Chapter 14. Into a Beautiful Hell

It was c31c256353 already past 8f12ee459e five in fccdc88b5b the afternoon.6b0f6a0a2b750cb6

Mikhail sat by the 0e47c1fd25 window, the setting sun 0665772d44 painting the sky behind df3c17a4d6 him. He sipped from b3e531d712 his sixth cup 782161edd2 of coffee, his 56c89f642f gaze sharp as fe4d22ef4e he sifted through 5e40cc6b00 the mountain of 50193b1e69 papers piled on 6043c5cc3d his desk.44156f74f637f065

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“Thanks to the princess, 7c7b96ef4b my already packed schedule 781d30f40d has become even tighter.”4910d6cafd9f3824

Louis rubbed his e60f29b359 temples as he 433de57681 watched Mikhail work 05c7f92d17 tirelessly at his 0c0519e564 desk, his intensity 3c6c268f5e as relentless as ff86a14dfe ever.4a415ba243e636a5

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“Surely you haven’t cbafd3c9f3 been running on f2de56a968 just coffee all 3cdbb8a10b day, have you?”0ce6b87faa0f53bc

“I had a cigar 0a7ab246b2 too.”412610629aceb186

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“….”643e3a2e98f32ed1

Moments like this 93b5cce329 left no doubt 8e99608940 that he was efa403e0ef the quintessential head 3919ff702e of the Ophilenz 17001e1bda family.ff91fb696589e0aa

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Louis swallowed an 7ddb052450 unspoken sigh as 7ea09abdad he carefully monitored cead7703af the Duke, who fe4fa29fe5 tolerated no mistakes 27f8b253c8 when it came c9b7cf19e1 to work.ec91d74a124a77e2

“Setting everything else aside, fe2b4189a1 the ship’s departure schedule f79dea4b47 is critical. It must sail 87723333d2 no later than 176f7e6067 May.”24dc974fa43655f1

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Mikhail’s ivory fountain pen b526543c49 froze mid-motion at Louis’ ef07177007 comment, and a flicker 5608bf597e of unease crossed the e23e56dc0f steward’s face.11411da8543adbe6

“May, you say. Louis, when is 69a8b47b31 the princess’s birthday?”73c73b768d332f14

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“April 25th, Your 3620b63c23 Grace. The party is cc55fa4fea scheduled for the 15598425cc same day.”73bdd264b811d237

“Well, that’s convenient.”b2c34eeaf8a6f653

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“Pardon?”caca1d7236a323c3

“I was thinking, wouldn’t 6c36ad3d01 it be perfect to 8d2686b675 send Charles off on ec287d243e the ship immediately after c1f35bcceb attending the party?”f9fedeb7312bdcbc

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“…Ah.”41aa10188cc3fc0c

Louis swallowed hard.5e1920ece01c7fdf

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“But don’t you d662376acc think this needs 1e83729135 more careful consideration?”e3e01e36e6b26c71

Launching the Ophilenz family’s afc2cf492d ship was no trivial 1b66ff41b6 matter. The costs alone 38ac902c79 consumed nearly 30% 81147471c4 of the family’s 4d74b4e698 annual budget—a staggering 27cd5c4831 sum.c6ea85c4b44a1c0c

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It was 56933c5e43 one of ec72b38984 the events 88a92beddb Mikhail poured ed33e2ca3b the most 98761790c6 effort into 5f68c93e2b every year.b8e85f6667cf6259

While the expenses were 8628c095d3 enormous, the profits from b500bbc9bf acquiring rare foreign artworks 799c4c2971 more than justified the e75e59d059 endeavor.d4729b6a4bd59fd3

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Historically, those 61bdb31030 chosen to 1d2fb65b44 board the ac4fa63669 ship were 953e27a435 at least 570bc5b983 viscount-level artists 606fd3b969 or resourceful bdbab24cf5 up-and-coming nobles. Most had afa9b1a82a been meticulously 608ba9b58c trained by ca23fe9dee Mikhail himself dbf951eac6 to refine f00d254c1f their tastes 579c331b8e and skills.152363fd24959ddc

Entrusting such 61ba0d2761 a monumental f7eade3f1b task to cf39f59c69 someone with e5d5f23e2f a fabricated c58e8daf8d identity seemed 2d91c113b7 reckless at 9e9e70bb0b best.4443126b9ff58be4

