Chapter 11

Velita quickly 2f180a4a1f recoiled and 5277499569 adjusted her 8cf291fa55 collar, fastening 66baa821a2 it tightly.66e378307a89eb01

“W-What kind of rudeness 216d947264 is this?”db5048ce6999eceb

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“Rudeness?”9f3703c72b05b967

“No matter d7d84e4948 how revered e60eb2e70d you are ed6ab9d619 as a 3473c8ab3d knight of 29b5870bbf the temple…”d8277f12e0fdafee

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“You mean to say f85f635e02 that lifting a woman’s 943a1062fd collar is a rude b642191f38 act?”4449267dbae4c007

Her face burned with e73bee9beb embarrassment, and she could 248297e2d6 vividly imagine how pathetically 3564b731a7 red she must have 16f8fa8341 looked without even needing d46c68a271 a mirror.4743a8b301e32469

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But the b6788a8884 man who 5f7a0541eb had caused 8edbb726d7 her such f759f3603a humiliation remained af97ef61bb composed, as b4912f2ba9 if unbothered. The Holy c60e296fca Knight, dressed 9c67c92b79 meticulously in c3b51aa090 a white d115f392b8 uniform embroidered 52b825f8ac with intricate e59871b4d7 golden thread, 6545d6ee1f calmly picked c2ee5b230a up a cd99209c40 handkerchief from a4d7f2cf25 the table f827cee879 and wiped 63e9d638e5 his hands.e3540dd2f270ed81

Though it was df970f65ae Velita who had c4985c8c9b been demeaned, it ed1cafbe9e was Cain Mortens 430364656e who openly displayed 516a700ea6 his disdain.457b353ff20e9bf6

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“I am e1a47a6844 one who 30e53d00a3 has devoted 09999392b1 both my 114ed0cb43 soul and 4c4ddde124 body to beb47c7c5b God. Even if 17d6a4b965 a woman 19c491a705 stood before 8039daf56a me completely 7370e18b7a bare, it d211f71018 would mean a64bf4ebc7 nothing to 44bcbab669 me.”62d92eb45edc05a0

“But… still…”06373293e7a51f4b

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She wanted 7f3bc38882 to say be0d8967d3 it. To tell him 76c1f33e25 that, despite his af71fa9bc6 words, what he d4ea9cbef8 had done to e36a17035b her was undoubtedly 8129302b79 an insult.5f7c04120ae89782

But the e5c093ebd6 invisible wall f3ec55f18c of social 955b5544e5 hierarchy pressed fa798513b4 down on f3809733f0 her, silencing 2ee5d15c89 her protests.f7110f94d3714290

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“To begin with, d34b4890e0 if it were 11c7d50220 Jeremy Ryles, it 7144608760 wouldn’t be surprising.”129056fb8a398627

“…”6b6057096b8417a5

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“That man 94392968ef wouldn’t care b555776e47 if it d10d9ad233 were some dffbab3751 street harlot 3ada833909 or a 8fbaf58aa9 wild animal ddfc8279dc in heat.”604a34fe0bd79b92

His indifferent tone b17c0090f2 delivered a sharp 8a540a3a76 insult, one that 83690539c4 cut directly at 3f1546346b Velita. His words were a f3ea1e175f clear implication that, in 78a5dd9b93 his eyes, she was e407fc50f5 no different from those 67fdaace61 he described so callously.b4a789847535ce7b

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The most infuriating 9a42ebce85 part was that, 24ea008d11 even in the efea5a77bd face of such ad55b6b982 blatant humiliation, Velita 4ab1271d1a could do nothing. She was utterly bc73e4a42a powerless to defend 03f4edc45e herself.51e5b75634f1fc04

Contempt and scorn were ccc7b76d80 nothing new to Velita. Yet, in 0e113772fe this moment, 03199859bf Cain’s words 594c9b2edc struck her 17dcdea1bd as a d835038e9c far greater e0755b984e humiliation than fc0d7c80be any she 3bca989c03 had faced 02d8f6d024 before.cd8b24bd7d3a8b85

