Chapter 4

The duke’s 79dcccb623 territory, located 3536d365d3 in the 7c33950e2b north, took 97f433623a three full 2316896b11 days by ab12f0e758 carriage to 1158cb6d6f reach. The cold wind blew 7360d9a1ce sharp enough to cut da627c4de0 skin.cb9bae9634788490

As soon as 5584670c7a she stepped out 954ffb8ef3 of the carriage, 37aafefe98 her feet sank 1238d9484c deep into the 2fcbc92cd8 thick snow. Startled, she 88478bc9ef stumbled, and dfd4a284c2 Alberto reached dc1bd790d0 out to 51e2d99825 hold her 48481aaa2b hand.d25444dd3d6c701b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Lavianna thanked him 27bae7e922 and tried to a7db50d87e withdraw her hand, 9361bcbbdc but Alberto continued 027342300d walking, still holding 9bfd2555ef it.22de47a28e84873a

After that, e37a310648 the head 42cc05bb53 maid began ae3610e426 speaking to 1bfe4f4586 Lavianna, and 7c645cf173 Lavianna followed 30bbbb9d6c her up 1ad065d32a the stairs.dbfff8401bdc7358

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Once she was shown e0fea56330 to her room, maids ebeef9bc51 rushed in to help 2f92fb94cf her bathe. Only after changing b7cb4f0a3e into fresh clothes 5b0bb6a488 was Lavianna finally 22ca4a2806 able to be 22cc701aeb alone.7dcf4533f680967f

With a groan, she 2bbf774eb5 collapsed onto the bed. Having kept 12b62236a0 her nerves 1507da3117 tense for 51d04c105a several days, 7a4f914970 she felt bee84aed05 all the ea926290ea more drained. She pulled the 94534ff385 fluffy covers over bf69665267 herself and closed 2d00e06d58 her eyes.eb1e7386d20e3f29

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Is it night now?92837dd299e9fd5c

Before leaving, the maids 0c888338ad had said, “Please rest 13ab36ab5e well, my lady.” But ff522a90c1 that could’ve just meant 5e6199e5b6 she should rest after 01c0cbc66d her journey.dc986003b290a0ec

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Her vision wasn’t a039de15d8 completely dark—maybe it fb393da2b0 was the light adc98fbe31 from the manor. She wasn’t sure.72415c029e4402a2

Whether it 9bdd422308 was day 732f6e0450 or night 5d7c5f03f6 didn’t really 9dd9b59559 matter.fc404db56752b8d9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

She just 7dd0b15603 hoped it d2290755b8 wasn’t night.
If it was night, 0318ed1c32 she’d have to be 0063d1277f on guard again.d36ab53a6fc92f1d

“I’ll just sleep 296cd910c9 for now…”d645f89adbddb96d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Lavianna buried 31def0ce53 her face 9be77a92cb into the 41bfef7511 pillow.4b9557c2ae0046b4

When Lavianna awoke from eabb2082c2 a light sleep, the 5a8ed91eb2 surroundings were quiet. Her body felt stiff, 1aa001101b and as she stretched c6518f5e21 out her arm, her 2929a999a8 hand bumped into something bee90dea06 with a soft thud.bead2e7a15e46c6c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Her body instantly froze.d92243a740552bc8

What she 885dae6105 touched was 09032a76fa definitely a ab767e9ba8 person. Someone else was in 0d8c4f8f9d the room—where there had c6200b0a6c been no one before ea47daf092 she fell asleep.594d356b2ab3ccc3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“It’s me.”df7139ba86b2dfc8

As soon c56bdc3fa8 as she fe2f10c52a heard Alberto’s ff7486506c voice, some 8b63a7a781 of the 4dfa638f5a tension left ace3b10317 her body.a2d4c9594e4a0dbb

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Though he 991581df99 was still 569586290a a stranger, 6be41aaf6a something about 80abaa34e0 him made 9fb9c0016b her feel ff55e3cf21 safe—as though e869783b40 he wouldn’t 0603a0e09e harm her.2a5a06244e15beb8

