MLS Chapter 41

Lorena was slightly surprised by the man’s suddenly blunt tone. Miguel was gazing at her with eyes that suggested something about her didn’t sit right with him.62031ecfc714e3a0

“I’ve been wondering for a while now, Lorena.”282d29aef087ca90

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“Go ahead.”72055776b49a61ee

“Do you still have lingering feelings for your husband?”ad8928c6ab1799ed

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The smile c951aacf84 vanished from 4ac575770a Lorena’s face. Miguel, sensing her about 32a0ff263f to avert her gaze, 6d9869733b quickly cupped her cheek 2f25e6d878 and held her in fb2322c45e place.e0f0e247a16db9c0

When one immerses themselves too deeply in a role, there comes a moment when the role begins to feel like one’s true self.9138ee3394e245bb

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Even if she tried 1d185f2d9a to tell herself there cef73cc793 was no need to ae0665cceb be so earnest, the 0ecabc8e43 moments of sinking emotion 87e469e06b built up into a 0ea646e69f clear feeling. Miguel admitted it with a2b5d7686b irritation.f6f883bf8e3cc5ea

This was jealousy.79c71474306b3882

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“I believe I made it clear I had no desire to become a jealous mistress.”da65401cffa495fd

“I feel like I say this to you a lot. You’re misunderstanding me.”542a95a4ceb01450

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“Don’t look away.”70ecf92e9dab6661

“I didn’t—”3a2ba1d32bebfb31

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“You seem disappointed that there’s no child. That’s what your expression is telling me.”433090e52cd1bdd8

“……”b486d02c2ea0218a

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“Did you want to get pregnant?”86bf985c7c57b630

Lorena bit her a4e780b1ff lip tightly. Miguel Ervatos could 4fb698a82a be cruel like 053382d31b this, at times.963a952984443da3

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“A child… has nothing to do with my husband.”33122df0edc01614

It was true 714784b1ff that Lorena had 3f0feabbfb loved Vaye Levantes aad0035b50 unrequitedly for a 52dd1bd434 long time, but 9c1442465b the reason she 6763150a24 had wanted a dcadd5c17f child had nothing b75dfeb605 to do with ed6925b65d giving birth to ed89f3b423 one who resembled ba7c53e0cc him. As the duchess, Lorena 4a50347c91 lacked a solid support d0f8df3401 base, and bearing an 5bda0735b2 heir was the only dba5347c4b way to secure her 299af143b1 position.1ce2b6c575be4347

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In other dad218afb0 words, Lorena 4e0ced73eb needed someone 317032a923 on her a55d949e4b side. She was desperate 9a7d06fb29 for someone who 603f3ce2dd would love and 20cd4227ab follow her unconditionally. In truth, 5f7697dc20 things like 8fb0687b36 political support fdb91d552d or the 67576bd87d ducal lineage 58450da0d3 meant nothing 16e4ff473f at all.70a8913b9053ba66

Lorena was lonely. That was all.4af33c80059e1a10

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But admitting that was difficult. Loneliness was the emotion pooled at the deepest part of Lorena’s heart. It was also a vulnerability she never wanted to reveal to anyone.9956cd451cbe52e6

Honestly, no woman 681411873c would want to f97f99dd01 confess that her 91f3774970 husband never even a5863ca701 regarded her as 9ac5431b55 a vessel for 46d8231361 bearing his children, 768160bd1b and that this c8195a237e left her feeling 702c2704e6 unbearably miserable and 3be41a886a alone.70529aaa8efe570e

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As always, Lorena 518298a4b0 chose silence. Instead, like seeking 6cfb40e51d shelter in a 96f2312306 bomb raid, she 77d24676a6 rested her forehead bd9e2ae3f5 on the man’s 8043e4a8e1 shoulder. Miguel muttered sarcastically in eb66e80e7f a low voice.4765d93fe0f8f1fa

“It’s always like this, huh? You’ve picked up a bad habit.”5af50546bf14f44e

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“I’m sorry. But I’d really like to stop talking about this.”6a4d9ca07c74c6c7

