "Boss, you alone..." Felton hesitated, unwilling to leave.


    Shanley shot them a look that silenced any further protest. They would be no match for Specter in a direct confrontation.


    "Be careful, boss," they said, before moving to engage the other hostiles.


    Shanley slipped to a new position


    under the cover of chaos, cing himself at a diagonal angle from where he presunted Specter was hiding it was a fatal game of peek-a-boo. The first to make a mistake would die.

 Chapter 482

    "BANG!"


    Spotting the corner of a ck jacket, Shanley took aim and fired. The bullet tore a neat hole through the three-centimeter-wide strap.


    Juniper took two steps back, a chilling aura emanating from her. That old bastard!


    ¡°Get him, boss!¡± Baldy yelled, peeking from behind cover.


    Juniper reloaded her weapon and aimed at the wall across from her opponent''s position.


    "BANG!"


    The crumbling wall was no match for the high-caliber round. It exploded, sending a shower of stone fragments flying toward Shanley. If he hadn''t ducked in time, the sharp debris might have found a home between his legs.


    Juniper clicked her tongue in disappointment when she saw he had dodged it.


    "BANG! BANG!"


    The sounds of fighting from upstairs grew more intense.


    "Don''t worry about me. Go check on the situation upstairs," Juniper ordered coldly. "We can''t lose a single man."


    "Yes, ma''am.¡± Baldy nodded and scrambled up the stairs.


    Juniper nced at the time. She had been gone for twenty minutes. Shanley might return to the hotel soon and worry if he couldn''t find her. She wanted to end this quickly, but the old fox was stubbornly staying hidden.


    An idea sparked in her mind. She would change tactics and nk him from behind.


    She was unaware that Shanley, equally anxious to get back to his sleeping girl, had just decided on the exact same strategy.


    Inevitably, as Juniper vaulted


    through a window to reposition, she


    saw a dark figure emerge in the


    distance. The leader of Sigma Network! She recognized him. instantly. After so many battles, she would know him even if he were reduced to ash.


    Shanley saw her at the same moment. Almost simultaneously, they raised their weapons and aimed.


    "BANG!"


    "BANG!"


    One bullet grazed an ear; the other tore through the brim of a cap. They both dove for cover, firing at each other''s vital points even as they moved. Neither of them intended for the other to walk away alive.


    After a furious two-minute exchange, Juniper retreated to a safe position, cursing as she reloaded. The old bastard was even tougher than he was years ago. Had he found the fountain of youth?


    Shanley, meanwhile, felt a sting on


    his cheek. A shallow graze. Fury erupted His face was his most valuable asset in Juniper''s eyes. What if she found him less


    within him.niper''s


    attractive with a scar? Damn you, Specter!


    "Boss!" Baldy ran back, panting. "These Sigma Network guys are relentless. This is like a deadly game of hide-and-seek. It looks like they might be thinking of pulling back too. Should we keep pushing?"


    They might win in the end, but a prolonged battle would cost time, and possibly lives.


    Juniper''s face was grim. She


    remained silent. She had expected a swift, clean ambush. Trading her men''s lives for the leader''s was not


    an option. Besides, Shanley would be looking for her. She couldn''t exin being gone for so long.


    "Let''s withdraw," she said finally, her voice low. "The World Hacker Competition ising up. The Sigma Network leader will be there, right?¡±


    "That''s right."


    ¡°We''ll get him next time,¡± Juniper said, already moving toward the exit. There would be other chances.


    ¡°Yes, ma''am. I''ll inform the others," Baldy said with a firm nod.


    Juniper watched him leave safely before leaping down from the window. She found her vehicle, started the engine, and as she pulled out of the garage, Baldy and the rest of her team quickly piled in.

 Chapter 483

    By the time Shanley and his men gave chase, their car was already far down the road.


    "Boss, why did Specter suddenly retreat?" Flint asked, confused. "That''s not like him at all."


    "And another thing," Flint added, scratching his head and muttering, "Specter seemed different than before, almost... younger."


    "It doesn''t matter,¡± Shanley said, his deep-set eyes narrowing slowly. "He''ll be at the Hacker Competition. We''ll have our chance."


    Truth be told, neither side was fully prepared for this confrontation. If more people had been involved, there would have been casualties. Besides, Specter seemed to be in a hurry to deal with something else, trying to eliminate him quickly.


    "Let''s head back."


    "Yes, sir."


    Flint got into the driver''s seat, his mind still on Specter. It was strange. He''d gotten a good look at Specter''s back, and it felt incredibly familiar. A bit like... Ms. Payne!


    But then he dismissed the thought. Ms. Payne was just a kid; how could she possibly be that old veteran, Specter? Besides, she was resting back at the hotel. The gunshot must have been making him see things.


    ...


    On the way back, Shanley took off his mask and carefully examined the cut on his face in a small mirror. It was right on his lip. The wound wasn''trge, but it was noticeable.


    Damn it! He tried to conceal it but found it difficult. He hoped Juniper wouldn''t mind.


    ...


    At the hotel, Juniper rushed into her room, calmly washed her face, and dove under the covers, pretending nothing had happened.


    Ten minutester, Shanley gently pushed the bedroom door open.


    "All taken care of?" Juniper asked, leaning against the headboard. She let out a sigh of relief, d she''d made it back in time.


    "Yes." Shanley ced a box of pastries on the nightstand, his gentle gazending on her face. ¡°Why are your cheeks so flushed?"


    She''d just been in a gunfight, of course they were flushed.


    ¡°Oh," Juniper blinked, spinning a lie with a straight face. ¡°It''s a little hot with the heat on."


    ¡°Be careful not to catch a cold,¡± Shanley said, not suspecting a thing. ¡°Want some cake?"


    "Wait a second,¡± Juniper said suddenly, leaning closer to him. Her clear, beautiful eyes stared intently at his face. "You''re hurt."


    Shanley froze, the cake in his hand forgotten, a hint of panic shing across his face She''d noticed tha


    que knew it. The girl was


    always staring at his face.


    ¡°Here..." Juniper raised her hand, her soft, cool fingertip gently touching his lip. Her delicate features scrunched up in concern.


    The touch sent a shiver through Shanley, and his eyes darkened. The gesture was far too intimate.


    ¡°Juniper,¡± he said, his voice husky as he gently took her hand. His deep eyes narrowed. ¡°Don''t touch me like that. It''s dangerous.¡±


    "Oh?¡± Seeing the way he was staring at her, Juniper''s interest was piqued. She leaned in even closer. "How dangerous?"


    They were so close that the slightest movement would bring them into contact.


    Shanley''s throat tightened. He knew


    he had little resistance when it came to her. He was already trying his best to hold back, but if she was going to deliberately provoke him...


    He was a normal man, after all.


    "Do you want to find out?"


    Shanley''s lips curved into a slight smile as he leaned forward, his gaze burning as it fixed on her pink lips. Yes. He wanted to kiss her. He was willing to risk getting his legs broken by her brothers for it.

 Chapter 484

    Looking at the handsome face just inches away, feeling his slightly ragged breath, Juniper raised an eyebrow. "I''m quite curious."


    Quite curious? At her words, Shanley tensed even more, the smile on his lips widening. He was certain now; the girl was tantly challenging him. He watched her stare at him with that adorable, direct gaze, and the heat in his body surged.


    But reason quickly won over impulse. Shanley gave a helpless smile and leaned back, creating some distance between them. "Eat your cake, you little foodie."


    "Alright." Juniper arched an eyebrow, a smile ying on her pink lips, her eyes twinkling with amusement. Not bad. He had some self-control.


    "Wait." After a few bites of cake, Juniper opened her luggage and took out a bottle of antiseptic spray. "How did you get this?"


    It didn''t look like a knife cut, more like a scrape.


    "I wasn''t paying attention when I got out of the car. A loose stone kicked up by the tire hit me."


    "Oh." The exnation seemed usible. Juniper gently cleaned the wound for him. "Try not to touch it."


    ¡°I''ll be careful.¡± Shanley fed her another bite of cake, his handsome face refined and elegant, his voice low. "I promise I won''t let this face get any permanent scars."


    Juniper shot him a look and clicked her tongue, saying no more. He knew what was important to her.


    Harold finished his handover of thepetition matters and returned to the hotel.


    "I heard there was some trouble at the abandoned factory nearby," Harold said as he organized his things. "Did you guys hear about it?"


    ¡°Nope!¡± Juniper and Shanley answered in perfect, unhesitating unison.


    Hearing their synchronized denial, Harold couldn''t help but look up. "I haven''t even said what happened yet."


    ¡°I was sleeping. I wouldn''t know if anything happened,¡± Juniper said, sitting cross- legged on the sofa ying a game on her phone, lying without a blush.


    "I was out on business and just got back," Shanley added, sitting next to her and thoughtfully peeling a tangerine for her. He feignedposure. "What happened?"


    "A shootout," Harold said. Seeing how calm they both were, he didn''t suspect anything. "It was pretty intense wonder if anyone was hurt. The police are investigating and said it might be two major


    factions Sigma Network frem Borealia and Subterra Vanguard


    from Australis."


    Juniper and Shanley listened quietly, neither saying a word.


    "I''ve heard about the feud between Sigma Network and Subterra Vanguard Harold continued, finishing his packing and sitting across from them. "Shanley, Sigma Network is based in Borealia. Have you had any contact with them?"


    At the question, Shanley''s hands stilled. Juniper hated Cybeic Shadows, and Cybeic Shadows was a subsidiary of Sigma Network. This was a trick question!


    Juniper looked up too, her gaze turning frosty as she stared at Shanley. The Schwartz family was powerful in Borealia, but for Sigma Network to establish a foothold there, they had to have some skill.


    "I haven''t had any contact with anyone from Sigma Network," Shanley said calmly, his throat tight. ¡°Our paths haven''t crossed."


    It was the truth. Felton and Flint


    managed everything rted to Sigma Network. He really hadn''t


    been directly involved. He hadn''t


    hide


    won the girl over yet; revealing his identity now was out of the question. He decided he could t for a while longer and just beg for forgivenesster.


    "You are not to associate with Sigma Network." Juniper pushed away the slice of cake Shanley offered her, her eyes cold as she stared at him. "Shanley, promise me."

 Chapter 485

    Sigma Network was her enemy. If he wanted to be with her, he had to draw a clear line.


    ¡°Juniper.....¡± Shanley''s heart pounded. He didn''t understand why she despised Sigma Network so much.


    "What did they do to you?" he asked softly.


    "It''s a long story," Juniper huffed, leaning back with a frosty expression.


    "Alright," Shanley quickly soothed her. "From now on, you call the shots when ites to Sigma Network."


    Juniper''s lips pressed together, her expression softening instantly.


    Just then, a phone started ringing, breaking the tension.


    It was Harold''s, lying on the sofa. Juniper nced down and saw the caller ID: Lorelei. It was clearly a woman''s name.


    "Is that my sister-inw?" Juniper asked pointedly, picking up the phone.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Harold took the phone, his expression immediately turning grim.


    "Aren''t you going to introduce us?" Juniper pressed.


    "Maybe some other time," Harold said with a bitter smile, his face falling. "Pack your bags. I''ll wait for you outside."


    With that, he walked out of the room with the phone, his face a mask of misery.


    Watching his lonely retreat, Juniper''s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. It seemed Harold and his wife weren''t on good terms.


    ...


    Outside, Harold answered the call, his voice steady despite hisplicated emotions. "Hello."


    "I saw the video of yourpetition," Lorelei said softly. "Congrattions on bing a member of the Global Medical Alliance Association."


    "Thank you."


    A silence fell, and Harold gripped the phone tighter, taking a deep breath. ¡°Is there anything else?"


    "Dad and Mom would like you toe home when you have time,¡± Lorelei said, her voice quiet.


    "I see," Harold replied, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. Of course. She rarely called him unless it was about something else.


    ¡°Dr. Houston,¡± Lorelei said suddenly before hanging up, her tone probing, ¡°your assistant mentioned you''ve been undergoing treatment. Your memory..."


    "Some of it has returned," he answered honestly.


    Returned? So he knew about the identity swap?


    "I was always curious why my father insisted I marry you," Harold said, the words slipping out before he could stop them. "Was it because his reason was the one you could never forget?" The list of clich¨¦s was endless. He had to fulfill his real son''s dream, and he had to marry his real son''s girl. From the very beginning, he had been nothing but a recement.


    ¡°Dr. Houston...¡± Lorelei''s face drained of color as she tried to exin.


    "Let''s leave it at that for now," Harold cut in his voice heavy. "I''ll head back to Australis after I''m done here in Era City Whatever you want to do. I''ll cooperate."  fo


    Even if it was a divorce, he would cooperate.


    Hearing his words, Lorelei''s eyes fell, disappointment clouding her


    features. Did he want a divorce? Though they had always been distant he had never mentioned divorce before. Was it because


    that other girl?


    "Okay,¡± Lorelei whispered, her fingers tightening as her eyes filled with tears.


    Harold fell silent. He hadn''t expected her to agree so readily. Perhaps she had been waiting for this day for a long time.

 Chapter 486

    After more than ten hours on the flight, Juniper''s back ached, and she felt almost numb with exhaustion, refusing to move a muscle. In the end, Shanley had to carry her on his back to the car.


    On the way home, Juniper finally checked her constantly buzzing phone. The group chat with Qadir and the others had umted over a thousand messages. Toozy to scroll through everything, she read thest few messages to get the gist. The exam results were being officially released tonight.


    Had it really been a couple of weeks? Time flew. That meant Shanley''s birthday was just a few days away, too.


    Qadir: [Hey, guys, you won''t believe this. My dad has two things waiting for me when the resultse out.]


    J, Queenie, and Dolce all responded with question marks.


    Qadir: [A new set of car keys, and a club thicker than my arm.]


    If he did well, he got the car. If he failed... his dad was definitely capable of breaking


    his legs.


    Qadir: [The suspense is killing me! Why are there still two hours left?]


    Queenie: [Stop shouting! I wasn''t nervous until you started this.]


    Dolce and J remained silent, just refreshing the screen, terrified the results portal would open early like it had before.


    Qadir: [Where''s Juniper? She doesn''t seem worried about her score at all.]


    J: [?]


    Queenie: [?]


    Dolce: [?]


    Was her score something a genius should even be worried about? The ones who should be worried were the top universities, wondering which one she would choose.


    After skimming the chat, Juniper tossed her phone aside and habitually leaned into Shanley''s embrace.


    "Go to sleep," he said softly, draping a nket over her. He watched her sleep soundly, his gaze full of affection. Still... he was genuinely curious how she had scored.


    When they arrived home, Juniper copsed onto the bed and was asleep in moments.


    Shanley nced at the time. Less than half an hour until the results were released. Well, it could wait until morning.


    After a restful night, Juniper woke up at ten in the morning. Shanley was already gone. After washing up, she remembered to check her phone. As soon as she turned it on a flood of messages and missed


    notifications bombarded her. Qadir had gone crazy; most of the messages were from him.


    Juniper frowned and scrolled through the chat history. Oh, their scores were out.


    They were about what she''d expected.


    Juniper sent a single question mark into the group.


    Qadir: [My savior, you''re finally online! We were worried sick when we couldn''t reach you!]


    He was afraid she had done poorly and was taking it hard.


    Qadir: [Good thing J saw Mr. Schwartz carrying you homest night. Ahem, did we interrupt anything?]


    Queenie: [What are you talking about!]


    Qadir: [I meant their rest! What were you thinking?]


    Queenie blushed.


    J: [Juniper, how did you do?]


    Juniper: [Haven''t checked yet. I''ll do it after breakfast.]


    Haven''t checked? The other four gave her a virtual thumbs-up. As calm and collected as ever.


    ¡°Good morning, Ms. Payne,¡± Dana greeted her cheerfully as she came downstairs. "Breakfast is still warm."


    "You go on, Dana, I''ve got this,"


    Shanley said, closing hisptop. He got up and sat across from Juniper. As he sat down, he began to meticulously peel an egg for her.


    "Not going to check your score?" he asked softly.


    ¡°I will,¡± Juniper mumbled, taking arge bite of the egg. "I forgot where I put my


    exam admission ticket. I''ll have to find it."


    She was starving. Food first, everything elseter.


    "Alright." Shanley smiled faintly, not


    rushing her. He poured her a bowl of Soup and ced it by her hande "Have you thought about which university you want to attend?"


    "Any of them," Juniper replied casually as she drank her soup. "Whichever one calls


    first, I''ll go there."

 Chapter 487

    ying it by ear, huh? Shanley chuckled helplessly. He''d never met a student so nonchnt about their future.


    Ten minutester, Juniper finished her breakfast, and Shanley had already found her exam admission ticket.


    "I''m toozy to move. You check for me," the girl said, ncing up briefly before continuing to eat her fruit.


    "Alright.¡± Shanley smiled, opened hisptop, and entered her exam information. She was probably one of thest to check, so the system was running smoothly. He clicked the search button, and the results page loaded instantly.


    Looking at the screen, a smile spread across Shanley''s face.


    "Let me guess..." Juniper said, nibbling on a piece of watermelon with a raised eyebrow. "My score has been redacted."


    Scores that were too high, indicating a top rank, were often withheld to prevent media hype around the top scorers.


    "Mhm." The result was expected, so Shanley wasn''t surprised. He chuckled. "Then let''s wait and see which university calls first."


    Any university would be lucky to have her; their founders were probably turning in their graves with joy.


    Meanwhile, with the results out, the inte was buzzing with spection about this year''s top scorer. As usual, most bets were on Era High School. The name being passed around the most was Ynda Sherwin. Rumor had it she''d checked her answers right after the exam and had an incredibly high uracy rate. The fact that her score was also redacted only fueled the spection.


    Soon, the news spread like wildfire.


    Ynda, who had always loved the spotlight, wasn''t about to miss this opportunity. She deliberately chose a crowded coffee shop to sit and wait for the admissions officers toe to her. Even if she wasn''t the top scorer, she had to be in the top few. So, she seized the chance to show off and hopefully repair the damage Juniper had done to her reputation.


    ...


    Qadir, pleased with his score, insisted on treating everyone to a meal. They hadn''t seen each other in a while, so Juniper agreed.


    When she arrived at the mall, she found herself in a coincidental situation. Reporters were interviewing Ynda, asking about her study methods.


    ¡°I didn''t really prepare that much. I think it mostlyes down to natural talent...¡± Ynda answered shyly.


    ¡°What a drama queen,¡± Qadir rolled his eyes. ¡°I heard she hired a bunch of private tutors right before the exams."


    "Is Era High out of talent? Ynda as the top scorer?" Queenie rested her chin on her hand, unable to believe it. "This has to be fake."


    "It''s not her," J said firmly, biting her straw. Her gaze fell on Juniper, who was on the phone.


    "Juste straight here," Juniper said, giving the address.


    "Who was that?" J asked curiously.


    "Admissions office, probably," Juniper replied nonchntly, munching on a snack. "They said they''re from Era University


    something about a ''Genius Program."


    ?????


    Genius Program? At those words, everyone turned to look at her. Era University was the best university in the country, and its Genius Program was the most elite of all. The admission scores were extraordinarily high, and it was said to be filled with students who had near-perfect scores. Every year when the results came out, the admissions officers from Era University had to fight to recruit students for the program.


    "Inside source¡ªa professor from Era University''s Genius Program is on his way


    to this coffee shop,¡± someone among the reporters announced.


    "You don''t think... he''s here for Ynda?"


    "Of course! Who else would it be?" another reporter said, visibly excited. No one


    noticed Juniper and her friends sitting in the corner.


    Genius Program? Even if she wasn''t the top scorer, Ynda was confident she could get into Era University But the Genius Program was something she had never dared to dream of. Could it be true Was she really the top scorer?

 Chapter 488

    "I thought it was just for regr early admission..."


    The people around Ynda craned their necks, whispering in shock. "I can''t believe a professor from Era University''s Genius Program ising in person."


    This was a top-tier program at a top-tier university, producing some of the world''s leading talents. Due to its special nature and extremely high standards, the Genius Program epted only a limited number of students each year. Last year, they had only epted two, both from Era High School. To think this year''s recruit was from Era High again¡ªit truly was the best high school in Era City.


    "Excuse me, everyone, I have to meet some important people,¡± Ynda said, unable to contain her excitement, a wide smile on her face. "Why don''t you all have a seat and a cup of coffee?"


    "Of course." The reporters were more than happy to witness the top scorer''s admission into the Genius Program firsthand. They found a prime spot to sit down.


    As they settled in, they noticed the group at the next table. Hey, wasn''t that Jimmie Tate''s sister, Juniper Payne?


    They remembered the online rumors about her sleeping during the exam and doodling caricatures of the entire exam hall. What was her score, they wondered?


    While Ynda''s reputation wasn''t great, the title of top scorer would change everything. But if Juniper, the sister of a famous actor, couldn''t even get into amunity college... it would be embarrassing not just for her, but for Jimmie himself.


    Sure enough,izens were already starting to ask about Juniper''s score.


    [What was Juniper''s score?]


    [If she did well, they would have announced it already. No announcement means she bombed, obviously.]


    [Don''t tell me she really didn''t even get into amunity college?]


    [What good student sleeps and draws during an exam? How can someone as smart


    as Jimmie Tate have such an unreliable sister? Are they even rted?]


    [Don''t worry, rumor has it Jimmie already used his connections to get her into a school.]


    [What? He pulled strings? Is there any fairness left?]


    [With Jimmie''s status, pulling strings would be easy!]


    [Jimmie, what are you doing! Your lifelong reputation, ruined by this sister!]


    [Boycott Jimmie Tate, boycott privilege. If I stand by and watch today, tomorrow when disaster strikes me, no one will stand up for me.]


    [So, what was her score?]


    "Juniper, hello, I''m a reporter from Timespan Weekly..." A male reporter with a buzz cut cleared his throat and lowered his voice. Would you mind if I asked you a question?"


    ¡°I would mind,¡± Juniper said coolly, nibbling on a small cake, her eyeszily flicking


    up to reject him without a second thought.


    ¡°But I haven''t even asked the question yet." The reporter forced a smile, the words catching in his throat.


    "I wouldn''t befortable


    answering any question" Juniper


    ked up leaning back slightly her


    gaze turning cold and her voice


    ¡°You¡ª¡± The reporter''s ego was trampled on by Juniper''s blunt refusal. His face turned ashen.


    Reporters from other publications snickered. ¡°She''s the actor''s sister. Who cares if she got a zero? Someone will always bail her out!"


    "Be careful trying to use Juniper for


    clout. Jimmie mighte after you," another reporter chimed in "Thest who spread rumors about he is still tied up in awsuit with him!"


    "Rumors?" The reporter from Timespan Weekly clenched his fists. "If it''s the truth,


    on what grounds can he sue?"

 Chapter 489

    Failing was failing. If he reported the facts, he didn''t believe Jimmie could do a thing to him.


    With that, the reporter turned on his live stream camera, aimed it at Ynda, and with a feigned tremble of his hand, made sure to pan over and capture Juniper in the frame.


    The title read: #Uncovering Era University''s "Genius Program¡± On-Site Recruitment#


    As soon as the stream went live, viewers flooded in. It had two major draws: the Genius Program and the famous actor''s sister.


    [The Genius Program is back? Who are they here for? Ynda or Juniper?] [Have you not seen the news about Juniper''s wild antics during the exam?]


    [Ynda''s reputation might be questionable, but she was always in the top ten at Era High. Juniper... I don''t think she even finished high school properly, right?] [Breaking! A friend of a friend who works at Jimmie''s studio said Juniper only scored 280.]


    [Jimmie got a 680 on his entrance exam, and his sister got a 280? One''s a real ace, the other''s a real joke?]


    [What an embarrassment! Ever since her famous brother acknowledged her, her reputation has plummeted! Was the DNA test really urate?]


    [Ynda is the top scorer? And she was invited by the Genius Program?]


    [Compared to Ynda, what does Juniper have besides a pretty face and a bunch of trashy headlines?]


    [Get lost, Juniper, stop ruining your brother''s career and polluting the inte!]


    Watching the rumors spiral and the insults against Juniper multiply, the Timespan Weekly reporter smirked maliciously. He was a somebody in the industry, and she had dared to publicly humiliate him? If he didn''t ruin her reputation, he might as well quit his job.


    Ynda was also scrolling on her phone and saw the live stream. Juniper was in the same cafe? She must have heard the reporter say the Genius Program professors were here for her. She must be hiding in the corner out of shame.


    Ynda had always been the one feeling inferior in Juniper''s presence; now, finally, it was her turn to shine. Once the admissions team arrived, she would make sure to rub it in Juniper''s face.


    In the corner, Qadir saw the live stream and immediately showed it to Juniper.


    "Holy crap," he cursed. "That scumbag reporter across the room is live-streaming and trashing you."


    "The Genius Program professors are here for Ynda?" Queenie snorted withughter at thement. "Theizens are bold to guess, and she''s bold enough to ept it. The audacity."


    ¡°Juniper, are you sure the Genius Program professors are here for you?" J asked cautiously, fiddling with her fork.


    Juniper propped her chin on her hand and slowly turned her head, her eyes narrowing. Before she could answer, her phone rang again.


    "Yes," Juniper said, putting the call on speaker. Her voice was quiet, but everyone at the table could hear. "A professor from the Sundale University admissions team?¡±


    Sundale University? The two most famous universities in the Orient Country were Sundale in the south and Era in the north. They were equally prestigious.


    "Okay," Juniper said, sipping her


    water, toozy to listen to the


    Sundale professor''s long-winded pitch. The address is the coffee shop on Canova Road in Ecara City. Let''s talk in person."


    "Yes, of course!" The professors from Sundale University happily agreed.


    "However," Juniper paused, then added a warning. "The professors from Era University areing too. Whoever gets here first, I''ll go to their school. Fair enough?"


    Era University? They were that fast?

 Chapter 490

    ¡°Juniper¡ª¡± The professors from Sundale University tried to make her a firm offer over the phone, hoping to cut Era University outpletely.


    But before he could, Juniper cut him off. ¡°Era University called me six minutes before you did," she saidnguidly. "If you waste any more time, you might really be toote."


    The line went dead.


    Juniper put down her phone, ready to resume eating, only to find four pairs of eyes staring at her.


    "What?" She arched an eyebrow, azy, casual smile ying on her lips. "Is there a problem?"


    "Nope."


    The four of them shook their heads in perfect synchrony. There was no problem with her. The problem was with them. How could their brains be so different from hers?


    "Let''s eat," Queenie said, nudging the others with a faint smile. "There''s a good show to watchter."


    Everyone knew exactly what show she was talking about.


    Half an hourter, the door to the coffee shop swung open. A group of men in suits, carrying briefcases, hurried inside.


    The sound of camera shutters filled the air. Seeing the professors from Era University''s Genius Program, the waiting reporters scrambled to their feet, aiming their cameras at them and Ynda, snapping pictures wildly.


    The sudden shes nearly blinded the admissions officers. Combined with the relentless clicking of shutters, it sounded like a machine-gun barrage. They had already been speeding to get here, and this double dose of "surprise" left them momentarily stunned.


    "Professors, we''ve been waiting for you!" The reporter from Timespan Weekly, faster than anyone else, secured a prime position and raised his camera excitedly. "The person you''re looking for is right here."


    The professors followed the reporter''s pointing finger and saw a young woman, blushing and looking at them nervously.


    "We''re here to find-"


    "This year''s top scorer," the reporter interrupted again. "She is this year''s top scorer."


    So that young woman was Juniper Payne? From where the admissions officers were standing, they couldn''t see anyone else besides Ynda Besides, Juniper herself had given them this


    Location So, this had to be


    the girl they were looking for.


    ¡°Sorry we''rete,¡± one of the professors said, recovering hisposure and


    approaching with a broad smile. "We heard on the way that Sundale University also called you?"


    ¡°Huh?¡± Lost in her own joy and excitement, Ynda''s mind went nk. Sundale University? She hadn''t received a call from them.


    "But no matter," the professor continued quickly. "Whatever Sundale can offer you, we can offer it too."


    "Thank you, professors. It''s my


    honor," Ynda said, tilting her head up, her face a mixture of shy pride These were professors from the Genius Program! How could she possibly be so lucky? She wouldn dare ask for more.


    "It would be Era University''s honor to have a student as exceptional as you," the professor said, his excitement palpable. "I''ve never personally met a student who achieved a perfect score on every subject."


    A perfect-score top scorer was a rarity in history. Thest one was the current CEO of Schwartz Group, Shanley.


    A perfect score? Hearing those words, Ynda felt even more dazed. This didn''t feel real. She had checked her answers and knew


    she''d gotten several question no


    wrong How could she be the perfect-score top scorer? Was the answer key wrong?


    The reporters live-streamed the entire exchange.


    [Holy cow, Ynda isn''t just the top scorer, she''s a perfect-score top scorer?]


    [Can it be fake? It''s a live broadcast! The professors from the Genius Program walked straight to her, terrified she''d get snatched up by Sundale University.]

 Chapter 491

    [A private dorm, a full schrship covering tuition and books, plus a generous monthly stipend... Oh my god!]


    [Not only is Era University fighting for her, but Sundale University is also extending an offer. Ynda is amazing! Can she please release a study guide?]


    [Hahaha, look at Juniper in the corner, still stuffing her face. Trying to eat away the awkwardness, huh?]


    [Ynda might have caused trouble in the past, but this time I''m genuinely impressed. If she''s changed her ways, I''m willing to be a fan.]


    [Juniper grew up with her, how can they be so different? The rumors about her being a cker must be true.]


    [What is Juniper doing? Isn''t it embarrassing to just sit there? If I were her, I''d want to find a hole to crawl into.]


    [The halo of ''actor''s sister'' and ''genius choreographer'' ispletely shattered.]


    [Please, can Juniper stop introducing herself as Jimmie''s sister? We fans can''t take this embarrassment!]


    Juniper scrolled through the live streamments as she ate, a faint smile ying on her lips. Who said the Orient Countrycked talent? Just look at thement section; it was full of them.


    ¡°Hahaha.......¡± Watching Ynda spin her tales, Qadir couldn''t help butugh out loud. "She should forget about university and go into manufacturing trash cans instead. She''s so full of it!"


    ¡°Juniper, when are you going to step up and expose her?" Queenie asked through gritted teeth, indignant on her friend''s behalf. "She''s stealing all your lines!"


    "No rush." Juniper sipped her juice, finally feeling half-full. "Food is life," she said unhurriedly. Who knew the Era University professors would arrive so quickly? At least they hadn''t interrupted her meal.


    J, thoroughly impressed by herposure, ced arge piece of steak on her te. "That''s right, take your time! It''s yours, no one can steal it away!"


    The only things Juniper didn''t have were things she didn''t want. No one could ever take something from her.


    ¡°Good girl, J." Juniper patted the younger girl''s head with a small smile.


    "Don''t just sit there, you all eat too.¡±


    They exchanged nces for a moment before resuming their meal,pletely unfazed by the fiery drama unfolding with Ynda and the explosive situation online.


    "This is our offer..." The admissions officer finished listing all of Era University''s benefits and incentives, then looked at Ynda with an earnest expression. "Please Consider ust


    "I-"Ynda pretended to think for a moment, on the verge of eagerly agreeing when the coffee shop door opened again. This time, it was the admissions team from Sundale University.


    "Wait!"


    Hearing the terms offered by Era University, a professor from Sundale slid over to Ynda''s side. ¡°Hear our offer before you make a decision!¡±


    Surrounded by professors from the nation''s top schools, Ynda felt like she was floating on air.


    ¡°Um, let me think about it." Ynda sped her hands, reveling in the attention and putting on a conflicted expression.


    "Don''t do that!" The professor from


    Era University grew anxious.


    "Didn''t you say you''d choose


    whichever school got here first? You can''t go back


    on your word, Can


    you? Juniper!"


    "I never said¡ª¡± Ynda began to exin with a smile, but her words caught in her throat. She snapped her head up, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What did you just call me?"

 Chapter 492

    "Huh?"


    The reporters and online viewers were stunned, unable to believe their ears. What was the name the professor from Era University had just said? Juniper? Wasn''t the perfect-score top scorer Ynda?


    Hearing the collective confusion from Ynda and the reporters, the Era University professor tilted his head, studying Ynda carefully.


    "You''re not Juniper?" he asked tentatively.


    Ynda froze, a roaring sound filling her ears. The Era University admissions team wasn''t here for her, but for Juniper? And the perfect-score top scorer was..... Juniper? But she hadn''t even finished high school properly! How could she possibly get a perfect score?!


    "Juniper?" the reporter from Timespan Weekly blurted out, shocked. "The perfect- score top scorer you''re talking about is Juniper Payne?"


    ¡°That''s right,¡± the Era professor nodded. ¡°We''re here to find Juniper. We spoke on the phone and arranged to meet here."


    "We just spoke with Juniper too," a professor from Sundale University chimed in, not wanting to be left behind. He looked utterly baffled. "So, we got the wrong person? You''re not Juniper?"


    "No..." Ynda''s face was as white as a sheet. She could barely force the words out. "I''m not!"


    "You''re not?" The professors from both universities eximed in unison. "Oh, our mistake! The top scorer isn''t you, it''s Juniper."


    The reporters were equally dumbfounded. They had already pushed the news of Ynda being the perfect-score top scorer, set to be admitted into the Genius Program, to the top of the charts. The story had already garnered tens of millions of views. And now they were being told that the real top scorer was Juniper, the very person they had been looking down on? As journalists, publishing such erroneous news was a professional disgrace.


    The intemunity went into a full-blown meltdown.


    [Wait, what''s going on? The perfect-score top scorer isn''t Ynda, it''s Juniper?]


    [Oh crap, I just trashed her. Quick, delete!]


    [AHHHH, a perfect score on everything! My girl is a genius! Upvote if you never bad- mouthed her!]


    [Ynda is so pathetic! How dare she market herself as the top scorer? Her name was all over the news!]


    [Both Era''s Genius Program and Sundale''s admissions team are here... I wonder which one she''ll choose?]


    [Oh no, my secondhand embarrassment is kicking in again. First, I felt awkward for Juniper, and now I feel it for Ynda.]


    [I always knew it! How could the amazing Jimmie Tate have a loser for a sister!]


    Soon, the name "Juniper" reced "Ynda, and with the added boost of her identity as a famous actor''s sister she shot to the top o of the


    news trending lists, content belongs fo


    Shortly after, Shanley and Juniper''s names appeared in the same trending topic, as they were the only two people to ever achieve a perfect score on the entrance examin Ectara City.


    ...


    At Schwartz Group headquarters, Felton was scrolling through his phone when a


    trending topic made him jump: #Shanley & Juniper#


    His heart skipped a beat. Holy crap. Did the paparazzi catch the boss and Ms. Payne together? If their rtionship was exposed, the entire capital would probably shake.


    Felton nced at Shanley, who was in the middle of an international conference call, and clicked on the hashtag. He froze.


    Huh? Two perfect-score top scorers? He never imagined the boss and Ms. Payne would appear on the same trending list this way. The next time they trended together, if would either be for the


    rtionship or their wedding, right?!


    Flint immediately took a screenshot of the hashtag. When the boss sees this, he''s going to be thrilled. My year-end bonus is definitely going up, he thought with augh.

 Chapter 493

    Inside the coffee shop.


    The admissions officers from Era University and Sundale University sat face-to- face with Ynda.


    The Era University officer, who had talked himself hoarse, realized he''d been speaking to the wrong person and was mortified. "You''re not Juniper?"


    "Then were you just joking when you told us you needed to think it over?" the Sundale officer chimed in, equally annoyed. He''d actually been hopeful when he heard "Juniper" was considering their offer. Turns out, it was all a sham. What a waste of time!


    "Well," the Era officer said, done wasting his breath on Ynda. He pulled out his phone and dialed Juniper''s number.


    A clear, crisp ringtone suddenly echoed through the coffee shop, drawing everyone''s attention.


    "The sound seems to being from..." The Era officer held up his phone, tilting his head toward the source.


    He watched as Juniper, sitting at a nearby table, answered her phone and waved at him. "Hello?"


    The officer''s eyes widened, and he shot up from his seat, rushing over. "Are you Juniper Payne?" he asked, his voice cautious, terrified of making the same mistake twice.


    "I am," Juniper replied with a faint smile, her voice unhurried.


    "Juniper, hello, I''m the admissions officer for Era University''s Genius Program..." The officer quicklyposed himself. "My apologies, someone was falsely iming to be you, which caused a bit of a dy."


    "I can vouch for that," the Sundale University officer dered, seizing the opportunity as he hurried over. "The fact that they could mistake someone else for you shows how little they truly value you. Why don''t you consider our university instead?"


    Then he added with a sly grin. "Whatever you ask for, we''ll make it happen."


    The Era officer was furious. "It''s because we were so excited and valued her so much that we made a mistake!" he shot back. "And you are just being passive- aggressive to poach a student. Have you no shame?"


    "If it means getting Juniper to join us, I''d dly give up my shame," the Sundale officer retorted with a dismissiveugh.


    As the two continued to bicker, the reporters in the room quietly turned their cameras toward the unfolding drama. In an instant, the intemet exploded.  t


    [Era and Sundale are fighting over a student?]


    [OMG, is this a sight I ever thought I''d see in my lifetime?]


    [Which one will she pick? Which one?!]


    [I say pick Sundale! Not for any reason other than I''m a Sundale student!]


    [Hahaha, does anyone know what Ynda''s face looks like right now?] [Ynda.jpg, Juniper.jpg ¡ª candid shots from someone on the scene.]


    [Ynda looks devastated. And Juniper... lol, two academic giants are about toe to blows and she''s just calmly eating?]


    [So pretty, so cute! Juniper, Juniper!]


    While the inte was in an uproar, the scene in the coffee shop was just as chaotic.


    The officer from Era University dered, "She''s ours!"


    But the Sundale University officer interrupted, retorted, "No, she''s mine!"


    Qadir, Queenie, J, and Dolce, who had never witnessed such a spectacle, stared at Juniper in disbelief.


    "Juniper," J urged, "you need to say something before someone gets hurt."


    Juniper, whose head was starting to


    ache from the noise, finally set her


    fork down. "Shouldn''t you perhaps


    ask the person


    lved forher


    opinion?" she asked coolly

 Chapter 494

    The bickering from the Era and Sundale University representatives came to an abrupt halt.


    "Juniper, we are truly sincere," the Era officer said, his gaze fixed on her. "You can choose any major, pick any professor you want, and we guarantee a job for you upon graduation."


    "And there''s more..." he added, dropping a bombshell in a lowered voice. "You''ve heard of the Schwartz family, right? The wealthiest family in Borealia, a powerhouse in Era City for over a century?"


    Juniper''s eyshes fluttered. Her expression finally shifted. Oh, she was more than familiar.


    "Shanley Schwartz, the heir to the Schwartz Group, is a member of Era University''s Genius Program," the officer added eagerly, seeing he had her attention. "If you join, you''ll be fellow alumni."


    He knew that simply being able to say, "Shanley and I went to the same school," was like a golden ticket for anyone''s future career.


    "Is that so?" Hearing Shanley''s name, Juniper arched an eyebrow, a flicker of interest in her smile. "In that case..."


    "Please, Juniper, give Sundale University a look!" the Sundale officer interrupted, raising his hand desperately. "We''ll match their offer, anything you want!"


    After hearing both sides, Juniper spoke slowly. "Era University is an excellent school."


    The Era officer beamed.


    But before his smile could fully form, Juniper continued, "Of course, so is Sundale University."


    Now it was the Sundale officer''s turn to light up.


    "Both universities represent the pinnacle of education in Orient Country and it''s an honor to receive offers from both," Juniper said, tilting her chin up. Her delicate features glowed under the warm light. "But I can only choose one."


    Both admissions officers leaned forward, their faces etched with anticipation, practically screaming, ¡°Pick me, pick me."


    "When we spoke on the phone, I made a promise to both of you," Juniper continued. "I said I would choose whichever school''s representative arrived at the coffee shop first."


    "That was me! That was me!" the Era officer shot his hand up, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. "Juniper arrived first. We can check the security cameras to avoid any usations."


    He shot a pointed re at his rival from Sundale.


    His recruitment attempt thwarted and now being taunted by hispetitor, the Sundale officer felt his spirit crumble.


    "Firste, first served?" he thought bitterly. "You''d think she was picking out carrots at a farmers'' market. The way a perfect-score student thinks is truly on another level."


    "Therefore," Juniper announced, her decision now a foregone conclusion, "I will provisionally choose Era University. As for Sundale... perhaps we''ll have a chance to coborate in the future."


    The future? The Sundale officer knew that was just a polite dismissal. Once Era had their prize, they weren''t letting go.


    "Very well," he said, his shoulders slumping. "I respect your choice, and I genuinely hope we can work together someday."


    He then turned to the Era team,


    his pride still intact. "Sundale only lost on speed this time. Don''t


    celebrate too early. If you ever regret your decision, Juniper, or find yourself unhappy, pleasee to Sundale. Our doors will always be open for you, an exception we''d be d to make."


    "Don''t hold your breath. That''s not going to happen," the Era officer retorted, puffing out his chest. "Thank you for choosing Era University, Juniper. I promise, we will not let you down."


    With that, the dejected officer from Sundale University turned and walked away.

 Chapter 495

    As he passed Ynda, his frustration boiled over into a burning re. If it weren''t for this imposter, the top scorer might have been theirs.


    "Juniper, there''s no rush to choose a major. Take your time," the admissions officer from Era University said, beaming as he clutched the signed documents and headed for the door. His gaze fell upon Ynda, still sitting shell-shocked at her table, and his smile vanished. Because of this fake, they had almost lost their prize to Sundale. How could a student like thise from Era High School? Not only did she impersonate someone else, but she''d also called in a horde of reporters. The girl must be desperate for fame.


    After receiving two withering looks, Ynda felt as if she had plummeted from heaven straight into hell. She looked at the reporters and saw that they were all stealthily changing their article titles to feature Juniper''s name, chasing the new clicks.


    The inte was now flooded with news of Juniper, the top scorer, joining Era University''s Genius Program. A significant portion of the conversation was also dedicated to mocking Ynda, calling her out for her pathetic and shameless attempt to steal the spotlight.


    A few minutester, Juniper and her four friends casually walked out.


    The reporter who had been smugly taunting Juniper earlier now couldn''t even bring himself to look up.


    "Rufus?" Juniper nced at his press badge, a cold smirk ying on her lips. "Trying to be a voice for justice?"


    The man named Rufus turned pale, unable to speak. He had been the first to champion Ynda as the top scorer and had been the most sarcastic toward Juniper. When he realized his mistake, he tried to delete his posts, but hisputer mysteriously froze. After the truth came out, his social media was flooded with hundreds of thousands of angryments.


    "You''re really not cut out to be a journalist," Juniper said with a chillingugh before casually turning her gaze away, sweeping past the broken figure of Ynda as if she were nothing but air.


    She didn''t even bother to speak to her.


    "Juniper, aren''t you going to deal with Ynda?" Qadir asked as they left. "She''s always stirring up trouble. She was the one egging on Jolene and Yelena to go after you."


    "Just a little longer," Juniper replied, a cold edge to her voice. "They''re about to run out of the goodwill my grandfather left them."


    Once that debt of gratitude was paid in full, it would be Ynda''s turn to pay.


    Her friends didn''t press the issue. They knew how much Lemuel


    meant to Juniper, and Ynda was his granddaughter. Juniper was loyal and alway repaid kindness


    But she also never forgot a grudge. If Ynda kept pushing, her end would be a miserable one.


    Meanwhile, just as the news of


    Ynda''s deception broke, Era


    High School had confidently hung up banners celebrating their


    UT


    top-scoring student. For fifteen consecutive years, the top scorer on the university entrance exams hade from a school in Era City, and they assumed this year would be no different.


    Who would have guessed the top scorer wasn''t from their prestigious school, but from a small, obscure private high school in the middle of nowhere? Aurora High School''s previous best result was 126th in the state. This year, they not only produced the state''s highest scorer, but a perfect-score top scorer. And this student hadn''t even finished high school? It sounded too absurd to be true.


    Could Aurora High School have cheated to avoid losing its reditation? People could ept losing to other top schools, but a bottom-tier school like Aurora? A perfect score? Who would believe that?

 Chapter 496

    Soon, voices of doubt began to surface online. No one believed a high school dropout could be the top scorer, let alone achieve a perfect score on every subject.


    Limited by their own intelligence and perception,izens, who had just been praising her, began to turn. They couldn''t achieve something like that, so they refused to believe anyone else could especially someone like Juniper, a piece of "trash" who should have been groveling in the dust with them, now suddenly soaring above them all.


    Naturally, they were bitter. So, when an opportunity to tear her down presented itself, they seized it with glee.


    [Mark my words, if Juniper got a perfect score, I''ll livestream myself eating my own shoe.]


    [Aurora High School must be behind this, right? They created this ''goddess'' Juniper to boost their reputation. Maybe she had someone take the test for her?]


    [The user above is onto something! A perfect score on everything? Would you sooner believe that, or that I''m the Pope?]


    [The real question is, how did Aurora High School get the answer key?]


    [I demand a full investigation into Aurora High School and Juniper! Expose the masterminds!]


    [Cheating to get first ce? She''s got more nerve than a lion!]


    [We request a full investigation to bring justice to the millions of other students! @Borealia''s Department of Education]


    [@Jimmie Did you have a hand in Juniper''s perfect score?]


    [To the person above, until there''s proof, don''t you dare try to drag our idol through the mud, thank you.]


    [Let''s hope your precious idol isn''t involved. Because cheating on university entrance exams is a crime he can''t just walk away from, lol.]


    ...


    Back in the coffee shop, Ynda waited until Juniper and the reporters had left before putting on a hat and mask to hide her tear-streaked face. The joy she had felt earlier was now reced by an equal measure of agony.


    She just couldn''t understand it. How could Juniper be the top scorer with a perfect score? Growing up, Juniper''s grades were never as good as her She hadn''t even finished


    high school. Cheating or using


    proxy were the only exnations


    she could think of.


    Just as she suspected, when Ynda got in her car and checked her phone, a news alert popped up.


    #Juniper Cheated On Entrance Exams?#


    Cheated? The word made Ynda''s heart leap. She eagerly tapped on the headline.


    Arge number ofizens had turned on Juniper, demanding an exnation from her and Aurora High School. Calls for an official investigation were flooding every tform.


    Every trending topic rted to "Juniper" was now marked with a bright red "EXPLODING" tag.


    Ynda''s thumb flew across the screen, a smile finally breaking through her tears as she saw the vast majority ofments were now attacking Juniper. Right now, Juniper must be feeling like she was being roasted over an open fire.


    "She had iting," Ynda thought. "How could that little stray possibly get a perfect score?"


    Now, this was a disaster. Cheating


    on the university entrance exams


    was far more serious than her


    ''mistaken identity'' incident. Ynda frantically boosted the posts using Juniper, the knot


    oDanger


    in her chest finally loosening Everit


    she wasn''t the top scorer, her


    shielded scores meant she was in


    the top fifty at least.


    Juniper, on the other hand... not only would she be stripped of her title and her spot


    in Era University''s Genius Program, but her scores would be nullified for


    cheating. If things got serious, she could even face jail time!


    The more Ynda thought about it, the more her heart soared with delight.

 Chapter 497

    At the J-Five Studio.


    Juniper had barely stepped inside when her phone rang. It was Salma from Aurora High School.


    "Juniper, the news online..."


    "What now?" Juniper thought, exasperated. "Why am I always in the news?"


    "One second," she said, then pulled up her browser. The word "cheating" made her temples throb. Couldn''t theye up with something new? If she got a perfect score, it was either cheating or she had a secret genius helping her. Couldn''t they entertain another possibility? Like, maybe she was a goddess with an IQ of 300+.


    "How''s the school?" Juniper asked, putting the phone on speaker and setting it on the desk. She poured herself a ss of water and drank it down.


    "The entrance is swarming with reporters," Salma said, her voice heavy and hoarse. "All our teachers'' phone numbers have been leaked. We''re getting nonstop harassing calls demanding we give an exnation to all the other students."


    "But we believe in you," Salma added, trying not to sound too negative. "We''ll handle the rumors online. We won''t let you be wronged."


    Handle it? But these brainless online mobs wouldn''t believe anything until the evidence was shoved in their faces.


    "I''ll handle it," Juniper said, putting down her ss, her voice low andzy.


    "How are you going to handle it?" Salma asked, startled.


    "Let''s hold a press conference tomorrow," Juniper said after a moment''s thought, opting for the most direct solution. "We can hold it at... the Aurora High School sports field."


    The field wasrge enough to amodate all the gawkers.


    "What?" Salma was momentarily speechless.


    "Just do as I say, ma''am," Juniper said, opening a drawer and taking out a half- finished sandalwood bead bracelet. "Tomorrow at 2 p.m. See you at the school."


    "Alright."


    Over time, Salma and the other teachers had gotten a sense of Juniper''s personality. She didn''t look for trouble but she wasn''t afraid of it either She never did anything without a n. If she wanted to hold a press conference, she must have an idea of what to do. The school decided to trust her.


    After the call, Salma immediately informed the other teachers of


    Juniper''s n. Then, on Aurora High School''s official Twitter ount, she posted a simple message: [Tomorrow, 2 p.m. See you at Aurora High School.]


    The post instantly caused a massive stir. Reporters immediately packed their gear and rushed to the school, hoping to im a prime spot for tomorrow''s headline


    news.


    ...


    Juniper had just hung up when her group chat exploded with hundreds of messages, all expressing concern.


    Jimmie: [I believe you, sis. I''ll handle the online stuff.]


    Juniper: [No need. I''ve got nothing better to do. Consider it entertainment.]


    Harold: [This generation ofizens isn''t the brightest. You know me, I''m a doctor. I don''t lie.]


    Juniper: [True that.]


    Melvin: [Which scumbag reporter started this? I''ll run him over with my bike.]


    Juniper: [Don''t. If it gets damaged, I''ll be upset.]


    Melvin: [Don''t worry about me, I can take it.]


    Juniper: [I''d be upset about the bike.]


    The Racing Association had just bought a fleet of new motorcycles, and they hadn''t


    been cheap. The thought of one getting dented pained her.


    Melvin: [You really are my sister!]


    Juniper smirked and typed seriously: [Alright, rx. It''s a small matter. I can handle it myself.]


    Herposure was so strong th?t


    her three brothers felt their worrying was for nothing. Still, they were incredibly curious how she nned to prove her innocence and shut everyone up at a press conference.

 Chapter 498

    After ending the chat, Juniper tossed her phone aside, put on a pair of gloves and safety goggles, and began to meticulously sand the sandalwood beads. They still needed to be polished and strung together. Shanley''s birthday was just a few days away; she had to work faster.


    At the Schwartz Group headquarters, Shanley had just finished a four-hour-long remote meeting.


    "Boss," Flint said, approaching him with a phone in hand and aplicated expression. There was good news, and there was bad news.


    "Go on," Shanley said, leaning back in his chair and slowly massaging his temples, a hint of fatigue on his handsome face.


    "It''s about Ms. Payne..."


    As soon as Flint spoke her name, the man who had been resting with his eyes closed suddenly snapped them open.


    "Boss, you and Ms. Payne are trending together," Flint said quickly, unnerved by his boss''s intense stare. He decided to lead with the good news.


    Shanley took the phone and saw the headlines. Juniper was the top scorer with a perfect score. She had chosen Era University''s Genius Program, making her his future fellow alumna. Seeing their names in the same headline was indeed a pleasant development.


    "Boss, I took screenshots," Flint added with a fawning smile. "Including all the well wishes fromizens. I saved everything."


    "Well done," Shanley said, a smile touching his lips as he scrolled through thements. "Flint, you''ve been quite proactivetely."


    "I would go through fire and water for you and Ms. Payne, Boss. It is my honor," Flint dered, standing ramrod straight, his expression more earnest than a new recruit''s.


    "Is there anything else?"


    "Yes." Flint pulled up another article, his voice cautious. "Some people are questioning whether Ms. Payne''s score is legitimate. They''re saying she cheated and are demanding an exnation."


    "That''s to be expected," Shanley said, his smile unwavering. He wasn''t even slightly angry. "Not everyone can get a perfect score without even finishing high school."


    Coming from anyone else, the suspicion would be understandable.


    "How is she handling it?"


    "Ms. Payne has decided to hold a press conference tomorrow afternoon at Aurora High School," Flint reported. "As for what she ns to do, she hasn''t specified."


    "Mm," Shanley said with a light chuckle, unconcerned. "School''s about to start anyway. Let her have some fun. A little rxation."


    "Yes, sir." Flint nodded. As he turned to leave, Shanley suddenly spoke. "Wait."


    Flint stopped, turning back with a questioning look.


    "Lately..." Shanley began, frowning slightly, looking uncharacteristically awkward. "Have you noticed


    anything different about Ms. Payne Maybe her going to the mall, buying things?"


    Flint waspletely lost. He had no idea what his boss was getting at. "No, sir, I haven''t," he answered honestly.


    al.n


    Shanley''s lips thinned, a wave of disappointment washing over him. Dana had told him she''d let it slip Juniper that his birthday wasing up. It was next week. If the girl nned on celebrating with him she would surely be preparing a gift by now.


    But there was nothing. Did that mean she wasn''t nning on celebrating with him?


    The thought soured his mood. He had been nning to use the asion to ask for


    a ''birthday wish'' from her.


    Now, he wasn''t so sure.


    Had she forgotten? Maybe he should drop another hint?


    Later that evening, Shanley returned home. He found Juniper lounging on the sofa, chatting away with her friends.


    Queenie and J had both just


    heard from the admissions team at


    Era University. One was going for political science, the other forw, Both were thrilled with their O


    2.


    "By the way, Juniper..." After the excitement about college died down, J popped


    a question out of the blue. "Did you know next weekend is Mr. Schwartz''s birthday?"


    "How did you know that?" Juniper shot back, bewildered.

 Chapter 499

    Dana had said Shanley didn''t like celebrating his birthday, usually letting it pass quietly without telling anyone. This year was supposed to be the same. If Dana hadn''t mentioned it, Juniper wouldn''t have known at all.


    "I ran into Flint on the street today," J answered honestly. "He mentioned it in passing."


    "That''s right, it''s Mr. Schwartz''s birthday next week!" Queenie chimed in. "What a coincidence, I saw Felton, and he told me too."


    "I knew it too!" Qadir finally got a word in. "My dad said the investor for one of his agricultural projects has a birthday next week, and he''s nning to send him some local specialties."


    And that investor was, of course, Mr. Schwartz.


    After hearing from all three of them, Juniper''s eyes narrowed slightly. She instantly saw through the man''s little scheme.


    "Juniper, what''s your gift for Mr. Schwartz?" Qadir asked curiously.


    "A gift?" An image of the bracelet she was making shed in her mind. A small smile yed on her lips, but her tone was cool. "Ordinary friends get ordinary gifts, I suppose."


    "Ordinary friends?" they all eximed in unison.


    Shanley hadn''t confessed his feelings yet, so weren''t they just ordinary friends? Still, she had already carved their initials, ''J & S,'' onto the bracelet. She''d just have to see how Shanley behaved.


    The next day, Juniper slept in until she woke up naturally. After a leisurely lunch, she hopped on her motorcycle and headed to the school.


    Overnight, the situation had escted dramatically. Many people were specting that the masterminds behind the cheating scandal couldn''t handle the public pressure and were nning to throw Juniper under the bus. Others thought the press conference was for her to confess her crimes. Either way, they concluded, Juniper''s life was ruined.


    When Juniper arrived at Aurora High School, there was still an hour before the press conference was set to begin.


    The school''s Sports field was


    already packed wall-to-wall with


    reporters and onlookers. There were


    over a hundred different ounts


    the event, each with a


    massive audience. Everyone was waiting to see how this farce would end.


    Juniper had hopped the back fence to get into the school, and the head of discipline immediately pulled her into an office. The principal and all the subject teachers were gathered inside, their faces grim.


    "Juniper, what exactly is your n?" the math teacher asked nervously. "Proving


    your innocence is simple. We just need to request a score verification and a review of your test papers."


    "Too much trouble," Juniper said,


    leaning back in a chair and sipping a


    ss of lemonade. The whole process of applying waiting for a review, and getting the results would take at least a week. She didn''t have time for that.


    "She''s right," the literature teacher agreed. "We have a clear conscience. The burden of proof is on the users. We shouldn''t have to fall into the trap of proving our own innocence."


    "It''s annoying," Juniper said with a frown. "The constant noise is getting on my nerves."


    Besides, Aurora High School and its teachers were suffering even more than she was. She''d heard that some teachers had their personal information leaked online. She couldn''t just let it go.


    "So, what are you going to do?" Salma asked, stepping closer, her face etched with worry.


    "Put them in their ce, of course." Juniper tossed her empty cup into the trash and stood up, looking rxed. "Oh, and could you help me move a veryrge ckboard out to the field?"


    "A ckboard?" Salma and teachers stared at her,pletely baffled.


    "Let''s go, it''s almost time." Juniper''s gaze swept over them, and she spoke each word with cold precision. "I''d like to see who still has a problem after this."


    She, Juniper, specialized in dealing with dissent.

 Chapter 500

    On the Aurora High School sports field, under the hot June sun, reporters and onlookers craned their necks, waiting for the main subject to appear.


    Suddenly, staff members from the school began carrying a massive ckboard onto the field.


    "They''re supposed to be exining the perfect score. What''s the ckboard for?"


    "Just a distraction tactic, I bet!"


    "It''s almost 2 p.m. Why haven''t the school''s administration and Juniper shown up yet? Are they getting cold feet?"


    "Of course they are. Let''s see how they try to exin a perfect score on every subject."


    At 1:58 p.m., Salma appeared, with Juniper walking calmly beside her. The moment she was spotted, a storm of camera shes erupted as reporters scrambled to get the perfect shot.


    Salma and the head of discipline, intimidated by the sheer scale of the event, whispered to Juniper, "Are you sure you want to go up there?"


    There were dozens of media outlets and a countless number of spectators. How could an eighteen-year-old girl handle this kind of pressure? More importantly, they still had no idea what she was nning.


    "It''s fine," Juniper said, her hands hanging loosely at her sides, a mango-vored candy in her mouth. Her expression was calm. "I can go up by myself. You can all rest on the side."


    "Are you really okay?" Salma asked, her worry palpable. "The Department of Education has already responded. They said they''ll investigate and clear your name. If you''re scared..."


    "Oh, I''m scared," Juniper said, raising an eyebrow nonchntly. "Scared of how terrifyingly good I am."


    Salma and the teachers were left speechless.


    Without another word, Juniper walked to the center of the stage. Before she could even speak, a pack of reporters swarmed forward.


    "Juniper, there are rumors online that your scores are fraudulent. What''s your response?"


    "The Department of Education has announced an investigation. The consequences of leaking exam answers are severe. If you confess who was behind this, you might receive a lighter sentence."


    "Some have alleged that Jimmie Tate was also involved. What are your thoughts on that?"


    "Juniper, what is the purpose of today''s press conference?"


    "The overall scores for Orient Country were exceptionally high this year, with twice as many students qualifying for university asst year. Such a huge jump is highly suspicious, wouldn''t you agree?"


    After the reporters had their say, the crowd grew agitated.


    "A perfect score? Does she take us all for fools?"


    "How can Orient Country have a degenerate like you?"


    "Say something! Why are you just standing there?"


    "Didn''t other students from Aurora High School also get surprisingly good scores? It proves more than one person cheated. Someone should call the police and have them all investigated!"


    In an instant, the scene descended into chaos.


    As the situation spiraled out of control, Juniper kicked the chair in front of her, her delicate face turning to ice. The chair went flying with an loud crash, instantly silencing the moring crowd. They stared at her, stunned.


    "Are you all done talking? Is this all about my perfect score?" Juniper asked, her face devoid of


    expression. "Do you really need to waste the Department of


    Education''s time with an


    Over


    investigation for such a trivial matter?"


    Before anyone could process what she meant, she spoke again. "From this moment on, I will ept any and all challenges. Ask me any question. If I get a single one wrong, I will admit that I cheated."


    A collective gasp went through the crowd as they finally understood. This wasn''t a confession; it was a live Q&A session. And she was taking on any question? It was beyond arrogant; it was insane.


    "I have only one condition," Juniper announced, her cold gaze sweeping across the entire field. "Everyone turn on your cameras and your


    live-streaming apps. I want thi\


    entire press conference broadcast. live, in its entirety."


    To prevent any usations of cheating, she deliberately tied her long hair back,


    revealing her ears. No earpieces. No hidden receivers.

 Chapter 501

    The cameras at the press conference, along with everyone watching the livestream, were her witnesses. If she was going to clear her name, she might as well do it all at


    once.


    "Let''s not drag this out. Try to wrap it up before five," Juniper Payne said, her voice low butced with a chilling coldness as she lifted her gaze. She wanted to get home for dinner, and leaving anyter meant hitting rush hour traffic.


    "So confident?" a reporter in the front row asked, eagerly raising his hand. "I''ll give you a math problem."


    Juniper''s gaze met his, a silent agreement.


    "It''s a recursive sequence problem..." the reporter said, holding out his phone to show Juniper a question he''d just looked up. It was an exceptionally difficult problem from a past university entrance exam.


    "You can..." The reporter was about to say she could take a few minutes to think, but before he could finish, Juniper had already picked up a marker, turned to the whiteboard, and began writing out the solution with fluid, confident strokes. Every step, every calction, was wless.


    The reporter was stunned. The audience gasped in amazement.


    It was unbelievable. Less than ten seconds from seeing the problem to writing the answer? Even a math genius would need a few minutes to think that through.


    "Maybe she''s just seen this specific problem before," someone in the crowd suggested.


    "That''s right!" The reporter who''d asked the question seized on the idea. "She must have done this one before. I''m picking another one."


    How else could she answer without even pausing to think?


    "Fine," Juniper said, ncing at him with a cool, indifferent expression, the corner of her mouth twitching into a smirk.


    The reporter immediately pulled out his phone and found a new question after searching for the "hardest math problem ever." It was a monster involving non-linear recursive sequences and limits, so difficult that the national average score on it had been close to zero. Even a math Ph.D. had called it harder than graduate-level material.


    "How about this one?" he asked, a defiant look on his face.


    Juniper''s eyes narrowed slightly. She didn''t respond verbally, just turned back to the board. Her "thinking time" for this problem was two seconds longer than thest¨D the exact amount of time she spent ring at the reporter.


    Momentster, theplete solution was on the whiteboard.


    The reporter was floored again, looking from his phone to the board and back again, checking the answer repeatedly. It was all correct.


    The livestream chat exploded.


    "Wait, I haven''t even finished reading the problem, and she''s already got the answer?"


    "How do you even pronounce that symbol? I''m a grad student, and I''m embarrassing my alma mater right now!"


    "What is happening? I recognize the individual letters, but together they look like a foreignnguage."


    "Okay, maybe she got lucky with the first one, but even if she''s seen this problem before, there''s no way she''d remember the entire solution!"


    It was no exaggeration; if you put thatplex solution in front of most people and asked them to just copy it, they''d probably make a mistake.


    "I''m done. I''m starting to believe the perfect score is real! This girl is terrifyingly smart!"


    "No, there has to be a catch!" The reporter, not expecting her to solve this one either, started to panic.


    "Let''s move on," Juniper said, her tone and expression as calm as ever. "Someone else''s turn."


    This time, a math teacher from


    another school stepped up. He


    flipped through a


    thick binder of


    materials and picked out a


    particrlyplex problem.


    Juniper nced at it and immediately wrote out the answer.


    In the span of five minutes, she had solved three problems, each from a different area of mathematics each exceptionally difficult, and altof them correct.


    At this point, everyone waspletely baffled. What was going on? Was it possible she was just math whiz, and her other subjects were average?

 Chapter 502

    With the math portion over, others immediately started firing questions from different subjects to try and stump her. Literature, foreignnguages, integrated sciences... they came at her from all angles, one after another, but she was like a universal answering machine. There wasn''t a question they could think of that she couldn''t


    answer.


    Watching her, Salma and the other teachers were dumbfounded. Was she even human? Or some kind of deity? How could she be this brilliant?


    "My god," the Dean of Students said, his hand trembling as he took a sip of water. He tried topose himself. "I almost expelled this little firecracker. Thank goodness she set me straight."


    The subject teachers, mouths agape, saw their pale faces flush with color, their eyes shining. A moment ago, they were hanging their heads, avoiding the cameras. Now, they stood tall and proud like fighting roosters, their faces beaming. A perfect score! The top student in the nation! And they were her teachers!


    Online, public opinion flipped in an instant. Many became instant fans, affectionately calling her the "Human Question Bank" and joking that she shouldunch an app for solving difficult problems. If you were stuck on something, you could just ask her.


    "That''s that problem..." Juniper''s throat was dry. She took a sip of water, her gaze sharp. "There are ten minutes until five. Anyone else?"


    "I have one!" a man in the corner raised his hand confidently. "I have a problem that, to this day, no one has been able to solve."


    He was a researcher from a well-known mathematical institute. His team had been wrestling with this problem for ages without a breakthrough. He figured he''d try his luck here.


    After reading the problem, Juniper''s brow furrowed slightly, her cool eyes looking intense. Surprisingly, she didn''t answer immediately like before.


    After a half-minute of silence, the crowd grew restless, murmuring amongst themselves. Had this problem finally stumped her? So, she wasn''t omniscient after


    all.


    "Juniper, can you solve it?" the man asked earnestly.


    "No," she replied without hesitation. "I can''t answer this one."


    She couldn''t answer it? She just admitted it so easily? Everyone remembered her bold im before the press conference began: if she got a single question wrong, she would admit her scores were fake. It looked like she was about to eat her words.


    "Juniper doesn''t look too good..." The Dean stood up abruptly, his expression grave. "I saw the problem. It is incredibly difficult."


    "That''s going too far, using a problem like that to trip her up," another teacherined.


    "I know this problem," Salma said, her hands clenched, her voice raspy. "It''s from the math institute, based on experimental data. They''ve been trying to solve it for a long time, but no one has seeded."


    It was far harder than anything before; it was perfectly normal for Juniper not to be able to solve it. But if she couldn''t, would the reporters, the audience, and the millions of viewers online let her off the hook?


    "Everyone, this question is unfair," Salma couldn''t bear to watch any longer and stood up to defend Juniper.


    But then, Juniper''s voice cut through the noise again. "Not only can I not solve this problem, but no one in the world can. Because..."


    Juniper paused, lifting her eyes to the researcher, a cool smile ying on her lips. "The experimental data in the problem is wed."


    "wed?" The man''s expression grew serious. He wasn''t angry, but cautious. "Where is the error? We''ve run the experiment for this problem hundreds of times. There shouldn''t be any mistakes."


    "I said it''s wed, so it''s wed," Juniper stated, standing tall with an aura of unshakable confidence. A sarcastic smile touched her lips. "If not


    I''m staken, your experimental


    velocity is set to 25 Try setting it to 45. And make sure to reduce the pressure during the test, or air resistance will affect the precision."


    45? The researcher thought for a moment, then immediately called hisb and ryed Juniper''s suggestion. A huge smile spread across his face as he listened. "It really worked? Great, I understand!"


    After hanging up, he turned to Juniper and gave her a big thumbs-up. "I''m convinced. Utterly andpletely."


    The two-hour live Q&A session didn''t just win over the skeptics; it earned Juniper a whole new fanbase.


    "Hey haters, open your eyes! Not just perfect in math, she aced every single subject!"


    "Juniper solving problems live on stream-do you guys understand how insane this is?!"


    "An investigation? Doubts? Is there any proof more direct or more badass than this?!"


    "Mr. Tate''s sister is a genius. When you can''t beat them, you nder them. Let''s hear you now!"


    "By the way, does anyone know where this legend lives? I need to know which direction to pray in every morning!"


    "Unbelievable! This year''s top scorer isn''t from Era High, but Aurora High! Aurora High is about to take off!"


    "No doubt about it. Forget being shut down; applications to Aurora High are going to skyrocket this year."


    "Any other questions?" Seeing that


    no one else was speaking up, and the murmurs of "cheating" had died down, Juniper''s lips curved into a smile that held a sharp, cold edge. "Since there are none, Pdon''t want to see any more nder about my school, my teachers, or my family online. Adding names to awsuit is a simple matter of lifting a finger."


    The reporters exchanged nervous nces, not daring to say another word. They''d heard the reporter Rufus who had ndered herst time had lost his job. And the


    matter had been handled by the Schwartz Group''s legal team.


    "Oh, and by the way..." Juniper added, her eyes cold and a mocking smile on her face, "Aurora High produced the top scorer and ced ten students in the top


    nks


    of the state. You can choke on your jealousy, but it won''t change a thing. Yes, I''m talking to you, Eetara High."

 Chapter 503

    Juniper stood before them, her gaze sweeping down over the crowd, emanating a cold light that sent shivers down their spines.


    Era High? Everyone was confused. What did Era High have to do with this?


    "Several of the people asking questions were teachers from Era High, weren''t they?" Juniper''s eyes, cold as ice, scanned the faces of a few "audience members" she was pointing to. Her voice was t, yet it carried an innate authority. "You, you, and you. Did you think you could stump me with your obscure, tricky questions? That Era High could hold onto its reputation as the ''School of Champions''? You dare pull these cheap tricks in front of me?"


    "What''s the beef between Era High and Aurora High? Anyone have the tea?"


    "I do! At the city-wide graduation g, Aurora High beat Era High for first ce. The Era students got salty and started saying Aurora kids were all brains and no brawn."


    "LOL, Juniper is settling scores on the spot. A direct hit!"


    "I heard Juniper prepared all the review materials for Aurora High this year. She''s the reason their scores improved so much."


    "As an Aurora High student, I can confirm. The legend not only gave us materials, but she also tutored the teachers."


    "The student teaching the teachers? Hahaha. She''s got attitude, but she''s got the skills to back it up."


    "Era High, a prestigious century-old school, stooping to such dirty tactics. The questions they asked were way beyond the curriculum!"


    "Era High has always been arrogant. This is so satisfying to watch."


    Hearing this, the crowd exchanged skeptical nces, their eyes turning to the Era High teachers who had been called out. No wonder the questions had seemed impossibly difficult it was deliberate. If you can''t beat them, frame them? It looked like Era High was about to be the next trending topic, and not in a good way. It waspletely ssless.


    Their identities exposed, the Era High teachers, faces burning with shame, slipped away through the crowd.


    With the cheating allegations settled, it was exactly five o''clock.


    "For questions about exams, talk to the Dean. For enrollment, talk to Principal Salma."


    Leaving that final instruction,


    Juniper coolly walked away from the press conference. By the time everyone registered what was happening, she had already swung a leg over a motorcycle, executed stylish fishtail and sped away from Aurora High.


    Everyone was utterly stunned. A motorcycle? So cool!


    "I have a question! A question!" A parent in the crowd rushed to the front hand raised high "Principal Salma, will your school'' School''s admission standards for middle and high school be going up this year?"


    With the top scorer, that title alone was enough to outshine many of the top-tier schools.


    "Huh?" Salma was still reeling from Juniper''s performance and didn''t immediately process the parent''s question.


    "Sir," another parent interjected


    before the first could get an answer, "I heard Juniper created review materials. Is the school considering selling them? My child has their entrance exams next year. I''lbpay any price."


    "Me too!"


    "Huh??" The Dean was equally bewildered.


    "Principal Salma, can you tell us how you cultivated a top-scoring student?" The reporters, not to be outdone, swarmed forward.


    "Principal Salma, now that your school has the top scorer and is famous, what are your future ns?"


    "Principal Salma..."


    "Mr. Dean..."


    Their names were being shouted from all directions, like a surround-sound system.

 Chapter 504

    Salma and the Dean had never experienced such an "enthusiastic" crowd. They backed away in rm, their faces screaming, "Don''te any closer!"


    "Today was just for Juniper''s press conference. Aurora High is not taking any other questions at this time," Salma said, forcing a smile and trying to maintain herposure, though her words came out a bit shaky. "We willpile answers to your questions and post them on our official page."


    In the past, the name "Aurora High" was usually met with scorn and disdain. Salma herself was rarely shown respect by teachers from other schools. This whole scene felt like a dream.


    After calming the agitated crowd, Salma and the other teachers were escorted by security, practically scrambling away from the field and back to their offices. They stood at the window, watching the lingering crowd, still shaken.


    This wasn''t a press conference to clear Juniper''s name; it was more like a fan meet- and-greet for Aurora High. Just a short while ago, everyone was cursing the school. Now that the truth was out, they were all desperate to get in. It was terrifying.


    "Salma..." The Dean wiped his brow with a towel as he watched the scene. "It looks like a lot of people want to apply to our school now. What are we going to do?"


    It wasn''t just the parents here; the admissions office had reported that their phone lines were being overwhelmed with inquiries.


    "Our school produced the top scorer this year, plus we sent Queenie and about twenty other students to top-tier universities," a subject teacher chimed in excitedly. "With results like these, we''re one of the best in all of Era City, maybe even better than Era High."


    Era High''s students were all top performers from across the region, so they already had a strong foundation. For them to do well was expected, like icing on a cake. But Aurora High was different. Most of its students were the so-called "problem students" with poor grades. For them to work hard for three years and get into good universities, even prestigious ones, proved that Aurora High''s quality of teaching was exceptional. That was why countless parents were now flooding their admission lines.


    "But..." Salma''s brow furrowed, her expression turning grave. "Last year, Aurora High received a verbal notice that our operating license was going to be revoked and we would be merged into another school."


    Just as she finished speaking, her phone rang. It was the Board of Education.


    "Hello," she answered, nodding as she listened, her expression growing moreplex. "Yes, I understand."


    When she ended the call, she looked at the other teachers, a dazed expression on her face. They held their breath, fearing bad news.


    "Salma, what is it?" the Dean asked tentatively, swallowing hard.


    "The Board of Education..." Salma looked up, her wrinkled face showing a hint of disbelief."...to me to


    showrepare a report and meen


    with them in the next few days to get ready for next year''s


    admissions."


    Apparently, their phone lines had been overwhelmed too, with callers demanding justice for Juniper.


    "So... Aurora High gets to stay open next year?" the Dean asked.


    "It seems so," Salma nodded, tears welling up in her old eyes. She suddenly remembered what Juniper had told her before: "I said Aurora High all stay open, and it will wilk she


    never imagined that day woulde so quickly. She must have


    saved the world in a past life to be


    blessed with a lucky star like


    Juniper.

 Chapter 505

    At the Cloudscape Community.


    When Juniper got home, Shanley, Jimmie, Harold, and Melvin were already there. The video of the press conference was ying on the TV, and news of the top scorer had spread like wildfire across the inte.


    "Congrattions, Ms. Payne," Dana said, taking Juniper''s bag with a brilliant smile. It was true what they said about birds of a feather flocking together. The country''s only two perfect scorers in history were Mr. Schwartz and now Ms. Payne. They were truly a perfect match.


    "Huh?" Juniper looked up, a little surprised. "Congrattions for what?"


    "For being the top scorer, of course!" Dana said, getting more excited. "Ms. Payne, you were incredible! Everyone online is singing your praises."


    "Oh, that," Juniper said with a faint smile, not seeming particrly excited. "Thanks, Dana."


    She knew Dana was only telling her the good news, conveniently leaving out all the negativements.


    Dana was taken aback by her nonchnt attitude. "Ms. Payne, aren''t you happy?" she asked, feeling a bit awkward.


    "I''m happy," Juniper said, her eyes blinking as her lips curled into a grin.


    Dana scratched her head. Ms. Payne''s reaction was just... not normal. It was as if getting a perfect score was as mundane to her as eating or sleeping.


    "You can go now, Dana," Shanley said, walking over and gently taking Juniper''s hand. His voice was patient and warm. "You were excellent at the press conference today."


    "It was alright," Juniper replied casually, though her tone was tinged with disappointment. "It''s a shame there were cameras everywhere. I couldn''t get physical. Otherwise, I would''ve twisted the necks off those old fools from Era High."


    Hearing their sister''s bloodthirstyment, Jimmie, Harold, and Melvin all froze for a second. It was a good thing there were cameras. If there weren''t, they had no doubt Juniper would have followed through.


    "Have you thought about what you want to major in?" Shanley asked softly, sitting beside her and peeling a piece of fruit.


    "Nope." Juniper had been answering questions for two hours straight and was parched. She grabbed an apple and took a big bite.


    "Maybe art?" Jimmie suggested, but then immediately reconsidered. The art world was too demanding for his cker sister.


    "How about medicine?" Harold offered, pouring her a ss of water. "Era University has a top-notch medical program."


    Juniper''s chewing slowed. She looked up at Harold, her gaze intense. "Me? Study medicine?"


    Her question brought Harold back to


    his senses. Era University''s medical program was excellent, but Juniper''s own medical skills seemed even more advanced. He seriously doubted anyone there could teach her anything. Who was even qualified to be her professor?


    In the end, Harold decided to stay quiet.


    "Just pick whatever," Melvin said, crossing his arms. "I trust Juniper. She''ll excel in any field she chooses."


    Their sister was like a perfectly bnced warrior, skilled in everything and


    unbeatable. There seemed to be nothing she couldn''t do.


    After finishing her apple, Juniper


    pulled out her phone to check the time. A news alert popped up on her screen: [Foreign intelligence agency attempts to breach the nation''s


    securitywork. The attack was aggressive and devious, causing significant damage and a major setback for national security.]


    So brazen? Juniper''s clear eyes narrowed, and the temperature around her seemed to plummet. Her lips moved, and she spoke suddenly, her voice cold. "Computer science."


    "Computer science?"


    Shanley, Jimmie, Harold, and Melvin all looked up at the same time, their eyes filled


    with confusion. She decided just like that, in a matter of seconds?

 Chapter 506

    "Exactly," Juniper nodded, her expression unchanged. "I can''t stand to see my family get bullied."


    By "family," she meant her country.


    Connecting her words to the recent news, they all finally understood her true reason for choosingputer science. The girl was quite the patriot.


    Once her major was decided, Juniper immediately called Era University to confirm.


    "Computer science?" The director of Era University''s Genius Program sounded hesitant on the other end of the line. "Are you certain... you want to major inputer science?"


    Computer science was the top program at Era University, and within the Genius Program, it was the best of the best. It was far more than just ying withputers; the curriculum was brutally difficult, and the responsibilities after graduation were immense. They didn''t rmend it to anyone whocked exceptional willpower.


    "Is there a problem?" Juniper''s gaze sharpened, cutting him off.


    "No," the director replied, so startled by her cold tone that he nearly bit his tongue. "I''ll register you right now."


    All she had to do now was wait for the eptance letter. ¡°Thank you," Juniper said politely before hanging up. She then opened her calendar. Shanley''s birthday was this weekend. She needed to hurry up and finish the bracelet she was making for him.


    ...


    That weekend, Shanley woke up early and spent three hours selecting an outfit that made him look younger.


    "Boss, we have what you requested.¡± Felton and Flint arrived with tworge cases. "It took a bit of time since much of it was real estate and a littleplicated to process. But everything is now prepared ording to your instructions," they said respectfully.


    "Good." Shanley gave a slight nod, his brow furrowed with nerves. "Keep an eye on the private room. There can''t be any mishaps.¡±


    "Yes, sir," Felton and Flint replied in unison, their tone as serious as if they were discussing a multi-billion dor contract. But what was happening today was far more important than any contract.


    Shortly after they left, Jimmie called.


    "So, you''re really nning to confess to Juniper at your birthday party? Jimmie asked, a hint ofughter i hiszy voice as he sipped his coffee. "I hear you''ve prepared quite a lot for this grand gesture.


    "I have," Shanley said, his voice softening as he stood on the second-floornding, his gaze fixed on the young fady in the fiving room below "I''m betting my entire


    worth just to make our rtionship


    official. I wonder if a gesture like that


    will be enough to win her over."


    "Not worried she''ll reject you?" Jimmie chuckled, not holding back. "She knows it''s


    your birthday, but from what I can see, Juniper doesn''t look like she''s prepared a thing."


    If his confession failed-


    The thought was too mortifying to even consider.


    "I am," Shanley admitted, his fingers tightening around his phone as a rare look of anxiety crossed his face. "But it''s alright if I don''t seed this time. just keep pursuing her until she agrees No matter what, Juniper is the only one who will ever be my wife."


    "Wife?" Jimmie''s lips curved into a smile. "You''re moving things along quickly. But I hope you seed."


    Shanley smiled, genuinely touched by his friend''s support. His gratitudested all of two seconds before Jimmie added, "If you seed, we''ll officially be family. And that would make me your brother-inw."


    Being the brother-inw of Era City''s most powerful man had a nice ring to it.

 Chapter 507

    "And you''d have to call me that, you know."


    "Deal." Shanley''s body tensed for a moment before he broke into augh. "As long as I can be with Juniper, I''ll call you whatever you want."


    "Well, you''d better step up your game," Jimmie said lightly. "Juniper starts school soon, and I hear Era University has no shortage of handsome guys..."


    "I know." Shanley''s lips pressed into a thin line, a dark glint in his eyes. "I''ll be on my best behavior."


    He had no intention of giving any of those other guys a chance.


    Downstairs in the living room, Juniper was lounging on the sofa, ying a game with Lue Langley. They chatted as they yed.


    Lue: [Got a gift for Shanley''s birthday?]


    Juniper: [Yep.]


    Lue: [Tsk, an old man of 28. But what''s with him? Does he think he can just skip all the steps and carry the princess away?]


    Juniper''s fingers, which had been flying across the screen, paused for a fraction of a second when she read Lue''s message.


    That was true. She''d forgotten about that. Shanley hadn''t actually confessed his feelings to her yet.


    Lue: [Oh, Juniper, Juniper. Right now, I really wish you had terrible eyesight.]


    Juniper: [Huh?]


    Lue: [So you wouldn''t be so easily charmed by a handsome face!]


    Juniper: [I wasn''t!]


    (It was a very unconvincing denial, even to herself.)


    Lue: [If Shanley ever dares to treat you poorly, we''ll see what the several hundred long-range cannons at the Subterra Vanguard base have to say about it!]


    Juniper''s lips twitched as she typed back azy reply: [Fine. If that day everes, I won''t stop you.]


    Lue: [??? You''d let me?]


    Juniper: [Just don''t hit his face.]


    Lue: [...]


    She was officially proposing that being lovesick be considered a capital offense.


    As evening approached, Shanley drove Juniper to the club. In the car, Juniper was curled up in her seat, casually ying a game on her phone to pass the time.


    Shanley nced over at her. She was wearing a simple white t-shirt, ck cargo pants, and a ck baseball cap. Her long, smooth hair was draped over her shoulders, her fair skin was strikingly beautiful.


    But she wasn''t carrying anything besides her phone, and her clothes didn''t seem to


    have any pockets. It looked like she really hadn''t gotten him a gift.


    A wave of unease washed over Shanley, his confidence faltering. Did Juniper truly have feelings for him? What if his confession ended in failure?


    ...


    The Diamond Club was located in the heart of Era City, where every square foot was worth a fortune. The ce was dazzling and bustling with energy.


    ¡°Ms. Payne, Boss." Felton and Flint were already waiting by the entrance. They respectfully opened the car doors.


    "Careful," Shanley said softly, cing a hand on Juniper''s back and guiding her quickly toward the VIP section.


    When the door opened, Jimmie, Harold, Melvin, J, Lue, and a crutch-using Kurt were all there.


    Lue hadn''t wanted toe, but she was worried that the worldly-naive Juniper might get taken advantage of, so she''d reluctantly shown up.


    ¡°Juniper,e sit here!¡± J called out happily as soon as she saw her.


    "Okay." Juniper smoothly slipped away from Shanley''s side to sit between J and Lue. She picked up a ss of light fruwine.


    and clinked it against theirs.


    ¡°So, this is your cousin?" Lue''s eyesnded on J, a wicked grin ying on


    her lips. "She''s quite a cute one."


    J looked up at the "boy" with short, silver-gray hair and diamond earrings, whose sharp features were softened by a smile, and felt her. cheeks grow warm at the


    Melvin, who had been chatting with Shanley, immediately went on high alert.

 Chapter 508

    "How old are you?¡± Lue asked, her smile widening.


    She''d heard about what happened with the Wilcox family from Juniper. The girl had walked away from a fortune without a second thought, which took guts. A worthy cousin for Juniper, Lue decided. She liked her.


    ¡°Almost eighteen,¡± J replied, a bit shy under the gaze of this charming stranger.


    "Just a baby sister," Lue purred, extending a hand. Her smile was decidedly roguish. ¡°Hello, I''m Lue Langley. You can call me... Lue.¡±


    Melvin''s expression soured. He strode over and cut their conversation short. "J, can you help me with something?"


    "Of course." J stood up immediately, gave Lue a polite nod, and hurried after Melvin.


    As they walked away, Melvin kept looking back, his cold eyes locked on Lue with a clear warning.


    Lue narrowed her eyes, quickly piecing it together.


    Tsk. It runs in the family. They all have a taste for younger women.


    Lue raised an eyebrow knowingly, and as she turned away, her gaze identally met Jimmie''s. The smiles vanished from both their faces, reced by unconcealed disdain. The animosity was mutual.


    Juniper, who had been snacking on pistachios, shifted her attention from Melvin and J to Jimmie and Lue. Was it her imagination, or was there something strange going on between those two as well?


    At seven o''clock, the birthday party officially began. Shanley never celebrated his birthday, but he''d made an exception this year as a pretense for his confession.


    "Shanley, go on, make a wish,¡± Kurt prompted with a knowing look after Shanley had said a few words. "They say wishes made on your birthday are the most powerful."


    Shanley had promised him a card with a staggering number of zeros on it if he sessfully helped him win over Juniper. Kurt was determined to earn it.


    The three brothers knew Shanley''s real agenda and sat back, ready for the show.


    Shanley''s lips curved into a smile, his eyes fixed on Juniper. But before he could respond, Juniper spoke up. "Who says that?"


    The question hung in the air, and the smiles on the faces of Shanley, Kurt, and Juniper''s three brothers all froze.


    "Uh..." The line was something Kurt hadpletely made up. He never imagined Juniper would ask such a specific question.


    "Some wise old sage, I think," he improvised poorly.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Juniper tilted her head, her gaze strangely intense, as if she wasn''t joking. "Wise old sages celebrate birthdays?"


    Kurt was speechless, his face flushing with embarrassment. Damn it. Juniper was derailing his entire n.


    Shanley found her earnest


    questioning utterly adorable. She


    wasn''t trying to sabotage the


    moment; she was genuinely curious.


    Couldn''t Kurt havee up with a more logical lie?


    "Just make your three wishes,¡± Jimmie interjected, unable to watch the train wreck


    any longer. "You can only say one of them out loud."


    ¡°Right.¡± Shanley closed his eyes for a


    few seconds. When he opened


    them, his gaze was locked on Juniper. "Before I make my third wish, I have something I want to give to Juniper."


    Lue and J instinctively looked at Juniper.


    On cue, Felton and Flint entered, carrying tworge safes. Insidey documents detailing all of Shanley''s assets, including his shares in the Schwartz Group-a fortune of


    incalcble value. On the very top, a document titled "Property Transfer n" was impossible to miss.


    Juniper nced at the contents, popped a piece of candy into her mouth, and narrowed her eyes.


    Tsk. She had a feeling she knew what Shanley was about to do.

 Chapter 509

    ¡°Juniper, I...¡± Shanley began, stepping forward to gaze at her with profound affection. But he was so nervous that the speech he''d prepared was suddenly stuck in his throat.


    "Is all of this for me?" Juniper asked, picking up the transfer n and scanning it with surprising focus. Every asset was listed with perfect rity, each one followed by Shanley''s signature. The designated recipient: Juniper Payne.


    "Yes." Shanley''s voice was a low rasp as he watched her expression. She seemedpletely rxed. It seemed his approach was working.


    Juniper flipped through the pages, confirming that Shanley was indeed transferring his entire fortune to her. All it would take was her signature, and it would all be hers.


    "Why?" Juniper put the documents down, her delicate eyebrows raising as she looked at him intently.


    "I want..." Shanley''s expression was incredibly serious, as if he were in the middle of a high-stakes business negotiation. "Juniper, you..."


    The onlookers were dying of suspense. Who would have thought that Shanley, the man whomanded Era City, would be rendered speechless while trying to confess his feelings?


    "Just say it, bro!" Kurt blurted out. He couldn''t take it anymore.


    "Juniper..." Shanley took another step forward and knelt on one knee. He looked up


    at her, his handsome face etched with emotion, and his voice finally found its strength. ¡°Juniper, marry me."


    Six stunned faces stared back at him. What was happening? They had been expecting a confession, not a full-blown marriage proposal. This was a whole new level of bold. Not even a rocket moved as fast as Shanley.


    "I''ve never pursued a woman before, so I don''t know how to do a proper confession, Shanley admitted, hisz voice soft and tender. "But you once said that I needed to work hard and earn money to support you ever


    forgot that."


    "This is my entire


    it''s not even a fraction as precious as you are." As he spoke, Shanley found his rhythm his words flowing. with sincerity and adoration. "But it''s the best thing I have to offer to show you how I feel."  s?novels


    He was giving her everything he had, including himself, without reservation.


    "I''m giving you the power to move forward with me or to walk away," Shanley said, his eyes turning a little red. "If I ever treat you with anything less than perfect devotion, you can leave at any time."


    Though, in his mind, that was an impossibility.


    "So..." He gently took Juniper''s hand, his voice raspy and cautious. "Juniper, my dear, would you agree to be my fianc¨¦e?"


    He proposed an engagement because Juniper wasn''t yet of legal age to marry. The moment she was, he nned to whisk her straight to the courthouse.


    After Shanley''s heartfelt speech, all eyes were on Juniper. But what was going on? Why was she so calm? It was as if she weren''t the one being proposed to, but merely a bystander watching a scene unfold unfold was she really going to reject him?


    That couldn''t be right. Her three brothers exchanged confused nces, all arriving


    at the same conclusion. They knew their sister liked Shanley. So why was she acting like this?


    Seeing Juniper''sck of reaction, Shanley''s heart began to pound with anxiety. Had he not been clear enough? Had his sincerity note through? Why was her expression so nk?


    Juniper finally spoke, pursing her lips. "If you give me all your assets, won''t you be a pauper?"

 Chapter 510

    "Not at all," Shanley said with a gentle smile, his voice soft and reassuring. "It would be my honor to trade it all for the most unique and priceless treasure in the world."


    "Oh." Juniper was still holding a piece of candy, a thoughtful frown on her delicate face.


    The wait for her response was pure agony for Shanley.


    "I don''t want this junk,¡± Juniper dered, pushing the safes away with a deep scowl.


    Junk? The word sent a ripple of shock through the room. A fortune worth hundreds of billions was junk? And she didn''t want it?


    "You don''t want it?" Shanley''s expression immediately grew heavy with panic, his voice trembling slightly. "Why not?"


    This wasn''t about rejecting the assets; this was about rejecting him.


    "I nced through it, and most of it is real estate andpany shares," Juniper exined, her longshes fluttering as she looked up at him, her beautiful lips pouting with displeasure. "If you give it to me, does that mean I''ll have to manage it all? I''ll have to take over your job, make the money, and then support you on top of it?"


    Juniper''s expression shifted to one of indignation as she red at him. "You''re trying to use me as freebor! So that was your scheme all along. You''re so sneaky."


    Listening to herint, Shanley couldn''t help but let out a chokedugh. What on earth went on inside that brilliant head of hers?


    Jimmie, Harold, and Melvin all sighed in unison. They finally understood which door God had closed for Juniper. Her intelligence was terrifyingly high, but her emotional awareness... well, that still needed some work.


    "Pfft¡ª¡± Kurt couldn''t hold it in any longer and burst outughing. This was hrious. His future cousin-inw''s EQ was going to make this courtship a real challenge.


    "Tsk." Lue, lounging on the sofa with one leg crossed over the other, watched the whole "meledrama"


    unfold w d with great amusement, Sh? had been worried for nothing. Her Juniper was not so easily fooled.


    "I understand," Shanley said, seizing on the key point of herint "If it''s too much work, I can manage everything for you. You just have to collect the profits each year


    Juniper fell into deep thought. That solution wasn''t half bad.


    "And the profits are quite good," Shanley added, pressing his advantage "As it stands, the ie is in the tens of billions.


    annually, and it''s protentia


    each year the future


    to grow


    immeasurable."


    "That much?" Juniper''s head snapped up, her eyes shining.


    "Of course," Shanley confirmed with a slight smile, his voice deep and certain. "Juniper, it would all be yours."


    "Deal," Juniper said with a decisive nod.


    ¡°Hm?¡± The agreement came so quickly that Shanley was caught off guard. ¡°So, you''re agreeing to be my fianc¨¦e?" he asked, his voice stillced with disbelief.


    "Yes," she replied without a moment''s hesitation. As far as she could tell, there was no downside to the arrangement. And more importantly, there was money. Lots of money!


    "Why aren''t you saying anything?" Seeing the frown on Shanley''s face, Juniper leaned in close to him, fluttering her long eyshes. ¡°You''re not backing out, are you?"


    Shanley''s brow twitched. Just as he was about to speak, he felt something slide onto his wrist. It was a sandalwood bracelet, intricately carved with the letters: J&S.


    "Toote to back out now," Juniper said, a slow smile spreading across her face, her voice a low, possessive murmur. "From now on, your money and you... are all mine."

 Chapter 511

    A smile spread across Shanley''s handsome face as he listened to her bold deration. "Yes," he said, his voice husky. "Forever and only yours."


    ¡°Oh," Juniper replied, her heart skipping a beat. She blinked, feigning a calm she didn''t feel. "Is that everything, then?"


