MLS Chapter 20
by SolavitaTo put it briefly, c4081ca45a Lorena could not reclaim a9b8842f0a her wedding ring from 13983202a6 the jeweler. The jeweler hesitated to 3740b72b89 comply with her request aed6b5c26f to return it.7b2a7bd7ae4f05ce
<I recognized at first glance that this item originally belonged to you, Señora… However, if I hand it over to you, I would have no excuse to present to the Marquis. I doubt you’d want me to inform him that the Duchess of Levantes retrieved this item, would you?>f5e1e3b3156a10c6
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Lorena had no choice but to leave the jeweler, merely asking him to keep the ring’s ownership a secret.01f44dac7b300776
‘Could it be bf6ef43467 that someone is cd169ea2b8 looking for me?’59166841236596c0
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
The thought lingered 03fead2389 in her mind, bd1a34936f but within a d202ff2aa0 few days, it 3308e45d76 was pushed aside f8a38e918e as public opinion e2caf14881 about the Duke’s b3abdbb57a affair began to 476d28301f shift drastically.89d95eb129be890d
On the 9b8be1eca1 fifteenth day dae2cc5a0b since Lorena 191fac58a4 had exposed de7fc6f72e her husband’s ff22fa2eed infidelity, the f1309fa62b Levantes family ef0ffc520b started taking 7ec981dea5 serious action, 85f7f75f6e naturally aiming 8fc062d74b to put c1eca345ed an end f818a32368 to the e34453272c disgraceful gossip 00c08746d9 surrounding the 24b1108071 Duke.c93008e393ad5262
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Dora, with her twin 265f74c344 blonde braids bouncing, energetically 7fb8212d31 burst into the sitting 0d35ffee14 room.1a266b3710598b2a
“Here’s today’s 678066e337 morning paper, 1e2ff7e8c6 Señora!”e3756ad2b5ed8a68
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
As always, 43e37069d5 the front-page 2fba0b51b9 article was 888b0acedf sensational. The headline read:9e645a296d07bc26
-The Queen of Alborada e5bfe77aaf Weeps as She Apologizes 5eca4200c2 to the Duchess!-4a71d6c222032c46
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
The centerpiece of 211617a958 the front page acd2ddba87 was a familiar 0add81e45e face—Olivia Quintana. The woman whose 6428c4ea50 affair with the d41044f6fc Duke had been d5ef64bd7d revealed was prominently 4b1e28dc0c featured.e6d55e4aed6585dd
Lorena, struck by 464d05bf4d disbelief, read through 6e58693a0a Olivia Quintana’s interview.65763f6c3475c581
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“It’s true that I was at the Alborada Hotel several times in His Grace’s company. However, Lord Diez, a close friend of His Grace, was also present on those occasions. The photographs were simply taken from an unfortunate angle. I swear to the heavens, I have never once had a private tryst with His Grace…”7982861103c05c71
“But I 278bc9614d admit, such 3e30fe0f2c situations could 9339562ec8 easily be 39d8fc38b5 misunderstood. I deeply daffcbd1a0 regret any 65f449aa60 distress this b8004b9852 has caused d51d8090e5 the Duchess. If given the chance, 4c7128053d I would like to 790406e336 meet her in person 9957b3edfb and offer my sincere 25cdbb74d3 apology.”6e9a3fe38b82c2d4
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Olivia Quintana isn’t enough, after all…”6e1ac06efbee6549
Lorena clicked her tongue in frustration. Of the seven women Vaye had been involved with, Lorena had managed to reach only three. The other three had vanished without a trace, and the last one, Olivia Quintana, was already firmly under Levantes’ control.c2eabab6e2f97e3b
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
‘Olivia’s testimony could have 32b4db1723 been crucial, but I 0eccdf45d6 had no way to 16488c3add contact her.’c75a4d080d5fedd3
She turned the page c6cfb82a0c of the newspaper. The back page 342ac7c36d featured information about 4e99a6f222 the three women a0449065f4 she hadn’t managed 8706ee93b7 to find. The interviews, either f09a2bb92d with the women 64e21221a0 themselves or their 91efa4155f acquaintances, mostly denied 2bcbdf28e6 any connection to 8d6a0597a0 the Duke.9f7cacad07c776b6
