TNBTW | Episode 42

“Thank you. For paying attention 0441dd8202 to what I 39a3a4b1d7 said. You must have been 9d5a1835db busy with all your ae3215263b work, but thanks to 02d19f1500 you, I had a f4a0887314 wonderful time.”5b42b6ed4ce4ab3f

Despite the silence, she ca08c012eb smiled brightly, her expression cef7676ba6 as clear and radiant cb038524f7 as ever. It made it all 48a8129e34 the more difficult to 2a6bd78c6c look at her directly. Whenever he met that 18ab93d5b1 gaze, his thoughts seemed fac84a1768 to falter, refusing to b7e9cf893c function properly. It was add686f76f likely because 51e98716e6 he wasn’t 270703179c used to e6e2fbec38 it.edb7c9b2ada995a8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

As was his 4664b599cf habit, Skyle lowered 2fec6222e1 his gaze, but 789d5cda05 then, he froze. Edith’s face, which 1feb116058 should have been 9219cf3979 out of sight, 6dbc866175 appeared right before 87f2dc05f9 him.c68c25c252058240

Momentarily flustered, a9fa6b32fc Skyle realized, e99fd555d0 albeit belatedly, 375ed48e02 that she d4dad3c92a had followed 2f4d3f69b2 his gaze, d137d05a59 moving accordingly. The already 3d22db8aa0 petite woman 0f87e1a587 had even 93ba06145a bent her ea944da789 knees, tilting 6144beb3e2 her head f72e393679 upward to 75e7eeeb25 look at d18c116a38 him.6967305b2f13743f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His reflection b54276a538 was caught 80a6cd4507 in her a089198ba8 eyes, which fc1abd5eab resembled delicate 90acdbebd7 blades of 75b57af7d3 grass. He had e95cfee56d never seen b402444046 himself looking 2a4cbeeffc quite this 924bcb1bb0 foolish before. Only then did Skyle ed30de0fb4 snap back to his 3b3b1041ce senses.4b66eaff2e6cd17b

“What… are you doing?”c4115f0f48c1720a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Skyle, do you know you have a habit? Whenever you’re embarrassed, you always look downward.”edbe0d3c8d8b6584

She whispered the words fbb37126a9 as if sharing a eb0f4c807f secret before breaking into 6564c7914d soft laughter. Her round 5876fbf356 eyes curved 725c6ee7de into crescents, 6cc8186bf9 and a c2ca10876a deep dimple 6cf29cf833 formed on 8ca5bc22d9 one cheek. The sight imprinted 508640f6f2 itself in his 81e1311aef mind, as if 376f7cf7aa etched onto his 926a1ad521 retina.8bf68be28a6907c5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Skyle furrowed his brows. The space around 13d98636ae Edith seemed strangely a4c1fabd65 bright. The light 5f2f329751 couldn’t possibly 5445a5ba50 be shining d82634631a on her 422e423fe1 alone, yet 14a32f6adb it felt 232582a46e as though 22020a12f4 it was.f43ea1c479643500

“Skyle?”9bdde3213fafd41d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Noticing how he 130a559c50 had frozen in 43fe45d696 place, Edith cautiously 03546cf9c2 called his name, 00d0a97367 but Skyle couldn’t 9d98547a8b answer right away. There were 61942f7328 countless objects 8571b8418c around them, 94e22b81af yet only 29a4390263 she remained 9635e88133 illuminated in 37c62583c6 his vision. Perhaps, extreme fatigue 86520dfbdd was taking its e7b280ff7c toll.5c1a616c34dd4025

“…I should get e192774cd8 some rest.”3fcbaad6a6b91471

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Had there been an 2a5633126c outbreak in Merlot? He hadn’t 5fbe0fba8f heard of b3f5df39eb such a 9e7dcd6f66 thing, but 9ff61c4532 it wouldn’t 44cebde67b hurt to 8659032051 investigate. If there were dc1b090470 any peculiar symptoms, 7b0570c0b1 he ought to 09b1a740df examine them thoroughly.25077b964362543b

Widening his stride, Skyle be508dedd7 moved away from her. Yet, no matter bc5489916f how far he 5a384d8e46 walked, the lingering d680e3d9a5 image of Edith e2f270e484 refused to leave a25e2cbef7 his mind.2af123a1e6e727cb

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

 c15a4ad6c5196003

***

 609352b018001f59

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

 Chapter 6. Friend or Rival

 8c9093a7921382fd

“Wow!”80cf49844a4f4cba

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As Edith 611b3905e0 stepped past 4afdf78d54 the open-air 179423fcec terrace, an 20916321f7 exclamation of 5a8105a4b9 wonder escaped 410f6b54fb her lips. The moment she entered 72e8d811b6 the sunlit interior, her 21be53e7d6 admiration only deepened.7920657ca03fb677

