The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 698

Chapter 698: Chapter 698 The Simple Counter Defeats The Schemer
After confirming that she and Betty were on the same page and that the other party was already waiting for her signal, Hera opened the file Sasha had prepared for her. She then accessed her social media, which was flooded with harassing comments.

Her inbox displayed 999+ messages, but she ignored them. Even her muted notifications showed 999+, a clear sign that a massive number of people had visited her profile to leave hateful remarks.

Despite the overwhelming negativity, Hera took a quick glance at the comments on her most recent post and noticed that her fans were still standing up for her. The number of her followers hadn’t dropped significantly, proving that many still believed in her.

However, she could see that some were beginning to waver. Her continued silence in response to the accusations made them question if the claims held any truth, assuming that her lack of rebuttal meant she had nothing to defend herself with.

Reading all this, Hera smirked. She hadn’t remained silent because she lacked a way to counter the accusations—she had simply given Alice and Emily enough rope to hang themselves. Now that they had taken center stage, her counterattack would hit them where it hurt the most.

It was clear they still didn’t understand how she operated. In past incidents, like the ones involving Minerva and Alexi, she had shut down her opponents with undeniable evidence, piece by piece. But Alice and Emily believed they had covered their tracks well.

They had gone to great lengths to erase surveillance footage and even sent someone to delete the audition recordings, thinking that without concrete proof, Hera wouldn’t be able to fight back.

Unfortunately for them, they had underestimated her far too much.

After discussing contingency plans with Director Nick to ensure their filming wouldn’t be affected by the controversy, Betty and Nick decided on a straightforward approach—releasing the audition footage of both Hera and Alice.

Since both had performed Scene 26 for their auditions, the public could judge for themselves who delivered the better performance. The difference was obvious to anyone with eyes. Alice wasn’t bad, but Hera had clearly outperformed her.

However, just as they finalized this plan, they discovered that the audition footage had been deleted—along with several other scenes. Only a handful of unremarkable clips remained, likely to make it seem like a random mishap rather than a targeted cover-up. But did Alice and her people really think they could fool Director Nick and Betty?

They had been in the industry long enough to recognize sabotage when they saw it. Someone was deliberately trying to ruin Hera’s reputation, ensuring she couldn’t clear her name and forcing her out of the role. The situation became even more suspicious when the major investor suddenly requested a change in the female lead.

Director Nick immediately opposed the idea—not just because he believed Hera was the best fit for the role but also because the screenwriter refused to replace her. They were determined to find an alternative solution to fix the situation.

However, they all knew one crucial fact: Xavier was backing Hera. If they removed her from the cast, there was a strong chance that Xavier would walk away in retaliation. And if that happened, they would be left with their second-best option—Wesley. But could they really afford to take that risk?

After news leaked about Hera securing the female lead, it was soon followed by the revelation that Xavier was the male lead. This sparked excitement among Xavier’s fans, who were already anticipating their on-screen pairing. Their enthusiasm had significantly boosted the movie’s hype even before filming had begun.

If Xavier were to quit in response to Hera’s removal, it wouldn’t just be a casting issue—it could completely derail the film’s momentum. The disappointment from fans could tank the project, turning all the early excitement into backlash. Director Nick knew this was a risk he couldn’t afford to take.

Although Alice revealed that Hera had indeed secured the female lead role under the guise of “clearing” Hera’s name, she had, in doing so, violated her contract, which strictly prohibited revealing production details.

However, if the production team attempted to take legal action against Alice, she could easily twist the narrative with a lawyer’s help. She could argue that the situation warranted her actions and that she was merely trying to salvage Hera’s reputation for the sake of the production team.

In the eyes of the netizens who watched Alice’s video, the film crew would appear ungrateful if they took action against her. Instead of holding Alice accountable, the public might accuse them of being corrupt—bought off to protect Hera at all costs.

If they pursued legal action, they wouldn’t just be fighting Alice; they’d be battling public opinion, ultimately dragging both themselves and Hera further into controversy. It felt like a well-laid trap, and they had walked right into it.

Remembering all of this, Hera’s smirk only grew wider.

‘Did they really think I was that easy to bully?’ she mused to herself. Without hesitation, she began typing on her phone, attaching the videos and photos she had asked Sasha to gather. Once everything was in place, she posted it all on her social media, ready to turn the tide in her favor.

[Hera_A: Hello, everyone. I apologize for the delay in addressing this controversy. As many of you who have followed me from the beginning of my journey in the entertainment industry know, I don’t throw baseless accusations—I only speak the truth, backed by solid evidence. That’s why I took the time to gather everything before making my statement.

First and foremost, I never stole anyone’s role. The casting was done through an open audition, and I simply fit the image of the female lead. I was fortunate enough to showcase what I had learned, thanks to the guidance of my mentor, @TheDarkWitchOfTheScreen. I am truly grateful for your wisdom and support.

Now, regarding the claims that I act like a diva just because I have men supporting me—let’s get one thing straight. As I’ve mentioned in a past livestream, I am fully capable of supporting my men with my own money. Some of you might assume that my wealth comes from an “old sugar daddy,” but I’m sorry to disappoint you. If you’re so curious, you can easily look up my financial profile.

For those unaware, I invest in the stock market and use my earnings to fund small businesses, gaining shares in return. Over time, as these businesses grew, so did my wealth—allowing me to support myself and those I care about.

Some might question: If I had this kind of financial capability, why did I work multiple jobs when I was with Alexi? The answer is simple. At that time, while I had already made investments, my funds were locked and hadn’t yielded returns yet. I treated that money as a long-term gamble, something I might never see again. Meanwhile, I spent my available resources on gifts, an expensive apartment for the two of us, and other shared expenses. But who would have thought that, soon after, my investments would finally start paying off?

Stay tuned—there’s more to come.]