Chapter 7 Crowded market

Maids were never allowed to be inside a carriage with their masters. Seeing that the Duke was obviously referring to her—she was the only one in the corner he was pointing at—her heart slammed hard in her chest.

‘Ah! It's this vampire again!’ It was so frustrating. Seeing the vampire made her stomach turn. She was in the middle of a dilemma: she had to decide whether to turn herself in or pretend to go to the market and escape for her dear life.

Now here was the annoying one, luring her into his presence. Little by little, her hatred for this annoying vampire grew. One reason was that she couldn't stop thinking about him. Number two was that he always got on her nerves.

She sighed inwardly; her eyes darted around the place, looking for any possible opportunity to run far away from his sight.

With boldness,she walked towards him. She wasn't there to play games, thought Evan.

When she was a few steps away, she gave a slight bow and her lips moved, intending to speak, only to be caught off guard.

“Get into the carriage,”said Zeke, looking at the girl like a predator. However, his words alone would not be the reason Evan didn't say what she wanted to.

“Milord, I was sent to get groceries. I am very busy, if you'd excuse me,” replied Evan. She gave another slight bow and turned around, about to leave…

“Get into the carriage.No excuses,” came the husky, intimidating voice of Ezekiel that sliced through the air like a blade, sending a little chill into Evan's heart.

The girl didn't dare breathe out another word and obediently got into the carriage.Zeke followed her in.

‘Oh no,Lord, help me!’ panicked Evan inwardly.

The air inside the carriage was as hot as volcanic lava. Her face was 100% heated up and she couldn't even contain her composure. Her hands were sweaty, as if they were a source of manufacturing water. The corners of her skirt were already wet from her squeezing her hands on them. A hot sweat rolled behind her ear. It was as if she was under pressure while Duke Ezekiel sat comfortably. He glanced at the girl beside him, noticing she was struggling a bit.

Instead of feeling sympathy,a devilish smirk played at the corner of his thin lips.

Evan's mind was absorbed by how she was going to face reality for carelessly losing her master's money.

She knew the consequence for that: death.

She wanted to maybe run away,but this vampire beside her was a big obstacle. She gritted her teeth.

“You said you wanted to go to the market?…Pet,” the Duke broke the chilling silence.

‘Eh?What is this crazy vampire calling me?’

“Are you headed to the market?” asked Duke Ezekiel. This time he turned his head, looking at the girl's face, which held a slight frown.

With a complicated and heavy heart, she blurted out,

“No,milord,” thinking the man would be mystified and leave her alone. But his reply left her dumbfounded.

“Good,”came the Duke's calm voice. Evan was struck. Her eyes opened wide as if they were about to pop out from their sockets.

‘What?’She had wanted to leave the pureblooded vampire mystified, but it backfired on her instead. Her mind raced, thinking hard about what lie she should tell next.

“Haha,m-milord, I wanted…”

she began.Ezekiel just listened attentively, waiting to see if this girl was even good at lying in the first place.

“Actually, I am going to the market, milord,” she finally told the truth. Her throat was as dry as desert sand. She swallowed hard, breathing out heavily, afraid the Duke might punish her for lying. To her greatest surprise, she felt a large, warm palm patting her head in a cute gesture.

It was Duke Ezekiel, of course. Evan was about to go rampant. ‘What? Hell????’ Her mind was filled with questions. She had often heard rumors about this vampire. He was a merciless killer. He was in politics, after all. He had learned how to kill at a tender vampire age.

Evan had heard how he killed a maid one season. Thinking of that, her body automatically shifted, removing the man's hand from her head. She breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't want to die now, at least not at this age. Even if humans had a short life span, she was content with it. She planned on continuing to live until a good old age, even if in poverty.

Soon, the carriage took a turn onto the road leading to the market. The crowded market came into view. It was bustling and busy. Evan hadn't gotten the opportunity to watch the roads because she was busy thinking about the missing money. When she saw the beautiful, crowded market from inside the carriage, her eyes lit up in excitement, totally forgetting she didn't have any money to get anything.

“Come on, go get what you came here to buy. I'll be waiting,” the Duke's voice interrupted her joyful moment. And then, like a lightning bolt, it struck her chest.

‘Oh no!The money!’