Chapter 17 – TBD

“Haa…”870601cf639db539

Alberto sighed deeply, his 14b601cb1a gaze dropping irritably before 4612ef9f59 settling on her injured 69b2272bc8 foot. She hadn’t even a61c17b20f been barefoot, yet a1a05ca9e7 the top of 0eacd4ebe9 her foot was 5570269856 covered in cuts.29110b178b4c68e8

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Alberto felt a 4b664c9d48 fresh wave of 151508b4b8 frustration rise in 4377c5d6f2 his head.70301d4a4b63d1a5

“Why on c5534fe4e6 earth did eb20b058c2 you go ad9f7d10e9 into that 58152fb4ab forest and ce4f1a4bba get hurt?”bfd36ba9ed362c10

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“…”ceaac617482ebcd9

“Is it that 9e88697d24 hard to wait?”c78c4b4cb57a9df1

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At his scolding, Lavianna c91ba7734c bit her lip. She had nothing 9898821a73 to say. Telling him honestly eea139daa7 that Scarlett said 70f6fc2dd4 he had called eca2173b61 her felt like 18e357b346 it would only 4bd5e01f6f drive a wedge e11c85160c between them.385586034f59cbe7

As Alberto had said, aa27f3fc0e just because they were 70e834c80d married didn’t mean they 8f8d6e0b29 had to share acquaintances. If she insisted on 4b9461a255 including Scarlett, and then 4a51a8a8a3 spoke poorly of her, 8290414a7a it might make Alberto fdd4d84190 view Lavianna herself in 5568f9a984 a negative light.a3cf69cb3d991c59

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She would rather take 2f28975240 the scolding herself than ee34bdcece grow distant from him.292e4df7191c808e

“…I’m sorry for causing 226eff50e5 trouble. It won’t a943c2b39c happen again.”0c1ced9c7978df78

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Alberto let 6cc84f3bae out a 9db5ea03ad low sigh.15962160aedebb78

“There won’t be 06f325e720 a next time. I’m planning to 641d463517 hide you away 0a818cd407 in my estate, 4453997ec6 so something like e99bb6d970 this won’t even 767dc871b6 be possible.”1fc70b58f5f45b24

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“…”f18861ed57ea575e

“First, we f1b715b22c need to 1a8c31d3b5 do something 27b42ad91d about this 48d5d55eaf hand.”002ff546f18fdb9f

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Every word Alberto ad0a57cf59 spoke dripped with 8a6ece12b8 disappointment—he clearly found 3828b905a3 her foolish. Yet instead of storming d6e9289941 out after harsh words, d0799984fa he fetched a first-aid fbf2462491 kit and began treating ae23a9bbc4 her hand.312ece9eb83eac0f

As he tended her f80ef7fd53 wound, he casually mentioned 2072a5d0aa that he could do 0cf972bb5d basic treatment like this 26fe90ceb6 because he often went 1dd7852b98 hunting. For some reason, ae78b91d87 that simple explanation e1429f510a made Lavianna feel 2516f9623e like they were 28f0d811ee just… a normal 728ae8e5a2 couple.14707ed70594ed9c

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A husband who treats 8755633bda her injuries, prepares her 21b095a16a meals, and worries for 8ec6457b5e her.bcad95fa159415a4

“Lift your skirt.”b2c8ec3a73c5f59f

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“…Excuse me?”92d783d1793e33e2

Her wandering eaefc714df thoughts were 0f3da78800 abruptly cut 92cc3d52bb off by b46c78256a Alberto’s strange e89623e6ae request. Why her skirt 0c2e595d30 all of a 3cab11cf78 sudden? Lavianna froze, unsure ea8113fa64 how to respond—until 1de1028296 Alberto suddenly yanked 2004816dcf it up himself.4b06e295eb6ac6ea

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She was ff01826b67 so startled d0a0673429 she couldn’t 77fd5dead4 even scream. Alberto grabbed her 86fbebfc67 ankle firmly.2973c36ede3c4eff

