IBMILRFL – Chapter 21
by EsraaCh. 21 IBMILRFL | Chapter 210431b129cbf6413d
As time passed, that day bd24790892 finally arrived.9d1230b90cde4f18
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Madam, we have arrived in front of Duke Locke’s estate.”0d88437c0f5982b1
“Alright.”e072bb1efa80b232
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
The carriage gradually slowed down 99c5fdb134 and came to a halt. As I stepped 414c243616 down, the first ba4371ad30 person to greet a2694c0701 me was Lilliana.6986f5c5f45fb69b
“Mother! You must have had 15ab7be792 a long journey. I’ll guide you from here!”f5d2d895a1370954
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Even though today’s weather was ff90a03f1c chilly, it seemed she had 88b3cad4fd been waiting outside for my e530824a43 arrival for quite some time, 2d8a5cfcac as her cheeks were slightly 9f985d0238 flushed.baa19e3bc9436342
Worried that she might f1418a0b22 catch a cold, I 4c3fd182bd hurried her along.6c952c5cd8b0f8d9
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Yes, lead the way quickly.”7dcd331facc6d923
“Yes, Mother!”66258fe8c6afbe3c
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
With a bright 7e4b20baa2 smile, Lilliana took 87df534ef4 the lead. Watching her from 5eac6e8a70 behind, I couldn’t 9b902a4c51 help but smile 1b94730f0d slightly.45f394d401c25302
For some reason, 32cef49068 her confident steps 24f37f7e8b seemed particularly cute 1fdc8cfe98 today.0783cccc4a459143
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Following her, I took f8d6436d7b in the interior of fc80bb654b Duke Locke’s estate. It was similar a44061ecd1 in size to 8490ba653b the grand Count 9b4fd7ff77 Winder’s estate, but 0b96d2185d the atmosphere was 0e86e46a63 entirely different. The elegant yet 66488b2eaf sophisticated interior decorations 39bcddda32 gave it a bac8c1e0f6 unique ambiance.fc0215eb6c8735a6
“Mother, there’s still some time before the meeting. Since you’re here, how about a0087b4f76 a tour of the estate?”828d8aa298cdda2e
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Sure enough, when 23a5940f96 I checked the 74ee8e0f47 time, we still bbbec6ee00 had 30 minutes 551c8617a4 left until the 26f0cd8ecf scheduled meeting.944f1976f418cea7
I was curious about the 562167a7d9 layout of the mansion, so 7a3b1cde0b a tour sounded more interesting e563a4bf80 than just waiting in the 9b6613d206 drawing room, but…f34a57df463dc68a
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
‘What if I run into Tristan? No, I can’t. I should decline.’3d61bdc856a9f94b
Ever since I married 6a4070e765 into the Winder family, 097daab87f I had been avoiding c91d5d5fcd Tristan.9759d764cc977494
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
I had made e6715680be sure not to 4347f0ebe9 show up in 6a1bb0e8b1 social gatherings, and 33b2711566 once I found 11f5c7dc90 out that the 59009e3fe3 wine shop on b258ca70d2 Wellington Street was b4020a80fa his, I stopped ef93070dc6 going there as 3f11a307a0 well.26db539c69057120
I was afraid of 06bd49498c the possibility of running 240ec22636 into him by chance.97f23a63326afa2e
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
‘There’s no real reason to avoid him, but…’46a7eac388c504dc
Still, whenever I cda894782b came to my a6cdb39032 senses, I found e8ee572bf4 myself avoiding him 720490bc6a again.45cc6f4f765b0438
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Just the thought d546c4c379 of seeing him 34a6eb2006 after all these 6f6733b782 years made my 5c69b0efde heart uneasy.066f1931872b81eb
‘Even the last time we briefly met, I didn’t have the courage to face him, so that says it all.’144928d44ba24b74
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
So there was b868629f78 no need to 273566acb7 increase the chances 482a0b2d11 of running into 479d4d606b Tristan by wandering c729e061d5 around the estate.7324013363a1d9b9
I was about to coldly ca87ad7877 decline Lilliana’s suggestion. Or rather, I intended b7c3ea9785 to decline.2779fbf7b9763e26
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“There’s no need for that. Just take me to the 7febb763fc leaving room…”1aad4310afe97e72
That is, if 25259dac34 Lilliana hadn’t looked ae45aac721 up at me 6df1bb47ed with that dejected, 317b810d2d puppy-like expression.4c52fdb154bbdcbc
