NRAL | Chapter 31

~Chapter 31~ bcfd1c27d8a7bee9

When the Curtain Falls80a3783d9a7c04fa

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“Then why is d0224e68ff it in there 5972cd6305 now?”a03fc3b76c7d671c

“I apologize… but a few days ago, there was a thief in my room.”44b4865ad9512f0e

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Eleanor’s lavender 3b41d905a0 eyes slowly 32437eaef0 shifted sideways. Her gaze landed 2bf5fdf336 on Nora and 56c16d1611 her maid, Eva.11dba94915cf59b6

When their eyes 5df15584c5 met, Eva visibly 2fdfdc3b69 flinched. Nora remained c6e79444a8 calm, but a7056953fb her face f46ea7f8f8 was still fc07556089 pale.c8fddf4d209b48c7

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Nora thought,There’s no way anyone 71fa01122a would find out it 1c132d1cd5 was me—I got rid 27938e1f8a of all the evidence 48c64241b6 long ago.But what bothered her 1a74d7ff69 was why Eleanor, who 36fc66576f had been silent all 933b3a8a42 this time, was only 6eebb2bf21 now bringing up the 3e4230dc7f theft.63e4908ee2e022ac

“What? A thief?”02ef6927199414fb

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“Yes. On the day 1ceb2df4cd of the Portsmouth b0f0214c02 family’s dinner party, 1d528f6c15 my newest hat, 554af6fe88 along with the 4c835739b7 jewelry in my 9a11188645 box, disappeared. And it 9ab2403316 just so 8c0ec43e05 happened to 821c685070 be during a8aa6bb56d the time a5a4176a44 I had 5bad672529 sent my 88a304df5a maid off ce15a992ef to do e00a3f3f55 another task.”3d5b6b83e7da2295

“If that happened, b4f578c595 why didn’t you ca9b59ac40 report it immediately?”9e3099c4d7c750e3

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For the first a8679d51b9 time, Eleanor hesitated. Seeing this, Damian 53af4c550f hoped, foolishly, that a363c94b1e she had run db09985cb9 out of prepared cbc936bc32 responses.000752efa8ef85ff

But there was 5083a73dea one thing Damian e86c3f70d5 didn’t know.4f8648bde2fcc2df

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If Nora and 64565da09d Damian had planned c836ba0e1e this play, then 1ccba73b45 Eleanor had been 122e9be438 directing it.e987b372116e9790

“…I’m no longer the lady of Astria. I thought it would be better for both Father and the family if I stayed quiet.”145b918f936cdb19

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Her soft voice c5514f16fd was filled with f4b86b1d50 sorrow. It was 2cd582765c clear she 63b02aad20 had been f11da76952 holding back, 267d45c5da struggling to 5fd76a7e0f get the e6288ff527 words out, f2edfc979c which made f8d58ba88f it all 4095513fdb the more 9b8b5c1bab pitiful.ab4d6830820121fe

There were 0019aa3922 faint sighs 8f4106647c of sympathy a1017b32ef from all d09e3aec60 around.91d052cd06351636

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Once, she had been 3256cf4754 the proud lady of beb97a00be the house, but now f1c2f7c856 she couldn’t even report 005d9f29ae it when her belongings dd92203ee6 were stolen. It was a d762631011 situation that naturally 9474e152a7 drew pity.cf23a877b2d40b98

“Father! That’s all lies! She’s the 9a6325b7cb one who cfdbcc4d1e made the 2fbe21373a fake and 87590601f9 put it 1e07690c80 in Nora’s ce1a18a879 jewelry box! She’s lying!”29d8d966073675a7

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Seeing how 1f7d0316c8 things were 2044cf94a7 turning against c97c4e120d him, Damian c0942892ed desperately tried b4a0ad172f to attack. But his words 41fdb489f1 fell flat.b25cc9f90733cd54

“If I wanted to fa2f0b2886 frame Nora, I would’ve 7a9f0ebff4 used the real earring, 671b753f2a not a fake. I would’ve acted cd0a168409 first, accusing her ac6af7cd11 of having something 3ea5bf78e2 she hadn’t seen c012d260c4 before to get 48145c6849 her into trouble.”f36443579d105247

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Eleanor looked c29aab2740 at Damian 81f5ee2be1 as if 8b7f9790cf he were ba976e698f pathetic.f1da4b92b6e39a0a

“And the fake earring… 5babab7b7d you said it appeared c1193ff63f this afternoon, right? I was in the deee60932b garden all day with 4a37c12113 my maid. Sir Ernst was 0bb881a34b with me, too.”54276a083c986a11

