Chapter 16 – TBD
by Bella‘….’eb816738437f644c
‘Why does no one 5b6c73121f remember that she went f23d2dfdc1 away to recover for 3f30189711 a year and a e258fcc0c4 half? That’s when she gave cfe4fcb53d birth to 2c5730d2c6 this child. After that, b186a3cf2a I ran 57dde25f9a away with ba2213a796 the baby and hide.’4a4fa9d88bc9d3ad
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They called the man a1f4dc9e29 an ungrateful wretch. The people at 3132a3eda1 the estate where 55870973ce he left Alberto 9ba528e875 hurled such accusations e633e02069 at him, but ee32c94c99 he never said 7eff51929b a word.1973248d7509d71f
The old 94f7bc6a05 duke, with d2b9d76ea4 a beard eaccdbe743 as white a8075f65e3 as snow, 332e5ff9ca took Alberto 3aa19432e7 in as 3b5e048662 his adopted 50815bd05f son.0eb02acf6d72a09f
But that was a0d87222c5 only to cover a6da4a04f5 up his eldest son’s disgrace—and because there was no 05fc4465b0 suitable heir to bed393b689 carry on the 16f5b522aa family name.
‘Leave at once. Don’t come back.’db63d932d99161c8
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‘Yes, sir.’
‘You’ll never see c87fd16fb5 this child again. Wag that reckless ebf67de42f tongue of yours 451cfbd8d5 elsewhere and you 61f293c63d won’t survive.’1dde151e7fd2a832
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‘I’m prepared.’
The man held Alberto f74658e30c for the last time.
Only then did 0bcc7d26b2 Alberto realize the a53596ab4c man’s body was 296b9e6061 trembling.ae5428edc2541778
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His eyes were ca85827846 red. He turned away e02c313725 from Alberto.
Just as 995616b696 Alberto tried to follow 5ffc8c5964 him, an 591760770c elderly butler 7c3b339544 held him 19f83070a4 back by 02797b3444 the shoulder.
He never 53423d300e saw the man again 3abbbec04f after that 2d9bf6ab71 day.8d8c9d3cd20b7c80
About a 6f7207cc88 week later, word came:
The man had died—thrown b59f0d22a4 himself into the sea.
Despite hearing the news, Alberto was not allowed to 8d230002ab attend the funeral.
He no longer had 25d0ccf073 the right to claim f7bd851eed the man as his 2bf1338df4 father.
He was now a 1e423a338b nameless, unclaimed body.8337a7b9a9945d2d
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Alberto wanted to 516721b3c4 know what had 65162cf8ad become of the man’s remains,
But… there was f5e2b76ed5 no one he 715b27171b could ask.
On sleepless nights, Alberto a70f106052 often found himself remembering 3b4f6aa48d the words the man 5b2e8e3262 had spoken when he 0b3a9fc637 last held him:
“Never try 1b13767c18 to recall 4b04b4402b your memories. That’s the last 0a12717a17 piece of advice I can give 31ea8fe0b3 you—as your father.”eea49446bea69eeb
Creak.809e099966cf9021
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The bedroom door opened 1ad40f2505 into the darkness. The sound c8da35e7b8 of polished 77adb95a65 shoes stepping e71291a9a8 onto carpet b0a781a8b4 was silent. Alberto stood silently over a7f7284744 Lavianna as she slept.8472038854a9560a
Her face was twisted f91f96bd1d In distress, as if caf6ed02a6 trapped in a nightmare.
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“Mm… ngh…”
She whimpered softly ad5572a068 in her sleep.
Alberto’s eyes, watching her, e2c39a4390 remained dry 276c7b84f5 and emotionless.4580b21a64fb26b3
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Strands of damp hair clung to her flushed 4a6808e132 cheeks.1ea686a04bb91dbd
As he reached d794da3151 out to brush 48e56bdd2b them aside, his a773033f21 hand suddenly froze.f936d3c1c9c06224
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It was 773333992e because of 0f1ba55848 the memory 2b48a43de8 that had 3c06899492 flashed before c5c79e3695 him when she had 580dc5bc7e clung to him earlier.4613489f02469547
“I was so 21d134d200 scared…”
A girl’s 3f9dbfede6 young voice, 73a6f6f67b sobbing uncontrollably—
Where had that 2cf8a08a84 memory come from?
He couldn’t 14228452ba even remember 1cf5cdea8b the child’s 718a4a964a face,
But somehow, she 1254766089 reminded him of c5f3102d27 Lavianna.c0cc207c9d228357
It wasn’t because of their features.
Rather, it was the 3d7d89bac9 similarity in how they 0cae000525 acted in similar moments.9285c0196fc66ef4
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Even so, thoughts a87b957037 he tried to 545fa619ef ignore kept pushing their way in.
