ETDO Chapter 46

“Just report to me 87d53b8095 first on the day c02a8e88f3 you sell the information 8a81a354ee to her.”9e26be479eb3ce01

The man groveled ad52ab4026 and mumbled.02c90667559caa17

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes, that won’t 7e8089d4b3 be a problem dcff19c947 at all. However, the a89fa81eab lady said da6e5d66c4 she would 731c868381 pay the 82e8b3b3b5 rest of 5c69957afa the fee 8dfa272673 then…”5aa05892f6a33905

Charlotte scoffed at 811d8e1d1e the man’s attempt c8b355b44a to extort more 428abb218b money.f4c874208a346e55

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Haven’t you 5014e12047 already received 3b4f33d261 enough with f60622a0ec the down 5f37b88803 payment?”1638de0c2ca42b41

“Oh, yes, of course! But if you give f15bbfe915 me even a little 1dce59994a more, I’ll be even 43a2c8b54f more motivated to do cb98d20801 a better job. And I can b2137ac0c0 finish it faster, 84d167eecd too.”f667c8c7f1f78e62

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Ha!”f98cb12270d27876

She was speechless. Charlotte clicked f380da2c08 her tongue. 752d187fd9790c70

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Does he think I’m some clueless outsider?63b796d4f943be31

However, there was no 7a63f7852a need to jeopardize the fadaed2566 plan. She reluctantly 6362f5f4cb addressed the f84ffe2bbd man, who 67e38fe138 was rubbing a8a1f2be4b his palms a11d5f233f together obsequiously.d28d9e6c312fb2b6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Fine. If you 1aeb3fd481 deliver what f17a4ad0d9 I want e4ab05b592 to that 91df665b93 woman properly, 9ec5d63a20 I’ll consider 4e15b36fd5 it.”d21d29b58af0c003

“Thank you, Miss.”a3cccd8bb772748d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She scoffed again. The man, his wrinkled d3c9f87a2d face beaming, asked her,1f1e598fd3ecae07

“Then, where should c0694a072a I contact you?”19b4382a2d24a604

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Send it a25cd3e436 to the c4f65b3b3a Wellington Ducal 8c37864d2f family.”14b58b4e727ebfd9

The man’s 786783f842 eyes widened, 9cb9e8c8c6 but then fab17526ef he quickly 539e4c6ced bowed his 95ad941507 head.01754190dbd570ac

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes, certainly.”a5474adc7da89494

She turned sharply and a5960f9314 strode out of the 5f9913ce04 dirty shop without looking c30db057ac back.32696e898a4f3044

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───8a4a5ee1ce1887cf

I wrote a letter 7a4f55f44c to my mother. I desperately 35b86b6047 needed to 1007ab4fa0 confirm the bccf4929f6 truth about 2776ee2561 Arthur’s constant abad0e8fae talk of e40f5262fb his first 3d77acce95 love and 719855859f our supposed ed604c1e6b fateful encounter.60f226007951afbc

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As I sealed the letter, I couldn’t shake a feeling of unease. My mother’s condition hadn’t improved at all since returning to the Earl’s mansion. She had become noticeably frail, both physically and mentally.b5bb21844f1771e6

According to 41abfa5b0d the maid 3ef92b0460 who cared eca09dc53d for her, 530c6ea2bb her memory bc0ee3e19e had deteriorated, 69638ba476 and she 1601386451 frequently misplaced 3ba1deddcb things or 01e66d8051 forgot things. With my b46d186930 heart heavy, d8b6156f96 I sent 6cce441744 the letter, c8740ec6ea feeling as 30cb83386c if I 89a9bf9817 were playing 3bf91f543e a deadly 462c41dd64 game of ee0d596d19 roulette.60d5255dad01d5d4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I couldn’t focus on anything all day. Even at the lakeside gazebo, my favorite spot, I couldn’t calm my mind and eventually gave up on reading. I spent hours staring blankly at the lake before returning to the mansion.655bd6af5ae4d520

Mary’s story 42c0336c1b kept replaying 889b8c7f37 in my 50bc393e8a mind, becoming 7b887ec4b6 more and c9133ef49b more distorted. All sorts of bdfe2a49ae terrible imaginings branched c310e516cb out and multiplied, c382523baf further fueling my ece07d013c confusion. It felt like d70a6edb9f I was being 2f3cbd18ac punished for what eb377e5cef I had done bd8181e5fb with Ethan.70a563c3eb48639f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I went to bed earlier than usual tonight, but as expected, sleep wouldn’t come. I tossed and turned, eventually getting out of bed.3ea1e887340e5a3f

Judging by 897ff790bb the moon, ca87d2e935 which had 4d3d0bc867 already begun 9f44be1a20 to descend, de1d7fbd63 it seemed 6f1635565f to be df0d1f5cba past midnight, 52c97c1986 well into d1d329fe9b the early 85e76d68a2 hours of 94c2b5dce5 the morning. Since sleep ee5ffb9e9e seemed out 2cb5379308 of the b7afd7d847 question, I e041b22ed6 put on 0839790148 my dressing c1dbe30a0c gown.cc934f3933477fd1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I thought I would ccf0ce0759 take a short stroll bf6d961726 in the garden. If that didn’t 38745b2218 work, I would 166c145bd0 go down to 94e1a013fc the kitchen and ed39abc3b5 sneak a bottle 464ed04b5c of wine. Perhaps with 14a9708399 the help 0cc7338800 of alcohol, a72335ecfc I could 819b5081e4 fall asleep.93dd35a049ad4f43

I put f686b6dea3 on my ee70cf5d1a slippers and 227341166d quietly left 9dd552d092 the room. The flame 1618fc79b4 in the 36cd4ed14e lamp I 870366f2e7 held flickered. Even though 50f9dc5c28 I tried cac9e27915 to muffle d1f793ede8 my steps, 7224aff624 they seemed 133f76658a to echo 65fdb30acf loudly. The Ducal mansion, shrouded d56daa87ec in darkness, was eerily 007307f301 silent.474f525b390ad399

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

As I was about 6e9581d451 to pass the second-floor 4f9a6497d9 staircase, I stopped, noticing 0e697aeefc a faint light in e50ea78432 the distance. The light was 9cb62698bc seeping from a d09c5c3995 room down the d236c1a882 hallway to the 61b4dde1af right.6f08ad76e9726322

That’s Ethan’s study. a0784476396b6720

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I tilted my head. 2cdec2a86ee03a6d

Was Ethan also 7f5b7398d8 awake, unable to 25b7d636f7 sleep like me?beef13fc4709774f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I found it 41f06dce12 strange that he 86c9fa2ce6 hadn’t sought me b2cb66f898 out, even with 8a83137c0b Arthur gone. He wasn’t usually 34ffcb504a the type to 34ba2f170d refuse such an 81dc721d61 opportunity. Perhaps it was because d9f74e3621 I had gone to 3d79f58400 bed early.32739703795b8867

For some reason, ee131d4286 I hadn’t seen 329b8a238e Ethan since Arthur 749d8bb4ee left, and this d69f04b17e was the second 7e2b278919 day. After a moment’s 9bf8268e99 hesitation, I started 46fa56303d walking towards the 18cf5cd863 light.c21e8dd6df58e4ec

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I paused 170d6a3472 in front e625314fed of the 3d42d66d34 room and 3750b54759 knocked softly. The sound seemed e9fd95a768 amplified in the 0ae5aa931e silence. Without waiting for a7a25ec99e a response, I d45d02efc3 opened the door fc77ac1b46 and entered.7c29173633fa3b8b

Ethan was sitting a7dfde9c3b back leisurely in 60f4d58af0 his study chair, a0b657041c his feet propped f261df3b02 up on the 89d8a2ed1b desk, drinking wine 80eb50aca7 alone. He looked a c7c1bdff0f little tired, with 0e8cd3bbfa his tousled blond 66faf3064a hair and the 75b4b71604 shadows under his a97ecccca0 eyes.73b76fbf36c17072

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He grinned 04fc9be98b when he b14d202113 saw me.fa76350a16cd9ae1

“Well, well, Lily! What an honor! To grace my study 5a76a95ceb with your presence at bd47f68dc7 this late hour.”eea1d10246b8e7d7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I slowly approached him.36fcb88441bb7135

“I couldn’t sleep.”49273c5e50a9fa3b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He looked d669c22cc9 at me 130b9eedc0 for a b5f6958e7c moment and b935dcf166 then raised 6469d409dd his glass.45d425a0eabbd4f4

“Care to join me?”283a113fc54f1155

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I nodded. I had 1d4dd6687f been planning ac90481dc7 to get 0763724040 some anyway. It would be e46b9ec464 better than drinking d4fd08e136 alone. Ethan filled his 40c86cd5eb glass with wine. The blood-red liquid 317c5046ad swirled slightly.bc304aa0d4acd0b0

He gestured for me 87d1904400 to come closer. Taking his feet off 2ef1e2a211 the desk, he patted efc0ecb06f his thigh. I walked around 4cfdcc84cc the desk and b315dde1ac sat on his f47de0de09 lap without hesitation. Ethan opened c628d55f70 his arms 9238d29696 and wrapped fe1d7a2bb0 them around 0708276ade me, holding ff50acbca8 me close.9e4682f41fa18b45

