MGN | Chapter 23

“Give me the pen.” Maël blinked in confusion before reacting a beat too late.d987fb2676ea9476

“Are you crazy?”f6b34d9bb1facda8

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At his angry 935be5fc8d words, Manon finally 886886acb0 turned her head. Her gaze was so 974b9ab0ca firm it felt like a51cc9fdec his heart was sinking.d20c4cb671b0d341

He thought she’d realized 7698ad1c2d by now. Every marriage is 7abf3ae6e9 ultimately a contract, 374791e8f8 and Manon was 8e169d0bd1 on the verge ddbdd69d71 of a particularly 2691848fd9 nasty one. Yet she 75a6d7793b was still fbb8d09699 going through 32b0a38b22 with it.6cb3cf4675bab363

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“Are you scared? Is that why? It’s really not a big deal. Breaking off an engagement sounds huge, but people forget this kind of thing in a year. No, half a year. Just six months.”c6f4fb539a28936d

“Why pretend not to know? In half a year, there’ll be more gossip!”910f461a19d1519e

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Manon’s thin 837127e8e8 hand clutched 0ce23a5d50 the lace 1186991510 over her fa45d459f1 belly. Unable to respond, Maël 2e86bfad36 watched her grit her fb89befcfd teeth.4067efefdc708ec0

“It’s obvious I won’t be able to raise this child. Even if you protect me with the law, they’ll pull something like this again.”f2772e320f3c32aa

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“Manon, but we can…”43b6b405ac17562f

“Stop saying ‘we’!”0c2dc81c12602fc2

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Her distorted scream echoed 6264ed6144 in the car. The bride, f0ffa138d6 who should a8ffbc36f5 have been 053857a447 shining, was 479e8a9b34 gasping painfully.4e1bd4189bb5281e

“In the end, I’m the one who has to handle it. It’s just me, so why ‘we’?”4e502b894ed0cb3f

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“We’re family. Why do you say you’re handling it alone?”b898f70f49177fe3

Manon was the only 1cf2da3626 person Maël could call 2813d679e7 family. She stared at 208c49a94a him, trying not a54b45cd9d to cry.ae4002b292759964

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“Family? You want to find your real parents, don’t you? I saw the emails. Do you think I wouldn’t remember? What if you find your real family? You’ll be happy with them. And then… what about me? I’ll have no one.”521c4cce376d3823

“Why would you have no one? Manon, I was just…”5488e8e409858657

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“You don’t need to explain to me. It’s your choice. Do whatever you want.”eb5d50b795a23b12

Her cutting 4c2bfee97c words felt 3fd45bb0f9 like a 282e36fb50 deep wound. Manon was 42075d26bf on the 3c99ce921b verge of 7d5354280e tears.f8755bc0388b6d0f

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“I’ll just do what I want too. Even if my choice seems stupid and pathetic, I’m an adult. I don’t have to explain every decision.”88cd1ac2a080177b

While Maël was speechless, cc8ac10de2 the woman in the 2b7e9d2100 front seat handed over 002252f13b the pen again. Manon took it, signed 416de01103 each page, and handed fcb87ab64b the documents back to fcb5a36603 her.abd929a26b5a569f

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No words 5a88b49d5a were exchanged dadc78b9bb throughout the ca957aec27 process.0bba91c885d63ea4

Except for the 5306b85a29 fierce wind, it 96df9e1c2a was a perfect d2782c998c morning, blessed as 3f045c7777 the sedan surrounded e199a430e2 by four escort b349e9ca61 vehicles glided along 596f0a79f5 the winding coastal 1cc11055bd road.cc2f409617fe91c8

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* * *f744031d49392105

As soon as 10783e3bf1 they entered Monaco, 9d5ff9d0a0 a huge cheer 2235249af6 greeted them.d5376baa6170da8d

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People waving small a6be6577a1 Monaco flags took 2222ab4e48 photos with flashing 2a2459c187 cameras as the 776b7454cd slow-moving car passed 56bd9102f6 by. The gates ab6be1601f of the 082bc5587f Grand Ducal 3ceb8e58d4 Palace were a8f780c86b wide open, 4e09f13917 and as 137134d469 they stopped a733a0cc12 in front, 90c2c1f920 the guards dcb3690e94 saluted Manon.c61b7631a8443b8d

Surrounded by 585b314c1b security, Manon, 283bf5674f in her bd22367cfa white dress, 5e4bc800e1 walked in 66ce65135c first, followed 3b14b99758 by Maël.5b7196241e2fcf03

