"Next could be you!" the words continued to rung in his ears as he looked at the face of his father.

If only that man had given him all the responsibilities and authority. Then he would have told Leo his real place.

But everyone was convinced that he was not worth it.

His father always told him that he had to wait and train more. Well, he agreed that he did not know much but he could have advisors like other nobles who would have guided him when it comes to technical details.

He was a wise person, so he would have made good decisions but his father never believed in him.

He took a deep breath and pinched the space between his brows. There was no sense in crying over the spilled milk. It would be better that he look for solutions.

"Ethan, you did not need to worry so much. I am always here with you." Hannah leaned on his shoulder and held his chest from her both hands when she stared warmly at him.

His expressions softened and he nodded with a smile. Yes! That was right. He was not alone in this.

"If you are with me then I am not afraid of anything. If worse comes to worse we both would go back to our old job and start a fresh life but would not bow in front of Leo." her face that was hidden in his chest turned sour! What in the world was he talking about?

There was no way she was going back to be a maid. He had to make her the duchess or he could go to hell.

"And then let him take everything that belongs to you?" she moved her hands to his cheeks and cupped them with a soft gaze as if she was dealing with a child.

"Oh Ethan, that is what he wanted but for your family and yourself, you have to stand up against him and claim what is yours.

And to start, you have to show authority over this matter. I was asked to deliver it to his highness when I was coming here.

But looking at his condition now, you should be the one to take action." She passed him a letter with a royal seal on it.

Ethan frowneed but opened the letter which was personally written by his majesty.

"Dear William,

As your distant relative and well wisher I have yet not announced the annulment of marriage between Andrew and Elizabeth.

But you must know that the prince of the empire could not marry a girl with no knowledge of her background.

I respect that you still treat her like your kin but until it is proven that she was a noble by blood, I can not let her be the empress.

If you still want to go against it, then it could be a matter of war. I hope you would understand my worries and be the one to initiate the annulment, so that Elizabeth would not be blamed for the broken engagement.

Hope to get you reply soon in this regard,

Yours cousin and the light of the empire

George."

Ethan took a big sigh. He knew that when he would be announced as the real son, everyone would come to know about the truth of Elizabeth and then she would suffer.

He could not help but feel bad for the girl though he was not the one at fault.

???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????

"You should not worry about her. She is a commoner and a commoner could not be the empress or the people will lose their trust from the empire.

It is not like you are taking her place but she was the one who enjoyed the privileges of others." she explained as she rubbed his shoulders.

"I have heard that one of the vassal families had even asked for help from you. What have you thought about it?" She changed the topic meticulously as she did not want him to take the decision under the influence of emotions.

He had to accept the contents of the letter no matter what.

"Umm, that.. I have not decided upon it yet. I am not that well versed in business. But we can see the matter later when father wakes up. Then…" before he could speak further, she shook her head with disappointment.

"No! It is your chance. If you wait for your father to wake up, others would think that you are a weak man.

But if you accept the proposal in the absence of your father, then others would have more confidence in you and come to you instead of Leo.

You have to show everyone that you are wise enough to make your own decisions and do not need to live in the shadow of others." she encouraged but he still felt uneasy.

But when he was about to refuse again, he felt that he was disappointing the single person who trusted him.

Everyone else thinks that he was a kid, a fool who did not know anything.

If she continued to feel the same, then..!

"Alr.. alright. I will read the file again and contact the baron tomorrow." Finally a bright smile reformed on her face as she nodded.

"Yes, I know that you would make a wise choice. If you need my help in any matter. Do tell me. I am always here to guide you.'' She hugged him again and soon her hands slipped under his shirt and started caressing his body.

"But father is sleeping here." he felt a bit embarrassed while doing it here when she smiled softly and touched him with assured eyes,

"He is sleeping. And we both need a bit of assurance to handle everything. But if you do not want to then…" she dragged her last words when he shook his head and hugged her again using a bit more pressure.

In the next second, his mouth captured her mouth and they both continued a long kiss.