Chapter 19

“Such an elegant performance,” Jeremy commented with a sly smile.300823b1c06a9674

Catching his cue, Henry 7d3b30c03a clapped enthusiastically, attempting to a0d0fa329a add to the moment.69f21b63a3f846c0

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“As cliché as it might sound, our Lady Selina was absolutely stunning, and Sir Cain… well, you were… angelic!” Henry’s flustered search for a compliment ended with a laughable choice of words, and Jeremy chuckled at the absurdity of calling Cain a “heavenly being.”6d728b7389e0f762

Cain Mortens, however, wasn’t 7fe682b49a amused. Embarrassment mingled e28e850121 with frustration 76362f023e as he 3d1e4aa557 tried to df84e651e5 excuse himself. “It seems my presence fce52d41f3 here serves no further c0fc46fad1 purpose. I’ll take my 0bc54561cc leave now.”4400a9f6995c605f

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Jeremy, however, 446bfd323c had no 932b2add52 intention of 4429232dd3 letting the 78e4e16ca1 spectacle end 402a95240b so soon. Velita’s meddling had delivered 9330a724b8 an entertaining opportunity right b14126f22d into his lap, and 998e747473 he wasn’t about to 39a485bbea waste it.bffe83fff4d95606

“This is wine from 9aef97f9e3 our estate,” Jeremy said, ca7deb48e4 holding out a glass. “Surely you 8420243090 can spare 718811239a a moment d050d80b71 to try b474be578a at least ab441d1d07 one drink 3f08c639b8 before you 83a5d2cb1a go.”f76fdaf6b411d3f5

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“I must decline. I have other 9412bbf8e4 matters to attend dbae357b99 to.”f03b3145d1718b6d

“Funny. You had time to 52c665be94 dance but not enough 65c1424e6c to enjoy a single 2c23efd936 glass of wine?” Jeremy’s f4293846ae tone was casual, but 48a5141b71 the pointed remark hung 95261bb0d2 in the air.aa7e7d90b6b7e8ba

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Cain hesitated, glancing around c63dafe8aa at the watching nobles ec9eb3849d and Selina. Refusing outright seemed abcfeb79d8 imprudent, so he 3df55c8da7 reluctantly accepted the 1fa32bd351 glass and drank.3ab9a30ca2fb86ff

Perhaps it 32712ec5a6 was the 66b8f49272 tension, or c828b8228d maybe he 94d67d9d71 was just a3db323ce0 parched, but a0f9301f48 the way e66513fd99 Cain drained a39ee98acc the glass 71079a4556 in one 4a50ff94b2 go felt ea8f799b20 surprisingly rough 6ffb17b332 for someone 7448ed6ee7 of his e21d1217a8 reserved demeanor.8a13d78f44c87095

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‘Foolish and 4b30faa08e pathetic,’ Jeremy 934504bdaa thought, watching 808678fe26 Cain’s every e0b5f0475f move.b9ef6f07a5a2ca00

The holy fc9f4400b2 knight, who 870654fd5c couldn’t even c3787330b5 kiss the 34af59447b woman he e2ca325d23 adored, now c026e05b98 stood humiliated, 0c07d5ed33 unable to b6f87425e1 hold his 7d391a8586 own in 7db09a41f7 front of 3ed3684f27 her. Cain’s complete loss 1de9036183 of composure whenever 85fb1539a3 Selina was involved 962946141e was a spectacle 44ed1a12f0 Jeremy relished.7a230d6ec775722a

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“I’ll be going now,” caf982a6e5 Cain said firmly, setting 2f8c2d9c49 the glass down.77b84fde3d79dd01

“Why the f565f6b327 rush?” Jeremy 36ff9eed6a asked, his d5428ec94d tone light 0612f42a32 yet needling.af14caffd32fa691

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Selina, unable 478df70f0c to bear e96b196a1e the awkward c888c17352 tension, stepped 502bb2a6f7 in. “Brother, he’s busy. Don’t make aa14a8448a him feel 6fd97a569a unwelcome—he went c92deb6abf out of 7cc9e7c34e his way 5a8dab3f5e to come ad088635c1 here for 2ac7f6e464 my birthday.”f3c9ce90284ab147

