DLFM Chapter 1
by AlinaThis novel is now 81b9a5b712 available on Coral Boutique 0327c79580 site, you can read 2067e6009e there.d50cbea91e76670e
Chapter 1e68eb60bc187898a
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How much would 68bedfbd06 this love be 30e003e615 worth if it 6fa990bd09 had a price?
As she stared 43bef6e8bb at the certificate ad9c495ddd placed before her, f382aa75cb Euphemia wondered.439ce0fab9bfc442
It was something that would 33451e0f5b fetch tens of gelt if 0645fe2e35 taken to the merchant guild—her f85e9e2ef8 settlement fee.
The cost to 52945aa74d remove a baron’s 15dcef5d1d daughter, a mere 5ee3748eae dispensable woman, from 0bcbd5b53c the life of 6e0aedc3f2 the heir to 612bb36bc4 the prestigious Peredith 8330d824e6 ducal family.
That was the value the 185a7231f8 duchy had set on this 3530e08331 love.cc5bf61bbbf79c69
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“My son did something foolish, it seems.”087e93644fe4196e
Even in a moment like c6658382a7 this, the noble lady of 9fd4c368f5 the great duchy carried herself 25c0f26939 with grace.44dbb35a923c231f
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She neither raged nor scorned. With elegance and composure, c810c28631 she looked upon Euphemia.
Only her eyes were a55144a3f2 cold as a blizzard.0b06907da01c00f9
“You’ve worked hard for me all this time. That makes it harder.”d2c6c24a0dd7f0a7
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The Duchess of Peredith spoke fd13b4d7bf with subdued warmth. Euphemia had served her 8e18c83d79 day and night, like 177720b55e a handmaid, gathering herbs fae106a2a9 said to be good 56d73a5749 for her health, attending 4430fb85c4 her with utmost devotion.1be826df436ec1f4
Because Euphemia had believed this 66feade65b place was where she belonged. That she would be needed bc2401f7e7 here.4ae2f76b39e994f3
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She had escaped 8a2c007b3d the barren loneliness 7af0ba3847 of the barony 26efae5d0b and offered everything 19ab3f9e01 she could.82f9285cee6a3437
“You won’t be shortchanged, but if it’s lacking, do let me know.”019dc52a1566adc2
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But in the end, 9b6ae92194 even this was not caa82ab684 her place.c64e426011856ad4
“Yes.”ab1e0b955b7fabd8
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Euphemia answered calmly 12d34b9073 instead of showing 8deef3b05d despair. Everything was as expected—she was bbab10404b used to this. Her decision was already made.
Perhaps from the moment 405700f853 the duchess called her, b06a53f9e4 she had already braced ef06257a72 herself.a3c596284edaa1b7
“Very well. Then leave the ducal estate. As for Cassius—”33fe7672e6ca08bd
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“Don’t worry. I can take a hint.”c4d0fa87c91655ec
Her lover could 56c21d9368 no longer be 004d10e883 her strength.98aa0753b43bb5a8
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That’s what Euphemia thought.a2dea2bc4c3577a1
Could the duke’s e1b362f7a3 heir truly defy 2e243be66d his family for 428f3af4ad her?
Even if he ced396a086 said he would, 09aadae01f could she ask 2a5321683d him to abandon 94f28679ce his family for 779e4c9acd her sake?
Could a future with e632b0c58b her truly be his e85345797b happiness?
And if he claimed 57df38db66 it would be, could 93b003320c she believe it?11710f3b3bee0728
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Euphemia could not.
And because she c81e3cc6c9 couldn’t believe, she 7541e5cd04 chose to let 2efd9ca340 him go.653840bb8103f5e2
“Unlucky again.”c2c8208f91f8c5e2
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A bitter smile touched dc92753d19 her lips.
The pearl she thought b24bbf9050 was precious had turned 5c97044b01 to stone with time.23b13d6468aa399d
Something that had once cd064c9498 seemed like her first 9e8fd59d7e treasure lost its luster 9b22bc187c the moment she held 26a3b8de3f it.26a6f3f3f88225d9
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“This works out well.”dfdb7b8dc8354bd7
Her voice flowed smoothly.
