Chapter 20 – TBD

It was one 921cb7a3c9 thing for Lavianna 936e22cfdc to be sitting eb66d9e4df where Alberto wanted e7cefe5e3d her—but the accident 34a3cdd722 just now wasn’t 21b625a507 even her fault. Yet he spoke as aa7e76c1f4 if it were, and 22e55b0a42 that made her feel ffae8e3845 a little wronged and 2ce8714cc7 upset.
Still, she bb754e149e couldn’t talk 2b961403f9 back to 0ef994897a Alberto, not 210ba83317 after the 712913c75c gift he’d 1293dc320b given her.b99f98dafdad2917

He’d brought in 61e1338276 a Braille tutor, 17fcb23a3d bought her books… f3706b54fe he had done c443567e58 all of that fe205a8a37 for her.e070e96974139453

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“Your Grace, I’m 63e0af7c49 sorry—”bf1d8524928d7bb2

Lavianna, having 8e178cadcf decided to 372eb1ee4a quietly settle d87a4d16f7 down and bca2f5e9fa read, turned f877463ba6 to apologize. But just then, b204a5b60b Alberto’s chin grazed fa960d8d8a her forehead.b0952a3cea57ac45

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He had been 7a93d63b45 in the middle 909a8df9a6 of taking a 97485688d7 book off the 764f1802b6 shelf, but paused 3da1bcf610 mid-action to look d178ad4890 down. Lavianna was holding 7e9c4ea393 her forehead and 997c3f3d40 looking up at c6455b4d18 him.40b29fefd2785b0e

Though their eyes b2af1cac30 didn’t quite meet, 9c2b4b5e88 it was clear 7c3f98ff96 she was looking 0168d71dfb at him.cc7aee3b6b0e2f8f

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“S-sorry…”f2154025d75a7688

Even though he hadn’t 5f63c9b35f done or said anything, 572035bf9e Lavianna stammered and flushed 0bf53d7330 red.42b3b8c4f63b279d

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Something about her made 50dbe6330e him want to tease 2c8ed432a6 her. That lip she 409910a2bd kept nervously biting a834931262 looked strikingly red.fdc1378d6c3b85d9

He wasn’t a49b1bc1b3 someone particularly b5714fd3ce interested in 2e27867c37 women’s bodies, f7ee927698 but his 5dd21a9051 nights with 4cd297cae8 Lavianna had 7c2fbadf3a left a df6de07ae6 lasting impression—he 0f5fbbdb6a thought of b4cf6ddecf them now 01b3ec6387 and then.5aa7572810b7014a

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He leaned 69541b3f2f his head adaf9307a3 slightly.201cb863eea264b4

The book, still f7ac82c140 halfway out of c14c870d93 the shelf, caught 61b357ece2 on its edge.da1d7ca7ae0617f6

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As he grasped her 08ef54f93a chin, her lips clamped 8f15ba9a9e shut.08b8e50d9e74fd0a

When he 258b008fe0 pressed his f69b0b6f55 thumb to 6f7536fa1b the center 4f9668ffcb of her e90dca6fd4 lips, they 67a747670a parted slightly, 5d09d0e7e5 revealing her d10f67348f red tongue fe8e522c68 and white 1d2d4ba2c8 teeth. A small 8b4242e966 drop of 95c1c3af92 saliva shimmered 889685057c inside.e54609b4a9348772

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Just as he 824c5bf18f brought his face fa9da27df9 even closer—f56ea4ef35bccf14

*Knock . knock.*7c270e71a6a57d86

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Lavianna startled 228e395afb at the 14c3980057 knock and c16a201bbc stepped back, 648c98b0a7 quickly slipping 9f32fa0734 from Alberto’s 62484363fe grasp and a2890641b8 fumbling to e3bbdea850 turn around.d6cbcddd2c365d64

