My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 165

“More than anything, Camille strongly wishes for you both to be given leniency. They say there’s no harm in listening to one’s wife—but in my case, it’s more than just ‘no harm.’ My wife is the most intelligent and wise woman in the entire country.”

My face flushed at that ridiculous display of doting. But what was even more absurd was that Mael and Jacques both nodded earnestly, as if they wholeheartedly agreed.

“That’s certainly true.”

“If it’s the Duchess’s wish, we have no choice.”

“…Are the three of you teaming up to tease me?” I asked, feeling completely dumbfounded.

“Surely not.”

Ethan said, then lightly kissed my cheek.

“Just don’t forget—this is your last chance. There must never be another incident like before. And under no circumstance can Camille be placed in danger. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, Your Grace. We swear it.”

Mael and Jacques bowed their heads again.

***

“I’m glad everything worked out.”

As Mael and Jacques left the office, Victor, who had been waiting outside, spoke.

Jacques made a slightly exasperated face. “Victor. Don’t tell me you were eavesdropping?”

“Of course not. I guessed based on your and Mael’s expressions. Honestly, I was expecting this outcome from the start. The Ducal House of Dumont simply can’t be imagined without the two of you,” Victor said with a smile.

“Thank you, butler. I’m sorry for causing you concern.”

“Not at all. I’m just glad things ended well.”

“It’s all thanks to the Duchess. She really went through a lot for us. Frankly, considering we failed to protect her, I’m ashamed to even say that…”

To Mael’s words, Victor gently shook his head. “You and Jacques both did your best. That’s exactly why the Duke and Duchess chose to forgive you. And more importantly, in the end, everything was resolved.”

Victor turned to Jacques and spoke in a soft voice, “Jacques, remember what you said once? ‘Sometimes small crises bring couples closer together.’ You said that. And since that incident, the two of them have grown incredibly close.”

Jacques muttered, slightly grimacing, “Well, it wasn’t exactly a small crisis…”

“In any case, the results were good, so all’s well. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear joyful news soon,” Victor said with a pleased smile.

Jacques had also heard the rumors from the servants—that the ducal couple had been sharing a bedroom for some time now and often didn’t come out until late in the afternoon.

It was a touching contrast to the past, when the three of them would rack their brains together trying to mediate between the couple.

The baby growing in Ines’s belly was also developing well. Now that Ethan had successfully defeated Girard, his long-held goal, having an heir with the Duchess would be the best possible news.

“…Yes. That would be nice,” Jacques replied with a faint smile before he realized.

Just then, Mael tilted his head and asked, “Joyful news? What kind of news do you mean? …Ah, I suppose Duke Girard still hasn’t been captured yet. Until he’s caught, we can’t exactly say everything is truly over.”

“……”

Victor and Jacques both stared at Mael.

“What is it?” Mael looked genuinely puzzled.

“…Sir Mael, you really are consistent,” Jacques said with a slightly drained expression.

“What do you mean, Jacques?”

“Nothing. In any case, Sir Mael, don’t you think it’s about time you started thinking about settling down? You don’t have to get married right away, but at least meet some women.”

“What? Why the sudden topic shift? I really don’t follow the conversation anymore…”

“That’s exactly why I’m saying this.”

At Jacques’s words, Mael continued to wear a perplexed expression. Victor covered his mouth and chuckled softly.

***

After that, everything went smoothly.

The imperial army and House Dumont were working together to track down Marlon Girard. Recently, signs had been discovered that he had crossed the border with his subordinates, and all efforts were being made to determine his exact whereabouts. It was certain they would soon catch his trail.

Ethan was loving me more deeply than I could ever hope for.

To be honest, I was happy. When I first possessed Camille, I never imagined such days would come—but now, it was the opposite. I was so full, I was afraid of losing what I had.

“Camille? Are you asleep?” Ethan gently stroked my cheek and asked.

I opened my eyes.

“…Mm, no, I wasn’t sleeping.”

“You should. If you sleep now, you won’t suffer from insomnia later tonight. And it’s almost mealtime.”

Once again, in the bright daylight, I had been dragged to the bedroom by Ethan, and we’d made love twice already. Lately, it had been like this every day.

“This is your fault for tormenting me day and night. I’ve been sleep-deprived for days.”

“I always say—it’s because you keep tempting me.”

At my protest, Ethan shamelessly replied.

“Tempt you? What did I ever do to tempt you?”

“You looked at me.”

“What nonsense… Am I supposed to look away when I talk to you?”

“You didn’t just look. It was a seductive gaze.”

“What are you talking about? That’s not true!”

Even unintentionally, I would never do that. Of course, it wasn’t like I disliked being with Ethan, but I had to admit it was physically demanding to keep up.

“No? Then maybe it’s just because you’re too beautiful.”

“……”

When I stared at him in disbelief, Ethan chuckled.

“Get up now. You need to eat something and regain your strength.”

“…So you can do it again after feeding me?”

Ethan only smiled instead of answering. His face was so handsome, I momentarily forgot to scold him.

He took my hand and helped me up. As I put on my robe with a sigh, a wave of dizziness struck me.

When I staggered slightly, Ethan quickly supported me.

“Camille, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. I just felt a little dizzy.”

“Are you unwell?” he asked with a serious look.

I furrowed my brow slightly and smiled. “I told you to stop tormenting me so much.”

But Ethan still looked worried. He placed a hand on my forehead. His hand was so large that it covered my entire forehead and even my eyebrows.

“You feel a little warm.”

“Really? Now that you mention it, I do feel kind of sluggish…”

“Are you serious? Why didn’t you say something earlier?”

“Well, I always feel tired after, so I didn’t think—wait, what are you making me say?”

I lightly smacked his arm.

“Sit tight. I’ll call the doctor right away.”

“No need. I’m just worn out from overexerting myself. Like you said, I’ll feel better after eating.”

But Ethan didn’t listen. He picked me up and set me down on the sofa.

“Do as I say. Just sit here and wait, alright?”

“You really do worry too much,” I said with a wry smile.

Ethan brushed my hair back once, then left the bedroom.

I sat obediently on the sofa, just as he asked. At first, I thought it was nothing, but my condition really did feel a little off. My body felt heavy, and my stomach was uncomfortable, almost like…

‘…Wait, come to think of it…’

When was my last period? I couldn’t recall the exact date, but I was certain it had been over a month.

This body had a fairly regular cycle. It had been delayed once during the whole kidnapping incident, but this time, there hadn’t been anything like that.

‘…Could it be?’

It was possible. No—it was more than possible. For the past month, we had barely taken a single day off.

My heart pounded. It was a strange feeling I couldn’t quite describe.

In my previous life, I had never even imagined having a child. I didn’t have a partner, and I had lived with a ticking clock over my head.

‘Inside me… Ethan’s child…’

I absentmindedly touched my belly. I had seen this scene countless times in dramas and movies, but now that it was real, I understood.

Just then, the bedroom door opened.

“I called the doctor. He’ll be here soon.”

Ethan started to speak, but noticed something strange about me and quickly rushed over.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling worse? Tell me. Where exactly does it hurt?”

“……”

I simply looked into Ethan’s eyes without a word.