Transmigrated Into The True Heiress-Chapter 71: A Prequel

Juan cocked his head to the side. "Do you want me to do something or not? You really need to make up your mind, mi amor."

Jania shook her head, brushing her hand from her face to her hair as she muttered, "He fucking drives me crazy."

Alessandro grinned as he stood up. "Hey, Jania. I’ll help you, okay?" He turned to the men who had arrived with Juan. "Why don’t y’all take your asses and bring down the people you brought, hmm?"

The men didn’t immediately move. Instead, they turned to Juan, who gave a subtle nod, signaling his agreement. Only then did the men spring into action, heading back to the vehicles to retrieve the captives. Alessandro scoffed, muttering under his breath, "I have the same power he does. Why do you have to ask him for confirmation?"

Juan smirked, clearly catching the comment but choosing not to address it. Instead, he turned his attention back to Jania, his expression softening ever so slightly. "You know, Jania, you should really lighten up. Stress isn’t good for you. Makes your skin dull."

Jania let out a sharp laugh, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, I’ll be sure to take your unsolicited advice to heart, Juan. Anything else you’d like to add? Maybe some tips on how to deal with narcissistic man-children?"

Han, standing behind her, couldn’t help but stifle a chuckle. Juan raised a brow at him. "Even you, Han? I thought we were friends."

Han finally spoke, his tone deadpan. "We’re not."

Juan clutched his chest in mock pain, but before he could respond, Alessandro clapped his hands loudly, drawing everyone’s attention.

"Alright, enough of this soap opera," Alessandro said, striding toward the cars. "Let’s get this over with. I’ve got better things to do than babysit grown adults with unresolved tension."

Jania shot him a glare. "Stay out of it, Alessandro. Your commentary is as helpful as Juan’s existence. And honestly, you’re in no position to talk," she said, glancing at Han, who cleared his throat.

Alessandro grinned, unbothered by her venom. "Noted. Still, let’s focus, shall we?"

The men returned, dragging out three captives, each bound and gagged. The first was a middle-aged woman with frazzled hair, her eyes darting around in panic. The second was a wiry man with a tattoo snaking up his neck, his expression defiant despite his situation. The third was an older man with streaks of gray in his hair and wrinkles on his face, who looked more confused than scared.

Jania’s sharp eyes scanned the trio before she turned to Juan. "I hope these aren’t just some random people you picked up off the street to waste my time."

Juan stepped forward, his demeanor suddenly serious. "Querida, you wound me. These are the ones Herrera’s men identified: Marianna’s ex-roommate, a woman who worked at the orphanage Marianna lived at, and a former member of the Caso gang who had dealings with Marianna."

Jania’s lips pressed into a thin line. "Good. Take them to the interrogation room in the dungeon." She turned to Han. "Call Ephyra. I’ll watch over them until she arrives. She will handle this personally."

"Are you talking about the girl Rico almost killed? She will be the one to question them?" Alessandro laughed. "You kidding me?"

Jania narrowed her eyes. "Why? Do you think she’s incapable of handling it?"

Alessandro shrugged, leaning back against the car. "I don’t know the girl, but if she’s anything like what you’re describing, I’m guessing she’s either ruthless or inexperienced. Let’s hope for the former because people like this"—he motioned toward the captives—"don’t scare easily."

Jania crossed her arms, her posture unwavering. "She doesn’t need to scare them. She just needs the truth. And trust me, Ephyra knows how to get it."

Juan tilted his head, a sly smile playing on his lips. "Interesting. I’d love to see her in action. Maybe she’ll remind me of you, Jania."

Jania rolled her eyes. "Don’t hold your breath. She’s a far cry from your league, and unlike you, she’s not here to play games. And who the hell said you both were going to stay?"

"Uncle told me to oversee the entire process of delivering the captives and—" Juan glanced at the bound trio, saying with a grin, "—they haven’t been taken to the dungeon."

Alessandro shrugged. "I’m not leaving as long as he doesn’t. Besides, little Han and I have something to talk about after all this, don’t we?"

Jania sighed, rubbing her temples. "Fine. But don’t get in the way. The last thing I need is your input messing up this operation."

Juan gave her a mock salute. "As you wish, Jania. We’ll be perfect little shadows."

Alessandro smirked. "Speak for yourself, Juan. I’m here for Han. Though, if things get interesting, I might just stick around."

Han shot Alessandro a wary look. "I don’t recall agreeing to a conversation with you."

Alessandro grinned, unbothered by Han’s tone. "Oh, you’ll agree soon enough, little genius. You owe me a favor, and I intend to cash it in."

Jania stepped between them, her patience clearly wearing thin. "Can we save this nonsense for later? Han, call Ephyra. I want her here now."

Han, having remained silent, finally spoke up. "I’ll call her now. If Ephyra is ready, we can move forward without delay." He stepped aside, pulling out his phone to make the call.

As Han walked away, Alessandro straightened up. "Fine. I’ll stick around for a bit. This might actually be entertaining."

Juan grinned, clearly amused. "Same here. I wouldn’t miss it for the world."

