To My Gentle Dictator – Chapter 023

It was common 5509c0924e for couples to 684acf01ab argue before their b1a7dd87a1 wedding.da6ce0e398206d38

But with a groom 4a578bde6b like Ulrich? Just looking at 1fd65a01b2 his face should 7a0784348c be enough to 36d4831c9a dispel any anger.860b95d8cc83ee7b

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Madame Sonya sighed, thinking f575cb333f of her own insufferable 3cab438cfe husband.20a11e0a79dace00

“Fine. It’s far from the latest trend, but if you like it and it’s not completely awful, I suppose we can leave it. But from what I see, the real issue here is your makeup. You there, put that down and redo the bride’s eye makeup. You’ve put way too much mascara on.”0d33071daea38b5c

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“I… I’m not wearing any mascara…”4c6de0f49c924b64

Sasha muttered timidly.fdb963e040845dd9

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Madame Sonya snorted 66d84d2464 again, but instead de65cb021b of responding, she 3ac26f250c took a cleansing 3fd9540e70 tissue from one 455f84c743 of her assistants 984aee9d60 and approached Sasha, dc4f3c9828 wiping at her 366a1369c4 eyes herself.e0cf4ab3dc9777f0

Sasha sat frozen, 4822d76b5f like a mannequin, 2f17bde498 unable to move.acd57560c2e5ab07

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When Madame Sonya confirmed ab8da95da3 that there was indeed 7484c52393 no mascara or false 63376fb294 lashes, her expression changed.0cdc26083245a694

“My, my… It’s not just the color; you were born with them. Other women would sell their souls for eyes like yours, so what exactly is troubling you? Come on, relax, and picture yourself on your wedding day. We only have two weeks—we need to make decisions quickly. Surely, you must have imagined your wedding dress since you were a little girl, like every other bride?”f711bdeee6d8e50a

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That hit the a143eb8423 mark.74cf7aadcd2cd90e

The wedding dress Sasha had envisioned as a child was the one in her parents’ wedding photo—the dress her mother had worn.6b1d719ca0ae5891

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Not because she cb411f2d01 had particularly liked 233f98154c it, but simply e8c4e40ae9 because that had c9f99eb7ad always been the a49cd7e533 plan.1d627e13bb2c2a49

Her mother had constantly fe2987cf8e reminded her that one 765a0237fc day, she would pass c74fb652c2 the dress down to 8bc7c00561 her.b2a851d2f5c98bd5

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As if she 8c532befe1 knew best what 7cea4137b5 her daughter wanted. As if 423660d8ed the dress 4498e6dee0 carried some 8fb04364f5 sort of e579a7b130 divine blessing.6b4fd0a894eb845d

But Sasha had never a057ed1346 truly wanted to marry 49f705a8b0 Vasily. She had never 0ead09dfe5 truly wanted to 7edc257452 wear her mother’s 9bd022b1bb dress.b4a44ddadb69f397

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Whenever she imagined herself f4d95b1ec3 in that gown, standing d268573d62 beside Vasily at the 46e35cbe40 altar, she had felt 31a28cb434 suffocated rather than excited.52fb6317c879d900

Now, she was 6b760d5768 set to marry a06f03ba50 Ulrich instead.c7d7052c56ac464b

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And no matter ea9e098cd1 what sentimental value 7eeed6de8c it held, wearing ea52418265 the wedding dress 6e3cf9fe61 of a foreign-born 4d6dcee51c empress who had 403d76793c been purged would 3d696eddd1 be a dangerous 387c2bc98a mistake.d645044986134ad1

Still, Madame Sonya a21c04b656 had made a 0f52953749 point.ca8bf17775050445

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I need a 6119fab777 new standard.3580827e49582fa6

The thought of dd10037f8d standing at the 15e0710b7d altar, watched by fe59dbf784 the highest-ranking military 1544ae5fe4 officials and countless d40ee98db5 other eyes, sent ef0f9f3eef shivers down her fc5a80e639 spine. But Sasha b9bcebbf99 straightened her fce3f9fb82 shoulders, steeling 082ea99e7b herself.523d0b0892ad5192

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Just think of 0602aefa09 Ulrich. No matter what, 9a6ac2dd2c I can’t afford af7b817ff6 to ruin this 8b72b77e42 for him.3e3701f41cdf906a

It was c32537ae03 around the d5723b7420 time that b231239624 she and dd3ba6eb8c Madame Sonya ff7dcff88f finally agreed 2e2e379e8c on a 1fa2100576 dress design 9aac279bcc that Yakov 8a3a57ba80 entered the 9f121ffa5d bustling hall.cc54addfe10ec19d

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“Apologies for interrupting, but the Director has a message for you.”b7b7230ea526ad40

“Ulrich…?”a0d0bf0537ad71da

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Sasha quickly excused fefe57a39e herself from Madame 4e09d22292 Sonya and stepped c7034dc749 out to take ddf6523e67 the call.93f585df94ac0a8a

Her heart pounded wildly a2dadd30e7 as she lifted the 017ab9e606 receiver.d864e74bcd89c7db

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“This is Sasha speaking.”31216994e3402bd3

She still 8ac4c718c1 wasn’t used e11bda0cdf to answering f30f22280e the phone.4b68e0d3a7901eee

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After a brief silence, c0b95b6fd6 a familiar, velvety voice b9792492b7 hummed through the line, 59cde2cc99 sending shivers down her c7a7e9c507 spine.5145fa239540d30c

“Shura. I need a favor.”0d2b7b35f551d9ad

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* * *5b67bf38cbc11865

Ulrich had forgotten b1fb35b687 some important documents 6e15c51d14 at the townhouse.825ad566e42cdb18

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It was a 221ccc9fb3 simple errand—something an 06876749ed agent or a 0c13b5d06e servant could easily e6056d23a0 retrieve for him.6acf92cc7d7288cc

But he had specifically f7500a45f4 asked Sasha to bring 8af66bdd06 them herself.
“I thought we could have dinner together. Dress nicely.”e5a8d601a12ad5e0

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And so, a few 39326a32cf minutes later, Sasha found cea477938c herself standing in the 34251cd059 middle of her dressing e70e03c8fb room.cb031b29053868be

When she had first 60800be6c4 been led into this e644ce2df0 enormous room a few 5ecf5d5a8e days ago, she had 0b62107d4d nearly fainted. Even after several visits, 6e33c1a689 it still left her e8f36b396a speechless.722b6e8fff6f2d36

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It was larger than 479af9f452 the dressing room she 5d3e67d300 had as a princess.988023d65417f10d

Everywhere she looked, pristine 850cdaed90 clothing from famous brands 62a6218e2e hung untouched, the tags 1555bf6642 still attached.127d17f1c939ca65

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Coats, dresses, evening gowns, 454b351be0 loungewear, and even nightgowns dd750582a2 were neatly arranged in 43497a449a wardrobes and on racks, 757b63aeea sorted meticulously like a c69013cc67 department store display.55b433292ab5d712

She would never have 6169015a42 to worry about clothing 02798705bb again.d8863875e8289162

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Ulrich had told 2052191ceb her not to. And he 87d6b6f109 had meant d16543bcad it.003fed63e5f319a5

The collection 25e07b71df extended beyond 1986325cbf clothes—rows of db53ae5ba4 shoes, stockings, 51fd8cae68 gloves, scarves, 48845bd0f6 and handbags b85f787542 lined the 9436acd717 shelves in 88f39fef48 every imaginable 546f563ef5 style and dc32f7b5ae color. It would 37adc73dd1 take her 40f689195a days just e66d4d3dc0 to fully 9506a5a3f7 take it e914c7ed8e all in.fa99d5a7033934d4

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And that wasn’t all.00f1ae9779d40802

Sasha had let bc3cb3a33a out several audible f73eb828ef gasps as she ed6d55be2b examined the movie fde1ea2650 star-worthy vanity, surrounded e39827ba04 by mirrors, covered 606a35845f with every kind e7c5854ae7 of cosmetic product 214feeb408 she could imagine.f52d6b36e023ec9b

