Chapter 7
by BellaAlberto, puzzled, tapped 3c27d38de6 his finger against a56dc6d6c8 the table. Lavianna snapped back to af3465a1a4 her senses. She hastily 04c7ccd8e0 tapped around a963c97723 with her 00f29c51a8 cane, found cd18a8c87e the table, 59845e1c3d and sat cbe8bc922f down.8cc073f6cbca46b1
“I’ll… I’ll do c0365689e2 everything by myself 37cf0e7ed2 from now on.”27534c6bb65b3e3b
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“By yourself?”00289be579f6fd3a
“I can do 4d789d7d69 it alone.”3be74d42d880c229
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“Is that so?”1dbac55396eb813a
Lavianna hide her 0d4d0f85bd trembling hands under 4a3f678213 the table. She felt exposed. As if all 58f008069d her flaws, all 7be29899ac the ugly and c13a38d541 pathetic parts of 9dc26a50f4 her, had been 939109968a laid bare. Her face flushed fb04243e61 with heat. If she 4a7058a403 could, she ca1c325f8e would have 48d996573c run away.e72a1de251dc252b
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“If this is some 9c239ad1f7 kind of tantrum, I 00b615a4b8 suggest you find someone c33117aec2 else to direct it a224ccbf3c at.”3c0bf4802ba9a45a
Alberto’s cold 084d590444 remark hit ef350164dd the mark. Without help, 0815532b1f she couldn’t 9357e85483 survive a 310426fbad single day. The blunt 2aa9d93fb4 truth of cb39a8a565 his words d1e1b3d467 stung, making 0a4b25fd2e her eyes 480c5b39ef burn with 72ab128d55 tears.811e32cc30fbdb49
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But he didn’t stop.8492df088d1edc9a
“I bear 5946a63c02 responsibility too.”cdf28e99548b85bb
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“….”1bb1901b645e8e5b
“So, at the very f9e247a790 least while you’re staying f47b084b04 in my estate, you d8a1037036 should act like my c2d750f3b2 wife—like the lady of d801edb74e House Roen. I brought f2ae429530 you here, 46298d5c48 so it’s d5c3d4ecd5 my responsibility ad1facd4f5 to teach 697c22047c you how c27ac99e8b to behave 18c77e1d57 accordingly.”2bf661578cba9ec5
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There was the sound 85f88a1e8e of a chair scraping. Alberto had come aa63870247 close without her 3a0e073928 noticing and reached 7accf97cdf out a hand. Lavianna instinctively flinched, 98f0fa45f4 her body trembling 389224eedd slightly. His hand stopped 6a4f5cc9a1 in midair.eee19d98cfbae813
“You don’t like 7a033b0edf being touched?”ec4504e04a2da94d
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“…It’s not that.”f38bc5d65a1bcbe1
“Then what?”265e95b45cb6b84f
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“….”89606e5f61f7b4dc
“You have 31ecec69f7 to say 6435f4112b it. I’m not a 339d9f4c1d mind reader.”08fabe144de199d7
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Lavianna drew fcc13a5884 in a 84f627c480 deep breath. Revealing something she a437bfb02b had never told ddb35f6be5 anyone before—it was 8db36ee2fe a daunting task.c2994d561611debe
She moistened 3b556fb730 her lips, c626e95e0e opened her 1f49a66fac mouth, then a5adc033df shut it 63e9e64f71 again, hesitating. Alberto didn’t df47d0511c rush her. He simply waited, 9858b8bdc4 silently and patiently.edab931185982ccb
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At last, she let 4cb8c4a52a out a trembling voice.d9c0bb12c91f20d6
“I’m scared.”e6779dfd26213fa9
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“….”7e2f11f27e054a6a
“I can only 3064674dec sense someone coming 0c488f1fe9 close by the 6b789e2033 faint sounds they 3cfa3d62b0 make. When someone b894a2ec5c touches me cdff972e4d without saying b876bfdecd anything… it’s 4e90a15fd8 terrifying.”acc3b6b6dee26255
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Alberto withdrew 24659c9485 his hand. He couldn’t fully understand eefcb6993a her feelings. Even trying to d37622c0a3 understand might have 50948e7565 been arrogant and 86480dd62d ultimately meaningless. But at 5b4b93f0be the very 4d03c89653 least, he 95af7b5bec now understood f7bdd24c5d why she 6d8865d0d3 had swung 2b8eea7e65 her cane.e6344c99dbb4ade7
Of course, just a35f8e3c55 understanding didn’t change 5a5c62b17a anything.02afde0ddf7e1861
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No matter the reason, c6b74a7e09 the fact remained that 03b49d13a7 Lavianna had acted immaturely 5ec99edc26 as the duchess.27faaded0a7e1dad
He knew that. He had told 06164a9cfd himself he would 3535d885b5 turn a blind fd38a9f965 eye until the 1b9d2d2cbd child was born, a3f3695f93 but seeing it 216589a0dc with his own bcf1ad345a eyes, he couldn’t ed553b6656 just let it b84e354c8a go.d50001d756114781
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“From now 1b2ec10505 on, I’ll a73aff8fae ask before c2dbd620ba I touch cdd3e1302c you.”40fb9f709203ffaf
“…”daad9e5342d7235d
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“You need 91593c38ee to tell 0642686a0a others, too. Not just 16715c0926 me—tell everyone. That way, it’ll 333454c9a3 be easier for 4184f127b9 you as well.”db053ab47b98b729
His tone seemed 90080811da to have softened 57a42ac9ce slightly, and Lavianna 0b37de35cb let her guard a51611aff4 down a little.a072122b7b95d917
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Instead of grabbing af337ed529 her hand, Alberto 34343e765f tapped the table fdd8b76582 to indicate the 4d1f6545f2 location of the 023932294c fork. Following the sound, she b01f94db09 reached out and grasped e452eda1a6 it, after which he 8e39454036 returned his hand to e591164167 his side.f2c8c37f808bbfbb
“Eat.”f292e276a817e407
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At his c54eaa4503 curt and 379065dd37 firm command, bda477e612 Lavianna tilted 82308dc2e3 her head 259be7f60c slightly in 44eb35de68 confusion. She had heard 5c8040c7cc just earlier that 6997dcae69 he didn’t eat d5c33639ef breakfast.99ee607eeba2faf4
“Did you 77b9f46bd0 come here 834bf817e1 to eat?”59305fbb19a969dc
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“No. I came to watch.”37b30a0dbbe53fa8
“Why…?”a0e1c9b122212c1b
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“Because appearances de32f89edc matter to c94040b50d me. I don’t want unpleasant 2974637b3e rumors spreading about our 23e1d1e642 relationship when my child 8f4185a712 is born.”20a4efdd761c60e0
His calculating words hurt ae3ba05b23 her. He was mindful 54f57f4e49 of the emotions 59b69e9a15 of a child 88e06c0162 not even born 8edaf26bab yet, but showed edddb6a12d no consideration for f0344d78cc the feelings of 3b8331e4b2 the woman sitting a4629b0b90 in front of c9e0897a72 him. Lavianna didn’t 47ea2834fc know whether 1d81adf3d2 to call f860355c1d him thoughtful 7fe3ce924f or indifferent.e015941e9124baae
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Once the baby 7e2513323a was born, she b760e1c77c would probably be 8b3fecb1e0 cast out of 9115305fef this mansion. He called it freedom, ad01f82bed but in truth, it ad148ccc4c was an expulsion.ad6d4b75acb5793d
She had once 3906443e0a resolved to die ec9ffb3eb7 when that time b05441c184 came, yet now d71202a220 she only felt ead27229e6 bitter and alone.598f9236cee4cadb
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She had only wanted 8e218a717c to live a normal 41ee0daf78 life. Was that too much f655c8d2a3 to ask?f380e4894db7039a