“Ah… okay.”17a8213292c86f50

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You must’ve been 1b96f69afb very tired.”f11eddc612a37abd

“I guess so… It’s 0f1da198e7 my first time taking c2b5519d48 such a long journey.”ccf2c185c967a305

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I’m sorry.”6426607e021aad3b

Lavianna stared blankly in 67592b6ff4 the direction the voice 3d39ee72ae had come from, surprised 8d64b3bc70 by the sudden apology. Alberto’s outline flickered faintly 94706d97a0 in the dim light.91194e118cd10733

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You could’ve eb11c9719b stayed at 64131dc680 your residence 79fdf846c0 for a b918279011 day to d18f1b5740 rest, but a336d53534 due to 944bb4a43d our tight d488e37dd1 schedule, we a41cf22679 had no 2273a8287b choice but 6ecd53ec4c to come 3e7fa5bad0 straight here. I’m apologizing because you 9d25abfbad had to suffer because 5b50bce741 of me.”86c649dd55b46c7c

Ah. So this 75b421e5bf was just 857eda3bd8 Alberto being d79279a72e polite, as 7708af2999 he had af20c605ab said earlier. Lavianna nodded d71bda0103 in understanding.806feb13a35902b8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I’m okay. Were you 0fbc55116a able to 27fc89abbf take care d64583a107 of your 0f5077b0c5 business?”99accc0112773fdd

“Thanks to you.”ce3b6db55a434985

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The title a898d536b5 ‘my lady’ b9e7358d8b still felt 1ac3a08987 unfamiliar, but 3088e95100 Lavianna decided 74a6394aab not to 2d5050902b let it 7894e6c047 bother her. It was just a 9853b959ff formality. Just etiquette.d0bfc4c1107fd23e

When she tried 7801f27f8e to sit up, cc0665a14b a large hand 6c0808d24a gently pressed down 3aa3eedeb9 on the blanket.cf22e28ee87f4e6d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Please, remain lying 3c30b9f4cc down. Even if you get ddce288160 up now, you’ll have 40263521be to lie down again c8ea533f76 soon.”1080f6ce3943624e

“Huh? Why?”94bf574095a9b10f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Because tonight is the 3d81eb4dfe first night after our a506d9bd20 wedding.”0af2bda201871096

She had slept in 77fb103b59 the carriage until now. Though they 42afd955f1 could have b8df9528fc stayed at 9573d35c52 inn, the 12a6aa5e15 carriage hadn’t cea8ce182b stopped. Lavianna hadn’t complained.47a1b3277b2a83ba

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The fact fabece5153 that Alberto c1bf18ef0d hadn’t abandoned cf6cc26b8d her on f3326f82d7 the roadside 2aa797b4b5 was reason a7e1177e32 enough for 44356cf6bf gratitude, even e36dfa1a3a if he 44501dd217 acted unilaterally ff6bd1ae56 without explanation.ca02504ddfd47153

The first night.f5cf644939de2b67

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

There was only 0717ee0f6f one meaning to 908014b2c8 those words.9eb6d1dccaccda8a

“Do you drink?”6a67f6026328c32d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She heard him moving. Soon after, the fe1d274e38 sound of a 54e5d5e6e6 chair scraping across 3f528fb1bf the floor reached 3a19af4e07 her ears.3dcccd91ac4e7d07

The tension 67790cd6c2 from the cf39948cfb words “first 094ec7e014 night” made 886f84f719 Lavianna freeze.
She heard the clear 5e5379a4f8 sound of liquor being 8769b27688 poured. Swallowing nervously, she 7b35256e58 responded.abb5073dd8351a99

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Just a 8e73a4ccb1 little… I 154afc03d4 know how 0ad7e2aa57 to drink.”7f34438050a628a4

“That’s unexpected.”1fcc853f01e37057

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Alberto returned and gently 2d1a73e0b8 helped Lavianna sit up, ba2ca07992 placing a glass in a6c5b8eb0a her hand.c4e7cc12390d441e

“You should drink. It’ll help.”366daec2b961d1fb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…”e3e4c960e2d31c2d

