The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 83

Chapter 83: Chapter 83 You Cook
“Rafael, what has gotten you so worked up while staring at your phone?” A man stood up from his seat on the couch and made his way over to Rafael’s table, eager to catch a glimpse of his phone screen.

But Rafael was engrossed in watching the screen intently, which displayed how at ease Xavier appeared while sitting beside Hera. Even the man standing behind Rafael found Xavier’s comfort somewhat confusing.

As far as he recalled, Xavier harbored the most aversion to being near the opposite sex. He distinctly remembered Xavier’s vehement dislike, to the extent that he would even go as far as bringing his bodyguards along to prevent any woman from slipping through the cracks and getting too close to him.

Intrigued, he leaned in closer to the screen, only to have his view obstructed by Rafael’s large hand. Startled, he turned to his side, meeting Rafael’s glaring gaze.

The intensity of Rafael’s displeasure was unmistakable, though he couldn’t discern its exact cause.

With an air of nonchalance, he strolled back to his previous spot on the couch and retrieved his phone from his pocket. He quickly searched for Xavier’s Variety Show, intending to watch it from there.

Unbeknownst to him, Rafael continued to stare at him, already considering the possibility of kicking him out of his office. This particular friend of his had a habit of goofing around in Rafael’s office whenever he had free time. The reason? He couldn’t stand being at home, fearing that his mother would incessantly pester him to meet yet another blind date candidate she had personally arranged.

While he empathized with his friend’s dilemma, irritation crept over him. The revelation that Hera was joining a Variety Show, signaling her entrance into the entertainment industry, only added to his frustration. What aggravated him even more was that she hadn’t approached him to be part of his company. He felt a mixture of emotions swirling within him, leaving his mood distinctly sour.

The appearance of multiple VIPs who sent generous gifts made the Director happier than ever in his entire career. He promptly instructed the cameraman tasked with filming Hera to ensure she remained in focus at all times. Moreover, he cleverly utilized Hera as a clickbait feature on the official page of the Variety Show before sharing it across various social media platforms. Not forgetting to include the clip showcasing the lavish gifts sent to Hera’s livestream, he anticipated another surge of curious viewers flocking to watch.

On the flip side, Hera swiftly overcame her initial shock regarding Xavier and swiftly moved on, relegating it to the recesses of her mind. She reasoned that there must have been a misunderstanding with the information provided by Athena and decided to let it go, particularly since Xavier showed no signs of disdain towards her.

After packing up the remaining fresh fish and foraged goods, Hera and the others descended the mountain. Meanwhile, Bry had only managed to finish one whole fish and asked Hera if he could take the remaining one home, a request she gladly granted.

Hera and the others had only been away from the village for two hours, yet it was sufficient time for all the other participants to arrive. Their descent coincided with the arrival of the others at the cabin, where they caught sight of the items Hera had brought down from the mountain.

Naturally, each participant received their own reward based on their time of arrival. While some were fortunate to receive substantial rewards, others were left wondering how they would manage to make do with their meager provisions, like plain bread, and survive until the following day.

Those who received less favorable “rewards” eyed Hera’s supplies like hungry wolves, yet they refrained from baring their fangs in broad daylight. Instead, they quietly schemed, devising plans to acquire her provisions by any means necessary.

“Hi!!! You must be one of the few who arrived first?” A beautiful melodic voice of a woman echoed as a beautiful woman with flaming red hair cascading around her waist ran to Hera with excitement, her aquamarine eyes glistened with purity and enthusiasm.

She was a true beauty who would stand out in all sorts of ways. Her melodious chuckle rings like a bell in the summer wind, relaxing and beautiful. “My name is Alice, Alice Quinn. Nice meeting you!!!”

Hera’s body tensed, and she felt a jolt of shock race through her. It was as if she had been struck by lightning. She hadn’t noticed Alice earlier amidst the crowd of guests, and her petite stature of only 160 cm made it easy for her to be overlooked among taller individuals.

Alice did not wait for Hera to reply and she craned her neck to Hera’s side and saw Xavier walking closer to them. Alice jumped to the side, in front of Xavier, and also introduced herself to him with much enthusiasm.

Xavier’s movements halted abruptly, his muscles tensing as Alice suddenly appeared in his line of sight. His brows furrowed visibly, a sign of his surprise. Alice, noticing his reaction, instinctively took a step back. “I’m sorry, did I startle you?” she inquired gently.

Xavier sidestepped Alice and ignored her, proceeding straight into the cabin without a backward glance. It came as no surprise to everyone witnessing the scene; Xavier was known for his dislike when someone took up his personal space, and Alice had done just that.

Alice sensed the shift in the atmosphere and glanced around with her large, round eyes, on the brink of tears. Despite her evident distress, she seemed to be struggling to hold them back, refusing to let them spill from her eyes.

Another male guest couldn’t help but offer some kind words to Alice, advising her not to repeat her actions as Xavier would only grow to dislike her more if she did. Taking in everyone’s explanations, Alice wiped her eyes and offered a grateful smile to everyone for imparting such valuable information.

She approached Hera, who had regained her composure, with an apologetic tone. “I’m sorry if I startled you. This is my first show after being signed. I hope I’m not being rude?” She cast Hera a slightly pitiful glance as if expecting to be scolded.

“No, it’s not a problem. Don’t think too much about it…” Hera gave a reassuring smile and continued. “I’m Hera Ainsley. Nice meeting you too.” Her smile and beauty did not lose out from Alice, in fact, despite her simple getup compared to Alice’s feminine dress. Hera still outshone Alice by a few notches.

Naturally, there was no reason for anyone to openly compare Hera and Alice. Both women appeared friendly, endearing themselves to everyone around them.

Before bidding farewell to the older guide and Bry, Hera made sure to express her gratitude by offering them some of her foraged items. Bry, in turn, promised to return in an hour to show her around the village, a gesture to which Hera readily agreed.

Returning to her room to stow away her belongings, Hera noticed that she still had the remaining four fish wrapped in leaves. Deciding to find Xavier, she stepped back out into the corridor. To her surprise, she spotted Xavier just emerging from his room, conveniently located across from hers.

Hera and Xavier locked eyes for a moment before Hera broke the silence. “Mr. Montague, you still haven’t taken the other fish from me. I believe you’ve forgotten.”

Xavier wordlessly retreated into his room, leaving the door ajar. A short while later, he returned with a basket, handing it to Hera without a word.

“What’s this?” Hera peered inside and spotted the vegetables he had received as a reward.

“Let’s team up. You cook,” Xavier suggested.

Hera was taken aback. ‘Is this what they mean by winning a man over with cooking?’ she mused, feeling incredulous.