Under the heiress facade

"What are you looking at?" Bernard asked as he sat beside the bed.

He leaned in to snatch the phone just as he noticed the chat with Shaun.

"Don't read that."

Hera deftly evaded his grasp and hurriedly scanned the message list. Douglas' avatar showed seven unread messages, with several group chats marked as 99+.

Before she could read the details, Bernard snatched the phone back.

"Let me see it again."

Hera lunged to reclaim the phone, but Bernard held firm.

And so, beneath the enchanting moonlight, the two spent a carefree night together.

...

living room of the Killian residence in Jedburgh, Chad's grip tightened on

proclaimed, "XS Corporation Invests 200 Million in

if this is sheer coincidence or if they have insider knowledge," mused Karen White, the matriarch of the Killian

was punching cotton. Karen's words reminded Chad that if XS Corporation was solely targeting Killian Corporation, it was simply unfortunate. But if it was the latter,

fourth son of the Killian family. Following him was a lavishly dressed woman, Linda Atkins, and Frederick. "Uncle Chad, Aunt Karen, we've come to wish you a Happy New Year," Frederick

Linda, Frederick, you guys are here. Come in and

signaled the

Bernard still not back yet?" Frederick

fuse for Chad. Bernard barely touched his New Year's Eve dinner the previous night before leaving and hadn't returned since.

are you bringing

the newspaper Chad had put aside. He had

why he had

like this. It's not worth getting worked up over him.