"He just teased me, didn’t he?" Hera mused to herself.


    "We still don’t know who won. It might be me, so you better prepare for my three wishes," Hera countered, meeting Xavier’s gaze with determination.


    Xavier locked eyes with her, a sly smirk gracing his lips, but he said nothing.


    "Xavier!" Alice’s voice broke the moment, providing Hera with a chance to escape. Seizing the opportunity, Hera quickly made her exit, intent on finding Zen instead.


    Hera couldn’t shake the feeling that she had be Xavier’s prey when she had set out to be the hunter—intending to pursue the male leads one by one and enlist them as her allies or her own male leads before the female lead could im them first. But something had gone terribly wrong, and she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.


    A little vexed, she made her way to Zen, unaware of the slight pout on her lips and the puffiness of her cheeks, making her resemble a puffer fish. When Zen noticed her expression, he couldn’t help but chuckle and ruffle Hera’s hair affectionately.


    He couldn’t quite grasp what had urred, but Hera seemed to be scheming like a child about to report misbehavior to her parents, seeking retribution. It was undeniably charming.


    "What’s going on with you?" Zen inquired, curious about Hera’s unusual demeanor.


    "I... I..." Hera hesitated, grappling with whether to disclose what had just urred. Could she really confide in him about Xavier’s teasing? With a sigh, she opted to keep it to herself, shaking her head instead. They fell into silence, both eagerly awaiting the Director’s review of the footage, Hera’s mind already nning her retaliation against Xavier for his teasing.


    The wait was excruciating, with tension mounting in the air, stomachs churning with a mix of anxiety and excitement. Unbeknownst to Hera, Xavier had been standing behind her for an unknown duration, silently observing her reactions as though savoring every moment.


    "Ahem! My sincere apologies for the dy,dies and gentlemen!" The Director’s gaze swept across the audience, heightening the anticipation to a fever pitch. "After a thorough review, I’m delighted to share the results with you. But why simply tell you when we can show you? Let’s watch together and unveil the winner!"


    The director gestured for the crew to quickly set up the screen and projector in ce, and after a while, they started ying the footage simultaneously in the live stream and in front of the vigers.


    The crew reyed the final 15 seconds of the footage in slow motion, building suspense among the audience. As the scene approached the finish line, they paused it at precisely the right moment, capturing the intense rivalry as the horses’ hooves appeared to reach the finish line simultaneously, separated by mere millimeters.


    "Ah!"


    "I told you, I won..." Xavier’s warm breath teased Hera’s ear as he yfully echoed what they witnessed on the screen.


    Hera’s eyes widened into saucers as she witnessed Xavier’s horse’s right hoof barely edging past the finish line before hers. It was so close that it could easily have been called a tie. Hera’s head snapped to the side to meet Xavier, who was still leaning in close to her ear. Their proximity was startling; their lips almost touched, and the tips of their noses brushed against each other.


    Xavier remained unfazed, but Hera was taken aback, instinctively stepping back, her eyes narrowing. <i>’Did he orchestrate this?’</i>


    Xavier couldn’t have predicted Hera’s sudden suggestion to add a wager to their race after he proposed the idea. Yet, an unsettling feeling crept over her—Xavier seemed like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.


    "How were you so sure you won, even before it was announced?" Hera couldn’t resist asking.


    Xavier’s eyes formed crescents, a subtle smile on his lips. He didn’t respond directly to Hera’s question, but his confident demeanor seemed to provide an answer of its own.


    Somehow, Hera felt even more conflicted. She wasn’t sure whether to be happy about having more opportunities to get closer to Xavier as she’d nned or if it was a mistake. After all, ording to Athena, Xavier was aloof and always seemedzy, traits he’d exhibited from the beginning. But Athena had also mentioned that Xavier could be an extreme tease when it came to intimate matters in bed.


    But they were far from engaging in anything indecent, so Hera found it perplexing why Xavier was already beginning to tease her on just their second day together!


    Hera felt a growing sense of unease as she struggled to maintain control over the unfolding events. The appearance of Alice and Minerva on the show added anotheryer of confusion. Despite Hera supposedly taking Alice’s ce, there they were, participating as if everything was normal. This unexpected turn of events left Hera feeling unsettled and uncertain about what was truly happening in the story plot.


    [HeraismySister: AH!!!!! I lost my monthly allowance!!!!]


    [JustReadng: Sorry for your loss @HeraismySister. ( ?╥?╥)(??? ?)]


    [Dave_Carson: Nyahahaha (≧▽≦?) @FatherOfCaduceus @EntertainmentKing @GoldenLight @NorthernDuke THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS!!! (≧▽≦?)]


    [Dave_Carson: Don’t say that I did not remind you Hahahaha (( ( (′?｀)＿旦～]


    [FatherOfCaduceus: ...]


    [GoldenLight: ...]


    [NorthernDuke: ...]


    [EntertainmentKing: Fuck you @Dave_Carson!!! ╭∩╮ (ò╭╮ó,)]


    The impromptu racing event sparked waves across the inte, swiftly elevating it to a top trending topic for a myriad of reasons.


    Among those who had ced their bets on Xavier, the oue was nothing short of extraordinary. Thousands upon thousands of dors poured into their pockets, as a result of the substantial winnings. Many had initially wagered for amusement, simply aligning themselves with their favorite contestants on a whim.


    But who would have thought that they would actually win ten times the amount they bet because of the VIPs who made the bet under Hera’s and that money was added to their winnings?


    They could onlyugh even in their sleep and go on a vacation for the whole week without worries.


    [XavierismyHusband: I finally get the saying ughing in one’s sleep." Haha! I’ve struck gold. Unbelievable! DAMN!!!]


    [NorthernDuke: @Dave_Carson, It made me happy to see that the charity I sent reached you. It appears you’re in dire need, given your reluctance to spend a penny. ( ￣^￣)]


    [FatherOfCaduceus: I’m d you’re happy, I’m sorry that you’re so poor.]


    [GoldenLight: It’s my charity to you.]


    [EntertainmentKing: POOR BASTARD!


    (;￣Д￣)]


    [Dave_Carson: ...]