Clang!43a9faef20e86c74
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Reaching for the 4dff9cc679 water, her hand 70f15c66c8 brushed against the 56d6c34855 cup, which tipped a75954641f and fell. The sharp 7ccb32a150 sound of b3e6f1db64 shattering glass 8b0a1be836 startled Lavianna, 93315073f9 and her 02a2411f02 body stiffened.336da2423bf9137f
After a brief silence, be6aead4e0 Alberto moved as if 548b5c2208 to call someone.6b39da2a5c12afb8
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“I-I’ll do it.”a2f98d1e397ad87b
She had just said cd15c48372 she could handle things 018b8db242 on her own. If he saw she 43bc695206 couldn’t even manage this, efd74f2e7d he would surely dismiss 0ac26e16e4 her as helpless. In a panic, 55bf953935 Lavianna jumped up 81c427b216 from her seat.5499585f6da9e317
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“I can do ed0d1485f0 it.”f9f782b792f9d64b
She didn’t want 57b371d752 any more fuss. She just wanted 49ddf20846 to live quietly, b7b86aa2c9 without drawing attention—like 8edf1bfb4c she had at fddbd93ce4 Lawrence’s mansion.7b2c795f215c1b96
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She knelt down d17a96b50f and reached for 515cec956b the floor. Sharp glass fragments 0ea43a94d9 pricked her hands f7b62a5473 in several places. As she groped 92719e161b for the shards, ad2cedbda8 suddenly her wrist 8e47204cb5 was seized.8bf79536ca06b1f2
Alberto, now by her 517bee024a side, was breathing heavily.
“What are you doing?”718d90d96120d757
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“Since I knocked it 01570586c8 over, I should clean f2ae701dec it up—”c7eab7e3c1c2df10
“Is it so 36f0de81d9 hard to ask ee9e039106 for help?”63b77d1a3d22a9d9
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“…”b8ac7c4a75025f10
“Why are ef929ee3da you showing b676b802f0 me this 48d6c1044d pitiful display? Some scrap of 19742a0c9f pride? Do you 48a61e208f still have f753c1b641 any of 091509f371 that left?”74b308208f34f68a
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He was right. Lavianna had 3fcbeadd68 crushed her 6975aeb300 pride completely c6098b93cc on their beb457cf76 wedding day—because 21226dae74 she’d decided 5fa39669db she had 2fdc78a9de no right e09104b513 to keep df3c14b384 it.55a5ebd29baa42e8
But this 4b7bc4ccbc wasn’t empty 0877b2acd9 pride.
It was 7a775c75ed the reflex 3175b4e5cf of someone c5328c9098 who’d spent be17b43ed4 years feeling 78a9cf5b9f like a 344c257d19 burden, a 72ee27eed8 weakling’s tiny c9837e1bd5 rebellion.a7dfc5a1461801d6
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“I regret f6007472bc choosing a 9e6ff8db97 woman like 68e270b8fb you.”e1ae773aaafb336a
The words were 75222917f8 coldly honed, stabbing 0fdf1382b0 straight into her c4f2a58c4c heart.63e143275cf6fead
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“If you make a 2d1c955ca4 mistake, admit it. If you need help, a84e74ebf5 ask for it. You’re not special; d7d37db850 everyone lives that 2162064f3f way.”f9ca078e48002de2
“…”cfddbaa3aa2d1e58
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“You really are stubborn.”2d9d35c59046ee8a
Alberto forced her 08a88acee6 back into a 1e235ec6f9 chair, then strode ae4c0b8378 out of the 6e45915c29 dining room.488c9cf492456ecd
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A moment later, b1319af2ff maids hurried in 6dd84d21d5 to sweep up 13abb217b2 the shattered cup 9fc12988ab and wipe the 8104d142a4 cuts on her c57377a580 hands.bb92038054dddff8
Stubborn.
