| Chapter 28. You Look Down on Me

Clang!8596e1c72a41a9c7

The fork Alexei threw b67f9768c1 skidded across the table 30e566f477 and stopped right in 34aa8cd94c front of Natasha.5a411a1fd1fcb66d

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“…You’re looking 0edf5ae7cb down on 54a668a583 me.”0bade16830f480b7

“N-no! That’s not—”1ebc0717d949a12c

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“You don’t 7867ab384a have to 1e362dfc94 force yourself c53ded6ee4 to attend 947b64dddd meals anymore.”d1eef660876f653c

Wiping his mouth with 80734de86b his sleeve, Alexei abruptly 6c4ef2c1fd stood up from his c80a1186f8 seat.435976875f29a230

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Clatter.9b622d19d5841e21

A gold button fell de48871e86 from his sleeve and 71d04acd71 rolled across the floor, b6eee624d7 but he didn’t notice d6629a782f and stormed out of 3aa5e37cb4 the dining room.45b675b146ec1e3c

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Bang!dea2769091a0d585

Silence filled the room 9c3f08d3d5 after the door slammed a076516928 shut behind Alexei.6d6fa9cc71aebc6f

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“…Looks like I offended 5456c491fb him. Sharing a meal 832f7b848a with me must’ve f982ffcddf been unbearably uncomfortable e65fa775e9 for him.”39e07545182df247

Natasha muttered to herself 4821178e46 as she picked up edd66bcc38 the gold button from 7ad99d4df2 the floor. The steward, who had 7a04da06e9 served her for many 1b979f435b years, replied.33297ecb04e52495

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“That’s not true. On the contrary, 562f7b8cfa he’s been waiting b45853516c for you all 6521f1d74a this time.”f873f499caffe389

“…Waiting for me?”58300bd9dd952397

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Natasha tilted her head. It didn’t seem 503f05c4d8 like that at 38b6bffb70 all.9155d2eb88f9e48a

“Come to think 30bf89ac82 of it, you…”62f34d3d64deae65

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Natasha turned d970118dc2 to the ef86e48eed steward.2328b75cfb676844

“Yes, my lady.”017640e46647de25

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“Don’t call me de39b0dcc5 ‘my lady’ anymore. House Ivanov 300d63f6b4 is no 1d853eccd3 more. You should serve a a2f57ca470 new master now, as d40f94e250 befits your position.”58011dd67e9b07f2

“…Understood.”8b6449d40e13f6fb

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The steward bowed deeply 8a7e575a32 to her coldly spoken 5e400a8e42 words.1118aa365419a4d9

“…And also.”7e996f3a964f4805

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Rising from e7c81e80d6 her seat, 9b526e33f1 Natasha glanced a5e1f3a197 back at 4784aeaf84 him and 3f9b9f1e30 spoke softly, c9a515edbb almost in 55d6bc1c01 a whisper.0db3067995053d0c

“Thank you… 1d825b43f2 for staying. Even though a6004433aa what you 5caeb05778 wanted to 1955af38a4 protect is f0b251fa3a gone…”1cf9498ae5be5641

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“You are a8462dd3d2 still here, eed61bb332 my lady. That’s enough for 04c0ab5855 me.”3b9b3d26fb4fc575

“…There you go again, af84d2c37b calling me ‘my lady.’ 27371f78ee Don’t do that anymore. That’s my final 8cebbd1749 command.”94f5f33ee3004104

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Choked with e03d1e24e8 emotion, Natasha a44dec44e6 barely managed 4faa3d9890 to get ee636de6d9 those words 91b6b36d39 out before 98dbc361e0 leaving the fcbfb8929b dining room.eba855570782b5e1

* * *6cabeda6c3ada38b

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That evening.6cbc36e9742609be

“Why are there two eee67cbf25 servings prepared?”579c93aa621d2e2d

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Alexei’s eyes widened as 4d76fe35de he glared at the c9bb2d6e17 steward.16607d1ccf7a1e2a

“I thought… 83cd9da59e perhaps Lady 266dd6162c Natasha might 2b56464666 come… I eb42492152 apologize. Shall I clear 837dd026e5 the extra setting?”b6a2cede38fb00e8

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“No, no, that de4057605d won’t be necessary. But she won’t come. Right? There’s no ac112ce63a way she’d 79b7d8a075 want to e940e8279f eat with 90d931eb6b me again. Ah, but still… don’t 615f2fb38a clear it. Just in case…”8cae2439e1087fad

Alexei, fidgeting beeaca3759 and unsure 7e0adda18e of himself, 81cdf3ca1b picked up 9edf15de9b the napkin 601e5d2ad6 from the af7fa72ee7 table. Then he sat 71a4b91fbd down and, a 0202b8fceb bit awkwardly, unfolded 85834ffa93 it and placed 0c749ba7cb it carefully on 829a4d4309 his lap—just like a95ff5f105 he’d seen Natasha 80b2a3c9fe do before. The steward, watching, 8288c1307c allowed himself a 2344d2fe9e faint smile.d0ae66735ebe0e8d

