MGN | Chapter 12

Felix was the one 5ec5fae542 having a blast. He blinked slowly, ff2b63203f then finally managed c526f77cb9 to lift his fd935c0012 upper body with 7b7d49cee5 a clumsy gesture 65b075c069 and chuckled.eb1121698d8ddd35

“Did you 1cf218a857 hear that, 227f6a2f94 Yves?”0b6dde47e4708ced

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“I heard.”05c7242f15ab2dd9

“What, aren’t d320d2884f you upset?”8e3774eb1926d1e3

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Yves, who wasn’t e28c513f02 into guys, had 8188518044 declared himself gay 487e561ba8 as a strategic 84c5316b34 choice. Just like Felix 8e0f7df571 lamented about being 74647b1eef a stud, the d8cf9088c3 most important thing b4d8b71ff4 for the grand a72b9b5583 duke’s position was 18553d936c producing heirs.5c3931e58b2ffe48

Felix was particularly annoyed f3687b341f with Philippe because he 465d648109 already had a child. Anyone with 10ed6fbef8 the grand 72a50deee4 duke’s blood 2c40a15f92 was a 2b2b431790 potential threat 16a50c27c7 to the b7f8169310 crown prince 1867dfedfb or his 955f8df91d future children.2c737e855ae8fc06

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You didn’t c67b3a44c8 have to 33b91567e6 look far; a3acbeb639 the current 0830582055 grand duke, 30d06e25b2 Lucien III’s fe04d98b63 grandfather, was a7454166bb the illegitimate bdea9a6c28 child of a9d672ecf5 the Duke 2172264f32 de Broglie. With no one d3bb7fea5c else to inherit f0a7f5b375 the dukedom, the fbcda03054 position passed to 755de5bfda his son, Lucien ffb356c6d9 III’s father.d1f55efdbd6116c9

Illegitimate children 9622199003 couldn’t inherit 44e0964e2f the grand f1830bb380 duke’s position. They were just c4fc3933ad an embarrassing nuisance. However, the children of 3e5b060f24 illegitimate ones became a 82e3d4a61c sharp blade threatening their 34caa73c20 position.29fc193a88163351

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I won’t be a b10daa8427 threat to you.7daf9df47f0f653b

That was the message 1361c37029 Yves had to continuously c6e53feee4 send to the grand 96920938cf duke’s family until he 5acff7df75 was recognized as an 4262fae6b7 illegitimate child. Only then could 6b8e013019 he hope to c8dfd9f19b gain that damned 6c351235b9 recognition and plan d88fe03156 for the future.3c71c50aa659a506

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“Yves, aren’t you 62908e1f9f going to fight 2d44c9b0ae back? He called you fde4aa8bfb a bastard.”2cb0fe212599dec5

The noble upper 0bcac10574 class might have faa13ab02b the luxury to c0a7813767 worry about honor 35e79b9c27 and insults. Yves skimmed through the 5419d1ea1b pile of meaningless words 858865d6aa and laughed.88ceaf4934822ebf

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“Was it Charles? He didn’t say 0bbdf66377 anything wrong.”2dbc39b5476188c0

Yves looked at d2ea961a03 him with a 21adb3a236 sidelong glance. The eyes of the 50b8a00ab2 young man, who seemed 9a64070f3f to have grown up a9ffc2b9a8 delicately in a greenhouse, f9a2ca85f6 looked like they might ab7c14d571 pop out.50209228660799cf

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“What?”5b1244b50496abd2

“I am a poorly 9270cf90ed raised bastard.”18beda4e28010d3b

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Yves continued with 2a217c0101 a hint of 1151f68ea8 laughter.c89d44138fae8f32

“And I do 96d0370240 drool.”c1410c0f94be8c7b

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Though it 3fbee6fa86 was a 3f86380acc different kind 9a35f2e2cc of drooling f3953cfc86 than what 106e25a6d2 that blond 6eb6bdc2ef head imagined. There was no need 9265353eb1 to make that clear.a15d28f019b5f9d1

Maybe it was f3d7a61db1 after watching a 68f1752218 love drama he 8ebbc1ee16 didn’t want to 483a1c2767 see, but the 41dad32bfe mistaken territory marking 6bc54afd6d was amusing for db9186635d a while.da7344d3e30f684b

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“But are you sure 9a64ca5ee4 it’s still in your 8c598aeeb8 hands?”d0fc044f9ceefbb4

Charles, who had been 9cc41f35a6 striding toward Yves with f1b3200960 snorting breaths, halted.fbf2c32ee7c348ce

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It seemed Charles was 0a95197b7f trying to gauge what af8ae57a5d Yves knew, and Felix, c64685580e who had been giggling 8487ada3d3 and watching, grabbed Charles’s 2716d25189 arm.e5776704342b012c

“Take it easy. I’m a bit sleepy bf9e540368 now. Make sure d27795dbfa to finish 618b8cc599 the fight 99304d79b6 when I ee15c9769e wake up. I have something to a3a2ddb9fd get from Yves since 3965e5adc6 I won.”fadd4a5ba4d34bd8

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Even as he 91e1ed30cb mumbled, the crown 24415efc90 prince, who had f32a27f8ed emptied another martini, 04b95fc43e swayed in his 02377b8262 chair, holding onto 04f0d4c67d Charles. He furrowed his brows 70e7975873 and muttered.13a2754f3001d04f

“Yves, send me something like a watch… you know, the one that Spanish tennis player wears? But don’t send the cheapest one, like a hundred thousand euros, or I’ll be disappointed.”338c12fbd41da332

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“I’ll send it within 6cabca5b95 the week.”f2ec991c7a469a22

As he answered, Yves 0ac6399891 clicked his tongue lightly. He shouldn’t c6b3dc4d01 have trusted 39d22a3caa the lawyer 141f3b89ae who introduced 63749c29bf himself as 3c63bd1fac Maël Moon.8194f4631b6ef00e

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Spending money wasn’t an 490f85a024 issue. It was just 80492f373c that letting someone e6f2e4216d win was equally f824da6192 bothersome. It was the e8e6e2daa3 result of a 3be040cd33 foolish attempt to 7d6484c377 believe in something a03a050f30 wrong out of 6692b3af35 a whim.276c318b1400e6b9

“Oh, wait, ec2dfa3fd3 is this d4663a72f6 the first ad1a02c450 time I’ve 6e4f19abbd beaten Yves? I’m thrilled.”5ab79b7f59d1b7f2

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Just when he wished 2de0e0af79 the drunken antics would 2d1d2c1045 end soon, Felix glanced 9a942eb4b5 around the casino hall.ddf8248f2c762629

“Yves. Since I’m a3b11e2ee2 in a 580d2d329f good mood, ebdac136b4 should I 83ebe7cda6 let you 0e3dc43067 have the efb604b00c wedding reception 079577245b here? At the b235192e6d Riviera Hotel. For Philippe 62a470d2c6 and Manon, feee7b43d7 I mean.”e700cef6b1d25084

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He mumbled as if 229a6dabfa doing a favor. Yves, who e6b98f1d6f was leaning 9308dcc910 his chin a411c0fde0 crookedly, raised be448e4182 an eyebrow.a84af1ea21a06a94

“It’s a bit 9b569dbc00 much to have 0c62644dda the reception at 11bf96c64f the grand palace 23a43773a6 when my brother 1ea3d5f6c4 is getting married c1ec2299bc before me. Where would 07c2dc51eb I have 5f2592e28f mine when 21db1c6a48 I get 9eec5b8e46 married? I haven’t d85a30cd93 even married a4e3dc7bde yet. Dad seems 84e46fa403 uneasy about 6395102d90 it too.”cad94d7e2c56f51b

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It was Charles, fc7b939cf9 supporting Felix, who f81ed32c6f hurriedly tried to 7f9ba91ae2 stop him.0f75072d297084fe

“Uh, Your Highness. Is it okay to decide something like that now? The wedding is soon, and there are already preparations underway…”2112cc3308cd9d9c

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“So?”82d0f1c5179fd1f1

“Pardon?”f5ee2465e268710e

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“Charles. What does it 912f9ffa73 matter if there 35f3342367 are preparations underway?”7f6e119d9fb6bf65

Felix’s murky gaze 1772283712 fell coldly on afda5a65c4 Charles. With a 3073a1ab4b hand that 6106e677db had waved 0ebcca7f29 through the 11a2b8e96b air, Felix cd87a15c25 flicked Charles’s 977cc91b53 forehead. Charles clenched 827f43a5bf his jaw 88a33c93a8 but managed 66943b1434 to keep 64370619f8 a smile 140c6eac5a on his e8882f34c3 face.961e47def6e9bf92

