Under the Heiress' Facade

It was already 10:00 pm. Hera wondered if Nathan was still awake. So, instead of calling, she decided to send a text.

Hera: "Nate, I think Amelia might just be a scapegoat."

To her surprise, Nathan replied almost instantly.

Nathan: "Hera, you're awake? I suspected that, too. I just found a new lead. I'm on a mission right now, but I'll come see you when it's over. We need to talk in person. Get some rest."

Hera stared at the words "new lead" momentarily before reaching for her pocket, only to realize she was wearing a hospital gown.

"Who changed my clothes? Where are the ones I was wearing?" she asked, looking up.

"Bernard?"

Aaron looked puzzled. Bernard had brought her to the hospital, so he wasn't sure about the details. He glanced at Bernard.

"They've probably been thrown away, right?"

Hera's face flushed at the thought of Bernard changing her clothes. She wondered if that meant that he saw everything. She felt a mix of embarrassment and anger.

But she quickly shook it off. So what if he saw her? She figured that for Bernard, seeing a woman's body was likely as ordinary as it was for her to see another woman's body.

"It was the nurse who helped change you. The clothes were discarded," Bernard said, unaware of her inner turmoil.

As Johnson had just finished bandaging his wound, Bernard walked over and handed Hera a small bag from his pocket. "Is this what you were looking for?"

Hera was speechless. She had been internally conflicted, only to be told it was the nurse who had changed her.

A hint of frustration crept in. She'd never been like this before, but ever since she ran into Bernard again, he had a way of stirring up her emotions.

She pondered if she was starting to fall for Bernard. The idea startled her.

She glanced at him. She wondered why, of all the people she could fall for, did it have to be a gay man.

Bernard noticed her sympathetic look and glanced at the small bag in his hand.

"Isn't this what you were looking for?"

"Yes," Hera said, pulling herself back to the present. She reached out and took the bag from him.

Sensing their tension, Johnson said, "It's getting late now. We'll leave you to rest. Goodbye, Bernard, Ms. Youngworth."

He nudged Aaron with his elbow, signaling him to leave.

"Good night. Sweet dreams," Aaron said. He waved as he left and even closed the door behind him.

Now

Hera checked her

misss. Four were from Leon

and the rest were from the

probably trying to reach felon

her.

She opened her WhatsApp and sent a message to the Everett family's group chat, saying she had been out with friends for a few days and missed their messages due to poor signal.

Gideon called immediately.

"Hera, where are you? Are you okay?"

Hera checked her location using her phone.

"I'm in Southburrow. I'm fine."

"That's good to hear."

Gideon sighed with relief.

"Amelia came to see me the day before yesterday. She said something weird and left. I got worried when I couldn't reach you."

Amelia had seen Gideon?

She did not want him to worry, so she said, "I went hiking with my

l

the mountains. What did sheContentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

3s, and the signal was bad in

say?"

"Sweetie. Here, drink some water," Bernard interrupted, handing her a glass of water and some pills.

Gideon heard Bernard's voice over the phone and frowned.

"Are you with Bernard?"

Hera glanced at Bernard, suspecting he did it intentionally.

She obediently took the pills and replied, "Yes."