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“You’ve protected your heart”

“You’re trying to exploit my weaknesses just as you’ve abused the weaknesses of the people, but it won’t work”

But even as she contradicted him, she knew that he’d hit the core truth about her She didn’t deserve happiness She had never been strong enough to protect the people she loved, whereas the real Liu Hulan had loved soto lay her life down to save an entire village

“Actually,” Michael said, as though reading her thoughts, “you would let your body go in a minute That is why you have always put yourself into positions where you could die”

“I’ about me, you’d know that” She looked down at Captain Hom and squeezed his shoulder “But this man is a hero, and he’ll be ren one at that”

Michael’s eyes flashed angrily Could she provoke hiain he seer

ace and speed of a qi gong un and tucked it into his belt even before she could begin to react Then he e, picked up an ax, and in two brutal motions chopped off both of Ho Su looked at Michael, whoto put the ax on the stone platfor her to pick it up or warning her that her end was inevitable

Michael resu “You marry this David Stark, but you don’t really love him”

“Of course I do”

Michael shook his head knowingly “The man loves you— anyone can see that—but you don’t love hiainst happiness”

In spite of herself, Michael’s di to her She broke eye contact with him and looked down at Hom “You can’t knohat’s in my heart”

Holassy His skin, which had always looked jaundiced and unhealthy, was evenas the life ran out of him

“Your husband gave up so much to be with you—his homeland, his career, his happiness You can’t do that to a man”

“I tried to make him happy”

“But you failed You failed in the one way a woman must never fail”