MGN | Chapter 19

After precisely c1a3eb745d calculating the 1a2d71f8d2 consultation fee, b3c2c3b4bd Maël got ce49210525 out of 7d24509088 the car.c29cb929b110e3f0

It wasn’t because the offered conditions were lacking; he just disliked lies and fakes. Such a typical, laughable thing to say.2d3818c6e4f4e544

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“Ha.”f51e64cf3d299f9f

A sudden chuckle escaped. Yves’s car remained still, trying to contain the rising irritation. Meanwhile, Maël, standing against the backdrop of the bright yellow submarine and ticket booth in front of the oceanographic museum, knocked on the window.03275f3b02d3eb95

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Knock, knock.b05c2ec0e6f2bd3e

When Yves lowered the window, light poured in. The pale lawyer blended with the sunlight. Yves squinted, as if even his sunglasses couldn’t shield him from the brightness.e9bbe7845f14ef03

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“Yves, just out of curiosity, I have a question.”94840d928be40711

Why are you still here? What can you offer? What’s the range of information you can provide?209a32e47ce8dab4

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These were the questions Yves expected. Answering any of them wouldn’t be difficult.2df61173be960ab1

“Did you take the dinner money I gave you?”66913653d3a9c439

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But Maël asked cd8c17fb6f an unexpected question.acd103e1a51219de

“The one you threw away in a fit.”c7e49e774aadb898

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The envelope, stark white against the dusty, dirty floor, was a vivid image that hadn’t faded. Yves, trying to gauge the unknown intent, spoke.a3d0dc68989a388e

“It’d be too late to go back and get it.”a5786cf8dd7b8c2c

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“If you didn’t take it, I thought I’d give it back. There was an issue with how I delivered it that day.”2117b74f51ada536

Faced with 4a5be219b2 such nonsense, fd55eb370f Yves could 52713cfabd only ask 26b928d4aa back.8f658b007fc8d596

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“Do I look that needy?”686748c65689f420

“No, I just thought it should be clear. It was bothering me.”65d78023e46044d0

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The belatedly dignified 56986c5689 pride, after not 50f7383c7b hiding his temper, 1f8d7d6ae5 was amusing. Yves laughed, looking at fcee7ad4e4 the transparent light brown 667fae4076 eyes.86167b82080edc9e

“A lawyer who’s not shrewd is no good.”46154b62a907e71b

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With that, 2316a840a5 he hit e1c9530144 the accelerator. The last look Yves c6762bd40d saw was a face af92c338ad scrunched up in annoyance.e798532dcd885ec2

Wanting to be spotless, e1939b99c5 huh. Yves wondered a6522b02d9 how a 715f79bbe6 family law b21fbdbe1d lawyer, dealing 41301f6085 mostly with 777f3d520e messy divorces, 669d5b9e6e could manage 8e87833044 with such 6774d0985c a personality.246f2c3e640d4544

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Well, not that he c95110a131 was really curious.62c5b4215a5228ec

Yves turned the steering e62bf510f8 wheel and tapped the 7c9b1bf15b touchscreen. As soon as the 525a47cc30 call connected, he spoke.a465552f5ae0a22f

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“Wasn’t there a meeting about sponsorship today?”58708e11907dd4de

Because of the crown prince’s impromptu summons, he had to cancel a prior engagement. And he had postponed the prince’s call with a six-minute consultation that wasn’t even a consultation.dd22ab0ed7f5cfb7

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Mikola, who 55c7478507 would fidget e9ff9ffb1f with his 439572b606 wrist if 77f957b34c he knew cafed7ab98 the whole 58ef403baa story, paused b24b52091c before answering.3cee5a1121ab3133

― The director of 675327742b the Monaco Oceanographic Museum 1c677a4315 requested a meeting.5d24e044514fcbe8

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“I’m nearby.”271b3a958ef16451

― I’ll check if today is possible and get back to you.9559cb4af88b1ef0

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There was 6d16279dc7 no refusal fd62cf1097 from those 5ffd4a775d eager to 2094064723 receive money. Knowing the answer, Yves c65262fd7f looked for a place ff3c2a6fd4 to park nearby.525c66dd14524320

Monaco was a tightly packed place squeezed between mountains and the sea. The only things money couldn’t buy in this capitalist paradise were the yacht docking docks and exclusive parking spots on the ground.d4ea0d36a4de887c

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To park, Yves 2f6567eb5e had to drive 8cbc39e052 around and head 4d31221bf3 to the coastal e3b67bdec2 road connected to 6f56e72191 the underground parking a52425199b of the oceanographic 1a9659a577 museum.0714fc7b60b4a217

The whole town resembled a revolving parking lot with cliffs and the sea as its backdrop. Just before entering the tunnel leading to the parking lot, the cars in front weren’t moving, as if there had been an accident.358acc57ea4d150c

