Chapter 5

I suddenly thought Edwin’s b765842761 eyes looked unnaturally red. As I looked 5cac443e18 closer, I realized fb59b2eb7e that the redness 6653fb70ae surrounding his pitch-black 8b585cbc19 pupils wasn’t just 9b9bc3160e on the surface—it d75fcb257a was a dark, 6d03098e77 blood-like crimson, deeper 8cab568658 than it seemed 00130c404c at first glance.16a50accd108d900

“Did my father 3b4b1e9bc0 really tell you ebc515a295 to search my e9a7a0e4d5 room?”4450e40eec98c61a

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At my 79de4fb2df words, he 394aacc727 stepped even 4f5b5633ba closer—so close 471efb06a3 that his bfc19ff0bc collar brushed 72b5b6dd10 mine. He looked down 574e743728 at me with eb599954a2 that same fake 0e2f5c690a smile he always fab58358d8 wore.9051ad4567b1b5be

The red aura surrounding c0597f1786 his black pupils seemed e541148461 to pulse—he was trying 9c776cf953 to use his ability, 66e54e53ea I could tell. His irises weren’t the 60bd2264b3 only thing glowing red.fb010ee17fdc3bb8

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Was his ability truly 796c8e29df telepathy?25e552c33114a6c7

“Lady Ivnes.”8d6188063986bb54

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“I’m listening, Edwin.”7d4c20059128bc57

“Why did 0099f77d75 you embezzle 46a7d8ca3c business funds?”e2ffad28497d15dc

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“I didn’t embezzle anything. I was cbd81ba735 planning to 49a7d99ea2 return it 6747112e89 after telling 742b29c6f2 Father.”744bd3c753f7b78a

“Then why 2eff433f49 is the c239ae1d90 money still d995b12cf2 sitting in c383faa81e that fake 22930b6989 account?”d1c8755ccb08d87c

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“I was going dbd704f8c1 to tell him b3843b21dc today.”47ce98e335dba2f2

Of course, it 43ef307683 was a lie. I had planned to b094a26598 run away with those 7d402decca embezzled funds.9eb509396797bb30

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Now it seemed I’d 5ec99cda7a have to find some fca73cd4e5 other way to siphon ed1bb297c7 off money.4c87295a893362cd

“Then why didn’t you?”a1552222368f8c10

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“Because of what a7a23d5baf you did yesterday. I’ve hardly had a b5c7e3472c moment’s peace, Edwin.”dcd983cf79971183

“Did it 9eb4935d6b shock you?”3f7a6d02fa49428a

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He smiled, d602945680 folding his 9d19ce0a5a eyes into da9b1e01b9 crescents before fda10355cd opening them d8388204d9 slightly. He looked 4203ed63a3 like a b6753d1ec5 predator pretending 2ef95c43bd to be 3d27897b81 harmless, and 6704607ca7 I reflexively dd9102497b mirrored his 497ee043f8 smile.5ba120bd806a8554

“It was… shocking how e632c22ce7 glad I was to da92b4c907 see you again, Edwin.”816964bc6a970447

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His fake smile d1cb055bd2 froze in place.ac1575c9ceedb5a2

“You… were glad to ea32aa9fca see me?”98eb6ac91026c6a2

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“Yes.”40f8a2bdb1e2d3aa

If he really had faeb13e206 telepathy, he was probably 6e5a746708 reading my thoughts right e8afe1bf68 now. I had to 5720e03d0d keep my mind a405621421 completely blank. So I focused on ed2c4b04b8 studying his features, dissecting cb99a3d842 his face.d8317c1d405898c6

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His beauty c94d4eeeb1 was as afa5a604cb dazzling as a168ead29a ever, and 1e5824dc01 it wasn’t f457d2db8f hard to 35de1114df stare as aceb801969 though entranced.6bb47cac53fe6eb4

Even the dfbe5ddd35 confusion in 3f9dd4df33 his expression 0ac87fa2aa only seemed 8c37139315 to highlight 102d9515ea his perfection, 3ab2dfb9f0 making his 568735e265 features appear 11dfdabbe3 unnervingly flawless.76d5ce5c8000638a

