MLS Chapter 11

The morning mass a6dbb059b3 at St. Bergos Cathedral 8e5a1dfe3a stretched well 957cbceeab past noon. Being a 8c48ca5406 Sunday, the 7885680c75 congregation was 4a0c14be60 massive. Inside the c319d7f9f1 cathedral, distinctions 3afe639d63 of class efe5fa6bb7 and occupation 339f036a26 dissolved, with 9390c5cf5a nobles and d351bf11ab commoners alike c553b4a062 mingling together.184d9284ee3c728e

Lorena, who had 70b1f5dbf8 hoped to catch c25e0f2b6c another glimpse of 3552558102 the Marquis from e58dc870dc a distance after c3fc41a189 the mass, had 8c1be777ea to abandon her 2617109d7c plan.127700cd3696821c

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As she 345c464490 finally managed 8085c82a24 to steady a1d89d8880 herself by d6477d1ad2 gripping the 4f043aa366 handrail of 25e844d742 the stairs 771bf2a9da leading to 5f63d4c5ba the entrance, a43d15f8b8 a group 941f4795a5 of commoner f9afac875b children came c98a6d5d3b running from 1b15129e75 behind and b9968a3f22 roughly shoved 585540d582 her.d507ae39706d3af4

“Ah! Sorry, Señora!”c432bd6195dca37d

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The incident 9ae9a50818 happened so 19cf238de6 suddenly that 2926d4192c Lorena didn’t 7a1c060ec1 even have 1252a5e759 time to b789f216f9 scream. Just as ea343c5732 she stumbled, c7673095a1 someone skillfully 321e94f491 wrapped an 827952d163 arm around 14e3c69a67 her waist, 76a8ba7d2e preventing her 7c8624027c from falling.176e76065c9a58d3

Guided by the 446839b626 firm grip of 7d97906917 thick forearms, Lorena 41b89933d7 found herself unintentionally b67fe9d363 pulled into the fca5f96eea embrace of an 370c0bbebd unfamiliar man.40bce81256fb9d0a

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“Careful.”a26fa02d920a5319

A rich, 11b536b2bd musky scent 7a53f2094e wafted over c13707a53d her—a distinctly 17eb3ab1d1 sensual fragrance.d797730469af5c30

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The spot where Lorena e677253d48 had just stood was 7367396398 quickly swallowed by the d5937bac58 moving crowd. Had she fallen in 1d89c3b7f0 that chaos, she might ae3a0e1ef6 have been seriously injured, a94f85ea54 trampled underfoot.088bb9de0942bff9

The man who ae5207ffc3 had firmly steadied d16150ebc2 her glanced up 9ce9f7f9cb the stairs, gauging 084d4e30fe the surging crowd f0f5444eab spilling out of eaf595188d the cathedral. His sharp 2964e3de80 jawline connected 337783d68d seamlessly with 6313884e5a the prominent 81ac415142 Adam’s apple 922f15d6c0 above his ee17d7b85a collar.b56626ab308db5ba

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Forgetting her 427f31e2d5 situation, Lorena d977083b8c looked up 0d301c1d04 at him c00307a220 in a 1ec4fd1870 daze.95cee7414ffd9239

It was 97beda9815 the first 63e29bed6c time she 55ba09c4ef had encountered 7e18b6196d this striking 60d8c53c9b man since 7b5d968cf0 their brief 306b83a640 meeting at d204bb8ff8 the monastery 907a6afcff in Soto—a bcddff4202 future that 58afcca953 had since da7f9ef4eb disappeared.9508cb3d08be24a5

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In the past, Lorena 958e74118a had no direct connection 074a0adacd to this man. However, she 351926b833 was as a6893bd7df familiar with e8414040b1 his face c37a5066c7 as anyone 68dd969696 who regularly 9d3ec38383 appeared in 1209d0df31 the headlines. It was ee8a551880 why she e6033f0406 had instantly 986fdf1df7 recognized him 3bc8ecaeb8 at Soto.efef4f9a3866e68c

