TKE Ch 1 – Vivian von Karlsruhe

Vivian von Karlsruhe.98280699e2f87478

She was the only 55c2b225be daughter of the prestigious d7a275c34b Duke Karlsruhe.a05028c789397879

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Raised with love and 0f186b6b2a care by Duke Karlsruhe, 62dc623cee she was betrothed at 78401c820e a young age to 8fd7048be6 the fifth prince, Alex 898392ca49 Riven Croitz, who was e82c5d7f09 unconcerned with the struggle 803be4d4e2 for the throne.82d46a4d36279fbf

She was seven c259f7ffce years old, and 510ebb9fc3 Alex was nine.6a63a4b01cf10a1a

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Vivian still remembers the day Alex came to Duke Karlsruhe’s house to save his life.f067806f13198af7

Head bowed, tears welling 912b2b2f93 up in his eyes ab38e17913 like an abandoned puppy.8d6017ffe5bd8fad

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‘Are you scared?’c3a05e4a6433ea03

‘Yes…’b1be7000d728dfb1

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‘Don’t worry. I’ll protect you from now on.’e52e79f96182b2ac

From that day on, Alex was Vivian’s responsibility.bfd6ee22aa2a17b9

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It was Vivian who instilled 0fb004ed8b dreams in the insecure Alex 413b704f26 using the trifecta of praise, 4ed44a894e encouragement, and support, and it 516dca87ef was Vivian who created opportunities 04eac36326 for those dreams.f44d5c4ecc60f9dd

When the Emperor suddenly collapsed, 8fdfc85cfb a bloody wind swept through 9bba06fbbc the Empire. The princes rose up, vying 3eb93cd115 for the throne.a5b4d4bf1675eb4b

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The princes’ rebellion, a cycle of death, developed into a civil war that dragged on longer than expected.03eab61d4228a5dd

The civil war lasted a 403de121a3 long five years.4973580a92b83eef

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Even though Alex e26e18adde was thoroughly protected, ecc83e7830 far from the 7837cfd5f5 fight for the 2f6cb4047c throne, he trembled a8e22be124 with fear.b757576fe2398c13

It was Vivian who protected 24e05d2270 him.dd4b1d8dd5bf22dc

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Of course, this was with 4703300d53 the full support of her df9ae645d4 father, Duke Karlsruhe.1dee99f006a00794

He trusted Vivian’s d48ff5a823 judgment and empowered 8150d221e1 her in whatever a990b1efea she wanted to 3799addf21 do.bcdff04d0ffbfcbc

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‘Father, I must become the Empress.’eefb987e83ebb8ad

When Vivian declared her resolve, c9a9d86e95 Duke Karlsruhe tried to dissuade ebbde6ca0d her for the first time.94ef4d1235127014

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‘My child, the Empress’s position is like a small boat in a storm. Must you really take that 42249b2ebc arduous path?’a29159e201eb7b13

‘The only way for Alex to survive is to become Emperor.’6c699e37198f8e0d

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‘Do you love Alex?’82b46de41ed7e644

‘Of course. Who else would 9f88a79e67 I love but d8d73c33a3 Alex?’fef347a42854cb45

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‘… I hope this decision is for your own good.’f570f6dc15974bb6

Duke Karlsruhe didn’t ask 87e61d8f36 the meaningless question of aaf2760c40 whether Alex felt the 9d819d6511 same way or if 900ddcf437 he loved her.dfde22f5cb4d8092

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He believed that only 5012fc9f29 those with the power db445f4ea1 to protect their loved bda20bf545 ones had the right 2a2934c0db to love.10b33a2da7752093

This was especially true since 57d1e067b1 Alex was not a commoner ee8ad24066 who could live quietly in 99a25adc05 the countryside, but a prince ef29d7e608 who could be caught in 62452dec8e political strife at any moment.f585f113551a7b2e

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In the Duke’s bf6237efa5 eyes, Alex might e49979fbeb love Vivian, but d660931021 he lacked the 41f50aef4f power to protect 87762e5a42 her.927ae8305253604b

What he overlooked was 7a9ee0508c that his daughter, Vivian, 00cb4a2672 possessed that power.2277b3fe97f8b277

