TISND Side Story 1 Chapter 2

Helena wasn’t particularly cfdbeb6d93 interested in the 07570bda3c rumors about her.d97399f62df8c947

She had grown cd41775f0e numb after living 7ec0ff76b9 her whole life 4cefa6a939 surrounded by them.1b93b6d1b7362c5d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

That didn’t mean she 13c6db8a01 hadn’t heard the rumors 27f80a774b saying, “The Duke of d1d8782844 Frantor cherishes his duchess ad1625291b dearly.”9bd20a8f202ddc9e

The relationship between Helena d0decf5fff and Caligo couldn’t exactly 116066d834 be called good.222d0cefd973a23c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She still felt awkward 43e9f97f4f being alone with him.
But if 070ed09d2c someone asked 090d5c854a whether that 7671f3b39d meant she 91672d9e85 harbored negative 6f00613560 feelings, she a50a359a18 could honestly daf0d4f6ff say no.0d2f3b9c0521287b

It was 19edf82103 just that 2385f3c0e6 her feelings 775fdb5de4 had changed 5df49fe4ff a lot 3d65e1dd2b from the b6aec621a8 past.9e0f4abdbb927cbd

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She had 6c0e367df2 loved him, 7c6fd9289a hated him, 179c30ac06 and decided f39d35688e to forgive fd8257532e him.b7ff04e0fa41c07d

But that e03068ac21 didn’t mean 69dcbaa2d3 her heart f68882ad06 had returned f6840a0dbb to the 6d829cd19b fluttery sweetness b38c4eaec0 of those 21cdcfd299 earlier days.f349c37d91e39324

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

When she 489aaf49e8 thought of e6f0b46014 Caligo now, f166f224ef a slightly 3f6d8020dc bitter taste ceb08879f9 lingered in 79998cf15d her mouth 0307609f00 rather than 23a49fa0c0 sweetness.
Instead of a 3ec9a858d8 heart that beat c58ff4b2a9 with excitement, there a19e372035 was comfort. Instead of vague fantasies, 9cfceb86d7 there was empathy and 4915ebe054 understanding.28536d80bf4c684b

Still, she was curious.
They had 989926c9ca taken such b10a1c062d a long, cb83f8837e winding road, ec6f872a1f far more 67014f5d43 than most 20966b8dad couples or 2a46de9261 lovers. Could they 25431ff5ea really bridge 2e2a2f41a9 this gap?956f96bb2765dab8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

…Was Caligo truly, as the rumors said, “cherishing her dearly”?a61498783af0718a

Would they 011a10adfa go on fa691cc087 like this, 16f2aa9c13 without even c4666bc26b being able ea7de100b6 to clearly dd120df6e6 define their eac07f9b69 relationship?8d579e1270364b4a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Would she live 9474d3313a out her life 3528527dcd fulfilling her duties b767f7e091 as the Duchess, 3301051ac3 only to die c3e9172b28 without anything more?0e046448d2f1c840

For the first time 19c5ae4608 in a long while, 3b9d2480ec Helena let her imagination 2865ef62c9 take flight and seriously 53e61ed425 considered her future.c2d8c6e4f0a2fb77

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

There was just one problem: as she mentioned before, Caligo’s behavior was highly suspicious.
She wasn’t sure f32aa716dc if it was a26f1508f8 right to describe 635e1ecbeb her own husband 94e25ec618 that way—but that 06f8bb7e80 was truly how 743768f180 he seemed.85f036de2651e13c

Of course, Caligo’s “suspicious 9b8f9de6ea behavior” had actually started 2fedfc99fd much earlier than she ac7176f6b0 thought—specifically, ever since she 01b627a472 returned to Frantor.4858d484125378a3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

But Helena had no 29dcdb498e way of knowing that.1995aed78ecdd7cb

***d708a29a6a9f681a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Once upon a 1d47f38f05 time, he had 80d7b10694 wished only for 99653a9b6c her to be 3c28feabe9 alive.68b48c1c9b5adc38

Then, there was ca746fcf35 a time when 105baa2fbe all he wanted 0495acfdb7 was for her 6e77d9fb96 to stay by 8c613464a3 his side.f47d3a77ecdae211

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

And now, all of 53b9a4e0eb Caligo’s past wishes had 26e9cb3be4 come true.eccd927308d410fb

