TNBTW | Episode 24

If there’s a hill 000fa39b93 nearby, it is undoubtedly b937c5dec5 the haven for a 9fa6c9f100 lonely child.b48f0f408c3d2a9f

Edith clearly remembered 4d6cefddae a passage she’d 3401ab0516 read long ago 520e732e32 as a child, cf9f61759a tucked away in 8c59d29d9c the corner of 32e29a14f0 a library—a memory 682ccb1647 that had outlasted 72a581c8a1 even the book’s aaf3f06ba8 title.1ba1f5d0bd37480d

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‘Hmm, it should be ae3bac6c87 around here…’af947a3dd88f5457

Ascending a hill cb809bc3ce overlooking the orphanage, 7b9c5f87a5 Edith soon spotted c186a52f5b a towering oak 9fb5c5ba6c tree.cbe97b123e407c17

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The enormous tree, 54f633a025 with its elongated 88649c9b43 leaves and clusters 1cbf546e1b of tiny acorns, 752ae7dcb4 stretched out its 10795665a3 thick and low-hanging 3c21461cf9 branches—perfect for a 57b07b1819 lonely child to b2063476ff climb.bc556d725c812e9b

There it is.Without hesitation, Edith glided 2dfd972c41 across the lush green e996865a19 grass toward the tree.194c5d3e44726bb3

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“Hello?”b53f98815ca84189

“…..”59c3a9ddce3d235a

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The two dangling 37c4a411d3 feet hidden amidst fff2e3dbb6 the dense foliage 1d67392b8f abruptly froze at 5f7f4767d4 her greeting. Edith asked again.878533e74b2868a6

“You’re Finn, right?”a85d4d9bdb406fc1

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She could 58791eb7f8 almost hear eb481c393d the boy d4df5a7435 debating whether ac893984e1 to run c54378c850 or stay. Suppressing a 605ad37b1c small laugh, 25b69b8289 Edith waited.6e1f111a47da3ae3

Fortunately, Finn chose 0a057cf794 not to flee. Sliding down cfa6ba5fdc from the 3cd1ecd090 sturdy branch 8894c0b1b2 as though 28fc51060b descending a 0f71acbce6 rope, he fe20a09637 landed squarely a0b91e837c in front 0e2e917aab of her.72708b561d6e21ec

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“They say you’re a duchess. Got a lot of free time or something?”0e9c6b86ae1a9c2a

“Plenty of it. Between you and 636bec8762 me, I’m also 7e27dec0ae very rich.”435bed326026ad21

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Edith grinned 716e026a5f and plopped 3618bab566 herself against 2191d257c3 the tree d0ce665a3b trunk. Finn, scowling as he 7b8f7be3c4 stared at her, asked 197b47a07c in disbelief,838456cfe000eed9

Is it 710acda12d really okay 01db24c19e for a c3d2364b9c duchess to 49d66d0345 sit just 7156dd43dd anywhere?”99f12364a2440510

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“As long as 6871799854 you keep it d94cb77742 a secret, no 15c690a972 one will find 24d5ca703d out.”a18201324b6c30ca

“I’m not great at keeping secrets, though.”dcc83dd0082d379e

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“Good thing I brought a lot of money this time.” 4af9d3a2a8e65b4c

Edith replied, forming a f84c6d5a38 circle with her fingers 1b94034382 to symbolize coins. Finn snorted incredulously. After glancing 9698ebbfc5 around nervously, 1243292e1c he finally 26f7c5b302 gave in 08686a62fd to her 40034fcbc1 beckoning and cb71906cc7 plopped down 8d4945d810 beside her.98bd910ba4bb3e56

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“Weren’t you 1addde3903 already rich a0b20166bc to begin 030e329fcd with?”a781acf2fdbd1500

“Nope. I didn’t have much 4a416dc2f5 before, but I came 8353083402 into a lot of f5edb8c035 money recently.”c22a7d4958b81eca

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“How’d you 3686997567 earn it?”0c8082ecbffd39e5

