My foolish Godfather husband led me back to conquer New York Chapter 02

My foolish Godfather husband led me back to conquer New York Chapter 02

The wedding ceremony was a mess from start to finish.

The priest had barely reached the middle of his vows when Nico leaned in and lifted my veil.

Before I could react, he had already ducked underneath it, his eyes shining as he looked straight at me.

“Darling is so pretty.”

Another wave of laughter rippled through the guests.

The Dowager of the De Luca family sat in the front row, a black cane resting in her hand, her expression unreadable.

She was Nico’s grandmother—and the one who truly held power in the De Luca family now.

I had thought she would look down on me.

But after the ceremony, she simply walked over, took out a ruby brooch, and pinned it onto my wedding dress.

“From today on, you are the young mistress of the De Luca family.”

Her voice wasn’t loud, yet it silenced everyone around us.

“Anyone who bullies you is bullying the De Lucas.”

I froze.

Since my mother died, no one had ever acknowledged my place so formally.

I lowered my voice.

“Thank you.”

The old lady glanced at me.

“Don’t thank me. Just stay alive.”

After the wedding banquet, I was sent to Nico’s room.

It was large, with the sea stretching right outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

I stood there when I heard the door open behind me.

Nico rushed in, arms full of things.

Jewelry boxes, silk scarves, candy—even a small wooden horse.

He dumped everything onto the bed and looked at me proudly.

“For darling!”

I looked at the pile of random items and couldn’t help asking,

“Where did all these come from?”

“Grandma’s room.”

My expression changed instantly.

“You can’t just take the Dowager’s things.”

He shook his head immediately.

“Grandma said I can! Grandma said her things will all be darling’s from now on!”

After saying that, he rummaged through a box, pulled out a pink tourmaline bracelet, and clumsily fastened it around my wrist.

“Darling’s skin is white. This looks good.”

I lowered my gaze to the bracelet.

Under the light, the beads glowed softly.

At the Hart house, I had never worn anything like this.

Sophia said it was ridiculous for an illegitimate daughter to wear jewelry.

My stepmother said I didn’t deserve it.

And now, a man everyone called a fool was piling the best things he could get right in front of me.

I reached up and straightened his crooked tie.

“Thank you.”

Nico’s smile widened.

Then he suddenly did a clumsy somersault on the carpet.

“Darling not angry! Darling likes!”

He startled me—and yet I couldn’t help the slight curve of my lips.

On our wedding night, Nico slept on the sofa in the outer sitting room.

I had expected him to make a fuss.

But he hugged a pillow and sat there obediently, asking,

“Darling, can I sleep here?”

“You can.”

“If bad guys come, I protect darling.”

I thought it was just foolish talk.

Until the middle of the night, when thunder woke me.

I opened my eyes and found that, at some point, he had climbed onto the bed.

He was holding me tightly, as if I were the only lifeline he had.

I tried to push him away.

But in his sleep, his brows were tightly knit, and he murmured,

“Don’t shoot…”

My hand stopped.

Thunder rolled outside the window.

His body was tense, drawn tight like a bowstring stretched to its limit.

I looked at his quiet face.

In that moment, he didn’t look like a fool.

He looked like someone trapped in a nightmare he couldn’t escape.

The next morning, he was Nico again—the one chasing butterflies.

He ran through the garden, drenched in sweat, holding a crumpled white rose in his hand.

“Darling! For you!”

I took the flower.

There was still dirt on the stem.

He looked at me nervously.

“Darling likes?”

I looked at it for a long moment, then nodded.

“I like it.”

He immediately broke into a grin and ran off again, chasing butterflies.

I stood in the sunlight, watching the tall man run like a child into the distance.

Lena whispered softly,

“Miss, he really seems to like you.”

I didn’t answer.

I simply lowered my head and placed the wrinkled white rose into a glass of water.