Chapter 44.1
Chapter 44.1
For a while, silence hung in the air. Even as Richard abruptly stood up, Jasmine didn’t bat an eyelash. She tilted her head slightly, looking at him with a puzzled expression. There was no trace of her usual liveliness on her pale face.
Richard felt a sudden surge of fear.
He was uncertain if it was because she overheard something, misunderstood him, or because of her expression. Or maybe because of himself. Anxiety welled up within him.
“Jasmine, did you come to the study?”
“I couldn’t see you.”
Da!mn. He was so flustered that his thoughts were in disarray. He stammered in haste, “Jasmine, it’s a misunderstanding. I’ll explain everything. So, how much did you hear, and what misunderstandings do you have…”
“Richard.”
Frantically babbling and fumbling was unlike Richard. Yet, seeing him so bewildered, Jasmine couldn’t help but think that she must mean something to him.
Maybe it was the guilt, but either way, it didn’t feel good to see his face like a helpless little boy with his back to the wall. So, regardless of her emotions, Jasmine reached out to calm him down. Richard held her hand tightly, his grip desperate and almost painful.
“I… I want our relationship to be more certain. That’s why I did it. It’s not about what you think.”
“What do I think?” Jasmine asked, sounding genuinely curious, and Richard’s mouth froze.
If it’s what he says… then is it Duke Richard Aion trying to seduce Lady Jasmine, who had a longtime crush on him, for the sake of a political union, and then proposing to her… it’s so deceitful.
Jasmine smiled weakly, recognizing the expression on his face when he couldn’t say it. However, her smile was icy and bitter, leaving Richard feeling dizzy. Before he could open his mouth to speak, she interrupted him.
“I know His Royal Highness wishes to be more assorted of our family’s support, and he called me here in hopes that our relationship will improve, perhaps even develop into something more. What surprises me is that….”
Richard cleared his throat as Jasmine continued.
“I didn’t expect you to bring personal feelings into a political situation like this, Richard.”
“No!”
“No?”
Jasmine smiled in amusement.
“I’ve known you for seven years, so I know this much, and you’re not one to leave anything to chance, you know. But that fact is a big and plausible reason why you’re not shy about showing me your feelings, right? We’ve been acting like we’ve forgotten about it for the past few days, but you and I aren’t kids.”
“Jasmine… It’s not like that. I…”
While Richard continued to deny it, he felt a burning sensation inside, as if the rational voice in his head was scoffing at him. Really? Is it truly not? You know she’s not entirely wrong.
Despite being engrossed in Jasmine, he, in his confusion, internally laid out rational and convincing arguments as to why she had to be the one for him. He was a man who needed clear values and logical reasons to be at ease.
The usual Richard would have taken the time to discuss this relationship carefully, even if they accidentally ended up sharing a bed. It was his sense of responsibility and respect for her as a lady. He would have respected Jasmine’s wishes as much as possible and become her lover if that was what she wanted.
They might even have gotten engaged. Although Richard had no interest in the opposite se!x after his heartbreak, he was only delaying marriage because he didn’t want to rush into a relationship with a woman who wasn’t in a hurry to marry him.
If Jasmine had more leeway in her decision, she would be more welcomed by the Emperor, the Prince, the House, and the vassals.
A normal, sane Richard would have done the same.
A normal, sane Richard would not have forced the relationship one more time by groping her through the night, then clinging to her like he was in heat, coveting her, staying up all night just to talk to her a little longer, and then planning to propose to her because she was so da!mn pretty.
And he was desperate to bind her to him and make her his own.
Why the hurry? The real motives were more nasty and sinister. The occasional passing glance from another male annoyed him, and all the other males ogling this beautiful girl irritated him.
He wanted her to be his, to brand her as his own, to legally bind this woman, imprison her, and make her exclusively his.
In the past few days, he felt something was off. A significant gap had emerged between the original character, ‘Richard Aion,’ and his reason struggled to keep up.
In the tumultuous depths of his inner self, Richard finally faced the confusion and disaster that had vividly confronted him.
I’m acting strangely.
An awesome story 💖💖
Thank you for the translation 💜
You are welcome, Israella!