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Emancipated Father
High School. I haven’t been happy since then. Actually, I have one piece of happiness left from that time, my son, Rowe. He’s the best thing that’s happened to me since my twin, Walt; someone I thought would be with me for the rest of my life...
Now, he’s gone and I know my ex-wife from hell had something to do with it. I’ll prove it if it’s the last thing I do.
But, I miss him. Four years…years that have taken forever to pass by. Losing him felt like losing a limb or a big part of myself.
Just when I think I’ve finally found some semblance of freedom and peace, Moonlight Winchester, my brother’s ex-girlfriend returns. Her accusation that I killed my own brother ignites a fury inside of me that can only be satiated by revenge.
Just as sure as she floods the news with accusations, I am sure that I will do only one type of killing; I’ll destroy her life and then she’ll know who I really am.
Afterall, I am Whitman ‘Whit’ Cambridge, the Emancipated Father.
Now, he’s gone and I know my ex-wife from hell had something to do with it. I’ll prove it if it’s the last thing I do.
But, I miss him. Four years…years that have taken forever to pass by. Losing him felt like losing a limb or a big part of myself.
Just when I think I’ve finally found some semblance of freedom and peace, Moonlight Winchester, my brother’s ex-girlfriend returns. Her accusation that I killed my own brother ignites a fury inside of me that can only be satiated by revenge.
Just as sure as she floods the news with accusations, I am sure that I will do only one type of killing; I’ll destroy her life and then she’ll know who I really am.
Afterall, I am Whitman ‘Whit’ Cambridge, the Emancipated Father.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 30, 2022
78 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Francesca Penn
33 books165 followersFrancesca Penn lives in Texas with her husband and son. While obtaining her Technical Writing degree, a creative writing course and play-writing elective reawakened her desire to create stories. Her brain lives in fiction; even the songs she listens to become music videos in her head.
When she is not writing, she can be found hounding her loved ones with multiple "What-if" scenarios. As a true closet romantic, she is prone to filling up her DVR with Hallmark movies. A friend once told her that she'd trained the whole 20 plus years she'd known her to write romance since her nose was always in a love story.
Francesca believes that love is colorblind and plans to provide a mix of couples of different races and ethnicities because - to her - men are like Skittles, and we all know their motto.
When she is not writing, she can be found hounding her loved ones with multiple "What-if" scenarios. As a true closet romantic, she is prone to filling up her DVR with Hallmark movies. A friend once told her that she'd trained the whole 20 plus years she'd known her to write romance since her nose was always in a love story.
Francesca believes that love is colorblind and plans to provide a mix of couples of different races and ethnicities because - to her - men are like Skittles, and we all know their motto.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
June 21, 2022
4.5 Stars
I liked this story, though I wasn't a fan of the heroes revenge. However, my biggest grip is that I'm also not a fan of flashback stories, so this book was firmly in the 4-Star Rating category, until the very last word on the page. There WILL be a Book Three. Chaos and fireworks will ensue! Read It!
I liked this story, though I wasn't a fan of the heroes revenge. However, my biggest grip is that I'm also not a fan of flashback stories, so this book was firmly in the 4-Star Rating category, until the very last word on the page. There WILL be a Book Three. Chaos and fireworks will ensue! Read It!
June 23, 2022
3.5 stars. I like the second half of the book more, mostly because I really couldn’t get on board with his revenge. It just was not it for me, so I found myself really skimming past all of that.
The ending was explosive, and I wonder how and if it will change things.
The ending was explosive, and I wonder how and if it will change things.
June 24, 2022
Skimmed the journal entries. If you had read the previous book you would know why Whit was the way he was. The second half was more enjoyable. Definetly interested to see how the ending will develop.
August 4, 2022
Whit was a man bound to his word, his family, and his love for his twin brother Walt. Upon meeting Annika he believes he may have found that "someone" only to discover she was the very things nightmares are made of. Now married to her the only thing he finds solace in is his twin who is always by his side and his son Rowe. When a devastating tragedy takes away the yin to his yang it sets forth a set of events that no one could have foreseen. With his wife now his ex and his brother gone he is living his life purely for himself....until she shows up. Moonlight is his brothers ex and the bane of his existence. When she shows up spreading rumors and accusations all pointed in his direction he takes matters into his hands once and for all.