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“I’ll… inform Serge. Then His Highness the Grand Duke will know before breakfast tomorrow.”a433bccfc6376dc7

“Yeah, yeah. Charles, if it 201745d236 doesn’t work out, 022f64806f it’s your fault, 32880a9992 okay? The Riviera Hotel is 7f6629c692 nice. We should give 60f56b407f it some support. It was my business. Yves, you’ll get a 8eb8f96377 call by tomorrow.”4ee6bca4e728a02b

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It was an ec27c7a456 announcement that didn’t 79ce2eb194 even require a 8bead5ca13 response. Yves nodded slightly, 4404480d3d skillfully hiding his 310602fe0d slight agitation.4ad4f0f15688631b

Without needing to 512d59daaa step forward, everyone d9bf642d2b from the grand 24c69310f4 duke’s family would 331f043b9b come to the 386e1953e6 Riviera Hotel. That was a f382f4ccc7 stroke of luck 65abbd5fd5 Yves hadn’t expected.0acb5c8a64d705d2

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“Is that lawyer 768f4cbf4a really lucky?”b952f359ec1756c5

Or was it simply d6cb76eec0 the result of coincidence 744ec654c8 and good judgment?e4d96e5c1db24df3

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It didn’t matter f2383af19d either way.bd260090ab3d645a

Maël Moon, the 4689a4ecd2 lawyer who had 3ff5043b6e introduced himself, came a76baf3c7f to mind, along 0396fa73c6 with those who 664252edd7 cheered after betting f9d372d6de on the number 4ca5c37fa7 he mentioned at 8caaf4633e the roulette. Yves let out 2dfbbf1bfc a hollow laugh, 1ffbd17670 feeling like he 274e8990a9 was part of 8be9e7168f that group for 418fe52110 a moment.acff2fe29fe8b9bf

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Felix, swaying from intoxication, b484201f2c fumbled with his free ba54a555d9 hand to grab the 714f81812a stem of the martini f654443be5 glass and commanded.29b6877fc854678b

“To the grand 0dfd3b3f40 palace.”d4065c74705a230b

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With that 33c0aeb858 one word, 0af940c427 not only 0e059232ea the drunkard bd72f6cfb0 and his c0887218ab friend but 5ec09463d7 also the 4c766b7069 numerous bodyguards 08933cda2c surrounding them f5b7eebc6a disappeared in 869f1fd11e an instant.3d4ba9f4ffe5c420

Mikola, who was 2a19c53610 stationed as a 70680234dd dealer inside the 6b83fb8593 Riviera’s casino, glanced d63b08c05e at the chips 95c6684500 scattered like colorful aa1dffd590 petals on the 64925db0bd black carpet and 398d70e976 asked.444c4fb34f5c819c

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“Partner, will you go 605d9a4e2f with Lawyer Montmatier?”04a2e3c1496542a5

Yves pondered 941170d89c for a 78708f3591 moment.2510869e877a6d48

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Just claiming to 105a0de718 be gay wouldn’t 24c1f3db1f be enough; he’d 4cb57b95d8 have to show 3af19d8ccf he was in a88f4839fa a relationship to a07be620b5 be believed. Preferably seriously, before 0bb1751d8d the paternity suit.1d557a99ff67479f

So it was f13cbdc355 a matter of d207d1ffa5 who to place 818c32c113 by his side. The plan had e0a1d5208a been set long 3122a27ea0 ago; he just 57f53051fb needed someone to 54762a3dce fill the role.683c93abdf40acf4

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It didn’t have to 730c22491e be Maël, but the f70ca047e9 answer came easily despite 2cc2cbc702 the silence.6b59b1beaefce22a

“Why not.”19f0cd7b1c970c2a

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“There are 359575b2e8 easier people.”c819ba3775ab7f4b

In other 4b5bb57f1f words, Maël 775e968773 wouldn’t be 4d64eceab9 easy.1c85d2eb08be8f97