    "Hm?" Still basking in the glow of the moment, Shanley looked at her, confused.


    "You went to all this trouble just to confess, right?" Juniper met his intense gaze, the corners of her eyes lifting as her lips parted slightly. "I''ve epted you and your assets, so we''re done here, aren''t we?"


    "Right," Shanley murmured, his eyes dropping to the dazzling light reflected in hers. He felt his heart melt. "Just sign these, and it''s official."


    Only her signature would make the transfer agreements legally binding. And only then would he truly be hers.


    "There are so many," Juniper groaned, ncing at the thick stack of documents. Her face fell. "I''ll deal with itter. Let''s cut the cake first."


    With that, she ignored the multi-billion-dor agreements, walked straight past him, and leaned over to admire the cake, her eyes sparkling. "What vor is this? Is that a fruit filling? It looks delicious."


    Everyone else stared, dumbfounded. Was a cake really more appealing than billions in assets? Given her emotional intelligence, it was a miracle Shanley had managed to win her over at all.


    Shanley just chuckled, a helpless smile on his face, and put the documents back in the drawer. He walked over to her side, his voiceced with affection. "Which piece do you want?"


    ¡°This one," Juniper said, outlining a section with her finger, her eyes glued to the chocte decorations.


    ¡°Let''s cut it together, shall we?" Shanley ced the knife in her hand and then covered it with his own, his voice a soft, alluring murmur.


    Juniper turned her head and found his face just inches from hers, his expression so handsome and full of love she felt like she could drown m it. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and a blush crept up he cheeks. She quickly looked away. "Fine," she managed to say.


    As the knife sliced through the cake, he served the first piece to Juniper. Then he personally cut several more slices for the others.


    "Mr. Langley, have a piece. It''s quite good," Shanley said, stopping in front of Lue Langley. A sly grin yed on his lips.


    "I don''t like sweets. No, thank you," Lue shot back, not bothering to hide her disdain. The man was nearly ten years older than Juniper, and she was only eighteen. Her life was just beginning, and this cradle-robber had already snatched her up. Lue was fuming!


    Even worse, the old-timers at Subterra Vanguard''s base had specifically told her to keep an eye on Juniper and make sure no one whisked her away. Now, not only had she been whisked away but it was by an old man. If they found out, they''d skin her alive.


    "It''s not too sweet," Shanley exined with a calm smile. ¡°Juniper doesn''t like things overly sugary, so it''s half-sweet."


    Lue nced at Shanley, then at Juniper, who was happily eating her cake nearby. She sighed. Fine. As long as Juniper was happy, she would deal with the fallout from the base. It wasn''t like the old-timers could beat her in a fight anyway.


    "Thanks," Lue grumbled, reluctantly taking the cake.


    "Of course," Shanley said, his lips curling slightly. "You''re like a brother to Juniper, which makes us family. No need to be a stranger."


    ¡°Let''s see a marriage certificate first,¡± Lue retorted with a roll of her eyes and walked away, cake in hand. She didn''t want to talk to the old man anymore. Any longer and she was afraid she might just punch him.

 Chapter 512

    By midnight, Juniper had gotten her hands on some alcohol and waspletely tipsy. Shanley decided to end the birthday party early. "I need to take care of Juniper,¡± he said in a low voice to the others. "Could you give J a ride?¡±


    With Juniper sprawled ufortably across the chairs, there was no room for anyone else in his car now.


    ¡°Hey, J, I can give you a lift," Lue offered, dangling her motorcycle keys and raising an eyebrow at J.


    ¡°I.....¡± J began, but before she could finish, Melvin Steele seemed to appear out of nowhere, stepping in front of her to face Lue. "It''ste. A car is safer," he said coolly. "I''m heading her way anyway. I''ll take J."


    Heading her way? J blinked, trying to recall where Melvin lived. Not only was it not on the way, it was in theplete opposite direction.


    "Mr. Steele, isn''t your ce..." J tilted her head, trying to politely point out the discrepancy.


    "J, why don''t you take this to the car," Melvin interrupted gently. "I just need a word with Mr. Langley. I''ll be right there."


    "Okay." Seeing that they had something to discuss, J didn''t want to intrude. She obediently took Melvin''s jacket and headed for the car.


    Once she was out of earshot, the polite smile on Melvin''s face vanished. "Mr. Langley, Juniper considers you a friend, so I''ll respect you,¡± he began, his expression grave and his tone serious. "But J is a good kid. She''s not some girl from a bar you can beckon with a snap of your fingers and a wad of cash. I don''t care what your intentions are, but I''m warning you: you''d better stay away from her."


    It was obvious to Melvin that this ''guy'' had a thing for Juniper. Now that he couldn''t have her, he was turning his attention to J. What a piece of work!


    Lue stood with her hands in her pockets, listening to the usation, and then she just burst outughing. Did Juniper''s brother actually think she was interested in J?


    "What''s so funny?" Melvin''s face darkened. If Lue wasn''t Juniper''s friend, he''d have thrown him out long ago.


    "Isughing a crime now?" Lue retorted with a cold smirk. ¡°So I can''t go after her, but you can?"


    Melvin was taken aback. "What?"


    "I''m twenty-two, only four years


    older than her. If you, at


    twenty-eight can have ideas it


    wouldn''t be strange ift did, right? Such a hypocrite!"


    Melvin waspletely lost. "Hypocrite?"


    With that parting shot, Lue spun on her heel, swinging her keys, and strode away.


    "Hey! Who are you calling a


    hypocrite?" Melvin yelled at Lue''s retreating back, absolutely furiou He was never going to live down the`bels ''cradle-robber'' and ''hypocrite.''


    What a yboy. He''d better not try to mess with J!


    ...


    As Lue was leaving on her motorcycle, she came face-to-face with Jimmie Tate''s car. The road was too narrow; one of them had to back up.


    Jimmie red at Lue, the image of him taunting Melvin fresh in his mind. How did Juniper even make friends with someone like this?


    Lue met Jimmie''s judgmental stare and returned it with a cold smile, refusing to move an inch.


    ¡°Mr. Langley, it would be easier for you to back up, wouldn''t it?" Jimmie said, rolling down his window, his smile devoid of any warmth.


    "You want me to move?" Lue


    gripped the handlebars, here


    narrowing under her helmet.


    grin Spread across her face. Fine. Beg me."

 Chapter 513

    "What did you say?" Jimmie''s gaze turned icy as he heard Lue''s demand. Beg him?


    ¡°Beg me, and I''ll move," Lue repeated, feeling a surge of defiance. After being antagonized by Melvin, she was in no mood to back down from Jimmie. She was spoiling for a fight now.


    The tension between Jimmie and Lue had always simmered beneath a surface of forced cordiality for Juniper''s sake. Now, with her not around, the gloves were off.


    "Are you sure about that, Mr. Langley?¡± Jimmie asked, stepping out of his car. He walked up to Lue and gripped the motorcycle''s handlebar, his eyes glinting with a cold light.


    "Of course." Lue wasn''t about to let Jimmie push her around again. Such an irritating pretty boy!


    ¡°Fine,¡± Jimmie said with a humorless smirk. He turned slightly, pulling his phone from his pocket. "In that case, I''ll have to tattle."


    Tattle? Lue narrowed her eyes, watching him.


    "I was on my way to bring Juniper a snack..." Jimmie said slowly, scrolling through his contacts with a theatrical slowness. "I guess I''ll have to call and tell her I can''t make it."


    A snack? Juniper, the little foodie, valued food and money above all else. If she was the reason her snack was dyed, she''d definitely hold it against her.


    "Jimmie, have you been weaned yet?" Lue sneered, though her confidence was wavering. "Still running to tattle?"


    "Are you going to move or not?" Jimmie held up his phone, his thumb hovering over the call button on Juniper''s contact.


    "You..." Lue wanted to stand her ground, but she knew she was no match for Juniper if she got angry. Fine. She''d get back at Jimmie another day.


    "You win," Lue growled. She kicked her bike into gear. Before speeding off, she shot Jimmie a middle finger and yelled over her shoulder, ¡°You''re not looking so good, Mr. Tate! Maybe you should see a doctor about that. Looks like a... vitality issue."


    Jimmie''s face turned pale with rage as he watched Lue disappear. Seriously, what kind of friend was that? Was Juniper blind?


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the other car, Melvin sat in the driver''s seat, ncing at J, who sat primly beside him, her hands folded on her knees.


    "I heard you also got an offer from Era University," Melvin said, trying to make conversation. "What did you major in?"


    "Law," J replied, sitting up even straighter with a respectful smile. In her eyes, Juniper''s three brothers were practically her elders. Her mother had drifted it into her that since Juniper was so good to them, she had to be exceptionally polite to Juniper''s family.


    "You don''t have to be so tense," Melvin said with a gentle smile. "You can just think of me as... a friend."


    He didn''t dare say ''brother.'' He wasn''t sure he could handle it if that came true.


    J justughed nervously, not


    daring to respond. They made awkward small talk for the rest of the ride. When they finally reached her house, J thanked him profusely and practically bolted from the car.


    She didn''t take a full breath until she was safely inside.


    "J, what''s wrong?" Saskia Payne asked,ing out of her room.


    "Werent you at Mr. Schwaret


    birthday party with Juniper? I


    saw


    Mr. Steele''s car downstairs, Did he


    bring you home?"


    "Yeah," J nodded, gulping down a ss of water. "Sitting in a car with Mr. Steele


    is just so stressful."


    ¡°Why?¡± Saskia asked, puzzled.


    ¡°He looks...¡± J took another drink, trying to calm her racing heart. "He looks exactly like my homeroom teacher."


    Her teacher was notoriously strict and demanding, especially with top students like her. He had been J''s nightmare for all three years of high school.

 Chapter 514

    "Nope,¡± J said, patting her cheeks. "I have to stay away from him from now on, or I''m going to have a panic attack."


    Saskia peered out the window and saw that Melvin''s car was still parked outside. She sighed. "Juniper''s family are all good. J, you must always treat them with respect, you hear me?"


    "I know, I know," J nodded earnestly. "I promise, I''ll treat them like respected elders, with all the honor they deserve."


    ...


    In the sports car, Juniper was nestled in Shanley''sp, her cheeks flushed as she nuzzled against his chest, her breath carrying the faint scent of alcohol.


    What was Kurt thinking, giving Juniper that ridiculously sweet cocktail? It had hard liquor in it, and it wasn''t a low-proof one either.


    ¡°Juniper...¡± Shanley gently supported her head, his face creased with concern as he whispered, ¡°Do you want some water?"


    Juniper slowly opened her eyes, which were tinged with red, and shook her head, clearly ufortable.


    "Shh, it''s okay. You''ll feel better once we get back and you get some rest." Shanley stroked her face, pulling her closer, his gaze intense. ¡°Juniper, did you make this bracelet yourself?"


    He recognized the rare sandalwood. It was a prized possession of Baldy Fox, the president of the medical association. Juniper had somehow ''acquired'' it from him recently. It was exquisitely crafted into a bracelet.


    "Mhm," Juniper murmured with her eyes closed, lulled by the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. "Now that you''re wearing this bracelet, you''re my man in life. From now on, you''d better behave."


    "Alright." Shanley''s lips curved into a smile, his eyes shimmering with a captivating softness. He yfully tapped the tip of her nose. ¡°After all, I''m a pauper now. I''ll have to make a living under yourmand. I will, of course, be very diligent in serving you."


    Serving her? Coming from his lips, the words had a rather suggestive tone.


    "You''d better be," Juniper huffed, burying her face in his chest, a faint smile ying on her lips. "I''m dizzy. Stop talking."


    "Go to sleep," Shanley said, not disturbing her further. His gaze fell to the bracelet.


    J&S. Looking at the delicate initials


    gat


    carved into the wood, his entire


    being felt enveloped in warmth. He finally had a title. He might not be a husband close enough. Soon, he would rightfully


    at but a fianc¨¦ waz


    marry her and bring her home.


    Shanley smiled and took out his phone to message his grandmother, Hannah. The message failed to send. She had blocked him for failing to win Juniper over.


    Shanley shook his head in amusement and sent a friend request with a note: [Mission aplished. I''ve secured the granddaughter-inw you''ve been waiting for.]


    Hannah epted instantly. [Really? I thought you''d offer up your entire fortune and still fail to win the girl over.]


    Shanley: [Not just a girlfriend. She''s my fianc¨¦e.]


    Hannah: [Fianc¨¦e? Don''t celebrate too early.] Shanley: [?]


    Hannah: [School is starting soon. I''ve already done my research. Theputer science department is filled with handsome young men with six-packs... I even have pictures. Do you want to see?]


    Shanley''s face immediately darkened. [No need. I''m confident in myself.]


    A few secondster, Shanley connected to Hannah''s photo album and began meticulously zooming in on the photos of the ''young men. one by one. He was going to take a serious look.

 Chapter 515

    Shanley meticulously zoomed in on each photo of Juniper''s male ssmates. Although she was in the Genius Program, she would still share most of her sses with theputer science majors, a department notoriously dominated by men.


    The first photo showed an eighteen-year-old withrge eyes, a high nose bridge, and gold-rimmed sses. He looked refined and schrly.


    Shanley scoffed internally. A wolf in sheep''s clothing. That''s what this type always was. Juniper wouldn''t like him.


    The second was a neen-year-old with pleasant features, fair skin, and two dimples that appeared when he smiled.


    Dimples? On a man? Shanley found it utterly effeminate. Juniper definitely wouldn''t like him either.


    The third had strong brows and big eyes, but while his individual features were decent, thebination was...plex. Juniper would never go for that.


    And the fourth...


    After reviewing all the photos, Shanley came to a single, satisfying conclusion: they were allmoners. Money? None of them couldpete with him. Looks? A noticeable gap there, too. Height? Not one of them was as tall as he was. Aside from their youth, they had nothing. He, on the other hand, was mature. An older man knew how to dote on someone.


    Yes, that was it. A smug smile spread across Shanley''s face. The weight in his chest lifted, his self-assurance fully restored.


    He put his phone away and pushed open the bedroom door, quietly walking to the bed. Sometime during the night, Juniper had pulled his pillow into her arms, cuddling it as she slept soundly, surrounded by his scent.


    Shanley gently took her hand. After a few silent moments, he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. In all their time together, a kiss on the hand was the most intimate they had been.


    They had just gotten together, and he knew he had to take things slowly. He didn''t want to scare her.


    ...


    Juniper woke from a peaceful sleep to the familiar sight of the room, her head still feeling fuzzy. Wasn''t she at the club for Shanley''s birthday? Why was she at home? She vaguely remembered him confessing to her and giving her all his assets. Was


    that just a dream?


    Just as the thought crossed her mind, the door opened, and Shanley walked in carrying a bowl of soup.


    Juniper sat up in bed and stared at him with her clear, bright eyes.


    "What''s wrong?" Shanley sat on the edge of the bed, brushing a stray strand of hair from her forehead with azy, roguish smile.


    Juniper''s gaze shifted to the bedside table, where beside the soupy a thick stack of documents. Oh. Sost night wasn''t a dream.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she said, shaking her head. After freshening up, she returned to the bedroom.


    "After breakfast, I''ll have Felton start


    processing the asset transfer,"


    Shanley said softly, blowing on a spoonful of soup. "It should take about two weeks topleta everything."


    "That long?" Juniper took a sip of soup and frowned. "Let''s deal with thatter, she said, her refusal swift and decisive. The assets included stock properties, and various liquid assets, much of which would require her to be present in person t sounded like a massive headache.


    Shanley''s brow furrowed, confused by her rejection. Before he could ask, Juniper spoke again. ¡°You manage it for now. When you''ve made more money, you can give it to me all at once."


    "Alright," Shanley said, a wave of understanding and affection washing over him. He smiled, a mix of helplessness and adoration in his eyes. ¡°Whatever you say, my fianc¨¦e."


    He was hers now anyway; she could order him around as she pleased.


    Fianc¨¦e? The unfamiliar word made Juniper''s hand tremble, and she nearly choked on her soup.


    ...


    At the Schwartz Group headquarters, Shanley was conducting the usual Monday executive meeting. As he spoke, the bracelet on his wrist was conspicuously, or ''unintentionally,'' revealed.

 Chapter 516

    The executives exchanged bewildered nces. What was going on? Aside from his watch, Mr. Schwartz never wore any essories, let alone something like a bracelet made of wooden prayer beads. Everyone knew he was a man who scoffed at the very idea of fate.


    "Not bad. Next," Shanley said, a rarepliment escaping his lips as he listened to the marketing director''s report.


    The others were stunned. Mr. Schwartz seemed to be in an unusually good mood today. The marketing director was usually the one who got chewed out the most during these meetings. Had hell frozen over?


    "Thank you, Mr. Schwartz," the marketing director said, letting out a heavy sigh of relief.


    "Next," Shanley began, but his gaze fell to the bracelet on his wrist, and his expression softened. "Actually, that''s all for today. Meeting adjourned."


    Meeting adjourned? The executives looked at each other, their faces breaking into smiles like it was Christmas morning. They usually sat through these meetings on pins and needles, terrified of being verbally eviscerated. They never imagined a meeting could end so peacefully.


    "Flint," a few of the senior managers called out as Shanley left. They rushed over to his executive assistant, who was gathering documents. "What''s gotten into the boss today?"


    "Yeah, and what''s with the bracelet?"


    "He seems to be in a great mood. Is there some good news?"


    Flint finished organizing the files and answered with solemn gravity, "The boss''s marriage proposal was a sess. The bracelet was a gift from the future Mrs. Schwartz."


    "What?" The executives'' eyes went wide, their jaws practically hitting the floor.


    Mr. Schwartz had a fianc¨¦e? But wasn''t he... into men?


    "He''ll likely be in a good mood for a while," Flint added, chin held high as he scanned the room. He offered a piece of friendly advice, "Anyone who needs to request time off, admit to a mistake, or report ack of progress... now would be the time."


    The executives stared at one another in silence. A few secondster, the quickest one to react grabbed his contract and sprinted out of the room. He had to catch the boss while he was still happy.


    "Hey, wait up!"


    The others scrambled to follow. Soon, news that a mistress for the Schwartz Group had been chosen spread like wildfire across the inte. Countless socialites were heartbroken, as were a fair number of... young man who wept in private. What happened to being immune to female charms?


    [Logically, the future Mrs. Schwartz shoulde from a familyparable to the Schwartzes. So howe there''s no news from anyone in Era City''s high society?]


    [Maybe her identity is a huge secret that can''t be revealed?]


    [Could it be... that the future Mrs. Schwartz is a man?]


    [?]


    [??]


    [???]


    [Dude above, I admire your courage, but you might want to turn off your DMs.]


    Half a monthter, Juniper received her eptance letter from Era


    University. Orientation Ed


    was in two..


    weeks.


    Queenie and J were also epted to Era, majoring in political science andw, respectively.


    Qadir got lucky and managed to get


    into the same university as Dolce


    located


    right next to Era in the university, district,


    ...


    On the first day of school, Shanley drove Juniper to the campus gate.


    "I can go in by myself," Juniper said, grabbing her bag and hopping out of the car.


    "Juniper, let me walk you in," Jimmie offered from inside.


    "I''ll do it," Shanley interjected with a frown, his voice low. "I know my way around Era University."


    "We''ll go with you," Harold and Melvin chimed in, eager to join the fun.


    The four of them bickered back and forth.


    "Stop," Juniper said, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. She nced at the men still in the SUV With casual air "Go home. bcan''t


    be seen with any of you."


    Her unpresentable boyfriend fell silent.


    Her unpresentable brothers were rendered speechless.

 Chapter 517

    The car went quiet. Shanley and the three brothers all shut their mouths. They knew she was right. Being known as "the renowned actor''s sister" was already enough of a headache. Adding "fianc¨¦e of the Schwartz Group''s heir" to the mix would mean she''d never have a moment''s peace for the next four years.


    As for Harold and Melvin, their rtionship with her hadn''t been made public yet, and their presence would only stir up unnecessary trouble.


    They had the right to escort her, but not the courage. Helplessly, they could only watch as the youngdy walked away.


    As soon as Juniper stepped through the campus gates, she became the center of attention.


    "Is that her? The perfect-score schr, Juniper?" a group of girls nearby started whispering. "Oh my god, how can she look like that in person? She is even more beautiful than she appears online. More importantly, she isn''t wearing any makeup. A natural beauty! The campus queen title is definitely going to change hands this year."


    "A perfect score, gorgeous, and her brother is the nation''s heartthrob, Jimmie Tate..." a new student sighed. "What window did God possibly close for her?"


    "I wish I could get an autographed picture of Mr. Tate from her," another girl said before hesitating. "Never mind, she looks so intimidating. I''m too scared." "Hey, freshman!"


    Suddenly, several male students came running toward her from all directions.


    "You''re Juniper Payne, right?" The boy in the lead enthusiastically started listing facts about Era University. "We''ve been waiting for you! The dorms are this way."


    "How about an iced milkshake?" another boy sidled up to her right, his face stered with a grin as he stared at her. "Don''t worry, it''s half-sugar. You won''t gain any weight."


    "Just rx and let me handle your registration."


    "I''ll do it!"


    "No, me!"


    "Let me!"


    The boys practically started shoving each other in their eagerness to help.


    "Tch." A couple of senior girls


    passing by let out contemptuous


    sneers. "This is Era University, not


    some second-rate private school lik?


    Aurora High. Causing a scene


    boys the second she arrives So trashy."


    "So what if she got a perfect score? Why the act?"


    th


    "She''s been all over the trending topics for days now," herpanion added, her face twisted with


    jealousy Who knows if she staged it at herself Being pretty certainly has its advantages."


    The boys fawning over her were all well-known campus heartthrobs. They had apparently been waiting at the gate for her and pounced the moment she appeared, like dogs who''d never seen a beautiful woman before.


    How pathetic!


    Juniper had nned to wait for J and Queenie at the entrance, but now she was surrounded. She frowned slightly. "No, thank you."


    "Don''t be shy, we''re all fellow students," the upperssmen insisted, their eyes glued to her face.


    Juniper pulled a piece of candy from her pocket. As she looked up, her eyes met Shanley''s in the car. He was staring right back at her, and he did not look happy.


    Tch. Was he jealous?


    "Alright, then," Juniper said, cing her suitcase on the ground with a thud. She raised an eyebrow. "You want to help? Be my guest."


    The suitcase contained equipment for Harold''sb. It wasn''trge, but it was incredibly, incredibly heavy. At least 330 pounds.


    The guy with the buzz cut stepped forward, ready to show off for the pretty girl.


    "Just one suitcase, Juniper?" he asked casually, bending down to lift it. "This kind of thing is a man''s job, after all."


    As he spoke, his body went rigid. Huh? Did he just fail to lift it?


    "My hand slipped," the guy mumbled, trying to recover his dignity as he tried again.

 Chapter 518

    Not only did he fail to lift it, the suitcase didn''t even budge.


    What on earth was inside? It was like trying to lift a block of concrete!


    "You''re pathetic," a short-haired guy scoffed, shoving the first one aside. He rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward. "How heavy can a little suitcase li¡ª"


    Caught off guard by the immense weight, the short-haired guy was yanked forward by the force of gravity and fell t on his face. He rubbed his wrist, utterly bewildered and deeply embarrassed as he retreated to the side.


    What was in that thing?


    "It seems a bit heavy. Why don''t we all help Juniper?" someone suggested. The other guys moved in to help, all grabbing a handle. Embarrassingly, they couldn''t lift it either.


    The atmosphere was thick with an almost painful awkwardness.


    Just then, two familiar voices called out.


    "Juniper!" Queenie and J had arrived. "Come on, let''s go."


    "Okay," Juniper replied with a faint smile. Then, without any apparent effort, she picked up the suitcase with one hand and casually strolled away, leaving a crowd of dumbfounded upperssmen in her wake.


    The boys stared after her. Did she really just lift that thing so easily? With one hand? They had just madeplete fools of themselves in front of the campus genius. How mortifying!


    Back in the SUV, a satisfied smirk spread across Shanley''s face. He knew those little pups at Era University were no match for his Juniper. His heart felt at ease.


    After finishing their registration, Juniper apanied J and Queenie to their dorm. As they were walking, they ran right into a familiar face-Ynda Sherwin. She had gotten in as a specialty student, and with her decent exam scores she had naturally been epted to Era University.


    Ynda''s face fell when she saw Juniper. The whole fake-top-schr


    made it hard for her to


    fiasco had m


    vel


    even show her face on campus Luckily she was reasonably attractive and good at ying the victim, so several upperssmen had already offered to help her.


    "Juniper, long time no see," Ynda forced a smile and initiated the greeting. "If Grandpa knew you got into Era, he would have been so happy."


    "What a pity..." Ynda feigned a look of sorrow, her expression a masterpiece of insincerity. "That he''s no longer here to see it."


    At the mention of their grandfather, Juniper''s expression turned to ice, a chill seeping into her eyes. "It''s a good thing he can''t."


    Ynda froze.


    "Otherwise, he''d probably die of anger seeing you impersonate the top schr and tarnish the Sherwin family name," Juniper continued, her voice dangerously soft as her narrowed eyes locked onto Ynda.


    "You¡ª" Ynda''s face paled, and she quickly nced around, terrified someone might have overheard.


    She hoped he had died of anger. Her grandfather must have secretly hired tutors to train Juniper, otherwise how could she have


    gotten a perfect score? She ne


    was the


    real Sherwin, his true granddaughter! What was Juniper? Without the Sherwins, she would have rotted in a gutter somewhere.


    "Let''s go, Juniper," J said, linking her arm through Juniper''s and forcing a smile. "Era University is a nice ce, but there''s just so much trash around. It really ruins our appetite."


    "Your words are as sweet as honey," Juniper said, yfully pinching J''s cheek as they walked away.


    Watching Juniper''s retreating back, Ynda clenched her fists, her eyes burning with hatred and jealousy. "Just you wait. Let''s see if you''re still smiling after two weeks of boot camp." she seethed inwardly.


    The head drill instructor for this year''s training was a rtive of her mother''s. Crushing Juniper would be all too easy.

 Chapter 519

    Back at Cloudscape Community, Juniper lounged in a rocking chair, ying a game on her phone and eating ice cream. Registration was done, and the mandatory orientation training would begin tomorrow.


    Nearby, Shanley and Dana were packing a suitcase for her. She wouldn''t be allowed to leave campus during the training, which meant she''d have to stay in the dorms.


    "It''s going to be so hot..." Dana said, looking at Juniper with a pained expression. "Ms. Payne is so delicate. How will she endure it?"


    "Mr. Schwartz, maybe you could speak with the university? Get her excused from the training?" she pleaded.


    Dana had heard that the instructors Era University hired this year were all retired veterans, some even from special forces. She could only imagine how strict they would be. Ms. Payne was used to the meals at home, and she needed Mr. Schwartz with her to sleep at night...


    Oh, Dana was genuinely worried.


    Instead of making a decision, Shanley looked over at Juniper, seeking her opinion.


    "No need," Juniper said dismissively, her words slightly muffled by the food she was chewing. "The training sounds like fun."


    It had been a while since she''d had a proper workout. This was a good opportunity. "Let her be," Shanley said to Dana with a smile. "Just pack some more healthy snacks for her." With all that physical activity, she was bound to get hungry.


    "Of course, Mr. Schwartz." Dana bit her lip, holding back any further arguments. It was a two-week training. She could only hope Ms. Payne would make it through.


    ...


    The next day, Juniper woke up early and headed for Era City.


    As she was about to get out of the car, Shanley suddenly grabbed her wrist, his handsome face etched with concern.


    "If anything happens, call me immediately. Okay?"


    "Sure," Juniper agreed absently, adjusting her backpack.


    Not being able to go home meant she might not be able to sleep at night. She''d cross that bridge when she came to it.


    "And..." Shanley hesitated, his thumb


    stroking her wrist as his voice dropped to a low murmur. "Be careful when you''re making friends at School Especially with any guys who approach you with


    less-than-honorable intentions."


    At that, Juniper instinctively looked up at him, a yful curve gracing her pink lips.


    "So guys who approach me with honorable intentions are okay?"


    "You know that''s not what I mean.'' Shanley''s brow furrowed in helpless exasperation. He managed a weak smile. "I''m just... afraid you''ll get tired of me and find someone new."


    "Oh." Juniper blinked, leaning closer to him, a sly, fox-like grin on her face. "The great Mr. Schwartz is so easily scared."


    "Yes," Shanley admitted without hesitation, his finger gently tapping the tip of her nose. His voice wasced with a captivating charm. "I''m older. A little insecure."


    Juniper stared at him for a few seconds before her lips moved. "Don''t worry. It''s not like just any man can catch my eye."


    "Is that so?" Shanley''s grip on her hand tightened, his throat bobbing as his voice grew even huskier. "That''s a relief to hear, Juniper."


    Their eyes locked. Being this close, it was hard not to feel a spark.


    "I''m going," Juniper said abruptly, pulling away and pushing the car door open.


    Before Shanley could react, she was gone, disappearing through the school gates. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and let out a resignedugh She was a legal adult, a university student and he had sessfully confessed his feelings... so why did he still feel a pang of guilt whenever he was with her? Could this be... the age gap?

 Chapter 520

    Hearing the door open, the three girls who were chatting inside all turned their heads at once. They had heard that the perfect-score schr, Jimmie Tate''s sister, would be their roommate. They had been buzzing with anticipation all night, and now, here she was.


    Juniper took off her baseball cap, her eyes meeting the six intense, glowing stares fixed on her. They looked at her as if she were a priceless treasure.


    Thinking she might have the wrong room, Juniper stepped back to check the number on the door. Nope, this was it.


    "Are you... Juniper?" a girl named Hattie was the first to speak.


    Damn. Was the genius''s face CGI? How could anyone be this beautiful? It felt unreal!


    "I am," Juniper replied with a slight nod.


    "Come in,e in!" Hattie immediately rushed forward, enthusiastically taking Juniper''s suitcase. "Everyone here has heard about you. We''re all so impressed." "Yeah!" L chimed in, nodding eagerly. "We were ecstatic when we found out you were in our dorm."


    "Juniper, you''re amazing," said the third girl, Cynthia. She was so excited she gently tugged on Juniper''s sleeve, her eyes sparkling. "A perfect score! How did you even do that?"


    Every student at Era University was a top performer from their respective high schools. They had all been feeling pretty proud of themselves, but seeing Juniper was a humbling reminder that there''s always someone better.


    Ever since watching the live broadcast of Juniper acing the exam questions, they had developed a deep respect for her genuine talent.


    Listening to her three roommates chatter away, Juniper pursed her lips and said, "Hi, I''m Juniper."


    "Get settled in," Hattie said warmly, leading Juniper to her bunk and showing her around the dorm, pointing out the water fountain, showers, andundry room. They were certainly friendly.


    "Want a snack?" Juniper felt they were nice enough, if a bit talkative. She opened her backpack, pulled out some of her favorite snacks, and offered them around.


    "Yes, please!" The three of them nodded in unison, epting the snacks without hesitation and thanking her profusely.


    From her online videos, they had thought Juniper would be cold and aloof. But in person, she was quiet and seemed to have a good personanty.


    "Juniper, we should change and head to the assembly," Hattie reminded her heard our drille


    4uctor is super strict. Wedon


    want to bete."


    "Okay." Juniper quickly changed into her uniform and went with the others to the training field.


    Along the way, Juniper was a breathtaking sight, drawing stares from freshmen and upperssmen alike.


    "Juniper, there''s a rumor going around that you''re going to be the new campus queen," Hattie whispered as she walked beside her.


    Campus queen? What was that? Could you eat it?


    "That''s boring," Juniper said with a slight shrug, busy texting on her phone.


    Queenie: [Dude, our formation is right next to the Computer Science department.]


    J: [The Law, CS, and Broadcasting programs are all training together this year. Juniper, I''m standing next to you.]


    Juniper: [Good.]


    After finding her formation and


    taking her ce, Juniper


    immediately caused a stir The


    l.ne


    group of boys who had been clustered around Ynda all turned


    to stare at her, their expressions full of awe.


    "Finally seeing her in person," the boys whispered among themselves. "She''s even better looking than in the videos and photos."


    "What do you expect from Mr. Tate''s sister? Good looks run in the family."


    "With those skinny arms and legs, and skin that fair, she''s obviously never done any intense training. I wonder if she''ll end up crying?"

 Chapter 521

    Watching everyone''s attention shift to Juniper, the now-ignored Ynda clenched her fists, her eyes filled with a deep, seething resentment.


    "Enjoy it while itsts," she fumed silently. "Once the training begins, let''s see if you''re still smiling."


    Expectation, as they say, is a far cry from reality. J had wanted to stand next to Juniper, but her shorter stature got her moved from the back row all the way to the front.


    "Alright, everyone, find your ces! The instructor will be here any minute," thepany''s temporary counselor reminded them softly. "For this boot camp, ourpany is made up of three majors: Law, Computer Science, and Broadcasting."


    Standing in thest row, Juniper''s height made her stand out, head and shoulders above everyone else.


    "That''s about it for the announcements," the counselor continued. "The instructor is very strict, so try not to make any mistakes. Otherwise, there will be punishments."


    Hearing this, the students began to whisper amongst themselves before the instructor arrived.


    "I heard this guy is a veteran from a top military unit." An informed student bravely shared the gossip. "He''s super strict and runs a tight ship."


    "And he especially can''t stand people who use connections or pull strings. He was herest year. The seniors said the training nearly killed them."


    "Seriously..." A few of the girls were already getting scared. "We should just keep our heads down and not cause any trouble."


    "Exactly," Ynda piped up, deliberately raising her voice. "Instructor Farrell is a man of principle. He won''t pick on anyone without a reason, and he certainly won''t give anyone special treatment because of their status."


    As she spoke, she shot a pointed look at Juniper in the back row. Her mother had already spoken to her uncle. Juniper wouldn''t have a single easy day.


    Juniper had woken up too early and was feeling drowsy. She simply closed her eyes


    for a quick nap,pletely unconcerned with what anyone was saying.


    ...


    Ten minutester, a man in a camouge uniform and a green cap appeared before them. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, wi sharp features and sun-darkened skin. He did not look like a friendly person.


    "No talking," Farrellmanded. His eyes swept over the students, lingering on Juniper for a moment with a cold glint before he barked, "Attention! At ease!"


    "From now on, I am your drill instructor. My rules are simple: train hard, stay in line, and we will get along peacefully."


    "But if any of you decide to cause trouble. Farrell''s gaze locked onto Juniper as he warned, enunciating each word, don''t care who you are will show no mercy."


    Juniper''s eyes fluttered open, meeting the instructor''s stare. She narrowed her eyes slightly.


    Farrell didn''t move, holding her gaze. He was surprised to find that the girl didn''t


    seem afraid of him at all. Her expression was terrifyingly calm.


    Quite the arrogant one! But it was to be expected. A perfect-score schr and Jimmie Tate''s sister-she had the capital to be arrogant Otherwise, she wouldn''t hav@bullied Ynda so badly.


    But in him, she had met her match. For the next two weeks, she wouldn''t have a single moment of peace.


    "Alright, let''s start with sixps around the track," Farrell ordered coldly.


    "Sir!" Ynda raised her hand, feigning weakness. "Instructor, I have a stomach ache."


    "Fall out. Rest on the side," Farrell agreed without hesitation.


    "Instructor, can I¡ª" another girl in the line raised her hand.


    "Don''t even try that with me," Farrell cut her off mercilessly. "Get moving! Anyone who doesn''t finish in the allotted time will be doing push-ups."


    With groans andints, the students from the three majors began to jog.

 Chapter 522

    Juniper stayed at a rxed pace, jogging slowly near the back of the pack. By the fourthp, students were already starting to fall behind, and the formation had be a chaotic mess. Many of those who weren''t used to exercise were left far behind. Juniper was among them.


    "And here I thought you were something special," Farrell sneered, pacing back and forth with his arms crossed. His voice dripped with contempt. "Turns out you''re just a pretty face with no substance."


    "Uncle..." Ynda whispered, her eyes welling up with tears as she stood beside Farrell.


    "Don''t worry," Farrell reassured her in a low voice. "If your mother hadn''t paid to get me out of that trouble, I might be in jail right now. I''ll make sure you get your justice."


    As the time limit approached, with Juniper still at the back, her ssmates began to worry for her. Farrell watched the clock, a satisfied smile spreading across his face as he waited for Juniper to fail. At her current speed, there was no way she would make it.


    "Ten, nine, eight..."


    Just as Farrell began the countdown, Juniper, who had been joggingzily, suddenly elerated. She moved with incredible speed, as if she had rockets strapped to her


    feet.


    When Farrell shouted "one," Juniper came to a perfect stop in her designated spot, not even breathing heavily. Compared to the other students who looked half-dead, the difference was astounding.


    Farrell had nned to use this to make an example of her and assert his authority. Who would have thought she''d have such good luck, finishing right on the dot?


    "Juniper, why were you running so slow?" Hattie, who was standing next to her, asked in confusion.


    "Didn''t eat enough for breakfast. No energy," Juniper replied nonchntly, pursing her lips. The thought of not being able to go home for two weeks had killed her appetite. She had been conserving energy by jogging slowly.


    "What?" Hattie was floored by this answer, her mind buzzing.


    It was because she hadn''t eaten enough? Hahaha. As expected of a genius. Her way of thinking was on another level. So cute!


    After the run, it was time for the ssic training exercise: standing at attention.


    The students from the three majors stood under the scorching sun, sweat pouring down their faces.


    Farrell''s eyes were glued to Juniper, searching for the slightest mistake. To his surprise, her posture was exceptionally standard, without a single w.


    "The girl in the back-" In his world, if he said someone was wrong, they were wrong. Farrell pointed at Juniper. Who taught you to stand at attention like that?"


    Juniper''s eyes snapped open, her gaze coolly indifferent as itnded on him Who taught her? Let''s just say the list was long, and any one of them would have scared him to


    death.


    "Hands behind your back, chin up..." Farrell walked over to her, deliberately making


    things difficult. "Feet apart, don''t move your head."


    Not wanting to cause trouble, Juniperplied.


    "Feet together, chin down..." Farrell changed his instructions again,manding her.


    After he went back and forth a couple of times, Juniper figured it out. Heh. This idiot instructor was targeting her, wasn''t he?


    "What are you looking at?" Farrell crossed his arms, his posture arrogant and thuggish. "Think you''re so special just because you got a perfect score?"


    Hearing the instructor''s reprimand, the other students stole nces at Juniper. His attitude was awful. Any other girl would probably have burst into tears.


    But Juniper tilted her head up, her cool eyes fixed on Farrell,


    special? Why don''t you try and get


    one?"

 Chapter 523

    Juniper held her chin high, her makeup-free face exquisitely beautiful. The slight downward tilt of her eyes conveyed an unexpected and powerful sense of authority.


    "What did you say?" Farrell hadn''t expected Juniper to talk back, and his gaze instantly turned cold.


    "I said..." Juniper pursed her lips, a hint of an impatient smirk ying on them. She cleared her throat and enunciated each word clearly, "If you think getting a perfect score is so easy, then why don''t you get one for us all to see?"


    A collective gasp went through the crowd. The students were stunned by Juniper''s confident rebuttal. Everyone could see that this Farrell guy was bad news. The training had just started, and he already had them all red-faced and gasping for air. The smart thing to do was keep your head down.


    But the legendary Juniper was so bold she was openly challenging him. Wasn''t she afraid he''d hold a grudge and make her life hell?


    Farrell was left speechless by hereback. Hearing the snickers from the other students, he felt his face flush with humiliation.


    "You¡ª" He stared daggers at Juniper, his voice seething.


    "Me?" Juniper met his gaze without flinching, her expression unchanging. "If you didn''t hear me clearly, Instructor, I don''t mind saying it a third time."


    Someone in the front row couldn''t help but let out a snort ofughter.


    "Fine," Farrell hissed, clenching his fists as he leaned in close to Juniper. "You better not make a single mistake, or you''ll regret it."


    "Ohh," Juniper drawled, raising an eyebrow. Her nonchnt tone made his threat feel like punching a pillow. Fuming and helpless, he turned and stormed off. Unable to take his anger out on Juniper, he decided to torment the rest of thepany instead.


    When the morning training session ended, Juniper, Queenie, and J made a beeline for the cafeteria.


    It was too hot, so Juniper had taken off her cap and tied her long hair into a bun, revealing her delicate features. The gazes of those around her were irresistibly drawn to her. their breathing hitching.


    "Hey, Juniper, over here!" a boy from her ss called out, waving her over. "Cut in front of us. You go first."


    "I''m fine waiting in the back," Juniper replied politely. "Thanks, though."


    The boy had been hoping to act like a gentleman, but her cool demeanor left him feeling strangely intimidated.


    Meanwhile, in a nearby line, Ynda was chatting with some boys from her ss.


    "I feel bad about cutting in line," Ynda said, holding her tray with a coy smile.


    "It''s no problem," a boy immediately stepped out of the line to let her go first.


    "Well... thank you," Ynda said with a bashful look, then guiltlessly took the spot at the front of the line.


    Ten minutester, Juniper sat down


    at a table with J and Queenie.


    The three of them dug into their food in perfect unison. J didn''t eat chicken legs, so Juniper took hers Queenie didn''t eat fatty meat so she gave it all to Juniper.


    "Juniper, are you getting used to the food here?" J asked worriedly, fiddling with her fork. After all, Dana''s cooking was exceptional, while the cafeteria food was just average.


    "It''s fine." Juniper was not a picky eater. She popped thest grain of rice into her mouth.


    "Good." J nodded, passing her a bowl of soup. "Have some of this pumpkin soup. It''ll help cleanse your pte."


    "Mm." Juniper took the bowl and


    ?


    drank it all in one go. As she was wiping her mouth, a male student from the broadcasting program spoke up from a nearby table heard you might be chosen as the freshman representative this year.

 Chapter 524

    He was talking to Ynda, who was sitting at a table surrounded by several fawning male students.


    "Where did you hear that? It can''t be true," Ynda said, fiddling with her fork. She feigned surprise, but inwardly, she was already beaming with joy.


    "It''s true!" one of the boys insisted confidently. "You got the top score among the new Broadcasting majors, you speak well, and you have a great image. It makes perfect sense for them to choose you!"


    "My cousin''s on the student council," another boy added. "He''s the one who told me, so it should be reliable."


    Many high-level university officials would be attending the opening ceremony, so everything had to be perfect. Among all the freshmen, Ynda had the most public speaking experience and had even won several awards. There was no one more suitable for the role.


    Student council? Hearing that, a smirk touched Ynda''s lips. It seemed the news was real after all.


    "Just you wait," the boy continued his ttery, diligently twisting open a water bottle for her. "A professor will probably contact you about it in a few days."


    "I''ll wait and see, then," Ynda said with a nod. She nced at Juniper''s back, a wave of satisfaction washing over her as a triumphant smile spread across her face. So what if Juniper was the top schr? In the end, she would be the one shining at the opening ceremony!


    The thought of giving a speech in front of thousands of people made her tremble with excitement. She had to prepare well and win back all the attention Juniper had stolen from her.


    ...


    The afternoon training session began, and Farrell immediately started looking for ways to torment Juniper.


    "Juniper, your posture is incorrect," he dered, circling her with his hands sped behind his back, his eyes full of disdain. "The rest of you are dismissed for a break. She will continue to stand here. She can rest when her posture meets the standard."


    "What?"


    "The sun is so strong. How can she take it?"


    Murmurs of discontent rose from theputer science students nearby. "Besides, I thought her posture looked perfectly fine."


    "He''s totally doing this on purpose!" Queenie seethed, running over to J and shooting a death re at the instructor Mr. Schwartz finds out about this, he''ll break his legs! That''s it, I''m having Qadir tel Mr. Schwartz right now."


    Queenie spun around to leave, but J grabbed her arm.


    "What''s wrong?" Queenie asked, confused.


    "Well..." J bit her lip and


    whispered, "Mr. Schwartz definitely knows what''s happening to Juniper hasn''t stepped


    at Ere the has go


    in, it must mean it''s not necessary."


    "Besides," she added, "is Juniper the type to let herself be bullied?"


    Queenie paused, rubbing her nose. "Good point."


    The two of them crouched down nearby, watching Juniper intently. "Hey, let''s go get some ice cream," someone called over to Ynda.


    "No, thanks," Ynda replied, remaining seated as she cast a long, satisfied look at Juniper. She wasnt to miss such a spectacr


    A crowd was starting to form. No one could believe that the perfect-score schr


    was being punished by the instructor for improper posture.


    "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Farrell sneered, stopping in front of Juniper. "Perfect-score schr."


    "I do!" Juniper dered, a faint smile ying on her lips.


    She does? Farrell raised an eyebrow. Had she finally cracked after just a few


    minutes? Was she ready to admit she was wrong?


    He had been a soldier for years; there wasn''t a recruit he couldn''t break. He was an expert at handling troublemakers like Juniper.


    "Speak," Farrell ordered, waiting for Juniper to apologize in front of everyone.


    But her next words made his face go pale.

 Chapter 525

    "You believe my posture is incorrect?" Juniper asked, her head held high. Her cool, clear voice carried across the field as her gazended squarely on his face.


    "That''s right," Farrell confirmed without hesitation.


    "Alright," Juniper said, a slow, deliberate smile spreading across her lips as she narrowed her eyes. "Since I''m doing it wrong, why don''t you demonstrate the correct way for me?"


    Farrell, unsure of what game she was ying, but aware of the curious eyes of the watching students,plied.


    A coldugh escaped Juniper''s lips.


    "What''s so funny?" Farrell demanded, his brow furrowed in displeasure.


    "You, of course," Juniper''s voice rang out, sharp and clear. "The standard posture requires the feet to be angled outwards at approximately 60 degrees. Is that 60 degrees?"


    Farrell nced down at his own feet. The crowd''s gaze followed. It didn''t look like 60 degrees.


    "Whening to attention, the left foot should extend forward about two-thirds of its length. Do you call that two-thirds? The legs should be straight, the upper body held in the position of attention, with the body''s center of gravity falling on the right foot..."


    Juniper exined as she demonstrated, each movement so precise it could have been lifted from a textbook. In contrast, it was clear that Farrell, after years of no training and indulgent living, had forgotten the proper form. Compared to Juniper''s perfect posture, even the freshmen could see the ring difference.


    "You say my form is incorrect?" Juniper raised an eyebrow, her tone dripping with casual disdain. "Why don''t we call your head instructor over and see who''s truly not up to standard?"


    Farrell was stunned into silence. He knew Juniper was right about everything, but with his pride on the line, he couldn''t find a single thing to retort. Her form was undeniably perfect; if the head instructor came, he would be the one in trouble.


    "I''ll go get him!" a boy from theputer science department shouted, ying along.


    Farrell''s hands clenched into fists, his face a mask of ugly, conflicted emotions. If he let her go, he''d lose face. But if he continued to punish her and the head instructor showed up, het be reprimanded and jose. respect anyway.


    Damn it. He never thought this girl would be so sharp, not just with ker words but with her mind. She had dug a pit for him, and he had walked right into it, humiliating himselfpletely.


    "We still have fourteen days together. Don''t celebrate too soon," Farrell hissed, leaning in close to Juniper.


    "Ohh," Juniper drawled, her eyes narrowing as azy smile graced her features. "Since there''s nothing else, I''ll be going now."


    That infuriating "ohh" again! Watching Juniper walk away, Farrell felt a rage build in his chest with nowhere to go.


    "Uncle, she''s so arrogant," Ynda said, rushing over to him, her voice filled with indignation. "How could she embarrass you in front of so many people?"


    "Hmph. She''s just a brat," Farrell snarled, his face dark and twisted with anger. His eyes were so sharp they could have killed. It was only the first day. He refused to believe she could be lucky enough to escape punishment every single time.


    Juniper, was it? Just you wait.


    ...


    That evening, the story of Juniper''s confrontation with the instructor spread throughout the entire department. In theputer science freshmen group chat, things exploded.


    [Farrell''s a psycho. Walking around with that dead-fish face, who does he think he is!]


    Someone started the anonymous tirade.


    [I agree! God, I can''t stand people who act all high and mighty!]

 Chapter 528

    After breakfast, a new day of training began.


    Farrell continued to single out Juniper, finding all sorts of ways to give her a hard time. But not only did she deftly sidestep his attempts, she also managed to put him in an awkward position several times. The animosity between them was now set in


    stone.


    After several days of standing at attention and marching, the training was finally moving on to something more interesting.


    ¡°I heard we''re doing the 400-meter obstacle course today," Hattie said, pointing at the obstacles set up on the field, her excitement palpable. ¡°But it looks really hard. I don''t think I could even get past the first set of steps."


    "Me neither," Cynthia agreed with a pout. "We have to climb over that? I''d die!"


    "This time, eachpany is only sending one person," J said, craning her neck. "I hope Farrell doesn''t make you go."


    That creep was always picking on Juniper. It was too much.


    "Yeah,¡± Queenie nodded, indignant on her behalf. "Juniper, if he picks you, just refuse. If he gives you a hard time, we''ll fight him." She was so done with that guy. ¡°So fierce?¡± Juniper said, hands in her pockets, a casual smile gracing her lips. "Well..." Queenie was all talk; the thought of an actual fight made her nervous. But she could always tattle to Mr. Schwartz and have him deal with Farrell!


    "Still talking? Have you no sense of discipline?¡± Farrell snapped, his gazending on the group, his anger ring.


    "Tch." Hattie rolled her eyes, and the girls moved to their designated spots. Sure enough, as soon as they were settled, Farrell announced who would be


    participating.


    "Juniper!"


    At the sound of her name, everyone''s head swiveled to look at her.


    Was he serious? Could his personal bias be any more obvious? All the otherpanies were sending male students, and strong ones at that. Juniper, with her slender frame, was going to run an obstacle course?


    ¡°Sir, I request permission to participate,¡± a male student from theputer science department spoke up, unable to stand by.


    "I decide who goes," Farrell said, dead set on making Juniper suffer and be humiliated. "Anyone else with an opinion can give me fifty push-ups."


    "Sir-" J and Queenie started to protest, but Juniper stepped forward and said calmly, "Fine."


    Queenie and J looked at Juniper, and after catching her eye, they reluctantly fell silent. They knew she was a skilled fighter, but these obstacles were genuinely difficult for a girl.


    ¡°Step forward!¡± Farrell called Juniper to the front, then addressed the rest of thepany. ¡°Let''s all look forward to seeing if our top schr''s skills are as sharp as her tongue."


    "Pfft-" A few students from the neighboring broadcasting department let out contemptuous snickers.


    "You''d better do well, Juniper. Don''t disgrace ourpany. If you really can''t make


    it, don''t force yourself. It would be so embarrassing to fall into the mud."


    Theputer science andw


    students gritted their teeth in


    frustration. They were supposed to be the samepany, but there was not team spirit. Especially Ynda subtly spreading rumors, more and more people thought Juniper was just a show off. They were naturally delighted at the prospect of her making a fool of herself.


    Once everyone was assembled, the 400-meter obstacle course officially began. The course consisted of eight parts: staggered posts, a


    trencha low wall, a high tform monkey bars, a a bnce beam


    high wall, and a low wire.


    The first to go was a male student from the foreignnguages department. He cleared the posts and the trench smoothly, but when he reached the low wall, his arms gave out, and he tumbled to the ground.


    "Hahaha..."


    The clumsy fall drew a wave of jeers from the crowd.


    The second contestant was from the nextpany. He also did well on the first few obstacles, but he got stuck at the high tform, failing to vault er it after several attempts... His instructor could only shake his head and tell him to move on. In the end, he ran out of time, stumbling through withoutpleting the course.


    The third contestant went up...


    Meanwhile, in a tall building not far away, a slender woman in a camouge uniform


    was observing the training ground through a pair of binocrs.


    "Ebony Fox, today''s event is the 400-meter obstacle course," her subordinate reported, reading from a file.


    "A 400-meter obstacle course?¡± The woman adjusted her binocrs, a faint, cold smile touching her lips. ¡°Kids these days are just hothouse flowers. They get winded after running two steps..."


    She hade to the university hoping to scout some promising talent. Hmph. All show and no substance.


    Just as Ebony Fox was grumbling to herself, a tall, slender figure caught her eye. This event was dominated by male students, so why was there a girl participating?

 Chapter 529

    Ebony Fox adjusted the binocrs, zooming in for a clearer view. But the girl was standing with her back to her, making it impossible to see her face.


    Before their turns, the other contestants had made a big show of preparing, either taking off their jackets or rolling up their sleeves and pant legs to avoid getting hindered. For all their bluster, not a single one had managed to clear all the obstacles. They had fallen in every imaginable way, sprawled across the course in various undignified positions. In her unit, that level of physical fitness wouldn''t even qualify them to peel potatoes.


    But this girl was different. Although Ebony Fox couldn''t see her expression, she watched as the girl stood quietly with her hands in her pockets, a posture of casual nonchnce, with no unnecessary movements.


    Ebony Fox narrowed her eyes. With such a slight frame, she doubted the girl could even make it past the first two obstacles.


    Just as she was pondering this, the whistle blew. The slender figure shot forward like a gust of wind, sessfully clearing one obstacle after another.


    Watching her move with an ease that made it look like child''s y, the smile on Farrell''s face froze. How could she be so fast?


    Juniper navigated all eight obstacles without a single pause, running straight to the finish line and hitting the timer. The world record for the 400-meter obstacle course was 1 minute and 32 seconds. Juniper''s time was... 1 minute and 31 seconds. She had actually broken the world record, and by exactly one second!


    What was more, she had lookedpletely rxed while running. After stopping, she wasn''t even out of breath, clearly indicating she hadn''t given it her all. If she had really pushed herself, her time would have been even better.


    "Whoa!"


    The students were silent for a few seconds, then erupted into thunderous cheers and apuse as they registered the time.


    "Hey, hey, hey! Laugh! Why aren''t youughing anymore?" Theputer science andw students gloated at the broadcasting majors, their voices dripping with sarcasm. ¡°I seem to recall someone saying we were all brains and no brawn. Well, how about now? Better than some majors, right? All talk, and no skills to back it up!"


    The broadcasting program admitted students based on abination of professional and academic scores, with a lower admissions threshold than the other, more rigorous departments.


    The broadcasting students all lowered their heads, silent as mice.


    ¡°Well, Farrell, no wonder you rmended this girl for the men''s 400-meter obstacle course," an instructor from a neighboringpanymented. He hadn''t seen such an impressive run in a long time and was generous with his praise. "A time like that is better than many trained professionals. I''m ashamed to evenpare."


    Farrell''s mouth twitched. He tried to smile, but couldn''t. His intention had been to humiliate Juniper, hoping she would fall and injure herself. Who would have thought she would be so incredible?


    Juniper finished her run and walked over to Farrell, stopping beside him. "I brought you honor. You must be pleased, right?" she said, her lips barely moving.


    Farrell''s head snapped up, so enraged he nearly choked. The insult was devastating!


    "Tsk." With that, Juniper walked back to herpany to receive the adoration of her peers.


    Farrell stood frozen, staring at Juniper in disbelief. This was the useless girl Ynda had told him about? A top schr, perfect military posture, and now outstanding physical fitness. She had grown up in the Sherwin family. How could she be so exceptional, and why would Ynda...


    Farrell turned to look at Ynda, his expression hardening.


    Meanwhile, in a nearby administrative building.


    "Well," Ebony Fox''s subordinate said, pressing his face against the window and holding his eyes wide open with his hands after watching Juniper''s entire run. "Who would''ve thought a little eighteen-year-old girl would be the one to break a world record? Herconditioning is insane. She''s got the makings of a specia forces soldier, no doubt about it."


    "Who is she?" Ebony Fox asked, her voice raspy. She kept her eyes narrowed, fixed


    on the girl, a strange emotion flickering across her otherwise cold face.


    "Let me check."


    Her subordinate made a quick call to the person in charge of the training and got his


    answer.


    "The girl''s name is Juniper Payne. Eighteen years old. She was the top scorer on this year''s college entrance exams.¡± He paused for emphasis. ¡°With a perfect score in every subject. Tsk, tsk. She''s theplete package.¡±


    "The top scorer?" Ebony Fox''s gaze remained locked on Juniper, seeing only the lower half of her face beneath the cap''s brim. She had clearly seen the exchange with the instructor. She was smart and has an attitude...


    ¡°Ma''am, you''re not thinking of taking her on as your prot¨¦g¨¦e, are you?¡± the subordinate asked cautiously.


    Ebony Fox had been a senior instructor at the Huntsman Institute, a facility deep in the Amazon rainforest that trained elite special forces and mercenaries for countries around the world. The soldiers she''d trained were now legendary figures scattered across the globe.


    Then, two months ago, the notoriously solitary Ebony Fox had inexplicably epted an invitation from the Orient Country''s military to be their general military instructor and, concurrently, the chief instructor for Era University''s military training.


    He had once asked her why she''d bother with these kids. They were all rookies, the


    type to see stars after a single punch. It seemed so boring.


    All Ebony Fox had said was, "The raw recruits are more of a challenge."


    He had no idea what to make of that.


    Her prot¨¦g¨¦e? Ebony Fox tossed the binocrs to her subordinate and sat down, crossing her long legs. She lit a slim cigarette, the pale smokeveiling a face that was strikingly beautiful yet so cold it dared anyone to approach. A striking picture of cool, intimidating beauty.


    ¡°Get me her file," Ebony Fox said slowly, exhaling a plume of smoke. The girl''s


    physical conditioning looked promising. Eighteen years old.....


    If her sister were still alive, she would have been the same age.

 Chapter 530

    "Yes."Her subordinate nodded respectfully. "Will tomorrow be eptable?¡±


    Ebony Fox had just arrived, and much of her paperwork was still pending. As the person responsible for her arrangements, he had to handle it personally.


    "Fine." Ebony Fox stubbed out her cigarette and stood up, gazing at the trainingpanies in the distance. The girl was lost in the crowd of thousands, but the image of her effortlessly conquering the obstacle course remained vivid in her mind. So full of life, so vibrant.


    Her own sister had been a mischievous child, turning the house upside down from the age of two or three.


    At the thought, a shadow of sadness crossed Ebony Fox''s cold eyes. Fifteen years ago, the shipwreck had happened. She had been rescued by a stroke of luck, only to fall into the hands of cruel human traffickers. They sold her on the international ck market.


    Her buyer had intended to harvest her organs, but on the day of the auction, she fought with all her might and escaped her cage. But she was just a small, starving child of seven or eight. The ck market thugs caught her, leaving her covered in cuts and bruises.


    As fate would have it, a mysterious tycoon attending the auction took an interest in her, buying her for a high price and taking her to the Huntsman Institute. Her training began at age eight, and she wed her way up from what was essentially a death pit. If you couldn''t beat the others, you died. Over time, her strength grew, and she became the Huntsman Institute''s only female instructor.


    Some time ago, she received a tip that her younger sister might be in Era City. But her unique status made entering Orient Country extremely difficult. So, she agreed to be a special instructor for a special forces base in Orient Country for three months. During this time, she would do her best to find her sister and any other survivors.


    But Era City was so vast. How could she possibly find her?


    "If I need to find someone in Era City quickly, what''s the best way?" Ebony Fox asked quietly, rubbing a distinctive bracelet on her wrist.


    "Find someone?" Her subordinate paused for a moment before cautiously replying, "You could try Cybeic shadows. It has a solid reputation in Borealia. As long as you pay, they can dig up your target''s entire family tree."


    Cybeic Shadows? The name was familiar. But she couldn''t forget her parents'' dying wish: she was not to look for her sister before she turned eighteen. And even then, she couldn''t make a big scene. There could only be one reason for such socha Warning. Many other people were also searching for her sister, for reasons unknown. Cybeic Shadows was a far-reaching organization. Rashly exposing her sister''s information could put her in danger.


    "I see," Ebony Fox nodded slightly. "You may go."


    She needed to consider this carefully.


    ...


    The next training activity was shooting.


    Due to time constraints, the best student from eachpany was selected to participate. The top three shooters would earn the title


    "Outstanding Cadet." More of tee


    Compar


    of the first ce


    the


    winner


    would be exempt from the final


    long-distance march and get a day


    of rest.


    The promise of a day off sent a wave of excitement through all thepanies. A day of rest was a godsend.


    "Ourpany will nominate Ynda,¡± Farrell announced, standing with his hands behind his back, feet apart.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Ynda stepped forward, a radiant smile on her face.


    "Her?" Murmurs of discontent rippled through thepany. They weren''t happy about Ynda being chosen.

 Chapter 531

    By now, everyone had figured out her rtionship with the instructor. He was her uncle. Of course, a ssic case of nepotism. No wonder her training always seemed easier than everyone else''s.


    "Well, that''s it then. With her representing us, forget about first ce. We''ll be lucky if we don''t end upst and embarrass ourselves."


    "I heard Ynda took shooting sses as a kid. Her skills must be pretty good. Otherwise, why would she look so confident?"


    "I wouldn''t be so sure," Hattie retorted with a sneer. "By the way, Juniper, can you shoot?"


    After all these days, Hattie saw Juniper as a goddess who could do anything except fly.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Juniper, who had been resting with her eyes closed, opened them slightly. "A little bit," she said nonchntly.


    "Just a little?" Hattie muttered to herself, then said with conviction, "Well, that''s still got to be better than Ynda."


    Juniper pursed her lips but didn''t say anything.


    "Any objections?" Farrell asked perfunctorily.


    Everyone exchanged nces, their dissatisfaction clear but unspoken. No one dared to object and risk being assigned fifty push-ups.


    "Since there are no objections, Ynda it is.¡±


    Thepetition was scheduled for three in the afternoon. Farrell used the lunch break to give Ynda some extra practice.


    The shootingpetition was really just a way to liven things up for the students. Anyone who could hit the target was considered impressive. Since Ynda had been around guns since childhood and had a decent aptitude for it, she could not only hit the target but asionallynd a shot in the third or fourth ring. Farrell told her the other students were all amateurs, which made Ynda even more certain of her victory.


    So, before thepetition even began, rumors were already circting in the broadcasting department that Ynda was going to take first ce. She even brazenly imed that thew andputer science departments should thank her for their day of rest, and that they had better show her some respect from now on.


    ...


    At three in the afternoon, the shootingpetition officially began.


    At the same time, by the window of the administration building, Ebony Fox was once again watching through her binocrs.


    "Is Company 22 sending the same record-breaking girl from before?"


    The girl had shattered the obstacle course record, which proved she''d had


    specialized training. Ebony Fox was curious to see how she would do at shooting.


    ¡°Doesn''t look like it,¡± her subordinate


    replied, also holding a pair of binocrs. He described Ynda''s appearance. See the one with the most foundation caked on her face? She''s representing Company 22."


    Ebony Fox''s gaze fell on Ynda, and her expression immediately turned cold. That girl looked like she could shoot?


    "Bang-"


    Losing interest, Ebony Fox tossed the binocrs on the table and opened Juniper''s file. The first page was her photo, an official ID picture.


    Seeing the girl''s face, Ebony Fox''s heart skipped a beat. Why did this face seem so familiar? Especially those defiant eyes and brows they bore a striking resemnce to her own.


    "She used to be an orphan, but she


    found her older brother," her subordinate exined, in case Ebony Fox couldn''t read the fecalnguage. "Her brother is Jimmie Tate, the nation''s biggest movie star."


    Jimmie? Never heard of him.


    The further she read, the stronger the sense of familiarity grew. Could it be that her intense longing to find her sisterbined with her. admiration for Juniper, was creating this illusion of familiarity?


    No. She had to get to the bottom of this.

 Chapter 532

    "Do you have a photo of Jimmie?" Ebony Fox asked.


    "Yes." Her subordinate immediately opened his phone, typed "Jimmie" into the search bar, and a flood of photos appeared online.


    Jimmie and Juniper didn''t share the same eyes, but their mouths and expressions were very simr. So they were biological siblings? If that was the case, all she had to do was contact Jimmie to find out if Juniper was her sister.


    "Do you have Jimmie''s private contact information?" Ebony Fox asked again.


    "Huh?" Her subordinate thought he had misheard. "Whose private contact info did you say you wanted?"


    "Jimmie. Is there a problem?" Ebony Fox''s gaze turned icy, her delicate features showing a hint of impatience. She had spent most of her life in the Amazon rainforest, often cut off from the inte. She didn''t know a single celebrity from Orient Country, let alone one from anywhere else.


    "Ma''am, neither the paparazzi nor the stalkers have ever managed to get Jimmie''s private contact info. How would I possibly know it?!" her subordinate said with a shrug, his expression one of utter helplessness. He recalled that a crazed fan had once offered a five-million-dor reward for it, to no avail. That''s how hard it was to get.


    After hearing his exnation, Ebony Fox didn''t press the issue. "Can you arrange a meeting with him?" she asked.


    Her subordinate stared at her, speechless. After a long pause, he managed to choke out, ¡°Jimmie''s appearance fee is exorbitant. We''re talking tens of millions."


    "Tens of millions? Fine," Ebony Fox said without a moment''s hesitation. She took a card from her purse and pushed it across the table. ¡°Book him for me."


    Her subordinate nced at the bank card, then back at Ebony Fox, confirming she wasn''t joking. ¡°Um..." He rubbed his nose and leaned in, asking cautiously, "Are you a fan of his?"


    Tens of millions, just like that. She was the ultimate superfan!


    Ebony Fox shot him a look so cold it could freeze hell over.


    "I''ll see what I can do," her subordinate said, quickly grabbing the card and scurrying away before he could say anything else stupid.


    The office fell silent. Ebony Fox


    picked up her binocrs again and scanned the crowd for Juniper. There she was, sitting in the back row with her head bowed, clearly dozing off. Even the way she slept looked a little like her sister. Was it just her imagination again?


    On the field, the shooting targets were in ce. Fortypanies meant forty participants. Thepetition would have three


    rounds. The first round would


    eliminate the bottom twenty The second would eliminate the bottom ten. The final round would determine the top three from the remaining ten contestants.


    Ynda had drawn number 31, a decent spot that gave her more time to prepare.


    Each person got three shots per round. The sum of the three scores would be their total for the first round.


    Soon, the first student stepped up. He raised his rifle and aimed at the center of the target. A loud bang echoed, but the target remained untouched.


    His instructor stared, ck-jawed. The observers were rooted to the spot in dumbfounded silence.


    He took his second and third shots.


    It was clear he was a novice. His


    total score for all three shots was 2 points. He had missed twice, and on the third shot his hand had


    trembled, luckily


    hitting the


    two-point ring.


    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Ynda couldn''t help butugh. He called that shooting? What a joke.


    As the next contestants took their turns, the tenth one started a new trend. Scores of 20, 18..... someone even hit a perfect ten.


    Soon, it was contestant number 25''s turn. This student was obviously experienced. He fired three shots in quick session: 8, 7, and 9 points.

 Chapter 533

    His total was 24 points. This ced him first among all the students so far-an impressive score for an amateur.


    Watching the contestants'' performance improve and their uracy rise, Ynda''s fingers tightened, her heart pounding. Hadn''t Farrell said that very few students had any shooting experience, that most were just dabblers who would struggle to even hit the target?


    Although she had been in a shooting club since she was a child, she had never taken it seriously. The best she had ever scored was a 4. Even if she hit 4 points on all three shots, her total would only be 12. Compared to the others, she would already be near the bottom of the rankings. If anyone else scored higher, wouldn''t she be eliminated in the first round?


    She had already boasted that she would win first ce and give everyone a day off. If she got eliminated now, how could she ever show her face again? Maybe she could pretend to be sick and sit this one out?


    "Number 31, you''re up!"


    Just as Ynda was trying toe up with a n, the announcer''s voice rang out. All eyes turned to her. As a rifle was handed to her, she realized she had no way out. She had to steel herself and walk to the shooting line.


    Her first shot went wide: 2 points.


    "What?"


    The broadcasting students were stunned. Two points? Just a moment ago, a student with no experience had gotten a lucky 3. Ynda had been practicing for years-what was this?


    Farrell''s face darkened. He thought Ynda must just be nervous. It was fine. As long as she scored better on the next two shots, she still had a chance to advance.


    Second shot: 3 points.


    The students fell silent, their expressions saying it all. Farrell''s face grew even darker. Was she sure she had practiced?


    After two misses, Ynda was even more nervous for her third shot. But luck was on her side, and she managed to hit the 4-point ring.


    Her total was 9 points. This score ced her 18th among the contestants who had already shot. Even if she advanced, she was so far behind the top three that she had no hope ofpeting for the top spots.


    At this point, Ynda would rather have been eliminated. The second round would just be another opportunity for her to be publicly humiliated.


    As expected, Ynda scraped by, qualifying for the second round in 20th ce, four points behind the 19th-ce contestant. At this rate, she wouldn''t just fail to catch up to the top three; she would struggle to even surpass the person directly ahead of her.


    "It''s over."


    "Damn it, I had already nned my day off. I was all ready to go, and now this? Theputer science students were distraught, throwing fold


    their hands up in despair


    you she couldn''t be trusted, and now the whole school knows she was


    supposed to get first ce.


    And


    where is she now? Deadst at


    20th?"


    "Seriously, can''t she just forfeit? Unless she hits a perfect 10 on all her shots in the next rounds, there''s no way she can advance...¡±


    But it was obvious she couldn''t. Now, it wasn''t just her who was embarrassed, but


    the entire 22ndpany. Unbelievable!


    The second round began quickly. The first few contestants continued to perform well, with one even scoring a 9 on a single shot-more than Ynda''s total for three shots. It was mortifying.


    Ynda looked at the rising scores of the people ahead of her, then at her own meager ¡°9,¡± and her heart hammered in her chest. No. She could do it if she continued, not only would she lose, but she would also be humiliated and ridiculed.


    After some thought, Ynda lowered her eyes and nced around. Seeing that no one was paying close attention to her, she squeezed her eyes shut and copsed to the ground, pretending to faint.


    All the students of the 22ndpany were baffled.

 Chapter 534

    Ynda fainted? She just conveniently fainted right before her turn topete? How was that any different from a soldier deserting on the battlefield?


    Seeing this, the on-site medics immediately rushed over. After a quick examination, they found nothing unusual. But why wasn''t she waking up?


    Worried about potentialplications, one of them suggested, "We rmend sending her to the hospital for a full check-up."


    These students were precious; the university couldn''t afford to be held responsible for any idents.


    "Alright, notify her family," Farrell nodded, his face etched with concern.


    After Ynda was carried away, the suspended shootingpetition resumed. The contestants went in order of their first-round rankings, and they were already up to number fifteen. It would soon be Ynda''s turn...


    "Several students in ourpany have shooting experience and are much better than Ynda."


    "If it weren''t for Ynda''s bragging, the 22ndpany wouldn''t have ended up at the bottom in the first round."


    "Beingst is one thing, but pulling a stunt like this? The otherpanies areughing at us for running away from the fight."


    Damn it. Before, they were just embarrassed. Now, they couldn''t even lift their heads.


    "Since Ynda is sick, can''t the 22ndpany get a substitute?" someone suddenly called out, instantly capturing everyone''s attention.


    That was right. They could get a substitute. Weren''t there plenty of students who had experience with shooting? Anyone would be better than that half-baked amateur, Ynda!


    ver


    But there was a problem. With Ynda''s pathetic score from the first round, a substitute would need to consistently score an average of eight points or higher on the remaining six shots in the second and third rounds to have a chance at winning. They probably didn''t have anyone that skilled. Going up would just mean another round of humiliation. So, no one was willing to volunteer.


    "What do we do?" the broadcasting students began to whisper amongst themselves; ming Ynda for being unreliable. The weather forecast for tomorrow predicted high temperatures and scorching sun. The long distance march would be dozens of kilometers from dawn till dusk. They had a rare chance to rest, and now it was all for nothing.


    "Is anyone from the 22ndpany going up?" someone from the crowd shouted.


    ¡°Farrell, are we just going to sit here and do nothing?" a bolder male student demanded. ¡°Didn''t you guarantee that Ynda was an expert and would win first ce?"


    Farrell''s mouth opened, but no words came out. His face was a mask of grim defeat. He had actually believed Ynda...


    He should have realized that most students at a top university like Era came from well-off families. On top of being smart, many of them would have had opportunities to try hobbies like shooting. He had put too much faith in Ynda.


    "Well, it''s over," thew andputer science students sighed, their heads bowed in resignation.


    The announcer was already on contestant number 19. If the 22ndpany couldn''t send someone up, they would have to forfeit.


    "This is so frustrating," Hattie said, turning to Juniper andining in a low voice. "I already made ns with my mom."


    She had really thought Ynda would pull through. If she had known this would happen, she wouldn''t have asked her mom to wait for her.


    "Your mom?" Juniper, who had been sitting cross-legged on the ground with her eyes half-closed, had excellent hearing.


    "Yeah," Hattie scooted closer to her and whispered, "My mom isn''t in the best of health. She went through a lot just to bring me to school, leaving tomorrow, and I was hoping to have time to see her off at the station..."

 Chapter 535

    Juniper listened quietly. She then heard other ssmatesining about their own ruined ns. If she recalled correctly, Saskia had a hospital check-up


    tomorrow, and J had wanted to go with her.


    After a few moments of silence, Juniper finally stood up. "I''ll give it a try," she announced, her voice clear and cool.


    At her words, everyone''s gaze snapped towards her.


    ¡°Juniper.......¡± Hattie, still feeling down, was startled by her sudden move. "Didn''t you say you only knew a little about shooting?"


    With no one else daring to step up, why was she putting herself in this messy situation?


    "I did say I knew a little bit," Juniper said, a slight smile ying on her lips, her tone light andzy.


    Hattie waspletely bewildered. She felt like Juniper was speaking in riddles.


    "You?¡± Farrell sized Juniper up, his face dripping with disdain. Ynda had told him that Juniper grew up in the mountains, which was why she was so fast in the obstacle course. But shooting was different; it required skill. He doubted she even knew how to hold a gun properly.


    "That''s enough,¡± Farrell said, assuming Juniper was just trying to show off. He sneered, ¡°Don''t go up there and make a fool of yourself."


    "Make a fool of myself?" A smallugh escaped Juniper''s lips, her cool expression unwavering. "You chose that ipetent girl, who shot a total score lower than the number of toes I have on one foot. Then she faked fainting because she was afraid to lose. Could anyone be more embarrassing than her?¡±


    "You-" The direct attack left Farrell''s face livid. "She couldn''t do it, so what makes you think you can?"


    ¡°Let''s make a bet,¡± Juniper said, casually ying with her fingers. "If I win first ce, you buy milkshakes for everyone in the 22ndpany."


    "And if you don''t?" Farrell shot back.


    "I''ll drop out of Era University," Juniper said, her tone unnervingly calm as she raised an eyebrow.


    What? Drop out of Era University? That was an insane bet!


    "Fine," Farrell agreed instantly, having never met such an audacious student. "You said it yourself."


    "Tsk." Juniper stepped forward. As she passed Farrell, she paused for a second. ¡°By the way, I like mango vor. No ice."


    Her period wasing up soon. If Shanley found out she was drinking something cold, he would never stop nagging her. It would be so annoying.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the administration building, Ebony Fox was sitting on the sofa, engrossed in researching Juniper and Jimmie online.


    ¡°Look!¡± her subordinate''s excited voice suddenly rang out. ¡°That girl is going up!"


    Ebony Fox, her mind consumed with thoughts of her family, ignored him.


    "The girl who broke the obstacle course record," her subordinate repeated. "Company 22 is inst


    ce after the first round. She''s


    subbing in at thest minute and wiII have to perform exceptionally well just to make it into the top three. Do you think she can shoot?


    Hearing her subordinate''s words, Ebony Fox put down her tablet and walked to the window. She picked up her binocrs as usual, her gaze finding the young girl instantly. She watched as Juniper walked to the shooting station, picked up the rifle from the table, and deftly unloaded and reloaded it. The movements were fluid and practiced-she was clearly not a novice. The file said she grew up in the mountains. How did she know so much?


    The whistle blew. The students of the 22ndpany and Farrell watched her with a mix of emotions.


    "Bang-"


    The sharp crack of the rifle made


    everyone on site flinch. When they recovered, they looked for the result on the target. The target was


    pristine, without a single mark.


    So... on her first shot, Juniper had missed the targetpletely.

 Chapter 536

    What was happening? Juniper had walked onto the stage brimming with confidence, dering she would take first ce. And her first shot was aplete miss?!


    An stunned silence fell over the students of Company 22, their faces a mixture of disbelief and dismay. What they had thought was their moment of hope had turned into one of despair.


    Meanwhile, students from the otherpanies began to whisper among


    themselves. The top-rankedpany even started shouting for Juniper to get off the stage and stop wasting everyone''s time.


    Observing the scene, a mocking smile touched Farrell''s lips. He had to admit, her earlier bravado had almost fooled him into thinking she was some kind of prodigy. But it turned out she was even worse than Ynda. What an embarrassment!


    She''d sworn she''d leave Era University if she lost. He couldn''t wait to see her try to talk her way out of this one.


    ...


    In the administration building, the subordinate''s smile froze on his face as he watched Juniper miss her first shot. His jaw nearly hit the floor. "What in the world? Her movements when loading the rifle were so smooth, I thought she was an


    expert!"


    "What a shame," he continued, shaking his head with a soft sigh. "She broke the record on the obstacle course. I really thought she''d excel in shooting, too."


    "She missed on purpose." Ebony Fox, holding a pair of binocrs, let a small, appreciative smile grace her lips.


    "On purpose?" the subordinate asked, confused. "You mean she intentionally shot wide?"


    "That''s right."


    As if on cue, just as Ebony Fox finished speaking, they watched Juniper disassemble the rifle and then expertly put it back together.


    "These types of rifles are mainly for training ranges or demonstrations; their precision isn''t the best," Ebony Fox exined calmly. "She took it apart and reassembled it to get a better feel for it, to make it handle more smoothly."


    This youngdy, she thought, was far from simple.


    ...


    "What is Juniper doing?" the surrounding students murmured, baffled by her actions.


    "If you can''t shoot, just get down. What''s the point of taking the gun apart?"


    "Is she trying to sabotage thepetition? If she breaks the gun, no one else canpete in the third round."


    "What? No way, she''s the top scorer on the entrance exam! Her mind won''t be that petty."


    Just then, a rumor rippled through the crowd.


    "I just heard from thepany next to us that the great Juniper made a bet with their instructor. If she doesn''t get first ce, she''ll voluntarily drop out of school."


    The students'' eyes widened in shock. Based on her performance so far... well, even with twenty more chances, it didn''t seem likely she''d win.


    Amid the confusion, Juniper finished reassembling the rifle, presenting the perfectly whole firearm once more.


    "The previous calibration was off. I''ve readjusted it," she said calmly, handing the rifle to the stunned instructor beside her. "To ensure fairness, please inspect it again


    "Alright," the instructor agreed. He examined it carefully and found nothing wrong.


    "If there are no issues, I''ll begin my second shot," Juniper announced, raising the rifle and aiming at the distant target.


    "BANG "


    The shot not only hit the ten-point ring butnded dead center in the bullseye.


    "Ten points!" the instructor called out. At the announcement, the slumped shoulders


    of Company 22 straightened, their heads snapping up.


    "How many? What did Juniper score?"


    "A perfect ten."


    "Aplete miss on the first shot, and a bullseye on the second. Is this heaven and hell?"


    "What a massive difference. You don''t think it was just a lucky shot, do you?"


    Hearing the score, the smile on


    Farrell''s face began to stiffen. How


    could Juniper possibly hit a


    bullseye? Even soldiers with years of


    training couldn''t always hit dead


    center. It had to be luck, right?


    "BANG="


    Before anyone could process it, a third shot rang out. Another perfect bullseye.


    "She''s made it to the third round!"


    Hattie cheered, "Even with the first miss her next two shots add up to twenty points, putting her in fifth ce for the second round!

 Chapter 537

    Once might be luck, but twice? Farrell''s smilepletely vanished, his hands clenching into tight fists at his sides.


    Soon, the shootingpetition moved into its third and final round. From the remaining ten students, the top three would be decided.


    Although Juniper had ced fifth in the second round, Ynda''s disastrous performance in the first round had dragged their team''s average down. Theirbined score put them in seventh ce overall, still more than ten points behind the top three.


    "She''s catching up, but can she actually beat the top three?" The students of Company 22, pulled from their initial euphoria, were now anxiously focused on the final round. They couldn''t take another emotional rollercoaster.


    "I did the math. She needs to score a nine or higher on all three shots in the final round to beat the current leader."


    "Three nines in a row is still a huge ask."


    Even though she had justnded two perfect tens, shooting was unpredictable. Hadn''t Ynda gotten so nervous she fainted and passed out cold?


    Soon, the final round began. Several of thepetitors, knowing they had no real chance of breaking into the top three, simply gave up and fired their shots carelessly.


    After the first few contenders finished, the leader''s total score was astronomically high, a full ten points ahead of second ce. To everyone watching, his victory seemed certain, and hispany had already begun to celebrate.


    "Company 22."


    As the instructor called their name, Juniper discreetly slipped a piece of candy from her pocket into her mouth before stepping forward.


    "You-"


    "BANG! BANG! BANG!"


    Before the instructor could even finish his sentence, Juniper fired three shots in rapid session. He stared, his mind buzzing, and rushed to check the targets. All three shots were dead center. Perfect tens.


    She hadn''t even paused to adjust her stance or steady her nerves. It was as if


    hitting a bullseye was as simple for her as adding one plus one.


    With that, Juniper scored a perfect thirty in the final round, surpassing the leader by five points and clinching the championship.


    "We won! We actually won!"


    As the final scores were announced, the students of Company 22 erupted in screams of joy. Their goddess was truly a goddess-brilliant and unbeatable. This was what real skill looked like, what true confidence was.


    Compared to her, Ynda was nothing.


    Farrell stood frozen, trying to find some w, some reason to object, but the results were undeniable.


    She broke the


    the obstacle course


    record andnded five consecutive


    bullseyes in the shootingpetition. In his entire career, the only people he''d met with that level of skill were seasoned veterans at the training base. And Juniper was only eighteen, still just a girl.


    "Whoa, she''s incredible!" back in the administration building, the subordinate jumped to his feet. "Ebony Fox, she''s perfect material for the Special Forces. We should find a way to recruit her let you train her personally. If you shaped her talent, she''d be a huge asset to this country."


    Ebony Fox turned her head and shot him a cold, piercing nce. Her subordinate''s heart skipped a beat under her icy gaze Had he said something wrong? The girl was clearly a diamond in the rough, and wasn''t Ebony Fox always looking for promising new talent?


    Ebony Fox pressed her lips together, her expression darkening. If that girl truly was


    her sister, she was meant to be loved and protected, not subjected to the brutal hardships of that life.


    ...


    As Company 22 celebrated, excitedly nning their day off, the students from the animation department, the original front-runners, voiced their outrage.


    "We suspect Juniper cheated! There''s something wrong with that rifle!"


    "After she took it apart, her shots were suddenly perfect!"


    "I demand we swap guns and repeat the third round!"

 Chapter 538

    Cheating? A do-over?


    The instructor recording the scores frowned at the usations from the animation students. He had personally inspected Juniper''s rifle before thepetition. While she had reassembled it, all she''d done was fine-tune its precision. Shooting was a skill; if you could rig the equipment to guarantee a perfect score, the entirepetition would be a joke.


    "That''s right, we demand a rematch!" a student from the animation team shouted, his voice growing louder as the prospect of their day off slipped away.


    Others from his team quickly joined in.


    "Can''t handle losing, so you resort to dirty tricks?"


    "Everyone saw her miss the first shotpletely! She obviously has no skill. Then, after ''fixing'' the gun, she gets one bullseye after another? Who''s going to believe that?"


    "She specifically chose a rifle that had been reassembled. There''s definitely something fishy about that gun."


    "If she''s so good, why didn''t they pick her topete from the start?"


    "It must be that the instructor for Company 22 was afraid of losing, so he had Juniper pull this stunt."


    "Rematch! Rematch!"


    With the animation team stirring up trouble, the original second and third-ce teams also began to mor, and the scene descended into chaos.


    In the administration building, the subordinate watched the unfolding drama through his binocrs, the loud shouts clearly audible. It was all a chorus of doubt, using Juniper of cheating.


    "Tsk, tsk," he said, shaking his head in disgust. "using others when you can''t win. These students are hopeless."


    Ebony Fox kept her gaze fixed on the young woman, waiting to see how she would handle the situation.


    "Fine," Juniper''s voice cut through the noise. "You can have my rifle, and I''ll take yours."


    She paused for a beat before adding, "But... if I win, you''ll have to pay a price."


    "A price?" The boy who had been shouting the loudest faltered for a moment, then a contemptuous smirk spread across his face.


    "Of course," Juniper''s gaze was


    sharp as steel. Though her tone was calm, her thunderous expression betrayed her deep annoyance. "You think you can just throw baseless usations around without any consequences?"


    The boy was left speechless, his face flushing with anger. "Scared?" Juniper shot him a look, her voice dripping with scorn.


    "What''s the price?" Provoked, the boy shot back, his pride on the line. He''d been shooting since he was three-fifteen years of practice. He''d in national


    evenp There was


    toumaments. no way he could lose.


    "If you lose, you will stand on that podium, take this megaphone, and shout ''I was wrong'' three times," Juniper said, tilting her chin toward the main stage.


    "And if you lose?" the boy retorted, refusing to back down.


    She lose? The question seemed to amuse Juniper. She tossed her modified rifle to him, a yful glint in her eyes. "If you can manage to win, I''ll do whatever you say."


    The boy stumbled back several steps, nearly losing his bnce as he caught the unexpectedly heavy rifle.


    "What about you two?" Juniper''s gaze shifted to thepetitors from the original second and third-ce teams who had joined the protest. "Feeling up for a challenge?"


    They exchanged a nce and


    remained silent. Even with a rematch, they knew they couldn''t beat the top score. And if they lost, they''d have to publicly humiliate themselves There was no upside for them, so they wisely stayed out of it.


    "Let''s not waste any more time. Let''s begin," Juniper said, stepping forward and holding out her hand to the boy. "The rifle."


    The sooner this was over, the sooner she could make Farrell buy her that milkshake. It had been days, and she was dying for one.


    The boy stared at her for a few seconds before turning to retrieve his rifle.

 Chapter 539

    As he turned, in a spot he thought no one could see, he deliberately tampered with the rifle''s sight.


    Juniper caught the movement out of the corner of her eye and let out a soft, derisive chuckle. What a joke. This was actually making herugh. She took the rifle he offered and sauntered toward the shooting tform.


    Since they had agreed to a rematch in a matter of minutes, the instructor had little choice but to allow it.


    Afraid his nerves would get the better of him, the boy insisted on starting immediately.


    "Fine," Juniper said, taking a seat on a nearby chair without another word.


    "Bang. Bang. Bang."


    The boy fired each shot with extreme caution, taking a full five minutes to finish. His scores were an eight, another eight, and a seven-even better than his previous round. He let out a sigh of relief and shot Juniper a triumphant look. He had intentionally misaligned the sight on his rifle; he refused to believe she could still score perfectly with a faulty weapon.


    Juniper stood up and walked calmly to the shooting position.


    "If you admit you were wrong now and forfeit the rematch, maybe faint like Ynda did, I''ll y along and won''t hold this against you," the boy offered, his voice dripping with condescension. After all, Juniper was the top scorer on the university entrance exam and quite attractive. He could afford to be a gentleman.


    Juniper turned her head slightly, a cold glint shing in her eyes. "Did one of your bullets go astray?" she asked, her face impassive.


    "What?" The boy blinked, not understanding.


    "I think it must have," she continued, a smirk ying on her lips. "Otherwise, why would you be talking as if your brain had been hit?"


    "You" Realizing he''d been insulted, the boy clenched his fists and took a menacing step forward. If they weren''t on the training grounds, he would have taught her a lesson.


    "You''d better hope you can win," he snarled, retreating to the side.


    The targets were reset. Instead of raising the rifle immediately, Juniper turned to the instructor. "Can we switch to moving targets?"


    "What?" The instructor thought he''d misheard her. Moving targets? Was she joking? Hitting moving targets required the skill of a seasoned soldier.


    "Moving targets," Juniper repeated firmly. "Since someone here doesn''t believe I can hit a ten, there''s no way to cheat on a moving target, right?"


    The boy standing nearby felt his world tilt. Moving targets? He''d be lucky to even hit the backboard. And Juniper was brazenly requesting them? The nerve!


    "Alright," the instructor said, rubbing his chin. He was also curious to see the limits of this young girl''s abilities. Her performance on the obstacle cours@had been extraordinary f she could handle moving targets as wall, on top of being brilliant. A talent like that was exactly what the country should be investing in.


    "Switch to moving targets!" hemanded.


    At his order, the other students craned their necks, staring at Juniper in disbelief. Moving targets? That was something they''d only


    seen in movies. Was Junipe really


    that skilled?


    The moving targets were set in motion. Juniper raised the rifle and, without a


    moment''s hesitation, fired three shots.


    "Bang, bang, bang." It was over in three seconds.


    "Did she hit them? Did she hit


    them?


    Qu


    anything?" the boy demanded, turning anxiously to the instructor The targets had been fast, and Junipers shots had been even faster. All he''d seen were three brief puffs of smoke; the targets themselves were a blur.


    The other students held their breath, waiting for the verdict. These were moving targets, after all. Forget a bullseye-if she even managed to hit the target, they would be in awe.

 Chapter 540

    "Hold on." The instructor dropped his clipboard and sprinted toward the target range, clearly as eager as everyone else to see the results.


    Once there, he knelt, carefully examining the three moving targets. His face registered shock. Then more shock. And then, pure, unadulterated shock.


    "How is this possible?" he murmured, tracing the bullet holes with his finger before looking back at Juniper, his expression one of utter disbelief.


    "What''s the score?" the students yelled, dying of suspense.


    The boy waited with a pounding heart.


    After a few seconds of stunned silence, the instructor finally stammered, "The score is... ten points."


    Hearing this, the boy pumped his fist with a triumphant "Yes!" He cheered, thinking her total for all three shots was a mere ten. Not only had she failed to beat him, she hadn''t even cracked the top three. He knew it! Her earlier scores had been a fluke.


    "Wait," the instructor said, cutting through the boy''s celebration with a gulp. "You might have misunderstood me. When I said ten points, I meant... each of the three shots was ten points."


    The boy''s cheering died in his throat. He froze, staring at the instructor in disbelief. What? All three were tens? That meant her total was thirty, still beating him!


    He refused to believe it. He wouldn''t believe Juniper was that good.


    With a grim expression, the boy broke into a frantic run toward the target range. The instructor didn''t stop him, letting him see the proof for himself.


    A perfect ten. Another perfect ten. And a third. Not only had she hit the ten-point ring every time, but each shot was dead center in the bullseye. On moving targets.


    Seeing the scores with his own eyes, the boy finally epted the reality. His legs gave out, and he copsed to the ground.


    "My god, what kind of monster is she? Perfect score on the entrance exam, breaks the obstacle course record, and now she''s hitting perfect bullseyes on moving targets?"


    "And the


    azy thing is, she makes it


    all look so easy, like it''s just a game for her. A little of this, a little of that, and Bam a perfect score


    "If I tried ''a little of this and a little of that,'' I''d end up in the hospital."


    "That''s it, I''m changing how I refer to her. Juniper is for mere mortals like us. From now on, she''s ''the Goddess.""


    "Wait, did none of you see that guy from the animation department deliberately mess with her rifle?"


    "He stooped that low just to win? And look what happened. He gotpletely owned by the Goddess!"


    "Yes! We won!" The students of Company 22 erupted in joyous cheers. It was a clean, undeniable victory.


    The animation students, on the other hand, stood in stunned silence, not daring to utter a single word.


    "I hereby dere that the winner of this shootingpetition is Company 22!" the instructor announced, his voice booming.. "Furthermore, due to the


    unsportsmanlike conduct of vel


    student from the animation department, who intentionally damaged his opponent''s equipment, hets disqualified from his


    second-ce position. All


    subsequent ranks will move up.


    A gasp of delight came from the student who had originally ced fourth. It seemed


    fate had a way of dealing with cheaters. He deserved it!


    After the announcement, the boy, Ferdinand Malone, got to his feet and tried to sneak away.


    Juniper stepped in front of him, blocking his path. She tossed him the megaphone. "Time to pay up," she said, her voice like ice.


    "My name is Ferdinand Malone. My father is the chairman of the Malone


    Group Era City, tha


    hissed, keeping his voice low but his ton¨¨ arrogant.


    The Malone family. A well-known name in Era City, a wealthy family that had made its fortune in coal mining.


    "The Malone family, you say?" Juniper crossed her arms, tilting her chin up as she feigned deep contemtion.

 Chapter 541

    "That''s right," Ferdinand replied smugly. "The same Malone family you''ve heard of."


    While his family couldn''tpare to giants like the Schwartz Group, they still had considerable influence. Juniper might have a famous actor for a brother, but in the end, he was just an entertainer. How could an actorpare to a real entrepreneur? In front of the Malone family, people like him knew their ce. If Juniper had any sense, she''d know not to cross them.


    "Oh," Juniper lowered her gaze, her eyesnding on Ferdinand with an expression of pure, unadulterated contempt. "And?"


    What? Ferdinand waspletely thrown. She knew who he was; she should be backing down, not asking him ''and?''. Did she actually intend to humiliate him in front of thousands of students?


    "My father is also an investor in Era University! That building over there? He funded it!" Ferdinand pressed on, hoping to intimidate her.


    "Are you going to walk up there yourself, or do I have to carry you?" Juniper stared at him, her patience wearing thin. "I forgot to mention, I know taekwondo. Dragging you onto that stage would be a one-handed job."


