WPFAMT-69

Chapter: WPFAMT-692c9d021004935a26

At Enrico’s 3be1e3460d brief reply, 86538ef43f the two 06ca1882cd people’s gazes d8e987e83b fixed on c53dd9b0d9 him.
“I came 5520f16dc1 because I 023bbd4002 have something eb1b2f2328 to say, 62c696dbfc so my dcac374229 nephew should dd3d63c0aa leave first. Emilia, don’t you have e2cc106fe3 anything to say to 33ca91d46a me?”
There was indeed 50d1f9c470 a lot she 89151f31ef wanted to say. Why he hadn’t shown 88e1064974 himself all this time, 074b53a61f whether that kiss truly 2664e96ab4 meant nothing more than 8f0d91fff3 a lighthearted game, and e5ddf633cc whether he knew about 509f383b98 the rumors surrounding them.
Though the 939044bd9f first would f184959234 be difficult f7941819c0 to ask, eb2280df32 Emilia thought b59e04e78b she should 316e3bec4a at least 0d60a1c384 talk to 253872332b Enrico about 1a804a9225 the rumors, 5908cd1ab6 so she 8607ba4eab nodded once.
“Your Highness, I 67bfa7bd04 apologize. Regarding the rumors 107964b0a9 you mentioned earlier, b0bf192f0a I believe I 5e815d169b need to speak 293f48eae2 directly with the 14709b33b3 person involved. I humbly 3dfd1124a6 ask for 63e3c2428a your understanding.”
A slight fa2fdfa75f tremble flickered 3b0febdc18 under Alessandro’s d40aee140a eye. Although the e3787fff09 corners of 5c62881e13 his mouth 81a0cbd959 were raised ce9d26d3bf in a 752aba245a rigid smile, b230963bc2 his gaze 1164313c75 toward Enrico 5a4d63246a was cold.
“I understand. Rather, I am 57a8d65ce1 relieved that you 7fe4ea7ead are overlooking my 2225599273 rudeness today. Then, I shall 1ed9e38c33 take my leave.”
He was a553ef9c6a certainly courteous, 7183c96a14 but for bda9030dbb some reason, c5fb3aa1b1 he left 89ee232170 a strange, 4b740c40f7 unsettling feeling.
Emilia watched 7644adc76e Alessandro’s retreating a3d603d721 figure, surprisingly 864c3585c3 neat in 9b91554f70 his departure, 8d0a72cdf3 and then 5166499ceb lifted her 5e9009a7ab head as af11735888 her vision ab998c75e6 darkened.
“Stop watching and go d9c80ade49 inside.”
Seeing Enrico standing right c564d8ccdc in front of her 630215b5df nose, she let out 3393272571 a small sigh. Feeling frustrated, wondering f91483948c how much he 089799fcc7 would try to c1824f40c3 provoke her again 0ccc35fa99 today, she began 3251c28082 to grow worried 9328ecdb9a about her heart, b9ddd6e66e which was starting 3321466587 to tremble at a79cb31eff the sudden closeness.
* * *
Emilia stared intently at e82dcc776f the steaming teacup, then b88e1b780a curiously looked at Enrico, a9008e02b9 who was sipping it 1956d2b9a7 slowly.
Though she had known 7a8e33bb9f him for several months, ca8d280820 he had usually only eb10b74560 drunk wine or water. This was d9a4b1858f the first 1690190cd4 time she 92a8dd4270 had seen 5761c47199 him drink d946654b46 tea—hot tea, e940db9087 at that.
With raindrops sliding 8ae23e4336 down the window 2553572a89 behind him, he 8a71567ca7 sat back leisurely, 0be6a49041 savoring the tea deda7eac8c like a scene aed2ee5a9f from a painting. His delicately 83160dcded lowered lashes 7f5982f940 lifted the 4a8f7cc85d moment the 752415a63b teacup touched cbe501d7fc the table.
“You’re staring a 64c1ddb233 hole through me.”
