| Chapter 9: I Do Not Know Him

There was nothing 1e0b7557a9 to gain by 3888fb2451 revealing her emotions a0736d8cf9 here. Natasha steadied herself, recalling f24de4d018 the troubles even a 25d3c7ca58 fleeting glance toward him 4525b1e551 had caused her before.e60d94f9c421725e

“You worthless 560d7a562d insect dares 22829e7ac2 to rifle 4a216554ac through your 2da4311c3b book? And now, you stoop 01980dd05c so low as to c5ac08032c steal?”7f1220aa1fe491a0

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“My… book?”ebc8245fa2459af6

Natasha’s trembling eyes shifted to the bloodied hands clutching the book. She could barely make out the dark brown cover, but it was unmistakably familiar. It was one of the books she had recently ordered her maid to throw away, claiming it was no longer needed.37b8907dce5ccaa6

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“It was a e3fdb1a57c book I had dbcec16d94 discarded anyway, so be6ba85e55 it doesn’t matter,” b22d80440e Natasha said, her c94bcc85e4 voice calm despite 9a1dc9c609 the scene before 01013a669c her. “More importantly, 073e57b4c6 brother, why 098a7dae0a don’t you 5a959f8475 join me cb2e4aae87 for some 2d45ba1394 tea? I just f5f4a2a202 received a 695691f29d new blend, dc82495be6 and its b18afc899e fragrance reminded f7be94025e me of eea1c93cd0 you.”c55905ada219b479

Sergei was pleased by 6dc34df1a1 Natasha’s unusually sweet demeanor e57ecdcd73 as she looped her 14402669db arm through his. It made him all 4e7816b4cd the more eager to e8c3eaf9cf assert his dominance in 7478af7049 front of the pitiful 7e0dfe1ccc slave.1c36c750f2e7cd02

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“How dare bb1efc5afc you, lowly c3d998f750 wretch, lay 0e3ebc2357 your filthy ed704ef71f hands on b3a364d65d what doesn’t 97f372079a belong to 032c86ec60 you!”655aba44c2ad1a29

With that, f583c98f17 he stomped 4766a14eff mercilessly on 35004d20d2 the bloodied 1d92696094 hand. Natasha could no longer 569213513a hold back.85f17baab9c36e21

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“Stop, brother. There is 37098e541b no such 9826a07fef thing as c5fc090d17 a lowly f389b31101 person in bef0794f51 this world.”318da41211537f79

“What did you 756d0a819d just say?”4cbde209b3716dfc

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Sergei’s foot 5388152643 froze mid-stomp, b38e281a57 and the 843c67bf3a trembling hand b97e120c4f beneath it 4542cc7007 stilled. Even through the 65b0aff95d blood and bruises, 0be039cbaa a pair of e5ff323a87 piercing red eyes a00e69b0ab locked onto Natasha, 83ce4eb365 glowing with defiance.0a272569cf8bac75

“Every person deserves to 1e7564fade be treated with respect. So please, stop this, 81df4857ff brother.”3e18bf91d73cbf68

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“Natasha… Are you presuming to lecture me?”0547c7274117534a

Smack!1dd065539f71ead3

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The sound of 8e7c33b942 the slap echoed f950c6b201 as Natasha’s face 3d4c53c77f whipped to the b789b5c04f side. A vivid red 2328a0748c mark blossomed on 4f287e07a1 her pale cheek.442a5c9aa7318ca5

The bloodied 773cae90c3 figure on 897a698c5b the ground 0adeef184c twitched, as 0787cc4166 though trying 3f01bd4ab0 to move, 22f72f3800 but his 44186d5a6f battered body 3b3a7a4082 wouldn’t allow d86b244676 it.a38711be5da542b5

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“Are you defending 751eee84d4 this slave? Have you 32065b443f fallen for 9e98a27ba4 him?”60166ac0173f9438

Sergei sneered, his 3dd6a038c5 rage evident as aa7194fc95 he raised his 670379959e hand, ready to 23b7046edd strike again.b02dcfbd4bf286f8

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“What nonsense are you speaking, brother? How could I… with a slave? I do not know him.”0f6330a3dec1292c

Natasha said, clutching 70e547b588 her stinging cheek 08487fe870 and lowering her bc05063bdf head in submission.a932d4ff8cfa1399

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This was the first 98f84a2e5f time she had ever 40263ed642 been struck, and the b03d851d13 humiliation stung as much d00b67a1d0 as the pain. But more 9e64658871 than her 01e5164e82 burning cheek, dcb894ce19 she was bfc70727df worried her df0466c4b9 impulsive words 41625303b8 might escalate a6c8de42d4 the situation 80d8c3ad97 further.ed9ae687f7eefca2

