[It’s not like usual now. You’re pregnant.]

[You need to take care of your body.]

The words Reynard often said while looking after him flashed by as if whispered directly in his ear.

Clearly, cherishing the child and caring for him are the same thing and should be joyful. But once the initial doubt sprouted, even that couldn’t be seen as pure concern.

Once dark thoughts began, they linked together endlessly and started piling up, stickily tangled with each other.

Valentin spent the endless night suppressing an indescribable, subtly unsettled feeling that even he couldn’t understand.

* * *

The next morning.

It was a leisurely weekend after a long time.

The table was filled with slowly simmered clam chowder, fresh fruit, and sweet crepes topped with caramel bananas and blueberry compote, served with whipped cream. Thinking ‘Perfect’, Valentin patted his stomach after filling it heartily with those. The baby seemed to be in a good mood too, kicking lightly.

After the meal time passed and the omega filled himself with high calories, he opened his mouth in a clear voice towards the alpha.

“I went to Her Majesty Empress Beatrice’s bazaar briefly with Cecil yesterday.”

Valentin confessed first.

Perhaps to avoid breaking the rare peaceful moment between them, Reynard hadn’t said anything even though he must have heard about it from the servants. Valentin told the truth first to his husband who was quietly indulging him despite surely having many questions.

“I went in a hurry because I suddenly remembered something.”

“I see. I heard that you went out and came back.”

Reynard nodded calmly. Looking seriously at his face, Valentin brought up what he really wanted to say.

“But there, His Highness Clifton left me a warning.”

“……”

Reynard, who had been massaging Valentin’s hands and feet with lavender oil for the first time in a long while during this leisurely time, stopped all movement. And he raised his head towards Valentin with an unbelieving expression.

Harsh pheromones passed through the Grand Duke’s couple’s inner chambers unawares. Of course, the anger wasn’t directed at Valentin.

The concentration of the person who had been focusing all his attention on delicately massaging between Valentin’s fingers just moments ago was suddenly broken. Reynard asked with furrowed brows:

“What exactly did that fellow say to you?”

Valentin could tell well just from Reynard’s grinding molars and expression that many curses were hidden in those short words. That around now, Clifton was being torn to pieces inside that handsome head…

“He said he finally found out the secret about your pheromones, and that our marriage is fake.”

Valentin’s expression was very firm. Unlike yesterday, there wasn’t a spoonful of wavering.

In fact, Valentin had thought a great deal the previous day. After returning to the mansion from that place, while eating dinner alone and preparing for bed, while lying alone in bed waiting for Reynard, all throughout.

‘If it were like before, I would have become anxious right away, carrying that depressed feeling without knowing what to do.’

But the current Valentin didn’t do that.

Though he agonized all night with doubt and distress, there was only one conclusion.

‘It’s nothing but a low-quality ploy.’

It seemed his heart had grown another level since returning to Eldon. He was no longer consumed by the dark, solitary anxiety boiling deep in his chest.

The mindset to see the situation objectively, faith unshaken by outside interference. His husband Reynard and father-in-law Howard had given him all of that.

I am the only person my husband loves. And I am the person acknowledged by the name ‘Dennox’. I am not swayed by others’ gazes and criticism. I decide my own matters myself.

Valentin soothed the trust that had grown in him once more, steeling his heart again last night.

“Ha! That bastard must have gone mad.”

Reynard gritted his teeth as if about to go punish Clifton right away. Valentin gently smoothed out the wrinkles between his handsome brows with his thumb.

“He seemed to be suffering from some urgency.”

Valentin had frozen still when Clifton sat beside him and whispered there, but it wasn’t simply because he was trembling and nervous. He quietly listened to his story without answering, carefully observing him.

The somewhat fast speed of his words, his fingers fidgeting busily while giving the warning, the way he sat hurriedly and left hurriedly. Everything was exposing his impatience.

“You’re right.”

Reynard nodded towards Valentin and leaned back languidly. Pride and satisfaction in his partner’s judgment was evident.

