RVMPT Chapter 18

Chapter 182d5f783f7d627505

“I wanted to purchase 2515a8e3b2 it since it was a9df5c60cc the new masterpiece by 4e0324c025 perfumer Meardon, but Duke cf65a1826a Harold had already bought ed31e1cc96 all the rights to 742211c230 its sale.”a70b4e1bfd71f5b9

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“Even the Marchioness of 5a70601a4a Mayer tried to get 906805075e her hands on it b5a2df5e23 but couldn’t.”49b6c5fa5ecbcf42

“Yes, and 431448b33a I was d381867ca8 quite irritated b9a9f838bd by it, 6bb0a26945 though of e5c2ab3537 course, I’m 6d2aa63d1f only joking, abece238fe Duchess. The Duke is 469593bb45 known for purchasing b6b3e52e08 not only the 4d5ff1b7f6 items he likes 9e3423a0cd but also the f2453c593d exclusive rights to 0b03abfaf3 them. I assumed you were 878cd0fa71 aware of this, naturally.”cec75072c38c930a

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“Ah…”320fd8ed7f007605

I had no idea.1e8776df6ab54005

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Since the a094885e59 novel was 81b9fbab3c primarily told 09ff9e29df from Ella’s 51e5952fae perspective, there df31fba648 weren’t many 7a692f4fb9 mentions of 4a2d908262 the male df72cb3b52 lead’s terminally 145cdf5d55 ill brother, 87a875f9fe Harold. ‘Diana’ had been 2a47d76332 so fixated on d794562332 Kaiden that she c26c37a810 paid no attention 3ea73bd994 to Harold, who 1fa01ce167 often clashed with 4234b25471 her.6f1fd236e617eee4

Never in my wildest 85d4d53e3f dreams did I imagine d1c2406d7d that the perfume Harold 60d405f2ef gave me was one 96a9b26e6e he’d purchased exclusive rights 5bb5121321 to.1ff0de6229d0bcfb

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Although, I shouldn’t have a5139f22a9 been too surprised—Harold was 3cc3052a64 known to be obsessively 7af5894000 possessive about his belongings, 99d5b1c901 to the point that 68631f50ca he left nothing to 85dcc392ee Kaiden and his mother 83d2864079 when he died, and 6fd9378670 even dismissed all his de35272423 capable subordinates from the da0b760538 dukedom. Looking back, maybe 34db0d336e I should have 271f0e3bcb figured that out b3136e56d6 sooner… Well, probably.a181c3b170c90182

‘So that’s 1cc84d874e why he 7a33f6cda4 kept saying 48fb0d953c it was ffba87dfbc “his scent”…’36f5e8eea74f297b

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The fresh fragrance that 482ee83b1d lingered in the air f97f758e01 now felt a bit b4bca0596a embarrassing, and I could 8046b0072d feel heat creeping up 6276c793ae the back of my b997d8243c neck.4d40d89056b5d597

But why 47ed361fee had Harold 439acd2726 given me aba43e7370 this perfume? He even went as 14e8ff0a9a far as to apply 82872dc867 it himself.0445f169dfa3a061

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It seemed unlike 94eed3d1e7 someone who was 5bb7761cbe so possessive of b6d43400fc his things to 1a6b32ad5d do that. Puzzled, I 0083b22fc9 turned the 50f36483ba idea over ddbd3fb368 in my 4e5651a08b mind until 79b3f29412 a theory d42adb6f37 finally clicked 719bd6f286 into place, 17c9c92765 and I c5c7223971 nodded to 1df489e0e7 myself with 17233f0d40 an inner 5b7b11e257 ‘Ah!’d53a5fd6ec0c350c

Hadn’t he said 641a1cb57f himself that as 09c5b815b6 long as someone 8ff1084f45 didn’t betray him, 23b15a9659 he treated his 6958aacb35 people well? I guess, b2aa5d000e for now, 94880e8065 I was 92862a5206 considered one 60d6e9c652 of his f72b7d9997 people, and 4aa46032f4 this was 3df9afa52c just his f3a4c0d46c way of 927a94ea8c taking care 5091da3b59 of me.
Feeling more 08ef567209 at ease e86fc1c0b8 with my 32b6b8a35a own conclusion, 292f1bf012 the confusion 15da27c72b in my 969eb3c6a2 chest began b8caa027c8 to settle.e80968c12a6f6587