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
‘Ugh, no. I know I should refuse. I know I should, but…!’094f7c5773e637c1
Lilliana’s face was a weapon f253574649 against me. In the end, b0403f9568 I couldn’t help 093993baa2 but give the 9063957d6e answer she wanted.ed6682b11e3a5864
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Sitting in the drawing room might be boring. Go ahead, do as 41abdd5faa you wish.”06d03c6d9637ab07
“Yes! Mother!”645d15b09b488244
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
The moment I gave 2f19d6a6d3 my permission, Liliana’s face 7bf52ba5a7 brightened instantly.bce7c2ffd5e61375
Her smiling face was d5f0635059 so endearing that it b8e715bd2b was difficult to put 58d0f79886 into words.2d7b6f30a9be852f
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
‘Hah, fine. As long as you’re happy, 2b74fec681 that’s enough for me.’d09b47791b164618
Even so, I ef4944c0cd still didn’t want 453487d2a2 to run into 45a75bcc5f him, so I 396f4d22f6 silently prayed that cdc2da6606 we wouldn’t cross 24271e183d paths.b3f75fc2bd32a190
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
***83dc6379424d0a2d
“Mother! Now, let me show db0e93a7c4 you this room.”db0baa76b895b58c
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
To sum it up, the e7f183dad7 estate tour turned out to f4dfa0b3cf be more enjoyable than I e698d17f83 had expected.ba48362a8bcd300d
As befits an b6b1a10c15 old and prestigious 5f511f2493 family, the mansion d810371f87 had many interesting f75442efae sights.3b2f6002af595576
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
It seemed there 4506d9adc2 were still things 26db96e18c left to see, 2ba052d22a as Lilliana led e9167f020e me into another 2d3418ebfe room.98dfec879d61c452
Click.68adfb2c6879bfe7
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
The lights turned 6ff3ddddae on, illuminating the 85822a62fe entire room.1a9362c30be27313
‘Oh…’b872704de2412e9b
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
I couldn’t help but be c85ce07204 impressed by the fascinating sight 0fd810f543 before me.3f6767e4a6f64c07
“As you’ve probably noticed, this room displays portraits of the heads of our family. This is the first Duke 8d0dd4064e of Locke.”f45bb542ee68e471
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Lilliana gave a 08ad7c67ad brief explanation of b32db711a6 each Duke in 5cb7a0c93f order, then stopped 0588e6e3d8 in front of 91c07868ac the last portrait.8e56537e8db0c517
I had been 8d2819bd00 following her without da81b7f20f much thought, but fb388b5cd0 when I saw b7eec5e618 it, my expression 4827b29f83 froze.82f394c2a7b13a28
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
The face in the portrait 218369a9ae was one I recognized.1d29692d2f95d32b
‘This… is Tristan.’7eb008b5c84838c4
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
I was captivated, unable to d2bc538fef take my eyes off his af2dc42f9e face in the painting.afe0bd01f9ae60b9
It was a face 1b0a3da41f I hadn’t been able 50ed4aa999 to see clearly during 86357eb0cf our last encounter, now bf28503c6c vividly captured in the 21dbf65b33 portrait.8816d332766b5c4e
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
In it, Tristan e6d6629e62 looked quite different 3bd35fe346 from how I c5150ac786 remembered him as 2f5c417729 a child.5e5d1e8f22a49d3a
While his strikingly ab9dfb0a77 handsome features were 152962e3e2 still the same, c0ef6789d6 his face had 8f757013c6 matured, with more 447a92503c defined lines.9006af23c165c6ab
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
I had imagined how he 58e00699ec might look after growing up, 4caa47ca08 but he was even more 7b27f24913 impressive than I had expected.b6d34da6964b0cd1
‘To think I’d see his face like this…’d1eaa0ee781543d2
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Feeling overwhelmed, I bit 4f609613a7 my lip lightly.9beda832e38bb771
As before, Liliana continued 508a6df5fb her explanation.8f97840fafd0577e
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“This is the current Duke of Locke. It might sound e55cbbbe2f a bit boastful 44ab07f683 coming from me, b2fbe6bccc but I’m really 1cf142f655 proud of my 18fc8abda6 brother. He works tirelessly 11e24e0acd for the family, b4ac2f411f day and night.”6cd7619b31de1613
“Hmm, I see.”1c26175111fbddf8
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Sensing that Lilliana fd46870db0 was wrapping up fdfc882553 her explanation, I 550d463d25 responded to her 07cd62ada3 appropriately.b3e901f12309bc4b
‘Now that we’ve seen all the portraits, will we finally head to the leaving room?’25ba3a742e150960
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
However, my prediction was wrong. Lilliana continued talking about Tristan.b1f3d36f537a81f6
“To be honest, my brother is much more handsome in person. Because of that, many 4a601e6716 noble ladies have proposed 7880688329 to him over the 9d84af07ba years.”f42da4575763017a
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
I had already 5976b97033 heard those rumors.ba98296e5e91cf8d
‘Well, that’s not surprising. Tristan is quite the catch. But now that I think 2bcdcf6481 about it, I’ve never heard e2fe2c642a of him accepting any proposals.’3a66ce7af7a78edc
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Intrigued, I found myself paying deb17e35d6 closer attention to Liliana’s words.551ea02eaf70803e
“But do you know what, Mother? My brother turned c46740032d them all down. Not only that, but he’s 5cba631a82 never even had a proper b9dfa42002 romantic relationship. These days, it’s rare a119912b57 to find a man da4402f400 with such a clean aecc6fd86d past!”4e86864b2694519c
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“I see.”06184df3003ae8ea
“He’s also very well-read and knowledgeable. He rarely gets angry, 2cba172cc4 thanks to his calm cbc95bed7b nature, and he’s incredibly 8dbfd4bf17 responsible. You can’t forget bb89ae3da3 the achievements he a86dd2cb03 made in the 7a8be2d225 recent war either. I learn so much from a5e741a7bd him every day.”35d88629154d0e5c
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
As I listened quietly 93c9826322 to Liliana, I began 38e16454b2 to feel a sense 49cc7c56c3 of unease.e2f3c53ae52ac4c8
‘Why am I suddenly listening to Tristan’s praises?’452de5be2d6085c3
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Unlike her earlier explanation about 755f9508dd the previous heads of the 7ad376f047 family, Lilliana seemed much more 3c9fd741c9 enthusiastic now. It didn’t feel like she c4e11934df was just bragging about her 5ca88eb621 brother; it seemed like there d2b581db2e was a purpose behind her 0c36d927fd words.a5e336a5fa23b637
‘Am I imagining this?’ab939909ac9e2754
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Liliana’s tone reminded me cd52951065 of a home shopping ff6d31964f presenter, as if she 044896a1dc was trying to sell cb9253de8a me something.3420f1b593e29c1e
“Handsome, smart, kind, and with his head firmly on his shoulders! Isn’t he just 513bf09954 the perfect husband?”7a1c90077c1f5ebe
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Lilliana’s eyes sparkled as 15b5204514 she continued to praise 23a1958519 Tristan, eagerly waiting for b983e839fa me to agree with 9c0b7f3aff her.2f7d8f1d7b26e3b1
It was hard b49d588c1a to grasp why 033691f054 she wanted me 110b2a308c to agree with 5296ca2459 such a question. Still, feeling the pressure e6121b9aa7 of her hopeful gaze, ce9bbbe716 I nodded reluctantly.76303e03a653f483
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“Hmm, yes, I suppose so.”5b01c0f094d91c38
At my words, Lilliana beamed 35942b187d with satisfaction, as if she 122e5df6da had accomplished something difficult.f1dc9a39dbdba178
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“I’m so glad you think so, too, Mother! Oh, look at the time! Shall we move to 0839656e3d the leaving room now?”0c14d2dba3492f16
“Let’s.”ee8ece44178c2ab1
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Normally, I would a82bddcbb2 have spoken more df50986e2a sharply, telling her eee8c02d0f to do as 47a6904c78 she pleased, but 30c5ac48e8 this time, I a4b9f2663a hurriedly nodded.ebd6e591ff9ebd72
I wanted to 598a54920d get out of af984cf9f9 this space as d9c20da869 quickly as possible.dbdd2dd5e62d8202
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
***9757781b0cc996ad
The leaving room wasn’t 30a0550f19 far from where we 41259fb213 were. It only took two 1d3df532f0 minutes to reach it.46e4ff8d71914818
