The General's Wife Wants to Leave-Chapter 196: An announcement to tell

It was such a blatant request that was already made—a request that could not be swallowed back except if time could be regressed.

Never once in her life had Joanna made such a request, particularly asking for the hand of a gentleman for a dance. Most of the time, she would rack her brain, preparing to make any excuses that she thought were sensible every time it came to her time to attend a ball.

Whether it was a sudden headache, stomachache, or a health problem that made her unable to get close to others, she would not hesitate to bring up those excuses as long as she could turn down every request that was made to ask for her hand for a dance. Hiding in the powder room was also one of several ideas that she had implemented several times.

However, those actions alone, of course, did not result in zero consequences. Young Lady de Lara was a weak and sickly lady. It was another label that had been attached to her, which was not a new thing to hear.

Nonetheless, no matter how many labels that made her famous—either her being timid, meek, sickly, or weak—it did not make her free from the same approach and intention of the gentlemen who asked for her hands for the same request.

Regarding that, Joanna knew exactly what made them act as if the labels were never there, as the act would have been different if she was not a lady of de Lara. Even if it were true for her to be a sickly lady, the proposal of marriage would never stop flowing in in the de Lara mansion, as de Lara was an honorable family that others raced to have a tie with.

But who ever thought that the tie was now owned by a non-Terran? Further than that, the man who was successful in marrying the sole daughter of the Duke of Barasca was a commoner, whose social class was lower than all the proposals that had been sent to the de Lara mansion before the marriage decree fell upon that reputable upper-class family.

And now, the young lady de Lara did another shocking conduct, which was asking for the hands of that gentleman, who was none other than her husband, for a dance.

With her eyes locked with the depth that was like an ocean, Joanna wondered if she was too blatant in her action, which made the man before her not give her any response yet.

Was it too bold? Was her courage too brazen? Joanna questioned that to herself, and she kept the question after question popping up in her mind until an answer was finally uttered by the man to whom her dancing request was addressed.

"No." But the answer that she obtained was a rejection.

Feeling shocked before being swept over with shame and regret for being too bold and confident that her request would be accepted without any doubt, Joanna lowered her eyes, as she was unable to have her eyes locked with the unblinking eyes before hers any longer.

Perhaps this was the gentlemen’s feeling every time she turned down their request for a dance for so many reasons.

Perhaps he preferred to dance by himself rather than doing that with a brazen woman. Joanna shuddered at the thought that appeared in her mind.

"Because a lady should not ask for a gentleman’s hand for a dance," came words from the same voice that just declined her boldness before a sight of an opened palm that faced up filled her view.

Raising her eyes to look back at the man before her, Joanna found a warm smile plastered on his face. "Don’t ever ask for any man’s hand for a dance in the future." She heard him say more in a gentle tone with one of his brows raised as if showing a mild disapproval before adding,

"Would this husband have an honor for a dance with his beautiful wife?" A crinkle was formed on the corner of Canillas’ smiling eyes as he gentlemanly asked for the hand of Joanna for a dance.

With a smile contained in her relieved look, knowing that he had a reason for not accepting her quest, Joanna placed her hand on Canillas’ that was reaching out for her to reach. It was the answer she gave before confirming it with a soft-spoken yes, which was returned with a soft smile by Canillas.

"Your gloves?" Canillas asked five seconds later, keeping on casting his eyes on Joanna.

And surprise removed the smile from his face when he saw Joanna put her gloves in her dress pocket before she muttered, "It is fine." freeωebnovēl.c૦m

In bewilderment, Canillas captured Joanna’s soft smile in his eyes, as if telling him that it was really fine for her not to put the gloves back on her hands.

"Are you sure?" Canillas asked after a few seconds of silence, regardless of any expression that was cast by Joanna. The tone of his voice was serious, with his brows knitted as he demanded a clear, definite answer while keeping on studying her countenance.

Because holding her bare hand during the dance without a barrier that separated them was like an announcement to tell others that they were really husband and wife—a husband and wife that was not only a name. More than that, it also indicated that she was fine to appear more intimate with him, and she was fine if others saw that in them.

"Do you still remember what I said?" Canillas threw another inquiry after seeing Joanna respond to his previous question with a yes that was also spoken in a soft voice.

He reminded her, as he did not want her to regret it later.

"I do." It was her answer, still uttered in a soft and low voice, before her demeanor turned serious. "Let’s finish this soon, Sir Canillas. People are waiting," Joanna demanded with a hint of urgency in her voice as she found Canillas still immersed in doubt over her answer and seemed to be about to ask for another confirmation of her decision.

With so many eyes directed at them and time ticking by, it was really not time to confirm something that she had answered and decided. Moreover, she really wanted to finish what she had to do and head back to her peaceful dwelling place as quickly as possible. Hence, dilly-dally was not necessary at the moment.

Finding a decisive response from Joanna, which was enough to conclude the next step he had to take, without any doubt Canillas gripped the delicate hand that was in his gently. "Then let’s finish this soon," he remarked, decisiveness sparking in his light-tinted eyes.