They intended to meet her halfway, escorting her up to ensure she wouldn’t identally trip in her heels. They were always mindful of her.


    But who could have predicted that after just three steps, Hera would be stopped—and humiliated?


    Dave and the others heard Alice’s usatory remarks, her words dripping with venom, each one a direct attack on Hera’s reputation.


    The sheer malice in them ignited Dave’s fury.


    His blood boiled, and he was ready to storm down and tear into the vile woman for daring to bully <i>his</i> woman.


    But just as he was about to step forward, Leo held him back.


    Why?


    Because in that moment, Leo met Hera’s gaze. She had seen them descending and, with the subtlest signal, told him to hold off—for now.


    How could Hera see them?


    It was because Alice had stepped in front of her, blocked her path and stood one step above her on the staircase. From that vantage point, it was easy for Hera to spot the people at the other end of the stairs—faces dark with fury, ready to storm down at any moment.


    The moment she saw Leo about to step forward, she shot him a look. And, just as she expected, he obediently stayed put.


    Left with no choice, they stayed put, forced to listen as Alice wove her double-edged insinuations.


    Hera had to do this—topletely shatter any hope or dignity Alice had in front of the male leads and ensure she had no reason to approach them again in the future.


    After all, Alice was a master at ying the innocent, a delicate lotus flower on the surface, yet fully capable of seducing men with ease. Hera feared that if she hadn’t exposed Alice’s true nature now, there would be a chance that Alice would find other ways to get close to them.


    And if that happened, Hera might one day lose control of the situation without even realizing it.


    What Hera didn’t know was that Dave, Zhane, Luke, Rafael, and Xavier had never held a good impression of Alice—not since the Variety show. And the more Alice targeted Hera, the more their dissatisfaction with her grew.


    In truth, just as Hera had suspected before, the male leads weren’t so easily controlled by the storyline. Alice’s only option had been to improve her image in their eyes, hoping to convince them that everything before had been mere misunderstandings.


    But now, Hera had exposed the truth without even lifting a finger. Alice’s relentless attempts to humiliate her had only proven one thing—her actions were driven by pure jealousy and envy. And the male leads weren’t fools; they saw right through it.


    Without even realizing it, Alice was the one tearing off her own mask in front of the very men she had desperately wanted to seduce and grow close to.


    The moment Dave’s furious roar echoed through the hall, her face drained of color. Her head snapped back toward the staircase, where the five men were descending—each of them radiating anger.


    But it was Dave’s scowl that struck her the hardest. He wasn’t bothering to hide his disgust, his disdain for herid bare.


    A sharp twist gripped her chest. This wasn’t how things were supposed to be. These men—she <i>knew</i> they weren’t meant to treat her like this. They should have listened to her, given her the benefit of the doubt. They were supposed to be <i>hers.</i>


    But the cold reality before her was nothing like the world she had convinced herself to believe in.


    Her hatred festered, growing stronger with each passing second. She felt like something was slipping through her fingers, something she had desperately tried to hold onto—and in her mind, it was all Hera’s fault.


    "Ha! To think someone so insignificant would dare say such things to <i>my</i> sweetheart," Dave mocked, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "Do you think everyone in the entertainment industry is as filthy as you?"


    At that moment, Alice felt her heart shatter. The words cut deep, sharper than any de, and the weight of humiliation crashed down on her.


    "W-Why are you treating me like this?" Alice asked, her voice trembling with genuine sorrow. This time, she wasn’t acting—she was truly heartbroken.


    Though she was seeing these men in front of her for the first time, it felt as if she had fallen in love at first sight, only to have her heart shattered just as quickly.


    But what hurt the most wasn’t just the rejection—it was that the cruelest words wereing from the very men she longed for.


    What Alice was feeling now—and how Dave was acting—mirrored exactly how he had behaved in the novel when defending her from those who bullied and humiliated him.


    The only difference was that this time, he wasn’t standing up for <i>her</i>—he was defending Hera.


    Yet, his words, his actions... they were the same. Even Hera noticed it.


    This was how novels typically worked—the cannon fodders or viins would torment the female lead, only for the male leads to arrive at just the right moment, delivering scathing words and swift punishment to put them in their ce.


    In the original story, it had been Hera and the other supporting characters who suffered through this cycle.


    But now that the tables had turned, now that Alice was the one on the receiving end, Hera felt nothing. No sympathy. No concern.


    She felt nothing for Alice—not the satisfaction of victory, nor the smugness that often came with winning. Just... nothing.


    After all, Alice had brought this upon herself. In the novel, she had been the one basking in the love and protection of the male leads, while countless others suffered for her sake. She had yed the role of the cherished heroine, never once caring about the lives she put at stake.


    Now, this was simply retribution. Karma at its finest.


    Hera could see the confusion and hurt in Alice’s eyes, the turbulent aura radiating from her—but she pretended not to notice.


    Dave wasn’t finished tearing into Alice, and the others had no intention of stopping him. They all shared the same opinion.


    Hera hadn’t started this fight. In fact, she never even spared Alice a second thought. All she ever wanted was to change her fate, focus on her own growth, and protect the people she cared about—without actively seeking to harm anyone.


    But Alice and her cronies wouldn’t stoping for her. And so, Hera simply responded in kind, returning everything that was thrown her way.


    "Do you really think <i>my</i> sweetheart needs to curry favor with anyone? If anything, it’s the other way around."


    Dave’s voice dripped with mockery as he continued, "Let’s get one thing straight—she’s the <i>champion</i> of the international race in Barcelona. She’s an incredible actress, has a solid financial standing in investments, and makes her own money. She speaks multiplenguages, possesses a range of skills, and no matter where she goes, she shines on her own. She doesn’t need anyone’s help—people <ie</i> to her, not the other way around."


    He took a step closer, his smirk turning sharp, his gaze void of kindness as he stared Alice down.


    "But you? Are you using her because this is how <i>you</i> operate? Because, from the way you talk, you sound <i>awfully</i> familiar with it."