Chapter 4
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The next morning, Caspian and I had barely stepped into the dining room when Leia’s deliberately raised voice rang out.
The night before, I had suggested that Caspian post a photo on social media of our hands clasped together, wedding rings clearly visible. It was meant to show unity within the family. After the photo went up, the major families shared and liked it one after another. The response was excellent. Of course, this was all planned. In this world, appearances mattered, and the performance had to be flawless.
Leia was wearing a deep V-neck silk slip dress, intentionally revealing the obvious red marks along her neck and collarbone. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, landing on her skin and making those marks impossible to miss. In contrast, I was dressed in a conservative high-neck cashmere sweater. The difference between us was striking.
‘She’s dressed so conservatively… She must’ve been beaten badly by that violent man last night. Trying to cover up the bruises, huh?’
Her smug speculation echoed clearly in my mind.
‘I don’t get why Caspian would post that kind of photo. She really has tricks up her sleeve.’
Keeping my expression calm, I walked toward their table.
“Good morning, Leia.”
“Elysia!” she exclaimed, feigning surprise. “How was your night? Arnold is such a gentle man. After that, we went back to the hotel and–”
She deliberately paused, a shy blush spreading across her face as her fingers brushed lightly over the marks on her neck.
Arnold gently patted her hand and interfered. “Leia, let’s not talk about such private things.”
‘What an idiot. Saying things like this in front of the family. How embarrassing.’ The disgust in his thoughts stood in sharp contrast to the gentleness on his face. ‘If I didn’t need her to secure my position in the family, I would’ve thrown her into the lake already.’
The servants in the dining room lowered their heads in unison. Those in the main family valued dignity and restraint above all else. Leia’s behavior had clearly crossed the line.
“Leia,” I said with a polite smile, my voice calm yet authoritative, “according to family rules, you should be speaking to me with respect.”
Her expression changed instantly. Defiance flickered in her eyes.
“We’re about the same age, and I got married before you did. Why should I speak to you differently?”
Then, she thought to herself, ‘She thinks she’s better than me? In her dreams.’
She turned to Caspian, her voice turning soft and sweet, her gaze openly provocative.
“Caspian, do I really need to? We’re all family. There’s no need to be so rigid, right?”
The atmosphere tensed, and the temperature in the dining room seemed to drop. Even the servants felt the pressure and dared not move closer.
Caspian slowly set down his coffee cup. The motion was elegant but laced with danger. His gaze sharpened, and the scar on his face looked even more menacing under the sunlight.
He turned to Arnold, his voice low and cold. “Arnold, what is the third iron rule of the Falcone family?”
Arnold’s face drained of color. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
He immediately lowered his head, his voice trembling. “Never show disrespect to the underboss and his wife. V-Violators are punished according to family law.”
“Very well.” Caspian said coldly, “In that case, you know what to do.”
Arnold stood up shakily. His hands were trembling, but under Caspian’s pressure, he had no choice. He raised his hand and slapped Leia hard across the face. The sharp smacking sound echoed through the dining room, tension hanging thick in the air.
Leia clutched her cheek, her eyes filled with shock and humiliation. “Arnold, are you crazy? How could you hit me?”
‘Why? Why did he hit me? What did I do wrong?’ she thought to herself.
Her confusion and anger nearly made me laugh. Even after living a second life, she was just as foolish as she had been before.
“Apologize immediately!” Arnold snapped angrily. “You must obey the family rules!”
Deep down, he thought, ‘This is all because of you, you foolish woman. You embarrassed me in front of him. When we get back, you’ll learn what consequences are.’
The curse in his mind was far more vicious than the anger on his face.
With tears of humiliation in her eyes, Leia finally lowered her head under everyone’s gaze.
“I’m sorry, Caspian and Elysia.”
“Good.” Caspian sat back down as if nothing had happened, calmly lifting his coffee again. “Now we can enjoy breakfast in peace.”
Arnold hurriedly dragged Leia away. Before leaving, he apologized to us again. “I apologize for that. I will discipline her properly.”
I watched as they walked away, but my mind was already elsewhere.
In my previous life, I had assumed Leia understood the family rules and hierarchy. After all, we had grown up together. I hadn’t expected her to be so naïve and completely ignorant of the strict, unforgiving order within a mafia family. That was why she thought that in this life, she could bully me just like before.
