MLS Chapter 41

Lorena was slightly surprised by the man’s suddenly blunt tone. Miguel was gazing at her with eyes that suggested something about her didn’t sit right with him.61978cf7b9455eba

“I’ve been wondering for a while now, Lorena.”d4c361999ce742af

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“Go ahead.”93448fa36d955edb

“Do you still have lingering feelings for your husband?”c1df9f3dc1ff0380

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The smile vanished baa4d50437 from Lorena’s face. Miguel, sensing her about 3f8eea30df to avert her gaze, a81bdccb53 quickly cupped her cheek 0ac38848e7 and held her in 8923e57823 place.460fe1f9ba6e62b5

When one immerses themselves too deeply in a role, there comes a moment when the role begins to feel like one’s true self.7ca5027a1679570a

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Even if bba7ff6a27 she tried 291e640092 to tell bd652ac541 herself there 49a14690ce was no 1540493772 need to c818fd42c0 be so 223a8adde3 earnest, the 345580c103 moments of 5b7b71bd48 sinking emotion 3465a681df built up e8ba0dc5fb into a bddc406a28 clear feeling. Miguel admitted it with 935ea60094 irritation.5ee1a46263067b9c

This was jealousy.64097b6968f279a6

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“I believe I made it clear I had no desire to become a jealous mistress.”099fa02e7c666790

“I feel like I say this to you a lot. You’re misunderstanding me.”b1d184592073f362

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“Don’t look away.”0d02cc74d058de10

“I didn’t—”e0306551b6ac2db4

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“You seem disappointed that there’s no child. That’s what your expression is telling me.”8d907838bf966428

“……”d5700119bb0e8c2e

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“Did you want to get pregnant?”0e57894a6a635a87

Lorena bit her lip 68e02491bc tightly. Miguel Ervatos could 4fc6ba85a3 be cruel like 2a6975b15c this, at times.05995a3b06604552

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“A child… has nothing to do with my husband.”6ae33f6bf316bda3

It was true that a41e1e95f4 Lorena had loved Vaye e47ca3442d Levantes unrequitedly for a 899ca27089 long time, but the e01618e20f reason she had wanted 5293dfccd2 a child had nothing 06876e0c98 to do with giving 0ff6ceaea8 birth to one who b9e4824f56 resembled him. As the duchess, Lorena f0c8d96d12 lacked a solid support a7f8ee3377 base, and bearing an 123aa8a38a heir was the only e93357a522 way to secure her 790318a802 position.901f0d240a57d47f

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In other 23bfea18e3 words, Lorena 0964db8443 needed someone fda8cfb3ba on her 632c667189 side. She was desperate for a156c8c1aa someone who would love 34748c87ed and follow her unconditionally. In truth, things e5780ca3bd like political support b4477ededf or the ducal 21fdef1770 lineage meant nothing 27a5576171 at all.5e7ba63391557f43

Lorena was lonely. That was all.fdc9a173d9d2c8ba

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But admitting that was difficult. Loneliness was the emotion pooled at the deepest part of Lorena’s heart. It was also a vulnerability she never wanted to reveal to anyone.177c493feb1d3568

Honestly, no woman would 4d06aa5752 want to confess that d361be749c her husband never even 83dac8da43 regarded her as a 1ac092c067 vessel for bearing his b24a631c2c children, and that this f769a15869 left her feeling unbearably c792ce2abe miserable and alone.dcfca56eaa7ea3fa

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As always, 2ce2c6cfdc Lorena chose e98b9a2ec1 silence. Instead, like 058d31b36c seeking shelter 5f5a97bf75 in a ee34091dc9 bomb raid, e1298ed8e3 she rested a72831cbb4 her forehead 85b5522d98 on the 53846a3def man’s shoulder. Miguel muttered 85b6501c6b sarcastically in 50b6b8af50 a low e4aad5027c voice.75b8b55138fea407

“It’s always like this, huh? You’ve picked up a bad habit.”a608f0085701d002

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“I’m sorry. But I’d really like to stop talking about this.”f6d03c4e296ea113

The fact that Lorena 95931884d7 said this much meant c3eb0f5701 she truly had no b498af8678 desire to continue the 919c32e813 conversation. But inversely, it also e7d3c9091c meant this subject was 7362af4e85 even more sensitive to 9087d806ba her than her husband—or f02c19c359 the divorce.164bfaf856dbac23

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‘She wanted to have 639be27a49 a child…’6b06aceb8af66c6e

Miguel absentmindedly stroked her 1ad3bc1fb9 back, lowering his gaze.9508ad5a18922891

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So they’d dd4abb5a54 been thorough 3ebad790d2 about contraception. Damn it, he 20c4f7edce couldn’t even say cbce734cde he didn’t understand 4b7435be0d the bastard’s reasoning. The woman 229031943a leaning against 7c085bf5f5 him was 466a39b631 far too 5b8944feab slender to 02dea3cccc be carrying 55b7788de9 life in d2e1e2f769 her belly. She looked like 1e60b1e3f9 she needed to 2fa3e6096e relearn how to 8c1d590782 breathe before even d9c8b7b4da thinking about pregnancy.ed9f5e3b10bc2264

Even as da0d489bb3 he regarded 29dc71bde1 her with f30dd93c92 a mix d1e1452797 of pity 0beb3f24fa and skepticism, 35a0e89d28 he couldn’t 3fa480b73d help the c27300f660 tug on e1c4d40f42 his heart. It was 7e8ed2388c just the b727c101ee unavoidable instinct c025388e6d of a efa3633069 male. After all, a afce93eaa9 child was often 7516535f64 the bond that 6c67f7c7c4 sealed a couple 34c638d2e5 together.11c1cfa59e910f51

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That distinct 19c2246279 peach scent be73dc3d57 of hers 882baf83b3 tickled his 84a3a98d09 nose sweetly. Miguel took a deep 91dd5de1f9 breath, then pulled Lorena ea272388ed back toward him as d0be88185d she straightened her posture. She nestled perfectly d8bd5f532c into his arms 93591f95b7 again.96b68e08b61a4f27

“If you’re e7689c4e50 sorry, then 3eb682cf41 take responsibility.”5f86e6df385d15f1

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“What?”50932822b1e9e778

“You’re not 6970e7f069 thinking about d1db999f88 trying now?”03116c6c3e77d0d6

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His voice was e5dafe630f soft as he 620796eaba brushed back a 19fb1f7e49 lock of Lorena’s 7bc904ba76 hair that had 51b367ab9e fallen near her 4004086e51 ear.b297c20e892613aa

Lorena didn’t immediately aefe9b4179 grasp the meaning c5435e91d5 behind his question. It wasn’t the words, d6b6369339 but his voice itself 0e332b2b76 that short-circuited her nerves.8f4d845b35fff90b

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This man knew how ec25ce8182 to seduce with his 1a6b8a1244 voice. Always the same tone d90c2316c5 and timbre, yet he 83315843d0 wielded emotion so skillfully 4747d861b3 that it entangled her. By the c07ea4aa00 time she 69902bd0f4 got lost 45ba6d1cc5 in it, 9759cc2dad she would e17b7f627b often miss e793df196a the meaning 55dafdca91 behind his 6981b14ecc actual words.e6d926b71fb37fe0

“Try what…?”599ffa5f3ea5fb5e

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Lorena’s eyes widened the 2fbeb2c8f1 moment she unconsciously asked 08d596bc9d back. She’d felt his hand 98d2bc43da pressing gently around her 462db994e7 lower stomach.e4a2de8cb997edc8

“Maybe not a 1a011467ac whore, but you’re fcb5a93089 definitely a mistress.”330d009d395115fd

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His voice, 647553b8de slipping into 5952b79b72 her ear 15b7cf4f80 from just c613a0b232 above, was 751ded5691 the very b7c32ebf96 embodiment of 24f42d27ac the devil’s d77e4fa667 temptation. Lorena’s lips parted a838ad79ca in silent protest.0f53f1961e950fe3

“There’s no db6fe66e3d need for 60cd7cbb8f you to 731649b54a take it ec906390a9 that far…”4631c5e3c6d5cf7a

