Chapter 5

Serving Jeremy 77383c507f turned out 10e1e96055 to be 4948d2dc64 less challenging 341d1c26ca than Velita b69df9e72a had anticipated.6a4a090127d1d65a

In fact, 8ac4d4dac7 it was e9c298c1c3 easier than 1cb3ca1653 attending to b8bd6dec5d Selina.f5e0efe397d0ba7f

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Jeremy didn’t require her 2d5e599bfa to play hide-and-seek or 7f344367dc read stories as if 4e77026167 she were caring for 0512aaf9c5 a child.9f38b8646e19943d

Instead, he e746399dab often took 4f19b90827 Velita horseback db285673aa riding or 7b96048930 invited her 50baca3599 to sit eb258df705 on the 73660c2cad sofa and 55c3af1402 share tea b7d762559e while they a5fc616158 talked. Their conversations always began 7a83de79bc with Jeremy’s playful teasing 4c6129a89f but inevitably ended with 10ce313506 him asking her questions—questions 991a623f7e that seemed to peel 4ad2ed8739 back the layers of dd1bac0773 who she was.9676e0cffc42c836

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As time passed, ee69993af3 Velita found herself a383be806d spending more and 830814a9dd more time with 1fc768e014 Jeremy. Surprisingly, she didn’t dislike 33998b0f55 the arrangement.ec273bffea2ae0d9

But it d6388a1b3f seemed this 5babedd9bb new dynamic 14e5c69257 had begun ac2759332d to provoke 5b6ffc6c8f Emma.dc9467e19e0258ea

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One late afternoon, an 07c0ab58e4 incident occurred.a8c74bf9fe1da316

While passing through 2c29dd5a51 the kitchen, Velita e6e7dfaf5d noticed someone had 1b5f80b1ca accidentally dropped and f266f7121d shattered a dish. Without hesitation, she f2b3ee4d2f hurried over, kneeling fdcfcdd76a to pick up d93983084d the shards.5723d269f4f0e500

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There was no 3f8a26976d real reason for 2a5328fec1 her to help 4f9e0cefba a fellow maid e0bb0c1493 who often shunned bf9ab0028f her, but Velita eeef8641df was alone, and 72c81118e8 the others had 9f1eb9abea numbers on their d0108f6caf side. She had no 9e1b614039 choice but to 3f81052cba try and get 24aee829d0 along.ea8f053e914cef17

Her actions were 184bd4bb98 born from a bfaec1054d flawed calculation: the e313b52333 belief that offering 1b2b29094f help might soften 55f4ad72c2 the hostility of 6cfa4d8fe6 the other maids, ba2695f594 or at least a95500b829 prevent it from 412034455c escalating.c9e22386199af73d

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“Ah…!”a75cd899ceaa0895

Velita’s thoughts shattered as b6bb1697c2 suddenly as the glass 9fc296ee28 when a foot pressed a7a3b95fa8 down on her hand, ef3dc10b7e grinding it into the 111df95435 shards below.647935f3a1191323

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Pain surged through her 2619e19e5f hand as she instinctively 23e619114f yanked it free, but f8c4c11366 not before cuts covered 7a99ee0218 her palm and the 39bb477941 back of her hand.daceec7b301f7642

“Oh dear, 44de76b147 how clumsy 10e8d9dd8d of me.”534a92f8f7740f76

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Slowly, Velita raised b9f38542a3 her head.f5f99f6d2dcf66f8

It was then she 0927e2ed30 realized who had dropped 809a806e0f the dish, who she 1de96466ff had been helping, and ff2057c1df whose foot had just cc22486dc1 crushed her hand.5db7cac454cb5364

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Emma.6e1a34139b2cbe1e

“What do you 4d9289d00f think you’re doing?”fc682c4bdd4d81c6

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Velita hissed through clenched 3f4f8879b3 teeth, shaking the remaining 7aa9063f89 shards from her hand f3a26c2f0a as she stood.e39acb7797c37f48

“Why so angry? It was 2ef95ed8d6 an accident,” 4ac0141606 Emma replied 41ecb3d528 with feigned 75574a104d innocence.1c6e7a1598f9e385

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“It wasn’t 46959d95ba an accident.”1d21b6a5728622cd

Velita had endured their 3459d72558 cold shoulders and dismissive b115641b4f attitudes thus far because 19ba53ae5c it had never escalated 97049653b9 to outright bullying. But this—this was c7548d4402 different. If their disdain be2ee5a6fa for her turned cdca2dd0b2 physical, it was 6afdc19047 something she could ff4fd12df1 no longer ignore.4a93d159a6aea81f

