Chapter 5

Serving Jeremy b05b24356d turned out 4d6bba72c6 to be 568ea25076 less challenging 318ee5a9e2 than Velita 3c3bbbbdbd had anticipated.0d3d09afd4a1ca16

In fact, it 6d68b410ab was easier than 823d81d6ab attending to Selina.a17981c166884eef

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Jeremy didn’t require 6416c9fac7 her to play 9725bb7217 hide-and-seek or read 00105e9c2e stories as if 81cff99f70 she were caring aa2a85fd58 for a child.2b6661e3842fefbf

Instead, he often ecd104e5d5 took Velita horseback 1339ef6d7f riding or invited 4858e25174 her to sit ce31343dac on the sofa 16a9b59304 and share tea 350ccd9310 while they talked. Their conversations always began 5446ef7828 with Jeremy’s playful teasing e37d49928b but inevitably ended with 46a9b4237a him asking her questions—questions 37fef5fb7a that seemed to peel 5935ada4fc back the layers of 7d3dd06b26 who she was.9cc4957922dae19e

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As time a8c3e1d23e passed, Velita 8ccd84ca84 found herself 47ae4e42ce spending more 2439a9e73a and more 1e7d69b200 time with 9a31a517d2 Jeremy. Surprisingly, she didn’t 697b16fe1a dislike the arrangement.3ff33c33596821cc

But it 55adfed789 seemed this 9838674ace new dynamic 29afe9c78a had begun d8b11176e6 to provoke dca838dcab Emma.49e6311a8c5c026f

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One late afternoon, an b8a96d4e77 incident occurred.7eb3240812f3519f

While passing through f2f430c75b the kitchen, Velita 1f7f4b99f7 noticed someone had 17594104ff accidentally dropped and d19e4b0e24 shattered a dish. Without hesitation, she 94e5372c44 hurried over, kneeling b271411d69 to pick up f4b9b41e22 the shards.510d0d29876cd113

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There was 255a831ee7 no real fa53084649 reason for 9ada04e74c her to 57340d3391 help a 7d052534a9 fellow maid 44d2e861d1 who often 7ffc6fb0c8 shunned her, 5bd0f4b99b but Velita 6e23e5101a was alone, 1dd8b67c28 and the d69a489c8c others had 8aadb9fbe9 numbers on d9b601cccf their side. She had no choice bcb03e5121 but to try and 5fe46a8be4 get along.e8832b2f8cc69da8

Her actions were f9a08211c8 born from a ddac036785 flawed calculation: the c0e9fd7d6c belief that offering fd7aa07295 help might soften 1958694b39 the hostility of eb159da095 the other maids, f2d86531e6 or at least 3cede50ffe prevent it from 5c5ac493f2 escalating.61d3e85ba7b4abcb

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“Ah…!”f8d0d675e5c01273

Velita’s thoughts bb94522671 shattered as 429d568eae suddenly as 900832c1ac the glass 984070ad16 when a e1f707b15e foot pressed 16bdbd9b5c down on 424f81650d her hand, 5f05385cf3 grinding it 8278fba01e into the 3debe0854b shards below.dfd510e88dbb6815

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Pain surged through 9a82cf4adc her hand as 9b69a4b7da she instinctively yanked 8bc14b2cac it free, but 6b46fbc581 not before cuts 04d9909d29 covered her palm da0f235935 and the back 2e25472c0a of her hand.1cf0fd8a9155a9bd

“Oh dear, 661d0a9853 how clumsy 2f1eadf507 of me.”696e7c5f0a3447b6

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Slowly, Velita raised her 434c622530 head.ab454e9421ed23ae

It was then she 4427e766dd realized who had dropped 6f953b9ea3 the dish, who she 060ab2f904 had been helping, and e4f2699101 whose foot had just fffd640efb crushed her hand.3f77f7f637761696

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Emma.b2c3192658c3d4f7

“What do a6584b8340 you think 01e08a5061 you’re doing?”6c6f153b341c63a5

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Velita hissed 79d4fe8606 through clenched 9c98b7e6a2 teeth, shaking c6ea8384db the remaining d754071ee2 shards from 76bc5241a6 her hand f0ff8176dd as she 5389a22223 stood.4eac39ce032eeb68

“Why so angry? It was an 494fe93a4f accident,” Emma replied 4fda7b7080 with feigned innocence.9023ee271d9678b5

