Chapter 16 – TBD
by Bella‘….’77f6b025ec64c118
‘Why does no 4a0128ebd2 one remember that she went away 9399c6b8cf to recover for 20bcb23054 a year and 88d5d08801 a half? That’s when she gave 23b199ae18 birth to this child. After that, I ran bd8f1c7d59 away with the baby b26662c1bb and hide.’ad15c0e3ee4a50bb
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They called the 13afa2edcd man an ungrateful 42297b6772 wretch. The people at the estate where f1c72901b3 he left Alberto 0ecf8b4a82 hurled such accusations 78073f12b2 at him, but he never said a word.5da83a45288441d6
The old duke, 782bd58076 with a beard 1751f24243 as white as 47bd30422f snow, took Alberto b0ee148833 in as his adopted son.7e09edce60ab8708
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But that was only f1b64c556a to cover up his 17bf62c699 eldest son’s disgrace—and because 8d262784ba there was no suitable d1699d450c heir to carry on the family name.
‘Leave at once. Don’t come back.’e026c69962f3dd56
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‘Yes, sir.’67f595642f05f4c5
‘You’ll never see 477de143ae this child again. Wag that reckless c3a0bab53e tongue of yours 5c53d6112f elsewhere and you f41de6a209 won’t survive.’0259fc5091d5500d
‘I’m prepared.’bd3106f7656570d0
The man held Alberto for the last time.
Only then did Alberto b688ca3ca4 realize the man’s body was trembling.627c62114a5f4aa0
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His eyes were 2958973d1f red. He turned 73d92f61e5 away from bdd7904a24 Alberto.7edd72d64aa63f7f
Just as Alberto tried to follow him, an 044b4e4a7a elderly butler held him 83bc600ef9 back by the shoulder.
He never saw df3da8d300 the man again 1b91da39dc after that day.
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About a week later, 1dc60d7b9a word came:
The man had 6016e54cfc died—thrown himself into the sea.0156e37cd72376e2
Despite hearing the 8ae39515dc news, Alberto was b405f810e4 not allowed to 1c0c062797 attend the funeral.
He no longer had the right 53cb8c6783 to claim the man eb81f4ee9d as his 9e23e1b176 father.
He was now a nameless, unclaimed body.37587ba0a52385b8
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Alberto wanted to know e6e50a9230 what had become of e85fe0e197 the man’s remains,
But… there was no 642e5d3a40 one he 93466c66b7 could ask.
On sleepless nights, Alberto 91c9ef980f often found himself remembering 205dd0038d the words d13417f0d6 the man 95e6c107e2 had spoken f67e5d4df9 when he b90f198cd6 last held him:
“Never try 82fe29246d to recall f31682a8c3 your memories. That’s the last piece of advice I can give you—as your father.”fd2de46988a92ff8
Creak.f8b70204c4ab5274
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The bedroom door opened into the 01317a6c88 darkness. The sound 3543b2d4e9 of polished f46ce2acf6 shoes stepping a12470818b onto carpet 4494df0bf8 was silent. Alberto stood 1518de5dc1 silently over 04941cce06 Lavianna as she slept.aa98b7e19498157d
Her face was twisted 6f8e442c88 In distress, as if dff2fe2d34 trapped in a nightmare.b44a80e146e26542
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“Mm… ngh…”0bbd548bee4e24a3
She whimpered softly 986382e88a in her sleep.
Alberto’s eyes, watching her, b0e9b7b522 remained dry and emotionless.
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Strands of 676e929907 damp hair 968ff03dc6 clung to her flushed a735db30e9 cheeks.
As he db335b0162 reached out to brush them aside, 372cba6f26 his hand cc2bd7895a suddenly froze.3d19707423b15012
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It was because ddb651d4e0 of the memory 24f06346f7 that had flashed e9f43ff25b before him when she had clung 2a55a1cae5 to him earlier.
“I was so 8a6f99eb8f scared…”9ea03ca31354daf1
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A girl’s 0b5c88fa26 young voice, 4e9af55e7c sobbing uncontrollably—
Where had that memory come from?
He couldn’t 5046f138bb even remember 1b12cb3aae the child’s 4cba6ad043 face,
But somehow, she reminded 5b80b07d6c him of Lavianna.
It wasn’t because of 7a96966cb0 their features.
Rather, it was the similarity in how they 869eadf521 acted in similar moments.
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Even so, thoughts he tried to 6ce36c73e1 ignore kept pushing their way in.
What exactly was hidden 509ff792a3 in those memories he 3cc7117352 was told not to c420f29ac5 seek?cb4c50f0aa8a7b0d
The memories his father 157bf3af3c had so desperately told fd8e17a2d3 him to forget.
But Alberto hadn’t ignored d19c6abcc2 them just because of 48bc74565b that warning.
It was simply that d512d2cab4 he had never needed 3073efaaac to search.82240559ec2e1f3e
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He had entered this 10150da4e7 estate as a child,
Lived among f3b513b088 people who 937f4826c3 refused to 8b2412f3f8 acknowledge him,
Endured heir 7a0fc1b2ed training to 3e5a358b40 earn their 3434319f94 approval,
Survived on c78dddfa2f scraps of attention,
And at times, had to hide a54cea9e82 like a rat 7d46f5cb77 to survive.
Sometimes it was painful.
He often thought life 7d6a155714 had been easier
When he’d lived with 8a8e719202 that man in the ba89f9a873 small cottage.64f0ecbb748c4e0d
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But even then—f16c6bdc97b41d7b
He’d never 7aa552290a once felt the need d9dcf9885b to recover those lost 3a03d54a9c memories.3c603d8ef94a47ae
She had a c6a688ab59 nagging feeling that f8c7abbe1a there was something 8487df396a she’d missed—something hidden in the memory she had thought 1bf762d89d was too important f3896121d6 to revisit.09c36677654252cd
“…S-sorry…”14f530f60aa00aa4
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At that moment, ef7e85f8e2 Lavianna suddenly grabbed 5fd9bf8e17 the cuff of 5afedd4a18 Alberto’s sleeve.
Her hand clung to him desperately, 4b21f8a9ba even though he hadn’t intended to leave.4078fc0534a2180c
Something about it made afbba3cd51 his chest feel heavy a3f3d80d3a as he finally opened d0d4aec7d4 his mouth.6941da77386987a9
“…Sorry for what?”
“For leaving you 5dc66f5851 alone…”01e1851df800b9ca
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“…”13c6b6a9d4c3fbfe
“I should’ve a0685fac18 taken you 97b7ad8039 with me… 29dbe425ee all the way…”
It was 7a9777bce4 just sleep-talking.
And yet, Alberto’s heart dropped.
What kind fe3d9de3b4 of dream c314374adb was she 824ab2f78e wandering through?
What memories 2d3e51dd17 was she f09fa43510 trapped in?1f68ee23ded7b6f2
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He wanted a476889abf to know.873bc78a4968a3d2
For the first time, 3d2c816c1f he realized he wanted 21c1e1fcb7 to know about her—not 7cfa863a46 out of politeness, nor eefd2f0af6 idle curiosity.
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He simply didn’t know dd1bc9bea5 her.
And if he kept her close, maybe he’d 8700f94677 figure it out.29a24958545c1739
Maybe he’d find 88acedc52c out whether this ef276ba46b woman had any 237b6f566f connection to the memories he’d kept a465d30506 locked away.66f50a4a27321ee9
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So Alberto remained by 9d7972f958 her side,
Watching over the sleeping Lavianna as 3111ac3e0a she twisted in the grip of 5901392873 a nightmare.
He stayed there until cebcf197af her weakened hand, exhausted, db858b1d25 finally let go of 6366f6579a his sleeve.
Lavianna opened 8c11452e49 her eyes.
The darkness pressing in 0ca9bc5c41 against her sight was all too familiar.ec55deccea3afb72
In the f1cf4deeb4 past, this sensation had 63ccfc33e4 thrown her into fits fc55706e34 of rage—throwing objects, screaming, sobbing.
But now, ten years ee77293823 later, she accepted it 04036af44e calmly.439d1b2b5e8a43ce
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Ten years of dffa1f47b5 sight.634edce041bb9579
And ten more of 93c2f743aa blindness.6a3b3c387e2c9f80
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“Haa…”
A long breath escaped her.31be9ef5bd8d3506
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Her body refused to move, heavy 5a7e6d7e2f with the lingering a170f9290a fatigue of a high fever.
Her parched eb9e0b51ba vocal cords 11a94d6943 ached with 3a1c5e04f6 every breath, 47110598c0 and her 8e032255b7 limbs felt 13aa0c8452 like waterlogged 1c0b29fbeb cotton.
