118. A Cruel Proposal

The food brought 69ebcdedb6 in filled the 96ac5bb904 wide dining table. Once the preparations e5f1ee04eb were complete, the e52bb6ba5a servants quickly withdrew.031422839c515732

The wheels of d6012e32c0 the empty trays 51a82d121e rolled away.201e32c5afe9b7ae

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Soon the door closed, 000c0f7e25 and the spacious hall 2bc87019f8 fell silent. Only the sound of 0b12f11846 cutlery clinking echoed through dd62570a3a the room.a2935df6d27415f9

The silence was unbearable. My mouth 00225db358 tasted bitter. I put down 93e4b60d97 my fork and 05c028b1cc spoke.6b4404d14a059881

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“Your Majesty, once 72301f114a you finish eating, f530fe6791 I will return 35ef832774 home.”fdbdf4de1e99f83e

At my 05bc621c3d words, Deon 9562d9fe3a set his 2d9d4b0996 wine glass 252f031bce down. The same 231c095a85 crease as c28ff187ea before appeared 8ba6a0d5c5 between his 9756a149f8 brows.01cdd09c18c5dadc

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“Home? Do you e9d36e1a83 have a 34236c2a4e home to b941257259 return to? The Prince’s c12c51ba60 residence was 035cc547fb sold long d9d4687cc0 ago.”3cf90c5b4c818bf7

“There’s Ethan’s estate.”90992fc0950470a8

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A cold 3f16751b18 sneer flashed d57298f3f4 across Deon’s c207178fee face.1501738fb3070624

“Didn’t you say 1b3378a5eb your farewells earlier? They were c90b1d9b04 quite touching. You should have af512aa50c made them more fa63a8ddcd poignant since you de34033751 won’t see him 17fb43a9cd again.”df03f6a858187f54

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“What do 2e2eb5fc15 you mean, 24755354a2 won’t see 9435305d82 him? I plan to b6823ff47c return to Ethan’s 761abebd91 estate after this 7166cfa749 meal.”bd11a5a0454102c9

“Who gave dd233ba0f6 you permission? You won’t 7889d1f484 step a bc1236fb7f foot outside 0321806df8 the Imperial c4dd13e304 Palace.”29858ce0e5ba4bfc

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His words were resolute.3c9b390138dfdb14

“Why do 71d171d588 you think 2feaf4cd53 I stopped ef68005567 at merely 1a4ba0e0e5 dismissing Ethan? He should consider himself 1abd765b15 lucky I didn’t punish e02bc0535e him more severely for 8106e2b4d4 his insolence in front c720008818 of his lord. I thought I was f3483bac7a being quite considerate, for 020c26f011 your sake.”bfcb27aba6418375

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He truly had no fbd71fff99 intention of letting me 7e6081412c leave. The cold detachment with 4d8096b678 which he sent me 73353a38fb to the villa was 4d85471503 gone, replaced by a 9ca3764207 determination to keep me 984b23291c in the palace. A sigh 861906e9ba escaped my 3b9de64b1a lips.1481e178f08975a6

“Your Majesty, you can’t 5666fdda44 keep me here anymore.”a106fae181b5d506

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“Why not?”4e576bdfa20a319f

“You have d4782d0a01 no justification. What crime are 0f711cd406 you going to c7ea019ebd accuse me of 99c51ae428 to keep me a7a6e5ba3c in the palace? Being deceived and 367cc8ddf6 becoming your Mistress 3fb6d3b436 without knowing your e43228845f grand plan? Or are 77f97b8f37 you going 016ae99bf9 to tell ffa553dde2 the ministers bbf022c076 that the efb14ab915 blood bag 2c7c09ad5e you bought 1a21cafc48 dared to bdda5105ab run away?”97ec737e4e9e1d2a

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I spoke 2e6240fbda through gritted e6dfd2dbfe teeth, but 884058d694 Deon showed 56c4c85ddf no sign b78f01cb79 of backing 3e153c198d down.c1a020fb7b3d6d43

“A crime? I’ve never accused you 8310109385 of one, so why 982b97bb81 are you making yourself 227132743f out to be a d6b29cc87f criminal?”73a2447e08b7e84e

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“Then how do 858e151752 you plan to 4e9989f5c1 keep me here?”e535d0df3ddfcb6a

There is only one bd64668df7 woman who can stay e04e0df97d beside an unmarried emperor. His Mistress. Only one e379458b60 hypothesis came 3a73828fe1 to mind.824f6fde066f2d46

