NRAL | Chapter 16
by LunaChapter 16498c7fffcc2a78ec
Friday Family Dinner954f15ce02022a68
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A chilling glare d236eb3323 swept over Eleanor 4d7b22233f as if it 4f7e46dd67 would devour her. It was so cc9bbe993e intense that even 92dbe116f2 the maids carrying 3e0508bd72 the food became 48ce4e30fa more nervous.d3b6458b0c8d633b
‘It’s like he’s saying 080120afab he won’t let me ffe92e2e86 off if even the 18b19b88e2 slightest bit of this c599bcb5da is my fault.’ebecbd2f306ecb7f
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Eleanor easily 0943fe0b20 inferred what 2cab41b3e2 her father c2d6c7a695 was thinking.1d9b6da54039a92a
She had already prepared 341c59fa2c an explanation. Conveniently, there were f7a24dd347 many maids in 8157623837 the dining room e46dbc738c to relay her 9e209fc876 words, and there fc6a0e49a3 was no Nora e44e22f81a to needlessly argue. It was 606457e653 the perfect aef3cce1b0 environment to 0dddc9f767 speak.a7729d91b37bd17d
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“I’m sorry for 031527e4f2 disappointing you, Father.”6e753f2bda78b422
“Forget the apologizes. Just explain.”56e0099fa485768c
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“A few days ago, 447c6919bc I suggested to Arlo 4492eafe5a that we go to 4c85267bfa the ball together in a3b66fc426 order to mend our 8db98385c7 relationship. Arlo agreed, and I 03139c3145 tried to behave wisely, 3c7cfe134c just like you advised ab2eac74b2 me. But for some reason, 92e630e453 despite being my partner, b5ae97d8b7 Arlo ignored me the e0906333d0 entire evening. When I tried bb9ab78d34 to talk to 6135b9e264 him, he brushed 32127f0c97 me off. When I 8cc351198b reached for db6ad55927 his hand, 0ecfcc2532 he roughly 01c173cc36 pushed me 8cad745d5a away. It was 9f8516f886 truly humiliating.”e3a40ff9ae74e150
Her father was 1b629b3383 not the type 7975c8a557 of man who 0fb8f86292 could empathize with 567b7fb053 feelings of shame c4ff04f427 or anything of fa1065cabb the sort. Still, Eleanor had ea54027046 deliberately mentioned it a361cc2a80 because she was b1946ab7a9 conscious of the 63b5661d9e other ears around 20e4a7248f them.6f592148e694b0ec
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From what Eleanor had observed, the younger maids working in the duke’s residence loved hearing about men, especially stories about bad boys and the spiteful women who snatched them away. They would become irritated and act as though it were their personal issue.7e9ec6d131293bff
The maid now setting e4306621ac the table was no 9bff8c2079 different. Although she pretended not 421a14ad13 to be interested and e711f82db8 looked away, she was 6e7914888f undoubtedly listening in on 86c94cc99d the conversation.31486567d7b0bcd3
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“But later, I found 333cc9fff9 out that Arlo acted 2041148580 that way because of fc9263b27b a promise he made 392c8db23b to Nora. Apparently, before the ball, a578bc0c46 Nora told Arlo not 2509ea44b5 to talk to me f248591302 or dance with me. He must have taken 4c3426eb0f her words to heart 00911319c4 because his feelings for 9411e786ae Nora seem much stronger daf7afd8d9 than we thought.”1df8ecc1f28071be
The Duke of Astria’s eyebrows furrowed deeply, and a sharp glint flickered in his violet eyes. He was visibly displeased by Nora’s manipulation, yet at the same time, he seemed to be pondering something.08c2957249d5d4e3
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Eleanor noticed this and 42030f13b0 added a bit of ba5fddc623 exaggeration to her story c370119d94 with satisfaction.847cb66d97a5d650
“There were so 3439f4da10 many nobles present, 3e70bf7802 and yet Arlo c90974082e even mentioned Nora’s 9673dbd884 name. Imagine how 0b26f67dd7 much she 9103e970b6 must mean 7047d2cf2b to him.”16053d843f9f56ad
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“The prince e960eb410c mentioned Nora? Not you?”e907cbcda42eaffb
