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 Eclara City, she was usually holed up in a lab. She never paid attention to pop culture.
“Let me show you.” Dolce quickly pulled out his phone, opened Twitter, and found Jimmie Tate’s account. 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 Moultlands.
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 Eclara City after her grandfather passed away, and she was deeply grateful for Saskia and Janet’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 to comfort 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 Janet will always be my family.”
“I know,” Saskia said, deeply moved. She vowed to work hard and raise both Janet 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 Luella: [Look into this person for me.]
She then attached Jimmie’s photo.
[Who’s this pretty boy? Kinda handsome!]
Luella replied instantly, suddenly wide awake.
Juniper: [Just look him up.]
Luella: [You got it.]
As Juniper put down her phone, she noticed another notification at the bottom of her
screen.