Married to the Villainous Duke

Chapter 28

"Are you feeling unwell, my lady?" Delia worries.

"It's nothing of that sort, Delia," Estelle reassures her maid.

I'm 99.99% sure I'm pregnant but, of course, I need to confirm it first with a doctor!

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"Tell the coachman I'm heading back to the castle now," Nikolaidis tells his assistant, Stefano, as they walk out of the building where he just finished a meeting with the engineers for the new bridge that's being constructed.

"We still have to address the complaint from Lord Bastian, sire," Stefano reminds him.

"What was it about again?"

"Lord Bastian's paper making shop was robbed during the night of the People's Ball."

"Only seven boxes of papers were stolen and no one was harmed, correct?"

"Yes, my lord. They verified their inventory this morning and confirmed that nothing else was stolen nor were any workers harmed."

"Well, that can wait until tomorrow. I must return home now to have dinner with my wife," the Grand Duke tells his assistant sharply before getting in the carriage.

Nikolaidis has been up since the crack of dawn to get a head start on the work he needed to do. Even though he wanted to wait for his wife to wake up so they could have breakfast together, he knows that he'll have a harder time to catch up with his backlog of work if he didn't start early.

Now, it's nearly six in the afternoon and he's exhausted. He just wants to spend time with Estelle and eat supper with her. The carriage arrives in the courtyard of Blanchard Castle and the Duke gets off, looking forward to seeing his wife after a long day of work.

"Welcome home, Niko!" Estelle runs to greet him, a big grin plastered on her darling face.

The setting sun has washed everything orange, including Estelle's eyes. Her usually golden orbs looked like sparkling citrine gems under the light. I keep getting awestruck by her boundless beauty and charm.

He answers her with a smile, "hello, my love."

"I missed you, Niko," she reaches up and pecks him on his lips.

The Duke chuckles, "I missed you too, even though we were only apart for less than a day."

"Come inside now, Niko. I want to hear how your day went while we eat dinner," she says pulling him inside excitedly.

Estelle seems to be in a really good mood today, Nikolaidis thinks as he lets his wife lead him into the castle.

"Is there a special occasion?" The Grand Duke asks as he takes a seat at the head of the dining table.

He looks around at the feast of his and Estelle's favorite dishes laid out. He's wondering if he forgot an important date and worried that he didn't prepare anything for Estelle. It's not our wedding anniversary and my birthday isn't until winter. Am I forgetting something?

"I just wanted to make our first dinner back in our home special so I requested for this to be prepared," Estelle says with a delighted glint in her eyes.

"That's really thoughtful of you, my love. I'll eat well."

"Dig in!" Estelle says and the two of them begin eating while they talk about each other's day.

Before the time that Estelle came into this castle, I only thought of Blanchard as just a territory that I must manage. It never felt like home. Nowhere felt like home after I lost my parents. But now, I finally found my home and it is where Estelle is. The way she lights up the room with her smile and her laughter that sounds like music to my ears. How she can make every day special with just her presence. Her warmth and comfort. Her touch and kisses. Estelle is my home.

"Time for dessert!" Estelle says and gets up.

"Where are you going? Our butlers can get the food themselves."

"Everyone please leave, I'm getting the dessert myself," Estelle waves her hands, signaling for all the servants to leave the dining hall.

"Wait here," Estelle plants a kiss on her husband's cheek and disappears, leaving a flustered and confused Nikolaidis alone in the large room.

What is Estelle planning? It's making me anxious but excited at the same time.

The Grand Duchess returns pushing a trolley with a dish covered on top, "I made dessert specially for you, Niko," she says beaming at him.

She places the covered dish in front of Nikolaidis, "open it yourself."

"What has gotten into you today?" He asks chuckling.

He slowly reaches for the handle, his heart beat accelerating in anticipation. He opens the lid and is stunned to see a chocolate cake with the words 'you are going to be a father!' written using white cream.

I'm going to be a father?!

"My love... Are you?" He couldn't get the words out as he looks at her with an expression of pure joy and excitement.

She nods, "I'm pregnant!"

He jumps up from his seat and carries Estelle in his arms, spinning her around. Both of them smiling and laughing like the happiest people on the planet. I'm going to be a father and my beloved Estelle, the lady of my dreams, is the mother of my child!

He gently puts her down and looks at her with tears in his eyes, "I love you, Estelle."

"I love you too, Niko," she answers, wiping away his tears.

He puts a hand over her stomach, "I love you too, little one."

The Ducal couple share a kiss, bellies full of delicious food and hearts full of love for each other.