It had been two and a half months since Irina first shared her body with Maverick. She stared at the calendar, lost in deep thought.

Her monthly period hadn’t come since then. When she missed the first month, she didn’t think much of it since she wasn’t particularly regular anyway.

By the time she passed the second month, the court physicians were busy with the Queen’s pregnancy, so she thought the stress might be delaying hers. But after another two weeks passed, she began to suspect.

There was an obvious possibility.

“Senior.”

Though extremely embarrassed, Irina carefully called Violetta and asked for an examination.

“I should congratulate Sir Maverick.”

Violetta said after confirming the pregnancy. When Irina froze with her lips parted, Violetta hesitated.

“Is it perhaps someone else’s child, not Sir Maverick’s?”

“No, no. It must be his.”

She had never slept with anyone else, so it could only be him. But to think she was truly pregnant… Irina buried her face in her hands, her head aching.

“That’s a relief then.”

With Maverick’s temperament, he would have caused a bloodbath if Irina had been carrying another man’s child. Violetta sincerely thought it fortunate.

“I understand your complicated feelings, but congratulations anyway.”

Violetta patted Irina’s back, offering simple words of comfort and congratulation.

Pregnant.

It was too sudden. The cause was clear, but they hadn’t slept together again after that night.

“So it happened right away that night? This easily from doing it once?”

Though a physician herself, Irina was newly amazed by life’s mysteries. Well, they had done it more than once that night.

“I guess I didn’t end his bloodline after all…”

Irina muttered, recalling her first meeting with Maverick.

“Irina!”

At a senior court physician’s call, Irina snapped back to attention. She was still on duty.

She decided to worry after work ended. Though easier said than done, she ended up spending the whole day in a daze until her shift was over.

‘When are you going to tell Sir Maverick?’

As Irina trudged home, Violetta’s words came to mind. Maverick. Yes. She needed to tell him too. Irina wiped her face with her hands and exhaled deeply.

Fortunately—if one could call it that—she and Maverick were engaged. Their marriage had been postponed solely due to her wishes. If she made up her mind, he would immediately propose marriage.

“But when was the last time he mentioned marriage to me?”

The last time marriage came from his lips was over half a year ago. Wasn’t that long enough for someone’s feelings to change?

“…No. That can’t be. He’s still constantly begging for kisses.”

His feelings couldn’t have cooled. Irina steadied her anxious mind and went to meet Maverick.

When she visited the Royal Guard Commander’s office, Maverick greeted her with surprised eyes.

“Irina, what brings you all the way here?”

“I stopped by on my way home. I have something to tell you.”

Maverick rose from his seat and approached her with open arms. But instead of embracing her immediately, he stopped just short, waiting for permission. Instead of giving verbal consent, Irina simply fell into his embrace.

“…Has something really happened?”

Maverick stroked her cheek, asking with concern.

“Sir Maverick.”

His deliberately serious tone made Maverick tense. It seemed she was about to share something truly shocking.

“Something’s strange with my body.”

As expected.

Maverick frowned, quickly lifted her onto his desk, then checked her eyelids and looked inside her mouth.

“What are you doing?”

“You said you’re sick, so I’m examining you.”

With a grave expression, Maverick placed his hand on Irina’s forehead to check for fever. She did seem slightly warm.

“I’m the physician here. Not you.”

Irina pushed his hand away with the back of hers and gave a hollow laugh.

“And I didn’t say I was sick. I said something was strange.”

Maverick tilted his head, wondering if there was a difference. Even though she said she wasn’t sick, concern remained visible on his face.

His feelings hadn’t cooled at all. Recalling her past behavior toward him, Irina felt somewhat apologetic. Despite her coldness, he had never given up and continued to love her.

With him, perhaps she could overcome her fear of becoming both a wife and a parent. Irina gathered her courage and took a deep breath.

“I’m pregnant.”

Maverick’s pupils dilated.

“So, let’s get married.”

The man’s face, which she expected to light up with joy, fell into despair. Irina was taken aback by his unexpected reaction.

“You’re pregnant, so you have no choice but to marry me?”

Maverick’s expression contorted with pain.

“Irina, do you love me, even a little bit, at least a little?”

“Sir.”

“I’m sorry. Of course you must hate me for causing an unwanted pregnancy.”