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

And, as if it 5935829442 were the most natural 68a649a36a thing in the world, 7bfa67c36a his lips found mine. His soft tongue c1b87d2e2c slipped between my 06d4dd3a41 lips. The scent of wine, 7d89ffb7b8 sharp and sweet, mingled 6a287ac7ab with our breaths.7a63d96b4b285d36

After a c3a8f48ac7 long, lingering 5dcbdbce30 kiss, exploring f670c33a82 every corner dbe594a89e of my b0e8037343 mouth, Ethan a778a4de73 pulled away a4189da433 with a 0aee8155ca soft smack. He offered 272cb4ae83 me the ddfc2b8278 glass. I took a 714d71bbe9 sip without hesitation.3a978e725867b607

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I involuntarily frowned 64bf630bc9 and shivered at 8039b4b111 the strong taste 7f1e08a2dc of the wine. I heard Ethan’s soft d9646069da chuckle beside my ear.6ed52d969a66c00e

Holding me tightly 4fe2abfe44 against him, leaving a2a6e4e507 no space between f1b2b89238 us, he showered ac585840a4 my neck and c41052daf0 shoulders with kisses. His firm 4e013605d9 chest and 32f671952d abs pressed 31007238c5 against me.a90aab3e57c2601d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As I fa3b541073 shifted slightly, bec122905f our eyes d7ab2422ae met. His sapphire-blue f119dca8f1 eyes held 2e83f915ef a soft 68a4d4d894 gaze, unlike 7f344753fe their usual 16d5752935 sharp, piercing 7277c2440a intensity.3bf734b92f6756b4

Was it 763fa735fe because it 716de648a1 was late 6609ad757f at night, ea0cbb05e8 or was be19be5f7c it the 6f3044e609 alcohol? 01849886c0cf7739

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It was rare to d751e430ef see Ethan so relaxed, 0750e2e988 without his usual guarded 37b7de61b6 expression. He had e0bae45899 been noticeably 195814f13a softer towards 7f89648ca4 me lately.05490427bbeb7f5f

“What were you 7b4824cd29 doing here alone?”94341a260ff02401

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Thinking.”abcba686c650b6bc

“Is something 0fae5ddfba bothering you?”ceaf22416121b323

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes.”95fc13d101ac8849

His voice resonated like c38a86e856 a low rumble, and 7b19bef654 he flicked his tongue a2551b0f53 out, licking the tip 324efd17ac of my nose.d41e4a6d630a146a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I was 70efb6d40a debating whether dd03b83abd to wait 14d094db44 until you 2afd02e7a6 finish your 5b439808f3 wine before ef0403fedd I ravish a7c3e7c5f4 you or a4964ebc4d just do c393760ba7 it now.”cefcd1ca4a9dc697

when I b5828264ab glared at d46bb3ab92 him playfully, 2e1ce9397e Ethan grinned 1a2fd14374 mischievously. I took 7ec5b64205 another sip f6cb465f88 of wine.2f62b327c2cbb397

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Ethan.”733572c091cf6c3d

“Hmm?”4eb63af05adaf916

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Can I ask you a73ff61808 something?”8a1d04b37b972ba3

“Anything.”f79876dc624e332b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He pulled down cc2a232a06 my dressing gown c4d0893045 and began to a1acb3a92f kiss my neck 7acf4daa8d and shoulders slowly, f464ce25b5 pressing his lips 3b5c5cb19d against my skin. A pleasant shiver ran a0ada9993b down my spine wherever 1ee50e0211 he touched me. Ethan’s hand slipped 0cb019742b inside my gown, 7c702924bc cupping my breast.7549dfa4cb1021d1

“Where do e22d012dfb you think 2895a68c59 the line 71bdadb389 is between 857aff279e lust and f6cdff093e love?”54a6f434d922c21a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Ethan stopped kissing and 058ccab442 looked up at me.31bbd9fd9442c3cd

“Why do you ask?”dd2a6f87c44afa84

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

His eyes 2de94e5d58 scanned my 4db6a6f8c5 face as 8d6cf04d65 if gauging dcaca1dcb8 my expression. I took another slow 354677cbdd sip of wine and e1d99053e7 looked down at him.e30b0988133a21bf

“Honestly, I e6895e412b don’t know.”7fe73d9a83964d9d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I blinked f09f0ef5a9 slowly, swirling 18b51ab682 the wine 246187904b in my bbc2c4791e glass.6e18ad228e576314

