Under the Heiress' Facade

"No. You're an Everett, not a Killian. This isn't a scene out of a forbidden love drama. You're free to date whoever you want."

Samantha held Hera's phone. Her unique blue eyes blinked with curiosity as she pouted her rosy lips.

"Come on. Show me his picture. I want to see the guy who's got my little angel head over heels."

Samantha appeared as lovely as her name suggested, with cascading waves of light brown hair framing her face.

Her high nose bridge gave her a distinct Euranian appearance, further accentuating her sapphire- like blue eyes.

She resembled a porcelain doll straight out of a display window. It would be difficult for anyone to refuse a request from someone as adorable as her.

However, Hera wasn't falling for it. She retrieved her phone and set it aside.

"No, you're wrong. It's not happening."

"Why not? From what you're saying, it sounds like he's really into you."

Samantha looked puzzled.

"You're not trying to use 'I don't want to date yet' as a lame excuse, are you?"

Hera pondered Samantha's words. She recalled the numerous occasions when Bernard overstepped boundaries before. She didn't know if he was genuinely interested in her or was simply messing with her.

"Unfortunately, I'm just a kid in his eyes."

Hera sipped her coffee.

"A kid? Why would he make those flirtatious gestures if he sees you that way? The last guy who pulled that on me was my ex," Samantha said.

She slapped her hand on the coffee table.

As if recalling something, she added casually, "Oh, and the jerk at the bar who thought he could hit on me."

Hera silently admitted Bernard was indeed a jerk. He had flirted with her, only to disappear into the lounge with another woman. If that wasn't behaving like a jerk, then what was?

"But your 'young uncle' isn't like that, right?" Samantha asked.

"Could it be that you're the one who dislikes him?"

Hera lowered her gaze to her coffee, pondering Samantha's question. She couldn't deny that she had once harbored feelings for Bernard when she was younger.

However, that affection, akin to that of an older brother, was not the same as what Samantha was implying.

Moreover, Bernard had changed. Although he appeared refined and cultured, he had an underlying coldness that kept people at a distance. He also possessed an air of mystery that was hard to decipher.

He could be tender and attentive with her. Yet, he also seemed capable of wearing different masks depending on the situation, which made her hesitant to trust him fully.

After all, he was a Killian. Until she uncovered the truth behind Lucius' framing and Daphne's murder, suspicion loomed over every member of the Killian family.

At Hera's silence, Samantha continued, "If you don't like him, why do you care about his well-being?

"Besides treating his illness, you also plan to attend tonight's auction to bid on the Eclipse Stone for him. Do you realize how many people are vying for it tonight?"

"I'm simply honoring our initial agreement," Hera defended herself.

"Are you certain about that?"

Samantha eyed her skeptically.

Hera replied impassively, "Without a doubt."

At that moment, her phone chimed with a WhatsApp message. She glanced at it to find Bernard's profile picture and immediately tapped on it.

A selfie caught her attention. He was biting on his shirt collar in the photo. He held the phone up to the mirror while his other hand pulled down his pants to reveal his muscular physique.

She couldn't help but notice his eight well-defined abs and sleek abdominal line. Têxt belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.

However, her eyes were drawn to a deep brown scar across his left waist. It was startling, yet it added a ruggedness to his otherwise flawless body.

The photo was strategically taken. It showcased his attractive physique while cleverly obscuring his face with the phone. To a stranger, it might appear to be a model's picture from the internet.

But Hera recognized that scar as Bernard's. She had once accidentally seen his back covered in scars when he was changing. The impact of the image caused her ears to turn red.

What could he possibly mean by sending her such a photo?