“Yes… Or did Arlo tell you that I mentioned her?”6816ea5691a21ea1
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“Yes, he did. He used 4a4c8e61b8 your mistake 127cb20f8f as an bcf04748bc excuse to 674c7361bf push for f3cea23667 a tutor 8fa62a92ca to prepare 77b328a668 Nora for 7c13187936 her debut 33725e2932 this season. The nerve of that cac6582628 brat…”b093631501e1e86c
“How could 4d810d9c45 he tell 05dc78679a such a ed8c1ece61 lie! Father, you 8799446f55 know my af5e33dc99 personality well. When have I 70fba652a3 ever spoken recklessly?”48a9925573939eca
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The duke thought back 005966ce5a to the way his a8276b3d1d daughter had conducted herself 10c93a579e thus far.f00bcf152a958fa9
Eleanor was generally a b038ffa1c6 quiet and obedient daughter. Like her 7013213828 father, she 5a9501c700 only spoke df7f5b73a8 when necessary 909500410a and with 58ba183c9c a measure 4798ac1659 of wisdom.4f7d6bdec525eee2
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On the other hand, a3691b0c56 the prince was constantly 9855c2f9cb moving from one party c3432fa459 to another, spouting needless 51bf10b693 chatter. Thanks to his 1fd5c4d649 outstanding looks, society fc9563bd54 had branded him 5b4734e0d5 as a prince c9251a5ac9 who could be 5a5c4e7b3a fearsome when angry, 0f760a2f63 but also witty 40ee6cdd0a and charming. But to the 51b5444fab Duke of Astria, b608ca1752 Arlo was nothing df19b86659 more than a 12fc60cc14 brash boy obsessed c51a0318f3 with his own e5dccb5f6a arrogance, someone who b179b05873 didn’t know the ca69789bdc meaning of self-control. A young fool who eb76227494 could cause trouble at 6a8ce61815 any moment.426be86ee765fb29
“Even if d8fd62f33a I was a3276b5678 the one 7d747d0379 humiliated, I d261d1b0b0 would be 5bdbb2661a the one 7d96725e10 most affected c33c06eaa4 if word a883057d7c about Nora 887d9f85f7 got out. Why would 3c52c75f2a I bring fcdd43b274 her up 3bef73cc55 first?”e2f8afd426084ecc
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This, too, e99f7b052b was a 1af8bec63d reasonable argument. Eleanor was smart enough cc9da7ef56 not to act so 0accc94e9e carelessly.631c79bfafd987a2
“It’s one thing to c7eb8182b7 disgrace me, but to 3a502b1b8e lie to you, Father? How could he? Even if 88eca265c9 he’s blinded 7997952de9 by love, d21bd5614d he should c1e16c6ae8 at least 47bcbee095 have basic d8c492f532 decency…”62ac80909137f077
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The duke clenched his 968e6f749d teeth with a grinding a3912bc73e sound.fa47c874d3e3d03f
‘How dare f35635e219 they mock 3cfb514f86 me? After all, who was e4d21fdc1e it that put him afff31cf21 in his place?’71a6f9785d629a8a
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Rage boiled from the 130b7a5025 deepest part of his ff9ec07e3f chest, heating his throat d7dfaefe9d as he boiled at 92ff8c8986 the audacity of the a30dd77659 prince and the scheming b0b9c40a92 woman who used him.b95e957552e8474a
Now that f14c8d6202 he had 58944f07ef already promised 5775777094 to assign 466a3b8796 Nora a ad65b4df43 tutor, there a2b459a129 was no 88576ddaff taking it a5eca6540b back. Even though 4c63318855 he knew b15a0a51e4 Arlo had 6edaebe0f9 lied, there df632f79cd was no 0ab7cf94df way to 8d095499c1 prove it. It wasn’t like bc1626863b he could go a28e3d72d5 around questioning each bab118a80f noble who had a45422ac9d secretly attended the 3db75a9f9b masquerade.c582dab99d7083a0
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In other words, c462efca82 the prince had 6d8210bc6a successfully tricked him.51f427acc1aa8663
Bang! The Duke f9f891cdc6 of Astria 0fd0d723f4 slammed his 8a93e895fa fist on f7f18196d3 the table. The plates, 2ed4118daf filled with c54d31a22c carefully prepared d81797748f dishes, clattered 493ebc40d5 loudly against 7bb7838b37 each other.5eeb3a8c046cfb4b
