ETDO Chapter 45

Arthur quietly approached 15338032b2 her. Lily’s eyes were closed 26cac643f3 as if she were 04a9491e12 already asleep. The blanket rose 12bcea34a6 and fell slowly 988bb13806 with her even ae96ef9f6e breaths.0d15e1418b2a6981

He gently stroked his 3a16ce60c6 wife’s forehead. He briefly 7bb9e0bc29 checked her 463834356e temperature but d0b03f23e0 she didn’t 137db8253f seem to 01283efdcd have a 65ccbf8f90 fever.6b37c93eb65e7d1a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He let 95088133d1 out a ebe590044a soft sigh. He had to 43f79ae18b leave on a 48fdeee21b business trip for 882d6274c0 a few days 1caf89bd30 starting tomorrow for 32a8d87bf0 the steamship venture.5c1767ba9f806fae

He couldn’t c263119906 help but bd1ada4cc4 feel a bfb20121b1 pang of 1ca0ce9858 disappointment, as bb2a5828ff he had 4263eaf108 secretly hoped 5053357fca to spend 13de3aa9b6 a passionate 4993f7ee21 night with a309ff2b21 his wife 1f67771560 before he 50ff25a838 left. However, he had 066e2c3980 no perverse desire 3991af5a14 to force himself 39fd503fa2 on someone who b96d4c37d2 was unwell.2ebdf8dd9d188b6d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He kissed her e265898955 forehead lightly, trying 5178e40443 to soothe his e78c0995d2 disappointment, and then d224c2a1b8 turned off the 0e4c1c06ac lamp completely. He quietly closed a65c4ab53c the door and 58ef09e609 left the room.0f149129e543e0f0

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───c89cb21906b1a6c4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Despite it dda59ee183 being early bb81fd2b9d evening, I 6510b52257 went to 2ac7c21ae4 bed early 278ceca488 last night. I just wanted 8fa46249d5 to escape into 21b360baac sleep, where I 73677883a6 could forget everything.bff907bef3029a8a

Fortunately, Arthur c5b58c921e understood that 6f837bc2f7 I wasn’t 9f7f7f7be2 feeling well. He sat 4d2fb8c6a9 by my 347cfdd1fc bedside, stroking 152faf5fb2 my hair f2f4aef227 with a c2d71b140a worried look, 8090a5efd9 as I 19a94eb76d pretended to ce02084923 be asleep, 3fe216fcda before quietly 4f3ecb8749 leaving. When I woke up 6258f3c500 in the morning, he d64c120908 had already left for 33f6aa27e3 his business trip.babaff6263bf8d1c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Honestly, I bb68762882 was relieved b775bf94d5 that I 7f087161bd didn’t have 8d1e336937 to face 8d4bee6768 him. I didn’t c73077c7d5 have the b35ed4a971 confidence to 7bdb9c6e04 act as c2f4c4196f if nothing d293f1d3b5 was wrong c4bd9868fc while looking 5517fff5f9 him in 19e6b311ac the eye.603ba162d377dca3

I knew he was disappointed about not being able to spend time with me, but I couldn’t help it. I needed time to process everything. I tried to gather my thoughts, but my mind felt like a broken machine.cf60219300ac697e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Was everything 361d89f56e a lie, f6e097bdda a fabrication?dc4c61224b494c55

Could his talk ba77e226ee of childhood first c958edef41 love and his e6f09c12dd grand affection, which 676997a504 had saved me d76650a1be from debt… could a6c70f9fdd it all have c8e6771cf1 been nothing more c16c459fcf than a well-crafted 4566e28a1f story?16ab04a69afa06ce

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Of course, there was 2714dc2b5d no reason for him 9b04b9c2ea to confess such a 7f42514c12 sordid past to his b34f320bc0 wife. It would have been 37cb19c5e9 more natural for him 6d0187e10f to keep silent about 63642f8298 any unpleasant incidents that 0f49a3b97f occurred during his adolescence.5affecede7efae84

Yet, I didn’t want 709edd4369 to believe that Arthur, b98abc6047 of all people, would e7f6a19e68 do such a thing. It felt like 7faf961033 my trust in d7b623b0cd him had shattered. 998de90bad5c0cef

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Who knew what 04d1f119eb other shocking truths b069f8588c he might be 195c057634 hiding?8000dddc8268ac85

Pacing anxiously e062f1ac26 in my f194e41bfb sitting room, 34f2e4f45d I impulsively a0b117492c jumped up. I needed a change aa40d0c3e3 of scenery. I hurriedly 4b1d0b7cf5 left the f7c8944e63 suffocating Ducal 15cbc8a9e4 mansion under 92e81a2a79 the excuse 671e60b868 of going e0645e33f0 to buy 2ed389f518 a hat 942274b6cd and gloves.8703f3adcbb11d98