Irina stared at Maverick with wide eyes. His complexion was darker than ever before.

“Sir Maverick. No, darling.”

Sitting on the desk, Irina looked straight at Maverick. Her fists clenched on her lap.

“I don’t love you a little. I love you much more than a little.”

Maverick’s lips slowly parted, then he suddenly lunged at her. If he hadn’t cushioned her head with his arm, she would have hit it against the desk.

“You love me? You really love me?”

“Yes.”

Maverick took a deep breath. Only then did a smile spread across his face.

“You don’t feel desperate to commit s*icide or cut open your belly at the thought of carrying my child?”

“Why would I think something so extreme?”

When Irina denied having such thoughts, Maverick exhaled in relief.

“And you’re not cursing the child in your womb, thinking my baby is something horrible?”

“I’m not.”

He must have imagined all sorts of terrifying scenarios in that brief moment after hearing about the pregnancy.

“Irina, I love you.”

Maverick lifted his head slightly and kissed her lips.

“But do you really love me too?”

“How many times do I need to confirm it before you’re satisfied?”

When Irina tried to push him away, Maverick held her tight. He took a deep breath and repeatedly murmured that he loved her.

“I love you too.”

When Irina responded, Maverick buried his face in her chest and burst into joyful laughter. He seemed pleased to get one answer after saying “I love you” ten times.

Seeing Maverick so happy, Irina felt reassured and gently stroked his head. Her heart felt oddly ticklish.

“I’ve said what I needed to say, so I’ll go now.”

Irina rose, saying she should head home since she was on her way back from work. Maverick, still perched on the desk, grabbed her arm.

“That’s too abrupt a transition. Let me savor this moment a little longer.”

Maverick embraced her from behind.

“You won’t even let me go home?”

“I don’t want to let you go.”

“Sir.”

“You’re the person I obtained with the most difficulty and after the longest effort. You have no idea how happy I am right now.”

Maverick buried his nose in Irina’s neck, inhaling her scent as he pleaded. Irina finally relaxed and leaned back against his chest.

“Say you love me one more time.”

“How many times do you need to hear it before you’re satisfied?”

When she stroked his thigh pressed against hers, he let out a low breath.

“No matter how many times I hear it, I’ll never be satisfied. So keep saying it.”

Maverick pressed his lips repeatedly against Irina’s cheek, urging her. She had to keep saying “I love you” until her chest felt unbearably ticklish.

Maverick kept laughing, then stopping briefly, then laughing again.

“What are you thinking about?”

Though she understood his happiness, he looked a bit unhinged, so Irina asked. Maverick took a deep breath and planted a loud kiss on her head.

“I’m thinking about how I’ll make you writhe with happiness from now on.”

It was good that he wanted to make her happy, but that word “writhe”… For some reason, that word kept bothering Irina.

Epilogue

Irina married without anyone’s objection. Of course, even if someone had objected, Maverick wouldn’t have allowed it.

The Duke and Duchess of Pride, who had been eager to see their grandchild as soon as possible, were overjoyed at the news of the baby and passed down the title of Duke to their son as a wedding gift. Their child was born very healthy, taking after Maverick.

Having become Duke Pride, Maverick had everything in his grasp and wanted for nothing. Of course, nothing could restrain him in matters of affection either.

“Ahh, darling, mmm, ah!”

Irina had been unable to leave the bed for an hour since the moment she woke up feeling something familiar inserted inside her.

“You promised to make me happy. This is only making me suffer. Ahh, hah!”

She was dying from exhaustion after being unable to leave the bed for hours, continuously accepting him.

“You’re writhing with pleasure, aren’t you?”

Maverick was extremely satisfied that his prediction had come true.

“Stop, I want to get out of bed.”

Irina whined. Maverick reluctantly withdrew his c*ck. His s*men that he had ej*culated inside her flowed out.

“This won’t do. Let’s do it once more, darling.”

Maverick came out of bed and held her b*ttocks in his hands as he embraced her. Between the flowing s*men, his c*ck entered Irina again.

“Ah, ahh, hah, ngh!”

When she said she wanted to leave the bed, she didn’t mean she wanted to change positions and do it somewhere else. Despite struggling to breathe from exhaustion, Irina clung tightly to his neck, afraid of falling.

The man who had declared he would touch her all he wanted after marriage truly did touch her to his heart’s content.

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