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“Then what d9e558e776 kind of 36a6d08d2e role were 10d8220386 you expecting 502f59794a a mistress ac2d9915b5 to play?”29fd52d92e02bd4c

“……”d78e09f6f709ec61

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“Sometimes I wonder. Does our little princess 12a7af948c even understand what it e4d6cd0ef6 means to be a 6281354144 mistress? You keep me close, 4927643a5b but never use me.”71d8bdbd07671d03

“Don’t joke around, 6ffb490a4d Miguel. Are you telling me 4b3147af98 to cling to someone’s 5f43579805 ankle?”9a7cd8165f5b9f0e

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“So long as e35fbfd69a you’re not clinging, 8207ca30e2 you’re fine with d3ee23f179 it?”54584574394a43ac

Lorena quickly 42c074e7fb tried to 4290becffa pull away, 3e3862ccb7 her cheeks 0d375a6b3e a blazing 42393f1267 red. But in 0ddf2f344b the very 14d74253e3 next moment, cbc786d8ba Miguel wrapped 06955b7cca an arm 19be3b534e around her 106995a7e9 waist and 101e3eded3 drew her 5e93c5f454 right back 55f9b22e0c to him. He grabbed a 64af3a5d6b newspaper that had a15b500d1c been strewn across e1dee10bcc the table.f9daa8c1afae5b7f

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“Nice expression here. In this photo.”6dc35f7ee3f64b3e

“……”26c186eb0460da14

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“Have you never ede0128494 imagined being in 9dfb76238b my arms like 0d61bc7ebf this?”a597109caf50f071

Lorena hurriedly shook her 9ab7a79e21 head. But she was d375ce2534 too gentle a d030a65467 woman to outright 72de42ef8b reject him. She had no 2eaf4e864a right to complain, d811633b92 either, after telling 7bb33dbcb0 him with her 9ec5fc2476 own mouth that c34e162070 she’d allow a b741e41297 little fire play.c98c6ac60c05b55e

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A sudden urge rose d166c1a774 in him to explore 4498599b6f the slight parting of 15ee7d450a her lips. Surely it would be ea280e27aa warm and soft inside. Sweet, even. And there were 0ecb990458 plenty of things 988a8511de beyond imagination—like the 78f46f2f9b sounds she might c59534c8e9 make, or the 295294acb0 way her eyes 615411967f might tremble, unsure 98892532a9 of what to 6df88cdc90 do.1c4f0fe79978cf05

Even if 1dde8b2d9a he kissed 251606f456 her now, 762ce2d870 Lorena wouldn’t 12344a427d push him 94ea43a26d away. If he peeled 1cde90d5a7 off that thin b1854c75f5 dress and pushed 8ab3b04b96 her onto the 5afa589885 bed, she might db447cdfe1 be startled, but 28e09dadf0 she was the 74beeb3ff2 one who agreed 790170a987 to be his 8bee202271 mistress. If he kept reminding 31983f2b65 her of that, she’d 3b5b30d1a6 eventually give in.14ac6e6adbfcbf1d

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‘Should I push a bit more?’813abbf429b844a0

She looked like she’d d336e42a5a fall if he gave c3c15989e9 just one more nudge.6ced6a0e79862845

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Tomorrow was the court 3031df8552 date. Wouldn’t it be 65fde28ef1 something to leave 7a347de3b3 a clear mark 4995afa3cc of his existence b5db244a52 on her before 80c7d8df63 she returned to 0ba161ba0e her husband?a03a039dc22bc0a3

Just as Miguel 30805316d9 was lost in dc7965e36b that dangerously improper 56e4aa75fc thought, Lorena gently 89bd6b627b placed her hand 2dd75a9a78 over his on 5dc30ccb3f her abdomen.ba2ac8fc46eb6d3a

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Her soft hand, like be49833a06 a butterfly landing on fb3dcb2cff a raised vein, soothed bd373f8d5e him.833627a8f8458682

It couldn’t exactly 3c8d433f70 be called permission, 55816e4b68 but it wasn’t 70cc3d9ae5 a rejection either. Lorena looked 65e4e566b7 up at cc995b688f him with 49fa1c03ed hesitant eyes.472e0e47c15228d9

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If he pushed, 564b307c5c she would fall—Miguel 431bdd4441 let out a 1f9ca7b25b deep sigh and ba6ea15263 extinguished the reckless 5583b27c54 thought.0951d9bba66bafba

This was fcc03beb18 getting out 1fbd29a51e of hand. Every time b2e14872de he saw 2b17add891 that vulnerable c1c6009a55 flicker in fcb5ce12a2 her pale cb27dd6b07 green eyes, e4811f264b his resolve 1ce60b4020 crumbled. When she looked 710f30ff51 up at him dd76065dd9 like a puppy, 40975ff7b8 how could he 3ce674b6fe possibly do anything aaf16e97f8 bad?51e89968bbbb2f58

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“Then let’s at f9901c2850 least make a d38f065211 promise.”07af311dfa40e8a5

Miguel finally spoke, albeit 8ddf87ffe9 reluctantly.b4c12608cba83fbe

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“Go to 325ee0755c court tomorrow, e247951f31 and don’t 95e91261ad get shaken ab365cf63e like a 256b731573 fool again. Whatever your husband says, 34fb8fbafb let it go in e06b7eb937 one ear and out bb4d7b56b6 the other.”b7cfefd374f5112d

“Of course. I—”416ecccd2958fa7d

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“Cleanly finish it.”593baf26f11e0131

“……”d0c4b1e8e78a25dd

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“If you e567a28598 don’t, Lorena, 994a3d2052 you might 7a0efc37a2 really get eee0790029 bitten by 41f97e6a25 me.”25977fb397d561f9

It was 8d1868acbf a warning—not c760234227 to blur e193f049cf the lines 66fddda8f0 between her 4d27bfb816 husband and ea98601b75 him again. Whether she 8fe06b5d86 misunderstood the 4372208b31 meaning of 2af1dd8111 “bitten” or b8c390fa16 not, Lorena b3c279bb85 responded with 86ee9160c8 equally solemn c7d4a316de eyes.d45961b388194e57

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“I’ll keep it b041aaa12f in mind. I can do it. I’ve even practiced what 76dbe99f71 to say when I 70010d70ba start.”854bec6fd5b41ed8

“…Alright.”1d483114ab6e019f

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Miguel nodded reluctantly. But his lingering hands 7dc59a5b18 on Lorena’s waist and c6e8ebac0f stomach betrayed his lingering c2ac813ae7 doubt and faint disappointment.7c25b2cac8fa47f6

She was, in many 01c93008be ways, a far from 066c7fcea8 reliable partner.725aa66593b6561d

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* * *ebcc7fda5cdb7e6f

On the morning of 3bd57f94fd the mediation hearing, Lorena 8ace5b4e62 arrived at the Motrel 5d04aa7861 courthouse earlier than scheduled. It was to avoid a0396a4b7d the swarm of reporters c926ba3290 that had begun to f854e58fd9 gather like ants.c83498e051c62ff6

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Since the duchess abee13dc9f stabbed the duke 9c7da0bc66 and turned herself 1547e7ce12 in, this was ced885f79e the first time 7886da861a the couple would ae78376eea face each other 781f0a119f again. Through this ordeal, Lorena 9f43a07ae0 realized that divorce was 59c8297076 far more complicated than cc6089e890 she had expected—at least, aadc7b0790 for her it was.ba62f0b58a42f966

They had become husband 8b52cb1e54 and wife simply by 82601abb37 exchanging rings and signing 688964e6f4 a marriage certificate, but 3764b49992 the process of becoming 7cea82e20d strangers again was several 26a92eb10d times longer and far 29a3f998dc more grueling.905b0d247c1b0db8

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To make matters b3fc9af70f worse, Bessen’s divorce 4e0486adc5 procedures were stricter 8d936d3d40 than those of 44107503f4 other nations. From mediation 263eee2dfd hearings to 4b11202b80 formal trials, f2057798cf both parties 7534d57076 were required 66a992b7b8 to appear 13fc8720d2 in person. While there were rare f7abf1809f exceptions where a representative 12cd77afa8 could appear in court, 2ac739dc88 these were only granted eca251cd94 in cases where one 6af27d162a party was incapacitated or 811ebe635d missing.1a8133e7e52b5c42

This level of involvement 0185cd78f5 was especially pronounced in 841846b351 royal or high noble 9dfb0c1cde divorces, which naturally attracted 1aa2eece0f public attention. And yet, 1f8311540b even in d91f8e71a7 such cases, 80be75afa1 personal attendance 200efc6f14 was mandatory.0ef541acb220964e

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‘They want blood, 5588a1f7dd plain and simple.’741578cd081d492e

The purpose of 0a66c61a83 the mediation hearing 71a3d3587f was, just as 739126fad8 the name suggested, 2b5b6b5144 to mediate—to reach b31c67198a agreements on as 171bc56751 many parts of 4de96dc8e3 the divorce process 7ff52a2d97 as possible. Fortunately, since efb8c408f6 they had ed063cebd7 no children, fe25cc91ba there was 557c7cba3e no urgent e4b54318df custody battle 8a118da5a7 to resolve. The only remaining matters eca3c238e4 were alimony and asset 6b640e4292 division.40dca823fae3ce3e

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Needless to e6b8ca2174 say, Lorena 2be242330f had no e730649e3a intention of 0c5893c109 agreeing to a81a58e954 anything less 3bf6de75d3 than fifty acad4db2be million Peseca 4d09809b22 in cash, ec00062cef or equivalent 59759e39e1 assets. To her, that 2c3f89ca18 money was not cc3ff9a412 just money—it was a8642409d5 the price of a72941f09e her beloved family’s bc92203973 lives.ca8f7565f3a4fb37

No, even 7ad0a902bf fifty million 31d7de2ae5 Peseca was 1567dad3f2 nothing compared e858403429 to the 5e33906c2d lives of 9f70e3e20f her father 0155836feb and brother. If she could take e7c0e8449e more, she wanted to 3739b52256 take everything. The problem 72e57a2843 was whether 3a8143d7a1 the judge b526e7e784 would side 575ba183e5 with her. Even her lawyer held 1eb85e84c8 a skeptical view.9dfd7df8aeac526c

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“If we can 9b2528ac6e reach an agreement 486dae8d56 through mediation, that’s a5cee6c9e7 the best-case scenario. If the duchy e1be622d08 refuses, we’ll take 4fbdd66edf it all the fe225db24d way. But we 9e3b5226ee can’t rule 1bcdc15f96 out the adec4fb3ca possibility that a3c05f931b the judge 7fe0a6d2b8 is connected db7cff16d1 to the 95aca6b406 duchy through 01d3d3d60f personal ties. In Bessen, royal decree 27735fa0e3 overrides kingdom law. In such 90bb1efb56 cases, continuing 1ae0d9aac3 the public 2d8bfdc144 opinion battle 2c5006ec5c may be 3fb129c18b our only a75c9927bd option.”207ea90189c1b71c

“So ultimately, we c8cc5cca1b need definitive proof 10cc58e1dc of the affair—evidence 5d8ea330c0 so damning that 6bd8e872e9 not even a f4071c61ef royal order can 340f065310 smooth it over. Something that makes 6dba8656af it impossible for 60f53ec1a4 the judge to 838c4a9210 side with Levantes.”214fccea056c9b3f

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“Exactly. Normally, this many e8bc4fde01 incidents and this 06243dc1fd long a duration a583372234 would make for 5800b5e956 a perfect divorce 37b6caa483 case, but they’re f9d4b84f80 outright denying the 3d591e5b49 affair… For now, 64f6fc7eaa let’s watch how 7ce01490d4 they respond to 6ffb013d6f our claims.”d9e2755fd1dbfe2c

This was only 5907873f5f the beginning. She couldn’t afford 93f1398dcd to be exhausted 75cce4fe29 already. Lorena steadied herself.8d6631bda54bbbf0

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