Unbeknownst to Leo, his actions have inadvertently tarnished his image in the eyes of his fiancée, who now perceives him as a hooligan and untrustworthy.


    <i>’I even offered himfort earlier. Ugh, the irony!’</i>


    Hera cleared her throat, drawing their attention back to her so she could express herself. "I apologize, Mr. Hendrix, but I have a prior engagement today. However, you don’t need to feel obligated to repay me. It was something I feltpelled to do." She maintained aposed expression as she delivered her message.


    Leo observed how Hera addressed him by hisst name with formal honorifics, sensing a certain distance in her tone. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had somehow done something wrong, yet he struggled to pinpoint the cause. His mind had been preupied with thoughts of her long before they ever crossed paths, but he could not remember how he offended her, well aside from when they finally met in a not-so-favorable situation.


    Well, he does remember doing some shady stuff to her...


    However, before he could even inquire, Hera offered a smile and gracefully interjected, "Thank you for your time, everyone." Then, turning her attention to Zhane, she added, "And Zhane, thank you. I’ll make sure to express my gratitude for this, as well as for your assistance thest time. I must take my leave now."


    Without waiting for any further conversation, Hera swiftly departed.


    Leo seethed with frustration as he noted Hera’s refusal to address him by name while freely doing so with Zhane. Perplexed, he couldn’t recall any transgressions that might have provoked her ire, or he was probably scared to even remember.


    Even Rafael cast a slow, questioning nce at Zhane, silently probing for rification on Hera’s reference to the <i>st time.’</i> It dawned on him that he hadn’t even inquired about how Zhane came to know Hera in the first ce.


    After leaving the four of them in the infirmary, Hera did not forget to thank the doctor and nurses for lending the room to them and hastily made her way to the lobby while texting her best friend, Athena.


    [Hera: Girl, where are you?]


    [Athena: Babe, I was just helping out with the finalization of the earnings that will be sent to the charity foundations.]


    [Hera: Will it take a long time?]


    [Athena: Yes, why?]


    [Hera: I’ll be leaving first then.]


    [Hera: You have some exining to do. (angry_face_emoji)]


    [Athena: Are you talking about the male leads? Aren’t they delicious to the bone?!!! (drooling_emoji)]


    [Hera: So, you really know huh?!]


    [Athena: ...]


    [Athena: I’m sorry babe, this time, it really slipped my mind... PROMISED!!! It wasn’t intentional.]


    [Hera: (-_-)]


    [Athena: Babe, I wasn’t trying to surprise you with them. You know how much I have been surrounded by the madams earlier, all I could think about at that time was how to manage at the time being and their attendance was kicked at the back of my mind. And when I finally saw theming one by one, I couldn’t see you anywhere.]


    [Athena: When I finally saw youing with another divine being, I forgot again because....]


    [Hera: Because your gossipy soul had been caught and totally forgot everything else... (-_-)]


    [Athena:....]


    [Athena: But I saw you left with the three male leads and the other divine being with you. Care to exin what happened?]


    ...


    ...


    [Athena: Hello babe? You there?! Yoohoo!!!]


    [Athena: You’re ignoring me huh?!]


    [Athena: Babe!!! (T_T)]


    [Athena: This is how you’ll punish me huh?! So petty of you!!!! (T_T)]


    Hera smirked as she nced at the barrage of text messages flooding in from Athena while seated in her car on the way home. She couldn’t help but find it rather petty of herself to leave her best friend hanging, especially regarding the events involving the four men, particrly Leo.


    Just the thought of him was enough to stir up a mix of frustration and embarrassment within her. She pushed it to the back of her mind, allowing herself to rx into the seat and release the tension from her body. The 45-minute drive to the mansion provided her with an opportunity to close her eyes and rest.


    As Hera arrived at the mansion, she found Cindy already waiting for her at the front door.


    Hera greeted Cindy with a smile tinged with defeat. "Cindy, you really don’t need to wait for me. I know how busy you are managing everything, including the Green Dragon Manor. You shouldn’t have to be my shadow on top of everything else." Hera couldn’t help but feel guilty for burdening Cindy with the role of her personal assistant while knowing she had her own responsibilities to attend to.


    Cindy chuckled warmly upon noticing her Young Miss’s visible concern for her well-being. "Miss, taking care of you is my duty and pleasure. Plus, I’ve already passed on my responsibilities at the Green Dragon Manor to capable hands. You can count on me to be by your side whenever you need me."


    "Really?!"


    "Yes. Actually, you’ve already met the new General Manager," Cindy replied, her tone carrying a hint of mystery.


    "Who?!"


    "The girl you defended during your visit for the viewing."


    Realization dawned on Hera as she recalled the girl who had been struck in the face by the bouquet of roses. "That girl?!" she eximed, her memory clicking into ce.


    Cindy smiled as she confirmed, "Yes, that’s the one... I’ve been grooming her to step into my role for quite some time now, so she’s well-prepared to take on the responsibilities whenever necessary. Additionally, the Old Master rewarded her generously for her dedication to upholding proper etiquette in guest interactions and for her unwaveringmitment."


    A broad smile spread across Hera’s lips. "That’s wonderful news! How is she doing now? And how is her injury?"


    "The wound was only to the surface of the skin, and the doctor provided her with scar cream to prevent any scarring on her face. In fact, just yesterday, she sent me a picture of her glowing skin," Cindy replied with a hint of jest in her tone.


    "That’s fantastic!" Hera eximed with a skip in her step as she made her way back to her room.


    She wasted no time, heading straight for a hot bath to soothe her muscles before dinner. After thirty minutes of soaking and changing intofortable home attire, Hera descended to the dining room for dinner.


    As promised, the chef showcased his culinary prowess once again, presenting a mouth-watering dish that graced the table. Without hesitation, Hera took her seat, anticipating the Mediterranean cuisine that awaited her.


    The chef began to introduce the dinner,mencing with the starters. "For the appetizers, we have Lamb Sliders with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce. They’re apanied by roasted pine nuts and an assortment of herbs, all topped off with our family’s signature tahini sauce," he announced with pride evident in his voice. Moving on to the next course, he continued, "As for the soup, I present the Greek Fish Stew, featuring a medley of fresh shellfish and Mahi-Mahi, sourced directly from Greece and air-shipped to ensure the utmost freshness."


    "For the main course, I’ve prepared Thin Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Kmata Olives, Feta, and Mint. As for the sides, we have Supper Spanakopita and Whipped Feta with Cucumbers, andst but not the least, Vinsanto" the chef announced, detailing the delectable offerings for the evening.