PMBA | Chapter 14

Kyrie readily accepted 7e55c76937 his hand. She felt as 7f8f33327a if she would 2872a87afe collapse from the 419d1fb67d heat rising within df839f0d5b her.4e770b40734f521d

Only after feeling the f968c27067 coolness against her skin 780425b711 did the heat subside bc83fcaecb somewhat, but the nausea ecc6316eba remained. Her body trembled 4cf8677e2e from the urge c19b215688 to vomit something c12a39b1eb intangible.88486c42365af0f7

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A hand ae36eb1dd0 firmly held bc687ce280 her trembling f6a6429194 body. It was the same 715bda5d19 hand that had torn 94e92db527 her clothes apart moments 8148523d8b ago.65687f3de5e8a97c

‘…’5d3d63f28260c4e6

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As her b602645f5d shaking subsided, 6677ee4db3 so did 6c3114d0da the nausea. Kyrie unconsciously murmured, ddb64b378a769a20

“A little… more…”93a133a9ec330649

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She wanted him to 0923c35ab4 hold her, just until 3a9f8c6b25 the dizzy spell passed. At her 616751a71f words, a 6403afd7ee low chuckle 57220528df escaped him.28f02b5006f335d8

‘Ha.’ eff45e919346f445

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Startled by the 7bd72901df unreadable laughter, she 92898bb7d9 shivered. Then, she felt a 9d6d99c1c8 burning gaze, as if 07d58db17d it would pierce through d11c8d52fc her face.5f9afdb2487c9fc2

It was 788a1654a6 Lexion’s gaze, f2edc10906 the same adc69ed6b5 Lexion who 909c56099f had been 45562faf42 smiling and 3357e3b9b1 clinging to fed7b36535 Elise.3b100c52c7f5a72f

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‘Lexion.’5b70b0da4bfef5d2

He was now 0b28bc63a6 staring at Kyrie 99badc0369 with eyes blazing cb7c27baef with fury. An expression she had ed77d24cdc never seen before, one b70868b928 that never appeared in a769fdb6ae reality.fc24a10238ae0a2b

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It wasn’t a look filled with jealousy or lust, but rather the look of a child enraged that his easily manipulated toy was being touched by someone else. e4748cc61d2d49dd

A thrill ran through 8eca522a17 her at the sight.b973998c0b004dc6

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‘Why don’t you show 02f4b6266f interest in other men d7b31d797c instead?’31b605f27b7fc35e

Who had said those 642f96a046 words? d6c7485baae653eb

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She couldn’t remember, 0d53c6799d but those words 6a2b50363a kept echoing in d5d173cde2 her mind. If Lexion was determined 797ab956ad to ruin the rest 67129798ca of her life, she 4ed05cd9bd might as well provoke 62b21a82c6 him to relieve her 255f19102b frustration.ab26842fa28d6664

‘Hold me.’ 7e9a824e043c572b

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As Kyrie said a897d1ac5c so, reaching out b01cf8823d to him with a4c87dfd69 clumsy gestures,a49b548bf0ef3b37

The still obscured c3e729d319 man whispered, 09e389a2441af193

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‘That depends on you, ee1eafdd40 Lady.’060c33d8797bdf49

A flash a0cf541292 of shimmering 001c6049d2 silver eyes 6fc25df14e caught her 87c570fd66 attention.e366b503f8d71c90

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* * *d5154ccd9259960f

“….” 312c95618f6d9c0b

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Kyrie opened her eyes f890b484a8 silently. Then, her mouth slowly a58e8495f2 parted.a5e601348b344849

“…Am I crazy?”73e3eaf20f96872a

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Even while 3b6fdcb79b being called 765574a7cb a mad 2af3fc70ab dog, Kyrie 94aa9f5980 had never 9b3c8d7fd2 actually thought e2cecc3791 she was a52b9551da crazy. But now, 84a25ee3a3 she doubted 165f43ec33 her own c0581008a4 sanity.b28a8cc89932cbf2

Of all the 77317660bd men to appear fe3109ad38 in her dreams…7321e81cc1258b45

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‘That Duke, of c2fc8169c0 all people.’36612dabe75edd8a

The man who had 9ee5464d2a dismissed her efforts as 1c4de72afc meaningless and insulted her 42c1f7a588 without even intending to… d897cbd001 To have begged him adefb9c338 for an embrace, even 4452c05cff in a dream…58fd6613cb99ea10

