The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 362

Chapter 362: Chapter 362 The Promise
“I-I…” Hera stammered, struggling to find the right words, but Gael’s intense gaze made her feel exposed, as if she’d been caught red-handed. The weight of his eyes on her was too much, and in a moment of vulnerability, she quickly shut her mouth and bit her lip, unable to handle the embarrassment.

She had gotten so caught up in her amusement that she hadn’t realized she was letting her mouth run unchecked. Normally, Hera wasn’t this careless, but seeing Gael’s genuine and selfless love for his mother—so pure that he didn’t even consider material gain—had caused her to lower her guard. It was in that moment of vulnerability that she let the slip happen.

Hera chuckled awkwardly, trying to brush off the slip. “Haha… Manager, I apologize for that. I got a little carried away and started talking nonsense. Please don’t take it seriously,” she said, casting a pleading glance toward the manager, silently asking for backup. Picking up on her cue, the manager quickly jumped in, laughing alongside her.

“No worries, no worries,” the manager said with a light-hearted laugh, waving his hands dismissively as if brushing away something invisible. “I often get carried away myself when emotions run high and end up saying embarrassing things. It’s all part of growing up, right?”

However, Gael, being sharp, wasn’t easily fooled. It dawned on him why the manager had been so respectful toward Hera and paid such close attention to her words. The more he thought about it, the clearer it became—there was only one known heiress to the Avery family. If Hera had indeed let something slip, then either she was an imposter, or someone else was standing in for her.

He began piecing things together in his mind, arriving at a theory: the publicly known Avery heiress studying at Princeton was merely a stand-in, created to conceal the true heiress’s identity. The reason behind this elaborate charade? To protect the real heiress from potential assassination attempts, meant to eliminate her before she could fully mature and inherit the family’s vast assets.

Many powerful figures coveted a piece of the Avery family’s wealth, and the only obstacles in their way were the Old Master and the young heiress. Once the heiress was eliminated, only the aging patriarch would remain to defend the legacy, leaving the vultures to slowly wear him down before ultimately devouring the entire Avery empire.

The evidence lay in the numerous reports of the Avery heiress being involved in multiple “accidents.” While some incidents were covered up, rumors still made their way through the grapevine. Despite her immense wealth, her life was far from secure—constantly hanging by a thread.

If that were true, then the Hera standing before him must be the real heiress. Now that she had reached adulthood, she was beginning to spread her wings and reveal her presence. But before fully stepping into the spotlight, she seemed determined to build her own power, preparing to face the hungry wolves circling her family’s legacy.

As the realization dawned on him, Gael’s eyes widened in disbelief, locking onto Hera with an incredulous expression. Their gazes met, and in that brief moment, they both knew what the other was thinking. But Hera remained composed, unwilling to confirm his suspicions. She understood this wasn’t the right moment to reveal her true identity and held back, leaving Gael to wrestle with the unspoken truth.

Gael seemed to grasp her unspoken message and, with a thoughtful expression, lowered his gaze in contemplation. The manager, sensing the tension, took the opportunity to speak. “As Miss Hera mentioned, the Avery family has a long-standing tradition of helping those in need. They believe in accumulating good karma for their ancestors and themselves, adhering to the principle that acts of kindness and support in this life ensure a favorable rebirth and a better life in the next.”

“Assisting your mother would actually align with our values and support our cause,” the manager said, aiming to ease the situation and redirect the focus to business. “Therefore, we’re willing to adjust the profit distribution to 70% for us and 30% for you, considering you’ll be handling all the work once we supply you with our products.”

Gael caught on and nodded, understanding the unspoken agreement. “If that’s the case, I’d be honored to accept the Avery’s generosity. However, I’d prefer to keep the distribution at 25% for me and 75% for you. Considering the extensive production process for Black Ivory Coffee Beans and the work involved in gathering them, I feel this is a fair adjustment. Since this will be my first venture in the business world, it’s important to me to start on a balanced note. Please, humor me. I’d rather not seem arrogant because of a favorable deal or pitied as though I’m receiving charity rather than being recognized for my capabilities.”

Gael then looked at the manager and Hera with a pained expression, as if deeply wounded. His eyes conveyed that he had already figured out Hera’s true identity, and he made no effort to conceal his understanding. That’s why he was also looking at Hera to back him up with his explanation.

The manager nodded. “Fair enough. Let’s adjust the contract to reflect the 75% to 25% distribution. Please have your lawyer review it before we finalize and sign it.” He then messaged for his assistant to come over to the Avery lounge. As he set down his phone and looked at Gael, Gael raised both hands in a gesture of surrender, clearly understanding the unspoken message.

“I didn’t hear anything and won’t say a word outside this room. I’d suffer a lightning strike if I lied and betrayed my benefactor,” Gael vowed. Just as he finished speaking, a loud thunderclap echoed outside, followed by a bolt of lightning that struck a tree, splitting it in two. The sudden phenomenon startled the horses and guests alike. Though the thunderclap was distant, it felt almost like a dramatic seal on Gael’s promise, causing a cold sweat to run down his back.

Gael gulp the lump that formed in his throat but still looked back at Hera and the manager with a sincere look, Bry didn’t know what was happening and thought it was an adult talk so it has nothing to do with him while his father also came to his conclusion but he didn’t say anything and pretended he didn’t hear anything.

Satisfied with the outcome, Hera decided not to press the matter further. She knew Gael’s character well—he was loyal and unlikely to betray those who helped him. With a nod of approval, she watched as the assistant entered the lounge, retrieved the folder from the coffee table, and exchanged a few quiet words with the manager. The assistant nodded and left quickly, her purposeful strides echoing on the marbled floor.

The room fell into an awkward silence as everyone busied themselves, avoiding conversation. Hera, however, remembered the real reason for her visit and decided to speak up.

“Manager, I actually came here to discuss a potential collaboration. My uncle here breeds and trains champion horses. Recently, two of his horses won a national championship, one was the champion named Diamond, the other horse also won the first runner-up and the third was the third runner-up. I’m looking to explore opportunities for collaboration, whether it’s for training or breeding. If you’re interested, I’d love to discuss how we might work together.”

Hera glanced at Bry’s father, giving him a subtle nod. Understanding her cue, he stepped in to elaborate on the proposal.