She should have endured f664b17347 it. Speaking out 678bf72c49 had only 41a0244d60 made things 1fa3ce849c worse. Now she needed to 4f2e263734 fix the damage. Gathering herself, she continued.47559dad531dd8a1

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“Truly, I 4704ba26fc do not d6ed3c9e8b know him. Why would I 9c4c30423c have any association 857909e8d0 with a slave? I only came 724ef46a1b because I heard 20f51b6a10 a commotion. Please forgive my 3f21b79be8 impertinence for intervening.”7c1ba7026f632584

“…You don’t know him?”8f65bffdf147be8b

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Sergei’s gleaming eyes bf24857b78 narrowed suspiciously.ae479a3129127754

“If you don’t know 2e544527a0 him, then surely you d82adfcc56 wouldn’t care what happens 646b83b630 to him.”43738c62b0279322

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Sergei said, 30d42b14b7 lifting Alexei’s e65cc9473a face with c730640609 his boot, f030d524e5 pressing cruelly b66e6a3ad7 as he 2f2c52ecea observed Natasha’s 339155f688 reaction.191888490edeec78

Alexei, though visibly struggling, 72c49d9b99 kept his gaze fixed 2ba49e88fb on Natasha, even as 2fd592d11d Sergei crushed his face 9780fac4cf underfoot.b149fc11e8bc7b8e

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“Yes, he 30e4a2984f is nothing 88d8cc473a to me. Do as 19dd9a541c you wish, c46109e39c brother.”a22491ba111192d7

Natasha said, 9297258529 her voice cdcbbe3d65 steady.e04300549bfa2c5c

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“But we should 76c3ded383 go; the tea d0fdaa99ab will grow cold.”7864847bf33e541b

Biting the inside of fdd685fb40 her cheek to keep 98728d3ae6 her composure, Natasha glanced 958bcf0e84 briefly at Alexei, then 5150332575 turned her head away. Her expression was 32614c70a5 cold and indifferent, a4dd4f56a6 as if she ebe0edb4b2 were looking at 388c678e59 nothing more than 12bcff5a20 a meaningless stone.f0623692279cdda1

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“Ha! Now you’re finally 7c92d6e830 dropping that hypocritical ab8f4ddaad pretense of yours.”943c5c0a8f63c4d2

Sergei laughed, satisfied.c0c0e4e0b3b90b37

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“Very well, then. No need d63bb9f8ea to dirty 6a426e5a3e my boots 5f34c6ac31 over this e6ff931684 wretch any fed0f4def2 longer. Let’s have that b6e6da1483 tea.”8cbe52e565cbeac1

With a 32175e1760 triumphant smile, ce5355b425 Sergei extended 6ec4947a1a his arm. Natasha, her cheek 3a4e119704 still bearing the 3575cd623c red handprint, obediently 27e5674516 linked arms with 46cc7440ee him and bowed d5467d8366 her head.190e6aabc9f61557

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Natasha had d9906dcecc always believed 4e90e1b84d that no a0aaec4bcc person’s worth 25d6518717 was determined cdca651c27 by their b1f097befe status. She had 31aeac0dc8 tried to 89c995cd60 treat everyone 15403db69c with fairness 6df32ea380 and respect, ebf13adaff regardless of 7eca699cd8 their station. But Sergei 8a4656d190 always ridiculed 134840e522 her for 929a1a8018 it, calling d6565d3c5d her a c6415c9de5 “hypocrite.”b3ceb1df4ec13968

“You’re still the c8001553b8 Ivanov princess, the 715a970a4c highest of the 666bd4bca3 high. All that 239cefd974 kindness is 95c0345533 just for c7b01389f9 show. You might d56f762b12 act like d4583daa8d you’re being f9c0dd3841 generous, but 89705a10cf deep down, 9b53638318 you see 9bf41ef082 them as 680df28bd5 beneath you. Stop pretending and live d1f227093c honestly, like me. It’s easier 9069f6f0fc that way.”029d0089198c24b6

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Perhaps Sergei was right. Perhaps she f652433ffe was nothing b7cd966c0a more than 3a053cd920 a cowardly 9dcaad695a hypocrite, spouting 2b36bc3a37 empty ideals a09843bc23 she couldn’t aabb705343 back with 025402af57 action.c57f93f36a276076

