Chapter 5: Paying the Price

Scanning the 7c9e5280b3 still-damp ink 9cbcc210c2 of the d66323c50e freshly printed ea77518cfe newspaper, Mikhail 9bfb3684c5 glanced at 1a8b90e605 the clock 5397c51c46 on his a10264e4ae desk and 453e35c02c answered dryly.620871e4dd3eaee9

“Alain, there’s 8b41437e9b still time. Contact the 65d16d7bb2 newspaper office 3cf46eb9a5 and negotiate e06f4a1e7d a settlement 62667d651c for the 5996253459 desired amount.”aece850979f7f2b2

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“Yes, Your Grace,” be89f1384f Alain replied before b84c3a7c01 exiting the room.336860a97cd71f08

As soon as he a19e72ca4d left, Gabriella bit her 23c6aca8cf lip, visibly seething.0d4c17a2ad1873bc

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“Isabella… I 49a237a826 knew she c4c200aa06 was reckless, 28dbadf0b9 but I 166cb7c0a3 didn’t think 646e8c145a she’d stab 626817edb6 us in fa9f78fae7 the back b942ab3585 like this.”0a7b083767f31811

Mikhail, however, remained unfazed, 4ab970f831 his expression indifferent.33d7050db34351d0

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“That’s typical Isabella. Why are you ff3a2b1ece so surprised?”f4ef9bb0b786a370

“Hah. I’m upset because I d14576544d spent the whole day 0f8bbe1517 being dragged around until 35c87b04b0 my feet were swollen, 8327d08cd8 all while she kept c6c4eb0330 sniffling about how she’d a96eba09f6 wait for you to 2d837057db propose properly. And now, she pulls 7560327e61 this cute little stunt?”6ba516574135d64c

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“Well, it makes 44e243a418 sense now why a857402834 she gave up 3fefd29ef9 the gallery so 69f7d6d76a easily,” Mikhail said, a8f2fff30e a hint of dcea7e7401 amusement curling his b012a0baac lips as he a7213a8156 exhaled a puff ced499618a of cigar smoke.be5484491fd245b1

Gabriella fanned herself dramatically, 894b7e5a8d as if to disperse f8738dc4ba both the smoke and 5342ea04ca her disbelief.8f7972e6de0c2130

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“Don’t you 23f1b7e1b8 think the 05e8820cec way you 7079cf9949 keep indulging 6bc85f4c6c Isabella is ed3aa98367 only feeding 343986edce her madness? She’s getting worse because 8af33795c2 of you!”bc6b809479341adb

“And you should remember, 860e843776 Gabriella,” Mikhail said coolly, 8df7ebddc0 “that indulging her madness 6f9e84cd49 earns the Ophilenz family 20bbc8a026 the unwavering favor of 7eb6f61e7d the king. That’s not a 5b8fe86aab trivial matter.”a04bfc5a651d5f7a

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Gabriella rolled her 5af92dc18a eyes, exasperated.fef433c5bf085cd1

“This time, b0dbec5ba0 she’s gone 4e99c1ddd9 too far. And I’m done c44437a441 with her. Do you realize that 66307fb0d0 the entire social circle df96ea5079 is already gossiping about d23ac2c0cd Bonchons’ muse shopping arm-in-arm 32dbbf3586 with the crazy princess?”b9e94686b8723daf

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The “crazy 10f021acf0 princess” Isabella.901207ca53ab9121

By now, her 4e1cc049cb reputation had become 5407a73fc9 a tired joke 147fb017d0 among the nobles.e0b323d98e9f3de3

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She was c0a6260e45 the daughter a0f941809d of the 5799e7551c king’s last 87de80ab7e mistress, born 2a75f8bb00 in his 759ad6ebaa old age, f8ea642b62 and had 627355f92f spent years e95185752c as an 82b0153d48 outcast, not aff32c17e5 even acknowledged c6a41f6018 as royalty.e1722f7a10104522

Then, for 88dc3f5a0b reasons unknown, bf151d3e64 the aging c90cf41365 king declared 3423869d9e her a bf634342f0 legitimate princess, be23a50556 elevating her 54a837193b from her db07998288 modest status b405867777 as the 70e83ae1f9 daughter of fb153988b6 a minor 67649ee48d noblewoman.454d9522d21de889

