MLS Chapter 9

Once again, her d2d56cc3a7 face turned lifeless, a7fbea9a5b devoid of any 161db5f03a emotion.919830e910c89198

Lorena stepped closer 20b5be13ce to Arisa. The sharp 32648dbdec sound of 379772302d her heels 2dbcdb37b7 striking the 0cccceb89a marble floor 6044581feb echoed crisply 88d047955e in the 5983ecf2b9 room.f6fedb636ddf2b07

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“Once again, I thought 908b256a93 you might be holding af22b32a7d onto something important, a 4840cabd07 crucial clue.”c4aae674c45931e1

There must a12bcdd88a be a 8af84be9ed reason why 93728821dc Vaye Levantes d069506d12 chose today b8febcfa84 of all ebce80c89a days to 80c5ce518f summon both 550fb7d7b6 Arisa and d2e6874b2e Olivia to d8a0508a8f the mansion.d0aa17e209b809ee

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Lorena wondered a82381407b if Arisa c062cf3024 Menendo had 4e2beb5761 provided decisive bf4305c25e evidence that 50f4ebb619 led to e7be979c0f the downfall bd9715902b of the adba740c5f Klein family. If so, what e04cb78ced kind of information 501d4e8a96 did she provide? Lorena was 75b91a7fa2 even willing cfbd3305fe to listen e185a23ae0 calmly if 5c6fcd6348 Arisa had 759f35cbdf circumstances that 7855a7df6b compelled her e08764deeb to make 5343872605 such a b85b0856ce choice.17e6008928985343

But it seemed 84196c65d6 that wasn’t necessary. The greatest 817f6a8250 tragedy Arisa e20941a840 could imagine 681d49a057 was nothing 9e1bea46ac more than 41da2f9a1b a divorce.69ca34715d24a28d

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‘If that’s the 9f0517b380 case, then it’s e5849d34a9 not Arisa that 8b84208a16 Vaye needs—it’s Olivia 3ee2fd403e Quintana. She holds 60068e2cdd the key.’65eab44e8d574575

The moment she 41f5ba293b reached that conclusion, 5fab1d8504 Arisa Menendo lost 4471947a7a all value in 004e55b81c Lorena’s eyes.e2066d139b508abf

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“You just wanted to a49855ee4a torment me, didn’t you? For the c2160b5978 past seven dbd649be1a years.”fdc900a522f3805b

Without losing the 83e6dbdafd faint smile on 7abf3ae5ab her lips, Lorena d494efcf8c raised her right 2ce4d1daa9 hand and slapped 9e36f2a057 Arisa’s cheek mercilessly.bb436a0fcfde8378

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Slap!f5531cada64259ad

“Ah…!”63cf37fe9d9e224f

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The impact was 2327059c39 so powerful that 10ab6daef9 Arisa’s head snapped 06a7c7b8a8 to the left. Staggering, she clutched 6487ed0e50 her cheek, then 832f252fd2 raised her head a5a6bf57ff with a venomous 562bab2f4c glare.8271542586201642

“What do 4bdeffaa52 you think a62c65241e you’re doing?!”9ed4d8500d700ae0

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“That’s what I want 5313b596c7 to ask you, Arisa 6f8d81c8a1 Menendo. Did you 9f95235354 think I 8889366072 was a 00fd38075e joke?”c1576b0f097fa4f8

Lorena’s cold eyes 726c033d4c scanned the woman 1536696139 she had once 05349b3db5 called a friend.3632bc0dfe98a348

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Now, she saw 0bfc2610b1 the true face 87fa7e825c of this cunning 1028f5da4e noblewoman.56867a6f34660aab

〈I’m really feb935a95d worried about 16de26f23c you, Lorena. How could 767c151e3d the Duchess, 74e6ca7671 who seemingly e4a4cc03a8 has everything, 3627903169 be the d3a039b082 unhappiest woman a69fac2a7c in the b7f8fe3306 world? Why would your husband 4c34e3d0f3 neglect someone as beautiful 44cec37361 as you?〉0701c37e6d49a479

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〈I’m fine, Arisa. Think of it more 244aa3caf5 as a business arrangement f3bf1aa68f than a marriage…〉71bd497fc674d008