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
‘Phew…’0094d1b0e0d39857
Standing in front of 6eaa3b8316 the door, I let a886787277 out a sigh of 52bec438e5 relief.cd10d6bde3179ac0
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
‘I’m so glad we didn’t run into Tristan on the way here.’b7bd6a810cacc929
I had been 8140785b67 avoiding him for 17c70a5321 a while, but 20734b2d70 now, the thought ad0f66e32d of seeing his 6365473d4b face terrified me c7081471b0 even more. If we did d784e1fcb0 meet, all the a2fc31c7c0 praises Liliana had 547b04ce3f showered on him dbfe23c626 would come flooding e6d1536274 back, likely giving 0775e7aa22 me a headache.18aec3887d329f63
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
‘Alright, time to focus. My business is 0fd977ed62 at stake here.’b6421f87eda1aa83
My goal today f42ddc33b0 was to secure 3ca16e5ca9 a contract with 1ff6c4999f the Locke family. I planned to bd33e31af7 ask them to bd75145f28 import raw materials 7dd4ad0ed2 from the East c413db241e for my perfume cdec3d2fa0 business.0a782cf268c2a3e0
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
‘Since I came through Lilliana’s introduction, they’ll probably want to do business with me. But I can’t take d8a18c6bc5 that for granted.’ef392f3e7cb44e25
Business deals can 33a79f37a0 only happen when 57e134e74e there’s mutual benefit, a6199b7cdd so I had 8cffb503b4 to present my e85541ff4f proposal in a ca1086a82c way that clearly 0a3c8481a3 showed what they 9c9d808023 stood to gain.ac735fc8cfaf2dd8
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Rehearsing my prepared 2ac6ffe883 lines in my e8192bf8a4 head, I opened 0ab242fb1b the door to 6bfedfee37 the leaving room.aa66bbe736c1cdd3
But all that 04c1555736 preparation evaporated in 8f1be2e6f6 an instant.6c5d9fad3b72a8db
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
A stunning figure, with 4bf462fb32 an appearance that would c796be5d31 make anyone gasp in f9e562d3f7 awe, stood before me. His deep blue eyes, 9a5875f36d ones I had seen 1412d1dc7e countless times in my 6fdeea260a dreams, locked onto mine.ef39ab2e4f493711
The person standing there was 17707ce7c5 none other than Tristan Locke.21fb4319972fcb9f
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“We meet again, Lady Winder.”9808ca138ffb231d
The man I absolutely didn’t ced8581ec1 want to see greeted me c5550b4fb7 with a smile.32e215cb8d470ac9
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
The moment I saw a97f7fbcf3 him, my entire body 50ad489103 froze.b2e889b88336ee31
‘Why… why is he here?’a780f9f12814f1e8
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
I was supposed to meet ba387ebf5d with an expert on imports 19d1884e82 today, not Tristan.802b68d47efade20
Unable to hide my 41fd52d0b0 shock, I glanced at a8b579afcf Lilliana, who scratched her 4a8686085f cheek with an awkward 796f8c89b5 smile.6b4d8528ec869f17
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“I thought it would be more helpful for your business if I brought the highest authority in the family!”194462166f6825b1
Isn’t that great?c89ba1a48d796891
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
She didn’t say it 6d1914adf3 out loud, but her 8b193d8285 expression clearly conveyed the f6639ca500 sentiment.dd70542a677f2fb1
Normally, I would have found fdb0daf147 her expression endearing and responded 448afb3432 warmly, but today, I couldn’t. Not after seeing Tristan in e4e406b622 front of me. I could barely form 6a0c73505b any words.5a9dbb21dcdd548c
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
I had tried c1694a22cf not to show 2386b84af2 it, but there 4507a6dd95 was a reason e98e837866 I had been 4c2639571f avoiding meeting Tristan 84c937d423 for so long.1cb18f8106fe65c1
It was because I feared 634de33636 how he might react if a6a3b4a064 we did cross paths.4c73ddb8c09088cf
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Seven years ago, e2b8d10c91 I had trampled 23c30633e2 on Tristan’s heart.998784bbbc37cbf0
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •77a41cfa3b71bd43
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
If you want to df0fbf65da support the translation and fb8281d816 the translator, you can 1256bc7b73 buy a coffee~6fcfb99d1dfad034