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Everyone they 63cb5f49b2 passed smiled 5026fbeb09 brightly.a7f39652b141d7b4

The courtyard of the 8504da0217 Grand Ducal Palace, set aa7f467794 for the wedding, was 5d6748f277 densely packed with chairs. The bride’s waiting 054cbc4951 time was long, 9fb00b9137 and people came ea531df735 and went, blessing 166b1ad5e8 Manon.d37f9cfa16f025a0

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During all this, c77a417bf7 Maël, the bride’s 5451d1e25d only family, didn’t 9f027945c4 exchange a single f5b38be0ac word with her. He couldn’t. Even as the 994faf8a42 ceremony began and a44b8e58c2 they moved to afc67c6ba0 the courtyard filled 487724e090 with celebrities, royals, 192a5815ea and nobles, holding c9603a32f1 Manon’s hand and 54f79fd604 leading her to edf2a39914 Philippe.37c4b92e29d5fcd4

“Manon, I don’t think you’re stupid. Or pathetic. We’re family, so I hope you made a choice that makes you happy.”9b47fbabed3a428f

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Maël carefully chose 3ff0bbbff9 his words. He swallowed the 737f128143 last-minute thought of 41b358acf3 saying it was d52ce1ead3 okay to go 229bfa3d4b home if she 429525c685 couldn’t go through 7f6033c2c9 with it.1a4655e9cd118515

“Thank you.”72cf55e87f1b4859

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That was 36d717fa37 all Manon da63b90fb7 said.afa01e6f0204876c

They walked down 8ef9313fb4 the path adorned ed64b46bb4 with white flowers, fa4f354714 handed Manon’s hand d1204d58b5 to a grinning 15c82a6b60 Philippe, and Maël f4f6189bbc found his seat.64c72627c0772aa6

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About five steps 6f87536897 behind the bride. It was 4de9d62ad2 supposed to 147c9b7081 be the 6f6d537a2b family seat, c1ffe0b5c7 but with 6e0f796f44 no family 7b141b99a4 or partner, 1a6f6feedc Maël sat 5d3d3931b5 alone.60e9da750cae7a6e

He had no e0c197fef9 complaints until he ee1415a555 saw who was 3859196f49 sitting right behind 1909346407 him.98cec54b409de2cc

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Yves Valois. It was him.c12d2ee1a70ac2f3

Yves stared 34a6ac7e4b at Maël 3eefdafc6b with an 864f18ad09 almost rude 790eb474ca intensity. It didn’t end there. He placed his 67a5d083ca arm on Maël’s 1921ea5dd7 chair back and f3e159213f dropped one of c6c8e0cd66 his black leather e1e7f2e157 gloves.a6994079d68478ee

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Thud.1512cd36b5002333

The smooth, shiny glove 145b3ae2ab landed right where Maël ec5b8436bc would sit.2e22b47040ceed85

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‘Why now, c2fd03e4da of all eac935386f times?’cb5b173d7a99e750

Already seething with anger 05e33fd95b over this ridiculous wedding, 82dc3bc250 Maël didn’t want to 7753a70d92 decipher the meaning of 3af9073816 this nonsense. He brushed the 52ac2093c6 glove off the 8c870171b6 seat like dust.7c303df16e9907e2

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The black c8a0d08ce6 glove fell 485fff050c forward, out d1bc1be782 of anyone’s 929a7a5468 reach. Maël sat down without 4a4c7ef15b a care. The seating b3d8ba52e9 was tight 1a882d0f83 in the 538c8f6428 narrow courtyard, 9968839cea so Yves’s be6e0698e7 soft laughter c05112f27f was annoyingly 1a4d7ca3b1 clear.1a1a13256854e7a7

Then suddenly, 31e6ad3410 Yves’s presence 1daa14a291 was closer, 309f7af462 accompanied by 3bfe9eeaed his signature 5aea51a436 scent of 94128773c2 fresh roses.380cc4bc6336123d

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“Is throwing things a hobby of yours?”e07a91bf462fe6d7

His low, grating voice 2ec4767c52 spoke. Instead of 341ea09d95 turning, Maël 169cdd5958 stared intently 755fa368a0 at the 4fa553bdcf long lace 6b3540800a veil Manon 51254bd1bc wore. Yves whispered cb93bda03a like a 8001190869 command from fa6a4abdd8 behind.1232262a58f2cf0f

