Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

She sat beside him when he did not raise his head and looked closely at her. Did he even have any idea how hard work she had done to prepare this look with this boring and long dress that looked like a patient\'s uniform.

She felt insulted in front of other maids when he did not spare her a look or smile. If he would have behaved differently then she would have been able to show others how special she was!

"Master is looking too tired. You all shall go and do other chores and let him rest for a while." She stood up and cleared her throat. With a dignified aura matching the mistress of the palace in her heart, she commanded the rest of them with a sympathetic look on her face as if she was worried about Ethan and them too.

But in their eyes, she looked like a mermaid who was trying to gain authority out of the misfortune of others.

No one paid heed to her orders and continued to stand around. Hannah stared at them with power but she only looked like a monkey springing up and putting on a one man show for them.

Her face turned red with embarrassment as she felt humiliated. She bit her lips hard till the point of bleeding as she walked closer to the bed where Ethan was sitting and squeezed a tear out of her eyes.

"Master, Ethan! I was trying to help you in taking some rest but i think the maids did not think like me.

I apologize for not being able to do anything for you.\'\' She held his arm possessively and shook it a bit to gain his attention when he finally blinked and came out of his thoughts.

She stared at him with impatience but cried further feeling his slow thought process and lack of attention on her.

"Master, do you think I am being too much too??" she asked with a further aggrieved look that was spreading on her face faster than the dark clouds in the sky.

"Uhh, no! But what is the matter here and why are you crying?" his heart melted immediately and all his attention was on her face now that looked hurt.

"These maids! I told them that they needed rest, so they should leave. If I am here, they do not need to tire themselves.

But it looks like they are taking my kindness otherwise." she lowered her head and sobbed again.

This time a more audible sound of her distaste finished her looks which was enough to flare him.

He raised his head and glared at all of them as if he would have already killed all of their families.

"Did you not hear her? All of you, leave the room!" he exclaimed in a cold voice that was enough to freeze others.

The maids exchanged glances and soon left the room as he instructed.

"Oh lord, I did not even know how this happened. How is my father so weak? What shall I do now?" she sneered in her heart.

He was one of the reasons that his father was so sick but she was never going to tell him so.

It was because of the senior sister and how she had shown the boldness of leaving the palace.

But even then she was sure that she would not be able to leave without her help.

She had heard all the conversation of Eve and Leo and knew how desperate she was!

So, she offered him to take her out of this wretched place with her lover in exchange of a letter and Eve accepted the offer easily.

It was so easy to put the blame on Leo with the letter that she had never thought he could be dealt so easily.

Now all this fool needed to do was to cherish the opportunity and to the person who had brought that opportunity!

She hugged him as if she was feeling as much as he was. As if she wanted to take all her pain away.

She waited patiently for him to hold her back like a hunter waiting for its prey to take the bait.

A large smirk formed on her face when she saw the shocked look in the eyes of other maids when he held her back. She met their eyes and raised her head high as if telling them they belonged to different leagues.

"I.. there are so many eyes." she muttered softly when she tried to push him away. If he still did not take the hint then he could go to hell or rot in this room for all she cared.

Ethan blinked and finally came back to her senses but the pain in his heart did not go away. He needed her. She was like his drug who gave him strength to bear the pain but others… they were here only to mock him.

"All of you can leave this instant." he asked in a loud and cold voice as his eyes narrowed on all of them.

Many exchanged glances as they wanted to wait till the time the duke would wake up but under his pressure, they had to leave reluctantly.

Hannah saw how each of their loyal maids left the room and swore in her heart that soon they would leave the palace too just like today.

He was nothing but her toy and she knew how to use him.

The door was closed once every maid left and finally she turned his attention back to him.

"I heard what had happened, Ethan and I were scared." she shivered as she sat beside him confusing Ethan who did not understand why she was scared.

"What if it was all his plan to gain the inheritance. He eliminated your sister already. Next can be you."