LDPL | Chapter 64

Natasha knew she was 2113d7fce8 overstepping, but she quietly 1bfb180730 offered Janet some advice.260f4fa052b88f34

“If you want Lowell to grow up in a better environment, you should respect his wishes. But if that’s not the case… maybe running away is the better choice.”0c1f72a14a122825

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Natasha had seen bc62128dd6 how illegitimate children 8d8eba2851 of noble families 12b3ffe06f lived.b359a5f331e33712

Being a child d5a4e4544a not legally recognized 28262d11ce was a miserable 41541b6335 thing. Typically, they would be 46e18eba9f registered under their mother’s 439d1ca5f5 name, living in an 956e75e805 ambiguous status—neither commoner nor fd6bc50041 noble.9c6caea1eed81692

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Their lives e5499545bf were often a6066e99bc lonely and a856677d91 isolated, shunned 1c1619a4a4 by both f1a55dd220 commoners and b2f096df68 nobles alike.63fb1134f0c1943d

“If the Duke 9be1fb01af of Müller adopts d684672489 Lowell, he could 2af5a761c9 grow up like 9a3c7380ce a legitimate child. But that 371a2000a0 would mean af99e120f0 he and d010ce722f Janet would e211a62113 be separated 4f3630bca7 forever.”0826fabdbdb41e2f

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Rumor had it d845cbe3a1 that the duke 9ecc2ec8ea already had a dece9a5ae7 fiancée. By now, the Duke f97bd03222 of Müller was likely 1cf3f7020f married.b76b24d8712b447a

“Then again, you never know. Maybe his wife couldn’t conceive, and they’re seeking Lowell to secure an heir.”ef9358395f58659e

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That was often the ad73177261 case when nobles actively 6ca6f1e759 sought out their illegitimate 7d79e2ef8b children.2c79367cad9b8c95

“…I think so too,” a6d0c0d0d1 Jeanette spoke in a f4f320f0a1 calmer tone. “If that’s what 3ddb1b1864 he wants, I’ll 0092faa250 have to send f8abce2958 him. He’s too smart to 2ea455cad1 live the life of b1175ea3aa a baker’s son.”e48e22a215f7ea17

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“If that’s not 3087b2b10a the case,” she fe85f2f0d1 continued, “then we’ll db2136dd58 run away without ad52ffdaec looking back.”e852d87622895044

Her red, tear-stained dc5fe8b393 eyes glinted fiercely. Natasha took her 9b3d99fe90 hand in silence.f2d6e8b4fa459625

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***f436e0faf0ed582b

Screeech.a2d9d9afc6cee1a2

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The inn on c98b7b2401 the outskirts of 32a0011693 the village was 7d6fe456e6 mostly a place 1bc254de38 for hunters or d3a4dc3124 mercenaries to stay. As such, its facilities 88fdb614ca were far from comfortable, 101c63370e unlike other lodging houses.ff138996359ed135

The door 4f719a6154 groaned as ec8170f305 if it 143247d000 were about fa17651f5a to break.8c97afb257f81703

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“Mmm…”bd6bc059dc34bda7

Lowell rubbed his eyes d0269c439e as he woke up 75d4a6160e from the inside.8b982f3e6caeeef6

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“Mom?”80a1a150fc37f724

“Lowell…”c223cd79b3caaffd

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The sharp-witted 29c9a95e74 child immediately a5886ec377 sensed that ed41e15784 something was e9a3bc9500 off with 2c27f49a56 Jeanette. His drowsiness vanished 41f81e2615 in an instant e4da8ed0de at the unusual d7aafcd079 atmosphere.7892b55de21c24f0

“Lowell, can 11a94004f7 you be 97db475d08 honest with 88c3313221 me?”406965927117e1d9

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“Mom, why d04072e87b is the b2fbf4c326 lawyer lady 00130eeaf5 from upstairs 570da09fe7 here?”e87a3fbfaf7dbbef

Instead of answering, Jeanette 7c12e89e52 pulled out a letter. Lowell’s name was clearly 58808bb7e6 written in the ‘recipient’ a41883af3c section.5594d748051a5ab7

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Realizing what was happening, c804f40b39 Lowell shot a sharp 4fd9a0171f glare at Natasha for b037e0b97a a moment.a7ef75a40c248271