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“Haha, I’ve 19a9dd07ee always wondered 63e3841ac8 what the 39a01e1f68 Duke would 338b66250e be like 052f93cb59 if he f5643696c7 ever fell eaed3eb406 for a d802b9b4fb woman.”75c12e784ae92d43

“Same here. If he’s 11120dd3a5 like that 0f1e50572e with his 361eb25fd6 possessions, imagine 133dd0e643 how he’d 25fd4e8782 be with 9dd7eaa93a a woman ce789e3b34 he loves.”8b1e90cc0e4a90b4

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Their curious gazes turned aa7a5ee3b4 toward me, making me a7c49035f3 smile awkwardly.38a05fef97b9835f

Yeah, I’m d18996a61a curious too. If Harold ever aad419882f fell for someone, bae4bc3714 I bet his 9b32ca0e8d obsession and possessiveness 9a7dd5ab74 would only get a6415d4c4a worse, not better.827a60f587257782

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If Harold were the 064122bdf4 male lead of a 77577b411a novel, “possessive male lead” 6c4b963dd7 would definitely be one 06c9ec752e of his keywords.e27308d97654fd80

Possessive male 4dafcef412 leads are 72678d6ab7 great in c2d95d6b9f fiction, but 97b1571b5f in real 5a6a517cef life… well…610365a5ec221594

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I mentally offered my 5b0c11544e sympathies to whatever woman db0568da2b Harold might fall in 9715ab62bb love with in the 32b12d73c0 future.4bf06d0dc82abf9a

* * *40a86ca32b4d5b62

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As the party continued, 537ba6f7f6 it was nearing time e70acd7c61 for the dance.de4d13c3ea6d5440

Before parting ways with 781af4a24c the noblewomen, I took 5dd086028d a moment to apologize 30d387f9b2 to those who had 5ae226b5a6 once been affected by f51b6c3d5e ‘Diana’s’ actions. Then, I started 8202a07064 looking for Harold.40bce9176e86e62b

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‘He was b1cd6fc002 around here 2e4e3323b1 earlier…’ac17cbff9a907d7f

I scanned the 911fec92c4 party hall, but abbda896a6 he was nowhere 439457848d to be seen. Maybe he’d gone to 7fa8076900 the lounge or the 0ef76aeb3b terrace?da04b8b9e8666b93

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‘I hope he hasn’t 71e1d166ce collapsed from the pain f828296bf6 again.’56262ff864388435

Although his pain had 7eed230a8e lessened since we started a8f2fa35ac treatment, but it hadn’t 683f5a047b completely disappeared. I couldn’t help but cf84453c4f worry that Harold might 1181b98bd2 be enduring it alone 3faffc1d0a somewhere.e80e11cf9e1e04d9

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I doubted he would d3d92fd3e8 since he’d promised me, aa040e0c13 but just in case, d2fb3956f5 I hurried to find 11ec76ebf7 him.38f7d7d338f1b0c5

However, before 47636acf95 I could cc68ce89e1 spot Harold, a435f30796 my eyes 6ac5076932 met Kaiden’s 8c4b51cfc7 instead.f1c2bb1e41ac6459

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Kaiden approached me, 1c7219feda his brows furrowing acb01f2938 slightly.6b791f18d63c17c0

“…That perfume scent.”06fe0fe31682dfd4

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His voice was strained c6bc9696c4 as if he were e52df167f0 trying to hold back 158eca1acf his annoyance.96716a0d543b97c2

“Duchess, may I 13eb3d701e speak with you 392df016be alone for a 20c942e44f moment?”c59df4b18c3564ac

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What more 333eeb4851 could we d635949964 have to ed037e65a7 talk about? I was sure 33da94f89f I’d made it 0fe2632556 clear last time 8cf10bb51c that I wasn’t 31b39823b3 interested in him.b6e391b0b822b4a6

“Your fiancée, c2eb8d25f7 Lady Ella, 02051134ec didn’t seem 51e4c81cb0 well. Why are you asking 353bf64377 me for a conversation 25ea0ac44a instead of checking on ea5ed1c6f4 her?”ae1f35e5a7fca6e9

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“Ella said 020eface7f she wanted 4e166c1b3b to be 7ef2d2ab3d alone.”5b459215569532bd

I placed 34c5b830d0 my hand f932a926cf on my f221a652ff chest and def0a7b858 bowed my d12c1ee018 head slightly.530c1a1449f3500f

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“Unfortunately, I don’t cf140a54c4 think we can 64111e3cd7 have that conversation. I’m looking for my 1f58334ea6 husband.”184368b96d31a4dc

