Chapter 36 Facts
Jennifer was quite talkative, and Magnus listened to her ramble on for a while.
This continued until Juniper, with honey water in hand, approached the bedroom.
Magnus said to the person on the line, "Try to get some sleep, and if you're still scared, maybe play a game for a bit."
His voice was gentle and patient.
Juniper paused at the bedroom door, not entering.
Was he on the phone with Mary?
Through the phone, Jennifer reluctantly parted, "Okay then! I’m hanging up! Goodnight!"
"Goodnight."
After exchanging goodnights, Magnus finally hung up the phone.
Looking at the call log, he unconsciously smiled to himself.
This young girl was quite forward.
But undeniably adorable.
Magnus couldn't quite pinpoint why, despite his general aversion to children, he was drawn to a little girl named Jennifer.
Juniper observed all of this.
It seemed as though Magnus had truly fallen for a woman named Mary.
Finding himself uncontrollably smiling at a voicemail was probably a sign of a new romance budding.
Pushing aside a twinge of loneliness, Juniper entered the bedroom. "I've made you some honey water," she announced.
Handing him the honeyed drink, she watched as Magnus sipped it slowly, his stomach pain easing.
She recalled the day's encounter with Mary and the dapper man at the Chanel boutique. Juniper worried that if Magnus got too entangled and then discovered Mary's potential betrayal, he might spiral into despair again.
After much hesitation, she cautiously asked, "So... how have things been with Miss Sinclair lately?"
His long fingers paused around the glass.
He looked into Juniper's eyes – they held a deep curiosity – and he was slightly taken aback. Was she actually jealous about his and Mary's relationship?
"They're alright," he replied.
He then watched for any flicker of emotion in her eyes.
But Juniper's gaze held no disappointment. Instead, she seemed relieved. "That's good to hear. Keep in mind, women need companionship. If you're too busy with work, Miss Sinclair might feel neglected. Disappointment, if left to fester, can lead to..."
"Bang!" Magnus set the glass down on the nightstand with a firm thud, cutting her off.
"It's not your place to comment on how I spend time with Mary!"
Juniper fell silent, quickly changing the subject. "Are you hungry? I could make you a sandwich."
After offering, she collected the empty glass and headed downstairs to prepare the sandwich.
Magnus watched her retreating slender figure, a frown creasing his brow.
He felt a mix of anger and resentment towards her.
That evening, something else caught his eye – the silver ring that used to adorn her neck was missing. It seemed she really had stopped wearing it.
Was Juniper so invested in his relationship with Mary because she wanted them to work out, giving her a chance to gracefully exit his life?
Too bad, he thought, he wouldn't make it easy for her.
...
Juniper spent the night at Royal View.
Come morning, she followed Magnus's car to the office.
Reaching the underground parking lot, she left swiftly, keen to avoid any gossip from onlookers.
Sometimes, the things people fear the most have a way of making an entrance.
Patricia, as part of the planning department, had been sent during work hours to do a site check at the sales office. There, she immediately caught sight of Juniper.
She confronted Juniper directly, "I saw you getting out of Magnus's car this morning. Did you spend the night at his place?"
Juniper, not wanting to start trouble, retorted, "Patricia, you're mistaken, that wasn't me."
"Do you think I’m blind?" Patricia snapped, her tone acidic. "Juniper, you have some nerve. First, you dazzle my brother, and now you're back to Magnus's side. What tricks are you playing, huh? Magnus is engaged, and yet you keep circling around him. Have you no shame?"
With a laugh, Juniper replied, "Patricia, if you were Mr. Blackwood's fiancée, I wouldn't be surprised by your questioning. But you're not, and whether I'm involved with Magnus or not is none of your business."
Patricia felt a sting of embarrassment as her ulterior motives were poked at.
Fuming with embarrassed anger, Patricia blurted out, “I just can't stand seeing you play the other woman!”
"Why don't you go advise Magnus to leave me alone, then?" Juniper suggested coolly before she walked away to attend to the customers.
Patricia fumed, grinding her teeth at Juniper's indifference.
She dialed a number, "Hey, you're back in the States, right?"
"Of course, been back for a week now. What's up, Patricia?"
"Do me a favor!"
"What kind of favor?" The man on the other end was casual, almost carefree.
Patricia’s eyes narrowed with a scheming gaze, "Aren't you the playboy type? I've got someone in mind for you. Interested?"
"Really? Why not?"
"Quit the chatter! So, are you in or not?"
"In! Missing out on a lady is for fools! But, make it clear... she’s a beauty, right? I love to play, but not with the ugly ones."
"I'll send you her picture; I think you'll be pleased."
"Nice, Patricia. I knew I could count on you."
"Just one thing," Patricia laid out her terms, "within half a month, get her into bed, and send me a photo as proof. I don't care how you do it."
The man laughed it off, "Half a month? You underestimate me. Overseas, it's a new one every week. If they don't give in by half a month, they're either sexual frigid or playing hard to get. I've seen plenty of women who pretend to be coy; they never last a week before showing their true colors."
Patricia smirked, her response noncommittal. "Don't get too cocky, this lady is no joke; she's got quite the act up her sleeve!"
"Whatever, I've got to meet her now! Send me her pic on WhatsApp. Got to go," he said before ending the call.
After hanging up, Patricia felt her spirits lift considerably. She had met Matthew, a renowned playboy, during her studies abroad. According to him, there wasn't a woman he couldn't handle; they were all the same once in the grandeur of a hotel bed.
Juniper had once despised Magnus for being a poor boy and had ruthlessly turned her back on him. And now, clinging to Magnus was all about the money, wasn't it?
Matthew was loaded too, and Patricia couldn't help but suspect that Juniper might be looking to latch onto a wealthier branch.
...
With no response after knocking several times, Robert pushed the door open to the President's office at Sycamore Group. Pushing the door open, he found Magnus zoned out, holding a stick of incense, utterly absorbed in thought.
"Ahem, ahem!" Robert cleared his throat.
Magnus snapped back to reality and tossed the incense carelessly onto the desk. "What's up?"
"Nothing really, just came by for a chat. What's with the stare-down at that incense stick? Didn't hear me knocking?"
Magnus's expression turned uncomfortable. "It's no big deal, just never used this stuff before."
"That's for adding to cigarettes, right? It's supposed to soothe your throat, but the actual smoke scent isn't that great. My throat's been acting up recently; if you're not using it, mind if I take it?"
Robert reached for the incense, but Magnus swiftly moved it to his drawer, "I've been having throat issues too, you know; get your own."
"So stingy, huh?"
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