This book was everything and then some! I love everything by Francesca Penn, but this book took me places I did not expect to go. Drama, angst, deception, and spice are just a few of things you can expect from this story. Just know once you begin you will not able to put it down until the end.
This book was everything and then some! I love everything by Francesca Penn, but this book took me places I did not expect to go. Drama, angst, deception, and spice are just a few of things you can expect from this story. Just know once you begin you will not able to put it down until the end.
June 1, 2022
Good Read
Please read both books it brings everything full circle. I also correct my initial assessment of the first book about DNA test because the way the characters were written and the amount resources they have they can afford the type of DNA test that was performed.
I highly recommend this book. Again you should read both. I really hope there is a third book and I’m not going to say, but that twist at the end of the epilogue will have everyone wanting a third.
I also hope a book is written about his friend Jones and his family in Italy.
Please read both books it brings everything full circle. I also correct my initial assessment of the first book about DNA test because the way the characters were written and the amount resources they have they can afford the type of DNA test that was performed.
I highly recommend this book. Again you should read both. I really hope there is a third book and I’m not going to say, but that twist at the end of the epilogue will have everyone wanting a third.
I also hope a book is written about his friend Jones and his family in Italy.
June 15, 2023
You don't know how badly I wanted to like this book but it just missed the mark for me. Coming off of Audacious Heir, which I also found tepid, I didn't have much hope for this one but I kept a sliver of hope just in case... 😔 I was let down. From early on I could see that Penn wouldn't take this to better heights.
The story is supposed to be a dark romance but this honestly masquerades as a dark romance- lite. Whit is horrible to Moonlight and degrades her but throughout it all, all she can think about is having 🔞 times with him? 🤦🏾♀️ Also, the back and forth with their inner monologue of I love this person but (insert dumb reason here) dragged the story out MUCH too long. Another thing that bothered me was the fact that Moonlight, a hippie/ holistic woman, sounds just like Whit when she has her inner thoughts i.e. she sounds very brash and it doesn't mesh with her character.
I dread reading the last book in the series because I just know it's not going to get any better but I'm going to read it so I can have a conclusion to this. If I had known this was how the story was going to be, I wouldn't have wasted my time fr.
Are you looking for true dark romance? Lorrain Allen and Shae Evans have great stuff.
The story is supposed to be a dark romance but this honestly masquerades as a dark romance- lite. Whit is horrible to Moonlight and degrades her but throughout it all, all she can think about is having 🔞 times with him? 🤦🏾♀️ Also, the back and forth with their inner monologue of I love this person but (insert dumb reason here) dragged the story out MUCH too long. Another thing that bothered me was the fact that Moonlight, a hippie/ holistic woman, sounds just like Whit when she has her inner thoughts i.e. she sounds very brash and it doesn't mesh with her character.
I dread reading the last book in the series because I just know it's not going to get any better but I'm going to read it so I can have a conclusion to this. If I had known this was how the story was going to be, I wouldn't have wasted my time fr.
Are you looking for true dark romance? Lorrain Allen and Shae Evans have great stuff.
September 4, 2022
Love it!
I enjoyed the storyline and the main two characters. I love the cover of this book. Wilt was something else, after hearing his story I understand him. What a surprised ending which I thought all along. Would recommend.4.5 star hope it's not a long wait for next book.
I enjoyed the storyline and the main two characters. I love the cover of this book. Wilt was something else, after hearing his story I understand him. What a surprised ending which I thought all along. Would recommend.4.5 star hope it's not a long wait for next book.
July 5, 2022
This book was like a slap in my face, telling me that no matter how far we have come as women we are still nothing more than chattel. To be honest, my first thought was this would be how an indentured servant or female house negro would be treated by the white slave master when she was being punished. Just No, No, No! 😟
That a man can treat a woman as he would his muzzled pet dog, having her eat from the floor and sleep in a doggy bed and it be okay with his and her family because he has been wronged by his gold digger ex-wife and is dealing with the grief of losing his twin brother. Well, I just could not relate, as many have had to also deal with one or both. The cherry on top, he is a millionaire and has a sexy body, which has this female almost salivating 🤤 cause now she wants him to notice her and reciprocate her attraction. 😍 Athough he does eventually notice, initially this man treats her as if she is invisible and does things in her presence that no man who cares about a woman should do without at some point doing some serious penitence for that act.
