Begging For the Duke's Kindness

"This doesn't make sense," Helena exclaimed, standing up and slamming the table. Helena's face turned red with rage and her hands trembled as she slammed the table, causing the silverware to rattle. She didn't care about being a lady anymore; her voice boomed like thunder in the room as she yelled about Liana's luck and the unfair decision. Her opponents' exchanged uneasy glances and shifted in their seats, trying to avoid her intense gaze. At that moment, she was furious like a ruler of hell. "How could Liana hold the most successful branch in such a prosperous place while I have to take care of a branch that's almost bankrupt because of continuous losses?"

"Why?" asked Duke Henry flatly. "What is unfair?"

Helena couldn't hold back her words any longer. "Are you so afraid that I will win that you have to resort to disgusting unfair decisions like this?" She didn't even care if her grandfather would be hurt by her words.

Ethan couldn't believe that Duke Henry would go to such lengths to hinder Helena. In the original plot, both of Duke Henry's grandchildren were given equally matched hotels, although Liana's was still superior to Helena's. However, they both had the same chance to win because the hotels they chose were both located in the capital.

What made Duke Henry go to such extremes to kick Helena out?

Ethan then glanced at Liana and James. Liana looked at the table expressionlessly, while James seemed satisfied with his employer's decision. Was this decision related to that man? It seemed unlikely for Liana. A main character in a novel should be kind and annoyingly naive, even towards their enemies and those who hate them, right?

However, Ethan soon realized that this might be due to Liana. It could be that Duke Henry, who loved Liana very much, felt sorry for the embarrassment his beloved granddaughter suffered as a result of Helena's last attack. Look at that! Liana looked very sad and suffering. She must have felt like the most useless person after Helena relentlessly insulted her stupid failure.

Seeing Helena's demonic expression, Ethan began to feel uncomfortable. He, who originally didn't want to interfere, changed his mind. The man only wanted to support Helena from behind the scenes. However, he wanted everything to go more smoothly for Helena.

"Sorry if I interfere—"

"Grandpa, don't we have many branches in Erast? Why can't Helena just hold one of them?" Surprisingly, Liana cut off Ethan's words. The girl expressed what Ethan wanted to say. As expected of a main character in a novel. She was very kind-hearted.

"This is unfair to Helena, Grandpa," Liana pleaded. "She will face a lot of difficulties in Broughton."

That's great, Ethan thought. It would be more convincing if Liana asked directly to her grandfather. However, Helena did not feel relieved as Ethan did. She felt disgusted with Liana's behavior.

"Shut up, you hypocritical girl! You deliberately show excessive sadness so that Grandpa will punish me, right?" shouted Helena, surprising everyone. Her eyes glared at her cousin, throwing a deep hatred toward her. "Don't pretend to be wise by asking Grandpa to change his decision."

"Helena!" Liana nearly cried at her cousin's accusation. "You misunderstood me. How could I intentionally do that?"

Wearing a bright yellow long dress, Liana walked toward her grandfather and knelt down before him. She clasped her hands together and begged him, tears filling her eyes, to change his decision. "Grandfather, I don't want my relationship with Helena to worsen."

Liana's voice trembled as she pleaded with her grandfather. Tears began to well up in her eyes, but she didn't care about the other diners' attention. All she wanted was to convince her grandfather to change his mind.

She clasped her hands together and pleaded with him, her eyes filled with tears, begging him to reconsider. But the Duke's face remained stoic and unyielding, his arms folded across his chest as he stared down at Liana with a cold, unfeeling gaze.

Ethan, who was standing nearby, let out an exasperated sigh at the duke's stubbornness. He could see the hurt in Liana's eyes and the desperation in her voice, but the Duke seemed unmoved by her emotional display. Instead, he turned his attention to Helena, a smug grin spreading across his face.

"How does it feel, Helena?" he asked sarcastically. "To have your weak little cousin groveling at my feet, begging for your sake?"

Helena bristled at his words, feeling a surge of anger and humiliation rise within her. She had always prided herself on her strength and independence, but at that moment, she felt powerless and vulnerable. She knew her grandfather was deliberately trying to provoke her, to humiliate her in front of everyone, and she refused to give him the satisfaction.

"I will not stoop to your level, Grandfather," she said through gritted teeth, clenching her fists tightly at her sides.

The Duke chuckled at her defiance, enjoying the control he had over his granddaughter. He turned back to Liana, who was still kneeling before him and shook his head.

"No, Liana. I will not change my decision," he said firmly. "You will take over the Erast branch, and Helena will remain in charge of Broughton. That is final."

Liana let out a desperate cry, tears streaming down her face as she realized she had lost the battle. Liana screamed, "Grandfather, then let's switch. Let me hold Broughton's branch. I don't want to be so unequal. I will feel uneasy even if I happen to be the winner."

Duke Henry laughed even harder. He looked at Helena's expression of suffocation as she heard Liana's request as if it was the response he wanted to Helena's treatment of Liana yesterday. Helena felt extremely embarrassed.

"How about it, Helena? Do you agree if I give Broughton's branch to Liana?" Duke Henry asked with a cynical smile, staring sharply at his arrogant granddaughter.

Helena fell silent. If she agreed to this exchange, no one would praise her even if she outperformed Liana. Increasing profits at Erast and achieving success there would be meaningless if her opponent was in Broughton.

"Sorry to interfere, but Lady Helena is very capable in management. In contrast to Lady Liana, who is still practicing," added James, who had been holding back his evil smile all this time. "I think Duke Henry's decision is very appropriate."

Helena bit her lower lip. Her hands clenched tightly, making them bleed due to her sharp nails. If she chose Erast's branch, she felt like she was being asked to compete with a toddler. Winning would not be praised, losing would be embarrassing.

"Damn it!" Helena muttered to herself, full of hatred.