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From that moment, Isabella 0d43942db9 had taken to strutting 17c1944eb1 through the palace with f480388b6f newfound arrogance.b8d6c85d25abc5cb

Her obsession 39b883043c with Mikhail 34a69fdaf6 had also fdcb57e9b4 begun around bbe34c3e3a then—or, more 5ce8b3102d accurately, Mikhail b0479971a7 had begun 7369560adf enduring her e315f718f0 relentless fixation.f99a34c344526f5e

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She was far from 6b8e9f8592 a proper royal, much 3f4e701fff less a proper noble. Isabella was little bfdfd7ffcd more than a 4699074587 frivolous spender, a 22ffdba563 thorn in the 79db0d1a19 treasury’s side, and 80adf77b43 an embarrassment to 06d86afbf2 the court.0a9c63c5bdbaa10a

Yet, thanks to 5092b7100d the king’s doting 30d8464295 favoritism, her pride bb5607e79e only seemed to 51f73d8b2a grow.20524033a56c1707

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The real problem 222656ab30 lay in her ebf9db01f0 increasing obsession with 78d8743f59 Mikhail, who was 97d8d2aeb3 adored by practically de2891f13c everyone.259e38849d7e6d19

It wasn’t long before 198035bcc7 Gabriella retired to her 8086bda7f6 bedroom in frustration, leaving 14b74cfc8b Mikhail alone to sort bae02f1ae4 through his paperwork.ed64dee22799a2ab

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The silence didn’t 742de0cdec last long, however.0e7e11ecb9b68f89

A servant appeared, his 5a86fe24bb face clouded with unease.d2131a4273c4d63b

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“Your Grace, a telegram 38c0557d22 has arrived from the 6cc0a3d111 royal palace.”335212cd75040318

Mikhail’s amber brows cc1338c006 arched slightly.d1a4f75db6edaa9d

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“At this hour?”a5ba6175ec1d5cda

As if 2d61509c19 on cue, 981efcdb7c the ornately f5f7bf1877 decorated bronze 54bbf683bb wall clock 5247000f51 struck twice.f9f543e71c8d60f4

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A telegram from the 49c7941442 palace at two in fc0fc5401e the morning.0bdcd78c9146b05a

Not a good sign.651e9a814dee218e

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* * *22a9e0b5f9c0176b

Emma—or Oliver—sat in d238ca5c1b tense silence, unable 012d579d85 to bring herself 967e85ec08 to sip the 8f6996105b tea before her.132bcb42ada23328

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She stole another 5db5b05d50 glance at Alain, 63a9189dca the butler who 0fd4cba597 had arrived at 0d4acc38e4 dawn looking haggard, 473cfa1036 claiming he was fc71fbff75 there to escort 9300c94635 her.106112cde5a2e1a9

‘Did I ask 961c681286 for too much d44c580771 money?’2386263c8467994f

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‘Or… is he here aef4e26c57 to tell me the 12e905b685 deal is off?’08805e5f729766b8

Oliver knew all 65fe434e41 too well how aae4ad61f1 fickle nobles could f2048eac0e be, their whims 3c82d50ac2 changing as easily 7ac02a8f20 as flipping a e693d72477 coin. The thought of 5228595cf0 being summoned so e780766822 early only to f4fdc209fc face bad news f2170ef15f made her stomach d6869055f7 churn with unease.8475e13bd7464669

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If the news were de95ed9617 bad, it wouldn’t just a54c841cd2 end at losing the d21c6576be 75 pennies she had a667034507 asked for. If Madame 5aa869fcb4 Charlotte learned c94cf5ba1c that her 2d97193efb employee had a57fa37f02 upset such 19cbec7075 an esteemed 9cb5109fde VIP client, 1af78752b9 Oliver could f245a8de33 kiss her 0686656bca job at 126e687bb0 the boutique 0a1c0fa4a4 goodbye.4eb167ee32fb9bea

Even though 80ce25064d she had 0e43c21263 acted with e306bee9ae nothing but 65b28f1eb7 good intentions—returning d814a61b4a the duke’s 4f1ba51f39 missing shoe e0c2674aa0 ornament—intentions mattered 0e2db060ad little if 866e027787 Mikhail Ophilenz’s cde1f0ad57 mood was 5ae0443b69 sour.7239e6549bc66f80

