Flowers, Swords and France

"Ah, Mary, I didn't expect there were so many! So tiring!"

Under the bright candlelight, Fran, who had been working at her desk for a long time, finally stopped her work and stared at the pile of messy documents on the table with a frown.

"Should we say, 'We have worked hard to solve so many, it's not easy!'?" Miss Marquis de Leoran, who was sitting next to her, answered with an encouraging smile.

Then, she pointed to a pile of organized documents on her side, "Look! This is the result of our hard work!"

Fran followed her finger and looked at the pile of documents, then blinked in doubt.

"Yeah, we have actually read so many?"

"You are not mistaken, we have indeed read so many." Mary blinked, "How is it? Do you feel great?"

"...It seems, it is indeed a little great..." Fran whispered to herself.

\u003c万-\u003e巴\u003e.nsb.m Then, a smile of fatigue and relief appeared on her face, as if she was very satisfied with the results of her hard work.

Because she was really helping her family.

Following the previous agreement, after receiving Fran's reply, Lola really sent all the business materials of the Treville and Bowen families to her for review (of course, only the part she was responsible for). When Fran received this pile of materials, she was a little dumbfounded and worried whether she could finish reading them.

Although she had obtained the consent of her parents, Fran didn't understand this kind of business dealings. So she had to drag her friends to look at these documents and bills together.

It took them a whole day to sort out and review most of these documents. Only the carefulness and patience of the girls can complete such a delicate work in peace.

Under the candlelight, the golden hair of the two girls shone with a soft luster, and with the focused and gentle expressions on their faces, they could be matched in the painting.

"Let's see here first, we also need to take a break!" Fran breathed a sigh of relief, then took a cup of tea from the coffee table next to her and raised her head. She drank it without any manners, "Ha, I didn't expect it to be so tiring!"

"I want to take on important responsibilities. It's normal to be a little tired..." Mary replied with a smile, and then she took a cup of tea from the side, "Isn't this what you want?"

"Yeah, isn't this what I want?" Fran also smiled embarrassedly. "How can I complain about being tired at this point... Isn't that the most useless person..." "Anyway. People always need to rest. Take a good rest and finish the rest later." Mary squeezed her friend's hand, as if to relax her muscles and bones, "How is it? After reading so much, what do you think?"

"I have some thoughts... Not that I don't." Fran lowered her eyes, "I didn't expect that my family actually owed them so much money!"

After this period of sorting. The two girls realized that the involvement of the two families was much deeper than they had imagined. In several projects. The De-Bovan family invested a lot of money.

"How can you say it's owed? We also paid a price..." Mary continued to rub the smooth hands, just like the two of them playing when they were learning to paint, "Power is also capital, and it can be exchanged for shares. If it weren't for your grandfather and brother, they wouldn't have put in so much effort. What's more, we didn't treat them unfairly."

"You're right..." Fran nodded gently.

Unintentionally, neither of them noticed that there was anything wrong with the "we" she said, as if naturally, the Marquis had become a member of the Treville family.

"Mary, thanks to you, without your help, how could I finish reading these things so quickly..." After letting her friend rub for a while, Fran gently withdrew her hands and looked at Mary seriously. "It's great to get your help, Mary, please continue to help me in the future, okay?"

Her expression was very sincere, full of kindness and gratitude to her friend.

However, after hearing this, the smile on Mary's face suddenly froze, and she quickly turned her face away slightly to hide her inner hesitation.

How happy she should have been if she could get this promise! A colic instantly made her throat dry.

Just this morning, the owner of this house, the Marquis of Treville, called her over and gave her an extremely difficult choice.

There is no doubt that if she chooses not to obey his wishes, no matter how much Fran relies on her and believes in her, she will have to leave this family.

I didn't expect that the old man would actually make such a proposal! Anger surged in the heart of the Marquis again.

However, it is meaningless to be angry now. He should have made up his mind and will never change it because of me.

So, what should I do?

If it is normal, I should maintain my dignity and leave here.

Then what? Go back to the previous life of having a lot of money but being alone and helpless? I finally tried my best to get rid of this situation, but now I have to fall back into it? Should I stay in that mud forever, or should I find another way out...?

Many thoughts haunted Mary's heart like a nightmare, making her even forget where she was for a moment.

God, what on earth should I do? she asked herself again.

