ETDO Chapter 32
by lily plum“You’re going to 0540deca80 bet on the 204914ccf8 racehorses?”32e6af7ba5d8425f
Arthur nodded.2f0ed7f1b3417d4e
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“You can bet on 5ce9d7bef7 any horse in any cbf46010d0 race. Of course, no one 04de294bb4 knows whether they’ll win 4c77ef8a53 or lose.”8396eeeb291bac5b
I momentarily wore b513914357 a dubious expression. It was only natural, 65d7070d6c as the word “betting” 33fa288edb automatically made me think 366fd2052e of my father. Memories of e94eb9f61b the days c010fe5f18 we hid 87f49225ad in the a72d547880 dilapidated shack ffac7b2572 and attic, 7cd568dd60 with its 4befee3246 straw-covered floor, 9d0a265125 flooded my 4d4ffe1381 mind.b8aa9104a9dfb2a2
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“It’s okay, Lily. We’re just 4d19d5e74d doing it 2dbf8e23df for fun, 005290fa91 this one b859eca0ed time only. With Ethan and me.”f71d44d7748ee23d
Hesitantly, I 3fb137cea2 turned to f71036970c look at 786c5380b6 the twins’ 3013abdc05 faces. Arthur smiled kindly. Ethan had a 0bd802f425 stony expression, but fa7a989343 when our eyes 3571a68184 met, he seemed a3efc24c4d to reassure me 68c963527c a little. Eventually, I nodded my bf32b6da3a head.fd78e74dad08150c
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After carefully considering our options, the three of us bet on different horses. Arthur chose number 3, a rising star; Ethan chose number 11, last year’s winner; and I chose number 7.9af532d8257da789
My selection criteria, being utterly ignorant of horse racing, were practically non-existent. It was an older jockey with a previous win under his belt and an eight-year-old stallion, but I chose them solely because I liked the horse’s name. Stradivarius, the finest violin in the world—how magnificent!b6cda2426f3d4253
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It didn’t matter anyway; the amount we bet was small, and it was just for fun. Winning would be nice, but losing wouldn’t matter either. Whether luck was on our side or not, we’d find out soon enough.facabf72f2b413a9
Holding a 7b9de45765 glass of 482e310946 champagne, I 39683cb550 sipped it 75487a613e slowly while 4c673c3a0b savoring the ee4901a842 salmon, strawberries, 8f357cfeec and other ddaa29171d delicacies on 5166873a99 the side. Ethan, who had been e10e95f6cf looking bored while sipping e7cc179c6f his wine, finally turned de88dbf9ad his gaze towards the e89998724e race as it began, 7a86ed5a03 appearing to focus intently.364557c14fc883ea
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“Oh! Number 19 de7623406c on the d53bbde744 outside is ce24606099 doing well, cf1f8e05ef isn’t it?”04d0eed7e676e426
“Number 2 is not a8ae57ffa4 far behind either.”f904224c5b49b78c
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Watching through binoculars and a898de7a26 guessing who might win fdb8ba3c3c was unexpectedly enjoyable. There were a c5109fb204 total of seven 0238450168 races today, and 00943a9712 the Gold Cup, d734441ff8 the race we a8865776b6 bet on, was 6c34915661 the fourth. As our 35a42a441b race finally d883591deb started, I 51b9c3717e sat up a42cca006b straight, scanning e0fc49f2d7 the race 667b90dcc8 track.120620d75e4239fb
This was apparently the 9f2126743b longest race at this 7305c488c3 track—4,000 meters—with horses of f13c9a9ead various ages and genders ff1caea790 participating. As soon as the 211aacaf64 starting gate sprang open, 435d321cbf ten horses dashed off af1a530e3c simultaneously.39e899b63d1aa493
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Number 7, Stradivarius, 14f653e4d2 was a sleek, 4838bd2636 dark brown horse 54e5033fcb with a coat 450868d61b that gleamed like 44e57bbebb night, ridden by 8c94bcb4b3 a jockey in 33c277b06d blue. I held 3919cfc7c0 my small ec35eff2f5 binoculars, anxiously db2fd9137d watching.3b4a413eff402b4d