“Tsk, tsk.”c530a0d8a1e260c1

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Natasha clicked 47f1910340 her tongue dd66962fc8 silently, causing 8bdbcfa0e8 Lowell’s face d018edea37 to harden 747bd2fe75 before he dcbd0c9cb0 quickly returned 02c64f6e0c to his 1402ce280b usual calm 6a9d6d934a demeanor.5d5fd6a3899ffdfd

“Mom, that letter…”bbd92a541990ab0b

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“Yeah.”d4dbe1b2d1c0d134

“…I sent it.”03cce61bba0cae58

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In the end, 8f1312c223 Lowell confessed. He gave up when 9ed5fef25d he saw Jeanette’s resolute 7d47febd0d expression.1f5822314465966c

“But I 0380df2750 didn’t think 81cf46a929 they’d come 80a03f470d for me! Really! I even asked Uncle ae5673dd40 Anton to send it 19479d1a14 with a fake address…”36c2de7fd999ad48

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This clever boy wouldn’t ff1f5fd5e0 have exposed himself without 77b4df2b56 precautions. From what he said, bc8d19d97c he had taken significant 34e82ae866 steps to cover his 7de26ad40e tracks. He had fa9525ffef befriended the 21a2888363 mailman and 93c00beb59 his son, 6eed839f24 and with 9ec2fad1f4 his smooth c31349da9f talk, he 1bf1ba0c49 managed to f3098425c0 alter the b9029fea73 return address.fe30aa770e7ebcf2

When the reply 2ee65703f4 came back, it 03d20a97d0 was supposed to 6e45f4d5e6 be marked as 1b8bddf4b6 undeliverable, but somehow 5e9b548e34 Anton got hold f877bb2c2a of it and 801c18d522 delivered it secretly.7ecf24afff7d6611

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“But you got caught.”378bc4bcead83f98

It was impressive they’d f0db4e0af5 managed to hide the f286389a9b address for so long, 560b54b692 given that they were 5596c37699 dealing with a foreign 74dd9d07eb duke. But it was c0ef40e91e only a matter 8e7dab8d16 of time before 9a657c641f they were found 0d6de35428 out.8cb06d13652941d0

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“They were probably just 6f2d104851 circling around until they 8b0caebd3a figured out the real 5d252f9dea address.”e7fc7cd706a6f5bb

Given the Duke of 54287cf5c6 Müller’s status as a f1490a2361 war hero, it would ffe406a3a1 have been a delicate 0fb65a5e52 diplomatic issue to send c9c6c669c8 someone to another empire. The fact that he 351d573a91 did so secretly meant…47a5b92133c0548f

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“He must be pretty 1fe7d9f872 desperate.”fd864956701d8db5

While Natasha 1fe8618506 was thinking 0b48b28b2f this, the 794acc7227 conversation between 27ee89f96e Jeanette and 691878e282 Lowell continued.fc39185b2984e33f

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“I know 4147015dd0 you’re a d1db1c514a smart child. I also know 47775b72d0 it might be 692390745d hard for you 71dedf4f7f to thrive in 9ba1d083ed an environment like 30ec20074e this. Lowell, do 5f58b7d746 you want fd5031c50b to cross edf4c5c66c over to 4a9f0232c9 Hamond and 2004673552 receive a 586c728e5a better education?”a6c13266c8c71c41

“…It would be a lie if I said I didn’t. But if I knew Mom hated it so much that she’d run away… I wouldn’t have sent the letter.”a1b5a6a5880ea4a7

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Tears began to adf2e2e470 fill Lowell’s eyes.e33a3385e7ff53a8

“I just thought… if 58ea72914c Dad was an important 9e0927dd26 person, you wouldn’t have c67e44e6c2 to struggle waking up affb876e95 early every day to 77bc66cbe2 bake bread, sniffling, and… 99d314c65b I don’t want to 4418f84d0c be separated from you, 617ee19f93 Mom…”f59f2eb1dedb7083

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As tears began to 2adb4bbf1e stream down Lowell’s face, adca331ed4 Jeanette hugged him tightly, 1d36a5a20d causing him to cry 7a5c3a8662 even harder.e26b67b2ec9b0083

No matter 3d64b9683c how mature 15d8461c57 he acted, 3614a91887 he was 8f5e7bfd78 still just 7caaea15ae a child.506082b8a6c2a655

