Seeing the reaction he had anticipated, Leo broke into a bright smile and tapped the tip of Hera’s nose. "Not that, silly..." he said, understanding what Hera was thinking. This only made Hera’s face redden even more. His statent, "Not that," implied that he might have said sothing indecent at the ti due to the effects of the drug, or perhaps even done more than just kiss Hera. This realization dawned on both Zhane and Dave, causing a shift in their composed facades.
They understood that Hera would want to keep everything that happened private between herself and the individual involved. However, hearing little bits and pieces to it while Leo was acting so lovey-dovey with Hera made both Dave and Zhane angry and flustered. They felt left in the dark, unaware of the full extent of the events beyond what they had been told, and the uncertainty only fueled their frustration.
Leo’s playful tone belied his earlier hesitations, as he quipped, "Rember when I said about paying you back with my body?" It was as if his prior apprehensions and nervousness belonged to a distant past, and he was now back to teasing Hera because, at this point, he knew and could feel that as much as he was attracted to Hera, he knew and could feel that Hera has also so kind of attraction to him.
By now, Leo had succeeded in his mission to assert himself to Dave and Zhane, ensuring that Hera’s attention remained firmly on him. Despite his triumph, Leo was mindful of maintaining harmony and not coming across as petty. However, he refused to tolerate being overlooked or disrespected while others harbored desires for his wife, he wasn’t going to allow anyone to treat him like a doormat or that he did not exist while coveting his wife. Inwardly triumphant, Leo couldn’t help but revel in the mont as Hera struggled to respond, her face flushed with embarrassnt. ’Hmp! Serves you right? Die from jealousy and envy male vixen’ he thought smugly, relishing his victory.
"I... that..." As Leo engaged in a silent standoff with Dave and Zhane, Hera struggled to find her voice. His earlier words echoed in her mind, leaving her feeling flushed and guilty as if she had committed so sort of betrayal or cheated against them. Unable to et the gazes of Dave or Zhane, she stumbled over her words, her face burning with embarrassnt.
"Dear, care to explain?" Dave stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Hera, tinged with a hint of inquiry but overshadowed by hostility towards Leo. It was as if his once favorable impression of Leo had evaporated, and he positioned himself behind Zhane, acknowledging him as a fellow rival for Hera’s affection. Rather than engaging in direct competition with each other, Dave and Zhane opted to join forces montarily to address Leo’s intrusion. They both sensed Leo’s looming presence as a formidable contender for Hera’s affections. Zhane mirrored Dave’s thoughts, although he remained passive, his intense gaze revealing his alignnt with Dave’s stance.
"What’s there to explain? You both know that Hera and I are both victims in this ss." Leo paused, casting an indifferent glance between Dave and Zhane, his gaze chilling enough to evoke the sensation of being stalked by a predator. However, Dave and Zhane remained unfazed. Leo shifted his focus to Hera, his gaze softening into one of gentle affection before he continued, "Regardless of the circumstances, I intend to take responsibility for what transpired. If Hera will grant the opportunity to demonstrate my worth, I vow to ensure her future is filled with happiness and security."
The words sounded like a confession, causing Hera’s heart to leap with a mix of joy and nervous anticipation. Yet, underlying the surge of emotions was a trace of bitterness. It seed as though Leo’s acceptance of responsibility was solely prompted by the situation, leaving Hera with a pang of guilt, as if she were a burden that dragged him into this ss. Her suspicions about the incident being connected to a larger plot of the storyline only intensified this feeling, casting a shadow over the mont.
And one thing that worries her is that, Dave and Zhane are still in the room and are witnessing what is happening, she knows of their hostility toward Leo, and at the sa ti, she is afraid that this would affect her mission if the male leads back away once she accepted Leo. She knew that there was no such thing as happiness in both worlds and she knew that having to steal five n was bad enough and adding one was too much and she don’t have the heart to drag Leo in her ss and make his life miserable with her, she felt that Leo deserve so much better than sharing a woman with many others.
Unlike the male leads destined to share one woman, Leo wasn’t bound by such a fate. Hera couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt for disrupting Leo’s life, even though she believed Alice and Minerva deserved the suffering Hera had in store for them if they continued to make things hard for Hera and her people. After all, the male leads would still fulfill their destinies, albeit with different won. As for Leo, he wasn’t constrained by the confines of the novel’s plot, offering him a wide array of possibilities in life.
She contemplated rejecting Leo, not solely due to the presence of the two male leads, but because she realized she couldn’t provide him with the happiness he truly deserved. Currently, she saw only two paths forward: defying her predetermined fate by leveraging her family’s influence or seizing Alice’s luck in an attempt to alter their destinies. She understood that the latter option seed harder, as it involved competing with the original female lead for her position. However, Hera anticipated a fierce battle with Alice, who wouldn’t yield easily and would likely rally support from the world’s consciousness, making the challenge even more daunting.
Unlike Hera, who lacked such advantages, she couldn’t guarantee her safety if she chose the first option. She faced uncertainty about whether she would still et her demise alongside her people. Thus, she resolved to grit her teeth and engage in a tug-of-war with Alice instead, acknowledging the risks but determined to forge her own path.
If Leo ends up with her, even with the potential acceptance of the male leads, she fears he would beco just another victim caught in the ongoing struggle. Hera envisions Leo bearing the brunt of the relentless conflict, a situation that could even endanger his life. She can’t shake the concern that his involvent would only add to the mounting casualties of their tumultuous circumstances.
Unlike the male leads, who benefit from the protective aura of their respective male lead halos, Leo lacks such safeguarding. As an unfamiliar figure in the novel, he possesses the freedom to carve his own path. While he could potentially seize the destiny of one of the male leads, Hera believes such a drastic asure isn’t essential for him. Leo has the opportunity to shape his destiny independently, unbound by the constraints of predetermined roles.
As if sensing her internal turmoil, Leo retreated a step. "Please, don’t fret. I won’t pressure you into anything you’re not comfortable with. Your decision will be respected," he assured, his gaze pleading. "But I do hope you’ll consider giving a fair chance. I’m prepared to vie for your affection alongside everyone else," he added, his eyes betraying a sense of vulnerability.
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