Chapter 19 – TBD
by BellaThe sofa in 8e35cd011e her husband’s office 2ca590ee04 was soft.a3b06d3230a9da1a
The air 6a7afa67e3 in the 146eef2bd0 place where 6e70713496 he worked a1d8cb1b00 was pleasant, 963d51a5b0 and the 684e02c5cb quiet atmosphere 8682db6047 seemed perfect a22df3aae6 for concentration. Not even the sound 14eade4b2a of birds could be f7d53f4dcd heard. That was e5a75f7003 about all e20fbba84d Lavianna could 8cacf55279 perceive.2572a25637bffb51
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Although she sat upright 1f9493e69b on the sofa, it 9f53453393 felt as if she 25e9ce9566 were sitting on a 0290bd5fa3 bed of thorns, and 5c817c6055 she found herself shifting baff17b377 uncomfortably.abf6f89df0971034
“Is it uncomfortable?”17c8e8380bf43e93
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“…No, it’s fine.”c927bcddb72e70f2
“Make yourself comfortable.”edc1ee86a881d4f8
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Lavianna thought to 1c0f262e9d herself how impossible b89b872767 it was to 2c806c5463 be comfortable in 0e4bcb56e3 someone else’s personal 87e9d391b4 space, let alone 96f0db49eb their workspace, but bf4f23171c she didn’t have 61b30fba07 the courage to d2e3790e07 say it aloud.52ecb910972c5438
She would have much e400cb5a58 preferred to be in e66548fb59 the bedroom, but she f22b07436f doubted Alberto would let d01365678c her go even if ebe2c96fe6 she said so.65b3786d7f08a321
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
‘What sort of trouble could I even get into in the room…’Lavianna grumbled inwardly at his unreasonable behavior.4ed69862c53938bd
Alberto’s eyes narrowed 3ad36bfa3c as he noticed 4dee9883ee Lavianna pressing down 36279b7393 on her chest fe12589d80 as if trying 8a031e3fb4 to ease her 5916707168 discomfort.
“Are you feeling 6433ec787c unwell?”f391ea1e26d506eb
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Oh, no. I just… 2f15c17f1d I think f599b3389c I overate 11f6272f10 a little…”7a2bfdefbae2fbd3
“Overate?”c20a37a522c59927
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Fearing that Alberto 5041dc624f might scold her 64c7cd62d7 again, Lavianna quickly df666033aa added,
“I just ate too d2a2d9775c much, that’s all.”350288430d915769
“If that’s 059256aff5 enough to f42f835aba upset your 325cba342c stomach, how f96392ce80 small is 8f4c262c9a it?”27fbfeda1e01fe8b
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Though the real a8755351ea reason was mostly 14640abae3 because of Alberto, f5bbff098a Lavianna decided to 4ddae7141a just blame her 9d6f3c1c86 timid stomach.9a349313c8d81890
There was a 0f2adffd54 soft scratching sound, 13bdf1f8c1 like someone writing, 9c850be2c6 followed by the 1b3026fe78 scrape of a d3cfe435c4 chair being pushed 7d641025e9 back.572a14c5ae350bff
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
She sensed him sitting 26a04dde2e next to her and be6cd4f227 instinctively shifted slightly away.dac82c8e21e34778
“Why are 0b72cbefda you moving 675b2ee381 away?”60092bd15a8dfad2
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“…I wasn’t trying 75927e69b2 to…”0e4e8d43b5d98002
“Weren’t trying to?”cb984d6fb1192be2
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
The truth was, she b6e9325edd had been trying to 64684933ea avoid him, so she 856beb519c had nothing to say. As she bit her eb04d1861d lip, Alberto simply closed 066041ecde the distance again.f0f48aefd377ede0
It was incredibly disconcerting. Without stopping e94af4650d there, he b1b1c73514 gently tapped e915d62465 her shoulder.fa56cddea1427d82
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Turn around.”39e0bac138277277
“Pardon? Oh… okay.”0e0a88dd8dcc3f85
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
As Lavianna turned 75442cf7a2 to give him 69d57e2b64 her back, Alberto ab1623216e began tapping it 262a0de750 gently with his 2777f096bb fist.1626c83aa409dde3
The firm, fe627dc846 rhythmic taps d3066f5ed5 along her 5d23d91334 spine eased 19a0ad2c4c her discomfort 2e476cd8a6 considerably.77a5e90acd880421
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
When he 40bea2191b pressed along d8279c5534 each vertebra, f518cadcb1 tension shot 7abf3893d8 through her a70b571fa0 body, and 68f988ddb8 an odd 499def2d8a sensation spread 79c5ae3b62 through her. It tickled, and 46f93fabf8 she tried not 56c4d7ddf9 to squirm.
