I No Longer Have Love to Offer You - Chapter 33

“It all began when Lord Hylas sent a letter.”

Albert was the one who began speaking those words.

Mirabelle didn’t even understand how Lord Ludovic had known her whereabouts.

“Lord Ludovic’s letter asked whether Mirabelle was in any trouble, and requested to be informed if she seemed to be struggling.”

“Ricardo divorced Mirabelle shortly after Marietta and I separated. I understood immediately why that had happened. And I grew concerned about what would become of Mirabelle. Ricardo didn’t seem to realize it, but she wouldn’t be able to return to the Lumière family.”

That was true. Ricardo hadn’t understood anything. He’d assumed that after the divorce, Mirabelle would naturally return to the Lumière household.

“I felt guilty toward Mirabelle, but thought it would be too late if something happened, so I had her investigated. And what do you know she was at the Albert Trading Company.”

“Without informing Mirabelle, I received a message addressed to me, asking to be contacted if anything happened.”

Before she knew it, Albert’s speech had grown less formal. Perhaps this was how he and Ludovic spoke when it was just the two of them.

“Like a child obsessed with a new toy, Ricardo’s interest would be entirely focused on Marietta for a while. I’d heard the divorce was sudden, so the finer details were likely postponed. That made me wonder how Mirabelle would manage until then.”

As he said this, Ludovic cast a concerned glance toward Mirabelle.

In truth, she had already used her mother’s keepsake as collateral to borrow funds from Albert, so Ludovic’s assumption wasn’t entirely wrong.

“I considered offering her direct assistance myself, but Lord Albert stopped me.”

Ludovic said this with a wry smile, while Albert feigned ignorance.

“He said Mirabelle wouldn’t welcome help from me.”

Indeed, even if Ludovic had made the offer, Mirabelle wouldn’t have been able to accept it. She still felt indebted to him, and there was her pride toward Ricardo to consider as well.

“So, we agreed that Lord Albert would keep me informed of Mirabelle’s situation while I observed quietly for a time.”

Mirabelle’s eyes widened in surprise. She had no idea such exchanges had been happening between them.

(All this time, I was being watched over without even knowing it.)

“Mirabelle managed to support herself without any assistance. And then came this proposal.”

With that, Albert spread Mirabelle’s business plan across the tea table. A newer version, incorporating more concrete details than her initial draft.

“Then she declared she wouldn’t take donations, but would seek investors instead, didn’t she? So, I thought it best to bring Lord Ludovic into the conversation.”

“I wanted to do something in place of my worthless brother but reading this plan made me realize how little I still understood about Mirabelle. That’s why I didn’t want to offer aid, I wanted to work alongside her as a business partner.”

As Ludovic finished speaking, Albert picked up where he left off.

“But if she knew the investor’s identity from the start, wouldn’t she assume it was charity from Lord Ludovic rather than her own efforts?”

“You’re absolutely right.”

Had she known from the beginning that Ludovic was the investor, her pride would have surely led her to think exactly as Albert feared.

“That’s why we kept it from you until today. I apologize if it felt like an ambush.”

“Forgive me.” But Mirabelle had no complaints toward Albert’s words. She could believe they had both acted with her best interests at heart.

“I was surprised, but there’s no need to apologize.”

As she spoke, Mirabelle met Albert’s gaze beside her. The fact that they had arranged all this without telling her meant they had spent considerable time on it.

Knowing how much work Albert handled daily, she wondered where he had found the time. He must have used every spare moment—breaks, sleep without letting her notice.

“Thank you.”

With genuine warmth, Mirabelle smiled.

It might have been her first real smile since the divorce. Later, looking back, she would think just that.