Right now, not just her, but Athena, Minerva, and Liz were all daughters of affluent families. In their world, connections were power, and building a strong network could open countless doors.
Especially for Hera—she was currently aiming to win the IGI Expressions Competition so she could launch her own jewelry studio. And where better to establish a presence than Paris, the heart of art and fashion? People here adored jewelry. If she managed to build relationships with the Parisian elite, it could pave the way for her to expand internationally. A future studio branch in Paris, with a waiting list of high-end clientele, was an opportunity too tempting to ignore.
Once she succeeded in this endeavor, it could beco the launchpad for her career. She would finally have the credibility to open her own company back in her ho country. And when her grandfather officially introduced her as the heiress and successor of the Avery Consortium, people would see her not just as a privileged granddaughter, but as a capable leader in her own right—soone who couldn’t be manipulated or intimidated.
After all, corporate politics were anything but simple. And with a powerful, century-old company like the Avery Consortium, even if most of its people were trustworthy, there was no guarantee that a few bad apples weren’t lurking within—opportunists willing to sell out the company for personal gain.
In the original novel, the male lead wouldn’t have been able to bring down the Avery family unless there had been moles and traitors working from the inside.
That was why this mont was crucial. It was her chance to establish herself before stepping into the lion’s den. If she could prove her competence now, she’d enter the company with a solid reputation and the respect she needed—not as soone to be pushed around, but as soone who could hold her own.
More than that, Hera might be constantly compared to the stand-in heiress currently studying at Princeton. Their differences could easily be used to belittle Hera or downplay all her achievents. That ant Hera needed to make as big a splash as possible.
After all, the stand-in heiress wasn’t just any ordinary figure—she had already gained recognition and proven her competence. Since she had been in the public eye from a young age, the world was already familiar with her every move.
Hera, on the other hand, though she had notable accomplishnts, wasn’t widely known. Only a small circle recognized her talents and potential. To most, she was just a promising individual who might reach great heights in the future, but that wasn’t nearly enough.
The Avery Consortium was an international business empire, and Hera needed the world to know her na. The global stage wasn’t easy to step onto—it required ti, talent, potential, and a sharp mind.
anwhile, the stand-in heiress carefully built her reputation and let the world witness her growth over ti, slowly climbing the ladder and gaining international recognition. Compared to Hera, who seed to suddenly appear out of nowhere, people would naturally lean toward the stand-in heiress.
Despite Hera being the true heiress, many questions would remain unanswered, like why she had been hidden for so long and why the stand-in had been publicly acknowledged all along. Was it because Hera wasn’t competent enough or simply unrecognized? Regardless of the reason, public opinion would still tend to favor the stand-in heiress more.
And not only that, the directors and shareholders are ultimately people driven by profit. While many of them are longti family allies—or families who pledged their loyalty to the Averys long ago, like Gerald’s, Cindy’s, Vince’s, and Larry’s families, who have all worked diligently for the consortium—there are still minor shareholders who slipped in by exploiting certain opportunities.
Though these minority shareholders hold only small stakes, they can still be a force to reckon with. As the saying goes, even an army of ants can challenge an elephant through sheer numbers and cunning. Because of this, she must be thoroughly prepared for anything.
Tempted, Hera instinctively licked her lips as she thought before looking up at the man. He was clearly captivated by her, srized, until her lodious voice broke the silence. "Hmmm, that’s not a bad idea at all," she said with a soft smile. "We’d love to go, but first—could we eat our al? We’ve been touring the city all day, and we’re starving. If we head out now, we might not even get a chance to grab so snacks later."
Her tone was apologetic, knowing it wasn’t polite to keep guests waiting. Besides, although the man seed to have his own agenda, she wasn’t in a hurry to uncover it just yet. After all, in so way, he was still a benefactor.
The man nodded. "It’s alright. My friends and I from the room next door were thinking the sa thing—that’s why we’re taking our ti enjoying our al before heading in. By the way, just call Alexandre. Alexandre Arnault."
He smiled—but that smile hit Hera like a brick to the head. Arnault wasn’t just any na; it was one of the most powerful and wealthy families in Paris, owners of Louis Vuitton and many other businesses, with billions in liquid assets.
Both Hera and Athena swallowed hard. Athena suddenly stopped her silent laughter—after all, she was a fashion designer, and if she didn’t know the Arnault family, she might as well quit the industry. And here she was, laughing right in front of the son of the Arnaults. Both won felt like crawling into a hole.
But Hera, true to her acting instincts, didn’t flinch or show any sign of surprise. She simply t Alexandre’s gaze with calm composure.
"Oh! So, you’re Mr. Arnault—the son of the richest man in Paris? Then... wasn’t the event inside supposed to be your birthday party? Why are you eating out here if the party is yours?" Hera asked calmly, masking the shock and worry swirling inside her.
In truth, she was startled and anxious. She hoped she hadn’t offended the man before her—this wasn’t her territory, and she knew nothing of his temperant. What if he reacted badly to perceived disrespect? That could quickly beco a dangerous situation, one she wasn’t prepared to handle.
Alexandre studied Hera’s face but couldn’t read what she was thinking. She was skilled at keeping her thoughts hidden. Her eyes, slightly smiling, locked onto him as if he were the only person in the room.
Flattered, he didn’t realize his mind was playing tricks on him—making him believe what he wanted to believe. anwhile, Hera’s worry quietly grew, and Athena slowly sat upright, alert.
"The party was arranged by my friends..." Alexandre explained, pausing to consider before adding, "Alright, let’s all go in together when you’re done eating." With that, he turned and walked away.
Hera and Athena watched his silhouette until he reached the door and finally left the room. Only then did they both exhale in relief, feeling as if their hearts had nearly jumped into their throats monts before.
Minerva, however, remained clueless about what had just transpired. Liz was slower to catch on—her realization dawned only after Alexandre’s departure. Her eyes widened, mouth dropping open as if she could fit an entire duck egg inside. She slowly glanced at Hera and Athena, the creaking sound of a rusty door seeming to echo in their minds as Liz turned her head with deliberate slowness.
"T-That... H-he’s the son of the richest man in Paris?!" Liz exclaid, but quickly muffled her voice by covering her mouth, gasping repeatedly in disbelief.
Only after hearing Liz’s reaction did Minerva finally grasp the situation. Since Alexandre had stepped into their private booth, he and Hera had been speaking in English. Alexandre knew they were foreigners and instinctively switched to English, and Hera, finding it easier, naturally responded in kind—why make things harder by speaking French when English worked just as well?
Now that the others also realized they had just t the son of the richest man in Paris, they could only imagine how flabbergasted everyone at the event would be. The crowd, who had co hoping for just a glimpse of him, would be shocked to learn that Hera and her friends not only t him so easily—but that he had personally co to invite them in. No one had expected eting the heir to be so simple, and by the ti they realized who he was, it was already too late.
Now, with that revelation, Hera and her friends were even more nervous about mingling at the party.
The room fell into a heavy silence, each lost in their own thoughts, until a knock ca at the door. Hera sighed, feeling helpless, and called out, "Please, co in."
The sa staff mber who had left earlier returned, carrying so starters, and began serving Hera and her friends so they could finally begin their al.
As soon as the food was served, Hera and the others began eating. Hera pushed the troubling thoughts to the back of her mind the mont she saw the dishes before her. ’Out of sight, out of mind,’ she told herself, letting the delicious aroma and appearance of the food completely capture her attention.
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