Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

"Did you hear, his highness had given gold coins to every maid working in their palace." the whispers continued to fill everyone lane and corner

"Ha! Not only that, I heard that he had given tax rebates to every vassal family and staff working in their estate.

Even the richest to the poorest, he had sent gifts to everyone that worked for them, either his knighthood or the ministry, everyone was stunned by the sudden rain of gifts."

"I know, I am so jealous that I did not work there. I have never seen a noble getting so generous before."

The whole empire was full of the songs of the family of Thawyne.

Though no one knew the reason, they all were shocked looking at the generosity of the duke who had spent money like water.

"The amount he had spent is more than the yearly expenditure of the empire. I wonder just how rich he was to spend so much at once and what was the occasion?"

"I have heard that the commoner who had refused to marry his son had come back and accepted the marriage again."

"------------------" Just as the words left the mouth of the woman, several gasps could be heard. Everyone was so shocked that they did not know what to say?

How could a duke be so happy that he had got a commoner daughter in law!

Don't nobles mostly marry their kids to increase their power. And the duke only had a single heir yet he married him to a commoner and now he was even celebrating it as if it was a great thing.

But no matter what others said or how jealous they were, the house of Thaw In was full of joy.

William could not help smiling all day. His happiness kept dancing in his eyes and Eve had to run behind him all day to make sure that he did not distribute more gold and jewels than he already had.

Eli was having a headache in maintaining the account records while Leo and the knights were not able to control the number of persons who come for charity everyday as if it was not their palace but a royal temple.

Evan who was watching the whole scene from her balcony still felt that everything was so surreal. As if it was a dream, when she would open her eyes, everything would have disappeared.

It has been a week since she had told about their drama to the family and when she had thought that she would be scolded they all welcomed her with open arms.

Instead of blaming her, they all had apologized to her as if it was their mistake. The way they have let go of every harsh word she had said, was unthinkable.

She did not sleep for the next two days, afraid that when she would wake up, the truth would have been changed already.

Even if it was just a dream, she did not want to open her eyes ever again.

"Evan! Tell father this is not going to happen!" stunned by the sudden yell, Evan turned to look at Eve whose face had darkened.

She could see all the nerves of her head popping open as if she would kill anyone that would try to go against her.

"What happened? Why are you so frustrated?" Evan turned and picked up the glass from the table and passed it to the girl who was so pissed that she would pass out at second.

"What happened! Are you really asking me what happened? Which world are you living in?" Hopping mad, Eve started walking to and fro in the balcony with her hands on her hips.

Evan flinched when she started hollering like a person who had gone berserk!

"No! I apologize, I was in my room all day. Did father give another precious thing to charity?" it was not like they could not afford the charity but the way the duke was distributing everything and anything, words had spread and everyone was looking at them with resentment.

A few of them had even claimed that the duke was trying to get favor from commoners to challenge the palace of the royal family.

If they continued, the day they would be called in the royal palace for explanation would not be that far away.

A tinge of guilt filled the heart of Evan, but she could not deny that the gesture felt warm.

"If that would have been the case, I would have been shouting at him not here!" with a look are you dumb, she stared at Evan before hoping and walking again.

"Father announced the date of your marriage. But you know how? He had said that he would not prepare the grand wedding in the church like last time.

He would have an open wedding! Did you hear me! An open wedding!!

We have more than 800 knights including the division bothering to work in but still they all are petrified after listening to this announcement.

Just how in the world could we have an open marriage ceremony! So now you!" stopping suddenly in front of Evan who was still not able to believe that the duke said so, pointed at her.

"So now go and tell him that you didn't want this kind of wedding.

Tell him that you are afraid of so much crowd, or you have different plans for your marriage. An excuse would just cancel this damn open marriage!" she hollered as she continued to point with her trembling hands and Evan blinked.

Yes! They have told them that they were acting to find the culprits but she did not tell them one of the key points.. And since Leo did not pressurize her, she decided to keep quiet but now..

"Evangeline! Are you even listening to me? Did you not find any of the excuses appropriate?"

"That… I can not have an open wedding because I am already married!"

"Yes, that excuse would work.. Wait! What??????"

"........"