Chapter 29. After the Hospital Visit Ended

“…What?”ded2089e0e114322

Serenia’s expression froze ae757ef1b4 instantly.3c22dee127650378

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The 16th?d003ccee94862bd1

The last date 3e525ef8d1 she remembered was 8da2222ec0 December 8th—the day f086d3a4be of the final faab9e1daf performance of Young 456ca847ce Duke Razkal.d9e0a0f8e35f918c

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Eight days had 78ff53cec2 passed since then.79b91a6002f34d9e

‘…I thought it f316d8d340 was just a 5c13717b27 mild poison. Was it 533975595d worse than 2bfc28f4a3 I thought?’169f4c575d6463b8

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Tilting her 47f0aac019 head in 9588132a3b confusion, she c2e563cf86 furrowed her 5f45d2c500 brow slightly.62e27b9c5a3f1991

‘Don’t tell 55c56b0ada me I’ve 97784e86f2 got some 83c3129419 kind of 7a24b305a6 lasting damage b582c3aad3 from the 81493514a4 poison? Is that what the e81b43d09e compensation money is for…?’673e81d390f75298

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As she puzzled over c7f9ccc96f the sudden appearance of 0b8d7f4e1b the money pouch, something 3233990d5f else struck her.bdb4d2cda0a8df75

‘Wait. The bank 25f5ebf114 seizure date…’404d5eab450c7f90

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She had 6fc52cce88 received the 7591a0f597 final notice 0f72eb996c from the 7c6d7383de bank on 16a2445001 November 14th.cc96f040d7f3b7ba

Given a one-month grace 0d08a68db6 period, the seizure date 5dadc6f5f6 was December 14th.b786f8807184d65e

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Two days ago.8628dc47c419add0

Her face went completely dd6a183f1a pale.781e87bdf6ec8386

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William, noticing her d0ed85ee5e reaction, gently patted 60edb1bb35 her shoulder and 051900e69c pulled out a 8d6e2cea60 document.b53f882e80f7998e

It was a Notice 7812c72cc6 of Auction Finalization.19c934290fbf1d52

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Not only had 7214dde4c5 her estate been 8856587712 seized, it had 9a5394b6fa already been auctioned 04549244f6 off.23a705900871234b

Just as fc44ba8f5b Serenia was ac994b17dc on the a2e612f69a verge of de8bfce447 collapsing in 2324e2a25e despair, William 3d43a9b6a2 quickly spoke.d8e9bfb3fd61e3dc

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“The seizure a2d34d306e happened as e2add301ad scheduled on 843c2148f5 the 14th, 35d8dbfaca and the e9c2bd6670 forced auction 1f883bf1ac for the 7014b16ba8 estate and db065c4db4 its contents e715aad38a took place c8679c3031 on the 17108d268f 15th.”57af25f773a76cb2

Then he pulled out 669d47d23b another piece of paper, 669a62e110 about the size of 7759899c95 a theater ticket, and b713c88e3a handed it to her.306b6667e4e5f38d

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Serenia instantly 2383fce206 recognized what fa7fb5bf16 it was.3ef666c06386fdc5

A check. More specifically, 07abf0d146 a check 70d2944141 worth 2,740,000 38a949a2f1 krovats.c6f7c637793d3edb

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She stared e702f4df89 blankly at 6f4f66ffe5 William, completely 546b0730e1 at a 8c29c5b2db loss for 72b08babc6 why this 6ece3c44c8 check had d3f97d1d2f suddenly appeared.b3fe8a8d200740d5

He tapped the bottom 67d20ede42 of the auction notice dc6fdc9d70 she was holding.9422dab436f3cf8e

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As she quickly 3dbbb6198b turned her eyes a568248442 to the spot e41a38abf7 he indicated, he fa4c499ab4 continued.976879825131ca28

“The moment bec2cd994d the auction 1416f78503 began, someone—identity 6451e6f05c unknown—placed a 2967c9dfd7 bid of c56793cd2f three million edc3b828da krovats on b2ff4a36ca the estate 1bdc1561dd and all 26986677aa its contents.”a67ff5bb4a86d1a7

