The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress
Chapter 867 Free

Chapter 867: 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.

When Alexandre was just a step away, he softly handed her the bouquet of gardenias, then the trophy. Leaning in, he pressed a delicate kiss to her cheeks. In French culture, such a gesture was a customary greeting, but the way Alexandre did it carried a deeper intimacy—sparks seemed to ignite between them.

The audience watching the stage and the broadcast screens caught on instantly. With his handsome features and her radiant beauty, they smiled as they admired the chemistry between the two striking figures.

"Congratulations, Hera..." Alexandre whispered softly into her ear, his warm breath sending a tingling sensation that traveled from her ear all the way down to her toes. Then, gently pulling away, he took the microphone from the host and offered his official congratulations aloud, carefully pretending it was their first time meeting, so no one would suspect that Hera’s victory had anything to do with him or his influence.

Xavier stood in the backstage lounge, gritting his teeth as he glanced to the side. He hadn’t even noticed when Alexandre slipped away from beside him and made his way onto the stage.

The fact that Alexandre got there first to congratulate Hera, stealing Xavier’s moment, irritated him deeply. He closed his eyes, forcing himself to rein in the frustration. After all, he didn’t want to let his anger affect Hera’s mood. Still, his glare burned into Alexandre’s image on the screen. ’That guy really knows how to play the game,’ Xavier thought.

Just then, his phone buzzed with incoming messages. Without looking, he was certain it was Dave ranting wildly in their group chat—probably going off about Alexandre trying to steal their woman again. Xavier didn’t need the reminder and let the phone be, focusing instead on waiting for the staff who had gone out to buy the bouquet for him.

Not long after, a female staff member came running back from outside, holding a bouquet so large and stunning it almost hid her entire face. Xavier’s smile grew wider—and more mischievous—making him look even more handsome. Unfortunately, the staff couldn’t see his grin clearly because of the enormous bouquet she carried.

When she reached Xavier, she handed him the enormous bouquet and said, "Sir, you gave me quite a bit of money, and since this is for your girlfriend’s big milestone, I thought it should look extra romantic. So, I went for the biggest and best flowers in the store. It cost a little extra, but I think it was totally worth it." The female staff member beamed from ear to ear as she watched Xavier cradle the massive bouquet, clearly proud of her choice.

Xavier smiled and said, "Absolutely! This is way better than I expected—women really do know women."

The woman reached to give him the remaining stack of money, but Xavier shook his head. "Consider this your tip for helping me out."

With that, Xavier took off towards the stage, feeling a surge of confidence. After all, Alexandre’s bouquet of gardenias was tiny compared to the stunning arrangement in his arms—hundreds of times better. Feeling smug, he didn’t wait for Hera to come down; instead, he strode right onto the stage to make his presence known.

As soon as Xavier stepped onto the stage, a collective gasp rippled through the crowd, and reporters immediately caught the scent of juicy gossip. Xavier made his way toward Hera, but at first, she couldn’t recognize him—the massive bouquet practically hid his entire face. Then, catching sight of his familiar clothes, she realized it was Xavier. Unsure whether to laugh or cry, Hera just stood there, caught between emotions.

Meanwhile, Athena was snapping pictures after pictures of the unfolding love triangle, utterly delighted by the sparks flying onstage. She couldn’t help but smile as she watched Xavier approach Alexandre and then proudly reveal his much larger bouquet to Hera. Xavier looked downright childish, but Athena found the whole scene both hilarious and heartwarming as she enjoyed the show from the sidelines.