CHAPTER 895: CHAPTER 895 INVESTMENT

Xavier managed to get Hera to finish half a bowl of nourishing soup before letting her rest for a bit. Then, he offered her some fruit. Ideally, she should have started with the fruit, but knowing she hadn’t eaten since morning, he figured the warm soup would be gentler on her empty stomach, and any further delay would’ve let it go cold.

As soon as he set aside the tray, Liz quietly took it back to the mini kitchen. A few doctors and nurses arrived for their rounds, and upon seeing Hera awake and catching the lingering aroma of herbs in the room, they assumed she had eaten. The lead doctor reviewed her chart and nodded at the nurse to proceed with administering her medication on schedule.

While the nurse worked, the doctor stepped over to Xavier and quietly updated him on Hera’s condition. Alexandre stood nearby, listening silently.

According to the latest scans, Hera had suffered a bone fracture. She would need at least three months of recovery before she could walk normally again. Her leg would remain in a cast for six to eight weeks, depending on how well she healed. Once the cast was removed, she could begin walking gradually, but would need to avoid any strenuous activity that might strain the injury.

Hearing the doctor’s prognosis, Hera swallowed hard, nerves prickling at the back of her throat. She hadn’t expected to be in an accident, especially not now, with the movie shoot just days away. It wasn’t just any film either; it was an action-heavy apocalypse movie where she and Xavier were cast as the leads. The role demanded intense physical performance, something that now seemed impossible in her condition.

Xavier knew it too. His jaw tightened as he frowned, clearly worried. Once the nurse finished administering her medication and the medical team left, he turned to Hera with a serious expression.

"Hera, just focus on getting better," he said gently. "Don’t worry about the movie right now. It can be delayed."

But they both knew that wasn’t entirely true. The director had ambitious plans to submit the film for this year’s major awards, possibly even the Oscars. Any delay could jeopardize the timeline and, with it, their chance at back-to-back Best Actor and Best Actress awards.

Hera felt the weight of that pressure settle on her chest. This movie wasn’t just another role for her; it was part of her strategy to stabilize the storyline. She frowned deeply. Like Athena, she realized something: this accident wasn’t part of the original plot. It meant that even though she had overtaken Alice’s female lead halo and effectively pushed her out, the story was still unpredictable. Anything could happen now.

Her only option was to see the storyline through to its end and follow the plot as closely as possible, to reach a safe conclusion, just like Alice did in the original novel.

That meant one thing: this movie had to air at the exact time it did in the original novel. Not just that, she also needed to win Best Actress, just like Alice had. If Hera remembered correctly, Xavier hadn’t starred in the same film as Alice in the original storyline. Instead, he acted in another male-led action blockbuster and secured the Best Actor award separately.

But now, with Xavier choosing to star alongside her instead, there was already a deviation in the plot. If she failed to film this movie, or worse, couldn’t earn the award, there was no telling what ripple effect it might have on the storyline. She had no idea what consequences might follow if things continued to drift further from the original plot.

More than ever, Hera needed to realign the story. She couldn’t afford another unexpected twist. She didn’t respond to Xavier’s suggestion right away, there was no point. News of her accident had already reached their home country. What she needed to do now was contact the director as soon as possible.

As if on cue, her phone buzzed. A message from Betty, her manager, popped up:

[Betty: Hera, I honestly think it would be best to postpone the movie for now. You’re injured, and that might be our safest option, unless, of course, the director decides to recast the female lead to stick with the original schedule. But even that’s tricky since it’s already too late to hold another audition.]

[Betty: Also... remember Emily? The supporting actress? She got hospitalized after a miscarriage scandal, and her sponsor pulled out. It’s a mess. The production’s now struggling with funding, and the director refuses to cut corners on props or visual effects. So, even if you were healthy, the shoot might still be delayed until they find new investors. Ugh, I honestly don’t know anymore.]

[Hera: Really? Don’t worry about my injury, I’ve got an idea that might help me recover faster. But I need you to contact the director immediately and let him know I’m willing to invest in the film. He just needs to tell me how much funding he needs. Otherwise, if Xavier finds out about the budget issue first, he’ll swoop in and invest himself... and that would shut the door on my chance to earn big from this project.]

[Hera: (灬º 艸º 灬)]

[Betty: Are you being serious right now? A movie like this could cost a few hundred million, easily. Plus, it’s physically demanding; you’ll be doing heavy action scenes. I really think we should scrap it and look for a less intense project. Your body needs time to heal, Hera.]

[Hera: It doesn’t matter how much the investment will cost, I’m prepared to cover it. As for my injury, I’m not too worried. I’ve got Dr. Zhane Everett to help me recover, and a friend of mine just returned to the country with a breakthrough medicine for nervous system and brain damage. He’s also been researching cell regeneration and accelerated bone healing. The drug isn’t on the market yet, but the research has already been successful. With proper care, I’m confident I’ll be back on my feet soon.]

[Hera: So make sure the director doesn’t look for a replacement female lead. Instead, ask him for the investment amount and send me his banking details. My lawyer will handle the contract; he’s experienced with business contract agreements, and I trust him. Once the paperwork is signed, I’ll transfer the funds immediately.]

[Betty: ヾ(oﾟｘﾟo)ﾉ]

[Betty: I’m... speechless.]

[Betty: Are you really sure about this?]

[Hera: Absolutely.]

[Betty: Alright. I’ll talk to the director right away.]

[Hera: Thanks, Betty.]

[Betty: My pleasure.]

Once Hera handled this part of the issue, something she hadn’t even been aware of due to being completely occupied with Leo’s situation and how busy she’s been these days, she finally had a moment to reflect. She had nearly forgotten about Emily.

She had known about the miscarriage. Like Zhane had said, Emily wasn’t fit to be a mother with the kind of twisted mindset she had. Someone like her would only damage a child and destroy their future by teaching them the wrong values.

What she hadn’t known was that Emily’s sponsor had backed out. Maybe it was because his wife had found out about the affair and was now pushing for a divorce. The scandal had grown too big to contain. Now the wife was demanding custody of the children and the assets, which made sense; he had been the one to cheat, after all. Leaving him with nothing was only fair.