Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

"I am much better now." Before Evan could ask further questions, Duke William asked more enthusiastically, gaining the attention of everyone on the table. 

"Speaking of which, what date shall I announce for your marriage?" 

She was completely unable to guard against the shock that came just like a hurricane. Astonished, she held her dress tightly and looked at the man beside her.

  Before anyone could react to this abrupt question, they heard the thud sound of slamming the glass on the table by Leo who had gulped the whole contents of the wine glass in a single gulp.

"Are you trying to cover one thing with another father?" his cold voice resonated before his father could chide him for his behavior.

Evan looked at him with horror. Though she had seen him behaving cold and even glaring at her but right now he was looking like a wild beast who wanted to shred everyone into pieces. She did not know what happened to make him this furious. But she decided to stay silent for the rest of the party.

Even William controlled himself when he saw guests moving in their direction.

"Once again you surprised us by finding a gem from the dirt, duke Thawyne." a man congratulated him and soon others followed and nodded. 

"Yes, who knew that a mere commoner could be this much talented." added another and soon the conversation drowned the previous topic of their marriage.

Evan looked at the men with a mocking smile. Though they were all there to praise her, they were still calling her dirt and a mere commoner. It was a subtle way of telling her that her talents could not hide the fact that she was still a commoner. She wanted to tell them she did not care about their nobility. She did not want to be part of them anyways but she knew she would only be taken as the fox who called the grapes sour.

Leo leaned against the back of his chair and tilted his face slightly. He looked at the nobles who were passing sarcastic comments in the name of praising Evan for her performance. 

His eyes had turned a bit glassy with all the drinks he had taken in such a short time. But the look only increased his sexiness and many women could not help but turn to look at her while standing with their fathers who were talking to duke Thawyne. The way he had danced enchantingly with Evan had broken many of their hearts but then he left her alone on the stage brought a new hope and mended the shattered pieces of their heart again. 

"I wonder what you are trying to say there, Marquess Wahimilton.'' His tone was calm and relaxed again to everyone's relief on the table who were worried that he would lose his composure. After all, Leo was the face of the family. 

Marquees looked at Leo with a smirk on his face, he had not tried to hide his disdain when he had praised Evan. how could they, the highest of nobles, think that they could bring any woman as the duchess of the empire and then expect them to respect her in the future. He could not accept that he had to bow in front of a girl whose origins were unknown.

"I think I have been vocal enough about my feelings for your announced wife, lord Leonardo. To think that you will choose a commoner as your wife came as a shock for us nobles who were hoping that our kids would follow your footsteps.`` Leo chuckled when he heard Marquess speaking further. If he was trying to be subtle before, he was being completely fearless now.

"So, you mean that talents did not matter a bit when we look at a person?" asked Leo back but the man did not faze. He was looking deep into the eyes of Leo with a challenging look in his eyes. 

He was not going to bear that the daughter of the duke was thrown out because of a mere commoner.

"I am afraid but I give more importance to noble blood. I mean you can not announce anyone as the future duke of Thawyne family just because he had talents. That position would be yours no matter how rudely you behave in society.`` His curt reply got the attention of all the nobles who were still dissatisfied with the rising position of Evan in the society.

To think that a single party could be the centre of so many scandals, the ladies looked at the group with gossipy eyes. Leo glanced at Evan who was sitting there with a calm face, sipping her juice. As if they were not talking about her at all.

The image of her playing piano flashed past his eyes. Even he was not sure who she was exactly. A mere commoner could not stay this calm when facing so much oppression from the nobles. Or did she not care at all because she did not want to marry him anyway?  No matter how much he thought, the mystery seemed to be unresolved. 

"You are right. We passed the titles of nobility by birth. That was why the poison of your family had become like this. I still remember the stories told by my father about the victory of your father in the war, yet you are only a commandant even after getting the title more than a decade ago.`` The enchanting smile on Leo's face did not fade for a second even when he was insulting the man standing in front of him.

The smirk on the face of Marquess turned into a glare when he understood that Leo was telling that he was incompetent and had only been a shame to their family as he was not talented.

"Lord Leonardo." he snarled as he tried to subdue the young man who was young to him by a decade but Leo just nodded.

'I know my name. I have earned it.. That is why people call me Leo , not lord Thawyne."