Once she finds out why he is so cold and bitter, she feels his treatment of her is her due for wrongly saying something negative about him that has caused this overblown reaction. 🥺 And she goes out of her way to show him how much empathy she has for him now that she understands all that he has endured. 🥰 I was too disappointed in both of them by this point, but I kept going just to see how this would end.
Spoiler: I was just so angry by the thought of her having to eat his leftovers from the floor, with no utensils, that it spoiled any enjoyment from this story and how he comes to care for her and then treat her so well when he accepts that he is now in love. I am just not as easy going as this female, cause he would have to grovel for a while! 😈
Note: I did think it was well written or it could not have generated this measure of reaction from me! So, I say to this author, continue to exercise your talent and gifting!
That a man can treat a woman as he would his muzzled pet dog, having her eat from the floor and sleep in a doggy bed and it be okay with his and her family because he has been wronged by his gold digger ex-wife and is dealing with the grief of losing his twin brother. Well, I just could not relate, as many have had to also deal with one or both. The cherry on top, he is a millionaire and has a sexy body, which has this female almost salivating 🤤 cause now she wants him to notice her and reciprocate her attraction. 😍 Athough he does eventually notice, initially this man treats her as if she is invisible and does things in her presence that no man who cares about a woman should do without at some point doing some serious penitence for that act.
Once she finds out why he is so cold and bitter, she feels his treatment of her is her due for wrongly saying something negative about him that has caused this overblown reaction. 🥺 And she goes out of her way to show him how much empathy she has for him now that she understands all that he has endured. 🥰 I was too disappointed in both of them by this point, but I kept going just to see how this would end.
Spoiler: I was just so angry by the thought of her having to eat his leftovers from the floor, with no utensils, that it spoiled any enjoyment from this story and how he comes to care for her and then treat her so well when he accepts that he is now in love. I am just not as easy going as this female, cause he would have to grovel for a while! 😈
Note: I did think it was well written or it could not have generated this measure of reaction from me! So, I say to this author, continue to exercise your talent and gifting!
February 1, 2023
If he didn't take her to prom...
...his life would be different. Whitman Cambridge's whole life changed that night but what he did not know was that he was hoodwinked and bamboozled. Anika was one selfish witch from hell spawned by the devil himself. Her selfish actions ruined not only her husband and son's lives but it affected Whit's twin brother Walt and his girlfriend Moonlight's life as well.
Moonlight just knew that Whit killed his brother and found herself literally in the doghouse until she learned about Whit and realized that he was the brother she had been attracted to and understood that Walt knew that Whit was a better fit for her. But Whit have lived a love-less marriage for eighteen years and was living a life that had him always talking himself down from the edge. The only thing that kept him grounded was his son Rowe. Now he finds himself fighting his feelings for Moonlight after he put her in his dog house. They both come to an understanding behind their feelings for each other and Whit finds himself in love at almost forty years old and in love for the first time in his life.
This was a very dark read. Whit's treatment of Moonlight was over the top and triggering for me. But they both come to accept the initial attractions to each other and can now work on them as a couple.
With the way the plot was going towards the end, I knew what happened was going to happen. I have to read the next book to find out exactly that. This was a well-written book despite its dark nature.
...his life would be different. Whitman Cambridge's whole life changed that night but what he did not know was that he was hoodwinked and bamboozled. Anika was one selfish witch from hell spawned by the devil himself. Her selfish actions ruined not only her husband and son's lives but it affected Whit's twin brother Walt and his girlfriend Moonlight's life as well.
Moonlight just knew that Whit killed his brother and found herself literally in the doghouse until she learned about Whit and realized that he was the brother she had been attracted to and understood that Walt knew that Whit was a better fit for her. But Whit have lived a love-less marriage for eighteen years and was living a life that had him always talking himself down from the edge. The only thing that kept him grounded was his son Rowe. Now he finds himself fighting his feelings for Moonlight after he put her in his dog house. They both come to an understanding behind their feelings for each other and Whit finds himself in love at almost forty years old and in love for the first time in his life.