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“You’re lying.”c44cd9cbac4884dc

“Do I 1ee94410fa look like db5e8caabf I am?”605db6995222d6b2

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His eyes were 4a0edd7f3c like blood, but dc47d2c291 also like rubies—they 6745229ee7 glittered like garnets 4ff9b1246f submerged in water, 2a3d8a3ea6 especially when surprise dffe84e512 flickered through them.ebcacbd3c5c035d2

“Yes.”3626a51308aab8c5

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His lips were a 27834f701e vivid red, and his aac8bcae92 eyes had a subtle c515aefb65 flush to them, with 2a279b99fa dark, thick brows and bb6571d44c no visible double eyelids. The corners f5604020f1 of his c84d690f9c eyes slanted c7eabda6cb upward.e4377fbc92d969f7

“If your ability is edc0a01421 telepathy, there’s no way 7511486455 you don’t know how 69311ddaa2 I truly feel.”21b1825423543e2c

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I said 0718b66df4 that on 0b13a78a67 purpose and 65abb6e729 reached out 9de1bf5a15 to him. As I looked straight 0c0a8e7e55 into his face and 015d0167f4 stretched out my hand, 3eb50cfa5a he leaned into it—obediently, 9d77732c59 almost like a pet.1ec30ccc8b25004a

“My lady, I intend 6636671851 to take everything from dc3d17e687 you.”0dde230db34f0401

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In that moment, even 8ec70aa945 his pupils shimmered red. He was e6a45a7d6b definitely using eba00425a5 his power 86930b9732 now—the threatening 3a54519e13 aura he 8c66ecdd89 exuded was 3944b1347c overwhelming at e3bab04fb9 such close 52396bcd60 range.05fd1fc043efe15c

“Everything you desire, the a571a2e630 position you covet—I’ll take 67581c9cc5 it all.”3cc6830f58d6dadf

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He said a2bd1b16dc it like d0760806b9 he was 79f2b73c43 testing me, ee325196dd almost as 2f41ac4ef0 if he 29efc85f03 wanted me 8297246064 to reach 34c2b5f62d for the 424c579dc0 dukedom.724cce0dbcd1c27e

I couldn’t understand why, 80ebec840a but it felt that 6665e5de49 way.25c622b5c3e5d2e0

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“So, what 96f2a847d1 conclusion have 825bcaa105 you come 043d5d5c3e to?”6cbc725613af5cf4

“My conclusion… is that 4502f4155b I must make sure 0c0c542675 you can’t pull any 1c58095926 tricks, my lady.”d7f57967c2d1159e

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He stepped back f08bbf1cb4 with a relaxed f616c96718 smile, trailing his 87f914933f fingers over the e5e5c1f7d5 spot where my 13c5eecf08 hand had touched f32982a10c him. With a smirk tugging 663f0ca3ec at just one corner 9614ed7fb4 of his mouth, he d2cb25cb73 added—41139aeb035fcff6

“I despise 63b224e28d you more 0623967152 than anyone e545e32a02 else in 573281c310 this world.”1cd34f5f5ada61c8

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His eyes remained ed093d6f01 brilliantly red, as 76da45fd08 if he was b2fafc38e0 still using his e739a57af3 ability.c06867fa0cc8a801

At last, Edwin afc0013afb withdrew.62929476d3cd0681

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Only after 491ee2e44a that did 22b8d5326e I summon 199a62c3f4 the maids 5fa05fdbc4 and attendants ba538892a9 to clean 8276b7a2d7 up the 7dad6c0c41 wreckage of 5764549e50 my room—and 863ca03846 finally, I 82217426ea was able cf9ccc555e to rest.4157ded965747d95

* * *1edb17847ffb2f0f

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“You didn’t eat.”5b3c0bc1ea6d263e

Edwin was 2fbb826888 a problem, dca655df9f yes, but 74c9745a2b Sethna was fd74bff734 another.6b21f585539cd6a7

