I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 54

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“Ah, I’m well aware.”

Ekian spoke calmly, as if he wasn’t particularly upset.

“My wife, that is.”

“Th, that’s right. Your wife’s role, I mean…”

Isabella felt a strange sense of unease as she looked at Ekian’s overly composed face. She had naturally expected him to be bewildered and angry, saying she had done something unnecessary.

From Ekian’s perspective, wasn’t this essentially announcing to the entire world that he had irresponsibly abandoned a woman and child after creating them with someone he had never met before?

“You did well.”

“Huh? R, really?”

“Yes.”

“Th, then… there’s still some time left in Judith’s contract, but since you’ve returned, we could send her away a bit earlier…”

“Let’s think about that slowly as well.”

She had naturally expected him to say to send her away quickly, but Ekian didn’t particularly mention even that.

“Slowly.”

Isabella and Ben could only nod with bewildered faces. Since he said he knew everything, there was nothing to explain, and since he said he was fine with it, they couldn’t apologize either.

“Then I’ll go see my wife.”

He even said ‘wife’ so naturally like that.

“Since it’s late at night, let’s rest well for today. I’ll meet Karl tomorrow.”

Ekian smiled gently and turned around. After that, he headed to his room where Judith was.

Thus confronted with Ekian, Judith couldn’t help but break out in cold sweat.

She was in comfortable indoor clothes while Ekian was in perfect formal attire, which was also embarrassing. After all, this was Ekian’s room.

“W, well, since you’ve heard the whole situation, it’s good that there’s no need for further explanation.”

Judith smiled awkwardly and tried to speak to somehow soften the atmosphere. Meanwhile, a maid brought warm tea.

“Oh my, as expected.”

It was a different maid from the one who usually came and went from the room. She looked quite old, to the point where she probably didn’t need to do such work.

She had undoubtedly won victory among countless competitors who wanted to observe Ekian and Judith. Indeed, that maid looked at Ekian and fawned over him.

“Master Ekian has a particular expression when looking at someone he’s known for a long time, and that’s exactly that expression. Oh my, he really is the child’s father, that’s right.”

Right, what do you mean right…

“With our young duke’s personality, she must have been a woman he observed for a long time. Oh ho ho ho.”

We’re meeting face to face for the first time today…

“Oh my, if anyone had doubts, just showing them the young duke’s eyes would be enough. I’ve never seen the young duke with such an expression in front of a woman before!”

Wouldn’t he probably have this expression in front of any woman he’s seeing for the first time?

Even a maid who had worked long at the ducal house didn’t seem to amount to much.

However, Ekian smiled gently and nodded leisurely. He must have had a much more generous disposition than expected.

“That’s right, Mari.”

As if he was quite close to that maid, Ekian even responded.

“Please take good care of our Judith from now on as well.”

Everything from ‘from now on’ to ‘please take care of’ was unexpected words for Judith. Our Judith? But asking to take care of her from now on?

Wasn’t this the point where he should tell the maid named Mari ‘You’re all wrong and I’m going to kick this woman out from now on’?

After the maid left, Judith immediately blinked and asked.

“Wh, why would you need to say such things… I’m someone who will be leaving soon.”

“What do you mean? Leaving?”

Ekian said while leisurely drinking tea.

“I have no intention of sending my wife away.”

What kind of talk is this now.

Judith looked at Ekian with a confused expression.

“I mean exactly what I said.”

Ekian smiled with his eyes curved.

“I’m saying I have no intention of divorcing you.”

Judith felt her head becoming dazed.

No, he won’t divorce? With me, whom he’s never seen before in his life?

“Um… why?”

She blinked and asked without even thinking of drinking tea.

“Your marriage to me, that is, um, from your perspective as the young duke, it must have been a sudden accident.”

Her eyes trembled anxiously like a dog reading the mood.

“Y, you naturally must know that I’m not pregnant… Wouldn’t you know that the cleanest ending for both of us would be to say the child was lost and then divorce?”

“Then Judith.”

Ekian said gently.

“Are you telling me to become a shameless person who, not content with irresponsibly leaving after making a child, came chasing after the child’s mother when she came to the ducal house and was recognized as a daughter-in-law, only to kick that woman out?”

So that’s how it would be.

Judith nodded blankly. Hearing the facts from Ekian’s mouth, it was a description that naturally brought out the word ‘trash’.

“Even though the child’s father returned, she miscarried and then was divorced… doesn’t this smell too much like a crime?”

“Y, yes it does.”

Judith immediately agreed.

“Th, that might be a bit much. But since it’s certain there’s no child, that should be revealed anyway.”

“That’s possible. However, announcing a divorce immediately after that won’t do.”

Well… timing-wise, that could be the case. Certainly, to protect Ekian’s reputation, the timing of the divorce would have to be delayed a bit.

“Is there anything uncomfortable about staying at the Meius Ducal House?”

Ekian asked politely.

“If there’s anything uncomfortable, I’ll have it corrected immediately.”

“That’s not it. Everything is comfortable and good.”

It was true that the Duke’s Mansion was comfortable to live in. Honestly, it was incomparable to places like the boarding house she used to live in.

Even if she were to leave the Duke’s Mansion, it would be impossible to live in an environment of this level.

Moreover, Judith liked the life she spent at the Duke’s Mansion. She liked how Isabella and Ben took care of various things, and the small daily life spent with Karl was also happy.

All the servants were courteous to Judith and everything was comfortable. Honestly speaking, the position of daughter-in-law of the Meius Ducal House was something that any woman, not just Judith, would covet.

Because she liked the people she lived with, wasn’t it because she couldn’t just leave and lingered with regret that she even extended her hand to the Imperial Family’s succession structure?

However, just one thing.

They could never become her real family.

They were people she would leave someday, and it was a relationship bound by contract from the beginning. Whenever Judith felt like she had become a truly beloved daughter-in-law, she always reminded herself that she was merely an employee.

Judith needed a real family. A real family that stayed together out of love, not contract or employment relationships.

She wanted to try creating such a family with Master once.

“If there’s nothing uncomfortable, let’s continue living like this.”

Ekian said with a slight smile.

“Am I very lacking as husband material?”

“N, no. You’re more than enough.”

Judith shook her head while looking at his handsome face. Ekian leisurely raised his eyebrows.

“Anyway, in noble political marriages, there are cases where couples see each other for the first time on their wedding day. I used to think I would marry like that too.”

“Pardon?”

“I left home briefly and when I returned, I found I had gained a wife like this, but it’s not so different from the marriage I imagined before.”

“S, surely not…”

“If you’re alright with it, how about continuing to live with me?”

At this unexpected proposal, Judith began to feel dizzy.

She had naturally thought Ekian would be angry with her when he returned. She thought he might be bewildered and jump around asking what kind of mess she had made of his reputation, when had he ever made a child with her.

Moreover, objectively speaking, Judith wasn’t even good bride material. Her insignificant baronial family had been ruined long ago, she had no connections, and instead of a dowry, she was a wife who brought only massive debt.

“I like you, and I think I’ll like you even more in the future.”

Looking at Ekian smiling gently, Judith’s mind became confused. He was certainly an extremely handsome man.

It wasn’t for nothing that all the noble young ladies of Judith’s age had dreamed of marrying him.

“If you continue living with me as well, won’t I become acceptable to you?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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