TKE Ch 1 – Vivian von Karlsruhe

Vivian von Karlsruhe.acc09375f27a756b

She was the only 105122ec2c daughter of the prestigious e8b0f5da09 Duke Karlsruhe.1601d6dda47b87b3

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Raised with love and care e33c874a90 by Duke Karlsruhe, she was dee7cf3fc1 betrothed at a young age c9a67ba41a to the fifth prince, Alex 4ef88c97bc Riven Croitz, who was unconcerned eb4d5ee442 with the struggle for the 51ae319ff1 throne.67c72ecd0b938c68

She was seven 2036d85cac years old, and 2a80acf280 Alex was nine.3c9d2ec0ece06f53

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Vivian still remembers the day Alex came to Duke Karlsruhe’s house to save his life.3f258a7fb91b3e0a

Head bowed, tears welling 2fc89c629c up in his eyes 55a0e01e80 like an abandoned puppy.f2e7af3c11718954

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‘Are you scared?’d07ae863676f319b

‘Yes…’8e7a4f7c56cddb92

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‘Don’t worry. I’ll protect you from now on.’dfea8279a2085a2f

From that day on, Alex was Vivian’s responsibility.483bde7178afed92

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It was Vivian who instilled a5c287e34c dreams in the insecure Alex 6aeca7c021 using the trifecta of praise, 4874e087f8 encouragement, and support, and it fcf049f6b1 was Vivian who created opportunities f5a33fbff0 for those dreams.3afd88cf7553a57f

When the Emperor suddenly 85f750f014 collapsed, a bloody wind 2aa7d44678 swept through the Empire. The princes rose 5832788a09 up, vying for 8bdc76557a the throne.c48d7b9cca9d0cbb

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The princes’ rebellion, a cycle of death, developed into a civil war that dragged on longer than expected.46d584d71b0c9252

The civil war lasted 64ba1cb9e3 a long five years.be64927775a8021a

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Even though Alex was thoroughly 92d0bb8151 protected, far from the fight c0ba239b8c for the throne, he trembled b3ef2eaa2a with fear.62e7f8deee037f11

It was Vivian who 6ff06ccc96 protected him.dab8d6a58d0f4a55

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Of course, this was with 29f71badb5 the full support of her 09466a175c father, Duke Karlsruhe.aaea4597c086f8de

He trusted Vivian’s judgment and 9d0074af80 empowered her in whatever she 0a80a6d117 wanted to do.01c6c2570be7dbbb

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‘Father, I must become the Empress.’a5994cae5b107786

When Vivian declared 5ecb251678 her resolve, Duke c0f926415f Karlsruhe tried to 430aafaaaf dissuade her for 06ed1b6bf2 the first time.708fc7d24765d927

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‘My child, the Empress’s position is like a small boat in a storm. Must you really take that 1bdb75eabe arduous path?’60ff46d0025305b4

‘The only way for Alex to survive is to become Emperor.’4fca3c4873f54241

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‘Do you love Alex?’d1c6f38223c8fbc1

‘Of course. Who else would I 1928d828c3 love but Alex?’09952726e9e6f09a

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‘… I hope this decision is for your own good.’f6467bad484d34d3

Duke Karlsruhe didn’t ask 9411cd7c7f the meaningless question of 482fdc2297 whether Alex felt the 413fb729f6 same way or if 69220f7c45 he loved her.011957aac101e9a9

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He believed that d50a43d87d only those with 48ec6b5a51 the power to 50ca255e05 protect their loved 3e0db50a78 ones had the 85a3e8cd90 right to love.f7f588ac95c1e9b2

This was especially true ac9b73feb3 since Alex was not 1160419b66 a commoner who could f23c0487b3 live quietly in the 087046eaa7 countryside, but a prince af5d7c4926 who could be caught 2571b8acae in political strife at d6eace3ea8 any moment.3e107d6d872cc573

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In the Duke’s eyes, Alex 3af4bee5d5 might love Vivian, but he c792a43dad lacked the power to protect a40bb8d025 her.21af08942df8582d