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Gambling was ultimately about 59bb8e7d80 predicting the future, and cc85cdc196 Yves’s secretary, picked up 3be4d5ff19 from the gambling scene, a633cae860 was skilled at predictions 737a831a6d based on statistics. Well, it 0b5033c2c4 didn’t require 3180b98a09 incredible stats. Maël’s temperament b623f90de3 alone suggested 055eadda3f the answer.8463fe18cbfde757

“I know.”ce08061ec4ceb0c8

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“The likelihood of 02126e8bdc him agreeing is 8f39152e4a extremely low. Even if he is 2c0088d990 a male homosexual. Even if you aa02285635 chose him because e73a41933c fewer people know a042373c59 about the plan, 64ab207d7d it’s reckless.”5413f5447aba966d

Uncharacteristically, Mikola spoke aa54c94cf4 at length. Yves slowly ce359fcaa6 drank the e2c0db935b remaining liquor ba80d511ed in his 11800ea6f7 glass and 4ee6f18e26 said.0698b2b59d0998df

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“It’s not 260232927a about how 0d36413efa many people 8f50d067e3 know.”26d461779adf21ac

“…Then.”e6a176a3a3f7ac08

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“I like d22b0e976d lucky people.”eb71e335da2a21d0

Would that be 1f66c027c9 a convincing answer 50daa6f3c6 for Mikola, who 2d66a3b7bd lost a hand b4018df564 due to a 6e85b4d728 poorly placed bet e63b52dd94 and bad luck a6d92f965b that defied statistics? The secretary opened his ff4c477a60 mouth but remained silent, fca6cc21c0 and Yves gestured with 176e685db8 his eyes at the 1ccb39dc0b chips scattered on the b9423e9d5b floor.5bfca9423ed5fb03

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“Gather those 753ffe0fbf and buy 32d4134c12 the watch 97538fa9f4 to send 3fea7e47cb right away.”526483736ce6d441

Unclaimed chips belonged to a00ef8f34f whoever picked them up.61a99573ca72dc0b

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Yves stood up and 7481b1bb82 slowly headed for the 57b3b19557 large window attached to 798b6c6a9e the wall.6ccacd6f22de01a6

The first 0138c7e149 rule of 1ac823018c casino design: 7b193342ae don’t have 18bef65aee windows, clocks, 8297054167 or mirrors. Gamblers should lose 0988ec1911 track of time cfa166ff78 to benefit the ab268a3aeb casino.00b880746b2bc20a

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It was a well-known d29cb15d75 commandment now, but there fcfe6b64d9 was an exception here. Addicts didn’t 835e7d3018 need to 9adfe8fcb7 forget time. After all, 90d4656327 in a 30f42168b1 single gamble, ad78baa902 money that 5fe411c54d ordinary people c74896c149 would never 9c8b8e2071 touch in c26fa4e8ca a lifetime 8261d97dcb was exchanged.3c657057e74bb4b1

Beyond the 7115c09452 window, below 77df7a8b93 the cliff, d65aca5106 the waves 48497645cd crashed sweetly. Yves laughed as he 741a78212e opened the window and 4c488b7585 enjoyed the sea breeze 5386c049b8 brushing his cheek.900edd4a1f61a2cf

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“Luck, my foot.”767fa809605a4d9c

He had just 52aab4dbc3 realized that supposed fd6d152986 luck. Even so, the answer d3826b4414 of luck was more bf790ae0ca of an excuse for 512391bc99 Mikola. Yves had simply 79c85a2920 reached out and 79885b8b57 grabbed Maël because 67bee5b4cc he was the 2be408a6b3 knife placed before eaa19d1660 him.c6fd7d313854fe07

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Manon’s brother, a handsome d75fe6d075 gay man, who happened b25c092f17 to be in the 5dc7ea4de4 smoking room where Yves 08ca9a8940 hit the jackpot, and 0068fc3953 whose lover or whatever cf01c5f3bb bared their teeth in ab66336ff7 front of his half-brother. That was all.4113237907bd1058

It was 446f87a519 the product 75a5f0787c of coincidence, b0dcb23d70 and there eeaba1e036 was no 184218b25e grand meaning f53d2c58d9 to the 3cbe40a2db choice.7b592f4f8a4f84b5

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“Ah, is f4c4d8d27a there one c382485d70 thing I’m 8c38c69880 hoping for?”5d3489b678974696

