Prove Loyalty

Though Harold said that, the letters from the vassal families had already started to fill his office.

Charlotte, her mother-in-law, had returned too. She was asking him a lot of questions.

"I thought you were handling everything well, so I stopped meddling in your affairs. Tell me, how did this happen? How did you let my daughter suffer?" She knew every dark secret of Harold.

And she did not lose a chance to threaten him when the time came. Elene followed her mother to his office and held her hand.

"Mother, Harold is trying hard. Do not blame him. It is all because of that bitch. She intentionally put me in danger. You must teach her a lesson when she comes back." She looked at Harold with worry who sighed. 

She was suffering so much yet she was worried about him first.

"Of course, I will not let her go! How dare she bares her fangs to my daughter. Where the hell is she?" She let go of Harold and held her daughter protectively 

"She is still not home. I am sure she must be enjoying herself somewhere or maybe spreading more rumors about us." Her eyes turned vicious as she thought about the smile on the face of Evangeline.

She had thought Evan had learned her lesson after losing her father and husband but that bitch was still full of arrogance.

Just when they were planning to beat her and teach her a lesson. A maid informed them that Evangeline had returned. 

Evangeline was sitting in her room. She was leaning on the sofa and drinking a glass of water hurriedly. Her face was full of sweat and burning red as if she had been under the scorching sun for hours. 

Everyone looked at her with a mixed reaction of disgust, hate, and mockery. They were sure that she was not going to stay as madam any longer.

The one and only maid that supported her was gone too. They knew Elene and Harold held all the power. Evan did not pay attention to them. As if she was too tired to understand their actions. 

But the door swung open with force and Elene entered the room with tears in her eyes followed by Harold who was holding her in his arms. Now he was not even trying to hide their relationship. What a shameless couple.

"You are finally back. I thought you had run away." He did not try to hide his disgust and anger for her.

"That maid left me alone. She did not let me take the carriage. Do you know how tired I am to walk for so long?" Evan complained instead. If her red face was not enough, she took off her heels and showed them blisters on her feet.

A few of them were already bleeding. She looked completely worn out and miserable with tears in her eyes.

Elene scoffed but Harold paused. 

"It was your own actions. How did this happen? How could you get caught? And if that is not enough, your maid is blabbering nonsense in the market and spreading rumors." he threw the letter he had received from the investigative department, on her face.

"How could a maid have so much courage? She must have gained support from you." Elene added as she glared at Evan who blinked.

She picked up the letter and read it with shock filling her eyes.

"Oh lord! Daisy? Where is she!" she asked with a horrified look on her face when Harold paused.

"Do you really not know that she had left the job already?" Evan stared at him with confusion.

"How would I know? I have been out since morning. Herald, I am your wife and eldest daughter of this house. For me, nothing has been more important than your respect and image. Why would I do something that would create gossip about us?

Would it not affect the image of my father." she muffled a broken sob and closed her eyes.

Her face looked exhausted and vulnerable. There was no doubt that Evan was beautiful. She had that innocent face that would provoke the protective instinct in a man.

Harold stared at her with pity but Elene pushed him before he could care for her.

He cleared his throat and looked at her menacingly.

"Then how did this happen? Why did you not stop that girl from pulling your hair at the time of the concert? How can you be a fool?" Evan looked at Harold as Elene held him.

She thought back to when he had asked her to substitute for her sister in the past. She had always thought that he was caring about the family. He had maintained a perfect balance and tried to be the best leader.

What a fool she was! All this time, he was only protecting her without caring about the image of the family or his position as a leader.

"I was bowing my head. How would I have known that a noble lady like Soliene would pull my hair suddenly? May was present there, you can ask her." her voice came out feeble as if she was already bearing a lot of grievances.

"I have already asked her, she told me that you were careless. Tell me what is going on Evangeline?" He pressed that if she insisted that it was an accident then he would ask her to take responsibility. 

There was no way that a weak lady like her would be able to stand against them.

"I am your wife. Do you have no trust in me?" She looked at him with disappointment and pain when his heart clenched.

For a second, he felt guilty towards her but he let go of that feeling and scoffed.

"You want me to earn my trust. Then you have to help us in coming out of this situation