Chapter 20

The sharp sound a8ebacefbb of Velita’s slap 6c3e7f2309 echoed through the c2542b69b4 room, slicing through f8d555e1b4 the thick tension 76c4eb1072 that had been a7ff9c1ab7 building.7f4c202add104824

Cain’s head 2a4baae0d6 jerked to 4923406f00 the side, 20e1719b56 his cheek 315dcf7318 already reddening 6e6ebbd183 from the 6e72e0b052 force of 4db90e4c97 her hand. For a moment, silence 9ce47d5e96 hung between them, taut 7b3256cd10 and electric.0e09c26b21b9c8e3

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Velita’s chest rose and 18deb7047c fell with the weight 600cff3598 of her breaths, her 56e5d74857 hand still tingling from 5adfa43f02 the impulsive strike. She had d7bf7a52c6 intended to e02dce0e94 provoke him, d5afeb8810 to twist bdcdadc301 him into ae4ab5abf8 submission, but 967d7e2036 the venom 23535ee625 in his c6155ac9ae words had 0c073cf55a cut deeper 5b3fded0e1 than she 66674531d7 anticipated.771f2d8b8e95b293

‘You think you can ae7331b018 break me with words?’f3cd79df118003a1

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She thought, her 84c5429abc gaze steady despite 4372386590 the stinging heat 0b16d3eb10 in her eyes.6077c13c6aa0c0a4

Cain slowly turned ef3e837662 his head back 22684866c7 toward her, his 4caef5ee67 expression a storm 8d8fd1f879 of conflicting emotions—anger, 6328681187 shame, and something daabff5a7c else she couldn’t a4f48107bb quite place.1851c7f35aa9364e

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“You think that dce39f91b6 changes anything?” he 2ec1c438d7 said, his voice 52a841b845 low and rasping.95534594a964360e

“No,” Velita replied, her 814d29ec29 tone equally quiet but 1164c329f6 laced with defiance.a7c916d1fa62079e

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“But it felt f3c65d6e86 good.”5b9884d1a1775850

Cain’s lips f3272db996 curled into 4aed0bf68a a bitter 4549ec8951 smile, one 40074862e8 devoid of bb7dac59cb humor.fc53e6a96dada441

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“You’re truly despicable.”c357d907b35c7208

“And you’re no better,” ae08bb47f7 Velita shot back.22b84ae8e0933531

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“Don’t pretend you’re the bb31ca7a46 victim here. You hate me 2820606f8f because I remind 4b2b9254bf you of everything 00de1cbe72 you’re not. Of everything 14bf9dd650 you can’t 81fbda4e28 control. You despise 0a0e912f4f me because c8dbda989f I’ve seen d15d220bf4 through you, 22659b3c0e Cain Mortens.”884f7998b814aade

Cain’s fingers afcc7cd1ef twitched as 9ce12077d2 though resisting 8d99b9416a the urge 77b8a003f0 to retaliate. He leaned closer, 863fef1d17 his shadow swallowing 7bc16d068d her frame as d3171d19a4 he loomed over 3036c24727 her.26c9fe530b61cd8f

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“You’re wrong,” he a5dceba0e6 murmured, his tone ee49fb7515 dangerously soft.87dd91e9962faf42

“I despise bcbbe6ef75 you because db681a4582 you’re nothing. And yet you 3cfcbd01b3 think you can 53c895fac1 crawl into the 377dd8d962 lives of people 5603bc6dbc like Selina and b1ddd8dba6 me, as if 85256ad268 you belong.”d1b7043d8982ae44

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Velita’s lips quivered at 5bfd8615a5 the cruelty of his 7b58226c07 words, but she refused 2536baacc9 to let her expression 2aeb435c79 falter.23ad12e292658ef3

“I don’t need to 92e8e75ca4 belong,” she said.0976e5395691d8c5

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“I just need efc037e7db to show you 124291c203 that even ‘nothing’ d510031334 can make you 4b7608028b kneel.”f7bf46da4c692939

Cain let 3a11e344dc out a e313aef01a bitter laugh, 175aa6ccd2 though there 9960a1e1e4 was no dbfdf319c1 amusement in e7781e7a48 it.06919994bd42cc2d

