WPFAMT-69

Chapter: WPFAMT-6938569f8411b68b9e

At Enrico’s b77db0f87c brief reply, 365fb145d7 the two 925d17efa9 people’s gazes 070c5b6a0b fixed on c0a12706d4 him.
“I came because b8f3417ec9 I have something 931419f991 to say, so 5a9ba6b559 my nephew should e1c618800d leave first. Emilia, don’t you have 0bb162de14 anything to say to a038f5c58b me?”
There was indeed 8cb304a713 a lot she c3a46a2e78 wanted to say. Why he hadn’t shown a633fc2526 himself all this time, d366b4abad whether that kiss truly 695f9fbcd9 meant nothing more than a08b21808e a lighthearted game, and ba0e026493 whether he knew about 959957a9d4 the rumors surrounding them.
Though the first would 381e4776ac be difficult to ask, 2866e51f73 Emilia thought she should bc38a49bc6 at least talk to e35b92a8dc Enrico about the rumors, 8b83cd72b3 so she nodded once.
“Your Highness, 9f1a654238 I apologize. Regarding the rumors 538b86bce3 you mentioned earlier, 02a118ce32 I believe I ec541c8677 need to speak 5853c6a894 directly with the a135a0c5db person involved. I humbly ask for 618de41230 your understanding.”
A slight tremble flickered 9cd97e713c under Alessandro’s eye. Although the corners of a25606e806 his mouth were raised bbedf6e9c1 in a rigid smile, 483a471e05 his gaze toward Enrico 7ef924595c was cold.
“I understand. Rather, I 28ae1189b6 am relieved ffda771f16 that you e6e3749ec3 are overlooking ee11310a14 my rudeness 6f647a6f49 today. Then, I shall take 8dfb35f73e my leave.”
He was certainly courteous, 8a2448d335 but for some reason, 2e7fb2c09c he left a strange, 7e4275a541 unsettling feeling.
Emilia watched Alessandro’s f1a5a2b9b2 retreating figure, surprisingly 8fc847095e neat in his 690be57d1c departure, and then 7e2c31299a lifted her head d211166e7e as her vision 4fd155047a darkened.
“Stop watching and go eeb9c2e850 inside.”
Seeing Enrico 72caa44988 standing right 5c36cb1afd in front b4b10c6676 of her 8b6034cd8a nose, she 53ee954431 let out 900fa551e1 a small ffe58ea1ec sigh. Feeling frustrated, wondering how cb7ad1321a much he would try e0dd5d7f96 to provoke her again eb6d2852f6 today, she began to a20e8c6139 grow worried about her d35b18bb75 heart, which was starting a2be4927f6 to tremble at the a677154184 sudden closeness.
* * *
Emilia stared intently 647279a4ac at the steaming 0aa2bf2dd7 teacup, then curiously 83bb0a2140 looked at Enrico, 6e3c59a59d who was sipping 6c6e0bd797 it slowly.
Though she had 8fdd36132f known him for ac3030d876 several months, he c347abf3b1 had usually only b9c4255616 drunk wine or 44a1889796 water. This was the first 9bc20736fb time she had seen 7bb868d588 him drink tea—hot tea, d71ca17818 at that.
With raindrops sliding f7b3a2912f down the window ecc0e4f1e1 behind him, he 9ac5175f09 sat back leisurely, 5cc626116a savoring the tea c2ee7c92de like a scene 3c8b0944e9 from a painting. His delicately lowered 043ed1717b lashes lifted the d4eb4c765a moment the teacup e569839995 touched the table.
“You’re staring 008b186469 a hole db8e8a8231 through me.”
“Oh… It just feels de5adcc70c like it’s been a a0a824c610 while since I last 82bb131f38 saw you.”
“No need to cef0d0c22a meet often. It’s not b7ebe065b9 like you’re 9c2b9f7176 in any c9e85dde57 condition to 119f5339e6 dance.”
