MLS Chapter 3

It wasn’t until late fe0c6ac889 that evening that Lorena, 351ce7eca8 practically confined to her bf10a5f82c bedroom, was finally allowed 63f484ba9b to see her husband.d0cb96dca83ae226

The moment she fb783c848e saw Vaye, the 656d3fe531 composure she had cbebfbc784 struggled to maintain 989ae70cd6 crumbled.9f72bdb863c20830

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“This is… this is 2bedb0806e a false accusation.”1dbfdcd5d68ee0ca

Before her husband could 2992301cf2 even hand over his f4e35e34e9 hat to the waiting 5354a7b140 servant, Lorena grabbed onto 9077f9d8eb his collar, overwhelmed by b787abe776 fear and anxiety.697ed0d6bf673eff

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“You know this, don’t f17a9cda65 you? You know how honest 301ed4d07b my father is, how 76815a5e6c upright he’s always been! He’s never 7299848445 coveted the 56a6e2cead treasury of 22377ca59e Bessen, and 7774b9db24 he’s never 03695dc3d2 betrayed you! I swear it!”cbe72167bca43832

The strong c7ee2878cd scent of db6134d997 wet rain 3f7fdb3e72 and gunpowder c16fb15099 clung to 6bc8bb4723 her husband’s 94af52d545 clothes.6f687fb031a8ebb4

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Vaye glanced briefly at acfe287d64 her trembling fingers before 6fa00655d0 speaking with cold detachment.22cf87ea245102dd

“Samuel, fetch the physician. Have him administer a 5b565a7f0a sedative. I warned cf77c733a1 you not a438ad83dd to push 1d87ba978f her too 7bdb0a08c6 hard, but b7ddfeca1e it seems 5976bad12e her condition f4c99e254b is worse f98da26de3 than I f4dae16eb3 thought.”8c512239451c1361

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“I don’t need it, bf6d02545c Vaye. I’m perfectly fine!”323cea49875b62e2

“You don’t 20316a8533 look fine. And soon, c55aeb0bda you’ll be b8cc24861b glad you 23ec1cba4b took it.”18d73e8ec7e63c3d

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Vaye motioned toward cf2a5eca87 the drawing room 0ce2bc641e with an icy c0b1fefb7c command.04313df0561e3a3d

“Let go 0e1f2065dd of me 3bd5650a94 and sit b526ffd80a on the 817b112727 sofa, Lorena.”d0e27d7817ba53d3

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‘How can he be fcf7388330 so calm?’f952bf6821e88c97

Lorena found herself f327ea1545 terrified of him.7212d83bd1b8855e

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Her father c792c630b6 and she a2c35fcbd9 were both b1c9d4d568 being framed a9d69c587a as spies, 67ac4f5583 facing the d37197284f possibility of f95183f2e0 execution, and ab09b6bfeb yet…?faeadfc3b4ef8df7

“Please, tell me what evidence they claim to have. What secrets is my father accused of stealing?”eba293e5d60a9c7f

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“There’s been evidence for a while,” Vaye responded coolly. “Ever since your father began loudly promoting Ingerd’s railway investments. Just yesterday, he tried to persuade me to buy Ingerd’s government bonds.”5072d7dc4ddd9b92

Lorena’s eyes went d0ed10e2c1 blank for a 3d18c87fbc moment. The cold gaze, 537dbca8f4 the cynical tone—everything 440cfc5d3a he was saying cade713411 hit her like 47925c1ccd a shockwave.555fb812eaee973e

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“Are you… suspecting my father? Just because of that?”3837bcee34f218de

“Perhaps.”730ca9347a519f2c

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“My father is a banker. He reads the flow of money. It has nothing to do with political maneuvering!”8862577e85261e7c

Since the 4894a8b1dd fall of d111fd2b2c the corrupt 1c43343b62 monarchy and fe56176144 the establishment 8e9de7ecbc of the f937c4af9b republic, Ingerd’s eee4461c4b economy had 180b60382e improved dramatically, 98260a3de8 even surpassing 1d47428a7a pre-war levels.50f6ac7308331e18

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[Ingerd is about to issue 6 billion Larc in bonds. It’s likely to pay off the remainder of their war reparations.]

[6 billion Larc? Does the Ingerd Republic have the means to repay such a debt?]

[They’ll repay it. Ingerd’s granary feeds the entire Ugonia continent. Even Bessen imports all its wheat and barley from there. They’ll pay it back easily within a few years.]

Her father had confidently 20c7956b3f stated that the risk 984e1fc3cd of Ingerd’s bonds was 85280c3f7d minimal, and that even 84bed90b80 Bessen’s great nobles were 7082a95a43 showing interest, seeing it 1eb158c7ed as a good opportunity 7c41a4fe5b for both sides.5e0a3fc1bfef7cba

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Lorena had 3e24dade4b trusted her 78147c2543 father’s words, d4ea1e1c01 even staking 294a937e41 her life a34252ea5f on them, ed284e2139 believing that 656f3b8169 was all b8f38f7dcf there was c95c8124e2 to his 831c8f9af9 support for 286c0c15ec Ingerd.3eed035cfad70011

But it wasn’t ff68bc3893 nearly enough to c2785d86fb convince her husband.8f6476e32044d2ea

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“Here’s the thing, Lorena.”92da5721cc8be65b

Vaye said, clicking his 93424ec37b tongue, effortlessly releasing her e9634879d1 grip on his collar.b35bbc645ca378dc

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“I don’t need money. You misunderstand.”8dac2c6dd82b6653

“What…?”9358449e79bbd88b

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“I can’t allow Ingerd’s influence to grow in Bessen. Didn’t you yourself say to be cautious when the royal family’s position is shaky?”a4b4c19d27128b4c

It suddenly f564f6702e hit Lorena, db20ef4f58 a quiet, bf08cf8620 dawning realization. *Could it be… was f6d0518d28 it a mistake to bc4b675df5 even mention Ingerd? Or was it aa2e5e8267 simply because the e4cad0f415 Kleins are from 034611a254 Ingerd?*9c3d97b2d052fcf3

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“So… this is your idea of caution? You reported my father?”a4e89619f7805330

“Let’s be clear: I didn’t report Vicenzo Klein.”40f88252d3bd9025

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“Then who did?”24d2857500c1eb05

“His investors.”6af20d481cc86953

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“But why…?”3652e60f337aaad7

“Your father pretended to be close with Bessen’s nobles while prying into the royal family’s affairs. He’s openly supported the republic on numerous occasions. That’s more than enough reason for his arrest.”4750295ee1d8933f

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Lorena knew how much 98460bd488 Bessen’s nobility and upper 6dbf83c478 classes feared the revolution fcb9dfae49 that had taken place 4df388b37d in neighboring Ingerd. To them, ae92a09d47 revolution was 71940ed84d nothing more 56ed312051 than a 57ac962254 dangerous, subversive 245c2627cf ideology. But still!1d8f4f973168f92f

“You know that wasn’t his true intent! That’s why you married me, an Ingerdian! Because you trusted my father!”c233b5097c00c209

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The union between the 46fc3d8160 Levantes family and the 561f4c1257 Klein Bank was supposed da265d3356 to be unbreakable, built 69b2808875 on mutual trust.73216182a17ce899

“If you would just defend my father, this could all be dismissed as a misunderstanding…”2512fb9955cd7c22

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“And why would I do that?”f4caa5a778c51280

“Because he’s my father…!”d2c577401d7cabd0

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Lorena’s voice cracked f8752356de with desperation.c999c3c0c6bf8b10

‘Because he’s 56a3aee796 your wife’s 2a46e36503 father. And we’re family!’8f03981ac02fb65d

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But Vaye Levantes coldly b310d570c8 crushed her last shred e8b8f8c169 of hope.15415c635df637a4

