The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella)

Chapter 2023

"What on earth have you done to her? Who sent you?" Belongs © to NôvelDrama.Org.

"Martin, what are you doing back? Weren't you supposed to meet with that big-shot business partner

today?" Serena, gently placed on the couch by Martin, pushed him away and said, "Don't worry about

me. They just need let off some steam on me. You go on back, will you?"

"How can you expect me to leave when you're like this? Where's Dora? Where's June?" Martin had

never felt so out of control, his anger barely contained.

Dora and June timidly appeared, one wiping the spilled tea from the wheelchair, the other from

Serena's clothes.

"Where the hell have you been?" Martin was livid. He had entrusted Serena to their care, only to return

from a brief stint at the office to find her like this?

"Don't blame them. It was my doing. They're just earning their wages. Besides, I can take a hit; it's not

the first time I've been roughed up. Don’t worry. Mrs. Cooper and Ms. Cooper here won't really hurt me.

They just needed to vent."

"Martin, can't you see she's playing us against each other?" Diana was seething, especially after

Serena shot her a provocative glance following her words.

"That's enough!" Martin no longer wanted to hear her speak, "Just because you're my sister, you think

you can come here and lay a hand on my girl? Haven't I told you how much I love her? That she

means the world to me?"

Fuming, Martin first made sure Serena was safely seated in her wheelchair, and then instructed the

maids, "Take her to get changed."

Dora hurried forward to push the wheelchair.

"Don’t you have strength? Can't you move any faster? Don't you see her clothes are wet? Do you want

her to catch a cold?"

Frightened by Martin's tone, Dora scurried along, whisking Serena into the nearby elevator.

"You hassle me, fine, but why take it out on her? Can't you see the bruises on her body? She's already

hurt, and yet you still lay your hands on her?"

Serena, hearing Martin's roar all the way up on the second floor, couldn't help but smirk with

satisfaction. From the moment she learned of Florence and Diana's arrival, she had wanted to provoke

them into action. She knew playing the victim was an effective tactic, and though she took a few hits, it

was a small price to pay for securing Martin's deeper affection and accelerating their engagement.

Those two fools, thinking they could compete with her? Once she married into the Cooper family, she'd

have ample opportunity to deal with them.

Serena gestured for the maids to stop, choosing instead to remain in the hallway, observing the

situation below.

Diana, after being shouted at by her brother, was so upset her eyes reddened. She had never imagined

that Martin would be so bewitched by Serena that he would act this irrationally.

Florence was equally incensed. In a sudden movement, she slapped Martin across the face. The slap

stunned not just Martin but Diana as well. Their mother, who always adored her son, had now resorted

to such violence.

Seemingly not satisfied, Florence raised her hand again and delivered another slap, trembling with

anger.

"You ungrateful wretch, do you want to be the death of us? You think you can stand up to us now that

you've grown wings? This woman, you may treasure her, but to us, she's worth nothing! You want to be

with her? Fine, you might protect her once or twice, but let's see if you can do it for a lifetime! She

thinks she can take a hit? Well, I'll make sure to give her one every time I see her!"