I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 57

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

There was no reason to refuse it, so Judith accepted the medicine. The transparent liquid looked just like water.

“But this is completely colorless and odorless, just like water. What if I accidentally drink it?”

“Oh, don’t worry.”

Sandra replied cheerfully.

“For ordinary people, it works as a nutritional supplement. Many people actually buy it as a gift. It’s quite an expensive medicine, so if you ever feel oddly fatigued, Madam, you can take it as well.”

“I see. Thank you.”

After asking a few more questions, Sandra left the room. Once she was gone, Judith tied a ribbon around the beautifully crafted vial.

Contrary to Sandra’s explanation, Ekian hadn’t taken the suppressant because Judith was supposedly in the early stages of pregnancy. He had simply chosen to take it because they had to share a room before truly knowing each other.

So, there was no real need to give Ekian the medicine Sandra had prescribed today. In that case…

‘I should give it to Master as a gift.’

Since it was expensive and people often bought it for gifting, it seemed like the perfect choice.

‘Besides, I owe him a lot anyway.’

Now that she was sharing a room with Ekian, sneaking out at night was no longer an option. Giving the medicine as a parting gift while informing Master that she wouldn’t be able to meet him anymore seemed meaningful.

‘And I read about this in a book.’

In How to Seduce the Man You Like, there was a passage stating that giving various small gifts was a good way to express interest in someone.

The book explained that when a man received a gift, he would use it and think about the person who gave it to him, naturally feeling closer to them.

‘But it also said that if the gift is too expensive or burdensome, it might have the opposite effect. However, since this is something I received myself, there’s no reason for him to feel pressured. It’s the perfect gift!’

Judith touched the ribboned vial with satisfaction.

‘I should send a message today asking if I can visit. Since Ekian already allows me to go out, it won’t be a problem.’

Without delay, she sent a message through the Mayus household’s messenger to the Grey Information Guild, asking if it would be alright to visit that day.

The reply came quite late.

[My schedule has been very busy lately. Would it be possible for you to visit in ten days?]

There was no reason to refuse. Judith gladly wrote back confirming their meeting.

Not long after, a maid delivered Ekian’s message. He wanted to have tea in the morning with Karl and her—just the three of them.

‘Of course, that’s fine!’

Karl adored his older brother, so he would be thrilled.

Feeling cheerful, Judith replied that she would be happy to join them.

***

Ekian had been busy since dawn. He had five years to make up for.

Even though he had continued working and handling tasks during his absence, it still took time to reacquaint himself with the affairs of the Mayus household.

‘At least the medicine worked well.’

To be honest, he hadn’t believed he could share a bed with Judith while remaining clear-headed, which was why he had specifically requested medication from the new physician.

But the medicine had worked so effectively that he had been able to maintain complete composure, even when seeing Judith in her indoor clothes.

Under normal circumstances, just being alone in a room with her—regardless of what she was wearing—would have been difficult.

‘But even so, it’s better to stay in the same room.’

Ekian had no intention of using separate rooms. Now that the situation with the Grey Information Guild had to be handled, his schedule was about to become even more packed.

Sharing a room with Judith was the most efficient way to win her over as quickly as possible.

‘She definitely liked me before.’

Right now, that was the only thing Ekian could believe in.

“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.”

Judith was clearly harboring feelings for Hud.

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

Everything she said matched Hud Soden perfectly. He had fallen for her first, and since he had always stayed by her side, it was only natural that Judith had grown fond of him as well.

“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…”

The fortunate thing was that Judith and Hud were still nothing more than friends.

Which also meant that if he could turn her heart back toward him, there would be no issue. Besides, Hud had already left for the Marquisate of Soden. Time was on Ekian’s side.

And, without a doubt, Ekian was once the man Judith had admired. She had said that he was so perfect that it was impossible not to like him.

That was the same sentiment shared by every woman who had ever looked at him.

The flawless heir of the Mayus Ducal House. A young man with no visible shortcomings—objectively exceptional in every way.

In other words…

‘I can’t let her know that I’m Master.’

Ekian’s expression darkened.

‘If she knew, I would have to explain everything. And I don’t want to.’

He wanted to be seen as the perfect Young Duke of Mayus in Judith’s eyes. He wanted to approach her just as he had been—the man she had once admired when she was young. That seemed like the best way to win her back.

He didn’t want to reveal that he wasn’t actually the biological son of the Duke of Mayus. That his birth mother had cursed him. That his birth father had only wanted to use him. That he feared he might bring ruin to the Mayus family himself.

Especially not now, when he could be directly compared to Hud—who had embraced his bloodline and proudly taken his place as the heir of the Soden Marquisate.

‘I want to be seen as the perfect Ekian Mayus.’

That was the resolve he had made when returning to the ducal house.

She was already his wife. She was the Young Duchess of Mayus. They were sharing the same bedroom. There was no need to create any unnecessary complications.

‘I need to make her forget Hud Soden as soon as possible.’

Ekian thought calmly.

‘After all, I’m her husband.’

Time was on his side.

Judith had given him until the moment when she would have been visibly pregnant. Until then, he intended to give it his all.

With that thought in mind, Ekian wrote a response to Judith’s request to visit the Grey Information Guild.

Since the message had to pass through intermediaries twice, there had been a delay, and his own busy schedule had postponed the meeting further. But that was fine.

After all, in ten days, “Master” planned to bid Judith farewell and disappear.

Ekian would approach her only as the perfect and refined Young Duke of Mayus. That was why he had also arranged a tea gathering for lunch today, just the three of them—Judith, Karl, and himself.

Since Judith adored Karl, creating pleasant memories together would make it easier to keep her attached to the ducal house. It was all part of his calculated plan.

Karl had been ecstatic ever since he heard of Ekian’s return first thing in the morning.

Although his aides had tried to calm him down due to urgent matters, Ekian understood Karl’s feelings and had set aside time for him that morning.

“Brother Ekiaaaan!”

The moment Karl saw Ekian, he burst into tears and clung to him.

“What happened? Brotheeeer, you’re not going to leave again, right? Brothe, brotheeer…”

Ekian embraced Karl tightly and stroked his head. The young boy sobbed endlessly, tears spilling down his face.

“You can’t leave again… Brotheeeer, brother, brotheeeer…”

Ekian nodded and gently wiped Karl’s tears away.

And then—

“Um, Young Duke Ekian, Young Master Karl.”

A maid approached them.

“Lady Judith has arrived.”

But the moment Karl, who had been crying so miserably, heard that, he suddenly lifted his head. His teary eyes widened in realization.

“Oh, right.”

Then, he slowly muttered, “My brother… was a jerk, wasn’t he?”