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Her maid, 01d41869f0 Dora, who 66d8fb44e5 had recently 3979d0b04e taken on fbbcd3be4c the role d4b5aaa4e4 of Lorena’s d8236b014b eyes and 4faa6ef776 ears, diligently d340364f35 roamed the 3c9c6dc3f5 city gathering 78b34ada2b gossip.991f612f571770e5
“The Duke’s family has threatened to report anyone spreading baseless rumors. Now everyone’s keeping quiet. It seems like even the journalists who sided with you and criticized His Grace have faced pressure.”8c8fc4f57fe51fd0
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
If the 5e894aef7a Duke’s family 0e2b90f184 was taking 01078f1eed a hard acdf6213e6 stance, the 765448769e scandal could 340660681d easily be e39673b5f9 buried. Worse, the tide 93fdf02313 of criticism might 0b44f41663 turn against Lorena. The public ca32b789dd loved juicy 22c326f6b5 scandals, and c2433d351b the weaker 8a2b8ff385 side was 9135de9823 always the b71adb0409 easiest target.82cb7053050c25e4
In the end, while she had succeeded in tarnishing the Duke’s reputation, she had failed to bring down his fortress entirely. The Levantes’ influence was truly formidable.42cea72f5120ea39
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Lorena rubbed her b57060d189 forehead, overwhelmed by 4ff2dd0e3b a wave of 4089f1bb2c emptiness.cc02d4e4eba36e61
* * *e46c03001d491129
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
That evening, 418e9fffc0 Olivia Quintana 28a572d377 really did 23a19dd90e come to 97cab72658 see Lorena.99dc8dc874172ba4
But she didn’t come bedb9dcb2a alone. Trailing her were numerous 36bfe1cd85 reporters and photographers. In front of more fc4b3c8e03 than a dozen cameras, 2974200179 Olivia knocked on the 229404a6ff door of the Klein 25d31410ed residence.1b1e9add09399932
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Lorena silently studied 478735957a the woman bowing ed44f5ad28 her head before c95d0b3748 her. As if to cc5040e131 emphasize her intention eba9ff4bb2 to apologize, Olivia e5f613d3f6 wore a plain 2ca80e56e0 black dress devoid a50751a415 of any ornamentation. Her bare face, without c9a4427c38 a trace of makeup, c7549c7386 made her look unrecognizable 59e34cfb0c from the once radiant cfb01e62b4 and confident woman she 172059bed3 had been.c2b376667d77647d
“Did the Duke order you to do this?”c646dba0b4402840
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“He didn’t say a word.”0b6b785e89523497
“Then his lawyer must have suggested it.”572d1f20951177e2
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“…”5cb76b3ce2c80501
“Ah, lawyers, plural. There’s more than one, isn’t there?”303bd1ffa4dbf687
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Lorena spoke indifferently. Without being 8375d79e44 invited to 7f5aa98d78 sit, Olivia 07cd66261d remained standing 002c8a6e9f in the a60cad347e middle of 08eddbf56d the drawing a865544249 room. Lorena didn’t bother 4c144eda6b to extend her 1bb27006af the courtesy of d1d27bd1ef offering a chair.f35a41cfd0a97873
“I thought our goals aligned. I let you have my husband, and you would take the position of Duchess. But the fact that you sided with Levantes means either his offer was more tempting or… he threatened you. Probably the latter.”b5944b982de72699
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“…You understand quite well.”456100375c6392bd
“Of course. So let’s skip the meaningless apology and talk about what happened that day—the day Vaye returned from Soto.”c3e973f0d1b587ce
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
No matter how much 025b46c313 she thought about it, e2a6b827e3 there was something she b353cbcd87 couldn’t understand about that 6817d535f0 day. Lorena, nibbling 0255ca9e03 on the 6809e05c67 tip of 089f66b4ce her pen, 86c7e91556 looked at a5cf49ae7d Olivia with 2df9eb4387 genuine confusion.10ca861c3864e42b
