Bella woke up to the faint glow of morning light filtering through the curtains. For the first time since their marriage, she had managed to wake up before Lucas, and the realization brought a victorious smile to her lips. Finally! I beat him at this.
Turning slightly, she found herself facing Lucas. His sharp features, usually marked with authority, now appeared softer in sleep. The steady rise and fall of his chest, the relaxed brow, and the way a stray strand of hair had fallen over his forehead—it all made him look almost peaceful.
Bella stared for a moment longer than necessary before quickly shaking herself out of it. What am I doing? Staring at my husband like some lovestruck fool?
She quietly got out of bed, making sure not to wake him and Rachel, and tiptoed toward the kitchen. With her hair lazily tied up and wearing a comfortable oversized shirt, Bella moved around the kitchen, humming softly as she prepared breakfast. She had made a habit of letting Lucas cook in the mornings, but today, she wanted to do it herself.
The warm scent of freshly brewed coffee mixed with the aroma of the food, and Bella smiled in satisfaction. Just as she was about to set the table, movement near the floor caught her eye. And then she saw it. A cockroach.
Bella's eyes widened in absolute horror. The spoon in her hand clattered onto the counter as she let out a sharp, startled scream and scrambled onto the dining table, curling her legs up as if the tiny creature could somehow climb up and attack her.
Lucas was in the middle of a deep sleep when a piercing scream cut through the air. His instincts kicked in immediately. In the blink of an eye, he was out of bed, grabbing his gun from the bedside drawer before sprinting toward the source of the noise.
"Bella?!" He stormed into the kitchen, his heart pounding. The sight before him made him freeze. Bella was perched on the dining table, hugging her knees, her face filled with sheer terror as she pointed at something on the floor.
Lucas followed her gaze. A cockroach. His grip on the gun loosened as he exhaled sharply. It's good that her entire focus is on the cockroach or else she might have seen him with his gun.
"Are you serious?" he muttered, running a hand through his hair before hiding the gun in his pocket. Somewhere she can't see.
"Don't just stand there! Do something about it!" Bella hissed, her voice panicked. Lucas raised an eyebrow. "You screamed like that over a cockroach?"
"Yes! And what about it? It's disgusting!"
Lucas let out a chuckle, shaking his head. She grimaced when she saw the roach moving. She faced me fearlessly when we first met, but a tiny bug has her acting like this?....Well if I think carefully, she was a little bit scared that time too...
Without another word, he stepped forward and was about to stomp on it when—
"Wait!" Bella shrieked. Lucas stopped mid-step, looking up at her with an incredulous expression. "What now?"
"Don't kill it!" she blurted out.
Lucas stared at her. "...What?"
"Not inside the house," she clarified. "Take it outside!"
Lucas let out an exasperated sigh. "Bella, it's just a cockroach."
"I don't care! I don't want any poor soul dying in this house! Moreover it will become messy."
He gave her a long look before finally muttering under his breath, "Of course, you'd say something like that." From what he had learnt about Bella after all these days living together was...she takes most of the decisions emotionally but somehow they sound rational to him.
Shaking his head in amusement, Lucas bent down, grabbed a cup, and swiftly trapped the cockroach underneath. Bella visibly relaxed. "Now throw it outside."
"Yes, your highness," Lucas said dryly, carrying the cup toward the door. He stepped outside, tipped it over, and watched as the roach scurried away. When he turned back, Bella was still sitting on the table, her arms crossed.
"It's gone now," he announced. Bella hesitated before slowly getting down from the table. She smoothed out her shirt and gave him a glare. "Don't mock me."
Lucas smirked, leaning against the counter. "I wouldn't dare. But if I knew all it took to see you act this cute was a cockroach, I would've brought one home earlier."
Bella grabbed a napkin and threw it at him. Even at this moment he is thinking of teasing her. "You're impossible."
Still smirking, Lucas reached for his coffee. "You're lucky I'm here to fight the cockroach for you. Don't worry...in future I will fight all the cockroaches for you." Husbands fight with goons, their own family and whatnot for their wife but he is the first one who fought with a cockroach for her and is still proud of this. Bella rolled her eyes but couldn't fight back the small smile on her lips thinking about both the literal and metaphorical meaning.
After the whole cockroach incident, Bella finished setting up the table for breakfast while Lucas casually sipped his coffee, watching her with amused eyes. She ignored his lingering smirk and made her way to Rachel's room. This girl she didn't even woke up after hearing her mother scream earlier. Just how deep her slumber is.
Rachel was curled up under her blankets, hugging her stuffed bunny close. Bella sat beside her, gently running her fingers through her soft curls.
"Rachel, sweetheart, it's time to wake up," she whispered. Rachel groaned, turning her face into the pillow. "Five more minutes..."
Bella chuckled. "If you wake up now, we can have breakfast together, or else your daddy will eat your food too."
That got Rachel's attention. Her eyes peeked open, still drowsy. "Dada?"
"Mm-hmm," Bella nodded. Rachel sat up with a sleepy pout. "He never eats my food."
"Well, today he will," Bella said, smoothing down her daughter's messy hair. "Now, come on, let's get you ready."
By the time Rachel was dressed, Lucas was already waiting at the dining table, scrolling through his phone. He looked up as Rachel ran in and climbed onto her chair.
"You're in a good mood," Lucas noted, raising a brow. Rachel grinned. "Because you were going to eat my breakfast! I saved it in time."
Lucas smirked, reaching over to ruffle her hair. "Then let's make sure you eat well so you have lots of energy."
Rachel nodded eagerly and began munching on her breakfast. Bella watched the two of them, feeling a soft warmth spread through her chest. It still felt surreal sometimes—how naturally Lucas fit into their life. She shook the thought away and focused on eating.
After breakfast, Bella helped Rachel pack her schoolbag while Lucas grabbed his keys. Rachel clung to Bella for a moment before running toward Lucas. "Let's go, Dada!"
Lucas effortlessly lifted her up in his arms. "See you later," he told Bella. Bella smiled. "Drive safe."
Lucas gave her a teasing look. "Worried about me?" Bella rolled her eyes. "Worried about my daughter, actually."
Lucas chuckled. "Fair enough." He carried Rachel to the car, and soon, they were off.
About twenty minutes later, Lucas returned home, now dressed in a casual black button-down with the sleeves rolled up and dark jeans. He looked relaxed but still effortlessly commanding.
Bella, who had just finished cleaning up the kitchen, glanced up at him.
"You're back early," she noted.
Lucas leaned against the counter. "Because I'm taking you somewhere."
Bella blinked. "Where?"
His lips curled into a smirk. "Get ready, and you'll find out."
Bella narrowed her eyes. "Lucas—"
"It's a surprise," he cut in smoothly.
She folded her arms. "Why do I feel like I won't like this surprise?"
Lucas chuckled. "Because you don't know it yet. But trust me, you'll enjoy this one."
Bella huffed but turned toward the bedroom. "Fine. But if this is some elaborate prank, I swear—"
Lucas smirked as he watched her walk off. Once she disappeared into the room, he pulled out his phone and sent a quick message. Everything set?
A reply came almost instantly. Yes, boss.