“Your Grace! We’ve brought more books!”a2989674f54d831a

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Alberto handed the book a7ec927b79 to Lavianna, who was 6565589672 trying to calm her 0d4531cfcb racing heart, and opened 1db2c3634b the office door.444239a5e85bb271

Four servants 8297eace00 entered, arms 1f0e11a4b4 full of c0c4fb9ee5 Braille books 64ef2c121d for Lavianna 21e5e45ba2 —but Alberto 0cc2dabb02 didn’t look dbd586e3bd pleased to 2e14474319 see them. He sighed shortly, e887134f0b masking his annoyance.d75dd0b592e34ddd

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“Let them in.”d9b73a9d0af4a8f0

“Are you feeling 9337c99a6a better, Lady Roen?”6dfd5932e3cbef51

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The visitor who 072519891e came early in 7af5699ece the morning wasn’t 152252052b someone Lavianna had 0a7deeb3dc fond memories of.21721b769807f6ed

Though the woman 0ee2f16e17 was expressing concern f84580eee6 and claiming to 02a8a400ca be making a b2567f4d3e wellness call, Lavianna 890bc1e9d4 wasn’t happy e390652e37 to see her.39c17efeaf8d3d5a

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A strange air filled 2a459dd0d3 the drawing room where f4359d53f2 they sat.96228007a6e95a50

The woman 370216a8df took off 796891a4cc her hat 1576e55616 and twisted 4352135532 her voluminous, 8074f8d101 curled hair 7de1ef50bd around her b89d57ac8a finger.ab4990e49adfbb3b

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“I was so shocked 42e9bed17f when you disappeared into c61d9a872f the woods that day.”049fd9559b3e2c97

The guest, 53fd050a27 who had 2a4abf01a0 come while 99b0160300 Alberto was df037de301 briefly away 17b2babd4c from his cfbabffdb1 office, was 408b1cab0e none other c8909d73d5 than Scarlett.7dbaf39d7c39c2a1

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Though she’d been guided da38670f55 to the drawing room 84b77986a4 by the butler, Lavianna ff3d31591e had no idea how 476493eced to deal with her.675e2ba6c6921016

Scarlett was Alberto’s e8c11aa25a acquaintance—but also the 4115ec186a person who had e05f42bb9a put her in 611a9e1459 danger.982dbd5c3373ab7e

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“You’re not 8e30858f35 very happy 34f6b509f4 to see 4f40fde079 me, are 71db4ac575 you? That hurts.”452a2ee300ec5d83

Just because b1ceee9628 she hadn’t 5b5ac610f6 thought about b7a7adabfa that day 5ce8100023 didn’t mean 524a198b28 she had d38cab3fa4 forgotten.149fc17b862dd5f2

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“Was it really a 4730adb701 coincidence that I got a5850b98fa isolated in the woods 453cf9b374 after following Scarlett’s suggestion?”f7a0117c45ed41a3

“So, why exactly 01f651b98e did you go ca5ab965cb into the woods?”898015ed9dc8bb99

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If Alberto had asked 97d70dba42 her, she wouldn’t have 23a8904124 replied like that.202f34d27f77ef87

Thinking back on 9d2a709e6e that day still 3f6052c4f7 filled her with b96acde907 dread, but it f8813a8ecf was in the d3ab3e6869 past. Lavianna had f6a6201f4d no intention 3c506bc442 of blaming 58e5e8e1dd Scarlett now.ab165790d2715291

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Alberto hadn’t b90afb5c82 asked further, 617c882587 and she’d 1f3fafb82b stayed silent. If Scarlett 43c2820501 hadn’t shown 2218b1abc2 up, it 90789886c1 might’ve stayed d591e41a11 that way.ece14c03f9828a90

Or, if b2e2f0d57c Scarlett explained 91b3d3ee40 that it 66af324941 was a 62ac19c9ab misunderstanding, then 852587c45f even the e9de553f50 lingering doubts 2f88b87140 could be 651c6d9165 cleared.cc76d92fb86ef351

