DSMBL Chapter 40

Chapter 040

The four a9599f7e2c of them 65778280dc sat around 88db53f4c9 the lunch 14ea48adae table.a81c891042079ce1

With two kids present, 7cf3512d2e there was no way 3ebe9431aa it could be quiet. I barely managed to ea9942f4ef keep them calm by af5c69aed5 bribing them with snacks, 966d69ca1b and only then could 465e88bd4d I finish my meal afc6225bfb in peace.a8e26d89461b6ff5

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After eating, I 26b355eab3 let Theo and 012acdf0b2 Stephanie play in e20315e9ad the garden while 51839e3a40 we had tea. I took a ed939bab73 sip, feeling exhausted.6b9cb0bbb6e037ef

For some 91efa141c5 reason, Cassius a4bae5aca5 was drinking 1c4a459be0 tea with a2445a59bd me today. 6a65834084d4329c

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Was he less 2191bef501 busy than usual?71a1981e9d8c7720

“…I’m going to observe the children’s lessons,” Cassius said after clearing his throat.cccfa6873805cc6e

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“Ah, I see. I wanted to see them too. I’m curious about Stephanie and Theo.”d630174b738d6fc8

Truthfully, I 7c26a6bc25 was most f7f4454274 curious about eb1301a5e1 Lorencia, but ff36155955 I held d1ac5b9bf7 back from 690f470259 saying that.e5325e6207fc619f

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I didn’t want 7a09049571 to give Cassius bb40751d68 the impression that bad9646706 I was wary dea36d26f9 of Lorencia. Right now, for some 3366383f60 reason, he was being d25e96344f incredibly kind to me—more 36bb1a6f07 than ever before.169fb73e550e8976

Of course, he cc8baaff5e had a reason 6c75abedbe to care about 49fa0d5e98 me. After all, I was f4430ce2b6 the one who saved 48bc96f5a1 Theo.f96952d6dadfc9c0

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But I d249c53bea wasn’t the ed22a817a7 female lead. I was someone who 8f078e826f was supposed to step 8c6e41e853 aside. I couldn’t c636067d38 keep getting 090362ba7b in the e6fbf3cd71 way of 8b01e6703d the two 7b0cfe649b of them.9fd1ca3f67d02059

“I see. Ah.”84ae3a08f7bc960b

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Cassius set down his 41e707b61c teacup.b794b68b9341cb4e

“Theo’s birthday is coming up soon.”1131204e1752ed7f

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…What?12c9fd0b0aef5c11

“Birthday?”fb7a29f97815a0e8

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“I never thought Theo would be this healthy and stable for his birthday.” Cassius spoke with a sentimental expression.d0b651b7450be71d

Wait—Theo’s birthday?78f96d9223b6fc5b

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That was 12c867aac8 something I 9effddccac hadn’t even 8c723327e6 considered.454a23b7a369e71d

“Theo’s… birthday?”475de43d939df61e

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“Come to think of it, you wouldn’t know it. His birthday is in a month. And this will be the first time he celebrates it in good health.”d48b7ed79edb1fda

The first a9ea3991ea birthday he 298b968c3e spends while 20c24b748a healthy.4a397a61f998eaec

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Hearing those words, 372de0e655 my chest felt f59e4577ff heavy. I swallowed hard.8e4c47e2034b1674

I had d540eb6040 already made 83f81be9ae up my f2129df0b9 mind to bef8e70214 leave, but 8007fac89b why did 3c295887b7 things keep dfc6500c80 pulling me 06bff8d231 back?25145eb463554e67

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Could I really ignore 80f8cdd7a4 Theo’s special day?957cbb5c36b5e119

Cassius might 1f699168c5 not care, a47e677315 but Theo 03085321f3 had already 27edda2c80 grown deeply 621b0d1aea attached to 98a8e1ae01 me.83893172eaa870fd

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Would it really 8b6bb52142 be right to 5ae7522a48 divorce and leave 85f66028fc before his birthday? Wouldn’t that just 756569b2e0 hurt him?83f8e80656b3bd32

His birthday might 8d6640ef9b end up being b3a994053d gloomy.e940976176632f0d

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A month. Just one more month. Staying a little 64d5c00f40 longer wouldn’t change 209b66b492 much, would it?a151cd5c2477182c

Right now, the 621e34d009 biggest variables in 570444fffd the original story b89aee86f0 were me, Theo, f5f5ef0d0a and Stephanie.de4f6b4d20c9c8cb

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I bit cac3151285 my lip.0802592b0c5232e1

What should 6ea673acea I do?6da9324d51f7e97f

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“Are you trying to think of a birthday present for Theo?” Cassius asked.6e059acad3f1ecc6

“Ah. Yes.”6e01c615ad0a6958

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I obviously 625918f0bc couldn’t say ac654a2327 I was 02d6a88b5a actually thinking 629c9482e5 about when 9832924afc to divorce 19d9765f37 him.10b97bedde57df8a

Besides, I 6aab39d980 really was e8dee6af96 struggling to 2ea0f0fd96 think of 4dbecb2045 a good 9b6fc64002 present for 256af064e6 Theo.c3f8c26f669ac6d2