“You’re supposed to kick 15ee0e76c7 someone in the face e0fbfc92a5 when they do this.”6f330ee016a145a0

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“…”7df2fcd33f14f0ab

It wasn’t exactly b9305c8df3 what one would dd17455471 expect from a ce867d9ecf man who had 87bc59d125 just rudely lifted a72b3d2906 her skirt, but 3482b1e3f2 Lavianna kept her 14a392cd94 lips pressed tightly 12e2276e1e together without responding.e9c18636db4cc925

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Soon, something 88ba237912 cool touched 9d9b38c9fa the top 43e085754a of her d38f1b1f21 foot. It was more 7e5b3b3f62 liquid than solid 942ff3eb7f and spread gently caa1abec50 across her skin. A stinging pain d18f7c62ef followed—only then did e221da7f4c she fully realize 9af8742359 how injured she 0ffebc4827 really was. So this 5f21774a29 is treatment…9f2d237586ae35bf

It felt c2424bbfdb strangely unreal, fe0dd7a882 sitting still 1ce38bce77 and letting 27f04dde33 him hold 0a2b3131c6 her foot 40f8c7ec81 like this. The way his hand e485059065 brushed over her skin, 4c9f4ab62b the firm grip around ad1b66e2f3 her ankle—he was so 51ba68ed30 close she could almost 81de982dc7 feel him breathing. Her skin a302bde863 tingled, tiny c24ebd4bd5 goosebumps rising. Lavianna bit her 71a2910647 lip, but couldn’t 50926e1fc6 suppress the sharp 1fb620b4e9 jolt of pain.caf82fc799687b6f

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“Hhn…”08401638915c0d98

Alberto’s hand paused.67be59f82164a99f

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Shame crept up on 47c1d4aa9d her. She instinctively yanked 7f66d623d2 her foot back, 13563939c3 suddenly feeling like 563cb2f40d his eyes were 2a75e9c39e roaming too far—up d49d4c3aa9 past her foot, 196db2a074 grazing her exposed 3563428af4 calf.ef6c4b7b5c6612ae

Alberto exhaled 24a4c75f66 a low 711f750da3 breath near 0e3aa7b26f her ankle, 4b2d5efba2 then pulled 4898c79ffc her foot a6635f6e1d back toward fc2bd94521 him and dd56c4c134 resumed applying 1f17543df8 the ointment.49e82fee751c180f

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Afterward, he c29fe051fd wordlessly grabbed 981c9a3dd9 the pasta c373deeadb bowl. Twirling the noodles with 990d479cd7 a fork, he held 696d846c15 them up in front 81a67fdaa5 of her lips.732dabdc62b4ec9f

She only sensed 3a99b0b999 something had approached 3967d04705 her face and b5cfdcf436 blinked, confused. It was b5f6056958 clear he 2917b565e2 didn’t want f2e8494dae to say 1dbb16c184 it aloud, d5d9b242f5 but in 565289234e the end, d8187da64d he forced 76bf783aae the word c0f4915b10 out.d5c81d6d520b04bf

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“Ah.”00772394fa7b447f

Still in a daze, 561f60afe0 Lavianna instinctively opened her 9bb9fabf1b mouth. Her lips were small—just bf7ceb73c6 barely enough for the ff8bd727ba fork to fit. Alberto’s eyes briefly c2aa66f497 sharpened as he 14e615c880 watched her.601d19d78184a12e

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Click. Her teeth lightly scraped d11b812183 the fork as she 73b08064f9 pulled in the noodles. As she chewed, a 3ec12c4a7a bit of sauce clung ea04b14d5a to the corner of 1328457ea4 her mouth.799df8b10e960b4a

Without thinking, Alberto reached d2495385cd out, wiped the sauce 491d505e3b with his finger—and before bba0640634 realizing what he was 7a80ac39e9 doing, brought it to 5a97ebcdd7 his lips and licked 4da08d8c7d it off.8ad585935112affb