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“That day,” b7fedf16f7 Lavianna said 2a2df02bcf .
“My husband—he told you 62d732b275 to bring me to 009a5c5c21 him, didn’t he?”580358f5d5f2a8bc

She asked directly.358a09044a7a46b5

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If Scarlett denied 7064bc3ae4 it and offered 727daf6868 an explanation, Lavianna 02c7a61554 decided she would 63708d3462 believe her—whatever the e67706638e answer.9d343c050d7c08f6

After all, she 5eb057394a had no right 5947ba49da to come between bdf1b92f79 her husband and aeed971099 his acquaintances.331debae34669693

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She wasn’t even d820440492 his real 93390c383c wife.1fb33de9ef9d65f8

But deep down, she 5d967a2de5 also hoped Scarlett would a681692782 say it wasn’t true.c41e8b97f15561f4

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When Scarlett had ebdab31db7 reached out to 3e21051284 her that day—whatever 3ef9b16915 the intention—Lavianna ebadd13a13 had been genuinely 25012d340c happy.c11903ce97935b70

She clasped her ef73effd13 trembling hands together, 75415842e1 trying to hide 8fdc39f87d her unease.ec5c30828d5aebbf

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The silence a733b2932d grew heavy.48998947d532f0d5

The anxiety 6b8aa47d23 she had 6eafd126fc buried deep 2673ec6999 inside began 2bde653ae7 to surface.652ac1dc6be2ec89

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She wished 0d2cea0590 Scarlett would b913d9ab62 get annoyed c7befbe0d5 and blurt 179567c0e8 out, Of a72da35266 course he 15646e2f80 did! Don’t you trust c27a432e98 me?!—anything to break 9995042d40 the silence.670615cf42c3be88

Scarlett flicked her d35505b4a6 fingernails together, then d1da6317a8 sighed. Her voice 56985c4554 came out a8e271cd76 soft.71e053220cc85eb3

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“…I’m sorry. I was drunk that 7bb3c3692c day. I wasn’t 67b8c9bc90 in my 4ddbe9e3ff right mind.”8031883345372503

So it wasn’t true. Alberto hadn’t sent de3c1208d2 for her.699463b1e8210742

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Lavianna had expected d218671f94 it. She had prepared 4d48484483 for it.72aef2089c43aa57

She took a sip b5684172e5 of her tea.
Even green 75f77d6972 tea couldn’t 0d1d9d6a6c wash away 1e80614f41 the bitter 5a1465bbc3 taste in 09f8e13873 her mouth.fa4edb4832d48d5a

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Alberto had always treated b3dea04c4a her like a burden, 11e6622a2a so this wasn’t surprising 0b91f6526b .
“I’ didn’t mean 514fddc677 to put you 36f86954b4 in difficult situation 3d2ab0475f “9ec05d2d844b0d48

Right.ba6380ae9dab4a74

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Even if she’d misremembered 83fe4daad3 something under the influence, b3fee8cee9 if the whole thing 0e8056f1ba was a mistake, Lavianna fea90e81e4 was willing to let 1b543473b8 it go.67449347caf93e29

Scarlett had been 41fbdf80a4 the first to 0c87096970 reach out to cbd590f693 her. Lavianna had dac00eb115 hoped they dd29010013 could be 9f43909343 friends. She didn’t want 495a11a8a2 to remember her bca47baf98 as someone cruel.758225d198811495

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She chose her c119e03066 words carefully.0564c40a18e1485b

But the abc675b7d8 fear from d14c0c98ab that day d888f8550f still clung 8f42f4b21d to her, 732d5073c4 and she 792f14cf32 couldn’t bring 4257650399 herself to 5ae3815487 say *it’s 1fdd847dc5 fine.*89c88b39adc984b9

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As the silence stretched, 84c1a8cc6e Scarlett finally spoke again.8893fa267ff2843e