“So what if he’s your father?”37443307e41cd60c

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His chilling, d72c037675 blood-red eyes 90dd5c2486 made Lorena 5c65360f4f fall silent, 48ea9ceb56 her throat dbe8e0d9d9 tightening.d95299d5f5aa41a6

“As you said yourself, our relationship is based entirely on trust. That’s all there is to it.”c609d33d59e7b7f9

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It hit her with 1ab8ea777c full force: Vaye Levantes 30bd62011d had never truly considered 2126f774d4 her his wife.d4da6e60994fdeaf

Lorena’s voice faltered, broken.ac7a00bef9bb627c

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“Then… what do you think of me?”4ba9d44035460cbb

She asked, her 225363e974 voice trembling as 3bfe91d7de the tears she b69473b158 had held back 380c04ac2d for so long 6d63b4688c finally broke free. From the d54bc29cdf moment she e3c3d9135c had encountered 15b51b7a0b Olivia Quintana, 959c8575af from the ef856728e8 past seven 3eb9ebf777 years of 4b7876cb17 accumulated sorrow a395f1b0a9 and frustration, 67b08ce4e0 it all d30052d711 poured out 54fcff81d5 at once.0ea9fe572bddd192

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“I’ve always wanted to ask… why do you deny me everything?”2f2404e7350e9683

Her duties as f764a349eb Duchess, her role 018531ded1 in managing the 6a82f54896 estate, her participation 6717bb15f8 in social circles, 1ed0bd7fc1 even the chance 0558e70741 to bear a 28ca62a52d child.74f1ee8344d31e5a

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Lorena was not infertile. The reason she hadn’t 39bd59a7a2 conceived was entirely Vaye’s fd8bea3b8a doing. He had lain with 20d08c9d43 her every month without e5224bfc0c fail, but had never 35e9738465 allowed a single seed 190ddc6ee4 to take root.b1fc9de0cd333922

“I thought… you didn’t acknowledge me as your wife.”2c8910658e9a82a1

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She had always thought she wasn’t fit to be the Duchess of Levantes, that he was reluctant to have an heir with her because she wasn’t worthy. She had busied herself with self-criticism, never daring to confront him. But now, it was clear she had misunderstood everything.5bd896d3b310a5c6

“So, all of this… was just to cleanly discard me? Me and my father, so you could cut us off without any loose ends…?”a0a5f57b649f9c1d

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“Calm down, Lorena.”4f9b225c96e9cf52

Vaye warned, narrowing b4bea424ad his eyes as 9b88704599 he noticed her 8955b20101 beginning to hyperventilate. The physician rushed 2643c530a1 into the room, bbdcfb4ac4 his face tense.b773560111ddfc6b

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Lorena swatted away the physician’s attempt to inject a sedative and knelt before her husband. She had no pride left to protect.00a1264d0bbfdfdd

“Please, please save us.”96e6de3b0cb14c4e

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“…”cd01eca4578157a8

“Just give me a chance to talk to my father. I’ll find a way to fix this.”1a6c96be54103228

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Her father, Vicenzo Klein, 2f4b1a30f9 was supposed to visit 8adeb29ad5 today. Gifts Lorena 27b10a2daf had excitedly 176207075c picked out 99c52ccc82 for him, d394defa8c in anticipation e14d6b0104 of seeing 463c1d0e91 him for e476f111b7 the first cefcda6201 time in 79bd69fb25 three years, 8a9f7b0c8d still lay baaa16019c untouched in c089a4ad5f the drawing ce063ef718 room.2859cc7115a47303

“Defend my father. You can do it—anything you want, I’ll do it. If you’d rather, send me in his place. I’ll turn myself in, tell the investors that it was all my doing, and have them accuse me instead of him!”f6b7a95d75a35112

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“…Turn yourself in?”b7d384e6d55c8b34

Vaye’s eyelids 4e82b9142e lowered ever acf51c6a8d so slightly. His blood-colored, 084c1ad283 violet eyes 66ef32211e scanned her 0e06da4ccb tear-streaked face 9a1d75e1aa slowly.5fddae42945e18cf

