Once Maria gave her word to help Bernard and offered a faint smile to reassure him, he visibly relaxed.
The tension in his shoulders eased, and a genuine smile lit up his face.
"Thanks a lot, Maria. I honestly thought you wouldn't agree to help me," Bernard said, his eyes locking with hers.
That statement caught Maria off guard. Her smile faded slightly as curiosity furrowed her brow. "Why would you think that?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, her tone more serious now.
Bernard hesitated for a moment, then replied with quiet honesty.
"Because I know you haven't been very happy with me or my family. You haven't said it outright, but… it's in the way you act around us. Whatever your reasons are—I respect them. But I want you to know this: whatever my parents and I are doing now, it's for the best. You'll understand soon enough."
