The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 369

Chapter 369: Chapter 369 The Real Offer 3
Although Dave was often regarded as the fool in his friend group and frequently ended up looking like a clown, he was still one of the male leads and the young Minister of the country. His position wasn’t achieved through connections or luck; he earned it through his own merit.

He was adept at negotiating with leaders from other countries and was often seen as a cunning strategist. As a result, understanding someone’s thought process and intentions was second nature to him. This skill allowed him to accurately gauge what was going on in Alice’s mind at that moment, and he had no hesitation in sharing his insights with the group.

This also indicates that in the novel ‘The Thin Line Between Love and Lust’, Dave is fully aware of Alice’s scheming but chooses to ignore it, either because he is attracted to her or feels like they are the same kind of people. It suggests that he allowed her to act freely, observing as she manipulated his other friends while he played along.

Zhane, having worked with patients of various age groups, had developed a keen understanding of human nature. He found Dave’s observations to be accurate and chose not to add anything further. Instead, he focused on giving Hera a thorough hand massage, applying pressure to the right areas to alleviate her fatigue and discomfort.

Dave maintained a smug yet composed demeanor, ensuring he didn’t come across as childish in front of Hera. He continued, “The girls had some disagreements with Hera during the show, which likely sparked a hidden resentment towards her. Despite presenting herself as a beautiful, pure, and kind-hearted woman, it’s clear she was masking her true feelings. If what your subordinate reported is accurate, she intended to intercept the offer to ensure Bry’s family couldn’t sell their horses at a good price, as a form of retaliation against Hera. Additionally, she must be seething with jealousy, given how much the whole village adores Hera and treats her well, while she feels sidelined like a secondary character, which surely irritates her.”

“She likely believed that the world should revolve around her and that she deserved to be the one receiving such treatment, rather than Hera. Bry played a significant role in this, as he was the one who showed Hera around the village, supported her, and defended her whenever possible. In contrast, he didn’t extend the same support to Alice, which may have fueled her grudge against both Bry and his family.”

After finishing his explanation, a proud smile spread across his lips as he turned his attention back to Hera, his expression almost pleading for her praise. He looked like a satisfied fox, his eyes narrowing into crescents as he awaited her approval.

Hera’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Dave. She hadn’t realized he had such a keen understanding of Alice, which surprisingly aligned with her own suspicions. She had assumed that, being the first to fall in love with Alice in the novel, Dave would be blinded to her true nature and manipulated just like the other male leads.

It seemed that Dave understood Alice’s true nature completely, yet in the novel, he still chose to side with her and become her lover. This realization made Hera feel that Dave might be even worse than Rafael. Rafael, after all, was simply blinded by his belief that his sister was improving after becoming friends with Alice. In contrast, Dave’s decision to support Alice despite knowing her true nature was far more troubling to her.

Rafael’s perception of Alice changed over time as he developed feelings for her. He was grateful to her because, thanks to her, his family didn’t have to be divided. In contrast, Dave, who had been drugged and slept with Alice, felt a strong sense of responsibility. Despite not wanting to be used as a bargaining chip, he found Alice intriguing as she rejected his good intentions. Eventually, his feelings for her grew as well.

Or was it possible that Dave was just as blind as the other male leads? Perhaps, like them, he ignored all the red flags and warning signs because he was invested in Alice and convinced himself that she was kind-hearted, pure, and a good woman overall.

Hera had no way of knowing which of her speculations was correct. As she looked at Dave with narrowed eyes, she debated whether to hold onto her new understanding or not. Ultimately, she decided to let it go, recognizing that while the novel had its own narrative, this was her real life now.

Clinging to negativity and unproven speculations would be too exhausting, so she chose to go with the flow. However, while she let go of her doubts, she remained vigilant, paying attention to red flags and signs to protect herself from potential pain and heartache, just in case of any betrayal.

It was also possible that now, with Hera having shared some of the female lead’s Halo with Alice, and Hera having influenced the male leads to some extent, their perspectives might be clearer than in the novel. This newfound clarity could allow them to think more objectively and without bias. With this in mind, Hera decided to give Dave the benefit of the doubt.

After sorting out her feelings and thoughts, Hera’s narrowed eyes softened, and she smiled at Dave. Her words, however, carried a hint of playful teasing: “I didn’t realize Dave was so perceptive and quick-witted.”

Zhane, catching the undertone in Hera’s teasing, couldn’t help but chuckle. He remained focused on massaging her hand but fully agreed with her assessment. Despite his amusement, he continued his work with dedication.

However, Zhane’s soft chuckle only irritated Dave, who felt a surge of frustration. “Zhane! You bastard! Am I a joke to you?” Dave’s voice, though deep and measured, carried an undertone of both anger and playfulness. It was clear to everyone that he wasn’t genuinely angry, just slightly annoyed.

“That came out of your mouth, not mine,” Zhane replied simply, without even looking at him. Dave was momentarily taken aback as if Zhane had slapped him in front of Hera. Realizing this, Dave recalled his decision not to engage in verbal sparring with Zhane, as he often ended up embarrassed and looking foolish in front of Hera.

Dave looked at Hera with a wounded expression. “Sweetheart, look at him. He’s bullying me way too much.”

“Alright, alright, let’s put a stop to this. It seems this misunderstanding was caused by Alice’s interference. Are you still willing to sell your horses for the amount offered, or would you like to negotiate further?” Hera turned to Bry’s father, eager to reopen the discussion, knowing that Bry and his family needed the money and recognizing this as a valuable opportunity.

The manager also looked at Bry’s father with keen anticipation, nodding encouragingly. Bry’s father fell into deep contemplation, realizing that the offer for his horses was substantial enough to set his family up for decades if he sold all three. However, he hesitated, as he was reluctant to part with Diamond, knowing how much his brother valued the horse due to its significant memories it carried with it.