Chapter 2

Alexander's brows furrowed slightly, his gaze carrying a hint of warning.

Meeting his eyes fearlessly, I tilted my chin up.

"Alexander, right? I am your wife. Go check the marriage certificate if you have to. And another thing—I don't allow women parading around my house wearing my husband's clothes. If you're looking to keep a 'tragic first love' today and a 'pure, innocent little sister' tomorrow, then we can call this whole thing off right now. I'll pack my bags and walk."

Sitting on the floor, Victoria gloated inwardly, absolutely certain that Alexander was about to explode with rage and throw me out on the street for her sake.

Instead, Alexander stared at me. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes, quickly followed by the faintest hint of an amused smile.

"The master bedroom is at the end of the hall. As for her, I'll have someone handle it. For now, go get some rest, my wife."

Victoria's sobbing stopped.

She stared in absolute sheer disbelief as Alexander picked up my luggage and carried it up the staircase.

I raised an eyebrow.

It seemed my newlywed husband was much quicker on the uptake than I had given him credit for.

The next day, Alexander was taking me to a top-tier charity gala that evening.

It would be my very first public appearance as his wife.

The moment I stepped into the banquet hall, I acutely sensed the hostile glares coming from the wealthy socialite circles.

Right then, Victoria approached me, wearing a delicate black lace evening gown. As soon as she got close, a calculating glint flashed in her eyes.

She leaned back and intentionally knocked over a passing waiter's tray.

Red wine splashed all over her dress.

Everyone stared in utter shock at Victoria, who was now sprawled on the floor.

Covering her face, she wailed dramatically. "Serena! I know you just married Alexander, but did you really have to humiliate me in front of everyone? I never wanted to come between you two! Ever since my brother passed away, I haven't had any family left... I'm all alone in this world, just looking for a tiny bit of support. Why can't you just tolerate my existence?"

The crowd gasped, socialites whispering and pointing fingers at me.

Listening to her pathetic, played-out script, I mentally rolled my eyes.

Trying to establish dominance on my very first public appearance?

In my past life, my sister was too proud and noble, which was exactly why she suffered so miserably against this kind of manipulative bitch.

Since Victoria was so desperate to play the victim in front of everyone, I would show her what a max-level manipulative queen really looked like.

My eyes turned red in a split second as I walked over to her.

"Victoria, your brother saved my husband's life. Our family has spent millions providing for you, spoiling you like a true socialite, and I have never uttered a single complaint..."

"But why do you always have to create all this drama? You clearly knocked that tray over yourself, so why try to blame it on me? Will you only be satisfied when you've completely torn our family apart?"

The expressions on the surrounding aristocratic ladies' faces shifted instantly.

"Choking back tears," I leaned down as if heart-achingly trying to help her up.

In a mocking whisper only the two of us could hear, I sneered, "Trying to play me with this amateur bullshit? You're just a clown."

The extreme degradation shattered Victoria's sanity in a split second.

"You bitch—!" she shrieked. Her fragile facade crumbled instantly as she lunged at my face like a crazed banshee, claws out.

With a swift, clean twist and a push, I forcefully threw her off me.

She crashed backward into the massive champagne tower, sending it shattering into a million pieces.

"Alexander, save me!" Seeing Alexander striding over with a dark, stormy expression, Victoria cried buckets of tears, acting as if her ultimate savior had arrived.

Alexander stared at the utter disaster on the floor. His brows locked together as he looked at me. "Serena, you went too far."

A streak of genuine coldness slid through my heart. I glared right back at Alexander without a shred of weakness.

Of course, he still wants to protect his precious little sister.

With a gleam of triumph in her eyes, Victoria sobbed pathetically, "Don't blame Serena, Alexander... As long as it helps her let out her anger, I don't mind getting a little hurt..."

"You truly have been wronged," Alexander said, going right along with it. "The manor is crowded and chaotic. Not only is it unfair to you, but it's also not a suitable place for you to recover."

"I absolutely cannot allow you to suffer this kind of injustice anymore."

Alexander turned to his assistant. "Have Victoria moved to the downtown apartment tomorrow. For her own safety, from this day forward, without my explicit permission, she is never allowed to step foot in the manor again!"

The blood in Victoria's veins seemed to instantly turn to ice. This was a blatant eviction!

"Alexander, I—"

Ignoring her completely, Alexander walked straight to my side, took my hand, and declared to the entire hall, "Everyone, apologies for the scene. This is my wife. From now on, her rules are my rules."

With the nuisance finally out of the way, the atmosphere in the back of the car on the ride home became heated.

The second we pushed open the master bedroom door, Alexander locked it behind us. He grabbed my waist, pinned me against the heavy wood, and a sudden, overwhelming kiss crashed down on my lips.

Both our breathing grew increasingly ragged. Alexander unzipped the back of my evening gown, his eyes fixed on mine as he asked in a hoarse, gravelly voice, "May I?"

Feeling the scorching heat of his breath against my neck, I fluttered my eyes closed.

But right at that damn moment, a frantic knocking echoed fiercely against the door.

"Alexander... my chest hurts so much, I can't sleep..." Victoria's breathy, trembling voice drifted through the wood. "Can you come to my room to keep me company? I'm so scared all by myself, and the bed is so cold... If you could just come lay with me for a bit, hold me and coax me to sleep, it wouldn't hurt anymore..."

Alexander's entire body went completely rigid. He paused his movements.

The steamy, romantic atmosphere vanished into thin air.

A wave of furious irritation surged right through me. I shoved the man off me with force, sneering as I pulled my slipped dress strap back up.

"With all the doctors in this manor, she just has to have you in her bed as her miracle cure?"