Filed to story: Second Chance Mafia Bride Drama Novel
“Mrs. Sinclair?” Serena’s voice was calm, almost serene, as she gently reminded her.
Nora forced a smile, her expression tinged with worry. “Serena, has someone been saying things to you? You know how I’ve treated you all these years- everyone can see it. How could you think so little of me? I have to admit, I’m hurt.” “No one’s said anything to me.” Serena’s smile was faint, almost dismissive. “It’s just that I’m nineteen now. I think it’s about time I took back my shares. If they stay with you, people might start to wonder-wonder if maybe you want to keep what belongs to me.”
Nora gripped her pen so tightly she nearly snapped it in two.
“How can you talk to Mrs. Sinclair like that?” Gabriel barked, anger ringing in his voice. “She’s done nothing but care for you all these years, always putting your needs first. And this is how you repay her? With suspicion?”
Serena’s heart twisted with cold amusement.
Care for her? Always thinking of her?
Yes, she thought bitterly. Nora had certainly cared a little too much. If not for all that well-meaning interference, maybe Serena’s reputation wouldn’t have become such a joke. Maybe her peers wouldn’t ostracize her, whispering behind her back every time her name was mentioned.
Maybe she wouldn’t be utterly alone, or feel like a stranger-worse, an enemy-to her own family.
She tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I’m not accusing Mrs. Sinclair of anything. But if she refuses to sign, there’ll be plenty of others who start to wonder about her motives.”
At once, every eye in the room settled on Nora’s trembling hand.
Gabriel felt their stares, the shame burning deeper in him than even Nora. He couldn’t bear the thought that anyone might accuse his second wife of coveting the inheritance left by his late wife for their daughter.
“Nora, sign the papers,” he said, his face like thunder. “You took care of those shares for her out of kindness, but not everyone appreciates a good deed. Listen to what she’s saying-how hard-hearted can you be?”
Nora’s grip on the pen tightened until her knuckles turned white. Her smile was strained, her entire being fighting the urge to scream.
After all these years, she had thought of those shares as her own. How could she bear to let them go so easily?
But with Gabriel pressing her in front of everyone, what choice did she have? If she refused now, her reputation would be in ruins.
She seethed inside, certain that the little brat had planned this all along- choosing the worst possible moment to force her hand.
Serena could practically read Nora’s thoughts and smiled to herself. Of course Nora was angry-what did she expect? A woman who seduced her best friend’s husband and set her sights on the inheritance wasn’t exactly the picture of innocence.
If she didn’t push, Nora would never let go.
With great reluctance, Nora finally scrawled her name on the documents.
She handed them to Serena, barely able to contain her fury, but with an expression of wounded resignation, as if she’d been wronged by the very girl she’d always cared for.
“I would never try to take what’s yours, Serena. If you don’t trust me, fine. Take them back.”
As she passed over the papers, it felt like a piece of her soul was being torn away. But on her face, she wore the mask of the loving stepmother-heartbroken to be misunderstood, yet still generous and giving.
Nora had always known how to manage her image. Now, with tears shimmering in her eyes, a wave of sympathy swept through the room. Whispers started-people began to mutter that Serena was ungrateful, that she was hounding her stepmother and making wild accusations.
But Serena, living this moment for the second time, saw right through Nora’s act. She curved her lips into a gentle smile, her eyes filled with a kind of innocent admiration.
“I know you’d never hurt me, Mrs. Sinclair. All these years, you’ve looked after me yourself-even picking out my dresses for parties, though I don’t always love your choice…”
She trailed off, her tone light, almost affectionate. “But I could never believe you’d scheme against me. Still, people gossip. So I’ll just take back my shares now-it was always going to happen sooner or later. Isn’t that right, Mrs. Sinclair?”
Nora felt her chest tighten, words caught in her throat. What was she supposed to say? Admit that she’d been scheming, that she wanted to steal from her stepdaughter?
She forced a smile. “…As long as you still trust me, Serena, that’s all that matters.”
In the crowd, the mood shifted again. When Nora looked wounded, Serena seemed cruel. But now, with Serena’s gentle, trusting words and her casual mention of those party dresses, people started to waver.
“Is this girl for real? Can she really be that na?ve? Look at those dresses-why didn’t Mrs. Sinclair’s own daughter wear them? Why not Mrs. Sinclair herself? Unbelievable. She’s either stupid or just too sweet for her own good-letting herself be used and still thanking the person who did it… and still calling her a saint.”
Serena caught a faint remark, and a barely-there smile tugged at her lips.
Nora heard it too, and it felt like a heavy weight pressed against her chest.
Was the person talking blind?
Did they really think Serena was just sweet and naive?
Anyone with half a brain could tell that her tone earlier wasn’t trustful at all-it dripped with sarcasm.
Having achieved her goal, Serena was in high spirits. She put the thick stack of documents back in the box, planning to take them home.
As for a birthday present for Nora? If Nora didn’t return those shares, people would talk. By asking for them back herself, Serena had actually protected Nora’s reputation. That kind of thoughtful gesture wasn’t it gift enough?
“Alright, the party’s about to start,” Gabriel said sharply, glancing at her with obvious displeasure.
Serena didn’t say another word. She hugged the box to her chest and walked away, perfectly satisfied.
No rush. This was only the beginning. She had all the time in the world to make sure everyone who’d wronged her in her past life paid the price, one by one.
Many eyes in the grand hall followed her as she moved. Beautiful things had a way of drawing people in, whether they meant to look or not.
Rubina noticed, and her mood soured even further.
She’d spent ages getting ready tonight; before Serena arrived, she was the center of attention. But now, every admiring glance in the room had shifted to Serena.
As she snapped back to reality, Rubina realized several girls from wealthy families nearby were studying her with curious eyes.
Her heart skipped a beat. She forced a smile. “Amelia, why are you all looking at me like that?”
“Serena just said you and your mom were the ones who picked out her clothes before?”
No one here was stupid; everyone caught the undertone.
If Serena was telling the truth…
Rubina rushed to explain, “I thought she liked it, so I tried to help. I never realized she hated it. She never said a word…”
She bit her lip, putting on a wounded expression. “We’ve known each other for so long. Don’t you all know what kind of person I am?”
As the stepdaughter who’d managed to thrive in this social circle, Rubina had always been good at playing the part.
Seeing her look so aggrieved, the girls hesitated, but in the end, they chose to believe her.
Suddenly, someone spoke up, “Wait-did Serena just say ‘her husband’? She’s married?!”
Everyone turned to Rubina at once. “Who did she marry?”
Rubina’s heart twisted with jealousy as she remembered that tall, impossibly handsome man. She offered an apologetic smile and answered evasively, “Sorry, I really can’t say…”
Her tone was just ambiguous enough to plant doubts in everyone’s mind.
Can’t say? What could be so secretive?
Unless Serena had married someone embarrassing someone the Greco family was trying to keep hidden.
The speculation only grew as people pressed her for details. Rubina looked flustered, repeating, “I’m sorry, I really can’t tell you…”
But she never actually denied their guesses.
Instantly, glances cast toward Serena across the room grew cold and mocking. Someone whispered, “Judging by the way she talks, you’d think she married someone important!”