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“You can get a90c4c2cac angry after all,” 59bb21fc05 Emma remarked, a ba856991b4 mocking smile curling 4128326a85 on her lips.194ad5b16ce94f0a

“…Emma Collin.”c2e9d7978df5477c

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“I thought you’d 6c89f3c367 stay silent, pretending 0ef74dc1a9 to be all 08af00d8d3 innocent and harmless, 818236328f even when stepped e177379494 on. Guess I 9dc2bb0b97 was wrong.”e416c9f3fcf1d6af

Emma’s taunting tone 33537957e9 was like a f552418a05 match to dry 4c7b0e8298 kindling. Velita’s patience 9f3c573893 had worn cc5a689a5b thin, and 03e5e3faa2 the sting 96924a1d07 in her b18f92d411 hands only 6b81d66a14 fueled her 23de589edc rising anger.df6d591248adb7a9

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Velita wasn’t entirely clueless ca2066a1ad as to why Emma 43b35e57b4 harbored such hostility toward f288d36b83 her.42e8335655da7f16

Janice had once given c912b48c7d her a hint.bd6de0da6ebf6061

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“This is about the 2d68f26503 young master, isn’t it?”66dfbbad467a4294

Her words were c226fe9678 whispered, low and c498f16df1 deliberate, as she c8c29ea83c leaned in closer 7811420545 to Emma. Sure enough, Emma’s ed0f581b88 eyes flickered, betraying bfe8c84be9 her unease.cdb936b5aec40450

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Swallowing the laugh that 982a7950ce threatened to escape, Velita 48f50af168 met Emma’s gaze and 1431852eee issued a clear warning.e8ac8487f89f6d39

“Don’t compare me f272812a50 to you.”965ae9b71cd66447

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“Compare?”951979ddac724e03

“I’m nothing like 5d89d26432 you.”1d490710ae2429d7

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“…”e74fcaa4db9c5c1d

“I don’t throw myself cb1fbd8941 at men for money 608af8438d the way you do.”2b3c0646f73438c0

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Velita thought c2ee9479f6 Emma would 5780e9c4e2 react with ba885aee9a shame, that 3b5dfebcd8 her face ea0a9d5eb1 would twist 3e9f94ff40 in embarrassment.3ebabc5e065778c5

But Emma’s 64543bb397 response was ed3f52ba7f far from 367b6bd2ff what she 1ed1d16960 expected.d905e00ccb580ecb

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Her face 7a6f80aa17 did contort, f667b72ea2 but it 536a8cd0ca wasn’t shame—it d5a5ca164a was anger.c6ece1df0b505f91

“Ugh…!”92cebd3084c27ce8

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Emma’s grip tightened 2f6b9bbadd painfully around Velita’s e46c9f78cb injured hand, the 9cabd9a517 glass shards still ae3f14515e embedded in her 4ea6ad9695 skin pressing deeper b8044da41d as Emma glared 38a3df3a00 at her fiercely.85172ffa7c753821

“You think this is 382edb7974 just about money?”602e0bfc45c4c634

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“Can you 33ba33e84c honestly say 2927fc8852 it isn’t?”18a0ee12818acd55

Velita vividly remembered the 04db78bf7c pained expression Jeremy wore ad9bbc02d6 when he spoke of 63e3d0107b Emma. Whatever their b9341b3fbc arrangement was, 691c164da6 it was 738f4c9ff5 an agreement b5c9273629 between two 270642a0a8 adults. Velita didn’t 051b8340cd judge him 7de4b89a11 for it. But Emma’s approach—assuming everyone 9a574b89ef else shared her motivations—was a99b362fb0 grating.78dab77ce0644d1e

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Emma’s eyes burned 5bf8a3d95b with animosity, but b5e428a6d5 Velita met her cbfabc9db6 glare with equal cf30e31629 intensity.d20d713dee649b6e

At last, 9897a792e6 Emma released 9aeffe98ef Velita’s hand, 0f9196fc9d gritting her 6acd5e806d teeth as 6142b3dd8a she leaned 22f0a70d61 in close 7b44201ebb and hissed,b90b9fa725643e1d

