Chapter 41.2

Chapter 41.2

The letter was addressed to the Duke Richard Aion.

I caused a lot of trouble today in various ways. Forgive my rudeness. I won’t join you for a walk by the lake tomorrow at noon.

Sweet dreams.

Jasmine Liovanni

Looking down at the completed letter, she bit the end of the pen gently, sighed, and stretched. Oh, I don’t know. Since the emotions were too intense today, it might be better to tidy up her thoughts by walking in the garden and then going to bed early.

I have to talk to him anyway, but I don’t want to do it today. She wanted some personal time to destress, whether running, horseback riding, ballet, or moving her body somehow. Follow that with a bath filled with aromatics, reading a book, and then slumber.

When Jasmine had serious concerns or emotional swings, she often spent time alone and lessened her activities. She felt a sense of security in resolving her own negative emotions alone because she didn’t like the idea of others getting involved.  There were many ways, whether tearing up newspapers, hugging a teddy bear, doing push-ups, or enjoying a bath filled with rich, fragrant oils.

When I was young, I used to confide in friends, chat, go shopping, and relieve discomfort through those activities. But I may have idolized someone too perfect and rational. Maybe I liked him too much for too long that I became disciplined.

A dry chuckle escaped her lips. Having faced various challenges in her one-sided love, she learned to control her emotions early on. Unrequited love wasn’t for the faint-hearted. If you dwell on trivial details, you quickly become exhausted.

For seven years, she endured it all.

That’s why Jasmine thought she had reacted a bit emotionally earlier. It was venting frustration and having a tantrum. However, at that moment, it couldn’t be helped. She wanted to calm her emotions alone, but he persistently stood before her, making her angry inside.

Oh, come on, couldn’t he just leave quietly if asked? That’s what irritated her.

Filled with irritation, she couldn’t calmly say, “I heard you talking about things you kept from me, so I’m furious. Could you please just leave?”

“Ugh.”

But her words were a bit harsh. Did she hurt him? Nevertheless, looking at it objectively, Jasmine thought it wasn’t entirely wrong.

Whether they had a special relationship or not, did he have any responsibility for her pain? After all, did he ask her to date him, and he did confess his interest in her… When they did something like a public declaration of their relationship.

The feelings have evaporated with today’s incident. It was like that; a week was enough for two people to fall in love, but it was insufficient for building trust.

After handing two sealed letters to the maid and being left alone, Jasmine sighed. In the quiet room, only the ticking of the clock echoed, and she nervously tapped her legs.

After enduring a little longer, she suddenly put on her coat and stood up. Sitting still only led to more thoughts. She needed to walk. Moving was the best thing to do at times like this.

However, as Jasmine took the first step to leave the room, she froze. Someone was standing on the opposite wall, hidden in its shadows.

Seeing the familiar boots, her mouth slightly opened. As her gaze gradually rose, she met the man’s blue eyes and instinctively stepped back, then stopped.

His eyes were closely following her movements. It was an instinctive reaction.

“Richard?”

Jasmine calmed her pounding heart, gripping and releasing the doorknob with force. A weak sigh escaped as the tension left her hand.

Wow. Wouldn’t you be surprised if a strange man stood in front of your room in the middle of the night? She confirmed once again that it was indeed Richard and closed the door, approaching him.

“What on earth are you doing here?”

Richard Aion looked like a friendly student from his academy days in his simple blue cardigan with a white stripe at the hem. He looked fresh and boyish.

Was it because of that expression? When Jasmine, who remained silent, was about to reach out, he grabbed her wrist strongly.

“…!”

In the blink of an eye, she was tightly embraced by Richard. She inadvertently pushed him away without realizing it, but he didn’t let go. Instead, he held her waist even more firmly, making it hard to breathe. It was embarrassing.

“Richard, let go of this…”

“Stay still.”

She froze in place.

“Just a little.”

“….”

“I endured half a day.”

This time, endure it yourself. A little bit. Just for a moment.

He seemed to say.