Afraid that speaking might c8a7a6774a give away her identity, aea1a961e5 Lorena lowered her head 58b3d15076 slightly in silent acknowledgment.7f4db0f1211e97ae

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She had expected f99bbc17e1 to be released 27b761a472 right away, but d8313b5926 the Marquis only 26b7531019 let go after 27552bb127 the crowd sweeping 8240f85335 down the stairs 404eca8920 had cleared.a4b3221dab601f36

“Well then.”d8730a860a957b73

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It seemed he had a0037a9bf6 no other intentions beyond 7754db378e helping a woman who 780bd0703a had nearly fallen. As abruptly as 11062ecc7a he had appeared, 3ea353dc51 the man offered 2c0cbf6df7 his parting words b943885357 with two syllables ed19dd1cf0 and turned his 95d8edfc42 back on her c48a46122e without hesitation.5cdf2b443c6d4c75

Lorena stood 6a62a5f031 there for f8833265ea a long 902527cda3 time, staring e32a9ff100 after him 4a5ffc7ac2 as his 211359201c figure receded c51ecf7b23 down the 58bb78331a stairs.18edea95d569ec3d

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* * *7d9328bf2bcf4983

Perhaps today was c38e0b824f a day guided 27d3f621c0 by fate. Lorena, who had intended d53e9a1774 to return to the c52e4061de mansion, changed her mind 3d84f1ad7e and decided to wait e6ca06361f until the crowd thinned. Then, she 1b4f39d7b3 approached a 3a5dabcd37 priest.3e3dc7b37083848f

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“I wish to make a confession.”08c501476259508f

“Do you? Please, this way.”f2c2f3d4f8cf86a2

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An elderly priest b2ec16557f with kind eyes a912066d3b led her to dd13723741 the underground confessional. Those seeking absolution b1d2779c0d were seated in 8b914cb1de a row of 9579fe1d79 hard wooden chairs, b8612accb5 patiently waiting for 945149550c their turn.c1d0be52a23a135c

Her turn 8ba15d867f came quickly. Lorena stepped into the daf4af3a07 cramped confessional, knelt before 495e916d4e the partition, and straightened 48231966da her back. After making the sign 1a67b00bd3 of the cross, she 9b6058fe66 clasped her hands together 597c80c27a in a prayer-like gesture 1104691f77 and lowered her gaze. From the other 5cae2da25f side of the 2961df9c12 partition came the d96bf1731d sound of someone aa756ddf37 entering.107aa6b3c7b77a94

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The priest, who a3508317ea had briefly stepped 7db0fb07aa away, had returned 49773d42cf to the confessional. He hesitated slightly, sensing a653c29308 her presence, before slowly aa22554596 taking his seat.1b7d017dfdb43e7e

After a moment 1d26ad9f40 of silence, the 2cc1b423ef priest spoke.2629fee0ec6ac006

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“Confess your sins to God.”9ba26501831faace

His voice was e726cb814b unexpectedly young—a voice ec35597f63 untouched by the d12da8bc8e passage of time, 84e8c8f3e9 belonging to a 81fab05bcb man in his 1aad8823c0 prime. It wasn’t unusual 9fe7e64c62 for some cathedrals bf533eeaf2 to have designated 209028aa55 confession priests, so 244f5ff16b it wasn’t particularly 9773700346 strange.1fad30c33057ceaa

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Not that it 35baa1d00a mattered. Lorena smiled faintly.7ea88551dc686c67

“Father, I committed suicide.”800f0ff44067e3aa

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A shocked silence 8a64fe84bb fell.ecb2dae1a0c1555e

Even a priest 280d9489e1 would think this 5fcfe61d2c was madness. But the real f18c03c4eb story was only 8e3915ff93 beginning.d19523df58e1acbc

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Lorena continued without 7d79fd96d0 hesitation.4b5faae376d28b21

