"Believe it or not, I could make you disappear with a snap of my fingers!" By now, Minerva looked even more like a shrew, so different from how the story had described her. She was supposed to be a woman of beauty, defiant and mischievous but not like this. Though she was known for her sharp tongue and straightforwardness, she was not supposed to act like a shrew, especially not in front of others and certainly not losing her temper like this.
How could she possibly act as Alice’s protector from the inner circle if she couldn’t even defend herself logically? Hera hadn’t even taken any drastic steps to fight back against her nder, yet Minerva was already losing her cool. Hera raised her eyebrows, initially tempted to provoke Minerva further. However, she changed her mind, unable to see any semnce of the Minerva from the novel in the woman standing before her.
"Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to inform your brother of your threats. That way, he can at least have your back if you mess up again," Hera said with a chuckle. Minerva’s face turned bright red, and she became aughingstock in front of everyone. Her behavior resembled that of a pampered child, and those from prominent families surrounding them found her actions unappealing for someone from a well-known family with a good background.
They regarded Minerva with disdain, echoing Leo’s sentiments. They all knew that the heiress of the Briley family was not the person standing before them; she looked and sounded different from what they remembered. The Briley couple had always treated Minerva like a princess, and she had been pampered by everyone in her family. She had never experienced being looked down upon or treated in such a manner before. Minerva’s chest heaved up and down, a sign of her inner turmoil.
To Hera, the character closest to Minerva in the novel was none other than Athena. Athena embodied mischief and supportiveness as a friend, known for her straightforwardness and sharp tongue...
Before Minerva could retort, Leo stepped in, shielding Hera and guiding her away. Hera casually flipped her hair to the side and smiled at Minerva before allowing Leo to lead her away. "Are you okay? You shouldn’t pay attention to what she’s saying," Leo said, trying tofort Hera and make her feel understood.
With his right hand, Leo held her hand while his other hand rested on the small of her back. Leo felt a twinge of nervousness, half expecting Hera to pull away. Meanwhile, Hera’s mind was preupied with thoughts of the possibility that Minerva and Athena had swapped roles in the storyline. ’Did Athena and Minerva’s positions as the secondary female leads change too?’ Hera pondered this seriously. If true, she could potentially assume Alice’s role as the female lead. But then, who would be the antagonist and the viiness in her ce? Would the original viins remain unchanged, or would there be alterations?
Her thoughts were abruptly drawn back to reality as Leo tightened his grip on her hand and the small of her back, his expression fraught with concern. He couldn’t discern whether Hera was upset by Minerva’s words or if her distress was directed at him. Leo was on edge, uncertain of how to proceed.