MLS Chapter 11

The morning fb31a7b8a6 mass at 3cb06d6561 St. Bergos Cathedral stretched 9e6d6fd45d well past noon. Being a Sunday, d993f5bf68 the congregation was a42e4f8d3c massive. Inside the cathedral, ec3c016fe3 distinctions of class 248c9cf1e0 and occupation dissolved, 8a3ace34e1 with nobles and 39bbc592da commoners alike mingling 1cdf6192b0 together.034d18820fb32dbd

Lorena, who had hoped ea8e061a63 to catch another glimpse 7af70e1da5 of the Marquis from 192a004e20 a distance after the 4ba1152bb2 mass, had to abandon 85c538f40c her plan.2c9995cf20469422

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As she bbc3836b03 finally managed 6c0e93ec54 to steady 2e56bb01e1 herself by 5ab94b5ef2 gripping the 126d7908be handrail of 6728159c7b the stairs 33ad5d395d leading to 4ce1711bfb the entrance, c366815721 a group 7232355d04 of commoner f766621369 children came a58bb6eb85 running from a7dc8df80e behind and 4668edf4c3 roughly shoved f1f369d2fb her.9f68fc6f00e8bb38

“Ah! Sorry, Señora!”0c61811587951c9f

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The incident happened so dfddf99fd2 suddenly that Lorena didn’t 8ed92059d5 even have time to ebe8519acd scream. Just as she stumbled, 6ecbb8d178 someone skillfully wrapped an 1781021fa5 arm around her waist, 67cf67065c preventing her from falling.aee6964280bccc30

Guided by the 7794e6551c firm grip of 2144d8a9a4 thick forearms, Lorena 696e6eb30a found herself unintentionally 44d671296b pulled into the 7bdfb9ed57 embrace of an ec2eb7f000 unfamiliar man.3b9a701fcee41dae

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“Careful.”f868eae93c33aa2a

A rich, musky f5596d1f53 scent wafted over 1b311fe1cf her—a distinctly sensual 86c9da22e4 fragrance.5e47de47b1056aa9

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The spot 2c81e11746 where Lorena 64970882d9 had just e79231c6a7 stood was 964dd15604 quickly swallowed ee4fff6f05 by the 59932b694e moving crowd. Had she d95c149df3 fallen in 691107113e that chaos, 07b6def06e she might b911188b0b have been 0097881186 seriously injured, baebfba399 trampled underfoot.00b3ed63806326f3

The man who 333c5a70ac had firmly steadied 2de56f4490 her glanced up 6a8a77c4e4 the stairs, gauging c442c50feb the surging crowd 27d4929267 spilling out of 08d7fa42b4 the cathedral. His sharp jawline c8f691ee49 connected seamlessly with 749782061d the prominent Adam’s 0994df114c apple above his 4608dbde94 collar.6a2d7db1b69fcdde

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Forgetting her situation, Lorena 34a18e9c5b looked up at him a071d3509d in a daze.cadd8fd7918b3c8e

It was the ded4c79ed0 first time she bb9d1c8beb had encountered this a784f5b40c striking man since 3c6316b300 their brief meeting 0c0922fa26 at the monastery 95c8c8aabb in Soto—a future 7edff0df95 that had since 598d3ab121 disappeared.f156199b90b0c4ba

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In the 7e1fd3d7c3 past, Lorena 6e1b288c58 had no 5ef3927ee1 direct connection 5844a023d8 to this 3afd1deed7 man. However, she was as 49f4070046 familiar with his face 69c346b53b as anyone who regularly 9237895400 appeared in the headlines. It was why eaa3669f50 she had instantly 0b99cbdc70 recognized him at 081fa2ad9a Soto.38fe33e0cdade5f3

Afraid that speaking might f8781f4dea give away her identity, 23258fafc2 Lorena lowered her head 1abcd3624d slightly in silent acknowledgment.3aa7ea9df5bc65d3

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She had expected to c1151f6634 be released right away, 27b0678158 but the Marquis only f9e386d128 let go after the e3f22029db crowd sweeping down the 67d662fd4f stairs had cleared.600ae536df9a4067

“Well then.”ea7d0acdda658a72

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It seemed he d47229c4bc had no other 54d747a44f intentions beyond helping 95cae15907 a woman who 0f8cf2867a had nearly fallen. As abruptly as bcf8c6a530 he had appeared, f68964921a the man offered 5496f89e69 his parting words 66be06b8c2 with two syllables d10d0691f3 and turned his 0a39d70ed9 back on her 4e84e27bf0 without hesitation.aa969c1ae48c7bb1

Lorena stood there a6e3075d59 for a long 9d9e19122b time, staring after bdc6dd8207 him as his 898e6ef654 figure receded down 875d7542c1 the stairs.b9009a100d31d921