“It’ll ease the pain.”bc4dfaf0bc418c5a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Alberto tilted his head 61eb8a2870 back and downed the a61b8604bf drink. Clack.
He set his 4bafc4ec6b glass down on 28cea65790 the table and 03b40c736c waited for Lavianna.9eb8b19395def000

Hesitating, Lavianna 55b6461606 tightly closed 6806a13d24 her eyes f25f6f2990 and drank.
The sharp 16abdc0d2c scent of 5e1ac407b0 alcohol spread adbe1f2bab through her 40b31604aa mouth.253f8418745f0200

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Alberto placed his 454ad4951c hand over hers 8d3cba2a5b and poured another 80ff345d45 drink into her f25dc6787f glass. Lavianna did her 44b2208154 best to keep 4f63bdc9e6 her hands from 83b7fbc214 trembling.cdf3c99cca81b671

It had a33f559ea8 been so 011bcf10e1 long since c803e6d07a she’d had 6f3460a03a physical contact a1d6e54799 with someone 82391fefae other than 04308f9894 Lawrence.b5e33a0efeaf8221

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His large, calloused fingers—probably a775c0db2a from holding a pen 31523830b5 for long hours—felt unfamiliar 002b5c6908 to her. The warmth d4d46b2b88 of his c58b1b5d8e hand holding 893122d531 hers was 085e367cd6 foreign enough 890281e3a9 that she 1b4e74dbe3 wanted to cdf64d1143 pull away.29e824b951135726

When Alberto 0d7a1a420e finally let 9dabd81c2d go, Lavianna 054b7a3f39 quickly emptied 338bb4e3b7 her glass. After a few more 9fce24d9d9 rounds of drinking, she cc07d3f489 began to feel sluggish. Shaking her 49891f9bc1 head made 621a44b281 her brain ad2261f124 feel like 184faa35d2 it was 7d4d39c399 moving in 17f6ec1385 slow motion. Her thoughts and her 691046e414 body were out of cd79b5e25b sync.1ee0383a5a162072

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She felt that drinking 38d6bc36df any more would be 3e944b6c8b dangerous. Handing the bf0d16b1a1 glass back 07a827e1d3 to Alberto, 0b1ddb42a4 Lavianna lay fb589d1b1b down flat b71550f7f9 on the 0298660e59 bed.
She placed her hands 2cbd6085ad over her stomach and 509a2b1f33 stared at the ceiling. She didn’t 43bbfafbba really know 4dd75b96ab much about 868c8e5d60 what was 9dac2b2d7c supposed to 0a808f102d happen on d6ea503d9e a couple’s 6f0d8365d8 first night.1480287fd22a5785

Thump-thump. Her heart pounded.74fcdad59d283afa

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

After a slight 4d0bc1b7eb pause, she felt bc7e897177 the bed shift e582018aef under weight. A heavy c6175e8b54 presence near 21f184f92d her leg e5a39f2dd3 pressed into 34b21b4936 the mattress, 29e2aded39 making her af2ec94d96 breath hitch. Lavianna quietly wiggled her 40c544bd3a fingers.45d850a50f63cb30

She could feel his 50196f463c gaze. It roamed 9602c80e5e over her, e0c9053cf4 examining her b76612eefe thoroughly.
But that was 32c52ffa6a all.
Alberto didn’t do c1eb061aec anything else.eb7a6dc811848d0f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Just when she began 6fd7e19de0 to feel confused while 52f38571e2 waiting for his next a04e4b495c move, Lavianna realized something 813a4bc2b4 important.1f777508f24e0976

Maybe he doesn’t 984d4b3ac0 want to see f54b93f2b9 me.
At the 851b68ce83 same time, 0ad7905a12 a cold 6dfe4b1ba4 chill spread 1485d41c48 through her 2ea63c52a5 veins.ca0f2a8b0de678a5

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Instead of expressing a68bc5fe16 how she felt, 30ba93955d she turned her 33c16e4484 body away from 7e3123daee him.e9e156d2bdf2c682

