I Don't Need the Grand Duke's Regret - Chapter 92
Mirabel swallowed the question that was rising to her throat. As Ricardo stared intently at her, she sighed and spoke again.
“Why did you go to such lengths? I thought the Grand Duke did not welcome me here.”
Mirabel spoke sharply before taking a sip of water.
Dining alone with Ricardo and having such a conversation was a torment for her.
And his pretentious display of politeness was particularly abominable.
However, Mirabel was here as the Princess of Segolinde, and she couldn’t just lash out at the Grand Duke because she felt upset. She cooled herself with cold water before continuing.
“Of course, I understand if the Grand Duke does not welcome my visit. Segolinde feels indebted to you. You even formed a search party to find me. As a token of apology, I brought lilies. I hope you will accept them.”
Ricardo quietly watched Mirabel as she spoke. His gaze was intense enough to pierce through the veil.
Despite the unsettling scrutiny, Mirabel did not stop speaking. She needed to conclude her business.
“As your aide might have told you, the person buried in my grave is a maid I cherished deeply. If permitted, I would like to pay my respects to her grave and erect a proper tombstone.”
“You may do as you wish.”
Ricardo responded, without taking his eyes off her.
Then, after a moment of silence, he pulled something wrapped in a handkerchief from inside his jacket.
“Before that, would you please take a look at this?”
His hand trembled as he placed the handkerchief on the table. Mirabel narrowed her eyes, stared at what he presented.
“What is this?”
“It belongs to my wife.”
Ricardo’s reply made Mirabel’s eyes widen. She remembered Ricardo digging the grave.
‘Surely not.’
Mirabel’s heart started racing again, and her fingertips began to feel icy.
As Mirabel silently stared at the handkerchief, Ricardo unfolded it.
“…!”
Mirabel unwittingly covered her mouth. Wrapped in the handkerchief, as she had suspected, was Armilla’s bracelet.
But the bracelet was different from what Mirabel remembered.
What was before Ricardo’s hand was covered with dark stains. The ruby embedded in the center of the bracelet was also covered with dust.
“Segolinde is engraved here. I want you to look at this.”
Mirabel caught herself before speaking out and quickly lowered her hand from her mouth. In her shock, she momentarily forgot her resolve to maintain composure in front of Ricardo.
The bracelet, and Ricardo himself, made her very uncomfortable. Mirabel wanted to leave the situation quickly.
She glanced briefly at the bracelet with a strained expression and then spoke.
“It says, ‘Blessed be your twenty-second year.’”
As soon as Mirabel finished speaking, Ricardo abruptly stood up and swept away the veil obstructing her view.
With a soft rustle, the golden veil fell to the floor, and Mirabel’s vision suddenly cleared. Startled, she turned her head, avoiding Ricardo’s gaze.
“Don’t hide.”
A large hand reached out and firmly grasped her delicate jaw, turning her face toward him. His eyes burned intensely as he looked at her.
“Armilla.”
The name came out hoarse from Ricardo’s lips, and it felt like a scorch to Mirabel’s throat. But she clenched her teeth and pushed his hand away.
“That’s rude.”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know.”
Despite Mirabel’s resistance, Ricardo grabbed her again. His purple eyes grew moist as he stared at her.
“Even if your hair and eyes are different colors, you are still you. I have never forgotten you for a moment. Your red lips, your straight nose, your large eyes—you are Armilla. Don’t say you are not.”
“Is this ‘Armilla’ person your former wife, Grand Duke? I heard you were not well. But let’s stop the rudeness here.”
Mirabel stood up with a stern face. As she bent down to pick up the veil she had dropped, Ricardo quickly moved around the table and grabbed her.
“You knew it!”
“Knew what?”
“The inscription on that bracelet has been erased. But you still knew it, didn’t you? Armilla, please!”
Ricardo’s desperate cry made Mirabel’s pupils dilate. She looked at the bracelet again, stuttering.
“It, it was just a guess.”
“No. Only Armilla would know that.”
“It must be a coincidence.”
Mirabel hurriedly put on her veil. She pulled it down to the tip of her nose and said,
“Given the Grand Duke’s poor condition, I won’t stay long in Renato. I will leave for the capital first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Don’t go.”
As Mirabel reached for the doorknob, Ricardo suddenly hugged her from behind. His body that was always so cool in her memories, now radiated intense heat.
Ricardo clung to her desperately, burying his face in the nape of her neck.
“Please…”
It was a plea so earnest it could break the heart of the listener.
Mirabel clenched her fists while being held. Her nails dug into her palms as she took deep, heaving breaths.
“Stop this.”
“Armilla…”
“Let go.”
At Mirabel’s firm command, Ricardo slowly withdrew his hands, filled with reluctance. Once he had fully released her, Mirabel swung the door open.
“Princess?”
Sophie, who had been waiting outside, looked at Mirabel with alarmed eyes. Seeing the Princess’s pale face, Sophie’s expression turned concerned.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
Mirabel didn’t respond to Sophie as she quickly walked away. She wanted to put as much distance as possible between herself and Ricardo.
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