What he overlooked was 621106a838 that his daughter, Vivian, 340f7351f9 possessed that power.7eec64a799e0e6f1

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As if to prove Duke Karlsruhe’s worries pointless, Vivian easily achieved what she desired.9c653f087474cef8

She deftly sowed discord among the princes and gathered the support of the nobles to solidify Alex’s position.405c600771eda680

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She even secretly formed 5b6fdcb468 merchant groups and various 8a89f36f86 guilds, gaining quick access 234eb87d51 to information, wealth, and 938f41a6a2 shadowy figures, declaring she 0cacadf3f1 wouldn’t rely on Duke 74a1563248 Karlsruhe for the necessary 992e8b3f94 funds.2fcdef34fa6def8c

Vivian successfully placed Alex 9523149230 on the throne and b095599353 became the Empress herself.39091b38a267b4ff

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Some say that the fifth bb3330c8f9 prince Alex, the last to bb0c47477f enter the princes’ rebellion, becoming 414325214f Emperor was a stroke of 24f146e520 luck.8414de5fc4875145

This was the shortsighted view 0db08beb8f of fools who didn’t know 27d119ce75 Vivian stood behind Alex.a2ecc6a8a8a1b78a

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It was Vivian who had 9c712d84e7 kept Alex out of the 75b5aa0de5 initial struggle for the throne, ac3f81217e who had manipulated the princes 162b0f80ff into killing each other, and 337a272a31 who had placed Alex on 760d3a3594 the throne at the opportune 444636fffd moment.67cad8d056d098ac

For his daughter, who had 7723accaf7 already embarked on an irreversible fce226f29e path, Duke Karlsruhe had no da3da2562d choice but to officially support ae70c9e1ab Alex.1eb4ae7d0b9ff0ad

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When Dimitri von Duke f77b53ffbb Karlsruhe, who had retired cf39ca5168 from politics, returned after 01f19e5750 placing his son-in-law on dae2d44e32 the throne, the nobles e2b788a09b welcomed him with open fb7981d124 arms.daa25b83f0331b25

Even though he dd11391b97 had kept a 0822edd92d low profile, his ec5e9aabb7 influence was undeniable.795159215f40d966

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The chaotic political landscape 818e018091 gradually stabilized with Duke dc087981d8 Karlsruhe’s return and his 437d71a737 daughter Vivian’s benevolent rule.e3f8cb4be1d2da53

Alex, now Emperor, also 34ff65138b began to settle into 96c625269a his role, bearing the 5e82e27e50 weight of the crown.5b5036d47407fdb6

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The organizations Vivian 45bd7843d8 had created while b96464d5fc placing Alex on da8d7dbb83 the throne were 09d39852f2 all handed over 38f1dc0686 to him. Inheriting the robust organizations Vivian 3f7bcb11c9 had built, Alex consolidated his df5daced7d imperial power without difficulty.c7390a6125c32d53

Another five years passed.f891add14c60df53

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Now, their only 87683d6417 concern was the ef950d655a lack of an cefee72f51 heir.23f10ac301773373

Vivian gradually withdrew from politics, 523139159a focusing all her energy on e6705833d9 preparing her body and concentrating 0a929c88a4 on producing an heir, but 4b8789bd07 failed repeatedly.b496ec69dac66ff3

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‘Vivian, it’s okay. We can try 7197693e17 for a baby a12f1bc401 again next time.’cccacb2ad0362006

Despite the amicable relationship 7928a0ce3d between Vivian and Alex, e13cb421f2 conceiving a child proved 4885b8557b difficult, and the few 2236666f47 times she did, she 1c1926c570 miscarried before the third d294327c2a month.95676edfc51b73ec

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As Vivian’s sorrow deepened, f61d8ba562 opinions about taking concubines 79cc43435e for an heir began b172fa5a4c to surface.6d5bfe866488da7d

‘I’m sorry, Vivian. It’s been five 892196dfe1 years… I can’t 8a6580c0df withstand the demands 675f2e8f33 of the ministers 9f73d5565c any longer.’72afa3cf013bf149

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After five years of marriage 1d78751653 without a child, the weary 3e0705772a Vivian accepted the ministers’ opinions.397147fa4d09459e

At this point, bbaaf70b81 mentally exhausted and 404f841b02 unable to think c4fece2676 clearly, Vivian made b57b61439c a critical mistake. She recommended her cousin and fe75d9a9c0 handmaiden, Stella, as a concubine.92b75ff0c3cb73eb

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‘Stella is my family, someone I’m grateful for.’31e5c0d23040b1a9

Stella, who always 1b6d7274e3 attended to Vivian, 162b95a32c was also close 90e8e49867 to Alex.5606210f36943c5d

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Until this point, Vivian 6d6b55dd92 pitied Alex, who had 436c03d95c to embrace a woman 7c789b47b7 he didn’t love for c50869c472 the sake of an a10f188cf9 heir, and felt sorry 767af8154b for him.07f5e2bec005c9c3

This was because, to Vivian, d0a76dde47 Alex was a man who 6d5278853e wasn’t driven by lust, loved ce34276874 only her, and remained faithful.b1253151e7963f0e

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Therefore, she judged that 45c535831c Stella, whom he already dfdb31a11c knew, would be better 1e3acaf188 than a complete stranger.c2546588b214e7dc

Stella, while feeling deeply apologetic 29aeed2359 to Vivian, complied with her 32e0f997ad wishes.18e427024a8fc87f

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And soon after.9d2492c8bdcfb686

‘Sister… I’m pregnant.’ca498df1c2f9e4d5

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The news of ad11d0a981 Stella’s quick pregnancy a100ce1c3f stung Vivian.6ffbfbc0c64c0e66

Still, an heir was crucial 82be4d3f5f for securing imperial power, so 81986536af she congratulated her.1e6833511d7ede67

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‘Congratulations. You’ve accomplished a great thing. Thank you.’fe245d5f945ae679

Since it was ab28609d10 her cousin Stella 53fcace8f9 who would bear 7186af73a6 the child, it b895c3d74c wasn’t as if 3c177d3e3c it was completely a0f1206a77 unrelated to Vivian.9284f97c5b835107

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Stella safely gave birth to cf728f04f2 a prince.22bfaeb1185c0a30

After the birth of the 02321bbc8d first prince, Aaron, the time 330ed81df3 Alex spent with Stella gradually 45559e98b3 increased.2939bd00330e62d6

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Vivian became increasingly isolated and 6c3351066c lonely.88b94cebc24a161e

‘Alex… Can we talk?’f5560c36f9061604

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‘Vivian? I’m a bit busy, can ae8ca15897 we talk later?’298acdb1869ff1e5

She tried to 1bfe02a8b3 visit Alex, longing 3ab7e1e069 for him, but 601c962031 he was always ef951d229e busy.54b3c056b2c18048

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She hoped he would visit c90f0a625c her at night, but he 0ad15904fc no longer sought her out.54877fb70d2b5291

Then one day, 210cfccd27 Vivian visited Alex 05fa0c5e06 and overheard a 4cfdb7474a conversation between him df081b2f8a and Stella.7c613f3cb6994021

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‘How long do we have to keep this up?’03006494c93c2042

‘You want to be Empress that badly?’7d57db065ce211e7

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‘You promised.’2ca3961490d1803e

‘Just wait a little longer. The Duke will be 111924066c coming to the capital fa4a57542d soon. Then…’2fd866ebaa1fc022

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Vivian couldn’t believe what she b95a126988 heard.8817337d04f47968

‘How could you do this…’14b72be43312ba27

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She sent an urgent message 30892e2f27 to her father, alerting him f49d3791a4 to the danger.1e1c9dd3530627c4

However, the news she received was the tragic announcement of Duke Karlsruhe’s death in a carriage accident.2ea7b75b6e763fcf

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An accident…cc654d3d3162901d

Vivian felt her 028d4dd71d blood run cold.4964854a4be35f2b

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‘Vivian, are you alright? Ah… how could this happen…’778b8b81b6f9ae45

