"Rafael, there’s no need. I already have a plan to handle Alexi. If you intervene now, it might just earn your sister’s resentnt and strain your sibling bond. Your parents could be forced to take sides, escalating into internal family conflict. Do you really want that?" Hera spoke gently yet with unwavering determination, hoping to dissuade Rafael from getting involved in the ssy situation.
Rafael clenched his fists, his brows furrowing deeply enough to squeeze a fly. Hera’s words struck a nerve—she had a point. Given Minerva’s temper and past actions, she would likely oppose him and could even turn their parents against him if he confronted Alexi.
And worse yet, he might be accused of being swayed by his feelings for a woman, going against his own family and blood just to fulfill her revenge. This could paint Hera as the villain, a scenario not entirely implausible given Minerva’s tendency to distort the truth to suit her own agenda—a thought that gnawed at Rafael.
Alternatively, Minerva could employ other tactics to pressure her family into backing down and giving her what she desires.
Minerva’s most potent weapon could be her own life; she might resort to suicide to manipulate him and their parents, much like she had done before. However, Rafael also feared for Hera’s well-being in all of this. He fell silent, lost in deep contemplation.
Hera looked at Dave, silently wanting him to release her hand, but he had already done so before she could ask. He gave her a reassuring nod, encouraging her to comfort Rafael. Taking a step toward Rafael, Hera gently placed her hand on his strong, muscular arm and stroked it soothingly.
"It’s okay," she began softly, "take your ti to help your sister out of this ss. Just like , she was also being manipulated. It might be difficult for her to accept that truth, given her arrogance and the pampering from her family. She’s drawn to what she couldn’t get, like Alexi." Hera sighed, frustration evident in her smile.
"Give her ti," Hera advised, her voice gentle yet firm. "Even after learning what Alexi has said, she might still believe he’ll co around if she tries harder. Your role now isn’t to oppose her wishes but to be patient, to show her that you and your parents will always support and protect her. Pushing her forcefully could drive her further away and..." Hera sighed heavily, the unspoken consequences hanging in the air, understood by Rafael without needing further explanation.
Truth be told, Hera didn’t actually need Rafael’s assistance, given that UE was fully backing her along with the formidable support of the Avery Consortium. What she truly required from Rafael was either to mitigate his sister’s animosity towards Hera or to help quell Minerva entirely. Rafael and his family represented the most potent arsenal against Minerva.
Hera deliberately chose her words with Rafael, aiming to convey her concern for him and his family dynamics. By emphasizing that she didn’t want to entangle him in the situation, she hoped to deepen Rafael’s sense of guilt and foster his gratitude towards her for being understanding and still choosing to prioritize him and his feelings.
Hera didn’t need to intervene directly with Minerva, as Rafael was determined to handle her himself, ensuring she wouldn’t pose a threat to Hera. His efforts also aid to improve his parents’ perception of Hera, solidifying her favorable impression within their family while painting Minerva in the worst possible way.
Hera knew that pitting Minerva against her family was a drastic move, but only they could contain her. The more her family sided with Hera, the more Minerva would feel wronged and direct her anger at Hera. When Minerva inevitably exploded, feeling abandoned by her family, Hera was prepared for her to act recklessly. It was a dangerous gamble, but Hera was determined to leave Minerva with no chance of a coback, ensuring that her unruliness would cut her off from her family completely.
Another possible outco could be Rafael distancing himself from his own family if they consistently sided with Minerva. In that scenario, Hera believed Rafael might not intervene to protect his family from trouble, especially if his friends were involved in seeking justice for Hera against Rafael’s family.
This is Hera’s inner villainess screaming and scheming, this outco would only happen if Minerva still pushed through with her wicked plans and tried to hurt Hera, but if in case she had a change of heart and finally ca to her senses and thought that ruining herself was not worth it for soone like Alexi, then, there might be a chance for Minerva to change and Hera wouldn’t need to resort to such degree to deal with her.
After all, Hera didn’t believe in second chances unless soone had truly hit rock bottom, climbed back up, and earnestly sought forgiveness. She believed in genuine remorse and transformation, not just superficial gestures to clear one’s conscience or manipulate others.
Hera believed in the "an eye for an eye" philosophy, taught by Athena, which ant she wouldn’t hesitate to showcase her happiness, knowing it might provoke those who despised her. Athena had taught her to be assertive and to be bitch when necessary, believing that only those who deserved it could witness Hera’s empathetic and kind-hearted side.
Now that she had set the stage for Rafael and he was clearly feeling guilty, more certain than ever that he had chosen the right woman, Hera knew Rafael would provide a satisfactory resolution to this issue. She was also confident he wouldn’t interfere when she sought retribution against Minerva in her own manner.
The other male leads also nodded in agreent. Whether they were affirming her words or her plan didn’t matter at the mont. Hera knew she needed to focus on one task at a ti to avoid feeling overwheld or overthinking everything.
After exchanging heartfelt words with everyone, Hera bid them farewell before heading into the company for her drama class. Each person departed thoughtfully to attend to their own tasks, ensuring Hera wouldn’t feel burdened or worried about them.
However, Rafael, troubled by his sister’s actions that seed to push Hera away, also recognized his own shortcomings—his arrogance and prideful deanor—that had previously caused tension with Hera. He was actively working on improving himself, determined not to give up. To redeem himself, Rafael not only sought to reflect on his past actions but also desired to assist Hera in guiding his sister. He agreed with Hera’s perspective that Minerva was likely being manipulated and deserved understanding as a victim in this situation.
But at the sa ti, he couldn’t help but appreciate Hera’s kindness and understanding, which didn’t stem from naivety but from a profound insight into human nature. She understood that openly punishing Minerva, as her brother, would make him appear biased against Hera and would suggest he lacked discernnt between right and wrong, possibly painting him as driven solely by infatuation.
In his understanding, Hera’s decision not to ask him to punish his sister and to remain on the sidelines was an attempt to preserve his family relationships. However, Rafael also perceived that Hera was drawing a clear boundary between them. If he couldn’t navigate beyond that line, he feared he would forever remain a stranger to her, unable to achieve the closeness Leo enjoyed with Hera.
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