Jania sighed, exasperated. "Just stay out of her way. She doesn’t need distractions, especially from the two of you."

"Noted, again," Juan replied, though the mischief in his eyes suggested otherwise.

Moments later, Han returned. "She’s on her way. She said to secure the captives in the interrogation room and wait for her there." frёewebnoѵēl.com

Jania nodded sharply. "Good. Let’s move." She turned to Alessandro and Juan. "If either of you tries to interfere or pull any stunts, I’ll personally throw you both in the dungeon. Understood?"

Alessandro raised his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, Jania. We’re just here to observe."

Juan winked. "Scout’s honor."

Jania didn’t bother dignifying that with a response. Instead, she motioned for the guards to take the captives inside. As the group headed toward the dungeon, the atmosphere shifted, the tension palpable.

Juan walked beside Alessandro, whispering under his breath. "This Ephyra girl must be something else if Jania’s putting so much faith in her."

Alessandro smirked. "We’ll see. Either way, this is going to be fun."

Jania, walking ahead with Han, glanced over her shoulder, her sharp gaze piercing the two men. "If you two are done gossiping like schoolgirls, pick up the pace. We’re on a schedule."

They both chuckled but quickened their steps.

———

Meanwhile, Eira was studying when she got Han’s call. She felt pleasantly surprised but also anticipatory about what was to come.

Finally, she was going to uncover another layer of the mystery surrounding Ephyra.

Hurriedly, she got dressed in a white ribbed crop top, gray cargo pants, and chunky sneakers, styling her hair into a rough bun.

Passing by the desk toward the door, she grabbed her phone and made her way outside, heading toward the stairs.

Once she reached the porch, she saw Myra and her mother returning from their shopping spree.

Ignoring them, she descended the stairs of the vast porch and walked through the compound. However, Myra didn’t ignore her like her mother did. While Marianna gave Eira a dismissive glance, Myra stared at her scrutinizingly. Turning to her mother, Myra said, "Go inside. I’ll join you soon," before arrogantly marching toward Eira, who was still making her way to the gate.

"Ephyra! Ephyra! I’m calling you!" Myra yelled as she quickened her pace and finally stopped in front of Eira, blocking her path.

"What the hell do you want?" Eira asked, staring at Myra as if she were an annoying, ugly bug.

Myra stepped forward and smiled half-heartedly, making Eira want to chuckle.

Anyone with an eye could see that Myra’s smile was anything but genuine. It was a poorly disguised attempt at feigned friendliness, and anyone with half a brain could see through it. Eira raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Save the fake niceties, Myra," Eira said coldly. "If you have something to say, just spit it out. I’m busy."

Myra’s smile faltered, replaced by a sneer. "You think you’re so untouchable now, don’t you? Strutting around here like you own the place. You’ve changed, Ephyra. Drastically." She tilted her head. "What intrigues me is that you don’t even try to hide it. Aren’t you afraid of people questioning you? No one changes this much."

Eira tilted her head, smirking. "Maybe I have. But honestly, Myra, you should be thanking me. The old Ephyra would’ve let you walk all over her. This one doesn’t. So, what’s your problem? And why should I hide it? It’s who I am, and if anyone wants to question me, they can try. Whether they get answers is up to them."

"You’re my problem," Myra hissed, stepping closer. "And don’t think I haven’t noticed how different you’ve been since the accident. You think you can just show up, act like you’re some kind of queen, and no one’s going to question it? You’re not as clever as you think."

Eira chuckled, the sound low and mocking. "Is that what this is about? You’re upset because I’ve stopped letting you manipulate me? Newsflash, Myra—people change when they’re pushed to their limit. Or are you just mad that I’ve started fighting back?"

Myra’s jaw tightened, her nails digging into her palms. "This isn’t about fighting back. It’s about you hiding something. I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I’ll find out. You’re not the same, Ephyra. And I’m going to prove it."

Eira’s smirk widened, her tone dripping with amusement. "Good luck with that, detective. But here’s some advice: don’t dig too deep. You might not like what you find."

Myra bristled, her face flushing with anger. "Is that a threat?"

Eira shrugged, brushing past her. "Take it however you want. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I actually have a life to live."

As she walked away, Eira didn’t bother looking back, though she could feel Myra’s furious gaze burning into her back. Myra’s suspicion was an annoyance, but it was also expected. People like Myra couldn’t handle losing control, and Eira’s newfound strength had tipped the scales.

Still, Eira couldn’t ignore the nagging thought in the back of her mind. If Myra was already this suspicious, it wouldn’t be long before others started questioning her as well. And while she could handle Myra, the real threat lay in the shadows—the ones pulling the strings behind the scenes from her last life.

For now, though, she had more pressing matters. Reaching the gate, Eira spotted Miles waiting in his car. She slid into the passenger seat, her demeanor shifting to one of calm anticipation.

"Where to?" Miles asked, his tone casual but his eyes sharp.

"The mansion," Eira replied, buckling her seatbelt, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Let’s go. It’s time to get some answers."