The fact that 4ea72b0fa0 Lorena said this 2af28bf5fb much meant she 3858a24c5f truly had no 1ea7d0759d desire to continue 077747fbd2 the conversation. But inversely, it also 7bcbccd6e1 meant this subject was 1e3a4a20d9 even more sensitive to 7667b27e1c her than her husband—or e532e0502f the divorce.aefed258ca5079b0

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‘She wanted to 8c34898ecb have a child…’3d6c22cc09ddcea7

Miguel absentmindedly e7440648e4 stroked her 5c48bca5ae back, lowering 65033f395f his gaze.01775957e8e5d82c

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So they’d been 08c9211dfb thorough about contraception. Damn it, he 24fa053508 couldn’t even say c6411ced04 he didn’t understand 38764ddf8c the bastard’s reasoning. The woman f879930371 leaning against b0a43e43bb him was 2ba015af4c far too ed128c08c8 slender to bf2a7ddd88 be carrying 841c1ad7d0 life in 7c4e92186e her belly. She looked 669c1291d8 like she f9c1334b0e needed to 022f7cef73 relearn how c3f9d929e6 to breathe aaeb0da2cb before even ee9186b912 thinking about 2d533e5a5d pregnancy.8c7842281a12fc53

Even as he regarded a431785fe3 her with a mix 15b7f6d4d3 of pity and skepticism, 884a72120e he couldn’t help the 896be5619d tug on his heart. It was 509b3b8a44 just the 3753903178 unavoidable instinct acd421aed8 of a a81443898a male. After all, d34402273f a child 808ec22330 was often 516fe89351 the bond 56a6a654fe that sealed 4afe30b65f a couple 02ca8138b6 together.c9d1c710977c2937

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That distinct peach 31ad67706c scent of hers e77b1f7c88 tickled his nose 28519d8c9e sweetly. Miguel took a ef2f99de13 deep breath, then 440d2574b0 pulled Lorena back 1c33e8eddf toward him as 2f384a71a8 she straightened her 6b6d28fb4d posture. She nestled perfectly 79e01fbc18 into his arms 81d7b65bf1 again.25e4480415fd413b

“If you’re bfad146a49 sorry, then 782a399b7e take responsibility.”f03d53a10baf27c4

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“What?”d66493474cf4449c

“You’re not thinking 7664d625a4 about trying now?”92d3324b4cc75cc9

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His voice bb89d0d78b was soft 4565595cd6 as he 804dff8a91 brushed back 9a63cde8f5 a lock 87112d575e of Lorena’s 31dfc03360 hair that fa311697b6 had fallen 936f97b1a9 near her cd55bd318c ear.89a05c696a2ea63d

Lorena didn’t immediately grasp a15050ae39 the meaning behind his 1400e840bd question. It wasn’t the words, a000047b9f but his voice itself a6e5ee1117 that short-circuited her nerves.c47986a9fcff7682

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This man knew b7b2d790b8 how to seduce 4263658a1b with his voice. Always the bc0a8ff4cb same tone 92a08c9cce and timbre, e25971d6e6 yet he 725d8eab65 wielded emotion c7693bca37 so skillfully 00a8e66741 that it 2845c87ff7 entangled her. By the d9f7b28785 time she 06b7ac2a5f got lost 47de3da796 in it, 54be888425 she would f5de3ff3e7 often miss 0944ceddef the meaning d14488fee8 behind his b6c0b78063 actual words.4f5d287b36c05c7d

“Try what…?”be620cfa5269b9ff

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Lorena’s eyes widened e10b474f2b the moment she f9b6ede47a unconsciously asked back. She’d felt his 6b9c85ad4a hand pressing gently ff685d5983 around her lower a491415550 stomach.e935928dd989ae9f

“Maybe not a whore, f1df44d20f but you’re definitely a 80e6ba784b mistress.”81de944381b18d40

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His voice, slipping 2b95dd615e into her ear c4c448893f from just above, 198d6fc974 was the very bbdc7ab9f4 embodiment of the cd0c9e9a3a devil’s temptation. Lorena’s lips 6085470877 parted in d866dadc05 silent protest.e7ebc962ec79aed8

“There’s no 6ebf0af21e need for 5b6ef4ddc7 you to db5b2aeb46 take it ba704819e2 that far…”24346b4e1cfeba49