If she couldn’t c5fd8e6fef truly protect anyone, ef1d2b914d maybe it was e50ec09a65 better to pretend 04780cef56 she hadn’t seen c6a9b9ad46 anything at all.b16c7a1428ede1d6

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‘Don’t look back. You mustn’t look 830c8c5d78 back.’bdf546bf3337023d

Natasha walked 948908660d forward resolutely, e2d39839b6 her back e18687b0a0 straight and 748350c3c5 her steps 790ed99580 unwavering. Yet she 1bb704e257 could feel 995576f8b5 the intensity dc16009aa4 of that ac4beee991 fiery gaze 7318105b13 burning into ce8f6004f6 her from 530c74e9fd behind.afda325e472c1149

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“I’ll remember that promise, d8187a1196 milady.”86b3a14c97d0c772

The memory of 49f101ca46 his sorrowful gaze 7c2ab1bd87 resurfaced in her 08dab786bd mind, but the 456dfa0169 eyes that had 07e77d9a48 just stared at 9e0220d86c her seemed different 0a1b92de54 now. No longer filled ed4cad7acb with sorrow, they 60d1880364 were laced with 2675cba6fa contempt.55716bf3e52ceee2

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‘Hypocrite.’9d980adda50cb21e

The weight 6b7eb448a7 of his a1fc6f5692 gaze seemed bc2af001b8 to whisper 06b69a9a0f the word.22909f324861517f

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‘This is the 6bb42138d6 only thing I 5bc7b5b10f can do for c15b8ed368 you.’b183fbc2d516ffa3

Even those words c52b359fd9 would never reach 20c4bd6856 him. Still, being misunderstood and 2924465a82 despised was preferable to 2782af4797 watching him die because 1db036ac5d of her.5070666b436dbe0c

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‘So please, even if you hate me… live on, no matter what.’2d3a57fe8b6666ea

That was enough. She told herself 6cbea7626a it was fine—truly, 6ae937b72b it was fine.56a9c1218a8edb63

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* * *7e489cfa12b12de6

“This tea 1ec32e6ad2 truly lives 7284d8f4ae up to 08b596e512 its fragrance.”a8b391eb49c690f8

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Sergei remarked, gulping down 307bae09bd the now-lukewarm tea. He casually 1a800fce13 squeezed Natasha’s 26a23dc9d3 arm as da639db679 he spoke, 224a50e44b his demeanor 2813b4f64c self-satisfied.8dd8db8fbc2b3abc

“Yes, that’s 28a1481700 why I 2adbd9570a thought of adf43f0d8c you, brother. I couldn’t f60468515d bear to c3ee9dc5c6 drink it 70a4adff77 without you.”2001317c5c852ff3

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Natasha replied, suppressing the 9a14b27bc6 urge to pull her 9bb01a8012 arm away. For today, 1ffed75c15 she couldn’t 9ce248a62e afford to b9144bf944 upset him ed0e49e89a further.1e775917e572840c

“As expected, only 95b59433bb you care for e20f2f78b8 me. I was 870464ed37 feeling rather 2ead9d38bc offended, thinking f99e1fa246 you cared 90413af852 more about ac4e41fd2a some wretched 2b61b76fd6 slave than 87461624b9 your own d91ae3252b brother,” Sergei 1e31e0f6d1 teased, his dafa76470d tone smug.b227cb8dd7105f63

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“How could that 2d15c25bfb be? I told you—I f5c9ab429f don’t know him.”9aca6f28b3fc0522

As Sergei’s hand began 994defec22 to wander, Natasha subtly e470612e08 slipped out of his 79e8cfc24d reach, carefully avoiding an 5cd8c2b5f2 open confrontation. When his brows c0d55b28a9 furrowed, she quickly 9a2a7b1ef8 placed a dessert e819ebe3e1 plate in front 53273fdbf0 of him.9cd97f7441fa9277

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“Try this! The honey-strawberry 96c6780107 preserve looks 4bb789a1b8 so delicious.”f0f55a0f54710388

Sergei, distracted, ravenously devoured 2cba45eaf5 the dessert. Watching him, Natasha 6733cf2ade silently sighed in 321a46702c relief. The horrifying scene eb99fb35e9 she had witnessed 4deea3b465 earlier still lingered ce5b83c28f in her mind, 447c26b8a7 but she knew 1456e2b215 that showing any 4c9dadc9be further concern for ed8bfffc91 Alexei would only 4abc6e8d6e make things worse.af8dafa321d5a45e