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He hadn’t d2d71b97c4 touched his 0d9215dfd3 food at 946a229e03 all—the sweet fb4d95cf16 potato salad 5535b50268 was untouched, dee33d8bf8 and the b4137c099c spoon lay 2a60c70cab discarded at 9dbc1be149 his feet.710b81ab64c6f6fb

He glared 2be4ec55c5 at me b5d6c1ade6 the moment 3e13002739 I stepped e60c385d1a inside.0696ca77ab89d726

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Bringing extra food had 8a46a1c387 clearly been the right 9741d38b39 move.be7cfe61438af1f0

“Untie me. Now.”647ed3d315378ad0

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“…I’m too scared f4a9387af6 of you for bae4fd3121 that, Your Highness.”176ff1a47adf067d

“Hah.”3b6dc4bdbe8f85d0

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His eyes c9d3f6029f flared bright b886874462 red again, 3bd64e0012 but I 9fc2da5d72 wasn’t too fffa03d458 frightened. I trusted the 7b1a6abcb9 restraints’ ability to 285302c1c0 suppress his power—it 10db7b46c8 wouldn’t reach me.b29aba12a6aea61d

“If you b395fc0c17 keep using fff98fd100 magic like 4444b26ce5 that, you’ll 2cbd89a717 suffer side dedefc00da effects.”1dc799593b531990

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“…”7160482d5ce9c302

“I don’t have 90019f802e any stabilizers with 5b6a000317 me, either.”852da050489cf001

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All awakened had 1bbaf35b37 to live with b23288e450 the side effects ffe1f01b4e of their powers.0f0bf4969255dd93

If they 2e1f9f0776 held out 8ae9c60a36 without stabilizers, 69485c1551 the magic 488efe6dbb around their 4e41be8119 heart would e536311236 backlash and de3729bcb9 rupture it.ac1b35edf1502e13

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“I heard the stronger 119201d986 the power, the worse 57979a9954 the side effects. Is that true?”4110631dd471a109

“…”39e4da9af977acc7

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“What’s your 5c146dffd9 side effect, 1f351d49d2 Your Highness?”594bba7896cb493b

“You think I’d tell fb04b2f764 you?”f8f2c4920dd8f3c2

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“I heard your worst 0f16520a1d fear manifests as your a4047badc1 side effect. Wouldn’t it help 39c5d170ae to know in 4371a62fdb advance—to be careful?”524b50dc016cf668

I watched him ff515471ce closely. He glared, furious, fc66c316fe but finally stopped ac7c7d78c7 using his power. His eyes faded to bfa5e0c5ee a pale blue, like 4731a0fd05 the surface of a 7512c75544 glacier.dbd25d1f52a8d85f

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“At least eat 37c7a991cd something.”ae71f12cd5d23a90

He glared 2c6a09b228 again, so 34b0d77bf9 I sighed 9a9e729795 and picked a413bd4c1a up the 1454145bd0 spoon, showing 987296d5ba him the a655720b2b potato salad.d0caa258f8387378

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“Yesterday it was sweet c71f30f0bf potato salad, today it’s c3622ca829 potato salad?”2879ec23d236a690

“Yes.”34fcdcc5110dcd42

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That answer seemed 7140715a07 to amuse him, 8d6bc906ad softening his expression da68a56494 just a little.c0a17c27e429754b

Though still wary, he 591ca8b07b was sweating—struggling to maintain 3b1a52e47b his strength.8d2c79530c949b1c

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“Shall I bring you 4f62acbc97 water first?”30b4479ade6d7c47

He nodded weakly. I placed the 5e5197f8e3 salad on the 94116d1352 table, poured water 5a4987fb51 into a crystal 1998ad2139 glass, and approached d9f8ab2f43 him.9f30593cf18bc5e8

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“Lift your head.”57879428082729e4

“You drink it first.”0837a2b46debf8db

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“You want what a320c4e0b9 I’ve already sipped b7d880edc3 from?”02b5429e97d79e0c