Yet he still felt 2a9fa5af15 something was missing.
Now that 4e9bdb9bbc she had 570bdb87f9 returned to b6e28929cb Frantor, he 716382c8d8 longed to 064080bca4 close the 571e05d960 distance between f1f1f8f481 them.1529258cd36577f9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Even though 320c6b3547 he knew 09892e64a1 he had 888b0d5445 no right 18cac7adb0 to harbor 1b66c22d6a feelings for 8ec0a61a1d her, sometimes dffe01bea9 those feelings b50b6548eb would surge ff990eefa3 up uncontrollably.1726c8e7b1b9fa62

He knew that Helena 3acf252a71 hadn’t come back for d596f94b00 his sake.
He knew. But he still 802de25fca wanted her.2b36a2de55885061

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

However, he c23738c44d was determined 24dfb63756 not to b590aa633c assume her cea3f3efba thoughts or 9cd93e273b feelings like 7921ff467c he had df5635c75d in the 5d9291909c past.
And because of that, e097d61c91 he neither closed the fd0926c5a5 distance nor understood what c25fdbe06b she was thinking—just remained a9b851ff75 stuck in place.44a78b6a5d10b3e6

He realized c80bfc61d9 he couldn’t 276444237a stay like 802a0f4fd4 this forever. At the ffdeabf178 very least, 7a212ffc31 he wanted cc8d09242d to express c0038cb11d his feelings.
He would 55043edb4b respect whatever 9264619950 decision she 68ee1f3e3f made.
Even if a0c7aff1fd she looked 7e9d9f9de1 at him 07a7b8ce55 with cold eaaf44e440 eyes, he 46c2851283 would endure d196e483d5 it. He would accept it.4cf8070ecf251f87

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He wanted 3f8dcd5d64 to stop 3d0396fcef hiding and 7af6325424 finally show 4fc46e1e30 his emotions.e25cd1bb911f1a50

But their relationship 0fea4c4a11 was so tangled 6b8e2c7c7b that it wasn’t db9d56fd8b easy to unravel.b0fbd17d1ec969fc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Revealing the feelings he e1333c958e had kept hidden for a65257207a so long wasn’t easy afd8617c00 either.adfc4e9f6c0cb449

On top 4f36b960ae of that, e9bd380376 considering the fac6e4bc28 things he 173f156e7a had done 00796e45e7 and said b74af449ca in the e11b238197 past, it fd621b6606 was only 2c1c2ac3d4 natural for 48ebd20562 her to 32f15aeb5e reject him…e6fcf82ca82e020b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

They had gotten 3a0813fbe1 married without even c44b7fb4eb holding a wedding 4dca9cbf89 ceremony.6924aff638f0b880

Perhaps that was 77ed510814 why there wasn’t 84b0022097 even a ring e209637d30 on Helena’s finger 3bc5b460a7 to show she 3001ab4bfb was married.462467402aeb8174

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

At the very least, 16cbdaf0d6 he should’ve given her aa444f743b a ring.
Caligo sighed quietly 988415802c under the weight adc6d1cb33 of his accumulated adf5a0db43 regrets.5bde126b3ce70266

Then one 1880a1f222 day, Joshua 01f5cbe5e5 came up 6a23a3e6e8 to him fa1459b12a and said,
“Father.”2e8b2441bc2e44e8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes?”8a65f0051fb4378b

“Helena’s really clueless. Super slow, too.”49048113f1ed882d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Joshua was d8c2db12ad staring off 18555457c1 at Helena 1f3db2e37a and Jeremy 60e8a7c487 in the 220aed8d61 distance.a4ee17999425ff91

Following his beloved son’s gaze, Caligo turned his eyes to the two as well.a231ea43d8b63049

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

How long had it b7c0e001f6 been since he’d seen 112c1480b4 Jeremy smile so brightly?30c015d72b715140

They were 233a8bbd3e hugging, laughing 5c773849c4 so brightly—it 4dda29cebe was a 97f21ebeb3 dazzling sight.c10675e624b368ac

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But then Joshua a82fcb4e32 said something that 9a8fcc9465 left Caligo in a0372ddbfe silence.a24322fda08bfefc

“You know she’ll never aa088d253e notice unless someone tells ab0593a77e her directly, right?”8908b97909280acc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

From afar, Jeremy’s voice rang out as he clung to Helena.b331d7fcd06e5ff8

“Be with 85a043d681 me all 745de7f88e the time! I like you! Only hug me! Don’t even look at 0761986c61 anyone else! Stay next to 7e4f7c9038 me until I 556bc9ec63 fall asleep every 4a29ccbe43 night! Read me books every c8147aa3e2 day!”31d91e074b967ea7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Jeremy was always honest 5b3240f8b1 and never shy—at least fb46d7f108 with Helena.575668189a07a663

