Maria woke up as early as 5 a.m., feeling unusually strong and energized.
A dangerous kind of excitement coursed through her, born from the belief that she was getting closer to taking Bernard down, and that Cassandra's efforts might finally be paying off.
For the first time in a while, Maria actually felt like going to college. Without wasting a second, she walked into the bathroom to take a bath. Yet, as she stepped inside, her eyes avoided the mirror.
The trauma of seeing her reflection talk back at her—an image of herself, naked, whispering chilling words—still haunted her. She couldn't bear another encounter like that. So, she completely ignored the mirror.
Once she finished bathing, Maria wrapped herself in a towel and stepped back into her room—only to freeze in shock.
Bernard was sitting on her bed.
