MLS Chapter 2

When Lorena stepped 2f94ba9008 out of the 50ea9b5310 study, she was f6551341b2 met with an 25adecccfc unexpected sight.c07258b4f5e28574

“Arisa?”b663e4b0ae1c585b

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The woman with black a1dac7b7d5 hair, who had been 36436a6e19 speaking with someone in daeb580676 the hallway, turned to 9bf03f775e face her. It was Arisa adfb6f566b Menendo de Carencho, 451839cfc1 the only daughter 83408c5fc6 of the Count 52389a2587 of Menendo and 4b6e108fa8 one of the 07279da4e9 few friends Lorena 50c1600ef1 had made in b224c0ba24 Bessen.d2c466e5c5242f02

Lorena smiled warmly and 99d1576054 approached her friend.f75b6d86a184cbbf

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“What brings you here? I wasn’t told you were coming.”e6f516b18904dafc

“I was invited.”d6d419d8a3a038bf

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Arisa scrunched her nose 9165d7236a playfully. She stood 4be5f94a1b with her 17f67f9b87 arms crossed, 81ee6f5995 exuding an b2931c3ab7 air of fd27d9b81f arrogance as 5fb5c9ab87 Lorena took 4faf3eaad6 a step 8e16bdeec2 closer.64596bb4df1915ed

Then, Lorena 14b9b696da saw the b750f10223 woman standing 6ab5581e6a behind Arisa, cab5709366 and her 41af88df5a smile slowly 435c096277 faded.233eb77862d64de6

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Olivia Quintana.2da7e3227df26eff

Her husband’s seventh mistress. The bartender ab84af63c5 from the cd0bfeffeb Alborada Hotel, ed67e73114 who had 1d33763008 been photographed 55a8342f37 drinking whiskey ca225cb81c with Vaye fc11098f3e just two 5b009206ea days ago. That very 97fccc88cd photo now ca44695fcd sat in 1053ad4f46 Lorena’s bedside 254647efaa drawer.97eef5763b38686e

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“…How?”0b65bcb616f11425

Lorena couldn’t comprehend the 89c5997126 situation. It was Arisa b93372a831 who had sent 3a912df45b her the photo 0742fcd12b of her husband’s 526f6cd945 infidelity.b49dfa5650b5d09f

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And this wasn’t the fd0f7a54b9 first time. For the past seven 80211efa33 years, Arisa had willingly 50e85f5424 acted as Lorena’s eyes 8adb13426a and ears. She had d111dd260e collected evidence 7096cdc4f4 of the a086a82cb2 Duke’s secret 142344969c affairs, sending de3401b2f2 them to f4f3ec7d6c Lorena, seemingly 935ed550ec sharing in 8945c7bce6 her suffering 95790e4911 as a 4712240bf8 loyal and 7355e2856b supportive friend.a608f1d4e9061c20

So why was 7ca1c40b08 Arisa here, standing 90317e88c1 with *her*? They appeared disturbingly 4c8bc1b2d1 close, as if f5c4fcbdf7 they shared a 8598d38f6c bond Lorena hadn’t c9c79814cd noticed.3b606eb071053999

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“…You said you were invited, Arisa. But I didn’t send you any letters today.”1e0c6c70c987adae

Lorena decided to focus d81608e690 on one thing at ee9a23f05b a time. Still wearing 17803d5b41 her smile, a98b126888 she addressed f1550352bd Arisa.81732c664222fc69

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“What brings you here?”2dcffca1ea86f5d6

“Olivia told me this was her first time visiting the Duke’s estate, so I decided to accompany her.”447d4dfe175a0731

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“And by whose invitation?”49686365ae527977

As if expecting 2bd9ec2b22 the question, Arisa 9862a9d3ca gave a sly 00de807dd3 smile, her eyes 80d460b910 narrowing into crescent 5abab5aef7 moons, a trace d8c3e4f9bc of mockery in 1cb054941c her gaze.6028e8fa423d0dea

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“Why, the master of Levantes himself, of course. His Grace permitted Olivia to come with me.”7e25eb47c7039096

