WRECK THE PLOT!

The Challenge (2)

A low-pitched voice, full of absolute authority and dominance, hushed the disagreement between mother and son. An instant silence reigned over everyone in the dining room. All eyes focused on the grand duke, still and unhurriedly waiting for his words. Just from this alone, Raven experienced the true meaning of the grand duke's power.

''Yes...father.'' Raven struggled a bit to call out this title. This body really had a funny reaction to addressing the grand duke as father for the first time.

'My name?' Raven eyed the man who had never paid attention to her existence. To be more specific, the true owner of that name and this body.

Raven wasn't the only who thought like this. Every person also questioned about the grand duke's act of calling her name in their hearts. This should be the first time they heard him calling out her name.

''What do you want?'' The Grand duke asked, ignoring the prying gazes on his figure.

'What?' Raven looked at the grand duke, puzzled by his words. What does she want? Why was he asking about her desires?

''What do you mean, father?'' Raven asked in return.

''I am asking if you want to take this challenge or not. The fifth young master seemed not to understand what Hibro said in the last battle on my behalf.''

Edwin's face flushed red in embarrassment upon the words from his father. Right. His father's personal butler really did say something about the battle between him and his fourth sister.

'But...' Edwin's hands curled up into a tight fist. His unwilling gaze settled on Raven. Why did his father ask this weakling? When has she ever had a say in this family?

Not accepting his father's action, Edwin tried to argue, forgetting himself for a moment. ''Father, fourth sister has no say in this battle. She disrespected mother...''

''Grand duchess, I don't think I need to say what displeases me right now.'' Ignoring Edwin's words, the grand duke glanced at the grand duchess in warning.

''This wife apologizes deeply for not educating her children well, your excellency.'' The grand duchess forced a smile on her lips. Under the table, her purple skirt was clutched tightly as she tried to reign in her anger against this foolish mother and son.

In the Langston grand duchy, she was the grand duchess, the first and original wife of the grand duke. That also meant she was the mother of his children, even if they were not her flesh and blood.

In the respective manors of each wife, the children were allowed to call them mother. But when they were out in the open, they must address her as mother, and their own mothers by their titles.

This wasn't only practiced in the Langston grand duchy, but the entire empire. It was common in a family of a nobleman with many wives.

No one knew how much the grand duchess loathed hearing other children of the grand duke apart from her son calling herself mother. For the sake of her reputation and her son's future, she had calmly endured every moments of hearing that word 'mother' from a child, not from her flesh and blood.

Now this stupid child spoiled her previous plan of making herself look like the pitiful first wife against a disobedient fifth wife in front of the grand duke.

If looks could kill, Fifth Madam and Edwin would be ten feet underground because of the grand duchess's swift and sharp glare.

''Raven, I don't have much patience to begin with. Will you be accepting this challenge or not?'' The grand duke's words focused everyone's attention back to the quiet and calculating Raven.