Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 468: Because I Missed You

Chapter 468: Because I Missed You

"Are you angry at me? Did I do something rude earlier? Or did something happen?" Ferdinand asked consecutively.

"Eh? No. Why would you think that?" Arabella tilted her head.

"You usually wait for me to offer my arm for escort. Or until I extend my hand so we could... walk holding hands," towards the end, Ferdinand felt embarrassed about what he was saying and looked away.

"Ah, that," Arabella’s eyes darted to the floor when Ferdinand’s gaze returned to her.

He was right. She usually does that. But not today.

Not when she’s missing him a bit too much, she might act too clingy when he had an important matter he must focus on. Especially since it wasn’t even that long since they last saw each other.

’I already told myself that I won’t be a burden to him during such a time. I want to help him instead of worrying him further.’

But if she got too close, the slightest touch might break her resolve and make her cling to him and ask him to stay with her just a bit longer.

She’s worried about Alwin too. But she also missed Ferdinand even though it wasn’t that long yet since they last saw each other.

It was just a few days which should have been easily bearable. In the past, a few days would have been easy for her. But somehow, it’s proving difficult now.

After knowing the truth, she thought falling in love with Ferdinand was for the best.

But Arabella forgot to account for this in her plans.

Having feelings for Ferdinand meant having these unreasonable feelings even when she tells herself not to.

She was too old to deny to herself that she misses him. She knew she does. How much more if they had to be apart for far longer? She couldn’t even begin to imagine it.

She forgot being in love meant she would be fully invested in him. Including the longing, jealousy, and fear.

She thought even if she cultivated her feelings to go even deeper, she would be just fine.

She did not think she would miss him a lot just because of a few days. Especially since in her past life, she had survived months of not seeing him even when she still had feelings for him.

She forgot that those days of waiting for his return from the battlefield were lonely, arduously long, and nerve-wracking that she feared every single day that his corpse might arrive instead of the strong and healthy emperor that he was.

Love could both be heaven or hell, after all.

[She’s thinking about it so seriously.]

"Are you angry at me, after all?" Ferdinand misunderstood.

"No. Why would I be angry? I just got used to walking alone the past few days," Arabella reasoned. "Let’s go and eat before the food gets cold."

[She got used to it?] Ferdinand blinked twice. [I don’t like the sound of that.]

Arabella walked past him when she noticed he was about to cup her face.

That touch was too dangerous for her right now.

Just thinking about it, she knew she would revel in it.

[She avoided me?! I don’t like this. This is bad. What is it? What’s wrong? What did I do?] Ferdinand was in a panic. [Or she’s growing distant from me again because we haven’t been spending time together or spoken to each other for days? No, this is bad! What will happen if we don’t find Alwin much longer than this?]

’How did just walking past him end up like that?’ Arabella was speechless at how much meaning Ferdinand gave it.

She wanted to stop walking since she could feel him staring at her. But just when she was about to stop, she heard his footsteps follow her.

[Her small figure walking all alone like that looks so lonely. Have I been making her feel lonely?!]

"Arabella!" Ferdinand caught her in his arms and wrapped her in a hug from behind. "I’m so sorry I had been neglecting you lately."

’This is cheating. Don’t hold me like this after I had resolved to wait and not be clingy,’ Arabella bit her lip. She could feel her resolve beginning to crack.

"Ferdinand, I’m not angry at you or anything. I don’t feel neglected either. I have everything I need here," Arabella clarified. "And I understand that you have to find Alwin. I also want to see him soon. So, let’s go and eat so you can return quickly and shift with Raymond."

"Return quickly? What do you mean? Do you not miss me?" Ferdinand said in a pitiful voice, and it took all of her not to scream at him that she does.

’What do you mean I don’t? Can’t you see I’m doing my best to hold back? And here you are breaking my resolve. Grrr!’ she wanted to growl or snarl at him or something due to frustration.

[She just glared at me, didn’t she?! Why? So, she’s back to glaring at me because we hadn’t talked much or spent ample time together in ten days? Is this how fast human emotions change nowadays?!]

Ferdinand told himself not to go to war or anything of that sort since it meant not seeing each other for months, even years.

[What if by the time I return, she had already forgotten about me? We would be back to being complete strangers!]

’How is he going to such conclusions?’ Arabella tried to stop herself from laughing but she couldn’t.

Ferdinand blinked twice and stared at her, not understanding what was going on.

[She’s glaring at me one second, then she’s laughing next.] Ferdinand was confused. [That laugh was very much adorable though. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.]

"I can hear your thoughts," Arabella reminded him since her husband seems to have forgotten yet again.

"Oh, right!" Ferdinand turned red.

[Why do I keep forgetting about that?]

"I was laughing because you were so far off."

Arabella turned around. Pulled him in. Tiptoed, and gave him a kiss.

The perks of having a tall husband. She had to do all this just to give him a kiss. Or she had to gesture for him to bend down. Or find the right timing and take the opportunity when he was leaning in with his face close to hers.

"I wasn’t avoiding your touch because I was angry. It’s because I missed you," Arabella corrected, and Ferdinand’s eyes brightened.