The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 776

Chapter 776: Chapter 776 Why She Needed To Leave
Hera didn’t say another word—she simply nodded, her head bobbing quickly, eyes brimming with tears.

Liz sighed, the sound heavy with resignation. “Then go…”

Her voice was soft, but there was a clear note of disappointment. Liz looked down, defeated. She had pinned so many hopes on this competition—on Hera. Her own future and interests were tied up in this too, so she couldn’t pretend it didn’t affect her.

But looking at Hera now, panicked and desperate, Liz knew she couldn’t hold her back. As a friend, she had to let her go.

Still, the weight of it stung. She had believed in Hera, worked alongside her, planned everything down to the smallest detail. Now, with Hera leaving, all of it hung in uncertainty.

And Hera knew it too. Seeing Liz like this made her heart twist. She was dragging Liz into this mess, leaving her to deal with the consequences alone. Everything they had prepared could fall apart without her—and if it did, all their effort might go to waste.

Hera’s participation in the competition wasn’t just about showcasing her talent—it was deeply tied to both her and Liz’s future in the jewelry design industry.

Their plan was to use this opportunity as a springboard: Hera could either launch her own workshop or partner with Liz in a collaborative venture, expanding the reach of Liz’s family business while establishing her own name in the field. It was meant to be a win-win.

With Liz’s support, Hera would gain a stable foundation in the industry, while Hera’s growing fame would bring visibility and prestige to their brand. But beyond career aspirations, this competition also held greater significance for Hera.

If she could prove her capabilities, she’d solidify her standing—not just as a designer, but as the rightful heir to the Avery consortium. In doing so, she could silence those who might question her worth and deter the vultures and wolves circling her family’s legacy.

By establishing her strength now, she wouldn’t just protect her future—she could also buy precious time and safeguard her grandfather from the power struggles looming on the horizon.

So it wasn’t just Liz’s interests at stake—Hera’s own future plans were on the line too. Walking away now meant throwing a golden opportunity out the window. It would derail everything they had worked for and force her to wait for another chance to try again. But could Hera really afford to wait?

No. She had barely bought herself time when she derailed Alice’s rise in the entertainment industry. And now, Alice was already clawing her way back, searching for another route to reclaim the spotlight.

If she succeeded, the female lead fate that Hera had painstakingly snatched away could just as easily be taken back—and Hera would find herself back at square one.

But at that moment, none of that mattered. Hera’s thoughts were in chaos, her mind consumed by the words of the person on the other end of that phone call. The urgency in their voice echoed in her head, drowning out everything else.

What had shaken her so deeply? And who was on the other end of that call?

It was Terry.

Right now, Terry, along with the bodyguard and the doctor, was trapped—severely wounded and completely surrounded. Explosives rained down around them, shaking the ground and tearing through the remnants of their defenses. They were cornered with nowhere left to run. Most of their team was already dead, and the backup they had desperately counted on… never arrived.

If this continued, they wouldn’t make it out alive.

With no other options left, Terry made the call—not to beg for help, but to deliver a message. If they didn’t survive, someone had to tell Hera what Leo would’ve wanted her to know.

So Terry called her. Not as a soldier, not as a strategist. But as a final lifeline. A last act of loyalty—for Leo.

“Young Madam…” Terry’s voice crackled through the line, hoarse and barely audible. “I’m sorry… I wasn’t able to protect Sir Leo properly. We’ve reached the end of the line. Sir Leo was caught in an explosion—he’s been in a coma since… and now, we’re completely surrounded. This might be the last time we can reach out to you.”

There was a pause, a shaky breath, and then Terry added, voice breaking, “But even before he lost consciousness, all he could think about… was you. Please… live well, and take care of yourself.”

Terry choked back a sob. His voice trembled with pain, weighed down by exhaustion and grief. Hera froze. It felt like a cold, static hum went off in her head, like the world itself had flatlined. And then—an echoing explosion rumbled through the phone… before the line went dead.

Her chest tightened. It felt as though her entire soul had been plunged into ice water. Her limbs went numb, and her heart… shattered in that instant.

She loved Leo.

God, she loved him.

And now—she might lose him.

She couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t. Without another thought, Hera turned on her heel, her only instinct screaming at her to go—to find him, to save him—no matter the cost.

Even without knowing the full situation, Hera didn’t need details—Leo’s enemies were her enemies. Her blood was already boiling, and she was ready for a fight, ready to tear through anything standing between her and Leo.

Fear clutched her chest like a vice, her mind playing torturous images of what might’ve happened to him during the explosion. All she knew was that she had to be there.

But just as she was about to move, Liz grabbed her again—her face pale, eyes on the verge of tears. That sight alone made Hera stop.

Liz looked like she was barely holding it together.

And suddenly, Hera took a deep breath. A small thread of clarity slipped through the storm raging inside her. ‘Right… panicking won’t help. I need to think clearly.’

‘If I lose my head now, I’ll lose everything I’ve built.’

She forced herself to steady her breathing as thoughts raced through her mind.

‘I can’t abandon the competition—not like this. All my hard work, all the opportunities this could open up… if I walk away, Alice will win the IGI Expressions Competition uncontested due to the storyline supporting her and the female lead halo she currently has.

That victory alone would give her the leverage to return to the entertainment industry, reinvented, just as she was meant to in the original novel. If that happens… she’ll gain momentum. She’ll rise. And everything I’ve done to stop her—to protect the people I love—will unravel.’

‘If Alice fully reclaims her female lead halo, I’ll be back to square one. Worse—everyone I care about will be in danger. I can’t let that happen.’

‘There has to be another way.’

Still trembling but thinking fast, Hera locked eyes with Liz—then quickly pulled out her phone and sent a message to Gerald and Cindy.

[Hera: Gerald, I need your help locating Leo Hendrix—ASAP. This is urgent. Please update me the moment you find something.]

[Gerald: Understood, Young Miss. I’ll coordinate with Sasha right away. We’ll handle it.]

[Hera: Cindy, prepare a team of well-trained combatants and arrange for military choppers. I need to leave immediately.]

[Cindy: How many operatives do you need, Young Miss?]

[Hera: As many as you can spare.]

[Cindy: A hundred it is. Your request is in motion.]

[Cindy: Please proceed to this location (location_attached). The military choppers and combat units will be waiting for you there. I’ll make sure they’re properly equipped before deployment. Have a safe trip, Young Miss.]