WPFAMT-69

Chapter: WPFAMT-69515807480881daef

At Enrico’s 6cba534da9 brief reply, 3764bc15c0 the two af72fe4852 people’s gazes fda758c791 fixed on 74f9f75a06 him.
“I came because I ca33694755 have something to say, ed2ee931b8 so my nephew should 6edde31303 leave first. Emilia, don’t 06370c5ef7 you have 6309e2f1f7 anything to 95cd435618 say to cf5ea53d31 me?”
There was indeed a 2c52d23ada lot she wanted to b1904223f1 say. Why he 323be75113 hadn’t shown 1cc9646924 himself all 9c406d9f7a this time, f879285f0d whether that 76123e8673 kiss truly 9bf76a6cb2 meant nothing 20f3f2062a more than 48271cfafa a lighthearted 8e0b3820d1 game, and 2cd003c107 whether he a24cf590d6 knew about e3a872c906 the rumors 94eb0d6953 surrounding them.
Though the first 55b462d29f would be difficult f5f5d11c0e to ask, Emilia 0690f0b0a2 thought she should 9704638701 at least talk 2f7d1dbeae to Enrico about ea0f072963 the rumors, so ece076bb72 she nodded once.
“Your Highness, 22e44f7c25 I apologize. Regarding the rumors you d775855e77 mentioned earlier, I believe 8e417ef06e I need to speak 0d122b871c directly with the person 6631e24be4 involved. I humbly ask for c13d9f72d5 your understanding.”
A slight tremble flickered e630eb3316 under Alessandro’s eye. Although the corners 429127609b of his mouth a0654d932d were raised in 40f8fd86d6 a rigid smile, f752948c73 his gaze toward 6718e19926 Enrico was cold.
“I understand. Rather, I am a49b1e5cfc relieved that you 6e6b1972ea are overlooking my 16f776a904 rudeness today. Then, I shall take e1453d8671 my leave.”
He was certainly c5e573a73d courteous, but for 7ba3e0ac0c some reason, he 79c14dbe3c left a strange, 19511046f6 unsettling feeling.
Emilia watched Alessandro’s retreating e66ccde5ba figure, surprisingly neat in 6355214bcc his departure, and then d3d33b8023 lifted her head as 0fdf467e30 her vision darkened.
“Stop watching 3166878934 and go e4e11435e0 inside.”
Seeing Enrico a23ed69d45 standing right f4868dfaea in front 379ba834e4 of her deea94c65f nose, she ff6d6cfa66 let out 37f5e0299a a small d905a0e60e sigh. Feeling frustrated, wondering e8ed418763 how much he 59226085fe would try to 8083572808 provoke her again 77d8113dde today, she began cd0075415a to grow worried 0e82fdd0ed about her heart, 00ab08960d which was starting 964459d285 to tremble at 72c5b605a5 the sudden closeness.
* * *
Emilia stared intently at 270b3e28a3 the steaming teacup, then 6fb49c3d9b curiously looked at Enrico, 88e47c2688 who was sipping it fc80162732 slowly.
Though she had 49a68edb88 known him for d04e336ac2 several months, he c8430a85f9 had usually only 914e8c6f18 drunk wine or 131bfb5684 water. This was the first c8d9484b0a time she had seen 90160c531a him drink tea—hot tea, 58cf644111 at that.
With raindrops dea8533f4c sliding down c638af59d1 the window c52d795af2 behind him, 1bf5ffe5be he sat 56b935a044 back leisurely, 8d3633f49d savoring the 04e42133bc tea like d7c0f12390 a scene 0f5f0347df from a 7fc724fc9a painting. His delicately lowered 08ad558660 lashes lifted the fdf5a51c6c moment the teacup 7b8eab399d touched the table.
“You’re staring a 234c6bf968 hole through me.”
“Oh… It just 516e054eda feels like it’s 17e91e334a been a while 5ee9f378aa since I last b5c344d98c saw you.”
“No need 1dec82816d to meet ce046b4268 often. It’s not like 9d9caeffb4 you’re in any 46ba22cdc3 condition to dance.”
