It was this kind of atmosphere that always pulled her away from her worries, making everything else fade into the background.


    She wasn’t sure if they were doing it on purpose, helping her adjust and let go of her awkwardness, since these moments were just part of life—and if they happened, they happened, with no reason to feel ashamed.


    Or maybe they were simply sofortable with each other that this kind of banter was second nature to them.


    Soon, Hera wasughing along with them, and Dave, clearly enjoying himself, became even more animated.


    It was obvious he was putting in a lot of effort, ying the role of the group’s clown just to make Hera smile.


    But that didn’t matter—what truly mattered was the harmony between the seven of them.


    Leo, focused on his task, simply smiled as he continued massaging Hera’s limbs, while Luke, moving slowly, climbed onto the bed to gently work on her shoulders.


    <i>"Shoot, I feel like a queen with her harem!"</i> Hera thought as she nced around.


    Leo sat at the edge of the bed, his eyes half-lidded in concentration as he focused on massaging her legs.


    His long, slender fingers were so well-defined that, as he worked, it almost looked like he was ying a piano—a sight that was oddly enticing.


    Luke wasn’t far behind in skill either. He applied just the right amount of pressure as he worked on her shoulders, making her muscles rx and forget the strenuous exercise from the night before with Leo, Zhane, and Rafael.


    Now that she hade to ept it, thinking back on it no longer embarrassed her.


    But every time the memory resurfaced, a knot would tighten in her stomach, sending a jolt through her core that made her muscles clench deliciously.


    After a while, Hera began to feel better.


    Her stiff shoulder muscles had loosened, and her legs regained some strength.


    Earlier, when she woke up, she’d felt feverish and unsure of what was going on, but now she felt a bit more refreshed.


    Xavier had even gone to the kitchen to make her warm lemonade with honey.


    The drink was both refreshing and soothing, warming her throat and easing the dryness and hoarseness that had lingered.


    "Thank you," Hera said sweetly, her words causing all six men to look at her with warm smiles and gentle eyes.


    They didn’t say anything, but their gazes spoke volumes, making Hera feel as though the warmth of the lemonade was spreading through her heart as well.


    Once Hera began to feel better, she and Xavier went out, while Luke returned to Green Dragon Manor to drop off Hera’s used clothes and the lunch boxes before heading off to work.


    Leo also disappeared somewhere, and Dave, albeit reluctantly, made his way to his office to check on ongoing national projects and reforms with his assistant.


    Rafael, on the other hand, was left in his ward to rest, the effects of his medication making him drowsy.


    Before he finally drifted off to sleep, however, he was on the receiving end of an earful from Zhane, who scolded him for constantly reopening his wound with his reckless actions.


    When Xavier and Hera arrived at the studio, some staff were already waiting at the entrance to greet Xavier.


    However, when they saw Hera step out of Xavier’s car, with him attentively opening the door and escorting her, the atmosphere shifted.


    The staff fell silent, their eyes filled with knowing smiles as they watched the pair.


    More than that, they were awestruck by how perfectly Hera’s aura and featuresplemented the best actor, Xavier.


    Normally, anyone who stood beside Xavier seemed to fade into the background, as his presence and temperament often overshadowed those around him.


    That’s why no one wanted to walk the red carpet with Xavier, or even be seen near him in public.


    Being caught in a photo with him wouldn’t bring good publicity—it would only invite criticism.


    Theparisons were inevitable, especially for men, who would be overshadowed.


    As for women, Xavier’s fans would bombard the actress with harsh criticism and anger, making the experience even more daunting.


    But seeing Hera standing side by side with Xavier felt so natural, like they were an immortal couple straight out of a fairy tale. "W-wee, Xavier, Hera," one of the staff stammered as he greeted them, his mind still reeling, as if he were living in a dream.


    "Thank you," Hera replied sweetly, but Xavier simply nodded before gently taking her hand and resting it in his arm to support her.


    Hera didn’t pull away; instead, she leaned in slightly as they walked together.


    They were escorted to the conference room, where the other actors and Hera’s manager were waiting.


    Betty was deep in conversation with Director Nick about the contract, while the other actors’ managers had long since finished the contract signing.


    Since the other roles weren’t as significant as the lead roles, their contracts werergely standard, almost like a temte, while the leads had differentpensation packages and additional uses.


    When Hera and Xavier entered, Betty nced up, her face instantly lighting up with a smile. "Hera’s here! And it looks like you’ve arrived with Xavier," she said, giving Xavier a quick once-over before shifting her gaze between him and Hera.


    After a moment, she turned back to Director Nick.


    "See? I told you, you should reconsider this use and thepensation. As you can see behind me, my artist can stand shoulder to shoulder with the male lead, and the chemistry between them is already well-known and well-epted."


    "I can guarantee that these two will bring out the best in each other and turn your movie into a blockbuster."


    "Of course, I’m not saying the script and other factors don’t matter, but having an actor who can truly bring a character to life is something else entirely."


    "Think of this adjustment inpensation as a small investment—after all, you’ll be earning hundreds of millions from this movie anyway." Betty continued, her words flowing as she tried to negotiate the terms.


    For a female lead role, thepensation was indeed modest, but that was because Hera was still a neer with little to show for herself.


    The reason Betty was pushing to renegotiate was that, although Hera was a neer, her poprity rivaled that of any A-list actress.


    Her acting skills weren’tcking either—Director Nick had already witnessed her talent firsthand.


    Before Hera’s arrival, he had been hesitant.


    However, when Hera and Xavier walked in, and he saw their undeniable chemistry both on and off stage, Betty boldly raised thepensation threefold.


    The move left Director Nick regretting that he hadn’t agreed to her terms earlier.


    Director Nick let out a grunt of defeat as he nced back, his expression pained.


    With a reluctant nod to Betty, he conceded.


    His assistant director wasted no time, quickly revising the contract and printing the updated version in under ten minutes, fearful that Betty might push for additional uses or increase thepensation again.


    After all, they couldn’t afford to lose Hera.


    Hera, meanwhile, quietly let Xavier guide her to a seat beside him near the head of the table. She listened to Betty’s words but remainedposed.


    The other actors and actresses kept their heads lowered, pretending not to hear anything.


    This conversation was something that should have been discussed behind closed doors, with only the involved parties present.


    However, Director Nick was a peculiar individual.


    Perhaps he wanted to promote transparency, or maybe he intended to spark a sense of rivalry among the actors, motivating them to strive harder.


    After all, excelling in this project could give them leverage to negotiate betterpensation in his future films.


    Or, perhaps, he simply didn’t care enough and found it too much effort to handle the matter privately.


    Once the revised contract arrived, Director Nick signed it without a second nce and handed it to Betty.


    True to her perfectionist nature, Betty meticulously reviewed every detail to ensure there were no issues.


    She took her role as Hera’s manager seriously and wanted everything to be perfect.


    After confirming that the requested adjustments, including the newpensation, were urately reflected, she signed it herself and brought it to Hera.