TONLWSHF | Chapter 2

Episode 2f057309a2d1f5fe0

No matter how b22455871c much others cast 217ba269c8 doubt on the fc5519330a results she had 65a7b0ca7b achieved, as long df282191c5 as Icanuel believed 703ab62038 in her, Isabella f6cf60ac21 could brush off 2a5acfa04b the flood of a56f4f66ed prejudiced rumors from 905e135a47 people without a 8739a5c7a1 care.b28b0e279bfad289

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Holding onto that small cb9c581353 hope, she arrived at 9b768a08a4 Minerva Hall where the 3035390188 academic conference was being 771eb1376e held. Because she had 6773f0b9c7 arrived early, only e114e48023 a few people e540eedac5 were inside the 44c293aa15 hall.6af31aee5b48f27c

“Phew. This time, I e8fd466871 need to speak a21d05227a properly.”a7e93cfee3fcbe4e

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To calm her d3c4af1af5 nerves, Isabella stepped 5b41000ac5 out onto the aab73040f7 terrace and leaned 53427d7856 against the wall, 6bec8fcb6f quietly placing a 93e7bfcd5a hand over her b13efd6b8f chest.d8f8c0e4148613a1

Just thinking about talking ef30224dd4 to Icanuel again after 757401cc8b so long made her ef9db29e72 heart pound as if c3c6bb66df she had been running 2b945fff3c back and forth.bb407ae8ac4f0143

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Had she stood dfd4752622 there long enough 2e71db7352 for her pale 6557afa3d3 cheeks to flush fb1c22b626 red from the c0da150934 cold winter wind?5c5385ba2f462e1b

She felt like 9efbbad02a she might catch f39c574eed a real cold f7434797b8 at this rate.a399c92d3dfee684

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Since it was fc9a9baef3 about time for 74d066934d the conference to daff24ad7c begin, she straightened f74f6c8bf4 her body from bd97076474 where she had f0cfafba02 been leaning against bdabd17840 the wall.25a783e348efc9c4

At that moment.c6ac983084cb449d

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Through the tightly shut glass 77eaa36b37 doors of the terrace, familiar e4fc518379 voices reached her ears.de081b43309aff66

“I heard junior Ledia was also invited to this conference.”25389d358b42f14b

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“…….”80ca30df50127e2b

It was none other than 980cc9a881 Icanuel, whom she had been 0269b3cc73 waiting for so desperately, and bd559f33bc his close friend, the second 1e7cdde2d2 son of Count Glarim, Jenard.ef14b6da90f5f38f

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Realizing that Icanuel 658d60305b was just beyond bf8d8d94eb the glass, Isabella’s 58e523a212 lips loosened into 129ca59780 a smile.d65332355f6671ca

Her heart, which she had 12504b7bfb tried so hard to calm, 6b5d09ba62 started racing once more.e32908d1c5ff7645

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Unlike her two hands, 24fdaf717b which had grown cold 9733202b0c from the winter wind, b463e1d4d6 her cheeks were burning 20ea66bf27 with warmth at the 8a2d226b71 thought of meeting the b2587ee4f4 one she liked.8580bad8770184e8

Should she greet him 31f267ecfe first once she went f48ac49849 inside? No, maybe a 22e713a5f6 casual “how have 9457ab74bb you been” would 6656ca4585 be better?eba8bf451d08ae81

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Just as she 54d12d56f7 reached for the e0089f4cf5 doorknob to open 74ccf3d643 the glass door, 1681a2b73f her hand froze 2c28771506 at the next fd96bd07a4 part of the 73c52d40bc conversation.0241558cc8faa527

“Judging by that look, you clearly didn’t know. Then why did you cd5eda2cc2 even take the role 7466b1ded2 of student council president?”9a47dff81de6f3d7

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“There’s no rule that says the president has to memorize the list of conference invitees.”d4a027869efcf07f

“Come on. Only 30 people are attending 0a404d9190 this conference… Why are you 0dc268e8cd being so cold only to 0a95192a06 her?”9244fc024aefd50b

