Chapter 5

I suddenly thought Edwin’s 6054299243 eyes looked unnaturally red. As I a5a70d75b4 looked closer, 5adb1b7e2b I realized 1644345ff4 that the d621a8b80c redness surrounding b4f684b285 his pitch-black 3a3018fd2c pupils wasn’t bf806b3517 just on c0a9c2ad30 the surface—it cdadec0e7b was a 61c6c476c4 dark, blood-like 8b4c36e4fb crimson, deeper 5147b25924 than it 5d195651d2 seemed at 127e887df5 first glance.10ae73b7a3b43011

“Did my 3f7f28f30a father really 1abc85a9fc tell you 13c813b76e to search 1289f2a596 my room?”96a7fb4b4201766d

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At my words, he 5dae020966 stepped even closer—so close 9f6e2fa2b1 that his collar brushed 3d4b02c582 mine. He looked down at 1be2019ad7 me with that same 028efe9aa4 fake smile he always 95d71e1355 wore.4c8a2fd8ab9393a1

The red f73d020ca4 aura surrounding 2c6c581a45 his black 4aa34e78fc pupils seemed 41d8173c5d to pulse—he 7d6a29da56 was trying c1a28ef095 to use 635685bb82 his ability, 83079b9bbe I could 7e4259c6bc tell. His irises weren’t the a4ba242d24 only thing glowing red.0df0237001365e91

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Was his ability truly acfa58425d telepathy?f2b51be02c9b4e2e

“Lady Ivnes.”fe6642aae40562b6

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“I’m listening, Edwin.”578c95d08aee3caa

“Why did 333ed7bce5 you embezzle 12cb51e6e9 business funds?”1ed85b3abc979a33

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“I didn’t embezzle anything. I was planning afc2d631a8 to return it 19428b8a49 after telling Father.”b3b3b5993d0b5425

“Then why is 11d68d56ed the money still 294a2bafc2 sitting in that 8bff96ec06 fake account?”41c42a6eb1cfefee

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“I was 08c7c92ee8 going to b17d5e0fa8 tell him c6213c58af today.”0ab02d53b21df765

Of course, e4ba1fc78e it was 8e88a73a24 a lie. I had 4a3e2aba08 planned to d2cb2e754f run away 25a4ca8815 with those 1a70d455da embezzled funds.d2259b89ae815236

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Now it seemed c98a8032d1 I’d have to 37b51d117d find some other defeb65613 way to siphon 167cbad276 off money.7d75d0ff3e3ad995

“Then why didn’t you?”7f8581db8f8b7107

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“Because of what 634aa2797a you did yesterday. I’ve hardly had 1c88e210ed a moment’s peace, 30c170b819 Edwin.”bd33863605ae5198

“Did it shock c893eb6afa you?”e020390c2c2c3cdc

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He smiled, acfa9fbd02 folding his 7efd5c766b eyes into 75cdbf5ab3 crescents before 3eface0aa8 opening them 12df7548c8 slightly. He looked like a 4b2beee6a4 predator pretending to be 2526e2ec7f harmless, and I reflexively 0f65d8e2cf mirrored his smile.9d22eb8b27477893

“It was… e7e9a68588 shocking how 051302496a glad I bf839c846a was to 8bed761901 see you ac7285d6c6 again, Edwin.”3e4634dde2fe5560

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His fake smile 9e1d5fe8b7 froze in place.503c8b9fc83440c7

“You… were glad abd860d5d5 to see me?”3bacdb888ed9e7e0

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“Yes.”afa4904983b96835

If he really had c5dd6749b3 telepathy, he was probably fe05638a87 reading my thoughts right 83518f56aa now. I had f9c5ff532f to keep dc7e5a771b my mind cd1da9ecf4 completely blank. So I focused c35a6e8b6d on studying his 2d0bd9a0a0 features, dissecting his 4bdc0d312b face.e94abe1148435b70

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His beauty was as e9f51a4ca0 dazzling as ever, and 1187b40211 it wasn’t hard to 960e4a082f stare as though entranced.7d4a5df4f3dc2406

