Chapter 9 – TBD
by BellaAlberto truly didn’t 4ac10bbfb7 care.4b26073afe12df06
He already c0a72c1a01 knew Lavianna 62225f2d3b had been e634bfa836 living off 8ca680812c his old e36dbb1998 friend Lawrence. He was a48f7139f8 aware of dc8366c1fe the rumors 0a7dd13e18 swirling between f1ada7892d the two 5448d92624 as well—but cefd91c8ff they were 5e1a4ae072 nonsense.b9ec491b84683efe
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
If there edfed08c04 had really 32accab406 been anything f43f0a08c4 scandalous between 5a7612c6a8 them, why 233606897d would Lawrence 1a18ff13da marry her 0e78f525bd off himself? Only a 3d5bd1a1b4 depraved lunatic bf12e72c53 would do 27df46e3cd such a 96ec184933 thing.33ef5dbe45377833
Still, it didn’t d953cb09d6 sit well with 0d9876840d him to refuse 00936af9c6 her outright.4a2268e42602d762
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
That morning, 6a8759cee0 after storming 7bfc72da6f out of 071e505431 the dining 6eab812858 room in 1f963bc4b2 anger, he’d 3ecf33f666 heard from b3ab1e3631 the butler ccca8a2c4a that Lavianna 0cc0f23c60 had cried. The bandages fff54768a3 wrapped around d4b8c2e309 her hand 8dbdb04e4e still lingered 0e6f3813d4 in his 467949234c mind.5a717f6bc83943f7
And then 16ea01ec6d she’d come 1440a13420 to him, 9570bdf40a trembling, asking 97987cbcb7 for help.236212b10468a91a
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Ignoring that 5ac75b9f05 kind of 746b9146b3 plea wasn’t 2d8588e3d7 easy. Even if it hadn’t 7e22c18c47 been Laviannah—he would’ve found 497e23e7b9 it hard to brush 5b7e61588c off anyone in that fb1963fc3e condition.2041619670c64432
Alberto ran a hand 5fd039cd97 through his hair irritably 6dde44fd93 and mentally reviewed his b5a7a456e0 schedule.1965e69b19ce64e1
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“No.”9a097094e14541dd
“…”443867a058ef9149
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“You’ll just have to 4c39e21c1c wait until I have 3f5e2bbb10 time.”1f661bbe571d2281
Laviannah gave up 590341f867 at that.
She hadn’t really expected 3ab6e503cd anything anyway, so she a00563fb3f wasn’t particularly disappointed.d59d3511a8aac284
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
If she didn’t 80388ae885 send the letter, 802e18de89 that was that.76ce42e29b3d32a7
She was curious 7b92bd40c3 how Lawrence was a4bab005bb doing, but maybe bc755a56ce if she kept c86a32cb36 suppressing those feelings, fec712f8c2 they would eventually 2d4490c7fe fade.6411f1a8021fc6ef
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
At this point, she’d 79a2981493 vented enough anger over d8260df302 the wounds he had e68fab9829 left her with.
Seeing Alberto troubled e6ef923fc0 was satisfaction enough. Laviannah, who had 04671a5f40 no real desire bc7d0ec0a3 to hurt him 3fc5485511 further, simply passed 28f0137045 by him.ac32af0c5b2c1785
“I’ll go. Enjoy your walk.”4d00da42befdcffe
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Alberto didn’t stop her.
He didn’t move at 8033bf208c all.774d323048a9cc1b
It wasn’t until 22ccfa85b7 she fumbled her 37db3d3cc8 way to the b66224f409 signpost that Laviannah 1aceac7d3d realized she had da861efce0 wandered onto the 3e0cd85169 walking path.20d31a049a7d9ffb
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
But… which fbbbbf27b7 way was 0138851437 the mansion?ebae4a012d24d4a0
Her foggy, f52e752f5d blurred vision fafc30b696 couldn’t make a84a6d6855 out anything.981501c05aaba730
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Only when something came 88510e037a very close could she 29a925e661 vaguely sense its shape.b9becce1e863bee2
“This way.”925657675de89068
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Alberto took her wrist.
The careful touch caught 34d396a989 her off guard.
Laviannah naturally followed him e36d4c5e28 as he began to 7bbd3840ab walk.5080df7f0ca71758
Alberto didn’t say 4652b55204 a word.