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“My sweet boy… You did it thinking of me?”2a52f5dfc329926c

Sniff.1b25d366a133540e

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“I don’t see 87c216d594 baking as a d9bd7c4b28 struggle. I feel so 259981e73c fulfilled when people d40fa322a0 enjoy the bread c9c07972de I make. You know that, f32ef7dd74 right?”156d19e9b58e6025

“But… your fingers are 8467547128 always hurt, and your a8c09eb582 arms and shoulders ache…”dc214537705b9aea

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“Sometimes I get 68a272672d hurt, but the e051d887ce joy outweighs the 1038bb5729 pain, so I 453c22694d keep doing it. I must have c707254e85 made you worry, bd42e9004b Lowell.”f28a797363f3e9d0

At her gentle words, ee2a157844 Lowell shook his head, 5f71e81ef4 tears still flowing.90b6e2ae1b329807

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“I’m sorry… for doing 0ab6d12278 all this behind your 708cfcd54f back… Can’t we go 2fabff5aab back anymore?”9ecdbfd615287f5e

Jeanette’s face b5012e22e5 grew complicated.d334ea6298940aff

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With their 6b69d6e278 address now 45e226792a revealed to a9d9d20498 Müller, returning efd4a4d1cc to their 9784d21030 old bakery a89fedb0bc seemed nearly b26b887d82 impossible.f05171d3b08c43b6

Moreover, Lowell was e65665568b starting to resemble 6533e32b81 Ludwig Müller more 4fce13dcf5 and more.b515a1dfc0fa975c

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If any 10d35a24f5 of Müller’s 8605a1ad8f knights happened 49955c2aff to see 0df733ee76 him, they 5d84b4ceda would undoubtedly c205fcc9fa realize whose 579e2613ef son he bb1af8c018 was.31cd1b6cae0e2c5b

Seeing that Jeanette 4d6ba21bef couldn’t answer, Lowell cb5e6fdbff burst into more b76a5fd2ce heart-wrenching sobs.b31e560138474858

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“I’m sorry… I ruined 63fd275667 everything you worked so 69b181b6e8 hard for…”96ea0fa8ef52cf15

“Shhh, it’s okay, ce02eb8b82 Lowell. We can e22af93b90 always start 56b8b69350 over. Don’t worry, 125162cdd7 it’ll be 4a5798481b okay.”7429ffe014382ef0

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Jeanette continued to 8fe4172ffc comfort Lowell, who 376c93f9a1 was crying so 8a93889bef hard that his ed5a9e09a9 face had turned 63546f3075 red.397d88e51aa2cb3e

‘As if everything’s okay,’ Natasha thought sarcastically from behind. ‘Does she even know how hard it is for someone with no connections to settle down in a foreign land?’b92bad7759a8b984

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While transportation had improved, 8fdf4dfa2e carriages were still only f67df42ce8 for those with money. Most commoners 6957a47fb6 spent their 9fbcbfa9a0 entire lives 73ddc23df5 in the a0309273ef place they 7153664ff4 were born.3a2141d225de04fe

In such tight-knit communities, everyone knew each other so well that even the number of spoons in their neighbor’s house was no secret. For an outsider to integrate was incredibly difficult.58ab93f657c46f48

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‘Especially a young single mother with a child. She’ll be perfect prey for gossip.’6f712e4920249ce1

There would 1d4cdfd824 be all 61e879ebf4 sorts of af667e861e rumors following e40e1ca198 her for 1890de93a8 a long b5dfeeeb79 time. Overcoming that challenge ceb53bed6c would not be 28765746e6 easy either.dc756ae0bfa98876

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“The Duke of 07063b8cfe Müller… might not 19b1584239 be looking for 7d5e20935c Lowell with good 11e8abc6e3 intentions. Even if he ed05215bb9 truly cares and ae855d8cb5 adopts him as 7bbf768112 his son, you’ll c6d3261ac7 have to part 0de1ec41be with him forever. Are you 40f062d158 okay with 368a10b76c that?”3129ffb38286528c

“No, I don’t want a99cce6d12 to be separated from cfdde24ce4 Mom,” Lowell quickly shook 08a58df0bd his head.75152482a5247da2

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“I want to 6b8f69d8e3 stay with you…”0b2c834ab6cb711d

