The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 819

Chapter 819: Chapter 819 Athena’s Theory
Hera, playing the role of the peacemaker, gently held Minerva in place and patted her head soothingly. “There, there. No need to get angry. Let’s tend to your wounds first—we’re blocking the aisle, and other passengers might want to get through.”

Her tone was calm, almost considerate, as if she were giving Alice a graceful way out of the situation. But Alice understood the real message beneath Hera’s words perfectly. Her fists clenched at her sides, her teeth gritting in silent fury. She couldn’t say anything now—not without risking further backlash. If she tried to stop Hera and Minerva from leaving, she might actually get kicked off the aircraft for causing a scene.

The flight attendant guiding Hera and the others was already growing visibly impatient, her expression laced with contempt toward Alice. After all, Alice hadn’t just hurt Minerva—she had also struck Hera. And all of it, supposedly over a seat. Then she’d had the nerve to spin the story and try to frame Hera as the instigator. That kind of behavior went beyond petty—it was cruel.

Whispers had already begun to ripple through the cabin. The other passengers looked at Alice differently now, their eyes filled with judgment. In their minds, she was no longer the refined woman she tried to present—just a bitter, vain troublemaker.

After that, no one dared to trouble Hera or her friends again. Soon, her four bodyguards were escorted by a different flight attendant and took the seats where Hera and the others had previously been. In the end, not only did Alice fail to get what she wanted, but she also embarrassed herself in front of countless onlookers. She could only pray that no one had recorded the incident and posted it online—otherwise, a social death might be inevitable.

What Hera did earlier wasn’t just to defuse the situation—it was a clear provocation and a warning. If Alice dared to stir up trouble again, Hera wouldn’t hesitate to put her in her place—and might even set the perfect stage for her to perform her own downfall.

Alice was clearly fuming, though all she could do was curse Hera silently, over and over. Meanwhile, as Hera settled into her seat, Athena—who was seated in the pod just in front of her—turned around and gave her a playful wink. “Nice play,” she said with a grin.

Athena had seen right through Hera’s move and was genuinely impressed. Watching Alice get put in her place and witnessing the second female lead shift sides so effortlessly made it even sweeter. In Athena’s eyes, Hera’s act of saving Minerva hadn’t been in vain at all—in fact, it now seemed like a blessing in disguise.

The way Minerva was acting made it clear that not only had her allegiance shifted, but it seemed like more and more of the female lead’s halo was subtly transferring to Hera. And as for Alice? She was starting to resemble a villainess more with each passing moment.

It wasn’t just Hera who noticed this shift—Athena did too, and she couldn’t be happier about it. After all, since her transmigration into this world, Athena had come to see Alice for what she truly was, and it certainly wasn’t the picture-perfect female lead.

But then, Athena began to entertain another theory—a theory based on the countless novels she’d read.

What if Alice wasn’t the true female lead?

What if it was Hera all along?

Athena couldn’t help but think that Hera’s physical attributes alone far surpassed Alice’s, practically screaming “protagonist.” Add to that her remarkable background and abilities, and it became clear to Athena: Hera was the best option to be the heroine of this story. That is, if she’s going to based it in all the novels she’s read so far.

As for Alice? She was beginning to look more and more like a mere shadow in comparison.

Aside from playing the role of a white lotus flower and a green tea bitch, Alice didn’t seem to hold a candle to Hera in any way. Sure, Hera had been naive in the past, but wasn’t that the typical mold for a female lead?

They were supposed to be foolish and vulnerable at first, stumbling through life, only to eventually realize they were wasting their time on the wrong people. It was through this process that they found their true path and rose to their rightful place.

Hera embodied that perfectly. But Alice? There was nothing about her that screamed “female lead.” Perhaps she could be praised for her time management skills, or for relying on the male leads to rise to fame—but even that felt like she was merely riding on the coattails of others. Hera, on the other hand, had true personal strength.

Besides, Alice was reincarnated. In her first life, she met a tragic end, sure, but even then, she had no romantic connection with Rafael or Xavier. When she returned to life, she began to flourish by using her knowledge of the future to her advantage.

Sure, there are female leads in other novels who tragically die without achieving much, only to be reincarnated and given a second chance. Alice might fit into that category, but the question remains—aside from targeting Hera and manipulating Minerva, what has Alice actually accomplished?

But what about Hera in Alice’s previous life? Did she still die? Probably not. Without Alice’s interference, Hera might have been caught up with Alexi, with Minerva playing the role of the mistress.

But what if no one had been manipulating Minerva from the shadows, like Alice did? Would Hera still have met her demise? Or would Alexi have been married off to the Avery family, living a life of luxury, while his vampire like family rose to power, becoming a wealthy and influential family?

Moreover, as Athena could clearly see now, Alexi didn’t just seem indifferent toward Hera—he was obsessed with her. Perhaps, without Alice’s interference, Alexi would still have chosen Hera, driven by that obsession.

Why wouldn’t he?

Hera was breathtakingly beautiful, immensely wealthy, and with her, he’d never need to work a day in his life while living in luxury. But more than that, Hera was obedient, virtuous, and tolerant—a model wife in every sense.

That is, of course, unless Athena had stepped in to help Hera discover her true self. With Athena’s guidance, Hera was able to break free from the emotional and mental manipulation of Alexi and his family, allowing her to stand confidently and unapologetically in her own beauty and power.

But even with Alexi’s being Hera’s setbacks, once Hera had found her inner strength, Athena was certain that she wouldn’t let him walk all over her. Hera wasn’t the kind of person to passively endure, especially not once she embraced her true self.

After all, Hera was a lioness at her core. While she may have been naive in her youth, that couldn’t be said anymore in the future. Her experiences in the outside world and her growing involvement in managing her family’s business would surely transform her. And soon, she would no longer be the same naive girl—she will be a woman with a fierce will to protect herself and those she cared about.

But was Athena the only one to consider this possibility?

Of course not.

Hera, being the overthinker she is, had thought of it too. She often found herself lost in countless “what ifs” and possibilities. The thought had crossed her mind more than once, but without any way to confirm it—especially now that she learned Athena had read the novel on a pirated site and missed some crucial details.

But if it was true that Alice was the cause of all her suffering, then Hera wouldn’t show any mercy, not even if Alice was the world’s favored child. After all, Hera had five other “sons of fate” by her side—the male leads.

Now, what Hera needed to do was slowly but surely change her fate. Although Alexi showed signs of trying to change, he no longer had a place in the future she envisioned for herself. She had given him a chance—far too many, in fact—but he continued to disappoint her.

So she couldn’t be called cold-blooded for choosing to leave him behind and embark on her own journey. After all, Alexi was an adult too; he should have known that every action comes with consequences.

Not long after, the plane they were on took off. Once they reached cruising altitude above the clouds, the flight attendants began serving meals to the passengers. Hera received a beautifully plated set of pan-fried salmon and scallops, accompanied by wine, salad, bread and butter, and a slice of strawberry shortcake. It was a delightful meal, and she thoroughly enjoyed it.

Afterward, as drowsiness began to set in, a flight attendant came by to check on her. Fortunately, each first-class passenger had already been provided with a blanket, so Hera didn’t need to ask for anything. She simply put on her eye mask and fell into a peaceful sleep—until Athena gently woke her again when the next meal arrived.

This rhythm continued throughout the flight. The attendants gave Hera and her friends special attention, ensuring they were always comfortable. In fact, the level of care was so thoughtful that it almost felt like they were flying on a private jet.