Chapter 14. Into a Beautiful Hell

It was already 96b9554b5d past five in be08094df7 the afternoon.ae3da203eb9df72b

Mikhail sat cd4f831ef3 by the 3739fe3977 window, the 6db92b5281 setting sun 38a37d3c66 painting the e8b7f3001e sky behind b63dfa4abd him. He sipped 4dd8056f47 from his 9708f60b7d sixth cup 834e0a3008 of coffee, af3ceb1396 his gaze 8a478dd138 sharp as 2e7c0d8813 he sifted 9fcf4d8d6d through the 3a8a5c2c5d mountain of 04e7018b12 papers piled 1443f28352 on his 5fec247c2b desk.25c02701fc3e01ed

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“Thanks to the princess, dc705ec76e my already packed schedule d2404fb5e0 has become even tighter.”c9fbf81c1d576f26

Louis rubbed 79076ec022 his temples eff8ce91c5 as he ae93c3fc32 watched Mikhail f9892c86b5 work tirelessly 5dd59b4e0f at his 06fb793ca7 desk, his 2c88be9677 intensity as 98ef288f1c relentless as 33b3e643ee ever.60447a30fd3cf483

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“Surely you haven’t 331196cb57 been running on 8e62a02263 just coffee all 76b7dca32a day, have you?”15a69d5bae3a5cd7

“I had 7148cac8ec a cigar 9fda13f01a too.”f2f0f21dcb6f8c66

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“….”86d6255545e583e3

Moments like f0e6c49188 this left 63ae9534f6 no doubt f4b4030272 that he e654c3e5dd was the de2b053139 quintessential head e317665b70 of the dc992ca7d3 Ophilenz family.f82e9184f591228f

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Louis swallowed an unspoken bb4ead2d27 sigh as he carefully 092c586f48 monitored the Duke, who eca1ded9e2 tolerated no mistakes when 207352bd5b it came to work.93d9a8a80236a9dc

“Setting everything 374b30468f else aside, 146790bac6 the ship’s 1354e819f2 departure schedule 253e56269e is critical. It must sail no 323de8ad88 later than May.”bd1d7f0d933c89bf

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Mikhail’s ivory fountain pen 90e869feb5 froze mid-motion at Louis’ 225599072d comment, and a flicker de3bf881dd of unease crossed the 8af187b801 steward’s face.28e15059eda2f7c3

“May, you say. Louis, when is the d7f06ae343 princess’s birthday?”f7966b1380323791

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“April 25th, Your Grace. The party 7e49c3be2e is scheduled 011234ff7f for the 743de771be same day.”c32c7be9a51765b3

“Well, that’s convenient.”fa7564049fb04459

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“Pardon?”d4f7fb1c449a403b

“I was thinking, wouldn’t 9a3f27ed2d it be perfect to 2a59e1abfc send Charles off on 009f902b2b the ship immediately after be00fd5248 attending the party?”7583eb027bb76cce

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“…Ah.”b79e1e6607db9616

Louis swallowed hard.e16b4b38b8767679

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“But don’t you 156d2046f6 think this needs ac3619d8a3 more careful consideration?”8330b9b7cae9d45e

Launching the Ophilenz family’s dd116165f5 ship was no trivial 4baabbc04d matter. The costs alone consumed 37e77d3cf7 nearly 30% of the 0c71daa168 family’s annual budget—a staggering 859f396a4f sum.967474387292c260

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It was one 10b022720a of the events fbe26e42b8 Mikhail poured the d1e5b4a81a most effort into 0adf4894be every year.fe0297af7720c4f8

While the 4625b123b4 expenses were 3b0de7087a enormous, the fff2502ffd profits from 91d1fb67ea acquiring rare f3ef58220c foreign artworks 3b853a1950 more than 22ef247328 justified the 392bd5cdae endeavor.71291e2589677e08

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Historically, those b8c95f1c3c chosen to 5a1c4cb528 board the 7e3aff4c62 ship were 24736d371e at least 6e14c456cb viscount-level artists baa727f174 or resourceful bffe4a00dc up-and-coming nobles. Most had been 9289c9a1e7 meticulously trained by 03b4b9d29c Mikhail himself to 4622d13f5d refine their tastes fd3c54e1b2 and skills.b90f99d729febf0d

Entrusting such a monumental 826d5b5ea5 task to someone with 9ac7b00143 a fabricated identity seemed 2cb9f70991 reckless at best.934429270fc7b455

