The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 52

Chapter 52: Chapter 52 His Anger
Claire masked her discomfort with a dismissive snort. “Are you sending your friend out to find another accomplice?” Her implication was clear: whatever plan Athena and Hera devised would likely be perceived as a desperate attempt to salvage Hera’s reputation.

Amidst Hera and Athena’s abrupt rise in social status and wealth, their peers, all hailing from affluent families, possessed a keen eye for authenticity. Having been raised amidst opulence, they were adept at distinguishing between what was genuine and what was not. Thus, anything Hera and Athena wore would likely be scrutinized with precision.

However, if Claire’s insinuations were accurate, it would potentially expose the origins of their newfound affluence.

In truth, their concern was minimal as long as the situation didn’t encroach upon their own lives or alter their lifestyles. However, they couldn’t deny a certain satisfaction in witnessing Hera’s difficulties, particularly among the female former classmates.

So they all waited patiently for Athena to arrive, and Claire managed to calm herself down, rationalizing that Gerald was likely occupied with his own affairs and didn’t frequently visit the hotel. She reassured herself that the encounter at the Golden Dragon Pavilion had been a mere coincidence, prompted by the reservation of the Avery Heiress. However, a pang of discomfort washed over her as she recalled inadvertently offending the Avery heiress as well.

However, another thought occurred to her: shifting all the blame onto Hera, would be far more convenient. After all, the heiress would likely be more inclined to believe her than a relatively unknown person.

Meanwhile, with Athena having departed to fetch Gerald, Hera seized the opportunity to extricate herself from Alexi’s grasp as he momentarily loosened his grip on her wrist. Taking a step back, she created a physical distance between them to prevent any further confrontation. Slowly massaging her aching wrist, Hera observed Alexi, still consumed by his own anger, as he glared at her.

No one could discern the thoughts swirling within his mind, but his demeanor exuded a menacing aura, as though he were prepared to devour anyone who crossed his path.

He no longer resembled the Alexi she had known for years, or perhaps, she had never truly known him, even during their time living together. It dawned on her that he might have harbored reservations all along, never revealing his true self, or perhaps there had been no need to do so. Now confronted with this unfamiliar side of him, fear began to gnaw at her from deep within.

A sudden realization struck her: had the sweet and affectionate side of him she had experienced been genuine, or merely a facade designed to ensure her affection? Could it be that the Hera depicted in the novel, head over heels in love with him, had fallen for the same carefully constructed image? Were all his actions merely a performance crafted to fulfill his own agenda?

Hera’s heart hammered fiercely in her chest as these intrusive thoughts besieged her mind, demanding answers. With each passing moment, she found herself retreating further from Alexi, consumed by the depth of her contemplations. At this juncture, one might label her as paranoid, but the fear of having been manipulated loomed large. Was it Alexi who had orchestrated her every move, or was it the doing of the plot itself that had ensnared her unwittingly?

Or perhaps it was all merely a product of her own overactive imagination, fueled by the abrupt shift in circumstances. Could she be reading too deeply into the situation, her mind in a state of hyperawareness due to the constant fear of being drawn back into the plot once more?

She made a conscious effort to sidestep any direct confrontation with the second male lead, Rafael, owing to his connection with his sister. Their previous encounter had concluded amicably, but the sight of Alexi’s enraged countenance now evoked memories of a scene from the novel recounted by Athena. It was a harrowing incident involving Minerva, nearly subjected to a dreadful gang rape, where Alexi’s fury had been unleashed in a manner unseen before. He had swiftly dealt with the assailants, their features left unrecognizable in the aftermath. At that moment, he appeared akin to a ferocious beast, instilling fear even in Minerva herself. Yet, paradoxically, this episode only served to strengthen their bond, as Minerva came to understand the depth of Alexi’s feelings for her, transcending mere material wealth.

