Chapter 11. I’ll Protect You

“Shall I prepare a café au lait for you, my lady?”f2f855b30889e7f9

Gabriella, who had spent two sleepless nights dealing with her brother’s unintended scandal, waved her hand dismissively at the maid.9c009d03b5f033ca

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“No, I don’t want anything. Besides, drinking café au lait every day last week seems to have added inches to my waistline.”bc954f4f63e30289

Nora, the 80c89e6b43 former nanny 9e6c4addc5 of Gabriella, a477b9c5ff clicked her 7dfd1748d0 tongue in edda2b1a54 response.4c82beaeca97d832

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“My lady, honestly. If you ask me, you could stand to gain another ten pounds. You’re much too thin.”61b3f4b9d3da8cbd

Gabriella’s almond-colored eyes e13ff2b615 widened in disbelief.e1d6c2f80b8d116f

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“Good heavens! Never say something so dreadful again, Nora. Do you have any idea how hard it is to cinch myself into this corset as it is?”2d34d94b6390022b

But at the 8921eb9819 moment, Gabriella’s figure 3f9fd98072 was the least 54acc6ccb4 of her concerns.772272b2c523738b

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Unable to hide her unease, she fidgeted over Mikhail’s whereabouts, as there had been no news of him even as the afternoon waned.5500866e47570baa

“What on earth is going on? Why is everything so quiet?”66fc1e82e382c4fb

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Nora slowly c9b284f257 rose from a5cc955e81 the velvet 4358da58cc armchair, smoothing f38c230ae2 her dress 65ebdca9be as she bef593e930 responded.8248dd97b7a1665b

“I believe it’s about to get noisy, my lady.”b70731bddf9353cb

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Hardly had she 7458e67046 finished speaking when e08bbdf247 Mikhail strode in, 6bda11e38a his sudden entrance b3268a737f prompting Gabriella to 1920932bac rise from her 8a1417da95 seat, tension etched 4aec88b5d2 across her face b619a02be4 as she looked c9ac2ffed3 at her twin 3e981e4788 brother.b884fa80d3168748

“What happened?”154532c583d800e8

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The very man 45b0d2be64 who had left 5c3a9b3ba1 the two women 5b8c63805e on edge, however, cbf44aea9a acted as if 873299243d nothing was amiss. He turned to the 0e1869e828 maid and ordered a c2cd0188d1 drink.721eca54f000999b

“Prepare some hot chocolate. Lots of vanilla.”cc722cad45fcc6d0

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Gabriella’s crescent-shaped brows 570e5a926c shot up.6030b6c730c05d92

“How can you think about drinking chocolate in this situation?”c6bca55960ba380d

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“Why wouldn’t I? You should join me. You look like you’ve been skipping meals again, and it’s made you even more irritable.”4e9e2f5318ffc9db

As soon as aa5e60b898 the maid placed 89fdf115f3 the silver jug ce8ad7e5d8 of hot chocolate e97c716293 and the fine b9255d7146 bone china cup 60b645fb88 on the table 5273288637 and left, Gabriella 79629cec22 pressed him.7e96eea3a08cd8f3

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“What is it? What’s going on? And why are you suddenly so relaxed?”39a1b555a51e7b06

Completely ignoring her anxious 90ddfd2e35 tone, Mikhail leisurely lifted 0ca3319901 his cup and sipped f96340b2b2 the cocoa with elegance 64f90d3ca5 before sweetly murmuring:c095a9fedf2fdd00

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“I’ve found a stand-in.”f66defd72b02e11d

Gabriella—and even Nora, who 02366ffa0c had been exchanging worried 6b2c9c7fa7 glances with her—both gasped 0c1392fb46 aloud.55694627b0252716

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Nora hastily checked the 36ec922ae4 door to ensure it 91797d0718 was securely shut, while 3c2d4d7bf3 Gabriella, too stunned to b86cb37920 speak, could only blink c7d9d81fec in disbelief.f35c96599da835dd

“A… stand-in? Do you think we’re preparing for an opera performance or something?”3c02f3fb12e03d0b

