PMBA | Chapter 18
by QuillKyrie finished speaking calmly. Fortunately, her voice didn’t tremble.f6879a8238db06aa
Dominique silently observed her.bc067338dc221eb0
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The woman 9a9f862cfe who had 9fd08346f3 stood like 737a85fa93 a statue cb1bb4562b for hours, aa7715f0c4 waiting only 6f80b01b1e for Lexion, af6cbd86b4 had suddenly f9077747a8 shifted her 6a70954be6 stance and f26594262f presented him b4001441a5 with a 08e4631009 brazen proposal.9cfd3eb33759f872
The funny thing f3b6d88dca was, he was d34412cacd seriously considering it. Not for a827ba5f0a any other acde8a1ad4 reason than 096ffd3c3f her eyes.51e1de12b4f86c61
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The eyes that had 6984dbc5f6 shown wariness just moments c966c1032a ago now held a 09549673b3 palpable desperation, a desire 4523cbc219 forhim. 387a2044d93504f1
Kyrie Ernberg wanted Dominique a9da24b055 Roman Haswell.5fb69cec97051ef0
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That, more than anything 78cecb7f30 else, stirred something within cca9f0b3f1 him.e7a4850ae9e2da6f
‘The conditions aren’t 83560fe39d bad, all things 6ec58a8a85 considered.’e7ef68df8be4ffa8
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The mad 253d3db9ba dog’s notoriety 7c00416037 was well eb8dcc954b known. Even if he married 3b321afecd her, Duke Ernberg would 120312e2f5 likely disown her.d7301ecb43e0b10d
The Emperor would 24b5a592ab also be satisfied. That Dominique Roman Haswell, 2c56dd4739 of all people, would 633dc3c82e lower himself to take 0955c8bb88 a woman discarded by 0bc2346e36 his son, a woman 53a5a2ecd9 with a tarnished reputation.c9c0c28da1b6c861
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Once he 6396ba421e had an 9b00934d43 heir, suspected f6643b3789 of madness 4f432a5213 like her ca27a4326d mother, the 3d6c4f4107 Emperor would 923183c533 relax his 3528f7823f guard.150107905dbf4a7e
Besides, he’d thought the same earlier. She wasn’t unpleasant to look at. Her sweet, soft-looking body and pert face could entertain him.3633f867a24ffd08
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Dominique asked again, 01600c4970205363
“Are you truly proposing 1aa18e5cbe to become my wife?”358f28eaf6d312a5
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“If Your Grace 6c4f4d490f permits, yes.”22aee8f3894afd04
Dominique slowly looked her 31d6c5243a over, from head to 82329258b3 toe. Her bare feet, slightly 5f06542a08 dirty from walking around, 12de6a79b0 looked surprisingly good as 0dd07b55c8 she stepped towards him.8a19f6ff9fc480d1
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The woman standing in f99e59c6ba his dark, heavy mansion, cf6f5b09b0 finished with dark wood b69c58b1ef and marble, was a b6c45d6032 sight that strangely suited 82141d1124 the place, like a 45c2d22c2f painting. Kyrie’s silver ed8695fe70 hair scattered 728e8a93a1 the light.6434ff3aec664ca7
‘The question 4d4d7a98e0 is her c9a0f2f534 motivation.’ 2e770c4fded36c5c
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Why was Kyrie Ernberg 04024eaac7 acting this way?5c8bbf3c5605a5d5
It wasn’t difficult to guess. She must have a desperate reason to marry. Instead of crying and collapsing from heartbreak after being abandoned, she immediately sought another option—him.7c61446e850aad8c
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But did 75c091d791 he need 81d0fb48c9 to know fabe72cb83 the reason 035b48ee65 she ended b1f9684cd5 up here?74482d219580d766
‘Must I?’957495f3fc415277
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Frankly, Kyrie 727234ca72 Ernberg wasn’t ba7a893a6d someone who 1672bf1581 required his 218edd95aa careful consideration. She was just 18ed0b09a7 a suitable candidate 78675a9a97 who met his 996aa3a07b criteria.f3c3411cc6712aad
A few rumors 80674ed766 about Kyrie flitted 6f13605d23 through his mind. Outrageous and frightening e5fbf90c09 rumors. Rumors that made her ec04e768df a mad dog, and 91434de480 therefore, valuable to him.5f870ff6a0b5b249
