Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

Listening to his words, she frowned and looked at the food on her plate reluctantly, the sky had already turned dark, so he must have wanted to go home, even then she did not want to leave so early.

Still she nodded as she tried to stand up but aunt Martha patted her shoulders and shook her head.

"Finish your food first, it would not be a big thing if you take a few more minutes to have your fill." she assured but instead of nodding, Evan turned to look at Leo for acceptance.

Looking at her obedience, aunt Martha sighed and stared at Leo with a stern gaze,

"Let her eat for a while, young man. I have something important to discuss with you. So come with me!" her voice was authoritative and there was no sign of denial.

Though he felt strange, looking at how much Evan had respected the old lady, he nodded and followed her. 

Walking at a distance the lady opened the door of a closed room and he followed her in. opening the lights, she looked at the room with longing eyes and took a deep breath, her eyes were looking at the room as if she had been looking at it after a long time.

"You love her, don't you?" 

"..." the words came suddenly and took him completely off guard. He looked at her with a lost face when she suddenly turned to look at him.

"Evan had always been the prettiest girl and she had an innocence that is able to win anyone's heart around her.

But she is a sincere girl. Though you are a noble and have great achievements on your name. She is not a girl to toy with!" Her words were grave and her voice was stern as she looked straight into his eyes that very few people were able to do.

"I understand, and I have never taken her lightly." Although he had never thought about marrying her in the past, that did not mean he had not respected her.

"Hmm, but now you love her but she did not love you back" the lady replied after humming the sound but Leo did not understand why she was so sure that he loved her.

Though the girl was special, he did not love her. 

"If you think that you did not love her, then I am sure you would not mind if she would fall in love with Martin and decide to marry him in the future!?" her eyes crinkled with a smile but her face was still stern and her voice was grave.

As the words fell on his ears, his heart tightened. It felt like something was holding his neck tightly and he was not able to take proper breaths. 

When the thought of not loving her crossed his mind, it was only disturbing but when it added with the thought of her marrying someone else and starting a new family was formed, he felt like he was being choked.

He could imagine a small and cute little girl with the same golden hair and green eyes playing in the garden and giggling heartily.

"Come here and have your lunch darling!" a bit aged, Evan looked at the little girl with a frown but the girl looked least bit affected. 

She came running and hugged Evan with her small hands and pecked her chubby cheeks. 

"I am here, mumma," she said in a sweet and soft tone. Her voice was still not clear but she was too bright.

Evan's eyes were filled with motherly love and the rays of sun were falling on their faces, looking breathtaking that it should be carved in the portrait.

His eyes flickered when he looked at the serene scene and his face turned soft. 

Evan touched her forehead with the little girl with soft expressions on her face and he could not help but move closer to them.

But before he could take a step further, a man wrapped his warm hands around both of them. 

"Shall we go home now!" There was a contented smile on the face of Martin when he looked at both girls in his embrace and both nodded at him and leaned further on his chest.

But the thought was enough to burn Leo to the ashes. His face had turned darker and darker and walked closer with hasty steps towards the couple to separate them but no matter how many steps did he take further, the distance between him and the couple did not seem to lessen.

"Evangeline!" He called her but the girl could not hear him either. She smiled at the man when he leaned in and kissed her cheeks that was enough to halt Leo and his whole body frozen.

He still could feel the warm touch of her skin on his lips yet she was in the arms of another man in an instant. 

The thought was enough to create a whirlpool in his heart and his eyes show the tempest that was about to come.

The sound of chuckle took his attention back and the image in front of his eyes started to fade.

The little girl and the sweet happy family disappeared from his eyes and it was replaced by the laughing face of the old lady.

"Your face is showing that you have already imagined her getting married to someone else?" her voice was filled with humor and her face had that teasing smile that left him speechless.

"...." 'Could he tell her that marriage was a small matter, he even imagined a beautiful child that looked just like Evan in their arms.' but he understood what she meant! Did he feel pain while looking at her with someone else and he knew the answer now!

"Young man, if you are still not sure about your feelings for her, then it would not take much time when the scene in front of your eyes would turn into a reality.

So, you better start courting her actively or the naive girl would never realize your feelings for her!"