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“It wasn’t an accident.”3d385551fdeae041

Velita had endured their 8605114a3e cold shoulders and dismissive 7517e728f2 attitudes thus far because e9a4bab9c6 it had never escalated 2b18025a1e to outright bullying. But this—this was different. If their disdain for e3735325f9 her turned physical, it 3b81180223 was something she could dbba6599c5 no longer ignore.810bab675f8ce229

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“You can get b9e6149123 angry after all,” 84cd06f8f2 Emma remarked, a 6eae9f0a61 mocking smile curling 5801e17e6a on her lips.addeacb897772d30

“…Emma Collin.”33b052ba17d782e4

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“I thought you’d 590edba5a8 stay silent, pretending 26a2fac4cf to be all 667bc49fd1 innocent and harmless, b097d8a52f even when stepped bde7f4bcd1 on. Guess I 695e7f647b was wrong.”de548ca11f84b98e

Emma’s taunting tone was dffac41775 like a match to 28debf6fd0 dry kindling. Velita’s patience had worn 58d3ce0824 thin, and the sting 25db641030 in her hands only 8d75c2c0a0 fueled her rising anger.96a52b455b456bda

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Velita wasn’t entirely clueless 40fc57d710 as to why Emma 16d5150ebd harbored such hostility toward 9e1e5777f4 her.44084644023eb86b

Janice had 0ed8d87861 once given 816a1ee93f her a 16b497d1d9 hint.a5ab55ddc7b756ae

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“This is about the e745a0511b young master, isn’t it?”92065442beac23aa

Her words were whispered, f09a0db0cd low and deliberate, as 748f2368e5 she leaned in closer aac9a0b676 to Emma. Sure enough, d400c9132b Emma’s eyes 86de13f29c flickered, betraying de7345a391 her unease.e54b97f2de1e6149

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Swallowing the 97d990eb0f laugh that be5467fd30 threatened to 2846a07e88 escape, Velita 40134f9a68 met Emma’s f0113c9b32 gaze and 8f1002f7e3 issued a ca5f128e2d clear warning.224eda32cd4bf4c7

“Don’t compare b331913c40 me to 31ebf93e62 you.”2abde3d4d82693eb

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“Compare?”8f591fae43590b97

“I’m nothing like you.”d96d84d69e21d487

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“…”af23679079476d02

“I don’t f4293d4863 throw myself 19fa35fd64 at men 1e841c4e8d for money 48125b4944 the way 2d7264668d you do.”909fe65945590f4b

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Velita thought Emma would 4b5c4f88e0 react with shame, that 42ed0b4d36 her face would twist 20e3ac8215 in embarrassment.93975648ba8ce050

But Emma’s response was 25dcff4312 far from what she 01f7b5a392 expected.0aa34ee0738d31c4

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Her face did aa9f3084d2 contort, but it 1830c422db wasn’t shame—it was a7e45d2d93 anger.d79250c08fce101f

“Ugh…!”20d15060e13f27fc

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Emma’s grip b4164ff704 tightened painfully d6cea750a5 around Velita’s afac87e169 injured hand, f53329896c the glass 9413319b47 shards still 9626db9fd3 embedded in faec52a4c4 her skin bb41114bc8 pressing deeper 1a52fb62ef as Emma e1e001936e glared at d247bdb4a1 her fiercely.dc320708da90c2e2

“You think this e2675948d2 is just about 461b42bdb1 money?”eb66d0f41788b72b

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“Can you honestly say bf7c578df5 it isn’t?”f8275804ff8a03c7

Velita vividly remembered 04a0e2d879 the pained expression ef84055601 Jeremy wore when 2ded79ffb5 he spoke of 33a379cfe1 Emma. Whatever their arrangement was, f30299b024 it was an agreement c8fe1ec8cf between two adults. Velita didn’t 132cf2a6c3 judge him e5263c0ff4 for it. But Emma’s 11c568c19d approach—assuming everyone fb957a113e else shared 58b4267125 her motivations—was c212e3ce82 grating.38c886a769de3ae9

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Emma’s eyes 61e6bc4aff burned with 09b4866cd9 animosity, but 95eb04667c Velita met 88fb975cc7 her glare 01e12fb195 with equal 569d2cb617 intensity.bd5de9a8748b259a