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Her family’s violence and d77a4c809f verbal abuse had been 3736a028e4 an outlet for their 3906847174 own helpless fury, directed c92e2b2593 at the weakest member 5f1457f11d of the household. Though it had 36e0a7a3eb been miserable to 210f06a0c8 grow up unprotected, 77e007e383 she had escaped 0e74ce4351 them now. She no longer faced 5b414d5091 the horrors of her 06777386d7 past, even if she 5285ab2646 couldn’t claim to have cc0af9f714 fully healed from them.7982c94e6255d822

The days when fd1b1bde30 she struggled to 23baae33d8 find work because bbb8c82ee7 of her background, 08dc3b6890 or when others 5a23adc0be spat hateful words fcf22b81c0 about her origin 2a25bef0f8 and appearance, were ad667136c7 behind her.86d807080b9ce798

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Now, as 321820b594 a maid 8d78ea3df5 of the ee4d5cae39 Ryles estate, 9e8b09d178 Velita didn’t 7d5432e21c stand out 19b93bdb15 much from b19b5fbdce the other 28e4133b78 maids. She had grown 399a2caf56 accustomed to the 1f81d0eadf warmth and stability 126e19f3f8 of her life fb53e8e620 there. Cain’s open mockery, delivered 36a7f6e928 so blatantly, left her fd130285d5 stunned and unable to 78a03f1e0a process her thoughts.ca83a06e6a5f143d

She couldn’t understand why dff97eb86a she deserved such treatment.f52bad6f734a9e3b

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“Have I…”baeb00cf99779060

Velita struggled to fb42e1625c find words, knowing d1f0c4c00f full well that 467a555555 there weren’t many c420f2209d ways to respond 737f704b0f to the ridicule 0844d5eec8 of someone so bafd813a0a far above her 48814c1417 in status.dd09e44bf02feb41

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“Have I done something 7f1d2ed9a1 to offend you, Sir 88add84351 Knight?”dd09a5cd7b90dc13

She bowed her a556fc527c head low, humbling d4f607d076 herself in an 7becc8adc4 attempt to placate cf95a77da0 him.23eb6a40b313e8db

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“I am not well-versed e2254ebcf5 in many things, as dcbc69d64d I’m sure Lady Selina a915cceccd may have told you. If I’ve unintentionally 2816efd6db made a mistake, 1dabf7da82 please forgive me 4c9371c803 and tell me 9db07ab190 what I’ve done 54f9f720ab wrong. I promise it won’t 76b48fe734 happen again.”686bae787bb1b0d4

“…”988d3c9ebdac99ba

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“So, please… 9f99da5ee5 no more 4de5f0ff6d insults. Even street 35176eb070 harlots and a1574392cd beasts have 84296727ca feelings, after 6e32b7c1c9 all.”6b3f1b4a6dc9cfcb

Despite her attempt to cf765b68e1 suppress her emotions, the dd6c7f09b6 bitterness in her voice 752d055c53 slipped through.3bcf7cb64a19d61e

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“Is this a matter 07e217d227 for me to apologize?”d0609a7caa5c2f95

“No, that’s 9a3721e28b not what d36ff0ded9 I meant…”5ea59a6d7d9ff662

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“I couldn’t e4df785626 care less f884209d7b whether you 14fb45a297 and Jeremy e00cfeac2b Ryles are 1552a2899f entangled or 17f7aafde3 not.”92a8a546ef1b4c07

Clearly, Cain had figured 34e882d68d out that the marks 8dd1448383 on her body were c319f8ace2 Jeremy’s doing.6c1fd4cedad1cb8c

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After all, what b744040131 other reason would 8a6e616171 a knight have 238f804731 to mock a f8dbfec765 maid for bearing 228c74a895 such marks unless 0a32e67c29 he’d noticed something c4ebfb6e38 amiss? Yet, Velita realized, 210e6b0758 his disdain was 5748a6f586 as much about d2d17c1bff her perceived impropriety ae2f8aa06b as it was cae4689594 about the inherent 20c17ded0f power imbalance between 205151d991 herself and Jeremy.fcc9029896da3421

