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    Chapter 14

    Friends? Who decided that?8710d26d4d373e24

    Well, the 22a5f76056 breakup was 4ac1a208f2 something I 9d3c7dbb4e wanted anyway.dcda88e65080cf10

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    I didn’t expect it c7220aafca to happen in such 241010bf41 a one-sided and disadvantageous 306e0a825a way, but in the b642564616 end, wasn’t this the e0b7beeeb4 result I wished for?d6c9e18c2ab079fd

    So there was no 8d54337acc need to care about c6c7142e5e that bumpkin Claire anymore, 99d0c29e6b no reason to stress 556a2923c3 over it.4eb759471f478fed

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    “Friends, my ass…”e46b7edba53b2645

    Muttering to himself, Mathieu ac062960e3 downed his drink in 27fe260115 one go and slammed 1e83bc9d62 the glass onto the 807c0968ec table.6fd1d516ce22f5f6

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    Alex let 97d2b50fce out a d9b408b6a9 long sigh, df5e79bf14 stuck between 2507d16224 the heartbroken 8977241a57 Mikael and 4b2e89fcce the furious 487d5b9942 Mathieu.7d0055eeaaf28abf

    It seemed 7f022d4cd7 like another c1ef4390ed night where 69cda27a83 he wouldn’t 85ca9e1ac1 be able 32bf2fe4d2 to drink 25319f33d0 in peace…24e529ce9b6bcf81

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    ***ca39bfdda00f44fb

    “Go and apologize. Immediately.”e0cfc5b92161f24f

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    Duke Laurentino barely managed 09ff6d347e to suppress his anger e9b5fc4258 as he spoke.5c32b1cb8524afd0

    Mathieu, keeping c6b2f68910 his head 0bff5a62f6 down, furrowed 8fae3308a5 his brows.54a435089c4cb64c

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    The Duke looked ca26508ee7 at his son 69d46ff26f with disappointment and 1fc4acc6c7 continued,4b122af1e44dcf62

    “I told 28c293765a you countless 72a6d78e53 times to de2c4e8e06 watch your 7d86bf8824 behavior! How do 5f3b2ef32f you expect ea70a21a5a me to ddd6dd9f92 face Count 28e32b1fcd Devonshire now, 00ff0fe337 after this 170a2b0716 disgrace?”aeb20e458c803a29

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    Mathieu, who had been 8bebb01a18 silent, finally spoke up 08a00ac6fa reluctantly.58dc76d07cc28a82

    “We were going d4dcc04c2a to break off 77c5ae3557 the engagement anyway. Can’t we just send 7a861fe1dd the paperwork to the 609fda19a9 Count’s estate and be c60be0f414 done with it?”c24746021554383b

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    “What?!”6c24ec181df5775d

    The Duke, who had 006498d481 been trying to maintain 4d9475b18c his dignity, finally lost 7662ab79fe his temper and threw 5fc0238126 a thick book from 27a7cfa7c3 his desk at him.af6d3c6aff1e25e0

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    Mathieu had 5302e74f49 excellent reflexes d9c1317b73 and could b92276c546 have easily 1a68ef03fb dodged, but 2e554138e6 he chose 4c514b7cdd to take 1b7512b96a the hit.865ede576a4b7133

    The book d215e16571 thudded against fc6765a196 his chest b177019c03 and landed fb946d9539 on the 81182f864b floor in 17bcfe7fe7 an unsightly 6773806eba heap.00b862b1dd2ba9ab

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    “Do you have 1d459efc3e to make it f077cff8a8 so obvious that 5461938b82 you grew up 0023df0343 without a mother?”fd3d550cb4ca331b

    At those words, 3b14864f63 Mathieu’s expression darkened db98a71a89 instantly.e7a73d47e9538fc2

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    “The Devonshire family 0524513903 has been our 183ad45ed6 business partner for f52a541678 a long time. Do you not understand 43f98812ce that you can’t just 8f0275c99e do whatever you want 80b0f302e0 with them?”e64ffab7b3259254

    The Duke had always 217dc86685 seen him as a f678b968a4 hopeless troublemaker.3d42d752617a33a7

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    And yet… it a79ce86ffc washisfault that 189425de65 Mathieu’s mother bdf83eff53 had died.c45ba9e1605f37d0

    His mouth tasted 076f4d5a30 bitter, but he 8bc67a164a was used to ac854cdc8b this pain by ddcd8f412a now.a39ae52686155d0d