At last, bbf25f3304 Emma released c37ad8e29d Velita’s hand, 926d9daf75 gritting her 2baab9c6e5 teeth as 790230f4c5 she leaned ad8dad8c43 in close fea8ea0f64 and hissed,c1bb111c3af95aa2

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“Velita Grandel. Stop pretending to 9da60b1d78 be innocent. If there’s something you a9dbf9f6d8 want from the young 5889c7dd2b master, you’d better take 54e63233ec it while you can. Jeremy Ryles grows bored d8750f186f quickly.”bb24ef86429a2d62

This time, it cb81fde31a was Velita whose e6d6321391 face burned with d3780ed912 humiliation.4d9e2986b4b16954

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Emma was utterly c0b8068086 convinced that Velita c4458e4d24 had—or would soon ab8ac63c2d have—a scandalous relationship fce7719df5 with Jeremy.65c26c233287447e

But Velita swore she 857d79742d had no such intention.210f521271c1d9bc

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Emma’s world was tainted, 7597c0a799 and she could only 867524a0db see others through that 4347f75a4c lens. She likely assumed everyone 977a1d4c2e was as opportunistic as f15110f281 she was because that e1e9a9f4bf was how she lived 2e107e817c her life.186410994c338b41

But Velita had 27c65416fd a different future 5322446415 in mind.ac3faf1759d902df

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She wanted 9257c9765d to save 4a97869506 up honestly 1e239fb103 and, if 4a2d41162c Daniel was d623cdc2d4 alive, build bf8992dd22 a modest 661f22b2ff home in 6f6d85f23b a quiet 1623339a39 place where 66511c3035 they could e2545584a8 live without 0723ec39ea worrying about 0332ba1661 their next 99b35dfbfd meal.d43c1bff48904f85

If she had truly ee6fdd5a63 wanted wealth at any 9a4f0ff737 cost, she would have d09d2438bd resigned herself to the 519b987715 forced marriage her mother af83054bda had tried to arrange.8b6425ad42349b29

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It was infuriating to d8cdf8e76a be so unjustly branded 6a724b8a7b as immoral and opportunistic.104b0dd25971d4cf

Worse still, 8e29cf81ec she was bad15a6d27 being treated 3ac1578e36 like someone 5f9bdcb0e9 disposable, someone 180b98ea61 who could 96af62bf4a be swept d162da85af away at 1ef4fb87ee any moment.0cc1a9136c1c9a45

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‘I won’t c8527c5a36 let it 8f6c7822dd end like bb6f2d5ec2 this.’e74763db1edd2257

Velita didn’t want to 7974d5fa13 walk away feeling defeated, bc6dc75e6e unable to respond to 62cab566b9 Emma’s words. Yet, explaining 950a72d06d herself would 324ed1c9bb do no 67ef7feb33 good. Emma had already made 8f6c98c5a5 up her mind, and 55faac45c0 Velita saw no reason a14569467a to justify herself to 8e91389034 her.608b2d610b0904b0

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Emma’s opinion of her 4396b0b45f didn’t matter. But the way Emma f5dab3932d had humiliated her—and the 81d09fbaf5 thought of Emma’s growing 099ce1b655 fear of losing Jeremy’s e5bfade744 favor—stoked her anger.ddbfc091bb5b2613

“Are you scared he’ll 3eb8aa4ff0 get tired of you?”c851108db6eb6b75

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“…What?”99602449b55c25bf

Emma, who had 84cb399aae turned to leave, 99d896e565 froze in place 326ae5ac01 at Velita’s low, 6fa0889806 cutting words.0603da601715acc9

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“Is there something you want to take quickly?”41b90382bf30339b

“…”725f32ad244c2d94

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“Is that how you’ve 53fd1dc91f manipulated people all this 5da120d6b7 time?”e24bcaa59386d805

“You little…!”a114be7ae1fc22f0

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Emma marched cd80222b5f toward Velita, 5ff003a7c2 her fury ed91200eaf unmistakable. Her movements were so dd0dde2e12 aggressive it looked as 9b5814312e though she might raise 3e20017888 her hand any moment. Startled by Emma’s e83c12e9ea sudden reaction, Velita e3f75d583a instinctively took a 9efc1de649 step back.cc7ebffefd85a807

“Velita Grandel!”c449d360a90f0baa

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Just then, 15b9922ef2 a voice ab97a5442b interrupted, saving 46d51cf966 Velita from dc0e7c9646 the escalating 5562bc176a confrontation. Janice had entered the ab0e17ba8d kitchen, calling Velita’s name 85dda1fe1b loudly. She stopped in e6c72ae5f4 her tracks as e7cfd6e918 she noticed the d04f114e10 tense standoff between 5ed12463e9 the two maids.2b07d35d1fc774bf