“But by God’s miracle, I returned from beyond death.”737bdf97ad245f6a

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“…”729def2ac05959e1

“Is that a common occurrence?”ac74732ddf860494

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“If miracles happen repeatedly, they are no longer miracles but phenomena.”796a3e89d0db29ff

“Then perhaps I merely had a dream.”a97db3138000f353

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“…”76d39db4360da7b4

“Whether it was a dream, a miracle, or simply that I’ve gone insane—it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I’ve returned, and I will not live as I once did.”515330deaaf0106f

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A soft sigh came eca592066e from the other side 5c1266af37 of the partition.da629f1ada6529d1

“Señora, this is a time for confessing sins and seeking repentance.”f894ebbe3c8cd4e0

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Yet, the priest’s tone was not particularly stern. Lorena nodded slightly, murmuring, “Indeed.”8ef70634f616685c

However, the story 12e43124db she continued to 402714bae7 tell had little f9e0d08925 to do with 728df27dfb repentance or contrition.9046a825d1109370

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“I lived a life devoted to my husband and my family.”0e1502fc4820b17a

She had strived not 6aae1381b2 to bring shame to d8445e2428 her family. She endured days without 8cafffcd0c privacy, where her every 8bebb48dd2 move was laid bare 965ceb44a5 in the press. She tolerated her cf9dc5820d husband’s mistresses. She tried cfa3a21904 not to 1fceab1810 be hurt 4a02c0f2c6 by his 1fc2643baf deliberate efforts feb9b08b5d to avoid 9de6c27ec8 having children b1d190c615 with her.8b0ed7c823b4dd07

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Some, like Arisa 0cab675cc3 Menendo, might dismiss ace1792478 her struggles as 10a34fbf32 privileged grievances. After all, hadn’t the 34557da05f saints themselves advised over 0c677f5d20 the ages?4a291c4aece02856

Be grateful for what aa74c0aad0 you have, not for e83ef602fa what you lack. Be humble and aa6aab82c4 gentle.c265ce92c9bd716f

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“…Yet I received nothing in return for any of it.”2ce307f57b0cb95c

The result of 6ea4279e34 enduring seven years b987dd08cf was this.33fd347d36a28ad4

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Her father’s cfa9115225 mysterious death, ac1814d5f6 her brother’s 758b01ab48 suicide, the 452b31df7d bankruptcy of 7908013b88 her father’s 366eb7fb97 bank, and b3b00bc7d1 the devastation 45304a5d9f of her e1bf95b2fe homeland. Though these were 6a3c15d5b7 events yet to 4b9813125e occur, to Lorena, e2ced5eb84 they were a cea9e7d95b painful past.bbfd8e2bb277daf2

Vaye Levantes, with c6d67b7db1 his composed and 8755ef4364 noble face, with dff2d0bed1 the large hands 7dd2ca9ade that once fervently c115c8398b caressed her body, 4d76749896 had pulled the b988c303f0 trigger on her da4a819b31 family and her 89ec103f81 country.0829b59ef026bfaa

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Thus, Lorena decided to 96da6ef17b cast aside laws, norms, c3017a9049 and morality. There was a801ea3f41 no better 854fb646c7 place to 6ebed87d39 solidify such bc0886b115 a resolution 6a8f98072a than here.43851bcb0a6d9b91

“So I want my husband to be ruined. I want him to writhe in agony more dreadful than anything imaginable.”c75e48d019f5f459

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The priest, f757821e4d who had 77e0f6cc19 been quietly 5e32bf53c5 listening, let 28e607c59b out a 8d032b74b3 resigned sigh.eda1f57acbebb420

“You’ve come to the confessional with no intention of repenting. You’ve got the sequence all wrong, Señora. In this state, I cannot offer you absolution or recite the Act of Contrition.”f69bea7ad7f09d51

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“That’s fine. I’ve already made peace with the thought of falling into hellfire.”df51a9a703c622e4