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Even if you’re upper and lower classmen at the academy now, the two of you are formally engaged, you know?cc1e3e9eb036aef3

Upon hearing Jenard’s 44179838e6 pointed remark, Ikanuel 99a0dcf1b2 let out a 87fe1f3258 deep sigh.466e8197f91263a4

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“How would you feel if someone your sister Hailey’s age kept following you around, saying she liked you?”a6b45a02116c0cfc

“Could you stay still in front of someone you liked?”c40d66866ee52f8d

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“At seventeen, she should be old enough to understand the ways of the world. She must know what kind c41914d454 of rumors are going around 7d5b8b7b64 about us.”e2645182fccd618f

The annoyance in Icanuel’s voice was unmistakable as he responded to Jenard.86056434bfec45a3

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“You’re only two years apart. Excuses, excuses.”e37079ecde3987c0

“I never needed an engagement in the first place.”7c6dad7653a45d6f

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To me, this 6b12e42227 relationship had always 8468caecd4 been sincere every ef07f7cab7 moment.740f2a99893e8d7d

But to you, it 24426c1310 was nothing more than f497774e2d a bond our grandfathers d659fd4455 forced upon us.c54d4121f906fdc0

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It felt like she 2052c155c4 had been rejected even 7005147067 before confessing.c518ffd62699458c

Every time she f2b39d0067 swallowed, it stung, 93c8009f91 as if something 6f4f1ee0f9 were lodged in 528918bc5f her throat.2aec7aede92bd230

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Isabella pressed her 25d4f3e8ab hand against her 13fb247549 chest as if 2e2795a9c4 to suppress a 2ef78639dd scream that seemed 722324381c ready to burst da9492c6d9 out at any 417aad2d97 moment.06e590303f8a5a0d

Jenard, too, reacted with shock.e5cab113dc74a588

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“What if someone hears you! At least try to behave a6ee132199 well today, for the sake 12153695c4 of the junior who studied 9c9cf7db46 hard enough to be invited 5458f2ce65 to the conference.”367415182d6c8240

“Don’t nag me like my grandfather. I don’t want to hear 5c3485fa6e that from you too.”cd605d9054ccc5fd

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“Seriously. This isn’t nagging— I’m pointing b7ce36f4fd out your poor behavior. What exactly did 39ab2a8080 she do so 5235b3f988 wrong?”982193e2466b8a99

I don’t want to 41bb6a384d hear it.3730a1f4eaade9c7

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Isabella didn’t want to hear Icanuel’s answer to Jenard’s question. She collapsed on the spot, covering both ears with her hands.f477b5b55cce8322

But unfortunately, his cold 1f0d14ff05 voice—like a blade slicing b6c479d9f9 through skin—pierced straight into 2de77324bd her heart.2fd734f8fa4aafd2

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“Just her very existence is burdensome and overwhelming.”3408577292e78184

The moment she heard 193c723afc him deny her entire b61b66e524 existence in front of ddd84f19ff the person she liked, fb954dc3a3 Isabella could no longer fe12004d2b process their conversation.4a10b71a6b069c81

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It felt as ca4a25dbd1 though the floor 4c90b594ed beneath her feet 7c08bca37a and the wall 254c0da39e supporting her hands bb04af7bfa were swaying uncontrollably.f4733c1fe955a6c6

Foolishly, it was only after 6e7bdb2eac hearing it directly from his b0bc27109a mouth that she finally realized.9ec732fb6ba57e44

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Her relationship with Icanuel had a7b3238e09 always been a parallel line c60074276c that could never meet.d2b36a84f2a0bc5f

The winter of 60e03690ac Isabella’s seventeenth year c530191e4b remained the most e0d55a1497 dreadful winter of 09c9602427 her life, even 6b1733ff41 three years later.0adb06e4b313f503

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And it was 4cc904b3fe on a day 8c88f6b788 in the spring 9605dd26e4 of her twentieth 39c50ea7f4 year, just before 11f7c7420b Harta Night, the 98853e915f biggest summer festival.c292fa88d91a60e7