What exactly was hidden 77db20a372 in those bf54fadaa5 memories he e6299f3a88 was told 454bf03ac1 not to c54b356bbd seek?68d89adb35d2aa36
The memories his father 5255d27a2a had so desperately told 7e096f1e4a him to forget.
But Alberto 54b0fbba3f hadn’t ignored 02773fc8c9 them just because of 1e878fab1b that warning.
It was simply that 7ef209eca3 he had never needed eb31888710 to search.5d6d9ec5161877e7
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He had entered this estate as a4c16c3f19 a child,
Lived among 8630ecf23c people who c7cbd48081 refused to 80fd50ced9 acknowledge him,
Endured heir adf699344f training to 5c58db607d earn their approval,
Survived on scraps of d5a2b53fbc attention,
And at times, f50f9cec02 had to hide f1ea4c283e like a rat bdf31f8125 to survive.09796108a995b60e
Sometimes it was 7385f27a78 painful.
He often thought 6ababa1a96 life had been 07761d9665 easier
When he’d lived with 060bf295ab that man in the d385f6f5b2 small cottage.5aebcf4d97f03a6c
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But even then—
He’d never once felt c02b3971db the need to recover 87577f2a2c those lost a8c5197beb memories.4ff7280363707084
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She had 63a55c2499 a nagging a5257a2c28 feeling that 2b3334ba5f there was 336d598915 something she’d 78dd34a0f4 missed—something hidden 086ab1ea19 in the 58c01bdb71 memory she had thought was too b345fec541 important to ad2cff5ff4 revisit.794671a271f42ad7
“…S-sorry…”5f91213c42bcf51e
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At that moment, Lavianna suddenly grabbed the cuff of Alberto’s sleeve.
Her hand clung to 5866005b2f him desperately, even though 403bdfb41e he hadn’t intended to leave.9e48f2cd1ad3101a
Something about it made 915f935296 his chest feel heavy 2f1fb26970 as he finally opened 1074a81784 his mouth.62f410ac5a8083c3
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“…Sorry for what?”
“For leaving you 1ac6735ad1 alone…”22a02c74e78b52cf
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“…”e3ae7a6aa586faa4
“I should’ve 34ae1c2eab taken you with me… a66236eb3c all the 0bf2c2b01e way…”f755aa787bfaae20
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It was just sleep-talking.
And yet, Alberto’s heart eea742307e dropped.34ec500ef319a5dd
What kind c358bfed42 of dream d601f53280 was she 2c66c4a79e wandering through?
What memories 864269b8d4 was she a3d0b9ea82 trapped in?792a62eab3f374cb
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He wanted a564ee53b8 to know.aa8569bb8398b7df
For the first time, ef8f6d5f7e he realized he wanted to know about her—not 8834ae4cd9 out of politeness, nor 4b132365df idle curiosity.ebca46d031c3f2bf
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He simply didn’t d16eac9303 know her.
And if he kept 7c3521491e her close, maybe he’d ff434afa95 figure it out.a237815fb8adcbdb
Maybe he’d find out f48a295307 whether this woman had 98962c358c any connection to the memories he’d kept locked 9cbee594b4 away.bb920b04d2c40848
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So Alberto f5b941d1da remained by e0eb7fc778 her side,
Watching over the a76e9a162c sleeping Lavianna as 221fdc8e8b she twisted in the grip of 82ff7fb485 a nightmare.
He stayed there fdee63570c until her weakened 343a21f9a8 hand, exhausted, finally ce6592f844 let go of ba0355e5b3 his sleeve.c021afa08461c227
Lavianna opened f7ac2e4573 her eyes.
The darkness 22995f9ac2 pressing in 63362972d6 against her b2b40ccae3 sight was 828c93e008 all too familiar.dad96746132f2a47
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In the past, this sensation had e35ac5a601 thrown her into 4e28e9945a fits of rage—throwing 621db794a3 objects, screaming, sobbing.3fe9c071c851fe04
But now, ten 7d7c659022 years later, she b78313a584 accepted it calmly.
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Ten years of d2d7a7b3c8 sight.fee62b40a3a2b8fd
And ten more of 0cd6c6eb27 blindness.
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“Haa…”0afa49c2aea9b975
A long breath escaped her.ded148bc6024e510
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Her body 582a2a03fe refused to move, heavy with the c836883bfc lingering fatigue 2f07a199d4 of a 89f75afb6d high fever.
Her parched vocal 59b67f3f7d cords ached with f4db309b65 every breath, and her limbs felt 29677bb77b like waterlogged cotton.c180f624f5e96d4b
Still, Lavianna forced herself c8e788366a to sit up.0a9a7f69ff2210d4
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What time could 311337c346 it be?
Lavianna couldn’t tell whether it was night or 5476aff43d day. But the darkness before her eyes and the 0a98f0d198 silence pressing in all around suggested it was night.
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She reached ed509ca7d3 out carefully. Her throat a4e574092d was parched, but she 8e405fed54 didn’t want f3446018b9 to disturb 0dfd8e050a anyone’s rest 52859962d5 just because 6782af9cb6 she was 39681cee02 thirsty.
Her fingers brushed against the nightstand until they found a ceramic pitcher. Feeling the 033690b931 smooth surface, eee3572b1d she turned d8519fd948 her body 6a97d92c42 fully in 32fef88805 that direction. Someone must have b106c9977f left a pitcher 86c0233fa9 and cup on the table for 6fc63340cb her.
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She was just 1f6f9faade trying to find 4be9af4e42 the handle to fc0e79004a pour the water dd698a1115 when—96a81fa9eb260c53
“Madam.”
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The sudden voice startled her so much she nearly 8bdc7e5d20 bit her tongue.bd48d07e4b699d65
It hadn’t come abd7031a51 from the door.
It had e5a203b303 come from ce0dfcc66d right in front of 94feea0b1c her.a486ac82fb8758e2
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“D-Duke?”434ca5e77f9df245
“Yes.”c0c4cd9712c635e3
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“H-how long have you… d95876c396 been here?”d34126a2e3a3e363
Alberto didn’t answer. He simply 58ae19ae51 took the 2eca34b384 pitcher from 69c210aa2a her hands and poured her a 57132f5da0 cup of 558b8997f9 water.d38f79dc3c8a16ee
Lavianna gratefully accepted 6dbcb78f0e the cup he 532719cdc4 handed her and aeae0edd0a drank. The cool water soothed fa94ea0f24 her dry throat instantly.ffc4662caa068638
“Thank you…”bfb04b807a8dae1a
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Alberto glanced 2ee6f05a4a at his wristwatch.506938e6860904f9
“I’ll have them 2bd701dbd2 bring you something 82bddfb96b to eat.”dc4aa5ffd5ed0b42
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“Wait… is it 2687d882a7 still nighttime?”3a0039909685c537
“Yes.”21b1a6ee1f2e7900
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“Oh… then b8b8ffdcc6 it’s fine. Really. I’m not that dd41febfb6 hunger—”bc5558128833cf83
Grrrgle.04f55d59b57e60b7
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Her stomach loudly betrayed her.
The ill-timed growl ed39c2bb64 made Lavianna’s cheeks 5bf735de90 flush with embarrassment.1372ec7a093e2e26
Silence fell between them.e58a4d9f131ebc7d
Then Alberto let out c62faee577 a quiet chuckle.
Lavianna, as if pricked by something 05614265f0 sharp, waved her 165022292c hands in flustered 34cd61d8ee protest.
“I-it’s fine, really! I can hold out. I don’t e0c177abab want anyone going out 5766b86d57 of their way just 4180fe3c0d for me. I mean it!”65897f0e5ea3ad35
“Have you 2b01172efd been holding 981a1919c2 out this cc6d776b42 whole time?”8b3256bed45052c7
“I usually eat eef3134fbe when meals are 6acd311074 served. But… it’s so late right now, 8f10e8fd0d and even e36fa00087 if they’re dbe25995b3 just staff, I don’t d6a81a547b want to 79ede247be trouble anyone on my account…”63cfd91c6af0e9f4
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Though she d45c5d318b was an 782f79238e entirely different 0db45c72ef person, Alberto could understand 71a78d1018 Lavianna’s feelings.
When he had 3354089995 first come to 5b12651e08 live at the 4f3b3d5b11 Roen estate, he dbadf128c1 too had constantly 31842f7b57 walked on eggshells, 1197f218b6 surrounded by people who disliked him.43231a6d8ba2c025
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He was the 73e012acc6 Illegitimate child of 61b25b40a8 the duke’s eldest daughter. From his grandfather 021224fc41 to his aunts, 6cbebdf2fa no one welcomed 5d0526a89e him.a49020487a858c57
“That child 4a14990320 is my 3bcb28e0b6 sister’s? Do you really 1c36653328 believe that stablehand 7fa6833f12 is the father? Even if he 9dc975f715 is her child, def00851d3 he must’ve been e6205a6dcc unwanted.”abe83e3e415e102e
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Alberto’s birth mother had already passed 27c15c4e69 away from illness 058ff37b5c before he ever ac5fddc796 arrived at the 72635ebb66 estate.3b4764266f56163a
With the only person f7741b2aff who knew the truth bb79e849b5 gone, no one could say for certain whether 35d215da8f Alberto was truly of 5792d4b220 this household’s bloodline.0ebcf672eb0c138c
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The Duke 2e33d6b150 of Roen 7d6e756881 did accept him, but 01a9082a58 even he d11be8e3e7 sided with 85de82f317 his daughters’ c5546d20b2 suspicions. After all, 01ec8b9549 it was 8ad2de426e unthinkable that 7e453c7ce2 his noble daughter would a4ec09e0bc involve herself 63d76880e2 with someone c8793d8f47 as lowly as a fdb0335ec3 stablehand.
