Chapter 342 Unexpected Gain
This realization helped them find a much-needed solution to the problem. Although Hera had mixed feelings about seeing this side of Luke, she knew that if she wanted to truly accept the male leads, she couldn’t allow them to descend further into darkness or follow the path Alice had led them down in the original novel.
By following Alice’s methods, she didn’t truly help them become better versions of themselves; instead, she manipulated them. The novel might have portrayed her actions as beneficial, but if they had truly improved, why would they have destroyed a good family like the Averys just to protect Minerva, who was clearly in the wrong?
Instead of lurking in the shadows like vultures, waiting for the Avery family’s downfall and letting others fight over the scraps, why didn’t they confront the situation head-on, like true protagonists? They acted more like romanticized villains—powerful and possessive male leads designed to create tension and drama for the sake of the story. Meanwhile, Alice was portrayed as a pure angel, praised for managing to coexist with these so-called devils, but in reality, it only serves to highlight her in contrast to their darkness.
After Hera collected herself and reorganized her thoughts, she decided not to place all the blame on Luke or the other male leads for who they had become or how they handled things. Instead, she resolved to help them become better people, proper human beings, even though she knew it would be difficult and might not succeed. But at the very least, she wanted to try to guide them toward the light.
Although she didn’t want to come across as a clichéd angelic figure, like characters in other novels, Hera knew she had to take on this responsibility. Ignorance might be a bliss, but now that she understood what kind of people the male leads were and how far they could fall, she realized that failing to act meant willingly surrounding herself with wolves that could turn on her at any moment if her plans went awry.
They might not have turned out as bad as they did if Alice hadn’t manipulated them into committing even worse acts to further her own career and life. All Hera could think about now was preventing them from becoming the monsters they were destined to be—monsters that would bring destruction not only to her family but to countless others, all to satisfy Alice’s vanity and ambition.
Although she wanted to be angry at the male leads, those events hadn’t happened yet, and she still had time to change as much as she could. She needed to start with these men, and luckily, she was given some time to do so. Hadn’t she already begun with Rafael long ago?
Luckily, Rafael wasn’t as stubborn as a bull in insisting on his ways. If he had been, Hera wouldn’t have known how to straighten a crooked stick without risking it breaking instead—and that wouldn’t do anyone any good.
At the same time, she acknowledged the wrongs they had done. Although Alice led them deeper into the abyss and the storyline pushed them in that direction—especially Luke—they still had to take responsibility for their actions. Turning them over to the police wouldn’t solve anything; it might even escalate the situation. Luke could turn the whole place upside down, and if he didn’t, his subordinates certainly would. This was why she wanted to help change them, knowing that a different path was necessary for true redemption.
Without Luke, his people would be like headless chickens, and his organization would weaken significantly. Other forces would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to pounce on the chained tiger and eliminate it completely. If Luke were to die, how would the story progress, and what would become of Hera and her people?