The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 207

Chapter 207: Chapter 207 Who’s Playing Favorites?
Dave’s captivating storytelling held Hera and Leo spellbound, causing them to lose track of time. Unbeknownst to them, half an hour had already passed since they placed their orders, and now, their food had arrived. Servers entered the room one after another, wheeling in carts laden with dishes concealed beneath stainless steel domes, ensuring the warmth of the food remained preserved against the chill of the air conditioner.

The dishes were methodically placed on the table, each one handled with care. The woman overseeing the servers stood nearby, ensuring everything proceeded smoothly. As the last dish found its place, the servers began to filter out one by one. Soon, a distinguished middle-aged man entered, his hair impeccably combed back, a monocle adorning his left eye as he wheeled in a cart laden with bottles of red wine.

He positioned the cart next to Hera’s table with practiced precision, effortlessly uncorking the bottle of red wine. His movements were almost theatrical, a display of mastery. After pouring himself a sample and savoring it, ensuring its quality, he meticulously filled a glass for each of the three guests.

Having executed his task flawlessly, he retreated to stand beside the woman, poised and attentive. He waited patiently for Hera, Leo, and Dave to take their first sips, ready to replenish their glasses promptly.

Dave, accustomed to a plethora of wines due to his career and social engagements with dignitaries worldwide, possessed a discerning palate. While not as refined as Luke, who resembled a sommelier in expertise, Dave could still distinguish the quality of the wine. It was evident to him that the hotel had selected its finest vintage to accommodate their distinguished guests.

His contemplation was abruptly halted by the arrival of another group, who promptly gathered around the grand piano nestled in the corner of the room. With the soft strains of violin and cello, they began to weave a serene melody, filling the space with tranquil notes. Though purely instrumental, the music washed over Hera, imbuing her with a sense of relaxation that complemented the culinary delights before her.

Observing Hera’s enjoyment of the meal, Leo smiled and continued to plate more food for her. He took extra care to ensure his hands remained clean as he expertly began to shell the shrimp by hand. Aware of Hera’s fondness for seafood and her reluctance to inconvenience others, Leo took it upon himself to handle the messy task, allowing Hera to relish her meal without worry.

Dave, meanwhile, didn’t leave all the work to Leo. He attentively served Hera with dishes he knew she would relish. Taking on the task of dealing with the large crab claws on the table, Dave expertly cracked them open one by one, skillfully extracting the succulent flesh and arranging it neatly on a separate plate for Hera’s enjoyment.

Hera’s eyes took on a crescent shape as she watched Leo and Dave attending to her needs as if she were royalty. It was a new sensation, being treated so lavishly, and she began to grasp why Alice, in the novel, was unwilling to relinquish any of her suitors. The allure of such devoted attention was becoming clearer to Hera with each passing moment.

Hera couldn’t help but notice the stark difference in Leo and Dave’s attentiveness compared to Alexi’s demeanor. It made her realize that to truly win over the male leads, she needed to do more than just be present. As she contemplated how to build better connections with them, Leo and Dave’s actions seemed to offer her an unexpected opportunity to deepen their relationship.

In appreciation of Leo and Dave’s attentiveness, Hera returned the gesture by serving some food onto their plates while they were occupied attending to her. “Don’t only give me food, eat too.”

“Darling, are you playing favorites now? Why does he get more grub than I do?” Dave asked in a theatrical tone, puckering his lips as his eyes darted back and forth between Leo’s plate and his own as if conducting a critical examination of the food distribution.

The way he spoke was quite deceptive, causing Hera to feel the weight of everyone’s attention on her. Silence fell like a pin drop in the room. Leo, however, reacted with a snort. “Childish,” he muttered, clearly unimpressed. Yet, he didn’t stop there. With a tone that dripped with disdain, he continued to grill Dave. “You not only hijacked our lunch but now you want special treatment? Are you a child?” Leo’s words highlighted Dave’s presumptuous behavior, particularly considering he was an uninvited guest tagging along.

“I’m childish, what can you do to me?” Dave retorted, his tone defensive. Then, he approached Hera with a sheepish smile. “Dear, could you feed me?” He held up his dirty hands. “See, my hands are dirty. Would you?”

Leo’s lips twitched violently as if he were on the verge of a rampage. Dave shamelessly sought to be pampered by Hera, right before Leo’s eyes, and Leo felt an urge to choke him.

“Oh?! Would you like me to feed you instead?” Leo said through gritted teeth, eyeing Dave with a murderous glare. He seethed with anger, having planned to spend some time deepening his bond with Hera, only for Dave to come along and ruin his plans. Not content with just ruining their date, Dave had completely hijacked it, making Leo feel like a servant while another man flirted shamelessly with his fiancée.

“Yuck! What am I gonna do with a man?” Dave said, looking disgustedly at Leo for even suggesting such a thing. After all, why would he want another man to feed him when the woman he liked was right in front of him?

Sensing the tension escalating, Hera flicked Dave’s forehead and said, “Go back to your seat and eat properly.” However, her gesture seemed intimate, causing even Leo to feel a pang of jealousy. He started to sulk, feeling as though Dave had won Hera’s affection right in front of him, leaving him powerless. Despite trying to follow his grandfather’s advice on composure, Leo couldn’t help but feel inadequate compared to Dave’s seemingly effortless charm.

Hera noticed Leo sulking quietly to the side, his hands continuing to shell the shrimps but his demeanor indicated clear sadness. Puzzled, she wondered what had caused his dissatisfaction even after she had sent Dave back to his seat. Glancing back at Dave, she saw him grinning triumphantly, his eyes occasionally darting towards Leo with a taunting expression.

Hera fell into deep contemplation and only then did she realize that the action she did to send Dave away looked intimate and close to him that it was as if she was coaxing him not to be naughty in front of other people, and so, he was taunting Leo who has clearly lost the silent battle for her affection. No matter how dense she was or how stupid she acted that she did not understand what they were doing, she couldn’t be as stupid to act indifferent when she clearly hurt Leo’s feelings.

And compared to the male leads like Dave, Hera was really more in favor of Leo, because not only was he good to her but he was not one of the male leads who wronged her and her family in the novel and would probably still follow the plot if she did not act fast and seize the opportunity like what she did.

As Hera realized why Leo was sulking, she skewered one of the shrimp he had shelled and popped it into her mouth. The burst of flavors and the shrimp’s freshness brought a smile to her face. Skewering another shrimp, Hera’s actions seemed ordinary to Dave and Leo, but then she extended the fork toward Leo’s lips.

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