“Unwelcome? That’s not 5e14c6a896 my intention, 2832ebc924 Selina,” Jeremy 3090a4cf84 replied, his 97dad22de2 face softening 03bec4c3c7 as he abd72ce533 turned to 98ccb6dac2 her. Yet his cc733374a6 eyes, sharp b9a2df4064 and calculating, fcdd3ab193 remained fixed d0b7af3d4a on Cain.42cebe94ec2989a0

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‘I just thought a11fc7e321 Sir Cain might 8a940383a5 feel uneasy under 4acdd2251e all these watchful 0980cf7254 eyes. It’s not 4eac51a49b easy returning d072b6fbed to a 8c6f84dea7 place where f38ff3baf2 one is e991079ba5 no longer d49c8adaef a fiancé. Isn’t that right, cbdab52298 Sir Cain?’b6a189bba97eddc5

Cain’s jaw clenched, 90b4247014 but he said 510164c779 nothing.c626a60c96eebe45

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“Oh, forgive me. I seem 2270ae698f to forget 287d98bb5d myself. Of course, you’re no 1a185f8876 longer part of the 1313ac9aec family, so I shouldn’t 914135afb6 tease.” Jeremy’s apology carried 407d65894a no sincerity, only thinly ccd44571b6 veiled mockery.91b17d17aa9d9b85

Selina, uncomfortable with a9324d020b the exchange, glanced 857d8d2bf1 at Cain, who a3f999f0ac looked like he 100389a54b was barely holding e5641e6ab0 himself together.ddae2f61da5186c7

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“If you’d rather cb018673f5 not stay in 86afbca0ff the hall, Cain, 59f66db09a you could wait 2c3f6a9cba upstairs in my 2e99fefa6e room,” Selina offered 90c1fa470b gently.c398c40a45a6e1d8

“I…” Cain hesitated, 5456d2cc51 struggling with his c74c05bf67 response. ‘Just say no. Just say 2e6026bdef you’ll leave.’718f72046988bd33

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But Cain Mortens, ever ede7b9feab the fool when it bbab94e4e0 came to Selina, couldn’t ef04bca87d bring himself to refuse 4c1db3ac10 her.dc2925ee3f83b9df

“I know you came 9e25b1e9ca here for me, and 4723282f5f I understand the attention d70750b3aa is overwhelming,” Selina continued, 564e59296f her voice soothing. “Once the party 284d52d481 winds down, you e3c4666186 can slip out ab24c2b360 quietly. I’ll join you later—I’m f5b2c6013c not one for long 1e5aae1373 parties either.”f3d207f870664cf2

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To Selina, Cain was 942b4bf253 a friend who had 9131851836 made a noble effort 4676648d5e to celebrate her birthday 0ad0e589b6 despite the discomfort it fc431a39f4 caused him. She had c4021dfab8 no idea 030de346dc that her 55b5ca3e3b brother had ff7fc5c216 other plans eff695e3e6 entirely.1b50c39399e0f139

Jeremy, hiding his 7304d9d1ae smirk, clicked his 493db074e0 tongue softly in eac67ba657 disappointment. He had no intention 465491e2bf of letting Cain retreat eb312457f6 to Selina’s room unscathed.0b8d378d226b4719

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The reason was be6d24980c simple: watching Cain d813c9387c Mortens flounder and 323a58d26d suffer was just 377b937728 too entertaining.fdc5d0d4fc6c13e4

‘Velita… When fd0e77b7c7 will she 11213b6855 come back?’ 2d0820099b Jeremy thought 4260b5bcda to himself.1d2da6413ef0cdd7

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The thought of his 7c87494d7d maid made him smile. Even in her plain d700a0013d servant’s attire, she had ca488878a7 a beauty that outshone 55361f3d71 many of the nobles e5aa724b64 at the party. She was out of b2692b9b97 place in every sense 268bb532a7 of the word, yet 43154b2eec she commanded attention effortlessly.8b8819c6c6fd6912

