Under the heiress facade

Giselle limped slightly as she followed Karen through the courtyard of the Killian residence.

Aaron's gunshot had left her with a noticeable limp, and it drew curious glances from the housekeepers. Usually, Giselle would adjust her gait to appear more graceful, but she was too excited to care that day.

She felt like a country girl visiting a grand mansion for the first time, her eyes darting left and right in awe. The Killian residence was even more magnificent than she had heard. It resembled a palace. She felt that this was her true home. She was a direct descendant of the prestigious Killian family, the head of the four influential families.

She thought any of these homes was far grander and more valuable than the Everetts' shabby villa.

Giselle seethed at the thought of Hera calling her a fake Everett heiress when it was she who had stolen her rightful life and blamed her for everything. Giselle vowed to repay this grudge tenfold.

...

Hera woke up at 4:00 pm, roused by hunger. She reached out to find the bed beside her empty. She was alone in the room.

Hera grabbed her phone and saw a WhatsApp message from the Grandmaster of Astral Nova from 11:00 am saying, "Okay."

from the night before, she wondered if it

Bernard's chat. There were no new messages. She took a long drink from the cup of water on the bedside table before

118 transparent glass compartments lining the wall furthest to her. Some of the glass compartments were filled, but most were empty. Recognizing it immediately as a periodic table of elements, Hera approached Bernard, who stood absorbed by the

collection

awake. Are you hungry? I'll have someone bring you

turned around, he noticed Hera in only a thin nightgown.

want to eat the steak

Douglas send over the ingredients,"

22 non-metal elements were collected, while the metal elements

did you start collecting these? Is this all you've

ago," Bernard answered

and you've only collected

her tone tinged