Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

"I know your fears, therefore I have a gift for you." he smirked when he saw confusion in her eyes and passed her the parchments she was reading a minute ago.

She furrowed her brows as she took them but soon her eyes widened when she started reading it. Her face filled with shock when she flipped the page and saw the portrait of the couple.

"Countess Amelia had lost her child 21 years ago before even knowing whether it was a boy or a girl.

It is said that their enemies have stolen the kid. They waited for the kidnapper to contact them but nothing happened for weeks, months and years.

Without any traces, the child vanished into thin air.

The knights were not able to do much without any witness or proof. So the case was a deadend.

Soon it was lost among the other unsolved cases but the couple never stopped searching for their first child.

Now they have two other kids who are twins Liam and Lucas, but they still think they will meet their child one day.

For that, they always visit different orphanages each week to find their child and support other children who did not have anyone to take care of.

But they never find any clue. It is said that the couple was ready to give half of their properties to the one who would find their child.

But since nothing was known about the child, not even his or her gender, even the couple could not be sure who their child was.

A lot of tricksters have taken its benefits and presented their kids to them.

More than thousand of boys and girls have claimed that they were their first child. Many were taken in the palace due to their slight resemblance to the couple.

But after investigation it was found that they were fake who were there just for rewards.

The couple announced last week that they were finally giving up on their search, since congress betrayal from others never let their wound heal.

Their kids had announced that even if their real siblings would knock on their door now, they would not open it since they could never be sure and are tired of meeting so many frauds.`` After that there was the history of the count couple and their lineage.

The properties they have with them and their social standing, their status and all the other information one should need was there.

In the last page, there was a portrait of the couple with the twin sons standing behind them.

If looked closely, there was slight resemblance between the couple and her. Her heart started to race and her hold on the parchment tightened.

The time matches her birthdate. Even her eyes met the lady in the portrait and her smile.

"This.. could this be…" her eyes filled with fear. She did not know whether she wanted them to be her parents so that she could finally meet her real family or she wanted them to not be related to her so that she did not need to leave the family she had taken as hers for all her life.

Each second felt like ages and she even forgot that she was still not wearing clothes as she stood up and shook his hands with anxiety.

"Andrew, who are they? And why are you showing me this picture?" she asked in a loud voice this time. Her body was slightly trembling and her eyes were staring at him as if her life was depending on the answer.

"That.. the lady here is the third cousin of your mother. But except that I could not find any relation even after digging through the history of their last seven generations.

Unlike Leo, who looks different, your face had a slight resemblance to the late duchess, therefore even when I told your father the truth, he thinks that it is my father's trick and I am supporting my father in deceiving him.

I do not know but once your father would verify everything, he had to trust me and I am afraid when he would accept Ethan as his real son, you…"

"I will lose the right to live with them and turn into an orphan of unknown blood." a bitter smile formed on her face when Andrew sighed but nodded.

Even if he wanted to ignore the truth, it would not stop knocking on their door with the tempest it had brought in their lives.

It would be better that they face the tempest bravely and find a solution to come out of it.

"Yes, therefore I was trying to find you a family. This couple seems perfect.

I will ask an old knight to confess that he had stolen you from the count palace because you were born on the same day when the duchess gave birth.

They wanted a kid no one could doubt on. And because of the blood relation between both women. They felt you would be the best option.

I will present a few proofs to prove it perfectly. If it had been a commoner who would have been claiming to be their daughter, they would have doubted but since it is you, the future empress of the empire, even if they would have any doubt, they would curb it.

The kids always felt that the child was trying to steal their inheritance, which was why they were never friendly to them.

But when it comes to you, you will only be beneficial for them. I will make sure to help them in their business and career so they would be more loving and caring towards you.

You do not have to worry. I will handle the whole family. You just have to say yes or you do not know when you were asked if you are their child.

I know that it is difficult for you, but can you do this much for me, for us so that we can marry and start a new life?"