Marked By The Alpha's Cursed Blue Moon
Chapter 9. Battle of Wills

Chapter 9: 9. Battle of Wills

Maria was still living in Bernard’s family house, and his mother had never made things easy for her.

The woman’s hostility was no secret, and it was clear she knew Maria didn’t like her either. There was no way they could ever get along.

Whenever Bernard’s mother acted in her usual cold and condescending manner, Bernard or Betta Gilbert would try to intervene, telling her to stop.

But that did little to change the atmosphere in the house.

Maria was growing tired of it all. She couldn’t understand why her parents had decided to give everything they had worked for to Bernard, leaving her with nothing.

The thought alone made her sick with frustration.

The burden of it all was becoming too much to handle. She needed answers, and there was only one person who could give them to her... Bernard.

That evening, around six o’clock, she found him in the garden, sitting alone, seemingly relaxed.

Bernard had asked her many times before to join him in the garden, but she had always refused. She never had the desire to talk to him, not with everything going on. But today was different.

Today, she needed to speak.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped closer. "Hi, Bernard," she greeted, forcing a small smile. Bernard looked up, startled.

"G...Good evening, Maria," he stammered, clearly surprised. "What a pleasant surprise to see you here in the garden!" His eyes lit up with excitement.

Maria resisted the urge to roll her eyes in disdain. His happiness disgusted her, but she needed answers. She had to act like all was well, even if it wasn’t.

Bernard quickly gestured for her to sit beside him. Without a word, she moved closer and took a seat.

"So, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?" he asked, his smile widening.

Maria hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"I need to talk to you about something that’s been bothering me." Her voice was calm, though her emotions were anything but.

Bernard nodded, indicating she should continue.

"I know that a contract has been signed and that we are now bound to each other," she began, her eyes locked onto his. "But I have a feeling that you have no real affection for me. Or am I wrong?" Her brows lifted in challenge.

Bernard’s face instantly darkened. "Why are you bothering me with such questions?" His tone turned sharp. "What do you want?"

Maria clenched her fists, barely able to contain her frustration.

"I just want to be free! And I still can’t understand why in God’s name my parents’ entire estate was willed to you! It’s driving me insane!" she burst out, her voice rising in anger.

Bernard’s expression turned stone-cold as he stood abruptly.

"I suggest you calm down and accept your reality, Maria," he said firmly. "Because the things you’re trying to uncover are far bigger than you. If you’re not careful, they will consume you."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Maria speechless.

Pain swelled in her chest, mixing with frustration and confusion. Tears welled in her eyes as she sat there, gripping the bench tightly.

"How did I get here? And what am I supposed to do now?" she whispered to herself, her voice cracking.

She sat in the garden for a long while, lost in her thoughts, before eventually making her way back inside, her mind completely absent from everything happening around her...

***

The next morning, the drive to college was silent. Maria and Bernard sat next to each other in the vehicle, but neither of them spoke nor even glanced in the other’s direction.

The tension between them was heightened, but Maria didn’t care.

As soon as they arrived, they each went their separate ways without so much as a word.

Maria walked toward her classroom, only to find Cassandra and Laura waiting for her outside. The two of them were deep in conversation, laughing and chatting like they had known each other forever.

Maria was a little surprised at how quickly they had bonded but she didn’t let it show on her face.

As soon as they noticed her, they greeted her warmly. But Laura quickly picked up on Maria’s mood.

"Maria, is everything okay? You don’t look happy," she observed, concern evident in her tone.

"Hmm," Maria let out a tired sigh. "I don’t even know where to start."

"We were just talking about you before you walked in," Laura said, watching Maria closely. "We were trying to think of ways to help you get out of all this mess."

"Yes," Cassandra nodded in agreement. "Do you have any plan in mind to earn your freedom, or are you just going to keep enduring this?"

Maria’s shoulders sagged. She then recounted everything that had happened the previous evening... her confrontation with Bernard, his cold dismissal, and how he had walked away from her without giving any answers.

Before Maria could answer them, Cassandra sighed, shaking her head. "Things are getting worse every day. Have you thought about talking to his dad?"

"I considered it, but I don’t think it would make a difference. He wants me with Bernard for a reason, and I doubt he’ll suddenly decide to help me escape."

"I agree," Cassandra said. "His dad is part of the problem, not the solution."

"Then we need to find something that can help you take back control." Laura, who had been listening quietly, suddenly spoke.

"Huh?" Maria turned to her, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

"We need to find the original documents, the ones that bound you to Bernard and, more importantly, the ones that transferred all of your parents’ possessions to him." Laura suggested, her expression very serious.

Maria’s eyes widened slightly. The idea made sense, but... "How do I even get my hands on them? I barely know that house."

"It won’t be easy," Laura admitted. "But from now on, you need to start playing along. Stop resisting Bernard and his mother. Make them believe you’ve given up, that you’re ready to accept your fate. If they trust you more, it might give you the chance to find what you need."

Maria swallowed hard, considering Laura’s words.

"Laura’s right." Cassandra chipped in, in agreement. "If you want to stand a chance at escaping this situation, you need leverage. The documents are your best bet."

Maria took a deep breath, feeling a newfound sense of determination settle in her chest.

"You’re both right," she admitted. "It won’t be easy, but I have to try."

She looked at her friends, deeply touched by their concern and support. Without thinking, she reached out and pulled them both into a tight hug.

"Thank you," she whispered. "You guys are my family now."

Cassandra and Laura held her just as tightly, their presence giving Maria the strength she needed.

She now had a plan... She would play along. She would pretend to surrender.

And then, when the time was right... she would take back what was hers from those family...