"Have I permitted you to sit? Hmmm? Pass me a bowl of soup too!

" asked Gabriella in a haughty tone.

Evan looked at the bowl of soup in front of Gabriella and then looked at her face. She was already looking at Evan with a raised brow as if she was asking, do you dare to challenge my authority!

Evan controlled the urge to snap at her and give her two cents, and plastered a professional smile on her face.

"Yes, Matriarch. Please wait!

" She let go of the seat she was holding from behind and took another bowl to pour soup for Gabriella. She placed the soup in front of her Gabriella and bowed her head,

"Do you need anything else too, matriarch?

" asked even with a fake smile on her face. She didn't want to create a scene every time they met, especially when Leo had done so much hard work for her to leave a good impression.

Leo had been staring at Evan to see when she would snap at him. He could see her fuming and covering her cussing words with that perfunctory smile. He knew that she could refuse to hear anytime when she thought that it was going overboard.

As much as he wanted her to leave a good impression on the aunt, he wanted her to not accept any kind of disrespect. But for that he had to stand up for herself.

Gabriella shook her head,

"let me taste this first!

" Evan nodded with relief. She remembered the surprised and glittering eyes of Eli when she had tasted the soup. If they both had similar standards then she was sure that aunt Gabriella would like it too.

With that thought, she stood there with anticipation while looking at the aunt with her big animated eyes like a child waiting for apreciatoin.

Gabriella raised a brow at her confident face and then picked up the bowl of soup and took it closer to her lips

In the next second, when everyone was waiting for praise, Gabriella screamed!

"A cockroach! How dare you!

"

The bowl of soup suddenly splashed towards Evan while everyone sat there dumbfounded.

Even Evan was not able to understand what just happened. As if her legs were frozen, she stood there rooted while her eyes closed instinctively as the bowl of soup was thrown towards her.

But a few seconds passed yet she did not feel the pain of the hot liquid splattered on her. All she felt was a warm embrace that engulfed her in a sense of security.

Gabriella looked at Leo with widened eyes and her lips parted when he grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into his tight embrace. She did not even notice when he stood up from his seat and stood in front of Evan!

Leo had moved with lightning speed even before his mind could think rationally. He didn't even understand his intuitive decision himself. Why was he so worried over it when he had decided that he would not meddle into her affair when it comes to aunt Gabriella.

But it was already too late.

"Splatter

"

The hot soup had already been splashed all over the back of Leo.

"Aahh

" a scream instinctively left her mouth when she felt his grip on her tighten a bit.

"Bang!

" The bowl fell on the ground and created a loud sound while its shards fell on the feet of Leo too.

The loud sound was enough to bring everyone back to their senses. They finally come out from their initial shock. While Gabriella trembled with fear. Her eyes were still filled with shock.

Though she had been strict and cold with everyone, she always had respected Leo who was the future heir of the house of Thawyne. And he had handled every responsibility well since childhood. Even she did not dare to disrespect her. But not even in her dreams had she thought that Leo would come in between. Did he not dislike her too? Then why had he risked himself for protecting her?

Her eyes fell on the wet clothes of Leo. His white shirt was sticking to his back and she was sure it was too hot to burn his back.

"Leo, are you okay?

" asked Eli as she stood and ran towards Leo followed by eve.

"Leo! I had never thought that you would come in between when I would try to teach her a lesson!

" mumbled Gabriella too as she stood up to check up on him.

Leo finally left Evan from his tight grip and turned towards his family slowly. His eyes were colder and filled with bloodthirst that Gabriella stood there frozen. Her face turned ghastly pale. She had seen him glaring at others, but this was the first time when she was at the receiving end of his ire.

Though he did not say a single word to her, his cold gaze was enough to let goosebumps all over her skin.

"I never acted against any of your decisions but that did no mean, i will bear violence in my place.

" his cold voice rang in her ears like danger bells. She could feel the alarm, but how could she accept that a child had challenged her authority?

Who would respect her if Leo would be able to disrespect her in front of everyone. No, she would not handle defeat so easily!

"What do you mean by your palace. It is our palace!

" her voice turned cold matching his when a smirk formed on his lips. But she was sure that she saw the devil rising from the hell when he looked at her with that blood red shining eyes.

Even Eli and Eve took a step back when their eyes met his. He was raging and only their mother could have calmed him down but she was not here anymore.

"Why? Did you forget that i was the one who was sitting on the seat of head just a while ago?

"

"...........

"