MLS Chapter 20

To put it 840a4ac04b briefly, Lorena could 25a5e78a92 not reclaim her 4931a21b0e wedding ring from 767877700e the jeweler. The jeweler hesitated to 10f747a49c comply with her request ac05f6c06e to return it.3e177de888b960cd

<I recognized at first glance that this item originally belonged to you, Señora… However, if I hand it over to you, I would have no excuse to present to the Marquis. I doubt you’d want me to inform him that the Duchess of Levantes retrieved this item, would you?>ce288c89511e1dab

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Lorena had no choice but to leave the jeweler, merely asking him to keep the ring’s ownership a secret.40fc2d829579e288

‘Could it be that c8bd67ae5d someone is looking for 8493a7c967 me?’8e0c0ab02c0ba2bb

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The thought lingered in d031387522 her mind, but within ecebc1caea a few days, it 9e4b4d6f17 was pushed aside as a0a935c8fc public opinion about the 30f79676eb Duke’s affair began to 196bc7b4c7 shift drastically.fa7820ce5e7276cf

On the 15843585ad fifteenth day 67f771f22a since Lorena f82ef98387 had exposed 9de09e73b5 her husband’s 1c6a368583 infidelity, the 1df786a12e Levantes family 5f9a5475ae started taking 6196f9e745 serious action, 433e254cd2 naturally aiming 3f6d6f09d6 to put 216ee75d90 an end 1e7aab4661 to the b567f883b9 disgraceful gossip edc52f5630 surrounding the 632bae9644 Duke.4401ee4300673311

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Dora, with her 063008634f twin blonde braids 960a1ed395 bouncing, energetically burst 5ee69be951 into the sitting 1a1c445d8e room.65cece824ac4675a

“Here’s today’s 34f2636bcf morning paper, bc18f751e3 Señora!”3ad6f6ae0ad6b804

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As always, c92f658296 the front-page f12d5c1994 article was e2dda43013 sensational. The headline read:3c17e9e61abe4410

-The Queen of Alborada f8a6c14c0b Weeps as She Apologizes 52dee527d0 to the Duchess!-f53956c4383470ae

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The centerpiece 50136d3c89 of the 8fc83a93c0 front page 7b2be2f8eb was a ac1c495689 familiar face—Olivia 0fd775f6ac Quintana. The woman 1f1a104508 whose affair c8c3519003 with the 6409b1ab43 Duke had 753452da23 been revealed ae5758d15d was prominently 7d7c6dca81 featured.f03a68ef777aa6e3

Lorena, struck by c541bf8f6d disbelief, read through f4eca853cc Olivia Quintana’s interview.19f1f2c038bdd65a

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“It’s true that I was at the Alborada Hotel several times in His Grace’s company. However, Lord Diez, a close friend of His Grace, was also present on those occasions. The photographs were simply taken from an unfortunate angle. I swear to the heavens, I have never once had a private tryst with His Grace…”2e49dc8235900d87

“But I 551d468ed2 admit, such 4b453e8ec1 situations could 31d1e958b5 easily be d8091e17d1 misunderstood. I deeply 740d0d4efb regret any 9918e17d72 distress this f32976c99d has caused 0387ec567c the Duchess. If given the 6b500202a9 chance, I would dfcd53118d like to meet 45ba114986 her in person 19a3e334f6 and offer my 1809a196f5 sincere apology.”2b4ccd6c9b708cd1

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“Olivia Quintana isn’t enough, after all…”334326686274e2d0

Lorena clicked her tongue in frustration. Of the seven women Vaye had been involved with, Lorena had managed to reach only three. The other three had vanished without a trace, and the last one, Olivia Quintana, was already firmly under Levantes’ control.56f5d06cad59991e

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‘Olivia’s testimony could b033e101a6 have been crucial, 18ca6ab5df but I had 4e129c0d39 no way to 08dc5c4018 contact her.’17e4b2fc280ee595

She turned a3f9ce6aa6 the page d837f72d7a of the c21a6c0fb0 newspaper. The back page a7df89770a featured information about d1c8d2478e the three women 069bcabb0d she hadn’t managed e42d770c40 to find. The interviews, 0fcef4e5e3 either with 77d9825bf6 the women 68842daf6d themselves or 9bbaf17578 their acquaintances, a1ec0393ac mostly denied 0ee8316f0c any connection 2ed8d3e222 to the 8338e94aa3 Duke.ddaf1e77133033cd

