Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

'Shouldn't he support my act and say a few words?' she muttered under her breath but continued to act coquettishly. They would surely take her as a witch who had spellbound their hero. She was sure that nobles would take her as a wicked woman when they saw that Leo was dancing on her fingers! But she waited patiently, yet Leo did not say a word.

She fumed but her face turned teary, she buried her face in his arms and acted as if she was trying to hide her tears. She took a deep sigh as it was difficult to act when your partner forgot all his lines and acted like a statue.

She waited for a second for anyone to react. Either Leo would speak something or Olivia would lunge towards her and shout again. She had done her part of the act, and she did not know how to continue the drama alone. But nothing happened, there was deafening silence as if she was alone in that huge corridor.

She sighed, why was it so difficult for them to react?'' Unable to contain her curiosity, she crept up her head and peeped at Olivia. When she met with hre violent look. Olivia was looking just like she had expected, her intent to murder Evan was clear as a day yet she was only standing there silently while glaring at her. Why?

It confused her, so she swept her gaze away to other nobles who were looking like they had seen ghosts! Their faces were horrified, which confused her even more.

"You! Get off of him right now!" Finally her hard work paid off when Olivia shouted at the top of her lungs. Evan smirked showing the whole corridor that she was not upset as she was showing but when she looked back at Leo, her face was meek again. 

"Did you hear that darling? She is still shouting at me and asking me to leave you. Do you want me to leave you?" her voice was so soft and smooth as if the violin was playing.

But everyone saw that she was acting and started whispering among themselves. Evan danced in her heart. Finally! Finally they were convinced that she was a wicked woman.  Now she could ask for more rewards when they would reach the palace. And soon the news of her actions would reach the palace too. Then she would act more and fight with all of them so that they could throw her out.

Evan had already produced, directed and wrote the whole drama in her act just by watching the trailer. Her face filled with smirk and the shine of gold. They all exchanged glances and then looked at Leo who had not even once reacted.

Family remembered that she still had to finish the show. Evan turned to look at Leo again, she moved her hands and cupped his cheeks. His unfathomable gaze fell on her face but she was too excited to care. She was lost in her role to be a wicked lover and counting her rewards which she would have soon under her arms, her eyes were sparkling with that thought and she was looking breathtaking even in her childish act.

"Tell me darling that you only love me and you never liked Olivia." She spoke with so much emotion that she was sure she would win.

If Leo would get angry and jerk her hands away, then she would be taken as a clingy wicked woman who was trying hard to climb the ladder.

  If he nods and accepts her words then she would be called a wicked witch who had hypnotised their hero and used him as her puppet to climb the ladder.

No matter what he did now,  her success was final! She could see her bright future in front of her now.

On the other side, Leo, who knew that she was acting and did not mean a word she was telling him, felt his heartbeat rise like crazy. He was feeling strange in his chest when she had started the drama but when she said the last line, his heart skipped a beat. He was sure that she did not even look at him like a man right now, only a way to get all the rewards, yet he could not help when that stuffy feeling filled his chest.

This was only making him annoyed! How could she lack so much awareness? Winning the reward was the only thing for her.

"I.. I never liked Olivia and we never played husband and wife. It is only her self proclamation." only he knew how difficult it was to speak these few words. But that was enough to create an uproar.

"No! How could that be? Are you supporting her, my lord?" asked Olivia, she was looking heartbroken as if she would faint this instant if she did not get a positive reply from Leo.

Evan smirked while looking at Olivia as if she was asking, 

'Do you think you're the only one who has that kind of charm?'

Olivia was beyond furious when Even used the same strategy as her. She had prepared so much for this play. She had even made her face pale and wore a dull dress. She could not accept that Evan won this round too. She could not let this beggar win every time.

"No…." but before Olivia could speak further. Evan shook her head and buried her face deeply into his chest. If Leo was stiffened before, his whole body turned rigid that Evan was not sure if he was even taking breaths anymore. 

Yet she did not care, in fact she was smiling ears to ears. This iceberg had tormented her enough, now it was her turn to be tormented. To exaggerate her act and his tormenting, she even nuzzled her face on his chest. Her lips rubbing on his thin shirt and the events of last night passed his eyes. His eyes darkened as he remembered her nuzzling her head on his thighs list night. He could smell her fragrance that was playing with his nostrils, her soft touch that was making his skin sensitive.

'Did the dumb woman even knw what this actions meant to a man?"