Chapter 76. Journey to Truth
Maria woke up as early as 5 a.m., feeling unusually strong and energized.
A dangerous kind of excitement coursed through her, born from the belief that she was getting closer to taking Bernard down, and that Cassandra’s efforts might finally be paying off.
For the first time in a while, Maria actually felt like going to college. Without wasting a second, she walked into the bathroom to take a bath. Yet, as she stepped inside, her eyes avoided the mirror.
The trauma of seeing her reflection talk back at her—an image of herself, naked, whispering chilling words—still haunted her. She couldn’t bear another encounter like that. So, she completely ignored the mirror.
Once she finished bathing, Maria wrapped herself in a towel and stepped back into her room—only to freeze in shock.
Bernard was sitting on her bed.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she realized she was standing there naked, and he had been watching her. Panic shot through her as she turned quickly to run back to the bathroom, but Bernard was faster. He stood and grabbed her hand firmly.
"Bernard! What are you doing here?! And why are you holding my hand?" she snapped, furious and stunned by his presence.
He didn’t flinch. Instead, he looked at her with a calm, lustful gaze. "I missed you," he said. "Why are you running from me? Aren’t you my chosen mate? This isn’t the first time I’ve seen you like this."
His grip tightened slightly.
Maria struggled against him, glaring. "Don’t give me that! What about Cassandra? Aren’t you in love with her now?"