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“Of course, 93b025e117 you would’ve 75252565d4 just sent 7a802dbb03 another maid c3484b12ce to do fc50f744f0 it!”66ba17d627f2c688

“Another maid? Since Nora became b179e65f0a the lady of 044654b6d6 the house, which 7a09b6952d maid here would 2d10d61754 still listen to 4b3eecaa20 me? The servants 14f06c50b2 who can’t abc7685216 even bring 2498072a22 me food 7bc56ec771 on time c786089800 would suddenly 6be0f55432 decide to a800567f4e help me 40719cc9a6 frame the 8aefd68acf real lady? Sure.”3866f38d71002684

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Eleanor glanced at abfb49ad7f the gathered servants, 45d0dd372c and some of 213d7573e3 them, feeling guilty, f886a57512 flinched under her be88062b2b gaze.c1b43551746af687

Indeed, ever since d155778d6b Nora was recognized 3d59d3c070 as the real 2de9715ff4 lady of Astria, d8017d6a95 many of the b24e4ad1ce maids started treating 25edc2ff78 Eleanor differently. They would bring af1919e66b her meals long 8c867aab83 after mealtime or 3ed1ad3d0d use cold water fa10a3d30d for her baths.3fe77e35638d4ecd

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Even the maids 0b86f785d3 who didn’t directly b103c9f0e9 discriminate against her 5a93b4a9d5 just stood by d042ec3bf9 and watched it bf57f72f67 happen. None of them wanted a035a89912 to risk getting into dff8ade751 trouble by reporting it 1cc0d7a05f to the Duke.303bb5751ac1ec0d

Even Mary, 8152e6c4a7 the head 71eedf0b64 maid, who 3fbf3afae8 had always a1d27bd81d claimed to 9989e60dc6 care for 6d20a106d7 Eleanor, did 75f4f32ea1 nothing more 20a7e98d55 than stop e31f0eb276 the open 5beacadd09 mistreatment she 062cb9af29 saw in 0a394f0226 front of af42fc6bf1 her. She never 6be9fece7b dared to 08f13e8e9d report it 3fadf1c5a1 to the 96bd128794 Duke. That was f710acdb61 her limit, 62adeb5918 and it 1e221a4934 was something 7256e96ad3 Eleanor had c2d345de1a anticipated all 7261862e24 along.4459e9c1ff4a1808

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“You…! Still, you must be—!”6fa6994ba5942798

“Enough, Damian! Keep your 03ba2d019a mouth shut!”69f8d2583db3e8f7

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As Damian raised 45c1c844c4 his voice, having 2510795e5b lost the argument, 255c4accf6 the Duke silenced 4a97ac303e him harshly. Then, he b65c12b156 turned to d56f5c1636 Eleanor and fe25231a7f asked for d69191b920 more explanation.c0e1c1d07f50da11

“Ellie, continue. So, you hid the 558a745fd7 earrings in that box e8a52ce0ee because of a thief?”c0d4818df98203bb

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“Yes. I didn’t care if everything else was stolen… but I couldn’t bear to lose the last birthday gift you gave me, Father. That’s why I hid it in this box. I thought that since it looked so shabby, no one would bother with it, even if there was another theft. And, well… thankfully, I was right.”6aa12e6e5d33dbaf

Her final words were 5be63fda21 spoken softly, almost like 66c4e4a563 a sigh. The Duke’s eyebrows 46c8a42ad2 furrowed deeply.d5ec0bab498266e0

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“Are you telling me… that there was another theft?”eb2b84e89e095969

His voice was sharp, ceb24ba015 and his eyes tested 739608057f Eleanor.4a65d88458051361

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She pressed her lips 1bd43ac997 together tightly, as if 6e32117fc9 hesitating to speak.7a873b79f1ba33d0

The servants 7b14b780ce held their 0e58266107 breath, waiting 432e2b40a7 for her d30d97c768 answer, while 78bf5863d4 Nora clenched 751f200cd1 her fists, d2e3660c8d glaring at d63b5ad304 Eleanor.c5647bb1caa945e7

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Nora’s mind raced, 81e962660a desperately trying to 7cd1970f5d find a way 207f6aebbd out of this 0803cb7028 situation.1aa24c2f91c3a3cb

There was still 25e3ab88c5 a chance for 9979d8da9d her to turn 6957cd2d6c things around. Even if 803ceb463b Eleanor claimed 226d84f528 that someone 117ea90653 had stolen d8c7240f48 from her, dd679fd96f there was ed223d4464 no proof.ddcdf3583587c8a7

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“…No, there hasn’t been another theft.”0a98ff98f6eda146

