My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse novel Chapter 682

Seeing Kisha gently tending to Duke's cheek, Mrs. Evans felt her throat tighten, her anxiety growing with each passing second. The way Kisha's brows furrowed in concern only made her more nervous as she softly rubbed the spot where the slap had landed.

Then, out of nowhere, the usually cold and composed Duke acted coquettishly. "Wifey, it hurts," he murmured, sounding as if he were on the verge of tears.

Mr. Winters rolled his eyes at his son's shameless display. He knew exactly what Duke was doing—putting on a show to flaunt his love for Kisha in front of the Evans, further provoking them. More than that, it was a clear message to Melody: she could never be his wife, not in this life or the next.

Kisha also had the urge to roll her eyes at Duke. She knew better than anyone that the slap was nothing more than a mosquito bite to him—it wouldn't even sting.

It was obvious he was just playing around, but instead of exposing him, she simply sighed and continued rubbing his cheek, looking sorrowful.

Meanwhile, the Evans family stared in shock. They had never seen Duke act like this before. Yet here he was, behaving like a pampered husband, seeking his wife's comfort while shamelessly flaunting their love.

Eric, Elios, Eliot, and Ethan all felt like they were witnessing something they shouldn't—the sight of Duke acting this way was almost painful to watch.

"Duke, can't you hold back a little?" Eric sighed in defeat. "You already know my sister is hurting from your rejection, and acting like this in front of her will only make it worse."

Unlike the others, Eric didn't react strongly to seeing Duke with Kisha—after all, he knew she was their long-lost sister. That knowledge made him more accepting of their relationship, though deep down, he wished things were different.

If it were up to him, no man would have her just yet. He and his brothers wanted to spoil and make up for all the years they lost with her before even thinking about marriage.

But alas, Duke had already won her heart before they had the chance to reveal the truth.

Eric's words to Duke were merely an attempt to give Melody a way out, to prevent the situation from becoming even uglier.

But could things really be smoothed over after Mrs. Evans had already slapped Duke? Of course not.

Kisha wouldn't let them brush it under the rug as if nothing had happened. Even if Duke didn't feel any pain, the slap wasn't just about physical harm—it was a blatant act of disrespect.

He had been struck in front of his subordinates, a clear sign of how little the Evans family thought of him. And that was something Kisha would never tolerate.

Kisha finally spoke, her voice clear, firm, and laced with cold authority.

"Hold back his actions? And why should he? First of all, this is Duke's territory—you should be the ones controlling yourselves. Secondly, we already informed you of our marital status earlier. While we were away, you should have talked some sense into your pampered princess, told her to have some self-respect and rein in her temper. And thirdly—shouldn't you be apologizing for striking my husband without even understanding the full situation?"

Her sharp gaze swept over each member of the Evans family, making it clear she wouldn't back down.

Mrs. Evans felt a sharp sting in her heart as she watched her daughter fiercely defend Duke while simultaneously tearing into them. Her eyes reddened instantly.

She knew she was at fault, but her body had moved before her mind could catch up. Maybe it was habit—years of shielding Melody, of letting her maternal instincts take over. But she never truly meant to slap Duke.