The burly man clapped his hands and returned to the room.
He respectfully informed the grandmaster, "Bernard, the issue has been resolved."
Bernard grunted in response.
The auction was already underway. He adjusted his posture, grabbed his phone, and launched the WhatsApp chat with Hera.
Their last conversation concluded with the message, "Beg me, and I'll send it again."
Unable to believe that she had ignored him, he tapped on the screen and sent her a message.
Meanwhile, on the fifth floor, Hera wasn't interested in anything except the Eclipse Stone. So, she put on her headphones and focused on the matching tiles game.
Suddenly, a WhatsApp notification popped up on her phone screen, so she clicked on it.
It was Bernard asking, "Where are you?"
Her heart skipped a beat. Her first instinct was to check if he knew she was at the auction. She casually glanced around, scanning her surroundings.
However, she couldn't spot him on the same level or any level below her. The floors above the sixth were out of her sight.
She recalled mentioning the Eclipse Stone to Bernard before, so she expected him to be there. With that in mind, she replied with another question instead of an answer.
"Where are you?"
Even though she was in disguise and unlikely to be recognized, she felt it was wise to know his location as a precaution.
Bernard responded, "Skyview Heights. Aren't you returning?"
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