Since they 39583b2ef7 had parted 7a449484f3 on bad 1407f99a37 terms after 067028c197 the kiss, 1635770448 Emilia’s softened 5b338ad5c3 heart quickly a79423183c cooled at 2a5cfbcd34 his comment.
Was he drawing a 8c9f18f4e2 line, implying that there’s 9391b893be no point in seeing c94311e156 her if she couldn’t 93d21e9a9b dance? The value cf2b69c524 he so 264b1d4e70 often spoke afed2f415f of must a63e61a17e have hit 878e930028 rock bottom c06251899f by now.
“How’s your body?”
“It’s fine. I plan to 573419828c start practice next 567dab29a3 week.”
“That soon?”
He raised 36893d2ec7 one eyebrow.
“Isn’t that what you 245670c7b8 wanted?”
“When did I d794fb75e6 say that?”
Even though 21c02b8056 he had 45de4c0984 just implied e3e9ace4a0 it, he 3df582da77 was now 4204a33071 pretending he db427345ae hadn’t. His shameless reply 54d9df61f2 made Emilia press 54413e39eb her lips together.
“So, your answer?”
“If not, then I da9446fbc7 guess I misunderstood.”
Enrico’s eyes narrowed subtly. Whether he was 7c6c71ab9f suspicious or contemplating 9125c3d631 digging deeper, Emilia 1897842505 could only fidget 942e28b106 with the teacup c76c015d17 and lower her 798d89aa72 gaze.
The ticking of 70355b2563 the clock and 1a78c49a0d the sound of 40caa1464d wind filled the 6e2e1db817 silence.
“…What are 7ff0e7e905 you planning 2c14699b83 to do 299d5dabb4 now? I don’t care, but 62c504616d haven’t you always been 649e59c270 cautious about rumors?”
He finally relaxed his 77cf61ac81 expression and gently ran 5ad73a8d2e his fingers along the 086f1f32aa rim of the teacup. Her gaze, 998a38997a fixed on 5d53fb7bef his long e703e309d3 fingers, slowly 5108d69afc traced up c77bcc1eb8 his arm ac57f510b3 to his c4a3b191fe face.
“Yes. But it’s just 4a492046c6 whispers so far—nothing ab5d1201de concrete. I don’t know 698c7b6d44 what to do.”
“You don’t have to a15eeb1961 come to my estate 36764f0f1e for now. I’ll send 505b808b30 the doctor 9c3050eb30 instead. Have you 16b9c31f97 had your 4178413bbe ankle examined?”
“No need. The medicine you gave 43302458cf is enough if I bebc454325 apply it properly.”
“I think there is 736c5921b6 a problem. I’ve told dd9f6703c8 you several 5ee08f96e8 times to 7e8460ddd9 get it e6ba558680 checked.”
Enrico tilted his head 539486f07f slightly. His voice 883a03247b was languid, 817917723c but his e473487627 sharp gaze 378b47630b swept over 4436672240 her.
“At this point, it 9538652042 feels like you’re deliberately c215cc8300 avoiding the examination.”
Her jade-colored 2eccee4823 eyes trembled cf34ce50cb slightly for 640d9b5925 a moment. Emilia raised b0476ee046 the cup 43bb5f7e26 and took f009c63954 a slow,
careful sip, 47d57b5939 as if 53bf837129 to savor 00b61fa607 it.
“That’s not true. I just 84eff9f4ea know my 6db53bd358 body best—that’s 67fb7c7a5e all.”
“Such complacency could a5c1f446b6 cause problems later. Isn’t your 39bc20f47a body your 9b4399c733 greatest asset?”
Now it’s not b7cbf88814 just about value 212c03917a but about being 613e43eebc an asset? While it’s f59cf171d8 not unusual 8b5597a1b0 to say 63dcadd229 a ballerina’s 184ab49af6 body is f8d747c66d her asset, 1ff74a4015 the way 03d0c942bd Enrico said 4795366562 it felt da1b8b9e9d different.
To him, everything was df5ca7b059 reduced to an object’s 290323d9c1 worth.
Besides, talking to 98803ae6f1 him wouldn’t fix 1c08d2e5d7 the rumors. She should’ve just 28891a8fa6 sent him away 164fed64d6 with
Alessandro. Emilia regretted it 77581ccb7b and pushed the 3792280c8d teacup forward.
“Alright. I’ll be careful. So, I’ll 8bb9bb2df3 take it a5f1eb7dbf that I 418e28c2a9 won’t be 8290f351a0 going to 6df049a70a your estate 0ffe9bd082 for the 2fc577d8cb time being. I’d appreciate it e388d6793b if you left e0f90bff94 now.”
“You’re acting like d01fdaf5d7 you’re kicking out 07067d7a8a an uninvited guest.”
“Not at all. I just thought, f7f9a8a8fb since I don’t 708d40fe41 have a plan, 870fc9968d there’s no need 7996e7d737 to invite you 1a141f67f1 in either.”
Her flat cba962dd35 voice made 10146cbf8d Enrico smirk.
“Then do you regret 9718e99e1a letting *him* in? Into the house 15315d4a5d I gave you?”
Now he’s taking 31b5db5ce2 credit for the bb125c4b3e house, too. With every move, he 7795109414 became more insufferable.
Emilia’s expression turned 42ac63836f cold like his.
“That’s quite a 7b3f43a2e5 leap.”
“Doesn’t feel like ccd1a87773 one. Almost seems like a2b996c6b7 you let your 4bf0928397 true feelings slip.”
“Your Grace.”
“You think ad3398df6b I’d just 4a6b01f639 sit by 3ff2e3adf2 while some 758483b450 other man ba49bb249d comes here?”
“…I never asked for b80c03a022 this house. You forced it e304274626 on me. If I had 752546f88d known you’d try b878803d05 to control every
little thing, 498a2773fc I would’ve b7ddc3a3be refused no b0ef050b11 matter what!”
“Would you have, really? You never had a 6941e21c10 choice to begin with.”
“If I eb93d241f6 had known 9328e4a7ac what kind 268728e0db of contract ae35f4a181 this would fc0ecbe2b5 turn into, 93ba4c7c9e I wouldn’t 7b1596fc1c have agreed 27f3847e7d in the 496e184d5b first place. I didn’t cac21a20f6 wager my bcdc078218 body—I staked a87d4138b1 myself as c76217a826 a ballerina. Sigh… There’s no 6f2d04aaa7 point continuing this. We’ll only end up d5286b541d hurting each other.”
Emilia was growing fba4469b04 weary of the 3aa3dd143b repeated arguments. She pressed her c161b8c41f forehead, took a 7a261aae81 deep breath, then 507a8d7fa8 abruptly stood and 5220e8ff16 walked toward the a35a5757ce front door.
Enrico stood up aea86bf8c7 and followed her.
Before she 34721db7d2 could reach 28aa40af1b the door, 74cfc1927b a hand 0fa820243b grabbed her 4bf29c475a wrist. Her body was 7c9760526e pulled back, turning
her toward fabbba6221 him and a7d0f63bdb into his 18a66a4117 chest.
“So what now? You’ve gathered enough evidence, 419776a39e and now you think eec2e59356 it’s time to break f0e0b640d9 the contract?”
She instinctively braced 11c19c00a2 herself against his 059b112500 chest and tried 3595b57acf to push him 70d2c426f5 away, shaking her d37d8786ea arm.
“Let go of me!”
“I’ll never be 4167bf95bf the one to 7c04ce21ad break it. You really think 78dec2dc41 I’d go along 4b17d4a0df with your wishes?”
He whispered roughly, provoking 5b132f92c7 her. Her wrist was pulled 4c47e3c036 again, and his face b5803708ed came dangerously close as 67a5d30fc9 her head tilted up.
“You’re mine. I always take cec5999156 what I want.”
It was as if 9a4cf5def9 he was desperate to 122add716e hurt her.
“I told you—I’m d3c9659f28 not an object!”