    Ferdinand froze, a flicker of fear in his eyes as he sized her up. Before, he might have called her bluff. But after everything he''d just witnessed... at this point, if she imed she could fly, he''d probably believe her.


    "Juniper, don''t push it," Ferdinand threatened through gritted teeth. "If you mess with me, you won''tst long at Era University."


    "Tsk." Augh escaped Juniper''s lips, her voicezy and mocking. "Looks like I''ve been too nice to you."


    Before he could react, she shot out a hand, grabbed a fistful of his hair, and started dragging him toward the stage.


    "Aaaah! Juniper, what are you doing?!"


    "Ow, ow, ow! My scalp! You''re tearing my hair out!"


    "You just wait! I''m going to get you kicked out of Era University!"


    "It hurts so much! I was wrong! I was wrong!"


    Ignoring his pig-like squeals, Juniper hauled him onto the stage. The students below stared, mouths agape.


    The instructors were equally stunned. My god, this girl was fierce!


    "Whoa, my girl is so cool! She doesn''t waste time with words!"


    "That''s the kind of energy I''m talking about! She''s not just ying men, she''s ying me!"


    "Hahaha, I can''t! He looks like a pig being dragged to ughter! This is hrious!"


    "He thought he could mess with our goddess and get away with it?"


    "Goddess, teach him a lesson!"


    Aside from the shocked students from the animation department, everyone else was cheering her on.


    The instructors, worried things were


    getting out of hand, moved to


    intervene. But before they could, Juniper kicked the door to the Stage shut, blocking the path.


    Well... it wasn''t that they didn''t want to step in. It was just that they were, for the moment, physically unable to This girl was seriously cool.


    Juniper threw Ferdinand onto the floor with a look of disgust, dusting off her hands.


    Her patience had officially run out.


    His scalp burning, Ferdinand shakily picked up the megaphone, hesitating.


    Juniper took a step forward.


    "I''ll shout. Now," Ferdinand yelped, terrified. Though he was seething with rage, he swallowed his pride and brought the megaphone to his lips Through clenched teeth he yelled:


    "I was wrong!"


    "I was wrong!!"


    "I was wrong!!!"

 Chapter 542

    Ferdinand''s final, full-throated shout echoed across the entire training ground, a sound that pped across the faces of the animation students like a physical blow. Their earlier arrogance now seemed like a distant, humiliating memory.


    Having gotten what she wanted, Juniper shot the dejected boy onest indifferent look and walked past him without another word.


    As she opened the door, Farrell was there to meet her, his face a mask of fury. "What do you think you''re doing? Publicly bullying a fellow student?"


    Juniper slowly raised her eyes, her expression one of pure annoyance. She was already exhausted, and being challenged again and again had pushed her temper to its limit.


    "I''m talking to you! Are you deaf?" Farrell seized on her ''bullying'' as the perfect excuse to finally punish her.


    "Shut up," Juniper snapped, her voice so cold it could freeze blood.


    Farrell was taken aback.


    "How dare you speak to an instructor like that?" Ferdinand''s own instructor rushed over, pointing a finger at Juniper. "You think you''re special just because you were the top scorer on the entrance exam? You-"


    "You shut up, too," Juniper''s gaze shifted to him, her tone just as merciless.


    The animation instructor was left speechless.


    "Got a problem with it?" Juniper stuffed her hands in her pockets and smirked. "If you''ve got the guts, go ahead and get the school to expel me."


    With that parting shot, she turned and strode away. But after a few steps, she paused, nced back at Farrell, and added, "Don''t forget our bet. You owe me a milkshake."


    Watching her walk away so defiantly, Farrell''s face turned an ugly shade of red. Bullying a student... expulsion was too light a punishment. In his opinion, someone like her belonged in jail.


    "With the way this has blown up, that student''s family won''t let her off the hook," the animation instructor remarked. Ferdinand''s father wa after all, a man of some standing in* Ectara City.


    ...


    Two hourster, the students of Company 22 headed back to their dorms, happily sipping on milkshakes. With a day off tomorrow, the atmosphere was jubnt, like a holiday.


    "Goddess," a few students from the broadcasting major said respectfully as they passed Juniper. If it weren''t for her, their department''s reputation world be in tatters, to say nothing of their day off. They now admired her from the bottom of their hearts.


    Juniper just gave a slight nod, her demeanor cool and distant.


    "Juniper, you were amazing," J said, her eyes shining with adoration as she handed Juniper a milkshake.


    "Seriously, Juniper, you''re the perfect model of a well-rounded student," Hattie, Cynthia, and L chimed in, circling around her with endless praise.


    "But those two instructors looked really angry..." Queenie, who hade over to their group, said with a worried frown. "They might report you for assault."


    Juniper took a sip of her milkshake, her expression unconcerned.


    As if on cue, Queenie''s words had barely faded when an instructor walked up to Juniper. "Juniper, you''re needed in the office," he said sternly.


    The incident had be a big deal. Some students had secretly filmed the entire confrontation and posted it online, where public opinion was sharply divided. Some praised Juniper as cool and courageous, a new age woman standing up for herself Others called her a bully, saying she was a disgrace to the university.

 Chapter 543

    The two sides were now locked in a fierce debate online.


    "Juniper..." her friends murmured, all looking at her with concern. This had to be about Ferdinand.


    "Alright." Juniper finished her milkshake, tossed the empty cup into a bin, and handed her cap to Hattie. "Hold this for me, please."


    "Juniper..." J started to follow her, but Juniper stopped her.


    "You guys go on to the cafeteria and get dinner. I''ll be right there," she said, then added, "By the way, I burned a lot of energy today. I''m thinking two servings of braised pork and two chicken legs."


    The instructor standing nearby was speechless. Between the shooting, the fighting, and the verbal takedowns, she certainly had been busy. Still, shouldn''t she be more worried about the assault usation?


    "Okay," J said, nodding obediently as she watched Juniper walk away.


    Hattie and the others were terrified. "What''s going to happen? Will they call her parents? Do you think she''ll be disciplined?"


    Queenie, however, let out a smallugh. "Calling her parents would be even better," she said knowingly.


    "Huh?" Hattie, Cynthia, and L stared at her,pletely lost.


    J, however, understood immediately. That''s right. Go ahead and call her parents. Once Mr. Schwartz showed up, everyone would quiet down real quick.


    In a school office, Ferdinand had wasted no time in calling home after his humiliation. When his father heard that his precious son had been bullied by a mere girl, he flew into a rage and rushed over from hispany, demanding justice.


    "Juniper, you should probably call your parents as well," said the student counselor, who hade as soon as she heard about the incident. She had a general idea of what happened and knew Juniper. wasn''t really at fault. However, Ferdinand''s father seemed


    determined to blow things out of proportion, and she worried Juniper would be at a disadvantage facing him alone.


    "Call my parents?" Juniper tilted her head, her voice icy. "Isn''t that what kindergarteners do?"


    "You" Ferdinand clenched his fists, ring at her.


    "BANG!"


    Ferdinand''s father, Cassidy Malone, shot up and mmed his hand on the table. "You''re the one in the wrong, and you''ve still got this attitude?"


    "BANG!"


    Juniper mmed her own hand down on the table, not backing down an inch. She was already in a foul mood, and now they were keeping her from her meal. Of course she was angry.


    "So what?" Juniper''s cold eyes locked onto Cassidy, her calm demeanoradiating a terrifying intensity. "Your son is ipetent. He cheated during apetition by damaging equipment, and then he had the nerve to threaten me Let me tell you the only reason I just. pulled his hair is because I was hungry and didn''t have the strength. If I''d had any energy, I would have twisted his head clean off."


    That m on the table, followed by her chilling speech, left the counselor momentarily stunned. Wow As expected of the top scorers a true all-around talent. This gi had personality. It had been years since she''d seen a student with so much fire. She absolutely loved it!


    "What did you say?" Cassidy, provoked beyond reason, jumped to his feet and pointed a finger at Juniper. "Say that to me one more time!"


    Juniper stared him down. As his finger got dangerously close to her face, she grabbed it and squeezed.


    "Agh!" Cassidy cried out in pain, trying to pull his hand back, but her grip was like iron.


    "Juniper, let go!" the counselor said, her head starting to ache as she tried to de- escte the situation.


    "Self-defense," Juniper said, releasing his hand and dusting hers off with disgust. "Point that finger at me again, and I won''t be so gentle... old man."

 Chapter 544

    Old man?


    "I''m calling the police! I''m calling the police!" Cassidy yelled, rubbing his aching hand. "A student who bullies others, who has no manners-what is she doing in a university? She belongs in jail!"


    "Tsk." A smirk yed on Juniper''s lips. "Still needs his mommy, I see."


    "Mr. Malone, Mr. Malone, please calm down..." The counselor quickly stepped in, trying to act as a peacemaker before things gotpletely out of hand.


    In her view, this was a trivial matter. It was a bet, in and simple. Honoring a bet and admitting you were wrong was perfectly normal. For a grown boy to run home crying to his father... it was just childish. But his father''s reaction showed just how spoiled the boy was.


    "This doesn''t warrant calling the police," the counselor advised gently. "It''s just a squabble between kids. They can talk it out. Besides, your son deliberately damaged our student Juniper''s rifle."


    "Who saw it?" Cassidy''s eyes darted away for a second before he retorted stubbornly. "Do you have proof? If not, I''ll sue you for nder."


    The counselor was at a loss for words. Ferdinand had been very discreet when he tampered with the gun, and there were no security cameras nearby.


    "Other students saw him," she insisted.


    "Hearsay is not proof," Cassidy shot back, determined to twist the situation. "By that logic, I can also say Juniper''s first-ce win was rigged."


    The counselor nearly fainted from frustration.


    ...


    Upstairs, in another room in the administration building.


    "...and that''s pretty much the situation," the subordinate reported, rying the events from the office below to Ebony Fox.


    "Just for pulling some hair? It''s such a minor thing, and he calls his father," the subordinate said with disdain. "Now the other party won''t let it go and is insisting on calling the police."


    "Has her brother arrived?" Ebony Fox asked, her voice low.


    "No," the subordinate replied respectfully. "The girl''s tough. She refuses to call her family. They''re at a stalemate down there."


    "Also," he paused, then continued, "I did some checking. Jimmie is currently filming overseas, which is likely why she''s not calling for help."


    Ebony Fox listened in silence, her expression growing darker by the second. So, because she had no family here to back her up, she was being bullied?


    "The father is demanding proof that his son cheated..." The subordinate held up his phone with a grin. "Coincidentally happen to have it right here."


    He had originally filmed it just because he found the whole thing so entertaining, never expecting to capture such a crucial moment.


    "Should I take this down to them?" he asked.


    "Yes." She nodded, her lips tightening. "And get me the university president''s phone number."


    The subordinate blinked, surprised. Was Ebony Fox actually nning to step in for the girl? She was personally calling the president?


    "Right away," he said, not daring to ask any more questions. He couldn''t help but wonder when the decisive cold-hearted Ebony Fox had ever cared so much about an individual. It seemed only true talent could earn her favor.


    Back in the office.


    "Where''s your proof? Show it to me!" Cassidy was still shouting. "If you can produce proof, we''ll walk away with our tails between our legs."


    Just as Juniper was about to speak, a new voice sounded from the doorway. "It''s here. The proof has arrived."


    Everyone turned in unison.


    Juniper frowned. Who was this? She didn''t recognize him.


    "The proof is right here." The subordinate held out his phone and yed the video, having isted the clip of Ferdinand tampering with the rifle.


    "Hey, kid," he said, looking at Ferdinand. "Next time you want to sabotage a rifle don''t mess with the


    sight This is the part you want to break. Got it?"

 Chapter 545

    Cassidy''s eyes fell on the screen, and he instantly recognized his son in the video. So he really had cheated.


    Ferdinand, meanwhile, kept his head down, not daring to say a word.


    "I hear you want to call the police?" the subordinate continued with a smile. "That''s fine, but let''s be clear about who started this. Also, a lot of people online are currently using Juniper of being a bully. To set the record straight, I think this video would be a very useful thing to post for the public to see. Let them be the judge."


    Cassidy froze, his earlier arrogance deting in an instant. Post it online? Many of his acquaintances would see it; the humiliation would be immense. That was out of the question.


    Before Cassidy could respond, the counselor''s phone rang.


    "Hello?" she answered. As she listened, her expression grew more and more serious. "Yes, I understand. Rest assured, I won''t let her be wronged."


    After hanging up, she turned to the Malones, her face stern. "The university president is now aware of this incident. He says that Ferdinand maliciously disrupted thepetition. If you continue to cause trouble, the school will issue him a major demerit."


    "What?" Cassidy''s face turned ashen. "And what about Juniper grabbing my son''s hair? Does she get away with that?"


    "Well....." the counselor paused, then added pointedly, "Ferdinand''s verbal abuse came first, which makes Juniper''s actions a form of self-defense."


    She then offered a tight, artificial smile, maintaining the pretense of seeking a peaceful resolution. "If you''re still not satisfied, we have the full video right here. We could always post the entire thing online and let the inte decide. Of course, the choice is yours."


    Cassidy finally understood. Era University was openly siding with Juniper. Publicizing the video would be disastrous for him and his son.


    "Fine," Cassidy said with a coldugh. "But don''t expect another dor of investment from the Malone family for Era University. Ferdinand, let''s go."


    As he reached the door, he stopped and turned to the subordinate. "And who are you?"


    "Me?" Ebony Fox''s subordinate pointed to himself with a smirk. "I''m the assistant to the chief instructor of the military training program."


    The chief instructor? Cassidy had done his homework; he knew this person was a formidable figure. They had even rejected his request to have Ferdinand excused from the training.


    With a grunt, Cassidy decided not to pick a fight he couldn''t win and stormed out of the office.


    Finally, the office was quiet.


    "Hello there," the subordinate said, walking up to Juniper with a beaming smile. "I''m a big fan of yours."


    A question mark slowly formed in Juniper''s mind. Fan? Chief instructor? Who were these people?


    "The obstacle course, the perfect shooting score..." the subordinate gushed with admiration. "Where did you learn to do all that?"


    Juniper didn''t answer, hesitant to admit that she was mostly self-taught.


    "By the way, the chief instructor


    witnessed the whole thing from upstairs and knew you were being wronged, so I was sent down with


    the vide


    and the president was


    called by the chief instructor he exined, heaping praise on his boss.


    "Oh," Juniper said, a slight frown on her face. "Thank you."


    Truthfully, she''d had her own video evidence. Suspecting that sore loser might


    cause trouble, she had worn a micro-camera on her cor.


    "Right!" the subordinate leaned in closer, lowering his voice


    conspiratorially Our chief instructor is a really incredible person Would you like to meet them?"

 Chapter 546

    "Meet them?" Juniper murmured, her brow furrowed in confusion.


    "That''s right." The subordinate shed a predatory grin, his eyes gleaming as he pitched his offer. "Our Chief Instructor is a very famous figure. Ever heard of the Huntsman Institute in the Amazon rainforest? They used to hold a senior instructor position there and have now been invited to the Orient Country to train new recruits."


    ¡°Kid, I can see you have talent and your skills are outstanding. If you could receive some personal guidance from them, your future would be boundless."


    The Amazon rainforest? Juniper thought with a scoff.


    Huntsman Institute? Another mental scoff.


    A senior instructor? A third, more derisive scoff.


    She remembered a time when she was being a real troublemaker at the monastery. To teach her a lesson, her master had taken her to the Huntsman Institute behind her grandfather''s back.


    She hadn''t tried to leave during the first week because the training was intense and the food was surprisingly good. Seeing this, her master wondered if she was there for training or on vacation. He secretly told her instructor to ramp up the intensity. The instructor didn''t hold back, nearly breaking her with a shoulder throw. As she winced in pain, the instructor had sneered, ¡°Little girl, you really think you''re all that? From now on, if you can''t beat me, your meals are cut in half."


    What? They could insult her, but cutting her food? That was a line she wouldn''t tolerate.


    With the instructor''s constant taunts bordering on personal attacks and her stomach always half-empty, her "vacation¡± quickly lost its charm. Finally, she snapped and fought back. Fueled by a bit of personal animosity, she beat the so-called senior instructor ck and blue.


    When her master saw the mess she''d made, he panicked. Imagine thepensation for injuring a senior instructor! That very night, he whisked her away, and they fled the Huntsman Institute.


    So, what did she care about the Huntsman Institute? Or some senior instructor? Just another person she''d defeated.


    Besides, all she wanted to do now was study hard, be a model student, and ck off when she could. Thest thing she needed was to get dragged into more training.


    "No, thanks," Juniper refused tly. "I have something important to do."


    "Something important?" the


    subordinate mumbled, puzzled.


    What could be more important than


    meeting a legend? Countless people would kill for a chance to meet Ebony Fox


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Juniper said, smoothing her hair and casually pursing her lips. ¡°I need to eat."


    With that, she turned and walked away without a second nce.


    What? The important thing she mentioned was... eating? The subordinate watched


    her retreating figure, scratching his head in bewilderment.


    ...


    In the administration building.


    "Ebony Fox, it''s handled," the subordinate reported respectfully upon returning to the office. "I was going to bring the girl to see you, but she was in a hurry to eat Content Belongs


    "In a hurry to eat?" Ebony Fox''s fingers paused over her keyboard. A barely perceptible smile touched cool, indifferent face. If she


    remembered correctly, her little


    sister had also been obsessed with Food when she was young After seeing the girl''s face, she was increasingly convinced that this could be her sister.


    "When is Jimmieing back?" Ebony Fox asked.


    "Huh?" The sudden change of topic caught the subordinate off guard. "The intel says in a week."


    A week? The military training was almost over. This was her best chance to confirm the girl''s identity.


    "I see," Ebony Fox said after a moment''s pause, her voice deepening. ¡°Let me know the moment he returns."


    After dismissing the subordinate, she stopped her work and contacted the "Cybeic Shadows" agency.


    "I need aplete background check on someone."

 Chapter 547

    Since Jimmie was abroad and couldn''t be contacted directly, she decided to pursue two avenues at once. On one hand, she would find a way to get a sample of Juniper''s hair for a DNA test. On the other, she would have Cybeic Shadows dig up her entire history. If this really was her sister, she wanted to know what her life had been like during their dozen years apart.


    "Of course," the Cybeic Shadows customer service agent replied robotically. "We will need to register your real information for our records."


    Ebony Fox hesitated. Her identity was sensitive.


    "Rest assured, Cybeic Shadows has a strict policy against disclosing client information," the agent added. "This is simply to prevent malicious requests."


    "Huntsman Institute, Senior Instructor, Ebony Fox."


    "Understood." After verifying her credentials, the agent continued, "Please provide the name of the person you wish to investigate.¡±


    "The top scorer on the university entrance exam, Juniper Payne," Ebony Fox stated, enunciating each word.


    "Who? Juniper Payne? Isn''t that our future boss''s wife?" the agent thought, rmed. Why would an instructor from Huntsman Institute be investigating her?


    "Right away,¡± the agent said, careful not to reveal his shock. After ending the call, he immediately dialed Shanley.


    "Chief, Ebony Fox, an instructor from Huntsman Institute, is investigating Ms. Payne."


    "What?" Shanley was in line buying dessert for Juniper when the call came. An icy aura instantly enveloped him. "Huntsman Institute?"


    "Yes."


    Huntsman Institute was a ce that trained special forces and mercenaries from around the world. It was also known for undertaking high-level "assassination" contracts. They had no idea why this person was looking for Ms. Payne.


    "Get me everything you can on this Ebony Fox," Shanley ordered, his voice dangerously low as he got into his car with the dessert. "And In mean everything." y ?wnovels


    Juniper had grown up in Era City, and he''d never heard her mention the Amazon rainforest. Could it be that she''d made an enemy in the past, and a hit had been put on her? If so he wouldn''t spare this "Ebony Fox or anyone else involved.


    Era University.


    After finishing her meal, Juniper walked out, sipping on a milkshake. The recent events had turned her into a campus celebrity, earning her a legion of fans.


    "The parking lot?" she said into her phone, talking to Shanley. "Okay, I''m on my way."


    ¡°Alright,¡± Shanley replied softly, his eyes fixed on the road outside his car window. A few momentster, the girl he''d been longing to see appeared.


    ¡°Juni¡ª¡± Shanley started to call out as he lowered the window, but a boy seemingly materialized out of nowhere, stopping directly in front of Juniper.


    Shanley''s words caught in his throat. He narrowed his intense eyes, watching the scene unfold.


    ¡°J-Juniper...¡± the boy stammered. He was wearing a white t-shirt, and his fair face was flushed with a nervous blush.


    "Yes?" Blocked, Juniper instinctively looked up, her gaze locking onto him.


    "I..." The boy fumbled for words, then pulled a small, exquisite box from


    his pocket and pressed it into her


    "?


    hand. ¡°I put a lot of thought into this.


    hope you like it."


    ¡°Huh?¡± Juniper waspletely baffled by the object suddenly shoved into her hands. Before she could say a word, the boy was gone.


    What the hell was that? Why did he run off so fast? It wasn''t a bomb, was it?

 Chapter 548

    Just as Juniper was about to open the box, a tall shadow fell over her. The familiar, clean scent of his cologne drifted into her senses.


    Juniper looked up, her eyes meeting a devastatingly handsome face.


    "What''s that?" Shanley asked, feigningposure with a gentle smile.


    "Here, you take it." Juniper immediately tossed the box to Shanley like a hot potato.


    "Oh?" Seeing her reaction, the corner of his stern lips curled up slightly. She was being a very self-aware girlfriend. But his smile vanished when she spoke again.


    "Some weirdo just ran up, shoved this box at me, and took off," she exined. "I''m worried it might be a bomb or something, so you should open it."


    The smilepletely disappeared from his face. So, she was just afraid of getting blown up? What a "loving" girlfriend he had.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Shanley said with a resigned smile, handing her the dessert. "The fork''s inside. If you''re scared, stand back."


    Juniper shot him a look and clicked her tongue, but she didn''t move an inch. Instead, she started eating her little cake while staring intently at the box with her clear, bright eyes.


    Shanley opened it. Inside, nestled onyers of pink shredded paper, were a bottle of brand-name perfume and a sticky note. He could clearly read the words on the note: Hi Juniper, I''m Leroy from the freshman International Trade ss. I heard you''re single, and I was wondering if I could have the honor of being your friend.


    Below it was a number.


    Tch. These young punks and their borate schemes, Shanley thought with disdain. Who are they trying to impress with this stuff? Does he really think this is cool?


    "Want to add him?" Shanley asked, looking up at Juniper. He managed to sound patient, respecting her choice despite his jealousy.


    "No," Juniper replied instantly, shaking her head.


    "Good." Hearing the answer he wanted, Shanley''s smile returned, and his tone rxed. "I''ll have someone return this and tell him the truth."


    ¡°What truth?¡± Juniper asked, tilting her head up at him.


    "That you have a boyfriend, and you have no interest in being his friend," Shanley said, his voice maic and alluring as he gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead.


    "Oh," Juniper said, giving him a long look before yawning. "Okay. Let''s go home. I''m exhausted."


    Even though Shanley had visited her


    often during the military training, she hadn''t been sleeping well in the unfamiliar environment. She''d already decided tomute from


    home once the training was ov Overs She wasn''t one to make herself suffer.


    On the drive back, Shanley sent a message to Flint: [Have all the major perfume brands at the mall send their scents suitable for young women to Cloudscape Community.]


    Flint replied, seeking rification: [Boss, you mean... all of them?]


    There were countless perfume brands. That could be hundreds, even thousands of bottles. Ms. Payne couldn''t possibly use them all, even as air freshener.


    Shanley: [Is there a problem?]


    Flint: [I''m on it.]


    After sending the message, Shanley looked at the girl dozing in his arms, his gaze deep and tender. His only fear was that she wouldn''t ept his gifts. Otherwise, he would give her anything in the world, even build her ammoon if she asked for it. No. cheap trinkets from outsiders were going to win over his Juniper.


    Cloudscape Community.


    Juniper got home, took a shower, and immediately crawled into bed. Once she was


    sound asleep, Shanley took his phone out to the balcony.


    "Chief, we have the file on Ebony Fox," the agent from Cybeic Shadows reported respectfully. "Ebony Fox is indeed a senior


    swngel


    instructor att Huntsman Institute and arrived in Era City a few days ago."

 Chapter 549

    "But we haven''t been able to determine the reason for her visit yet."


    Ebony Fox had been invited by the state, so her itinerary was under strict confidentiality for security reasons. While skilled hackers could potentially breach the national military intelligencework, it was a line they dared not cross. Cybeic Shadows had no idea their target was connected to the government, so it was no surprise they''d hit a dead end.


    "You don''t know the reason?" Shanley repeated the words, the chill in his eyes deepening.


    The agent on the other end remained silent.


    "Keep digging,¡± Shanley ordered, keeping his voice low so as not to wake Juniper.


    The mention of Ebony Fox''s involvement in "assassination" activities put him on high alert. It didn''t matter if they couldn''t find anything. To ensure Juniper''s absolute safety, he would rather eliminate any potential threat, no matter how small the chance. If necessary, he would take care of Ebony Fox himself.


    Perhaps it was thefort of being home. Juniper slept deeply, and she began to dream of her childhood. In the dream, a girl with delicate features and a spirited glint in her eyes was squatting in front of her.


    "Give your big sister a smile," the girl cooed, pinching her cheek and dangling a lollipop. "Our little sister has the prettiest smile."


    When she smiled, the girl excitedly picked her up. ¡°Such an adorable baby. We can''t have anyone bullying you. When you''re a little bigger, I''ll teach you how to fight."


    Juniper strained to open her eyes, trying to see the girl''s face clearly, but no matter how hard she tried, her features remained a blur.


    The next moment, the scene abruptly shifted to a dark, damp room. The same sister who had been smiling at her was now on the floor like a stray dog, a chain around her neck. Under the harsh white light, her body was covered in wounds, her face ashen and bloodless, as if she''d just been pulled from the depths of the sea.


    "My little sister..."


    Juniper was jolted awake.


    "What''s wrong?" Shanley, who had been sitting by the bed reading documents, immediately leaned in, his voice filled with concern. "Did you have a nightmare?"


    "Yeah," Juniper whispered, wiping


    the cold sweat from her forehead.


    y''s


    arms.


    She leaned weakly into his arms. dreamed about my sister. She she wasn''t doing well. Grandpa always says that dreams are the opposite of reality."


    "Your grandpa''s right," Shanley soothed, gently patting her back. "Are you missing your sister?"


    "I don''t know why, I just suddenly dreamed of her,¡± Juniper said, her brow furrowed with an inexplicable sorrow.


    They had found her three brothers,


    but what about her three sisters? Girls weren''t like boys. For an orphan girl to grow. safely in this world without family was incredibly difficult. She knew that from her own experience. If it hadn''t been for her grandfather, she might have died somewhere long ago.


    "Your three brothers and I are looking for them. I''m sure we''ll have news soon," Shanleyforted her, his own heart heavy at her distress. "Don''t worry, I''m sure they''re alive and well."


    "I hope so,¡± Juniper murmured, feeling a little better after his reassurance. "Juniper..." Seeing her color return, Shanley asked cautiously, "Have you... ever been to the Amazon Rainforest?"


    ¡°I have,¡± Juniper replied, not understanding why he''d suddenly bring it up. Then it clicked. He probably heard about what happened at school, about the new chief instructor from there.


    That was it. Shanley''s suspicion


    solidified. Juniper really did have a


    connection to the Amazon


    If


    Rainforest, which meant Ebony Fox was very likely looking for trouble. that was the case Ebony Fox had


    to go.

 Chapter 550

    The two-week military training was drawing to a close.


    Ynda, who had used a fainting spell to skive off for a few days, returned to find that Juniper''s reputation hadpletely flipped. Not only were thew andputer science students treating her with reverence, but even Ynda''s own ssmates in the broadcasting program had changed their tune, now calling Juniper an "ace."


    Perhaps because of the shooting incident, Ynda realized she was no longer the center of attention. She could feel the subtle mockery in their gazes. To make matters worse, everyone was gossiping that Juniper now had a boyfriend.


    A boyfriend? Ynda had been keeping a close eye on Juniper and had never seen anyone important around her. If her boyfriend were truly rich and powerful, they would have gone public by now. He was probably just some nobody.


    ¡°It doesn''t matter," she thought, consoling herself. ¡°The school is about to choose me as the freshman representative to speak at the opening ceremony. Then, all the students, new and old, will see who I am."


    ...


    The final event of the military training was rock climbing. It was a new addition this year, supposedly to improve students'' reflexes and physical coordination.


    This time, Farrell was uncharacteristically generous and directly nominated Juniper to participate.


    The other students were dumbfounded. Had their instructor been won over by the ace''s awesomeness?


    "Won over?" a nearby student snickered. "More like beaten into submission."


    A few others stifledughs and started to heckle, "Farrell, want to make another bet?"


    They still remembered the taste of those free milkshakes and wouldn''t mind another round.


    "Stand straight!" Farrell barked, his face dark. "One more word and you''re all doing push-ups."


    "Tch." The students exchanged exasperated nces. Look at him, so defensive.


    Juniper looked up, her eyes narrowing as she nced at Farrell''s sly smile. Nominating her to be in the spotlight? Would he really be that nice?


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, epting without hesitation. It had been a while since she''d climbed, and a chance to stretch her muscles sounded good.


    Farrell watched her retreating back, a triumphant smirk shing across his face. He''d been too soft on her before, giving her the chance to humiliate him. This time, he would make sure Juniper learned her lesson.


    The rock climbing event officially began.


    Ebony Fox and her subordinate stood by a window, watching the studentspete. Eachpany had sent several participants. Since it was an experiential event, sess or failure didn''t matter, and the students were having a great time.


    Half an hour passed, and it was the twenty-secondpany''s turn. The first few students went up,


    struggling a bit as they were new to the activity. When it was


    turn, the crowd erupted in cheers, all waiting for the ace to blow their minds again.


    Before starting, the instructors were supposed to check the safety ropes.


    Juniper walked up to the climbing wall and saw Farrell holding her rope, inspecting it up and down.


    ¡°It''s all set,¡± Farrell said as she approached, immediately letting go of the rope. He stepped aside and gestured with his chin. "Go on."


    Juniper nced at the rope, her clear eyes narrowing. A disdainful smirk touched her lips. So that''s why he''d volunteered her. This was his petty little scheme?


    How pathetic! He was seriously underestimating her.


    "Alright," she said, ying along. She grabbed the rope he had so


    obviously sabotaged. If things went ording to his n, the rope would


    snap when she reached the top sending her plummeting to the ground. Best case, serious injury.


    Worst case, death. Cont¨¦nt belongs


    A sharp whistle blew. With incredible speed, Juniper started scaling the rock wall.


    She moved like a gecko, so fast she was almost a blur.

 Chapter 551

    A collective gasp rippled through the crowd of students, their eyes wide and necks craned as they stared up at Juniper. Now this was rock climbing. What the other students had been doing... that was just hiking, and a particrly clumsy version of it at that.


    Just as she reached the top, Juniper noticed the knot on her safety rope loosening before it suddenly came undone. Her body lurched, and the rope began to fall away.


    "Ah!"


    The sudden crisis sent a wave of panic through the onlookers, their hearts leaping into their throats.


    Unseen by the others, a cruel smile stretched across Farrell''s lips. Within the sinister recesses of his mind, he silently urged, "Fall. Fall down. Fall and die."


    Just as everyone braced for a tragedy, the girl simply grabbed the rock face with one hand, her body swinging out into the open air. The rope detachedpletely and mmed onto the ground with a sickening thud. After swaying for a moment, she was still clinging firmly to the wall.


    Then, to the utter disbelief of the crowd, Juniper began to climb down with just her bare hands, her speed just as impressive as her ascent.


    "What?"


    "No way..."


    "


    "Are you seeing this?!"


    The astonishing disy left the students speechless. Was that even possible?


    "Someone should seriously investigate Juniper. I''m not kidding, I don''t think she''s human!"


    "I''m starting to think the rope was just holding her back!"


    "That''s our queen! All hail the queen!"


    "Queen! Queen! Queen!"


    The cheers grew louder, echoing across the field like a massive fan rally.


    As Junipernded gracefully on her feet, Farrell blinked, refusing to believe his eyes Was she even human? To descend from that height,pletely unaided, andnd so smoothly?


    "Trying to pull that stunt on me?" Juniper dusted off her hands and walked over to Farrell, a cold sneer ying on her lips. "Did you really think I''d be scared?"


    Caught red-handed, Farrell felt a pang of guilt, but his thick skin allowed him to feignposure. "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "It''s okay. You will soon enough."


    As soon as Juniper finished speaking, the wail of police sirens pierced the air.


    "What did you do?" Farrell''s nerves tightened, his voiceced with panic.


    "A few years ago, you hurt a girl..." Juniper''s words were slow and deliberate. "She was only twelve at the time."


    "Later, while working as an instructor at a school, you seduced a student and got her pregnant. To get rid of her you staged a car ident. She''s still lying in a hospital bed.


    Farrell''s eyes widened in shock. He had no idea how she knew all this.


    "And now, for your petty revenge, you tried to have me killed." Juniper watched his panicked expression with satisfaction. "But I don''t have any evidence for what happened today."


    Farrell swallowed hard, a wave of relief washing over him.


    "However. Juniper paused, her tone turning arrogant, "it doesn''t matter if I have evidence or not. The first two incidents are more than enough to keep you locked up


    the rest of your life."


    for


    "You" Farrell''s face turned ashen with fear, and he lost control. "If I go down, do


    you think the Sherwin family will let you off the hook?"


    "And what if they don''t?" The threat amused Juniper. She looked upzily, her voice dripping with disdain. "As if they could do anything to me. They''re allpletely useless."


    She enunciated thest word with biting rity.

 Chapter 552

    "Juniper..." The shock of it all,bined with the terrifying prospect of prison, sent Farrell''s mind reeling. "I''m your distant uncle, for crying out loud, and you called the cops on me!"


    Just then, the police officers arrived and swiftly subdued him.


    "Ynda! Ynda!" Farrell screamed in her direction, his voice filled with fear. "Tell your mother toe save me, do you hear me?"


    If he hadn''t been trying to stick up for her, he never would have provoked Juniper in the first ce.


    "Ynda?"


    The students were still processing the revtion that their instructor was a monster, but now they turned their collective gaze on Ynda. So Farrell and Ynda really did know each other. No wonder he treated her differently.


    "I..." Faced with all the sudden attention, Ynda looked flustered and mumbled, "I don''t know him."


    Didn''t know him? It was obvious they did. She was clearly trying to distance herself now that he was in trouble.


    "Ugh. Ynda is so fake."


    The students'' expressions turned to ones of disgust.


    ...


    From an office building overlooking the scene, Ebony Fox had witnessed the entire event, including Farrell''s deliberate sabotage of the rope. She had considered intervening but stopped when she saw the look of absolute certainty on the young girl''s face. It was then she understood. A girl with skills like that couldn''t possibly be the type to let others bully her.


    And sure enough, what followed was a delightful surprise.


    "Heh." A faint, crispugh escaped Ebony Fox''s throat as she stared down at the training grounds.


    The sound was so unexpected that the subordinate organizing files beside her jumped.


    Did he hear that right? Was Ebony Fox actuallyughing?


    He cautiously craned his neck for a peek, and his eyes widened. It was true. She was smiling. The cold,


    stunningly beautiful woman wa


    actually smiling. It transformed her face adding a touch of warmth and softness he had never seen before She was radiant!


    "Damn," he thought. "With a face like that, she could have been a movie star. Why on earth did she be an instructor?"


    "What are you looking at?" Ebony turned, her expression instantly reverting to its usual icy aloofness.


    "Nothing." Her frosty gaze sent a


    shiver down his spine, snapping him back to reality. He must have been imagining things. The idea of Ebony Pox being gentle was more


    ridiculous than the sun rising in the west.


    ...


    The training camp was over, and Era University held its customary closing assembly.


    "I heard the chief instructor for the camp was a woman, and she''s supposed to be super cool."


    "A woman? Nice!"


    "Yeah! They said she was specially brought in from abroad, and she used to be in the special forces!"


    "A female special forces officer as a chief instructor... That alone is enough to earn my respect!"


    "Is she here yet? I don''t see her!"


    A woman? Juniper knew the


    instructor was from the Huntsman Institute but hadn''t known her gender. A female special forces instructor was a rarity at the


    ver


    Institute, and Juniper''s curiosity was qued. She closed the game on her phone and looked toward the stage.


    Unfortunately, due to the chief instructor''s special status and ast-minute assignment, she wasn''t able to attend the assembly.


    Instead, a school administrator took the stage. The sixty-year-old man proceeded to read from a script for a full thirty minutes, eliciting a collective groan from the audience.


    Juniper rolled her eyes and went back to her game.


    Finally, two hourster, the assembly concluded. Juniper was happily heading back


    to her dorm when her academic advisor stopped her.

 Chapter 553

    "Juniper, what are your ns now that the training camp is over?" The advisor, knowing her fondness for them, handed her a milkshake with a wide, ingratiating


    smile.


    "Going home." Juniper epted the drink but didn''t take a sip. The advisor''s smile was a little too eager for her liking.


    "Ah, home." The advisor continued to beam. "You brought great honor to our ss during the camp. All the students are so grateful to you."


    Juniper just watched her cautiously, saying nothing.


    "You''re not only beautiful and intelligent, but you also have such a strong sense ofmunity..."


    The advisorid on thepliments thick and fast.


    Juniper''s brow furrowed. "Ma''am, if you have something to say, please just say it."


    "Always so sharp," the advisor said, momentarily taken aback before recovering. "Well, the thing is, the opening ceremony is next Monday, and the school administration thinks you''re an exceptional student... so they''d like you to be the freshman representative and give a speech on stage."


    "No, thank you," Juniper replied without hesitation.


    "Why not?" The advisor was surprised. It was an honor most freshmen would kill for.


    "I just don''t want to," Juniper said tly. "I don''t like public speaking."


    "Is it the speechwriting? Is that what''s bothering you?" the advisor asked, a spark of inspiration in her eyes. "Don''t worry about that. I''ll prepare the script for you. All you have to do is read it."


    The truth was, Era City hadn''t produced a student with a perfect score in years. The university was determined to showcase her, partly to gloat and partly to stick it to their rival, Sundale University, who had shamelessly tried to poach Juniper after the recent bullying rumors.


    Even after hearing the advisor''s exnation, Juniper just shook her head,pletely uninterested. The opening ceremony was already a tedious affair. As a member of the audience, she co at least zone out or take a nap. If she had to give a speech, she''d have to be waiting backstage for ages. It sounded


    horribly boring.


    "Juniper, please..."


    The advisor was about to press on when her phone rang.


    "Just a moment," she said, her eyes widening when she saw the caller ID. It was a university administrator. "What? Shanley Schwartz is reallying to the opening ceremony?"


    Although Shanley was an Era


    University alumnus, his status was


    er


    legendary. He rarely made public appearances, let alone at something asrge-scale as the opening ceremony. Rumor had it that Shanley himself had called the university and requested to attend Sending the administration into a frenzy of excitement.


    Shanley Schwartz? At the mention of his name, the girl who had been looking down


    at the ground felt her eyshes flutter.


    "Yes, yes, I understand." The advisor hung up and grabbed Juniper''s hand, her


    voice filled with urgency. "Juniper, this is a huge deal. Not only will the university and city leadership be there, but a very important guest ising. Shanley, you know who that is, right?"


    Juniper pursed her lips. She knew him quite well.


    "This is a once-in-a-lifetime


    opportunity, the advisor pressed on.


    "Schwartz Group has major


    partnerships with Era University. and they re the titans of the tech industry. You''re so brilliant. Ifyou could catch his eye, it would be a huge boost for your future studies and career. The sries at Schwartz Group are ridiculously high. Don''t you want a shot at that?"


    Juniper blinked, resisting the urge to inform her advisor that not only was the CEO


    of Schwartz Group hers, but so was all his money.

 Chapter 554

    "Please, do this for me," the advisor pleaded. "Shanley is probablying


    specifically to see you, the student with the perfect score. If you say no, I won''t know how to exin it to the administration. How about... I buy you dinner?"


    Juniper paused for a beat before finally relenting. "Fine. But you''re writing the speech."


    "Deal, deal!" The advisor let out a breath of relief. If only she''d known a free meal was all it would take, she could have saved herself the trouble.


    "I''ll send you the draft tonight. Just get familiar enough with it to read it smoothly." "Okay." Juniper nodded obediently.


    After saying goodbye to her advisor, she pulled out her phone and sent a text to Shanley.


    Juniper: [Are you reallying to the Era University opening ceremony?]


    Shanley: [It''s the only chance I have to stand by your side openly. I have to take it, don''t I?]


    Was heining?


    Juniper: [Perform well, and there will be more chances to be open about it in the future.]


    Shanley chuckled at his screen. [Alright. I''ll do my best.]


    He''d won the girl, but then again, maybe he hadn''t won her overpletely. It seemed she was still testing him.


    Shanley: [Get your things packed. I''ming to pick you up.]


    Juniper: [Ok.]


    She put her phone away and was heading toward the dorm when she ran straight into a familiar face-Ynda.


    Juniper couldn''t understand it. Ynda was like a persistent ghost, appearing everywhere she went.


    "Juniper," Ynda said, stopping in front of her with a triumphant smirk. "I heard you have a boyfriend."


    Juniper''s eyes narrowed, a knowing smile touching her lips. It seemed Shanley''s ''PR campaign'' was working if even Ynda had heard the news.


    "Which prominent family is he from?" Ynda asked, assuming Juniper''s boyfriend must be from a low-status family. If he were anyone impressive, she would have been showing him off by now.


    Juniper nced at the path Ynda was blocking, her expression hardening with annoyance.


    "I''m just worried you''ll get


    scammed," nda continued, believing every word was a dagger to Juniper''s heart. "Why don''t you tell m@which family he''s from? Jerrold and I might know them. After all Ynda''s face broke into a radiant, innocent smile. "Jerrold and I have been mingling with Era City''s high society since we were children, unlike you,ing from the mountains and all..."


    She let the sentence hang, watching Juniper''s reaction. Her boyfriend was a socialite, while Juniper''s was probably some nobody, maybe even a low-life thug she was too ashamed to introduce.


    Juniper pressed her lips together, not answering. Instead, her eyes scanned the surroundings.


    "Juniper, why aren''t you saying anyth¡ª"


    Before Ynda could finish, she saw Juniper walk over to arge tree and pick up a brick bigger than her face.


    "What are you doing?" Ynda stumbled back, her face draining of color. Had she hit a nerve? Was sheshing out in anger?


    "Are you going to get lost on your own, or do I have to send you?" Juniper had no patience for this. She advanced with the brickin hand, if send you, your destination night be the underworld."


    Seeing that Juniper wasn''t joking, Ynda spun around and fled.


    Juniper tossed the brick back on the ground and took a deep breath, looking up at the sky. That girl had rocks for brains. Was she really Grandpa''s flesh and blood?


    Ynda didn''t stop running until she was sure Juniper wasn''t chasing her.


    Juniper''s reaction confirmed her suspicions: her boyfriend was a total loser, nothingpared to Jerrold. Finally, there was something she had over her.


    Better yet, on Monday, she would be the one shining on stage as the freshman representative in front of the whole school.

 Chapter 555

    Juniper must be so jealous!


    At that thought, the tension Ynda had been holding onto for so long finally melted away.


    Just as she was reveling in her triumph, her phone rang.


    "Hello?" Ynda said, quicklyposing herself and forcing a sweet tone into her voice when she saw it was her broadcasting program''s counselor.


    "Come to my office. There''s something I need to talk to you about," the counselor''s voice was stern. "It''s important, and we need it for next Monday. Come over right now."


    Next Monday? Isn''t that the freshman opening ceremony? Could it be? Did they really choose her to be the student representative and give the speech?


    "Of course. I''m on my way," Ynda said, her heart leaping with joy. She hung up and practically jogged to the office.


    As she neared the corner, she overheard her counselor talking to another professor in the office.


    "Shanley ising in person?" a female professor eximed. "He''s at the absolute top of the pyramid. Even major magazines and TV stations can''t get an interview with him."


    "That''s right," the counselor nodded slightly. "This year''s freshman representative is certainly in for a treat."


    "This speech is very well-written. When are you giving it to her?"


    "In a little while," the counselor replied.


    Shanley? Ynda froze, recalling a fleeting glimpse she''d caught of him from a distance at the Schwartz family matriarch Hannah''s birthday banquet long ago. His posture, his profile, his aura¡ªhe put most of the popr male celebrities to shame. She thought he might have a girlfriend... but that didn''t matter. As long as he wasn''t married, everyone had the right to pursue their own happiness.


    Perhaps if she performed well at the ceremony, she could capture his attention. Then, she''d climb the socialdder and be his wife, leaving Juniper so far behind she couldn''t catch up even on horseback.


    Just the thought of it made her future seem incredibly bright.


    "Knock, knock."


    Ynda snapped back to reality and eagerly knocked on the door, feigning a demure tone. "Ma''am, you were looking for me?"


    "Yes." The smile on the counselor''s face vanished the moment she saw Ynda, her tone turning serious. "Come in, I have something for you to look at."


    "Okay." Ynda walked cheerfully to the desk, her steps light, and nced down. She saw a beautifully written speech lying there.


    "Take a look at this," the counselor said, but instead of handing her the speech, she opened a drawer and pulled out a different file.


    Ynda''s smile instantly dropped as she read the cover, her eyes widening.


    "Report on the Investigation into the Farrell Case"? What was going on? Wasn''t the counselor supposed to give her the speech?


    "Ma''am, this is..." Ynda looked up, her voice filled with disbelief.


    "During his interrogation, Farrell mentioned a few things concerning you..." the counselor said, ncing at Ynda He ims the


    you and


    your mother instructed him to harass Juniper. The police need to verify this."


    "Of course not!" Ynda lied without blinking, immediately denying it. She wanted nothing to do with a man on death row.


    "He''s just a distant rtive of my mother''s who was always asking for money. When she refused, he must have gotten angry and decided to nder us."


    Although they had orchestrated it, Farrell had no proof.


    "Really?" the counselor asked, feeling her sincerity was a little too forced.


    "Of course," Ynda replied obediently. "I would never do anything illegal or hical."


    "I see." The counselor gave Ynda a long, hard look, a strange feeling lingering. "You can go now."


    After the perfunctory questions, she


    waved Yotanda away and picked up


    the speech, beginning to edit it.


    seriously. This was far more important than Ynda''s little


    drama.


    Go? Ynda frowned. Had the counselor forgotten to give her the speech?

 Chapter 556

    Ynda stood frozen in ce.


    The counselor looked up at her, confused. "Is there something else?"


    "Ma''am, the ss schedule..." Ynda began, deciding to remind her, worried she had forgotten in her busy schedule.


    But just as she opened her mouth, the phone rang, cutting her off.


    "Hello, Director," the counselor''s tone instantly became respectful. "The speech? Yes, it''s ready. No problems at all. I''ve already called the freshman representative toe and pick it up."


    Ynda straightened up, a faint smile ying on her lips. The counselor was finally getting to it.


    "Understood. I''ll make sure she''s aware," the counselor said, hanging up. She looked back at Ynda. "So, what was it you wanted to say?"


    "Huh?" Ynda was baffled. Wasn''t it about giving her the speech?


    Just as Ynda was about to speak, an assistant from a nearby desk spoke up. "I got in touch with Juniper. She said she''lle byter to get the speech script."


    Juniper? The speech?


    "Good," the counselor nodded. "Let me know as soon as she arrives. There are a lot of important peopleing this time, and as the freshman representative, there''s a lot she needs to be briefed on."


    "What?" Ynda''s face turned deathly pale, and her voice shot up into a sharp shriek. "Juniper is the freshman representative?"


    "Is there a problem?" The counselor, startled by Ynda''s sudden outburst, frowned. "She was the top scorer and was recognized as an outstanding cadet during military training. Isn''t it logical to choose her? Or..." The counselor stared at Ynda, her voice t. "Did you think someone else was more qualified?"


    She couldn''t possibly be thinking of herself, could she? Surely she knew her own limits.


    Ynda stood there, utterly stunned, her mind aplete nk. So, it had all been her own wishful thinking from the very beginning?


    "Oh," she muttered, her face grim as she walked out of the office, crestfallen.


    So what if she got a perfect score? What''s the big deal? Ynda tried to console herself by thinking that her boyfriend was far more impressive than Juniper''s.


    Besides, it remained to be seen whether Juniper''s speech would even go off without a hitch.


    At that thought, Ynda''s hands, hanging by her sides, clenched into tight fists, a sinister expression clouding her face.


    ...


    In the car, Juniper casually scanned


    the speech script. From her


    impressions of starting school and reflections on military training to her vision for the university''s future Good grief, it was a full three pages. Were they trying to milk her for all she was worth? This couldn''t be repaid with just one meal. It would take at least three!


    "I made shrimp scampi tonight, your favorite, Shanley said from beside her, his


    favesting lightly behind her


    as gazed at her affectionately.


    "You cooked?" Juniper quickly finished reading the script and tossed it into her bag,


    her clear eyes focusing on him.


    "I did," Shanley nodded, his voice deep and alluring. "I just learned how. It turned out pretty well."


    "Alright," Juniper said, her gaze fixed on him as she raised an eyebrow. "In that case, thank you?"


    "How will you thank me?" Shanley leaned closer, pressing his advantage, his voice husky.

 Chapter 557

    Juniper''s heart skipped a beat as his handsome face suddenly loomed before her. After a few seconds of stunned silence, a yful curve formed on her lips, and she met his challenge head-on. "How do you want me to thank you?"


    The question, now thrown back at him, left Shanley in a bit of a bind. There were so many things he wanted to do.


    After a few seconds of intense eye contact, Shanley deted like a popped balloon. He gently ruffled her hair, his voice barely a whisper. "You need to grow up a little more."


    Grow up a little more? Juniper''s cheeks flushed. Did he mean what she thought he meant?


    Or... was he incapable, and that''s why he wasn''t making a move? At that thought, she pursed her lips, resolving to secretly check his pulse that night. If he had a problem, it needed to be treated.


    ...


    After dinner, Juniper washed up andy in bed, scrolling through her phone. Shanley finished his work and slipped under the covers beside her.


    "Why aren''t you asleep yet?" he asked softly, ncing at the time.


    The military training had been exhausting, and she hadn''t been resting well. She should have been dead tired.


    Without a word, Juniper rolled over, pinning Shanley beneath her and grabbing his wrists.


    His body went rigid, and a frown creased his brows. His voice turned raspy. "Juniper, what''s wrong?"


    Didn''t she realize how dangerous this position was?


    "Shh!" Not wanting to bruise his ego, Juniper shifted subtly, turning her grip into a pulse-taking position.


    Shanley didn''t dare move, letting her lie on top of him, even anticipating her next move with a hint of excitement.


    But ten seconds... twenty seconds two minutes passed, and Juniper remained in the same position, asionally frowning or smiting to herself, her thoughts a mystery.


    His heartbeat was steady, his pulse strong and regr. The flow of blood through his vessels was powerful. From the perspective of ancient medicine, he was in


    P


    excellent health. It didn''t seem lik there was any problem. But then why...?


    Juniper blinked, deciding to try a different approach. After a moment of hesitation, she leaned down and nted a quick kiss on his lips.


    "Juniper..." Shanley''s mind went nk. He never imagined their first kiss would be initiated by her.


    "How did that feel?" Juniper asked calmly, her eyes wide with clinical curiosity. "Hmm?" Shanley shifted slightly.


    One try wasn''t enough? Juniper leaned down again, this time kissing him for a little longer.


    Shanley''s entire body tensed as a certain part of him began to stir.


    Juniper''s gaze shifted downward, noticing the small mountain forming under the sheets. That should mean everything was fine, right? So, his previous hesitations were because he was exercising extreme self-control?


    Tsk. He was truly a master of restraint.


    "Juniper, you..." Shanley''s heart pounded as he saw her staring directly at him. Just as he was thinking of taking things further...


    Juniper abruptly pulled away, rolled over to her side of the bed, and turned her back to him. "Time for sleep."


    Shanley''s mind buzzed. She was going to light a fire and not put it out? What a heartbreaker!

 Chapter 558

    Shanley nced at the girl beside him, her back turned, sleeping soundly. Then he looked down at his own uncooperative body.


    "Heh." He closed his eyes, a helpless smile touching his lips. Fine. This girl really knew how to torture him.


    After a long moment, Shanley got up and went to the bathroom. He turned on the faucet and stood under the cold stream for a full thirty minutes. Just when he had finally managed to cool down, he returned to the bedroom, saw the girl, and was instantly reminded of her inexplicable kisses.


    Before long, the sound of the shower started up again.


    ...


    The next day, Juniper opened her eyes and found herself looking directly into Shanley''s.


    "You''re awake?" Shanley stroked her long hair, his deep eyes mesmerizing as he spoke in a low, husky voice. "Did you sleep well?"


    "It was alright," Juniper answered earnestly, blinking.


    "Good," Shanley pursed his lips, his expression tinged with a hint of grievance. "Is there anything you want to say to me?"


    "Not really," Juniper said as she sat up and stretched, havingpletely forgotten aboutst night''s ''assault.''


    Nothing? Shanley stared at the nonchnt girl, feeling even more dejected. She didn''t remember kissing him justst night? And she did it twice! Twice!


    When Shanley didn''t respond, Juniper finally looked up in confusion and saw his tightly pressed lips. In that instant, the memory of her ''crime'' flooded back into her mind.


    Ah. It seemed something did happen. She was actually just checking his health, albeit in the most direct way possible. She had no ulterior motives. But thinking about it now, it did seem a bit like a bandit preying on an innocent man. He looked so upset. Had she scared him?


    "Oh," Juniper blinked after a few seconds of staring, forcing the words out. "Believe it or not, I didn''t do it on purposest night."


    Although, his lips were rather nice to kiss.


    Not on purpose? That made Shanley feel even worse. Was kissing someone such a casual act?


    "What I mean is..." Seeing his expression darken further, Juniper licked her lips and tried another angle. "If youre really that angry, you can kiss me back."  fo


    Kiss her back? That was a very Juniper-like solution.


    "Juniper, you''re the only one who has ever kissed me," Shanley said, a faint smile ying on his lips, his voice a low, seductive whisper "If this times, with such an intimate act, I would now belong toyou."


    were aneret"


    "So..." Juniper''s eyes darted around as she came to a conclusion. "You want me to marry you?"


    Shanley blinked.


    "No, wait," Juniper, still groggy from sleep, corrected herself. "You want me to take responsibility for you?"


    Shanley said nothing, simply staring at her with deep, meaningful eyes. His intention was clear.


    "I get it." Juniper paused, then moved her lips. "Fine. I''ll take responsibility for you."


    "As long as you take responsibility."


    A brilliant smile lit up Shanley''s handsome face. He leaned in, his nose brushing


    against hers. "Get up. I''m taking you out today."


    She must be bored after two weeks of military training.


    "Okay." Juniper immediately scrambled out of bed and got ready.


    When she got downstairs, Shanley was already waiting by the door, holding her bag and jacket.


    "Dana, your sry is multiplied by ten this month," Shanley announced to the housekeeper.


    "What?" Dana was so shocked by


    the amount that the towel in her hand dropped to the floor. She stared at Shanley with wide, disbelieving eyes content

 Chapter 559

    She hadn''t even done anything special. Why was Mr. Schwartz suddenly giving her a tenfold raise? Was he unhappy with her work and trying to get her to quit?


    "Mr. Schwartz, no, I can''t ept that," Dana said, her voice shaking as she frantically waved her hands. "If I''ve done something wrong, I can change. Please... just don''t make me leave."


    "I''m not asking you to leave," Shanley replied, a rare, gentle smile gracing his features. "This is a bonus for all your hard work taking care of Ms. Payne."


    A bonus? Dana was still confused, but she was relieved as long as she wasn''t being fired.


    "Thank you, Mr. Schwartz," she said with a grateful nod. "I''ll take even better care of Ms. Payne from now on."


    "Boss, the car is ready," Flint said as he walked in.


    The words had barely left his mouth when Shanley spoke again. "You and Felton will also get a tenfold sry increase this month."


    How much? Ten times!


    Flint''s eyes widened as he started mentally counting the money. Then Shanley''s voice cut in again. "And pick out any car you each want."


    "Huh?" This sudden and overwhelming fortune left Flintpletely stunned, all traces of a smile gone from his face.


    A huge raise and a new car... Damn. This felt like thest meal before an execution.


    "Boss..." Flint''s lips trembled as he stammered, "Why are you suddenly giving us all this?"


    More importantly, his boss hadn''t stopped smiling. It was unsettling.


    "You don''t want it?" Shanley asked, his good mood unshakable.


    "I do," Flint replied instinctively, though he was still bewildered.


    "Then take it," Shanley said with a raised eyebrow. "And tell all the regional managers at thepany that everyone''s bonus is doubled this month."


    "Understood." Flint nodded in shock. What on earth had gotten into the boss? Had Ms. Payne given him. another ''treat''? But what kind of treat could make the boss act like such a lovestruck fool?


    "Dana, is Juniper''s juice ready?" Shanley asked as he headed to the kitchen.


    Just as Flint was lost in thought, he heard footsteps on the stairs. It was Juniper.


    "Ms. Payne," Flint said respectfully, sidling up to her and asking in a low, cautious voice, "Did something happen with the bossst night?"


    Juniper turned her head, a slight frown on her face. Her voice was light andzy. "I just kissed him twice. Is it really necessary to make a big deal out of it?"


    "What?!" Flint nearly bit his tongue.


    He knew it! He just knew it! No wonder the boss''s personality har taken aplete one eighty grinning like a happy-go-lucky idiot. It was because Ms. Payne had kissed him!


    "Ms. Payne..." Flint swallowed hard, mustering his courage to whisper, "Could you maybe... kiss my boss every now and then?"


    If Ms. Payne was diligent, their path to riches was practically guaranteed.


    "What?" Juniper, who had been ying on her phone, looked up, her longshes fluttering.


    "What did you say?" Shanley emerged from the kitchen with a ss of juice, handing it to Flint before taking Juniper''s hand.


    "I''ll go get the car," Flint said, not daring to repeat his request in front of his boss, and scurried away.


    "Let''s go."


    Shanley held Juniper''s hand tightly


    as they settled into the car.


    Throughout the drive, a smile never left his face and he would asionally let out a soft chuckle.


    Juniper nced at him, her brow furrowing deeply. A couple of kisses had this much


    of an effect on him? She was genuinely starting to worry about his mental state.

 Chapter 560

    "Boss, we''re here," Flint''s voice announced.


    "Alright." Shanley took out a mask and a hat, carefully putting them on for Juniper. First, because she was the sister of the nationally famous actor, and many people would recognize her. Second, they hadn''t nned on making their rtionship public yet, and being photographed would bring her unnecessary trouble.


    Juniper sat still, letting Shanley fuss over her without lifting a finger.


    "Let''s go," Shanley said, only helping her out of the car after ensuring she was fully disguised.


    The mall was crowded. Their height and striking presence drew frequent nces from passersby, but since their faces were covered, it didn''t matter even if they were photographed.


    As they were walking, Shanley suddenly stopped and looked back toward a corner behind them.


    Juniper stopped too, looking at him quizzically. "What is it?"


    She had been busy chatting with Qadir and the others on her phone, and being with Shanley had lowered her guard, so she hadn''t been paying attention to her surroundings.


    "It''s nothing," Shanley said, his lips pressed into a thin line.


    He had a nagging feeling that someone was following them. Was he just being paranoid because of the instructor who was after Juniper?


    Though he reassured her, his eyes sent a silentmand to Felton and Flint, who immediately dispatched their men to investigate.


    Hidden in the corner, Ebony Fox watched the couple. She had originally nned to meet Juniper during the military training graduation ceremony, when it would be crowded. But something hade up at thest minute, and she couldn''t make it. By the time she tried to find her again, Juniper had already gone home, picked up by none other than Shanley Schwartz. He had people protecting Juniper in secret, making it impossible for her to get close.


    Moreover, her current status was sensitive, and she had signed a confidentiality agreement with this country, so she couldn''t reveal her identity. Meeting the girl would require extreme caution.


    Shanley? Ebony Fox peered through a gap, studying the man beside her. They were holding hands, clearly intimate.


    Lovers?


    But she remembered his file said he was twenty-eight, while Juniper was eighteen. There was a ten-year age gap.


    Weren''t Jimmie and Shanley friends? How could he stand by and watch his sister be swept away by an older man?


    If Juniper really was her sister... anyone who tried to bully her would have to answer to her fists.


    ...


    Shanley had taken Juniper to eat at


    several ces. On her way back from a trip to the restroom, she noticed a shadow darting away behind her


    Someone was following her?


    Juniper''s eyes narrowed, her alertness snapping back instantly. She strode quickly


    in the direction the shadow had disappeared.


    Just as she rounded a corner, she ran right into Shanley.


    "What''s wrong?" Shanley''s nerves tensed when he saw the look on her face.


    "Someone''s following me," Juniper stated, her eyes turning icy.


    Shanley''s gaze sharpened, his mind immediately jumping to the


    Huntsman Institute Were they


    making a move on Juniper now. In a


    crowded ce filled with security cameras?


    While Shanley was contemting, Juniper slipped out of his arms and bolted towards a spot in the distance.


    "Juniper!" His expression changed, and he immediately gave chase, pulling out his phone to order Felton and Flint to dispatch more men.


    However, when he saw who she had


    cornered, Shanley froze. It was a young, fresh-faced boy? This was special forces officer from the Amazon Rainforest?


    "You?" Juniper stood before the boy, her eyes narrowed and her voice chillingly cold. "Are you following me?"


    "N-no," the boy stammered, his face flushing red and white as he met her gaze. "I..."

 Chapter 561

    Just as he was about to exin, a tall, imposing man in a ck suit suddenly appeared.


    "Juniper, do you know him?"


    The man naturally took Juniper''s hand, his deep eyes fixed on the boy. He radiated an intimidating aura, like a deity descended to earth, warning everyone to keep their distance.


    Seeing their intimate gesture, the boy faltered, a flicker of disappointment crossing his youthful face. This must be the legendary boyfriend of his goddess. His clothes and demeanor were clearly not those of an ordinary person. He nced down at himself¡ªa in white t-shirt, ck sneakers, and a timid posture. There was noparison.


    "Yes," Juniper replied to Shanley, exining in a low voice, "He''s the one who left the box for me in the school parking lot and then ran off."


    It was him! Shanley remembered now. Publicly confessing to Juniper-the kid had guts!


    "What do you want with her?" After hearing Juniper''s exnation, Shanley''s gaze turned on the boy, his eyes glinting with a murderous light. Even if he wasn''t an assassin from the Huntsman Institute, he was still someone with designs on Juniper. And being so young, he was a threat that couldn''t be underestimated.


    "No, no, no!" The boy was so frightened by Shanley''s menacing aura that he could barely speak, his face pale. "I wasn''t following Juniper. It was just a coincidence. I came here with my ssmates today, I swear!"


    When he saw their disbelieving looks, he quickly added, "I only followed you because I wanted to see what her boyfriend looked like. I wasn''t going to do anything."


    As he spoke, his voice grew quieter. "If you don''t believe me, I can call my ssmates over to prove it."


    "Oh." Seeing that he wasn''t lying, Juniper pursed her lips and said nonchntly, "As long as that''s the case. Otherwise, I would have broken your legs."


    Her words were spoken calmly, but the boy couldn''t help but shiver. Wow, Juniper was terrifying!


    "No, I wasn''t," the boy said, a mixture of fear and admiration in his eyes.


    "Alright," Juniper said, not wanting to make things difficult for him. "It was a misunderstanding. My apologies."


    As the two of them turned to leave, the boy couldn''t stop himself from calling out, "Juniper!"


    Juniper paused and looked back at him, puzzled.


    "Is he..." The boy bit his lip, his eyes slightly red as he asked cautiously, "Is this gentleman your boyfriend?"


    After his confession was rejected,, rumors had spread that his goddess had a boyfriend. He had hoped they were just rumors, giving hima chance to try again.


    Her boyfriend? Juniper tilted her head slightly, her clear eyes ncing at the man beside her.


    Shanley remained silent, his eyes fixed on her, a hint of grievance on his handsome face.


    After a few seconds of silence, Juniper looked back at the boy awaiting her answer and said calmly and seriously, "Yes. He''s my boyfriend."


    Shanley''s head snapped toward Juniper. He maintained his


    "What?" the innocent college boy asked again in disbelief.


    "You didn''t hear?" Shanley shot a cold look at the boy, then looked down slightly, his voice full of smug satisfaction Allow me to introduce myself tam Juniper''s boyfriend"

 Chapter 562

    Each deliberately emphasized word was like a knife stabbing into the young man''s heart. So, it wasn''t a rumor. She was really taken.


    "Still don''t get it?" Seeing the boy''s silence, his eyes red and his face a mask of devastation, Shanley''s lips curled into a smirk as he delivered another blow. "Fine, I''ll say it again¡ª"


    "No need." The boy shook his head, dejected. He lifted his gaze, his handsome face etched with sorrow. "Juniper, I wish you happiness. I... I..."


    He couldn''t finish his sentence before turning and running away, his eyes welling with tears.


    Juniper stood there, watching his retreating, tear-streaked figure with a puzzled frown. "What''s wrong with him?"


    "He''s just hungry," Shanley said, gently stroking her hair.


    His cold gaze shifted from the boy, a satisfied arch to his brow. Juniper was a genius with the emotional intelligence of a rock. It had taken him so much effort to graduate from the titles of ''old man'' and ''brother'' to ''boyfriend.'' Did these young punks really think they could just waltz in and steal her away? How conceited!


    ...


    On Monday, after breakfast, Juniper and Shanley left the house at the same time. The car pulled over about two hundred meters from Era University.


    "See you in a bit," Shanley said, handing Juniper her backpack with a charming smile.


    "Alright." Juniper nced at him, grabbed her bag, and walked toward the campus gate.


    For the opening ceremony, which was expecting many important guests, the entire university had been scrubbed clean. The president, Lionel Landon, stood at the entrance with a retinue of university leaders, anxiously awaiting their arrival.


    Crowds of students had gathered nearby, whispering amongst themselves.


    "I heard Shanley Schwartz, the president of the Schwartz Group, is incredibly handsome."


    "Really? Aren''t there rumors that he''s a weird-tempered, balding man who''s not even thirty?"


    "I''ve seen him from behind. His shoulders, that waist, those legs... wow."


    "I heard he and Jimmie Tate have


    been friends for years..." A less harmoniousment cut through the chatter about his looks. "Jimmte has never had a girlfriend, and Shanley is rumored to prefermen. Don''t you think that''s a little strange?"


    "Oh my god, I think I just had a revtion!"


    "Are you saying the two of them..." The girls'' eyes widened as they whispered excitedly, "Aah, I ship it even more now!"


    Juniper listened quietly, an


    uncontroble twitch at the corner of her mouth. The rumors were getting more and more outrageous It seemed only one of them getting married would finally put a stop to it.


    Meanwhile, Ynda had also heard that Shanley would be attending and had rushed to the school gate with her ssmates.


    "Ynda, I heard you went to Hannah''s birthday banquet?" a ssmate asked, her voice full of envy. "The Sherwin and Schwartz families must be really close, right?"


    "We''re alright, Ynda said,


    crossing her arms. A flicker of guilt crossed her eyes, but she was quick to agree th truth, Jerrold Lonsdale had bought the invitation to


    Hannah''s party at a high priver


    hoping to forge a connection with the Schwartz family. But from beginning to end, they had only managed to see Shanley''s back.


    "So Mr. Schwartz must know you, then?" another girl chimed in, her eyes shining. "I heard he''spletely uninterested in women. Ynda, you must be special to him."


    Ynda neither confirmed nor denied it, a vague, suggestive smile on her face.

 Chapter 563

    "Ynda, I heard you have a boyfriend," a girl with short hair said, her eyes darting around as she spoke in a high-pitched voice. "He wouldn''t happen to be... Mr. Schwartz, would he?"


    "Oh, you guys, don''t spread rumors," Ynda said, clenching her fists. A blush crept up her cheeks as she added sweetly, "Mr. Schwartz would be upset if he heard."


    Her reaction was a dead giveaway. They were pretty sure it was true. Who would have thought Ynda''s future connections were so powerful?


    "Don''t worry," the other students nodded, promising to keep it a secret.


    They immediately began to tter her. The Schwartz family was the wealthiest in the region, their influence stretching across both business and political circles. Getting a job at the Schwartz Group was a dream for any student. Now that Ynda had this kind of rtionship with Mr. Schwartz, all they had to do was win over the futuredy of the Schwartz Group, and a job would be practically guaranteed.


    "He''s here! He''s here!" an excited voice cried out from the crowd.


    A line of ck cars pulled up to the school gate. Security guards immediately cleared a path and set up barriers.


    Students stood on their tiptoes, craning their necks to get a better look, Ynda included. She was desperate to see what Shanley''s face really looked like.


    The car doors opened, and a group of bodyguards in ck suits stepped out first. Then, the door of the sports car in the center opened, and a pair of immacte leather shoes came into view. Following them up were a pair of long, straight legs encased in ck suit trousers. The man wore a dark blue suit jacket over a white shirt, the cor unbuttoned to reveal a pale, elegant neck, giving him a look that was both rxed andzy.


    And then, they saw his face-a handsome masterpiece of sharp, defined features.


    A collective gasp went through the crowd.


    "Wow..." The girls were practically swooning. "Aah, he''s so handsome!"


    Who started the rumor about him being prematurely bald? His height, his looks, his physique¡ªhe was way more attractive than any of those pretty-boy celebrities. More importantly, he wasn''t just handsome; he exuded a powerful, masculine charm. Every move he made was filled with grace and nobility. He was like a god, so dazzling that you couldn''t bear to look away for even a second.


    "Ynda, look!" one of her friends nudged her.


    Ynda stood frozen, her eyes wide and her heart pounding in her chest. He really was incredibly handsome and charismatic. She used to think derrold was decent, butpared to Shanley.


    No. There was noparison. Jerrold couldn''t hold a candle to him.


    Since she wasn''t the freshman representative, how was she supposed to get his attention?


    "Mr. Schwartz, wee, wee!"


    As Shanley stepped out of the car,


    his eyes scanned the crowd,


    searching for a certain someone. He


    had deliberately waited for her to


    arrive before having


    is car pull!


    to the gate.


    After a quick search, he spotted her... or rather, her back, in the crowd The girl seemed


    not far away interested in his


    arrival, walking away at a brisk pace.


    Shanley''s eyes narrowed, a helpless but fond smile touching his lips.


    "Aah!" Seeing Shanley''s handsome, smiling face, the girls felt their souls leaving


    their bodies. "Ynda, I think he''s looking in your direction!"


    "Yeah, yeah!" another girl added. "And he smiled at you! It was so sweet!"


    They already believed Ynda knew him.


    "Really?" Ynda''s heart soared with excitement, a faint blush coloring her pale cheeks.


    It did seem like he was looking her way. Could it be that her carefully nned outfit today had worked? Had Shanley fallen for her... at first sight?

 Chapter 564

    The thought that Shanley was captivated by her beauty, and that she was on the verge of soaring to new heights, brought a triumphant smile to Ynda''s lips. So what if she couldn''t be the freshman representative? True talent shines anywhere.


    "Ynda, move to the front so Mr. Schwartz can get a better look at you," her friends urged excitedly.


    "Okay." Ynda smoothed her hair and adjusted her makeup, then stepped to the very front row. She lifted her chin like a proud peacock and gazed shyly at Shanley.


    After Juniper''s figure disappeared from view, Shanley''s gaze returned, the warmth in his eyes reced by an intimidating chill.


    "Mr. Schwartz, wee," President Lionel Landon and the other university leaders greeted him in turn.


    "Mm," Shanley replied with a slight nod, his demeanor polite but distant.


    "Ynda, maybe you''re not standing in a good spot. Do you think Mr. Schwartz can''t see you?" a ssmate asked curiously. "Why isn''t he looking this way anymore?"


    "Maybe," Ynda mumbled, frowning. It was strange. He had just been smiling in her direction a moment ago.


    "Hey, let her through..." one of Ynda''s sycophantic friends called out, trying to curry favor. "Ynda, move forward a little more. Mr. Schwartz ising this way!"


    Watching the man approach-so devastatingly handsome it was almost divine¡ª Ynda''s heart beat faster and faster. That''s right. She had to try harder, capture his attention, and make him remember her for good.


    With that resolve, and with the help of her ssmates, Ynda pushed her way to the front.


    "Stop pushing!" The boys in front, getting shoved, grew angry and started pushing back at the girls behind them.


    Caught in the middle, Ynda couldn''t keep her bnce. Her body swayed precariously. Seeing Shanley was almost right in front of her, she decided to use the situation to her advantage and deliberately let herself fall forward. If all went ording to n, she wouldnd right in his arms.


    "Aah!" Ynda''s body tipped, and a sharp scream escaped her lips.


    Shanley, who was talking to the president turned his head at the sound. He caught a glimpse of a figure suddenly lunging toward him. His eyes narrowed in disgust and he instinctively sidestepped.


    "What the hell? Boss, watch out!" Seeing Ynda''s sudden ''flight,'' Flint''s protective instincts kicked in. He moved with lightning speed to block Shanley.


    "Thump!"


    Flint was a trained professional, and Ynda mmed into his iron-hard chest. She then bounced off and fell face-first onto the ground with a heavy thud.


    A collective gasp rippled through the crowd of onlookers. What was going on? Who would be foolish enough to cause such a scene on such an important day?


    "Which department is that student from?" Landon, terrified that his distinguished guest might have been frightened, immediately turned to his Secretary Have someone take her to the infirmary."


    Lying sprawled on the ground like that? It was aplete embarrassment to Era University!


    "Right away."


    The secretary wiped sweat from his brow and quickly gestured for a few male students, who scrambled to lift the dazed Ynda. The impact had left her with a bloody nose and a swollen lip, her hair messily hair messily stered to her face. She looked like a frightful mess.


    Hearing the snickers and whispers from the crowd, Ynda kept her eyes shut tight. She''d just y dead.


    "Mr. Schwartz..." Landon wore an embarrassed expression, offering an apologetic smile. "The student was out of line. I hope she didn''t startle you?"


    "It''s fine," Shanley said, a cool smile on his lips. Though his words were dismissive, his face had turned cold and grim.

 Chapter 565

    "This way, please."


    Sensing the shift in his mood, Lionel didn''t dare say another word. He then turned to his assistant, his voice stern. "Find out which ss that student is from and what her advisor told her. How could she make such a scene at a serious and important event like this?"


    It was a good thing Shanley dodged so quickly. If she had actually crashed into him, who knows what would have happened?!


    "Yes, sir. I''ll look into it immediately."


    ...


    A few minutester.


    Shanley had left, and Ynda had been carried away, leaving the crowd of onlookers exchanging bewildered nces.


    "Doesn''t Mr. Schwartz know Ynda?" one of Ynda''s ssmates asked in disbelief. ¡°When Ynda lunged at him just now, I saw him actively dodge her.¡±


    That didn''t look like they knew each other at all. Could Ynda have made it all up? "Yeah," another student agreed, equally confused. "It''s so weird. At first, Mr. Schwartz was definitely smiling in her direction."


    "Maybe there were too many people, and he couldn''t see clearly? Maybe he thought it was someone else rushing out?"


    "Someone else?" A short-haired girl''s eyes lit up as she slowly ventured, "What if Mr. Schwartz wasn''t looking at her in the first ce... but at someone else?"


    At her words, everyone turned to look at her.


    It wasn''t impossible. But... who would Mr. Schwartz be smiling at?


    A guy?


    Or a girl?


    ...


    At the campus clinic.


    The advisor for the broadcasting freshmen got an earful over the phone. After asking for details, she learned that one of her students had caused a major incident. The story was that some horsey had gene wrong, and a student had nearly crashed into Shanley.


    ¡°Ma''am, I didn''t mean to," Ynda exined in a small voice. Her exquisite makeup, now smeared on her swollen face, made her look like a clown.


    "Ynda, is it?" The advisor''s face was green with anger, her tone severe Can''t you just stay out of trouble? We haven''t even resolved the issue with the instructor and now you''ve caused this huge mess.¡±


    Didn''t mean to? As a woman herself, she could see right through Ynda''s little games.


    ¡°I¡ª" Already feeling wronged, Ynda''s eyes welled up with tears after the advisor''s harsh scolding.


    "You''re lucky Mr. Schwartz wasn''t hurt," the advisor red at her, her voice cold. "Otherwise, we''d both be in deep trouble. Try to behave from now on. I can''t keep cleaning up your messes."


    Ynda''s face went pale, and she bit her lip, feeling utterly aggrieved.


    "It must have been the crowd," she thought. "He just couldn''t see my face clearly, that''s why he didn''t catch me." She was certain of it.


    Besides, Mr. Schwartz was staying until the end of the opening ceremony, so there would be plenty of opportunities to see him again.


    She was confident. If she could captivate him once, she could do it a second time.


    Leaving the clinic, Ynda saw the university president talking with Juniper.


    "You brought your speech, right?" The president was all smiles, giving her a gentle and paternal reminder "This year''s opening ceremony. huge affair, and it''s being live-streamed. All the big names Er? City are here Especially Shanley. As the freshman


    representative, you need to make a good impression when you go up on stage. Don''t do anything to


    displease him."


    "He wouldn''t dare," Juniper replied nonchntly.


    "What was that?" The president hadn''t heard her clearly.


    "Nothing," Juniper said ndly, blinking.


    Overhearing this, Ynda was consumed by a wave of jealousy. She wondered if Mr. Schwartz would be captivated by Juniper''s seductive face when he saw her.


    If only... if only something went wrong with her speech.


    A sinister glint appeared in Ynda''s eyes at the thought.

 Chapter 566

    Back in the dorm room, Juniper dropped her bag onto a chair. "I brought you guys some food," she announced to Hattie.


    "Whoa!" Hattie opened the bag to find two boxes of sushi and two of raviolis, both looking absolutely delicious.


    "Thank you, Juniper!" The three of them clutched the food containers, moved almost to tears.


    "Don''t mention it." Juniper arched an eyebrow with a small smile, taking a sip from her water bottle.


    "The opening ceremony is about to start," one of them said. "We should save the rest forter."


    "Sounds good," Juniper agreed. Just as she spoke, her phone rang.


    "Juniper, you''ve made it to campus, right?" It was the faculty member in charge of her speech, her voice warm. "The freshman representative''s speech is early in the program, so don''t bete."


    "Okay," Juniper replied softly. "I''m heading over now."


    After ending the call, Juniper took her speech from her bag, and the four of them headed towards the main field.


    "This is a long speech." Hattie was holding the script for her, flipping through it. "It''s written so formally. You''d think this was for a political rally or a doctoral defense."


    "I know, right? I''d probably stumble just reading it. Good thing they didn''t make you memorize it."


    "Don''t be nervous, Juniper. We''ll be in the audience cheering you on."


    Nervous? Juniper was busy texting Shanley. Hearing her friends, she nced over with a polite smile. "Sounds good."


    As they neared the field, her advisor suddenly called out, "Juniper,e to my office for a moment."


    "You go ahead, Juniper. We''ll hold onto your speech for you," Hattie offered enthusiastically.


    "Thanks." Juniper smiled and nodded, turning to walk towards the advisor''s office.


    After she left, Hattie, Cynthia, and L sat down to chat while they waited.


    As luck would have it, Ynda was justing from the clinic after getting her injuries treated. She saw Juniper talking with her three roommates, and her eyes were drawn to what Hattie was holding.


    "That must be Juniper''s speech script," she thought. She had heard that because the asion was soz important and no mistakes could be made Juniper was allowed to fead from it. The ceremony was being live streamed, and many important people were attending. If that script disappeared and Juniper was left speechless on stage, wouldn''t that be the end of her?!


    Just then, Hattie ced the folder with the speech and her own bag on a chair as the three of them went to look at the fish in a small pond nearby.


    This was the perfect opportunity. With that thought, Ynda put on a face mask, nced at the security cameras, and deliberately circled around behind the three girls.


    As she walked past, her fingers deftly slid the script out from under the clipboard. She quickly crumpled it into a ball and tossed it into a


    nearby trash can. Hormoven


    were so swift that Hattie andher friends never noticed a thing, still happily waiting for Juniper to return.


    The opening ceremony was about to begin.


    Juniper hurried back, grabbed her speech from her friends, and went straight backstage. The moment she arrived, a stage and started. running through the procedure with her, the most frequent reminder being to not get nervous.


    As they were talking, the host began introducing the special guests on stage. When


    a few university deans were introduced, the apuse from the students was polite but uninspired, a purely perfunctory gesture. Until¡ª


    "Hello, everyone. I''m Shanley Schwartz." Shanley stood up, a faint smile ying on his lips as he offered a few conventional words of greeting.


    Suddenly, the atmosphere erupted. A roar of apuse and screams ripped through the field, the energy of the crowd instantly electric.


    "AHHH! He''s so handsome! Those legs are longer than my will to live!"

 Chapter 567

    "I bet that''s why he never appears in public. That face is a lethal weapon!"


    ¡°Hehe, I heard a rumor that he and Mr. Tate are... close. Any guesses who''s on top?"


    "Nonsense, Mr. Schwartz has a fianc¨¦e!"


    "A fianc¨¦e?"


    This piece of news sent the students into an even more frenzied discussion.


    "He has a fianc¨¦e and that Ynda from the other ss still had the nerve to throw herself at him? So shameless!"


    "Someone in themunications program said Mr. Schwartz smiled at her. You don''t think he''s nning on making her his mistress, do you?"


    "Please, rich guys have standards too! Ynda? What does she have to offer?¡±


    "If I were Mr. Schwartz..." a boy mumbled, his gaze finallynding on Juniper, his expression turning shy, "I''d definitely choose the goddess."


    Their goddess was beautiful and brilliant... ande to think of it, the two of them looked pretty good together.


    ¡°Pfft!¡± his friend beside him retorted mercilessly. ¡°Go find a mirror. Who are you to be so picky?"


    Juniper frowned slightly, unable to understand the appeal. This old man was that popr?


    ¡°Era University is my alma mater, and I have always held a deep affection for it. I hope to see it continue to flourish. Thank you."


    After a few brief remarks, Shanley sat back down.


    Next, the host took the stage, beaming. ¡°And now, please wee this year''s top schr, Juniper Payne, to deliver the freshman representative''s address."


    As soon as the host finished speaking, a startlingly loud round of apuse erupted from the guest section.


    The faculty members turned in unison to see that the one pping so enthusiastically was none other than Shanley himself. Startled, they quickly joined in, ensuring their apuse was no less vigorous than the tycoon''s.


    The students below were just as confused.


    The president, Lionel, pped until his hands were red. "Tsk," he thought. "Only the top schr gets this kind of treatment!"


    After the host''s introduction, Juniper walked to the podium with her speech folder.


    "Distinguished faculty, honored guests, and fellow students, good afternoon. I am your freshman representative, Juniper Payne."


    Juniper stood perfectly straight, delivering her greeting with politeposure.


    In an instant, all the cameras swiveled towards her, the sound of shutters and shing lights filling the air.


    "Next, I will..." Juniper opened the folder, and her voice abruptly stopped. A sh of cold fury crossed her clear eyes.


    When nothing followed, the reporters looked up from their cameras, ncing at her with confusion. What was going on? Was she too nervous to speak?


    "It looks like she doesn''t have her


    speech!" a reporter whose camera was aimed at the podium eximed. The folder where the speech should ave been was empty


    "What? No speech?"


    ¡°How could such a mistake happen at such an important event?¡±


    The professor in charge of this segment felt his face go pale. He struggled to remain calm as he tried to solve the problem. "Contact themunications department! Have then send the file over so we can print it."  s?novels


    If they acted now, they could still fix this.


    "There''s no one in the office. The original file is on theputer," came the swift reply. "It''ll take fifteen minutes to get back and transfer it."


    Fifteen minutes? The professor looked at the displeased expressions of the university leaders and guests on the stage, his heart pounding in his chest.


    They had other events scheduled; there was no way they would wait fifteen minutes for her. It was over There was no way Juniper had memonized such a long speech Their options were to have her leave and cut this part of the ceremony, or let her improvise.


    Either choice was a disaster. The professor felt like he was suffocating.

 Chapter 568

    Her speech was gone?


    When word spread, the students started murmuring.


    "Didn''t she check before going on stage? Dropping the ball at a critical moment!"


    "All the deans and bigwigs are up there, and the cameras are rolling live. This dead air is so awkward!"


    "The university took this opening ceremony very seriously. If this turns into a joke, Juniper will have to take the me!"


    "Can she speak or not? If not, she should just get off the stage and not waste everyone''s time!"


    The students were all baking under the hot sun, their patience wearing thin. They wanted nothing more than for this to be over so they could go back to their dorms


    and sleep.


    "Hattie, weren''t you holding Juniper''s speech?¡± L asked, confused. "We even saw the pages inside. We''re sure she brought it, so how can it not be in the folder?"


    "I know!" Hattie was on the verge of tears, her voice trembling. "I was holding it the whole time and never even opened it, I swear."


    "It''s okay, it''s okay." Cynthia and L quicklyforted her. "We believe you. Something must have happened along the way."


    "I''m just so worried I''ve ruined things for Juniper..." Hattie looked at the seemingly helpless girl on stage, her eyes red with guilt.


    Seeing this, a smug smile spread across Ynda''s face. "So you stole the


    ''freshman representative'' spot that was rightfully mine? Thought you could steal the show? Well, this is quite a show, isn''t it?"


    She reveled in Juniper''s apparent predicament.


    "This..." Lionel hadn''t anticipated such a mishap and worried that the important figures beside him were growing impatient.


    ¡°Mr. Landon¡ª¡± Just as he was about to have an aide usher Juniper off the stage or find another solution, Shanley''s low, deep voice cut in.


    "Mr. Schwartz!" Lionel immediately turned, a respectful smile on his face.


    "Let her improvise," Shanley said, his gaze fixed on Juniper, a faint curve on his lips. This little problem was nothing she couldn''t handle.


    "...Yes." Lionel didn''t dare object and could only instruct the professor to get another copy of the speech for her immediately.


    "Right away." Just as the notified professor was about to act, Juniper''s voice rang out.


    "Next, I would like to share some of my personal thoughts."


    Personal thoughts? The deans, professors, reporters, and students all turned their attention back to her. They watched as Juniper closed the empty folder and set it on the table. She then lifted her head, her eyes looking straight ahead.


    Everyone wore aplex expression. Without a script, what could she possibly say? Was she going to wing it? Surely she couldn''t have memorized the entire speech?!


    Amid their doubts, Juniper''s calm and steady voice began to fill the silence.


    The professor, who had been frantic just moments before, instantly calmed down as he listened to her speak. Good heavens. It was the content of the speech. Had Juniper actually memorized it?


    The reporters quickly readjusted


    their cameras, focusing on the poised and confident Juniper. The entire incident, from crisis to resolution, hadsted no more


    her to leave the stage in disgrace, but instead, she was delivering the speech from memory! As expected of the top schr-truly impressive!


    ee minutes They haw dist


    "I think she memorized the whole thing..." Hattie and her friends exchanged looks of


    disbelief, finally letting out a collective sigh of relief.


    At first, they had been worried she would stumble or forget her words. But now ten minutes in-she was not only speaking eloquently but also in using her words with emotion, her tone rising and falling with perfect cadence. She waspletely at ease, handling the situation wlessly.


    The students in the audience stared at Juniper, their mouths slightly agape,pletely captivated.


    "Damn. Could we borrow a piece of that brain? Is there anything she can''t do?"

 Chapter 569

    The smile on Ynda''s face had long since vanished, reced by a thick veil of hatred. How was this possible? How could Juniper have memorized such a long speech?


    "This concludes my speech. Thank you."


    After reciting the entire script without a single error, Juniper gave a polite nod to the audience. Her expression was cool and stunningly beautiful, her presence overwhelmingly powerful.


    Just as she was about to leave, Shanley suddenly spoke up. ¡°Juniper, please wait a moment."


    Juniper paused, looking at him with a questioning gaze. What was he up to now?


    Seeing Shanley approach Juniper, Lionel and the other faculty members immediately stood up as well.


    "Juniper''s speech has been very insightful," Shanley said, stopping beside her. His deep eyes were fixed on her face, a gentle smile ying on his lips. "Therefore, I have decided to donate two newboratory buildings to be built on an undeveloped area of Era University''s campus."


    Two buildings? Hearing this, Lionel and the other administrators'' eyes nearly popped out of their heads. That had to be a fortune!


    "Since this was inspired by Juniper, why don''t we name them after the two of us?¡± Shanley''s lips curled as he spoke slowly. "How does the ''J.S Laboratory Building'' sound?"


    Juniper''s expression wasplicated as she looked up. He slipped in his personal agenda, didn''t he?


    "Umm..." The administrators exchanged nces before nodding eagerly. "We think that sounds wonderful. An excellent name."


    It seemed their decision to make Juniper the freshman representative had been the right one.


    ¡°Juniper, what do you think?" Shanley''s attention was entirely focused on her.


    Juniper met his gaze, a slight curve on her lips as she replied nonchntly, "It''s your money, Mr. Schwartz. I have no objection."


    Shanley''s smile faltered for a second as he remembered that he had, in fact, given his entire fortune to this youngdy.


    A donation for new buildings? The students below were utterly stunned. A fifteen-minute speech


    earned the university two new buildings donated by a tycoon!


    Education really did pay off!


    Hearing Shanley''s words, Ynda stared in disbelief, watching as he smiled warmly at Juniper.


    ¡°That vixen!¡± she fumed. She had tried to guard against this, but it had happened anyway. Did Juniper really think she was worthy of the Schwartz family?


    If Juniper hadn''t stolen the freshman representative spot, it would have been her name linked with Mr. Schwartz''s on those buildings. It was all Juniper''s fault!


    Ynda clenched her fists, the fires of jealousy threatening to consume her.


    ...


    After the opening ceremony, Hattie and the others rushed to Juniper, apologizing profusely.


    ¡°Outside the clinic?" Juniper pulled out her phone and, after a few taps, brought up the school''s security camera feed.


    She saw footage of Ynda emerging from the clinic. She was smart enough to avoid the cameras, and the spot where Hattie had left Spot


    the bag was indeed a blind


    making it difficult to proving."


    Still, there was a ny percent chance Ynda was the culprit.


    Tsk. Some people never learn, no matter how many times they get burned.


    "Yes." Hattie nodded, her eyes red. "I''m so sorry, Juniper. I almost ruined your speech."


    ¡°It''s not your fault." Juniper patted Hattie''s shoulder reassuringly. ¡°Let''s head back to the dorm. Don''t forget about the raviolis."


    Just then, her phone vibrated. She expected it to be Shanley, but it was an unknown number.


    [Hello, this is the chief instructor from Era University''s boot camp. There are some matters I need to. discuss with you in person. Would- you be avable to meet?]


    Chief instructor? The senior instructor from the Huntsman Institute? Hadn''t they


    given up yet?

 Chapter 570

    [Sorry, not interested.]


    Juniper gave the message a cursory nce before typing her reply.


    First, she genuinely wasn''t interested. Second, it was unlikely a "senior instructor" could teach her anything. And third... she was a wanted person at Huntsman Institute. Going back would be like walking into a trap.


    To make sure the instructor got the message, she blocked the number.


    Seeing her next message fail to deliver, Ebony Fox was momentarily surprised, then


    a faint smile touched her lips. ¡°That temper is just like my little sister''s.¡±


    The next second, her phone rang. It was one of her subordinates. "Ebony Fox, Jimmiends in Era City tomorrow night."


    "Understood." Ebony Fox''s response was a low hum. Her gaze drifted to the


    distance, her feelings growingplicated. Soon she would know if Juniper was her little sister or not. And then there was Jimmie, her supposed brother.


    ...


    After the opening ceremony, Juniper was summoned to President Lionel Landon''s office. She assumed she was about to get a lecture about the mishap with her speech. But when she pushed the door open, she found not only Lionel but also Shanley inside.


    ¡°President Landon, you were looking for me?" Juniper''s gaze swept past Shanley as she spoke with calmposure.


    "Come in," Lionel beckoned with a smile.


    "Okay." Juniper entered the office and casually took a seat next to Shanley.


    Lionel was so startled his smile froze on his face. He quickly warned her, "Why are you sitting there?"


    He wouldn''t even dare to sit next to Shanley, yet this student was remarkably bold.


    "Then where should I sit?" Juniper instinctively stood up, her eyesnding on Shanley''s chair. It was a custom leather massage chair,plete with a spread of snacks beside it. Nice setup.


    "Sit here." Shanley stood up, offering hisfortable seat to Juniper. ¡°Help yourself to whatever you want to eat," he said softly.


    "Alright." Never one to be shy, Juniper sat down and immediately picked up a slice of milk cake that had caught her eye the moment she walked in.


    "You-" Lionel''s face contorted in shock at their interaction.


    ¡°Let her sit.¡± Shanley picked up a napkin, habitually wanting to wipe Juniper''s mouth, but catching Lionel''s astonished gaze, he changed the gesture to simply handing it to her. "How does it taste?"


    "Too much sugar. A bit too sweet," Juniper critiqued as she ate.


    Too sweet? How dare she criticize something Mr. Schwartz gave her? Lionel shot a nervous nce at Shanley afraid the girl''s audacity Would anger him. To his surprise, not only was Shanley not angry, but a faint smile was ying on his lips.


    Was that... a smile?


    In all the years he had known Mr. Schwartz, he had never seen him smile like that! Could it be...


