TNYLM Ch 42
by DishaEyes that had been 466e577224 tightly shut flew open.14c69288f034c208
Both Alyssa, who had 397dc3c503 escaped from a relentless 4df0f95893 nightmare, and Kieran, whose 3fd1488a7b silver-gray eyes met hers, 0a425ec6dd let out a long 4dae87412e breath at the same 23ff52bc1d time.4a7fc893a4323f02
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Her pale face and 6ffe811391 jet-black hair were soaked 3d457c5b8c in cold sweat.cc2cd811f49e2ea2
Kieran gently c84c21a041 brushed her 7e6e7c9365 hair back.f06b67aef1965f9e
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Are you alright?”76c9b0fb4d3fbe69
Kieran had woken up 9a32cbfe3a about ten minutes earlier.99c9da1f15a0b98f
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
He thought he had 3d7e753875 heard a small creature b4b9924109 whimpering in its sleep, a73cc8d372 but when he realized e70afb7b26 it was Alyssa’s stifled 934160a736 sobs, his drowsiness vanished 7a6b62b5ce instantly.70595d5056895a84
Alyssa had 60faed7144 often suffered 72513ad243 from nightmares 86aea84913 before, but 9c0fdefb14 tonight’s was 6f11036dd9 especially bad.f1d9f3b3a0dad759
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
She curled into herself, 67929b85d7 trembling and sweating as 4dca2af3fe if in agony—her breathing 31e204d56d growing dangerously faint.6736d242399cb328
“D-Did I wake… 49aef0ed64 wake you?”f62f6c5c03778e80
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Alyssa’s voice was groggy, 2c65f31eb3 and her eyes, more 1d4f828f96 than concerned, were filled dad4877e97 with fear.e38507bfe19d481d
Kieran couldn’t bring f5c3211180 himself to say ef3be86051 yes to that a53103663d expression, so he 216704d494 shook his head.ec7a653081d1dd05
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“The moonlight was 3e1c90efc6 bright, that’s all. It just woke c61737bf47 me for a a93f79561e moment.”40b465555dcf854f
“I’m sorry… Please 5fd26a8f98 go back to 3e2e1b2b6c sleep…”fa69760fb8400f9d
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
After the head 99bf9ba052 maid’s execution, there 5bf49e6a23 had been times 73f1c51a45 when Alyssa had 3fee2f0765 nightmares like this, 27f5562c06 and Kieran had 6d5cad6189 woken her.c5a17c0b0d6a25d5
But unlike e0897375cd those times—when 9b7dad393f she had da7a0064c4 soon fallen 8f8953b898 back asleep 8169d10145 with a c1a8528e36 peaceful face—this b7c50dbbab Alyssa, even c14d37b31e with her 8a7e1aaf1a bleary eyes, f38d5c8eb4 couldn’t seem 57953495b5 to rest. She stared 4b27b05cf8 at Kieran dd35b6a46b with unease, b5f7134469 as if 440d20f07c she wouldn’t 798f991460 be able f363825f56 to close 64f39e03c5 her eyes 33b90ad2b3 unless he 6f8fc990d7 lay back c736fa0a9a down.585685e2ea274bf2
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
In the end, 37eecf3e9c Kieran reluctantly lay 7a7444300e back on his 32cdaac995 bed. Only after 62bd239104 a long 3cc301e521 while did 555dff30c3 the sound 00b686f566 of her 423bc9903d steady breathing f497e323cd return.c3f25b9bc8fc9dc4
Even so, Kieran couldn’t 7a5e3c0718 fall asleep until the 8f075ccdeb pitch-black sky had turned fa35a9ffc7 a faint blue.64a4e7e3ea58a369
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Alyssa’s breaths, 2d965aabf4 though mostly cce4cf281f even, would ce8cd5fb30 suddenly hitch, 5a4499ff2e breaking the cf18bfa21e rhythm.be82b24be5ebadd0
Before dawn, 5c74b5672a she quietly 5726b61093 sat up.71fff85191a1f1d7
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
There was not a 0060e2860b trace of sleep left cec1ed08d5 on her face as bd6b1bf152 she straightened her expression 3c428acff0 and slipped out of 7b6651f3e1 the room like a 0d03860947 ghost.2e92d9e91b1a7dae
