Bella woke up feeling well-rested for the first time in days. The familiar scent of coffee and something warm and buttery drifted into the room, coaxing her fully awake. Stretching slightly, she glanced at the empty space beside her, the sheets already cool. Lucas was up.
With a small yawn, she pushed off the blanket and made her way to the kitchen. The sight that greeted her made her pause at the doorway. Lucas stood near the stove, dressed in his usual crisp shirt and pants, the sleeves rolled up as he flipped something in the pan with practiced ease. His hair was slightly damp, a clear sign he had already showered.
"You're getting too comfortable here," Bella teased, leaning against the doorframe with a playful smirk.
Lucas turned his head slightly, giving her a glance before returning his attention to the pan. "Should I remind you whose name is now on the property papers?" he shot back, a smug edge to his voice.
Bella rolled her eyes but couldn't stop the warmth that spread in her chest. She padded toward the dining table, where plates were already set. "You don't have to make breakfast everyday. You should have woken me up," she said, sitting down, taking the coffee cup.
"I am doing this because," Lucas placed a plate of golden pancakes in front of her, followed by a small bowl of fruit. "You need to eat properly." He said taking the cups from her hands.
Before she could argue over her coffee, the sound of small, hurried footsteps filled the room. Rachel appeared, her hair slightly messy from sleep as she rubbed her eyes. When she saw the food, her face lit up. "Dada made pancakes?"
Lucas smirked. "Of course. Special breakfast for my girls."
Rachel giggled, climbing onto her chair. Bella, however, stilled for a second at his words. My girls. Somehow, the way he said it without any hesitation—made something in her stomach flutter. The anger of snatching her cup of coffee from her hands, were now replaced with something indescribable.
Shaking the thought away, she picked up her fork. "Well, let's eat before they get cold."
Lucas sat across from her, watching as both Bella and Rachel took their first bites. When Bella hummed in appreciation, he found himself smirking again. Too comfortable? Maybe. But he didn't really mind.
After breakfast, the morning passed in an easy routine. Lucas helped Rachel get ready, tying her shoelaces as she chattered about her new friend who just got transferred in her school, while Bella packed her lunchbox. Once everything was set, he grabbed his car keys.
"I'll drop her off and head straight to work," he informed Bella. She nodded. "Rachel be a good girl in school and I've packed your favourite food in the lunch. You need to finish everything."
Rachel's face was beaming with joy when she heard about her favorite food in the lunch. But there was someone beside her who look nothing less than a sulking cat after hearing that she packed only Rachel's lunch.
If someone sees him like this, they might think I'm bullying him. Bella narrowed her eyes at him, urging him to talk. "Umm..... I wanted to ask...Bella....that..... did you made lunch for me too.... I mean the last time you did, it was very delicious."
"Huh." The only word that came out of her mouth was huh. So the reason this grown up man is pouting is because I didn't give him his lunch.
She felt guilty looking at his saddened face. "I made it that day because you didn't have your breakfast properly. I didn't know that you wanted me to pack your lunch today too. How about you give me 5 minutes? I will make something good real quick."
She was about to go back to the kitchen but he grabbed her by the wrist. She gazed at him in confusion, but the slight pout that had been on his face moments ago had completely disappeared.
"No need to make anything now. I was just teasing you. You need rest and don't do any work. Also I'm thinking of hiring a caretaker especially for you."
Bella blinked at him, surprised by the suggestion. "A caretaker? Lucas, I'm pregnant, not disabled," she said with a small frown. "I know," he replied calmly. "But I don't want you overworking yourself."
She sighed, shaking her head. "I appreciate your concern, but I don't want a stranger in my private life. I'm fine handling things on my own. And the doctor told me too, that it is important to move around or else I will have problems in the future."
Lucas studied her for a moment, as if considering pushing the matter further, but then he exhaled and nodded. "Alright. But if you ever feel like you need help, just tell me."
Bella gave him a small smile, silently appreciating his care. "I will. Drive safe."
Lucas smirked slightly but didn't respond, only ruffling Rachel's hair before guiding her toward the door. Bella stood by the entrance, watching them leave, the warmth of their morning still lingering.
Lucas arrived at his private estate, where Mark and Renato were already waiting in his office. The air was heavier here, far removed from the lightness of breakfast.
"Alright," Lucas exhaled, taking his seat. "Can you tell me what exactly happened?" Renato leaned forward, rubbing his face with a frustrated sigh. "I never planned for this to happen."
