Reflecting on it more carefully, Dave realized it was highly unlikely that his mother even knew where he was. If she had known, she wouldn’t have spent months organizing blind dates and working so hard to find suitable matches for him. And if he hadn’t attended those dates, she would have definitely shown up in person to drag him to the meetings herself.


    Dave’s eyes narrowed as the realization hit him, and frustration welled up inside him. He had walked right into Zhane’s trap without even realizing it. He hadn’t expected Zhane to be so sly, which is why he had taken his words at face value.


    Dave gritted his teeth and pursed his lips, his gaze fixed sharply on Zhane. The usual mischievous glint in his eyes had turned serious. He had to admit that Zhane had outmaneuvered him. Dave had let his guard down, frustrated by the constant, seemingly coincidental appearances of the Korean Dignitary and his granddaughter, which, in hindsight, had been anything but random.


    In his eagerness to shake off the two of them, he hadn’t paused to think. But judging by his mother’s reaction, it was clear she wasn’t the one tracking his location either. This only confirmed that his initial suspicion had been correct.


    And that, my friend, is the reason why Leo hasn’t been showing up his face all this time even when he really wanted to see Hera so much, more than anyone.


    Due to the suspicions surrounding his scheme against the male leads, he found himself inundated with trouble, having to handle the fallout from every direction without respite. However, it wasn’t just a matter of retaliation. They were also determined to uncover Leo’s true background—whether he was indeed just a manager as he imed or if he was something entirely different, as they suspected.


    After a moment of surprise, Hera burst into giggles. In the novel, not even Alice could manage to put Dave in his ce, so it was quite amusing to see his mother achieve it so effortlessly. Hera’sughter delighted her, and Dave, realizing she wasughing at him, could do nothing but slump his shoulders in defeat as he looked at her smiling.


    Gerald bade them farewell, and Dave drove Zhane back to the hospital to discuss the n Zhane and Leo had been working on. Meanwhile, Bry and his father parted ways with Hera and the manager. Bry, brimming with energy, chattered incessantly with his father on their way home, while the manager stayed at the Pavilion to catch up with Gerald.


    Once everything was wrapped up, Hera drove her Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail back to the university. As usual, the car drew attention wherever she went, making heads turn as she arrived on campus. Her high-profile arrival only reinforced the rumors about her being a missing heiress or an illegitimate child.


    Hera and Betty let the wild spection swirl online, understanding that, despite its negativity, it still served as publicity. Betty hadplete confidence in Hera’s ability to turn this attention to her advantage, trusting that Hera would make the most of the situation one way or another.


    Following the incident between Hera and Alice at the campus revote for the new campus Bell, which escted into a nder case, no one wanted to revisit the past. Everyone acted as if nothing had happened and continued to treat Hera as the campus Bell. In fact, the controversy only boosted Hera’s poprity at school.


    Previously, her busy schedule with part-time jobs had left her looking haggard and her beauty often overlooked. Now, with the increased attention, her poprity soared as she became more prominent and noticed.


    Now that Hera was practically glowing and dressed impably, her beauty was even more pronounced. The saying "clothes make the man" proved true, as she was treated like the celebrity she had be. Her fanbase continued to grow steadily, with students frequently stopping her for autographs or photos. Hera handled these encounters with patience, offering polite nods and smiles, which were warmly received by everyone.