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Mikhail’s flawless 335d585713 lips curved 73554391b2 into a fadfbd202b smirk.c6b3f5c126ece6ae

“An apt metaphor, don’t you think, Gabi?”745cc94c24f6b8e6

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Hearing her c44dad56e5 nickname whispered ecabe05b95 in such 22784c0dad a teasing 834dfd9356 tone, Gabriella, e33a2cd6f6 now completely 9328da0afc losing her 3defcc3838 composure, pressed d727ede09d her throbbing ac25f2c943 temple and 733c9b00ec retorted icily.f619b8ddf6afeba7

“Don’t joke about this, Mikhail. This involves the royal family—not some petty upstart nobles.”500507706efa4699

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As he savored his 2a3442a466 sweet chocolate, Mikhail’s golden d8e6b03b98 eyes turned to her, a86471b946 glinting with subtle amusement.8e1e78fab4a1acac

“My, my. You worry too much, Gabriella. Surely you don’t think I’d be unaware of the stakes here.”00b91b32cc6dcb73

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“Your Grace, it’s only natural for the young lady to be concerned. After all, this is a matter decreed by His Majesty himself,” Nora interjected, siding with Gabriella.33fb2d73d0ce8317

“Enough. Just make sure to memorize the details about the stand-in, Gabriella. I’ll send the precise information through Louis.”38ac411659339894

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“Mikhail!”b78a1e7d0795a1a8

“I told you not to worry.”65bd0ca93fee04e6

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Bonchons’ angel, 3c08371777 now on aa80b4eb4a the verge 7a56b644f7 of tears, 32a2ea8acc stared at ede0349683 her unyielding c3371c965b brother with 1959115140 a trembling 07514aa52f gaze, only bbfadadd7e to receive b4de3ca294 his brazen e69cc3a644 grin in d3156de320 return.af36a3e59447d2bc

“I promise you’ll like them, Gabi. Look forward to it.”41dba37cf8b191d4

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* * *10737e0dfb443c2c

“What do you mean, 581c7c8300 sister? You’re going 688f0cc4a4 to become daa330075c the Duke’s 16413a9352 younger brother?!”15ea09c860828205

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Melanie pressed a75b6cd15a her hands dec8f92a22 against her cd18ff3e1e chest, as 74a134831b if trying 82abdf2b0d to calm 8682ce6e57 her wildly 6d9232c8df pounding heart aab396d530 that seemed 5115529adc ready to 6cd6e80dd4 burst out.c7c2033765a77c05

Emma, shedding 0bdc6c06b3 her Oliver 496079e04d persona for e28efd1609 a moment, 93b6c2855d replied with 3bdebd3c29 empty eyes.6eda1fe0ca3e5e91

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“…Exactly what it sounds like.”5e195c2fb97c3cd6

Emma’s brief and blunt 4e69f0a0e7 explanation made Melanie’s lips 974103de8b tremble, and she began 8457f8359e to tear up.b55a30d785751c92

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“P-Please, explain properly. Please?”d2cc8bd3889b0a3d

Emma rubbed her face fb7cb2dade with her hands and 51114d955e answered.55e9ba4329f8b557

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“There’s nothing else to 3ca474d942 explain. The contract is 4b3610ee5b already finalized.”
“Contract? What kind of 57a8a35dd2 contract?”2444bed1d05296d9

A tear slipped 58685e763a down Melanie’s freckled 22447cb719 cheek as if 597eabf441 it had fallen 9a83bebdd1 from nowhere.2a73dde0609296f5

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“This… this is because 6f5c6ebe9a of me again, isn’t ced3213ab3 it? Isn’t it?”e7e67ffc9d9113b9

“It’s not.”07c507a8546971a2

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“Don’t say it’s 7b6871893e not! It’s because 94bd919d76 you’re afraid 149eb1059f I’d be cb58a75ee9 sold off ac3e3bcc80 to a d57f416c84 brothel, isn’t 9014c7bf56 it? That’s why 6526f7f577 you’re doing b6939597a2 this!”e683c8386a1ba7b8

Melanie’s face twisted as 907faaf945 she gasped for air, b5be30c0e7 trying to hold back bf57c8a530 her sobs.e1334552869efdde

