★Prologue★

"You bitch! How dare you do this to me! I'll make you pay for this!" I charged at her with all my might but before I could impale her with my sword I was pierced by someone.

"W-what? Wh-who did this!" I demanded the person who stabbed me to show himself.

I kneeled down as more blood gushed out of my open wound. I heard footsteps from a distance and slowly hear it getting closer and closer.

"Alastair?" I was shock at the sight of my three brothers standing in front of me, with faces of stone.

They were standing between this conniving bitch and I, but there was something wrong with how they were standing. It was as if they were standing between this evil woman and I like they were protecting her from me.

"Eve, are you okay? Did she harm you?" Alexander asked. She then started to weep and showed her bleeding arm that she slashed herself from earlier.

"She slashed me with her sword, Second Brother.

I can't with this pretentious being! How dare she blame me for something I didn't even do.

"What!? I did not do that!" I said with the very little energy I had in me, my voice was rasped and out of breath.

They stared down at me coldly almost telling me to shut up or they'll kill me on the spot. But I did not mind their disgusted look they're giving me because, to be honest, at this point I'd rather die than see how they show more love and affection to someone not related by blood to them.

But here I was, struggling with my own life, not receiving any kind of help from them. I was tortured and abused, taken advantage by the maids that made me do all the chores and ministers that go to my wing and made me feel dirty of myself.

But after all my struggles and I reached my tenth birthday and received my powers, I finally got the recognition from father but my happiness was shortlived because after that, everyone just used me for their own benefits.

I didn't want to be disliked by people, especially the ones that I love. I want them to love me and cherish me, make me feel that I belong here, that I have a place where I can feel safe.

But I only feel like I'm the root of everyone's nuisance. I feel like I'm nothing but a tool in this empire.

The irony of my life, is that the one that should be in place is the one that is having everything I've ever wanted and dreamt of.

And when I look at my brothers again, they were all aiming their swords at me and also casting a death spell on top of that.

They say that if you pierce someone and have put a death spell in them, they'll feel the pain of death a thousand folds more.

I guess they really want me to have a very painful death.

"Brothers, thank you..." I grab the tip of their swords and clutch them together and pierce myself and the effects of the spell took effect almost immediately.

And I fell into oblivion and beatitude came over me at the very last.

...

Hi! This Han and I have another work for you to read! I hope that you'll love The Duke's Daughter and I hope that you'll give it support and love. I know that I'm still new to Wattpad writing and I'm doing my best to make ever work I do is interesting and can be enjoyed by everyone.

Enjoy your day and always be positive and happy!

Chapter 01 -

Reincarnated

✿Cassy's point of view✿

Darkness.

That's what I'm only seeing, Darkness.

The Dark reminded me of my time in my wing, it's where I start to manifest my ambitions. That's where I start to think that I needed to get out of there.

That's also where I start to wish for my Father's love and also my family's. Because that's where I saw my family in the garden happily doing everything what a happy family would do, and from my window I watch them be happy.

And so I told myself that I want that, I want a family like that. I want a family that will love me and cherish me for the rest of my life, a family that will make me feel safe but no, I could never.

Fate didn't grant me that privilege or any kind of privilege actually, I need to do everything from scratch and with my own hard work. I had to earn everything I wanted.

But when she came into the picture, she didn't even had to lift a single finger and she got everything.

It's unfair when you do everything but there's someone who got all easy. It's just so unfair!

"Child, I'm sorry for what you needed to encounter, all the hardships you needed to conquer. If I was to live after giving birth to you, you wouldn't have to suffer such things. My child, I'm so sorry." I heard a mystic voice said from somewhere unknown.

I look around me but I saw nothing, then suddenly a ball of luminous light came my way. I followed it and it lead me somewhere that I could call paradise.

Everything in here was glowing and in abundance of rare and beautiful things. It was almost like Eden but I don't think that's what this is.

"Child, my dear sweet child. Come to me now." Said by that mystic voice again, and I was whisked away by a gentle breeze.

I was then in front of a big temple like mansion, I entered it's hall and was fascinated by the silky drapes that was whisking in the flow of the breeze.

