Under the Heiress' Facade

"I'm tired. Give me a piggyback ride!"

Hera turned around with an air of haughtiness.

Bernard's lips curved slightly as he stepped forward and bent down. Hera jumped onto his back, wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face into his back.

The auction was still ongoing, so the parking lot was mostly empty. Bernard walked toward his car with Hera on his back.

Neither of them spoke, but the mood seemed to ease up naturally.

Listening to his steady footsteps, Hera hesitated momentarily before speaking softly, "Actually, I've been hiding something from you."

Bernard responded gently, "I'm sorry for doubting you earlier. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. I trust that you'll tell me when you're ready."

Hera felt that there was more to his words, but she was unsure if he was referring to the suspicious person in Astral Nova or the Grandmaster of Astral Nova. "Actually, I..."

She was gathering her thoughts on how to explain.

They had reached the car. Bernard put her down and opened the passenger door for her as he casually dropped a bombshell.

"Are you trying to tell me that you're Dr. Shadow?"

Hera was just about to sit in the passenger seat when she heard that and jolted up.

Fortunately, Bernard's hand protected her head from hitting the car roof.

"How did you know!"

She suddenly thought of something.

"Have you met the Grandmaster of Astral Nova?"

He guided her into the passenger seat and answered, "No. Astral Nova's staff seems to be looking for a suspicious person."

His deep eyes bore into her as if he was searching her face for clues.

Hera thought again about Tyler and the ring. If he was the Grandmaster of Astral Nova, it made sense that Bernard hadn't met him.

She then asked, "How did you know I was Dr. Shadow?"

She hadn't even told the Everetts about this. In addition to that, Camille was impersonating her identity as Dr. Shadow. She wondered how Bernard knew.

He didn't respond but instead took her left hand in his.

Hera was slightly confused until she saw the bracelet on her wrist. The pink pearls and white diamonds shone brightly under the car light, highlighting her fair skin. She suddenly realized something.

"You were at the auction that day, too?"

"Yes."

"But you said you were at home."

"And you hung up my call after telling me you were at the Everetts, taking a bath."

Thinking back, Hera felt it made sense for him to be at the auction since the Eclipse Stone could save his life. But on that day, she had disguised herself. Those who had been near her were the grandmaster and his bodyguards.

She pondered how Bernard noticed her bracelet and remembered it so clearly. She only wore this bracelet that day and the last time she was at Astral Nova.

"Camille is moving around under the name of Dr. Shadow. You concluded I'm the real one just because of this bracelet?"

The disguise she had worked so hard to maintain was discovered so easily!

"Yes, because this bracelet is unique."

Bernard fastened her seatbelt before walking to the driver's side. Soon, he started the car.

Hera nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, the pink conches are rare. This is my lucky bracelet left by my foster mother. I found it while sorting through her belongings. It should have been a gift for my fourth birthday."

Bernard watched as she lovingly stroked the bracelet on her wrist. He swallowed the words he was about to say.