NOVEL NEXT Chapter 963 Back To Her
Hera didn't answer. Instead, she only smiled sweetly, harmless and innocent on the surface, yet her silence spoke volumes. Rafael chuckled at her quiet admission, then leaned closer to press a gentle kiss against her cheek.
"Thank you for your silent protection, my queen," he whispered.
Since Rafael had already seen through her intentions, Hera no longer bothered to hide it. She simply shrugged in response. At that very moment, Gerald's report arrived. Along with it came the grim truth: Lucas had been framing Logan again and again since their school days. He had even orchestrated subtle schemes that fueled Logan's bullying.
The boy who was once sunny and cheerful gradually became withdrawn and introverted. Classmates began mocking him for his heterochromia, calling him a freak, which crushed his self-confidence and warped his mindset as he grew.
Worst of all, his parents had never once defended him, dismissing his pain as oversensitivity, leaving him utterly alone.
As Rafael read through the report, his expression grew darker with every line. Now he finally understood why Hera had insisted he investigate on his own. There were truths she couldn't bring herself to say, things he needed to see with his own eyes.
Lucas's actions went far beyond what any normal child might do. The way he had tormented Logan wasn't something Rafael could even put into words; to speak it aloud felt too vile, as if it could cast a shadow on one's very mind.
And the fact that this kind of abuse had begun when they were still so young made it all the more chilling.
But they didn't have much time to dwell on it, because not long after, Leo was wheeled back into the room. Zhane and Dr. Zigheart followed behind, both looking troubled and exhausted.
"What's wrong? Is it that serious?" Luke was the first to ask, his eyes narrowing at Zhane's expression.
Zhane shook his head. "No. We found no issues with the medication or with his physical condition. As for the amnesia, we can only wait. Once the blood clot dissolves, the pressure on his brain nerves should ease, and his memory may gradually return. But until then, there's nothing we can do without risking more harm than good."
"Then… what happened to him?" Hera asked, her voice unsteady, betraying the nervousness she tried to hide.
"I believe he experienced a sudden rush of memories. Since his memory center was affected by the blood clot, trying to access those suppressed memories would naturally cause him physical pain. For now, the best we can do is give him a calm environment and prevent unnecessary stress." Zhane explained before sinking onto the couch.
He had been on his feet all day, running countless tests on Leo and checking every possible cause of his pain. Now that it was finally over, he felt the strength draining from his own body as well.
"Alright, since we're done here, I'll return to the lab to continue the tests," Dr. Zigheart said, giving Hera a curt nod of acknowledgment before heading back to his beloved laboratory.
Leo, however, remained unconscious, leaving everyone with no choice but to wait anxiously for him to wake and reveal how he was truly feeling. Zhane, exhausted from the long work, finally caught some sleep while the others stayed behind, quietly keeping watch over Leo.
By noon, a faint stir drew their attention, Leo's eyes slowly fluttered open, and instantly, every gaze in the room locked onto him.
"Ugh…" Leo groaned softly as his eyes fluttered open. The first thing he saw was the familiar white ceiling, and the sharp scent of disinfectant confirmed where he was—the hospital. "What… happened?" His voice came out dry and hoarse as he tried to prop himself up.
Luke, who had just come from the kitchen, quickly stepped in. He poured warm water into a cup, helped Leo sit up, and guided the glass to his lips.
The sound of Leo stirring jolted Zhane awake. He shot up from the bed, alert as though he'd never been asleep. "How are you feeling?" he asked immediately, moving closer to examine Leo.
"I feel awful," Leo admitted honestly.
"Do you remember anything?" Zhane pressed, his voice laced with urgency.
Leo paused after a couple of sips of warm water, his brows furrowing as he struggled to put his thoughts into words. Finally, he shook his head. "I don't know… everything's a jumbled mess. It felt like a memory, but at the same time, it didn't feel like mine."
He sighed in frustration. "I can't explain it, it just messed me up. For a moment, I thought I was finally recalling the pieces I'd lost, but the images that surfaced didn't feel like they belonged to me. And yet… I know they're important. Like a jigsaw puzzle I have to solve to find the answer, but I don't even know how to start, or where the first piece goes."
"It's alright. This is normal. You'll get used to it, and maybe soon, you'll be able to make sense of the flashes of images that appear in your head. You don't have to rush remembering things, just relax and don't stress yourself too much," Zhane advised, immediately checking Leo's eyes and heartbeat. "Rest a little longer, and make sure to take your medication on time."
After ensuring Leo was stable, Zhane finally allowed himself to relax. He had been most worried about Leo, after all, the man was under his care. The mere thought of anything happening to him, and how heartbroken Hera would be, made Zhane break out in a cold sweat.
Even imagining her blaming him for failing to protect Leo sent a shiver down his spine. He knew, rationally, that Hera wouldn't hold him responsible, but that thought refused to leave his mind. All he could do was focus on taking care of Leo to the best of his ability.
Leo pursed his lips but said nothing. He cast a quick glance at Hera and noticed the worry etched on her face. Seeing her like that made his chest tighten, so he quickly looked away and lay back on his bed.
Sleep wouldn't come, though. He stared at the ceiling, his mind restless, replaying the images that had surfaced in his memory.
Because of this, a heavy silence settled over the room. Luke quietly wheeled Hera closer to Leo's bed, while Zhane was allowed to rest on his own. Rafael, however, excused himself to focus on Lucas's case.
He began carefully reviewing Gerald's completed report before making his first move. Since he had already informed Hera of his intentions, all that remained was to coordinate with the UE's music director to determine how they planned to address the issue.
At first, the director was hesitant to work with Rafael in clearing up the mess, but once Rafael explained both his plan and Hera's involvement, the director slowly lowered his guard. Within a few days, the two began discussing strategies together.
Meanwhile, Leo continued to be haunted by the flashes of disturbing images in his mind, it even became a nightmarish visions that felt all too real. Though he could never recall them clearly upon waking up, their lingering weight left him unsettled.
Wanting to ease him, Hera decided to sleep beside him. At first, Leo strongly resisted the idea, but once she lay down next to him, he found himself drifting into a deeper, calmer sleep, free, at least for the night, from the torment of those shadowy dreams.
Because of this, two more days passed in a blur, with everyone absorbed in their own duties and commitments, especially now that things had grown busier than ever. Alexandre also made a brief visit to see Leo, not so much out of concern but rather to size up his love rival and understand why Leo ranked so highly on the list of Hera's lovers.
He only stayed for about two hours, spending most of that time with Hera, showering her with gifts, feeding her, and enjoying her company, before returning to his own place.
Though Alexandre was still preoccupied with establishing his new branch, most of the hard labor inevitably fell on Antoine. That didn't mean Alexandre's load was any lighter, however. He had his own responsibilities: building connections in this new country, attending banquets, making his presence known, and pitching his business to potential partners.
After those busy days, Rafael finally returned to Leo's hospital room, where Hera had been spending most of her time attending her online classes and keeping up with other commitments. When the door opened, Hera looked up from her notebook, pausing mid-sentence to find Rafael standing there.
He looked haggard. A rough stubble now shadowed his chin and jawline, and his unkempt appearance spoke volumes of how little time he'd had to care for himself.
Days spent shuttling between his office, and the UE headquarters had left him drained and losing track of time altogether. Yet, despite his exhaustion, the very first place he chose to return to was Hera's side. The moment he left the UE office, his steps carried him straight to her.