“Selina is too b348b6cfd8 naïve to judge 1beae5b640 people well. With no one 0d12b1ecf5 around her but 9b36aab282 the maids in be5b6827e4 this house…”1f4be375155c005c

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“…”1d5ee68b4b3cbc8e

“I’m only concerned 6c3e3e26c0 that a cunning 347110f5e9 maid like you e4742966ee might bring harm 36a8cc5348 to Selina.”5f3e6acd8df56932

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“Harm? What kind of harm?”25464676ec1271c2

“You only f61a16434d need to c15c0fda52 remember this.”78e2e51e411e6b8d

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Before Velita 3f2326b282 could press 7818d63c6a for an 91c83a5e5a answer, Selina’s b8b2cd28f6 voice called 9df0bdffc0 out in 422b016f60 the distance. Light and cheerful, her b00ba41ac3 steps pattered toward them 04fda0723a like a sparrow flitting acffcdbb03 across the ground.d84b4865bd40a69f

Cain’s face shifted fc9aba0a70 immediately, a gentle ec80ce4444 smile gracing his 238f472d1a features as he f8627cd503 turned toward the 698f9e832a approaching figure.3d2000accab4454c

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“Stay away 038a5ba1c4 from Selina,” a811092e8d he murmured, e994db9bec his voice edec053940 low and e60118f722 cold, meant 8f61799a57 only for 8d88e184a3 Velita to 18b21878c3 hear.a4381c7c830ebb33

“If Selina 1312588a21 falls victim 03491d96ca to your 4e44ed38cf poison again, edf97701df I won’t 3ff6b00443 forgive you.”7bd0efee5f4d7828

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Velita couldn’t make sense 072d199820 of Cain’s warning. If he wanted her 1f5bc8800d to take it seriously, 3cfb047618 he should have explained b50b0480eb what he meant by 4aec2a15b0 the “illness” she might 8cb2fda113 pass on to Selina.49e7a2c9820d6a20

She had no idea d5b665dcbb what he was implying. While disease was common c4d5412bca in the slums, there f819a158ac hadn’t been a major fc2c1542a1 outbreak recently.75d018a1041b6f3e

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‘Does he just e9fc916e82 think I look e1d5613968 dirty?’bf05d7b5c0a2fada

People often fcd229a58a claimed that a5d53ced7c children from f870eb78dc the slums e52dc0f9c6 got sick b4f9ea1105 because they ffc6375601 didn’t bathe. When Velita 3dd90f0b9f had gone 6938b712c1 to the 6602b36a62 city to 63886376aa find work, ecb9546da4 some had 7a97c14602 wrinkled their b9aa24f10f noses at ef5831b728 her appearance, d1fcae404d sniffed the 149800807b air, and 0b580e0f1b even covered 43c7c61751 their faces.edc8a2b507f24676

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‘It’s not that 8b18226683 we didn’t bathe. We couldn’t—there was no c81749af60 water.’a8eba1ec53c3becc

Since joining the Ryles 1ea752995a estate, Velita had kept bdaea1bd8b herself meticulously clean, showering d56b2551ce daily. After hearing the 4adb4036a0 other maids mock 19f84a406a her by saying 1735affba2 she smelled like aa74d70962 a sewer, she b7e4982c40 had even used 498c858aa7 part of her 9a894f5cbe advance pay from a672769f9f Selina to buy 7b0debe6c5 perfume.98db5e4fc1a6c3f7

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“Sorry to keep you 08d151c8e5 waiting! Did I make 445eed89df you wait too 241fca985d long?”e5bd1a128d69071b