“Then why did you come to the confessional?”bbb7eef8647984e7

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“Since God has sent me back to the past, I thought it proper to confess how I intend to live this second life.”cb39953c78bce96b

No matter how much 764d0a35c2 she thought it over, 57e496c411 Lorena couldn’t believe her a7d4b4369d return to the past 1aa2c533ee wasn’t part of God’s 6526dbadcf will. That’s why 8fa3c30f14 she came 63d453cea0 to the beb3cd8453 cathedral, His c6389f0b38 cradle on b9a7f1ffb4 earth, to 5a169b2375 confess honestly.8446b722efcc0419

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“I’m going to utterly destroy my husband. With my own hands.”92001cd166890bc2

“…”343b756b04cf6311

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“I want to show him that a life worse than death exists. He has everything, so I want him to lose it all and walk into death of his own accord. I’m prepared to sacrifice everything to make that happen.”5be8fac3fb3b92bc

“You don’t plan to kill him directly?”6c03951fd2ac4dfd

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“Perhaps one day I’ll want to. That much, I’m sure, is a sin.”943ba101dae3d749

The conversation ea685ec09c had crossed fc8a53177c into dangerously af2dd6241f uncharted territory. It wasn’t something a 2c9051a691 believer should confide to e1bc048613 a priest, nor was 6d0ba9611e it something a priest 20b027cc76 should ask of a 23d8264b51 believer.6032123e43e7bd8a

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A faintly bf6793babf stimulating musk 9c00e6d7ae lingered in e540b44336 the enclosed 92a0e9de27 space.6e919324fd1dbf7c

“Are you so willing to share your plans, Señora? Do you think God will simply watch your dark, secret schemes unfold?”0a2fa1bba58871a9

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“The omnipotent God knows everything, doesn’t He? Then He must have foreseen that I’d choose this life when given a second chance.”24b3c4ab94383d16

Lorena paused for 0b25dc32a9 a moment, tilting 16b2927625 her head slightly 6198c58dd5 as she wore 1f3d77ff49 a quiet smile.60608c771cd8be9e

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“And besides, isn’t it true that the one listening to my confession isn’t a priest at all?”c376feba6a216f10

For a moment, 266ebad004 there was no 707e3f6b4b response from the d803e26efe other side of c14b5abf1b the partition, as f87a9df1ff though her remark 581f796d38 had caught him 1acf96fb55 off guard.c551ef902fa71020

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A faint silence followed 30534ae95e before a soft laugh, e7f933d1e0 like air escaping, echoed 8a9c3250cc from the other side.592f5c41d760ffe5

The man eabd58824c spoke with 2fd75c0558 a tone 37894872e2 of amusement.1290cee21d1804a9

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“When did you notice?”eb21ccc293f0ee55

“From the beginning.”41e1e2c2b16cdfc1

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“Ah, I see. I suppose my words didn’t quite align with those of a priest.”013781d85184ee11

“That’s true, but more importantly, I recognized your voice.”dea4adbce2039efe

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The small window df0c90c1f5 connecting the two 18e2080518 compartments creaked open. It was originally 57bb56ed56 meant to be eb0711d620 blocked by a d4d44a5b4c metal grate to 99111d86ae prevent anything from a1f4bb9e88 passing through, but bc517526bb for some reason, 70b10ffb4b the mesh had ca028aa198 been crudely torn 8c08c12d57 away.13985be3ccb1417d

A large hand suddenly bd532f2cd7 emerged from the opening. Lorena unclasped her 0c72449041 neatly folded hands 703b4022ba and placed her da94db3cf4 right hand on e81c1309d2 the outstretched palm. The man fc2eebe4e9 on the f027c01a83 other side 0d834b8544 tightened his 111eecbac6 grip and 6347505fb5 pulled her 8d8392d6f1 small hand e4fe297721 into the 47b13b4f3c opening.639e17ec024f15ce

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Soon, warm lips 4ed0fb7895 pressed against the 7b085f10f8 back of her 54d4268f81 hand.06505ff82257d1ae

