"Damn it! I just embarrassed myself, didn’t I?" She nced at Hera with a mix of frustration and embarrassment.


    Hera chuckled softly as she observed Athena’s reaction. "Don’t worry about it. It’s actually advantageous if our enemies underestimate us. Imagine the surprise on their faces when they realize what we’re capable of. Plus, your family is just as affluent as his, so his opinion doesn’t hold much weight."


    "That makes sense." Athena agreed, letting go of her earlier concerns.


    After a brief wait for their takeout, they prepared to leave.


    "Would you like assistance taking the packed food to your car,dies?" offered the waiter.


    Hera smiled appreciatively. "That would be much appreciated."


    With Rafael gone, Cindy reverted to her respectful demeanor towards Hera. "Young miss, I’ll head out first to secure the food in our van."


    Hera nodded. "Thank you, Cindy. Athena and I will follow shortly."


    Cindy respectfully bowed to Hera. By now, the employees of the Golden Dragon Pavilion were well aware of Hera’s status. Initially, their respect stemmed from Cindy’s presence and their roles as guests of the establishment. However, as time passed, they came to understand Hera’s identity independently.


    Every business under the Avery banner knew the key figures: the venerable Old Master, Alfonse, Cindy, and her brother. It was customary for employees to be well-versed in the identities of their superiors and their immediate assistants. They understood that Cindy reserved her utmost respect for the Old Master while acknowledging the significant status of the sole heiress to the Avery empire.


    Who else could the young Miss, Cindy be serving aside from the Avery heiress? Instead of feeling intimidated by her status, they were filled with excitement at the prospect of encountering the real heiress for the first time. They made sure to memorize her facial features, eager to serve her better in the future.


    The remaining two servers respectfully trailed behind them in a single line, poised to offer assistance if Hera required it before departure. They also wanted to send her off.


    Engrossed in conversation about the earlier interview, Hera and Athena strolled toward the restaurant’s lobby. It wasn’t until they arrived that they noticed themotion unfolding there.


    "What do you mean by kicking us out?" A woman’s shrill voice reverberated through the lobby, drawing the attention of nearby guests. Curious, Hera and Athena, like the others, edged closer to observe the unfolding drama.


    Indeed, Hera and Athena were drawn to the spectacle like moths to a me. It would be a lie to im they weren’t interested in the free gossip, especially in a venue like the Golden Dragon Pavilion, frequented by influential figures. Such juicy tidbits were undeniably entertaining to them.


    While many maintained theirposure and observed discreetly, Hera and Athena were less restrained, openly drawn to the scene unfolding before them. Others, despite their curiosity, retained a sense of decorum and refrained from getting too close, perhaps out of residual pride or a desire to uphold their upbringing. However, there were exceptions like Hera and Athena, who couldn’t resist the allure of the drama and approached to get a better view.


    And because of them, more people came forward to watch openly prompting a growing crowd.


    "Miss, you know very well why I am kicking you out." the General Manager seethed, his anger palpable.


    "How was I supposed to know?! I came here with my friends to dine, and I’ve been a loyal customer for years. Is this how you treat your regrs?" ire’s voice carried frustration, her teeth clenched.


    "Hah! Loyalty as a customer ismendable, and I take responsibility for mistaking you for another esteemed guest. However, upon realizing that we had seated the wrong party in Pavilion 1, you should have cooperated and relocated to your original reservation. Instead, you chose to masquerade as the rightful person who reserved of Pavilion 1!" The General Manager’s retort was sharp, his tone filled with usation.


    "Why can’t you just let us finish our meal since we’re already seated there? It’s your mistake, so it’s only fair that we continue dining there aspensation. Why throw us out?" ire’s voice trembled as tears welled in her eyes. She scanned the room, hoping to garner sympathy from the other patrons. "Look, everyone, this is how Golden Dragon Pavilion treats its customers! We pay hundreds of millions a year for what? To be treated like rags?"


    Hera observed ire’s theatrical performance with a hint of amusement. However, when their eyes met, Hera didn’t give it much thought. For ire, though, seeing Hera there added fuel to her indignation. The humiliation was gnawing at her pride. <i>’How dare a pauper like Hera stand there and watch me get humiliated, reveling in my misery?!’</i> she seethed inwardly.


    ire gritted her teeth so hard that the taste of iron began to spread in her mouth. "You’ve openly admitted that it was your oversight that led us here. Instead of finding ways topensate, you’re kicking us out? On what grounds? Just because we refused to vacate Pavilion 1? We weren’t even informed of anyone else needing it. Was there even someone else scheduled to use it? And if not, why force us out and not allow us to continue using it?"


    Onlookers caught in the drama found themselves nodding in agreement with ire’spelling argument, sensing there was indeed no fault on her part.


    "I admit it was my mistake to assume you were the one who reserved Pavilion 1. However, I did confirm with you three times if you indeed had a reservation there, and you affirmed each time. There’s no denying this fact, as it’s captured clearly on our 360 security cameras with audio. Secondly, upon realizing the error, I made efforts to relocate you to your correct room and even offered top your meal aspensation. Yet, you persisted in remaining seated and proceeded to livestream your dining experience." The General Manager exined with professionalism as he kept reining in his anger.


    "I don’t need yourpensation! I can afford to pay for the food I ate, and I can pay for Pavilion 1 too!" She reached into her bag and produced her membership card. "I don’t need your charity!" With a swift motion, she flung the card towards the General Manager.


    "TSK! TSK! I can’t keep silent any longer..." A man in his mid-40s emerged from the crowd and positioned himself in front of ire, his eyes filled with disdain as he nced at ire’s entourage. "Youngdy, I’m not interested in who your father might be, and frankly, I couldn’t care less. But your utterck of social awareness is truly astonishing."


    Another wave of humiliation washed over ire as she was reprimanded in front of the crowd. She desperately wanted to salvage whatever pride she had left by paying for her meal and insisting on dining in that Pavilion.


    "Sir, I don’t know who you are, and I don’t recall offending you, so please refrain from interjecting in our conversation. I am already prepared to step back and settle the matter by paying them. Isn’t that sufficient?" ire’s words came through gritted teeth, her face flushed red with anger and humiliation.