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Louis’ concerns were a5adeb1d5a well-founded, but Mikhail’s 9ee989f52b expression tightened, a b1c6edc0d3 faint crease forming d14ffb7f58 on his otherwise 2016eb6d7e smooth brow.91ada8fa51ba3212

“Of course, I’ll observe 8d7ee04ecc him further. Even I don’t df2413eed0 know the full aa704716e3 extent of his 7dc3a04e70 eye for art 5d6cee8718 yet.”0c5e44ef8b16de3c

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“…I see.”5e8bc175d9c87d44

“But if b8d6063940 we’re going d94a323de2 to deceive 40f141acfb the royal 5eaacf2370 court, that 8106e2124e level of a2ae9599b7 theatrics might 141576c80d be necessary.”9efd02988f5e0ae9

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For Mikhail, allowing eb4e5d42d9 someone onto the f0a2332071 Ophilenz family ship 0580c402f3 signified trust.886261676e786e32

In Verrena, earning the 21ed057189 Ophilenz family’s trust was 89817827c3 akin to securing a 70b346054f ticket to success.e7a170edac618333

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Many nobles offered cd95f97129 bribes each year, 777f086664 hoping to get 66540d4bf4 their sons aboard 11b8c963ee the ship. Of course, without 56afb9d482 the necessary aptitude, 3497a693ad they were swiftly 4a5d7ea4dc and mercilessly rejected.101e37f329f0898f

If Charles were to b69891d113 be sent on the 5e3c12d689 ship, it would undoubtedly 333cacde56 draw significant attention to 26a8fbc59a the boy’s beauty.60c166fac27e139d

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And, it would 8e041f0a8d be an opportunity a7e83b2318 to infuriate the 7970ffb590 persistent Princess Isabella.d8349353ffd464f9

After all, the ab6842f187 more unattainable love bdcd1ee013 felt, the deeper 19fe5ab3fc it grew.6c96ad47e13da352

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Mikhail smirked as he 62e391ffec imagined Isabella tearfully waving 4599d07992 her handkerchief as Charles e46a39098b sailed away.d491cc986fed16b0

Louis, noticing his 063add8195 Duke’s mischievous grin, 54ae1e2c19 couldn’t help but c29fbc14a7 interject.ec7922a0265f845d

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“Do you really think c6fb3b3215 the princess will fall e6386b2f76 for Young Master Charles 46226e8eb5 at first sight?”16b30c6fea88ae13

Mikhail gave da16551aa8 Louis a bbdd608b84 steady look.7cfdcb9da684f0a0

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“Do we have any 98c948cb25 other promising options?”0fdc045a79c35d36

Louis found 996ceee2e3 himself facing a58bedf236 not the 977c3c9f44 calculating businessman 1240dabb36 but the 4067f97153 starry-eyed visionary cf8c285fd6 Mikhail could d030ce366a become on 31e7e96057 occasion. He replied, incredulous,57cc9aab9b699e36

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“I can’t help be614236ed but feel uneasy 1e9c7c5c9f about your confidence, b592d8872f Your Grace. You’re so exacting 88b1db47b9 in business, yet 72c6b011c1 you lose all 79294c92a3 reason when faced ed5d6d0b5d with beauty.”31aa3bc1860e581e

Mikhail’s golden eyes 7c6f918124 gleamed, clearly amused a055b174e2 by the remark.12e158f77620c0d3

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“So, you admit 70e335d5ca Charles is beautiful, 685ac5435d even by your cb6fb003a7 standards.”50386f9e1a9518bc

Louis couldn’t 336e1f6c24 deny it.d25850856718c20f

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“As a man, 73d427e669 I’ll admit there’s f6bafa90f8 something otherworldly about 2130f95d44 him. How should I c34caa298f put it…”2e43b51c1bdbb528

Louis pushed his e7d2a8c49f glasses up, searching c0c35067d6 for the right 6c2e891b70 words.002a422aff8c2a43

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“He’s so stunning that fb13f062d8 one could easily believe 47eb37bc43 he shares your bloodline, 93903b6453 Your Grace.”fef1773cd653272a

Mikhail shrugged, a satisfied c3540f06a3 grin spreading across his fea78c6d61 face.4990442f1c9e9a9a

