The Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 399: [ Volume 1] Chaper 398- Invade my privacy.

"Why the hell do you keep calling me Summer?" he had grumbled so many times.

And every single time, she had just smiled, her eyes full of mischief.

"Because you’re like summer—warm, bright, and impossible to ignore."

She could still see the way he’d run a frustrated hand through his hair, shaking his head like she was the worst name-giver in history. But he never truly hated it. She knew that.

And now, seeing it here, carved into stone, she felt like she was suffocating.

Her hands clenched into fists.

He had never told anyone else about that name. No one.

Yet, here it was.

That could only mean one thing.

Esme knew.

Not just in passing. Not as some acquaintance.

She was close. Too close.

And suddenly, she understood.

The friend he always talked about. The child he used to mention with such fondness.

It was Esme.

His dearest friend.

A cold realization settled over her.

If she couldn’t take revenge on that so-called organization herself—if she had to hold back because of her Summer—

Then she would make sure Esme did.

She had already set things in motion. Esme didn’t even know it, but the pieces had been placed right under her feet.

The whispers. The secrets. The information that kept finding its way to Esme.

It was all because of her.

Because if she couldn’t destroy them—

Then she would make sure Esme would.

Back in the present, the woman lifted her gaze, locking eyes with Esme.

"You know everything, huh?" she asked, her voice steady but laced with something unspoken.

Esme merely tilted her head, a slow smirk forming. Then, with a breathy chuckle, she scoffed, "Pfft. Really? Do you think you’re some kind of secret spy? That you could hide from me, and I wouldn’t find you?"

The woman didn’t flinch, her expression unreadable as she watched Esme carefully. After a beat, she spoke again, her tone almost testing.

Esme, unbothered, ran a hand through her hair, as if this entire conversation was nothing more than a mild inconvenience.

"The moment you stepped foot near his grave," she said, her voice quieter now, yet carrying an undeniable weight, "I knew."

Esme’s smirk didn’t waver as she crossed her arms, her gaze unwavering.

"You know, Summer—" she corrected herself with a small chuckle, "I mean, your husband—he told me once that he had a really pretty wife and a fairy-like child." She exhaled slowly, tilting her head. "So, when I saw you standing at his grave, well... it wasn’t exactly rocket science to figure out who you were."

The woman’s expression didn’t change, but Esme could see the way her fingers tensed slightly at her sides.

"And after that?" Esme continued, "You came back. Every five to seven days. Thinking no one was watching. Thinking you were alone. Do you really believe I’d leave my friend’s grave unguarded?"

The woman’s gaze flickered, her eyes searching Esme’s face.

Esme let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "I know what you’re thinking. ’I checked the area, there were no living people there.’ Right?" She shrugged. "Well, let me ask you this—do you really think that in this world, with this level of technology, I’d need to send people to watch over him?"

She paused, then nodded toward the grave just behind the woman.

"If you had just turned around," Esme said, voice almost playful, "you would have seen the name engraved there—’Esme Valhalle.’ And yet, here I am, very much alive. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?"

The woman’s breath hitched, but Esme simply leaned in slightly, dropping the final revelation with a knowing glint in her eyes.

"That grave? I put a small camera and mic inside it." She tapped the side of her temple. "So yeah, of course, I knew exactly what you were doing. From the very first day."

The woman threw her head back and burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the quiet space. She lifted a hand to cover her mouth, shaking slightly as she tried to regain her composure. When she finally lowered her hand, her gaze met Esme’s, sharp and knowing.

"You are really something, huh?" she mused, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Now I understand why my Summer gave you his name."

At those words, Esme’s expression remained unreadable. She didn’t flinch, didn’t react. She simply watched.

The woman took that as an invitation to continue.

"I used to wonder," she admitted, tilting her head, "Why would he give you his name? What was so special about you? But now, seeing you like this, I understand."

She narrowed her eyes slightly, leaning forward just a fraction. "So, you knew what I was doing all along and still took my help?"

Esme’s lips curled into a slow, amused smile. She shrugged.

"Well, what can we do?" she said, voice light, almost teasing. "If someone hands you free lollipops without asking for anything in return, wouldn’t you take them?"

The woman’s smile widened, eyes gleaming with intrigue. "Ha! If you had just told me you knew everything from the start, I wouldn’t have dragged out this little act for so long."

And then, with a snap of her fingers, the air around her shifted. The divine aura that had surrounded her melted away, vanishing like mist in the morning sun. Her eyes, once holding an otherworldly glint, returned to something more human—calm, observant, and undeniably sharp.

Slowly, she stood, stretching her arms as if shaking off an old disguise. "Much better," she murmured, rolling her shoulders before looking back at Esme with a curious gaze. "Now, let’s see what happens next, shall we?"

Esme stood tall, her gaze sharp and unwavering as she took a step forward.

"Let me see the manuscript." Her voice was calm, yet it carried a weight that pressed against the air between them. "Listen, I don’t care about your excuses. I don’t care why you failed to avenge your husband, and I sure as hell don’t want to hear whatever history you have with that organization. But what I do care about—" her eyes darkened, "—is that you dared to invade my privacy."