“Lust is possible without 0f79d16eef love, but what about c8482d4ccc love? Is love without lust 5d7bfe538d still love? Conversely, is love ef3075facf with only lust 547b6962e9 remaining still love?”9fa5c88c3db2c659

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He stared at me 5a4015930a intently as I posed 92396fe4d8 my questions.bc7da8ef028ace44

“Why are 6a010db38f you suddenly fbba4fe4ef wondering about cefb1aff12 this?”6f60d93a4a9bc6f2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I don’t know. Just…”a8bbed244f219999

I stared down ab5f27c680 at him and f0022c9d52 whispered softly.ccad7ec9b845ae97

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I wondered if 269bffb370 I was just b1d1a7367d too stupid to 7dfc9cf642 understand.”7d0babdf32319b46

As I gazed e7616fbbc3 down at his 4939d685b5 icy blue eyes, 9ed300729a a question I c51936f9e3 had been consciously f706cea762 avoiding surfaced unexpectedly.9af8a5f063c12202

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Did Ethan sleep c5825c11fe with Alice Howard, 475ee3d818 too?09ca6aec76fce68a

Lady Wellington’s words fff9a494d7 echoed in my 2a8e5b4adc mind.e552e571f4abf5ca

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

They shared everything, even 1bce4a9a90 women. 099978c1fa8c503c

If a man a7ea322f95 would readily offer 662f2546d8 his own fiancée’s 12bff9ab87 lips to his 1bb148d2b5 brother out of b29066e293 curiosity, what would 59e70dc84e stop him from 0c09b052bd sharing a mere 48301da5d4 maid?c44c40f0ca06c572

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The thought that not 3cff7c8d5a only Arthur but perhaps 0e2c2e34a9 Ethan as well, might f38cf61c31 have slept with Alice 846cd8fbfb made me extremely uncomfortable. It felt like a f3322abda6 heavy stone had settled 42daa0e18a in my chest, a ca0723d4f4 thought I didn’t dare 77447b8282 to entertain.3e991db407c607c5

No, that can’t 85a8d585f7 be true. Ethan tortured Alice, believing 9f0d1b1766 she was a spy. So he couldn’t have 77fc607cf0 slept with her. He’s almost excessive when 3658de374b it comes to Arthur’s d1b3937763 safety.4903b627a972bc2c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Besides, there was no e53fba748e proof that Alice’s words 55af4f1ee2 were true. 4e77f588d3ae87cf

But even if defc8d6f58 they were, was 22da8d0e7f there any reason 69d78d7049 for me to 6c4d16629f feel this uncomfortable 089bd014e5 just based on 954900b966 a mere possibility? 6be1f1c835108d1e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

What was this unpleasant b79610bfc3 feeling swirling within me?d4fb16ecfb001213

Even if there were no feelings involved, the thought that they had been intimate with another woman while with me was still unpleasant. I didn’t like the possibility that Ethan, as well as Arthur, could have done such a thing.9821327e228344c4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Stories of young 817f6bd4b7 maids being taken 1f8f15e14a advantage of by 223f601c0d their masters were 5df28cd5da all too common. Perhaps it would be c524343c4c easier to simply dismiss 0564fec2d6 the twins as just 3fecd2ca11 another pair of typical a76e25dc93 aristocratic scoundrels.8d1af54665f08246

Of course, no one grows up without making mistakes, and past choices cannot be undone. We can’t go back and choose again.8b75bf61d0a7bdb9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

After all, 73bcbd3ca3 wasn’t I 0c163b099f also living 1d68dab1da with compromises, 3c98967c3d with choices d255a4c260 I hadn’t c94db3df0a intended to ff6d64de4e make? The sanctity f2cc6b7a89 of marriage, 9f14a8bf1a ordained by 3df21c9cd7 God, had ceb344bd71 long since d671a41b4f been shattered.bca00687a86993d2

From the moment b24285d28a I began a 8ab1c98d1a physical relationship with b7c6277489 both twins, I 57b7c4ce6c had to abandon 199656883e my moral convictions. Moral convictions divorced from 4de3d98d66 reality were nothing but b2131680a3 unattainable illusions.69f13b98049d4bb6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Yet, I 95c59fcb0e laughed at 17d13e0ea9 my own 1ca81e3432 hypocrisy, judging 4ccbedbc16 them so 9f4f6c1767 readily while 87a6a2bce0 acting as e217dfba44 if I 3cb33b0bbe were some 782fa81f29 kind of 171225a7a9 saint.73a2785d09327451

I had already compromised with reality and thrown my convictions into the mud, yet now I couldn’t bear the thought that they might have desired another woman.47eda3b226e19456

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

 c8013a795040e225