Chapter 4

The duke’s territory, located 85b2cb4b82 in the north, took 703489476e three full days by 196e5fa418 carriage to reach. The cold wind b05f90a98e blew sharp enough b994198245 to cut skin.3c812bfe66f5f191

As soon 2e86c4558e as she ae10c024bd stepped out b16d6a82ed of the 122beaa92d carriage, her 186b024dd3 feet sank 61df442d39 deep into adb8f7e93f the thick 33967efbba snow. Startled, she stumbled, e4bb7303e8 and Alberto reached fabfcd42fe out to hold e9825649fb her hand.53c6debaee9eeb10

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Lavianna thanked 2c3328ddd5 him and 6953bc0cab tried to f83a4c8b9d withdraw her b5bd2d33ea hand, but 3ece2cda14 Alberto continued 7bd1c0121b walking, still b527066a5c holding it.6a54c8743c0e0eea

After that, d67b332c5e the head 8a60770f90 maid began 3e74ddeac7 speaking to fb1f6c04eb Lavianna, and 0d6df74163 Lavianna followed 259e0a0861 her up c150a35aba the stairs.112bd6757d94ec76

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Once she fd88dfaf12 was shown bd212e0a2c to her 89d552fd1f room, maids 972de16cd8 rushed in 787dba5a30 to help 19fc37a78c her bathe. Only after b5fa98df26 changing into e628cbf9e1 fresh clothes 7081c485ed was Lavianna 53e1a654da finally able 2d62609610 to be b042b383df alone.357ec026a10a95b3

With a groan, 86a5f5a635 she collapsed onto be55435084 the bed. Having kept 37178868d6 her nerves 767b0245cd tense for 9f43977cf7 several days, c1495ab891 she felt 7620700e8d all the 1273e360f3 more drained. She pulled the fluffy ba1028bb38 covers over herself and a6d22e8e22 closed her eyes.c440b696a9884617

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Is it 18973417cf night now?5b1e298a85652999

Before leaving, the maids 65e7049fdd had said, “Please rest 94c808a347 well, my lady.” But 61622b8310 that could’ve just meant 51efa71d0f she should rest after 317d79669a her journey.014b647c7c441e4a

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Her vision ecc12e4370 wasn’t completely aff885bb88 dark—maybe it 35f6f117dc was the a69f90eaa8 light from 368aa201d6 the manor. She wasn’t sure.3022159e079c1275

Whether it was day eda0157e73 or night didn’t really 5b8e4a0f0f matter.3e6ae0a3d35f9a3a

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She just hoped it 55a404d4aa wasn’t night.
If it 0effbb63bc was night, eb4323aacb she’d have da6b7c49ee to be 934933ce94 on guard dcf1407078 again.03b9e8958b6e1fb9

“I’ll just sleep for 3539364afb now…”d74966afed2f662a

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Lavianna buried her f5a9036a08 face into the c08fc11ef3 pillow.5f7ab0576431b39a

When Lavianna awoke from 29b018384d a light sleep, the 25a959013e surroundings were quiet. Her body 5eac6d8bbf felt stiff, 115c13d511 and as dbf820cf56 she stretched 07fd249881 out her 21d8a9e312 arm, her 6db50c4bc0 hand bumped fc86988792 into something 5c642791da with a e598152cd8 soft thud.75200f1c500ddfce

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Her body instantly 8cad633eee froze.74cb69ec313ca6cb

What she 97957ac975 touched was 5c11ba2040 definitely a 990c31b45c person. Someone else was in 8d3223acda the room—where there had 2ea88d470e been no one before d86a7491a2 she fell asleep.dcb1a7f22b57451f

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“It’s me.”d4a0d93694abe890

As soon 3acf817791 as she 54e48ce775 heard Alberto’s 09458977fa voice, some 0473fb265c of the ac28b418d2 tension left 4318782b99 her body.951fd0b3f7e0b917