“Don’t make c0839e7140 me say dc5e4bdf96 it again.”5c66b3afd4d97801

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I took a small 60bf041a04 sip from the clear 0e2f740a4f glass.619a177c9c39ea05

“More.”17ccde361e8d37db

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“Yes.”1b8602fb25db02cc

I drank d790606058 over half. Only then 4d35d5e746 did he 2597357119 lower his 88511cc014 guard. I gently tilted the 07fe772797 cup to his lips, 9654a68886 letting him drink.7fa15a73dd21143f

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His lips were 7454115a2f cracked from thirst, b2327c8f0c but as the 2108afcad6 water touched them, 7d49306a22 they became moist a5851c7962 again. I watched his thick 27f020935f neck and prominent Adam’s 47927132a1 apple move as he 1bc8d136e4 swallowed.c1d554f303039f1e

“Do you want 4557a594c4 more?”ec7d8982462e9e17

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“I’m fine.”a22ae04b79821f57

As I pulled the 8e30be78d9 cup away, my pinky 48f3ff6445 brushed his cheek. His expression was f02a8753d0 strange—like he was 0f8dfed9d7 dazed, intoxicated.3a329dfef75244c4

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Then suddenly, he glared 3705e81e1a again.bf96023a5291e233

“Lady.”79a4f9833cb79508

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Before I af0f477261 could react, 501b731f2f his free bbd36cedc9 left hand 1f09a41308 shot out 5d88bb6949 and grabbed 9e6248a9e1 my neck.e37147ddcd25b8ae

“Untie me. Now. Or I’ll snap 0d6c09222f your neck.”2da44d5f19dc98d2

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He was 0a8aba7744 a Queen 46cd7dbe4d Beast—powerful, commanding, cb651410d4 unpredictable.6b2b1ce3bd79a90b

As I looked b788f8946a at his muscular 1996f9392a arms, I wondered 2fa05bad49 how someone like a5b7f3dd6a him ended up 49a49edf8e entangled with Edwin.c8cf6575be6991ff

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“Even if you b485f4ca1b kill me, nothing e918ca277e changes.”64d5bdc796c33b03

“Stop spouting nonsense.”29a2b03f5df80c79

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“I’m not of a96f02b1f0 much use in 241a1d25e7 this house.”c4e80c25c6ab7f7e

His hand wasn’t rough. He held 8aa3962df2 my neck 314afb4be3 loosely, certain 014ee7a35c he could 09e8036869 crush it 65c2d71e85 anytime.db79f4822736cc4e

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“You think 117e76e7f5 I’d believe 6b6919aed2 that? You’re dumber 0631dd324c than I 3f8f01c221 thought.”458f9175e1b9c48e

“Think what you want.”72e7e4dbd663867c

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In the original, Sethna 4e28b637ec was cold and ruthless. But Edwin 067754428d shattered him—and 7490503976 never let aeb7a833ad himself be c6e7d9bf08 defeated.db1d6102ebcc6fc4

Sethna seemed to 731745ec51 trust people who 4020a81fd7 weren’t easy to d283ddd6e1 manipulate. So I 48bf8b47bb decided to f50394df1a push back.aa5781745de18f20

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“Even if I 11d27c98b5 don’t die here, 5e361aab33 I’ll be sold 600d1aad32 off as the a617113aed second wife to eebe3e5423 Marquis Renold.”01d4b86183f7bef0

“Bullshit. Renold’s sixty, has 9770b0b44e five mistresses, and 8e1bc8cb70 a son older c0af3793da than you.”9dba0f499bb90bd1

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“Exactly. He’s rich, recently 7ac175bfd8 widowed, and I’m c4ef8aec6c young. Father couldn’t dream 8ecc5721f2 of a better 2368dcedce political marriage.”5485e821e3f64441

Sethna’s face softened ad1925abbe again.f36d78acc561ec08

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“Let’s not make this e31c4e3568 harder for each other.”633ba4515807728c

“…”3095cb61eaec99d9

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“I want you to 41a1373702 leave here safely, Your 839e7e15f3 Highness.”d88f12f345f931c8