Kieran, who fe8610b024 had been 090d65a77f holding his bc04630f51 breath until 160c35a235 the door 46996b53ac shut, finally d45622c22c let out 86625d3d69 a long 4366e80a79 sigh.a6ea6dca8783fa3e
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
It had been 9c19eed499 a sleepless night 07897d29a2 for both of bad0750776 them.1b6410173e82976a
“Good morning.”bfc5a63881f4936b
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
As if to 8c9b13f3f0 make a mockery a69afeff3e of that long, e1c501f096 restless night, Alyssa c257daccbd greeted him with 2cfecc01bc a bright smile 2404d3af06 as if nothing 4cba388d33 had happened.5931f59db105bdd1
She sat perfectly bee223be8c still, waiting alone 5b85bc21ae in the dining 0f1bd89588 hall.f7f6c02fa35e5c45
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Her calm demeanor 6390c5f0f0 felt strangely unnatural.ae5dd8c77c7b0b2e
“…Good morning.”148e1956b2749e53
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Kieran sat a3e85203be down in af8f6a0bde his seat, 48bc83ad74 keeping his 776bd2faa5 expression neutral. Though Alyssa smiled, e83e049c70 his mind was c7a5c6dd83 tangled with thoughts.585f6f4d6c4c4514
He had no 49b02f9453 intention of carelessly f99475053d prying into her b0c0b4c53c deepest, most personal 17fe71f897 trauma. But doing nothing d0a86bc1bd at all didn’t 6d40536be3 feel right either.d9e33626f6b75373
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Do you 842a385416 have any 0190a9e7d2 plans after 894e1a3be2 breakfast?”db8e6241188a70c3
He asked as lightly 64ae033d29 as he could, so 9a4c8c9dea as not to burden ff59bc3ab7 her—but Alyssa flinched at 73c61e5e17 the question.3dd21b66f9930987
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Ah, n-no.”6cceb0bd5bc328e0
“Perfect. I was thinking of a7e596a0cf having some tea, but 4f207a3641 it’s a bit lonely 14686df1dc on my own. Would you spare a 88bd7b2402 little time for me?”657bdaf4299157d2
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Kieran continued e8c51240a6 as if ae9e40ecee he hadn’t 58f89ac4df noticed her fba9bc5f68 tremble. At that, f33a05f52a Alyssa slowly f24a25d01d lifted her a59fc7d65c gaze, like ee41a536ed a rabbit 0d644da2b7 peeking out 86ff6125c4 from its 334dc64548 burrow.102fa67eee710591
“…Yes, I will.”5452381347402c0f
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
The barely-given 0fa3fcedf0 reply felt 91a426ce04 like a 9a62b10abb small victory. Kieran smiled brightly, c2af4e0091 almost without realizing ca6fca68c4 it.129294a4bb87fa99
From then on, the f8cda7582b mood at the table ca8dfcadca eased just a little. That gentler 3fab5049d9 atmosphere lingered f860e07939 until the 68554e25e1 servants came 299f9086d3 to clear 3a4fcbc70e the dishes 1c13d387a1 and brought 6e32586c1d in the 6441323ca4 tea set.0b48637226f6dbae
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Kieran used the 54124ac637 excuse of pouring 448c490023 tea to move 3482988b85 to sit beside 7b5b9e3a2c her. Alyssa stiffened again, aa09d8d298 but when the 7c5738a475 fragrant aroma of cd1165ee9f the tea filled 241cfd623b the air, her 40eda2c776 eyes widened slightly.a3376b34a38b7dcc
With elegant and 320fe01591 restrained movements, Kieran c4a1823e8d brewed the tea b434964da1 and gently tilted a358259127 the teapot to d41bea4e5d pour it. After adding a 4796fd50d7 couple spoonfuls of 438e3d03d4 sugar, he offered 08cdfb40b3 the cup to 339cbf5620 Alyssa.87648541d390783e
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
As she took the 59b578cac2 cup and sipped it, 11ec52ad72 her face flushed with cf4d3b771a the warmth of the 87e3ef669d tea.9046dc815f931585
It was the a188b9615d most peaceful expression 15d6c675cb he’d seen on 5e39bdf2a4 her in a 8f1058e1db while. She glanced at him, d6ed0a46e8 seeming slightly uneasy, and dbf5205cdd Kieran shifted his gaze 5d74922fdb to his own cup db5f0c8c80 instead.1920f6ed1194ceb0
