Chapter 46: – Is His Little Man That Good? –
"You must have forgotten how painful they were," Amadeo continued.
Nikolas’s brows furrowed as he immediately turned to Viviana. ’What scars?’ What the hell was this old man talking about?
He studied her, but Viviana refused to meet his gaze. She was hiding something from him.
A deafening silence gripped the room.
But suddenly
"Why did you transfer your mother to Clinica B without my permission?" Amadeo asked.
Nikolas cocked a brow at the name of his hospital. He’d been the one who suggested it, and luckily, Viviana had given her consent.
"Your permission?" The tiniest twitch emerged on Viviana’s jaw, but she smoothed it away almost immediately. "She’s my mother. Why would I need your permission, Pa?"
Amadeo’s grip tightened around the knife in his hand. "Viviana." His eyes cut to her with a warning glare. "Rosalia is my wife. My wife. And you had no right to do that without my permission."
Viviana lifted a brow. For a long moment, silence pressed around her. Then she lowered her head and began to chuckle softly.
Everyone, except Nikolas, frowned at her in confusion. What could possibly be so funny?
She lifted her gaze. "Your... wife?"
"Meaning?" Amadeo scowled.
"My mother? Your wife?" Viviana’s lashes lowered halfway. Her expression was calm, but it was the type that often made someone like Fernando uneasy. She shouldn’t be calm in this state, but she was. "It really baffles me that you can actually bring yourself to call her such."
"Meaning what?" Amadeo’s gaze hardened.
"Your wife? And you abused her for years? Your wife? And you cheated on her while all she did was love a worthless man like you–"
"How dare you?!!"
"–Your wife, and yet you married your mistress, dragged her into this family, and let her torment the woman you claimed to love! Do you even know what she did to her at the hospital? How she worsen her condition?!" She finally lost her calm. "She is in that hospital because of you. And you dare to call her your wife? You think because you have money, influence, and power, the world belongs to you?"
Amadeo stared at her as though she’d grown two heads.
"Pa." The corner of her mouth lifted a fraction, but her eyes were empty of emotions. "My mother is no longer a business of yours. She’s my mother, and I will fix what you broke inside of her. I will make sure that she recovers and lives the life she always wanted. And I promise you, I’ll see to it that she cuts every last tie with you. You will never again call her wife, and you will never again have a taste of her affections you took for granted."
Amadeo had enough, shooting to his feet as he lifted his hand to hit her. Nikolas, however, caught his arm firmly, and now both men stood at the table, locked in place while everyone watched.
Amadeo arched a brow.
"Sorry, father-in-law." Nikolas smiled weakly. "But you’re not putting your hands on my wife. Not before me, and not even when I’m not here."
"How dare you?!"
Amadeo simmered with rage.
"You lowlife!"
"I may be a lowlife," Nikolas said evenly, "But I will never allow anyone, man or woman, to lay a hand on my wife. This family dinner or whatever it is has gotten as bad as it can. I don’t think you’d want it to get worse, do you, father-in-law?"
Amadeo’s jaw tightened. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on them. Viviana’s breathing was uneven as she stared at her husband.
She hadn’t at all expected him to interfere.
Her father’s eye twitched, his gaze dropping to his wrist where Nikolas held him. That grip... he swore he felt extreme pressure on his bone.
"Let go." He glared at Nikolas. "This instant."
A cold light shone in Nikolas’s gaze, almost sinister, but a thin smile tugged at his lips, one that never reached his eyes. "My apologies. I’m just... too protective of my wife. I almost act like a madman." He chuckled, releasing his hand as he sank back into his chair.
Amadeo narrowed his eyes coldly, drawing in a long breath before lowering himself back into his seat as well.
No one spoke.
Not Savannah.
Not Serena.
And not even Fernando, who felt a chill run down his spine. Had he known, he would have rejected this invitation.
Nikolas turned his head to his side. "Vivia—"
"I’m going to use the bathroom for a second." Viviana stood and walked off without looking back.
She shut herself in the nearest bathroom, slamming the door and pressing her back against it.
A family dinner? What a joke!
It had always been like this, every family dinner turning into everyone picking on her. Even her own father, the biggest enabler of them all.
Storming over to the sink, she stared at her reflection. Her hair was a little out of place, and she ran her fingers through it, ruffling the strands.
A soft breath fled her. And gradually, she forced herself to breathe and calm down. After a few moments, she grabbed the handle and stepped out, ready to return to the dining room.
Enough was enough. She was done with this nonsense. She was going to get Nikolas and leave...
"Nikolas, huh?" Serena’s voice cut through.
Nikolas turned his head toward her, and in the same second, Serena grabbed him and smashed her lips to his.
Instinctively, he shoved her back so hard she nearly toppled out of her chair. "What the fuck?!!"
Pure disgust rippled through him as he wiped at his mouth, revulsion crawling through his system. This woman pissed him off for some reasons he couldn’t put his finger on. Almost like...
...He hated her!
He wanted to puke. And he didn’t think he’d ever felt this way.
Everyone was stunned, from Savannah to Amadeo to even Fernando. None of them had expected what she did.
But the most shocked of all was Viviana, who was frozen mid-step.
Serena’s grin widened the moment she spotted her. "Oh, hi there, sister. Didn’t think you’d be back so soon." She laughed. "Gotta hand it to you though, your taste in men is impeccable. Not only is your husband hot, but he tastes real nice too."
She pushed to her feet, hands on her hips as she tilted her head in amusement.
"I have a request," she said. "When you finally divorce him, let me have him. I’d love for him to rock my world."
She broke into laughter, shamelessly. "Ooo, what’s that look on your face? Are you angry? Do you hate that I kissed your husband? Wow... you’re awfully possessive of him..."
"...Is his little man that good?"