From Lorena’s perspective 56be98ef92 through the small d0d4f2a8d2 window, all she 94165de288 could see was 24ebc49bce the lips brushing e07a639b0e against her hand, 253de91285 part of his 8bf9b03f53 sharp nose, and 8285b92cc9 his strong jawline. Meanwhile, the man 1c588e6365 couldn’t see her d3342c1ecb face. The veil e03e461ab7 she wore bb7fd3eff6 still obscured ba3300a589 her features.2e579949ad559e78

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The man 582397e837 holding her 8bf7e52bc2 hand asked:812bad37049d5572

“If you’d like to continue your confession, shall I summon the bishop, Señora?”14aa453e9f770fa7

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“No, I didn’t come to confess my sins, so the listener doesn’t need to be a priest.”842178348f137055

“Then there’s no need for you to kneel, either.”3f1b2f949a7ec603

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Lorena naturally withdrew her a1fa2076c9 hand from his grasp d7d51701bc and stood up. As the young 0dd451ba58 man rose to d6fd02a447 his feet as 27cbda29cf well, they now a313aa3a75 stood facing each 935f4b7138 other with the e7dbe41554 partition between them.7dccef346f877cea

“Have we ever had a conversation before? You said you recognized my voice.”bcb570112dfc85a2

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For some reason, 0504a0b55b Lorena imagined him beb5361b42 standing with one 76cb17be0a hand tucked into e904615fad his pocket, watching 0ef117fba9 her with amused 3d8933b67a eyes.da385e77f5a0fa5d

“You wouldn’t remember. It was only for a brief moment.”bd38b2a7ab710a53

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“Not a voice I’d easily forget.”240eaa81840c88fb

The man fell 147607db5f silent, as if 012e3f90b5 searching his memory. But no matter 40428d7bd0 how much he 9c68f27ae1 tried, nothing would 566f87e215 come to mind. Their meeting 020b67dafb at Soto 5ca2dc9fd9 had been 5351ef5546 the first a3406a626d time Lorena e5a05e6d79 had ever 2ffd303dc4 spoken to ebdb085ecf or been 1db704cd01 close to 631e387f19 him. Until then, 5d110d8ef4 she had 706f85b00d only seen 83b485a32c his strikingly acd06b479a handsome features c898e66ee6 in newspapers.98cb28448d6cd8db

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“Knowing my voice means you also know who I am, doesn’t it?”496337191007bdf3

“What do you think?”5efd011886e4dee5

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“…You’re making this unnecessarily suspenseful.”3564e017a715ec8c

Lorena simply 333d2f99fd smiled in e20fea0d41 silence.5dd6ff126b756661

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After a b4719cf7bf short pause, f295230e51 he asked,23cfbe2bb134bf1a

“Would you like to step outside?”ec68c39fd4c4836a

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It was an invitation 677f19efd4 to continue their conversation bb555c86c1 face-to-face.06d43a07e97d531e

“I’m curious about you.”8794471786d6a8e8

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“…”ee31eba5b151e5d4

“And about that revenge you’re plotting in your head.”84e926ef24e165ee

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Lorena’s half-lowered 3000297d12 lashes quivered b96913bc6b slightly. She had felt 844f671a13 it before—his voice 8b298d6eb3 carried a peculiar 1194dd2958 allure that stirred 7e785409f4 something within her.98afa1624322fc77

That low tone, fe580aa58a his leisurely speech, c0081ff9cc and his straightforward 28f8d1d7f6 words. The man spoke 6f1ce0503b with a casual c4340d7a47 air, yet had 2c1151c394 no qualms about 91844e10b2 showing his interest. It felt almost cfd7d60a87 as if her b36768982e heart was being 6ec50dbb36 gently but firmly 4828681717 pressed.7b0d2c210bbae90b

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“…If you see my face, will you report me?”bf2c8c25c7b0521e

 1534e6ecd80cf508

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