The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 496

Chapter 496: Chapter 496 Heading To The Racing Venue
“My team is already on it,” Dave said, a sly grin spreading across his face.

“I’ve tightened control over the situation—not to protect them, but to ensure that Hera’s popularity remains intact for now. We’ll finish the account checks and the investigation before making any announcements.”

“This way, the Lennons can’t twist public opinion against us, and they’ll think they have a chance to retaliate, only to sink deeper into the mess they’ve created.” His smirk grew as he reveled in how he was outmaneuvering the Lennons.

Leo’s face reflected his approval of Dave’s strategy, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips as he continued to eat.

Hera, meanwhile, listened intently, already grasping the nuances of the situation.

She had expected this discussion, fully aware that it was all part of the strategic maneuvers they were likely to employ.

After all, this was exactly what she had anticipated from them all along.

However, she never expected Leo to mesh so seamlessly with everyone or to exude such a commanding presence.

Luke, who had typically held that position as the main male lead, showed no signs of anger at Leo for stepping into that role.

This greatly surprised Hera. Moreover, it seemed Leo was fully aware of everyone’s schemes and plans, which added another layer of astonishment for her.

As she pieced everything together, Hera realized that while they had already moved against the Lennons by using the Everetts’ products as bait—reporting them to the authorities under Dave’s leadership—it also indicated that one of the Everetts was colluding with the Lennons to embezzle money.

They had paid for a superior product but received a cheaper version, which could severely impact the medications the Everetts produced for their hospital.

This was not only an opportunity for the Everetts to prevent such fraud from happening, but it also meant they could use this situation to bring down the Lennons.

Despite their proactive measures, Dave and the others were maintaining strict control over the situation, ensuring it didn’t leak outside their circle.

They wanted to avoid making the issue with the Lennons the talk of the town while Hera was racing, as this would not only preserve her popularity but also counter the narrative that she had secured her position through Dave’s manipulation of the NRT’s management.

Instead, they aimed to showcase her genuine ability to lead the NRT to an international stage, fostering more support and unity among the citizens.

Simultaneously, once the Lennon issue came to light, concrete evidence would surface against them, making it increasingly difficult for them to fabricate evidence or shift the blame onto others.

This strategy would allow Dave to orchestrate everything behind the scenes while methodically dismantling the Lennons’ credibility.

They would likely resort to desperate measures to protect themselves, potentially implicating an insider from the Everetts.

Regardless of the route they chose—whether attempting to salvage their reputation or finding a scapegoat—the end result would be the same: the Lennons would be cornered.

This would enable the Everetts to not only clean up the mess but also expose the conspirators among them.

By severing ties with the Lennons on solid ground, they would gain public support and further solidify their position.

Hera nodded slightly, absorbing the situation as she listened intently to their conversation.

Leo and the others spoke openly about their plans, showing no hesitation in including her in their discussions.

With a playful gesture, Leo ruffled Hera’s hair, encouraging her to eat more and offering her a glass of juice while he enjoyed his toast.

Meanwhile, Amy and Hannah peeked from behind the kitchen counter, desperately trying to contain their excitement.

They watched as Hera and her “harem” interacted seamlessly, and soon found themselves chatting in their group chat about it.

Previously, both Amy and Hannah had their individual favorites for who would best suit Hera, but witnessing the camaraderie among the five men now made them cheer for all six to be in the running as potential husbands.

Yet, they maintained their professionalism, striving to appear composed. Still, they couldn’t help but feel their lips twitch as they fought to suppress their glee.

Leo and the others continued discussing the Lennon situation and the progress of Dave’s operation.

Suddenly, Dave paused, recalling something important. “By the way, has anyone heard from Rafael? He didn’t come today.”

“What about Rafael?” Hera asked, her brows furrowing in concern.

It dawned on her that she hadn’t seen or heard from him lately.

Usually, he would send a message every night, just like everyone else, but last night there had been nothing from him, which felt unusually suspicious.

Everyone exchanged glances, most of them shrugging their shoulders in response, indicating they had no news about Rafael either, while others shook their heads.

However, Leo, aware that Hera had enough on her plate, tried to reassure her.

“Don’t worry about him, wifey. I heard he’s just preoccupied with his sister and might be sending her somewhere safe to recuperate.”

“Minerva? What about her?” Hera asked, her uncertainty evident.

It had been days since she last heard from Minerva or Alice, and part of her felt relieved that her life had been relatively smooth without their constant provocations.

However, the mention of Minerva also brought to mind the ongoing investigation into the missing women, prompting Hera to instinctively glance at Luke.

He noticed her gaze and shook his head slightly, conveying that he understood her concern but had no updates on the investigation either.

Hera took a deep breath, clearly lost in thought.

Leo reached out and took her hands, his grip warm and reassuring.

“Don’t worry; Rafael can take care of himself. If he’s in trouble, we’ll be there to help him. Right now, all you need to do is focus on your race and leave everything else to us, okay?”

His soothing words and gentle voice eased Hera’s worries.

He was right. For the first time, she realized how wonderful it was to have someone to rely on.

Previously, she had always depended on herself and her best friend, becoming accustomed to her independence.

But now, surrounded by these men, she felt a sense of protection that was truly uplifting.

Hera smiled sweetly and nodded, her demeanor reminiscent of an obedient cat, which made everyone at the table grin with satisfaction as they continued to pamper her.

After finishing their breakfast, they escorted Hera not down, but up a staircase leading to the penthouse rooftop, where a helipad awaited her.

They had already secured permission from Cindy, the manager of the Dragon Jade Building, who granted them access.

Xavier had arranged for a larger helicopter, and their pass to the venue had been cleared.

As Hera surveyed the men surrounding her, her brows knitted in curiosity.

In that moment, she felt like a queen, treated with the utmost care. A swell of emotions filled her heart, and she could only smile at them, momentarily at a loss for words.

Leo escorted Hera onto the helicopter, while Luke took the suitcase from him so he could fully support her.

The others followed, helping with the luggage.

With six of them onboard, there was only one pilot, making Leo the co-pilot.

After ensuring Hera was comfortably settled, he turned and headed to the co-pilot’s seat, slipping on his headset.