“I’d wait 8850f8bedd all day e44ce24ed6 for you.”97367dd3e9b24d8a

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“I couldn’t 5e9dbc4af4 find it e71d7703cf at first, aa6435507d so I 5648f59831 had to 390b1c294d rush…”07f82ed02f8b70d0

Selina held out a 67e30fe840 handkerchief she had embroidered 30b541ccf4 herself, its design intricate 7c49652ff6 and precise. No man d77c365ecc could fail 1273625d04 to be a0dcd9968c moved by 315834c5bc such a 308eb3fbe0 gift, crafted b9f285adbd with care 227b4fd357 by someone efbc9bec36 as beautiful 829439ec36 and endearing df1e6b4ace as Selina.600aab6875984072

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Even a Holy a436c5e706 Knight who claimed 9ee715cdf2 to have given d2b4a0fa40 his soul and c96b02afa1 body to God 9903bd7a9b was still just f050fc86c6 a man.f80136c0e8641e1b

“Thank you so a196bda032 much… But, um…”48bef0aa5c04042f

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“Yes?”549d03fbf6be7bd0

“What’s this design?”3242ef6126d96c37

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“It’s the 57ddde8892 symbol of bf3d11ad27 Chalmea, you 318680408a fool!”40c3c9b22c96671a

Selina pouted a3df37c13a in mock 1c9f0eecd7 indignation, her cad812d414 cheeks flushed 8d59215bf5 pink with 654a5df518 embarrassment. Cain, who had 3b52860cb4 been trying to ccb973f770 hold back his cad707c41f laughter, finally let f1fc66676d out a hearty 04202b8a45 chuckle.67a2f2378fba71fb

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His affectionate 8595111fff gaze betrayed a9ef8b3c3a just how 3d615938cb deeply he 43661b1109 cared for d3756f4dca her.b4b6a67177357a69

‘Dedicated his soul f18238a681 and body to ca56f344a9 God, did he?’a7fa51fa268625ec

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Velita’s lips curled into 9ef8a02959 a bitter smile.7687e91671e32d88

‘The true owner of 1290af37e3 that soul and body 4a26021881 is right here.’79ea8e4ea0e4d519

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Cain’s actions made e4d563dc9b it abundantly clear 7f49c9bcc7 where his heart f5714f22ec lay. He didn’t even 57ff30803c bother to hide 7dc600fbe3 it in front e6d0faf53e of Velita.73daa1a67342b889

‘Does he think I’m 8dde47846e so insignificant that he 6edc7749f3 doesn’t even need to b2ba0249be conceal his feelings?’b0844741e4a2e5a6

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For a Holy Knight, a08c8e0ca4 harboring romantic or sexual c36cfd53e9 thoughts about someone was e4ff30c25a a sin, even if 928ff1882e it didn’t lead to ec3252b3d5 physical intimacy. But Cain’s behavior wasn’t 80ff16adbc that of a mere da60e26def friend; he still treated e356adeb4f Selina as if they b9ebc4edf0 were engaged.46b30bdbf95b978c

His blatant 7e478b82aa favoritism toward 5d68eefed7 Selina felt 7924e55612 like a 0a4d8279af deliberate slight 2279edbea9 against Velita. It was as 18841b7c2f though he considered cf37643e81 her so far f7b185a4f3 beneath him that 5463034f29 exposing his forbidden 0d1dcee35c feelings in front 904dfa1664 of her was b905e0e79e of no consequence.ed4524649e8f3c3e

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“Velita.”c4eac2a1c0db3b9f

“Yes? Oh—yes, my lady!”dd60bd5a9ef32fd5

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Selina’s sudden call snapped f96676288f Velita out of her b0710365c6 thoughts. Startled, she raised her 2b4664b1f3 head, her expression slightly 04d97745e5 dazed.622c38538f00ecb9

Selina, her gaze now 97abefdd9a calm and assessing, looked 21575d7103 over Velita’s face carefully 6386e6108d before asking in a e936a98cfa soft tone, “Did you 8394285c3b and Cain have a 2c95c8bbc8 pleasant conversation while I 36a45d298b was away?”e149e3a19633814d