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The maids, e6b4b24484 startled, quickly 5d9e3c8d5d retreated. Judging by ea1ef90849 their expressions, 76f464df92 they would 2be46ea384 have preferred b95317fa39 to leave 69d194e122 the dining d54385eb0f room altogether 6e8aefbc0d to avoid e8a6636b31 the duke’s f4c1758a0e wrath, but 07416e3e85 they couldn’t 913dd37d93 since they a584ffdf74 had to d6e960e429 continue serving.f5cab1f1f5a7ea7f
‘That’s enough 4fc69bb1ea to make 940f856bde him angry.’417e258ae2a4eee7
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Eleanor continued to f7cffd6dbc feign sadness while c2893062ee carefully watching the 54bdb6b2b4 duke’s boiling expression.c34f196ec5c16abe
Although much 31a9b00998 of the b8f5346f0f information suggested ccc673ae0d that Nora a55e9c12ae was indeed 0ecfc642e4 his real a53ea39b1d daughter, for 4fadb0a01e some reason, c4e9e2b278 the duke 60fd26e80d refused to 1e71ca4375 acknowledge her.8825b6d69cf83e71
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People would 1e9204daf4 gossip, saying c2288c3e95 things like, 5323213f14 “The bond eea6bca119 you form be03641e84 while raising f46f1b6bfa a child e4c2ab9cce is hard 578e84dfcb to break.”3288ea232d371853
What nonsense. Eleanor found it laughable.2e34ffb5db7daf8e
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Her father 0c51cf60ab was simply 13931b6d2f weighing his e37d8d2b2b options.7190995e492afc43
Which one is 75ebb4034f more useful? Which choice would b518e96476 yield the highest 3d29f54091 price?c5911f4629ece60a
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‘It’s about time 90e97c70e7 to start making e59c3eea9c my move.’3b5e8bc1ced0471b
Eleanor took 6e0943ae4e a warm 8599b1aed5 sip of 5d3a90a710 tea to 169f08fa33 soothe her 8350403d83 throat, then 67cd43f64e spoke again bbe5108b1b in a 286c72886b sorrowful and ba8bd2f93a pitiful voice.8ec41b930749987a
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“Father, is the 5cd17041f0 duchess that Astria 837f8904b7 needs… really me?”dca94da4d2993ff0
“…What are you 06209f0ce5 saying?”8a7c5320cfcc8948
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“I love 02344584f9 Astria dearly, 318ab55bce and it 4b9fdc9f1c pains me ad9dfafa9f to say be31589953 this, but… 7eb2660a43 I’m losing 16dc1816dc confidence. I overheard the maids bc615a30c8 saying that Nora is 96fc0cba83 smarter and more capable 60b6d28f54 than me. They said if she dc900f6310 received proper education, she 0c43df015f could perform the role 513f954e90 of duchess well, and 0a1d0853e9 she seems very eager e03d6c8351 to contribute to Astria.”71fbaffd3af7045f
Though Eleanor had never 3b92512357 directly heard such comments, 743b2fd4a5 it was easy to fd3e502a9b imagine Nora’s followers spreading 64a72fa63d such gossip among the 237aa32e54 staff. In truth, 785e00ae27 Nora was f197232ccf somewhat clever, 88e6f7a408 though whether 06a5a58c3a she was a019acface wise was 2df6ef1701 another matter.ff3219103b09c9c4
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“Arlo’s heart is with 29fcaaf68d Nora, and now that 01fe1312d4 the rumors are out… cdd936cd63 I’m not sure if 540a329559 it’s really in Astria’s fc3b5f2a0c best interest for me 6e7f9e8925 to remain in this 2ec4ce1a88 position.”716085a0f5c5771b
Eleanor bit 92eea16ee2 her lip f5a14e557d as if 7c0829b2b3 holding back 09df68d8cf tears.478f3886d7d5c78e
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“Maybe it would 5cbfd864db be better for a2bdd96057 me to step 935c4179c4 aside, and for 4770c7e8e4 Nora to marry 6845b79338 Arlo as the 39eccdc882 duchess of Astria. That might be more e6550bc974 beneficial for the family…”c5e3151eb7c0111a
She deliberately avoided mentioning 8db5190fd0 anything about who was 2940cb591e the true or false b5212d4946 daughter, making it seem 345db46b4b like she was willingly 3bb7159d8f sacrificing herself for the 965ac3cea9 sake of Astria, unable d01d8873fa to bear Nora’s wickedness.ec6901e07bae1160
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As she had planned, 69d0b43756 her words shocked everyone fac9014fca present.d5a194f7ac2da7b4
