The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

Julie rushed back home, flustered, and immediately shut all the curtains as if she was afraid someone might see her. Living entirely as Kayleigh now, the only things linking her to her past life as Julie were her DNA and fingerprints, while her identity card and online

payments all reflected her new persona.

Earlier, while making a purchase, Julie used her phone's Apple Pay deliberately, hoping to throw Jason off her trail. After all, who would suspect a criminal of using Apple Pay? She vividly remembered Asher's advice: live openly as Kayleigh, act normal, and the police would be less likely to catch on.

Her heart was pounding as she poured herself a glass of water to calm down. She'd always been so careful, so how did Jason manage to find her?

The sound of the lock turning startled her, and she hid behind the sofa. The door swung open, and Rowan walked in.

Seeing Julie crouching behind the sofa in broad daylight, he asked, "What are you doing?"

"Jason found me," Julie blurted out, panic in her voice. "I ran into him at the local supermarket. He was showing my picture around, asking if anyone had seen me."

Rowan's expression turned grave. "Did he see you?"noveldrama

"He did. He even asked if I'd seen the person in the photo. I said no," Julie replied. "I was so nervous, I started stuttering. I don't know if that made him suspicious. You've got to tell Asher right away. I want to leave Riverdale for a while."

Julie was terrified of getting caught and had no desire to end up in prison.

"Don't panic. If Jason didn't recognize you, stop scaring yourself," Rowan said sternly. "Asher has another job for you."

"What job? Last time I helped get Flynn locked up, and you guys missed the chance to finish him off. Now Herman's out on bail. What else can we do?" Julie complained. "I told you Asher can't beat Herman. With Herman's connections and Elysian Technologies' power, it's not easy to bring him down. If you want to crush Herman, you'll have to go after Anastasia."

Julie tried to persuade Rowan to target Anastasia.

"Even the biggest grudges shouldn't involve families," Rowan said coldly. "Asher will be here tonight. Get ready."

"Ready for what?" Julie asked, but her anxiety was evident.

Just the thought of Asher's menacing demeanor made her feel nauseous.

Rowan smirked. "What do you think? Men and women. You figure it out."

With that, he went upstairs.

Julie stood there, dazed, finally understanding that she was nothing more than a pawn to Asher, exploited for her value. Clenching her fists tightly, Julie resolved not to be manipulated by anyone. Without help, she would seek her own revenge. Realizing Jason was on her trail, she knew her time was running out. She had to act fast.

Suddenly, Julie felt a sharp pain in her stomach and grabbed the sanitary pads she'd just bought, rushing to the bathroom. Lately, she'd been experiencing unbearable itching, sometimes so bad it kept her awake at night. She dared to visit supermarkets but avoided hospitals at all costs. Hospitals would require blood tests, and going there would expose her.

Today, she went out to buy medication and sanitary pads, and that's when she ran into Jason. After using the medication, the itching persisted. Looking down, she noticed a few sores. Fearing the worst, Julie searched her symptoms online and stumbled upon a diagnosis that seemed likely: an STD. She couldn't believe it, refusing to accept this possibility.

"It can't be, it just can't," Julie muttered to herself, trying to convince herself it wasn't true as she left the bathroom. Terrified, she stayed in her room, afraid to even step outside.

That's when Joseph called her. Ever since meeting Joseph as Kayleigh, he'd occasionally call or text, asking her out. Considering her current predicament, if she was indeed sick, Julie blamed Joseph, convinced his promiscuity was the cause. This realization only deepened her resentment.

Driven by a desire for revenge, Julie answered the call. When Joseph invited her out to dinner, she agreed without hesitation, dressed up seductively, and left. In her mind, the Salstrom family was to blame for her downfall, and she vowed not to spare any of them.