The Duke's Masked Wife

"My two beautiful nieces together in one place. My dear brother would be happy to see this family reunion. Why do you look so surprised to see me, mother?" Clark grinned, finding his mother and Katrina's reaction to be priceless. Neither one of them thought to invite him but he was lucky to hear the gossip in time. "You didn't think I would miss such an important meeting, did you? When news about Desmond spread, I just had to show up.'"

"You were supposed to be back home," Greta said, annoyed by his visit. Clark would only worsen the situation since he didn't know when to shut his mouth. "Do not step foot inside this court, Clark."

"I would love to be an obedient child and listen to your request but I already made the court aware that I am coming. It would be rude for me not to show up when they are already expecting me. You didn't raise me to be rude," Clark replied. One way or the other, he was going to get something out of this meeting.

There was one side that wanted him to shut up and one side that would love for him to speak. Clark would never let go of Katrina trying to kill him but before he got back at her, he planned to get some money out of today. He was not going to let her take his brother's belongings and he would be left with nothing.

His appearance riled them up as much as he knew it would. Clark's goal was to get something out of Katrina but if a wealthy man like Edgar offered him a better deal to be on their side, there was no question about who he would side with.

"Alessandra," Clark opened his arms wide for her to greet him with a hug. He didn't try to approach her because Edgar standing beside her.

"There is something wrong with my father's family," Alessandra muttered as she watched Clark act like they had some sort of a good relationship. Maybe he had hit his head and forgotten she wasn't desperate to have a relationship with him. "We should go inside now."

"This meeting is for family only. You cannot bring strangers with you," Katrina said, looking at the older woman standing next to Alessandra.

Greta narrowed her eyes as she tried to remember where she saw the older woman and then it clicked when those striking green eyes glared at her. "You, you are Melanie's mother," she said.

"I am a little offended you took so long to recognize me. If your son didn't keep me away from his family, you would have known who I was at first glance. I'm afraid I can't say it is a pleasure to see you again, Greta Barrett. We should go inside dear," Wilma agreed with Alessandra.

Alessandra, Edgar, and Wilma walked inside the court leaving the Barretts on the outside.

"Her grandmother? Is Melanie back?" Katrina quickly asked Greta. No one informed her that Alessandra met her mother's family. The court asked about Melanie and now she couldn't help but wonder if Desmond's first wife was back.

"How am I supposed to know if that woman is back? It has been years since I saw her or her mother. Did Desmond ever allow Alessandra to speak with her grandmother?" Greta asked Katrina as she wasn't aware of the relationship Desmond had with Wilma after Melanie left him.

"He received letters but none was given to Alessandra. She must have met that woman after her marriage to the Duke. It's a bit too coincidental her grandmother is here when we have to speak about Desmond. Do you think that woman knows something?" Katrina asked, starting to worry as she hadn't thought about a third person joining Edgar and Alessandra.

Greta looked to her side and asked, "What can she know if all she did was send letters? She knows nothing and they must have only brought her here to rile us up. You said the court was looking for Alessandra's mother. Prepare yourself if she shows up today."

Kate felt like she was the only one confused about Alessandra's grandmother and mother. She thought all this time that Alessandra's mother might be dead because she had not shown up in years so why was anyone expecting a return?

Quite frankly, Kate thought her father might have done something to the woman because she once overheard him saying he would strangle his first wife if she ever showed up before him again. Then again, she had once caught him staring at a small portrait of Alessandra's mother. Her father seemed conflicted when it came to his first wife and at the thought, he might still love her, Kate had found the portrait when he was away and destroyed it.

"I don't see what the big deal is about Alessandra's grandmother. She doesn't look like anyone important. Why did my father marry her daughter?" Kate muttered.

"Looks can be deceiving child," Greta said as Kate was greatly mistaken about the wealth from Alessandra's maternal side of the family. "Her grandmother has money. Perhaps far more than I do but the woman was always tight-lipped about where her family gets their wealth. It was something your father hated because he wanted a hand in the business. No matter how much we asked, Melanie would not speak about her family's wealth."

"Wilma is not from Lockwood and resides out of town where her husband's family stays close to each other. That is all I know. That family likes to be secretive about their money because they claim not to like the high life of the wealthy. The attention it brings. Whatever Melanie asked for at her wedding, her parents brought it right away and I noticed many of their relatives dressed in gold. Your father was a fool to let Melanie leave him," Greta said, looking Katrina up and down as she came into the marriage with nothing.

Katrina rolled her eyes, hardly in the mood to be compared to a missing woman. Katrina walked ahead first to go inside the court before Greta could tell her more about Melanie. Greta should favor the daughter-in-law who is stuck by Desmond's side.

"This means Alessandra will be given wealth from her grandparents?" Kate softly spoke as her anger increased as it dawned on her the position Alessandra was in.

Not only did Alessandra manage to get a rich husband but now her grandmother who was not around in years was here to dote on Alessandra. While Kate had to get used to not spending money when she wanted to, Alessandra was surrounded by wealthy people. Alessandra stole the life meant for Kate and though she was going to have Simon, it just wasn't enough.

"This is not fair,"  Kate muttered.

"How is it not fair? Don't you have a grandmother who takes care of you too? If you want a rich grandmother from your mother's side, ask your mother to introduce us to her family. I am still waiting to see what life your mother had before your father. My days have not been peaceful since Melanie left," Greta grumbled, going inside the court to get this over with.

"Life's not fair for the younger sibling, Kate. People like you and me, have to take what we want by force," Clark said as he walked past Kate. "Even if you have to turn your back on your family."

Kate didn't want any advice from Clark who was trying to grab onto what he could from her father's death. They were nothing alike. Soon, she would have the title and life she desired while Clark would be left begging for money. Alessandra's perfect life would soon shatter as Kate started to plot her way to ruin Alessandra.

Kate tried to calm her anger as she walked into the court behind Clark. She was the last person to enter and if she waited any longer, her grandmother might get upset for holding up the meeting.

The court was somewhere no one liked to enter unless they were here to be given something of value which rightfully belonged to them. Upon entering, there were many men and only a few women dressed in a white uniform which would alert anyone that they were a part of the court. There were papers all around which Kate assumed to contain information about everyone in the kingdom.

Kate hurried to the room she saw Clark enter and reached it in time before the door could close. The man who came to their home to inform them of her father losing his title was seated at the end of the table with two men standing behind him. On the right of the table was Alessandra's side with Clark who for some reason wanted to sit on that side. While on the left were her grandmother and mother.

Kate went to the seat beside her mother. Family should sit together no matter what and Clark was only making things worse for himself by sitting on the side with Alessandra.