Hera bit her lower lip because she could feel Luke’s intense gaze lingering on her face and when she subconsciously bit her lips, Luke’s golden orbs rested on her lips and turned darker with a glint.
Hera sensed that Luke’s thoughts were veering towards something inappropriate, so she quickly released her lips from between her teeth. Despite this, Luke’s gaze remained fixed on her lips as he continued, "As Gerald mentioned, the underworld is incredibly dangerous and difficult to infiltrate, with his people suffering significant losses. If I’m going to put myself and my team at risk, there needs to be something of greater value in it for me, don’t you agree?"
"We’re all businessmen here, and I shouldn’t need to exin the importance of sincerity in our circle, whether among friends or not. When ites to matters of life and death, mary value pales inparison. Therefore, any return for this work must be something truly worthwhile," Luke added, his gaze remaining fixed on Hera.
<i>’What a liar! This wouldn’t even pose a challenge for him, let alone a real danger! In fact, he is the danger himself. With just a flick of his finger, he could send someone to their death. He was the primary reason the Avery Consortium fell apart in the novel and why the main antagonist, despite his own considerable power, wealth, and influence, couldn’t win. So, Luke, where did your absurd ims evene from? You’re just trying to scam us!’</i> Hera fumed internally, struggling to maintain herposure on the outside.
Since only she knew Luke’s true identity, she couldn’t openlyin about his shameless behavior. Although she had known from the start who Luke really was, his actions and apparent warmth towards her had caused her to forget his darker side. Now, she felt trapped, though she knew Luke wouldn’t harm her, as she was currently sharing the female lead’s fate. Still, it left a bitter taste in her mouth.
<i>’These male leads are more shameless than the other, really.’</i> Hera added in her mind as Luke still looked at her, maybe he could somehow understand where Hera’s thoughts were lingering and was now looking at her with an amused gaze as he waited for an offer to be ced on the table.
"Why don’t you go ahead and state your requirements, Luke? Or better yet, just let us know what you expect in return, and we’ll see if Rafael can meet those needs," Hera suggested, shifting the responsibility to Rafael. This way, she could subtly distance herself from thepensation discussion and avoid being directly involved in providing the reward.
She feared that if she didn’t speak up, Luke might actually ask for her as his reward and just the thought of it made her stomach churn ufortably. Although Luke operated more as a figurehead in the underground world, his umted power indicated that he was indifferent to other matters and had little regard for the consequences.
His people’s brutality was also his responsibility, and his inaction implied consent. The thought of Luke’s dual life, straddling both the light and dark sides of society, only served to remind Hera of how dire her own fate could be if she failed to change her circumstances.
"What if I asked for you as my reward, and nothing else?" Luke said, his lips curling slightly as he stared at Hera with a hint of raw desire. Even Rafael, observing from the side, could see the intensity in Luke’s gaze. Rather than feeling possessive or angry, Rafael surprisingly found himself empathizing with Luke’s emotions. He even felt apulsion to vie for Hera’s attention, despite knowing it wasn’t the right time for such distractions. Rafael had expected a strong reaction, possibly even wanting to overturn the table in anger at Luke’s tant flirtation, but instead, he found himself intrigued and unsettled by the situation.