“Are you leaving already?” Evangeline looked above just to see the wife of the innkeeper. She was a middle aged nosy woman who was trying to know more about her and meddling in her affairs since day one.

Though she wanted to give the gossipy woman her two cents, she did not want to create an issue just when everything was improving in her life.

“Yes, thank you for a comfortable stay.” Evangeline replied, making her smile and nod.

She walked to her room and closed the door. Since she did not have any luggage, she just laid on the bed and looked at the two silver coins in her hands. If she bought simple dresses then she would be able to get two dresses in a silver coin and she could still save the one silver coin with other jewels. Soon her life would only improve. A smile bloomed on her lips as she thought about her bright future.

It was only noon so she did not know what to do all day.

“I should have strolled more in the town. No, I should have asked for the money before leaving the inn.” she muttered to herself as she felt bored these days sitting alone all the time. When she heard the knock on the door.

Thinking it was lunch, she opened the door only to find a man with dark hair and eyes as dark as night that was sucking her completely. Her eyes filled with horror and she slammed the door shut. Closing all the locks, she moved and dragged the cupboard towards the door as if it would be able to keep the man away for the lifetime.

She even forgot that she had to leave that place too. But she had never expected him to be here. If it would have been the knights then it was understandable. Even if it had been that old duke, then she would have digested it but seeing the heir of the duke whom she had never met to be here looking for her was something so absurd that she still could not believe it even when she had seen that from her own eyes.

She sat leaning on the cupboard as her nails moved towards her mouth and she started biting them unconsciously. a habit she had developed over years whenever she felt anxious. The door knocked and she almost jumped from her place in panic. Her heart pounded on her chest and her breathing turned shallower.

She patted her cheeks a few times.

“No! This was not the time to panic, Evan, think something!” she looked around with utter nervousness when her eyes stilled on the window. She had spent most of her days looking out of the window. She was sure the height ws not much and if she held well, she could jump and run away from there.

She could hear them hitting the door violently and the door had already started shaking. She took the bundle of jewels and the silver coin in her hands and jumped out of the window. She was expecting pain as the distance was still enough to hurt her but all she felt was a strong grip on her arms.

She opened her eyes only to see those black eyes again and all the blood drained out of her body. As if the man was attached to her soul, he was there no matter how much she was trying to run away from him. He was looking at her face so intensely, his gaze was enough to burn her completely.

“Let me go. . let me go!!” finally getting her senses back, she started struggling and thrashing in his arms. He was no one to her and they could not force her to come with them. It was not like she owed them anything.

“Stop shouting. Will you?” He looked at her with annoyance.

He had just reached back home when his father asked him to leave the house in search of her. It had been four days since then, he had not stopped but looked at her traces. He still did not understand why! Why did she run out from there when she was getting all the luxuries for a lifetime.

“I will not shout if you let me go.” she glared at him, though her heart was pounding like it would break the ribcage, yet she faked her expressions.

“Help help.. Help anyone. This man is forcing me!” she started shouting as they were out in the open and soon the crowd started noticing them.

“Shout one more time and I will prove that you are a thief that has run from our house.” he whispered in her ears, making her eyes widen and her mouth hitting the floor.

“I am not a thief and i…” before she could complete her sentence, she saw him looking into her hands to the bundle of jewels with a proud smirk on his face.

“All the jewels of the palace have a mark on it. It has the name of mother on them. It will only take me a second to prove that you ran with the jewels and then the people you are calling will send you with me by calling you thief with disdain.” he was sure that she did not have any choice. The fake confidence she was showing was gone and her face had turned completely white as if she was a ghost.

“Now, I am putting you down. Do not create and scene and follow me silently. Or else you would end up in prison.” he added and all she could do was nod as she could see a lot of knights had come with him.

“Where are you taking the sister?” asked Stefan as he came running towards Evangeline. Though he found the girl noisy, she still was the only person who had treated him kindly.

Leo raised a brow and looked at Evangeline who cussed him blatantly. He frowned as this was the first time he had seen a woman cursing.

“She is my wife and I am taking her home.”