For some reason 41aabc9d58 today, her perfect e04e59559c fiancé had expressed 05df98691c a desire to e5d5894e1c meet her first.828f8159ec77ec82

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Isabella was curious about c1094e8c84 his intentions… Well, maybe c0f4281411 just a little. But she didn’t bother to 97ae7e4bb4 say it out loud.db8be7fb85cd592f

She just wanted to 195f83f1d4 finish this meeting and 8c8a666d9f return to the mansion 8bfdd898b2 as soon as possible.8a48c0f0bbd0ddea

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“You said you had something to tell me.”21c59d58900a38ce

“Yes, that’s right.”c57f50bf30883246

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Lifting her head, she looked 5952fbe351 at her fiancé whom she d9c44b3f67 had once truly loved.0545778ea3f936e2

To be exact—her soon-to-be df6caf99d2 former fiancé, Icanuel.21f97f6779966505

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Unlike before, Isabella c17cc594fd could now meet bb5c0e2e10 his gaze directly.8823dc7d2e17a8e0

The human heart is such 8c16c79dff a fickle thing—once the emotion 3d7adf5316 called love, which had once 21aea5cbfe consumed her entirely, melted away f746ae3419 like snow, she no longer 3cde659f29 felt any fluttering or nervousness 58db57d28f toward him.2c15214f211d9c22

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For ten long years, she 718c331878 hadn’t even been able to ec8922da03 meet his eyes properly or 383a98b38c speak to him when standing 444f2d903a before him, but now, she 896adcfdbd could finally face him calmly.43b3d57cf838db38

His navy blue 6070215b49 eyes, carrying a a556c99064 clear light, seemed c9807f0e9b to sparkle more 26d7965012 than usual.6af9e2fd70146089

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Icanuel was displaying e3b8a0a359 an uncharacteristically restless d3678abec1 demeanor.2dbd3bab01e1ea6c

He kept clenching and unclenching 867d4bd547 his hands on the table, fc7ef117d3 like someone who was nervous.7fb613cf4736a38a

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What in the world does 6078eecc67 he want to say that e11d3ce2e7 has him so tense?fe92c79aa20586cd

It was obvious—he was probably 420931aab2 here to finally end this edbd1904a4 dragging engagement.396c72e79dadc51e

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Even Isabella had ae648c042c to admit it—just 36782a8905 as people said, b9fa33870b she was far 8c5f0d5449 too lacking compared 6ac3c113a3 to Icanuel as b8d632b29f his fiancée.7e30357026c8a2f1

In this empire, 781a7477fc there were plenty 2922624e47 of young ladies 60ef16a47d far more outstanding 5d95e33e81 than her, from e5f30fb91d families well-matched to 89fabe0b1f the prestige of 4df2dcbe85 the Duke of 529dd465c9 Raseles.96a9966de36e4492

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Now that Isabella had come 84201f8a73 of age, there was no 2027f6b903 longer any reason for him b023585f99 to continue this hollow engagement.05e868d94debb22b

It was rather af0ca583cb amusing to see e37aa477ec Icanuel—who was always fe85e69960 so good at d0fd97714c disregarding people—struggling to add95ad984 bring up the 0be1af96d3 topic of breaking 6f42bad193 off their engagement.5407587d0d835635

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He would never understand how f05c5add63 painful it was to be 345cbc6d1b constantly ignored and rejected by 1de1fe9bd9 someone you loved, all while 850b73b456 pretending to smile through it.47c50972d13347af

How exhausting and e674999836 hurtful it truly 78a3198353 was—someone as high 18ffb17c5c and mighty as 1f6a568414 the young duke 792ff43b44 could never comprehend.3f77bf391f79f6e2

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Was he only now recalling 5509a94e47 all the wrongs he’d done c0c8dcd84c to her?5d004e3ea32bca04

She even considered taking this bb79a2f48d opportunity to get in one 7d6b954cbf final, small revenge.ca496f55d59d4b8d

