''Are you still feeling nauseous?'' Dante asked, worriedly. His hand that held annalise's hand went to her belly. He gave the bump a gentle rub.
''Dante, I am fine, and this is the fifth time you asked again,'' Annalise shook her head with a smile and also overlapped her hand on his.
''I didn't know that the pregnancy would make you suffer like this.'' He removed his hand from hers and stood up from the bed. He then walked to the other side and took off his shoes before crawling to sit beside annalise.
''But I thought you knew,'' His words confused annalise, ''Isn't her grace pregnant?''
His hands, that were about to bring annalise into his arms, paused at her question.
Indeed, the duchess is pregnant, but he never bothered to know about the baby. He neither knows how old the baby is in her belly, nor has he felt the baby like he had done many times with annalise.
His first moments with a pregnant woman were never with the duchess but with annalise.
''Yes, she is,'' The duke did not want that uncomfortable ache in his heart to come again and forcefully pushed away his thoughts about his first wife. He brought annalise into his arms, gently and carefully, of her baby bump.
''But I never saw her this way.''
No, he does not see her regularly, like a normal husband and wife. Her presence is always scarce in the duchy, even though she is his duchess.
''That can't be. You heard the doctor. A pregnant woman will feel nauseous at the beginning of her pregnancy,'' Annalise argued, not believing his words.
''Yes, my love. But why are we talking about the duchess when our little one has been naughty in his mother's belly?'' The duke felt uncomfortable talking about his first wife and quickly changed the conversation.
''It's not the baby's fault, Dante.'' Annalise giggled as she snuggled her head into his chest.
''Right..'' The duke chuckled. After a while, he asked a question that has been on his mind since he discovered annalise's pregnancy, ''Annalise..when did we do it?''
He has always wanted to ask that question.
To conceive a baby, they must have had intercourse.
Dante knows himself. He might be in love, but he is not one to be lustful. He never planned to have a baby with annalise until after his divorce from the duchess.
They kissed, hugged, and had a lot of intimate moments together, but not sex. Now that he thinks about it, he was very sure that he never had made love with annalise.
Then...who is the father of the child in her belly?
As the duke was lost in thoughts, he did not notice the frozen person in his arms. Annalise's face was as if the blood circulating had been drained out thoroughly.
'He can't know…He can never know...Unless...' Annalise was scared of the truth being known by her lover, who is now her husband. She did not want to lose him, even if she was deceiving him.
As a slave, it was her first time experiencing this warmth...this love for another human being, and she did not want to lose it at all.
With many thoughts in mind, her eyes became watery, and she asked with a sob, ''Dante, do you doubt me?''
''Do you doubt our baby?''
How could Dante bear to see the crying face of his new wife?
''Shh, it's okay.'' He used his other fingers to wipe her tears and explained, ''I am just confused as I was sure that we did not do it.''
''Y-You don't remember that we had a drink. You wanted me to try a wine that noble's drink...'' She stared at him through her tears. ''M-Maybe we did it that day.''
Dante stared at her for a while, then his red eyes shook as if he just recalled that moment, ''Ah..''
He remembered that night.
How could he forget? That moment was probably one of those times that he was truly scared to have done something very bad.
Then, he wanted annalise, who had never drank before, to try a wine that nobles drink, for the first time. All he remembered was taking the weakest wine from the duchy and drinking it with her.
The next morning, he found himself naked in bed beside a sleeping and naked annalise. He could not believe that he had done it with annalise and left before she woke up from her sleep.
When he saw her again, she looked the same as if nothing happened, and did not talk about it.
'I thought nothing happened, but it seems something did happen,' He sighed and apologized out loud, ''Sorry, I guess I am stressed. I can't believe I said that to you.''
''It's okay. I am happy that you remembered, although we were drunk,'' Annalise laughed through her tears, and the Dante also smiled and continued to wipe her tears with his fingers.
''But Dante...if the child is not yours...would you still love me?'' Annalise hesitantly asked. She just wanted to know what he would do if that time ever comes, when the truth would be exposed.
Pausing his fingers, Dante stared at her as it was strange that she was seriously asking this question. Though he was not sure why she was asking, he gave a truthful answer.
''Yes, I will. But it would pain me that you did not have your first child with me. Nevertheless, I will love that child like my own because you gave birth to the baby.''
Annalise stared at him and could see that he was telling the truth.
She couldn't help but shed tears once more, as she was happy to be loved by this man. Though he was her target from the beginning, he found her in that bakery.
''Why are you crying annalise?!'' Dante was confused as he was sure his words were not bad for someone with a soft heart like hers. His fingers resumed back to wiping her tears.
''No, I am just happy to be your wife and that you are the father of our child,'' She smiled through her tears.
'Even if the baby is not yours, Dante.'
>>>Who is the father of annalise's child? Read more to find out about this unexpected revelation. As always, Vote, Vote Vote, dear readers.<<<
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''Your grace, the baby is growing well.'' said a middle-aged woman in a simple dark blue gown with a stethoscope around her neck. She looked at the beautiful lady smiling at the baby bump that is very visible through the elegant gown.
''His excellency would be happy with the progress,'' the same woman added with a smile.
''I know,'' Isla chuckled, then her brows creased and her voice expressed her genuine concern, ''But I wish I could feel the baby kick.''
''You will, duchess. It's just a matter of time and place. For example, not coming out of your room or this floor is not be good for the baby. Amelia told me that you never leave the floor. I hope the duke and the second madam are not disturbing you?''