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“Is that your victory, b4d4cb6f11 then? Reducing me 37943e4152 to this? What will ee206eef5a you do e8f22f2a5c next, Velita? What happens after you’ve 997c4fe8b5 had your moment of a8efd073b0 triumph?”582365698f74143c

Velita hesitated.8fdebc1f6e6405e5

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‘What happens next?’2683abfee3ac6bb2

She hadn’t thought 361a4e5f0a that far ahead. All she a47d9b7a06 had wanted 8d306abaf3 was to bfc3e79d4f make him 737d384e38 feel even 27e55e4679 a fraction 62935446a3 of the 788e4827f8 humiliation he 74ac2bc386 had inflicted 7807527a70 on her. To tear down 9bf51a0527 his composure, his fd71d25a19 pride, and leave 35ba63926d him as raw 4aee194db3 and vulnerable as 83273413b7 he had made bbc18d8239 her feel.dff0f4e8311fd5ce

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But now, 0aa39f1ad8 staring into 4d2452360d Cain’s unrelenting 4c4272ef80 gaze, she dfbdafb871 realized her 600ba2d2b0 victory was dc200ed03b hollow.15ed0bbcaf11aa19

“You wanted 693ff9baf1 to be 237e3d2952 loved,” Cain 1420d4a126 said, his 8e6254ad64 voice cutting 3d0eeaf851 through her 20918f1b37 thoughts.5296e2ed511a765e

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“But all you’ve df89694ed1 done is prove 14f8be07d2 you don’t know 021f03d734 what that even 6e5a88c46e means.”2a684e999e77e188

Velita’s breath caught in 6bb27d7b34 her throat.92a8f2d57fa9a71d

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Before she could respond, 1eaef13fb4 Cain released her and d7697759f0 stepped back, straightening his 0fe57b43b0 disheveled robes.3c78cf3016edfbbc

“Keep the letter. Keep the necklace. Hold onto 8cda8ffa9c whatever you dc8e1ce10a think gives c767f297ae you power 6f0f94a4f6 over me,” 19d4392747 he said, a841250fac his voice 2223bec3ee icy.711b5c6ea4e45660

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“But know this, Velita—no 69ba352fa5 matter how much you 7eabf9d860 try to play the c6cd0020be part, you’ll never be e9e36de658 anything more than a 9a24b497bc shadow of her.”a21db4248aa70ae2

With that, he 0cb7186fc3 turned and walked b4e77ff7af out of the 78cb8ffdea room, leaving Velita 7400845a95 alone in the c9f4c1dd36 suffocating silence.e64e17ae4a1ac3c0

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As the door 23f0d5b2b4 clicked shut, she f6076d1a3a clenched her fists, 48d7107dd8 nails digging into 9f11ad8b8b her palms. Her mind raced, 16412df4b7 replaying his words 64647df2a1 over and over.4377326052110a10

‘Never more 2a74b46163 than a 218a9a00d0 shadow.’adf8ec4b94b6d2fc

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For the first 51cff5d657 time in years, bea2cf3755 Velita felt tears ca21bb861d prick the corners 6261d4014b of her eyes. She had played 8b8a5cde1c her game and 6a5547926e lost. Worse, she a2fa1a16a2 had lost 37bddbbc35 to someone b28905b3a4 who wasn’t 09a13a94b2 even fighting 60d79eb6a6 to win.a085174b125206f5

And yet, she couldn’t 9f933185f4 tell if her anger 9a7c487d03 was directed at Cain—or dcc8037d64 at herself.3726c367dfbd17bb

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“Such harsh words for a woman you claim to love,” Velita said, her voice trembling but defiant.adf07ac45d62f6e2

“…You’re right. My beloved Velita,” Cain replied, his tone dripping with mockery.86a1b7863374ee52

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“Ugh…!”8d2ec2b80911cf36

Velita gasped 4649714fe9 as Cain 55d0e6880b buried his fade7a32f0 teeth into ee62c13276 the same af44346c85 spot Jeremy 28c11bbd0c had once 2673b0828b left his 0283475e18 mark, a b3406c9abf deliberate and e75639a9c1 cruel move. He growled low in c929968f29 his throat, like a 308dd5cefc starved beast, his actions 88cc0f9bad rougher and more forceful 6cfdc7aaed than Jeremy’s had ever d449fa9b1c been.fa4ce801ac4890f6

