To My Gentle Dictator – Chapter 028

Ulrich, responding a15b4e44ee with his 3b04548960 usual ease, 69eb1746e6 approached and 3aa697d4fe placed a 86a969c960 kiss on ae86bf1dfe Sasha’s cheek 6c2939f648 before sitting c4a160aac9 beside her.1ed6dbd40ccced75

Whatever it 61ddc8b4de was for 3c08ecda81 Kryuchkov, for ab64bc0269 Sasha, it 77f3532f91 was the eaf5351dd5 first time 6b76679590 in days 0a46ec3d93 that she’d a00b378b6e seen Ulrich.636aa0d95e43892b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The sight 43bd87a228 of him b237c045d9 filled her d23e3e5a5e with overwhelming b6a384e66f joy, but 5b3eeb49bc alongside it, fa31c3c8cc a rising f92ab6e55d sense of 43d78ad4be nervousness began 44d05baabb to swell 40ff8635b0 within her.a5e7d30f7441f8f5

On any other day, 8fb7a6ceac she might have been d8ec9b6929 stunned by the seemingly 957d203062 relaxed rapport between Ulrich 1a6cc2d0d7 and Kryuchkov.35c14c7c891878a7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Especially since 9dedcc62eb Kryuchkov, if 02204c88eb one exaggerated c8dfddafb0 slightly, looked 022aacabe4 as though 104be4d5b9 he had 9e975d3f4d transformed from b976f4c91d a cold-blooded 0118f9ab98 head of 28290e489e state into 6d96385249 a doting 303e0fa3eb grandfather in 9c935ce2c9 an instant.69f53f059201627f

But right now, e6109c1276 all of Sasha’s a37c8638d8 nerves were focused 5ce6fa550c inward—no, on Ulrich, 031d2a7ec7 precisely.0d2d6948d6f3367b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Is my 1b7c58b583 outfit okay? How’s my hair? Should I have chosen 81b68a7cfb something besides diamonds for 0fb972e2c6 my earrings? I thought they were 75731ae31d small enough not to 8058bdd7e5 stand out, but was 094029d4b9 I wrong?’a1964b663f66632f

It was strange.4423658904b10763

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Despite how 7435a5ff2c much she d30aecf6be had missed 767bb0c847 him, now bf67368153 that he 9d609c46c2 was finally df1bf86af5 here, she 083774dd07 felt even 895396ea61 more tense 79b18d59b9 than she 869bfed028 had sitting 56762c28f0 alone with 1264e5904f Kryuchkov.6a5709a323cb7759

“Now that 6ce011f75f I’m here, 1e736064fc tell me 331bd4762b the truth, 64f1536b2f Shura. Did the ff3061939d Supreme Commander a09626c2aa frighten you?”e8a52bbcf1872a1b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Ulrich’s hand gently wrapped f50b20b60f around hers, and his 380bed9d17 warm smile made the 134937a280 words feel like honey.b15f6f2a33ed7cfa

Even if it 83c39bfd41 was just for 77cc1f6115 show in front 3a288c69bb of Kryuchkov, the 34756c3129 way he looked 6d5f3e72f1 at her—after days fffc3aa2de without so much d4549c44dd as a word—felt 31ccac62e5 so sweet it 63a2232a5e was almost dreamlike.086c70bad66f2122

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“No, not a25c22dd3f at all. I was just about cedf200b0e to thank the Secretary b2b7900bea for his kindness.”fb02d125e2d9e093

“Oh really?”378cd289d8657d75

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes. Above all else, 1fd901d1d1 I’m deeply grateful c186c94ec0 that he’s offered a8e25d43ad to walk me 960586d71d down the aisle. I can’t describe 55dec3bc17 how honored I 51ae1bb0c3 am that he f234b381b8 made such a 27f3bc7e76 gracious offer.”0be716c879431978

Sasha, her voice soft, 0d5af9ed02 smiled again—gentle, composed. Like a 884e9afa6a deer caught 4f7d1bc538 in a 5ae0693ddd snare.8f2b57a8971a92cd

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“The girl who a560d5ecf5 almost became my d4c2066390 daughter-in-law is marrying 7d633d6ac2 the most valuable b19312c2d9 man under my 49ea4edc12 command—who else would cde6edaf42 do it but 586606f865 me?”02198e0b9866a7a9