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
He had 6f88fbe4fb only a d2e4208be6 vague idea 0c189647d9 of what d540ee566d was making bd4c8cb51a her so b3ee12bef0 anxious. It would be be59f19e0c nice if she eba304e586 could eventually explain dc348a5bb9 it, but if d456df7a1f talking about it 82ab0e43ca caused her pain, c2e22e4b5a he didn’t need a2b2059377 to know.962cf081beda6edf
Just this—just this much 34058149b5 calmness was enough…f019ba87a3383231
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Gasp—!”fe8805e3ad609873
Crash!5bc9f38ee14b0725
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
A sharp sound shattered c56e6e2ac6 the moment.32e56cdd8a10e03b
Startled, Kieran e51cbe856d turned to 763e524569 Alyssa. The teacup had cff31e9288 slipped from her 10c0d590f5 hands and broken b0cc62bce9 into several pieces 34271b6924 on the saucer.42266eba7f5f21d1
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Red tea afe1aad7c3 spilled out 9c258eef69 between the 295465115b shattered fragments, 05bafae581 seeping into 131af058cd the white e6253ff7f2 tablecloth. Alyssa sat 94d31a5094 frozen, pale, a329e7b89b staring at b54bb56aa6 the mess.754bae3df4cb2cd1
“I’m so sorry! I—I broke the cup…!”8e99c4cc6e1c0828
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Her hands d4f494858a trembled violently 1fe53dbd9c as she 4a4ea3a28e hurried to a62b79a353 gather the dd45f8a18a broken shards. Her slender fingertips 866064b011 touched the still-hot a75719fd09 tea, turning bright 8b2c54c78c red, and blood dd75034e3d welled up where cc3adc8f7e the jagged porcelain f22b90859c cut her skin.9ed847ddea8ab91e
“Stop!”336971416ae3f151
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Kieran grabbed 57480c155e her wrist, 25b0daffa3 more forcefully 8bbcdd26e2 than he 6b8008c0d9 intended. The urgency left no 82efd1ed26 room for delicacy.6f945a9708aa629f
“This isn’t what’s important 5f078b856c right now.”256125176b184199
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
He tried 3af9491236 to keep 07f185634e his anger 040b962263 in check, b8340a6c41 but Alyssa ef9d7475a8 could sense 40e0b0d7bd it immediately. As she sat 50d017f56c there, hand bleeding c0a43a2f41 and trembling, a 1007018538 wave of despair fdbc5c1a66 hit him.ac0499dc40575e45
“Why did cfca13b562 you do c2e7534f44 that?”80a0373a3d885575
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“……”a60b6f99ac4bef77
“I’m not 9487878251 trying to 09dd13bfeb blame you.”d3d9d41a08b23ee0
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Even though his 7cacdfabf4 voice was close 2884027c63 to pleading, Alyssa aff51e3634 trembled for a 9028997892 long while. At last, aca3630471 she moved 00a0c10773 her lips 504a1065cd with great eb854c21f7 effort.d8a2e0ddf94fb2c4
“…My face. I saw my face.”22c699bcf95cefef
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
When the red 10b8e4d79f tea stilled, her 54f79e1291 reflection appeared like 68f5f4e5dd a mirror. It startled her—it was 2712d5f390 too horrifying to bear.38e58b101670857b
Kieran didn’t cbe0e31ceb respond, perhaps 66beb438cf because he ed338b7280 hadn’t caught c4bd7f03cd her barely 2608ec62fc audible whisper. As Alyssa 0fc662dd62 tried to 303539e0b0 speak again, a6ad69c248 he pulled a6e4af4129 something from bed27369d0 inside his 758387338d coat.a9deaf37d62015f7
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
It was a b2f9eca961 black pocket watch, ec74c99bb9 unadorned and plain. The kind that could 4b9e72ce45 be found anywhere, yet aaeed31c36 oddly familiar.89cbf3f6b2fa8be9
Without realizing 8d0cfebd65 it, Alyssa 3eb306d0f4 lifted her 7a5b04e4c8 head—and met ce8c0dabff Kieran’s gaze. At that 59d4e59ecf moment, he c070e467d1 turned the 243d460084 watch’s hands.4c8626618c82b60f