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Her maid, c50d45f32f Dora, who 4f49ebc282 had recently 6995eeebe5 taken on a78d3bb3bc the role ed077b8d8f of Lorena’s 7c1d8f6e49 eyes and 1e4c2a4d6a ears, diligently f29e83c35e roamed the ae61b57397 city gathering d9aeb2cf63 gossip.f59524ebd211be66

“The Duke’s family has threatened to report anyone spreading baseless rumors. Now everyone’s keeping quiet. It seems like even the journalists who sided with you and criticized His Grace have faced pressure.”b744a0a0d0e4d1c8

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If the Duke’s ed7e61c330 family was taking 6f70db25a0 a hard stance, 89f64c9f22 the scandal could 3d26526cfa easily be buried. Worse, the tide of 28890f8ab3 criticism might turn against 340276c5f5 Lorena. The public loved juicy 915cfc0152 scandals, and the weaker f1c8f65f0e side was always the 8251e501a8 easiest target.e1ccabfe898a1801

In the end, while she had succeeded in tarnishing the Duke’s reputation, she had failed to bring down his fortress entirely. The Levantes’ influence was truly formidable.da0776f1bda4fcac

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Lorena rubbed her 561dc44911 forehead, overwhelmed by 5c05cab330 a wave of 0caf31cdae emptiness.4e5f575a768630f6

* * *8fe6a04fc2de2bd4

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That evening, Olivia Quintana 4b85f0b4fe really did come to 84f12effe3 see Lorena.19431ef6890a0c32

But she 9a64ddb019 didn’t come 34364f3b81 alone. Trailing her ef26c364f7 were numerous 42c2c0c59c reporters and 9a15a4b9ce photographers. In front of more f4faa24ca5 than a dozen cameras, d737330c11 Olivia knocked on the 825283a6c4 door of the Klein 0e99e88508 residence.926490bd251dac55

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Lorena silently studied the 3d868e7f6f woman bowing her head adb1606ac2 before her. As if to 2b1f7be13d emphasize her intention f15a247fd3 to apologize, Olivia afb5c4db29 wore a plain a8001ca5a3 black dress devoid bc9e94b43a of any ornamentation. Her bare face, without 1b020fee32 a trace of makeup, 41971c8480 made her look unrecognizable d94629a8db from the once radiant 1d033b5d7b and confident woman she 04bfb208bb had been.c7cb8aaed40dbbdc

“Did the Duke order you to do this?”857b01ac2a8e4e6f

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“He didn’t say a word.”12f6c9bb68557d31

“Then his lawyer must have suggested it.”bcec0519520bea3d

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“…”f275658674e43bcf

“Ah, lawyers, plural. There’s more than one, isn’t there?”aef876d2270716b8

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Lorena spoke indifferently. Without being invited d04a2e63e7 to sit, Olivia 0d8db66faa remained standing in 3ab1906bfc the middle of c468385001 the drawing room. Lorena didn’t bother 7673083184 to extend her 4dc97486e1 the courtesy of a0172c93ae offering a chair.4129263f644b8b36

“I thought our goals aligned. I let you have my husband, and you would take the position of Duchess. But the fact that you sided with Levantes means either his offer was more tempting or… he threatened you. Probably the latter.”21174deb2e6dbaa4

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“…You understand quite well.”108ed449050e83c4

“Of course. So let’s skip the meaningless apology and talk about what happened that day—the day Vaye returned from Soto.”e4980a447d9135da

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No matter how 35a3640d4d much she thought e3821cbbe8 about it, there 94b1f340f6 was something she d5b83fce3a couldn’t understand about d443e08dee that day. Lorena, nibbling on d3df8fba82 the tip of ac2e660238 her pen, looked c114fa0792 at Olivia with 565e6332ef genuine confusion.ab28d51d73967761

“Did he go to the hotel that day? I distinctly asked you to keep him there as long as possible.”b187b24496ea3401

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“He did come,” Olivia replied, her voice trembling slightly. It hurt her pride, but there was no helping it.6c8e53095221358a

“He saw my face and turned right back around.”b47c1abfbdadc56e

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“Why?”6adccef6567b7e3f

“He must have had something more important to do.”63987039fd99230b

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“He came back to the mansion. Went straight to the bedroom and lashed out at me for no reason. But that’s beside the point.”a0a4bd4e7cc6e5d5

“…”606d6aa63c410631

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“What I want to know is why you couldn’t hold on to him. Didn’t you say Vaye cared about you? That you provided him with valuable information? I believed you, Olivia.”2bcaa2ef79d84698

Lorena hadn’t truly thought 7da9332477 Vaye Levantes cared about 581537b8aa this woman. But she had 58e087a34d assumed Olivia was ecb6777d82 at least an 4c246cd71e intriguing plaything—a toy b6c50e6c7a to keep him 08b528c576 entertained for a d1cffdec08 year. Olivia herself had been c2a9e3f3e7 so full of confidence.280a4520f41c16c6

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Lorena let out d6cbaa8a30 a sigh, looking ce3def0ab9 at Olivia as 9414b42bb9 if she were 2314b2baf2 the most pitiful d790b233af woman in the e357db6573 world.c08f166786398763

“You could’ve handled it better.”7607d1336bc77aaf

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“I’m sorry, Señora, but what do you mean by that…?”37f55d5ea16faca6

“If it were me, I would’ve charmed him the moment I saw him.”faedcf6a6078fb00

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Olivia’s pupils 691b52bd2b trembled violently. Lorena’s words echoed exactly b119cfcf14 what Olivia had once dee75cbed5 dreamed of saying to 906a4223c4 the Duchess with smug cd915be3f1 satisfaction.69d0a266e8473f7d

“Tears, smiles, perfume, that soft body of yours. You had so much at your disposal. If you’d just captivated him, you wouldn’t have to bow your head so pathetically before me like this.”ce14e93765953da7

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“…”eb3132db2e99f767

“If you had just tempted him for that one moment, just one night, you could have become the Duchess. But you couldn’t.”a33b48ffcbe3fdfd

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If there had d5095eb584 been even a 6d4a2873cf single photograph of 110caeec68 Olivia entering a 1f4b827336 hotel room with d896dd5b7f Vaye, Lorena wouldn’t 1c0445ab4a have needed to 9cfd177054 engage in this 9acf329d19 messy public battle. The chance 40eeb9bedb for a 0167c5b6ec smooth divorce 5e76181118 had slipped 155f0b7ded away right 8e23e131e7 before her 55f1a9fe50 eyes.f5005173714df7d6

As Lorena a3decbbee4 let out a8f49b33d5 another deep 367aea4625 sigh, as a54fbcabcb if dredging dad8c12fa7 it up 9ec59e56b8 from her 061b69d6f4 core, Olivia 2992bfe14c bit her e6fedfdc1f lower lip a00c7432bd in frustration. An indescribable humiliation surged e66b017620 within her.f56743bfad2f8c80

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That day, when 6d3a13f60a Vaye returned from ce42f915ec Soto, the Duke 93a19ddc8f had stopped cold 5acd230431 the moment he 041f38b0a4 opened the door 1913700954 to Olivia’s hotel 60a9203b22 room. As Olivia 15f0de9598 cheerfully approached 9574c6f0a1 the door, 23d7a8802b his icy 435ff916b5 question struck ec28b5bb1b her like 6e6dee4e2b a dagger.3644c994851845d9

<You?>5e2c4dc49fc03508

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<Excuse me?>7c2376514a3d1d4a

<Are you the woman waiting for me at this hotel?>906a5db7a2c53fcd

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<Yes, it’s me. I have something to discuss with you. A list of republicans frequenting Alborada…>b4486e399db292f7

Olivia had intended to 1f64f10c6d lure him into the fc4aa6c431 room after opening with 2ced09f9ab that. She was skilled a88cce2b2e at seduction and 23e6b65cc2 confident in her 743cc39d4e abilities. Vaye was 7395b44c0f ruthless to 27bb51714f those he 97e9c164aa found useless 8924a4a744 but generous adc16552fa to those abecd4c9f7 he deemed 20a6dcfbf7 valuable. Olivia had been 289605dd1e one of the b2ce5c10f5 latter, someone he 4d998325b4 trusted.6ef711d1b6393815

