Chapter 94

Lennox rushed to the Earl’s residence the moment he heard that Harriet’s water had broken. By the time he arrived, a seasoned midwife and her assistants were already preparing for the delivery.  

“Coco!”  

Bursting into the chaotic room, Lennox, drenched in sweat, grabbed his wife’s hand as she writhed in labor pains.  

“Are you okay?”  

“Do I… look okay?”  

Harriet, her face as pale as a sheet, glared at him and retorted.  

“It feels like I’m… about to die… haah…”  

“Coco…” 

Lennox groaned, pressing his lips to her trembling hands. Even if it was just words, hearing them made his heart drop.  

“That won’t happen. Never. You’re still young… and the doctor said the baby is healthy.”  

“…‘Still’ young? How comforting… Aah!”  

Even in the midst of labor pains so intense she felt like she might die, Harriet couldn’t help but sarcastically retort. However, another wave of pain surged, and she let out a piercing scream.  

“Get out!”  

“But…”  

Lennox, drenched in sweat and looking like he might faint, couldn’t bring himself to leave his screaming wife. The midwife, however, repeated her words sharply, almost spitting them out.  

“Men are of no help here. Please leave.”  

It was harsh but true. Lennox, closing his eyes tightly and then opening them, kissed Harriet on her forehead and the bridge of her nose before rising from his seat.  

Before he could even offer her words of encouragement, Harriet screamed again, and he was practically shoved out of the room.  

“Aaaaaah!”  

“Push harder! The baby’s head is showing!”  

The booming voices from upstairs echoed through the house, leaving the men downstairs pacing nervously, unable to stay still.  

“If you keep chewing your nails like that, you’ll have nothing left.”  

In contrast, Margaret, who had already experienced childbirth twice, was the calmest person in the room. She instructed a maid to prepare a calming tea for everyone and pointed to the chairs scattered around the drawing room.  

“Instead of pacing around like that, why don’t you all just sit down?”  

“How can you… How can you say that when our daughter’s life is on the line right now?”  

“Oh, please. If a life were at stake every time a baby was born, I’d have crossed death’s door twice already.”  

Margaret’s retort left Franz speechless. She then took a sip of the tea the maid had brought.  

“The one enduring the hardest and most painful moment right now is Harriet. Instead of showing your anxiety and impatience, why not cheer her on and pray for her? There’s a limit to how childish you can be.”  

“…You’re absolutely right.”  

Lennox was the first to agree with Margaret’s words.  

“Finally, someone who understands. Here, take this tea.”  

Margaret, her expression softening, gestured for Lennox to sit beside her and handed him a cup of tea. Accepting her gesture, Lennox sat down and took the cup.  

His wife was upstairs, enduring the agony of childbirth. Every time he heard her sharp cries, it felt like his heart was being squeezed. He didn’t feel like drinking tea—or even water—but out of respect for Margaret’s kindness, he forced himself to take a sip.  

“How does it feel? Becoming a parent isn’t easy, is it?”  

“Coco… No, my wife is the one doing all the hard work—carrying the child and giving birth.”  

Lennox lowered his gaze, placing the teacup back on the table. He couldn’t bring himself to drink more. Margaret chuckled softly at his response.  

“I’m relieved. Harriet is truly loved.”  

“Pardon?”  

“You look like you’d take on all her pain if you could.”  

Caught off guard, Lennox blushed for the first time. Margaret patted her son-in-law on the back.  

She had known him since he was a child, as Aaron’s friend. However, because of his status as the son of a powerful ducal family and the aura of inaccessibility he carried, she had always found him intimidating, even after he became her son-in-law. Recently, though, she had grown more comfortable around him. Despite his flawless, seemingly untouchable exterior, he was simply a devoted husband who loved her daughter deeply.  

“Don’t worry. Harriet is incredibly strong. Isn’t that why you married her?”  

“Yes…”  

“Have you decided on a name for the baby?”  

“Oh… Yes. We discussed it beforehand.”  

“Oh, really?”  

Margaret’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, and she couldn’t resist asking.  

“What name did you choose?”  

“Well…”  

“Mother.”  

As Lennox hesitated to answer, someone entered the room without knocking.  

“Olivia.”  

“I left the baby with the nursemaid.”  

“Come, sit here.”  

Margaret gestured to the empty seat on her left. Olivia approached, noticing Lennox, and immediately apologized.  

“I’m sorry…”  

“What?”  

Surprised by the sudden apology, Lennox looked up, and Olivia bit her lip.  