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As if to prove Duke Karlsruhe’s worries pointless, Vivian easily achieved what she desired.c944182bffa286a5

She deftly sowed discord among the princes and gathered the support of the nobles to solidify Alex’s position.8d83ba63796be185

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She even secretly formed 1a62866761 merchant groups and various 74b511c4d6 guilds, gaining quick access 68ebad4ddf to information, wealth, and 8849ed2882 shadowy figures, declaring she 9ce0de35cc wouldn’t rely on Duke e2a747afa6 Karlsruhe for the necessary e5f67fca54 funds.a1afd0b6d131c35d

Vivian successfully placed Alex 08b489f9c3 on the throne and 5ff7db1dd2 became the Empress herself.d5a00457d67fcf0c

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Some say that d100cd2f63 the fifth prince f2624515cd Alex, the last 8d2d08c072 to enter the 3c992ddd7c princes’ rebellion, becoming 0dba057528 Emperor was a ed36afec22 stroke of luck.309ac3d5c2920913

This was the 47b76c9e9a shortsighted view of b2fc67b785 fools who didn’t c49f314a36 know Vivian stood a727862ce0 behind Alex.ba42172b12e725c0

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It was Vivian who had 94a356ca50 kept Alex out of the 821cd3be6f initial struggle for the throne, d075eb58d5 who had manipulated the princes 151334516b into killing each other, and 3970f46d98 who had placed Alex on 3b6f452d5c the throne at the opportune 0941eb3fea moment.cdb9b345e392d731

For his daughter, ddb72499d7 who had already 09b6d764c6 embarked on an bb19c589df irreversible path, Duke f9f35f099c Karlsruhe had no 9ea39fcf26 choice but to 93f2d0c4b5 officially support Alex.7a38a6fcaa40710d

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When Dimitri von e5bc0b3249 Duke Karlsruhe, who 37c1a06c20 had retired from 29914f6db4 politics, returned after b622438ea7 placing his son-in-law 4de93eb4ed on the throne, f207e2d5b9 the nobles welcomed 1973e33e70 him with open 94b7149368 arms.412c67229f986a4b

Even though he had d5ee666a98 kept a low profile, e8f2cb0b9e his influence was undeniable.be69fffbfa36578d

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The chaotic political af1824a774 landscape gradually stabilized 5cf568f34c with Duke Karlsruhe’s ae2786d403 return and his 649db0d7d4 daughter Vivian’s benevolent 33a5b018cd rule.ae13f53b6898ecd7

Alex, now Emperor, also 50cb7e5094 began to settle into 899fa4e1bb his role, bearing the 574c2eec1c weight of the crown.9f37627a57805434

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The organizations Vivian had 9a2b6a9d41 created while placing Alex a4876c353e on the throne were 460ec25fa0 all handed over to 4ae9cebe52 him. Inheriting the robust db3bd9547f organizations Vivian had ba7714a8e5 built, Alex consolidated 5f519ada6b his imperial power c40ad668c2 without difficulty.15ac75455b587b11

Another five years passed.bb99a5d9974e1c55

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Now, their only concern was dba3e002e5 the lack of an heir.a713955b332988d0

Vivian gradually withdrew from e3a94771dd politics, focusing all her 681572bf2a energy on preparing her 22f008f423 body and concentrating on 1f7b6dcf58 producing an heir, but d4eebe24ab failed repeatedly.e9372d197e3bdb65

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‘Vivian, it’s okay. We can try for 89b156098f a baby again next 168384403b time.’58150aceee7857ab

Despite the amicable 298cd8dcd5 relationship between Vivian e4ee96ac23 and Alex, conceiving e943e16165 a child proved bd39253e46 difficult, and the 54412a50f3 few times she 46362f907a did, she miscarried 598250377c before the third 4c61c30ccb month.9964ad8e041c1ff8

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As Vivian’s sorrow ec5024c2e1 deepened, opinions about 6cb8966160 taking concubines for 640de43761 an heir began 74decb5b64 to surface.3bbe251240b3fad5