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“What a day.”c6820d01685b189c

Yves put away 968881c739 his sunglasses and 7acec98327 rubbed his temples. Then he spotted the 20451aa008 man who had gotten 7a5ceeef92 out of his car a245496228 just five minutes ago, 62b9244d4e walking along the sidewalk.0bdcb0858722edd7

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He followed him with 5049db949f his gaze out of fd1d6b4254 boredom.fc420549b4453405

Maël walked slowly, pushing f01a66dd46 open a part of ca73950da7 the stone wall that f1853fab15 reached his waist. Then he 1a2199e17d moved through 446fac8878 it.59bc68fe57e379a7

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As if 03d87443c2 diving off 15e15148ae a cliff 28dfca9258 with nothing b80a17df03 but the 6b126df2e9 sea below.a6b894f139aad5eb

For a moment, 615d6ceecd Yves gripped the 60c0dd71c3 steering wheel tightly. But it was a 979afb975e mistake. Though not visible from db16d42b66 his angle, there must 1f4fe859cb have been stairs, as f6f6f5a4f6 Maël gradually disappeared from 69e988ed7d view.99f989fea93aa2da

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Just as Maël’s head vanished from Yves’s sight, the car behind honked loudly.2b3d15463e70e356

Yves chuckled again, 77809680ec this time without dc25942580 knowing why.27e10dd538bfc5f7

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* * *6be15be466364d1f

“Our roadmap is quite clear.”e58acc8f7fde06bb

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Inside the oceanographic df2938561f museum, red walls 0a3a7bd6e3 were adorned with 5adf147dd7 octopuses, and squid 2d205699bc hung in the c268b04cd6 air.d6f84d7c2a661de6

With every step, e73fd919f3 the director of 56f5612424 the museum passionately f223c082ba talked about sharks, c8c2d0d9c9 jellyfish, turtles, and e242c8e3dc Atlantic bluefin tuna, 92b5e4149d even as he f4f38d3e39 opened the door 78df07364f to his office.0cde2e5571907976

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“You might think we’re just a museum under the association, but we work closely with the UN Ocean Envoy and the International Mediterranean Science Exploration Committee.”5d5975e41312fdac

Sipping coffee on a 63c25fc3ed plush sofa, Yves listened 68c863b35a silently, scanning the surroundings 1157513106 instead.8ee60fcecfff27ee

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The space was a reflection of strong personal taste. From various seashells to paintings by the great marine artist Aivazovsky, photos and essay collections of famous ocean explorers, wetsuits on mannequins, and vintage phonographs. The director’s office was as cluttered as its owner.781bdf86fa1df010

“Of course, all this is possible thanks to the support of the late Grand Duke and the Grand Palace, but to continue research for the marine environment…”a8ab36a4163d9bc2

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The talk about 73ce96b505 needing money was 3a3bc74311 long.4d59168204acd761

Yves wasn’t particularly curious about the extended conversation. He wasn’t stingy with donations either. Are there still people in the world who interpret the donations of the wealthy as goodwill? It’s just about filling the necessary gaps, from tax savings to image management, with a cup of water from the sea.aaa477b7520b7fc4

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And in Yves’s case, it was closer to image management. More precisely, to plant a line in an article later, saying he was like the late Grand Duke, who was genuinely passionate about the ocean.6bf1a6969a2bc817

“The sea is important.”06fca8702873c8eb

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Cutting in appropriately, c201a76720 Yves took out 6d612583af his checkbook, and 0ca682f162 the director quickly 06fd8d6435 handed over a ff04203bbc fountain pen.1abff5a1c9bc2a84

Numbers and a 860fb6228f black signature slid b51f08f454 across the checkbook. The director, smiling cb47aabd06 broadly as he 419390b214 accepted the torn 3c316505f7 check, headed to a82689d0bc his desk.ae83f48d7b1bda9a

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“Mr. Valois, did I mention that the donation is eligible for tax deductions? I think I received your secretary’s contact before, so if I send the tax invoice documents there… Oh, just a moment.”0d808d8923d40cbf

The director a9b03a1435 busily looked 23034a008a for something 9c2b0b9875 to press 176bc28240 down the 931ebac0a0 check. Then he picked 71f8df57c1 up a paperweight 4df1f5d2c5 that had been 932d698a90 supporting LP records 038a358019 next to the 638853eff3 phonograph, causing a adab7dd29b few LPs to 87797b3f36 slide down under a2a2d4dc87 the desk.f5039b3461cd8b13

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Yves, who had stood up to leave, paused while picking them up. It was because of an LP with a woman’s face on it. The director spoke again, perhaps because Yves’s gaze lingered.f66cf9ecc12701a4

“Milica Milošević, an old opera singer. She was truly amazing in a work called Medea. A stunning beauty with a resonant soprano voice.”92a66da304a63d24