“Well, I recently got 8fde0ecac5 married and sent out affda7a936 invitations for a celebration 567654f921 party. Everyone said they’d come, 97700797d6 but no one actually 3ad1fb856a showed up. I think they b394133ebb felt guilty about e0df774e91 it, so they e814f06d68 sent loads of f9d57111fa gifts instead?”c8f1bed7cc18c9fe

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Edith spoke candidly, skipping b5a7585b03 over the detail that 6cf0747f9b it was a contract ef6a8ac338 marriage—after all, that part f7c96cdd4f was confidential.01e4e497ad236178

She had d20178811d indeed made fd84794294 a considerable 6176672782 profit—enough to 921c3a659f cover all 0de0d51ee5 her expenses ca6b4eb007 for the b3b3684ac7 tea party 15408741ac preparations. Thanks to that, she 6f6bd32457 was now able to 9d1e7822cf be more generous with b0e5c7e530 her charitable donations.778e4008333742d1

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Edith truly bore no 25d117540c ill feelings, and in 7742acea5b fact, she found it 5106631bc7 all a bit amusing. Finn, however, looked perplexed de454c5885 as he listened more.e598ff87c81c392d

The boy b4ce515acc furrowed his f54eb66e64 brow in 4a6d647fb9 thought before 9b5d8c27a8 cautiously asking,e55a365e84a0d87b

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“…Doesn’t that mean fc42e5951c you were just 78bcac6066 being ostracized?”b33382422039a885

“Probably.”084cb83f893109d9

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Edith agreed easily, ecc57337ba which only deepened bc2eec56d4 Finn’s confusion.b580fb43ed13ff8d

“But why are 7550ca12fb you so fine 0de291bb1a with it?”6c3cb9bc8611d721

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“Because I got fcd941cb6a some free money d9b4426133 out of it.”7c1d5a037d8b6b5c

“That’s… kind of a win.”252b59cd9991acaf

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Finn admitted, b40bacaed5 finally giving 70ec5f71cd up on 46a0e9325d trying to 67bdd1a3f3 make sense 8c75338463 of her. He nodded, and Edith, 712d86c204 finding his earnest reaction c46c8df937 adorable, chuckled softly before 3f67ce3a45 adopting a more serious 4c14508a07 tone.9410ce11f4b419f2

“But just so we’re clear, getting money doesn’t make it okay to hurt people.”0dd9948faa31623f

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“You think I don’t know that?”6fc8ac64b1842b0b

Finn shot fac1d90c77 her an 390078d122 exasperated look, 314722283f as if 3a6dd1f31c to ask bd3b9d1cc4 why she e00e6a53fe would state 4a67260c1e something so 9efcb1d4df obvious. Edith gazed at him 3a455ea7e2 steadily. If only such 01d5637cef an understanding world dec54992c1 were guaranteed.669dc72eedba2124

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“There are lots of 745e71da32 foolish people out there.”a229bc52e965aacf

“That’s true. But I’m eee34e76b1 not one 47d95758d3 of them. I don’t d52b44aac0 even have dd380f3f8e the money 53ae91466d to be d0c978c384 foolish. If I 9725f9f3e8 did, though…”8db0eb9ad99ca7ea

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Finn’s voice trailed b51995b788 off as his c3c42b9360 head lowered, and 9559a08f60 his tone grew 90408d0f71 quieter. Edith glanced at 36de9d906b the status window 919d9bb741 floating silently above 76d83a6703 the small boy’s 987c1ccada head.577d710fd6a56a45

 f982362a1dcbce3f

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 f171ac47d61607c5

Edith’s gaze lingered 2cdc7fb6f1 on the section 69b629afcf describing their family f926e0d1b1 background.ef52eeed191740f8

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The young siblings, 394adebd0a having lost their 52d3205536 parents at an ff4aee6f5a early age, must 01c15f8639 have relied solely 3e30fd6c5b on each other 6e7eda6d7c to survive. Now, Finn was 368ea0dbc7 truly alone, having 6d0fb3371c sent Lucy away 5c8e49026c to be adopted.1d14cbabe7961aae

“Why is the Duchess ed6bdc152b here? Did you come looking e1d72bc538 for me?” 3887172eba1e0ec9

