I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 55

His voice carried an air of leisure. It was the confidence of a man who had never once considered rejection, one who knew he was handsome.

‘Well, that makes sense.’

Judith slowly lifted her teacup and thought.

‘If I didn’t already have someone I liked, I might have been swayed. No, actually, the idea of living together for a while, seeing how things go, and staying together if we develop feelings—that’s a huge advantage.’

Normally, it would be impossible not to like him. He had everything—a noble lineage, striking looks, and a flawless personality.

Of course, she had no idea why he had disappeared for five years… But it didn’t seem like the kind of thing he would answer just because she asked.

‘Let’s think back. Back then, all the girls my age would have sold their souls for a chance to marry Ekian.’

Judith recalled her old friends whispering about him from afar. And yet, despite everything, she had not been interested in him at the time.

‘Of course, I wasn’t.’

She had always been different from others.

Unlike the girls who lived dreaming of the future, Judith had been a child who only thought about escaping the despair of her family situation by losing herself in books.

‘And I still am not.’

As Judith took a sip of her tea, lost in thought, Ekian leisurely lifted his own cup. He seemed certain of her answer, as if it had already been decided.

In the end, Judith made up her mind and smiled kindly.

“I sincerely apologize, but that won’t be possible.”

These things were best addressed quickly, so the other party could plan their next steps accordingly.

“The truth is, I already have someone I like.”

“Pfft—!”

Ekian spat out his tea.

“I know you’re a great man, Young Duke, but my heart already belongs to someone else… So it would be difficult for me. After the divorce, I had planned to approach that man.”

Ekian seemed momentarily lost, unable to process her calm words. His expression was one of disbelief.

“You… already like someone?”

“Yes. That’s how it turned out.”

Feeling embarrassed, Judith fidgeted with her fingers.

“Of course, I didn’t enter the ducal house while having feelings for someone. It was after I arrived that I happened to grow closer to him.”

Since this was their first meeting, Judith hadn’t expected Ekian to be particularly upset, but his expression turned sharply unreadable.

“Of course!”

Startled, Judith instinctively pushed her chair back. The sheer intensity and discontent in his presence overwhelmed her.

“I swear, I never deliberately set out to find someone or played around with romance! Absolutely, absolutely not!”

Not wanting to be misunderstood as a woman who had disrespected her contractual husband by pursuing another man, Judith desperately defended herself.

“I just happened to realize that he seemed to have feelings for me, and as time passed, I found myself drawn to him too…”

The atmosphere around Ekian grew even heavier.

“But that’s all there is to it, and of course, nothing has happened between us! He and I both understand my situation, so starting a relationship while I’m still legally married would be out of the question…”

Ekian narrowed his eyes as he listened to Judith’s frantic rambling. After observing her for a moment, he rested his chin on his hand and said, “I see. This is my fault for returning too late. My wife has already found another man.”

“Well… That last part sounded rather odd.”

“But at least there has been no progress with that detestable scoundrel.”

Ekian smiled at Judith, meeting her gaze directly.

“Then, how about I join in the competition?”

“Pardon? Competition?”

“Feelings change all the time, don’t they?”

Judith stared at Ekian in bewilderment.

“I’ll take that as a sign that there is still a possibility of continuing our marriage. From now on, I’ll do my best to seduce you.”

What was he even saying…? Judith felt her mind going blank.

“Ah, and one more thing.”

As Judith sat in stunned silence, Ekian continued nonchalantly, “I would like for us to share a room.”

“What?”

Judith’s eyes widened at the second shocking statement.

“Y-you mean, sharing… the same room?”

So, Ekian’s room? The two of them? Together? This was their first time even having a proper conversation!

“Are you serious?”

Ekian, however, remained utterly composed. Resting his chin on his hand, he spoke in a relaxed manner.

“I am more curious as to why a married couple should sleep in separate rooms.”

A married couple… Well, technically, that was true.

Unable to refute it, Judith responded hesitantly, “Well, that’s true. This is your room, and, um, but obviously, I should be using a different room…”

“Then, should I cast out my wife, who is carrying my child, from the bedroom I have always used?”

His tone was soft, but his argument was entirely logical. Judith felt unfairly cornered but had no reasonable counterargument.

“I heard about Sarah and Bart. They were trusted servants of the ducal house, yet such things still happened. That means we don’t know whom we can or cannot trust.”

“Ah, well, that’s true.”

“That is likely why my parents have kept this matter strictly confidential, revealing it only to a select few.”

“Y-yes, that’s true.”

Originally, only Bart and Hud had known. But now that both were no longer physicians of the ducal house, the only ones aware of the truth were Isabella, Ben, Judith, and Ekian.

“Given the situation, is there any reason to create unnecessary gossip by staying in separate rooms?”

“W-well, I suppose not.”

“I have a separate office. Also, since I have just returned, I will likely be out often.”

Ekian continued calmly, “In the end, we would only be sharing a bedroom. The room and bed are more than spacious enough. If you are uncomfortable, I can sleep on the sofa.”

“Ah, um.”

Ultimately, it was a matter of employment structure. As an employer, Ekian’s reasoning was logical enough.

Judith hesitated, staring at his utterly composed expression, before mumbling awkwardly, “B-but didn’t you say earlier that you were going to try to seduce me?”

To her, this was quite a significant issue.

“A-are you planning to seduce me physically, or, um, forcefully…? I-I mean, you’re at that age when men—”

Even as she spoke, she felt utterly ridiculous.

By all standards, Ekian was far more attractive than Judith. It was almost absurd that she was the one worrying about this.

Even during the banquet earlier, the prevailing opinion had been that Judith must have seduced Ekian and borne his child. Honestly, if she were an outsider, she would probably believe the same.

However, for a man and woman to share a bed, it was an important matter that needed addressing.

After all, she and Ekian had just met. What woman would suddenly agree to share a bed with a man she had only just met?

‘Wait, or would they, if that man were Ekian?’

As Judith stared at his dazzlingly handsome face, she mentally chanted, Master, Master, Master… The one I like is Master.

Ekian, however, spoke with a gentle yet detached tone that rendered her concerns meaningless.

“Do not worry. I may be at that age, but I have full control over my desires.”

“O-oh, is that so?”

Upon closer inspection, his face did exude a certain restrained discipline. Well, it was already well-known that Ekian Mayus had little interest in women, so Judith decided not to pry further.

Still, everything about this situation was beyond what she had anticipated. And in times like these, there was only one person in the world she could turn to for advice.

The one person she trusted, whose abilities she acknowledged, and who had been her longest-standing business partner.

‘I can’t do this. I have to meet with Master tomorrow.’

Clutching the book filled with seduction strategies, Judith made up her mind.

‘Forget seduction—first, I need to discuss this entire situation with him!’