The Duke's Masked Wife

"I have nothing to say to you. Please leave me alone. You are causing a scene," Alessandra stated.

Most of the people passing by had stopped to witness the end result of Alessandra's guard aiming his sword at Clark. Edgar was the one who wanted to speak with Clark, not her. Why on earth was her uncle so desperate to talk with her? She had no money to offer him and she would never convince Edgar to give him some.

"I only need a moment to speak with you. We are family. I will not make this situation better for you if you send me away. Hurry up, Alessandra. The people are starting to talk," said Clark. Judging from how much she disliked the stares, he knew she would be pressured into having a moment with him in order to avoid giving the people around them something more to talk about.

To pressure her further, Clark added, "Everyone is looking for something to say about you. Will you let rumors spread of how you are pushing your family away now that you have hooked yourself to a rich man? Do you want to be viewed in the same light as your mother?"

Alessandra was curious about what he knew regarding her mother but she did not wish to fall into his trap. "Caleb, please get him out of my sight," she gave the order and walked in the opposite direction to avoid her uncle.

Alessandra did not trust he would give her the full truth about her mother. Clark was certainly the type to talk about whatever anyone wanted to hear and add in lies where he saw fit.

Clark was well aware of the treatment she got when her father was alive. She once looked to him for the affection she lacked from her father but he would turn her away as his only purpose for visiting was to obtain money and then skip town. She had nothing to say to any of her family.

"Alessandra," Clark stepped to the side to get a better view of her behind the tall man. "I have the same plans as you. I want to get revenge just like you do," he started to chase after her but a strong grip on his shoulder stopped him.

"Be more aware of your surroundings little man. The Duchess has nothing to say to you. Walk away while your feet are intact,' Caleb shoved Clark backward with enough strength to almost make him stumble.

Clark glared up at Caleb. Alessandra's guard was unnecessarily standing in his way of speaking to his niece. "I am the brother of the Baron."

"Late Baron. Aren't you ashamed to be using your brother's name to get you places? I hold the Duchess in the same regard as I do the Duke. Whenever Edgar tells me to get someone out of his sight, I dispose of them. Scram or you will visit your brother in the afterlife."

Clark could not waste this one glorious opportunity. The Duke warned him to stay away from Alessandra and if she opened her mouth before he convinced her to go up against Katrina with him, he was certainly dead. He had to take a risk.

"Alessandra!" Clark called out her name and tried to run around the tall brute standing in his way but once again, he was grabbed by his collar.

"You little fucker-"

"Caleb," Alessandra returned to stop Caleb before anything could be done to her uncle. The crowd was getting bigger and gossip would quickly spread about family drama. "Bring him to the carriage. I will entertain him for a moment."

It was annoying that after she was finally able to run away and start living her life how she wanted the people she meant to call family would find a way to block her happiness. Had she run away far out of Lockwood no one would come looking for her like her uncle was now. They would have wiped their hands clean of her and be thankful a burden was lifted off their shoulders.

"I will be back in a moment," Alessandra informed Sally and Erin.

Alessandra, Caleb, and Clark entered the carriage to have a private conversation away from prying eyes.

"Thank you for taking the time to hear my words, Alessandra. How have you been? Are you handling your father's death well?"

"Uncle Clark, do not pretend as if you care about me. You are only in town to get what belonged to my father and gain something from my husband. What do you truly want for me?" Alessandra wanted to cut past the fake concern and get to the point.

"The Baroness is refusing to see me. Your father promised that everything belonging to him would be given to me if something were to happen to him. Help me get rid of that woman. I'm sure you want to get back at her for how she treated you," said Clark.

"If I did not get married and you inherited everything in my father's name, you would have tossed me, Kate, and the Baroness on the street. I don't care about getting revenge. I'm happy and I'm moving on with my life. Katrina is your problem. Stop wishing to speak with me after or I will not go easy on you," Alessandra gave him a warning.

"How annoying," the smile Clark had been showing to her quickly fell. "You stole the spot that belonged to her daughter. Do you honestly think she will leave you? We have to strike before Katrina does something drastic. All I need you to do is lend me your support and husband's resources. I will get rid of her alone. I would also like to fix our relationship."

"This family is so greedy," Alessandra muttered. She had a feeling Clark won't be the last of her father's family to come looking for her. "No one cared until I married Edgar. My decision remains the same. I am not helping you. Do not appear anywhere near me, my home, or my husband."

"Your husband has agreed to help me. I am offering something you have desperately wanted for years. The chance to have a relationship with your family. I can make everyone else apologize for not being there-"

"I am not desperate to have you make anyone apologize to me. I don't care about my father's family. I am done with this conversation. Please forget that I am your niece when you exit this carriage as I have already forgotten who you are to me," Alessandra said. Just like her father, his relatives were dead to her.

Clark's hand twitched to smack some sense into her. She had no idea what it took for him to be pleading for help from someone who had been avoided by society a moment ago. "You little ungrateful brat. I was expecting you to be smart after snagging the Duke but you are a fool."

"I could say the same. I would expect something more from the brother of a Baron but you are just a lowlife scrambling to pick up what belongs to someone else."

Clark saw red at Alessandra's insult and leaned forward with his hand raised to slap her but it was held by Caleb who was angrier than Clark was. "Ah!" Clark groaned in pain when his hand was bent backward with enough force to break it. It felt like something was being ripped the more Caleb bent it.

"Should I kill him, Duchess? I can make it quick and quiet," Caleb suggested. Men who raised their hands at women did not deserve to live.

"Y-You can't kill me."

"Why not?" Alessandra genuinely asked as she didn't see why she couldn't. "You have been harassing me therefore my guard is protecting me. Why does this moment feel so familiar? Ah, I see. It's the same pitiful look my father gave me right before I let him be killed."