The yard was buzzing with the sounds of departure as everyone packed their belongings, signaling the end of the gathering. Mirabe stepped out into the fading sunlight, waiting for Leo, who had ducked into the restroom and hadn''t yet returned. She lingered near the antique wrought-iron gate, her gaze lost in the dance of the leaves in the breeze.


    Gabriel and his brother approached Mirabe with a casual nod and a quick "Catch youter!" before they slipped away into the evening, their departure as swift as their greeting.


    Heather, meanwhile, was caught up in a phone call. Without the scrutinizing eye of a live-stream camera, her demeanor was drastically different-her tone was sharp, her posture rigid, her expression one of disdain and arrogance.


    The conversation ended abruptly, leaving Heather with a scowl that darkened her features. "What''s got you so riled up, Heather?" Hans inquired from across the yard, having caught the tail end of her heated exchange.


    "The car that was supposed to pick me up broke down on the way," Heather replied, her voice simmering with frustration. "And of course, it just had to happen out here in the sticks where you can''t even hail a cab."


    Hans pondered this for a moment, then turned to the two cousins who had been standing nearby. "Why don''t you hop in with me? I can drop you off in town," he offered.


    Heather nced at her watch. Her assistant wouldn''t arrive for another hour at least, and the thought of waiting in this rural backwater was unbearable. "I''d appreciate that, Mr. Hans," she said, the edges of her annoyance softening slightly.


    Hans waved off her thanks with a friendly gesture. "No trouble at all. It''s on my way."


    Just then, Leo emerged from the restroom and walked straight over to his sister. "Let''s go, Mirabe. Collins is waiting for us outside."


    With a brief acknowledgment, Mirabe pocketed her phone, and the siblings gave a polite nod to Hans before heading out.


    As they left, they didn''t even spare Heather and Michelle a nce-an oversight that caused Heather''s brows to furrow in disapproval. "How rude," she muttered under her breath.


    Hans watched the siblings disappear down thene and then turned back to Heather. "The Mirabe siblings live in Ashford, right? That''s close to where your cousin''s from, isn''t it?" Since they had exchanged Messenger details, he had grown ustomed to calling her simply ''Mirabe.''


    Heather, taken aback by the mention of "Mirabe siblings," was about to ask for rification when Hans''s phone buzzed. He checked the caller ID and, without answering, said, "Let''s get going. My car''s just outside."


    With that, Heather followed Hans out of the yard, temporarily pushing aside the question of the "Mirabe siblings" from her mind.


    After dropping Heather off in town, they went their separate ways. Heather and Michelle found refuge in a quaint coffee shop to wait for their assistant. As public figures, they were almost incognito-Heather especially was decked out in shades and a low-slung cap, shielding her face to avoid recognition.


    While sipping on hertte, Heather''s thoughts drifted back to the "Mirabe siblings." So theirst name was Hooper? She stirred her drink absentmindedly, her curiosity piqued.


    Michelle, noticing her cousin''s distant look, called out in confusion, "Cousin Heather?"


    Snapped back to reality, Heather looked at Michelle and asked, "Weren''t you quite into Juztin before? Do you know his real name?"


    Michelle shook her head. "No clue. His privacy game is top-notch. Apart from the folks at hisbel, I doubt anyone knows his real name."


    Spections had swirled online before, but none had led to any concrete revtions.