The Monstrous Grand Duke's Fake Lady

As he stared blankly at those tears that clung around Vivian’s eyes, he moved his lips that were already rigid like a stone.

“Vivian. What did you just…?”

Her shoulders shrank, afraid that he might refuse it. Did I just say something that I shouldn’t be saying since I was so excited? His eyes were boring a hole into her while forgetting to blink at times.

“Is she really my child?”

“I’m sorry……”

“N-no. Not that answer.”

It became a chaotic chain of actions that was hard to see normally. Even while he grabbed her shoulder carefully, he ruffled his hair in disbelief. His eyes that had been utterly astounded, still didn’t return to their previous state and instead, turned to her incredulously.

He recalled the child who had smiled in her arms. The child’s black hair that had been neatly pulled back, was exceptionally black and shiny. His voice trembled when he thought back on the child who had wriggled her small hands, finding it to be rather wonderful. He felt a little overwhelmed and began choking up.

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“Are you saying the child whom I saw back then—the child in your arms is actually my child?”

“…Yes. She’s your child.”

As soon as Vivian affirmed, he reached out and started hugging her tightly.

Confounded by Knox’s sudden behavior, Vivian instantly tried to pull herself out in order to avoid touching his wounds, but he drew her in with a much stronger force instead.

Knox’s hands, which were embracing her, had been quivering. He just couldn’t believe that it was his own child. When he recalled the black hair that looked very similar to himself, Knox’s heart became even more overwhelmed.

“When did you find out……?”

“Find out about what?”

“That you were pregnant.”

Vivian hesitated for a moment and began to confess that it was just before she had run away.

Knox’s arm tightened against her even more. He felt like he had already done something bad towards her. Knox’s heavy breathing eventually reached the back of her neck as he realized that she even had the thought of running away all the while having a child.

“I’m sorry, Vivian. I feel like you’ve suffered through a very scary experience. I really apologize for not being by your side. I’m sorry……”

He just couldn’t dare to imagine what kind of life she had gone through. His eyes became teary at the thought of her giving birth to the child all alone by herself. He felt apologetic that he couldn’t stay by her side back then.

As he thought that Vivian had suffered from all the anxiety and pain all on her own, he again, couldn’t dare to bring himself to face her straight. He even felt regretful for the current situation where he could only apologize repeatedly.

While still repeating his apologies, his hands kept on caressing her back. As she met with his touch, tears began forming back in her eyes.

She thought that her emotions were somehow dulled now, but perhaps, that wasn’t the actual case. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have felt this emotional just from his touch and words.

“Will you really accept Ashley, my child?”

“What is there for me to reject her? She is our child—a child of my own blood.”

“I—Knox, I……”

I was tormented every single night.

Starting from her small confession, the words that were spewed out had contained the events of the past year. I was still scared even though I was the one who decided to have the baby. I was just afraid that I might make this child unhappy instead.

Every time Vivian had spoken in between tears, his hands became very strained. He was proud of her, who had tried very hard, yet pitied her as well. Knox attentively listened to Vivian who talked about the nights where she had to spend in tears.

He was saddened along with her tears, while he laughed together with her when she said that she had been happy with the fetal movements.

“Should I kneel again?”

“What?”

Surprised by Knox’s sudden question, Vivian’s lips immediately turned round.

“While listening to your story—I don’t think I should be hearing it, sitting comfortably in bed like this.”

“With a body that’s not even healthy yet? You don’t have to do that.”

She reached out and hugged his back slowly.

The wide back that was finally in her arms after such a long time had still been reliable. How much she had missed this body so. She then leaned her head slightly against his shoulder.

She was very happy to the point of crying at the shoulders which were a little bit strange but still, very familiar.

“Please don’t do things that need you to kneel anymore.”

“Of course.”

His hand slowly brushed her cheek.

As she leaned against that big hand, she closed her eyes. His hand that she could feel after such a long time was ultimately warm.

“I love you. I love you, Vivian.”

Along with the sweet words, his lips eventually grazed upon hers. The lips that had been carefully touched were slowly separated before pressing them again as if savoring them.

It wasn’t really a passionate kiss that had been filled with heat. It was rather a careful kiss as if they were just getting to know each other, but it was madly sweet for the two of them.

“Thank you for coming back to my side. I promise you that there’ll be no more hardships waiting for you.”

Vivian burst into laughter at his rash determination. She said that he didn’t have to, but it seemed like he wasn’t willing to take back what he had just said. The pairs of lips that had just barely separated gradually pressed against each other once more.