"You left in a hurry, claiming you were coming back to check on Tiramisu. Yet here you are, meeting that guy?" Bernard questioned, his expression souring.
Glancing at Christopher, whom he recognized as Aaron's cousin, Bernard scoffed again. He was clearly physically superior to Christopher, so he couldn't fathom why Hera would accept Christopher's bouquet.
Bernard had thought Tiramisu was his only competition, but apparently, there was this guy too!
"That's none of your concern," Hera replied, remembering he hadn't explained himself either when he was alone with other women.
"You're underage, so I forbid you to date!" Bernard retorted.
"I also forbade you from moving around, and yet you're here," Hera stated, her displeasure evident as she stared at him in the wheelchair.
Despite the biting winter cold, Bernard was clad only in thin casual attire, his hands on the armrest turning ashen from the chill.
Hera wondered why he was there alone in such weather. Judging by the red stain near his left thigh on his pants, Hera assumed his wound had been reopened.
"Do you really want to spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair?" Hera asked, her brows furrowed.
Even though the surgery was successful, his wound still required time to fully heal. Hera couldn't help but question whether Bernard truly cared about his health.
Sensing her anger, Bernard lowered his gaze to his legs and said, "Aaron needs to go on a mission, so he decided to send me back."
He then raised his head and looked into Hera's eyes, his eyes tinged with innocence. "He didn't even have the time to send me back to my unit, leaving me here alone."
Hera quietly observed him, amazed at his skill at playing the victim.
…
Meanwhile, as Aaron drove away from Skyview Heights, he suddenly sneezed. Glancing at the rearview mirror, he noticed a black coat in the backseat. He cursed. When did Bernard take off his coat and leave it here?
…
Back at the entrance of Skyview Heights, Hera questioned Bernard again, "Where's Douglas then?"
"He's on vacation," Bernard replied without hesitation.
Hera gazed at him in silence.
Meanwhile, Douglas, who was sent to buy some bottled water near Skyview Heights, suddenly received a message from Bernard. The message read, "Don't come back. You're on vacation."
Douglas was left puzzled by the message.
Speechless, Hera handed Bernard the bouquet and pushed his wheelchair toward his unit.
Glancing at the bouquet, Bernard scoffed in disdain at those 30 pink roses.
…
When Hera and Bernard arrived at Block 8, Hera heard a noise from the nearby trash can as she reached for the elevator button.
She turned around, only to see a big bouquet forcefully thrown into the non-recyclable trash bin, with a few pink rose petals scattered on the ground.
Recognizing it was her bouquet, Hera stared at Bernard.
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