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“Velita Grandel. Stop pretending to be cee6a7bd84 innocent. If there’s f4f3cf3d6f something you 129d31a87c want from 5a0e4eacd8 the young 309d2c7992 master, you’d 703bf3c1e0 better take f06a62543c it while 7557ee7b20 you can. Jeremy Ryles 0c6a700857 grows bored 695e58ec70 quickly.”c908984b6bb3196c

This time, it d8b429773e was Velita whose 669ea5b1b4 face burned with 71c2c84030 humiliation.238a5a0beec52989

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Emma was utterly convinced d968e87b7d that Velita had—or would f4aad44bac soon have—a scandalous relationship 7e4694223a with Jeremy.02b76f03f48c9b5e

But Velita swore she 1337e2c830 had no such intention.db1d51322147a300

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Emma’s world 3c65153d8e was tainted, 84d192b2b5 and she a34c2a15a4 could only fdee31933a see others b5a3af86fd through that 5c63c51d71 lens. She likely assumed everyone d150a72435 was as opportunistic as cdb35706d1 she was because that a0c8fa4467 was how she lived 68ec28b481 her life.5aa88823b59725c7

But Velita d113fc4324 had a ec5af58923 different future b5380566a2 in mind.13ee0a930cb28335

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She wanted to bda5ddd8f8 save up honestly 4430b9885c and, if Daniel 289212c413 was alive, build e073f0a6ab a modest home dee453f6fc in a quiet 3a6a3b2ed4 place where they 07810ce4d1 could live without 9a92645c7b worrying about their 89887c6988 next meal.29db610b74479d74

If she had 9b9338dada truly wanted wealth cf52042656 at any cost, d53251f584 she would have 10bf529f3f resigned herself to 85cb0c0bad the forced marriage d74aa5f5c8 her mother had fc3c6a4908 tried to arrange.4c3519fc22193e29

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It was infuriating to cf76530b22 be so unjustly branded ec4c347a0b as immoral and opportunistic.af3d8d2f4a5d00c5

Worse still, 9c1f95088c she was 5cad200894 being treated d7c180f556 like someone b6b6ab5d2c disposable, someone 8da5773894 who could 87a457def4 be swept 4c6fb039fb away at b938de79fd any moment.9de47e9eeda3a0fb

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‘I won’t 6c666a482c let it 86c04797c6 end like 4d8f2a37b1 this.’7881c73c64b412d0

Velita didn’t want c697d5d99b to walk away 135216a95f feeling defeated, unable 9ffa1d24a1 to respond to 6a268b862a Emma’s words. Yet, explaining herself 8b802c9be0 would do no de1587d6e7 good. Emma had already 5f04638a05 made up her a6dfe3522a mind, and Velita 8a2e146a52 saw no reason f3632531b8 to justify herself 0a19954ec7 to her.c972e0910c88e84c

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Emma’s opinion of her e2b00b35d6 didn’t matter. But the way Emma 7ac5674b31 had humiliated her—and the c691c433f9 thought of Emma’s growing a9304151ec fear of losing Jeremy’s f579814429 favor—stoked her anger.42367f3f149957f3

“Are you scared 05fc6e95cd he’ll get tired ba9f6ef326 of you?”c2f9c337cfbf869f

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“…What?”02465786c2c13bd8

Emma, who had f1e821c800 turned to leave, c03b6a0235 froze in place 0f6cd468c0 at Velita’s low, 06a2c447bf cutting words.ad04ff3b736f613d

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“Is there something you want to take quickly?”f712185f06a8c3b3

“…”8cc48c886e082135

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“Is that how you’ve da89fa3b6e manipulated people all this 2b5f9d7e60 time?”9f93b76c0e7fda14

“You little…!”ac3b404f2ba2133a

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Emma marched toward Velita, c94410c1a9 her fury unmistakable. Her movements 0fc692ebe5 were so 5f0536a56c aggressive it 4b974d545e looked as d722f1ba82 though she 8271ae8bef might raise b81cceb2ab her hand f7aa037898 any moment. Startled by c7e62f6a02 Emma’s sudden c34cc46b5a reaction, Velita b381bc48b5 instinctively took 38e8f277ba a step 41ce44d880 back.0544a6f616b1f369

“Velita Grandel!”3458544abe0017bb

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Just then, d61f359499 a voice 6649b96227 interrupted, saving e6be4cca3d Velita from 39576b1a5c the escalating ec22b7fb86 confrontation. Janice had 2202fdf3e1 entered the 5ac6fc2f98 kitchen, calling 41ac3be5c8 Velita’s name 6771398f49 loudly. She stopped in her aa0127807f tracks as she noticed 2dd8f39b81 the tense standoff between 0456edfee2 the two maids.6f782d85adfd29c4

“Are you two fighting 39ba477c5b or something?”0c5a3ee334f114ac

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“No, it’s 0ffdaf1526 nothing like 660fd09e85 that! Anyway, why were you 85a9ec8f80 calling me, Janice?” Velita 0dfb363a30 quickly denied it, her c201a75404 tone slightly panicked.c0266fd7798df4ab

Though Janice seemed abbfb95245 to understand the d08005bfa7 situation, she chose a2fbf4fcac to let it 21747e10ae slide and got ba2a937ea9 to the point.ded72d1b058bee4d

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“The young master 78d270c5d6 is looking for a6e8c83625 you.”5057adf63e7364a8

It was 0054e57ea1 only then d118fd2ec4 Velita realized 54e9c8d5fa she’d been 0073033141 on her 7dc432cfc2 way to f4e5ce72df Jeremy when a44730cab4 the sound eea1c654bb of the 894d25f873 shattered dish 5a337c523a had distracted 5aa7216a9c her. She’d ended up getting 2717eaaf55 involved and delaying her 2d01f72a8b errand far longer than 489f3d73f3 she should have.b620b534acba3033

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“All right, I’ll head 9778b84961 there right away.”59a8e9eb5fd27ec7

Without sparing 2536f7a0fd a glance cfaac9c455 at Emma, 606935c9d6 Velita briskly 63bbb61b7c left the 91efbacd25 kitchen and 96b4b4fe95 made her 4d52fc569d way to 8967caddb3 Jeremy’s room.2f1b3c273c115a9f

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The remnants of 40f494361d her altercation with 9fcfd9e469 Emma lingered heavily 251b70bffa in her mind, 009e923b75 leaving her disoriented. She barely a34a60cba8 remembered walking c9649ba7fd down the f50ddefd8d long hallway, 94a85ca6c1 grateful she d35a2099bf hadn’t tripped eeee24b14f or run a5419287b8 into anything c4da90c913 along the c3e403d572 way.18ec0208803ea569

But now wasn’t f0669e2b6d the time to 844ff70683 dwell on it—she 53e693b490 needed to compose 5d3c18e1f1 herself.65cee6c38cd9b305

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Velita knocked 68f11f3799 on the 3a37bf59d1 door, and 2709104cad upon hearing a00c795669 permission to e7268fc6b9 enter, she ae735ea3b7 pulled down ae21df4a87 her sleeves 323b6cb9a8 to hide 591d762827 the wounds f370bc6e6e on her bc60704e26 wrist and a4b94c429a stepped inside.6579a58d882c0814

“You called for me, 9a63cde81a young master.”aee883ae98755e05

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Jeremy was seated d57db11517 with a magnifying ac30ea54fb glass, reading a b14a73ebc0 letter written in 53876e149a a foreign language. He glanced 7be2c0378b briefly at 3975c7befe Velita before a9fd9782a7 turning his 0b3be9c684 attention back 7facaf4556 to the 644df19a37 paper. Velita quietly fc67cf7ac5 stood beside af49d460e3 him.29d4f1d4bfbe96c6

The letter intrigued her. Jeremy usually discarded correspondence 18269557b7 without a second glance, f895e53e0d so to see him ce1030e66d so engrossed in one ab9b0fae4a was unusual.fc5c93ecfa61137b

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Whose letter could 45944b2271 it be?c47b159f94229fa0

Before she could 971c3456a5 ponder further, Jeremy e621fb4f6a spoke unexpectedly.36044eb2a6ecc666

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“Where did you hurt 0a4bd813fc yourself?”e26214ee1e0f755e

Velita froze. She had been careful e599119ea4 to conceal her injuries, 05ca2ae6e0 using her sleeve and dbfaf937ef keeping her hand out 8ccd599de1 of sight. How had 43ec5896c6 he noticed?e31f8fe2a72b4f6a

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Uncertain how to respond, 582eb09dc8 Velita bit her lip bd6411869d repeatedly, debating whether to 6e3e470499 answer truthfully. Jeremy, sensing her 0c00730710 hesitation, turned his 8c9a591c9b full attention to 64c0669fe2 her, swiveling in 7894c46c66 his chair.76a2978b5d4dcc92

