The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress-Chapter 850 Without A Backer

She began to wonder if this was just another bizarre side effect of her female lead halo. After all, heroines were often inexplicably adored by powerful and attractive men, while only antagonists and side characters remained immune. Maybe Alexandre’s intense interest wasn’t genuine at all—just another pull from the storyline trying to play itself out.

"Alexandre, I’m not sure what you’re thinking exactly, but if this is just about novelty, then you’d better look elsewhere. I have plenty on my plate right now and honestly, I don’t have room for more men in my life. Besides, you already have a fiancée. I came here to socialize and expand my network—not to offend anyone in your circle or steal someone else’s fiancé," Hera said wearily.

What she said was true. Many men are initially drawn to a woman because she’s different—like a breath of fresh air compared to those who usually orbit them. But eventually, they grow tired and realize there’s nothing particularly special about her.

It’s only when they reflect that they often discover they’ve developed feelings for the woman who’s quietly stood by their side all along—someone whose presence they once took for granted.

Right now, Hera was done playing the role of a cannon fodder in someone else’s love story. She had no intention of becoming the catalyst for drama between Alexandre and Mindy. All she wanted was to live peacefully with the people around her.

Though Hera was the heiress of the Avery family, she was currently in someone else’s territory. If Mindy chose to retaliate—and the chances of that had only increased after their recent encounter—it would spell trouble for Hera.

After all, the Pinault and Arnault families were major powers in this country, while she was nothing more than a foreigner. It wouldn’t be surprising if other influential families took action against her just to gain favor with the Pinaults. If things spiraled out of control, it could become a disaster for Hera.

From the way Mindy had looked at her earlier, Hera was certain—Mindy already had plans to deal with her. With her aggressive nature, it would be more surprising if she didn’t try to put Hera in her place. That meant Hera had to tread carefully. She had no idea what Mindy might do, and with no allies or forces of her own here, even defending herself would be difficult.

As an outsider, she knew the Arnault elders would likely side with Mindy if things escalated. Alexandre might be cherished by his parents, but if their relationship clashed with the family’s interests, would he still choose to protect her—or would he buckle under the weight of family pressure?

Hera wasn’t about to gamble her safety on someone’s fleeting infatuation. Even with the male leads—men she had spent so much time and effort winning over—she still lived with the lingering fear that the plot might eventually sway them away from her. If she couldn’t fully know what would happen around those she had fought to bring to her side, how could she possibly place her faith in a stranger she had only just met?

"Hera, won’t you give me a chance to prove it to you?" Alexandre asked, his voice low and hoarse with emotion as he looked at her. He knew he was being impatient—too forward, too fast—but the moment he heard that other men were already around her, a chill sank into his bones. His heart clenched with urgency, a desperate fear that if he didn’t leap now, she would soon slip beyond his reach.

He wasn’t even sure what he was doing. All he knew was that this must be what people meant by love at first sight. Hera might not be aware of her own charm, but to him, she was like an intoxicating poppy—breathtakingly beautiful and dangerously alluring.

One glance from her had ensnared him completely, and now, it felt like his heart was already in her grasp, though she hadn’t even noticed. The feeling was maddening and euphoric all at once.

"Please?" Alexandre’s voice was barely above a whisper, soft yet filled with a quiet desperation. But Hera was too preoccupied with worry to fully process it. She looked up at him, and seeing the raw vulnerability in his eyes made her pursed her lips. No matter what she said, she knew Alexandre wouldn’t be easily swayed.

So, she averted her gaze and replied flatly, "Do what you wish."

In an instant, Alexandre’s eyes lit up like a switch had been flipped, his hope rekindled. Hera bit her lip, unsure of how this would ripple through her already chaotic life. For now, all she could focus on was the upcoming competition. Once it was over, she would return to her homeland and treat Alexandre as nothing more than a passing dream.

