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 already laid 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 glance.
“Our owner is coming to inspect the accounts today,” the manager explained, 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, Luella 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, Luella 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, glancing 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 a lazy smile as she continued to scan the ledger. “I’m here.”
“What?” The manager leaned forward, not comprehending.
.n
“I’m the owner of Moonlight Peak,” Juniper stated plainly, her long lashes 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 replacements.”
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
large sum to the finance department for equipment upgrades the
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 second later, the money had arrived. Not only that, but she knew the restaurant’s exact revenue figures down to the last digit. No one but • the owner would know that.
meant… he had just been
Which
UM
complaining about his notoriously
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.”