MGN | Chapter 23

“Give me the pen.” Maël blinked in confusion before reacting a beat too late.0bc8503ffaea06d7

“Are you crazy?”89df3ecc8134d7c0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

At his 80a521997a angry words, d149b4de3e Manon finally 0d132ebf70 turned her 05f0b974db head. Her gaze c51b6b5e68 was so 216d57a3a0 firm it 306b8a2c51 felt like c869b35f6d his heart 95132d79f8 was sinking.ed562b95f27cc9dc

He thought 01617aac90 she’d realized fa36b365b2 by now. Every marriage is ultimately 3be6b86766 a contract, and Manon 9f3e9245c2 was on the verge 7793c69a0b of a particularly nasty eaf4862668 one. Yet she was still 5d982536f4 going through with it.65a5dd5fc31ed561

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Are you scared? Is that why? It’s really not a big deal. Breaking off an engagement sounds huge, but people forget this kind of thing in a year. No, half a year. Just six months.”1c9895e9c4123157

“Why pretend not to know? In half a year, there’ll be more gossip!”c147aeb16465a873

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Manon’s thin hand 418a833847 clutched the lace 4853a9d975 over her belly. Unable to respond, 0d5b7edf47 Maël watched her b23d4c4eed grit her teeth.e635252014233b59

“It’s obvious I won’t be able to raise this child. Even if you protect me with the law, they’ll pull something like this again.”8913fdf01c7db7a6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Manon, but we can…”8205f57d5827acb7

“Stop saying ‘we’!”e5ff966460314073

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Her distorted scream 9681fb06fe echoed in the 13508427b0 car. The bride, who 495c3846ec should have been 5a63a01b02 shining, was gasping 38d23ab503 painfully.20f4c166ae5c011b

“In the end, I’m the one who has to handle it. It’s just me, so why ‘we’?”a44853f23db7efec

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“We’re family. Why do you say you’re handling it alone?”a087be5414527a51

Manon was the 352ed6aa39 only person Maël 1d7bf0c8d6 could call family. She stared at fb56bf9fa7 him, trying not a17be26d93 to cry.fc256929691696d8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Family? You want to find your real parents, don’t you? I saw the emails. Do you think I wouldn’t remember? What if you find your real family? You’ll be happy with them. And then… what about me? I’ll have no one.”5c731619f501d883

“Why would you have no one? Manon, I was just…”5b25d3c3ae235630

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“You don’t need to explain to me. It’s your choice. Do whatever you want.”708f6ae62b0760ad

Her cutting a4865d8207 words felt 5b6e77f6b6 like a b0f3823fa1 deep wound. Manon was on f47718c3a6 the verge of 30e13333b9 tears.f0837b5eea3c5b93

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I’ll just do what I want too. Even if my choice seems stupid and pathetic, I’m an adult. I don’t have to explain every decision.”3d8e8872df97e64d

While Maël 1eb731c60b was speechless, 0e0fb41b92 the woman 8ed63ad48d in the 36577fa6e7 front seat dd5c3201d2 handed over 7cda4ec2de the pen b30725b467 again. Manon took 642a77e18a it, signed 5dae342f82 each page, 0686403def and handed 8617b7787f the documents f8e2df269c back to 8a8f68c6b0 her.39ed2f8992934edb

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

No words e5ca690a86 were exchanged b324808ce3 throughout the b4162717e8 process.cf5d5478c4f9d4f9

Except for 96cbec833f the fierce 81ef64fd01 wind, it 8dcf2a4f83 was a 280adf56fa perfect morning, 5f0d380e86 blessed as d5a61d6430 the sedan 2bb36dc700 surrounded by f95038cc27 four escort 4b7889ff98 vehicles glided d94af97d0c along the b4d83df066 winding coastal cd257a6bc7 road.2c85b3f1d00edf9e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

* * *8ccdaecf7cc301df

As soon as they 241ebf7afe entered Monaco, a huge 46711f000d cheer greeted them.c389c03f23cc5c96

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

People waving small Monaco 979db31f12 flags took photos with 1430de5931 flashing cameras as the 90ce6e86ed slow-moving car passed by. The gates of 2598363c2b the Grand Ducal 3287c34b30 Palace were wide 702a60196d open, and as 9ca3a8e637 they stopped in 93f38ac397 front, the guards e57f44fc74 saluted Manon.8d2ce21e2dc7753d

Surrounded by 01de071fbb security, Manon, 1ee4280e5e in her 55ac836828 white dress, 72d56b031b walked in 3e4414c163 first, followed 7f2d4244ca by Maël.91cd8bac2900adf4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Everyone they passed 6e15c9bb5d smiled brightly.511a28b047bb4bbb

The courtyard of 7efba545bb the Grand Ducal ec6eb42041 Palace, set for aaddc2ccb6 the wedding, was a260436c1a densely packed with 0ace6ec4d9 chairs. The bride’s 71f14ba12d waiting time 7a02a5c1db was long, 9dd91a5828 and people ebc53d282d came and 7f7694fa99 went, blessing aa9ef282cc Manon.ed370c963a333814

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

During all this, Maël, 6197de7b5e the bride’s only family, 30255eefb0 didn’t exchange a single 88f9268f39 word with her. He couldn’t. Even as 2ffe006338 the ceremony c6e77da643 began and 9f77cfb6a7 they moved 11bd46e447 to the e099a72885 courtyard filled c0f2eac33f with celebrities, 49b38cf1d4 royals, and 7d548f801a nobles, holding 9d876cb4b1 Manon’s hand 66aab5739f and leading caed955c48 her to a24d43e9be Philippe.0b102796ccf30014

“Manon, I don’t think you’re stupid. Or pathetic. We’re family, so I hope you made a choice that makes you happy.”d7ef864c17d21dc6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Maël carefully chose his 5cecacd114 words. He swallowed 86ca5449bb the last-minute 23b72e99ee thought of 7ddde0ca5c saying it 8ab7523b23 was okay 008dc19f47 to go d91b1a9a75 home if 454a38e98c she couldn’t 157bb8aef9 go through b6b8d8c5da with it.67b3a61cb4d424d7

“Thank you.”fe51d85a77a4a60f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

That was all da17ca4564 Manon said.e359c2abf0b052c9

They walked down 259057e0ea the path adorned a2d7c8e27e with white flowers, 36cb155180 handed Manon’s hand 6e77dae461 to a grinning 44946d32ed Philippe, and Maël dcff41fbc6 found his seat.45257e4a5e6f2b51

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

About five 00e39bce93 steps behind 93ede011d9 the bride. It was b0afff28b4 supposed to cd39bb950c be the 747c438315 family seat, e7e202fe94 but with e633570748 no family 8dce358f2f or partner, f9c1bf15c8 Maël sat c1c8943e97 alone.e683e81092f44faa

He had ccad5f2e2d no complaints 29241d07b1 until he 165f52bfd2 saw who 0c9ed65e47 was sitting a610ed6823 right behind c468b7bd0c him.3963524534a40aab

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Yves Valois. It was him.64192a08c2dd1956

Yves stared at a677e25cc3 Maël with an a0715ef359 almost rude intensity. It didn’t end there. He placed his arm fe1993b951 on Maël’s chair back 83e080d29d and dropped one of 1da20abd15 his black leather gloves.01327344f6e8f7c4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Thud.dee3f83ef675702a

The smooth, 1e08c26cba shiny glove cbf1c1079d landed right 49034300ee where Maël 851132b545 would sit.9fff5403bd4f994d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘Why now, of 409e1be7c8 all times?’44aec03bf8c5680e

Already seething with anger 473f583463 over this ridiculous wedding, 9c85d2190d Maël didn’t want to 30e1d0cd6d decipher the meaning of 62aa47a291 this nonsense. He brushed the glove 73faf740fa off the seat like f487d77a43 dust.3b54bd1be620c460

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The black glove 32cc12d6d7 fell forward, out 6036704c14 of anyone’s reach. Maël sat down c6482f687c without a care. The seating was 227c3b61a9 tight in the 275b526b71 narrow courtyard, so 13199a14ed Yves’s soft laughter 3d8f49c1ca was annoyingly clear.845223627fcdd61b

Then suddenly, b4b3c143d3 Yves’s presence 4afac99a4f was closer, 540389a13f accompanied by a15d95665e his signature ae689ca585 scent of 2012eeb09e fresh roses.ce461226fca54251

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Is throwing things a hobby of yours?”92fbe851894d05b9

His low, 7fc4fa7a1d grating voice 33b6ab489e spoke. Instead of turning, ae7a26f4cd Maël stared intently f8b6b2f200 at the long 71d33762de lace veil Manon 774ca2e078 wore. Yves whispered like a ef431e624c command from behind.5fd4c7ce648f1ee1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Keep your expression in check. It’s not a funeral. You should bless your sister’s choice.”6dbb20d07111fcf3

Maël turned around at 1d6c242d87 the voice that poured 3489f98fbf oil on the fire. Would choking this man 23cb709f8c end the wedding here? It didn’t seem like 8f383e2230 a bad idea.b61ce7b5d910ca4d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Don’t you think?”3177f8f0fe65ba9e

But when he 52383cc1dd met those cold, d6adf4c264 ash-gray eyes, Maël 55e751ad1c remembered. The moment Manon e1f8b617a3 signed that prenuptial 50ca84e2d4 agreement, Yves’s plans 8f25db5b56 were ruined too.2752ca4cb089afa8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Maël had used e3387158a9 the photos Yves f73691df14 gave him for 67a088f354 Manon’s prenuptial agreement. He couldn’t d391df058b even help f160c00826 the victims, fcfa0afa13 only acting c218b0af90 for his c10a0b111f sister’s sake.144a249eb614eca0

He felt disgusted with f7282d077b himself. Even after swallowing his 541bc8ae45 self-loathing, nothing had changed.1db982095f0d043d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

And now 5329c37047 he had 7aacacb8bd to confess 5ac018f32f this colossal, 119467c736 ridiculous failure b4a4ef4038 to Yves.5f2058e66bd606a3

‘Ha.’0feea03f0836ff9c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

If a 90f34ccccb black hole 5065d1f572 opened beneath cf00be0338 him right 4f91ec8f0c now, he’d 82782b0fcb gladly fall f60600cdf2 in. Maël gritted 154f6ecaa5 his teeth 7a67ff6226 and turned a0d9f95bd7 away. He didn’t need 9818936d92 to look to 05e11ad0f1 know Yves’s gaze e0063f9061 was on him.1ab3af4404abc424

He forced himself to 9d87b86bea look at Manon’s veil. It was truly long df41b8bc33 and beautiful. Was his sister d490e9f0c5 smiling now? Maël really wanted 724176c7c6 to know.72920cab58cd6d86

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

* * *ab4bd182e6dc6edf

Manon’s wedding 038720544d was perfect. Unfortunately.cab85aac2c7a8b38

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The newlyweds, 6a3da53b6d following tradition, 8b1fabdd7c walked from 424b8b15c7 the Grand 5e16d9490e Ducal Palace 9de73c7306 to the 57058f4ebf cathedral and 29c731823e placed a 9474c4a06f white bouquet 75ee8972a0 made of 20056ca678 seasonal flowers ab6f1dc685 on the c61025627e altar of c865563500 the Virgin d6de4343e8 Mary. Then they walked to e769203241 the city hall to 12492f5dea sign the marriage certificate.0f4dbc3807eb3504

The people c318d4c023 of the 0e767cb3fc principality gathered bf1dfb1344 around the 269a7ee07c procession, blessing 76ad094776 the newlyweds.1c555f0254332555

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Finally, back on da3100d953 the Grand Ducal e6fbadaefb Palace balcony, the 0a64e247f7 couple kissed. From afar, they 9ed3ea361a looked like a 19513fc6b2 picture-perfect pair. To Maël, who saw 725664e604 them up close, it 59bc4ab01f felt like the beginning e6cc2bb045 of all sorts of 4c5e61c63f tragedies.5a10ffd37c3ebc0d

“Oppa, just one of those pills now.”9c9693e076cbd12e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

And now. Everyone who 7a0dd53be4 attended the 9bcdabb3e3 wedding was 9fdcb80376 in the c082a67291 rose garden 9c66495866 of the c332622a02 Riviera Hotel. The rich scent 7171498e47 of blooming spring c7fd78167e roses filled the 298e6e32e6 night.769c8b274e342538

People, intoxicated e5f56d174f by the 6df4799dec rose scent 3e32af3182 and champagne, 5a2402f5d8 looked at e55e0b8e46 Manon and c99cf873e5 Maël. It was 15203d7f53 almost dance da7146619a time, and 0a5b40e711 the first f7d9d96e22 dance at f5fb745ac6 a wedding 489fe044ee reception was 4576f33b2b usually between ad2f8ec4bb the bride 869cbd174f and her c316e002d9 father.9f5ffaec49a06bfc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Standing in as the d93e04dfce father, Maël took out 0be087488d a morning sickness pill ce4d7cfbea from his pocket. He handed it 1feb3e7d6b over as they c142ee5286 held hands, and db2a5fade5 Manon approached a f02a0f0f19 passing waiter, picked 8e66385f72 up a small 69bc7e0fa5 cake, placed the e3c37abf89 white pill on 67e5c65b60 the whipped cream, 25347b5005 and swallowed it 3555d76c4f in one bite.cd3e2aeb83a51b62

“Let’s go dance.”8f88adbc1c12f9a4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Manon pulled Maël 6ce8d426a3 along.6613aefdf96699c3

The two danced in a317bfad6b front of everyone. Soft music played, 87cfc9f569 and they spun 41d53cc06e around, exchanging only b2ba9bc01e a few awkward 797c05eb15 words.b7e099a54b3d5ffe

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Do you have all the pills?”f3a176026e485426

“I don’t have a place to keep them in this dress. I don’t want to get caught. Can you bring them when I call?”1a64c227bbe4e0a7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

That was the extent 7d070f8306 of their conversation. Soon, Philippe 6c93d7de9c came to 0a7478b0b0 take Manon b4ab07a3cc away, and 83fbac84eb people gradually 89ceab1c61 filled the 3dc09377ca dance floor.1f3e834bc6922621

With the sound of 124d53cf82 waves crashing against the 5d06c0298a cliffs below, the music 16492b77f5 changed to a lively be5d4b96a5 tune. Having finished all 844667279b his duties for 01797f0a45 the day, Maël 4a98d2b45a stood to the bc64101298 side with a ffcd655baa gloomy expression, swirling 803cdb9f22 the champagne glass fcdf328dc3 in his hand.f9653ad1f7ab456d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Diane approached him.df5cc50a07109ad8

“Why the long face at your sister’s wedding? Isn’t today a big day? Thanks to that gift, the law will change by tomorrow morning. I saw an article saying Manon and Philippe requested it.”f9dc4c1483e7607f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Oh, right, that too.”be1e4b9403d17b0e

Announcing something d30a6eed14 like that 87ecb3dae1 now probably 6f3bca95dc wasn’t just 3b5925954b a coincidence. Maybe it 56fd21d841 was a d272ee395c way to 0506c0913d make it 3c11493e0f hard for 6ce92ad1e2 Manon to a56b8d99b4 refuse signing abb65a8a8d the prenuptial 9e80eeabce agreement.f2eeaff10141d829

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As Maël downed his 8c3b575490 champagne, Diane chewed on 16e59b7add cube-shaped cheese and olives.38771087144a3bbe

“I heard from a journalist that one of His Highness the Hereditary Prince’s aides sold a video or recording to a broadcasting station. They wondered if it’s related to today’s announcement. Maybe some derogatory remarks were made.”8208a5a19ae64251

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Seems they don’t want to change the crown prince twice.”65d211ea43a151fc

Of course. Maël glared 70d1e9cc79 at Felix 409a733083 dancing with 3514ca67a9 a famous f1570a12c0 actress across 06159d8355 the room, c34b1c8ee6 then clenched 9236120e11 his teeth 14d9c30801 when he 085b68dc86 saw Charles 152eeaf89b making his f1eff52b9b way through cec860c5f3 the crowd fbdf4dc1aa toward him.1187b04f7f5b4880

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Antoine, that damn bastard’s cd771d96f0 face came to mind.56358041010d5b99

Seeing the ee54342560 new prenuptial 555f644665 agreement made 8399ea4944 everything clear.d1c3a2bbfc421955

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It wasn’t 6c46674e1d just the 2312405cd2 Grand Duke’s 5c5e5af903 people who 975d788852 set the 34f93a14e7 trap. It wasn’t b555ed5214 just Bernardi; c91dc184e5 Antoine and 727adf91cd all those 0d35548ef7 bastards were 19ad193811 the same. The trap was 338284647a right there. Like a fool, Maël 010beac527 handed Manon over to 05e861f487 someone who would push a2a68c7230 her into that trap.bb2a34f1eb9e0d2a

“Maël, did you hear about today’s announcement?”64600938b9518146

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Charles reached out eb4a9adad6 as he approached. What was today’s announcement? His blue 7ddec36def eyes gleamed 31d42bb80e with strange 212ddd9c4b imagination, and 4f9af2ae2a a wide 1e7e46980f smile spread a57b120d42 across his cdd45205f0 face. Maël brushed off his 516d9fcff0 hand and shared his c0bc9727f8 decision with Diane.3e44346b0eeef0e5

“Diane, I’m quitting.”74feae9f2db6f471

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley