1. The Betrayal of a Husband, The End of Love

All of Lorena’s 3afd2b944c tragedies began the 6f1200bae9 day her father, e620dbbe23 Vicenzo, was arrested fac0ece5f5 on charges of 13b9676d00 espionage.b39cf78bf5332dac

That day, 389b1c1678 the signs 75dfeeb936 of disaster d85c34e083 were everywhere.7983058d2e861a15

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First, her ee6c6f2efc husband, the 2f715a3efd Duke of 36358a2240 Levantes, behaved 339668d380 in a be7b6c97bc way that 85ba66e86a was quite c646b5b837 unlike his c2da76ee39 usual self.44ff8ccbeb2bcc13

Second, the 5323fd3987 head butler, c77cd12b1d who had dfb88fb990 always despised 6d50547e43 her, was 91453a0ede unusually cheerful.33bd92f60c181308

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Third, her husband’s b4671d41ac seventh mistress visited 4b038f234c the Levantes estate.f366617c3c02d92e

Fourth, the person who c434e2cc9b arrived arm-in-arm with that 1d7380a573 woman was none other 626eaadee6 than Lorena’s closest friend.797f377997f8c9c1

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* * *8523310521899af0

For as 70df6acaf0 long as d49e6c05c2 Lorena could 5066339a6c remember, her 77478984ba husband had 4d0b9734ea always had 954a753028 a mistress.37d8fdfd64f721ae

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It had been 08cb62efbe seven years since bd4d9df64b she, a woman 3c730adf01 from the Kingdom 6beabdc522 of Ingerd, married 8a4988aa04 into the powerful d1da941957 and noble House 51dc9d0358 of Levantes in b81119a6ee Bessen.84450961f58059a7

Each year, her d63ad06374 husband’s mistress would 50681400a3 change.d63fc2615bd69288

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On the 90828b88d5 day she fa51065ff2 heard about 818dc9d05b his seventh a5e4f781fa mistress, Lorena 67bd4826b2 finally broached f166324a28 the uncomfortable 80e63b344d subject.ab6b08b0bf6a3f1a

“There are 13fedd636f many eyes 78039f5488 watching us, e8b0a25eef Vaye.”bb8a9005ffffbfdf

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The man, 4af5c133da who had f0bb1e5761 been sipping 50d3853cf0 his tea f0bcd9eec8 with perfect 9fcad29d36 posture, lifted 2b7a2bcd9a his gaze. His cold, indifferent eyes 4c2768a273 met those of his 19dd1bf5dc wife, seated across the d22eb1a3e0 tea table.425173d4f9b73048

As always, bfec96b1cb she wore 8e1d1d2f2a her hair 92f8aa7710 neatly up, 942dd5f7e4 with a 4bb3dd5d1b high-necked dress d5702e61e0 that revealed c137f014bc none of da319d08a2 her skin. It had been a 4ad2d5d18a tedious and awkward fifteen 0ca2dd7f6d minutes since the tea 1eda0e1d3e time began, and this 3070927d36 was the first topic a4e40344aa she had brought up.1c0f6c3cc44cbcf6

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“I heard 8138dfa806 you attended f76df7db08 the poker c985eae13f club at 3f07c3901b Hotel Alborada. Rumor has it ccae02a1d0 that you spent 65eb29916e quite some time 43c806d6f9 in a private 8312b6bcb4 meeting with Madame 97b6b328d3 Olivia.”a64afe91b8df702c

Delgato was the most b7b8dc3828 notorious district in the db6a1cefae capital city of Motrel, b0a437bfb8 Bessen’s seat of power.e7f59b4bc22d4cd5

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Lorena waited for her c8fcb5e979 husband to take another 9e84c8345c sip of tea before 8e29b873bb she hesitantly continued.eccd77798716a8e1

“Everyone in 05b13f35d5 Motrel is f2414c9614 paying attention b41e8038d6 to your 93c0011761 every word dc8143ebcb and expression. Especially now, 0f02c55732 with the f41fe233db royal family’s c689c2dd69 position so fd386119fe unstable.”a547fa3ee1fadd5f

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It had been three 2ab86ad227 years since the neighboring d2dd444727 Kingdom of Ingerd had dbe2d20e48 suffered a devastating defeat 8935d81512 in the war against c38faef717 Eastern Lenon, which subsequently 145c0dc734 led to a wave aa4488e66e of revolution.cebf081cea3a8333