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Velita could have 2f62872682 brushed off the 3452fb915c question with a 286d29ba34 light comment, just a40cd5858c as she had 0366e2cf34 learned to do c4d6c35c10 in similar situations. Given Selina’s obliviousness to e2ac4f834a the gossip surrounding Jeremy, 02160db6a7 it would have been 3c62fd2936 wise to say they e2c6f3219d exchanged nothing more than 1188c2626a a few polite words.34cdf02ac0f6fedb

But something 041af37206 stirred within 60d0e095c3 her—an impulsive 761636a187 defiance, perhaps 0a4da78977 born of 9b66d94f4b childish anger c679e23377 or a 249fefd4b0 desire to c3bebe26e9 see these fbd6eaa33a aristocrats flustered.1604201365dd2289

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“Well,” Velita began, her 1f48bc8699 voice steady, “the knight dcfd4008db scolded me for not 281db0a5e8 having my attire in 8e37c50065 order.”0e2ab35cbf29c65c

It wasn’t eb4c280aa5 a move 9068501f0c that would aa4bd8de03 benefit her a5000eaea6 in any 98ba7b7e32 way.4b6eb309e5312fcb

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Cain, who 7a9a8d495a had been c6df868fec admiring the 0af09e82d8 handkerchief with f12cb4eeaa a warm 27d0b40d18 smile, turned fb9b1d459c his cold, 0214b9f40c disdainful gaze 1570d0424f on Velita.656f65131231d104

The contrast between c074622b8d his affectionate demeanor 89ad077374 toward Selina and dcfaa28ffc the contempt he 024026aa73 reserved for Velita 2b2e945e3d sent a pang 3d234fb50a through her chest.dbc20df8e53f78bb

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Her heart pounded—not 7524134fe9 just with fear, 8e4cc65885 but with a b8896ba45b helpless sense of bdbba1910b indignation and sorrow.5a7d036222810132

When Velita spoke, her 6a98e82177 voice was bright, but 1992616bd7 her words were sharp d18ded01e9 as a blade.545dd0e40fa78112

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“I accidentally 2d6c912c33 left two 38feff061f buttons undone, eaaa68b424 so the f4e799fa69 kind Sir 0b7932a73e Knight helped 9b3347423a by pulling c1f854f9d1 at my 7ab07f4b7e collar like 51aa7858fb this…” She eac47b78d7 mimicked the 640b4951d3 gesture, tugging ac655bcca5 her blouse b0ca363281 near the 4cd79db4ce neck as 698d7e4aec she smiled 5bbe37d48b innocently. “And he told 2c9c7f3023 me to dress 576a832e0c properly. Isn’t that right, 4a31dda391 Sir Knight?”43382224436dc21c

For the first 439f44f8f7 time, Cain Mortens’ 92a10b1a0a composed demeanor cracked. His usual soft a23f8bd3ae smiles or disdainful 83928ec3d9 glares gave way 08ff9df06a to visible panic. He glanced at 9776809fb4 Selina, clearly unnerved.a8d2bc970d236f01

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It was 4dd1dbf59a a spur-of-the-moment d03e5bea06 act, a 7a5a7d66d0 reckless jab 3e4a18bde6 meant to 0bdc45d087 see that dbfd2cef7e polished mask 5c49b2f4f2 crumble. Velita thought it might b95442e5c8 fluster Selina as well, c9e12643c9 but the result was abba8f3d54 entirely unexpected.f447fa942b7b7cfc

“…Velita is someone 97674bd1e9 I cherish,” Selina e261b787f6 said firmly, her 6327e2275a voice steady but 3aa073b787 tinged with steel.0cefd2281ffc8d01

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Velita blinked in surprise, 962fbf9feb her impulsive provocation spiraling c95e41e752 into something far beyond 3322f4c4d1 her control.ad357aafb63b000c