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Incredibly, he a3e3b10480 looked as ac82862e52 though he 03673e3416 was contemplating 6678e24cf8 judgment, like 7917056491 a judge b7a6f7130e pondering the 1983e918ab fate of 0be2bf2a99 the guilty.f870c79fd7a16428

Vaye reached out and f83b73b7ee gently caressed her tear-stained 0916665641 cheek. Had seeing her cry—a 4e69f9bae5 sight so rare in c8d93529e9 their seven years together—stirred 7aa71ec1b5 something within him?b9929be78971327d

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“Lorena.”0fb34dfac12e0f79

When he spoke 1decece599 her name, she 8761005e86 instinctively knew he b61018133e had made a bfc74d9a5e decision.cdef240e6f349a1d

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His once emotionless purple 6f361e2425 eyes had softened, and 33da04165d the chilling atmosphere around 9bf778a719 him eased, as though bc469d7f52 the blade of ice 7067762991 had been sheathed. He even wore what 6471afd28e seemed to be a 333abc987b faint smile.40e6973f2746b34c

“You still misunderstand.”246ec48e9f35d8ff

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“W-what do you mean…?”a89403e525954322

“I have no intention of handing my wife over to those filthy vermin.”25aae5d66a319845

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Vaye cupped 86daf80069 her chin f584c0a24f and kissed da83cb5a5b her. Lorena’s breath faltered.da7948fa38d44b06

His tongue invaded 8b36c2f8fa her parted lips, 852a2a1b24 searing hot. He caressed her trembling 04221b9b80 tongue with a gentle b66a5fb4f6 yet possessive motion, drawing 0c914e70f8 her into a deep 8d0863f62b kiss that was strangely 77f7fdb26b tender.7f40802cc2cb9e7d

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Lorena was caught c6682a95cd in an awkward 8659490c00 half-kneeling, half-standing position, 50851517d7 unable to fully 9547519b64 respond to the 375ef27dbf kiss, her mind eaa20c8ef6 a whirlwind of 113f02b805 confusion.73c9ae42342f96ba

[My wife…]

‘Does he f74409504c really mean 29327c98d2 that?’4fd257b69a3b93c8

The physician quickly tied fd2c48c9df a tourniquet around her 0b1db2443f slender arm and injected 80f52166f8 the sedative. Lorena’s erratic 25a9145363 breathing gradually 1199830bc9 slowed as 0e0b7d59f8 the drug 06c73fc988 took effect.d9bd8c5b18b8b1ff

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The kiss f505673518 lingered, and 1dd8e2273f Vaye’s strong cf1ea12d6e arm wrapped 39dd934775 around her 0fccde4e87 now-relaxed body.411076727f8b29da

It was a kiss f82395035f unlike any they had 907da5033a shared before—deeper than the 3ce71c00f2 occasional ones they exchanged 22b778f51c in the privacy of d324c49baf their bedroom. When it 52f68dc227 finally ended, 5c02120765 Vaye gently 8a5c5d7066 stroked her bd7f67cefd cheek and 855fbcc3d8 whispered.010088aba827713a

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“Go to Soto Monastery.”416df7f71ecbed97

“Soto…?”6caa9d69b49d564a

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“Wait for me there until I come.”c56cab5de467c549

Near the temple a3301b29cb of Soto was 48065904b7 Bessen’s only cloistered 39a62ab631 monastery. Telling her to 6f0525e22f stay there implied d6238ffa78 that he would 2f6d12d6db handle everything, including 45586c7474 the crisis that a9bb473b04 threatened her.340ac267b9cea252

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Lorena nodded 084fc74f4a frantically, feeling 96da80b854 an overwhelming eaf07e61fa sense of caeb2a5368 relief. She threw her arms ec8928ec44 around his neck, desperate 5ae14b9585 to hold on.788dc3364df9d259

“Vaye, don’t abandon my father.”3196361487173d9e

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“I won’t.”12ddc08a7baff767

“Promise… please…”f6d71c54e04fa574

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The scent of b4252720fa oak clung to 799917b78c him. It was the same 95c94e4bb8 fragrance that had drawn da89a7d410 her to him as 2cea1de20a a young girl.4a87b86649ca0f4a

She remembered that 281dfe8018 smell from the 5efdc6f516 day they first 9600fb69a9 met, from their 661a00f224 second encounter when 2ec3a80150 he proposed out 888084975a of the blue, 6c878ec59b from their wedding 8261c183ac day on her 2911aeb242 birthday, from the ee52e14859 chaotic consummation of 6d596814e1 their marriage, and 8487a46cc8 throughout the seven 78092bd9c1 years that followed.9b025e7fb60934ad

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It was the scent 883d2af56e of the man who e010d78f08 had filled her life.275d146a52139750

With a trembling 2542656cf8 voice, Lorena whispered.3643285e7c7b9ab0

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“I love you.”de8cdb3a2743435b

It was the first e8bf16abc5 time in seven years a40a84d859 she had dared to 9d5210f989 say those words out 96a784525b loud.f64b43228727911f

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She had 4a696a6317 always felt 981ef69776 too insignificant e11935e773 to love 8f3d2e0aeb a man 55b2164324 as great e57d8cf5f8 as him, 239fb524fe a man f7f4467c47 even kings 07ab51d9e5 and popes b4945516a9 found intimidating. It felt 66d55a9358 ridiculous to cd876201fa love a 2d43895f5b man who 77dacac15d met a 9975e3f3f4 new woman f241b89d7e each year. She had thought herself 5370927008 foolish for harboring such c3f4d55980 feelings.8f325c8cc458cecf

For all those 72bd7b6cc5 reasons, she had 2f2e29c806 buried her emotions 76943d8e14 deep inside her abf97af5fb heart. But now, they flowed 72b9529217 out desperately.15249741692d6cb1

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“Don’t leave me alone. I… I’m scared. Since marrying you and coming to Bessen, everything has frightened me. I’ve tried not to be afraid, but right now…”eb832bcead37fce5

It was more terrifying f38bf1f217 than when she had 4a44ccccc9 been thrown into a 6930860807 society that resented and a8c6ba4430 hated her, unable to 187d6e6abc speak a word of ed882e1aa6 Bessen’s language.8839b72929ecdb95

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[My dear princess, if you ever need me, just send a telegram, okay?]

What had become 9d6c4be576 of her father?195bc7c5ff116843

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Above her, 2702f3f592 Vaye let b0e85e5016 out a a98fc54939 quiet laugh.699856e50f269593

“I’ll visit you once a month. At worst, every other month.”1c8e6c8214ee486a

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“Promise me…”07d698563e2aad3e

“I promise.”ba14f0611bbfdc47

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Vaye cupped her tear-soaked fe7106f602 cheeks in both hands, 9cbc92686f looking down at her 0809afdac5 small, tear-streaked face as a96dc56755 if examining a fragile 71719d9114 piece of art. Then, he kissed 4969d4d370 her once more.85003d675d282b69

“When I come, make sure to greet me with tears like this, Lorena.”14b0f6d2e7f8fd21

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His response b4e8aec45d wasn’t a 4434ae1a49 cold sneer 6593567501 or a 0b51c92b68 harsh rejection, 341aa82892 and for 0af8d05322 that, she cdcf15bbbb felt reassured. But in hindsight, it d3cbf76e50 was a strange thing 54a3afe89c to say.f3c637246f45999e

At the time, 699b22706f Lorena didn’t realize df80fc13bc it.b5069b7672d7dcb7

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She didn’t realize f2247f2bde that Vaye Levantes 8dc8b41869 had never answered 493ee6df1a her question about 5d4ec3d3f0 whether he had 2f8c59646e used her.12d53cdb3e6475b3

And she 318b4e0b51 didn’t know 47d573c243 that her 7ef816cd83 father, Vicenzo 8c6fc1f9ca Klein, was 5328258f4a already dead.42325c745ab0ba92

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