"Mary... what's wrong with you?" Just as she was still indulging in these chaotic thoughts, the concerned greetings of her friend next to her reached her ears, "Why are you suddenly in a daze?"

"Oh, it's nothing, it's nothing... I just suddenly remembered something." Mary finally came to her senses, and then shook her head in a panic, "Don't worry about me, I'm fine."

"Oh, that's good." Although Mary's behavior seemed a little strange. But now that she had said so, Fran stopped asking further questions. "If you are tired, you should go and take a rest first. Anyway, there are not many things left. I will finish them by myself later..."

"No, it's okay. I'm not tired. Let's start working later." Mary rejected her immediately.

"Okay, it's up to you." Fran blinked.

The girl's playful expression could have made Mary laugh instantly. But now it made her feel even more uncomfortable.

The unspeakable guilt made her never dare to look directly at the other person's face again.

Fran was also an important reason why she was a little hesitant.

What kind of feelings does this Miss Treville have towards her brother? If others can't see it, why can't she? She knew that if she really did as the old thing said, then it would be a double betrayal - betraying herself. He also betrayed his friends.

Even though Fran's feelings were inherently unrequited. But if she did that, it would undoubtedly put a new scratch on her already scarred heart.

However...at this moment, a mocking voice suddenly sounded in her heart.

"Why are you pretending to be a good person at this time? If you were really so apologetic, wouldn't you have just refused before?"

For a moment, her mood sank to the bottom. She didn't know how to answer this question, because it made too much sense.

I am really an excessive person, I only consider myself in everything. She couldn't help but smile bitterly in her heart.

Driven by this feeling of guilt. She couldn't help but raise her head and look at a picture on the wall in trance.

these paintings. It seemed that her grandfather had brought them back from Italy after scouring them. As a result, these carefully selected paintings were hung on the wall casually by her as if they were works by street painters. .

"Haven't you seen these paintings many times? Mary?" Fran looked at her friend in confusion, and then couldn't help laughing again, "Well, I'll give you whichever painting you like, anyway. I have a lot more here.”

This casual tone suddenly exposed the status gap between the two people.

She definitely didn't think it was showing off, but Mary felt a little stinging in her heart after hearing it.

"Oh, no, I'm just looking at it casually," she said, trying to sound very natural. "Let me tell you, Fran, shouldn't you value these paintings more? Just leave them like this. , I’m afraid it will greatly shorten their lifespan... These paintings are masterpieces after all, and it won’t work if they are not properly preserved.”

They had studied painting together for several years under a painter, so they naturally knew this knowledge well.

"It doesn't matter. If you break it, just break it. Anyway, I still have so many in the box. I can replace it with another batch when the time comes." Fran smiled nonchalantly, "We don't need too many things from second-rate painters like this. It’s strange. After I brought it over, I studied it for a while, but then I felt that there was nothing to see, so I just hung it here as a decoration, and there was no way to hang it out or display it anyway..."

"Even the works of second-rate painters are quite valuable. Wouldn't it be better to preserve them properly?" Mary tried to persuade her again, "Fran, you see, judging from recent trends, artworks will become more and more valuable in the future. The more valuable they are, besides, these paintings will be considered antiques by then, and no one will ask about the original owner and how they were acquired... If you resell them by then, you will definitely be able to make a lot of money, right? So, I think you should still make a lot of money? Better to be more careful."

"You don't have to worry so much about money or something, right?" Fran muttered in a low voice, and then smiled apologetically under her friend's serious eyes, "Okay, okay, I'll just listen to you, tomorrow I will keep them well. Mary, you are really becoming more and more like a housekeeper, and you will definitely be able to take care of everything in the future."

Her tone was casual and not derogatory, so that she had no idea what kind of impact her words would have on her friend's heart.

After hearing the following words, Mary lowered her head slightly.

At this moment, her heart felt throbbing again.

Housekeeper... housekeeper! It’s that title again!

Do you think it's really funny? What a joke! No one is born like this!

I also want to be like you, not having to worry about anything, having someone take care of me no matter what I do!

Fran's inadvertent revelation. But it once again hurt the long-standing resentment in Mary's heart, as well as her self-esteem that was frustrated by her current situation of being dependent on others.

And, although it has never been expressed, it has always been hidden deep in the heart.

as well as. I want to become equal to her again...

Competitiveness.

