LUCIA

Chapter 26 Disagreement

Once the words left the Duke's mouth and his gaze landed on them, everyone quickly flooded out of the room, leaving Lucia and Hugo alone.

There was a brief silence between them as they sat side by side on the sofa. Hugo suddenly realized that this was the first time that they had ever sat down together at such a time.

"Why did you lie?" (Hugo)

"...I did not lie."

"You are hiding the truth from the doctor, aren't you? Not saying it is the same thing as lying. Why are you trying so hard to lie when you can't even lie properly?"

'How did he know?' (Lucia)

It was as if he was reading her mind when he looked at her.

Hugo wrapped one arm around Lucia's waist and pulled her into his arms then he spoke as though he could see inside of her.

"Your expression says 'how did he know?'. You can't lie, it's too obvious."

Lucia simply wanted to escape this situation. She twisted her body and pushed away from him then she stood up from the sofa.

"...It is a busy time for you at work yet you were interrupted. I am sorry to have bothered you."

Hugo remained on the sofa, silently watching the standing Lucia for a moment, then he spoke fiercely.

"Do you blame me for being here?"

"You don't need to be worried."

"What?"

"I won't get better anyways."

Hugo caught her wrist, pulling on her strongly and she couldn't help but fall into his arms.

Lucia tried to struggle and get up but one of his hands held her arm in place while the other hand held her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"What do you mean by that? Why should I be relieved if you won't get better?"

"Didn't I tell you from the start? I cannot have children."

Watching her trembling amber eyes, his red eyes also trembled.

Lucia wriggled her chin and shook off his hand. His hand awkwardly hung in the air then it fell down. She pulled out her arm from his hold. Hugo felt bewildered in the face of her rejecting actions.

"You weren't interested nor did you ask why." (Lucia)

"..."

"Why are you suddenly curious?"

At the time, he had only asked if she could prove it.

After that, he had never asked if she truly infertile or if her body was ill somewhere. Lucia thought that he had completely forgotten about it.

That his interest in her was only to that extent.

Therefore, it was pitiful that as the days go on, she could only continue to hope that her heart would harden instead of heading towards him.

"Suddenly, huh. Is it bad for me to be curious?" (Hugo)

"Then I'm grateful."

"...Don't say it like that."

"I apologize."

Seeing her give curt, icy answers and then shut her mouth like she wouldn't say anymore, Hugo's red eyes enlarged and flared up.

She was doing things that she had never done before and it was getting on his nerves. Hugo did not want to raise his voice since it wasn't even a big deal so he spoke in an even calmer tone.