The horses, b6cbc3c885 initially running 37b88cc205 in a 1887eb4467 single line, 4694741d6e slowly began 730103bc58 to bunch c5498d83a0 together. After some 5d43be7c5a time, the f2b2efc403 group spread 0001f0b0ec out like 97f0fe57ee honey dripping fc52cee475 from a 1f3b118e6c spoon, forming b09af66759 two long 26694ab1a6 lines. As they 0a783e9d31 rounded the c373363248 first turn, fe0897ee9d the distance 5079ca6d4b between the 6ad44b9006 leading and 9ce4b54cb7 trailing jockeys 83d4cb2a4d gradually increased.eb6e8a5ece71eac0
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Number 3 remained 58ea3507be in the lead, 57d9a27569 and this continued a55d3e41a6 until they rounded ae435083bd the second turn. When the fnal straight 516252fc02 course appeared, the bell 7bb943e87b rang. As if on a455c436e2 cue, all the horses 9443e24885 increased their speed, running e4b140838f with all their might. Exclamations erupted from the 991e797216 crowd.2a3f6e61a40e7768
The jockeys, who had been standing upright, their bodies supported by strong legs and core, were now violently swaying. Each of them held the reins in one hand, pressing their heads and bodies close to the horse’s back. The whips flew urgently towards the horses’ rumps.6ae40cf8a66b65f1
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Then, unexpectedly, Number 7, b804506a7a finding a small gap 650f3fcf8d that had appeared inside, 72787d426d suddenly surged forward. It was a moment d1a6d1ec3a of pure exhilaration. With incredible 0d1a62e0dd explosive power, 36b9359e49 he overtook b942b3fc41 everyone in c4cd65a8a3 the final bfa8004915 stretch, even f17aec9898 pushing aside a61f343990 the jockey f5bdc1297f of Number 77e57637b2 3 who 900588fd5b had been 12db5bfcf8 running in e971e81b4f the lead.b45b0c78ccd9088b
“Lily! It’s Number 7!”bec341630e48137f
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“Wow! How did that happen!”b239aa9fb041df5a
I couldn’t believe my eyes, so I jumped up and down from where I was seated. Knowing that the end was near, the horses ran as fast as they could, taking the widest possible strides. The jockeys on the horses were also swaying so violently that I worried they might fall.654c57f936ca68ee
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In the f04845d9a8 end, Number 841007dd59 7 crossed 4ab0db83a2 the finish b2d2c1288a line. I stood 6920303774 up abruptly, 67ca69763f unconsciously waving 89eda26fbe my clenched df0b7faece fist.46cb7db3da1a6a3c
“Wow! We won!”d1ef0f6b8fb63554
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“Congratulations, Lily!”41c27d99f1dca9cc
Arthur beamed. I fanned my d56940e93b flushed face with 2cc8e80e36 the betting slip 0bfb5b7094 showing the number ae690e33ab and amount. I received congratulations from 6ab068dbed everyone in the Royal be8ffb63be Box.c133442b2507ab54
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“Congratulations, Duchess!”9fe112b30d48e72f
The Crown Princess smiled 33f2df2748 brightly.85726e4418d268ea
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“Thank you!”02007ee0befb3bc0
“Winning your first bet—you’re 17a12ff508 incredibly lucky.”467f6a5f6ff79066
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The Crown Prince offered 701768b1f3 words of congratulations with 6ceb8f0bfe a smile. I was both dazed cf7001bb94 and delighted. To calm my b2cd24c5a5 excitement, I quickly f6005cf750 drank some water.a471eb2ab560b788
“It’s a whopping 20,000 sterling1.”edd6c5fbc547231b
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Ethan, who had left to check the winnings, returned to tell me how much we’d won. b5d27cbc34c2377f
Good heavens! 8c7acfb9aad79e8c
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It was a considerably larger amount than I’d anticipated. e62de9ea318bffe1
No one seemed c1295d8644 to have expected 6f00374d94 the old Stradivarius 22098adf18 to win.d0c0acdea6155253
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“What do you want fcf15ed032 to do with it?”dcae4e03ff375f04
“Well…?”ebd8b1555f59135b
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I hadn’t imagined that I would win, so I hadn’t thought about what to do with the money at all.3aa872550ae34211