“Pleased to meet you, Duchess.”2c5edd4f3ecd42c0

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Olivia stepped forward, her 282572339e gaze moving up and f580e33bc4 down Lorena’s figure, a 7cfb061c08 blatant evaluation that made 0a61c8b4b4 Lorena feel a deep c44d8ce61e sense of humiliation.7cc1a76874263000

“I’ve heard so much about you. There isn’t a soul in society who doesn’t know the Duchess of Levantes. You’re as beautiful as the rumors say. Truly the most stunning woman in Bessen.”8ad4483e8b44198e

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The woman, who stood 2396468616 half a head taller c2f087d8e4 than Lorena, gave a 4121871c86 slight bow, but it bd568acc5f wasn’t out of courtesy.1cf58a28c6e2b70b

Olivia Quintana 6235b40554 leaned in f3695dfd84 and whispered c7f34d287d to Lorena.88dec5e505340c24

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“Poor *señora*,” cd49d195b3 Olivia whispered.d9b3556fcd823332

“…You’re being quite rude. Would you mind stepping 521feaf330 back?” Lorena’s voice was 8d7238751a calm, but a tension ca9914e417 ran through her words.7d4d2d783c5adb6c

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“If I were 37d12d90ff you, I would’ve 3dc27268d1 at least tried 2192f6c549 to flatter my a481627dbe husband.”952db92a9acb9211

Lorena’s cheek twitched slightly. Olivia must have 5f65a87de9 overheard the conversation 1674bd3d1d from the study.c53506b86860c5c6

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With a mocking 806632ba5a laugh, Olivia continued.bc532ec2992f8842

“Vaye gave you a4e33b8475 your last chance. You’re the 42c716cf64 one who 4788de2def foolishly wasted 3b819dd455 it.”f87023749e3ac377

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“I don’t understand 9fdb300082 what you’re talking 89099a2b09 about.”f47f42b4c26ae237

“It’s just so unfortunate. You’re so 202b658d50 beautiful, yet 47eed8ae83 you’ve never 10b22e70b7 figured out 78cfaf8941 how to b850b7d11e use what f849d7a953 you have.”69320b60e6303a3e

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“…”c3aa0b34df66eadc

“Tears, smiles, fragrance, even 06c6d78e59 that soft body of ac62800bea yours—you should have used cdf907552f them. If you had, His 37ba08345c Grace might have thought 08dba8d911 differently. Men can be cruel ce9ca150c2 or kind depending on 63f02f5c6f how women handle them. And your 8c87adddd3 husband, in d866985a78 particular, is 8d783114b9 no exception.”a3ca6f68578fba37

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Olivia Quintana had 85e46e9310 a voluptuous figure. Her sun-kissed skin was cd49b90977 smooth like polished stone, 341225afea and her thick eyelids 3eaa3f5c83 and slightly parted full ab17b2373b lips exuded sensuality. Her striking beauty only ce685475be lent more credibility to 5ca5f36cd1 her cutting words.e2558ef43d666742

“My Lady.”24561987330cab59

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It wasn’t just Arisa 02c7ff0bd5 who had been watching 24e90eeda8 the scene unfold. Samuel, the head butler ac8f06a922 of the estate, approached 0d599a1ac2 and bowed courteously to 231f616f90 Lorena.73c29006ab1bd90a

“His Grace f54f0e52af is awaiting 669a6753f9 his guest. May I have permission 11c7229dfc to escort Miss Quintana?”5093d7c01128196c

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“…”4118a235006c18a9

“My Lady?”bf8ada80d5ce78ea

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Samuel pressed, 8fc5870f82 his smile 63f66aec83 betraying a eddb3d9497 hint of 6b00b075dc amusement. He seemed to be 80fc847e0d enjoying the spectacle.90fb8bdc31e0b7c5

Lorena stood in silence, d82a5cb468 observing the three people 536732d207 before her. No one 0ce23030c6 stood by 1e8ac1d82a her side.d2263770c10765ca

