Hera heard the director let out the breath he had been holding as he sighed. "Alright, you can co and check the set once you’re feeling better. For now, we’ll continue with preparations and script reading."
"Once everything is arranged, we can start filming. If by then you’re still not fully healed, I’ll shoot the minor characters’ scenes first, along with Xavier’s. But don’t worry, I’m still waiting on road clearance and approvals from other venues, since we’ll need to film on major streets and highways. That’s why the preparations are taking longer than expected," the director reassured her.
"Okay, I trust your judgnt. Continue with whatever you think is best, and don’t worry about the money. If my initial investnt isn’t enough, just call , and I’ll inject more funds," Hera said nonchalantly.
The mont the director heard this, it felt as if his heart had stopped. He hadn’t realized that the investnt he had received was rely an initial sum, which ant Hera had even more money to spare.
His earlier worries about her finances suddenly seed foolish. At the sa ti, he found her utterly mysterious; soone who could casually provide such vast sums without concern for profit made him wonder about her true background.
Before he could even stamr out another word, Hera had already hung up the phone, excusing herself. The director didn’t just hear her words, as he was so lost in his own racing thoughts.
Since Rafael and Zhane were standing so close to Hera, they didn’t need to ask what the call was about; they could already tell. Although the movie Hera and Xavier were set to star in had its issues, those problems weren’t public knowledge; only insiders paying close attention, like Rafael, knew about them.
Seeing the director’s caller ID and hearing Hera ntion not to worry about the money, they realized she had personally invested in the film. That wasn’t surprising, given her imnse wealth.
But when they noticed Hera frown slightly, they sensed sothing was wrong. They couldn’t ask about it in front of Alice or anyone else, knowing that Alice had now beco Hera’s enemy. While Alice acted amicably toward Hera, Rafael and Zhane weren’t naive enough to believe her intentions were pure.
The two didn’t want Alice to know anything about Hera’s abilities or plans, as it could put Hera at a disadvantage later.
Now that Hera was aware Alice had returned to the cast and even secured a backer, she began carefully considering her next move. She had assud her path would be smooth from here; her focus could be solely on rising to beco the heiress of her family’s consortium and earning the board of directors’ recognition of her capabilities.
But it seed that even the remaining fragnts of Alice’s female lead Halo could still empower her to this extent. This realization ant Hera had to fully strip Alice of her remaining influence, ensuring she could never claw her way back like a resilient cockroach. To achieve this, Hera would need to seal every path that could lead Alice back to stardom.
And now that Alice had managed to return to the cast of this highly anticipated movie, it also ant that their struggle over the female lead Halo would intensify once more. It seed as though the world’s consciousness was attempting to steer the storyline back toward its original course.
Hera knew she had to remain vigilant and guard herself carefully around Alice, for she could never predict what her rival might do next.
Hera took a shaky breath as her eyes flicked back to Alice, eting her searching gaze. The mont their eyes locked, sparks seed to fly, and the atmosphere grew heavy with unspoken tension.
Alice offered a subtle, provocative glance, and Hera imdiately sensed that her rival was plotting sothing. Alice’s confidence was unmistakable.
Alice, however, had no idea that stealing Hera’s n wouldn’t be the effortless task she imagined. For now, she basked in her own self-assurance, casting Rafael and Zhane a smile laced with both sweetness and seduction, innocent yet captivating.
She still believed in the power of the "innocent white lotus" act; after all, n adored vulnerability. By appearing delicate and defenseless, she could ignite their protective instincts and stroke their egos.
Alice was certain that Hera’s independent, capable persona wouldn’t be enough to keep them forever, so she planned to hasten the process, to seize what Hera held dear before Hera even realized it.
If only Hera knew what Alice was truly thinking, she might have laughed her ass off. And perhaps that very knowledge would help Hera calm down and carefully assess Alice’s real capabilities and thought process.
After all, even without the n around her, now that she had successfully claid most of Alice’s female lead Halo, she no longer needed to rely on the male leads’ halos for protection. Following her original plan, which was to steal Alice’s female lead Halo and stand on her own until she no longer needed to fear being targeted by the male leads, she could have discarded them then or even eliminated them, needing only Leo by her side.
But fate had other plans. Not only had the male leads fallen willingly under her influence, but they had also multiplied, growing from five to six, and possibly even seven, willingly becoming her lovers rather than obstacles.
But if, in the future, Alice actually managed to steal them away and bend them to her will, just like in the original novel, Hera would have no choice but to face them all at once. Yet that was easier said than done.
The re thought of it made Hera’s chest tighten, and she didn’t even want to dwell on it now, thinking about it would only break her own heart. Worrying about a possible future could cloud her judgnt in the present, strain her relationships with them, and turn her into a paranoid ss, fretting over events that might never even co to pass.
Since Alice was clearly trying to provoke her, Hera didn’t back down. Instead, she t Alice’s challenge with a taunting, haughty smile, as if Alice hadn’t managed to ruffle her feathers at all.
But then Hera noticed the man standing beside Alice. His arm tightened around Alice’s waist, a show of support, but the way he looked at Hera made her skin crawl, as if thousands of ants were crawling across it.
There was sothing predatory in his gaze; she couldn’t tell if he saw her as prey, or if it was lust, but either way, it was unsettling.
Even Rafael and Zhane sensed the danger. They imdiately stepped in front of Hera, their faces twisted in anger, shooting daggers at the man with their eyes. Only then did he notice them. Unfazed, he returned a smug grin, taunting them, as if to tell them that he didn’t think much of them and maybe it was his way to bruise their egos.
Fortunately, Rafael and Zhane didn’t hesitate. Their only thought was to protect Hera, especially now, when she was vulnerable and unable to defend herself. Seeing the sinister gaze from the man, they knew instinctively that he ant no good.
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