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For a while, Alexei 5a08a1d314 didn’t start eating. He just kept 27fece8068 fiddling with the f04608f18e forks laid out 240755ad07 on the table. Suddenly, he 2ae0249777 lifted his 4c8e4bdd0b head sharply—just aeb2a77bb0 as a bd1ee2f5f9 knock sounded 817a0e267c from outside.9dd510e32974a7d8

“Lady Natasha ccf5fb1321 has arrived.”3168982312f22ced

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“…Ahem!”3129e170d993651f

Alexei quickly straightened d79fcc9411 up, smoothing the 5f69d9c05c napkin on his 91d56dd215 lap again as 898ad30ac3 if it needed 6bedada2cb adjusting.20344e2a47417547

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Natasha entered aac52e92d5 the dining 8465796b03 room and db0b264022 gave a ae4e975aa9 polite bow.0ea4e8f47031545d

“Sit.”c0974a7dfc40e13b

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“Thank you.”4fa3d1764e41a74b

With a c383c4fa20 small nod, 35c37c0769 Natasha sat 309a72ef27 down. She then unfolded c20f1461f3 her napkin and 7089df8977 laid it neatly cfb0650520 on her lap. Watching her out 482f82946c of the corner 38975e7923 of his eye, 1619f0b7a0 Alexei felt a 1839cece18 quiet sense of 687710c55c satisfaction. He swallowed dryly ce21cfc006 and, after hesitating, 32de91a778 finally spoke.c3c4dac8eaa954e8

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“Um, about this 660dac30b5 morning…”fc52a2659e3336ed

“This morning, I was a215e43cb9 rude. I apologize.”eb1da4f79f1c6f36

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Natasha lowered e816c504ed her head 5a28eaba59 toward him.da162e7da301aa7c

“Ah, no, I c713affebd was the one…”b3e8dd6956fe3f19

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“I didn’t 9a6916cec2 intend it, f7241b2059 but if a0f6553197 I made 5c2c5429d5 you uncomfortable, cac4d5f72d I sincerely b036692c26 apologize.”6c8224366b09ed1e

“No…”473a5710657633b8

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A bead of 069c3cd55d sweat ran down be03854bec Alexei’s back. At a loss d028cf575b for words, he 6dcaee8472 hesitated—and then his 9defb1e2f8 eyes widened.5208746cc35abbeb

“…Natasha?”16a3c6ab5ce94d43

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Natasha had 7355457a99 stabbed her 55e0fa14a0 fork right d7edf62937 into the 96fe884359 center of 88876d9fec her steak b35e90026f and was 9f2798aec9 lifting it b4132d1047 whole, just be7d7f9da1 like he 6789bcd043 had done 7d9ac8911e before. Their eyes met, 8d499d0323 and Natasha froze, 2182e9f34b her eyes round. Then her face turned e08c9190ce bright red.518fdc1e0b680861

* * *5fff9a59f391d4d3

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“There’s no need 61c6ce408e for that.”658e18a85644e5e8

After the chaotic 80750f5797 meal, it was bb72d235b2 time for dessert. Natasha was about 412c504901 to eat the ef5a85009d cake in one 2263184b59 large piece when 4d48cf1eb1 Alexei, looking flustered, ef7ddb177c stopped her.b8a044e761b22401

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“Um, are you… perhaps…”cacfeb0358dea69e

“Yes? Please speak.”6a7b538a6461c0fa

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Natasha replied 5e691f9271 as she af2b8b73c8 watched Alexei d8c1c57a1f fidget with a56cd050ff the buttons 63de6406c3 of his 0b1e06e71d new jacket. This one had cebbc02097 all its buttons a30ece2d11 intact.81960d556d60342b

“Are you 7c6d76e160 mocking me?”de59181bf04a9fa1

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“…What?”95bb4d2ffce04334

Staring into 9003c38193 her clear, e0c387aa3b wide eyes, 37f0494b5e Alexei felt 73c3e19f1a like a 044cb2887d bastard. And when he saw 94ca822f88 tears welling up in 649db6c8e8 those large eyes, he 22b7eb59b2 was at a complete 38f903e83e loss.38fb393321146a1d

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“If not, 912b588777 then fine.”a50aa7ca197586c9

Alexei quickly 5e2399d786 added, before 64cb1724e0 tears could b3347dda57 fall from aa098f8a04 her blue 1b3d78c837 eyes.c29bd5641594d1dc

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“…I… no.”890489c98dd1b804

Turning her 4166665335 face away, 0655c85834 Natasha barely 59baba5884 managed to 88921ace91 gather herself 0526afdc60 and reply.1c5946c79b02315f