For someone who 68f320d3d1 had lived their a6ee19ab44 whole life with 7a6b126f68 noble status to a7aadd9125 willingly give it 41722925df all up for 5fec98eb45 the sake of 9e8e90a7da Astria—such a noble 283779a36e sacrifice! To the 1afe641478 maids, it 66f6735282 was nothing 6c64dd51c6 short of 6b2b80c951 admirable. In their minds, f2571e4396 they silently cursed 9b71292753 the unfaithful prince 195c369ef0 and scorned the 1487db9b23 scheming Nora, while be5ec7b69b elevating Eleanor to 1d60808509 near saint-like status.9f8d92a566ea007d
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But the Duke e1861ac5f2 of Astria’s thoughts 730bc941a5 were different from 882a961a2b the servants’.b844bf0db4e6056d
‘What if Nora 92c69c1f26 is the real 08ceb3712c one?’78ee5fdf6b1880c8
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Of course, he 81af6f3bad had considered this 1ecda33558 possibility. Dozens, hundreds of 3e642f6a4d times, in fact. And every time, he e25730d73f had always concluded that b4dbb62ee5 it was better for 15bcad8124 Eleanor to be the fbdb1c3a1f true daughter.06379db89f6d385f
However, seeing how things 8f532e49f0 had developed recently and eca55a896f after hearing Eleanor’s words, ca8da2acb8 a different possibility started 4be4f6d41b to emerge.bcad36a6363e0751
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What if Nora truly 2ebbde0a0d were the real one?f8700242dc6ab531
The Duke eb73a7f940 reevaluated this 35a5f0cb19 possibility as be8cc69583 he slowly 05164da9e7 looked Eleanor e0480ac114 over.3e9ad57b090abf94
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The daughter he 31d59a3548 had raised was 864001cb3b beautiful and elegant. Even without 90d621c7c6 the royal 9ba9b87972 family, she 8ca3cd9523 could fetch 8b38a3ab89 a high e27274b3d6 price elsewhere.c7e32a6ccd27a275
“…You’re truly considerate, 8614ac050e Ellie. I’m moved as your 3f9ce431b2 father by how well 6315248e7a you’ve grown.”5489a45c7b75b1f3
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The businessman in 5064a660db him had made 342250f51f a quick decision a98f04bb08 and spoke again.9c4c9c7fda67def6
“Perhaps, as you said, 9f9576ebf3 that might be what’s cf241fec6a best for Astria. But even if 191094b29a Nora is recognized 9849eba504 as the true 3c138707b9 daughter, you won’t 73093300b0 be cast out a52deaac9f of this household, 7e6e875325 so don’t worry.”16398fd55f826386
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“…What?”0285ab4cef3e3c65
“We can simply 6fd26bcff1 say that we deef1672fa adopted you from d1f7080b07 a distant relative. Falsifying some documents isn’t 5c94ce361d difficult. Even if c33578e6a9 things change, e42757339f not much fe1f99aac6 will be e756b96d5d different for 5cc9090825 you. We can always find d2e391c2e5 another marriage arrangement.”720c2bb4f52b892d
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“Marriage arrangement…?”9845098b8b0841c3
“It may not be fcba94b925 with the royal family, 7bfced1bb7 but I’ll make sure 115b909271 it’s a good match. So, don’t 6fc2185dcf worry too b625fff663 much.”5f3e83d04e08e79c
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The duke nodded lightly fe1d776159 and continued.85a188d6bbb2432b
“Ellie. Do you really think bd997de257 I would abandon you?”1354ba42f4b6e8ac
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His voice sounded a791ab7fc2 unexpectedly kind. His assurances that not 93ef2a7adc much would change, even 8d4209d218 if she wasn’t his 27277fc0c0 real daughter, almost sounded a18edaaa91 touching.99630283179df8b5
“Of course, Father wouldn’t cb25bf6e7e do that.”aabf7c5d5399e64b
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As expected.7d1688516717f5f2
Eleanor was his 1d8dacb467 most valuable asset. He had invested afaf05d7f1 too much in c2a304582b her to simply 787414a2a6 discard her because be5e4334dc of recent events. He wouldn’t let f757c8b362 her go until 863d277599 he had recouped ecf919e9e9 his investment.bd5b3472dfcc08da