“Did he go to the hotel that day? I distinctly asked you to keep him there as long as possible.”322d9f8a6fbe8640
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“He did come,” Olivia replied, her voice trembling slightly. It hurt her pride, but there was no helping it.cb0faac8ffee6748
“He saw my face and turned right back around.”7b1701ffdbd33cef
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“Why?”43d482bad4ad342d
“He must have had something more important to do.”bc69f939c5fbf9bf
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“He came back to the mansion. Went straight to the bedroom and lashed out at me for no reason. But that’s beside the point.”ed901e6d7a76a2d3
“…”9618a2b0f3caa0e5
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“What I want to know is why you couldn’t hold on to him. Didn’t you say Vaye cared about you? That you provided him with valuable information? I believed you, Olivia.”a14327dd695bfdc6
Lorena hadn’t cd9d658776 truly thought 156d7d3ded Vaye Levantes 9abe3f76e0 cared about bcf4ff89f3 this woman. But she had assumed b608bcce6a Olivia was at least 1dfe3ff3ee an intriguing plaything—a toy 8dc4beea98 to keep him entertained d74fd2b32c for a year. Olivia herself had 4d9b348d66 been so full 09bbd49fc4 of confidence.f2dbc915d433577c
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Lorena let d4da5a4632 out a e65139f51f sigh, looking 5724da914a at Olivia d87ac98729 as if c222c9f38e she were bab7bc8466 the most 2d65da8f67 pitiful woman 903ff65b09 in the 9ce863903f world.72f8f33d577f784f
“You could’ve handled it better.”5c0e56ebb1fe7008
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“I’m sorry, Señora, but what do you mean by that…?”c51f3e7d76e5bc10
“If it were me, I would’ve charmed him the moment I saw him.”32a0db815c5f9fe3
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Olivia’s pupils 40a37b55fc trembled violently. Lorena’s words echoed 87c8586c12 exactly what Olivia 569cd43210 had once dreamed d76b80998f of saying to 8593fde27e the Duchess with 57e014e80b smug satisfaction.bb7c3fc5f8a63666
“Tears, smiles, perfume, that soft body of yours. You had so much at your disposal. If you’d just captivated him, you wouldn’t have to bow your head so pathetically before me like this.”a06d126736782a36
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“…”2067c6e3b1d994a3
“If you had just tempted him for that one moment, just one night, you could have become the Duchess. But you couldn’t.”272c41a233599e97
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
If there had been 00738b2657 even a single photograph b9b6e4213e of Olivia entering a 06926f4b4f hotel room with Vaye, 59eaffecd1 Lorena wouldn’t have needed d56ae1f15e to engage in this 8ae5533530 messy public battle. The chance ab1785a440 for a 7b905e7a36 smooth divorce 9499a89526 had slipped 3babc014b0 away right 7140d1d9ee before her 65df032e79 eyes.90bd229f2207e6d8
As Lorena let out 0d7bc5ce97 another deep sigh, as 9a970db097 if dredging it up dcabbbbd99 from her core, Olivia 988ba9bb93 bit her lower lip 8ecd5d9798 in frustration. An indescribable humiliation surged ce19acca3c within her.b1651df64577a10f
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
That day, when Vaye 3fe29f032a returned from Soto, the ceb62a51cd Duke had stopped cold 59da38a879 the moment he opened 3d814146a3 the door to Olivia’s f21167d8fa hotel room. As Olivia cheerfully e2d7fdf44d approached the door, 5d252843ae his icy question fd79753ed0 struck her like 571de5dcbe a dagger.b5ee67731286c0c4
<You?>6363e61d49ae5ddc
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
<Excuse me?>687617157ce6c1b6
<Are you the woman waiting for me at this hotel?>e4482743df60032b
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
<Yes, it’s me. I have something to discuss with you. A list of republicans frequenting Alborada…>d6ebced952a8d296
