I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 144

The man she loves.

The one she loves.

At those words, Ekian felt like his whole body melted and collapsed. He had been prepared to live on, accepting that he was ‘the sixth,’ but hearing that made his desire surface vividly.

He couldn’t be just her husband. Not even the father of the child they created together. Certainly not a convenient link to the people she cherished.

Unless he was the only man for this woman, he could never be satisfied in this life.

“Ha.”

In the end, Ekian pulled her tightly into his arms, buried his face in her neck, and let out a sigh.

“You have no idea how anxious you make me.”

“This doesn’t seem like something you should be saying on our wedding day.”

Judith pressed her soft body against him and spoke teasingly.

“Her Majesty the Empress even complained that I accepted you too easily. That means I didn’t give you much of a hard time, right?”

“That’s exactly it. Love and hate come together, so if you didn’t hate me much, maybe you didn’t love me much either.”

“No one opposed us, and everyone congratulated us.”

“That’s the problem. Too many people’s happiness is tied to this marriage.”

“Ah, seriously.”

Judith finally smacked his back irritably.

“Then what do you want? Should I try being difficult once? Get off me right now.”

“Of course that won’t do.”

Ekian whined and then pushed her down on the sofa. Judith glared prettily at him as he climbed on top of her.

“I said get off.”

“Everyone cleared out for us, so why would I?”

“I doubt they left so we could do this.”

“Do what? Surely you don’t mean…”

Ekian raised an eyebrow mischievously, then immediately began placing loud kisses on her cheek, forehead, and neck.

Holding Judith’s wrist gently to keep her still, he smiled faintly.

“You mean this?”

“…Yes.”

She averted her gaze with a flushed face. Even now, just a little physical contact would still make her shy like this. It made him want to mess her up even more because she looked so lovable.

Even so, he had always been curious. Since Judith had confessed her love, Ekian decided to ask the question that had been weighing on his mind.

“Hey, Judith, I have a question. Why do you avoid looking at my face at times like this?”

“What?”

“When we were making our baby, you didn’t avoid looking at my face this much… Do you prefer not seeing my face?”

The more he spoke, the weirder it felt. When she couldn’t see his face while they were together, Judith had definitely been much more forward than now.

Even if they were both cautious now because of the baby, her overall attitude had changed.

Ever since they reunited, during moments like these, she wouldn’t even try to meet his eyes…

‘Could it be she really thinks I look better with a mask on? Back then, I always had one. Does she have a thing for people who hide their faces or something?’

If that were true, he needed to remove all the masks in the Aquitaine estate immediately and issue a total ban on anything that hid the face. He would also need to find the schedules of every masked ball in the empire and plan to never go near them during those times.

While Judith hesitated to answer, Ekian pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth and whispered nervously, “Then should I start wearing a mask whenever I want to kiss you?”

“What?”

Ekian asked seriously, “Or Judith, do you want to cover your eyes like you did back then? Honestly, I’m not into that kind of thing, but if you want it, of course…”

“What are you even saying!”

Judith couldn’t hold back and scowled in frustration.

“What do you mean, ‘that kind of thing’? Why are you suddenly spouting nonsense?”

“If it’s not a preference, then why can’t you look at my face at times like this?”

“That’s because!”

She took a breath and glared at him, then turned her head again with a flushed face.

“See? You looked away again!”

“It’s because!”

Under Ekian’s persistent questioning, Judith finally squeezed her eyes shut and shouted, “It’s because you’re too handsome!”

This was an answer he hadn’t even considered. Ekian was at a loss for words for a moment and simply looked down at Judith.

“I-it’s too stimulating to see up close…”

Her lips, murmuring shyly, were already glistening with his saliva.

It was certainly stimulating.

The reddened corners of her eyes, the tousled hair, her flushed ears, the rise and fall of her chest with every panting breath…

Was this the feeling Judith experienced when she looked at his face—that her reason snapped like a thread?

“Aha.”

Ekian smiled with his eyes and followed Judith’s gaze, bringing his face close to hers and resting his forehead against hers.

“Looks like I misunderstood. So this is actually your type.”

“Ah, seriously…”

He softly pressed their lips together again, mingling their breaths, and she let out a faint moan. Her cheeks, as she finally closed her eyes as if unable to bear it, were deeply flushed.

“I’ll believe you.”

“…B-believe what?”

“That I wasn’t the sixth to know our baby’s gender because I’m the sixth.”

“It’s not even something to believe or not.”

Judith, catching her breath, added, “Because it’s true. If you won’t believe me, then seriously, get off.”

“Why do you keep telling me to move away? We’re in love.”

“Still, not here…”

The mention of their child seemed to bring her reason back a bit, and she began to squirm under him.

“You never know when someone might come in… Just get off for now.”

“No. I won’t, because you might run away again.”

“Ugh, what are you even saying!”

“If you say again that you love me and that you like me, then maybe I’ll let go for a moment. I’m still uneasy.”

Now an incredulous look began to appear on Judith’s face. She twisted her wrist out of his grasp and gave him a sharp slap.

“Is that something to say on our wedding day?”

“Since I already seem pathetic, might as well say it all: I want constant confirmation that you can’t live without me. Not the Master, not Ekian Mayus, but me, right now…”

With shadowed eyes, he shrugged.

“No one would ever understand this.”

At those words, Judith’s gaze wavered slightly. It was clear she couldn’t help but feel some pity for someone whose entire foundation of life had once crumbled overnight.

“Judith. To someone who will always be anxious, promise to always stay by my side.”

And Ekian fully intended to use that pity.

If only he could have her all to himself.

“Hmm?”

“I promise.”

Sure enough, Judith nodded.

“That’s what today was about—making that social promise. That we’ll stay together forever.”

“You’ve already broken that social promise once. I can’t trust it.”

“Then how should I make a private promise?”

It was then.

A cautious knock sounded.

“Um, Ekian?”

It was Isabella.

“I know your feelings are hurt, but you also committed a sin, so you need to accept it, don’t you? Try a little harder to rebuild that trust. Don’t go clinging to poor Judith, okay?”

She didn’t come in, but she was clearly taking Judith’s side. A moment of silence followed, and then Alteion’s voice was heard.

“Not sure if this is comforting, but, um, I heard it from the Empress too. Not directly from the Grand Duchess. So technically, you’re the fifth, not the sixth.”

Judith and Ekian’s eyes met at close range. Judith cleared her throat and spoke toward the outside.

“Yes, I’m handling it well. Ekian is slowly coming to terms with the situation.”

“Really? Then can we come in?”

“No! Um… Ekian isn’t in the best shape right now! So don’t worry and just go rest!”

Well, he was in a rather unpresentable state. Ekian awkwardly pulled back his rather noticeable thigh.

A moment later, Isabella’s sigh could be heard.

“Oh dear, he must be crying. I guess it is sad. All right.”

As the footsteps receded, Judith pulled Ekian’s head close and kissed him. Even without words, it was clear.

It was their private promise to be together forever.