Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown novel Chapter 291

Everyone was startled when they saw who had spoken.

But the words “Young Master William” sent a fresh wave of shock through the crowd; faces paled in an instant.

Especially the man who’d been provoking William—his expression drained of all color, and he dropped to his knees right there on the floor.

“Oh, come on,” the newcomer drawled in an exaggerated tone, “even for Young Master William, isn’t that a bit much? Get up! Mr. William isn’t that petty, right, Mr. William?”

William shot the man a sidelong glance.

The speaker stood out in a pastel-pink suit, his soft features and almost melodramatic tone making him look, at a glance, like a strikingly pretty woman. But despite the delicate air, he was unmistakably and unapologetically a man.

“This is nothing worth holding a grudge over,” William said, his gaze finally landing on the man still cowering at his feet. When he saw the man sigh in visible relief, William spoke again, his voice cool and measured. “Still, if I just let you off, people might start thinking I’m a pushover. Here’s a compromise: I’ll have my friend here teach you a lesson. A fair trade, don’t you think?”

He gestured toward Serena.

The man didn’t dare protest. Noticing Serena was a woman, he scrambled to agree, practically tripping over his own words. “No problem—please, miss, do your worst! Really, go ahead!”

Serena hadn’t anticipated things would take this turn.

She was still holding the feather duster William had shoved into her hands earlier. She’d frozen in confusion at the time, unsure what he expected.

Now, William’s voice called her name.

She snapped back to the present, catching the glimmer of mischief in William’s eyes as he raised an eyebrow at her.

Her heart skipped. Before she could process what was happening, the man leaned forward, practically thrusting his head toward her. “Please, miss, I’m begging you—just get it over with!”

Serena almost laughed at the ridiculous sight—this grown man practically pleading to be punished.

But then she remembered he’d just called William a loser. Her expression hardened. Without another word, she gripped the feather duster and brought it down on him, hard.

Serena couldn’t understand it.

How could there be mothers like that in this world?

Maybe… maybe she really wasn’t Penelope’s daughter after all.

Because she simply couldn’t understand how Penelope could pour all her love into Bella, yet be so cruel to her.

If it hadn’t been for William—his words echoing in her mind, “If you really did play a part in your father’s death, all the more reason to protect the antiques he left behind”—she might have given up on them altogether.

With that thought, Serena glanced at William, gratitude shining in her eyes.

William was looking at her too, but he quickly turned away, nodding toward the man collapsed on the floor. “Take him away.”