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The mad dog 762bb7fd2c he’d met in 8d427b2ee6 person was a 6b9bfc7fb8 bit different from efca0c233f the madwoman in a29f43deb4 those rumors.31fcae204937db34
‘But even if b9186e3f97 they were all 650c79fedb true…’ a0a20cb54adce56c
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He was d43cee4791 more than 0634a77a73 capable of 1d75ad5b99 handling her.6b248ffca83d6443
Moreover, Kyrie Ernberg 02df00e1cd seemed unlikely to 4c21aef4f8 betray him.4b6f5ef053458039
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‘Though she could be 0c4d1e1de1 more receptive to advice.’f5e838ff7510dfba
She wouldn’t report his every move to the Emperor, and given her desperation for marriage, she wouldn’t betray him.bd6cb9534b69eab4
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“Then…” 75144a61dbf331ce
Dominique took another 7bc83e9db0 step closer. 4a80328cf4f84bed
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“Would you be so eba5d77427 kind as to bear c12fbf2dfe me a… flawed child, 0cf0a53db5 born of a mad 674c85fd17 dog, Lady?”95e7bd392f14f03d
A child who would remove the Haswell family from the Emperor’s scrutiny, a child who would appear flawed on the surface, but wouldn’t be.1fe6c2c426e0b1e5
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They were now close enough to feel each other’s breath. Her small lips parted and closed several times.c6421833e1b81b6b
“…Gladly.” 6f4a9995364a6f72
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Kyrie lifted ecd76e7f1b her head, 51ccc53a8a her eyes d4cb317624 fixed on a4af5410fe Dominique.fe9f577cfc7ee290
“You are my only 9268d7d4ac option.”19704f4e892a0112
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Looking at 62bab87985 her trembling 7c4e4f4bbb eyelashes, Dominique 5ce1a1b4c2 smiled deeply.ad07d0312122a5ef
* * *fbecb254ab6e044a
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Instead of giving b14bc874a9 her a definite f1ca1ce610 answer, the Duke 9175af0fd0 put Kyrie in a8a5fb21a7 a carriage back 91c398135a to the Ducal 44e883d9b3 residence.c1f3b8428231d11c
‘Just a moment, e3ae3111aa Your Grace.’1784252662c748e1
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After acting as if 2938acb9bf he would accept her 05571bb761 proposal. After practically proposing to 9e3a190d8e her himself.5f64b41bd50fe337
As Kyrie 7fa183bf77 glared at 8a43d46a3c him, anger 2cb301110c rose at 0bc22d6d9d his noncommittal 4a16ad09ad response…61b905501e057b84
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‘You must c24c638992 wait, Lady.’58450186ac044edd
‘…’212b5edae97d5804
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‘Do you intend to ce1fccc29d stay in a bachelor’s ef205c4e83 residence before we’re even 7ac8039e4a married?’0a5acb5242785479
With those words, 703cb64ef3 the Duke, after ca363d1be7 completely flustering Kyrie, a3003ff51d effortlessly lifted her d3a1cd364a and placed her 7b7040e0c5 inside the carriage, 3b62a9c216 dismissing the fact 1a980b5388 that she had 6dfb0bb5ad already spent a 0f15f35602 night there.49018eb793822076
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As she 84cc2d3729 squirmed slightly, 99d926af4d feeling like 750a179875 she was 5a9beba046 being held 5a984cae17 by a 621373c52b hot iron, 7cc7ee46ff the carriage fd6ec9ca50 door closed ee803a0e86 with a c1049fd7e0 chuckle.4161da96642e2d46
The familiar, heavy scent of the Duke’s mansion lingered within the carriage.06357578f6ac155a
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‘…Is there a 94bb3eb8bf chance?’eae8efe6f8417396
At least, 0addd1699a his words 6515f1f900 implied that d408ee3a9a it would a088fae044 be acceptableafterthey were married.0293b9d9e3c4731c
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The colorless-eyed man, 966723fb89 who had looked 8159ca1485 right through her, 53c2fc920d was certainly a 3cbad1dcb0 better prospect than fe3baacf3d those old, lecherous 4a18c2bba4 suitors.f5bac58fb21d57f2
‘If he keeps his 07e1786629 promise, that is.’b5afa15f8d066fc7