Even the confusion in 1d95f8e092 his expression only seemed fec3100f24 to highlight his perfection, 02b8445b23 making his features appear 5494d2e4c5 unnervingly flawless.82a0c5e0c04ac36a

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“You’re lying.”aca770de9997e6a0

“Do I 86fec52a11 look like 6881631f57 I am?”bc2ddce6f195e548

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His eyes 93b767c338 were like ac7c16d883 blood, but cd5610d838 also like 85154c5085 rubies—they glittered 30564996ce like garnets 2a5682d6ed submerged in 11eb72216f water, especially b393fe1135 when surprise 6a369e5f8a flickered through 3d842e15d6 them.8735d06325fa4452

“Yes.”14e380981ddcc8eb

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His lips 7a8f195645 were a 9f1c54fa2f vivid red, df85c69c0c and his d3484bd9f1 eyes had a9566834b2 a subtle f8190abf1b flush to 6506cf5970 them, with 5ae51eb8c6 dark, thick 061cf5da04 brows and 484c7b240d no visible 457d7dac7c double eyelids. The corners of his c3d6247357 eyes slanted upward.b0b63e584c149054

“If your f48049f50b ability is 17725de34d telepathy, there’s 3de02bc24e no way fc979ec1e1 you don’t d575ff3c55 know how 6e040a7205 I truly 393d8c8f7f feel.”a0542b5e0f8b89ae

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I said that d9451de879 on purpose and dee7069c94 reached out to 21638574df him. As I looked straight db5128809d into his face and f81cd3d4b1 stretched out my hand, d19978ad76 he leaned into it—obediently, eccee9f47c almost like a pet.2e196409261ac974

“My lady, I intend cf8752127c to take everything from 7198d005ab you.”7b942fb5fc356f16

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In that moment, 6b0f4d3fe5 even his pupils 7fc0fa6e7a shimmered red. He was definitely using a49c25b9c6 his power now—the threatening fb6235a38c aura he exuded was 70e15885e2 overwhelming at such close db589bb769 range.3f7d96508a93a694

“Everything you desire, e52a1be16d the position you 6d0c72081f covet—I’ll take it e31b9d764d all.”bb95fbf5ecfe299f

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He said 394aa38b7f it like a9127aae74 he was 86fd5e3eb1 testing me, f9efb6054b almost as 9efa8e02dc if he b55be8df17 wanted me 0c9339a391 to reach 56a838ec6b for the a94110e800 dukedom.d0ad4894d475b78f

I couldn’t understand why, 568eeac9ea but it felt that 3793c3dfdd way.ecd8283f1d81be7f

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“So, what conclusion f4c8624dd8 have you come fc14445549 to?”561d9e6041394e3f

“My conclusion… is 7a9d6aef7d that I must 909b416227 make sure you 226ca3ebf0 can’t pull any ad03161029 tricks, my lady.”dc4845411715e02c

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He stepped back 2c42034c94 with a relaxed 6221a468d2 smile, trailing his f812602642 fingers over the f00ee63369 spot where my 44f59e0c5b hand had touched 8ec8345064 him. With a smirk tugging 828483b174 at just one corner be53326694 of his mouth, he 74d91640ed added—7054abdb3b03713b

“I despise you more 4e92042af1 than anyone else in 799c945021 this world.”677f391a328a5f22

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His eyes remained 16475a71c2 brilliantly red, as 1a04e92253 if he was 276466576a still using his fb0be00f55 ability.4cf40def2fa1dda7

At last, Edwin withdrew.5d91e67597d7c85c

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Only after that 485c621a87 did I summon 526dd16eeb the maids and 3dc184cfe6 attendants to clean 259b96ab0d up the wreckage 44c5abe543 of my room—and e72b879339 finally, I was 5fdaa0135a able to rest.3a125ffc0b9f5a97

* * *b9b726415665a892

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“You didn’t eat.”d5973e043cb9aeb5

