The True Heiress: Legend Mode novel Chapter 7

Chuck's gaze darkened slightly. He searched her face, desperate to find the missing puzzle piece. "You look exactly like someone I used to know."

Juno arched an eyebrow. "I'm flattered."

He pulled out his phone. "Can I get your number?"

"Of course."

She boldly took his phone, typed in her digits, and immediately hit dial. A second later, her own phone buzzed in her pocket. She held it up with a smirk.

Whispers broke out among the stunned onlookers.

"Is this what hot guys are into now? Honestly, the girl who just left was way prettier than her."

"Ugh. Gorgeous face, terrible eyesight. What a waste!"

Chuck took his phone back, casually twirling it between his fingers. He remained silent.

Juno desperately wanted to stay by his side, but she couldn't. Not in her current identity.

Whatever. They had plenty of time.

Her only reason for coming today was to appease Gerda. While the other elites were busy networking and kissing up to billionaires, she had absolutely no interest in playing the socialite game.

With that thought, she gave Chuck a brief nod and walked away.

She didn't care about the chaotic mess she was leaving behind. She just walked out. Free, wild, and utterly unrestrained.

The detail Gerda had assigned her was waiting outside the club. She ordered them to take her straight to the Central Business District.

The CBD was the beating heart of Kingsland's wealth, tech, and culture. It was a massive hub for high finance, international trade, and luxury commerce.

Walking these busy streets, Juno finally felt a faint echo of the life she used to have in Blackwood City.

After scoping out the local market, she walked into a high-end steakhouse. Just as she was about to cut into her meal, a harsh reality hit her—she was completely broke.

She hadn't seen her parents yet, and Gerda hadn't thought to give her an allowance.

He took the seat across from her, briefly scanning the lavish meal on the table, but said nothing.

His right-hand man, Miles, quietly stepped away to settle the bill.

"Is the great heiress really this broke?"

Juno casually sliced her steak, ignoring the jab.

Chuck's tone shifted, dropping an octave. He looked away, staring out the window. "When you're quiet like this... you really do act exactly like the girl I knew."

The sheer nonchalance in her every movement, the quiet confidence burning in her eyes, the inherent arrogance she radiated without even trying—everything screamed that the woman sitting across from him was the exact same Juno Mercer from Blackwood City.

She was painfully thin. He could easily trace the blue veins pulsing beneath the translucent skin of her hands. Yet, beneath the malnutrition, her raw beauty was undeniable. Her long, thick lashes cast heavy shadows over her eyes, hiding her true emotions.

Juno set down her fork and knife. "I'm not just like her. I am her."

Chuck's fingers, which had been tapping rhythmically on the table, froze. A dark, dangerous storm swirled in his eyes.