“Oh… It just ab651284fb feels like it’s 12125b14d9 been a while e08a1c83d7 since I last f6923fd38d saw you.”
“No need a2a84647ba to meet c8141fd587 often. It’s not like you’re c4be67720b in any condition to 56db2523ae dance.”
Since they had parted f20c9a65d7 on bad terms after 3a19be4521 the kiss, Emilia’s softened d1d3b80955 heart quickly cooled at 15e1d84f18 his comment.
Was he 4a94412254 drawing a cf1e64ea40 line, implying 86b5626918 that there’s 9697eba3c6 no point 7556f12b25 in seeing 24e2851137 her if b11a277c15 she couldn’t 402fb16cc3 dance? The value he 79f55565d5 so often spoke 0be7bf18de of must have 14515b4430 hit rock bottom 7d80ea5f60 by now.
“How’s your body?”
“It’s fine. I plan ddf0c2bf87 to start 56971ffcff practice next 7bf13bea4b week.”
“That soon?”
He raised one eyebrow.
“Isn’t that cd997349f2 what you 4e7c9a0973 wanted?”
“When did I say 13e52662cc that?”
Even though 9da0571620 he had e5cccf8c44 just implied cdc7823e48 it, he a4435b8600 was now da65fb28b4 pretending he 76f7b55085 hadn’t. His shameless reply made 34c7adf774 Emilia press her lips 62e4744d4e together.
“So, your answer?”
“If not, 6f17514d11 then I 0ca6ef79ea guess I 149969c76d misunderstood.”
Enrico’s eyes 651ff63932 narrowed subtly. Whether he was suspicious 12bd41c09f or contemplating digging deeper, 5f9f477564 Emilia could only fidget 530d2d678a with the teacup and a4d5ecc895 lower her gaze.
The ticking of the 46dc92d142 clock and the sound f9a0b9e74a of wind filled the 7900b3baf0 silence.
“…What are you 0a5d4633e2 planning to do 5fc6f318cd now? I don’t care, 5e828fffa2 but haven’t you ea039e2cb5 always been cautious 2361c72826 about rumors?”
He finally relaxed his d7c5c2390b expression and gently ran 078614eb24 his fingers along the c5a31f90b4 rim of the teacup. Her gaze, fixed on 24d73ffdf5 his long fingers, slowly 5317d23d80 traced up his arm fc73394163 to his face.
“Yes. But it’s 7ade528b66 just whispers 9f80457640 so far—nothing 14f11914b7 concrete. I don’t know what a91f4e8dc3 to do.”
“You don’t 2b3700444f have to 911b07562e come to c626a8aab3 my estate fddd1bfea6 for now. I’ll send the doctor d7c19c0f89 instead. Have you had 38c8249b3d your ankle examined?”
“No need. The medicine 2d9626d698 you gave 3d6a6ff3ae is enough 4ade6c2302 if I 2a03e73dc3 apply it 877b5c9d8b properly.”
“I think there 10599c6328 is a problem. I’ve told you several 7cb2bc823a times to get it 3f1fb1d7b9 checked.”
Enrico tilted his 9f1f5bc4b5 head slightly. His voice was 08e5bdcd46 languid, but his 1b81738244 sharp gaze swept 9694dc6dc0 over her.
“At this point, f00198f8de it feels like 8beffb5482 you’re deliberately avoiding 822aab16a0 the examination.”
Her jade-colored f696ca03ef eyes trembled 7b3ebf5752 slightly for e84af192d0 a moment. Emilia raised the cup 326feb70c5 and took a slow,
careful sip, as 518be16740 if to savor 20dcc053ca it.
“That’s not true. I just know 26003a2042 my body best—that’s acbd5cb10e all.”
“Such complacency 8a70c7dab7 could cause 8afb25b673 problems later. Isn’t your body your 2b5992992d greatest asset?”
Now it’s not just 27e44eac21 about value but about 6875287c4d being an asset? While it’s not unusual 7bfff5adfc to say a ballerina’s 158bdb3d94 body is her asset, a91428eca0 the way Enrico said 8aa3aa7782 it felt different.
