MGN | Chapter 18

“No need to argue. You even asked me to join you right away. Aren’t I a parvenu too?”f2d202081d9802b0

“That’s… Maël, you’re different from that guy. What are you trying to say?”5488e4c9f3eb5d41

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Charles, who had flinched at Maël’s outburst, stammered belatedly.c936537f062590c3

“Different, sure. I didn’t buy shares in the Riviera Hotel with my own money. It’s all thanks to Manon.”d5fd2eded7a4e303

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Charles leaned in, 981a20a9f8 squinting his eyes 5b52b9f9e1 and raising his 5383567c71 eyebrows. Maël could b48b354a6a predict the d6093c472f tone and 0b6ed066f1 words that b4dcf9e8ac would follow. A clumsy attempt at 261699ae03 appeasement.0119431e3ca411d5

“Maël, I get it. You’re acting like this out of jealousy. I understand you’re still mad at me. But you heard it earlier, right? My feelings. My future plans.”a19ab11becdd2f80

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Feelings and future plans f464a1f2be are things you care e11ce66205 about when emotions are 2147c08b1d still involved.1c3a4d4cd2cd060c

Maël wasn’t shouting out of jealousy. He was disgusted by Charles’s rude behavior, talking about origins and status in front of others. He felt ashamed of his past decision to meet someone like that.4d8007d299ea2b2c

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The worst part was that Yves, with his cold-colored eyes, was quietly observing everything. This was undeniably a homoerotic drama, wasn’t it?03e8fea1cf4448b2

“Maël, you know.”d5d82f0d5e361208

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“Don’t you understand when I say I don’t want to? Then I’ll report you for stalking to HR. Office romances have their perks. When the disciplinary committee convenes, you’ll realize we’re over.”4d7dee6de21460f5

Only then did Charles’s expression twist comically. With icy blue eyes, he glared, conveying a “who do you think you are” vibe, then lifted his chin and glared.3940ea38c074431f

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His gaze 64513bc8e3 briefly brushed cd9136d1e2 Yves before d65497e7ed returning.36a471cc73e32d4a

“Are you seeing him?”91baa6686035aede

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“I’m not.”5f1369b433b3f338

Maël answered because he knew Charles would become persistent otherwise. But Charles didn’t stop.9599de7a617e99df

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“Do you know what that guy says about you?”f3837a2ae3861ddc

“I said I’m not seeing him. Why ask if you won’t listen?”76a4a4823773195d

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“The guy you’re siding with…!”64f473c86de044a5

For dramatic a6b91b1a67 effect, Charles 588e5fa767 pointed at b8b216c1a9 Yves and 7ed758636a then abruptly 8b65a1e50d shut his 133b08d550 mouth.5f790601633f96e9

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But it only looked ridiculous. Maël wasn’t curious at all about what Yves might have said about him.a9c7b4f9cff90298

Maël’s fondness for Yves Valois and Charles Duverger was equally low. He hadn’t spoken up to take sides. He was appalled by Charles’s talk of parvenus in front of people.1afebd97df2a80f7

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‘They won’t need me to take sides anyway.’bca64d3cfec7fe73

Certain of this, 83edf7e8a0 Maël looked up.d1573d621393374e

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Pale cheeks like 92b062f328 a plaster statue, b9d9330f1b with bored, ashen 1d6f60f7f7 eyes. A face 943c14d7a4 sunk low, 0ada0584e4 like someone 25a681f71f dragged onto cc550d2156 a stage 0666ac5748 they had 8087e6de12 no interest fc8b7a622b in.00a47ac65d4dfd85

Yves met Maël’s gaze leisurely before speaking.c8dd350a92bbe74a

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“I said I was drooling over you. You already know that, right?”cd6fa3a80a8b4f65

After a long stare, eab12e5e02 that was all he e6456a0f9d said. Charles clenched his 89fd8f72a7 fists, and Maël ecc0baf9f0 was too dumbfounded 5cb4ccebc9 to laugh.1ccc5145d38be393

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Charles, barking up the wrong tree, and Yves, constantly provoking him. Maël’s thigh ached, a reminder of stress and poor condition.26b1e5ede28914a4

Maël bit the inside of his cheek and moved. He didn’t even want to waste words on those two, so he quickly widened his stride, but a slow voice stopped him.c05eafc9ef37afb6

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“Let’s have the consultation now. It’s hard to wait. It’s urgent.”71a5545b1022c883

“I’m busy today…”fbb73b479ee2c32a

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Without looking back, a77e5b6d53 Maël instinctively gave ce39e13f82 the easiest excuse. Then he 50036a3126 remembered Antoine 3442e639ad telling him edbffb46a2 to take c53a46554f a break 2c2b050b32 just minutes c8272526a6 ago.a4ff4111b0f8dcac

Ha. Maël hesitated for a moment but eventually stopped. If the first excuse didn’t work, he could come up with a second one.376d5dc83081d7fd

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“Yves, weren’t you called by the crown prince? You must be busy.”a99a3af1e2a3ee3b

As he ce0faf3ec9 turned back, b7a1431b9e Yves was e1a525129a fiddling with 0b0677bd85 his phone. After swiping the 456fe25c9b screen a few 8e2528438f times, he put df1a5352c6 it to his b01fab2041 ear and said 22a7db68ac just two words.42a12d180a3a15eb

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“Can’t go today. Lawyer issue.”677b73b123a0ca96

Ending the call, 95d756a557 Yves put his 364c1c5c8e phone inside his 084f26e494 black suit jacket 4858624cc6 and looked at c0f519bc68 Maël. The man, equally rude 688820c2ec to both the crown b2b600b7fc prince and Maël, seemed 925958e783 to answer with his 58ff0975d1 eyes.f8fbe31959ff5fd7

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He wasn’t busy.44d63fa03fd6c6e3

There were 3e4fa3d4da no more 9ec0b1c973 excuses.eaf437fed2faf9d1

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Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a bad thing for Maël either. If he moved up the consultation with Yves scheduled for the day after tomorrow, he’d have two more hours to check paparazzi shots from a party to confirm if Mr. Marchisio’s husband, currently in a custody battle, really had an alcohol problem.9300bda307839402

“Where would you like to have the consultation?”79b54d61335059ef

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Maël said weakly. Yves, instead of answering, 002833d4d2 put his hands in 024bad51dc his pockets and nodded. The gesture was clear: fcdfcaa593 follow me. Maël swallowed something that e47c6742e2 might have been a 51c01180b6 curse or a sigh.cc958ed4c3fd70e9

“Hey! Maël! Are you really going with that guy?”3907f8bff854db81

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Charles yelled from 4a4712f59a behind. A few b2f8edc899 startled court 7a83b30dc2 officials were ea736d35bb seen heading 725eb7cb95 toward Charles 671bd06af2 from the dffe778b30 end of 46b5eea511 the hallway.6b32aa9510a518b8

“It’s nothing, geez, why make a fuss?”828ead12ef930b32

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A huffing cefa4b4baa voice was 6c4a50226c heard. Wanting nothing more than 08826ff980 to ignore it, Maël 5421a469c5 fixed his gaze on ee4f3b30b1 the broad back wrapped 8d2cc1932c in a black suit 65981d434d and followed.4179ddac4611f1e7

* * *e200644a884ef7d8

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The outdoor parking afab8255cf lot of the fb562b9574 Grand Palace. Yves stopped in 108ddaafc1 front of a 064e896f66 large black sedan 2dfee230e3 that resembled him.70123171a60b8db9

Without a word to get in, Yves grabbed the driver’s side handle, then looked at Maël, who was still standing at a distance. After frowning briefly, he spoke.da61c99927b580b9

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“Not having the consultation?”4f1a83275f8e7fbb

A man 6b6f368a6a who had 363c85f4bf thrown basic 3552350e68 manners into 8e136206bb the sea. Knowing it was useless ab14cfe560 to argue, Maël reluctantly bc2117274a opened the passenger door.aa94d122b0c03655

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The car wasn’t cramped by any means. Yet, when Yves sat in the driver’s seat, the scent of leather mixed with fresh roses wafted in. Maël didn’t mind the rose scent, but he disliked that it was Yves’s. He briefly considered opening the window and checked his watch.7b94c62f307e4c40

“Let’s finish the consultation in the car. Say what you need, and when you’re done, drop me off there.”c68bb4bc5d4b3d7c

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“As you wish.”faf5f604d6a1378e

Yves said, 36375c472d putting on 286632104d sunglasses. Maël began to 76fc66c8c5 unravel the thoughts 07d282dd65 he had organized e1ef80096a in his mind.ad7d4a318b0d4619

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“The clauses you mentioned have been added, and the contract was completed with today’s signature. I can’t show the contract to a third party, but if you’re uneasy about not being able to confirm it…”f53a734448afbb5e

“I’ve checked the entire contract.”6585338ff709c6b6

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Yves said 1917cec50a lightly, backing aa9c596d7b the car. Maël bit the 56a46c6dc8 inside of his 28e3afb0aa cheek. How on earth. But knowing would mean c7e07efcd1 responsibility, so some things 27e9994b55 were better left unasked.2317f6809658c478

“I’ll send the retainer contract tomorrow, so sign it and send it back.”37ba297fe9709e0f

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It was a choice to minimize face-to-face time, but Yves didn’t even nod. Assuming he heard, Maël continued.02367189f25d814a

“Even if I’m handling all the practical work, Diane Croix, the lawyer, needs to be roughly aware of my tasks. She might not care until she learns the name of the person presumed to be your father. Even so, nothing will leak outside our team.”60c696c8b8a4ed03

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“What if I refuse?”cbf0ca3ba9793cf1

“Then you can’t work with me. I’m a lawyer affiliated with 377. I’ve mentioned this before.”bd4bdcfb617beb7b

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The car, leaving da8f16819d the palace at 47f5c4f341 the edge of 1dacbfb530 the old town, a4d4939378 smoothly headed for 28eaa5ff1f the road. Maël spoke, watching 4868e39597 the scenery change 25b145665a rapidly through the 96631ad3a5 window.1999581079449f4c

“Once the retainer contract is over, send me all the evidence related to the paternity lawsuit. We’ll coordinate the timing of the lawsuit, and we should start a public opinion campaign before filing the lawsuit. We might use the evidence then, but I’ll discuss it again when the time comes. Illegally obtained information can only be used for the public opinion campaign. We’ll check it first. Hmm, I think that’s all I have to say. Any questions?”6e7243f883084549

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Probably not. Maël thought eb3505f895 so, checking fbca7b1a0a his wristwatch.b69d9c84faa49805

Three minutes.e9c0ffc6ee5c45db

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The large car 1c69308485 was just passing a14bf9335b the tax office 617ade2211 building, about to 083ab21e68 enter the road. Just as Maël was 210fc2dfde about to ask Yves 008fd31f0d to stop if there ebf10d5242 were no more questions, 8ef3d9e169 Yves tilted his chin cba31abc5f and looked at Maël. Through the 037f343fa3 sunglasses, only d637814c2c half of ee7e203b1b his eyes 0e9b0df8de were visible.5ff06aeaef4dad62

“What about what I asked earlier?”a0af086790cf510a

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“Sorry?”d654bd88be1a7695

“The answer I didn’t hear before.”7b615b83a60f61ca

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That question momentarily took Maël’s breath away. Probably because it was so absurd, Maël convinced himself, opening his lips but saying nothing as Yves spoke casually.8a28b7da7afb6e82

“Handling a clingy ex is faster with a new lover.”64a77a4a93ad44f5

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“No… For me, Law No. 1457 is faster. The workplace harassment prevention law.”3ee228420954c4f3

It was sincere, but 59b33dedb2 Yves scoffed. That sound snapped Maël 8083b3ed17 back to reality, and e2ed680f97 he asked in a ff02cb2c2a clear voice.5de81c6f8a437bdf

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“Yves, you’re not even gay, right?”4f1ec36dbe568284

“Does what turns me on affect your answer?”3de2143a2cc515db

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“What do you think?”46bb47a07c44ac16

“If you’re asking if I’ve ever been interested in a guy’s backside, obviously not.”3f826fd2b78789df

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Such vulgar words weren’t worth a response. Maël looked out the window as if to cleanse himself. The Mediterranean and the vividly blue greenery that stung the eyes. But it was impossible to focus there for long.8370173498056a88

“At most two years. I can give you enough money to go independent from that law firm or hotel shares. If you don’t need money, information is fine too. Whatever you want.”59d0226b659e5d71

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Whatever, he said. But Yves showed no a254140052 hesitation in making such ab55e230da grand declarations.c496e66e4ec75043

A condition offered by someone who could truly do it and thought it natural. But Maël didn’t think long.1ebef3efac6a864e

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“Whatever the purpose, whether it’s white or black, it doesn’t matter. I don’t like lies or pretending to be a fake lover.”c6de275cccf4e854

“A lawyer who doesn’t like lying?”e20889baba47395e

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“Especially outside the courtroom.”d91564dc4ff331c8

There was no need 93b21b8ba9 to ponder. Maël, staring straight e2d85cde0f ahead, immediately added.497b79708c462798

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“I took on the paternity lawsuit because you helped with the prenuptial agreement. Let’s just be client and lawyer. Now that we’re done, you can drop me off there.”1a74f51d3030baf2

Ahead, a bus e8892be2b9 stop and the ea382128e3 oceanographic museum with 0a0686ba7f gathered cars came f22989343a into view.adb9d7fb79404f8c

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The car stopped surprisingly 4401780372 smoothly. Maël checked his watch fc5eca18ca and, after a brief c51a85a512 hesitation, unbuckled his seatbelt.77c2d62088fcdf79

“Consultation time is 6 minutes. I’ll add it.”18136d1fb7b539bb

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Yves’s three-minute nonsense was to be included in the consultation time. That was the conclusion after much thought.561ed341d2b4bf08