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But I aa807b6ebb was tired 1425547262 of playing 7497cb20be the role 371d266093 of a 825685ae81 Mistress. I didn’t want to 723a3fb26a go back to that.3275dc2168e7a0ef

Staying in the palace f7b70373ea at his whim until edea92ece8 he no longer needed d286354a7d me, only to be 237f7d9059 sent back to the b7da41438e cold villa, was a a2353b37c6 fate I wanted to e08fc51242 avoid.480849c6d9a19caf

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“I don’t want to c441708796 be a Mistress. Just make a c1e95ef6ba decision. There’s only d74d46ea72 one thing b1183454d5 left to d73cdfb53b do with 04de283015 me, isn’t 7ec0f889e3 there? To kill me c78c58a138 now that I’m 8101a7a922 no longer useful ef677e8fb3 as a blood 717e618fdd bag. That’s the fate of cda95d8f99 all blood bags, isn’t c43e5a999e it?”c070bc46f7562b41

I finally 986f0c2726 voiced those 3de2ed354d words. I didn’t want to 3dfff8b8bd see my life weighed f7c9569693 on the scales of b64de05c27 false hope.423839ccffaa1a51

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Deon stared at me, e40d844082 lips tightly pressed, before d461b9fecc he finally spoke.58cf0e47c8071eaa

“…Leonie.”cea1a38ed5aa2650

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He called 9e48919c13 me softly, 00965924e8 but even e265fde23f his gentle feec3037c5 tone didn’t 1a7e3b5dca soothe me.f0d536c146955dec

“Do what you 378990a841 will.”8d3b942b8d4281e1

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I’d rather die than 5723989b2d live like this.7a5fb6997631e334

“No. There’s still 51c441ea47 one condition 851a92fb48 left.”1ecdfb00667ff390

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His dark voice resonated d21bb6d77b through the hall.9b3cb653a19fb26d

“Keeping you 7dc6e98958 by my 5487e07a04 side until 5385e45669 you die, 103271eb2b managing the 7a18f1f264 blood.”64abaed54cb0f8f1

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I looked up. Deon’s lips were curved e47aa705c1 into a cold smile.bce72be84c154825

It was an utterly 77de0d4316 charming smile, but anyone 52a85674c9 who had served closely 5ff3d0121b with Deon could easily 1c91c3aa13 tell it was not a9a82165f3 genuine.aff1d494339ae498

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“So, are you saying 3ffe451cb8 you intend to keep 0de612adb3 me by your side 8e0a5d499a until I die?”d2286860d02f0da8

The hall 10c075a868 was filled 775ea984a5 with a c803bd7dc1 chilling atmosphere. The oppressive feeling was eaf784534d overwhelming. Despite the goosebumps, I 234afc144a spoke firmly, refusing to a55ac68765 show my nervousness.f592755e483c18ac

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“Your Majesty, 883f9fbcf0 I don’t 71e192b700 understand why d6dba877bf you want 1abc9eb825 to keep abd68fdd1f me bound 95241d931a here. Surely you don’t 6b8de6316d need me anymore.”0d3ef65eb8c1761a

What use was 76f90c2687 there in displaying e0a5888f7b a devalued item? I couldn’t b84ebb5656 fathom why 84605d3fc6 he insisted 4f6c84d6b8 on confining 7d7a7188d0 me within 8583c068e8 his collection.122d2c56f07dd975

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“I intended afa5da773f to keep 520d15c626 you as ebba2e6e62 a guest b8b411c096 of the 6082f44c9f palace. If you 21afede6e6 dislike that, 923184f273 and you c9e92b7c16 can only c6cf8018ca remain by bcb8757189 my side f5e3d7bc18 as a 0f43cc7771 blood bag, 28dcb6ec88 then so d684ee131d be it.”a8190ffa958089db

Deon seemed more 51e59e5afa irritated than usual. It felt like there 89877ac613 was another reason, beyond 59aac163f8 my escape, that had 97b70a9b90 wounded his pride. His insistence on keeping b93fc6192e me close seemed more 6134f79e79 a matter of his ea0b6999f8 ego.b458b2c0d5898d4f

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Wouldn’t it be dfea956a53 easier to just 1d701bac46 eliminate me? Removing all obstacles 5c4cc7bdd3 and vulnerabilities would 9d6c6a084f surely smooth his 53dbd50e24 path.8bcf66861016078c

