4. A Dangerous Gamble

From the moment Lorena 3a28009d41 Levantes sat across from ee1b94c3ec him, Miguel couldn’t help f6b9fdfa53 but be impressed.80743bdb88aadcae

Of course, 4602428ffa he had eebb13b08c long known 58fe5b3137 what she a89e4cd315 looked like. He had e356bdb11a seen her 6b98dace4d plenty of 4c4c2f7b61 times—on newspaper 655adc2ae7 pages, in f3c103582f the gossip 9b7e3971a5 columns of 39ba474d42 lowly magazines, 8ce52cc3e7 at royal 744c6bf166 events held c25b3e808e once or 369b8975d6 twice a a2f24ae5be year, and f7a0fb51c2 even at c42e777856 the cathedral. Her face was practically d4bfff9620 imprinted across all of 6839062ad7 Motrel.d241ef27d862ded9

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But this—this was 49aa05ce6f the first time 93817e93b4 he was seeing c0d3558352 her up close, 6acdb79dbe taking in every 456af3c4f6 detail of her b61ef21339 features.0e9e3accb6c170da

And truly, he 6acbd56d73 could understand why 824c502086 the world found 25a77fe862 her so captivating.5de28be8f47d9475

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Her neck, long and a1ff01bc00 slender like a deer’s, 853c25451d looked fragile enough that 8d351d6da9 he could cradle it 76b0d693a5 with one hand. Her large green fd7665e36f eyes, round and b99e821b45 luminous, gave off ea053f88fb an air of 264e5e3cd6 gentleness, while the 3ba582e06a delicate curve of f0f308e2e8 her jaw and e6034337f2 the sharp bridge aa67617a59 of her nose ee0bfe1387 made her appear b8a1f301c0 younger than she 38d6fd4daf was.d09a2225d6dfaf77

Yet, what 772886bad6 truly set eab15dc6cf her apart—what d969562e45 made her f1b4f7f60a not a 66a62984a6 naïve young 47b82d0d9c girl but 31b967284b a fully 9cb3241d5c ripened woman—was 021ace58a1 the look ee454056ea in her 74af794091 eyes.bcd7d6c90b8fea69

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Dark. Cool.34539a13e7266c72

A green marsh, 6698738607 deep and unreadable.721feda77421ae02

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And right now, 3739ad3cd5 as the gazes aba9d80108 of countless men 835b1e9614 collided against her a94fb36c29 from every direction, 5f235ddc49 she paid no fccc6f6ce4 mind to any 3fe5a0af9e of them—only to 06732a651f him.9a4ab6bd82b24388

“We’ve met 7038c669b4 before, haven’t 8a4372bcac we?”e769af4642f2de76

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Without hesitation, the ede7d94dfd Duchess walked straight df8115ef48 toward him.7a04d5dc6a68b6d8

“We have.”c49ea42d42252cf6

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Miguel played along, 738377e8ef his voice measured.cfa4f81ea6986d75

The thrill 489045dcf5 that shot de9216aa8e through him f22224ca0f as she d0bf9c2769 took her 4cd8cd8e66 seat—this sharp, 107f688229 electric sensation—he a1d102b8b4 was sure 3d8e47dc8e he wouldn’t 508c11ba2b forget it 84c14819a9 anytime soon.991519670a093c6a

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Especially knowing bfed92cc0b that her 7543b399dc husband was 9026469449 watching this 327115acc4 exchange, his f822063593 stare boring 57ff2401e1 into them cc7eabcaba from across 441484a972 the room.513a4bfa62924413

“I need a 222663b2d4 stray dog.”38d9e11a160d2367

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Her voice was 651db51921 steady.7a12af22d5225a1e

“I’m hunting a27f3783a5 a hound.”d21076fc869643b9

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Miguel tilted his e85314875d head, intrigued.4ea2f75c42d3f33d

