Although Hera spoke with apparent concern, she subtly implied that it was fortunate Minerva hadn’t offended any unscrupulous individuals who might seek revenge in unpredictable ways. She emphasized that if Minerva didn’t change her attitude, such a situation wasn’t far off. Hera carefully used the word "we," indicating that she considered herself aligned with Rafael, showing that her advice was intended to help Minerva and save Rafael from future trouble.


    She also subtly implied that the only way to avoid such dangers was through strict discipline, ensuring Minerva learned that not everyone would bend to her will. There were still ruthless individuals who wouldn’t care about her brother’s status and might deal with her in unimaginable ways. Worse, she might disappear without a trace.


    After hearing his words, Rafael’s brows furrowed, and Hera’s heartbeat caught in her throat. <i>’Did he notice?’</i> she wondered, remembering how he had seen through her during the interview about the stalker and seducing Alexi allegations.


    Every second of Rafael’s silence felt like hours to Hera. Now, she could understand how Rafael had felt while waiting for her response. However, she knew there was nothing she could do about it. In business deals, the one who speaks first or shows nervousness often loses. That’s why she didn’t want to appear too eager to agree with him or react just because he apologized.


    Rafael was also business-minded and would surely scrutinize everything that had been said, calcting if it would truly benefit him. Hera understood this, and her only concern was that he might see through her subtle implications. Even if he did, she hoped he wouldn’t think badly of her intentions.


    Her only worry now was that all the male leads might turn against her, even though the chances of that happening were only about 5%. Despite the low probability, she couldn’t ignore the danger, no matter how small, because there was still a possibility that things could go awry.


    But amidst her worries, Rafael’s attention shifted to something entirely different. The moment he heard Hera say "we," his mind went nk, and the word echoed in his thoughts. His earlier annoyance disappeared, and after a while, he smiled and nodded at Hera.


    "Miss Ainsley, you are right. We shouldn’t let that happen. Thanks to your reminder, I now see a different perspective that I hadn’t considered before, despite our family’s status and wealth."


    ’Why did this guy suddenly be sensible?’ Hera thought to herself. She stared at Rafael for a moment, noting that he was too preupied to notice her slightly awkward gaze. She hadn’t expected Rafael to agree with her; to be honest, she had anticipated seeing Rafael frowning and threatening her for the sake of his sister.


    Not even Alice had been able to tame Rafael’s hot temper this quickly. Now, she wondered if he truly believed that what she said made sense.


    "You think so?" Hera asked Rafael with a hint of skepticism.


    Rafael took another sip of his wine before looking up at Hera. He noticed the subtle frown in her brows and the skepticism in her eyes. He began to question himself—was he really that unreliable, or had he perhaps done something to disappoint Hera before? But no matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t recall doing anything, especially since they had only met in person three times aside from today.