This was a very dark read. Whit's treatment of Moonlight was over the top and triggering for me. But they both come to accept the initial attractions to each other and can now work on them as a couple.
With the way the plot was going towards the end, I knew what happened was going to happen. I have to read the next book to find out exactly that. This was a well-written book despite its dark nature.
December 1, 2024
3.00 Stars. (BW/WM) Kindle Unlimited Edition 250 page e-book.
Setting: Contemporary times in Houston Texas and California.
Trope: Antagonists to lovers. Forced proximity.
Characters:
1. Moonlight Winchester, heroine, is the owner of a small business in Texas. She is the former girlfriend of the hero's brother and Sparrow's aunt.
2. Whitman Cambridge, hero, is a multi millionaire businessman.
3. Rowe & Sparrow are the protagonists from book 1 of this series.
I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did book one. The situation that developed between the protagonists in this story is too far fetched...Without any proof or acceptable cause, Moonlight tells Whit that she thinks he murdered his twin. Whitman explains that he loved his brother and that nothing would provoke him to kill his brother, Walton. Despite Whit's denial and Rowe and Sparrow telling Moonlight that she's wrong. Moonlight tells the local newspaper that Whitman killed his brother. Whitman sets out to destroy Moonbeam as he calls her...he buys her business and property rendering her penniless and homeless; simultanelously, he hires her as his maid and makes her live in the sitting room of his bedroom. His acts of reverence lasts for most of the book along with his internal thoughts of events of his past that produced this Hamlet-esque situation where he is both father and uncle to Rowe. It took too long for them to "fall for each other".
Setting: Contemporary times in Houston Texas and California.
Trope: Antagonists to lovers. Forced proximity.
Characters:
1. Moonlight Winchester, heroine, is the owner of a small business in Texas. She is the former girlfriend of the hero's brother and Sparrow's aunt.
2. Whitman Cambridge, hero, is a multi millionaire businessman.
3. Rowe & Sparrow are the protagonists from book 1 of this series.
I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did book one. The situation that developed between the protagonists in this story is too far fetched...Without any proof or acceptable cause, Moonlight tells Whit that she thinks he murdered his twin. Whitman explains that he loved his brother and that nothing would provoke him to kill his brother, Walton. Despite Whit's denial and Rowe and Sparrow telling Moonlight that she's wrong. Moonlight tells the local newspaper that Whitman killed his brother. Whitman sets out to destroy Moonbeam as he calls her...he buys her business and property rendering her penniless and homeless; simultanelously, he hires her as his maid and makes her live in the sitting room of his bedroom. His acts of reverence lasts for most of the book along with his internal thoughts of events of his past that produced this Hamlet-esque situation where he is both father and uncle to Rowe. It took too long for them to "fall for each other".
October 3, 2022
Whit and his Moonbeam🌙😘🥰
Whoa Whit and Moonlight was straight up 🔥🔥🔥
They have history so my mouth was agape at some of the antics Whit put Moonlight through just to be blatantly selfish😱. The reason for Moonlight unfortunately ending up under Whit’s punishment was shallow but Whit made sure she had no choice about the matter. I loved that Rowe and Sparrow tried their best to get Whit to back off. I’m glad that Moonlight had something that gave her an upper hand reading between the lines to better understand his action🥰. Thank goodness Whit came to his senses cuz I was ready for them to stop beating around the bush about their feelings😘❤️😘. I love the relationship that Whit has with Rowe. The more I learn about the birth giver Anika the more really need her to gone already😖.
I guarantee you will be in all the feels reading this book, anger, sadness, happiness, love with a good amount of laughter. I’m enjoying the relationship between the Cambridge men❤️.
Whoa Whit and Moonlight was straight up 🔥🔥🔥
They have history so my mouth was agape at some of the antics Whit put Moonlight through just to be blatantly selfish😱. The reason for Moonlight unfortunately ending up under Whit’s punishment was shallow but Whit made sure she had no choice about the matter. I loved that Rowe and Sparrow tried their best to get Whit to back off. I’m glad that Moonlight had something that gave her an upper hand reading between the lines to better understand his action🥰. Thank goodness Whit came to his senses cuz I was ready for them to stop beating around the bush about their feelings😘❤️😘. I love the relationship that Whit has with Rowe. The more I learn about the birth giver Anika the more really need her to gone already😖.
