Chapter 238: Being "Inconsiderate"

Benjamin's expression shifted as he agreed to Martina's request, saying, "Alright. It's no problem." At that moment, Martina's phone, which she had been holding, started ringing. Glancing at it, she saw that it was her best friend's name on the caller ID. Benjamin refrained from taking any significant actions or uttering words, though his eyes betrayed unspoken thoughts. He was fully conscious of his current status and didn't wish to come across as petty or inadequate. Martina answered the call without hesitation, "Have you arrived? I'll come pick you up." As they had previously arranged, Elena would call Martina when she arrived. That way, they could go together and make the situation less awkward. Elena seldom interacted directly with Benjamin's family in their usual encounters, so today was a rare occurrence. She replied,"Yeah, I'm already in the front hall, but I haven't seen you around. Are you here yet?" Martina smiled and said, "Of course, I'm already here. I'm... well, I can't explain it clearly. Just wait for me there. I'll be there shortly." Afterwards, she glanced at Benjamin with a complex expression and said, "Benjamin, my friend has arrived. I need to go pick her up. If you have other plans, go ahead. You don't have to worry about me; I can take care of myself." Martina's thoughts were straightforward. Today was Jack's birthday, and there were so many people around. Benjamin was bound to be busy. He couldn't just ignore the guests. After all, they had all come for his grandfather's birthday. So, Martina thought Benjamin would definitely have some work to do. That was the reason she said what she did. It wasn't to intentionally create distance between them. Benjamin seemed to understand her reasoning. So, his expression didn't display too much displeasure. At most, he reluctantly acquiesced. He couldn't help it; he was dealing with someone who was 'inconsiderate.' Even though he couldn't change the situation, he couldn't admit that he was jealous and wanted to join her. "Alright, you go ahead. I'll join you later." With Benjamin's firm response, Martina had no more doubts. She went to the front hall and found Elena, who was similarly dressed up. What was surprising was that Elena's outfit today seemed to match Martina's, giving them a sisterly appearance. A single glance from either of them evoked envy and excitement from others. Elena also seemed to appreciate Martina's appearance, and her eyes sparkled with amazement and heartfelt praise. "Wow, Martina, you look absolutely stunning today! You put a lot of effort into this look, didn't you? By the way, did Benjamin say anything when he saw you like this? I bet that man must have been enchanted by your appearance!" It was no wonder Elena thought this way. Her own thoughts led her to imagine the same for others, and she couldn't help projecting her feelings onto them. While Martina couldn't help but think that Benjamin's character wouldn't lead him to such actions, she allowed herself to entertain the idea. After hearing Elena's comment, Martina's thoughts involuntarily went back to how Benjamin had reacted when he first returned. It seemed like her appearance had genuinely surprised him. But he hadn't displayed his surprise openly. He had, however, genuinely complimented her in words. Now, upon hearing Elena's remark, Martina's thoughts started to become less composed. If it weren't for the fact that others were present, she might have said something because she was feeling a bit embarrassed. It was difficult to ignore her feelings. "Don't talk nonsense here. If someone overhears, it might never end. The truth is, there's nothing special between me and Benjamin. Even if there was something in the past, that's all in the past. Haven't I made that clear enough to you?" Martina complained a bit. Elena pouted, displeased. "Alright, alright, I was just teasing you. Why are you taking it so seriously again?" She scanned the area and didn't see Benjamin's figure. She subconsciously wondered if he hadn't arrived yet. These thoughts unintentionally escaped her lips. "But coming back to it, with your appearance today, if Benjamin does see you, I refuse to believe he could remain unfazed unless he's not a man! Otherwise, it's impossible to remain calm. This is a fact, whether you believe it or not. Just believe me. Can you think I'd lie to you about something like this?" Martina's cheeks were slightly flushed. If it weren't for the current situation, she might have displayed more signs of not being calm. Just then, following a little later, Alejandro also arrived. Elena had already mentioned that they would be coming together, so Martina wasn't surprised. She naturally greeted Alejandro, "Hey, Alejandro." Alejandro's gaze lingered on Martina, then he smiled slightly. His appearance seemed just as gentle as usual. If one had to point out any change, it was in the gentleness of his approach, with an undeniable touch of assertiveness, though this assertiveness wasn't quite as pronounced. It might not have been noticed by ordinary people, but some very familiar with him might sense the change. Yet, among these people, Elena was not one to overlook such things. She quickly realized that her brother had developed feelings for her close friend. If, in the future, it turned out that her friend and Benjamin separated... Elena wouldn't mind playing matchmaker for her brother! She was open to any method.