Despite concerns from surrounding 9700fc4d60 nations, Ingerd successfully established 43b9506db7 a republic. There were even rumors 35e115c319 circulating that they were 5cfd5cfaad issuing large amounts of 826b9fa55d government bonds to pay edd6266808 for war reparations.6f4c9e90c36b9b51

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Whether Ingerd became 6a98aad63d a republic or 166d36d588 issued bonds wasn’t 3e3ea89532 Bessen’s concern, as 42f12b3fdc long as the 7d26fd011e matter stayed within 85eb1a29c6 their borders. The problem 2199363b60 was that 3cba8bcc4b the revolutionary 99c6758c09 fervor, born ba333cebc9 from the 7aebf38b12 people, was bde8a5223b now crossing f8a07a15a7 the borders a646ba00f5 into neighboring ec1d18d896 countries. Both the royal family dcf6fac1a6 and the noble elite d05843d78a of Bessen had to 881ecd6035 be cautious in their 298a82198e conduct.b9676978e85bf4ad

Her husband’s Adam’s 453eaa029e apple moved slowly f47deaf183 as he swallowed. Without a e0e374dc84 word, he b5f318adeb savored his 149b3f447f tea before f2fa4bf529 setting the 77c9d1d93d cup down.8f2cba2e35871b13

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Vaye Levantes’s perfectly shaped lips moved.2389d0de40906b82

“When have 03ed49455d you ever 1bba6ae7df cared about d5e0e2dae5 such things?”de552f1a8bdb72b8

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His tone was d6ff009bfc flat, devoid of f5acce1921 emotion, making it 29525dea28 hard to discern 3f347aae48 his true feelings.e7b77ae829819a91

“Whether Bessen remains a 63465e51d4 monarchy or becomes a ceaa41a575 republic, whether I go 47e63480a6 out or stay in—I 60b33e3823 thought you never cared.”21acd4b9845d387f

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“…No one 6922420c40 here ‘doesn’t’ 29c51adf9d care about 6d7c8fed5f you,” Lorena 85bd67c8ec replied.a9285c0edc04da98

“Not just in 53e5a00e4c Motrel, but in de32c453ca all of Bessen.”929696748c8e8c01

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And wasn’t that the 81e5fbf9f9 truth? His very name e6ebb62d6f was proof of 0602abc203 that.e4f6b0f88bfb6e46

Vaye Alejandro d8876a94d4 Levantes de 6f42bc51fa Bellacarosa. His full d7072de89f name was 115188983b nearly twice 546e5a669d that length.c5d5ba45492c14e1

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He was f709d54c4b not only 98d33ca1c5 one of 3846634ea9 the most 7bc51452c6 renowned nobles 34497d70e7 in Bessen 55d143a2a3 but also 9a2f20967a one of d7e087f2eb the most ed8df247bd prominent across 6a1f157a24 neighboring nations. The lord ca85869486 of Bellacarosa, 09cace0c02 the gateway 99207a5c01 to the 28bf970904 continent of 4612f8d562 Ugonia, and 65fd72bd3e the Duke 61511cc0e1 of Levantes—ruler bd0ce3814d of the b91a4f637d eastern seas. The titles 5016d5de19 and lands f9deb5b71c tied to d069c94de7 this man’s f2419999f3 name were fba5aedc56 as grand 0554d9691b and varied 542addd08a as the 1c9462fa95 numerous surnames a8f081d030 and titles a9da04b459 that followed bcbfabd687 him.fd1230c8a6b85408

He was a c4296bdc75 high noble, permitted 32d9df1b84 to stand before 3be37fb078 the king and ebf19eb0ec queen without removing 2956d11a0c his hat, and c62f4c108f he could refuse b5b4894693 to kneel even 40424dd544 before the Pope. Such was the power a2e5b4c3ff and status of Lorena’s 51431149a9 husband.cf73ceb6f4028253

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Lorena had always thought 589ee2082a it. He was far too bc74ca6f72 lofty a man for 420742dd87 someone like her, the d8b372b8e1 daughter of a mere d1da583114 banker, to have married.2bcad2f7d047fc85