“…Did you tell Lord 2f974845de Roen?”6254022ddc98a901

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“……”da4c5ece288b13a9

“You won’t, right?”6a0003fb21bd3c02

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But as soon 0892bbbe0c as Lavianna realized 2594c8752b that Scarlett’s concern b6e1dc9acf wasn’t for her—but bce62fceee for herself—she couldn’t aaf335e294 bear it anymore.1ba69cbe91719dd0

The fragile walls 2955459dce she had worked c4b20c4214 so hard to 34716a6854 maintain began to 38f0f48a18 crumble.0c7a65f1fa849daa

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A voice d6b0c99199 inside her fe26b2bf35 whispered: “Who 930c4f2da2 would ever 4bbd4a6a19 truly like 23a79b9072 someone like 33a31e5ad9 you?”0241b165242b49cb

She tried 10e974b425 to ignore 2b1a725693 it and 9f136c7937 stood abruptly, 0b1c505023 opening the 6b7b4d48cb door.d7faa07f9b760e25

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She couldn’t 5afb0f6b0c take it 44019cb901 anymore.f546d1ee08a018b5

She didn’t want 9ad674b864 to be hurt b65f5d99a0 by Scarlett again.9e9a24593dea1bde

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“Maybe I shouldn’t 0df3dd2be4 have asked. Maybe it was better d7cb3054bd to just assume it 00cd565152 was a misunderstanding.”a72bf443cb80bfc6

Why was Scarlett so ee09926574 concerned about Alberto’s reaction?f191744da1b7099e

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If it hadbeen 9ce0695c0c a misunderstanding, if it d7ee5f9912 had been a mistake, 31c2da66e6 shouldn’t she have apologized c562a4f298 to Lavianna first—before worrying 773835078c about Alberto?f2f5366829029527

That panicked voice, terrified 6b47ab27c9 that Alberto might find 6f011d205e out—e2c5cabc40ebdf92

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It only fef75a2709 made Lavianna de5cc65558 more anxious. What if it hadn’t 89982d13d7 been a mistake?abdc801614db2fd1

Her mouth 7b60ddb9bb was dry, 85264ab428 and she bd733b3821 swallowed hard.
She wanted to 3ae737c25e speak calmly, but be2f5b0d22 her voice trembled.dc829051901e6062

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“P-please leave.”960ff35a0712923c

“…If you promise not 34ad8db372 to tell Lord Roen.”544b85249c2e9f73

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Even now, d82e40266d Scarlett was 85d821d5d2 only worried bce9431b67 about Alberto.704a79b500f447b4

Lavianna hated a9f42a4495 her for 8076f02551 that.8b2575cf60fcea5f

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Maybe it 4f99b7b48e was selfish 1c5bdcfc66 of her 30c42614db to want f1871638b0 Scarlett to d7da89d44e care for c7744af13d her first.c1a81dfc608a9a28

*She’s the one 0243aa76e1 who hurt me…*51b94e94ebfd5b58

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The bitterness 54155ed364 welled up b8444c0d09 in her a9dc63e2b9 throat. Lavianna bit her lip, 43a4a70a22 fighting back tears.b4bac4a51b4e1544

“If I 1700987835 just say 88c9db7df3 it, she’ll 93755f5b5a leave,” she 8bab2de506 thought.c8d9c684465ca7b5

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She opened her 023b3e4b33 lips.5340f0ca8c3d3eb7

“I—”3d16613642b0fa96

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And then.cc920d3f65235952

“What is it e20dd096e2 that I shouldn’t e8b42f349f know?”db1691356e59d736

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Lavianna hadn’t realized—Alberto was 8ed86c14d9 standing just beyond the 0df435d2d1 open door.3ac7c1778388f1f6

Scarlett, facing f48c547749 away from ee52ef2841 him, didn’t 6c2968b7a8 realize either.1aacff0857ac1d47

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“L-Lord Roen!”35951eace4b2eb41