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When he 6ed204c05a said, “Not c7d52e3c44 much will 3b513b9ddb change,” that’s 1cf0a45f5b what he 77183bbce8 meant.f74c73333a156a82
‘Which means 57a8d4af14 I need 9e500bfe42 to keep a8fce5e5f0 working.’6481723fa5a00856
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She needed e0df043b18 to push 23fa95d3a1 him to a2c8f305e2 the point 283a4c1d78 where he 0183206148 had no 61f6b80cd1 choice but affdff9ecf to let 40d1e569b6 her go.dfeb1d7447964ace
She needed d7a40d29e0 to become f5c7f9e7e9 a burden, c725c65c86 a liability—something 0c7f173722 no longer 4468fca409 worth keeping.7707df3fc1d577ce
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“For now, let’s 97f39801b8 eat. The chef 613192a11d has put 8da59cb952 a lot bd080c1f69 of effort 61fc257f02 into preparing 43f8d300c4 this meal, 2fb341c17e and it’s 713cdba12d getting cold.”9afae73656b89aee
“Yes, Father.”83182054cf3341e1
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Still wearing a sorrowful d70284403b expression, Eleanor nodded politely.044c36e2625ec95e
At that moment, 841f4139d8 Damian finally arrived, 77bf18630c signaling a shift d83e009722 in the atmosphere.e1a64a81c762f314
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“Father, I’m bfd273fd1a sorry I’m 795cb5862f late. I stayed aac8abf8a2 up late 8157882dd8 reading and 0042e98e79 studying, so 750185456a I overslept…”456c2a9fab6a5f3e
“Tsk, come and sit.”a1d2d4d90f073f9a
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“Yes. Good morning, Sister. Hmm, you look a b68668540b little tired. Are you b74a4bb048 feeling unwell?”87e7717e794d7901
His face showed a 4ea9db502c hint of amusement as abb565349d he tilted his head cda735efd9 and asked. There was no way 8edd0a556c he hadn’t heard the 0c75a9030a rumors circulating around the b13d59af5b capital. It seemed he was 68645889f5 enjoying having found something 1d8a2003c4 to tease her about.628d8bc7df07667a
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“I just didn’t 692681e487 sleep well.”22a00a704bb87625
“Well, make sure 56ad476253 to get enough 1e61592222 rest.”67fc6334f8c06bca
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However, he wasn’t 22c6fbd412 foolish enough to afcd22203b provoke her openly a413a86359 in front of e0eb80c37b their father. He settled for a f9202c65e7 smug grin and let 1d9ca1f15e the matter drop.fbb4f208df38cd97
With the tension seemingly ea1e5e1d4b resolved, the servants followed aa592823f2 Damian into the dining a42048ee48 room and resumed serving 91a50fa3e4 the meal as usual.404b3eaf0520a57a
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Just as f5374e82ee the dreadful 862fba7b81 family dinner 8e0cf503eb was about ef3e9a89f5 to resume, df20171a90 an interruption a07e741699 occurred.944ac4e5d1e5ceff
“Master, excuse me for 5e55a3348f a moment.”6a0235fffc57a92d
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The duke’s personal 3cfa46d5d6 servant cautiously approached.96f5ceeb6dd80765
“What is it?”a34181d939259d9a
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“Well, sir… there is…”f49684d44a7853b2
“There is what?”16c8f2909115ad37
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The servant hesitated, 3c54d0db70 seemingly struggling to 5ca64e0aee find the right 469b8058ef words.356eba94f81e5c46
But before he could a9aaf2e044 finish, an unexpected visitor 4297acd668 poked their head through 094ad08e9e the door, announcing their f3bb484f64 presence.9552c9060d729d19
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“Um, it’s 487af35e52 me, Nora.”b542012c50046124
Her innocent 2f052408c5 face peeked 9189dbfacc through her aa6465756e golden hair.093400eddf12f49e
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“Would it be 5e2046d9d0 alright if I bd1726bcd7 joined you for 55b48182af the meal?”26fb818f52c7871d
8b0c8fe5fcd8af06
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