After all, she couldn’t exactly tell Cherry she got hurt because of racing; it might scare the poor girl even more, especially when Cherry had just confessed how much she wanted to experience the thrill of racing herself.
"Soone tried to hurt her, but luckily, she was quick-witted enough to escape the danger. Still, she got injured in the process... but this is the best outco we could hope for," Rafael said, coughing lightly as he cleared his throat.
He couldn’t think of a better excuse at this point, so he settled for sothing vague, letting their imagination do the rest. That way, Cherry would feel sympathy for Hera and drop the subject altogether.
At the sa ti, it might serve as a quiet warning, a reminder for Cherry not to be too trusting, that not everyone around her had good intentions, and what happened to Hera could just as easily happen to her.
And sure enough, when Cherry heard it, she imdiately felt sorry for Hera. Instead of asking how it happened or who had tried to hurt her, she chose to drop the topic altogether, thinking it might only bring back painful mories and upset her.
Seeing Cherry’s genuine concern, Hera’s smile softened into sothing real. A girl like Cherry was rare among the social elite; compassion and kindness were uncommon traits in a world ruled by status and calculation. Hera couldn’t help but feel that helping the Sullivans cure Cherry had been one of her best decisions yet.
The fact that Cherry worried more about her emotional state than the incident itself was truly heartwarming.
Hera reached out and gently patted Cherry’s hand, her smile warm and reassuring. If she weren’t confined to her wheelchair, she would have sat beside Cherry on the bed and patted her head instead.
Seeing Hera’s radiant smile, Cherry suddenly felt a little nervous and shy — almost like a girl in love. Watching the two of them get along so well, Cherry’s brothers couldn’t help but smile too. Still, their gazes lingered on Hera, rembering her recent accident that Rafael ntioned.
Since she was close to Zhane and Zhane had helped them during their family’s difficult ti, it only felt natural for them to want to return the favor, to stand by her and, if possible, help her find justice against whoever had hurt her.
Part of their concern stemd from genuine gratitude, though they couldn’t deny that their growing interest in Hera also played a role.
After what happened with Sophia, they had learned to be cautious of anyone who tried to approach their sister. But seeing Hera surrounded by trustworthy people like Zhane, and sensing no malice or ulterior motives from her, they gradually relaxed. For once, they felt there was no need to be on guard.
Little did they know, their simple decision to stand up for Hera, partly to cheer up Cherry, would place them in the Avery family’s good graces. That single choice would open countless doors for them in the future, securing business partnerships that would propel their family to beco one of the most promising forces in the industry.
In ti, they might even rival so of the great founding families, including that of the male leads, all because they chose to side with Hera.
If the Avery family had been left to face their enemies alone, Hera might have been overwheld. Her story could have ended the sa tragic way it did in the original novel, even without the male lead’s family leading the assault against them.
But now, with her newly awakened "female lead halo," the steadfast support of the male leads, and the growing backing of other influential families, Hera was surrounded by layers of protection.
As long as nothing unforeseen occurred, she would finally be able to escape the tragedy that once defined her family’s fate.
And so, the two girls continued chatting about social dia, their views, what they liked to share, and how they presented themselves online. Their conversation flowed so naturally that Rafael, who had been worried earlier, finally relaxed.
He let them talk while he checked his phone to review so work matters and catch up on Logan’s case, as well as Lucas’s situation.
From what he saw, Lucas was scrambling desperately for support, like a dog chasing any possible backing he could find. His panic only grew when he learned that his own company, Star Ocean Entertainnt, which was under Rafael’s managent, had already cut ties with him and refused to offer help.
To make matters worse, following the plagiarism incident, Logan’s company, with the legal backing of Larry Wickman, had officially filed a lawsuit against him. Thanks to Larry’s influence, the process was expedited without a single obstacle.
And because Hera had reminded Universal Entertainnt’s Music Director to preserve the necessary materials, they now had more than enough evidence, docunts, witnesses, and even patent proof to secure Logan’s case completely.
At this point, everyone knew the outco was already decided. Lucas’s efforts were nothing more than futile resistance, but he simply refused to admit defeat.
Unfortunately for Lucas, the mont other lawyers learned that Larry Wickman was handling Logan’s case, none of them dared to take his side. Everyone knew it would be a one-sided battle.
And with Logan having already proven beyond doubt, through complete docuntation, that the music was entirely his own work, no sane lawyer would risk their reputation by defending Lucas. Even the best of the best, those capable of matching Larry in skill, refused to get involved.
Lucas’s sudden fall from grace after once soaring so high even stirred sympathy from Logan’s own parents. They couldn’t help but feel sorry for him, an orphan who now faced the possibility of imprisonnt and the ruin of his future.
They pitied him deeply, thinking only of what would beco of Lucas, yet never once did they stop to consider Logan’s future, what might have happened if Lucas had succeeded in his sar campaign against Logan.
In the original novel, Lucas did succeed in destroying Logan, and what beca of Logan afterward was left a mystery. But given the scale of the scandal, it wasn’t hard to imagine the worst, that Logan t a miserable end, perhaps dying quietly in obscurity, abandoned, starved, or driven to despair by Lucas’s fanatics and the crushing weight of false accusations which might have led to suicide.
What was happening to Lucas now was nothing less than what he deserved. Rafael even found himself snickering as he scrolled through social dia, seeing countless photos of Lucas circulating online, pictures taken by passersby who spotted him wandering all over the city, desperately seeking help, only to be rejected at every turn.
One photo in particular stood out: Lucas was seen squatting outside Larry Wickman’s office, the headquarters of the Avery Legal Team, apparently begging for assistance. He had naively assud Larry’s involvent in Logan’s case was so kind of charity work and thought he might receive help from the sa firm.
What he didn’t realize was that Universal Entertainnt, the company backing Logan, was actually under the Avery Consortium’s umbrella. And since it was an Avery matter, Larry was naturally doing everything in his power to protect Logan’s interests, ensuring nothing could tarnish the Avery na.
Unfortunately for him, even after waiting three long hours under the blazing sun like an abandoned puppy, no one felt the slightest bit of pity. Instead, he only drew more contempt and disdain for shalessly trying to run from the ss he had created.
To make matters worse, Rafael decided to use the opportunity both to punish Lucas and to make an example of him for the rest of his artists. Not only did he terminate Lucas’s contract, but he also made sure Lucas returned every penny he had earned through Star Ocean Entertainnt, money he had taken advantage of while basking in the company’s popularity for his own gain.
Rafael didn’t stop there; he ensured Lucas paid back more than what he had taken, figuratively kicking him while he was already down.
It was a silent yet powerful statent: no matter who they were, anyone under his managent who jeopardized the company’s reputation would be cast out without rcy. Many capitalists acted this way, but for Rafael, it wasn’t just business; it was also personal.
Lucas had dragged his sister into the ss and, in doing so, had indirectly acted against Rafael and even brought Hera into the ss as well. That alone was enough for Rafael’s resentnt toward him to run even deeper.
As soone as money-driven as Rafael, he wasn’t the type to let things slide easily. Although he managed to handle the PR crisis swiftly and prevented Lucas’s scandal from dragging his company down with him, the incident still left a stain.
So, Rafael made sure to hit back where it hurt — he filed a lawsuit against Lucas for breach of contract.
According to the terms, any artist who willfully tarnishes the company’s reputation would be required to pay ten tis the value stated in their contract.
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