บท 98: Chapter 99
Kara sat down and didn't leave, so Alfred had no choice but to arrange for their food to be delivered to the table.
"I tried to keep her entertained in the other room, Master, but she found her way here herself," Alfred said, immediately shrugging off responsibility as if it wasn't due to him that Kara knew Bruce had taken Jennifer out.
Kara didn't call him out, only casting a knowing look at Jennifer.
Jennifer, who seemed uncomfortable, quickly explained, "It was Harvey and Rachel who asked Bruce and me…Mr. Wayne, to be their witnesses."
To explain is to admit, Kara thought, and she noticed how Jennifer even changed how she addressed Bruce.
Kara rolled her eyes and then turned to Bruce, saying, "I don't want your car."
"Are you sure?" Bruce raised an eyebrow. "You seemed to enjoy taking it for a spin."
"It's fun to drive," Kara replied nonchalantly, "but I'd worry about it getting scratched if I left it outside, and maintenance isn't cheap." She shrugged. "Plus, I'd rather not be tied to it."
Bruce wanted to remind her that she didn't hold back when she destroyed the Batmobile, a vehicle that was easily worth billions. But he chose not to bring it up. This issue with the car was trivial to her, and once back home, she could pay off her remaining car loan and maybe get a new one—if she felt like it.
In truth, Kara could have paid off her car loan long ago. With her mastery over the elemental magic, she could even turn raw materials into gold, a process not unlike alchemy, though hers was on a higher level. She could create or transform elements at will. The specifics were too complex to explain here.
But Kara wasn't interested in using her powers for monetary gain or manipulating the economy.
An awkward silence settled in as Kara kept eating, unfazed, while Jennifer avoided her gaze, and Bruce gave a resigned smile. Beneath the billionaire playboy persona, Bruce was much more restrained, a different side of himself he struggled to bring forward in situations like these.
Alfred, observing the tension, decided not to wade into troubled waters. He did show some concern for Jennifer, though. She was, after all, carrying Bruce's child.
While others might never know the child's gender, Kara had already deduced that it would be a boy—her future godson. She only hoped he wouldn't take after his father too much.
The rest of the meal continued in silence. Jennifer and Bruce had finished eating earlier, but they hadn't left because they were discussing something important before Kara's interruption.
Kara felt no guilt, indulging in the food and even taking an extra bottle of wine on her way out, leaving Bruce to cover the bill.
As they were leaving, Bruce initially offered to drive them home but then asked Alfred to do it, while he drove off alone.
It seemed Bruce had developed a slight wariness toward Kara, especially after her intense, knowing gaze had unsettled him. He couldn't face her without a twinge of guilt.
Back at Jennifer's house, Kara opened a bottle of fine red wine and poured herself a glass, then shot a scrutinizing look at Jennifer, who had retreated to her room to change.
"Look at me," Kara said pointedly, noticing Jennifer was avoiding her. She even adopted the intimidating, husky voice of Oracle, meant to strike fear.
Jennifer, however, wasn't afraid, muttering, "I'll be there when I'm done changing."
Kara sighed, asking, "Didn't you say you'd moved on?"
Jennifer, still facing away, replied, "I have, but he asked me out. Moving on doesn't mean ignoring him for the rest of my life."
Kara rolled her eyes, silently mouthing, liar.
"Stop calling me names," Jennifer retorted without turning, clearly anticipating Kara's reaction. "What was I supposed to do? I said I'd moved on from Bruce Wayne, but I didn't know back then that Batman was Bruce. You told me, remember?"
Finally, Jennifer turned to face Kara, frustration in her eyes. "I thought about ending this pregnancy, but once I knew Bruce was Batman, things changed. I let go of Bruce Wayne but fell for Batman, and now they're the same. What am I supposed to do? He'll be in my life forever, like it or not."
Kara felt sympathy. She'd initially wanted to tell Jennifer the truth about Bruce, suspecting she might struggle to let him go. Jennifer had been drawn to Bruce from the start, her feelings now spanning a decade. After several twists of fate, she'd found herself loving Bruce's alternate persona instead.
Jennifer had decided not to end the pregnancy, having embraced both Bruce Wayne and Batman as part of her life. The revelation only deepened her sense of being trapped, unable to fully break free from her love for him.
Once she'd finished changing into her pajamas, Jennifer returned to the living room, throwing herself onto the couch and wrapping her arms around Kara's waist. She looked up with a mixture of hope and melancholy.
"Rachel said yes to Harvey's proposal," she began, "and Bruce finally had an honest conversation with her."
Kara's expression remained skeptical. "And?"
Jennifer held onto Kara's waist a bit tighter. "He said he wants to start over—with me. That he wants to pursue me. And Kara…you know I've liked him since college. It's been ten years."
Kara groaned, feeling a mix of frustration and sympathy. This cycle had no easy solution, and she wasn't sure if Jennifer could keep her resolve—or if Bruce would ever be free of his own complexities.
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