"Child, come!" The voice said, encouragingly to me. I followed the echo of the voice but was met with paths I don't know which one can lead me to the voice.

But once again, I was led by the wind to somewhere I don't know. I was then came face to face with a big white and black leopard. They were like boulders in size and have gemstones in there foreheads.

They motioned for me to enter the room that they were guarding. The door opened and closed as soon as I entered.

"Child, how nice that we finally met. Come, sit with me." She urged and I feel oblige to do so.

"Who are you? I'm not your child, am I? So tell me, why are you calling me child?" I asked the mysterious woman as soon as I sat down. She just smiled to that though, as if she already knew I'd ask her that.

"I knew you would say that. So, I would like to show you the truth behind your birth." She said and waved her right hand in the air and formed a tiny cloud of smoke.

....

"Momma? Why is your belly so big?" A little boy asked her mother. The mother lovingly smiled at her first born son, and picked him up to sit on her lap.

"Alastair, my son. My belly is big because a baby is inside it. She's going to be your baby sister." The mother explicate to her first son. The son was delighted by the thought of him having another sibling and especially, a baby sister.

"Momma, when can I play with my little baby sister?" The boy asked. His mother laughed a bit at her son's words and told him that the baby won't come out yet for quite some time.

"But momma, I want to play with my little baby sister!" The boy whines when he was told he needed to wait. The mother then made her son look at her in the eyes and asked her son this;

"Son, listen to me carefully. If ever that I might die, somehow, somewhere. I need you to protect your siblings and to love each and every one of them, okay? No matter what." The mother had a concern face, like she knew that something was going to happen and she wanted to make sure her children would be safe and sound.

"Okay, momma!" The boy agreed to his mother without any further understanding about what the significance of those words were.

*Fast forward*

"Your Grace, I'm sorry to say this but... Her Grace is, is dead..." The man was in utter shock when the midwife said his wife is gone.

"No! That can't be! Where is she!? Where is my Belle!?" He pushed the midwife and entered the room where the giving of birth to the youngest Montefrancesco took place.

The cries of both the Father and baby was heard but the baby's cry has overpowered her Father's.

The Father turned towards the newborn baby and looked at it with daggers for eyes, and if looks could kill the baby would have been disintegrated by now.

"Your Grace, it's a healthy baby girl..." The female servant told her master the gender of the baby.

But as soon as the man has taken a look at the child he was instantly reminded of his wife. So, without any hesitation he ordered this to the maid.

"Get the baby out of my sight before I torch her with no mercy." He said and looked away.

The maid pitied the baby girl and even if it risked her job or worse getting killed, she still dared to ask her master what he wants to name the baby.

The man looked at the maid and at the baby. He contemplates and finally decided on something.

"Your name shall be Cassandra Claire Allison Von Montefrancesco, and you shall be put in the west wing of the castle." And with that he dismisses the maid along with a couple more.

The maid holding at the baby looked down and was in awe when she saw how beautiful the baby was.

"Oh my! Such a very beautiful baby girl you are! You really the daughter of the Duke and Duchess, such a beautiful lady you are!" The maids were giving her praises, and with that has given them a cute smile in which made everyone shriek in joy.

"Such a beautiful lady you really are," the maid that was holding the baby girl smiled sadly as she looked at her. "But alas, such cruel family who had. I just hope that you won't suffer from this family, dear lady." And finally they arrived at the west wing and put her to her room.

The baby slept peacefully, clueless of what she was about to experience in her life.

....

"My life is an irony, someone wished me to have a life filled with happiness and love but instead I lived a life full of misery and pain." I laughed thoughtlessly. The maid that wished me a good life was also the only one that made me feel that I had a worth and I'm someone that is worthy of such a privilege to be loved.

But she was killed by bandits on her way to buy me my birthday cake and that's why I hated my birth even more because of that incident.

"Child, I'm sorry if mama wasn't there to protect you or to made you feel love but please don't hold any grudge to your father or brothers because they've been manipulated by those wicked people!" My mother was both sad and angry when she said that. I know that I shouldn't held such hate to my family but you can't blame me for that. They gave me nothing but a traumatic childhood and hell like experience in life.

