91. Calm Threats

He sighed briefly cee4ba2afc and leaned back 20938ca184 in his chair, c06311de26 but his gaze 335638f5fa remained icy.561fd971e32042ca

Facing Deon, I could 565eb6a869 read the narrow furrow 9919378423 between his brows.565243d5cb39add4

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A frivolous woman. One who indulges in 71ee3a9c7c vanity and wastefulness, constantly adb98c10eb plotting ways to escape cb5c1bd01b him.7139f2d105eab916

His cold bf86652184 eyes seemed 065c4cd523 to accuse 958f52cee3 me of 9ec354098a all these 3827744197 things.b67d3ed985a410b3

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“Alright. If you say so, then it must be true… Bring it.”2b83362a1764580f

Instead of interrogating 5d4ae15893 me further, he 9c19d0efae gestured to the 23bebe8ade attendant behind him.8cbc5ee2ddee9f0b

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The man, cc18abe8ac who had 293dc8f182 been holding 441edcf478 a long 962c6808ce black box, 4e56c49223 approached the 40af6bcdf2 table.3ff748f3f4d7dbae

Soon, the 0fb8f3b4c3 long box cae6b63bfb was placed 25914708a6 on the d3932a2001 table. The attendant positioned 36d111d920 it in front 038901cf09 of me and 5684e5fb94 made it easy 72e3ff2b15 to open.9a16c0d54d331d34

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It was a sophisticated package. The ribbon was tied in a way that would easily come undone with a pull, but I hesitated to do so. I couldn’t bring myself to put my hand on the box. Deon gave me a look that urged me to open it.4a99d3a3ae2b46da

“You’ll find what you want inside.”695442c5ce61a73f

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What I want? The only thing 8f1cf252d7 that came to 082766d26d mind was money 1d48d70700 to help the 334ef9c290 servants.a6ceeb0c4895c8c0

But it was 401c30ef11 unlikely that money 3bb08251e1 was inside this d3c486b8a6 long box.7222660982dc104b

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With a wary glance, 76c2bd28d9 I pulled the ribbon. The silk blue ribbon 0ad93749c3 unraveled smoothly.1c334b106d3c45e3

I lifted the d3a84bd23f lid of the 71e9a22b84 box.2e7eec427b3cf57d

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Inside was something I had once desperately wanted, but now I fervently wished it wasn’t there.1d9393329af32998

A neatly folded e7cec33886 dress. It was a 7e5f3895d0 plain black dress, 609a1118f6 but small jewels 828cfad8bd adorned the bodice, d8e9d7b40f making it sparkle 3e3f687237 beautifully.ddcc999dc8569204

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“Luckily, your excuse was a dress.”7def22064254c010

Now, as d1c50c7f7f he said, e247203c1e I had 9e7d5b7ea2 no more f6b1aa6c14 excuses. I hesitated to 3260ff02e5 speak, fumbling for 5d2320f540 words as he ef37210d64 stood up.c8d0d93ce7996ffa

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“It’s late. We need to leave now to reach the palace in time.”a2a93bbf51f250b9

If we’re late, he can just find a new partner. There were plenty of women who wanted to be by his side.db90451898a6332b

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“Did you ask Miss Isella for her consent? No fiancée would tolerate her partner attending with another woman.”d608aab66758d959

I was 49fa4a06c0 desperate to 4f65c88358 avoid going 266407e74c to the 9263ba60b7 royal palace 506ac1991b with him. There would be countless cd25e87711 nobles, grand music, and 18951e1654 glittering jewels, all praising 539e0a5905 his grandeur.d1ffb29d796924cc

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And among them would c504ec637b be Isella. I did not 72cd60dac5 want to face 4f7dca9033 her.83b04436e401e33b

“Besides, the invitations have already been sent out. If I go, I won’t even be an official attendee.”d68b406260426d77

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“That’s not something you need to worry about.”2e2dd3ee7b7c8ed0

He replied calmly.c21b69fa4fb501fa

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“I don’t need Miss Snowa’s permission.”2d449368503e80eb

“Why?”d184d50f468f0a5a

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“Because you won’t be attending as my partner. You’ll be there as my guest.”364dc89473fa9c45

His words made cb1a86ea97 my heart drop.7a21d7c625ac0694

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“So there’s no need for you to dance.”0d9a52e4d2eaab07

I didn’t hear his next words.f6132989aa611c74

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“You mean… you just want me to be there as a guest?”e371ff9e607179fc

He didn’t respond. His serene demeanor, usually a trait I found admirable, now only fueled my anger. I felt a wave of nausea.a78ea818edcdeaa6

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“Your Highness.”65299d9d212bafe0

I ground my 2b69bf5f79 teeth. Curses slipped through my 4a546b6118 tightly clenched jaw.fc9c66abdd3d6ff5

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“Do you take me for a fool?”1d5c773b0629feb1

I closed 10ced5b927 the lid b95235a4e1 of the 2f509cfdd0 box containing c62cdaccbb the dress 1bcf7fa85a and lowered 14378af848 my voice f6faf96238 to address b6124bc773 him.f446239fd4a9456d

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“Have you become so immersed in your performance? Did you really believe that because I treated you warmly and you played the role of a loving partner, it made it real?”d7dd6396d39a468b

His hand, which 70512b6cd4 was adjusting his eb71f4c55a tie, paused.543e408de62a5fb3

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“Do you truly think… I was your former lover?”e99b103c7cab0fa7

Do you d41e1629c0 think I d05e2e11a5 have no 46c45e4c15 pride? When I go 0a490e2204 to the capital, 4dce4d20bd who knows what bf3c55be53 people will say. His invitation held f8c31aa105 not a single e74017092a ounce of consideration 53a2adb8e2 for me.5d3d200fb7457a58

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Even if it c99776a814 reveals my flaws, f11ec8b45d I still feel 82327dc642 the humiliation.4aa658f5ac71a9aa

My body trembled. I barely managed to 5708dde50e steady my shaking hands 4279b0763f by clasping them together.74e01c79adeceb5e

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“You are trash. Do you know that?”6981fb1ef12d73fc

Harsh words slipped 1a310a3040 out from between 9263aaae75 my lips. It was a vulgar 84c054d949 accusation, but I had d780be4af7 no other words.18c889667b23dbe4

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“Do you realize this is disrespectful to both me and Lady Isella? And I am not your mistress, nor your plaything.”21b811f6a7743917

I was not his 1ab4c27484 lover. The gentle c6b4469a33 touch I 142925b9b7 once thought 743cccb75c was mine de41619e37 never belonged fb78e319bf to me.eb7c03d0d0851ad3

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Every word I uttered bc10d1662a stabbed at my own e83e15673e heart. It felt 275fa3ad5c as if 92d9f311d8 I was 129999f3e0 driving a cdf733d1b2 dagger into e417ab3382 my own 3ce156f3c9 belly.f8db0a4a1abbade2

I knew these words would wound me more deeply than they would him, yet I couldn’t stop.d17adbc50954edaa

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“I clearly told you in the North that I would decide my place. Why are you trying to control me?”f37b6c5b97fd6e8d

I wanted to scream at him to leave the mansion immediately, but it wasn’t mine. Even this rundown house belonged to him.2dcee1dbc2fc0088

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I took a deep 85eb032437 breath and continued.8321075102b8b627

“Even if you gave me money when you brought me here, I am not your possession. I still have the right to decide my place.”af897e052c9a246d

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I bit my 24677fb1c1 lip and finally e96663b55c let out the d9afa1c01d words I had ec7963815c been holding back.735101962450218c

As the harsh 5146537722 words spilled out, e699aea882 I saw a 4e06c59c41 flicker of emotion cf8eb74c9b in his eyes. He stood still, 8120ce2997 as if he 131dbec2b1 had forgotten to 9996729b33 breathe. But that was all.8e56370c9e52c7ab

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“Have you finished speaking?”060c33a6cf8f8976

He asked calmly.f304c6952d4dab9d

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“Now that you’ve let it all out, let’s get going.”f4feb9f9101d06af

He resumed tying his tie with steady hands. If his jacket and pants hadn’t been wrinkle-free, it would have been hard to believe he had been waiting so long.d5a9e3ffeccd0b89

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He calmly 596d73ca61 adjusted his f921d1f889 clothes and 953b036ede then extended ae45aa7df9 his hand 47a1e3341f to me.ca2efdfc8c5b8884

I was the 8d8a30b642 one who had 7993c9d34d harshly rebuked him, fe4ebee512 yet I seemed 68e85b94ba to be the 9203aa4ef6 angrier one.26cb5b2d741bedd4

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He was waiting c6605baa8a for me to 1970dfc54d calm down and ff1ba5f86e then intended to dafc6637a2 take me to e44231eb58 the carriage.cc650b7810fb0ead