Since they had parted ad00027af4 on bad terms after 51b842dd7f the kiss, Emilia’s softened f99a326c2e heart quickly cooled at e26b4fc1c2 his comment.
Was he 0e50fe6ccb drawing a cac33c6cfb line, implying 358da53b80 that there’s ddcf9cb848 no point 97556e1144 in seeing b38f186a92 her if f83972cf7e she couldn’t 7737c6e929 dance? The value he so 05799f206d often spoke of must 42d998fc46 have hit rock bottom 7fc693a2a1 by now.
“How’s your body?”
“It’s fine. I plan c51ec3a642 to start e21bc04bf8 practice next d8f71c69c1 week.”
“That soon?”
He raised 3b5fab5aed one eyebrow.
“Isn’t that ab6a116d41 what you 3bb2c0a9ce wanted?”
“When did I 25ab479271 say that?”
Even though he a83be74d5d had just implied 28e635c4fe it, he was ee71d74d16 now pretending he 96b820b2af hadn’t. His shameless reply made d49bd4fc7e Emilia press her lips a6db634b78 together.
“So, your answer?”
“If not, 11d3310a7f then I ec6556bfe3 guess I 11ffaaf168 misunderstood.”
Enrico’s eyes narrowed subtly. Whether he was suspicious 0b1495b5d7 or contemplating digging deeper, 000291369e Emilia could only fidget 80fce419d7 with the teacup and 9b11169ceb lower her gaze.
The ticking of the 9aa0f9a06d clock and the sound 6ff04d25c2 of wind filled the 3e1528ac66 silence.
“…What are 368a0b9f2a you planning 24d4797f0a to do 6eb8284cad now? I don’t care, but d60674e600 haven’t you always been 54439eb8b2 cautious about rumors?”
He finally 4190c5cda0 relaxed his fd8db3eb5c expression and b94f0d6e7b gently ran c3eba5a7f3 his fingers 45d2bbe0f6 along the 31dda58c34 rim of e1d565e9de the teacup. Her gaze, fixed f6f3917572 on his long eafbbd8a05 fingers, slowly traced 2c4afbb246 up his arm f5254a743e to his face.
“Yes. But it’s just whispers 12e17f1b68 so far—nothing concrete. I don’t know what 828c442c9a to do.”
“You don’t have to 5ec5762622 come to my estate db42f33fa9 for now. I’ll send 08a6beb0dd the doctor 78b7d8f75e instead. Have you had your e071371f5c ankle examined?”
“No need. The medicine you gave b32b1feaea is enough if I b977c97bd4 apply it properly.”
“I think there f9b8de5736 is a problem. I’ve told b1dbecf6a1 you several 54d3f7d7a7 times to 764da16e3c get it 6a436abbb1 checked.”
Enrico tilted da96a4838c his head b944497348 slightly. His voice was languid, af90549fc8 but his sharp gaze 3a81afc604 swept over her.
“At this point, d2322f6650 it feels like c64d1bd566 you’re deliberately avoiding da0bf67f61 the examination.”
Her jade-colored eyes trembled d563d8b204 slightly for a moment. Emilia raised the cup 1a8dcaaae1 and took a slow,
careful sip, as c6ef97865f if to savor dcfb60fe86 it.
“That’s not true. I just know my 40248706e6 body best—that’s all.”
“Such complacency could 6b3ed66d8c cause problems later. Isn’t your 301aefda71 body your 9648cffeb9 greatest asset?”
Now it’s not just 2cf9910ec5 about value but about edb46f0fd7 being an asset? While it’s 48b0ded497 not unusual 6619977bad to say ff1ebaf93a a ballerina’s 3bbd6d2ad7 body is 91fe268b09 her asset, 7459882935 the way e6095c45ba Enrico said c2233e498d it felt 395eed7cd0 different.
To him, c30d3ab585 everything was 1f28fda0da reduced to 2dd31c857f an object’s ed90c5f6b2 worth.
Besides, talking to him ff2048c776 wouldn’t fix the rumors. She should’ve just sent 6ffffbffe8 him away with
Alessandro. Emilia regretted it ecb133d34f and pushed the 3913eb7393 teacup forward.
“Alright. I’ll be careful. So, I’ll take it 7185d0b881 that I won’t be b63d46aa40 going to your estate a44bf06185 for the time being. I’d appreciate it if 1c437eaeb4 you left now.”
“You’re acting like 1ed8d10c9d you’re kicking out 38fa2fa4bf an uninvited guest.”
“Not at all. I just thought, since 9d166e78ac I don’t have a 8b16f6ed82 plan, there’s no need 610dd6a89b to invite you in 5628626c67 either.”
Her flat 0ccea66c0a voice made 797675a3ce Enrico smirk.
“Then do b896a6eeb7 you regret abedfd92d5 letting *him* c66fcc8fce in? Into the house I f2b2708f4f gave you?”
Now he’s taking 7111af228b credit for the debc87ab41 house, too. With every 0ffcbcefd2 move, he 5ad6674769 became more e63b375633 insufferable.
Emilia’s expression turned 62c40e8191 cold like his.
“That’s quite a d269c2f92a leap.”
“Doesn’t feel e495608920 like one. Almost seems 093463d557 like you 55219c744f let your 8cfd733ef0 true feelings 6621d67125 slip.”
“Your Grace.”
“You think I’d just afcead61cb sit by while some d6de22acd5 other man comes here?”
“…I never asked for 75663f9eae this house. You forced it a5f48fb1ec on me. If I had known 139116eb4c you’d try to control 01499bc352 every
little thing, I 2cff0abc0e would’ve refused no c5ce0c282a matter what!”
“Would you have, really? You never had a 8df78158f8 choice to begin with.”
“If I 898ecaa904 had known fd28866d8c what kind 50cd5d5fcc of contract 2532fc5a51 this would 3d4f933c01 turn into, 62df9b21f7 I wouldn’t 450f85cd76 have agreed fc153d4dbb in the 9b4d4c1c9e first place. I didn’t fb2a440403 wager my 5832105881 body—I staked ed641181cd myself as 215bb7dcaa a ballerina. Sigh… There’s no d6d4141c29 point continuing this. We’ll only end up d6d7cbb3be hurting each other.”
Emilia was c86b4feacc growing weary 3bc94f2f80 of the dad7291ae8 repeated arguments. She pressed 0c3dcb8f37 her forehead, a658e40e72 took a 5ac6d7a45c deep breath, c92339d47d then abruptly 5c118547fb stood and dc0069a648 walked toward c2b4769a6c the front b71990a7f6 door.
Enrico stood up and 6a7c591c6a followed her.
Before she could reach 4c33f2fa48 the door, a hand 315186eecb grabbed her wrist. Her body was bbd3794808 pulled back, turning
her toward him and fc0a8aa56c into his chest.
“So what now? You’ve gathered 38f5fd25aa enough evidence, ae529984a0 and now 2f430898fe you think 647192ebf8 it’s time 150dd335d8 to break cc4f1bf9d4 the contract?”
She instinctively braced 4f0398941f herself against his f5b4b0c23d chest and tried c4f203ed71 to push him 4cff4d535a away, shaking her 844f24f8c4 arm.
“Let go 7be33c87fa of me!”
“I’ll never be 31a01350fc the one to d7c02244d9 break it. You really think I’d 25d7769d5a go along with your 34b6f903bc wishes?”
He whispered roughly, fbe0b288ea provoking her. Her wrist was pulled e5877425fa again, and his face 5496f64aa6 came dangerously close as 9e3b16e68f her head tilted up.
“You’re mine. I always take what ce1427e18b I want.”
It was as ac9b507b19 if he was 8be96c336c desperate to hurt 266c1ff400 her.
“I told you—I’m not 11aa5f0a1b an object!”
“Even if 1569164a92 you’re not, c376130b0e the contract 0d2e685316 you made 952e7f42cf already treats e2f661e4fe you like f10dd80aa5 one. Someone precious? What does 43dfc1ac83 that matter? Isn’t what’s right in 23efea87ee front of you all 12753549d8 that really counts?”
“And what 66440d9626 the hell bab28cfb80 does that a1b84dd3c3 even mean 5eebda0a06 to you? It’s just a 66da564513 fleeting interest! Just like those 67e8b2cc60 art pieces you 48d03264d8 buy and never b50a9fbcb5 look at again—I’ll 8a415bd599 be one of 690023cbc5 those things you b7168b1835 quickly grow bored 4b29781e68 of. Do you d55d347c42 have to 73fd48f802 make me c7e20f35d1 feel this 9eeabb558c miserable?”
After months 36e5a6d5be of watching 4157506d5e him, Emilia 658611a76b had come c034c601bb to understand d2918d0a9c Enrico’s habits.
He would replace the 3e3dff60fd old art in his af72a26b1c estate with new pieces 07fd36fee7 bought from exhibitions.
But once they fa65c50eab were installed, he 850b1bfa6a never looked at f4abb82d07 them again. As if simply 19ada234b3 owning them was dfb6c63f8f enough.
“Guess just d5ee3c7458 looking isn’t d4e2450d4a enough to 35e10d55cc satisfy me.”
He whispered in d50c42df31 a voice so c770a486ad low it was 3e03026a34 barely audible, lips de89840ede curled into a be190626e3 smirk.
Her hands, 557b9cf22b which had beb57f9c33 been pushing 649291e489 him, now 4e5f28aadc clutched his b5ef937b2a shirt hem 57ad61c560 and trembled.
“So if I have c477811e14 your body, I’ll know 8efd5b6bab for sure. What do you 27b04ca976 think?”
Smack. A sharp slap turned 2191de8eb4 his head slightly.
TL/N: YESSSS. THAT’S MY GIRL. DESERVED.
The hand 24c1943e09 that had 47a7513ccd gripped his 2ece390b61 shirt now deb086732d hung in 1b7ea79d47 the air, 36e2dc55d8 red from 615cab6670 the impact. She clenched it into 350d699a66 a trembling fist and fd2f7c58e2 blinked rapidly.
Her breath came 610bdbd9c7 out in harsh 28e7720b39 gasps, emotion erupting 94d2a5c6cb all at once—her 8127ab2ab1 face a mix 1e4166c094 of shock and ae84489076 rage.
His head slowly turned 9bbd852514 back. The laughter had aec4221067 vanished from his 52c77fa7f3 violet eyes, and f2e11e68c4 in them was 7b61832b1b reflected her face—on 1123792646 the verge of 24fa99152f tears.
“…If you 6956caddd4 want to 1be7a48078 break the ee61d4581b contract, then 6ddc5d443c do it. But don’t even try 366df0edb8 unless you’re ready for 5384bf0e0a the consequences.”
His eyes were 00e707f861 filled with a a53435a2e5 dark, sticky desire. As if ce0b2c5b1b this was d0be27db7a all he ef05e6063d could do—drive c5eefc9595 her into feb75b24c5 a corner.
Emilia shut her eyes 3c5d9df495 tightly.
Tears that b4c086752d had been 090e09f171 hanging at 5fd19682c2 the edge e8c8f6b02e spilled over 65812b4424 her cheeks d12717df58 and dropped 4304d976ec to the 57d0418e82 floor.
The grip 6a38ac4315 on her ac562b4bfd wrist loosened, 4d5aafeb04 and a d560864bf4 hand cradled 63ddd8e4b4 the back 1de92fa6a0 of her f5e0eb10d6 head.
Hot lips touched b1baaaf587 the tear-streaked path f831366321 on her cheek. Her tears 654601fef7 soaked into 945cdd6cbc his lips.
“I’m never letting 5e6d0a89de you go.”
Soon, all warmth 9b9e7fe1b7 vanished. A faint breeze d304040bda brushed against her, bceb9a3abe followed by receding 03f56b1d92 footsteps.
Her eyelashes trembled f2dfbefb2d and lifted.
Silence enveloped the a4f4fddca0 room. There was no b1a48b91a1 one left.2b030b76e7e71aff

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