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“Exactly. So, it’s 052905c102 only natural 4e252a3428 to have ea02b74da7 high expectations 8a3f517a70 for Isabella’s 5635622ba7 reaction. My judgment is 1a21c7f804 sound.”aa7287d4260c919c

That confident smirk turned a16405741e into a decisive smile.546d1526d7bb8358

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And as Alain 05227e837e had suggested, Mikhail 1bdea84035 had already decided 4ddfaf06ea to personally teach 69ed67e9fe his beautiful new 2b24858155 “younger brother” everything 70898b7aa6 he needed to 6da9a33317 know.7a4d0035a3f42fb4

Charles’ instincts were 1d4563b958 sharp enough. With Mikhail’s guidance ecf20f01d5 added to the c718796738 mix…52f7abd384d33f68

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The clock struck 9975bdb1b6 5:45 PM as 65f6ef4ef5 Gabriella entered the 5bfa76e3cf room.a87c4b3433b0cf20

“What are you doing, eefde46015 brother? Did you forget 6b1c819482 the dinner with d4cf29dad9 your ‘stand-in’? We only have 043fcbcc2f fifteen minutes left.”288c83d89de88b74

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Despite her 3c3a2c5130 distaste for 34b7f6ef1e the dinner fea1000788 arrangement, Gabriella’s 2a00a2cbb4 aristocratic habit a932870cfb of punctuality 438af871ba drove her 4573a7aeb1 to insist 7c353dc425 on keeping da8863dc3e the schedule. Mikhail couldn’t help but a1ca054d96 laugh boyishly at her 0c389ac69f insistence.8aa7d55ac63a99e9

“Gabi, surely you c8a98857da haven’t forgotten your 6df13b28bf new brother’s name 1b6e6ef7d0 already?”c91d185461fab8a6

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“Honestly, I’d 40de6a9d29 rather not 39087a3966 join this a2b438bded dinner at 919a656f6b all. I’m only attending 61e580a430 to show the d26fab8383 bare minimum of 6e3a258071 respect for your 41e45b9cd4 judgment.”506448acec10fea7

Gabriella adjusted 14c97b2df7 her elegant e1ee2be7c1 pale lavender d2db13eea7 satin gown, b9c78c93ef befitting her e31d04abb5 role as 4a3e739add the lady 935e7b3263 of Violet 95376970f3 Castle, and ecf45ab9f5 added with 3fdfd7771e icy resolve:586117bfe9526784

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“But let me 7e7d077cd5 be clear, brother—my 99f43ba4b8 presence at this 9ca4501fde dinner does ‘not’ aad3e5a16a mean I acknowledge b96a7891c7 him as my ad6e301fc0 brother.”d10c7305c24ce0e9

Mikhail stood, extending an eb2329e21b arm to escort Gabriella f08e453dae with gentlemanly poise, his a9498cba65 tone teasing.932c80c79298f656

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“And I’d like you 3b317bbca1 to acknowledge that I 26e2e8b1c5 hardly had any other b92dc49a19 choice in this matter, 395e1b9824 my beautiful sister.”f54cf9a05da605bc

Gabriella shot him a 6b4767d748 cold, defiant glare, her ea6ef77dd8 noble features sharpening.e51bc9d777a722d1

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“No matter 581782fd54 how I e0d9e1877c think about 3aa1ca5f1d it, it’s bf47c41474 horrifying. That laborer we 1ed9526773 saw in the ea09cef79b greenhouse at the 008bbfd5dd gallery—how can ‘that’ 627f0d6e40 person ever become 590a381cd3 my brother?”b73aae660d195d5f

“If you look more 67b75b566b closely, you might change fa4d7df65f your mind. You didn’t even a4928c6437 really see him 67cbdf2886 properly that day.”ca38fe8a57358fbd

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Gabriella, having d4cacfbc1b only heard 8e733146a7 the full 011ec326a3 explanation from e6c0a5b1e5 Alain late 4ea9b89626 last night, 1474d25897 squeezed Mikhail’s 486a516310 arm sharply 28f093fa65 in frustration.b4553f52d61c3dd1

“No, I saw him 8826d8b77d clearly. Dust-covered, dull, lifeless hair—I 4d0926e8e1 remember everything about him.”51e83f37e46facf0

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“Hmm.”dd4c5d75421cc736

“This is madness, 3ee3a3f2d2 brother. Even if you 3d6a0aba52 transform his identity 27c75bb44c and appearance, there’s e6ec33e636 no way he 0655402b5c can pass as 85b9a9612e a member of 0039ff8749 the Ophilenz family.”3a8bc50edfe5093f