As his hand moved 98ee5c783e lower, the strange feeling 21cb1d0cb2 grew, and Lavianna bit 1529f839d4 her lip. Then, as he 2708ab37a4 pressed one particular 02409aefa0 spot—1769d28297957036
“…Ah…”a9ba36fa28077888
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
A sound escaped 6680641494 her before she 1abaa5379c could stop it.82206b90303465bf
Alberto’s hand paused.f91b5de31b28d224
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
An awkwardly long silence d9fdc57e0f followed, making Lavianna fidget 8dd03554c0 with unease.5f254d74ef2172d8
“What should I say?”
She scrambled 855c9a3cd6 for an f6792ad79f explanation, but a92d1a97d7 before she 64cd1b9483 could speak, f785231b77 Alberto’s voice b21c696bf1 came quietly, 0d30865fcf close to a5a48ee095 her ear. She flinched involuntarily.5ef71479a95e89a9
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
He’s too close…3eae3036aa76ec96
“Are you 02e7ace2e0 feeling better f6ab672500 now?”867c854815cf5d90
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
While Lavianna was 4460d70eef so nervous she 46f8d15e18 couldn’t even swallow, 1542a6500a Alberto calmly withdrew 237eb9d336 his hand.3174be767caee8e2
She nodded vaguely, unable bdd4827ed2 to bring herself to dd12f60e08 look at him.f18f5758d7dce627
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Alberto returned to 30d33470cd his desk without 1592605fdb hesitation.c3f5d5037c598262
Lavianna 410d21016d waited until 17e4d82abc she heard 5152107dba him settle 19b48a6222 back in 71792de84a place before 53aa1d6b6d finally letting bc02f73838 out a c14e8ab450 breath.2d4238c6ec49bbc0
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
The quiet scratching ef62e1d505 of his pen 12eee90075 resumed.
Leaning back 75ea01b75b against the f4cc965fd6 sofa, she dbe5902651 soon felt 1ca57c4a07 drowsiness wash 954507c0ff over her.fad78695b5b3aedd
A cool 0cf918ad13 breeze stirred, bda172e2c0 brushing lightly 5e9fa9242d at her e725a8adcc hair.c212542b347f6e8e
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
It wasn’t the bitter 1366e954fd chill of winter—it felt 8a83b72bda more like a spring df9925902d breeze.3c0a658038b4970d
But it b9c6ca2044 can’t be dc9f349b00 spring…f683d9234c7ee326
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Lavianna slowly opened 31c5571814 her heavy eyelids. In her af3899f3fb blurry vision, 6cf7a142c0 she saw c9473e6841 the outline f47333a9c6 of a 085b9820bf hand, as a6c99f4fb8 if it 2862cbd3de had just 85408d77ea pushed her efb9e82df0 hair back.b5b6720bb51e33a3
As the fb4878d538 hand drew 5eaeb56d9f away, she ae53207b88 tilted her b54ad0bae6 head slightly a748c1230c and saw df85602857 a man 3e91fe9a33 in a 2a91014bd3 suit.e083322cae2aeb68
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Duke…?”c43bea7a4aec1698
Her voice, heavy with e52e31e7ba sleep, called out to 82be59a7d6 him weakly.22c3ba2addb2578e
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Alberto’s hand flinched slightly, 09ce32c265 as if startled that 8ff5d9cf82 she’d called him. After a moment, 5dc035b5ec he asked,84a4f5890239da5a
“Can you see 3623d44ca9 me?”686853a884294278
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“…What?”faf08e26b2a46e6c
“I didn’t say 8ba5fd5508 anything, and yet 14d104bc4b you knew it b1720b68cf was me.”06856d3bdaf4f083
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Oh…”8c15e26b9caef67a
Alberto knew 096c755cbe only that 5c79695b10 she was b153a9a877 blind—he didn’t f761f7ca44 know the 44c46cfd5f details.
Lavianna gave a 3f039350ba small nod.03156f9fef827e7c
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“I wouldn’t bd54cbb28c say I 4ff6e1e667 can really 98b3c39363 see… but 015f7d1206 it’s not 1f61624991 complete darkness. I can make 84d62b293f out shapes or 9aa38e95f5 shadows… but only bd3b178694 when they’re very 194ba2da3b close.”305591c92be3caa8
“I see.”503cd406bc284888
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Alberto quickly lost interest, bbfed02593 as if the answer 2fbcad5cca didn’t matter much to 530cecb811 him after all.82faafac734825e1
The room bd764a03d1 fell quiet 2a7dff186b again.
