Chapter 964
[ 638 words ]
“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Schwartz.”
Faced with Sheryl’s overly sweet greeting, Hayden didn’t even look up; he was entirely focused on peeling an apple for his wife.
“Hello,” Miranda replied, forcing a polite smile.
Having spent years directing films, Miranda had dealt with every diva, snake, and opportunist in the entertainment industry. One look into someone’s eyes was all it took for her to read their true intentions.
And the girl standing in front of her? Her intentions were anything but pure.
“Miranda, I heard you love chocolate.” Sheryl presented a beautifully wrapped artisan box, her voice sugary sweet. “This brand is incredibly exclusive. I had to pull quite a few strings to get three boxes. I hope you enjoy them.”
Miranda glanced at the box. It was indeed her favorite brand of luxury, custom-made chocolate. The price was astronomical, and the output was severely limited. You had to place an order months in advance just to secure a single bite.
But….. something about the wrapping paper looked off. The color wasn’t quite what she remembered.
“Thank you,” Miranda said after a two-second pause. She offered a strained but perfectly courteous smile, deciding not to call the girl out.
Seeing Miranda smile at her, Sheryl’s heart did a triumphant little leap. Out of all the heiresses here, Miranda had only smiled at her. She must really like her.
“Miranda…” Sheryl took a step closer, intending to leverage the moment and build a deeper rapport.
But before she could speak, the steward hurried over, leaning in to whisper respectfully to Miranda. “Madam, Mr. Schwartz has returned.”
Shanley was back?
Sheryl’s eyes widened, her heart hammering against her ribs. She had been studying abroad for years and hadn’t seen him in forever. Would he still remember her?
After all, they had seen each other all the time when they were kids. They practically grew up together.
“Where’s Juniper? Is she with him?” Miranda leaped out of her chair, her face lighting up with genuine thrill as she looked toward the entrance.
“Yes, Madam,” the steward replied warmly. “Ms. Payne is right beside him.”
“I have to go see her!” Miranda beamed, rushing past Sheryl without a second glance.
“Miranda…” Sheryl stood frozen, still holding the chocolates, watching her prospective mother-in-law abandon her.
*Juniper?* That orphan with no background and nothing but a pretty face to her name? She couldn’t wait to see what was so supposedly special about her.
Juniper was here?
The guests exchanged surprised whispers. This was a highly exclusive Schwartz family gathering, traditionally restricted to immediate family yes, Shanley had gone public with his relationship, but they weren’t even officially engaged yet. Cóntent
Technically speaking, Juniper had no right to appear in the capacity of a “host.”
Moments later, a girl in a white down jacket and a red sweater stepped into view.
She wore zero makeup, her skin carrying a flawless, luminous glow. Her dark hair cascaded naturally over her shoulders, shifting slightly in the breeze combined with ber absolutely breathtaking features the effect was paralyzing.
People had thought the viral photos of her online were gorgeous, but reality was even more stunning.
No wonder Shanley was so thoroughly captivated. If you ignored her background, the two of them looked like a match made in heaven.
Seeing Juniper standing beside Shanley, looking utterly bored and indifferent to the spectacle, Sheryl felt a sharp sting of surprise—and a quiet, ugly flare of insecurity.
In terms of pure, devastating beauty,
Sheryl knew she lost. But her lineage that was her pride and joy.
Looking around the room, there
wasn’t a single person who could rival her pedigree.
“Juniper, you made it!”
Miranda moved with lightning speed, beating her mother-in-law to the punch. She grabbed both of Juniper’s hands, radiating pure warmth. “You must be so tired from the flight!”
“I’m alright.” Juniper offered a soft, genuine smile. “Happy New Year, Miranda.”
“Just seeing you makes my entire year,” Miranda beamed, gently cupping Juniper’s cheek, looking as radiant as a sunflower.
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