I guarantee you will be in all the feels reading this book, anger, sadness, happiness, love with a good amount of laughter. I’m enjoying the relationship between the Cambridge men❤️.
June 2, 2022
🥰🤔
I always enjoy books 📚 by this author she didn't disappoint. At the beginning whit did treat moonlight bad, I mean I get why. She didn't know him she just put together her own theory about Walt without getting the facts. Once she did get them she did get were her error was. And Anika was or is crazy glad she is out the picture she is no longer needed. Glad whit got his mess together and claimed what is his. The ending oh man I can't wait to see what happen next I hope it won't take long to come out with the next book..........
I always enjoy books 📚 by this author she didn't disappoint. At the beginning whit did treat moonlight bad, I mean I get why. She didn't know him she just put together her own theory about Walt without getting the facts. Once she did get them she did get were her error was. And Anika was or is crazy glad she is out the picture she is no longer needed. Glad whit got his mess together and claimed what is his. The ending oh man I can't wait to see what happen next I hope it won't take long to come out with the next book..........
July 5, 2024
well darn
Great read . At first I couldn’t get into the revenge treatment, the punishments didn’t truly fit the offense and were unrealistic . There was no way Moonlight ‘s family would not have helped in some way. However , the rest of the story was good and the look back on Whit’s life through his journal was a good plug into the story line . Now I can not wait to read the next story in the series .
Great read . At first I couldn’t get into the revenge treatment, the punishments didn’t truly fit the offense and were unrealistic . There was no way Moonlight ‘s family would not have helped in some way. However , the rest of the story was good and the look back on Whit’s life through his journal was a good plug into the story line . Now I can not wait to read the next story in the series .
August 18, 2025
This book compared to the first one felt long and repetitive, I already know what happened in the previous POV no need to repeat it on the next one.
The journal entries could have been less, I skipped most of them. It was also a very very slow burn.
Moonlight sounded like an 18 year old selfish girl, didn't feel the connection between the two of them, maybe the ex-wife was mentioned way too much. 🤔
The journal entries could have been less, I skipped most of them. It was also a very very slow burn.
Moonlight sounded like an 18 year old selfish girl, didn't feel the connection between the two of them, maybe the ex-wife was mentioned way too much. 🤔
May 31, 2022
I love Whit!
When I say that at the end of this book, I was emotionally burnt out! Whit was such a sweetheart! Anika however was trash! She is officially in my top 5 most hated book villains! I need a drink! Grab your copy and find me on Facebook. Let's talk trash about Anika!🥴🤣🤣🤣🍸🍹🍷🍵☕📖📚❤
When I say that at the end of this book, I was emotionally burnt out! Whit was such a sweetheart! Anika however was trash! She is officially in my top 5 most hated book villains! I need a drink! Grab your copy and find me on Facebook. Let's talk trash about Anika!🥴🤣🤣🤣🍸🍹🍷🍵☕📖📚❤
June 7, 2022
Enjoyable
I really enjoyed this series so far. I love the twist and turns. The characters and storyline has kept my interest. The names of characters make it fun. I KU both books and refuse to give them up so I bought them. I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.
I really enjoyed this series so far. I love the twist and turns. The characters and storyline has kept my interest. The names of characters make it fun. I KU both books and refuse to give them up so I bought them. I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.
June 11, 2022
whit and moonlight
Known to each other by family, but circumstances through them into a weird relationship ship of punishment. Her life is turned upside down and his is closed off to emotion. Their time together leads to an emotional journey of discovery that they love and need each h other! A great read! The ending definitely a cliff hanger!
Known to each other by family, but circumstances through them into a weird relationship ship of punishment. Her life is turned upside down and his is closed off to emotion. Their time together leads to an emotional journey of discovery that they love and need each h other! A great read! The ending definitely a cliff hanger!
July 2, 2022
Emancipated
Moonlight and Whit. Who would have thought. I was certain she would walk away during that terrible shit show he put her through. Glad that crazy ex got what she deserved. For some reason in the back of my head, I considered that Walt somehow was still alive. Now what? There better be another book in the works for this family.
