Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

The maids did not find anything wrong with it. When they looked at the maid who was changing her clothes, she nodded back.

"Alright. Call us if you need anything." With that the rest of the three left the room with a light heart. They did not like the woman at all.

She had cheated the family yet she was so brazen to stay here! They all looked at her with disdain and showed her that they didn't like her at all when they were alone.

"What if she became the duchess in reality? Did it not mean that she would be our owner soon?" asked one with a bit of panic in her eyes.

"Ha! She would never get respect from the lord. And I am sure his highness will come back soon. I have heard that he is recovering faster.

Then I will see how the one who tried to kill him would stay in the palace." the maid said in a loud and crisp voice.

She was not afraid of being punished since she knew that she was right. She raised her head and looked boldly at everyone who was lowering their head.

"Did you hear that? You will never be accepted in the palace now. So, why are you even trying?" asked Jane with a sweet smile on her face while pulling the hair of Hannah who winced.

"His majesty is trying to contact you so badly but you snitched against all his spies and sent them to prison. Do you think you will be saved this way?" The woman pulled Hannah's hair more viciously as she was straddling her.

She had already applied a lot of oil and massaged her for a few seconds and when Hannah let her guards down, she pulled her hair with full force.

If anyone would come, she could always start massaging again as if nothing had happened.

"You even took your mother out of the infirmary. I heard that she is living in this palace and is being treated by the best physician of the empire. Is that why you fell in love with that fool and betrayed us?" asked the woman putting more pressure on her hands and her body.

"Do you think he is really that kind hearted that you mixed poison in the food of his sister and father and he will take care of your mother. What a fool!" she finally let go of Hannah's hair when she turned to look at the maid for help but she only sneered back at Hannah.

"He is using your mother to bind and manipulate you. Come back to us and I will make sure that your mother will be taken care of." she said in a cold tone that Hannah shivered but looked around.

If she would shout or make noise, the maids would hear but would they really come for her help? She was not sure. The palace did not like her. No one in the palace is concerned about her. Even Ethan… her eyes sank at the thought. She knew that she was never safe but then.. Who could she blame!

Looking at the lowered head, Jane thought that she was thinking about her offer, so with a smile, she added…

"I will even try to take your father from the prison. Have you completely forgotten that your mother is ill because of the absence of your father in the first place? The father who was in prison because of Evan and William. How can you forgive them?"

Her voice was accusing Hannah as if she was blaming her for being ungrateful to her parents. That was the trick his majesty had used before when he had saved the girl from a slum.

She had looked from the sidelines and knew that the girl was not evil, she was just deprived of love yet wanted her parents who never paid attention to her together.

Fools like her become the best weapon. She was sure that Hannah would not stop until she would ruin the whole family. But what went wrong?

She did not understand the change in Hannah at all.

"Come back to us and I will not ask what had happened and why you tried to betray us." she said in the same cold voice as she extended her hands to Hannah who stared at it but said nothing.

"Are you still not willing?" asked the woman in a cold tone as she slapped Hannah hard on her left cheek. "Do you think we will let you go because you said so! If you do not accept my offer, I will kill you right here and run out of the palace. But then I will come back for killing your mother too." she threatened with a vicious look on her face and Hannah knew that the woman was not just saying empty words.

Her death was set in stone but she had thought she would die only after spending her wedding night with Ethan. But she still embraced it.

She had already seen Ethan looking at her with hatred. She would not be able to bear more. And she was sure that Ethan would make sure that her mother was safe, even if she died.

She has that much trust in him.

When Jane looked that Hannah had closed her eyes as if she was waiting for her to kill her, she felt infuriated.

What went wrong? She could not understand why a girl who was so focused on taking care of her mother did not budge even after hearing about the death of her mother.

But she was not among those who gave empty threats. If Hannah did not return to them, then it would be better that she would die.

With that thought Jane took out her dagger and lunged on Hannah who was not even trying to save herself.

But before she could attack, the door of the room swung open and more than six knights entered the room.

They all ran to her shocked self and held her captive.

"You should be glad, I have personally come to welcome you."