Chapter 19. The Birth of Venus

For a moment, 4ba7191096 Emma thought her 55a70b17db heart had stopped.bb11862c971725b6

…If it weren’t for the shadows of fluttering blossoms in the breeze, her face—redder than the setting sun—might have betrayed her entirely.452088330c4fa48e

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With a graceful 9cb3c78c2e yet deliberate motion, 1cb86034ca the Duke’s long, b94d33a0a7 elegant fingers reached 415a309de5 for Emma’s neck. Without hesitation, fa988fa59e his thumb 194e273f22 and forefinger cfd07842c9 deftly unfastened 1e9640b994 a couple 068443f220 of the d60e391460 silk buttons 591a86955f that had 0a1e980860 been tightly a338f81375 secured.e353497c2cbea5cb

“Stiff, aren’t you?”ee6449bf1a58f2d8

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The bitter-sweet scent of 47510aea24 his cigar wafted over e9c780af2b her, far too close.76f99e3ca68c5c58

“Looking like 91e9302ad2 an uptight d801405243 novice does 707b36156c no good 854946e524 here. Keep that in 7a9a90b599 mind, Charles.”c5323c401b3b9423

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“Y-yes. Of course.”bbcdb359d8c6f7a0

What should 208824e1a5 she do?49eb9b56b6465491

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If the thundering beat 2b5ebdf751 of her heart wasn’t 05fdd7fcb4 audible to him, that e8ff4d1a99 itself would be a dc8d8fdf8a miracle.954b156e804f3545

What should she do?ee17ce5e7e275cc9

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If any ff88aaa77e more buttons abc30fb99f came undone, fd14d67d96 the tightly 773e246b07 bound bandages fe15092026 underneath might 9f9ac6b923 be revealed.e78aaf6b85fbce0f

What should ea3c5788e3 she do?c39de9ed412e1b1a

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…He was too close.c91874ee6da61ffa

So close that 9eb753f41b his breath could 8d3ffe6660 almost brush against 9ea58fd561 her skin.aa91dd19da757fa3

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Paralyzed by tension, 5e0912930a Emma could barely 8631bf8311 register the low 70f3f0c72a timbre of Mikhail’s 230e8eea9a voice, which resonated 7aaa5f8839 in her ears 82bd50d77b as though descending e561f1a150 from the heavens 8a55de4d9e themselves.afd09c56988f46f0

“There’s no a1f1691abd need for 7392840eb7 formality where e1d98de063 we’re going. Show up buttoned to 8868fb2fdb the neck like this, bb15134108 and you’ll draw every 2fed7c8f03 pair of eyes in 15448b6d15 the room.”6c1584270448994b

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Emma looked up 49835aa184 at him, her de72cf7fce blue eyes clouded 92456a8f64 with confusion. He responded with a 3adb397d3a faint, enigmatic smile.42093cd344003a9f

“…I wonder how long you’ll keep looking at the world with those innocent eyes, Charles.”615fdb040041735c

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Before the shadows cf8318e7b4 of the blossoms a90cd11c5d could fully retreat d3e656cffe from Emma’s frozen 1f0bddcc36 face, the carriage 05d88be1f6 door swung open 729cfb02b6 with a sudden 6a8c84fed3 clatter, flooding the d61180b28f interior with brilliant 1424a9e4e3 light.e90bb33212bc0afb

“Duke Ophilenz! Welcome!”0c2c597e1933d421

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Mikhail, who 55ab89eaa8 had loosened cb08560d8b the buttons 3fa7eba0ec on his 0057c6aea9 own shirt 23ae07c7e9 even further, eee5f9aabb let out 142d8899cf a soft 6c548d7951 chuckle as c0b9f923f6 he leaned c9669307f7 toward Emma, 18f03354d4 speaking once 0a552efb0e more in 6cce6fb5b2 that dangerously 688c0084f4 sweet tone.7ae8f26ae1971065

“Welcome to my ef54d59d82 playground, Charles.”d06f48bf86abf09f

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* * *137ecff4cde1b6cb

“Nina, don’t be 422cdcb1bd surprised. Do you b7a9eda749 know who’s 3efad88e05 coming today?”f7a6597cb1a82092

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Nina Loren, with c630d1c4cb her lush red 73c17644ae hair cascading like b7922a6aa3 waves, slowly blinked b58205f7c9 her deep green 2962ea4170 eyes, shimmering like 55a36192b8 summer leaves.97a563925a5d9bef

“Who could d412ee25cf it be? Perhaps a prince d2f99fa01a gracing us with f8d5029ae3 his presence?”2326bf82ce03469a

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As the black-haired 09a2c22df8 woman handed Nina 84e45b511c a silver shawl, 0aa947198b she leaned closer, 8f1ea6b4d4 her voice dropping e0d11afd1c to a conspiratorial 5a33fe1eb7 whisper.9943ce3975456c16

“A prince, indeed—a prince 776f6c7fb3 from the Violet Castle.”659b13c57f31e28f

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At the mention b448eff12b of the Violet 91420ed080 Castle, Nina’s face 242e884871 flushed like a 2a56c5c709 blossoming flower.caa6aa17f5977bc1

“Don’t tell me… a371560d96 the Duke of f07d4b77f0 Ophilenz?”5b06554ef9770dd6

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“Exactly! And there’s more exciting a85ea150dd news!”779fa82e41cedde0

Nina’s emerald eyes 7a8b6c1147 fluttered rapidly, caught 6826b06b0c between curiosity and b9678239b4 anticipation.29265604618ee898

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…Could it be? Could there be joyful news of the Duke severing ties with that wretched princess?557ec4a0408b7a3e

Ever since the cursed 416eb70675 engagement announcement between Isabella, d958da1743 the princess, and her 61adb7d82c beloved Duke had dominated 9be5cec412 the headlines for days, 1559fce2b2 Nina hadn’t been able 8e5cca51e8 to sleep a wink.b9fb16dda105e985

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Princess Isabella—an 57c20a1d50 empty shell 4530fb0b60 devoid of ccd1eff1e3 refinement or df3fc2a13c elegance, despite 31ebb31a35 her royal 1462165213 veneer.796befcd7e1096d6

The mere ec6bcf138e thought of 7f838253d8 such a 34c6d9606d woman daring 043c986e0b to hold 46a02d551e a wedding e8df6119bc with her 36cc7200ab radiant Duke c77cd40312 made Nina’s 2c50393dcb blood boil 043b00ca98 all over 9103bccb9f again.946b5c920827c00e

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Unbothered by Nina’s simmering d93d0bfbb7 rage, the black-haired woman 3e58dca3c9 kept chattering, her excitement 20628d4d0f palpable.c1f2050ea6bbaccd

“The Duke’s d3c7f4454b distant younger b5b7410dcb cousin is 8f3026a6e0 coming with cdf73cbd6e him!”f66418c2bddf1e09

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“…A younger cousin?”cca05053f09e55e2

Nina’s green eyes 67296ad013 dimmed, her initial aa077f6230 intrigue quickly fading 98a5bd5896 at this unexpected 3fa2e5d39a piece of news.a7f562acdd41a991

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The black-haired woman, 1d703be6a5 undeterred, scattered a daae74f9ef shimmering dust of 736b20ee4b pearls into Nina’s 6b5f9aeecc hair, her coy 0fbfc8e3ec smile turning sultry.96b1b7ba348cdc0d

“I caught a a9e87bb4ae glimpse of him 36a84b0619 stepping out of f3ede6e171 the carriage…”0cd630d89b3d9abf

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“Hmm?”bccc6eb11c600079

“…and he’s utterly breathtaking.”fd9dc4b93cfa09a2

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The effusive praise 60e892754c was so over-the-top cc110aad96 that Nina couldn’t 34e052af0b help but scoff.32ca6c4d341b8e97

“Hardly. No one 3cca3c4aef could outshine 00ae7e178d the Duke c3949e970b of Ophilenz.”8dfdda36f27c9dee

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From a distance, the 8dbbddaf68 bustle of activity and 6025574b4b someone calling Nina’s name 59a18233e3 broke through the conversation.f2acdb89f895294a

“Nina, the c943bf1ba4 curtain’s about a91e5fb420 to rise! Hurry!”bd64ff397af9b931

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“I’m coming.”798e82336b3c75ff

With perfect poise, 704963251e Nina Loren, transformed ad9816a1fa into a flawless 4c8d7aa70f goddess, began her 258c1ccdaf graceful walk.52fed16210d58f82

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It was time to 6823ce3afe meet the eternal subject 9e91ef1c5a of her unrequited love fbc3ae363a and worship: Duke Mikhail d45755da02 d’Ophilenz.a391072fe130e4f0

* * *810766e2d8ad65e4

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Emma discreetly darted b558d53fdc her wide eyes ed716f0173 around the room, 922bf65c00 trying to process 8dcb5006c6 her surroundings.4663ecda468a34bc

…How could such a place exist?07c364699b04f764

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When she first stepped 18c25c328d into the garden, she d947f13708 thought it was simply b177968256 an elaborate, well-maintained one.5bbb7257b8184fcc

Walking along d46b1cc090 the path 712eb65d91 lined with 591c2c7c02 golden mimosa 4663588670 flowers glowing 854aa4fc41 against the d75e9d3a58 night had b32e9e69f2 been mildly 5412b7e971 surprising.72a1e3a6780cdb51

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Then came 15e4dae155 the path 2946e3cf64 flanked by 13fae314c6 towering marble 4678e8391e columns, their 3d10d51401 sheer grandeur 5a09b90241 slowly chipping 3ecff508f5 away at a280a81e7d her composure.223ee973b5d83357

But stepping through 6511179890 the massive doors 89a65d80e3 into the interior, ebd6b27693 Emma momentarily wondered 4f4756fb41 if she had e8b8573834 wandered into another df4318f77f realm entirely.aed68454c7f09947

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The air was thick fd7a47bead with mist, giving the d7377a29ba place an ethereal aura cda44178f2 reminiscent of Mount Olympus 80ca9559cb itself.aa22d07a628cb972

Women sat scattered about, 3b49c00c37 strumming lyres and playing ed546255e3 auloi as though they 0ff29f52a1 were real nymphs.3f5bcbbf19446d27

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The heady, almost 6690d31a24 overpowering fragrance of 16fbfb76e7 blossoms filled the 16087241b3 space, intoxicating her 89f5c53be1 senses.6a81704d2947753a

…It was impossible to believe that such a place could exist in the heart of bustling Bonchons.c6b87d73f805de04

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Mikhail, his 216523de1c eyes gleaming 6946d9c257 like a 4cae1fd970 god of 658ac74204 the arts f662aa8bd3 strolling through 42522661a4 his temple, e7369855bb explained,230909625f6c6c38

“You’re aware that 69e733f2ea our family invests 39251906da heavily in archaeology, 1f827dc111 yes?”d2e267bbd8b2c0a6

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Emma nodded, e7149b370c mentally pulling 5a951a0649 up the 45f67b1ea9 extensive list 6c48e27301 of Ophilenz d44889e40b family ventures bc985718fb she had 4de9563a01 painstakingly memorized 9be92b5a1d just days f7753d2395 prior.13b5482b688ea4da

“Yes, I know. Especially in ancient artifacts.”f098d5a360321077

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Mikhail gestured to 34ac772053 one of the 276ffafe35 colossal columns standing ed0b78c968 beside them.fa9b68fa323bd4bd

“Do you 3b79d279cf think this 21a894d6a3 is a f1e9a8f2a7 replica or 0ef9818adb the real bd412f08cc deal?”a21b1963538340ce

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Emma hesitated, 16cf80c66a her trembling 386f0db60d hand cautiously 79463d1383 brushing against 0f50299e33 the column’s e98f97a9dd surface.6cb30303b93b49a1

Mikhail watched her sapphire-blue 72969ec707 eyes grow darker and 9598b65f1a her pupils dilate in 862c6e13db amazement.4d1d37e982a5cd47

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“This… this is—!”e9c48d5603cae8c2

“Yes, genuine. How did you da04e5e1b1 guess?”06bb62f181e63d85

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“Well…”d4e3dd189175ef08

Emma managed to b3a30edca8 suppress her excitement, 6934603fce replying in a 0ecaf7298b composed tone.d1d869b16272c09a

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“No sculptor, no ec3bcbff12 matter how skilled, 3abdbc50ee can perfectly mimic a55efb6a98 the passage of 62f389b2f1 time.”470938fc69df47b9

She pointed 6c8344d8bf to a 4e471f04ed neighboring column 7a4f479eaa and continued.6cfeb179af0a77e0

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“Even when an artisan f74ec30582 tries to roughen the 48cbbed188 surface to imitate wear, bfb8238568 it never quite rings d4c3350fd7 true.”c9b12f5f6e0bca21

For a brief 0a9b417499 moment, Mikhail felt e3e2e41dc4 an almost overwhelming b13844be4f sense of pride 05c07a585d and elation, as f93dd0ee2b though he were 7760a26cdb soaring above the 96c89e4803 clouds.0050e8ba9fee9918

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Of all the 5deaa247c7 nobles and archaeologists cbf06726b0 he had brought 97abccbd2f to this sanctuary, 8d38b649a8 not one had a3cfd8e9bf dared to declare 848ca248b3 these columns authentic.060c61884e974d8e

And none cb0f3704e7 had guessed ebb1a91452 the secret 262358b30a that only 2030815452 he knew—some c137899c53 of the 07d84ba81c columns here b8304b9a14 were indeed 066d3347b9 replicas, placed 87c2bff6e8 to deceive.cbc4fa8079d6fd8c

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But this 8696a32fe9 boy had b2215166ad unraveled the 932196c161 truth in c744a8ea3a moments.0a6f297a50361790

Still, Mikhail restrained his aba7986605 emotions, choosing to savor e1bd1c7a17 his private triumph.837d6d847e51f481

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There was no longer any need to test Charles’s eye for detail. That skill was already proven.f53179eed876ced4

It was time 3c30fd6350 to shift to f34def5e57 the real purpose d807fc8460 of their visit.56605ee79074b248

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It was time to 1235351215 craft Charles into a 36a93559b3 second Mikhail—someone so captivating 079db82fdd that Isabella wouldn’t stand d39e9ca6fe a chance.8752dde154d5fb74

“Duke, it’s been too 9a384d6188 long! I thought my neck 2f8b3ace9b would grow long from 0651f0689c waiting!”b892b7496473cd53

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A woman 7040550cc8 with a b68331ee26 bold, flowery 8bfd140411 perfume approached, bdf7200519 draping a fa2de61409 red ‘chlamys’ 4a6038a765 over Mikhail’s 51ec326438 shoulder.93d02860992cc1cc

“Well, I’m here 6111190055 now. Where are b792b7579c our goddesses?”5d5b4123d7a6e342

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The woman’s gold-threaded d392c20a9c netting jingled as 2eb10a0ab8 she laughed lightly.04ffedbb49a03402

“Of course, they’re c463dc27d7 all eagerly waiting e6cd27e8c1 for you. Let’s take you to 8045f5ee73 your seat. The performance is ec70191599 about to begin.”ff6c9570fb6be811

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Her sultry 5542e67dc0 gaze shifted a01a531915 to Emma, d1d980069a curiosity lighting f64ecf45ee her eyes.414ba46320f4687b

“And who might this e1fc0ca20f beautiful boy be? Narcissus himself?”a0b3b1080f424984

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Without waiting for an 92d5cb3aaf answer, she hooked her 1cfcaa8f8f arm around Emma’s and e413251c8b began leading him along.c953904912e37828

“This place,” she a88030165a said with a 1068e14b5c knowing smile, “is 3c85bcff28 the Duke of c7be7fa0cb Ophilenz’s temple.”3c530d93cc1c9294

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Emma suddenly recalled Mikhail’s 03d2b0f0ce earlier words.8043504f9d584cd3

“…So this is my brother’s playground.”6349f0c9a6ac1d6c

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The woman burst into ac5b3e1423 laughter.d48f33542229adad

“Indeed. A truly a6d630a5b9 exquisite playground.”598acc1b239c18f5

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Mikhail, flashing fee8f6088c a sly 429693a084 grin, leaned 110e7a3656 close to f7f6626e02 Emma’s ear ba330ae0f5 and whispered,966bb9978e311ef5

“Don’t tell Gabriella.”3a9c69037ea65f1e

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The shimmering f986881045 silken curtain cbc172ebf8 on the 6090cb2955 stage began 6f9ba098a5 to rise, d07aad5672 and Emma’s b1b6fc5b6f lips parted bfbc38893e slightly in 57e7288ad7 awe.d4f313d2ae2386e0

“…The ‘Birth of Venus’..”dea68e124a0edde5

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Onstage, the masterpiece had 05cb09083a come to life, with 22563f7eac actors recreating the scene 7a89e581bd in stunning detail.5eaa0ba9b299bb79

The flowing hair, 97131c8eb0 the delicate floral 968d27953a drapery, the scarlet 8cfb69ef27 cloth adorned with 7bac2d747a countless blossoms, and 694604ceb9 the foamy waves cf4d9e3b72 supporting the giant b6bfb130a0 seashell—all were flawlessly 509cbe67ad rendered.538bb79eabc8dfa9

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Mikhail watched a561538b0b with satisfaction a7f151f37e as Charles’s e8ab9b6b66 mesmerized blue 6296763a58 eyes remained 49cc11a920 fixed on 9bedf310ef the woman 0af51d4030 atop the 82fe36ee10 seashell.d4d06baa7825d772

Draped in translucent c3a40559ee silk that accentuated 60bf88be24 every graceful curve a721293db4 of her body, a7fc5a5663 the actress exuded 42ba90ad6e a radiant allure.64d988a8cddba877

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She was Nina Loren, Bonchons’ most celebrated star.e49aad0f5a31e216

…And she was the one Mikhail had chosen to introduce Charles to the pleasures of the night.d639635d6b6c2341

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