"Mother, how do you expect me to not have any kind of grudge against them. They didn't even know that I exist before I proved myself useful for them! And when I finally had their recognition that I wanted, they act cold towards me and gives me a cold shoulder and the silent treatment but how did I ignore with that!? Do you know!?" I couldn't hold back my emotions anymore and so I release ever ounce of pent up feelings I've been burying inside me out. "I swallowed my pride and just took everything they shove at me, EVERYTHING!" I remembered that time where I first saw my Father, he was with first brother at that time. He and first brother had a cold gaze and eyes like daggers.

The knights and maids were scared by them but I wasn't. I thought that time that the two of them were cool. But I was naive and hadn't known any better, and so since from that day I have been following them, trying to get their attention.

But what I received from all of them was insults and disgusted looks.

"I know and I understand how you feel, but I don't want you having feeling such hatred and indifference to our family." I don't understand why she kept on defending them, I get that they're our family, our kin but still!

"Mother, you cannot blame me for having such hate towards them, my own Father disowned me for someone who is not even our blood. And my brothers killed me for the same person."

My heart hurts everytime I remember what they did to me. There was a sense of betrayal and grief I have for all of them.

I only stopped thinking ill of them when I saw my mother's sorrowful and teary. I can't help but feel sorry for her.

"Mother, I do not mean to held such negative feelings for them." I inhaled. "But maybe, someday... I could learn how to forgive them and maybe someday, I'll be able to... treat them the same as before, so please just give me time, okay?"

She smiled gratefully at me and nod her head.

****

"Child," My Mother's voice had me looking at her. "It's time for you to leave, you must go back to them now." She said. I felt nervous but ready at the same time when she told me that.

"Is it really?" She nod. "Well then, I must gat ready. I will not fail you Mother, I promise I will fix everything to place." I told her.

We were in front of the portal to the world of the living when I suddenly felt afraid.

"Mom?"

"Yes, child."

"Will you come with me to the living world?" I asked. She held my hands close to her chest and as she held them, she looked at me and smiled.

"Child, wherever you may be, I'll always be there for you. Here's a little gift from me to you, keep it close to you and never lose it." She showed me a beautiful locket necklace.

She whispered foreign words to it before putting it on me.

"With this, you will be able to communicate with me and see me with the help of your mana energy, so you must keep it close to you and you must never lose it."

I thanked her for the gift and with a last farewell hug, I walked into the portal, traveling me back to the world of the living.

☆A year and a half prior☆

I woke up with a pounding headache and a very much sore body. I looked around at my surrounding and realized that I'm in my room.

I jumped off of my bed and went towards the nearest mirror I could find. As soon as I cought sight of myself, I immediately thought;

"I'm really back, I'm back from a year and a half ago."

I was startled by the sudden appearance of a young teenage looking girl in my room.

"Miss! You're already awake, I'm sorry if it took me so long to come up here. I really am!" The girl's face had a very concerned and fearful expression on her face.

She's scared of me. I thought. It didn't really surprised me when she looks like that. I wasn't called the terror of the empire for nothing.

"It's alright, I just woke up a few minutes ago, so you need not to worry of such little things like this." I told her and continue to look at myself at my vanity.

"Miss, would you like for me to dress you with your new dress, m'lady?" She inquire. I looked at her through the mirror.

"No, go find me a plain white dress, the most simplest you could ever find. That's what I wanted to wear." I said, without looking at her.

She was shock to hear what I just said but diligently obeyed my orders. She came back to me a little over an hour with a plain looking light blue dress.

"I'm sorry, my lady, I couldn't find any white dress but I did found this blue one!" She showed me the dress and I immediately loved it.

I smiled up to her and thanked her for her efforts. "Help me put it on, please." Her eyes lightened up as she helped me put on my dress.

The fabric of the dress is so nice and smooth, it was flowy and comfortable. It fitted me so nicely.

"My lady, you look so beautiful in that dress! You look like a fairy!" I smiled at her compliment and thanked her for that too.