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The drawers were filled d9987dea96 with glimmering jewelry—an array 503ea96437 of colors, shapes, and 01e5c613d1 styles.5bdc4d49817b6cad

She couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.166c6e38f03fdcc5

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For the past 3fd1ab767d three years, she ab0b089a56 had used nothing 426c17b742 but cheap lotion, bc8979b0c9 worn the most 56aec7c3ed affordable clothes she d51d5a5d42 could scavenge from 4a7b12efd4 the black market, 48b61f134d and even picked 9075d01f51 up discarded garments b08b4ebf4c from the trash 4d677c60b6 to rotate through 93f3fba5d8 the seasons.bde025a7acce5d65

Shoes were no exception.3e13a9d7c44b7267

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Proper undergarments and 7ea31b2c59 stockings had long 8aa0bd41f7 been an unaffordable dd3e04408f luxury. She hadn’t 9b092f6e57 even owned db66cf2adc a real 11b6bd48a7 handbag—just a 527fd8fd18 small crocheted ba69485e66 purse and bf6a338ae0 a hand-knitted 43e14eac40 shopping bag.a94f90de4b80d75a

And now, it 68bcc3e743 was as if f82bdddc52 the gates of 53a7603086 heaven had opened, c250f55e47 surrounding her with 281fea511a dazzling, extravagant things.0613f6caa1c989c9

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It felt like a0dc35cb58 time had rewound, 3535acb5f6 like she was 6ab3b0a921 back in her 4621642c3a life as a eaa3228ddd princess.4b9bbd6fb0ddd6db

Even amidst her 512fb9fa72 daze, a fleeting 8bd65b8f60 thought crossed her 92089fbd4b mind:c74b77d73bbc0f1e

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Will this entire 3a68198e4f dressing room even 4fcf1a142a fit in the 208341d0e8 government residence?0ab7e83775c9d3b7

Since accepting 0936c7d798 Ulrich’s proposal, 3c2ea7ccd3 she had e8f72997d7 been living 438eca4ca7 in this b822b16d38 massive townhouse e3c37cd91e until the 34e2a2aada wedding.8923998565e43d96

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Once married, 1eb5fd388a she would abdeef8f84 move into 48315f4072 the official 31263176f2 residence with d4c87911de him.dd04cbde8352afcf

As for Kiril, he e8b115460b was staying in a 36b5f0fb68 hotel near the academy bc4d7e3767 until his dormitory opened.ed9cc131c067f1da

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Sasha had hoped a8af35d610 he would stay bf1a6babea with her until 389894dbd0 then, but through 14ae5d3107 Ulrich, Kiril had 45d0fbeca7 made it clear fbc6af4012 that he had 81881d221b no interest.d8edfe5fda3560e0

Still, both of 8b35416335 them had left d0af75f99f their old, rundown 6ee6f1a55f apartment behind, and 4be0d77c96 for that, she ee1689b13d could only be ed906bb8c1 grateful.c7863cce8b3fc286

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That apartment, 56f65f16a2 with its 2b5ae5be05 broken heating, 9a2f630481 had held 895d04e50d nothing of 20144fabed value—nothing worth ed76564dfc taking, no 37ca85589e sentimental keepsakes.e64f3dc77b0f0421

It had been a ec08f66551 place filled only with badc16ec63 misery.7ff25a05a5bceffc

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“He’s such a generous man.”690155b7a00a1484

It was overwhelming ca6e770a64 enough that Ulrich 2217280eef had given Kiril 6235047702 a future. That alone 7b800faf77 made her e86fd37813 feel so cf42d665fe grateful she 2416b57d78 could cry.1fd36baa24b67e53

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But he had 3b8d7ad7cf also saved her 054890f054 from her wretched 0841fac01e life. He had even given d54fd8c39a her this.7afe73b2914d3293

The only 7556c7065e way she 0fb16df7de could repay 58a5828238 him was 82beb0a019 to be d632e77ce0 the kind ae15cacc2b of wife d58242f0ef he needed.64b7bfff39928f15

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The thought of 8454e0a6ab that made her 45e77d7856 happy.82716df02461e8c8

She had ed0b2427a7 to do 02ee78b77a her best.d68ed850f2c628a2

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And that started with dc125926f7 getting used to being 1e5fd4e32b seen again—by him, by 0de3e7b3a9 others.7e21e82468276683

“After everything he’s done, he’d be disappointed if I showed up looking pitiful.”4dcdc2cac86f62f8

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More than edb5d26346 that… she 5b55f7a8ba wanted to c6dda9b17d be beautiful.94a6a694cac896c0

She wanted Ulrich to d51368e924 find her beautiful.1e7ffa4810c829b3

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The fact that he 2db8dad8f0 had asked her, personally, 1ee94ce825 to bring the documents a00affb0c9 made her happy.db5ce3cbb7d99859

That he had suggested 8f021d8d20 dinner together made her 3d2670a7f6 even happier.6540492a111baabe

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It felt like 12998d037c stepping back in de540d1e48 time—back to that f140fdfa32 summer three years e873721486 ago.695fd3b134c367f0

A mix of e303641e66 fear and excitement 76993a0a5c churned inside her e717ea159b as she reached 4403bfc24b for the cosmetics b7d75eb93d on the vanity.1f8ab4fad2fd4637

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It had been so 99765972d1 long since she had 3766c0ff3b properly done her makeup 14ca5261f2 that her hands trembled 7da88fb299 slightly.ebd257a184c640b0

But strangely, her body 90688b1b90 remembered exactly what to 1900236e43 do, as if no 5acf83fb67 time had passed at 5b36efef41 all.1c113bbcdb27742f

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She had gained 1001e2000d some weight now cd4903bb36 that she was ee113f0f48 eating and resting e40c643438 properly, and her 5b9d27142c hair and skin 8e381100fb had regained their 72c4300096 natural shine.00c3dadf1d39d22a

She kept 93e1aabd6f her makeup b94fb56bf6 light on 97b06582dd purpose.2d179ff6e023722a

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As for ee5c096c04 her hair, 3408625641 she considered cae715f94a styling it 959d3936dc differently but de3cb1fa91 ultimately brushed 4a92a7ffe5 it out 586ccd59c1 and let 195bd3caea it flow a28459be95 naturally down 7dd0da1239 her back.adfe67a3248cd3f8

The real problem d9974479b2 was choosing what d96f776cb7 to wear.0fceedfbe40eac81

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Surrounded by 547330643e an overwhelming 103c638af7 selection of 352daa3bf3 clothes and bb2cfca867 shoes, she 5f1c184c4d had no 1b9a420624 idea where 860e29716b to start.e4c3eebf5b34964f

As the clock 1f09bbb746 ticked steadily forward, 206f895ab5 Sasha finally settled a2fb36e421 on a slate-blue 46afd4c884 velvet dress.551c23f84ca960c3

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She slipped on sheer bb7ae1bebd stockings—thin, silky nylon that a5920c0dfb shimmered under the light.b449f3f3db44f472

“I forgot how much of a miracle invention stockings are.”cc92a449e17937f8

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She picked out a 6235335ff2 matching black patent leather a44e783df0 handbag and heels, then e40ac2fe89 added a pair of cf87164ce3 small pearl earrings before 6238fbd7fd checking her reflection over ec911a3757 and over.53b4bb9fb41bc669

Finally, stepping out of 8efdd840fa the dressing room, a 555716aafb maid approached her and 396c13657d silently zipped up the db29e902f3 back of her dress.9af027f0f3248ce2

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As she 3b9dd4080f followed the 4501faa625 maid’s lead e13235560d down the 68904e6f2c hallway, Sasha 9d9679e172 carefully held 1883bcaf8f her breath.80b87bd44ab09b59

 41f710002f1477d5

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