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“…What?”0d00600374a06eb2

“Hard to believe, c651a695ed right? Must be some 673cb5e00d fool with too e0c6fb174f much money.”90038bcdfb650fad

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He gleefully mocked b58a37e058 the mysterious bidder, 5605bb0658 then suddenly clamped ec15fe9aec his mouth shut, 86424877a8 realizing his words e0728828b0 could be taken 9a41284abd as an insult 485a6fcf13 toward the Barishart e67f461091 estate.b84c14f1b6079b5e

Coughing awkwardly, 4617549843 he hurriedly c59916a6f7 changed the ce4ce3366e subject.33be3b3193fb2812

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“Anyway, no one 79636ee9b9 bid higher, so 8596443330 the estate was e7b7931123 sold at that 8ea7dc740b price.”96e0dded3af6bca8

Though William continued efd0bde84e explaining, Serenia still 440b6309a9 looked lost, her dc67271742 head tilted in 5f1d954c19 confusion.342975059dd7bf10

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“After deducting taxes, the 32aa2ab459 bank loan principal, overdue 00fea65726 interest, and all the f6e0347709 additional fees incurred after 66941e18a3 the due date, the 66e9364693 remaining balance was exactly aab056ebfa 2,743,755 krovat and 814 23055907cf tiling.”8aa785ae6b1ad8ea

He recited the 4126701ada number precisely and 294fc5a1fa then lifted the a6f33e547b money pouch slightly.ff5e14a029cacd46

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“Since amounts under 54c681aa9c ten thousand krovats 12fb7a9bf6 can’t be issued 7c80f9162d as a check, 3c3a862375 I brought the 159fa48e65 rest in cash.”3c0f93d42b2325db

“…Huh?”77aad38d2b4bc3aa

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Still bewildered, Serenia b0eae37e46 blinked at him, 0d98c30d9b unable to process 5d4418287c it.b4bea4e76966c542

With a cheerful df62efcec8 smile, he delivered 73a167b0ff the finishing blow.fab36b6d759f2adb

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“Congratulations, my lady. You’re literally a 29e8fe680f millionaire now.”d051a3db4f1741e5

* * *5c10012edd63aaab

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After that, William was 4e020abc8c practically chased out of bdb39fb83a the hospital room by 386435d510 the doctor and nurses 66f014edaa who stormed in.ec4ccf656076ce40

While the medical staff 0cdaa2a82d busied themselves checking her 8665d2daeb condition, Serenia sat dazed, 38535180af trying to sort out ec026f2820 her thoughts amid the 2557c9d851 commotion.eb19e0d584932fec

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She didn’t need to 89755ec64e ask William who had e1297b5a4d won the auction for e83d338bf7 the estate—it was obvious.0b685c80d0347826

There was 463f711ae5 only one f47dae26a0 person in 71ebf9db8b the world 76d58e6ca2 who would 46178b3457 spend a 2412534c96 strangely precise 1a35ddfe09 three million 9f3c09bcf6 krovats on 333d8dd8ef a house 8b6e8695f3 that wasn’t 07160547b1 even worth e5a62225b3 fifty thousand 50a66c9630 at best.cd4a8a1a623fdd9c

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‘But according to 2229a76e0b the contract, the 428a15be42 payment should have 2afac3a0fc been made after f16a02d768 we registered the 63f5bb78fb marriage… Why pay 3884fbb1fd now…?’889540a69b0c2bc7

Tilting her bb13c9155b head in 2c6c358223 confusion, Serenia 5a68ab3186 suddenly froze e650fecb25 and furrowed bbbc65d3f9 her brow.7295419e92a62f8c

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‘Don’t tell me… Did e52798ae77 he register the marriage c8fde840d8 while I was unconscious?’90dd2875f457ae1a