Didn’t that blond young a106af0b03 man say he was 63ce464cca the son of the 90a09d483d company’s chief lawyer? The guy 52f3a77d0f who made b65434ce5b a fuss 494dc9e5f7 about firing 6d19d6d218 him if 24c49ede71 they broke 80b6dcb424 up. Yves hoped that 0881a11570 guy would put 6d5f99df0d on a good d6a88c33b1 show.492abbf5aa3a6d8b

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So that Maël would 5ff914a4a2 be cornered.fcd1113e819db82b

When cornered, 6e0301a301 people become 39cba42100 desperate, and a9408a0879 when desperate, 75ea7b634e their vision 2f186030ef narrows. Then they 14e99053e9 become sharper.c432620486a134e3

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Based on past 9ed23455a3 experiences, tools were 8f32197518 easier to use 1aea1daa6b when they were ece83c8f55 sharpened.b09e6ddb4287b8a5

Yves liked 12e9753c9a that sort 7f492662ac of thing.891166562d0b5a89

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With that e8ef116f7e thought, he bc1bf5b06f tore his a2c19a6b3f gaze away f29518f851 from the b3e5c11654 sea that 31b3472dbe seemed to b166fddf18 swallow everything.c2e10dbe5e38a8b9

* * *9a2143dc153193ac

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“Can I help you 8b12b37d2b with your reservation?”fa53c0bdfb883253

“Oh. Um… just a moment.”b7dc1ff0ed9a0fae

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Maël hesitated, and the 31c4dab40e reservation manager at the ea7d37b0c2 French restaurant ‘Le Louis’ 8b01619a85 on the ground floor c2f49d8a6b of the Monte Carlo 1cea2613e5 Hotel nodded smoothly with aa482d6c0a a smile.ff58083865502a51

Maël, looking eef8bb5ad3 around awkwardly 9202dd5ddd and even 2a89320779 checking his 5ea892ffa2 watch, was 8ed0004056 due to 63691397a4 the envelope 91fa757eb8 left on 73f44d6cd1 his desk d473f5e767 around lunchtime b0371aefb9 today after 7d6eaeebc6 he finished a6845b086d his meal.d5bcf543d116b6bb

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After confirming cac5af9575 the office 6d7cb1cdc6 door was 050c72b7d7 properly closed, f8b88c569d he peeked bafcdfeb3e inside the 68f21aee12 envelope to 32af61e1ad find photos 450847ea2c he had aa60798af0 to face 47bc158b7a eventually.7cb1b89e727dcfd9

And a hastily scribbled 80bb2e34a0 post-it note attached to 8368fb1e09 the top photo.39a6aa11214704ad

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[19:20, Le Louis]

A note without 0a8855460e even a date f413a39690 or name.f3b970bf3b069d0f

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Was it a 0603646e3b suggestion to coordinate 7bfaa6efc5 details since he’d 85befe690a handed over the 9bcf88ec44 photos he needed 94d183a692 to receive? Maël guessed as 99754504fb much and made f7acc88a09 time to come 72bf8e0edc here.ef7b923f0a191693

But until this moment, 6535b1fe30 19:19, he hadn’t spotted 4918501d5d the man who sent 78134a9fba the envelope anywhere near 3d60e7266e the restaurant entrance or 779ce0f4ce the hotel lobby.cdec0994aeff56d3

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He couldn’t 6e0b23a950 just go 6d6ef0b3db in and 9c35785808 wait. Le Louis 8c86dd36d2 was a b192b101c8 restaurant with 9f8a6d5345 three stars 1e194a097b in a 0dc8fb8d73 gourmet guide 485a9ef257 magazine, with f02dc3a21d reservations booked fceabc3d0d at least 349b902040 half a a6eb7b66f5 year in 86669ede45 advance.92500369a0f1f310

‘There’s a phone 4318b9dbcc number.’a5405b3a9f2d0420

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It was a number 6310b790cf given for client communication 44258cd326 at the office. While debating c7d8e4d276 whether to 6228b35ef5 contact and 477567b439 ask where 73bf71adf8 he was, 7646497bc3 the numbers 8f15c20b7b on the 6e6e7acc97 clock changed.95991f3364384104

19:20f86919a733867629

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And someone’s 402741335f hand landed 2b46f9b14f on his 7a5d34e910 shoulder.cf1cb0b2651ea751