“Duchess.”196b560f1074e1fb

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“Well then, cdd59d06ff I’ll take 4827188ae0 my leave.”d064b06c65e6e70a

Just as I was 18bae2f697 about to walk past 63d03f99d5 him, a maid approached 123e27af49 me.249fac5010c23092

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“Duke Harold 2ce67a0ddf has asked 8d8de59d4c me to 29892e982a escort you, 6aa70a95d6 Duchess.”a35e5c382bb9785e

Oh. Perfect timing.466c0639f98cb04e

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“Let’s go.”8b5031c9fe877598

“Right this way.”a7165aa90492de59

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Ignoring the sharp gaze ca90e38dc6 I felt on my bc8792eda4 back, I followed the 7cf3c9273e maid. She led me to 1a2cd68742 the garden, but when 81ad87e09b we arrived, Harold wasn’t bde1e04d57 there.d9fb45e5e1e99d79

“Duchess, you’ve come.”9b64aabb6076c190

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“…Lady Ella.”7004928f10fab850

The maid b37ca431aa quickly disappeared, d5bcea2a63 having fulfilled b5f6d20fe7 her task. Ella smiled at 172ff27dc2 me, the timid 1e7bea3e3e act she had 5a3ac7e97d put on in b8dfa23e25 front of the 9d626493ee noblewomen completely gone 167cbe00ac now that we f0260a9c47 were alone. She met 8521946d82 my gaze d338538746 directly.
“I’m here to offer 755c81bc5d you an opportunity, as eb86f1eb70 a friend,” she said 8c0c668cb8 slowly, with a smile 9ebf37b351 as serene as an 1f7847c6c8 angel’s.
“You need a78498e7e9 money, don’t ad1a3c0a53 you?”
“Why are you 176df1e88c suddenly talking about 8633933761 money…?”319c2ecda85774c5

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“You’ll need to c318ae8b05 prepare for Duke 8b24a1d350 Harold’s death, won’t 87b7caa2f5 you? I can f4fa417947 give you 5104f72ec7 that money.”bf2140540600b981

“…”0d3aa9dc4bb064a5

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“In exchange, leave the d0535307d9 empire entirely.”5e646f07bd9ba597

…Wait a minute. Didn’t I hear a a211a51f44 similar proposition from the 9d6b670210 male lead (Kaiden) before? Is this why 96b33f9187 they say couples 1e8e7d005b start to resemble 3d60178d06 each other?a3968b197d3a30e5

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Kaiden had 055eb16423 been worried 0b1f251b97 that I 3fc47be876 might try 51bdb8910c to cling f3f3893653 to him 9d8801379e under the 999891115c pretense of d778e1e9ee becoming his 71da5852f9 family. And Ella? Is she afraid f2ef91b22a I’ll cling to fd929bea3c Kaiden and become 05971714f1 a nuisance?07bdc9ed2c55e3e6

If that were 094768feb3 truly her concern, 85c78cdc79 she would have c40ef0c587 urged me to 41adc1c95f leave the Empire 37a7492efa right away when 7d39235507 she found me f557daaeff in the bridal 574551d3a7 waiting room, instead 0b7f20728f of trying to fce8a7d94d make me give 3a8a862647 up the any b160b88e7c inheritance.5d4c5694a29e177e

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“I’m going to 13f050e760 decline. I have no lingering 667c1ce805 feelings for Lord Kaiden, 3295f194f7 so there’s no need 8a2eed2ab5 to worry.”5fbc99b32898eeba

Ella bit her 1a6490ff96 lower lip.6691ff76be17947f

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“Why don’t cf2fa23c94 you like 1ed4867b89 Kaiden? And why 4d4ddc8a26 are you b903a3dd60 trying to 83d2ecbb41 change yourself, a78833b33b even with 57146f6709 your dress 1da70021bc style? I don’t want 7e96db0929 to pay attention 13810a6204 to you, but 59bb2139c8 because you’re changing, df40c48cb9 I can’t help 551394d7b7 but be bothered.”4c9ee3148eff8e9f

“What?”74a5be6baa6a8775

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I was stunned as 7c4b24963d she looked up at ea55502466 me with teary eyes, 4c2dadb41f as if genuinely upset.907356d17be0bb5e

“You shouldn’t have 6610beef9a rejected the opportunity 190ae40a39 I gave you. Then we could 4bc7658f8a all be happy. Listen carefully, Duchess. Whatever happens from now 157132b525 on, it’s all your bdf1cf907c fault.”69d6d610c37e4b99