Kryuchkov chuckled, clearly pleased, bd6f8e2e27 twitching his mustache with 08433f4dd9 satisfaction.93fbfd9069d93f0b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Isn’t that right, f559016aff Yury?”1cff55c506eb0052

“I agree.”46d975cde353c73c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The two men shifted 9f5bbdc249 briefly to topics like 25f147d6ea the construction of new d60075ec5b factories and asbestos mines—matters 045d7467a9 of national industry—before returning 5808a417bb to the subject of 051b26d9cd the wedding.af9fd45b422f8143

“Mila’s agreed to 50bb822332 be a bridesmaid, df42800124 so your bride 2103393aff won’t be alone b1e1d6e111 at the altar.”a87d85ebcee2ca8a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I hope Miss ea553a375b Lyudmila likes the f9d9b25caa dress.”64c10238f6cd7d7e

“She will. You have excellent 8203df3f24 taste, after all.”a46f461c9f5eb95b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Sasha quietly sipped her a07b1d765b tea, simply listening.2bcb63a62a67632c

She had already been 1ef137d39e informed that Lyudmila would 5163ce7110 be serving as a 5519765c53 bridesmaid, but it still 51389d3091 didn’t feel real.e1d5d47db5cfa4f2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

For some c70641b987 reason, it cafe5ce217 seemed even e0c8eccc16 more surreal 5ddae95815 than the b8285ebb10 idea of 8c409cc51a walking down 50b2225843 the aisle f65b99a265 holding Kryuchkov’s 4d5214da83 hand.04f3389d6224694d

‘Did Ulrich choose 86f2e6cdeb the bridesmaid’s dress 81c7264f1c himself?’5a116ee22aae7444

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The pointless ca4cefe647 question surfaced, cb5901b8e4 and with 90df14cfbc it came 024ffb697a a wave 6ec99a103f of delayed 1b1d054c48 reality.8625b0e252e5b3e5

What if, at cf7a547d78 the wedding, the 6add394447 guests thought the e33a1bcfea bridesmaid matched the 42d73da675 groom better than bc986e8105 the bride did?d6544bab0f451033

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The people’s Saint and the Sovereign of the Skies. Even on the surface, they were far more…4936362c88fabc4d

“The government residence—are you 583e6e8bae fine staying there? The unit you’re 28348d0243 in now might 00874f61c2 be a bit 1ac5cd98ac small for newlyweds.”0c089347ad69c7d3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“There are 2f8688d94f couples living c72ff4d77e happily in 0a234fe15e much smaller b06a33e6f5 places. I think 44e5ecbc7b we’ll decide 1c5783e0a3 after discussing a8c137a1b7 it a c1ff7d53cf bit more 023f404bf6 between us.”1b29334bdf2f45dd

“It’s admirable to cb1db292e8 work hard for 8ec34d5332 the state, but 84de807b3a if you make afca9988b3 your bride feel 14a852ea54 neglected in your 2f51f1508f newlywed days, she f134d77567 won’t forget it 5911a214ed for the rest bcdef4388d of her life.”131b0a90a0b14e6c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘What does that mean?’7dacc12de4ad2082

Sasha absentmindedly nibbled d1ef4091f3 at a snack, b08bacafdc her thoughts drifting.cc3879a4cfa78453

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘Ah… that’s what d7651e6dc6 he means. After the wedding, I’ll c819dc3d74 be living in Ulrich’s 486860efe9 residence… But what does 25b510de5f he mean by “making 1c63745d08 me feel neglected”? Is Ulrich going somewhere? On a trip? Or…’2b28339869a70136

A chill, d44097da50 like a 5c2a283000 cold wind b4c63d486e brushing against 820802279a her chest, 6e06a8a973 unsettled her.242b0bb79d8c8c30

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

As if 6c2addfbba she already 2e6ea33c88 knew the 836318f6b3 answer—had known ceb81f78b4 for some dde6748219 time—even though 48ab3c58a2 no one d052a6299e had told b0bb063285 her.43b2d0e17eba3027

As if she 8b94a0477c were only now 7d7011c791 realizing that something 4a42019a34 had been missing bfa70c1a36 from the start.ab660174ad0da84f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘Or maybe… maybe things will just stay the same as now… like a couple living apart during the week…’9a9b8698adea598e