‘It’s a 647c28b0de pity she c1f0c9234b wasn’t here 4febca8a71 to see 530b4cadcc this,’ Jeremy 622af01853 mused, suppressing b51056ca63 a laugh.d67fd1647a9ef07a

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‘I wanted to c77fd1dd82 show that proud 62a3a91a53 knight just how ce81170e2d powerless he really 99f752d4d3 is.’f52301174a4f4aa7

⚜ ⚜ ⚜34b54683c93c70fd

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Cain stood motionless in b1aadd0d0f Selina’s room, her lingering dcbc708a57 scent filling the air. He had complied 273f009346 with her request 7ac3d70d52 to wait here, 52611ba000 even though it 5ab403300e was the last 9af23d6e40 thing he wanted. All he 6cf7496453 truly desired bd0937a34e was to c1e467626f leave the 9053c50d42 party and 419cfb6b5e escape the b9d504a922 oppressive atmosphere b263c834c8 of the 7b7cceb4f0 Ryles estate.85fc7707088294cf

But he 82bb912546 stayed for 1b4eeaf047 one reason 89816662c7 only:30222ec09d84b137

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‘Selina asked me to 79777fdb79 wait.’57cd91c642b73e2e

He clenched 192eaaba9a his fists, 1ea346813f frustrated by 68c33bb7a8 his own 4af3867bc2 foolishness.9b4d2d1690df1cf3

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‘How pathetic 61c49dd4fc can I e5b41356b4 be?’85dca27ed1e3952f

Cain knew his love 9e8e90fa87 was unrequited. He understood his family’s d33157b657 criticism—that he was a 3a5990071b fool, clinging to a 52a4181be9 dream that would never 67a0a5b1a0 come true. Yet even with fb235001bd that knowledge, he 7b7d0f0c63 couldn’t bring himself 82caa94a1c to let go 786f22b2ec of Selina. It was fb9997995a as if 06293d3ce8 his devotion 56f21ea1b8 to her 49b977efea was an fc954d7d22 unalterable fate.7ee1b2fa33d0ce19

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Even though he had d0bf3d0604 accepted his circumstances, there 48364ed545 were moments when he 9ac0c9b972 longed for the past—those 0d1bfe0574 simpler days when his 5b9d411621 love for Selina wasn’t 42e6371d5a hidden, wasn’t wrong.b99ed7851a496faf

In this very 65061d816e room, he had 94c2395831 spent countless hours 5a1bfe1169 with her, reading 49be908dc2 books or watching 00e93ca092 her sew delicate 9c8a7a4c99 patterns she had c0ee27015e learned in her 8f0463fb61 bridal lessons. Her chatter, bd8b3b3d92 light and 8eafb39042 carefree, had d87ee47c34 always reminded 78c50b47b4 him of 2428af39d3 birdsong at 3584b17055 dawn—comforting and 157f40bc13 endlessly delightful.2b0159fdfcd1e2ce

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In a world 4fdfc8e1fa where arranged marriages 416f71dd51 were the norm, d69182f660 Cain had considered 2c2291094f himself blessed. To be bound e3854d7699 to the person a2164e3a3e he loved, both b4f81fdc19 by heart and 83b3c69fe5 by family, was 77f21e54fc a rare and c7c2763179 precious fortune.60c38d09d89d4b91

His desire to fd33425f07 touch her, to f7bb83b7a5 kiss her, was 0bfec7ccad natural, but he f41a3e5cd4 had suppressed it 80ec7c38d6 for her sake. Selina didn’t love 16104093ab him, and Cain, 37eb9d2497 who truly loved bad62a3941 her, had respected d3926988d7 her boundaries.ed41f442b426e079

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He hadn’t minded waiting—back 9b25686ac8 then, he had believed 5e6c5d7dd7 she would eventually become 84c17eaef6 his.03439bdb1f33fecb