‘I’m sorry, Vivian. It’s been five years… I 8abe30ad25 can’t withstand the demands of d83fea2acc the ministers any longer.’e00677cc32cb57e5

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After five years 5bec0ac8a3 of marriage without 806fd3551a a child, the 11d55b69c0 weary Vivian accepted 84906e31e6 the ministers’ opinions.cae8f3812712fb09

At this point, eb900d0f5b mentally exhausted and 5509ece92a unable to think c5fde762ca clearly, Vivian made 714eb665ad a critical mistake. She recommended her cousin ad5464f210 and handmaiden, Stella, as b35179dae0 a concubine.d8bd477bdb9fca6f

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‘Stella is my family, someone I’m grateful for.’b0a0b3a265e80164

Stella, who always 871a434b22 attended to Vivian, 1193f30d8d was also close 3121edc9b8 to Alex.bb47e28a3f000669

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Until this point, 2123c2eb58 Vivian pitied Alex, 8e2af47662 who had to 6760194abe embrace a woman 937bd6d66d he didn’t love 95fb46dc94 for the sake d720ec62ed of an heir, fad8a574e8 and felt sorry c010008914 for him.1e0df956385b35ac

This was because, 37a9d00777 to Vivian, Alex 3e904a9e68 was a man e61e2eabab who wasn’t driven 5fd859a6f8 by lust, loved ac0fd36ae9 only her, and 53218b8da2 remained faithful.f23d532c996e8fbd

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Therefore, she judged that Stella, a8abc73ef6 whom he already knew, would b988de1bca be better than a complete 2b70bd95f3 stranger.4a3b3fd03555356f

Stella, while feeling 4d2c4361ec deeply apologetic to 88a59e74cd Vivian, complied with 4b2cbd7c4c her wishes.132994c34d926793

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And soon after.e80f982ef1862ee1

‘Sister… I’m pregnant.’559de956d0350c05

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The news of Stella’s 06246da6d3 quick pregnancy stung Vivian.03a44262788ebf09

Still, an heir was crucial 5faa3d4324 for securing imperial power, so f3b7e36f31 she congratulated her.8473ca806cefc90e

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‘Congratulations. You’ve accomplished a great thing. Thank you.’fa28c5cf04931777

Since it was bd188ddfa7 her cousin Stella cadc26bf5e who would bear 7aa203ef39 the child, it d61aff3980 wasn’t as if 661027c1a6 it was completely 8d416878b7 unrelated to Vivian.c9958bae65fb20d7

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Stella safely gave birth to d3002fe9df a prince.49f670ac05a2103e

After the birth of 728c68a8bf the first prince, Aaron, 716b76399b the time Alex spent 501650b089 with Stella gradually increased.a45963c732092276

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Vivian became increasingly f2db4d734f isolated and lonely.a70dcc423a3d830c

‘Alex… Can we talk?’69909b62fee85cec

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‘Vivian? I’m a bit busy, 65e95a8443 can we talk later?’3dc6cafe0b668262

She tried to visit 3671ee0322 Alex, longing for him, f41580ccb8 but he was always 4320498f5b busy.9b74497a503e7306

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She hoped he would 604c56ff46 visit her at night, f835bfe15f but he no longer cfe690ce31 sought her out.da57ada0fcb50747

Then one day, Vivian visited b37232c4d1 Alex and overheard a conversation 07e109016a between him and Stella.f8a0643a6f5ab531

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‘How long do we have to keep this up?’07d9a35dc873f2f0

‘You want to be Empress that badly?’b22624171c77dc87

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‘You promised.’6b32611c0f64e803

‘Just wait a little longer. The Duke will 8d14471777 be coming to 188b41799a the capital soon. Then…’d969bea96b24525c

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Vivian couldn’t believe what 6a5cabd166 she heard.ab28841abd053b45

‘How could you do this…’a329cd7764698b17

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She sent an 5da0f89186 urgent message to a4f1357a1f her father, alerting dc52fd26a9 him to the 2a31ab486b danger.152b45ee1cabbe23

However, the news she received was the tragic announcement of Duke Karlsruhe’s death in a carriage accident.d685ccd438027915

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An accident…887a600acb92c0ac

