The other actors and actresses nced at Emily and Alice with subtle pity but chose to remain silent.
They had all witnessed Emily’s arrogance and condescension toward Hera, as well as Alice’s petty schemes to undermine her.
If Hera hadn’t skillfully defended herself and rified the situation, she could have been unfairlybeled a kept woman, used of exploiting Xavier for his money and influence.
Such rumors, if leaked to the outside world, could have dire consequences.
Xavier’s fervent fans would undoubtedly turn against Hera, subjecting her to relentless scrutiny and harassment—potentially forcing her to abandon her budding career in the entertainment industry altogether.
They couldn’t tell whether Alice had deliberately aimed to cause such harm or if her actions were merely thoughtless.
Regardless, her words had crossed the line, hitting below the belt. Hera’s response, sharp and well-deserved, was simply a case of them reaping what they had sown.
No one felt the slightest bit of sympathy for the two.
Emily, Alice, and Wesley were left utterly stunned, their ears practically ringing after Hera’s parting words sank in: she hadn’t paid for their meals, leaving them to cover the bill themselves.
The realization hit hard—they were now on the hook for $25,000.
Having chosen the most expensive dishes on the menu, with Wesley even adding to the order, they had racked up a hefty tab.
While this amount wasn’t as extravagant as what Hera had paid for the rest of the group, it was still an overwhelming sum for them to afford for a single meal.
"Argh!!!" Emily’s scream of frustration echoed through the restaurant, loud enough to be heard by Hera and the others as they made their way down the hallway toward the lobby.
Zen, upon hearing her outburst, burst into even moreughter, his eyes brimming with tears as he clutched his stomach, unable to contain his amusement.
"Serves them right! Ha ha ha," Zen managed to say between breaths, stillughing as he pictured Emily’s frazzled state after her outburst.
The other actors and actresses couldn’t help but share a chuckle, their amusement mingling with a newfound admiration for Hera.
In their industry, bullying was somon that most simply endured it in silence, pretending to be fine just to keep their careers intact.
Hera’s unapologetic way of standing up for herself felt like a refreshing change.
It reminded them that sometimes, taking a stand was not only empowering but necessary—especially in an environment where unchecked bullying had driven some to tragic oues.
To think that Hera could handle the situation so wlessly without needing Xavier to intervene left many of them, especially those often targeted by bullies, deeply impressed.
The second female lead, who had endured her share of mistreatment, now gazed at Hera with newfound admiration, her eyes sparkling as if she were looking at a role model.
Noticing her expression, Zen stepped in, positioning himself protectively between Hera and the starstruck actress.
"Don’t get any ideas about my little sister Hera," he teased with a yful smirk. "You won’t make the cut."
His lighthearted remark sent the group intoughter, and even the second female lead joined in, her spirits lifted by the camaraderie.
After some time, the group returned to the conference room, noticeably more rxed.
Emily and her group, however, were nowhere to be seen—likely scrambling to figure out how to settle their exorbitant bill as the manager wouldn’t let them leave her sight.
Their absence brought a newfound harmony to the room, making it easier for everyone to focus on their tasks without the tension their presence usually brought.
Even when the director arrived to escort the cast for costume fittings, the trio remained absent.
Word soon came that they had requested a leave of absence from the crew, leaving the director fuming over their unprofessionalism.
"What? A leave of absence on the very first day?!" the director snapped, his frustration palpable.
"Unbelievable! Fine, keep an eye on them. I won’t tolerate unprofessional behavior. If this keeps up, we’ll find recements!" With that, he stormed off, his irritation clear.
They only needed to take care of these fittings today, with the rest of the schedule spread out over the next few days.
But the fact that the trio had so casually taken a leave made it feel like they considered themselves too important to show up.
Even Xavier, who was juggling a packed schedule, made sure to be present, yet those three seemed to think they were exempt. The director couldn’t stand it.
As a result, Alice, Wesley, and Emily found themselves on the director’s bad side, though they werepletely unaware of it.
Meanwhile, Hera walked away from the scene with a bright smile, so radiant that Xavier couldn’t help but ruffle her hair. "Are you really that happy?"
"Was it that obvious?" Hera teased, sticking out her tongue yfully before letting out a soft chuckle.
<i>Ding...</i>
A notification popped up on her phone, and with a smile, she eagerly opened it.
[Danny Coleman: Hello again, Miss Hera. We’re set to fly out to Barcelona tomorrow for the race, and I’ve checked with your manager – it looks like we’re all clear.]
[Danny Coleman: On another note, the PGA Tour and BMW reached out, attempting to renew the contract they hastily ended when Michael and his group left. I turned them down, but unfortunately, PGA Tours retaliated by blocking our efforts to secure international flights.]
[Danny Coleman: How do you think we should proceed?]
Even without seeing his face, Hera could easily imagine the worry and exhaustion etched across Danny’s features as he dealt with the situation.
Normally, their flights were sponsored by the PGA Tour, covering their travel to races in various countries. But since the PGA Tour and BMW ended their contract, Danny and his team had been relegated to flying economy.
That wasn’t the issue, though.
The real problem was that Danny had received word that the PGA Tour was nning to take action against them unless they epted the olive branch they were offering.
It became clear that the PGA Tour was coercing them into signing a contract—one that would not only benefit them by securing Hera’s involvement, given her potential in both racing and promotion.
It was a way for them to kill two birds with one stone, and they saw Hera as the perfect ambassador they had been searching for.
Danny was already in a panic, scrambling to secure flights for his entire team after the race.
To his surprise, he was unable to find a flight until thest minute. His only option left was to turn to Hera, knowing she was connected to influential figures who might be able to help them with this issue.
Hera understood what he was trying to do, but instead of getting frustrated, she kept herposure.
She knew this wasn’t Danny’s fault—it was the capitalists who saw an opportunity to exploit them that were in the wrong.
Still, her expression remained calm and indifferent as she responded.
[Hera: Don’t worry. Just meet me at the VIP lounge tomorrow at Terminal 1, 6 AM sharp. Bring your passport, luggage, and the whole team.]
[Hera: By the way, do we still need to bring the car, or have you taken care of that?]
[Danny Coleman: (? ?-? ▽ ?-? ?)]
[Danny Coleman: We still need to bring the car with us, so we’ll need a cargo ne...]
[Hera: No problem, just bring it along. I’ll send you a numberter. Communicate with her, and she’ll handle everything.]
[Hera: Cindy Brent #####]
When Danny received the number, his heart raced with anticipation.
Just like when he first received Larry Wickman’s number, he knew who Cindy Brent was, and the weight of it hit him.
Every time Hera sent him a number, it felt like she was steering him toward a path of undeniable sess.
A surge of excitement washed over him, and without hesitation, he immediately reached out to Cindy.
When Cindy heard the situation, she couldn’t help butugh, her voice carrying a calm confidence simr to Hera’s.
"Alright, just bring yourselves, your luggage, and the car. I’ll handle everything on my end."
With that, she ended the call, leaving Danny speechless and lost in a cloud of disbelief.