Under the heiress facade

"I'm tired. Give me a piggyback ride!"

Hera turned around with an air of haughtiness.

Bernard's lips curved slightly as he stepped forward and bent down. Hera jumped onto his back, wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face into his back.

The auction was still ongoing, so the parking lot was mostly empty. Bernard walked toward his car with Hera on his back.

Neither of them spoke, but the mood seemed to ease up naturally.

Listening to his steady footsteps, Hera hesitated momentarily before speaking softly, "Actually, I've been hiding something from you."

Bernard responded gently, "I'm sorry for doubting you earlier. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. I trust that you'll tell me when you're ready."

Hera felt that there was more to his words, but she was unsure if he was referring to the suspicious person in Astral Nova or the Grandmaster of Astral Nova. "Actually, I..."

She was gathering her thoughts on how to explain.

They had reached the car. Bernard put her down and opened the passenger door for her as he casually dropped a bombshell.

trying to tell me that

about to sit in the passenger seat when she heard that and

Bernard's hand protected her head from hitting

"How did you know!"

suddenly thought

you met the Grandmaster

"No. Astral

eyes bore into her as if he

If he was the Grandmaster of Astral Nova, it made sense that Bernard hadn't

"How did you know I was

the Everetts about this. In addition to that, Camille was impersonating her identity as Dr.

took her left hand in

saw the bracelet on her wrist. The pink pearls and

at the

"Yes."

you said you were

call after telling me you were at the Everetts, taking