Lucas remained silent, waiting for him to continue. Renato's jaw clenched. "At first, it was just a way to get close to the Don—to gather intel, to find a weak spot, to use her. But things changed. I didn't expect to… care for her." Mark scoffed. "That's an understatement."
Lucas shot him a look before refocusing on Renato. "And now? She's still trapped there." Renato's eyes darkened. "Yes. And I won't let him use her anymore. I won't let her become a pawn for him."
Lucas leaned back, fingers tapping against the desk. "Mikhail is becoming reckless. He's launching attacks, but they aren't as calculated as I thought them to be. He's making mistakes." His gaze sharpened. "Which means we have an opening."
Mark nodded. "You're thinking of using his wife to bring him down?" Lucas exhaled. "Maybe or maybe not. We need to get her out first. He has eyes everywhere—his men, the security at his estate, even corrupt police officers on his payroll." He glanced at Renato. "You're sure she'll leave?"
Renato didn't hesitate. "She wants out. She's terrified of him."
Lucas exchanged a look with Mark, then stood up. "Then we plan her extraction. We'll need a secure location, a diversion, and a way to cut off the Don's immediate resources."
Mark smirked. "Good. It's been a while since we rattled a mafia empire."
Lucas's expression was unreadable. This time it's not just a domestic organisation but a whole damn empire. If he did something reckless, it will directly take him to his grave. He sighed. The past few days had been filled with beautiful moments of married life—Bella, Rachel, the quiet warmth of their home. But here, in this room, the reality of his world remained unchanged.
And soon, those two worlds would collide.
_____________________________________
Bella sighed as she finished tidying up Rachel's toys, placing the last stuffed bunny on the shelf. She placed her hands in either sides of her waist, looking around the room, all clean. However the house felt unusually quiet—almost too quiet. She wasn't used to it anymore.
Ever since the wedding, even before the wedding, Lucas had been around constantly, filling the space with his presence. Whether it was his teasing remarks, his overprotectiveness, or even just the sound of him moving around, she had unknowingly grown accustomed to it.
Now, with Rachel at school and Lucas at work, the silence was almost unsettling. She tried to distract herself, picking up a book and settling on the couch, but after reading the same line five times, she gave up. She wasn't sure why she felt this way. It wasn't like she was lonely. She had spent plenty of days alone before. But something about today felt different.
Her thoughts unknowingly wander off to Lucas, his smile, his teasing talks and lastly to his eyes. His eyes were like twin black holes, drawing you in with their bottomless depths, like gazing into the night sky. She was sometimes afraid that if she looked in his eyes for too long, she would lose herself. But a person can't be judged by his eyes, right? So what if he got pretty eyes, it doesn't mean he is flawless. What she feels for him is just instantaneous attraction, because he take care of her. Nothing more.
Meanwhile, in his office, Lucas was deep in discussion with Mark and Renato, but every now and then, his gaze flickered to his phone lying on the desk. His fingers tapped against the surface as an odd realization dawned on him—Bella never texted him first. Not even once.
His jaw clenched slightly. Was she even thinking about him? Or was she completely fine on her own? The thought irritated him for reasons he didn't care to admit. But one thing is sure, he need to ask her to update about herself frequently in the future. Just to know her well being.
After a moment of inner debate, he picked up his phone and typed a message. What are you doing?
Bella, who had just curled up against the armrest with her book, determined to read it without any thoughts of Lucas, blinked at the sudden notification. Lucas. The name flashed on her phone's screen. She hadn't expected him to message her. Although the thought of talking with him unconsciously made her smile, she still decided to answer him in just one word. Reading.
Lucas smirked at the one-word reply. Of course, she wouldn't elaborate. Missing me?
Bella frowned at her screen, her cheeks heating up. Was he serious? This man is messing with her mind. Just when she made up her mind to not think about him and read this damn book, he is forcing her to think about him. Why would I?
Lucas leaned back in his chair, imagining her flustered expression. You tell me.
Bella huffed, staring at the text. This man! He always had a way of making her speechless. Instead of responding, she shut off her phone and tossed it beside her.
Lucas chuckled when he didn't get a reply. He could almost picture her stubbornly avoiding his message. She always get flustered after hearing his teasing talks.
Mark, who had been watching the entire exchange with amusement, smirked. "You're down bad, boss." Lucas scoffed. "Shut up."
But even as he returned to his work, his mind remained on Bella, a faint smirk lingering on his lips.