It was clear how close they were, able to tease and joke with one another so freely.


    Leo draped his arm around Hera’s shoulders, drawing her closer as they walked toward the other men, still caught up in their yful banter.


    Hera’s fans, meanwhile, watched the scene with wide grins, popcorn in hand and drinks in the other, clearly delighted by the lighthearted moment.


    <i>Ring...</i>


    <i>Ring...</i>


    The yful banter abruptly halted as the shrill sound of a phone ringing cut through the air. It was Hera’s phone, its volume jarring in the otherwise cheerful atmosphere.


    Dave reached into his breast pocket and pulled it out, ncing at the caller ID. "Sweetheart, it’s a call from Sasha," he said, his voice trailing off with a hint of uncertainty at the end.


    Hera raised an eyebrow as she gently took the phone from Dave. Noticing the live stream was still active and the phone growing warm in her hand, she turned to address the viewers with a soft smile.


    "Hey everyone," she began, her voice calm and soothing, "I truly appreciate all of your support and well-wishes. However, I need to take this call. So, I’ll be cutting the live stream for now. But don’t worry, we’ll find a better spotter to continue the stream, and we’ll make sure to include all of you in the celebration—because you’re all part of this win."


    Her voice was so warm and inviting that viewers couldn’t help but smile in agreement, excited to continue sharing in the moment with her.


    Without hesitation, Hera ended the live stream. But as she was taking her time, the call from Sasha had already stopped. Realizing it, she quickly dialed him back.


    Before the first ring could even finish, Sasha picked up, as if he had been waiting for the call.


    That immediate response made Hera realize that he had something important to say.


    She answered the phone, unaware that the five men were within earshot, and they slowly began to guide her toward a quieter corner of the garage.


    They held her hand gently as they moved, but as Hera listened to Sasha’s voice on the other end, her steps suddenly faltered.


    Her face drained of color, and her eyes widened in shock and fear. She stopped dead in her tracks, her body stiffening as a wave of horror washed over her.


    "Can you please repeat that?" Hera’s voice trembled as she spoke again, the words barely escaping her lips.


    The men couldn’t hear what was being said on the other end of the line, since their surroundings were far from quiet.


    All they could do was focus on Hera’s reactions, watching her every movement with concern.


    They crowded around her, instinctively shielding her from the wind that threatened to drown out her words. They waited anxiously, eager to learn what had shaken her so deeply.


    "Send me the location where youst saw them," Hera said, her voice calm yetced with authority. Beneath it, a simmering worry twisted into a barely contained fury.


    Sasha had just informed her that Rafael had been missing sincest night, along with his sister, Minerva.


    The bodyguards who had infiltrated the enemy’s stronghold with Rafael had been found dead in the forest by the backup forces, who had arrived only to find they were toote.


    Despite searching the entire night, no trace of Rafael or Minerva had been found, and now they were faced with the grim possibility that they might never find them alive.


    Hera could only pray and hold on to the hope that Rafael, as one of the male leads, and Minerva, as the second female lead, still had the luck and resilience to survive.


    Their roles in the story should have granted them some protection, but the hours that had already passed weighed heavily on her.


    No matter how important their characters were, it didn’t mean their lives were safe from danger.


    "What happened?" Zhane asked, his brow furrowing in concern as he noticed Hera’s pale face, still devoid of color.


    Hera hesitated for a moment, struggling with how to break the news to them.


    She knew Rafael was not just her friend, but theirs as well. With a heavy sigh, she finally spoke, her voice tight with worry.


    "Yesterday, Rafael went out looking for his sister and hired Sasha to help track her down. They discovered she had been kidnapped by a mafia syndicate, who had set up aplicated scheme to throw them off the trail."


    "Despite that, they managed to pinpoint their stronghold. But during the night, Rafael and two of his bodyguards infiltrated the stronghold—while the rest of the team prepared an exit strategy—were ambushed..."


    "The men who were stationed at the base of the mountain managed to survive, though they suffered deep wounds. Backup forces arrived just in time to assist them and get them to the hospital."


    "But Rafael, along with the others who were in the forest and being hunted by the enemy, weren’t as fortunate. The two bodyguards who apanied him were found dead deep in the woods."


    "Those who had been waiting at the rendezvous point are severely injured and currently in the ICU. But Rafael and Minerva—there’s no sign of them. No clues, no trace...."


    "Even after Sasha used satellite surveince to search the area, they couldn’t locate them. ording to one of the bodyguards from the rendezvous point, who had been providing support to Rafael, both Rafael and Minerva appeared to be wounded..." Hera’s voice trailed off, thick with a mixture of concern and frustration.