I No Longer Have Love to Offer You - Chapter 18

“It’s been so long! And you didn’t even tell me right away about your divorce—Mirabelle, you’re being so distant!”

On the appointed day of her visit, Pamela arrived at the trading company precisely on time. And this was the first thing she said upon seeing Mirabelle. Though her words sounded angry, her face was beaming with joy at their reunion.

Her malachite-green eyes sparkled with life, and her silver hair, elegantly swept to the side in a noblewoman’s style, only added to her radiance.

“I’m sorry for not telling you sooner.”

Mirabelle felt guilty when she realized how deeply Pamela had been worrying about her. Divorce wasn’t exactly good news, and she had thought to send a letter once her life had settled but apparently, that had been too late.

“Well, I suppose it can’t be helped that Albert knew first.”

Pamela nodded knowingly. Mirabelle tilted her head at her satisfied expression.

“Your company deals in information too, doesn’t it? There’s no way Albert wouldn’t have noticed something was wrong with you. He probably knew the day you filed for divorce, didn’t he?”

At Pamela’s words, Albert feigned ignorance.

“Honestly, he’s practically a stalker. But since I know he’d never do anything you’d dislike, I suppose in a way, he makes for a good bodyguard?”

Pamela mused aloud, saying something rather rude in the process. Of course, no one answered her.

“Albert isn’t that free. He’s swamped with work every day to the point of dizziness.”

Mirabelle interjected, but for some reason, Albert averted his gaze while Pamela gave him a look as if he were a troublesome child.

“Oh, never mind that. I’m just happy to see you after so long!”

Mirabelle guided Pamela to the sitting sofa, realizing they had been standing at the entrance this whole time, too caught up in their reunion.

True to her status as a duchess, Pamela had two knight escorts with her. She had them wait by the door of the company president’s office, leaving just the three of them inside. Mirabelle and Pamela sat across from each other at the reception table, while Albert took a seat beside Mirabelle.

“Oh, by the way, Killian said he wanted to see you two as well.”

At the mention of that nostalgic name, Mirabelle unconsciously smiled. Killian was the son of a count whom she had befriended after being placed in the same group during their academy days. Though quiet, he was sincere and earnest, with an underlying strength to him.

“I wonder how Killian is doing now?”

After marrying Ricardo, Mirabelle hadn’t just lost touch with Albert she hadn’t seen Killian either. They hadn’t exchanged many letters either, so she had no idea how he had been lately.

“Killian became a lawyer.”

“A lawyer?!”

The unexpected answer made Mirabelle raise her voice in surprise.

Killian was the second son of a count hadn’t he said at graduation that he would help his elder brother with the family business?

“That’s right. The Rowe family’s eldest son succeeded the title a few years ago, and last year, his wife gave birth to a son. Killian said that meant his role as the spare was over.”

Indeed, until an heir was born, it must have been difficult for Killian to leave his family. Still, becoming a lawyer was unexpected.

“That quiet Killian became a lawyer?”

“He may be quiet, but he’s always had a strong sense of justice, hasn’t he? And I don’t think he’s as reserved as he used to be.”

The Killian Mirabelle remembered was from their graduation days. Though a young man, he still seemed a little too unsteady to be called an adult. To think he had now become a proper lawyer.

The thought made her feel strangely sentimental, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words.

“He opened a law firm in the capital and has built quite a practice. That’s just like him, he’s not just helping nobles but commoners too.”

“That sounds just like him.”

His sincere and earnest nature must still be intact. He was too kind to abandon those in need.

“It would be wonderful if we could all meet again.”

Mirabelle said it from the heart.

Perhaps sensing the slightly somber mood, Albert suddenly spoke up as if struck by a thought.

“By the way, why do you call Killian by his first name but still call me Albert?”

“…Seriously, now of all times?”

Pamela answered, exasperated.

“I think when we first met, you told me to ‘call you Albert,’ didn’t you?”

At Mirabelle’s reply, Albert made a face as if to say, Did I?

“It’s too late to start calling you ‘Theo’ now.”

Pamela shook her head as if to say, No way.

Albert’s full name was Theo Albert. Since she had never called him by his first name before, it felt unfamiliar to Mirabelle.

(If I called him Theo, it wouldn’t feel like Albert anymore.)

She thought this to herself, unaware that Albert was staring at her intently all the while.