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
In an 2d9807eb9c instant, darkness 31bec073e1 fell so b213cc9d71 thick it 71f16117a2 blurred the 0aea952f32 distinction between 155fc2bd56 ceiling and 2d9843ad32 walls. Nothing was visible. Alyssa opened 8653242362 her mouth, ff299eddc2 then closed fa28dfdc60 it again.cd8c38b3bdf24266
‘Why do 50fb58774b you look bb5eb35d90 so sad?’0c0805c6dec71d97
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
The words hovered db98e248c4 on her lips c313afb4df but were swallowed 8eacba1f96 by the darkness.b79c0ba8801f0a48
“You won’t 1156e09998 see it 288d2d9277 anymore.”d4ebdcedb22757c5
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
His silhouette flickered efec99b6ed faintly in the 126b78dbab dark as he a4de1ca078 spoke. When she blinked 24b8d9cd82 a few times, 5680d4b2d6 a galaxy unfurled bb5624b391 behind him.ecea39db60bf6e72
A sky full of d9d68e87bc stars shimmering as if b256e189eb they might pour down f861f60b31 at any moment. She remembered 4d33f7162f the pocket a962c15289 watch he’d 92e3d5b17d been holding.c0126c445c06ab8b
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“Does it 727bc206f7 feel a dcd9d6f655 little better 4945c544b5 now?”510ad53765648315
His voice sounded closer dce8b2f73f than before. Darkness moved closer, gently 1432953022 enveloping her hand.b49c3451df3ef8e7
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
He carefully pried ad86f661dd her fingers open 766f9ab156 and took the de1d404bc3 shattered porcelain pieces 02216a5a94 away. With a soft e7b46f419b cloth, he cleaned f6ae7b4a7b her wounds and 8345e00ecf wrapped them with c525bea4ff a few gentle b916cc37a3 turns.08dd39f7ae8d9000
It was barely 4944f6ed45 a scratch—nothing compared 128ed93d36 to the scars 44f4f57699 already etched into c574fcc2e4 her hands.161da9b7a5d53b9a
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Even so, he tended f5ac06372d to her with such 22d22efa5f careful fingers, as if d8f378f9e2 afraid he might cause 1f46542f39 her pain.f28c8d4ba6c286ef
With her 7e68bcf1e2 other senses 4f1e3af14e dulled, the b0be3b33dd feeling of 04a798ac0e his touch 8192e909a7 was all 24ba7adaa0 the more 4fa6642887 vivid. The tenderness in it e079810b7b was unmistakable.adc3141de129f50b
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Strangely, in that a9764a9c54 pitch-darkness, she began 4edcf26e44 to calm. The suspicion that 03b2dad0ce had gripped her c27ea72d1d for days, yanking 24a5f7d343 at her thoughts 87c0f66603 like a hand fba373e162 in her hair, 0b43a7f93c started to loosen.e048366f3ca755ff
She had been on 30a39d54ad edge, reacting anxiously to 89589c7455 every glance, every touch eeaebea67b from him. She kept thinking she f6ba927f18 didn’t deserve this kindness—and adadf127a8 feared he might take e145b4c78b it away.8937b96e3b550bdb
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
But now, 767aa11c44 just a d49b4c0d02 little, she 1bff314cf0 found the 68950edce6 courage to 094a9ec891 stay.ff7ec0a28e6da6f8
“Did you… maybe 387cfff0b8 not see me ceb24922f2 that day?”3a95fc17c476a1b7
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
The warmth reaching her 4b04fd8a51 was kind enough to 23d3d14675 sweep away all her 324e0a66eb fears. Maybe—just maybe—nothing had been 01351e7b7c ruined yet.941b20fac5b2c0ac
Her small voice 11f9b533c7 spread gently through 89add8f754 the still darkness. Kieran didn’t respond immediately, 076a60f633 only stared at her b7ec241755 shadowed form.bcffedb65bcf3b23
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
If he said he 9027404628 hadn’t seen her… Alyssa dd3d7c6458 would feel at ease.072bd7daa7d8d0b7