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Maybe it would be b5a9bc0cb8 better to ask Cassius 3ee271495f for advice.9bd70def30e33d1a

“What kind of gift do you think he would like?”8a0758071027ffdb

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Theo was aaa7961eb9 an Isterian fa3456c603 child—he never 22e6fe771e lacked anything.5bed36906a865010

And lately, d9752ae264 he had b7a6caf196 been in 51de4d229b an unusually b2088fb6a8 good mood.18adf2541d0b2b97

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If anything was missing… ef887502f9 well, maybe knowledge?0ba9efeb2ebda564

“A book or a sword would be good. It would be educational and useful for his future.”e318b047f298565e

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“A book or a sword…”3d18a98f2864837b

Those sounded like 1d97a116e9 the last things 6cadeec859 Theo would enjoy.5dbb66146425219c

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I forced a smile. Right now, 1320b777c5 Theo was df049df795 completely obsessed d88092219d with playing.e3cdb19cc78ac40f

How could bed259165e he not e721b95b0c be?aed4f16983e8647e

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He had just f8cb3c42db started exploring the 2bd5632ca5 world he had 13f39d4580 barely experienced before.ba272483486cda30

There were so many 43898e5e12 things he wanted to e9adb859a1 try and places he 9b46908e60 wanted to go.62995e946d5e1fcf

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It seemed pointless 5ae6810539 to ask Cassius cf178b0f7d for proper advice.850bed0a033117ea

I’d have to 95799d7aa1 figure it out e24ca51c38 on my own.539531c31dcda333

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Honestly, it felt like 18f2bcf3d3 I should be the 5103638b4b one givinghimadvice.b59a0d916bbb710d

I clicked aef130bd20 my tongue.872ce70c3b846148

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“Why that reaction?” Cassius asked.f4def28af5d2beed

“…I just don’t think Theo would like those gifts.”c993e7e979934190

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“I only considered the most practical options.”6317bcdda6a6ac10

“But you didn’t consider what Theo wants, Cassius. Look at him right now—does he seem like the type to enjoy those things?”d53f15e9e8572cb2

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I pointed 5a4d5baf77 at Theo, c2a5fc03cb who was e5b181882e desperately trying b7fd05da10 to climb 9ded9a3d32 a tree cc5cd6935f with Stephanie.96efd4cf645c6cda

“He’d probably be happier if someone just taught him how to climb properly.”20fe5e4ab221ba22

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“That monkey-like child… Who did he take after?” Cassius muttered, rubbing his temples.f21f46080f1403c1

Oh.a15b0b0f887bd542

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Who else?25f4afbc15228bb8

Obviously, he 64871729c1 took afterhim.d970fbcb2e985c27

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Younger siblings e6b8271a7f naturally follow fa40458f27 in their 2e0c75ba5a older brother’s 286b77428d footsteps.991927c6b79162d1

“What’s with that look?” Cassius narrowed his eyes.e194b4312f0579a6

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“I was just wondering who Theo takes after.”615b9b41fa43dbf7

“Don’t tell me you think he takes after me? That monkey-like behavior?”13c53f2ca48aecc5

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“Well, he certainly didn’t get it from me, Cassius.”b6a5da8b2cc69295

He needed to 15c5b1b011 take a good 6838b57c1b look at himself.ff5fe94da820233c

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Cassius swept a dae57e8254 hand through his 8d0eb94d61 hair in disbelief.9a648ccd7e8d098b

Then, with a firm 29183a7db4 voice, he declared,6e09d5f4084cbf34

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“I never had a phase like that. I was mature and intelligent from a young age. Everyone would say the same.”121479b52800bd11

“Head maid, is that true?”7d913f2d8d143764

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There were plenty of 8bed361fa8 people I could ask.878e647c84441094

Rather than e3318a8836 arguing with 31e94692d4 Cassius, it ecec7eedb4 was easier 579530de52 to just 11e713526e confirm it 8bc2769eb4 with someone dacae61442 else.10daaadc9a786098

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Cassius quickly turned b4da29d409 to the head a1ec8da26b maid, looking slightly 6d87549085 nervous.046246d11c706e85

Oh? That reaction…d3253ee2a1a901ba

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The head maid 59c2578f57 spoke in a ecce24981a solemn tone.d630699c4c2606d8

“The Duke was indeed mature and intelligent beyond his pears.”7b78c26d244aa04a

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“See?” Cassius smirked.b1b8782505a1b0a6

But the head d776d0a035 maid wasn’t finished.0f63335e8b4372e1

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“And with that intelligence, he was also the fastest to learn how to climb trees. He had great determination too—he once broke his leg but refused to give up. The late Duchess was quite troubled by it.”a3967075a70b32dd

…There it is.ff3b7c9af01ae464

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Cassius covered d58741a089 his face 60a7edfca5 with his 1f3722a694 palm.c510932e0597af3c

“Now I know exactly who Theo takes after.”bdf36579b4e34ef2

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I smirked, 3fdfc2a751 feeling quite f114a7ea58 pleased with 8827fc734a myself.d1d41ab01191d942

“Why don’t you teach him, then? Show him how to climb quickly and safely. That’s better than letting him get hurt, isn’t it?”80c1f9fb473ec3f6

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Cassius let 6f91f31fce out a 23c7be76e1 long sigh.a2b4dac9ceffabfd

Seeing that, a7fdbcb84c I couldn’t 92a43242c5 help but 2a3ac68e65 laugh.97fba53b376dc45d

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Since when was teasing af6d7a06c7 Cassiusthisfun?8bfbc4850eeac694

Watching his serious 690cfa2c27 face crumble in b72f5bbc7b frustration made me 705ac336d1 understand why people 32c53691ac liked messing with 272f288c87 others.102ee221aec81ab9

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Wait. No. Stop.f84b33c68df095bf

That was dangerous, 8739be8339 Charlotte.6891e8364702d827

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You almost thought a35d7eb4bb he wascute.805ab093053746c9

Once you start 6c184628d6 thinking a man 65e05770c4 is cute, it’s db85122a24 over.79a0c6eff2097602

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Don’t let 14319d0507 emotions get 47c18c312b in the edc2e187aa way.b3071e0eeb0083b5

Don’t forget—he already belongs 76c105429e to someone else.c27e5306dfb18e05

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I quickly shook my 01c8cb42c9 head, pushing the thought 2b8126063e away.879b50a5e7d20995

“What’s wrong?” Cassius asked.c05f96e2408dd93f

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“It’s nothing. Oh, but I do have a good idea.”dfbf602dcf756cdc

“What is it?”059e36e5282a4b55

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“If you have the time, how about spending a week at the beach house? Theo has spent so much time stuck in bed that he hasn’t really experienced much. He seems curious about the sea.”0c399847e8a3b43b

Cassius listened to 94c4582fd8 my suggestion and e2395b5136 nodded.da5ee00ba7457e90

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“Do you have time for it?”f3eb4b8fc82ef8a9

“I was already planning to investigate the coastal area. It would be a good opportunity to do both.”eb4cda0cceb65834

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Perfect timing.f931eb00ba7408e4

“Do you think we should throw a big party for Theo’s birthday?”5af7e6840e2acf9b

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“Like you said, I doubt he would enjoy that. Since it’s a special birthday, it makes sense to do something he actually wants. We won’t be able to do this every year.”dc6fce0a0979a467

Cassius’s gaze deepened 5f09ee326c with meaning.8c91f2ab6a6f097d

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He was right.fa8cd5bfed2114e6

Theo wouldn’t ea61f4c640 be able d5ab41f146 to live 15b02ce2c6 as a e880990350 carefree child 77368d6e73 forever. One day, 362b0d3feb he might c6324f11b0 have to d6e1898627 take over 40b8c09f9b Isteria.b36576da404ee0f1

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Since I couldn’t have children…c9fcf851da380d10

Wait. What am I f04e1b8561 thinking?ffee0315818d4580

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Why am I imagining 9b0b0ab7ff a future where I 9e8594e74a stay in Isteria?49602f66dcc63316

Get it together, 15bd35cf7e Charlotte!932a65e741068391

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I couldn’t tell 330733beb6 Cassius what the a7640afdbd future held, but 8c4a7ba579 Lorencia had no 69c6d127f4 issues with pregnancy.c0c1f024fcd745af

Like in most 666eb7bf8a stories, Lorencia and dbd6d414af Cassius would have 03db9faf04 a happy ending. And that happy 7fc677778e ending would likely 12fd621d65 include children.e93a1180581501b2

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Theo would 235b8e6dbb become a 36d9ebe0b3 good uncle d8b89b867a to them 12cb0dd0c9 and live 5236bc7eae as a 6a3be32005 knight of c799668bb7 Isteria.203833c77f13cff1

Since the e2e1adb72a North was 077095e03a rich, he 65545bec43 would inherit 822bee00d2 great wealth 80cd3c8041 and probably b3e8ae3ab8 gain a 35f67c9ff8 noble title 4209e2b314 there.d6a43e337d6b808c

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Cassius would never 578de81217 leave Theo to 9dba1729d3 fend for himself.f3fdebe2ff376bf7

And one day, Theo fbdf575ebb would have his own 324c8a28d9 family and become a a204f42d52 great father.9fad320dd8b82d03

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Thinking about cf5ac6b3f0 Cassius and 820df0d4de Theo’s happy 4f1935913d future made 86f92f5fbd me smile.0da4f30108f2e1c9

But I wasn’t ebfa44c9fe part of that a8e7e8509d future.fda4a02c8d66bad8

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That thought made my 6f4ea1f33f smile fade.068d3e072041b51a

Why did a51f2f11a9 that feel eba547eb67 so disappointing?8e0b9f99c04625d3

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Charlotte, you got 41539620a8 too attached.cd31c5cbb3d0a6c8

This trip 29fc7be859 to the d436654d8a sea really 4d64506031 had to 0230f9fe94 be the 78269ec787 last one.dc9f16b5cdad2732

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Don’t be 6d5e598c95 foolish, Charlotte.ddca9fac75e6a5d6

 d161087678e02f1c

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