I No Longer Have Love to Offer You - Chapter 41

“…That’s right. Whether you marry Marietta or not is between the two of you. It’s not my place to interfere.”

“…Huh?”

Ricardo looked confused at Mirabelle’s words.

“As I said before, it has nothing to do with me, so you two should do as you please.”

“No, it does concern you, doesn’t it?”

“Why?”

Ricardo couldn’t answer Mirabelle’s straightforward question. He muttered circular arguments like “We’ll be living together again, won’t we?” and “Aren’t we childhood friends?”

“Let me make myself perfectly clear. I have no intention of seeing Ricardo again. Being contacted like this is nothing but a nuisance.”

Mirabelle knew she had to spell it out simply for the self-centered Ricardo, or he’d twist her words to suit his own interpretation. Yet her statement seemed to shock him more than she expected.

“…Wh—!”

Mirabelle calmly watched as Ricardo was left speechless.

Was this really the person she’d pined after for so long?

The thought crossed her mind, yet it remained true that Ricardo had saved her many times over the years. And outside of matters concerning Marietta, he’d never been one to make selfish demands.

Suddenly, it occurred to her perhaps Ricardo acted this way because she had allowed it for too long.

Because of love, she had accepted everything.

“Ricardo.”

So, Mirabelle called his name again. Ricardo, who had been hanging his head, looked up.

“I did love you, truly. But I have no more love left to give you.”

That was Mirabelle’s answer now.

“……..What about the alimony? If we never meet again, how will I give it to you?”

After a long silence, Ricardo finally seemed to realize he wouldn’t get the answer he wanted from Mirabelle. He muttered the words quietly.

“I don’t need it.”

“That’s not how this works.”

Perhaps this was Ricardo’s way of apologizing.

“…If you won’t meet me directly, will you at least accept it this way?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re at the Albert Trading Company, right? If you don’t want to see me, let me have it delivered there.”

Mirabelle didn’t understand why he was saying this. Did he dislike the idea of cutting ties completely?

“…I can’t refuse deliveries addressed to the company.”

Technically, she could reject it. But looking at Ricardo, she couldn’t bring herself to go that far.

(Money doesn’t have a name on it, after all.)

She decided she would treat it not as alimony, but as a donation something to put toward her work.

“If we’re done here, I’ll be going now. Ricardo, I wish you and Marietta happiness.”

It wasn’t meant sarcastically.

Even if they never met again, she had reached a point where she could genuinely wish her two childhood friends happiness.

Then, with a small nod to Ludovic sitting beside Ricardo, Mirabelle left the private room with Albert.

She was grateful for Albert’s presence—he had stayed by her side the entire time, silently watching over her without saying a word.

“Albert, thank you.”

“I didn’t do anything. You settled things on your own, didn’t you?”

“…Let’s leave it at that, then.”

No matter how much she thanked him, Albert would never truly accept it. So, Mirabelle decided not to press further.

“Now then, what’s next on our schedule?”

“Isn’t scheduling the secretary’s job?”

As they headed toward the carriage stand, Mirabelle tried to shift her focus. Albert responded lightly.

Beyond the double doors of the restaurant, under the clear blue sky, their carriage waited. The sunlight poured down brilliantly, as if illuminating the path ahead.

It felt like a celebration. The true beginning of Mirabelle’s new life.

“Now I can court you without any reservations.”

“…Huh?”

The low whisper near her ear made Mirabelle turn.

Where had he been hiding it all this time? Albert stood there, exuding an intoxicating charm. Unconsciously, Mirabelle touched her slightly flushed ear as Albert offered her his large hand.

Placing her hand in his, Mirabelle let Albert guide her into the carriage.

And with that, their carriage quietly set off.

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