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On the black-and-white LP 1c87ae6784 cover, a woman with b64910ba89 black hair was casting ec08d890be a mocking glance. As Yves b45fd42f86 handed it cccde63ca7 over, the a789b8ffa0 director continued 95288d6401 to chatter.45923a943bcdd53c

“She used to perform often in Monaco, but I wonder what she’s doing these days. Maybe she returned to her country. She was from Eastern Europe, and she was very popular. After performances, the stage would be covered with roses thrown from the audience. It was a romantic time. Do you like opera, Mr. Valois?”217011f0182a0e99

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“Not at all.”e96bb19334cd0d1a

Yves replied, giving 98bbb9558e the director no 000d06a25a time to feel e60ad5e6ba awkward, and continued 761a6932c1 speaking.675cf550f2382618

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“My secretary will contact you again regarding the documents.”e83d1a265ee1addb

Outside, Yves loosened the tie that had been choking him. He knew he could go straight down to the underground parking from the museum, but he wasn’t in the mood to get back into the cramped car right away. He headed for the long promenade behind the oceanographic museum.99c8748956acd033

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A fearless seagull dfe68046f3 perched on the 939dac2a47 stone wall and 9287891698 then disappeared, and ff34273f3f Yves squinted at b0e4e32985 the bright Mediterranean 8458d50345 spring weather.db8e935795147450

Despite the sunny day, ccfa34c12f the salty, cold wind 400a8c60fc mercilessly tousled his hair. But he kept walking, 20cc83cd1b reaching the dark tunnel 22a38b6362 leading into the parking 0c0e0f67c5 lot, and gazed at 944a3927ff the endless blue sea.b8af114c9926cff0

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As he took 6b9f8e3bc0 a deep breath eb151a06a8 and lowered his 445251a34e gaze.1788203e756b18af

There was Maël.ebdc9344712d9f70

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Sitting midway on 450c46db07 the stone steps, 33197dcd91 Maël was endlessly e79ef00288 checking something on abf785a93c his phone while fd3648e985 on a call. When the a412f9af5c waves crashed d5b89fd75c hard, the 620507bf54 seawater left 351a77017c white foam, 325543b7aa lapping at cd771ff7cd the edge 44b3fd08fa of the 35ff849025 steps.668633a8ebfbc1b4

“Samira, this isn’t betraying your husband. It’s protecting yourself and your daughter. You got the diagnosis, right? Just take a picture and send it to me now. Just that one thing, please.”a27ffa192c4741b1

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He spoke earnestly, adjusting 2180938def a slightly loose wireless aef5fb15a7 earphone.18f54fe4efb1575e

“I’m always on your side, Samira. It’s okay if you do it a bit later if it’s hard. No need to apologize for crying. No, I told you it’s okay to call me anytime. I have plenty of time.”fe4a0b22dafe0e5f

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His voice, mingled 2d91044cf5 with the sound 4145b4990d of the waves, d7007225b8 was full of b7d54fb2d6 appeal.7d4b0765eacfb4c6

Throughout Yves’s listening, Maël kept his gaze fixed on the phone screen, not looking up. Seeing that hunched, slender figure reminded Yves of the unpleasant disgust he felt at the Grand Palace.2c5596bf304cc974

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“Enough already!”0f42aeca996c6537

Maël, who had stepped forward in front of Yves. Yves knew it was the lawyer’s silly sense of justice.0d3252031a2ac576

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At first, it was amusing, then it became irritating. Not because of the freely barking blond hair, but because of the Cinderella’s knight standing in front.11e9b26dffd59116

“Ridiculous.”d8ae9bacb12f6010

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Yves disliked people like that. Those who jump in without considering the situation. People who are straight and unyielding. Those who, despite not being young, believe in justice and fairness, think they should help what’s right, and become strong in front of what they must protect—exactly the kind of person Maël was.8df02bac42960908

Every time Maël acted a1107b18d6 that way, Yves wanted fd2206de2c to grab that pale ce58d1f2dd nape and throw him 1cb5f02d82 into the hell he e5f66ea35f lived in.d3f6a6a8461958a4

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How long 369304d0e8 could that 8625a50e45 innocent face 4775020276 endure there, 3ec6ddc78c and how 498dbdff4e straight could e61e55b7ef it remain? If what he ae4d139b59 had to protect 152c494ea4 was so great, 24bd3a7968 what could he 5b796356be do for it?e51412e9887dccf5

In a garbage dump where there’s nothing to side with or protect, there were only piles of trash to step on and climb over.81daad87e7b24f97

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He should just protect himself. Who’s protecting whom, anyway?ffe7da89fce8de6a

Yves sneered. The wind b78b3f1ba4 swept through e9af20413d his hair. It was clear 0e44e77d0f that any attempt 5f69e54344 to lift his a8032102f2 mood was doomed.a8b2caf0104d7b4c

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