Chapter 6
1300 Words
Sienna’s POV
The lady-in-waiting—one of many staff members I might not possibly remember the names of—led me through the estate’s winding hallways, each step echoing off the marble floors. If I had any doubts about Campbell Nicholas's wealth before, they had been permanently erased the moment I stepped into his world. Everything in this house was grand, luxurious, and just slightly intimidating.
Eventually, we stopped in front of a set of double doors. The lady-in-waiting pushed them open, revealing a room so enormous I almost mistook it for another lounge. The ceiling was high, adorned with intricate molding, and a massive four-poster bed sat at the center, draped in rich, velvety fabrics. A chandelier hung above, its crystals catching the light and scattering it across the plush carpets.
I turned, about to ask if she had led me to the wrong place, but she was already gone.
With a sigh, I stepped inside and ran my fingers along the silk duvet. My old bedroom—correction, the one I used to share with Devon—could fit in here ten times over.
Before I could process the ridiculousness of it all, a soft knock sounded on the door.
“Come in,” I called.
The door swung open, and a young woman, probably in her mid-twenties, stepped in, carrying several large shopping bags with the names of high-end brands I’d only ever admired from afar. Her auburn hair was neatly tied back, and she had a cheerful, mischievous smile on her face.
“You must be Sienna.” She set the bags down on the couch and gave me a knowing look. “And before you ask—yes, these are all for you.”
I blinked. “Excuse me?”
She grinned and dusted off her hands. “From Mr. Nicholas. He sent me out to do some shopping on your behalf.”
I stared at the sheer number of bags. “This is… a lot.”
“Tell me about it.” She exhaled dramatically and flopped onto a nearby chair. “I nearly got trampled by a mob of influencers at one of the stores. But hey, if I got your style and size wrong, let me know. I’d rather return everything than have Mr. Nicholas fry me alive.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the exaggerated fear in her voice. “He’s that terrifying, huh?”
She gasped, placing a hand on her chest. “Oh, you have no idea. One wrong move, and he’ll give you the look.”
“The look?”
She shuddered. “That cold, unreadable stare that makes you question every life choice you’ve ever made. I still have nightmares about it.”
I laughed again, shaking my head. “I don’t think he’s that bad.”
“That’s because you’re his wife,” she pointed out. “The rest of us? We’re mere mortals.”
I smirked. “Noted. And you are…?”
“Oh! Right.” She straightened up. “Olivia. I work here as a maid, but between you and me, I know everything that happens in this house.” She tapped her temple. “I have ears everywhere.”
I raised a brow, intrigued. “Is that so?”
“Oh, absolutely.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “You’re new here, so I figured I’d give you a little insight into your dear husband’s lovely, complicated family.”
I leaned back, sipping the glass of water a staff member had placed on the nightstand earlier. “I’m listening.”
Olivia beamed. “Alright. Let’s start with the star of the circus—Damien Nicholas, Campbell’s charming stepbrother.”
I tilted my head. “Charming?”
“Charming like a snake,” she corrected. “Damien’s the type of guy who walks into a room and immediately makes you feel like you need to check your pockets.”
I chuckled. “And what’s his deal?”
“Well, aside from the fact that he desperately wants to steal Nicholas Automobiles from your husband, he’s also married to her.”
I frowned. “Her?”
Olivia wiggled her brows. “Veronica.”
The name sounded vaguely familiar. “Should I know who that is?”
“You will.” Olivia smirked. “Veronica is the Veronica Sinclair—heiress to the Sinclair fortune, former model, and professional homewrecker.”
I blinked. “That’s quite the resume.”
“Right?” Olivia sighed dramatically. “She and Damien got married two years ago, and let me tell you, it was less of a wedding and more of a scandal. Nobody expected it, least of all Mr. Nicholas.”
I tapped my fingers against the armrest. “So, Damien is ambitious, and his wife is—”
“A certified troublemaker,” Olivia finished. “Together, they’re basically a power-hungry disaster.”
I exhaled slowly. “Great.”
“Oh, but wait! We’re not done.” Olivia grinned. “We still have the stepmother.”
I raised a brow. “Campbell’s stepmother?”
“Yes. The infamous Victoria Nicholas.”
“What’s so special about her?”
Is she the woman I met in the hospital?
Olivia leaned in again, lowering her voice. “She’s twenty-nine.”
Oh, she is not the one, then.
I nearly choked on my water. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, yeah. She married Mr. Nicholas’s father when she was twenty-one. He was sixty.”
I stared at her. “That’s… quite the age gap.”
“And let’s just say she didn’t exactly marry him for love.” Olivia snorted. “After his death, she walked away with a fortune, and guess what? She’s already on husband number three.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “You weren’t kidding about the scandals.”
“Oh, honey,” Olivia grinned. “We haven’t even gotten to the best part.”
I sighed, bracing myself. “Alright. Hit me.”
She clasped her hands together. “Campbell’s paternal uncle—Nathaniel Nicholas.”
I frowned. “I think Campbell mentioned him earlier.”
"No. That's probably not Nathaniel. Mr. Nicholad would never mention Nathaniel like that. It's probably his maternal uncle he mentioned."
I blinked. “He’s the one who set the ridiculous ‘you must be married by thirty’ rule?”
Olivia nodded.
“But, why?”
“Because he knows Nathaniel is eyeing Nicholas Automobiles. Before his death, he saw that Nathaniel wanted the company and decided to create a rule Nathaniel would never abide to because he is a chronic womaniser. ” Olivia’s voice turned serious. “Nathaniel wanted the company for himself, but when Campbell’s maternal uncle passed, it went to your husband instead. Nathaniel’s been bitter about it ever since.”
I digested that information. “And if Campbell hadn’t gotten married…”
“Nathaniel would’ve had the leverage to push him out of the CEO seat,” Olivia finished.
I exhaled. “Wow. Your boss has a lot of enemies.”
Olivia grinned. “Welcome to the Nicholas family, Mrs. Sienna.”
I shook my head, a mix of amusement and exhaustion settling in. “You know, for a maid, you know an awful lot.”
She winked. “I told you—I have ears everywhere.”
I chuckled, glancing at the shopping bags again. “Well, Olivia, if you ever get tired of being a maid, you’d make an excellent private investigator.”
She gasped dramatically. “Flattery will get you everywhere, Mrs. Nicholas.”
I rolled my eyes. “Just Sienna.”
Her grin widened. “Alright, Sienna.”
For the first time since stepping into this estate, I felt something unexpected—comfort.
Maybe I wasn’t entirely alone here after all.
- Writer