''No...I just don't want unnecessary trouble,'' Isla shook her head and put her hand on the bump. ''This little one is precious to me and I don't need the baby to be near that kind of father.''
The woman did not talk, making Isla turn to her, ''I hope you understand my opinions, lily.''
Lily, the doctor from the Elrod Grand duchy, nodded her head in understanding,'' I understand duchess.''
A sad smile came onto her lips, ''It's just you resemble the late grand duchess this way when she was pregnant with you.''
''Mother was?'' Isla did not expect her mother to be involved in this conversation.
Lily nodded, ''Yes. Then I was still an apprentice, and my master was the one who helped the duchess with her pregnancy. I was happy when the duke ordered me to come here as it felt wonderful to help another generation of the duchess lineage.''
''Oh…did I trouble mother?'' Isla asked softly. Her mother…someone who gave birth to her and died immediately without getting to know each other. She was a mysterious figure in Isla's eyes.
''No,'' Lily shook her head with a warm smile, ''Just like the little one in your belly, you were also gentle in her excellency's belly.''
''I remember at the beginning of the grand duchess's pregnancy, she was not nauseous like my master expected her to be, though you were very picky about the food she puts in her belly.'' Lily's teasing made Isla smile.
''And Your first kick...The grand duke was present that day. He threw a small party just for that.'' Lily laughed as she reminisced about the past.
Even Isla laughed along as she could not imagine that her stoned-faced and awkward father would throw a party for that.
''His excellency truly loved you from birth, and I am pleased to see the happy relationship that you have with him,'' Lily held onto Isla's hand.
''You are the first person to talk about mother to me,'' Isla revealed as she squeezed the latter's hand.
''Then I am honored, but the person who knows more about her excellency is your father, his excellency, and I am positive that he would be happy to share his memories of her with you.''
''Yes.'' At her words, Isla nodded with a soft smile and continued to rub her bump.
Since she was done with the checkup, Lily did not stay any longer and bid the duchess goodbye before leaving the room.
Once the door closed, she turned to Spencer, who stood behind her as if he had been waiting for her presence.
Lily was not surprised as she expected him, or rather the person behind him, to call her...again.
''This way, miss.'' Spencer gestured with his hand to the path of the duke's office.
''Yes,'' she sighed, quite annoyed with the man's cowardice.
Instead of properly visiting the duchess and their child, he calls her and orders for the report about the duchess' pregnancy. Lily could have denied it if she wanted to, as her masters were the grand duke and the duchess, but the duke was the father. He still has the right to know about his child, at least.
Knock
Knock
'' Your grace, the duchess' doctor is here,'' Spencer announced their presence with a knock on the door before he opened it.
Lily entered alone while Spencer remained outside.
''Your grace,'' she respectfully curtsied, and then lifted her head to the red-haired man behind the desk.
''How are the duchess and the baby?'' Dante looked up from the papers on the desk.
''The duchess is healthy, and the baby is growing well,'' Lily replied honestly.
''Then I suppose Miss Lily cannot check on my other wife?''
''The duke should be aware that I am only for the duchess, not for anyone else. His excellency would be displeased if I treat another person that is not the duchess.''
''Right..'' murmured Dante as the scene of Baron Sylvester warning him about the grand duke came to mind.
Indeed, his father-in-law was not one to be idle. But the duke was surprised as he knew how awkward and distant the relationship between the father and daughter was, more than anyone.
As the doctor at his front said, the grand duke sent her on the pretext that nothing must happen to his grandchild unless the hayes duchy would cease to exist from that very moment.
He remembered when he received her two months ago, four days after his marriage to annalise. That day was also her checkup day, but he did not know that the duchess's checkup was on the same day.
'' Who are you?'' He questioned after Spencer brought her into his office.
''I am Lily, the Elrod family's doctor. The grand duke sent me to care for the duchess as he heard that there are not enough personnels to care for his daughter, or rather they are eager to serve the mistress.''
''Watch your mouth!'' He hissed in warning. Even after his marriage, there are still people who dared to call her mistress in his front.
Not sacred by the intimidation, Lily continued, ''I only serve the duchess and his excellency.''
Dante could see the doctor did not fear him, just like the maid. Each of them from that household never put him in their eyes, and he knew the reason for that blatant disrespect.
''Her grace's check-up is today, and the grand duke does not want any mishap due to your carelessness.''
''What?'' Startled by her revelation, he turned to Spencer, who stood by her side on that day. ''I did not know that. Why didn't baron Stewart tell me?''
''Your grace should know the grand duke would not allow the duchess to be disgraced by a mere mistress. I will be staying in the duchy until her grace's childbirth and after she can handle how to care for the baby,'' Lily answered in spencer's stead.
Then he did not understand the meaning behind her words, but now he knew. The duchess must have known about the commotion that day and sent for the doctor from the grand duchy, as she could tell that he would order the doctor to check on annalise first.
Was he that predictable? Or did she no longer have faith in him to care for her?
Was he that heartless in her eyes?
Every time it was about the duchess, he began to question himself, making him feel that familiar ache in his heart.
''Alright..,you can go,'' He dismissed Lily away. In the end, the best thing he could do in this situation was to avoid the latter until her childbirth.
Since he planned to divorce after then, the baby would remain under annalise's care as the duchess could not take the child with her back to the grand duchy.
'This feeling should also stop by then.' His hand went to his chest, squeezing the dark blue vest in agony.
''Yes,'' Lily curtsied once more and turned away to leave the office.
At the same time, the door burst opened by Spencer, and his worried gaze went to Dante.
''Your grace, her grace is in the garden, and the second madam is in there.''
''What?''
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