章節 14: Chapter 14 The Promised Engagement
"How could that be? Our marriage is decided by our family. It is our responsibility as aristocrats." Melody answered with confidence. She looked at Duke full of adoration and hidden possessiveness.
Duke sneered. "Do you think my family needs marriage alliance for power or wealth?"
She puffed up he chest and stood up tall. "Isn't it only normal for people of our standing to do so? To choose benefit? Feelings can be slowly nurtured between husband and wife."
For Melody, she is the only lady fit to be Mrs. Winters. She was raised as the Evans's heiress, one of the eight major aristocratic families.
Even though the Evans family might not be as wealthy or as socially accomplished as the Winters, they still ranked second and have hundreds of years of history, wealth, and connections just like the Winters. They were well rooted in City A.
Even before she was born, her mother and Duke's mother had already arranged for their children to marry in their adulthood. It's just that Duke has never cared about their mother's deep friendship and promises. He did not argue with his mother but he treated her coldly, their mother and son bond was affected by this engagement but she couldn't take back what she promised and hurt her gentle and kind best friend whom she grew up with.
"I'm sorry to burst your bubble but the apocalypse has dawned upon us and you have to wake up from your fairytale-like fantasy." Kisha interjected. She looked at Melody as if she were looking at a mentally challenged person.
Melody was taken aback by Kisha's disrespectful words. "Miss Aldens, please watch your words." She still tried to show Duke how magnanimous and kind-hearted she was by not flaring up on Kisha.
Kisha bowed slightly, like a lady from a good family, her temperament was like a rose, enchanting and soul-stirring. "Pardon my straightforwardness, my lady, my words were the truth my heart felt." She then looks Melody straight in the eye, her lips raised, her voice laced with taunting and her eyes speaking words of mockery.
Melody was momentarily dazed, the way Kisha looked felt familiar but before she delved into this familiarity she realized that Kisha was mocking her for having princess syndrome in front of Duke. Anger surges in her heart, her nails digging into her palm but a smile remains on her lips.
"Miss Aldens, who are you to step in to speak when this is about our family matters?" She glared daggers at Kisha. Her annoyance can't be hidden anymore.
"She is my business partner." Duke pulled Kisha by the shoulder to stand right next to him, which looked intimate yet sincere and full of trust. He continued. "I allowed her to speak, besides, she just spoke what I thought but failed to deliver."
"I am only being cordial to you Miss Evans for my mother's friendship with yours but if you continue to harass me. I'm afraid that this last bit of respect I have for their friendship might disappear."
Her eyes reddened, and she appeared pitiful which invoked a man's desire to protect her. She thought that Duke was treating her this way because of Kisha, the vixen must have seduced her man for him to not even respect the two families' agreement.
"What's going on?" A young man asked with a powerful tone of voice.
Everyone's eyes followed the voice to the entrance of the villa. A young man around Duke's age emerges from behind the people who were standing on the porch earlier.
He has an upright, steady, and calm temperament, he looks gentle but still carries authority with every move or word he says, quite opposite to Duke's cold and indifferent temperament.
Hearing her elder brother's voice, Melody's eyes lit up. As if seeing her savior. "Elder Brother!" She then started to shed tears and looked pitiful.
Eric's heart tightened seeing his sister being bullied by Duke, so he walked in big stride and stood in front of Duke shielding his little sister behind him. He stared at Duke as if he were looking at an enemy. He did not even notice Kisha because of his rising anger and dissatisfaction towards Duke.
He always felt that Duke was arrogant and had little regard for them, he even sometimes felt like Duke looked down on them and treated his sister like trash even when his sister was gentle and kind, she didn't even get angry at Duke for being treated unjustly.
"Duke, why do you always bully my sister?" Even though he is angry, his good upbringing is still visible in the way he talks, he is not unreasonable but he is not easily bullied.
Duke did not answer and only raised his brows.
Not wanting to stand and talk with them anymore. Kisha said. "Duke, let's just go inside. This will just take forever if we continue to argue with them." Her cold voice carried a hint of displeasure.
She is annoyed for some reason and thinks that she is worn out.
"Why did this man start to demand an answer when it was his sister who continued to yap and would not let them go." She murmured and was annoyed to look at the siblings.
Only then did Eric realize that there was another person next to Duke. He was taken aback by Duke's closeness towards the woman and at the same time, familiarity hits him. Feeling like he knew her.
"Miss, have we met before?"
Bemused by the greasy pick-up line. Duke's brows knitted, it was so close together that it was enough to squeeze a fly.
"I'm afraid that you have mistaken me for someone else, sir." She put down Duke's arm that was wantonly placed on her shoulder.
He felt vexed by her distant attitude. He did know why, but he didn't think it was a love-at-first-sight thing. But before he could sort out his feelings, Kisha already pulled Duke inside the Villa and Melody tugged at his shirt her eyes full of unwillingness.
She did not want to let Duke go and wanted to pull Kisha by the hair. Why was she allowed inside while she was barred outside?
