Chapter 1056

"I didn't quite catch that..." Shanley stepped closer, his dark eyes darkening with intense focus as they locked onto Juniper's face. His Adam's apple bobbed. "Say it again, Juniper."

"Is your hearing going bad in your old age, Mr. Schwartz?" Juniper shot him a look, her brow furrowing slightly. "Because if it is, I might have to reconsider."

She pushed him away and turned to walk toward the door.

Shanley's body went rigid. On pure reflex, he grabbed her hand, enveloping it completely in his warm grip. "Sweetheart, who taught you to go back on your word? Once you say yes, there are no take-backs."

"Oh?" Juniper tilted her head back, her clear eyes narrowing playfully. "And what if I do?"

"I'll....." Shanley pulled her down onto his lap as he sat in the desk chair. His warm lips brushed against her ear, his voice dropping to a gravelly whisper. "I'll tie you up and drag you straight to the altar."

"What are you, an outlaw?" Juniper shuddered slightly, the tips of her ears turning pink.

"Yeah." Shanley gripped her waist, his eyes gleaming with dark intent. "I'm the outlaw, and you're my captive bride. We're a perfect match."

"I'm an upstanding, law-abiding citizen. Don't go corrupting me," Juniper said, a faint, irresistible smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Deal." Shanley leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to the tip of her nose. "Then it's up to you to teach me how to be a good man, Miss Payne. I promise I'll be an excellent student."

"You" Juniper opened her mouth to retort, but the words were completely swallowed up.

Whatever. She was in a good mood, so she decided to give him a taste of what he wanted. She placed her hands on his shoulders and gave a

firm push Stradaling his tap, she

looped her arms around his neck, taking full control of the kiss. The temperature in the room instantly skyrocketed.

Later, Corvus Thorne called, demanding Subterra Vanguard show their hand by blowing up the Sigma Network's medical base and securing the serum.

"The serum isn't a problem," Juniper said, leaning back on the sofa. Through her Specter persona, her voice was laced with pure ice. "But the second that base goes up in flames, Subterra Vanguard and Sigma Network are at war. There's no turning back."

"If you don't blow it up, you still have no way out," Corvus sneered. "I don't need to remind you of the bad blood between your two organizations."

"Fine." Juniper let out a dry laugh, cutting straight to the chase. "But once deliver the goods, expect Sanctum Holdings to show some good faith in return. I want full access to your research data After all if there's money to be made, we should all get a piece."

"Of course." The smile on Corvus's face widened, though it never reached his eyes. "You're going to find it fascinating, Specter."

He knew Specter had two main driving forces: destroying the leader of the Sigma Network, and making an absolute fortune. He was feeding both of her desires flawlessly. Once she eliminated his biggest

headache, the Sigma Network, he

could complete his genetic modification project. And when that was done, he'd wipe out Subterra Vanguard as well. Three birds with one stone.

"Let's hope you don't disappoint me." Juniper lounged against Shanley's chest, absentmindedly twirling the strings of his hoodie. "Give me two weeks. You'll get what you want."

After hanging up, she looked up at the man behind her and raised an eyebrow. "Get ready, Mr. Schwartz. I'm going to blow your base to kingdom come."

"Don't worry," Shanley said, playing with her fingers one by one. A deep, indulgent smile graced his lips. "I'll make sure to play my part perfectly. By the way, what color explosives do you prefer? I'll have them delivered."