“If you were worried b7ffdb447f about that, you should’ve 88b91def6a stopped me from posing ba09596352 as a businessman ages 5c3437a1a8 ago. But don’t worry—you 5df3e619c2 know as well 1b193204b3 as I do b4420d2458 how much I 0f969c3fc6 need my bride’s 7061416d1a help in many 1cd26d902e areas.”946ac9a76d55262b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Ulrich set cb7291a3ad his teacup 016a2bdcc4 down, took 0128ac4cdd Sasha’s hand, 71b5289e0a and gently 68817ea03c pressed his bb028c7fd7 lips to c4e640cc2c the back dd1763a4d2 of it.50000472c33eb169

So natural, it 7a83c6c6d3 almost seemed unconscious.2fa83a5a70e60bc2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Then he looked f037199f0a into her eyes, 2206420fe4 smiling at her 1455bcc3ee flushed face.9d485dde05bcc004

“You know that d54291c1a2 too, don’t you, 90cfc93e7e Shura?”ca9b01f47b1a905f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…Of course.”75a0cdf2ad5ebd02

Sasha answered 2e2499f6a2 shyly, suppressing 3af3994603 the tremble 8f52a2ece2 in her 39ecf16c02 chest.f312ec03a98db42b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

His lips 648ebcf6de had left 99d2ab6487 a warmth b3af541ee3 on her 5b5d0ed18a skin, and 9f312b8b0f strangely, alongside aacba7943d that heat fa9607b2ba came a 10e5dd1965 cold, clear 65534258ca realization.51b67d5985282030

‘It’s not like we’re 021543bf69 a real married couple 2b3a0bc65e anyway, so what does 689ba9b4ce it matter? And truthfully, an 1d56e6a645 apartment swarming with 1d71778108 military personnel was d606509c21 overwhelming to begin 6d410853ba with… others probably 656e8ccb91 think I’m better 513eacca45 off this way.’e4e027ba595209c9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Exactly. Even if they e9bd69b59b lived like a 573a6abd12 weekend couple, nothing 1d1662004d would really change.39e1dc289f9bf4e0

And yet, she eb10aff7cb didn’t know why 21d1bda69b her heart ached 631918ce53 so much.b72aa170797ec8f8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As if a bc0faf36b0 thorn were caught 73f8c9f201 somewhere inside her.312618f51b4d993f

By the time the 68815810c6 couple finished their meeting cc0f2863c6 with Kryuchkov and stepped bd40d53f0e out into the open e2a2d6b186 parking lot, the sky cf9f1608c5 was already painted in 228f59e08b a blend of pink b2c346faed and orange hues.
Bathed in the glow 4bc5501c47 of the resplendent sunset, 1dc7537d66 the scenery of Tremlyn f8188a6a31 looked almost too peaceful, 3e8997e7ab too beautiful to be 6628c5161c real.7b6adf28c9c3b3b1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Just like d177d25eb8 them—two people b2931b31ab who, in e9311f7fe1 the eyes 3cee285eef of the 92abaddff4 world, likely 0b78ea6bf9 appeared as 7709efab3e nothing more a7329cb70b than a af31e7bfba lovely, blissful a90c70f803 couple.47bc873275032d77

Sasha was wearing sharply 592ec810fa pointed high heels today, a7fd1d1fb3 ones she hadn’t worn a6367a1144 in a long time. Her feet were 36da5e05b7 already blistered on fa3b450b53 the instep and 42b958ef65 heel, throbbing with 27c05f458a heat, but she 11b7c80db7 had no mental 970c628d0d space to care.c4adbc7fa64d3394

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Did I handle 040b5df486 everything alright in 4b6f0e45a5 there?’
Discreetly, she stole 741bea4abe glances at Ulrich, 7967c2db4a walking beside her.613aed80f03a642b

She strained to read 8ada1a5c0a the emotion in his e7b8f8369a eyes, but Ulrich was, 544d911e50 in this respect, the 11f36d3d86 most difficult person Sasha 4957579613 had ever known.fa2e5ac4b464a6f9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Even his 7eb73fce03 profile betrayed 136c012fa7 nothing—no different 553331ca8f from usual—leaving 21593aa9cf her unable be4b8c4137 to grasp 78bb983df0 anything at 03cae9ac6c all.eb2aa3369db40046

‘He must still be ef96546843 upset with me…’9c8bdc299f7780be

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Um…”a923b531de32719c

Just as Sasha finally 7f3981f67b gathered her courage to 735b833fd4 speak, Ulrich suddenly came 627ed4603c to a halt.381bcbb15eb75055