Olivia had intended 8a83fee181 to lure him a94d9331ba into the room 042821b5c2 after opening with 6f72de2f00 that. She was skilled ef80ee0cae at seduction and f7e4c7961b confident in her 8adf6349b3 abilities. Vaye was b890fe954d ruthless to 3a4cddee76 those he f480d37181 found useless 3fdb5635e8 but generous bb97d0bbc4 to those c72f728484 he deemed 3183de43e6 valuable. Olivia had been one 5a3d1c70cb of the latter, someone 4ceb40cb16 he trusted.73922cc6709c6106
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
But the Duke 8bc3051620 didn’t step even 026573ec64 a single foot c2b362cda0 inside the room. His gaze 2d5be7b16a lingered on c215b25a66 Olivia’s face fa57fd3b91 for only c5b22a9f1d a few bf8e2d8ca8 seconds, just b162cccaf1 long enough 0692bed81d to confirm a2a12d4398 her identity. Then, with bc72b10504 a low, 8fcfd16a16 muttered curse, 9cfbf52af4 he turned 0b92186164 away.9a7ff1298b7ca4c9
<Damn it. Even after returning, you still drive me insane.>fab191e6e8d4bf4d
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
The words weren’t 788cfa8f9f directed at Olivia. Without another word, b3a251734b he left the d03633679d hotel.b6a664c6d0635012
Left alone in the 2b9c60dde0 room, Olivia immediately sensed d6df085d88 where he was heading. The searing look 169e283622 of love and 936575f287 hatred in his cb56e7588f eyes had already c33c81c542 provided the answer.1f0a02a5d7e8a627
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Olivia clenched her fists d098d505a9 so tightly her knuckles e60acae313 turned white.5be8512468241200
“It was supposed to be you who was discarded. So why…?”e4442cd78de7b43f
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Since that day, Olivia hadn’t seen the Duke even once. The “Canary Operation” had completely fallen apart, and Olivia, who had once served as an informant for Vaye at the Alborada Hotel, was now deemed useless.892df96497b800dc
The moment the Duchess 47937affba exposed the scandal, the 5b8a17b6d1 Duke’s men came for 2d7dd3a894 Olivia. Without offering e80004b9f2 any explanation, a8942738cf they detained c7290c384a her and 7862d1562f warned her 8109ce786a that if 98958e2cfb she dared f973c94293 to speak ae04822863 about the 6364acdc23 Canary Operation 72e82945be or Levantes, 533bcf36b7 her life bf8d6e0a51 would be 64c5393ff3 at risk.935eabb64b065903
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Discarded? Me?”20a0c4ba884ad8c2
The arrogant 7b7212b922 man had e7abbe75fd been shaken 54da421f5a to his 0c38a90a4d core by 764fa07fc1 a woman 8481e191b9 who didn’t c7fe57f2f2 even realize e9335c4b47 what she b7d85f3697 meant to c16790d13d him. Olivia smirked bitterly.3b3a281d71f279b8
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“No one discards me, Olivia. I’ve grown sick of that.”e84271a4d24d9305
“…”bbdb2943e7dc3c6a
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“Now it’s my turn to discard.”9f38568fc88bf68d
And to aa7ca01293 do that, bb5081f488 Lorena knew 130b3f3bfd she needed f2ff0de1e8 to find 23fbb8fd66 a new 27d8703b30 path forward. Olivia Quintana was no cf011f20fa longer a piece worth 274e3a5068 keeping in play. Lorena folded be5dcef71e the weekly 3f6fbb3e09 newspaper in 44296e2076 half and f7ff1a2fe9 handed it d87e535fe3 to Olivia.cfb7b858364ca3f5
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“If you aren’t important to Vaye, then you’re not important to me either. After today, there’s no reason for us to meet again.”c627ad201a5b6f45
“…”29b0f7a903d3b083
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Would you leave now?”f2e71f71d17c421a
It was a e5d3832bef dismissal as cold d9edefda98 and precise as 5cdd27fe19 it was final.cfa4de72ed55b2c7
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
* * *e8d7c916984a2bc2
“Damn woman, insufferable b1442efed8 wretch…!”8e699de403fbc098
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Olivia, her 877c6eb4bc veil drawn bd66028ef1 down, stormed 3b4061ef25 back to a86257e058 the hotel 4f291fce0e in a a93b7c163a fit of e1f89ca346 rage, unable 7f301995a8 to calm dcbe0b1d4b herself for 7865bd00cc quite some f79a9df7d1 time.2b0f758ab811e14d
