Duke Henry had one of the maids summon Helena to the room. He felt compelled to reprimand his granddaughter's behavior this morning, which was unethical.
Before long, the woman came into Duke Henry's room. His granddaughter seemed disturbed by the sudden call and wanted to run away from him immediately because she wanted to go to work immediately.
"Grandfather, I can't stay here long. Why do you have to call me at this time?" asked Helena with a sour face. She crossed her arms over her chest, making the cotton material of her long red dress rub against each other.
"Sit down!" ordered Duke Henry annoyed. How could he have a granddaughter as rude as Helena?
Helena let out a long sigh and sat on the chair. Helena's haughty action did not support the charm of the graceful, slender body that had alluring curves. Duke Henry also became a little wondering why Ethan could be captivated by Helena.
"Why did you skip breakfast in my home?" asked the grandfather with a face no less annoyed. "As a lady, you should wake up earlier."
"I will when you give me a better room," Helena sulked, "or just let me go home."
"Oh, I see. So, you still have a grudge against me since I gave you a maid's room," said the duke coldly.
The duke was wondering why his granddaughter didn't try to please him. "Why do you keep acting as you want to?"
"I do want to inherit the title so badly, but I thought you already knew, better than anyone else that I hate bootlicking," Helena bluntly said. "I want you to acknowledge my capability as the ruler of the land."
Silence fell. The duke didn't like Helena's behavior since it reminded him of his younger state.
"However, still, you have to accompany your husband … instead of Liana!"
"What do you mean, Grandfather?"
"This morning, I saw that your husband woke up earlier than you and you didn't even know that Liana made a good conversation with Ethan! Do you know what I mean?"
Helena was about to protest with the words 'As I care', but she didn't want her grandfather to know that she married Ethan without love to fulfill her grandfather's request. Her position would be threatened and Duke Henry would disqualify her from being a potential heiress.
"Sorry. But I think that Liana is a good girl. She will never try to seduce her cousin's husband," Helena said, attacking her opponent.
Duke Henry's expression softened. He knew that Helena would say something like that. "I forgive you for today because Ethan said you were so exhausted and did it till dawn."
"What?" Helena's eyes widened. However, she realized that Ethan should have said that so that his grandfather wouldn't suspect anything. "Uh, yeah. I felt sore and exhausted. Ethan made me tired."
'He exhausted me with all the fighting last night.' Helena continued silently while doing amateur skits, massaging her shoulders. However, Duke Henry's experienced eyes certainly weren't so easily deceived. He checked Helena's exposed skin and didn't find even a kiss mark.
"Were last night that great?" asked Duke Henry probingly. "Why are there no marks at all?" continued Duke Henry scratching his face softly.
Helena gasped. She forgot …. she didn't know that people usually leave red marks on their partner's body. It was obvious … she was still a virgin.
"Oh, Grandfather! Do I have to tell you how we did it last night?" Helena protested, still trying to hide the facts so that her grandfather wouldn't suspect her.
The grandfather nodded and concluded that Ethan was still an amateur and had not properly done his duties. He was determined to teach Ethan good ways so that his granddaughter's married life would be more harmonious.
"Tomorrow don't repeat your mistake!" snapped Duke Henry with a fierce look.
"Okay!" Helena stared flatly.
Helena was about to get up from her seat. However, her evil brain was saying something else. She must take advantage of this to counterattack the opponent. If she could, she had to use this as an opportunity to get Duke Henry to let him back into her private residence so she wouldn't have to share the same room with Ethan.
"But, Your Grace! Why am I always the one to blame? Don't every husband and wife have their own way of dealing with their days?" she attacked. "Did you deliberately ask me to stay here so you could interfere in my household affairs?"
"Helena?" Suddenly, Duke Henry was at a loss to be attacked like that.
"Don't you realize that in this house there is also Liana who is still single and beautiful? Have you heard something like this: 'My husband is having an affair with my cousin-in-law'?" continued Helena with more enthusiasm. A sinister smile grew on her lips. "Or could it be, you did this to me on purpose because I got married before your favorite granddaughter? Since you like Ethan, do you want to give him to Liana?"
Helena folded her arms over her chest confidently. Being attacked like that, Duke Henry was at a loss. Helena knew that right now, she was the one with the upper hand.
"Helena, you are mistaken!" Duke Henry was still defending himself. Of course, he felt offended because of Helena's baseless accusations. He hated affair, adultery, and everything related to it.
"Then why did you blame me instead? It was sure that your favorite granddaughter started the fire," Helena's voice rose. This time, the attack would be aimed at Liana's side. "Shouldn't you give Liana kind advice, not to get close to Ethan? Don't let her become a harlot, or I'll be the one to defame her later!"
Helena's threats were like a curse in Duke Henry's ears. Of course, something that he also secretly worried about would become a powerful weapon for Helena to use. Like now, the grandfather's eyes could only stare at Helena without being able to respond to her counterattack. He lost because he admitted he was wrong. Helena was right.
"Can I go to work for now?" asked Helena. "I need to visit the boutique today."
Duke Henry nodded and motioned for Helena to leave with an eye gesture. He snorted in annoyance as he leaned back against the headboard. "When will she change? She is always so good at making me feel guilty."
***
As planned. Helena and Ethan go to the boutique together.
"Did Liana make special breakfast for you this morning?" asked Helena probingly while Ethan was seriously reading a newspaper.
"Yes. Sorry, honey. Are you jealous?" Ethan stopped reading and pay full attention to Helena. "Listen. I didn't do anything but Liana...."
"Stop!"
Ethan didn't hear. The man continued to explain the situation because he thought Helena would confront him and accuse him of flirting with Liana.
Ethan just kept explaining what actually happened, "... I don't feel like refusing, and in the end—"
"Stop!" Helena shouted, this time so much louder. Ethan stopped talking.
"Don't be so dramatic! Who's accusing you of all kinds of things?" Helena said as Ethan began to listen carefully. "I don't care about all of that! But Grandfather takes issue with that. So, don't repeat the mistake. Wake me up earlier!"
Ethan grinned and nodded weakly. His heart, which had been swollen because he got panicked and happy at the same time since he thought Helena was jealous, now deflated again. His relationship with Helena would not be like a common husband and wife. It was just like a business relationship, as Helena emphasized before.