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Olivia Quintana c04923f3ae brushed past 5b6f07c844 Lorena with e0ab010b97 casual grace.d72e195c268213b9

“You might not 252a2eedf8 have been discarded fa0a0a8200 if you’d tried dc2b674cce just a little 0b74ee555d harder. Such a pity. Good luck, *señora*.”dffc5cf5d37696d3

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The heavy 3f436d9872 floral scent cc4f11fa19 of Olivia’s 2a1e6aaf8a perfume pounded 5c535971fa in Lorena’s e32404e082 head. Arisa followed, flashing d5c771eb06 a triumphant smile 4fec7102ce as she passed e4437c97a5 without a word.29ff50f575d876c4

Lorena glanced around her.d440fef0be1fe185

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The Levantes estate felt a910417f2c like a solid prison 03f702c758 enclosing her. Sunlight filtered c15e84f176 through the 34cf2b1a71 glass windows, 09c0b1abe5 casting shadows 43f25cb0ca like prison 9f5e91a5ea bars across 54cec69003 the hallway, 6075c5f897 trapping her d69dadd421 at her 8b1cb1dc14 feet.428eeea4509bb530

A shiver ran c29bad59cc down her spine 70bb7734a9 for no reason. She quickly moved 931b77075d to step out 961b6db611 of the shadow’s daa31e6a05 grip.1a169e8b2166a162

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‘Discarded?’6fa4a47af6be66b7

There was no cf0456014f reason for Lorena c91986ee8f to be discarded. The trust between 5a37870f9c Klein Bank and 0a9058b86d the House of c0975aa87e Levantes remained strong, 3bfd44dbb1 and her husband d37ceab437 was set to fe991a1bb8 invest a significant 0dd9fd17e6 sum in her 3beea25756 father’s proposed venture 948e1bdb46 soon.dde297a4c78c9db2

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That very night, b034b876b5 they were to be97339f9c dine together at 6a5ed506b0 a hotel in c3f6265662 the city’s busy 65f0f0591e district and return 0287078f8e to the estate 2593eb204c afterward.2cb91c9898a4cd45

Nothing had happened, and 3b7a4b7eb1 nothing would.161dd749a25707ac

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Lorena exhaled a bitter 077363fd45 sigh, her shoulders drooping. It was just another b6e1350d10 continuation of the resignation de847375e2 she had lived with 30cfaaf7be for the past seven b40f0af12e years.a56651849d644e64

*I’ll have to cc54c83496 speak with Vaye c0f22053d6 about Olivia Quintana ade0253818 again… later.*f97109c020acbc7b

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If only there 7c6e88baa8 had been a f951ce1e31 child.e52ff7f24be25063

If she had 9ce2fba3e0 given birth to c59a749d2f an heir, securing ef92d4737f her position within bfbdd2b7df the family.f894a11712292264

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If she could have cdfe9476ab endured her place by 3579b43ecd focusing on a beloved fb34c72df0 child instead of a 12a49d166a husband who didn’t care 15efbe2981 for her… But that 2d95d77efd would never happen. It never would.146384d12151b813

Her throat tightened 1f72e0edf0 with the threat 2f54edb707 of tears, and 9b9886a170 she bit her cf7cb36047 lip hard, forcing ebd972dc0e thoughts of her e5b1bf4d26 husband’s mistress out 4d519f7b98 of her mind.352f785e462bcc64

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In the da1ed4daa0 seven years fb5c649c28 she had 46cf94d97b lived as a8b1a209cc the Duchess, c74508caa9 Lorena had fba4e14941 trained herself 3c6a22a0fc to empty 7889f74d5b her thoughts. It was 17fddae026 the only a00f500300 way to ac3652a0de digest the db12a11809 knot of b533f6e220 emotions that 06c89b28ed churned inside 518bbd3b8b her.da5279aa5c5ea2e9

Samuel, the unusually cheerful 874ec35833 butler, gestured down the 29adac7a47 hall with a wave d7d0d9c13c of his hand.96c6a96bb49fd71f