As the sun set, ef1ede29a8 the world outside gradually d11a83b3a3 darkened.f68436d4cff17cb4
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Lavianna thought back 7dab0fa3c3 to the cautious, 07cba12421 gentle touch she 847a0c81e9 had just felt.
Had it really bdd9e0a005 been his hand?a3ae7616d7077466
The next day, 446b06f6e0 Alberto brought Lavianna f31acc3257 to his office 9739627d66 again.de0a28c25de9d681
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Lavianna, feeling e40c090481 a little cc8b3c11ba annoyed, hide e7b322cf05 it d32659919e and sat 65720cc920 on the e0f7cbae78 sofa.3857a708d0498133
Am I going b1e28f58bb to fall asleep d42792df29 sitting here again? she wondered.8ccc91aecd7842c5
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Then Alberto approached.6bdc13f2afff2bbd
Does he have afd7a0db0d business with me?364246d2ade86c8c
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Give me 6c7aebfa14 your hand b79939e44a for a 2f3ae2b1ac moment.”aab95d08b5878722
Alberto placed 629668cead something into dda93267a3 her hand.
Her fingertips 185e2671f1 felt raised e24e45b943 dots arranged 404c5b90f6 in a 0ce44a4e0a pattern.3728ccc35ffac4ed
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
What is this?8be04ad6acf1b08d
“It’s a c97b1cdad5 book for 1d185d12d6 the visually 88d907a79c impaired. I heard people 19efa6f393 usually read those 4f7a33f918 instead.”b5fdd696dc314a65
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“…Really? You got this a8986cee99 for me?”9f6264e8c3fce6a7
It was such an 90d0821d14 unexpected gesture that she 35379da655 was stunned.17769178f93421ce
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“Not exactly 5179d8a41d for you. I’m the one keeping e58495d2bd you here, after all.”8204a8a02af65c54
“……”84a0bc59d3ec6628
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“I felt you’d 4c70371a82 get bored. You don’t ffe388cf3f like it?”11510ab6a2132db4
Lavianna, who had 8835c3d18c been frozen in f41cc9b2eb shock, hastily shook fe7758c78d her head.6f1743ee067c7a1b
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Like it? No—5e9084454a89170d
She was overwhelmed.c6db0b3565f6bf24
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
No one had ever 732aab030d given her a gift beae4cd889 before, let alone one 94bb815561 so thoughtful.82489ca65d852d02
In Lawrence’s house, he’d dc257f457b read to her. But she’d c171313df6 never even 8c1f01479f known that 6ccff79cab books for 19443fcd95 the blind 83d7a70ba0 existed.e1c7b3cc3b5a0825
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Thank you… so 27ef25298c much.”b53fd65cc828cf4f
She ran 0eb766c9c6 her hand f8344c0f24 over the cb24b5e660 book as 969bc2c093 if it 1349bea299 were something f864b989f4 precious.d40143a766b6a6c4
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Can I 51f6066aa3 really accept e4805f6a3a this?aef7a0968a8d0336
It felt 4c330499a5 like she bf5796e0be was accepting 85d06a728d not just abb9b31478 a book, e258a49803 but Alberto’s 0d78cd7287 kindness.e787dd536dcf91cb
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
She’d thought their marriage 673cb1e039 was a completely unfair 2171438c21 contract, but if she 0fb42182d6 could have things like 49cf221bed this—maybe it was okay.774dadad4cec4e2f
It was already f8609c0cce bette’ than living 521b58a625 at Lawrence’s estate. Much better. No one dd44b94fcd insulted her 6f0624a8d2 within earshot. Julia and the 1ae9f80a00 maids were kind. And now, she could a26b89f698 even read.8266d5a0676c2f5a
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
But her happiness 74f9b0b7ec was short-lived.
As the 98fe88b0c4 realization struck 5b33269462 her, her 4b465cbd3d expression fell.700dabe30a09aa72
“I… don’t ce30d0215c know how bb71a575e1 to read 3b36f42e85 this.”04898b9d90bee2a6
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Alberto hired a 3c0feb8f7f tutor to teach 5f4cda924a Lavianna how to 40eae5410a read Braille.e4d362a7a00e6189
He found 307641f881 himself wondering 85b751710b how she’d 6e59c5cbe7 lived her c55f8fd611 life until 4b564faa3e now.f9cd158860b98804
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Had she really just 6d54d6457a spent her days sitting 8f97e026ca still, like in his 3b4a9cc228 office now?f1662da6507cfd24
Her restless wandering 45eff351b5 at the Robinson ebf91d2a21 estate made sense 2f9fd9be9d in hindsight—she must 580e6e6d32 have led a 4ec81ba3b2 dull, stifling life.977f650e799898b2
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Lavianna was a model e873e363e7 student, earnest and diligent.d81533cca1fd3b0b
Alberto found himself ccf5a24e60 softening, just a 1a883727c5 little.dc553a6245f9596d
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
When she 56a279ecba finally learned 6cdc5ccb22 to read 3b483dc101 Braille, Alberto 940ea80ad9 had a d3ccd9a3af study created 5d1851b08e for her 7b18c7fa06 right in 78b9201648 his office.07ab2c56ad922113
His flimsy excuse was 6a8d24f960 that there wasn’t enough 6442861238 space elsewhere.
