Rebirth Of The Duke's Daughter

Chapter 66

"I just wanted to call your name!" Luce blurted out, her face flushing a deep red as she looked down, embarrassed by her own words. It was already mortifying to admit it to him. 'It felt nice and special to have the chance to meet such a good man, even though my status is lower than his,' she thought, feeling a mix of emotions. She was acutely aware of the difference in their social standings, but what she feared most was the possibility of being left alone again.

"What?" Leo was taken aback, not quite understanding why she would want to call his name for no apparent reason. He needed a clearer explanation. "Be clearer."

"Well," Luce began hesitantly, "I wanted to just call your name, and... you once told me what your little sister said to you about your name." She turned away from him, allowing him to see only her back as she struggled with the embarrassment of revealing something so personal and, in her mind, selfish.

Leo's expression softened as he recalled the conversation they had shared. He had told Luce about something Mila had said to him, a memory that had stayed with him.

"When you find a special someone, or when you get married, they will be the one to call you when they need to be saved."

The memory of those words struck him. He remembered that Mila had never once called his name for help, and he hadn't imagined that anyone would ever hold that special place in his life. Yet, over the past two years, it had only been Luce who had called out to him, time and again, whenever she found herself in trouble. The realization made him pause.

"Are you perhaps in love with me?" Leo asked, a teasing smile playing on his lips as he decided to playfully mess with Luce. She was simply too endearing to resist.

"...Yes." The word hung in the air, and Leo was taken aback by her unexpected confession. She had admitted it—she liked him. "I've liked you ever since you told me that no one has ever called your name when they needed to be saved. Even when your little sister said that only your special someone could call your name." Luce's voice softened as she spoke, barely audible as she finished her sentence. She hesitantly turned to face Leo, her heart pounding with uncertainty. 'Is he going to hate me for being like this?' she wondered, fear creeping into her thoughts as she braced herself for his reaction. Would he want her to stop calling his name?

"Silly woman, you'll have to take responsibility now," Leo said suddenly, pulling her into a tight embrace. She could hear his heartbeat, strong and steady, echoing in her ears.

"Responsibility? For what?" Luce asked, confused. She didn't understand what he meant—what could she be guilty of? All she had done was confess her honest feelings.

"For making this man wait at least a year for your feelings," Leo whispered into her ear. His words were followed by a gentle kiss, leaving Luce stunned. Tears welled up in her eyes and began to stream down her cheeks as she realized that she wasn't a burden to him—she was someone he had been waiting for.

'I didn't know you liked me for that long,' Luce thought, feeling their lips part as she blushed, her heart swelling with the knowledge that their feelings were mutual. 'I was afraid that we were just friends to one another. I never expected things would turn out this way in the end.' Relief and joy washed over her, grateful that she had stayed true to her words and feelings this time.

"I'll have us engaged and then wedded soon after. You better not think of being with another man during this time," Leo said with a teasing look. Though his words were lighthearted, there was a seriousness behind them. He didn't know much about how women thought, but he did know his mother, who had been the most wonderful woman when he was a child before she passed away. His fear of losing someone he loved had always held him back, but now he was determined not to let that fear control him.