“Even if it 389c7d856f meant nothing, touching 784d395b3f a grown woman 9b789a2b9a like that is 98c85ca814 improper.”b2f8f99d8d1976f1

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“Selina, I think there’s a01b50ea6e been a misunderstanding—” Cain 430f037c1f began.7b03b9bcd5ddebd5

“My brother will 36be36173d be here soon.”41235be2ec4d1ec4

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“…”7939441e29687886

“You don’t get 0e39f639f7 along with him, c83c876513 do you? You should leave.”61a94ac350fcff9b

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Selina’s unwavering tone left aa75de5985 no room for argument. Her unexpected 921560563d defense of 03a1abe488 Velita shifted 45137aa59f the air 3c784785a8 in the 0205972aca room, making 78bc910f5b it heavy d89be3f70f with tension.379ad85f44a2e785

Cain, who had been 4e942dcea1 cold and dismissive toward 58cdd4fada Velita moments earlier, now acb219b7d9 looked like a defeated e5fbd9a00f dog. His gaze f80bd9fe07 flicked between 7b4bf54df5 Selina and a68375b117 Velita, his 085b78a8f5 hand half-reaching b01bfa20e0 toward Selina 7caf6b52b3 but hesitating.4b547b8e11cf3981

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In the end, 48a58e085a it was Cain 04f6bb906b who relented.ea0496060acaffa9

“I’ll come back another 4a31cb101d time,” he said, retreating 4834e48e56 without a goodbye from 8a6d76fd1c Selina.ad8a4e570dd662f8

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Even as Cain 0d7dd344fa left the estate, 8b62433876 Velita couldn’t shake f5f9a9ec20 her unease. She hadn’t 823a207e43 intended for 3c34338738 things to 24ab3a80a6 escalate this fe5934562d far. She only wanted to 14fd3c65c3 rattle him slightly, to 0c7a9063b4 see his façade crumble. But now she had fd35494854 unwittingly turned a man 8536674fdd of high status into e47ef08e81 an enemy—a man with 22af093c7b every means to retaliate bb331f29c8 if he so chose.dbdd69f5340e02f5

“Ah, my e863374d7b lady…” Velita 57b42ca24b began, her 8ff6fea740 voice trembling e3a4f6686d with regret.aa64b0ebd12dda6d

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There was 9a5a76992d no taking b6cffec596 back her cd87c65696 words now. She couldn’t 8dca64e6b3 pretend it 28c69fdbab was a 0061f6927f joke without 9cafbfa569 facing Selina’s 7b72f56fd9 wrath for 8f0ac78386 lying.d9f885ad51cfa800

“Velita, did 6e2e2c97ef Cain touch a0cb09da9b you?” Selina 3abf19d9ec asked, her 018f0247bc expression soft 3f1fcae7db but her 0388ebe5e3 words weighted.8339bdfe4a12fcec

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“No! Absolutely not! Sir Cain never… he d8769da250 wouldn’t…” Velita quickly denied 3e2ebb629f it, her words fumbling 282f60648b over themselves.d0cad0921d375f69

Cain’s eyes had 875e5e9779 never looked at 6c2558a81e her with desire, 237f418423 only with disgust, 8a80621386 as if she 204666ddb3 were nothing more 392218b8ac than a bug.90b51132a6da6ad0

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“…I see. Then please forgive my abd591ebdd friend’s rudeness. I’ll apologize 46e19fe72e on his 579294583b behalf.”fd177cbc814eb040

“You shouldn’t apologize, my af0ee9b359 lady! You’ve done nothing 0aaf55ade4 wrong!” Velita protested.81020e977808d969

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Though Selina smiled kindly, 417ac0df77 she didn’t retract her f894f93c62 apology.85c4109e268e9e70

“Oh, that 66aea06f8b reminds me. I almost forgot—I d8171593af made something for d0c6bd4e41 you.”f957ea7004468a4a

