CHAPTER 903: CHAPTER 903 RECOVERY PLAN

But if Hera had truly decided to come clean now, then it could only mean one thing: their hard work had finally paid off. As thrilled as Xavier was, he knew better than to show it. If Hera found out that he had already noticed, she might feel guilty or uncomfortable. So, as the brilliant actor he was, he played his part perfectly, feigning ignorance, keeping his expression neutral, and focusing on the tablet in his hands.

He scanned the diet plan, his brows subtly furrowing as he noted the composition and the list of herbs. Just one soup alone contained a dozen different herbs. In fact, nearly 90% of each meal included medicinal herbs, with only minimal amounts of meat and vegetables. A concern tugged at him: ’Would Hera now be forced to eat bland, earthy, overly herby meals every day?’

Worse still, he recognized that these weren’t ordinary herbs, each one likely worth hundreds of thousands, if not millions. While a few kilograms could stretch across several dishes, the cost and care required were staggering. Even without deep knowledge of herbal medicine, Xavier could tell that many of the ingredients served a similar purpose, likely aimed at improving blood circulation and stimulating tissue repair, all designed to support Hera’s recovery.

So, Xavier snapped a photo of the meal plan and sent it to Zhane. As expected, Zhane, who was still tending to Leo, who remained listlessly staring at the ceiling, received the screenshot almost immediately.

His eyes scanned the list, quickly recognizing the composition of herbs. It didn’t take him long to realize that not only were the ingredients compatible, but together they formed a potent combination to accelerate the body’s healing process.

Zhane replied with a simple thumbs-up emoji.

And yet, that small gesture was more than enough to ease Xavier’s worries. If Zhane, an expert in both Western medicine and medicinal herbs, gave his silent approval, then these herbs were definitely the real deal.

With his concern somewhat alleviated, Xavier turned his attention to logistics. Since his connections in Paris were limited, he grabbed Alexandre the moment he had the chance, right while Hera and Cindy were happily chatting inside. He pulled him aside and out the door with purpose.

Alexandre blinked in surprise, brows raised as he followed Xavier’s lead. Standing beside him like a tall pine, hands tucked casually in his pockets, he asked, "What’s up?"

Xavier, not bothering with pleasantries, pushed the tablet into Alexandre’s hands. "These are the herbs Hera needs for her meals, part of her recovery diet. My reach here is limited, and we need to start preparing her food soon. So I figured, since you’re the crowned prince of Paris, you might have the connections to get all of these quickly. If you can’t—"

Before he could finish, Alexandre cut him off.

"Consider it done," Alexandre said, turning smoothly as he fished his phone from his pocket. Xavier smirked like a smug cat that had just caught its fish, satisfied with how easily things were falling into place. Alexandre quickly called his assistant and sent over the list of herbs.

There were a few herbal stores in the city, but most had limited stock, mostly common herbs. Paris, after all, now relied heavily on powdered and processed medicine from pharmaceutical companies. So instead of wasting time with small shops, Alexandre went straight to the source: the pharmaceutical companies themselves.

He knew they would have warehouses stocked with raw herbs used to manufacture their products. Although he’d need to pay a premium for the request, Alexandre didn’t mind. Neither did the company; he was only asking for a small quantity, but the specific herbs he needed were rare and highly valuable. Supplying them was no real loss for the company, and it gave them an opportunity to curry favor with someone powerful.

After all, many dreamed of forging ties with Alexandre, fawning, offering their services, and hoping to be useful in his presence. But he rarely asked for favors. He disliked being indebted to anyone, which made this request all the more exceptional. And for them, that rarity made the opportunity priceless.

Within just an hour, Alexandre had already procured all the necessary herbs and had them delivered to his residence. Using the detailed meal plan, he promptly hired a skilled nutritionist to prepare the dishes exactly as outlined.

He gave one specific instruction: while the meals must follow the recipe strictly, they should not taste overly earthy or herbal. The flavors needed to be light, palatable, and enjoyable; he didn’t want Hera’s meals to dull her taste buds or leave a lingering bitterness that might suppress her appetite.

Alexandre was meticulous. He knew recovery required not just nutrition, but comfort. And making sure Hera ate well without suffering through bitter meals was his way of ensuring that.

When Xavier heard that the herbs had been secured and a professional was already preparing Hera’s meals, he was genuinely pleased by Alexandre’s efficiency. For once, he had no complaints and even reported the update positively to his friends.

[Six Musketeers Group Chat]

[Xavier:

The guy already got all the herbs delivered and even hired a nutritionist to cook for Hera.]

[Dave: Wow. Just like that, and you’re letting him off the hook?]

[Dave: You’re seriously way too easy to please.]

[Dave: Watch out, man—he might steal our girl, and when that happens, don’t come crying to me.]

[Xavier: You’re such a pessimist. Admit it, you’re just scared to welcome him into the group because you know you’ll stay dead last in our ranking.]

[Xavier: ┐( -.ー; )┌]

[Dave: Don’t underestimate me, you... you... whatever!]

[Rafael: Can you two chill? We should just be thankful Hera’s okay.]

[Luke: Seriously. It was a close call. Anyway, any updates on the investigation?]

[Dave: My team will be landing in Paris within the hour. They’ll jump into the case immediately. I’ve already spoken with the Mayor and ensured full cooperation on their end; this has become an international case. Honestly, it was the Arnaults’ support that really smoothed things over.]

[Dave: (¯―¯٥)]

[Xavier: And yet here you are, badmouthing the guy, but still taking help from them?]

[Xavier: The audacity!]

[Xavier: (*￣0￣)✎]

[Dave: Shut up, kid.]

[Luke: So, in other words, it’s just a matter of time before we catch whoever’s behind the sabotage?]

[Dave: Exactly.]

[Rafael: Good.]

[Zhane: Anyway, we need to bring Hera back to the country as soon as possible. I don’t feel comfortable letting her stay there any longer. Getting her home safely would also let me monitor her recovery more closely...]

[Xavier: Right. I’m just waiting for Dr. Zigheart to check on Hera and accompany us on the trip back. Having a doctor with us is our safest option; it’ll ensure she doesn’t run into any issues during the flight.]

[Xavier: By the way... how’s Leo?]

[Zhane: He...]

[Zhane: I don’t even know how to put it into words.]

[Zhane: He may have suffered severe head trauma. He hasn’t spoken at all, just keeps staring at the ceiling, completely unresponsive. The only time he reacted was when he woke up crying... since then, he hasn’t moved. I’ve arranged for a full-body examination and neurological assessment. Hopefully, it’s just him trying to process everything, or maybe it’s tied to a sudden flood of memories from the attack.]

[Dave: Damn, that’s sucks.]

[Dave: Hera’s going to be shaken if she sees him like that when she returns.]

[Zhane: I’ll keep monitoring his condition closely...]

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Thank you so much, my Goddesses—Itslaoni, Carol_Ma, Shell_Rodriguez, Cinparo, Nerissa_Guerra, Chaney_Clark_9368, Audra_Taylor, Parvati_Patel_3665, and last but not least, Windwa1ker—for all the Golden Tickets and support!!!!