Maria had been home for hours, yet she stayed locked inside her room, unwilling to interact with anyone.
Her mind kept replaying her conversation with James, the warmth in his voice, the sincerity in his words.
He spoke like a true gentleman... like an ideal man. Not just handsome, but kind and respectful. A small smile played on her lips as she thought about him.
Bernard used to be like that back when they were close friends. But now, he was nothing like the boy she once admired.
In her mind, James was already standing above him. She was still lost in thought when a knock on the door pulled her back to the present.
"Come in," she called out absentmindedly.
The door creaked open, revealing one of the household maids.
"Good evening, Miss Maria," the maid greeted politely. "I’ve been asked to inform you that dinner is ready."
"I won’t be coming out for dinner tonight," Maria replied flatly and didn’t even glance up.
The maid hesitated for a moment, then quietly left the room. Ten minutes later, another knock came. This time, Maria felt her patience snap.
"What now?" she muttered under her breath, ready to scold whoever it was.
Before she could say a word, Bernard stepped inside, closing the door behind him.
Her annoyance faded into something else—something unspoken. She immediately averted her gaze, unwilling to meet his eyes.
Bernard walked toward her, his movements deliberate. He sat beside her on the mattress, letting out a quiet chuckle.
"The maid told me you weren’t coming out for dinner," he said, his voice unexpectedly calm. "May I know why, please?"
Maria tensed a bit. His sudden gentleness caught her off guard. And then, he did something even more surprising, he added, "Please."
A part of her wanted to tell him the truth, to see how he would react. But another part of her refused to make things easy for him.
She simply shook her head, signaling that there was no reason. But Bernard exhaled, watching her closely.
"I know a lot of things might be bothering you. And I know you might not like it here." His voice was steady, but his gaze never left hers. "But I believe, in time, you’ll adjust. You’ll see things differently."
Maria expected him to say more, to press her, to demand an explanation. But he didn’t. He simply stood there, waiting.
Disappointed, she thought of James. ’He would have insisted. He would have cared enough to push further.’ Yet, she stood up anyway. If she wanted to get closer to Bernard, to gain his trust and execute her plan... this was a step she had to take.
As they walked to the dining table, she noticed the delight on Victoria’s and Beta Gilbert faces. They both welcomed her warmly, their smiles unusually bright.
Maria sat down, expecting someone to bring up her earlier refusal to eat. But to her surprise, no one mentioned it.
The silence unsettled her.
’This is strange... Is this kindness real? Or just another move in their game?’ She quietly began eating, but her mind remained restless.
★★★
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit room, Laura sat on the edge of her bed, gripping her phone tightly.
"What is the progress on the assignment I gave you?" The voice on the other end was deep and commanding.
Laura straightened her back, speaking with unwavering respect; "I’ve made some inquiries, sir. But for now, everything appears normal."
A pause. Then, the voice responded firmly, "Follow the instructions I gave you. Be thorough. Be certain."
"Yes, sir," Laura assured him. "I won’t fail."
As the call ended, she let out a slow breath, her mind racing.
’No one can know what I’m up to. I must stay under the radar... I can’t afford any mistakes.’ Her expression hardened with determination. This mission was too important. She had to execute it flawlessly.