Chapter 1211

"Oh." Juniper replied lazily, giving the man a half-smile that clearly said: *Do you really think I believe that?*

"You look a bit pale. Did you not sleep well last night either?" Shanley pulled her into his arms, deliberately lowering his voice. "Get some more rest."

Sharing a bed with her mother after so many years had felt foreign. Being a slow-to- warm-up person, she naturally needed time to adjust. Leaning against Shanley, a wave of exhaustion washed over her. Too tired to argue, she closed her eyes.

When she woke up, it was already 2:00 PM. After freshening up, she headed to the next room.

Silas Blackwood's high fever had finally broken after taking the temporary antidote, and he was sleeping soundly. Jimmie Tate and the rest of her siblings were gathered around the bed. Theia Sommers looked exhausted.

"Mom," Juniper said, stepping closer with a slight frown. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"I knew you didn't sleep well," Theia soothed. "Besides, your father took the medication. His fever is down, and he's out of danger."

"The antidote will only last for a little over ten days," Harold Houston sighed in frustration after adjusting Silas's IV drip. "And the lab hasn't had any luck identifying the formula's composition."

"Write down the components you do know for me," Juniper instructed, her tone turning serious. "I'll figure something out. If we can't find the exact original ingredients, we'll find viable substitutes."

Her gaze turned icy. "I refuse to believe Corvus Thorne can create a poison and an antidote that I can't reverse-engineer."

Harold nodded. If there was anyone on earth capable of synthesizing a cure, it was her.

"Mom, I need to head out for a bit," Juniper said. "I'll be back later."

"Be safe," Theia replied without pressing for details. She knew the Schwartz family adored Juniper; it was only right for her to visit them after making it back safely.

As Juniper reached the door, Ebony Fox suddenly jogged after her, looking thoroughly displeased. was the absolute last person to find out you were getting engaged What the hell is Shanley's problem?"

He'd told everyone else but deliberately skipped her. The blatant favoritism stung.

"Well, about that..." Juniper rubbed her nose, suppressing a smile. "Ebony Fox, let me ask you a question. If Shanley had called you last night to say he was marrying me, what would you have done?"

Ebony Fox hesitated for all of two seconds before her eyes turned frosty. "I would have grabbed my gun, marched straight into his room, and made him take it back."

Even knowing her sister would eventually marry, she wasn't ready to let her go so soon.

Juniper patted her sister's shoulder sympathetically. "And that is exactly why he didn't dare tell you. He was afraid you'd shoot him."

"He wants to marry my sister, yet he's that much of a coward?" Ebony Fox scoffed, quickly putting the pieces together. "If he wasn't already half dead from his injuries, I wouldn't have let him off so easily

Her little sister. Her precious sister was really going to belong to another family now. It made her want to cry.

"Here." Juniper pulled a piece of candy from her pocket and unwrapped it for Ebony Fox, her voice softening. "Don't be mad, okay?"

"I'm not mad," Ebony Fox mumbled,

chewing the candy. With Juniper pleading his case, her anger quickly dissipated must file

heartbroken. It feels like watching a

thief run off with my favorite

treasure."

She'd let it slide for now. But when that sly fox came to pick up his bride, she was

going to make him work for it.