At first, she felt little reaction—after all, Minerva had already mentioned this to her. However, what did catch her off guard was Athena’s undeniable talent in design, which had shaken her earlier.


    Still, what truly unsettled her wasn’t Athena’s sess but the words that followed. Those were the ones she couldn’t bring herself to ept.


    <i>’Why does Hera get everything? Why is she being acknowledged as a wealthy man’s goddaughter? What does she have that I don’t?’ Alice’s thoughts spiraled with resentment.’ </i>


    <i>’That bitch is like a fishbone stuck in my throat—she won’t let me breathe unless one of us is gone. She should have just died. Why didn’t she die?’ </i>


    As her anger consumed her, a white screen flickered in her mind once again.


    <i>’No, she should have been dead long ago. Her life was meant to be yours. You must kill her and set the story right...’ </i>


    Alice blinked several times. This wasn’t the first time she had seen that white flickering screen in her mind. Every time it appeared, it felt like it was guiding her—urging her to correct her fate.


    And just as she had suspected all along, Hera was the obstacle standing in her way, the one stealing the future that rightfully belonged to her.


    While Hera basked in waves of congrattions, mingling effortlessly among the guests alongside Athena and her parents—who proudly introduced her to their business partners and potential allies—Alice stood frozen, her gaze locked onto Hera’s back with pure venom. It was as if she wanted to stab her over and over, drink her blood, and gnaw on her very bones.


    The intensity of Alice’s re did not go unnoticed. A chill crept up Hera’s spine, the fine hairs on her neck standing on end. Sensing the weight of a hostile gaze, she turned—and met Alice’s eyes head-on.


    Alice made no effort to conceal her seething hatred. It burned raw and unfiltered in her expression, daring Hera to flinch. But instead of looking away, Hera simply smiled.


    Hera knew that sooner orter, she and Alice would inevitably sh—not just through Alice’s petty attempts to smear her reputation, but in a battle that would escte until one of them had to be removed from the equation.


    She hadn’t expected it to begin so soon, nor for the events earlier to serve as the catalyst, but she had no regrets. She had only been protecting herself.


    Unlike cannon fodder or supporting characters whose fates were predetermined, Alice, as the supposed female lead, had far more freedom—just like the male leads. And that made her all the more dangerous.


    If Alice had truly been a good person, she could have chosen to step back and take a different path, avoiding the need for things to escte to such extremes.


    But no—Alice wanted everything. She craved love, power, wealth, reputation, and influence. In short, she was insatiable, unwilling to stop until she had it all.


    Because of this, Hera had no choice but to fight back. Fortunately, she wasn’t alone. With the male leads by her side, not only was she enlightened to the truth of her situation, but she also had their protection and the support of their male lead halos—allowing her to move freely and strike back against Alice.


    Now that Alice was ring at her with pure malice, Hera felt no fear—only empowerment. She no longer carried any guilt about supposedly stealing Alice’s fate or putting her in a difficult position.


    This moment made it clear: Alice would never let her go. And if that was the case, then whatever consequences befell Alice would be entirely of her own making. Hera no longer had to burden herself with regret or second thoughts.


    With that realization, she shed Alice a sweet, almost taunting smile before gracefully turning back to the people in front of her, as if Alice’s presence was nothing more than a passing shadow.


    The male leads, who had been quietly observing Hera from the sidelines, didn’t miss the silent exchange between her and Alice. They all caught the venomous re Alice directed at Hera, and at that moment, their suspicions were confirmed—Alice was a trouble.


    Their protective instincts red, but they held back, sensing Hera’s unwavering confidence as she met Alice’s gaze head-on.


    Rather than worrying, they found themselves intrigued. Hera clearly had something up her sleeve, and instead of stepping in, they chose to watch, anticipation flickering in their eyes. More than anything, they felt a swell of pride for her.


    Leo, however, studied Hera and Alice with a thoughtful expression. Something about their dynamic didn’t just scream rivalry—it felt deeper, more like an inevitable sh between arch-nemeses.


    An unsettling feeling gnawed at him, as if he should despise Alice to his very core, yet he couldn’t quite put his finger on why.


    A sharp, persistent urge prodded at him, whispering that he should scheme against Alice, make her life as miserable as possible. But he held himself back—he wouldn’t overstep Hera.


    At the same time, letting Alice walk away unscathed after everything she had done didn’t sit right with him.


    She wasn’t even hiding her hostility anymore, and that made her all the more dangerous. A person with nothing to lose was far more unpredictable than someone who had everything to protect.


    After all, those who had nothing to lose could gopletely unhinged—they had no restraints, no fear of consequences, and would do anything in their power to drag their enemy down with them.


    This thought made Leo worry for Hera, but the unwavering confidence in her smile kept him from acting impulsively.