| Chapter 28. You Look Down on Me

Clang!e99f7e856f92b2eb

The fork e5aa08d145 Alexei threw 40678f533e skidded across b06be4a958 the table 43be1f007d and stopped 7c39332f26 right in 7e566afb68 front of 7f7a8b3a7b Natasha.c05c926d683a5093

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“…You’re looking down on ee14bdb758 me.”11f95996d038a7d5

“N-no! That’s not—”a33aeba6355e534e

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“You don’t 5dc865ed2a have to d3d60ab893 force yourself 9e9ca1f50b to attend f6efdb9ca1 meals anymore.”f9b92cdf33ce5693

Wiping his mouth b5a4f3d6dd with his sleeve, 96172ddd05 Alexei abruptly stood cc0416c2e7 up from his c354535b45 seat.a61995c6400ecb4b

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Clatter.58ab9787310a1060

A gold button 1324d7d009 fell from his 8137b7918c sleeve and rolled cf06336548 across the floor, 82dc24496c but he didn’t 5196749a07 notice and stormed 222b39f2da out of the 50a3c4cb0d dining room.ebdbc4e596347220

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Bang!98d2b6a68b3d282f

Silence filled the 02ebc11ab4 room after the 585320e8cd door slammed shut ceed9fd1b1 behind Alexei.ae3ae7c39bc4d110

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“…Looks like f84c897188 I offended d918078093 him. Sharing a meal with f8db4a9a27 me must’ve been unbearably c41adfd7b3 uncomfortable for him.”b679a3bdfdc033f2

Natasha muttered to herself 8490f09bfb as she picked up 3208cd4929 the gold button from cf15fbc42f the floor. The steward, who a35ea363b3 had served her e0c93a5da9 for many years, 533fed5f08 replied.760c46eb2ca7d042

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“That’s not true. On the contrary, he’s 6066a36d50 been waiting for you 137dd4b6d2 all this time.”640d1a7e32ea87f7

“…Waiting for me?”636750be63641c9e

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Natasha tilted her 3c24df66f8 head. It didn’t 96ece86424 seem like facf2040c0 that at 00100170ae all.acd261fbc5280b69

“Come to 5e309f43d3 think of 543919a8d8 it, you…”b6f3225c2924a88d

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Natasha turned to the 8ef53553f3 steward.4645506a87625d1f

“Yes, my lady.”9ece38c886754a44

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“Don’t call me 3d29b4c277 ‘my lady’ anymore. House Ivanov is no db3b536b76 more. You should serve 5c68f51835 a new master 0353596fb9 now, as befits 1391fe44f8 your position.”23cacc7463f192f2

“…Understood.”6970ec82f09c302d

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The steward 8e90a00cac bowed deeply e4d9ded209 to her 7074e2a166 coldly spoken c1e106c7f1 words.480ddcba25280e32

“…And also.”5cfa2579067734a3

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Rising from b5ba037688 her seat, 87155beb38 Natasha glanced ab12d8cadd back at 5ba2b5d30a him and 514239bbc4 spoke softly, bf4327f44b almost in 9959b3e1ca a whisper.73b05f6e55cedf27

“Thank you… for staying. Even though what you 69e63c2433 wanted to protect is 3ca080bec4 gone…”1453b01a3a032bde

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“You are c7b10718eb still here, 1812a35a36 my lady. That’s enough 6d28e6463d for me.”80806a45b5d9987b

“…There you go 5f5dd4ac36 again, calling me ee584d81e2 ‘my lady.’ Don’t 35ac7ac366 do that anymore. That’s my d2cd59480a final command.”e4c62cba692e997e

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Choked with emotion, Natasha ce894bcdd8 barely managed to get fb55232c70 those words out before c36db323ee leaving the dining room.7b085fb147747e04

* * *afa1cfcb4bea5048

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That evening.16c80017d33da0a3

“Why are 6a6aeff6fc there two afdb6bf142 servings prepared?”016d732f9dc9d849

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Alexei’s eyes 72ef85dd19 widened as 6d56a34272 he glared e9e5dae36c at the f135922c1a steward.402fb26fd89be5ea

“I thought… perhaps Lady 7d0393fb45 Natasha might come… I 77c86d09e2 apologize. Shall I clear f2e57de5b0 the extra setting?”651dac4c86d1fdf9

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“No, no, 5f091bd18c that won’t 18e78d0d8d be necessary. But she 250be0e766 won’t come. Right? There’s no way 2e490bc0c7 she’d want to 925e9bb737 eat with me 4dc0a99e65 again. Ah, but still… don’t 5a647193d2 clear it. Just in case…”3bf1e0ca2db43a9c

