Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

Adele could feel the image of her father in front of her eyes telling her to accept the offer.

Tears started to form in her eyes as reality struck her hard. He was right! Saving her people would be better than killing others but could she trust him?

When Max touched her, she finally came back from her daze and stared back at Andrew.

Though she knew that he was not power hungry like his father. It was letting her govern an area under his empire.

She had never heard that it happened before and it would always be a threat for him.

She was a threat to him. Why would he let her live? What if all these were the lies he was spewing to save the girl he loved.

Even if he lets her go for now, what if he sends mercenaries after her later.

Her eyes narrowed at the face of the man who was promising big things to her with a look of doubt on her face and he sighed.

"You are taking much longer than expected. Adele, do you have any other choice but to trust me? What could you do except pinning your hopes on me.

If you want to achieve big things you have to take some risk.

Besides I am a man of my words and for a start, I will prove it this way." he waved his hands again and the knights opened the left door of the room.

Adele frowned but turned to look at the other side and her eyes widened. She stood up abruptly and ran towards the door with her heart beating fast as if it would burst any second.

"What are you doing here?" she could not help but rub her eyes again thinking that it was a delusion.

Even the men on the other side look surprised, but soon a warm smile formed on their stunned faces,

"Greetings to the princess. We have never thought that we will meet again and that too here!" there was no pain or anguish in their voice, in fact, it was warm like a blanket and a warm bed after a cold day that makes you feel relaxed but drowsy at the same time.

It was clear that they were not mistreated or had suffered any grievances but how? These are the top ministries of her empire.

These are the trusted men of her father. Keeping them alive was no less than hanging a sword on your neck.

'What plan did the man have?' her head snapped back to Andrew who was still sitting on his seat with a look of suspicion.

He frowned, finding the look on her face. He had thought that she would be grateful, from apologizing to behaving tsundere and directly talking about the deal, he was prepared for her every reaction but still finding his actions suspicious. Had the woman lost it completely?

"What is with that look? Are you trying to prolong the conversation intentionally?" he could not help but frown thinking about the time she had taken in deciding.

"The crown prince had helped us in hiding and living. The commander of the knights who had invaded the palace, instead of killing us he imprisoned us.

We have tried to kill ourselves thinking he would be taking as slaves. But that was not the case, lady.

He had saved us and kept us here. He helped us in finding our family.

Not only that he had helped many commoners too.`` The man tried to assure her but it only brought rage.

Her eyes turned red and her fists clenched into a fist. It looked like she wanted to kill all of them then and there.

Even the man who was talking to her like she was his lost daughter was taken aback and took a step back instinctively.

"Then what about my father? My mother? My brother? My family? Why were they not saved? You! You did it knowingly, didn't you!" she ran and held Andrew's collar as she shook him hard!

"You saved everyone except my family? Why?!" tears started to pour out of her eye like a dam that had been cracked long ago was finally broken.

"Why did you do this with me? Why did you kill my family?" her hands that had been clenched into a fist punched Andrew mercilessly one after another but the man did not even wince, neither he tried to stop her or save himself.

He could see the pain, the anguish, she was hiding all this time to finally be poured out by her.

Her eyes had turned red yet the tears did not stop. The girl who was trying to be strong all this time finally broke.

How long had passed that she continued to hit his chest.

The knights that were so shocked came out of the daze in a few seconds and ran to save him but one look from him was enough to stop them in their tracks.

Max who came forward to hold his lover in his hands was also stopped as Andrew shook his head.

He knew how much the girl was suffering and it would be better if she would take out all of it at once.

How much time had passed when she finally stopped and leaned on the shoulders she was beating so hard as her silent tears turned into sobs and then loud wails.

Her knees gave away and her whole body turned limp. Andrew wrapped his arms to support the girl he had always hated.

He had thought she was greedy like his father until he came to know the truth.

Though his father was the one behind her demise, he couldn't help but feel guilty when he looked at her state.

The strong girl was finally crumbling in his arms. A look of guilt and pain filled his eyes too as he slowly rubbed her back as if he was consoling a child.

He knew that their posture could be misunderstood but he did not have the heart to jerk away the crying girl.

"I am sorry but they did not want to be saved. Sacrificing their life for saving their nation is the trait of a true hero and emperor. You did not want them to live their lives bowing their heads, did you? You should be proud of them!" he whispered when she finally calmed a bit.

She raised her head with her pupils dilated. Her face had that look of shock. Her swollen eyes and pale face made her look frail for the first time that he felt bad for the girl.

"You should be proud of them. Your men need you!" he pointed at the group of men and women who were all looking at her with worried eyes.

Her actions made them feel that she resented them since they survived while her parents died.

They felt guilty too that instead of holding her and telling her it was okay, they told her how happy they were for getting another chance at life." they did not dare to look into her eyes, feeling it was all their mistake.

She gave a long stare to them and then to Max who was looking so worried for her that he would crumble with her and she closed her eyes.

Only she knew what she was thinking at that second.

"They all can wait! We have to hurry to save the girl!"