INWY~63

Chapter 63

The moment Riena stepped out of the room, dressed in the outfit prepared for her, her eyes met Dante’s.

He was leaning casually against the corridor wall, that impossibly handsome face framed by the soft light. For some reason, Riena was the first to avert her gaze. Fiddling awkwardly with her hair, she asked,

“Where exactly are we going?”

“You said you wanted to see the resort.”

“Sightsee? Right now?” Her eyes widened.

“Yes.”

The memory returned to her—the offhand remark he’d made back in their room. It had been late, and the atmosphere between them had grown strange, so the topic had quietly faded away. She hadn’t thought he’d remembered.

Somehow, her chest filled with something soft and light, as if lined with gentle cotton.

“But…”

Riena hesitated, her voice trailing off. Understanding the unspoken worry in her tone, Dante held out his hand.

“What are you worried about?”

I’m right here.

His lips curved into a smooth smile, and he naturally clasped her hand, leading her forward.

“Come.”

Riena stared at their joined hands for a moment, then simply nodded in reply.

They took the elevator down from the fifth floor to the lobby. The lights were all turned off, and a faint question flickered in Riena’s eyes.

The resort wasn’t small—so why hadn’t they seen a single staff member on their way down? Had he… cleared the place in advance?

As the thought began to take shape, Dante gave her hand a little shake.

“Focus.”

“Huh?”

Focus? The odd command made her tilt her head slightly. Just then—

Fwoosh—

The entire lobby lit up at once.

A flood of golden light cascaded across the space, reflecting and shimmering in every direction.

“Wow…”

The sound slipped from Riena’s lips in pure awe. The way the darkness melted into radiance—it was breathtaking. Unreal.

For a fleeting moment, she felt like she had stepped into a fairy tale. She couldn’t even blink, afraid to miss a single glimmer.

Beside her, Dante watched her quietly.

He’d seen that face before—back when he’d driven her along the coastal road at sunset. He hadn’t been able to look closely then. Now, he could.

Her bright brown eyes shimmered, catching every shard of light like gold dust. Watching her, Dante felt as if he were stealing a glimpse into her world.

Her face was open, unguarded, brimming with wonder.

“Beautiful?”

It was the same question he’d asked her once before.

Riena’s gaze drifted from the chandelier’s brilliance to his face. This time, she didn’t answer in words—only nodded, smiling brightly.

The joy on her lips was pure and radiant, like that of a child receiving a birthday gift.

Dante’s own lips twitched faintly upward. Good thing I told Callis in advance, he thought, amused.

Without thinking, he lifted a hand and brushed the side of her cheek.

The familiar warmth beneath his fingers startled him—just as their eyes met.

Riena froze, eyes wide. And Dante, just as caught off guard, awkwardly lowered his hand, stuffing it into his pocket as if it didn’t belong to him.

The air between them turned strangely fragile.

Riena cleared her throat. “Ahem… I’d like to see more than just the lobby.”

He only nodded, starting forward again. Their hands had already slipped apart.

Left behind, Riena rubbed her cheek with the same hand he’d touched. It was warm—too warm.

It’s just summer, she told herself. It’s hot, that’s all.

But her heart beat faster as she hurried to catch up with him.

They stepped into the main garden, strolling along the paths like ordinary visitors. The breeze brushed softly across their skin.

They had already toured the main building—the lobby, the restaurant, the banquet hall, the lounges, and countless rooms.

“How is it?”

It was one of Dante’s typical half-sentences, but Riena understood perfectly.

“Well… I don’t know much about expensive furniture or interior design,” she began, smiling. “But the resort feels like you, Your Grace.”

“Me?” One brow arched slightly.

“It’s elegant and beautiful—grand, but never excessive.”

“High praise.”

He chuckled quietly, but there was warmth in his eyes, not mockery.

Riena meant every word. The resort reflected his taste perfectly—refined, understated, breathtaking in its balance of luxury and restraint. Even the golden hue of the chandeliers added to its serene beauty.

As they wandered through the garden, she suddenly asked, “By the way… doesn’t the resort have a name?”

He blinked.

“We’ve just been calling it the resort, but places like this usually have one, don’t they?” she added, tilting her head.

Still, Dante said nothing. His only response was a faint twitch of his brow.

“Have you not decided yet?”

“…No.”

“Ah, so it’s a secret?”

Her innocent curiosity made him sigh softly. He hadn’t realized it himself—he’d always just called it the resort. But now that she asked, he found himself… thinking.

Ridiculous, he thought, yet he couldn’t help it.

After several seconds of hesitation, he finally murmured, almost against his will—

“La Floriena.”

The name slipped from his lips like a sigh, carried by the soft garden breeze.

Riena’s eyes widened. Did he just say…?

“La Floriena,” she repeated inwardly. Then, very slowly, a strange expression crossed her face.

“…Your Grace, maybe it’s just me, but… you didn’t happen to put my name in there, did you?”

Dante didn’t answer.

The silence said enough.

“Wait—really?” Her mouth parted in disbelief. “You actually…?”

Her heart lurched, overwhelmed by something she couldn’t name. And then a thought struck her.

“Was it… to commemorate me?”

He didn’t respond. Not directly.

That was answer enough.

Her face softened. A small, strained smile curved her lips.

“Well… it’s a lovely name,” she said quietly. “But I’m no longer the Grand Duchess. Our marriage was annulled. Are you sure it’s all right?”

At that, Dante frowned slightly.

“…Meaning is what you make of it. If you don’t like the name, we can change it.”

“Why?”

Her gaze lifted to meet his—her deep brown eyes locking onto the faint gold in his.

“Because with something like this, Your Grace’s decision matters more than mine. But still… La Floriena suits Florian perfectly. It sounds like ‘flower,’ too.”

“…”

“And politically, socially—it’ll draw the right kind of attention. It’s a clever choice.”

Dante’s reputation as a businessman was legendary. Of course she would assume his choice was pragmatic. Logical. Detached.

Of course, she thought. It’s not about me.

Even so, she told herself there was no reason to be disappointed. Not anymore.

The garden was beautiful, the evening breeze gentle. That was enough.

She smiled softly at him. “Your Grace, if we stay here much longer, we’ll lose track of time.”

“…Let’s go to the greenhouse.”

As always, he nodded at her words, his tone calm and steady—yet something faint and unspoken lingered in his eyes.