I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 42

Chapter 2: The Return of the Husband

The Imperial banquet was approaching. It was a celebration for the Crown Prince’s birthday.

The Crown Prince was a reasonable and righteous person, but he was constantly under scrutiny and restrained by his father, the Emperor.

‘His Highness, the Crown Prince, is truly a good person.’

Even Karl, who was painted as a villain in the original story, was embraced kindly by him.

The problem was that he was too kind, which made him vulnerable to his father’s schemes. The Emperor, without mercy, eventually assassinated his own son. Using the same slow poisoning method he employed against the Mayus family, he brought chaos to the Empire through his long tyranny.

‘Until the male and female protagonists grew up fully…’

Although the Crown Prince was already old enough to ascend the throne, the Emperor had no intention of relinquishing his position anytime soon. Eventually, the Crown Prince died before him.

Judith, in truth, had little interest in the Imperial banquet. Her only goal was to be introduced as the daughter-in-law of the Mayus family.

She thought of it as part of her work obligations.

After all, she was someone who would eventually leave the Mayus family and live a life far removed from such high-ranking noble families. Whether the Emperor’s tyranny continued or tragedy unfolded in the Imperial family, none of it concerned her once her debts were repaid.

However…

“Sister-in-law, try this. It’s delicious.”

Every evening…

The Mayus family gathered for dinner together. During these meals, Karl would sit beside Judith and diligently attend to her with his small hands.

“I’ll take care of you in place of my brother. When my nephew or niece is born, I’ll play with them every day!”

Karl constantly cursed Ekian for not returning while loyally staying by Judith’s side.

“That necklace looks lovely. I should commission one with rubies in the same design.”

“Mother, I have more than enough jewelry already…”

“What does that matter? Whether you think it’s enough doesn’t concern me. I don’t think it’s enough.”

Isabella, at least once a day, would gift Judith something. It was her way of expressing interest and affection, even if she couldn’t articulate it well.

And that wasn’t all.

“Just find me a name.”

The Duke of Mayus, Ben, would occasionally say quietly when Karl wasn’t around.

“I’ll make sure you’re paired with someone. Anyone will do.”

“What? Um, anyone?”

“Yes. The Mayus family can’t fail at something so simple. Find someone with decent looks and a respectable lineage.”

“But… looks and lineage aren’t everything. It’s not like I can evaluate personality in this situation…”

“You don’t need to.”

Judith felt faint at Ben’s words.

“Do you think I wouldn’t ensure they’re suitable? Do you think I wouldn’t manage things afterward?”

Ben truly regarded Judith as a savior, not just for his life but for the entire Mayus family.

Had they actually been poisoned, the family would have been in chaos. The thought of leaving young Karl alone was horrifying.

Above all, Judith found herself unexpectedly happy in the Mayus family. It wasn’t just because her debts were cleared, her accommodations were luxurious, or the meals were delicious.

It was the warm, affectionate atmosphere that constantly surrounded her. For the first time, she felt a sense of stability. Because of that…

‘The Emperor will continue to target the Mayus family. He already sees them as a thorn in his side to the point of planning their poisoning.’

She couldn’t stop worrying about it.

Having twisted the original story, Judith had no idea what measures the Emperor might take next to tighten his grip on the Mayus family’s throats.

On top of that, the Mayus family couldn’t devote their full resources to preparing against the Emperor. Most of their skilled aides were still searching for traces of Ekian.

‘I should just leave and move on…’

Yet Judith’s heart grew heavier by the day.

‘I could leave, start a romance with the Master, or live an ordinary life…’

It seemed clear that the Master had feelings for her.

Even if he didn’t, their relationship had potential. No man would risk his life for a woman he didn’t care about.

Lately, he had been visiting her almost every night. It wasn’t for anything important, but he would come, share trivial stories, and leave. Usually, they were tales of the people from the neighborhood where he used to live.

Once, she had told him not to visit, and their relationship briefly became strained. Since then, Judith had avoided saying, “Don’t come here.”

Though it felt a bit guilty knowing an intruder visited the Mayus mansion every night, she rationalized it by reminding herself that the secret passage he used had saved the family. Surely, this much was acceptable.

Because of his nightly visits, Judith often found herself telling Hud, who came with wine, “I’m sorry, I’m too tired…”

Still, if the Master truly saw her as a woman, then she only needed to focus on doing well with him after leaving the Mayus family.

She just had to…

Just had to…

‘But what will happen to the Mayus family?’

Though she was destined to leave, she couldn’t help worrying about them.

It wasn’t as though there were no solutions. Utilizing her knowledge of the future, she could help the family prepare against the Emperor’s tyranny.

‘But the problem is that I don’t have enough actionable information. Facing the Imperial family requires connections I don’t have. If it were Ekian Mayus, who grew up as a high-ranking noble, it might be different.’

Judith anxiously bit her nails.

When she first arrived at the Mayus mansion, she had no significant thoughts. She simply intended to use the situation to pay off her debts and move on.

But after meeting the family and forming genuine connections, she couldn’t help but care more deeply. Even though, in some ways, they were using her, too…

She had no one to confide in about her complicated feelings. Everyone around her was tied to the Mayus family.

‘Wait…’

Looking at the beautiful dress Isabella had sent, Judith blinked slowly.

‘There’s one person I meet with every day who has no ties to the Mayus family.’

It was the Master.

Perhaps she could discuss her worries with him.

***

Every night, Ekian visited the Mayus mansion. Honestly, he felt no guilt about it. After all, wasn’t it technically his own room?

Of course, even if he didn’t feel guilty, there was an undeniable unease. This wasn’t the reason he had left home…

Yet, every night, Hud would knock on Judith’s door and ask, “I’m having trouble sleeping. Care for a glass of wine?”

Judith, mid-conversation with herself, would suddenly remark, “Oh,” and then say, “I’m a bit tired today. Sorry,” before sending Hud away. However, if Ekian weren’t there, she would undoubtedly say, “Yes, come in,” and chat with him without a second thought.

For that reason, Ekian felt compelled to guard the room until Judith fell asleep.

Even so, he couldn’t entirely shake his unease. After all, Judith and Hud spent the entire morning and afternoon under the same roof, maintaining an undeniably close relationship.

To make matters worse, they were planning to attend the Imperial banquet together as partners, even coordinating their dress codes.

‘…Damn it.’

As the banquet day approached, Ekian found it increasingly difficult to contain his rising frustration.

The newly hired physician for the Mayus family was set to start work on the day of the Imperial banquet. Until then, Hud remained at the estate.

The reason Hud had decided this was undoubtedly because of Judith. The barrier of being a “commoner” had been resolved, leaving nothing to hinder his feelings anymore.

Carrying this heavy frustration, Ekian visited Judith’s room as usual.

“Excuse me.”

Judith began the conversation with a serious expression.

“I have something I need to consult with you about, Master.”