    Lionel looked back and forth between Shanley and Juniper. Despite the significant age gap, surely Mr. Schwartz wouldn''t do something so scandalous... right?!


    ¡°Ahem.....¡± Noticing Lionel''s stare, Shanley cleared his throat andposed himself. "Juniper''s brother and I are old friends."


    ¡°Oh, I see.....¡± Lionel visibly rxed, his face breaking into a brilliant smile. "No wonder you two get along so well. So you''ve known each other for a long time."


    A friend''s sister, which basically


    made her Mr. Schwartz''s little sister.


    He had almost let his imagination


    run wild. It was clear their families


    were close; after all, you don''t just donate buildings worth tens of millions on a whim.


    "Juniper is such an excellent student. Not only are her grades


    outstanding, but she''s also..."


    Realizing Shanley special regard for Juniper, the quick-witted Lionel


    immediately began to sing her praises.


    Listening to his incessant chatter, Juniper''s brows furrowed slightly. He was getting loud.

 Chapter 571

    Noticing Juniper''s reaction, Shanley''s deep voice cut in coolly. ¡°Lionel, I heard you have another meeting shortly. If it''s important, you should go ahead."


    "Not important, not at all!" Lionel waved his hand dismissively. Nothing was more important than hosting Shanley.


    "Are you sure?" Shanley sat back in his chair, his long legs crossed, his inscrutable eyes fixed on him.


    "Not important... or is it important?" Lionel hesitated for a moment, looking awkward. "Actually, I suppose it is rather important."


    "Good." Shanley nodded, satisfied, a faint smile on his lips. "Then you should go take care of it. Juniper and I can discuss the building ns."


    "Of course." Understanding Shanley''s intent, Lionel offered a few polite words to Juniper and tactfully excused himself.


    The room fell silent.


    "If it''s too sweet, don''t eat it." Shanley took a napkin and gently wiped the corner of Juniper''s mouth.


    ¡°When did you memorize that speech?¡± he asked softly. If he remembered correctly, she had only received the script on Friday, and she had spent the entire weekend with him. He hadn''t seen her spend any time on it at all.


    "I didn''t," Juniper replied, finishing the cake and moving on to the fruit.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Shanley looked at her, confused, his gaze soft.


    "I just read it twice and remembered it," she said with a nonchnt shrug.


    "That''s impressive." Shanley''srge hand gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, a smile gracing his lips. "Juniper, do you have any objections to the n to donate buildings to Era University?"


    Juniper paused mid-chew, her starry eyes meeting his.


    ¡°After all...¡± Shanley''s breath hitched, his voice grew husky. "You''re the one


    managing the finances at home. What you say goes.¡±


    Oh, right. Shanley had supposedly transferred all his assets to her.


    "Donatingb buildings to Era University will not only cultivate top talent inputer science, who can then join the Schwartz Group after graduation, but it will also attract leading experts in the field back to the country. It''s beneficial for both the nation and society..." Juniper took a sip of water, her analysis calm and measured. ¡°This is a worthwhile investment."


    "Alright then." Pleased that she had grasped his intentions, Shanley''s lips curled into a satisfied smile. "I''ll have my people follow up on the construction. We''ll still call it the JS Laboratory Building And all the


    profits will go to you."


    ¡°I have no objection to that." Juniper''s lips quirked up as she answered without


    hesitation. The name didn''t matter as long as it paid off in the end.


    "By the way," she added, putting down her fork, "I''m having dinner with Queenie and


    the others this afternoon, so you don''t need to pick me up."


    Dinner? Shanley''s expression shifted slightly as he remembered the people trying to "assassinate" Juniper. The threat was still active. While he knew she was more than capable of handling herself, he didn''t want her to face even the slightest danger.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Shanley walked Juniper to the door, his voice soft as he reminded her, "Don''t drink and don''t eat anything from strangers. Come home early when you''re done."


    Juniper stared at him, thinking he was being particrly fussy today.


    After watching her leave, the smile vanished from Shanley''s face. He took out his phone and dialed Felton. ¡°Assign some people to protect Juniper. Try not to let her notice."


    "Yes, boss."


    "Also¡ª¡± Shanley paused, his voice turning gravelly. "Find Ebony Fox. And then find some capable people to... take care of Ebony Fox, permanently."

 Chapter 572

    At Era University.


    From a discreet corner, Ynda watched as Shanley personally escorted Juniper out of the president''s office. Juniper said something, and the famously stoic Shanley actually broke into a smile.


    "Seductress!" Ynda clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles turned white. She thought that losing the speech would humiliate Juniper, but instead, the girl had somehow managed to recite the entire thing perfectly and show off this time. Not only had she be the talk of the campus, but she had also captured Shanley''s attention!


    "Doesn''t Juniper have a boyfriend? How dare she so brazenly flirt with another man! If Shanley knew, he''d surely be disgusted, right?" Ynda thought. "I have to find a way to expose Juniper''s true colors."


    ...


    At three in the afternoon, Juniper, J, and Queenie arrived early at the restaurant.


    "Qadir and Dolce just got on the subway," Queenie said, pouring Juniper a ss of water. "They''ll be here in about half an hour. They said we should go ahead and order."


    "Sounds good." Juniper closed her game and set her phone on the table. "Order whatever you want. It''s my treat today."


    "Thanks, Juniper!" the other two chimed in, their eyes crinkling with smiles.


    At one point, Juniper excused herself to go to the restroom. On her way back, hands tucked in her pockets, she suddenly sensed someone approaching from behind.


    Instantly alert, she spun around, her gaze meeting a tall figure. The person was dressed in a short-sleeved shirt, ck cargo pants, and matchingbat boots. A cap was pulled low, obscuring most of their face, revealing only a sharp, well- defined jawline.


    It was clearly a woman, and a strikingly beautiful one at that, with an exceptional presence. But more than that... there was something intensely familiar about her facial structure.


    *Have I seen her before?* Before Juniper could process the thought, the woman turned and walked away.


    Juniper frowned. Did the woman mistake her for someone else? How odd. Shaking her head, she turned and headed back to the restaurant.


    After she left, the "bodyguards" who had been trailing her also retreated.


    Only when she was certain the area was clear of any surveince did Ebony Fox emerge from the


    shadows Shapleys men were Protecting her too well. It was impossible to get close to her without revealing her own identity.


    "Fine," she thought. "Jimmie arrives tonight. I''ll meet with him first."


    At the Schwartz Group headquarters.


    "Boss." Felton entered the office, his expression grim. "Ebony Fox has made a move."


    "Screech-"


    Shanley, who had been signing a document, dragged his pen across the contract, leaving a deep gash. His eyes instantly frosted over. "Where?"


    "At the restaurant." Felton flinched under his boss''s icy gaze and swallowed hard. "Ebony Fox attempted to approach Ms. Payne but likely sensed our people and retreated quickly. Their skills inbat and reconnaissance are extremely high they managed to avoid all the cameras. However, they did expose one thing... The renowned special forces senior instructor-Ebony Fox-is a woman."


    ¡°A woman?¡± Shanley''s deep eyes narrowed, his lips parting slightly.


    "Ebony Fox is infamous at the Huntsman Institute for her ruthlessness. She oncepleted a 5S level assassination mission and escaped unscathed. Whoever red her must have gone to greato lengths."


    "Two days." Shanley''s fingers tightened into a fist, the darkness in his expression deepening, his eyes as menacing as a stormy sea.


    Felton was momentarily confused, not understanding what "two days" meant.


    "Within two days, I want to see Ebony Fox alive." Shanley tossed the pen on his desk and slowly wiped the ink from his fingers, his face a mask of terrifying calm.

 Chapter 573

    Since she was hired by someone, she would know who was behind it. If he was going to deal with this threat, he would eradicate itpletely. He wouldn''t allow his girl to be in any danger.


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡± Felton nodded, his tone deeply respectful. ¡°Flint and I will handle it immediately. We guarantee we''ll have Ebony Fox in custody within two days."


    "Cancel the rest of my meetings."


    Knowing that Juniper had narrowly avoided danger, Shanley had no desire to continue working. He finished the contract at hand and drove directly to the restaurant where Juniper was meeting her friends. Mindful of not disturbing the youngsters, he didn''t go inside. Instead, he found a spot where he could see her and watched over her quietly for three hours.


    Only when her party concluded did he drive away.


    "Boss, since you were here, why didn''t you pick up Ms. Payne?" Felton asked cautiously from the driver''s seat.


    ¡°Juniper said I didn''t need to," Shanley replied, leaning back against the seat, his lips barely moving. "Disobeying an order would make her unhappy."


    Felton didn''t dare respond, simply rubbing his nose and marveling internally. ¡°My boss is so obedient to Ms. Payne! I''d better be clear on who''s the real king and queen in this rtionship from now on!"


    ...


    Late that night, afternding at the airport, Jimmie had some unfinished business and went straight to his studio. Just as he pushed the door open, a figure darted out from behind him, a low voice hissing, "Don''t move!"


    A woman? Assuming it was an obsessed fan, Jimmie froze mid-motion as he was taking off his jacket. "What do you want?¡± he asked calmly. ¡°An autograph? A photo? Or..."


    "What would I do with that junk?" Hearing his words, Ebony Fox rolled her eyes, her tone impatient. ¡°Calm down. I just have a few questions for you."


    She was holding a knife to his neck. How was he supposed to calm down?! Jimmie''s brows knitted together, and he didn''t respond immediately, unsure if she was after ssified information.


    "Is Juniper your sister?" Ebony Fox asked, her voice tight.


    "Who are you? Why are you asking about Juniper?¡±


    The mention of his sister made Jimmie agitated, and he tensed, ready to resist.


    "Your biological sister?" Ebony Fox pressed, holding him firm.


    "Of course," Jimmie answered without hesitation.


    "Is that so..." Ebony Fox murmured, her words indistinct. "I just don''t see the resemnce. You''re much uglier than she is!"


    "Huh?"


    "Does she have three other sisters?" Ebony Fox knew she couldn''t linger and asked coldly, "All of whom went missing fifteen years ago."


    At those words, Jimmie''s body went rigid. Something exploded in his


    is ne


    mind. How did she know about what happened fifteen years ago? Could it be


    "I now suspect that Juniper is my sister, and that you and I are rted by blood, the woman said, pullinga small bay from her pocket and cing it on the table. Her voice was serious. "My identity is sensitive. I can''t stay long until our rtionship is confirmed."


    "This is my hair. You can have it tested. But for your safety and Juniper''s the test must be keptpletely confidential will I also be taking a sample of your hair. We should have the results by tomorrow at thetest."


    "Hiss¡ª¡± A sharp pain shot through Jimmie''s scalp. "Couldn''t you have given me a warning before yanking it out?" he said, annoyed.


    "Sorry about that." Ebony Fox''s lips twitched. "I''m used to killing. Sometimes I don''t know my own strength."

 Chapter 574

    Killing what? Jimmie was so stunned by her casual, chilling words that it took him a moment to recover.


    "Who are you, really?" Jimmie''s expression turned grave, his voice unconsciously lowering.


    ¡°Like I said, until our rtionship is confirmed, it''s inconvenient for me to reveal my current identity," Ebony Fox replied, her voice cool and low. "This is for your protection. The test results will be ready tomorrow afternoon. I will contact you then."


    "By the way," Ebony Fox added, as if an afterthought, "I suggest you get a sample of Juniper''s hair tested as well."


    Because... she really didn''t think the two of them looked alike.


    "Great suggestion, but I''ll pass," Jimmie''s face fell, his tone turning icy. "You seem more like a con artist to me."


    Though he had to admit, she was just as sharp-tongued as Juniper, with a talent for driving people mad.


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Before leaving, Ebony Fox emphasized onest time, ¡°For Juniper''s safety, I expect no third party will learn of this matter."


    With that, Ebony Fox released her grip on Jimmie''s neck and vanished from the room with incredible speed.


    By the time Jimmie turned around, she was gone. He immediately checked hisputer, only to find that the security footage had been wiped beforehand. Nothing had been recorded.


    She knew about what happened fifteen years ago... Did that mean she was one of his three missing sisters? What kind of identity was so sensitive that it couldn''t be revealed?


    Jimmie initially thought about asking Shanley to investigate the woman''s


    background, but her warning echoed in his mind¡ª "For Juniper''s safety, I expect no third party will learn of this matter."


    Jimmie looked down at the lock of hair in his palm, then dialed his assistant. "Get me in touch with a DNA testingb."


    "Now?" The assistant nced at the time. "It''s midnight."


    "Now!" Jimmie''s tone was unusually stern, leaving no room for argument. "Pay for the express service. I want the results by tomorrow afternoon at thetest."


    The assistant fell silent. Thest time Mr. Tate had been this desperate for a DNA test was when he found his sister. What had happened this time? Could it be... Mr. Fate had a woman on the side, and now she was showing up with a baby, demanding he acknowledge his child?


    side


    "Mr. Tate, how old is the child?" the assistant swallowed, his heart pounding. "Who''s the mother? When did you find out?"


    "What are you babbling about?" Jimmie paused for a few seconds before the realization dawned, and his expression darkened further. "Just do what I asked."


    "Oh." The assistant was still bewildered, terrified that the sudden appearance of a child would jeopardize his own career.


    "This woman... she might be my


    sister," Jimmie said, sinking onto the sofa as he recalled the woman''s


    words. The probability was ny


    percent, Th


    fierce untamed aura she had was just like Juniper


    "Sigh." Jimmie leaned back and pinched the bridge of his nose, exhausted. If they ended up with another sister with a temper like Juniper''s, life was going to get a lot harder for the three brothers.


    ...


    Early the next morning, Shanley was awakened by a phone call. He frowned, ncing at the peacefully sleeping girl beside him before taking his phone and stepping quietly out onto the balcony.


    ¡°Boss, we''ve found a trace of Ebony Fox," Flint''s voice came through the line. "She''s right here in Era City. We can confirm she has been tailing Ms. Payne for some time."

 Chapter 575

    She was being so secretive. She must have been looking for the right opportunity to strike.


    "Are the men ready?" Shanley asked, his grip tightening on his phone. A shadow fell over his face, as dark and cold as ayer of frost.


    ¡°They''re ready,¡± Flint replied respectfully. ¡°All of them are elite operatives from Sigma Network. I guarantee Ebony Fox won''t leave here alive."


    "Stay on her." Shanley nced back, his eyesnding on Juniper''s calm face. ¡°Find


    the right time and ce," he ordered, his voice raspy, ¡°and take care of her."


    "Understood, boss." Flint confirmed. Before hanging up, he ventured cautiously, "Should we inform Ms. Payne?"


    "...No." Shanley thought for a moment and shook his head. "Juniper is starting her sses today. I don''t want anything else to trouble her."


    Besides, he was there for her. A man who couldn''t protect his woman was useless.


    After breakfast, Shanley had nned to drive Juniper to school, but a call from Melvin came in right on time.


    ¡°I''m heading over to Era University for some business anyway," Melvin said. "I can give the girls a ride."


    The girls? Shanley paused for a second before it clicked. Melvin clearly had other motives. "Alright," he agreed.


    Juniper noddednguidly. "I''ll go with J," she said, her eyes half-lidded.


    "Okay." Shanley handed the bag to Melvin and walked them downstairs. "Drive safe,¡± he said, his expression serious.


    Melvin shot him a baffled look, feeling personally insulted. "Hello? Melvin Steele, three-time international racing champion. You think you need to worry?"


    Shanley just offered a helpless smile. He couldn''t exactly exin the real danger without risking Melvin impulsively investigating andpromising the n to eliminate Ebony Fox.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shanley nodded, his gaze softening as it fell on Juniper. ¡°Call me when you get to campus."


    "You''re acting very strange today," Juniper said, staring straight at him. She blinked. "Are you seeing someone else?"


    "What?" Shanley felt deeply wronged, his face flushing. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "Don''t you know whether I am or not?"


    ¡°Oh, shut up.¡± A sudden heat rose in Juniper''s cheeks. She pushed him away, ducked into the car, and said, ¡°Let''s go.¡±


    As they drove, Melvin nced in the rearview mirror, trying to gauge J''s expression. "There are a couple of bags of snacks for you two to take to school.


    fel


    Juniper nced over. The two bags were different, each filled with snacks chosen ording to their individual tastes.


    "Thank you, Mr. Steele," J said, sitting primly. Her demeanor toward Melvin was that of respectful deference, as if he were a respected elder.


    "You''re wee." Melvin smiled warmly. "When you don''t have ss, you and Juniper shoulde visit."


    "Okay,¡± J replied softly, stealing a quick look at Juniper.


    "Melvin..." Juniper looked up at him. ¡°What kind of business do you have near Era University?"


    "Ah?" The question caught him off guard, and Melvin, who had fabricated the excuse, almost bit his tongue. "Oh, just a small thing. A very small thing."


    ¡°I see,¡± Juniper said, her knowing tone making the hair on his neck stand on end. He wondered if she was getting revenge for him teasing Shanley Had she really be that loyal?

 Chapter 576

    Computer Science department was near the north gate of Era University, so Juniper got out of the car first. J''s Law department was on the other side of campus, by the east gate.


    After Juniper left, only Melvin and J remained in the car. J, who was already intimidated by older figures, was now so nervous she barely dared to breathe.


    "J," Melvin began, his earlier unease gone now that his sister wasn''t watching. A warm smile spread across his handsome face. "How are you settling into school? Is everything okay?"


    "It''s fine,¡± she replied. Her mom had asked her the exact same question.


    "Oh." Melvin hadn''t expected such a concise answer. After a few seconds of silence, he tried again. "Since you and Juniper are at the same university, you two should look out for each other."


    ¡°Okay,¡± J said with a polite, graceful smile. ¡°My mom told me the same thing.¡±


    Her mom? Why was he being lumped in with her mother? Melvin''s smile twitched. "Well," he said, changing the subject, "how about we exchange numbers? Just so I can, you know, check in on how Juniper is doing."


    J blinked, then obediently took out her phone. "Should I get your number, Mr. Steele?" she asked timidly.


    "Sure."


    The friend request came through instantly, and Melvin epted,beling the contact: J.


    J did the same, saving his number as Mr. Steele. Then, she mentally filed him away in the same category as her elders.


    "We''re here." Melvin pulled up and got out to open the door for her.


    "Thank you, Mr. Steele." J quickly hopped out of the car and gave him a deep, respectful nod. "Goodbye, Mr. Steele."


    "...Goodbye."


    Melvin felt there was something strange about their dynamic, though he couldn''t quite put his finger on it.


    Oh well. She was still young. He''d have to take things slow so he didn''t scare her off. He''d ask that old fox Shanley for some adviceter... it should be fine.


    Just as he watched J walk away, Melvin''s phone rang. It was Jimmie, his tone uncharacteristically grave "Clear your afternoon.


    Something important hase up I''ve already notified Harold.


    "What is it?" Melvin frowned. It was rare for Jimmie to sound so serious.


    "I can''t say over the phone," Jimmie said, checking the time. It would be a few more hours until the test results were ready. ¡°Just trust me and wait for my call.¡±


    Melvin''s mind raced. "Did you find another one of our sisters?"


    "It''s very likely,¡± Jimmie admitted, though his voice held no trace of excitement. "I''m just not sure if she''s..... a good person. So don''t say anything to Juniper yet.¡±


    He could never forget what the


    woman had said the night before: I''m used to killing. What kind of normal person had a hobby like that?


    this sister raised dbeey


    the wrong people and her character


    was warped... he had to be cautious.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at a DNA testing facility, Ebony Fox waited nervously by the door, afraid something might go wrong.


    Three hourster, a technician finally


    emerged with the report. She tore it open, and a faint smile touched her lips as she read the conclusion at the bottom. She and Jimmie were full siblings... which meant that. spirited, beautiful young woman was her sister. Perfect!


    Leaving the facility, Ebony Fox immediately called Jimmie. "Did you get the results on your end?"


    "Yeah.¡± Jimmie, who had just received the report himself, felt a bit dazed. His voice trembled slightly. "Do you remember what number you are?"


    ¡°The fourth,¡± Ebony Fox replied, her memory of this detail sharp. Her little sister had always called her ''Fourth Sister'' in her tiny, sweet voice.

 Chapter 577

    For so many years, she would often dream of her little sister''s voice.


    "Alright." Jimmie''s feelings about this mysterious, strange, and suddenly-appeared sister were incrediblyplex. ¡°Besides me and Juniper, your other two brothers have also been found."


    "Really?" Ebony Fox was stunned. Gaining three brothers all at once was not something she had prepared for. She hoped they weren''t useless. She had a natural aversion to ipetence.


    "Three o''clock this afternoon," Jimmie said in a low voice. "Pick a ce. Let''s meet first."


    "What about Juniper?" Ebony Fox asked, adopting the name her brothers used for their little sister. It felt more intimate, and she wasn''t about to be outdone.


    "Not yet." Jimmie''s tone was calmer, but still tinged with caution. "I hope you understand. I just want to make sure Juniper is safe.¡±


    "...Fine." Ebony Fox frowned slightly, but her opinion of Jimmie improved. It showed he was a responsible older brother.


    ¡°Let''s meet at the factory in the suburbs at three," Ebony Fox said after checking a


    map.


    "A factory?" Jimmie''s voice rose. "Just how shady is your line of work that we have to meet in a factory?¡± He paused, then his voice dropped to a choked whisper. "Don''t tell me you''re... a fugitive?!"


    "I do have a connection to fugitives, but I''m the one who chases them." Now that their rtionship was confirmed, Ebony Fox lowered her guard slightly. "I''m an international special forces operative, here in Era City on an official invitation from an allied government. My itinerary and identity are top secret. A factory is the most secure location."


    Special forces? Jimmie thought about his siblings'' professions and marveled at the diverse talents their parents had passed down. So, his fourth sister... was the one who used to bully Melvin as a kid? It made sense she''d be a soldier. She had a knack for it.


    "Okay," Jimmie agreed. "I''ll bring our other two brothers to meet you at three. Once we''ve confirmed everything, we''ll call Juniper."


    "No problem," Ebony Fox said. Just before hanging up, she asked, "What does Juniper like?"


    "Money. And food."


    Ebony Fox''s brow furrowed for a moment, then a fond smile touched her lips. Just like when she was a little girl. So cute!


    ...


    At two-thirty in the afternoon, Ebony


    Fox drove from her hotel toward the factory At the same time, Felton angelint had pinpointed her location.


    "Boss, it looks like she''s heading to the suburbs,¡± Felton reported respectfully.


    ¡°The suburbs?¡± Flint said with surprise. "Isn''t that perfect? Fewer people out there, makes our job easier."


    They could take care of her and bury the body right there. Clean and simple.


    "Follow her Shanleymanded


    from his car. His deep eye het


    fixed on Ebony Fox''s Vehicle.


    sharp. I don''t want any mistakes.¡±


    "Yes, sir." Felton and Flint exchanged a look, their senses on high alert. Their boss was personally involved which showed just how much he How dare shetry to assassinate Ms. Payne? That was like ying with fire. It was almostughable.


    wanted to deal with Ebony F


    Just then, Shanley''s phone vibrated.


    A text from Juniper: [?]


    Normally, Shanley would text her every two hours. It had been three. Something was off.


    Shanley smiled and typed back. [Preparing a surprise for you!]


    He figured after he dealt with this, he''d buy the girl a cake to make up for it.


    Juniper was puzzled. What surprise?

 Chapter 578

    Shanley texted again: [Just focus on your sses. You''ll see it when you get home tonight.]


    Juniper felt a wave of exasperation. The old man had been acting very strange thest couple of days. This had better be a surprise, not a shock.


    As she pondered, a message from Jimmie arrived.


    Jimmie: [Juniper, can you get out of ss this afternoon? There''s someone you need to meet in person.]


    Reading the message, Juniper frowned. A strange, heavy feeling settled in her chest.


    Jimmie: [It''s about your fourth sister.]


    Fourth sister? Juniper froze for a moment. An image of the woman who had been following her a few days ago, the one who had suddenly run off, shed in her mind. Could that have been her?


    Jimmie: [Juniper, you might need to prepare yourself.]


    Juniper: [?]


    Jimmie: [This sister of yours... she might have been raised wrong. She''s not a good person.]


    Juniper: [??]


    Could their family''s genes really produce someone like that?


    Jimmie hesitated, then decided to give his sister a dose of reality: [She''s killed a lot of people.]


    Wow, her sister was that much of a badass? It sounded thrilling! Juniper replied promptly. [Okay, send me the address.]


    After sending the message, Juniper debated whether to tell Shanley. She decided against it. It was better to wait until she met her sister and got a sense of her personality. Otherwise if Shanley angered this sister the way he d angered her brothers, things could getplicated.


    At the suburban factory, Ebony Fox parked her car and strode inside. She was so focused on meeting the people inside, and with Sigma Network''s tracking being so advanced, her usual vignce slipped. She didn''t notice the vehicles trailing her.


    It was arge factory. Just as she entered, Sigma Network operatives surrounded the building.


    ¡°Boss, it seems she''s here to meet someone important," Flint observed. "Could be an aplice."


    Shanley''s eyes darkened at the thought. "Capture them all alive,¡± he ordered, his voice like ice.


    "Yes, sir.¡± Felton and Flint nodded in unison, directing their men to cover every exit. Then they sent a team in to cautiously locate Ebony Fox. Not even a fly was getting out of there.


    Meanwhile, Ebony Fox had chosen the most secure, secluded spot in the factory the basement. When she arrived, three men were already


    there, seated. While their fackno


    weren''t identical there was a clear. family resemnce in their features: So, these were her three older brothers?


    At the sight of Ebony Fox, Jimmie, Harold, and Melvin all stood up. They stared at her, their expressions a mixture of anticipation and apprehension. They were excited because they had missed their sister for so long, but they were also wary... because she had killed people.


    "Don''t worry," Ebony Fox said, sensing their unease. She schooled her emotions, taking off her dark coat, hat, and gloves. "I didn''t bring any weapons. I''m a normal person. I don''t just kill people randomly."


    She shrugged naturally. ¡°When I said I kill people, I meant bad people."


    Jimmie, Harold, and Melvin were speechless. With her face fully visible, she did bear a striking resemnce to Juniper.


    "Hello," Ebony Fox said, her gaze sweeping over the three men. She softened her typically cold demeanor. Let me introduce myself am Ebony Fox, ¨¤ senter instructor at the Huntsman Institute in the Amazon Rainforest, and also the secretly invited Training Officer for an allied government this year."


    Huntsman Institute? The name made all three men look up, their eyes wide with disbelief.

 Chapter 579

    Although they weren''t in the military, they were very familiar with the name. It was known for its brutal environment and incredibly difficult selection process. Very few soldiers made it out of there alive, let alone became a senior instructor.


    To earn that title, one needed top-tier psychological fortitude, physical conditioning, andbat skills. And their fourth sister, who was only twenty-five, had already achieved that rank?


    Looking at her sun-kissed skin and slender frame, the brothers felt a pang of heartache alongside their astonishment. They couldn''t begin to imagine the hardships she must have endured to get to where she was today.


    "Oh, and right now, I''m also your sister," Ebony Fox added calmly, cing the DNA report on the table.


    Staring at the report, the three men were still in a bit of a daze.


    "Hello," Jimmie was the first to recover. He swallowed hard and stepped forward, extending a hand. "I''m Jimmie, your oldest brother."


    ¡°Hello,¡± Ebony Fox replied, shaking his hand.


    "I''m Harold, your second brother." Harold offered his hand as well.


    "Hello,¡± she responded with a slight smile.


    "And I''m Melvin, your..." Melvin was thest to step up, but before he could finish, Ebony Fox cut in. "I know you. Little Three."


    The rest of Melvin''s introduction got stuck in his throat, his expression turningplicated. Little Three? He would never be able to reconcile himself with that nickname.


    "Ahem." Seeing Melvin''s dark expression, Ebony Fox blinked and exined earnestly, "I used to pick on you a lot when we were kids, so you left a deeper impression on me."


    That exnation felt like two daggers straight to Melvin''s heart. Bullied by her as a child and greeted with Little Thee... a world of hurt, created just for him.


    "My apologies, Bro," Ebony Fox said, pressing her lips together.


    The formal address finally soothed Melvin''s bruised ego. It seemed that among the three of them, his fourth sister had called him ''bro'' first.


    "Hmph,¡± he grunted, a proud smile spreading across his face.


    After the introductions, the four of them sat facing each other, and the atmosphere plunged into an awkward silence.


    "How did you end up at Huntsman Institute?¡± Jimmie asked softly.


    "Sold there by human traffickers," Ebony Fox said, her face tilted up. Years of Suffering and training had made her unppable. "I''ve actually been looking for you all these years, but my identity is too sensitive for a public search The invitation to


    Era City was my chance. I never expected fate to be so kind, letting me find not only my little sister but all of you too."


    She paused. "So... do you have any more questions?"


    The three brothers looked at her.


    "If not, can we get Juniper over here now? I want to see her," Ebony Fox said, her eyes shining with anticipation.


    The brothers exchanged nces, their expressions unreadable. So, in her eyes, it was all about the little sister.


    "I''ll text her now,¡± Jimmie said, pulling out his phone. ¡°Barring any surprises, you should be able to see her in about half an hour."


    "Okay." A rare smile graced Ebony


    Fox''s cool features. But before the smile could even settle, she


    suddenly sensed movement outside.


    Could her identity have been exposed, leading her enemies here?

 Chapter 580

    Ebony Fox''s brow furrowed, every nerve in her body on high alert. The enemies she had made were not ordinary people; they were ruthless. Her three brothers were here, and more importantly, Juniper was on her way. She couldn''t let them be put in any danger.


    "Assassins," she hissed, ncing out the window. Sure enough, an unfamiliar car was parked in a corner. "They must be my enemies, here for me.¡±


    "Assassins? How many are there?" Jimmie, though internally panicking, kept his voice calm. "How long can you hold them off? I''ll call for backup!¡±


    He thought Shanley''s men from Sigma Network could get there quickly.


    "There''s no time!" Ebony Fox pulled back from the window, her face pale. She scanned the room and spotted a discarded metal crate in the corner. "They''re after me; they probably haven''t seen you. You three hide in there. I''ll handle the rest." The crate was justrge enough to hide three people.


    "What?" Jimmie''s brow locked. ¡°You want three grown men to hide while you face them alone?"


    "I''m a special forces soldier," Ebony Fox replied without hesitation, her tone deadly serious. Her three brothers looked like they couldn''t handle a real fight and would only end up getting in her way.


    "What does that matter?" Jimmie retorted, grabbing her wrist. "You''re our sister. Since when do brothers let their sister protect them?"


    "Exactly!" Harold chimed in, craning his neck to look outside. "No matter what happens, your brothers will protect you."


    "They dare to make a move in Era City? They clearly don''t know who my brother- inw is!¡± Melvin brandished a thick metal pipe he''d found, pping it against his palm with a fearless grin. "Bring it on! I''m not a man if I back down!"


    Seeing the three of them standing their ground, hearing their words, Ebony Fox felt something stir within her. A wave of warmth, a feeling she hadn''t experienced in years, spread through her. Were they... worried about her?


    "Thank you." Ebony Fox looked down at the hand Jimmie was holding, her throat tight. ¡°I know you want to protect me, but don''t. Not yet."


    The three brothers stared at her, confused.


    "Can you actually fight?" Ebony Foxid it out for them logically. "If not, my advice is to hide. Otherwise, I''ll be fighting and trying to save you at the same time, which will ill just slows me down


    The three fell silent. They could fight, sure, but their stamina was questionable. "Toote."


    Just as they were talking, the heavy thud of footsteps echoed from the doorway. They had been found.


    "This way!" Ebony Fox kicked open a side door, and the four of them bolted down the adjacent corridor.


    A deafening crash echoed from the


    room they had just left. The spot where they had been standing was riddled with bullets the air thick with the smell of gunpowder.


    Ebony Fox drew a pistol from her hip and returned fire at their pursuers.


    "Look out!" Jimmie yelled, seeing an attacker take aim at his sister. Without thinking, he yanked her toward him.


    A bullet whizzed past her ear, so


    close she could feel the heat. Just a


    fraction of an inch, and it wo


    have


    hit her in the head. Content Belongs


    "Thanks, bro," Ebony Fox said, her voice steady.


    "We''re family. No need for thanks," Jimmie replied with a tight smile.


    "Get down!" Harold shouted, shoving all of them into a nearby room and mming the heavy iron door shut.

 Chapter 581

    As the sound of gunfire raged outside, the other three turned to look at him. If he hadn''t reacted so quickly, they would have been turned into human pincushions.


    "We''re family. Don''t mention it," Harold said, beating them to the punch.


    The four siblings looked at each other and broke into smiles. Especially Ebony Fox. She had been in countless situations like this, each one a dark, grim affair. But this time... she actually found it interesting.


    "Don''t worry, we''ll be fine," Jimmie said, pulling out his phone to contact Shanley and Juniper, only to find the screen shattered.


    The others'' phones were intact, but their signals were being jammed. Damn it! Juniper had to be on her way. What if she walked right into this chaos?


    "It seems they don''t actually want us dead,¡± Ebony Fox said, herposure returning. ¡°They seem to want to capture us alive."


    They were cornered, with no way out. The enemy could have easily set the ce on fire or used explosives, but they hadn''t.


    "Capture us?" Jimmie narrowed his eyes, breathing heavily. "If that''s the case, we might be able to get out of this in one piece."


    After all, this was Shanley''s turf. He couldn''t imagine who would have the audacity to cause such amotion here.


    The next second, the door was kicked open. A group of men in ck, heavily armed, swarmed in and aimed their weapons at the four of them. Jimmie, Harold, and Melvin instinctively moved to shield Ebony Fox.


    "Ebony Fox, I presume?" the leader said, his voice cold. "Our boss wants to see you."


    "Who''s your boss?" Ebony Fox forced herself to remain calm. ¡°You want me, it has nothing to do with them. I''ll go with you. Let them go."


    "No!" the three brothers shouted in unison.


    "Enough,¡± the man said, clearly tired of their bickering. "You''re all aplices, right? None of you are going anywhere."


    And with that, all four of them were blindfolded, gagged, and led away.


    Meanwhile, Juniper left campus and headed toward the factory on her scooter.


    As she got closer, she noticed something was off. Shanley''s car? What was it doing parked outside the factory? Had he already found out about her sister?


    That man''s intelwork was impressive!


    Just then, Shanley, who was about to go inside to see Ebony Fox, received a call from Flint. "Boss, Ms. Payne is here."


    ¡°Juniper?¡± Shanley stopped in his tracks, his expression hardening. "Did you tell her about the assassination attempt?"


    Felton and Flint shook their heads in unison. They wouldn''t dare without the boses orders Ms Payne was so smart, she must have figured it out herself.


    "Ms. Payne is at the entrance," Felton reminded him.


    Shanley had no choice but to turn around and head for the entrance. They met halfway.


    "When did you know?" they both asked at the same time.


    "Just now Juniper answered, looking around at therge number of men Shanley had brought with


    him Even if her sister was


    dangerous, this seemed like overkill.


    "Don''t worry, they''ve all been caught,¡± Shanley said, stroking her hair gently. "You


    can decide how to deal with them.¡±


    "Deal with them?" Juniper waspletely lost. "What did my sister do that you need to ''deal with'' her?"


    "She was trying to kill..." Shanley''s words caught in his throat as he looked up his expression shifting. dramatically. "What did you say? Ebony Fox is your sister? Not the assassin trying to kill you?"


    Juniper fell silent. So, Shanley had mistaken her sister for an assassin... and captured her?

 Chapter 582

    Juniper and Shanley stared at each other, a heavy silence hanging between them.


    "When you captured her," Juniper finally said, breaking the silence as she began walking briskly toward the factory, "did you use force?"


    Shanley didn''t answer, instead ncing at Felton and Flint, who looked just as terrified as he felt.


    ¡°Well.....¡± Flint licked his lips nervously. "We, uh, fired a few warning shots, but none of them hit, I swear."


    "Is that so?" Juniper paused, her gazending on Flint with aplex expression. "Should I thank you for that?"


    "Ah?" Flint felt goosebumps erupt all over his skin under her stare. "N-no need for thanks," he stammered.


    Damn, Ms. Payne''s re was terrifying!


    Just then, Felton''s phone rang. His brow furrowed as he listened. "Boss," he said, "my men are reporting that besides Ebony Fox, they also captured three of her aplices."


    Aplices? Shanley''s own brow furrowed, his mind buzzing. Where did three aplicese from?


    "Oh," Juniper said coolly, her hands stuffed in her pockets as she strolled ahead. "My three brothers went to meet my sister first to make sure everything was okay before calling me."


    "So...¡± Shanley''s mind raced to catch up, his throat suddenly dry. "Those three aplices... are most likely your three brothers?"


    Juniper stopped and turned to face him. She traced a light finger over his chest, a faint smile ying on her lips. "The probability is about 1000%, Mr. Schwartz. You''ve really outdone yourself this time."


    Shanley''s face was ashen. He was utterly speechless. He had screwed up on an epic scale.


    "Juniper..." He instinctively took her


    hand, his deep voiceced with hoarseness. ¡°I truly believed she was


    investigating and following you to: assassinate you. Thats why f


    "Scared?" Juniper tilted her head back, the corners of her lips curling into a half-


    smile as she watched him.


    Shanley said nothing, but his


    expression said it all. Of course, he


    was scared: If he had only


    mi?takenly captured one of them he could have at least asked Jimmie and the others to help smooth things over.


    But now? He''d captured all of them. A total party wipe. Talk about friendly fire; he''d practically bombed his own headquarters.


    Juniper took a step closer, her body pressing against his. She narrowed her eyes yfully. "I hear my sister is a senior instructor at a special


    forces academy. If she decides to hit


    you, you should remember to


    dodge."


    "You''re not going to help me?" Shanley wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling like his world was crumbling.


    "She''s a senior instructor," Juniper said, batting her eyshes with a suppressedugh. ¡°I don''t think I could win, could I?"


    Shanley pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Let''s go. We should get them released."


    He was no stranger to apologizing. In fact, he was quite good at it.


    Inside the factory, in a dpidated room, Jimmie, Harold, Melvin, and Ebony Fox were bound, their mouths taped shut. They were all disheveled and dirty, looking utterly defeated.


    "Stay put,¡± the leader of the squad sneered, waving his gun in front of them menacingly. ¡°Move, and this thing might just go off by ident."


    Ebony Fox''s face was a dark mask of fury. If she weren''t worried that struggling would endanger her brothers, these grunts would be no match for her.

 Chapter 583

    She was going to find out which of her enemies had such urate intel and dared to make a move on her.


    Jimmie, his eyes wide with fury, struggled against his restraints until the tape over his mouth finally tore open. "Do you have any idea whose territory you''re on?"


    The men in ck exchanged confused nces. Of course, they knew. This was Mr. Schwartz''s turf.


    "What?" The leader chuckled. ¡°Don''t tell me you know Shanley Schwartz."


    Jimmie''s eyes widened. The man had guessed correctly. "That''s right," he shot back, his voice cold. "You''d better let us go right now, or else¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish, his mouth was taped shut again. The leader rolled his eyes. Knew Mr. Schwartz? He might as well have imed to know God himself.


    Five minutester, Felton and Flint arrived at the door, panting and out of breath.


    "Sirs! Where''s the boss?" the squad leader asked, eager to report his sess. "The targets are inside. I''ve got thempletely under control."


    Felton and Flint''s faces twitched.


    "O-open the door!" Flint stammered, his words tumbling out in a panic. "Let... let them all go!"


    "What?" The leader''s smile froze. He thought he''d misheard. After all the trouble they went through to catch them, they were just going to let them go? Especially Ebony Fox. She was a formidable fighter. If it hadn''t been for her threepanions to use as leverage, they might not have been able to capture her alive.


    "I said let them go!" Flint kicked the man in the rear, his expression grim as he swore under his breath. "We got the wrong people! Those are the boss''s future inws!"


    Future inws? The leader clutched his backside, his mind struggling to process the information.


    Impatient, Felton shoved him aside and threw the door open himself. In an instant, all eyes in the room snapped toward them.


    Felton? Flint? The brothers were bewildered. They hadn''t managed to make a call for help. How did Shanley''s men get here so fast?


    "So sorry for the trouble, haha,¡± the two men said, rushing forward to untie the siblings with frantic haste offering awkward, apologetic smiles. Seeing their superiors the other subordinates quickly joined in to help.


    Jimmie, Harold, and Melvin were utterly confused. Ebony Fox rubbed her sore wrists, equally perplexed, until she caught sight of the two figures standing in the doorway.


    It was her little sister. Ebony Fox''s eyes lit up, but her smile vanished when she saw the man standing behind her.


    ¡°Boss!¡± The men who had just been holding them captive now stood in two neat rows, bowing their heads respectfully.


    Boss? Ebony Fox froze for a second, and then it all clicked. The mastermind behind her capture... was Shanley?


    Jimmie, Harold, and Melvin looked from the guilty-looking assassins to the sweat- drenched Shanley, and they too understood what had happened.


    ...


    Later, in a private room at a high-end restaurant, dimmie, Harold, Melvin, Juniper, and Ebony Fox sat on one long sofa. Shanley sat alone on the opposite side his hands resting on. his knees He looked awkward and restless, with beads of sweat dotting his forehead. He wanted to exin, but he didn''t know where to begin, especially with Ebony Fox ring at him as if she wanted to kill him.


    Shanley threw a desperate, pleading look at the three brothers.


    Jimmie stared at the wall to his left. Harold examined the ceiling to his right. Melvin pretended to be fascinated by the floor No one was going to help him. Their faces all said the same thing: Let''s watch the show.

 Chapter 584

    Shanley''s brow twitched. He shifted his gaze to the one person who might help him. "Juniper, save your boyfriend," he pleaded with his eyes.


    Her sister was truly a special forces instructor; her re alone could kill a man. If it hadn''t been for Jimmie and the others, his men might not have even seeded in capturing her.


    "Ahem." Picking up on his silent plea, Juniper put down the piece of fruit she was eating, clearing her throat to create a diversion.


    Ebony Fox''s head finally turned. The moment her eyesnded on Juniper, her expression softened into one of gentle warmth. "I''m Ebony Fox. Your fourth sister," she said.


    Being so ustomed to a cold demeanor, showing tenderness felt a little awkward. "I''m sorry for appearing and then running off the other day. I didn''t frighten you, did I?"


    Juniper looked up, meeting Ebony Fox''s gaze. Her longshes fluttered.


    Ebony Fox swallowed, asking cautiously, "Was I too intimidating? Did I scare you?"


    "No." Juniper shook her head. She gently took Ebony Fox''s hand, a small smile ying on her lips. ¡°Sis, your nose... it looks just like mine.¡±


    Her nose? Ebony Fox touched her own nose, and then it dawned on her. What had Juniper called her? Sis? The wave of happiness was so sudden and overwhelming that Ebony Fox just sat there, a faint smile blooming on her cool features.


    ¡°Juniper, you remember me?" she asked in disbelief. After all, Juniper was only three when she got lost.


    "I didn''t at first," Juniper said, her eyes sparkling, her voice clear and pleasant. "But seeing you again brought it all back."


    "Really?" Ebony Fox leaned closer, her fingers tentatively touching Juniper''s hair. Her voice was uncharacteristically soft. "I didn''t realize my little Juniper had such a good memory."


    Then, remembering the gift she had prepared, she pulled a small box from her coat. "Open it."


    Juniper opened the box to find a bank card inside. A ck card, the kind that was issued in limited numbers globally and required a nine-figure deposit to even qualify for.


    "I wasn''t sure what you liked..." Ebony Fox watched her sister, her voice slightly hoarse with emotion. "There''s a little money in there. Buy whatever you want."


    "Is this your life savings?" Juniper asked, her voice low and certain as she ran a finger over the card.


    ¡°No,¡± Ebony Fox said with a faint smile, quickly dispelling her sister''s worries. ¡°I started working early. I''ve saved up quite a bit over the years."


    Working early? Those two simple words pierced Juniper''s heart. On the way to the restaurant, Jimmie had told her about what happened to the sister. After the shipwreck, she had been sold on the ck market and eventually ended up in the Amazon Rainforest. She She had fought tooth and nail, shedding blood and tears, to climb to her current position. Juniper knew exactly what kind of ce the Huntsman Institute was.


    hac


    ¡°Okay,¡± Juniper said. She had wanted to refuse, but meeting her sister''s expectant


    gaze, she managed a small smile. ¡°Thank you, my sister."


    "You''re wee." Ebony Fox breathed a sigh of relief and couldn''t resist pinching her sister''s cheek. It


    was so soft and squishy, just like


    she remembered from when they were children.


    From his corner, Shanley watched them, his brow furrowed and lips pressed into a thin line. He''d never even pinched Juniper''s cheek like that. He was jealous.


    "So, you''re also the head instructor for the military training at Era University?" Juniper asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. "If so, why didn''t youe see me sooner?"


    At the mention of that, the warmth vanished from Ebony Fox''s face. She shot a cial look at Shanley.


    "You''ll have to ask the gentleman


    across from us," she said, her tone sharp. "Every time I got close, his men would appear out of nowhere, guarding you like I was a criminal. If


    I hadn''t been fast on my feet i might not be alive right now." Content"


    "I''m sorry," Shanley said, his voice low. It was all he could say.

 Chapter 585

    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.

 Chapter 586

    Meeting Ebony Fox''s cold, scrutinizing gaze, Jimmie and his brothers guiltily averted their eyes. It was clear their newly found sister was not impressed with the old fox. He was older, his life was a mess, and he''d nearly shot his girlfriend''s sister-it was a trifecta of red gs. The road to winning over his inws was going to be a long one for Shanley.


    "How old are you, Mr. Schwartz?" Realizing she couldn''t count on her brothers, Ebony Fox leaned back, crossed her legs, and fixed Shanley with an icy stare, an intimidating chill emanating from her.


    Juniper nced at her sister, then at Shanley''s strained expression. She considered intervening but thought better of it. Shanley had almost put a bullet in her sister; if she defended him now, it would only make things worse. Better to let Ebony Fox vent her frustration.


    As for Shanley... he was easy enough to sootheter.


    "I just turned twenty-eight," Shanley replied, standing tall. His height,manding presence, and handsome features certainly made him easy on the eyes. But he was... a bit old.


    "Twenty-eight?" Ebony Fox stroked her sister''s hair, a derisive smile ying on her lips. "And you know how old my sister is, don''t you?"


    Shanley pressed his lips together, not daring to speak.


    "That''s a gap of nearly ten years," Ebony Fox said slowly, her cold eyes piercing him like daggers. "Don''t you have any self-awareness about how mismatched you two are?"


    "I think..." Shanley''s lips parted, his deep eyes meeting Ebony Fox''s gaze without flinching before shifting to Juniper. His voice was husky as he replied, "Juniper and I are a perfect match."


    Ebony Fox''s eyes narrowed slightly. She hadn''t expected such a direct answer and found herself feeling a grudging respect for his nerve. He had some backbone, at least.


    She turned to gauge her sister''s reaction, only to find the two of them locked in a tender, meaningful gaze. The look in Juniper''s eyes was anything but that of someone who had been ''sold off''.


    "Could you give me a moment alone with Juniper?" Ebony Fox asked, her voice low.


    "Of course." Shanley nodded, and before leaving, he gently draped his suit jacket over Juniper''s shoulders.


    "Don''t eat anything cold for the next few days, okay?" he murmured.


    "Okay," Juniper replied distractedly, her eyes still on her game.


    Watching their intimate exchange, Ebony Fox frowned. From what she''d seen at the training camp, her sister was a cool-headed individual who didn''t like being tied down She hadn''t


    was surprised to see her being so obedient with Shanley. Then again, Shanley was clearly very attentive to her.


    "Call me if you need anything," Shanley said politely to Ebony Fox before turning to leave the private room.


    "You three get out, too!" Ebony Fox snapped at her three ''useless'' brothers, who had clearly forgotten their sister in the face of personal gain.


    "Hey now¡ª" Jimmie frowned, his lips moving to protest. "Talk to us properly. We are your brothers, after all."


    This temper of hers was even worse than Juniper''s.


    "You''re lucky you''re my brothers," Ebony Fox retorted with a cold sneer, idly toying with her handgun "If there weren''t any blood-ties between us, you''d have been dead a dozen times over for letting this happen to Juniper."


    The three men silently filed out of the room, which instantly fell quiet.


    "Juniper." Ebony Fox turned and gently took Juniper''s hand, her expression serious.


    "Do you have any idea who Shanley is?"


    The CEO of the Schwartz Group was


    known for his vtile nature and ruthless methods, and he had countless enemies How could her sister navigate that world?

 Chapter 587

    Her sister was only eighteen, a college freshman. Was she supposed to spend her beautiful, vibrant youth living in constant fear at Shanley''s side?


    Ebony Fox knew all too well what it was like to be hunted, and she would never let her little sister suffer the same fate.


    "I do," Juniper nodded.


    "And you still..." Ebony Fox''s brow furrowed in confusion. "Did Shanley force you into this?"


    "It was my choice," Juniper said, shaking her head. A faint smile touched her lips as she looked directly into her sister''s eyes. "The guys didn''t approve at first either. But... I like Shanley."


    "Juniper, you''re only eighteen," Ebony Fox said softly, her eyes filled with concern. "Are you sure it''s really love? What do you even like about him?"


    "I don''t know," Juniper admitted after a moment''s thought. She couldn''t pinpoint a specific reason. A corner of her mouth lifted. "If I had to say, it''s because he''s good- looking."


    "What?" Ebony Fox''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    She was drawn to his face? On second thought, the man was undeniably


    handsome. Her sister was at that age, susceptible to... being seduced.


    "How did the guys ever agree to let you be with him?" Ebony Fox asked, genuinely curious. It was obvious how much they doted on Juniper.


    "Money," Juniper said calmly, wiping her hands on a napkin before peeling arge purple grape and offering it to her sister. "To prove his sincerity, Shanley transferred all of his personal assets to my name."


    "All of his assets?" Ebony Fox knew Shanley was the richest man in Borealia, backed by the century-old powerhouse of the Schwartz Group.


    "Yes, all of it," Juniper confirmed with a slight curve of her lips. "So now, he and his money are all mine. If he ever dares to mistreat me..."


    "You''ll kick him to the curb?" Ebony Fox finished for her. She''d never been in a


    rtionship, but she''d seen enough movies to know the script.


    "No." Juniper paused, her fingers gently caressing the small bottle he had given her.


    She let out a softugh. "I''ll tie him up and whip him every day."


    ??


    Hearing her sister''s words, Ebony Fox''s tension eased, a nearly imperceptible smile gracing her lips. Her sister had broken records in obstacle courses, excelled in climbing, and was a crack shot She had clearly underestimated her.


    So what if he was older? At least he knew how to take care of someone. If Juniper liked him, then let them be together. The day she didn''t, she could just kick him out. And if he ever dared to hurt her sister, she would be the first to make him pay With her connections at the Huntsman Institute, she could have him beaten to a pulp, even without a weapon.


    "I hear you two are living together. So..." Ebony Fox hesitated, running a hand though her hair How fachave things gone? Shanley hasn''t done anything inappropriate, has he?"


    "Inappropriate?" Juniper, who was sipping a milkshake, tilted her head in confusion.


    "Like..." Ebony Fox''s cheeks flushed slightly. "Kissing, or... anything more?" she whispered.


    "We''ve kissed. Nothing else," Juniper answered without a second thought.


    "What?" Ebony Fox''s eyes widened. The man had actually made a move!


    "But I was the one who kissed him," Juniper rified, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "He was actually pretty upset about it, sulked for two whole days."


    Ebony Fox was speechless. For a moment, her silence was deafening.

 Chapter 588

    Ebony Fox let out a soft sigh, a resigned smile touching her lips. It seemed her worrying had beenpletely unnecessary.


    Later, Shanley hosted a dinner for Ebony Fox and the three brothers at Moonlight Peak. To protect Ebony Fox''s identity, he had the entire restaurant closed to the public.


    Throughout the meal, Shanley doted on Juniper, peeling shrimp for her,dling soup, and never resting for a moment. He even meticulously picked out the stray bits of garlic used for voring from her dishes, treating her like a precious child.


    Watching her sistermand such royal treatment, any lingering reservations Ebony Fox had about Shanley vanished. She had started the day with a poor opinion of him, but now... she almost felt a little sorry for him. No wonder Jimmie and the others had been so quick to entrust their sister to his care.


    "I heard you were invited to Orient Country for a training assignment, Ebony Fox?" Shanley asked, pouring her a ss of low-alcohol wine, his demeanor respectful yet confident.


    "Yes," she replied, her voice raspy as she picked up the ss. "They said this new batch of recruits was pulled from the elite of various special forces units. They''re a proud bunch. I was brought in to whip them into shape."


    "Understood," Shanley said, continuing to peel shrimp for Juniper. "If you need anything at all, don''t hesitate to ask."


    Ebony Fox didn''t hold back. "Isn''t the training facility in the eastern district owned by the Schwartz family?"


    It was spacious, with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, and its remote location was perfect for live-fire exercises. Her unit had been looking for a suitable site and was about to contact the Schwartz Group through a middleman, but they''d heard the venue was booked for some event that conflicted with their schedule.


    Shanley looked up. "Felton, have someone get in touch with Ebony Fox to handle the handover."


    "Sir, what about the training event we scheduled..." Felton began in a low voice. They had been preparing for it for months, drawing military enthusiasts from all over the world. The registration fees alone were substantial, and ast-minute cancetion would be a breach of contract, resulting in massivepensation payouts.


    "Cancel it," Shanley said without a moment''s hesitation. "Handle it as necessary."


    "Yes, sir." Felton understood and immediately left to take care of it.


    "There really was an event?" Ebony Fox frowned, feeling uneasy. "We can find another ce, you don''t have to..."


    "It''s no problem," Shanley said with a faint smile, cing another peeled shrimp in Juniper''s te. He exuded a mature charm was in the wrong today if I had truly been reckless, the consequences would have been far more costly than money."


    He would have lost Juniper, his priceless treasure. What was a little moneypared to her?


    "Consider the facility yours to use, free of charge. It''s my apology." His voice was deep his gaze sincere. "Besides, we''re family. Right, Juniper?"


    He looked at Juniper, his eyes filled with a deep, unwavering affection.


    Family? Juniper''s eyes narrowed slightly. He was certainly quick to seize an opportunity.


    "He''s right," she nodded, a flicker of emotion in her clear eyes. "The country''s needs alwayse first."


    They should use it. Shanley could afford it.


    "Alright," Ebony Fox relented, not


    sco dy her mission. '' sit with my superiors met


    pay you the market rate."


    "Of course," Shanley agreed. He could always donate the money backter.

 Chapter 589

    The security was impable. After dinner, the group headed directly to Moonlight Peak''s private parking garage.


    "Once I''m done with work, I''lle find you," Ebony Fox said, holding Juniper''s hand, reluctant to let go. "We''ll chat online, okay?"


    "Okay," Juniper nodded obediently. She reached into her pocket, pulled out a handful of mango-vored candies, and ced them in Ebony Fox''s bag. "For you."


    "Candy?" Ebony Fox was a little surprised; she wasn''t much of a fan of sweets.


    "Juniper loves candy," Shanley exined from the side. "She only gives it to people she likes. Getting candy from her... is the highest honor."


    "Really?" Ebony Fox''s heart melted as she felt the colorful wrappers in her hand. "Thank you, Juniper," she said softly. "I''ll eat every single one."


    "Take care on the road, sis" Juniper said, her lips curving into a sweet smile as she met Ebony Fox''s gaze.


    "I will." The word "sis" sent a wave of warmth through Ebony Fox. It was sweeter than any candy. "Be good. I have to go."


    After saying her goodbyes, she turned with a smile, only to find Jimmie staring at her.


    Her smile instantly froze, her expression turning awkward. Right. She''d almost forgotten. By epting a sister, she''d also inherited three brothers.


    "You guys..."


    At the sound of her voice, the three brothers looked at her expectantly.


    "Goodbye to you, too," she finished tly, then slipped into the passenger seat without another nce, her smile gone. "Drive."


    Watching the car speed away, Jimmie, Harold, and Melvin were utterly speechless. What was that about? Weren''t they all from the same mother? She was all smiles for Juniper, but for them... The favoritism was just too tant!


    ...


    On the way back, Juniper yed a game on her phone, a smile never leaving her face.


    "What''s got you so happy?" Shanley asked, brushing a stray hair from her forehead before holding the small bottle to her lips.


    Juniper took a sip, her eyebrows raised. "If my fourth sister is alive, it means my other sisters and my parents might be alive too."


    What could be more joyful than knowing your family was safe?


    "You''re right," Shanley said, his voice warm as he gazed at her adoringly. "Our Juniper will have her family reunion."


    Reunion? The word sent a shiver of warmth through her. She eagerly awaited the day she would see her other two sisters and her parents.


    But that also meant ghanley had a lot of hurdles to clear


    ...


    In the other car, Ebony Fox took out the candies and examined them. A smile bloomed on her face.


    "Holy hell," the man in the driver''s seat muttered, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. Was he seeing things? Ebony Fox was smiling? That was terrifying.


    "Where''d you get the candies?" her subordinate asked, reaching over. "What vors are they? Let me try one."


    "Get your hands off," Ebony Fox snapped, her expression instantly turning cold as she carefully put cardies away. Her sharp gaze sho towards him. Head to the eastern


    district base. The training facility issue is resolved."


    "The Schwartz Group''s eastern facility?" her subordinate asked, both surprised and confused. "Ebony Fox, how did you manage that? The Schwartz family is notoriously difficult to do business with."


    How did she manage it? Ebony Fox''s face fell. She''d nearly paid for it with her life.

 Chapter 590

    Back at Era University, Juniper''s arrival in the ssroom caused a stir. She had picked up her textbooks the day before, only to be whisked away to the suburbs to witness the drama of her ''boyfriend hunting her siblings.'' Today was her first real meeting with her ssmates.


    "Juniper, sit here!" one of the boys called out excitedly, with others echoing the sentiment. "I wiped the chair down for you!"


    "Sit with me, Juniper! The view is better here."


    One after another, the male students vied for her attention, their eyes shining as if they''d discovered a priceless treasure. Juniper had brought great honor to theputer science department during the military training camp. She had personality, skill, and looks. Plus, their freshman ss had very few girls, making her an


    absolute gem.


    "Thest guy who confessed to our goddess is still moping around somewhere," Hattie said with a knowing smile as she tidied her desk.


    "Why?" another student asked curiously.


    "Because..." Hattie cleared her throat dramatically. "Rumor has it he met her boyfriend and was so crushed that he realized he was just a small fry dreaming of a queen."


    The other fries in the room fell silent, feeling personally attacked.


    "Have some candy," Juniper said with a slight smile, walking straight to the empty seat beside Hattie.


    "Juniper," Hattie leaned in, her curiosity piqued. "Do you really have a boyfriend?"


    "Mmm," Juniper replied, casually flipping through a textbook, a small smile on her lips.


    "Wow, I thought that was just a rumor," Hattie said, her eyes wide as she gave Juniper a thumbs-up. "Your boyfriend must be an amazing person."


    "Why do you say that?" Juniper asked.


    "Anyone who could win you over has to be amazing," Hattie said with a grin. "In my mind, no one is good enough for you."


    She was dying to see just who had managed to capture her goddess''s heart.


    "Actually, wait," Hattie paused, ncing around before lowering her voice. "There is one person who might be a good match for you."


    Juniper popped a candy into her mouth, suddenly interested.


    "It was that guy from..." Hattie started, her voice filled with excitement, "from the opening ceremony! Shanley Schwartz!"


    Juniper''s eyshes fluttered, and she chewed her candy a little more slowly.


    "Oh my god, his looks, his physique, that whole vibe..." Hattie sighed dreamily. "But he is a little old for you. And she leaned in even


    close whispering, everyone


    says he''s almost thirty and still single, so he''s probably gay."


    "I don''t think so," Juniper interjected quietly. "I heard he has a girlfriend."


    "That''s probably just something he said to deal with the public pressure," Hattie


    sighed, pushing a bag of snacks towards Juniper. "I feel sorry for whatever poor girl has to be his beard."


    Juniper, that very unlucky girlfriend, felt a ratherplex mix of emotions.


    Her morning was filled with general lectures for her major, but the afternoon was reserved for her


    specialized sses in the Geniuse


    Program Ever


    student in the program was assigned a personal


    faculty advisor, and since there were only three students epted this year, Juniper''s top score gave her first pick.


    Before she chose, Hattie had given


    e2


    her a warning about one of the professors. He was brilliant and incredibly knowledgeable, but he had a reputation for being entric. White other professors chased research grants by focusing on simpler topics, he did the exact opposite, deliberately tackling the most difficult andplex problems. On top of that, he was an notoriously strict mentor, which was why very few students ever chose to work with him.

 Chapter 591

    "He researches whatever is most difficult?" Juniper chewed on a snack, intrigued. This old professor sounded interesting.


    "Oh, and he has a peculiar hobby," Hattie continued, sharing the intel she''d gathered. "He loves snacks. Hisb is filled with them, second only to equipment and research papers."


    Snacks? At that word, Juniper''s previously mild interest sharpened, her eyes widening.


    "He''s the one," she dered, clicking the selection button without even bothering to read the rest of the professor''s profile.


    Hattie was dumbfounded. "Juniper, is there anything you wouldn''t do for snacks?!"


    That afternoon, Juniper arrived promptly at the old professor''sputer researchb. She knocked politely.


    "Come in," a deep, aged voice called from within.


    Juniper pushed the door open and scanned the room, which was crammed with towering stacks of papers and various pieces ofb equipment. Amidst the chaos, she spotted a pile of colorful candies and an assortment of snacks on a desk. She paused. The candy brands were the exact same ones she loved.


    "Professor?" she called out, seeing no one.


    "Over here!"


    After a moment, she located a white-haired old man wearing reading sses, emerging from under a desk.


    "So you''re this year''s top scorer?" the old man asked, dusting off his clothes as he turned to face her.


    "I am¡ª" Juniper began to answer, but the words caught in her throat when she saw his face.


    Well, well. If it wasn''t the same old man from the World Computing Conference a few years back, the one who had insisted on bing her apprentice.


    Their meeting had been an ident. They had both eyed thest slice of cheesecake at the conference. To settle it fairly, they decided to


    program in under thirty mil


    would with She finished in ten


    earning herself a slice of cake and a persistent, unshakeable "apprentice."


    She had refused at first, but the old man offered her his entire suitcase of snacks, many of which she had never tried before The temptation was too great to resist, so she


    reluctantly agreed.


    He was a handful, constantly


    pestering her with questions and refusing to let any detail go. Eventually, when her grandfather fell ill, she no longer had the energy to deal with him. She sent him @trove of her research findings and then... faked her death. She''d even had a formal obituary written. The old man had been devastated, messaging her to say he would bring her flowers every year.


    Juniper winced at the memory. She''d almost replied: "Don''t bring flowers, bring snacks. And go easy on the chili."


    "You..." The old man''s voice trailed off as he got a clear look at her face. He pushed his sses up his nose and leaned closer. "You look awfully familiar."


    Just like his young master. Although his master always wore a mask and he''d never seen her full face, those identical eyes were unmistakable.


    But that was impossible. His master had died two years ago, a tragic loss of talent. This girl had just graduated high school. It couldn''t be her. He was just imagining things.


    "Do I?" Juniper asked, rubbing her nose guiltily. She forced a polite, if slightly awkward, smile. "I just have one of thosemon faces."


    Amon face? The old man frowned. There was nothingmon about her face. Maybe it was just the eyes.

 Chapter 592

    "Alright,e on in," the old man said, deciding his master couldn''t possibly havee back from the dead. He was overthinking it.


    "Okay." Juniper walked in obediently, her eyes once again drawn to the snacks.


    "How much do you know aboutputers?" the old man asked, his back to her as his fingers flew across the keyboard, filling the screen with a dizzying array of code.


    "I..." Juniper started to speak, but he cut her off. "Computer science isn''t just about tapping on a keyboard. If you chose this major and came to myb, you have to be prepared to work hard. If you can''t handle it, you can go find another advisor right now."


    He''d had several students before who thought they were gifted, but they were fragile flowers who couldn''t take a bit of criticism. They''d all run off crying within a few days. He was here to train talent for the country, not to babysit.


    He nced over his shoulder at Juniper. With her delicate features and slender frame, she looked like she''d burst into tears if he so much as raised his voice. He hoped she wouldn''t waste his time.


    "Professor..." Juniper began quietly after he had finished his speech.


    The old man paused, looking at her expectantly. He knew it. She couldn''t take the pressure.


    "If you want to leave, you can go now..." he started, but Juniper cut him off.


    "Can I try one of those?" she asked earnestly. Her gaze was fixed on the box of snacks on his desk. Spicy jerky sticks.


    Shanley said they were unhealthy, so he never kept them at home. They looked pretty good, though.


    "What?" The request threw the old man for a loop. When he recovered, he defensively pulled the snack box away.


    "You''re not leaving?" He narrowed his eyes. "Let me be clear. I have very little research funding, so working with me will be tough, and the workload is heavy. Even the male students can''t handle it A girl like you..."


    gm


    "I''m not leaving," Juniper said, blinking, her eyes still on his snacks. She raised an eyebrow. "Give me some snacks, and I''ll bring you a slice of cheesecake tomorrow."


    Cheesecake? It was his favorite. So


    she was after his snacks all along. This was his personal stash, bought with his pocket money that hed hidde from his wife. Still, she was the first student who seemed willing torise to the challenge.


    "Fine. One..." The old man hesitated, then held up two fingers. "Two slices."


    "Deal." Juniper held out her hand expectantly.


    ???


    Staring at the girl who bore such a striking resemnce to his te'' master, the old man felt an odd sense of intimidation. After all, his master had been truly formidable, and the psychological scarso remained.


    "Just the jerky, nothing else," he grumbled, reluctantly pushing the snack box towards her. He watched her hand like a hawk. "There are only a few bags left. You can only take one."


    Juniper shot him a look and, with lightning speed, snatched two of thergest bags.


    "Hey! You took an extra one!" the old man yelped, unwilling to be shortchanged. "That''ll be three slices of cake! Three!"


    "Fine." Juniper tore open a package and took a bite. The vor exploded in her mouth. Amazing! She had to secretly buy some for herself.


    The old man watched the girl, a nagging feeling of familiarity growing stronger by the second.


    Sensing his scrutiny, Juniper quickly changed the subject. "I think there''s an error in this code."

 Chapter 593

    "Hmm?" The old man leaned in, squinting at the screen. "Where?"


    "Try changing the 3 to a 6."


    Dubiously, the old man tried it. To his astonishment, the data processed almost instantly.


    "Juniper, you understand code?" he asked, staring at her in amazement. He''d been stuck on that tiny error for half a month, and she''d spotted it in a single nce. The mind of a top scorer was truly something else!


    "Hmm?" Juniper was happily munching on her spicy jerky, in a great mood. "A little," she nodded.


    A little? That meant she had a solid foundation. Combined with her high IQ, if she was willing to work hard, she would undoubtedly be a great asset to the country. Maybe... maybe she could even be like his master, bing an internationalputing giant at a young age, excelling in programming, data science, and software development.


    What a shame. The thought of his te'' master made the old man feel a pang of sadness. He grabbed a snack to lift his spirits.


    For her help, the old man happily gifted Juniper a few more snacks. "Make sure you read the introductory materials I gave you," he said sternly as they walked out after the session. "I''ll be quizzing you tomorrow."


    "Got it," Juniper replied cheerfully, her arms full of her snack bribe.


    "Professor Tucker."


    Just as they stepped out, a slightly older male voice called from behind them.


    Juniper and the old man turned around to see a middle-aged man approaching. He was impably dressed, with gold-rimmed sses, and a polished, schrly air.


    However, his smile reeked of


    ambition and made Juniper ufortable. She recognized his photo from the advisor selection files. He had numerous research achievements and awards, making him the most famous professor in Era University''sputer science department. The campus rumor was that only students under his guidance had a real future.


    "Well, if it isn''t Byron," Tucker said with a hint of surprise, followed by a cold snort.


    "Did your eyesight suddenly improve today?"


    Byron''s achievements and


    higher reputation than Tucker in both the university and the wider field. He was used to being fawned over, but Tucker had always refused to y along, earning Byron''s


    contempt. He usually pretended not to see Tucker, even when they came face to face. Had the sun risen in the west?


    Byron''s smile faltered for a second before he turned his attention to the girl beside Tucker.


    "You must be this year''s top scorer," he said, his tone a mix of arrogance and condescension. "I am Professor Byron Simpson from theputer science department. I''m sure you''ve heard of me. I..."


    "Byron Simpson?" Juniper lifted her gazezily at the name.


    "Yes," Byron said, puffing out his chest with pride. "That''s right. I am the nationally


    renowned professor from theputer science department."


    He had waited in his office all day, assuming this year''s top scorer would naturally choose him. Being her advisor would be a significant honor But to his shock, she had chosen the worst option Tucker. Now that she knew who he was, she would surely be filled with regret and begging to switch to him.


    Just as Byron braced himself for her plea, Juniper cut him off with a t, emotionless


    "Oh." Then she added with utmost sincerity, "Never heard of you."

 Chapter 594

    Juniper''s words hung in the air, and Byron, who had been preening with self- satisfaction just a moment ago, looked mortified.


    "Never heard of me?"


    He was famous at Era University, even nationally within theputer science industry. How could she not have heard of him?


    "That''s right," Juniper said, looking up at him with her clear, pretty face. Her expression was earnest as she repeated slowly, enunciating each word as if for a child, "I. Don''t. Know. You."


    Each word felt like a p across Byron''s face.


    "You¡ª" His expression turned ugly, but he fought to maintain hisposure. "You''re new to the field, so it''s understandable."


    He pulled a personal resume from his briefcase and handed it to Juniper with a magnanimous air. "Take this and read it carefully. You can look me up online; it''s easy enough to find me. If you have any second thoughts, feel free to find me anytime."


    Juniper''s brow furrowed as she looked down at the resume now resting on top of her precious snacks.


    Tucker saw exactly what was happening. The nerve of this guy, trying to poach his student right in front of him! It was true he couldn''tpete with Byron in terms of fame, funding, or resources. He wondered if the girl would change her mind.


    "I''ll be going now," Byron said, shooting Tucker a meaningful, mocking nce before leaving. He''did it all out for her and given her his credentials. Juniper was a smart girl; she would naturally figure out which advisor would offer her a brighter future. A top scorer like her deserved to be mentored by a renowned professor like him. Leaving her with a nobody like Tucker was just a waste of talent.


    On her way back to the dorm, Juniper nced at Byron''s resume. It was filled with


    titles and awards, but none of them seemed particrly meaningful.


    This was a nationally renowned figure? Seemed like a lot of fluff.


    Losing interest, she casually tossed the resume into a nearby trash can and continued on, hugging her snacks.


    After getting her things from her dorm, she walked out through the north gate and spotted a car parked discreetly in a corner.


    "Ms. Payne," Felton said respectfully, opening the car door for her. "My boss is inside."


    Shanley had be a recognizable face on campus after the opening ceremony, so he couldn''t show himself publicly.


    "Okay." Juniper slid into the car and saw him on the phone, handling business.


    "Proceed with the first n..."


    Seeing Juniper, Shanley instinctively took her bag. As he did, his eyesnded on the spicy jerky sticks inside, and he frowned slightly.


    "That''s all for now." He ended the call abruptly and pulled out the snacks. "Where did you get these?"


    "My professor gave them to me," Juniper said, quickly snatching them back and stuffing them into her bag.


    "These things are full of artificial vorings and additives. They''re not healthy" Shanley said softly, cing a pre prepared fruit tter in front of her. "Have some fruit instead, okay?"


    "No," Juniper said, her brow


    furrowing. She looked at him, hem et


    clear eyes firm, her voice tinged with annoyance. "I want the jerky sticks."


    Meeting her determined gaze, Shanley couldn''t bring himself to refuse. He let out a helplessugh. "Alright. But just a little."


    Her mood instantly brightened. "Open it for me," she said, handing him the package.


    "Be careful, it''s spicy."


    Unable to be too strict with her, Shanley tore it open. The pungent smell made him wrinkle his nose, the gir beside him was already eating happily.

 Chapter 595

    He sighed. If it made her happy, it was okay to indulge her asionally.


    "It''s still early. I''ll take you to the training facility," Shanley said, opening a water bottle and holding it for Juniper. "We can check on how your sister''s training is going."


    "Okay." Juniper wanted to see her anyway, so she readily agreed.


    ...


    Half an hourter, the sports car pulled up to the base. Shanley led Juniper toward the training grounds.


    As they approached the entrance, they heard a trainee''szy, disrespectful voice.


    "We''ve never learned this move you''re teaching. It seems a little... soft. Maybe not suitable for men."


    "Reporting, instructor. I agree," another trainee chimed in, his tone defiant. "We''re used to male instructors."


    Ebony Fox stood nearby, her face pale with anger.


    "What''s going on?" Shanley stopped and asked a man standing nearby.


    "Sir," the man said, bowing his head respectfully. "These men were all handpicked from various elite special forces units. It seems they''re not pleased that their instructor is a woman."


    In their world, men were stronger than women. Male special forces soldiers weremon; female ones were not. These men were the best of the best, forged throughyers of brutal selection and training. They had been excited to hear their instructor was from the renowned Huntsman Institute, but their enthusiasm vanished when they saw she was a young woman. As a result, these ''elites'' had been insubordinate, refusing to cooperate with Ebony Fox''s training.


    "Follow my method and my pace," Ebony Fox ordered, her voice tight. She was dressed in military-green fatigues, a belt cinching her waist, and her pant legs tucked into brownbat boots, which entuated her long, lean figure.


    Her orders were met with sloppy, half-hearted movements from the men below. They were making their disdain perfectly clear.


    Watching them, Juniper chewed her gum, her eyes narrowing dangerously.


    She had looked into her sister''s file. The Huntsman Institute had few senior instructors, and Ebony Fox was ranked number one. Her graduates, from all over the world, went on to be legendary figures in their respective countries. These punks on the field weren''t worthy of polishing her boots, yet they had the audacity to challenge her.


    "Stop!" Seeing their tant defiance, Ebony Fox''s face hardened. "You think my techniques are inferior to those of your previous male instructors?"


    The men tilted their chins up in silent agreement.


    "You think because I''m a woman, I''m beneath you? You don''t respect my authority?" Ebony Fox continued.


    The trainees exchanged arrogant nces, their pride on full disy.


    "Let''s settle this," Ebony Fox said, taking off her hat and gloves and rolling up her sleeves. "One at a time, or all at once?"


    All at once? These men were top-tier special forces soldiers from their country. Even if she was from the Huntsman institute, asking if they wanted to fight her all at once was a tant insult.


    "We can fight, but let''s be clear on the terms," one of the trainees stepped forward, his expression serious. "If we win, we have the right to request a new instructor


    "And if you lose?" Ebony Fox asked, taking a sip of water.


    "We''ll eat crow and follow your every order!"


    "Fine." A smirk yed on Ebony Fox''s lips.

 Chapter 596

    "You get three chances. If you win even once, I''ll consider it your victory," Ebony Fox stated calmly. "You cane at me one-on-one, or as a group."


    The trainees exchanged condescending smirks. Ebony Fox was unbelievably arrogant. If they couldn''t win with so many of them against one, they''d be apleteughingstock.


    "Deal," they agreed.


    The first to step up was a tall, muscr man. He was renowned in military circles as the ''Divine Fist,'' having taken first ce inst year''s live-fire field training and single-handedly captured the ''enemy'' leader. He was undefeated in his unit.


    Sending him out first was partly a gesture of chivalry-a way to show they weren''t ganging up on a woman¡ªand partly a strategy to end things quickly so they could get a new instructor.


    "I''ll go first," the man said, stepping forward with his chin held high. His eyes, fixed on Ebony, were filled with a killer instinct. "Go all out, instructor. Don''t hold back."


    Ebony set her water bottle down and strolled forward. "Let''s see whose techniques are more effective-your old instructors'' or mine."


    As the signal was given, the trainee clenched his fists and charged.


    Ebony Fox didn''t move. Just as his punch flew toward her, she arched her back, her hands shooting out to grab his left leg. With just a fraction of her strength, she heaved.


    The trainee didn''t even have time to process what was happening before he found himself airborne. A split secondter, he mmed onto the ground with a sickening thud, the impact rattling every bone in his body.


    Everyone stared, dumbfounded. They hadn''t even seen how she''d done it. One moment he was attacking, the next he was on the ground. Was it a trick of the light?


    The trainee himself was stunned. He


    couldn''t believe he hadn''t even withstood a single move. He must have been distracted; she must have gotten in a lucky shop He was a hand-to-handbat champion. There was no way he could lose to a woman!


    "Again!" he roared, forcing himself up through the pain, determined to reim his honor.


    Ebony merely smirked and beckoned him to continue.


    What followed was a symphony of


    fter


    thuds, grunts, and the sound of bodies hitting the dirt. Finally, Ebony Foxzily retracted her leg kicking the trainee square in the shoulder. He went flying,nding in a heap in the dust, too hurt to get back up.


    First round: Ebony Fox wins.


    "Who''s next?" she asked, dusting off her hands. Her gaze swept over the remaining trainees, her voice utterly calm, as if the fight had been nothing more than a simple warm-up.


    Watching theirrade writhing on the ground, none of the others dared to face her alone. This woman was the real deal! For the second round, they decided to attack all at once. There was no way they could lose now.


    They were wrong. It was just as one-sided. Using the same simple techniques she had been trying to teach them, Ebony Fox systematically dismantled their coordinated attack. Within ten


    minutes, all of them were scattered across the ground, groaning in pain and disbelief.


    "Tsk." Ebony Fox picked up her water bottle and unscrewed the cap, a scornful smile on her face. "It seems your male instructors'' techniques aren''t all that impressive after all."


    The trainees stared back, their arrogancepletely shattered.


    "You still have one more chance..." Ebony Fox began, but her words trailed off as her gaze fell upon a small figure standing at the edge of the field. Her sharp eyes instantly softened.

 Chapter 597

    Her little sister was here!


    She hoped her brutal takedown of these men hadn''t scared her. In front of Juniper, she needed to be a gentle, caring sister.


    "You''re all pretty banged up. Let''s change the game for the third round," Ebony Fox announced, waving Juniper over. "I hear your marksmanship is considered top-tier. Why don''t you show me what you''ve got?"


    The trainees'' spirits lifted. So what if they''d lost at hand-to-hand? Their shooting skills were undeniable.


    "Let''s have a shootingpetition," Ebony Fox dered, her eyes glinting with a cold, intimidating light.


    The trainees'' eyes lit up. Ebony Fox had just walked right into their trap. They were, without exaggeration, some of the best shots in the country.


    "However..." Ebony Fox said with a cold smile as Juniper, wearing a cap and mask, came to her side. "You won''t bepeting against me. You''ll bepeting against her."


    "What?" The trainees looked at each other, murmuring in confusion.


    The girl in front of them couldn''t be more than eighteen. She was slender, with fair skin that seemed to glow. She looked like a student. Had she even graduated high school? And she was supposed topete in a shooting match? Did she even know how to hold a gun?


    "Thepetition will be mobile targets, testing both speed and uracy. You can go one by one. If even one of you scores higher than her, you win the third round," Ebony Fox exined. "And I will voluntarily leave this training base."


    The trainees werepletely baffled. Any one of them could beat this slip of a girl. Was Ebony Fox just handing them the victory? What was she ying at?


    "Do you agree?" Ebony Fox''s voice was sharp.


    "Agreed," the trainees replied in unison.


    Ebony Fox turned to Juniper, who was still chewing her gum, her expression softening once more. "Want to have some fun?"


    "Sure."


    It had been a while since she''d shot on a range thisrge. Juniper was tempted.


    "Have fun," Ebony Fox said, gently ruffling her sister''s hair. "But leave them with a little energy. I still need to discipline themter."


    She''d seen Juniper''s marksmanship during the training camp. Dealing with these punks wouldn''t require even a fraction of her full skill. It was the perfect way to knock their egos down a peg.


    "Okay." Juniper popped another piece of gum into her mouth, casually picked a rifle


    from the rack, and walked to the firing line.


    Shanley stood off to the side,


    watching with intrigued, narrowed


    eyes. He knew Juniper was a


    formidab


    fighter burshooting,


    too? He was growing more curious


    about the extent of her abilities.


    "This is a first. Competing against a little girl," one of the trainees snickered as they


    lined up.


    "Not for me," another joked. "Last year I took my five-year-old niece to shoot balloons at the fair."


    "Just be careful she doesn''t misfire and shoot one of us in the head."


    "Haha, now that would be a story."


    "Alright, let''s not waste time. Whoever goes first, just end it quickly."


    The mobile targets were set. The first trainee and Juniper stood on either side of the center line. Ten bullets each, with the opponent allowed to create distractions. Highest score wins.


    The whistle blew. Both raised their rifles.


    The trainee, still in a yful mood, was just starting to aim when he heard a rapid session of shots from beside him. He looked over. Juniper stifle was already smokinge She was done.


    Ten bullets, ten perfect bullseyes!

 Chapter 598

    The first trainee stared, first at the wisp of smoke curling from Juniper''s barrel, then at the target, its centerpletely shredded. He was dumbfounded.


    No steadying her breath? No adjusting for angle or calibrating her aim? She just raised the rifle and fired?


    And not only had she hit the moving target with every shot, but she''d hit the dead center. One bullseye could be luck. But ten? All fired within five seconds? Was that even humanly possible?


    "Is there a problem?" Juniper asked, tilting her head slightly. Beneath the brim of her cap, her eyes were calm and cool.


    The trainee snapped back to reality and hastily raised his own rifle. After ten shots, one had missed the target entirely. Of the remaining nine, six were bullseyes, and the rest were decent hits. He was skilled, no doubt. But he had still lost.


    The other trainees were visibly shaken, staring at Juniper in disbelief. Ten bullseyes in five seconds? Some of them had achieved that score before, but never at that speed. They''d need at least ten or fifteen more seconds a gap that could take a lifetime of training for a special forces soldier to close.


    Next, the second trainee stepped up. Learning from the first, he fired rapidly, trying to throw off his opponent.


    But it was useless. Juniper performed just as wlessly, even managing to shoot one of his errant bullets out of the air mid-flight.


    Seeing his trick exposed, the second trainee silently lowered his rifle and walked away in shame.


    The third trainee stepped up. He failed. The fourth. Failed. The fifth...


    From a short distance away, Shanley watched her, his deep-set eyes narrowed in thought. "A shooting style like that isn''t learned overnight."


    He had a strange feeling that Juniper''s technique resembled that of ''Specter.'' He''d shed with Specter a few times and remembered the style well.


    But he quickly dismissed the thought. Juniper had grown up in Borealia; how could she have ever crossed paths with someone like Specter? It had to be a coincidence.


    Still, he made a mental note to ask herter who had taught her to shoot.


    "You didn''t know Juniper could use a gun?" Ebony Fox remarked, her gaze shifting


    to Shanley. "It seems you don''t know your girlfriend very well."


    Shanley''s lips thinned. He couldn''t


    argue with that. The girl was a treasure chest of surprises,


    revealing new skills when he least


    expected it. M?ster Lunar


    street racer, a perfect-score


    student... and now, a master


    ace


    sharpshooter.


    "You''re right," Shanley said, his lips curving into a slight smile. He adopted a sincere tone. "I''ll work harder to be a worthy husband."


    Husband? The word made Ebony Fox''s eyelid twitch in annoyance. Who was he to anoint himself with that title? She had already thought Shanley wasn''t good enough for her sister but now knowing the fullI extent of her skills the feeling the he was ''unworthy'' intensified.


    ...


    Finally, it was the tenth trainee''s turn.


    "Wait-"


    Just as Juniper raised her rifle, the man beside her spoke up. She paused, looking


    at him with a questioning nce.


    "I can''t beat you," he admitted with surprising honesty. "You win. Let''s not waste the bullets."


    Her skill was terrifying. The nine


    men before him, all superior shots, had failed. As the weakest


    marksman of the group, he saw i point in humiliating himself further.


    "Alright."


    Juniper lowered her rifle. As she walked past the line of defeated trainees, she paused.

 Chapter 599

    "By the way," Juniper began.


    Every trainee snapped their head up, their minds still buzzing from the shocking disy. They had lost to a young girl. The shame was immense.


    "I''m a student at Era University," Juniper said casually, dusting off her hands. "Ebony Fox was our chief instructor for the training camp, and I just learned a bit of shooting from her over a few days."


    Learned a bit? Over a few days? And she could shoot like that? Were her words just another, more creative way to insult them?


    "So..." Juniper raised an eyebrow, her cold gaze sweeping over the humbled men. "You can''t even beat me, and you dare to question Ebony Fox?"


    A deep red blush crept up the necks of every trainee. Their pride had been utterly crushed. They had no rebuttal; she was right. They had lost in both hand-to-handbat and marksmanship. The humiliation was absolute.


    "It really makes you wonder if you''re in the right ce," Juniper continued, ignoring their crestfallen expressions. "A boot camp for new recruits might be more your speed."


    The trainees lowered their heads, wishing the ground would swallow them whole. With that final, cutting remark, Juniper returned to her sister''s side.


    "Where did you learn to shoot like that?" Ebony Fox asked, gently wiping Juniper''s hands with a tissue.


    Shanley had wanted to be the one to fuss over her, but Ebony Fox beat him to it, leaving him standing awkwardly to the side.


    "Self-taught," Juniper mumbled.


    "Self-taught?" Ebony Fox''s voice rose in disbelief.


    "Yeah," Juniper confirmed with a nod. "When I was little and living with Grandpa at the monastery, my seniors always took me hunting in the mountains. I just sort of... picked it up."


    Ebony Fox''s lips twitched. That was certainly one way to put it. She knew her sister was brilliant, but this was on another level.


    "You must be tired," Ebony Fox said, ncing at the trainees in the distance. "Sit here and rest. I''m going to deal with them."


    The once-arrogant soldiers now


    stood with their heads bowed,


    unable to meet her gaze. They finally understood why the military had gone to such lengths to bring her here.


    "You lost," Ebony Fox''s voice was like ice as she stood before them, hands sped


    behind her back. "And when you lose, you face punishment."


    The trainees'' hearts lurched. A terrible feeling washed over them.


    "Starting now, two hundred pull-ups each," Ebony Foxmanded, her tone sharp


    and unforgiving. "No dinner until you''re finished."


    Two hundred? Would they even be alive when they were done?


    "Begin!"


    "... Yes, instructor."


    Not daring to argue, the trainees trudged over to the pull-up bars, their faces masks of impending agony.


    ...


    "Have some water." Shanley opened a bottle and held it to Juniper''s lips, his voice a low, maic hum. "Your shooting style is very special, and very deadly."


    "Special?" Juniper nced at him, a flicker of interest in her eyes. "Don''t tell me you''ve seen a style simr to mine before?"


    Her technique was one of a kind.


    There couldn''t be a simr one.


    Besides, only the old geezer who led


    Sigma Network had ever


    faced it


    head-on. No one else should have


    had the chance to see it.


    At her question, Shanley''s gaze turned cold for a fleeting moment. He had seen it, of course. He''d almost lost his fife fighting The memory was seared into his mind.


    enecter

 Chapter 600

    Meeting his girl''s curious gaze, Shanley masked the flicker of killing intent in his eyes and offered a gentle smile. "No, I haven''t."


    He had no desire for Juniper to know about the sordid world of Subterra Vanguard or Specter. He just wanted her to have a normal, happy life as a student. As for Specter... he would eliminate that ticking time bomb sooner orter.


    "Oh." Juniper had only asked casually, so she didn''t press the matter.


    Still, she thought, today''s practice confirmed her skills hadn''t rusted. If she were to run into the leader of Sigma Network again, she was still more than capable of taking his miserable life.


    ...


    After the training session ended, Ebony Fox, now in a set of sharp casual clothes, took her sister''s hand. "Juniper, let''s go see your ce."


    Even though Juniper had assured her that Shanley had behaved himself, Ebony Fox needed to see it with her own eyes to be at ease.


    "Okay," Juniper agreed easily.


    "I hope Mr. Schwartz won''t mind?" Ebony asked, her question aimed squarely at him.


    "It would be my honor." Shanley gave a polite nod and dialed Dana, instructing her to add a few more dishes to dinner that night.


    At Cloudscape Community, Juniper sat at the center of the dining table, nked by Ebony Fox and Shanley.


    "Dinner is served," Dana announced.


    As she set down the soup, her eyes met the icy re of the female guest, and she nearly stumbled.


    Good heavens! Ms. Payne''s sister was terrifying. She didn''t look like she was here for dinner; she looked like she was here to interrogate Mr. Schwartz.


    "Thank you, Dana," Shanley said with a gentle smile. "You can go rest now."


    "Yes, sir." Dana scurried away with her tray.


    Ebony Fox carefully observed the apartment and Shanley, her eyes narrowed. He was so polite to the help? The rumors painted him as a reclusive, moody tyrant.


    "Have some soup." Shanleydled a bowl for Juniper, carefully blowing on it before cing it by her hand. "Be careful."


    "Okay." Juniper obediently picked up her spoon and drank.


    "Please, help yourself," Shanley said to Ebony Fox, wiping his fingers with a napkin, his movements refined and elegant.


    "I will." Ebony Fox nodded slightly.


    She noted that Shanley was not only


    attentive but also respected


    boundaries. All his focus serving soup, getting food was directed solely at Juniper. Her mental score for him rose to a tentative 40.


    After dinner, Ebony Fox didn''t leave. Instead, she announced her intention to sleep with Juniper.


    Shanley didn''t answer immediately, looking to Juniper for her decision.


    "Sure." Juniper rubbed her nose, unable to refuse her sister.


    And so, Dana quickly prepared the guest room for the two of them.


    "Go to sleep," Ebony Fox said, tucking the nket around Juniper. Her voice was


    soft. "I''m here. I won''t let anyone bully you."


    Not even Shanley!


    "Okay." Juniper blinked, lying ramrod straight in bed and staring at the ceiling. Great. She was wide awake.


    At three in the morning, Ebony Fox


    felt the mattress beside her shift,


    followed by the sound of faint


    footsteps By the time she sat


    up,


    the small figure was gone.


    Ebony Fox quickly got out of bed and opened the door just in time to see Juniper slipping into Shanley''s room.


    She stood there, questioning her own sanity. Who exactly was she trying to guard against? Did her sister really like Shanley that much?


    She knew Shanley had countless enemies, all of them looking for a weakness to exploit. The thought that her little sister could get burt terrified her. How would she ever exin that to their parents?


    The next morning, Ebony Fox woke early. When she went out to the living room, she


    found Dana setting out breakfast.

 Chapter 601

    ¡°Good morning, Miss Ebony Fox.¡± Dana immediately straightened up, greeting her respectfully.


    "Hello." Ebony Fox walked over and helped Dana arrange the tes, casually asking, ¡°Are Juniper and Shanley living together?"


    ¡°Huh?¡± Dana was stunned. She guessed that Ms. Payne had gone back to Mr. Schwartz''s room and hurriedly exined, "Miss Ebony Fox, please don''t misunderstand. Even though Ms. Payne is staying with Mr. Schwartz, nothing has happened between them."


    Dana forced a sincere smile. "It''s just that Ms. Payne has trouble sleeping, and she rests better when he''s around. Rest assured, Mr. Schwartz is a man of principle. He would never do anything inappropriate."


    "Miss Ebony Fox has a gun in her pocket," Dana thought frantically. "What if she misunderstands and hurts Mr. Schwartz?"


    "A man of principle?" Ebony Fox listened intently, realizing Dana was telling the truth. She could also see that Juniper genuinely liked Shanley, but she couldn''t resist a dry remark. "There''s a ten-year age gap. Isn''t that outrageous enough?"


    "Uh..." Dana was speechless.


    "I have to go." Ebony Fox sighed helplessly and said to Dana, "Please tell Shanley to take care of my sister. And tell Juniper I''lle see her after my training is over."


    The training wouldst for the next two weeks. She''d be confined to the base and unable to leave.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Dana nodded eagerly, watching Ebony Fox leave. She had to admit, Ms. Payne''s sister truly cared for her. With older siblings to protect her, the young girl''s hardships were finally turning into blessings.


    She just wondered when they would find the other two sisters, or her parents who were still missing. She was quite curious what kind of parents could raise such a beautiful and exceptional child like Ms. Payne.


    ...


    At Era University.


    Juniper carried a cake box, strolling leisurely toward Tucker''s office. Just as she rounded a corner, Byron seemed to pop out of nowhere, blocking her path.


    "I assume you''ve read over my profile by now, Juniper?" Byron stared at her, his tone as arrogant as ever. "So, what have you decided?"


    "Decided what?" Juniper frowned slightly, genuinely confused.


    Byron was taken aback. He nced around to make sure no one was listening and got straight to the


    point. "To drop Professor Tuckemet


    and be my student, of course. I''m more famous, I have more research funding so many


    students would kill for the chance to be my mentee and don''t even qualify. Frankly, you weren''t quite up to par either, but I''m willing to give you a chance."


    Byron adjusted his suit jacket, puffing out his chest. "After all, as the top scorer, you must have a


    good head on your shoulders. An et


    long as you perform well, I can help you secure a spot in a graduate program and get your experiments approved."


    "These are things Tucker can''t give you," Byron added, not missing the chance to belittle his rival.


    "Are you finished?" Juniper''s stomach was growling, and listening to his incessant droning was getting on her nerves. Her voice was sharp with impatience. "If you''re done, please move. Tucker is waiting for his breakfast."


    "What?" Byron''s voice caught in his throat, his expression instantly hardening.