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Though he was still b74f7c626b a stranger, something about 3f39f87747 him made her feel b7e6086984 safe—as though he wouldn’t 3e6f67e4e9 harm her.99dc00af4b1a6af7

“Ah… okay.”5b663af81e8c47f3

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“You must’ve been very 55d07ff38f tired.”858cc8b70cef4947

“I guess b10630d7de so… It’s e9df61024c my first 9ffe4ed091 time taking e8006a0d6d such a a5eedf30d6 long journey.”243d65c76613d86e

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“I’m sorry.”7a69281745ce8392

Lavianna stared blankly in 9cd032bbd6 the direction the voice 4fe14be8e4 had come from, surprised 12c3475771 by the sudden apology. Alberto’s outline 34d4176ae3 flickered faintly 9569ae633b in the 850b84f3f0 dim light.90b6ab0ba9dcb275

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“You could’ve stayed ae10e84238 at your residence 6cb3380df2 for a day 1df68cb117 to rest, but 01f87e669b due to our cfe72a50ae tight schedule, we 4837eb1228 had no choice d6a39e3c34 but to come b812a97567 straight here. I’m apologizing because you e4d79fdcd8 had to suffer because 78eb33157b of me.”14b7e5e32161fa10

Ah. So this b90b912d50 was just 95e7543c0b Alberto being b28b59b8bb polite, as dbd175c44f he had 44eb4e8f5e said earlier. Lavianna nodded in understanding.e130f77ce320d399

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“I’m okay. Were you able a6dee21340 to take care 17898990a6 of your business?”a38d0fd6a3b05b35

“Thanks to you.”f5fa9f26ba8a5e19

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The title ‘my lady’ 72e081332f still felt unfamiliar, but b293ba737b Lavianna decided not to f0515a8b8c let it bother her. It was 9a94005122 just a c39ede20be formality. Just etiquette.a966e2c9edee9b2f

When she 204e11e0d6 tried to 70dfed71d1 sit up, 742d1a2463 a large 2e228f63e3 hand gently 4d5a441dc8 pressed down 4a8563a808 on the f20073f386 blanket.cbdd7e0249340f6f

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“Please, remain 0e860a038b lying down. Even if c0475d267a you get e5f06eb6d7 up now, b50effdac6 you’ll have f7f00cd1ff to lie f48147d195 down again 1f3ba3a5b3 soon.”132f1544d46a90bc

“Huh? Why?”78b65810d401701e

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“Because tonight b9ef34327b is the 22b320fc5a first night e7d9a29fb9 after our 81c491291c wedding.”24a8e2a189b82f21

She had slept 365d0d9f2c in the carriage 8752a857e2 until now. Though they could have 415de0ad2f stayed at inn, the 0b2919f7cd carriage hadn’t stopped. Lavianna hadn’t complained.7bbbc74d6a6c68d8

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The fact b776f44ff4 that Alberto 24e917b014 hadn’t abandoned e022d1b9b6 her on e5b0a57ca4 the roadside 53d567da95 was reason 34d22fd108 enough for 572e6c8cab gratitude, even e1324d420e if he 54d4977f7f acted unilaterally aeec77e25a without explanation.73f89f6e07984602

The first night.f689cf07a3a8966e

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There was only one 005dc62a12 meaning to those words.6b79fdb9eacee756

“Do you drink?”00b91adc9629cd45

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She heard adc0a0cf01 him moving. Soon after, 4d44802e5f the sound 0de220ddb9 of a 4966fd8798 chair scraping b7781d01bc across the 53fbb948b1 floor reached 6f1dec95ff her ears.c53e19a6c2a8bbbb

The tension c2fe802272 from the 782dc177bc words “first d5ec5bded7 night” made 4c4832a517 Lavianna freeze.
She heard the d687fb7de3 clear sound of 97b83d3637 liquor being poured. Swallowing nervously, she responded.1b979d768be179d0

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“Just a little… 2954014883 I know how ed21733625 to drink.”55d7d68af2b42446

