Chapter 9

Soon, school was about to begin. The Everetts had already arranged for each of their children to have a car and a driver for getting to and from school. During breakfast, Lilith proposed to James that Hera should also have her own driver and car. However, Mildred was the first to disagree with her suggestion. "We don't even know the results of her entrance exam yet. Why rush into it?" Lilith was rendered speechless by her sharp response. Seeming crestfallen, she stole glances at James in the hope that he would come to her defense. Yet, James pretended not to notice. He sided with Mildred's viewpoint. Believing that Hera was destined to fail her entrance exam, James saw no reason to arrange a driver for her. Doing so would only attract ridicule from others and embarrass the Everetts. "Hera, you can ride with me if you want," Giselle said kindly. "No, thanks. I already have a ride." Hera declined. Her cold rejection left Giselle stunned. Nevertheless, Giselle attempted to uphold her image. She retrieved a folder and handed it to Hera. "These are some previous test papers that Chris completed. He's always been one of the best students at Cavenridge. You can check them out. They could be useful for your entrance exam," Giselle said. Her gesture seemed considerate and kind to those around her. Hera placed her cutlery down and stood up to leave. She didn't even glance at the folder Giselle was holding. "What's with the attitude? As I expected, people from rural mountain areas lack manners!" Mildred exclaimed, slamming the table in disapproval. "Hera, don't be upset. You can ride in my car. You don't have to take a cab," Giselle said. She quickly set down her cutlery and hurried to catch up with Hera before Lilith could. Giselle portrayed herself vividly and thoroughly as a person who was sensible, considerate, and thoughtful toward others. As Giselle rushed outside, she spotted Hera getting into a sleek black limousine. Giselle noticed that the emblem on the car was from Lincoln, but before she could catch a glimpse of the license plate, the car vanished around the corner. The Everetts were considered aristocratic in Norburgh, though they were only on the fringes of the true aristocracy. The cars they provided their children were merely BMWs, each valued at several hundred thousand dollars. Giselle couldn't fathom how Hera could afford such a high-class vehicle. She was certain that the car Hera had left in was one she had booked online. Otherwise, how could someone like Hera, who had recently arrived from the mountains, possibly have connections in Norburgh with people who owned luxury vehicles? Giselle hadn't even been in a Lincoln stretch limo herself. Could Hera have gotten involved with a rich man and become his mistress? If that were true, it would be just right! As Giselle contemplated various scenarios, a flashy red Ferrari pulled up in front of her. After the car door swung open, a man stepped out. He was dressed sharply in a white suit and matching leather shoes. He had a youthful appearance. "Excuse me, Miss. Has a young lady come by your place recently?" Giselle's attention snapped back to the present. She was taken aback when she recognized the man before her. "Mr. Ludden?" "You know me?" Aaron looked surprised. Having enlisted in the army at just 14, Aaron was seldom in Norburgh. He couldn't recall meeting Giselle. He thought that Giselle must be the person who rescued Bernard that day. "Yeah, I've seen you." Giselle nodded. Aaron was the oldest son of the Ludden family, one of the four influential families. She had come across photos of Aaron before. "You've got sharp eyes. Not everyone would recognize me with my face all painted up like that on that day," Aaron remarked. He remembered the day he got off the helicopter and saw a woman's back in the distance. From the silhouette, she looked just like Giselle. Even though Giselle didn't stand out in looks, Aaron thought she could still somehow measure up to Bernard, who was incredibly handsome. Aaron had a gut feeling that the person before him was Hera. Giselle was puzzled. "That day?" She quickly realized that Aaron had mistaken her for someone else, but she maintained a pleasant smile and chose not to comment. "Thank you for rescuing my boss. He requested me to return this to you," Aaron stated, presenting Giselle with the cleaned strip of fabric. Boss? The person Aaron referred to as "Boss" could only be associated with the Killians, the most prominent among the four influential families.