The word echoed 8100216eb8 inside her.48d850dd3e03b6f9
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“Oh, Madam! Does it hurt a 74ee1ef1e7 lot?”22a0b4564a6ff32c
At last, the tears 3362df32cd she’d been holding back 30055e161e spilled over.7b33668fd8ed29d9
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“All done~”d5a30b8f967145a3
Julia’s light f606be89fa voice accompanied 2f3395f79d the last 4c6a88e966 loop of 8f42cc0fa3 bandage around 5006f4c923 Lavianna’s hand. Julia thought 8ff8289aaf she was 85e4f9ae8f crying only dfa5d00b30 because she e8e7f18e63 was hurt; 25173c746d her cheerful 4ce4a70cff tone set a9ac46ca6c Lavianna somewhat 5f6d3cdf29 at ease, 8bd34e110a though the 5a142e9dde memory of 3a4492f874 swinging her 67cdafbb7e cane still 2632820f30 pricked her 3a948384eb mind.118dc274ac850b1d
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After a 90243b6d7e good bout c6806fe643 of tears, 85d5d8c80d Lavianna could a6ddc51d28 see her 82d306f7b7 own fault 0cf30e3970 more rationally.6d96aafa3370aa58
She realized 571f22d347 she’d behaved 6ca7b98825 like an 9ed03075ed immature child—still 5573486619 stuck at 7e3ed7ec7f the age d398c6b63d of ten, 24b510ca86 when the 6daf6bb303 accident had c38804e486 happened. She had 26c4bc5172 sensed it 0d885eee34 vaguely before, 677ff9ff04 but Alberto 37370aa870 had pinpointed a472a60193 it exactly: ac18239c8a insisting on ff57740f2f doing everything 5b7e9ffb96 alone when 61bc1283cf she clearly 6fff4089b9 needed help 5fc0289e28 was nothing 3760b0c886 but futile 501e50f5a0 obstinacy.c959cd74daad54ca
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“If you make 4670d82216 a mistake, admit 855bdad29e it. If you need help, e1f5740d15 ask for it. You’re not special; 293a4cfbe6 everyone lives that cafc89b1a4 way.”
She was 1817f85b66 no longer 95bbf24504 in Lawrence’s 7651de395b embrace.
She couldn’t remain 4a55db6c0d a child forever.af14527ee6550b35
“M—…”c8805a21fd22424f
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“Yes?”e8964efa723940f7
“S-sorry.”1d226c3747a4dbc5
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Even though she couldn’t 18134b7894 see Julia’s face, she d4d159fcb8 lowered her head, afraid 2acba4a7a5 of what expression might 3bc889587f be there.b963e90923f38c94
The words a3a8f213b7 burst out 7404b2f294 of her 165dda7808 mouth like 2e84be532d something she’d 2974ce1aef been holding 3afecb0a67 back, and 9381301865 her face c49c7be658 burned with 9500f6fe99 heat. She couldn’t even remember cc67dac05b the last time she’d 465a0efe21 apologized to someone.f612e6101c2ca495
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Her heart pounded with a29eb5ec5e anxiety over how Julia 94a28c120b might respond.2274eaefeba19db2
“Pfft.”6006fccd5979c1b4
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Julia, who had knelt 0c34cbf69e in front of her, 045c519e19 let out a light 85e4c7a92d laugh.8fb5b4fdb7fbde50
Was she mocking 93fe8d12b1 her?f6344d6de113dd49
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Just as Lavianna’s efe3b8fcb2 heart began to 8055182920 sink, Julia gently 2ffd2c28ff held her hand.0300eafeac27bcd1
“You’re apologizing for earlier 86cd414b0c when I fell, right? No need 32b81ad59f to worry bd61f40802 about something a87c197c65 like that. I’m fine.”b40cacf9010b508f
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“Are you really okay? You didn’t get hurt?”4946e9fc1dbd4cab