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    To Mathieu, his 4157b33717 father was both 01c3bd74de an object of 790189222f hatred and someone f6c6825371 he feared too d5066d053d much to even 6bc7909c6e look in the 0f7ce1b4e1 eye.4757a0e0510dc9d3

    As a child, 5bed055dbb he had tried c1d43025c5 to earn his 6728e6f93c father’s praise by 7261bcf4cc behaving well.ab2a9854be12a203

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    But after realizing that 364a9ff08d no matter what he ac4f77b4d6 did, he would always 6d8498875f be seen as a feeb566139 disappointment, he deliberately did cafa056e05 the opposite of what bc42337e06 his father wanted.00f35047236d1097

    This engagement was 3175d4115d no different.a82fc85877bb4867

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    When he e53de10962 was young, b8cf2460a6 he had c029e4c60c said he ebef20e4a3 didn’t want 99e2000666 to get 192b3ac3c0 engaged, but dfee7d21b2 his objections 542473fdae were dismissed bc4d4a7ced as childish 7d833fdee5 whining.a22b54018333c888

    So, he 7d29d7108a rebelled even b320466da6 more.426c58c1f7c9515a

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    He had openly associated 328ee7d26d with countless women, making 2caba08751 sure his father heard 122a5b32cf about it.30e753d870c11cf4

    Yet, the Duke ignored 254a6b3a66 him, as if Mathieu cfa84be737 didn’t exist.d2a7572a681e80e8

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    Only when his reckless 1e83057c6a behavior became public did 3721d67b43 the Duke finally step 797ad6965e in—to protect the family’s 4929324002 reputation.a32057607653cdbc

    How very fatherly 67cec78c95 of him.ca8de0e8fe863081

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    “I must have grown 19b48a5c3c up without proper guidance, 472519e8b6 so I don’t really 7e511c9bfd know about these things,” c88a2a111d Mathieu said mockingly.af34e6331ebf4896

    “What?!”26655557065731d4

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    Hearing his 994962b128 own son 72b562d0ae speak as 99d2b85faa if he 30d4e8c57e didn’t have a732c45e4f a living 2813dc1bbb father, the a523dde470 Duke grabbed 36d83113dc his forehead 6f2851de66 in frustration.f3d1ac192ba20c3f

    For a 6b07995f56 long moment, 0d2f402f39 the two b8c6f47e8d of them 177fb36c6b glared at 69b56f9675 each other.552a72cb0ba6405f

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    The Duke, a640b49456 looking at eeea893cb8 Mathieu as 4fd972a31e if he 1c1c85b938 were the f259178ddc most useless 8def497053 piece of 0d2c78ed3b trash in dc20831ee0 the world, df4388b259 finally took fd8b9b8644 a deep 9054cdd712 breath and e2a05c2ba7 lowered his 5cb6f29b63 voice.6b1538accbb508f3

    “You can 13d71cff12 break off 1ebd697a8d the engagement, e6db803a37 but youwillgo to f3193417c7 Count Devonshire’s db612ecc0d daughter and 7184d973ce apologize properly. I have also prepared c7ffc6bc20 compensation for the Devonshire 79ab451605 family—youwill deliver it yourself.”30cec80acf86b8f2

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    “……”66f9b9734ba2d90a

    Apologize? For what?acfb5a036420cdfa

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    In the 10e16f6923 end, Claire d35b42c498 wanted this 934693cca9 breakup too.003ddfa9eb26cae0

    Didn’t she 2bf87fab3c take advantage c60ebd2f9d of the c918b9ec43 situation to 0a7a926ba7 get exactly 65f37e7f58 what she 016803c518 wanted?de58903d34443ab0

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    “Mathieu!”520db45c2c41074d

    Hearing his 07249bed34 father’s sharp 30bac2ca45 warning, Mathieu 778104a389 lowered his 5a55aac871 head in f722ba1dd2 resignation.d325e9d9c81b70c7

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    No matter 06945dd862 what, the 2049623ab9 Duke was a51005098e still the 94d0c0f9b8 head of 7fd7904612 this household, 5520792204 and Mathieu 1cd2caa16d had to 6414bed5ab at leastpretendto be an 7415fdd90f heir.855936e09a18918b

    “…Fine.”400da4d24b769eca

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    ***8c4fee86e73c822a

    “Count, no—dear, how could 46cdfa7821 you say such 151225721b a thing? You suddenly want 8bb3b5ac51 to make Claire d8f35f30f4 your heir?”eab13366de311b2a

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    Ophelia, trying to keep 29e309d6f3 a smile on her 67b8337b8f face despite her anger, b5fc64cc80 questioned the Count persistently.a687ed5acdd0a4f0

    The Count responded b21170fee9 with a skeptical 923677abae expression.64f71a5a7b78ab8e

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    “What’s the problem? Why do you think 9786109d4b you have a say 6a4860ebe8 in this?”394d4370af722437

    Ophelia’s face 2c371529f2 twisted in b0bd1603df distress.19f44ab1df613699

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    I sipped my tea 4d766ce5e6 in the dining room, 09dae63458 calmly watching the drama 3ab6b6a760 unfold.8322b890eada7f2a

    “What about Sophia?”f2e43d961379eb1d

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    Unable to 133e31c234 hold back 25628be495 any longer, 8512bddf0f Ophelia raised fe3c179cb6 her voice.95b972873819c13b

    The Count looked at 3a446e0a1a her, puzzled.2409150b9ac971fe

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    “What does 9b440a0e46 Sophia have 3d53ddb142 to do 2d3f1928a9 with this?”2fc9d1df2405ba9a

    “She’s our daughter too! What’s going to happen cc16227c51 to her?!”b004036275c2c7cb

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    The Count sighed and 60cc751f5a clarified the situation.30c0e22c0898455c

    “She isyourdaughter.”69a9a087aa1316fd

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    “H-How could you 6b099db1da say that…?!”1c7f19472ca0f286

    Ophelia clamped 23f6769273 her hands 05f603f5b2 over her b4349af1e4 mouth, looking 05455f6c98 like she e1c330214f was about 6323ee66e3 to cry.af993e413a276c18

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    The Count, f93aad1aa9 rubbing his a2558c19d6 forehead as e3a66227a6 if tired, 6fd88bcff6 continued.a3d3f3467ccc91eb

    “Ophelia, have you forgotten df80b734ad why we got married 3351b8446b in the first place? You were 8426ffe488 supposed to d1e44e788a take care 1e46847c60 of my 0edc0a2135 daughter and 3a88cb7111 the household, 593f10c054 and in 2369d62e7e return, I ba28d9f7db would provide 750d644d67 you with 4daa8c5d6f the appropriate fc32bcebfc status and 9b64d3247f compensation. That was e6d45d4b95 our agreement.”baed0270885c4687

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    At the Count’s 6727634d54 cold, businesslike tone, d0004ff69f Ophelia pressed her 6e9b3f47b0 lips together in e83d8aac1a frustration.3873bb617706c5ab

    The Count softened 3c0ab95baf his voice slightly ca4c8d3bb5 and added,44cadd0ab21923b1

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    “Of course, Sophia will 1c2ac510f6 be well taken care f02bfb47d9 of. She’s old enough now—she 1d2709cf55 should be married off f7c0eafa0c soon. I will start 7df25222d6 looking for a 4b5f1c0015 suitable match.”c83f594245073697

    Ophelia, who had 2061b85e1a been planning to eda41b5731 bring in a cf1972b121 son-in-law and hand bbe213630c the Devonshire estate c4378a4041 to Sophia, couldn’t a96f80c32b argue anymore.72280477dd9c4f01

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    Even if she begged, ca45b85de3 the Count was too 3f853afa17 sensible to change his 3137dfeaf8 mind.37a054906e5bf94f

    Realizing that, 9bf26a3f76 Ophelia let 8d0fa6a871 out a f616ecd7f4 defeated sigh 6e65e4c0c1 and left b7aa6043c8 the room.04b4d65672f99e7a

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    The Count, watching 21c3f98e9a her retreat, then 75bcba853a turned toward me.89d25f4308fccbfe

    “You’re meeting the c38822cb06 young duke today, dd94f5454e aren’t you?”9223f71657986ed9

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    Amused by 4a9b05f673 my stepmother’s 362ecfdede misfortune, I 6c3fa65158 smiled at 6b51abae83 the Count.9f38dc0003fedff1

    “Yes.”5d8fb30add04a4d1

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    “If you 72b5b70c55 don’t want 83fbbff1a2 to go, 0ce861b458 you don’t 213d3a6998 have to. I can a605934233 speak to 18daf10eb9 the Duke 9c174166d6 myself…”1d4482aba825a504