“This sudden labor… It might be because of me. I must have shocked her…”  

“Olivia.”  

Unable to listen any longer, Margaret interrupted Olivia and held her hand, guiding her to sit down.  

“This isn’t your fault. Harriet was already full-term, and her due date was near. Life doesn’t always follow a precise schedule. It’s just a coincidence.”  

Margaret turned to Lennox for confirmation.  

“Isn’t that right?”  

“Yes, that’s exactly right.”  

Lennox quickly agreed, not wanting to dwell on unnecessary concerns. Relieved, Olivia let out a sigh of relief.  

A heavy silence followed. As everyone waited, one by one, they began to doze off, except for Lennox. Just as the others had fallen into a light sleep, the faint sound of a baby crying came from upstairs, followed by the hurried footsteps of someone descending the stairs.  

A midwife’s assistant burst into the room, exclaiming, 

“Congratulations! It’s a boy!”  

The delivery had taken four hours.  

***

“Oh my… He truly looks like a perfect mix of his mother and father.”  

Margaret cradled her long-awaited grandson, her expression even more tender than when she had held Theodore’s daughter.  

“How adorable… Look at him grabbing my finger. Isn’t he just precious?”  

“He really is… Oh my…”  

Tears welled up in Olivia’s eyes as she gazed at the baby, too afraid to touch him.  

“His eyes and lips resemble Harriet’s, while his nose and jawline take after the Duke… He’s going to grow up to be quite the handsome man.”  

“Of course! Let me see him.”  

Franz laughed heartily and took the baby from Margaret, almost snatching him.  

“I’m your grandfather… Do you recognize me, little one?”  

“How could he? He hasn’t even opened his eyes yet.”  

Margaret chuckled softly, her gaze fixed lovingly on her grandson.  

Though he had been born prematurely and was smaller than Claire’s baby, his features were already well-defined.  

While the maternal family fawned over the newborn, Lennox remained by Harriet’s side like a statue, holding her hand as she lay unconscious. Margaret called out to him.  

“Lennox, instead of just sitting there, why don’t you hold your son? He’s absolutely beautiful.”  

Contrary to expectations, Lennox refused firmly.  

“I’m fine.”  

“…”  

“I’ll hold him when his mother wakes up.”  

It was a cold, decisive response. Margaret, taken aback, exchanged glances with Franz. Unable to stand it any longer, Franz offered the baby to Lennox.  

“But this is your first child, your first son. The eldest always holds special significance. Harriet will wake up soon, so why not greet him now…”  

“I’m fine.”  

Before Franz could finish, Lennox cut him off, lowering his head further to rest it on the bed, his gaze fixed on Harriet.  

She had fainted after giving birth, completely drained of energy, and had yet to wake up even after half a day.  

The doctor had assured them that she had simply overexerted herself and would wake up with rest, but there was no sign of her stirring despite Lennox’s constant vigil.  

“Goodness…”  

Franz, feeling awkward, adjusted his hold on the baby.  

“Let’s go.”  

Margaret gently patted Lennox on the shoulder before leading the others out of the room.  

Once everyone had left, the room fell into complete silence, leaving the couple alone.  

“Coco…”  

Lennox, who hadn’t slept a wink all night, called out to his wife desperately.  

“Please wake up.”

No matter how many times he called her, she didn’t open her eyes. Lennox gazed at her desperately, pressing a kiss to the hand he held.  

And then it happened.  

“…Lennox.”  

Harriet slowly opened her eyelids, as if awakening from a long slumber, and called out to him.  

“…Coco.”  

Hearing her faint voice, Lennox’s expression hardened with concern. He gently stroked her forehead, brushing aside the strands of hair scattered across her face, and kissed her fingertips.  

Harriet, her weak eyes scanning the surroundings, parted her cracked lips.  

“Where’s the baby…?”  

“It’s a boy.”  

“Is he… healthy?”  

“Of course.”  

At Lennox’s soft reply, Harriet let out a sigh of relief. Lennox tightened his grip on her hand.  

“I thought I might lose you.”  

“I’m not that fragile.” 

Harriet replied, her voice faint but teasing. She glanced toward the door. Her unspoken desire to see the baby was clear in her gaze. Nodding, Lennox helped Harriet sit up against the headboard of the bed before bringing the baby to her in his arms.  

“They say he looks like both of us.”  

“…He does.”  

Having poured all her strength into giving birth, Harriet found even sitting up exhausting. She didn’t have the energy to hold the baby, but the moment she saw him, she couldn’t resist stretching out her arms.