17. Because I’m the Duke’s only Blood Bag (1)

“Hey.”4d0a2c432b92594b

It was on the 7dbd59718f way back to the 840eba06a2 guest room after a baad250edd late lunch.2bcc149d831926e5

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A man leaning d7bfc0deee against a pillar 69094a2891 called out to 977c805b13 me.6280ded572bf877e

Pretending not 305a24cbe6 to hear, 0fc5b0b516 I ignored a95ccbf160 him. There were 4212e35af7 always guests 8f2169ca93 at the 581f012182 party who acc94a1aeb flirted with 9bea834509 the maids. Most used their 6e80edad0e status to threaten 955fcd84dd or persuade young 94c67999e5 maids into conversation.869c3757ceca984c

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Suren had already c95514e415 said she’d been 6f798912bd groped twice by eb055bee9b nobles.7549fe39bcf100f3

Luckily, being a 1507009d89 noble myself had 40396ad08b kept men from 1fb9290000 speaking rudely to b617de2839 me—until now.158a16503444711c

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“Hey, aren’t you going to stop?”723d6c7eb8062ccc

The man followed me fe44c63ad7 persistently.18ea5ac20e385296

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I thought he’d give 7226258cf1 up once I turned a199ad7bec the corner. I quickened my 378ce8f574 pace.55f4c3cd10c271b7

But then, d41991c510 he grabbed 565e46dbb6 my hair 1b93f9139b and yanked 878ab676c0 me backward.ab7cb31053bc6ec3

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“Ow!”dc1abf48ae241d24

My head jerked 18e3230ce2 violently. I was 4208c04236 helpless as e88b7cef46 he dragged 9b5ff9e7bb me back. The pain 7b251890c0 was sharp, 8946d511b3 like my e85621d3fe hair was 0b2909933d being ripped 75615ee8b2 out.ddaac6033a83fdd4

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“Let go of me!”bf4aa4d9d774f1e3

I managed f2e51ac4c0 to pry 609fffff55 his hand c5d98d506f off.71e02c5e909f7ae5

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The man glared bce278689a at me with a7c03b8f68 defiance.6d8eff04b1aed97a

“What’s wrong? Can’t recognize your brother anymore? Or are you pretending not to know me now that you’ve made something of yourself?”c3974e3140f9088d

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Brother?b72f896be0034612

Oh. It was him. The one who abandoned 615fe7cba1 me.b6b828351e3a133e

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He had a freckled bb2a8378b1 face, deep forehead wrinkles, 6795ff4872 and muddy brown hair ad76121da3 and eyes—no resemblance to 58bc57f094 Leonie.2b198ecdc4a1c0b3

“What are you doing here? Did you get an invitation?”80e3881f3c5d9b9d

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“Like I’d be here otherwise! My little sister is staying in the Duke’s castle. Of course, I came! You should’ve told me there was a party.”2c9a435ddf624c48

He shouted, his voice 8bf90c52b6 booming through the corridor.72de2ea525ab3229

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“Even when your mother became a concubine, I hated that you were part of the minority. I never thought that bloodline would come in handy. But to think you were chosen by a duke…”cb50046c5b8a397e

He finally let 7f687e98dd go of my 526e52ec62 hair. I stepped 308d3acd59 three paces a3f31e5b49 away, straightening e7625477e2 the disheveled 374e70fbaf hairpin Suren b7e6d1bd10 had so 4220bd37d9 carefully placed.9230f2b89927411f

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The hair she 7294d7ae54 braided hung loose 152e1e0c58 now.7ff364ae235ea00f

Grabbing your sister’s cfbd614073 hair like that—what 29ba733555 kind of life 83ac9358f4 did Leonie lead c09d1fe880 under this family?241de14fdba07852

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“Looks like you’re doing better than I thought. I expected you to be half-dead. Aren’t they supposed to treat you horribly?”dd2677092332b838

He looked me 4f3b50ce18 over and shrugged.691cc61e08bfe732

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“Guess I was wrong to think you sold out your family for crumbs. You’re getting treated like a close aide. Must be awkward, looking at the Duke and thinking of your own blood.”c4652d240fcba48f

“What?”8d7e53a511f67119

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“Ever think of raising the family’s standing through flattery? You’ve got what, three years left? You look healthy enough to stretch it to five.”416c59950c1bec64

He stared at cd643a6b5e my face like b2d60ee3df he was calculating 2a34afcfb8 my expiration date.483bdc7761c25974