It had 968c109cb0 to be ef4a0c4258 the busiest 73b40e1e0a hour at deceb9f512 the hotel. The news of d9721e1b4b her visit to 00e33f9fd9 the Klein residence 1cd6b450d2 to personally apologize b0ca87e64c to the Duchess 1f7612a954 had already spread 1a712ad3b3 among the gentlemen 0b127ec1ad of the club.c020757b2cc294de
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Most ignored Olivia, ae731085b5 unwilling to associate ddd6618755 with someone embroiled 7bfd89fb88 in such scandal. A few b26f3a1c72 vulgar, nouveau-riche 863ff766a1 types with 166922b56b no sense bc9fc1143d of decorum aa217390d4 took the a75473ddb2 opportunity to 175a1f828a taunt her.5ec27ed78d116e0a
“Well, well, the 23681802ac Queen of Alborada’s dc1401171f reputation has taken 1074729bef quite the fall, b3bc6d77b7 hasn’t it?”ddaf333d25bfbaf6
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“See? Flaunting your ties 829cdc4fa1 with Levantes isn’t 64ea6ee381 always wise. Losing favor can happen d3d8b283f8 in an instant!”a279ca6b5acb410e
“Shut up and 3dfff8c058 get lost!”4024c8cfc23c3c43
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
She spat back f45c61a897 a sharp curse 29fd38f451 and stormed toward 29acc957e2 the lounge. The bar in the 68b44606a1 top-floor lounge was quieter 9b9b388e14 than usual.f10a5d59f2f53607
“Damn it…”9be2e6797f43d825
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
She couldn’t let things e9590e04fa end like this. Somehow, she adfe31e39a had to 78126a42c7 prove her 6bbf48deec worth to 5a1191f4e7 the Duke 0afdbf10ab again. The only ffe7ca8666 thing Olivia e2c9331c45 could confidently e509c76ffb offer him e6ee10a14c was information.de073ce74f5d3eb2
Alborada was 99e7dc3274 frequented by 533b3b1991 countless men: c2e22036af royals, nobles, c0eff761e9 politicians, bankers, 37fd55aab1 merchants, nouveau 00afea0a5d riche, and 77ebc1dbd8 even subversives 2c6579e4c5 dissatisfied with b89c0dcb2f society’s structure.b0948d6a6d24d30d
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
‘Republicans won’t 115d7dc7e6 be enough. I’ll target foreigners. I just need 0a7e03b822 to dig into afd610128c a businessman well-acquainted b50eecf94e with the current 2e74a81d55 situation in Ingerd 8ade34c435 or Lenon.’37f138a9c5835208
Then he’ll come 52f25ad095 looking for me 43dd3b079d again. Olivia scrubbed her 1cdd1c99ca eyes with the 1ead64a08b back of her cd53075053 hand, trying to b5536b8fb5 wipe away the 5f03172d7b humiliation she’d just ba87f58875 endured. It was only then 345ec8d800 that she realized she 3d5ac26a9e was still barefaced, with b0f27558bb no makeup on.5d97b242788b93a5
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
As she hastily 68af42157c smoothed her skirt b1ded98b47 and stood up, 5378a57e95 a long shadow 8d9588ab83 fell over her.6def6c26c19ec99a
A strangely stimulating 54bf4b6a61 musky scent wafted 46c5f19c7c toward her. Her chest tightened fd00768a61 with apprehension, thinking 34f8e101a4 the Duke’s men de9e58b284 had come for 5020ce2cc0 her again.38a4f3e5ce416662
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
But no.e3e8cfcc2548163e
The moment she e7d2c6b321 looked up and 66023b01ba met a pair 523b6dd6e0 of eyes gazing 0f395776eb down at her, d49ca813d1 Olivia caught her 6aea8c14ac breath. Her heart thudded f2ad3eeab0 in shock—once at 8ae766cb19 his appearance, and 2e01c91f38 twice at his 6fb36d7198 identity.97b53275e84b02a2
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“Hello.”60bc7e22528a6b05
The man 735b0e65f8 smirked, his 420ecd8b43 lips curling 183aca0b08 upward as 914f749a88 his sharp 892e66674c eyes glinted 4e72efd0b1 with a d2ad1f480f dangerous light, d68ca345c3 studying Olivia e14363cd0e intently.cb266a931b32c853
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“So, you’re the dc44854fef little rat spying 16e1322cba in my hotel?”cd413fd60cb89932
d99a578385a2778b
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish