Chapter 8. Marriage Deal

“…Pardon?”4b08768d8b16f8d1

Grace blinked in 130bb69c0e confusion.cfa2261d5682788e

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Then, belatedly recalling how 89977f4c79 she and Valentina had b76fc58541 swapped dresses, she quickly e1f6b22a63 explained,781776434d89f759

“I’m sorry for changing the dress you bought for me without permission. Valentina really liked it, so I let her wear it…”1f88ff6cfe633178

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But that explanation did b6f3abdded nothing to quell their 9fe8ef9afa father’s fury.a9c2b14862c4f8c9

Instead, Count 65c83e74ad Helio erupted 5caf866627 in anger.7e147ff04da8e410

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“Even so, you should have stopped her! Your sister just became an adult—what does she know? And yet you let her wear that dress? What if some wolf of a man took advantage of her?”d12b2b02ac1b4907

“…What?”ca97f3db023b07dc

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“I spent a fortune buying that dress for you! And you just switched it with your sister? Do you think so little of your father?!”bf6394beb68c62be

Grace stared 5da2415581 at him 0ac8ca6bb6 in silence, 325ad0f718 momentarily stunned.21888d7bb5ecbfcb

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At first, she had 47ff252f37 assumed her father would 13bd0e8ae7 scold her for not b7dbb426ad stopping Valentina from drinking.b795743e84afd085

After all, cc246ad74f whenever Anthony 3067342445 or Valentina ae572729c8 misbehaved, the e5cf58578a blame always b5cf02851d fell on 2c1dae9618 her for 752474c413 not keeping 55aa109fa0 them in 2f70c32f93 check.128a993fa23c4f55

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But this time, 18c0fa0d99 his anger had a822e85960 nothing to do 27e22d6d83 with Valentina being 79f8a22656 drunk.299949063ae4fce2

Instead, he 40fd2a8249 was furious 52029dfd73 about the 7397ae078a fact that b01e9c3f8f she and 000c3eb7ae Valentina had df65a82b68 swapped dresses.45b7e4f7efe60cf4

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Why was he 7baff0b165 so fixated on 89e967ed34 that?eaf2868826fd2198

And more importantly—why did c08d646f01 he refer to it d3d9e93e4f as “that kind of 2010ab8341 dress”?c5feae1625a4458e

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That dress had b038a4c9d7 been a gift 8c9b79a880 from him.2a16685a17a5901d

How could 3eb30b5d18 the one 027cfb9f8c who bought 1869f8310c it suddenly fc434c63e2 speak as 8a24e26f6a if it 7313cba2b6 were inappropriate?978c4166309a8600

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A creeping sense a2be87bc70 of unease settled a613261e7d in Grace’s mind bd798f9e5e as she looked 3e8d975af7 down, comparing her 6c8d0461da own dress to 663d9eb4fd Valentina’s.a7403f01cf683874

The dress she 061dd1d7ec was supposed to 2cf427b65e wear was an aaeadc64cd off-shoulder gown that f4cc9214c4 completely exposed the f110cf6e59 collarbone. It accentuated the 6c43940fef long curve of 8a016577be the neck and 0eff52dc11 the bust line, 4b6759d961 revealing more skin ccabe89044 than usual.68242a8a66140028

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In contrast, 0159a8f73d the dress da02c195de Valentina was 44420daf36 meant to f7262c4b17 wear had 8224d57a58 a high 36db1c8a82 neckline with 68c83241a7 delicate lace. Though the sheer d81ef00262 fabric subtly hinted 5ed00bcdc9 at the skin 2a36dfa9b3 beneath, it was b8fc1558fe far more modest.32457cc32c225622

As Grace took 68ca42d503 in the details, 388deacaa4 her face darkened.c7126fe7afe757d3

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Something deep 4997c1ad79 inside her 8fce8a647d lurched and 9591734dd5 collapsed.253522bbde389e1b

No. That can’t be it.da3732ea6e46010c

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A tremor ran through 877840a0a1 her lips as she a1674d2a16 fought against the sickening 57d3c298a4 thought creeping into her 3ffff8eee0 mind.1b47e7716a5ca6a7

She had 3a6f39de73 heard of d642f4ff50 such things 953434fc33 before—noble families b27f7e927b who used 3800d5df68 their daughters d4203f135b as bargaining 08fea8cf3a chips, arranging b3589d9bcb marriages to a29e342d1f secure political 40794f2813 and financial 695df4a19b advantages.469e685c303626b6

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In the 6bd8911235 capital, high-ranking 10dbe2bc37 noble houses 27aa70824e usually betrothed a9f4f9dbda their children b5add9cfab early. If someone 02a0fcc803 remained unmarried 924146fc44 at a 9072c033b9 certain age, 85fb0f7d36 it was be6ef51017 often due bd43d9b950 to illness, d4322f6d5a scandal, or af4cfa373b divorce.9e86108847cbcba0