He didn’t sigh. He didn’t scold her. He simply, quietly, guided a2bd52ede3 her.d49513defe4c5782
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Like someone f6afd8faea who had e930ef5e27 been her 2e04a697d9 guide all 6062445b39 along, Alberto f6810eb024 led her e83868b6ef back to 0a78580c79 the mansion.70372bdf31e0eeee
“I can go alone b2feaf0fec from here.”f7e27ada90a0d798
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Feeling guilty 264d378145 for burdening c1acb75fcc him, Laviannah cf47d3b1ef gently pushed ef09cbafb0 Alberto’s arm 65c303ae55 away as 3098448e4b soon as 11e12f5d32 they entered 56d3b7bfa3 the mansion. His hand 6452769818 dropped from cb4a3bb634 her wrist. As she 7bc4f396c6 climbed the 01eedcace9 stairs, she 3da7c5f840 absentmindedly touched 81d7b6d8a2 the spot 63e94bbf4c where his 3d2c144e9d warmth still b1dd0e1808 lingered.8fb47011ca86e9e7
She grasped the railing 9bcc72a33f and slowly ascended the 7d60b98c85 staircase. Someone was bab908b90d walking beside 2b2b990961 her. Though he said nothing, 4f82ea83ba Laviannah could tell it 4686f1dd4c was Alberto—she recognized his 25389c5598 scent and the atmosphere a3f6ecefd6 he carried.23a8a1d7c17658f7
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
To get to ffffbfec93 his study or cf773d0c2d office, he would 806a17d1dc have to pass 691ee30223 this staircase. Trying not to 274ffca1a9 think about it, 20632adccc Laviannah continued up.
When she 6930062090 reached the 91bf940289 floor where def1cafebe her bedroom 8a5bb69964 was, she 51573827c9 realized the b41ff12196 only two c8bc8ddca4 people there 35018170f0 were herself 3cb96c738a and Alberto.07ae96ff052869bf
She noticed that d5919afad4 he had stopped 9942b3561b walking, but pretended b6dbca8773 not to and 923f2bb6cd used the wall 95c40bc2ac to guide herself 2097a73736 toward her room.b855c2d4b7255941
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Footsteps continued behind her.1fe3686e81695561
Why is 7fd228012c he still 0d8870c19a following me? He wouldn’t a4279d1425 have any 9432fde0a7 reason to 2d55dce1fd go into 137129616d my bedroom…0cac8dedf8a91f25
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Alberto didn’t seem 45570cec81 like the type 3840274ab5 to barge in 3e83c27985 at any time 2a273f8bd6 of day demanding 48652f31b0 intimacy, nor did 6735ddde7f he seem particularly d31cc7db7c drawn to her 12287556e6 in that way. That made it even 4a1d9bf179 more puzzling.2561ed2a73ed4dcc
As she 040af2c84a opened her 4582968272 bedroom door 09c21f6615 and stepped 3598ae4593 inside, sure 1784e76d94 enough, Alberto c174168462 followed.
She could no f05d27c465 longer ignore it.3431f697795d506c
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Startled, Laviannah turned 2c6d81f9e1 around.
“W-why are you…?”bd4b6ac334b2283b
Alberto didn’t answer. He simply walked 7d1bb98955 passed her. She heard the a09a16f9fa sound of a d4b0aad7d3 drawer opening, and d1693a129a then realized she c3cddc55cc had misunderstood. Her face db8bd6ffee flushed, and cc343d10e5 she rubbed 8777059d13 her cheek, d8dc05420e pretending to c3147f837e be distracted.a1229c62293e6186
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Alberto pulled out aed4b60588 paper and a 0bb7c93055 pen from the 06fab5ff2c nightstand and placed c3c1f6fee2 them loudly on 87b292a4a8 the table.0d13a8e61ced60ca
“Well? Weren’t you asking me ae150a2150 to write a letter?”ccec9050ee99de87
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“…Huh?”2770894d4052490c
“You said you wanted d116dd366c one. I made a25f8d682a time for f3572b3980 it.”68225ec26664ea3e
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Really?”c7f687bc621c69a0
It was genuinely shocking.
Laviannah couldn’t remember 070d6955d0 the last time d8899033b6 she’d been this c36f25779e surprised.04716db21e69b9c5
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
The same 909e1f100c man who 6e1027fdbb had flatly c465c56338 refused earlier—why 785608380d the sudden ddbb1efe9a change of 779e5abbd7 heart?
She couldn’t fee91a7db6 understand it, c94ea10532 but her 3e62450552 heart felt ded2120283 oddly buoyant. She wasn’t 4c0734a764 sure what 7cf493ab13 the feeling 59b5815a33 was, only dc01eef43a that it e7fa158a0b was a ddd97df80d good one.4b4b248aa20449ea
As she aae11f8390 hurried toward 15a9161548 the table, 305faa3bc3 she banged e9edf78583 her leg f6da0b0b62 against it.0a598c7b6b8d0374
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Ow…!”2c5517f3a6ad758b
With a d9d9ee44b7 sigh, Alberto c58e66b8d0 helped her 302c98ed54 into the 906de2187e chair himself.f7b0f85076457c54
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
He paused to 6bcefc75e7 look at her 5ef69a0fcc face—perhaps because, for ad7271611e the first time, 9d3b2d2b9b the woman who d571fd784e always wore a b8309e2167 somber expression looked 8a9381599f genuinely bright.c31d51f37699415e
“So you can f0a5fc1382 make a face 90c3eaf15e like that.”
