Under the Heiress' Facade

News of Hera's perfect score reached Gideon like a siren song.

He promptly abandoned work early, laden with goodies for a celebratory feast. The aroma of delicious food filled the air as Gideon tirelessly cooked, eager to surprise Hera when she returned from school. Just as he plated the final dish, a message buzzed on his phone.

Gino: "We're skipping dinner! I'm treating Hera and her classmates to a celebration. Enjoy the feast!"

Gideon's eyes narrowed. He had specifically instructed Gino to bring Hera home for a surprise, but his good intentions were trampled by Gino's bravado.

Fury simmered within him, and he tapped out a swift reply: "Return my money."

Moments later, a notification pinged, and five million had landed in his account.

This was followed by another message from Gino: "Five million, repaid."

However, Gideon wasn't finished yet: "Principal repaid. What about the 50 percent interest?"

Gino's reply arrived promptly, punctuated with a string of exclamation marks.

Gideon was unfazed and countered: "Just clearing accounts between brothers, you know, the usual exorbitant interest rates for family emergencies.

Gino's response was a defeated silence, followed by a grumbling message: "You're not my brother, you're a high-interest loan shark!"

Despite the slight sting of disappointment, Gideon refrained from interrupting Hera's celebration.

He settled down for a quiet dinner with his parents and grandmother, savoring the delicious food he'd prepared. Later, he retreated to his study, diving back into work.

...

It was 9:30 pm.

Gideon's phone buzzed with a notification, and it was a location message from Hera.

Hera asked, "Gideon, can you come pick us up?"

The weight on his chest instantly lifted. He had instructed Hera to call him after 10:00 pm if she was still out, a promise she rarely kept.

Yet, she remembered this time.

A smile tugged at his lips.

He replied swiftly: "I'll be there soon.'

Then, he grabbed his coat and keys in a flurry of activity.

Following the address, Gideon pulled into the karaoke chain's parking lot. As he approached the entrance, a woman's scream pierced the night.

"Hey! Let go of me! If you come any closer, I'll scream for help!"

The voice was somewhat familiar.

Gideon was drawn by the scream and found a harrowing scene unfolding in the dim alley beside the karaoke chain.

Huddled in the meager light, several thugs encircled a woman, their coarse hands tearing at her clothes.

The woman was Amelia. She was clad in a tight leopard-print dress that offered little defense. Her short hair was disheveled, and her top hung precariously, a testament to their aggression.

"Go ahead, scream louder," one of the thugs sneered, raising his hand to strike again.

"Let the whole world know how the eldest daughter of the Gaskells plays her games!"

The venom in his voice fueled Gideon's rage as he silently stalked closer, the darkness concealing his approach.

Swelling rose around a fresh bruise, and blood trickled from the corner of Amelia's mouth. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision. Her expression contained a flicker of innocence amidst the growing resentment.

She clamped down hard on her lower lip, fixing a fierce glare on the thugs.

Queenie was still in the detention center. Earlier, they had sought Aurora in Jedburgh, but she was with the Killians' matriarch at a church, so they were turned away.

Terence couldn't think of a solution, so he told Amelia to seduce Shaun. He said that if she succeeded, she would become a member of the Thompson family and Hera would be nothing. This could turn the Gaskells' crisis around.

At the time, Amelia felt very uncomfortable, but in the end, she softened and agreed. She was driven by her long-standing desire for Queenie's attention. She believed that winning Shaun's favor would earn Queenie's recognition upon her release.

However, Shaun's brutality exceeded her expectations. She was delivered to thugs without even meeting him, and their aggression intensified despite her defiant stare.

"Why play hard to get? You're dressed this way to sleep with someone, right? Mr. Thompson isn't interested, so entertain us instead."

"Haha, scream again! Why did you stop?"

Just as they were about to strip her, a man's voice rang out. "Stop!"