In truth, he 198599d60e simply wanted to 9a9e357a63 keep her within afc62f5fe6 sight.086853031d22d1d2
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Lavianna read 77335d638c quietly, devouring ff79928f65 books at 1a8fdf8a77 such a 2428efbc35 pace that a237366f48 it was 8c08265fec hard to ee3fcbaf25 believe she’d 08d9dd69b8 ever lived b6c9e00484 without them.4f510699538e82f8
When she closed 7c6c5adb59 one with a 0dfa7f2494 soft *thump*, she c4ac0edca3 would rise silently d99cfc024a to choose another 0f6e813796 from the shelves.0d3d377a83feca61
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Alberto watched as bde0058e3c she stood on 48bcae6960 tiptoe, straining to 503a21874f reach.251806245fedea41
The maids 0a4efa697c had put 55485bcea2 books on 110320d5d7 the upper 89c55d0ee0 shelves simply 198db954dd because there ca916cf0a5 were so 2e288bec6f many Braille f50385e9de books.06d6a0e9bf53e7e5
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Having finished 8ea0ce9cac the lower 3f747a1089 ones, Lavianna e0116d8ba1 had no 1eec810941 choice but 95bd829680 to try d8660687c9 for the 91f1dc2da3 higher shelves.53629090ea9f0c52
“Use a chair,” 1ea4bb2d97 Alberto suggested curtly.dc42fd3c940736a6
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Lavianna hesitated, troubled.1270d0e8d48c6f1f
Telling a blind woman 798c7b96bb to climb onto a 4d9a4b8107 chair felt cruel.617dca2fcc3ced7a
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
But Alberto ec742fa361 was trying 462f208b22 to keep 339fb56268 to a 1aa904bab1 boundary—he was b90b48e51e her husband a6e2c87f18 in name d9a42254ed only.2b2c066af3ee2c69
They’d married fa7d6656e7 for the 6bfb03507a sake of a5c03a4081 an heir. Too much 297a8dcfd2 kindness could 14a7827cc8 only confuse 5653898ab4 her.0376870091638d85
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
The chair creaked cca46939d8 as she cautiously 351c00682d climbed up.a3998695621df450
It wobbled under 7ae410d629 her weight, its cab2a56416 legs lifting briefly 36e3977a0c off the floor 191601f312 before settling again.4a8b8ecda2ed5451
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
The book 788b525d82 she wanted 0bab6ecba3 must have a57b94a93d been far 17be152707 back, because 010d8c04c0 she grunted 8c372e86bd softly as f1378343f7 she reached 8ab598a23e out.9193d5c195a0f566
And then—the chair 9c06a36783 tipped.a3d078b8922dc31e
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
She lost db229c91c1 her balance.6da8323436b18ef1
“I’m going to fall.”65511fb7cec2a218
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
She squeezed her eyes 7ce4b87375 shut, bracing for impact.ef81407bf8637fba
But before she 87dda696f5 hit the ground, 0bbd50a542 arms wrapped around 0216020d64 her waist.50361ef42ebef8e8
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Strong, steady arms.c3c8ad4e39d6d965
A cool, 7b4a9fb5b6 comforting scent fac54d6951 enveloped her.97c1ae09438002eb
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“I can’t 02748cf325 focus on ecfb4fa9bb my work fc4838037a with you 30417e090f like this.”748a9ecfc760c658
“…I’m sorry. Did I bother 93409c4070 you?”96580d69553a2eef
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Of course you 525a705737 did. You keep dcb611322e hovering right 30f18145b5 in front b72a458cf6 of me.”e3890fa6d87843ea
He set her firmly e6df01a7a6 on her feet and 2aa0c31af2 reached up himself.a1f04667d971dcf5
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Standing there before the f58fc5554f bookshelf, Lavianna bit her 32bf281d34 lip gently.e5e2384934b30020