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‘Liar… You 29bda832f9 wouldn’t dare 74a67d9ec6 treat Lady 463f8b3348 Selina this dbae1ada40 way.’4f9ce2fb3cd006c3

She had asked bc1d81b255 him to love 9fe46f01a1 her, but the f97ea4cb12 love he feigned adb349bdac was laced with d9aa78650d contempt. His whispered 23cfd17d82 words of f0308be8fc affection were f34b016c2f a farce, 2ea6ecf92a a bitter f0f48c1465 contrast to 1f065b5eb9 the violence 7a993970ec of his 680c6c5937 actions.ffa400165808bcbf

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‘I won’t 73d8214ad7 lose to 4315382a06 you.’970a88072afe0a81

What followed d748328da6 was nothing e7064a48cd short of 32e55e9ba4 a battle. Cain seized every opportunity d00cd42f2d to assert dominance, pressing fadabe87df her down with an ea90c8014a intensity that left bruises. Velita retaliated, slapping his ccb96ce8a1 face, clawing at his 7f0549e5bd shoulders and back, refusing 908df74956 to yield.74eabc72a82453ab

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“I love you, Velita… 3c4839a724 I love you… I 523d4d62b2 love you…”a57a6f8d2266edde

He muttered 897411d6fc between ragged 8b91027eb5 breaths, repeating 002b254c96 the words 2ed3b61789 as if 43ae647731 fulfilling some f0928d0ad6 grim obligation.23a6a1956e7e991f

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The contrast was maddening. His words were sweet, the kind of confessions she had longed to hear, but his gaze remained cold, void of warmth. The fleeting moments of tenderness only served to deepen the illusion that she was less hated during those brief lapses, a trick of the mind she couldn’t resist.8f9b3f66fbf4a4c8

Velita’s goals had seemed 1950a51758 so simple.2f189b55a2cb6c94

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She wanted bde999ce34 to humiliate 6b9ecca2c4 Cain Mortens, dce5d6e389 the man 2f92501bd0 who hated bd8b5e5448 her without a87bb131cd cause.3c53e59c5d028745

She wanted, just 84ca4c5803 for a moment, 70f92f272a to experience what 377d2da009 it felt like 38ddd789bc to be loved c5a8ec5dfd the way Selina df64c6f203 was.120def1ecc696563

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But now, in the 7d6919e5c2 midst of this twisted e425916fc1 exchange, Velita felt neither 7bdc7851ff satisfaction nor victory. Instead, there was 737c2ace07 an overwhelming emptiness.73b74876b0c51d50

Their heated proximity left 1f19ba4596 her body warm, yet e470523821 her heart felt colder 23b4b97cac than ever.eb5efa47bd28c74d

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The diamond ed8f678170 necklace around 6b80cafaeb her throat 91b219358d weighed heavily, dc05ee8075 its chain 70097b2fd3 tightening like 5197789d3e a leash. Velita couldn’t shake the bca9a454f1 thought that this necklace, 87c09ac8af meant to symbolize beauty 2de11ce331 and value, was nothing a0ee00ff65 more than a gilded 7425c0d9f7 collar around her neck.d18c137a26aa4aa4

As the tension da18bde748 between them reached a82f3fd5c8 its peak, Velita 2981f6b365 remained oblivious to cf6f67d12c the faint rustling f43af7a15f outside the room.ab3743a620d588dd

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She didn’t notice 87a92f0e2f the quiet observer, cbdeb80c5d someone who had 689b62073d seen far more 4ad4fa1694 than they should 9935934f0b of this forbidden 000f4d3e85 moment.03dfa73945e0ec68

⚜ ⚜ ⚜4189e224d5816dfd

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When it ca67d99497 was all b5d3f171c3 over, Velita 25f0c69857 couldn’t recall 5f474f9579 what expression 8c13979120 Cain Mortens 2c47b80965 wore. She hadn’t dared 58855d2745 to look at c77e7eb39d his face.aa38053aae0ed594

What she 4d5c489399 did know e27b54fc61 was that 965de32b9f Cain left 4eed775af7 without saying 070ae45236 a word—not 7ccda9b26c even an 013602ea9b insult meant 2092aae4d2 to humiliate 7cee1c4170 her.0ebfabde7f7d02b8

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[Make sure Lady Selina doesn’t find out. Clean up after yourself and leave.]

