It’s no exaggeration; Xavier truly excels at bringing characters to life across various genres. His talent is matched by his striking appearance, setting him apart in the entertainment industry. Numerous male celebrities have attempted to emte him, hoping to be a lesser version of Xavier, but it often backfires. They simply can’t match his charisma, good looks, and acting prowess.


    And that’s how it greatly benefited Alice. Originally, this opportunity was meant for Alice, thanks to Minerva’s persistence, and Rafael didn’t object. He had noticed Minerva’s positive changes, prompting him to actively support Alice’s career. Xavier also saw potential in her after this ambassadorial contract and admired her character, leading him to asionally look out for her when the opportunity arose.


    Well, Alice was also driven to pursue this contract because of Xavier. That’s what the novel says. However, Hera now sees Alice differently; she believes Alice pursued the contract not just to get closer to Xavier, but also for the opportunities it could bring her.


    She exhaled deeply, trying to push thoughts of Alice and the storyline out of her mind to avoid overthinking. Instead, she looked up at Rafael, who was visibly pleased with the contracts she had meticulously selected. He even tenderly rubbed the top of her head, his eyes filled with a warm, honeyed gaze.


    Hera’s heart trembled at the sight of Rafael like that. The typically rough and imposing Rafael, who often resembled a mafia boss, looked remarkably handsome when he smiled like that. It made Hera’s breath catch in her throat and sent butterflies dancing in her stomach.


    The situation was overwhelming for her, and she felt her heart constantly stirred and pulled by the attention of so many men around her. It made her admire Alice even more for having such a big heart to amodate all these men and manage her feelings and time among them. Hera couldn’t believe she had the generosity to share her emotions and time with so many; she wondered if she would have anything left for herself in the end.


    She didn’t believe in blind devotion or blind love. Hera believed that the human heart wasplex and inherently prone to greed, whether it be for power, money, or love.


    She believed that while she might have such greed within her, she was raised as a kind-hearted woman. It was true; she was empathetic, and her heart always went out to the weak. Despite being a good person, she acknowledged that she was not without sin or other emotions. She epted all her ws, which set her apart from characters like Alice and other female leads depicted in novels who are often portrayed as excessively kind and forgiving.


    She believes that forgiveness is earned and not given.


    So while she was thinking of these silly little things, Rafael had already moved closer to her and gave her a tender peck on the cheek. "Thank you, my little minx." he teased, his eyes crinkling with a mixture of yfulness and tenderness, as if his emotions were on the verge of overflowing.


    "I didn’t know that you have sweetness in your body that you could even say thank you in the most charming way." Hera absentmindedly blurted because Rafael had still gotten her attention and she didn’t even notice that she blurted out her thoughts just in front of his face.


    Rafael’s smile widened, his eyes narrowing to slits that almost hid his gaze. "I can be even sweeter, you know. Maybe I could show you a different kind of sweetness," he teased, hinting at a more intimate possibility with Hera in bed. He felt more rxed around her, noticing her change in attitude and perspective of him. Whether it was due to the contract he had given her or another reason, he was d that for once, Hera didn’t see him as her enemy.


    Rafael watched as the fragile thread of affection he had woven in Hera’s heart unraveled at his remark. He saw her nose crinkle and her re intensified. Reminded of what happened between them on that same sofa. At that moment, Rafael finally understood the impact of his words — he had inadvertently sabotaged the atmosphere and felt a pang of regret for his carelessment.


    Flustered, Rafael found himself at a loss, unsure where to ce his hands or how to meet Hera’s gaze as she frowned and avoided him. He bit his lip in frustration, berating himself for his thoughtless words. "I-I’m sorry," he mumbled quietly, feeling regret for ruining the good mood he had worked so hard to create.


    "You should be," Hera snorted, rolling her eyes.


    Rafael found her reaction adorable; she looked like an angry little fox. Wanting to make amends, he considered offering to buy her something to appease her, but quickly realized how insincere that would seem, especially since Hera wasn’t materialistic like his sister Minerva.


    Not knowing how else to calm the angry lioness, Rafael leaned in closer before her and rested his head on herp, looking up at her with wide, pitiful eyes. He had seen Leo use this tactic before and was now trying his luck to see if it would work. Rafael remained there, hoping Hera would notice and forgive him.


    Feeling a weight on herp, Hera initially bristled, ready to snap at Rafael for his persistence, and thought that he was trying to pull the same thing as he did earlier. However, when she turned her head to re at him, she found both of his arms on herp, his chin resting on the back of his hands, and his eyes wide and pitiful, resembling a lost puppy.


    But his physique and expression didn’t quite match up; he was tall and muscr, which made the whole scene lookical. Hera couldn’t help but burst outughing, her head leaning back at the unexpected sight. Rafael’s attempt to appear pitiful had backfired spectacrly, yet it managed to diffuse Hera’s angerpletely. Despite its unintended effect, Rafael’s gesture still managed to work in his favor, albeit in a rather unconventional way.