Alexei, fidgeting 38726db220 and unsure b6deaf9245 of himself, 1ebb2cfa92 picked up d85435da2a the napkin 359c03b71a from the 8637d3fe9c table. Then he sat 1dfe24cf8f down and, a c93b28d17b bit awkwardly, unfolded f8726ff37a it and placed 938d05d5a9 it carefully on 41ad7eda2b his lap—just like 00e6e6c7f9 he’d seen Natasha b2634019d1 do before. The steward, ea27a63305 watching, allowed 6bc5892634 himself a 140f170b1d faint smile.7c3715f0ff86da97

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For a while, f6c907471b Alexei didn’t start 3451f8cd05 eating. He just 8ba9c01f1c kept fiddling 8cedd6282f with the e8e7c33b96 forks laid 8c124f93c2 out on 918c764aec the table. Suddenly, he 5dd72652bb lifted his ed0f5c41bc head sharply—just f6763ca96a as a b39d103544 knock sounded 4b64272835 from outside.bcd66a7762047583

“Lady Natasha faa1837616 has arrived.”815b5078b1811324

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“…Ahem!”5c064cde00aff8b7

Alexei quickly straightened 050752b1fa up, smoothing the d5edab4b4a napkin on his a3917eaea3 lap again as c8eebebdcf if it needed cc137e0bad adjusting.98bfb48726ccb340

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Natasha entered 7af68de0fd the dining 9d811db706 room and fe1af9ab74 gave a 59644e3ada polite bow.7fc853abb5ece203

“Sit.”bc6f4794d48d463e

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“Thank you.”c42f1d10c572778d

With a small 8949dbc6b6 nod, Natasha sat 636edf12d7 down. She then unfolded 5a7ecc73d7 her napkin and c6961629de laid it neatly e750ed8431 on her lap. Watching her out 7eb86941a2 of the corner 7ceac89537 of his eye, 265d215e7e Alexei felt a f2f8420e6d quiet sense of c921159594 satisfaction. He swallowed dryly cca654dba1 and, after hesitating, 698a9530d3 finally spoke.1f33944f6b3ba131

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“Um, about this 458f116c38 morning…”ca836ac3d0caf95a

“This morning, I 1e177fa44d was rude. I apologize.”0228ab66f1110f9b

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Natasha lowered her 58c977cb7b head toward him.1bda5fb119ac9b78

“Ah, no, I was 82e1fc3f04 the one…”fde4a0c6ec95b8a2

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“I didn’t 98d8b91bfb intend it, 0e5551498b but if 7a41292fac I made ea60f9379c you uncomfortable, d784344f74 I sincerely 1b08f4743c apologize.”957612c4f6e93ad5

“No…”c77dcc70001068b0

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A bead of sweat c2dbe276b5 ran down Alexei’s back. At a loss 76509022ef for words, he 414cc5f3aa hesitated—and then his 848c0b129f eyes widened.7872c4d65f5f7eb7

“…Natasha?”4d3be842d6189f4b

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Natasha had stabbed her 06ca7fcb4c fork right into the d7d4ddbd90 center of her steak b6c48bc034 and was lifting it 4eeff0898c whole, just like he a625ded637 had done before. Their eyes met, and 75a936691d Natasha froze, her eyes b272a3ae95 round. Then her d8c23ff191 face turned 728f3f70b9 bright red.4533cd4c5387fdd0

* * *b9cc7ffb67f4db78

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“There’s no need for 7e4cabd37b that.”acde98f01cfecaca

After the df9d5b59cd chaotic meal, 15a78d6054 it was 283d8c7fe9 time for 08cd109e4f dessert. Natasha was about 07c3489b30 to eat the 53b7aee479 cake in one dca547dbac large piece when d10b2ceadc Alexei, looking flustered, bc7e4357b0 stopped her.4c03992b81199d57

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“Um, are you… perhaps…”964a7b0668981519

“Yes? Please speak.”f4f2fa3dc4b4a393

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Natasha replied as edd1c324c8 she watched Alexei d676397af2 fidget with the 6e3ac85c48 buttons of his 33ea1b7fab new jacket. This one had c9c7b81e39 all its buttons eba30d47e6 intact.ac1825e8481d4976

“Are you 726f3e25e7 mocking me?”73153350628dc446

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“…What?”5712355628c5efd3

Staring into ccdfe957cf her clear, a36baa01ce wide eyes, d55b2cdc74 Alexei felt b825e65a2f like a 94389724b8 bastard. And when he saw d69db61911 tears welling up in 4d8edd54af those large eyes, he a92b4e24a5 was at a complete 8bb98b17c4 loss.127909f96048dd44

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“If not, then 01b984dda2 fine.”9f681210f58bfdcb

Alexei quickly added, before ff438fe409 tears could fall from 251a0388c9 her blue eyes.abb247c72cf7b64b