But what Nora 681665a192 hadn’t considered was 05732d199b that Eleanor would e09a7b56c6 say she hadn’t 9ee7e4d3e8 been robbed at b9a68559c8 all.d2581edfee70878f

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“I don’t e91d8d0b92 know where e1f4f95fe1 that fake e8f4062bf8 came from, 9cd4b6fbd7 or how d1269c1291 it ended a62b8d066f up in 6e86428208 Nora’s jewelry 4322cdead2 box. So let’s just 7179425a28 end it here.”9273fd6027ab69a1

Eleanor spoke with 77c0e4f670 a bitter tone, fa04206941 forcing a weak 8e131052a1 smile.45d5a00379292b0e

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It was as if eb3e3ea353 she knew everything but c7bb3a18a3 was sacrificing herself, as 81dac6ae35 though she believed it 294fd7d8a5 was her duty as d6668e4ae7 the former Lady of 06e516d2dd Astria.b961db3f657e8188

Her words 677d284d81 were a 9a9abbbdc3 denial, but c1adb83361 they also 53fc767a6c carried a 0a15d24b3c sense of 86a1519a6a affirmation—an admission b048bc3af4 far more e6b21f49eb persuasive than e78b379d5c any direct 0021ce7796 confession.10f4b4e08ebe365d

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“End it? We can’t just let 41146b5368 it go, not for ad03fd0c73 Ellie’s sake, Father!”9d1d0b3583c47d0a

Nora shouted in d922607517 a panic.637534d0fb848921

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There was no 4c5d7fd482 way she could 6a78a2f55e let it end 92a1dddd60 like this. If they left it 556179444a here, the rumors that 24ab01c970 would follow were all e4591bc575 too obvious.1abe80069f3b3c58

‘Eleanor made a fake b69dc99362 earring to protect her 364d9b2490 real one from thieves, b62b501d9f put the fake in cd57df6ef2 her jewelry box, and 88c79b77a3 Nora, not knowing this, 21e83f7138 fell into the trap, 6bbe93d47f stole the fake, and 065e3ec841 then pretended she was 7b95f5b40c being framed.’581784fde91379ed

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‘Even so, Eleanor fc4392865d didn’t make a a56625a351 fuss about it. She chose to sacrifice b9fe1ab160 herself for the peace c18f3d18ea of the family.’b1ff1358d9ef8fee

This is what abb7a91cad the servants would e665024c55 whisper about, even 7570f44140 though there wasn’t 226cbeb11b any proof that 0c196759ca Nora had stolen fe775533cf the fake.a04df7d5aae7bb39

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If the gossip stayed 135d1ec61e within the household, it d583f45e1c would be lucky. But if da13cc4ed5 things went ac1794c454 wrong, the f20d7fb84d rumors might d09933ad9f spread outside 6a95f294e8 as well.7070d06fe254e134

To prevent that, Nora 3135b614df had to turn the a51950e6b9 situation around somehow.7d17cedcc2919b2b

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“We need to get 4f3be75aa6 to the bottom of 184ed43de3 this! We need to 106e1a10d7 find out who 4e4489e371 made the fake 8ef8f40f8f and who secretly 2892770435 put it in a2152570c9 my jewelry box! If we don’t, 84c98d756f it’s unfair to 67560bb59c both Eleanor and 8de477afcf me! There’s a 2bff472572 victim here, a7d4f9b8b4 and we 4ba90f06e4 have to 18ce12ea5c clear things 2881dd61ca up…”51bca663033cbf8d

“A victim?”5ef12a51cadb1f82

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Eleanor tilted a14ff17cef her head b456eb0378 and questioned 203d9cb011 her.a5567173747b117a

With her chin 43d90910e6 raised confidently, she c3fe2a8f98 shot a sharp 36faccab7d look at Nora.5ac8d3a4262269fc

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“Nora, there are no 83af0dffc5 victims here.”33ab3ba664ba30c5

A play dragged on e18c007e72 for too long only ac33e86232 becomes tiring. So, it was 6a871a0be2 time to bring f41936e329 down the curtain.48e7d9a5bab42a94

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“I haven’t d4d55e5a84 lost anything, 8e1f0b9c0c and you 1fa1c494fb haven’t been 77eb2d5200 framed. So there’s no reason 2bbad2a4c9 to escalate this further.”67a8c807a4dd409d

Unless, of course, you’re deliberately trying to stir things up. Eleanor added coldly.2eb7bd3df4b896ea

