Filed to story: Second Chance Mafia Bride Drama Novel
His presence enveloped her: the scent of his cologne, the warmth of his body, the steady thud of his heart. She felt dizzy, her cheeks burning. In a small, uncertain voice, she tried to explain herself. “I’m not… I mean, I’m just nervous, that’s all.”
Trying to seem convincing, she hesitated, then-face burning-slipped her arms around him and nuzzled softly against his chest. “Darling, don’t keep doubting me, okay? Trust me, just a little?”
She could feel it-ever since they’d left the house, Nicholas had been tense, his attention never wavering from her. Every little movement seemed to set him on edge, as if he didn’t really believe she was willing to marry him.
He was a man used to getting whatever he wanted-powerful, composed. Yet now, with her, he seemed so uncertain, so vulnerable. The realization made her both happy and a little heartsick with guilt.
Her sudden embrace made his body go rigid for a split second, surprise flickering across his face. Instead of pulling away, she’d moved closer.
Hearing the soft tremor in her voice, feeling the warmth of her pressed against him, and looking down into her clear, luminous eyes, something in Nicholas’s long-frozen heart gave a little jolt.
“All right.” His calloused fingertips brushed gently across her cheek, his gaze deep and unwavering.
A little trust he could give her that.
The tension in Serena’s chest vanished in an instant. She beamed, rubbing her cheek against his solid chest. “You’re the best, darling!”
Up in the front passenger seat, Logan kept his eyes glued to the road, the picture of perfect professionalism. Internally, though, he couldn’t help but marvel-ever since the new Mrs. Salerno had moved into Rosewood Manor, Mr. Salerno’s obsession with tidiness had miraculously disappeared. Wonders never ceased. The paperwork at the Registry Office went off without a hitch. When they stepped back outside, marriage certificate in hand, Serena’s heart was still racing. She carefully opened the crisp, new document, gazed at the photo of the two of them side by side, then closed it again, tucking it away with reverent care. She couldn’t stop smiling; anyone could see how happy she was.
Nicholas turned his head by chance, catching a glimpse that made him pause. For a fleeting moment, a gentle softness softened the harsh lines of his brow, though he didn’t notice it himself.
Serena’s good mood lasted all the way back to Rosewood Manor.
They had just stepped inside when Mary’s tearful voice rang out. “Mr. Salerno! My daughter Alice is innocent!”
Alice, who was supposed to have left already, stood off to the side with red-
rimmed eyes.
Serena’s smile vanished instantly.
After everything that had happened, Alice still wanted to claim she was wrongly accused? Serena was curious to see what story they’d spin this time.
She nudged Nicholas’s wheelchair closer, then settled gracefully onto the sofa beside him. Only then did she glance at Mary and her daughter, her voice cool and composed. “Go on, let’s hear it.”
A simple phrase, but it carried an unmistakable air of authority.
Mary’s face darkened.
She might be a housekeeper, but her family had done favors for the Lady of the house. How dare Serena treat her so dismissively?
“Madam, I’m speaking to Mr. Salerno,” Mary replied, her tone stiff and cold.
Serena gave her a light, amused smile. “So you mean I’m not qualified to speak with you, Mary?”
Mary was momentarily lost for words.
That *was* exactly what she meant, but she didn’t dare admit it out loud.
She turned to Nicholas. “Mr. Salerno-“
“Speak to my wife,” Nicholas interrupted, barely glancing up from his phone. “Alice entered her room and touched her phone. If you have a problem, take it up with her.”
He ended a call with a flick of his thumb, then told Serena, “Aside from me, no one in this house is in a position to contradict you. Do whatever you see fit.”
With that, he ordered, “Logan, take me to the study.”
Logan responded at once.
Serena’s lips curved in a relaxed smile as she lounged back, crossing her legs elegantly. She nodded toward Mary. “Go on, Mary. I’m listening.”
Mary’s expression soured. Nicholas’s words made it clear-Serena’s position in this house was not something she could challenge.