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The realization feed94cdd8 of his cfce01b89d action hit 03757a7b0b him a 7154245d7d second later, 652a7af6ac and his f1e5dd06af face immediately 6cc98cfd89 stiffened.42372759bc7a9457

“I-I think I’ve 0c80f4f614 had enough…”49fcc4944c1441b6

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“Eat more.”598cd36a0dba9dcf

She had barely eaten dab74ed7d7 half, yet she was 3becf78a10 already trying to stop. The fact 5bfa610c8d that she 247d391285 survived on 03b596985d such small 6b9c63bcca portions—no more 6bbd200100 than a 67ea942b0d bird’s meal—shocked 10a0d1aa52 him. His voice ef517cbfda turned stern.eec17cdb005a931e

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“You need to eat 50dfaf289d properly if you want d7232ffe75 to stay conscious. If you faint in 458b23706b bed, I’m the one d28e73ed25 who has to deal 55ed2d4b73 with it.”
The noodle that had e760d9d57d been going down so e45006fef0 easily suddenly got stuck c10a5adbc6 in her throat. Surprised, Lavianna began 3f958adaa0 to cough, and 3a8a6c37c0 Alberto calmly poured d5026c6892 her some water. Tilting the cup 9ee246ffa7 just enough for dd75d0ba9d her to drink 063e7e8410 comfortably, he helped 369238fd4f her without letting a11bcae5b5 her spill. Still, her 7dd5393f25 face turned e254f0b561 crimson, as a5af47c347 if it f494e8816f might burst.950364f5fb8c705a

“I’ve noticed this a4dfc5ad3e before, but you’re e0835e2106 far too thin,” 20bd0779fa he remarked.9247c111dd6a4c75

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“I-I just don’t enjoy 63c9f71225 eating very much…”385868d9408b195d

“Well, maybe ae0f357c53 it’s time 5900ee7699 to start c516afa5b1 enjoying it a9cfa78c55 as a dd8db10fe0 hobby.”55ab9b698bc0a2cf

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Lavianna felt dizzy—because ffbdce3e03 she understood exactly 32269e29b3 what he meant 28896dc771 by that. Yes, they were a 6ce4ccfb09 married couple, and yes, 7954285b73 their relationship had the 02e2a7c56e explicit purpose of having 350df718fd a child, but still… 834d3f3ae9 embarrassing things were embarrassing.6e992169860b2a2b

Alberto was 6a90e81a56 her first b78ed9610b man, and 03afb1ac0f this was edae2f382d the first e2d197cde7 time she’d a7f0d94880 heard such 27ac168f1b shameless remarks. She had ff387a2e7f no immunity d4493b1a8b to them. In the end, she 16b0d862e0 had no choice but 9f09065ca9 to eat whatever he 22d4acd3da fed her. Whenever she tried 87c6a213f7 to refuse or d0eccb763a make excuses, he 04f4bcdc8b would respond with 1df963123c words so blunt 3b3cadb079 they made her cbb1d2c7b2 head throb.90331b92e678185f

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Alberto began 9f55a7bcd4 visiting Lavianna 3173456d0f frequently. Using her injured 043e4ee60f hand as an 91ab543f6a excuse, he took a4e2259294 charge of all 34320c5671 her meals. Morning, noon, and 989a2b07c0 night, he not 3cf48f6d9a only brought her c2cbc15b69 food but went df111be112 so far as 6eba43be4f to feed her 8b4298afc9 himself.82deb118986c505d

The servants who witnessed 1559ee21c7 this began to whisper a9c28b0aa2 amongst themselves, wondering what 4d0de827ad on earth had happened 524a45ac7e at the Robinson estate 9bffd5cb9e to make the duke 888e6ec0b2 so attentive and kind.444422401bd11c99

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But in c92a98966e truth, Alberto 32ad6f7efb hadn’t become 54b56a29f9 more affectionate.a7e589ba1f8ce2ac