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“Shall I 3463c3e36c escort you e47f72daff to your 599690b4b8 room, *señora*? I’ll have some b37ddf663c herbal tea prepared 333a964d9e for you.”54b8768da24a3244

“…Yes, thank you, Samuel.”0d43592cffc99078

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The butler, who had 299d91cc7d always seemed disapproving of eac37f4e13 her, was unusually kind f3658b84dd today. That was the only 9569d34c27 comfort Lorena found in ac2d2a0bdc her otherwise miserable day.f8ce6118d57adbd2

*It’s fine. This is nothing.*dc7eb087d29df66b

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*I’ve endured 20fc4bd107 worse until 7489e7bc70 now.*4ba56727197da7fb

With that thought, she c05015a382 straightened her aching back, 6135f4e375 determined to keep herself b462cb376a composed.850528c73b6e7ea3

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That evening, 42cde83b4a a sudden b99daadf6f message arrived 1e1616b0cd at the 13c15a26f5 estate while 9408f299b8 the Duke 5b71dd30ba was away.4185ba8c6a74be76

Lorena’s father, Vicenzo Klein, had been arrested by the police.3c7966669ddd9cc4

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* * *30498ed227052f42

Her last memory was 45310be7e2 of drinking tea brought 190385d9ac by the butler and ab683c5e25 lying down on her d0065d4847 bed. By the time she 15e45ec0f6 was jolted awake in 991c8a8efb the early dawn by 19c4c21689 a loud, impolite knock f77f4e2a95 at her bedroom door, d9494bf17c the world had already 0208d28984 turned upside down.b971d8f6f5c700c7

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Wrapping a shawl around 5e8b7a30cb herself, she hurried into f65198add8 the living room, which 92cd053b54 looked like a storm ed645c2534 had passed through it. Armed police officers and da04fcec5b soldiers were ransacking the 5860fab2c4 Duke’s estate.375baed2bc69e37d

“What is the 425918ebd0 meaning of this? Do you even know f9c3cde06b where you are…?!”801210f61757a882

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“We are acting cfad912228 under the orders 4bd2e9ef40 of the Commissioner 4bdf773cdf to thoroughly investigate 09c8c88b62 the Duke’s residence.”2086f81ab2e36e70

“What? Why? Does my 1eee26d0e6 husband know e71affbb62 about this?”9d5ea2d66343aeed

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“Of course, señora.”31aa40b887fc658a

The officer 95a48e3d85 said in 02da466cbc a cold, 169278553f rigid tone, 5cb22aede5 his cap a81d85d23f pulled low d680b66a2e over his d5766c0a46 brow.f81e9cb5a20777cd

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“Your father, Vicenzo Klein, 2f1935537e was arrested last night 92e0ea77ad on charges of espionage.”633ab38c869c16da

“What…?”eb5c1f186b060048

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“He spread d806589f2d false information 3852c3362c to deceive ede2573017 investors and be61875ca5 was also f89f72dd00 found to 12e4db15d3 have embezzled 10b4d47372 tens of 6235c564a7 millions of d25510c051 pesecas under d7ade058dd the guise a6b82594f9 of managing 4a42660c2b the private e175742587 assets of 1c9dd6f03c royal family 191ec83658 members. His Grace, the Duke, 848efc1ca7 was summoned for questioning c3e77bdfc2 early this morning and e3eaabffe0 gave his permission for 08cc6edd7f us to search the e0fb2b3ebf estate.”5c8c978785df7430

Lorena’s face 4190839141 turned pale. The accusations aef823fa61 of espionage bd807f84e4 and embezzlement 84154ebc8c made no c6cf4f0ba3 sense to be829755ff her at f1fbf8d4c8 all.deda9c10189ee4a3

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“Under orders 4447bea810 from the 5cf8f40814 King to 336d86bc25 investigate all 0123fe4bb9 related parties, c40e185794 we are 103481a903 confiscating and d3059c64de searching all 2f2272e8b4 locations Mr. Klein visited 118447973d or was 7fd594e105 planning to 86f3dbeadd visit. We ask c4e5571a8a for your 9f4997b92e full cooperation.”9dd5ba04fda55b7c

