Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

"Yes, but he is the favored child of the family and i.. I was just a burden on them.

You know, I heard the one who died was my close aunt but she never came to visit me.

I am sure they never told her about my existence. Even yesterday, there were all the relatives and vassal families there.

They kept staring at me but none of them informed me who I was.

It was so embarrassing that I left for my room and did not come out until they retired from their rooms.

Normally, Theo is patient with me and replies to my questions. If he would not have been there, I would not have settled there and left.

But yesterday, he was looking lost too. I think the woman was too important for them. But then why did they not check on her if she was so important.

They say that she had a fight with her husband when a girl named Aurora was imprisoned by the duke Thawyne.

And since then her husband was not at home. He was living with his brother, father of Aurora, pressuring his wife to ask for the girl back and so as for an apology.

He only went yesterday because he needed a file from his study when he went to give her a look since there was no maid in the palace and the whole palace was looking like a mess when he found her dead.

What a strange kind of family." he shook his head as he continued to stroke her hair with one hand while using another as his pillow when her chest was leaning on his chest.

The more he thought about them, the more he felt they were strange. They kept talking about familial love but Leo who had been announced as an heir had no relation with the family since a month ago.

Eli, who was treated as the new matriarch of the palace, is not their daughter.

They have not kept contact with the only sister of the duke and even imprisoned a girl from her family? It was a mess worth writing a novel. There was so much drama in the family that hot gossip kept spreading about it.

"You know you should be vocal about your grievances. I am sure the duke did not know how they mistreated you.

Even if he did not love you, he must be worried about his image. So, if you tell others about the behavior of Leo towards you and who you are, they would feel embarrassed and start treating you well.

You do know but the image is everything for these higher nobles. Tsk! I have heard so many great things about their family. Full of justice, kind and philanthropist. Who would have thought that reality was so dark!" she shook her head as her eyes filled with worry for him.

Though he did not like the malicious tone she was using against his family, he could not complain since her words were true.

He had never felt that he was part of them but an outsider who was trying to make his place.

When they talk while having a meal, he tries so many times to be part of the conversation but he has no idea what they are talking about.

Even if he speaks sometimes, they all stare at him with strange eyes and then nod and continue their meal while the topic ends right there.

Why? They did not even pretend that they liked him.

It's so frustrating and tiring. If not for the money Hannah needed, he would have left their family a long time ago.

He was satisfied with the job Adele had given him.

"I.. I think you are right! If they will not introduce me by tonight, I will introduce myself and tell the vassal families how Leo behaves when we are alone.`` Finally satisfied with his answer, the girl raised his head from his chest and kissed his cheeks, making his eyes widened.

"I know that you are not a pushover that could be treated badly. You will show them that you are the elder son of the duke and whether they like it or not, the palace and the properties belong to you." her eyes sparkled like stars and her voice filled with joy and excitement.

His back turned straighter and he nodded his head, suddenly feeling proud that he was such a higher noble. But then he frowned when her excitement vanished and her eyes turned dimmer.

Like a balloon that was deflated instantly after being blown up, she lowered her head and rested it on his chest again.

His eyes filled with worry as he shook her gently,

"Hannah, what happened? Are you worried about something?" he held her arms and raised his head again to look into her eyes when she lowered her head.

"It is nothing. I just remembered that I have asked the money lenders to come here by the evening. It is already dusk.

Ethan, can you leave before they come? I did not want you to face any trouble because of me.

I am already embarrassed that you know everything about me." she bit her lips and her eyes turned wet instantly giving her a pitiful look. She was looking like a damsel in distress that anyone would be ready to kill for her smile.

Ethan felt her heart getting clenched and all the anger for Leo rising again. That greedy man did not want to share a part of the money even if it was so much!

He looked around, trying to think of a solution when his eyes fell on his wrists.

He was wearing a bracelet that the duke had given him.

He had told him to always keep the bracelet safe and cherish it since it was very precious.

That would be enough for her to stall for more time right. With that thought, he took out the bracelet and passed it to her without much thought,

"Here, give it to them. It would be enough for now."