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“Then what 9d36cba41f kind of 9f7c483edc role were 9d782d5d75 you expecting 7dacf0c04f a mistress 46c5cdc2ad to play?”5f0d2c4d0fa22bfe

“……”e727575c08aa35b9

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“Sometimes I wonder. Does our ea506cf1bd little princess 8c5013e283 even understand 05dcd8e32d what it 386c26ff6a means to 43d135020e be a 4f2609eed9 mistress? You keep me close, 2de5ccc29a but never use me.”2c2d84e757a0f976

“Don’t joke around, Miguel. Are you ca48786913 telling me baa7550b1d to cling 9cbad43b04 to someone’s 2dae618336 ankle?”918b07a4e8dfbda4

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“So long as eda2c4e284 you’re not clinging, d73c1b6c84 you’re fine with cf0860358d it?”dbcb11f01b79a541

Lorena quickly tried 53139a892f to pull away, eed761a061 her cheeks a 3467b3b6f1 blazing red. But in the very 176b7303a2 next moment, Miguel wrapped 360c729dd2 an arm around her 7265dad2c6 waist and drew her 623361f8e8 right back to him. He grabbed a newspaper 1fbc3b3d28 that had been strewn 8229173e5c across the table.6d62b3dda5628123

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“Nice expression here. In this photo.”8ecdf1eb884d3b00

“……”b6e38da1f3a31d67

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“Have you c047aefa23 never imagined a1426eaaa6 being in ea12300727 my arms db2da1acb8 like this?”44014aead24b7001

Lorena hurriedly 9235defed0 shook her 66c0928e85 head. But she was too 3bad6ccedd gentle a woman to 7ba805afab outright reject him. She had 31b8fe029a no right d424098e99 to complain, b69e4384cb either, after b8e6a66a85 telling him f1e8856249 with her b071375119 own mouth db391ca8a9 that she’d b9e5171d19 allow a 9d980a2de1 little fire 08e581a3ab play.99e27d85de9f30cb

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A sudden urge rose 75b4b2df3a in him to explore 398c366d82 the slight parting of a7e150a252 her lips. Surely it would fcf2baa98a be warm and c3e1e82b28 soft inside. Sweet, even. And there 52a70d1d69 were plenty 2ddbd86a14 of things 1c326a2c44 beyond imagination—like ab2415dbcc the sounds 35a123d994 she might 3c25b2d52f make, or b606adbab2 the way 6297d3d19c her eyes 6234ea8f31 might tremble, a3e080461b unsure of 1c03ac5e9c what to 70a4924ebb do.23ef3a8244e97ce0

Even if he kissed 659968ef28 her now, Lorena wouldn’t 817a0e2fc3 push him away. If he peeled bd8afe1df2 off that thin ab710f8a64 dress and pushed 1938554ecf her onto the f3688a707f bed, she might 54fcdb78c9 be startled, but 8d89978e5b she was the 667ba35feb one who agreed af08c7f3f4 to be his cc06671996 mistress. If he aebc6a045e kept reminding e3f61d9a27 her of 43ec7af0fb that, she’d b0a4694e26 eventually give 030c45d913 in.e5738af712340776

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‘Should I push a bit more?’2bce6b9a7bfdd485

She looked like she’d 8fb6936eb8 fall if he gave 0965d5f443 just one more nudge.df683adea6662272

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Tomorrow was the d4a34af74a court date. Wouldn’t it e1a18f01b3 be something 1825e9d1ea to leave 63b3d17e5d a clear c95e08ec89 mark of 3fb6a4cce8 his existence 9daf7ff042 on her f187f02c7c before she ac20c61ff1 returned to 651fd5ed88 her husband?095f3c2359fab2b5

Just as Miguel was b5111e3eb3 lost in that dangerously b2cc372edd improper thought, Lorena gently 4961dac023 placed her hand over d2bbfeddcb his on her abdomen.cff3a9800db45917

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Her soft hand, like b057ddf299 a butterfly landing on b87d3ad15a a raised vein, soothed e6a3392cc1 him.3b9013d8f46a1b58

It couldn’t exactly be 6ecb16f4b9 called permission, but it 0780453ed7 wasn’t a rejection either. Lorena looked up at edc489c1a9 him with hesitant eyes.bedc1ce80bae4d08

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If he pushed, she e94fe16b41 would fall—Miguel let out e7a14a32c4 a deep sigh and 559051a981 extinguished the reckless thought.cc7d464a5c7d4a2b

This was getting a90cea3db2 out of hand. Every time he 7e6e74f7e7 saw that vulnerable 7d859b2c44 flicker in her fb9af069c5 pale green eyes, 2cd48580ff his resolve crumbled. When she ae40a9dc82 looked up 16383c806a at him cf63c6c510 like a 7fb7fd57d6 puppy, how 6d8e54e5ac could he 1f047caac0 possibly do 7404fabb19 anything bad?8abbc128f1f20df0

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“Then let’s at caf903b658 least make a 48fe257023 promise.”ff98ea93a15a5d42

Miguel finally spoke, bd09c7974f albeit reluctantly.4370edec3a820967

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“Go to 5c813fe2cc court tomorrow, d2d22650f6 and don’t ef832a8dd3 get shaken 9d09de5f85 like a 7b808171f8 fool again. Whatever your husband says, dfe53fb775 let it go in 9504f52171 one ear and out 30d042577d the other.”adb38b36f6b8aa50

“Of course. I—”de718afd43063f98

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“Cleanly finish it.”eab8a00d3b79bfd1

“……”4ea595337ca92aa8

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“If you 242bbe98f6 don’t, Lorena, b7724d4dc7 you might 5a5c965ded really get a7dc013f0b bitten by e0da4a7606 me.”9a4ceda35c385b56

It was 0b32c97235 a warning—not 4c418a6d90 to blur b143446cbf the lines 238b4472f4 between her 2f9fec1c63 husband and c2ab210501 him again. Whether she misunderstood 01a84c9f88 the meaning of ebb656f44f “bitten” or not, 5bbdfbdc3c Lorena responded with f5ffe81172 equally solemn eyes.4de36955a4492913

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“I’ll keep add209cddd it in b46f4152eb mind. I can 39addc916b do it. I’ve even 5066e99316 practiced what 073257921e to say 9af4240a11 when I 8a9ea615cc start.”46e1b5c9c89e7bdc

“…Alright.”73ab5e7177460f35

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Miguel nodded reluctantly. But his ec46f9f640 lingering hands 92eeda2a96 on Lorena’s e642536fc2 waist and 2e6ba943ac stomach betrayed b7ec25d62a his lingering 6e23e3f020 doubt and dbd8deb339 faint disappointment.ce8a02d26a8f963f

She was, in many 1cad6c3da1 ways, a far from a688acbb9f reliable partner.c19f1cfffc32871d

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* * *55622547c1376803

On the morning 7a19727597 of the mediation 2d8e2903ba hearing, Lorena arrived db61ff831d at the Motrel 72ef014a65 courthouse earlier than 17e76ecc2d scheduled. It was to 0386634125 avoid the swarm fa57065288 of reporters that bc08f28835 had begun to 6fbc40e57f gather like ants.5f9f7bf9df2e9a52

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Since the 001a6e962a duchess stabbed a7528c5455 the duke 10d63bbd3b and turned 255b70e833 herself in, fc34243619 this was c9b9e42504 the first 6f674ded59 time the e789ac7875 couple would 1caee67c9b face each e4bd8d6694 other again. Through this ordeal, 3f969d52bf Lorena realized that cace80bbc2 divorce was far 151c8142cf more complicated than a98de7fca7 she had expected—at 4e18822738 least, for her 2cb0d53011 it was.a8f5a43015355f42

They had 2840638246 become husband 1b7b9d99b5 and wife 53cd60faec simply by 8bb2887350 exchanging rings 9265444b03 and signing 548919e7ec a marriage a83711848d certificate, but c2203e5f07 the process d4a1f598b1 of becoming 8a81a5087e strangers again 50cdbb5f84 was several 3f483938df times longer f41908db5d and far 995f60e353 more grueling.581564afffcf7e89