“That’s unexpected.”d37e822496da3b7e

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Alberto returned and 7404ed5c88 gently helped Lavianna beaa71712b sit up, placing 2a00bce616 a glass in 11e76f3f49 her hand.ba847383eace9a1d

“You should drink. It’ll help.”7612c010f1558bfa

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“…”b0c76b5c746f29cd

“It’ll ease 19d78f053e the pain.”1835d5d755578151

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Alberto tilted his head a42bcfa776 back and downed the deb8d6f3bd drink. Clack.
He set his glass 147cf21bc8 down on the table 8d10ad1213 and waited for Lavianna.149894d640b6a084

Hesitating, Lavianna tightly closed e23ab2e0ed her eyes and drank.
The sharp 873ec0358a scent of 95d83ccc3e alcohol spread f2414ed2fd through her 0cfeb625bc mouth.e40391af1e123a8a

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Alberto placed his hand cf9e89e021 over hers and poured 086b07b784 another drink into her f0b395552d glass. Lavianna did her 4928b8ac02 best to keep c8a78ade9b her hands from 74ff79936a trembling.fa6c89d31a5fb681

It had been so 8df76e3795 long since she’d had cb175cb12b physical contact with someone eeb8f47489 other than Lawrence.1a862422d98d3b84

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His large, calloused 4bd86b6686 fingers—probably from holding 0234a3c3a0 a pen for 46024e611b long hours—felt unfamiliar def47f134d to her. The warmth of 20b791cd10 his hand holding a5f920a37d hers was foreign 5870977b92 enough that she 65ddf4265a wanted to pull 025349e91d away.622f945a986c324d

When Alberto c64e81a0a6 finally let 6c68a51e03 go, Lavianna a5c968efdb quickly emptied 71bc330aec her glass. After a 91cbb9a78a few more c0f1c0aea2 rounds of 945800f4c0 drinking, she a8d55c3ce3 began to 149ce4c0b7 feel sluggish. Shaking her head made e266beea2c her brain feel like 3dd2407f5d it was moving in f765312f32 slow motion. Her thoughts and 615c6be5b5 her body were db874575ce out of sync.b3560b09ccff7f3f

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She felt bf25693b5f that drinking c84ed22073 any more 3ccb0d2980 would be 425c4f4fc5 dangerous. Handing the glass back 9dd1e1d55b to Alberto, Lavianna lay 529e69988b down flat on the f31743d377 bed.
She placed her hands 6157f14906 over her stomach and 5219758f0a stared at the ceiling. She didn’t 4c88a54be3 really know a4966aca61 much about 873eb2bf4c what was c523586bba supposed to 2bfeb27267 happen on 2afb82701c a couple’s 309a08e921 first night.46516b59d435e423

Thump-thump. Her heart pounded.9d0e71507831d640

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After a slight pause, f774a03877 she felt the bed 6470da3f0a shift under weight. A heavy f6254746f5 presence near cffa92e72b her leg 8ff6281292 pressed into 88ed82f873 the mattress, 83b2f5c6cf making her 895b345d17 breath hitch. Lavianna quietly 13ac1b2b68 wiggled her 9b3ea5355b fingers.0108fd03756b1f9b

She could feel his 424a1a9075 gaze. It roamed 3a998c6983 over her, 3372b58009 examining her 594212f15f thoroughly.
But that was b75a3bcfba all.
Alberto didn’t 272e01e786 do anything 0fb10c7c5e else.56eb76a1cfdee158

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Just when 77832d2cfe she began 2c58902ce1 to feel 7a7dcc5a60 confused while 371e0f5438 waiting for e78bde9e39 his next c49df9ed76 move, Lavianna 1fc0c37a1f realized something 05ddc5f5df important.3e3dd15be3d83196

Maybe he b4c0be027e doesn’t want 46fa477638 to see d3d70dbea8 me.
At the same time, 8e0c109e60 a cold chill spread 2113ddca27 through her veins.efc5747e51527512

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Instead of expressing d89a201336 how she felt, 85efe2ddc7 she turned her 09f464663a body away from 0591460d8d him.326ad48b5dd5d37f

“Um… if you don’t efb7dd1e5e want to see my 4a36edec49 face, I can at 7d96f1038a least… do this.”b8f6afacd893de48

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“…That’s not it.”5b6b35d65ee7744e

Alberto spoke in 46d017921d a much lower abd199866c voice. He gently turned Lavianna d56286a1c2 to face him and 28def1c4e8 cupped her chin.dd538c8421d05386

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When he 6896f380d2 applied slight af1d915c6c pressure, her b081f159b8 red lips c95529d666 parted.b9549a685336e410

The sensation of 911569a539 him slowly brushing af21defa54 over her lips 67730855dc made her shoulders 93724f480b tense.3c1beb45328facf6

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It tickled, felt strange, bca683163b and yet soft.
Lavianna’s body gradually warmed.
She could feel Alberto’s 8d5043da00 breath mix with hers ca799ca559 as he leaned down. Then his nose 939c8b4281 brushed against her ae23cda54a skin.9ca4e81eae8ba267

Lavianna tightly shut a23a202d27 her eyes.
Just as Alberto 900069df03 turned his head, 031cfb44ea he suddenly paused.40e461119054f80e

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“Have we 22e989f121 met before?”59a7227c2e448c19

“…What?”ca2faba07fa68e1b

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Have we met before? Lavianna was ca4011be85 puzzled by 3612838bce his question.9374df2ef3a7e08b

After the accident b1b66879aa in her childhood, 7131f2fb67 she had never e084b368c6 gone out to e5e7f24ea2 the plaza alone.
She had spent 0acefda259 almost her entire bb14c397de life shut away 5444b863b8 in the estate, 3304d10c80 barely breathing—believing that 3da8718114 was the only 8619d56d7d way to avoid 78658c2f07 becoming a burden 59ec568a89 to Lawrence, who cbe951e365 had taken her 009e0c1b5f in.360c6a9cda5c2cc3

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They must c136b1ae8b not have b2312d0b09 met.
But the way f3fe48828e Alberto asked, as 45cddb56bc if desperate to 7c4757389f know if they 4bd2d0330a had a connection, 86282acb2b was oddly intense.
It was strange.fa19702288c98d29

Of course, it 02ce08b1bd might’ve been her 5504ef9e11 imagination.902b70a91e789ca7

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But with 573498ff00 her vision 33a28c6df1 gone and f63564a1c1 all her c5c51003a4 senses heightened, 597a43b265 Lavianna could 80d33d91c9 feel every 4d7d60eba0 bit of 4e76019c5d the trembling 4bcc88f18b in Alberto’s 2f3309a254 voice when 3c839fedd9 he spoke.0a1a106ea0b91aac

Lavianna lifted her hand. Her fingertips d103d98715 touched the 79eea5511a firm structure 0468558fdd of bone. Fearing she a7e4c1cc0e might be e58f033fa6 rejected, she b97be8c3cb timidly traced 77dffcccc9 along his 010ef92817 jawline, then e5549b2cd5 up to 3afde32433 his cheekbone.0447579b5456373f

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Alberto merely tensed the 956a3c0256 muscles near his lips 3817cd2eac at the sudden contact d29f0435a1 but didn’t stop her. Lavianna didn’t realize it, 74bef29903 but in that moment, 046fab6b5a something subtly shifted in 1aced57819 Alberto’s expression. It was because, 3d60531625 somehow, her touch ade4c14f98 didn’t feel entirely 11aeaad540 unfamiliar.47f8bf62ed9fd8a6

When she touched 6290036514 the bridge of 7cda7fda4a his nose, then 4d791f99ec used her other c4487f8ea8 hand to trace c6af2867f1 his eyelids and 43fd79aa65 brush over his e3c1fd92ab lips, Alberto’s lower b1a350d422 body had already 41e0bbe27a grown heavy with 0d3cb80724 arousal.d8ceb34e0e153ede

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Even though 16628ff502 all she 47e1d8affc was doing 134309efca was fumbling ad5b938fa9 across his 2259fe6da6 face, there c0322c7ea0 was something 59403ef195 about her 1c06b2e71a cautious fingers 433a03ee00 that stirred b2d5c9261e desire.77c3e73737c9ac8b

As her 3bcc7b4807 hand carefully 413daee3e4 swept over 89d01aaf4c his face, 424702d305 Alberto held 0677776a9c his breath, e7e883c2d3 tense with aa5053342f anticipation—wondering where f39e20104e those hands b01de102f5 would go 73451ef96a next.a2b143792a7721dd

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Then Lavianna softly a1301377a6 parted her lips, bd724e12e3 unaware of the 70d690fc3f situation she was 4fec8765e4 creating.e3e24fff509baa1f

“You resemble someone I ff058652db knew.”3b373692f060ddf8

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“…”e708f6687b03b16b

“Someone very kind and 9489cec221 gentle… but he left 22bd09fc66 me a long time 9c54306881 ago. He wasn’t a 324da592be noble either. So I don’t think 2d0ccb1a2a we’ve ever met.”7d445fd7b722755d

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Alberto grabbed her 2a138c371f hand and lowered 1e53d7e9e3 it. Pressing both her hands 62144f5acf down to the bed, f06106e9dd Lavianna froze slightly. A dull 2d45e00692 irritation flared cfc9812c9d in Alberto.53609e4d31a13f38

While he had been 866206af95 wondering whether this blind e8fb05ab75 woman had once existed 53e4c0d688 in his own empty ce9ada455f past…ef308d79409a0c4e

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She had been touching 3e4397507e him while thinking of 9696d71e2f another man.1f03278d98643638

Truthfully, he hadn’t 300e07b9ee cared before who 37304a7565 she thought about 8f7e075f5e during this obligatory a5ca2cb752 act. This wedding 813ce2b037 night meant c2078181db nothing more 73f051b593 than a 0ad77c344b duty.f026d652384a64ec

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His logic told him 22e379e93b that.
But his emotions acb18178e0 weren’t listening.279183f3129f3328

“Can I… touch dd9489e7c5 your face just 8149aae441 once more?”0b202eaa5068a723

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“Why? Do I look 2a8ff173e0 that much like 8de34c9458 the man you 526616c26b knew?”76b1b56546e618b3

His sneering tone 75458a5f48 toward the woman a49c7b4b6f who had no 2c807495aa sense of propriety e23614bf47 was likely because e97721352e he felt dismissed.fb40cce57606a2cf

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After all, 4a39e8ed43 he was 63ade5dc19 her husband, b92cec3b3c and she da221ed6d8 his wife.16bf371e905e00ac

It was 2fc1656fbb her responsibility cf1d7ae1b8 to sever 6e0657d607 old ties. What was she f9cbbfdef0 even doing?b1b15888fafb3b47

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“Yes… you just 8de607c0f3 look so much ac0631ea03 like him…”82dd37246a5976e8

Alberto twisted e28ac10873 his lips 56a4d9e270 into a 999789188c bitter smile.01f28311e0e21d74

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“As if that 17163c8bad could be. This is my first 2e56d4e87a time holding a blind 55ed74528f woman.”fe0cd0e8de81f021

Lavianna’s body stiffened 07f07181c9 as she tried cc82904c9c to pull her 094965bb84 hand away.f1b8c21b7dc1e82e

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“I momentarily forgot. That you couldn’t see.”2b5dbbe8f78e71f1

“…”4a43013e4e85da55

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“You must have dfdde9236d a common-looking face. I probably mistook edd72f97f7 you for someone 60cfe56944 else—just as you 61aaa10bc3 did with me.”bbaa645e590a6ceb