I studied Viscount Moldovan’s face closely. He appeared genuinely remorseful.

Did I still have feelings for Ains? Honestly, yes. You can’t just erase a decade of unrequited love overnight. But I had resolved to face reality.

How that reality appeared to others was another story. I lowered my gaze for a moment before meeting Viscount Moldovan’s eyes again.

“May I ask why you’re interested?” I questioned.

Although he claimed we had met before, I couldn’t recall him at all. Now, he was trying to assess my feelings.

To be frank, I was suspicious. What were his intentions in approaching me? Did he have some hidden agenda?

Under normal circumstances, I might have thought he was interested in me, but given the current situation where everyone in our social circle was watching and mocking me, it was hard not to be cautious.

Even if his intentions were sincere, I couldn’t afford to trust him blindly.

“Well…” Viscount Moldovan hesitated, opening and closing his mouth several times as if searching for the right words. This was a stark contrast to his earlier confident demeanor on the terrace.

I remained silent, waiting for him to find his words. Eventually, he managed a shy smile and said, “I’ve liked you for a long time, Viscountess Marves.”

“What?” I looked up at him, unable to comprehend.

“I’ve liked you since the first time I saw you,” he continued.

His sudden confession left me speechless. He didn’t stop there; he continued to express his feelings.

“When I first met you, you were already engaged to Duke Graham. I couldn’t even dream of approaching you. I introduced myself once but couldn’t reveal my feelings to someone destined to become the Duchess of Graham.”

“Is that true?” I asked, still in disbelief. He offered a sheepish smile.

“It’s a bit pathetic, isn’t it? A grown man nursing a crush for years. I can only imagine how awkward this is for you.”

His awkward, low laugh sounded so forlorn that I felt a pang of sympathy. Despite that, I found it hard to respond.

He liked me?

“This is all so sudden,” I finally said, noticing the smile fade from his face. He looked tense as he asked, “I’m sorry if I overwhelmed you. I just needed to clear my head for a moment.”

Was he being honest?

“I’m sorry. This isn’t how I wanted to confess. I know your mind must be racing, and I probably made it worse.”

“No, it’s fine. I asked first,” I reassured him.

“You’re very kind,” he replied, fiddling with his wine glass before finishing the last of its contents.

“Well, I should go. I hope I didn’t make you too uncomfortable. If you ever sort out your thoughts, please let me know. I’ll be waiting.”

The scent of alcohol lingered on his breath as he spoke. He started to leave but then turned back to me.

“And please, return the coat whenever you’re ready.”

“Alright,” I replied.

Only then did he leave the terrace, looking relieved. I watched him go, feeling the weight of his coat on my shoulders. It felt a bit burdensome, but I couldn’t bring myself to return it immediately; it might hurt his feelings.

As I stood there, the noise from the ballroom increased. Realizing the cause, I quickly went back inside.

“His Majesty the Emperor!”

As expected, the commotion was due to the Emperor’s entrance. Seeing him at the door, I curtsied along with the other nobles.

“Haha, it’s heartwarming to see so many people here to celebrate such a trivial day,” the Emperor began his speech from the podium, thanking everyone for their presence and expressing his joy.

“Enjoy the banquet,” he concluded.

With the Emperor’s speech finished, the ballroom buzzed as people gathered in small groups, laughing and chatting. I was the only one standing alone.

As I scanned the room, I spotted Viscount Moldovan talking to other nobles, his smile bright—a stark contrast to when he spoke with me. Our eyes met, and he nodded with a cheerful grin. I returned a slight nod.

“You seem to get along well with Viscount Moldovan,” a familiar voice interrupted, freezing my expression.

“Duke Graham,” I said, realizing Ains had approached without me noticing.

Ains stood beside me, arms crossed, staring at Viscount Moldovan.

“Since when did you get so close to him?” Ains asked, his tone almost accusatory.

I frowned, annoyed by his intrusion. “Do I owe you an explanation? This is my personal life.”

“Did you have a relationship with Viscount Moldovan before our divorce?” he pressed, still fixated on Moldovan.

Though this was the first time I had spoken to Moldovan, Ains’ questioning ignited a rebellious spirit in me. “Why do you want to know?”

“The coat you’re wearing—it’s his, isn’t it?”

“Ains,” I said, ignoring his question, feeling a surge of defiance. I turned to look at Moldovan, who was chatting with friends across the room. He glanced our way but quickly looked away when he saw Ains beside me, clearly uncomfortable.

“What if I am close to Viscount Moldovan?” I challenged.

“…”

Ains remained silent.

“What if I was close to him even before our divorce?” I pressed, countering his question. Ains didn’t respond right away. Instead, he took a glass of wine from a passing servant and sipped it.

“No, you weren’t. Today is probably the first time you’ve had a real conversation with him,” he asserted, as if he knew everything.

“Have you been spying on me?” I asked, incredulous.

“Of course not,” he replied, taking another sip of wine.

I glanced at him, then crossed my arms and faced him squarely. “Don’t get any closer to Viscount Moldovan. Consider this advice.”

Watching him take another sip, I sighed softly. “Duke Graham, why are you doing this? Didn’t I already tell you not to concern yourself with my life? You’ve never cared before, so why now?”

His sudden interest in my affairs was overwhelming. When I had longed for his attention, he had been indifferent. Now, after our divorce, he was acting like this?

“We’re strangers now,” I stated firmly.

Ains finally shifted his gaze from Moldovan to me. “It’s not like I wanted to care about you.”

“Then you should have continued ignoring me,” I retorted.

“I wanted to,” he replied curtly, handing his empty glass to a passing servant. With his hands free, he crossed his arms and looked down at me. There was no affection in his gaze, indicating that jealousy wasn’t driving his questions about Moldovan.

So why was he so interested in my relationship with Moldovan?

As I pondered this, Ains reached over and pulled Moldovan’s coat off my shoulders.

“Ains!” I exclaimed in shock, unable to hide my surprise.

He paused briefly but didn’t stop. “Hey!” he called to a nearby servant. The servant hurried over and bowed.

“Return this coat to Viscount Moldovan. Tell him not to do unnecessary things,” Ains instructed.

“Yes, Your Grace,” the servant replied, taking the coat and heading toward Moldovan.

I could only watch in stunned silence.