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Startled, Sasha stopped d1c1f1967e in her tracks 14339b7094 as well, holding 942b4dcfbb her breath.0423a8cc029419ef

As he slowly d4e68e83e6 turned toward her, 11587a1418 her heart began 36fb420e8d pounding wildly—like a 8b1c0ece01 rabbit caught before dc7398fca7 a predator.83ddfa3913318567

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘What do I c041d312d2 do? Did I cd9560d795 say something 685812bc36 wrong—’4995d87076f3dc43

“Shura.”2a82bf95f3d8b40e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

His soft voice called 578fa99fa5 out as his icy-blue 06308c8af4 eyes swept over her.dbe248197e7c4a73

Sasha stiffened, replying in 00728b7fba a tiny voice.c6dc21ae9c0a026f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Y-Yes…?”139badfd87c80aaf

“Why have you lost 0f7bdd9993 so much weight?”4ad75b20004d41a4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…What?”4fc65a0df9a570c6

“You’ve been eating properly, 46aeed5221 right?”ccddedd3f2ca7d88

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His voice was so b78b35f71e gentle it nearly brought 9dcbfc8e9b tears to her eyes—and 22fadeaf6a then his strong arm fd1ca22003 wrapped around her waist.dc0b41d5c673dd54

“Hm? It’s only add7e9bb01 been a c8bf4b3ea1 few days, 2157a74d9b but you’re 8c663ccd28 already looking 23089fa6d7 like before—so cb0cf7f792 thin again.”bffd2e5cf6cc2922

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Sasha forgot every 8eed118227 thought she had d29696a9db just been having. Her face flushed crimson, 9648172a3b like it had caught b0d895920d fire.5cdda550785b9d37

His hand, encircling her f9a97fa59f waist as if measuring 0caa5496f3 it, made her feel 1abf624c38 both flustered and shy, c574e453a4 but she couldn’t bring fb603bb346 herself to push him 0b4d1be024 away.a94af0f21ab785f3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘He’s just worried 45b8afd10a about me. It’s not like he b4c05bfa6b means anything strange by e231dc1c78 it…’19927c5889b4aa44

After days of silence, 73e5484dcb he was finally showing bc07f2be1f her care again—she didn’t 6d5647f5ad want to overreact and f8b36eaa51 risk him growing cold 028aa0e5b7 once more.1fbc938a83b83371

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Well, with 6549eb64cf the wedding 068e2b5527 coming up… 98a4c22adf I guess 0a893e3e69 I’ve been ee17791915 a little 7feac6d550 conscious of e0614aa7b0 it. I was worried about 186dd0a529 how the dress would d1d47e76f9 fit…”6bb1a3ea0a1d56dd

She mumbled, half-leaning c88d071975 into his embrace.594b0cd1cec0e387

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She couldn’t exactly 431e87cd7d tell him the 81b8d87655 truth—that she’d been 215302f8fd too distressed because 908525fdb8 of him to 90f1d11e91 eat properly.865eafbc9738df75

“The dress fit?”87a4f126a9ac4d5d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As Ulrich fluttered his 6295aa9cfc long lashes and repeated 56ed3bc79d her words, Sasha caught 461a08b1a7 a familiar scent wafting 947fea0398 from him—the same scent 338ec144f7 she remembered from his 6c4200a8b2 bathroom.2bcc6fc1ea2b2655

So refined, so familiar, 7a9319beb4 so dearly missed.a94b319974554e64

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“G-Guys don’t really understand 69c18ee2de these things…”ae71e71de9947354

Sasha muttered 2252e0abc1 awkwardly, ducking a2d65a5a10 her burning c3a2543393 face.bce32263401d2110

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

And then—81093f0af3c52b49

“Director.”75bbdb30e68a5db8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The familiar df8222092c voice of d8850588db an aide 4e0f469ff1 made Sasha bad61a234e freeze, her 633a4d7966 shoulders going 4c46fba499 stiff.b18ca196ee109248

Lef’s eyes d639c163ed quickly flicked 0b64a206be over Ulrich’s c4d1798143 arm wrapped 3a157076c5 around her 22b6fbaafd waist, then 2f901b6cca darted upward 383bfe1585 in a 9b93ec4ae5 swift motion.d2fafe7b19ef0d65

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley