He gently stroked Hera’s hair as she slept in his arms, then continued, his voice steady.


    "As for me and the others, we didn’t just appear out of nowhere. We alle from powerful and influential families. I may be a celebrity now, but I’m also the heir to the Montague family fortune—our holdings include Montague Airlines. Dave is the young minister in our country. Lukees from the gray industry. Zhane is a globally recognized medical prodigy. Rafael has both his family business and his own entertainmentpany. And Leo—the favored one—belongs to the Hendrix family."


    Xavier’s eyes narrowed slightly, his expression unreadable. "With your resources, I’m sure it wouldn’t take much effort to dig all of that up yourself. But I’m telling you directly, so you’ll understand exactly who you’re dealing with. We’re not the kind of men you can intimidate or push around."


    He gave a small shrug before finishing, "And when ites to women—fiancées, exes—we’ve already handled all that. As for me, I don’t have anyone else. Just Hera."


    If Alexandre thought he could join the harem simply because he had money and influence, then he needed to think again. With Xavier and the others’ social standing and deep connections, it was never that simple—and this moment served as a subtle warning to Alexandre.


    Xavier looked at him with the guarded wariness of someone facing an outsider. It was a stark contrast to how easily he and the others had epted one another ande to terms with sharing Hera. They were friends, trusted each other, and knew one another’s backgrounds—they were all clean. But that couldn’t be said for Alexandre. Even Leo, who held the most favored position, hadn’t been met with this level of hostility.


    Realizing that words would get him nowhere, Alexandre fell silent. He could feel the cold tension in the air and the invisible wall Xavier had put up between them. So, without another word, the two of them sat side by side, silent and still, waiting for thepetition to end.


    "Strawberry, wake up..." Hera heard Xavier’s gentle voice calling her softly, again and again. But her eyelids felt so heavy. She groaned faintly, trying to shift her position—only to pause when she felt something hard pressing against her thigh.


    "Mmm... Xavier, why do you have a cucumber in your pants?" she mumbled groggily, still half-asleep.


    Xavier let out a helpless chuckle as Hera nuzzled her head against his chest,pletely unaware of what she’d just said.


    Then Xavier leaned in, his lips brushing against Hera’s ear. "Wake up, or this <i>cucumber</i> might go berserk and make love to you right here and now," he whispered yfully.


    Hera’s ears turned red instantly as the meaning of his words sank in. Her eyes flew open, locking onto Xavier’s face—and then she felt that <i>hard</i> pressure against her thigh again. Thest traces of sleep vanished from her system as she realized Xavier had a full-blown hard-on.


    His heated gaze left no doubt about what was on his mind. Hera nced around—there were still people nearby! Yet Xavier was thinking such wicked thoughts?


    Her face burned with embarrassment, but Xavier only smirked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.


    "Strawberry," he said teasingly, "the award ceremony’s about to start. Time to wake up."


    It was clear now—he’d been teasing her on purpose, using the most effective wake-up call he knew.


    Only then did Hera realize she had been asleep on Xavier’sp for a whole hour. She nced at him apologetically—his legs must bepletely numb by now. As for the other... <i>’reaction</i>,’ she decided not to think too much about it.


    Slowly, she tried to get up, and Xavier supported her without standing himself—how could he, when there was an obvious tent in his pants? Still, he fussed over her like a mother hen, gently smoothing her hair and fixing the wrinkles in her clothes.


    Alexandre, who had remained seated beside them, kept his mouth shut as he quietly observed the scene. Watching how tenderly Xavier cared for Hera stirred something in him—an ache of envy, perhaps—but more than that, it made him question himself:<i>’Could he care for Hera the way Xavier did?’ </i>With that kind of patience, familiarity, and quiet devotion?


    When Hera turned to the side, she was surprised to see Alexandre still there. She had assumed he would’ve left after witnessing her and Xavier’s intimate disy—after all, no man could easily stomach the idea of sharing a woman, especially with pride and possessiveness often getting in the way. She hadn’t thought much about Alexandre showing up before Xavier, but seeing him still sitting nearby, and so close, made her realize he must have witnessed everything, <i>including</i> Xavier’s yful, suggestive teasing from earlier.


    And yes, Alexandre had heard it—loud and clear. Xavier had made sure of that. He wanted Alexandre to understand what he was walking into: that none of the six men in Hera’s life were interested in hiding their affection, much less pretending to be subtle. In fact, Xavier worried that if Alexandre ever caught a glimpse of how things could get, like when they asionally indulged in a foursome, he might not even know where to look, let alone where he’d fit in.


    With a smug, challenging grin, Xavier cast a nce at Alexandre before gently urging Hera to move closer to the stage. A staff member had just informed him that Hera was one of the people scheduled to be called up, which was the real reason he had woken her up in the first ce. He knew how much thispetition meant to her, and he didn’t want her to miss a moment of it.


    Before Hera stepped away, Xavier pulled her into a brief but tender embrace. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, then gently rubbed her earlobes before kissing her cheek. "Good luck out there, Strawberry. I’ll be cheering you on," he said warmly.


    Flushed and smiling, Hera nodded and strode confidently toward the backstage area to prepare.


    Meanwhile, Xavier took out his phone and quickly searched for the nearest flower shop. Spotting a staff member nearby, he waved her over. When she approached, Xavier shed a charming, gentlemanly smile and said, "Sister, could you help me buy this bouquet from this shop? I’ll pay you for your trouble." He showed her the screen, disying the specific arrangement he wanted.


    As an internationally acimed actor with a trail of awards and a face known to millions, Xavier’s presence had a maic effect. The moment he called her "sister" and smiled, the female staffer was utterly spellbound. She would’ve likely agreed even withoutpensation. But Xavier, ever courteous, handed her several crisp €500 notes. The woman nodded enthusiastically—like a chicken pecking at rice—and quickly set off to fulfill the task.