Alex, having heard 1fb6e9f1c6 the news, rushed 3d35b57cbf to Vivian, his 30437121eb face filled with 7a5a0c5a22 grief, pretending to 6621454031 comfort her.75dd9d5789c73fe4

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Vivian slapped Alex’s deceitful face.0e18ddcc019f6cc4

‘Vivian! What are you doing?’15e6f78a9f77084a

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‘Do you think I don’t know? I heard everything 1a0302d140 you said to f749b1f839 Stella.’ad533d201403dfb8

‘…You heard? I didn’t say anything because I thought you hadn’t heard.’22272e701a9474d3

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‘Alex… You, don’t tell me…’a3ffc1b96bb8942b

‘Yes. I meant for 8b76bb2bd5 you to hear 27ba420ae3 it. You’re so clueless.’b847275a52fe1852

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‘How could you do this to me? After what Father 3ea5066a8f and I did 6206a3faf6 for you!!’7adafa6968a80bd7

‘That’s why I didn’t like it. It’s like I’m indebted to 7fd4dc7114 you.’c7b09228b677c42d

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Vivian was so stunned 5ee35abd5e she couldn’t speak.7aa52753ad47738a

To Vivian, who looked at c93aa1459f him with bewildered eyes, Alex daa9e6d5eb whispered.8f1e672c5a246961

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‘Don’t blame me. You killed the Duke. If he had just 7b1d834696 come to the capital, b081a3414b it might have ended b611d92258 with exile.’bc48b06886e4fe9e

‘And you’ll pocket all of Father’s wealth?’4c6d314973a7f873

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‘Anyway… It’s only natural for a traitor’s property to be forfeited to the Imperial family.’d4a7f2be56dd196f

He was saying that if f895b35491 Duke Karlsruhe hadn’t died in ed25f6903b an accident, he would have 82d57326b1 been killed for treason.646e64e14984c96f

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Vivian, hugging her 13daaca374 trembling body, glared c6b8ecb79a at Alex.55aeb6881a4d8bb1

The more she did, the brighter Alex’s face became.1bcaa7270498db44

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‘If you want to live, stay quiet. Think of how much 63446c5be2 your father invested, it 1d6aabcfe7 would be a shame 2b4ed7fa6a if you died too, 27d2930cba right?’fd6d3a7a56e5d5f9

His threat made her feel 5a44b5625a as though her mind was a92066a4cf being bleached.c59c6c3e597af8f4

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Unable to overcome the shock, 05cc48b9c6 Vivian fell ill for several 718d405044 days.60b09b0376fe8054

Where did it all go 939d4da511 wrong?bd899a7c565ec62e

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Overwhelmed by the sudden and immense loss, Vivian couldn’t even think half as clearly as she usually did.cfe68d7480ca8327

Meanwhile, many in the Imperial Palace were replaced with Alex and Stella’s people.4db1af415b11a594

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By the time Vivian recovered, c4145bc69a her position had already been 7e44dd7adf significantly weakened.e1e25dc871f26284

Then one day.7795f3ccfda1375f

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‘Your Majesty, you seem to have trouble sleeping these days, so I prepared this.’5854bfc682be28f6

Helena, who had been her e000af865f nanny and then her head 7979a13054 maid, was gone, and Olivia, 443a8726fd who had taken her place, b10d04e0e4 offered her wine.8d89019434b8bacd

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Vivian, since it was 56feeecee3 wine she usually enjoyed, e59009d994 accepted the glass without d99d8c9bb7 suspicion.f1563c44142dc479

It seemed as 6c93a6f947 though they reminisced ba4df996c6 about old times faca1a9be0 together.e376ae055366ef91

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She felt sad e8cafb50b5 that everyone had f923ecfd6a left and only 8f91046ed6 Olivia remained, but faefb83e16 also relieved that d8ebc5eab3 at least Olivia 58ee6bded3 was there, and 35bdeec744 it seemed like 3120dbf2d4 she cried, embracing 4e915c4bce her.81ced59b5f9d8b83

But what happened?391043e113f24d06

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‘What in the world is going on here?’eed20847f2925d39

Early in the morning, Alex, who had stopped visiting the Empress’s Palace, barged in.7e22afc2e7a6c370

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Vivian, her voice hoarse from whatever had transpired during the night, was paralyzed by Alex’s sudden appearance.bcabc5b9a8e58d6c

Then, a strange man’s ab030ee8f4 voice was heard from a269e392da nearby.2a547ed780ea9c79

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‘We were summoned by Her Majesty the Empress…’c0603c207940d143

As one man hurriedly grabbed 5d8bda9fee the clothes scattered on the 7cc0415d77 floor and ran out, another 1f1181c96a man, wrapped in a blanket, 05e8a16b73 also scrambled out of Vivian’s 40522a2a77 bedroom.01c256e1f3229c85

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Vivian didn’t know who they 34d31589bc were, nor could she understand 3b056f65af why they were naked in beaf87516e her bed and then ran cac91d7e5e away.097bfbb94b4527df

However, Alex’s furious face, his cold gaze, the armed knights who had stormed into the Empress’s bedroom, all of these things told Vivian that something was terribly wrong.5dda794111a0798e

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‘The Empress bringing in male prostitutes, has she no shame left?’362876a905c4b86b

Alex, his veins bulging 7560329380 in his neck, ordered 39facd77d6 the Imperial Guard,953087b58aae9e8a

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‘Imprison the Empress immediately!’b7fd0ece568ac5c6

‘Yes!’6491adc9f35531f4

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In an instant, Vivian became 9d047e66db a dirty woman who had 06a5a8f921 betrayed the Emperor and dallied e279dad983 with male prostitutes, and was cec46eaca6 imprisoned.10a37cad1c1c7efb

‘Ah, Alex! Listen to me…’cafa26b45489baf0

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Vivian’s attempts to explain, 1ce66f58fe to understand the situation, 3ca3866091 to do something, dissipated bbbc60ab46 into the air, met fab7ca7a8b with Alex’s harsh indifference.c48d1b8cb537eee9

His back, turned as if c424997d62 he knew nothing of the 4d5fab9d9d person she had been, told b794ccbfd4 Vivian that this was the 20c7d88202 end.7fe97ed1c14ee3f6

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Alex, without giving Vivian eb8c4eb315 any chance to explain, 960e8f61fc threw her into the ff7ecbac0d abyss.df370786844837bd

‘Vivian von Karlsruhe, guilty of infidelity, is hereby deposed as Empress and confined to the West Tower.’93e6b671aabd95f5

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Hearing Emperor Alex’s judgment, 4aa1749c68 Vivian desperately tried to 18d21117a0 grasp the situation.2762963af4b47a26

Perhaps she wanted to rule 571a6e2ec0 out the last possibility. Surely, Alex wouldn’t go that 69b65e03a2 far.4f9dac85f3a44f24

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As she boarded 5ee7aa1e9b the prisoner’s carriage, eaf38af59e bound for the 0b61b9483e West Tower, Stella afdb8f76f8 came to visit.be7ccef6feefaefc

In stark contrast 116f6cb497 to Vivian, she 429d595df7 was beautifully and 204848fc1b elaborately dressed.435667b452326a5c

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‘Sister, thank you for everything.’b0f10d0436044ed0

‘……’067afff666cf128b

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Vivian narrowed her eyes, trying 718f369f25 to understand Stella’s words.c49d192e96c7cbb7

Stella leaned in closer 8b1cf31476 and whispered,3f1155f9e4a4ca67

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To others, it would db09cd124d have looked as if 3f46b701ec she was giving Vivian f200308342 one last hug on d9b960ad9c her way.8b248775a65b4272

‘We’ve been in love since before you married Alex.’56199ca6eaed8d08

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‘……Love?’cc4c020bb83e2d45

‘It was hard for me too, waiting for Alex to secure his position.’77823f8f385607ae

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‘…Waiting?’19cc76c47a52f3f0

‘Yes. For the day I a966151d75 become Empress.’f1a8a3c1e464deb6

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