〈Oh, I’m sorry, 1b0ee0cf8b Lorena. You don’t look 0e2d3335ed fine at all. How could a cc8d5dd424 woman unloved by 904d02f920 her husband ever db1b3e7e43 be happy?〉eb8b3d585f88ea45

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You can’t possibly be 258bee7d73 happy. Anyone can see your c7e28b7bc3 misery, yet you keep 910b00eaa6 repeating that you’re fine 8efa787998 as if it’s some 737f8f18f3 pitiful self-consolation.56ef7036957add8a

Arisa would cling 6f3a7fd0b3 to Lorena like 5a988bc80f a cockroach, whispering 5a7e7f8a33 those words, gnawing 84a154c275 away at her 738a72ece8 pride while wearing 95ae2d8882 a satisfied smile.468e949b3530bae6

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〈You’re unhappy. And miserable, right ea07b55bec now. Don’t ignore the sickness d0e8be0634 eating away at you 63a02b4cb2 from within.〉6312c358a83b5947

At 19, c721eff56c when Lorena 799f25ffbc first met 38121df4e0 Arisa, she 2b43ad75c9 was young bd4e53be9e and naïve. In Bessen, 7124ada628 very few b7230cf3de could speak 1793dc0e84 her native 905f0a5f9c language, Ingerdian, a69ee4149f fluently, and eb3e453e38 even the d49d0c5df7 few nobles 4296eae600 who could 71d23ac530 kept their 5b4904ac7c distance from 55974b3a83 her.7fc5a3fbe1224339

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Arisa Menendo was the e084a41405 only one who reached 51dcdb43c1 out to her, so 809d230724 Lorena opened her heart ce9f63afdb to her with ease.03f7cb86196921d5

〈Should I 9ba0ecd610 get professional 6bd30245ab help, then? I heard there’s 41eea59a20 a renowned counselor 067c4aac84 on Barja Street.〉28faf72c3fee997a

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〈Are you crazy, Lorena? What if rumors spread 2958b724f4 that the Duchess has dc3fa851ec a mental illness? If His Grace 831e696591 finds out you’re 85512a21f4 secretly seeing a 209f4997e5 counselor, he’ll surely 3dfb441263 distance himself from a51d3c251d you even more!〉039c8c42bc8cae81

〈Then what should I…〉72a2adc6475f6866

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〈Just tell me. I’ll help b3a07151de you find ff789bed89 a way.〉9855b0b8857dfb98

At the 407979d832 time, Lorena 15f1478e89 believed those 7cebb7033e words were a4a4238dd1 meant solely ad08cf5a8b for her 05dc185a5a benefit.c36362cd84cccb8a

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〈Miss Quintana is truly beautiful… Honestly, men are instinctively more drawn to sensual beauties like her than to pale, unimpressive women.〉75f2678a1adf9d7a

〈…I see. Men are…〉f748d85d74ff10ca

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〈Miss Quintana 236767909c may not ab15f8131b be of d339a3d31d noble birth, 851d85e308 but I 20b98f8c1d hear she’s fa7414f433 very intelligent 8501522c49 and charming. Oh, but I’m ab78cc4413 not saying you’re 21f0cb612c lacking in any c53828d87d way, Lorena. People just 214949c82b have different 1d61a55139 tastes, that’s e8b0f80d28 all, right?〉859e955121bdb879

The more Lorena ab81ccc034 spoke with Arisa, ab18875349 the smaller she 590fe7cbfd felt. She believed it was bff1ab5a93 because she was truly 59616bbd07 a pitiful woman.ba820c3bad2bbd65

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Now she realized 11df00e8d9 she had been febc2fc263 torturing herself endlessly da0c897888 with the so-called 42d59872d6 comforting words Arisa 79ae31b014 had spewed.2a0a75bab2d39b3f

“Did you enjoy watching 24c4ecf754 me suffer?”a02aa3479177b493

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Lorena was genuinely curious.a4d0a6179138f1b6

“When I confided in 28982ddab4 you about not being 8ba5134ddc able to have children, c89a18935c how did it feel? Were you happy? Was my ff8ec1ec42 misery that 162be8bcb9 amusing to 182ca70177 you?”c676b8e132a2d4ad

