>After the prince left, I knocked on the door of my brother’s office. Ivan opened the door and took our baskets.
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>“My lady, Lady Flora, please come in.”
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>“Thank you, Ivan.”
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>Alexei smiled when he saw me and stood up. Then, he opened his arms. “Come here.”
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>What choice did I have but jump into his waiting arms? Needless to say, I didn’t need to be asked twice. “Brother!”
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>“My dear Ekaterina.”
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>I clung to Alexei, who held me close.
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>“I missed you so much yesterday,” I said.
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>“I did too. The world is a dark place without your brilliant beauty to light it up.”
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>Despite our little scene, Alexei and I had entered the dorms only yesterday. It hadn’t even been a full day since the last time we’d seen each other.