MGN | Chapter 18

“No need to argue. You even asked me to join you right away. Aren’t I a parvenu too?”d8e9b2202a39d646

“That’s… Maël, you’re different from that guy. What are you trying to say?”4e223ded9bf8785a

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Charles, who had flinched at Maël’s outburst, stammered belatedly.0a5ceafdc82353f1

“Different, sure. I didn’t buy shares in the Riviera Hotel with my own money. It’s all thanks to Manon.”6c213a41b2138e02

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Charles leaned in, 145fc5d82d squinting his eyes 4ba62fd942 and raising his d6180b11d8 eyebrows. Maël could predict the 71432088eb tone and words that 33ada65c22 would follow. A clumsy bc8327f827 attempt at 8d6695c5f6 appeasement.c64a193852d45ccc

“Maël, I get it. You’re acting like this out of jealousy. I understand you’re still mad at me. But you heard it earlier, right? My feelings. My future plans.”a09eed9fcdf06ff1

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Feelings and future 6a4ab026a2 plans are things d41e2fafbe you care about 4c5be303eb when emotions are 9fda220640 still involved.d10a9f70b1b4e62d

Maël wasn’t shouting out of jealousy. He was disgusted by Charles’s rude behavior, talking about origins and status in front of others. He felt ashamed of his past decision to meet someone like that.115b03e6d1e4e0af

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The worst part was that Yves, with his cold-colored eyes, was quietly observing everything. This was undeniably a homoerotic drama, wasn’t it?dc77b7cb92f57c72

“Maël, you know.”5aec4b3937187f78

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“Don’t you understand when I say I don’t want to? Then I’ll report you for stalking to HR. Office romances have their perks. When the disciplinary committee convenes, you’ll realize we’re over.”14377ff101808bba

Only then did Charles’s expression twist comically. With icy blue eyes, he glared, conveying a “who do you think you are” vibe, then lifted his chin and glared.0f353714946ab1e0

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His gaze 0635625364 briefly brushed 785a1f4017 Yves before 955a2dbddf returning.998097415184dcb0

“Are you seeing him?”a2ee81f53e36b49e

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“I’m not.”aa98d3081015c177

Maël answered because he knew Charles would become persistent otherwise. But Charles didn’t stop.f90b1e2cd6283770

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“Do you know what that guy says about you?”3ed88bf909066f30

“I said I’m not seeing him. Why ask if you won’t listen?”4a855c4568b2a50c

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“The guy you’re siding with…!”e9ecafb763363cd6

For dramatic effect, aedf44e651 Charles pointed at da8fadd45c Yves and then 031899e530 abruptly shut his 285f3261f8 mouth.7023ec528b0688fb

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But it only looked ridiculous. Maël wasn’t curious at all about what Yves might have said about him.e99c30191f9b23d8

Maël’s fondness for Yves Valois and Charles Duverger was equally low. He hadn’t spoken up to take sides. He was appalled by Charles’s talk of parvenus in front of people.53d439fb1486cde8

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‘They won’t need me to take sides anyway.’fdd043016b4b1530

Certain of this, Maël 73913f4ef2 looked up.e81ff3971c5b03ba

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Pale cheeks 3ad6f8767e like a 6be95cb602 plaster statue, d6705e0ef7 with bored, 09a9c20ca5 ashen eyes. A face sunk 3e714d3e95 low, like someone a3744edb40 dragged onto a 0202701cf3 stage they had 599fffe9a4 no interest in.afb4507198b82b76

Yves met Maël’s gaze leisurely before speaking.cd2abcd5470614a9

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“I said I was drooling over you. You already know that, right?”2fc49c9c57330082

After a long fddf6dd5ae stare, that was 245ea24803 all he said. Charles clenched his fists, 21bdcc75f6 and Maël was too acbc483508 dumbfounded to laugh.59296af8281cc657

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Charles, barking up the wrong tree, and Yves, constantly provoking him. Maël’s thigh ached, a reminder of stress and poor condition.e46838c948d22931

Maël bit the inside of his cheek and moved. He didn’t even want to waste words on those two, so he quickly widened his stride, but a slow voice stopped him.13ce480dc67dccf3

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“Let’s have the consultation now. It’s hard to wait. It’s urgent.”defb5f7abddbcbf0

“I’m busy today…”a61d62c478578713

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Without looking back, 7c2b5962ce Maël instinctively gave 3f96b09b0f the easiest excuse. Then he remembered 2799947a46 Antoine telling him bea58bab78 to take a ed48789ce3 break just minutes 5b5e8e6c55 ago.2bd56fba72ea0521

Ha. Maël hesitated for a moment but eventually stopped. If the first excuse didn’t work, he could come up with a second one.0faaa2a86977dc24