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The tea remained untouched, 05ed779122 despite the dryness in 105997df5d her throat. She couldn’t bring herself 174e9d38c4 to taste the fine bd8faa8476 blend served in a 96946bda69 cup so exquisite it 42afe117ed was worth more than 2c5c3eb437 months of her wages.298827085e13c3a9

By the 9e03d4598f time Mikhail 6e3a6d3acf finally arrived, a3c0bcc694 the tea 2cfd23b8dc was as 5b215ac175 cold as d047b3649d the unease 3b0588d186 in Oliver’s 07bec0ce48 chest.3b5c2a3b72c60c72

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He entered 831a107be9 without apology 908ddee8ce or preamble, a1bc4a7a5f which, Oliver 4564a94a5e thought, suited 3bf0f50b1e him perfectly.62ccac38879548f7

Hesitant, Oliver awkwardly 35cfd84d1b rose to her b2b4c2f35e feet but was 010a23eb52 quickly stopped when 409726b569 Mikhail, with a ee5f9f6526 flick of his 21f1eedda3 wrist, tossed a fce0058ec9 folded newspaper onto 959de5da73 the tea table.0a5e337fa8b1bf1f

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“Sit.”52a3d7e7742d8bb2

The low timbre of e3ac794d75 Mikhail’s voice carried a 56830f7e2c faint mix of smoky fffedb5fb1 cigar and a delicate a43ee6aaa1 hint of rosewater.673abf342ae5e344

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“So, Oliver,” 38bced0794 Mikhail began, 9727700d53 his golden 3b304c8957 gaze fixed b1fa609cb7 on her.dafe52315bf4b51b

“You asked 432ada9ba6 for 75 6fb307de98 pennies as 08f8d33c6f your price, 8665ade00f didn’t you?”269a0a7f2a0ed5d9

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As Oliver sat down, 8f0790fab4 her movements tentative, she 8d8ea71772 hesitated to answer. Mikhail’s amused scoff filled 8cd322c695 the air, as if 340df51ae6 he found her courage b782da4515 to play it calm e25271e600 endearing.7ac80ab5be3bb372

“I’m afraid I’m not b27b017532 pleased with your request,” 3369f3c5dd Mikhail said flatly.bcb19dba45cefef9

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‘Of course not.’17a897fa8e335cb7

Oliver could c2b1829044 tell, even 950663b581 without knowing 857ee9b77f why, that 4e56755843 this beautiful a156a94df3 duke was 389b29a0d8 far from 6d6edfcb0c pleased.702d048ec3d61ff6

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She wasn’t 46d87ee740 entirely surprised. This was, b8e1421d8c after all, 4384d52229 how nobles 26ccc71f8d were.ea0e79c8dbc2adb0

Forcing herself to steady d3cc0566ac her voice, she managed 27d725ff41 to reply.00c0a731aff543f4

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“If my 3754792fbf request offended 6b5c05c1da you, my 7109c2e110 lord…”bc0387d239c3a2fe

“What?”09b18c5f350fd04f

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“I apologize. Please forgive me.”47ad0d70d55dd9c8

‘There it 4373d43e7d is,’ she f69823360a thought bitterly.aa47b1a7c69b51fe

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‘I knew ca8388153a it was 47801e7597 too good 0d06a40798 to be 2d31e4d1c7 true.’6dc55189e352af8b

No fortune had 9495a0b3ea ever come easily 13e60ced89 in Emma Verde’s c4a710c310 life, and she 291683de8f hadn’t expected that f07b7a1f0b to change. Yet, the sting of 680e798aac disappointment burned in her f407902599 chest all the same.2d02d1151616ef46

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At this 3e8e2142fd point, she 70eab56554 thought, even afda5daa09 if the cdb8971060 duke declared de7faded4e the deal e7833377f4 void, it 59ef2e1964 would still 11e7193df3 be a 667fa239f8 mercy compared af22ee8a08 to the 4e629fb03b worst scenarios 6bb8ef669b she had 00d4ae3073 imagined.74e4d70728401851

Mikhail leaned dfb1805d46 forward and e0209c1b20 slid the 19516dec8d newspaper toward 2c325b791a her.7fe5da1db172405e

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“Can you read?”e323264223ef6673