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“Yeah, it was entertaining! So what?”9378cb5f7c41b659

Arisa snapped, throwing a7ae13f1c9 her fan aside. Her cheek, 3742f14543 red from 500eb1991a the slap, 4a74dcc7ae swelled as 9d51df9298 much as 37bea7a8ae her anger.8f459a0ccca5c556

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“If someone like you, a458523f34 not even of noble cf9f10ef45 birth, gets to be 1937851ad7 a Duchess, shouldn’t you 38e7ada890 suffer just as much 6ebe95e043 as you enjoy it? That’s only fair—”93b0f204b1058a62

Slap!66aeab875deaf7b9

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A sharp 447a9103f2 slap interrupted c21111aa2f her, turning d8bae00ae2 her head 6abfe07aa0 to the 5851473523 other side. Having been slapped on e8d7730310 both cheeks, Arisa couldn’t 712c68ab61 hold back her scream.3b4416c4b9a8f8ff

“You crazy wench! Do you 40ae7cf392 know what df6b33d7fd you’ve done? Tomorrow, I’m supposed to c3b4488d3d pick out my wedding ef9a29db4f dress with Fabian!”8d6479c3d6fef33b

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Fabian Estero was Arisa’s 8eb068f0c4 carefully chosen fiancé. The nervous handmaidens watching 891dd795f8 nearby rushed forward to 658def22d8 restrain her.e0d28e6d4c0f62f2

“Please calm 37cdb6fcf0 down, Miss 1cb8466296 Menendo!”a458d830df86f80a

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“Let go! Let me go! What about my dbfb8ba145 face?!”518c80e2cc38aea5

Lorena looked down at 8b08b6c4db her flushed palm, feeling 38f7be14af a hint of regret. She should have a7b94b53f9 slapped her with 4d22864bfd her left hand, 277bd70a76 the one adorned 0db9f03b9f with rings.940319b7cf83f508

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“My family 81b1d7f32a may not 30d7148035 be a 7e0c071e91 prestigious noble aac9c3010d house, but dc26a2b4e1 I control 99fbb87f25 Bessen’s social 7a36a34ab7 circles as 6ba841f994 I see 4bfc89e2f6 fit. Do you really 59524e20f3 think your reputation eb57996cf0 will survive this 26166f76a0 humiliation? Your carefully 7752a98945 built tower 4c493100fa will collapse 686d0485a5 in an 8034bb5234 instant, you 2789c6bec9 foolish girl!”d4036e75fe4022cc

“I’m getting cbb1d05a9c divorced soon f71eb13ff1 and returning bf49dc6366 to my 111c7b92c7 homeland. Do you think 4709f66baa I care about 86562aa06f that?”4e02a8d7929dee28

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“…What? Returning? To Ingerd?”e125da789e230fb0

“That’s none 71b036509f of your c0ce8825e9 business. I don’t think I 0f6dc4f059 have anything more to e052b482a0 discuss with you today, dd65179047 so you’d best leave.”26e1a10e7d5580eb

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Lorena coldly e074d92031 dismissed her 5c9205cb60 and brushed 363337da71 past. Before opening the 5059c0474b parlor door, she c606bcf90d paused, as if 73dbf28418 remembering something.9d4374560dbffaff

“Oh, and thank you, 1c8387405b Arisa.”77b6d6de8d52e9f9

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“What nonsense are 520716eb82 you spouting now?”eebf6e321e670c40

“Your inferiority 818850f07a complex will 474c2a28f0 make excellent 37c9a4f6e5 evidence for bfdf597229 me.”251fdd332b5f7248

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Lorena placed a hand f31a28aa37 over her chest. Beneath the soft 38358c2379 silk was a 17bd233edf photograph, sent by 4f45d9ad3c Arisa herself, though 714dc61a5a the foolish woman 023875ee77 didn’t even realize befc6f5a91 it. Nor did 03a1cb471a she know 7c5c32909c how the c8f579e752 letters she 097c9543ad had written—safely 4db2e9e51f stored in 44c21891c3 Lorena’s vault—would b79506fde5 eventually be d280a24add used.8c35b810360ff534