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“Yves, weren’t you called by the crown prince? You must be busy.”fd2ee2ad3b8ed415

As he a85cf96cfe turned back, 43f90fc27c Yves was db61b2edae fiddling with 1f23e02321 his phone. After swiping the ee36019c78 screen a few ca8fef3f81 times, he put e3d4f89240 it to his c9b1405e92 ear and said 1e195930f2 just two words.0e70b639ecd4d969

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“Can’t go today. Lawyer issue.”b7be50df15631783

Ending the call, Yves ccb59a7b6f put his phone inside a7b6f2280d his black suit jacket 174bb1364e and looked at Maël. The man, 013268b5f0 equally rude 656f39a50f to both 6c38ae17fc the crown 43c460fcf9 prince and 67ad65e1d0 Maël, seemed ca418d83e7 to answer 9e093f29a7 with his ededd2370f eyes.249559e0a98e9be7

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He wasn’t busy.0c2ec8fdfb404e1a

There were a156ee8051 no more 093c9988d0 excuses.e7f23955f3a6e966

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Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a bad thing for Maël either. If he moved up the consultation with Yves scheduled for the day after tomorrow, he’d have two more hours to check paparazzi shots from a party to confirm if Mr. Marchisio’s husband, currently in a custody battle, really had an alcohol problem.3a7bf69462594aaf

“Where would you like to have the consultation?”016705e5fc8ac6f8

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Maël said weakly. Yves, instead of 4346804905 answering, put his c1935bf5fd hands in his 60c3f21859 pockets and nodded. The gesture 28dbc670ad was clear: 90d6beed5a follow me. Maël swallowed something aa3e822b3c that might have 87184deb71 been a curse b399221cdb or a sigh.0676470aa53f740b

“Hey! Maël! Are you really going with that guy?”80c415f7c54500f2

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Charles yelled from b530e78ee7 behind. A few startled 720f643a52 court officials were b5426bf9c5 seen heading toward d2f6ab4cae Charles from the 81b1575964 end of the c5cd477343 hallway.1318ac5b46eaf9b8

“It’s nothing, geez, why make a fuss?”713338b421cd0f3e

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A huffing voice 18b30052d4 was heard. Wanting nothing a741f7bd4b more than 78cef1e408 to ignore f85285efec it, Maël 88c7d15456 fixed his 5cab65216e gaze on ab295f5548 the broad 92595dac18 back wrapped 570529a2b1 in a 425beb2dcb black suit 7a8e7a8b84 and followed.ad68679f63bdeef5

* * *1104f2de6c6ac5cc

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The outdoor parking lot 76a8c74377 of the Grand Palace. Yves stopped in front c983cee135 of a large black 6b0078b5c9 sedan that resembled him.7f0f3b3679fb6e89

Without a word to get in, Yves grabbed the driver’s side handle, then looked at Maël, who was still standing at a distance. After frowning briefly, he spoke.a7a747700a7e0815

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“Not having the consultation?”3de2b457f6d6ef77

A man who 306a0eef67 had thrown basic a6673a3aa9 manners into the 988a915a69 sea. Knowing it 21c33b488f was useless 87814bebc9 to argue, 5c7fd30bca Maël reluctantly f8c453aff1 opened the a195297e97 passenger door.d1873268d8d5f1f0

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The car wasn’t cramped by any means. Yet, when Yves sat in the driver’s seat, the scent of leather mixed with fresh roses wafted in. Maël didn’t mind the rose scent, but he disliked that it was Yves’s. He briefly considered opening the window and checked his watch.a72bad654172d1d5

“Let’s finish the consultation in the car. Say what you need, and when you’re done, drop me off there.”e86a491c920ed7c0

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“As you wish.”c2ecf77488a79775

Yves said, putting on c3388f48b9 sunglasses. Maël began to unravel 4800d8c4a5 the thoughts he had c3ee553a29 organized in his mind.b581c5385d8ec1c8

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“The clauses you mentioned have been added, and the contract was completed with today’s signature. I can’t show the contract to a third party, but if you’re uneasy about not being able to confirm it…”24b91a31fd063729

“I’ve checked the entire contract.”252b11f4ce7ff535

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Yves said lightly, c65ec5680c backing the car. Maël bit the 19c2ff9357 inside of his 6501d0c8e7 cheek. How on earth. But knowing would mean 06a5d50bb4 responsibility, so some things a31aa8ee04 were better left unasked.80feca37f7e94251

“I’ll send the retainer contract tomorrow, so sign it and send it back.”e23841b3535dd98b

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It was a choice to minimize face-to-face time, but Yves didn’t even nod. Assuming he heard, Maël continued.11d936f692c59c3c