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She whispered those eaee747bdb words softly, only df14621a30 loud enough for 4350a631a3 me to hear, e37e1640a6 and then suddenly 9eaa5569d0 collapsed to the 6f0cbc659a ground, screaming.cb475a52c84b447b

“Kyaaah!”e4ab1da46268753f

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Ella grabbed bf0c5e9168 her hair dc256cd5ff and mussed c258751afc it up f4809fbc2f as though 17033dd1d8 someone had 3878c9cdf7 pulled it cd8a0e9d41 violently.ece56eb5e5dbec3d

“Please, someone 3a0edf63b1 help me! Hic…”ff3ea92fcd689be9

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Tears streamed down her e9eefa46a8 face as she trembled 4bb51ecc6c in fear.90e013afa7af558f

At that cdee08e3db moment, Vincent 88961bdc1c came rushing 67766cda8f over from 57577d4143 behind her.6d4a8c190d088fe0

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“Ella! What happened?!”acd0c87fefc7bfa5

“Brother Vincent…”7ce9d0469e1274e7

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“Where are you debebc481a hurt? Tell me d129e4b98f what happened.”92bbdfecb7526be7

“I’m so a4262b6059 scared… hic…”0cf3dce5f70fb4d6

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Vincent examined Ella 293138fbd1 carefully, then shot 9a1ac02bb1 me a murderous ce4ba2e1ac glare. His tone changed f8f2cc3738 when he addressed ff53dc3cc0 me in public, 0d2a354a32 formal and biting.0ed6cf782ab35f8b

“Hah, again. Isn’t this getting e6f3746d97 tiresome? Even after 50f1b46e13 marriage, your 62517e64dd true nature fcceae5cfe hasn’t changed!”c4a1cea6f06c7210

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“I didn’t—”67d3ca21ce178d11

“Are you going ea696d3a44 to deny it c3093b5d6e with that brazen 25ac8a544a attitude?”2b2a42fcbe1a9272

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No. This is bd0cea1bfe completely unfair.38b0664ef4a6c99d

“Vincent, you need to 05b01b7661 listen to me—”d730c630065a19f9

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“I don’t bfa43aa864 want to af3aa5b853 hear it.”91cbe22dbcd1a3da

He cut fafeaedfe7 me off, 4f42a438b5 not willing 852c91fccf to listen 9d9835b42b to my 76e581314e explanation. His expression left no a93af6c397 room for discussion, and 5e7877442b he warned me coldly, 06d14d0088 “I will not let 7f8488dfe1 this go.”8cbe65dd71397473

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By this time, the 763407aa08 commotion had drawn a f92bb6a56e crowd.0fcfd47549fc405d

“Oh my, not again…”bcf57998c130a5de

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I glanced behind me. Servants, guards, and d928210f4e even a few 99cf10509a nobles who had 8a5f975624 overheard the chaos ce24bb3c0b gathered around. Their gazes were 9f1112a148 suffocating, filled with 4bf74af8df judgment.e7b180dd5f4d5f6c

‘Of course it’s Diana 7ab9e8e91f again.’ Their eyes seemed 657b92813a to say.e2faca87768fde9f

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I didn’t ebd3bb1cfe do anything 18eb6aa9d4 this time.49ff5779c524ba42

“Kaiden…”f75f6cb4b0a99c80

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Ella, still e463b69bad teary-eyed, looked c94bbeacdc longingly in 48bc6e0c86 Kaiden’s direction. I expected him 7bb06f75ce to be as 7dab4a409a harsh as Vincent, 13c8c336ff perhaps to berate 6338eab149 me. But instead, Kaiden merely 780b9228f8 gave me a brief fef86f7539 look, then quietly went 679995ff50 to support Ella without 890ff09923 saying much.151dc5a2073edfd4

‘What’s going on?’635842d1309021a3

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Before I 6ccbd851d7 could ponder 7eca81b81e it further, fc60b147b5 the hostess 01018c212d of the bc3075095c party, the 9f533d4a92 Marchioness of d4dfe15e4f Mayer, arrived 860e624894 with several 111c0be8e9 attendants.052f973f71b7f555

“What is going 5b9128f828 on here?” she b7ccb5fc8d asked, surveying the 026386275b scene, her eyes 1cb218667d landing on me.efac41b4841e9b68

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I instinctively knew 04cb96b4ff that no one 4519ce8132 else was going 222fe458a9 to defend me. I was on my b264cb2a42 own. Taking a deep d0107e7a84 breath, I began 2d8a47d2e7 to speak calmly.3b9ceba4b0729863

