The Villain's End Is Pregnancy - c55
They say people can’t speak when they’re too shocked and flustered. That was exactly Ryan’s state. All he could do was open his mouth and stare up at Hendrick.
“If you’ve been outside this whole time, we need to check your condition. Let’s go in.”
Then noticing the gentle hand approaching him, he came to his senses with a start. Stepping back was instinctive.
At the same time, Hendrick also stopped the arm he was about to place on the thin and round shoulder.
“What are you talking about?”
Ryan denied it belatedly. His heart was pounding and his mouth felt parched, but he tried to stay calm for now.
Even so, his shaking eyes and tense body clearly showed his agitation, but the person himself was unaware.
“I already heard from your doctor. That you’re pregnant. They said it’s been at least a month.”
Again, thump. The shock was like something heavy falling inside his body. His vision turned pure white then gradually returned to normal.
“…”
In his cleared sight, he saw Hendrick looking at him with a calm yet somehow affectionate gaze.
In an instant, what flashed through his mind was, oddly enough, Hendrick’s face as he confessed to him with an excited look. His voice saying he liked him replayed vividly.
‘No way.’
It can’t be. Surely not. Without even knowing what he was denying, Ryan tried to pull himself together and wrack his brain.
Now that Hendrick knew the truth, it would be difficult to get out of this situation just by continuing to deny it. So he needed some excuse that could reject those confident eyes.
Suddenly, Ryan came up with an idea.
“It, it’s not your child, you know?”
He must have been too nervous. Seeing the end of his voice shoot up, he felt slightly embarrassed. Still, he glared at Hendrick, trying to act nonchalant with his chin raised.
To show a confident appearance without a hint of falsehood.
“…Is that so?”
After staring silently for a few seconds, that was all Hendrick said. Feeling deflated, Ryan tried to retort again.
“I see. But it doesn’t matter.”
Hendrick’s words were faster than his.
“I’ll take responsibility.”
Thump. Thump. It felt like an iron ball was dropping near his heart. Judging by the heavy, sinking feeling. No, maybe this was his conscience pricking him.
‘Why is he saying it so earnestly.’
And with those hurt eyes too. As if he knew Ryan would deny it but still pretending it was okay.
Ryan shivered at the warmth on his shoulder. When did Hendrick’s hand get there? He must not have noticed.
“So let’s go inside for now. I’m worried you might have overexerted yourself.”
As if not wanting to pressure him, the latter part sounded almost like a whisper. Ryan’s gaze went from the hand on his shoulder back to Hendrick’s face.
Unlike the dark expression he made a moment ago, he now had a kind and warm look and gaze, as if to say that was a lie.
‘Yeah, it couldn’t be.’
Could Hendrick really have been hurt by his words? Pushing aside the thought that was creeping up, he shook off the hand that had been on his shoulder until then, pretending to be indifferent.
“Okay.”
Actually, the many eyes that had been watching them for a while now had been bothering him. The hotel staff and guests probably all heard rumors from yesterday’s commotion.
‘At least I got to clearly show my relationship with Hendrick to the vagrants, so that’s good.’
Come to think of it, what happened to them? Ryan belatedly remembered the vagrants he had forgotten about while focused on Hendrick. Just as he was about to turn his head to check what they were doing-
“Ryan.”
The call of his name, as if telling him to come, made him stop with a start.
“Okay, let’s, let’s go.”
In the end, Ryan moved in step with Hendrick without being able to check behind him.
Thanks to that, as they were just entering the hotel, he didn’t notice that the knights who had been waiting on standby after detaining the vagrants on Hendrick’s orders had disappeared somewhere.
* * *
Facing the doctor who came to examine him, Ryan felt both surprise and bewilderment at the same time. The person in front of him asking questions and checking him over with a serious face was none other than the court physician he had met at the palace.
‘How in the world did this happen?’
At this point, he was starting to seriously wonder what their intentions were. Naturally, his gaze went to Hendrick, whom he had been ignoring. But their eyes immediately met.
‘Gosh.’
