Chapter 1090

Back at the Cloudscape Community.

Two sleek laptops sat side by side on the expansive coffee table in the living room.

Juniper and Shanley sat shoulder to shoulder, both engaged in simultaneous video conferences with their respective shadow empires.

"Five minutes left," Juniper noted, resting her chin in her hand as she watched her screen with unbridled fascination.

The feed showed the exterior of the Sigma Network's highly classified medical research base. Operatives from Subterra Vanguard were currently "sneaking" their way past the perimeter.

"Has everyone been evacuated?" Shanley asked his screen, side-eyeing the dangerously excited girl beside him with a helpless shake of his head.

"Yes, Boss. All critical equipment and research personnel were successfully extracted two days ago," the Sigma Network commander reported over the feed.

"Good." Shanley nodded curtly. "Follow Specter's orders. If she says blow it up, you blow it up."

"Understood, Boss." The commander's mouth twitched into a pained grimace.

*Blow it up.* Sure. And they had to use completely ridiculous, rainbow-colored explosives to do it.

*You just love spoiling her, don't you?*

With his final orders given, Shanley muted his laptop and turned his full attention to Juniper, settling in to watch the world's most expensive firework display with her.

The second the clock struck 7:00 PM, Juniper leaned forward. "Light it up."

She didn't even try to hide the pure thrill in her voice. "Copy that."

An earth-shattering boom instantly ripped through the speakers. A state-of-the-art facility that had cost hundreds of millions to build collapsed into absolute ruin in a matter of seconds.

Following the deafening shockwave, massive plumes of vibrant, neon smoke erupted into the night sky, illuminating the horizon in a bizarre, chaotic rainbow.

*Boom-!*

Another secondary explosion detonated, and the neon rainbow instantly shifted into a pitch, iridescent black.

A few seconds later, it morphed back into a kaleidoscope of colors.

Black, rainbow, black, rainbow.

It was chaotic, utterly nonsensical, and absolutely beautiful.

Juniper's eyes widened, a brilliant smile taking over her face as she watched the destruction play out on screen.

It was true. The most expensive fireworks really were the prettiest.

"Do you like it?" Shanley wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

"I love it," Juniper nodded, practically glowing.

"As long as you love it." Shanley pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, a helpless but thoroughly besotted smile touching his lips.

That ten-minute light show had just cost him over a billion dollars.

But if it made her smile like that? It was worth every single penny.

The secondary explosions finally ceased, leaving nothing behind but a smoking crater.

Now, it was the Sigma Network's turn to perform. On screen, dozens of operatives rushed out of the surrounding woods, shouting frantically and sprinting toward the wreckage to "salvage" what they could.

They looked incredibly busy, but upon closer inspection, they weren't actually doing a damn thing.

"Did you send your people to acting school?" Juniper burst out laughing at the sheer absurdity of the performance.

"I couldn't risk anyone breaking

character, so specifically requested our best actors for the frontline," Shanley chuckled. The serum Sanctum Holdings demanded has already been delivered to Subterra Vanguard."

"Michael already told me." Juniper leaned back into his embrace. "The serum was left at the drop point. Unless something went wrong, Sanctum Holdings' people should have it by now."

"After a massive victory like this, Corvus Thorne is going to let his guard down." Shanley traced circles on her hip, his tone shifting into something for more dangerous Have you figut how you want toplay him?"

II

"Fake the alliance, infiltrate his inner circle, and burn Sanctum Holdings to the ground from the inside out Juniper stated, her eyes flashing with lethal intent. "But I'm still going to need your complete cooperation."

"I just let you blow up a billion-dollar laboratory. Is that not cooperative enough?" Shanley flicked her forehead gently, his voice a perfect blend of exasperation and absolute adoration.

"Of course, if you decide you want my life as part of the plan... that can be arranged too."

"I don't want your life... yet." Juniper rubbed her forehead, completely unbothered. "Yet?" Shanley leaned in close, his dark eyes glinting with wicked suggestion as his voice dropped an octave. "So, when exactly do you want it? And in what position?" Juniper froze. She had meant that if he ever betrayed her, she would literally kill him.

Not... *that*.

Understanding his filthy implication a second later, a furious blush crept up her neck.

What was wrong with him? He was entirely too good at turning everything into a breathless proposition.

"Shut up." Juniper shoved him away, forcing her burning eyes back to the computer

screen.