"My lady, I think the Duke will also be happy to see you in that dress!" I came to a halt as soon as those words left my attendant's mouth.

"My lady? Have I said something wrong?" I shake my head and looked back at her.

"What is your name again?" I asked her. She went pale before answering me.

"Rosabella, my lady. Rosabella Rodson." She formally said to me. She look so scared that I could practically see her shaking.

I lifted her chin up to meet her gaze with mine. There was fear in her now watery eyes.

"Rosabella, you said nothing wrong, but please, I kindly ask you to never EVER mention my family to me, ever again. Do you understand?" I told her, as softly as I could. She slowly nod her head.

My day after that had been quiet and peaceful, I even learnt from the other servants how to cook.

I only learned that because boredom was starting to creep it's way to me. And to be honest, I kinda like it, I like learning things.

I also learned the names of some of the servants in the castle. Everyone was so nice and friendly to me, even the Butler became my friend. I always thought he was very strict and serious but after today, I think everything is going to be a smooth sail.

But little did I know that reality will so do me wrong.

✿Author's Note✿

Hello, everyone! This is your author, Han!

This is my new work, The Duke's Daughter. This story is a bit of a cliche but I'll make sure to make it as interesting as I can and make it not boring.

And if there is any resemblance or similarities to other stories that you've read before, it is just a coincidence.

And if there is any typos/grammatical errors/misspelled words I'm already apologizing for that now, just tell me if there is so that I could fix it quickly.

Also, my english still needs a little more progress.

That's all!

Love lots, Han❤️

Chapter 02 -

Market

✿Cassy's point of view✿

I never hated eating like this before, but now I proved myself wrong today.

My sperm donor, ahem! I mean, my Father sat as the very end of the long table and my brothers sat next to his left side by the order of their ages.

I, on the other hand, sat far from them all. More preferably, at the very side end of the table.

"My lady, why did you sat here? Did you not want to sit near your brothers and father?" Rosabella whispered in my ear. I look at her over my shoulder and whispered back. "Rose, I do not want to receive their cold gazes and indifference, that is why I sat far from them." I explained to her. She didn't say anything more and stayed quiet after that.

Supper wasn't too bad, if I hadn't need to sit and eat in the same table as my "Family" then it would've been a perfect day for me.

Neither of us talked, it was a silent dinner, which I very much appreciated from them. But I've forgotten that I have a very talkative brother.

"Hey you! Why are you sitting there? You did something wrong today, didn't you? That's why you're sitting far away from us! Why? Is it that bad that you must sit so far?" My third brother, Adonis is a very talkative and sharp tongue person. And out of all my three brothers, he is the only one that talks to me oftentimes.

But he only talks to me when he wants to insult or talk ill of me. I have gotten use to his unfiltered mouth, so sometimes I'll just ignore him.

"Hey! I'm talking to you! Did you really cause trouble? Hey! Answer me!" He's really getting on my nerves now. I start to ate as fast as I could and when he was still rambling on about me being disrespectful to him, I stood up from my seat and went to where my Father was seated.

"I'm done eating, Your Grace. Excuse me." I told him shortly.

But before I leave, I look at Adonis and said; "Third young master, I do not wish to waste my energy and breath in arguing with and associating myself with people I too, do not want to be in the same room with. So if I may, I wish to be left alone." I curtsied and left.

"Hah, That was so exhausting! Don't you think so too, Rose?" I inquired to Rose but I didn't hear any reply from her.

I look up to see her but when I saw her face I wanted to laugh so loudly.

"Rose, what happened to you? Why do you look so shock?" I ask with an amused smile. She snapped out from her dazed shocked face and looked at me, still shock.

"My lady, why did you say that to the third young master? Now, we're doomed! No, I'm doomed!" She exclaimed loudly.

I only shook my head and rolled my eyes. "You know, Rose? You're such a worrywart! You need to loosen up a bit! And I promise you, you won't be doomed, okay?" I assured her with that. We both smiled and finally she let it go.

Rose helped me get ready for bed and even stayed to chat with me until I fell asleep.

****

The next morning was like any morning I had before, I woke up, Rose comes in and helps me dress up, we leave for breakfast and I do whatever I want from the rest of the day.

