The Duke's Masked Wife

"Are you two ready to give your order?" Hayden approached the table as enough time had passed.

"Walk away and come back in a few minutes," Edgar said without shifting his gaze from Alessandra. He needed her answer.

"Yes sir," Hayden swung around to go back to where he had been standing before.

"I don't think you need my permission for you to love me," Alessandra softly gave her response. She was still trying to wrap her head around Edgar wanting to get rid of the contract.

"You know what I meant, Alessandra. I want you to love me back or at least open your heart to one day loving me if you have not felt something towards me yet. Though I don't think that is possible. You are willing to take off your mask for me soon because you feel something for me and you are waiting for my reaction to know whether you should give up on what you are feeling right?" Edgar hit the nail on the head with his words.

"I…" Alessandra began to answer but then closed her mouth. She had never wanted to show anyone her face so it was true there was something she felt about Edgar to be able to take that step. She started to like him just as he did with her but she never expected the contract to be forgotten and everything to be made real. "I don't know how to love someone," she admitted.

Given her childhood, she didn't have too many experiences with love, and a good example of genuine love to know what it looked or felt like.

"You are talking to someone who has never felt anything towards a woman until now. It is something that we can figure out in the future. For now, we can continue as we are. Nothing has to change from this point besides our feelings," Edgar assured her. He wanted things to stay just as it was between the two of them. "That can only happen if you are willing to give your heart to me."

"I will," Alessandra smiled, happy to start this new phase with Edgar. "It is hard to believe I have your heart."

"Somehow, you must have always had it without me even realizing it. I killed your father for you, almost tossed your step-mother out a window-"

"You did what!" Alessandra exclaimed as this was news to her. "I thought you just cut her face and told her to stop the rumors?"

"Oops," Edgar patted his mouth. Alessandra was never supposed to find out about this. "So about your heart," he reached for her hand and tried to change the subject. They were going so well with their conversation.

"Edgar, I am certain this is when you went to tell her to stop the rumors about me and Mario. Why did you almost toss her out a window? No lying?" She gripped the hand he reached out to touch her with. Alessandra knew it most likely wasn't hurting him but she wanted to show she was being serious.

"She annoyed me now, can we go back to loving each other?" He cheekily smiled.

"You!" Alessandra palmed her face with her other hand. "What am I going to do with you?"

"I told you to love me. There is your answer," Edgar said then waved his hand for their host to take their orders. "Don't think about anything else and just eat."

Alessandra wanted to yell how she could just eat when he left her with so much to think about. 'Out of all the men I could have couldn't be tied to, I ended up with the one who keeps me on my toes. I suppose it isn't that bad,' she concluded.

"Your drinks," Hayden placed two wine glasses on each side of the table. "This is one of our best blends which is almost ten years old. A perfect start for your first time here. I have to warn the Duchess that it is a little…" his voice slowly died down as he watched Alessandra take a big sip of the wine and smile.

"This tastes wonderful," Alessandra complimented the wine and then took another sip. "Is there a way for us to buy a bottle of this?"

'So it's paint, trips, and wine,' Edgar thought. There were three interesting gifts to make Alessandra happy.

"Yes, you can. We have a shop inside for our customers to buy the wines they like. I will have one wrapped up for you," Hayden said. He kept sneaking glances at the Duke to see if he was alright with his wife casually drinking the wine like a fish in water. Was it the Duke's intention to purposely get his wife drunk? "What would you like to start off with tonight?"

"Oh right," Alessandra looked down at the card she forgot to take a look at. "I'm sorry, I did not take a look at it. Please bring whatever you enjoy eating or what you think will suit us. Are you alright with that Edgar?"

"I am."

Hayden smiled as he took up the cards due to the fact the owner had ordered him to have the Duke and Duchess pick the most expensive meals. If he did that, he would be given a bonus. The Duchess had just made this easy for him to do. "Excuse me once again and enjoy your drinks."

"Why are you staring at me so much Edgar? There are other things for you to look at," Alessandra looked in another direction to escape his gaze. She had a feeling now that Edgar had gotten rid of the contract and there were no rules to create boundaries when it came to feelings, there would be so much her little heart would not be able to handle.

"Why can't I look at my wife?" Edgar asked.

"Do not become cheesy, Edgar."

"Never. That is the one thing you can never get me to be. I'm stuck in a place where I either have to look at firefly decor or you. I've picked the more interesting one. Should we have left him to decide our food? What if fireflies are added to the food?" Edgar decided to make her freak out.

Alessandra turned back to face Edgar as she did not believe his words. "That is not true. No one eats fireflies and the last place to start doing so should be here. We are meant to admire fireflies here, not eat them. I am going to put those bugs in your shirt and hide the cream if you do not stop trying to mess with me."