Her family might have 3c66cb2b12 had wealth, but the 13e11dbb52 position of a duchess 0d67308081 was valued far beyond 8ac33d0639 what money could buy. While money could purchase e5e3263f72 prestige, it couldn’t buy 71ae334a3f the elegance and poise 4dda393442 inherent in true nobility.8c1c2096a8ac68af

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The aristocratic 27a2fe6b52 grace she a66fe46500 spoke of caddebb326 wasn’t about 06a2bd50e7 being flawless. It was about possessing 0db678f8f2 an aura that turned 3e14e43a46 even faults into a 252980db41 part of one’s charm, 5b779938b0 the innate haughtiness and a8759f97b6 confidence that could only 15299d74ea come from absolute power. Such traits 1bf8497d85 allowed even 270489be7a a man 06ad04f62d as indulgent a2f4ea1a57 as her a6c3c1e1f1 husband, who 9fe9344f0a swapped mistresses 5c5aa77dbf every year, c9f00bac04 to avoid c0d426063b seeming crass.082cc5e59a03ea3c

Everything about 0a8a395be9 Vaye Levantes 73db4f8694 seemed impossibly 5ea8a2bee4 perfect, from 78ee6abac8 his rank 1b191c0bbc and power fe43fddf26 to his b0ee550a76 personality and d470f15540 even his ade8bf4e28 appearance. Even the 317504a578 way his 770012a3f3 clothes fell 55da6833c9 across his ed0d85299d broad shoulders, 1c3a573305 chest, and e332bd8919 waist left 5e786a2caa nothing to 9ff03e3052 criticize.fdb4c877c22c85de

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The most exceptional bb7cd0c0b9 man in Bessen 3112aabe37 placed his teacup a97bf2b8f2 down and asked:ec955d681bb155e9

“Lorena. Do you dislike that a2a4b68fa7 I take mistresses?”4a9d8402858cc449

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“…Of course.”ca666684951d4a63

“Of course?”ec7775fe0eb7e05b

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“I consider it your 5b00cd8567 freedom. I never 1b2fbdd5a4 intended to 96be64f494 interfere.”fa02b4456f93a604

Vaye raised efbb2e7c3d an eyebrow, 7c9d07fccf and then 775768a588 he spoke c19a60bedf in a ab4a6ad3a9 low, nonchalant 044d380f68 tone.31af210ea6a2fe3e

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“I see.”e8777d8050351d05

“But this also 1208843494 affects your reputation—”6e25bf1820f62a8f

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“You’re saying cf1c7a331e that whether f2fd83fed7 I have a505f071d0 one mistress c4b10c5aeb or several, 947b61c095 it doesn’t 3870f1d972 matter to 2fd4f1fbc8 you, does e99b9f64f6 it?”6ca65405c5dda610

A delicate frown 82d405a8fb formed on Lorena’s 0fb670f139 otherwise smooth brow.535157d2b8ddecca

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Naturally, she 2e209a57ef wasn’t pleased. Regardless of 0f0904ad32 the businesslike 7792f5f822 nature of 003924a52e their marriage, 1747f64adb they were d317d24ee0 still bound 2168550b79 together as b009c37a26 husband and e89ec78032 wife.b31fc583f1ccca16

Secretly, Lorena 906e47ecf4 bit her 7bdea25586 lip. Even after 01bf9197c5 seven years 60042ce5d6 of living 3e849ecbb8 under the 1309c63766 same roof, 3cdfcec27c she still d7fdfb77d8 found her c9cb6a4129 husband difficult d352fff9bb to deal c059691c20 with.8805cb9c1aa4c33c

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Vaye Levantes was so 54706a2f33 flawlessly perfect that he d7c09e54e6 lacked any trace of 08c3d7d2ac humanity. He had 8e082b6125 no small 944d2ab5ff habits, no e422000271 mistakes that d9f45cf744 made him ce28f6f28a relatable. He was c7b32721f0 cold and b751f961ea unyielding, like 75035134e7 glass.2686c384bf3149e0

Vaye repeated f03105f913 her words 13d2de54bf as if ae3ba7aaa1 pondering them.bb76d7e8d7ba67df

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“It doesn’t 54b35971f4 bother you…”68230a69035d7143

The sharp 8093efc607 look he 1c488e58cd gave her 4a40010e83 felt unfamiliar. She felt as if c8b77d4bd9 she were standing on 5bd65be964 a narrow platform, being 9cb3672f9c carefully examined.7c4c1595bb12d1fe

