The Duke's Masked Wife



"My lady-"

"Get out!" Kate ordered the maid. "I want to be alone."

Her mother would be killed, and since she had stayed behind to hide, she had missed any chance to plead for her mother to be spared. The thought of her mother dying pained her, but what added to it was the fact that the court ordered her to be hung so the town could see what would happen to those hurting others.

They continue to fail someone who has been hurt most of her life. Punishing her while others who deserved to be killed walked around untouchable, like Edgar, who killed her father and did not receive a punishment.

The maid quietly left the room to give Kate some space to grieve for her mother in peace. She closed the door behind her. She had no idea where Kate would go from there, and she had a feeling that Kate also did not know where she would go from there. Kate was now alone with a husband, mother, or father. She should turn to her sister for help.

Kate continued to stare at the paper as if the words would change and there would be a different punishment for her mother. Losing her father was painful, but losing her mother felt worse. There was a different love she had for her mother compared to her father. She could easily move on from her father's death, but not from her mother's. She could not live without her mother.

Kate's knees felt weak, and instead of trying to reach the bed to sit down, she dropped to the floor. Tears started to flow from her eyes, dropping onto the paper and ruining the ink. It was not supposed to end this way. She could have left town with her mother and never bothered Alessandra again. They would all be alive. 

"I can't," Kate bit her lip as she found it hard to get more than two words out. She felt numb without having to drink something to feel this way. The last piece of happiness holding her together had shattered. What was she to do now?

Kate could not visit her mother in the palace dungeon and hold on to the hope that her mother would be freed after a few years and they would be together again. There was no one for her to lean on in the future. 

Regardless of what Katrina had done, she was Kate's mother. The court and Alessandra stole all that Kate had left.

Alessandra knew what it was like to be without a mother, and yet she still went ahead to place that same fate on Kate. Alessandra was not as kind as she wanted others to believe. Kate knew the truth, and that is why she did not regret the things she did to Alessandra in the past. Alessandra deserved every bit of it since she had now taken her mother away from her.

The voice in her head was wrong that she should feel sorry for Alessandra.

"What am I to do?" Kate asked herself. She felt more helpless than she did before the news arrived. 

Her mother would be gone and she would not have to worry about what the town would say, but Kate had to face their words at some point. There would come a time when she would have to leave her home and be taunted by people like Grace, who would show off her husband and her happy life. 

Though she had money to last her for a while, Kate felt worthless since she had no title, reputation, or beauty. The gossip and rumors would eventually break her. Life in Lockwood was never easy when you didn't have someone to shield or guide you. Kate knew it, as she was often the one to toy with those who had no protection. 

"Why stay here? You know you'll be compared to Alessandra who has everything."

Kate made no attempt to ignore Simon's voice which continued to haunt her. She wished she had taken Bella's offer for them to heal together. She hid in her home to get away from the words of the town, but Simon's voice made life inside hell for her. 

Kate never told her mother or anyone else, but before Simon's voice, there were others who pushed her to torture Alessandra from a young age. She had gotten better at ignoring them, but her time with Simon and the comparisons to Alessandra brought them back more than ever. There were headaches and strange feelings like someone was placing their hand on her. 

"I cannot do this alone," Kate continued to cry. She needed someone to help her, but there was no one by her side now.

Kate looked ahead at the open window where a breeze came in. A single thought filled her mind.

Kate slowly got to her feet, almost falling over because she could not properly balance herself as she was still shaken up about her mother's death. She gripped the two sides of her dress as she dragged her feet to the window. 

As soon as she got closer to the large open window, she stepped up onto the little space of wall where her feet barely fit and tried to keep herself balanced. She looked down at the drop from the window of the second floor to the rocky path down below. 

Death was better than living under the pressure of Lockwood. This town will eat her up alive, as she will be the source of their entertainment. Kate had no idea what life outside of Lockwood would be like for her to travel by herself to search for a new life. This was her only option at the moment. 

Kate thought over her options one last time, but could not find a better solution than this. She would not stay around for Grace to mock her or for Alessandra to smile in her face because she had completely ruined their lives. 

Kate stuck one foot out to attempt to jump, but it was harder than she anticipated. She took a deep breath and decided to do it in one go, or she would never be able to do it. Kate jumped from the window, feeling like someone had pushed her back to help her get it over with.

By night, on the Collins estate, Alessandra stared at the flowers she had painted on the walls. She wondered if it would be too girly if they were to have a boy. She looked to her right at the fish Alfred had painted for some reason. She learned today that, just like Edgar, Alfred could not paint. If not for Edgar looking like Edmund, Alessandra would wonder if Priscilla's anger stemmed from the fact that Alfred was somehow Edgar's real father. 

"You should tidy up and prepare for dinner. Your dress is covered in paint. It was a good decision to wear one you could toss out after," Alfred said, looking at the spots of paint on Alessandra's hands and dress.

"We've made a bit of a mess on the floor. We should-"

"No!" Alfred panicked, taking the rag Alessandra wanted to use to go down and clean the spilled paint.  "I shall take care of it. You should go wash out before the paint dries on your skin, and we have been away from Edgar for too long. He must miss your presence."

The door opened and in walked Edgar, inspecting the newly painted room. His eyes then settled on Alessandra, who smiled at him. She was completely unaware of what the town was talking about now.

"What kind of talent is this for him to always walk in when someone is speaking about him? Edgar- What is it?" Alessandra felt nervous as she sensed something was wrong. 

Edgar did not show his usual teasing smile and it seemed like he was hesitant to tell her something. 

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