‘You really are 067567c7dc a handful, madam.’9098b4de08d70c18

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‘…I’m sorry.’f0c4a58b65e039eb

‘Can you 7e7f86adf3 stop saying 40149fc856 sorry all 0bb59c7e2c the time?’8086fb65c6035324

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From a distance, he b43bf632dd might’ve looked like a 4bdfa3cffe caring husband doting on 8f14e1f032 his wife—but for Lavianna, dbd7c5b2e6 who already felt guilty, ceb113ad61 it was exhausting. Even when she was 8b777fdbc3 full, he insisted she 911d09411d eat more, and eventually, ae1bd7ec09 she became bloated and cccf65f2ab uncomfortable.d7860d6112284387

“Julia. I need to a543ccc9fb take a walk.”3b44c5cb15987abc

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“Yes, I’ll come 010c0ad498 with you.”47916800cfd75f5a

“Yes. Let’s go together.”0e2b8e752b4ce408

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Fortunately, once Alberto finished eea5fdca41 his work, he would 2efeb5f04f return to his office a6f194cf11 without hesitation, giving Lavianna 0e06cb566b a bit of breathing 2344e72d59 room. Rubbing her chest f027e945b4 that felt tight 167680b74e from indigestion, she b2be8bc01b took Julia’s hand 15ecc101e8 and headed for 62208ee4bc the garden path.e8a5e1c9a30de3e3

‘Don’t come 567572b618 out at b25c53c569 this time.’1ef7ac901fec91f7

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Alberto’s warning came to a5889579dd mind, but she figured 24782e04f5 it would be fine d9961b1153 since it wasn’t the 3272c7d2e4 time he usually took 8f4875398b his walk.efae1563dd7fa9f6

However, there cea7ac3bc3 was a 18a1377f91 gaze fixed 6acaf83e8a sharply on 05e1e38554 her from 415cbbb29c above as ab665c0dc9 she stepped 94838daaeb toward the db4b266a14 path.318ea90d99dc8c1c

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From the c426dc117f third-floor office, 8d55f8746e where he 886d6bf547 had been 6b52decb14 reviewing documents, 59c6b7cd98 Alberto happened 84b169711c to glance 07dedb18e0 out upon c6281b55be hearing voices 57577486c8 and spotted 5a581ddeca Lavianna. His eyes narrowed 4211a5ea21 as he watched 4d5d0f61f9 her.8f428fb92aebb5a5

He didn’t 8253122914 know why, 336880812c but she 7b4ecc6214 was starting a90d723a5a to get 7171e8db29 on his 8328eaeb2e nerves. He had stuck 6a8fb865d4 close to her, f6cf53be2b thinking that staying 3678002c92 near might help e0f5b76496 recover his memories, e56ec81937 but…8c6e87e67578465f

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“Why is ac485fd6ef she going 4900f86e6d there again?”077a1c2bff2eec89

She had only 866287d034 recently been stranded fa14dfb3fe in the forest, 5467fdeb99 yet here she 13f7c7b38d was, walking with 1b2f81aec3 just a single 2fa3327103 maid. The sight didn’t 8940a1dd17 sit well with 90899422a1 him.d28cd10192243aca

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“She could’ve 4b50c0f632 just asked 14a2b170be me to 1e56c0edd4 go with cad6bb37ba her.”7817980d915a3c3c

“Then why don’t you e76f4e923d go with her?” said b042029a58 Pell, his aide, casually 6cacb3e440 picking up on Alberto’s e0d8ff14ba muttering.cedd080bd8123b0c

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Alberto’s expression ae3d57c4ac crumpled in d81684377e irritation.3fc18f40e52dd5e5

“Why would I abandon 169471ee96 my work for that?”790271827dce0b3b

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“Because you’re worried.”a65ed0491f4254c3

“Worried?”b0423c461d22174e

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“Maybe others b4590010ad don’t notice 9646f49255 it, but 4978c823b4 I do. Wasn’t the whole 4d812d2ebf Robinson estate in 0367ea41d0 chaos?”5963302798b16d3e