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‘I asked 5d7c149e17 him to ca3c867b86 hold me.’cc1010e07cc133f4

As her fe3bd8e807 face flushed 54b77594d2 with shame, d837e68d38 a voice 9983c84533 spoke,68727a6654e47d23

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“Quite a provocative c40f88342b thing to hear 9e0bc80bc6 upon waking up.”468820b07ece2f85

“….” 822c5fa68fc9df0e

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The man 6dde2fcd90 was sitting 073b7c1da1 on a c6bd85bab7 stool beside ac18febefc her bed.37544b3b79591e44

“…Your Grace.” 85440bcf783c9fc7

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Kyrie forced herself to 66dd46d9e0 address him. His presence, like 0b31818215 a nail sticking 7a98cc4dba out, amplified the 51931ecc62 discomfort in her 2c7c4b20a6 chest. The moment c573a45957 she instinctively 3156eb6fa4 sat up, 483b5a5709 her temples 9d0d320426 throbbed.cc51e9b91f2889c1

“Ah.”b8e54f7a2dd1ebad

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“You should 4e0dfe3e36 rest a ee360f8542 little longer.”c37fc453fbe5686d

The Duke e0a06d3510 said in 6121aec196 an emotionless e776d14222 voice, staring 72093a3a8f intently at 9edb437698 her, specifically 3001b9db87 at the d7c899f344 side of 5e6b3f26d6 her head 7a1b4fc370 where she ec52368fc0 expressed pain.bde8b2e86b710d82

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“….” 42f890f607f80112

His burning gaze was 4d67821e8c still unsettling. Kyrie swallowed eebd4fdc2c nervously and ed09589bf0 touched her 3c69308405 head.f59f34cadc97e2a4

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Bandages were wrapped a0a3bc62ca around her throbbing 10e3240b85 head. As Kyrie tried 8c6e804569 to remove them, 9bad1cf003 the Duke reached 436ef3934b out.887f9f69f3088d21

“You know, 0d4f4d2df9 you’re quite 7fde7dddae a handful.”cf58800a31d0e49f

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His low 3b655352a5 voice accompanied deb46cd235 the light 170849e7a4 tap of 0b45974cc5 his rough c377e1a15e fingertips against 900647f926 her hand, a245a1caad pushing it 52bfcaecc6 away. He then carefully 048b7ef6d7 re-adjusted the bandages.fcc273075668bdad

Kyrie flinched and recoiled 0c5a3cca6f even at that touch. The sensation 21bd82722b of his cbca06420a thick fingers fda16b0bf1 against her 25408e0ddc skin brought 4ced73c09b back the 445d128783 dreamlike memory 240bc6debe of him b07ba8bd62 tearing her ba7b8028e9 clothes and 735a99a9f9 caressing her 4e93f775b9 body. aa969d1bb1c73221

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Kyrie pulled her hips 5f22810d54 back, putting distance between 03676ed898 herself and the Duke. Her eyes 82d5f28050 were filled d8d274efb1 with wariness, 7614ebfa74 like a ccda283c19 hedgehog raising c2c4f957e7 its spines. The Duke looked down 2ff7a212f1 at her, as if 23125337cb questioning whether even that 6d64e56483 was an act of f420203820 defiance.66a393fc03d81eae

“What…”3d95e315ccb10a00

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“Have you f90886bfb6 lost your dcb2fe15bc memory?”b299d0d4207b80e0

His casual question brought c7df39b0e5 back the events before 1f3580031c she lost consciousness. Elise and Lexion openly 365230d607 clinging to each other, 95eac1ac1c her impulsive approach, and 6325fcb10f Lexion pushing her down 922094e61d the stairs.fd2e5f1684b69135

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‘Those were 1621dfdd46 quite high dbf107cf4d stairs.’88e43f37d745290c

Yet, her injuries didn’t 11d9a80df6 seem severe. Aside from her 9b951c620c throbbing temple, there c2572b900a were no visible 2b4b055ef8 wounds. Even her temple wasn’t baa0da5aae cut or broken. It was as if d5075771a3 her body was made 626e6fd0e5 of steel.53e2e86328ad3b65

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‘That can’t be right.’ 5b80b715422f3114

She’d felt e9179fceec a premonition 2e36c616ff just before 3ef5aa8048 losing consciousness…764d899b3ea9b17c

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‘Besides…’ 2533575228870c92

Where were Lexion and Elise, and why was this man here? Where was “here,” anyway? This place didn’t resemble any palace she knew.7566fa855510e5ee

