The Duke's Masked Wife 2: The Prince's Outcast Bride
Chapter 221: Opportunists (1)

Chapter 221: Opportunists (1)

At the Harris home, Melody arrived for a long-overdue family talk.

Without her parents’ knowledge, Melody sent invitations to her siblings’ homes so they could be present for this talk.

Rather than beat around the bush about what everyone felt, Melody wanted everything to be out in the open today. It was time for the family to stop pretending. It was a grave problem when the children were pulled into this mess, and no matter how old Penelope was, she was still a child.

"Melody!" Claire, Melanie’s third daughter, called to her sister.

Claire stepped out of the carriage sent by her husband and stared at her sister in wonder. Why was it so important that she saw her parents today?

"You gave me quite a fright with your invitation. I apologise for not bringing my husband along, but if there is drama, it is not something I want him to see," said Claire.

"I didn’t ask that you bring him or the children. I only wanted you because there is an important talk that we must have about our sister," said Melody.

Claire frowned. "This again? I thought we had moved on from this. Mother wrote to me about her issues with Penelope, and I found her actions to be quite rude."

"I agree that mother-"

"Not mother," Claire said, surprised that Melody thought their mother was the issue. "Penelope and the others. Your work is to teach young girls and prepare them for the life ahead. Surely you know that there is a way to speak to your elders."

"I know that there is a way, but my mother’s actions are not something I can agree with. From what I have seen since I returned, our mother has been someone I cannot recognise. I am certain she told you the story to her favour," said Melody.

"And likewise, I am certain Penelope told you the story to her favour," Claire responded.

"No, Penelope hasn’t told me her side. She could have written to me to ask for my help, but she didn’t. I learned of their falling out from my mother, and then I witnessed the truth. That is why I called you and our brother here. You must trust me," Melody pleaded.

"I trust your word, but I am tired of this. For how much longer must we face this matter? Alessandra doesn’t want to be close to our mother, and I have respected that. Why do you and her children continue to force it?" Claire asked.

Claire wanted to have calm family meetings where her children weren’t roped into hearing about her mother’s past. They could all move on.

"Isn’t it enough that we have a relationship with Alessandra and her family? While she isn’t close to her mother, she has us. We have another sister," Claire said, seeing it as enough.

Melody shook her head. "We shall speak inside."

Claire sighed, but she walked with Melody inside. Her decision not to involve her husband was best.

Melody entered the home and heard her older brother’s voice. She followed the voice and found her family sitting at the table with Melanie serving Luke, Melody’s brother, food.

Lewis Harris, Melanie’s husband, stood up. He was surprised to see all his children present in his home.

"When you are all together, that means trouble," Lewis said, but still, he walked over to his daughters to hug them. "Why hasn’t anyone brought the children?"

Melanie looked down at Luke. She needed his help now more than ever, and luckily for Melanie, Luke was always on his side. She was his true mother now.

"They needed a break from the children," said Melanie.

Melanie stared at Melody, who was the cause of all of this. Had Luke not mentioned that her daughters would be joining him, then she would have been ambushed, unprepared, and wouldn’t have known what to say to her husband.

Melody stared right back at her mother. When she last saw her mother, Melody wasn’t planning to be near her anytime soon, but Melody felt like it was her duty to gather family.

Melody was the one closest to Alessandra and all the children since she tutored them.

"You should sit down," Melody said, ushering her father back to his seat.

Lewis frowned. He thought this was a happy occasion, but seeing how serious Melody was and after looking around, he realised he was excluded from something.

Lewis’s first thought was that someone was sick. He continued to think the worst about why they were all gathered today. Still, he sat down and waited.

Melody remained standing alongside Melanie, who didn’t want to sit.

"By now, I am certain all of you know of the current tension between mother and Alessandra’s children-"

"Why are you doing this?" Luke spoke up, cutting Melody’s speech short. "You’re stirring up drama for this family."

"I am not the one stirring up drama. There was drama long before I returned to Lockwood, and, luckily, I came just in time to settle this," said Melody.

"So drama was stirred up, settled, and now you’re stirring this back up. What for? What do you get out of this?" Luke asked.

"Luke," Lewis spoke up. "Let your sister speak."

Lewis was curious about the drama since no one could explain to him why he hadn’t seen Alessandra’s children recently. It was odd, and he thought Melanie was acting strange, but since no one said anything, he thought it was all in his head.

"Must we truly speak about this father? We keep going around in circles," said Luke.

"There won’t be any more circles today because I am putting this matter to rest now. We shall speak honestly about how we feel, and then move on from this. After this talk, I won’t bring this up or get involved in your troubles with Alessandra," Melody promised.

Melanie didn’t care for Melody not bringing it from tomorrow and onward. What was said today might affect her marriage. This was what Melody failed to realise.

"I want to hear it, and we will all speak," Lewis said, tired of all the secrets. "Melanie, sit down."

"Father," Luke said, trying to stop it. "Why must we-"

"Luke, either you keep quiet and listen, or you get out of my home. What is it that all of you have been whispering amongst yourselves and keeping me out of?" Lewis asked, looking around the table. "I should have been told of any drama."

Lewis looked at Melanie since she was the one who should have told him what occurred. It shouldn’t have come to a sit-down with their children. "What have you hidden from me?"