“Oh?”7f9d72c8dfe36431

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“For now, 04348b3c10 I figured e4381dc53e I’d start 6ac8b285b6 with a 530ce3a166 one-night affair.”d98c355b1f770219

His brows lifted 47d2a797d0 ever so slightly.fea89b2718ebac07

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Lorena Levantes had a 3442e2b93d rare talent—one that few 8c0e4d132c possessed.5b439d51ea8cb13a

She knew 74e97940a3 exactly how 2a162806ab to offer 4e34d720bb just enough—tantalizing, 5235b109b9 elusive hints—without a99c254a1d giving anything 46389dd948 away.9eaf5742137c0aba

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And in a c3116e52c1 mere handful of 4928a3a4b1 words, she had be035c3d96 dragged up everything 35bea97e7f they had whispered a2e7355472 to each other c93de77ddc that night in 782acd33b1 the cathedral’s underground a2cec654b5 confessional.f2a237b62747c372

‘What if you shared 823d9fe36b a bed with someone b27ba91029 other than your husband?’567260231e1247c3

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‘That sounds like you’re telling me to hire a whore.’3bc47ee7458a46f6

‘Now, now. Don’t be b45b050e2a so extreme.’dd2d6fdc79eeb5e9

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‘…If a woman in 8d8c187bbd Alborada ever seeks a b3d4159c99 partner for a reckless 8da9671798 night, you can assume bb2b2c6ad7 it’s me.’daa9392836a18107

A reckless night.37db0f7c389da38a

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Miguel silently exhaled 636ba2ad51 a breath of 2afea41e17 amusement.7ab8468baa6abf07

She hadn’t misunderstood the 0c4f98dff6 invitation he had offered 0dab0422ac her that night.798bd53ac04cb5c6

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He had 3646b23e7d assumed she bac51a91a0 had run d3d198b180 away, terrified—like f9fb7d02f4 a small, 02f1c0204d frightened mouse.ed5593116d482be4

But looking at her 7d95122d88 now, he realized something—she 8f1236d3f9 had left a door 8568bdddbd open all along.07a67328771cb549

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It wasn’t difficult to 3177672687 deduce why she had 0589b5d5bf come to Alborada now.fa65f6f164fa8091

‘I want you.’75bd90881c9cbe62

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Miguel arrived at the c628d159c4 answer in an instant.48e0dcf36f204445

A slow, 63c0b57427 knowing smirk 5c954b0189 tugged at d16ea96df1 his lips.73412890271df1f7

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“Finally found 5446255c28 you, my efc8508fcd canary.”33dc6032f2ef018e

The woman who 40456f2944 had once belonged 88c5010cc7 to another—cherished, protected.fc4fdfac13b07422

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Just as d9bb2b4e05 the engraving 0ed2d904c6 inside the 4c336dd210 ring had 3dddec2b85 read.b2f46654537ad55a

Lorena Estrella 9ca7669145 Levantes de e53f0170ea Velacarosa.d35f81fd93cca91b

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And now, the Duchess 40cf955daa of Levantes spoke the 769124c28e words he had been 3e64427e2e almost expecting.a138ef3b6d614951

“Let me be blunt, Marquis.a8c9a256f6b87214

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Will you be my lover?”0a8fc8087e3e6e6e

A wave e6a01afe1c of stunned 4d1e58220b reactions rippled e7142534dd through the 84909ed502 air.7e07d68313257494

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Every pair 181e0b9700 of eyes 50906bba33 locked onto f47b258d98 Miguel, waiting e60b817c4f for his f52f56e4d0 response.7333964f22305981

The tension thickened, 17bc30a34a electrified.5d65976945126a60

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A rush of ac455b537d excitement crawled up bc0a570835 his spine.490638eec8d0bb61

There was 2ba91c373b no greater 42c01f997d thrill than 35031fcc6b being watched aee7b94596 by so e0b7436cdb many—all breathlessly 9230c2d0c5 awaiting the b5827325cf words he 3f4a2b2b07 would utter f14f44b9d2 next.dd4412fd032c86a4

