Smart? She's supposed to be smart? She's a fucking cretin. I'll write this as an appeal to any future authors—please, for the love of god, don't write your characters to be stupid when they're supposed to be smart.
Avril is extremely slow on the uptake and doesn't seem to see any advantages in revealing that she is not, in fact, a problematic woman the Duke thinks she is. No, the contract would not become “null and void”, because the contract didn't state anything about her being a “bad girl” in the first place. Her reputation wouldn't change anyway, and the Duke would trust her more. However, not only does she not reveal anything, this moron is now convinced that she has to play a villainess to avoid being thrown out? Seriously?