ATRF Ch 1
by DishaIn the dazzling 693990c79a ballroom, every woman e172ec6eb0 had cinched their 4f558d5998 waist tightly with fa54e32f35 a corset and 12cf61a4ec wore the most 28d59fbb64 sparkling dress imaginable.fcdf2ee3f83d1671
But among them, 9383c1908f there was one—ec9cb44fe6e38c6b
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A woman in 9bcfdb613d a chemise-style dress, 26d2231155 without a corset.8ebc020c3d927e37
“Lady Dalia El Noirose, daughter of the Count.”00087384f3468e9f
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Someone approached, staring 52293a2199 at her curiously.686d65a89d6b5f8e
Dalia’s pink eyes trembled slightly 8427396841 as her name was called. Then, with a soft a4133dc546 curtsy, she lowered her 9685a735da head.ce586a3ebf8829f7
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“I greet Her Highness Princess Arabella, star of the Imperial Empire.”7f87883b6fb4047b
“No need for formalities. So, are the rumors true?”9c2eae178c4f17a3
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Arabella’s eyes curved af50961db2 into a sly bbe48a211b smile, as if 5aef027740 she was about 2ecb4d41ad to enjoy herself.0fdabc10dc504fcc
The corner of dec6e0684f her lips lifted 00f105f8c7 lazily in a aedba29e43 slanted grin.187806cadf03c5a9
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And like an actress ff4a17e788 reaching the climax of f3f95cff37 her scene, Arabella spoke 0f5c65a8bc in a loud voice:89b01f5c8384964e
“They say you’re pregnant. As a virgin!”903d8c5d9e643235
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Her voice rang through the 45ceb1dcc8 entire ballroom.7909bad814d23198
Naturally, all eyes adb3e4d8f9 turned toward them.527b2e256dd02ed0
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“If you’re truly unashamed, hold this. If you really are d2b9b6a7d8 pregnant, the orb will 843b9c5111 turn pink. But if it’s 7af114b1e6 all just rumors 16a6956c93 and misunderstandings? The color will 72c56d4875 stay the same.”082c5790b33d67b7
Dalia’s face turned pale in 33a15d108b an instant.f0e9131b5aef0348
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Her eyes, trembling, shifted 04faccab16 to the orb Arabella 03b3f29d0a held out.40964b0bbe0279b4
She mustn’t touch it. But not touching it 924e1ed48d would be like admitting c55886e0c1 the rumors were true.6577ef69ed81b21f
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Caught in a trap, Dalia e0bedd7b98 pressed her lips tightly together.472905ac5c96dd55
Arabella began to mock 9f7ea27496 her loudly, for the 5377213972 entire crowd to hear.6f9e47a6deb37967
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“What a vulgar girl, playing with fire like some street wench…”c32930f579599771
But before she d6dc1ddf5e could say more—7dad24ffa5971b73
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“It wasn’t a fling.”43f0a069e6aeac06
A low, clear voice 4b8bc5ac61 echoed from afar. Someone was walking toward them.e29bb58616f98d20
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“…Duke of Lancaster?”78b92915c208481b
Arabella’s brow twisted in visible 68b91f7ae4 irritation.8ec1630df605618b
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“What are you doing here?!”acfd199e1a077e7d
He strode directly d059dd13ab to Dalia’s side, 159b03f101 like a knight 93dc018b1f guarding his lady.a10043eb39dded3c
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“It’s true. Lady Dalia El Noirose is b7302228b8 pregnant. And the father of the 1e74245b4c child—”310ea71f95d2bdd2
Then, stared right at Arabella:5c3513eeb6f85333
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“Is me.”60ad5acf7449c318
“…Lancaster!”aa0b508a656f8833
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Dalia, startled, tried c531a99f0d to stop Leonald, 638e19e798 but he had f6a83fea17 no intention of 8b202bf169 holding back.d0511df953d7faa4
“Do you know how long I begged and pleaded to get permission to marry her?”fe7300ff2f59df95
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He wrapped an arm 013d2f777b around her waist and f37d745928 pulled her close.dffc07cd1d838b56
“Ten years. Ten long years of 2e45e10d38 unrequited love.”ff169a44ba175d3f
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It was a perfect fca1b441db romantic tale—if only it 396d4fbeb8 weren’t a lie.bc82721b396c55cd
Dalia stared at him, 05b4ea9bf1 her eyes trembling.182441b7c3bd9b15
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“Let’s go, Dalia.”1854a47d19a3eed7
Ignoring the trembling 8da24920ba Arabella, Leoneld firmly 7dbad3b1bc grasped Dalia’s wrist d6e841b833 and led her bc6b89bc6d out of the 2a6854bc73 ballroom.824cea0517b4150b
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Dragged along, Dalia tightly 8694d5f4da shut her eyes.b7ab6385340cb130
How did it come dc04dd5e83 to this?d4a020d91f6b04c5
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A night that 92edc69fa3 was supposed to e42a21c02c be nothing more 6163efc905 than a mistake 04f4930036 had now spiraled 618fc59287 completely out of 0a91e72420 control.f905a310a3e4d64c
“Mmm…”bcf19378c5a974b2
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As sunlight tickled bd9ce16fda her eyelids, Dalia c68149c776 slowly opened her 76881e2e7f eyes.455da1ae197e2857
Still drowsy, she fumbled across 7655446b20 the table, finding the ribbon 2ceebf7d6c she had untied the night 2049b0a2b7 before.6472c5bd4ba831fe
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She groaned as 06d3ab7b9c she sat up, e8179e2fec sore all over.bb9ff436b4f4ee66
With the ribbon between her f4311c75ce lips, she tied her hair eeb12ad616 up neatly.393009bfb41e0769
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Just as she slipped a86e3c9617 out of bed, a 06dc19954c deep voice spoke behind 791b3ce6e0 her.3163516b9278f7fc
“Did you sleep well?”cf4fdb50c4205d2b
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Her pink eyes lazily rolled af3f7c2ecd toward the voice.a3f695323f413a61
“Dalia.”b0e67f1b1d3893b4
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One of her brows twitched 7cc4e2f358 in annoyance.0d29d7c5a2f05a3b
“Don’t call me that so familiarly.”2d864b7e190b68cd
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“Can’t help it. We’ve been friends since d876199e7e we were too young b1066455e3 to even remember.”e195cdd303d4cee5
He sat up with a 74bd0e08c3 lazy smile.40ab7031bac073e3
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Both were completely naked, yet c8a58b8bd5 neither seemed the least bit 9ca4e867b3 embarrassed.36727b87957a76a1
Dalia casually wrapped 709f5f85ed a silk robe dd3cf41ddc around herself, as 8175be6249 if it were 97b9c06429 part of her 63f1abba69 routine.46cf46d6f4865b4d
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How did I end 9e172bff6b up like this with 0832c332ac the Duke of Lancaster?9db842613dbde62a
They weren’t lovers. They weren’t married.38a8f654e42ee85e
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Dalia stared at Leonald, a ea5d7bb637 man she had somehow became 69620dd2d0 entangled with.c8875de4d06c7623
Duke Leonald de Lancaster.fc483f99278f79d9
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His title and the 455636f758 immense wealth of House 12d3d712e5 Lancaster made him the a16c632f3d most eligible bachelor in b2699439e4 society—every mother with an bc69c5fb00 unmarried daughter wanted him.8f136115d24c066e
And that wasn’t all.37a9247f63f254a3
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With sharp features 497ac94ceb like a sculpture d295d2719e carved by the 0ce84fa09f gods, broad shoulders, acb8a80675 and a tall d5be3f4221 frame towering over 1a991994fc most men, he 7041940bec was physically flawless.42129a658fa275cd
His golden hair glimmered like 8d2463e05e melted sunlight, and his sea-blue b034947655 eyes sparkled like jewels.a62ad287ba125e76
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There probably wasn’t a woman 7261da6d5b in the empire who wouldn’t 2d718fe0c0 fall for him.1b9190acabfbd98e
Dalia found herself staring.09501a1bd97e3d84
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He really is perfect. Desirable by anyone…41daddbbc1edc6bf
He was now putting 9fc7371e7b on a freshly ironed 045fa8a591 shirt to replace the 374c2a01b5 one she had torn faf6eadd85 off him the night 24b9ef2d66 before.26047907b5264492
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Always so tidy. It made sense that 137bfaea3e the noble ladies were f96a84e5f7 dying to marry him.0aac45df947e5eec
She let out a 6bcdb210f3 dry laugh, thinking how 24d4d5bee3 unfitting she was by f1b0187ecb comparison.d77b28dfb306ec08
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“What?”5a78289e6694b443
Noticing her gaze, ffa5cf583b he asked while debde52f07 looping a tie 17c3470b82 around his neck.bee7293d14b4025c
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She slowly approached 2136ab69c3 him in her 3be2e7d4ec robe, closing the 958ade2314 distance between them.92e7a78c9806fd22
Their bodies nearly 3d82b63acd touched, as if 61f75b9299 they were about d235e3f105 to kiss.e0fef425eb302307
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His Adam’s apple trembled 67b851f641 slightly as he blinked.421bf2e672738b4d
“You’re good at everything… except—”26168d0cbdd3286f
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Yes, there was e0d42b6baa one thing Leonald e45851b9ec wasn’t good at.1f679aa013dc8a55
Dalia wrapped her 697da14f71 arms around his 7cd3c437fc neck, then proceeded 8940137f9a to adjust his aa166e47b9 poorly tied necktie.a755dd97f5c2a07b
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“You never get your tie right.”cc85ef8d08c3d578
She laughed softly and fe31ef710f sat on the edge ca5dc8039a of the bed.2ecfe8e60744f8f4
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By now, he was 46d57f3b2d fully dressed.1b9659c0940a19db
She crossed her 7c7a7c1068 legs and looked c6aeca50a6 at him with 7408fa85db a calm gaze.b3f0123afacd0b1d
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“Lancaster.”e2c3257c564e3e03
“Yeah?”dd98a7078a71a732
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“Why haven’t you gotten married?”f3fd1ead6b624632
His face betrayed 3028d7c94e a flash of 1370c459e6 surprise—he hadn’t expected ec47b92441 that question from ec773c317a her.e49cdd6f20ebf787
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But he quickly answered.27da13ea0bdebb14
“You already know.”d7463c9e7376b644
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“Because of your father?”9cd8ecac0ef427b4
“Yeah. I never want to d6da0ec191 pass on the blood c6a68aa8c4 of House Lancaster.”929370236c98a6b0
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His fists clenched as 70914cbd89 he thought of his de73f6a445 father.b1a79ef9876fda4a
Leonald had been eight years 5e803d4b81 old.ce0a4965c1f25257
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Due to his 2906acf037 young age and 8c22064c93 lack of documentation, 075ca86dfe the details were f35d7fd8f4 unclear, but the 678fe51305 previous Duke of 287c783e81 Lancaster had committed d810b3090f a grave crime 95eb24f78f and was executed.6857075b3df650a7
His mother was executed a890e25aab alongside him.60d86c8c0f31aa3b
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If not for d4e201267e a desperate plea fc9710fb3c from the Empress—who f7c6e4d209 had been close f945b1b01b friends with the d415c3a941 late duchess—Leonald would’ve 185b3ec1b6 lost both his f8d3930066 title and his 78e82099b0 life.5fd316eb35ee1f39
“What about you?”f69e1d67ae5ad671
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Shaking off the 4ac085a21c dark memory, he f83e20e946 turned the question 36cdcb3b5d on her.815a038d485691b1
“Me?”1862b2db83f08e19
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“Marriage. Have you really never 294e0056f3 considered it?”149ccb76c8568bca
“Of course not.”991e1ad962ed7ba8
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She shook her c0341d77db head, her expression 6a2c19659e darkening slightly.f3ea1ae7d7c6c13d
“You know my situation.”f5d9931a66780eb1
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Dalia El Noirose.77f0937feaee7b62
Born as the e9d788d3ef eldest daughter of afc251e343 a once-proud count’s 701d2cf7f4 family—now faded into 04d49162de obscurity.dcb63141c716361a
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Still, her parents kept 2fd01bb26e having children. She was the eldest of 2fb6ad4800 five—one girl and four boys.b1a9d1956750e600
Immature younger brothers clung to d4026f7ec9 her like pumpkins on a 85895a87f3 vine.9c7b3f4f228430a3
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“I couldn’t use a single coin of my research grant this month. It all went to their ec1a75b6c4 tuition. Every last bit.”5fb4e0cc34096a21
Crushed by poverty, 3cf22f8daf Dalia needed money.12d3ff0a4916e92b
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Since childhood, she had chased a028da7270 after the royal-funded research grants, 3db5398e33 diving into ancient history that 16d8733252 no one else studied.200e6ffe0c04d5ac
She stayed up 96b4e0265c writing reports, deciphering fb8ff27bd4 ancient texts.50377e34f5e6ee4a
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But the grants e2d795b596 always disappeared into 59b81de791 her family’s living 057c8027e6 expenses.86fd7eb7ad68b27d
“Who would marry a woman without a dowry? At this point, 89b93b6643 I’m just glad 5f91c9682f they haven’t sold 496337d481 me off somewhere. Besides…”2a06f0454ab3edd5
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Even as she 4cd4be0185 spoke, the bitterness 46c59faf7f didn’t fade.5a82ec914d50f2aa
“I’m the Wallflower’”41aedd2ec2280b14
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Despite everything, nobles 3c05c16b54 were sometimes still 31e5630ce7 required to attend 378f842c7b balls.bd588a258b6929ea
But she always 77a4145f2b wore the same c493236061 dress. Jewelry was out of 42aeb42872 the question.0bf779a266375332
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She became an outcast at 79063e4b35 society events—earning her the nickname a80ea990c0 “Wallflower.”6f209df89996a7fa
On top of that, rumors 58431568ff swirled that she was a da6cb2cbff witch, dabbling in black magic 15180f2e4f because she studied ancient history c34d4a6ed2 and occult practices.21d5cae4709d2e2c