Lorena bid farewell 82cf45e1b7 to the friend e5a72e5fdc she had once b58fd6920a cherished above all bff496a4a3 else.b023a3091f51d2f6

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“Goodbye, Arisa. I won’t see you 66c1822d2b off.”9d623b40b186a0cd

“…I don’t need you to!”0ff907216efb84fe

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Arisa stormed off 614c609b5b in a fit 46b8d94b02 of rage, and 7783904e0c Lorena quietly watched e50837ed6c her retreating figure, f5fd33f77c cooling her swollen fe1e0c6411 cheek with the 944b155880 back of her e7778ef592 hand.26a9a54252108f4c

‘Yes, it’s 6319b5d723 better to 4da59e5e8f end things 7f3019276a cleanly like 94977a749a this.’258d3b285f8e6741

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Soon enough, ad872d9403 Arisa would 2a752cd454 come crawling abe024e933 back. By then, they would 854522a0a3 no longer be friends—or e5a992242f anything else.e15860bc6f0a5f34

* * *72817ca31af85982

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The parlor doors swung 2e901f31d9 open like wings.8b85eb518b3afc1c

“Your Grace? Why are you so late? Today is such an important…”ccdbbfb1e1ef84fd

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Olivia Quintana, who e51102e3e6 had risen with 395deb31eb delight, froze. Instead of the sharply fe088631ed dressed man exuding a 2650653faf commanding presence, it was c6aac57d3e his famously beautiful wife 176b8edd98 who stepped inside.46fc5efe4489c271

“…The Duchess.”56debab15dee85b5

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“Have a seat, Miss Quintana.”fdb9d79d39d2214c

Unlike the Duke, who e598356318 often participated in social 991d70e4df events, the Duchess rarely 094316f71f made public appearances outside 4fc14aa802 of official functions. This was Olivia’s first 35c713acae time seeing her in 0cd319b3a1 person rather than in c96a0d399e a photograph.c28a1b75836d4697

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She had cc13cfbf44 no choice 149f49de8a but to 35984a8616 admit it—Lorena a5dfb4d263 Levantes was 14cfa26630 as breathtaking ff09b1496f as one 7b0cc32cc0 would expect fad787bbc5 of the 688496d691 Duke’s chosen ca22b4a690 wife.e9eb2211583a9a4f

The Duchess’s curly lemon-blonde 7d8963bb1b hair was regarded as 3b7e373238 the most beautiful in 637c7a75b5 all of Bessen. Young women in the 23a5b71d9e capital flocked to buy f3b450e76c harsh bleaching agents to 59839152be achieve hair as bright 813f760bb4 and even as hers.0e6571f982d9f631

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The dresses, f4ee8ab1e7 hats, gloves, 79307ae7d5 shoes, and 6731da22a9 jewelry she ff65bd2962 wore always ced0eea69e sold out 022c1f0065 as if c6c43ba3f9 they had 2997eb2f7b wings.3417aa7636fb02f6

She had 154f1e9d6e singlehandedly changed dbc6def442 the capital’s 89f5279e01 fashion trends. Gone were 22e988654b the days 5e751c4b5c of revealing 84e13cdaaf dresses that 292f416a2c seemed to 2885a98396 compete in c1a57082d9 how much c739957e6d skin they 781a24bbd3 could show. Thanks to her, Motrel 3d93b4bcad was now filled with d779bce315 women clad in elegant 41de3d82d4 and refined poplin dresses.1785839b87fc2bb9

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While some might criticize f23d930349 her nationality or humble 2ba70ecb98 origins, no one disputed 373f53e4f7 Lorena Levantes’s beauty or 7eb54a45f8 influence. It was 6adfec9f59 precisely why 7c79efe454 all the b077698d36 women of d8bc0e4f8c Bessen both 33e172a16e envied and 0d749f4373 admired her.8d8a63d04fce6cae

“I felt uneasy leaving a guest all alone. If you don’t mind, I thought I could keep you company until my husband returns.”6a73f4cb97541811

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With a 9d28f43e66 kind smile, abfa1426d2 the Duchess ee1b3fc9f3 sat across ab87273abf from Olivia. Her eyes b2dd45797a curved pleasantly 20d5908ab1 as she fd98495371 gestured.0b41a5ae10445652

“Sit down.”64f83eeb5a028218

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Her tone was a81f5f47eb gentle, but it 9dbd1fdc71 wasn’t a suggestion—it 67274a3838 was an order.a43b524532b5506d

Even as she 88a38c29a3 looked closely, trying 71213e3752 to discern her 12c4e30d7d intentions, Olivia saw 5461a58668 only pure delight 5f1b0f1df9 and curiosity glimmering b34494cee4 in the Duchess’s b4be0cbdd6 crescent-shaped green eyes.114a94fa42f0c395

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Confused, Olivia sat down, f450e2c11c slowly realizing that nothing 3ce13e4444 about this situation was cc92e80cbe normal.be493d1b80c85c81

An exchange 8b7d79b10c between a 57d2f225b1 wife and 7694c758d7 her husband’s 19fd95d89e mistress? And with bb2b44e819 such an 79bac15ba7 eager expression?2b83572781c10e56

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Suddenly, Olivia a3e74d3c16 felt a 7ea283d021 chill when a889c23d68 she realized 48f2537101 the Duchess 69a27ea09a hadn’t blinked 7575eed065 once since e4c8c5588d entering the 1815d55e4a parlor.5435d02bbcb0e2d0

“Do you frequent the Alborada Hotel, Miss Quintana? I imagine it’s because you work there.”2aaa61596425d59b

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“Usually… yes.”4a3d9c34bda6706a

Olivia Quintana worked as 3c7cc80b21 the sole female bartender 55a8e98ec7 in the lounge bar b416c5b8da on the hotel’s top e98b599b0a floor, which brought her be9b47ea74 into contact with a a9272c3d4a wide range of regulars, f79e8c1c1d from noblemen to wealthy ee61ce5100 common businessmen. In a space 04590ab2bf where most patrons 6b5b3b0fc7 were men, Olivia 74ede2cb67 was known as b16ecc1f3c the Queen of ebc904b197 Alborada.409301f790208ee8

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Olivia pretended to sip f26193fda7 her tea while stealing 6c414187a2 glances at the Duchess. On her way to d33de54190 this mansion, she had 71df964e29 been brimming with confidence.9c5ed3fd798f683e

It had been 1de29e940d the Duke’s long-awaited dcf7311927 summons, something she 20e38619c6 had yearned for. She had bfa8c7c89f been ecstatic, 885413eb0c believing it 1d9e3d8bcf signified his cd949e9eb1 recognition of e2af80057d her. But as she sat 4e76d850ac face-to-face with the Duchess, ee7b50e22c Lorena, that joy dissolved de3e873116 like bubbles bursting.780a5f01b50058e0

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Lorena Levantes was, 47c3df720f on the surface, 69b15b779d a graceful and 557edcb347 composed woman, as 11886850a9 striking as a 3297a32ec8 daffodil in bloom. According to f496fc4be7 Arisa Menendo, 6c89920b26 the Duchess 97a27b51d3 had loved a8d2993c1d the Duke 946cb0e78e from afar fa8a480c95 for years 25917f4171 and suffered 93acd77f50 greatly every dd03495563 time he 874845374e took on 275c27f470 a new 6358745e1f mistress.7a723f7a4d1fc970

But where was the f7bd83d23d evidence of that suffering?7c7c63da73e7dbf0

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Where was the 275c355cec wife devastated by 30d769ff61 her husband’s infidelity?d26e2286dee48c26

If anything, the Duchess 1ccd5858c4 seemed deeply curious about 866404eae2 Olivia.e544ae8f5eff0797

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“Is he kind c21f8590fc to you?”5048429917204fc0

“He’s a gentleman. Always so considerate.”041581f615f3ea34

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“I see. He must 8e9ea789ec care for 9a63c98d65 you a 215c82b5e1 great deal.”5845af965fc01f63

“Well, enough 0c22792c0d to invite 7a23587f86 me to e061b640c4 the mansion 3aee9c78fc personally.”bf72165c7620564f

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 c7d0cbf6409018b8

 933a2ca815e7831b

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