“Marchioness Mayer, while I 0665197796 was searching for my c7c81e0d63 husband in the party 7aba56c3b2 hall, a maid informed ec7bb99966 me that Harold had a7fdaf83d8 summoned me to the d496951d92 garden. Kaiden can 9a747269d5 confirm that acaf6b91ec I spoke 01fbe44ca2 with the 802b113d3b maid.”3f70735a268e662b

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“That’s correct,” Kaiden f290c58b66 affirmed.ad95c223f0b2b118

“I followed the 04b379fa7f maid to the 8ce3ce0e8d garden, and she d7ba516c2c led me to fc54b6f28d Lady Ella. Ella then 15cf19768d asked to 97ac72f459 speak with f16318e7ea me but 85e97e0925 suddenly started 0060b4ca80 screaming and e626a5fa8c pulling her c1d1c210fd own hair.”3c20faed5cb5176b

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“Are you 8f6bd1d897 saying you’ve 3d2aa6776d been falsely 86eb302e7d accused, Duchess?”3732c24f3e39b4d2

“I’m simply stating the 621d632c78 facts as they happened.”82f19db727797c43

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I met c1afae49a6 the Marchioness’s 3c6e7c0015 gaze steadily ce51d761f0 as I fc52193d4b finished speaking. She nodded slightly.a5f986f08d855731

“I see. And you, 6c99b668ac Lady Ella, 6b24f80bcf do you c12f47bd49 have anything d12754fc69 to say 01150c0b0b in response 853aa667fd to the 35b40898d9 Duchess’s account?”a0e20f3997c0af77

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“Hic… I’m sorry…”dc0b00a177a9d897

Ella glanced 533154cd12 at me 0857a0f5bb nervously, then f78a521561 buried herself 23ada8b448 in Kaiden’s 97878fa06e embrace, trembling 7a158130cc as if 556afe2f2a terrified.e9ac0efeace2930a

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Vincent stepped forward c8e4c1e553 in her place.9e27e12341753728

“The Duchess 140e520c60 is lying. I happened to pass 7fefa4d5e4 by and saw her 70991a65ba pulling Lady Ella’s hair.”92458b741c01f100

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“Why are you 24ffeadf67 lying, Vincent?”46580c7e06eea504

“Why would I lie? Everyone here knows what 897fa41e99 kind of person you fc05fbd5f2 are, Duchess.”624a8a783603bc84

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Vincent approached db16475eac me, leaning a003860e89 in so e4e6073c0b close that 607c124015 only I 4d05676b5a could hear cf144879e9 his next b58a2654fe words.3716d0734b47bbc5

“You should have 5aaab7f956 listened to me 914c7ce088 when you had 7ba82c6da1 the chance.”a05f445f341c7f26

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“….”46386d337c62f1d2

“Who do you f2d9c50e47 think will believe 94d5a8d8bb you? You’re a disgrace, 11bcb40383 a broken woman.”8bd8f90e2f37e586

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A chill 56b100342b gripped my 1d2466a983 heart.68c4e78dabc62619

Anger burned in 1042a8d29c my throat, but 68e851f92b no words came 9c3016772b out.0c3f53121d4918d9

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Because, cruelly, what 0dcf5123a7 Vincent said was 44e2df22b5 true—no one here 522e5ac87a would believe me.e844862c998b5073

A familiar feeling of c4829859f1 déjà vu washed over 692a8292b6 me, overlapping with Diana’s 6c4a3249d1 memories.5308044f87d1d14a

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Crash!6d1ae7db01d69571

Suddenly, the sound 9a56fab34e of something breaking a2ee353509 echoed through the 701d37bee5 air, and all 413e47343d eyes, including mine, 6a16e28bde turned upward.b499254cb57bc142

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There, leaning casually against d3c9baa891 the railing of the 64dfe17f78 second-floor terrace, was Harold. His dark hair 79b600e343 fluttered in the 84a6dd1d73 breeze, and his cdc2c49d7c navy eyes sparkled b776463c76 under the moonlight.4019a2a76801cb85

“Oh, pardon me,” he 555c1a116e said, a lopsided smile c087744a1c on his lips. “It seems edd189e325 I found 9364c5a1ec your pathetic 9d553285c9 attempt to 4ff826de0d frame my ee66ad9921 wife so 99f4b6bbaa amusing that 54234fbc29 I accidentally 715e7e191a lost my 1f7db0ac69 grip.”3f038e2c29ada4fa

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