    "I have no interest in being your


    student." Juniper raised an eyebrow, her tone as t as water. ¡°Also, I suggest you see a doctor and get your ears checked. You seem to be hard of hearing, or perhaps you just don''t understand in English."

 Chapter 602

    ¡°Juniper, what did you just say?" Byron''s neck went stiff. He couldn''t believe his ears.


    "It seems your hearing problem is quite serious. You should get to a hospital soon, don''t dy.¡± Juniper looked up, her gaze on Byron pointed and meaningful, her attitude both polite and sincere.


    Byron''s face turned ashen with rage, his lips trembling.


    "Goodbye." Juniper gave Byron a slight nod, then sauntered off toward Tucker''s office, cake box in hand. She ran into him halfway there.


    "Professor Tucker, good morning." Juniper handed him the cake. "You should put this in the fridge before it melts."


    ¡°Ah, right!¡± Tucker looked from Juniper to the furious-looking Byron standing a short distance away, and he understood immediately. It seemed Byron''s threats and bribes had no effect on this girl.


    Tucker clutched his chest, letting out a heavy sigh of relief. This girl might be young, but she was a natural talent inputer science. With a little guidance, she was destined for greatness. He''d been so worriedst night he couldn''t sleep, terrified she''d run off with a fraud like Byron. Thank goodness!


    "Come on, I need you to look at some data for me," Tucker said, his face breaking into a wide grin as he led Juniper inside. She never once nced back at Byron as her figure disappeared into the office.


    Byron remained frozen in ce, the blood draining from his face. His sunken, triangr eyes were fixed on the direction they had gone, a deep hatred welling within them.


    How dare that little brat look down on him? In all his decades, he had never been so insulted.


    Fine. He would make her regret today''s decision!


    Inside theputerb.


    Tucker sat in his chair, eating cake while watching Juniper''s fingers fly across the keyboard. His eyes widened. "How do you know so many of these terms?"


    This was all high-frequency vocabry forputer programming; this single program involved thousands of them. More importantly, the terminology was incredibly difficult.


    "Didn''t you tell me to memorize it?" Juniper gestured with her chin toward the materials on the desk, her tone nonchnt.


    "You finished reading this whole stack?" Tucker shot up from his seat, his tongue tied in knots.


    "Wait, you memorized all of it?" he stammered.


    Juniper finished the line of code she was working on and turned to look at Tucker, raising an eyebrow. "I taught myself someputer science before, so I have a bit. foundation. Besides, I


    eache


    of


    most of these terms in high school, So didnt really need to memorize them."


    She decided it was best not to seem too brilliant, just in case the old man recognized her.


    "Is that so?" Tucker frowned, watching her with a mixture of belief and suspicion.


    "Yes." Juniper nodded without a hint of panic. "I may have memorized them, but I''m not that familiar with their application. I still need to reinforce my memory."


    Tucker stared at her, lost in thought. Something felt off. Maybe it was all thete nights recently making his brain fuzzy.


    "Ahem." His intense gaze was


    making Juniper a little nervous. She


    cleared her throat, deliberately


    changing the subject ¡°Registration


    for the World Programming


    Competition is open. Aren''t you going to enter?"


    The World Programming Competition drew topputer experts from all over the globe. Orient Country had two slots. Tucker definitely had the skill topete, and even win.


    At the mention of it, Tucker''s head buzzed with frustration. "I have too much on my te right now," he said, looking a bit dejected. "I don''t have time for that."


    The more significant reason was that to qualify for the internationalpetition, you had to win the national one first. He had tried entering before, but no matter how good his programming was,


    always lost Most of the judges were Byron''s cronies, and he and Byron had never gotten along.

 Chapter 603

    Every year, the people who represented Orient Country in thepetition were either Byron himself or someone close to him. So, eventually, he stopped trying and focused on his research instead.


    "If you''re not entering, why did you create a new program for it?" Juniper moved the mouse, and a folder immediately appeared on the desktopbeled "World Programming Competition Entry."


    But Tucker had never submitted it. Juniper had secretly taken a look earlier. It was excellent.


    "Just for fun." A blush crept up Tucker''s face. He quickly snatched theptop away, feigningposure. "That''s enough for today. You should head to your lecture."


    "Oh." Juniper pouted, stood up, and on her way out, her eyes fell on Tucker''s snack box.


    Huh? Had Tucker bought a new brand? She didn''t think she''d ever tried that one!


    "What are you doing?" Tucker''s guard went up instantly when he saw Juniper slowly shuffling over, her eyes glued to his snacks.


    "Just trying one." With lightning speed, Juniper snatched a bag of snacks and grinned at Tucker. "I''ll trade you something else tomorrow."


    By the time Tucker realized what had happened, Juniper was already gone.


    ...


    Back in therge lecture hall.


    Juniper opened herptop and navigated to the registration website for the Orient Country division of the World Programming Competition. After a few simple clicks, she sessfully submitted Tucker''s work, registering him for thepetition.


    As for the judges...


    Juniper''s lips curved into a smirk. She exited the registration page and pulled up the list of this year''s judges for the Orient Country division. There weren''t many changes fromst year. Just as Tucker had said, most of them had close ties to Byron.


    Next, Juniper began digging into the judges'' financial records and personal lives. A lot of problems surfaced.


    Tsk. It''s people like this who ruin the country''s future.


    Juniperpiled all the information she found and created a new ount under the alias "A Concerned Citizen." She then bundled everything up and sent it to the national oversight bureau.


    Their offenses weren''t minor; the judging panel would definitely be reced. With such a clear warning shot fired, she doubted any new judge would dare to cheat.


    Now, all Tucker had to do was wait for the good news.


    The first lecture ended. Juniper was resting her head on her desk when a heated discussion broke out among the surrounding students.


    "What? This year''s WKL eSports tournament is going to be held in Era City?"


    "For real? Do you think Demon willpete this year?"


    "Demon''sing back? My idol is ying again?¡±


    "No way! Demon retired two years ago and has never been seen in public since."


    "What kind of prayer do I have to say to get Demon to make aeback?"


    Demon was the legendary icon of the nation''s top eSports team, the "Neverfall Navigators," who had led the Neverfall Navigators from a small tocal team all the way to the national stage, and eventually to internationalvictory cementing their status as the undisputed kings of eSports in Orient Country.


    But then, two years ago, Demon had unexpectedly retired from the team.


    Some spected it was due to internal conflicts over money. Others whispered that Demon had betrayed the country taking a huge payout to coach a rival nation''s team.


    Because of this, the country''s eSports scene had suffered major setbacks in recent years in a recent professional league match, they had even lost to the neighboring Country of Batonia.


    And Batonia was insufferably smug about it, openly boasting that the WKL championship was as good as theirs.


    Demon? Juniper, half-asleep, kept hearing the name whispered around her. She suddenly jolted awake. "Who the hell keeps calling my name? Will you give it a rest?"


    The students in the middle of their fervent discussion stared at her, bewildered and a little hurt.


    "No one," Hattie stammered, startled. "No one was calling you, Goddess. They were talking about the eSports legend, Demon."


    Juniper froze, an indescribable expression on her face.


    Oh, well, awkward. Because Demon also happened to be her.

 Chapter 604

    After a long silence, Juniper licked her lips and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Sorry, I must have been dreaming."


    "It''s okay."


    The students were forgiving. After a couple ofughs, they dove back into their discussion about thepetition.


    "The reason Neverfall Navigators is called that is because when Demon was on the team, they never lost. Not once. Ever since Demon left, their record has been painful to watch."


    In dozens of matches over two years, they''d only won a handful of championships. The rest were second or third-ce finishes. And the few they did win were in tournaments where the top teams didn''t even participate, so they weren''t worth much.


    "They keep talking about making improvements, but how are they getting worse?" one of the guysined, frustrated. ¡°The quarter-finals are this weekend against a top Oceania team. Just looking at the lineup, I''m already worried for them."


    "I heard someone on Neverfall Navigators is injured, too. How are they supposed to y like that?"


    If they couldn''t beat the Oceania team, they''d be knocked out of the top four, not even securing third ce. Die-hard fans of Neverfall Navigators could ept them taking second or third ce, but not even making it to the finals was uneptable. This was the team Demon had built. Failing to reach the finals would be like smashing Demon''s legacy to pieces! And this was supposed to be the strongest eSports team in the country. If they couldn''t do it, no one else stood a chance.


    Suddenly, the future of Orient Country''s eSports scene looked bleak.


    "The number one ranked team, fallen this far in just two years..." One of the guys was so frustrated his eyes were red. "If Demon knew about this, she''d be turning in her grave."


    "Demon definitely knows. The question is why she isn''t doing anything about it.¡± "You don''t think she actually took a high-paying job with Batonia''s team, do you?!" "No way," someone immediately retorted. "I still remember what Demon said after herst championship win. She had said, ''I fight for the honor of my country."" Juniper took small sips from her water bottle, listening quietly to the conversation. Tsk. Not bad. At least the rumors were about her leaving, not about her being dead. After retiring, she had stopped following news about Neverfall Navigators, assuming they were strong enough to continue without her. Who would have thought so much could change in two years.


    Juniper opened herptop and


    started looking up news about Neverfall Navigators. In the beginning, their performance had been decent. But as time went on and other powerful teams emerged, it became clear that Neverfall Navigators was struggling with many issues.


    The biggest problem was ack of confidence. When she was there, she had been their anchor. No matter what mistakes her teammates made, she could always turn


    the game around. They had grown too used to having her.


    But people had to learn to grow up and stand on their own two feet.


    ¡°Juniper, are you a fan of Neverfall Navigators too?" Hattie leaned in, noticing the articles on Juniper''s screen.


    Even though she didn''t y video games, Demon had been so famous a few years ago that even a total novice like her knew the codename. Demon''s record still sat at the top of the leaderboards unsurpassed after two years.  s?novels


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Juniper''s fingers stilled on the mouse, aplicated feeling stirring within


    her. She offered a faint smile. ¡°You could say I like them."


    "The quarter-finals are this weekend,


    but it''s a shame all the tickets are sold out. Hattle said disappointed. "Otherwise, you could have gone There''s a rumor that Demon might show up to save the day."


    Failing to reach the finals would mean that, for the first time, Orient Country''s g wouldn''t be raised at the tournament. It would be a massive blow to the team, the country, and the fans.


    Show up? Juniper frowned. Was anyone going to notify her, the person in question, about this n?

 Chapter 605

    "Someone actually got tickets," another student chimed in. "It was that loser from the art ss¡ªthe one who cheated in the shootingpetition, lost to Juniper, and ended up crying for his daddy. I heard his dad knows the organizers and got him a few tickets."


    "Yeah, and the guy''s been unting them all over the ce."


    "Where''s thepetition being held?" Juniper asked casually, resting her chin on her hand.


    "Huh?" The guy quickly pulled out his phone to check the address. "North District Arena. It''s hosted by Infinite Media."


    Infinite Media? Juniper mulled over the name, a sense of familiarity nagging at her. A quick search on her phone revealed why-it was a gamingpany under the Schwartz Group, and also the biggest investor in Neverfall Navigators. Which meant Shanley probably knew all about thispetition.


    "You guys want to go?¡± Juniper''s voice wasnguid as she looked up, her lips parting slightly.


    "Of course," her ssmates nodded eagerly. It was the first time WKL was holding apetition in their country, and for many fans, seeing a match live was a dreame true. But the event was so popr that tickets had sold out the second they went on sale. The only ones left were VIP seats reserved for important people, so for them, it was just a fantasy.


    "Oh," Juniper responded nomittally, stifling a yawn. "I''ll see what I can do."


    Everyone stared at her. What did she mean? The tickets were all gone. Juniper couldn''t possibly just walk them in, could she?


    ...


    After school, Juniper was heading toward the gate with her backpack when she ran into Ferdinand Malone, the ¡°loser," talking to Ynda Sherwin.


    "My dad has connections, so they gave him two tickets personally," Ferdinand bragged, his face alight with smug satisfaction. "You couldn''t get these tickets now for ten times the price."


    "Wow, really?" Ynda started to say, then spotted Juniper nearby. She knew Juniper loved this game and was probably a fan of Neverfall Navigators. The thought of Juniper knowing she was going to the live event, green with envy, was too good to pass up.


    ¡°Okay, I''ll go,¡± Ynda said, deliberately raising her voice for Juniper to hear. "So many people are dying to go but can''t. I''ll take it."


    "Especially those guys in theputer science ss, they talk about it all day," Ferdinand added with a sneer, shooting a nasty look at Juniper. What kind of fan can even afford to see a live match?"


    Juniper walked past without a nce, muttering a single word under her breath, "Idiots."


    At Cloudscape Community.


    Juniper got home early since she had a light afternoon schedule. Bored, she


    sprawled on the couch, ying games while waiting for Shanley.


    ¨¦t


    It wasn''t long before he walked in, carrying a box of her favorite dessert which he handed to Dana. "Could you put this on a te Dana? Thank you."


    "Of course," Dana smiled, then nced toward Juniper and lowered her voice. "Ms.


    Payne doesn''t seem to be in a very good mood."


    "I see," Shanley said, his brow furrowing slightly.


    He took off his coat, sat down on the sofa, and gently touched the girl''s forehead


    with his warm fingers. "Not feeling well?"


    ¡°I''m fine,¡± Juniper replied tly without looking up, her hands never stopping their movements on her phone.


    "You really like this game, don''t you?" Shanley''s lips curved into a small


    smile as his gaze fell on her phone.


    "There


    apetition this weekend.


    Want to go


    At his words, Juniper''s hands stilled. She looked up at him, her bright eyes wide. "Can I bring someone?"


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Shanley assumed she meant a friend or two and readily agreed. "Of course. Who?"


    "My ssmates," Juniper said, blinking earnestly. "There are about... sixty of them." Shanley froze.

 Chapter 606

    "How many people are you bringing to the WKL eSports event?" he asked again, patiently, just to make sure he''d heard correctly. ¡°Your entire ss?¡±


    "Sixty," Juniper replied calmly, lifting her gaze. "You said it was fine, didn''t you?"


    ¡°I did,¡± Shanley chuckled, gently brushing his finger against her nose. His voice was a tender, affectionate caress. "I''ll arrange it."


    ¡°Okay.¡± Juniper arched an eyebrow, a faint smile ying on her beautiful, fair face. "Thanks."


    "Is that all the thanks I get?" Shanley''s lips curled into a smirk as he yfully ruffled her hair, his voice low and tantalizing.


    "Hmm?" Juniper paused what she was doing and slowly turned her head. She ced a finger on his chest, her clear eyes narrowing as she purred, "If I gave you a more... borate thank you, could you even handle it?¡±


    "Oh?" Shanley caught her mischievous hand, his deep eyes filled with a softness so intense it could pull you in.


    "How many cold showers did you have to take that night, huh?" Juniper challenged, not backing down an inch. The smile in her eyes deepened as she leaned in, her ruby lips brushing against his ear.


    Shanley''s body went rigid, as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head, extinguishing any and all stray thoughts. He released her and, with a dark expression on his handsome face, strode out of the room. "Dana, have Flinte see me."


    ¡°Of course,¡± Dana said. She brought a tter of fruit over to Juniper and asked cautiously, ¡°Ms. Payne, did something happen? Mr. Schwartz didn''t look very happy."


    ¡°He didn''t,¡± Juniper agreed, casually nibbling on a piece of fruit. She raised an eyebrow. "And I have a feeling he won''t be for a while."


    ¡°Huh?¡± Dana just stared at Juniper, utterly confused.


    ...


    "Sixty people?" Flint almost dropped his phone when he heard Shanley''s order.


    "Boss," he said respectfully, "the WKL eSports event ispletely sold out, except for the front-row VIP seats. A few extra people would be one thing, but sixty is going to be tough."


    "Lock down all the seats," Shanleymanded, his tone forceful and direct, carrying an undeniable sense of pressure Juniper is taking her ssmates. I want you to make sure everything is arranged in advance."


    "Ms. Payne''s ssmates?" Flint paused for a second before replying dutifully, "Yes, Boss. I''ll get it done immediately."


    After ending the call, Flint immediately dialed the event coordinator at Infinite Media. "The guests in the front-row VIP section tomorrow are all esteemed guests of Mr. Schwartz. Make sure you take excellent care of them."


    "Esteemed guests?" The chief producer was instantly on high alert. "Don''t worry, Flint," he said, his voice an octave higher. "Nothing will go wrong."


    Flint was Mr. Schwartz''s right-hand man. A personal call from him meant these guests were beyond important. If he screwed this up, he''d be out of a job.


    With that thought, the producer immediately called an emergency meeting, instructing his entire team to provide the utmost care for the


    "esteemed quests" in the front for The regr seats were to be reced with massage chairs, and only the most high-end food and drinks were to be served.


    ...


    That evening, when Shanley came out of the shower, Juniper was leaning against the headboard, watching a video of the Neverfall Navigators'' final match fromst season. Although they had won their towers had been pushed down several times, making it @grueling victory.


    To really understand the team''s issues, she knew she had to see them y live.


    "Who''s your favorite yer on the Neverfall Navigators?" Shanley asked as he lifted the covers. Juniper immediately put down her phone and expertly snuggled into his


    arms.

 Chapter 607

    As the ultimate boss of the Neverfall Navigators, getting his girlfriend a photo or an autograph was a simple matter for him. Anything to make her happy.


    "Demon," Juniper murmured, her cheek resting against his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat calming her.


    "Demon?" Shanley''s smile faltered, his expression growing serious. Anyone else would have been easy, but not Demon. Demon had left the team two years ago and had vanished without a trace. That was right around the time Shanley had be an investor in the team.


    "You like Demon that much?" Shanley asked softly, stroking her hair.


    "Yeah," Juniper yawned, her reply muffled. "Demon is alright, I guess."


    Looking down at the girl who had fallen asleep in his arms and recalling her seemingly ''disappointed'' answer, Shanley''s brow furrowed. It was clear she was a huge fan of Demon. If he could get Demon toe out of retirement, she would be ecstatic.


    With that in mind, Shanley sent a text to Felton. [Find Demon. Money is no object if Demon is willing to return.]


    Felton replied almost instantly. [Boss, are you doing this for the team? Trying to get the legendary Demon toe back?]


    Shanley typed back. [To make Juniper happy.]


    Felton: [Understood, Boss. I''ll start the investigation immediately.]


    After putting his phone down, Shanley leaned over and ced a gentle kiss on Juniper''s forehead. He would keep this a secret and surprise her once he found Demon.


    ...


    On Friday, after theirst lecture, the ss was still buzzing about the WKL eSports event. Everyone suspected the Neverfall Navigators were in a tough spot this time and desperately wanted to see the match live.


    Ferdinand and Ynda had


    Pover


    managed to get tickets. They''d even created a group chat to livestream the event for their friends, pointedly excluding everyone from theputer science program. Apparently, Ferdinand was still holding a grudge after Juniper had put him in his ce. The guy''s pettiness was off the charts.


    ¡°Whatever, I guess we''ll just wait for the rey," one of the guys sighed, shrugging in disappointment.


    "We can follow the live updates on Twitter this weekend to see what happens."


    "I''ll be cheering for the Neverfall Navigators in spirit.¡±


    "Damn right. Neverfall Navigators never lose. I''m waiting for them to crush those trash-talkers from Batonia Country."


    Those guys were always running


    their mouths, saying Orient Country''s eSports scene was nothing without Demon and calling the Neverfall Navigators yers a bunch of babies who couldn''t be weaned. They even had the nerve to im on public forums that many of Orient Country''s traditions and holidays actually originated in their country.


    How could anyone stand for that? No way in hell. Hopefully, the Neverfall Navigators would step up.


    Just as everyone was getting ready to leave, Juniper, who had already packed her bag, stood up. ¡°Are you all free tomorrow?" she asked, her voice calm.


    Everyone stopped their noisy chatter and turned to look at her, confused.


    ¡°Meet at the entrance of the WKL eSports arena tomorrow at ten a.m.¡± Juniper''s lips barely moved, her tone t. "I''m taking you all to see it live. The seats are pretty good, front-row VIP, I think."


    The front-row VIP seats were being scalped for tens of thousands of dors each. Besides, hadn''t they heard those seats were all reserved for special guests? Juniper not only got tickets, but front-row VIPO tickets? For all of them?


    Was this real? It soundedpletely unbelievable.

 Chapter 608

    ¡°Juniper, you''re not joking, are you?" One by one, the students'' eyes went wide as they asked cautiously, "You got tickets for the whole ss to go to the WKL event?"


    "Yes," Juniper replied, lifting her gazezily. "There are tickets for every student in this ss."


    The entire room was stunned into silence. Knowing Juniper, she was a woman of few words but big actions. She wasn''t one to brag. So, if she said she had tickets, she had tickets.


    Holy cow! Even in their wildest dreams, they, the devoted fans of Neverfall Navigators, wouldn''t have dared to imagine this.


    ¡°So, uh.....¡± one student spoke up, looking a bit embarrassed. "Is it okay to ask how much they cost? If they''re too expensive, I don''t think I can go."


    Though she loved the team, a ticket worth thousands of dors was simply out of her budget.


    ¡°Yeah, same here,¡± others chimed in. ¡°Juniper, thank you so much for finding tickets for us, but my monthly allowance is only a few hundred bucks. I really can''t afford it. Just send us some pictures from inside, that''ll be enough!"


    "They''re free,¡± Juniper cut in. "There''s no charge for the tickets. Just be at the entrance on time."


    Free? What in the world had their Goddess done?


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± a student shrieked with excitement, thanking her profusely. "Thank you, Juniper! All hail Juniper!"


    "Is there anyone who can''t make it?"


    Juniper nced at her phone. Shanley was already waiting outside the university, so she needed to wrap this up.


    Every single person shook their head in unison, their expressions resolute. They were going.


    "Alright," Juniper said with a slight curve of her lips. "Ten a.m. tomorrow. Don''t bete."


    "Yes, ma''am!" Everyone stood up straight, bowed respectfully to Juniper, and chanted in unison, "Thank you, Juniper! Take care, Juniper!"


    The sheer volume of their voices made Juniper blink, but she decided not to say anything and left.


    Once she was gone, the ssroom erupted.


    "How do you think she did it? That''s sixty VIP tickets!"


    "Correction, sixty front-row VIP tickets!"


    "Have you ever known Goddess to lie? If she says we can get in, we''re getting in!¡±


    "Her brother is the famous award-winning actor, Mr. Tate, right? Maybe he bought them for her?"


    "If that''s the case, we owe her big time."


    "From now on, Juniper is our ss treasure. If anyone dares to bully her, they''ll have to go through me first!"


    "Ahem." Hattie, who had been


    listening quietly, couldn''t help but


    interject "If anyone was dumb


    enough to try and bully Juniper,


    they''d be six feet under before you could even lift a finger."


    The others fell silent. True. Juniper definitely looked like she could handle herself.


    You''d have to have a death wish to mess with her.


    The next day, Juniper woke up early and, after a hearty breakfast, was ready to leave.


    "I''ll drive you," Shanley offered,


    grabbing his car keys, but Juniper turned him down. "It''s game day, the


    traffle will be a nightmare


    just


    take my scooter."


    "Alright." Shanley never questioned her choices. He handed her backpack to her. "The match could


    go on for a while. I packed some


    Eat..


    water and snacks in here in


    something if you get hungry Dana will make you something special for dinner tonight. I had Flint take care of everything at the venue, so there shouldn''t be any problems.¡±


    He had an important meeting at the office today that he couldn''t miss, which meant he couldn''t go with her.


    "Okay." Juniper took the bag, gave a clipped response, and walked out the door without a second thought.


    "Bang."


    The sound of the door closing left Shanley frozen in ce, a strange sense of disappointment washing over him. That girl never seemed to have him at the front of her mind.

 Chapter 609

    Just as Shanley was wallowing in his mncholy, the closed door suddenly swung open again. Juniper had returned, walking straight up to him.


    "Forget something?" Shanley asked.


    His expression had returned to normal, but Juniper easily caught the flicker of disappointment in his eyes.


    "Yeah." Juniper stopped in front of him and gently bumped her shoulder against his. Tilting her head back, she looked up at him with a serious expression. "I forgot to say goodbye."


    The gloom in Shanley''s heart instantly evaporated. Excellent! He did have a ce in her heart after all. He was satisfied.


    "Message received," Shanley said, lowering his head to rub his nose against hers, fighting the overwhelming urge to kiss her. "Goodbye, Juniper."


    But after she''d spoken, Juniper didn''t leave. She just stared intently at him. The next second, she stood on her tiptoes and nted a swift kiss on the corner of his mouth before quickly turning and dashing away.


    By the time Shanley came to his senses, her scooter was long gone.


    "Heh." Touching the lingering warmth on his lips, Shanley couldn''t help but smile. This was the second time Juniper had initiated a kiss. If the first time was impulsive, this time she had been perfectly calm. The girl was falling more and more in love with him.


    At that thought, Shanleyughed out loud, and at the same time, his body betrayed him with an involuntary reaction.


    "Boss, the car is ready," Felton said, respectfully, as he walked through the door.


    "Hold on, I need a quick shower." Shanley pressed his lips together and strode towards the bedroom.


    A shower? Felton was thoroughly confused. He was sure the boss had already showered this morning. Had he remembered wrong?


    ...


    On her scooter, Juniper fanned her flushed cheeks and shook her head in annoyance.


    Tsk. Her original n was just to say a simple ''goodbye'' to Shanley. She had no idea she was going to suddenly kiss him.


    Ultimately, it was all Shanley''s fault. If he hadn''t looked so damn handsome this early in the morning, tempting her, she wouldn''t have been so impulsive.


    Lue was right. She just made a mistake any girl in her position would make. Yep. It wasn''t her fault.


    At the entrance to the WKL eSports arena, the streets were gridlocked with cars and swarming with people.


    On her way, Hattie had texted her several times, needing confirmation that she was actuallying before she could rx.


    Hattie: [Our ssmates woke up morning convinced that the tickets were all a dream. Seriously, up until a second ago some of them still thought they were hallucinating.]


    Right. The entire ss was having a collective hallucination. After all, something this


    good happening to them was about as likely as winning the lottery.


    Juniper smirked and texted back. [Gate 2, right? I''m on my way now.]


    When she arrived at the designated meeting spot, she spotted her ssmates immediately. It wasn''t that she recognized their faces, but the hodgepodge of homemade banners and photos they were holding was impossible to miss.


    Even more ridiculous, someone had somehow dug up a photo of her from apetition years ago, blown it up, and made it into a fan. In the picture she was dressed in all ck ck shirt ck hat even a ck mask. It was cringey enough to make her vision go dark just looking at it.


    Pretending not to see it, Juniper averted her gaze. "Is everyone here?"


    "All here!" Hattie replied. "We got here an hour early, just in case.¡±


    Everyone was dying to know how they were supposed to get inside without any tickets.


    Just then, Ferdinand and Ynda walked toward them. They spotted the group, paused in surprise, and then broke into sneering smiles.


    They couldn''t get tickets, so the entire ss decided to camp outside? How embarrassing!

 Chapter 610

    "Juniper..." Ynda called out, deliberately raising her voice to make sure she was noticed. She feigned surprise. "Are you here for the WKL event too?"


    Juniper, who had been talking to Hattie, turned at the sound of her name. A sh of annoyance crossed her face, but she ignored Ynda and turned back.


    "Wow," Ynda said, undeterred. She shed the ticket in her hand with a sickly sweet smile. "Did your whole sse? Did you all manage to get tickets? Where are you sitting?"


    "How could they possibly have tickets?" Ferdinand chimed in with a sneer, his voice dripping with contempt. "My dad said the tickets sold out the day they went on sale. He had to pull a lot of strings just to get these two for us."


    He looked down his nose at theputer science students. "Are you guys here as the off-site cheer squad or something? I have a group chat, you know. I could add you and stream it for you if you want."


    "We have tickets, and they''re VIP!" someone with a quick tongue shot back, unable to stand their smug attitude.


    VIP tickets? That was even moreughable than the idea of them being an off-site cheer squad.


    "Pfft¡ª¡± Ynda couldn''t hold it in and burst outughing. They couldn''t evene up with a believable lie. She really had to question the intelligence of theputer science students and wonder how they''d ever gotten into Era University.


    "Not only are we in the VIP section, we''re in the front row!" another student dered defensively.


    "Tsk.¡± Ferdinand rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "If you guys are sitting in the front row, then I guess I''ll be sitting on the stage."


    As they argued, a staff member walked over.


    "What''s all this?" he asked impatiently. He was young, with a staff badge and a walkie-talkie in hand. "If you have tickets, get inside. If you don''t, stop blocking the entrance."


    "Of course we do," Ferdinand said, seizing the opportunity to humiliate Juniper and her ssmates.


    "And not only do they have tickets," he added, pointing at them, "they''re for the front-row VIP section."


    Front-row VIP The staff member


    of


    immediately looked at the group of students. They were just a bunch broke-looking kids. Management had given strict orders that the front-row VIP seats were reserve? for very important people. There was no way these students were V.I.P.s.


    "You should probably check," Ferdinand urged, fanning the mes. "If they''re esteemed guests, you


    should escort them inside. But i et


    they don''t have tickets... well, maybe you could get them to move so they''re not blocking the way for everyone else."


    "You say you have front-row VIP seats. Do you have tickets?" the staff member asked, thinking Ferdinand had a point. He eyed a male student suspiciously.


    The student couldn''t produce a ticket and looked helplessly at Juniper.


    Juniper frowned. Why would she need physical tickets? Shanley had said someone would be here to meet them.


    "Pfft¡ª¡± Seeing Juniper''s reaction, Ynda let out another snort ofughter. "If you don''t have tickets, then stop putting on a show. Just get out of the way."


    "You''re just making a scene," the staff member said, his patience wearing thin. Seeing that none of them had tickets, he assumed they were just delusional fans trying to cause trouble. "Go on, moveat. If you don''t have tickets, stand over there and stop blocking the entrance


    the actual audience."


    For


    Besides, the real V.I.P.s would be arriving any minute, and he couldn''t afford any screw-ups.


    No one moved. Instead, they all stared anxiously at Juniper.


    What was going on? Hadn''t Juniper said everything was taken care of? Had something gone wrong?

 Chapter 611

    "Just a moment." Juniper scanned the area, a slight frown creasing her brow when she couldn''t spot Flint.


    "Wait for what?" the staff member snapped, anxious that any dy might upset the important guest Mr. Schwartz had asked him to look after. "If you don''t leave now, I''m calling security."


    "Two minutes." Today was a crucial match for the Neverfall Navigators, and she didn''t want to cause a scene that might jinx them. ¡°Please, just wait," she said patiently.


    Two minutes? Ynda and Ferdinand lingered nearby, waiting to watch Juniper make a fool of herself. Whether she had two minutes or two days, the result would be the same.


    ¡°Hattie, are we..... not going to get in?" one of the ssmates asked, his voice low with worry.


    "Don''t be ridiculous." Hattie shot him a re. "Do you think Juniper would have promised if she couldn''t get us in? Look, she''s handling it. Just be patient.¡±


    "Okay." The male student nodded obediently, not daring to say another word.


    "Right, that''s it. I''m calling security," the staff member said, done with her excuses, and pulled out his phone to call for backup.


    Juniper ignored him, her expression cool as she texted Flint. [Where are you?]


    Flint replied instantly. [Ms. Payne, you''ve arrived?]


    Juniper: [...]


    That ellipsis was terrifying. Flint immediately pulled up his pants and stumbled out of the restroom, frantically calling the event manager as he ran. "The VIP is here! Why isn''t anyone there to receive her?"


    The manager on the other end was bewildered. "We''ve been watching the entrance," he mumbled. "We haven''t seen any big shots."


    "What do you mean she''s not there?" Flint had reached a hallway overlooking the entrance and saw Juniper and her ssmates standing by the gate. A group of seven or eight security guards was slowly closing in on them, clearly intending to drive them away.


    "Check your WhatsApp." Flint was tearing his hair out. He quickly snapped a photo and sent it to the manager, stressing, "The VIPs are the first-year Computer Science students from Era University, especially that young woman in the middle. Open your eyes and treat her right. Don''t you dare upset her."


    He added a grave warning, ¡°If she''s unhappy, she''ll give the boss a hard time. And if


    the boss is in a bad mood... you know what happens."


    The manager zoomed in on Juniper''s face, his heart pounding in his chest. What in


    the world was her rtionship with Mr. Schwartz?!


    "Mr. Flint, don''t worry! I''ll handle it right away!"


    After hanging up, the manager sprinted toward the entrance.


    Meanwhile, the security guards were already berating Juniper''s group.


    "Trying to get in without a ticket is no different from dining and dashing," one of them sneered. ¡°So young and already causing trouble."


    "I hear you''re from Era University," another added disdainfully. "Is this the kind of student a top university produces? Such poor character."


    "Someone ising for us," Juniper said calmly, popping a piece of candy into her mouth. "I know you''re in a hurry, but you should really calm down."


    "This is your final warning. Leave now, or we will be forced to remove you."


    Ynda watched the drama unfold with a smug grin.


    Ferdinand went a step further, pulling out his phone, opening a group chat full of Era students, and starting a livestream. A spectacle this juicy had to be shared.


    The renowned perfect-score


    schr? The genius from the


    Computer Science department? If word of this got out, it would tarnish Era University''s reputation and she''d be in serious trouble.


    Sure enough, it didn''t take long. The Era University student forum exploded with posts, all spreading the same rumor: Juniper was leading herputer science


    ssmates t


    attempt too,


    freeload their way into the WKL event.

 Chapter 612

    "What? Juniper brought her whole ss to freeload? Is this for real?"


    "Pictures or it didn''t happen."


    The post was immediately followed by a barrage of photos and even a video showing security and staff telling them to leave.


    "WKL eSports tickets are already hard to get, let alone VIP seats."


    "LOL, this is insane. Theputer science students were iming they not only had tickets but front-row VIP seats."


    "I heard Juniper was the one who brought them. Now they can''t get in, so they''re causing a scene at the entrance."


    "Wait, what? Juniper was cussing out the staff and security?"


    The rumors were getting more and more oundish.


    "Why would Juniper do that? She probably tried to use her famous actor brother''s connections to strong-arm the staff into letting them in. When it failed, she threw a tantrum."


    "To the person above, you nailed it!"


    "Sixty front-row VIP seats? You don''t need a brain to know that''s impossible."


    "Oh my god, how embarrassing. Someone''s already tagging the university on Twitter. What are Juniper and her friends thinking? They''repletely disgracing Era University!"


    ¡°Such toxic fans! Neverfall Navigators is so unlucky to have them. This is a PR nightmare."


    The forums were aze with criticism, mostly from people jealous of Juniper''s status, who were using this as an excuse to attack her. They were all waiting to see how she''d crash and burn.


    ¡°Get them all out of here! Unbelievable! I''ve never seen anyone try to freeload so brazenly. We''ll show you!"


    Just as the chaos reached its peak, the event manager came running out, sweating profusely. ¡°They''re¡ª" he gasped, bending over with his hands on his knees, his face pale.


    "Sir, don''t worry, I''ll get them out of here immediately," the staff member said, eager to prove hispetence. He turned to the guards What are you waiting for? Get them out


    The manager just panted, waving his hand frantically, his heart pounding in his chest.


    "I understand, sir, I understand," the staff member said, grabbing the manager''s arm earnestly. "Please don''t be angry. We''ll have this sorted out before the VIPs arrive.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Ferdinand scoffed, his hands in his pockets and his eyes full of disdain. ¡°It''s so embarrassing to go to the same school as them."


    "Maybe Juniper was just trying too hard to impress everyone and make them like her," Ynda said, forcing a gentle smile as she seemingly defended Juniper. "Ferdinand, can you get another ticket? I want to give it to Juniper..."


    ¡°Have you forgotten how she''s treated you?" Ferdinand snapped, turning to Ynda with a deep frown. "Ynda, you''re too kind. That''s why she always walks all over you."


    "I..." Ynda bit her lip and fell silent, looking pitiful but secretly ncing at Juniper''s expression.


    Just as she was savoring the moment, relieved that Juniper was finally getting what she deserved, the manager suddenly shouted, "Wait!"


    In an instant, all eyes turned to him. They watched as he stared wide-eyed and hurried toward Juniper.


    What the hell? Was he going to get physical with her? Even if she was trying to crash the event and causing a scene, she was still a girl. Surely he wouldn''t hit her?


    "Ms. Payne" Just as everyone


    expected him toy into her, the manager stopped short in front of Juniper and bowed deeply, his attitude humble and respectful. "My


    apologies. I''mte."


    Those around werepletely taken aback. What was happening? Weren''t they supposed to throw her out?


    Was the manager personally here to escort her in?!

 Chapter 613

    "These must be your ssmates?¡± the manager said, finally catching his breath. He beamed at Juniper, speaking cautiously. "I''m so sorry, I was held up. This was all a misunderstanding. I hope you won''t hold it against us."


    "Get over here and apologize to Ms. Payne!" the manager snapped, yanking the staff member who had been about to throw them out. "These are our honored guests! Are you blind?"


    "So you''re the VIPs," the staff member stammered, finally understanding. He wanted to p himself. "Ms. Payne, I''m so sorry, truly sorry."


    "All of you, clear out. Don''t block the entrance."


    "Yes, sir." The security guards, realizing the gravity of the situation, scattered faster than anyone.


    The staff member was still reeling, staring in disbelief at the huge crowd of students. No one had told him that the special guests Mr. Schwartz himself had ordered them to take care of were a bunch of college kids. Who were these people? Was this some kind of mistake?


    VIPs? Hearing that word, the color drained from Ynda''s and Ferdinand''s faces, their eyes wide with shock. Juniper hadn''t been lying? They really had tickets, and were being weed as special guests? How was that possible?


    Meanwhile, thements on Ferdinand''s live stream took a sharp U-turn.


    "Hahaha, I told you! There''s no way Juniper would do something so tacky."


    "You could tell from her performance during orientation that she''s got ss. She has connections, and her brother is a famous actor. Getting some tickets is probably no big deal for her."


    "This is hrious! Ferdinand started this stream to humiliate Juniper, right? Talk about it backfiring!"


    ¡°I swear, Ferdinand is pathetic. He makes it so obvious he has a problem with her. A grown man being that petty and trying to pull cheap tricks? Gross!"


    "He had two tickets and acted like he was king of the world. Juniper got sixty VIP seats and didn''t make a big deal out of it at all."


    "Okay, I''m officially a fan of Juniper now!"


    Seeing the Stream and the school forums flooded withments mocking him, Ferdinand was so furious he could grind his teeth to dust. He immediately ended the live stream.


    He''d wanted to make fool out of Juniper, but instead, he''d just made her look even better. Now everyone knew that Juniper had the


    connections to get WKL tickets-not


    just any tickets, but fro


    seats.


    VIP


    "Ahem," one of theputer science students said, deliberately coughing in


    Ferdinand and Ynda''s direction. More followed suit.


    ¡°So, it was just our escort who was runningte!" one called out, making sure they heard.


    "Exactly! Front-row VIPs, guests of honor. Who needs tickets?" another added. Our Juniper is the best. She §Ö


    took care of everything for us


    without a word Now that''s what I


    call real power!"


    "I just hope we don''t block the view for anyone behind us in the front row! Hahaha!¡±


    The taunts made Ferdinand and Ynda''s faces darken. The smug smiles were long gone.


    "Let''s go inside," Juniper said quietly, not wanting to make a scene at the entrance. She nced up at her ssmates.


    ¡°Right, Juniper!¡± they all answered in unison, obediently following her.


    "Lead the way," Juniper said to the manager.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied, wiping cold sweat from his brow. As he led them forward, he added, "Please watch your step, Ms. Payne."


    He kept sneaking nces at Juniper as they walked. Damn! No wonder Mr. Schwartz had his eye on her. Her aura was terrifyingly powerful.

 Chapter 614

    Watching Juniper lead the massive group ofputer science students into the venue, Ynda was so jealous she felt her eyes might pop out of her head.


    "Ferdinand, let''s go in too," she said.


    "Fine," Ferdinand snapped, shooting onest re at Juniper''s back.


    But as they approached, a staff member politely stopped them. ¡°Excuse me, could you two please wait a moment?"


    "We have tickets too! Why do they get to go in first?" Ferdinand demanded, his spoiled rich-kid attitude ring up.


    "It''s not about letting them go first, sir," the staff member exined patiently, maintaining a professional smile. "This is the manual-check entrance, for VIPs only. Your tickets should be scanned at the turnstiles over there. Why are you trying to push through here?"


    At his words, both Ferdinand and Ynda looked ahead. Sure enough, they were in the wrong line.


    Theputer science students erupted inughter at the sight. One by one, they walked proudly through the VIP entrance with their chins held high.


    Ynda and Ferdinand had to miserably shuffle over to the regr line and wait under the hot sun for the security check.


    ...


    Half an hourter, Ynda and Ferdinand finally made it inside. Though their tickets were in the VIP section, their seats were in the very back. They were so far from the stage it felt like they''d need a cab to get there. To make matters worse, their seats were off to the side, and arge pir blocked most of their view. They had to crane their necks just to see the corner of the main screen.


    Looking over at Juniper''s group, they saw them all seated in the front row, dead center. It was practically like sitting in the yers''ps while theypeted.


    Ynda had nned on taking a bunch of photos to show off, but now... how could she possiblypete with Juniper''s flex?


    "Can we change seats?" Ynda asked, looking around in disgust before turning a pleading gaze on Ferdinand.


    Not wanting to lose his standing in front of Ynda, Ferdinand immediately called his father.


    "Change seats?" his father, Cassidy Malone, boomed through the phone, his voice dripping with impatience "Do you have any idea how much troublel went through to get you those two tickets You thx you ca just swap them whenever you feel like it?"


    Ferdinand was stunned into silence by the tongueshing.


    "And you want front-row seats?" Cassidy''s voice grew even sterner. "I specifically


    asked about those. They''re reserved for major figures, people way out of our


    league. Don''t even dream about it."


    §á§à


    "By the way," Cassidy''s tone shifted, bing lower and more conspiratorial you''re there now right? Take a look at who''s in the front row. See if there''s anyone our family couldwork with


    Ferdinand''s gaze drifted to the front row, where staff members were bustling about, serving fruit and snacks to theputer science students, who were all happily munching away.


    "No one," Ferdinand said sullenly, and hung up.


    Ynda said nothing more. She had overheard the entire conversation. She''d thought the Malone family had some pull but it turned out they couldot even handle something this small. They were a far cry from a family like the Lonsdales.


    Whatever, she thought. After thispetition, she''d make sure to keep her distance


    from Ferdinand and not get tangled up with him.


    ...


    Before the match officially began, Juniper said a few words to Hattie and got up to use the restroom.


    "Ms. Payne, this way please," the event manager intercepted her, leading her backstage. "The restrooms back here are cleaner."


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Juniper said with a polite nod.


    ¡°Not at all!¡± The manager''s face was practically frozen in a smile, his attitude almost excessively amodating. ¡°If you need anything, please just let me know.¡±

 Chapter 615

    "Okay,¡± Juniper nodded. "You can go back to your duties. I''ll find my way back on my own."


    "Of course." The manager handed Juniper a staff pass with both hands. ¡°This will make it easier for you to get around. And here''s my business card. Feel free to call anytime."


    "Got it." After the manager left, Juniper slipped the card into her pocket, put on the staff pass, and instead of heading to the restroom, she walked deeper backstage.


    Security backstage was tight, but with the pass, she moved around without any issues. After a short walk, she found herself standing in front of the lounge for the Oceania team, Shadow Titans.


    You had to hand it to the Schwartz Group; they really spared no expense. To ensure this tournament outshone those in other host countries and brought prestige to Orient Country, the facilities were top-notch. The lounge was massive and fully equipped with high-end gaming setups for thepetitors to practice on before their matches.


    "Their number two yer likes to approach from the left side of the brush. You intercept him there, catch him off guard."


    Hearing the conversation, Juniper paused and peered inside.


    Although she couldn''t see their screens, she could tell from their hand movements and coordination that they were a formidable opponent. No wonder the online consensus was that Neverfall Navigators would lose this year. Shadow Titans was strong, but their rhythm felt chaotic.


    She didn''t linger, continuing down the hall until she stopped outside the Neverfall Navigators'' lounge. Their team was also practicing. Two years had passed, but this was the first time she''d seen them in person since.


    Yep, they were still as scruffy as ever.


    "You need to coordinate with me!¡± the marksman, yer 1, yelled into his headset, his fingers ttering loudly on the keyboard. "Left side, left side!"


    "I know," the mage replied, his brow furrowed. His hand movements were a beat too slow. They were trying to coordinate, but their synergy was off.


    Juniper pressed her lips together, her eyes scanning the other yers'' techniques. After watching for a few minutes, she couldn''t help but speak up. "You''re too impulsive."


    At the sound of her voice, all five yers turned in unison to see a young woman in


    a hat and mask staring intently at them from the doorway.


    "What did you say?" their captain, code-named MystiCat, asked, looking confused.


    "I said you''re too impulsive. It leaves


    you open to attack," Juniper said,


    taking a step forward into the


    doorway. Her gaze swept over them. you tried swapping the


    " f?r yers o


    positions two, and


    five?"


    yers one, two, and five? The team members exchanged nces, looking at their formation and then back at Juniper. Swapping them around... actually seemed like it would work better.


    "Also," Juniper continued, "everyone


    knows yer Three has a hand


    injury. By putting him in the back during team fights, you''re basically painting a target on him, telling the enemy he''s your weakest linband an easy kill."


    ?


    "So what''s the alternative? Put him on the front line to get ughtered?" Mysticat retorted with a smirk. Art least this girl knew something about the game, which was the only reason they were humoring her. But clearly, she didn''t know much.


    C¨®ntent


    "Exactly,¡± Juniper shot back without hesitation. "You should push yer Three forward precisely because the enemy expects you to protect him. It''ll throw off their strategy and bait them into your attack range."


    The five yers fell silent. Wait a minute. What this girl was saying... was actually starting to make a lot of sense.


    "Who are you?" MystiCat asked, sizing her up. He was sure he''d never seen her before.

 Chapter 616

    "Don''t tell me you''re a fan of ours?" MystiCat asked, his toneced with confident certainty. Only a fan would study their ystyle so thoroughly.


    Juniper pressed her lips together and didn''t answer. "What level is your ount?"


    MystiCat smiled, trying again. "From your insights, you must be a veteran yer. How about we give you an autographed photo if we win this match?"


    Juniper finally parted her pink lips and spoke slowly, "Especially you. You always charge in headfirst. You''re the one who ends up on low health and has to recall to base the most."


    His weak spot urately pinpointed, MystiCat''s smile vanished. Who was this girl? How did she know so much?!


    "Recalling to heal takes time," Juniper continued, her voice level, "which means the team is always a man down during fights."


    She nced at the time. Less than twenty minutes until the match. "Let me give you some advice: y defensively, farm up, and it wouldn''t hurt to set an ambush from the bushes once in a while."


    MystiCat was just too impulsive. He saw an opponent and immediately wanted to brawl until their health bar was empty, but more often than not, he''d walk right into a trap.


    Afterying out her simple instructions, Juniper turned and left the hallway without waiting for a response, leaving the five members of Neverfall Navigators staring at each other in bewilderment.


    "I think the girl has a point," yer Three said. "So, are we going to adjust our strategy based on what she said?"


    "I''d advise against it," yer Two chimed in immediately. "We''ve been practicing our current strategy for so long. If we suddenly change it, what if we lose our rhythm mid-game?"


    The others remained silent, their eyes fixed on their captain, yer Five, MystiCat. He thought for a moment before making a decision. No changes. A teenage girl''s advice might not be what was best for them.


    "Alright, get ready. It''s time to go on stage," MystiCat said, pping his hands to rally the team. "Remember why we started. Don''t let our country and Demon down."


    "Let''s do this!" the others echoed.


    ...


    Down in the arena, Juniper had just returned to her seat when the event manager approached with a dessert.


    ¡°Ms. Payne, your dessert,¡± he said softly. ¡°It might be a bit rich, but we''ll be bringing you a lemonade shortly."


    "Thank you." Juniper nced at the


    Ene


    cake. It was mango, her favorite. Shanley had clearly put some thought into this. Tsk. Kissing him this morning was definitely worth it.


    "Only ten minutes remain until the start of the match!" the announcer''s voice boomed. ¡°And now, I will introduce thepeting members of our two teams!"


    First up were the Shadow Titans, followed by the Neverfall Navigators. As the home team with a massive fanbase, their introduction was met with thunderous cheers


    ¡°Next, we will read the rules of thepetition..."


    After the formalities, both teams took their seats. The match would be a best-of-five series. The duration would depend on the teams'' performance, but since a spot in the finals was on the line, both sides. would surely give it their all This wasn''t going to be a short match.


    The countdown finished. The game officially began.


    Neverfall Navigators stuck to their original n, and it immediately backfired. yer One nearly gave away first blood.


    Watching from her seat, Juniper pinched the bridge of her nose. That blockhead, MystiCat! She really wanted to kick some sense into him.


    Ten minutester, the Shadow Titans were on the fierce offensive, exploiting


    Neverfall Navigators'' weaknesses to secure the first kill.


    Not only that, but Neverfall Navigators lost numerous minions, and the health of the towers in all threenes had taken significant damage.

 Chapter 617

    Twenty minutester, the Shadow Titans were already at the gates of the base, their assault relentless. Neverfall Navigators fought back desperately, but they were clearly struggling. Finally, after half an hour, their main tower was destroyed.


    "Aww!" The Neverfall Navigators fans in the audience were stunned, groans of disappointment rippling through the crowd.


    It was a terrible start. Anyone who understood the game could see how much trouble the team was in. Shadow Titans had them on the ropes for the entire first match. If they didn''t adjust their strategy, the rest of the series looked bleak.


    The second game began quickly. Still reeling from the first round, Neverfall Navigators'' morale was shaken. Eager to win one back, they grew reckless, trying to force kills only to be counter-killed themselves.


    The second match was over even faster than the first. The final score was 3-8-7. It wasn''t just a loss; it was a massacre.


    "What''s wrong with Neverfall Navigators?" Having lost two out of five games, with one more loss meaning elimination, the fans no longer had the heart to cheer. ¡°Their form ispletely off. It''s like they''re ying without any spirit."


    "Ever since Demon left, Neverfall Navigators just hasn''t been the same."


    "I miss the days when Demon was here. Every single one of their matches was a masterpiece."


    ...


    The two games concluded, and the teams took a short break.


    Having won so easily, the Shadow Titans were already celebrating, confident they could clinch the next game. They started discussing where to go for dinner after the match.


    Juniper sat with a grim expression, sipping her lemonade. The cold aura emanating from her was palpable.


    "Juniper, do you think we''re going to win?" Hattie asked cautiously.


    Juniper stretched her lips into something that couldn''t be called a smile. Whether they could win wasn''t up to her. It came down to skill.


    But..... she refused to believe this was the full extent of Neverfall Navigators'' strength.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the Neverfall Navigators'' locker room, the five members were gathered together, the atmosphere heavy with tension.


    "What do we do now?" yer One asked. "Our strategy isn''t working. If we keep ying like this, it''s over."


    "It''s like they know our every move. They''repletely shutting us down," yer Two added.


    "We have to try that girl''s suggestion. Let''s use yer Three as bait.¡±


    Mysticat looked at yer Three, his expression grave. "If you act as bait, your loss rate will be high. Your fans will eat you alive."


    "Who the hell cares about that right now?" yer Three shot up from his seat. "The teames first Besides, if we lose this whole thing, do you think the fans are going to spare me anyway?" ''s


    He could only keep his fans if he won.


    "Stop overthinking it. Let''s do it," yer Three urged coldly. "Change of ns. be the bait." "Alright,"


    MystiCat said after a moment, et


    longer objecting. "I was too reckless


    the first two games. I''ll swap with Two and y more cautiously." C¨®ntent


    "Sounds good."


    "No objections here."


    The others nodded in agreement.


    Pe


    "Guys, this is ourst chance," MystiCat said, his throat tight as he swallowed hard. "Demon founded this team five years ago and led us all the way here. If we lose today, we''re not just letting down our country and the fans. We''re letting down Demon."


    At the mention of Demon, everyone fell silent. If Demon were here today, watching them y like this... Demon would probably cough up blood from sheer rage.

 Chapter 618

    The third game began.


    Shadow Titans remained aggressive, slightly tweaking their strategy and increasing


    their tempo.


    For the first five minutes, Neverfall Navigators seemed to follow their previous, failing patterns.


    The match was a tense struggle, and the audience watched with bated breath.


    "Neverfall Navigators really isn''t in shape. I think they''re going to lose."


    "So what if it''s their home turf? So what if they used to be champions? They can''t even make it to the finals."


    "I paid a scalper triple the price for this ticket, and this is the garbage I get to watch?"


    ¡°With this match, Neverfall Navigators haspletely squandered the legacy Demon built. I can''t bear to see the result."


    "I''m thinking of leaving early..."


    The crowd murmured amongst themselves as the two teams on stage reached a critical point. In just eight minutes, Shadow Titans had pushed deep into Neverfall Navigators'' territory. It looked like the end was near.


    ¡°It''s over, it''s over, it''s over," Hattie whimpered, covering her eyes with her hands. "They''re about to lose."


    "I know, right?" the other students sighed. "Why would they use a strategy like this? It''s practically inviting the enemy to attack."


    With one powerful strike, yer Three''s health plummeted.


    "Oh, my... I wonder what Demon would think if he saw the team he built from scratch being beaten by a lower-ranked opponent."


    "If Demon were here, this match would''ve been over long ago."


    Juniper''s eyes were glued to therge screen, carefully analyzing the movements and positions of all five heroes.


    "They won''t lose," she stated calmly, causing the students beside her to turn and


    stare.


    ¡°Juniper, what makes you so sure?¡± a male student asked curiously. He was a high- level yer himself and felt he had a good read on the game. As things stood, the odds were heavily stacked against Neverfall Navigators.


    ¡°Because.....¡± Juniper lifted her ss of lemonade, tilting her head slightly as she spoke with deliberate slowness, "they finally started using their brains."


    "Huh?¡± The students werepletely baffled, unable to grasp her meaning.


    But from the moment she said those words, it was as if Neverfall Navigators had been reborn. Not only did they make a miraculous.eback, but they utterly


    decimated Shadow Titans in a team fight, cleared thenes, and pushed straight to the enemy''s base.


    The once-somber audience shot up in their seats, their eyes wide with disbelief.


    Was Neverfall Navigators possessed by the spirit of Demon? How did they suddenly be so ferocious?


    The audience wasn''t the only one in shock; the Shadow Titans were just as stunned. They never expected Neverfal Navigators to suddenly switch strategies and caten them so Completely off guard. Although they quickly tried to adapt, their towers were already damaged and their rhythm was broken.


    Seizing the opportunity, Neverfall Navigators initiated another team fight. After a


    bloody exchange, they finally imed victory in the third game.


    "Woooah!" The arena erupted with excited screams and cheers, the atmosphere instantly electric.


    The members of Shadow Titans


    looked grim. They never imagined Neverfall Navigators could turn the tables They had assumed thes Would crush the former top-r


    team and make a name for


    themselves. Who knew they could


    pull victory from the jaws of defeat?


    It was true what they said: an old lion is still a lion. Even without Demon at the helm,


    Neverfall Navigators was still a force to be reckoned with.


    The Shadow Titans huddled together, concluding they had lost because they had gotten cocky and underestimated their opponent. They still had a chance in the next game.


    With this victory, Neverfall Navigators'' confidence surged.


    "That girl''s really something, huh?" yer One said, gulping down water. "If we had more time, I''d want her to give us a few more lessons."

 Chapter 619

    "Seriously," yer Two agreed, his voice deep. "It''s clear she knows each of us inside and out."


    "Especially me," yer Three added, massaging his wrist with a frown. "She even knew about my hand injury and where my weaknesses were. She pinpointed our team''s problems in just a few sentences."


    "Who is that girl? The way she was so calm... it honestly gave me the creeps," yer Four remarked with an incredulous chuckle.


    Mysticat, the captain, sat on the sofa, Juniper''s image and hermanding tone reying in his mind.


    "Don''t you guys think..." MystiCat began, slowly looking up, his voice low and raspy.


    "Think what?" The other four turned to him in unison.


    "Don''t you think her way of talking is a bit like Demon''s?" MystiCat''s eyes were deadly serious, devoid of any hint of a joke. "Especially the way she chewed us out. It was exactly like him."


    "What are you trying to say?" At the mention of Demon, the yful mood vanished, and everyone grew serious. "Are you suggesting that little girl is Demon?"


    After a moment of silence, they burst outughing. ¡°Seriously, are you kidding me? We may have never seen Demon''s face, but we''ve heard him speak. Our leader is a guy."


    Besides, the girl was just a teenager. How could she possibly be connected to Demon? It was too absurd.


    "Maybe the pressure''s just getting to me and I''m overthinking things," MystiCat muttered, knowing how ridiculous his idea sounded. ¡°How could a teenage girl be Demon?"


    "Don''t lose focus. Just keep this rhythm. We''re not going to lose," his teammates reassured him.


    Soon, the fourth game began. This was a critical round for both teams. If Shadow Titans won, they would take the match and advance to the top three. If Neverfall Navigators won, they would tie the series setting up a final, d¨¦cisive game f?r a spot in the finals. .


    From the moment the game started, the tension in the arena was palpable. The fans held their breath, consciously staying quiet to avoid distracting the yers.


    They inhaled sharply when Shadow Titans pushed to their base and let out a collective sigh of relief when Neverfall Navigators sessfully repelled the attack.


    The arena was filled with the sound of held breaths and quiet gasps. The audience felt like they were getting a better cardio workout than a three-kilometer run.


    Twenty minutes in, the match reached a pivotal moment.


    MystiCat, who had been ying cautiously and farming in the bushes, suddenly shed behind the enemy''s yer Two. He unleashed all three of his abilities, locking the opponent down. Their health bar emptied in an instant. The other teammates seized the moment coordinating their attack. The entire enemy team was wiped out.


    The five members of Neverfall Navigators raced towards the enemy base. With a full-on assault, they brought the main tower''s health to zero.


    Fourth game: Neverfall Navigators wins.


    The series was now tied, heading into a final, winner-take-all match. The entire arena fell silent, the fans hardly daring to breathe. The two teams were locked in a frantic, back-and-forth battle.


    Just as Mysticat found himself in a disadvantageous position, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of someone in the crowd below, it was the girl who reminded him so much of their old boss. The words she had used to scold him echoed in is mind, and it was as Demon himself was standing right there.


    Mysticat closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them again, his entire demeanor had changed.

 Chapter 620

    The final game was an intense forty-minute duel. Both teams had moments where victory seemed within their grasp, only to be swiftly countered.


    "Ahhh!" Hattie clutched her head, feeling like her heart was about to leap out of her throat. "This is too intense! I can''t watch!"


    The teams were in a deadlock, both sides convinced they were on the verge of winning.


    "Neverfall Navigators still has it," one of the male studentsmented. ¡°Especially in thisst game. They''re ying at the same level they did when Demon was here."


    "They adjusted their rhythm and strategy so quickly after the second game,¡± another student added. "If I hadn''t known better, I''d suspect Demon himself showed up and coached them."


    Their performance now was a world away from how they''d started.


    Sitting beside them, Juniper simply took a calm sip of her lemonade.


    "Here ites!" a fan nearby shouted excitedly. "It''s the deciding moment! Neverfall Navigators is really heating up."


    Juniper put down her cup and looked up at the big screen. All five members of Neverfall Navigators were clustered together, locked in a chaotic brawl with the enemy team. Skills and items shed across the screen¡ªa blinding disy of effects that made it almost impossible to tell who was who in the ten-yer pile-up. All you could see were health bars rapidly depleting and replenishing. Everything hinged on this single fight.


    A few secondster, a member of Shadow Titans was the first to fall. Neverfall Navigators'' yer Three also ran out of health. The rest continued the brutal team fight.


    Every nerve in the arena was stretched taut as all eyes remained glued to the screen. They couldn''t lose. Neverfall Navigators could not lose!


    Finally, as if answering the collective prayer of the entire arena, the members of Shadow Titans fell one by one. Victorious, Neverfall Navigators swaggered into the enemy base and effortlessly demolished their Nexus.


    The game was over. With a final score of 3-2, Neverfall Navigators had defeated Shadow Titans, securing their ticket to the finals.


    The crowd erupted in a massive roar of cheers, some fans even shouting Demon''s


    name.


    "The match is over. I''m heading out. You guys can do whatever," Juniper said, standing up. "If you want toe to the finals, you can."


    "The finals?¡± The students'' eyes went wide, staring at Juniper in disbelief, as if they''d misheard.


    Getting tickets to the finals was exponentially harder than for the quarterfinals. And the price was astronomical.


    ¡°Juniper, won''t that be too expensive for you?" one of the male students asked tentatively.


    The finals! Of course they wanted to go. Watching it live was an incredible rush.


    "It won''t cost you anything, so don''t worry about it," Juniper replied after a moment''s thought, not wanting to exin further. She couldn''t very well tell them that the organizer of the whole tournament was her gent was her boyfriend, could she?


    And what belonged to her boyfriend, belonged to her. So, by extension... yes. She was the owner of this WKL eSports event.


    "Everyone, be safe on your way out," she said with a brief word of caution before leaving her seat.


    Just then, MystiCat had finished his post-game interview with the host and instinctively nced towards the VIP section. He frowned when he didn''t see the young girl. Where did she go?


    ...


    After the event, the members of Neverfall Navigators immediately found a staff member to ask about Juniper''s identity. Anyone sitting in the front-row VIP seats had to be Someone important.


    "Oh, her?" The staff member had just seen the little VIP off and had


    In


    copsed into a chair, wiping sweat from his forehead as if he''d just survived a catastrophe. He answered wearily, She''s this year top-ranked freshman at Era


    University."

 Chapter 621

    Top-ranked freshman? That meant she was only eighteen.


    Neverfall Navigators was founded two years ago, and Demon had been ying for years before that. He couldn''t have started ying when he was just a kid, could he? And he was incredibly skilled, leagues ahead of many of the top pro gamers back then. There was no way he was just a teenager.


    More importantly, even though Demon always wore a hat and mask, his clothes and the tone of his voice had always been distinctly male.


    "What do you want with her?" the staff member asked, his eyes darting around warily. "She''s not just anyone. I''d advise you not to get involved with her."


    "It''s nothing," MystiCat said with a faint smile, his face creasing into a frown. "Just asking."


    In truth, he wanted to thank her in person. If it hadn''t been for her advice, they might have lost today''s match. The finals were next week. They would find her and thank her properly after the tournament was over.


    Outside the arena entrance, Juniper was waiting for a staff member to bring her electric scooter around when her phone suddenly rang.


    "Juniper!"


    Lue''s booming voice assaulted her eardrums. Juniper winced, holding the phone away from her ear. "What good would it do you if I died of a heart attack?" she asked dryly.


    "My bad, just an ident this time!" Lue yelled, still suspended in a wire harness dozens of feet in the air. "I''m about to bungee jump! The wind is crazy up here, I was afraid you wouldn''t hear me."


    Juniper''s brow furrowed again. "If you have something to say, just say it," she said, her patience wearing thin.


    "Juniper, I don''t even know what to say about your man," Lue began without preamble, her tone dripping with amusement. "Do you know what he''s doing?"


    "What?" At the mention of Shanley, Juniper''s attention sharpened.


    "He''s looking for you," Lue said. "Or more urately, he''s looking for Demon."


    "Looking for Demon?" Juniper pursed her lips, a flicker of confusion crossing her delicate features. Why was he suddenly looking for her alter ego?


    "Shanley said Demon can name ''his'' price, as long as ''he'' agrees toe out of retirement." Lue was practically vibrating with excitement at the thought of the money And did some digging. Guess why?"


    Juniper remained silent, waiting for the answer.


    "He said it''s because his fianc¨¦e is a huge Demon fan, and he wants to


    make her happy." Lue wasughing as she spoke. "Juniper, theb at the base is short on funds right now. What do you say Kept his offer? I''ll take the money, then you show up in front of him, reveal your identity, and give him a big surprise. We get the cash, and Shanley gets what he wants. It''s a win-win situation! A perfect n!"


    Juniper didn''t respond. Her mind was stuck on Lue''s words: to make his fianc¨¦e happy. When had she ever said anything to make Shanley think she was a Demon fan? If she told him she wanted the stars, would he really try to pluck them from the sky for her?


    "Juniper? Juniper, you still there?" Lue pressed. "Don''t tell me you''re pretending


    you can''t hear me just to save your boyfriend some money."


    "Hmm," Juniper murmured, a faint smirk ying on her lips. "Signal''s bad. Can''t hear you. Bye."

 Chapter 622

    "Huh?" Hearing Juniper me the bad signal, Lue instantly saw through her act and yelled, "Juniper, you''re not even married yet and you''re already being so frugal for Shanley?"


    Juniper clutched her phone, the curve of her lips widening. Lue had a point.


    Shanley''s money was her money. "Bye," she murmured, hanging up the phone and ncing at her ss group chat. It was blowing up with messages, mostly strings of "Hahaha."


    "Hahaha, Ferdinand is such a joke every single time. Hundreds of people gathered in the chat waiting for his live stream. And then he turns on the camera, and his view is terrible, with half the screen blocked by a pir."


    "Isn''t his dad supposed to be super influential? Couldn''t he get him a front-row VIP seat? lol." Thisst message was a screenshot from another group chat, dripping with sarcasm.


    "Five minutes into the stream, and more than half the people had left."


    "Good thing Juniper reminded me to start a stream on the school forum with my phone."


    Her view was perfect, aimed right at the center of the stage, crystal clear. Besides, theputer science ss stream was simple-you just opened the forum and watched. It wasn''t like Ferdinand''s, which required joining a group and going through an approval process, as if he were some kind of big shot. Theparison led to more than a few people calling him a pretentious try-hard.


    Juniper skimmed the messages with little interest and turned off her phone. As she started to walk, she happened to see Ynda and Ferdinand. They both looked miserable and seemed to have been arguing, with Ferdinand trying to cate Ynda.


    "Hmph!" Seeing Juniper, Ynda''s resentment red, her eyes practically bugging out of her head.


    "That was just a fluke. We''ll be in the front row for the finals. Juniper, don''t get so smug." Ferdinand retorted defiantly.


    "The finals, huh?" Juniper raised an eyebrow and said slowly, "Worry about getting in first."


    With that parting shot, she took her scooter from the staff member and sped off, leaving them in a cloud of dust.


    Getting in first? Ferdinand was stunned. He turned to Ynda and fumed, "Who does she think she is? Just because her brother is a famous actor, she thinks she can do whatever she wants?"


    Ynda bit her lip, silent. The


    award-winning actor, Jimmie Tate, certainly had some clout, but not enough to make the event


    organizers bow and scrape f


    Juniper. During the match she had


    ked up this years.


    discreetly looked


    sponsor for the WKL eSports


    tournament. It was the Schwartz


    Group. Jimmie and Shanley, the CEO of the Schwartz Group, were supposedly good friends.


    Then she recalled the scene at the freshman orientation, where Shanley had not only attended but had also donated a building in his and


    In


    Juniper''s names. Could it be... that Juniper had hooked up with


    Shanley?


    But didn''t she have a boyfriend? How could she so shamelessly seduce another man? What''s more, Shanley himself had a fianc¨¦e. Though no one had ever managed to get a photo, Ynda had seen her with her own eyes at the Schwartz, family matriarch Hannah''s birthday celebration.


    There was no mistaking it. Hah, a pair of cheaters! Neither of them was any good!


    She just hoped they wouldn''t let her catch them. If she found proof, she would ruin their reputations!


    ...


    At Cloudscape Community.


    "Ms. Payne, you''re back," Dana greeted her warmly, taking her bag. "Dinner is almost ready. You can rest for a bit."


    "Is Shanley home?" Juniper asked softly, noticing a pair of leather shoes by the door.


    "Yes," Dana nodded, beaming. "I''m not sure what happened, but Mr. Schwartz has been in an exceptionally good mood all day."

 Chapter 623

    "Oh?" Juniper looked up, blinking her beautiful eyes.


    "He gave us all another raise," Dana said, her smile so wide it nearly reached her ears. "And it was a generous one, too."


    Juniper paused for a moment, then it dawned on her. Was he really that happy over a simple kiss?


    "I see. I''ll go up and see him."


    After changing her shoes, Juniper headed upstairs. As she reached the study, she heard Shanley''s voice. "How are things going with Demon?"


    The door was open, and Shanley stood by the window with his back to her. The warm sunlight bathed his figure, making his already tall frame seem even more imposing. Juniper found herself staring, momentarily lost in the sight. He was quite a handsome man.


    "Did you mention the price?" Shanley continued, unaware of her presence. "Whatever he asks for, we''ll ept."


    "He doesn''t have to y. He just needs to meet with Juniper."


    "Yes, Juniper is his fan."


    Listening to him, Juniper had to suppress augh. She was her own fan? If Shanley knew the truth, the look on his face would be priceless. But... it was true that after leaving Neverfall Navigators, she had never nned on going back.


    "That''s all." Shanley ended the call and turned around, his eyes meeting the young woman''s face. He was slightly taken aback. "You''re back."


    He walked over to her, bending down to look into her eyes.


    "Yeah." Remembering the morning''s kiss, Juniper felt a little awkward. "I''m going to take a shower," she mumbled.


    "Wait." Shanley''s hand tightened slightly, pulling her back into his arms. Using his height to his advantage, he looked down at her, a smile ying


    on his hips. "Little ones why are you acting so guilty?"


    "I am not guilty!" Juniper was forced to tilt her head back, her voice rising defensively as if to deny the obvious. "Stop talking nonsense."


    Seeing her feigned anger, Shanley''s eyebrows rose. His voice was husky and alluring as he teased "Fine fine. I was the


    ne who got kissed so I''m


    the guilty one."


    Juniper''s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of indignation in their clear depths that, to


    the man watching her, looked more like a charming pout.


    "Juniper..." Shanley''s hands wrapped


    around her waist, his eyes filled with tenderness. His handsome face


    fby


    drew closer Do you still stan what you saidst time?"


    Feeling the warmth of his body, Juniper''sshes fluttered. "What did I say?" she whispered, her lips trembling slightly.


    "You said I could kiss you back," Shanley''s voice was a low rasp. "I remember it very clearly."


    Juniper was speechless. She had just said that casually at the time, but he had taken it seriously.


    "Can I, Juniper?" Shanley''s nose brushed against hers, his smile like a captivating vortex that muddled her thoughts.


    Juniper didn''t understand this feeling, but she didn''t dislike what Shanley was proposing. She had kissed him twice. Letting him kiss her once seemed fair.


    Juniper lifted her eyelids, looking at Shanley with a serious expression. Just as she was about to answer, Dana''s voice came from the doorway.


    "Ms. Payne, Mr. Schwartz, dinner is ready."


    At those words, Juniper immediately pushed Shanley away. "We should eat first," she dered, already hurrying downstairs.


    Shanley was left standing there.

 Chapter 624

    At the dinner table, Shanley''s face was clouded over, and he picked at his food with little interest.


    "Your soup, Ms. Payne." Dana set down the bowl, stealing a nce at the man beside her. My, Mr. Schwartz looked terribly upset. Wasn''t he just happily giving everyone raises this morning? Could he and Ms. Payne have had a fight? But...


    Dana tilted her head, her gaze shifting to the girl who was happily on her third serving of rice. Ms. Payne''s appetite certainly didn''t suggest she''d been in an argument.


    Sigh! The mind of a man in love was truly a mystery.


    "Dana, you can take a break now," Juniper said, stirring her broth.


    "Of course." Dana nodded and quietly left.


    As the dining room fell silent, Shanley finally put down his knife and fork. His eyes fixed on the young woman across from him, who was still engrossed in her meal. A faint smile touched his lips. "Juniper, shall we continue?"


    "Hmm?" Juniper looked up, meeting his deep gaze. Her delicate face was a mask of confusion. "Continue what?"


    Clearly, she had already forgotten what had happened just moments ago.


    Shanley''s initial flicker of disappointment faded. He reminded himself that his Juniper had never been a girl with high ''emotional intelligence.'' It hadn''t been easy to transition from being her guardian to being her boyfriend. It would probably take more time for her to understand the nuances of romance.


    Seeing how hungry she was, Shanley couldn''t bring himself to interrupt her meal any longer. He reached out and gently stroked her head. "It''s nothing. Just eat," he said softly.


    "Oh." Juniper lowered her head and continued eating, a triumphant smile ying on her lips.


    A few minutester, seeing the lingering gloom on the man''s face, Juniper took the initiative and ced a pork rib on his te.


    "Thank you, Juniper." Shanley''s lips curved into a smile, the shadows on his face vanishing in an instant.


    Juniper smiled back. This man, she thought, was actually quite easy to please.


    The next morning, just as Juniper finished breakfast and was about to leave, Melvin Steele showed up again. "I..."


    "Let me guess. You have business near Era University again today and just happened to be able to give me a ride?" Juniper cut him off, her tope unhurried "Oh, wait, not just me Me and J


    "No, I really do have business this time," Melvin said,ughing


    awkwardly at being found out


    brought desserts. vors you two haven''t tried before."


    "Alright then." Juniper''s eyshes fluttered. Without a moment''s hesitation, she took


    her bag from Shanley, her eyes shining. "Let''s go."


    Shanley chuckled helplessly. If the guy weren''t his future brother-inw, he''d


    seriously worry that Juniper could be lured away by food.


    "Let''s go." Melvin immediately took Juniper''s bag, sticking close to his sister like an eager puppy. "There are so many vors including your favorite, mango."


    "Really?" Juniper stuffed her hands in her pockets, listening to Melvin''s chatter. "You got J''s favorite, strawberry, too, right?" she asked slyly.


    Melvin smiled, a silent confirmation.


    "Are you serious about her?" Juniper turned her head to look at him.


    "Yeah," Melvin nodded, his expression as earnest as could be. "But I don''t think J likes me very much."


    "What makes you say that?" Juniper asked casually, a corner of her lip twitching.


    "She''s so formal with me when we talk," Melvin said, sounding hurt. He repeated for emphasis, "She''s incredibly polite and formal with me."


    "Oh." Juniper wanted tough, but for the sake of the desserts, she held it in.


    "J is just polite," she offered insincerely. "Being formal is normal for her." "Really?" Melvin wasn''t convinced.


    Juniper pursed her lips and changed the subject. "Come on, I''m going to bete." "Oh, right."

 Chapter 625

    Melvin grabbed her bag and followed, still unable to get over the formality. Sure enough, just as he was wallowing in his emo phase, J approached and gave him a full ny-degree bow.


    "Good morning, Mr. Steele," she said with the utmost respect.


    "Pfft¡ª" It was the first time Juniper had witnessed J''s brand of ''politeness,'' and she couldn''t hold it in, bursting outughing.


    Melvin''s expression darkened even further.


    ...


    At Era University, J got out of the car first, followed by Juniper.


    "Bring some for your roommates," Melvin said. Knowing they took good care of his sister, he had bought three extra portions of snacks.


    "Alright." Juniper took the bag filled with imported treats, raising an eyebrow. "Thanks, Melvin."


    "Don''t be a stranger." Melvin stood outside the car door, unable to resist gently straightening a stray strand of his sister''s hair. "If you want anything else in the future, just tell me. I''ll buy it for you."


    "Okay." A warmth spread through her. Juniper''s lips curved into a soft smile as she said quietly, "Ask my sister what she wants, too. Get some for her."


    Ebony Fox was always at the training grounds; she definitely wouldn''t have time for this kind of thing.


    "Her?" At the mention of Ebony Fox, Melvin felt his scalp tingle. His confidence instantly deted. "Juniper, maybe you should ask her?"


    His other sister was so intense; one re from her and his knees would go weak.


    "Tch." Juniper was silent for two seconds, then her red lips moved. "Fine, I''ll ask her."


    After saying their goodbyes, Juniper waved to Melvin and headed off with the bag. Neither of them noticed Ynda lurking in a nearby corner, phone raised, secretly taking pictures. She had captured the entire exchange, including the tender moment when Melvin had smoothed Juniper''s hair.


    Hah! She had finally caught Juniper with her real boyfriend. She had to admit, the guy was good-looking¡ªtall, handsome, the whole package. It was just... what brand was that car? She''d never seen it before. It must be some cheap model.


    And the man himself¡ªshe had


    mingled in Era City''s high society for years and had met at least a hundred wealthy scions. A man with his looks and presence would surely be well known if he came from prominent family. Therefore, he had to be a nobody.


    That little vixen, Juniper, stringing along her poor boyfriend while seducing Shanley. She really had some nerve!


    With this evidence in hand, Ynda


    felt like she finally had some real dirt on Juniper Sooner orter, she


    would send all of this to Shanl


    And then, Shanley would surely be disgusted by her. And she hersel would finally have a chance to get closer to him.


    At the thought, a triumphant smile spread across Ynda''s face.


    ...


    Inside the ssroom, the results of


    the national leg of the World


    Programming Competition were about to be announced. The


    students were buzzing with


    excitement.


    "First ce will definitely go to Professor Byron. As for second... well, whoever is closest to him."


    "Pfft!" Hearing this, the students exchanged knowing nces. "It''s a shame Professor Tucker didn''t enter. With his skills, he''d deserve first ce."


    "Get real," another student interjected. "Even if Tucker entered, he wouldn''t win an award. Bet on it."


    The others fell silent, all too aware of the politics involved.


    "I disagree."


    A voice cut in from the doorway, and Juniper walked in.


    "I think Professor Tucker won''t just win an award," she said slowly. "He''ll take first ce."


    Every head in the room swiveled to look at her. Tucker taking first ce? But he didn''t evenpete. What was Juniper talking about?


    Just as they were all reeling in confusion, a student shouted, "The list of winners is out!"


    The students swarmed forward. When they saw the results, their eyes went wide.

 Chapter 626

    "Am I seeing this right? How is Tucker''s name on the list?"


    Not only was he on it, but he had beaten the favorite, Byron, to take first ce.


    Byron had been the national champion for several years running. Tucker, on the other hand, hadpeted several times without ever breaking the top three. Before thepetition, the word around theputer science department was that Byron was a shoo-in for first ce. This was especially awkward since Byron had always looked down on Tucker, and now he''d beenpletely upstaged.


    As the discussion heated up, someone by the door whispered, "Byron''s here." Everyone immediately rushed to the window to peek outside.


    "Oh man, he looks furious," one student worried aloud. ¡°Looks like today''s going to be rough for us."


    Though Byron was famous both at the university and nationally, he carried himself with an air of superiority. In ss, he was prone to sarcastic remarks, often telling students they weren''t cut out for the field. He''d usually ignore students who greeted him in the hallways, so it was no surprise that he wasn''t very popr.


    Tucker was different. The quirky old professor could be entric, but he was genuinely kind. Whenever students had questions, he would answer them patiently. More often than not, they could also sneak a few snacks from his office. Compared to Byron, Tucker was by far the student favorite.


    "Byron''s ss is at nine, right?" Juniper asked Hattie, dropping her bag and grabbing a couple of snack packs.


    "Yeah," Hattie confirmed.


    "Alright," Juniper mumbled, "I''m heading out for a bit. I''ll be right back."


    "Byron''s in a foul mood. Don''t get on his bad side," Hattie called after her.


    Byron already held a grudge against Juniper for not choosing him as her mentor, seeing it as a blow to his ego ble usually gave her the cold. shoulder but now with his rival Tucker taking the top spot, and Juniper being Tucker''s student, things were bound to get worse. If she waste, Byron would undoubtedly take it out on her.


    In theb, Juniper found Tucker with his face practically pressed against the


    "This is impossible," he muttered, scrolling with his mouse. "I never even signed up. How did my name get on the list?"


    Could he have gotten drunk and


    impulsively submitted his code? No,


    that couldn''t be it. He''d only had some low-alcohol fruit wine; there was no way he was drunk enough to do that. What on earth was going on? He must have time-traveled. It was the only logical exnation he coulde up with.


    "Professor," Juniper said, finally making her presence known after listening to him ramble.


    ¡°Oh, you''re here," Tucker said, too preupied to pay her much mind. "Don''t take too many snacks. I''m over my allowance this month and can''t afford to buy more."


    "Are you wondering about thepetition list?" Juniper asked, rubbing her nose with a guilty expression.


    "Of course I am," Tucker replied.


    He nced at her, then back at the screen. Two secondster, his head snapped back to her, his eyes widening. His voice trembled as he asked, "Did you... sign me up?"


    "If I said my hand slipped and I identally registered for you, would you believe me?¡± Juniper offered, cing the snacks by his hand. "Professor, this vor of chips is amazing. You should try some."


    Tucker pushed the snacks aside and turned his whole body to face her, swallowing hard. ¡°So you''re telling me you identally'' broke through my firewall, ''identally'' found my project folder, ''identally'' copied the files, and then identally opened the registration website and signed me up?"

 Chapter 627

    "Is that how your ''ident'' happened, Juniper?" Tucker asked, his voice tight with disbelief.


    "Well..." Juniper blinked, her voice shrinking as she tried to exin, or rather, bluff her way through. "I just thought your code was brilliant, so I submitted it on a whim. And what a coincidence, it took first ce!"


    "On a whim?" Tucker looked like he was about to faint. Hisputer, aputer science professor''s machine, was protected by a top-tier firewall. Had a first-year student really bypassed it so easily?


    ¡°But.....¡± His mind was a mess. He frowned, shaking his head. "Even if I did enter, there''s no way I could have won."


    He didn''t say it outright, but Juniper understood what he meant.


    ¡°About that,¡± she began, pressing her lips together. ¡°It seems the judging in previous years wasn''t exactly fair, so I wrote an anonymous tip to the organizers. They brought in a whole new panel of judges."


    She continued, "This new panel doesn''t really know Byron, so they judged objectively. It''s only natural that you won."


    ¡°A tip?¡± Tucker stared at the young girl in front of him, scarcely believing his ears. First, she''d hacked his firewall to register him, and now she was telling him she''d reported the judges? She had told him she didn''t know much aboutputers. Who in the world was this girl?


    ¡°I have to get back to ss,¡± Juniper said, ncing at the time. ¡°You should take a moment to process your win. And maybe start thinking about which project to use for the internationalpetition." She gestured with her chin. "Don''t forget to eat the snacks."


    With that, she bolted out of theb, not daring to look back at the stunned expression on his face.


    Tucker sat frozen in his chair, Juniper''s words echoing in his mind. It was finally sinking in. This girl was a true prodigy!


    To avoid beingte, Juniper ran all the way back to the ssroom, arriving just in the nick of time. Unfortunately Byron had arrived early, and his mood, already foul, darkened considerably upon seeing her.


    "Do you not know my rules?" he snapped, ring at her without a shred of consideration for her feelings "Showing upte for ss is a sign ofplete disrespect. Stand outside. I don''t want to see you."


    The other students looked up, their faces etched with sympathy. She had walked right into the line of fire.


    "Mr. Byron, Juniper didn''t do it on purpose," Hattie spoke up, unable to stay silent. "Yeah, Mr. Byron, please let it go this time."


    ¡°Besides, she wasn''t even reallyte. She was right on time..."


    Others chimed in, all defending Juniper.


    "What''s this? Are you all suggesting I''m wrongly using her?" Byron''s anger simmered, and he swept a cold gaze over the students, his tone dripping with


    sarcasm.


    The students bit their tongues. They all thought so but didn''t dare say it.


    ¡°Isn''t that exactly what you''re doing?¡± Just then, Juniper slowly lifted her head. Her eyes, framed by thickshes, were clear and bright as her cool voice cut through the tension.


    "What did you say?" Byron was taken aback. He couldn''t believe Juniper had the audacity to talk back to him in front of the entire ss.


    "Hah." A bitterugh escaped Juniper''s lips. She gave him a sardonic smile and repeated, her voice sharp and clear, "You heard me. You are wrongly using me. I wasn''t date. On what grounds are you punishing me. Not Standing."


    She delivered thest few words with such force and conviction that the other


    students stared, their eyes wide with awe.

 Chapter 628

    ¡°Notte?¡± Byron''s anger finally erupted. From behind his sses, his eyes shot daggers at Juniper. "The bell rang, and you weren''t in your seat. What is that if notte?"


    "What''s the matter?" Byron sneered from the lectern, looking down at her contemptuously. ¡°You think because your professor got lucky and won the championship, you can ride his coattails and act all high and mighty?"


    At that, the students below rolled their eyes. For a respected professor, he had a nasty mouth. It was a wonder how he''d ever be "renowned."


    "Got lucky and won the championship?" Juniper was fiercely protective of her friends, especially the old professor whose snacks she''d eaten so many of. Her defenses shot up instantly. "In that case, why wasn''t it you, Professor Byron, who had the ''idental'' win?"


    The question left Byron speechless, his face flushing a deep red.


    ¡°Late iste,¡± he finally snarled, his expression grim. "You get a zero for your participation grade."


    A zero for participation meant she would likely fail the course and have to retake it. And with him in charge, even retaking it would be an uphill battle. He was doing this on purpose.


    "I have no problem with losing points for beingte,¡± Juniper said, her expression unreadable as she pulled at the corner of her lip. "But the thing is, I wasn''tte."


    "You"


    "Let''s check the security cameras." Juniper took out her phone and began tapping the screen with azy calm. "ss starts at nine. I arrived at the ssroom door at eight fifty-nine and fifty seconds. If you hadn''t stopped me, Professor, I would have been in my seat by the fifty-eighth second. So, I ask you, is eight fifty-nine and fifty- eight seconds consideredte?"


    Byron was dumbfounded, unable to process what she''d just said.


    "Holy crap," one student whispered. "As expected of the top scorer, her logic is wless."


    "I didn''t see her check her phone at all. How does she remember the time so precisely?"


    "Down to the second... that''s insane."


    "But can she actually get the security footage?"


    ¡°No way,¡± another student refuted. ¡°If they release the footage and it proves she


    wasn''tte, Byron will be embarrassed. The university wouldn''t allow that."


    Byron hadn''t expected the girl to be so sharp-witted and quick on her feet. He knew he had, in fact, wrongly used her, but admitting it would be a huge blowto his ride. Besides she''d never get her bands on the footage...


    "Here''s the footage," Juniper announced suddenly, turning her phone screen towards Byron.


    Disyed on the screen was the live feed from the hallway camera. In the video, Juniper could be seen jogging toward the ssroom arriving at the door at precisely o:59:50 Then, Byron appeared, blocking her path.


    "She really wasn''tte," the students craned their necks to see the screen, confirming it with their own eyes.


    "Where did you get that footage?¡± Byron demanded through clenched teeth, his hands balled into fists.


    "That''s not your concern. Just tell


    me, was fate or not?" Juniper gave her phone a little shake, her expression t. "If I wasn''t, maye in pow? It''s ss time, and I''d rather not waste everyone''s day."


    Byron looked from Juniper to the students watching him. Finally, he swallowed his pride and gestured for her to enter.


    But his resentment toward her had only deepened. First the old one, now the young one was causing him trouble. Fine. He had plenty of time. He''d see who came out on top against a mere girl!

 Chapter 629

    As Juniper approached theb door, she heard arguing from within.


    "Well, well, Tucker. So you''re the type to scheme behind my back," Byron said, standing face-to-face with Tucker. He was posturing like the victim, his voice filled with righteous anger. "Publicly, you im you won''tpete, but secretly you go and sign up?"


    "And another thing..." Byron''s face was ashen with rage, his voice trembling. "You were the one who reported the judges, weren''t you?"


    "Now hold on," Tucker shot back. He was fed up with this man''s bullying, and after hearing how he''d harassed his star student, he was ready to blow. "I''ll sign up if I want to and I won''t if I don''t. What business is it of yours?"


    "As for the anonymous tip..." Tucker pped the table for emphasis. "That, I can tell you, had nothing to do with me. But if they weren''t breaking any rules, what''s there to be afraid of? The fact that the report was sessful proves they were in the wrong. Tsk, tsk, we should thank whoever reported them for doing a public service." "You¡ª!" Byron pointed a trembling finger at Tucker, sputtering, unable to form aplete sentence.


    "Oh, by the way," Tucker added casually. "I hear the internationalpetition is judged anonymously."


    "I''m delighted to be advancing to the international stage with you," Tucker said, tearing open a bag of crispy snacks and crunching on them loudly. "Byron, you must be delighted too, right?"


    Byron''s expression was sourer than a lemon. "Delighted?" He forced a dismissiveugh. ¡°Don''t tell me you''re actually aiming for the prize, hoping to take my position as Head of the Computer Science Department?"


    "But," Byron paused for effect, "no one from our country has ever won an award at the international level. I wouldn''t get your hopes up, Tucker. My position isn''t for just anyone to take."


    Tucker continued to munch on his snacks, ignoring the empty threats. Who would even want that position? It was nothing but a pile of administrative headaches. He was much happier here in hisb, coding and eating snacks.


    Having delivered his parting shot, Byron stormed out of the office. Only after he was gone did Juniper enter.


    "I actually think his position sounds pretty good," she said, grabbing a handful of snacks from the old professor''s bag and popping them into her mouth.


    "Good for what?" Tucker scoffed, having no such ambitions. All he wanted was for his code to be put to good use. Winning awards was secondary.


    "Besides, this program is quiteplex. Tucker opened a folder on hisputer to show her. "I won''t


    I''ll


    be able to finish it in time l


    probably miss the submission deadline."


    Juniper studied the code carefully, a slight smile ying on her lips. As expected from her ''old apprentice, he had some real skills. With a few tweaks, he actually stood a chance of winning.


    "But," Juniper licked her lips, speaking slowly, "I heard the prize money for thispetition is substantial."


    "Doesn''t matter. My wife would just transfer it all out of my ount anyway," Tucker said with a weary smile.


    "Also..." Juniper blinked, adding another point, "if you win and be the department head, not only will your sry increase but your allowance will too."


    That piqued Tucker''s interest.


    "The allowance is loaded directly onto your campus dining card," Juniper said, raising an eyebrow. "Think of all the snacks you could buy every month!"


    Tucker considered this, then pushed his sses up his nose and looked at Juniper. "You''d have to help me with all the other work."


    ¡°Deal,¡± Juniper agreed without a moment''s hesitation. ¡°But I get half of the snacks.¡±


    A muscle twitched in Tucker''s cheek. He knew it. This girl definitely had an angle when she pushed him topete.

 Chapter 630

    Over the next few days, Juniper split her time between helping Tucker with his program and monitoring the training of the Neverfall Navigators.


    ¡°Juniper, could you help me organize this data?¡± Tucker asked, cing a stack of files on her desk along with a few packets of snacks as a thank you.


    "Sure," Juniper replied, munching on a snack as she input the data into the system with a speed that was nothing short of astonishing.


    "Your typing speed is incredible," Tucker marveled, swallowing hard.


    "Oh," Juniper nced up, her tone casual. "I got good from gaming."


    Gaming? Tucker secretly observed the young woman, realizing just how different she was from other students. Her ability to learn and work was dozens, if not hundreds, of times faster than her peers. Although she was only a first-yearputer science student, her skills were on par with, if not better than, many fourth-years or even graduate students.


    Most importantly, she was a person of integrity who wouldn''t bow to authority. He knew she would never be blinded by wealth or power and lose her conscience.


    Tucker felt a surge of excitement. The future of theputer science department was in good hands.


    After finishing Tucker''s work, Juniper still had time before ss ended. Bored, she opened herptop and started coding exercises from her textbook. The material hadn''t been updated in years and waspletely out of step with modern technology.


    When ss was over, Juniper packed her things. As she walked past Tucker, she casually nced at his screen. His code had improved significantly over the past few years, but if he wanted to win, he still had a lot of work to do.


    After saying goodbye, Juniper headed off campus. On her way out, she passed by Byron''s office and saw it was crowded with several people, all of whom seemed to be fairly well-known figures in the tech world. If she wasn''t mistaken, Byron had called in reinforcements to help him create a "perfect" program for thepetition.


    Juniper slowed her pace, her eyes falling on the screen. Tsk. All those people, and this was the best they coulde up with? She hoped they would never im to be from Era University''sputer science department. She''d be too embarrassed.


    Leaving the university, Juniper rode her electric scooter out to the suburban training base, arge bag of snacks in tow.


    "Juniper!¡± The fierce expression on Ebony Fox''s face vanished the moment she saw her.


    "Alright, everyone, ten-minute break!"


    Ten elite special forces soldiers copsed onto the ground, drenched in sweat. Whatever arrogance they had arrived with had been thoroughly beaten out of them by Ebony Fox. When she told them to. go left, they didn''t dare go right. They were perfectly obedient.


    asionally, when the training got particrly brutal, one of them


    or threaten to quit. Ebony Fox''s response was always a swift


    might impulsively cry out is


    takedown throw that quickly put them back in their ce.


    Juniper stopped in front of Ebony Fox and handed her the bag. "These are for you," she said softly.


    ¡°Juniper, you bought these?" Ebony Fox''s face lit up as she rummaged through the snacks, her delight palpable. "These are all my favorites! Thank you, Juniper." ¡°Uh,¡± Juniper rubbed her nose, answering awkwardly, "Melvin bought them." "Oh." Half of the smile on Ebony Fox''s face instantly faded. She tossed the snacks aside and gently stroked Juniper''s cheek. ¡°You''re looking much healthier.¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Juniper nodded obediently. "Shanley''s been making me soup every day." A mixture of threats and persuasion had ensured she drank everyst drop.


    "Is that so?" Seeing the genuine smile on the girl''s face, Ebony Fox could tell she was happy. The weight


    in her hear ally fitted. "I only have


    a few more days of training"


    After that, I''lle home and spend some time with you."

