"Babe, why are you even wasting time on her?" Minerva sneered, stepping out from behind Alexi to give Hera a disdainful smile. "She’s nothing but a kept woman. Do you really believe Athena has that much money to give her, even if she’s the sole heiress of the Lowery and Jackson families? Even Athena can only afford a Bugatti Chiron, and that’s already an exotic car. Hera, on the other hand, drives two cars that are even better." Minerva’s voice dripped with venom as she continued her nder, caring little for the truth. All that mattered was ruining Hera’s image in front of Alexi. "You might fool the general masses, but you can’t fool people like us who know our stuff."
Hera nonchntly waited for Minerva to finish her rant, then nced at Alexi, who was now turning purple with a mix of emotions. His face shifted through different shades—from anger to embarrassment and back to anger again. Whatever was going through his mind was a mystery to everyone, but Hera didn’t care.
Instead, Hera let out a melodious chuckle before speaking. "I guess I have to thank your brother for it." She turned to face Minerva with a taunting smile. Minerva’s words reminded her of the $100 million transfer she had received from Rafael that morning. Hera decided to use it to provoke Minerva further. While what Minerva said was only partially true, $100 million was indeed enough to purchase the cars in her garage. The real challenge lies in the connections needed to acquire such vehicles. Hera could easily im that she used Athena’s family connections for the purchases. After all, those cars weren’t just bought with money; they required abination of status, wealth, and connections, something even Minerva’s family couldn’t attain.
As Hera anticipated, Minerva was visibly provoked and seething with anger at the mention of her brother. However, it was Alexi who voiced the question. "What do you mean? Why are you bringing up Minerva’s brother?" Despite his inquiry, Alexi’s expression betrayed a growing frustration and anger. His grip on Hera’s arm tightened, causing her to wince in pain. She attempted to free herself, but his hold was too strong. Their proximity made it difficult for Hera to maneuver and break free from Alexi’s grasp.
But Hera did not back down and she made it easier for everyone to misinterpret her words and insinuation that everyone thought that Rafael was the rumored boyfriend or sugar daddy Minerva was talking about but then again, most of them knew almost all the people in their circle so they knew who Minerva is and who her brother is, and they all know that Rafael was a car enthusiast. So it was not a surprise to know that he had those two exotic cars that were limited edition and if he had given it to her, it only meant that he really favored Hera and it only made sense why she could afford the car. All the spection about Hera and how she became so wealthy in just a short week has now be even more difficult to understand but no one wants to question her anymore because she is connected to Rafael and everyone knows of his temper and how ruthless he is and no one wanted to offend such person.
"No! Why would my brother get involved with you?!" Minerva’s voice rose to a hysterical pitch as she directed her usation at Hera.
"Why don’t you ask him? I wouldn’t know the answer if you asked me." Hera chuckled, relishing the irony of the situation. Dealing with two individuals who enjoyed manipting others’ emotions, she felt a sense of poetic justice in turning the tables. However, she grew weary of the game and longed to depart. Athena had been awaiting her for some time, and Hera’s patience wore thin.
As if on cue, Hera felt her other arm gently seized, pulling her from Alexi’s grasp. She stumbled, only to find herself against a sturdy chest, as solid as a wall yet strangelyforting. The scent of mint enveloped her, triggering a wave of familiarity. "Leo?" she blurted without hesitation, her voice betraying a sense of recognition before she even nced up. A sweet smile adorned her lips as she slowly lifted her gaze.
"I didn’t expect to see you again so soon after just a day being apart," Leo replied, mirroring Hera’s smile. His gaze, gentle as ever, swept from her face to her other arm, which had been seized by Alexi. Noticing Hera’s reddened skin, Leo’s eyes shed with cold fury. It was evident that Alexi hadn’t held back his strength when gripping Hera’s arm. Leo’s demeanor shifted, his gaze now brimming with menace. He was seething with anger beyond measure.
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PS: I apologize, everyone, but I can only update one Chapter for now. I’ve had to send my fur babies to the clinic because they’re sick. I’ll do my best to provide more updates tomorrow as a token of my appreciation. Thank you for understanding!