It was early morning when Juniper finished her breakfast and headed out the door. Shanley followed close behind, her school blazer in one hand and her backpack in the other.
"Juniper, good morning!"
Janet Wilcox was just coming out of her house when she spotted Juniper, and her face lit up with a cheerful wave. But when her gaze shifted to the tall, imposing man with a stoic expression beside Juniper, her smile vanished instantly.
"Mr. Schwartz," she greeted cautiously.
The man might be handsome, but his stern, unsmiling demeanor was genuinely intimidating. Janet couldn't imagine how Juniper dared to live under the same roof with him.
"Mm," Shanley acknowledged with a slight nod, his voice deep. "Heading to school? I can give you both a ride."
Janet usually left for school much earlier, so it was rare for them to run into each other. She didn't dare respond, instinctively looking to Juniper for a cue.
"Let's go," Juniper said, raising an eyebrow as she pulled a handful of candy from her pocket and offered it to Janet. "The mock exam is tomorrow. How are you feeling about it?"
"Juniper, your review notes are amazing!" Janet exclaimed, falling into step beside her, her face beaming with excitement. "I learned so much after going through them."
Many of the points were things she'd never even noticed before.
"Just do your best," Juniper said, ruffling her hair with a faint, lazy smile. "With a little push, your scores are good enough for Eclara University."
Eclara University was the most prestigious university in Eclara City, with an incredibly high admission threshold.
"I'll try my hardest," Janet nodded emphatically. "I definitely won't let my mom or you down."
"Don't put too much pressure on yourself," Juniper said, her tone softening as she glanced at her. "How's Saskia been lately?"
"She's doing well," Janet replied, then paused. "It's just... she's been complaining about headaches recently. I told her to get it checked out, but she keeps putting it off."
"Headaches?" Juniper frowned slightly. "How come neither of you mentioned this to me?"

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The readers' comments on the novel: Don't Mess with the Girl with Candy
Ch468 please...
Chap 323🥲...
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