I No Longer Have Love to Offer You - Chapter 37

A reply came swiftly to the letter addressed to his brother Ludovic. Suppressing his impatience, when Ricardo arrived at the Hylas residence where his brother lived, he was shown to the parlor as if expected.

“It’s been a while.”

This was the mansion where Ricardo had also lived before marrying Mirabelle. Drinking the tea served by a familiar maid, Ricardo turned at the sound of his brother’s voice. It had been months since he’d seen Ludovic face-to-face likely since the discussions about Marietta’s divorce.

“Is Marietta doing well?”

Ludovic sat across from Ricardo, speaking as if making casual conversation. The well-trained maid promptly set down fresh tea and sweets before withdrawing at Ludovic’s silent gesture.

Before Ricardo could request privacy, the room had already been cleared, leaving just the two of them.

“Yeah… she’s fine.”

Truthfully, Ricardo and Marietta hadn’t properly spoken in days. Since their argument in Ricardo’s office, a cold distance had grown between them, as if a draft had blown through their relationship.

Ricardo couldn’t forgive Marietta for comparing him to Ludovic, while Marietta resented Ricardo for not treating her as his priority.

“I see. That’s good.”

His brother’s demeanor remained unchanged, showing no particular distress over the divorce from Marietta. This composure stirred faint irritation in Ricardo.

Here he was, so thoroughly unsettled, while…

The more he thought about it, the more an indescribable anger swirled within him. He knew this anger was misplaced that his brother bore no blame. If anything, Ricardo had been the one to disrupt Ludovic’s peace first.

Yet the frustration clung to him, inescapable.

“So, what brings you here today?”

Sipping his tea elegantly, Ludovic casually opened the conversation.

As Ricardo hesitated over how to begin, Ludovic set his cup and saucer on the table, crossed his legs, and rested his elbow on the sofa’s armrest—an uncharacteristically casual posture for the normally proper man. This deliberate informality signaled some underlying displeasure.

Was he angry about Ricardo’s active role in facilitating Marietta’s divorce? Yet Ludovic had shown no such feelings when the divorce was finalized. Given the time that had passed, it seemed unlikely he’d resurrect old grievances now.

“Well…”

For some reason, Ricardo found it difficult to broach the subject of Mirabelle.

“You’re the one who asked to meet. Didn’t you have something to discuss?”

Pressed further, Ricardo finally gathered himself to state his purpose.

“Do you know where Mirabelle is?”

The moment the question left Ricardo’s lips, Ludovic’s brow furrowed slightly, a telltale sign of his displeasure.

“Why ask me that? You’d know more about Mirabelle than I would.”

“That’s true, but…”

Ludovic’s response was perfectly reasonable. Ricardo was Mirabelle’s husband, while Ludovic was merely her former brother-in-law. If the ex-brother-in-law knew more about her than the ex-husband, it would naturally raise suspicions about their relationship.

“Mirabelle’s the conscientious type, so I thought she might have said goodbye to you too. Did she mention where she planned to go after the divorce?”

Ludovic fell briefly silent at Ricardo’s reply. Though only moments passed, the pause felt interminable to Ricardo especially since he couldn’t fathom its reason.

“You didn’t ask Mirabelle where she was going?”

Was that anger in Ludovic’s eyes? An unusual reaction from the brother who typically remained unflappable no matter what Ricardo did.

“I assumed she’d return to the Lumière family…”

At this answer, Ludovic covered his eyes with his right hand as if pained.

“As you well know, the current head of the Lumière family is Mirabelle’s uncle. Do you really think a woman who left home years ago for marriage could simply return after divorce? They might accept her, but you know Mirabelle, would she ever impose like that?”

The lecturing tone made Ricardo realize what he’d overlooked.

“That’s…”

He had no rebuttal.

Indeed, given Mirabelle’s character, she’d never willingly burden her uncle. Moreover, with cousins still in the Lumière household, she’d easily conclude her return would only cause trouble.

“Then where did she go? I haven’t even paid the alimony yet.”

During the divorce, Mirabelle had left behind nearly everything Ricardo had given her even jewelry that could have been sold. She took only the dress she wore and her original dowry. How could a noblewoman survive months with so little?

“Why didn’t you pay the alimony then?”

Ricardo had no answer to Ludovic’s growled question.

“Why, Ricardo?”

Pressed further, Ricardo spoke heavily.

“We rushed the divorce. I wasn’t prepared. I thought since she was returning to the Lumière family, I could send it later.”

His voice was small. Only after speaking did Ricardo recognize his own selfishness.

“You fool.”

Ludovic’s sharp words stabbed at Ricardo’s chest uncharacteristically harsh from his usually gentle brother.

“Mirabelle… what’s happening to Mirabelle now?”

Even divorced, he’d assumed they could meet if he reached out. But now she might be gone forever.

This realization filled Ricardo with unprecedented panic.

He scrambled for any clue until he noticed his brother’s steady gaze.

“Brother?”

So Ludovic did know something.

“If you know, tell me!”

Certain now, Ricardo pressed urgently.

Ludovic watched the agitated Ricardo in silence.