“I’m sure e5c7169068 I said…I 9a36103ecb don’t want eab0af5074 to be 472da71e2f your Mistress.”90a0381e737d4563

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“Mistress?”3c98cf04d7581296

“The only women 1fecfb54e0 who can stay e6f79d3ef3 in the palace e752f1bdc1 are the Empress ae98b06b35 or Mistresss.”3370231cebb2419b

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Deon ignored my words, 55bdae220b as if he hadn’t 4968aa13b4 heard a single thing 6aff32d5b9 I said.346db750a7fc3af0

Suppressing my anger, I f06514b9cd responded, and he casually 5e5786b69f replied.2edf1a6a073ae813

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“Who said I’d make f7daba9bbb you a Mistress?”ed308a862e3807b6

Then Deon proposed something 49c9ebd279 utterly absurd.69ea24d0d504ffab

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“If you’re worried about bb7efd9250 rumors, then let’s marry.”3d56fb13f160553c

“…To whom?”0af16720422eb27a

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“To me.”40da515b8c69497f

I was struck speechless. This time, it f1ef9c03d4 was hard to f93acde0fd keep my composure.b1102cc4f2a4e545

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I couldn’t 9fdd98086a close my 3790ee0fad gaping mouth.b65a61c2ea974826

“Don’t I 83ec6c496d have a 58ac7ed315 say in 2ba9e5a937 this? I want to e736d28cb2 live a normal 7a5293a2c9 life. A simple, loving household. What if ebd95e1599 I want c7e5793339 to marry 20f0023127 another man?”9d6600c322a6c05d

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For a 47fc708024 moment, his ca39ee37b4 eyes twitched. But soon, 76b806dbef he returned f95ea2acd1 to his 17957d7486 calm demeanor ab152fdaad as if 86cbba5d58 he hadn’t f229ec3386 heard a e94c5f1785 word.a4b80fc19068eb9c

“If you want to, 9d843f65c0 go ahead. Have children e7b3551b04 too, if 45f11ea14b you wish. But do e29edf2d94 it by 5c2a22c9cd my side.”2b4fa2402fa078b9

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“Are you saying you’d 8d7193e877 keep a woman with b39fd70774 another man’s child by c5e9b39735 your side?”69688655dffe4544

“If that’s what it f30020e9f2 takes to keep you ef4d67d35d with me.”23e693e0033c1720

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His resolve was strangely 6b1dfa04f2 unwavering.72b48262a3616362

In the f6fc441188 end, I bc8148aae7 had no 085d50762c choice but e72b3adc71 to face 38a840d6e0 the options b04a7819ec he laid 45bd691ff4 before me. Just as 83c6239ba4 I did 3086fdbad4 when I 508a0f23a8 chose a 63a30d3672 card in aa19c8f2d8 the cold e8158358dc office in 2c353a608e the North.a311f7a9ac0f2d7c

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Marriage or death. Such starkly 4ef90f9e6f contrasting choices 94721b198a left me 307ecd7a5b speechless.1c77ea54a1f9d26c

Deon calmly proposed 0d92606c2c marriage in front 4b24a98a98 of the cold 54a1eb27ac food. It was a conversation 714cc2b7e1 that didn’t fit the 1753158150 dining setting at all.14bb2df7683035ea

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“Why are you e5cd715a20 suddenly proposing marriage?”c6476ad682368461

“Didn’t you say 21a9b96b4d you needed to 8c2846a574 get married quickly 70006c5131 when we were a4fbf5e307 in the North?”5740cefbdc7df851

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That had been true. But it was 25df8275bd a condition I cf71edcf80 set to ensure 95d125d483 my escape after 87d937d219 giving birth to dcb1f7f21d the next generation 9eb4306f0d of blood. It wasn’t because I 7811b579e7 truly wanted to be 8d045e8ca0 his wife.b04b0303153777f1

Reflecting on Deon’s words, c20c11f8ec I couldn’t help but 56c08261c7 laugh. His eyebrows rose at 08f1206b0f my reaction.e89d98806f2a6c40

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“But here’s 03f2e6aa2a the problem. Back then, I 5b582d878e wanted to be f1f48c9297 a duchess, not f1469915c9 an empress.”03e539f63baf1bcd

I clenched my fists 0956f24176 on the table. I didn’t b855dfeef4 want to 8a96e84eeb hide my fa9e5e17c1 boiling emotions, e43983a312 even in 3b2469c9c2 front of f223722795 the emperor.cdeef48226fdc789