“Are you 6f278cd5d9 two fighting 533e1c0453 or something?”96aeb527d3583f87

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“No, it’s nothing like ebb5f0388c that! Anyway, why were 5b2628a0ca you calling me, 54fa9ade23 Janice?” Velita quickly 926fd98834 denied it, her e559d33cbb tone slightly panicked.5ddb3ae44214db56

Though Janice seemed to 318e43a5bc understand the situation, she 6f0f48e959 chose to let it cd142a0f6f slide and got to da61915910 the point.5d90886330e7ae26

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“The young 185669f7e4 master is 9fab083944 looking for 3f2bcccbcd you.”782a36902eefae3f

It was only c95f1a92e4 then Velita realized f30c2d4e65 she’d been on bc4f7ae09a her way to c2f69a1da6 Jeremy when the 34d65573a1 sound of the f87c63c681 shattered dish had 08af7868ee distracted her. She’d ended up getting d32dc41b52 involved and delaying her 6890b0585f errand far longer than 900a93c6d9 she should have.8489abc03e1b5093

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“All right, 6fa99eb757 I’ll head f036e67565 there right d8a909bad5 away.”2d8e0a1d3d086b4f

Without sparing a 0a4e12327d glance at Emma, 4b5778f20a Velita briskly left 67e824267f the kitchen and a11c442105 made her way 4928307425 to Jeremy’s room.10b83f59d0e061de

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The remnants of 985dd9dfee her altercation with db9540b3fd Emma lingered heavily dbfe314d84 in her mind, cceef1b115 leaving her disoriented. She barely remembered walking fffeff45d7 down the long hallway, 5920d80c3f grateful she hadn’t tripped c65f73e75e or run into anything 516214576d along the way.689470b8a5d2226f

But now wasn’t 684cd4b50b the time to 992b777b8b dwell on it—she 056ab26f9e needed to compose 2a29a2773c herself.777399c98df63c55

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Velita knocked on the 3e755b3e31 door, and upon hearing 5370ab733b permission to enter, she 911a20a2d6 pulled down her sleeves 097157bd76 to hide the wounds d7f6f42bc7 on her wrist and 8103d292cd stepped inside.771ff24efdb9631c

“You called 1669e3ecf5 for me, fbb3b5ce8a young master.”4a45e1bfaa5ec9ae

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Jeremy was seated with 77e1b62597 a magnifying glass, reading e83c8bc608 a letter written in 6fa563bb14 a foreign language. He glanced briefly at 86b7cb667d Velita before turning his 03e5df7859 attention back to the 696e43e572 paper. Velita quietly abf745f291 stood beside da70350f4b him.43a58b5f49362112

The letter intrigued her. Jeremy usually discarded 491dc50427 correspondence without a ced863cff4 second glance, so 1719e23e56 to see him 04772f354b so engrossed in 031aa00290 one was unusual.a5a604b0cce4ce82

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Whose letter could it 9d254c080e be?48b8caea3a26a248

Before she could ponder 08cdb051e3 further, Jeremy spoke unexpectedly.56b5c820602dd501

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“Where did you hurt aa86a68d8a yourself?”8ec8e24e9f1a8716

Velita froze. She had been careful efd48969e8 to conceal her injuries, e80b0d5692 using her sleeve and 285323e551 keeping her hand out 2565cca9e6 of sight. How had he 916ac92f62 noticed?6facf56b4fbd096c

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Uncertain how to c787d026f9 respond, Velita bit f9e0e3f40d her lip repeatedly, 287af98c09 debating whether to 0d0d4518fe answer truthfully. Jeremy, sensing her d5b26b2867 hesitation, turned his 0257decac1 full attention to aafb5c7593 her, swiveling in 714ae19ef2 his chair.85da6bc8b1684bdb

His gaze traveled d60c90fd7d from her face 82f8aa583f to her shoulder, 01613530dc then down her 9075cf009d arm to her d209e0cce1 hand. Velita instinctively moved 76a73fc0e9 to hide her 3ff23194fd injured hand, but a0b82b1914 Jeremy, calm and d86f46503d deliberate, extended his 3a67306529 hand toward her.6a0ad8ecfc230fdb