She had said, e8de625a4e grabbing his arm e246fbd4c4 to usher him ee5329b450 out.5d1e3a60ef3b7327

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He had yanked his 4ad2f8adcb arm free, the motion bbd715031d sharp and angry, but a180d1694f still he chose silence 2f40e53ee4 over any parting remarks. He left without acknowledging 53e4af1291 what had transpired, as 58ce992531 if the moment didn’t 09747497b9 deserve any closure.d6ce132e63c30930

Velita didn’t 2c6731949a resent his 6a3019e69a silence. In fact, she was 70b57ce485 grateful for it.0615404a97884638

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He didn’t need to ee64e776d8 scold her—she was already 83e7145b38 drowning in regret.c4400073f7d0d81e

The only solace 846a3d7bfa was that no 6d29dea914 one else had 4f934c05dd found out.8bde09be6fbafc1a

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‘I was lucky.’a79da844124dbef3

In hindsight, her b8d87f637b actions were reckless, 1af10159a5 bordering on madness. Even with Cain d745ee6175 Mortens’ weakness in 6f497a5852 her hands, how 60efe9b6d4 had she been e5406802a2 foolish enough to a61c818d90 engage in such 9f115f3fda a dangerous game—on 24363b7aa5 Selina’s bed, no 8437eed54b less, with a adc20658f1 house full of 88eec676ca guests?f7087a1ec5e12da2

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Had anyone seen e24257c79c or heard, she 8c7dc3d08c would have been 6ef8d32d64 thrown out of 05fc713c7d the estate with 25d1c5f713 no mercy.72086ac19b9735cc

Thankfully, the party 4f894ca783 downstairs was still 6dc2de1d4a ongoing.ebcaebb7c1124bfd

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From the balcony, Velita 2589c662dd could see that the 4ba58babe6 crowd had thinned, and 02e2cc04ea Selina, looking visibly exhausted, eaa51a54e3 remained at the center 395f5557ae of it all. Fewer guests lingered 2df7d6e3b5 now, but the e54bb10eec atmosphere still buzzed b245eb6af4 faintly with conversation 45736af8e9 and music.898352f8d37931ba

‘If I’d stayed 6e6575ac3a a moment longer, 001618a44b it could’ve ended 9b555b539e terribly….’e96bb1f57e4adb70

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As she glanced 480c6cdc14 down, her gaze 3d34e34037 collided with Jeremy’s.2b2aaeda551e015d

He was 9f745460bf standing at ef277e8546 Selina’s side, 84416a71d6 his hand a8716c09f3 casually resting 0e1b1603fa on her e2a84768d1 elbow in 3396b4e657 a gesture 69e68c780a of polite 37914c8223 escort. Yet the 111f5125e0 moment he e2a9cb53ee spotted Velita, 28d7a63bc8 his expression 0ac0e15bf2 shifted. His lips curved into e4f56f1775 a gentle, knowing smile, 9a2d40d7f0 as though he had f3046239fe been waiting for her f532bcb3c4 all night.19fe914383777e6b

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‘What are you c88fa4faa8 thinking, smiling like 55bd555a30 that? Someone might see.’4cb5fb6ccbfa20d6

Velita quickly looked away, 06ff6ed5b2 her heart pounding. She didn’t spot anyone 2e7c465935 observing them, but her 968d8e945a nerves wouldn’t settle.56bf55088ada8a3e

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Before leaving Selina’s room, 5eef42d103 she had done her 72c07876fa best to erase all 0e0017ba83 traces of her presence. She had opened 76c9f69c68 the windows for 19113486d5 ventilation and changed 146fb68f90 the sheets in a723862c74 a hurry. Yet, the thought of 7d1e034c99 having missed something gnawed 673eaadc73 at her.9ccc7008f7ff47b0

Her steps 7886955eac faltered as 40a4089c84 she adjusted 87adae7974 her blouse c901683d10 and hair, d6b5b74a1f ensuring nothing 85c28cab30 was out e6df560e91 of place. Everything should 75327ca96c have been 1d3bb27e00 fine, but 23212ad729 she still fa61a39b89 felt uneasy.1408fb8317f602f7