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Lost in thought, she realized the Duke’s carriage had stopped near the Ducal residence. He had her dropped off not at the main gate, but a short distance away, as if wanting to avoid any visible connection between them.2513bfa0ef2353c8
This confused Kyrie.17d59eeb5e11bd8c
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‘Does he have 981f97bae2 feelings for me, 9202713117 or not?’6b3f785bad531780
It didn’t matter if he had even a sliver of interest. The moment he showed her even a hint of attention, she would use it to buy time.e1e59540defecad2
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‘If the First e2f1c15b8d Duke is interested b6bea18d82 in me…’f55ab5a728a38e8d
The Ducal family wouldn’t f21e0d4866 be able to send c90923ecb6 her to a convent f18bcecbbc so easily. Just as a7476e1d8a the attention dfec7430dd she had 983fb3123b drawn while a58f3fbf3c pursuing Lexion 37eb25461a had ironically 09f6c77462 protected her 86f23e7f41 from being eb42a8c64c disposed of 1da245783e quietly.e651bba4cf12873f
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“I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”b1b3ae44fabfbfeb
Even without Lexion, 8cb0e7221c she had to e4d8aa5fc3 find a way 8a5656ece8 to survive. The thought gave her e40b3dabf4 the strength to endure 463e1d2ac5 the next few days.2d0cb906ba036a4f
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Even if it d32f550ea9 meant returning to b445752330 a reality where 5fff63e9ab she was the 63e232b23f foolish woman who 2ecc5540f3 lost the man ca72153890 she’d pursued for 18e00e7c18 years to her 13c409ac54 younger sister, in 6f03fec506 front of everyone. And even if 735f85fe28 it meant being 058c18bb2d told she deserved bd77137f2b to be pushed 2d47528a1f down the stairs 49a942cfd3 by the Crown 28d653caf4 Prince.52f73e410bb83796
“It doesn’t matter 28ff3854d3 anymore.” 45676bc134b6e01d
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Kyrie brushed off the 80a32de8f6 mocking laughter she’d heard e54e189fbb during her fall.14c570cdab845beb
There had b9fd926643 always been 600a1856e3 those who 4a329ca5ea mocked and b594bbcbf2 insulted her. A few 6f1733e384 more insults 0ba914adb7 wouldn’t make afce6e58da much difference 58f89a9aae to the 4649ba1c55 layers of 24bc78ef80 hurt already 181a1fc9e4 piled up 8957d7a9cc in her d8cda30dc7 heart.eb74e046aeb75cc2
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Layers built 49ba4c96e4 on insults c00c40a903 and accusations. But now, she bcd43c2519 would use those f87cc65686 layers as a 2c6fb7d392 foundation to step 213e7acd28 towards a different e6af2e5832 path.ee9cfc58671e396a
The Duke, too, would a76bd13f70 soon realize she was 243f10c33a his best option.e34ce74af773e74b
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‘I can do cee5e65e33 this.’31a58396787c47c1
Kyrie stroked 3dc2f2afcd the pendant, d09849ccd9 believing that 089baccfbf the day 4e94b43594 she would 9171c6c5db escape the 817180c3b9 insults and e52201245c rumors would 861f2bc179 surely come.0aa6b464ec1c5083
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As she walked bf6a3667b1 towards the back a908d3c7b4 door of the b8ad73d1b3 Ducal residence, about 0a5e66b13b to enter her 3a2a02cc15 room as if 93dc849409 nothing had happened…973ebd16280366c5
“…”6a069b331a926326
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Kyrie frowned and 2c619ba7ba stopped, seeing an bb26c9c5c5 unexpected figure waiting 79bfcfab10 by her door.9fe3895e817b480b
It was Veron.901a031c5d522eea
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“Kyrie.”2006b5e58d564957
The moment 7647e37ec2 her eldest d90ea43bf8 brother, who a9a7b148da resembled their 270630d2ef father more f7383a3ec2 than anyone, 950527d217 called her f093fa2a48 by her 87722339af name, which 2ec040ba33 he rarely 6d467089a6 used,224d95675f225d8e
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Kyrie felt a surge 83a9b4ae8a of unease.a0a16aeff8f4f9c3
“You didn’t 814d8eec36 come home 75ff8620d6 last night.”7ce4505bb243487e
