The morning was different from usual. Instead of heading to the office, Lucas remained at home, casually sipping his coffee on the couch. He had already dropped Rachel to her school and he should be getting ready. Bella eyed him suspiciously as she set down a cup of tea for herself.
"You're still here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Lucas smirked, his fingers lightly tapping against his cup. "Trying to kick me out?"
Bella narrowed her eyes. "Just wondering if your company is running fine with its CEO lounging around like this."
"I have capable people handling things." He took a slow sip before adding, "Besides, I wanted to spend some time at home today."
Bella hummed, not entirely convinced, but she didn't push further. Lucas wasn't staying home just for leisure—he was staying because of her.
Her casual mention of feeling watched yesterday had unsettled him, and while he reassured her that everything was fine, he wasn't taking any chances. If there was a stalker lurking around, Lucas wanted to be close enough to deal with it.
The day went on with Bella doing some chores and then finally settling to finish her new painting, while Lucas set up his mini office in the living room and start doing his work, occasionally checking up on Bella who was painting in the balcony. It seems like the stalker didn't come today, considering how she was unbothered about being watched. Silence settled between them but it was comfortable. The only sound that break the silence was him typing on his laptop. The time went on and on.
Rachel, however, still had school. And since Lucas wasn't going to work, he decided to pick her up himself. Bella is the one who usually pick her up daily but he don't mind doing it. It gave him a chance to observe their surroundings, ensuring there was no one suspicious nearby.
Rachel was among the last kids to exit the school, her small face lighting up the moment she saw Lucas. "Dada!" she called, rushing over and hugging his legs.
Lucas crouched down to her level, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Had fun at school munchkin?"
Rachel nodded enthusiastically. "I drew a picture of our family today!"
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Our family?" She giggled. "Yes! You, Mama, and me!"
Something warm spread in Lucas's chest, but before he could reply, Rachel was already climbing into the car, eager to get home to show it to her mother.
By the time they returned home, Bella was setting the table for lunch. She greeted Rachel with a warm smile before turning to Lucas. "So? Did she convince you to buy something unhealthy again?"
Lucas smirked, ruffling Rachel's hair. "She negotiated well. I had no choice."
Rachel grinned. "I shared my cookies with Dada, so it's okay!" Bella gave Lucas a knowing look. "Corrupting her already, I see."
Before Lucas could respond, the doorbell rang. Rachel gasped. "I'll get it!" Lucas followed her, opening the door just as Alessandra and Matteo stood on the doorstep, their familiar warm smiles greeting them.
"Surprise!" Alessandra beamed, bending down to hug Rachel. "We couldn't leave for Italy without seeing you all."
Bella blinked, surprised but quickly welcoming. "Please come in! You should've told us you were coming." Good thing that she is wearing a oversized black tshirt or else his parents will be able to see her baby bump. Matteo chuckled as he stepped inside. "Then it wouldn't be a surprise."
Lunch was a lively affair. Rachel sat between her grandparents, chattering about school while Lucas and Bella ate quietly, occasionally adding comments to the conversation. Bella wondered how can her daughter get accustomed to his family when she just met them less than t times.
At one point, Rachel's glass was out of her reach. Without thinking, Bella reached across Lucas to grab it, brushing her arm against his. He barely reacted, only shifting slightly to let her pass it to Rachel. That was when Alessandra's sharp gaze flickered between the two. She leaned back in her chair, watching them for a moment before finally saying, "You two…"
Bella looked up, confused. "Hmm?" Alessandra tapped her fingers against the table. "You look more like… roommates than newlyweds." Bella choked on her food.
"Oh?" He leaned back, clearly amused. This....was getting interesting. "And what does a newlywed couple look like, Mother?" Alessandra gave him a knowing look. "A little more... affectionate."
Bella was still recovering from nearly choking. "We—we are affectionate. It's just that I'm kind of shy to display affection in front of people." She just babbled whatever came into her mind.
Alessandra arched an eyebrow. "Really? Because from where I'm sitting, I see two people who barely look at each other, and act like polite strangers. You two aren't even feeding each other."
Bella opened her mouth to protest, but Lucas moved before she could. Without hesitation, he casually draped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.
"What do you think, tesoruccia?" he murmured, his voice teasing. Bella froze. That word—she had heard it before. From him. It means little treasure. Bella turned to Lucas, heart skipping a beat. He was still smirking.
Matteo, who had been sipping his wine, chuckled. "Now that's how newlyweds show affection ." Matteo turned to his wife, lifting her hand and pressing a soft kiss against her knuckles.
"Guarda come sono innamorati, mia cara. Mi ricorda noi," he murmured. Bella blinked, the foreign words sounding both elegant and deeply intimate. Matteo caught her confused expression and smiled. "Ah, I suppose you don't know Italian?"
She shook her head. "No, but that sounded… romantic."
"It was," Alessandra said fondly. "He said, Look how in love they are, mia cara. It reminds me of us."
Bella's breath hitched. In love? She glanced at Lucas, who remained calm, his grip still firm on her waist. But there was something unreadable in his unwavering gaze, something deep, something which always forces her to break eye contact with him because she feared. She feared that she might never come back if she allowed herself to get lost into his eyes. Before she could overthink, Rachel tilted her head. "Grandma what does 'mia cara' means?
Alessandra chuckled before answering, "It means....my dear."
"Dada, why don't you call Mama mia cara too?"
Lucas looked down at Rachel, then at Bella, whose face turned even redder. He smirked. "Maybe I will."
Bella's breath caught. What did I just get myself into?