I sat up and took the letter. Using the letter opener Rivet had handed me, I carefully opened the envelope. A sense of guilt washed over me regarding Ains’ reckless behavior at the ball.

I was uncertain about Viscount Moldovan’s true intentions—whether they were genuine or if he was merely interested in the alimony I received from Ains. Regardless, it was wrong for Ains to embarrass him so rudely. However, if Moldovan did have ulterior motives, I wouldn’t be able to think well of him either.

I opened the envelope and read the letter. It expressed how much he enjoyed our brief encounter at the ball. Despite Ains’ interruption, he had no regrets about meeting me. He then asked if we could meet privately sometime.

I read the letter repeatedly, then set it down with a small sigh. I was torn between meeting him or simply replying with a letter. Ultimately, I decided I needed to meet him at least once.

I wanted to apologize for Ains’ rudeness and clearly express my feelings. Sensitive matters like this couldn’t be resolved through letters alone.

“Rivet, can you help me up?”

“Yes, Madam.”

With her assistance, I got out of bed. I was still recovering from the aftereffects of the Trintz disease, but I could move around. Slowly, I made my way to the desk and began writing a reply to Viscount Moldovan.

I used elaborate language, but the message was straightforward: I wanted to meet soon and asked him to suggest a date, time, and place. After carefully composing the letter, I sealed it with red wax and stamped it with the Marves family crest.

I handed the sealed letter to Rivet. “Please send this to Viscount Moldovan.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Rivet instructed another maid to deliver the letter. A couple of hours later, the maid returned with a new letter in hand. It was a response from Viscount Moldovan, suggesting we meet at the fountain in the central square at 6 PM today.

I was surprised by the quick response and the short notice. If I had known he would suggest meeting so soon, I would have requested a later date. This was my oversight.

I changed into an appropriate dress and let Rivet style my hair. She braided my long platinum locks neatly and draped a shawl over my shoulders, its warmth comforting against the evening chill.

I thought about how I should have worn a shawl to the ball. But then I remembered Baroness Xavier and quickly dismissed the thought. She had worked hard on my dresses and would have been disappointed if she knew I hadn’t worn them properly. Yet, she would have been even more upset if I had fallen ill.

I arrived at the central square in a hired carriage. Despite it being evening, the fountain area was bustling with people. This made me feel safe coming out. Had Viscount Moldovan suggested a more secluded location, I would have declined.

But he chose a busy spot, reducing the chances of anything untoward happening.

“You’re here,” Viscount Moldovan greeted me.

He was already waiting by the fountain, dressed more casually than at the ball. His hair was slightly tousled, and he awkwardly tried to smooth it down under my gaze.

“Sorry, I had some errands to run and had to rush to get ready,” he explained.

“It’s alright. I wasn’t trying to criticize,” I reassured him, waving my hand dismissively.

Though I was a bit taken aback, his imperfect appearance didn’t bother me.

“Thank you for your understanding. I must have been too hasty with the appointment. I feel embarrassed about it now.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Thank you.”

After expressing his gratitude, Viscount Moldovan looked around and suggested, “Shall we walk? Unless you’d prefer to sit and talk?”

“Let’s walk. It’s a bit chilly standing still.”

“Alright.”

As I began walking, Viscount Moldovan matched my pace.

“I think I might have overstepped at the ball,” he said quietly after a long silence.

I understood what he meant. “You were concerned I might be cold. I should be the one thanking you. And about that incident…”

I paused before continuing, “I apologize on behalf of Duke Graham.”

Viscount Moldovan sighed deeply, remaining silent. The heavy silence between us felt almost unbearable.

Finally, he spoke again. “You are divorced from Duke Graham, right?”

“Yes, we are definitely divorced.”

“I don’t mean to doubt your word, but Duke Graham’s actions seem…”

I could guess where he was going. He meant that Ains’ behavior still resembled that of a husband.

But the truth was, Ains and I were indeed divorced. I was just as shocked by his behavior as anyone else. Was he regretting our separation now that we were no longer together?

“I understand what you’re saying, but no,” I said, shaking my head slowly. “I’m really sorry you had to deal with Duke Graham because of me.”

“It’s alright,” Viscount Moldovan replied, though his expression clearly indicated otherwise.

“I just thought maybe there’s still something between you and Duke Graham…” he began, but I interrupted him.

“No!” I couldn’t help but cut him off. The idea that Ains and I still had feelings for each other? Absolutely not. Maybe I did, but Ains certainly didn’t. His recent strange interest in me was nothing more than curiosity. At the ball, he probably just didn’t want to see the alimony he paid me go to someone else. That was the Ains Graham I knew—a man who never accepted a loss.

“Duke Graham is just a bit confused,” I said, trying to soften his actions. I couldn’t very well tell Viscount Moldovan that Ains interfered because he didn’t want to be swindled in front of him. Besides, I wasn’t even sure if that was the truth.

“What kind of misunderstanding?” he asked.

“Well…” I hesitated, struggling to find the right words. Viscount Moldovan continued walking in silence, giving me space to speak, but his patience only made me more anxious. How should I explain this?

I decided to abandon my thoughts and ask him directly. “Viscount Moldovan.”

“Yes, go ahead,” he replied.

“Did you mean it when you said you liked me?”

“I did,” he answered confidently without hesitation. I glanced at his face, trying to gauge his true intentions, but quickly looked away. How could I discern his sincerity when I couldn’t even tell if the people in our social circles were genuine?

Given the uncertainty, I decided to maintain some distance. “In that case, I must apologize.”

“What do you mean by that?” he asked.

“Just what it sounds like,” I replied, gently rejecting him. Whether his feelings were genuine or not didn’t matter to me. What mattered was that I felt nothing for him. With the constant fear of my illness looming over me, no one, not even Viscount Moldovan, could capture my attention.

If his feelings were real, it was better to let him know now rather than give him false hope. If he was pretending to like me for my money, this would also discourage him from expecting anything.

Viscount Moldovan looked hurt but then sighed and slumped his shoulders. “I see. So, there’s no chance for me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, thank you for being honest early on. I could have wasted my time otherwise.”

I felt relieved seeing how easily he accepted my words. I had worried he might insist or dismiss my feelings, but he didn’t.

“Is this because of Duke Graham?” he asked.