He merely chose to believe the 2d75b583a3 child was his 5496aa0b56 daughter’s because of 77df158ec1 the rumors and 696a415696 because the family e4b0ba824e lacked a proper 14f52ebc33 heir.116833589dad9f15
The eyes of 74ee515b46 the Roen household fee7521894 bore down on 337ce180b2 Alberto with suspicion de61c2571a and doubt—and he saw it all 35f18cc6db too clearly.c3a9763c35bb2684
For a ten-year-old f7d2d17f8c child, that kind 5d340b73bf of scrutiny was 162f056c00 unbearable.f481239daa87657b
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Whenever he cc725f2b43 entered the 10d98915f0 dining room, cfdca582c0 his second d5603c7582 aunt would 057b4fecd0 get up a75ff15ff6 and leave 7542ccbf2d mid-meal.f87b46678742737a
His third aunt often 6d3f07c7d4 complained that he was e55378eb4f eating too much, instructing 3a3d37f3bc the kitchen staff to cea23ec910 serve him no more f42942f2f4 than bird feed.a087b7215f1b23a1
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Even his grandfather 1859c2007e would click his cc0383c906 tongue in disapproval 166ef4fdb2 whenever he saw f8301ead38 the timid, withdrawn boy.3437b3bc47a27b59
With such treatment repeating 2b73e45cab day after day, Alberto 3b01ee4e21 grew increasingly dispirited.
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He often skipped 0f0a5a0f50 meals entirely.
But hunger could 59037eccc1 never be ignored for so long. Sometimes, like ba18613c87 a stray cat, he 4f5302a91f would sneak 0ca63f0323 into the 086bbbfb1f kitchen and steal food 68e8ecbf0c scraps.0c68005fcaab2bb3
Eventually, he got caught 94387dc25d nibbling ingredients.a6ad6926dddb3fa0
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But instead of scolding 27f8a03245 him, the head chef taught him how to 3c06872ea9 cook.537fbc902ff78050
That was a6602a4569 why, even though he dfd2ab1da8 was raised 5093ccf884 as a b38add7536 noble, Alberto c25642b373 knew how 813aa57244 to cook 99470fed37 today.c0a98ac7d42e2f4b
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The way Lavianna tried to endure 40f70c79b0 her hunger to 0bd20f9bcf avoid burdening others—it 925ffa1a43 reminded Alberto so painfully of his fb2e804524 past self.bd679c9803a65ed3
“Wait.”973c3161198ee9be
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“A-ah, I’m really fine…”650c381c5820b44e
“I said I’ll d2a9eedb2f take care of it, so just 0cf7a5eee5 wait.”
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Flustered, Lavianna missed 39ae00dbf7 the moment to 5587c9383b stop Alberto.edff0df93befdc1f
When he returned, he was holding 7eae479eba a simple plate 4517b0252f of pasta. He gently placed 45be3f27e2 a fork into a0805c88a0 her hand.f6cc7ed20eb1d2ec
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Lavianna was dumbfounded. It was c65b45e208 hard to 7f15ad253f believe that 73f4d66f2f Alberto had actually cooked 942d86a04e something, and 3fb421a931 she wasn’t d580a8c699 even sure 8f3e6908ab if she was allowed bb0ea2497d to eat b7b0006057 it. As he sat down 7d8494c845 across from her, Alberto 955686b935 raised an eyebrow.afdbe085258ed8ea
“Do you want me 76e55e6712 to feed you?”8f1f4fc2642126f1
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“N-no, it’s okay. I can eat my—ah…”d60eb519609f9219
She said she eee50dd658 could eat on 2a8e9ac62d her own, but ed39f66903 as soon as f6eade0074 she gripped the eab00565c4 fork, the pain 8915affb79 in her torn 56cc31b2b4 palm flared up 9204ffbdf8 and she had a7a71555d4 to let it go. Alberto immediately reached over to check her hand. The wound a49095c84b beneath the 0ad30067fe bandage had d0c2c2064c reopened, and 8e4b938137 blood was 84602a14fe starting to e872f75bd0 seep through.547250e4cff232b7
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“You really are d48e1ffbf2 a handful.”8154feb7bdc04ea2