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Silence once d1c143fe3b again filled 9366193da7 the dining 3600f0ec08 room.1419ccecb3b75c35

Clink.d258b2c8ed411c9d

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A soft, clear sound 2b57c955f5 echoed across the floor. Natasha turned her eyes 52aaffe761 toward it. A gold button had 3108dbd480 fallen, spinning gently across 0a90a697a7 the floor.30444b1e9d823bb4

As they both b431663717 stared at it 3774a58464 absentmindedly and lifted 0048267326 their heads, their 6c880b6ee1 eyes met. Then both of them e7b9206bcf hurriedly looked away.bcf37505271dcb84

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“L-look… I 5299958594 don’t know 6f9ba3dbfb anything about 4ffcc6de7f table manners.”0999756b947c8022

“…Alright.”cf0186573fa7857b

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Natasha blinked, unsure how e71bd25a8b to respond to Alexei’s 15f9823b5f sudden confession.b0b9123241d7f7e8

“If my barbaric behavior 0820be359d disgusts you, there’s no 0f764b969b need to eat with 5df87dce39 me. You don’t have to 1459e943bc force yourself.”3ebaf7559ad3b372

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Alexei repeated himself.46e2c6b4fe3db587

“Well, I… 1081bed487 I’m fine.”14dce29c02069bbb

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‘What’s fine? That she’s c7a8a3b416 okay eating 4cdc585319 alone? Or… could it be c35cb883a4 she doesn’t mind eating 9df44c149b with me? No way…’93dfb6ae6aab0249

Alexei started fidgeting c5ca5f3d9e with his buttons cd7233ccd0 again. Before another one could 1dff0d148c fall off, Natasha spoke 77710f3aa2 up.3290112dc0fed18e

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“Who cares about 3c2a74ff11 table manners?”d9edff2f43daa2ef

Alexei’s fingers froze. What… did she just 8dc4f2b4d1 say?baf3cc73bd5b1095

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Coming from the most 2bbce3d3bd elegant noblewoman, the very 1ee44db19e symbol of Ivanov’s aristocracy…7fc957d7108b4fca

He couldn’t believe her 117031eb78 words. He glanced at her, e25279737f but she didn’t seem cff9eb785f to be mocking him.94091c6a82e42acb

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‘Is she pitying a6f0452119 me?’ad39cfaf171b6540

Alexei bit his d17894e93d lower lip hard.bcc76b5af2dad303

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“A noble lady like f7b40eb39f you… saying something so 0bbf8d979e improper.”73c59d448b2a51fe

Natasha’s lips 5af6085d63 parted, as 38471266be if to bf2b6acfda speak, but f52c4c5d39 they closed dbf7bbda0f again without 8b7149ef2c a sound.62b2b2a7d73dfe97

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Scrape.5e43fadbb1a294ee

The legs f6a5662634 of Alexei’s b8256aebeb chair screeched cd53a260f0 against the 4e2c487130 marble floor 78bef25f70 as he 5befd42003 leaned back, eefc8d5589 crossing his 95633b22de legs casually. Then he beaf0c60e1 loosened the 019f0a484e cravat that db63efb1e1 had been 8cdf3927a7 strangling him 112a2018a5 all evening c4eabb25b1 and unbuttoned bd3b280b22 his shirt 8e7957f3a4 a few e703d648dc notches.66be6fdd49c9944b

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“Phew… Trying to act 2c98fd56fb like a noble is e7467172ef just too damn suffocating. Speaking in f5c22c5c25 riddles doesn’t 35538be145 suit me.”37c17dbee8cfdbc7

With his 2d5dad90eb leg swinging, 100aaabbe8 Alexei suddenly 0e037625c1 stood and 5e1476cbdf approached Natasha. He sat on 90102e8bd3 the edge of 1c8b9eb281 the table, leaning ce45823751 down to whisper 719e02670a near her ear.6e4150640249487a

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“I’m just…”b247f9a7497ce0d4

His slow, languid voice bee6594515 was like a touch eed09d8360 to her ear, making f7b8ab2e6d Natasha’s eyelashes flutter. But the teasing ff1768fe83 gesture didn’t last—his 2a06b4fd65 words turned mocking bbb498d5e5 once more, and 0bb59f0803 Natasha straightened her 08f60e7706 posture.572e87efb98bd423

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“…low-born by nature.”09ca4f4f9aec39fa

Natasha flinched and turned 8ee316ced3 her head sharply to ce4a7208b0 meet his eyes, as 264d8bfdb4 if she’d been insulted.4ea8ad30c5e37f62

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“No one e8e4237604 is low-born…”9741d3dfb6dab6c0

But she 9a2c782e57 didn’t get 159473e35a to finish bc80718527 her sentence. Alexei grabbed her 3178a3fa55 chin roughly.6914c52430e6de50