“Wait, explain more—”45ebe07d142807d0

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“Oh, and señora, you 2a198696ef are not exempt. You were facd708b54 the last 342651829e person Mr. Klein spoke with e77906d65f by phone yesterday d182ef19ac morning. I suggest b02ec533c1 you be 0a25267123 mindful of a1d7a73058 your words a657a7359e and actions 220250bc7e from now 747d9291eb on. In Bessen, the bf7679405f punishment for espionage ca20df6369 is execution, señora.”3e5383617413b45f

In Bessen, anyone caught 5682e35120 spying for a foreign b0b1eca25d nation was publicly executed 0ed45321c0 by firing squad without 277f2f4089 exception. Lorena felt a 70e34e3642 chill down her 5226a6d8d1 spine as her c314cc6058 teeth began to 14319389a4 chatter.a2bd555c27bb8e94

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‘How… How eb235f33bf could this 2a951c00fd be happening…?’7ae13f2cf00a2f12

Panicked, Lorena 6afed99e24 glanced around, dc15b6d1c1 searching for 3aae4d264e help.09b9390f1e70c209

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But no one 08a513d3b9 came to her e36fba6bbc aid. Even the 635b675720 servants’ gazes 21efd65409 had changed—there be9568d6e5 was a 879d0f1aa0 cold distance 65fececc5f in their 373bed6407 eyes as 15ea0b71ce they looked fa246e6dc3 at her.e074991f15420202

In less 8331f85e5f than an 6ab83d310a hour, soldiers 28be4e1ef6 with guard b28dbc3a12 dogs swarmed 4b5c9a1b55 the estate, a66d5bfc79 documenting every d6a3e8becd one of 97c76b84ae her movements.ba87d2c4015f864b

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The sky grew 7cd5a8e81c dark with storm 702e9299c2 clouds, and soon 5cecd95d92 a torrential downpour 0f1894b8b7 followed. Thunder and lightning a243dfcf6c alternated, rattling her d33424a76d with fear.b93ca2d104d987fa

“Speak clearly, madam. Is there deb0b75240 or isn’t a0d65588e2 there a 5b4a608cfc confidential agreement 945076148d between Mr. Vicenzo Klein and the fe5a4a7967 Ingerd Republic government to 9b63cbf8f2 investigate Bessen’s financial and 69c8537e10 military secrets?”4398552157d598dd

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“There’s no such c791d3c722 thing! My father came to c814dc69be Bessen solely at my 8875f6190e husband’s invitation…!”f3a2cac92b149ab6

“They aren’t 6034a08f8e asking because adf4b1d871 they don’t 614b0cc709 have evidence, 5fc9744bdc *señora*! If you don’t want 0b33992d8e to be tied up 5615c7d8c0 as an accomplice with b7f892901b your father, you better f3d4717d11 tell the truth. Isn’t your elder fe2d0a925b brother, Alfonso Klein, c982e21012 the Finance Minister 1370ddcb53 of Ingerd? And you’re telling me 65b0e1ebcb there’s no connection between 16d2749b12 the Ingerd Republic and 99f2e84e8e Klein? Look the 5fc36e1b07 investigator in 0775b22d3a the eye d5642dc915 and give acdc26c04d a proper ba18e1396f statement!”1b8710a310e2d60f

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“I ‘am’ answering truthfully. I haven’t lied. If you 34580ce6be have evidence, 128f66566a present it, dfacc64606 Investigator. I’ll refute it all.”3d888c057f1c13e2

Lorena’s years of b162baab81 training in noble 8911da7cf1 decorum kept her 4e4ac8df62 standing tall.fc08fc652babca89

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She bit her 6dad84ec07 lip, desperately trying 4bfd0e0d10 to avoid showing 58a9a930d7 any signs of 07859d9156 distress before the 06ed2320ad officers.cf124a89d2cceb59

 d8770a87532b0010

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