Filed to story: Second Chance Mafia Bride Drama Novel
This place wasn’t her home-not anymore. Not since her mother was gone. She just hadn’t wanted to see it before. Now, wherever Nicholas was, that would be her true home.
“You don’t need to take so much with you,” Nora chided with forced affection. “If people see you moving out like this, they’ll get the wrong idea.”
“I’d rather have my things with me,” Serena said lightly. “Who knows what might happen to them if I leave them here?”
Rubina, who had just come around the corner, blanched at the words. Her usual gentle smile slipped away entirely.
Serena ignored the looks on their faces. She wheeled her suitcase to the door, but just as she was about to leave, she paused. Turning back, she spotted a small object on the edge of the table-a fake camera.
She picked it up and tossed it neatly into the trash.
Rubina gaped. “What?”
“Oh, I forgot to mention-” Serena’s voice was innocent, almost playful. “That was just a decoration. Not an actual security camera. I just wanted to spook the thief into revealing themselves. Never imagined it would be you, Rubina.”
Rubina’s face contorted with outrage. But Serena only felt a surge of satisfaction as she rolled her suitcase out the door.
She’d arrived at the house by cab, and left the same way.
When she returned to Rosewood Manor, the atmosphere felt immediately off.
The housekeepers jumped as soon as they saw her walk in, exchanging nervous glances, but none of them approached to explain. Instead, as if by instinct, they all cast their eyes upstairs.
There was something in their looks-anticipation, a hint of schadenfreude, as though they were waiting for a show at Serena’s expense.
Before she could ask what was going on, noise erupted from upstairs-
“All of this-throw it out! Who brought all this junk in here? Haven’t I said this is my room? No one comes in without my permission!”
A young girl’s voice echoed from the room.
Serena’s eyes darkened. She handed her suitcase to one of the maids. “Take this upstairs for me,” she instructed.
Without another word, she headed up the grand staircase and walked straight to the guest bedroom. As she reached the door, she saw a strikingly dressed girl perched on the edge of the bed, giving orders to the maids as if she owned the place.
The clothes Serena had neatly hung in the wardrobe the day before were now piled carelessly on the bed. Her suitcase, which she’d tucked in the corner, had been dragged out and dumped in the middle of the room as if it were rubbish.
Serena’s eyes flashed with cold anger.
“Ma’am?!”
The two maids froze when they saw her, their faces draining of color. Caught holding her belongings, they didn’t know whether to drop them or put them back, and just stood there, awkward and silent, glancing nervously at the girl on the bed.
Serena followed their gaze.
She’d recognized the voice from downstairs-it belonged to Alice, Mary’s daughter.
Mary’s husband had been the Salerno family’s chauffeur. Years ago, he’d died saving Lady Salerno in a tragic accident. Ever since, Mary and her daughter had enjoyed a special status in the household, set apart from the other staff.
Though Alice was technically a servant’s daughter, Lady Salerno treated her almost like family. Over time, Alice began to see herself as a member of the Salerno household-half heiress, half guest.
In her previous life, Alice had made Serena’s days here a living hell.
“Who gave you permission to touch my things?” Serena’s voice was icy as she surveyed the mess in her room from the doorway.
The two maids shifted uneasily, lips parting but no words coming out. Shame kept them silent.
“Are these yours?” Alice rose from the bed, eyeing Serena up and down. “Why are your things in my room? Are you new here? Hasn’t anyone told you this entire wing belongs to the family? Staff aren’t allowed in these rooms without permission.”
Her tone was lofty, as if Serena really were just another housemaid.
But anyone could see Serena’s poise and tailored clothes set her miles apart from the staff. To mistake her for a maid, you’d have to be blind-or, more likely, doing it on purpose.
And Alice didn’t look blind, not by a long shot.
Especially since the maids had just called her “Ma’am.” Alice wasn’t deaf, either.
Serena lifted her gaze lazily, ignoring Alice, and turned to the maids instead. “You don’t recognize me? Is this a new maid?”
Alice’s expression faltered. She glanced down at her expensive outfit, so obviously unlike anything the staff wore.
“I’m not a maid!” she snapped.
“Oh? Then who are you?”
“I’m Alice!” The way she said her name-guarded, but with a hint of pride-made it sound as if Serena should know exactly who she was.
Serena simply folded her arms and raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Alice? Sorry, I don’t recall anyone by that name. Is there another Salerno living at Rosewood Manor I haven’t met?”
“You-!” Alice’s cheeks flushed with humiliation. She gritted her teeth. “My mother is Mary!”
“Oh, Mary’s daughter?” Serena feigned realization, her tone mild, though inwardly she scoffed. The way Alice had said it, you’d think she was the Queen, not the child of a housekeeper.
She kept her expression neutral. “Well, even Mary’s daughter isn’t the mistress of Rosewood Manor. Who told you you could come into my room?”
That last line was a slap in the face, and Alice felt it.
Swallowing her anger, Alice forced a challenging smile. “Mr. Salerno himself said this room was mine!”
Nicholas said that?
Serena didn’t believe a word. If Nicholas truly intended this room for Alice, why would he have assigned it to her?
She listened to Alice’s bluster, the faintest of smiles tugging at her lips. “You just said yourself, this is the family’s wing. Before you start making wild claims, you might want to remember your place. Out of respect for Mary, I’ll pretend you just lost your way this time.”
She knew Alice hated anyone mentioning her background. Out in public, Alice never admitted she was just a maid’s daughter; she always let people assume she was a legitimate daughter of the Salerno family. That’s exactly why she’d said it-sure enough, Alice’s face turned an ugly shade.
Ignoring Alice’s reaction, Serena swept a cool gaze over the two maids and ordered, “Before Mr. Salerno returns, put my room back the way it was. This is the only chance I’m giving you. Don’t waste it.”
With that, she turned and walked out.
For a moment, everyone in the room was stunned by the force of her presence; a heavy silence lingered for several seconds.
The two maids exchanged anxious glances, then looked to Alice for direction. “Alice, what should we do now?”
Alice tried to keep her anger in check. “What do you mean, what should we do? Are you seriously thinking of listening to her? Get my things in here. Now.”
“But what if she complains to Mr. Salerno…”
“Let her,” Alice sneered, tilting her chin up in that familiar, haughty way. “Who do you think Mr. Salerno is going to side with-her, or me?”
Both maids immediately remembered-Alice had pulled stunts like this with the other ladies of the house, but Mr. Salerno never bothered to get involved. Nothing had ever happened to Alice.
They relaxed at once.
After all, in Rosewood Manor, currying favor with the lady of the house didn’t get you far, but staying on Alice’s good side was a whole different story…
Downstairs.
Serena kept an ear out for the commotion upstairs and noticed the ruckus in the guest room was still ongoing.