Chapter 334 Talking About Minerva’s Involvement 4
But as her brother, he could never imagine that his little sister—whom the entire family loved and cared for—could be capable of such actions. Had they coddled and pampered her so much that she believed she was above the law and free to act without consequences? Or was it their indulgence that had blurred her sense of right and wrong, leading her to commit these acts in the name of love, which wasn’t truly love but rather obsession?
Rafael felt his heart sink. If Gerald’s words were true, then there was no hidden agenda in sharing this information with him. It was only through their extensive investigation of each guest present during the drugging incident that they uncovered such startling details. He had to scrutinize everyone, no matter how ordinary they appeared, in search of the mastermind, only to end up discovering this troubling information about his sister.
The information was gut-wrenching, and Rafael found it almost unbearable to read. He feared that if his parents were exposed to this, it could impact their health. Fortunately, he had already sent them overseas. Now, he faced a critical decision: how to handle this information. Gerald had left him with the choice of either turning it over to the police, ensuring his sister couldn’t leave the country, or protecting her and allowing her to escape to a different country.
What Rafael couldn’t understand was why Gerald cared about his response. Then he felt Hera’s intense gaze, which had never wavered as she silently observed his reactions. It was only now that Rafael remembered Hera was also present. ’Did she know about this information before inviting me to lunch?’ he wondered. ’Did Gerald give me this report in front of Hera so she could judge my character based on my decision? If so, is Gerald interested in Hera, and did he orchestrate this situation to let Hera fully assess my personality and potentially reject me?’
Rafael forced himself to stop overthinking and turned to his left, meeting Hera’s calm gaze. It was as if she was intent on not missing a single expression on his face as he examined the report and made his decision. He took Hera’s hand, catching her off guard. She stiffened at the contact but didn’t pull away. Rafael felt that holding her hand would give him the strength he needed to decide on his next course of action.
As soon as he grasped Hera’s hand, he felt her calmness begin to spread through him. The tension that had been consuming his mind started to ease, and clarity slowly returned. Despite this, he remained uncertain about what to do. He stared at Hera, who met his gaze with equal intensity, for a long moment before taking a deep breath to clear and organize his thoughts.
He took another deep breath before turning his attention back to Gerald. Hera’s presence beside him seemed to bolster his strength, creating a sense of solidarity that felt uniquely special. With renewed clarity, Rafael spoke. "First, I want to thank you, Mr. Troy, for coming to me before involving the police. This means a great deal to me, and I promise that I will do everything in my power to repay this favor, even if it means crossing a sea of fire to do so."