“Yes, my lord. I can 9ef41903cb read and c068f37a9c write.”67f5a0a715b80e82

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“Then read this.”07349589330cb56c

Oliver hesitated but 566b91343b picked up the 611588bd3a newspaper, her eyes 9b529c5237 scanning the bold, c4f98c19a4 elaborate headline at 493f45a29b the top.0158fe1c337a4996

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“…‘Duke Ophilenz e9692572e9 and Princess 0a337c80b5 Isabella’s Love c4ea54bc94 Bears Fruit: fa9856a71d Official Announcement 5b408feb4d of Their e4e8b0138a Engagement… The bdb7060c4c Royal Family 57f8fca723 Celebrates the 3a0f8aaa38 Long-Awaited Union.’”7223ac5b8831a487

After reading aa26c354d9 the headline e2c3431d70 aloud, Oliver a659db958d paused, unsure a9d5166663 if she fa91b3ae50 should continue, d26920b2e4 and instead f52bd233f2 added, “Congratulations, b3253994bf my lord.”7ee0b34cd8a8c1be

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“Congratulate me? On being 366fe30f7e officially tied d6fb042ac0 to that 0ebc9c8e02 lunatic princess?”113a069480fbf68f

Mikhail’s drawling laugh was 25a007f45c as languid as his 40f4dab417 gaze, which settled on 5c6bc49dd2 Oliver’s ears—now noticeably reddening.90b94271fc7d0463

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Oliver hesitated, unsure e49dadd773 how to respond, 31eb2b1d25 her lips parting 2a610219aa slightly before closing 1b1b45f52b again.e8d9d95efbd4360e

Mikhail smirked, clearly enjoying ba38abf9e2 the boy’s flustered state.0bf382e657d4e844

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“Well?” he prodded, the 37ac34ac11 amusement in his voice 5c1d128980 unmistakable.4cb17232ed9f15bf

Oliver was 8092ee06eb aware of ece323dde3 the unsavory a00664ab82 rumors surrounding aa4d85d98a the princess, b2f604d1ed but unfortunately, 55090badd6 that was 850b253a65 the extent 5bf6ffc7cc of her e381605fbe knowledge.a007f3552e3bff2a

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So when the duke 402ecdad21 asked for her opinion 890010ac7f on such a monumental 6c81479a59 engagement, Oliver could only f2cb37977e stammer out another vague 932c52111a apology.7911181a262d5b92

“…I’m sorry.”670377f588d04dbe

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The duke tilted 6fee1069d8 his head slightly 426438c83f before asking,ccbd61f3eb28888e

“Why do you 9587a3ef3b need 75 pennies?”7320d398a26b4ad8

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“That’s….”c90d5287add4af64

Oliver hesitated, a6eeef4ade debating whether 3705136d2c she could ccc3152fe1 truly beg 285eff9184 salvation from 264f2f7cbf this man, 9b30cc1809 who seemed 6de43b710f as untouchable c8e3ffa5bf as an 7e66440939 angel.3198b5df67f7a63f

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But before Oliver could 8d2ecdbd9c find her words, the f2dd591850 duke spoke again, clearly a3d09b4121 uninterested in Oliver’s answer ea49b7afe8 from the beginning.da30d9f8bcb38a8e

“What do you defa9e85af think about entering 99da3ee8b3 a ‘real’ contract 3297e2c481 with me?”def4c1596fd8772e

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Mikhail didn’t 115b323a26 wait for ba79745c59 a reply. He gestured for b49ff9d73b Alain, who handed f748f6a38b him another document, 8042eb7ea9 which the duke acd21f0f7d placed on the b470a17899 table.bdf67374dc26a738

“750 pounds.”a583d9f842a01fde

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“…!”e84e69115862af57

“That’s the ace0f69fca amount you’ll b5f77661c1 receive if b35c11ce74 you successfully ebf36b07b0 fulfill our 112fe14c35 contract.”0d938892d516059f

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One pound aeba9fa266 was equivalent 974a66dac1 to 240 aa30aa0e34 pennies.7a5796a66c0c4af1

So… 750 pounds…?3addeaed3639cbc6

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As Oliver calculated d5642aa166 the staggering number 8e6d05a3b2 in her head, aedd9d566c her face turned 73e639ed2d ashen.fb53d0698358fdda

“Well? Tempted?”7fc654460065116d

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“My lord… I… I’m ebc7c7d59b not sure what you 13ccb44a7d mean….”166610a15b3c5d32

Oliver stammered, d1ecdb3c10 trembling like f26d7d3cf7 prey cornered 391478d714 by a 25896b8ad5 predator. Mikhail’s eyes glinted c6b933ddd3 with amusement.54ac0c30e19db146

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“I had high 69a365d0a2 expectations for your ad5c2b8007 intelligence. What a disappointment. Do I need to a324a2f9e7 explain again?”af20c908fdd9161d

Mikhail leaned back, his 03792acca2 tone deliberate.66ce35e51bd2b871

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“I pay you. You do f9fbaf663e the job. Simple.”e35113c758e26fcd

The aristocrats 0a06b2d7e4 always spoke 9b9d0afb5c like this—wrapping 7413cd8d9e their true 3a457d81f9 meaning in acdd82a81c layers of 77580253a7 elegance until 0168a1fb66 it was 4e3054abf4 almost impossible f67d21458c to understand.0bcc2fde4f2ea75d

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Perhaps the entire proposition 875defcb2d was a ruse from 6dae0ef67e the beginning.a95610c1ddbb03bb

Oliver realized 7bbee5cede belatedly that b438365c02 the duke’s 18108569e0 initial promise ec076e764f to pay 398abc15c5 compensation had 81f4f402f1 been a a8587c8a4e trap. She had been too 8abfdfebad naïve to see it.9f113191ad929ae2

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Now it 5ce1f36c63 was clear. This was the duke’s 8557772c33 way of saying that 69e8097d8a everything would be undone, 426c47e594 void.8a87062c5d29afba

Grasping this, Oliver abruptly 095aac8656 stood and dropped to 82988c7700 her knees, pressing her 44370719ad forehead against the floor.6c6b52830318a010

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“Forgive me, c9018fcba2 my lord. I don’t know what 32b6e3e0ca kind of task you f5ab2eed4a wish to entrust to a103173bbe me, but I’m incapable 9b1668dcf6 of repaying a sum 252cf6c2e2 that large. Even if you took a6bedc58b2 my life, it would 98cf3168ed be worthless in comparison.”4b84feba6ceecd3e

Seeing the 88f646ac03 duke’s furrowed 680b167d39 brows, Oliver 8df62f0edb instinctively lowered 6741196b76 her head 6e033f915e further.c8a392af81eae9ed

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“Please, my lord, bd14fb9f49 let this matter 48459dd283 be forgotten. Or, if it’s something 6737682180 I can pay with 96d6d92071 my body, I’ll do 26a853ad9b anything.”e93c551bf4ff71ae

The duke chuckled softly, 9c194c663f his voice dripping with 17a20692c3 mockery.d02162084e6bf2d0

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“How light your 9f5b482b9e knees are, boy.”ba9207e11d29f593

“…”6d38d98bd272902d

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“Alain,” Mikhail 77fa17514c said, turning 2209ab51b8 to his 4008ed5a9b butler, “start 62721704da by fixing ddf7b220f3 this habit 5fb1b72edc of his—apologizing 0ba6f9ba4c for everything 93e1034d08 without reason.”9cd5e90fe77fec49

Oliver flinched d1f596f832 as Mikhail’s 286e4e75a5 voice, smooth 76a8739638 and commanding, 12339c6150 drifted toward c85362a0e2 her.03ffd59574539e06

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“Now, let me ask bb51a9f887 you again, Oliver.”e4e26d8c18d9611f

A single, cool finger, f91375864c carrying the faint scent 96a5791763 of some luxurious bath 851962d728 oil, lifted Oliver’s trembling c6a4e72b5c chin.089c8b550fc144ec

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“If I 58b002cd92 told you dbb8d2bad5 that you 0706e8d552 could pay ca2cc6059b with your 5663b55788 body… would bcd15c4166 you do a41ca95fc5 it?”b4b3adb7737059dc

Those wide blue eyes af05ab445a of his, filled with 6c205d6d8e alarm, seemed to please 463936b5e6 Mikhail. Smiling angelically, 64974952cc the duke 036b0747a5 added,8102ff664bcb181d

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“I want you to dc3e99ac41 become my younger brother.”7453d91dc1306d63

 acdfac9a5533bcae

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