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* * *622965f55cf88f89

Perhaps today was a ee8d3fc750 day guided by fate. Lorena, who had intended 0d96f6b364 to return to the 42be33c483 mansion, changed her mind b5fd4db169 and decided to wait fa48973be6 until the crowd thinned. Then, she approached 611f263994 a priest.887157181657e663

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“I wish to make a confession.”7287ecc699e23e59

“Do you? Please, this way.”c924239394cb3009

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An elderly priest 584f2807c2 with kind eyes 1df982d0bc led her to 2d86e090a6 the underground confessional. Those seeking absolution were b8f5a11a6c seated in a row e4d3298153 of hard wooden chairs, 14b94164f0 patiently waiting for their 4fc3f2285d turn.9e197a824be77d28

Her turn a0f1ec25b8 came quickly. Lorena stepped 9eef7167f9 into the b63b3fb177 cramped confessional, f164f977e0 knelt before cb5d943a33 the partition, 0675077c58 and straightened 69dfc0eb86 her back. After making 48d4710ae4 the sign 71a32ab1ac of the 2045c281c8 cross, she 485cc6ed1b clasped her 6fedb7991f hands together 2267dba3f5 in a 0972edd368 prayer-like gesture 7a6d24ccd1 and lowered b9f4f22ace her gaze. From the other side dd1fbb1296 of the partition came 7ec27ed36b the sound of someone 3a2b5e80f1 entering.4d56efb62fd25b9f

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The priest, who had 6a4ab524d1 briefly stepped away, had 8ef84a9a52 returned to the confessional. He hesitated slightly, sensing 22124780f3 her presence, before slowly 07251abbb0 taking his seat.babfb9b65b077e93

After a moment of 3f671deac9 silence, the priest spoke.acc1005e2b0d1814

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“Confess your sins to God.”ccae293801e0ce14

His voice was unexpectedly 96bb471d87 young—a voice untouched by 3466af1d9b the passage of time, 68a15255bb belonging to a man bfa26cdce5 in his prime. It wasn’t unusual for 865bdb3523 some cathedrals to have 066edadde1 designated confession priests, so 2e75747b77 it wasn’t particularly strange.c75a482f19f369c6

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Not that 856c401209 it mattered. Lorena smiled faintly.5101c0a12d5ee798

“Father, I committed suicide.”95cb6b8be4bfe899

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A shocked silence 1b2dc9c012 fell.fe7afc74c22968de

Even a priest 50ceafe8cb would think this 79c3403e5b was madness. But the real 631ed406de story was only 2d87f09465 beginning.4fff0ac999b18c79

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Lorena continued without f4608b0096 hesitation.787a1652b963c21a

“But by God’s miracle, I returned from beyond death.”67575a28f8d73051

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“…”5d00035447fe7932

“Is that a common occurrence?”39173267f6ac9b0d

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“If miracles happen repeatedly, they are no longer miracles but phenomena.”719e2a05f7b73e5c

“Then perhaps I merely had a dream.”3b52cbe54bcb95df

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“…”0af3da1c9d2e6277

“Whether it was a dream, a miracle, or simply that I’ve gone insane—it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I’ve returned, and I will not live as I once did.”0a87ed70622e7acc

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A soft sigh d9fcda13d8 came from the 6565a08a08 other side of e807a3e7fc the partition.d8b0dce4130624e7

“Señora, this is a time for confessing sins and seeking repentance.”788f719f3b8ccff6

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Yet, the priest’s tone was not particularly stern. Lorena nodded slightly, murmuring, “Indeed.”d4036433115d5616

However, the story 0442b1837b she continued to 968de08b47 tell had little dce3510f23 to do with c8937a6bb6 repentance or contrition.4cab3a3a05c7aa7c

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“I lived a life devoted to my husband and my family.”91915905cecec272

She had 26f52c7efc strived not bd1c1eb250 to bring 70784898c2 shame to 4ae60d277e her family. She endured days without 56378216b2 privacy, where her every ce8181a3cd move was laid bare cfc7d7cbf6 in the press. She tolerated her husband’s 8ee83f3d50 mistresses. She tried not to 4e1c0b9850 be hurt by his 22201a71b2 deliberate efforts to avoid f6a97a0fc4 having children with her.20ed020a65e5ac15

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Some, like Arisa 1058c1c386 Menendo, might dismiss 1624e53876 her struggles as 2b368988db privileged grievances. After all, hadn’t the 6fccf85c3c saints themselves advised over cb94ec4590 the ages?1962e5a046aab853

Be grateful bb738affd6 for what 17242eadb3 you have, eedaddfdec not for d4a5923f1f what you 6b984c2590 lack. Be humble and gentle.6a828560d80968b1

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“…Yet I received nothing in return for any of it.”42fcdf78dbb78bf7