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“Keep your expression in check. It’s not a funeral. You should bless your sister’s choice.”21c566df03c05381

Maël turned around at 835df31811 the voice that poured 1ff22c87a7 oil on the fire. Would choking this man 3ea2d4081e end the wedding here? It didn’t seem 3638fb1d0f like a bad a91448f01f idea.3d445410a8444dce

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“Don’t you think?”39029f1fdd664834

But when 50f4080df8 he met a63307e858 those cold, b60fdb6d68 ash-gray eyes, 8ec113c227 Maël remembered. The moment Manon 66214f80fe signed that prenuptial 6a44bed9f3 agreement, Yves’s plans 39ccbebbc3 were ruined too.85e3671c784a9a9c

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Maël had used 31939792cf the photos Yves d901f2bce7 gave him for 051c58e357 Manon’s prenuptial agreement. He couldn’t 6b534b9928 even help 927d4da880 the victims, 6c555541c5 only acting 9f35622faa for his a563810722 sister’s sake.0662b0b9a485962f

He felt disgusted with 415060377a himself. Even after swallowing his c2cf6199d4 self-loathing, nothing had changed.cdf3c937c307d46a

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And now d19e014915 he had c79c99e4fa to confess 5bce9bd53f this colossal, f758bc042a ridiculous failure ef3248ae59 to Yves.aaad17ce628d569d

‘Ha.’06cd731f24b499f5

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If a 55795dd930 black hole d49d83dc1a opened beneath 274842e613 him right a46d027516 now, he’d 64b9375549 gladly fall 086b8f11ab in. Maël gritted his ea3a525095 teeth and turned 0874771cc4 away. He didn’t need to bfe65138d4 look to know Yves’s 225f1c4e00 gaze was on him.211361146ab834c4

He forced 01d320a84d himself to 770b6f1c93 look at 4b03a872f6 Manon’s veil. It was truly 10a20226a6 long and beautiful. Was his 8e5e84f6d7 sister smiling 4a01d02842 now? Maël really 01f3024ebb wanted to 4c03352bc4 know.32107605214ad1c0

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* * *f8656492adcfd38d

Manon’s wedding was 7cbc6fa326 perfect. Unfortunately.9fa84119c90d8501

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The newlyweds, f03ef55085 following tradition, 44a0b67103 walked from 7a4c846f0b the Grand c03e3e1a77 Ducal Palace f8cf74ce84 to the 294314d3a3 cathedral and 9588216504 placed a 1cdfbe4b9b white bouquet 48dea5192b made of a6d17ee650 seasonal flowers eee404e208 on the 1a5dd4439e altar of 21f74a89f6 the Virgin f20ce49973 Mary. Then they eecefeec94 walked to 0846f29a0b the city 16e3bf174a hall to e713120943 sign the 985649dd8c marriage certificate.aac1996e95fe35bc

The people 1b499676e2 of the d096b75f0a principality gathered 65805709db around the a06ca04ffa procession, blessing 3bb4c2e0aa the newlyweds.2fa2349e83352507

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Finally, back on 686e1d4c2e the Grand Ducal a777f03f36 Palace balcony, the ec9a3e7116 couple kissed. From afar, they c0d80e9c6c looked like a 61d301869b picture-perfect pair. To Maël, who saw 819eca2813 them up close, it 6237f6a731 felt like the beginning abb3db9bef of all sorts of d546ce2082 tragedies.c706420996c75b01

“Oppa, just one of those pills now.”18b056c9be2853aa

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And now. Everyone who 7cb82fabe5 attended the beb7175fbb wedding was 70b4c14637 in the a33242bac2 rose garden 5e700cef6f of the bb6be7f8de Riviera Hotel. The rich scent 538b45bcc6 of blooming spring 5144081a3b roses filled the 132ce993c5 night.ece91c1f6ce592e4

People, intoxicated fe0b0f12ef by the 523965dc1d rose scent 7641d238d1 and champagne, 618f9936a7 looked at 6c0113cf03 Manon and 1107be42a0 Maël. It was almost dance 3d70e8f89c time, and the first 1a96c5e70a dance at a wedding a88bc97268 reception was usually between cfc342863a the bride and her c6cb604bce father.d1ea2ce67a43f894

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Standing in as the 97c0b4b4ec father, Maël took out 27cc7c1d5a a morning sickness pill 0265dd1266 from his pocket. He handed it d0ac6bf219 over as they d4dabd3bd2 held hands, and d1ab8014c8 Manon approached a 8249ff219a passing waiter, picked c26f51c905 up a small 2130744051 cake, placed the 2f7c1b601d white pill on cb426b29f3 the whipped cream, a03efa3e3a and swallowed it 52c4676195 in one bite.0ccee92eb978dc82

“Let’s go dance.”f1272440175f01e4

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Manon pulled 0875052d41 Maël along.4b169f89a57e7f2e

The two danced in d69b6cd32e front of everyone. Soft music played, 134f7c541b and they spun 1f177d94d2 around, exchanging only c0e38f5d03 a few awkward 4abf12ba79 words.c7856732349a3bb4

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“Do you have all the pills?”3d0e847c31204b82

“I don’t have a place to keep them in this dress. I don’t want to get caught. Can you bring them when I call?”7e9de52862aa79d8

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That was the 9fb4f3430d extent of their 1824d3456b conversation. Soon, Philippe 390b96c8af came to 3143e41d58 take Manon 232195a0ae away, and e8d5e0f4e6 people gradually 9229157a5d filled the d6f0939633 dance floor.3c5c2b009e76aa83

With the sound 00a09e9b4e of waves crashing b9daa2a7c5 against the cliffs d4fe43ed03 below, the music dbcfd2676f changed to a 050fd43786 lively tune. Having finished 9d82a214bc all his a3d1fbf66f duties for e62925dcf5 the day, fe35bb8746 Maël stood fed7165ea1 to the b529bd4005 side with 4983d059c2 a gloomy becbecc4df expression, swirling eaa0a519f5 the champagne 0d7fff546e glass in 267658ca7a his hand.9e786b6c5dfa6908

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Diane approached him.719899e08952b31e

“Why the long face at your sister’s wedding? Isn’t today a big day? Thanks to that gift, the law will change by tomorrow morning. I saw an article saying Manon and Philippe requested it.”8269b9dffb78a6be

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“Oh, right, that too.”db69d9bbbf92ecdb

Announcing something like that 6fd47e1026 now probably wasn’t just 340ea46569 a coincidence. Maybe it was a 39ebf0195c way to make it f91c8d8ba5 hard for Manon to f5b15a4847 refuse signing the prenuptial e389874a70 agreement.59a9b6118eaf9730

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As Maël downed 12ab2d5459 his champagne, Diane 58ce6e4bc8 chewed on cube-shaped 8aa131617f cheese and olives.123a7bafd3720529

“I heard from a journalist that one of His Highness the Hereditary Prince’s aides sold a video or recording to a broadcasting station. They wondered if it’s related to today’s announcement. Maybe some derogatory remarks were made.”82c48eaf0a454a04

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“Seems they don’t want to change the crown prince twice.”26d507503851ef8f

Of course. Maël glared b3124cc673 at Felix a5c2f84298 dancing with d622224d6e a famous 261bc5941b actress across c080aebf09 the room, aea6835222 then clenched 9a250bd28a his teeth 97d89f489d when he 6cccf8d95d saw Charles 030db8fa62 making his 392a07056b way through d533d1587d the crowd fdb2ec7b6f toward him.14cefcbecbdf7d4b

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Antoine, that f4bfa793c0 damn bastard’s e7efac5beb face came 8779694f67 to mind.6f390f6db13c57d9

Seeing the new prenuptial 6479515323 agreement made everything clear.d9641864595a21b8

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It wasn’t 7c5b5ac4cb just the 622bf85256 Grand Duke’s ce8b3b4ada people who 6cae63a6b9 set the 01308713cd trap. It wasn’t just Bernardi; 9a77e7597a Antoine and all those 88987eb53c bastards were the same. The trap was right 740226977c there. Like a 597b3c97fb fool, Maël 79fd588f2a handed Manon 3dc55c1178 over to c8351e7e06 someone who 50fd911861 would push 80a6addda9 her into 8ee8fb16dc that trap.a3f107e0110378f7

“Maël, did you hear about today’s announcement?”a915065a69388829

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Charles reached out as b9a2090399 he approached. What was today’s announcement? His blue eyes 5e1c9d45b3 gleamed with strange 892aae29ba imagination, and a acb2cb77d1 wide smile spread e6233efec7 across his face. Maël brushed off 085db4162a his hand and edb787cb81 shared his decision 24871b10be with Diane.b2e09005d182c0ba

“Diane, I’m quitting.”2123b0bc4c9b9b6f

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