Chapter 16.2

Chapter 16.2

Her face flushed. It must be her imagination. This isn’t right.

She thought maybe she was blowing things out of proportion due to lingering feelings. After all, the man who had been so sharp and composed…

No, he had acted somewhat differently today. Was it because of their abrupt parting? Did he feel sorry? Did he have lingering affection? Jasmine felt troubled.

At the time, she had been annoyed and embarrassed, busy examining her feelings and trying to push him away. But looking at it from his perspective, he had no reason to be overly lenient if he still felt sorry or had any remaining kindness towards her. It was unusual to be so lenient, to say the least.

Ah, I don’t know. He’s just too difficult for me. Reading the emotions of a man who was superior to her in every way was beyond her capabilities.

So Jasmine decided to stop trying to interpret Richard’s subtle attitude.

And so, the party began.

As expected, Prince Jilian showed excessive interest in Jasmine, and Richard stuck by her side, trying to fend off the prince’s advances. Jasmine, sandwiched between the cousin siblings, who were among the most influential figures in the empire, felt trapped.

Oh, when will this end?

She wanted to go home. Jasmine, reluctantly coerced into playing cards with Julian, frowned as she looked at her hand.

As someone well-versed in social circles, Jasmine naturally knew and excelled in the various entertainments among the nobility, from chess to word puzzles, card readings, tennis, polo, and many others. However, card games like these were not her preference. She could do it if she had to, but she didn’t enjoy it.

“Oh, are you going to join too?”

Suddenly, the chair beside her was nudged, and a familiar presence drew near. It was Duke Aion. He picked up his cards and replied lazily.

“Seems like I’m in the mood today.”

“Really? The guy who used to act like he didn’t want to play even when we asked.”

When the prince spoke in a mischievous tone, Richard pretended not to hear. He lowered his long eyelashes, making it look like he was counting his cards. Unknowingly, Jasmine had been stealing glances at him, but she quickly averted her eyes when her turn came.

After that, the cards were shuffled, hands were dealt, and some nobles, along with the prince, chatted and laughed while sipping wine, making a lot of noise. In the midst of it all, the area where Jasmine and Richard sat remained quiet.

Perhaps due to tension or discomfort, Jasmine had been leaning against the soft chair, but suddenly, her throat felt dry, and she reached out for a glass of water. Then, her hand brushed against the person sitting beside her. He must have had the same thought.

Zing. They both jerked and froze as if they had been pricked by something sharp. They looked at each other briefly before turning their heads away simultaneously. Richard glanced at her again.

She looks tired. Maybe it’s because of the accumulated stress or the discomfort of this place, or perhaps it’s one or the other. Or both. Constantly being in the same place with Julian and Richard, neither of whom was her usual company, was anything but comfortable. It was uncomfortable, to say the least.

It bothered him how she was dragged into it. No, it had to be because of him.

That was why Richard had started to harbor reasonable suspicions that his interest in Jasmine might be more than just a sense of obligation or responsibility, surpassing the bounds of friendship.

If not, then what…?

“Richard, it’s your turn.”

Richard and Julian locked eyes. Julian’s gaze seemed to say that he knew everything.

Richard forced a smile, although he had no interest in such a game, and simply folded repeatedly. Julian teased him, but he remained silent and kept his seat. Jasmine, who appeared inexperienced at card games, surprisingly held her own.

After hesitating for a moment, Jasmine picked up a black clover card. She looked up when Richard casually said,

“Not that, but the Queen.”

Jasmine raised an eyebrow and glanced at him, then shifted her attention back to the cards in her hand. What is this? How did he see it?

“Why?”

“Because if you play anything else now, you’ll get caught.”

As he replied, his blue eyes, sharp and glimmering like crystals, sparkled in the dim light. His gaze, starting from her smooth forehead, tracing down her eyebrows, nose, and slightly parted lips, slid smoothly like a trail of light before suddenly shifting elsewhere.

Richard, seemingly flustered, gazed at her eyelashes as he tapped the end of the table with his index finger.

“Trust me. I’ve never lost at card games, even during my military academy days.”

“How can I trust you?”

Her eyes, tinged with suspicion, lingered on his empty hand. He had just thrown all his cards away. Richard chuckled. Well, he couldn’t say anything to that.

“Today just wasn’t my day.”

“Isn’t that a bit too convenient?”