The Duke's Masked Wife

Alessandra tiptoed because of their height difference and kissed Edgar's forehead where the bruise had formed. She kept the kiss short and simple to immediately retreat against the door before Edgar could try anything else.

"We should go out now. It's a bad look after what happened at the table and now we are in a bathroom together. I do not want to explain to your grandmother that I have been injuring her precious grandson. I think she might forget about us being married and try to scold me for ruining how perfect you are," Alessandra muttered.

"Alright," Edgar replied.

Alessandra went to turn the doorknob but then stopped to look at Edgar with suspicion. "Alright? You're just going to leave without trying anything funny?"

"When I do something it's a problem and when I do nothing it's a problem. You are very hard to please, Alessandra," he flicked her nose. "If you wish for something to happen just say the word."

"It's not that it's just so odd a kiss on the forehead satisfies you. Maybe I just placed a spell on you and now you'll be obedient," said Alessandra. If only such a thing could happen.

Before he reverted back to normal, Alessandra opened the door and stepped out first but didn't make it too far as Daniel was standing on the outside with his arms folded and tapping his foot.

'Isn't this a bit too much?' Alessandra said to herself. Why was it always specifically him who was poking around in Edgar's business?

"Can I help you?" Alessandra asked after a moment of silence.

"No we can't," Edgar answered her question. There was no doubt in his mind that whatever Daniel wanted from standing outside the bathroom would piss him off. If only his grandmother would just invite Collins members to her home.

"Were the two of you fooling around again after telling your grandmother that you weren't?" Daniel asked, enjoying the fact he had something to tell Rose about the two newlyweds.

"You left your wife's side to come and spy on what I am doing with my wife. If your marriage is failing, find another way to entertain yourself," Edgar advised him. "I'll take you to see the garden, Alessandra."

"Okay," Alessandra replied, happy to get away from Daniel. She saw that he was determined to get her and Edgar in trouble like they were children so she did not want to be around him.

"Hey! My marriage is perfectly fine. It's been two years now and I still love my wife. There has been no drama between the two of us. Let's get that straight," Daniel firmly said. All of a sudden Edgar was married and now everyone else had a bad marriage? "I get that you got married recently but this kind of thing," he pointed to the bathroom door. "Should not happen."

Neither Edgar nor Alessandra responded to what Daniel said as they both felt like he should mind his business. As if they could read the mind of each other and predict what the other would do next, they both walked around Daniel.

"Hey!" Daniel exclaimed as he did not like being dismissed so easily. "I was not finished talking to you."

"Brother," Dominic approached his little brother and smacked him on the back of his head. "Stop it. Stop meddling around in their business. It's about time a married couple acts like they are married and does not sit quietly together. Finally, I can't feel the awkward tension between two people who are supposed to be in love. Finally," he stressed the word.

Daniel could not believe his brother was talking badly about the relationship he had with his wife and compared it to Edgar's relationship. "You're not married so you should not have an opinion, Dominic. My wife and I are always under each other when we're home."

"That's because you're trying to have another baby since you think it would please our father and grandmother. I'm going to find a room to fall asleep in," Dominic covered his mouth as he yawned. "Try not to get killed when I am not around. I want front-row seats to see it finally happen."

"All you do is eat and sleep, you brute! I don't see what it is father likes about you when you're so lazy. You're the oldest but you're not even married," said Daniel.

"Ah yes. It's a problem that I did not force myself to be around a certain young lady because her family has money. You were thinking about business rather than love when you proposed to your wife. I'd rather not set myself up to be unhappy like the rest of the idiots in this town but that kind of life suits you, little brother."

Daniel remained quiet, not wanting to go down this rabbit hole with his brother. "Would it hurt you to be on my side once in a while? Some older brother you are!" He yelled once Dominic got far enough and Daniel knew he wouldn't turn around to finish their conversation.

Meanwhile,

Edgar led Alessandra to the peaceful garden. There were only the workers outside so it gave Alessandra a moment to let loose and take a breath.

"I feel like a weight was just lifted off my shoulders. Was I tense that entire time?" She rubbed her arms. It didn't feel like she was tense on the inside.

"You worried for nothing. I told you my grandmother was different from my mother but even if she for some reason disliked you, it wouldn't have mattered," said Edgar.

"Why?" Alessandra looked to her side at Edgar.

"My opinion is the only one that matters. As long as I like you, you are fine."

"O-Oh," Alessandra almost tripped after hearing Edgar's words but luckily, she was caught by him. "Thank you."

"How did you manage to trip on such a flat surface?" Edgar looked down at the ground trying to make sense of it. "Did those simple words affect you that much?"

"Shut up," Alessandra pushed him away to hide her blush.