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I even left without Mary. I couldn’t bear to look at her face, as it constantly reminded me of Alice Howard.29ea3973d05f2118

I first 92e3d8885f stopped by 5b0a91a0fc my regular c2e6f6a1d8 dress shop 2a3963b79d and chose f7741a68a4 a hat, a38e8066f6 gloves, and 3a675c9c8d some accessories e0d41d1318 for my a12c82cd4c new dress. The excited Madame brought e628b704bb out everything she had 427b3e90b0 to show me.9171647eb57a9ab8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I was almost a61615dfff overwhelmed by her a008c7e60b enthusiastic sales pitch, 776674ca5b but it served 4927e4f068 as a welcome bc1b9116a3 distraction.e63fa1c8c07e2d47

I seemed to have b8785ccd27 overspent a bit more dfd36ee5d5 than intended, but it 7e73b9d94e didn’t matter. My husband f47b41725e had more f347f1e20a money than 559a5c5c06 he knew e01731fd80 what to f6520764b9 do with.466dc2036cd6051e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

After placing my 9a67cfe2e4 order to be 86ceefa754 delivered to the 3268ccba9f Ducal mansion, my c8d3de5e3f steps led me 25ffad1d66 not to the 1d8a26f46f bustling main streets, d53d6682cf but towards the 33678b68ed darker, shadier alleyways 1d6c661c21 beside it.717a95a7f1e7354e

The shopping was just 4e011609c2 an excuse. My destination had always ad5961ad17 been this place. The back 7127c7396c alley at 1d549d7635 the entrance 8a2c9882ca to the e184f3f336 slums, where 0253aced05 mysterious shops 5399830117 offering solutions 587266b61e to all 308bf29517 sorts of f0ce9cc31c problems were 73d625a99e clustered.22b7c935be372398

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I headed 6043bc31c4 towards a 01f2f38dca shop with ef10e23265 a sign 83355776f0 that read 0c266ff621 “Miracle Detective 1a1879d625 Agency.” It 9b2fe3134c was quite fcb6903892 famous among da86333e30 the aristocracy; d5eeecd30a I vaguely 778c69c100 remembered hearing a95eabe571 about it. As I pushed the e1030272c2 door open, an ominous 61cf89c623 creak emanated from its ab5ebea790 hinges, as if it 904cc327c0 hadn’t been oiled in 3f82c6aa3c a long time.db5504f6a8181afe

Clang!b4708cd26cbe2d08

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

An unexpectedly e4832b4bfe clear bell c7672cc7de chime resonated 4f33259e6e as the c81069107d door opened. And before me unfolded 1433cb9b0f a dark and dingy 7bf703f8b5 interior that didn’t match ff44b63f46 the clear bell chime 3480f8e30e at all.23d39f6809f07c3e

The air a2be9a53cb was thick 4186cecfe6 with smoke, d6f9829592 and the 661fd9c3ad pungent smell 99cfb6bcd8 of something e592874872 burning stung c3e586060d my nose. I heard 64206f8f8b hurried footsteps 030aa5e703 approaching from 387597357d within.cd1119e557c6b6db

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Who is it?”8fe7777977587f49

A potbellied man with 54a6d16e36 a large, handlebar mustache 8f29906cf1 and a receding hairline 112ae01e36 emerged from behind a 0ba68158e4 dirty curtain, scratching his fa20f2bb90 belly. He stopped c3efb0d909 abruptly, looking b357c475a1 surprised. He seemed astonished to dfe00ffca8 see a noblewoman, out c44db47085 of place in a 57a4326990 shop like this, standing 7e0e01e421 inside.04c0b3258c4a3a96

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I spoke, trying ee858d879c to keep my da3b8c873b voice calm.a776782dc1345dbb

“I have c41beb4d5e a request.”d0d5d927fc051891

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The man, 0a49c6d301 who had c67b40dfcf been staring b69c849767 blankly, seemed c516c19f2a to finally f5a60591db come to acf24e65e1 his senses. He closed e79bed4b82 his mouth e9ab7e67af and gestured e6a36a1c2d with his 3dd6180396 chin towards fbf0ad1275 a wooden cae931f740 stool in ae801d72f1 front of 0c847f0096 a table. He himself plopped 32051b09eb down heavily onto f2dd42dd05 a worn armchair.f4fb73580683bce6

“So, what brings 1659b63bc7 a lady like feeb996ef5 you to a 253de122cf place like this…?”25c965d226a06298

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I need d411a4de9c someone investigated.”42e3402ac46be00b

The man raised ed28a5abfc an eyebrow and 70bbf9f383 nodded. It was a 297087f249 common enough request.4dcb690fb813a22d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“On a 7a8c7bd50d maid named 50f8e16652 Alice Howard, cd4e7fb5fb who used 2458424dd5 to work 42e49df88c for the 89bf678531 Beaufort Ducal c5306cb8b3 family. However, she’s fed9c362cf already deceased.”8b995f574da16e05