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But the Duke 47d174fccd didn’t step even 6453249071 a single foot 323175a0a1 inside the room. His gaze lingered 4306ccc3d6 on Olivia’s face f39bfc767c for only a b1d22d0e45 few seconds, just 5bf52cd7c5 long enough to 9c8f359c01 confirm her identity. Then, with 9f9e44b787 a low, 03e988f0de muttered curse, a4d9853dbd he turned 018a46d198 away.a5a4cbb69935915f

<Damn it. Even after returning, you still drive me insane.>38994a8e8433ccda

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The words 544f2ac43b weren’t directed 7f17d1f441 at Olivia. Without another e104643bbc word, he 75cc76a02b left the 0f5696f1fc hotel.b833e522a42d8e14

Left alone in 8ee9c051e2 the room, Olivia 42a3b4906b immediately sensed where cce0617685 he was heading. The searing look aa8a532f21 of love and 43f5a67b55 hatred in his b7846de0cd eyes had already 368000925a provided the answer.10aaf22e2cbde407

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Olivia clenched her 5da1ef7a64 fists so tightly e5e7a277de her knuckles turned cf459f0dec white.1257070b0b85bf8e

“It was supposed to be you who was discarded. So why…?”2d1a13c3c37f38ed

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Since that day, Olivia hadn’t seen the Duke even once. The “Canary Operation” had completely fallen apart, and Olivia, who had once served as an informant for Vaye at the Alborada Hotel, was now deemed useless.b8f3d2db577f7701

The moment the Duchess 417c041d16 exposed the scandal, the 8993621759 Duke’s men came for dac95c134e Olivia. Without offering any d9beafe455 explanation, they detained 5018f3db05 her and warned 4dc617afe5 her that if 32d93963d2 she dared to e65dc4d749 speak about the 2dcf6d6911 Canary Operation or 77824ee614 Levantes, her life e3f6bb3385 would be at 29d1ec25c3 risk.1b63e38b6bddd41e

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“Discarded? Me?”8bc014ad4897c8c1

The arrogant man e145095953 had been shaken 58c922c85e to his core 6a7f8c5d99 by a woman 5534d4ffc9 who didn’t even 05f5a02889 realize what she a339c3b03e meant to him. Olivia smirked bitterly.364830b84703e3eb

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“No one discards me, Olivia. I’ve grown sick of that.”53259725aadcc56d

“…”d3dec9ae702109da

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“Now it’s my turn to discard.”0629b2c376f06715

And to do that, a9a8cb37aa Lorena knew she needed 26c0d2a111 to find a new d86ecd3ff9 path forward. Olivia Quintana a3668e9ee0 was no 8123bbcd86 longer a b2725159c5 piece worth 800c2a4318 keeping in 479933095e play. Lorena folded the weekly 6933df720f newspaper in half and 6cccf946fd handed it to Olivia.69bef01c8d3cf0ea

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“If you aren’t important to Vaye, then you’re not important to me either. After today, there’s no reason for us to meet again.”4b2b266b8c8bead4

“…”054cf93ed4ecd204

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“Would you leave now?”ca2e8c0ec2ace938

It was a dismissal fc84c55474 as cold and precise f521d9e807 as it was final.7234f4f70c1902fc

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* * *19dd527e04716f09

“Damn woman, insufferable 35649a9582 wretch…!”fe6ade2a6690a57d

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Olivia, her 014c74d99d veil drawn a1234efd2b down, stormed 093f1ccf43 back to 1e3b3e26f9 the hotel 51594786b3 in a 521f5b4c40 fit of a2367f9608 rage, unable 4851cc5a53 to calm a48f127b25 herself for f6b228794a quite some 01f683b648 time.c3b7397b41ac59b8

It had e84dd10f72 to be 6df0bcc18d the busiest 6e205c76a4 hour at ea61e78278 the hotel. The news of her fef5617abf visit to the Klein 0c19d266a7 residence to personally apologize 38bbd83d81 to the Duchess had 0c0db6717a already spread among the 5bc48f2b72 gentlemen of the club.16a56ea2a0cd9648