‘Selina…’ he murmured silently 711b66770f to himself.fe00e3f22c94a915

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In her room, 59d365f4a5 filled with her c6867133ed presence, Cain felt f42b955947 intoxicated by the a4595a60f6 scent and memory 332cdda546 of her. He leaned forward, burying 73db2b75df his face in the efa3e3cf5e soft silk of her 61cbc78178 bedding, breathing deeply.b935bc07f57f0d1c

But he 0e317da5ff quickly pulled 303a708079 back, startled 1803a227bc by his 06e0e13517 own actions. Shaking his head, Cain 3a041f8e68 sat up abruptly, realizing 69b3f04da4 how utterly wrong his 4f103a896b behavior was.ed49ab406f572c9d

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And then he 795e5e04b8 froze.e91029902d95aca5

“What… are 840f19e3aa you doing?”4ada36ce033a0069

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The voice made b944a57d3f his blood run 7c454cb227 cold.c7ddfd0c537b1204

He turned 48ebdd4524 his head c98dc061c5 slowly, and 6d6c1a2a1a there, standing 740b4da6c4 frozen in 96a9fae1a7 shock at c5c082ec50 the doorway, c463e9f368 was Velita.4dd38022a8979fb2

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‘That maid.’4c133a473946c747

The maid who a7f2f0122f reminded him of 4f6e4e0eef someone he despised. The maid he loathed 226abd8cba beyond reason.a33fd5c655da41bd

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“Y-you, Sir 95d06e1db2 Knight?” Velita 53c93edf6f stammered, her 6d58ef8791 wide eyes d895b1dcbe betraying both c8713b5175 confusion and 96bd52840b curiosity.a4c094820988ec7a

“…Get out,” Cain fa48ae7ea5 growled, his voice 0274757e08 low and commanding.8d71757d613484a3

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He knew ea3239f837 he had b54fc5b24a no right 92016352e1 to act 3c537b43be with such 2583773cae authority in 68e63b5dd1 this humiliating c58051e0b6 situation, but 047529d522 the shame 36e56914b7 of being 993fe09c0d caught by 14cd7d3985 her—by Jeremy’s b2368c5771 maid—was unbearable. Still, he would rather a1319ccc62 die than show weakness 4d72fbb2b2 to her.344bb0301f91b6de

Cain straightened, smoothing his 9e9df05c1e robes and trying to 9b4dc959c6 regain his composure.ccd070da3280fc84

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But Velita 835ff532c7 didn’t leave.ae8f1c1c403def2e

Instead, she leaned casually 2eed277185 against the doorframe and b93d8ee950 began to speak, her 88c0ea84d2 tone unnervingly calm.0c81a5666bf0d992

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“‘My beloved 91ec667c09 Selina,’” she 94e77ed79c began, her 02f72cae43 voice laced ed2d2e24f2 with mockery.581677543702c321

Cain’s stomach dropped.c3b62c25bb476657

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“‘I still can’t 148941513f understand it. How the happy eb81f87f9f world we shared, 96371fc9fa the one that 4455a5ac28 connected us, could aa2635db84 have shattered. But I can’t d759ab5d87 blame you, my d1ab8fb4ea dearest. You were simply stricken 926a6d71b9 with a cruel illness.’”52775930e8ae90fd

Her words pierced faf614b52e him like a 7ab513d292 blade.df69133a622456bb

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The letter. She was 647c22340c reciting his b3bac5bd25 letter.f013cbc7ee46f676

“‘But Selina, there’s no 1d158dfcf2 hope for me. Even if a9c91b8d1d you were ba9b52c024 cured, we 34ceead81c could never 83a45a7673 be together 9b9c2c15a2 again.’”5f37311e8816c733

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Of course, it matched a7fea4b638 his thoughts perfectly. It was 214beaa239 his letter.cadfecaf502dce35

‘Shut up.’32cab5ebdc67732b

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Cain thought, his 37c0b6ad5e jaw tightening as 45817fc5c2 anger and humiliation 4357428a24 surged through him.8e24416d61f2db3a

