Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

Evan smiled wide as she hugged him back. Her face beamed with joy and she did not let go of him for long.

Leo looked around at the smiling maids. He did not find anything out of the order.

A feeling that he was thinking way too much without reason but then…

He let go of all those negative thoughts. As long as she was in his arms.

He hugged her back with all his heart when she pushed him away.

"Hey, you can put in that much force. What if my child gets hurt?" she rubbed her belly sitting and then glared at him with a fake anger when his eye finally fell on her belly.

It has been stretched and looks fully grown now.

She noticed the look of astonishment in his eyes and chuckled,

"Do you want to touch it?" She did not wait for his reply as she held his hands in her hands and placed them on her belly.

"Can you feel it? Talk to him and he would kick back as a reply.`` She encouraged Leo to stare at her and then at her belly.

A look of nervousness as if he was going to meet his in-laws and anxiety could be seen on his face.

Leo was sure that he had not felt like this even when he was going on the war for the first time.

"Hello, kiddo in there. I hope you come out soon and do not worry your mother a lot.

I will teach you how to swing the sword and your mother will teach you music." Evan shook her head as she chuckled when she noticed him scratching his head while thinking of more words with sweat on his face.

"We are waiting for you.'' Just as he thought that the child was sleeping and was not going to reply, he felt a kick in his hands.

Her baby bump reverberated a little when his eyes widened as if he had seen a miracle when she smiled warmly.

That was the perfect scene she could have. She did not want anything more in this world. As long as she had her child and Leo with her, she did not need this empire or palace.

He hugged her again when he noticed tears brimming in her eyes again and hugged her forehead.

She looked blessed. Her face filled with joy and relief.

"Where is Eli? I want to scold her for not taking good care of you. You look pale and slim with that baby bump you should have been fuller." he pinched her waist to show her when she glared.

But soon her expression sank as she sighed,

"I am sorry, Leo. I was not able to take care of your family.

"Eli is gone to her real family while Eve had already left and Ethan.. He is thinking of leaving soon too.

The one large happy family scattered and I did not nothing to hold it." she muttered in a soft breath when he rubbed her back.

"It is okay, with time we will be back to our old days. But for now, too much stress is not good for you." she nodded as she rubbed her belly.

"Go and take a rest. I will be back soon after meeting father and Ethan.`` She raised her head as if wanted to go with him but he looked back with stern eyes and she nodded with a sigh.

"Come back soon. I will be waiting for you." She kissed him softly and then left for her room.

But before she could reach there, she stopped in front of a locked door which was guarded by two knights.

"How is she now?" she asked with an indifferent voice as if she did not care about it.

"She is still throwing tantrums. But she had eaten her meals on time and lord Ethan didn't come to meet her for three days." she nodded, though she was still unsure of Ethan's decision to keep Hannah locked in one of the rooms, she didn't want to meddle further.

Later when she would talk to Leo, she would explain the situation to him and ask him to shift her in the prison.

She walked to her room and picked up the diary again. She had started to write one for her son or daughter.

She wanted him or her to know how much she loved the baby and how eagerly she had waited for her.

She would ask her baby to read all that later even if she gets embarrassed by it.

"My dear child.." she smiled as she caressed the words with her hands.

"Soon you will be in my arms and I will sing a lullaby for you. I wonder which one you like when I sing it for you now.

I just can't wait to hold you in my arms and feel your warmth.'' She closed the diary when she heard a knock on the door.

"What is it?" she asked when the maid brought fruits.

"My lady, since you do not eat food cooked by others and it has been so long since your last meal, I have brought a few fruits for you." said Jenna with a look of hesitation.

"I have not used any spices or knife to cut it. If you can eat a few or you can come to the kitchen and cook!" she lowered her head as she felt meddlesome when Evan sighed.

She was feeling so weak and in pain all the time but from the time she had started cooking all her meals and eaten food after checking, her condition have only improved, reminding her that her food was spiked

She had used the samples to show other physicians and they have confirmed her thoughts.

Since then she has been wary of maids. But that did not mean she was doubting everyone without finding the truth.

"Thank you. You did not need to be worried about taking care of me. I am sure you will treat my kid well like your own child."