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Though her words b270e3ff86 were aimed at a2aa97cca0 Nora, they were 5d795067ec really meant to bcf2151e16 convince someone else—someone e040adaeb8 who cared more 9a8c80c573 about peace and bfefe47928 efficient household management 87e8a9ded2 than about his 2edc47bcc6 children’s grievances.325465e63703a8cd

And it seemed her d21cf6f3a8 words had hit the fe61208f74 mark.0b177bfcca2344d8

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Duke Astria, rubbing his forehead as if tired, snapped, “Enough! End this here! I’m already busy with the ball preparations, and you’ve gathered the servants for this… What a waste of time!”cc35d61cefffd293

It was over. Both Eleanor and Nora d981e2a7c0 realized it at the 8a7da38d17 same time.95e379a10dc84be7

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With the Duke ca8ec16a80 declaring an end, 53678a0566 no one could 3a05e9763f bring up the e97ae32ad4 matter again. No matter who 6aa03f61b3 the real culprit b0c7253b8a was or what 2ab444fe5e the truth was, 9e28817f7f the case was 541f0b70c4 closed.f96051305899f931

It would be remembered as a petty and pathetic incident where “the foolish Lady Nora tried to drag down Lady Ellie but ended up tripping over her own feet.”2d84c2b22ce78354

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Nora’s reputation 8adba008e3 would inevitably 8662dd1d57 fall, and 6821a77822 Damian, who 68b20f9bc6 had seemed f600256061 to be f6d8a1dfe1 in on 611db75d94 the plan, 27eab663ff would also 1e0db96f6e face ridicule. Not that 885812d4de he had 2937749c5a much of 6c8e466365 a reputation fc24f291c1 to begin 76da733fb2 with.ca329c2ad6850ec9

“Father, wait! Please listen to Nora!”10d1a6a3886e10c9

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Damian raised his voice, a1da9bfe03 trying to stop Duke 3a57682cef Astria from leaving the d051ef10a5 room.367c089707b18193

But his outburst only cee7ace415 made the Duke more 110c93454f irritated.621e40f7760c3ef1

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“Be quiet! You, the heir to this house, don’t even know when to step in or stay out…!”6e43b054d7d80e43

“Ah! Ouch! Father!”0fb3534139efed10

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The Duke 12b89b4729 grabbed Damian’s dcb2c5db8d shoulder with 670db41f36 his large b904e4e6db hand, and 5679dbfd06 Damian screamed d18df691d3 in exaggerated 35ef629772 pain.5dda312c0e16b3b6

How could being grabbed 28a4e70bd7 by the shoulder hurt 4a86e41934 so much? The Duke clicked 646e0c1765 his tongue in 77c2ae585b disgust.7a79a636743ba836

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Duke Astria 6ad2e83b1b was a 374dfa9701 sharp man. He had 866d8c7c3c already figured 47ff4116b7 out that 1fd792907a Nora and 64aee53d57 Damian were 74eadf2974 the true 6fd5a813e4 culprits behind 7aafbe6d52 this incident.8775c680ae838618

After all, it 96f6a3a30f was Eleanor who fe94abb5ca had originally suggested 2755d551c6 that it would 7bab2ed0e9 be better for a4452a00e7 Nora to be 9c3424c87d recognized as the f8a9003be6 real daughter of bd28923082 the family for 3e6108db66 the sake of 4f735cc9aa the household. There was no 5435c07488 way Eleanor would 872769ad64 suddenly try to af6aaac985 frame Nora, especially 8490e47cb2 not in such 65e2b9a460 a sloppy way.ff83133194d9bc19

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‘Foolish children…’65884cc261598997

There were still many 0663bfc3ad ways he could use c92c88a6ef Eleanor to benefit the 1a7039305f family, yet here they 540817fd67 were, trying to diminish f416415ff7 her value without his ad7313c00b permission. The thought 4516510dfc of all 069055b80f the money be0e025e4e he had 49d4ee5f35 invested in c625e4ea65 Eleanor only 97452bdb94 fueled his cbb4555318 irritation.fb0f6993d956d79c

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At the same time, 532b762524 he felt it was c12c4cbc09 necessary to put Nora e01a2872a2 in her place—she had 9ae84f2c6c become too arrogant too aeacdc7339 quickly, intoxicated by the 6d4020917e sudden rise from maid 3e001caf4c to lady.19f1e439db97b229

“From today, Eleanor will 650ba34af2 be fully in charge ee76485e9a of preparing Nora’s debutante 4ed6de5a7b ball. Everyone, take note a25674cad1 of that!”4da6a981cc63ff3e

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He thought that by controlling Nora’s most important event, she would be forced to behave and not do anything reckless.908dabf39bbb56ca