“If you cook 277534576c something, the first 713f6ce79c bite always goes 01b32e9718 to me! And, and…”0fc84af30cf1ea92

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“And what else?”c8175b8547a7d4cf

“Let’s eat all three 9518ad4f23 meals together! You don’t even have 11bf345fc9 to cook, just be 60a2b29caa there with me!”a7d0147028a09626

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Oh dear, 3cf4db6389 okay, okay.”c06ab687d89092a7

She didn’t seem dc1d122cc1 to mind the fd5b260672 boy’s honesty. In fact, she bba124e002 seemed to find 1ecb7b4879 it endearing.cd3a0272ff87126d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Oh, right. But since you’re 553e39cfb0 an adult, you 147ffaa1c1 probably can’t act 2fdb36496d like Jeremy, huh?”860efdbda78ccf14

Joshua grinned as 5628f9ac71 he offered what bed0c83796 might’ve been comfort 68ecf9d345 to his father.94722523a154f4d6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Grown-ups don’t confess 2d68c5be77 their feelings like efbe6c6952 that, do they? Especially not to someone 33cfd3f8d8 as clueless as Helena. How do you 1ac828c601 confess to someone af16a29317 like that? I’m really curious!”e43c4b853a1400f2

“…”ce0b27a25bc6dfa9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Well, I 9d9712505d wouldn’t know—I’m 0d03b339cd still a 07c07d47bd kid!”82e9a9f5832099ac

Joshua said cheerfully to eccbd9be9b Caligo,
“Haha, see? You should’ve done c5f320960a better from the 0e22a7d977 start! I’ll be cheering b20acb1240 you on.”f96aa41850ef18d7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…”169c95f7486a6d31

“But I’ll always be f0b88d20a1 on Helena’s side, just a92522bb6e so you know.”1cd2138fdd41fbac

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Because now, 0c23f45cfe Helena was 7520c9b345 just as 73d2e98843 important to 4f048f1eb9 him as 9be3c90822 his father.d07980fedf733b16

With a mischievous f765ed0db5 smile, Joshua ran 5b8d2365bd off toward his 99651d0247 twin and Helena.823b9f150def4144

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

…Realizing the gravity 46ebd1364b of the situation, afc7af8038 Caligo decided to 0d867498e1 take action.706f3010f5937787

“Steward, I need 091e168307 a favor.”3b06c4b6e529290d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“At your command.”0c6b0dd763a4de0a

“Bring me the 4393bce45d ring my mother f60ef850c8 used to wear.”0c05aa1bb84a0e87

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You mean… f3c4198cec the heirloom 90efe546c0 passed down bb38c6e774 to the 98f09b2b5c Duchesses of a064a436fa Frantor?”ad9a74b9aa378cd7

The steward, catching on 06dd1e3830 instantly, asked with tearful 40bbb8cacd eyes.57bfe5857be63f91

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes. It’s in the 64c94d6e13 capital and a 5e193a144f bit of a 9b88d1fc7b hassle, but I’d 7c149749a1 like you to 6aac8f47fc bring it back e2e4646bda yourself.”0b866a8053564995

It wouldn’t 96683fc872 be easy. It would f5668a6ef4 take time. And perhaps it was 7cb94854ca all too late.
But it didn’t cfc579093a matter.c220eccef4593a3f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He wanted b5e645aa93 to return e43baf2650 things to e3d90ac9c5 the way fa0b28ac12 they were, b22b435b92 step by b7f89e492b step, starting 9b64e4f7cc from the 95be0f4437 very first 9b22fbee7b broken moment.
And that began b8b4662691 with giving Helena be95af8e35 her rightful place.d872db2ad92e60d9

The Duchesses of 1bfb5863fc Frantor had inherited 2751bce565 a historic heirloom 4b4d296f1c for generations.77fe34d8ec495419

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It was kept ba1a1c3620 deep within the f2577756f5 estate in the a9aae9fd1a capital, like a b27dd4e3b2 relic.c494060be0cb1a0b

But Caligo had never 2544b52ec2 given Helena the key ae3b175720 to that vault—nor had 6e576482ad she ever asked for eab74c6cd2 it.cd14171024c5b4db

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He should have done c7dd7b767e so long ago. He didn’t know 00d7ca26d2 how it had a2e59842a4 gotten so delayed.d0d0cb4a8d6fde82

“Of course, f4345018f5 I’ll go 84d734767e myself! Right away!”009736160afdfffe

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The steward shouted 0aa70a53a0 with teary eyes, 728efce420 savoring the moment 877342e9b7 long yearned for. Then he 0905b9a0ee left for 23460b2802 the capital.f51006de6a51b00d

