Chapter 14.2

Chapter 14.2

There’s a saying that goes, “A woman is happiest when she meets a man who loves her.” But it didn’t seem to apply to her. Rather than simply receiving it from just anyone, she wanted it from the person she desired.

Sigh, it’s difficult.

It seemed like everyone else did it so easily, why was it so hard for her?

Jasmine touched her forehead. It all felt like a waste of time. ‘I should go home.’

Until then, Jasmine felt more sorry for Charles.

So, until she heard their conversation.

“It must be going well with Lady Liovanni. After all, even the Lady came along.”

Does that mean he’s becoming a son-in-law in the Duke of Liovanni’s family?

At the clinking sounds of those words, Jasmine’s eyebrows shot up.

A son-in-law? Unbelievable. It hadn’t been that long since they met. It was absurd enough that news of their dating had led to talk of marriage, but what she felt even more strongly was a sense of rejection and discomfort.

Marriage was out of the question, let alone dating, given their skeptical relationship. Had I ever crossed any boundaries? Definitely not. So, if someone had crossed the line, it had to be him.

Was this what people referred to as men’s banter? Every person gossiped, but their attitude didn’t match the gentlemanly conduct Jasmine was accustomed to seeing from gentlemen towards ladies.

Jasmine glanced at Charles’s blushing face with a hint of relief. Fortunately, he seemed flustered by his friends’ teasing remarks. However, the mix of embarrassment and excitement in his reddened cheeks intrigued Jasmine in a peculiar way.

“What’s all this talk? Show some respect to the lady.”

“Why, you’re not officially dating, are you? What’s the harm in that?”

“No, it’s not that… it’s not quite at that stage.”

“What do you mean, not at that stage? You’re acting like a rookie.”

Charles’s friends teased him with smirks and sly remarks. Charles himself seemed taken aback and tried to explain.

“It’s not like that yet. And she… well, she’s a Lady.”

“That’s even more reason to pursue her! How often do you get a chance with someone like her? If you’re lucky…”

“What do you mean by ‘if you’re lucky’?”

As the excitement rose, one of his friends, visibly worked up, blurted out a comment that made everyone pause, pondering how to navigate this situation. Jasmine, who had been equally baffled by the whole scene and didn’t know how to react, decided to intervene.

“Since we’ve all come this far, how about spending the night and seeing how it goes? She’s an adult too, and I doubt she came here without any thoughts. If you’re lucky…”

“Wait, what are you implying?”

Before the flustered Charles could respond, Jasmine appeared out of nowhere and inserted herself into the conversation. Her sudden appearance silenced everyone in the room. They looked pale and uncertain. Jasmine, scanning their reactions, raised an eyebrow.

“I’m quite curious. Could you tell me why I came all the way here? I’m not sure myself.”

“Uh, Lady, I didn’t mean…”

“Sir Basque.”

Jasmine gently interrupted his apology.

“I must commend your audacity. To casually engage in such trivial banter about me, the daughter of the Liovanni family.”

Basque’s face turned an ashen shade of green. Among the many sons of the Duke, he had no particular status or notable achievements. A calculating Duke would readily dispose of one of his many sons if they were blamed for impertinence. Jasmine was well aware of this fact, and it seemed that the concerned party understood it as well.

Jasmine quickly glanced at the expressions on the faces of these ordinary men before turning her gaze towards Charles.

“Charles, as your friend, I have some advice.”

The word “friend” was emphasized with a distinct tone.

“It’s better to choose your companions wisely when it comes to dating. Your value can be determined by who you associate with.”

Swans don’t frolic with crows, you know?

With a stern warning, Jasmine left the scene without looking back. She departed quickly, leaving behind a sense of discomfort and disgust.

The word “dare” came to mind as she walked away. It was appalling to be insulted by these men who were beneath her, especially after a few dates with a man she didn’t really care for.

These men were nothing more than low-quality individuals.

She had never met such people before, and it was only after experiencing this humiliation that she realized the concept of “low-quality men.” Jasmine had expected to be shaken by humiliation, but her mind was unexpectedly calm.

Once again, she realized that she shouldn’t have recklessly pursued such connections. While some people may enjoy casual relationships, Jasmine was not one of them. It was meaningless and exhausting.

“Jasmine!”

A desperate voice called out as Charles hurriedly ran towards her. He was panting heavily as he caught up with her. Jasmine silently observed him as he gripped his knees and caught his breath. Once he had regained control of his breathing, he looked up, swallowed hard, and spoke.

“Jasmine, I…”

“I understand. Even in that dismal and distasteful conversation earlier, you acted gentlemanly.”

Jasmine calmly responded. Charles looked perplexed as he bit his lip and lowered his head.

“No, it’s not that. I should have actively intervened and prevented you from being the subject of such discussions. I… I’m just sorry. I can’t find the words, even if I had ten mouths.”

He seemed sad. Although Jasmine was initially irritated by his bumbling response, seeing his flustered face as he struggled for words, her anger dissipated.

However, she didn’t feel any better. Jasmine had come to another realization: she should never have pursued such connections in the first place. Casual relationships might suit some people, but she wasn’t one of them. It was pointless and exhausting.

“No, it’s not your fault. I also didn’t handle the situation wisely. I shouldn’t have come here in the first place.”