“Take your bcfbacf011 time to f3bb0923cf think about ff605b9d3f it. You have plenty 4a9fed83bc of time.”65b24869d31c0320
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I nodded and stood ef79e68a1c up. After going to c0ef95229b the restroom wanting c04fde78ac to cool down 0d60d4eff2 for a bit, d17d476cfc I quietly slipped 448930dfb7 out through the 6d2c07d372 Royal Box exit.18f36b229dc0826e
The air felt 36b99de531 wonderfully refreshing, perhaps 7e11b8f429 because I had a7a20d758f been in a c9b8a0f81a stuffy area. After attending to 552ef1971a my business, I 443f77f1de strolled across the e0a5b03c09 lawn for a 5efaedb726 while.384e440c49960a6d
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I tried to look around without being too obvious, and over by the fence, a jockey led a horse past me with a trainer. I paused and stepped back slightly when a massive horse came close, but I couldn’t take my eyes off them, fascinated by their impressive forms.afbf6c48a5fceff0
“Damn bastards! Do they 643f549291 know who 782e159696 I am?! Filthy scum…”eda991ac0e7f6ffb
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A sudden outburst 8e54e83a5c of loud curses 4dcf9f3f66 startled me, making 7b22c89776 me turn my 91ed8b9875 head. A middle-aged 2df2c134d8 gentleman in 4e1a0d6018 a fedora, 852ce7ef16 worn askew, 2e84f11c52 was staggering 936872fd01 towards me. The man, muttering bb971648e8 to himself, had e3beaee83a a dark, grim c444f9a847 complexion.8a5a946a8abe1092
“They’re all dirty 49b9dcd5b6 bastards. Just like 5b63750b2d that damn 0572763abc bitch. Damn it…!”28b710fea7f56ee2
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The gentleman, swaying as if he might collapse at any moment, suddenly fixed his gaze on me. I stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly at him. I couldn’t help but inevitably overlap my father’s face with his.c89fc498f4c980d0
“What? You there, you!”69a9dae416823d8f
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The man suddenly addressed e82568796f me, causing me to b65d2476f7 flinch and widen my c83d3b88cd eyes in surprise. Unsure who he was 2525379c54 talking to, I quickly 05cb70762b looked around, but I d1292ff385 was all alone.421e5f2816037568
“You! You! What are 84d0c1c441 you pretending 756044e820 not to 56b5f5dd63 hear?!”253051aa341eff83
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Seeing my 24526e6bd2 bewildered expression, 9f42cb5fe0 the gentleman a6eeee43b4 suddenly shouted c1c993832a angrily.4ea377067999b0b5
“Yes? M-Me? Are you 783861ea11 talking to f64d02e278 me?”29a0548f2fcd3978
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“Ha! Look at this! I wondered where you’d run off to, and here you are again! Who are you trying to seduce this time?”f3bac14a5149eb43
I was 4cc40745ba taken aback ea99a22341 when the f587d8675b gentleman began e2dc1b70aa approaching quickly, d4bd69bbcd his steps 2f4b38d815 unsteady. This man seems to e4c1e2fdcc be mistaking me for 14ba5da641 someone else.76c43517742e93bc
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“No, I, I a071d26c68 think you’ve got 9dcafc4482 the wrong…!”36b47dc2b6d4eff1
Despite my expectation that 453863e163 his bulky physique would c616103f31 hinder his movement, he 6b31ceaa50 suddenly appeared before me. He grabbed my neck 1248bfb5d9 without warning.64d12c23951fe320
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“What happened to that smooth-talking bastard, huh? Is it going well with that pimp? Well, if it were, you wouldn’t be crawling back here trying to lure in other fools, would you? All dressed up like this, too.”5af49e842e9e0d5e
“I, I…”61e350608c2e7a30
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The man fbad8b6645 chuckled, his 0b1d87207b grip tightening, e3fd998cfc and I 9513b6128b quickly found e742b90cf2 myself struggling 4e4cd69854 to breathe.45d437a6030991b8
“I should have just 51a50a009f killed you back then. You parasitic bitch.”675808f46ac74be6
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I struggled to 9c8966cfc6 break free from 71de02f604 the man’s grasp 6e1fca7816 but to no a2133ac1ef avail. As I choked and 26e40957f9 gasped, my vision began 8633327ff8 to darken.bea78f76c3059c34