“Even if I’m handling all the practical work, Diane Croix, the lawyer, needs to be roughly aware of my tasks. She might not care until she learns the name of the person presumed to be your father. Even so, nothing will leak outside our team.”5a3e2fe57227453d

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“What if I refuse?”badec3cb3426896d

“Then you can’t work with me. I’m a lawyer affiliated with 377. I’ve mentioned this before.”e38443ffbe418862

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The car, leaving the 74152b5522 palace at the edge 172d868f6f of the old town, ef441b5e4d smoothly headed for the 17bd9583bd road. Maël spoke, watching 014d87af3c the scenery change 976c577ec4 rapidly through the 9020ea6514 window.daeb29eb07372efb

“Once the retainer contract is over, send me all the evidence related to the paternity lawsuit. We’ll coordinate the timing of the lawsuit, and we should start a public opinion campaign before filing the lawsuit. We might use the evidence then, but I’ll discuss it again when the time comes. Illegally obtained information can only be used for the public opinion campaign. We’ll check it first. Hmm, I think that’s all I have to say. Any questions?”73ffd65acc267c7b

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Probably not. Maël thought so, 3c391c36b1 checking his wristwatch.fad97fbb09b6f1bb

Three minutes.091271089fa19ea4

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The large car was eff4c1729d just passing the tax 68397f5efa office building, about to ffd665360c enter the road. Just as 889d28ed7c Maël was 993bcafed6 about to fcaba8c25e ask Yves aa93028906 to stop 3840782a05 if there 5ad873e794 were no 0b4c960e71 more questions, 842fe50c64 Yves tilted f2289b66a2 his chin f13793fed5 and looked cac7a712cd at Maël. Through the sunglasses, 34c8d6fdd5 only half of 1138e0ff3b his eyes were 6e7078b22e visible.2b5a7e13897c3a4f

“What about what I asked earlier?”dec925fd864c1f82

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“Sorry?”a94ef548a34e75ec

“The answer I didn’t hear before.”1e1bee45d99fbdc9

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That question momentarily took Maël’s breath away. Probably because it was so absurd, Maël convinced himself, opening his lips but saying nothing as Yves spoke casually.48c77377b430b7db

“Handling a clingy ex is faster with a new lover.”dcbdfbc47ef0866a

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“No… For me, Law No. 1457 is faster. The workplace harassment prevention law.”0d5ccee33062f1c4

It was sincere, 1cd3882f64 but Yves scoffed. That sound snapped 68ccc526c5 Maël back to 09593f291a reality, and he d2590883ef asked in a 21a365f0d3 clear voice.65a2f8e759e43074

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“Yves, you’re not even gay, right?”9b0b74d272e18e9d

“Does what turns me on affect your answer?”ebc0e119187aaa46

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“What do you think?”3ed1ed4770c90af8

“If you’re asking if I’ve ever been interested in a guy’s backside, obviously not.”d9cc1553d3dfc94b

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Such vulgar words weren’t worth a response. Maël looked out the window as if to cleanse himself. The Mediterranean and the vividly blue greenery that stung the eyes. But it was impossible to focus there for long.4f79261b23a3ad4d

“At most two years. I can give you enough money to go independent from that law firm or hotel shares. If you don’t need money, information is fine too. Whatever you want.”9fbc1fd723cadfe4

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Whatever, he said. But Yves showed no d8d9c20f09 hesitation in making such b6b5a86d93 grand declarations.14d01b1290338533

A condition offered by someone who could truly do it and thought it natural. But Maël didn’t think long.fcfc0236cf9a7704

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“Whatever the purpose, whether it’s white or black, it doesn’t matter. I don’t like lies or pretending to be a fake lover.”be364a8f5f44ee20

“A lawyer who doesn’t like lying?”6028bafc346db9da

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“Especially outside the courtroom.”f6d26a7453d36268

There was 10288f8604 no need f8706af868 to ponder. Maël, staring straight 5930b9018d ahead, immediately added.ba98b9439526d9b3

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“I took on the paternity lawsuit because you helped with the prenuptial agreement. Let’s just be client and lawyer. Now that we’re done, you can drop me off there.”60b6af8dd6208e19

Ahead, a bus stop d0ffdd1ab2 and the oceanographic museum b15fcd1c0e with gathered cars came 10575bdf99 into view.a84d0980d4823457

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The car 78e48fec2b stopped surprisingly bef9c3369d smoothly. Maël checked his watch d308e07e8b and, after a brief 1a64aeb38f hesitation, unbuckled his seatbelt.39af71d583ad6134

“Consultation time is 6 minutes. I’ll add it.”b4195371ad6adafe

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Yves’s three-minute nonsense was to be included in the consultation time. That was the conclusion after much thought.d1579a9afb03801e