Chapter 271 The Little Minx
"No, please accept it. It’s for my own selfish peace of mind," Hera insisted, determined not to retract her request. She realized her thoughts had been overtaken by the storyline, only becoming aware of her uncharacteristic actions and words after reflecting on them.
Although she really wanted to make use of the male leads to her advantage, she didn’t want to extort them or treat them as mere commodities, she felt her thoughts and actions being amplified by whatever feelings and thoughts were forcefully shoved inside her head.
"I insist," Hera firmly stated, unwilling to accept Rafael’s refusal. Internally, she felt flustered, recognizing that her thoughts and feelings had been unduly influenced by the storyline. She was aware that this wasn’t looking good; she hadn’t even noticed if she was acting oddly or saying things out of character until she took a moment to reflect afterward.
She feared the long-term consequences of this ongoing influence. If it persisted, everything could backfire, leading to her own downfall. Was the storyline manipulating her, pushing her towards a cliff’s edge for Alice’s benefit? Today, she acted unreasonably, but what about tomorrow? Could she become a villainess, resenting Alice and acting on intrusive thoughts, even harming her? The realization that simple thoughts and feelings could sway her decisions left Hera feeling vulnerable. Pale and sweating, she couldn’t shake the dread that came with this realization.
’No, I should kick myself for this, this must be the storyline’s desperate attempts to put me back on track so Alice could take the helm again.’ Hera thought. ’I just have to be more aware and vigilant.’
Luckily, she caught herself in time and could still make amends. From now on, she resolved to be vigilant and very careful in her thoughts and actions.
"Please?" Hera looked up at Rafael again, her eyes filled with genuine remorse, prompting Rafael to reach out to her face, feeling compassion for her distress. Hera didn’t mean to evoke pity from Rafael; she was simply overwhelmed by her own emotions and wanted to offer something in return.
Rafael gently rubbed Hera’s cheeks with his thumb before nodding, trying to alleviate her distress.
She knew that once Rafael made a promise, he would see it through to the end. Since he had already given her his word on the ambassadorial contract, she didn’t want to feel indebted to him, so she decided to text Betty right away.