 Chapter 631

    "Spend ''some time'' with me?" The key phrase snapped Juniper out of her rxed state, her expression turning serious.


    "Yeah," Ebony Fox mumbled, forcing a slight smile. ¡°I''m with the Huntsman Institute. It''s...plicated. I can''t just walk away yet."


    "Howplicated?" Juniper''s temper red. "Are they going to hold you captive for the rest of your life?"


    Ebony Fox pressed her lips together, unsure how to exin the situation to her little sister, nor did she want her to know the full truth. It was far moreplex than she could imagine.


    "It''s fine," Ebony Fox said, ruffling her sister''s hair gently. "It''s hot and dusty out here. You should go before you get heatstroke."


    Juniper nodded, watching as her sister walked back toward the training grounds. A momentter, she pulled out her phone and dialed Lue. "Are you free? I need you to look into the Huntsman Institute for me."


    ¡°The Huntsman Institute?" Lue, who had been sound asleep, shot upright in bed, her hair a mess. "Don''t tell me your cover''s blown and they''ve put a hit out on you?"


    After all, the stunt Juniper had pulled was audacious. If Lue were in charge of the Institute, she''d hunt her to the ends of the earth.


    "No," Juniper replied, her voice low and somber. "I think my sister is hiding something from me."


    "Your sister?" Lue scratched at her bird''s nest of hair, her mind still foggy with sleep.


    "It seems the Huntsman Institute won''t let her go," Juniper exined, sitting on her scooter with one long leg propping it up. The sun beat down on her, but an icy chill emanated from her that was far more daunting.


    "I''ve got too much on my te right now, so I need you to handle this. Find out everything." Juniper paused before adding, "Once you have the intel, I''ll make my move."


    "Make your... move?" Lue asked cautiously as she poured herself a ss of water. "What exactly are you nning?"


    "Either blow the Huntsman Institute to kingdome, or hunt down the people holding my sister captive," Juniper answered after a few seconds, her tone chillingly calm.


    Lue choked, spraying water everywhere before bursting intoughter. "Alright, alright, I''ll look into it. Just don''t do anything rash.¡±


    That little firecracker always


    followed through on her threats, and this was about her precious sister Lue was genuinely worried she d do something reckless. The Huntsman Institute was not an organization to be trifled with.


    The WKL eSports finals were scheduled for the end of the month. Although Juniper hadn''t shown her face to the Neverfall Navigators the asionally watched videos of their practice sessions that Shanley sent over, keeping tabs on their progress.


    "Why did you invest in the Neverfall Navigators?" Juniper was curled up on the sofa,


    her head resting on Shanley''sp as she yed a game on her phone.


    After she had left, the team''s reputation, while still intact, had taken a hit. Severalpanies had colluded to sideline them, hoping to drive their contract price downto rock bottom. But at the critical moment a gamingpany under the Schwartz Group had stepped in and signed them for triple the market rate. And all these years, even when the team''s performance wasn''t ster, the Schwartz Group had never terminated the contract.


    "Hmm?" Shanley, who was about to feed her a piece of fruit, paused. A faint smile touched his lips. ¡°Because of a woman."


    Juniper''s chewing stopped abruptly, a dangerous glint entering her eyes.


    Because of what? A woman? An old me? What the hell was that supposed to


    mean?

 Chapter 632

    Juniper shot up from the sofa. The fruit was forgotten. The game was abandoned.


    Her clear, bright eyes were fixed on Shanley, an icy mask quickly settling over her delicate features as she waited for an exnation. If he didn''t provide a good one...


    She nced at the fruit knife on the table. It was gleaming, and undoubtedly sharp. Perfect for putting a couple of holes in someone.


    "Jealous?" Shanley set down the fruit tter and reached for her hand, a grin spreading across his face. He was always the one getting jealous of her. He never thought he''d see the day she was jealous over him. He had to admit, the feeling was rather satisfying.


    "Smack!"


    Juniper dodged his hand and pped it away, her anger genuine.


    "I. Am. Not!" she retorted, her defiance not quite masking her insecurity. They had


    an understanding. There were no other messy entanglements. And now? He invested in a team because of some woman? She felt like aplete joke!


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Fearing she might actually grab the knife, Juniper stood up, ready to storm out.


    But Shanley caught her wrist before she could take a step. ¡°It''s not who you think," he said with a helpless smile, his expression softening as he exined, ¡°The woman was my mother."


    "Your mom?"


    "Yes."


    Shanley pulled her into his arms, wrapping them around her slender waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.


    "My mother is a huge fan of Demon,¡± he exined with a soft chuckle. ¡°When Demon announced his hiatus from the Neverfall Navigators, she was heartbroken for days. Her eyes were swollen from crying. To cheer her up, I signed the team. I figured she''d be even happier when Demon eventually returned."


    Juniper''s feelings were a whirlwind of confusion. His mother? She''d never even seen Shanley''s parents. If he hadn''t just mentioned them, she might have assumed he was an orphan.


    "I never expected..." Shanley squeezed her hand, his voiceced with gentle amusement, "that you and my mom would share the same idol. It must be fate


    Juniper shot him a look, utterly speechless.


    Right. Fate. Not only was their idol the same person, but that idol was also her.


    "My parents have been busy working abroad due to the nature of their jobs, but they''ve wrapped things up and areing back soon. Shanley turned her around to face him. "I''d like you to meet them. How about


    it?"


    Juniper was even more stunned and couldn''t answer right away. How long had they


    been official? And now he wanted her to meet his parents?


    "Don''t worry, my parents are very easygoing," Shanley soothed her. "They''ll


    absolutely love you when they meet you, especially my mother."


    "How can you be so sure?" she challenged.


    Shanley didn''t answer directly, instead offering a cryptic smile. "You''ll see when you meet her. You two will get along just fine."


    "We''ll see," Juniper mumbled, sinking back onto the sofa and closing her eyes.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Shanley''s smile widened, his mood visibly brightened. At least she hadn''t said no. That was a good sign.


    ...


    Time flew by, and the WKL eSports finals were less than two days away.


    In the preceding match between


    Batonia Country and Ynia


    Country, Orient Country had


    emerged victorious. The final would


    now be a showdown between Orient


    Country an


    Batagia Country Given


    the bad blood between the two


    teams, the atmosphere at the venue was guaranteed to be explosive.

 Chapter 633

    Meanwhile, the mood at Neverfall Navigators was grim. For reasons unknown,


    every member of the team looked dejected, and a heavy silence hung over their headquarters.


    Across town, Ferdinand Malone was still smarting from the humiliation he''d suffered at the semi-finals in front of his ssmates and Ynda. To reim his pride, he was determined to secure the central seats in the front row of the VIP section for the finals, no matter the cost.


    So what if Juniper had her big-shot actor brother to throw money around for her? He had plenty of cash, too.


    "What? They''re all reserved?" Ferdinand asked into his phone, incredulous. "What about the second row?"


    If he couldn''t get the first, the second would have to do.


    "I''m sorry, sir. To ensure the best viewing experience for our front-row guests, the second row is not for sale," the staff member exined patiently.


    "I''ll pay more," Ferdinand insisted, his tone arrogant. "I''ll pay ten times the price."


    "My apologies," the staff member repeated with a politeugh, "but the front-row seats were reserved directly by the event organizers. They were never on sale to begin with."


    Not for sale? Who had enough clout to have the organizers personally reserve not just the first, but the first two rows of VIP seats? Ferdinand waspletely floored. Juniper''s words echoed in his mind: "We''ll see if you can even get into the finals." Could it be...


    "Were those seats reserved for Juniper?" Ferdinand asked, his fists clenching.


    "Yes, that''s right." Since it wasn''t a secret, the staff member confirmed it freely. "The entire front row was reserved for the students of the freshmanputer science ss at Era University."


    Ferdinand was speechless. After hanging up, he called his father for help.


    "The event organizers?" Cassidy''s expression turned grim. The powerhouse behind thispetition was the Schwartz Group. Could Juniper be connected to them?


    "Forget about the seats," Cassidy said, his eyes narrowing as he gave his son a stern warning. "And remember this: do not provoke Juniper again.¡±


    "What?" Ferdinand exploded, his spoiled-brat temper ring. ¡°Dad, have you forgotten how she humiliated me?"


    "You''ll do as say!" Cassidy snapped. If Juniper really had ties to the Schwartz Group, then offending her was the same as offending the


    Schwartz family, Could the


    Malone


    family even survive in Era City after that?


    Ferdinand gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with hatred. He wouldn''t let some girl walk all over him time and time again. He would find a way to make her pay!


    Late that night, at Era City International Airport, a ne from across the ocean touched down smoothly.


    The cabin door opened, and a woman in her fifties, impably maintained and exuding elegance, walked out on the arm of a distinguished, gentle-looking man of a simr age.


    "You must be tired," Hayden


    Schwartz said softly, taking off his


    jacket and draping it over his wife''s shoulders. "It''s just an esports tournament, yet you''re acting like it''s the end of the world. Rushing back. like this, we haven''t prepared


    anything, we haven''t even told our son."


    "He''s used to it, it''s fine," Miranda retorted, shooting her muttering husband an annoyed look. "And what do you mean just an esports


    nament? My hero''s team, the


    Neverfall Navigators, is ying. And you know who my hero is, don''t you? Say it!"


    "Ouch!" Hayden winced as she pinched his side, forcing the name out through


    gritted teeth. "Demon! It''s Demon!"

 Chapter 634

    "That''s more like it." Satisfied with his answer, Miranda finally released him, her excitement bubbling over. "This match is crucial for the Neverfall Navigators. I wonder if Demon will make an appearance."


    Hayden sighed in resignation. His own wife idolized another man¡ªa much younger one at that. Unwilling to dwell on it, he tried to change the subject. ¡°I heard Shanley is dating someone. I wonder what kind of girl managed to capture that iceberg''s heart."


    "Probably just a rumor," Miranda said, popping a small snack into her mouth and chewing thoughtfully. "Who would even be interested in him? He''s too old, has a terrible temper, and all he ever does is work. Besides a handsome face and a lot of money, he has nothing going for him. Any girl who falls for him must be blind." "I suppose you have a point," Hayden conceded, finding his wife''s logic sound. "Also..." Miranda nced around conspiratorially before lowering her voice. "The inte is full of rumors that he''s gay. For all we know, he just found some girl to y along and throw the reporters off his trail."


    The thought sent a sharp pang through Hayden''s heart, but he quicklyposed himself. Well, their son would live his own life. If that didn''t include grandchildren, they would just have to enjoy their own fortune.


    "Come on," Miranda said, having long ago made peace with reality. She nced up at the sky. "It''s still early. Let''s go grab a drink at a bar."


    The couple had decided to wait until after the WKL finals to return to the family estate. If they went back now, they''d get an earful from their parents and a lecture from their son.


    It felt like the world was upside down sometimes. They often wondered who the real parents were in the family.


    ...


    With only one day left until the WKL eSports finals, theputer science students all received their official invitations. Once again, they were for the front row of the VIP section.


    Not only that, but in an unprecedented move, the finals would be live-streamed for free.


    The operating costs for an event like the WKL eSports tournament were astronomical, and revenue typically came from selling broadcasting rights to televisionworks and online tforms. A free live stream could only mean one thing: the organizers were obscenely wealthy.


    As school let out on Friday, Juniper''s phone rang before she even left the campus.


    "Juniper, let''s grab a drink," Lue said.


    "Now?" Juniper checked the time, hesitating.


    Lue''s voice came through again, dripping with sarcasm. "Whipped, are we? Gotta


    get permission from the old man to have a single drink?"


    ¡°Fine,¡± Juniper said with a smirk. "Send me the address."


    It had been a while since she''d seen Lue. It would be a good chance to ask about


    the situation at the base and the status of their other ventures.


    A momentter, an address popped up on her phone: a high-end bar in


    the center a yground for the


    rich that offered every kind of entertainment imaginable.


    To avoid worrying Shanley, Juniper sent him a quick text.


    Shanley: [Don''t stay out toote. Don''t you have the match tomorrow?] Juniper: [Got it.]


    Shanley: [Go have fun.]


    Juniper: [.]


    With the conversation over, Juniper hailed a cab and headed for the bar.


    By seven p.m., the dance floor was a sea of moving bodies, lights shed in a dazzling disy, and the music was deafening.


    After getting out of the car, Juniper


    pulled on her cap and walked


    straight to the private room, her bag


    slung over her shoulder. Her tall,


    striking figure drew more than a few way.


    nces along the


    A few minutester, she reached the room and pushed open the door.


    ¡°Juniper, over here!" Lue called out. She was lounging on a sofa surrounded by a


    few pretty young women, drinking and singing.


    "You sang just now, right? Here''s your bonus." Lue grabbed a** handful of cash from the table and


    stuffed it into the hands of agirl with short hair.

 Chapter 635

    "Thank you, Mr. Langley," the short-haired girl said, her face lighting up with surprise. She leaned in to give Lue a kiss.


    "Whoa there!" Lue raised an eyebrow, pressing a long finger against the girl''s lips to stop her. She smiled, azy, roguish charm in her eyes. ¡°This face isn''t for just anyone to kiss. You know the rules."


    "Okay," the girl pouted, clearly disappointed.


    Everyone knew Mr. Langley was not only a regr at the bar but also its most generous patron. He was witty, charming, andcked the sleazy vibe of other men. He never looked down on them for their line of work and would often hand out generous tips. Every girl in the bar dreamed of catching his eye and changing their fortunes.


    But Mr. Langley was an enigma. No matter how stunning the woman who threw herself at him, he would only ever spend the day with them¡ªsinging, eating, drinking-but never took anyone home for the night.


    "Mr. Langley, I sang too," another girl chimed in, seeing the cash her friend had received.


    "You can''t y favorites," she cooed.


    ¡°Haha.¡± Lueughed and gesturednguidly with her finger. "Take this stack and


    split it amongst yourselves. Now scram, I need to talk to my friend."


    "Ahh! Thank you, Mr. Langley!" The girls jumped up, grabbed the money, and happily left the room.


    As they passed Juniper, they cast curious nces her way. Could this be his actual girlfriend?


    Surely not. What girlfriend would tolerate her boyfriending to a bar to fool around with other women?


    Reassured, the girls'' spirits lifted, and they waved cheerfully at Juniper. "Bye, gorgeous!"


    The door clicked shut.


    Juniper tossed her backpack onto the sofa and sat down. "Got any juice? I''m not drinking tonight."


    Lue stared at her, her expression a mixture of disbelief and pity. "Whipped," her look screamed. To think that Specter,'' the formidable leader of Subterra Vanguard, was nowpletely under a man''s thumb.


    "The finals are tomorrow," Juniper said, tossing a napkin at Lue''s face with a wry


    smile. "I need to be sharp. It has nothing to do with Shanley."


    "You scared me for a second," Lue


    1819


    snorted, ordering some juice and snacks for her. "I was starting to think that old man had you


    20der"


    some kind of spell."


    "Let''s get down to business," Juniper said, her tone shifting as she shot Lue a serious look. "Is it true? Is the base short on funds?"


    ¡°Of course it is." Lue swirled the drink in her ss and sighed. ¡°And you can thank your arch-nemesis for that."


    The leader of Sigma Network? At the mention of him, Juniper''s defenses went up, her eyes filled with undisguised disgust.


    "What kind of dirty tricks has he pulled now?¡± she asked, leaning back against the sofa and crossing her legs, her beautiful face a mask of cold fury.


    "Maliciouspetition," Lue said, sitting up straight and ticking off the man''s crimes on her fingers. "We §Ö started pharmaceutical research, so he did too. We moved into tech development, and he stuck his nose in that as well. It''s a constant battle, neither side backing down, and we''re bleeding money. What''s worse, that old bastard managed to steal one of our overseas markets, costing Subterra Vanguard an eleven-figure sum."


    The loss had dealt a severe blow to Subterra Vanguard, and now they needed an emergency injection of capital to stay afloat.


    "How much do you need?" Juniper asked quietly after listening to the report.


    "At least twenty billion,¡± Lue replied, her expression grave. "And that will only keep us going for three days."


    In three days, Subterra Vanguard was set to secure another market, and the funds from that deal woulde through.

 Chapter 636

    An eleven-figure loss! The old bastard really yed for keeps!


    "Alright." Juniper looked up, her voice low and raspy. "Give me theputer."


    "On it." Lue immediately opened theptop and ced it in front of Juniper, adding a helpful reminder, "If you want to dominate the market in three days, you''ll have to handle this yourself to block Sigma Network''s malicious attacks."


    "I know."


    As Juniper replied, her fingers flew across the keyboard. In moments, an eleven- figure sum was transferred from her private ount to Subterra Vanguard.


    Her expression soured as she stared at the long string of zeros in the transaction record. You could threaten her life, but never her wallet. It would take her months to earn all that money back, and now, thanks to that old bastard at Sigma Network, it was all down the drain.


    Great. Her feud with the old man had just gotten deeper.


    "By the way," Lue said, noticing Juniper''s foul mood. She poured her some juice and offered a bowl of snacks. "The World Hacker Competition is at the end of next month. The prize money is huge this time. More importantly, Sigma Network ispeting."


    "Oh?" Juniper''s attention shifted from her dessert to Lue''s face. "Is the old manpeting himself?"


    "That''s the word," Lue confirmed, cracking open a pistachio. "I guess their prestige took a major hit after their team, Cybeic Shadows, lost to our Binary Oracle for the third year running. The head of Sigma Network is probably stepping in personally to avoid looking bad."


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Juniper''s lips curled into a cold smile, her clear eyes narrowing. "I doubt it."


    ¡°Huh?¡± Lue paused for a second before the realization dawned on her, her eyes widening in shock. "You mean, he''s trying to lure you into the open to take you down?"


    "So he wants a piece of me, does he?" Juniperughed it off, a casual air about her. "Fine. I''ll join thepetition this year."


    As if she was scared!


    Seeing how unfazed Juniper was, Lue quietly took a sip of her drink, already mourning the head of Sigma Network in advance.


    "I''m going to the restroom."


    After finishing her food, Juniper stood up and headed out. On her way, she


    identally bumped into someoneing out of the restroom.


    "Sorry about that," Juniper said politely after a moment of surprise.


    "It''s fine." Miranda was about the same height as Juniper, and from this angle, she got a clear view of the girl''s unmasked face.


    Wow, what a stunning youngdy! Bright eyes, a radiant smile, and skin as fair as snow, allplemented by an impossibly refined aura. As a director who had met countless celebrities, Miranda had never been Sonstantly captivated? This gig was a first!


    "Are you¨D" Miranda started to speak, but the youngdy had already walked past


    her and into the restroom.


    Oh well. Miranda adjusted her own


    mask in the mirror, reminding herself that she''d been out of the


    industry for years. She was just


    trying to night out to


    have a


    need to stir up trouble.


    After washing her hands, Miranda started walking back, but she hadn''t gone far before a group of drunk young men blocked her path.


    "What''s your problem?" the leader slurred, reeking of alcohol as he staggered toward Miranda. "Do you know who I am? You trying to get yourself killed, blocking my way?"


    Though angered by his crude words, Miranda held her tongue, mindful of her public identity. She simply stood to the side to let them pass.


    But seeing her silence, the drunks


    grew bolder, their eyes roaming over her with it intent. Though she was in her fifties, Miranda had aged gracefully. In the dim hallway light, with her mask on, the men mistook her for a woman in her twenties. C¨®ntent

 Chapter 637

    "Who''d youe here with, gorgeous?" the drunks staggered forward,pletely blocking Miranda''s path with lewd, greasy smiles. "Why don''t youe party in our room?"


    "Move," Miranda said, her voice turning icy as she fought back a wave of nausea.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± The men''sughter grated on her ears, and one of them reached out with a grimy hand. ¡°Come on, whatever they''re paying you, we''ll pay you ten times more."


    "Get lost!" Miranda stepped back, deftly avoiding his touch as she pulled out her phone to call Hayden. How dare they? These clueless thugs had no idea who they were messing with!


    "Smack!"


    Seeing her move, one of the drunks lost his temper and pped the phone from her hand.


    "Do you have any idea whose territory this is?" they boasted, pping the leader on the back. ¡°This is Glenn Garner! You''ve heard of him, right? One of the biggest names in Era City."


    Miranda didn''t say a word. Her gaze, growing colder by the second, was fixed on her phone lying in the corner. That phone was a recent gift from Hayden. Her husband had just bought it for her, and she''d been so careful with it, terrified of getting a single scratch on it. And these bastards had just pped it to the ground.


    "You''re asking for it," Miranda growled, slowly raising her hands and rolling up her sleeves, her eyes filled with murderous intent.


    "Ooh, looking for a fight?" The leader was amused by her anger and swaggered closer. "Go on, take a swing. Let me get a whiff of that pretty perfume."


    Just as Miranda was about to strike, a figure shot past her from behind. A loud thud mixed with a scream, and the leader flew past her, mmed hard against the wall, and then crumpled to the floor, silent.


    Miranda slowly turned her head. The youngdy from before was casually straightening her clothes.


    It was her? Miranda blinked, looking from the girl''s calm face to her slender legs. All that power from such a delicate frame? Incredible!


    "You-" Another man stepped forward, ready to avenge his unconscious friend.


    "Thwack!"


    Without giving him a chance to say another word, Juniper sent him flying with another kick.


    Miranda''s eyes widened, a flicker of admiration mixing with her shock.


    The remaining men, who had been ready to fight, now hesitated, their bravado gone. "You just hit Glenn! Do you have a death wish?"


    "Are you going to get lost or not?" Juniper asked, cracking her knuckles as she prepared to move again.


    "You just wait! You just wait!" The


    with fear. They hurlg?


    ???


    They hurled empty threats


    as they dragged their two


    unconscious friends away


    Juniper didn''t give them a second thought. She bent down, picked up the phone, carefully wiped it clean, and banded it to Miranda It''s fine not broken."


    Miranda numbly took the phone, her eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at Juniper.


    Juniper pursed her lips. Had the woman gone into shock? Feeling a sense of responsibility and worried the men might return she decided,


    to see it through


    "Um..." Juniper cleared her throat and asked softly, "Do you need me to call your family or friends?"

 Chapter 638

    Miranda just stared at Juniper. Standing so close, she could see the young woman''s features even more clearly, captivated by a rare beauty and an elegance that defied description. More importantly, she was brave and had a strong moralpass. She couldn''t be more than twenty. Did she have a boyfriend?


    Then again, it wouldn''t matter. Not when her own son was so stubborn about not liking girls.


    It was such a shame. A talented, beautiful girl like this would have made the perfect daughter-inw!


    "Are you alright?¡± Juniper asked, frowning slightly as she noticed the woman staring at her with a faint, dazed smile. "Are you hurt anywhere?"


    "No, I..." Miranda finally snapped out of it, but before she could finish, a man''s anxious voice called out from down the hall. "Honey!"


    Juniper turned to see a middle-aged man in a ck windbreaker and a baseball cap jogging toward them.


    "Are you okay?¡± the man asked, stopping in front of the smiling woman and taking her hands in his.


    Juniper studied the man. Though she couldn''t see his face clearly, he carried himself with an air of importance. The woman, too, wore clothes that looked simple at first nce but were all from high-end luxury brands, her entire outfit easily worth


    a small fortune. They were likely a wealthy couple from Era City.


    "I was in a bit of trouble, but thanks to this youngdy''s help, I''m perfectly fine now," Miranda said, pulling Hayden closer and giving him a pointed, delighted look.


    Hayden''s eyes fell on Juniper, and they, too, lit up. What a beautiful girl! When his wife had been pregnant, he''d hoped for a daughter with bright eyes and a sweet, doll-like face. But they''d gotten Shanley instead. Not having a daughter had always been a quiet regret for both of them. It was clear his wife had taken a real liking to this girl.


    "Thank you," Hayden said with a slight nod, his voice soft and appreciative.


    "It was nothing," Juniper replied coolly. Seeing that the woman was now with family, she prepared to leave.


    "Wait, I didn''t get your name,"


    Miranda called out, taking off her own hat. "Hello, I''m Miranda Zuniga." Normally she wouldn''t reveal her identity so easily, but with this girl, all her defenses seemed to melt away.


    ¡°Juniper Payne,¡± she replied, extending her hand for a brief, light handshake before pulling back. Her expression remained calm and distant, showing no flicker of recognition.


    Miranda was a little surprised by her


    reaction. The girl didn''t seem to


    know who


    she was. After all, she


    was an internationally renowned director. Even after two years of


    retirement her name was still


    famous. Anyone who watched


    movies would know her.


    "Is something wrong?" Juniper asked, finding the woman''s stare a little odd.


    "Oh, it''s nothing." Miranda smiled. ¡°Thank you again for what you did. Why don''t you join us in our room for a drink?"


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Juniper declined politely. "My friend is waiting for me."


    "Alright then." Miranda''s


    disappointment was obvious. She


    and


    quickly took out her phone a opened WhatsApp. In that case, let''s exchange contact information. I''d like to properly thank youter."


    Juniper''s brow furrowed slightly. This sounded familiar. It was almost exactly what Shanley had said when they first met.


    She was about to refuse. It was just a small favor, after all. But Miranda sped her hands together and looked at her with pleading, puppy-dog eyes. ¡°Please? Just add me. I promise I won''t bother you."

 Chapter 639

    "You''re my hero! I''ll feel terrible if I don''t do something to repay you."


    "She''s right," Hayden added, seeing his wife''s earnest plea. "Please, Ms. Payne, let us have your contact info. Think of it as making new friends. If you ever need help with anything, you can always call us."


    Juniper looked at the couple. They didn''t seem like bad people, so she eventually gave them her number.


    After adding each other as contacts, they started walking toward their respective private rooms. Miranda and Hayden''s room was the first one they reached.


    "Ms. Payne, wait just a moment," Miranda said, pushing open the door. She disappeared inside and returned secondster with her arms full of snacks. ¡°These are delicious. You have to try them."


    Before Juniper could react, she had pushed the entire pile into her arms.


    "You don''t..." Juniper started to refuse, but her eyes fell on the colorful array of treats, and the words died on her lips. "...have to give me so many. I can just take a couple."


    "Take them all," Miranda said with a grin. "If you like them, I''ll buy you more next time."


    Hayden''s eyes widened in disbelief. His wife was giving away all her favorite snacks? He wasn''t even allowed to touch those snacks, let alone eat them. And now she was giving them all to a girl she''d just met?


    "...Alright," Juniper finally said, her hands instinctively tightening around the pile of goodies.


    A few minutester, Juniper walked back into her room carrying a mountain of snacks.


    Lue froze mid-sip, her lips twitching. "Where did you get all this?"


    "Saved someone on my way back from the restroom. This is their thank-you gift." "These don''t look cheap," Lue noted, rummaging through the pile and pulling out her favorite chocte. "A quick guess, this is probably a few hundred bucks'' worth of snacks."


    "That expensive?" Juniper''s eyshes fluttered, and she suddenly became much more careful about where she set the food down.


    "You said you saved someone. You didn''t get into a fight, did you?" Lue asked.


    Most people who came to this club were not to be trifled with. It wasn''t that she was afraid of powerful people, but trouble was always bad for the mood.


    "Yeah." Juniper nodded, sinking into the sofa and casually crossing her legs. "Unless I''m mistaken, his ribs arepletely shattered." She raised an eyebrow also heard hisst name is Garner."


    "Garner?" Lue thought for a


    moment. There was only one prominent Garner family in Era City-an influential, upper-ss family with considerable power


    Juniper had broken one wer


    of their


    own''s ribs. They weren''t going to let


    that slide.


    Sure enough, half an hourter, there was a knock on their door. A waiter exined the situation.


    "His ribs were all broken. The ambnce just took him away, and they''re saying his injuries are severe. The Garner family patriarch, Victor, has ordered the entire club to be locked down until they find the persoft who hurt his son. The security footageted them to one of the culprits in this room."


    The waiter spoke cautiously, well aware that Lue was a major client.


    "Mr. Langley, the Garner family has already called the police. So, I''m afraid we''ll have to ask your friend toe out and answer a few questions."


    In the security video, Juniper had been wearing a hat and had her back to the camera, so the staff hadn''t recognized her.


    "Did they call out the couple from the room next door, too?" Juniper asked without looking up, busy eating a spicy chicken wing.


    "Yes," the waiter confirmed, swallowing nervously. "Victor came here himself. It doesn''t look like this is going to be settled peacefully."


    ¡°Fine.¡± Juniper tossed the bone into the trash can, wiped her fingers, and rose slowly from the sofa.


    "We''ll see about that,¡± she said, her voice dropping to an icy tone. "Whether he can settle this or not depends on how tough he is."


    "Huh?" the waiter stammered.


    Lue just sighed.

 Chapter 640

    "Want me toe with you?" Lue rubbed her nose, grabbing her jacket to stand up. A little excitement was just what she needed to clear her head after all that


    drinking.


    "Yes, yes,¡± the waiter urged, not recognizing Juniper and assuming she was just some random girl. "With Mr. Langley there, it might be easier to negotiate a settlement."


    "A settlement?¡± Lue scoffed. "I''m not going to negotiate. I''m going to watch the show."


    The waiter stared, confused. "Huh?"


    "No need," Juniper said firmly, ncing at the pile of snacks. "Stay here and pack everything up. I want to leave the second I get back."


    ¡°Fine,¡± Lue pouted, obediently sitting back down.


    A few minutester, Juniper was escorted to a nearby room. It was filled with men in ck suits. Seated on the main sofa was a middle-aged man smoking a cigar.


    "You''re the one who broke my son''s ribs?" Victor Garner asked, exhaling a cloud of smoke, his entire being radiating menace.


    "Where are they?¡± Juniper asked, her hands in her pockets as she scanned the room, not seeing Miranda or her husband.


    "Worry about your own neck before you worry about others," Victor sneered.


    As for that couple... they''d apparently tried to make a run for it at the entrance. His men were probably dragging them back as they spoke. He wasn''t going to let anyone who hurt his son get away.


    Soon, the door opened again, and Miranda and Hayden were brought inside.


    "Ms. Payne, are you okay?" Miranda cried out, rushing to Juniper''s side the moment she saw her surrounded by the suited men. ¡°Did these bastards hurt you?"


    "No," Juniper shook her head, her tense nerves rxing as she saw that Miranda and her husband were unharmed. "Are you two alright?"


    Miranda blinked, realizing the girl was worried about them. So beautiful, and so kind!


    "We''re fine, we''re fine!" she said, a huge smile spreading across her face, her affection for the young woman growing by the second.


    "What do you want?" Hayden spoke up, his deep-set eyes sharp and piercing under the brim of his cap. His long, ck coat made him seem even taller and more imposing.


    "What do I want?" Victor repeated, his tone condescending. "My son is in surgery right now. Don''t you think you owe me an exnation?¡±


    P


    "Hah." A flicker of rage ignited in Hayden''s eyes, his low voiceced with frost, "Your son was harassing my wife, and this young woman bravely stepped in. If anyone should be talking to the police it''s that little punk of yours. And you have the nerve to demand an exnation from us?"


    "So what if he harassed her?" Victor mmed his hand on the table as he stood up, extinguishing his cigar.


    He''d already looked into them. The upants of one room were some yboy named Langley and what he assumed was his sugar baby. Nothing to worry about. The couple was a nk te first-timers at the club with no records, probably just some family with a little money.


    In all of Era City, there were only a handful of people who would dare to touch


    him. For these nobodies to hurt his son? They had a death wish!


    "My son could burn this whole city down and walk away without a scratch," Victor boasted, his arrogance swelling with his anger. ¡°You''ll pay for hurting him. It''s a price you can''t afford."


    ¡°Enough talk,¡± Juniper cut in, ncing at the time. It was almost ten. Shanley would be getting worried. "I''m the one who hit him. I''ll take full responsibility. Let them go."


    "What are you talking about?"


    Miranda frowned, gripping Juniper''s


    hand tightly, deeply moved. "You did


    this to save me. How could I let you


    leave alone? Don''t worry well all get Out of this just fine."

 Chapter 641

    "Leave?¡± Watching the two womenfort each other, Victor let out a coldugh. "None of you are leaving tonight.¡±


    "I don''t think so," Hayden said, his face grim and his voice raspy. "It''ste. My wife needs her beauty sleep, and we have no desire to waste any more time with you."


    He continued, ¡°Be smart about this. Let it go now, and I''ll let what happened to your son slide. Otherwise, don''t me me for whates next."


    "Whates next?" Victor roared withughter, his arrogance swelling. "I''d love to see you try." He turned to one of his men. "Where are the police?"


    "At the door, sir," the man replied.


    "You''ll all be spending the night at the precinct," Victor announced, settling back onto the sofa with a vicious expression. "If my son is alright, you''ll suffer a bit less. But if anything happens to him... the rest of your lives won''t be pleasant."


    The captain he had called was an old friend. Dealing with three ordinary people would be child''s y.


    "Fine by me," Hayden said with a slight curl of his lips. ¡°We''ll see whose life is going to be less pleasant."


    After he spoke, Hayden pulled over a couple of chairs for his wife and Juniper.


    Juniper stared at Hayden, bewildered by his unnerving calm.


    ¡°Have a seat,¡± Hayden said with a gentle smile. "Anxious to get home? Don''t worry. This will all be over in ten minutes."


    Ten minutes? Juniper looked into his eyes and felt a strange, familiar sense of security. She sat down.


    Miranda immediately scooted closer to Juniper and started chatting happily, asking about her age, her major, even how many people were in her family.


    They were about to be hauled off to the police station, yet Miranda was acting as if nothing was wrong. Just who were these people? The Garner family was influential in Era City; could this couple be even more powerful?


    As Juniper wondered, the door swung open again. The police captain and his officers rushed in, their eyesnding on the trio. "Are these the ones who hurt your son?"


    They looked like ordinary people. In the hands of the Garners, their fate was sure to be grim.


    "You know what to do," Victor said, pping the captain on the shoulder. His eyes were filled with murderous rage as he lowered his voice However many ribs my son has broken, the one responsible wiII have the same number broken in return."


    "You can count on me," the captain replied, understanding perfectly. "I guarantee your son will get his justice."


    With that, the captain strode over to Hayden, his posture reeking of arrogance. "Are you the one whoid a hand on him?"


    "That''s right,¡± Hayden admitted without hesitation, a faint smirk on his lips.


    "Thest person who touched Glenn Garner is still rotting in prison, the captain sneered. you people must have a death wish."


    "Is that so Hayden''s expression was nk, but his low, raspy voice carried bone-chilling cold. "Thest person who crossed us has a tombstone with grass taller than you."


    The captain was momentarily taken aback. To remain soposed when faced with the Garner family name took some serious nerve.


    "You''ll only learn the hard way, won''t you?" Victor, tired of the back-and-forth, barked an order. "Break one of his legs!"


    "Yes, sir."


    Men in ck suits immediately grabbed baseball bats and menacingly dragged Hayden into a soundproof room.


    Juniper''s face paled. She shot up to intervene but was gently pushed back down into her seat.


    "Don''t worry, he''ll be fine," Miranda said, beaming at her.


    Juniper''s eyes widened, and she managed to stammer, "Is that... your actual husband?"


    They were about to break his leg, and she was saying he''d be fine?

 Chapter 642

    "My actual husband?¡± Miranda paused at Juniper''s question, then her face broke into a radiant smile. "Of course! The one and only, genuine article."


    "Then... aren''t you..." Juniper was at a loss for words, finally forcing them out after a few seconds. "Aren''t you afraid they''ll break his leg?"


    He looked tall and strong, but he was outnumbered. It was hard to imagine him handling all those men on his own.


    "There''s no need to worry. Very few people in this world can touch him," Miranda said with a confident smile, then smoothly changed the subject. "So, Juniper, do you have a boyfriend?"


    The whish from the topic change was dizzying. Juniper was starting to seriously doubt Miranda''s ims.


    Inside the soundproof room, Hayden was surrounded by several bodyguards. The overhead lights glinted menacingly off their baseball bats.


    "Mr. Garner, which leg would you prefer?" a bodyguard asked respectfully, his tone so casual it was as if he were asking about dinner.


    "Why don''t you get on your knees and apologize to Mr. Garner right now!" the captain, standing beside Victor, hissed at Hayden, trying to give him a way out. If he could earn Victor''s forgiveness, he might escape with only a few bruises. Otherwise, Victor was more than capable of following through on his threat. And frankly, a broken leg would mean a lot of troublesome paperwork for himter.


    Hayden stood his ground, hands in his pockets, his chin slightly lifted. The sharp lines of his profile were severe and unyielding.


    "Are you deaf?" the captain''s anger red at Hayden''s inaction. He strode forward to force him down. "Looks like you''re determined to do this the hard way."


    ¡°Have you thought through the consequences of touching me?¡± Hayden''s expression remained t, his deep-set eyes fixing on the captain with a gaze so cold


    it felt sharp. His voice was low and gravelly,ced with a chilling authority.


    "And who do you think you are?" Meeting the man''s piercing eyes, the captain felt


    an inexplicable tremor of fear. He feignedposure. ¡°Search him. Get his ID for registration."


    "Yes, sir."


    One of the officers stepped forward. Hayden didn''t resist, allowing the man to easily take his wallet.


    ¡°Here, Captain.¡±


    "Let''s just see who gave you the nerve to be so arrogant in front of Victor Garner," the captain sneered flipping open Hayden''s wallet. "You''d better call your family. You''re going to be spending the next few decades


    in


    His voice died in his throat as he saw the information on the ID. The name seemed incredibly familiar.


    Fearing he was mistaken, the captain rubbed his eyes and stared again.


    Hayden Schwartz. Everyone in Era City knew of the prestigious Schwartz family, and everyone had heard of their eldest son Hayden. man who was famous by reputation alone but had never shown his face in public.


    The name matched. The gender matched. And most importantly, the address was for the Schwartz family''s ancestral estate in the heart of Era city''s most exclusive vi district. Who else in the entire city would dare use that name?


    Could it be a fake? The captain hesitantly nced up at Hayden''s face. The man''s


    aura, hismanding presence... it was anything but ordinary.


    "Is there a problem?" Victor was getting impatient. He wanted to see a broken leg,


    not watch the captain stare at an ID. ¡°Do I need to tell you what to do?"


    "Victor, um..." The captain, now terrified and uncertain, could only look to Victor for guidance, stammering, "He... he''s..."


    "Hmph." Victor''s brow furrowed. He marched over, snatched the ID from the captain''s hand, and spat, ¡°I don''t care if he''s the king himself. He''s going to pay for what he did."


    Then, Victor''s eyes fell upon the ID.

 Chapter 643

    The name on the card shot into his brain like a poison dart. Hayden Schwartz? The eldest son of the Schwartz family? The man was famously reclusive and worked in a highly confidential field, never making public appearances. What were the chances he''d be in a ce like this?


    It had to be a fake, and a ridiculously obvious one at that.


    As he reached this conclusion, Victor''s panic subsided, reced by an even hotter rage.


    "Do you even know who Hayden Schwartz is?" Victor sneered. "To impersonate him in front of me... you really must have a death wish!"


    Then, a brilliant idea struck him. While the Garner family had some standing in Era City, they were nothingpared to the Schwartzes. He''d never had a way to get close to the family, but now, an opportunity had just fallen into hisp.


    Victor pulled out his phone, scrolled through his contacts, and found the number for a director he knew on the board of Schwartz Group. He dialed without hesitation. "Hello?" the director answered. "Victor, it''ste. Is something important going on?" "It certainly is," Victor said quickly. ¡°I''m at a bar, and I''ve run into someone impersonating Hayden Schwartz, using his name to cause trouble. I thought I should give you a heads-up, in case he''s damaging Mr. Schwartz''s reputation or business interests."


    ¡°Impersonating Mr. Schwartz?" The director''s tone immediately sharpened. ¡°Who would be so audacious? That has to be the most ridiculous thing I''ve ever heard.¡±


    More importantly, who would actually fall for it?


    "Right? That''s what I thought," Victor said, casting a cold nce at Hayden. "I have the man here with me now. Whatever Mr. Schwartz wants done, I''ll take care of it."


    ???


    an


    "Alright, hold on. I''ll call Mr. Schwartz right now," the director said, his voice graye: Given the sensitive nature of Mr. Schwartz''s work, imposter running around could be involved in some very shady business. Mr. Schwartz definitely needed to know.


    ¡°Excellent.¡± Victor smiled obsequiously, adding, ¡°If Mr. Schwartz has any


    instructions, just let me know. I''ll handle everything personally."


    He was making it clear that he, Victor Garner, was a man who could get things done


    for the Schwartz family. An association with them would elevate the Garners to a whole new level.


    After hanging up, Victor stood waiting, his eyes fixed on Hayden. "Hayden Schwartz? If you''re Hayden Schwartz, then I''m the Pope!"


    As the words left his mouth, a sharp, piercing ringtone suddenly filled the room.


    Every head swiveled toward Hayden. Before anyone could react, he had answered


    the call. A familiar male voice echoed through the room. "Mr. Schwartz."


    A chill shot down the spines of


    Victor and the captain. They weren''t deaf or stupid. The voice was unmistakably that of the corporate director they had just spoken


    Which meant the man standing before them... was the real Hayden Schwartz.


    "Go on," Hayden said coolly into the phone.


    on


    "Yes, Mr. Schwartz..." The director the other end, careful not to disturb him, quickly exined the situation. ¡°About that poster shaft have Victor dispose of him for you?"


    "Victor?" Hayden raised his eyes, his gazending on the man whose face had turned a pasty, greenish-white. ¡°And how does Victor intend to handle me?"


    He paused, a humorless smile touching his lips. "Oh, right. He wants to break my leg."

 Chapter 644

    Victor stood frozen, his face ashen, his mind aplete nk.


    "Mr. Schwartz..." The director on the phone hesitated, the horrifying reality of the situation dawning on him. He nearly bit his tongue off. "It must be a


    misunderstanding! I''ll handle it right now, Mr. Schwartz."


    He hastily ended the call and, with fumbling hands, immediately dialed Victor''s number again.


    The phone vibrated in Victor''s pocket, the screen lighting up with the director''s name. He trembled,cking the courage to answer.


    Hayden simply plucked the phone from Victor''s pocket and put it on speaker.


    "Victor, what the hell are you doing?" the director''s furious voice red from the speaker. ¡°What imposter? That is Mr. Schwartz! You let him go right now, or else¡ª¡±


    "I''ll handle the rest," Hayden cut in coldly. "As for my presence in Era City tonight, you know what to do."


    "Yes, sir,¡± the director said, his voiceced with terror. "I haven''t received any calls tonight. I know nothing about your whereabouts, Mr. Schwartz."


    "Good." Satisfied with the answer, Hayden hung up and tossed the phone onto the floor in disgust. He then pulled a sanitizing wipe from his pocket and began meticulously cleaning his fingers.


    It took a moment for the reality to fully sink in for Victor and the captain. This man wasn''t a fake. He was the real Hayden Schwartz. And the woman with him... was likely his wife. Which meant his son had tried to harass the mother of Shanley.


    Dear God! How could his worthless son have caused such a catastrophe? Not even the entire Garner familybined could afford to pay this price.


    Victor''s world went dark. With a loud thud, he copsed to his knees before Hayden. "I was blind... I failed to recognize you. Please, forgive my ignorance this once."


    The captain, seeing how things were going, immediately knelt beside him, holding


    out the wallet with both hands. "Mr. Schwartz, your... your wallet..."


    He was finished. This time he had truly picked the wrong fight.


    In an instant, every other man in the room dropped to his knees.


    eto


    Hayden tossed the used wipe into a trash can and took his wallet, turning it over in his hand. "The apple," he began slowly, "doesn''t fall far from the tree. It''s because of an arrogant,wless father like you that a degenerate con like yours is waning loose."


    Victor listened, not daring to breathe.


    "He harassed my wife. Was I wrong to kick him?" Hayden looked down at Victor, his


    voice dropping to an impossibly cold register.


    "No," Victor choked out, trembling. "He deserved it. You were not wrong, Mr. Schwartz."


    ¡°Please, give us another chance,¡± he begged. ¡°I swear I will reflect on my actions and teach my son a lesson."


    "I already gave you a chance."


    Hayden slipped the wallet back into


    his pocket, his tone soft but filled


    with


    menace. "Let''s do this.


    Whatever you nned to do to me,


    you will now do to your son


    What? Break his leg?


    "Mr. Schwartz," Victor stammered, his face bloodless as he pleaded for mercy, "we


    truly know we were wrong. Please, spare him this one time."


    "You were wrong," Hayden affirmed, his voice a low, deep rumble. "And this is the punishment. You should be grateful that my wife has taken to prayer these past few years, she can''t stand the sight of blood."


    He idly twisted the wedding band on his finger. "Otherwise, it wouldn''t be just a leg.


    You''re a smart man, Victor. You know which is the better option."

 Chapter 645

    Victor understood. This was Hayden showing mercy. If he begged any further, he risked not only his son''s life but the entire Garner family''s future.


    "Yes," Victor said through clenched teeth. After a single word of assent, he slumped to the floor, utterly defeated.


    "And you..." Hayden''s gaze shifted to the captain. He let out a dry, mirthlessugh. "Aiding and abetting a tyrant. Well done."


    "Mr. Schwartz¡ª¡± the captain started to plead, but the words caught in his throat when he met Hayden''s sharp, unforgiving eyes.


    "One more thing," Hayden said as he reached the door, pausing with his back to them. ¡°I shouldn''t have to remind you what to say and what not to say about tonight."


    "Yes, sir," they all answered in unison. The message was clear: they had never seen him.


    In the adjacent room, Juniper kept a close eye on the time. Miranda''s husband had said he would resolve the matter in ten minutes. Nine minutes and thirty seconds had passed.


    Just as she was starting to wonder, the door opened. Hayden stood in the doorway, his tall, imposing figure silhouetted against the dim light, radiating an aura of immense power. There was something familiar about his build and presence, but she couldn''t quite ce him.


    Her gaze drifted past him, into the other room, where she saw a crowd of men kneeling on the floor. The man who had just vowed to break Hayden''s leg was kneeling straighter than anyone.


    Juniper blinked, her eyes widening in disbelief. He really did solve it in ten minutes. To make the Garners kneel, his power and status had to be far beyond theirs. There were only a handful of families in Era City that powerful.


    "Is it over?" Miranda, who had been in the middle of her friendly interrogation, asked as soon as she saw Hayden.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Hayden habitually took his wife''s hand. ¡°You can go home and get your beauty sleep now," he said softly.


    Then he turned to the young woman beside her, the formidable chill he carried moments agopletely gone, reced by the kindness of an elder. "Ms. Payne, thank you for waiting. Where do you live? We can give you a ride home."


    "That''s alright,¡± Juniper said, pulling her gaze away and replying politely. "My friend is here. Thank you."


    "Oh, okay," Miranda said, a little


    disappointed as she looped her arm through her husband''s. "Well, once


    were less busy we should get coffee sometime  fo


    "I''d like that," Juniper agreed with a nod. She genuinely liked Miranda''s personality. More importantly, they had simr tastes Miranda liked all the same snacks she did.


    "We''ll get going then," Miranda said, waving to Juniper. She took a few steps, then turned back. ¡°Oh! You never answered me. Do you have a boyfriend?"


    ¡°I do,¡± Juniper replied without a moment''s hesitation.


    ¡°You do?¡± Miranda''s brow furrowed in disappointment.


    Oh well. Even if she didn''t, it''s not like it would work out with Shanley.


    Miranda sighed internally. Maybe she could try to adopt Juniper as her goddaughter instead.


    Later, as Lue was driving Juniper back to the Cloudscape Community, her phone buzzed. A breaking news story had just hit the headlines.


    [Heir to Garner Group in Freak ident, Suffers Multiple Broken Ribs and Shattered Right Leg.]


    [Doctors Fear Permanent Disability.]


    "His leg is broken?" Lue said,


    chewing her gum with a frown. "Who


    were those people? They actually


    made the mighty Garner family


    break their own son''s leg?"


    Juniper was just as curious. She typed "Miranda" into her phone''s search bar. In


    seconds, tens of thousands of results flooded the screen.


    Her eyes widened in disbelief at what she saw. She nearly dropped her phone in shock.

 Chapter 646

    "Famed Director Miranda Caught by Paparazzi Snacking on Pungent Noodles Backstage."


    "Director Miranda epts Award, identally Takes Home Bag of Chips Instead of Trophy."


    "Miranda''s Late-Night Date with Young Heartthrob... Turns Out to Be a Script Meeting Over Fondue."


    "Miranda''s Secret Social Media ount Exposed: A Feed Full of Food Porn."


    "Fans Beg Miranda to Drop Her ''Eat-Anything-and-Stay-wless'' Secret."


    "Miranda Secretly Married?"


    "Who is Miranda''s Husband?"


    "Miranda May Have a Child."


    "Miranda: The Woman with the Insatiable Appetite."


    Juniper scrolled quickly through the screen. Aside from a few posts specting about her family, everything else was about food.


    No wonder. She even brought a stash of snacks with her to a bar. The woman really loved to eat.


    It was kind of cute.


    "Find anything?" Lue asked, noticing the slight smile ying on Juniper''s lips. "Just the public stuff. She''s an internationally renowned director who''s won more awards than she can count and happens to love food," Juniper replied slowly, her fingers still gliding over her phone screen. "Nothing else besides that."


    She had even used Binary Oracle''s channels, but still couldn''t dig up any information on Miranda''s family. Married, with a child¡ªyet any trace of her husband and son had been scrubbed clean from the inte. It only confirmed their belief that she was no ordinary person.


    "That Garner guy definitely knows," Lue said, gripping the steering wheel with an unlit cigarette dangling from her lips. "Should we ask him?"


    "No need." Juniper tugged at the corner of her mouth, turned off her phone, and tossed it into her bag before happily munching on the snacks Miranda had given her. "It was just a chance encounter. Why dig so deep?"


    If Miranda kept her private life hidden, she must have her reasons. A little respect for boundaries was important.


    "True," Lue nodded in agreement.


    At Cloudscape Community.


    When Juniper got home, she dropped her bag and copsed onto the sofa, utterly exhausted.


    "What did Lue drag you into that wore you out this much?" Shanley, dressed in dark gray loungewear, walked over with a ss of warm milk, his voice low and husky.


    "Ran into someone,¡± Juniper said with her eyes closed, too tired to even move an eyelid. ¡°Helped her out of a jam and got a pile of snacks in return.¡±


    Snacks? Shanley unzipped her bag and found it filled to the brim. They were all imported brands, and none of them were cheap.


    More importantly, several items were from private bakeries that you couldn''t just buy, even with money. His mother loved them, so he happened to recognize thebels.


    "Man or woman?" Shanley asked, feigning calmness as he massaged her temples. "Old or young?"


    "You guess," Juniper opened her eyes and met his thoughtful gaze, deliberately being vague.


    "I''m guessing a woman," Shanley


    bel


    said, a lump of frustration forming in his chest, which he turned into a


    helpless smile. ¡°And an older middle-aged woman at that.''


    "How''d you figure that out?" Juniper asked, confused as to how he knew.


    "You guess," Shanley retorted, yfully throwing her own words right back at her.


    "Fine, don''t tell me." Juniper''s expression soured instantly. She looked away haughtily and started to get up.


    "Are you mad? Shanley quickly pulled her back, holding her hand and coaxing her softly. "Among snacks she gave you, there''s a brand is


    wellness coffee


    specifically for women between forty-five and sixty."


    He figured the woman must have identally mixed it in while giving her the


    snacks.


    Juniper nced over and saw that he was right. His eyes were sharp!


    "The woman was being harassed,, and just helped her out Juniper exined concisely, examining the wellness coffee. "So she gave me all the snacks she had on her

 Chapter 647

    Her eyes sparkled when she mentioned the snacks.


    "Is that so?¡± Shanley squeezed her fingers, a slight smile on his face, finally feeling at ease. "It''s not every day you meet a woman who loves snacks as much as you do."


    Oh, right. His mother, Miranda, was also a huge fan of all kinds of snacks. She and Juniper... were practically two peas in a pod. That meant they would definitely get along when they finally met. While other mothers- and daughters-inw discussed bags, shoes, and makeup, Juniper and his mother would be debating which snack tasted best.


    He chuckled at the thought. How amusing.


    "I''m going to take a shower," Juniper said, pushing Shanley away and heading upstairs.


    "Go ahead."


    Shanley remained in the living room, carefully inspecting the snacks in her bag. The dates were fresh, the packaging was intact, and the quality was excellent. They were safe to eat.


    ¡°Dana, please put these away for Juniper," Shanley instructed.


    "Of course," Dana replied as she gathered the items. "Sir, Ms. Payne got into a fight at the bar. Shouldn''t you look into it?"


    "No need,¡± Shanley said, shaking his head. He picked up an apple and began peeling it methodically, a small smile ying on his lips. "Juniper doesn''t like people interfering in her affairs. She can handle something minor like this on her own.¡±


    "Very well." Hearing Shanley''s confidence, Dana felt reassured.


    ...


    After peeling the apple, Shanley picked up his phone and opened WhatsApp to his mother''s chat.


    By this time, she should be awake from her beauty sleep.


    Shanley: [Mom, do you and Dad have any ns after you get back on Monday?]


    Miranda: [?]


    Shanley: [I want you to meet your future daughter-inw.]


    Miranda: [I thought you were gay.]


    Shanley''s face darkened instantly at her reply. It was one thing for strangers to


    specte, but for his own parents to be so ridiculous?


    Shanley: [Your son''s sexual orientation is perfectly normal, okay?]


    Miranda was skeptical. [Really? Because if you''re lying and you break some poor


    girl''s heart, your father and I will break your legs.]


    Shanley: [It''s real. We''ve been together for almost a year.]


    Miranda stared at the message, lost in thought. If Shanley was straight, it meant he liked girls. In that case.. could the adorable Juniper officially be her daughter-inw?


    Miranda: [Shanley, do you like her a lot?]


    Shanley: [She''s the only one I''ll ever marry!]


    The only one he''ll ever marry? Miranda frowned. She''d never seen her son soresolute about anything in his entire life. The girl who had Captured his art must be truly exceptional. If they were genuinely in love, she would, of course, give them her blessing.


    Miranda: [Alright, we''ll meet her then.]


    After sending the message, Miranda quickly typed another one. [Shanley, there''s


    something you need to be prepared for.]


    Shanley: [?]


    Miranda: [In the near future, you might have a little sister.]


    A sister? Shanley was in the middle of sipping his coffee and nearly choked, his face


    a mask of disbelief.


    Was his mother pregnant? Seriously? At her age, what was she thinking?


    [Shanley, let me tell you...]


    Miranda''s fingers flew across the keyboard, ready to tell Shanley all about its wonderful "future sist


    before she could hit send her phone died.


    Oh well. Miranda sighed. It wasn''t a done deal yet anyway. It could wait until after


    she sessfully ¡°adopted¡± her new daughter.


    Putting her phone down, Miranda drifted off into a blissful sleep.


    Poor Shanley, however, was so rattled by his mother''s "future sister" bombshell that


    he tossed and turned all night.


    Finally, Juniper couldn''t take it anymore. "If you move one more time, you''re sleeping on the couch!"


    "Juniper..." Shanley wrapped his arms around her, his voice weak and raspy. "I''m going to have a sister."

 Chapter 648

    ¡°Huh?¡± Juniper had been on the verge of sleep, but those words snapped her wide awake.


    A sister? She''d never heard Shanley mention a sister. And seeing the grim look on his face, she worried it was his father...


    "What are you thinking about?" Shanley, seeing her mind wander, gently tapped her


    nose.


    "It seems my mother is pregnant," he said, his voice heavy with concern.


    "Oh." Juniper blinked. At least it was his biological mother. Otherwise, this would be... awkward.


    "My mother''s almost fifty," Shanley continued, his voice low as he stared at the ceiling. ¡°That''s a high-risk pregnancy. It could be dangerous."


    Juniper listened quietly. He was right; it was incredibly risky.


    "From the sound of it, she seems overjoyed," Shanley said, his emotions a tangled mess. "They''ve always dreamed of having a daughter, and now their dream ising true."


    His mother, Miranda, was in fantastic shape from years of working out, but even so... he couldn''t help but worry aboutplications.


    What was his father thinking? He usually protected his wife like she was made of ss, so how could he let her take such a huge risk?


    Could his parents give him, their son, a single moment of peace? He was already managing theirpany and looking after his grandparents... and now it looked like he''d have a little brat to deal with, too. He wasn''t a workhorse they could just run into the ground!


    "Aren''t theying back to the country soon?" Juniper mused for a moment before offering a suggestion. "When they do, I can give your mother a check-up and prescribe some herbal remedies to help strengthen her body."


    A pregnancy at this age carried a lot of risks, but some of them could certainly be mitigated.


    "Okay." Shanley leaned in and kissed her forehead.


    "I trust your skills, Juniper,¡± he whispered. Then, changing the subject abruptly, he


    asked, ¡°What about you? Do you like boys or girls? Or both?"


    The question was so out of left field that Juniper froze. She''d never considered it before, so she had no idea how to answer. To be honest, before she met Shanley, she had resigned herself to dying alone.


    "I don''t know." Juniper''s eyes were getting heavy again. She pushed Shanley away,


    rolled over, and turned her back to him.


    "Kids are too much trouble," she grumbled. "I don''t like them."


    "How can you say that?" Shanley frowned slightly, his voice a maic, husky


    whisper. "Have you spent much time around children?"


    Juniper kept her back to him, her eyes squeezed shut, refusing to answer.


    But Shanley persisted, the question clearly important to him. Was it that she disliked children in general, or... the idea of his children?


    "Juniper, you..."


    "You know perfectly well what a terror I was as a kid," she snapped, her cheeks flushing a faint pink as she mumbled, "What kind of well-behaved child do you think someone like me could possibly produce?!"


    Her grandfather and the masters at the sanctuary always said that raising her had taken years off their lives if they hadn''t been afraid of If


    her, they would have thrown her into a ck hole long ago!


    Shanley was speechless for a moment. So that was it.


    "That''s not true," he murmured, pulling her close and pressing his lips to her ear.


    "No matter what, Juniper, you''re the best thing in my world," he said, his tone full of adoration. ¡°Even if you''re a little troublemaker, you''re my one and only little troublemaker."


    Juniper''s heart fluttered, a warmth spreading through her entire body. Damn! He''d guessed right. She was a troublemaker.

 Chapter 649

    And she was about to take down that old viin, the head of the Sigma Network. It was one troublemaker against another.


    ...


    The next morning, Juniper finished getting ready and went out to the living room.


    "Good morning, Ms. Payne," Dana greeted her with a cheerful smile as she arranged breakfast on the table. "Mr. Schwartz had an urgent matter at the office and left a little while ago. He asked me to have a car take you to thepetition venue after you eat."


    Today was the WKL eSports final. After breakfast, however, Juniper decided against the car and zipped off on her scooter instead.


    Twenty minutester, she arrived at the venue.


    Learning fromst time, Shanley had arranged for proper invitation cards for her and her ssmates. By the time she got there, most of theputer science students had already gone inside.


    After parking her scooter and getting her ticket scanned, Juniper was walking in when she noticed two furtive figures in the VIP section. A man and a woman, both wearing hats, masks, and sunsses.


    The woman on the left kept adjusting her sses, her eyes wide as she cautiously scanned the crowd. "Honey, do you think anyone will recognize me like this?"


    Hayden had never appeared in public, so no one knew who he was. But she was a different story. As a snack food connoisseur, her face was associated with everything from spicy instant ramen to beef jerky. Her face and voice were practically famous; she could be spotted in an instant.


    "No, no," Hayden chuckled, looking at his wife, who was bundled up so much only her eyes were visible. "I guarantee no one can tell it''s you."


    "Good." Miranda patted her chest, about to breathe a sigh of relief when a familiar female voice called out from behind her. "Miranda?"


    Miranda froze, the smile stered on her face. Busted! She''d been recognized. If Shanley found out she''d snuck back to watch a video game tournament, he''d lecture her for days.


    Miranda turned around slowly, her expression shifting to surprise when she saw who it was. "Oh, it''s you, Juniper!"


    Thank goodness. For a second, she thought it was a fan.


    "Are you two here for the finals?" Juniper asked, blinking with curiosity.


    "Yes, yes! I''m a huge Demon fan," Miranda whispered, pulling Juniper into a corner and grabbing her hands excitedly. "What about you? Whose fan are you? Oh my god Demon is so cook There''s a @mor he might actually show up today, so I came to try my luck."


    "Who started that rumor?" Juniper thought. "It''s surprisingly urate."


    "I..." Juniper licked her lips, hesitating, when Hayden interjected, "It''s getting crowded. We should probably find our seats."


    "Right."


    Before leaving, Miranda handed Juniper a bag.


    "Snacks," she said earnestly. "We''ll go halfsies. They''re perfect for watching the match."


    ¡°Huh?¡± Juniper found the bag of snacks pushed into her arms before she could refuse.


    "Your seats seem a bit far back,¡± she said, concerned. "Do you want to move closer to the front?"


    ¡°No, no, no!¡± Miranda quickly refused, pointing to a secluded corner nearby.


    "My son calls me a gaming addict, and forbids me from anything


    conspiratorally. "I can''t let el


    game rted, she whispered


    him find


    out I''m here."


    A gaming-addicted mom? Juniper had heard of kids with gaming addictions, but this was a first.


    "Well, I have to go," Miranda said, cutting the conversation short with a smile you''re in the frontrow, right Juniper? If you see Demon, you have


    to spam me on WhatsApp kay?"


    The person who was, in fact, Demon, managed to force out a reply. "Okay."

 Chapter 650

    After watching Miranda and her husband take their seats, Juniper made her way to the front row.


    "Goddess!"


    "Juniper!"


    Theputer science students in the first row all stood up to greet her politely as she approached.


    "Sit down," Juniper said with a curt nod.


    "Yes, ma''am!" they replied in unison, their voices thundering as they sat back down in perfect sync.


    Other audience members shot them confused looks.


    Juniper frowned. Why were they making her look like the head of some syndicate? It was ridiculous.


    ¡°Juniper, here''s a milkshake," Qadir immediately scurried over, eagerly offering her a spread of snacks.


    He was a huge fan of the Neverfall Navigators and had been kicking himself for missing thest match because of a schoolmitment. Thankfully, Juniper had saved tickets for all of them for the finals.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Juniper took a sip. It was mango, her favorite vor, and her mood instantly brightened.


    ¡°Qadir, I remember you y this game too," Queenie, sitting beside her, asked curiously. ¡°Neverfall Navigators are up against the Digital Sabers from Batonia Country today. What do you think our chances are?"


    "Hmm..." Qadir said thoughtfully around the lollipop in his mouth, his voice slightly muffled. ¡°Digital Sabers are no joke. They fought their way up from thirtieth ce to the top three, and their strategies and formations are incredibly innovative. Of course, our Neverfall Navigators are amazing too, especially after that win against the Shadow Titans. Their morale is through the roof."


    "But-" Qadir''s tone shifted, and even Juniper turned to look at him with curiosity. "The two teams are pretty evenly matched. It''s impossible to say for sure who will win. Plus, Neverfall Navigators don''t have any substitute yers."


    "No substitutes?" Juniper''s hand, holding the milkshake, froze. Her eyes narrowed, a cold glint in them.


    "Nope," Qadir confirmed with a nod. "They originally had two, but they went to Batonia Country for a minor league tournament a little while ago. They were scheduled to fly into


    Era Cityst night, but they were blocked at the border. The officials said there was some ''problem'' and wouldn''t let them leave."


    "Everyone knows the Neverfall Navigators'' number three yer has a hand injury and might need to be swapped out mid-game. And they just happen to get stuck in Batonia Country?" Qadir fumed. ¡°Damn it, it''s obviously a deliberate move by Batonia Country."


    in ast


    "Seriously," Queenie, Dolce, and the other students who had overheard chimed in, their faces showing their disgust. They pull these kinds of dirty tricks all the time. In thest few tournaments they won, it was one thing after another. First, theyin the other team''s servers weren''t up to code, then they''d im the crowd noise was distracting them. It never ends."


    This time was even worse. They were so afraid of losing that they''d resorted to blocking the substitute yers.


    "Number three just finished a match a few days ago. I don''t know if his hand has even recovered," Qadir sighed, his worry palpable. "Today''s a best-of-five. Who knows how long it willst? Can he hold out?"


    The others fell silent, sharing his concern.


    Juniper didn''t say a word. Instead, she pulled out her phone and started searching for news about the Digital Sabers. The more she read, the angrier she got.


    For this esports tournament, Digital Sabers hadunched a massive PR


    campaign, predicting the hall of


    the Neverfall Navigators. They imed the team was a disorganized mess, ready to crumble at the slightest pressure, especially without any subs. They were determined to defeat the two-time champions and take the trophy home.


    The fans from both countries were fighting me wars online, neither side backing down.


    "Hah,¡± Juniper thought with contempt. ¡°Such a tiny ce, and they sure know how to stir up trouble."


    Ten minutester, the match officially began. Like the semi-finals, it was a best-of- five.


    As it was the final, and the organizers were live-streaming it globally for free, the hype and viewership were off the charts.


    At the start, both teams looked to be in top form, shing fiercely. After thirty minutes, the kills and losses were about even. But Juniper quickly noticed something troubling. The Neverfall Navigators'' number three yer was performing erratically, asionally misfiring his skillspletely.

 Chapter 651

    In professional eSports, misfiring skills is a cardinal sin.


    Juniper pursed her lips, her gaze drifting over to the Digital Sabers'' side of the stage. The opposing team members were all smiles, their faces radiating a blend of confidence and provocation. They were skilled, no doubt, butpared to the Neverfall Navigators, they were still a step behind.


    "Pathetic," she thought. "You think you''re so great? I bet none of your previous wins were clean."


    If it were a fair fight, Digital Sabers would never be able to take down a powerhouse like Neverfall Navigators.


    "What the hell!" Qadir couldn''t help but curse, his fists clenched tight. "These


    bastards from Batonia are ying dirty! Who swaps out a yer in the first round?"


    The sudden substitution threw off the rhythm Neverfall Navigators had just established.


    "If you''re not happy with it, you''re free to swap yers too," the captain of Digital Sabers taunted with a smirk.


    The faces of the Neverfall Navigators'' members darkened. The two yers who had been training with them couldn''t make it to the venue, and the avable substitutes just weren''t on the same level. For them, swapping a yer would be suicide.


    Fifty minutester, the first round ended. Digital Sabers took the win.


    Juniper stood with her arms crossed, her face a thunderous mask. The pressure around her was suffocating.


    Soon after, the second round began. Having figured out the new yer''s strategy, Neverfall Navigators quickly adjusted their pace. Ten minutes in, they seized the initiative, nearly causing the Digital Sabers'' yers to lose theirposure. "That''s the team Demon trained, all right. They''ve won two championships; they''re not going to be thrown off so easily."


    "Digital Sabers is just disgusting. The live chat is tearing them apart."


    "Don''t get toofortable. Did you see yer 3''s face? Something''s wrong."


    "Yeah, he looks terrible! There were rumors his old injury red up and he needed surgery. But he''s pushing through the pain to defend the team''s honor!"


    "Ever since Demon left, Neverfall Navigators has been under a lot of scrutiny. If they lose this tournament, the bacsh will be brutal."


    "If only Demon could be here," a fanmented. "He only retired from the spotlight,


    he never officially left the team, so he''s eligible to y. He''s got the skills, and besides... he''s Demon."


    The crowd buzzed with anxious spection, no one daring to guess the final


    oue.


    Amid the intense discussion, the second round concluded with a victory for Neverfall Navigators.


    It was a best-of-five series, and now the score was tied, one to one.


    The third round began.


    Unsurprisingly, Digital Sabers, still


    smarting from theirst defeat, resorted to more dirty tricks. Midway through, they imed an equipment malfunction, demanding a technical pause. When the match resumed, they had changed tactics, relentlessly targeting yer 3. To defend himself, he had no choice but to ignore the pain in his Hand and fight back with everything he'' had. But because his rhythm was off, his team lost by a narrow margin.


    Three grueling hours had passed. yer 3''s hand injury had worsened, and his forehead was beaded with sweat from the pain.


    Could he even continue?


    As worry rippled through the crowd, the fourth round began. It was clear his injury had red up. yer 3''s fingers were so stiff he could barely mariage the keyboard Digital Sabers saw their chance and pressed their advantage, advancing relentlessly. Soon, Neverfall Navigators'' death count began to climb, nearly resulting in a full team wipe.


    "This looks bad for Neverfall Navigators!" the spectators murmured, their voices hoarse with tension.


    "If they could just swap in someone of equal skill for yer 3, they might have a chance."


    "He looks awful. His hands are shaking."


    "If he keeps ying like this, he''ll permanently damage his hand."


    Just as the chatter reached a fever pitch, Neverfall Navigators called for a timeout. In an instant, everyone''s heart was in their throat, wondering what it meant. Were they forfeiting Or did they have another solution?

 Chapter 652

    "Are they going to forfeit?"


    "Neverfall Navigators haven''t been in good form for thest two years. They''re probably just resting on theirurels instead of training seriously."


    ¡°Now that they''re up against a tough opponent, they have the perfect excuse to ''withdraw due to injury.'' That way, they might even salvage some dignity.¡±


    These whispers from the crowd reached the ears of Miranda, who was hiding in a


    corner.


    "What nonsense are you spouting?" Miranda, who had been snacking, shot up to her feet and retorted angrily, "Neverfall Navigators will never give up. Never!"


    "Oh my god." The girl who had been speaking nearly jumped out of her skin. "Sorry about that," Hayden said with a smile, quickly pulling his wife back down. "She can be a bit impulsive. My apologies."


    The girl eyed Miranda, who was bundled up like a mummy, with curiosity.


    "However," Hayden continued after his apology, "I don''t know whose fan you are, but you sound like you''re from our country. No matter how rough this match gets for Neverfall Navigators, they are enduring their injuries to fight for our nation''s honor. I''m not asking you to support them, but at least don''t make snide remarks. After hearing what you just said, I have good reason to suspect you''re a traitor to your own team."


    "I''m not," the girl replied, her face flushing red as she stammered, stunned by Hayden''s lecture.


    "Yes, you are!" Miranda jumped up again, fuming. ¡°I¡ªmmph!¡±


    Before she could say more, Hayden covered her mouth, whispering, "Honey, calm down. If you don''t, the whole world will know you snuck into the arena."


    Miranda instantly cooled down. If it weren''t for the risk of exposing her identity and causing trouble for the Schwartz family, she would have argued the point with that girl until she was blue in the face.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Neverfall Navigators had called for a ten-minute timeout, and no one knew what they were discussing.


    "I''m just going to the restroom," Juniper said, setting down her cup and heading backstage. The person in charge was standing guard at the door, but he didn''t dare to stop her.


    A few stepster, Juniper saw the team''s traveling physician examining the yer from position 3.


    "His hand injury was already severe during thest match," the doctor said, his brow furrowed with concern. "The pain-blocking injection only helped temporarily. He can''t put any more strain on it."


    "There are only two rounds left. I can handle it," the yer insisted, his face pale with pain but his tone firm. ¡°Just give me another injection.¡±


    Pain-blocking injections could suppress the pain for a short time, but repeated use would be devastating for his future treatment. He had already had so many; another one would mean that by the time the match was over, his hand would bepletely ruined.


    "What about the substitute yers?" the team captain asked in a hoarse voice, his gaze fixed on the yer''s swollen, bruised hand.


    "No progress," the manager replied, shaking his head. "The Batonian authorities are still making trouble. Even if they were released now, they wouldn''t make it in time."


    The timeout was only ten minutes long.


    "We only have two options now," the manager said with a sigh of resignation. ¡°Either we forfeit the match, or we y four against five."


    Neverfall Navigators'' roster was carefully curated. Besides the two yers being maliciously detained they had fewer than three others,


    none of whom had any ace in


    major tournaments. Bringing in a rookie substitute would likely disrupt the team''s rhythm, and the consequences could be even worse. So, rather than subbing in a new yer, fighting four against five might give them a slim chance to win.


    "You have five minutes to think about it," the manager finished.


    The other team members hung their heads in silence. ying four against five... Neverfall Navigators had never fought a match like that since its founding.


    Shanley was closely monitoring the match''s progress. "Any news from Demon?" he asked gravely, calling Cybeic Shadows.


    "Sir, we''ve confirmed that Demon is in Era City," his subordinate replied. ¡°We''re trying to contact him now, hoping he''ll agree to step in."


    This match was incredibly important, after all. It wasn''t just about the honor of their country; it was also about the feelings of his mother and the woman he loved.


    "Tell him money is no object," Shanley said, his voice raspy as he tightened his grip on the phone. ¡°As long as he shows up."


    Backstage, Juniper received a WhatsApp message from Lue Langley.


    Lue: [Neverfall Navigators is in a tough spot, huh? So, are you going to step in?]


    Juniper leaned against the wall, her position giving her a clear view of both teams: The members of Digital Sabers were in high spirits, some even mocking the injured yer by mimicking his keyboard-tapping posture with sneers on their faces. In contrast, Neverfall Navigators'' morale was at rock bottom, and their third yer''s hand was swollen beyond recognition.


    She had been certain Neverfall Navigators would win this match. Even with a mid-game substitution, her previous coaching should have prepared them. But she never expected Batonia to y so deliberately holding up their substitutes. They had gone too far!


    dirty


    After a few seconds of silence, Juniper picked up her phone and replied to Lue. [Tell Shanley I want ten times whatever the prize money is for this tournament.] After all, she didn''t have time to put on a disguise. Her identity would be exposed. The resulting trouble would be immense. A little financialpensation wasn''t too much to ask, right?


    And she happened to be short on cash now.


    Lue: [You got it! You can count on me!]


    The mention of money instantly re-energized her. Lue happily went off to


    negotiate with Shanley, fullymitted to her quest to fleece the old man.


    "Let''s go with four yers," the captain said, having made his decision. "We''ll give it


    ten times the effort, and leave the rest to fate."


    "Right," the other three nodded in agreement.


    As they were about to head back to the stage, they turned and ran right into the


    young woman who had saved them before.


    "What are you doing here?" the captain asked, staring at her in surprise.


    ¡°You''ll lose, four versus five,¡± Juniper stated, standing in the doorway. A cold, hostile


    aura seemed to surround her, and her voice was low and chilling.


    "We know," the captain said. He was still grateful to Juniper, so his tone was respectful. "But without a substitute, we have no other choice."

 Chapter 653

    "Is that so?¡± Juniper tilted her head up slightly, slowly tying her long hair back. She spoke each word with deliberate rity. "How about me?"


    "Huh?"


    At her words, the members of Neverfall Navigators looked up, their eyes wide with disbelief. What? Was she serious? Did she just offer to be their substitute?


    "Look," the captain, MystiCat, said, clearly taken aback. He swallowed hard, keeping his tone gentle. "It''s obvious you know the game inside and out, and you''re incredibly skilled. But..."


    Mysticat hesitated, trying to find a polite way to refuse. "You don''t have any professional tournament experience, and you''ve never practiced with us. Team coordination would be a huge issue."


    He had to admit, the girl was a genius. Her brief advice during the semi-finals had turned the tide for them. But this was the finals. Digital Sabers was a stronger, more shameless opponent than any they had faced before. Throwing a random yer into the mix would likely create chaos.


    Besides, they had followed thepetitive scene closely for years, big and small tournaments alike, and they had never seen this girl on stage. She was probably just a talented amateur.


    "Is professional experience so important?" Juniper raised an eyebrow, her calm tone unsettlingly sharp. "Weren''t you the one Demon made an exception for, picking you up from a gaming cafe?"


    He hadn''t justcked major tournament experience; he hadn''t even yed in a minor one. Why the exception? Because of another power outage, she''d gone to a gaming cafe out of boredom, where she happened to see Mysticat ying. His movements were clean, his rhythm was precise, and he had strong leadership qualities. He was a natural.


    "You-" The captain''s face went pale, his pupils dting in shock. The story of Demon finding him in a


    gaming cafe was a secret knowet


    only tothe two of them. Not even his current teammates knew about it How could the girl possibly know? Did she... know Demon?


    "I''ll be on the stage, but I''ll bemanding, not ying," Juniper said, ncing at the countdown timer. There wasn''t much time to exin Mysticat might be able to adapt to her tempo, but the others might not. In this case, words were more effective than actions.


    "What?" The yers'' eyes widened even further.


    "We''re out of time," Juniper said, her eyes narrowing. "If we win, I get the eighteen- million-dor prize. If we lose, I''ll pay you that amount."


    She smirked, adding nonchntly, "But the chances of us losing are about the same as a snowball''s chance in hell."


    Such confidence! The five of them exchanged looks, considering her offer. Commanding, not ying? If her suggestions and strategies were solid, they could follow her lead f not, she could say whatever she wanted, and they could just ignore her and y their own game. It wouldn''t interfere with them.


    Besides, this girl clearly had some skills.


    "Deal.¡± MystiCat extended his hand to Juniper, his expression serious. ¡°Pleasure working with you."


    ¡°Likewise.¡± Juniper paused for a second before simply patting his shoulder, avoiding the handshake.


    MystiCat was even more bewildered. That was Demon''s signature move before a match. But Demon was a guy. It couldn''t possibly be her.

 Chapter 654

    "The announcer is back on stage.¡± Just as the audience was buzzing with spection, someone shouted out.


    Instantly, all eyes turned to the stage, a mix of tension and anticipation in the air. Forfeit or continue they would soon have their answer.


    ¡°Neverfall Navigators has decided to use their substitution," the announcer''s voice boomed through the arena. ¡°The yer from position 3 will be reced by a new team member."


    A new team member? The announcement surprised not only the audience but also the yers from Digital Sabers. Neverfall Navigators had a tiny roster. Weren''t their two designated substitutes being maliciously detained by the Batonian authorities? Could it be one of the team''s rookies?


    A rookie wouldn''t be much help; they''d probably just mess up the team''s rhythm. What was Neverfall Navigators thinking?


    "A desperate,st-ditch effort," a yer from Digital Sabers sneered, clearly unconcerned by the substitution.


    The crowd below seemed to agree. There was no major shift in the downcast mood.


    "Hasn''t Junipere back yet?" Qadir looked around but couldn''t see her, wondering aloud, ¡°Did the match upset her so much that she ran off to the bathroom to cry?"


    They all knew how much Juniper loved this game.


    "I''ll gofort her." Qadir pulled out his phone, opened WhatsApp, and started


    typing a message to Juniper, mustering all theforting words he knew.


    Before he could finish, a wave of gasps and shouts erupted from the crowd.


    "Whoa-"


    Qadir was too busy typing to look up at the stage.


    "Whoa-"


    It wasn''t until he heard Queenie, Dolce, and Hattie all gasp in unison that he finally raised his head, curious.


    "Holy crap!"


    When he saw the new yer for Neverfall Navigators, Qadir''s jaw dropped, and the phone in his hand ttered to the floor.


    How could the new yer be Juniper?


    "Queenie, pinch me," Qadir said to Queenie, still in a daze. "This feels too surreal. I must be dreaming."


    ¡°Okay.¡± Queenie rolled up her sleeves and gave his arm a sharp, vicious pinch.


    "Ow!" Qadir yelped, clutching his arm and wincing in pain. It was real. As real as it gets. Juniper had somehow be a professional gamer?


    Meanwhile, in the tumultuous audience, Miranda dramatically ripped off her sunsses, raised a pair of binocrs to her eyes, and eximed, floney, it really is Juniper!"


    "Yes," Hayden said, quickly using a jacket to shield her face. "It really is."


    ¡°But she''s not a member of Neverfall Navigators," Miranda said with a frown,pletely baffled. "I know their entire roster."


    "Maybe they were out of time and just grabbed someone at random to be a substitute?¡± Hayden offered casually.


    "Impossible." Miranda kept the binocrs trained on the stage, muttering as she watched With Demon gone, Neverfall Navigators would never do something that ridiculous."


    ¡°Maybe Juniper is just that good," Miranda guessed, feeling an inexplicable fondness for the girl.


    ...


    At Schwartz Group Headquarters, CEO''s Office.


    ¡°Sir, Demon has agreed to y," Felton reported respectfully. ¡°He requested ten


    times the prize money, which we agreed to.¡±


    "Please wee Neverfall Navigators back to the stage!"


    Just as Felton finished speaking, the announcer''s voice came through therge screen.


    Could the new yer be Demon?


    Shanley sat on the sofa, his long legs crossed, elegantly holding a cup of coffee. His


    deep eyes were fixed on the screen.


    A few secondster, the broadcast


    camera focused on Neverfall Navigators. The captain and the other


    er veteran yers walked out one by one. But when he saw the person following behind them...


    "Crash!"


    Shanley''s hand trembled violently. The coffee cup slipped from his grasp and shattered on the marble table.


    Juniper? What was she doing there?

 Chapter 655

    "Ms. Payne?" Watching the "substitute yer" appear on the screen, Felton and Flint''s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.


    "Demon agreed to y just ten minutes ago," Flint said cautiously, ncing at his shocked boss. "He said he was already at the venue and could make it to the stage on time. Shouldn''t it be Demon up there? Why is it Ms. Payne instead?"


    "Indeed." Felton''s palms were sweating. The situation had been so sudden that Demon had demanded payment upfront. That meant Demon had already walked away with one hundred million dors. If he had just taken the money and run, how would he exin this to his boss?


    "Do you have a photo of Demon?" Shanley asked, his voice raspy, his gaze locked on the girl on the screen.


    "We do." Flint immediately pulled up Demon''s photo. "But there are no clear pictures of his face."


    Shanley''s eyes moved to the screen, which showed a photo of Demon dressed entirely in ck, wearing sunsses, a hat, and a mask, with only his eyes faintly visible.


    A few secondster, a faint smile yed on Shanley''s lips, and a soft chuckle escaped him.


    Demon? The founder of Neverfall Navigators? The unbeatable legend of the e- sports world? It seemed the littledy had a new surprise for him every time he turned around. He wondered if she had enjoyed watching him search high and low for Demon.


    "Sir, are you...?" Seeing Shanley''s sudden smile, Felton and Flint felt a shiver run down their spines.


    "It''s nothing," Shanley said, a fond smile gracing his handsome face. He casually instructed, "Cancel my afternoon meetings. I''m going to watch the match."


    "Yes, sir.¡± Felton and Flint exchanged a look but didn''t dare ask any more questions. It probably had something to do with Ms. Payne.


    "Juniper? What is she doing here?"


    "Our goddess? Those bastards from Digital Sabers must have driven me crazy. I''m actually seeing Goddess on stage."


    "Oh my god, it really is Goddess!"


    "Goddess ys video games?"


    The sight of Juniper appearing as a substitute yer left the entire audience baffled. Some imed Neverfall Navigators was throwing the game, while others thought they had a secret weapon up their sleeves. However, ny-nine point nine-nine percent of them believed they were throwing the game.


    The atmosphere in the arena became incredibly awkward. Everyone looked as if they had already seen the oue, their faces grim.


    "Please take your seats," the announcer''s voice cut through the tension.


    The members of Neverfall Navigators went through the standard equipment check and sat down.


    Juniper took the seat at position 3, and as she looked up, her eyes met those of the Digital Sabers team across the stage. They were wearing their headsets,ughing and discussing something with sinister, sleazy expressions. They weren''t just looking down on her; they were looking down on all of Neverfall Navigators.


    "I didn''t get your name," MystiCat said quietly after putting on his headset. "Don''t get nervous during the match. Just pretend you''re ying casually."


    "Juniper Payne," she replied, then expertly checked her gaming setup and offered a faint smile. "Do I look nervous to you?"


    MystiCat was at a loss for words again. She certainly looked calmer than any of them. Was this really her first time on a professional stage?


    "Turn the volume up higher," Juniper said, ignoring the stunned captain. Her voice was cold. "And no shouting during the game."


    "Got it," the other four yers nodded. Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, it was hard to control their emotions.


    "Equipment check isplete. You can inform the announcer," MystiCat said, scanning his teammates before raising his hand.


    "The fourth round of the finals officially begins!" the announcer dered.


    Instantly, everyone''s nerves tensed. Thousands of pairs of eyes were fixed on Neverfall Navigators'' new member. Everyone hoped her substitution meant she had skills, that she would be a surprise.


    But to their astonishment, as the match began, Juniper just sat there at position 3, her hands in her pockets. Her in-game character remained at the base, moving only asionally to show she hadn''t disconnected.


    The onlinement sections exploded.


    "What the hell!"


    "What is the substitute doing? Are they really throwing the game?!"


    They had expected a fight, regardless of the oue. They never imagined... she wouldn''t even bother to move, let alone fight back. What was the point of her being a substitute?


    "Is Juniper there to be a mascot? Why is she just sitting there, not moving?"


    ¡°Hahahaha, is she trying to get famous on a global broadcast? She must be desperate!"


    "To be fair, she is gorgeous!"


    "Hey, this is apetition! Stay on topic, will you?"


    ¡°Can Juniper just get off the stage already? My mood is bad enough as it is.¡±


    The Digital Sabers yers, who had initially been somewhat wary, thinking Neverfall Navigators wouldn''t just pick a random person as a sub and that the girl might be a dark horse, were nowpletely rxed.


    darken minutes into the da


    she had done nothing but twitch her fingers and blink.


    Digital Sabersunched a fierce assault, pushing Neverfall Navigators back relentlessly. With victory seemingly in their grasp, their guard gradually dropped.


    Fifteen minutes in, MystiCat couldn''t take it anymore.


    "Juniper, any suggestions?" he asked, seeing his team''s situation grow more and more dire. Wasn''t she here to provide strategy? Why was shepletely motionless? Any longer, and he worried she might fall asleep.


    ¡°Don''t rush,¡± Juniper said, her eyes narrowed. She tapped the keyboard again, making her character move slightly. ¡°It''s not time yet."


    She needed to observe the opponent''s patterns and strategies herself before she could offer advice. This was a critical round; Neverfall Navigators couldn''t afford a single mistake.


    MystiCat frowned, and the other three yers also looked displeased. They had been tricked Her earlier advice must have been a lucky guess. Now that they were facing a real challenge, she had nothing to offer. They would have been better off with a rookie sub, who could at least add some firepower. Even if they lost, it


    wouldn''t have been this


    embarrassing.


    As Neverfall Navigators'' territory was slowly dismantled and Digital Sabers closed in


    on victory, the mood of the crowd hit rock bottom. Some people even started to


    leave.


    Just then, Juniper, who had been silent for so long, finally looked up.


    "Tsk," she clicked her tongue, her voice cutting through the tension. "They''ve had


    theirugh. Now it''s our turn."

 Chapter 656

    Hearing Juniper''s words, her teammates, who were frantically mashing their keys and sweating profusely, turned to look at her in astonishment.


    "yer 1, go defend the left tower. yer 2, hide in the brush," Juniper


    "Yes, ma''am!"


    Juniper''s sharpmand snapped them to attention, reminding them of the fear and respect they felt when Demon was in charge.


    Digital Sabers, confident that victory was theirs, never expected Neverfall Navigators to mount ast-ditch defense. Fine. If they wanted to prolong the inevitable, they would y along. The game was almost over anyway.


    Five minutester, the smiles on the Digital Sabers yers'' faces vanished, reced by stern concentration.


    "Boss, they seem to have changed their strategy on the fly," one yer said into his mic. "They''re targeting all our weaknesses."


    For example, their second yer was a support specialist who needed to coordinate with others. Neverfall Navigators deliberately isted him. It became a 3-on-1 fight. Outnumbered, the support yer''s energy was quickly depleted, and he died in the brush.


    Then there was their fifth yer, a heavy hitter. Neverfall Navigators employed hit- and-run tactics against him. They would suddenly appear, exchange a few blows, and then quickly retreat.


    The fifth yer was leftpletely bewildered. Before he could even process what was happening, another group of Neverfall Navigators yers would rush in, using the exact same tactic: engage, then retreat.


    After a few rounds of this, Digital Sabers'' rhythm waspletely thrown off.


    What was going on? How did Neverfall Navigators suddenly get so good?


    The Digital Sabers yers looked across the stage and saw that the girl who had been sitting idly was now speaking, clearly directing the entire team. She was controlling the game without even touching her keyboard?


    "Boss, they''re backdooring our base!" one of the yers suddenly shouted as the captain was trying to figure things out.


    "Damn it."


    After the frantic shout, everyone immediately tried to recall to their base. But after being toyed with by Neverfall Navigators, their health was almostpletely gone. Even if they made it back, they would need time to regenerate.


    However, because the round had dragged on for so long, they had reached the critical endgame phase where both teams dealt massive damage. Digital Sabers didn''t have time to heal. They were perfectly picked off and eliminated by Neverfall Navigators. In the end, Neverfall Navigators defied all odds, snatching a hard-fought victory in the fourth round.


    The moment their base tower


    copsed, the Digital Sabers yers clutched their heads, their eyes wide with disbelief. They had the upper hand. they were so close to winning... How had Neverfalb Navigators managed to turn such a difficult game around in thest fifteen minutes? Was it because of her?


    The yers all looked over at Juniper, only to see her casually eating a piece of candy, looking rxed. It was as if beating them had required no effort at all.


    "Who the hell is she?" a Digital Sabers yer demanded, ripping off his headset in frustration.


    Thest time they had faced such an aggressive, unpredictable ystyle was years ago, back when Demon was still on the team.


    The other yers shook their heads, their expressions grim.


    "That was probably just a fluke," their captain said, trying to rally his team, his voiceced with a cold fury. "I refuse to believe some unknown girl can beat us just by running her mouth. Last found, everyone. Focus. We have to win this."


    "Whoa!"


    Thunderous apuse and piercing cheers erupted from the audience. They had all thought Neverfall Navigators was doomed to lose this round, yet they had somehow wed their way back to victory.


    ¡°Did I see that right? I think that was all thanks to Juniper,¡± a spectator said, staring at the big screen. ¡°Neverfall Navigators only started to recover after she started


    talking."


    "You''re right," someone next to him agreed confidently. ¡°Juniper didn''t y, but she was directing them the entire second half of the game."


    "A valedictorian who''s also a pro gamer? Is there anything she can''t do?"

 Chapter 657

    Qadir, Queenie, and the other tech students were allpletely stunned.


    Goddess, coaching the Neverfall Navigators? And winning? Just how many hidden talents did she have? It was unbelievable!


    In a corner of the audience, Miranda was taking pictures of Juniper. After snapping a few, she zoomed in on one of them.


    "You know, I can''t help but feel...¡± Miranda stared intently at Juniper''s face, her own elegant features scrunching up in confusion.


    "What is it?" Hayden immediately twisted open a water bottle and held it to his wife''s lips, his voiceced with concern.


    ¡°But..... it''s impossible,¡± Miranda murmured, taking a sip of water. She shook her head, then nodded again. ¡°Then again, the resemnce is uncanny. Am I just overthinking this?"


    "What''s on your mind, darling?¡± Hayden asked again, seeing her wrestling with the thought.


    "I think our dear Juniper, from certain angles, bears a striking resemnce to Demon," Miranda answered in a hushed tone.


    "Really?" Hayden''s deep-set eyes widened as he looked at the photo. Now that she mentioned it, there was a simrity, especially around the eyes.


    But Demon was a man. He almost wished they were the same person. Then he wouldn''t have to be jealous of another man capturing his wife''s heart.


    After the fourth round, there was a ten-minute break. In the backstage lounge, Juniper sat rxed on the sofa, a coffee personally poured by MystiCat in her left hand and a cookie in her right.


    Mysticat and his three teammates stood before her.


    "Ms. Payne, your strategy back there was absolutely brilliant," MystiCat said. His initial skepticism hadpletely dissolved, reced by pure admiration after thatst round. Even his form of address had changed, from "the kid whose name I don''t know" to a respectful "Ms. Payne," delivered with a formal tone.


    It was a slightly strange scene: four men in theirte twenties, standing humbly and respectfully before an eighteen-year-old girl.


    "Yeah," the other yers chimed in. "You adjusted our tactics countless times in just fifteen minutes."


    "Ms. Payne, how did you predict the movements of every single Digital Sabers yer?"


    "Hmm?" Juniper tilted her head up, a faint smile ying on her lips as she answered calmly, "I used my brain."


    It was the simple truth. She''d just put a little thought into it, no other trick involved.


    The four teammates fell silent. The jab had hit home.


    "Ms. Payne, we''ll follow your lead for the fifth round," MystiCat said respectfully. "Just point, and we''ll shoot."


    "Alright," Juniper said with a cool smile, pping her hands as she stood up. A dangerous glint shed in her eyes. "Then let''s make sure none of them leave standing."


    "Yes, ma''am," the Neverfall Navigators replied in unison, their morale soaring.


    The fifth and final round, the championship match. Fans both at home and abroad were in a frenzy arguing over who would take home this years esports title Digital Sabers still had more supporters, with most people believing the


    N¨¦verfall Navigators'' previous


    "For the first ten minutes, handle the strategy yourselves," Juniper instructed from


    her chair, arms crossed as she observed the match.


    Ten minutester, MystiCat made a


    careless mistake and was ambushed by an enemy yer


    hiding in the brush. The team


    down to three members. Digital


    Sabers pressed their advantage, and


    thirteen minutes in, the Neverfall


    Navigators were wiped out.


    This only reinforced the belief among the audience, and Digital Sabers themselves,


    that the earlier reversal had been pure luck.


    While waiting to respawn, MystiCat


    snuck a nce at the silent girl beside him. He wanted to say


    something, but her expression was so cold he didn''t dare That aura, that posture... it was just like Demon''s.


    He immediately shook the thought away. Impossible. The stress of dealing with those five Digital Sabers bastards must be making him sick, causing him to hallucinate.

 Chapter 658

    Silence hung in the air, but Juniper''s teammates didn''t wait for her to speak. They carried on with their own rhythm.


    Four versus five. It was a tough fight. But this was Neverfall Navigators. Even outnumbered, they showcased incredible teamwork, pushing through the difficulty to take down three of the opposing team''s members. Still, being a yer down was a fatal disadvantage.


    Thirty minutester, Digital Sabers had pushed to their base, closing in on Neverfall Navigators'' main tower. The defense was grueling.


    The audience, both in the arena and watching from abroad, felt they could already see the oue. Neverfall Navigators couldn''t hold on for much longer. Continuing the fight was just dying the inevitable. Sooner orter, they would lose.


    Just as the fans'' hearts sank and the Neverfall Navigators members braced for defeat, a voice cut through the tension.


    "Not bad."


    Juniper, who had been sitting silently in the corner, suddenly straightened up, a slight smile ying on her lips. ¡°To hold out this long with only four yers... I can see you haven''t been cking off these past two years."


    The team, including MystiCat, nced over. Was Ms. Payne finally going to coach them?


    To their surprise, she wasn''t just moving her lips this time-she was moving her hands.


    "This ends in fifteen minutes,¡± Juniper murmured, cing her hands on the keyboard. ¡°The traffic gets bad if we leave toote.¡±


    She hated traffic; it interfered with her dinner ns.


    "Huh?"


    Before they could process it, the character for yer 3, which had been idle for some time, was suddenly sprinting toward the heart of the battle.


    Mysticat and his teammates stared, their eyes wide and their minds buzzing. Was Ms. Payne actually subbing in?


    "Defend!" Juniper''s fingers flew across the keyboard as her sharpmand cut through their shock.


    "Yes, ma''am!" MystiCat responded over thems.


    Once Juniper joined the game, her


    character leveled up with


    astonishing speed. She expertly located an enemy hiding in the. bushes, dragged them out, and unleashed a brutalbo. The opponent tried to fight back but waspletely outmatched. They tried to flee, but there was no escape. Their health bar was shredded to nothing, and their character dropped to the ground.


    As if that wasn''t enough, Juniper made her character stomp on the digital corpse twice before walking away.


    The crowd was stunned by the substitute who had just entered the game and was already dominating.


    Wait a second. Judging by her technique, she actually knew how to y. No, it was more than that. Not even the top eSports pros had mechanics this fast. No one except... Demon.


    Digital Sabers members were equally floored by Juniper''s performance Her speed and ystyle were terrifying Their yer 5, who was no slouch himself, had been eliminated without even a chance to fight back. It was absurd. C¨®ntent


    ¡°Ms. Payne, you''re incredible," MystiCat said, giving her a thumbs-up, his praise genuine.


    "Focus," Juniper shot back, ncing at him with a cold warning. "Enemy in the bushes to your left. Dodge."


    Mysticat instantly teleported away. A momentter, a massive ultimate ability exploded right where he had been standing. If he hadn''t moved, he would have been toast.


    "yer 4, stay i


    inside the tower. Don''t


    move," shemanded. "yer 1, go to the bottomne and stop. roaming. yer 2, head to the topne. If they engage, run. If it''s clear,


    push forward and hide in the bushes. near their tower. MystiCat, you''re with me in the midne."


    With a rapid-fire series ofmands, Juniper instantly corrected Neverfall Navigators'' chaotic rhythm.


    They engaged in the midne. Two from Neverfall Navigators against four from the enemy team.


    "Don''t hang back. Go in," Juniper ordered, her voice sharp over thems as her keyboard ttered.


    "Go in?¡± MystiCat hesitated. A head-on sh seemed far too risky.


    "Now!" Juniper red at him, her eyes chillingly intense.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Intimidated, MystiCat shivered and followed her lead, unleashing a barrage of abilities.


    Digital Sabers never expected Neverfall Navigators to be so bold, engaging them two-on-four.

 Chapter 659

    Caught off guard, Digital Sabers reacted a few seconds toote.


    The screen exploded with light and sound as both teams unleashed their abilities, the intense sh echoing throughout the arena.


    "First blood!" Junipernded the final blow on the enemy''s yer 2, whose health was already low, her damage output skyrocketing.


    "Double kill!"


    yer 3 tried to escape but was caught within Juniper''s range. After a brief, futile exchange of abilities, he met the same fate as his teammate.


    MystiCat was handling the remaining two. Just as his health was about to hit critical, Juniper threw out a massive ultimate, stunning both enemies and rendering them immobile. Seizing the opportunity, she and MystiCat unleashed their maximum damage.


    "Triple kill!"


    "Quadra kill!"


    The announcer''s voice boomed, crediting all four kills to a single yer: Juniper.


    MystiCat waspletely dumbfounded. Something was off. In the chaos of thatst fight, for a split second, he felt like he was watching Demon y. Only Demon possessed that level of skill.


    "You..." MystiCat opened his mouth, unable to stop himself from asking.


    ¡°Quiet,¡± Juniper cut him off, having no time for his questions as she formted a new strategy.


    The four members of Digital Sabersy defeated in a neat row. They were beyond shocked.


    "What kind of ystyle is that?" one of the Digital Sabers members asked, his voice hoarse.


    "It''s Demon''s," their captain replied, his face grim. "After all these years, I can''t believe someone else managed to master his signature technique.¡±


    Demon''s ystyle could be


    summed up in one word: chaotic. It was utterly unpredictable, impossible to anticipate. He would appear out of nowhere and strike you down before you could react. His mastery of his abilities was soplete that it left opponents with no chance to counter. For other yers, facing him was a nightmare.


    "The moment she subbed in, Neverfall Navigatorspletely changed," another teammate added, his face etched with worry. "Captain, the rest of this match is going to be tough."


    "Tough or not, we fight," the captain said, his fingers tapping the keyboard as he stared at the screen. "We have to win this final game, no matter what."


    His meaning was clear. They would use any means necessary, fair or foul, as long as they won.


    But it was no use. Even when Digital Sabers resorted to dirty tricks, they couldn''t stop Juniper''s onught. With each kill, her power grew exponentially By thete game she barely had to try to decimate her opponents. Digital Sabers'' morale crumbled, and they came close to smashing their keyboards in frustration.


    A collective gasp rose from the crowd. Digital Sabers'' main tower fell. Fifth game, victory for Neverfall Navigators.


    The final tournament score, in a best-of-five, was 3-2. This year''s WKL eSports champions were Neverfall Navigators.


    Seeing the final result, the members of Neverfall Navigators sat frozen in their chairs, stunned and still processing what had just happened.


    Suddenly, the arena erupted in thunderous apuse and cheers. Everyone was chanting ¡°Juniper¡± and ¡°Neverfall Navigators."


    Across the stage, the members of Digital Sabers, who had been ready to pop the champagne just an hour


    ago, sat in stunned silence, thetain


    facesdarker than coal. Their captain just kept muttering, "Impossible."


    They had been so close to ne


    championship. How could they have lost?


    After a long moment, the captain of Digital Sabers stormed over to the judges'' table.


    ¡°I want to report an illegal substitution by Neverfall Navigators,¡± he dered angrily.


    ¡°She''s not a registered professional yer. She is not eligible topete!¡±


    The crowd''s cheers died instantly. Come to think of it... Juniper really wasn''t a pro yer. Did that mean the results of this match would be invalidated?!

 Chapter 660

    At the Digital Sabers captain''s usation, the faces of the Neverfall Navigators members turned grim.


    "The rule requiring all tournament participants to be registered professionals was abolished years ago," MystiCat shot back, standing up in fury. ¡°Did you really think you could win by trapping our substitute yer in Batonia?"


    "That''s right," another teammate chimed in, his anger finally boiling over as he faced the ugly truth of Digital Sabers'' tactics. "You y dirty when you can''t win? Your country''s sportsmanship is truly something else.¡±


    "If you can''t handle a loss, don''t y," MystiCat added with a cold, sarcastic smile. "What do you know? Any random gamer from our region could wipe the floor with you."


    The Digital Sabers members'' faces turned livid with rage. They had never imagined that some slip of a girl could be so ridiculously good at the game.


    However, their captain just curled his lip into a smirk. "You''re right, the old rule was abolished," he said slowly. "But the approval process for the new rule is incrediblyplex. The new regtion doesn''t officially take effect until tomorrow."


    He paused for effect. "And if it''s not in effect, we follow the old rules."


    If they had gone to the trouble of trapping Neverfall Navigators'' sub in another country, did anyone really think they hadn''t considered every possible contingency?


    Not in effect? The other teammates looked at MystiCat, who in turn looked toward the referee. The official, having just finished checking, gave them a slight nod. It was true. The new rule wasn''t active yet.


    Mysticat and his teammates were stunned. The rule change had been in the works for two years,


    spearheaded by Demon himself


    They had assumed it was finalized long ago which was why they felt confident having Ms. Payne join the team. Had the trophy they''d just won been snatched from their grasp?


    "ording to the regtions, Neverfall Navigators'' results should be nullified," a Digital Sabers yer announced, staring at them with tant provocation.


    The referees huddled together, clearly discussing how to handle the situation. It was an unprecedented and bizarre turn of events.


    The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves, their previous tion turning into bitter disappointment. After such a hard-fought, spectacr victory... Digital Sabers had pulled a stunt like this. It was disgusting!


    "Ms. Payne..." MystiCat clenched his fists, turning to the girl beside him, who was calmly sipping a bottle of water. All the shouting had made Juniper thirsty. While they argued, she drank.


    Seeing that she had finished,


    MystiCat bowed respectfully. "Ms. Payne, thank you for your hard


    work he said his voice crack


    with defeat "I suppose this is just ins our fate. The destiny of Neverfall Navigators."


    He had thought that by giving it their all and oveing every obstacle, they could bring glory to their country. He never imagined it would end like this.


    ¡°Fate?¡± Juniper set down her water bottle, her clear, cold eyes narrowing slightly. Her tone waszy, almost casual. "I don''t believe in fate. I make my own."


    Mysticat forced a weak smile. He used to think that way too, but the facts were undeniable. Neverfall Navigators had won, but they had broken the rules. There was no way around it.


    ¡°ording to the WKL eSportsmittee regtions,


    17.


    non-professional yers must be registered three months prior topetition, the head referee announced into the microphone. "The substitute yer for team N¨¦verfall Navigators has vited this rule. Therefore, their results are void. The championship for this tournament will be awarded to..."

 Chapter 661

    Hearing the referee''s words, the fans from Orient Country felt their hearts shatter. The match had been so difficult, so incredible. And yet, they were being handed a loss.


    The fans wanted to protest, to argue, but the rules were the rules. Neverfall Navigators... had really lost.


    "Who says Neverfall Navigators lost?"


    Before the referee could finish his sentence, Juniper suddenly stood up, her cold gaze fixed on the center of the stage.


    Her sudden interjection left both the referees and the Digital Sabers team stunned.


    "Who says?" The Digital Sabers captain tilted his chin up, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "The regtions, written in ck and white. Or is Neverfall Navigators nning to snatch the trophy right here on a live broadcast?"


    "Why would I snatch something that''s already ours?" Juniper shot back with a smirk. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and began walking toward the referees.


    "Ms. Payne, what are you..." MystiCat,pletely bewildered, hurried to follow her.


    In an instant, every camera in the arena swiveled to follow Juniper''s every move. No one knew what this unknown young woman was nning.


    Online, viewers were already posting cynicalments: "Neverfall Navigators, such sore losers."


    "Miss, ording to the regtions, a non-professional yer is not eligible topete,¡± the referee repeated, worried Juniper might not have understood. "Therefore, Neverfall Navigators'' results are invalid. Our judgment is fair and impartial. If you have any objections, please file an appeal with themittee."


    The members of Digital Sabers were smiling, some even taking out their national gs, ready to enjoy the spectacle of Neverfall Navigators'' humiliation.


    "Of course a non-professional yer would be against the rules," Juniper said, tuming to face Digital Sabers. spoke slowly, deliberately. "But am a professional yer."


    A professional yer? Her words sent a shockwave through the entire venue. The people who came to watch the finals were almost all dedicated WKL eSports fans. They had never seen her on the big screen before. How could she be


    professional? She must have


    snapped from the pressure.


    "Pfft-" Members of the Digital Sabers team burst outughing, their eyes filled with contempt. "You''re a professional yer? From what country? Hey, Neverfall Navigators, do you guys know anything about this?"


    No one from Neverfall Navigators said a word. Because they really didn''t know. A professional yer''s record could be looked up instantly. What on earth was Ms. Payne trying to do?


    ¡°Miss, please do not interfere with the proceedings,¡± the referee warned, his face hardening. "Or we will be forced to call security."


    They had already run a search of every professional yer roster in the world. The name ¡°Juniper¡± was nowhere to be found. Therefore, she was lying, just trying to stir up trouble.


    "Ms. Payne, I know you want us to win, but..." MystiCat sighed, trying to persuade her to back down. "These are the rules of the game."


    "My name on the professional roster isn''t Juniper,¡± Juniper said, ncing at MystiCat with a faint smile. "Why don''t you try searching for the name Demon?"


    Who? Demon?


    The name dropped like a bomb, plunging the entire arena into dead silence. Did they hear that right? Did Juniper just im to be the legendary esports god, Demon?


    That was a fantasy wilder than their craziest dreams. It was ridiculous!


    "De-Demon?" MystiCat whirled around to stare at her, his eyes wide with shock, his tongue tied. "You''re saying you''re our team''s captain, Demon?"


    "Don''t I look the part?" Juniper raised an eyebrow, her tone impossibly rxed.

 Chapter 662

    Mysticat swallowed hard, feeling like he couldn''t breathe. Demon was a man. She was a woman. How the hell did they look the part?


    The other members of Neverfall Navigators crowded around, their expressions a mixture of horror and disbelief.


    "Hahaha..." The Digital Sabers team exchanged nces before bursting into unrestrainedughter. "Do you even know who Demon is? You think you can just say his name and be him?"


    Demon was the fastest yer in the history of the sport to reach the highest rank. He had almost never lost apetitive match. Years ago, he had led Neverfall Navigators from an unknown team all the way to the international stage, winning two consecutive world championships and earning fame worldwide. The name Demon had long be a legend, a god-tier figure worshipped by every yer in the esports circle.


    Most yers weren''t even worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as him. And now, some girl had the audacity to impersonate him. It wasughable.


    Then again, she was just a kid. Maybe she didn''t know any better.


    The audience was just as skeptical. ¡°What is she doing? She could have imed to be anyone, but she chose Demon?"


    "I''m a fan. I think I''d know if Demon was a man or a woman."


    "It''s obvious the pressure got to her and she snapped."


    "Neverfall Navigators could have lost with dignity. Now they''ve made themselves aughingstock. The international forums are going to have a field day with this."


    "Even Demon himself would be speechless if he saw this."


    "Wait... am I the only one who thinks that from certain angles, she actually does look a bit like Demon?"


    "Now that you mention it... Demon always kept himselfpletely covered during matches, never showing his face. Is it possible he was a woman in disguise this whole time?"


    "The more I think about it, the more I''m starting to wonder."


    In the stands, Miranda nearly jumped out of her seat with excitement before Hayden pulled her back down.


    "Aaaah!" Miranda gripped her


    husband''s hand tightly, shaking with excitement. "I told you she looked like him! I can''t believe she''s really my ido!" She beamed. "No, wait, now she''s my goddess! I''m so happy 1 finally got to see her in person!"


    "Me too," Hayden said, wincing as he clutched his bruised hand. His handsome face was contorted in pain. Her idol was now a goddess. He''d never have to be jealous or resentful again. He was truly happy


    Meanwhile, on stage, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.


    "You say you''re Demon?" The Digital Sabers captain, who was about the same height as Juniper, met her gaze his voiceced with mockery You''re going to have to prove


    He continued, his tone full of arrogance, "If you can prove you''re Demon, I will personally present you with the championship trophy."


    He had faced Demon in battle many times. He was absolutely certain this girl couldn''t be him.


    "You said it," Juniper replied, her lips curling into a smirk.


    ¡°I said it,¡± the captain confirmed without hesitation, even repeating it for the cameras. ¡°If you can prove you''re Demon, I will personally award you the trophy."


    "Proof is simple enough," Juniper raised an eyebrow and looked at the captain. "Mind if I use yourputer?"


    "Ourputer?" The captain was confused.


    "Of course," Juniper said nonchntly. "Neverfall Navigators has always yed clean. Not like certain teams that resort to disgusting tactics."


    The thinly veiled insult made the Digital Sabers yers'' faces darken, but they couldn''t refute it.


    "If I''m going to prove it, there can''t be any room for doubt,¡± Juniper continued. "Using yourputer would make it more authentic, don''t you think?"

 Chapter 663

    "Fine," the captain said, stepping aside. He wanted to see what this arrogant girl thought she could possibly pull off.


    Juniper walked to the terminal, leaned over slightly, and ced her fingers on the keyboard. A momentter, the WKL eSports login page appeared on the massive screen. It dawned on everyone, both on stage and in the audience, at the same time. Her proof was logging into Demon''s personal ount.


    "You" The captain''s pupils dted as he watched Juniper expertly type in the username and password, the screen quickly transitioning to a personal profile page.


    Holy crap! It was really Demon''s profile. A live login, impossible to fake.


    "Demon!"


    "Juniper is Demon!"


    "Can someone please tell me what happened in thest two years? How did Demon go from a guy to a girl?"


    "There''s only one exnation: he took a little trip."


    "Oh, shut up!"


    "Demon..." MystiCat stared at the profile, then back at Juniper, too stunned to form aplete sentence. He had imagined reuniting with his boss countless times, but never like this. His boss... had changed gender!


    "Aah¡ª" MystiCat''s legs went weak, and he nearly copsed, but his teammates quickly caught him.


    "Pathetic," Juniper said, ncing at the devastated Mysticat. She gave a faint smile and addressed the entire arena. "I originally presented as male because I was young, and my family was worried I wouldn''t be able to handle the inevitable criticism and gossip."


    It was true. Female yers were virtually nonexistent in the professional scene for games like this. Even female streamers were constantly judged. To avoid trouble and save her family the worry, she had simply disguised herself as a boy. And it had worked like a charm.


    "The game''s rules don''t ce any restrictions on gender, do they?" Juniper finished her exnation and looked at the referee, her tone polite and friendly.


    "No," the referee stammered,pletely bewildered by the revtion.


    "Therefore," Juniper''s lips curved into a smirk, her eyes darkening as she spoke with firm conviction, "Neverfall Navigators did not vite any rules. The results of this match are valid. And the championship still belongs to them."


    "That''s right! Neverfall Navigators broke no rules! They are the champions!"


    "Wee back, Demon!"


    "Long live Demon!"


    The roar from the crowd was deafening, putting all the pressure on the referee.


    "Wait!" Before the referee could


    But


    speak, the captain of Digital Sabers interjected again, his voice strained "How do we know you''re not an imposter? Demon is the captain of Neverfall Navigators, It''s noto


    impossible that he gave you his ount password just so his team could win!"


    "A fair point," Juniper said, having anticipated this usation. She turned back to the keyboard. A few secondster, a dozen pages of transaction history for WKL in-game skins and peripherals appeared on the screen. The name on the linked bank card was clear: Juniper Payne.


    "And if you''re still not convinced, I have a little more evidence," Juniper said, pulling out her phone and quickly connecting it to the big. screen A series of photos showing her applying makeup appeared. "If you all have the time, I don''t mind giving a live demonstration of a woman disguising herself as a man."


    A hush fell over the venue. The evidence was irrefutable.


    The members of Digital Sabers stood frozen, their faces pale and drawn. They were


    utterly speechless.

 Chapter 664

    The captain of Digital Sabers opened his mouth to argue, but no words came out. Juniper had logged into Demon''s ount. The ount''s transaction history was all in her name. She had even given a perfectly clear exnation for the male disguise. And it was true-WKL eSports had no rule against it.


    So Neverfall Navigators had won. Fair and square.


    "Do you require any further proof?" Juniper asked, turning her head to face the referee. Her voice was soft, but thezy drawl carried a chilling pressure.


    "No." Facing the legendary Demon, the referee shook his head vigorously, tripping over his words. "I hereby dere that the winner of this year''s WKL eSports championship is... Orient Country''s Neverfall Navigators!"


    "Yeah!" MystiCat and his teammates clenched their fists, letting out a heartfelt roar of victory. Only they knew what they had been through for the past two years.


    "Neverfall Navigators!" the audience chanted, the cheers shaking the arena.


    "I trust the captain of Digital Sabers is a man of his word," Juniper said, her gaze falling on the ashen-faced man. "You''ll be presenting us with our trophy shortly, won''t you?"


    The captain wanted to refuse, but he remembered his own arrogant boast, made on camera for all to see. If he backed out now, the public bacsh would be even worse.


    Swallowing his rage, he shot them a dirty look and stalked off toward the backstage area, his team trailing behind him.


    The crowd erupted in jeers and triumphantughter. It just went to show, talent is talent. No amount of dirty tricks could beat Neverfall Navigators!


    "The award ceremony will be held in fifteen minutes," the referee announced.


    With that, Juniper led her team off the stage.


    Backstage, she sat on a sofa while MystiCat and the other four team members stood before her like penitent schoolboys. They would steal @quick nce at her, then look down at the floor, only to look up again secondster. They repeated this dance of hesitation, too nervous to speak.


    "You were all pretty loud during the match. Cat got your tongues now?" Juniper asked casually, opening a bottle of water.


    "Boss¡ª" The team exchanged nces until MystiCat finally broke the silence. "I can''t believe it''s been two years. You''ve gotten... so beautiful."


    As soon as the words left his mouth, he blushed furiously, his face turning as red as a tomato. He was mortified.


    "Boss, does this mean you''reing back to the professional scene?" another yer asked, his voice trembling with excitement. "We''ve been hoping you''de back every single day."


    "No," Juniper said tly, taking a sip of water. "You''ve all improved a lot these past two years, and you''ve picked some great new members. Neverfall Navigators can thrive and win championships without me."


    "You''re noting back?" MystiCat''s smile vanished, reced by a look of sorrow.


    "I''m not." Juniper nodded, her gaze softening as she looked at the five men before her. "I have more important things to do."


    "What could be more important?" MystiCat asked, confused.


    "My studies." Juniper grabbed a bag of chips from the table beside her and popped one into her mouth, chewing with a loud crunch. "I need to work hard and get good grades."


    Work hard? MystiCat had just looked


    up his boss''s info. She''d gotten a


    perfect score on her college entrance exams. If a genius like her entrance


    had to ''work hard,'' what hope was there for anyone else?


    "Boss-" Mysticat began, unwilling to give up.


    "Stop." Juniper looked up, a slight smile ying on her lips. Her voice was a low, husky murmur. "We can talk about my returnter. There''s something else we need to clear up right now."

 Chapter 665

    Mysticat and the others looked at her in confusion,pletely baffled.


    "If we win the match, all the prize money is mine." Juniper pointed to a camera on the ceiling with a sly grin. "I have proof, so don''t even think about backing out."


    The team members'' mouths twitched. After all this time, their boss was still just as obsessed with money as ever.


    "Alright, go change and get ready for the award ceremony," Juniper urged them. "This is a global broadcast, so don''t embarrass our country."


    "Yes, ma''am." The five of them didn''t dare disobey and filed out of the room.


    The moment the door clicked shut, Juniper''s phone rang.


    "Juniper," the man''s low, gentle voice murmured from the other end. "Or should I be calling you Demon now? You must have enjoyed watching me search everywhere for you, didn''t you?" Shanley''s voice was impossibly soft, a yful smile audible in his tone. "You little troublemaker."


    Juniper''s cheeks flushed at his teasing.


    "Cut the crap," she said, clearing her throat to feignposure. "Don''t forget the money you promised me. I want everyst cent."


    "Of course," Shanley''sugh was a deep rumble, deliberately seductive, enough to make one''s heart race. "Just wait. I''ll deliver it to you in person."


    Juniper clutched her phone, her stomach doing flip-flops. Why did that sound so ominous? He wasn''t nning toe and settle the score, was he?


    Well, tricking him once was tricking him, tricking him twice was also tricking him... He should be used to it by now!


    She was clearly the one who''d set the trap, but she felt perfectly justified.


    "Okay," she said, quickly hanging up before he could say anything else to fluster


    her. She set the phone down, her heart still pounding. "Calm down. I''m not nervous."


    ...


    Vel


    Ten minutester, the award ceremony began. The third-ce team received their medals first, followed by Digital Sabers for second ce. As their captain epted the runner-up trophy his face was stony, and he looked like he was grinding his teeth to dust.


    This


    "Thank you," he said through a smile that was more like a grimace.


    "And now, we will present the award to our champions!" the host


    announced. The award presenter


    walked toward Juniper, trophy i


    hand, his face beaming with admiration. The legendary Demon, congrattions!"


    "Thank you." Juniper nced at the trophy but kept her hands at her sides, making no move to take it. "I''m honored that you''re here to present the award to me."


    "No, no, the honor is all mine!" The presenter shook his head enthusiastically. "Just between us, I''m a huge fan of yours."


    "However¡ª" Juniper cut in before he could continue, "If I recall correctly, the trophy is supposed to be presented to me by the captain of Digital Sabers, personally."


    She emphasized the word "personally" with a sharp, deliberate tone.


    The captain''s head snapped up, and he stared at Juniper, swallowing hard. He said nothing, hoping to y dead.


    "It seems the captain of Digital


    Sabers has forgotten his promise,"


    Juniper said, having already


    prepared for their dishonesty. With a


    snap of her fingers, the saptains


    voice suddenly boomed from the venue''s speakers.


    "If you can prove you''re Demon, I will personally award you the trophy."


    "If you can prove you''re Demon, I will personally award you the trophy."


    "If you can prove you''re Demon, I will personally award you the trophy."


    The phrase echoed through the arena on a loop, the volume steadily increasing. It was a relentless audio assault.

 Chapter 666

    "Present the trophy!"


    "Present the trophy!"


    "Present the trophy!"


    Out of nowhere, the entire audience began chanting in unison.


    The award presenter, far from being offended, was practically giddy with excitement.


    It had been years since he''d seen fans this worked up. That was the power of Demon.


    "Demon, I''ll step aside for now," the presenter whispered, his eyes sparkling. "I support whatever you decide to do."


    Digital Sabers had a reputation for pulling dirty tricks in every match, and most teams didn''t know how to fight back. Their name was mud in the gamingmunity. They were just unlucky to run into Demon; they had really picked a fight with the wrong person. He, for one, was excited to see how this incredible scene would y


    out.


    The chanting grew louder, and the members of Digital Sabers looked as if they were being roasted over an open fire. Not only had they lost the championship, but now they had to personally hand the trophy over to Neverfall Navigators?


    If they did it, they would be aughingstock. If they didn''t... they would be mocked as sore losers on top of it. The damage to their reputation would be immense.


    Weighing his options, the captain finally stepped forward. He picked up the championship trophy he had coveted, his legs feeling like lead as he dragged himself toward the Neverfall Navigators'' tform.


    One by one, the Neverfall Navigators'' yers tilted their heads, fighting to suppress their grins as he approached. This was sweet. So incredibly sweet! It was the perfect revenge for their teammates who had been tormented in Batonia.


    The Digital Sabers'' captain stopped in front of them and held out the trophy.


    MystiCat reached for it, but when he caught the dark look on Juniper''s face, he instantly pulled his hand back.


    Seeing that no one was taking the trophy, the captain was forced to continue holding it aloft. It wasrge and heavy, and his arm began to ache His face grew even darker, his anger threatening to boil over.


    The host awkwardly cleared his throat, feeling the intense secondhand


    embarrassment but also finding the spectacle thrilling.


    "Demon, I''ve done what you asked," the captain said through clenched teeth, his hand trembling slightly.


    "Why, thank you so much." Juniper finally took the trophy, deliberately waving it in his face.


    "A word of advice," she said in a low, husky voice. "It''s always smart to leave yourself an out. If I ever find out Digital Sabers is bullying my team members again, things won''t be resolved this easily."


    The captain retracted his hand, his


    ming


    face pale, but he didn''t argue. He knew that Demon still held considerable influence in the world She had fans and connections with famous pro yers all over the country The online bacsh against them was going to be a nightmare. He''d have to get his PR team on damage control as soon as he got back.


    "A special thank you to the captain of the runner-up team, Digital Sabers, for personally presenting the championship trophy to Neverfall Jurovato


    Navigators," Jumper announced, turning to the cameras with a smile


    that didn''t reach her eyes. "All of us at Neverfall Navigators are


    absolutely delighted."


    "That''s right!" Catching their boss''s cue, MystiCat and the others nodded


    emphatically. "We''re extremely delighted!"


    The captain could only clench his fists in helpless rage before retreating to his team


    in humiliation.


    "Hahaha!"


    "That''s our Demon! She doesn''t just win; she humiliates them!"


    "I''m officially a fan of Demon''s skills and her looks!"


    "Her tongue is so sharp, it''s almost cute! How does she do it?"


    "Wait, am I the only one who noticed that while Demon was studying hard enough to


    get a perfect score on her exams, she was also bing a gaming god?"

 Chapter 667

    "My mom always said gamers can''t get good grades. I''m sending this to her!"


    "Easy there. Demon can do it, but you''re not Demon!"


    Amid the roaring cheers, the stirring sound of the national anthem filled the entire arena. After the award ceremony, Juniper tossed the trophy to MystiCat and rubbed her neck. "You guys must be exhausted. Go home and get some rest."


    "Boss," MystiCat said, clutching the trophy as he and the team trailed after her like ducklings. He blushed slightly. "How about we all go out for a celebratory dinner?¡± "Dinner?" Juniper paused at the door to the lounge, her eyes lifting with a hint of hesitation. When food was involved, a moment''s pause was only fair.


    "We could go get..."


    MystiCat was about to make a suggestion when the lounge door swung open. A tall, imposing man in a ck trench coat stood there, one hand in his pocket and an ice cream cake in the other. His refined, aristocratic features and powerful aura left Mysticat and his team momentarily stunned.


    "Boss, who is this?" MystiCat asked, looking from the man to Juniper.


    Shanley remained silent, waiting for Juniper''s introduction, his gazending on MystiCat with a chilling intensity. He had watched the entire award ceremony, and this guy''s eyes hadn''t left Juniper for a second.


    Juniper walked over to Shanley''s side, a faint smile gracing her lips as she spotted the cake. "My boyfriend."


    "Boyfriend?" MystiCat was taken aback, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "Boss, you already have a boyfriend?"


    "What? Is that so surprising?" Having received the answer he wanted, Shanley stepped forward smugly and gently took Juniper''s hand. His voice was a low rumble. ¡°Juniper''s a bit tired today and wants to rest. Let''s reschedule the dinner for another time."


    Mysticat frowned but ultimately nodded obediently. "Of course, Boss. Get some good rest."


    ¡°I will,¡± Juniper replied absently, her attention already fixed on the cake. ¡°What vor is it?"


    "Mango. Your favorite," Shanley said, closing the door behind them.


    "Bang."


    MystiCat and his team were shut out.


    "Well," Mysticat sighed heavily, his head drooping. It made sense. Someone like his boss deserved someone even more exceptional.


    ...


    Inside the lounge, Juniper sat on the sofa, taking small, slightly guilty bites of cake.


    "Demon?" Shanley gently wiped her mouth with a napkin, a strange smile on his face.


    "Oh." Juniper met his gaze without flinching, holding out her hand.


    "Surely Mr. Schwartz is


    Schwartz isn''t nning


    to back out of our deal?" >


    "Of course not." Shanley pulled out a bank card and ced it in her palm, his voice soft and affectionate "Anything you want, it''s yours."


    Juniper looked at him, remembering the time she had impulsively kissed him. Damn it! She was discovering that Shanley was even more handsome when he was giving her money. She couldn''t help bubstare for an extra second.


    "Juniper..." Shanley leaned in, but just as he was about to speak, her phone buzzed


    with a notification.


    [OMG!!!!]


    It was from Miranda.

 Chapter 668

    Miranda: AHHHHHHHH!


    Miranda: ''You''re my idol, Demon! I can''t believe it! AHHHHH!,


    Miranda: Demon, can I please meet you?


    Miranda: OMG, I can''t believe I''m seeing my idol in the flesh!


    Juniper raised an eyebrow at the barrage of messages. She instinctively angled her


    phone away from Shanley and typed back a simple reply. [Okay.]


    "What is it?" Shanley frowned at her secretive movement, his voice a low rasp. "Who''s texting you? Is it important?"


    "It''s thatdy I met the other day." Juniper gave him a quick nce at her chat screen, where the contact was saved as ''Snack Lady.''


    ¡°She''s a fan of Demon," Juniper exined. "I''m going to meet her for a minute.¡±


    "I''ll go with you.¡± Shanley grabbed his jacket, ready to get up.


    "No, it''s fine.¡± Juniper firmly refused, picking up the cake Shanley had bought her. She looked at him, her delicate face serious. ¡°For... personal reasons, she doesn''t want anyone else to see her."


    ¡°Alright.¡± After a moment''s hesitation, Shanley decided not to follow.


    "Come back soon," he urged softly. "A big crowd of fans can be unsafe."


    With Demon''s sudden reappearance, the entrance was likely swarmed, and an impulsive fan could do anything.


    "Okay," Juniper nodded, heading out with the cake.


    ...


    In a quiet lounge in the corner of the arena, Juniper sat on the sofa, waiting for Miranda. She had already asked a staff member to escort her, so it wouldn''t be long.


    Soon, a knock sounded at the door. A heavily bundled-up Miranda peeked her head in cautiously.


    "Demon!" Seeing Juniper, Miranda immediately ripped off her sunsses and mask and rushed toward her excitedly, arms outstretched for a hug. She caught herself midway, braking just in time.


    "Oh, I''m so sorry, I''m just such a huge fan, Miranda said, wringing her hands, her eyes sparkling as if she were looking at a priceless treasure. "Demon, could we could we maybe have a hug?"


    "Of course."


    Normally, Juniper wasn''t fond of physical contact with strangers, but for some reason, she felt an inexplicable warmth toward the woman before her.


    "Ooh!" Miranda immediately tossed her purse to her husband standing behind her and wrapped Juniper in a tight embrace.


    "Ahem..."


    The hug was so tight that Juniper could barely breathe.


    Seeing his wife embracing Juniper, Hayden frowned, a pang of jealousy in his chest. But then he thought, ¡°at least Demon is a woman. If she were a man... if my wife hugged him, I''d have to¡ª"


    Never mind. It wasn''t like he could object anyway. A sessful husband knows how to console himself!


    "How on earth are you Demon?" Miranda asked, holding Juniper''s hand, unwilling to let go for even a second. Her eyes seemed glued to her.


    "Surprising, isn''t it?" Juniper gave a small smile. Honestly, I just started ying because I was bored and needed to kill some time. Later on, saw how teams from other countries were trashing our yers, so put together the Neverfall Navigators."


    ¡°After a while, I stepped back to focus on my studies,¡± Juniper exined, opening


    the cake box and cing it in front of Miranda. "A gift in return."


    Miranda had brought her plenty of snacks before the match, after all.


    "Oh, Demon, you like this brand of cake?" Miranda didn''t hesitate, scooping a piece into her mouth with a spoon. Her eyes narrowed in delights Wow, love it too! was just about to go buy one."

 Chapter 669

    "Is that so?" Juniper smiled warmly. "Then please, have some more."


    "Mhmm!" Miranda nodded vigorously, taking several more bites with pure satisfaction.


    ¡°Oh, right¡ª¡± After finishing the cake, Miranda pulled a beautiful photo album from her bag. It was filled with pictures she had taken at Juniper''s matches over the years. They were incredibly well-shot.


    ¡°Demon, my hero, could you sign the cover for me?¡± Miranda asked, her eyes shining with anticipation as she chattered on. "I''ve been to every single one of yourpetitions."


    Unfortunately, Demon always vanished the second a match ended, leaving no chance for a meeting.


    "Of course," Juniper said, taking the pen and signing her name. "And please, just call me Juniper or Demon."


    "Okay, okay!¡± The more Miranda looked at Juniper, the more she liked her. ¡°Juniper, you must have a lot of siblings, huh?"


    "I do," Juniper replied absently, still concentrating on her signature.


    "I see.¡± Miranda pursed her lips. She had previously considered asking Juniper to be her goddaughter. But now, knowing she was the legendary Demon, that seemed a little... inappropriate. Maybe...


    ¡°Juniper...¡± Miranda licked her lips, a wide smile spreading across her face. "We''ve met so many times, it must be fate. Why don''t we just be friends?"


    "Sure." Juniper finished signing and nodded. In her mind, they already were.


    Miranda was overjoyed at her response and sped her hand again.


    "Then from now on, we''re besties!" she said, pulling a jewelry box from her bag and pressing it into Juniper''s hand. "This is just a little trinket brought back from


    overseas. It''s nothing valuable. Thin fit as a gift to celebrate... our newfound sisterhood."


    "Huh?" Juniper stared at the box,pletely bewildered. Before she could process what was happening, Miranda was already saying Well it''s gettingte. I should be heading home. Once I sort out some things at home, I''lle find you again."


    "Oh? Okay," Juniper nodded, arranging for a staff member to escort the couple out through a back exit.


    Only after they were gone did Shanley approach, his eyes immediately falling on the box in her hand.


    "My new friend... gave it to me,¡± Juniper said softly, slowly opening the box. ¡°She said it was just a little trinket from abroad."


    But as the lid opened, Juniper''s eyes


    widened in shock. Insidey a bracelet she recognized as a masterpiece from a famous international designer, a piece that was rarely ever sold. Miranda called a bracelet worth millions a worthless little trinket? And just gave it to her?


    ¡°Friend?¡± Shanley stepped closer, holding Juniper''s backpack. He gently ced a hand on her waist, a slight smile on his lips. "It seems thisdy has taken quite a liking to you."


    "She''s my fan,¡± Juniper said, closing the box. "But we..... made a pact. She''s my... bestie now."


    She''d have to find a way to return it. A gift this valuable was not something she could just ept.

 Chapter 670

    "I''ll have to meet this generousdy sometime," Shanley said, his voice a low murmur as he gently took Juniper''s hand.


    Juniper had a reserved nature; very few people ever managed to get close to her, let alone be a certified friend. He was curious to see what thisdy was like.


    "Okay,¡± Juniper didn''t object, letting him lead her out. The long day had left her utterly exhausted.


    Noticing her fatigue, Shanley stopped and crouched down with his back to her. ¡°Hop on," he said softly. "I''ll carry you."


    Carry her? Juniper hesitated for a second before climbing onto his back and wrapping her arms around his neck. His back was broad and warm, and pressed against him, she could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.


    "Shanley..." Juniper tilted her head, her cheek resting against his shoulder, giving her a perfect view of his sharp profile.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Shanley adjusted his grip under her legs and started walking steadily toward the back exit.


    "Your back is so warm," Juniper murmured, her sleepy voice a soft vibration against his ear. The warmth of her breath brushed against his skin.


    Shanley''s throat tightened, and his body tensed. "Do you like it?" he asked, his voice deep and alluring. "If you do, I can carry you more often. How does that sound?"


    "It''s really warm," Juniper mumbled, her eyes closed and her head bobbing with drowsiness. "Just like my grandpa''s."


    Grandpa? The word made Shanley freeze. Any trace of romantic feeling vanished into thin air. He had to hand it to her; the girl really knew how to pour cold water on a moment.


    "Don''t you..." Juniper''s arms tightened around his neck, pressing her closer. "Don''t you leave me suddenly," she slurred, "like Grandpa did. You hear me?"


    Shanley turned his head slightly and saw the flicker of pain on her face.


    "I won''t," he whispered, pressing a soft, adoring kiss to her forehead. "I''ll never leave you. Go to sleep."


    Did this mean... that in her heart, his position was slowly bing as important as her grandfather''s?


    A smile spread across Shanley''s face, his good mood instantly restored.


    At Cloudscape Community.


    Shanley gentlyid the sleeping Juniper on her bed. As he tried to pull away, her hand shot out and gripped his.


    "Sleep," he soothed, patting her head. "I''ll be right here beside you. I''m not going anywhere."


    At his words, her grip finally loosened, and her eyes closed heavily.


    Once her breathing evened out, Shanley took his phone to the balcony to return his mother''s call.


    "You brat," Miranda''s voice crackled


    over the


    to brine. "Weren''t you


    your girlfriend


    at the famo


    We''re


    estate Where is she?


    ¡°She''s been exhausted thest couple of days. Let''s do it another time," Shanley replied quietly.


    ¡°Exhausted?¡± Miranda paused for a beat, then her volume shot up usingly. "I heard that little girl is only eighteen. How could you..."


    "What?" Shanley was baffled for a


    second before a weary smile


    touched his lips He pinched the budge of his nose "Mam, your son isn''t an animal. Don''t let your imagination run wild."


    ¨¦t


    ¡°Not an animal?¡± Miranda scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You''re dating someone nearly ten years younger than you, and you expect me to believe you''re not?"


    Shanley was rendered speechless, seriously wondering if this woman was actually his mother.


    "How about this weekend?" Ignoring his silence, Miranda continued, "After we meet her, your father and I will go visit your grandparents.¡±

 Chapter 671

    They had to know for sure: was their son''s girlfriend the real deal, or just some girl he''d hired to get them off his back? After all, Shanley''s marital status had been a constant source of worry for them.


    "Alright, this weekend then," Shanley agreed after a moment''s thought. He then added, "The family estate is too formal, though. My girlfriend wouldn''t befortable there. Let''s meet at Moonlight Peak instead."


    "You arrange it, then," Miranda said, pursing her lips. "Just make sure you treat the youngdy right."


    "Oh, and what does she like?" she asked. "We need to get her a gift for our first meeting."


    "What does she like?" Shanley thought for a moment before slowly uttering a single word: "Food."


    "Food?" Miranda''s eyes lit up instantly. She sat up straight on the sofa, her voice softening. "She sounds like my kind of girl. Perfect. I know exactly what to get her now."


    Jewelry was one thing, but food... on that subject, she was an expert. She wouldn''t disappoint. After all, it wasn''t every day Shanley found a girlfriend. They couldn''t let this one get away.


    Later, over dinner, Shanley brought up the weekend meeting with his parents.


    Juniper paused, a half-eaten rib in her hand, and nced at the man across from her. If she remembered correctly, his parents had flown back specifically to meet her.


    "If you''re notfortable, we don''t have to do it," Shanley said gently, noticing her silence. "We can always-"


    "This weekend?" Juniper cut him off.


    "Yeah," Shanley nodded. "This weekend, at Moonlight Peak. It''s just a simple meal."


    "Just a meal?" Juniper lifted her gaze, her clear eyes locking onto his.


    "Not exactly," he admitted with a wry smile, cing another rib on her te. "My parents suspect I might be gay, and they think I hired you as a cover. So, they want to meet you to see for themselves¡ªand probably to back you up and give me a hard time."


    At that, a small smile touched Juniper''s lips. She kept her expressionposed and said, "Fine. Let''s meet them."


    She already liked his grandparents,


    Kent and Hannah. As for his


    parents... Juniper nced at


    Shanley before quickly looking away. His parents couldn''t be too bad


    then.


    "Great," Shanley said, a smile ying on his Ps as he wiped her fingers


    with a napkin. "I''ll handle everything. Just rx and be yourself


    ---


    That night, Junipery in bed listening to the sound of the shower, messaging


    Lue.


    Lue: [So, the pretty bride-to-be is finally meeting the inws?]


    Juniper: [.]


    Lue: [Binary Oracle can''t dig up any info on Shanley''s parents, which means they must be pretty


    important. Plus they''re the heads of a top-tier family... Juniper, don''t say I didn''t warn you. The matriarchs on TV always want a daughter-inw from an equally wealthy family.]


    She didn''t want some heiress or top socialite bullying her Juniper.


    Lue: [They''ll just throw a check at you and tell you to leave their son.]


    Juniper: [I''ve seen that trope. The girl gets to name her price.]


    Lue: [Exactly! So, what''s your n?]


    Did Juniper need her toe over and flip the table?


    Before Lue could send her next message, Juniper''s reply popped up. [Don''t worry.


    I''ll name a high price.]


    Lue: [Wait, what???]


    Lue burst outughing. That response was pure Juniper. In the grand scheme of things, cash was king!

 Chapter 672

    Lue: [I like it. Ask for a billion.]


    Juniper: [?]


    Lue: [Wait, a personal check can only go up to nine hundred and ny million.]


    Juniper: [.]


    Lue: [I know it''s a little low, but don''t worry.]


    Juniper: [??]


    Lue: [That old man ispletely wrapped around your finger. He won''t be able to leave you. When he begs you toe back, ask for ten billion.]


    Juniper: [...]


    Lue: [Aren''t I a genius?]


    Juniper: [You should probably stay inside during a thunderstorm.]


    Lue: [?]


    Juniper: [You alwayse out on top. Going to sleep.]


    After sending the message, Juniper ced her phone on the nightstand and stared intently at the bathroom door, lost in thought.


    Soon after, Shanley emerged, wrapped in a bathrobe and drying his hair with a towel. He found Juniper staring at him, her expression dark and her beautiful face scrunched up in a frown.


    Was she in a bad mood?


    "What''s wrong?" He put the towel down and leaned over her, his hands nted on either side of her, and asked gently, "Who upset you?"


    "Your breathing is annoying me," Juniper snapped, pushing him away. She rolled over, turning her back to him.


    Shanley was baffled. He touched his nose. Even his breathing was wrong now?


    Fine. If she said it was wrong, it was wrong.


    Deciding to let her cool off, he finished drying his hair and slipped into bed.


    "Juniper..." he began, lightly touching her shoulder.


    She didn''t respond.


    "Asleep already?" Shanley asked yfully, a faint smile on his lips. He knew she wasn''t; she could never fall asleep unless she was curled up in his arms.


    "There''s a fantastic bakery on Westwind Avenue," he continued ying his trump card. The head cheffust got back from advanced training. I pre-ordered something for us, we can pick it up tomorrow."


    As expected, she turned back around, her voiceced with frustration. "What would


    you do if your mother threw a check at me and told me to leave you?"


    "Hm?" Shanley paused, surprised that this was what had been bothering her. Was she this concerned about him?


    "What are you smiling at?" Juniper frowned. "You haven''t answered me."


    "Right, right," Shanley said, taking her hand. The smile in his eyes deepened as he adopted a serious expression. "I''d leave with you."


    Juniper stared at him, still processing his words, when he added, "And don''t forget to take the check before we go."


    "Oh." Juniper was satisfied with his answer. Shey back down, her expression returning to normal. "Time for sleep."


    "And what about you?" Shanley moved closer, his voice a low whisper. "If my mother offered you a check to leave me, what would you do?"


    "Simple," Juniper yawned, closing her eyes. "I''d just buy you." Shanley didn''t understand.


    "If she can try to buy me off, why can''t I buy you?" Juniper''s voice was husky but


    firm. When it came to throwing money around, she had more than enough.


    A pleased chuckle rumbled in Shanley''s throat. "Right," he nodded inplete agreement. "Go to sleep."


    But he knew that scenario would never happen. Who wouldn''t fall in love with someone as beautiful, brilliant, and charming as Juniper? He loved her, and he was certain his parents would love her even more.


    At Era University, Juniper had be a campus celebrity after her victory with


    WKL eSports.

 Chapter 673

    Everywhere she went, people fawned over her.


    Ynda Sherwin ground her teeth in frustration as she watched a boy who had just been trying to impress her run over to fawn over Juniper instead.


    So Juniper can y a video game, big deal, Ynda thought. Recently, a film crew hade to the university to scout for talent, and they had shown considerable interest in her. It was for a reality show, she''d heard, with some very famous guests. If she could seize this opportunity, she would be a star. And then, who would even remember Juniper''s name?


    Besides, Ferdinand Malone, whose reputation Juniper had ruined, was already plotting his revenge. Her lucky streak was about to end.


    Thinking about this brought a smug smile to Ynda''s face as she walked to ss.


    Meanwhile, Juniper finally shook off her crowd of autograph-seeking "fans" and sat down, replying to a message on her phone.


    Juniper: [What reality show? Not interested!]


    Jimmie: [The director is a friend of mine. He insisted I ask you.]


    Jimmie: [Alright, I know you''re not interested. I''ll turn it down for you.]


    Putting her phone away, Juniper headed to Professor Tucker''s office. The old


    professor had likely pulled an all-nighter tweaking his program and had fallen asleep at his desk.


    Juniper found a nket and gently draped it over his shoulders before turning her attention to theputer screen. On it was the code he had been modifying.


    She ran the program. A small smile yed on her lips as she watched it. He was a good "old student" of hers. it was clear he''d been working hard. and had improved immensely over the years. His skills were now good enough to rank him among the best in the world.


    However, age was catching up to the old professor, and his eyesight wasn''t what it used to be. She noticed some misced characters in the code.


    Juniper spent a few minutes correcting the typos and fixing a few other minor bugs, making the already impressive program absolutely perfect. Once she was done, she quietly left the office.


    A short whileter, Tucker woke up with a groan. Staring at the screen, he saw the program was running more smoothly than ever and was utterly baffled. He distinctly remembered there was still a bug he hadn''t fixed before he''d dozed off.


    Could it be... he had coded in his sleep?!


    On the weekend, Juniper woke up whenever she pleased. As she reached the top of the stairs, she overheard Dana speaking.


    "Mr. Schwartz, should I pick out a


    few more formal dresses for Ms.


    Payne? Her usual style is quite casual. Do you think it''s appropriate for meeting your parents?" Dana asked cautiously, her expression serious she genuinely liked Juniper and wanted her to make a good impression on Shanley''s mother. Although Mrs. Schwartz was known to be easygoing, it was always better to be careful.


    "No, that won''t be necessary," Shanley replied calmly, peeling an egg for Juniper''s breakfast. "Juniper will decide what she wears. Herfort is what matters most."


    "But¡ª" Dana was still worried and was about to protest again.


    "Dana," Shanley interrupted gently, looking up at her. His tone was soft but firm. "Juniper is herself first, and my girlfriend second. With me, she can dowhatever she wants. And that goes for everyone else too. She doesn''t have to change for anyone, not even for me. I love her just the way she is."


    "Oh!" A brilliant smile spread across Dana''s face. Hearing that from him put all her worries to rest. The futuredy of the Schwartz family was undoubtedly Juniper.

 Chapter 674

    Listening from the top of the stairs, Juniper raised an eyebrow. A smile didn''t quite grace her lips, but her steps were noticeably lighter as she came downstairs.


    "The reservation is for four this afternoon," Shanley said softly, setting her breakfast on the table. "You can go back to sleep for a bit after you eat."


    "Okay," Juniper nodded, focusing on her food.


    At three in the afternoon, Juniper opened her closet and changed into afortable outfit: a white hoodie, ck pants, and her long, silky hair falling loosely over her shoulders. Her face was wless and radiant even without a trace of makeup; she was breathtakingly beautiful.


    "Let''s go," she said,ing downstairs.


    Shanley stood up and gently took her hand. "Are you nervous?" he asked with a smile.


    "Nervous?" Juniper retorted coolly. "You''re the one who should be nervous, Mr. Schwartz."


    If his parents didn''t approve, she could just take the money and leave. He, on the other hand, would be out a girlfriend.


    "You''re right," Shanley chuckled, his grip on her hand tightening. "A treasure like you needs to be protected. I can''t afford to lose you."


    "Tsk." Juniper stared at him with aplicated expression. She''d noticed thattely, his words had been as sweet as honey. It was like he''d been taking sses on how to be the perfect boyfriend.


    At Moonlight Peak, Hayden and Miranda were still stuck in traffic when Juniper and Shanley arrived.


    "I''m going to go check on how the restaurant has been doingtely," Juniper said, deciding to embrace her role as the owner since she had time to kill.


    "Alright," Shanley replied, settling onto a sofa to peel a grapefruit for her. "I''ll call you when they get here."


    Ten minutes after checking the ounts, Juniper went to inspect the new renovations. She


    remembered approving a budget for redecorating a while back. It looked good, much morefortable.


    At that moment, Hayden and Miranda finally arrived.


    "Where''s my daughter-inw?" Miranda asked, out of breath. She was so worried about beingte and making a bad impression that she had run thest stretch, and her forehead was beaded with sweat.


    "She had to step out for a minute," Shanley said with a slight frown. "Why don''t you two sit and rest for a bit?"


    "Good idea," Hayden said, copsing onto the sofa, still trying to catch his breath. Damn, his old bones nearly fell apart on that run.


    "Yes, yes," Miranda agreed, frowning at her disheveled state. "I need to touch up my makeup. I can''t let my daughter-inw see me like this."


    She handed a box to Shanley. "Here, this is the gift for her. It''s very important, so don''t lose it."


    "Okay," Shanley said, a faint smile on his lips. They hadn''t even met, and his mother was already calling her daughter-inw.


    "I''m going to find the restroom," Miranda said with a wave, rushing off. "Let me know as soon as my daughter-inw is back."


    Moonlight Peak was arge ce,


    and since it had been cleared out for


    their private event, the restaurant


    was empty Miranda wandered


    around but couldn''t find the


    restroom.


    Just as she was getting anxious, a familiar figure came into view.


    "Juniper!" she called out, her voice filled with excitement.


    Hearing her name, Juniper looked up from her ledger and saw Miranda''s astonished face.


    "Miranda?" Juniper was surprised to see her here.


    "Oh my goodness, what are you doing here?" Miranda rushed over excitedly and


    grabbed Juniper''s hand, her eyes crinkling into a happy smile.


    "I''m meeting someone for dinner," Juniper answered simply.

 Chapter 675

    "Me too!" Miranda beamed, her eyes sparkling as she held onto her idol''s hand. "What a coincidence!"


    "It is," Juniper nodded slightly. "Are you looking for the restroom?" she asked.


    "Oh, yes, that''s right!" Miranda remembered, thenunched into an exnation. "It''s a family dinner. In a little while, I''ll introduce you to my son and my daughter-inw." "Okay," Juniper replied, unaware that the restaurant had been cleared out. She assumed Miranda was just there for a normal family gathering.


    "Your hair is a little damp. Let me get you a towel," Juniper offered before heading upstairs.


    Meanwhile, Shanley was growing anxious. Juniper still hadn''t returned, and she wasn''t answering his calls or texts. A sliver of panic set in.


    Had she gotten cold feet and run away?


    No, he thought, that couldn''t be it. If she were going to run, she''d at least take the payoff check first.


    "Dad, keep an eye out for Mom. I''m going to go find Juniper," Shanley said, getting up hastily.


    "Mhm," Hayden grunted, still wiping sweat from his brow.


    It was only after the door closed that the words registered. What did Shanley say his girlfriend''s name was? Juniper? He felt like he was hearing that name everywhere these days. His wife''s idol was named Juniper, and now his son''s girlfriend was also named Juniper. What a strange coincidence.


    Shanley searched all over but couldn''t find Juniper. Instead, he found his dear mother standing outside the restroom.


    "Mom-" Before he could finish, Miranda cut him off. "Come here, quickly! There''s someone I want you to meet."


    "Someone?" Shanley let his mother drag him along, a frown on his face. "What someone? I thought we had the whole ce to ourselves today."


    "My best friend," Miranda


    II


    announced, lifting her chin proudly. She was tempted to reveal Juniper''s true identity right then and there but decided to draw it out. After all, this was her first sessful fangirling experience. She''d heard Shanley had paid a fortune to get Demon to consult a few days ago. Little did he know, the legendary Demon was now her best friend. She couldn''t


    have been prouder!


    "Best friend?" Shanley waspletely lost. All he could think about was finding Juniper. "I need to go get my girlfriend first. We can do introductionster."


    "She''s already here," Miranda said, patting her son''s arm and looking off into the distance.


    Shanley followed her gaze. There, walking slowly toward them with a towel in her hand, was Juniper.


    Shanley''s head tilted slightly. His usuallyposed face showed a flicker of utter confusion, quickly followed by shock Juniper esteemed mother''s best friend


    was... Juniper?


    "Juniper!" Miranda waved excitedly. Her son had acquired Neverfall Navigators,


    hadn''t he? She would use that connection to convince him to invest more.


    Juniper was looking down at her phone, about to text Shanley back, when she heard her name. She looked up instinctively. As she saw Miranda, she also saw the


    distinguished man standing beside her.


    Shanley? Blinking, Juniper walked toward them in a daze.


    "This is my best friend the legendary Demon," Miranda announced proudly.

 Chapter 676

    Juniper and Shanley stared at each other, neither saying a word.


    Seeing Shanley staring intently at the legendary gamer, Demon, Miranda felt a vein throb in her temple. What was this about? Don''t tell me he fell for her at first sight. Then again, who wouldn''t be captivated by a face like Juniper''s?


    But wait, he already has a girlfriend. How could he fall for another girl? Tsk, tsk. What a yer!


    "Smack-!"


    Miranda refused to let such a scoundrel tarnish the Schwartz family name. She smacked Shanley hard on the arm and hissed, "What are you staring at? Greet her!"


    Shanley''s mind was aplete nk. He was so stunned that he didn''t even hear what his mother was saying.


    Miranda sighed and reminded him again. "Even though Juniper is young, we''re like sisters now, which puts her a generation above you. It''s only proper for you to call her Auntie."


    Juniper listened quietly, her eyes darting between the mother and son. Shanley''s expression was priceless, so dark it looked like a storm was about to break. It was actually kind of funny.


    "You" Miranda was starting to feel embarrassed as Shanley continued to stare fixedly at Juniper. Just as she was about to prod him again, he finally moved.


    "Are you sure?" Shanley slowly turned to his mother, his voice hoarse. "Are you sure you want me to call her Auntie?"


    ¡°Huh?¡± Miranda leaned in, confused but nodding. "Yes, I''m sure."


    Shanley forced a helpless smile and walked straight up to Juniper, taking her hand. He turned back to his mother. "Are you absolutely sure you want me to call my future wife... Auntie?"


    "Yes, Auntie..." Miranda nodded, then trailed off, her words catching in her throat. Her eyes shot to their joined hands, widening in disbelief as her lips trembled. "What? What did you say? She''s your future wife?"


    The legendary Demon was Shanley''s girlfriend? How did he manage that?


    "Yes," Shanley confirmed, finding the absurdity of their meeting almostughable. "My girlfriend, Juniper."


    ¡°Hello,¡± Juniper said, turning her head to offer a polite greeting to Miranda.


    Miranda stumbled back two steps, her mouth hanging open, utterly speechless. Her sworn sister had just be her daughter-inw.


    "I didn''t know you were Shanley''s mother before," Juniper exined softly, trying to smooth things over. "My apologies for the presumptuousness."


    But at least now it all made sense-why they couldn''t be seen together in public. Their identities... would indeed cause a city-wide sensation.


    "No, no, no, Miranda said, waving her hands frantically after hearing Juniper''s exnation. She gave an awkwardugh. "I was far more presumptuous than you."


    Juniper just blinked, not sure how to respond to that.


    ¡°Let''s talk inside,¡± Shanley interjected, ying peacemaker as he led Juniper toward


    the private suite on the top floor.


    Watching them go, Miranda


    scratched her cheek, barely


    suppressing a snort ofughter. You


    had to hand it to him. The brat


    actually had some skills to win over


    Denton. They were all family how and having her as a daughter-inw was even better!


    Inside the suite, Hayden and Miranda sat on one side of the table, across from Juniper and Shanley.


    "Ms. Payne, what a coincidence," Hayden said with a warm, polite smile. ¡°I never expected you to be Shanley''s girlfriend."


    "It must be fate," Miranda said, pushing a fruit tter toward Juniper. Her eyes crinkled into samle her affection for the gi obvious. "Here, try some. It''s very sweet."

 Chapter 677

    "Thank you." Juniper picked up a piece of fruit, but just as she was about to eat it, Miranda spoke again.


    "Juniper, what on earth do you see in our Shanley?"


    Juniper paused mid-chew, her eyes lifting in confusion.


    ¡°Don''t get me wrong," Miranda quickly rified. ¡°I''m just incredibly curious how he managed to win you over."


    A top schr, a master dancer, a jewelry designer, and apparently a skilled race car driver... On top of all that, she was a phenomenal gamer. Honestly, the girl was practically a prodigy, and she was only eighteen. What could she possibly see in Shanley? Miranda genuinely couldn''t fathom it.


    "Shanley''s had a strange personality since he was a child. He''s always been cold to everyone and never let any girls get close," Miranda said, airing all her son''s dirtyundry. "We used to suspect he was into men, ha ha ha."


    Shanley''s face turned ashen as he listened to his mother''sughter.


    "Is that so?" Juniper, however, found theughter contagious. A smile touched her lips as she replied softly, "I thought he might be into men at first, too."


    "Thankfully not." Miranda found craning her neck ufortable, so she simply ordered Shanley to get up. They swapped seats, and she happily plopped down next to Juniper, continuing their chat. ¡°Juniper, you''re not even neen yet, are you?"


    "That''s right," Juniper nodded.


    "Tsk." Miranda nced at Shanley with a look of mock disdain. "Well, thank you." ¡°Hm?¡± The thanks came so suddenly that Juniper was caught off guard.


    "If it weren''t for you, Shanley would have probably died alone," Miranda said, pulling no punches.


    Juniper looked over at Shanley and found him carefully preparing a dessert for her, a faint smile on his lips. He seemed topletely agree with his mother''s assessment.


    "Don''t worry. If he ever dares to bully you, I... I mean,¡± Miranda paused,posing herself before continuing.


    Juniper just watched her, a silent question mark forming in her mind.


    "I''ll stand up for you," Miranda finished firmly.


    Juniper smiled and murmured, "Okay."


    "Oh, right¡ª" In the middle of their conversation, Miranda remembered the wee gift. She gestured for Hayden to bring it over. "This is for you."


    Miranda ced a box in front of Juniper. ¡°It''s a Schwartz family heirloom, for our daughter-inw," she said gently.


    An heirloom? Juniper opened the box to find a three-piece set of emerald-green jade: a ne, a bracelet, and earrings. The color was rich, the quality wless- a priceless collection.


    "Originally, I came to meet you today


    to see if Shanley was taking advantage of you," Miranda.


    exined her eyes filled with delight


    as she looked at Juniper. "But Seeing


    how well he treats you, I can@est easy."


    "We''re only dating," Juniper began, looking up at Miranda. "You haven''t even asked about my family background. Aren''t you afraid that if things don''t work out you work be able to get something so valuable back?"


    ¡°That won''t happen,¡± Miranda said with an unhesitating smile. ¡°I know my son. The


    girl he chooses will be exceptional. Your family background doesn''t matter at all.¡±


    "And if you do end up separating..."


    Miranda took Juniper''s hand, her expression turning serious. "It will definitely be that brat''s fault, not yours his gift wouldnt even begin to cover the trouble he''d have


    caused you."


    Shanley let out a silent sigh. He felt it was necessary to remind her that he was, in


    fact, her biological son.

 Chapter 678

    "Mom-" Shanley couldn''t help but speak up.


    "What?" Miranda shot him a fierce look. "Am I wrong? If you dare lose a wonderful girl like Juniper, I''ll break your legs."


    Whatever Shanley had been about to say got stuck in his throat. He could only turn his gaze to his father, who was silently peeling shrimp for his wife, hoping for some backup.


    "Dad, say something!" he pleaded with his eyes.


    Hayden nced at his wife, then quickly looked away, shaking his head at his son. "You don''t dare argue with her, what makes you think I do?" his eyes seemed to say.


    Shanley was speechless.


    Throughout the meal, Miranda clung to Juniper, chattering away like they were long- lost sisters, with no sense of boundaries at all.


    "You''ve met his grandparents, right?" Miranda asked, passing all the shrimp her husband had peeled over to Juniper.


    "Juniper is the one who saved Grandpa''s life," Shanley answered for her.


    ¡°Really?" Miranda''s eyes lit up. She was even more impressed with her future daughter-inw now. "So you''re the young miracle worker Kent told us about?" she eximed.


    "It was nothing," Juniper replied with modest grace as she ate the shrimp Miranda had given her.


    *Oh, my.* Miranda beamed. *She''s so polite! How can a young girl be so well- mannered?*


    She looked at Juniper with an expression that said she was ready to marry the girl on Shanley''s behalf.


    ...


    After the meal, Miranda and Hayden pulled Shanley aside.


    "We heard you two are living together," Miranda questioned in a low, stern voice. "Yes," Shanley admitted honestly.


    "You-!" Miranda''s face changed. Careful not to startle Juniper, she lowered her voice to a furious whisper. "How old is she? How could you!"


    "We''re just living together," Shanley said, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. ¡°I treasure Juniper more than anyone. I would never dream of hurting her."


    ¡°Good,¡± Miranda said, relieved. She then added, ¡°I heard Juniper was separated from her family when she was young and has been through a lot."


    "Her parents and two of her sisters are still missing," Shanley said, his gaze softening as he watched Juniper, who was lost in thought at the dining table.


    "The poor thing," Miranda''s heart ached for her. She instructed Shanley sternly, "You are not to bully her, do you hear me? You can''t even speak a harsh word to her!"


    Shanley let out a dry, almost painedugh. ¡°And what if she''s the one in the wrong?" he asked pointedly.


    "Wrong? She''s wrong?" Miranda


    paused, considering his point for a moment. But then- "If she''s wrong,


    can''t you just take a step backd


    another? By the time you''ve backed


    up enough, it might as well be your fault! What''s wrong with that?"


    Shanley listened in silence, ncing at his quiet father and feeling a pang of sympathy for him.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Shanley nodded, his eyes fixed on Juniper. ¡°I won''t let her be wronged again.¡±


    ¡°Good." Miranda was satisfied. She trusted Shanley to keep his word.


    Before they left, Miranda


    approached Juniper and pulled two checks from her purse. "Spending


    money use it however you want.


    Buy whatever you like. When you run


    out, I''ll give you more."


    Fearing Juniper would refuse, she stuffed the checks into her hands, then hurried


    back to the car and told the driver to go.


    Juniper stared after the departing sports car, then down at the checks in her hand,pletely bewildered One was for over nine hundred million The other brought the total to nearly two billion. Two billion in spending money?


    ¡°Just take what Mom gave you,¡± Shanley said, gently wrapping an arm around her


    waist. A soft smile yed on his lips. "It''s clear she really, really likes you."

 Chapter 679

    Mom?


    The word, both strange and familiar, tugged at Juniper''s heart. Miranda was a wonderful person, the kind of woman who could raise a son as good as Shanley. She liked their family.


    "Alright,¡± Juniper said, a faint smile gracing her lips as she epted the checks. Refusing it would only hurt Miranda''s feelings. She would just have to find something special to give her in returnter.


    On the way back, Juniper rested her head against Shanley''s chest, her mind filled with images of Miranda and Hayden.


    "Was Miranda''s marriage never publicly announced?" she asked.


    "No," Shanley confirmed with a small smile. "My mother came from a well-to-do family in Era City, but they fell on hard times, so she had to enter the entertainment industry to make a living. She met my father by chance, and it was love at first sight. Their rtionship grew, and they decided to get married."


    "By then, my mother already had a bit of a name for herself. If she had announced her marriage, the Schwartz family name would have made her famous overnight. But she''s a very independent woman and didn''t want her work to be judged through that lens. So, she kept the marriage a secret and transitioned into directing. Her career flourished, and she won numerous awards, both at home and abroad."


    "There was another reason, too..." Shanley lowered his head, his eyes meeting Juniper''s. He smirked. "Why do you think I was dragged into thepany to work like a dog when I was just a teenager?"


    Juniper blinked, waiting for his answer.


    "Because my father''s work was in a sensitive government sector. It was ssified, so his identity couldn''t be public."


    And that was why, to this day, no one knew who the matriarch of the Schwartz family was.


    "Oh," Juniper murmured, finally understanding.


    "But his assignment is over now, so he won''t have to go back for a long time," Shanley said, squeezing her hand. ¡°We''ll be able to go public with everything gradually."


    "That''s nice," Juniper replied casually. The moment the words left her mouth, she felt a sharp pinch on her side.


    "What was that for?" she grumbled, ring at the culprit.


    "What about us?" Shanley leaned in, the tip of his nose brushing against hers. His eyes were mesmerizing, his voice a captivating whisper. "My dear Juniper, when will you make our rtionship official


    "Ahem." Caught off guard, Juniper coughed. "We''ll see," she said, deliberately


    evasive. "Once you pass your probationary period."


    "Probationary period?" Shanley chuckled in surprise. "And what happens if I don''t pass, hmm?"


    "Then I''ll find a new boyfriend,"


    Juniper teased, her longshes


    brushing against his cheek as she


    raised an eyebrow. "So you''d better


    be on your best behavior, Mag


    Schwartz. You need to earn this."


    ¡°Heh.¡± Seeing her heartless grin, Shanley shook his head with a helpless smile. He gently stroked her hair. "Alright. I''ll be on my best behavior. I''ll do whatever it takes to earn that title."


    Juniper gave him a long, deep look, a flicker ofplex emotion quickly vanishing from her eyes. It wasn''t that she didn''t want to make things official. It was just that... too many dangerous people were after her, powerful figures connected to powerful organizations. Especially that old bastard, the leader of the Sigma Network. She had to deal with them first!

 Chapter 680

    At Era University, Juniper strolled through the ssroom door with her bag just as the bell rang.


    Byron pushed his sses up his nose, simmering with an anger he couldn''t vent. He had been looking for a chance to knock Juniper down a peg, but so far, none had presented itself. But today was a practicalb session. He would finally get to see how his students were progressing. And if someone couldn''t answer a question, or got it wrong, a little scolding was perfectly normal, wasn''t it?


    With that thought, Byron shot a cold re at Juniper before turning back to the lectern to begin his lecture.


    "Hi, Goddess." As soon as Juniper sat down, students around her greeted her warmly.


    "Hey," she acknowledged with a slight nod. As she went to put her bag away, she discovered her desk cubby was overflowing with all kinds of snacks.


    She shot Hattie a questioning look.


    "Everyone in ss pitched in. They know you like snacks," Hattie whispered, hoisting up arge bag from the floor. It, too, was packed to the brim. ¡°Here, all for you."


    Juniper leaned over and rummaged through the contents, silently giving a thumbs- up. Nice. Whoever brought the spicy beef jerky deserved a specialmendation.


    "Pay attention,¡± Byron''s sharp voice cut through the air as he noticed Juniper''s distraction. He tapped the ckboard for emphasis. ¡°Don''t think you can ck off just because you did well on the entrance exam. That score means nothing to me. Plenty of people want to studyputer science, but very few actually seed."


    He paced in front of the ss, his voice dripping with disdain. "All of you, obsessed with food and fun. How many of you are actually focused on your studies?"


    The cheerful mood in the ssroom instantly soured. The students'' faces fell as they listened to Byron''s passive-aggressive tirade.


    Was this even aputer science ss? All they ever heard from him was how useless they were.


    They much preferred Professor Tucker, whose sses were engaging, humorous, and far less stressful.


    "Open yourptops!" Byronmanded, his hands sped behind his back as his cold gaze swept over the freshmen. "Today, I''m doing a spot check on your progress."


    Progress? A collective groan rippled through the ssroom. They had only been learning this for a few days. How could he spring a pop quiz on them without any tinge review?


    "A few days ago, we went over the C programmingnguage..." Byron began, already calling on a student.


    The student stood up, their face pale and their heart pounding. Luckily, the question was simple, and they answered it in a few sentences.


    The next few students also answered their questions correctly.


    "Next..." Byron''s eyes scanned the room, finallynding on Juniper. ¡°Juniper, please stand up and answer a few questions."


    Juniper put down her pen and dutifully stood up.


    "Listen carefully to the question..." Worried that his bias might be too obvious, Byron made the first question exceptionally easy.


    "...and that''s about it," Juniper answered, her response quick and concise.


    "Second question..." Byron increased


    the difficulty, staring directly at her. "I mentioned this in a previous


    lecture. If you were paying attention,"


    You


    should be able to answ


    "The reasonputers can perform automatic calctions is due to the stored- program concept," Juniper cut in, answering before he had even finished his sentence.


    Her answer was perfectly urate.


    Though it was a basic


    freshman level question,


    remembering it verbatim was


    impressive, especially since it was a minor detail Byron had only


    mentioned in passing.

 Chapter 681

    Byron hadn''t expected Juniper to answer, and the lecture he''d prepared was now stuck in his throat.


    "Onest question..."


    He couldn''t stand her showing off. He clicked open hisptop, and a new problem appeared on the screen. It was a dense block of text and numbers, difficult even to decipher.


    "Have we even learned this concept yet?" a few students whispered among themselves.


    "No," another replied. "We''ve only touched on the first half of this topic. Putting it all together, this is almost as difficult as something from the graduate school entrance exam, right?"


    "That''s low of Byron, using a grad-level problem to corner our Goddess."


    "While we haven''t officially covered this yet," Byron said, crossing his arms with a smirk, "I did mention it when I was giving examples in ss. Anyone who was paying attention to my lecture should be able to answer it."


    What? The students thought that was absurd. Mentioned it? Byron mentioned a lot of things in ss, most of which involved bragging about his own research achievements. He just rattled on and on; who could possibly remember every little thing he said? There was no way their Goddess could answer this.


    "Can you answer it or not?" Byron asked, deliberately pressing her.


    "No." Juniper stared at the problem on the screen, her delicate brow furrowed in aplex expression.


    At her response, Byron let out a coldugh. He had finally caught her. He began his tirade. "I thought the top scorer was supposed to be so brilliant. But the moment you get distracted in ss, you don''t know a thing, do you? Once you''re here, no matter how great you were before, you start from zero. The thing I despise most in this world are students like you who get a little sess and let it go to their heads, always showing off with the little bit of cleverness they have."


    Byron''s sarcastic remarks were so harsh that even the other students couldn''t bear


    to listen, and they all looked toward Juniper with concern.


    What was their Goddess looking at? Why wasn''t she saying anything?


    "And that advisor of yours-Tucker," Byron added, his tone growing even more dismissive. "Does he really think it''s that easy to win an internationalpetition? He just got lucky..."


    Suddenly, a softugh escaped from Juniper.


    Byron''s rant came to an abrupt halt. "What are youughing at?" he demanded, looking quizzically at the girl''s mocking expression.


    "At you." Juniper met Byron''s gaze, her eyes steady. "Before you criticize someone else for not studying hard enough she said slowly "shouldn''t


    Make sure you''ve done your


    own work properly?"


    "What is that supposed to mean?" Byron''s brow tightened, his aged face an icy mask. "You can''t answer the question, so now you''re just trying to twist things, is that it?"


    "Of course I can''t answer it," Juniper replied, her chin held high, showing no fear. Her voice was firm. "Because the problem you''ve presented is wed."


    wed? The words sent a ripple through the ssroom. Students craned their necks, their eyes wide with disbelief. That couldn''t be right. Wasn''t this a question Byron had personally designed for a past


    entrance exam? Everyone who had


    taken it said it was incredibly


    difficult.


    "wed?" Byron nced at the question, a flicker of panic in his eyes, but his voice


    remained firm. "How could a question I created possibly be wed?"


    In truth, he had discovered the error long ago; it was impossible to arrive at the correct answer. But after studying it for ages, he couldn''t figure out where the mistake was. He figured no one would ever be able to solve it anyway so no one would notice. He could just feign ignorance.


    A freshman like Juniper, who had barely attended a few weeks of university


    sses? She could spot the error? What a joke!

 Chapter 682

    "Don''t you dare spout such nonsense!" Byron''s authority was being challenged, and he was furious. "If you can''t answer, then sit down and stop talking rubbish."


    "The problem states a hash table HT with a length of 5, initially empty. The hash function is H(k) = (k+4) % 5, and it uses linear probing to resolve collisions. A sequence of keys is inserted, and then a key is deleted..."


    Everyone stared nkly. Juniper''s exnation was like a foreignnguage to the other students. Hash what? Key what? The words were familiar on their own, but strung together like that, they were utterly alien. Had their Goddess been taking a different ss? How did she know so much? Had Tucker been giving her private lessons?


    "How can the key you''re deleting be 26?" Juniper continued, her tone calm and clear. "With that number, it''s impossible to calcte the average search length for a failed lookup."


    She paused, letting the information sink in before adding, "However, if you change the number to 25, you get a clean result of 10. Alternatively, changing the modulus in the hash function from 5 to 6 would also lead to one of the multiple-choice answers."


    Byron listened, quickly re-calcting in his head based on Juniper''s suggestions. To his astonishment, she was right. Following her logic, one of the provided answers was achievable.


    But with the original problem, the calcted answer wasn''t among the options. It waspletely absurd to give students an unsolvable problem. And he had the audacity to use it to test her?


    "Professor Byron, if you don''t believe me, we can ask another professor to take a look," Juniper said, just as she spotted Tucker walking past the ssroom door. "In fact, Professor Tucker is right outside."


    Hearing his name, Tucker instinctively stopped and peered into the room.


    "Tucker, do you think there''s a problem with this question?" one of the students, eager for some drama, called out before Byron could object.


    "Huh?" Tucker pushed up his reading sses and nced at the board "Oh, that one. You just have to- change the deleted number to 25, and the answer is 10. Otherwise, you can''t solve it."


    Every student in the room turned to look at Byron, trying their best to suppress theirughter. He had been So smugly talking down about Tucker yet Tucker had spotted the problem in less than a minute. Had Byron really not noticed it all this time? He must not have. Otherwise, why would he have so arrogantly


    used it to try and trip up their Goddess?


    "Of course I knew it was wed," Byron snapped, shutting hisptop screen with a


    thud. He tried to soundposed. "This was also a way of testing you."


    A collective eye-roll went through the ssroom. Everyone knew he


    was lying, but they weren''t about to


    >


    call him out on it. After all, angering him could mean failing the course.


    "Professor Byron, do you have any other questions for me?" Juniper asked, standing perfectly straight, the very picture of a respectful and polite model student.


    Byron red at her, grinding his teeth. Finally, he forced out two words: "No, I don''t."


    If he kept this up, who knew what other ridiculous mistakes the damn girl would find. But how could she, a new freshman, know so much? Had Tucker been tutoring her privately?


    Even so, it wouldn''t exin this level of proficiency.


    Byron stared at the back of Juniper''s head, ovee with the urge to crack it open and see what was inside.

 Chapter 683

    "Oh," Juniper said with a faint smile, then plopped back into her chair.


    Hattie couldn''t hold back a chuckle and shot her a thumbs-up. Byron had been burned by Juniper so many times now; surely he wouldn''t dare to provoke her so carelessly again. She wasn''t called a Goddess for nothing.


    Later, in Tucker''s office, he was putting the final touches on the program for thepetition. To prevent the code from being maliciously altered, submissions weren''t sent online. Instead, contestants presented their work in person on the day of the event. Thepetition was scheduled for the weekend in Moralia Country, which meant Tucker needed to start arranging his travel ns soon.


    Juniper, bored out of her mind, sat nearby ying a game on her phone. She had finished all her work, but the old professor was too rigid to let her leave before ss was officially over.


    As she yed, her phone buzzed with a new message.


    Lue: [Registration for World Hacker Competition is open. It''s next weekend.]


    Juniper: [So soon?]


    Lue: [Yep. And your arch-nemesis registered this year too.]


    Her rival, known only as ''S,'' had shot to the top of the trending topics the moment his registration was confirmed. The fact that the founder of Cybeic Shadows was personally stepping in to restore his honor was causing quite a stir in the industry.


    Lue: [Juniper, this is a golden opportunity.]


    Next weekend? Juniper thought for a moment, then replied: [Sign me up.]


    Lue: [It''s obvious the leader of Sigma Network ising after you. He''s just waiting for you to register.]


    Juniper: [The feeling''s mutual.]


    The leader of Sigma Network had always been a thorn in her side. The sooner she could remove it, the better. Then she wouldn''t have to worry about him threatening the people she cared about.


    Lue: [Don''t worry. We have enough time to prepare this time. We won''t let that bastard get away.]


    Juniper: [Sounds good.]


    She put down her phone and turned to Tucker with a serious expression. "Professor Tucker."


    "What is it?" Tucker nced at her and quickly swept his snacks into a drawer, locking it. That look in her eyes never meant anything good.


    Juniper smirked. "Next week, for thepetition abroad... mind if I tag along?"


    "You want toe with me?" Tucker was baffled. "What for? It''s not a vacation, you know."


    "To broaden my horizons, of course," Juniper said, tapping her cheek with a look of utmost sincerity. "Besides, if any problemse up, I could offer some advice, right?"


    "But..." Tucker hesitated, looking at her earnest expression.


    "I''ll pay for your flight and hotel," Juniper whispered. "That way, you can pocket the money from the reimbursement as your own little private stash. Think of all the snacks you could buy with that."


    "Deal!" Tucker, who had been wavering, agreed instantly. "You said it. No take- backs."


    "I said it," Juniper confirmed, a triumphant smile spreading across her face.


    Perfect. Thepetition was a


    great excuse. Otherwise, she''d have a hard time exining her absence Shanley. This trip to Morata Country should finally allow her to deal with the leader of Sigma Network once and for all.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Shanley had just received intelligence that ''Specter'' of Subterra Vanguard was participating in hackerpetition. The time: Rext


    weekend. The location: an ind


    adjacent to Moralia Country.


    The old bastard was finally showing his face. This time, he wouldn''t let him escape.

 Chapter 684

    At Cloudscape Community, Dana was setting the table in the dining room, sneaking nces at the two people sitting across from each other. They were eating inplete silence.


    Had they fought? She hadn''t heard anything.


    "Ms. Payne, your soup," Dana said softly, cing the bowl down. "Be careful, it''s hot."


    "Thank


    you, Dana." Juniper smiled faintly. As she sipped her soup, she nced at the man opposite her, feeling a little guilty.


    "I might have to go abroad for a few days next week," she began.


    "Oh?" Shanley, who had been wondering how to bring up his own trip, looked up instantly. "Which country? What for?"


    "Moralia Country," Juniper replied, picking up a chicken wing to hide her face. Her voice was slightly muffled. "Tucker is in the finals of the World Programming Competition, and he''s a little nervous about going alone, so he''s taking me with him."


    Moralia Country? The coincidence was almost too perfect. Shanley stiffened, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes. "When are you thinking of leaving?" he asked, his voice a low rasp.


    "We''ll leave on Friday," Juniper said, keeping her head down as she nibbled on the wing, naturally avoiding his gaze. She wasn''t good at lying. "Thepetition is on Saturday. Then we''ll, uh... rest for a day, and probablye back on Monday."


    "Eat slowly." Shanley gently wiped a smudge from the corner of her mouth with a napkin. "As it happens, I have a business trip to Moralia Country next week as well."


    Juniper''s head snapped up, her eyes wide with surprise. "You''re going to Moralia Country too?"


    "Yes," Shanley said with a slight smile, raising an eyebrow. "Quite a coincidence, isn''t it? There''s a major partnership deal that requires my personal attention. It''s scheduled for this weekend. After my meetings, we can fly back together on Monday."


    "Oh."


    Juniper studied his face, and his story seemed usible enough. But still... why did it have to be Moralia Country?


    Thankfully, they hadn''t made their rtionship public, so it was well-hidden. The leader of Sigma Network, no matter how capable, would never find out.


    After a few seconds of silence, Juniper nodded. "Okay. I''ll just rx at the hotel over the weekend while you handle your work."


    "Sounds good," Shanley replied, cing more food in her bowl, his eyes full of affection.


    Soon, he thought. As soon as he took care of ''Specter'' from Subterra Vanguard, no one would ever be able to threaten Juniper again.


    On Friday morning, Dana had already packed their bags. Felton and Flint were waiting by the car.


    After breakfast, Shanley took Juniper''s hand and led her outside. "I''ve already sent a car to pick up Professor Tucker," he murmured.


    "Okay."


    Juniper slid into the car and immediately received a voice message from Tucker. "Juniper, what''s with these men in ck suits outside my door? They say you sent them to pick me up! Who sends a Rolls Royce for a pickup? Ave never seen such a nice car in my entire life!"


    Juniper couldn''t help but smile. She quickly typed a reply. [Don''t worry, just go with them to the airport.]


    "You only promised to pay for my flight and hotel! This car... I don''t have to pay for it, do I?"


    Juniper sighed. She had finally met someone more frugal than herself.


    They arrived at the airport early. To avoid any unnecessary attention due to Shanley''s status, they headed to the VIP lounge while Juniper waited


    by the entrance for Tucker


    Soon enough, Tucker arrived,


    ???


    pushing his suitcase and looking back at the car, every few steps "Juniper, that car was really something! How much did it cost?"


    "It''s free," Juniper said with a small smile. "You have all your documents, right?"

 Chapter 685

    "Yes, I have them." As Tucker was rummaging through his bag to double-check, a ck Mercedes-Benz pulled up to the curb.


    Byron, dressed impably in a suit and nked by several assistants, strode confidently toward the entrance. His eyes immediately fell on Tucker, with his wrinkled suit, scuffed shoes, and salt-and-pepper hair.


    Byron scoffed internally. A distinguished professor, and he couldn''t even bother to dress himself properly. Anyone who knew would say he was traveling for apetition. Anyone who didn''t would think he was a beggar from off the street.


    "Well, hello, Tucker," Byron said in a snide tone, stopping beside him. "Are we on the same flight?"


    "I believe so," Tucker replied, ncing at Juniper, who had handled all the booking details. As far as he knew, there was only one flight to Moralia Country at this time.


    "Is that so?" Byron''s condescending attitude grew. "First ss, I presume? Excellent. We can discuss thepetition on the ne."


    First ss? Although the girl had promised to cover his travel expenses, Tucker couldn''t bring himself to let her. He had nned to pay her back as soon as he got the reimbursement from the university.


    "Economy," Tucker answered with a cheerful smile. To him, it didn''t matter where he sat. The money for a first-ss ticket could fund a good portion of his research. It just wasn''t necessary.


    "Economy, you say?" Byron''s voice dripped with scorn. "It''s so cramped and stuffy back there. I''ve gotten used to flying first ss."


    Tucker shot him a look. He knew the man was just showing off and didn''t bother wasting his breath arguing.


    "I was thinking of upgrading you, but..." Byron paused, the mockery on his face intensifying, "our positions at the university are different, so our travel allowances are naturally different too. If I moved you to first ss, I wouldn''t be able to get it reimbursed."


    The implication was clear: Tucker belonged in economy, where he could enviously watch Byron enjoy theforts of first ss.


    "No, no, that''s quite alright," Tucker said, putt¨¬ng his documents away. He grabbed his suitcase and turned to Juniper Juniper, let''s get going.


    His perfectly good mood had been soured by the old windbag. What was so great about first ss? It was the same ne was he going to arrive any earlier? Weren''t all four wheels going to touch down at the same time? He huffed internally. All this pointless posturing!


    "Okay." Juniper, who had remained silent with her hands in her pockets the entire time, simply nodded.


    The two of them started walking toward the entrance.


    Seeing Tucker Hook so dejected, Byron felt a deep sense of


    satisfaction: First ss? Tucker had probably never even seen the inside of a first-ss cabin in his entire life. And with that kind of limitedo worldview, he wanted topete with him? How pathetic!


    "Juniper, our flight is at two-thirty, right?" Tucker, unaffected, peered at therge departures screen. "Is that our flight up there?"


    "No," Juniper replied calmly after a quick nce.


    "No?" Tucker frowned. "But that''s the only flight to Moralia Country. You better not have gotten the time wrong. We can''t miss thepetition."


    "Don''t worry." Juniper took the suitcase from his hand. "We''re taking a private jet."


    "Oh," Tucker mumbled, then his brain caught up with her words. His voice shot up in astonishment. "A private jet?!"


    Good heavens. How much did that cost? How many years would he have to save up his secret stash of cash to pay her back for this?

 Chapter 686

    "You... you..." Tucker froze, stammering, "You better cancel that private jet right now. I''m not getting on it."


    ¡°It''s free.¡± Juniper pulled Tucker toward the VIP lounge entrance and rubbed her nose, unsure how to exin. "You remember Mr. Schwartz, right?"


    "I do." Tucker eyed Juniper, his brow furrowed. "The wealthy benefactor who, on a whim, decided to build us a newb."


    "That''s him." Juniper nodded, exining patiently, "He''s also heading to Moralia Country for business and happened to hear we were going too. It''s just a coincidence, so he offered to give us a lift."


    "Really?" Tucker was skeptical, still worried about the cost. ¡°It''s really free?"


    "Yes." Juniper gave a helpless smile and led him inside.


    ¡°Juniper, you seem to know Mr. Schwartz quite well,¡± Tucker remarked, his experienced eyes studying her. If he remembered correctly, Mr. Schwartz hadn''t just funded the building; he''d named it after both of them. That kind of gesture suggested a much closer rtionship. He wasn''t buying the ''coincidence'' story.


    Juniper pursed her lips and stared into the distance, feigning deafness.


    "I''ve got it¡ª¡± Tucker stopped and leaned in close to Juniper, raising his voice. ¡°He''s not some kind of family elder, is he? An uncle or something?"


    After all, Shanley''s mother had never been publicly announced, and the Oscar- winning actor, Jimmie Tate, was known to be close with him. It was certainly possible.


    Shanley, who had just walked over to greet them, heard every word. Uncle? If Tucker kept guessing, was he going tond on grandpa next?


    Juniper also stopped, a dozen retorts dying on her tongue. In the end, she managed only a few words. "Just don''t call him old to his face, or else..."


    "Or else what?" Tucker tilted his head, waiting.


    "He''ll kick us off the ne," Juniper said with a blink, her tone dead serious. "And our chance at thepetition will go up in smoke."


    "Right, right, right." Tucker nodded vigorously. "I understand, Juniper. I''ll keep it a secret. No one will ever know Mr. Schwartz is your uncle."


    Juniper nearly burst outughing but managed to y along. "Good."


    Inside the VIP lounge, Shanley sat on a sofa with Juniper beside him. Tucker took a seat opposite them feeling distinctly ufortable as he asionally stole gfances at the imposing, dark-faced man across from him.


    "Have some coffee, Tucker," Juniper said, nudging Shanley with a triumphant little smile.


    Shanley turned his head, and seeing the grin on her face, felt a mix of exasperation and helplessness. Fine. He''d deal with herter.


    "Thank you for arranging this trip, Mr. Schwartz," Tucker said respectfully.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Shanley replied with a faint smile. ¡°You''ve taken such good care of


    Juniper at school. I''m the one who should be thanking you."


    "Oh, no, no Tucker nced at Juniper with admiration. "Juniperis a brilliant girl All the teachers and students love her. She doesret need special care from me."


    "All the students love her?" Shanley repeated the word "all" with a meaningful, almost-smile. "It seems Juniper is quite popr."


    "It''s about time for us to get going," Juniper interjected with a strained smile, standing up. "Let''s go, Tucker."


    They had to board separately from Shanley to avoid drawing attention.


    "Right." Tucker quickly grabbed his suitcase and hurried after her, leaning in to whisper, "Juniper, wh do get the feeling that Mr. Schwartz is actually a little scared of you?"

 Chapter 687

    An elder, afraid of a junior? Especially a man like Mr. Schwartz, whose mere nce could make most people tremble. This girl was turning the world on its head.


    Juniper just smiled, saying nothing.


    Their private jet took off just three minutes after Byron''s flight. Their boarding times were the same, but their gates were different.


    "Tucker?" Byron, about to use the priority boardingne, stopped short when he saw them. "Howe I didn''t see you earlier?"


    "Oh? What a shame," Tucker replied dismissively, ncing at the time. "We''rete, gotta go."


    With that, Tucker and Juniper were led by an attendant to a different gate, one that waspletely empty except for them.


    "Where are they going?" Byron asked, confused. "Are there two separate gates?¡±


    "No, sir," the staff member exined with a polite smile. "That''s the entrance for private jets."


    "Private jets?" Byron''s face changed instantly, his voice shooting up in disbelief. "Are you saying the two of them are flying on a private jet?"


    "That''s correct," the staffer confirmed. "A private aircraft is departing for Moralia Country at the same time as our flight."


    A private jet? How could a penniless guy like Tucker afford a private jet? It had to be Juniper. Her brother was a superstar, so it made sense he could afford one.


    Byron''s expression turned ugly as he watched them disappear. He had hoped to make Tucker jealous, but in the end, the joke was on him. He''d never even seen the inside of a private jet. If he had just made a move and contacted Juniper first, maybe he would have been the one flying private today.


    At three in the morning, the nended at the airport in Moralia Country. Shanley''s men were already waiting at the entrance.


    "Mr. Schwartz," one of them said respectfully, "the hotel is all arranged. Shall we head over now?"


    "Yes," Shanley nodded, his gaze shifting to Tucker.


    "Oh, you don''t have to worry about me," Tucker said, waving his hands hastily. He guessed the hotel Shanley booked would be expensive, and he didnt like to freeload can find a cheap room on my own. Just make sure Juniper is with you, Mr. Schwartz. It''s not safe for a young woman to be alone."


    Shanley looked at Tucker and understood why Juniper was willing to help him. He was a simple, honest old man... just with terrible judgment and a knack for saying the wrong thing.


    "Everything''s already been taken care of," Juniper said with a yawn, lowering her voice. "You need to rest well tonight so you can be at your best tomorrow."


    "Besides," she added, "Shanley already paid for it all. It''d be a waste not to stay." "Shanley''? What''s with theck of respect?" Tucker immediately switched to his stern teacher mode. ¡°You must be polite to your elders, do you understand?"


    "Fine," Juniper said with a slight arch of her brow, then motioned for one of the men to lead Tucker to the car.


    Tucker felt a bit embarrassed, but being in an unfamiliar ce, he had no choice but to follow He sighed, He''d just have to ask his wife for some extra money when he got back.


    Once Tucker was in the car, Juniperzily turned her gaze to Shanley and said deliberately, "Well, Uncle, aren''t youing?"


    Shanley froze.

 Chapter 688

    Uncle? The word sent a strange tingle through Shanley. By the time he snapped out of it, Juniper was already in the car, legs crossed, smirking at him.


    Shanley frowned and touched his own face. Did he really look that old?


    This wouldn''t do. He needed to hit the gym, maybe get a facial. Juniper was already young and looked even younger. If this kept up, in a few years people would probably start mistaking him for her grandfather.


    "Felton," Shanley said as he walked to the car, giving orders to his subordinate. ¡°Contact a personal trainer and a skincare consultant for me.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Felton, who was loading luggage, was caught off guard. "Sir, you want me to book a trainer and a skincare consultant?" He paused, then added, "Is this for Ms. Payne?"


    "No," Shanley''s expression darkened, the single word emerging from between his teeth like ice. "Me."


    ¡°... Yes, sir.¡± Felton swallowed his shock and ryed the order. It seemed Tucker''s ''uncle''ment had dealt a serious blow to the boss''s ego.


    Inside the car, Juniper was staring at her phone, her eyes fixed on the eighteen million that had just been transferred into her ount. Those kids from Neverfall Navigators were true to their word. They''d promised her the prize money if they won, and the moment it arrived, they sent it all to her. Her efforts hadn''t been in vain.


    Smiling, Juniper divided the money and transferred it into the ounts of every member of Neverfall Navigators.


    Almost immediately, the Neverfall Navigators group chat exploded with question marks.


    Demon: [Consider it a bonus from your big boss.]


    Shanley had already given her a credit card. Out of curiosity, she''d checked the bnce: two hundred million. He''d said he knew she had a thing for round numbers and threw in an extra twenty million to even it out. It was a temporary salve for the financial hit she''d taken dealing with the leader of Sigma Network.


    ¡°Those kids are quite loyal to you," Shanley remarked as he sat down, catching her message. His lips curved into a slight smile. ¡°Why didn''t you ask for more at the time?"


    "Tsk," Juniper shot him a look, her tone nonchnt. "You''re quite the spendthrift." Shanley stared at her, momentarily stunned.


    "If Demon had been anyone else, would you have paid whatever they asked?" Juniper''s voice was low and tinged with annoyance. "You should be counting your lucky stars it was me."


    "You''re right," Shanley chuckled,


    amused by her adorable expression. He slid closer, gently wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Juniper, you''re much better with money. From now on, you can manage our finances."


    ¡°Deal,¡± Juniper replied without a second thought. She liked being in charge of the money.


    "Get some sleep. We still have a little while before we reach the hotel. I''ll wake you when we get there,¡± Shanley said softly, letting her rest against him.


    Back at the hotel, Juniper was still drowsy, so Shanley simply carried her to their room. After tucking her in, he took his phone to the study to check on the progress of his operation.


    The moment the door clicked shut, the supposedly sleeping girl''s eyes slowly opened. She picked up her phone and started contacting Lue.


    "Don''t worry, we''re fully prepared this time. The leader of Sigma


    Network won''t escape again,¡± Lue said. She had already arrived on a neighboring ind and had her people in ce.


    "Keep it quiet," Juniper instructed, pinching the bridge of her nose.


    §ä


    If


    "Shanley is in Moralia Count


    we make too much noise, he might find out and decide to join the fight

 Chapter 689

    If that happened, the old fox leading Sigma Network would surely find an opening. ¡°Besides, I don''t want Shanley to know what I went through back then," she added. Lue fell silent. She was right. Juniper had endured immense hardship to build Subterra Vanguard from the ground up. Just when things were finally looking up, Sigma Network had emerged as a formidable rival. It was as if their organizations shared a single brain, constantly converging on the same markets, resources, and research. But there was only room for one king on the mountain, and for one to thrive, the other had to suffer.


    To protect their interests, Sigma Network struck first. They came in hard, bombing a Subterra Vanguard cargo ship. Juniper had been asleep on board and barely escaped the inferno. That incident ignited an all-out war.


    For years, neither side had rested. It was a constant cycle of retaliation¡ªa gunshot for a gunshot, a bomb for a bomb. Juniper, still just a teenager, had suffered immensely in her fight against them. The worst was when a bullet went straight through her head, leaving her inches from death. That was why Subterra Vanguard considered Sigma Network their public enemy number one.


    "Sigma Network has probably heard that Binary Oracle is participating in the World Hacker Competition," Lue said, her voiceced with hatred at the mention of Juniper''s alias. "They''ll be ready for us. Juniper, this is going to be a tough fight. You need to be prepared."


    ¡°Prepared?¡± A humorless smile touched Juniper''s lips, her eyes glowing with a dark light. "I''m not the one who needs to be prepared. They are."


    The inds of Moralia Country were open to anyone, and as it happened, one of Subterra Vanguard''s ships was anchored nearby. The hardware on that ship was enough to blow their enemies to kingdome and back a hundred times.


    "That''s our Specter," Lue chuckled. After a bit more small talk, she hung up.


    Meanwhile, in the adjoining study, Shanley was finalizing his own ns with his people from Sigma Network.


    "Chief, since Binary Oracle has


    registered for thepetition,


    Specter is guaranteed to show," Flint reported, brimming with confidence.


    "Our setup this time is perfect.


    have the manpower and the...


    We


    resources. There''s no way Specter is leaving that ind alive."Content


    "Keep the noise down," Shanley ordered, rubbing his temples. ¡°Juniper is in Moralia Country. I don''t want her to worry."


    "Understood, boss," Flint replied respectfully. "We''ll be extremely careful. Ms. Payne won''t suspect a thing."


    After ending the call, Shanley returned to the bedroom and found Juniper awake, eating fruit while ying a game on her phone.


    "When did you wake up?" Shanley


    her and fed her a piece of


    sator''spetition is


    fruit.


    tomorrow. Is there anything you need my help with."


    "Just now,¡± Juniper saidzily. ¡°After Tucker wins, we''ll need the Schwartz Group''s


    media machine to create some buzz."


    "So certain he''s going to win?" Shanley chuckled, gently wiping her mouth.


    "Of course," Juniper looked up at him, her tone firm and unwavering. "This championship should have been his a long time ago."


    This time,


    she was going to reim


    every bit of the honor that was stolen from him. She would make sure the entire global techmunity knew the name Tucker. And she would show the so-called tech superpowers who looked down on their country just how rapidly their industry was advancing.

 Chapter 690

    The Moralia Country Tech Convention Center was teeming with programming titans from every corner of the globe. The sheer scale of the event was magnificent and overwhelming.


    ¡°Look at all these people,¡± Tucker said, clutching hisptop bag and adjusting his thick reading sses as he scanned the crowd.


    ¡°So many legends of the programming world arepeting." He swallowed hard, his nervousness showing. ¡°Juniper, what if we get knocked out in the first round?" Thepetition consisted of five rounds. Based on the preliminary results, contestants were divided into small groups of four. Each group would anonymously submit and vote on projects. The work with the most votes from each group would advance to the next round. This process would repeat until the fifth and final round, where the top three projects would be selected, determining the champion, runner- up, and third-ce winner.


    ¡°If I remember correctly, didn''t Byron get eliminated in the third roundst time hepeted?" Tucker asked.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Juniper, wearing a ck hoodie and a baseball cap with her hands in her pockets, arched an eyebrow. "You remember wrong. He was knocked out in the second round."


    And he only made it that far because anotherpetitor in his group had to withdraw due to a health issue. Otherwise, Byron would have been a first-round washout.


    "Really?" Tucker scratched his cheek, his face etched with worry. "This is intense. I just hope we canst a few rounds."


    "We will," Juniper replied with a small smile, saying no more.


    A few stepster, they ran right into Byron.


    "Well, if it isn''t Tucker," Byron said, striding over with an air of superiority. "I know this is your first World Programming Competition, so a lot of the rules might be confusing. Feel free to ask me if you need anything."


    ¡°No, but thank you,¡± Tucker replied, his lips forming a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. If he genuinely wanted to help, he could have just offered the advice. Why make someone grovel for it?


    Thankfully, on the way over, Juniper


    had briefed him on every single detail. He felt so familiar with thepetition grounds it was likeing home. An outsider might have thought she''dpeted here herself. She must have done a ton of research.


    "The contestants here are all the best in the business. There''s no shame in being eliminated in the first round," Byron continued, his arms crossed, his tone dripping with condescension.


    "Oh?" Tucker couldn''t take it anymore and shot back, "From the sound of it, you''re expecting to bring home the glory for our country?"


    ¡°Thepetition is stiff, and while my project is quite good..." Byron''s face broke into a smug, disingenuous smile. "One must remain humble."


    His program had been a


    coborative effort, with


    contributions from numerous top programmers, both domestic and international. It was cutting-edge in terms of innovation and technical execution. If not the championship, top-three finish was practically guaranteed.


    As for Tucker''s project...


    Byron scoffed internally. He''d heard Tucker had cobbled it together by himself while tinkering in hisb. Did he really think a lucky break in the preliminaries meant he could actually ce in the finals?


    Byron knew exactly what Tucker''s capabilities were. What kind of groundbreaking work could he possibly produce hiding away in a universityb all day?


    Still, getting knocked out in the first round would be a bit of an embarrassment for their country. Would he even have the nerve to return to his teaching position at Era University after that?


    Tucker just smiled without another word and led Juniper away.


    Soon, the audience, filled with


    programming enthusiasts, had taken their seats. On stage, a pane of judges, all decorated


    programming masters from around the world, sat expectantly. The contestants drew lots, formed theri groups, and prepared to present their work as the first round began.

 Chapter 691

    To make it to the final round, you had to carefully manage how much you revealed. The key was to showcase enough brilliance to beat your group-mates without giving away your core concept too early.


    Fifteen minutester, thepetition officially began.


    Tucker''s hands trembled slightly as he inserted the USB drive into the port, opened the folder, and located his program. He ran the demo and presented his work all in one smooth motion. It was a wless execution. Each stage of his program showcased innovation, quickly capturing the judges'' attention.


    The presentation ended, and the judges began to vote.


    Within his group, Tucker''s work received the highest number of votes. However, to ensure fairness, the submissions were anonymous. The audience only knew which entries advanced, not who created them-unless, of course, a piece ranked low enough to be eliminated.


    Meanwhile, Byron also finished his presentation, waiting confidently for the results. But when they were announced, his face fell.


    What was going on? His entry had the lowest score in his group! Did that mean he was being eliminated in the first round? Impossible.


    "Excuse me, sir. Your entry rankedst and will not be advancing to the next round," a staff member approached him with a polite smile. ¡°Please take your belongings and exit the room now."


    ¡°That''s impossible,¡± Byron snapped, his face cold with indignation. ¡°My program is perfect. There''s no way it failed to pass the first round. Are you sure you counted all the votes?"


    "If you refuse to leave, we will have to call security," the staff member said, rolling his eyes with a distinctck of patience. Every year, there were arrogant contestants like him; security was well-practiced in escorting them out.


    Seeing the security guards approaching, Byron had no choice but to get up. He grabbed hisptop bag and walked out, feelingpletely dejected.


    The main hall was filled with all the eliminated contestants. Byron scanned the crowd but didn''t see Tucker. He did, however, spot Juniper, who was watching him with her legs crossed. "Well, well, Byron. Out so soon?"


    Byron shot Juniper a venomous re before quickly looking away, his face flushing crimson.


    Just then, an announcement echoed through the hall, signaling the start of the second round. That confirmed it-Tucker had advanced.


    Byron''s mind went nk. This was his worst performance ever in thispetition. And Tucker, hispatriot, had moved on If people back home and the students at Era University found out, how could he ever show his face again? C¨®ntent


    Slumping into a seat, Byron numbly pulled out his phone. The moment it powered on, a massive news alert


    popped up on his screenlete


    Programming Competition: Ope Advances to Second Round One Eliminated in First."


    Beneath the headline was a picture of him, Byron, with a huge "OUT" stamped across his face. The article already had over ten thousandments, and the number was climbing fast.


    With a trembling hand, Byron opened thement section.


    "Wait, Byron was eliminated in the first round? Is this a huge upset?"


    "Hardly an upset when he was never a contender. He makes a big fuss every year he participates, acting like he''s some big shot but his best result was making it to the second round once."


    "I''ve never heard of the professor who advanced. Who is he?"


    "Replying to the above: They''re both professors from Era University. Tucker, the one who advanced, was also the champion of the preliminaries.¡±


    "A dark horse!"


    ¡°Looking forward to Tucker''s performance. Go, Tucker!"


    Reading ament section full of people cheering for Tucker and mocking him, Byron''s hands shook uncontrobly.


    Who paid for this news push? So what if he made it to the second round? What was there to celebrate? Let''s see him make it to the third round!


    Just then, the host''s voice rang out, announcing the list of contestants advancing to the third round...

 Chapter 692

    Byron''s eyes were glued to therge rolling screen, where he saw Tucker''s name, clear as day. He had actually won two consecutive rounds and was now in the third. Tucker''s skills were mediocre at best; how could he possibly have surpassed him?


    By now, news of Tucker breaking his own record and entering the third round of the finals had spread like wildfire back home.


    "Impossible," Byron muttered, clutching his phone as his eyes grew cold. "It has to be pure luck. He''ll probably get knocked out in the third round."


    That had to be it. Byron decided he would wait right there for Tucker to be eliminated. Trying to steal his spotlight and make a name for himself? Not on his watch!


    Soon, the third round concluded, and the list of advancing contestants was announced. Byron craned his neck, only to see Tucker''s name once again. He advanced again? Did Tucker really have the ability to create programs worthy of the top three rounds?


    Anyone who made it to the third round of thispetition had some serious skills. To stand out from that group required something truly extraordinary. What on earth had Tucker created?


    Byron sat frozen in ce, staring at the screen so intently he was practically grinding his teeth to dust.


    Meanwhile, in a corner of the audience, Juniper was texting Lue. Lue had just informed her that agents from Sigma Network had quietly arrived on the ind, bringing not only elite operatives but also tworge shipments of cargo, presumably weapons and equipment to use against the Subterra Vanguard.


    Lue: [The old fox came well-prepared, but the Subterra Vanguard isn''t to be trifled with.]


    Juniper nced at the list of finalists, then her fingers moved slowly across the screen. [He can bring it in, but that doesn''t mean he''ll get to use it.]


    Lue: [?]


    Juniper: [What if it all suddenly goes up in smoke tomorrow?]


    Lue: [Leave it to you, Juniper. You''re nning to capture the head of Sigma Network alive, aren''t you?]


    Juniper''s lips curled into a humorless smile. [I should at least get a look at the bastard who tried to put a bullet in my head.]


    Lue: [Deal. Once we catch him, we''ll make him your personal ve.]


    As the fourth round began, only eight contestants remained. This round would eliminate five. To ensureplete fairness, the final two rounds required a public demonstration of the programs. Videos of all eight contestants'' work! would be yed simultaneously on therge screens, allowing anyone with a discerning eye to see which was superior.


    Thepetition started, and the eight programs began to y. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. As expected of the final round, every single entry was astounding.


    But one, titled "Glimmer" on the far-left screen, was particrly captivating. After its demo program finished, the code began to dpress itself.


    Imagine looking at a world map on your phone, seeing it as a t ne. But if you keep tapping on a single location, the map zooms in, and in, and in eventually transitioning from a macroscopic view to a


    microscopic one. That''s what this was. A model the size of your palm contained entire countries, mountains, and rivers-everything that exists on Earth, expertlypressed into any package by master programmer. As the program dpressed, this small model began to expand, revealing all itspressed contents one by one.


    Gasps of amazement filled the hall.


    The rules stipted that a contestant''s submission could not exceed 64 kilobytes. For context, a single photograph is oftenrger than 100 kilobytes. The audience was on the edge of their seats, wondering just how much this tiny program could possibly generate.

 Chapter 693

    Just as the audience waspletely engrossed, the program came to an abrupt halt. Everyone was confused. This was only the fourth round, which meant the contestant was deliberately holding back for the final. But they wanted to see more!


    And so did the judges. In recent years, the submissions had be somewhat conventional,cking true originality. But "Glimmer" was incredibly creative and had built up an immense sense of anticipation.


    In the end, ¡°Glimmer¡± secured first ce in the voting, effortlessly advancing to the final round.


    The five eliminated contestants left the stage one by one.


    By this point, Byron waspletely crushed, constantly wiping the sweat from his brow. Tucker hadn''t emerged, which meant he was in the top three. Even if he only took third ce, it was an honor that would make him a star in Orient Country''s techmunity. If that happened, wouldn''t he have to give up his position as head of theputer science department to Tucker?


    Byron swallowed hard, a knot of panic tightening in his stomach.


    As the final round began, Juniper put her phone away and focused her full attention on therge screen. The further a program progressed, the more demanding it became. One small mistake could render all the previous work useless.


    By now, most of the audience''s attention was fixated on "Glimmer." The program flickered with a blinding light, and then tiny fragments rapidly converged at the center, forming a distorted, sci-fi-esque face. Just as everyone wondered why it had stopped again, the face suddenly shattered. Countless tiny dots scattered across the screen, each one beginning to disy different data, with billions of processes running simultaneously.


    "Wow!" A wave of awe washed over the crowd.


    The judges'' jaws dropped, their eyes wide with disbelief. This technique... it looked familiar. They felt like they had seen it somewhere before.


    Two minutester, the presentation concluded, and the voting began. During the tallying, a buzz of excited discussion filled the hall, with "Glimmer¡± being the main topic. Anyone with half a brain could see that it hadpletely outssed the other entries.


    Tucker had spent five years on this, working so hard his hair had turned white. It had been worth it.


    A few minutester, the host returned to the stage to announce the results. Everyone''s heart was in their throat.


    Juniper, however, remained calm. She coolly popped a candy into her mouth, though her expression was serious. If these foreigners dared to cheat, she would blow this ce to smithereens.


    The results were posted. "Glimmer" was the clear winner, holding the top spot by a significant margin.


    Juniper''s eyebrow arched slightly, a faint smile ying on her lips. Good. Just as expected.


    With the results out, the crowd was


    even more curious about the


    creator. Most of the audience members were locals and their inherent sense of superiority m them assume that only a master from their own country could create such a brilliant program.


    from


    "The champions for thest few years have all been from Moralia Country. I doubt this time will be any different."


    "I heard there''s someone from Orient Country in the top three. Probably got third ce."


    "His program was so outdated. All sh and no substance, just showing off technical skill without any real innovation. So tacky."


    "The fact that someone from Orient Country even made it to the finals is a charity case from themittee If you ask me they should bex banned frompeting next year."


    "Moralia Country''s ''Glimmer'' is the real deal. A well-deserved champion."


    Sitting nearby, Juniper crossed her arms and legs, a mocking smile on her face as she listened.

 Chapter 694

    "We will now announce the final rankings of thepetition..." the host''s voice boomed, immediately recapturing everyone''s attention.


    "In third ce, from Moralia Country, is the entry ''Darkly''."


    Moralia Country? The audience members who had been waiting to ridicule Orient Country exchanged confused nces. Wasn''t third ce supposed to go to Orient Country? What right did they have to aim for second?


    Even now, their arrogance persisted, convinced that the ¡°backward" Orient Country could never surpass Moralia. Sure, the other program, ''D,'' wasn''t bad, but who knew if it was just something cobbled together by Orient Country''s so-called masters? How much of it was their own original work? Second ce? That was far too ambitious for Orient Country!


    "Our second-ce winner is ''D'' from Froskia Country!"


    The host''s announcement left the crowd even more stunned. What was going on? Third ce was Moralia Country, and second was Froskia Country? Didn''t that mean first ce was...?


    The judges were just as baffled. Could such a brilliant andplex program like "Glimmer¡± really not be from Froskia Country? Hadn''t Froskia just recently announced major breakthroughs in their programming capabilities? What was happening?


    "And the first-ce winner is ''Glimmer,'' from Orient Country!"


    As the host finished, a dead silence fell over the hall. All eyes stared at the man walking out from backstage. He was middle-aged, with salt-and-pepper hair and simple clothes. His entire appearance seemedpletely at odds with the high-tech world of programming. Coupled with the fact that he had won the championship on his first try, Tucker himself was in a daze, walking so stiffly that his arms and legs moved in unnatural unison.


    This was the programmer from Orient Country who created "Glimmer" and won the championship? He didn''t look like someone who even touched aputer!


    Byron was more shocked than anyone. He couldn''t believe that the program that had stunned everyone, "Glimmer," was Tucker''s creation Tuckenspent all his time holed up in hisb, with little contact with the outside world and no high-level mentor to guide him. It was impossible for him to have created something so intricate andplex on his own.


    And another thing the more he looked at "Glimmer," the more it resembled the work of a previous champion, the legendary Miss Null. The techniques used were practically identical.


    Byron''s mind raced. Tucker must have been desperate to win and giarized the core concepts from Miss Null''s work. With that thought, he immediately took out his phone and sent a formal usation to thepetitionmittee.


    Just as the judges were marveling at the unassuming champion, an assistant rushed over to them, whispering urgently. The head judge''s face immediately turned grim. He stood up, his expression severe.


    "The award ceremony will be


    paused," he announced. "We have


    received an usation that Tucker''s entry ''Glimmer,'' involves giarism. To maintain the integrity of thispetition, we will need some time to investigate. We ask for your patience."


    giarism? The usation was so absurd that Tucker almostughed out loud. He had spent years on this program, endlessly refining


    polishing it. And now they d this


    using him of stealing


    Just


    because they couldn''t stand to lose, they resorted to nder?


    Fine. Let them investigate. His conscience was clear.


    A smile finally returned to Byron''s face. His n was working. Let Tucker win the championship? What would be left of his own reputation in the tech world? Juniper''s eyes narrowed, the curve of her lips deepening. There it is. Right on cue. Well, she thought, it''s still early. She might as well y along a little longer.


    After a rigorousparison, the judges found that certain techniques in Tucker''s "Glimmer" did indeed bear a striking resemnce to the work of "Miss Null,? the champion from several years ago.

 Chapter 695

    Everyone in the industry knew that many of the techniques used in Miss Null''s work were her own original creations, protected by intellectual property rights. Using them without her permission was a severe case of giarism-a cardinal sin in the programming world.


    Did Tucker really think that just because Miss Null had retired from the scene and wasrgely forgotten, he could use her work freely?


    "Mr. Tucker, please exin these simrities," the head judge demanded.


    Tucker nced at theparison on the screen and answered bluntly, ¡°Miss Null was my master. She taught me some of her techniques before we parted ways."


    His words were met with a wave of derisiveughter from the audience. His master? Everyone knew Miss Null was a self-made genius who had burst onto the scene,peted as an individual, and then vanished. After winning, she hadn''t even shown up to ept her trophy, leaving only a note telling themittee to wire her the prize money. She had never been seen in public. Despite numerous invitations from themittee over the years, she had never reappeared.


    How could a professor from Orient Country possibly know such a legendary figure, let alone call her his master? He was clearly just making up excuses for his giarism!


    "Mr. Tucker, that excuse isughable," a judge said, his lips twisting into a cold smile. ¡°If we all giarized something and then simply imed the original creator was our teacher, could we get away with it too?"


    "I''m not lying," Tucker retorted, his temper ring. He hated being misunderstood more than anything. "Miss Null really was my teacher, and she gave me study materials. The techniques I used in ''Glimmer'' are the result of my own research and development, not a direct copy."


    Besides, Miss Null had never taught him step-by-step, nor had she ever given him a USB drive with her work. Even if he had wanted to copy it, he wouldn''t have known where to start.


    ¡°Hah.¡± The judges didn''t believe a word of it. At this point, they had one goal: to disqualify this insufferable professor from Orient Country That way, the championship would naturally go to the contestant from Froskia Country, and the long-held tr¨¢dition of Orient Country''s inferiority in programming would remain unchanged.


    "Mr. Tucker, you im Miss Null gave you study materials..." the judge began, a mocking expression on his face. "Let''s not even get into how difficult it would be to master her techniques, the sheer amount of time and energy it would require. Even if you did manage to fearn itell yourself... what proof do you have? Can you prove that she was your master and gave you those materials?"


    "Let''s do this, the judge continued.


    "We''ll give you five minutes to contact Miss Null. Since you were her student, you must have a close rtionship. As long as she personally confirms that she gave you her materials to study t usation of giarism will be dropped, and the championship will still be yours."


    "Contact my master?" Tucker froze, his mind going nk. ¡°Miss Null passed away years ago,¡± he stammered. ¡°What am I supposed to do, hold a s¨¦ance and summon her from the grave?"


    "She passed away?" The judge sneered, feeling increasingly certain that this man from Orient Country was mocking them and the rules of thepetition. "How convenient that she''s dead!"


    Sitting in the audience, the supposedly dead and now resurrected Miss Null blinked. This was a bit awkward. It looked like she might have to perform a little resurrection, right here and now.

 Chapter 696

    "Mr. Chairman," one of the judges leaned in and whispered respectfully to the man, "Miss Null did indeed pass away several years ago. You were hospitalized at the time, so you might have missed the news."


    "Is that so?" the head judge murmured, a mocking smile spreading across his face.


    Juniper bit her lip and scratched her head. She''d faked her own death for two reasons: one, to stop Tucker from constantly pestering her with questions, and two, because the World Programming Competitionmittee was unbelievably annoying, flooding her inbox with daily invitations to join their organization. Faking her death had brought her a world of peace.


    "Tucker," the judge said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he turned back to the professor, "are you saying that after winning the championship, Miss Null took you on as her student, taught you her personally developed core programming concepts, and then died shortly after?"


    "Yes, that''s right," Tucker nodded earnestly. "I had other questions for her, but she suddenly had something urgent to attend to. She gave me a book of her notes and told me to study it on my own. Not long after that, I heard the news of her passing."


    "Hmph." The judge''s face darkened, his patience worn thin. "So you have no way of proving that Miss Null passed this core knowledge on to you?"


    Tucker''s mouth fell open, his face flushing with embarrassment. "No, but I swear I didn''t giarize."


    "Without evidence, you expect to clear your name by simply saying you didn''t do it?" another judge chimed in, his tone condescending. "Ourmittee has studied the core concepts you used in your work. None of us could replicate them if


    we can''t do it, what makes you think a professor from your country could?"


    "And why couldn''t I?" Tucker shot back, angered by the man''s passive-aggressive tone. "Just because you can''t do something doesn''t mean I can''t.¡±


    ¡°And another thing,¡± he paused, then continued, his voice firm, ¡°my master was also from my country, and she was not even eighteen when she developed these core concepts. Don''t insult our people just because of your own ipetence."


    .n


    "You-!" The judge''s face turned crimson with rage. He swallowed hard and practically yelled, "Talk isz cheap. If you want to prove you didn''t giarize, there''s only one way have Miss Null herself vouch for you. Otherwise, not only will you be stripped of the championship, but you will also be permanently cklisted from the World Programming Competition for


    academic theft."


    Tucker froze, the color draining from his face. He wanted to argue, to defend himself, but he knew it was futile. This was their turf, and this was the perfect opportunity for them to reim the title. Without proof, they would never believe him, no matter what he said.


    After a moment of thought, he let his head hang in defeat. He had thought that by escaping the politics at home and finally reaching the world stage, he could showcase his years of research and bring honor to his country. He never expected this.


    Seeing Tucker''s dejected silence, Byron felt a deep, satisfying release of the resentment that had been


    building inside him. So this was the


    great Professor Tucke


    Just<pmon thief, passing off someone else''s brilliant work as his own. If Miss Null knew her core concepts had been stolen, she''d probably leap out of her coffin in a rage.

 Chapter 697

    And all those celebratory headlines back home, cheering for Tucker''s victory? They were all a joke now. Once he was cklisted by the World Programming


    Competition, would he have any future left? His career was likely over!


    The thought of never having to see Tucker at the university again, of having no one stand in his way, filled Byron with glee.


    ¡°Tucker, we''re giving you five minutes,¡± a judge announced. "You have two minutes left. If you can''t produce any evidence by then, we''ll have to ask you to leave. The awards ceremony needs to continue."


    Tucker clenched his fists, his jaw tight. He looked up at the crowd. "Miss Null has passed away," he said, his voice heavy. "Obviously, I can''t bring her here. But I did not giarize. I will prepare my materials and file an appeal."


    With that, he handed the microphone back to the host and turned to leave.


    Just then, a familiar voice cut through the silence from the audience. "Who says Professor Tucker can''t produce any evidence?"


    Every head in the venue snapped toward the source of the voice. In the packed audience, a girl in a ck hoodie and a baseball cap was slowly getting to her feet. Long hair framed a delicate, pretty chin, and she had a lollipop stick clenched between her teeth.


    "Who is that?"


    "Some kid, making a scene at an event like this?"


    "I think she came with Tucker. Probably trying to defend him."


    "Defend him?¡± another person scoffed. "What right does she have to speak?"


    "She said she has evidence."


    "Haha, the only evidence is Miss Null, and she''s long dead. What''s this girl going to do, raise her from the grave?"


    Ignoring the murmurs andughter around her, Juniper walked steadily toward the stage. She was stopped by security at the entrance.


    ¡°Juniper, what are you doing?" Tucker called out, his voice trembling. "Don''t do anything rash. Just wait for me in the audience."


    Juniper was a brilliant student in Era University''sputer science department: With her talent, she had a bright future ahead of her. He couldn''t let her ruin it by getting into trouble for his sake. Evidence? What evidence could she possibly have? She''d probably never even heard of Miss Null.


    "How can I not be rash when someone''s trying to steal your trophy?" Juniper tossed the lollipop stick into a nearby trash can and pushed back the brim of her cap, revealing her full face. A smirk yed on her lips. "You earned this. We have to get it back."


    "But..." Tucker started to protest, but sighed in resignation.


    "Hmph." Byron let out a coldugh, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "How touching. A true


    master student bond like they say, the apple doesn''t fall far from the tree."


    Juniper, her back to him, ignored his nonsense.


    "Youngdy, you say you have evidence?¡± a judge asked, looking her up and down


    with a skeptical, amused expression.


    ¡°That''s right,¡± Juniper replied without hesitation, facing the panel.


    "And where is this evidence?" the judge pressed, treating her like a child trying to protect an adult from punishment.


    "I am the evidence," Juniper said, lifting her gaze. Her lips moved, and she enunciated each word clearly. "I am Miss Null."

 Chapter 698

    The entire hall fell silent. Hundreds of pairs of eyes were fixed on her, stunned.


    What did she just say? Did they hear that right? This teenage girl had the audacity to im she was Miss Null? It was the most absurd joke they had heard all century.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Tucker pushed his sses up his nose, his mouth slightly agape as he stared at Juniper in disbelief. Juniper was iming to be Miss Null? It was all a mess. But then again, he had to admit, there was a faint resemnce between Juniper and his master. Was this girl really trying to impersonate Miss Null?


    "You im to be Miss Null?" The judges exchanged nces, and after a few seconds, incredulous smiles appeared on their faces. They weren''t shocked that Miss Null might be alive; they were shocked that someone could be so foolish as to impersonate her in front of the entire international programmingmittee. What a fool!


    Byron couldn''t hold it in any longer and burst outughing. One of them giarizes Miss Null, and the other impersonates her. Truly, like master, like student.


    "Yes, I am Miss Null," Juniper repeated calmly, standing her ground.


    Herpleteck of nervousness threw the judges for a loop.


    ¡°Miss Null died three years ago," one of them stated tly. ¡°The news of her death was everywhere. Youngdy, I understand you''re with Tucker. But when you''ve done something wrong, you admit it. Don''t make things worse. Please leave. We have important matters to attend to."


    The judge had no more patience to waste on them. They had a chance to get the trophy back, and they were going to take it.


    "Indeed," Juniper said, not moving an inch. A casual smirk touched her lips. ¡°I have no idea who started that rumor about my death. But if you want to know if I''m an imposter, why don''t you just let me prove it?"


    The judges frowned at her. "And how would you do that?" one asked warily.


    "I just need aputer." Juniper kept her hands in her pockets, her stance casual


    and rxed. With the lollipop she''d had earlier, she looked more like a curious bystander than a central figure in a major controversy.


    "You''re revoking Tucker''s award


    because you suspect the programming methods he used were inspired by Miss Null''s work," she continued So, ift can prove that Tam Miss Nut, this whole problem will be solved, correct?"


    "Of course," a judge responded immediately, certain that this young girl couldn''t


    possibly be the programming prodigy.


    Three years ago, a fifteen-year-old


    girl had stormed the World Programming Competition,peting under a neutral banner. She had dressed as a boy, and the presentations of her work were al pre recorded in a private room. Fewer than ten people had ever seen her face. She had blitzed through every round to win the


    championship with her breathtaking programming skills.


    But strangely, after seeing the final rankings, she had slipped out through a window, leaving the trophy behind. Themittee had tried everything to contact and recruit


    her, but she never budged. Then came the news of her death.


    This girl in front of them was supposedly a freshman at Era University. Did someone with Miss Null''s skills even need to atten university to studyputer science? She could teach the judges on thismittee a thing or two.

 Chapter 699

    "Alright then," Juniper said with a faint,zy smile. "Give me aputer."


    "And if you can''t prove it?" a judge pressed.


    "You can do whatever you want with me." Juniper took theptop they provided, walked to an empty seat, and connected it to therge projector screen.


    The audience watched, confused, wondering how the girl nned to prove her identity.


    ¡°What a stunt,¡± Byron muttered, rolling his eyes in contempt. This pair was single- handedly disgracing their entire country.


    ¡°Juniper, what are you doing?" Tucker hurried to her side, his voice a hoarse whisper.


    "You''ll see in a minute,¡± Juniper said, tilting her chin up with an air of absolute calm. "Now sit over there, old man, or they''ll use us of cheating."


    "Juniper-"


    "Go!" Juniper''s voice rose, her tone suddenly serious.


    Tucker reluctantly did as he was told. Juniper wasn''t the type to act recklessly. She seemedpletely confident. Could it be... that she really was his master, Miss Null?


    Good heavens, was resurrection actually real?


    Meanwhile, in a hotel suite.


    Flint frantically knocked on Shanley''s door. "Boss!" he panted, out of breath. "Ms. Payne is about to blow her cover again!"


    "Hm?" Shanley nced up from hisputer, his eyes sweeping over Flint before returning to the screen, which was streaming the live feed from the World Programming Competition. The camera was zoomed in on Juniper.


    "Boss, you''re watching?" Flint clutched his chest, trying to calm his racing heart. ¡°Ms. Payne just imed to be theputer genius, the programming legend Miss Null. Aren''t you shocked?"


    They knew all about Miss Null. Three years ago, she had defeated a host of programming veterans to win the championship. The sheer brilliance of her work was something Flint still remembered vividly. At the time, Shanley had been so impressed by her skills that he had tried to recruit her for Cybeic Shadows even offering an astronomical fee. But Miss Null had been stubborn and refused. Then, tragically, she was gone.


    And now, out of nowhere, Ms. Payne was iming to be the very same Miss Null who had supposedly died three years ago. It was beyond surreal.


    "Why would I be shocked?" Shanley leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs elegantly. A fond smile yed on his handsome face, and his voice was a low, rich murmur "This isn''t the first time Juniper has revealed a secret identity. You''ll have to get used to it."


    He had been caught off guard before, but after a few times... he was at peace with


    it.


    Flint wiped the sweat from his brow, speechless. Ms. Payne''s secret identities were getting more unbelievable by the day. At this rate, he was starting to suspect she might be Specter from Subterra Vanguard, especially given how much she loathed Cybeic Shadows.


    Back at thepetition.


    After connecting theptop, Juniper opened a programming application.


    "What do you intend to do?" the host asked curiously. "The judges can''t give you much time. Twenty minutes at most.¡±


    "That''s enough," Juniper smirked,


    her ten fingers hovering over the keyboard. She typed a few


    characters to get a feel for it. What a


    piece of junk. This software was


    worse than the stuff shed, discarded


    three years ago, and they were


    treating it like a treasure.


    After familiarizing herself, her fingers began to fly across the keyboard. The screen


    filled with a dense wall of symbols.

 Chapter 700

    What? Recreate Miss Null''s championship-winning program the one that had dominated the World Programming Competition three years ago with an overwhelming vote-live on stage? She had to be kidding.


    ¡°I don''t think she''s kidding. Her fingers are a blur on that keyboard."


    "And look at the screen. All thatplex code... she''s typing it out without even thinking. It''s insane."


    "I heard Miss Null''s original project took months toplete. How can she do it in fifteen minutes? She wouldn''t have enough time even if she were copying it line by line!"


    The audience buzzed with discussion, and the judges on stage were beginning to see it too. The code she was writing... it looked identical to the code from Miss Null''s project. The speed, the precision-even some of the top programmers in the world couldn''t match it. She wasn''t even looking at the keyboard. She was just a freshman in college, how was this possible?


    As more and more code filled the screen, Tucker finally realized something was off. The program Juniper was writing was identical to his master''s work. He had studied that project countless times, memorizing nearly every line of code. He couldn''t be mistaken. The program was soplex that no one but the original creator could possibly write it from scratch, especially not live. Could it be... that Juniper really was his master? That she hadn''t died?


    At that thought, Tucker froze, his mind goingpletely nk.


    Twelve minutester.


    The sound of typing finally ceased. Juniper slowly rose from her seat as every eye in the room focused on her.


    "The most direct way to prove I am Miss Null is to recreate my award-winning program right here she said, turning her head to look a at the stunned judges hope you''ll a keep your word and give Professor Tucker the justice he deserves."


    With that, her fingers danced over the keyboard onest time,piling the code. A


    momentter, Miss Null''s program from three years ago began to run on the


    massive projector screen.


    A collective gasp swept through the hall. "It''s really Miss Null''s project!"


    "Maybe she just memorized the code beforehand?"


    "Use your brain! The probability of memorizing that entire program is astronomical!"


    "And even if you memorized it, you


    still have topile it. For the past three years, countless programmers have tried and failed to replicate Miss Null''s work. That proves only She herself can make it."


    ¡°Fifteen minutes..." the head judge stared at the screen, his eyes wide with disbelief. ¡°She recreated Miss Null''s masterpiece in just fifteen minutes?"


    "Mr. Chairman, the program is a perfect match to Miss Null''s," a staff member confirmed after a quickparison. ¡°And... there''s more. Three years ago, Miss Null was indeed only fifteen, which is why she was hailed as a child prodigy. By that timeline, she would be eighteen this year¡ªthe same age as the youngdy before us. So... it''s possible she really is Miss Null."


    The judges stood frozen, unsure how to react.


    "I see you still have your doubts." Juniper said, a slight, knowing smile on her face


    as if she had expected this all along. "In that case, why don''t you take a look at this?"

 Chapter 701

    In the next second, all eyes swiveled from Juniper to the projector screen.


    Juniper logged into her email and scrolled through her inbox, finally stopping at a date from three years ago.


    "This is the source data for my programming project from three years ago." Leaning against the lectern, Juniper drummed her fingers on the surface, her voice crisp and clear. "You''re all experts inputer science, so it should be easy for you to verify its authenticity."


    As expected, the judges immediately sent a technician to inspect the data. After a few moments of work, the technician turned back to the judges with a grim expression and nodded. It was true. The data was original, containing not just the final project but also various developmental stages. This was the kind of raw work that no one but Miss Null herself could produce.


    The judges'' faces grew even darker upon receiving the confirmation.


    "And onest thing," Juniper said, not yet ready to let them off the hook as she continued to tear down their usations. "Your core argument was that Professor Tucker giarized my work? He wasn''t lying; I did give him a physical copy of my research."


    Juniper continued, ¡°I''ve already published that material online for everyone to see. As for the core of Tucker''s program, it is indeed in the same category as mine, but the central algorithm is vastly different. In fact, Tucker''s work is moreplete than mine. The core he developed improves upon it, addressing shorings I hadn''t considered. Would you call building a more advanced airne or a better cannon giarism?"


    The entire hall fell silent, listening to Juniper''s rebuke.


    ¡°Also...¡± Juniper paused for a breath before adding, "I''ve made the core data public. If anyone can surpass Tucker''s research achievements within the next three years I''ll personally bring this trophy back and return it to the World


    §Ú§Þ


    Programming Alliance."


    By now, most of the people in the audience, along with the judges on stage, had


    already pulled up Juniper''s core data on their devices.


    The judges, with their extensive


    experience, could understand it. The audience, however, was struggling It was tooplex. Just studying the code would take a significant amount of time, let alone mastering The fact that Tucker had managed to learn it and elevate it within three years was truly


    impressive.


    "The news of my death was false," Juniper said with a faint smile. "Is my proof sufficient?"


    Her gaze swept across the judges, a cold smile ying on her lips. "I won''t waste any more of your time. The award ceremony can now continue."


    With all the evidenceid out before them, the judges were speechless. They had


    no choice but to begrudgingly announce, "The winner of this year''s World Programming Competition is Tucker, from Orient Country''s Era University, for his work, ''Glimmer''."


    Juniper was the first to apud, and the audience slowly followed her lead. A stubborn stereotype had


    been ingrained in these young minds that Orient Country was backward, especially inputer science. But deep down they couldn''t help but admire strength. The apuse grew, filling the hall.


    "What are you doing just standing there?" Juniper walked over to Tucker, who lookedpletely dazed, and raised an eyebrow. "Go ept your award."


    Tucker stared cautiously at the girl before him, feeling like he was in a dream. Fifteen minutes ago, she was just Juniper... and now, she was his resurrected Master?

 Chapter 702

    "Juniper..." Tucker began, wanting to exin that he''d only been harsh with her earlier for her own good, but he quickly pped a hand over his mouth and corrected himself. "Master, I...¡±


    "Go get your award first," Juniper said calmly, a faint smile on her lips. ¡°We''ll discuss our business back at the hotel."


    Tucker froze, a shiver running down his spine. Was she nning to settle scorester?


    The award ceremonymenced, and the presenter reluctantly handed the trophy to Tucker. "And here is the prize money."


    "Prize money?¡± Tucker nced down at the check. It was for over two million dors. He hadn''t paid much attention to thepetition details in a long time and hadpletely forgotten about the prize. He never imagined it would be so much. Two million dors... think of all the snacks he could buy.


    ¡°Tucker, have you ever considered joining the World Programming Alliance?" the presenter asked in a low voice after handing him the oversized check. "The sry would be twenty times what you''re making now."


    Twenty times? That was two hundred thousand a month.


    "It sounds tempting," Tucker admitted, clutching his trophy and prize money. He brushed back a lock of his white hair and said earnestly, ¡°But........ my Master is from Orient Country, and so am I. I got intoputer programming to serve my country. Two hundred thousand a month?"


    He looked out at the audience, found Juniper, and gave a cold smile. ¡°If I remember correctly, the Alliance once offered my Master ten million, and she turned you down, didn''t she?"


    The man frowned but said nothing. Miss Null was indeed a tough nut to crack.


    "Instead of always trying to poach people, maybe you should look at your own team and see if they''re working hard enough," Tucker continued. "Not everyone from Orient Country is like you people¡ªwilling to do anything for money. When you can''tpete, you resort to nder, and when you''re caught, you just y dumb.¡±


    With every word Tucker spoke, the presenter''s face grew darker, until he finally couldn''t take it anymore and stormed off the stage.


    "Hmph." Tucker scoffed at his retreating back, his eyes filled with contempt. His Master had integrity, even at her young age. He would never be a traitor.


    After the ceremony ended, Tucker headed offstage with his trophy and ran straight into Byron, who had been trying to sneak away They both stopped and stared at each


    Ox content belongs to


    "I can''t believe you actually won," Byron said, his face as pale as paper and his


    whole demeanor deted, though his tone was still mocking.


    "Yeah,¡± Tucker retorted with a smirk. ¡°It is surprising. I thought for sure the award would go to you, Byron."


    After all, he had been so full of himself before thepetition.


    "You-" Byron''s lips trembled with anger at the sarcastic jab, his face turning ashen. "Don''t get too cocky. Be careful you don''t fall.¡±


    "Thanks for your concern, Byron," Tucker shot back, a fire igniting in his chest as he remembered how Byron had given his Master a hard time. "But right now, you should probably worry about yourself."


    With that, Tucker walked away with a cheerful spring in his step, heading toward Juniper.


    Byron stood frozen, watching the smug pair, his hands clenching into tight fists.


    So they won? They think they''re on top of the world? The future is long. They want


    to climb over him that badly? In their dreams!


    Little did he know, the news of


    Tucker''s victory had already spread like wildfire back home, and his name was a trending topic. Even more shockingly, besides Tucker, his student or rather, his


    Master¡ªJuniper was also trending.

 Chapter 703

    On the ride back to the hotel, Juniper rested with her eyes closed while Tucker sat stiffly beside her, barely daring to breathe. As soon as the car stopped, Juniper pushed the door open without a word and strode away, leaving him behind.


    "Master..." Tucker sat in the car, clutching the doorframe and staring pitifully at Juniper''s retreating back.


    Why was she ignoring him? Was she really angry?


    "Master?" Panicked, Tucker abandoned his trophy and prize money, scrambling out of the car and chasing after her.


    "Master, what will I do without you? Master!" he wailed dramatically. "Master!!!"


    Inside the hotel room, Juniper emerged from the bathroom. She had been holding it the entire ride and had made a beeline for the restroom as soon as they arrived.


    "Where''s Tucker?" she murmured, frowning when she didn''t see him. Just as she was about to call him, she heard his desperate cries from the hallway.


    "Master, please don''t ignore me! I know I was wrong!"


    "Master, I didn''t mean to give you a hard time!"


    "Master, please say something!"


    "Master!"


    With a sharp tug, Juniper yanked the door open to find the man slumped half- kneeling against the doorframe, his hands still gripping the handle. Her brow furrowed. "What on earth are you doing?"


    "Master, are you mad at me?" Tucker scrambled to his feet, craning his neck to look at her cautiously. ¡°You just left as soon as the car stopped. Did you not want to see me?"


    "No," Juniper replied with a slight frown, her tone casual. "I was in a hurry to use the restroom."


    Tucker froze. Did that mean she wasn''t angry? Had he just made a fool of himself in the hallway for nothing?


    "Come in," Juniper said, guessing the reason for his meltdown. She stepped aside to let him in and poured him a ss of water.


    "I couldn''t possibly!" Tucker leaped up from the sofa as if shocked, epting the ss with trembling hands. "Master, how did you...?"


    "Oh," Juniper said, sitting down next to him. She guiltily ran a hand through her hair and offered a vague exnation, "It''s all a


    misunderstanding. It doesn''t matter if I was dead before; what''s


    important is that I''m alive none


    Tucker held his ss, thinking her words sounded a bit strange. "Master when heard you had passed away, I cried for days, he said with a sigh, his brow rxing. "I''m just d you''re not dead."


    Juniper''s mouth twitched. That sounded strange, too.


    "Master, you''re so brilliant atputer science. Why are you even in our major?¡± Tucker asked curiously.


    "I was bored," Juniper said simply, ying with her phone. "Since I had to pick a major to kill time in college, I figured I might as well choose something useful."


    Bored? Killing time? Tucker swallowed hard and gave a bitter smile. "How could I possibly dare to teach you now?"


    ¡°Just act as you normally would," Juniper said with a faint smile. ¡°You''re still the professor, and I''m still the student."


    Tucker bit his lip, looking like he was about to cry. He couldn''t do it. He really couldn''t. Maybe... they could switch roles? Juniper could be his teacher. He''d even call her Your Majesty'' if she wanted.

 Chapter 704

    "Please don''t make me..." Tucker pleaded, sitting on the edge of the sofa with his hands resting primly on his knees. "Me teaching you would be like trying to teach a fish to swim."


    Seeing him so worked up, Juniper pinched the bridge of her nose. "Alright, how about this," she said seriously. "At school, we''ll maintain our professor-student rtionship for appearance''s sake. But in private, I''ll teach you."


    "That sounds perfect!" Tucker immediately sat up straight and nodded without hesitation. "Master, we''ll do it just as you say."


    A faint smile touched Juniper''s lips as she narrowed her eyes. "You were just waiting for me to say that, weren''t you, you old fox?"


    "You have to keep your word!" Tucker stood up and started backing toward the door. "In private, you''ll be my teacher. You get some rest now. I won''t disturb you any


    longer."


    The door clicked shut behind him.


    "Tsk." Juniper chuckled softly and settled back onto the sofa.


    A few momentster, the door opened again, and Shanley walked in.


    "I saw the video from thepetition," Shanley said, setting a small cake and a smoothie down next to her. He sat beside her, his deep eyes fixed on her as a smile yed on his lips. "You''re really something, Miss Null."


    "It was alright,¡± Juniper mumbled through a mouthful of cake, ncing up at the man beside her.


    "Hah," Shanley let out a softugh, his gaze intensely focused on her. His voice was husky as he asked, "I heard Cybeic Shadows once sent you an invitation with an astronomical sry. Why didn''t you ept?"


    He was genuinely curious why Juniper disliked Cybeic Shadows so much.


    The mention of the organization soured Juniper''s mood, and even her favorite dessert lost its appeal.


    ¡°What?¡± she began, turning to face Shanley. Her eyes were dark, and her voice wasced with ice. "The Schwartz Group doesn''t have business dealings with Cybeic Shadows, does it?"


    She recalled that Shanley had contacted them during his previous investigations into her brother''s whereabouts.


    "Hmm?" Shanley''s heart skipped a beat under her intense stare, but he maintained a calm facade. "I contacted them a few times to get information while I was helping you look for your brother," he answered with a smile Other than that there''s no connection."


    ¡°Really?¡± Juniper narrowed her eyes, her expression clearly saying, *If you admit to having a rtionship with them, I''ll take you down.* She waspletely serious.


    "Of course," Shanley said, his heart pounding as he took her hand, using a smile to mask his unease. "What''s the deal between you and Cybeic Shadows? Did someone there bully you? so, just telome and I''ll take care of them for you."


    As far as he could remember, he hadn''t had any contact with Juniper in those years,


    so he couldn''t have possibly offended her.


    Juniper wanted to exin, but the leader of Sigma Network¡ªthat old bastard¡ªhad done so many things to anger her that she didn''t even know where to begin.


    "Forget it,¡± she grumbled, picking up her fork to resume eating her cake. "I don''t like Cybeic Shadows, so the Schwartz Group is forbidden from working with them."


    "What if..." Shanley leaned closer, testing the waters. "What if we absolutely have to work with them for something?"


    "Isn''t there Binary Oracle?" Juniper shot back immediately. "They''re the two biggest hacker organizations in the world. Binary Oracle has won the World Hacker Competition for three years in a row. Wouldn''t it be better to work with them than Cybeic Shadows?"

 Chapter 705

    "And what good is Cybeic Shadows anyway? They were useless when it came to finding my brother. Hmph!"


    Her words left Shanley speechless. It was true that they had lost to Binary Oracle, and it was also true that they had failed to find information in time. In Juniper''s eyes, Cybeic Shadows was aplete failure.


    The only problem was, while he could manage not working with Cybeic Shadows, coborating with Binary Oracle was another story. Binary Oracle was his sworn enemy. The thought of them working with the Schwartz Group... the image was too horrifying to contemte.


    "Finish your cake and get some rest. I''m going next door to handle some work," Shanley said, calming Juniper down before heading to the study.


    The moment he left, however, Juniper opened herptop and began investigating the Schwartz Group and Cybeic Shadows. Just as Shanley had said, there were no significant dealings between them.


    Good. Now she could make her move without any worries.


    In the study, Shanley sat at hisputer with a grave expression, giving orders to the person on the other end of the video call. ¡°Be careful during the operation. Do not expose any information rted to the Schwartz Group."


    It was clear that Juniper had a good impression of Binary Oracle. If she found out he was the one who destroyed them, she would be furious.


    "Yes, Boss," his subordinate replied respectfully.


    "And how are the preparations for tomorrow''s assassination?"


    "Everything is perfectly in ce," the subordinate confirmed. ¡°Rest assured, Boss. We''ve confirmed that Specter has entered Moralia Country. She won''t be leaving alive this time."


    "Good." Shanley ended the call and shut down hisputer.


    Returning to the bedroom, he found the main room empty. In the bedroom, a small lump under the covers caught his eye. He walked over and saw Juniper, curled up against a pillow, sleeping soundly.


    He sat beside her, gently stroking her cheek with a fond smile. After tomorrow, everything would be over. He could finally reveal her identity, without anyone posing a threat to her


    ---


    The next day, Juniper woke up groggily to find Shanley getting dressed. "You''re leaving already?" He had mentioned he had an important negotiation today.


    "Yeah." Shanley walked over to her, bent down, and ced a gentle kiss on her forehead, a smile ying on his lips. "Are you going to miss me? Want toe with me?"


    "Boring. I don''t want to go," Juniper replied with a yawn, feigning calmness. "How long will you be?"


    ¡°I''ll be back before dark for sure,¡± Shanley said, stroking her face, his gaze soft and adoring. ¡°I''ll bring you back a treat. Text me if you miss me."


    ¡°Okay.¡± Juniper leaned against the headboard, watching him with azy expression.


    This assassination attempt was not going to be simple. In the worst-case scenario, she would get injured, and her identity as Subterra Vanguard''s Specter would be exposed.


    Oh well. She had already blown so many of her covers; what was one more?


    "What are you thinking about?" Shanley asked, a flicker of guilt crossing his mind as he saw her staring at him absently. He worried she had found out about the assassination and was concerned.


    "Nothing,¡± Juniper said, blinking and casually turning her face away. Just a little


    killing, a little fighting, nothing much.


    "Get some rest. I''m leaving."


    After saying his goodbyes, the door clicked shut.


    The moment t it did, Juniper shot out of bed and went to the balcony. After watching Shanley''s figure disappear, she immediately pulled out her phone and dialed Lue Langley. "Meet me downstairs. We''re going to take down the leader of Sigma Network!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 706

    Downstairs, Juniper was transforming her appearance. She coiled her long hair into a bun, pulled on a baseball cap, and slipped into a ck tactical jacket and


    matching joggers, finishing the look with ckbat boots. Dressed head-to-toe in ck, she looked incredibly slick and dangerous.


    "Holy crap." Lue, catching sight of Juniper, leaned out of the car window with a mischievous grin. "Juniper, I just had a brilliant idea on how to take out the head of the Sigma Network without losing a single soldier. What do you think?"


    "What?" Juniper ducked into the passenger seat, buckled up, and began toying with the exquisite handgun in her hands.


    "Seduction," Lue dered with a dramatic flourish. "Our intel says the Sigma Network''s leader hasn''t had a woman near him in years. He might even be into men. In that outfit, you could make anyone weak in the knees, man or woman. You could seduce him, and when he''s not paying attention, you strike. A quick stab, in and out..."


    "Lue." Juniper''s voice was low and unhurried as she turned to face her chattering friend. "One more word and I''m throwing you out of this car."


    "Er¡ª" Lue''s voice died in her throat. She wisely backed down, forcing augh. "Just kidding! If I let you seduce another man, that old fox Shanley would probably kill me!"


    "Enough with the nonsense. What''s the situation on the ind?" Juniper''s expression turned serious.


    "It''s the World Hacker Competition, so all the big names are here. Moralia Country''s intelligence agency has even joined the security detail this year," Lue exined. "That means security on-site will be incredibly tight. Making a move there will be difficult."


    Juniper listened intently, her eyes scanning a map of the ind and thepetition venue''syout.


    "It also seems Sigma Network has caught wind of our movements," Lue added. "They''re nning a counterattack to eliminate you."


    "Hmph." A smirk yed on Juniper''s lips, her tone dripping with contempt. "He couldn''t eliminate me when I was thirteen. Five yearster, does that old man really think he has the strength to take me on?"


    "Who knows?" Lue shrugged, her hands steady on the steering wheel. "Men are born with an overdose of confidence."


    "We can''t make a move at the venue..." Juniper mused for a moment, her voice turning cold. "But he has to leave by boat when thepetition ends. We''ll strike in the middle of the ocean."


    Out at sea, far from the city and any crowds, they could go all out. Perfect!


    "Got it," Lue agreed. "Good strategy. Our people have already taken up positions across the sea, lying in wait."


    "Good." Juniper nodded, closing the map and pulling out her phone to open WhatsApp.


    Three minutes ago, Shanley had sent her a picture of the restaurant where he was having a business dinner. She replied with a pre-taken photo of her hotel room.


    Liberty Ind, located in the western


    part of Moralia Country, was a


    remote outpost about 1,500 kilometers from the maind, inhabited only by a few fishing fangilies to protect To protect the identities of the hackers, the event was deliberately held in the middle of nowhere.


    After parking Juniper and Lue boarded a yacht prepared by Subterra Vanguard and set a course for the open sea. The ind was swarming with guards, staff, and hackers from all over the world After having their invitations verified, they entered arge, temporary structure.


    The main hall was set up like a cocktail party, with people in various masks mingling and conversing, each hoping to glean some information about the others'' identities.


    To put it another way, they were all dying to know who Specter was and who was the leader of the Sigma Network. Most attendees were there for the spectacle of a showdow between the two titans.

 Chapter 707

    "Let''s head to the private lounge," Lue whispered, her eyes darting around cautiously. "Who knows where that old bastard from Sigma Network is hiding."


    Besides, Juniper had recently made a public appearance at a programmingpetition and could be easily recognized.


    "Alright." Juniper, however, was perfectly calm. Before leaving the main hall, she even stopped by the buffet table to grab a te of small cakes.


    ---


    Inside the room, Lue sat before a specially installed monitor, studying the crowd with her chin propped in her hand. "Juniper, who do you think is the leader of Sigma Network?"


    Juniper nced at the screen, a faint smile on her lips as she ate a piece of cake. "The leader of Sigma Network won''t be in that crowd."


    "How can you be so sure?" Lue turned, ready for a lesson.


    "Because, just like me, he''s afraid of a surprise attack." Juniper tossed her fork into the trash, wiped her fingers, and leaned back on the sofa with a yawn. "We''ll deal with it after thepetition."


    "We''re about to walk into a firefight and you can actually sleep?" Lue gave Juniper a silent thumbs-up before turning her full attention back to the monitor. "An old man, huh? Alright, I''ll focus on the older guys in the hall."


    As she scanned the room, a tall, imposing figure entered her field of vision. Unfortunately, the man was holding an umbre that obscured his entire face, revealing only his straight-backed silhouette.


    Lue frowned. *Why does that guy look a little like Juniper''s man?*


    She turned, about to point him out to Juniper, but stopped when she saw that Juniper was already asleep. She didn''t have the heart to wake her.


    Besides, Shanley was supposed to be at a business meeting; he shouldn''t be here. On top of that, entry required an invitation for a top-tier hacker. If Shanley were a hacker, Juniper would have known long ago. She was probably just overthinking it.


    With that, Lue dismissed the thought and went back to observing the old men in the hall.


    Meanwhile, in another room, Shanley was shrugging off his ck trench coat and instructing Felton to turn on the surveince feed.


    "There are too many people. It''s


    impossible to tell who Specter is at a nce Flint said, crouching in front of the monitor with a deep frown Boss, you''ve faced Specter before. Do you think you''d recognize them?"


    "If they were standing right in front of me, yes." Shanley sat on the sofa, crossing one long leg elegantly over the other His deep piercing e


    were fixed on the screen. "A man in his fifties, around five-foot-seven, with salt-and-pepper hair."


    He had no way of knowing that at the time of their encounter, Juniper had been roped into a costume party, dressed as an old man, when his forces hadunched a surprise attack. She''d had no time to change.


    "Understood, boss." With this clear description, Flint responded respectfully, "I''ll start filtering for men around fifty."


    "Good." Shanley nced at the time, intending to call Juniper, but then remembered she was likely taking her afternoon nap. He decided against it. Let her sleep.


    Thirty minutester, the World Hacker Competition officially kicked off.


    Fifty hackers from different


    countries and regions were participating, some representing


    the nations, otherspeting as * dividuals. The format was a free-for-all battle royale. All fifty hackers would enter a massive system simultaneously and fight until only one remained standing.


    Themand was given, and the hackers began logging into the system. Thest


    two to log in were "Specter" and "S," the leader of the Sigma Network.


    "Holy crap! The ultimate showdown."


    The whole ce erupted.

 Chapter 708

    The two most famous hacker organizations in the world were Subterra Vanguard''s Binary Oracle and Sigma Network''s Cybeic Shadows. In previous World Hacker Competitions, only members had participated. No one expected that this time, the two leaders themselves would enter the fray.


    "Cybeic Shadows has lost to Binary Oracle for three years straight. If the leader of Sigma Network didn''t show up himself, his reputation would be in shreds."


    "But Binary Oracle isn''t taking this lightly either. Look, Specter has also appeared!"


    "A summit showdown between the two giants. We probably won''t see a scene like this ever again."


    "Who do you think will win?"


    "ce your bets!"


    The remaining people in the hall were mostly high-profile figures who hade to watch. A little gambling on the side was just for fun.


    "I''m betting on Binary Oracle. They''ve been champions for three years running. Their strength is undeniable."


    "Cybeic Shadows ising in strong. The Sigma Network leader''s skills might not be any less than Specter''s. I''m putting my money on Cybeic Shadows."


    "I''ll bet on Binary Oracle..."


    "I''m buying Cybeic Shadows..."


    As the first bets were ced, other wealthy individuals began to pourrge sums of money into the pot.


    In the private room, Lue sat beside Juniper, snacking on pistachios while watching thepetition. "Juniper, your arch-nemesis is online," she said, her voice filled with excitement.


    Juniper nced up and saw arge ''S'' avatar appear on the screen, logging in right after hers.


    "That old bastard." The mere sight of the Sigma Network''s leader made Lue grind her teeth, cracking the pistachio shells with extra force. "Does he really think showing up in person will be enough to avenge Sigma Network''s shame? He might just make it worse."


    A faint smile touched Juniper''s lips at Lue''sment.


    The countdown began. Fifty hackers started their assault, attacking each other''s systems. Those with weaker defenses were quickly breached and eliminated.


    Ten minutes in, only half the contestants remained.


    the


    But most of the attention was focused on Specter and the leader of Sigma Network. From the very beginning, they had targeted each other with clear intent. Other hackers tried to take advantage of chaos to challenge the two titans, but within two minutes, all who attempted it were utterly crushed. And this was while Specter and the Sigma Network leader were simultaneously attacking each other and fending off others.


    Twenty minutester, only five hackers were left. Specter and the leader of Sigma Network were still locked in their duel, and no one dared to approach them. The


    battlefield split into two groups: a three-way battle and a two-way duel.


    The three-way fight was especially fierce. After all, they were well aware of the skitt gap between themselves and the two legends. Competing with them for the championship was suicide. So, defeating the other two to im third ce in the World Hacker Competition was a glory in itself.


    In the heat of the moment, the three hackers fought so intensely they looked ready to smash their keyboards. Their opponents not only broke into their systems but also


    nted viruses. After a brutal skirmish, two of the hackers were eliminated by a contestant named "Kage," their systemspletely crashed and theirputers riddled with incurable viruses. They had not only failed to secure a rank but had also lost their machines-a double loss.


    Kage, the third-ce winner, scratched his short, textured hair and leaned closer to


    the screen to watch the fiery battle between Specter and the leader of Sigma Network, his brow furrowed in thought. *Damn... which one am I supposed to attack first?*


    "Are you hesitating?" his assistant asked, confused.


    "Yeah," Kage nodded.


    "Are you for real?" The assistant nearly burst outughing. "Between Specter and the leader of Sigma Network, who do you honestly think you can beat? You''re acting like you have a choice."


    "Oh, right." Realization dawned on Kage. He scratched his head sheepishly and grinned. "Okay then, I''ll challenge Specter. I''m a big fan."

 Chapter 709

    "Sounds like a n," his assistant said, taking a bite of a chicken drumstick and giving him a thumbs-up. "Go for it."


    Three minutester, both the assistant and Kage were staring at a deadputer screen in awkward silence.


    Three minutes. He had used every ounce of strength he possessed and had only survived for three minutes against Specter. Did they know how crushing that was for a seventeen-year-old kid like him?


    "What kind of monster is Specter?" Kage mmed his hand on the table in frustration, then, a few secondster, picked up arge chicken drumstick and started eating with gusto. "Specter''s skills have improved a lot, but so has Sigma Network''s leader. I wonder how long this match willst."


    Another two hours passed.


    Lue had eaten her fill and fallen asleep on the sofa.


    Felton and Flint were also struggling to stay awake, stifling yawns as they stared at Shanley''sputer screen. Specter was an incredibly tough opponent. No matter where the boss attacked, Specter mounted a perfect defense. But Specter wasn''t gaining any ground either he couldn''t breach the boss''s system. At this rate, they would likely be fighting until morning.


    The spectators who had ced bets were also yawning continuously. It had been almost three hours. Even a pile of mud would have been sculpted into a work of art by now in the hands of these master hackers.


    This had never happened before. How long was this going to take?


    Four hourster, more than half of the audience had left, figuring the result might not even be decided by the time they woke up.


    The organizers had never encountered such a situation either. Left with no choice, they made a voice call to each of the two leaders'' private rooms.


    "Specter, excuse me, but how much longer do you anticipate this will go on?" the coordinator asked respectfully. He''d never seen apetitionst four or five hours without a winner.


    "As long as I have snacks, I can go for two or three days," Juniper replied nonchntly, her fingers never ceasing their dance on the keyboard. "Lue, chestnuts."


    "Coming right up." Lue immediately peeled one and popped it into Juniper''s mouth.


    "Well, you see..." The coordinator wiped sweat from his brow, speaking tentatively "We''ve all witnessed your incredible skills But could you perhaps give us a definite end time for the match?"


    They couldn''t just have the two of them battling it out for three days straight while the staff waited.


    Juniper nced at the time. It was gettingte the old man had clearly been training; she couldn''t break through his defenses quickly.


    Wasting more time here would


    their assassination n. And if she


    wasn''t back at the hotel in time, she wouldn''t be able to exin it to Shanley.


    "Give me one more hour," Juniper said coldly.


    "Excellent." After getting her response, the coordinator hurried to ask Shanley the same question.


    "Fine," Shanley replied, a chilling, mesmerizing smile spreading across his handsome face. "One hour it is."


    Perfect. Once this was over, the real battle would begin elsewhere.


    An hourter, there was still no winner. For the first time in the history of the World Hacker Competition, there was no way determine a champion and runner-up. It was decided that a final, online rematch would be held the following weekend.


    Juniper agreed readily. After all, it was far from certain if the leader of the Sigma


    Network would still be in this world next weekend.


    "Lue, get ready to move out." Juniper closed herptop and tossed it to a groggy Lue, then pulled out her phone.


    "What are you doing?" Lue asked, yawning.


    "Checking in." Juniper opened her chat with Shanley and typed a few words: [Just woke up. Was ying a game.]


    Shanley replied almost instantly: [Good girl.]


    After reading his message, Juniper shut her phone, adjusted her disguise, and walked out with her gun in hand.


    Lue followed behind, staring at Juniper''s formidable figure. Good girl? She desperately wanted to take a picture of this moment and send it to Shanley.

 Chapter 710

    In the other room, after replying to the message, Shanley also donned his disguise and headed out.


    "Boss, Specter''s boat is heading east," Felton reported, jogging to keep up with Shanley.


    "Tell everyone to get ready," Shanleymanded, his face grim and his voice sharp as steel. "I want him alive, or I want a body."


    He just wanted to finish off Specter quickly so he could go home to Juniper. He hadn''t seen her all day. He missed her terribly.


    "Yes, sir." Felton acknowledged the order and immediately went to make the arrangements.


    To the east, at sea, Juniper sat inside amand vessel, her gaze fixed on arge


    screen.


    "Boss, the leader of Sigma Network fell for our trap," one of her men said with a wide, excited grin. "His people are in pursuit."


    "Release the fog," Juniper ordered. She crossed her legs, her fingertips tapping a light rhythm on the tabletop. Her left hand casually held a milkshake, but her eyes were cold and piercing.


    "Yes, ma''am."


    On hermand, the Subterra Vanguard team went into action. Within five minutes, a dense fog rolled over the eastern sea,pletely obscuring the view.


    "Which one is Sigma Network''s cargo ship? Have you confirmed it?" Juniper asked in a low voice.


    "Confirmed," Lue replied, pointing to a vessel on the screen. "Damn, that old bastard really came prepared to kill you. The cargo on that ship could kill us a hundred times over."


    "Is that so?" A smirk yed on Juniper''s lips, her clear eyes narrowing into a dark, dangerous glint. "Then we''ll start with that ship."


    "You got it." Lue nodded firmly and ryed the orders. "Be careful. I want that ship hijacked intact. Looks like Subterra Vanguard won''t have to buy any new equipment next week."


    On the other side, just as the Sigma Network''s ships gave chase, a thick fog enveloped them.


    "Boss, Specter was prepared for this," Flint said, gripping his gun, his expression grave. "Visibility is too low. It''s dangerous to proceed."


    "Dangerous?" A cold smile touched Shanley''s tips, his handsome face covered in ayer of frost Sigma Network and Subterra Vanguard are both in this fog. The risk is the same for both sides."


    Felton and Flint listened intently.


    "They want a quick and decisive battle, do they?" Shanley stood by the window, analyzing the situation as his voice grew colder. "Fine."


    "Block all exits from the eastern sea. Ram their ships directly. Open fire on sight. We end this quickly."


    "And one more thing. Specter is cunning and not easy to deal with. But he has a subordinate who is always by his side. If necessary, capture that person."


    During theirst major conflict, Specter had nearly died trying to save that subordinate. It was clear how important they were.


    "Yes, sir." Felton acknowledged themand and turned to leave.


    "Boss, there are too many ships. We can''t be sure which one Specter is on," Flint said, his brow furrowed as he watched the drone feed.


    "Subterra Vanguard has connections in Morata Country, They know this; area around Liberty Ind well. In a fog this thick, we can''t see a thing."


    "Bang!"


    Just as Shanley was contemting his opponent''s true intentions, a massive explosion ripped through the air.


    "Boss, something''s happened to our cargo ship!" Felton rushed back in, his forehead beaded with cold sweat Subterra Vanguard rammed. our ship with a junker! The fog was too thick, our men didn''t have time to react. The cargo ship is damaged and can no longer move forward!"

 Chapter 711

    "So, that''s his game," Shanley murmured, his eyes turning colder as he nced to the side. It was the same tactic he had once used to bomb a Subterra Vanguard ship. Now, it was payback time.


    ¡°Forget this ship. Everyone else, get after Specter," Shanley ordered, his voiceced with ice.


    All the port exits were sealed. In this war, only the living would walk away.


    ¡°Juniper, that bastard from Sigma Network is on our tail!" Lue clenched her fists as she watched the tracker''s disy. "That old man... making a move in this thick fog? He''s got a death wish!"


    "Fine by me." Juniper set down her milkshake, picked up her weapon, and walked out of the cabin. "Get the drones in the air. I want the exact location of Sigma Network''s leader."


    "Drones away,¡± Luemanded, and the machines took to the sky once more, dodging Sigma Network''s interference to send back a clear picture.


    "You stay here andmand the others," Juniper said, her tone serious as she looked at Lue. "And bring Sigma Network''s cargo ship back to our base."


    "What?" Lue stared, not quite processing it. "We''re not fighting them?"


    "Whether their leader lives or dies doesn''t matter as much as getting all our people out alive." Juniper''s lips curved into a faint smile. "I estimate that cargo is worth at least three hundred million. Once you have the cargo, don''t get tied down in a fight. Get our people out of here immediately. I''m all that''s needed to handle Sigma Network."


    Once she took care of their leader, the rest would be nothing more than a disorganized mess.


    "How can you be sure he''s on that ship?" Lue grabbed Juniper''s arm, her face etched with worry. "What if that old bastard is just bluffing, trying to lure you into a trap?"


    "I saw his gloves." As she spoke, Juniper loaded her weapon, her gaze unyielding. "The bullet from that gun nearly shattered my skull. You think I could ever forget them?"


    So, it was still anyone''s guess who would die today. But one thing was for sure-it wouldn''t be her.


    "BANG!"


    The moment the words left her mouth, a deafening gunshot echoed across the sea, followed by the relentless "ping-ping-ping" of bullets striking metal


    ss shattered as a


    round flew toward them.


    "Look out!" Juniper shoved Lue to the ground, a murderous glint in her eyes. "The


    old fox is certainly impatient this time. Remember what I told you."


    With that, she pushed Lue away and leaped onto a small, prepped submarine, her figure quickly vanishing into the thick fog.


    ¡°Juniper!¡± Lue''s face paled. Was that crazy girl really nning to take on the leader of Sigma Network all by herself?


    "Damn you, Sigma Network!¡± Lue gritted her teeth and yelled into herms, ¡°I want you to turn their ships into swiss cheese! Fire at will!"


    "BANG! BANG! BANG!"


    The two sides exchanged heavy fire, the ships rocking violently amidst the deafening roar of battle.


    "We''ll bring up the rear with this ship and make it look like the boss is still on board, Lue ordered grimly. "And whatever you do, do not damage that


    three hundred-million-fel


    ship!"


    "Yes!" her subordinates replied respectfully.


    She had to stabilize the situation here quickly, so she could go help Juniper. After all, that girl wasn''t alone anymore. She had a family and someone she loved Unlike her... if she died out here, Juniper would probably be the only one to cry for her.


    So, she could die, but Juniper couldn''t.

 Chapter 712

    The firefight raged on, with neither side showing any mercy, each hoping to sink the other with a single, well-ced shot.


    But something was off.


    "Boss, Subterra Vanguard is acting strangely," Flint noted, staring at the drone feed. "It looks like they''re protecting their rearmost ship while simultaneously attacking our cargo vessel."


    Part of the cargo was their own supplies for the fight, but the vast majority was a shipment destined for a certain military base that they were transporting along the way. If Subterra Vanguard managed to seize it, the consequences would be dire. "There''s a high probability Specter is on that ship in the back," Shanley said, his lips thinning into a grim line.


    "Boss, should we focus our attack on that vessel?" Flint asked.


    "No." Shanley crossed his arms, a low, maic chuckle rumbling in his throat. He raised an eyebrow. "Specter is too smart for that. You think he''d just wait in a ship for me to kill him?"


    "Then he....." Flint trailed off, scratching his nose in confusion.


    "Knowing Specter..." Shanley turned to gaze out the foggy window, a slight smirk ying on his lips. "He''s not one to sit and wait. He''s probably already snuck aboard our ship, preparing to assassinate me."


    "What?" Flint was instantly on high alert, gripping his gun and scanning their surroundings nervously. ¡°Boss, should I call for more men?"


    "It wouldn''t matter how many you called. They can''t stop Specter." Shanley shook his head, slowly shrugging off his trench coat to reveal the ck silk shirt


    underneath. He then put on a life-like mask thatpletely concealed his identity unless inspected up close.


    "Have everyone on this ship retreat to the others," Shanley ordered coolly, fiddling with a high-precision rifle. "You, Felton, and Flint, leave as well."


    "Boss, what about you?" Flint''s eyes widened.


    "I''ll be waiting for Specter." Shanley''s mouth curved into a cold smile. "If you stay here, you''ll just die for nothing."


    "Boss-" Flint''s expression changed, his reluctance clear.


    Shanley said nothing, simply fixing Flint with his dark, piercing gaze, his powerful aura silencing any protest.


    "Yes, sir." Flint didn''t dare disobey. He knew his boss was skilled enough not to be at a disadvantage against Specter. But as he was leaving, he couldn''t help but add, "Boss..."


    Shanley nced at him.


    "Please be careful," Flint said, his voice low. "Ms. Payne is still waiting for you at the hotel."


    At the mention of "Ms. Payne," the man''s tall frame stiffened for a moment. After a few seconds, he finally spoke. "I know."


    For Juniper, he would return in one piece.


    Meanwhile, the battle between Subterra Vanguard and Sigma Network was at its peak. In the dense fog, only the sparks of bullets striking steel and the incessant, piercing gunshots were visible.


    Juniper had slipped into the sea, using an oxygen tank to swim to the ship carrying the leader of Sigma Network. Ditching her gear, she deftly climbed into the vessel''s hold.


    The ship was massive, with countless rooms. Instead of rushing to find her target, Juniper found a quiet corner to lean against. She pulled out her phone and dialed Shanley''s number.


    ¡°Juniper?¡± A momentter, a warm, gentle voice came from the other end.


    "When are youing back?" Juniper felt that killing the leader of Sigma Network might be trickier than she''d thought and would


    ??? ?


    probably take some time, so she


    decided to gauge Shan S


    schedule.  s?novels


    "What''s wrong?" Shanley stood by the window, his gaze darkening as he looked out


    at the shimmering sea. "Miss me already?"


    Juniper pressed her lips together and didn''t answer.


    "The negotiations are going to take a


    little longer probably be backte,¡± Shanley said, covering the phone''s microphone to ck the sound of the sea breeze. "If you''re bored, go find Tucker and chat with him."

 Chapter 713

    "Alright." Juniper sounded pleased with that answer, her tone noticeably brighter.


    "Also..." Shanley was about to say more when he was abruptly cut off.


    "I''m hanging up now. Bye!"


    Then, the line went dead.


    Shanley nced at the girl on his phone''s wallpaper and chuckled helplessly. ¡°Quite a temper. But I like it."


    "Crash-!"


    Shanley was still smiling when the window suddenly shattered, a bullet streaking straight for his head. His expression shifted. He dodged nimbly, his eyes locking onto the bullet.


    "Specter. Just as I expected."


    When he looked up again, Shanley''s eyes had turned dangerously cold. Tracing the bullet''s trajectory, he raised his own gun and fired several shots in quick session toward the opposite side.


    ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡±


    A shower of ss rained down. Though Juniper dodged quickly, a shard inevitably grazed her cheek, leaving a shallow cut that welled with blood.


    Juniper touched her cheek, her fingertiping away red. Her eyes turned crimson with fury.


    "That son of a bitch, the leader of the Sigma Network. He could have hit anywhere else, but he had to go for my face. How am I going to exin this to Shanley?"


    Anger surged from deep within her. Juniper grabbed her gun and returned fire with a vengeance.


    Everything in the room was shattered. Sparks flew from a damaged chandelier, quickly igniting the room. In an instant, the cabin was aze, the mes spreading rapidly to adjacent rooms.


    Shanley''s gaze turned icy as he expertly vaulted to a higher position.


    Juniper timed her move perfectly, firing at the figure that emerged from the mes. Unfortunately, after several shots, Shanley had dodged them all.


    "Damn it. So close," Juniper muttered, her brow furrowed as she gave chase.


    The two figures darted across the burning ship, a deadly dance of pursuit and evasion, attack and defense.


    Soon, the ship''s hull was riddled with holes, and it began to show signs of sinking. Before long, the vessel would either be consumed by fire or swallowed by the sea.


    Meanwhile, thanks to Lue''s strategy, Subterra Vanguard had sessfully seized one of the Sigma Network''s cargo ships.


    A few of Subterra Vanguard''s men had been shot, but none of the injuries were life- threatening.


    The Sigma Network hadn''t fared any better. Several of their men were also wounded and now found themselves taking an impromptu swim in the ocean.


    "Guard this ship well. Once Specter deals with the Sigma Network''s leader, this will be our congrattory gift to her," Lue dered, standing on the deck and inspecting its contents.


    "Tsk, tsk. As expected of the Sigma Network, they''re loaded. This is all top-shelf stuff."


    However Juniper had spent billions


    fighting the Sigma Network''s


    blockade. That debt would have to


    be settledter. As she saw it, once the leader was dead, the Sigma Network chaos Maybe... be they should just take over the whole organization!


    At the thought of Subterra Vanguard growing so powerful and wealthy, Lue


    couldn''t help butugh out loud.


    ¡°Lue, it looks like a ship is on fire!¡± one of her men shouted, snapping her back to reality.


    On fire? She climbed to the top of a


    container and looked into the distance. Sure enough, she saw ship shrouded in smoke, glowing with mes she remembered correctly, that was the Sigma Network leader''s ship. The one


    Juniper was on.


    ¡°Juniper!¡± Lue''s face paled. She immediately grabbed her walkie-talkie. ¡°Juniper,


    can you hear me? Respond!"


    Silence from the other end.


    "Oh no. Don''t tell me she was injured


    by the Sigma Network. You son of a bitch! I''ll kill your entire family!" Lue roared, running a hand through her hair. She barked a few orders at her men and immediately sprinted toward the burning ship.

 Chapter 714

    On the ship, the fire raged, engulfing the two lower decks, and the vessel was sinking fast.


    Specter chased the Sigma Network''s leader to the third deck but found no sign of him. ¡°Tsk. The old geezer''s pretty nimble for someone with one foot in the grave."


    "Lue "


    She tried to radio Lue to check on her situation but received no reply, no matter how many times she called.


    "Is the walkie-talkie broken, or... Lue isn''t in trouble, is she?"


    At that thought, Juniper''s expression turned grim, and she began frantically searching for the Sigma Network leader.


    Suddenly, she sensed faint footsteps approaching from behind. She spun around, dodging and raising her gun in a single fluid motion.


    "Don''t move."


    The barrel of her gun was pressed firmly against the back of the person''s head. "Don''t shoot, it''s me,¡± Lue panted, having just climbed up.


    ¡°Lue?" Recognizing her, Juniper''s gaze darkened. She yanked Lue into a safe corner and snapped, "I told you to watch over the men. What are you doing here?"


    The leader of the Sigma Network was not one of his underlings who could be dealt with easily. If Lue ran into him, with her skills, she wouldn''t even have a chance to fight back.


    "I..." Lue had never seen Juniper this angry. Her face went pale as she stammered, "I was worried you were in trouble, so I..."


    "Bang-!"


    Before she could finish, a hail of bullets flew toward them.


    "Sigma Network''s men are here." Juniper shielded Lue, her expression grave.


    "Stay hidden here. Don''t show yourself. I''m going to find their leader."


    "No¡ª¡± Lue refused, retorting coldly, "Are we friends or not?"


    Juniper stared at her without answering.


    "And don''t friends face danger together?" Lue pressed. "We grew up together. Am


    I the kind of person who runs away from a fight?¡±


    Juniper gazed at Lue, but before she could speak, she was shoved forward.


    "You go after the Sigma Network''s leader. I''ll take care of these bastards," Lue said to Juniper. "Don''t worry. The student you trained won''t let you down."


    "Be careful," Juniper said, unable to turn back, her voice raspy. "Don''t get hurt."


    It wasn''t ''don''t die,'' but ''don''t get hurt.'' That was her bottom line for Lue.


    "You got it," Lue replied with a confident smile. "I''ll be waiting for you toe back."


    From the sounds, there were likely only two men. Lue could handle them. Without another word, Juniper raced upstairs.


    Soon, the sound of intense gunfire erupted from Lue''s position.


    ---


    The Sigma Network leader reached the top deck with Specter in hot pursuit. The chase consumed a significant amount of ammunition Both were filled with a simmering rage, their attacks growing fiercer and more ruthless.


    The Sigma Network leader fired three shots, nearly hitting Specter in the heart. Specter returned fire, narrowly missing his temple.


    With thest shot, the Sigma Network leader dodged so forcefully that the sandalwood bracelet on his wrist flew off.


    "ck-"


    Shanley''s eyes darkened, and he instinctively reached for it, only to be met with another bullet from his opponent. The shot tore through his shirt cor, the hole still smoking.


    "Nowhere left to run?" Juniper''s


    left to


    voice, distorted by a changer, came out in an old man''s tone This skip will bepletely engulfed in mes in ten minutes. If you want to live, your only option is to jump. It''s time we settled our score.


    ¡°Settle it?¡± Shanley rubbed his wrist, a grim smile ying on his lips. "And how do you propose we do that?"


    "By getting my revenge, of course,"


    Juniper purred through the voice changer, adjusting her position as she spoke, her tone cold and arrogant. "Three years ago, you shot me and put me ma hospital bed for three months. It''s only fair take your life today, wouldn''t you agree?"

 Chapter 715

    "That confident?" Shanley''s lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile. "I''m afraid you won''t get the chance."


    Before Juniper could process his words, a voice crackled through the Sigma Network leader''s walkie-talkie. ¡°Boss, we''ve captured Subterra Vanguard''s second- inmand."


    Second-inmand? Lue?


    "You''re ying dirty?" Juniper''s voice wasced with fury, her fists clenched.


    "And you''re so honorable?" Shanley sneered, not bothering to deny it. "You seem to have forgotten all about the time you ambushed me.¡±


    In the past, he might have been willing to fight Specter to the bitter end. But things were different now. He had Juniper, and she was waiting for him at home. He couldn''t afford any mistakes. Dirty tricks or not, he didn''t care, as long as he could eliminate the time bomb that was Specter.


    "Speak up!"


    A grunt of pain came over thems, as if Lue had just been kicked. She remained defiant, but her pained gasps were unmistakable.


    "What do you want?" Juniper asked, her voice tight, each word ground out from between clenched teeth.


    "I don''t want any bloodshed," Shanley said, an image of Juniper shing in his mind, softening his resolve slightly. "Hand over all of Subterra Vanguard''s assets to me, and you''ll be exiled to a deserted ind."


    The deserted ind was a godforsaken ce. Once you went in, you never came


    out.


    "You''ve got some nerve," Juniper scoffed, her eyes burning with a crimson rage.


    "Specter, I know you''re fiercely loyal. You once risked your own life to save a young girl from Subterra Vanguard," Shanley stated, his patience wearing thin. "Your second-inmand is like a sister to you. You two have been through hell and back together. I''m sure you wouldn''t leave her to die."


    "You have to understand, my taking over Subterra Vanguard ensures everyone''s survival. Otherwise..."


    Shanley''s smile turned frigid, het


    eyes dating with a deadly coldness. "You should know what kind of man I am."


    Juniper was silent, her eyes bloodshot. She knew exactly what kind of man the leader of the Sigma Network was.


    "I''ll give you thirty minutes to consider, Specter," Shanley said, then straightened his


    shirt and bent down to pick up the bracelet from the floor.


    Seeing him bend over to pick something up, Juniper felt an overwhelming urge to kill him. But if the leader of the Sigma Network


    died Lue would surely die too. She couldn''t let that happen.


    Twenty minutester, Juniper had moved to another boat. One of her men handed


    her a phone. ¡°Boss, it''s a call from the leader of the Sigma Network."


    "Speak," Junipermanded, her voice like ice as she stood on the deck, surrounded by her Subterra Vanguard crew.


    "You have ten minutes left," Shanley''s low voice came through the line. "If I don''t see Specter in person, your friend dies. Or, we can continue our fight to the finish."


    "If she has so much as a scratch on her, I''ll have your head," Juniper snarled before tossing the phone into the sea. She turned to her men. "When tue gets here, you affle


    immediately."


    "Boss, you¡ª"


    "I won''t die," Juniper cut them off, her voice firm. "I need you to execute my order, not question it. Understood?"


    The men exchanged nces, but no one dared to argue. "Yes, ma''am."


    So that old bastard wanted to see her in person. Fine. If she couldn''t escape, she''d drag him down to hell with her.


    After giving her orders, Juniper tossed her gun aside and strode brazenly onto the Sigma Network''s ship. "Where''s the old bastard?"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 716

    The Sigma Network''s men blinked, their eyes widening in disbelief at the young "man" who had suddenly appeared.


    "What the hell?"


    "Didn''t the boss want to see Specter?"


    "Isn''t Specter supposed to be a gray-haired old man over fifty?"


    "How could it be this kid, who doesn''t look a day over twenty?"


    "Who are you calling that!" one of the men demanded, raising his gun. "Our boss wants to see Specter in person!"


    "I am Specter," Juniper replied in a low, patient voice, her hands stuffed in her pockets.


    "You''re Specter? Then I''m Specter''s father!¡± the man retorted, jutting his chin out, oblivious to the danger he was in.


    At his words, Juniper slowly lifted her gaze, her longshes shadowing eyes that had turned bloodred. The next second, she pulled her hands from her pockets. With a few swift movements, she disarmed the two grunts in front of her, dismantling their gunspletely. Parts ttered onto the deck with a harsh, metallic sound.


    "Thump! Thump!"


    With two solid kicks, Juniper sent both men flying into the sea.


    "Aaaah, help-!"


    As the two iled in the water, screaming for help, the other men on board finally snapped out of their shock.


    "He''s so fast."


    "I''ll say this onest time. Take me to the leader of the Sigma Network," Juniper said, her eyes sweeping over the remaining men.


    "Yes, sir."


    Not daring to dy any longer, they immediately called Felton.


    "Specter is here," the man said, still eyeing Juniper nervously. "But... he''s a young man..."


    "A young man?" Felton was also confused. He turned to Shanley, who was standing beside him. "Boss, they''re saying..."


    "Let him in." Shanley nced at the security monitor.


    Although he could only see the person''s back, the way he had dismantled the guns and kicked the men was identical to Specter''s methods. So, Specter was in disguise all this time.


    "Take him to the adjacent room


    first," Shanley ordered, picking up his


    phone, le kept dialing Juniper''s


    number, but all he got was a


    notification that the call couldn''t be connected.


    Where did Juniper go? Why was her phone off?


    Unable to reach Juniper, Shanley had no choice but to contact Tucker.


    "I don''t think my master is in her room," Tucker reported after knocking and getting no answer.


    ¡°Not in her room?¡± Shanley''s face changed, his fingers tightening on the phone. Could Specter''s people had found her?


    "Please, could you try to find her for me?"


    After ending the call, Shanley immediately returned to his seat and opened hisptop to check the hotel''s security footage.


    "Boss, Specter has been taken to the other room," Felton reported respectfully. "Should you go see Subterra Vanguard''s second-inmand?"


    ¡°No need.¡± Shanley''s expression was grim as he worked on theputer. ¡°Have Flint watch her. Don''t let her escape."


    Their second-inmand? Just as cunning as Specter, he''s sure.


    In a small, cramped room, Lue was tied up and thrown on the floor, her face bruised from her fight with Flint and Felton.


    "If you''re going to kill me, just do it. Cut the damn crap." Lue''s face was disguised, but her striking white hair was unmistakable.


    "Heh, you''ve got a lot of nerve for a prisoner, Flint sneered, his arms crossed as he looked down at her from behind his mask. "But don''t worry Specteris already here to save you


    Specter?Juniper was here? That fool! How could she walk right into a trap! Knowing what awaited Juniper, Lue began to struggle desperately. She could die. But Subterra O Vanguard could not lose Juniper.

 Chapter 717

    "Don''t waste your energy,¡± Flint sneered, seeing her intention. "Specter is already in the room next door."


    Lue''s struggles slowed, and she slumped against the wall in despair.


    Flint looked down, his eyes fixed on Lue. From this angle, he thought, Subterra Vanguard''s second-inmand looked strangely familiar. Especially with that white hair. But... where had he seen her before?


    In the main room, Shanley hacked into the hotel''s security system, only to find the video files corrupted.


    The footage is damaged? What a coincidence.


    "Any news from the Subterra Vanguard front?" Shanley demanded, turning his head to Felton, his voice sharp. "Any word on Juniper?"


    ¡°Sir,¡± Felton said, hanging up his phone. "Our men checked. Ms. Payne is definitely not at the hotel. But it seems Subterra Vanguard hasn''t captured her either."


    Not at the hotel? Did she just run off to have some fun?


    ¡°Where is Specter?" Shanley closed hisptop, stood up, and picked up the gun from the table, his voice filled with killing intent.


    "In the room next door," Felton answered, startled. ¡°He''s been demanding to see you. Said if he doesn''t, he''ll blow up the ship."


    "Hmph." Shanley slipped the small bracelet onto his wrist and elegantly fastened his cuffs. A cold, menacing smile touched his lips. ¡°He''s fallen into my hands and still dares to be this arrogant. Let''s go meet him."


    "Also¡ª" Shanley added as he walked out, his voice low, "keep an eye on the hotel. Notify me immediately if you get any news about Juniper."


    "Yes, Boss," Felton replied, hurrying to keep up.


    In the adjacent room, Juniper sat on the sofa. The contents of the table had been swept to the floor.


    The Sigma Network''s men stood nearby, their faces bruised to varying degrees. Apparently, when Specter had lost his temper and started smashing things, they had tried to teach him a lesson. Now, they stood hunched over, not daring to show any anger or say a word.


    "Click "


    Just then, the sound of the door unlocking echoed through the room.


    Juniper nced up to see a line of bodyguards marching in, nking a tall, imposing


    man in a ck shirt and trousers who stood out among them.


    Seeing the man, Juniper was momentarily stunned, a look of surprise crossing her face. In her memory, the leader of the Sigma Network was an old man with one foot in the grave. How could it be...


    For a hazy moment, she thought he bore a slight resemnce to Shanley. But... he wasn''t one-millionth the man Shanley was. He wasn''t even worthy of shining his shoes!


    ¡°Boss.¡± Seeing Shanley, the men immediately stepped aside and respectfully brought him a chair.


    Shanley sat down and looked at the person across from him, his expression momentarily freezing.


    The leader of Subterra Vanguard, Specter? Although the security footage had already revealed that


    Specter had been disguising himsetti


    as an old man, he hadn''t expected the real person to be so young.


    Was he even twenty? If he was twenty now, how old had he been when they fought


    a few years ago? A teenager? He''d shed with him multiple times as a teenager and nearly taken his life?!


    More importantly, perhaps it was because he missed Juniper so much, but for a fleeting moment, he felt he saw a trace of her in Specter.


    He quickly dismissed the thought. The person before him was a man.


    "You''re Specter?" Shanley asked, leaning back in his chair and crossing his long legs, his voice low and cold.


    "Who else?" Juniper''s posture was casual, her smile mocking. "Your dad?"


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