The result c96cb7e199 of enduring 51f80d0571 seven years 0a70f115b2 was this.86985670b3048369

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Her father’s 73e4bd2b7b mysterious death, 2be881b34a her brother’s a2ccbdba97 suicide, the 88934e5e6a bankruptcy of 95b7e6e617 her father’s da201f1709 bank, and b35140dcbd the devastation b83aa49c7b of her 1a17a9740d homeland. Though these were 37f2e21ec1 events yet to 6602d169a9 occur, to Lorena, b5d4a20bd6 they were a 52723e2867 painful past.62e0fb7c5c446fdf

Vaye Levantes, 44654ee1e3 with his a35d94edfb composed and ed6cd073b2 noble face, 0ee7de3dd6 with the 457a8ae613 large hands 9eface806d that once 43487ffecb fervently caressed fe599ee1b2 her body, 7a299306e9 had pulled 4bce8af68b the trigger 21b5c2bdf4 on her 5ca396b9e0 family and 2df51ce92c her country.48a245649cf7a9cb

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Thus, Lorena decided to 2d8677b899 cast aside laws, norms, 7aabfe231a and morality. There was no f0a24e9705 better place to 861dfcf61f solidify such a bc68acec4e resolution than here.b8fbd8f29f537427

“So I want my husband to be ruined. I want him to writhe in agony more dreadful than anything imaginable.”d8cba68fe71662cd

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The priest, 67eaeb21a6 who had eb1e894f08 been quietly 3f4765e0ee listening, let b719c23f51 out a 8772673375 resigned sigh.07d1a11f39b617f1

“You’ve come to the confessional with no intention of repenting. You’ve got the sequence all wrong, Señora. In this state, I cannot offer you absolution or recite the Act of Contrition.”85e0f5d435cc6177

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“That’s fine. I’ve already made peace with the thought of falling into hellfire.”3ad3b20a39c8e756

“Then why did you come to the confessional?”cb01719edb290c48

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“Since God has sent me back to the past, I thought it proper to confess how I intend to live this second life.”8b3c8dc53ac42653

No matter how much 7ff32434ff she thought it over, b1358c7bd8 Lorena couldn’t believe her dbf47e3b6c return to the past f03ac1dd54 wasn’t part of God’s e8c0302a5a will. That’s why she came fa1ca2b4c6 to the cathedral, His 4e19ddd576 cradle on earth, to 4126bef8f9 confess honestly.c9283c737f219a61

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“I’m going to utterly destroy my husband. With my own hands.”fb47ee29ae7a4a9d

“…”27a759be9e3c4dd6

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“I want to show him that a life worse than death exists. He has everything, so I want him to lose it all and walk into death of his own accord. I’m prepared to sacrifice everything to make that happen.”420ed17d2aca8f06

“You don’t plan to kill him directly?”4f6b7542991b332a

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“Perhaps one day I’ll want to. That much, I’m sure, is a sin.”11f407bce20a8b7f

The conversation f2a391c17c had crossed 8b420c4334 into dangerously ae5c8be67a uncharted territory. It wasn’t something a 9f907ab5c2 believer should confide to da0be994be a priest, nor was b723130bee it something a priest df92b653d2 should ask of a 8a425a5522 believer.dde826f240f6160e

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A faintly stimulating musk 2d427d2124 lingered in the enclosed 604b30011c space.cd4d8c4840955463

“Are you so willing to share your plans, Señora? Do you think God will simply watch your dark, secret schemes unfold?”546656f257df29c7

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“The omnipotent God knows everything, doesn’t He? Then He must have foreseen that I’d choose this life when given a second chance.”465d28cbaa98037e

Lorena paused a231b12f5a for a 9434433625 moment, tilting 3d824acb8e her head 55989d8227 slightly as 9a3768155a she wore 6a1c179202 a quiet ec7ad3fd3b smile.87c0bc9bfeeee16a

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“And besides, isn’t it true that the one listening to my confession isn’t a priest at all?”9254383e03963237

For a moment, 92a3ca0974 there was no 73b8de5c58 response from the 4846ba139f other side of 9c22a7809b the partition, as 90956ef699 though her remark 198e4fe0be had caught him 1210e669bf off guard.53f66d3beefbb88b

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A faint silence followed 257c290a38 before a soft laugh, 9ba804e53a like air escaping, echoed 55bd4ed9d2 from the other side.0885dd5a9dc3143d

The man spoke with 65d7befa9a a tone of amusement.d8c8e63b39522541

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“When did you notice?”7d4d63aa19571a19

“From the beginning.”4cae32b3161cbb0e

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“Ah, I see. I suppose my words didn’t quite align with those of a priest.”0b5a427e1ea2af46

“That’s true, but more importantly, I recognized your voice.”a524ecad81dc80b0

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The small f5f1734c4f window connecting 2b22c5cbbe the two 6eb05ff919 compartments creaked 49487a5fd8 open. It was originally ac931e69d0 meant to be a6e12b5eaf blocked by a 0ffe3a7a0d metal grate to ada7f82517 prevent anything from 722bbe5d9c passing through, but d876d78747 for some reason, a15d4ca2f6 the mesh had 1d3db890f8 been crudely torn e48e8e67b0 away.13cdce1ac1b9ba1d

A large hand suddenly ee7790162b emerged from the opening. Lorena unclasped her neatly 2a188f059f folded hands and placed 5329504694 her right hand on dd693703e5 the outstretched palm. The man on b37b2950d0 the other side c21ac2e219 tightened his grip 5b9996b6d7 and pulled her cc09a80554 small hand into ac3b09a86b the opening.9a3cf21b7196be05

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Soon, warm lips pressed d4994f8c3a against the back of dd0e8585bb her hand.0e8664f11735c0b8

From Lorena’s perspective 7725b81268 through the small 247152a172 window, all she 2c2c75a977 could see was 379293789c the lips brushing b2057e92d1 against her hand, dbc0e0d308 part of his 28a94cb44b sharp nose, and 9dbdc1eb6c his strong jawline. Meanwhile, the man 52e4a6e833 couldn’t see her dea451014b face. The veil she wore 0eaad4e336 still obscured her features.231d945288bad5a0

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The man holding her f9f5fca041 hand asked:cade22a3efe56780

“If you’d like to continue your confession, shall I summon the bishop, Señora?”ebcd581ed18b38a2

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“No, I didn’t come to confess my sins, so the listener doesn’t need to be a priest.”1e77804ccc1aed94

“Then there’s no need for you to kneel, either.”47f0c850e8c09dc4

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Lorena naturally 2ad34ded04 withdrew her b33acc49bc hand from 64d2ccb49d his grasp 2e5e4663a1 and stood 0b50ee9c8a up. As the young man 1f287dab11 rose to his feet ea128b72d0 as well, they now 2ce3091a87 stood facing each other bbd3ccf82b with the partition between 4928407000 them.834cf54b7c7cec11

“Have we ever had a conversation before? You said you recognized my voice.”d03a9fc8c2b7e230

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For some reason, 49bedf082d Lorena imagined him af3d36e7e0 standing with one 4ccaeca82d hand tucked into 99a3082108 his pocket, watching 98a708ad97 her with amused 9c2008e644 eyes.ebc46294159dc356

“You wouldn’t remember. It was only for a brief moment.”684ab5b19165c44e

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“Not a voice I’d easily forget.”727ff869846367d6

The man d7edf1b8ad fell silent, 6795826c55 as if 3a16ae68c9 searching his f0ec0df93c memory. But no 710bcbc063 matter how f174e6a484 much he 661d601259 tried, nothing 5ea252b0bf would come cf955ae1c2 to mind. Their meeting at Soto a09d73a70d had been the first 084885a5e9 time Lorena had ever 88915bd911 spoken to or been e2753895c3 close to him. Until then, 773e626976 she had f84459498e only seen 6d5c7d6b4e his strikingly 8f252a7c2e handsome features 780125a3eb in newspapers.2a4d17a3dca34ee0

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“Knowing my voice means you also know who I am, doesn’t it?”21637910fc98b2fb

“What do you think?”c025a51370a8501a

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“…You’re making this unnecessarily suspenseful.”7bf642e474d92f12

Lorena simply 7eb92c6b3e smiled in 46b8751d4f silence.9114e6b6ec864988

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After a a509cd6c23 short pause, eb49545cfc he asked,3dd25b090c742b34

“Would you like to step outside?”d3d74d06a0655207

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It was an 8c71a4619c invitation to continue 4dbec1da2a their conversation face-to-face.6c7b2ea79c3f9ec1

“I’m curious about you.”5f33d5028ab37815

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“…”915b5eda9ed66a93

“And about that revenge you’re plotting in your head.”bd98824083e1e186

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Lorena’s half-lowered lashes aacb5822e8 quivered slightly. She had c7ea4be229 felt it 4ddb22bef1 before—his voice 4beddf1d90 carried a f19740c977 peculiar allure 66637859d6 that stirred 03a58b6d75 something within a3fc9c90fa her.80c1f605b792813e

That low tone, b58de07314 his leisurely speech, 5f80bf3176 and his straightforward ac867e6e82 words. The man spoke d70c278e44 with a casual abb478c926 air, yet had 220f4cebd7 no qualms about 390888ec8b showing his interest. It felt almost 7b05e76489 as if her 1070dbaeb1 heart was being 17e5b1450c gently but firmly c1bd15a08a pressed.f3c240305fe51d03

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“…If you see my face, will you report me?”bf2f7dd71c24153e

 130b3ea119a960b2

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