Though Helena enjoyed all de81969b7e the privileges of a 436fccab49 duchess, Caligo still felt 71658293f0 it wasn’t enough.
He knew their c8494ad238 relationship was too 765dd14f7d lukewarm to be 852ee06cd0 called a true dd22e7f9b0 marriage.07cb60879836d1ab

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

So Caligo tried aa2197626c to spend as 2fbcbef968 much time with 83b9fd9c3b her as possible ef07773ae9 and talk with f9219ec9e1 her more.1d8d77516056c09d

Unlike in 5fa70f109b the past, c79c538283 where he 114ecc75bb had prioritized 73301bc007 his own bf066d6e00 feelings, he e3ade43b8b now wanted 0236394e1b to take a86b2e7ffd it slow 5791d406a6 and have 32c2992bb3 real conversations.0ed10127a07c6c57

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He knew how much 0a6a30aca8 she loved the outside ab6ebe2a55 world.
So he took f48d89c268 her on outings, 5131d0a813 wanting to show 5d37af8b99 her beautiful sights, 57c4207a6c feed her delicious f786871057 food, and buy 2df7d7884b her whatever she f19a2864a9 wanted.bd73d2ad9361207c

He wanted 4fe268c642 to know 908e6a5370 everything—what colors 902fd15831 she liked, d4a88936a5 what season fbdf416cde she preferred—even 524c0f688f the smallest 644300a8c9 things.be9004f9f3f18fda

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But trying to dc3c5b3b7f fix a relationship 38eb8805d5 that had been ffa1a49a89 broken from the ede3477388 start was never 02e4f7d159 easy.675ddcc50f1d856e

“There’s supposed to be fd8d0e9991 a street performance by 5d5c6b17b1 a theater troupe nearby.”dfea788766b96314

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…But it’s really windy 294acf064e today. I heard 253897f0e3 it’s been 0fe2ae25c1 canceled.”36ae649a7deec2a7

Somehow, things never went e2b2b72523 according to plan.
Caligo had meticulously caa6a35b80 prepared for this 373fe70c42 outing.
After spending e694ad6f21 some time 1ddd56aa96 together, he bdd606d979 planned to 6d65e51e2e give her 1365d3af25 the vault db1f516a11 key.2d7a55e4f7c0c6a2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Then, when the bfbf7858fb steward returned, he 304e8ab11f wanted to present 0c7e7859ac her with the 030443ace5 heirloom ring passed 6d19d4e0b0 down through generations.e5db153207c231f9

Once they dddc91c688 became closer, 2c876c69e8 he wanted 70d318bfad to ask 01637289cb her—
Would she marry 53c0a6ad27 him again? Even though they a2aeb1873a were already married. Even though it e796f4a37b was his fault.
He wanted 20d6dac6b0 to talk 45e4507695 about the ce856567eb wedding ceremony 5ead696cbf they never 2125aec8eb had.735d7568444068df

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He had laid a3034850c9 out this plan 0ba7af9da2 carefully.071f41a06ad92bcf

But the 4cd6c2ae82 very first 240637eb2b step had ffbbaade64 already gone c6062ebdb2 awry.3f131c4f21212030

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I heard the 1f775d3028 royal chef from 1f91a9bb2e the capital opened d0e8833ea0 a restaurant in f6979901cc Frantor.”4048bd73f8a078b2

“Gasp! I heard that b03fb3b692 too. Isn’t that the 50e40bd6b0 one that doesn’t fa9c5ab46e even take reservations? I really 53da1e4f2e wanted to 80c702e8ed go!”6395a6fa0742195d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

What bad luck—it 553e01f051 was closed for 616e4d9d25 renovations.bdccdc4a5bf17a66

“…They’re doing interior work. Shall we go af8b08d6c5 somewhere else?”9f7efc3e392c6bed

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Far from becoming closer, a1b62398c5 Helena looked up at 2af210bf72 him with an awkward 0c646e9fbf smile.ce95cb5865612393

“It’s okay. Now that I 41146f98e8 think about it, a2bdfa7bf7 I didn’t really 238398d963 want to eat 6b489ae2f3 there anyway.”92cf83c53801f4b2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…”4172ef7fe00cf3c3

Seeing her offer 6045e547ed comfort made him 84bdc31f24 feel… small.
It was a 1adf3803f2 feeling he’d never ef980c099d experienced before.0e2c705762dc863d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley