The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 695

Chapter 695: Chapter 695 When The Children Plays
While all four men were busy with their respective tasks while keeping Hera company, she didn’t remain idle either. With the IGI Expressions Competition happening next week, she was cramming to refine some of her design sketches based on Liz’s instructions.

Liz offered Hera close guidance, meticulously refining her artistic expression and elevating her work to a higher standard. This year’s IGI Expressions Competition had set the theme “Mixed Fantasy and Deep Sea,” challenging designers to seamlessly blend fantasy elements with the ocean’s mysterious beauty. Under Liz’s mentorship, Hera was determined to bring her vision to life, ensuring her designs not only met but embodied the competition’s essence.

Fortunately, they only needed to submit design sketches rather than crafting actual jewelry. However, the registration deadline was just two days away—right after the fashion show.

Aside from Hera’s men, only Liz, Athena, and Hera herself knew about her participation, with only the three women aware of the competition’s specifics. Hera deliberately kept it low-profile to minimize the risk of being sabotage.

Still, she meticulously documented every detail—not just because it was in her nature, but also because Athena kept insisting she do so.

They made sure to cover all bases, hoping Hera wouldn’t face any setbacks in her first jewelry design competition. Everyone was absorbed in their own tasks, yet no one left the living room.

If they grew tired, they simply shifted in their seats or adjusted their positions. However, their true sense of relaxation came from watching Hera—her serious, focused expression as she worked on her design.

For Luke, Dave, Zhane, and Rafael, Hera was their sanctuary. Just seeing her brought them a sense of calm and recharged their energy.

After glancing at each other a few times, they all returned to their work, completely absorbed.

Time passed unnoticed, and soon, the sky outside the floor-to-ceiling window was painted in hues of red. The lights in the penthouse had already been turned on, yet none of the five even realized it, lost in their own zones.

Amy and Hannah quietly refilled their glasses and cups with coffee, juice, and tea. Meanwhile, the dessert tower beside Hera had been emptied—she had used the sweets as fuel, a way to keep her mind sharp as she continued sketching.

She wasn’t just working on one design; she wanted to create several and then choose the best among them, ensuring she had plenty of options—or at the very least, a solid backup.

“Young Miss, gentlemen, dinner is ready. Why don’t you take a break and eat before getting back to work?” Amy’s gentle, motherly voice broke the silence behind them, pulling them out of their deep concentration.

None of them were annoyed; instead, her voice made them realize just how late it had gotten. In their own offices, assistants constantly came and went, providing updates and reminders about meetings, site visits, and other tasks, keeping them aware of the time.

But here, working beside Hera, they had lost track of it completely. Engrossed in flipping through documents, sending emails, and issuing instructions via the workforce group chat or calls, they hadn’t even noticed the hours slipping away.

Although their current workspace felt far less professional, everyone had been so immersed in their tasks that it felt like they had accomplished more than usual, especially with the sheer amount of paperwork they had tackled.

“Thank you, Amy, for reminding us,” Luke said with a gentle smile before glancing around to check on the others. Dave and Zhane were still in the same spots they had been when they first started working, while Rafael had only shifted slightly on the sofa.

Hera, on the other hand, had moved to the carpet, leaning against the couch, surrounded by countless sketches. Her long hair was now tied up in a messy bun with a pencil, making her look effortlessly adorable.

Dave, Zhane, and Rafael had just snapped out of their deep focus when they heard Luke’s voice. Instinctively, they looked toward him, only to notice that he was staring at Hera.

Following his gaze, they saw her still sketching, completely absorbed in her work as if she hadn’t heard anything. She looked endearing with her head tilted slightly to the side, her lips caught between her teeth, and her hand gliding smoothly yet purposefully over the paper.

Dave and Zhane, unable to get a clear view from where they were sitting, instinctively stood up to move closer. However, the moment they did, a wave of numbness spread through their legs, followed by a sharp, prickling sensation that traveled from the soles of their feet up their spines, making them wince from sitting too long in one position.

“Ugh! Fuck! My legs went numbed.” Dave said as he stopped on his tracks without moving. Rafael and Luke heard him and then their attention shifted to Dave and Zhane, unlike Dave who obviously looked like he had swallowed a fly, Zhane looked like he wasn’t affected.

Then Rafael and Luke looked at each other, a mischievous glint passed through Rafael’s eyes and Luke didn’t stopped him. So, Rafael, without disturbing Hera, jumped from the couch and headed straight to Dave.

“W-What are you planning, you motherfucker?” Dave asked nervously, still unable to move as the prickling pain from his waist down kept him frozen in place.

Hearing the unease in Dave’s voice, Rafael’s grin widened, his roguish smile taking on a devilish edge in Dave’s eyes. Sure enough, the moment Rafael stepped closer, he nudged Dave’s numb leg with his foot.

The sudden pressure sent a fresh wave of tingling pain shooting through Dave’s limbs, making him grit his teeth as the fading discomfort flared up all over again.

“Ah! Stop it, you fucker!” Dave growled through gritted teeth. He could only try to stop Rafael with words since moving was out of the question—every slight shift sent another wave of prickling pain through his legs. His plan was simple: wait it out until the sensation faded before making a move.

Zhane, on the other hand, acted as if he was completely unaffected. He remained standing beside his chair, still holding the folders in his hands, his expression serious and unreadable. It was hard to tell whether he was genuinely fine or just stubbornly masking the same discomfort that had Dave cursing.

Because of this, Rafael focused all his attention on tormenting Dave, alternating between poking his left and right leg. Each jab sent another wave of discomfort through Dave, who erupted into a furious string of curses, throwing every insult he could think of at Rafael.

Their antics drew quiet chuckles from Amy and Hannah, who sneaked amused glances at the commotion. Meanwhile, Hera, having just finished the last stroke of her sketch, finally snapped out of her concentration.

The first thing she heard was Dave’s relentless cursing. Curious, she turned around, climbed over the sofa, and peeked at him. Her wide, clear eyes made her look irresistibly adorable as she observed the scene.

Zhane was the only one who noticed Hera right away. Rafael was too busy messing with Dave, and Dave was too occupied with fending him off. Luke, on the other hand, watched the whole thing with an amused smirk. When Zhane caught sight of Hera’s curious expression, his sharp features softened, and a small smile spread across his lips.