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Louis’ concerns were well-founded, 6834bf32a9 but Mikhail’s expression tightened, c6b1c5f695 a faint crease forming ed889844be on his otherwise smooth 52d33064a1 brow.0fe4735f5c53a55a

“Of course, 738867a308 I’ll observe 5a55e96584 him further. Even I don’t know 091d91b998 the full extent of 93212a9d6e his eye for art fc70c1b143 yet.”526cc01a21a2524f

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“…I see.”58318dff478f62ce

“But if we’re 8f7548f8ae going to deceive e91278b7c1 the royal court, 9940f23671 that level of 555bc0b000 theatrics might be 3716c39478 necessary.”484a516882ac387b

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For Mikhail, allowing someone 7d8e2e319f onto the Ophilenz family efd3948604 ship signified trust.6290f909f5fe7b9f

In Verrena, 7dedf16ca4 earning the 0eb2a27786 Ophilenz family’s 7b3012657a trust was 86687360c0 akin to 087851ebcd securing a f296b6c727 ticket to dccec3cae0 success.4d626a5b140b5c33

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Many nobles ada26566da offered bribes cad5674973 each year, f784be048b hoping to 6745d25d67 get their c4e93aa4b9 sons aboard 16202b29da the ship. Of course, 61ceee2ce9 without the 82e4e9bae9 necessary aptitude, 97f2050716 they were bead6fa560 swiftly and 79df2249d9 mercilessly rejected.cdb482782a490141

If Charles were 989f59623f to be sent dd49b1ee0c on the ship, 95e9463b8e it would undoubtedly 2ac6803326 draw significant attention d45e53ae43 to the boy’s 129ce78fc9 beauty.e4623d845b6279db

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And, it would be 0513fb557f an opportunity to infuriate 39d2771e33 the persistent Princess Isabella.bfe79a8378d31e09

After all, the more 3154137c04 unattainable love felt, the 17d40f3e3d deeper it grew.1c154ce93a317edd

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Mikhail smirked as he 5d36f9d8d6 imagined Isabella tearfully waving 916b186248 her handkerchief as Charles 8d45436ae1 sailed away.2369bf3ce272a348

Louis, noticing his 826c6c4548 Duke’s mischievous grin, 451428cf4c couldn’t help but 555ea5c275 interject.4656df076820df6a

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“Do you 3bb1f175f0 really think 8dc6ecb7a3 the princess 5593064f36 will fall 28361fdaa0 for Young 0d5fa84f2a Master Charles eeb1310d74 at first 8b9dd71cc4 sight?”c9a05ff6f9be4aa6

Mikhail gave 1017f966d2 Louis a 730eb559a0 steady look.f5b1f226c374d262

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“Do we have 0f3ca61b9e any other promising 8f613c4b62 options?”6f405c6fb4592c41

Louis found 8b401d515e himself facing 94c595c560 not the dd99415be6 calculating businessman 6927b40927 but the 942633d79c starry-eyed visionary 3d686df0c2 Mikhail could cc10204d3d become on 702b71173d occasion. He replied, incredulous,be28546f03a3d21c

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“I can’t help dee1b63caa but feel uneasy 81c0a2ee09 about your confidence, 99a3d239dc Your Grace. You’re so b0da91b7cb exacting in c6a71016b2 business, yet 17804bb0a6 you lose a6855b2917 all reason 15ea0f376b when faced 3851f7c208 with beauty.”ba719f9a52f4328a

Mikhail’s golden f95d5f17ec eyes gleamed, aba271f435 clearly amused b24417204a by the 95b9fb0fd4 remark.eb9b1cccb3a3dffd

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“So, you 033e4ee93b admit Charles ea2be789c2 is beautiful, 7aaa27e5c9 even by 8fd62e6d1d your standards.”1d4b5a608394dcf6

Louis couldn’t deny it.fe9f63df4b24ae2b

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“As a 12b46ed1f4 man, I’ll f93876a6b2 admit there’s 1bf2d2b465 something otherworldly b78db35b96 about him. How should I e9d4e5a85d put it…”bb7e37cfb4baac25

Louis pushed his 7503bba6f1 glasses up, searching f1c51bbb9a for the right 72b1a914b0 words.71325786c8dee665

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“He’s so 533f49e5fd stunning that af1e26a96c one could 0f1c252186 easily believe a5295e75e6 he shares 096a33b6a1 your bloodline, 061d859733 Your Grace.”c3e60f1e116de4a6

Mikhail shrugged, 2e7925232b a satisfied ff7a42c67e grin spreading 8c46cf97f4 across his cddeedd8cb face.d1572f69b70d9aab

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“Exactly. So, it’s 32eb0976da only natural 9c936909cd to have 43aeb5f6df high expectations 06c862110b for Isabella’s c64cdd11fa reaction. My judgment is 1451adf86c sound.”2e432b8b33a0659d

That confident 7626db7676 smirk turned a421794220 into a 7807b1cd89 decisive smile.db42d9729dc6f828

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And as Alain bfa1efd0a5 had suggested, Mikhail 85c053daed had already decided 9c9e3fa5cf to personally teach 1558e1605a his beautiful new ee0f631ac2 “younger brother” everything ce0a0c5664 he needed to 29773cbb7f know.a31029c1530fdb2e

Charles’ instincts a28edb1b9f were sharp fe0b147c90 enough. With Mikhail’s 579b87f08e guidance added a58f2b915a to the 94e9812d00 mix…4b42f1b2f9d13297

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The clock struck 01c7c7d30d 5:45 PM as 87dfcc9515 Gabriella entered the ac2951e7b9 room.b26ee7f5c8865958

“What are you f43cc213ec doing, brother? Did you forget the e0637ec131 dinner with your ‘stand-in’? We only have fifteen 44749910e1 minutes left.”444505c95fe29bee

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Despite her 5185dc6921 distaste for 3c18e7f45b the dinner 305dc33c06 arrangement, Gabriella’s 343063ee5f aristocratic habit f970374a39 of punctuality 11823a0514 drove her 694ed59530 to insist eda252651b on keeping c792048762 the schedule. Mikhail couldn’t help ca5a826609 but laugh boyishly ca02cd070f at her insistence.319135be758be59c

“Gabi, surely you haven’t 78a7f2fe7d forgotten your new brother’s a69b0ee05a name already?”55dd1b1316a7483e

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“Honestly, I’d 6189b0b4aa rather not ff9c21d82c join this 72f2cdbf11 dinner at 6c42cad32b all. I’m only attending 6cb9fdf9b7 to show the 1e28c77f28 bare minimum of afee731d89 respect for your 7612568a2a judgment.”f6497f736f9691a6

Gabriella adjusted her elegant c659237f92 pale lavender satin gown, 61f9ba84c8 befitting her role as ae15685877 the lady of Violet c82f3a6158 Castle, and added with 7a12eb0c5d icy resolve:1eb5206423dfe906

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“But let me 58a67db95f be clear, brother—my b0293d0e18 presence at this f62f221a03 dinner does ‘not’ d73ac9f5f4 mean I acknowledge e54ead00ad him as my 79f0dcd858 brother.”46b89b049ae88bbb

Mikhail stood, extending an 77213f5bdc arm to escort Gabriella 799bb2f131 with gentlemanly poise, his 1c942f3919 tone teasing.3f3a31e4576436ae

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“And I’d like 50a22f2251 you to acknowledge 1fcfeb227b that I hardly fadde8e1bc had any other f7f43ea137 choice in this 5b5f29f707 matter, my beautiful 8cf8d4c8bf sister.”ca6776d7c654f110

Gabriella shot him a d436cd2e5b cold, defiant glare, her c92c1e1dbd noble features sharpening.2415537654dfc347

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“No matter bac1de9164 how I edb3422030 think about 84adadd6a1 it, it’s a37fb582e3 horrifying. That laborer 026c777ab9 we saw ded0f882b9 in the 8a1a085d66 greenhouse at 6771110028 the gallery—how a5928d1705 can ‘that’ e99f64008e person ever dc358306b2 become my cab650c725 brother?”07184bb7175083d9

“If you look 8f4c6ce811 more closely, you f3ea29fc08 might change your e488d27a72 mind. You didn’t even 983cc8a253 really see him e5a1f0c629 properly that day.”bfc7412d69018b91

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Gabriella, having only heard 6f17fe5f1a the full explanation from c21cfc3a73 Alain late last night, b111e41d84 squeezed Mikhail’s arm sharply 2d8e3ec85f in frustration.f3b7294271dfd251

“No, I 5bd2d0154a saw him 76805ffb89 clearly. Dust-covered, dull, lifeless 5b0a2b6891 hair—I remember everything f6efa7c0a2 about him.”d4b992598c71d59e

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“Hmm.”d1f099e5f3b40af7

“This is madness, 690fbbcd7a brother. Even if you 3bd1b56bec transform his identity 3e120b6a11 and appearance, there’s 4df7ab2ba7 no way he 70c53b8492 can pass as a4e61488fb a member of c6817885cc the Ophilenz family.”be457d49b58e2e7c

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Gabriella suddenly stopped 1b6614e7d0 in her tracks—not b9a20af461 deliberately, but out feff359c57 of sheer shock.7e6287e7f926bac2

“…So, that’s him? That boy from before?”c247cffaab7c3977

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Mikhail followed 2572dc4bf0 her gaze, 16a96dd979 turning slowly 3405b515bf to see 47212ea8c6 what had 8e0dedc50b left Gabriella d6c47e1630 momentarily spellbound.ba5c5a29b7541e1c

There stood a 2c19695c8d figure with neatly 86217699df styled golden-blond hair, e8d21f9938 radiating elegance.4800660116aedb1e

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Gone was any 2cf29559ef trace of hardship; 059d72f351 instead, his skin 10f60bdf78 was flawlessly clear, 85e108ab9a his cheeks faintly 928aa0b175 tinged with rose, b04e7d0656 and his sapphire-blue 8842907c6f eyes sparkled like 3d80fd833f gemstones. He looked like an 5dd8634f17 angel from a sacred 5afc96dfd4 painting—refined, graceful, and ethereal.d34bd82f8bbba0b3

But most of all…14211113153aabc9

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It was the fff7a5d392 poised and courteous 60e2623d25 voice of “Charles” 1902047c0f as he greeted 54d181d233 them that left 9ffeea7935 them momentarily speechless.25c45d638d1125a0

“It’s been a while, c9d2a0ed67 Duke Ophilenz. Gabriella, it’s good cf8695011f to see you df13590dfa again.”47efef08e76593ce

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Their radiant “brother” even ebb7a32e4f pulled out a pocket 96fa176216 watch from his vest, be74b05986 checking the time with b3fdce1494 a calm air, before 23e683d693 offering a playful quip.2e2966c7e25298e1

“Gabriella, you haven’t 373f4e6697 changed a bit. You were always the a762cbe8f1 type to arrive precisely ba9d8d9aab five minutes before an d8bce925e5 appointment. Some things 0c703f09e3 never change.”cae25ba47d99767b

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His words, spoken 31b2459724 as though they efcc470793 had been close e93d75bd48 since childhood, made dd653a59b3 Gabriella’s shoulders twitch 5192c6e7c7 slightly.a0756dc2c2c737ea

“…How much of this dcc78c2b66 did you tell him?” 5002ff4388 she muttered under her 156c91af0a breath, visibly uneasy.0e131b234539a363

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Mikhail, meanwhile, could hardly e2f96784d4 contain his satisfaction, the 03572c128d corners of his lips dd8eac819c curling into a proud 92a2c3a853 smile.19b896f6e5760b07

“Charles, feel free 26b1820735 to speak casually.”bda2638f0f9f1649

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Emma, now fully 3c8fedc9bd inhabiting her role b9bc1ab403 as Charles, glanced d58cf056d2 briefly at Mikhail’s 77e0c4998c outstretched hand.2e1bf93000b7f81a

Her gaze lingered for 64de3a4498 a moment on his 654efafc64 strong, masculine fingers adorned c04eacc0a1 with gleaming rings. She smiled gently, her cd1a98d6b7 expression serene.023196e7e9d725cf

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“You still favor red 47224f4132 rubies, I see.”7658e508e5e1e76a

With that, 0474d29493 Emma reached a3c2a5c007 out to 805dc267e5 take the 2b2adea21a hand offered a7fe206aae to her.335b86401ca284b1

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It was bca4d8f9ae a warm, 3c57d67340 firm hand—a 16b7e6a6f7 hand that 7d7aaa524b would guide a34120c131 her deeper 56d607ff29 into this 0b8015b799 beautiful hell.0013a1a0aeb5c630

A shiver, both thrilling 1c41a8cfe5 and foreboding, ran down 7afe9a12cc her spine.410e58a1ab61088c

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Suppressing the unsettling feeling, ee25bf65a8 Emma smiled brightly, just 33fba17352 as a boy would.75f5df7525569487

“It’s been a 532f1b3e17 while, brother.”e6098b752396b36a

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