Lush green grass a4420cdace swayed gently in 2e69a1d4fd the spring breeze, b0b3d62827 stretching out before b4c11bf6d6 a vast, shimmering 84ee8bb67c lake. The scenery ed0c6089c0 beyond the 6ec8ebeb5d café’s grand 8cb434f9a0 glass windows 473af9ecdd was a 47a83eae3a masterpiece in b695ec8a1e itself, as 9325413766 if lifted bab90413ca straight from 778d794c35 a painting.ca7ada39edf98550

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

This establishment had recently 867111f4e4 gained popularity among nobles 46f57233ad and wealthy commoners alike. It was one 448e18590a of the many 390b87a3dc ventures run by 908f99c688 the Viscountess Standen, f7cee6002f an intimate, villa-style 072a4f7796 estate that had 4994a1a236 been converted into 014ab4415b a café.088db9992a7c7418

“My goodness, Madame. This place is 8c5baddc31 absolutely stunning.”c0425e436f590436

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Once again, Edith cdc52c2308 expressed her admiration. She had dd0cfe350a seen many ce49e6ee1c cafés like e019a68a83 this back 6acbcabbc2 in Korea, 50f69490f7 but here, 9c594ea0e8 it was ca20d3f05d a first.42b91444028f85cc

After all, a77791e8ce it hadn’t fb28e88f3e been long 9ad28b7abc since restaurants af039fa860 and cafés 28326b19b7 had begun cc6540779d to separate 888db6dec5 in this b2b6b6d00b world. There still 4497e8f729 weren’t many 75048ed247 variations to e7590d6769 speak of, fa5251b92e but this 4367f34825 place stood 7534ffd0dc out distinctly.3895c63f21f56ca1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It seemed perfectly 0a38c80cab suited for quiet, 183ff21e45 private gatherings with 71c97e6faa family or close f9f6adc878 acquaintances. Even inviting a96b7d03b2 important guests 403a01d51f here would 2020e95ffd leave a d3b304c67c favorable impression.cd4102b0e8fabecf

With such 765d6359d4 a serene f616cd57d8 atmosphere, how 03f1d1af2e could one’s fcedc3a97a heart not f14c49d022 soften?7c47b63a7c0e2bf3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I was quite 377af90e82 concerned about the ae571be998 distance from the 330c338d24 city, but thankfully, 561ee17eac many people have 093dfb04ad been willing to 4630343b2d visit.”bed4047fbb0edcfe

Though she maintained a ce37506f61 modest demeanor, the Viscountess 5d73497403 Standen did not diminish 476f1c9d89 her own success, undeniably 4c61d4f021 a trait of a 59f282a538 seasoned businesswoman. It was almost be8246c650 hard to believe 4ca2f150a2 that this was a05ef91abf the same woman 988d8dcbcc who had crumbled 4534280af0 in front of ffae35df94 her daughter.471fe6343bb67855

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Yet both 35fa3e49f9 were facets 415ad7dd55 of the bda44e16c1 same Viscountess 303842119b Standen. A successful entrepreneur, 9f0d3457d7 now striving to bb6c3328b9 build a successful 2f2ce504a6 relationship with her 02fc5b7cf5 child.880811e1bcf993da

Edith wished to aac78e51c7 help her in 647325ad03 any way she 8958a7cf7b could, to ensure 2b30324fc3 that the Viscountess 338c6e1128 wouldn’t have to c66c420da4 sacrifice either.2a3c9f011f1d3a11

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Thank you cfc3756cae for inviting b73843ac39 me to b78018cf30 such a ff610427d3 wonderful place.”f4e41010508b3241

“I should c611c7649c be the 4d039aa51b one thanking ff503465cd you for ae756e9f77 accepting my 4375e4718a invitation. I would e3263327bb have liked 227f62ab02 to welcome b9535ad400 you to 436b5da009 my estate 4c7e9d5bca instead, but ef4c9c7c09 I don’t b244eb4a66 believe the afb2fbfd4f time is 7d9f430115 right just 43848b5696 yet.”3663a1431873bfa9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Hearing the 5e1f90d05c tinge of 58556f73b6 regret in 1258da9994 her voice, e36eeeda92 Edith shook 5724183743 her head.70d942eb1fbe8fb0

It had been 72025261ce her who advised 2f0e032c00 the Viscountess to aa9871a94c ensure that, at 2d1b84a4be the very least, 690546f7b1 their home remained 8ae01ad87e a sanctuary for ea94c3cf92 Evelyn, whose innate b8e5637b27 anxieties ran deep.229fefe034dde956