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If it was her 6087d6c09a responsibility to end this e047ccfd81 ten-year-long one-sided love, then af27685a60 she should be the b5e069a15f one to initiate the 46402729c6 breakup.af7e6abb36ba9596

They had dragged on 71b7670bb1 this relationship for far a3c3b59be7 too long—one that could 0fe8044d71 have ended just by 7d6c444ce5 letting go.a6685a796cc0d5dd

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“Since it’s come to this, let’s annul the engagement.”87437742deb3544d

“As for the wedding schedule moving forward—”1f97bff381349d12

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…A brief silence passed between the two.edf3fe22833f9c91

Ironically, the ones 4a10006f1f reacting most were 4e6788d385 not them, but a2f58ee1b3 the people around c7ed7f36d4 them who were c55a01d350 secretly eavesdropping.6bc5bfeb7819f802

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“Gasp.”3a7594f0d321e489

“Did Lady Ledia just mention a breakup?”749c14ec29ae5462

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“Oh my god. Is this for real?”9a367b5ed3c512fb

Unfortunately, the place they af9bfc3156 chose to meet was 86bf3147ab a café in the 0c2b37b4f1 capital, and now all 8b93393b4a attention had turned toward dbaa35c75e Icanuel and Isabella.10c530fe42d5446f

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Soon, the mismatched 42873ce9dc intentions in their d2fc3dcb5c conversation began to 362629f0f3 spread like wildfire 6d1fc2e7c1 among the spectators.ae8db1f9d8230e11

But Isabella no longer 43c6ea809d cared about how others 9a88eeaa8f reacted.50a3a0254c4749a2

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One person was bd6a272b54 talking about ending 054e3f3831 the relationship, while c524b9b054 the other was b8fcc8de68 talking about taking f80153c66a it to the 13a9bae9ba next step through edd2d30410 marriage.85ee2892f2ada630

Just like Isabella, who 6666e46cd2 couldn’t hide her stunned e426f6d738 expression, his face, too, 0dc9a62587 was marked with confusion.2d2f36dc03ffe426

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“Marriage?”e86f7d449b87233e

“Breakup?”631b6c34a7d58936

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Icanuel’s expression was now deeply 4cd388b8e7 twisted in a frown.f08e358543e90f60

As if he had 7ac6bf8519 heard something he absolutely 83200e1d29 didn’t want to hear, 40d5af0f56 he looked extremely displeased.efd7e659a481a1a0

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But really, shouldn’t Isabella 45cee0f755 be the one feeling 7fa6d46dc2 upset?f47b8010f9d8e483

Regardless, she had already e46567fc79 decided not to concern 0195bc8aa4 herself with his feelings 2f9b43928e anymore.f4f596f88fcee9b3

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The only thing that 1fd92070fb mattered to Isabella was 2ad8a33b93 the breakup.94f1c9e3709cc25a

No matter what, 456c1185c3 she had to 08ffc62472 finalize it today.1e7bc5371d14d407

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“You heard me correctly, Young Duke.”556f9e76ebd3ad1d

“You mean the breakup?”bee6f03f348335c6

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“Yes. I’m honestly surprised. How could marriage between 077c48c0a6 us even be possible?”f4c25600392057de

“Lady Ledia.”f601c1866e3ebf77

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See?679a0c64607dc47c

Even after ten 43f1c7f9e7 years of being 662ff2f757 engaged—albeit without love—they f952fe76aa still didn’t call 5b58347c9e each other by f51bae8362 their first names.fdd4cb1332163fee

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He continued to firmly maintain cebb292828 the boundary by only addressing b19be39545 her by her family name.af6ee06cdeb1a56c

From the first moment 1d2fa3fad2 they met until now, 0ffa8ce823 not a single thing 5fd6d8f68e had changed between them.9553cb572656cb4a

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If anything had changed, 879ae9a4e5 it was Isabella.52166036873d7a55

Rigid forms of 5de5b1739b address, ambiguous relationship, 250f81b4d6 the gap between 22dbf4c8bc their families’ statuses—no b84d4f8896 matter how she dc8df551b6 looked at it, 758a84ee6a this engagement arranged c65d297dd2 by their grandfathers 8791730fe7 was never beneficial 6a10599f05 to either of 3cc1216dcb them.bd7e72a5424784af

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That realization only 5db33525ad further solidified Isabella’s 6ed19a499e resolve to end c7a543874f it.7bca48560ec881ef

“Should I repeat myself in case you didn’t hear me clearly?”d27fa07d3f65b54a

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“There’s no need. I’ll pretend I 416c9d147d didn’t hear what 283434291a you just said.”90c7e59da2890a42

His shameless response that a0dee1d8cf the engagement could no 25904bb681 longer be annulled made 5cc6159742 her scoff before she 0d31213525 could stop herself.4ad83d0414a220b1

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“I thought you weren’t the type to joke, Young Duke.”801cda81c13f36e8

“Did you just call this a joke?”d7922abe145d2565

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Isabella calmly nodded 79c9211d62 once, signaling affirmation.f28e67eabed4a048

At that, his usually 2bb2f83b01 neat, straight eyebrows slightly e89d55beca distorted.fc6a0300eecf414d

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Unlike Isabella, who sipped a900178cc0 her lukewarm tea in 53f80cd85c ease, Icanuel looked clearly 589cf86d8c displeased.717e325fbd67f60d

His gaze followed f59404c59c her every gesture, 30d546a61e sharp enough to 65b2672ab1 sting her skin.931798a57412fac3

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Clink.97fbbdd6f813eacd

The sound of the 2d79857319 teacup being set down c05cfade88 echoed through the quiet ac8c229401 café, where even breathing 54b2cf80e7 felt loud.0f19fbb6a50c2242

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“I should be the one asking. Marriage? Why?”3dd5a2d10a5c1bd5

“…Because it’s a promise between families.”13550b629d37bd5d

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“A promise between families? Ahaha!”0a216c967189fa4a

Isabella couldn’t suppress 981cefa9b6 the hollow laughter 6be196e032 that burst out.d7b426cb0a022ed0

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Of all people, fa4d23cdf8 he was the 991233a363 one who had 835c4b71b7 treated their families’ e4a173d7cc promise so lightly 3206b5dc77 until now.d582f4bc748c0e75

If he had even offered 60a37ef16c an apology, maybe she would’ve e220b98413 reconsidered. No—maybe the outcome 651cedbb6c would have been 3ed24a84ee the same, just 93b10518ed delayed.0ed4ac9c38746c0d

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She never expected him c3cd1ac414 to apologize for all 9854280e13 the disrespect he had 53a75d5ad2 shown her, so she 0939786cfb wasn’t even disappointed.2bd0e0452b39fa86

“No. Young Duke Raseles. I’m going to ask you 31570634ac this once—and for the last b1947bdbd5 time.”0aa1d98cb173d206

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Rather, his response 1c6f3b5a35 felt like it dbd8218ee8 was finally putting 1e010cccaa an end to 23b46f2d5c a one-sided love a41bc41a21 where she had f13ca902f6 been the only 95374c78de one suffering.057d59da4d236f19

[One, two, three! We are! The Venus! Hello, I’m Hae-yoon, b888a2cf77 the leader of 335258753d VENUS.]ddf03d26a9a8c10d

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To go meet bf1f41a838 the lovely idol 5f5a7b101c Haeyoon who had 43d4e240a8 helped her finally 5be4ce153e break free from 7c2d1e3fed this dreadful love.20723c1ccab73557

So, just for today, d5bc95f7d5 Isabella had no intention 61cea6b1ed of hesitating. For the first and bcf35af5d9 last time, she would 76f6bb12a5 lay bare her honest 1ebaca7700 heart.f2c50d26502ce638

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“Isabella Ledia formally requests an annulment of engagement from the Young Duke Raseles.”c9fa26ac1cf8b899

Before she could leave 41980af70b for South Korea to 2a7769408a see her beloved idol—this 15e4c5df5d was the first thing ea4a9ffeed Isabella had to do.95bba4c8aff752e3

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