I Don't Need the Grand Duke's Regret - Chapter 125
Mirabel fixed her gaze on one spot and put on a stern expression. She clenched her jaw and took a deep breath. Charles, noticing her change, quickly reacted.
“Mommy?”
Mirabel did not respond to Charles’ call and continued to stare at one spot. As Charles shook her, he tilted his head and turned his gaze to where she was looking.
Charles’s eyes widened when he saw what Mirabel was staring at. Ricardo was awkwardly standing at the entrance of the greenhouse.
“Uncle Wolf!”
Charles shouted excitedly at Ricardo, who looked extremely nervous. This was the moment Mirabel had been most dreading: the meeting between Ricardo and Charles.
Ricardo, glancing at Mirabel, bent his knees to match Charles’s height.
Mirabel, watching Ricardo with open arms for Charles, slowly stood up.
“Wow!”
Charles ran energetically toward Ricardo, seemingly having forgotten the instruction to hold Luce’s hand.
“Uncle!”
“…Charles.”
Ricardo’s voice called out the child’s name, and Charles was enveloped in Ricardo’s wide arms.
Mirabel’s face turned pale as she watched Charles being held by Ricardo. She gritted her teeth and kept her eyes on them.
Ricardo lifted Charles effortlessly and stood up. From Mirabel’s view, Ricardo was moving slowly toward her with long strides.
The black-haired man and the black-haired boy in his arms seemed almost like a picture-perfect scene.
Mirabel, staring at them, let the seedling trowel she was holding fall to the ground with a clatter. Even though the trowel dropped and rolled, she remained frozen.
Her heart tightened as she watched Ricardo and Charles approaching. A shiver ran down her spine, and she felt an overwhelming urge to run over to Ricardo and snatch Charles away.
A strong desire to shout at Ricardo, demanding to know why he was holding her child and to give her child back, surged within her.
‘Calm down.’
Mirabel gripped her skirt with trembling hands.
Ricardo would not take Charles away. To Charles, Ricardo was not a father figure. If she made a scene now, it would only pique Charles’s curiosity about Ricardo.
Ricardo had to become just another passing acquaintance to Charles. He needed to remain nothing more than a common connection. To achieve this, Mirabel had to treat him with casual indifference.
“You arrived quickly.”
Mirabel said, managing to speak despite her anxiety. Ricardo, now close to her, gave an awkward smile.
“I was waiting for you.”
“Uncle…”
Mirabel flinched as she heard Charles mumbling. Charles was pressing his chubby cheeks against Ricardo’s chest.
Mirabel, taken aback by Charles’ uncharacteristic affection toward a stranger, shifted her gaze to Ricardo’s shirt.
Dust from Charles’ cheeks was being rubbed off Ricardo’s luxurious white shirt. Mirabel, feeling uneasy, said to Charles,
“Charles, you shouldn’t dirty the Grand Duke’s shirt.”
“It’s fine.”
Ricardo said, stopping Mirabel from taking Charles away. He carefully wiped the dirt off the child’s cheek with his fingers.
“Anything is okay.”
“Hm?”
Charles blinked, not understanding what was happening between the adults.
Ricardo leaned in to kiss Charles on the head but hesitated, then awkwardly cleared his throat and carefully set the child down.
As Charles returned to Mirabel, Ricardo looked at the child with lingering affection and then spoke to Mirabel.
“You came to check the lily bulbs, right? Is there anything I can help with?”
“Not really. It’s all finished.”
Ricardo looked embarrassed at Mirabel’s refusal. Sophie, who had followed behind, assessed the mood and spoke up.
“Princess, if you’re done with the bulb inspection, shall we return to your room?”
Mirabel glanced between Charles and Ricardo.
If she returned to her room now, the reunion between father and son would end here. After a moment of contemplation, Mirabel bit her lip and said,
“Alright. We’ll…”
“Mommy.”
Mirabel, who was about to tell Sophie to go back, stopped as she saw Charles clutching her skirt.
Charles looked up at Mirabel with bright blue eyes and said.
“I want to play with Uncle Wolf.”
“Uncle Wolf is the Grand Duke of this place, Charles. He doesn’t have time to play.”
“No.”
Ricardo quickly interrupted. He kneeled in front of the child and spoke to him.
“I’m not busy at all. I have plenty of time to give to you.”
“Uncle not the Grand Duke?”
“I am the Grand Duke, you can call me however you want. It’s alright for you to do that.”
“Why?”
Ricardo was caught off guard by the child’s blunt question. He tenderly caressed Charles’ cheek, which fit perfectly in his hand, and said,
“You remind me of something precious I’ve lost.”
“What is that?”
“That is…”
“Well then, Charles, since the Grand Duke has given his permission, shall we stay a little longer before we go?”
Mirabel, who had been anxiously listening to the conversation between Ricardo and Charles, spoke up. Charles turned his gaze toward her and nodded.
“Okay!”
Charles beamed with joy and released Mirabel’s hand. He then approached Ricardo with open arms.
Ricardo looked surprised by the child’s full-body request for a hug. Mirabel watched with a heavy heart as Ricardo picked up Charles.
For a while, the greenhouse was filled with the bright sounds of the child’s laughter. Mirabel looked at the cheerful smile of the child and gave a bittersweet smile in return.
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