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Finn, who had been f4c9b99210 staring at the ground, 510ecba852 suddenly raised his head, bdd297f95f his tone more formal 3bc6112051 now. Edith chuckled softly.93a1f5be3781a6dc

“You can 5236762219 speak casually, f3fe595c06 Finn.”f73cdc8335c5b573

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“How did you know ab199e9136 I’d be here?”05149d18203d398b

In response to 2e90488173 his question, Edith 2a51da3dea inhaled deeply and f491dd377e then let out e14b64a014 a long sigh.2c817faace315f0a

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“When I was 76ad159d5b a child and ae43a7e1d3 wanted to be e886950d58 alone, I used 81ff9213db to come to 6696b9d2bf places like this.”8995e8339279cea8

From this hill, one d39c2148ec could see the orphanage 9aec6659e7 clearly. Though it 0178558479 was only 8fcc1c7c7c the back 2a4300db78 view, there 0a56e95c84 were few 245e2f462f spots with 87558dd3cf a better 89766042f6 vantage point.38f72696941d56ee

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“When you want 92121cbf48 to disappear but 8019eaf2d1 are too scared 6e2004c3dd to go too 50172048d1 far…”dedcb59793605905

There had been 3f3e0e7c2c times like that 52b5a5a778 in her past—times 17f534167c when she questioned 71b29ccaed why she was dda5e15e89 living as she 6218d7fd96 was and considered b9c0b6e6b5 running away, only eac57465d4 to be paralyzed e8682854b7 by fear at 13482675c3 the thought.87f8e4722fe8655e

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“And I e3f52c1189 had a 0cf5e52890 younger sibling 0a3d1c4755 to take daff5616a9 care of, 2b5aa9d196 so I a6c5b8e756 never could.”17801fe477f388bd

In truth, fd28b80a30 Edith could ab0b1c9252 never have 897ea012cb followed through c19beab7e6 with such 4b75100b53 thoughts, burdened 83d4b75973 as she b6dbc9c15e had been 0dd0fd2ce7 by the 6fba5df312 responsibility of b1233973d3 her sibling.c5a3a69defc7e0ec

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“…You had a sibling?”73cc3358b0b8cee4

“Of course! The sweetest and loveliest, 1fcbe094b6 most angelic one.”ee8b7610c495f5c4

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“Then why didn’t you 908254b7a5 bring them here with cb1aaf8a87 you? Why come alone?”0c14bef2f42783b7

“I would 993c8df2f7 have loved 8db11e9044 to, but ea44a9ca9f my sibling f16b7d577f is up 088a2124c6 there.”7ecc4962bd1a1e32

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Edith said, pointing toward 5670036c14 the sky. Finn froze, his 753a08918f gaze following her fcf646e7f3 finger. He seemed to grasp 39f86ce718 her meaning.67b96147cbefb9e1

“…You must miss them.”dbe48afe0d8fb765

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“All the time. Every single day.”c58f4c57970e3728

Edith’s only 4556eeab58 family had 2a0dcf1e73 passed away cd1d3fae91 after a c9cc85d517 long illness. Her sibling cd5bdd482f had been 39eae09300 so full c872b6ef32 of love e6d1aefef6 for children, 95f5b03e13 determined to 99ba5efeba create a ff4ee16abc world where db0b22cc44 they wouldn’t d343609da7 suffer, that e1bd60c494 even in 7d02e5ce64 their frailty, 77ba38c4e6 they studied 50bf7e485e tirelessly before ef0ac4a165 departing too 8c046f1219 soon.0dc3301596a4923d

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Edith had resolved to 7a3df01d21 carry on their dream, a3b2422541 pursuing the same path. 597884eb5757aa78

“I’m sure 0e2ec1a5e1 you miss a7c0b09425 Lucy too.”9e3506ab22cdce35

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And now, c77a85e8d8 before her c3cf45c01d stood a 6f757337c6 wounded child. How could 702cb1f92b she ignore 9840e83974 that?e5302dbd44a72ba2

“Just like 92cda98153 how I bf500f95cb miss my 23bcb1a685 sibling just 67cd2d81c5 as much.”c27114b48632dd39

