CHAPTER 928: CHAPTER 928 DEEPENING CONNECTION

It meant Leo had been carrying the weight of it all alone. Silent. Selfless. Magnanimous. He had kept the truth to himself, shouldered the heartache without complaint, and let her choose freely, even if it meant hurting himself in the process.

And now, realizing that, guilt bloomed in her chest like a thorny vine, tightening with every breath. Her eyes began to sting, turning red as she blinked back the rising heat of tears.

But seeing her like this, crying and fragile, only made Leo feel a sharp sting in his chest. He couldn’t bear it. Hera’s tears unsettled him more than he cared to admit. And now, knowing the truth, that she was, in fact, his fiancée, it didn’t fill him with revulsion like he feared it might.

Instead, he felt... relieved. Joyful, even. There was a strange sense of familiarity stirring in his chest, a knowing that confirmed everything Dave had said. Deep down, some part of him already knew.

Yet that realization only brought him back to square one.

He knew himself far too well; he wasn’t the type to share. In fact, the very thought made something dark rise inside him. He would rather wipe every man from the face of the earth than see them lay a hand on Hera. His possessiveness ran deep, dangerous, and absolute. And if it came down to it, if the world stood between him and Hera, he’d let it burn.

But only if Hera remained untouched by the flames.

And maybe, just maybe, that was the real reason he allowed this strange arrangement to continue. Why he didn’t fight it tooth and nail. Because he was afraid. Afraid that if he gave in to the demon inside him and truly possessed Hera, clipped her wings just to keep her by his side, he’d shatter her. He couldn’t stand the thought of becoming someone she feared.

So instead, he chose to endure the ache alone.

He let himself bleed quietly, until he could finally begin to accept the setup for what it was. Because in this way, with others by her side, there would be more people to protect her. And maybe, just maybe, that was enough to keep the monster inside him at bay.

After all, as the heiress of the Avery family, with no parents and only an aging grandfather, Hera looked like a prime target, a tempting prize that many would want to sink their teeth into.

Perhaps this was also why her grandfather chose not to interfere in her love life. After all, it was impossible that Old Master Avery hadn’t heard whispers about Hera having six lovers. He must have gotten word from either Gerald or Cindy. And yet, he remained silent.

That silence spoke volumes.

It was his quiet approval, a sign that he was finally loosening the reins. That perhaps, after a lifetime of shielding Hera, he now believed there were others who could protect her. Not just her aides or subordinates. Not just him.

And when Leo realized this, he, too, began to calm down. Slowly, steadily, he started to accept things as they were.

Believing that Hera was truly the Avery heiress came naturally to him. Not only did he feel no aversion to her, unlike with Silvia, but there was something about her that matched the faint, fragmented image of the woman lingering in his memory. She felt right, like she belonged there.

But unfortunately, even after all had been said and done, his memories of her remained locked away. He couldn’t recall a single moment he shared with Hera. Instead, a sharp pain stabbed through his skull, his temples throbbing as if his mind were fighting itself. Still, Leo gritted his teeth and endured it.

"What the fuck?! My mind’s just been blown by this revelation," Dave blurted out, snapping Leo out of his thoughts and, unintentionally, easing the throbbing pain in his head.

The others chuckled, clearly amused by Dave’s dramatic reaction.

"I think you’re the only one who didn’t see this coming. What happened to that cunning, sharp-minded Young Minister we know?" Rafael teased, snorting with laughter, a wide grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Well, with my sweetheart’s talents and abilities, I honestly thought it wasn’t that hard for her to accumulate that kind of wealth. I figured maybe she just personally knew Gerald and Cindy because they were trying to scout her into the Avery Family. You guys thought the same thing before, didn’t you?" Dave crossed his arms and rolled his eyes dramatically at them.

What he said wasn’t wrong. With Hera’s capabilities, it wasn’t far-fetched to believe she was a strong, independent woman who had climbed her way to the top on her own.

They had all witnessed it firsthand, how she raced and won 11 million in a single event, beating out spoiled second-generation heirs who were all bark and no bite.

She could design jewelry, too, enough to start her own company, with a solid brand and an international target market.

But finding out she was actually the Avery heiress all along? That hit like a bomb in his brain. Dave might not have been completely surprised, but damn, it still shook him.

But more than anything, they were deeply moved. For a long time, they had noticed the subtle inconsistencies in Hera’s identity and wealth, yet none of them ever pressed her for answers.

They had waited—patiently—knowing that Hera would open up when she was ready. And though they understood that she hadn’t fully felt secure enough to tell them the truth before, the fact that she was finally coming clean now... it meant everything. It was a sign that she now truly trusted them, that their place in her heart was no longer uncertain.

Their shock quickly gave way to warmth and quiet joy. Hera’s confession validated all the time, effort, and love they had poured into being by her side. It was a moment of affirmation. Dave’s dramatic reaction, in truth, had only been a way to deflect from the overwhelming emotions stirring inside their chest, a playful distraction to stop any of them from tearing up.

So when Hera looked around at them, all she saw were radiant smiles—bright with relief, happiness, and a tender, unspoken love.

It felt like a massive wall that had once stood between them had finally crumbled. Hera felt lighter too. Carrying a secret around those dearest to her had always weighed her down, but now that it was out, she could finally breathe freely.

Seeing them accept her without hesitation, as if nothing had changed, made her realize her fears had been unnecessary all along.

"Then... why was Silvia presented as your family’s daughter?" Xavier suddenly asked, breaking the moment’s silence. "Was she some kind of illegitimate child or something?"

His question carried a quiet curiosity, tinged with guilt. At one point, even they had speculated that Hera might be the hidden, illegitimate daughter discovered only after her father’s death. Now, more than ever, they wanted to understand her, fully and truthfully.

Hera shook her head. This was her first time seeing Silvia, and although she didn’t know the full story, she was certain of one thing: her father wasn’t the kind of man to keep secrets like that. The only person who might have answers was her grandfather.

Without hesitation, she pulled out her phone and dialed his number right in front of everyone, switching it to speaker. For Hera, being open and honest with her lovers felt deeply intimate. Letting them see every side of her, even the uncertain parts, gave her a sense of reassurance, and she hoped it did the same for them. So she didn’t hold back, choosing instead to let them hear everything.

After two rings, the call connected.

"Hello, sweetie. What’s wrong? Do you miss Grandpa already?" came the warm, jovial voice of Old Master Avery.

Almost all of them instantly recognized the voice. Most had encountered the legendary Avery patriarch through their own connections in the business world, and his distinct tone and voice were hard to forget. Leo, especially, was more familiar than most, and the moment he heard it, there was no doubt in his mind. It was indeed the Avery Patriarch on the line.

"Of course I did, Grandpa. You’ve been away for quite some time now. When are you coming back?" Hera replied sweetly, a soft, girlish grin blooming on her face.

It was the first time any of them had seen her like this, so innocent and unguarded, like a gentle white rabbit. The shift in her demeanor was striking, and it revealed just how deep her love and trust for her grandfather ran. It melted their hearts.

The Old Patriarch chuckled warmly on the other end of the line. "I’ll be staying here for a while longer. There are still quite a few matters I need to take care of..."

"Oh..." Hera’s voice dropped slightly, a flicker of disappointment surfacing—but she quickly recovered and leaned in closer to the phone.

"Then, Grandpa," she asked, her tone turning serious, "do you know someone named Silvia Avery?"

She didn’t beat around the bush, going straight to the heart of what she wanted to know.