She couldn’t be blamed for being overly cautious. Every male lead in her life was entangled in one crisis or another—and Leo’s life still hung in the balance. Her heart and mind were already stretched thin. If this competition weren’t so crucial to her, she wouldn’t have attended at all.

Overcome with excitement and joy, Alexandre pulled Hera into a tight embrace and gently kissed her forehead. It was a light, tender gesture—gentlemanly, respectful, yet filled with quiet adoration.

But neither of them noticed the camera that had silently captured the moment.

Within minutes, the photo was posted online. It spread like wildfire, eventually reaching Hera’s homeland—and the five men closest to her.

Restlessness gripped them the moment they saw it. Fueled by emotion and a sense of urgency, each of them had the same thought: fly to Paris immediately and bring Hera back before it was too late.

It felt like the moment they took their eyes off Hera, a swarm of flies and butterflies began hovering around her—some bold enough to try and claim her for themselves. Luke, Rafael, Zhane, Xavier, and especially Dave were livid.

But none of them could abandon their responsibilities just yet... until Xavier broke the silence.

[Six Musketeers Group Chat]

[Xavier: Just wrapped up my last endorsement overseas. I’m heading straight to Paris.]

[Dave: GO. Go straight there! Some idiot who doesn’t know his place is trying to steal our woman. Teach him a lesson and guard her like your life depends on it!]

[Rafael: So... sending my sister wasn’t enough.]

[Rafael: ( ;´Д`)💨]

[Dave: Seriously? What exactly did you expect your sister to do? Let’s be grateful she’s not adding trouble for my sweetheart. You really think she can protect Hera when she’s just as vulnerable?]

[Dave: Honestly, you’re the one who should be panicking. Not only might your girl get stolen—your sister might get swept off her feet and turned into someone else’s bride.]

[Dave: ﴾ಠ▾ಠ﴿]

[Rafael: Motherfucker, Dave—are you seriously picking a fight right now? Want to spar and feel how hard my fist connects with your face?]

[Dave: Ha! All you know is how to swing blindly like a brawler. While you’re throwing tantrums, someone else is making a move on our woman. You really gonna waste more time on your anger issues?]

[Dave: Damn it... that guy even looked familiar!]

[Luke: Not just familiar. That man is the sole heir of the Arnault family in Paris. From what I’ve heard, he has an aggressive fiancée. More than worrying about him, I’m worried his fiancée might go after Hera. @Xavier — hurry up. Sleep on the plane if you have to, but don’t waste a second resting in some hotel. And make sure to send that Arnault guy packing.]

[Xavier: Already at the airport. I’ll be there by tomorrow morning.]

[Zhane: This is a real problem. The Parisian socialites are tightly knit—if Hera offends one of them, they might gang up on her. We have no influence in Paris. Honestly, picking a fight with Alexandre Arnault could backfire. We might actually need his protection to keep Hera safe while she’s there.]

[Dave: So what, @Zhane? Are you suggesting we invite Alexandre Arnault into the harem? You’re okay with your already limited time with my sweetheart getting reduced to a few seconds?]

[Dave: ( ʘ‿ʘ)]

[Zhane: ....]

[Xavier: ...]

[Zhane: Got a better plan, @Dave?]

[Dave: ....]

[Luke: Look, we don’t have a better solution right now, and things are moving way too fast. That guy already put his hands on our woman. Hera’s emotionally unstable at the moment—Leo’s situation is weighing heavily on her. This is when she’s at her most vulnerable, and it would be easy for her to accept comfort from someone who shows her care and attention.]

[Luke: But at the same time, Hera isn’t shallow. She’s smart and fully aware of her situation. She might be stepping back and allowing Alexandre Arnault to get close because she knows she’s in a foreign land with no real support. If she doesn’t have a strong local backer, the Parisian socialites could easily target her, kick her around, or worse—frame her for something she didn’t do. That would ruin not only her career but also her reputation.]

[Luke: For now, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.]