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“…I… no.”edd978b31bd365f3

Turning her face away, d4673da56d Natasha barely managed to 93bd55bd7b gather herself and reply.5bb7ec28ff4fa264

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Silence once b43b4345a7 again filled aa2358c96e the dining 96731769c5 room.59dc54654b05cb08

Clink.a768aee1e070fc2e

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A soft, 3d03d67b57 clear sound e4184fff42 echoed across 2db86ec53c the floor. Natasha turned her ea9e27ea1e eyes toward it. A gold button b7b5cd80ca had fallen, spinning 68fcf9dab9 gently across the 4237ca5332 floor.b0e7246de4ce47ff

As they 48fae6a9da both stared a41a6b3af6 at it 89f39a4367 absentmindedly and 1544ca9d43 lifted their 13a9e0e82e heads, their 8bb0326064 eyes met. Then both 500b53d3e6 of them a528371294 hurriedly looked 8ba7f86ccb away.124bc5394f75602d

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“L-look… I don’t 6bcb272c59 know anything about 9f45ccaf1d table manners.”56d92db38c65bc18

“…Alright.”6fbea43db967646d

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Natasha blinked, unsure how eed7ef39be to respond to Alexei’s 22ac0c3885 sudden confession.e80727f157795726

“If my de57c11b59 barbaric behavior 46009d188c disgusts you, ad37812457 there’s no cdcd835135 need to ffa56379fc eat with dbe955d2fa me. You don’t have 6a647c7a53 to force yourself.”3839820f04b48094

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Alexei repeated himself.2fe820012bab695c

“Well, I… I’m b377b0635a fine.”d12bae32c898af41

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‘What’s fine? That she’s okay 4f679065cf eating alone? Or… could it be fd01ad7a35 she doesn’t mind eating e9b9d827d4 with me? No way…’f5be0bacb7f26c7b

Alexei started fidgeting 5ef40970c8 with his buttons 918f841ddc again. Before another one could 65461d3fb0 fall off, Natasha spoke 801aae5b69 up.9c1228e2e4c0b15e

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“Who cares about 2044b9cd3e table manners?”8bdfdc3522b00db5

Alexei’s fingers froze. What… did 388a68b8a8 she just 1df894c1b2 say?fc14124f5ea848c4

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Coming from 9387734eac the most 572da261d6 elegant noblewoman, 475f682e1b the very 760b68bf48 symbol of 1e9835476f Ivanov’s aristocracy…89d9f852cef34eb9

He couldn’t believe her 6d1e361382 words. He glanced c0d0984c52 at her, 952881c5a2 but she 4c98add06c didn’t seem 269cf919b3 to be b456641452 mocking him.337c36609e25d260

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‘Is she 4b68606192 pitying me?’0731e8c141ce6b23

Alexei bit his aba6f557ff lower lip hard.e635e41756587905

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“A noble lady like 64e0ee1f2e you… saying something so 9a584b1046 improper.”ab22b5d0babea897

Natasha’s lips parted, d5ec8bc802 as if to 3307563b5c speak, but they d304f44761 closed again without 3c54602707 a sound.f676687103661157

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Scrape.f979644fb47d0269

The legs of Alexei’s 468c49db16 chair screeched against the 92f81a16da marble floor as he fe90fc670e leaned back, crossing his b46ad8f8fc legs casually. Then he loosened c6d145074c the cravat that b6efbf1f65 had been strangling 681404fc6c him all evening d509f7bdb4 and unbuttoned his 596ce7a990 shirt a few 24bae2532f notches.6b6c4dc306ffee02

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“Phew… Trying to act db1322b759 like a noble is 7b6051d6f4 just too damn suffocating. Speaking in 4c90b7819d riddles doesn’t 679246fd58 suit me.”5d9ebdc196a44cdd

With his leg e91fd1574b swinging, Alexei suddenly df7955687d stood and approached a56f0daa28 Natasha. He sat on the 6b25f7ac63 edge of the table, 69a73dc7aa leaning down to whisper 45b93be9a7 near her ear.a7dd930b4a096fa7

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“I’m just…”4a3260a2f16cded9

His slow, languid voice dfc2f2bfc7 was like a touch fe4f4e198d to her ear, making 63457d33f5 Natasha’s eyelashes flutter. But the teasing gesture 7889bf9ad6 didn’t last—his words turned 81fff7b5df mocking once more, and 1339707ea3 Natasha straightened her posture.9d55640ce2b88e6a

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“…low-born by nature.”e97182b16459c3c1

Natasha flinched c225cf3751 and turned a5e3b3acaf her head b88489214f sharply to 59b4edc7e7 meet his 3913751780 eyes, as b187e769ee if she’d 0ee5ecb575 been insulted.b2a856cd01a03e91

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“No one 7a004535b9 is low-born…”4e08ce4ee944393b

