Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

"How could that be? I have personally asked Theo to check the papers and inform me what it was.." he frowned and walked towards his table to press the bell when Eli and Evan exchanged glances as if they were confused.

Hannah sweated. She was sure that her plan was perfect. There was no way that she would make a mistake. Then how did it end like this?

It was all because of Evangeline. She had everything under her control but since the day Evan stood up and started interfering in her planes, they have started to fail.

She wanted to slap her hard and teach a lesson but she tried her best to keep her face blank. Showing any emotion at this moment was giving away truth.

Soon the door knocked and Theo entered the room. He bowed his head politely like he used to do in front of duke William.

"Theo, do you remember these papers?" asked Ethan as he took the file from the hand of Eli and passed it back to Theo who nodded his head.

???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????

"Yes, this is the file his highness has given you as your welcome present. These are the parts of the summer palace in the capital.

It is…" he stopped in his tracks as he shuffled the papers in his hands. He flipped the paper with so much force that the sound of the rustle of papers echoed in the silent room.

Each rustle was like a rock falling on the chest of Hannah.

"How could this be? Someone had changed the papers. I have personally gone to the royal palace to get the papers sealed for transferring.

This is a fraud. Someone had dared to steal from our palace. I can not believe this. I will ask the knights to check the room of everyone. I would investigate the matter personally, my lord.'' He held the file tightly as he promised in the solemn voice when Ethan turned to look at Hannah but as soon as their eyes met, she looked away.

He could see a layer of cold sweat forming on her face and stealing of her eyes and closed his eyes. He was sure the papers were right when he had given the file to Hannah and Eli had not changed the papers since Hannah or Evan had noticed it and it is impossible that she had prepared the papers in advance since she never knew about the gift.

"That would not be needed." his eyes opened again and he stared at Evan who shook her head, "our staff had always been loyal to us. Checking their rooms and investigating them would leave resentment in their heart.

We should not hurt their pride and respect at the time of trouble when our family is already facing so many problems and backlash from the society.

We should try to improve our relationship in society and with our staff." she replied with a shake of her head and Theo nodded.

He agreed that they should not show doubt towards the staff that was serving them diligently in spite of so many rumors and power struggle in the palace.

"Then what do you suggest, my lady?" he looked at Eli for advice like always when Ethan's hands clenched and unclenched into a tight fist.

"It would be better if you can check who this house belongs to. There is a wide chance that someone had changed the papers of their property with this one since he was sure that we would never check it in a long time.

Then you can investigate that person and even send him to the royal court in the name of forgery and fraud." Theo nodded his head with relief. He was sure that the princess would always satisfy him.

"Thump" the vase that Hannah was cleaning fell on the ground as she took a step away from there.

Her face was filled with dread as she kneeled abruptly.

"I apologize for my mistake. I will clean this." she started to hold the broken shards in her bare hands while her face had lost all its colors and she looked ashen like a vampire.

Her eyes were shining and her body was trembling a bit. She was so much in a hurry to leave for her room and get rid of the papers before anyone could come to check on her that she did not notice that the shard is sharp.

She winced as blood started to come out of her palms and all the collected shards fell on the floor again.

"I.. I apologize. I will.." she trembled a bit when everyone's attention fell on her.

"Leave it. Someone else would come and clean it. Go and bandage your hands." asked Ethan as he took the shards away from her hands and helped her in standing up.

He squeezed her shoulders lightly as if trying to assure her when she raised her head and looked at him with horror.

Out of everyone, she wanted his faith most. What would happen if she would lose his trust? She would fail miserably then.

​ "Do not worry, I will handle all this mess. You should go and rest after bandaging your hands." he assured her once again with a calm smile on her face that she was not able to decide which mess he was talking about!

Was it the pieces of vase or about property but she could not ask that in front of everyone so she could only nod her head.

"And Theo! I think I have misplaced the papers. So, you do not need to investigate the matter until I ask you to.

You can leave now." they all looked at him surprised.

Theo waited for him to change his decision, "but my lord.. I think you never have this property on your name there must be.."

"Enough! Are you challenging my authority now? If I said that it is my confusion and you should leave the matter then should you be asking questions to me?"