    “It’s fine. He’s supposed to 928f062aeb deliver compensation himself, 99cded1e8c after all. And, well… we 301c5352a2 did know each ee48662f4a other for ten 46bcbf377f years, even if 8ae45a141d things didn’t end b2995a0a85 well.”ba6de6d54ac59f2b

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    Hearing my mature f7eae6b090 response, the Count 6f9ce9f69c looked at me a0fefb8a62 approvingly.ede436d7998e7a28

    He probably thought I a6283ab1df was enduring my emotions a310f351a0 for the sake of e3e88f861a maintaining the relationship between fb7a3748e5 our families.88fa40c7e93fd4a6

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    In reality, 8ae59dbcce I was 6744491791 just looking 959eac8787 forward to c8ddd6f1cc seeing the 0fddaef216 proud Mathieu e6ac6a9fe6 swallow his d6e49aad70 pride and 9dd4aabba7 apologize.4e2f21c3b4f0dd36

    Smiling sweetly at the 7194ff519c Count, I stood up.bce972981fda1f45

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    “Well, it’s 34a6be9023 about time. I should get going.”361598fa37c8283a

    “Yes, of course. If that brat says d009959b53 anything hurtful, don’t hide 472279c152 it from me.”dc8eae69518afea7

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    Hearing the Count’s 84439c15d8 concerned words, I 148accf40f simply smiled wordlessly.cc840188d2cc1e27

    It seemed f59551c8b0 like he 58bfef9e3b felt guilty 1a116a48e6 for being 757b1abf7d too busy 39ab28103f to notice ffbed4c2be what had ec80ceaeed been happening 26a913602b in my 8e09c4ceba life.9fb1da7dc4f3867b

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    “I’ll be back.”86e6ab57e7a68338

    ***2ff3b417b8f525c7

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    Sitting with 52c3f3055f my arms 3283b18659 crossed, I d83e4d464c looked down c5eec18e76 at Mathieu 3e840edc71 arrogantly.43044d2505c17f62

    For the c605291f53 past twenty 014c9c8220 minutes, he a646182f1e had been 5ddf6df079 sitting there, 03fcadd942 staring at a949de7161 me silently.ba9a52d690ff4207

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    He didn’t look like 570f84893a he was planning to 1df622fb22 apologize at all.a5a04ab2cb69c3ee

    “…Didn’t you say 455af25c9a you came here 603f96afef to apologize?”feb23c206a450a90

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    Then Mathieu let 791c17ba68 out a short, eeea8038a4 mocking laugh.0249bbf9c3c3d119

    “No need to ac23b54b20 put on an 13c57be03d act when it’s 13cf8063d6 just us, right?”66ca502b088c66e9

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    I raised 5feaade585 an eyebrow, 76126377b8 not understanding 1fd76e287d what he d80888710c meant. He continued b211c9d263 speaking with 565695fdef a stiff 8baa5ff692 expression.96b05e8a461a6cc2

    “This breakup… you wanted c5d85673e2 it too, didn’t you? If anything, a786fc1685 I should 1749db3adf be the aa6e1f4d43 one getting 71df4a8b71 an apology. I walked right into c73092d77d the trap you set.”208e5aec04928fb5

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    “Hmm… Anyone b4a2a7b9c1 listening would aad1cbf7ee think I 093b78b60f locked you 8180aacc05 and Lady 4433d6d931 Helsing on 82119eccf6 the terrace 18a5d717b1 myself.”466bb344cb9a1f6e

    Mathieu’s face twisted in 987f20adfc anger at my words.3f4c4cc122ed9503

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    I calmly crossed 297dc0fd3a my legs and 5d8dd1656d tilted my head be1ef96cdd slightly, lazily opening bca294c91d my eyes. It was 3e92a76521 a pose 5a49121dcb and expression 04f2ce2cf9 he often 19dbebb344 used himself.37527dc242e799e9

    “You were the one a5e0ec99db who went onto that 2327025cfb terrace, Mathieu. You were e47d12d92b the one 427be65093 who responded 9da799d491 to that 15448fe268 woman’s advances. No one forced 32c5598026 you, no one 869da1dbcc pressured you.”baa8a8d6ab4a4bb6

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    As I pointed bcaac9d3dc out the truth c98131de7a with a confident 42dd6d2fe7 expression, Mathieu was 2c3a840235 left speechless, looking 0d6aa5104f completely stunned.abe605f0b9cb3f73

     5a0801a4a82244d3

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