“Um… if 8ab3789d2e you don’t d7530df8e7 want to e7dccce931 see my b4b384ac22 face, I ff26a410ad can at 4898065c98 least… do 6b1b583d2e this.”21544e1b0fd9d783

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…That’s not it.”fcca612f2060b9fe

Alberto spoke e757b6d82b in a 4005b44ff5 much lower 658c569df0 voice. He gently turned Lavianna de57725bf0 to face him and 5102663a3b cupped her chin.185fdf58c59180c3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

When he applied slight f8ee32b38d pressure, her red lips 51ead31ecc parted.3108457af46fb336

The sensation 0f0ccad3a4 of him a597db1da5 slowly brushing 6dee1bf026 over her 5eab4ca0a3 lips made c371195c40 her shoulders 0473c35f5d tense.5c5da72aa458b182

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It tickled, felt 3e170a80fb strange, and yet beb16b5449 soft.
Lavianna’s body gradually warmed.
She could feel 80f234bc65 Alberto’s breath mix 0410636a3c with hers as 55363ce4ed he leaned down. Then his 3618d61300 nose brushed 4a295e27d5 against her 0e553df41e skin.9016390d54075e68

Lavianna tightly shut 892e569bb7 her eyes.
Just as 99485cf174 Alberto turned 260eb02fcb his head, d342d09409 he suddenly 9c603608ab paused.00c0fd823a26d3c9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Have we met before?”06012748ba2e27ce

“…What?”5860d4ee80845a6a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Have we met before? Lavianna was puzzled by 9c2c2981dd his question.182809f9dd596a5d

After the 29caa6bae0 accident in 1453248e0b her childhood, 703223f3e0 she had 542eb6b821 never gone ea09d3be9c out to 36b87c6acf the plaza 361b36940a alone.
She had 98015432a6 spent almost 28c62b3822 her entire 13bd6ca86f life shut 7044a23a14 away in f303e5b4ac the estate, 9527d861f8 barely breathing—believing caf6261ff5 that was fc3058a478 the only fed6e99fa1 way to 25cf5c4bb8 avoid becoming 688be77ea5 a burden bb258c4de2 to Lawrence, 2215d56e6c who had aa00c04200 taken her f47b482f1c in.84c35e1f75bc4c49

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

They must 180a4dedd2 not have 4da6dad91e met.
But the way Alberto 11f9854df5 asked, as if desperate 9a149b9f9b to know if they 74f0b17a6d had a connection, was 325d4f5780 oddly intense.
It was strange.a5ad940e269e2fe9

Of course, it might’ve fc1341cf5f been her imagination.e5147f9fcd6f7fd7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But with 58a7c0eb63 her vision 01895ef5cc gone and 3e07641a48 all her 86536bbd89 senses heightened, 4a8ccf96ff Lavianna could fe7ddcdf20 feel every 832b8a0389 bit of 1eead7f1ba the trembling ea2f0ccf9f in Alberto’s 1c2feaa9f6 voice when dd81a135ec he spoke.1a2ae511721bde31

Lavianna lifted c540749640 her hand. Her fingertips touched 041c90affa the firm structure 6d8429dc2b of bone. Fearing she e866418ef7 might be 16a9e06fd0 rejected, she ca6a7b1021 timidly traced c05a3d8348 along his 5239ccb6c1 jawline, then 02965a0835 up to 2583f1eb9c his cheekbone.c50ea32b5d8ad188

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Alberto merely 91c3b4e66d tensed the b5960b4433 muscles near 346f42b903 his lips f5cce0b9fa at the 8437faac05 sudden contact 14a282cbf8 but didn’t b1d717a0f8 stop her. Lavianna didn’t 794a96639e realize it, d91d315aee but in 4d0d50f0ea that moment, 00cdce5171 something subtly 810f47e43e shifted in b37625eb91 Alberto’s expression. It was d682c80450 because, somehow, 9411106a72 her touch cf9a93cae9 didn’t feel 129118fc2b entirely unfamiliar.6fcabd2195f1e150