When I say that I just do whatever I want for the rest of the day, I meant me staying inside my room and just stare from a far or I read a book.

It's really boring. But then I saw something from outside of my window.

"Alexander? Why the heck is he dressed like that?" I mumble under my breath.

"Hey Rose?"

"Yes, my lady?"

"Is it possible for you to lend me some of the female servants clothes for me?"

"My lady, why would you need her clothes for?" She looked so confuse when she asked.

"I want to go to the market without catching any attention from others." I told her. She then went out to get some clothes for me to wear.

"My lady, I have the clothes you needed!" She hollered over to me. She again helped me with my clothes.

The market is bustling with noise and people. The people that were here are all loud and lively while they buy and sell stuff.

"Hey Rose, what are those people doing over there?" I pointed my finger to those people huddled up in one area.

"My lady, they're trading their merchandise to each other." She explained. I nod learning so.l, then suddenly an idea popped up in my mind.

"Rose, do you how much I have in my account book?" I inquire to her.

"Yes, my lady!"

"Tell me how much."

"It is approximately, 200 million rouns."

"200 million rouns? I think that'll be enough." I said to myself as I ponder on others things I needed.

"I've decided!"

~✩✩~

"My lady are you sure that you will be doing this?" Rose anxiously asked. I chuckle at the way she's acting. So cute!

"Rose, don't worry! I know what I'm doing, so just sit still, will you? Your making me dizzy with all your pacing!" She stopped the moment I said that.

"I'm sorry, my lady! It's just , this is such a big risk and with... With uhm, your reputation in the empire, I'm afraid that it will be hard for you to succeed in your plan." She hesitate for a while before saying everything all out loud.

"Rose, don't fret. I'm not doing this without any thoroughly analyzing everything, you know?" I calmly reassured her with that. I continued on writing as she stood there helplessly.

*Knock*knock*

"Rose, would you be a dear and see who is at the door." Rose left from her spot go see who was at the door.

"Oh my!" I heard Rose exclaimed in surprise. I got curious and went to see what made her so in shock.

"Rose, who is it? Brother?" I frowned upon who was on my front door.

"Father is asking for your audience." He plainly said and left.

"What was that all about?" I look over to Rose who was equally confuse and surprise like me.

The Great Alexander Isaeus Von Montefrancesco came here in my chambers?

"What has the Grand Duke of the Empire of Atesian wants from me?" I formally greeted my "Father" who seems to be displeased about something.

"Why haven't you been doing your morning greetings to us and your brothers?" He asked straightforwardly to me.

I scoffed as I heard those words came out of his mouth.

"Your Grace, I thought you told me to not disturb you by doing those, what do you call them again? Ah yes! My silly unnecessary and annoying greetings..." I repeated the same exact words he told me when I was just a mere 6 years old child who just found out about her father and brothers.

"And so, I stopped. I thought that you'd be happy to know that I stopped greeting you and the young masters." I said in a matter of fact kinda voice.

"If there nothing else you have to say, I'll take my leave now. Goodbye, your Grace." I curtsy to him and left.

"How dare he! After what he told me all those years! Now he's acting like I've disregard him as the Duke?! He was the one that told me to stop those greetings I do!?" I vented everything on my attendee, Rose.

She seems to not mind it, rather she feels sympathy for me. Rose has been my nanny ever since I was a child, she's also one of the very few people who cared for me. I really felt sorry for her, she became my nanny in my previous lifetime.

"My lady, If I could, may I speak my mind to you?" She politely ask. I gave her my permission.

"My lady, your father is indeed someone that has been really cruel to you, but I think that's his way of grieving for the late Duchess." I feel pained when I heard so. "The Duke feels and thinks like that you may be the reason why the Duchess passed away... But you're not..." I feel my walls caved out after I heard Rose's voice changed.

"Mom!"

Hello guys!!!

It's Han!

I hope that you're enjoying this story of mine. I really enjoy making this but have some troubles making it too. You see, I'm not really fluent with english; it is not my first language so please bare with me for a while because I'll be fixing that.

Love lots, Han❤️