The Duke's Masked Wife

Simon was interested in the relationship between Kate and Alessandra.  It wasn't every day he stumbled across sisters who hated each other so badly that one injured the other's face. Simon backed away from Kate and went to sit on the bed.

"You're a smart girl Kate. Surely you won't lie to me about what I want to hear next. What happened to your sister's face?" Simon asked. At the first sign of a lie, Kate would be spending her wedding night with Bella.

Kate clenched her fists. This did not need to be talked about now but she did not want to face whatever Simon would do to her if she lied to him. Kate was not going to die at Simon's hands. She would get out of here.

"Our father always had one favorite. It used to be Alessandra and nothing I did could match up to her. One day I got really angry and we were alone, I attacked her. Scratched away at one side of her face as much as I could. I went to get a lantern to burn her but  I was caught before it could happen. I didn't ruin her face myself. Alessandra started crying and clawed at her own face," said Kate.

Back then, she was puzzled by why Alessandra finished off ruining her face when she was so loved by their father. Alessandra ruined herself further by digging at the wounds Kate created. None of that mattered now as those wounds healed and they were hardly visible.

"Are you blaming her?" Simon asked. It felt like Kate was trying to take some of the blame off herself. "It's funny you openly admitted to wanting to set your sister on fire but then pointed fingers at her. It must have been traumatic for her so she attacked her own face."

"You have no place to be trying to understand anyone," Kate said, glancing at Lila who Simon killed for simply speaking to him.

"I can," Simon disagreed with Kate. "I was once the victim like your sister. Tormented by my own flesh and blood daily. You're lucky your sister did not turn into a madwoman and tried killing you all in your sleep. A rumor that she was cursed. I learned it was fueled by you and your mother.  Perhaps, I should have sought after your sister instead of you."

"Look at you. Even second to her now," Simon chuckled. "If William would have moved quickly to get her before Edgar did, I might have your sister now and would have married her instead of you."

Kate narrowed her eyes as no one should know about William wanting Alessandra. She hardly knew about it and from the meeting at the court, Alessandra requested that information would not be spread around. "How do you know about that?" She asked.

"William told me of course. He was the only person to know my true personality. He used to borrow money from my family before he became the man you know him to be before his death. He continued to come to me when my parents died and I helped him. I enjoyed his love for a special kind of art. Edgar ruins the funs for everyone. You are something Kate special to me like his art," Simon smiled.

"How twisted your mind must be to have a civil conversation with me when you after you found out I killed your friend. There must be something wrong with right here,"  Simon tapped the side of his head. "You have a twisted mind just like me."

"I do not!" Kate disagreed with Simon. She was nothing like him. There was simply no point in continuing to cry for Lila who was already dead when she had to worry about keeping herself alive.

"You are faced with the fact your new husband is a killer. A little bit on the crazy side maybe. You shed a few tears for the life you got yourself into because you were chasing after my title. Shed less when you saw your friend and when I gave you two options, you mentioned your sister who has nothing to do with this. A sane person wouldn't think of burning their sister. Admit it, Kate. There's something wrong with you," Simon said.

Whether it be the lack of concern she had for other people, her poor reaction to her friend who Simon honestly believed Kate secretly enjoyed had died, or what he witnessed at the King's birthday Ball.

"I had the pleasure of watching you covering your ears and claiming you can hear others comparing you to your sister. It's a shame your mother stopped you. It was quite the show. Those voices will only get louder the more you ignore them and they won't stop if that person is still in your life. Lucky for you, I want to get Edgar desperately trying to find me. It would shake up the town more if my next victim is the Duchess. Don't you think?" Simon asked and then waited for Kate to accept his offer.

Simon was attracted to how two-faced Kate was and could act just like he wanted, but he was enjoying this new side to her. This hidden anger and jealousy toward her sister were exciting. He could mold Kate to be like himself. Then they would perfectly replace his parents.

Kate wanted nothing more than to get away from Simon, but at the same time, since Simon was never caught for the things he did, he would be the best person to get rid of Alessandra. Kate's world was shattered by the man Simon turned out to be so it was only fair Alessandra's would shatter too. Kate's marriage would forever be compared to Alessandra's if she left Alessandra alive.

'He owes me a title and the life that goes with it," Kate thought. The papers were signed and all that belonged to Simon would go to her. She could let him go after Alessandra while she found a way to get out of there and expose him. She would get rid of both Simon and Alessandra.

"It isn't easy to get to Alessandra. I have tried," said Kate. Edgar would always block whatever plan she made to get someone close to Alessandra.

"I might have something to aid you. More than a month ago, my mother imprisoned a cook Alessandra cares for. I do not know if he is still alive but he is somewhere hidden near our home as a backup to use against Alessandra. I overheard my mother speaking about it."

"Look at you already helping your husband out instead of pleading to be freed or for me to leave your sister alone after the pain you have caused her. There's no turning back for you, Kate. I am glad I watched you a little bit longer instead of snatching you away while no one was watching," Simon said, glad he changed his plans.

Kate would have gone to waste if Simon did what he originally wanted to when he eyed her as his next target.

"Do you wish to see who used to amuse me before you?" Simon asked, ready for her to meet with Bella. "You should know of a young lady named Bella. Her name is in the papers once a week.  A young actress. She would have been big if not for, well me," he pointed at himself. "I can speak for myself when I say she is good at pretending to be someone else. She is just like you and all the others but her tears didn't dry up as quickly as your tears did. Know of her?"

"I never met her but I have heard of a missing woman named Bella. One of your victims. They say she must be dead by now since her body was never found like all the others. Everyone thinks they missed where her body was placed. It is unlikely her captor kept her alive," Kate said what she knew.

Kate never thought about whether Bella or the girls before and after her were alive. None of them was her friend for her to be concerned over their disappearance. She once called them foolish for being taken. Lockwood was such a busy town and yet they managed to be taken.

Kate now had to eat her words as she thought only of a title and married the madman who killed those same girls.

Kate thought she was successfully tricking Simon but he was miles ahead of her. Kate looked back on their conversations now and realized the real meaning behind the things Simon told her. Responses she thought were innocent had a different meaning now. Like the servant's loyalty and her running away if he told her about the gifts.

However, Simon had another thing coming if he thought he could control her. Nothing would stop her from getting the life she desired. Not Alessandra, not Edgar, and certainly not Simon.

"Are you ready to pay Bella a little visit? I am sure she is excited to know my home now has a lady. I want to see her plead with you to get help. Come with me," Simon stood and held out his hand for Kate to hold.

Kate did not wish to touch his hand which dragged Lila into this room but she had a role to play in order to survive. "Lead the way," she placed her hand in his and forced a smile.