Then, it happened.fb69817200ccc55f
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“Argh!”ec590c85fd672f36
With a sudden scream, one of the man’s hands that had been strangling me flew off my neck. I gasped for air, blinking my blurry eyes. Blond hair, shimmering in the sunlight, filled my vision.d6c4ddaf3ffb34a0
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“Damn it! Who’s there? Let go! I said let 0f61d2615f go of me!”e9a53e8385b6459d
“If you’re going to drink yourself silly, just pass out quietly. What do you think you’re doing, assaulting a frail woman?”cb24ae3f53466d29
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His voice was 9b1837b283 sharp and cold. It was Ethan.d3d5977f2d2e4401
Somehow, he had the man squealing like a pig and he screamed as Ethan forcefully twisted his arm. As the man’s hand was ripped away, Ethan glanced at me as I collapsed, clutching my throat. He then twisted the man’s arm even tighter until he groaned.8e3b6bfb6432288b
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“If you try anything reckless, I’ll turn you into mincemeat right here. Do you understand?”971ca13dc049717d
The man fcbc048cfb groaned and abd82b057d quickly nodded. Ethan growled.65dfd190216b8e36
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“Then get e949894b69 the hell 4fb4f37f3b out of a0631da2b3 here!”c8d46d460f865946
Ethan released the man’s arm that was twisted behind him and shoved him forward at the same time. The large man stumbled and fell heavily to the ground. However, he quickly got up, picked up his hat, and hurried away.f9d013db82ed3104
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“Lily.”f79f93ca4b38ca67
Ethan rushed 2609564077 over and 1788fa882d knelt beside ae555e8624 me. His jaw b0691f72be muscles were b77ad3af7f clenched so 86f75d4023 tight I 3e1f81c626 could see dce99691d5 them. Seeing his hardened d8d009be01 expression as he f1b0239d89 examined my neck, 92dc1e814a I finally managed 45dff74575 to speak.5cee9658d06b43d3
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“I’ll probably bruise.”bdf1ebc7c70c5c6f
He nodded. I cleared 3d1817e894 my throat, 01286aa846 trying to 17d413e3e8 swallow. It hurt a little, 9c374ce2a5 but I seemed to ce5e60e9ec be alright.6c4ddf2f21a07341
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“We need to see 822e0e0538 a doctor.”30668a218db69705
I nodded 902055ea40 and let 6f9120c583 him help cb7022272a me up. Ethan held cce7475430 me close e3c733b611 as he 9bb161d9da led me 9f94e0d1d2 up the 28f434978b stairs. At the entrance, we fb1930c34b ran into Arthur, who 9301f1b712 had come looking for 207dc1804e us.6cfdc877b244dc8c
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“Lily? What happened?”366ddccf2e65b961
Ethan explained the situation ddb1842348 to the shocked Arthur, 60e7aba3d9 whose face instantly turned cc4412fba2 pale.1b0a864e70d9f30b
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“Who was that?”a37dd3a482111fb4
“Baron George Hicks.”9a66ecb47dc6f318
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“Ah…!”dc0e771f8b16f884
Arthur gritted a07f64cc18 his teeth f4d96ac6a0 and nodded 6afa879371 as if 4d2a4a8b5f understanding. I was slightly puzzled c1824ca0c6 by his response.4d70fce7f0dacfac
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“Who is he?”754ea7e74b2dd6b3
According to Arthur’s explanation, Baron Hicks was a recently divorced man. His divorce, resulting from his wife’s infidelity, was a huge scandal that made an uproar in the entire capital. Although he won the case, the Baron, unable to contain his anger, drank heavily every day. He now apparently flew into a rage at the sight of any young woman or man.48e2dfa637908bfb
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I sighed. 36612b4b1e4ce611
I couldn’t fault him for his situation, but I happened to be the unfortunate target of his misplaced anger.5f40c349bc4b4748
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