The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

The night whisked by in a blur. Julie, sleepless and clutching a pocketknife, set out for her rendezvous. She had ditched the protective gloves after they failed her at the hospital yesterday-there was no point in bothering with them now. Arriving at the pedestrian street Anastasia had mentioned, Julie didn't immediately reveal herself. Instead, she melted into the crowd, her appearance skillfully disguised. She needed to ensure Anastasia was alone. Meanwhile, Anastasia remained at home; Herman wouldn't dream of letting her out of the house. He had sent Dailey to intercept Kayleigh the moment she appeared. But amidst the bustling street, Dailey struggled to pinpoint anyone. Anastasia received a WhatsApp message from "Leonora": "Anastasia, are you here? I'm already here." Reading it, Anastasia informed Herman, "Kayleigh's here. I'm asking for her exact location."

Anastasia typed back, "Where are you? I'm here but can't spot you." Julie replied, "Let's meet at Starbucks on the pedestrian street. It'll be easier to find each other there."

Anastasia hoped to nail down Julie's location so Dailey could intercept her, but Julie skillfully dodged revealing her position, insisting on the Starbucks meet-up.

Showing their chat to Herman, he frowned. "This Kayleigh is careful."

"If I don't go, she won't show," Anastasia reasoned. "Maybe I should just meet her. With you and Dailey around, it should be safe."

"No way," Herman countered firmly. "I won't let you face even the slightest risk. Even a simple fall could have serious consequences. Kayleigh is targeting you. We can't take her lightly."

Just then, Herman's phone buzzed with news. "The DNA results are back," a voice announced. "They confirm a father-daughter relationship."

Herman's face tightened as he relayed the news to Anastasia. "You were right."

"What?" Anastasia asked, puzzled.noveldrama

"Kayleigh is Julie. Julie is Kayleigh. The DNA confirms she's Devin's biological daughter."

A chill crept down Anastasia's spine. She and Julie had been so close, and given Julie's animosity, Anastasia, pregnant as she was, could be in jeopardy at any moment.

"Why did the fingerprint comparison fail before?" Anastasia wondered aloud.

"That's no longer important," Herman said gravely. "Julie is definitely on the pedestrian street now, waiting for you. She's on high alert. If we let her slip away now, catching her again will be even harder."

"Let me draw her out," Anastasia suggested. "If I go, she will definitely show up..."

"No," Herman cut in swiftly, crafting a plan. He made a call. "Christen, head to the pedestrian street. Coordinate with Dailey. You'll need to disguise yourself as Anastasia..."

Christen, one of Herman's most trusted, excelled in makeup and disguise. His skills allowed him to mimic someone with uncanny precision.

After relaying instructions, Herman continued texting Julie using Anastasia's phone to keep her engaged. To buy time, he told Julie that Anastasia had a sudden stomachache and needed to use the restroom, proposing they meet at Starbucks afterward. This meant Christen had about half an hour to reach Starbucks on the pedestrian street.

After sending the message, Herman ignored further texts from Julie until Christen and Dailey were in place. Once ready, Herman messaged Julie: "I'm at Starbucks now. How about you? Let's check out the women's section on the second floor later." The last part was meant to dispel any doubts Julie might have.

Feeling impatient, Julie headed towards Starbucks upon receiving the message. She was about three hundred meters away.

To lure Julie in, Christen, disguised as Anastasia, chose a window seat where he could be easily spotted from outside. He wore a fake belly to mimic Anastasia's pregnant figure, donned a wig like her usual hairstyle, and dressed in her typical fashion. With the makeup, he was nearly indistinguishable from the real Anastasia from a distance.

Seeing "Anastasia" by the window, Julie felt a rush of excitement. Believing Anastasia was alone, she relaxed a bit and stepped into the coffee shop.