Under the leadership of the hotel owner, Bruce Wayne, Kara still followed him in.
"You should really learn from Miss Jennifer," Bruce teased Kara deliberately. "If you were willing to dress up a bit, you could just stand at the door, and there would be countless people ready to invite you to dinner."
Jennifer glanced at Kara secretly.
Kara was annoyed. Girl, people are calling you Miss Jennifer, and you can't even recognize how formal that sounds? Are you actually happy about it?
As for Bruce's comment, Kara wasn't amused in the slightest.
"Do you really think I care about coming here to eat?" Kara snorted. "Or do you think I can't afford it? I'd rather share my prey with the pack than sit here with beasts dressed in fancy clothes."
At least among wolves, hostility was direct and free of deceit.
Bruce shrugged but didn't respond further.
The trio walked into the lobby of the hotel. As the owner, Bruce didn't need to reserve a seat in advance. For others, however, securing a spot often required reservations made a week earlier—or they wouldn't even get entertained.
People like Harvey Dent understood this struggle.
As they passed by a table, they saw Harvey Dent seated, with Rachel Dawes opposite him.
Harvey was venting to Rachel about the hotel's outrageous reservation system. "I had to wait three weeks for this reservation. And that's after dropping my title as Gotham's District Attorney. Can you believe that?"
Rachel chuckled. "Well, you're here now. Let's just enjoy the meal."
But it was easy to see Harvey's frustration.
Bruce noticed them and called out, "Rachel?" His tone was filled with surprise.
Kara rolled her eyes. Seriously, show some self-control.
Jennifer nudged Kara discreetly and whispered, "Who's that?"
"Your rival," Kara muttered without hesitation. "She's Bruce's childhood sweetheart, you know. But don't worry—she seems to be dating this gentleman right here."
Bruce shot Kara a warning glance, clearly having heard her comment. Jennifer, on the other hand, ducked her head shyly.
Kara, keep your mouth shut, she scolded herself internally.
Thankfully, Rachel and Harvey didn't catch the remark.
Rachel forced a polite smile, though she appeared slightly awkward. "Bruce, this is Harvey. Harvey, this is Bruce."
The two men exchanged handshakes with a formal yet distant air, as they weren't familiar with each other.
Rachel's gaze shifted to the two women accompanying Bruce. "Aren't you going to introduce your friends?"
Bruce nodded and introduced them. "This is Miss Kara, a journalist working for The Daily Planet. She writes a popular and sharp-tongued column."
He gestured to Jennifer next. "And this is Miss Jennifer, a former top prosecutor from Metropolis. She recently took over as Gotham's Chief Justice."
Harvey's eyes lit up, and he immediately shook hands with Jennifer. "It's an honor to meet you. I've heard so much about your dedication to justice."
Jennifer smiled politely. "And I've heard great things about you as well, Mr. Dent. As the new District Attorney, I look forward to working closely with you to bring some much-needed order to Gotham."
Bruce observed their interaction, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. After a moment, he suggested, "Why don't we combine our tables? We could discuss some ideas for Gotham's future."
Rachel hesitated. "Won't that be inconvenient? I mean, the hotel might not allow—"
Kara cut her off with a casual shrug. "This hotel is his."
Rachel blinked in surprise, realizing Bruce owned the entire establishment. Naturally, rules didn't apply to him.
Moments later, under the manager's arrangements, the waiter added three extra chairs to Harvey and Rachel's small table.
Though the table was cramped, they made it work.
Kara muttered, "Barely enough space, but sure."
Bruce shot her another warning glance, subtly reminding her to behave. Kara sighed and reluctantly closed the menu. "Fine. Just bring me a bottle of your most expensive wine. I don't care about the brand."
The waiter blinked at her, momentarily confused by the vague order.
Meanwhile, Bruce seemed focused on Harvey, his expression curious. He asked, "Mr. Dent, as Gotham's new District Attorney, you must have thoughts about the city's masked vigilante—the Batman. What's your opinion of someone operating outside the law?"
Kara turned her face away, trying to suppress a grin. So, we're talking about ourselves now?
Harvey's response surprised her. "I think Gotham should be proud of those who act bravely, Mr. Wayne. While he may be a dangerous figure, there's no denying that his actions are just."
Bruce's eyes lit up, clearly intrigued by the answer. Kara was impressed as well and leaned forward with interest. "So, you're saying Batman is a hero?"
Rachel frowned slightly, glancing at Kara thoughtfully.
This time, Jennifer joined the conversation. She picked up the glass of red wine the waiter had poured and swirled it thoughtfully. "I believe the true heroes are those willing to fight for change within the system," she said, her voice calm but firm. "But in a city like Gotham—where corruption runs rampant—figures like Batman and Oracle can be the light in the darkness."
Bruce and Kara exchanged subtle smiles.
For now, their secret identities remained safe.