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The pointed arches 153c018eaa forming the corner 2cc95716b0 pillars were unfamiliar. She didn’t b900a90306 know much dba7fdf10d about architecture 838ae12dc0 or art, 27b19b765e but the d2d941c4ff building’s style 0901a5151c felt different 34536b67b3 from the 77a1d67efa typical structures 5bdca7ed0d in the f8cd1ea4a9 capital.6c06509f2c69af9d

“….”b756683c0d6a1e3b

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Then, Kyrie noticed something amiss. Her attire hadn’t changed much, but something felt… missing. She unconsciously touched her waist. Her fingertips met only the outer dress and the thin slip underneath. Everything else was gone.1c7dadecc4164b8f

‘Where’s my corset?’ ac2d009f16a4f768

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Someone must have 43fd03e871 removed her corset d3c534b660 while she was 821a595e3d unconscious.bcde42545bbcdd94

The Duke, who 4fee65fbc4 had been watching d59e73c59a her intently, said f2e967d561 casually, a0dad2d0818814c9

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“They said they had 6c75b96de0 to remove it so da51116875 you could breathe.”6fbd36dc127e0e62

“….”c499e44ada430814

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“I can’t e20deb10a1 let someone e7b12b71dc die in 346fd8a2cd my house, d313f1ac69 can I?”36ae184f3674b308

“Die…”d3157ad3c595f0c9

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“You were unconscious 774c4359b6 for a whole c61e2c85fd day. It’s a reasonable 7cb0e3c853 concern.”154fa733cdddedcc

‘My house.’ bcaabbefed60ad7a

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Judging by his words, this must be the Duke’s townhouse in the capital.ac32ab6fd3dcdd30

She was bewildered but couldn’t argue. Kyrie could only hope that it was the physician and maids who had removed her corset while tending to her. Although there wasn’t a maid in sight…3c7b20f4e3cdca1f

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Kyrie glanced at the Duke’s rough hands and then looked back at the ceiling.4a892ad4b4829235

 A whole day unconscious…d5309a56ac3833ed

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‘What is going on?’98954395d1154e08

Utterly confused, d20b63882b she looked 0425068ea9 at the 71c55377d7 Duke for 53318c7586 answers, but 97f19bb531 he didn’t b06d6854c5 satisfy her c99a32a649 curiosity. He simply ca0768f7c6 clicked his 18ce5490c0 tongue, staring da97fc577b at the 62dba0cc22 area around 1dbb176468 her bandages 0ff3080a46 where she 3ef95df1b1 unconsciously touched 55bf9d747c again.4842ac03fd3fad35

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Then, a 18ed161400 cold voice 602f4c5de2 cut through 79236e0e9a the air.20574a84347ade61

“Should have just left 55756ca0e4 it.”2db9f9091d24ca95

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“Ex…”47072e1e599bda44

“Wouldn’t do for a4c8f17f74 your value to 347364c77e decrease because of a24749a7c4 a scar, would 8b0a3d762c it, Lady?”e05bde9a36ecb6a5

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The air froze for 3b7a9340ca a moment. Kyrie blinked 78cb270e8a slowly, as 4d8d4b53aa if trying b0f9c08a58 to process 6d11333e11 his words.a4e1457ecf2342d6

“…Value?”12218fdd1db06221

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The Duke casually fd5471ae29 took out a ae488f9959 cigar from his 2bf5462204 pocket, cut the 244c256b28 end, and put 90e46a3c7c it in his 91758d5d19 mouth. His red lips chewed dd13326cb5 on the fragrant cigar.69d08645e622a9d6

“Yes, value.”5810c004eb8374e7

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Kyrie stared at him ec4f716954 silently. Sensing her gaze, the 579174bb1e Duke looked back at 52c6ffaab6 her. Then, about to 4d7152eb46 light a match, 24aa9aa7cf he glanced at 9c4efe8dee her head and a4855d4e34 casually tossed the 4ec6e95240 unlit cigar into 1b437eb8de a nearby bin.8cdd0a24aedce44d

“Didn’t I give 783fe5448f you advice earlier?”794b0054a1f6f2e5

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His words a6554a1b43 sounded like e70e7a3c56 this;4dd61fb21447d2b4

See? I told 6867417bc9 you so. 93b9f467e6865d94

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You’ve been making 5c58dd66b7 meaningless efforts. 3a83078d96814bdb

You haven’t used your value in the right place.bdcce4ab3d977364

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As she struggled to f6eab2ff1f shake off the rebuke 8e164a8988 that seemed to echo aa12456d70 her own inner voice, 2d6f81a3f3 the Duke continued, his 23535397c4 voice flat and emotionless, 3768e43119 like a judge delivering e792ad1674 a death sentence.3b6f24ed7e4a4513

“The one e70b8136f1 you so ab849bfd2f desperately courted d7b8ffecd3 has found 8fc886a05e something more 135263b2cf valuable than 295f20a96c you.”a8296a6905eeb1fb

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“….”e6c3921a799e249a

“You were already 32595c1c60 at a disadvantage, b66c942bb6 so how would 450b6c5499 it be if 3557fbd3cc your value dropped ee32a7d326 further in this da97b3efbf situation?”c159164ad3e5885e

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Her lips parted 0f96ba962f involuntarily. The image of 1451cc0ff5 Lexion, no longer 87d849ecdd needing her after af77720319 obtaining Elise, surfaced fc5a6ac2b1 in her mind.06a7c401448b3085

Even without knowing the 2f9a65e0c7 details, the Duke seemed 219fa74d9a to have realized that 432a4532ba she had been discarded 0d183c231a by Lexion.63aab640b67171f5

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“If you still c1035ee036 intend to pursue b7b244cc9a him…”2d6e920c9b51a55b

And that she 01870f1457 was desperate. Desperate enough to cling e65a395c88 to a sliver of 93176b4184 hope.f85c15a1e77595a3

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“…stop picking 6e8304a453 at your 202344ff99 wounds. If you want to 4c2f228631 preserve what little value 056beb4627 you have left.”0485f107efad7e65

His words, as emotionless 8a881adb35 as if he were 4af56340ea assessing the price of 714766cab9 an object, stung. Kyrie was about 182272bf95 to retort angrily ff2fb767f3 when she realized 8a5317be47 his words weren’t 3ddaf0e264 entirely wrong.80ab507754738f34

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‘…Yes, I am an c18a8fcafd object.’ 47795c9fb3192cfa

At least to 5d3c9b78a9 Lexion.cae08602904da7d1

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So, there 74391b5aa5 was really aaac9b6c7e no need e7d7b03edc for him 1a50c78595 to keep 96944e43a6 his promise. He had no 1678c1c2cf obligation to a 3fc6fb1ddd mere toy rolling 8d3937f939 around at his afbe21e811 feet.9b315b6138d1af34

‘Perhaps…’ cb8b6859d8a852e0

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Perhaps the Duke 519868cc01 was right. Instead of 978416ba89 desperately clinging 87041c002c to him, 15e10c9c7c she should 90876b19e4 have subtly b58d45e4d8 distanced herself, 27e32ed59b enticing Lexion. She should 8adfdb525e have controlled 01bc4d8505 the push 41a765d5d3 and pull, 72d3258e0a like any e0f789f262 other lovers.3c279b7b60e1831d

However, she 8034e8ac62 had never afaf5e7d7c had the 3e45a26608 luxury to a572b6545a do so. Not even the luxury 5ada0e6c92 to gamble with Lexion. The realization now 289c026ac6 pierced her with c7db242040 a deep loneliness.bad0fa449e0b8ae8

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“Haha.” 8d303ce521097e19

Kyrie tried e801f466a8 to laugh e0dc2658aa again. But what came a6d4402ba4 out was a cc33b5005e strangely twisted smile.167e5a620225095d

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Unable to bear 638c16ccb2 it, she covered a82122e9af her mouth, then 9e8e076881 quickly composed herself, aeef7a34c6 remembering the Duke 9b8dadfefb was right beside 578acbcfd5 her.9b0f8e65b3214428

‘I don’t want him bd04e88a40 to see me like 9680608c74 this.’8f6f518bb5daaeb9

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She didn’t want to show her weakest moment to the man who had grasped her vulnerabilities so easily. Perhaps, if he hadn’t interfered, she might have forced herself on Lexion and resolved the situation somehow.b3341a251d094c5d

The thought made her c5c95bba05 blood rush to her 6d2e8d5cca head again.083354f1e14fec20

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‘What should I d828572249 do now?’ded3def4f9e107ba

While she was 422179c0ff lost in thought, 32a45b4ec3 the Duke stood c76a601e02 up and opened cc9ed53f0a the door. As if telling her 7e1c297d2e to leave now that 376614a764 she was awake.bab989d31ac65a2d

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 2f1819407a40d089