Standing upright, Hendrick looked just like a well-made statue. The afternoon sunlight pouring in through the window made it feel even more so.
That wasn’t why he was startled though. It was because of Hendrick’s serious and intense gaze directed at him.
‘Why is he staring at my face so intently?’
Ryan rubbed his hand over his eyes for no reason. He also scrunched his lips to show his displeasure. Then for a moment, Hendrick’s eyebrows twitched. Seeing him getting flustered because of him made Ryan feel smug, so this time he stuck out his tongue.
“Hmm… There doesn’t seem to be any major issues. The fetus is in good condition too. And you’ve been eating well?”
Ryan’s shoulders jumped up then dropped as the voice suddenly spoke from beside him while he was enjoying watching Hendrick’s expression change again.
“Ah, my apologies. I spoke a bit loudly.”
The court physician hurriedly apologized as if flustered. But the one actually watching their reactions wasn’t Ryan, but Hendrick.
It was only natural, but somehow it felt like he was treating another person as Ryan’s guardian which irked him.
“I’m eating well on my own. More importantly, if the examination is over, can I get up now? I’m tired.”
At Ryan’s arrogant tone, the court physician quickly turned his head. Ryan was already getting up before the other person could even speak.
“You need to be especially careful in the early stages. Eat well, sleep deeply, and don’t overexert yourself. It’s best if you stay still at home as much as possible…”
“Didn’t I say I’m going out?”
Ryan cut off the tedious talk that followed.
“Yes, Sir Ryan.”
“Thanks for the advice. However, my mother and sister will take good care of that part, so you don’t need to worry too much. You know how much my family dotes on me, right?”
The court physician was well aware that the Fitzroy family was harmonious.
Starting with the Alpha Earl and his Beta wife, the unique circumstance of their firstborn omega daughter married but still living with them, along with their preciously raised omega son born between them, drew quite a bit of interest even now.
“Of course. I’m well aware. Then I’ll just prepare a few supplements for you to take before you return home.”
Judging by his resolute words, the court physician was probably conscious of the prince standing like a statue in the room.
“There was no major strain on his body?”
That’s when Hendrick, who had been silent the whole time, posed a question.
“His legs got stiff and some heat gathered in the soles of his feet from walking a long time, but it’ll be fine if you massage them and let him rest well.”
The court physician answered promptly. At those words, Ryan looked at his legs this way and that. He had felt they were strangely heavy, so it seemed the muscles were knotted up.
‘I wonder if the hotel has a masseur.’
Or maybe he needed to call for a home visit. While Ryan was pondering this and that, Hendrick opened his mouth again as if still unsatisfied.
“You said he needs to be careful in the early stages. Specifically, what aspects should he pay attention to?”
“It’s best not to lift heavy objects, and refrain from standing or walking for long periods as much as possible.”
The court physician began spewing words as if he had been waiting for that question.
Even though it was about him, Ryan, who wasn’t very interested and had been debating whether to call a masseur, felt fed up with everything and languidly stretched his body against the back of the chair.
Draping his arms over the armrests felt extremely comfortable. It seemed like drowsiness was creeping up on him.
‘Come to think of it, I don’t see the vagrants. Did they leave on their own?’
He had a fleeting thought like that, but even that melted away like ice cream in the wind.
Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, he felt a hand gently stroke his hair.
‘He seemed uninterested in me, but when did he come over here.’
He grumbled inwardly, but actually it didn’t feel that bad. Rather, somehow it made him feel slightly reassured and relaxed.
‘What’s with this guy.’
Then suddenly, Ryan smelled a refreshing and reassuring scent brushing the tip of his nose. It was none other than Hendrick’s pheromones.
‘Why all of a sudden…’
He didn’t understand why he was doing that. But feeling even more languid than before, Ryan let out a long sigh and went limp.
“How can you sleep here, Ryan? You need to go to bed.”
Even while saying that, the hand continued to caress him affectionately.
‘I won’t fall for it.’
Even as he chanted that like a spell inwardly, the corners of Ryan’s mouth, who had closed his eyes, slowly went up. It was a smile he himself didn’t notice.