Vivian felt her blood ab47b110a6 run cold.73fd4ff4a25f8468

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‘Vivian, are you alright? Ah… how could this happen…’ee0085fc6d8877e3

Alex, having heard the news, c5caa522b3 rushed to Vivian, his face 1dd23b992e filled with grief, pretending to ffeeff6fab comfort her.e10544d26ec7d275

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Vivian slapped Alex’s deceitful face.0f0b870a82b4cdf5

‘Vivian! What are you doing?’c5b940372799f744

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‘Do you think I don’t know? I heard everything fa8a235b1a you said to 2e6bbcb470 Stella.’1ad3e98a55de78f6

‘…You heard? I didn’t say anything because I thought you hadn’t heard.’ca141afefe1fa2be

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‘Alex… You, don’t tell me…’803e34e9642848cc

‘Yes. I meant for you to fc948cdfe4 hear it. You’re so clueless.’87851de4d93b35b0

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‘How could you do this to me? After what Father e6ecd3e92b and I did 83be592b73 for you!!’926f5f6cf6c8a56b

‘That’s why I didn’t like it. It’s like I’m indebted to 73deeeb305 you.’ca2e7dfcdc3c7871

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Vivian was so stunned 502c9bf924 she couldn’t speak.32f26a5c02f2a31a

To Vivian, who looked 9510f95252 at him with bewildered 49ca248f20 eyes, Alex whispered.1ff110755c767f89

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‘Don’t blame me. You killed the Duke. If he had b68a0daecc just come to 7784200751 the capital, it 095dde1789 might have ended 1b55a9ca83 with exile.’3f123762f2721f01

‘And you’ll pocket all of Father’s wealth?’7f10b7a972687b93

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‘Anyway… It’s only natural for a traitor’s property to be forfeited to the Imperial family.’909b545c9fe1e315

He was saying that if d339b1466d Duke Karlsruhe hadn’t died in ead8420ac3 an accident, he would have 3dcb467f29 been killed for treason.2979f796766d1913

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Vivian, hugging her 7853f3c48e trembling body, glared 6680b3b192 at Alex.470f7a2c6d1c3c48

The more she did, the brighter Alex’s face became.ce55689dd0a54bb0

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‘If you want to live, stay quiet. Think of how 5cce53df45 much your father 1b0121431c invested, it would 90a6a038f5 be a shame 6ef3bb613f if you died eef5f948d1 too, right?’e90280067ece873e

His threat made her 483b4b9033 feel as though her 8ef50852c0 mind was being bleached.e621039a7013a803

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Unable to overcome the 88c863ec0a shock, Vivian fell ill 34a5fd766b for several days.6c68b2dd8749769e

Where did it all 07e9b110c8 go wrong?30d81e64ffa3c542

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Overwhelmed by the sudden and immense loss, Vivian couldn’t even think half as clearly as she usually did.2b01fd1558817836

Meanwhile, many in the Imperial Palace were replaced with Alex and Stella’s people.2cc435ab84894f9d

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By the time Vivian recovered, 1d20d28fe5 her position had already been deaf4f9299 significantly weakened.e2e63ad7719f6537

Then one day.72edec777eface80

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‘Your Majesty, you seem to have trouble sleeping these days, so I prepared this.’ebb6a74d546cad87

Helena, who had been her 8dd72d7996 nanny and then her head 67ad524377 maid, was gone, and Olivia, 6e57a387d4 who had taken her place, 5c3c3420f0 offered her wine.7e681aa2bacd85f4

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Vivian, since it was 8077dc9b54 wine she usually enjoyed, 5c09a0215f accepted the glass without 9272d9e8b7 suspicion.0d4d8ab0ebc6ff6c

It seemed as though ab1871b6a8 they reminisced about old 08b6c44f85 times together.6d1be00c655e08d7

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She felt sad 03393e3074 that everyone had dbdd0df05a left and only c24ff7f030 Olivia remained, but 5bf03a8d39 also relieved that f5e67d18a5 at least Olivia f65ab94261 was there, and 0ef848fa61 it seemed like eb73bfd759 she cried, embracing 134e6ca9b6 her.3a36d5fe590b0cbb