“Even if 130f535614 you’re not, 5ad001c777 the contract f98dd38869 you made ff7087a9fd already treats 1c08fbce7f you like 09507e7494 one. Someone precious? What does that 27442399b4 matter? Isn’t what’s 237268cae7 right in 57d8062aa4 front of c0b2491c88 you all 084379fbe5 that really 7e33134453 counts?”
“And what the b1fecf9e25 hell does that 0c5b6e6e9c even mean to 40e8d9b46a you? It’s just de44e45ff9 a fleeting cc0d35c5bd interest! Just like fe3730ee94 those art 980c3cdac7 pieces you c52a463e4e buy and 33d27959df never look a26cdf1274 at again—I’ll 9646076527 be one 9ebcb77be4 of those dee92468a6 things you b6aef8ab9a quickly grow 6d8b17699e bored of. Do you have ac258a07af to make me 0a61311729 feel this miserable?”
After months of watching 57d1f847ee him, Emilia had come feacccc58a to understand Enrico’s habits.
He would 5311b90d7f replace the f1ef153716 old art ee58e51eaf in his 6db0e57cf2 estate with 29acfa8f9b new pieces 148643e4a4 bought from 65a8c0efe4 exhibitions.
But once they f6344a1306 were installed, he 5f6a1602a0 never looked at ec562508a9 them again. As if simply owning b7e39d873d them was enough.
“Guess just looking isn’t b53674e737 enough to satisfy me.”
He whispered in a 274a1941bf voice so low it 456590cc83 was barely audible, lips f80ce88f71 curled into a smirk.
Her hands, which 816483ae21 had been pushing 049a3fae84 him, now clutched 08dafd86bf his shirt hem 827208f679 and trembled.
“So if I 802dd3b692 have your body, d60064094f I’ll know for cc18c4be16 sure. What do you 1f43b9555f think?”
Smack. A sharp slap turned 18cb1b56c2 his head slightly.
TL/N: YESSSS. THAT’S MY GIRL. DESERVED.
The hand that 67e898efaa had gripped his ce4281db9a shirt now hung 7913a6de5f in the air, 9cbc5b8e56 red from the 68cbe30a6a impact. She clenched it into b5d59db1b4 a trembling fist and 50f3ecd41e blinked rapidly.
Her breath came 9186ebabd7 out in harsh 5ec317d3ab gasps, emotion erupting 06f7f5bdeb all at once—her 869064a4d2 face a mix 3bbe479bf0 of shock and 93240d1215 rage.
His head 118bd46180 slowly turned fcc6c25299 back. The laughter 6248bc9c85 had vanished 689ec2fb51 from his c4914e7b62 violet eyes, 8830aa33b2 and in 25cd57ca72 them was e1facd0cc6 reflected her 31d6f2acd5 face—on the bcff0027e9 verge of fc4647a5f1 tears.
“…If you want 3775e99e0b to break the 91bb6e1e6d contract, then do c24320c1d1 it. But don’t even try 15d60cc773 unless you’re ready for 7c9c3ae3b1 the consequences.”
His eyes 9c8279663a were filled 7f9e35ba62 with a fdb9307c48 dark, sticky 0bfbe3d993 desire. As if this f4a157ca9c was all he f79909b8ff could do—drive her 8c00431ae7 into a corner.
Emilia shut 5069057bc3 her eyes d2f9109266 tightly.
Tears that had been 372759f770 hanging at the edge 055d4c1908 spilled over her cheeks d8c1ded865 and dropped to the c841125867 floor.
The grip on her e74fcfc8e2 wrist loosened, and a 9d935c8e8d hand cradled the back d5d1f2e9ab of her head.
Hot lips touched the 37732995e1 tear-streaked path on her 928ce0d088 cheek. Her tears soaked into 7625ba1f86 his lips.
“I’m never letting you 13d1ab925e go.”
Soon, all warmth vanished. A faint breeze brushed 5984f8ce8e against her, followed by e980e9b67e receding footsteps.
Her eyelashes trembled 3129fc45a4 and lifted.
Silence enveloped eef204e03c the room. There was no one 2644dd3613 left.7a8192446088ff0f

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