I No Longer Have Love to Offer You - Chapter 5

Mirabelle and Ricardo’s marriage had been decided rather abruptly. Due to Mirabelle’s ambiguous position in the Lumière household and the need to establish her footing as quickly as possible, their wedding was scheduled to take place before Ludovic’s.

In the Kingdom of Esperanza, the minimum mourning period after a tragedy was six months. While some families chose to honor their departed loved ones for longer, in cases like this where there were extenuating circumstances, no one would raise an issue as long as the minimum period was observed.

After the marriage, Ludovic would inherit the title of Count Hylas, while Ricardo would be granted one of the subsidiary titles under the Hylas name.

This meant that as the eldest son, Ludovic’s wedding and reception would require considerable time to prepare, including careful consideration of the guest list. Ricardo, on the other hand, was not expected to host anything on that scale. Given that he would be supporting Ludovic as his right-hand man in the future, it was even considered preferable not to make the affair too extravagant.

At the same time as their engagement, Mirabelle began staying at the Hylas household under the pretext of bridal training. She had no objections to this arrangement, as she believed it would be better for her uncle’s family to take full charge of the Lumière household.

During their engagement, Ricardo always prioritized Mirabelle. He showered her with gifts and frequently took her on outings around the city. As a fiancé, he was beyond reproach.

Being cherished by Ricardo, whom she had loved since childhood, quickly rekindled the old flames of affection in Mirabelle’s heart. Her feelings for him had never truly disappeared. She had merely hidden them away deep inside, deceiving even herself. So, it was only natural that these emotions would surge back uncontrollably.

Ricardo’s parents, who had known Mirabelle since she was young, doted on her as well. Concerned about her sudden loss, they even told her that once she joined the Hylas family, she could think of them as her real parents and rely on them as such.

As Mirabelle spent her days in the Hylas household, her heart gradually regained its calm.

Half a year after graduation, and six months before Ludovic and Marietta’s wedding, Mirabelle and Ricardo held their ceremony.

Mirabelle could still vividly recall the scene from that day.

The wedding took place at a chapel in the Hylas territory. From the Lumière family, her uncle’s family attended in place of her parents. From the Hylas side, Ricardo’s parents, Ludovic, and his fiancée Marietta were present.

Though it was a small, family-only affair, Mirabelle had no complaints. Of course, she would have liked to invite her friends from school. But given the suddenness of the marriage and the fact that her parents’ mourning period had just ended, she chose not to invite anyone.

Ricardo hadn’t suggested inviting his friends either, which made her wonder perhaps he hadn’t wanted to make a grand announcement about their marriage.

The chapel where they held the ceremony was an ancient one in the Hylas territory. Though modest in size, the stained-glass windows adorning the front and both sides were breathtaking. Blessed with good weather, the chapel was bathed in shimmering light.

As Mirabelle walked down the red wedding aisle, escorted by her uncle, Ricardo stood waiting at the altar in his black morning coat, shining brighter in her eyes than ever before.

The wedding she had dreamed of for so long. Ricardo’s smiling face as he looked at her, the sound of his voice as he recited his vows. All of it remained etched in her memory.

Yet despite the happiness of the ceremony, that very night, Mirabelle was confronted with a devastating realization.

“Eh… what do you mean?”

After being dressed in a thin nightgown by her maid and waiting in the marital bedroom, Ricardo told her they would not be consummating their marriage.

“I want to live the rest of my life with you, Mirabelle. But I want ours to be a white marriage.”

Mirabelle didn’t understand what he meant. She had assumed that, as a married couple, they would eventually have children and that they would naturally share an intimate relationship.

“I want us to be a proper married couple.”

Normally, Mirabelle wouldn’t have been so forward about her desires. But on this matter, she couldn’t hold back.

“…I’m sorry. I can’t do that.”

Ricardo’s expression was apologetic, but he remained firm in his refusal.

“Then why did you propose to me?”

“Because I wanted to spend my life with you.”

“But not as a real family?”

“What are you talking about? We’ve legally registered our marriage. We’re husband and wife in every official sense.”

“Husband and wife… what does that even mean to you, Ricardo? And you don’t want children either?”

“About children, we can think about that later.”

(Think about it? How? We can’t have children if we don’t even consummate the marriage. Or does he mean to adopt?)

Ricardo was not the Hylas family’s heir. Though he had been granted the title of viscount upon marriage, any children they had would only inherit a branch family. If they had no heirs, the title would simply revert to the main Hylas line.

“You must be tired after the wedding. It’s late, let’s get some rest.”

With that, Ricardo lay down on the bed they were to share. The large bed had plenty of space, but he positioned himself slightly to the opposite side, turning his back to her without so much as an embrace.

No married couple spent their wedding night sleeping separately in the same bed. If they did, the servants would surely grow suspicious, and it might even become fodder for gossip among the more talkative staff. Though she doubted the household would spread rumors carelessly, it was better to be cautious.

“Are you going to tell people that ours is a white marriage?”

Mirabelle’s quiet question made Ricardo bolt upright.

“You’re not seriously thinking of telling anyone, are you?”

His eyes burned with anger.

(Why?)

Mirabelle couldn’t fathom why he would look at her like that.

(All I did was ask for what any married woman would expect.)

“…No.”

Of course, she wouldn’t. Who in the world could admit that her husband had rejected her on their wedding night?

“Good. Then it’s fine.”

Having heard her answer, Ricardo turned his back again as if he’d lost all interest.

No matter how much she thought about it, Mirabelle couldn’t understand why things had turned out this way. But as she stared at Ricardo’s retreating figure, one thing became painfully clear their relationship would never be what she had hoped for.