The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 829

Chapter 829: Chapter 829 Big Spender 2
Hera, calm and composed, simply nodded as her gaze shifted to the other bags still resting inside their velvet-lined boxes. The store manager, also gloved, assisted in laying them out on display, ready to share the details and prices if any of them caught the shoppers’ eyes.

Upon hearing the price, even Athena knew she couldn’t afford any of the bags. The cheapest one was still a jaw-dropping $649,000—made even more valuable by the fact that it featured a hand-painted design from a world-renowned artist, making it a rare collaboration between the brand and the painter.

Athena pouted slightly. “I really like the one with the painting, but it’s way out of my budget. Maybe I’ll just ask my uncle to get it for me,” she muttered under her breath.

But Hera heard her and let out a soft chuckle. “There’s no need to ask your uncle. I’ll get it for you,” she said casually, as if offering to buy her a snack rather than a luxury handbag worth hundreds of thousands.

Athena’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t meant for Hera to buy it—she was only thinking aloud. In fact, her parents, brother, and uncle had all given her generous pocket money for the trip to France, especially when they found out she’d be accompanying Hera. They had even encouraged her to treat Hera to something nice, having heard about Hera’s past generosity when it came to Athena.

“No, no, I can buy it myself, babe! I’m just being stingy,” Athena quickly said, holding her hands up in protest. “They already gave me enough pocket money to treat you, actually. You don’t have to buy it for me.”

Hera chuckled lightly. “It’s alright.”

Then, turning to Minerva and Liz, she asked with a warm smile, “What about you two? Do you like any of the bags? Feel free to pick whatever you like—consider it a friendship gift from me.”

Her offer was generous and sincere. Hera hadn’t forgotten the big favor Liz had done for her, and she still owed her a proper thank-you. As for Minerva, she was Rafael’s younger sister. Things had changed now—they were no longer rivals, and since Hera was with Rafael, treating Minerva kindly felt natural, even necessary.

But the moment they heard Hera’s offer, both Liz and Minerva instinctively took a step back. The bags were far too expensive—more than some of the sports cars parked in their garages. Accepting something so extravagant felt overwhelming.

Minerva’s heart pounded with hesitation. She didn’t want her brother to misunderstand—if Rafael found out, he might think she was using Hera for her money. Their relationship was just beginning to improve, and the last thing she wanted was for Hera to question her sincerity.

Minerva immediately shook her head, fast and frantic like a rattling drum. But Hera had already made up her mind. She’d noticed which bags Minerva and Liz’s eyes had lingered on the most, and with that, her decision was final.

Then Hera spoke—words that left the entire room stunned, including Alice and the countless viewers watching her livestream.

“Please include everything in my purchase and have it sent to my hotel room,” Hera said calmly, handing the tablet and her black card back to the sales associate.

For a moment, the associate stood frozen, her brain struggling to process what she’d just heard. Selling even one of those bags would’ve earned her a generous commission. But to hear that Hera was taking all of them?

Her heart skipped a beat, then nearly stopped from the shock. This was a windfall she never expected. A radiant smile lit up her face as she eagerly nodded, her head bobbing like a rattle, excitement practically radiating from her.

“Miss, you have an excellent eye. Please give me a moment to arrange everything,” the sales associate said with a bright smile. “I’ll also need your hotel information later so we can have everything delivered directly to you.”

Even the store manager was beaming. Though she hadn’t personally closed the sale, she would still receive a commission—and more importantly, their team had just hit their quarterly sales target. Thanks to Hera’s purchase, both their earnings and performance evaluations were about to get a significant boost.

“No! This can’t be happening! Hera—stop pretending! Stop acting like some rich heiress!” Alice suddenly burst out, her chest rising and falling with rage. Jealousy and frustration twisted inside her—none of this made sense.

If Hera were truly that wealthy, then why had she worked so many part-time jobs before? Why had she looked so exhausted and worn out, running around as a waitress, a delivery girl, and more—just to support her then-boyfriend?

To Alice, it didn’t add up. The only explanation she could accept was that Hera was using Rafael, Dave, Zhane, Xavier, Luke, or Leo’s money to fund this extravagant lifestyle. Either that, or she had a wealthy sugar daddy behind the scenes.

In either case, it screamed scandal—and Alice was eager to expose it.

“If you’re really that rich, Hera,” she snapped, voice sharp and accusatory, “then why did you have to work so many part-time jobs before? Why did you have to act like a struggling student? Does any of this even make sense?”

“What’s it to you?” Athena snapped, stepping in to defend Hera without hesitation. “It’s not like she’s spending your money, is she? Or wait—don’t tell me—you’re seething with jealousy because you can’t afford any of these things and Hera didn’t offer you one?”

She leaned forward slightly, her tone cutting. “But have you ever stopped to ask yourself why? Are you two even close? Of course not. You’ve done nothing but look for excuses to target her, time and time again. So why would she even consider buying you so much as a trinket?”

Athena’s words hit where it hurt. Everyone around could see it—Alice and Hera didn’t have a real connection. There was no bond, no friendship, no loyalty. And when Hera wasn’t even spending Alice’s money, her outburst looked nothing short of pathetic.

Then, as if snapping out of her frustration, Alice suddenly realized how she must have looked—like a crazed, jealous woman throwing a tantrum. She quickly tried to backpedal, forcing a look of innocence as she tried to justify herself.

“Athena, don’t misunderstand,” Alice said, her tone turning defensive as she clutched her chest like she was the one being wronged. “I just got anxious earlier. I mean… we’re in a luxury boutique, and if Hera couldn’t pay for all these purchases—which clearly amount to millions—wouldn’t that be embarrassing for all of us?”

She continued, eyes darting between the others and the staff, clearly trying to regain control of the narrative. “Hera’s in the spotlight now. If word of this reached people back home, it could damage her reputation. And besides, if her card had been declined, wouldn’t we all be flagged? Maybe even blacklisted? I was just trying to protect everyone from that kind of situation.”

While her words might have sounded reasonable on the surface, it was obvious to everyone that Alice’s explanation wasn’t truly meant for Athena, Liz, or Minerva—it was for her viewers and the store staff. And though the sales associate and store manager exchanged uncertain glances, they didn’t comment. But the tension in the air made it clear: Alice’s jealousy had already betrayed her far more than her words could fix.