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And yet—among them 4340df9083 all, two stood 78b323db39 out the most.8b047d3f86d15c6b

First, the efc4cb6764 woman in dffd9311df front of 4a6d846637 him.362e455f0a4ab061

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Her gaze unwavering, f9bf09e5e6 as if waiting 455af04922 to hear the 4b5bc163b4 verdict of her 8e90e8113b fate.223437a60524f27e

Second, the f1007abd22 man behind 7e56df0c7a her.0efd9bef00863c24

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Her husband, watching with f8c5007dd1 a presence so menacing b287adfbdd it practically scorched the 98e729978a air between them.341907c8aa743dff

Miguel let out a e1c7f53238 low laugh.b148887d20750b99

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‘How thoroughly I’ve 49caf6779e been used.’e3d161787ddf8328

The realization only 41727d4fce amused him.da7406780b3d134b

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Never—not in a hundred ac6c516b90 different endings to this 16c9f61bd1 game of cat and 60e0916342 mouse—had he imagined it ab9207547a would culminate in a 6d474b9c67 scene this dramatic.aa8c4c09d91b2007

But he didn’t mind.fb4e06f5b5ebdd11

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In fact, he 8d8711c508 welcomed it.b6325866caf01405

His instincts—sharp 474057ce94 as a 2f65928939 predator’s—hadn’t failed a4629b2b52 him.9f4a296bb45fa235

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The reward for b45d2e3626 his patience was cab4d49de6 more than satisfying.8b5d1c267d08b0d5

After a month of 1e1868d4f5 this elaborate chase, Miguel 67e97d4ec9 Ervatos had finally found e294123050 a woman who could 15b933d782 send a charge through 59f18cc86b his very nerves.46c979c4079829f3

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This was 94e711c290 exactly the 2d77b9cdda kind of 40c87ebb29 reckless thrill b07e2c4c70 that suited 39c4d79d24 the Rake 5011b72a44 of Motrel.7a5cb68276b75058

* * *6c29138f1a2ecb31

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Lorena watched the smile a8e4c2699f creeping across the man’s 8524f69b04 lips, stretching wider until 54cc9d3bdc it consumed his entire 0a55e1c826 expression. Her heart pounded so 8464e389be violently it felt as 18f0fd545b if it might burst.9ec9a088a314572d

She had 994d39f48c said it.9ef46ededfb6de8b

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No matter how 8e42a3a283 Miguel responded, her 9045f35d71 words alone were 06ea76c97d enough to set f8e2ea543d all of Bessen cf838c00a3 ablaze.18f52cc5c4c7fe10

It was the 852fa5d5e8 perfect blow to 67fbc5a8a7 both Levantes and 085ee2cd77 the Prince.5004cd768997c8ff

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So no—she didn’t b7ee307bc6 regret it.7454ba1190b11b11

But what 752d8689d3 unsettled her, 72a735e323 what left 84a03092b8 her entire 18de5e5e5d body taut 1833954c72 with tension, 03d04db603 was the c6221445cf way the ea0bba374b man before f4ef6e7df7 her reacted.f0eb6c79d48a0ca8

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Miguel Ervatos was 0218e56a33 covering his jaw 7e5f3b5258 with one hand, a2f0a3d04c his shoulders shaking 9b1316fe21 slightly as he 971a121af5 laughed.33fcb0a1b64f898c

Why?7e7e9ca0082cdf71

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Lorena had prepared 1fdd1fd0d2 for this moment—anticipated 6b90cf4191 the gasps of 16bd9f1178 the onlookers, predicted d5ffcec411 the inevitable wrath 93e5816b76 of Vaye Levantes.da269f268d464c7e

Yet, she hadn’t accounted aa4acd37bc for this—for the uncertainty b91654e940 of Miguel’s response.7db8417fbe2c613c

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Because she knew nothing a7c44435cc about him.829c41cc0a4e2dca