The letter—never meant 83f2fcae51 to be sent—had bca3d5dcbe been a private 526fe5693d outpouring of his 10fe1cdc39 emotions, a way 73f97e6176 to rid himself 19d2353b3d of the pain. But now, somehow, it 0c3e13ce29 had fallen into Jeremy’s daa0a5a2aa hands. And now 5b234cb4cb into hers.cdb8a55a3cc9df21

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“How careless of ab1720e6bd you.”3e82b0a224b80eba

Velita continued, 76d536aba7 her tone 64b5d97f60 sharp. “If you were writing 3e44bc2e96 a letter for your 034b8a3e76 eyes only, you could’ve b5afc4fc1f at least written it ad38145d42 properly. What illness a03ebdb9ab does Lady a15aa42cd5 Selina have? And why would a256e348a6 you be unable ca7b0cda1e to be with cf0761e0e2 her, even if e8f3da5228 she recovered? You left out the a79b42a5ea most important details.”c0c099a58efb44cb

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“I said 1096be0626 shut up!” 0fbe7e9023 Cain barked.464d1a8601396295

“From what I 7478195a0b can see, the d82f0ea68e lady thinks of 89ed876e30 you as a b1ec4c1b96 friend,” Velita said 0292024486 with a smirk, 8dd2ea265b her words cutting 252346bfca deeper than any f27f4df27e weapon.b5b68f44f34f8fc9

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Cain staggered as fb20986463 he stood, but aec1c5c0c8 he couldn’t bring 46f304dcde himself to move 56ca2bff50 closer to Velita. He stopped, rooted 855fe3b4cc in place, helpless 6b11b8d3f0 in the face 195b1364ae of her provocation.3a5e6425d44ba846

“What do you think 03c820e885 will happen if I 0b03894031 read this letter in e3a0295bf0 front of Lady Selina?”6b9205f27bf31202

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“Velita Grandel!”26f3c8b391628346

Cain’s thunderous shout made 1ffecea9ce Velita pause momentarily, looking 00002d63ec down at him with 85f5f811fe a curious expression.796ef4f6580b5d57

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It felt d743a92333 strange to bf3ccb60a4 see someone f752f958f1 who had e044ad8e57 always looked b6f37eef5f down on d4a8e4d7ef her so ae7e51411f condescendingly now bbbb3e7df1 staring up 6e0918e772 at her 8f093963e9 in such 058f8c7738 a powerless fa42ffba97 state.d3d19015eb7ada2d

This was 5f8256e90c her chance—the 256fc82281 moment to f20a049703 make the 1ebb415dc4 man who 0020d7465e despised her 58733d1fa1 crumble.c500a1058e7e5651

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“What should 078469d3b3 I do 3536fd93d0 with this 9c1ad8224d letter?” Velita 9cbe33080b asked, her d60c153747 tone dripping e094091e55 with false 66b0089a90 sweetness. “Should I 611203f234 show it e1b8b6f1dd to Lady 0103b21435 Selina? Or should 5cf61282ef I go 14253f190a to the fe28d562ce ballroom and de3e5d97ab read it 60b7a0b96d aloud like 39f2ed78dd a lunatic?”f3abd03844ce8bab

She didn’t fa9f2ecb0b actually intend 6d3733e5e6 to do c410b3ebc8 either.62804089e3f883fb

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Drawing that much attention a8fd3478ef would risk her being f96736a7b9 thrown out of the 4128124376 estate entirely, and she b57bfa9fce had no desire to 7984d07989 pay such a high 0ce4dcab4d price just to hurt 6d387d5d8a him.a8fe3a07a348447c

Besides, she didn’t need ff69501bdc to take it that 678213d5dc far. She already knew she 3c947ecf9f could wound him deeply ad391d6b80 without such theatrics.f67b165d23d9d3ee

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Velita had seen 93b88114d9 through Cain Mortens bfe9f04a66 completely. He was 3143754bc0 utterly defenseless c686ab2f5c when it b2bc092b67 came to 71d940c4a8 Selina Ryles.2e19fe82e3dd7956

