Chapter 47.1

Chapter 47.1

Richard thought Jasmine was about to cry, but she didn’t. She took a long, deep breath. Then she opened her eyes and looked straight at him. Her eyes were tired and defeated.

“Let’s stop this. I’m tired of all this nonsense. How long do we have to keep this up?”

“Jasmine.”

“We should have stopped this from the beginning.”

Jasmine muttered. Richard stared at her in shock.

“Yes, it would be better for both of us. Considering how tangled and mismatched we are, maybe we were never meant to be together.”

“Why are you saying that…?”

Richard frowned and grabbed her shoulders as if trying to catch her before he slipped from his arms. He was livid. He was frustrated. He wanted to deny everything. But there was no strength in his voice or grip. So, his grip fell easily.

He looked at his hands with a pained expression. He heard footsteps. She was turning away.

“Jasmine.”

There was no response.

“Jasmine.”

When he came to his senses, he was chasing after her, turning her around. Jasmine didn’t smile, get angry, or show annoyance. She just looked at him briefly. His heart sank at her indifferent gaze.

“Should we end it like this? Is that what you’re really saying?”

“….”

“Jasmine.”

His call seemed pleading. But there was no change in her. She just sighed.

“I’ve done enough. I don’t think I can do much more.”

She was suddenly mad. ‘Why am I doing this?’

For what?

She looked at the man in front of him. Is he worth all this? Why do I have to go through all this trouble for him? Am I just deluding myself, thinking he’s the only one I can live for? What am I hurting myself for?

Maybe he’s right. Is love really that great? Am I just addicted?

Yeah, that’s it. Maybe he’s normal, and I’m the one who’s going too far. Well, it doesn’t matter. I just don’t want to go on like this. I don’t want to hurt myself with negative emotions like self-hatred and anger.

No matter how much she liked him. Does she want to continue loving and hurting like this? It wasn’t just a one-week relationship. It was seven years. So, it was beyond precious. It was no trivial matter.

But now, she doesn’t know anymore. She did her best, summoning the courage she could muster. But in the end, it was futile. Why should she keep dragging herself on this difficult and painful situation?

And most of all, she questioned herself about it.

Her common sense told her fighting over such obvious things didn’t make sense. If you like each other, express love and build up mutual affection. Then, when the relationship was solidified and trust was built, both parties would ask permission to get engaged and marry.

To Jasmine, love was as precious as it was fragile. It didn’t grow from scheming but from the genuine affection between two honest people.

That was how relationships were supposed to be, just like her parents, the Duke and Duchess, and the other couples around her.

But their relationship was not a perfect arrangement or even a relationship. It was awkward and hastily patched together. It didn’t make sense and was too much trouble.

She didn’t want anything more. After the marriage proposal fell through, she didn’t want to get married. She just wanted to…

She didn’t know. Now, she just didn’t know.

“I’m sorry for raising my voice. The night breeze is cold. Let’s go inside.”

“Jasmine. Are you really going to leave like this?”

“Of course. Do you want to keep fighting like this in the middle of the night?”

Jasmine made a tired face. Richard just stared at her, no trace of the heat from earlier. When she turned to leave, he blocked her path. She looked up at him, her eyes weary and without anger. Richard gritted his teeth.

“Don’t go.”

“….”

“I’ll do anything, anything.”

She didn’t respond. She clenched and unclenched her fists.

“Please.”

An earnest word slipped out from him. Should he kneel? What should he do to make her turn back? What should he do to prevent her from leaving? After staring into those desperate eyes for a long time, Jasmine chuckled. It was a hollow sound.

“There you go again, confusing people.”

Then she let out a short sigh

“That’s enough. I don’t have the energy to play with you anymore.”

“I didn’t mean to….”

“Duke Richard Aion.” Jasmine glared at him coldly. “Enough. Are my words a joke to you?”

Richard bit his lip, but he didn’t avoid her gaze. If he stepped back now? Then, he would lose her forever. He knew it instinctively. She meant every word.

He felt embarrassed and afraid of her decisiveness to abandon the relationship so easily. Perhaps, through a sin of ignorance, he underestimated her resolve, her desperation.

He didn’t know the fullness of her heart.

The price was high and costly. He made a mistake. He was so emotional that he made a painful mistake.