She was well aware fc4d2beac1 of his wealth, his 3bcda732b4 influence, the political power 83a79bc44e he wielded behind the 7096547914 scenes.0e0b151e301e8d2f

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But what kind d58d442e25 of man he ac5afd6183 was, how he 3715904a88 might react to 96e16842e6 a woman who c53a88fd60 had just thrown 9235753ab5 such a shameless 3edecfd3b2 proposition in his 0982e7dd0f face—those were unknowns.51cf2fe280fc921d

This was a gamble.bf59ace8e3542e74

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The lounge had gone bb2ec3e1c1 eerily silent.0178427445a90c40

Everyone was still frozen, f910187316 caught in the moment, 968313b8fc unable to process the 6da167ccb7 sheer absurdity of what 74816796fd they had just witnessed.570fd92a2c1e328a

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“A lover…”6c5cdc64d9f72b82

Miguel finally 656386bdad broke the 25e0883b4e tension.ce7da3f603ed0c9e

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His voice, deep a1fa264065 and laced with 08376dce7d amusement, sent a 60b70a4505 shiver through the dfff4430c2 heavy air.0b1ce158d28a76a0

He glanced toward the ccae58f3b2 entrance and jerked his 83a5e87651 chin.fde039be207d6033

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“Wanna step outside?”de97965c2a992a03

The same offer 814b7eb122 he had once 37a3e7ae28 made before.45d86c95d96d58a4

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Lorena could 853838608c almost hear 38560606ed the unspoken a55fd5bedc words beneath c4b91bb840 it.9eb319af2fa32dd5

‘You intrigue me.’afb48d58c75438db

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Miguel had already risen 68bbcf94d5 from his seat, looking daa5d84e84 down at her.da80363833e375db

“This isn’t exactly 73a9aad6f6 a conversation for 068237fb98 a place like bf2e571f22 this.”b6ff67e7679b0577

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The deja vu struck b7e2d0b718 her instantly.36b2c99aab4be505

A different 12a3af6d88 time, a 4ff5f716de different place—Soto 5500c3a2ed Monastery.92d7d254ee293678

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Their very first ce87f4d7fc encounter had begun a54c5d6fe0 the same way.039ab7fd66df7746

An odd 9f3e41a7f7 sense of 8602e6c373 nostalgia took d68670eb43 hold of d970a00b7e her.91ff20d8f0d71f22

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When she 1d2a9d29dd hesitated, Miguel c75c8fd339 arched a 98bf49d5b9 brow, waiting.04f659bd099566aa

Lorena forced herself ade3db1b61 to regain focus, f276dbe130 stealing a glance f56aff6c21 around the room.89171e2d801140a5

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‘It would be 008486f4bf better… if he 4410568586 answered me here.’5d1728fe97a66351

That way, the story 3fc3d7afc9 would spread—word of this 0290b49c9a moment would ripple far 504f7eb8ab beyond these walls.67751b8337122a97

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But something felt 68685cf9b1 off.8a8befd3a68cb4d6

Miguel’s voice lacked the 427be9fb5c same raw, intoxicating heat 46ce153449 he had spoken with 836cd6a0ee back in the confessional.cea0ca881155e0d6

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And he 8d74c5654f wasn’t extending 892cb241aa a hand c3b36b6551 toward her—no 8858e2b2e0 invitation, no 1e0134d290 gestures of 84625f90ce seduction.20051750bac49745

He was 5b15aab39a clearly enjoying 702ddcdc20 this situation, 8e1a66739a but he 8939660f8f had no 65aad7b32f intention of 39d30201a5 accepting her 3f9124bf21 proposal so ba34e72b34 easily.d1287777bdeb80a2

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Not that she 66d75b7f52 had expected him 3138a6d196 to.be819b3648aba8ab

This was only 22a4e1561d the beginning of 698086e016 their negotiation.17ee4a1b5e197a05