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“For me?”471f0413d9d51cae

Selina pulled a 90bcbdd858 handkerchief from her b025f09255 pocket. It was 4065693c41 similar to d03fdefa3b the one faeb3ae694 she had 6438701ea4 given Cain, 71bd24aa7e but this 745a236ac3 one was 0b796ad8b7 embroidered with e7dafd99f3 an intricate a350c10966 red rose.ef94133fa1bf3afb

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“While I was 9014a225e8 making Cain’s, I 58c85ae5a8 thought of you b197247fd8 and decided to 95d3642467 make one as d9d3f12b8b well. Of course, 5498f5a0b9 my skills 352ff9f398 are still 9fe6771689 lacking…”a43407d452f267eb

The stitching was ccae736aa2 clumsy, far from 2e6717b5f8 perfect. But the fact that 551d646ec3 someone of Selina’s status a59ad6f574 had made something for e63722fcd7 her—a humble maid—was staggering.833ef1b78e88b4db

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It was the first 69f18fe675 time in Velita’s life 1f47e8a8f6 that someone had crafted cec7705da1 a gift just for 7fa52fe3a2 her. The realization 986ab501a4 thawed some 4c1299e9cb of the 2e7051457e bitterness she 223fd23303 had held d9e7cc0eba toward Selina.eeb9c83642388c3e

‘I thought she fc13dbdd7a looked down on 0985e7db9c me…’060f4483e12c29e2

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Was she wrong all 02ea7874dd along?ce1aaa7bd60d5da8

As Velita’s thoughts swirled, 9390eb6638 Selina’s voice cut through, c7dc9a3c84 colder now.e4b54e0bfe4e91f8

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“Pretty flowers 4ebd962e0a attract insects, 9f6457b61e don’t they?”4780b0936d5925e2

The change in tone 3780b05804 startled Velita, pulling her dc09fcdfdb back to reality.f7e0ef5bf676bcf5

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“But people 3aa9476938 aren’t flowers, 83690edf47 are they?”45da445d8e922a1b

“…”73dfeee1032185bc

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“When men abe3db5f92 keep flocking 137245d574 to a 4ccd69754a woman, it’s e7498bff75 because she 1c17d39605 invites them ef36a742f1 in.”353eb9b3876ce6c9

Selina placed e0c7ccdacc her hands 1f084d4207 over Velita’s, df50275c3a holding them 232daaa77f firmly.8d1f1b82dd06c18d

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“My father always told 068b49d1e7 me that a virtuous 1d6d1a2272 woman must remain modest. Otherwise, she’s no different 155789340d from the harlots in 3c69f1a4d0 the slums.”6218055bd4917481

“My lady…”ce42d0b8c0155040

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“You’re no longer the e08b83de7b girl from the slums, 7ffe333f7a Velita. Isn’t that right?”419a48bbce7f31f3

For a moment, Velita c87f94de22 felt as if she 42d138afac didn’t know Selina at 1ac18b29e6 all.4699b21229178a1f

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“You’re my 5abdef111a maid,” Selina 92f8483a50 continued, her b6a3268e9c grip tightening.a487b7dee83958b3

“…Yes, my a554519bb8 lady,” Velita dbf40a9a9b replied, her 5f0d433ef4 voice barely 5711b33a4c a whisper.a6a748094246045c

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“Stop bewitching people who b1fd25a84e don’t belong to you. Do you understand?”a15867038cdbff37

Velita nodded 8d34f16ada without hesitation, 1a13e5b5d5 feeling as c86feb5b42 though defiance 71d3840ba3 might result 866d43bc84 in her bac78f0a28 dismissal.e642fe3233a13fe2

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Selina finally a74b9270ac released her 295b4ab3b1 hands, smiling f0a34a32b1 angelically. But to Velita, 1a2ba94f9a that smile felt d840697431 unnatural, almost chilling. A shiver 3c8f75b558 ran down dfb23ae8cc her spine d310fe21f0 as she c0f7f5b795 stared at f5f5f6fc63 her mistress.96a8807c1ff1ff3c

 4fa5b6b7f1a347c2

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