Mary straightened, her voice brittle. “If Madam insists, then I’ll say it. I know you’ve never liked Alice, but you can’t frame her like this-trying to drive her out of Rosewood Manor on a trumped-up charge!”
Serena remained calm, not angry nor in any rush to retort. She simply nodded. “All right. Then why don’t you tell me how your daughter’s been wronged?”
Mary nudged Alice, who quickly spoke up. “I didn’t steal the phone! When I saw it, it was already lying on the desk. I wasn’t going to touch it, but then a message popped up. I accidentally glanced at it and saw Mr. Salerno’s name. I got worried something was wrong, so I dared to look through it… I know Madam blames me for telling Mr. Salerno about those texts, but that’s no reason to slander me like this!”
Mary jumped in, her tone indignant. “If Madam wants to accuse someone, at least make it believable! How would Alice have a key to your drawer? Why would she go through your phone for no reason? How could she have possibly known what was in those messages ahead of time?”
“Finished?” Serena lifted her gaze, her eyes bright and striking, but the faint curve on her lips held the slightest trace of mockery.
“Yes, finished. And Madam, you’d better apologize to my daughter. If you don’t, I’ll have no choice but to ask Lady Salerno to settle this fairly!”
The threat was brazen.
Serena didn’t bother responding. She crossed her legs, poised and unbothered. “You’re both aware there are security cameras in my room, aren’t you?”
At that, Alice’s lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
How could she possibly have forgotten something as crucial as the security cameras?
If she hadn’t taken care of it in advance, she wouldn’t dare to pull out that phone with such confidence.
While these thoughts flashed through Serena’s mind, her face gave nothing away. She said, utterly unruffled, “Exactly. Don’t you have cameras? We can just check the footage-that’ll prove I’m innocent.”
She unlocked her phone and opened the security camera app, but she wasn’t the least bit surprised to find that during that exact window, Rosewood Manor had suffered a power outage. There was no footage at all.
“A power cut? Right at that moment?” Serena almost laughed in disbelief. Did they really think she was that gullible?
Alice, however, feigned innocence. “What, are you going to accuse me of cutting the power on purpose now?”
Serena’s stare was icy. “Whether it’s an accusation or not isn’t up to you.”
She glanced at the outage log. Noon, ten minutes-right when both she and Nicholas were out of the house.
“Who was working near the circuit breaker at that time?” she asked, summoning all the household staff.
The maids exchanged uneasy glances. After a moment’s hesitation, two of them finally stepped forward. Serena recognized them immediately-they were the same ones who’d been gossiping with Alice as she’d walked in, clearly on friendly terms with her.
“You didn’t see anything?” Serena asked directly.
It was too convenient-a sudden power cut, no reports of faulty wiring. Someone had to have deliberately flipped the main switch. Whether it was Alice or someone else, there was no way they could have done it without being noticed.
The two maids glanced furtively at Mary, the housekeeper, before both replied, “We didn’t see anything.”
Serena might be Mrs. Salerno, but to the staff, Mary’s authority as housekeeper outweighed hers.
So what if she was the lady of the house? Rosewood Manor had seen plenty of “Mrs. Salernos” come and go-where were they now? Even if Serena was a little different, even if Mr. Salerno spoiled her for the moment, that could change overnight. Only a fool would cross Mary for her sake.
The two maids pursed their lips, a flicker of disdain crossing their faces.
Serena caught the look and smiled coldly to herself. No matter what they thought, she was still Nicholas’s wife, the mistress of the Salerno estate. They were just staff-where did they get the nerve to look down on her?
Her gaze sharpened, but she let it go, for now. “I’ll give you another chance-are you sure you didn’t see anything?”
A nervous ripple passed between the maids, but one of them answered with annoyance, “Madam, we didn’t see anything. What are you getting at? Are you trying to force us to frame Alice?”
Serena’s eyes narrowed, her entire demeanor turning glacial as she opened her mouth to speak-but before she could, someone else spoke up.