Dave, who had been stubborn just moments before, suddenly grasped Leo and Zhane’s intention to give Hera and her best friend some privacy. Feeling a rush of panic, he darted towards the door, only to return with a nervous smile. Without thinking, he nted a quick peck on Hera’s cheek, catching both her and Athena off guard. Meanwhile, Leo and Zhane, still lingering near the door, witnessed the gesture, their expressions shifting to one of disapproval as they exchanged nces, silently questioning Dave’s impulsive move.
Dave, observing Zhane and Leo’s jealous reactions and their simmering anger, couldn’t resist a teasing remark. "What’s the matter? Can’t keep up with the pace? Should I have moved slower for you two turtles?" With a mischievous grin, he sauntered out of the room, whistling a merry tune as he went about his task, leaving Zhane and Leo seething in his wake.
Leo and Zhane shared a brief nce before they walked back inside the room and mirrored Dave’s gesture, each giving Hera a peck on the cheek before taking their leave. They made sure to extend the same courtesy to Athena, offering her warm smiles before departing from the room.
Hera and Athena were both taken aback, their reactions dyed by the unexpected disy of affection. They exchanged bewildered nces, their mouths hanging open in surprise. As the others departed, leaving them alone in the room, silence settled in like a heavy nket. For five whole minutes, they simply stared at each other, as if attempting tomunicate silently, their minds racing to process the sudden turn of events.
Athena’s excitement bubbled over as she broke the silence. "What on earth just happened? Have you already hooked up with the third and fourth male leads? And Leo?" Her original purpose for being there slipped from her mind as she became engrossed in the potential gossip with Hera.
Hera couldn’t help but notice the clear excitement in Athena’s eyes, reminiscent of someone engrossed in a soap opera. And in a way, she was witnessing a real-life drama unfold—a story straight from the pages of the novel from her world. It was no wonder Athena was thrilled; these happenings must have been the highlight of her day.
Hera sighed in defeat. "Honestly, I’m not even sure where all this is headed anymore. It’s like everything went off track somewhere along the line." She cast a weary nce at her best friend, hoping for some reassurance. Seeing Hera so defeated and uncertain, Athena’s excitement waned, and she fell silent, searching for the right words tofort her friend.
Hera cut in before Athena could respond. "Did you know your blind date tried to drug you?" Hera’s words tumbled out as she recalled the earlier report. She pushed aside the recent events at the backburner for the moment, focusing instead on the urgent matter at hand—her anger simmering anew at Tyler Lennon after remembering what he tried to pull with her best friend.
Athena’s eyes widened in shock. "What?!" She eximed, taken aback. She had just returned from the blind date and had sensed something amiss with herpanion. He had persistently tried to prevent her from leaving at first, making flimsy excuses. Then, when something happened, and the entire hotel was sealed off, forbidding guests from departing, she noticed her blind date’s growing anxiety. Not that she had any fondness for him—in fact, she couldn’t stand being near him.
If Athena hadn’t known that the hotel belonged to the Averys and upon discovering Hera’s hospitalization, she immediately called on her connection with Hera to the hotel’s staff so they would let her go without a second thought. The nurse had been tight-lipped about her condition, prompting Athena’s swift action. So consumed by worry, she hadn’t realized that it was Gerald’s right-hand man overseeing the hotel who had send her to the hospital.