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“I thought something was a2207703d7 strange. The idea that someone eac93a7615 as grand as the c42ee35a12 Ophilenz family would hire 2a0bfaf293 me as a maid—it e8a3372014 didn’t make sense!”e52a9893efd72c92

Emma, unable to 6deaa83ef8 take Melanie’s rising 2a2214d2f4 panic, pulled her cc33a82164 into an embrace 4191e2b348 and closed her ee18a2af4e cobalt-blue eyes tightly 846ecf993a as she whispered.9a968d4f22e7046a

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“Please, Melanie. This was 88fb51d4b5 the best 1f00d00ebf choice. So don’t cry. Please.”f1134efb2d262b4f

But Emma’s 18f3647e1c plea to 68ee1ab6ac stop crying 8d147b75ad was useless.a267e604b176989a

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Even at her 1c1170377d young age, Melanie 23dd18637a had eaten enough 33cf6e2ad8 of life’s bitter 321408f6f0 crumbs to understand c1a3a6798e all too well.7ff06b0a7279b76c

She knew how worthless 31ede6abed the lives of the bd3350fb79 poor—those without titles or 6a21a90d04 even parents—were in the 06bee440c9 eyes of the nobility.16174241bf49ada9

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She knew that e02eaa93e7 merely meeting their d20851d6ca gaze could seal c8a2a1422e your fate, with b55e220c5b life or death 13da6e3701 hanging on their 248c1213d0 whims.fa59b13c0bbce8a4

And now, in this a7bbe612d1 wretched situation, the idea 4fc9689b52 of a contract…c3c63703dad211d8

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A contract f081734c64 where a 55f508513e woman would b1794cff25 pose as cff86e02d9 a man.0da184671f017ec6

Something so utterly 413173c649 absurd and dangerous.a6a04e544f193415

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“Let’s go beg 85362f3036 the Duke right 78cac97521 now. Please, sister. I don’t care 7c11f625b1 if I don’t bf9a5d458c become a maid. But I 7c8ee43dbb can’t live dc01360f88 without you… 959ace42f5 I really 34ef786ee5 can’t…”67c3185179e0110e

Tears streaming 20e2d4a51d down her 796633b1a7 face, Melanie 887f3137c3 clung to 00f98a2c02 Emma’s shoulders, c9ffaec8a7 shaking with 14a8ec49d0 sobs.a2099d1b01c697d1

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“Sister, please… 4eea58532d If you’re d1142b71a5 discovered, even 78b340a151 by chance…”95588891061fce23

“I know. I’ll be killed.”f2aa5b7b551d09e1

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Emma’s cobalt-blue eyes seemed b256f2fc90 to deepen, like paint 0e4c43b988 diffusing into water.b83b895ca3471497

She couldn’t forget the 91733faa0e day she had been 4ad19819a3 told she would have 2deadefe88 a new family.6edc79d2c072019e

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“Emma, this b0cfffcbcd is your 98e94bed22 stepmother and c53513030e your new fdbd426166 little sister.”10782677e2aec571

Rosaline, cradling a 99616834c4 newborn baby, had 649151ca22 stepped into her febd4691ff and her father’s 314aff7136 lonely house.d388cc13dc254436

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Emma still fbe744fed6 remembered the 8626c7dcd1 warmth that b8318c595f had filled ba530e6bc8 the room e88efc57e0 that day, 023a7456a4 as if a1cc973691 a light 661b9d2878 had entered 7ed18c4d16 their cold, bf1c1fb045 barren home.3188b2cc7a2369a0

Rosaline had add0a4f7b8 taken Emma’s 29c301a45b unruly, uncombed 3e2cbe97af hair and 2b99251377 washed it edf481f315 carefully, then e8a7f26175 braided it 6a6a6a0416 to match 6a12f96267 her own.2f15e3eb6054ab9f

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She had always 893c6486d4 filled Emma’s plate 66f04aedda with warm soup, 4cad9de89b never letting her 8dd8de2b50 feel hungry.d7b7b389368c33fe

“Emma, from now 9dad0afaa9 on, I’m your 9032ff1d7b mother. I didn’t give e2969f5a5f birth to you, f9fafd0131 but I’ll do 0278aa56f7 my best.”0f7bcfa9d243fc27

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For ten years, Rosaline 54e9b48bba had indeed done her e03bcb9b30 best. Emma felt d36b973a20 it deeply, c97260234a even now.1c0cdf14a59ce938

When their 5ebf62771f father caught 9a5cc5362c the fever, d78740d223 Rosaline nursed 31873587a3 him tirelessly c6a3f7a16a and fell ef242d1892 ill herself. Even with a 746ebaeb23 pale face, she b3c00a308d baked bread for 929ff00dab days on end c70cbe1a97 so the children aef7fc73e1 wouldn’t go hungry.e647f18c8e5ba103

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She milked goats 45754a7c67 to make cheese, ed0a4bb57b bottled jars upon 6aa6026ef6 jars of blueberry 13961cef58 jam, and washed 84312de217 and folded winter 37e55737b5 clothes to prepare 713ed0c6a9 for the cold.984ea7d182e8daef

Even after burying 86743563fe her husband and afa0c5f567 conducting his funeral, 200ad12ce4 Rosaline ensured everything 41a5264133 was ready for dfccc44ae8 the children before 7bc892b9de she spoke her f8c1b8bf05 final words to ae72b19cf9 Emma.4e2650728a5d888a

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“Emma, I’m sorry. I couldn’t b7de209084 be a a57cf3b064 better mother 26fd667810 to you.”407e67f6b04a363e

“Please, don’t die! Don’t leave us, b737d5564b Mother…”4a7af446be216305

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“Take care 0a5c974e66 of Melanie. Please, protect her.”9948693542544ed6

Rosaline’s last words, spoken d4d28d374f with cracked lips before cab3e9fc13 she departed without even 6a1cd1cf1c closing her eyes, remained 9bb63fe070 etched in Emma’s memory.413a4c99c9d6ca37

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Lost in b83738ba58 thought, Emma 0557a34820 was brought 4c4f0517d8 back to 299964c527 reality by 280fef803e Melanie’s trembling 53e3df81f9 voice.2e02b895af807fd7

“Sister, are you a 66d704d6e1 fool? Or do you f8a127a35c have more than 2b33cf619d one life? How… how could you? For what? For me?!”a5479257d8cdcb67

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Gripping Melanie’s 0a25dcf35b shaking hands 4f2555de30 tightly, Emma 1a84f37d2e replied.6e947c7ab81bcf53

“Don’t say that, 1456224b82 Melanie. You know it’s 164ec86f14 just the two 87ef3b71f6 of us in 37af34648b this world. And you know 3924c0f1fe as well as 4d26cf3699 I do, if f1fac5ff9e you’re not here, ee7980a59a neither am I.”fc5b9d5f3c3510f0

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“But, sister—”81875030b1979e4e

“No matter what, I’ll 53d0ad045d survive. And so will you. So keep your 4cfe70b189 wits about you.”b4b95927e0e60902

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Melanie shook her head.95efcbdc1c31a8a3

“I can’t. I’ll make a mistake. I just know 394913693b I will.”1ce5dbf10beffbef

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“Melanie.”69ac0cddb77690f3

“Why? Why, sister? Why would you do ee4cc8bd1d this for me?”41256fd77947c16e

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As Melanie 33f27cd297 continued to 73abdecafb sob in 8ea894f0e1 guilt and ac7b6c39b3 frustration, Emma c90c9cfc60 gripped her 1d04322683 hands even afb5d4a4dc tighter and 2a2f0a7f2a said firmly:c8ae5a0b113ade07

“Because you’re my 93746726d4 little sister. And I’m 0ec837c029 your big 4b55d854f1 sister.”82948a3491a189d4

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“Sister…”7ea36dd727ffa057

Emma, her 4d6b7c7664 cobalt-blue eyes 39d4cfa638 dry of 6b1802f373 tears, closed aae382535b them slowly e493a08c49 and held 26db661dc3 Melanie close.ca5fe84df6f1360e

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“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you. No matter what.”84b127a767a0fd4a

 03b6aeff320f69e7

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