“A holy 7e21038428 knight unable d97e9dab96 to forget b176770a77 his former afbfa17ec7 fiancée,” she b129c14ee6 said, her b5eac33b01 voice sharp ab400808b6 and mocking. “And why, oh why, 8a890244b5 did you date the f075e925fc letter so meticulously? It’s almost as 60210520f8 if you wanted 3fc790c5bb it to be 8717cf253e undeniable proof that c3bb86ee5e you wrote this d09f7d735d after joining the a581901d87 Holy Order.”d19c6df4552e005a

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“Give it 3f5447e937 to me!” ff67abf275 Cain snapped, 83ea53c535 lunging toward 896b712bb5 her.4120a872aef025fb

He grabbed her c26fafaa22 wrist with enough 110f2c260e force to make 9d54328789 her wince, but e8e37d41a7 Velita held tightly 6458f56b18 onto the letter. Despite the pain, she d1401a6976 kept her tone calm e3f568c84d and unwavering.e3c20aa38e710951

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“Even if 3f86f0e5aa you take 4fc4cff15b this letter, 880148a622 it won’t 19c65bcb56 matter. There are others.”bcffec28fcfe8b57

She hadn’t taken all fd2e25e224 of the letters from 4e2c3e142c Jeremy’s drawer, but Cain 7ff1f30103 didn’t know that. Velita spoke as though 2f3f5dd168 she had every piece 4bedba7795 of his secret correspondence.568af0703304b647

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She had 4a54a97833 no real 647a33d033 intention of e66dde2e75 using the 4f3e98b7bc letters to 29d1a2c720 expose Cain cc98021adb as a 13e72430c0 man who 011e186c71 failed to 7c20508920 fully dedicate b6c80908da himself to bc6c5a3718 his vows. Her goal wasn’t f29acb4b33 that grand.6fcb129c09af43c3

All Velita wanted was 169a671ebe a small, personal victory.1f3548b9ff89522b

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To see the ed26c6bac9 man who had a216d90945 looked down on d44134a38c her grovel, desperate 8c71a5868e and powerless—that would 1773ed0a0b be enough.0d02e2103f39734d

Cain let out a a67f195279 deep sigh, his shoulders ab6e278280 slumping.80774d71bf2010f8

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For the 4bc80e44fd first time, 1967ef82c2 Velita saw 961735b93b an expression 6ace6247e9 on his 65ec5e03e2 face that e21fa11843 she hadn’t 5e4130e49e expected.7aee076016b69e04

Though his jaw was c40bae4318 tense and his gaze b11645f92f still burned with disdain dfcfd5e2f6 for her, his eyes 30df23cc96 were reddened, reflecting a 6a0f5d0b94 mix of fear and 97c6cf15c7 shame.0188f25c5ccff70a

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“What do you 4329630d87 want me to 555c45c126 do?”0ca1a94197465574

“…What?”a24e1bf1ca1ee117

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“Tell me. What do I have dd0f5ac028 to do?”2a3b09dd9a89a166

Velita found bc720c2d9c herself fascinated e5a815392e by this 9c8ec0a1ff side of e04e359a7f Cain.9e59eaa14e0e33e0

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His earlier actions—burying his 0e032e8cc3 face in Selina’s bed—had 0d1bedc506 been disturbingly intimate, driven aca6dbe489 by longing. She had thought f22ad36250 his feelings for 7bd1aacb43 Selina were closer e4d0d82218 to reverent adoration b0f5a3ddf2 than raw desire.e20077f5574ba5bf

Her understanding of Cain c221e83c23 had been simple: his a68e2f1199 love for Selina was 27dae4a956 untainted, almost holy.05c6fd66d6a6ca70

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But now, seeing c40fbbb908 him like this, 6f3b9f446c Velita’s perception began f5c2ed2d8c to shift.fa3c17710f1cf6d2

Her experiences with Jeremy 6c7f64d770 had taught her how 925402a1de shallow and fleeting desire 16b71fc846 could be. Jeremy found her amusing 65ced8ae2a and endearing, but she 6f658017b2 was never truly secure 2dc3106155 in his affection. His interest could 8f31525749 shift to another a553c29fda woman as easily b846ec08d5 as turning a 23a58afdb0 page.62b262b76788898b