As she panicked b62bc9a7b3 over the possibility, b3ce22af86 the doctor completed 2667c2b68c his examination and 4926768aeb declared her fully 47f66fc227 recovered, granting permission ff1c5b4be9 for her to 0043d8a440 be discharged the 90a8fc270f next morning.1d13af6f8b9562ec

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Serenia decided f2d1849bf2 she would 5f58502984 go find 18855a561e him immediately c6cca02074 after discharge fde4dc2a23 and demand 0b3f4cfdb9 a full 8e2f0f1950 explanation.4b8b13d72a86884c

But she didn’t afdc388684 have to wait fc25d6e236 that long.5213f3214a93cbd8

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That evening, 925e9210eb he came 77b9a3fc33 to visit 846886f642 her.09fc6d1ae45d819e

It was 33dc6c6647 just as 4ae6f6f9a7 Serenia lay f32b056542 in bed, f42441ded5 bored out 4de920a0bf of her 3412e940ff mind, counting d4ac5a53aa the patterns df31479f76 on the 0a2771a710 ceiling.965a3740dd31b0dc

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Knock knock.18f3fce24213809c

A light knock 7ceedcac48 came from the b9ca0c9689 door, and when b03a6e4379 she answered with cef579ef2e a “Yes,” it 7027a61b9e opened quietly.5ec51cabaf2d7e03

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He entered 4e83bb944e the room 3b72131be0 with his 8f757c6ada face completely 0c735437b2 covered—hat, tinted a9166c96de glasses, even 15bccd84a9 a scarf.9fdf8d2d6e94596c

Without a word, b2229a87be he closed the 72c192590d door, removed his fd523c007b hat and scarf, 5e87b83915 and greeted her c452ae2143 briefly.744256bdfca28221

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“I heard you woke 8808339478 up, so I came f317d52c49 to see you.”2e182d3d18f44fac

His tone sounded colder 49f21b4470 and more rigid than 799e3b9f14 usual.74a3700341ffde07

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Though she 1159447990 found it eaf4017b0c strange, Serenia 854ddef17b greeted him 105971ec36 warmly, then 5398ae507f immediately bowed dfa3de0e88 her head.ed12083a91d6999c

“It’s all f7deb02ff3 thanks to bc8ab56491 you. Thank you.”65b4ceacd6400bb1

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“…”ac76cb59f2681718

He said ae61b4310d nothing, only 2c3bef767f stood in 443d2b1272 silence.7c10cb254a9b6e9a

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His lack of response 49e98754f3 felt awkward and embarrassing, fc2c089906 but Serenia pressed on, e2e2bf7030 recalling what William had c718b7106d told her.1acaf99eacdb702c

“I heard 9b2e8408e6 the gist 24de0dc78d of it. You moved Viscount 54bd61f2e6 Sitrit to action dc8a8f3769 despite the risk f8c924048f of blackmail… and 03901f3aba you bought the b1487083ef Barishart estate. It was all you, 81ac858184 wasn’t it?”ddfec5a8d4f9627f

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“Well, yes.”098abefe4606a035

Though puzzled by his f8f030807e curt reply, Serenia bowed 6113424943 again, slowly and sincerely.6283134bcf65a756

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“Thank you. Truly. I’ll make 594b5c55b2 sure to cf198bd0c6 repay this 3cb224b964 debt.”fee87ec637841e8e

As she e6c9dfd95b raised her 2fddee6214 head, her 8b63fea257 eyes met 1d1074ee25 his.2a6b5e405cd65dfc

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Behind his eb8b51f3b1 tinted glasses, 347b835e53 she couldn’t 66ee4261b6 see the d4c04b1e9d color of bfce837c6e his eyes, 18a1f92951 but she 4c0b2c9b54 could sense c3a2d2de4b the coldness 5d93b2ee91 in them.5fa1f92cfa528c49

Chilling, emotionless—unfeeling.752eba1c4c914ee7

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She had no 05d3879843 idea why he 2711a82ea7 was looking at 4ddbbe1bd9 her that way.fd2e869825f94f31

