Chapter 867 Free
It meant she no longer had to fear the fate written for her in the original story. She was finally free from the narrative’s grip, from Alice, and from the looming shadow of what could have been.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she smiled through them as she bowed deeply to the audience and the cameras, her heart lighter than it had ever been.
"Thank you, everyone. This truly means so much to me," Hera said as she faced the camera, her voice tinged with emotion. "I want to first thank everyone who believed in me and gave me the chance to prove myself. I was able to win this because of your support. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."
Her face was slightly flushed, her eyes glistening as they turned redder with each passing second. Her voice wavered, full of emotion, and the audience naturally assumed she was overwhelmed by the ordeal with Alice, that she had feared being branded a plagiarist and having her journey cut short before she could even defend herself.
But in truth, Hera’s emotions weren’t rooted in fear or relief—they came from joy. For the first time since she had been enlightened of her own fate in this world, she felt genuinely free. No longer tethered to the plotline, no longer shadowed by the original heroine, she could finally look forward to a future she carved out for herself.
Then, as if receiving instructions through his earpiece, the host paused briefly before speaking again. "The award for the Champion will be presented by the group’s main shareholder..."
He glanced to the side—and from the wings of the stage, Alexandre emerged, holding a bouquet of gardenias, the flowers symbolizing love, refinement, and purity. In his other hand, he carried the champion’s trophy. With a warm, genuine smile, he made his way toward Hera.
Hera blinked in surprise, unsure of what to feel at that moment. ’Is he seriously trying to join the male lead lineup and become part of my harem now?’ she thought, rubbing the tip of her nose.
Initially, her only goal had been to get close to the male leads to siphon away Alice’s female lead halo, preventing them from falling for Alice and drawing strength from their own ’Male lead’s halo’. By aligning herself with them, she used their halos to buffer her own role as a mere cannon fodder side character. Slowly but surely, those efforts paid off—each moment of connection chipped away at Alice’s fate and transferred that power to Hera.
But now that Alice’s downfall was sealed and her path as the heroine irrevocably closed, Hera began to wonder— ’What comes next? What should I do with the male leads now?’
Before, Hera had only thought of using the male leads as tools for her plan. But over time, she began to treat them sincerely, and they, in turn, started to change, growing closer to her in ways she hadn’t expected. Now that things were coming to an end, she wondered: should she continue being with them? She hadn’t yet come to terms with what her next step should be—and just then, another love interest was approaching.
Hera felt her lips twitch into a faint, awkward smile as Alexandre stepped closer, his gentle smile so familiar. She’d seen that same look in the male leads’ eyes—when they slowly realized they wanted to be with her. It was like déjà vu.