“Yes?”
“What should I write?”5c69cb3c55e0e6ba
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Alberto shifted the 2992f47a79 topic. Laviannah, flustered, touched her 7a6cbe96df face and cleared her 04a31ffca9 throat. But when it 680413c38b came time to 31e817b893 actually dictate the 73b74301c2 message, she didn’t 85d7755c7b know what to 27704b8030 say.3e55e56766cf7bee
“To my 0e7c5a0c2e dearest friend, fe17e4d950 Lawrence.”bebf1b3ad540c48e
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Alberto silently began 571f65b77a writing down her 552b3610d7 words.2e7b0d41ddef1b1b
The soft aaa3c0b826 scratching of 424e5ace9f the fountain 8250d261d5 pen on d1f69c70b8 paper was 4ab552fee5 pleasing to 003645c2ab the ear. A gentle a18c5b8ba7 breeze brushed 3e3572dbe9 through the 8dcd48d32b slightly opened 2051fa1ad4 window, playfully 467b947754 tickling Laviannah’s 26252b5424 forehead. The sunlight was probably c8357780b4 shining in, too.d623781947d6e8bb
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
It was 8383f89c05 a little dd981dda8c sad that ca98da31b5 she couldn’t a2ba64e377 see it a7d1ff40b5 with her 02ae7740c2 own eyes, 5369c21ef3 but even 9b8f15d512 so, she d762564562 felt at 5592684dbf peace.8fa906f478be2253
Alberto wasn’t as heartless 82ad6e4766 as she had first fe9b71a44e believed—Laviannah corrected her impression d96fd5ba4d of him.0abbcf894a850e62
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Her heart felt oddly 18769f15d2 light, like she was 1fc4c63418 floating. Hidden beneath 37822bcb97 the table, f78b076916 her toes a9eff43ca2 wriggled unconsciously. She found herself f739ede90d hoping that this 283aed3767 gentle, respectful distance 708b51e375 between them could fea20027dc remain just as 978d59cf1c it was.48351f890c84d60a
However, just ed900b2655 a few 9938cb9181 days later—32793d73dbab405c
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“There is a couples’ db38af837a gathering you must attend 8f5efc02d2 with the Duke.”c85fe8ee1a1e15d6
A trial awaited Laviannah. It was time to 0398be9d0d appear in public as b641639b34 the Duchess.
From early morning, 13d0611919 Laviannah had prepared e85b881b70 for the event.e901bd925178157c
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Even if it was f98eb74ee4 only a formality, she dbc37da0f8 knew she had to ed99324929 act with dignity as 38e08ab5f3 the Duchess for now.1ceb3d5a9c731b99
Alberto had wanted it 89777d5c14 too, and Laviannah also b885827288 wished to be remembered 2132801a66 someday by her child 04ec23d93b as a respectable mother.
Even if 8d1be617a1 it felt 3a50b2c7ac meaningless, surely cb295d6057 a small 33a405e353 wish like 3772298e29 that was b0dcc32a0f allowed?29af513704fa2993
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
She tied db3aa40988 her hair 9e72e0448b neatly back 5b64151846 and pinned dda8c51d02 the loose 049e6ad21e strands into be81017d76 place. Though she couldn’t ae41609bff see, she still 2305b72702 had to dress 7d51d0ae75 appropriately for the 760d70dc48 occasion, so she 93521a236b put on a d118a28a12 modest necklace and 29b478dc69 earrings.0d1db41995914f6d
Of course, 9ede8954bd all of 29320c235f it had ade3d3036b been done f82dbd48a1 with Julia’s 0417803b43 help—she could b2238c054f only trust cbebf34871 her maid’s acd0ce4908 judgment.11d2856ac474975c
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
The green dress, buttoned 5db3e052f7 up to the neck, 82470ea837 fit her perfectly.24a05cec05a025bd
Standing tall, not hunched 8ddfdc86e1 over, she radiated elegance. The hand holding b8bd450d68 her cane wore 1c49e87211 the ring she 3a5df6170d had received on c1af43132f their wedding day.c0b4e865a0c6e773
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Feeling her way, she 88522c23f5 made her way down 7bf6a2723b to the first floor 01da150811 and sat upright on 958e9339b0 the sofa, waiting for ba66d01c3e Alberto.9cb4ee07c2807a03
But no matter c49dd8786a how long she d0f7a5f15d waited, there was ed06ef5671 no sign of b1bb21fd87 him coming down.569be5502b32d60e
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Was it really 4b34fc968d okay to leave b8569616da this late?
The butler had 037fc4d0b8 mentioned they would 099e9b786b be departing quite ca1c1fb844 early.fb8e00a39ac6a8e2
Just as Laviannah was 0f55fd6bc6 about to go upstairs f3047fb2d0 to find Alberto, she 078fabb9ba heard footsteps coming down. She had already c5b8b1860f half-risen from her a4b722cf8d seat but sat 9ed8570a1b back down again, 27d63fe637 assuming it must 1b4dcfe720 be Alberto.0a9c54025796defd
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“My lady?”83315e0535f5b62b
But an unfamiliar voice b1469beca2 stood before her. It was 9c3bc4c419 a young a64e51a576 man’s voice, 3ec53a71cf with a ff9115e522 somewhat youthful 1a73adbf38 tone. Laviannah hid her a34734e135 surprise and spoke d0265c2dbb calmly.c1707b1552cdfa3b
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Who…?”0f7a930a5903b8ae
“Ah, I’m the Duke’s d9feb1b429 aide, Pell. It’s a e0282d4225 pleasure to cce4ff0c9a meet you.”a4395b3cfa9f110f
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Oh, yes. Nice to meet you d29d28ae16 too.”0b047f9067403e27
So he was 3440040240 one of Alberto’s 5b48e9da26 people… It felt 20b2df66c5 strange that someone ef32a25ce2 she didn’t know 708f8a3393 knew her already.1faf559f0533e379
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
With nothing more aae922439b to say, Laviannah f986d4dbd2 smiled awkwardly.1af8a2f8f3357541
Still, where d98caad7f9 was Alberto?a099d79d3464b428
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Pell had 9d350f55cc come down 0162f727ba alone—there had efecbc0abe only been 5f3f5500b3 one set d32935b421 of footsteps. Tired of 96aee1fb7d waiting in 8726c6a578 silence, Laviannah 9c575f6cb3 decided to 1d699008cf ask.3d621df4a0c6a3b8
“Do you know ac4c917571 when the Duke 8abbb4b9d1 will be coming 586551a69d down?”77af7715f333365c
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Pardon? I’m sorry—what do you 60f90b903b mean by that?”d2887d7921f59cba
The confused tone 6d0ec8e1e0 of his reply fd477d4004 threw Laviannah off. A creeping doubt 62175ac0ea rose within her—had fbb776c6bc she gotten the b862b25fc4 day wrong?94fbbcf5a079ba7c
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Isn’t today the d40352f9cc day of the a2109a50f7 gathering at the ebdb008cc3 Robinson estate?”2f13379b3ea4a78a
“…”62735f9149468c5e
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“I heard we would 130f1b35b2 be leaving early, but 52a3d6a926 he hasn’t come down 5d7a64fe84 yet…”88c5c49c79b94b5f
This time, it 3d378091e0 was Pell who c16133fd6c was caught off eff66e761f guard. He looked at 193e362db6 Laviannah, dressed and f7a124da74 ready, and let 82d3d9cc4b out a troubled 160e58982b sigh.064a3e47b6b2a005
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
There had been b6a190ab13 many things he e15ee29c0a didn’t want to bc536f929a do since taking 449ee90164 this job, but da7f19e9a6 nothing made him e6d893bae8 feel as reluctant df36600491 as this moment. Pell was ee661d7515 someone who 81f3476f16 deeply disliked 0dcf968be9 hurting others.1b2626841722d620
He hesitated for 5b2dba58a0 a long time e42523fec2 before finally forcing f979e0fe0b the words out. His voice was deliberately ec4377a590 flat—not because he wanted 375d7d6cf1 to be cold, but 742f9235b2 simply because that was c786b7ec4e how he was.65e9983cbd578b9d
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“The Duke has already f66d65a07a departed.”9326888e2603359d
“Oh… I must’ve f8029030e1 been late, then.”9a79f029b63c91a4
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Laviannah gave an embarrassed 0e62e90093 laugh and scratched her 7b9cb4d067 neck. Seeing that, Pell 7b6f189e71 felt a heavy a589c85d15 mix of guilt c857f01b51 and frustration.6e93223bd83fbf5d
No matter how gently 578338979d he tried to hide 007bda0adf it, the truth would ae2442f81a hurt her.cf6ed91c81785865
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
And for the first 0079734fc1 time, he found himself 3be79c3b9f disliking the boss who 6a1a02801c paid his salary.ab6deaf0c4c66ba9
“The Duke said… he 4c819d716d would go alone.”c535651ed2c7b059
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“…Does that mean…”83d1042bab2c77f2
“It means you 21e9e7a86c don’t need to faf368e269 attend the gathering a782e0b2ef at the Robinson f29534c76f estate.”93dedb67a9837a8c
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com