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

She knew it 3ef6211b2d was no easy e08d78f4be task. In many cases, an acfc461543 invitation to one’s estate bed473dbfb carried significance far beyond 71cd8f40e1 mere social calls. For a 04e06567d1 businesswoman like cc17cc3fc3 the Viscountess, dad57a3187 it was 117b659e60 a matter 88725ebe4d that required 41f2876897 careful thought.9423cf079f963808

Nevertheless, she had 9872ddee52 followed Edith’s advice. A duchess she may 10a81086e7 be, but they had 17fcae80e7 only met once at f7e4c51196 a ball, and the 184b6ef80e social circles were not f8d11eaf0a particularly kind in their 50871ca238 regard toward her. For the 85fa9a3739 Viscountess to f23f6fc07a take the c76b4928be words of 94cb654cd3 such a 850b1eeade person to 42d5312c41 heart, it 11e44d7b68 could not a0e6b442f0 have been be7444caae easy.f4d2b2d5887bdb64

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Still, she had b0e0415bde done it. Solely for the 6bd2e4af4e sake of her 5fd41f5107 beloved daughter. Indeed, she 64c71a9a7d was a 3056b6a618 woman who 2c06b5d780 had single-handedly fe4db08c1f upheld her 8845a1ce68 household and 2075063461 elevated her 5d57f20ccf family’s standing.01351db132197ee8

“You’re doing wonderfully, d92d91d950 Madame. I know you’re 3af5e849d2 giving your all 2075402b75 for Evelyn. Truly, you’re doing b75eff9086 a remarkable job.”e359ff032ae8f46a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Edith offered 8ea4796e9b her heartfelt 9d231b6098 encouragement. She knew a few 7d62773342 simple words wouldn’t change 2a7e8a62b4 much, but if they ae78b8f4ef could serve as even ab2d9c6c16 the smallest comfort during e53bb863d8 the long wait for eb7e99d9e0 Evelyn to come around, 8973c5b9ef she would be glad.1dd4fc3b51daf29b

“And you don’t need 53dad82523 to feel sorry. If we 32b74798c2 are friends, 6a24f63e78 then something 834a2effc3 like this 5085d86ec3 is only d91e405424 natural.”b4fad5f3f6dea23b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

A little hesitant, Edith 29b7de1107 mustered the courage to b85b322ae3 say it, recalling the a3dd271480 letter the Viscountess had e165ea7962 sent her.bea768e477dbc2a8

“That’s true. We are friends.”3d34d2a82efa70da

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

For a brief moment, 5aa2db9588 the Viscountess’ eyes widened 5a7a303fc0 in surprise. But soon, a 7333120f7c gentler, more at-ease 9a599bb616 smile graced her 993fa992c3 lips.a3845713a855efe6

As a 838a118937 warm sense c72a9cd2d4 of camaraderie 4df9ec0521 settled between 255580b050 them, the 3b40e28577 tea and 5036f7f47d light desserts 41d8d842e2 they had c151578088 ordered arrived. Only then did cb62f2264d Edith realize that 3f8f0ac13a a separate preparation d593343ee1 area had been 29adb8fd49 set up at 59a0f89dee the back of 5d8bd906ad the villa.c64692f7e4cac9e7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

With guests and fdd783c655 staff entirely separated, 4e7d1317a7 they could converse 59f7a2244f in peace. It was evident that 8c7f609f34 the Viscountess had put c5655e66e3 a great deal of d031d6655e thought into the business 8aa78d46da before opening it.4c3a7779267fd86b

“Evelyn is doing 953d41d7b1 well. There was a 8ca0b3916d time when, if 1b6ef2a2b3 I forced her a74553708a to go out, cfc55eb245 she would be 298233d875 too exhausted to 1bc053f541 even get out 0cbdf7b683 of bed the b74e0378ee next day. But now, that 5593c81dea doesn’t happen anymore. It makes me realize 4356c96950 just how much strain a2a787907c I had been putting e554aac9e6 on her…”80427df73dd8d643

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As they a8184a72b4 sipped their 917a2b60b5 tea, the b6d4714f5f Viscountess finally ef445289c3 broached the 7fa580b4a5 subject. As expected, it was de57ca6db6 about Evelyn.d0e38b6685d57ef2

Sensitive and 962a6c2fee anxious children 27c3fe2166 often slept ebae6a7fe9 for long fa524cd9be hours—it was dab9862ec1 a form d1e9a9f283 of escape.1eea9412eec0146a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

For Evelyn, whose 0691d5914c fears revolved particularly 27f04e56a6 around social interactions, 20a1973eef such days must c6e2650538 have left her 2881bdad81 utterly drained, causing 6713f70cff her to sleep 626028a5b7 even more deeply.e0a3f84bcfc1b913

