Don’T Get Caught By Your Husband! [EN]: Chapter 123

‘Ah, that’s what he said.’

Belladona’s shoulders drooped, and she sighed.

Maybe he wouldn’t be happy to hear that she was pregnant.

Still… wouldn’t he be at least a little happy?

As she worried, she began to hear footsteps approaching from the end of the hallway.

Belladona perked up her ears and took a step back from the door.

“Bella.”

Soon, the door burst open, and Escalio appeared.

He brought the cold air from outside with him. He stopped, noticing her standing right in front of him, and froze.

A brief silence hung between them.

With a slightly nervous voice, Belladona spoke first.

“Escalio, you know.”

“Wait, don’t come closer.”

Escalio reached out his hand and stopped her. Belladona paused, having been about to approach him.

“Yes? Why suddenly….”

Seeing him avoid her, she was reminded of his previous reluctance about having children.

Belladona felt her heart sink as she looked up at him.

Seeing her despairing face, Escalio frowned and spoke.

“Please don’t make that face. It’s not like that.”

“Then why….”

“Just a moment, I can’t control myself….”

After speaking, Escalio raised a hand to cover his eyes. His chest heaved up and down as if he was suddenly out of breath.

Belladona stared in surprise at his hand, which was even trembling slightly.

“Escalio, are you okay?”

“Is what I heard true?”

Escalio asked in a trembling voice.

With his face covered, she couldn’t tell how he was feeling.

Belladona stared at him, unsure of how to respond.

“Is it true what Volf told me? That you’re… pregnant?”

When Belladona didn’t answer, he slowly lowered the hand covering his eyes.

His golden eyes revealed overwhelming emotion.

Still unsure, Belladona slowly nodded.

“Haa….”

Escalio exhaled a breath of relief upon confirming her answer.

He entered the room completely with an expression that made it impossible to tell whether he was happy or upset, and then began to spin around.

Escalio laughed for a moment, then suddenly shook his head, inhaled as if surprised, and then slowly exhaled again.

‘What’s wrong with him?’ Belladona, who had been quietly watching his strange behavior, spoke.

“Escalio…? Will you calm down?”

At her voice, Escalio, who had been wandering around the room, stopped abruptly.

He stood blankly for a moment like a broken toy, then strode toward her.

“Bella.”

He stopped the arm he had extended to hug Belladona and opened his mouth.

“…Can I hug you?”

“Of course.”

“I don’t know how careful I need to be in the early stages of pregnancy.”

Escalio carefully pulled her into his arms. Belladona wrapped her arms around his thick waist and naturally rested her ear against his chest.

His rapidly beating heart was making a very loud noise.

Soon, he spoke in an excited voice.

“I can’t believe it. We’re… having a baby.”

“Didn’t you say you didn’t want a child, Escalio?”

“What?”

At Belladona’s question, Escalio stepped back in great surprise. He looked at her with a bewildered expression.

“Did I say I didn’t want a child?”

“You said you didn’t really want one, that you liked the peaceful days we spent together.”

“When did I….”

Escalio stopped, about to protest when he remembered saying that. He soon sighed with an embarrassed look.

“At that time, it seemed like you were too upset….”

“Me?”

Escalio looked down at Belladona’s puzzled face and slowly opened his mouth.

“You clearly wanted a child, but it wasn’t happening right away.”

“Ah…?”

“I didn’t want to put pressure on you. And it was also true that I liked spending time with you.”

‘That’s what it was…?’

Escalio had been considerate of her.

Belladona felt a warmth in her chest and looked up at him, filled with emotion.

His golden eyes, also filled with emotion like hers, felt so lovely.

“Then, are you happy, Escalio?”

“Can’t you tell? I’m so out of it, like someone who’s lost my mind.”

“I can tell now! You seem like a strange person!”

Belladona nodded immediately.

Escalio chuckled at her reaction and hugged her again. Belladona snuggled further into his warm embrace.

“Bella, it’s going to be tough from now on. Tell me if anything is uncomfortable.”

Escalio said in a low voice, gently stroking the back of Belladona’s head.

“Tell me right away if you want to eat anything.”

Belladona nodded.

“I really… can’t believe it. I never imagined that the sound of a baby crying would be heard in Gribalta Castle.”

His voice began to tremble subtly again.

Belladona felt her own heart trembling and nodded again. She felt like she was floating, filled with happiness that reached the tip of her chin.

* * *

A few weeks later.

Morning sunlight streamed into the couple’s bedroom. Belladona opened her eyes with the same refreshing and pleasant feeling as usual.

Usually, nausea and vomiting start in the early stages of pregnancy, but several weeks after learning about her pregnancy, Belladona had not experienced any negative symptoms.

‘Is the baby being quiet?’

Belladona rubbed her still-flat lower abdomen and slowly raised her upper body.

Looking at the window that was gradually brightening, she naturally turned her head to look at Escalio, who was sleeping next to her.

Hmm? But….

“…Were you not asleep?”

Escalio, who had been looking at her with his eyes open, nodded instead of answering.

Belladona opened her mouth, feeling somehow embarrassed.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“You were sleeping so soundly.”

She quietly closed her mouth and looked at her husband, whose expression had become a little sharper. He had lost a little weight compared to a few weeks ago.

Belladona placed her hand on his sunken cheek and asked.

“Did you not sleep well yesterday either?”

“I slept.”

Escalio answered briefly and rubbed his face against her hand as if complaining.

Belladona looked at him with pitiful eyes.

“I’m really okay, you know….”

“I know. I’m just anxious.”

In contrast to her, who was maintaining a better condition than usual, Escalio was becoming more and more sensitive as the days went by.

Knowing how much strain pregnancy and childbirth put on a woman’s body, he was on edge, worried that Belladona might be even slightly uncomfortable or in pain.

He had been watching over her all night for weeks, not getting enough sleep.

“Please relax. You’re not going to collapse as soon as the baby is born, are you?”

“I know that too. I know, but I can’t help it.”

After speaking, he lay back, looking at the ceiling as if he had relaxed.

“If others saw us, they would think Escalio was pregnant, not me. My complexion is getting better, but Escalio’s is getting worse every day.”

At Belladona’s words, Escalio chuckled and let out a low laugh. He shook his head and opened his mouth.

“How am I going to endure a few more months in this state? I don’t have confidence.”

“Don’t have too much worry or bad thoughts, and imagine a happy future.”

Belladona turned to look at him. She looked at Escalio for a moment, then placed her finger on his chest and moved it lightly.

“Imagine the baby being born and running around this room.”

“It seems like it will be chaotic.”

“Well, that’s true, but….”

“But I’ll be happy. It seems like it would be cute to see a little one running around diligently with small feet.”

Belladona smiled at Escalio’s words.

“Right?”

“But Bella.”

As he was happily imagining the future with the baby in his head, Escalio suddenly snatched her hand that was moving over his chest.

His hot thumb slowly stroked the back of her hand. In her bewildered gaze, she saw the corners of his lips curving upward with a sly look.

‘Hmm? It feels like the atmosphere has changed somehow…?’

“What did the doctor say?”

“Yes?”

“The very early stages are over, so would it be okay to push it a little now?”

His golden eyes, filled with deep desire and emotion, were already looking at her.

Belladona asked in a small voice, slightly pulling her body away from his, which had stiffened before she knew it.

“Why, why are you suddenly like this?”

“Because of your fingers stroking me.”

“When did I….”

Belladona couldn’t continue speaking, staring blankly up at Escalio, who had risen above her and was covering her.