CH 63.2

“Uuuggh…”

In an instant, Anne covered her mouth. A foul smell came from the soup, which she thought had been fine with until Emily brought it in. It stung her nose. It was an unpleasant scent that made her nauseous. When she gestured for the soup to be rid of, covering her nose, Emily, startled, quickly put the plate away.

“Madam… Are you okay?”

“I think the food has gone bad.”

Though the soup went away, there still seemed to be a bit of a nauseous feeling, but she still couldn’t stand the smell that was creeping up. Eventually, Anne ordered her food to be taken away.

As Emily opened the window to ventilate her room and hurriedly took the tray out, the doctor that had been visiting regularly since the last time just happened to enter the room. Seeing the Grand Duchess’ bad complexion, he ran to her.

“Madam smelled the food and said she felt nauseous.”

Emily’s explanation opened the old face’s eyes as he checked her pulse. He bowed his head to Anne with a bright face.

“Madam, congratulations. You are pregnant.”

“…!”

The old man’s words were like lightning. Anne asked, hoping she had heard wrong, with a pale face.

“Pregnant…?”

“Yes, I’m sure. You have a child. It seems that it was too early to find it before. It must have just turned seven weeks.”

Anne gulped heavily. She couldn’t believe it, a child is in this situation…

“Try again. Maybe it’s not true.”

The doctor burst into laughter, thinking that Anne was too happy to believe it.

“I speak in my name as a doctor. I’m sure you’re pregnant.”

“Ah…”

Hearing the congratulations, everything seemed to collapse. Anne looked down at her stomach, which was still flat, with dazed eyes.

Why…

Her eyes grew dark. Even though she had waited for so long, she couldn’t be happy. She was thinking of leaving him altogether. Now, this harsh reality has become a curse.

“His Grace will be very pleased when he finds out.”

Anne’s head, which had been dazed by the doctor’s words, turned mechanically.

Would this man be happy? Somehow it didn’t make sense to say that the cruel man who killed her previous child because it was an illegitimate child had brought her here because he needed a successor now. Plus, he used to love her but now he was bothered by her. There was a trick he played in the marriage too, so there must be another reason.

That man would never welcome this child.

Come to think of it, she wondered why he accepted her offer in the first place. Obviously he didn’t like the child’s existence, but she was confused as to why he accepted her request.

Was it because he was different from before? She wasn’t sure.

“Don’t tell anyone about this.”

“That…”

“I’m saying, don’t let His Grace know.”

A troubled look crossed over the doctor’s face at Anne’s determined order. Feeling the pressure of having to hide the news of the Grand Duchess’ pregnancy, he barely raised his voice.

“What are Your Grace’s intentions… Isn’t this an important matter that His Grace should know…”

“I will take care of that.”

Anne spoke sternly. She also asked for medicine to relieve the morning sickness.

After thoroughly making sure Emily would keep her mouth shut, Anne lay with her back on the cushion. Since it was in the early months, no one would notice that she was pregnant if she kept her mouth shut.

* * *

After that, Anne was confined to her room for about a week, immersed in thoughts.

She waited for the child when she didn’t know anything yet, but at this point, her pregnancy would only confuse her. Her plan to kill him and leave this life without regrets collapsed at once.

At first, the fact that she had his child again made it difficult for her. However, it was too heartless to kill a child while giving up her own life. She lost the previous child who couldn’t even see the light of day, so if this one died too . . . The fate of the child who came to her was so harsh.

So she had to give up anything that would harm the child. However, she also belatedly remembered that the Grand Duke would not stay still if he knew about this fact.

“What should I do?”

What filled her mind the past few days was definitely plans for the future. She couldn’t decide whether he really wanted a successor or not, but she couldn’t entrust her child to someone like him.

Worst of all, she didn’t even know if he was going to kill the child again.

“I can’t let you touch my child again.”

Anne, who had intended to leave once the child was born, changed her mind. This child must be protected so that it can see the light of the world and live happily.