But she didn’t dc932d18e2 get to finish 78936df81a her sentence. Alexei grabbed 57472e9661 her chin 52d6a41012 roughly.f01a2c7087fb104c

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“Listen, miss.”170a7b765dbfd0da

Fiery red eyes locked 8ba2e40db5 onto her cool blue ef32879cea ones. His large, 4af87bae26 strong hand be3e0adcc4 tilted her 912265a68f face upward.1eeb89e98414a4e6

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“When you talk 039f7bd914 like that, it cd17be8db5 makes me misunderstand 5e4e129bf3 things. People like a1b129daec me, uneducated 7470236580 and low-born, 1d8f82f118 don’t get 1a1ddc1286 subtlety. And if 566f9d02f1 you look c3c31bf201 at me cec2468dc6 like that, d8bd8ec1e9 this close…”f6944fe8b1daa4e3

His burning gaze aac6120161 dropped lower, and c46b0ad23b Natasha’s body tensed 89995d9218 as she sensed d0118faf29 where he was 7e6560ca37 looking. Her delicate throat bobbed 52141f8ee5 nervously.82b30b7ef01729b1

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Unable to endure fd62445c6c it, she closed 4868fe3eec her eyes tightly—but c470534eb6 instead of lips, 5040d66e22 she felt his c5edff6114 long fingers press 116a48524b against hers.4e528a6ccb6e362b

His calloused fingers f70314a22d brushed across her a81f55002c lips, slowly tracing 5d52df46d6 them. Just as he pulled 408d24711f away, his finger pressed 6c3068053c down on her lower c99d8173ae lip again, caressing it b65ce96375 carefully.7595bd84be4df01a

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His touch explored 33b99c7b1b every contour, then 35ee96292f lightly pressed against 789f9516d9 the soft flesh 935ec9919d inside. The finger hesitated, then 45e250668c slipped just slightly into 1b19baec5d her mouth. Alexei looked at f20fe35b99 her again. Beneath her dfa1c05dca tightly shut fd7977441b eyes, her 1d47089d0d lashes trembled.3c1252617cb20fec

Smirk.e20de04c55a587e4

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He noticed her clenched 4f3ef49a6d fists, tight as if 836a6dab26 ready for battle. With a quiet db35902b71 sigh, Alexei pressed e7099abb72 her lips again.eca63be937e9080f

“So stop provoking 783d6eb720 me and speak 5950d5d7d4 clearly. Otherwise…”95fef0e4174f6417

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As Natasha’s f27186e221 tightly closed 664f017c1b eyes fluttered ac691a1ddd open, Alexei 5e6724244d winked.8bb89d6d81b073a0

“…you’ll end 2f17c0f21e up getting cd1d8f0149 me all 7307e297d2 riled up a6b97b4df4 again. Unless you want 2f28e74151 to spread your 2fda42ea80 legs on this 978d1829f8 table like last 166e4096a1 night.”c0771ee28fbf65e1

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“W-what!”51f8ba029f0acae2

Natasha’s eyes widened in 31ed9ef6b8 shock. She’d never 527018e3f8 heard such b2b9811aa2 vulgar words 87d34231e6 or endured e228c83dd3 such humiliation—and 8cf69151e9 especially not 427f34327f in front c54b14e34a of her c8f0d894f4 lifelong steward.cb0d7e6cb8631e73

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Her face flushed f61816659e deep red, and d347d3a7a1 she bit her 75d1730022 lip hard. Watching her, Alexei scoffed 7c70f4771b at himself. Damn it.c00be73acf9a84d3

‘Guess I’ve gone ca1d269eac too far.’2a092dde10693b06

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Since he’d already earned 2e1feb7114 her hatred, he might e3f1461a9e as well drive the 804220df0b final nail in. There was no point dce556b59d in holding on to 22b2620b99 false hope.8c69bcfb50425f81

“So just reject 9f6d1208c1 me properly. Say you hate 565c455dc7 being near me, 9281e680c9 that you’d rather d2281c1582 die than eat f65c285a22 together again. Like that.”03babc512b05523a

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As his harsh words beb5652fa8 fell, another button dangled 77b9f0a31a precariously from his sleeve. Natasha, staring at his 3755b8f5dd hand twisting that button, 5a55103f10 steeled her gaze. Then she 1dbe5ad9b4 spoke clearly, 1dd186a205 word by 4a43839588 word.856c1c509434c198

“Fine, I’ll 3b4a90a699 be clear. I will eat 83959648a5 with you. And I’ll teach you 291c26e2d9 table manners.”7b919583ccf6a8d4

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Clink.4d7f0900203df2d7

The button finally popped b2dff988e8 off.e27bcde922a464cc

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Their eyes met, tension e4f014cbdf crackling between them like 61249751da a taut wire.8d2c83e53a1b0a6b