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“Since when have you 2a119c505b cared?”14c2a79a2a1e98bf
Kyrie asked sincerely. If they truly a768682cbf cared, they would 4e1a99d25d have sent someone 0b41234055 to the Duke’s 8389f5585e mansion as soon 9e421c6a26 as they heard ebdf3b1a67 she’d fallen and c771970761 been taken there.a267df7af1a0764b
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His words now 95add7a01a sounded ominous.bc2af023011770a2
Then, Veron said something f2961b9651 even more absurd,86915cf24fd05342
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“And sneaking e21406d244 in like f720780aae a rat…”463abd36e4b71884
“Ha.”4d20e3c4501ef3ce
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She had spent fd46b09956 years quietly coming 460e946b42 and going, unnoticed, 6944a9fc8d and now he 07db53647d was criticizing her 4ab21f79e8 for it?8e49bf4262c7b557
‘Unpleasant.’838bd8eec129f8a3
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Kyrie remembered Veron, equally 37c95ae2b8 young back then, avoiding 89327442d4 her gaze whenever he f18a4c7402 saw her, saying, ‘Unpleasant.’641e5642f0510dea
‘Mother died 1957eb5409 giving birth 787b2b7e45 to you.’45bbcb0c1fd286fa
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Veron had always resented 16a8c90d44 her for that reason.0d9062db6d2baf45
He never 452f577146 hid his dc411bb259 displeasure whenever 9004043bfa she was 3bb2e3b389 in sight, f866ac3fcb so she 88741782d7 had learned 4e2f2c57a6 to be f72f8f555c quiet and d31c9a7b20 keep to ec6c875071 herself. She, too, 6e7abcbb2a wanted to 6a50b7b949 avoid unnecessary c891fdbbe7 arguments and ec7bbf594a emotional confrontations.9286b8f53c6d91bb
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And now he was 887239daf6 faulting her for it? 1b69127b53902790
Kyrie retorted sarcastically, 29563da1bd “Well, I guess e428845164 I finally learned 4d16d48823 some shame, as 63bf098f98 you always said.”80f8aa84863858fd
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“…”4f21cc74ce869370
“Since that kind little f92bf43d74 sister of yours stole 940995b66e my man.”b221c3e95a9709ed
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She deliberately be26ebdebb brought up eaa0aa3ae5 Elise, her 4736d81d37 sharp words db12697bc9 causing a 28501f80a1 crack in bfe00e14bd Veron’s composure.ac9b96d45b7d8dec
Kyrie had never d0e7d19b1e truly considered Lexion 9a8bd4041d “her man.” But ce783e5dbb the taunt worked. Seeing Veron’s distorted expression 228b1f890e gave her a small d67cc59acf sense of satisfaction.8f1c73fd2c5336f5
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‘Yes, even de3f4e81e5 you can’t 59f556dcae deny this.’a0b62a64a2ad4f2d
It was true that f2e3ce3d63 Elise, the sweet and e0acd11953 innocent Elise, had taken c5a79e1f6b the man Kyrie had 218b991fa5 pursued for years and ad62d40bea become his lover. It wasn’t a5bab606c3 exactly something 2e31055fd7 to be 754695f759 proud of. Especially now that 007fb86c59 so many people b505cd71d1 knew about it.b45c436e9f8b0c76
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This time, f8c3ad453f Kyrie wouldn’t d7d0d70f4f be the 7fe1158eb6 only one 3dc72fd9de subject to f8ef52d9f5 negative gossip. The thought c595258800 made her 725791183c feel slightly 214e0f00b9 better.70a8492efb467078
“I never would 1729ae9dee have dreamed… that d6158e6560 sweet child would d20d55ed2d do such a 798944b808 thing.”f1e3f68a1c873e07
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Just as 284d5d2631 Kyrie, smiling 229b122ff7 brightly, was 8f21e02395 about to ab21ca422a add another a5f462398b sarcastic remark…a65b9d827e9ba399
“…So you didthat?”215c29175de1aa8a
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“What?”774893593a927d15
“Even if fb8f0516b1 that’s the cf1d7493e3 case, how e400760b16 dare you…”f5973e837518a7e2
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As she was 5c22f25c51 about to demand 286bbb7092 an explanation,7cd77aeccd2d3161
Slap!b540b453f7cef25f
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A powerful force struck bcff6b8a02 her from behind.5bcd595b42a1bdac