Don't Mess with the Girl with Candy novel Chapter 364

“I’m Harold Houston. A pleasure to finally meet you.”

“Is there something you need?” Shanley ignored his outstretched hand, his eyes sharp as he stared at Harold.

“I was just passing by from the lab and saw this young lady sitting here alone,” Harold explained calmly, retracting his hand without any awkwardness. “I was worried she might run into trouble, so I came over to check. May I ask if she is your…?”

“Yes,” Shanley said, his voice low as he tightened his grip on Juniper’s hand. “She’s mine.”

He had wanted to say “girlfriend” or “fiancée,” but considering she hadn’t officially given him a title yet, he settled for a more ambiguous claim. ‘She’s mine.’ A double-edged statement.

Juniper sipped her smoothie, glancing at him as she chewed on a tapioca pearl. After a moment's thought, she didn’t deny it. Fine. If he didn't get some reassurance soon, Shanley, who was constantly worried about fending off rivals, would probably go crazy.

“Boyfriend and girlfriend?” Harold asked, a polite but slightly strained smile appearing on his face after a moment of surprise. It didn't quite fit. He had assumed they were uncle and niece.

“Thank you for your concern, Dr. Houston,” Shanley said, feeling an inexplicable dislike for the man. He didn't like the way Harold looked at Juniper. “We’ll be going now.”

“Of course,” Harold replied with a nod, watching them leave until the sports car disappeared into the misty rain.

“Dr. Houston, are you alright?” his assistant asked sympathetically as he walked up beside him. “That girl looks so young. How does she already have a boyfriend?”

Harold remained silent, feeling his heartbeat return to normal. There was something undeniably special about that girl. He didn't know her, yet the sense of familiarity was overwhelming. He even had to admit… he was attracted to her. But it didn't feel like romantic attraction. What was it then? It seemed he would have to find a chance to investigate.

“Don’t be too heartbroken, Dr. Houston,” the assistant continued, trying to console him. “It’s not like they’re married yet. With enough effort, you can always win her over. If you like her, you should fight for her.”

And honestly, the girl and Dr. Houston looked like they could be a couple. They had a similar aura.

“I’m not angry,” Shanley replied, turning to face her. His expression softened at the sight of her trying to appease him, his tone a mixture of helplessness and affection. “I’m reflecting.”

“Reflecting?” Juniper didn’t understand.

“Yes.” Shanley gently smoothed her hair, his voice rich and tender. “My girl is too exceptional. I need to work even harder to be worthy of you.”

Otherwise, he’d be living in constant fear of losing her to someone else. What kind of life would that be?

“Oh.” Juniper took a sip of her smoothie, her eyebrows arching lazily. “It’s not that complicated. You just need to make more money.”

She liked rich men, and as far as she could see, he was the richest of them all.