Under the Heiress' Facade

With 15 minutes left, Hera slipped back into class just before the morning exam ended.

She breezed through the remaining questions, finishing the test in a mere ten minutes right as the dismissal bell rang.

"Boss, where'd you disappear to? You cut it close! Even though you're a genius and these exams are a breeze for you, have some mercy on us ordinary folks, alright? You don't have to show off quite so much," Katie grumbled playfully. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and turned around.

Hera reached into her drawer and pulled out a small gift box.

She offered it to Katie. "I left to snag this for you."

Katie's eyes sparkled as she eagerly unwrapped the package, revealing a delicate pink crystal bracelet.

"Boss, did you really get this especially for me? I love it so much!"This text is © NôvelDrama/.Org.

Seeing Katie's genuine joy, Hera couldn't admit the truth. She had spotted the bracelet displayed in a boutique window on her way back and bought it on a whim.

Katie slipped on the bracelet, snapping a few photos to share on social media. "Thanks, boss! My treat for coffee? I made plans to meet Cindy and Christopher at the food street."

The mention of the food street piqued Hera's interest. With the semester almost over, she hadn't even had a chance to visit.

They gathered their things and headed off to meet up with Christopher and Cindy at the food street.

The moment they spotted Christopher, Katie promptly presented him with the "High School Entrance Exam Simulation" textbook she'd brought along. "Christopher, here's a gift from my boss."

Christopher's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

His idol was giving him a gift! And such a practical one at that—a classic study guide.

Hera was rendered speechless at his reaction.

"Absolutely! Such a timeless textbook is a perfect match for a top student like you," Katie declared confidently. Of course, she wouldn't say it was actually a cast-off from her own collection!

"Thank you! I'll definitely put it to good use," Christopher beamed, cradling the book protectively.

While he'd already completed the practice problems, the fact that Hera had gifted it to him made it special. He could picture himself framing it as a cherished memento.

Hera was speechless again.

"What about me?" Cindy chimed in, her eyes sparkling with playful expectation as she looked at Hera.

"You got Katie a bracelet and Christopher a study guide. What about me?"

Just then, Katie realized her blunder.

The gift-giving wasn't part of Hera's original plan. It was all Katie's doing, and in her enthusiasm, she'd given the practice book to Christopher while completely forgetting about Cindy. This could easily be

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misconstrued as favoritism!

"Actually..." Katie began to explain, but Hera cut her off.

Reaching into her bag, she retrieved another small gift box and handed it to Cindy.

Huh? Why did this box look so familiar?

Katie was puzzled upon seeing it.

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"Thanks a bunch!" Cindy exclaimed, accepting the gift with delight. She hadn't meant anything serious by her comment, just a bit of lighthearted teasing. But Hera's gesture filled her with unexpected warmth.

Cindy opened the box to reveal another pink crystal bracelet that was identical to Katie's.

Hera said, "You're welcome. It was a buy-one-get-one deal."

Cindy and Katie exchanged an unspoken glance, silent embarrassment hanging in the air.

On the other hand, Christopher couldn't help but feel a smug satisfaction. His gift truly was one-of-a-kind.

The awkward moment passed quickly, and Katie led the way to a bustling coffee shop. The line snaked out the door, a mix of students and working professionals. It spoke volumes about the shop's popularity.

"This place has the most amazing coffee, especially their signature coffee. You gotta try it before you leave Cavenridge, boss," Katie said, ushering them toward the back of the line.

"Sounds good," Hera agreed.

However, Christopher couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at her words.

"Hera, are you not coming back next semester?" he asked.

Hera replied calmly, "No, I won't be."

While Katie had mentioned this earlier that day, hearing it confirmed from Hera hit Christopher differently. In fact, ever since she received early acceptances from both Quantford University and Bradbury University, he'd been itching for an opportunity to talk to her.

He wanted to convince her to reconsider going to a school in Jedburgh. After all, with her exceptional academic achievements, staying in the country seemed like a waste of her potential.