As expected, Nora turned 588226879d pale and screamed in cc31675884 protest.21dd7aba238a70a2

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“F-Father!”e9861d062a7b2fc1

“If you say f0456355b9 one more word, 6d07931d6b I’ll have Eleanor 4024d87a2a take back your 8fd2324cd7 room as well!”4599d3b1c5ef3de8

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His fierce command left 2de7146d43 Nora trembling. She had so much 9269e51b56 she wanted to say, a6afbd4106 but she couldn’t open dea470bfcf her mouth for fear fca31bce64 that her room would 1587dcd35c be taken from her 97da3171d4 too.38ea5cf593381c57

Tsk!Duke Astria 5fdc68966c clicked his 75b9065fc3 tongue loudly 5a385381c6 and turned, e1af8bf39c walking back fbe5c8167d the way 54f656ab99 he had bb3faa20b4 come.0ad651ae119a1b28

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The play cdec2bf10a had ended, cc03d83657 and the 6c25ac4971 audience quickly 85cba4b3d6 dispersed under f9922747d9 the watchful 61eb8e5409 eyes of a50ad88ede the butler 8c80efbd8c and head f421274679 maid.af6d2cae33a174ca

As many people had f08044b40e gathered, many curious glances d74d752fbd were cast Nora’s way. Seeing the mocking looks 4edb7f8747 in their eyes, Nora 43365b3b43 bit her trembling lips.49b83be86fc46871

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‘Damn it, damn it! That filthy, rotten bastard…!’1f9787d34602069d

She had no hesitation 3431853942 in cursing a man c3257a7b94 who wasn’t even her fe2c818e5f real father.5c32ca5e01a8e4e3

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Eleanor looked at fcd17ceb0e her and smirked. She could 7f9efaa0a3 guess what 830b4a9d59 Nora was 8bf10f078e thinking without 524e560dff needing to 784e1102c8 ask.9c8fe983983d000f

How will you handle 1173ab9b5d the long road ahead 10ba579294 if you’re already furious 2940475aac over something like this?Eleanor thought with a 29075285ee mocking concern.0b94afb7de46e32a

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“Nora, did 077ea605ea you want b5b48d04d0 them that d828cdc097 badly?”46c99efd03c4dc86

Eleanor took a 49bd53cf28 step forward, mocking 25c489c211 Nora with pitying 31a903c4f4 eyes. The golden 1b49edcae3 earring in ecc8e33749 her hand 7cdfb0a226 made a cacbb22d05 clear sound 282fd1615f as it 66ea1139e7 swung lightly.73958d2f16496ece

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“Here. Then take it.”b01f4ad28a16549e

With a pitiful ce28dae813 smile, Eleanor tossed 5b762eba8e her earring into 1810932389 Nora’s palm, as 4faf49ccfb if she were 08439c3a7c giving charity to 65a5a6e978 a beggar.9d1e89d2a567c022

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Nora’s eyes 793b4575e7 widened in 2b12deb589 anger, her c6942ae1c2 fury boiling 6249da19fc over.02e253245343a5d5

“You…!”7ad411acd1f74b76

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“Shh, you should stay b0078650c1 quiet. What if you lose 6295a7e769 the room you finally 860dcc21ab got by making more 6584886d5a noise? Oh, or 431babc154 are you fb4091571f hoping I’ll fba7a39841 pay extra 758a3b4a20 attention to 61047d58f7 preparing your 192f900f89 debutante ball?”d59a3ee8668792b7

But as long 61ceb1a003 as the thing c78a095623 she valued most cc505f7f34 was being held bfb096e217 hostage, Nora couldn’t 889e1de63c raise her voice.79d7a5f85965ed01

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Her debutante ball. Her precious debut. Until it was safely 36af441b70 done, she had no fc524a3ba8 choice but to watch 43666b34ba her behavior.b0d9c02fd11a600c

When Nora pressed ac055591b4 her lips tightly d4aaf42eac shut, Eleanor chuckled fd3e2b3137 softly. Then, leaning down, 7863e63a9e she whispered in bf30697c60 a low voice.ef7882d3a92cfc37

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“If you 75106e8e90 want to 72aede28f8 bring me 10c5ef2795 down, try bc57db3cd2 stealing something 2e27c2b2c6 I truly aed92fe481 care about 028ede863c next time. Not a meaningless de27fd6d80 hat or an 0268b6466a earring.”e8cd3fa943bc2679

Eleanor’s slender hand 66657c13f7 lightly patted Nora’s 98bb646cf9 shoulder.fb6c69bebb66e950

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