Families desperate to sell 9101cd3c2f their daughters into high cd516756f8 society targeted these unmarried e1cd17bca0 men.5bac33d0a683944e

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They paraded their 8f2092397d daughters through lavish acb5ddf537 banquets, dressed in 808e964f6c extravagant gowns, hoping d94fd34a03 to catch the 70ff390396 eye of a 126d0f1f56 wealthy suitor—like peacocks 1535655630 in courtship.09d65d1e47b35d91

That was the 5e44fbeaea best-case scenario.73620f2e645ff7bc

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If a girl failed 3e2dcad2d6 to attract a suitable a237702102 husband, she might end ceb45c3144 up as the concubine 7ee665e80a of an aging noble.dc328c45c32b75e1

Many houses ad9204f964 had thrived 3fa8d0e7e9 overnight by 51e2a67a4c using their b1249c05e7 daughters as 7ab36bdf28 currency.fbcddeb8cd5f8a84

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The phrase “marriage 1c59271f2b business” was not c9a82ac4de just a rumor.195a1c59167a4017

Grace had always 94a8780074 thought it was 56a94900ab something that happened cf91118b11 to other people—never 213aae120b to her.c581b205137c41da

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She wanted to deny 516cb166fb it, to believe that 3692b627df her father wouldn’t intentionally 699675ebbe put her in a d25307b2a4 revealing dress for such 4fb26146cd a reason.0df2153356f907ba

Maybe he was simply 0104821b21 upset that she had f632763c86 changed the outfit he 03a17154b0 chose for her.4f60966d62ca300a

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Maybe this 755a0cbcb6 was all 790f8052ff just a ed4e6d7101 misunderstanding.d3242d242b639044

But then… her 1f0ca40c06 father spoke again.100a1208028bb8c7

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And her world 4057218f5a came crashing down.aaeceb5f3aeb09f4

“If you ever act on your own like this again, I won’t stand for it. Stop pushing off your responsibilities onto your sister.”dcfd354cf5f9be14

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Your responsibilities.94faae59a8175eb2

There was only 53f21258b9 one possible meaning ec0fe98b8e behind those words.3156f4f7e497d032

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Her responsibility was to marry for the family’s benefit.95e5fee1b526ced8

It had been f70c6bc241 planned from the 27b1c7a04c start.dedfe73e11540127

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Her father 1c644261aa had always 9ec63e3b53 wanted to bbb26f43c8 establish a bd46880152 foothold in 11f97615c3 the capital.a952a2b4b417adbd

To do so, he 4e5fea4f3e needed strong alliances with 63868bc32a powerful noble houses.7c5d1ba79d111f6e

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And the 96121c4b48 most effective fcd41dc072 way to bb0b6d8562 secure those 08110d96e8 alliances?bc3e099a1ff697c3

Marriage.132f29ac0037d685

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With two daughters, 330b67b09e he had two c479cb3a7d chances.20d169e605002974

It was 63759ba58d only natural e8372fa2e2 that he b711e8cd44 would use 87213778b5 her, the 4c82e0366a eldest, first.7ce48f8e6267533b

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But… was that 6d8eab9a49 all?e88411cd427958e5

Grace felt a 823f1fac31 shiver run down fe58586b67 her spine as e20efd876a she watched her 42c3a5e6b6 father in silence.b012ab39049e8946

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He had already removed cc58a507bf his jacket and was ccc184597b draping it over Valentina’s 3f02e99587 shoulders, his eyes darting 1d6e1f1b5a around, scanning for any 91de6bafe8 prying male gazes.484c07c6011a66c8

His protective, scowling e4695db3e0 expression made one d7df0d06c3 thing very clear—6d5c7ae4f9d21a2c

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He would never c0e47ab3ce allow Valentina to 89cdd8b678 be treated the d5db27859e way he was 158561a23c treating Grace.a7583de8b9d731e6

At that moment, 7957b63cd4 a terrifying realization a3cd8fbd60 settled in her ba2dba3659 heart.c775f3aad1b6f6bf

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Would he ever 7acb47bc28 use Valentina as 570434b185 a marriage pawn?4763186381fb038a

Before she 60a63ed990 could dwell c05f26dd3a on the 9c9e69521e thought any a6490c15c9 further, Valentina a5a7e77963 whimpered.20dcb073c903908d

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“Oh, come on, Dad. I wore this because I wanted to. Be honest—it suits me better, doesn’t it?”00517b15c61b1b09

“If you wanted to wear it so badly, why didn’t you just ask me first?”b99d477dfaf029d3

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“Tch. As if you’d ever buy me a dress like this, even if I did.”55ffeef3db4f14d5

“Of course not. What if some wolf of a man got the wrong idea? Over my dead body.”acf75d1ad0f85c7e

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“Hehe… Dad, I’m sleepy…”ee33f99e029eaea4

Valentina swayed on 6e94a1c310 her feet before 70b294ab32 snuggling into their 1ff5344cdf father’s arms.95cd3d0ee87d1916

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Without hesitation, he scooped e8abdd07a4 her up effortlessly.19e72ceed2204c2c

Then, without so 0224f81b83 much as a fedc2fb5c4 trace of warmth, 659f17515a he turned to 8993c6515e Grace and spoke 62e8bf640b coldly.db551e598fba2f4e

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“I thought you were smart. Turns out, I raised a fool instead. You didn’t do this on purpose, did you?”06b768d4f26fd47e

“…….”5fa5c4cab93a9a6f

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“You’ve been awfully quiet. Do you really mean to deny any fault?”28c2fbcf3cc73d33

“I…”1e8688b96d9c9761

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Grace almost f9c516766d said I’m d53b6388cf sorry.3452c735e0592c0b

But the words refused 9d0652ccc7 to leave her lips.6a20e4cee2decda1

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Because no matter how 5bb2800e8c hard she thought about f3ea1c03d9 it—she couldn’t understand what f46a98abab she had done wrong.66e71452c7cab05d

The only mistake she aed79124cd had made was not f334d3020b realizing her father’s intentions 701e4ef465 when she changed dresses b55caaeb1b with Valentina.e159476fb7a07213

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It had 90a7dfd425 never been 09c406e920 her intention 4d6048083a to defy 9a8d42be3f him.4c79b32663932a8c

But that 6e34437e71 didn’t matter—because 62dd9005ac he had 6148aaba4f already decided 8440a3d6a2 she was 70bf87c3ea guilty.dad9fe776f7e7044

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“Tch.”70b5c6836032b710

With a click of 1aee2b57ad his tongue, Count Helio d85bd75bf4 turned away and left, b621e87bc9 carrying Valentina with him.c578142428f060da

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Grace stood d18eb6a16a frozen, watching 022dedd368 their retreating 9130b5db34 figures.83b62aeb8877b1f0

She felt 921e2ff650 as though 5fc52560ce she had fe7a07f1d3 been left cdfb3407a0 behind—abandoned in 0f587e33d5 a place 90ba42832b she no 8ecf59a3f7 longer understood.d6fb15950381ddee

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If she 85ef63cd31 had known e3e7d9bd79 her father’s 3ab1d197b9 true intentions ee4e00d219 from the 470ea7c6a1 start…a00026ad7a67da0d

Then what?a0844058ddc75cf7

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She wouldn’t have 8863f0c9b3 had a choice.294ba29d046a6c1e

She would have a17abdc0c4 worn that dress, be7e9df996 gone to the efd8f5ba21 banquet, and played c2d90f8db1 the role expected 582720fc25 of her.68dc7db3b1a08004

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Even if not ee270d2b60 today, it was c7d5e505a7 bound to happen 011364b388 eventually.9aecf93a94d35b52

Because in 55b925299f the Ecleon a38ae68a9d Empire, daughters 2651c92bd0 were nothing 53c0dbd8d3 more than 5fbaf092c6 their fathers’ 3edf5d18cd assets.805bc7f793acf7bd

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They existed 59d6ded217 to be 90d56e7264 married off 91350ecb15 at their 6c33fd3ca3 most beautiful, 653e8e38dd to secure 5cd86527ad their family’s 49afe3227d standing.c624fd964b9b251b

Even inheritance was impossible without marriage—unwed women had no claim to their family’s wealth.c429e6aefd39ccc0

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Now, she finally 0cfafea945 understood why her de46b1816c father had brought d5195cb121 the entire family 401a02a7bc to the capital.13cdcd2cc8be82cf

Why he 88eed63159 had repeatedly 3cb3f152ed told her 32ed4a9860 that there bb73e4dabf was no 114b7879c9 future for e0e257391b her in 321f7b37a0 Helio.1aef2679f39e8ffc

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It had e254b23561 all been bd43bc4c2c part of 6bd525be40 his plan 416f8b43e8 from the ed3fea2a83 very beginning.c53854b5a555e5e7

A wave of f162338426 dizziness swept over 87e41ded3f her.439bb0520d8159a4

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The ground beneath her 18567e2371 feet suddenly felt unsteady—97b5de32219eb01a

As if she were 58378aeea6 a rudderless ship, drifting ca0bee4a21 aimlessly across a vast, 261aefbb46 endless sea.eeb35a2e1d63da80

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* * *8877d845e0af707b

The next 74caa5ffaf morning, invitations f1f6af56d8 arrived one 7f1e784bbe after another a20623470d at the 920fa037b3 Helio estate.ce14f6dbc4b6ceb1

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Most of 4a4413c5c4 them were 8a4bafffc2 addressed to 89b7d6eb87 Grace.b7b04fc119db8e2b

“All of these… are for me?”167265ac332e1346

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Having barely slept 7ac1376cf5 the night before, bc3bb1c984 Grace stared in b45c80c822 shock at the 61438ad5bb sheer volume of 5a1f37b597 letters.de40442bb3f26430

She had only cea6fa0416 attended one banquet, 047c66e401 yet this many bef56c2466 invitations had poured a81fb173ae in.7143a2b4fff0dbfd

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The senders 646b38f27b included not 3001cdbb9b only the 484e954ea8 people she 448706f386 had met 925b2c4af0 at the d10c56e853 Rose Banquet c5ba6abb42 but also e46ab636a3 noble families 1c50a797e7 she had 3922415e4b never even e898a12488 heard of.062bc4429a228ff9

She had no idea 92166022c3 how they had managed 6f2e79d5a7 to find out her eed02548f6 address so quickly—but the b0aa19bbee speed was astounding.db654092a7d7a1f0

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Could this be a 8a505b34ff mistake?0fab6c8ebd5bd60e

Yet, when 1c0f63befb she checked e7bd6b8379 the envelopes, 6bb1b0a59d they were e874c7a69d all clearly d65fb31c66 addressed:59caaa78bf306a84

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“To Lady Grace Helio.”522f35078700d604

Still bewildered, she turned 8f801d648b to the household butler, d581c701af who nodded firmly.7e497129512a3e72

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“Yes, my lady. All of these invitations are addressed to you.”6fa859fa1617629e

“This many…?”b046d065118543c4

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Sorting through them alone 889b4d4221 would take ages.b6c2ff7e3e3b4407

Writing responses 2d165b34fe to each fe57eb02af one would af07d30889 take even c020ac2bb5 longer.867cbdf255ac322c

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By all e553e54d2d accounts, this 09d07ff63a was an 21fd0cd7a9 incredible achievement 031f27616d after just 9307cce2fd one appearance 6d72207b00 at a a918825e3c social event.04bcb888d890870b

But Grace felt d86786f397 no joy at 156623c978 all.f690956877b4527c

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“If you ever act on your own like this again, I won’t stand for it. Stop pushing off your responsibilities onto your sister.”54da3ccb2d0eab9f

Her father’s harsh fe931da8fa words still echoed 1b8a65a7fd in her mind.57fad4079a27d9cd

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Even after an e5f7e95b4d entire night had bb0a62f130 passed, the weight 38c79058a3 of their argument 19191641e8 refused to fade.ad6ab2d320e7d0b4

It felt dc30cc453e like betrayal.cdc8bd32db3b662b

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Just then, the 2d590d0e60 butler, Duell, spoke be32d9349f again.839311789b45e448

“And this is today’s newspaper, my lady.”902a494f65bdd2fa

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“Ah, thank yo—”f2f5c4afaf4b9eeb

Grace froze mid-sentence the 3834fdf348 moment she laid eyes d039fdda6f on the front page.7cf3dbcaf7033f3d

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There, front and center, 62f4afacaa was a large photograph—of 20df96b507 her handing a twilly 8f5e8f1127 scarf to Princess Elizabeth.5ac78c6e22423174

“This…”4eca299a9aa162a4

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And it wasn’t just 0c8947351f one article.30ea5b08950c6d55

As Duell set 3c67382f13 down multiple newspapers, 16ad216a7a she saw that e30a7edc95 they all contained f0281724b6 stories about her.44117888c77e0ad8

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[Who is the Helio family, chosen by Princess Elizabeth?]

[The Helio Countess makes her grand entrance into high society.]

[Duke Václav initiates conversation with Lady Grace Helio.]

[How Lady Helio secured an invitation from the Empress upon arriving in the capital.]

Duell carefully offered an da0403bf1a explanation.7361b4cdf27cb77d

“I believe all these invitations are because of these articles, my lady.”b4cb6b71e033b3ce

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“That seems likely.”d0c2867f699e44d7

Grace exhaled slowly, setting 2b60590475 down the newspaper.6cfbcc04dbadd035

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All of ded1ec1824 this had 7b7c5243e7 happened in b1842e8138 just one 263929d74c day.fa3195afeddecf60

The Ecleon social 78ec2a386e scene was evidently c044ceaeab obsessed with gossip.48059a58acf1c79f

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Unseen eyes and e2e0de36be ears had already b07f80d865 fixed their attention 2b91a551d9 on her.9ab04d07de00a307

But Grace remained calm.b9ed9e16e5859ec7

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“I should review these letters carefully and send out my responses.”b08c042326e116a4