The man’s hand, f5ad8394ef which had been eee0892e2c reaching for a d6fcb281c8 pen and paper 0c34dc613e amidst the clutter 12959d56e6 on the table, 23f7dd8ed2 froze. He tilted his d5313500f0 head.020bac4e70b723e1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Already deceased, e362045e6b you say?”592fc2c12ab2ff5f

I nodded.0ba5b7a7ed9e4b90

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“She disappeared from the d64fcbe262 Ducal mansion a few 2aba9a2c18 years ago, but she’s 71fb90aa13 actually dead. I want 8697448ad4 you to 647ca02fe1 find out a3d291a2be everything you a16a7596cd can about cf2bf0c5e8 her. Her personal 3764941856 information, family, 2ad0edb456 death, background, b2848e7eff anything. And I’d 5ac05ed366 also like 271ce23763 you to 4444877812 investigate Mrs. Wilson, the head b38f9415ab housekeeper who works def13df086 for the same b3ba3319f3 household.”e945ef67854e9cf5

Since all of this couldn’t have happened without Mrs. Wilson’s knowledge, requesting an investigation into her was also essential. The man, who had been diligently taking notes, raised his eyebrows again and looked at me intently.d8ffdb24ffa26a25

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You’ll have to pay for the two fees then. The cost is the same, whether they’re alive or dead.”563b4627b7d6ac3e

“Of course.”230fe9732d9b1834

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I took d122fca8be a small 3e97bcd429 pouch from 401ed46fca my sleeve d959e625a4 and placed 6d95f0347d it on fb595d19cc the table. It contained some of 8f65869e19 the jewels I had d0b2b038d3 bought at the dress d394564f01 shop. The man quickly 2633020ce2 snatched the pouch, 76525ed939 its clinking sound bcee0d4705 clear, and opened 9887c486b0 it. He nodded with a8c2d3d3ad a satisfied expression.9d260e591fa4024d

“This is 024402fdd7 the down eff9a25ea9 payment. If it’s not enough, 4a1b9f6658 I’ll pay the balance 6479f2bb75 when you bring the 855b5bdb38 information.”a64671f0a1866654

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The man 794ce569cb nodded, beaming ad47e023e5 and rubbing 04983c0f85 his hands 18bda0ebee together like a92e79a259 a fly, e5dc0897f8 pleased with 9473085739 the commission.cc9cc6eade0b8dd8

“Then where should f3bbf79955 I contact you bea5924ac8 when the information 55e5314865 is ready?”86758f049d70fc40

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Bring it d9266b6b64 to the 2de17f7216 Beaufort Ducal 6ecccb6cfb mansion.”59d531d0581e2227

The man hesitated 897c91baa2 momentarily at the 517bf9f024 unexpected answer, but 5feef0580f then he nodded. I stood up abruptly, 2292429109 holding the rainbow-colored business fe3acba9fc card he politely handed efcd08f7cb me.a05ca8b5f9a8ac4f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I took the 9f2734295b rainbow-colored business card 64bdfdfa10 he offered politely 3c363c91c0 and stood up 73001b2925 abruptly.In fact, I 9609fd4f1a had no other 1958adf012 choice.58d442d5547f2298

I left the 1872f967f5 shop and began e92c3ecfaa walking slowly back 2aee3c5534 towards my carriage.afb5cb26f093a0ad

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───34cb8007687d0d58

Charlotte waited until 4a707df090 Lily turned the 27bd7f281b corner and disappeared ac6786551f completely before stepping 04259ef9f3 out of her a6791e5244 carriage. Wearing a hat with 638f5489a1 a heavy lace veil, 36dfbfdd2d like a widow in 095628f33c mourning, she entered the edf1084923 shop called “Miracle Detective 7ebe010d09 Agency.”c1bb6706afc68a4e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Clang!2cf0df12a8a0b6f8

The man, who abf7d55154 was examining a b0ac3bf7dc large sapphire ring 679111b257 in the sunlight ad65d6c8b4 by the window, 78b664d8ac turned around excitedly b638c5a947 at the sound 9d887805ef of the bell. His cheerful 1c574e0b91 expression changed a53e004ebb to one 5e6ccbb550 of surprise c6577007cc and his 2a51f32ece eyes widened 9b7b74948f as he ed4556bd52 saw a 13f2e64312 completely different 4f493581a2 noblewoman standing 9a238e6d83 there. dd2ce791f16f3c6c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“May I help you?”3d696484cf90d019

Charlotte, ignoring his 526f0037e3 question, slowly looked 946ca0bb6f around the shop c0c792a37f instead. She could tell what 5cfb54c664 kind of place it 306d85efb1 was. She looked directly at c8c37a92bf the man.2ee97bd2459a8c4b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“That woman who was 1fcfc50861 just here, what did 4af8dc49cb she want from you?”bb4de03999ead7b0