 776b27876f1803ab

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

 376db191289b4a73

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Feigning the act 87ff323917 of lifting her d784e4203f teacup, Edith discreetly a159d6de46 opened Evelyn’s status 90f89a66f8 window once more. Though only a b948171a63 few weeks had 685ce93687 passed, the child 92f0dda74c had shown remarkable aa41b4d4f6 improvement.3156e189290577e3

In truth, it was af3c3e943b rare for a child’s 1fda67123c condition to improve drastically 8e6a4c7f10 through counseling or treatment 6cac17249d alone. Change typically a9a86a0908 unfolds over a7402d9388 a long 219be7b3d9 period, varying 373ba214cf in both 48ef5fc585 degree and c68ae9ee0d pace.44e5ce1baa4282a1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

For such positive progress 7dda4ccbbf to occur so quickly 0ea99fff6e meant that the Viscountess 7b4d911583 had devoted an extraordinary 79402066ad amount of effort and, b550aed4ac at the same time, a06b523afb that Evelyn had likely 1decae84d6 recognized and accepted her 6b11222581 mother’s sincerity.0919431f6323121a

“I wouldn’t 621cdcaaff presume to ff24c5c8ca say that a770464de6 Evelyn completely 9872b1eda3 understands your 2cf5f87c97 feelings, Madame, 1bd240841c but I de3d20bdb5 don’t think e449ca6d37 she would 3ba6975d4e want you 6137d8f857 to grieve 72f7c31a81 over it. What matters most e6ba65e167 is that she 8a5a6ea258 feels at ease c5a43d040d right now.”7b57bfa87e9e2e39

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She was a 7ab3d691f8 kind-hearted child—one who, 3eb3178db7 despite her fear eb1388edab of strangers, had 83a6a8dd44 struggled to comfort 579f77c151 her mother when a794165317 she sensed her ec3c8ae36a sadness. Surely, she wouldn’t 00e266f337 want the Viscountess 74184f61d8 to carry any 870c56c6a5 guilt.30b8333e7e9b3279

“I always find solace 97e0875275 in your words, Duchess. Though you are 500d770938 younger than me, 1e4d895b38 I feel there 33ac409c11 is much I fe601b8efd can learn from c75b72dd7b you.”0ae9a414234ec36d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Oh my, I had 5febd210d6 assumed we were of 688913ba58 the same age!”80b980d2c09b866d

“In that case, perhaps a8264f2272 you should be the ab5a5be870 one managing the business 3a0e722551 instead of me.”89a20fb806d2829c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

With her 30ea34a269 playful remark, 240ac7b5b6 the subdued 2b82658ccb atmosphere lightened 84b7e70824 once more. The conversation drifted into 9dfac1afa4 casual, lighthearted chatter, and 2e32a4f5ca as it neared its 5f9071c141 end, the Viscountess hesitated 5f308a3b63 before carefully steering the 0354101412 discussion toward a new bcf039b183 subject.f49e532e33a10c66

“In truth, the reason cce62ecf0f I invited you here 5c3c8d3e44 today is not because fc662b362d of Evelyn.”84f24cfb648f616b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Caught off guard f7b89dfaf6 by the unexpected 4b6aca136a admission, Edith blinked a559cf8f2c in surprise but 5f8a0cf1b7 decided to listen f4f0f31de4 first.66d57e7d929be099

“Then may I a2d3d71a65 ask what the b423a1fb57 reason is?”7a3c1cee46e2cf88

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I must apologize to cd2995c37c you, but I once 7dab53d02e spoke of you to eaade2ef0c someone I am quite 8d1381e943 close to. They, too, have 2c90cff11b been struggling with 481336c5a8 concerns regarding their 642290f638 child.”56c28ef8ad1bb776

Ah, so that’s what 9f43710ff7 this was.c0662575f31c688b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Edith immediately 280e2fa071 understood where 5a8e70408a this was 37ae2df7c8 going. To put 85d9379317 it simply, 87f8c1573d it was fc42945ddd a referral, 3a4a4101be like those 08defe9011 kindhearted individuals 5c88b9f685 who, upon 7c9f3e0f44 finding a dcb2f8da23 good counseling 282c549049 center or 6a7b4382c7 teacher, spread 7a4f4b6c7c the word 711909b33d among their c77a7abdfb acquaintances.3fa5c2af1a5480cf

“And upon hearing about c58bad085e you, they expressed a 0bc6513479 strong desire to meet a4176f2bcb you.”b21c6abe5dc8ff52

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Much like 9826738200 the Viscountess 038c86c60d herself had 91a1065b0d done!3ddce708bbd358fc