Yet, Hera couldn’t shake the uncanny resemblance between Alexi’s current demeanor and the troubling description from the novel. ‘Was she hastily jumping to conclusions?’ Despite her mounting worries and inner turmoil, Hera maintained a composed facade as everyone awaited the impending confrontation. Claire, ever confident, wore a smug countenance, convinced that Hera would fail to prove herself innocent. As their high school classmates departed, Claire anticipated the news spreading like wildfire, completing her revenge without having to lift a finger against Hera.

Hera’s focus remained fixed on Alexi, his unblinking stare causing his eyes to redden, veins straining visibly. She couldn’t help but notice the tension in his jaw, the muscles clenched tightly. A lump formed in Hera’s throat as she observed blood dripping from Alexi’s hands. Her heart, already pounding fiercely, seemed to beat even faster at the sight.

Hera’s tense body jolted from the sudden touch on her shoulder, causing her to jump up and swiftly turn to see who it was. She was relieved to find Zhane in the venue, though he appeared slightly out of breath.

Before Hera could respond, Zhane asked in a worried tone, “Are you alright, Hera?” His gaze traveled down her body until it settled on her bruised wrist. His stern expression turned colder. “What happened to your wrist?” he inquired.

“Miss Ainley, is everything alright?” asked another person as they entered the private room. Athena was still nowhere to be found, but the newcomers were all breathless. Hera could only surmise that they had all rushed here at top speed, leaving Athena behind with the staff, or perhaps she was still making her way back, navigating the halls in her high heels.

Zhane immediately shielded Hera behind him upon noticing the bruise on her wrist. His mind raced, considering the possibility of a physical altercation with a man, given the severity of the bruising and its size. He scanned the room and locked eyes with Alexi, the only one clearly too agitated and on the verge of going berserk.

Before, Alexi had never really entertained the thought that Hera could easily move on from him and be with someone else. Even when Minerva insinuated that Hera had a sugar daddy, it was dismissed as speculation. Despite his anger, he could discern if it was true or not, and he merely acted disappointed in front of Minerva to dissuade her jealousy and to prove that he had nothing to do with Hera anymore. But now, hearing someone else testify that they saw Hera with someone else, he felt a surge of jealousy threatening to consume him.

But in the end, he was still consumed by jealousy and anger to the point where he was seeing red, consumed with the desire to exact revenge on the person who supposedly took Hera away from him.

“Gerald, someone is spreading slander about us, claiming that I’ve been involved with two men, and you’re one of them. They even suggest that I tried to conceal it by asking you to blacklist her from the Golden Dragon Pavilion. That’s what she’s accusing us,” Hera said nonchalantly, her tone belying the gravity of the accusation.

Gerald seethed with anger as he scanned the entire room and found the woman he had recently expelled from the Golden Dragon Pavilion. It appeared that banning her from one establishment wasn’t sufficient to make her reconsider her behavior.

Meanwhile, Zhane was taken aback by the accusation. He didn’t personally know Hera, but she had left a strong impression on him as someone who wouldn’t engage in such behavior. “Who’s the other party involved?” he echoed incredulously.

Hera emerged from behind Zhane with a chuckle. “It’s rather amusing, considering she claimed the other party was Mr. Briley.”

Even Zhane couldn’t suppress a cold snort. “Indeed. Let’s hear it from the other party involved. Luckily, I happen to be acquainted with him, making it easier to refute this baseless slander.”

At this point, Claire was visibly trembling with fear. Having Gerald present was intimidating enough, but now someone else was claiming to know Rafael and intending to contact him. Did this mean she was about to become their enemy? She hadn’t anticipated this outcome at all.

Zhane, dressed in a dashing grey three-piece suit, reached for his phone tucked in his inner pocket. But before his fingers could grasp it, he was suddenly tackled in the stomach.

Hera, nearly stumbling, was forcefully shoved aside by Zhane to prevent her from being caught in the tackle. As Hera gathered her bearings, she saw Zhane already on the ground with Alexi straddling him, attempting to land blows on his face. To her surprise, Zhane managed to seize both of Alexi’s arms, and they were now locked in a fierce struggle, with Alexi striving to free himself and resume his assault.