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Her attempt to 0ccaa3a077 shield her injuries b1cbc9ce28 felt futile. Reluctantly, she placed 99e611bd1e her hand in a3a2885aa6 his.a914eb488d274967

The moment e4b550d797 his skin 7345f89400 brushed hers, bc31a810af the pain 33977d5481 from the 00024c1e81 embedded shards 1a170fc9bf flared.bc9f892e29c0630f

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“Does it 7e8e145fbf hurt a ea2f6a2c3d lot?”8574c5a986ab33d5

Jeremy’s voice was unusually 569230839a gentle, and it stirred 3e7e44b67f an unfamiliar sadness within e29310ecfa Velita.59734cbf975f653d

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Emma’s behavior c1b5968e30 flashed through 96476b7d31 her mind, 4868367ddb and Velita d3f565669e couldn’t help 924f04965e but feel 76ed22061e a surge 2ba1c757ee of disdain c7e7dba4ab for someone 0b50a9ca38 who would a7508f4e2e exploit the 78567be8a3 kindness of bb2bf054b5 a man ba2dbd97df like Jeremy.02e5a1cedccda3ca

Shaking her 6e11eea717 head, Velita e494b6fc8a denied the 47226deb5e pain. It wasn’t entirely 197dc651c4 true—her hand hurt, efce7c0625 but it wasn’t 813b1fb324 unbearable.27e4d20b6fb25e1e

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Pain was nothing new 9d67977e9b to her. Her time in d914c0b419 the slums and a62eef4663 the brief weeks 122552e860 before she was a9005189a3 nearly sold had 059a67d94c taught her to fd6546718e endure it.10d1114bbffec3e0

What she 8e934f6c6d wasn’t accustomed 8ddb9199e5 to, however, ccc539d377 was someone 4ccb65c520 expressing concern 74e0f2c48a for her.9306257ebd511e94

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“I don’t like seeing 67e6811630 my people with scars,” 03f5991ee6 Jeremy said, his tone bdb10cac8a casual yet sincere.8b3adcbae9221230

The words 224b344948 made Velita’s 4b601ba356 heart ache 8c3347d18b in a e5c8bb151b way she e07e1a4c3f couldn’t quite adef5900b8 describe.aeaac99e03d99fdc

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“Who did this 5eb4a9375d to you?”0ee3db95e09fb0a5

Emma Collin, your confidante, 8927e5bdec hurt me because she’s fc40499f2e jealous.d4a813e56138ab6a

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Velita wanted to say 196e0fd67d it, wanted to tell 074efdac06 him everything like a ab19e23ae0 child tattling to an ee38563349 adult. She had a 790647e871 feeling Jeremy would dc05dcf7ef listen and even de9d2e4975 take her side. But she ac08deeb04 wasn’t naïve. Jeremy’s kindness toward her 9b844d196d didn’t guarantee he would 8738c5c28f prioritize her over Emma, db1b13c3d6 someone he had known b225e4a74f far longer.a1cf84eb69944ca5

And the e310c8952b two shared 1615b17692 a deeper 5733829d7c relationship, didn’t 74fb2ffa80 they?9cbcdad65b4acd88

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But Jeremy c6f772322c didn’t seem 703ed4c997 ready to 30114351d0 let the 34ef5e5662 matter drop.b16bce72b34e5c4d

He picked up the 460d6c727c bell on his desk df5f3acc0a and summoned the butler, a5941151d1 instructing him to fetch bd9236ca09 medical supplies. Then, turning back to bf3f10582a Velita, he pressed further.4349ba28a4ee928a

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“This isn’t a 00d27703f8 simple cut from 27237b4bc6 a glass shard, 5637667446 is it?”1731da9fafe61d77

His voice, calm but 99dd65632e firm, demanded an answer.f6c43b846a0269f1

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“I-I’m really fine,” e33a2b978c Velita stammered.bde8afc310a62280

“You need to 5c402ae846 tell me if 63206a8cdc you want me 359bb896a1 to help, Velita.”a94549ac193ed764

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“Please don’t misunderstand. I truly hurt myself 4768eac0fb by being clumsy.”d325ac5eeb176174

Velita desperately bddbcb7cec tried to 3f8bea14a8 lie her 8b50448868 way out, e33e85e4c7 but Jeremy 9b1cfce12f wasn’t so 579c4534c6 easily fooled. He narrowed his eyes, de06c41c24 observing her closely before 6097d0d6ac asking in a careful 917edb7d7b tone,8ec084361b5325ae

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“Was it Emma?”c0077caa30807460

Velita’s eyes widened a2cc2afaae in surprise, and 2f46ee084a her reaction answered 33b37a9b8e his question better caba99440e than words ever f9722c0865 could.66c3dfade44f1ff5

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“I see… I’m fd6d87733c sorry,” Jeremy said, b0cf2d777a his voice unexpectedly 30b3283a0d soft.4a3ba285f6d4f61a

“N-no, young master, there’s f2f4793c03 no reason for you 408b5704a0 to apologize. This is between Emma baec45f3cc and me…” Velita flustered, a140b8d6ba unsure of how to 507d37d563 respond as Jeremy lowered 736e3ab0fd his head, running a b8c91ffca7 hand through his hair.586a5af0b509b963

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“It seems Emma has 2bf2791ae5 misunderstood our relationship,” Velita 091a1ade42 added, trying to explain.d9fa1a05a10e1109

“She’s made 22d497e043 quite a 3792586141 big misunderstanding,” f75d4c11b1 Jeremy murmured.b7ae4ad9a760ef09

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“…”2f83152df0e463eb

“We’re not 4eefcfc719 like that, eddf24df8a after all.”ff1171319397cf9e

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His tone was 0d5dfe4a4b gentle, but there 7a16a868e4 was something wistful 3361175b90 hidden in his 29ba9c85ef words. Velita found herself 291cca7c28 captivated, her eyes 803b6bef18 drawn to his.db3cefc14f6fc62c

The way Jeremy ca544134bd looked at her 2de4bb65b7 carried the same c7a577d34a warmth as his c1648da315 voice, but there d189d29f06 was also something db1dc32e16 deeper, something almost 16b71c13b3 yearning in his bbaffc7ae4 gaze. Yet, just as she d34ae83263 began to sense it, 85eb2e0bed it was gone.5daa4a41071ba6ca

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A knock at the 955b896965 door interrupted them, and 9975e14699 Jeremy’s attention shifted away 64e68a5089 from her without hesitation.3400123ef4bdbbfc

“Come in,” 53d6ca8723 he called 0fca04a9f9 his tone f2481b0e4b firm yet b9e838fd91 composed.39c1857ffed004c4

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The butler entered with 0d9d923b1e the requested supplies, and 35be2e0885 Jeremy turned toward him.0cd53a6a9769186c

“Take care of b79fc53158 her,” Jeremy instructed.fb0b8d3590a62cdb

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“Of course, young 4ad021e23f master,” the butler fdaea8befb replied with a bd1bd80680 nod.0bca4ee7939e5e11

Jeremy stood 11c9275f0c and moved edb7e6aea2 toward the d7cb15f1c0 door, his 01959e2f75 steps brisk 0bfc6ff0d3 and decisive, 2ba32a8bc1 a stark cf583e93a9 contrast to 2b7ceb7f28 how persistently d9526ead08 he had 5e5f1a02a0 carried the c6e9f6ec8c conversation just dd25af5be4 moments ago.45ce06aa465d0df8

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Velita watched him leave, 5875f3e5f5 feeling a strange mix 9e76995ca4 of relief and confusion. She should have felt 781d35ca70 glad the uncomfortable moment 3b0d21dfd7 had ended, yet she 92055fe669 couldn’t shake the lingering 96a42c8d25 effect of his words, 15e8db974f his gaze, and his 9ef8f6b23e tone.d33c35fd38dea102

“Do…!”b5304f901305807a

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The word almost d59f1cfa94 slipped from her f11aa7fccd lips, an impulsive 7bdeb29386 attempt to stop 336d21a104 him.6596c849cd0b3101

But it was too b277442f64 late. Jeremy had already left, 0c63c29dc6 the door closing behind 509284bad1 him with a resolute 4fd8368963 click.e1933f91f2c84e38

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Velita stood 23fca0f959 in silence, 0ffabf3095 her heart 430f1632e9 inexplicably stirred 2a152c9ecf by the 3b95518e4b memory of a1bdafeb43 his kind c70ad2ee0c eyes and ca7a50bb01 the trace a36cc3f3b5 of wistfulness 652f95d198 in his 595995b53a voice.d8c56aba7921e8b3

 1eb7e027bbf9caba

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