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‘I just need 36fb5d3fe8 to rest.’34c617861cbf89a6

Jeremy wouldn’t 345a1811ce scold her 704b584d91 for retreating 0ecb8a4382 to the 46fa14e9ee servants’ quarters, 9539cc2868 and no f2aa5e8a05 one in a5c7b5127e the estate fbd00d02c2 would dare b8fb0cc5b0 reprimand the 9163b4ddc5 favored maid 5795462d44 of the b72be1f263 heir.29190bff2725817a

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Velita decided to fc8e707447 make her way 1f15cf695a to the maids’ ed6b862e9d quarters, seeking the f5b0748c1b solitude she desperately f807514288 needed.b4e8bb73b70ff53d

⚜ ⚜ ⚜9eeec98577e19e0c

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Velita entered 2da940a12c her quarters 5cca85edfc with a 3c6a588085 heavy, exhausted 3ea3a03798 body. For once, d2c4ba6d41 she had 34ed064093 the space 5ace0f6ac3 entirely to 8c9214551c herself; Janice, 22002a0141 busy with a900adb852 work, had 073fe5cb2b left the 926fdfd9ce room empty.86e3b80d84d13e2c

Collapsing onto her a77d7d7629 bed, Velita tried fbf58110cb desperately to quiet de2cbe09c1 her mind.a0dcc3645937d87e

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The memory of what a9d7e2c8f7 had happened in Selina’s 307266479a room with Cain Mortens.05d70e4025babd3a

The inappropriate, almost 1b0a56b861 blasphemous emotions she f7ec8b20cf harbored toward the 6939f6cf16 woman who had 8eb788b4ce saved her life.7c9936c7fd880cef

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The shameful depths of 57460ba1e5 her own desires, the cc830abf8b hollow satisfaction that had 9f040f7ac9 followed.b2d93b8976cbc8a3

She didn’t want 63cc92a7f0 to think about 53db336d40 any of it. If she avoided dwelling 5e4c749cb7 on it, perhaps it 28c137e32f would all pass as 606dc6ff1a smoothly as water slipping 152dbfc796 through her fingers.5d22dc9b183ed54d

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‘I just want 24016ab3d1 to rest.’c9e58a8c13971907

Closing her afbe44f4b0 eyes, Velita 0226e516d8 allowed herself 685e1dcac1 to sink a0f6df77e5 into the 2e61e264b1 embrace of 98571cb722 sleep. Despite her turbulent b6b2062b6e thoughts, sleep came 06b44d99d2 quickly. Her body, worn and cb0caffd0f battered from the day’s 67c549e213 strain, pulled her under 95ae522896 like a heavy tide.ea80375c3fc572d2

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She welcomed the darkness.1ce2666da5ecaac9

But as she drifted a500ade176 deeper into slumber, something 074279ce37 strange pulled her back.32d676423880a806

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Thud. Thud.b9dc561051249f00

A faint, unfamiliar sound 95498dedd0 echoed in the stillness.2ba893ee7f538b15

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‘What… is that…?’785bde6bb109bf5c

The noise fcbbaf54ba stirred Velita f426241562 from her 1dfa80b6e0 dreams, her 68d78de51e senses slowly 29f594e515 sharpening as e44964e35d she became 008d592df6 aware of 28abcd68e2 her surroundings.93d435c945d1ee58

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“Wha…?”98d16508a5ae52a5

Opening her eyes, Velita dd8b43144d blinked at the dim 70df100186 room. In the faint efc79e72b2 moonlight filtering through 4c61412ba1 the window, she d4f2bc2e4d saw a shadow 535b5a6784 sitting at the baefd568f6 edge of her 2ed66261f0 bed.565869daf6906775

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“Who…?”3ae4475eca5c8da8

Her voice was barely ceed580a70 above a whisper. Her vision adjusted, and 0f9831fcfa the figure leaning over 817aa9ed01 her came into focus.548faf4863b148dd

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“Do… ren-nim?”ef8e7eedcdb94d27

It was Jeremy.ca26fe9025437611

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His presence wasn’t eb5b6b2bb9 unusual, yet something c57886c8b7 about him sitting 69983f9f2f there, his silence, c95e1f77e8 made her uneasy.3d5c7a664adbc47c