Despite her reluctance, she could only accept defeat and wait for them patiently. She was resolute because she's been waiting for Duke since she was young. The very first time she met Duke, she knew that she wanted to be his wife and she would not allow any unknow woman to steal her possessions.
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GoddessKM
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章節 15: Chapter 15 Eric Evans
When Duke closed the door, he noticed that Kisha was not in a good mood, he wanted to coax her but he had never coaxed a woman before, not even his mother. He was stumped and didn't know what to do.
He followed her closely as she went inside and sat on the sofa.
Grandma heard the door closing, she went out of the Kitchen holding a spatula and saw Kisha walking in, upset while Duke followed her from behind.
She slightly chuckled as she thought of Duke as a big black dog who was worried about his owner abandoning him and was trying to please her but did not know what to do so it just followed its owner wherever she went.
Her previous assessment of Duke as an unfeeling and ruthless person has been renewed.
"You just get here in time, the food is ready, hurry up and wash your hands."
Duke showed Kisha where the comfort room was and they washed their hands.
Keith just reached the first floor after calling Eagle and Hawk to eat and just saw the small person and big person walking around like a chick following the hen.
He was amused and thought that he must have looked like this when he was young and dependent on his sister. But he was a little jealous at the same time so he stood right next to his sister and chatted with her and ignored Duke's irked expression.
Because of Keith's continuous jokes and chatter, her previous bad mood has been pushed to the back of her mind, and is now smiling while listening to Keith. Duke sat silently with them, no one knew what he was thinking but it looked like it was not a good one.
When Eagle and Hawk reached the end of the stairs on the first floor, this is what they saw.
"What was boss scheming?" They both thought and prayed for the poor soul who stepped on his toes. Just imagining it sends a shiver down their spine.
Grandpa helped Grandma bring out the food they cooked and called. "What are you guys standing there for? Hurry up and wash your hands and let's eat.
Kisha stood up and went to the dining table followed by the two. Duke immediately sat on her right while Keith was on the other.
Grandma brought the last dish from the kitchen and felt good with her newfound body which is brimming with energy. So she was all smiles.
She used to have cramps in her hands when she was cooking or doing other housework, but now, she can cook any dish she wants without worry and Grandpa can lift any heavy things for Grandma without suffering any back pain so they are both happy and energetic.
Grandpa and Grandma continued to stuff food on their grandchildren's plates and Grandma did not forget to put on Duke's plate from time to time. Everyone at the dining table is eating merrily, on the opposite side of the villa, the Evans family's mood is dampened even more when they see the only daughter of the family upset and don't want to eat.
But they also understood that it was not Duke's fault, just like what he said, it was his marriage and his life. They don't have the right to demand him to marry their princess, especially now that the social hierarchy is in disarray.
No one can just throw their weight around anymore just because they are wealthy and powerful. At least their family understands this but unlike the rest of the Evans family who are just and reasonable. Melody has a different opinion and thinks that her position is everything and everyone, including Duke, has no right to just outrightly turn her down.
A seed of hatred has sprouted on her heart, this hatred was solely aimed at Kisha. She has never been rebuked like Kisha did, not once in her life. Duke used to just ignore or avoid her but never did he scold her. The hurtful words Duke said have miraculously erased from her mind and only blamed Kisha for everything.
Thinking just like what he said, he still has an ounce of respect for their mother's friendship so he was a little cordial in treating her. It was fine then, she always thought that with her warmth, care, and love, his glacially cold heart would melt little by little through time.
But what's the difference in treatment?! She can't accept that the unknown woman who just sprouted from nowhere was treated better than her by Duke.
She could not work her mind around the reason why. Although Kisha is better looking but her beauty is like an enchantress, she, on the other hand, looks pure and innocent which should be what the men in power appreciate and covet.
No one, even herself knew how narcissistic she was. She always believes that everything she wants will be hers.
She thought that Duke just didn't want to get married yet and was only focused on bringing his business empire to new heights. She also heard the rumor about Duke being gay but she never believed it and always admonished the idea when brought up as a topic in social gatherings.
But now, she believes it was because of Kisha. "The bitch must have seduced him and instigated him to humiliate me!" She thought as a vicious glint flashed in her eyes.
Eric accidentally looked up and saw his sister's sinister look but it disappeared instantly without a trace and an obedient and sweet smile appeared on her face again.
He wanted to think of it as a hallucination but that moment's feeling felt vivid and her look was subconciously engraved in his mind and heart.
That instant, his sister's image in his heart broke down and as an older brother, he didn't want his sister to hurt anyone. Especially that girl he had just seen outside.
Just thinking of Kisha getting hurt, he felt like his heart was being stabbed repeatedly, he did not know where it came from but he just didn't want it to happen so he decided to watch over his sister's action.
He was not like any doting brother who condoned his sister's wrongdoings.
He has already decided in his heart but shows nothing on his face to avoid worrying his parent, especially their mother who has a weak constitution.
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GoddessKM
GoddessKM
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