Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

"I am only telling the truth. Right Evangeline?"

When she asked Evan, only then did Leo turn and look at Olivia. Her face beamed when she thought that he had finally noticed the difference between both of them.

A higher noble like her only deserves to stand beside Leo, who could manage to deal with other nobles in social gatherings and have a good knowledge about art and culture so that she could indulge in a good chat with all of them. 

If not, Evan like girls could only be laughed upon and would bring shame for the legendary family like Thawyne!

Now she would finally get her deserved praise. She turned to look at the man with expected eyes! Finally her chance had come.

She knew that she just needed to be present in front of Evan so that Leo could compare both of them and understand the vast difference between both of them.

But before she could receive her much awaited praise from Leo, Evan spoke first, "no! You are wrong." 

The words hit Olivia like a bee stung that crumpled her whole face. She glared at Evan with fiery eyes, "what do you mean? Do you think that you know about art and paintings?

Now you would say that this is not an imitation but a real painting!" she crossed her hands in front of her chest and challenged Evan with fierce eyes.

If she would not deal with Evan today for once and all, the girl would continue to brag about her knowledge like she was trying to show off now.

Evan who was still calm like a lake nodded her head unhurriedly as she replied, "it is as you said, the painting is not an imitation but a real one!" 

"......" bam! Her words were like a big stone thrown in a calm lake, the ripples started to form all over the room as all three of them looked at her with stunned faces.

Olivia was the first one to come back to her senses as she laughed hard holding her stomach as if she had heard the greatest joke of her life!

And the most important thing that she did not even spare another glance at Olivia and looked at Leo who had asked her the question first.

"I was looking at the texture of the painting and the depth it had depicted. It is a beautiful painting." Evan replied as if she did not hear the laughter of Olivia.

This was like a bucket of cold water was thrown on the face of Olivia. Her whole face turned red.

Her face turned ugly and twisted as she forgot about Evan and started staring at the painting. At first sight, even though she had thought that painting might be real, the texture and colour of the painting was wall drawn. 

But how could such a popular painting end up in the private room of a small inn. Yes! She agreed that the inn was well decorated and rather classy, but she was sure that the inn did not belong to any nobles.

  And there was no way that a commoner could afford decorating her inn with these kinds of fine paintings.

That was why she was sure that the painting could only be an imitation.

But if she could not be sure if the painting was a real one or an imitation, how could a commoner who had never studied about painting and had not seen one in reality knew better tan heel

She was only trying to stick on the point that the painting was real to go against her. She must be trying to take revenge for the conversation they had in front of Leo's office.

Her face filled with disdain as she thought so and looked at Evan with disdain who was trying to climb up by making her a stepping stone.

"Evangeline, if you are ashamed to accept that you didn't have any knowledge about the paintings. Then I understood. But it does not mean that you lie and try to prove the other person wrong!

This painting is definitely an imitation! So, do not be petty and accept defeat or else it will give you more troubles in the future!" She sounded like a strict elder who was trying to show the right path to her junior.

But in reality, she wanted all of them to see the real face of the girl! How she was lying with a blank face and trying to act superior.

But when she ended her stern lecture all of them looked at her strangely as if she was a fool and then looked at Evan as if they were going to have trust in her, which she could not accept!

On the other hand, Evan did not say a word as she only chuckled and shook her head. Her expressions were like a parent who did not want to argue with a small kid, knowing that it would only waste their time and efforts.

The girl was clearly looking down on her! There was no way that Olivia would accept it.

"Since you are so sure that the painting is real. Why don't we have a bet on it?" asked Olivia in a challenging voice and Evan who was about to turn and leave halted and looked back at Olivia unhurriedly.

"Sure, but what would be on the stake?" asked Evan in a lazy voice. There was a strange confidence on her face that made Olivia panic too. But she calmed herself. 

This was only her act to scare her, she would not fall into her trap! So, she mimicked the same confidence that Evan had and looked at her with a smirk as she offered in a challenging voice, 

"If you win, I will accept that you are greater than me and will not come in your way between you and Leo. But if you lose you will leave Leo and return to where you belong!"