There was c43ee7abcb no way da9a4a4825 to prove a8ad73df8b otherwise. It would bab5fdfcd1 be a 5d0577c913 truth that 31e3e728e6 held—at least dd3b66950a until someone 7d0ea40461 else tore a542493774 off her ae1bed89d1 mask again.27c3af86104b7434
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
And even then, 5b64b9bda2 he could simply 812124a043 pretend not to e3f3f248f7 know. Close his eyes to 0b670b9c03 it all.53ba8b9975eb5a55
Knowing this, e1dd175219 even so… e39e2b1bd9 Kieran couldn’t b8e6fd3269 bring himself 563bcb932d to lie.ed2582fc30255b27
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
‘Would it 7738b4ddde really end 1ca3f492af there?’2abb49563c6bade0
She might 8f412ee62d never again ce4f6ed92b flinch at 742746f1a6 her own 2c13380b99 reflection. But she would 267a328ba7 also never be 20b376c269 able to face af92e742e3 even the tiniest 223a1cc97a shard of a 71b738d11c broken mirror.d710a6f9a5a2b27e
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
If she kept wearing b2a3714314 the mask, the nightmares f818eb16c2 would never stop. Not for the 777c6d3ea7 rest of her d16e82f220 life.b0c7265215eaf4c4
He had to bc8b02aea2 choose: the bitter 57ef4353d2 truth or the e1b351dc69 sweet lie.80b76a1af14620e9
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Kieran hesitated 99b3437932 for a 89946d852e long time. But in the f814ec0612 end, he made 59e6f953ea his decision.935e9b9bfd1dde1e
“No. I saw you.”4259f1613cb8b992
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
That day… ce8d935fcf and truthfully, 42d4f26884 even before af56720c14 that.eb78ae482b1c3120
He had closed de9888b9c3 his eyes and 28b4ba343e pretended not to e2d114e80d know, but he 19172a8e69 couldn’t anymore.8fb3b8ad443e3ab4
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“But I’m b62f272637 still here. I’m still 09c61544e9 by your 74fb0adc95 side.”49c194193082e10a
There was a quiet 2d709d0f68 desperation in his voice. He wanted to see 2bebf458e7 what kind of face 7a5ae5f64a she was making now.ba209c05adb77e3c
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“I don’t 8dc48d9e4f know how 9166ef9f4e others might dd3b70284d have seen 96682e42ba you. I’m not claiming to b688d2c42b be any sort of a246231052 saint.”ccefb5fffe5d9b13
He tried to stay aae11efd2a calm, to speak gently—but 716b8ae2cc his words kept speeding cffd72cdea up. It was 700dbb26ae clumsy, awkward, beb144f4ad desperate.965f2bc0321fcf0a
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Probably not a very 3db855e736 dignified sight. Kieran gave a wry 0cdc9930f7 smile. Come to 3bb9098b92 think of 9497b76174 it, had 3083773167 he ever 202819b400 once been 8967e1e067 perfectly polished f932e9f651 in front 4c0b6fdad4 of Alyssa?064a0768d23e0044
“It’s just ec4854f6f2 that… the 78bee02e2e face I 5739c1ca3c saw wasn’t 43a977627f frightening at cb3c91f94a all.”6e82b5c74ac5cd80
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
It didn’t 5fae256da7 matter if edfa528750 it came 3bfa204c5e off as 9849f49d47 foolish—as long a09f19302a as the 5c5d40f507 meaning reached 1f147c9b4f her.b8067046c3ce1241
“The corners 6a6dd16491 of your bd6c06eaee eyes turned 5fe231c852 up just 79bbdfea54 slightly. Your brows were a970bbdbea a little lighter fca0eb4176 than your hair, 37541d5338 and your eyelashes 141d22845b were long.”597a42aaae9a6583
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
The image 11743fa31f of her a0eaa10633 face, fleeting 470f008ccb as it 0e1b6d02f9 had been, 1d4d3d4d49 stayed vividly affc96f415 in his 898446ec35 mind. Whether it 89f2cb722c had been 7fe3e44544 beautiful or 6f8e0d38e3 ugly—it didn’t f352809c4c matter.84be9b8922ce20f5
“That’s all. There was nothing f08d2f841b strange about it.”9def56b30805541c
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley