The Duke's Masked Wife

ραпdα nᴏνa| сom

Time quickly passed in the baron's home much to everyone's delight. For Alessandra, it meant she was closer to leaving her childhood home to live with the Duke. For Kate, it meant she would be going to live with Edgar, a surprise Alessandra was not expecting.

Katrina was counting down the hours for when she would be rid of Alessandra even if it meant she was going to live with Edgar. Desmond, on the other hand, couldn't wait for Kate to seduce Edgar and get married to him instead of Alessandra. He was praying she would get pregnant after one night with Edgar.

It soon became time for dinner and with the new changes to the house, Alessandra arrived at the dinner table. She could not remember the last time she came into the dining room to eat dinner with her family. It was always in her room alone with nothing but the noise from the farm.

Alessandra already knew which chair at the table she wanted to sit in as she neared the table. It was the one her mother used to sit in each time they had dinner.

"Alessandra?" The butler James stopped in his tracks as he entered the dining room to find Alessandra sitting at the head of the table.

In his absence, he learned that Alessandra had been proposed to by the Duke and now she was able to roam around the home as she pleased.

Even though Alessandra was engaged to the Duke, James knew Katrina wouldn't be happy to see Alessandra sitting there so he proceeded to make her move. "My lady, it would be best for you to sit elsewhere. Perhaps here," he approached the table to pull out another chair.

Alessandra looked up at the butler and the seat he was holding out for her. "I prefer the one I am in. Why do you think I sat here?"

"But-"

"I am not moving," Alessandra stood firm on where she wanted to sit. "You should finish setting the table before the others arrive rather than wasting my time.

James was at a loss for words with Alessandra not moving. It was already odd enough for her to be seated at the table but now the way she acted was different. "Katrina will not allow you to sit there," he switched his tone to something more gentle. He was merely looking out for Alessandra.

"I have a feeling she won't mind. Can I get a glass of water when you go back to the kitchen? The pitchers here are empty," Alessandra was parched after spending the remainder of the day cleaning out her bedroom to get rid of the stench from the dead kitten and starting to pack up her belongings.

Due to her not owning many things, by tomorrow morning she would be finished with her packing.

James placed down the last utensils on the table and straightened them out. He made sure each time the family gathered to eat the table would be pure perfection. "I will bring in a pitcher for you, Alessandra," he bowed then left.

Alessandra tapped her finger on the table to pass time. Sitting at the table did not feel as good as it once did. Then she started to wonder, was sitting at the table ever a good experience? She enjoyed her time with her mother while they ate but eventually, her parents would start to argue.

It was not as good as she believed it to be as a child now that she was older.

"This house has always been toxic but as a child, I thought that was what happiness meant" Alessandra muttered, leaning back in her chair as her past memories became depressing.

She started to think about what else she thought was good as a child but now she was older, it certainly wasn't good.

"This house has so much negative energy. It deserves to just be burned down."

"You really are taking this too far," Kate strutted into the dining room like a new person. It was as if her earlier encounter with Alessandra never happened. "Do as you please, Alessandra. The higher you climb the further you'll fall when this blows up in your face."

Alessandra was surprised Kate didn't curse or scream at her for what she had done with the horse shit. That wouldn't have been enough to stop Kate's antics.

"I hope you always remember that thanks to the little stunt you pulled today someone got fired. You should take responsibility. Sally was crying her eyes out." Kate took a seat far away from Alessandra on the other side of the table. She didn't trust Alessandra would not throw something else on her.

"I did not fire her, you did Kate. Yet again you push the blame for your actions onto me. When are you going to stop? Do I need to visit your bedroom again," Alessandra taunted Kate with what she did earlier. "Luckily, the horses shit every day."

"I will never forgive what you did-"

"I didn't do it with the expectation you would forgive me. I thought it was obvious I wanted the opposite. The only person here to forgive anyone in this home is me but you are all lost souls. I shall never forgive any of you," Alessandra said.

"Are you going to live the rest of your life holding onto the things we did to you? At some point, you have to let it go or it becomes pathetic," Kate found Alessandra to be nothing more than pitiful.

"No, I will not spend the rest of my life thinking about any of you. I don't think you'll be around for that long and I shall be living with the Duke. I'm afraid you will spend more time thinking about me, Kate. I hope I haunt you."

Kate placed her hands on the table, interlocking her fingers as she leaned forward in Alessandra's direction. "Keep up this confidence Alessandra. When it crumbles I'll be there to watch. When this is over I'll really make your life a living hell. You'll hate me more when that time comes."

"I have never hated you, Kate. I will admit I have feared you and you have angered me but I pity you more than anything. Many times I have placed myself in your shoes. That does not mean I like you but I don't hate you. It took me a long time to realize that it has always been pity I felt towards you."

"Do not look down on me!" Kate smacked her hands against the table. She was above Alessandra so why did she keep trying to look down on her?

"That is not me looking down on you, Kate. That is me knowing that thanks to our father not giving you the attention you sought the jealousy you felt created the monster you are now. You are the reason I shall never give in to my bad thoughts. I never want to be like you, Kate," Alessandra stated, glad she held onto who she was.

"Says the person who threw shit on me. Yes, you're really a saint. How could I forget that? I am not jealous of you and I have never been in the past. I don't know what delusional memory you have of your childhood but I suggest you get rid of it right away. It's making me pity you," Kate said as she wanted to be the one looking down on Alessandra.

Alessandra had no issue with Kate pitying her as she did not care about what Kate felt towards her. "That is fine."

"I can't believe Edgar made the decision to propose to you. What an idiot. James, please bring me one of my father's best wines," Kate rubbed her temple to calm her nerves. She spent so much time trying to understand Edgar but failed.

"He's an idiot because he didn't pick you? Kate, you are really beautiful but your heart and soul need to be worked on." Alessandra viewed Kate as one her the most beautiful people she ever laid eyes on but Kate's personality was horrible.

It was why she had such a hard time keeping a suitor. They'll leave as soon as they see past her beauty.

"You-"

"What is this I hear about my wine?" Desmond questioned as he entered the dining room with Katrina by his side. "Alessandra, why are you sitting there?"

In Desmond's eyes, Alessandra had positioned herself at the table as if she was the lady of the house.