The True Heiress: Legend Mode novel Chapter 144

With that final dramatic statement, she supported the older woman and walked out the door.

The guards grabbed the luggage and trailed right behind them.

The moment she was gone, Juno's lazy, cynical facade vanished, replaced by an expression of pure, unadulterated menace.

Beneath the table, her hand clenched into a tight fist, the reopening wound throbbing with sharp, rhythmic pain.

Three quiet days passed by.

Then, just past midnight on the fourth day, explosive headlines hijacked every media outlet.

[Maia Mercer Explicit Photo Leak]

"Holy shit, who dug this up?! This was already exposed a decade ago. I heard she passed away. No matter how messed up her life was, isn't dragging a dead woman through the mud taking it a bit too far?"

"Man, Maia was a legendary actress. An absolute icon. Thinking about it now, it's still such a tragedy."

"Who cares if she could act if she was garbage off-screen?"

"She signed whatever shady contract they put in front of her just for cash. Zero morals. She traded her body for fame—why should anyone feel sorry for her?"

The internet exploded into a chaotic warzone of fiercely divided opinions.

Morgan called Juno.

This time, Juno didn't scream or break down like she had when she was a child. Sitting alone in a pitch-black room, her voice was terrifyingly calm and hollow. "Don't suppress it."

On the other end of the line, Morgan froze, his breathing slowing down.

Juno said, "I will step forward and clarify it."

If they kept burying it, the rats hiding in the shadows would just keep trying to claw their way out.

When Maia died, Juno was only twelve.

The money her mentor had earned, the future she had secured—it had all been for her.

Before they could even formulate a strategy for the media nightmare, Morgan's phone buzzed with another incoming alert. "The entire Corrington family has been taken."

Juno shot up from her chair. "They aren't stupid! How could they all just get taken out without a fight?!"

He practically skipped into the main house.

Throwing the doors open with a massive grin, he shouted, "Surprise! I'm home!"

The sprawling, luxurious living room was dead silent. Not a single maid in sight. The entire estate felt completely deserted.

A cold draft blew through the hall, sending a chill down his spine.

Rylan stepped further inside, completely bewildered. "No way. Are they hiding to surprise me?"

Cupping his hands around his mouth, he shouted, "I'm back!! You guys can come out now!!!"

Absolute silence.

He dropped his backpack onto the floor and slumped onto a sofa, staring blankly at the empty room.

What the hell was going on?

Where was everyone?