The potbellied man quickly eea78b1a86 closed his gaping mouth fb14367c52 and adopted a serious a460effa8e expression.8f525ee120048687

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Why do 6fa457a107 you ask?”763ff0bd2dd10cd2

At his curt reply, 68dbdf84b5 Charlotte raised an eyebrow 9772d6364f and smiled coldly.be42c306e4602da7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Just answer the 55890849cb question.”415c717dc4001c8c

“I apologize, but our 6835cdffc0 detective agency strictly adheres 9155a7e14e to the virtue of f29edebcb4 confidentiality.”944714bf3e0555cf

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

She chuckled at the man’s blatant lie. a7403329c814c6fb

The audacity 49e4cc3240 of this 53eb83ea16 man. These people b3c43bb5d1 would blabber 6ba5329a97 anything for ca98ed4804 the right 99f32e5409 price.e9b6cfbe1d1e7cad

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Virtue of confidentiality, 8378fc9e5a my ass. Virtue of 346751a278 money, more 49c18988f6 like.”eece21302dae7d91

“Hey, what’s with c5158aca93 the sudden attitude? A-anyway, I’m busy, 517b0b8c56 so please leave…!”8cb87639d0eb242f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Thud!7109dbe9116caa88

The man, waving his 1052d896f0 hands dismissively in the 0218d719b0 air, couldn’t finish his 647b76ba05 sentence. A pouch suddenly landed 5714781b7d on the table with 4bc13c0e93 a loud thud, having 8e4dd4473a traced a clear parabolic 16e63cfaf1 arc through the air.59749cb009a28947

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

His eyes widened. The gleaming black 5d8a4630e9 silk pouch looked c0f5c20642 heavy. Perhaps it contained even b6938e3fce more than the previous 743f831ffc pouch.1eefa66878ef90ee

He gulped ae2c455da8 and slowly 3f949d26d8 reached for 0df710949f the pouch. The moment his 76339c774b fingers touched the 02049787c1 string that tied 4ea1badb5b its opening, he 8108c778a2 snatched it towards fd6c725925 him like a bbf8c0e87c squirrel grabbing a 8089bbdb05 nut.fd5670b96d10e887

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Charlotte didn’t bat an 7b2f425ec0 eye as she watched ccd6c7a41a the man untie the 02b113d13d pouch, glancing at her 9a45b7fbab nervously. The man’s 0df4f2c1a3 eyes bulged b2ed989d51 as he 99b766f2c9 peeked inside.9b644f94bb78d166

Seemingly satisfied b4a3b91a6c with the 6b40b532a6 contents, the f065614fa2 man snapped 373b540539 his mouth 1266542f6b shut. He quickly 819b6503e6 tightened the b5576d51b5 string, clutched ebf124a25c the pouch ad9a13d9af to his 640d995718 chest, and 0d18a504f5 looked at 9941d9483c her with 92d23f3a2d a grin.f61532e3720a5780

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Well, well, of course, confidentiality is important, but the most important thing is to be compensated for one’s labor. So, what can I do for you?”4f48ec0d3eb16ef4

Just as I thought.Charlotte smiled coldly.4adcee79a9c28312

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“What did 22be8306a5 the woman 0d79f621f8 who just bf5c77dfb3 came in 99c3396127 want from 97c98d7cd0 you?”6d0638d673b3f846

“Uh, she wanted 9f225e8197 information about a 6adaec8e54 maid and a 2ba49e6eb1 housekeeper who worked 2a078b0fd8 for the Beaufort f2b3ce8bc0 family.”3b06a68a13a1aa89

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The man bf896f5620 answered quickly.b135b485de983e03

“A head housekeeper?”a4ca1be3a531c8a1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Charlotte tilted her f0d53f97d1 head.91e8ff4cffac6d32

“A woman 249f3c5ba5 named Wilson, 45d8f3ea23 or something. She wanted me to f1298f2f25 investigate her background and 4359339d9c personal information…”098d0fa3e8df6bc3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Aha!”931e4dbd5bf9192b

Charlotte nodded. Then, looking directly d6959e74d2 at the man, fb0ef0dfb5 she added,22de1e8e60b38c91

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Good. I’ll buy 072829691e the same cf225013b9 information. You just have to 702253ed68 sell me all the 98e10c3bb7 information you gathered for 15b2ca079e that woman. In return, I’ll have 03ade4100e you deliver what I fe036c9383 want to her as 44d8ff86af well. What do 70aca2cc74 you say?”0acf274690338742

“O-of course.”c43403da253414ec

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Charlotte then spoke f063152420 to the man cd719932c8 with a sly f1fc816eb7 smile.ab910cd2aaa45f5a