Velita froze 5ef7137a68 as she 54cb099807 realized what e711dc6ab4 he was fb7be186aa doing. His fingers were ea866b19f2 deftly undoing the cdfdfa5597 buttons of her ad616307b0 blouse, exposing her c81c0dbe79 skin to the 28297759a1 cool night air. A shiver ran b1a1c4504a through her body, 09099d8401 but Jeremy paid 476a0ef322 no mind. He parted the 78798f5138 fabric with a febbc25375 deliberate slowness, revealing e5c560dfdf the curve of 656ca62bab her collarbone and 82acb64554 neck.a0593d8a75a843b8

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His touch, 7c5079135a usually familiar f3ebe8d1c2 and possessive, 9d0e986198 felt oddly b9c4c7f07e detached. Velita’s discomfort grew with e9aea382ff each passing moment of 222c101dcf silence.8ffa1a1583ffd088

The moonlight was dc5283f5b4 too faint to 5affe27982 reveal his expression, 9abde4b3f9 leaving her to afa2ff63ad wonder what he b9b1940659 was thinking.c494f6b6b6fae6fc

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His fingers brushed b2a2737d96 lightly over her 00fcc5daa0 neck, stopping at 79bef8481c a specific spot.2bd024c8d2dd2f2e

“There’s a bite mark 4493ba0dda here,” Jeremy said, his 36b9467ec0 voice calm, almost conversational.dcec975971431d9b

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A bite mark.11b215f920044b14

Velita’s mind raced, the c7eed74100 fog of sleep quickly fb41dc7aaa dissipating. He was referring c74c8beaf7 to the mark fe9078adf5 Cain Mortens had d12071fe81 left earlier.c7160fc0774a09d7

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“….”6271fafa581158b2

She couldn’t move.49a971c81d1c3162

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‘Did he bde25d8ea1 figure it 35ad4487a8 out?’a8f7ab9749a23ba0

Did Jeremy 9dc5ea6fd0 know what 0f4030f4c3 had happened f2f99ba3af with Cain?4457ea2dfa069844

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But his tone didn’t 52dad1d1ea match the severity of 0332d68662 such knowledge. He sounded far too bf7780834e gentle.c97ce8191719e11c

“That must 08cb9b72d9 have hurt,” e4265c7b11 he murmured 35fc741b1e softly, his 9148974359 fingers lingering d5106016e9 on the 31e9194f47 mark.c11bb7899f8677f2

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Velita remained silent, 47b642fc87 her mind whirling.d503f59705c03cde

‘Maybe… maybe he e4448f0773 thinks it’s his e78674e67a own mark.’0db51b3f4547e068

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After all, b166fc05f8 the spot 349283aa4e Cain had 2cfbbaa200 bitten was fc13fe089a where Jeremy ed77e9f27a had often d558576566 left similar 8efa50c6cf marks in d2df166b23 the past.be50bbfe67822eac

‘Yes… that 9d2cbbe271 must be 7a4f49e33e it.’f876b33252e774cc

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The thought eased 296398ff39 her nerves slightly. Jeremy’s unusually tender tone ff3e928ee9 wouldn’t make sense otherwise.cc13e4414d37f856

As his hand 2a3be450f2 continued to glide f655735727 over her skin, e3a31c8e3a the tension in 2753764c89 her body lessened. Fatigue reasserted itself, pulling 836eea62c0 her back into a 33b5acd45f drowsy haze.7c5631722d7c21ec

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Just as 8f30151e17 her eyes 1a1129a9ca began to 8b3395b568 close again, b0d6cdeefc she heard 63a6449c3c a soft 59b70d0846 chuckle near 8da56321e2 her ear.03c6adba5fde782c

It was warm yet fa6273fb12 oddly chilling, a sound 5c0662da4d that sent an inexplicable 981ed122d2 shiver down her spine.e2718355b59fbbc8

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The strange duality 5850c09711 of that laugh acd3c5d16f lingered in her c1111143dd mind as she 54c2a5475c slipped back into 4e6aae0b42 sleep, falling into 00677e430d a dream darker 7a22bff5f3 than the one 162d490a03 before.1f6d0f25729ca95c