The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 344

Chapter 344: Chapter 344 Sharing It With You
After hearing Rafael’s comment, Gerald burst into unrestrained laughter, his eyes fixating on the shrimp lying on the table in front of him. He then glanced back at Rafael, whose face had turned as red as a tomato. Gerald could hardly believe that the usually arrogant and prideful Rafael had reached a point of such embarrassment that he was actually blushing.

Before Rafael could come up with an excuse, Luke jumped in, still laughing. “Alright, alright, I’ll handle the shrimp. I’m worried that before even one piece makes it to Hera’s plate, they’ll all somehow end up on Mr. Troy’s side.”

“Isn’t it a good thing? I don’t have to worry about reaching for the shrimp when Mr. Briley is practically sending them to me,” Gerald added with a grin, realizing just how much fun it was to tease Rafael.

Hera couldn’t help but giggle quietly in her chair, trying her best not to laugh out loud as she glanced at Rafael. It wasn’t that they were taking pleasure in making fun of him, but seeing Rafael’s usually composed demeanor slip into clumsiness was just too funny to resist.

After Luke confidently teased Rafael for not knowing how to peel a shrimp, he decided to take on the task himself, pulling the plate of shrimp in front of him. But as soon as he grabbed one, he accidentally squeezed it too hard, sending the shrimp flying across the table—right into Gerald’s face just as he was about to take a sip of tea.

Gerald was caught off guard when a flying shrimp smacked him square on the forehead, sticking there for a brief, absurd moment before dropping into his teacup with a soft “plop.” The entire room fell silent, everyone too stunned to react, staring at Gerald’s comical expression.

Gerald’s eyes widened in shock as his mouth opened and closed, trying to form words, but he was too stunned to speak. The room remained in stunned silence until Hera finally broke it, bursting into laughter without a care for anyone’s embarrassment. The sight of the shrimp slapping Gerald and plopping into his teacup was too much for her to handle, and she couldn’t stop herself from laughing uncontrollably.

Luke was equally stunned, staring at his hand in disbelief before slowly shifting his gaze to Rafael, who was seated on Hera’s other side. Rafael met Luke’s eyes with a smug grin and a look that clearly said, “You’re no different than me.” The mocking expression on Rafael’s face only added to Luke’s embarrassment, making the situation even more humorous.

Luke was uncertain whether to try peeling another shrimp, as he suspected his overzealous grip had caused the previous mishap. He had pinched too hard in an attempt to prevent the shrimp from slipping, only to end up launching it farther than Rafael’s. Reluctant to admit defeat, Luke reached for another shrimp. Meanwhile, Gerald, now standing and stretching awkwardly across the table, tried to reach Luke but found the distance too great to close.

“Stop! Don’t! I’m not a target for another flying shrimp!” Gerald exclaimed, flustered and clearly embarrassed. He couldn’t believe he was becoming the butt of the joke and was bewildered as to why shrimp seemed to be aimed at him when he was simply trying to enjoy his meal.

Seeing the scene unfold, Hera burst into uncontrollable laughter, clutching her stomach as it ached from laughing so hard. Her eyes were brimming with happy tears, and she couldn’t tear her gaze away from the three men who had instantly dissolved the tension in the room with their antics.

From another perspective, it seemed like Rafael and Luke were having a playful competition to see who could shoot a shrimp farther, with Gerald unwittingly becoming their target. The situation resembled a child’s game, and even though it was unintentional, the sight of Gerald being the target made the whole scenario incredibly amusing.

They were effortlessly hilarious, and Hera had to give them credit for that. This unexpected comedy completely dispelled the dark feelings that had been weighing on her, clearing her mind and lifting her spirits.

Embarrassed, Luke shot a glare at Rafael to get him to stop laughing and cast an apologetic glance at Gerald, who was still staring at the shrimp on the table. After seeing how effortlessly Xavier and Leo had managed to care for Hera during the celebratory feast at the Variety Show, Luke had thought taking care of someone would be straightforward and required just a bit of common sense. However, the task proved to be more challenging than he had anticipated.

His inexperience had proven him wrong, a reality check he couldn’t ignore. Amidst his embarrassment, Luke found himself looking at Hera with a sheepish smile, his face flushed a deep red and his lips pursed in a mix of chagrin and apology. At that moment, he seemed almost angelic, an image that tugged at Hera’s heartstrings.

Without needing words, Hera took the plate of shrimp in front of Luke, donned a pair of plastic gloves, and began peeling the shrimp with effortless grace. In just a few seconds, a plump, perfectly peeled shrimp was already resting on Luke’s plate.

When Hera placed the shrimp on Luke’s plate, his eyes lit up with a mix of relief and gratitude. He gazed at the perfectly peeled shrimp with newfound enthusiasm, then quickly turned his head to watch Hera, who was now busy peeling another shrimp. After finishing, Hera handed the next shrimp to Rafael with the same nurturing care, as if she were soothing two crying children.

“Um, Hera,” Rafael asked, his voice tinged with sheepish curiosity, “Isn’t this your favorite? Aren’t you peeling any for yourself?” He noticed Hera peeling yet another shrimp, placing it on Luke’s plate next to the first one she had prepared for him. She then moved on to peel another shrimp, which she put on Rafael’s plate.

Hera continued peeling shrimp before answering Rafael with a grin. “Yes, it is one of my favorites,” she said, placing another shrimp on Rafael’s plate. “I’m sharing it with you all to cheer you up.”

Luke felt a warmth spreading in his heart for the first time. It started as a small, flickering dot, but Hera’s kind gesture made it grow, causing his heart to skip a beat as he watched the shrimp pile up on his plate with each shrimp she peeled.

Gerald, feeling as though he’d been unfairly sidelined, protested with a hint of indignation, as if he were a child who had lost his mother to a bunch of random kids. “Y-young… Miss Ainsley! Shouldn’t you be coaxing me too? I’m the one who suffered!”

Hera glanced up and saw Gerald’s pouting face, clearly feeling sidelined and wronged, as if he had endured the most suffering and deserved to be comforted. Meanwhile, Rafael and Luke were engrossed in the shrimp on their plates, their expressions filled with contentment, though they hadn’t yet touched the shrimp Hera had peeled for them. Smiling softly, Hera decided to address Gerald’s grievance. She continued peeling the shrimp, but instead of placing them on Rafael or Luke’s plates, she set them back on the serving dish. Once she had peeled all the remaining shrimp, she pushed the plate across the table toward Gerald.