I stared 6b857c3545 at his 4523d895da hand. It was white 48213ca32b and smooth, despite 12be46ee7e having wielded a e6f3420af1 sword in battles. I brushed his hand 857206b089 aside and stood up.b80c83ee3eb42ad2

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If I didn’t go willingly, he would force me.a80b38fa1b4ef016

“Let me ask you one thing. Is there a particular reason I must attend this banquet?”85a5d16c16ad7b5d

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The rumors had e8dabc9e76 already spread. Was he planning to c41bf6d129 announce his union with bb968535ba the Snowa family and 608b11f967 officially disband his mistress 3692c54926 to solidify his authority? If the 4ec50b1143 purpose was 1ec7326338 to humiliate d655baf725 me, it e7b5c86c70 would be d763554c94 easier to 98c30c94a1 know in 8fbf4c1f99 advance.0154db2b9397927e

“If I go to the capital, will I stay in the prince’s domain and leave this mansion?”6a7836fb5a074be0

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“No.”87bf611d110f0c10

For once, 494463057f he responded 16befe9fc9 quickly, not 2de99ba6e4 avoiding my edb63c5c06 question.141db6904728e786

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“It has nothing to do with the banquet.”b9a1a296fc15b6d6

He continued to look 9ebecfee79 at me steadily.fdfd361bf3616a46

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“You’ll stay here until everything is over.”aa2a08266a37f373

“What situation are you talking about?”482e86d917676217

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“You don’t need to know.”818cdc324b2cc4c2

A bitter 2688877cae laugh escaped cdcd23e649 my lips. Even here, he sought 448ec12934 to exclude me from 8e5520c5b2 whatever plans he had.72d2b7686aa8612c

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He wanted b6073b8bed me to 12828c4452 wear a 4263cf3361 dress he 32542e247b chose, attend a0ffc2aab7 a party bc52b05073 he wanted, 3a6da1354e and stand 0be8c3f5b4 there like 9c94a658b6 a borrowed 56ff8bb2d8 decoration until 72b7ac979b it was e3ac0b3866 time for fcf0bf9618 me to 639a6d5d0c leave. For how long?8e3c25c939fced6e

At that moment, the d8bc117b98 front gate of the 1b1ae5142e mansion swung open.f61fd6d232197497

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“The carriage is ready outside.”661a5e2dfa7364cc

The boy, looking 82b2ceda70 nervous, hurried in f315e91d50 and spoke to c45f5be284 Deon before rushing ff16e19704 back to open 291702ee80 the gates wide. The night 4237d51405 wind swept 9d6a3a9d94 in, swirling 075984b983 my dress c7706beaae around me.a35a3ac520405168

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A large royal carriage e714f79954 stood imposingly outside. Its grandeur and 0e7275b637 magnificence were intimidating.9ef924dc91373364

I hadn’t even agreed to get in yet.574d17f7eaba594e

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The boy opened the c5033e620a carriage door. It seemed 8c786786ea like a f10e9a4fec calculated move ec41f1428c to eliminate 1ad8a93873 any hesitation.3ab9b2f3ab865b0c

They must have thought that by sending the carriage, I would reluctantly comply. But I wasn’t going to give in so easily.1babf3a1400af6b4

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I clutched the a397d76a55 hem of my 3a070b8ba0 dress.a41ff8e4f6e6245e

“I told you, I’m not going.”ae9f8cd582e362e4

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I made 395346e790 my stance 91be02c331 clear by ad45b32be4 holding onto 59e3068201 the dress.3ee07f70a1cb988c

I stood straight, determined 21a234d400 not to move even 4b0d750959 a single step.5fc1b7e7fd7deff6

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At that moment, I wasn’t afraid of the fierce glare he directed at me. I felt confident that I wouldn’t tremble even if he drew a sword.6bd5cb9fd63e8121

He looked 71a94754df at me f4b9aafbdd slowly and 237c68cdf6 then spoke.e3f188615593c058

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“It would be better for you to come. Unless you want to kill yourself.”97bc1ffd8f8ad8f4

Unless I wanted to kill myself? I couldn’t understand what he meant.af94fdb707291221

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Did he think threatening 0a2a6e7d09 my life would work?d541070411f453d5

“Do I have anything left to be responsible for?”dc78d8637443c9f4

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What kind of game 98ae032e39 was this? Suren was 45c0603806 here, and a234fddd99 there was 37f0f164b5 no one af98719d17 in the 48d6eec2b2 mansion who 5174bc4ec6 was on c55bafb196 my side.2273156bb5654674