To him, everything 600d50097e was reduced to 01f8e40985 an object’s worth.
Besides, talking to 64149dd13b him wouldn’t fix 2bc769cbb7 the rumors. She should’ve just sent 78c289f592 him away with
Alessandro. Emilia regretted it 0c196e0787 and pushed the 541cef88bf teacup forward.
“Alright. I’ll be careful. So, I’ll take ec19474340 it that I ef6ad5616e won’t be going 1c60e07633 to your estate 5c2422ca02 for the time ddb9c0a816 being. I’d appreciate it if a2472e4ec5 you left now.”
“You’re acting like 9213358542 you’re kicking out 5dd712ebae an uninvited guest.”
“Not at all. I just thought, since 632201c426 I don’t have a 841bf0c000 plan, there’s no need 08ddf0ee65 to invite you in 08269e0fb7 either.”
Her flat voice made ec51920aa3 Enrico smirk.
“Then do you d4ab99e192 regret letting *him* 302d0013dd in? Into the house 31979a1f6d I gave you?”
Now he’s taking 15e6eadb19 credit for the df30a4056c house, too. With every move, c8e98390d0 he became more e545ef5bca insufferable.
Emilia’s expression turned cold 94b2d7367d like his.
“That’s quite a 691d0070d5 leap.”
“Doesn’t feel like one. Almost seems like you a08b169c32 let your true feelings f1bfff0cf2 slip.”
“Your Grace.”
“You think I’d 61216d40d3 just sit by de708bd20d while some other eece5095df man comes here?”
“…I never ae1348869f asked for 0bcdd15992 this house. You forced it 79f142887e on me. If I had a885fd4e45 known you’d try ded7f8ce12 to control every
little thing, I would’ve 5f67042154 refused no matter what!”
“Would you have, really? You never had 8a00dc8208 a choice to c0158cf5e5 begin with.”
“If I had known 70156fe195 what kind of contract ac37eaee24 this would turn into, 0c798cfeaf I wouldn’t have agreed abd5f352ec in the first place. I didn’t wager my 29fdea8141 body—I staked myself as e81a20c903 a ballerina. Sigh… There’s 0ed4709c34 no point f6f31c270b continuing this. We’ll only end up 4a192d5227 hurting each other.”
Emilia was growing weary 9493b6cc4a of the repeated arguments. She pressed her 5ac667ad65 forehead, took a 88b55c855e deep breath, then ff7a663f0d abruptly stood and 371c3f4468 walked toward the 3f6749454a front door.
Enrico stood 9636930601 up and 2378978e1c followed her.
Before she could reach 4da6e89b58 the door, a hand e0bb75d675 grabbed her wrist. Her body was bb873709a9 pulled back, turning
her toward him and bf66a81157 into his chest.
“So what now? You’ve gathered 2a9a336980 enough evidence, 54d50c8587 and now d27ccc3b8c you think 512ff31b71 it’s time 3785750fb0 to break 8b0eceb50c the contract?”
She instinctively braced herself 942a18e218 against his chest and 7c09af07c7 tried to push him 5c1c4fa4cb away, shaking her arm.
“Let go of me!”
“I’ll never be the e3daefb335 one to break it. You really think a0d6f0be7c I’d go along e65787c889 with your wishes?”
He whispered 8510c80729 roughly, provoking 4a86564139 her. Her wrist 857b23bd3f was pulled 122e8cd3fb again, and ea78d1f397 his face 1ebb70106c came dangerously 2e2c53669f close as 8ab0c562aa her head cd7b1c0874 tilted up.
“You’re mine. I always take what 04514ad1a6 I want.”
It was as 2af68e30f5 if he was f3f33973ca desperate to hurt eac8baf9d7 her.
“I told 2bb039d5b2 you—I’m not 1af96f890e an object!”