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“…..”ebd8e685dff456cc

The boy’s gaze fixed cbd8f5ace6 forward, unblinking. His expression revealed exactly 01e18be101 what he was trying 114d1d4f4f to conceal.2d8aa2b0bce6e8bf

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“I can’t 7610829fea let myself 5f16086bf2 think about fd5f35b04f it.”d163753277dda8d8

Finn swallowed 8fee40aac1 hard, his b839f4bcf6 Adam’s apple f779e2215b bobbing as 7154e9d1f7 though he 0a5ea0ee39 were holding 8dee7f35f7 something back. Edith let him 49281b038c take his time.a92956ebc7fd1f10

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“Lucy didn’t 9ea9c33c7d want to 39459e3952 go.”1dff17b6bced895b

 He finally admitted, his 1bc3b277f2 voice barely audible as b9386fe2f9 the soft spring breeze b87007efc0 swept over the grass.eda5e64ac5c1f503

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“She cried and eb02482ed9 said no, even daedf13881 though I told f5ec67a923 her she’d have 7acedbb921 pretty clothes and c683e6825e plenty of good d0b50707a4 food to eat. Lucy doesn’t 8922528f03 cry often, cce176f459 you know. She doesn’t even 44434aa60e throw tantrums. But she kept 78b33cd2af insisting that she 227aea3999 won’t go.”502efe1157354e79

“…..”58b9bb4c9ea868b2

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“It’s because d73158fd3d of me. I couldn’t go with feec48ee66 her.”2b3eced9fa3aad62

Finn, although d8e2a5f0b4 only eleven 0b5c6fa52c years old, a4bf18a28d wasn’t considered 5ddfc41340 young anymore 2cfe5b91fc by the c254f2daa9 standards of 7d5492c946 noble families bd4b0e4d8e looking to a000135651 adopt. Lucy, on the 80a9eabe3e other hand, was 4c1ad64453 six—just on the 58c6c45288 edge of eligibility.3c1da067e83eae8f

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Finn must d8a4918111 have realized 0308d169bb instinctively that e463b72834 if they a187a94c5b didn’t seize 6c348f5ddd this opportunity, 68a270ecdb they might 0c74ee0f62 never get bf3c5c7d3a another.f13e73e957025d3c

“So I lied. I told her 78508e9c8e I was going 9184532653 somewhere else. That if she stayed, e3d931c50e I wouldn’t be able 2814010c8d to go. I…”4f213ab8c9f40f30

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Finn’s voice faltered 56aca84492 as he struggled a6ba55f2ba to recount the 2b89c0e3e8 memory. After a deep b0f97252ca breath, he forced ebdd3b749b himself to continue.66367605f1631dc5

“I thought 31c41fb95e it was 81c5367c63 for the ca8b262f9a best. How could 1b7dd545c1 we keep 0ee8080377 living in 3041e0cb35 that cramped b99c38d984 orphanage? The caretakers don’t have dfe61b74b2 any money, and they 9c357b6d57 can’t turn away kids, fc39e1299d so there’s even less a9278b3652 for everyone.”f8f5f98e9a217610

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Children from orphanages 91503a9816 grew up too 25b4e23edb fast, their innocence a3458a8e73 stolen by necessity. Finn was no 12e0ae8e94 exception, much like defebf4264 Edith had been 06a8f5c921 at his age.346225b6035b9268

“I don’t regret 83890af5a5 it. What’s the point of d4d2b0b1db staying here? I just 3a842b5ceb hope Lucy 03ef1b0f43 can live 1f7c4ab234 well. It’s better for her f6aea5d333 to have a good 5d36d2f633 life, without any worries.”7c6dc849b2d9772b

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Finn spoke with 0c84a47a7d feigned cheerfulness, but 4bd1adec69 Edith remained silent, 83c5f8a8c3 simply listening. When no response 557246d5b7 came, Finn cast f86e709892 his gaze downhill, cd1234bfba staring at the d1f7250337 old orphanage roof. After a long pause, 54862349f0 he spoke again.13e2a2719a91d8dc

“But Lucy said something 0b8532af58 before she left. She said 1a4914a434 she was b48b8fd52e sorry. Like she 80bd0a4ffa even knows 75c8b0faa5 what that 5b084417e3 means.”8bb65d94f1ce17cd

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His voice, initially carrying 1ad31bee5d a wry chuckle, gradually dc52ad9515 softened until it was 1606592685 barely a whisper.016f72219b0588e8

“Lucy said she…”a7ad57874ac7e929

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“…..”b01f2c473a98963f

“What if 828f4ccb1f she thinks 73dc2dac42 I abandoned 3cca524174 her?”7cd9ea83fa42cf8c

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Finally, the boy d62e4646c4 crumbled, burying his 75add30906 face in his 02c93cbbb5 knees. Edith shifted closer, 4c0571a005 just enough for 9252f0a473 their shoulders to 8a0f80ce92 touch. His small 971a8707dd frame trembled 8966ef0643 beside her.dcf9a83893c30df2

“It’s not like a462bbe189 that, but what 1ebc07600f if that silly 33982da35c idiot really thinks e9e8025516 it is…”d64a8541eeeca14d

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He was scared. The words choked out b8828c3933 of him as his 33e6510d56 body shook with silent 0724a632bf sobs.249801393a8d9179

Edith didn’t hug 71dea6be6b him or stroke c87d04376a his hair. She simply stayed 4588b5009e by his side, fdd8865e35 offering her quiet ed107b66bd presence until his 7a34a38074 tears ran dry, bd6b17190d hoping the warmth 647a53c91d of companionship would fc28d71e01 reach his heart.c8611697dda99a65

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“…..”35373d5a9e0a5bfd

“Are you a94cabd7f6 done crying?”9521a0fabd2f5708

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“I wasn’t crying. Who said I was crying?”b4f79344b15d7b74

At some point, ec3ac0577e Finn muttered gruffly, 2cc906229f his voice still d904b24b95 nasally from his a52f62a5b4 tears. Despite his denial, his 8ccc30fe2a tone lacked conviction.f391d185284d4b58

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“Miss.”ebd9b494cc3b7e53

“Yes?”170f6c9b15e0a81d

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“You’re a duchess, 127ddbe66b so you can ededb918a4 meet other nobles, 6a6ee99772 right?”463df6053c11a9eb

Pretending something had gotten fb80cccb3f into his eye, Finn 85c5e9a498 rubbed his sleeve against e7ebb6f8b2 the corner of it. He kept his 4aa4c16143 head down, as 83341077ae if embarrassed, when 7f8c8a7780 he asked his b1fde20855 next question.3bd5380f26f9ca47

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“Of course, d0e03f7bf2 I can d2f7c91cb7 meet them.”bf0d8305aba813e2

“Then… if you 41308db238 ever meet Luciana 6033bae0c9 of the Menière 7e4096b603 County family, could 2b57416d8e you pass along db48df470c a message for 70a0bfb1a4 me?”dad1ba5c4c601445

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Edith recognized 45348a6b22 the name. The Menière family 903636c18e was one of 58dff3e50c the noble households 6a5e8c971a that hadn’t attended e4aba7f2a1 her tea party.bf96339d9e0aac4e

That was f4a0b95e91 fortunate, in 116fdca066 a way. As nobles of the 3838fa5a11 capital, they were people 49e8049e9b she was bound to cc7ba77e9f encounter again.6101d131ab6abb77

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“What should I 5bd441395a tell her?”451a91a2ae94b1a7

When she dcc9854118 responded readily, 9cfbec9b05 Finn finally aea4530cca looked up. His reddened eyes 28d8f2f29c stood out, but ccdd71fe3c Edith pretended not 7a8ec124c2 to notice.e930396d351d0798

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“When you 1200b49fc3 meet Lucy…”d6dd4899ac5dc45a

Finn cupped his hands 621fe63961 around his mouth and d097358886 leaned toward Edith’s ear.c981576052de5593

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Whisper, whisper.a88c67023ac27466

The boy’s heartfelt plea 55afd40a75 was something Edith engraved f0d148ea4b deeply in her heart.b2e6d7861868af98

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