The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 532

Chapter 532: Chapter 532 Was It A Faux Or Real?
Dave firmly believed that a leopard never changes its spots, and Minerva acting overly familiar with Hera just because she saved her life raised a red flag in his mind.

To him, it seemed far too convenient, and he couldn’t help but stay on high alert, suspicious of Minerva’s true intentions.

In fact, he wasn’t alone in his doubts. Zhane and Xavier were also sharing the same concern, both of them wary of Minerva’s sudden shift in behavior.

They weren’t easily convinced that Minerva had truly changed her heart and wanted to get closer to Hera.

Instead, they suspected that Minerva was using this as a new tactic to get close to her, possibly to deceive her.

They feared that Minerva was trying to win Hera’s trust and affection, only to betray her later—something that would cut deeper than any of the usual schemes she had in the past.

The idea of Minerva playing such a long game, only to deliver a more painful blow when the time was right, unsettled them.

They were all on edge, but Hera simply shrugged it off, her expression casual and unconcerned.

She had thought about it too, after all. Minerva’s sudden shift from despising her—almost to the point of wanting to gouge out her eyes or claw at her face—to now acting like a sweet little sister eager to get closer, was nothing short of suspicious.

It didn’t add up, and Hera knew it. But for now, she was choosing to play it cool, unsure whether to trust the change or remain cautious.

Seeing how unconcerned Hera was made Dave want to stomp his foot in frustration.

He could tell that Hera hadn’t even considered the deeper implications of Minerva’s sudden change in behavior, which only fueled his determination to keep an eye on her.

After all, he didn’t want his sweetheart to be betrayed or heartbroken. With a resolute frown, he made up his mind to watch Minerva’s every move from now on, prepared to step in if needed.

After taking just a few steps from Minerva’s room, they reached Rafael’s private room.

He was still connected to medical equipment and receiving oxygen. As Hera approached, she couldn’t help but notice that, even in his sleep, Rafael’s brows were furrowed in a displeased frown.

She chuckled softly at the sight and reached out to smooth the crease with her fingers.

But as soon as she did, her touch lingered, and she noticed two dark orbs staring at her from beneath his eyelids. Her heart skipped a beat as their eyes locked.

A slow smile crept onto Hera’s lips. “You’re awake,” she said calmly, her voice soft but steady.

The others, who had settled in different corners of the room, glanced up at her words.

Zhane, holding Rafael’s medical report while checking the apparatus around him, paused and followed their gaze.

Everyone was taken aback when they saw Rafael awake, his intense, unblinking stare fixed on Hera. The oxygen mask he wore fogged slightly as he breathed, a subtle sign of his quiet awareness.

“Am I… dead?” Rafael’s voice was slow and strained, each word seeming like a struggle, but he still managed to form a complete sentence.

His eyes, heavy with exhaustion, carried a depth of emotion as he continued, “But why are you here? Is this the last time I’ll see you?”

The words hung in the air, thick with the weight of unspoken thoughts, as if his entire being was desperate for an answer.

Dave, who was mid-sit on the couch, gasped, his eyes going wide in disbelief at Rafael’s words.

He stared at him as if he’d just heard the most stupid thing.

Even Xavier couldn’t help but wrinkle his nose, feeling an uncomfortable cringe wash over him. The line was straight out of a cheesy romantic comedy, and he could barely suppress the urge to roll his eyes.

Hera chuckled softly, seeing the confusion on Rafael’s face. His expression deepened as he tried to process her words.

“You’re in the hospital, silly,” she replied, her tone gentle. She could see that he was clearly disoriented.

After all, when he passed out, the situation had seemed dire—he probably believed it would be the last time he’d see the world.

If anyone was to make it out alive, he must have thought it would only be his sister.

“I… I’m alive?!” Rafael’s eyes widened in disbelief, as if the idea of being alive was too unreal to grasp.

He gazed up at Hera, her face glowing with warmth, her smile as bright as the sun and as sweet as honey.

For a moment, he wanted to savor the sight of her, relief flooding through him.

But before he could, Dave’s head suddenly popped up beside Hera, wearing a smug, irritating grin.

From Rafael’s perspective, it looked as though Dave was practically draped over Hera, his face too close to hers, giving the impression of an intimate embrace from the back.

The sight made Rafael’s blood boil, and he almost cursed out loud in exasperation.

“Dude, you’re lucky my sweetheart found you when she did,” Dave said, his mocking tone only serving to deepen Rafael’s frustration.

“You did a really good job hiding your tracks—so good, in fact, that almost none of your people managed to find you all night.”

The words stung, and Rafael felt his blood boil.

Dave wasn’t just taunting him; he was making him feel like a fool for everything he’d done, for the choices that had led to this moment.

Each word grated against him, only adding fuel to his simmering anger.

Rafael’s breathing grew heavier in exasperation, causing his oxygen mask to fog up. It wasn’t until this moment that Zhane finally spoke up, his voice cutting through the tension.

“Dave, shut up,” he said firmly.

Dave, however, was unbothered. He puffed out his cheeks in a pout and crossed his arms, clearly still eager to taunt Rafael, though he kept his gaze fixed on him.

He had no intention of moving away from Hera, his attention fully on her, completely indifferent to Rafael’s growing irritation.

Rafael, feeling trapped under Dave’s smug gaze, chose to ignore him. He shifted his focus instead to Hera, trying his best to block out the annoying presence beside her.

“You found me?” Rafael’s eyes widened as his thoughts raced, trying to piece together how Hera managed to track him down.

Maybe it was the medication clouding his mind or the lingering fog of just waking up, but his head felt disoriented.

Despite his confusion, a sense of relief washed over him. Seeing Dave’s annoying face meant he wasn’t in some afterlife—if anything, that man was the type to be sent straight to hell.

Rafael fought the urge to roll his eyes at Dave but instead reached for Hera’s hand, gripping it tightly. He didn’t want to let go, grateful for her presence.

Zhane, who had been quietly observing, stepped closer to check on Rafael’s condition.

After confirming that he was improving, he gently removed the oxygen mask so Rafael could speak more freely.

Dave grinned mischievously as he gently guided Hera to sit in the chair, ensuring she wouldn’t stay standing too close to Rafael.

He then bent down, resting his chin on Hera’s shoulder, shooting Rafael a teasing look.

The awkwardness of Dave’s position was almost comical, and Xavier, couldn’t stand seeing this and let out a defeated sigh.