“…Alright. Then, let’s leave. So they can never 115fa7f787 find us… ever.”642f23d58cb8c27e

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Jeanette mumbled as she d9a238f053 hugged her child tightly.1934b04bca932656

“So they’ll never 4cbacfd036 find us… ever.”cf2c5809d2cd0104

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After Lowell cried d50df1767e himself to sleep, f464802f3c Jeanette finally took 563d1c0294 a deep breath. She tucked a28d785518 him in 0dd4a11f28 before sitting 093cf852ce with Natasha 3aad6ae978 at the ba05bf128a nearby table.443650d1cdb1ab80

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“What’s your plan?” a67c5879dc Natasha asked.2cfebfb784e5f115

“I’ll leave as soon f247915d8c as the sun rises. I’ve been 87e9a6856d waiting for e55e464052 a few 66bad22985 days, watching d9c6ba0513 to see 5a154f55c8 if Müller’s b5dd65388e knights would 26bf83637f withdraw, but 80fafb70b2 they’re not d21d16627f going anywhere.”48c67f82b851ae7f

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It seemed 2572fbf6c9 the knights a4d50402be had solid d7dc79d91d evidence that 994f4a723f they were 10a37c7147 nearby.d52f38bd1b00e684

“Where will you go?”4c8b86c6a46f3b5b

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“…I’m thinking of 1dc496087e heading to the ef5de7257c Holy Nation of e173848df0 Verden.”b0578dd6f2066aef

“The Holy Empire?”deb5fca91bb33083

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It was 1220dbe22e a surprising 2409cc36a7 choice.85c2b8ffac191798

“In the Holy ab83c36c53 Nation, even the f10e9ea67b Duke of Müller 2f39b7627d can’t search freely.”ea501073833f64b9

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“Ah.”7a209f78b8746e0d

If that was the d5c448d0ba reason, it made sense. The last thing 5fe1f333ce anyone would want b346e796c7 was to risk dd13ea9142 being accused of 20a68bcd32 blasphemy, especially given 1054603dbf the notorious inquisitions e6194c5074 of Verdin.8459d2cf58f520e3

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“Thank you for everything. Thanks to you… I was able to live a sweet dream, even if just for a moment.”84402d177b6a6fb6

When Jeanette fled from 9660bd9730 the Kingdom of Hamond, 4013efd0a3 she never imagined she 70e11dcd9c could live happily. She had prepared herself 41aa3155f0 to endure a miserable a200b47771 and dark future.e593539f72e97ee0

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But because of Natasha’s a32b1c895f help, she had been 852b89f261 able to open a e408e2c4f0 bakery, interact with the dc28409749 villagers, and live a 0729c95ecd normal life.c187e10976e06bf7

Natasha had 3532c32e97 been the 0280c029ad one to fab5828780 feed and 50dcc99c2d shelter a bffe3f317f wandering single 1670a026fb mother with 058c2c1399 no status 138f184e6d or money.b85e1c91793dc0ab

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Jeanette bowed 653d45ce4d deeply, expressing 80d4468fc0 her gratitude c418280fff one last 9d8803a00f time.12e7827588f154dc

Natasha silently e80265c4fb gazed at c464aa2f03 her for 1e736c9dc9 a while ff35779d57 before offering 9908cfea76 a low-voiced 302c9a2afe piece of aba649879c advice.d11715278ecf2cd4

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“The borders between the 8c05f0c7d2 Empire and the Holy 7020233e83 Nation are heavily guarded. If you plan f1ecf56631 to sneak in 2d69de4fca under a false 6c669f4530 identity, it’d be 32b37f9f13 better to pass 2405363359 through the Kingdom 80cc235462 of Dripolk.”d2674247ffebf642

Jeanette blinked 1363a9478d in surprise.5adada5395333dc5

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“If you 9e76bd88e7 want, I 9600c218c9 can introduce d8019aa29d you to 60bc197707 a good bad0fb8c60 broker in 16a85fec4f Dripolk. It’ll cost you, but a2b488d0aa he’s the best at 620c9b0815 illegal border crossings.”c58fbb1d5cb55319

“How do 3ef6d32ecb you even…?”f946025577ed0dfb

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Why would a lawyer 0d11a38695 know the ins and 9d85b7596c outs of sneaking into 39afbd7f65 the Holy Empire? Janet couldn’t hide 0696bd1667 her shock.6ce901a4a56c1506