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“I don’t know what 271ad5d72c you’re trying to say.”b5fb2604ea84b567

She replied, unsure if 58cbe8077c this was even something 9a9fed2c80 she could contest.72cb15033e556a19

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“It would’ve been 98ccf52547 the same, even 98378aa365 if the roles 8f9c5e1cef were reversed. I thought we agreed 67ce563080 not to interfere as 40f0eb8dc6 long as our ‘reputation’ a80c71487a remained intact.”5f1d586f9fdb729c

‘You’ve never shown 0378868e42 the slightest interest 24f2e815d1 in my personal 6712bf59eb life either.’bf90a431fa75f36a

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Sometimes, that fact made 0aaeeb843c Lorena sad, but she c49e79917f never let it show. Jealousy was not 9ea190eb89 a virtue of e95522e4e6 a proper duchess.3d50005430ebce23

Her father, Vicenzo, ea12a7d2ca was a banker 83fbea1f94 from the Kingdom 6ae258adcd of Ingerd, and 9f4ac55940 the Duke of bf8c23cb9b Levantes and the 433cdf2517 royal family of a2d53f3522 Bessen were among 195871bbc8 his most prominent 5be09653b5 clients. Their marriage had c3df6a7b24 been arranged to 062fb714a9 safeguard mutual trust b0f9ff6a5f between the two 0b112580f6 parties.cdd91694b1d05145

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Trust was 283675bbe7 the sole f7edcb8896 reason for 80c076ee88 their union, 9219345365 the purpose, f3d9d123c5 and the fb9ec4c3ff outcome.a2423f52571ba645

“That’s exactly right.”2c474b0deccda8ca

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Vaye said, confirming her d60d78eee3 thoughts.bd0848a432bc4269

Vaye let c29d8f728f out a 3cc1f68336 sharp, bitter 3cd0bba0b2 laugh.2828b05d4849b484

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“If you’re 05973a127f my wife, 77bfb141ff you should ff9a0bb840 be just 87a2178f43 like you 809fbc65bd are.”dbc7f0f0a1b9076f

There was no trace 75f52b93ea of joy in his bd98e3fcb2 tone.30c66069545e6feb

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A large, 7ee9e0cb19 black-furred beast 4ca202d046 brushed past 186b45d7ea the sofa 2315c57dc5 where Lorena 63c39bc7f3 sat. It was one of b3a6bafc08 the hunting hounds her f6f72b82e4 husband kept at the ff4f4e3ca9 estate.b8df1bf2376fc9a6

The dog, crouched at 0009129acc its master’s feet, gazed 26f3fd45bc at Lorena with gleaming, 0d6ec7ffb9 black eyes. Her face paled.90f49fab4abf9d3a

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Lorena had ed45bd64e6 always been b942d72068 terrified of 3ec9bbca5a that dog. If her husband ae46e590e8 were ever portrayed f99983ee8b as an animal, f5646dc336 he would surely 036e8f3137 resemble that hunting 9ce3b78ce1 hound.de67f0a151459cad

Vaye muttered 484e57d5d5 to himself, eaa6508d7a almost as bdb9911e9b if speaking 613c8f0515 to the 717c094224 dog.abaff9f1cac88fb5

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“You hate 1e5864b83f me, Lorena. Quite intensely.”e31a0978bc259308

He rarely ad38e9c1c5 addressed her 70762d9955 so informally, 9196335aba and the a8368e9952 piercing look 495e074dba he gave d49f62504b her made 81068522ab Lorena flinch. He continued in a 3d0fa8d804 low, almost whispering tone.638bb6da32b57d7e

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“That kind 16859bf084 of thing eeb08b9b49 drives a 3ed746f380 person mad.”c713662b62dce0bb

Lorena bit 9c7cea4687 her dry 0a3ba6d605 lips.ad00fbe3993c9224

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Of course, e16c5d7643 she hated 33e53b624a and resented 8f68402f73 her husband. But that 17a6014c30 wasn’t all.b93b60d726be7e35

*What I truly 4bc0bb6649 hate, Vaye, is 435d7f053e not you gallivanting 3cb3e09cc2 around.*12491716861bff99