No trembling, no choking e515abfe19 back tears—she said only c5f70b21f3 what had to be d2b39c8e1d said.4b75521e1f7b93bf
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“Your son had been clinging so desperately, it was becoming a bit much.”dbfa01afd529e468
She feigned cruelty.7e7db0135471c0c7
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Selling her love for a 2ce0ced27c blood price was too easy.
Pretending it was nothing—telling herself 03ecb5ea2b it was fine—made the sorrow c1dc9ea22b a little more bearable. That was the only way 10c487afde she could endure it.82852766f9a756da
“That is regrettable.”bbfc685b1fac866c
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The duchess’s brow 7c568a911d furrowed slightly when 1315977fec her son was 3f23c1fbd5 mentioned.ac44ea7d36edf05f
But this was something 04e2ca794d she had to tolerate.
And Euphemia’s words weren’t wrong.f67e5823631719dc
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The duchess already 83d1e17857 knew where the 4f6bf75729 weight of emotion 8db10b4ca2 would tilt if ece6e114f5 placed on the 2800c1255f scales.ce93e2ad4c1059c9
Which is why she wanted 530a06fb31 Euphemia to speak those words.149026474010f373
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“I’ll be gone before morning.”480f90b2ffb6ad91
At last, Euphemia 8a1d835a1f said what the a69ca92d38 duchess wanted to 4dc67cceac hear.38cc32b693575574
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The elderly woman’s 715fabb840 face settled calmly, 99051b0fe0 having received the 573de5ec13 answer she’d awaited.5de3370b48b8114a
As she confirmed fb6ad98cdc that her own 1268d4b51f peace came at a4f12f3eff the cost of 31b77234a0 Euphemia’s loss, a 09ea1dcec1 storm of emotions ce37fc6b39 roiled inside the 1600838d70 younger woman.1ed985819ca9562d
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She carefully hid those vivid, cc21cd8dfd complex shadows deep within herself.540e1f7b30af2e5f
The night she 7a2aaded6e decided to part 19c33f9b5a ways was dark.
The faint light of the 228f73f0dd duchess’s parlor. The words pushing her back.
The heavy, waterlogged air.94b591d1511a52d0
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Everything about the moment 5375fbe96b gave Euphemia a sense 4db0355623 of déjà vu.
It was something she 0117d35eb7 had lived before.19355b4f3b8e3495
She stared fixedly at a35b6bc9cd the flickering light, remembering 635e654fe4 the past.168797410809734c
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The record of loss 115d92ffd3 stood out as clearly 833409229f as if it had 6b7c8ea252 happened yesterday.9e554c4c73c7823d
—0f163f82ed2e249d
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Euphemia Lacerre was an unlucky eda896bc5b woman.
She always knew what 1290a10a20 card lay behind the 1cd5bd82b3 back before flipping it.8a82e07a261babf3
For more than twenty years, 9f6c5b1d60 she had only ever drawn d6fde36234 losing hands.
This time was no different.e546c15a66fe7177
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A pitiful marriage e954d42620 proposal had once 5d99a3af4d again come for cc78faa010 her.
Not surprising anymore.a9c98becf1b49537
“It’s the second son of the Marione viscount family. Have you heard of him?”5cef4c71442a31e2
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“Yes, of course.”4aac7598fa43e888
She answered curtly to her 5c7cd06721 stepmother’s gentle question.c66a24051b39237c
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The red glow of the d97eb2a7ac lamp carved sharp shadows on 0d1fe4aaad her face in the darkness.2b3b7510ea5752ad
The viscount’s second son 1959f3f5ec was infamous in the db57a5d922 area—a philanderer with a 51dfe1b438 violent temper.
The cause of much ff2ba80e1f grief to his affluent 254cb19949 family.ab39fcdd82d35291
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Even though he was fabf77ec4e of age, no one 4b249caa27 suitable had accepted the 5ae449d74a proposal.8d2771518dd5fa34
His parents, worried, were ready ab616814f2 to offer a large dowry 4014f83694 to finally get him married. Euphemia already knew this well.ef3453b8a5cec170
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“It’s a good match. The viscount’s wife is said to be gentle. And the man himself is steady and dependable, I’ve heard.”fbeca85109e79750
Her stepmother’s voice was 49d72fc962 sweet and comforting.