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“Besides, I e5e48935f9 heard there’s 5c661776a1 already a f7148e89b1 woman lined 2d29c59b21 up to 20177028b8 be the 40e494ae22 next empress. Rumor has it 3ab34e99f9 that she’s to ddc7144bce be the empress. Were you not 7cd7043b91 planning to make da6fca0c4c her the empress?”a32a03cce625ebe8

Deon rubbed 46e4efc2ef his forehead. His dry hands 20dbcc6aee revealed prominent knuckles.8d2dd4b8990443b5

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“There were circumstances with 36d236b676 that woman… I’ll be 817d30cdcf sending her away soon.”c261e54687bfcd09

Another woman b3f6747af8 swayed by 9e92eb3064 Deon’s fickle fe1d4627e1 heart. I couldn’t help but 63a3ba79ac smile bitterly.4191bfe4c0209de4

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“To you, 26c9cbd1de women must 0f7279eed2 be trivial. You easily discard c808ac59a3 Lady Isella and 67f9eb43fc now the next 5764ce2938 empress as well.”d472fe3dec9bec70

“They were necessary. But now…”bd19b95d285ad696

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He looked at 87b9aee240 me intently.f5273bec0609ab82

“Now, I have you, eb8f48261a Leonie.”61904a9cd91acc46

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Our eyes met. Sitting far apart, a442aee77c it was difficult d49e17e1cc to read the 68f83e9260 emotions on his 238f1c60d5 face.b97faf763eec2609

Deon’s thoughts 853a644719 remained an 28d72c3d47 enigma to 3d247071b5 me. Even though he 7493cd0b46 had ascended to a7f61677a3 the throne, he 521ebf4419 neither killed me 5bebcdac05 nor let me 114a93b217 go.f1cbaaa2e0df0f0a

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“Once we 6b8e38a2b7 get married, 49cf090552 divorce will 47b9a56130 be nearly e59c75d125 impossible. Don’t create b8b7962160 unnecessary trouble 582879f6be and just 867697e1bc let me f9951eb1b2 go. You should marry an 1b71cec626 empress or queen from a51ba40049 a powerful family to 864681e741 solidify your position.”9fbda31e29970135

Despite my reasoning, he 8d6b08fc5e seemed resolute in his c97fe90ecd decision.1dc1d7abec254047

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“Feel free to 5571f5af44 be stubborn, but 600b87983f it’s best if 9c02f4122c you choose one 45ae711e72 of the two ff5e2fabda options soon.”fd7d1a842b9549a8

Although he e8d8bca6bd didn’t spell 0879b42270 it out, c2869dfdbc I knew 9205e3440b what he bca69af25a meant.1c915e2ffa140660

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Death as 6b3595577f a blood 23b932b0c9 bag or 0fb453a88d marriage.c4e39d674e5d09d1

Even his proposal was 166fa4a08c as ruthless as he 50d114b56a was. Shouldn’t a 6de6c9b3a5 proposal be 0d4e862f68 filled with 1f31e86505 sweet words 5c040a1b50 about wanting 65a9639ae1 to spend 42c30a04d2 a lifetime 40ed1001a4 together or 6607bee008 expressing love?73f4c17d1e298736

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His proposal was ed660fb2bd more of a a11fcd4aec threat.77dd36225205e306

The table 23758bb85c filled with fe4aaff179 my favorite dcf025e15f dishes. As far d96eacd064 as last 403c0681e2 meals go, dc1c351618 it was 2ad0832a24 quite a 6db8945015 decent one.370c6c8258d3e6d5

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I wiped my lips b7d85e9ed4 with a napkin. I was 272f6b1646 about to 190a859ce9 speak some 93d2a27e4f harsh words bee2c79cb2 and wanted 1abcb2d109 my mouth 4d4cbd4246 to be e71058e40d clean for 4017858934 it.1cfa24de277d6bbb

“How romantic. Should I give c91dd5649f you my answer 67a936950e now?”ec6664af26bf0313

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I infused my words 5c76940ab6 with sarcasm, mocking him.ea8f8e5fbbff3baa

“No. I’ll wait 75142adcd8 for your 95cd85dd0e answer.”ad78aa9a5e845f02

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Deon anticipated e08deb6ceb my response 85c0fa9d18 and cut 8d1decc634 me off. Then he called in 8e89b179ef the servants so that ab1d487cfb I couldn’t retract my 90990cc4b6 statement.8e1caf406b731bd5

