Hera wasn’t foolish enough to put herself in danger beyond what she could handle. Her strategy of sharing the target with the Avery was designed to provoke the male leads’ protective instincts and demonstrate that she could depend on them. Athena had once pointed out that by consistently portraying vulnerability and facing tough situations, a person’s perceived fragility could heighten a man’s protectiveness and stir his feelings, making him more fearful of losing her.


    By adopting this approach, she would be well-protected, with the male leads actively defending her with all their might. In a sense, this would bind them to her, which is precisely what she needs. She has to pull out all the stops to secure the affection of all the male leads, as her limited time makes it impossible to spend quality moments with each of them individually.


    Initially, Hera was reluctant to put herself in danger, as she didn’t want to worry her grandfather. However, Alice’s actions and Minerva’s involvement in a heinous crime were deeply unsettling. Hera realized that, while she was seeding in winning the male leads’ favor, it also meant that the two female leads were straying from their original personas—or perhaps revealing their true selves. As the saying goes, one’s true character is exposed in times of danger and adversity.


    Hera believed this was an unfavorable situation for both Minerva and Alice. Despite her initial resistance, she knew she had to face it, even if just this once. Her greatest hope was to keep this secret from her grandfather, as the revtion would undoubtedly break his heart and bring him to tears. The very thought of causing him such pain was unbearable to her.


    "That’s right. Do you really think the Lennons could act so arrogantly on our turf and escape without consequences?" Gerald’s smirk was a chilling contrast to the tense atmosphere. As the crowd’s mocking gazes bore down on her, Sienna’sposure shattered, and she burst into tears as she fled toward the exit.


    ire, both embarrassed and furious, ran after her, shouting, "Wait, Sienna, wait!"


    Dave huffed in indignation as he watched the two women run off, one chasing the other in a frantic escape. He nced briefly at the granddaughter of the Korean dignitary, who was staring at him with wide, tearful eyes, but he chose to ignore her, remaining unmoved by her pitiable expression.


    Dave didn’t even want to spare her a nce, instead striding back to Hera’s side. He shot a disdainful look at Zhane, as if to me him for the entire debacle, rolling his eyes in frustration. Zhane, noticing Dave’s gesture, chose to ignore it, understanding that Dave’s behavior stemmed from his protectiveness over Hera. He didn’t take the remark to heart, recognizing the tension in the situation.


    But Zhane wasn’t about to let Dave trample over him to prove his point to Hera. He retorted, "Dave, you can’t seriously badmouth me and my mother like that. You know my mom is mild-mannered and probably believed the Lennons were righteous. She’s a kind and empathetic person, even a fan of Hera. If given the choice between an ill-mannered woman and Hera, she’d undoubtedly choose Hera. Once she learned I was involved with Hera, she was eager to meet her and stopped any negative assumptions. So don’t assume we’re blind or anything."


    Zhane’s eyes crinkled slightly as he noticed Dave’s furrowed brows. He pressed on, "And let’s not forget, wasn’t your mom the one setting you up on blind dates one after another? What makes you so certain you won’t fall for the same trick? Also, isn’t it a bit suspicious how your location was always conveniently leaked to the Korean Dignitary, making him able to setting up chance encounters with his granddaughter? Do you really believe that wasn’t orchestrated by your own family?"


    Dave’s eyes widened as Zhane’s words sank in. He began to realize that the consistent leaks about his location might indeed be connected to his own mother.