Filed to story: Second Chance Mafia Bride Drama Novel
And in the next second, her fears were realized-
“You’re a servant. She’s the lady of the house. Who gave you the right or authority to order her out of Rosewood Manor?”
Nicholas’s words were cold as steel, sucking all warmth from the room.
Lady of the house…?
The meaning hit Alice like a thunderbolt. Her eyes went wide.
“But-but, Mr. Salerno, didn’t you say she should leave?”
“When did Mr. Salerno ever say that?” Serena finally spoke, her tone airy, her gaze mocking.
Alice’s face fell. Had Serena managed to soften Mr. Salerno’s heart?
Panic and resentment twisted inside her-panic at what she’d just done, resentment that Serena could be forgiven after everything.
She refused to believe Mr. Salerno would let Serena get away with this. She remembered seeing Serena come out earlier, eyes red from crying, heading upstairs as if to pack her things. That had to mean Mr. Salerno was going to throw her out. He must just be changing his tune now to defend her in front of everyone!
She shot Serena a resentful glare. “Weren’t you just about to pack your things and leave?”
Serena’s eyes lit up as if she’d just remembered something, and a sly smile tugged at her lips. “Oh, thanks for the reminder! I do need to pack-“
Before Alice could let even the tiniest hope rise within her, Serena continued, “Mr. Salerno and I have an appointment at the registry to get our marriage license. If we wait any longer, the office will close!”
“A marriage license?!”
Alice’s eyes flew wide in disbelief.
“That’s right,” Serena replied, watching Alice struggle to compose her features. “Is there a problem with that?”
A problem?
Alice didn’t dare have an opinion-not that she had any right to one. She nearly dug her nails into her palm, biting her lip so hard it almost bled. Under Mr. Salerno’s chilling gaze, she managed to force out a strained, twisted smile. “No… no problem at all.”
Nicholas barely spared her a glance before looking away, as if she were utterly unimportant.
He checked his watch and said to Serena, “Go get changed.”
Serena nodded obediently and was about to leave when she stopped short, remembering something.
“Mr. Salerno, what’s Alice’s status here at Rosewood Manor?”
Nicholas’s answer was brief and cold. “She’s staff.”
“So, does that give her the right to go through my things whenever she wants?”
Alice’s heart thudded anxiously-she knew exactly where this was going.
She rushed to defend herself. “Mr. Salerno, I was just cleaning the room when I saw the phone-“
Serena cut her off. “That phone was locked in a drawer. How could you have seen it by accident?”
Alice grit her teeth, refusing to back down. “What locked drawer? There wasn’t one. I saw the phone right there on the table!”
Serena didn’t need to guess-Alice was only so defiant because she’d clearly tampered with the cameras in Serena’s room. But Serena was in a hurry to get to the registry office and had no patience for pointless arguments.
“Fine, let’s say the phone was out in the open. Who gave you the nerve to go snooping through my things in the first place?”
Alice was struck dumb, unable to retort.
“Mr. Salerno, what do you suggest we do with someone like Alice?” Serena asked immediately.
Nicholas answered without a trace of hesitation or concern. “Tell Mary her daughter needs to pack her things and leave.”
Alice’s face drained of color. “Mr. Salerno!”
She’d wanted to get rid of Serena-how had things turned around so that she was the one being thrown out?
“Mr. Salerno…” Thomas, unable to watch any longer, tried to plead on Alice’s behalf.
Serena narrowed her eyes and turned.
She caught sight of Nicholas’s expression, lips pressed into a stern line, clearly displeased. Inspiration struck, and she quickly corrected herself, “Darling!”
Only then did his expression soften-if only slightly.
Serena breathed a sigh of relief and promptly complained, “Just now, Thomas tried to hit me!”
Nicholas’s eyes, cold and bottomless, fixed on Thomas. “Go punish yourself,” he ordered, his voice icy.
Thomas stiffened, shooting Serena a venomous glare-if looks could kill, she’d be dead.
Serena flashed him a triumphant smile.
Watching Thomas nearly explode with rage, she turned on her heel and happily headed off to change her clothes.
Choosing an outfit and doing her makeup took Serena quite a while.
She had been waiting for this day-going with Nicholas to get their marriage license for what felt like forever.
They’d done this before, in another life. Back then, she could barely remember the details-only the reluctance, the resistance. The photo on their old marriage certificate had shown not a hint of a smile.
This time, there was no unwillingness. Instead, guilt mixed with nerves…and just a touch of anticipation.
Once she’d finished getting ready, Serena checked herself in the mirror. Satisfied that she looked her best, she finally stepped out of her room.
As she descended the staircase, her heels echoing softly, Nicholas looked up at the sound. His gaze landed on her and, for a moment, his expression was impossible to read.
Serena’s nerves spiked. “Do I… not look good?”
She waited, heart pounding, for two long seconds. At last, his intense gaze softened, and he replied, “You look beautiful.”
His voice was low and rough, threaded with some emotion she couldn’t quite name. Her heart skipped, heat rising to her cheeks.
She bit her lip, smiling shyly, and noticed he’d changed his clothes too. The realization sent a wave of happiness through her.
She hurried over. “Let’s go, then!”
On the drive, as the city blurred past the window and the Registry Office drew near, Serena couldn’t help the nervousness flickering in her eyes.
“Having second thoughts?”
Nicholas’s voice came from beside her, unexpectedly.
Startled, Serena turned to see his cool, unreadable eyes fixed on her.
She opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, his hand closed around her wrist and, caught off-guard, she tumbled against his chest.
Her first instinct was to pull away, but she worried he’d think she was rejecting him, so she forced herself to hold still.