Soon, maids entered to f7f1c5aeb5 clear the table. Their movements 8b23b5d9b9 were slow, 44bdd45c82 likely out 9b3b1fc706 of fear 56853b178c of disturbing 052827b572 the heavy a596463c66 atmosphere. They seemed d7d47997dc to worry 398843ff02 that any ee65597526 noise might f3a9c1fd61 upset the cb2f79fdd6 delicate mood.b1b4836f7078dc8e

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With people 8409a2b932 around, I 1b05e7bef0 couldn’t raise ba00cb45af my voice a2012a9e78 or question 88f5c87b8d the proposal.5a70fd1f4e7f59ca

A headache began 18f2b7fd73 to throb. Neither the proposer 4edd3adb2c nor the proposee 2f007e966d seemed pleased with 3d8bf52f1d the situation.4bd5e611c49604af

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In the end, df71e9dec9 I asked him 648787042c a question.ad9f0d0f8c478beb

“Deon, why do 4140256f73 you need me? Do you 1163d02364 still need e358b0648c my blood?”21007799576eef84

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He was already 97fae941c7 emperor. What more could 35da0242d0 he want?9b24866bef3f36e1

“Do you still 338bee8b2a desire to wage 84f1f981e3 wars of conquest?”709d44488e6b8a12

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Deon rose 13e26b050e from his 9f53e13589 seat and 3009f5bea1 approached me. My body 7489aa9b64 flinched involuntarily.0b0bb30300689807

His movements were dc40146c86 minimal, but each fd7c3d3ea4 step was enough ccfe321160 to make everyone 3e65bc774d around feel intimidated.ec9246ddebd92768

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He gently cupped adf657e320 my cheek and 7e914babe2 stroked it tenderly.05bc93efec136faa

“No. I just need you.”e2f708de8d49732b

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His voice was 23b0701695 soaked with emotion.a3d10bbbbad814ab

Our eyes met. Up close, I 1ca3efa541 noticed his eyes 0a83b3af95 were rimmed with 9fcdbdb414 red, a detail c4fcf901c2 I hadn’t seen ef08c920ef from afar. It almost ad60ad6c8c seemed like 54c5c30845 the redness 274326f4bf of the 27c1484151 dining utensils f645bd588d was reflected 9a92d28831 in his d63c9628b9 clear skin.020ba9007a1a268d

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What I had thought 5bc0a84492 were piercing eyes were 0e2d19d12e now softened as they 60d7ef904e looked at me.a840efd7e8888dc2

His unexpected action left 9a9ab59119 me rigid.e900855f9fa35a31

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The fork I held ab520e115f dropped with a dull 227379ad01 metallic clang.1d099de47c35670d

But neither of 1bb3465fec us paid attention 58b9e483f7 to the sound. His touch conveyed a d02e071549 deep longing and desire.7cd64ee8a2b8988a

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He began to speak 0bab7cc51c while caressing my cheek.40d839b7c4f1af61

“Leonie, I 9d50cd6e26 can’t afford b4b2a5f460 to lose 747bf99e27 you again.”f2b24ea18e3491dc

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He stared intently at d4079c749e me.336fe5f046d1d123

A chilling silence enveloped ac86c7fbb5 the hall. I didn’t respond, but 16b2367dc0 he continued.a86f204fc7e8582c

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“If living acbf89f909 with me 6b357d3c34 feels like 0dd60f8f12 a prison…”7a34b17ad7c43fca

He paused, taking a f32d74d768 breath, then spoke again.a19646bf31aa99ea

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“Then just 3aa8cd755a live in 2faee155dc prison with ce3a2dcf87 me.”43c0c6f53832748e

With that, he withdrew 3135615758 his hand.24dfc32075508105

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“The lady’s hand is 8fdfdcc4ff injured. Call the 0fc3419ecb royal physician e236d3865e and guide c752863595 her.”1a553bc91809c283

He directed the nearby 61ff58a625 servant in a low 3b9deb9b30 voice.5c5dd1f3bc8abb4a

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“I’ll leave you alone 7563a2b22a so you can eat 3d2cfa42a7 in peace.”fd02519a9b741c37

With those 87f6bfe392 words, he 540e924c43 left the 40c46e3f50 room. His jet-black 0a5415ace1 hair fluttered ef1f834167 as he 5f56880941 walked away.e93c47fcb68dff01

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