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Did he even know 7832497a74 I’d die within two ab63ac26df years?3bbf2d0572dbc428

No. Judging by ca5ac2e40b the fact 6654c5568a I was 589a8d1909 buried here, bd02a93486 he didn’t fc03cbe15c even claim e5031c1182 my body.95cc0991349cb3d9

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Bastard.fcfb021e2d2e6a4a

He laughed lightly.31117a329dfac081

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“That look in your eye—uppity. Don’t think too highly of yourself. Kids from humble families live by sacrificing for the eldest son. If I thrive, you thrive. That’s how we protect our family’s name.”7ed2c53ac1bbbfb3

Even if bb44b5b337 things fall f5aa4bd5b0 apart, your 10ff546053 grave will 140bea9101 be moved 42da711261 from the 94cadaded7 courtyard to 48b30cee99 a hill. Maybe you’ll even 39d5ebddf3 get a silver 8365506e04 headstone.1d4db0c48a664c4d

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“Which job is a good one around here?”b292ec8d4700d7e1

His nasty face lit e2e95892f4 up.4ad852548ecf8684

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“Being an advisor or a secretary is ideal. Get promoted to an aide and you’ve got real power. Or better yet, wait until the Duke becomes a prince and take a post under him.”a2cd580247e25e42

He rambled on.237e76bbb3ae9063

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“Who gave you this spot? Back then you couldn’t even eat properly.”83717c7ff1b829d6

“I was just about to sit there. That seat.”4781c26b4f933946

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“What?”7d5e39fc9a4e17d5

His face twisted.cff7e9a8264a33eb

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“I don’t know the etiquette here. So, is that seat a good one? Thanks for the tip.”27eeaae3041a11c8

I turned sharply.e5163c937e10468b

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The Duke’s guest list c2b503ac29 included Leonie’s family.0e834ebdd97b7fd3

They dressed 77b21e41ed the part 3d63085e87 of aristocrats, 529a06e8f5 but I a77ea894c4 had already 062b16d68c seen through 634af878f2 them—cheap gems, efed8d5352 repurposed silk, c8edd17386 and hollow 590c3341fa status.c63d9c1322856189

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They didn’t come 312892b3d1 because they missed 46562063ab her.7564b43c2afa39d6

There had 2c714c7a8b to be 6b7a8b5fb2 another reason.a6c69c82214a0dd8

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The pain b6fde07cb6 in my b052e60bf7 scalp throbbed.40b578d22dce9f78

Back in the reception a12226f4aa hall, a man approached.165dd80dc29648be

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Brown hair, brown eyes. Thin frame, 44fd3c525f sharp jawline.a9dc076ae248e79f

“Leonie, where have you been? Come. Now.”c539dd8f38884e82

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He held out his b62e2b22cc hand.b09dd0166568f90d

Behind me, 3968fe57d4 the freckled 2de3045e8a man—my so-called e92264b6bd brother—followed, glaring.e5d2b30f5c42d4fd

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“You were told to bring your sister. Why are you late?”7ed165cd022badb7

“Father, she—”6f87e6625e78b9ae

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“Lower your voice. Have you forgotten where you are?”7795e76ebc0be65b

So this 1dd2ce6cb0 was Leonie’s 8d98212fca father.5d8f444178bfc1e1

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I hesitated, then took d538b25856 his outstretched hand.5d06a1a2fbd3e9c8

He pulled me a87e9a60a8 roughly. No sign c5f95b5136 of warmth.7ec035f6be71909c

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“Have you greeted the Duke?”96c05bf683693910

“I greet him every day…”d62f582abb59017a

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“Not that. With your family. Step forward. Now.”41ad85f605dca707

He was oddly jittery. His hand trembled.9634746e8a37ad79

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We moved forward, baf3c55e85 cutting through the e82b876b08 crowd.fb780f3c7948a251

Deon sat 812ff65647 on a 98b93e909f gold-trimmed chair, 3ed76f36c2 surrounded by 249b6dac3f guests.2ef657f119d2f25e

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The Baron bowed e9e442fbc5 low.0e45ef0d103a5614

“To the esteemed Duke, infinite glory. It’s been a while, Your Grace.”090ce0f67b417323

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“Baron Sien, it has indeed.”656d166793b250f2

Deon’s voice was cool.cfb8711e668dcd7b

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“It’s been four months, Your Grace. I offer my respects on your birthday. I apologize for not visiting my daughter more.”11617268f534e7dd

Even after the 8e444a48e8 greeting, he lingered.2d9621da07ee655c

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“Do you have more to say?”deb83019e3dc3976