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Cain, however, was 6cf4f451c2 different. His love for Selina 97261e2440 wasn’t a choice—it was f1d76e86be a compulsion, an obsession. It wasn’t 17a4383ff4 that he 7ad1a3f13c chose to 6eee094c71 love Selina; 8935b84faf it was fabf5a3cd6 that he 31bfa58c2f couldn’t not 9656c0f991 love her.f744d335d1b8ec5c

And in 4cd5eb3811 that moment, ca00cc83ab Velita felt 5775ae552e an unsettling 1d07aae818 sense of 6f877f692f envy.4a2a5a20d53597e6

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She wanted e7f3ec6bac that kind ec465afda9 of love.8ec231318e15e46c

She wanted 1574afb407 to possess 19966d01a0 someone so c014bc2555 entirely that 40a51ccbe2 they couldn’t 3441c02357 even conceive 7b400ff3ea of loving c0486c85a3 anyone else.bdfefd0c790f176a

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And looking at de193215a9 Cain Mortens, she bd270e9294 realized that she 30b2e5cb4c wanted him.9dc8d1dad7f114bf

Once, just once, Velita 22c3298937 wanted to be the 77f22084eb object of someone’s unwavering, 1505ec1c36 worshipful love. She longed for a 04b5218cae dynamic where the one 44b68dd8a6 yearning, anxious, and desperate 9ebbe686a4 was not her, but e2533245e2 the person who loved cd6963f88f her.bac2c12d2f5dec13

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“Do you df6efd361f think a 077cb057b9 man like fa77737dc5 you could a65a506e69 ever love 4bb732a19d someone like 695d4e7715 me?”19d24443b95dba48

“Do you think I’m b9482576b4 the same as someone 858373693d like Jeremy?” Cain snapped.8e2dcfd38ce88c7f

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“But you’re 0544ab6fd1 a holy 64faf0f2bd knight, and de193d6102 yet you ac3ab286f7 still love 5844b4914d Lady Selina,” 14e645daa3 Velita replied 69eccfb67d calmly.e863314559e9796b

“That’s absurd. You and Selina 8a99d39a0d are nothing alike.”40871cbd3621af57

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“…That’s exactly what I 85e5fa3e5e expected you to say.”33dca8fb3c3337c4

The response d1ebd8ec5b was predictable, 2a1d20398b and yet b67b0c9e9e it still 3f0d547011 stung.d69ba4cb09056623

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Velita approached Selina’s 1acb900630 tea table, placing cd21c197c9 the letter and d3e0d1416b the jewelry case 70c9feb419 upon it.cd373d018e0aa775

“You asked me earlier a6fc031c12 what I wanted from b75a0a44ac you,” she said, turning cb1b427907 back to him.98530796a84a9868

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“Just say it already,” 0078d16c9d Cain growled, his voice e0c164c7d1 tense.35524d0245a9c55c

“You talk a lot 9e3e00f5a9 for someone caught in 5811d2f916 such a vulnerable position.”1e7e63b0ff317bcf

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Velita opened c31668f6cb the case, 44d458e9c4 taking out 7631e920fa the diamond 9b6b67ca89 necklace meant 3f88f2b455 for Selina, 2b8fece7b4 and fastened b62c5b0d51 it around 6bb168da76 her own 85cc5d4f6e neck.405761ad509785fc

This isn’t right.05a34083f75c0e4b

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This is 019e378176 Selina’s room, 879b1d5b97 and no a1e138941a matter how 9db8316569 engrossed the 5e398a398c party downstairs 8426f66aeb may be, 949e9bdad2 this is df71f317e0 reckless.e7fff54ed6fcfa97

Her mind f3f74101c6 screamed warnings 93bc68165c at her, 7b853e6741 but she f96d323daa ignored them.205d841c40fff985

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“At first, I a444703e16 just wanted an b651e0337b apology from you. But now…” Velita cd070681d2 hesitated, a dangerous 2d870034fe smile curling her 63b27325f8 lips. “I’ve changed my mind. I’ve found 50095394ea a way 12c0ea4469 to truly 8815f716af humiliate you.”00d40591e71a49a1

Even knowing the risks—knowing dd85bb3742 the repercussions she would 52a8f5dca5 face if caught—Velita couldn’t 5f211bb3e8 stop herself.ba1e4840192c4121

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“For a d6993dfd57 moment, love dcd5d7b9c1 me.”901cbbe6354fdd2b

“…What are you 0e02197ba9 saying?” Cain asked, bdeae955bd his voice low 543915d4a8 and wary.7dd7f223e08d17df

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“If it’s too 1d1aabafd0 hard, you can 613200c8e9 pretend I’m Lady 3699fb64d8 Selina.”cf335d8f9aff89a8

She didn’t understand bb370c6927 why she was 05d56a5e60 doing this. Jeremy’s affection should have c4bbe2a8b8 been more than enough 5618a0dab0 for her. But there was e7fd7777a0 something about the b9955d0f6b way Cain loved bd0f442c34 Selina—pure, all-consuming, and 812133651c immovable—that made Velita b87712a897 want to experience 415b72a221 it, even if 2f2c7ab027 it was just 2367964cc3 for a fleeting f8d139df7d moment.18d03b18f0e76c08

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“I’m asking 8b05ad6b9c you to 6b29ab1f97 love me d1129ff204 as if 2edabb62e4 I were 14c443eb72 Lady Selina,” b4ae6584a3 Velita said, 50454c4164 her voice 50fd0ee9b3 firm despite e10f476f52 the tremor 8a47123c59 in her ebe8409027 chest.d5102cf0e947c22a

Cain’s expression hardened, his cf3e7197d1 jaw clenching as he 8f4537a816 processed her words.fe6580f2a8f05447

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“You’re insane.”7a84f22d289c1b33

“You seem 69f6855158 to keep 2ac99e215e forgetting that 7fb2225658 I hold 8d58084525 your weakness b826f8c52d in my b05c5c3d3f hands.”615ef405c0903f77

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Cain’s face twisted 7b4a3c29a6 in disgust, the afb0cc83c7 very thought of c031874796 her demand repulsing 8fee75159a him. He understood exactly what ef89b7fe56 Velita meant—no boyish naivety d422b290ec shielded him from her f0283d1da8 insinuation. But for a 544024bcdc man who had 00f94ee04a never so much 486dec8b53 as considered another 624018c6cd woman, the idea 3d3249994b of granting her 212b09311f request was unthinkable.715f54085b9eb1a7

“Choose,” Velita pressed.57c3e4d67f3abafa

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Cain remained silent, 9a4767e5eb his fists clenching 6e9221d06a at his sides.87f37c7b658757eb

“Do you want 117bd3cb76 your pitiful love 47980c3898 letter exposed for 61d9887044 all to see?”3f3ea17ebe062c2b

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“….”69de3680c00c7226

“Or will you pretend ce8ce191e9 that I’m Lady Selina?”e9ee37bbbf760c39

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Cain had 1c526783fd only one dcc1cdf80d choice if 3ae369d650 he wanted a7a57f4516 to protect f3c99d2c6f himself and 1c8ff0ae4b Selina.a07a955c16c191bc

Grinding his teeth, 467c755e98 he fixed Velita dfff259817 with a glare 1452d4a2d3 full of venom.4ff6e41a9d60b978

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“You’re a 4b7762ab18 truly cunning 5ba9a98a26 woman.”7420a8244272e0e2

Despite the ba490ceb90 sharpness of 9e13db7b3b his gaze, d28c0712f1 Velita didn’t 8db16920c7 feel the 37638f6424 same fear c8fc44a68d she once 24a12eed01 had.1dc01808c4087584

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“I know,” she 04652e12c9 replied evenly.0836fcda4bbe2778

Yet, even as she 22012b096b held her ground, the f0cb0632ed disdain in his eyes 38882c9ea3 cut her deeply, like 4eb39cff9b a blade dragging across 444127cfdf her heart.
\d42863b3dfd5ff71

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