Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

"My lady, Lady Evangeline from the duke's house, is requesting to meet you." Gabriella, who was looking out of the window at the dark clouds, turned towards the maid with a frown on her face.

Hadn't she cleared that she did not want to meet them. Why was she here? Could it be that she wanted to complain and cry that she had taken Evan's right to live as the daughter of the duchess.

If that was the case, meeting her would only worsen her mood.

"Refuse her. I am not feeling well and want to have some rest." looking at the hesitation in the eyes of her maid, she frowned deeper.

If it had been Leo then she would have understood the fear of the girl, but Evan was just a commoner for all of them.

There was no way that she could have intimidated the maid.

"What is it? Why are you still standing here?" with a displeased look on her face, Gabriella asked in a sharp voice that the maid flinched.

"That.. the lady had asked me to reply that "do not worry, I am not here to ask about the past. I have already forgiven you for what happened.

I am here to decide the future of the family of Thawyne. Are you still not interested in meeting me!" Though the girl tried to copy the confident and authoritative voice too, her voice kept trembling just like her body looking at the cold gaze of her mistress.

"Ha! Send her then even if I want to listen to what she has planned for the future of my family.`` With a breath of relief, the maid left the room, glad that she was not getting punished for the sudden visit of the lady.

Looking at herself in the mirror and making sure that she was looking better, she walked towards the meeting room where Evan was still sitting on the chair.

Her face was looking a bit pale but her eyes had that arrogance that Leo used to have in his eyes.

Sensing the presence of someone, Evan turned to look at the door only to find Gabriella lost in her thoughts.

If it would have been like before, she would have stood up and greeted her with a bow but this time she remained seated only to give a slight nod to the woman who looked lost.

"Why are you here? Do you think now that you are the real heiress of the family you can come and show me your power or are you here to blame me for the troubles you have faced all these years.

Whatever the reason is, I have no sympathy or love for you. I have already done more than I could while making sure that you did not face any hardships.`` Though her tone was full of cold and hatred, there was a hint of regret and guilt in her eyes that she ignored looking at her face.

But contrary to her expectations, Evan nodded with a smile, "yes, i know aunt. You have done your best and thanks to you the family has survived the troubled period.

And I would never say that my life was full of troubles. My adopted mother was loving and caring and she had taken good care of me that the thought they were not my real parents never crossed my mind.

So, I would never blame you. I am here because I need a favor from you." Although Gabriella had decided that she would not entertain any accusation of the girl, she was still surprised at the calm and poised voice of the girl.

Who would believe that the girl had lived her life as a commoner. She had that aloof and elegant look on her face that if she did not know she would have felt that it was the real duchess, her sister in law was standing in front of her.

She had recognized her the day she had seen her for the first time in the palace that was why she was so cold and rude to her and tried her best to chase her away.

Whenever she looked at her, she felt guilty, and reminded of her mistake, so she could not bear to share a roof with her.

But who would have known that the truth would come out this way. It made her wonder was it fate? A way of god to tell her that she could not run away from her mistakes.

"Aunt, as you know my adopted father had already told the truth to everyone. Even the royal family knows about it.

They have set a royal trial for their father. Even if they justify every action, the fact that I was lost from the palace and Leo had been placed there could not be done by maids without the help of a family member.

They would accuse their father. I want you to take responsibility for what you have done. Not for me but for my father who had always loved and cherished you and even forgiven your every mistake." her eyes turned cold and as guilt started to crawl her heart.

No one knows better than her how forgiving her brother and family have been to her in the past. But since the day Evan had returned, they have not been so lenient to her yet she was here to blame her.

"So you are here to blame me after all. Did you think by using those flimsy words and sounding soft you would be able to convince me to do your bidding?

Who are you to order me when my brother has not asked me anything?

If you are done, leave. I did not want to see your face." her face was red but from the start not even once did she look into the eyes of Evan.

Evan could feel the restlessness of the woman and her reason to behave like that,

"I have said what I wanted. Rest is your choice!"