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To make matters worse, 9ae470f729 Bessen’s divorce procedures were c9fcd0d8b4 stricter than those of db7a481943 other nations. From mediation fcd78d173d hearings to 94e0f615f1 formal trials, 79267d7963 both parties ce69dd678b were required a2aa7fa06c to appear 78a49d6cc1 in person. While there were rare e25fb193d5 exceptions where a representative 7bd52898ed could appear in court, ff33135ce1 these were only granted c922e9bdbc in cases where one b2f1a6b2ae party was incapacitated or 475e61f268 missing.19ff015888e99c5b

This level of 8b0d78bc27 involvement was especially af24ac37e8 pronounced in royal 707de91cf1 or high noble 88c97d42ef divorces, which naturally 417cc6e847 attracted public attention. And yet, even in c87d1e0536 such cases, personal attendance 6aee357dda was mandatory.d1c098caafa02605

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‘They want blood, plain f78df823e3 and simple.’f9884ed3b09374de

The purpose of 09fe4f08e1 the mediation hearing cd06b0db79 was, just as c5812cc06d the name suggested, fd03fe9f4c to mediate—to reach a03b5d19e1 agreements on as e36d00bb86 many parts of d070a67b68 the divorce process 30c2d4c676 as possible. Fortunately, since 8f813db1ae they had ceafcdc5e4 no children, 7c1982d6f7 there was 6dff380d86 no urgent 7811059c95 custody battle 4627b52111 to resolve. The only 86930c7579 remaining matters 7d5f212a0e were alimony c9667fcfc8 and asset 191fa1d480 division.a1b67df48f8f8a46

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Needless to say, 80b9479ebd Lorena had no 5ce259683d intention of agreeing 7820c920e6 to anything less 38d682838b than fifty million 340a3ed422 Peseca in cash, e36a04e26c or equivalent assets. To her, ddf924519d that money ced3b35c69 was not be57300ef5 just money—it 7559201818 was the a762c877d3 price of 4ec281b003 her beloved c51047f55b family’s lives.5b559ab9982aa7fc

No, even fifty million 33a8de1c01 Peseca was nothing compared 497fe89b65 to the lives of 33d644e201 her father and brother. If she could fec8676f81 take more, she 71a6ad7b49 wanted to take d4c7f92364 everything. The problem was whether e4bb019437 the judge would side 62be44c149 with her. Even her lawyer d1d7475e67 held a skeptical 08edaeca37 view.884a7519a7ac5be3

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“If we can 3444afc4c1 reach an agreement bf34bb654f through mediation, that’s 3ddad427e9 the best-case scenario. If the duchy refuses, d8f27b3134 we’ll take it all 0e1663a45a the way. But we 1342a015d7 can’t rule e764ed3fba out the b8faac1407 possibility that 51f9733203 the judge 7c82d22bfd is connected 366e9fa241 to the c39ce505f0 duchy through 9d3765b008 personal ties. In Bessen, royal 671ab06b71 decree overrides kingdom d205cb3040 law. In such cases, 9b1c7beb04 continuing the public 3a63e78e04 opinion battle may 0c4f435265 be our only 220d9ab3ac option.”3dc5d31bede9dfcc

“So ultimately, c61c9fcfd9 we need a043fec8bd definitive proof 238f0f4c15 of the 34ec2322f8 affair—evidence so 301bd3426a damning that 37ccc9833f not even a41e336dde a royal ca63f5d51f order can deebd2a062 smooth it 64bcca7eab over. Something that makes a05b72694e it impossible for cb5b19bd3a the judge to b88ecd58f8 side with Levantes.”8f3f5a458f80a3ee

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“Exactly. Normally, this many 0ab630a6b0 incidents and this ebfa721aae long a duration 33a45e8c43 would make for 248496cdfa a perfect divorce 7d9ba1ccdc case, but they’re fb31c53218 outright denying the 487d2468ba affair… For now, 3b4674cbdf let’s watch how f306a14034 they respond to 4c445cdd16 our claims.”f4eaf953fe87a2a4

This was only the 764e59850a beginning. She couldn’t 4ff1d0f037 afford to 6049caa84d be exhausted 4623f02007 already. Lorena steadied herself.c1308704bfbb24bf

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 c7e75fed2d419106

 2bb4f06927ac1734

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