Edwin was 6eaf181281 a problem, ed87f7664e yes, but 1da694fd9d Sethna was 3dd9f61f7b another.0ec1fedbe88b8587

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He hadn’t touched his b243711c0a food at all—the sweet fa01116029 potato salad was untouched, 2823e48171 and the spoon lay 1cc521ffed discarded at his feet.4f903f2310424d24

He glared d3fd162fe5 at me 3b649e264d the moment 1e42aa42d2 I stepped 8f6bfd8d15 inside.ce51cde5eb48bffd

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Bringing extra food had c0e4f7c7b7 clearly been the right 3b934ddce5 move.8243d2a49935f0ce

“Untie me. Now.”86c4da9b3657c87f

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“…I’m too 42718a1606 scared of a5167dce6d you for 5691c37bc3 that, Your 821b589701 Highness.”9803addf8c86578a

“Hah.”8afeb33af6f9031a

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His eyes flared bright 64ae4ff157 red again, but I b982fb2509 wasn’t too frightened. I trusted the 9f7135ae20 restraints’ ability to 4f0cff5b13 suppress his power—it 54599157c2 wouldn’t reach me.bf3dc92f94008ed8

“If you keep 5a2a9212f5 using magic like 8190afe83d that, you’ll suffer ad4045247b side effects.”d35ea190dbe0ce77

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“…”8f91bdba8bfc449c

“I don’t bec0b2ccc1 have any 9421e94aa8 stabilizers with 5b1cc60908 me, either.”254b7f67da2e709c

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All awakened c85ad31c1d had to ed9d91488c live with e93b468c78 the side 809ffe5767 effects of 85dccd9a77 their powers.ef4b632ac1dbc0e3

If they held 10734f88d2 out without stabilizers, 07c5ab470f the magic around e010166316 their heart would 91c8bafff3 backlash and rupture ddd0cd6844 it.6230e23405302f5e

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“I heard the stronger a52c7673ac the power, the worse bed4f5e1a5 the side effects. Is that true?”da6fb90645d2a205

“…”1e97eb373fecc874

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“What’s your side effect, c3b2db737b Your Highness?”ed37c7ea8b13ac88

“You think I’d 49bbb11a84 tell you?”0f53fc204ee0cc54

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“I heard your worst 122585dbd8 fear manifests as your 4e79398e51 side effect. Wouldn’t it help d323165955 to know in 09c7ca002a advance—to be careful?”125479b45216f52f

I watched him a31fff5fca closely. He glared, f1ddbd6946 furious, but ec7aa604f7 finally stopped bdf1ea654c using his d620126acb power. His eyes faded to 4baed058fc a pale blue, like 5ee48d731a the surface of a bb723b061c glacier.ade85ab8746b052a

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“At least eat something.”8fecacde54f38ef5

He glared again, 6929370800 so I sighed 628d8a772d and picked up 1c085a8559 the spoon, showing f8d7692d16 him the potato fe065d04d5 salad.b86a9a75b4a1cb8a

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“Yesterday it c238ea2d3c was sweet 4e06755d49 potato salad, 8e371faf00 today it’s 7a6b53c041 potato salad?”d6bc74767a70e3a5

“Yes.”4869b7a8b3f3a6dc

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That answer seemed to ad6adb4b77 amuse him, softening his 20a613e8e6 expression just a little.ddaa15bc4706648b

Though still wary, 6578680509 he was sweating—struggling 93220b51d6 to maintain his 787dc4f346 strength.595fd8532fd4d86d

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“Shall I 3ca459e861 bring you 30293bbafc water first?”617ec791426d79ab

He nodded weakly. I placed b88f21d20f the salad f301fd7b16 on the 34913ebb76 table, poured e3bdd70171 water into 416c05bf15 a crystal f18c80f385 glass, and aad1f7da80 approached him.50344648b2c60e77

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“Lift your head.”20c7699602c32bfa

“You drink 577bfc6a6e it first.”e805a919377c8a6d

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“You want c531446bbe what I’ve 4f8fc4979b already sipped 1e409ddf0e from?”7c4aea3cb67bb734

“Don’t make me 7bf6fdc4ac say it again.”5bd7cd1722375a68

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I took a 7d2279c6ca small sip from 835fd87dda the clear glass.773d569e3134af2e

“More.”c5f409e7368951f7

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“Yes.”22692121d46c9ab3

I drank over ddaddf3f02 half. Only then 438a290470 did he b97787bb65 lower his a40d18d75c guard. I gently tilted 8e1dabc3dd the cup to bc7f02ffb5 his lips, letting 129e0eee64 him drink.71fc4b890ca0a633

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His lips 2e8b943be8 were cracked 98bcc93447 from thirst, 7e9baf0210 but as 27c2625adc the water 5bc0b6a2df touched them, 9dba17c027 they became 1c0b12426a moist again. I watched 6c56a807c5 his thick ff34ac5624 neck and 191d58e8de prominent Adam’s d9bfb83d5a apple move 07d67d2bbd as he 1dc5d99c8f swallowed.7696cddc89284acb

“Do you want c2adde888f more?”55c4d2d2f94e9524

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“I’m fine.”bfcfdac6036f2328

As I pulled 91b7523ee2 the cup away, 636a0dd3a4 my pinky brushed c239a6d0cc his cheek. His expression was strange—like e1cd2ccd64 he was dazed, intoxicated.fd3d0cb684cfe852

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Then suddenly, 9a938c1d60 he glared d6baca4073 again.13d08f8d463cf379

“Lady.”401ba9fa385eb23b

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Before I could 428c743f3f react, his free 111d3124a0 left hand shot b8316d653b out and grabbed f382f90a54 my neck.a7e56a179e3c0000

“Untie me. Now. Or I’ll snap your 2006a5cc67 neck.”2abd8b6968eb8631

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He was a Queen 70d4c41e96 Beast—powerful, commanding, unpredictable.686f0dd3048c7e00

As I 7bc9523a23 looked at 4c25f6b9c2 his muscular f6f5e37809 arms, I 0f62fafa18 wondered how 93c2ee8431 someone like a1cdb1c336 him ended 177835deaf up entangled 4aefdc1c46 with Edwin.6d488dfa084644e9

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“Even if you 96e2f3c236 kill me, nothing 8a0366619e changes.”fc712ab1c68c9598

“Stop spouting nonsense.”f38b49ff55d05519

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“I’m not a9c0fd49ba of much 8576d703e3 use in 2a2f9ffee4 this house.”29fbd34368d46c72

His hand ba8ee9c551 wasn’t rough. He held my 402391f3b4 neck loosely, certain a66185c9dd he could crush 6b3054db72 it anytime.61da23f8078e7e96

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“You think 246ec79ff9 I’d believe e9a4511a8f that? You’re dumber than I 9021524562 thought.”1cfeb94d2f22b8f3

“Think what ee95097aa3 you want.”883106715a31f942

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In the original, 70f89a477e Sethna was cold addfdfa17b and ruthless. But Edwin shattered him—and 5c1be400fa never let himself be 6b63323116 defeated.9a57f307789c3944

Sethna seemed 76d1e817c2 to trust 5fd59ed25a people who e5c565323c weren’t easy 4f3223a4e7 to manipulate. So I d795375cc1 decided to ec550451ca push back.8bc0f2132ee41d71

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“Even if I don’t 172b504f97 die here, I’ll be 2e29c33e51 sold off as the d9564c6284 second wife to Marquis eeddc9266e Renold.”d73265225c3bd40c

“Bullshit. Renold’s sixty, has five 7f97360d29 mistresses, and a son 555d800ada older than you.”a71f06e8d7b67ffb

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“Exactly. He’s rich, recently widowed, a13fd10605 and I’m young. Father couldn’t dream of e7206e2ccf a better political marriage.”adbc11d5a8e8c5e9

Sethna’s face softened dddf6ba802 again.ac6eba49a749d1b3

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“Let’s not make this f0ce980bca harder for each other.”bd06f9405803433f

