Virginity in second marriages by Angela
Chapter 3: Wifely Duties

Serena spent the night alone in the empty room. Waking up early, she arranged her clothes in the closet and took up the entire room. She had been quite clear with Cristian last night that he would not live in the room, so that the room would be all hers.

They would be husband and wife only on paper, and they would have nothing to do with each other.

That was perfect for her.

She changed her clothes then went downstairs. The maids were busy, and she, being hungry, wanted to ask where the kitchen was, but a maid caught up with her and yanked her, saying, "Where did you come from? Get out of the way!"

Serena accidentally fell to the floor.

The maid gave her a sharp look, but her eyes suddenly filled with fear.

Two warm hands helped her up, and when she turned around, she came upon the deep and beautiful eyes.

The man in front of her wore a white shirt that was without any creases, and had a smile as gentle as the spring breeze in March.

Serena was stunned for a moment, then stepped back a little to distance herself from him. "Thank you." said Serena.

"My pleasure, sister-in-law."

"Sister-in-law?"

"I am Cristian's older brother. My name is Leonardo."

Leonardo held out his hand to her, but she remained impassive for a moment. So he was Cristian's brother.

Then she slowly shook Leonardo's hand, "Hello, brother-in-law."

Her voice revealed a bit of nervousness.

"It was the maid's fault. I apologize for her. I hope you didn't mind. The people in our house are all very friendly. I will talk to them about it later." Serena nodded and thanked him again. Leonardo smiled and as he prepared to say something else, he was interrupted by a cold voice.

"I seem to be interrupting something."

This voice... Serena turned around.

Luca was pushing the wheelchair with Cristian on it, and there was a light blanket on his legs. Despite sitting on the wheelchair, he had the appearance of a king. His gaze was cold and sharp as a blade on Serena's face. She felt uncomfortable and bowed her head.

Wait, why she felt uncomfortable? She was just greeting his family members. There was nothing more.

"Cristian, it is rare to see you in the house." Leonardo said to his brother, with the same smiling face as before. Cristian merely nodded expressionlessly.

"Well, I'll leave you with your wife." With what he said, Leonardo turned to Serena and said to her gently, "Aurora, I have to go back to work. I'll leave now." Serena nodded shyly and watched Leonardo leaving. As she prepared to look away, she heard Cristian say in a defiant tone, "Are divorced women that hungry? Can't they resist the idea of seducing men?" Serena suddenly came back to reality.

"What?"

Cristian's eyes were dark and deep as a shadow. Serena could sense his strong anger, and bit her lower lip, "I'm not as despicable as you think."

"Really?" Cristian's sarcastic smile revealed the fact that he did not take her seriously at all. "A woman who just got divorced and already can't wait to get married again and throw herself into another man's bed. Isn't that despicable?"

Serena clenched her fists. She was angry. Was she the one who wanted to marry again? She was forced to do so. But she could not told this to Cristian. What mattered in the end was that he let her stay in this house. So she relaxed her fists.

"You better keep your promise and have nothing to do with the people who live in this house. If I replace out that you use my family's name for your own interests, or that you have ulterior motives toward the members of my family, I will make your life hell."

"Luca."

When he ordered, Luca led Cristian away. After the two had left, a maid came to Serena and told her, "Mrs. Ferrari, Mr. Alessandro would like to meet you."

Mr. Alessandro? Cristian's grandfather?

Serena began to fret. Her mother had told her that members of the Ferrari family had never met Aurora, so they had dared to substitute her for her sister.

But hearing that Mr. Alessandro wanted to meet her, Serena had suddenly become nervous.

The elderly maid, who sensed her confusion, said to her, " Mrs. Ferrari, come with me."

Serena, who came to her senses, nodded and followed her.

The Ferrari house was extremely large, and although there was the maid to guide her, she still felt lost.

Upon reaching the study, the maid said to her in a humble tone, "Mrs. Ferrari, please."

Serena thanked her and took a seat.

The study was much like what she had imagined. It was a serious and solemn room with ornaments and shelves in the classical style, and with various ink pens on the shelves. After glancing around, Serena immediately retracted her gaze and directed it to the person inside the room.

"Hello Mr. Ferrari."

Serena's gaze on the man was caught by his shrewd eyes that were staring down at her.

Thinking about her identity, Serena became nervous and lowered her gaze for fear that his grandfather might notice that she was hiding something.

She had found a way to settle the matter temporarily with Cristian, but if Grandfather found out that she was not Aurora, how would she do it?

"Aurora!"

"Yes."

Serena raised her head sharply, met the man's gaze, and immediately lowered her head again.

Mr. Ferrari was with an extremely solemn look and said, "Cristian's health has always been precarious since he was a child. Now that you are married. You will have to take care of him. Fulfill your duties as a wife, and you don't need me to instruct you on that."

"Of course."

"Starting tomorrow, you will work alongside Cristian as his assistant."

Hearing this, Serena looked up in surprise, "But Mr. Ferrari, I already have a job..."

"The women in the Ferrari family do not work, even if they work, they work alongside their husbands."

What? Was the Ferrari family really that old-fashioned? Of course, Serena would never dare voice these thoughts in the presence of the man who on the other hand did not give her a chance to speak by urging her to leave the room.

After leaving the study, Serena returned to her room with a still anxious heart.

But his grandfather's words had been heavy. Serena knew that if she did not quit her job, his grandfather would surely replace out.

She had to quit her job. Hers was a fairly ordinary job. After she married with Francis, she found the job as an assistant of the general manager at a small company near her home, in order to make dinner before her husband came home.

Serena handed in her resignation letter, and soon someone else took her place in the company.

When she learned that news, she was shocked for a while at the fact that there was always someone else ready to take someone else's place so easily, whether at work or in marriage. Serena smiled bitterly.

In the day after she resigned, the grandfather directly asked Cristian to take Serena to the company.

"You didn't want to replace an assistant. I know what you're worried about, but Aurora is your wife now. Let her follow you and take care of you."

The tone in which Grandfather talked to Cristian was the same tone he had used toward her. She thought it was strange. How could it be? She had believed that the relationship between the two was good. Thinking about that, she felt a sharp look on her face. No need to wonder whose it was.

Cristian stared at her and replied in a sarcastic tone, "Okay."

Serena was surprised. She believed...that he would refuse.

She could never have imagined that he would not object to that.

"Fine, go." her grandfather's face appeared a little more relaxed. Cristian sat in the wheelchair with an expressionless face, and Luca nodded to the old man and said, "Mr. Ferrari, let's go to work."

"Take Aurora."

Serena had to follow Cristian.

Upon reaching the garden, Cristian said sarcastically, "You and the old man bonded in such a short time? Do you want to spy on me?"

Serena paused for a moment and frowned.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course," Cristian said with a cold laugh, "You better never understand, or else..."000