Chapter 86

Hera had barely tasted the dish, so she obediently nodded. "Yeah." "Say 'Please, Bernie' then," Bernard requested. As he finished his words, he braced himself, expecting Hera to meet his request with a chilly response. Yet, the temptation of delicious food was too strong for Hera to resist. Without hesitation, she called out, "Please, Bernie." With that, Bernard's hand twitched imperceptibly, and his throat tightened. His spur-of-the-moment decision to have Hera address him differently suddenly felt weighty. It wasn't the first time people had called him "Bernie," but hearing it from Hera felt different. As Hera spoke, her mind felt foggy, as if the food had clouded her thoughts. She couldn't believe she fell for his charm. Despite her racing heart, she accepted the steak calmly and continued eating. The steak was delightful, as was the bacon. Hera convinced herself she was only complying for the sake of the food. Yeah, that was it! They sat facing each other, lost in their thou