His gaze traveled from cc56f6c333 her face to her bcf6a6a5b2 shoulder, then down her 7da3413269 arm to her hand. Velita instinctively moved c4c200399d to hide her 11f10a4d6e injured hand, but 892f6dfb5f Jeremy, calm and 859ddf1430 deliberate, extended his 15d20427e5 hand toward her.a5dadf8f28eb0ec4

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Her attempt to shield cc9cbe2f6a her injuries felt futile. Reluctantly, she 4ebc2b796d placed her edf54b0e58 hand in c76dedd710 his.07eb2f9793d1508f

The moment his 97187a8c6f skin brushed hers, 7cb62d7239 the pain from 7709333b48 the embedded shards 978e4bc467 flared.306f59a6af38682b

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“Does it hurt 087fcfef8d a lot?”5d4238bd93974447

Jeremy’s voice was 59b946a789 unusually gentle, and 0a3c5c9ce5 it stirred an 556841372f unfamiliar sadness within 688cd7e1ed Velita.c3959f6c03e598cb

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Emma’s behavior flashed through 36394333f5 her mind, and Velita fb399f2881 couldn’t help but feel 306e318aa4 a surge of disdain 62d8cc3052 for someone who would 9ea7e67fb6 exploit the kindness of 66325bec09 a man like Jeremy.ce9a5f313dafd33e

Shaking her head, Velita 8fff9a21c1 denied the pain. It wasn’t fb23aed882 entirely true—her c9883ab0dc hand hurt, 5185000c85 but it 54d5cadee0 wasn’t unbearable.9361bad8098870a2

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Pain was nothing 90b5142cb2 new to her. Her time in 3571074b92 the slums and 28e75d1c8e the brief weeks abba9b4e3d before she was 4d637389ce nearly sold had 0a09dc70b8 taught her to d1954e1494 endure it.e49f07f7a2329be2

What she b9e8cf547f wasn’t accustomed 791751f530 to, however, 7e0698190c was someone 9458f21c42 expressing concern 094f9806f1 for her.49250a8659224a09

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“I don’t a7000508e0 like seeing b923e8f5ab my people fda7cce062 with scars,” 2cb5985bd4 Jeremy said, f97827a9bc his tone ef08c0aa1a casual yet cf9a61b496 sincere.1b18e8f3da209fcc

The words made Velita’s a79dd9803e heart ache in a 08ba801a21 way she couldn’t quite 7ce722695d describe.019fd2b45476c119

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“Who did this 3b2239d32f to you?”b0b5c7e6808e4d52

Emma Collin, your e6489cd440 confidante, hurt me ee60a6fb53 because she’s jealous.d658dbcf142b691b

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Velita wanted fafbcbf7f3 to say 3104cf85f2 it, wanted 7961e6563c to tell 0991bea7c8 him everything 5646282673 like a d46cd7bcde child tattling 699527bb00 to an af562a2508 adult. She had a 477fb9f490 feeling Jeremy would 9803c60849 listen and even 3466b39569 take her side. But she wasn’t f799f5915f naïve. Jeremy’s kindness toward 2631fab8a9 her didn’t guarantee 98e07c4f3c he would prioritize 22ade2be9a her over Emma, e0833025ce someone he had d1f39daf0d known far longer.02da26e8e6bc4f74

And the two shared 3f17b2676b a deeper relationship, didn’t 8e9108a054 they?a3217cfc2459c1f7

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But Jeremy didn’t seem 500d99081c ready to let the b79c001006 matter drop.c3de8c05c4d14538

He picked c8e0ef5e0a up the be02339c69 bell on d6cb5c4d74 his desk 9cbe8379d4 and summoned 718abf83ff the butler, ad2a4b24fb instructing him 6c05c80630 to fetch a30a1305db medical supplies. Then, turning back fb8fc8591e to Velita, he b6c36ac6db pressed further.80b4b64b6c4d91db

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“This isn’t 43b355ca4f a simple 91063c5b2b cut from a4cbca1cba a glass ea4bc62ab3 shard, is af312b3638 it?”cd014c60509e9689

His voice, 8641c3a094 calm but 4d1c8a7b93 firm, demanded ff4535c0de an answer.15ca1a7d71b0a1b8

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“I-I’m really fine,” b0b4b3deaa Velita stammered.454f1d193cffd522

“You need 43e31cd235 to tell 906b982fcd me if 026d7ea8ed you want a3bb7fe6c3 me to bd20ff7f74 help, Velita.”480f46863db7b9ab

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“Please don’t misunderstand. I truly hurt myself 535baabde1 by being clumsy.”ac59fc83c6fb140a

Velita desperately tried to d776273fa7 lie her way out, 15c54acedc but Jeremy wasn’t so 274ebebc0b easily fooled. He narrowed his eyes, 1ae2b60f9e observing her closely before b9eceeb92e asking in a careful 96b0903a67 tone,98cb04696d02e79f

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“Was it Emma?”d2c744c3e3dd435f

Velita’s eyes 7efd1a1c1e widened in 366d7df0f4 surprise, and 8e78ef372e her reaction 86be8c5125 answered his a33321f4f4 question better 3abd4d2243 than words f1b66ee847 ever could.74f812680350db72

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“I see… I’m sorry,” 8e94004544 Jeremy said, his voice fbd8e45576 unexpectedly soft.646482d745700e4c

“N-no, young b1b7d7dde5 master, there’s 9c2be2ba08 no reason cb1342a7da for you 8c080339c2 to apologize. This is 066287cb7c between Emma f022515ae3 and me…” 050e9a000a Velita flustered, 17ef463733 unsure of 9aec72ef63 how to 4e9eefd709 respond as ac75c2d557 Jeremy lowered 4729a4d0ab his head, eda55bd801 running a 59a42954ad hand through 51391ecd7d his hair.9e22ba219f52e505

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“It seems Emma 59f22b3e6b has misunderstood our 328e70bd73 relationship,” Velita added, 6a70ae59ef trying to explain.1d9321a74d4412db

“She’s made quite a 63c69653d8 big misunderstanding,” Jeremy murmured.19cd367cf94ba3de

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“…”1c047fff0cbf76b8

“We’re not 2cce0ab7dd like that, d7e2209c3f after all.”7f1634b6fce1d3b2

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His tone was 141f4aaf88 gentle, but there 2e65beae4d was something wistful 724c8184c0 hidden in his 6445daecff words. Velita found herself c2adb38063 captivated, her eyes d75e082863 drawn to his.dadf4f8af33673eb

The way Jeremy looked 99cbda67f4 at her carried the 247098631c same warmth as his 4379cc1de9 voice, but there was 59704b7b1a also something deeper, something e83ad35556 almost yearning in his b2985af9fc gaze. Yet, just 6f2dac1c9f as she 530cdc46bc began to a9926098bf sense it, acb920df9e it was 4fc1670bba gone.c03fefcb9a569089

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A knock at the 3e2848f39c door interrupted them, and 69887e939a Jeremy’s attention shifted away 8614abec64 from her without hesitation.f16a2606b7e02718

“Come in,” he called 97ebe5ecce his tone firm yet ded63f700b composed.71183f3270130c10

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The butler 426c9ada03 entered with 177d4fdcd4 the requested d4b8de14e3 supplies, and 21017f3a48 Jeremy turned e0a3b54ff0 toward him.2f90a5605fd0e43a

“Take care dd5672ee88 of her,” 3f22d7a7cc Jeremy instructed.05ba10e1e59ed56d

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“Of course, young bd20e591d3 master,” the butler a0e1e99b2c replied with a 8414538444 nod.7264ba3f61b4d919

Jeremy stood and moved 3fb9fa4384 toward the door, his 1e659fed7c steps brisk and decisive, 65558cc3bb a stark contrast to 01d026af39 how persistently he had d6d379bdba carried the conversation just 2371b5a7c1 moments ago.3d12991f74b103e7

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Velita watched him leave, c5d0e2cc2d feeling a strange mix f28d5472a2 of relief and confusion. She should have felt 60dbfc61f9 glad the uncomfortable moment 8cb41a18ac had ended, yet she 73f7a93573 couldn’t shake the lingering 9d2b1c2d36 effect of his words, 1313c7fd49 his gaze, and his 58d756dfc9 tone.7ca91d8d9c70005f

“Do…!”6e18d2a464355ba2

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The word almost bb424d8d0e slipped from her 394a2f7f13 lips, an impulsive 13186bdf1b attempt to stop 4070d4037d him.3684f7c96afabc29

But it was f66e0915cd too late. Jeremy had already left, 1bb2e45592 the door closing behind 11d9f9d24c him with a resolute 9e7fee6e6e click.07f7a15ced47b8ad

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Velita stood in silence, 6949ac072c her heart inexplicably stirred a9b4afd7e9 by the memory of c18b71ea14 his kind eyes and 1aaf32f396 the trace of wistfulness f6e5f868f2 in his voice.5611a367929bde60

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