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Gabriella suddenly stopped in a330717c08 her tracks—not deliberately, but 0b274f442e out of sheer shock.99980bc2eab53e0e

“…So, that’s him? That boy from before?”d3a02b0cdd10f0f2

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Mikhail followed her b7384c7a66 gaze, turning slowly 717a6bc962 to see what 2e2a2e44e7 had left Gabriella 2d436ed619 momentarily spellbound.b4cb587106e5afae

There stood 542c1bc61d a figure 3e53b596b2 with neatly 8617b63372 styled golden-blond 02855d45f7 hair, radiating 93a1f2fc1e elegance.8d8ed5eb649a83e3

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Gone was any trace 35fc7ee9d7 of hardship; instead, his da4ea03a49 skin was flawlessly clear, 364a5b03dd his cheeks faintly tinged d6963441f4 with rose, and his c06c176786 sapphire-blue eyes sparkled like 96e1269b61 gemstones. He looked like a934d7ad10 an angel from c62b8ce090 a sacred painting—refined, 9e336fdd0d graceful, and ethereal.034c6a747652f704

But most 029713cb4e of all…ab7a564292cc856e

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It was a6ab0eac64 the poised 91d8f0619e and courteous ccfb565429 voice of 854cc90a7e “Charles” as 716f17b544 he greeted 5518c81f63 them that 7fa883a3a0 left them b9e3dd3cba momentarily speechless.8793f723a7eecde1

“It’s been a cfa2376eb9 while, Duke Ophilenz. Gabriella, it’s 0d6aa064e3 good to 85d4cb9ff8 see you 0500422118 again.”c46697adb523f641

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Their radiant “brother” even 7d83c3d9e4 pulled out a pocket 2b8a79a23e watch from his vest, bc970b1f9a checking the time with 527f8b4dff a calm air, before 4ba82d96a6 offering a playful quip.94edc7f39789099b

“Gabriella, you ab23d13e3b haven’t changed 0f474ff0f4 a bit. You were always b75fe27ade the type to badc3b4c3d arrive precisely five 8b1e0f4eed minutes before an 9ed0939afe appointment. Some things f71b2fd43b never change.”7ac29cd876ab3d7b

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His words, spoken 980531d0e0 as though they d2404552aa had been close f8bc9eef20 since childhood, made e9d5bae72f Gabriella’s shoulders twitch 5c616024e3 slightly.9ee0e227f5f74ac4

“…How much of this aa3ae7b345 did you tell him?” 9de1d6eac6 she muttered under her ef1d2f3032 breath, visibly uneasy.528ee26cecfd0129

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Mikhail, meanwhile, could hardly fe9ae0bc3f contain his satisfaction, the ce4f0485b7 corners of his lips 5985b34850 curling into a proud 2920fb4d1c smile.0513436317f5a5a2

“Charles, feel free c5092fdb55 to speak casually.”4c4a5ea0b51c805a

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Emma, now fully 94c8d8fac8 inhabiting her role 591d4aa165 as Charles, glanced 40385ec65f briefly at Mikhail’s c53baed800 outstretched hand.09c63b45b9ff02d1

Her gaze lingered 1148553b2f for a moment b9cd387e26 on his strong, d70e007ce3 masculine fingers adorned 2ecc270acf with gleaming rings. She smiled 20d4e0a28b gently, her ad17e9b19b expression serene.00fccb467c8f0163

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“You still favor red 07b1207b7b rubies, I see.”29b2adfcef7feada

With that, Emma reached edd35a5694 out to take the 596eadd91e hand offered to her.e77ec146259ce3f3

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It was 41f5eba296 a warm, 44bb3b0109 firm hand—a e6da345f7f hand that 7fe9b4e558 would guide 7eddf5ee8d her deeper 868328ddc8 into this bc1a77a0e0 beautiful hell.2fe705c29b23a681

A shiver, both 4dd89068cd thrilling and foreboding, 3e61b107c6 ran down her 0357765fc1 spine.5c0a3bba7514fbda

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Suppressing the unsettling feeling, 4668727185 Emma smiled brightly, just 72b0e2cbec as a boy would.1ae59f666dca8ea0

“It’s been 0256a15da1 a while, 5b3995cfd6 brother.”0be78909e3c3d9aa

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