As Luke exined, he could feel his heart pounding so hard it seemed as if it might burst from his chest. He turned to Hera, his gaze steady and intense, as if he were confessing his deepest secrets to her. Hera, taken aback by the depth of Luke’s revtions, felt her heart skip a beat. She hadn’t anticipated him disclosing so much about the underground world.


    Hera pondered whether Luke’s detailed disclosure was a tactic to deflect suspicion or if he genuinely wanted toe clean. She decided not to jump to conclusions and instead focused on listening to his conversation with Gerald. While she was aware that Luke was the boss of the East Faction, the specifics of his operations were not detailed in the novel, which had only mentioned that he was involved in various illegal activities with little regard for human lives.


    The boss of the North Faction is none other than the novel’s primary antagonist, the viin who initially targeted Minerva and Alexi. He eventually set his sights on Alice and the male leads who devoured the Avery family after their downfall.


    Luke was a mess, his thoughts a tangled jumble, which was why his behavior seemed contradictory. Earlier, he had shown hostility, but now he was practically rolling over, seeking approval from Hera as if wanting a belly rub. He didn’t even realize this shift himself. Despite not being someone easily swayed by emotions or fear, his reaction underscored the significant influence Hera had on him.


    After Gerald sent Luke the file, Luke wasted no time forwarding it to his subordinate, who immediately confirmed receipt and began working on the task. With the issue now in the hands of Luke’s investigation, and both Hera and Gerald agreeing to hold off on involving the police for the moment, there was nothing more to address. Rafael, though worried and flustered, had no additional input to offer. Consequently, Gerald called in the staff to start serving the food, signaling the end of their discussion.


    Only then did Rafael reluctantly release Hera from his embrace and begin serving her food. He had always wanted to do this for Hera, feeling a pang of jealousy and envy whenever he saw Leo and the others interacting with her so intimately. Witnessing their close bond and their care for her had always intrigued him, evoking a sense of fun and warmth that he hadn’t fully understood until now.


    Since Rafael had never taken care of anyone before, he was quite clumsy. As he tried to peel the shrimp, it slipped from his grasp and flew across the table,nding near Gerald. The unexpected mishap lightened the mood and broughtughter to everyone, easing the remaining tension in the room. Even Luke, momentarily forgetting his worries, was the first to chuckle as he looked at Rafael with a teasing smile. Rafael, blushing with embarrassment, couldn’t help but join in theughter.


    "Hey, Rafael, why are you so clumsy? Haven’t you ever helped your sister with this little task before?" Luke teased yfully as he watched Rafael, still flustered, attempt to peel another shrimp.


    "Shut up. I never had to take care of my sister—my parents and the servants always did. Besides, I’m used to being taken care of myself." Rafael’s voice softened, almost to a whisper, as he reached the end of his sentence, revealing his embarrassment at admitting his own need for care and his struggle to help Hera.


    Hera chuckled as she watched the shrimp fly across the table andnd near Gerald, followed by another one. She was baffled by how Rafael managed to make the shrimp fly so far; they didn’t even seem that slippery. Herughter grew as she saw Rafael’s awkward expression. Giving up on the shrimp, Rafael switched to serving Hera vegetables and meat instead. "Try this," he said, trying to hide his embarrassment. "It’s more delicious than the shrimp."