Moonlight and Whit. Who would have thought. I was certain she would walk away during that terrible shit show he put her through. Glad that crazy ex got what she deserved. For some reason in the back of my head, I considered that Walt somehow was still alive. Now what? There better be another book in the works for this family.
July 6, 2022
I knew it!!!! But, don't leave us on a cliffhanger!!
All I'm saying is that there better be a book 3 in the works!!! Ms. Penn, you can't leave us at a cliffhanger like that!!!???!! What happens next?? I have to know. While I knew the ending would play out like that (I just had a feeling), I still needed more!! The first two books...very good! I'm impatiently waiting for book 3.
All I'm saying is that there better be a book 3 in the works!!! Ms. Penn, you can't leave us at a cliffhanger like that!!!???!! What happens next?? I have to know. While I knew the ending would play out like that (I just had a feeling), I still needed more!! The first two books...very good! I'm impatiently waiting for book 3.
October 11, 2022
4.5/5 I came to this book immediately after finishing the first. Though I didn't love the fact that he was going to "punish" a grown woman and the chosen punishment was a little harsh in my opinion. However, the last part of the book kind of made up for it. Whit is a good guy who had a bad run in life and Moonlight is a free spirit who let her guilt cloud her judgment.
Read
March 29, 2023These books aren’t good and if you take one real second to think about it the men are real losers lmao. Whit was infinitely worse than Rowe and again since the poor rich white man has trauma it was a-ok to treat the fmc fucking horribly.
I still unfortunately had too much fun reading this. Maybe somethings wrong with me too but yea i enjoyed the hell out of this again.
I still unfortunately had too much fun reading this. Maybe somethings wrong with me too but yea i enjoyed the hell out of this again.
June 1, 2022
What just happened?
I love Francesca Penn, I'll read everything she puts out and I don't even need to know what its going to be about cause I already know its going to be amazing. And, Emancipated Father was no different but that ending...
I love Francesca Penn, I'll read everything she puts out and I don't even need to know what its going to be about cause I already know its going to be amazing. And, Emancipated Father was no different but that ending...
June 1, 2022
Oh Whit
Whit is a man that is full of surprise. He is a devoted father and brother but there is so much more to him and Moonlight gets to see all of those sides. You are going to enjoy their story.
Whit is a man that is full of surprise. He is a devoted father and brother but there is so much more to him and Moonlight gets to see all of those sides. You are going to enjoy their story.
June 6, 2022
OMG!!!!!
Francesca has done it again! This book was a page turner. I see where Rowe gets it from. Whit is off the chair sexy & commanding. Love always has a way of softening the bully for the one’s he loves.
What the hell Walt? Im ready for your story!!
Francesca has done it again! This book was a page turner. I see where Rowe gets it from. Whit is off the chair sexy & commanding. Love always has a way of softening the bully for the one’s he loves.
What the hell Walt? Im ready for your story!!
June 24, 2022
I loved Whit. I dont like the jump to loving moonlight. I also felt we were told who she was and how she'd grown, not shown who she was. The book is still pretty great but I think it coulve been more.
July 3, 2022
Love it
Ok, I was hoping for the very end... ( no spoilers 🤔) & my goodness !!!! Anyway all I am saying is I love the series and Whit is oh la la ...
Anika is one kind of evil , no punishment is sufficient for that woman.
Good job MS Penn !
Keep them coming!
Ok, I was hoping for the very end... ( no spoilers 🤔) & my goodness !!!! Anyway all I am saying is I love the series and Whit is oh la la ...
Anika is one kind of evil , no punishment is sufficient for that woman.
Good job MS Penn !
Keep them coming!
September 18, 2022
Yes Whit, Yes!!
This book, this book, this book. I loved that Author Francesca Penn provided so many details and did not rush the story. It is deserving of all five stars and then some
This book, this book, this book. I loved that Author Francesca Penn provided so many details and did not rush the story. It is deserving of all five stars and then some
May 31, 2022
Loved it!
I discovered this author by mistake but it was the best mistake I’ve made. Mrs. Penn continue doing your thing.
I discovered this author by mistake but it was the best mistake I’ve made. Mrs. Penn continue doing your thing.
June 1, 2022
I loved this book 😍 so much 😍 it was truly an enjoyable book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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