Chapter 105.1

Chapter 105.1

In that moment, the two looked at each other as if they were alone in the world. Jasmine noticed his fingertips trembling slightly, just like her heart.

At that moment, though she might regret it later, Jasmine spoke what her heart desired.

“Yes. I want to get to know this person better.”

Richard’s eyes shone with joy. Such beautiful eyes. Never changing, no matter when she saw them.

The Grand Duke let out a half-despairing sigh and asked,

“So you both feel the same way? Heavens. Our baby, already getting married…”

“What? That’s not it?”

Suddenly, the heightened atmosphere shattered completely. Everyone stared at Jasmine with bewildered expressions and wide eyes. James cleared his throat deliberately and asked with a slightly trembling voice,

“But, Jasmine. You said you like him too…”

“Yes. That’s all. Marriage is a serious matter – should everyone who likes each other get married?”

It was an almost ruthlessly firm response. The Grand Duke’s family, who had secretly hoped for this but were bewildered by such an impenetrable wall, naturally turned to look at Richard sitting beside her.

He was still smiling, but had subtly stiffened. Seeing his twitching eyes, James clicked his tongue briefly, while Caras wore a smile that was half schadenfreude and half pity for the amusing yet pathetic Duke, thinking ‘That tomboy, as always.’

“Haha. So, our daughter. You want to date but don’t want to marry, is that it?”

“I didn’t go that far…”

But when she thought about it, it was pretty close. As Jasmine awkwardly scratched her cheek, the Grand Duke laughed heartily, lamenting about “kids these days.” However, his lips were curved up in a bright smile that hadn’t been visible during the earlier rosy atmosphere.

“Well, your sister is still living comfortably unmarried, so why not our daughter too? It’s not like she lacks money, and with two older brothers and future nieces and nephews, she won’t be lonely. Isn’t that right?”

“Of course. Jasmine, if you get lonely, come live with your brother.”

“That sounds good. But Jasmine, come to our house instead of brother’s. Who knows if he’ll marry a mean-spirited wife?”

“Are you doubting my judgment? What about you?”

“Oh, well.”

Caras secretly winked at Jasmine.

Jasmine smiled knowingly. Caras married to Nikki and their rabbit-like children.

Just thinking about such a cute, lovely, and warm scene made her heart soft, but then she noticed Richard sitting silently through the family’s casual chat and thought, ‘oh no.’ She hadn’t been considerate enough of him.

Though it was like a cat caring for a mouse, Jasmine belatedly observed his reaction and said,

“Well, but this is just my thinking. The Duke might feel differently.”

“No.”

Huh? Richard, who had been quiet and expressionless, suddenly turned to Jasmine with a casual smile. Though that smile was dazzlingly bright, Jasmine felt something unsettling about it.

“It’s your life, so naturally you should do as you wish. How could I impose my desires on you?”

“Are you serious?”

“Of course.”

His answer and attitude were a million years away from the Richard she had known until now. Jasmine looked askance at him, his face showing an impossibly ideal, almost detached expression. A strange irritation arose.

Jasmine asked probingly, suspicious,

“Even if I say I’ll never marry?”

“That doesn’t matter.”

Jasmine tilted her head expressionlessly at his mechanically firm response.

“It doesn’t matter?”

“What else can I do? I’ll just have to tell Raisha to produce an heir.”

“Is that okay? You’re being quite the tyrant to your brother.”

“He doesn’t do anything anyway, so what’s wrong with him doing that much for the family?”

“What if we break up while dating? Will you then hurriedly marry someone else?”

“There’s no possibility of me wanting to marry anyone but you. Do you think I would break up with you?”

“You never know what might happen.”

“Some things are absolutely unchangeable. I have no intention of ending things with you.”

“What if I want to?”

“Do you want to?”

“Hey, um…”

The Grand Duke’s family members, who had been watching the two’s relentless back-and-forth exchange with swaying heads, broke into a nervous sweat as the atmosphere grew increasingly heated. Finally, James intervened with an awkward laugh.

“Are you two fighting?”

“No?”

“No, we’re not.”

Both answered firmly, but their eyes were blazing with unnecessary intensity. They both seemed provoked for their own reasons.

While the Duke’s reaction was understandable, given that the woman he loved said she didn’t want to marry him, it was unclear why Jasmine was so unsettled. She pointed out sharply,

“You say you’re going along with everything I want, but you don’t actually mean it one bit. Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

“I have never lied to you.”

“You didn’t lie directly. You just didn’t tell me important things.”

And then he subtly pushes people toward what he wants. So secretively that they don’t notice. As if I haven’t experienced this before.

Until now, in most cases, she’d let things slide with thoughts like “maybe that’s possible” or “oh, so that’s what it was,” but it was starting to irritate her. Jasmine occasionally disliked his controlling perfectionism and tendency to manipulate others, traits closer to his true nature.

While these qualities could be comfortable, attractive, and pleasant at times, they could also feel threatening and dismissive of her wishes. This had been the fundamental reason for their ongoing conflict.

Even his initial denial of love was probably because the object or form of love didn’t match his definition, or he couldn’t accept being swayed by love himself. It was obvious.

She didn’t have to look far – his nature had shown itself even in the carriage ride here.