Facade

Hera felt completely stunned.

All of a sudden, the sound of an approaching aircraft grew louder. Bernard’s backup had arrived.

Hera looked up and saw a helicopter hovering above. The helicopter’s door slid open, and a ladder lowered down. A man dressed in camouflage, similar to Bernard’s attire, descended from above.

Hera swiftly dashed away.

Bernard pushed himself up, his eyes following her disappearing figure. With a pleased grin, he mumbled, “So, you were hiding here. I’ll be back for you.”

…

At the foot of the mountain, two sleek black BMWs were parked in front of a rundown house. The yard was bustling with curious bystanders.

In the living room, Catherine welcomed the Everetts, who had arrived from the city.

James Everett, Lilith Cresswell, and their daughter, Giselle Everett, who had been mistakenly taken at birth and raised by them, were here.

The three’s impeccable attire clashed sharply with the shabby state of the living room.

Giselle scowled at the worn cup before her, feeling a wave of repulsion. She glanced around the living room, taking in the peeling paint on the walls and the chaotic mess of herbs scattered across the floor.

To make matters worse, there wasn’t even an air conditioner in the house on this scorching summer day. Instead, an old ceiling fan whirred above, its irritating squeak only adding to her discomfort.

The idea that Giselle was part of this rundown family was unbearable to her. She was firmly convinced that she was meant to be an Everett.

Giselle clung to James’ arm, looking upset. “Dad, it’s sweltering in here. Does Hera not want to see me because she thinks I stole her parents?”

“What are you talking about? It wasn’t your fault to be mistakenly taken at birth. Why would she blame you?” James snapped.

Before arriving, the Everetts had called to say they were coming to take Hera back to their home. As for Giselle, they had raised her for 17 years and had grown attached to her, so they decided to continue raising her.

“Then, why is she taking so long?” Giselle seemed even sadder. She turned to Catherine. “Um, could you go find Hera? And ask her to hurry?”

Her tone sounded like she was instructing a housekeeper on tasks.

Catherine let out a sigh as she observed Giselle’s behavior. She was about to stand up, but James intervened, “It’s fine. Let’s give her five more minutes. If she hasn’t returned by then, we’ll go first.”

Lilith quickly placed her cup down. Finding their biological daughter had been an arduous journey, and she wasn’t going to let this visit slip away without a word.

Just as she was about to speak persuasively, a clear voice was heard speaking from outside, “Grandma, I’m home.”

All heads turned toward the doorway, where a tall, slender young woman stood. Her figure was outlined by the light behind her.

Hera carried herself with a certain aloofness which hinted that it wouldn’t be wise to cross her.

Even with her advanced age, Catherine’s eyes were sharp. She noticed the large tear in her dress as soon as Hera entered.

“Hera, what’s wrong?” Catherine approached with concern.

Hera supported Catherine and reassured her, “Grandma, I’m fine.”

She looked down at her dress and added, “I just… accidentally tore my clothes…”

It was then everyone realized Hera’s dress was dirty and tattered.

Giselle was overcome with disgust. She hadn’t anticipated Hera not even having decent clothes to wear. She made a firm decision never to return to this shabby place again!

“Don’t worry, I’ll make another one for you,” Catherine assured. She gestured toward the group and said, “Come meet your real parents and their daughter who was mistakenly switched at birth with you.”

Hera landed her gaze on James. He wore a suit, had thick hair, and was slightly overweight. Despite being in his late 40s, he looked more like he was in his early 40s.

James had been waiting for over half an hour in the sultry and rundown place, only to be greeted by Hera, who was dressed in tattered clothing.

What aggravated him even more was Hera’s lack of courtesy. She didn’t bother to offer a greeting. Impatiently, James questioned, “Why did you keep us waiting so long?”

“I tripped while coming down the mountain,” Hera explained, her eyes cast downward. Her long eyelashes covered her cold gaze, making her look like a regretful child.

Seeing how much she resembled Lilith and how sorry she seemed, James couldn’t bring himself to scold her anymore.

“You look a bit messy. Come on, let’s get into the car,” James said.

He quickly turned away, ready to leave as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Lilith stepped forward and gently took Hera’s hand, checking for injuries. “Hera, I’m your mother. Let me see if you’re hurt.”

Her concerned expression mirrored that of Hera’s adoptive mother, Daphne Jones.

“I’m fine. Thank you,” Hera said.

Giselle came over and attempted to pull Lilith away. “Mom, let’s go. Dad’s waiting.”

“Alright, alright.” Lilith nodded. She then turned to Hera and said, “Let’s head home. Your father’s waiting.”

Hera nodded and said goodbye to Catherine.

Giselle became displeased when she realized Lilith was completely focused on Hera. She pulled harder on Lilith, but Lilith remained firmly rooted in place. This only added to Giselle’s frustration.

Annoyed, she released her grip and intended to seek out James, but Catherine stopped her.

“Giselle, have you truly considered this? Are you certain you want to leave?” Catherine asked sincerely.

Only then did Hera cast a glance toward Giselle, taking note of her long, sleek hair. While Giselle wasn’t beautiful, her designer attire gave her the air of a daughter from an affluent family.

“No, thank you,” Giselle declined promptly.

She sneered inwardly. She wasn’t foolish enough to abandon a life of luxury to endure hardships in this remote and impoverished place.

Catherine let out a sigh. “Alright then. Go ahead. Take a trip to see your father whenever you can.”

As soon as her biological father was mentioned, Giselle’s expression turned grim.

The Everetts had investigated her background and found out that her biological father, Lucius Killian, was serving a life sentence in prison for murder.

“I only have one father—James Everett,” Giselle stated firmly, then forcefully pulled Lilith away.

Hera stayed quiet.

As Giselle walked away with a determined expression, Catherine sighed and shook her head. Then, she faced Hera. “It’s your turn to go, Hera.”

Hera hummed in response. Leaning in, she hugged Catherine and whispered, “I’ll go see Dad and do whatever it takes to prove his innocence.”

Without giving Catherine a chance to persuade her otherwise, Hera grabbed her bag and headed for the door.

Only one car remained in the yard. The driver stood by the door, waiting for Hera. As he opened the door for her, she noticed someone seated in the back seat.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.