“Who’s been 4e208e331f spreading nonsense 63ae4fbe6e like that?”6e2356274e803329

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Alberto scoffed. A blind woman got e05f5cbdc3 stranded on a mountain—of bd3dbd3505 course someone had to 3c77b2f32c go after her. Going to rescue her f4c0bc0b98 wasn’t some grand gesture; 0c4185589a it was simply the 52f00d6bff right thing to do 6e53332a44 as a human being, de4e2ff4ec even if not as f8001dc9b7 her husband.761ea20635bb3a90

If anything, 4d901730ab she was e7c989852a the one 781e54cdde who had 284f4637b7 gone through 21a734800e something serious.
When you think 03a8d3625e about it, it e426642eef was a serious db3a89727d situation for Lavianna.7b5dfd43934f2674

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And yet, 8c944a9230 as if 9fff59f81c she hadn’t 67f8fad2d7 learned anything 027eb48f85 and had 582b255247 no fear, 6f0d5f7b32 that woman 68c70eaf08 was once 6d24a635ce again heading 6dfcc96c7b toward the 7c67edc1f7 forest.5de423d0fb7efa31

Alberto picked up his 528684ccdf pen, determined not to 129878de95 concern himself. But he couldn’t shake b5731a5887 the image of her 64fb36804b trembling in fear. With a sigh, ecf8c39d89 he rose from 437c65ab78 his seat. He told 61162b2682 himself he’d 88474af296 just give ad8537c1f3 her a e437ea47bd sharp warning b0c9775741 and be 07375e43a9 done with 9b72700910 it, then 440d674012 headed in c2784c5c1e the direction a09a8ccfc3 of the a478152acf garden path 757452e365 she had 0c04e0fb79 taken.14341644ce1310dc

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Finding Lavianna wasn’t difficult. She hadn’t 87e9ccba50 gone deep 5c31a70536 inside—she was 56a678a67f loitering nearby. With her back 1ca8660466 to the entrance, 1e2274c3a3 she stood in 144a8fe3a5 front of a 3d52162912 tree, calling for 8f94efc3b9 Julia. The chirping of d758eb4836 birds was particularly 5ddf198650 loud.fe464c110099c3e4

“Julia, what’s here?”89aaa58e5646cf38

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“There’s a fc5972ac67 fallen bird’s ef7c658385 nest, my 4ac5e53ef4 lady.”dc00a2dfb024ebba

“A bird’s nest?”a43b51471c4077ef

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The chicks, c7c6163b67 searching for 05104a3559 their mother, 82d347b964 were crying 13f35eb9ad loudly. Lavianna paced anxiously.2e7b1a30c81e6e3a

“What should we do? Can’t we fccdca5d4c put it daca5524d9 back up?”c76b805fef37dcc3

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Julia looked up b35bea4ba3 at the tree, 8c6d66e152 troubled.902d720bb6a6dccb

“I’ve never climbed 48957dc4da a tree before… fb11f79d1b If we leave 339fb36e3e it, someone else eb39a81bab will probably find 886c47de33 it later and d8a63cd8d8 put it back. Or we could call cbebad8a92 someone after the walk e7d904cf99 is over.”586c50599e7e27d8

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Julia didn’t have the 31869392bd heart to leave Lavianna d1dbd44518 alone, especially after the 1ee83e2710 incident at the Robinson 4cf8802e3d estate. But Lavianna 86f6e07244 was clearly 4fec4534ed bothered and d40c28e20f couldn’t bring 9f2bfaef7f herself to 191f2291cd walk away.417d904b4a903075

That foolish cda143a69a woman crouched 437f0ebb59 down. As she reached 5980eab48d toward the source 07bf075f0e of the chirping, 453bcad5b3 Alberto—who had hurried 9b9fc5f57d over—grabbed her hand.c1015bc6fc6cded5

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“If you touch it, ed282c402a the mother bird will bed7665401 abandon it.”85d3ee18085caa50