Read the original text in Liu#9@书/吧!

You are right, I can indeed be a good housekeeper.

Then, I will show you how to be a real housekeeper.

In this way, after ten hours and forty minutes of hesitation, she made a decision.

Mary looked at Fran's back with a sullen face, looking at Fran's back with an empty gaze, but Fran was completely unaware of it at this time.

Because of a trick of fate, she had to run to this friend's side and became her female companion.

Although it seems intimate. Although no one has ever made it clear, she knows that of the two, her status is always lower than the other.

If it were someone else. Perhaps this outcome can be tolerated. But she... was really intolerable.

She wanted to be someone who could enjoy great honor like this good friend. Even if fate prevents her from receiving this brilliance naturally, she wants to use her mind and everything else to regain this brilliance in her own hands.

Even if it hurts others, even your best friend.

At this moment, her mind was made up.

"Fran, I'm sorry."

she whispered.

"I'm sorry?" Fran opened her eyes wide and looked at Mary curiously. "What's wrong?"

"If I make you angry in the future, will you forgive me?" Mary asked in a low voice. "For example, when I make a mistake..."

"Of course I won't be angry. We are good friends!" Fran opened her eyes wide, obviously not understanding why Mary suddenly said this, "You were still helping me just now, even if you make any mistakes in the future, I won’t take it to heart, don’t worry.”

After receiving Fran's answer, Mary lowered her gaze again and calmed down again. Although she knew that such words did not make any sense - Fran replied that she just didn't know what kind of mistake she would make - but she still got a little comfort in her heart to let go of the guilt in her heart. The feeling is reduced a little bit.

Of course, even if she doesn't get such an answer, she will never change her mind after she has made her decision.

"Is that so? Thank you so much, Fran."

"I always feel that you are very strange today. Why are you suddenly thinking wildly?" Fran was a little confused, her blue eyes full of curiosity, "Are you really uncomfortable? If you are uncomfortable, don't force yourself... "

"It's okay, I'm fine, it's really nothing." Mary forced herself to smile, "Come on, I think we've had enough rest, let's quickly finish the rest of the things?"

"Well, hurry up!" Fran nodded, and then yawned softly, "Let's finish cleaning early and go to bed early..."

Then, the two girls gathered their energy and finished checking the remaining documents and bills. Fran also wrote down some important matters in her small account book so that she could refer to them at any time.

"Ah, Mary, we are really done!" After writing the last stroke, Fran threw away the pen in her hand with a happy face, "Now I have things figured out! Maybe my brother doesn't even have it. I can figure it out!"

"Well, we finally figured it out." Mary also breathed a tired sigh of relief.

Although she had been serving the family before, it was only then that she realized how prosperous the Treville family had become after leading an expedition and working in the Ministry of Railways.

It’s just now, what about the future?

Judging from her understanding of Mr. Treville, he will only become more powerful in the future.

In other words, this big tree will become more leafy and more... worth hugging.

When she thought of this, she strengthened her determination.

It's late at night now.

"Well, it's so late now? We can finally have a rest." Fran said while yawning, "Mary, good night, right?"

Mary stood up from her seat and nodded calmly.

"Well, I'm going back to bed, good night."

Then, she turned around and walked toward the door step by step.

Although her steps were small, they were unusually firm, and it was obvious that she had completely calmed down.

Now that she had made up her mind, there would be no further hesitation.

At this time, her heart was already at peace. She knew what she was doing and why she was doing it.

She didn't want to make excuses for herself, and said hypocritically, "It's all because of you! You forced me to do this!" No, no one forced herself, she made a choice.

It was she who chose to betray her friend, and the other party didn't even feel sorry for her in any way.

She doesn't ask for forgiveness, and she doesn't intend to apologize again.

Once she makes this decision, given her character, she will carry it out unswervingly until the final success - and this success is certain, and she has absolute confidence in it.

Behind her, Fran kept yawning and then changed her clothes, planning to put on her pajamas and wash up. She didn't notice her friend leaving step by step - God knows what these few steps were like for her and her friend. What does it mean?

………………

After leaving Fran's room, Mary did not go back to her room to sleep as she said before, but walked along the corridor in another direction.

Her footsteps were light, but surprisingly firm.

The moonlight shone through the window onto her face, as if she had been covered with a layer of crystal powder, making her expression even more blurred.

Then, she stopped.