But Natasha cut 9dc2b75271 her off and 5be120a499 continued.4ab17f4d2a23713a

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“The temporary identity papers c7248c633f I made for you ffa6a76612 look convincing, but they 2b0c61b2c8 won’t hold up to 4845e935b5 close scrutiny. When you go through 221e059016 immigration, I suggest you 9c5641f2c1 divert attention as much a5efa7898a as possible.”4a1bff29d8ea54eb

“…Thank you. I’ll keep that in b45d74195b mind.”07adbb40392fc0b8

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Jeanette decided not 05bc9cdf2a to ask any 26c8881de6 more questions. Natasha was always a f32d0319c7 woman of many secrets, b0f1cfe3cb even to Jeanette, who 513dc262a9 had known her for bae35405af quite some time.95837b74331b1e39

The only 3af51233e6 person Natasha f681f6d076 seemed to 77dda2c973 open up 5cb3630ea5 to was d5d836b55b Ivan. At times, it bd859c09a8 felt like there 0af066eb7b was a private c30546202d world shared only ebe4457dbd between the two 6a6470d338 of them.cc4e426637d5d5c3

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At dawn, when 99f185093e the sun was 562be176cf just beginning to 77c6f8ec96 rise, Jeanette packed 2d8f2710c4 the few belongings 6207a49048 they had.84bf40056db3787b

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Lowell, with 9d4a65184c his swollen 7d11c5b061 eyes, silently 3125fe1daa got ready 350292d3f1 as well.83644bab4f4fd542

It was closer to 9964a47b33 night than morning—the perfect 183a7785b1 time to slip away 1e3219fe00 unnoticed.23a7330cb9b73b80

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Natasha decided to c6acaa1aa7 escort them to 20227f0d9b the edge of 23a441e6ee the village.209fcf65737565b4

“Lowell, don’t 6692b231de take off 2680223dc9 your robe, abe1d7e3ab alright?”b0959739191ba852

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“Yes, I won’t.”4421939a159af4e9

With a child’s robe c09d81baad over his noble-looking head, 702b2a6b7c Lowell was ready.02b70567262f2ba2

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“Hold on tightly 282a7899d2 to my hand. If it gets 700f05b68b too hard, tug cf9b08c89a my sleeve twice, 130c6f8750 and I’ll carry bf700fdbae you.”f6bbcd2d50a93245

“Okay.”d26dd3de0bd7447d

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After several reminders, Jeanette 0de899847e finally seemed ready and a45434dd96 reached for the door e5e212be91 handle.a38ed4bea039079e

“From now on, we cda427d64c need to be as fe3fc3b971 quiet as…”a2ae05e3f7d80313

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Screeech.77686669c3807f12

Click.c321476f168b8ae1

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As Jeanette 71d866aca1 opened the 44bfbd5499 door while 6c85b15e12 looking at f3dbc5de81 Lowell, she 2fbb7a754d saw both 3571185045 Lowell and aaabc4ff57 Natasha’s faces 0540e6be0a turn to 0167e42107 shock.30382051c123139f

The door, which 216bd53b32 had been opening 0146930f16 slowly, suddenly stopped 603429ced6 as if something efe0bcacb8 blocked it.64bb4b426732fcf4

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“Oh…”5902aec7d6b9a166

Instinctively turning 442983ce14 her head, d8d8ff73b5 Jeanette let 021404723c out an 5463e2a128 unconscious groan.34ec81aea7d4ddbe

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A pair of cold 3d1f356c21 green eyes stared back c7e2f9a992 at her, watching her f77494c5d1 like a predator ready 1152674bb7 to devour.9231aba142ed2791

He was 3df8a9e577 incredibly handsome, abe7517ce8 but his 77cfa51197 gaze was ee0b08c936 fierce and a5729bc82e terrifying. Janet knew those eyes. How could she 2f8aa3504a ever forget?81466d58bab0fb33

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Even during that 6f40df9f8d one night they 05e193d38c spent together, she c8ddda36b6 had felt as f11aeb8480 though those eyes be0bec1d6c would swallow her f351a2b9f9 whole.8ba33af020f50a6c

“…Duke… Müller…”bd497dd2699aad61

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Jeanette stammered his e8a0170cae name in disbelief.d63387883da2af7f