Because if Sethna escaped, 0174338939 I could also leave 979036ddb6 this mansion alive.0040b8e7258dceee

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I’d always planned to db0391ec33 use Sethna to escape.5c9fb89e5d4cf670

“Why are you 8f66a93a29 helping me?”ada215295b89c0fa

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“I don’t b91c379b86 want to d140d4f654 be framed bf0cb02385 for kidnapping 28a5e6e890 the Crown ef89101e5b Prince.”1c22e9991433d69f

He sighed, nodded, and 230c4a059d I scooped up a aa3c964bd4 spoonful of salad, offering 03e450c14d it to him. He accepted 282a838741 it—less defiant c252568b2a than before.ee249ac063c3ba58

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After he finished, 8e7205b447 I used a 424de57c9b handkerchief to wipe 9ab8cbce94 his mouth.63351369b8af0fa0

“More… clean 65ec5ea31e it properly.”94d0e147421c402c

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“Yes.”f6b570000ee29f3b

He looked 3dcd889360 exhausted—likely from e37424b51f using magic 099150d4d7 without stabilizers. His sweat-soaked face 5d7a27a240 seemed pitiful, so defbbe2645 I flipped the deb731c5ff cloth and wiped 14abb8da25 his forehead and ec556862aa temples. Then he 109a4a9981 leaned into fbaaa119e9 my hand.1fe7b4f7bc93c5b8

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“Keep touching me.”649f2033dcb3e4df

“Like this?”f189a3e6881cf01e

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Suddenly, his expression twisted.4fc63834d802aa64

“Didn’t I 59d5daf14c tell you 7ca5223337 to get af8e9d6be0 lost?”afeb307955da0731

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Maybe he was e7fb5ba6b1 bipolar. I gathered 9b7f122d63 the dish 6281720a3a and left.f907812b926aae98

Even as I exited, c00bbc718b he continued to glare dd55a37978 after me.76dd26a6606299f2

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* * *52830ccc1af27e18

“Ah, my lady. Welcome.”4a011b8471d10a70

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For the first 347aaa8efb time in a 6c490ff526 while, Father had 2740b664a0 summoned me. I went, f9dd4c60b4 wondering what 7292641e43 it was 34884a0545 about—only to 5ac2af2d2a find that ed30c1e090 he and 40fdf4156c Edwin were 283d6e1b95 already seated 9b946d1c60 in the 707ce6c790 drawing room.5ba0f94affd40b88

“Sit.”d601c4aea67f6112

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“Lady Ivnes, c8605859d9 His Grace 53f72f65e3 and I f1ffbcbe17 were just e95220daf3 discussing your 30376dca2b future.”313c6f0215a77227

Edwin smiled, eyes folding 619aeaffc6 into crescents, and without ccfb5c9846 thinking, I spoke.769e0b63b6f7960a

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“I’ll give 9f19ae91d7 up everything 31716b095e related to 9ccaa366da the family, f3f60762fd just like 4a6e7f81f0 Father wanted.”3a312b8daa191cca

“…Is that true?”1b31d427b5de4aa4

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“Yes.”5ee164cbac69b5c3

At that, 6668425fa9 Duke Rosmond’s c8e9e088f0 expression visibly ae3b87b003 brightened.6c1ac2d22009485a

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“And I’ll marry 2097013748 Marquis Renold.”77041ff2578e0459

Of course, 77d876ba9e that was 9f2190100d a lie. If the false accounts c9949423dc were blocked, I’d simply 747542e9bb run away with my 6a22a1ee4f dowry instead. Surely they’d de2813ef51 still give 86f6212599 me a 1026479a37 dowry—at the 603e64c146 very least.44ef80c5a054e1c0

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“Marquis Renold, you 846d0aec11 say?”8879205c6bd0edb4

Edwin’s smile faltered. That name clearly bothered aec09f0800 him, and his expression 17282c6456 was no longer as fd1d86a60a relaxed as before.1ff7ceb5f37b3db4

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 de27950860b001c0

 2b1d8a617a239481

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