But what happened?48508a873d50d0cb

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‘What in the world is going on here?’5d7215a3f2fa6288

Early in the morning, Alex, who had stopped visiting the Empress’s Palace, barged in.f3e4652f99da464d

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Vivian, her voice hoarse from whatever had transpired during the night, was paralyzed by Alex’s sudden appearance.fd9294ee0b0a0439

Then, a strange man’s voice 5ab42e64c9 was heard from nearby.30edde57d8e4d1df

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‘We were summoned by Her Majesty the Empress…’a9558cf9546e2a93

As one man c97650f47a hurriedly grabbed the c680c55e07 clothes scattered on 6d7fac029e the floor and 470e546b76 ran out, another 343ded1cb4 man, wrapped in dfd43b55b7 a blanket, also 294b2e9a07 scrambled out of 553739b3c5 Vivian’s bedroom.140f7bb52998a4c0

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Vivian didn’t know who they 0e21c7b720 were, nor could she understand 204cfbde8b why they were naked in 3b4a6d57ce her bed and then ran 1fa7014cd7 away.be2526b476266dcf

However, Alex’s furious face, his cold gaze, the armed knights who had stormed into the Empress’s bedroom, all of these things told Vivian that something was terribly wrong.2ffe396c46b658bb

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‘The Empress bringing in male prostitutes, has she no shame left?’fa5906b3ad98245e

Alex, his veins bulging fc81b9fb27 in his neck, ordered bc1c0b3cbc the Imperial Guard,100dd70b630a062c

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‘Imprison the Empress immediately!’4abfa541ebed6580

‘Yes!’0a789875ac976695

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In an instant, ca82cce059 Vivian became a 74604c8fc1 dirty woman who 48a6289fe8 had betrayed the 3732532c43 Emperor and dallied b7bbcba8b7 with male prostitutes, 04cc8bcffc and was imprisoned.1f4de45554211693

‘Ah, Alex! Listen to me…’364b978b56d3f130

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Vivian’s attempts to explain, 256c1dc087 to understand the situation, aa35a125a3 to do something, dissipated 733d6e3428 into the air, met 28e523255d with Alex’s harsh indifference.976af790143f88b8

His back, turned as c0c4332441 if he knew nothing 730d9643d4 of the person she 536b5ebd6e had been, told Vivian f82b90fd7a that this was the b38057ea6c end.9f85b18eec26ab8f

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Alex, without giving daca8b4b46 Vivian any chance ca8edcf05b to explain, threw 983647f7f1 her into the bb56fa1501 abyss.50ca0e6fd5d6a699

‘Vivian von Karlsruhe, guilty of infidelity, is hereby deposed as Empress and confined to the West Tower.’c853241294dcb5eb

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Hearing Emperor Alex’s judgment, 56dd0bbf41 Vivian desperately tried to 22d2ed2be6 grasp the situation.9cac41a048792675

Perhaps she wanted to fd2e7be211 rule out the last 39d43b78c6 possibility. Surely, Alex wouldn’t go 52430844cf that far.ffabdd387832112b

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As she boarded the prisoner’s 8836f44101 carriage, bound for the West d490797ca1 Tower, Stella came to visit.804569f07db5eb94

In stark contrast to Vivian, 210e583271 she was beautifully and elaborately d5f756c99e dressed.042ebd5c2c5114bc

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‘Sister, thank you for everything.’a69e28bba4c45f9c

‘……’c22cdaf35ebf336a

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Vivian narrowed her eyes, 3a04b789fd trying to understand Stella’s 5e9038c406 words.d477203ff24efdef

Stella leaned in closer 48699a961f and whispered,0682afc07eb68610

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To others, it would have 7a3b065b93 looked as if she was 553c07d3ae giving Vivian one last hug a69c4ad036 on her way.622b9498e979d981

‘We’ve been in love since before you married Alex.’063d00b760581c1e

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‘……Love?’4b3846875db80b5b

‘It was hard for me too, waiting for Alex to secure his position.’a1b369654300fd50

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‘…Waiting?’2caf0b0ca5aa6aad

‘Yes. For the day I 420efdf2ab become Empress.’bf8b024f9bcfb43c

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