Filed to story: Second Chance Mafia Bride Drama Novel
For a moment, the crowd was stunned into silence.
Then, everyone started glancing between Rubina and Nora with new, complicated expressions.
All this time, Serena had been the butt of every joke. Mention her, and people pictured garish makeup and clownish clothes-no one her age wanted anything to do with her.
But now, hearing her words, it was painfully clear: her outlandish image had been crafted by Nora and her daughter all along.
“Do you actually think this dress looks good? Are Nora and Rubina blind or something? If it’s so lovely, why don’t they wear it themselves?”
“Poor kid, losing her real mother so young. She’s getting strung along by these two-bet she doesn’t even realize what’s happening.”
“You know, back when Mrs. Greco was still around, she’d always bring her daughter out with her. That little girl was so sweet-clever and beautiful. But ever since Nora took her place, Serena’s always in trouble. Word is, she’s been completely edged out of the social circle for debutantes…”
A chorus of whispers bubbled up from the crowd.
Suddenly, a slew of suspicious glances shot toward Nora.
Both Nora and Rubina’s faces stiffened.
Rubina managed a brittle smile. “Serena, what are you talking about? Wasn’t it you who wanted to wear that dress?”
Serena’s brows arched in disbelief, her voice edged with disdain. “Do you really think I have such awful taste? Why would I ever want to wear something so hideous? Every single time, it’s the two of you who talk me into it. Rubina, you’re the one who did my makeup like that. You always insist it looks great, but I can’t stand it!”
The onlookers’ stares grew even more peculiar, their judgment as obvious as the tension in the air.
Rubina’s smile faltered, panic flickering in her eyes as she turned desperately to her mother for help.
Nora stepped forward, her tone gentle and measured. “Alright, this is my misunderstanding. I thought you liked it, which is why I asked Eve to dress you up that way. If you don’t like it, you won’t have to wear it again.”
Gabriel had just entered the foyer and, catching the commotion, strode over. His brows drew together as soon as he spotted Serena. “What’s going on here?”
Nora let out a delicate sigh. “Serena is upset. She thinks we made her wear those dresses against her will, but I was only trying to help. I genuinely thought she liked it, so I had Eve style her…”
Rubina, ever the actress, put on a wounded face.
The moment Gabriel heard this, his expression darkened. He snapped at Serena, “Your sister was only trying to help you-how is that wrong?”
Serena’s smile vanished as she met her father’s eyes.
He was always like this. Every time there was an argument between her and Rubina, he never bothered to ask what actually happened. His first instinct was always to scold her, as if everything was her fault.
The injustice burned in her chest-she was his real daughter. Why did he always side with Rubina?
She’d once wondered if it was because Rubina wasn’t actually related to him, an outsider he felt awkward disciplining, so he took it out on his own child instead.
But later, she realized how wrong she was. Shockingly wrong. Stepdaughter? Rubina was his illegitimate daughter, plain and simple.
Just look at their ages-Rubina was only six months older than her. And Nora’s eldest daughter from her previous marriage, now living in Riverton, was already twenty-one, two years older than Serena. That meant Gabriel and Nora had been together long before his first wife was gone.
She dropped her gaze to hide the icy rage in her eyes, her thoughts drifting to her mother, who’d died in an “accident” when she was just five.
It better really have been an accident-because if not, she’d make sure these two paid for the rest of their lives.
She looked up, voice steady but cold. “Dad, am I really your daughter? How come you treat my oldest sister so well, and Rubina too, but never me? I never did anything wrong, but you always blame me.”
Her eyes flicked to Rubina, standing so close to Gabriel. “With her next to you, Rubina looks more like your real daughter. I feel more like the outsider.”
Nora and Rubina both froze, their faces instantly drained of color.
Gabriel’s expression turned thunderous.
“What on earth are you talking about?!”
All around them, the guests couldn’t help but exchange glances, some quietly inspecting the two women. Was it just their imagination, or did Rubina and Gabriel really share a resemblance?
Nora’s heart clenched in panic. Worried someone might pick up on something, she rushed to smooth things over. “Alright, Serena was just making an offhand comment. There’s no need to get upset with her.”
She sounded every bit the caring stepmother, coming to Serena’s rescue-but in truth, she was desperate to steer the conversation elsewhere.
Before anyone could respond, Nora forced a bright smile in Serena’s direction. “So, Serena, what did you get me for my birthday?”
A birthday gift?
Serena’s lips curled into a smile.
This was, after all, the very reason she’d come today.
With a small gesture, she summoned someone from behind her. The attendant stepped forward, holding a box-her gift for Nora.
As the lid was lifted, a document and a fountain pen were revealed inside.
Nora’s eyes lit up instantly, burning with anticipation.
Serena caught the flash of greed in her gaze, gone as quickly as it appeared.
Her own smile turned cold and sharp as she looked at Nora. “Every year for the past four years, I’ve given Mrs. Sinclair the same present on her birthday: a portion of my shares in Seagate Innovations-the shares my mother left me. Ten percent each year, so after four years, that’s forty percent.”
Nora could barely contain her excitement now. Yes, forty percent-she only needed the final eleven percent this year, and she’d surpass Serena’s grandfather’s family to become the company’s largest shareholder.
She waited impatiently, expecting Serena to hand her the document so she could sign it without hesitation.
Just as she’d imagined, Serena picked up the folder and pen, then held them out to her.
Nora’s smile widened as she reached for them. But the moment she glanced at the text, her expression froze, her grin vanishing. For a second, she thought she must be seeing things.
At that same moment, Serena’s voice rang out-
“Mrs. Sinclair once told me that I was too young to manage those shares myself, that it wasn’t safe, so she offered to keep them for me. So, I gave them to her.”
“But now, I’ve been thinking-I’m nineteen already, not a child anymore. I think I can handle it, especially with my husband-to-be helping me manage them. I don’t need to leave them with Mrs. Sinclair any longer.”
“I’m truly grateful for all your help these past years, Mrs. Sinclair. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like them back.”
Serena beamed, as if she’d never doubted her stepmother’s intentions, as if she trusted her completely.
Nora stared up in disbelief, her composure slipping for the first time in front of an audience.
“Serena, you-“
“What’s wrong?” Serena blinked innocently. “Mrs. Sinclair, why aren’t you signing?”
Nobody in the room had seen this coming. The guests’ eyes kept darting to Nora, whispers spreading as they exchanged hushed remarks.
“If I remember right, isn’t Seagate Innovations’ other major shareholder the Brennan family-Serena’s mother’s side? When Cecilia Brennan passed away, those shares were managed by the Brennans. Is that really so unsafe?”
“Unsafe? Please. That was just an excuse. If her own grandfather couldn’t be trusted, why should a stepmother be any safer? She was just tricking the girl…”
“Look at her-she can’t even bring herself to sign the papers…”
The murmurs grew, and for a moment, Nora’s mask almost slipped. In that instant, she knew for certain: Serena was no longer the na?ve girl she’d been. Someone must be backing her now.