Chapter 48. Schemes and Secrets at the College
Maria grew increasingly impatient as Bernard kept smiling at her for no apparent reason. She finally snapped, her voice edged with irritation.
"Bernard, what’s going on? Why are you smiling at me like that?"
Bernard’s expression shifted in surprise. Clearly, he hadn’t expected her to confront him so directly.
"I’m smiling because I’m happy. I don’t think that’s a crime, is it?" he said, a hint of displeasure in his tone. His eyebrows lifted slightly as he countered, "Do you have a problem with my smiles?"
Choosing to avoid further argument, Maria turned away from him and kept silent.
There must be something he’s hiding... she thought nervously. Maybe he knows I was in his room at midnight?
Maria felt a surge of panic but quickly masked it. She knew she needed to double her efforts and move faster to uncover Bernard’s plans and retrieve the documents she had failed to find.
They soon arrived at the college and walked into their classroom together. It felt strange to Maria, considering how long it had been since they last walked into class side by side.
Without exchanging words, they headed to their separate seats.
Relief washed over Maria when she spotted her friends. She hurried over, and they greeted each other warmly with hugs and cheerful whispers.
"Maria, we missed you so much! How are you now?" Cassandra asked, her voice low and affectionate as she leaned close.