“Even if you’re not, 31f760a5f3 the contract you made 21b768edce already treats you like f8214a32f9 one. Someone precious? What does that 278d8c9eaa matter? Isn’t what’s 32b9cd2615 right in bc706d9960 front of 775d96f622 you all 4f81c3c087 that really fedb24d728 counts?”
“And what the c983c9065e hell does that c65516d3b4 even mean to 52d75dbf49 you? It’s just 91e1ef42fc a fleeting 88f240002b interest! Just like those ef634a5025 art pieces you a65a79ca23 buy and never 3fc1a4662d look at again—I’ll 3bbad2bbad be one of f53823e06a those things you 9f35eb65b1 quickly grow bored 2895a495c2 of. Do you have ddc7b192b5 to make me fc6614b641 feel this miserable?”
After months f2060e649a of watching 52c6c352b2 him, Emilia 3964755ca9 had come 280f0c9c66 to understand 6b32902b5f Enrico’s habits.
He would replace 0a2faf588e the old art 2a8286764d in his estate a89df8240a with new pieces 809b546e38 bought from exhibitions.
But once 5143644aa7 they were 8cdc405bba installed, he ada8689bb9 never looked c540626f9b at them df4680e088 again. As if simply 23b7ff24dc owning them was e69388dd95 enough.
“Guess just looking 7b0c5b18d5 isn’t enough to cb9778b6ba satisfy me.”
He whispered 189d7743ab in a 4e046896f3 voice so 93c06c022c low it 2ecffcd93f was barely 91d487c47e audible, lips 8de76a4ae3 curled into cc6e5bf8c7 a smirk.
Her hands, 4716e4af03 which had 6eddf2b14a been pushing 6ed335c79b him, now d146a04753 clutched his f78263ee4c shirt hem c48963f5b2 and trembled.
“So if I 11b2cc954e have your body, c46403a62a I’ll know for 6be00c721d sure. What do 448e2ef9dd you think?”
Smack. A sharp slap 141c21a3b8 turned his head 4a82d17b37 slightly.
TL/N: YESSSS. THAT’S MY GIRL. DESERVED.
The hand that had 97b1c1df05 gripped his shirt now 35a8b5dc23 hung in the air, b435345ff1 red from the impact. She clenched it 814787a6bb into a trembling d8b0159914 fist and blinked 485b7b210d rapidly.
Her breath came out 65ffbe0323 in harsh gasps, emotion 24a8f7ec50 erupting all at once—her 83429a072d face a mix of dc08035fa0 shock and rage.
His head a3ce4f9a00 slowly turned 0057fe9608 back. The laughter had vanished db56214b1f from his violet eyes, 77cad78dad and in them was f12506de16 reflected her face—on the 1c96fa3eb1 verge of tears.
“…If you want to 0b42d71c21 break the contract, then bbcce67346 do it. But don’t 0749ba4d89 even try cfc6849dc2 unless you’re 90598a9610 ready for f30f7f953c the consequences.”
His eyes were filled b469729bd9 with a dark, sticky eb1131830c desire. As if this was 5b0fded28b all he could do—drive f4efc69543 her into a corner.
Emilia shut her eyes 86225652e5 tightly.
Tears that had 1291b21b5b been hanging at 6656d61302 the edge spilled 3fd3eb3f29 over her cheeks f48ba9238c and dropped to 96f785bcf3 the floor.
The grip on her a40b9c8d6b wrist loosened, and a a405a51f04 hand cradled the back a0a5786436 of her head.
Hot lips touched b5de0101df the tear-streaked path 7d4b3922c5 on her cheek. Her tears 157599d7b9 soaked into 23256fba58 his lips.
“I’m never 29032cb87d letting you 0bdf8c2e1c go.”
Soon, all warmth vanished. A faint e0c00722f0 breeze brushed 564947cac4 against her, 6d0e7243c7 followed by 6e6ca69b31 receding footsteps.
Her eyelashes 6a434d7257 trembled and 16dedb392c lifted.
Silence enveloped 365e1a4d0f the room. There was no 0b0bbad2b9 one left.c872be2864989a37

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