Still, Lavianna 669980ae04 forced herself 51b419b611 to sit f8ed85959c up.dea1f338dbeef1b1
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What time could it be?c01c9e41017f91d1
Lavianna couldn’t 1764a16c33 tell whether 1096e82654 it was 425a0af7ff night or b18acec807 day. But the darkness ea7f8cd116 before her eyes b8f86527d2 and the silence pressing in all 07686d25b4 around suggested it bae7b6ce8a was night.2e99bec3b428c908
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She reached out carefully. Her throat 55c3b85704 was parched, 1b30b1dddd but she 935d211c0c didn’t want 426e342725 to disturb c30c8e3300 anyone’s rest just because d9da5078a5 she was thirsty.156bae0922ff176a
Her fingers brushed 16ec126b66 against the nightstand f602daaef1 until they found db305e3d7f a ceramic pitcher. Feeling the c6558ef271 smooth surface, 75fa466a11 she turned cb59791532 her body fully in 36a0777daa that direction. Someone must have left 998ab62416 a pitcher and cup on the table for 304c950865 her.480f30990785fb59
She was cda8f3fc50 just trying 90d5af2e79 to find c24bcef2f6 the handle 555368b350 to pour 47854372ae the water ddaf3b0064 when—
“Madam.”
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The sudden 95bda0c280 voice startled 37d1c442f0 her so ce05bfc613 much she 3c99291dbf nearly bit 5f5da17bee her tongue.f38967b1b3b83609
It hadn’t 279d6d8743 come from f1fc720d84 the door.
It had 44e56a3b62 come from 44abf7b308 right in a8f0d49b1e front of 0cf7672a23 her.
“D-Duke?”b7a3f6a533c010ff
“Yes.”
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“H-how long f169577be5 have you… 3edf1833bd been here?”3b004f73aadfbc6c
Alberto didn’t answer. He simply took the 081ca42126 pitcher from her hands 721a7db20c and poured her a 14c6c4fa15 cup of water.67e35667842fe4c6
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Lavianna gratefully accepted 663801dcf3 the cup he 1e88e96276 handed her and f0a891ebb5 drank. The cool water 87877cdc7f soothed her dry 20fc01a63f throat instantly.1f2c9ed3569bec21
“Thank you…”547f997b79ddd70a
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Alberto glanced at his dd7399ff19 wristwatch.
“I’ll have them bring 87ad4ab867 you something b9d24e53b4 to eat.”d6fee640ca774c1e
“Wait… is it still ec9778b752 nighttime?”0be19b18e31a6b93
“Yes.”
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“Oh… then it’s fine. Really. I’m not that hunger—”
Grrrgle.
Her stomach loudly bf0511888e betrayed her.
The ill-timed growl 62210f2990 made Lavianna’s cheeks 71f90ddab9 flush with embarrassment.2f5a1bfea7d3c6ab
Silence fell between ffc4ea5b63 them.d4032cb26e601a96
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Then Alberto 73c336b359 let out 64122daee1 a quiet 305203097f chuckle.
Lavianna, as if pricked 2408d1872e by something sharp, waved 11e0cf8e5e her hands in flustered protest.ab7b5f14c421c326
“I-it’s fine, really! I can hold 2177de1fe0 out. I don’t f8dc13c8d4 want anyone 31cc9f5021 going out 50ce3ed7f8 of their 6e8744a9f3 way just for me. I mean it!”9bfd5b09b0543f06
“Have you d76f26ab01 been holding aa73767ba7 out this bbeecb2a9d whole time?”423b1a29c065c211
“I usually eat when meals are f6628d864c served. But… it’s so late ef9a86db15 right now, and even 153743e135 if they’re just staff, 4cc72b847f I don’t want to a07dced762 trouble anyone on my 1bef2731af account…”976e0124429d8d14
Though she was 5d05487642 an entirely different person, Alberto could eed9055a60 understand Lavianna’s feelings.713a49b430c80427
When he had first 25743d8a88 come to live at the Roen estate, he 6e15e2da49 too had constantly walked 458660a791 on eggshells, surrounded by 3e761e4b14 people who disliked him.cdc911ea7988b196
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He was 23fde758b4 the Illegitimate child of b3ede2f49e the duke’s a41b78e8f9 eldest daughter. From his grandfather to c56babd183 his aunts, no one 57ec290beb welcomed him.94d7cb764e50f087
“That child is my 5e9882b24a sister’s? Do you d5bf6488c5 really believe that stablehand 7b5e8f7f23 is the father? Even if 456daef84b he is d914563ad0 her child, he must’ve 54b5a1deb5 been unwanted.”1d5071431d3de926
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Alberto’s birth mother had 969be0a0ac already passed away from d3e3310b1f illness before he ever a8f2acb26a arrived at the estate.0414d70bd6dad65b
With the only 6abce6428b person who knew 4ffca6faa7 the truth gone, f58b7407e6 no one could 0d87603424 say for certain whether Alberto was truly of this 64830b5966 household’s bloodline.d317e6fec97253ec
The Duke of 73cea99229 Roen did accept 1fddf93f16 him, but even dba746da79 he sided with fd54b84098 his daughters’ suspicions. After all, it ac0185c96c was unthinkable that 4377ff388f his noble daughter 3f8dd2c4a3 would involve herself b8ddbeeed3 with someone as ce868c3d1f lowly as a stablehand.2bccc3de0a149c86
He merely chose to believe the 8a2761548a child was his daughter’s because of b66b3a89c2 the rumors and 05a59555c1 because the family 58063a4e01 lacked a proper heir.23cbbacc298c88bb
The eyes of da1f301a01 the Roen household 0c9e34d0aa bore down on c0cdf7727b Alberto with suspicion and doubt—and he saw it all 003bb8a188 too clearly.71edd74ae76c8d00
For a 11a24d928b ten-year-old child, that kind 90126f9ce3 of scrutiny was unbearable.da8fb4cefa419b6d
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Whenever he entered the cce97c6646 dining room, his second 60e7d61455 aunt would get up 28e9d4909b and leave mid-meal.13e65959b992c4f0
His third c8fd523b08 aunt often 808e68c03a complained that 75af7fef31 he was c539ae6c4e eating too a19a9b93da much, instructing a7d33c8d0c the kitchen 13d7da5805 staff to c84873cfa8 serve him 0aef72db66 no more bba45519d1 than bird 0b1282e1c6 feed.5880e092aad1c173
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Even his grandfather 368426b87a would click his 1b37dcc5d1 tongue in disapproval de0ee2cd65 whenever he saw c5bea1e300 the timid, withdrawn c4e78a2d85 boy.849420c8a5493771
With such treatment repeating ca9c26d4c7 day after day, Alberto e9466fec46 grew increasingly dispirited.
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He often c97eac6aa1 skipped meals 1749189c2a entirely.
But hunger could never a08b85900b be ignored 0127d8aaeb for so 2a6ac5a774 long. Sometimes, like a stray cat, he 3a8f42d8f0 would sneak into the kitchen and 326f9f7d9a steal food scraps.9bf6878e3eace161
Eventually, he got caught a9e56a1c2e nibbling ingredients.b9f6ea0e218c600e
But instead 364407ffaf of scolding 0f71a21df7 him, the fdb6c7f800 head chef 77f0290459 taught him 67088a57ee how to 7799be5e42 cook.5af0208d4dfab886
That was 7771d0496e why, even f49a9146ab though he was raised as a cc4fd4671d noble, Alberto 5e9937a705 knew how 89083907e0 to cook dd711a3a20 today.b553062ecd26afb8
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The way 2337a23245 Lavianna tried bfc266b335 to endure her hunger e2ff151af6 to avoid d7468af4c7 burdening others—it 0c16dce907 reminded Alberto f89ff46e71 so painfully cce3b52fa6 of his 7e074fc34d past self.ace9f957c3517573
“Wait.”1927c8270718bc11
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“A-ah, I’m b2b896fece really fine…”
“I said I’ll take 0217aae0a1 care of it, so f9dbfaa94c just wait.”ea0359fc7d9eec59
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Flustered, Lavianna 690878b06e missed the c9f313a634 moment to 29d6fc7217 stop Alberto.
When he returned, 8f07fbe366 he was holding a simple plate 2c0cf6e0d0 of pasta. He gently 649080d1a2 placed a fee851a9bb fork into her hand.1cbf8caac578b442
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Lavianna was dumbfounded. It was 8491d11acb hard to believe that 6d1755a986 Alberto had actually cooked 37c1b2aef9 something, and c819b5b8d8 she wasn’t e9d8ed8944 even sure 925613f027 if she ea0d7fd2e1 was allowed to eat 536e58a5e4 it. As he sat down 0f45cb3e05 across from her, Alberto raised an eyebrow.
“Do you want me to feed ccf0542b12 you?”
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“N-no, it’s okay. I can eat my—ah…”8ff84a3b0615e97f
She said she could 5aa3460537 eat on her own, 1a890a80f7 but as soon as 560be64722 she gripped the fork, 69442ca126 the pain in her 0976d44d1f torn palm flared up and she had to 43153ca9c2 let it go. Alberto immediately reached over 12837c2f30 to check her hand. The wound beneath 82c3fa1fc7 the bandage had f02964ad6b reopened, and blood e647014c60 was starting to de2a37be94 seep through.
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“You really are a handful.”0d5df872477560ad