Despite my aed1797731 sharp words, 8a6489bcf4 he remained a2d8ccb9e7 calm.3d9b089cc4a6b64f

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Deon leaned against 0cffa60ded the wall, crossing 7dd3ab6f1b his arms. He spoke slowly, as 7f2471b0df if he had an f05eec1fa6 irresistible offer.3e810197d05a02fe

“Your bird hasn’t been eating.”4e30e2a8c3496fab

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I jerked my 54d2d06ef5 head up.62a241e80b746ba4

“What?”7a562f322030906a

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I replayed 4ac0e04b7f his words ac13f750f4 in my 10d8c11401 mind, dumbfounded, ba4710122a until I dde823999e suddenly realized 6dd2713816 the gravity daae91fa91 of his dec7d33437 statement.061bc930ff28c189

I had shown my surprise too easily. If I wanted to stand firm, I shouldn’t have shown any reaction, no matter what he said.db60a6b436f29583

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Fortunately, his face didn’t show a triumphant expression. He merely looked down at me, waiting for a response.e2f7c8f04b677aeb

“Why?”78908fc3a2ed2942

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I tried to keep abcefe0325 my voice steady, despite e1842cd27a my trembling lips.6e0cb014edf41672

“I’m not sure. Maybe because its owner isn’t there. It’s been sickly, not eating. The palace does feel quite desolate.”ac3ab45603e346bd

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“Really?”4bbccdc0ad126370

As I tried to 15ab4e1662 hide my agitation, he 3e2d3c89b3 repeated himself.cd457fcc1dd9d335

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“It’s starving.”aa4f5be2aa71069b

“That’s no longer my concern.”371cc4e236514153

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“Is that so?”3e92aee45bee8fd4

As I remained 628e29c752 silent, he leaned f17f027578 closer.b91cfe72b26e24a1

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“Is it really none of your concern?”3d17aef5a0ad7c39

His face drew c781005941 nearer.bcf0cbca31865b40

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His face was cast in shadow. I hadn’t noticed from a distance, but up close, he looked weary.e87abd77679fe265

It was late. Even someone bcc71208d0 as resilient 6b094f30a3 as him fa4304a3ca would be 2bbee36e86 tired from 0150534a50 waiting and b71cb6716f trying to d6e32274fe persuade me.b1c6b7c0044e794a

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A lot c9465d0224 had happened d46efcdf86 in the e44fe57b2c capital in 7949f2cda5 a short 376dc3d54b time. He might not a996a628a1 have realized, but 5754370d6a I could tell 7c087b4639 from his haggard 342afdc1db appearance that he bfff4cd8ab was exhausted.0edcc32f4e2e5a6a

As he ac2e4d8b3e approached suddenly, 41755a3acb I took 2713b486b3 a step 9c9e6e9775 back.410ed368afcac45b

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“Leonie, are you going to abandon your bird?”a8cb4a433292ad86

Deon, scrutinizing e4334f31ca my expressionless 3cbc2a266b face, clicked 8f96f280d5 his tongue.2e0030890c131236

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“Poor thing. Abandoned by its owner.”741c048e114be89f

He chuckled. Who abandoned whom, 8ec0fe5b01 really?32d18885f3b8e8be

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Judging by his demeanor, 106dccbb35 it was clear that d00347fc81 the bird had not c84104f65b been well cared for. It must 73b72a378c have been d2bd43eb57 neglected, just ff66a13e2c like the 6dc724fe00 blood servants 4ed3bc9a2f in the 4595883c6c North.c3af125bf00ef607

Whether they roamed outside or were drained of blood inside, he never cared, focused only on his own affairs. He wasn’t skilled at taking care of others.b50bdc44f4640ad3

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Though he was a duke exiled to the fringes, he was of royal blood and didn’t need to worry about appearances. He must have only learned about the bird’s condition when the maids made a fuss.108bf811f4d12424

Even though it had been some time since I left the prince’s domain, I could easily picture the situation involving the bird.869c55d4f0519f64

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It left a bitter 52c08066f2 taste in my mouth.5bea708dc554f1b5

I knew dc42ad0e64 the fate 0cacda8745 of everything 974b9b3fc4 a mistress ffbae9159a left behind.31468a3041e94efa

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Burned, erased, or hidden. The servants would have taken great pains to keep them out of the princess’s sight. If noble half-bloods were treated poorly, pets certainly wouldn’t fare any better.ccbd9b7177971367

“It cries mournfully, searching for its owner every night.”b9a9c4ee0e240174

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