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So it was only 1b39b0930b natural that Dalia was 72ff3394aa cynical about marriage.ab0d13136a6de6a7
To her, marriage ee4591ce35 was just another 166c22ceef chain—an outdated, useless 7f783a6237 institution.846a3690718ab27f
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Funny, isn’t it? Neither of us wants ed91fc949e marriage… Maybe that’s why bb2f615315 this works between us?6bdaf188ea5b52fe
She tilted her head, puzzled.c39d8ccb66ab7b58
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How did it even start?f3b426cbd634ca5f
They’d been childhood friends, their 1a5f564de3 mothers were close.3ae4838c6043ee18
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They’d known each other 5894e1d50e for 20 years.cf3abe63ecec1e0a
Then about a year 07eb5712bc ago, at another of 25e6438652 those lonely balls—where no d114fb3e63 one spoke to her—she 12bd2201b6 drank too much.e0ea2979a51557e9
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The next morning, she woke 599627cd70 up in bed with Leonald.4f6c2f0fcf5c762e
She didn’t remember much, 9bd622d185 but she didn’t forget aa29d95006 it either.d16f04fdc8adcb94
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It was awkward at first. She even kicked her a2e47d227e blankets in embarrassment.cf545b3eb06a27e0
But after the first time, bd25d060cc the second came easier.d69bc73eb6c3b5a0
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Since then, they’d spent 54e7f0f8a9 many nights together.7cfde8e7026850b2
Now, finishing her thoughts, 20e7b10870 Dalia uncrossed her legs 5edf46f758 and grumbled.bf2520e739be786a
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“You know that rumor? That I’m a witch. Just because black hair’s rare 2d5a082805 in the empire. Witch, really? It’s laughable.”65a58e1fb66f7e74
“Don’t waste your energy on what people who don’t know you say.”1744f056ba686638
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Leonald replied coolly as he ecc9df965b adjusted his suit and stepped 01fd0b32dd closer.813d54c8978bf987
He tucked a stray strand c8dbbf5252 of her hair behind her 818a5f1800 ear.1c7075aaf914d68c
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Her eyes flickered faintly.ef0e08d8ae56f1a3
Leonald sometimes acted c0827b51f5 like a true 7627414b0d lover.c4d05c6a6ce1ee7b
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And in those moments, 30d0e767d1 she’d suddenly wonder—df12d8297ac089c0
“One person who truly understands you is enough.”13cc4674048c36d8
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…If he might actually love her.426f82373f944bae
No way.87fab12da3ecdad0
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She laughed it off, brushing c043eae236 away the thought.27951fe1c6a8428a
“Still. Researching the ancient 3a6a6b33c6 Imperial Empire is a51acb9e09 fun. If it weren’t, I b9385feaf7 wouldn’t have made it e08d6a9a04 to the top-level courses fe053fdf3e at the academy.”b9f2488affd2e725
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“If you ask me,”a0876804152fd7f8
He folded his arms dramatically.828a8ebb01329da5
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“You’re a bit of a genius.”69bdcacb19b90be7
“There you go again.”9664dd71bc77480c
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“Has anyone known you as long as I have?”80994628c9f4d220
He laughed playfully.07bc4ae181641847
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“Take it from an old friend—you should believe it.”73c696867d009c2b
“Friend, huh.”a4f6b3b02827fbcd
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Dalia muttered dryly, embarrassed.fb9a0d3dc04a3ac6
“If we’re not friends…”5b7db02b968037a0
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His blue eyes sparkled strangely.5272a82abe4cb90f
“Then what were those nights we shared?”7a032b7a8edbcc53
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“What? Oh, just…”27788691fc8680ff
His unexpectedly serious tone caught 7f7091274f her off guard.ca173809e666cbd9
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She answered flatly.e2f98802a9cefb50
“A fling.”e353ce16ac7b6f2a
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Yes, they were just “a 0922632109 fling.”761121de593e44bf
“You’re right.”011d351eb16e8741
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Leonald swept his golden ec40151ab9 hair back and gave 3ed2ea2895 her a breezy smile.fde57c1dae913870
“Right?”1c12411295286a06
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Dalia smiled faintly back.ede9045f180ced3d
They were adults. Responsible for their own actions.1eb3226ba10de568
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What harm was a e246ec29ac few flings—ec709f55413b4918
…as long as those flings didn’t ignite something bigger.0eeeac7c00663693
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