Chapter 43 Gatling Gun
Hera finally found her voice and replied, "It’s alright, Mr. Briley. We wouldn’t want to intrude on your plans with your friends. We’ll leave you to enjoy your dinner in peace." She offered a polite and reasonable explanation.
"My friends? They would definitely enjoy the company of such beautiful ladies," Rafael insisted. He wasn’t one to usually extend invitations, especially when he was with his friends. They preferred to avoid the drama and catfights that often accompanied women vying for men’s attention. For them, there were more important things to do and enjoy aside from just socializing with women.
So they tacitly agreed not to bring any women on their nights out, but Rafael felt that Hera was different from any girl who would resort to catfights and drama to get a man’s attention. He believed it would be alright. Besides, his hidden motive was to see her get flustered again. She seemed like the type of person who was collected and calm, so it would be quite a sight to witness her blush and become flustered over a slip of the tongue, just like earlier.
In short, ’Rafael’s aim was simply to flirt back with Hera.’ Athena would probably sum it up that way if she knew Rafael’s thoughts.
Hera chuckled lightly, attempting to mask her nervousness. "I’m sure you and your friends have plenty of guy talk to catch up on at the table. We girls probably wouldn’t fit into the conversation anyway." Her explanation contained a kernel of truth, but she also genuinely wished to keep her distance from getting too involved with them.
She had contemplated the idea of befriending them or perhaps infiltrating their circle, echoing the notion of ’keeping your friends close and your enemies closer,’ in order to gain insights that might help her navigate any potential threats to her family. Alternatively, she entertained the possibility of forming genuine friendships to mitigate the risks her family faced. Though it seemed somewhat hopeful, she reasoned it was worth a try, as long as it didn’t jeopardize her safety or well-being.
But all these thoughts felt irrelevant at the moment. Hera couldn’t even bring herself to meet Rafael’s gaze directly. She feared she might blurt out something foolish again in front of the entire "male lead squad," especially in her current state of mental disarray that felt like a pit of mud.
Rafael remained determined to invite Hera to join them for a meal. Accustomed to being eagerly welcomed in any social setting, he had never faced rejection before. Hera’s refusal ignited a competitive streak within him, exacerbating his wounded pride due to this unfamiliar experience of rejection.
By this point, Hera wore an expression of discomfort, and Athena was growing increasingly frustrated. They understood that this almost forced invitation stemmed from male ego, yet they also recognized they didn’t have to accept if they genuinely didn’t want to. However, they felt torn, wanting to maintain a sense of etiquette despite their reservations.