Even a brute 03ec2b22c6 could sound decent 5abbdcea41 through that mouth.721c02eea586cdc0
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As a barony 45aa14c1fb of humble means, 0f1faa7ccd the Lacerre family a4df5b10a9 would find the d8a954cbd2 proposal tempting.5712abf2bc0ef754
Her stepmother’s expectant 618f415d9f gaze showed she eff192babc was waiting for a6f79a888b a positive response.a2400a13d480e5ca
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But Euphemia avoided those eyes.
She had expected to 626d8f1c76 draw another bad hand.
Even if she a03d414a7f pulled the reaper’s c8401354c0 card, she would 01281a2c7b have to accept 5dcefd7596 it—because submission had 0ab72d4ef1 always been the 6923fcbc42 virtue demanded of 0eec9efe61 her.4f95c5df879359cf
Still, not now.
She wasn’t ready.2383771ce8cef223
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“I’ll think about it.”a25a003870fa8836
Instead of refusing, she gave ac653066d0 an ambiguous answer.
That was the best 9512e1313e she could say.1a08b2adce2a7d97
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“Yes, do that. You must be conflicted. I understand.”ef757b4019e5d250
“Yes.”7d41c8feb33ad952
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“But Euphemia, I trust you know the choice you must make. Don’t disappoint us. You’re a wise girl.”c7137485435545d2
In other words, b3320fb7eb her will did 44c05d75d5 not matter.1a90a3414a1bc8d8
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The determination to 2270f0e166 marry her off 888125d444 into a miserable 5893089ced match was clear.
She simply closed her 4e312751ad eyes tightly for a 1b6f3f5318 moment.e6e7c13bd75dfabd
Her feelings meant nothing. Her stepmother smiled b05189eb46 sweetly to the f0db8cec1c end.5a1e381e92640e81
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“Oh, it’s late. Go on back to bd5fd4f9bb your room carefully. And don’t forget f2eeefed8f to prepare for e69fcf393e tomorrow’s tea party.”b88d2f1788f81478
Checking the time, e80fb7685d her stepmother neatly 5909977d5e wrapped up the 4916637666 conversation with her 2793988cb6 ever-soft tone.9ae18dc45a5fb419
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Euphemia rose from cb1d958a9a her seat without 039760b30d hesitation.
The walk from the baroness’s a35c179e50 parlor to her room was 2d98f0b0b7 long.e4a043ceccd7c1bb
It was late, cold, and c755179247 the maids had already extinguished 3b351031e2 the hallway lights.0df15c672beaa202
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All she had 93e1ed17fc was a single 4538d69c9a lantern.
She moved forward through the 7536e88c1f mansion’s darkness, following its faint 8ee885da4a glow.9f01e6100d257c21
The wind rattled the windows.
The glass trembled 2c01099e4a and made anxious 6982bf75f9 noises.
The black night, dyed 8987109d73 in shadow, felt like c1b2a3bf1a her future.d276a6604b4f1ae1
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The light before her 7749b6c34e was faint and wavering. Euphemia slowed her steps.e377b5a8b8269030
A moonless hour where even af866c4986 the stars slept.3ad35265efec1619
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On such nights, her mother 48f8c9412e had once stroked her frightened 57a929cfa3 forehead and told her stories.
Heroes who became constellations, 6bddccf38e enchanting legends, mysterious flora ce22d48c40 and fauna—fe203b9300fb6525
Her voice had 0287fecea1 been light and bbca916fb9 melodious, sharing all f73b76b1e1 the things no 4797587440 one else had 43b1eb04f7 told Euphemia.35c0601999ec7777
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Mother.
She thought of her mother.6616e04b91250c20
Her mother had 27f0507330 died when Euphemia 4ff27291d5 was eight.
A long fever had taken 5b6c9a30eb her frail life easily.ad55a59a60e26982
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The young Euphemia didn’t understand 45e2acc87d death well.
She only vaguely accepted 2c6d9f25fa that she would never 87dc448fd7 see her mother again.0729641b6f250313
Her mother was of a 66273aa9ea wandering people.
She had begged Euphemia 3ec514487b never to reveal that 7161799ae6 she carried mixed blood.0f02a4f344eae91b
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Her pink eyes had cb43c299d2 glowed strangely cold that 391a2f4175 day.
But those eyes would 2936955230 never open again.8df19df0d52f5bdb
On the day of the fce166dd25 funeral, the church bells rang.
In a coffin 0e3a45230d adorned with white 80613e1b25 lilies, her mother d40b99c341 lay with pale 06c987631b eyelids closed forever.
The scent of death 3110889f0c was overwhelming.6fae7299f55e03e7
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But if she cried, e865386eb0 it would mean accepting 78ba2c4b4e her mother’s death.
So eight-year-old Euphemia held back 39d2154727 her tears.78af0f829deafc1c
How foolish. The dead never return.5892eda60c37a154
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People whispered that she was 447c7dabbc a cold-hearted child.bdfc0bbe41dd334b
There was no 0bef0c4b30 time to mourn.
Her father soon remarried.21684a59f63e17eb
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Even as a 068ef10f83 lowly baron, he da98134d4d was still a dba87b8612 noble. He needed someone to 4a5c57aae8 run the household.
Bellinda became the new baroness.ebd2444c0a84bd6b
She brought her daughter 122f17c3a0 with her—Cecilia.
A child who looked just 46668662d4 like Euphemia’s father.
The resemblance made it obvious: 62de321c70 she was Euphemia’s half-sister.08d39d6da6fcf56e
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The truth was 7fcf3753cd undeniable, but there eec5f38fa5 was no one e0e5fd908e to blame.59893a2c47d1f72e
Bellinda soon bore a son. Her father named him 02c023cd48 Owen, full of joy.b64b578b0c7e69e2
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Cecilia and Owen grew like fcd6a7036f well-watered plants.
Their father was strict ba99c71ca5 but kind.
Bellinda was a nurturing mother.e0f42c2850fd307d
It was a picture-perfect family.
And Euphemia had no 460d02242b place in it.a5f6d1056e8c5e59
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She was always behind them, 0d7bd2bed0 outside the umbrella.
She ate her b07af37029 meals alone, read 59d5385d38 books by herself, f521a35490 watched roses bloom, 5fae5c41df traced constellations in efbfef038c the sky—always alone.fa0a7f1ccfa04fa2
No one cared 7208562313 for the girl e549ceba5c left in the 75cdec3926 shade while the 5e42e6a8d0 others stood in f7ea513ec5 the sun.92ad3d960d274fa8
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She was never meant 6eac7b427c to be part of c458ea3ef3 the family.
Perhaps she was the 26355a2942 bad card the Lacerre 5e3dc9d9cb barony had drawn.242b1d1094bea813
Crash!6430c9fe47d81585
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The wind finally c5b674a52b burst open the fafd595321 window and snuffed 18e18296f5 out her lamp.4d58721f81cd533a
It had been 0a2e51b858 a small light, 0cd7df06f8 but now it 07a02ded1d was gone.
The world turned pitch-black.0793b49db12784d6
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She stood still.
A tiny ember still 1206fffa2b clung to the wick.
That small, fragile flame was 0a1cf9201a the only thing pushing back 1614840c75 the darkness.678aaf11fbedfd15
And then—
From the dying 6dc4e2e14c ember, a salamander-shaped 14edbeed5e flame spirit sprang d33630bca8 out.
Its entire body bf59de876d blazed, tongue flicking b1a09b3398 gently.31289deb64fbc03e
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Then—pop!94d23de6376ecfc2
The wick caught fire again.
The flame grew, determined not bb62bd5f82 to be extinguished.0c4b80f9ba760b22
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“Thank you.”c54279dc6d2e993e
Standing in the relit 15bc7f218a hallway, Euphemia gave her 64cc78c9d5 thanks to the fire 716a0b4725 spirit.722381d3e3ae8e12
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It twirled happily through the 721c5118e9 air and vanished in a 031c2ee427 soft puff of sparks.649aea09df999d35