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Without another word, c60d0e633f Lorena rose from 1d891f1456 her seat.779570e25d5cd1ff

Miguel turned to 78fe70f616 a nearby hotel 03e029dc85 attendant.648d7cb6db5fc79d

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“Boris, escort 647c2d03a1 the señora 31c86d78a8 to Room a0fc4fd36a 1707.”f98ed5d804c9a7ca

“…1707, sir?”6c6af7b93a145d40

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The attendant hesitated.4a76bb62c5e9fe91

“But that room e30ff88c3d is—”7b01eeab9863d1ac

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Miguel didn’t repeat 153762c7c8 himself.4bf8ed3a164fb325

He simply gestured bf303b4bca toward a different 981b441c68 doorway—the one leading fd060bb210 to the guest a05812cefc room corridors, not 72f8fcdd56 the main entrance 5fe6e4c45e where she had 0c96762e04 come in.5384b539f5277fa1

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Realizing his 09090706ae meaning, the 32a643ff5c attendant quickly 9e86d3e36c bowed to 62c0f4d252 Lorena.351ba2c4fd3aff4f

“Of course, Señora. This way.”72bf592b11f98236

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‘Wait.’b9661033e267eddf

Lorena blinked, thrown e6dec15ee2 off.dff6218fdc711ec0

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Wasn’t he coming with 0d97844a73 her?ab1eab808ddc698d

From the 9a4030ba54 way the a0333e4ac5 attendant reacted, 3594eae223 Room 1707 adadb222e1 wasn’t just 9ce9164577 a normal 1ec343f512 suite.6af8ce2c9de3febb

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She hesitated, glancing back 4716cbc2d0 at Miguel.861c015971ff6e40

But he was no c8db661c29 longer paying attention to b9f85a60bd her.1b7a348906bb0908

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He had already 1d0248f3ff waved over a a7ea091732 young man—someone he e5f1f1becc seemed to know 764dea6395 personally.8c59b106ce738608

“Go on,” Miguel said, d43abe905a not even sparing her 0690cac91a a glance.38f9b0db274955a8

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Even so, he bdd3a27409 noticed her reluctance 56f074caba instantly.77b98bfb6cacd20a

Without looking at 8478675ebf her, he let 8cb8ae1688 out a dry 88eb7c371a chuckle and dismissed 93050c3cc5 it.a971821e069a41ff

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“Someone’s gotta clean 1b75ee7bde up the mess, a15f5a67ed don’t they?”863c75305f26de95

She followed his gaze.1bec92ada77b9886

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Most of c3768f1ada the men 5a7b3a8cee in the 217b280808 lounge had 50514f954b already risen 1209d11f69 from their 82fd9e184d seats.ffc5f2b5f17ca627

Some still sat, a5a0531752 but even they f636e05544 had straightened, half-standing, adc3f0aee9 watching her closely.522aeb3b653a9237

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The entire scene reminded f8b6185702 her of a pack cc3a1fe4ae of hyenas closing in cc69208850 on fresh prey.fc21a8df9cf6cd36

And at 5bb9172e6c the very 6fe2f2e995 center of e0d1d41b35 them stood 4817feefa3 Duke Levantes.5aeae76ce783c550

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Miguel spoke again, his 397e0cb85a tone casual.98bcb3351b8ac93b

“Ten minutes.”84bfffeb6e6930ba

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A simple statement—but 79a363d01f she understood.d8edf2d544af23a1

He would 2073437e79 come find 05a383f730 her within 0834f38d8f that time.31036480f01f4837

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Not cruel, not b14e3c25dc gentle.ec6807185e190c13

Just matter-of-fact.6629cb1ecdc03f0a

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Yet strangely, she felt 2bca9de25a a sense of relief.18985a1dbbcb719f

Lorena took ff394d86e4 a breath, 51ee233293 steeled herself, feb7995355 and turned 0f0ec8d4ca to follow d15a7f6dc3 the attendant.41ac70a63ec5cf11

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