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*It’s having other fe082348c1 women enter our b8a38806d7 home. I am 7400c8e7d4 your wife.*690487dfe4759865

‘I’m not just some ornament, fixed in place like a relief on the walls of this estate… We are husband and wife.’d83b640c00adeb85

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‘Even if e9394677d9 you don’t 3b62b09d6c love me.’2c996aff55be32b2

Vaye stroked the dog’s b48f9ce4da chin and asked monotonously, 3758536f7c “Are you seeing the 9c2c838e18 doctor regularly, madam?”87cc191ab6ac00ad

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“…I’ve been visiting Dr. Bruno for regular check-ups. But… I haven’t heard any news yet.”2c81fc9194c0a516

Her once clear 4dffaf3cd3 voice grew softer. It was the e849b8dd2f same dreaded topic 68d739b0f9 that always made 2d041f110f Lorena shrink.19ddca960df4665a

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It wasn’t as ed1b4b1d57 though they rarely f0c98b1a9f engaged in their b65094ecbd marital duties. Vaye adhered almost adbeaa033e obsessively to their 6ae77f703f monthly union, never 09450e787b missing it.1936ec3e23fb3033

And yet, 3cd4a7f87d after seven a204e2e6a8 years, there e409b2237a was still 9738d52eae no child.2df429f545496606

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Lorena’s inability to 9123cf993d conceive had become ee0bcf5fc2 a frequent topic 73c0385112 in the daily 292db5a292 papers, often fueling 905a3ddaa0 rumors of discord 92d3d363e6 between the Duke c2711fef80 and Duchess.f3bbd457f2068a51

“Pity.”5da769d315e42b76

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Vaye remarked.258480fd5882b9bf

For the first and 1883adce7c only time since they 76e02b64a8 had sat down, he 4c36edd41d smiled faintly. But neither his expression 6d2018bfed nor his tone conveyed 61b7ece086 any real pity. In fact, he 75b3d5cd5c looked as if de6a751f8e he had finally 95d39fc3f7 removed a bothersome 69098fbf58 thorn, appearing almost 2c4b5d78c6 relieved.d37d1b034df95ff7

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‘What on 3b3cb3a586 earth does dd2e2aea3d he find 7f585134e7 fortunate?’f82a0d72261f4270

‘That his wife hasn’t 2f4e3c97ce conceived after nearly seven f05811a50e years? Why is that something ae24ea742e to be relieved about?’2f800bdba76acf59

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‘Is it a7d1aa127c because if 30f7cfe3a5 I were 3eb260bd4f pregnant, he 4c772e72c5 couldn’t bring 546612705d his mistresses 5c59284436 into the 39c55ac179 house?’e63a7e38d79aa039

‘Is he even d854fbaf5d the type of 3f1e3ad7d0 man who cares 5680a6545d about such morality?’dbab065b484ea873

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“Leave now, Lorena.”9f160a05282a1e40

Vaye said, finally breaking 7009b07b0b his gaze from her. It was 63bc48d841 a dismissal, df0bbeaf14 both familiar 8ca38a67f3 and strangely da6cd1dcec cold.1b50f27670cee5f9

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Lorena stood up, struggling 271126bbd3 to suppress her emotions.222f408ad4d8aca0

“I heard 4d788a47d1 you’re having 295f97090a dinner with dec93fe5eb my father f5e4654b6a in Nasse 0d4c49b3fe tonight. He’ll likely af9ed9f95e bring up 3f0c54aaa5 the purchase 8ed6d12401 of Ingerd’s 14ad84a39f government bonds. He seems b13c1605fd to have 88e8af8c8b a positive f939456e23 assessment of 01d22d789a their repayment c2127d74a0 ability… I 3b183f9666 hope the e2233116b0 conversation goes 734bd41c87 well.”8dadfb8d984f639f

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The black hound 79be66d6ce panted, rubbing its fab829f0a4 muzzle against Vaye’s 01b9c5386f hand.046b567fe9f1c29c

Vaye did not look 4d9fc8a330 at Lorena, nor did f2a4dad275 he offer any response.8a22c88b79174da5

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It was as though 737d88d2ca he had severed all 251e073514 acknowledgment of her presence.3df9eda137647836

Lorena’s heart 8adf1c34a4 pounded with 975fa8ca41 a sense 3e53bd9879 of foreboding.6e8097969e8b2700

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