As a result, the Lennons had be a formidable hidden force—one capable of striking at the Avery family with such precision that the Averys would find it nearly impossible to escape without enduring significant damage.


    Now, standing before Alice—the original female lead of the novel—Hera couldn’t help but reflect on how far she hade.


    In the story, she was supposed to be the cannon fodder, a character doomed to perish long ago.


    But here she was, alive and thriving. The weight of the realization hit her all at once, and a surge of emotion washed over her.


    It was as if all the struggles, the choices, and the twists of fate had led her to this moment, making her wonder just how much she had truly changed.


    "Hera, I’m really happy you took a moment to visit me," Minerva said, her voice shaky, drawing Hera out of her thoughts.


    She sounded nervous, even fearful, as though she was bracing for bad news.


    It was clear that Minerva wasn’t expecting kindness from Hera. After everything that had happened, she feared judgment or anger, but instead, Hera had helped her.


    It was a stark contrast to the hate and scorn she might have anticipated. As they say, it’s easier to break someone with kindness than with pain and hatred, especially when they are feeling guilty.


    "I’m d to hear that," Hera said, her tone neutral, betraying little emotion.


    She shifted slightly, pulling one of the thermal sks from her hand and stepping closer to Minerva.


    "My chef made a chicken and mushroom soup. Try it, if you like. It’s still warm and should be good for your stomach and recovery. There are some herbs in it that can help, too."


    Her voice was calm and measured, neither overly familiar nor distant.


    Hera’s expression remained neutral, as though this gesture was simply an act ofpassion—a basic human decency.


    She wasn’t here to mock or scorn Minerva but rather to offer something as simple as help, something that felt right, given what Minerva had been through.


    "Um... Hera, I already fed Minerva the chicken soup I made when I arrived..." Alice said, eyeing the soup Hera had brought with her.


    "Oh!" Hera responded with a light, unbothered shrug, her gaze flicking to the sk in her hand. She didn’t seem the least bit concerned that the soup might go to waste.


    "Well, no worries," she added casually, her tone calm. There are plenty of people who can enjoy it, even if Minerva doesn’t.


    Hera wasn’t one to let something so minor get to her, and she was already prepared for the soup to find its way to someone else who might appreciate it.


    But to Hera’s surprise, as soon as she got close to Minerva and Alice mentioned that she had already eaten, Minerva grabbed her hands, almost as if afraid Hera would take back the soup.


    "No, I’m still hungry!" Minerva said, a foolish grin spreading across her face, her expression almost fawning as she looked at Hera.


    Hera was momentarily stunned. Usually, Minerva would re at her with menacing eyes, full of hatred and resentment.


    But this time, seeing her like this, so unexpectedly warm and almost vulnerable, caught Hera off guard.


    She felt a strange twist in her chest—something unfamiliar, an odd sensation that she couldn’t quite ce. It was the first time Minerva had acted like this, and it left Hera feeling odd.


    "Minerva, no, you can’t... What if you get sick?" Alice said, her voiceced with faux concern.


    On the surface, it seemed like she was worried about Minerva overeating and potentially getting a stomachache, but in reality, she was subtly implying that Hera’s intentions were not to be trusted.


    Alice was insinuating that Hera might have some hidden agenda, suggesting she could be tricking Minerva by adding something harmful to the soup.


    The truth was, Alice didn’t like seeing Minerva’s animosity toward Hera vanish.


    Seeing Minerva so open to Hera’s kindness felt like a threat to Alice, so she took this opportunity to sow discord again, making sly remarks that were not immediately obvious but still carried an undercurrent of distrust.


    Her words were a thinly veiled attempt to nt doubt in Minerva’s mind, hoping to regain control over her friend’s opinions.


    After all, Minerva was Alice’s ticket to getting closer to Rafael.


    The more Minerva resented Hera, the harder it would be for Hera to integrate into Rafael’s family, and the more likely it was that their rtionship would be strained.


    If the family was divided, Rafael’s parents would surely be dissatisfied with Hera, making it harder for them to approve of her.


    On the other hand, if Alice yed her cards right, she could position herself as the one who truly understood Minerva’s pain and gain the approval she needed to get closer to Rafael’s family.


    "It’s okay, Alice. Weren’t you peeling an apple for me to eat? Why don’t I have the soup instead?" Minerva reassured Alice with a gentle smile, not fully grasping Alice’s intentions.


    In the past, when Minerva’s hatred for Hera had clouded her judgment, even the slightestment from Alice would have sounded like a subtle jab against Hera, no matter how neutral or well-meaning.


    But now, with her mind clearer and her resentment fading, Minerva couldn’t help but see Alice’s words as mere concern, even though they wereced with something more than just kindness.


    She felt grateful to Hera and guilty for the things she’d once believed, and that made her more open to interpreting Alice’s actions with a softer heart.


    Alice, barely hiding her irritation, added with a hint of concern in her voice, "But, the chicken soup I made also has herbs, and if the herbs in my soup and the ones in Hera’s chicken and mushroom soup have different effects, it could actually harm your body instead of helping you recover..."


    She nced at Minerva, her expression carefully crafted to look concerned, though there was an underlying edge to her words.