I No Longer Have Love to Offer You - Chapter 28

Why had things turned out this way?

Sitting before his desk piled high with documents as usual, Ricardo swallowed back the sigh that threatened to escape his lips.

Ever since their argument, an indescribable tension had lingered between Ricardo and Marietta. He could no longer feel that giddy joy simply from being in her presence, as he had when she first arrived.

Instead, he often found himself thinking of Mirabelle something that had never happened before. Especially when exhausted from work, he increasingly noticed the subtle kindnesses she had shown him, realizing them only now in hindsight.

Where had Mirabelle gone?

This thought came to him because he’d received a reply to the letter he sent to the Lumière household.

When they parted, Ricardo had promised to pay alimony as support. Initially preoccupied with Marietta, he’d let the matter slide, but recently he’d sent a letter addressed to Mirabelle.

Knowing Mirabelle, he’d expected an immediate reply if she received his letter. Contrary to his expectations, however, there was no response from her.

“Mirabelle is not currently with our family.”

Along with this brief note, his own unopened letter had been returned.

“Didn’t Mirabelle return to the Lumière household?” Ricardo was stunned.

She had already lost both parents, and the Lumière house now managed by relatives was her only refuge. Yet she wasn’t there.

Could the head of the Lumière family be lying out of displeasure over the divorce? He even entertained that thought, though it seemed unlikely given the formal ties between their families.

Looking back, in their relationship, Ricardo’s wishes had always taken precedence whether in their arranged marriage or the divorce itself.

So he had assumed he could reach out to Mirabelle whenever he pleased, never imagining she might sever contact first.

Gazing at his returned letter on the desk, Ricardo sank into thought.

The letter had expressed his wish to meet soon to arrange the alimony payment, written with the intention of visiting the Lumière residence himself. Naturally, he’d expected a reply specifying a date and time, but…

During their marriage, Mirabelle had rarely gone out. She attended the occasional tea party but seldom hosted gatherings herself, instead focusing on household matters and supporting Ricardo’s work.

Now, Ricardo realized he had no idea who might know Mirabelle’s whereabouts. Worse, he didn’t even know who her friends were proof of how little interest he’d taken in her.

Now divorced, Ricardo bore no responsibility toward Mirabelle. Even regarding the alimony, if she couldn’t be found, he couldn’t be faulted for failing to deliver it.

In other words, doing nothing would naturally sever all ties between them.

Though their shared childhood remained unchanged.

Mirabelle, he might never see her again.

This realization unsettled Ricardo more than he expected. Selfishly, he’d always assumed Mirabelle would remain by his side, no matter the nature of their relationship.

“Who should I ask?”

His murmured question met no reply.

Ricardo’s mind, once so different, was now wholly occupied not by Marietta but by Mirabelle.

“Ah… that’s right.”

An idea struck him, and he lifted his head.

“Mirabelle is dutiful by nature…”

Marriage was a contract between families—between the Hylas and Lumière in their case. Upon divorce, Mirabelle would have formally notified the head of the Hylas family. Whether in person or by letter, he didn’t know. And the current head of the Hylas family was Ludovic.

“Brother might know where Mirabelle is.”

It seemed plausible.

Though resentment toward his brother still smoldered in Ricardo’s chest, now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.

Opening his desk drawer, Ricardo took out stationery. Hesitating briefly over what to write, he decided against detailing everything and simply penned his request.

“I wish to visit soon. When would suit you?”

After composing the note appropriately, he summoned the butler.

“You called, sir?”

“Have this letter delivered immediately.”

Watching the butler depart with a bow, Ricardo leaned back in his chair and gazed at the ceiling.

Please let Ludovic know where Mirabelle is.

He clung to that hope.