Wide-eyed, she retraced 3bccd12ce6 her words, wondering 16c0c6ec4f if she’d forgotten 709dce3c7b to thank him 0273e1873a for something.1eea6c17badb58e4

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As she 494fbe0461 mentally ticked cbaeb3d080 off each f8a9e55914 point, her dff0ebfb18 face suddenly 5feeec0880 lit up.c14feba09436bb51

“Oh! The photos!”616869b11a6460c0

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She rummaged 35b1e9802c through the f5a014104b bedside drawer, a75810b1fa pulling out 878b6fae14 the thick 177153dd28 envelope William 95acfde590 had given 406d541ca9 her.86bf0f6de3e4719b

With an awkward smile, e7523e1c5c she held it out 620377bccf to him.9fab946781f79917

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“I didn’t get a 5c98b07924 chance to say it 9cb8e3b34e earlier, but thank you f87249d7b6 for understanding what I d58b5b833d meant.”00abcdc478fa7588

But he 8851119b3f pushed the 6d52d5a330 envelope back 8ad73c6117 toward her.29899305b2a35908

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“You can keep 2f719cd6f9 it.”84196773e836e4f9

“Huh? Why?”46e1aed27eae2d92

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She blinked in b09d6e171a confusion, and he c154fa6d56 answered coldly.1feb5f22b4af48e5

“It’s useless now.”5a95450fc5b55d12

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“…Oh.”ef4103a7995db880

She let ee03da39aa out a a1caa86ec9 small, absent-minded 40470b197f sound, but 203a9e43ab quickly understood.5a8b026bc65686c8

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Of course. The photos had already fd19f090ef been exposed.5c5e10de55b0d9f5

They were no longer f694f2c94f valid evidence for a 77e36720f6 scandal.a1451a18d81b6125

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‘…But why does dbad37810c he seem angry a6170c2535 at me?’59435a5ddbcacb6e

Serenia furrowed her brows.570d270da8db1a42

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‘Is he sulking 1e26fa5851 because the photos d3877d8ad7 are ruined? But it’s 425d2dffdb not my cc757aec80 fault they e5e6f2f045 ended up 04e7860c25 in her 8dccebbb25 hands…’ac9ecec5a834f0aa

Trying to 70afa6df25 calm herself 257296a646 before getting de3cf0400e defensive, she 51eec5eb4c changed the 6968ecf73b subject.8061702d997eac11

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“More importantly, what e4ca206ef1 exactly happened?”87ccd33bc9665b92

“What do you mean?”1f17fd13ddc8bc4f

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“The auction. You’re the one ebfd967d64 who paid three e03804ce65 million krovats, right?”b8e13b7b3dc363bb

“Ah, that.”76a7680ce70cacc7

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“Why did f654e95e66 you do 4882d5d116 it? I mean, not 370378206c that I’m blaming 107b93337b you! I’m truly grateful. It’s just, according to 950fe3cdc1 our contract, payment was 4cc62816f5 supposed to come after 8b9c54c2f9 marriage registration, so receiving ab7360eb24 it now feels… wrong, 7bd9a6c7a6 I guess…”dcb1d6c360eac122

He watched her with fe06f58fdd a cold gaze as 28f0a1b785 she stumbled over her 55a3cd1134 words, then finally spoke.f13cfa603c71f7e6

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“Do you feel guilty a50c3f076f about that?”1a524d3ae9071da7

“…What?”274c507c8163ee0e

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Seeing her flustered expression, 25e6cfd100 Ain paused, closed his f8e843fdf6 eyes, and took a 947013cc56 deep breath, suppressing whatever 39ee1679be storm was boiling inside.afb0c803db9339fa

When he 7e2d9995cb opened them e35ea74002 again, his 1964043597 face was a90d8700e2 cold, emotionless.d426e77cd3b18438

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“You knew, 88200a1b62 didn’t you?”4f17da62fdd68447

“Knew what?”330f201e278fada8

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“That it was 1ea1f8cf17 poisoned. You knew 9787a81a4d and still 83db4cebdd drank it, 40846b42c5 didn’t you?”660a12529d59312c

“Ah… That, um…”4ddc4dd2d31b4ca7

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Her inability b23249e244 to respond b88a77123d made his a6bcbaae4d gaze even 41f5ec2c79 sharper.a7f7df099d6e253b

“Are you out of 6640c377b8 your mind?”9201ca7e934c0a6f

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His voice 3011104271 came out 7b6d390627 icy.4a55de82f9d56195

“If you’d taken a8b8a19b82 it unknowingly, that’d 92983d3773 be one thing. But you knew. You told me you’d 912044ba9e handle the proposal situation 6791203793 yourself. Was this a415a3b3ca your solution? Attempted suicide?”b864e9cdf978d4d5

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Startled by d84863d055 his accusation, a5d4a3b118 Serenia rushed 6db44a50c8 to defend 052780060c herself.ba0f6612af6ff45d

“No! It wasn’t like f74b2d6c3b that! I had calculated 3eccdea16f everything, I thought bdab1a2144 it through—”8362a7ea26a09358

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“Calculated.”f72618721faece5f

He cut her 1a0f7b98e8 off with a b057699339 bitter laugh that d017b681fc wasn’t really a 9f1ca55927 laugh.8bc499b742b39de8

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“For someone 7cbb734edd who loves 54209e761c calculations, you b7de253bf1 sure failed e1c2ddcf2c to calculate c1fa98dbf0 the risk 003e46623b to your 28e23090d2 own life.”c71ce113758010ae

“That’s…”a3222b88ad27d96d

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“You calculated 49297f0228 and drank f3c64e350e it? Fine. Let’s say 51596f409a that’s true.”81d1da77b61917af

“I—”81eca0d443b49159

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“Then after you 601c5cb2ec left the duke’s 46b807502f house, you should’ve 6bc647b61e gone straight to c2b0db6787 the hospital. Why did you a56bc10997 go to the 96acd8189b theater in that 75792ab0be condition? Why?”7a0a21fb8609ce23

Serenia hesitated, then 4cdb4deed8 shouted in frustration.e074f76e3362f766

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“Because it was the dcd7cc3907 last time!”53a0b1cb2532a456

At that, 2829dd2a85 Ain’s hardened b6d4241b62 face slackened 32942e1a6d into stunned ba11d5d869 disbelief.a0c37a2bc9190a41

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“…What?”90fc3f340735a246

Serenia flailed, trying to c69d8e8f40 explain.15b552d3616656c5

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“I found out what 00e75c764f your job was while 0e4db99840 I was at the d4fa789bfb duke’s mansion. Then I bf065a48ec remembered your 979a859c6d name, and 9c0a656ece I recalled 35830b6fea you said 6e35489770 your last afaad8eab4 performance was 5c395ee5e5 on the 6927a9da69 8th…”aa1a9cd06a60a41b

Ain let out a 4b15c3968b heavy sigh.4f009b73e9991fa6

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Still unaware, Serenia kept fca2081eb1 rambling.d8b20fe75d249514

“I kept 04d1e03db0 avoiding it 6d458e4a0b before, but 6d96deb88e I didn’t 4d5101eecf want to f81c46036a anymore. I couldn’t miss 5004c68c99 it—so I didn’t fa308df700 think of anything 6786143b02 else…”2c3d13fa5495cca4

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She glanced at af466799f7 him and fell 69d5c3d3ae silent.4584226cb418151b

His face 8dacfa0cb8 had darkened 1d09a9f58a even further.8668c68716e738a3

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Gone was the 6b127e8984 cold anger; in d93659400e its place, deep c2d39b9854 despair and resignation.b00f8ae5c64abcd7

After a long pause, 74a60b1240 he finally spoke, quietly.90376283351cd18f

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“So… it was 1016c27b54 because of me.”ba1994cea6ab19d8

 8992ec3ae71beabd

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