Chapter 23. The Mess on the Floor
527 Words
Dinner inside the De Luca mansion was unusually quiet that night.
Long chandeliers glowed above the luxurious dining table while servants moved around carefully serving expensive meals.
Sofia sat elegantly beside Adrian wearing a silk dress while Mrs. De Luca discussed future plans for the baby happily.
“We should host a celebration party soon,” she smiled proudly. “The entire country should know the De Luca heir is coming.”
Sofia smiled sweetly.
“Of course, Mother.”
Meanwhile Elena quietly served food like always despite feeling weak since morning.
Her body felt exhausted.
The pregnancy sickness was getting worse each day.
Still…
She forced herself to continue working because Sofia refused to excuse her from maid duties.
As Elena carefully placed another dish on the table, a sudden wave of nausea hit her violently.
Her face turned pale instantly.
She tried holding it back—
But failed.
Elena suddenly vomited onto the floor beside the dining table.
The entire room froze.
Sofia immediately stood up in disgust.
“Oh my God!”
Before Elena could even apologize—
SLAP!
Sofia slapped her hard across the face.
“You disgusting thing!”
Elena nearly lost balance while holding her burning cheek.
“I-I’m sorry…”
Mrs. De Luca frowned in irritation.
“What nonsense is this during dinner?”
Elena’s eyes lowered in humiliation while servants quietly stared at her.
For one painful second…
She hoped Adrian would at least defend her.
After all, she was carrying his child.
But instead, Adrian’s expression darkened coldly.
His sharp gaze moved toward Sofia.
“Take your mother upstairs.”
Sofia blinked slightly, surprised he spoke calmly to her.
Then Adrian looked toward the mess on the floor with visible irritation.
“Clean this immediately.”
Elena’s chest tightened painfully.
He didn’t even ask if she was okay.
Sofia instantly pretended to feel dizzy while leaning against Adrian dramatically.
“I suddenly feel sick too…”
Adrian immediately held her arm firmly.
“Go rest.”
Sofia secretly smirked victoriously before leaning more against him.
“Can you stay with me tonight?”
Mrs. De Luca smiled proudly seeing the interaction between them.
Meanwhile Elena stood frozen watching Adrian guide Sofia upstairs gently.
Not once looking back at her.
Not once caring she was trembling from weakness.
The moment they disappeared upstairs, Elena slowly bent down to clean the vomit from the floor herself.
Tears quietly dropped onto the marble tiles as she wiped everything alone.
Humiliation burned painfully inside her chest.
Only Rosa hurried over worriedly afterward.
“Child, you should rest.”
Elena forced a weak smile.
“I’m fine.”
But she wasn’t.
That night, Elena locked herself inside her tiny room afterward while silently crying beside the bed.
Her hand slowly rested on her stomach again.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered brokenly to the baby. “Mama is trying her best.”
Unknown to her…
At that exact moment upstairs, Adrian stood alone near the balcony outside Sofia’s room with an unreadable expression on his face.
Because strangely—
The image of Elena crying while cleaning the floor refused to leave his mind.
- Writer
