CHAPTER 924: CHAPTER 924 CONFRONTATION

After all, she had been there at the funeral. Her own parents had died in the same accident as the Avery couple, serving as their assistants at the time.

So in Silvia’s mind, it was only natural, destiny even, that she should step into the role. She had paid the price, lost her parents too, and grown up within the folds of the Avery family. She believed she had earned her place as the new heiress... and as Leo’s rightful fiancée.

And since Leo had amnesia, she felt this was the perfect opportunity to form a new bond with him, to reshape his thoughts and understanding of who she was. She wanted him to see her, not through the lens of bloodlines or legacy, but for the person standing in front of him now.

In her heart, she believed Leo had always held back because the Avery blood didn’t run through her veins. He was clinging to tradition, to the idea of the rightful heiress. But she was determined to show him that she was far more worthy than the so-called wild child who held that title by birth.

Now that the playing field had been leveled, she had to seize the moment and win Leo’s heart.

What the Old Master of the Avery family didn’t know, however, was that Silvia had returned. He still believed she was in Princeton, quietly attending her classes as he had ordered when he sent her away.

But Silvia had defied him; she had slipped away, determined to see Leo again, to seduce him before his memories came back. Deep down, she knew he might get furious once he remembered everything. But that was a risk she was willing to take.

She would deal with the consequences later.

For now, her mission was clear: capture Leo’s heart, no matter the cost.

Everyone turned to look at Silvia, then at Leo. Hera’s lips pressed into a thin line. She hadn’t known that Leo was already engaged to someone else, and hearing another woman speak to him so intimately felt like a sudden, brutal blow.

In that moment, she didn’t know what to think, let alone what to feel. Just moments ago, she had gathered the courage to introduce herself properly to everyone and finally reveal the truth about her identity. It felt like it was the right time to do so.

But Silvia’s unexpected appearance had shattered that resolve.

Now, her thoughts were in disarray, her mind buzzing with confusion as a cold numbness settled into her feet. Her stomach churned and dropped, as if the ground beneath her had given way.

What made it even worse was that Leo didn’t deny Silvia’s words. He didn’t question her, didn’t ask who she was, he just kept staring, as if he remembered her. Hera’s heart sank like a stone to the bottom of the ocean. If only she had known he already had a fiancée, she would’ve done everything in her power to guard her feelings from the start.

But then, a realization hit her.

Silvia had introduced herself as ’Silvia Avery,’ but that didn’t make sense. The Avery family didn’t have any collateral branches, and "Avery" wasn’t a common surname in their country. Hera and her grandfather had always kept a low profile for that very reason: the Avery bloodline was small, with barely any descendants.

And it was precisely that rarity that made them a target. Once the Old Master Avery and Hera were eliminated, there would be no rightful heir to the family’s vast fortune, leaving the wolves circling them free to divide the spoils.

That was why her grandfather had faced constant attacks. Why he had no choice but to hide Hera away, keeping her out of sight until she was strong enough to stand her ground in front of the wolves circling to devour what was left of their legacy.

Silvia, calling herself an Avery, confirmed Hera’s growing suspicion, she was the stand-in. What had only been a hunch moments ago was now undeniable.

Still, Hera had never heard her grandfather mention anything about Silvia being engaged to anyone, let alone Leo. There was nothing in the news either. Had her grandfather kept it from her? Or... had he simply forgotten to tell her?

Hera’s mind spun with questions, trying to piece everything together, but one thing was painfully clear: her heart felt like absolute hell.

Hera stayed silent, the pain clawing at her chest. She wanted to cry, to run away, to escape the humiliation, and yet, another part of her burned to confront Leo and demand why he hadn’t told her he was already engaged. But then she remembered: he had amnesia. Even if she asked, what answers could he give her? He probably didn’t even know the truth himself.

So she held her tongue, clenching her fists at her sides, and watched as Silvia sauntered closer to Leo with confident ease. Without hesitation, Silvia perched at the edge of his bed, near his feet, gazing up at him with an affection so raw, it was as if Leo was the only person that existed in her world. That look alone shattered something inside Hera.

Silvia was by no means inferior to any woman. She had been raised in comfort and luxury, pampered since childhood. The Averys had spared no expense, lavish gifts, designer clothes, exclusive spa treatments, and private tutors in etiquette and refinement.

It was no wonder that a quiet arrogance clung to her like perfume. She carried herself like someone who had always been adored, never lacking, never needing to fight for her place.

Seeing Silvia there left Xavier completely baffled. He had just started to piece things together, believing that Hera might somehow be connected to the Avery family. But now, standing before him was the widely recognized heiress of the Averys, Silvia herself, and she didn’t so much as glance at Hera, let alone acknowledge her.

That simple lack of recognition threw him off. If Silvia didn’t know Hera, then maybe Hera wasn’t connected to the Avery family after all. And just like that, all the progress he thought he’d made unraveled, leaving him back at square one.

"Leo, honey, care to introduce me to your friends?" Silvia asked, her voice dripping with sweetness. The sound of her calling Leo ’honey’ so intimately made something claw deep inside Hera’s chest. A flicker of annoyance flashed in her eyes; she was never the type to be easily bullied.

Though her heart had just been shattered, her pride was quickly rising to the surface. Pettiness crept in, uninvited but welcome, and a part of her wanted to strike back, even if Leo had amnesia. He never told her he had a fiancée. Yes, she had kept her identity a secret, too, but a hidden identity wasn’t the same as a hidden engagement.

Because if that were true... wouldn’t that make her the other woman? A homewrecker?

Hera could feel her blood starting to boil as she continued to glare at Leo. Across the room, Zhane caught the murderous look in her eyes while Leo remained obliviously focused on Silvia’s face. Zhane pursed his lips and silently prayed for Leo’s soul. He could already see the storm coming, and this was not the time to step in.

The air in the room was thick with tension, and Hera’s fury was rising with every passing second.

Meanwhile, Dave, who also noticed Hera’s deadly glare, was practically buzzing with anticipation. In his mind, Leo’s downfall only meant one thing: with the "golden boy" out of the picture, the playing field would finally be level, and he’d have a better shot at being pampered by Hera again.

So, with a smug little grin, Dave rubbed his palms together in delight, waiting for the confrontation to come.

’Rest in peace, buddy,’ he thought with mock solemnity. ’May you find peace in heaven.’

The truth was, it wasn’t just Zhane and Dave who noticed Hera’s expression. Aside from the oblivious Leo and Silvia, Luke, Rafael, and Xavier had all been watching her closely. The moment Silvia announced herself as Leo’s fiancée, their eyes immediately flicked to Hera, waiting for her reaction.

And when they saw the flash of pain in her eyes, their hearts clenched. A chorus of silent curses was thrown at Leo in their minds. How could he let this happen? But just like Dave, a part of them couldn’t help but feel a flicker of wicked satisfaction. The mighty Leo had finally fumbled.

Now, they all wore the same look of anticipation, wondering what Hera would do next. One thing, however, was certain: whatever choice she made, they would stand behind her without question. She had their unwavering support.

As for Leo? Whether he remembered everything later or not, he would have no one to blame but himself for getting involved with Hera while still entangled in a mess he never bothered to clean up. And when the dust settled, the only casualty in this battlefield... would be him.

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A huge thank you to SIA, Itslaoni, Nerissa_Guerra, Shell_Rodriguez, Parvati_Patel_3665, DMD_IN_THE_MAKING, Marlene_Parker, Terri_Wright_3929, Angie_Rodriguez_6157, Daoist642842, and Cinparo for all the Golden Tickets and the incredible support! You amazing girlies are the best—thank you so, so much!