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 recommended she stay in the hospital for a few more days of observation.
“I’m fine,” Juniper replied noncommittally, 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 placed 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 with complicated 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.”
Janet, 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 Janet’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 Janet?
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,” Janet managed a polite smile before walking straight to Juniper’s side. “Are you okay?”
Melvin froze, embarrassed.
...
Not far away, Yelena and Yolanda got out of their car, just in time to see Janet helping Juniper walk into the school.
“How is she even on her feet?” Yelena’s face hardened.
“Actually…” Yolanda clutched her exam admission ticket, a thoughtful look on her face. “I’m glad she came.”
Yelena looked at her, confused.
“If the nation's favorite actor's sister gets a terrible score…” Yolanda’s lips twisted into a dark, malicious smile. “She’d be torn to shreds online, wouldn’t she?”
“She does poorly, gets flamed online until she has a breakdown, and then kills herself…” Yelena sneered. That sounded like a fitting end for Juniper. She was almost looking forward to it.

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