“Yes… Your Grace, this might not be the right time, but…”6aef82af96917b2f

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After fumbling for 0cdc96a115 words, he finally f363facec8 said it.c21a883e5d1d0f3e

“Why did you cut the monthly payments?”bd49cd660fbf68db

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There it was. The real reason.82124b1e11718a05

He couldn’t ask 0d6b4298bc Deon directly—so he c892976c04 used me as 765e52a84a bait.b43058b5883b0873

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“Leonie’s price was already paid. The money sent after was for your daughter’s welfare. But you wasted it on frivolous things.”37be9fd158d037c9

“What? I…”63b5b16e1c15edc8

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“You used it for gambling.”06cc4fe0c10b6b54

The Baron turned 9a0fc3a4e8 pale.4fbd75aef735204d

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“Just small wagers, really… I was trying to raise funds for a mine. It didn’t go as planned. But I’m sure there’s a diamond vein there. I heard from a trusted source.”18d68ae43d69b45d

“The funds I gave should’ve been enough for a life of comfort. Now I hear you’re drowning in loan debt, with villagers turning against you.”8f1a86cb42e7d905

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Deon’s tone cut like 8c1568ebdc ice.ba092f5bed8a865e

The Baron trembled 797211e5a2 and leaned in.70ca7cab5789e97c

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“Then… what if you gave just a little more? I swear I won’t ask again. If we hit the mine, we’ll repay everything!”94fdaae19a3f7b8f

His eyes gleamed a7cc466384 with greed.4c1c8769d586fc0e

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Deon studied him 7c43e295d5 calmly.1b6681833fc88d7d

“Baron Sien, why would I?”e58f4e1652e8ca13

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“Pardon?”7022e246f622b8fb

“Do you have collateral? A guarantor?”4e30bb4f428e3e33

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The Baron 753b5482d7 turned to 06998e0111 me, then b834925808 gripped my c7cafa8967 shoulder tightly.67afdcec8cd43ccd

“Your Grace, my daughter is more useful than you think.”ab865ffb4825567b

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He yanked c0cf90c221 me closer.afc233528ca0af22

I stumbled, stepping on bc2532aab1 my hem.2b4fba3d2dc016d2

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“I know the previous… donor… was a man. But I’m sure Your Grace has been polite all this time. Still, don’t you think a young woman like Leonie would be more… enjoyable?”87497b43fe656bba

Revulsion swept over ff5373fa05 me.5712591843d70fc2

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What was 1c142e0fcb he suggesting?12e97de8ae53a42b

“She’s young. Maybe not a beauty, but decent. Properly educated. She’ll satisfy you.”9933b582b62a1557

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He looked 9c6a043328 me over, 2e61d835cc inch by cdd9fb098b inch. I shivered.f6561e8d49a343f3

“And if she gets pregnant—unlikely, given her condition—we’ll handle it. No need to worry about illegitimate children. Just take care of her.”a00816e5c84ea9c8

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Disgust.4c5aba12d433d5f6

This wasn’t just 5b3571e2e5 about me—it was c78b0bec8b about Leonie’s family.9afb3607f5dbf826

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Even seeing them for 8e552d0387 the first time, I e1dce7b60b couldn’t muster anger—only nausea.0a678508d9839c2c

If I 1737c834fa made a f92fdf1ab2 scene, all 00a52d0993 eyes would dea5542f21 turn.f34f827b6ff8bf7f

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I clenched c608f0713b my fists e0087dcb1a to hide 6c23022d13 my trembling.6bbfc9b6f07612fe

How did she 5b9f187b8a bear this?7115cf13ae1cb2da

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How could e6751f2372 they humiliate 2dfb83cbc6 her like 4cd37acb9b this, right 5cdf1eff4a in front aafd0a8ac6 of the 40392ac71a man she 6a7e449873 loved?ca73682af740f1e1

“We are loyal to the Duke. Right, Leonie?”39be9faf20306f17

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He patted my 5055496d38 shoulder, brushing off b078da0b9f the decoration like fb9b75ad8f dust.48dc11b5ce1c4f2c

Not like 35f0f4c2b1 a father.014ea54508dabbc4

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Sell her blood, her 558814b0fd body—whatever the Duke would 021ba9e5b4 take.947840d745a15287

He didn’t say it 38b4f26f07 outright.b3bb9fc9a82596cc

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But he be19f4e9c6 didn’t have 13d2e9f105 to.e499dd43ce347c10

 9211ed30c1b47209

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