I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 176

The moment they learned the child was a girl.

By then, Judith’s belly had grown quite large. Since it was her second child, her stomach was definitely growing faster than it had with the first. Just as Melanie had said.

“A girl?”

The moment the attending physician revealed the baby’s gender, both Alex and Ekian were there together.

“My goodness, a little sister?”

Both Ekian and Alex inhaled sharply with trembling voices.

Inside, Judith was astonished, thinking, ‘Wow, that fortune teller’s prediction was right,’ but she decided it was better not to bring up superstition during such a historic moment and swallowed the words.

After examining her several times, the physician answered with certainty, “Yes, a beautiful young lady. She’s growing well, and everything looks good.”

“My goodness….”

Ekian still looked unable to gather his senses.

“First, let’s send letters. There are too many people waiting to hear the news.”

Then he immediately sat at the desk and began diligently writing letters. Alex placed a hand on Judith’s swollen stomach and muttered in wonder, “Woooow, little sister…. Nice to meet you. Once you come out, let’s have lots of fun together, okay?”

Still unable to forget his memories with Rose, Alex continued, “I’ll take you to the cave Sister Rose and I visited, and the hill where there are lots of fossils too….”

At that moment, Judith was reminded that this child wasn’t solely her daughter.

Judith always imagined the things she herself had never received. Tying ribbons into her daughter’s hair, helping her make friends, wearing matching dress colors, making dolls named after her child….

But in truth, Coral might dislike those things. She might turn out to be a child like Rose, someone uninterested in dresses and ribbons who preferred wandering through mountains and fields.

Even so, Judith didn’t think she’d feel disappointed.

Because this child was truly ‘free’ from Judith’s past.

Just as Alex was growing up ‘free’ from Ekian’s past.

“The name… what should we name her?”

Ekian groaned.

“Would it be better to ask Father again this time?”

For a moment, Judith thought Ekian yielded a great deal to Ben. She never imagined he’d even ask Ben to name their daughter. Of course, Ben would be absolutely delighted.

“Father will really love that. It’s such a thoughtful decision, Ekian.”

“Wouldn’t it be good to make this a family tradition? Since I’ll have to name my grandchildren someday too.”

Judith realized the truth and shook her head. “Hm. So you were only stepping back now because you’re aiming for the distant future.”

Anyway, it was decided that Ben would name the baby girl. Surprisingly, Ben said he’d already been separately thinking over names for daughters and sons this whole time.

‘If we hadn’t asked him, that really could’ve been a disaster….’

Saying it was his first time naming a girl, Ben became so emotional he barely knew what to do with himself. Isabella was also thrilled at the thought of finally being able to buy clothes for a little girl.

Aside from the time she bought girls’ clothes before knowing Alex’s gender, she’d never once bought clothing for a young daughter.

Together with news that Isabella had become extremely busy researching every children’s boutique imaginable, another letter arrived not long afterward.

It was from Karl.

[ Sister-in-law, would it be alright if Rose came to visit too when Coral is born?

It seems Rose wants to see Coral too, and she keeps thinking about Alex as well. ]

There was no reason to refuse. Judith naturally sent back a reply saying it was perfectly fine.

***

The baby was born the following spring.

The baby, who’d been showered with devoted care for all nine months, tormented her mother with morning sickness in the early stages, then gifted her with a smooth delivery at the end.

“Chloe?”

Judith smiled softly as she looked at the vigorously crying baby.

“It’s nice to meet you….”

Chloe was the name Ben had given her. When the family met Chloe for the first time, everyone except Ekian flinched slightly.

She looked far too much like Judith.

The red hair, the green eyes, even the round shape of her eyes. At a glance, she looked exactly like a young Judith.

Isabella whispered to Ben, “My goodness. She’s so adorable. Goodness…. My dream of wanting to adopt Judith as my daughter has come true like this. You really never know what life will bring….”

Ben also clutched at his chest as he said, “Good heavens, how are we supposed to raise a child like this safely in such a dangerous world….”

Of course, Ekian’s joy couldn’t even be described.

Alex and Ekian looked at the baby and muttered, “We have to protect this baby, alright?”

“Yes, Father. I’ll definitely protect her.”

Remembering the first time he held Alex, Ekian suddenly became emotional.

Even after waiting through all nine months, the feeling was overwhelming.

He realized once again how precious it was for people to love one another and become a family. And how miraculous Alex, who had suddenly stumbled into his life out of nowhere, truly was.

It had taken such a long time just to meet you….

Life really was impossible to predict.

For a moment, Ekian thought of the seventeen-year-old girl he’d met long ago.

That woman who’d burst into his life with blazing red hair like fire. He truly never imagined she would make his life this happy.

Then again….

You really never know what life will bring.

For one thing, the atmosphere between Karl and Rose, whom he’d seen again after several months, was strange. When he secretly called Karl over and asked, it seemed something had happened in the meantime.

‘Well… Rose confessed to me.’

‘What?’

‘She said she likes me. She said she only wanted to tell me how she felt. That she knew it was presumptuous…. But honestly, that kind of thing isn’t really a problem, right?’

The future was moving in the exact opposite direction from the original story Judith had talked about. Then again, at this point, it felt silly to keep comparing things to the original story.

‘So what did you say?’

‘I told her to graduate from the academy first. As far as I know, she wants to study abroad. I like Rose too, but I don’t want her to give up on her dreams because of me. I have to inherit the Mayus ducal house, after all.’

Things truly had become completely different from the original story.

Because Judith was in labor and he’d been anxiously listening to the story, he hadn’t had the time to ask further questions, but he felt excited thinking about telling Judith all this later.

Both Karl and Rose were growing up well in their own way.

It was thanks to Judith. She had changed everything.

So now it was his turn. Looking at Alex and Chloe, he made a promise to himself once again.

Even now, he was doing his best, but from now on too, he would live each day diligently for the sake of his family.

“Then I’ll go see Judith now.”

After leaving the baby with the nanny and Isabella, he strode over to Judith, who was recovering.

To thank the person who was his everything for giving him such immense happiness once again.

“Judith, you worked so hard. You really worked so hard. Everyone is so happy seeing the baby.”

Judith weakly smiled while gathering herself. Then she tightly held Ekian’s hand.

“Let’s raise her well. Since you’re a good father, I’m not worried about anything.”

Her eyes sparkled brightly.

Just like when they first met.

“Please take care of me from now on too.”

Ekian tightly held Judith’s hand.

Just like eight years ago, when he desperately held her hand and unknowingly grasped a happy future beyond anything he could’ve imagined.

Special Side Story 3 <End>