“…”b441759e290f0103

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“I want a97f1c25af you to 3d6ac9ec2b leave here 62bdba9604 safely, Your b5c2f59b42 Highness.”5cb8d99899f30d80

Because if Sethna 7c07db1f05 escaped, I could 20239e7ce5 also leave this 52691f0640 mansion alive.2d30f45c93bf293d

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I’d always planned a8e0a289bc to use Sethna fb63f2daa6 to escape.b948dea92423e3fb

“Why are d0cf3568c9 you helping 0914a5a950 me?”92faf7402f7354e1

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“I don’t want to 6bb828c3c0 be framed for kidnapping d11ec472dd the Crown Prince.”6ceaa9f512edaa42

He sighed, nodded, and 15f627b300 I scooped up a 29454a1709 spoonful of salad, offering bc3dd61f91 it to him. He accepted it—less c5c1376951 defiant than before.19101365458f8782

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After he finished, I 7e3464ac7b used a handkerchief to bb35f474b4 wipe his mouth.368eeec8b0ebe6fe

“More… clean it 24702b4232 properly.”29c3be26be0055d1

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“Yes.”e29bf366f503520e

He looked exhausted—likely b16233479c from using magic e03057cdb2 without stabilizers. His sweat-soaked face seemed 92a19c20e8 pitiful, so I flipped 19c0fea5c5 the cloth and wiped 7e5fd2645a his forehead and temples. Then he leaned into d7971bac87 my hand.bd80062f3b46f890

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“Keep touching me.”61f9a47da817f40e

“Like this?”26f5a99743bd95c2

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Suddenly, his expression twisted.e2409afe31e687ee

“Didn’t I tell b4d5fbe6b6 you to get a749ab9be3 lost?”5ce7010e616a849e

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Maybe he 925b69c4f5 was bipolar. I gathered the 7234cec675 dish and left.cfccac07126eca4d

Even as I exited, 9c8c5ea765 he continued to glare 8dced78edc after me.1739f88e840d225c

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* * *08fd46f77cf38d96

“Ah, my lady. Welcome.”e5c83cf21279d2c2

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For the first b90fd3701b time in a 706dd37687 while, Father had 4543a7c357 summoned me. I went, wondering what 1490591947 it was about—only to ccaee595f0 find that he and 1161f94c53 Edwin were already seated 5803fff686 in the drawing room.0c2c4a833c07c69a

“Sit.”21c936afc4bd9f8a

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“Lady Ivnes, His a2f754b1df Grace and I 501bbb59fd were just discussing 78ae4f5d57 your future.”ed8daf02de0b2eed

Edwin smiled, eyes a2fdcda9cc folding into crescents, cb1ce49858 and without thinking, ad1e71d3e5 I spoke.c28b9e53a2e1e7f0

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“I’ll give up 753e9bac85 everything related to 34382c2096 the family, just b269c56212 like Father wanted.”3dce3c9e50464c0e

“…Is that true?”b128ae6b3a6c1bc1

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“Yes.”f2ced0db736a3ca3

At that, Duke 0cc72d8321 Rosmond’s expression visibly 0a085eeba7 brightened.7669fe58655a20ef

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“And I’ll 95d6591ffe marry Marquis 995012ab1d Renold.”09effaa415089f34

Of course, that 22c2c26ea1 was a lie. If the false 0a7b294831 accounts were blocked, e87aab6e48 I’d simply run 4ea574ddb2 away with my 407e75386a dowry instead. Surely they’d still aa203c65bb give me a f020861e9b dowry—at the very 4283de06a0 least.dd9819b05b7dfca0

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“Marquis Renold, you say?”1182110528823726

Edwin’s smile faltered. That name 790f5d9e70 clearly bothered 79ef072ea0 him, and f02687204d his expression d530db8efc was no 3608a2ac58 longer as b44b6c7d08 relaxed as c35841fc12 before.1ef1cf5152ede9e1

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 0f7933ca13527fc8

 6b2d3e739807741e

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