Liz hadn’t said a word yet, but Hera had already taken the reins—and Alice hated that. On top of that, Alice saw a potential opportunity: the intruding woman was draped head to toe in luxury designer fashion, clearly someone with influence, maybe even someone connected to thepetition’s higher-ups. And if Alice could earn a few points and favor with her by undermining Hera and her friends, why not?
"See? Finally, someone with sense," the woman said smugly. "I <i>should</i> have this room. After all, I’m the daughter of one of thepetition’s directors."
Hearing this, Alice’s suspicions were confirmed—and that only fueled her resolve. If helping this woman meant putting Hera’s group in an ufortable spot, then so be it. She’d enjoy watching Hera lose for once.
"Look, Liz," Alice chimed in again, adopting a faux-reasonable tone. "She’s the daughter of thepetition’s director. Why not just let her have the room? It’s not like it’s a big deal, right?"
She smiled like she was being diplomatic, but even the Frenchman beside them looked like he was barely restraining his anger.
"Alice, right?" Liz finally spoke up, her voice calm but edged with quiet steel. She had stayed silent until now because, to her, it <i>wasn’t</i> a big deal—after all, it <i>was</i> Hera’s room, and if Hera didn’t want it, they could all just go up to the presidential suite.
No fuss. But now? Now, this woman—and Alice—were trying to humiliate them, throwing money around like they were desperate. As if $50,000 could buy them out of dignity.
What they didn’t know was that money was the <i>least</i> of their concerns. Each one of them was an heiress in her own right, and the way this woman waved her wealth around was nothing short of insulting.
"Do you really think you’re doing us a favor?" Liz retorted sharply, her words cutting through the air like a de. "If you think it’s such a generous offer, then like Athena suggested, why don’t you just offer <i>your</i> own room? Take the money and go. None of us here are in need of such a ’small’ sum—unless, of course, you are?"
Liz’s tone was biting, her response meant to put Alice in her ce. But the moment she finished speaking, Alice’s expression shifted. Her eyes widened in dramatic surprise, and without warning, tears started streaming down her face—<i>perfectly timed</i>, as if on cue. She sniffled, her tears a performance to make it look like they were bullying her, that <i>they</i> were the unreasonable ones.
"Why are you treating me like this?" Alice whimpered, her voice trembling with false hurt as she looked at Liz, then turned her gaze to Hera, as if using her. "I was just trying to help, to make sure you wouldn’t have any trouble..." She paused, her voice nowced with feigned sorrow. "Is it because Hera doesn’t like me that you’re being so hostile?"
Her words were meant to deflect and manipte, casting Hera as the source of the tension, even though Hera hadn’t said a word to her. In fact, Hera hadn’t even <i>looked</i> her way. But Alice didn’t care about the truth; she just wanted to turn the tables, to paint herself as the victim.
Liz’s patience was running thin, and now, she fully understood why Athena had abandoned any pretense of kindness with Alice. No matter how reasonable or civil they tried to be, Alice would twist things to make them the viins. Athena had already seen the futility in being nice, and Liz was quick to follow suit.
"Let me get this straight," Liz started, her voice now dripping with irritation. "You think we should just hand over this room because someone asked for it?" Her words were sharp, deliberate, as if slicing through the air with her sharp questions.
"But you <i>know</i> this hotel was booked <i>months ago</i>. If we were to ept your offer—<i>which we don’t need</i>—and take your $50,000, which by the way, we’re not exactly desperate for, what would we do next?"
"You think we’d just wander around trying to find another room when practically every hotel around here is <i>fully booked</i>? Because of thepetition? Because of all the people flooding in to watch it?"
Liz crossed her arms, leaning in slightly, her gaze cold. "So, if you really think your offer is such a great favor, then how about you offer <i>your</i> room? Let’s see how you manage to book another hotel."
Her words were now fullyced with the frustration that had been building up, making it clear that Alice was no longer being indulged with niceties.
Seeing Liz, Athena, and even Minerva growing visibly frustrated, Hera let out a quiet sigh. Minerva, in particr, looked deeply unsettled—not just by the situation, but by Alice herself. It was a painful, really. Alice had once been her closest friend, someone she trusted.
But now, watching Alice stir up trouble without hesitation, Minerva couldn’t help but silently question how she had ever called her a friend. Alice’s tears and carefully chosen words masked her maniption so well that even Minerva had nearly fallen for it—if not for Liz and Athena cutting through the noise with their sharp reasoning.
And yet, despite all of this, it was Hera who finally broke the silence.
"Alright," Hera said coolly, her voice calm but unreadable. "We’ll give you the room. But since every hotel nearby is fully booked, why not double the amount you’re offering? Seems fair, doesn’t it? A littlepensation for the trouble."
Her words dropped like a stone in still water. The room fell quiet.