The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 312

Chapter 312: Chapter 312 How was Rafael’s Reaction?
Once everyone had left and the door was closed, Gerald and Hera remained for a moment before he guided her to the sofa and served her a cup of Da-Hong Pao Oolong tea, worth nearly $600 per pound. The tea had been used as a bribe for the Dean, who was an aficionado of expensive teas.

“Was it really necessary to make such a grand entrance?” Hera teased as Gerald poured the tea into a cup and handed it to her.

“Young Miss, isn’t it better to make a big splash and let everyone know there’s real weight behind the issue, rather than quietly resolving it?” Gerald replied, aware that Hera was testing him, as it was all part of her plan.

Hera chuckled, “Well, it’s not like I know how to hack or uncover who’s behind the slander and the Dean’s corruption. And aside from money, I don’t have much to offer.” She said with a touch of teasing, acknowledging that she hadn’t anticipated the extent of the Dean’s misdeeds. Unlike the strong, independent women in novels, she wasn’t omnipotent and didn’t possess skills like hacking, painting, or healing people like divine doctors.

While she might not be omnipotent, she wasn’t useless either. The point was, why should she handle everything herself when she had the resources to delegate tasks and focus on her own priorities? After all, no man is an island, and that saying holds true. She couldn’t run her company alone; she needed to cultivate talented individuals to support her. However, that didn’t mean she could slack off—self-improvement was still essential.

Seeing her own growth would inspire her subordinates to strive for better because they knew their leader was also committed to success, learning from her own mistakes and improving alongside them. There’s no better role model than someone who is rising with their team rather than a distant, seemingly perfect figure. Employees would feel more connected to a leader who is human rather than robotic. However, Hera understood that jealousy was inevitable and anticipated that some would still question her capabilities.

“Young Miss,” Gerald’s voice pulled Hera from her thoughts. “Through this incident, we’ve discovered that the girls who started this were peers of Alice Quinn, who were frequently seen together on campus. However, we have found no evidence that Alice coerced them into this or even encouraged it. According to the confession of the girls we apprehended before dealing with the Dean, Alice never indicated any desire to target you; it was their own decision. In fact, they claimed Alice was actually against it.”

“They mentioned that Alice agreed to be voted as the Campus Bell solely to boost her career in the entertainment industry and to repair her image, which took a hit after the Variety Show.”

“There’s also no connection to Minerva or Alexi. So, it looks like we can’t use this incident as evidence against them for orchestrating your slander. Unfortunately, we’ve hit another dead end.” Gerald sighed as he reported to Hera.

Hera frowned. She didn’t particularly want to pin the blame on Alice, Minerva, or Alexi, but the coincidences were just too striking to ignore. She believed that too many coincidences might not be coincidental at all. If Alice and Minerva weren’t behind it, then perhaps the storyline itself was pushing people to help Alice bring her down. After all, it wasn’t as if Alice was aware she was receiving external help from the storyline, was it?

Hera then had a sudden thought: What if Alice was aware of something? Perhaps Alice had discovered that she was special, that her second chance at life was not just an ordinary gift but a sign that she was meant to lead and reshape the world according to her vision. However, such awareness seemed far-fetched. Unless Alice was inherently delusional, she would likely view her new life as a simple stroke of good fortune, believing that her karma had given her a chance to start afresh.

Hera let out a heavy sigh before asking, “What’s the latest on the evidence we posted online about Alexi’s cheating and Minerva’s oppression?”

Gerald replied with a satisfied tone, “The response to that has been excellent and is unfolding just as planned. Many netizens have begun boycotting both Alexi and Minerva. Several major companies, concerned about their reputations, have canceled their contracts with Alexi. Some even absorbed the cancellation fees to distance themselves from his scandal. Alexi is now under house arrest to ensure his safety, as there was a riot at one of his endorsement events when the scandal reached its peak, and he narrowly escaped severe injury.”

Gerald chuckled, “It turns out that the rioters were mainly his female fans who had been ardently defending his fairytale romance with Minerva. They were devastated when the evidence started piling up. Rafael’s company has been swamped, constantly having to deal with one scandal after another—it’s like a game of whack-a-mole. Every time they think they’ve buried one issue, another pops up!”

Hera asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice, “And how did Rafael react to the impact this is having on his company and his sister?”

Gerald chuckled, leaning in slightly as he shared, “Rafael’s reaction has been quite unusual. Normally, he would retaliate fiercely against anyone targeting his company or his people, even turning the accusations back on the accusers. But this time, he’s kept a surprisingly low profile. His PR team’s responses have been lackluster, and he hasn’t defended his sister at all. Instead, I’ve heard through the grapevine that he’s planning to send her abroad to a boarding school. But that’s still unconfirmed, just something I picked up from the rumor mill.”

Hera’s expression shifted suddenly, a mix of anticipation and unease clouding her face. She felt a nagging fear that Rafael’s quiet reaction could be a cover, designed to mislead or redirect attention. After all, where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire. The rumor might be deliberately circulated to reach specific ears or make certain connections, but it could also just be a coincidence or the result of Gerald’s thoroughness. The uncertainty was unsettling, leaving Hera unsure of how to proceed.

“But we can’t let him send Minerva abroad just yet,” Hera said solemnly. “Although we suspect she might be a scapegoat to divert attention, it’s also possible she’s presenting a false front while concealing her true intentions. Either way, the evidence we have is substantial and has already escalated to a criminal matter. The police are actively pursuing this case. It was one thing to remain passive when we were unaware, but now that we know, I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t pursue justice for the victims.”

“Don’t worry, Young Miss. I’ve already instructed my team to expedite the verification process and investigate every angle, including Minerva’s contacts,” Gerald assured her. “However, I also think it’s crucial that we have a conversation with Rafael. This might be the perfect opportunity to gauge his moral compass and see where he stands.”

“What do you mean?” Hera asked, curiosity piqued. She had a few ideas about Gerald’s suggestion but preferred to hear his reasoning before jumping to conclusions.

“What I mean is,” Gerald continued, “weren’t you planning on forming a Marriage Alliance with the six men you’re getting closer to?” His blunt question caused Hera to choke slightly, stunned by the unexpectedness of his remark.