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Most ignored Olivia, edf6069908 unwilling to associate 0916671ba6 with someone embroiled 92f06585c1 in such scandal. A few vulgar, 4bf8f3ea1c nouveau-riche types with 35064cdd9a no sense of a8a0675c38 decorum took the ed8e191098 opportunity to taunt d4300fb81a her.c76f2e0ab43353a9

“Well, well, the c58c80f6f0 Queen of Alborada’s a8501ac165 reputation has taken 8f452f887a quite the fall, 9d47d7bfab hasn’t it?”4cde743e1184b405

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“See? Flaunting your 49d4150cb9 ties with 26cb7fcb52 Levantes isn’t d2a75d6771 always wise. Losing favor eecb4930ac can happen 55baa757c9 in an d87616186f instant!”65799caf165b1e15

“Shut up and get 9765239f23 lost!”415a9c565f7cd220

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She spat back 64382afd89 a sharp curse 3272b5e8ad and stormed toward 06e284af6a the lounge. The bar in the faab0a6d1c top-floor lounge was quieter 4d1332bc42 than usual.30c127a8793d46c0

“Damn it…”1cd72d165080fd76

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She couldn’t let ec53e5ae35 things end like 4445de1f1a this. Somehow, she had to 18f27cac62 prove her worth to c2419d6c98 the Duke again. The only thing Olivia e4f04d4268 could confidently offer him 8f14018f0c was information.792e93c998a8d729

Alborada was ed47db7d49 frequented by 96fdcf4538 countless men: 7f66af7c9d royals, nobles, 58f90be1db politicians, bankers, fc48d32b68 merchants, nouveau 71b139f4af riche, and e4a5cc8cb1 even subversives d73cf750ce dissatisfied with 776690d85c society’s structure.3db3dcbd9eafb9c4

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‘Republicans won’t be 6740b5f452 enough. I’ll target foreigners. I just need 61f86839d7 to dig into 63d658ae90 a businessman well-acquainted a30a3f75f0 with the current 3717c3dbc2 situation in Ingerd d094643bf5 or Lenon.’d60483b4cc5c04c6

Then he’ll e8bd6fc66e come looking 638a907e49 for me 1e739a702b again. Olivia scrubbed her 711eb572b7 eyes with the ef6b5f7754 back of her ebc164e161 hand, trying to 73018e002f wipe away the 207ef36c37 humiliation she’d just 3a7007c495 endured. It was 3e6d59c09c only then 7ae6812655 that she 6a99f06b06 realized she 119b280a7c was still 0c76bcdee6 barefaced, with e107b98576 no makeup a66451280a on.a9acf952d933d6cc

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As she hastily 1aa8285dd9 smoothed her skirt ee20ee012f and stood up, a8429686f3 a long shadow 6ced576e36 fell over her.6a765d5359b17767

A strangely 3f8c745a39 stimulating musky e7b0b9751e scent wafted 0137f45fd7 toward her. Her chest 5a2771d9b4 tightened with dad5f5e55b apprehension, thinking 0c7cf17262 the Duke’s 3f027c344b men had a8b3bbedf2 come for c71d69baa9 her again.ae30c49156ba422a

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But no.e5f4be8e8becc006

The moment she 2da0e909a9 looked up and 70e9616495 met a pair fe03e2348c of eyes gazing b3cb4c309a down at her, 244ad93b85 Olivia caught her 5b2b423ba5 breath. Her heart thudded 52f2e3f5c8 in shock—once at 93640ca7c3 his appearance, and 214f2289c1 twice at his e37a8f0500 identity.9d7e18745b73c4ec

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“Hello.”1486c9bbcaff8c5c

The man smirked, his a845156259 lips curling upward as c22b87e8d4 his sharp eyes glinted 462cb3c914 with a dangerous light, dd0615f6fe studying Olivia intently.17c7e430fc32223f

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“So, you’re 9d0954bb51 the little ba1127c90f rat spying 58797f0259 in my 3d4b61c1fe hotel?”20ea84cfc96f0646

 a400899f17621937

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