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‘Do I still have 0afa83a3b2 enough salve left?’c393b64559823301

It seemed 88dfaec3cf impossible to 1c3c42c784 secretly treat 8062a48836 Alexei again, c4e89c0691 given Sergei’s f289c6a1c2 increasingly watchful f2d4f919f0 eye.24e2a8ec4dafbe27

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‘Is there a way a1ac99c592 I can at least 32ae944287 get the salve to 3c42c75a53 him?’8b9b3cd9dbec8d7b

As she bbc5c11c32 walked back d627e917bb to her 4f02c523f3 chambers after 4015ed7727 tea, Natasha 7b7a399b3b pondered over 233c0e05f8 this dilemma.5901fe62f6d61dd6

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Rita, knowing Natasha’s 5d11dcca04 routine of reading 1b967c3d1f after her time 3a24ee331a with Sergei, hurried b0f799ecdf to tidy up 1b2a341876 the desk near 7ed6544c01 the window. But instead 71821e143b of heading a57ffa927d to her 689ee8a125 desk, Natasha 1c1e379a72 moved toward e6412f7fdb her vanity.f97593ea5be700b2

Rita, unable to hold a8ae24f608 her tongue any longer, 952ffa8ffc began to chatter.cdb00701119a72e0

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“Remember that laundry maid bd24bdd876 I mentioned? The one my 45b08f32f0 age I got 984fc2ea98 along with for 54ac61e446 a while? Well, she’s 6691bde12e been so d28bd9a1bc busy lately 8b09ee82f7 because she’s e5ef247dae got a 2815c20acd boyfriend now! She rushes off 082f8ad079 to see him 1e5549c98e every chance she d505633391 gets. Honestly, it’s annoying.”659680b5e0ed569d

Natasha’s hand, which 6decf47580 had been fiddling b9179326d7 with a small 6513d4be90 jar of salve 5b7ac9ce4b in her vanity 4a2cf6afd3 drawer, froze.f6bd98ee1a0377bb

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“A… boyfriend?”80bb643206f3bc1b

“Yes! His name’s Alexei. You wouldn’t 2df3749d8d know him, 66911c5dd9 milady—oh, wait! You do! He’s that b1eab250fe slave who 6d74ddb37c came to bbbed87148 see you b06010f265 in the 82944100d5 garden before.”2623776a0caddc67

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“I see…”a5e76052199996ad

‘So, he has d64ef74229 someone.’3267d995629f642e

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Natasha felt a sense 8c34b16b87 of relief knowing someone 12ab251e6e cared for him. Still, a faint ache b777837329 lingered in her chest. She brushed it off 6070f3f5d1 as nothing more than 57f81fccef concern for his well-being.cf4a1d9d41c70c94

“Whenever I give 185dd6c11a her something nice, 116c4812cd she takes it 3d070c8bab straight to him f00f5e359a instead of keeping ad38356555 it for herself. Men, honestly.”97a5bcf68a70af59

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Rita grumbled, pouting.f1d12d1b445e96ac

“Ah…”
Natasha’s hand, which had 5c4e4ad951 momentarily stilled, began moving 5ac15d9bfd again with renewed determination.588ba8a69f31cf4c

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“What’s all this?”2b9ecc4668b32670

Rita’s eyes 57b86e228c widened as 67b940b59d Natasha began fbd193a4b0 pulling out bf2c2372c5 several small 4b71474222 jars from 7f4d294236 her vanity.55d59e0ac620434c

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“These are 5f5356d788 aromatic salves e6ae299e13 with excellent 657f3ebbaf healing properties. I’ve received so many 43ee03a655 as gifts over time. Do you f98b32d313 need any? Feel free to 57d5b50c39 share them with 60be0f311a others as wel.,”4f5c112d4dae42fd

Natasha said, her 2579b13066 tone light.7cba85d09ab70016

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“Wow! These are such daf6b08f08 precious things—thank you, 55a53cb047 milady!”998920b0854ed00a

Rita eagerly reached ba9fd884d5 out and began b2bce9f20e gathering the jars. As Natasha fe35603200 watched her ca8aca0066 hurriedly collect 0199062133 them, she 72a70b2f45 added one 6492d539f0 more thing.4ca6e1fcb466c661

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“Don’t hesitate a4dd25be3d to ask bbad323632 for more b684ec3b2b if you eca2155d59 need them. Make sure to share 3e32ddc9b5 them generously with anyone a351fd54fb who might benefit, alright?”51e7979d19573d5d

 f2f17cb2796469aa

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