Chapter 515

Shanley meticulously zoomed in on each photo of Juniper’s male classmates. Although she was in the Genius Program, she would still share most of her classes with the computer science majors, a department notoriously dominated by men.
The first photo showed an eighteen-year-old with large eyes, a high nose bridge, and gold-rimmed glasses. He looked refined and scholarly.
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 nineteen-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, the combination was… complex. Juniper would never go for that.
And the fourth…
After reviewing all the photos, Shanley came to a single, satisfying conclusion: they were all commoners. Money? None of them could compete 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 a lazy, roguish smile.
Juniper’s gaze shifted to the bedside table, where beside the soup lay a thick stack of documents. Oh. So last 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 to completa everything.”
“That long?” Juniper took a sip of soup and frowned. “Let’s deal with that later, 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 fiancée.”
He was hers now anyway; she could order him around as she pleased.
Fiancée? 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.