Filed to story: Second Chance Mafia Bride Drama Novel
Nicholas paused for a moment before nodding. “Alright. Come in and get it yourself,” he said.
Serena stepped inside, and within a few steps, the bouquet she’d been hiding behind her back was revealed.
Nicholas looked momentarily surprised. “You still have that?”
Serena felt a little embarrassed-the flowers were nearly wilted, yet she’d still kept them.
But when she met his slightly astonished gaze, she mustered up the courage to say, “You gave them to me. How could I throw them away? I’m going to keep them pressed in my book for safekeeping!”
Nicholas was silent, his eyes growing a shade deeper as he looked at her.
That evening, they had dinner together.
Serena had thought he’d only agreed to join her that one time, but now it seemed he intended to eat with her regularly. The thought delighted her, though she kept her happiness to herself.
After dinner, as she was about to leave the table, Nicholas’s phone suddenly rang. It was Elder Mrs. Salerno calling.
Standing nearby, Serena could vaguely hear the elderly woman’s voice on the line, talking about how she’d visited a church to pray for him and had picked up a blessed pendant. She’d be bringing it over tomorrow and insisted he wear it for safety and good fortune.
Nicholas responded gently, “Alright.”
Then Mrs. Salerno’s tone turned probing. “That young lady from the Greco family has moved into Rosewood Manor, hasn’t she? How is she?”
Nicholas paused, glancing to the side. His features softened, almost unconsciously. “She’s wonderful.”
It was the first time Serena had ever heard him offer a positive opinion. In the past, he’d always sounded indifferent or even displeased whenever anyone brought up a potential match.
Mrs. Salerno was overjoyed, her excitement bubbling through the phone. “Good, good! I’m so glad to hear that. You two should get along well!”
At the end, she couldn’t help but add, “If only you could give me a great- grandchild soon, that would be perfect!”
Serena hadn’t been deliberately eavesdropping, but she caught that last remark. Her cheeks burned instantly, and she turned her head aside, pretending she hadn’t heard a thing.
Nicholas turned slightly, his gaze lingering on her flushed ears, his eyes unreadable. He didn’t answer Mrs. Salerno’s wish directly-just offered a couple of polite responses before ending the call.
“Weren’t you going to finish those bookmarks?” he asked. “Go on, then.”
She still had half of her bookmark project to finish from earlier in the day.
“Oh… okay!” Serena dashed upstairs.
At the corner of the landing, she glanced back down, her hand instinctively going to her ear.
Even as embarrassment lingered, she found herself thinking of Mrs. Salerno, astonished by the woman’s warmth. She hadn’t expected so much kindness from someone she’d never even met.
By contrast, in her previous life, the lady of the house had never once shown her a kind face. To call it dislike would have been an understatement-her coldness bordered on outright hostility.
But that, she supposed, was understandable. Back then, she’d run away from the engagement, been sent back to Rosewood Manor in disgrace, and never once shown Nicholas the slightest warmth. She’d ignored his efforts, and more than once, she’d even stolen his secrets to pass along to Damien…
With all that, how could Mrs. Salerno have possibly liked her? The fact that she’d survived at all was probably only thanks to Nicholas.
The next afternoon, someone from Mrs. Salerno’s household arrived. As luck would have it, Nicholas had left Rosewood Manor only half an hour before on urgent business.
The visitor carefully cradled a small, ornate box, opening it to check the contents before handing it to a maid with a warning-
“This is a blessed pendant Mrs. Salerno personally requested for Mr.
Salerno’s protection. Be careful-don’t drop it!”
May’s eyes flickered as she stepped forward. “Let me take it. I’ll make sure the lady of the house passes it on to Mr. Salerno.”
The servant who was handed the box looked absolutely terrified. If she dropped something this valuable, she’d never hear the end of it.
So when May volunteered, the servant wasted no time in passing the responsibility to her.
Serena was just about to settle in for her afternoon nap when a sharp knock startled her awake. She shuffled to the door, opened it, and found May standing there. Her tone was cool and distant. “What is it?”
May bowed her head respectfully and offered a simple, elegant box. “This is from Lady Salerno. It’s for Mr. Salerno, but since he’s not home, I’ve brought it to you, ma’am.”
Serena glanced at the box and nodded. “Just leave it there.”
May stepped inside, set the box down carefully, and left as quietly as she had come.
Serena walked over to the box, eyeing it curiously, but made no move to open it. She had always believed in respecting other people’s belongings-especially when she hadn’t been given permission to touch them.
After her nap, Nicholas returned home.
As he came downstairs, he overheard May explaining, “I left it with Mrs.
Salerno. Mr. Salerno wasn’t back yet, and it seemed too valuable to just leave lying around, so I gave it to her for safekeeping.”
Realizing they were talking about the box, Serena said, “It’s with me.”
She turned to fetch the box and handed it over to Nicholas, her curiosity getting the better of her. “Is this the jade pendant your grandmother sent you?”
Nicholas nodded. “Yes.”
Logan, standing nearby, chimed in, “Lady Salerno went all the way to the abbey herself to get this for Mr. Salerno. I heard she-“
He stopped midsentence.
A heavy silence fell.
Nicholas’s expression darkened.
There, nestled inside the open box, the once-pristine jade pendant lay shattered into several pieces.
The servant who had first received the box went pale, her voice shaking as she protested, “It wasn’t me, Mr. Salerno! I didn’t take the box-May did!”
May looked utterly stunned, turning to Serena. “I-I brought it straight to Mrs. Salerno as soon as I got it!”
Suddenly, all eyes were on Serena.
Her gaze turned icy.
The moment she saw the broken pendant, she knew things had taken a turn for the worse.
The other servants stole glances at her, their expressions a mix of sympathy and dread.
This was bad. Mr. Salerno could let most things slide-but not when it came to gifts from his grandmother. Especially not when Lady Salerno had gone to so much trouble to get this for him.
The new Mrs. Salerno was in for it now.
Serena understood just how serious this was. She looked at Nicholas, desperate to explain. “It wasn’t me! I never touched it after May handed it to me. I have no idea how it got broken!”
The pendant had been intact when it arrived, and now, suddenly, it was shattered. She hadn’t touched it-there was only one other possible suspect: May.
Seeing how desperate she was to clear her name, afraid Nicholas might suspect her, his expression softened just a little. He was about to speak when, suddenly- “Lady Salerno is here!”
Everyone turned toward the doorway. A regal-looking older woman entered, her arm resting on Alice’s for support.