Flash Marriage: Shrewd Wife, Devious Husband
Chapter 37: By Her Side

Chapter 37: By Her Side

Marcella slapped her cheeks slightly. She didn’t want to be smiling thinking of their interaction. He was so close to her and his eyes were different. He didn’t look serene at all. He looked like he was hunting for something. He never behaved this way with her.

What changed?

She entered the house. The Romano couple was there still along with Mrs. Murphy. Maggie was hugging the baby and was sobbing.

Seeing Marcella, Maggie elbowed her husband. Paul tried to ignore her but Maggie was not relenting her pursuit to make her husband listen to her.

Having no other way, Paul stepped forward. "Marcella, I..." he cleared his throat.

Marcella looked at Paul with an exasperated expression. Paul was clutching his hands together in a praying gesture and his eyes looked misty. He was nasty with Tony just a moment ago and now he’s trying to act like he was willing to plead with her.

Maybe her indifferent face set Paul off, the desperate pleading façade he was wearing broke, revealing a full-on enraged look.

"I will contest this in court. You will never get to raise my grandson!" Paul shouted in her face.

Marcella didn’t want to step back. She was scared of the challenge but she didn’t want to show it to Paul.

She wouldn’t have been scared if she had a strong marriage that was built on trust and love. But...

She needed to hold on to her marriage no matter what.

"Try your best, Paul," she smiled.

"When did you get married? Did your lawyer reveal the details of the will to you and you married that b@stard because he was the only one available? What did you give him in exchange? Was it..." Paul paused.

Marcella knew she was glaring. But she couldn’t stop glaring. Paul touched her nerve.

For one, he was not wrong. She didn’t know what the court would think if they learn that she only got married the day before. It won’t look good at all.

But what angered her more was the other word Paul used: Bastard.

Isn’t Tony his son? The reason he became a b@stard was because his father didn’t acknowledge him. How is that Tony’s fault? Shouldn’t Paul be the one ashamed about this?

"Try proving it. I’ll be waiting..." she winked.

She knew her don’t care attitude will annoy Paul to the maximum. And yet she did it.

"How dare you talk to him this way?"

Marcella rolled her eyes hearing Mrs. Murphy’s voice. She almost included Maggie in the fight. Why is Maggie silent while Mrs. Murphy talks on behalf of Paul? Why does she care for Paul more than his wife?

"What way?" Marcella asked turning to face her.

She saw a hand swiping at her through her peripheral vision. Mrs. Murphy was raising her hand to hit her.

Not again!

She covered her cheek out of instinct and before she could take a step away, she felt someone to her side. She looked to see Tony’s tall frame blocking her from Mrs. Murphy.

"Careful with your hand, mother!" Tony said.

Again, the resentment in his tone was so palpable that sent a shiver through Marcella’s spine.

"You might break it the next time you put a mark on my wife’s face," he added.

Marcella gulped. She wouldn’t lie. Her heart skipped a beat. She almost forgot about the scratch on her cheek. But Tony had noticed it and he tells his mother off.

"Don’t wave it too much," Tony threw Mrs. Murphy’s hand away. Mrs. Murphy stumbled a couple of steps back. She was astonished to say anything.

She looked at Tony. If she was being honest, she felt like he was not telling his mother off; he was telling his wife’s aggressor off.

Why wouldn’t she be touched by it?

But she cannot let her heart waver. He must be putting on an act in front of everyone.

Uncle Karl interrupted and asked Maggie to hand over the baby to Marcella. Maggie was reluctant to do it.

"It won’t be for long," Paul patted Maggie’s back assuredly.

Sobbing and kissing the baby, Maggie finally gave the baby to Marcella. Marcella looked at the baby and hugged him closer. He was sleeping peacefully and she didn’t want to wake him. Otherwise she would have hugged him tightly to feel that he was real.

"He’s light as a feather..." she mumbled. Her eyes clouded and she couldn’t see him clearly.

Tony wrapped his arm around her shoulder and leaned closer. She could feel his breath on her neck. "He looks exactly like Andrew..." he whispered.

She tried to see Tony’s expression but she couldn’t. His voice was shaking. He must be as emotional as she was.

Did he love his half-brother that much?

The baby twisted his body. Marcella’s heart slipped and fell into the pit of her stomach thinking she might drop the baby. She felt a gentle warm hand covering her arm. Her eyes cleared and she saw Tony gently caressing the baby’s head. The baby stopped moving and went back to sleep.

Marcella looked at Tony. He had a different kind of smile on his face. She felt secure with one of his hands on her back and the other on her hand holding the baby.

The Romano couple and Mrs. Murphy left the house. Tony pulled a chair for Marcella and she sat watching the baby.

Uncle Karl asked her for the necessary certificates so he could finish up the paperwork. Tony told Uncle Karl that he had sent someone to get the certificates from their home. Marcella appreciated how thoughtful Tony was. If he had the certificates with him in the first place, that would have raised questions. But he made it appear that they had no reason to doubt.

Uncle Karl then handed over the deeds and bonds that were left for her. She didn’t know that her father had left ten million dollars for her. Well, she remembered Uncle Karl mentioning it after her father’s passing, but she forgot about it. Mellissa maintained that account till then.

With Mellissa’s passing, along with her inheritance, she got the house and the other properties she inherited from her father. Uncle Karl also gave her a couple of locker keys that stored their mother’s jewels. Apparently, Mellissa had kept half of their mother’s jewels safe in a locker and never used them. The rest belonged to her now as Mellissa didn’t have a daughter.

Marcella couldn’t remember every detail as she was overwhelmed. In just a day, she had become a multi-millionaire.

She’d rather have her family than the money though.

Looking at the baby, fear engulfed her.

How can she raise this little boy? She knows nothing.