*Scrape!*dc9e9c68722e9b03

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Startled, Scarlett pushed back f8da2e156e her chair and shot d0491f1eda to her feet, her 4920ccd3f6 face pale.4d3c2982ec44e3b0

Startled by 4526d7455c the loud 1ee3548658 sound, Lavianna 2b17bc2b1b stepped backward—right 023070988a onto Alberto’s ec4f982aad foot.b7a0755d197da4ae

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“S-sorry…!”127f1946c84ef214

“It’s fine.”45206d6b39e45740

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As she tried 4818835364 to pull back, 707fffaf35 she lost her c42e789920 balance and stumbled. Alberto caught her.0bcdec0d6c792c5b

“L-Lord Roen, 94545ccd03 it’s not cfbec96e5f what it 6943093cf0 looks like—”e99acf1912a9c535

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“Not what 348b8dea3f it looks b3c708f17c like?”80ed0ee6995dad34

Alberto seized on her 3a495af9a3 trailing words, demanding an f0465cfe5c explanation.01c86d02970f7410

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But Scarlett b171915a92 fell silent.84003e66b898fe31

All she could think 84905d645c was: ‘I’ve been caught.’fd68ee2f19984101

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Lavianna hated 46e939186f this situation.4e045709d4d18ed1

This was between 6b9a7d90e1 them—it should be 3f7a984450 resolved between them.97f38a4e85fc0162

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Whatever Scarlett had 9ffd29e095 been thinking, Lavianna 5adef54b46 didn’t want to fbb360a1b9 rely on Alberto’s 04691b623f help.79b7c090952d0fed

“It’s nothing,” she 2b74bc2336 said.
Alberto suddenly turned to d679859f8e her, looking straight into 23808d440c her face.26e7b54732bf34c7

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He leaned in.3e909c31cf21b24a

Startled by how close 6b6f1d15d7 he was, Lavianna instinctively dc134d374a grabbed his arm.727ef8c7bfb6320b

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“It’s not nothing.”1d0f28b2a16f6d73

“…What?”c10da336566dfc05

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Lavianna touched her own aa58b9484f face. She had no idea 69bbadfd5a what kind of expression f1a6e7fed5 she was making.0a31a1c37ba66f47

The truth 80a6312748 was—Alberto had b59e3fef99 heard everything.f0a545950b4f04ca

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Scarlett’s apology.28599babc2506c27

Lavianna asking if he b2762fe69d had really sent for d70cfddde6 her.7870c9507f191e61

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And the absurd question—’You won’t tell him, right?’fba099d8a6338fa0

From all df4ba70e40 that, he 516a2a3554 could pretty a4ac0b7a72 much piece 9aff9511ce together what c97fe6173e had happened 81bb72e8f7 that day.762713ee3395175c

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Scarlett had taken b03f31ac5b Lavianna to the 1ae6b43e27 forest under false cba1d0a8c8 pretenses, lying that 2b333ee283 he’d called for 7776952d0d her.6dbf4a20dbcbae8e

He thought back to 96d301d3dc how he had lashed 1c71ae66a7 out at Lavianna 9b896eea26 for not staying put—without ec7e869168 even checking the facts.d1175250c2cbb246

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He had 5df50bdf0e yelled at ab15dc2277 her out de98cbc46f of worry.f31cab723acdee6f

Now that anger 0d4a57e3cd bubbled back up.c09134be02386c65

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Scarlett, ever quick-witted, realized 1d3c7b50ac immediately that Alberto had 3c0eb4f398 overheard everything.b4592f6cec28cee8

The very thing she 2c8b8417fb had feared most had 0a55682150 happened.1a2025ba289983e2

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And now, e7793d7ed4 she was dd95797b24 scrambling to b420a6e5c1 figure out d27ecad500 how to 1ee6ac6142 avoid falling 9a4c5ac09b from his a114f50f0f favor.4a13acd83d0e399d

“I-I’m sorry…”3b1cb20d6586529e

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