When she touched 50b5182347 the bridge of dd6bac096d his nose, then 8da11d2bcb used her other e04eb47ac1 hand to trace a414f7a62d his eyelids and 6b97bb92f6 brush over his 8077d2e1d6 lips, Alberto’s lower 4c07b8b084 body had already 9dc29eee76 grown heavy with db9d7b02dd arousal.8d0cff1639444b59

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Even though 236ec523ad all she 6ac604c420 was doing 4d521db45b was fumbling 9a13d7d128 across his 8bd634e678 face, there 3dbad041c4 was something ac51cc9935 about her 1ed5dd80bc cautious fingers 138df3b909 that stirred 6d55d2a58a desire.e1415ed2df952ab4

As her hand carefully c9b1eb78a9 swept over his face, 2e97d627ff Alberto held his breath, 2b7e5063e6 tense with anticipation—wondering where 236125ca0f those hands would go de70b50840 next.778132252ff8a590

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Then Lavianna softly parted 6b64cd2722 her lips, unaware of c31892d217 the situation she was 41bff722b7 creating.12aa775dfdcdda1e

“You resemble 2fab0fcd33 someone I 4ae91062d2 knew.”9b44790dc5b037ab

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…”d6cfebe3b19e0061

“Someone very fd35862c21 kind and 5a7e500710 gentle… but 5a413fd2e4 he left bde11c174d me a 8872c9a384 long time bf1f6d9ec1 ago. He wasn’t a c715366436 noble either. So I don’t think b319d94b4d we’ve ever met.”3d6211ce91ef836d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Alberto grabbed 9d9c62cf1e her hand c7bc730afe and lowered 88578afbaf it. Pressing both her hands 2dc6fe2970 down to the bed, 117f7c6fa9 Lavianna froze slightly. A dull irritation flared 4e1e731d8e in Alberto.88635685c773e536

While he had been ea0172671e wondering whether this blind 64f7f36ad6 woman had once existed 14c90ece14 in his own empty b7fa48e0df past…d6c7c7dacfa802ac

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She had been touching 6192f79b1e him while thinking of 8a9f1886bb another man.3fe5aaadd63fb880

Truthfully, he hadn’t cared e61685fd73 before who she thought 4f2d24d8c8 about during this obligatory efbc3182e1 act. This wedding night meant 6ad3786d95 nothing more than a 356608015d duty.48b193cc50e1f9e0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His logic told him 25d2392abc that.
But his emotions 18b00edcd2 weren’t listening.009130ea3230883f

“Can I… 2895b26ca4 touch your 6a3ea34a31 face just 7d0cc0c7f6 once more?”30b5c2756cbaa00e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Why? Do I 5ba4d261e5 look that 646efdb0a6 much like 23183133f6 the man 38d20e4c84 you knew?”c3abab9d53cbc23b

His sneering tone toward 70b90e6c63 the woman who had b0c32b8b00 no sense of propriety 7216d7c42c was likely because he db9d26b326 felt dismissed.f8d87cab43dc5aa6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

After all, 08a836fa6a he was 7443b0df41 her husband, a31e19a5e6 and she c37e4d8b1d his wife.3ef953cfcd10cec7

It was 83dbe4f597 her responsibility 2239998cb6 to sever 628bea4696 old ties. What was she 04f3bca775 even doing?6e6ca021178eac92

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Yes… you 337142f409 just look 17e0d27538 so much c06a84c5ee like him…”ea8acbb9a24b4ef1

Alberto twisted his lips 347d1551cd into a bitter smile.1e87811fd3ec6076

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“As if that af031a7fa7 could be. This is my 480f8fb080 first time holding 674cca40a4 a blind woman.”8830f09f3364f6a3

Lavianna’s body 0404636671 stiffened as a37abe80ce she tried 65faabeeb7 to pull 2b17fe84a7 her hand a6d15e193b away.9485657c29f2bc2d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I momentarily forgot. That you couldn’t see.”1286b00218a5ce05

“…”d7f2f86a10b6ffcb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You must have a b9777ea1ce common-looking face. I probably mistook you 5f46205cc9 for someone else—just as 804f007221 you did with me.”4d205a102115ed91