The Duke's Masked Wife



"How long is this going to continue?" Lewis stared at his wife and daughters who sat silent not speaking to each other. "You were fine before you left town to travel here. Melanie, you are the adult." 

"Which is why I should be respected," Melanie replied. Melody and Claire were acting a fool since their father and brother arrived in Lockwood. Acting like she had done something to them.

"We are not here to be arguing amongst ourselves. We are here to be making up for the time you were away from your daughter. A daughter I did not know about I must add. Why hasn't she welcomed the idea of dinner?" Lewis asked for anyone to answer.

"It is mother's fault," Melody answered.

"Enough!" Melanie demanded, taking a deep breath to calm her anger. 

Melody didn't want to sit still and lie to her father just as her mother was doing from the moment he arrived. Their mother was acting clueless as to why Alessandra had not yet responded to the numerous invitations. "Alessandra had been meeting with us until mother showed how little she cared about making up for lost time. She would have come to have dinner with us if mother made a proper effort to show our sister that she cares-"

"Know your place, Melody. I've raised you to speak your mind, but to also respect your parents. Do not lecture me on what I am dealing with my own daughter," Melanie said, having enough of Melody trying to lecture her. "She offered you the opportunity to become a scholar and you've quickly turned your back on me."

"It had nothing to do with what she offered me. I realized our mistakes before she made those offers. She only made those offers because I showed her a piece of who I really am. How dare you believe that anyone can pay me to be against you, mother. Am I not to have morals and a change of heart when I know I am wrong? Is it only wrong because I am calling out how you have been acting? The moment we stepped on Lockwood soil you have changed or have you always been like this?" Melody genuinely wanted to know.

"I am the same as I always have been," Melanie replied.

"Then it is truly disappointing," Melody shook her head. "Father, the issue does not lie with my sister. It is mother and she has been lying to you. Claire and I walked around the town and heard the things said about Alessandra and her mask. The curse and how people distanced themselves from her. We care more about what happened than mother. You want everything to fall into place so you can go back to the life you enjoy and it will not, mother."

Lewis looked at his wife, trying to understand her while Melody expressed herself. Normally he would never let the children be this hard on Melanie, but the moment called for it. Melanie was not acting like herself at the moment. A stranger sat before him. "Melanie, have you spoken to her about what happened when she lived with her father?"

"I have and Alessandra keeps being angry with me for not returning to take her from her father's care. I did not know he remarried and the woman would treat her so horribly. Desmond loved Alessandra dearly. Loved her more than me as he should have so I thought she would have been fine. I could never have predicted he would let her be treated that way. There is nothing I could do to change what happened so we should move forward," Melanie answered.

"You needed to let her get her anger out and apologize for returning to see her. I understand you did not want to travel with a young child back then, but the fact of the matter is that you did not check up on how the child was doing. A single visit would have shown you that your daughter needed you. Or was it your intention for the town to think your husband killed you?" Lewis asked.

"I am not that cruel," Melanie looked up at Lewis. "It is hard for me to stomach listening to what she endured-"

"Then think of how painful it was for her to endure all of those things alone. To be wounded so young and have to wear a mask because people think you are cursed and don't want to see your face. If you were to fall out of love with father, would you leave us?" Melody asked as it had been weighing her mind. She never wanted to wake up one day and her mother was not around. 

"Of course not! There is no chance for me to fall out of love with your father and I care for all of you to leave you," Melanie replied. Her daughters were grown enough to travel around with her if she ever wanted to leave Lewis, but no one had to ever worry about it since she loved her husband so much.

"Is the reason you don't understand Alessandra's feelings is that you don't care for her as you care for us? Do you love us more because you love our father?" Claire softly spoke up for the first time since the discussion began. "You hate Alessandra's father and you've been away from her for so long while you've raised us and love our father. Is there a difference between us and her?"

Melanie folded her arms and tapped her fingers against the back of her arms. "There is bound to be a difference. I have watched the two of you grow. I have a bond with you while I must reconnect with Alessandra."

"Girls, please leave your mother and me alone for a moment. Go outside to see when your brother will be returning with the vegetables," Lewis said as he did not want them around for the other half of the conversation.

Lewis waited for Melody and Claire to leave first before speaking with Melanie. "I feel lost with you these days, Melanie. I don't know what to make of you. I have always been honest with you. I've told you about my life before I met you. You made mention of being married before, but did not include it was to a Baron and you had a daughter. I don't understand why you could not tell me that you had a daughter. Did you think I would not want her around? For heaven's sake, you have raised my son who does not share blood with you."

Lewis could never push away Melanie's daughter when she had taken care of his son like he was her own. He was not cruel to pull Melanie away from his daughter. He felt betrayed that Melanie would keep this secret from him and only thanks to the court finding her had she spoken up. 

"You told me that your husband made life horrible for you and you never wanted to see him again, but you could not just forget about your daughter. You cannot be so cold to her because she reminds you of your time with your late husband. The woman I knew and fell in love with would be trying her hardest to be with her daughter again. I need that woman to be here right now because I find myself wanting nothing to do with the woman before me," Lewis confessed. 

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