The Duke's Masked Wife

347 [Bonus chapter] Punish her (2)

“When do you plan to storm his house? I have a skilled group of men picked out for the job.”

Edgar looked over the layout of William’s plans he was able to get from a prisoner who once frequented William’s house. He fulfilled the prisoner’s wish to let him meet with his son who was now of age to get married before taking him back to the palace dungeon. He learned of how much William’s house was like a maze to hide his secrets from those who weren’t supposed to see what he kept inside.

Edgar had not for even a second forgotten about his plan to get rid of William once and for all. It took careful planning for how they would get in and out of William’s house without anyone on the outside seeing what was happening. Then they needed to find William before he could escape. He learned of secret doors all throughout Williams’s home and it was those secret doors he would use to get inside.

“We could strike him the moment he returns,” Caleb suggested, preferring to get William when he was out of his home.

“We cannot predict when he will return to town and the roads will be full of witnesses. That is why he has been spending so much time looking at the layout of Williams’s house you fool,” Reed insulted his brother.

“It was merely a suggestion,” Caleb retorted, reaching over to the chair beside him to smack his brother on the arm.

Reed didn’t like the sudden act of violence toward him and smacked Caleb back on his arm. “You should be nice to me before I tell mother about your fake engagement. She has been dying to get a visit from me and there is so much I am dying to tell her.”

“Don’t you dare you bastard,” Caleb muttered in a threatening tone.

Edgar gripped the paper in his hands, fed up with the two of them. How their mother managed to raise the two of them without killing one by now was beyond him. He had to reconsider if he and Alessandra honestly needed children. He couldn’t take the noise in his ears.

.....

“Who will stop me if I want to tell her-”

“I will cut out your tongues so neither of you will speak from this moment on,” Edgar ended the bickering.

“You know when you have children you cannot silence them with acts of violence,” Caleb said, pushing his chair back so Edgar would not be able to reach him.

“You are not my child which makes it easy for me to use violence to shut you up. If you wish to stay then shut the hell up or look for someone else to bother with your constant bickering. I am once again reminded why being an only child was such a blessing,” Edgar muttered, putting his attention back to William’s home.

“Who else am I to bother if not your wife? I overheard your wife wanting to plan something for your birthday-”

“What is it? No no,” Edgar stopped Caleb before the surprise could be ruined. “Do not tell me what it is.”

“How does it feel to be almost twenty-four? You have finally grown up. Married and most likely will have children soon. What is next? Will you put down your sword and live a quiet life? Perhaps move to the countryside like all the other couples-Woo!” Caleb dodged the book Edgar threw. “And with that, I will shut up. I hope you do not have any children who love to speak a lot.”

“I hope you do not have any at all,” Edgar retorted.

Reed opened his mouth to give a petty comment but was interrupted by a series of loud knocks on Edgar’s door.

“It is my grandmother,” Edgar said, leaning back in his chair. He could hear the faint sound of her yelling. After spending a lot of time doing mischievous things around her, he knew when she was yelling at him even from far away. A little gift he picked up over the years. “The two of you can leave now. I have a feeling she found out about my mother.”

It was the only thing Edgar could think of that would have her yelling for him.

Not wanting to be present when Rose was angry, Reed and Caleb did not have to be told twice about leaving.

Edgar on the other hand remained calm. His grandmother was scary when she was angry but he was not one to tremble before her.

“Edgar, how could you hide from me that it was your mother who tried to have Alfred killed?” Rose asked as soon as she stepped foot into the room. She didn’t care who was present to see her anger.

“Simple, I kept my mouth shut because I know how you would react. Alessandra,” Edgar looked past Rose to his wife with a guilty expression. “I am guessing you told her. Do not look sorry since she was bound to find out at some point. Leave us be.”

Edgar did not want her to witness how the conversation might turn. He considered killing his mother but Rose would be adamant about her dying.

Alessandra was reluctant to leave but she did not want to get in the middle of Rose and Edgar. Hopefully, they would be able to talk about this with just the two of them alone. Alessandra walked out of the room, closing the door behind her to give them privacy.

“I am not going to kill her,” Edgar said the moment the door closed. “My decision is not changing.”

Rose was puzzled by why Edgar was letting his mother get away with such a crime. “Have you forgotten she almost killed Alfred? The man who raised you? The man who shares no blood with you but he would stick his neck on the line for you. She tried to kill him!”

“I am aware of that. If Alfred had been killed, there is no question I would have killed my mother. I assure you she is getting what she deserves. I am not like my father to let her off the hook so easily. My mother will not be an issue when I am finished with her-”

“There would not be an issue with her if you kill her. Punish her more than whatever it is you are doing, Edgar. I am not satisfied with this and I am a bit disappointed that you have not ended her for what she has done,” Rose said, shaking her head at Edgar.

“The two of you have your problems and I have my own. I wanted to kill her but quite frankly it was Alfred’s decision for he wanted to be done to the person who tried to kill him and you already know he truly does not want her to die. I have severed ties with her and will no longer refer to her as my mother. I am punishing her in a place she never thought she would step foot in. Her saving grace is the fact that Alfred is alive. She is getting a well-deserved punishment but I will not kill her.”

“You,” Rose realized something. “Do you care for her? After everything she has done, do you care for her? I know you well, Edgar. You would kill her behind Alfred’s back. Have you left her alive because you are unable to kill her?”

“Wouldn’t any child find it hard to kill their mother? I am stuck in a hard place and you are not making it better but that is not why I have left her alive. I will deal with her my way and there is nothing you can say to convince me otherwise. I hope this does not create tension between us. My birthday is almost here after all,” Edgar said,

Rose wasn’t pleased with how he was dealing with his mother but there was nothing more she could do. “Fine but I want to pay her a visit right now. Let me see how she is being punished.”