Reborn Heiress: Taking Back What Is Rightfully Hers!
Chapter 381: The Real and the Fake Hannah

Chapter 381: The Real and the Fake Hannah

Brandon’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the black-clad man wearing sunglasses.

The man sneered and spoke in Country W’s language, his voice filled with venom. "Damn you, Country S man. If you expose this secret, the person I love will be utterly ruined... So, I had to take care of you myself to prevent any loose ends!"

Brandon clenched his fists tightly, but his consciousness began to fade rapidly.

In his final moments, his mind conjured an image of Ella’s radiant smile, of her embracing him tightly...

"Ella... Ella..." he murmured.

The more unattainable she was, the deeper she was etched into his heart. His entire life had revolved around Ella—living for her, and now, dying for her.

Brandon’s eyes remained wide open, his death filled with regret.

The man fired another shot, shattering Brandon’s phone, before disappearing into the shadows. By the time the police arrived, he had vanished without a trace.

...

Ella had just been about to fall asleep when Brandon’s call came through.

She barely heard him utter a single sentence before the sharp sound of a gunshot rang out on the other end, startling her into an upright position.

Eric snatched her phone and carefully listened to the call.

Two gunshots. Then, silence.

Eric’s face darkened. "Who called you? That person... they’re likely dead."

Ella was stunned. "It was Brandon!"

Eric’s brow furrowed. Brandon? What could he possibly want with Ella? Was he seeking help?

"He said he had something very important to tell me, but... he couldn’t even finish a sentence before the gunshot..." Ella’s face paled, the realization dawning on her. Someone had been targeting Brandon, silencing him before he could contact her.

Would they come after her next?

"Don’t worry," Eric said gently. "I’ll reach out to my contacts and see if there’s been any reported crime nearby. We’ll find out if the killer is tracking us too."

Ella nodded, her heart pounding wildly. She couldn’t believe that trouble had followed her to Country W. Brandon must have been in grave danger.

Eric got out of bed and called some of his connections at the police department in Country W. Shortly after, he confirmed the worst: there had been a murder in a remote corner of W City. The victim was a Country S man. The name on his ID was Brandon.

Ella sat still, her sleepiness completely gone.

What had Brandon uncovered that made him a target for murder?

She recalled Brandon’s past comments about tracking Hannah and surviving two assassination attempts. At the time, she’d thought he was joking—or that those incidents were mere warnings, meant to scare him off his investigation.

But Brandon’s persistence had likely provoked his killers, leading them to eliminate him for good.

Eric returned to the room, his expression grim. "My contact confirmed it. The victim is Brandon. His phone was destroyed, so there’s no way to trace the killer or their motives."

Ella’s eyes betrayed a storm of emotions.

In her previous life, Brandon and Hannah had conspired against her, ultimately leading to her death.

In this life, Brandon was dead—this time, dying for her.

Was this karma at work?

Ella let out a soft sigh. "Do you think the killer will come after me?"

"Unlikely," Eric replied. "Brandon didn’t get the chance to reveal the secret. From what I can tell, the killer’s motive was to keep him quiet. If they wanted to target you, they would have done so already, rather than waiting until tonight to deal with Brandon."

He sat down and pulled Ella into his arms. "Don’t worry. I’m here."

Ella clung to him tightly. "Be careful, too."

"The secret Brandon was about to reveal likely involves the Miller family," Eric said softly. "They’ll tread carefully. Unless pushed to the brink, they won’t resort to further violence."

Ella closed her eyes, her mind awash with conflicting thoughts. Brandon’s death weighed heavily on her, leaving her heart tangled in knots.

Brandon’s fate couldn’t be changed. As despicable as he was, Ella never had any intention of altering his path. After he fled to Country W, she hadn’t expected to hear from him again.

His death? Perhaps it was what he deserved. She had never asked him to investigate anything on her behalf.

"With you by my side, I won’t be afraid," Ella murmured softly. Eric switched off the lights and kissed her gently on the brow. "Then sleep. Don’t overthink it."

Ella gave a small hum of agreement and snuggled closer to him, her body relaxing as she leaned into his embrace. With this man by her side, no matter how many dangers lurked in the shadows, she would never feel fear.

...

The manor at night was breathtakingly beautiful, especially Hannah’s estate. Tiny, shimmering lights adorned the trees, creating an illusion of countless stars scattered among the branches.

Hannah leaned against Logan, savoring the cherries he fed her. She took a delicate bite, feeling an innocent joy bubble within her.

"It’s past midnight, you little enchantress. When do you plan to sleep?" Logan teased with a soft laugh.

Hannah pouted playfully. "I just want to spend more time with you!"

Her coquettish tone made Logan lift her chin and kiss her passionately. She let out a soft sigh, happiness washing over her. But then, a memory of someone else flashed in her mind, and her body stiffened briefly.

That person—her ongoing struggle with Ella—was far from over.

But in this power game, Hannah was almost certain she would end up as collateral damage.

How could she allow her life to take such a turn? She had the man she loved, the dream life she had always yearned for. She couldn’t let it slip away...

Logan’s kisses grew more fervent, leaving Hannah breathless and weak in his arms, clinging to his neck for support.

Just then, Molly hurriedly appeared. "Miss, someone is looking for you!"

Logan scowled in frustration, pulling back coldly. "What kind of person calls at this hour? Tell them to go away!"

Molly froze, too intimidated to step forward.

But Hannah gently pushed Logan aside and said apologetically, "It’s a call from a classmate. Just give me a moment."

Logan could only watch her walk away with the phone, annoyance simmering in his gaze. He loved this woman deeply, yet she repeatedly distanced herself to take these private calls. Did she have secrets she wasn’t sharing?

Hannah walked to the poolside, far from Logan’s line of sight.

"Miss..."

"I heard from Molly that you’re with Logan now?"

"Yes..." Hannah replied cautiously.

Her true identity was that of a lowly servant. The poisoning incident had been fabricated by Mrs. Miller, though the servant’s voice had indeed been damaged by actual poison. Standing before the real Hannah, she always maintained a demeanor of extreme humility.

Yet deep within, resentment simmered. Still, what could she do? Her position was far too lowly to act on her anger.

"You’re not allowed to touch him. Do you understand?" The voice on the line laughed coldly. "Even if I don’t love him, I won’t let you use my identity to get close to him!"