“I’ve set the trap properly. That bastard must be dying of anxiety now.”

Originally, people don’t get so anxious over something very far away.

When something I’ve already held in my hand once, or something that came close enough to grasp completely, suddenly moves away. That’s when people become desperately anxious.

“The news might appear in the daily papers soon. Of course, he’ll try to hide it to the end since he’s skilled at controlling the media. But it will eventually be revealed to all under heaven.”

Reynard made a kind of prediction, smiling with one corner of his mouth raised. Valentin quietly asked while caressing his husband’s eyebrows and face:

“Has that been why you’ve been coming home late and busy lately?”

“……”

“…Right?”

Reynard, who couldn’t answer immediately, slowly nodded. Then he kissed the tops of Valentin’s two feet that he had been continuously massaging. His back that had seemed like a mountain easily crumbled.

“I’m sorry for leaving you alone continuously. There were many things I had to handle directly as the matter was very urgent.”

“…I was actually a bit lonely during that time.”

“My love, my Valentin. I’m truly sorry to you.”

The kisses now reached his white calves.

“So actually, when His Highness said those things to shake me yesterday, I was very upset. Even though I knew you weren’t like that, I was distressed because I had thoughts of ‘what if’.”

Valentin honestly expressed his emotions.

“I don’t know how I can possibly repay this regretful heart towards you.”

Reynard now kissed the backs of Valentin’s hands repeatedly and rested his forehead on them. It was a gesture meaning respect and reverence.

“Why does His Highness Clifton keep doing this to me?”

A very small groan escaped from Reynard at that question.

Valentin stared blankly at his troubled-looking husband, waiting for an answer. In the end, Reynard gave in. He was always the one to surrender to Valentin. There was no chance of winning from the start.

“That’s… that’s because you are the easiest prey for that fellow.”

The response that finally came out with difficulty left him speechless.

For such a trivial reason?

“He acts as if he’s equal to everyone and benevolent to those below him, but his true nature is that of a very vicious predator.”

“……”

“He uses weak people he can easily manipulate to his taste. He shakes and disturbs their hearts to make them go in the direction he wants. That’s what the 3rd Prince has been doing while meeting and going around with others. Born the way he is, his eloquence is outstanding so everyone believes his words are true and can’t keep up.”

Reynard explained quickly, as if that fact was very disgusting.

“With you, Valentin, at the center, the Dennox Grand Duke’s family has expressed support for the 1st Princess. And you are at the forefront helping with that matter.”

“Is that the reason?”

“That was the first reason. And second.”

Reynard explained while extending his middle finger along with his already outstretched index finger.

“Because you are from the Wiche family.”

“What?”

Valentin’s eyes opened very wide and round. It was a completely unexpected reason.

“Until now, I hadn’t explained these matters in detail because I wanted you to feel safe in a secure place. To be honest, I’m not sure if I’m doing the right thing even as I’m telling you this now.”

“You are doing well, Reynard. Don’t you know?”

Valentin asked, grabbing his husband’s shoulders with both hands and shaking them.

“Do you know what happened every time I was cooped up at home not knowing anything?”

“……”

“Don’t hide it. And give me your trust.”

He could demand it straight out. Because he knew his love and affection.

Reynard pulled his husband’s body close and hugged him tightly as he looked at his resolute expression. As if he didn’t know what to do because he was so lovely, pitiful, and wondrous. He planted many bird kisses on Valentin’s forehead and cheeks before pulling him to sit on his lap. Then he continued his explanation.

“That bastard has coveted the Wiche family since long ago, that is, since there was talk of engagement when you were a boy.”

“Ah……”

“To be precise, he coveted all of the Wiche family’s influence and their seemingly endless wealth, assets, and business skills.”

It was a story Valentin knew well too. But he thought everything had faded away after his own engagement fell through and the 3rd Prince married Evener Luwin? Reynard tapped Valentin’s forehead with his large finger as if he could see what he was thinking.

“Did you naively think it ended with the marriages on both sides?”

“Yes…”