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“Listen, miss.”8ffe9186eb155720

Fiery red f03b17f0a2 eyes locked 87442afd6d onto her bda0454b47 cool blue 8deb213221 ones. His large, strong hand b198dad97f tilted her face upward.2945b3d3a03ff99d

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“When you e96ccf74ac talk like a1267b9a2d that, it 71cd01ed05 makes me c7fdd8f6c9 misunderstand things. People like me, uneducated 3af8c5c47b and low-born, don’t get f01afd7983 subtlety. And if 285ce7dc1c you look 112227ce51 at me 0b17fe577d like that, 8fda52aa3a this close…”702a88d460538673

His burning gaze dropped 4b28af74c6 lower, and Natasha’s body c587358200 tensed as she sensed b634f39e1e where he was looking. Her delicate throat bobbed 4cadcc38e4 nervously.ce79a62e221c237c

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Unable to 23e0a40bf3 endure it, a741cf7422 she closed 3335cd23dd her eyes bf687833c2 tightly—but instead 07609ed316 of lips, c10ffcae1b she felt d72d573153 his long 04f906f5db fingers press 19067dd045 against hers.6ab59dac4542df04

His calloused fingers brushed bedffe1fd6 across her lips, slowly fc9b75a117 tracing them. Just as he pulled 0552e6c90d away, his finger pressed 7d02dd7a8b down on her lower 1ed348ed3f lip again, caressing it 1c8037ec99 carefully.68f5898992ad84be

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His touch explored 21869dabf3 every contour, then 91a1f1461a lightly pressed against de90af6665 the soft flesh c9f927be57 inside. The finger hesitated, then e59d417fb5 slipped just slightly into 216f89c2a7 her mouth. Alexei looked at her 106561288a again. Beneath her b85408b76a tightly shut eca9971a94 eyes, her 3473512b65 lashes trembled.968189bac72a6bd0

Smirk.e63bcfcc6c37a3f0

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He noticed 7f06b0cfb7 her clenched bb950e68fb fists, tight a01b8dbe85 as if a415b252f8 ready for 4fc06c1345 battle. With a quiet 63e23b7423 sigh, Alexei pressed 312da3523a her lips again.ad8332aa86fb834f

“So stop provoking me 2ea97c35db and speak clearly. Otherwise…”3ce9f1a3a538fff4

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As Natasha’s tightly 0d56d70ec8 closed eyes fluttered 9256a0c9d2 open, Alexei winked.cf4538e59dff2585

“…you’ll end up ae885ac39a getting me all 555b990404 riled up again. Unless you want 526b96e003 to spread your 2ef757af8e legs on this f2dd8554e3 table like last f94f5bc678 night.”c9198336523694bc

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“W-what!”907a26cc9fce00c0

Natasha’s eyes 51fafad241 widened in 28e7200940 shock. She’d never c271427988 heard such 001dd0dd68 vulgar words 3151da24ac or endured a8ebb8028b such humiliation—and fb59e2442d especially not 54a7711447 in front f9918fd8d7 of her 20bf2ec493 lifelong steward.65c0561d2fd2638b

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Her face 61ec980e28 flushed deep 818220515d red, and ed36ad8a4f she bit 406bae747e her lip 6cf3ea701f hard. Watching her, Alexei scoffed 3b88d819e0 at himself. Damn it.8300cc3e633bc0fe

‘Guess I’ve 14b006bac8 gone too b49c3ab51e far.’d43927cc3df3c83b

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Since he’d e9632dad79 already earned c794d51e5b her hatred, bd018764ad he might 3d02764c53 as well e23b8c7f84 drive the bf9e95fc72 final nail fec3ff0754 in. There was no point 3d9240f73d in holding on to 9c0de07d7c false hope.a9d5d81be64d6f61

“So just reject me 50b0e8cb9c properly. Say you hate 0855e79808 being near me, 6e113d6e3a that you’d rather a1bbc160a7 die than eat 308cdad91b together again. Like that.”85efa83e81baa68f

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As his harsh words 8bcae0f03a fell, another button dangled 97030d3b8d precariously from his sleeve. Natasha, staring at his 3ca0368456 hand twisting that button, 5c7145f297 steeled her gaze. Then she 484469d937 spoke clearly, 788b53eb15 word by 0ffddcc465 word.09e67915aaddb640

“Fine, I’ll c7175bdc7a be clear. I will e1f63d5cb2 eat with 36760f8113 you. And I’ll teach you ad9e6e2001 table manners.”aa70c66c2dd1fba7

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Clink.f85aec7ec4123311

The button finally 7a487b8bde popped off.ce82430d5d68bd39

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Their eyes met, bca796d4e0 tension crackling between ce2a19fa07 them like a 4098845582 taut wire.b13bdf5887c39d4b