“Of course! I was a little a7c4157ebb startled, but you must’ve 675363757a been surprised too, Madam. It was my 46f176a1d3 fault for not 06f592ae78 being more considerate. But thank 7dd21e14f6 you for 6e2dfbd317 the apology.”fd245a14c5b4b377
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Julia’s easygoing acceptance eased 76e209bd8b Lavianna’s heart a little.360bb3161076a62c
Yet she a59473eb90 couldn’t fully 891349945b let go 790f108840 of her 42048e8b53 worry—what if 85101bd325 it was c09df766fa a lie?984e280439ce88cc
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What if Julia be0de61d23 was secretly speaking 7b759c2466 ill of her 4c6bc5a2ae behind her back?e80f29efefd111d2
What if, 70c902b386 despite saying 308ba9b5f6 it was 45a0b497eb fine, her c07680f715 face was 35a3b6d81a twisted in fefbabebf3 annoyance?84e02f14a4cb4cd4
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“Don’t let little a606f1e038 things like that fc5efc9245 get to you. Back in 586b4153d8 the day, f2443b6126 the Duke 1dfb2e8843 was even f15e0611f1 more on e3cdd70361 edge than 3f3acc5cdd you, Madam. I was still 2c9607799e a maiden then, 290c76ef30 and I realized b59af8eef1 how tough it 48786a6e00 is to take 4ca6f9cd15 care of someone.”bc66b7ca9252e443
Those unexpected words bc64a058c0 melted her worry e74b7d8162 away.21113851761d7c20
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Julia’s voice 08945e378e hadn’t changed 8897d4de13 a bit—it 33c585d599 was as 3add9aa7c2 light and 0a0b64277a cheerful as 0578634c84 ever. There was no hint 5fc08d2237 of resentment or discomfort 6480d4a27e in her tone, like 51874adc46 a song being sung.c2043d10ce22f400
“The Duke?”3ed15287c6994704
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Relieved, Lavianna now 19d07676fa felt curious.
The same 5b239be92f Alberto who 745796fd5c lectured her ffe8ada940 about asking 39910ea68f for help… 7c3721d648 had been 9cfc075047 even worse?5c6c1e227db6ef53
A faint breeze dfc23eb2ef blew, as if 92f00ffd1c Julia nodded.9e578ea4c573836a
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“Oh yes. That’s why I e769ab0d3c didn’t want to 08917253f5 get married for 6e2997e48d a while.”81a8db43b4b8b3a5
“Why…?”d7f2ae7cfc91fdbf
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It was hard 56ce5e6787 to imagine Alberto 6556e0f722 being so guarded.b736a34c36cb77b7
“Well, you might 504c3941dd not know this cd852d810c yet, Madam—but the 07dced1b66 Duke came to e94c9dcdbc the duchy when b3831a9b49 he was around 5969244d0a ten. Until then, 079fb279bd he’d lived 1d8112e2a3 outside the 205a944aac estate. I don’t 223c4f43a5 know the 5ce65c2f67 full details 0d6778255f either, but 40571c9c6f at the ce24388818 time he e3a38d4342 was like 6c2f76c9fc some timid ead70628f3 herbivore fresh 76890897c5 out of 273e13dc1f the wild. If you so e28e3e6a6e much as reached 04d508b3cc for him—‘Don’t touch 69330919f3 me,’ ‘Stay out,’ c2fc9f0183 ‘Don’t talk to 5e079010ab me,’ ‘Go away’…”4fb3f92cc64747b5
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Alberto?576e449683aa1f57
The same man who 5b390c4b96 told her to ask 57010ba64a for help and accept 31e289310c it—had once hissed at 2ea1f74100 people like a feral 6ae127e7b7 cat?c1b7952774671032
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“Really? I had 9b961f2d05 no idea.”140b622c8e6ac202