Chapter 257
KATYA POV
Elena smiled wider when she saw the way I stiffened, like she’d already learned sothing important about without needing it explained. "I would hug you properly," she said, resting a hand over her stomach with a soft laugh, "but my little one has decided my personal space no longer belongs to ."
Her voice was gentle. Musical in a way that felt earned, not practiced. "That’s okay," I said quickly, then hesitated. "I an—thank you."
She laughed again, quieter this ti. "You don’t need to thank for wanting to hug you, cara."
Chiara groaned dramatically beside . "See? I told you. She hugs everyone. I’m offended you didn’t try anyway."
Elena shot her a look. "You’re offended by breathing."
"That’s because I do it too much," Chiara shot back easily, then turned to , eyes bright. "Give it ti. She’ll hug you whether you’re ready or not."
I wasn’t sure whether that was a promise or a threat. Elena gestured us inside with a small tilt of her head. "Co in. You’re blocking my light and I need all of it these days."
We stepped fully into the kitchen, and the warmth wrapped around instantly, making rember miss Stella. The light in my eyes dimd thinking about how she had looked at . I just hope she doesn’t hate more with Lila’s death.
Chiara hand wrapped around mine, pulling out of my sorrowful thoughts, I thought she would ask what’s wrong but she only smiled and pulled towards a chair.
Elena moved slowly, carefully, but not weakly. Everything about her felt deliberate. Like she knew exactly how much space she was allowed to take and refused to shrink beyond it.
Chiara hopped onto a stool like she owned the place. Which, judging by Elena’s fond sigh, she probably did.
"So," she said casually, leaning forward on the stool, peering into the bowl Elena had set aside. "what are you making?"
Elena didn’t even look up as she reached for a jar on the counter. "Sothing you are not eating."
Chiara gasped, hand flying to her chest. "That’s cruel. I live here."
"And you eat everything in sight." Elena said softly.
"I am supporting two people now," Chiara argued, nodding toward Elena’s stomach. " and the baby."
Elena snorted. "The baby has no interest in sharing with you."
Chiara turned to , eyes wide, seeking an ally. "Do you see how she treats ?" I hesitated, the words tangling in my throat.
I wasn’t used to being pulled into conversations like this—casual, teasing, unguarded. I offered a small shrug instead. "She... seems nice."
Chiara laughed like I’d said sothing profound. "nice" she repeated approvingly. "That’s her polite word for evil."
Elena finally glanced over her shoulder, eyebrow raised. "Careful. I am pregnant, not powerless."
"That’s debatable," Chiara said cheerfully. Then she grinned and added, "Can you believe she got pregnant by one of the guards here?"
The words landed too fast. My spine stiffened before I could stop it, my eyes flicking instinctively toward the door, the walls—anywhere but Elena.
Elena sighed, long-suffering. "Chiara."
"What?" Chiara said innocently, then looked back at . "It’s romantic. In a very Nonna-would-have-a-heart-attack kind of way."
"We are married," Elena said firmly, turning fully now. "Legally. Properly. With witnesses."
Chiara waved a hand. "Details."
Elena pointed the spoon at her. "Important details."
I swallowed, heat creeping up my neck. Marriage. Guards. Choice. All of it felt... foreign. Dangerous, almost. Where I ca from, power and affection never mixed without consequences.
"That’s—" I started, then stopped. My voice felt too loud in my own ears. "That’s... nice."
Elena’s expression softened imdiately, like she heard everything I wasn’t saying. "It is," she said gently. "Unexpected. But good."
Chiara hopped down from the stool and moved closer to , bumping my shoulder lightly with hers. "Her husband is hot, like hot hot but his not hot like Jas or Roo."
My stomach dipped before I could stop it.
Roo. The na dragged sothing cold up my spine. I must have reacted, because Elena paused mid-movent.
The spoon in her hand hovered for half a second too long before Clack.
Elena smacked the back of Chiara’s head with the wooden spoon, not hard, but sharp enough to snap the air.
"Ow!" Chiara yelped, rubbing her scalp. "What was that for?"
"For saying his na like that," Elena said calmly, already turning back to the counter.
Chiara gaped. "Oh shit, Don Salvatore" She dragged the his na.
Elena scoffed as she smacked another spoon to chiara’s head, this ti quicker.
I stayed quiet, my fingers curling tighter in my lap. The way Elena corrected her wasn’t fear. It was habit. Respect carved so deep it surfaced even in jokes.
"But Jas," Chiara insisted, undeterred, turning back to like she was sharing a secret. "Jas is—ugh. Ridiculously hot. Like unfairly so."
My throat tightened. "Jas?" I repeated carefully, like the na might bite if I held it wrong, rembering the tal biting into my wrists, the weight of hands that hadn’t asked, the sound of cuffs snapping shut like a decision already made for .
Chiara sighed dramatically, eyes rolling back. "Yes, Jas. Tall. Dark. Always brooding like soone stole his joy at birth."
Elena snorted. "That’s because you never left him alone."
"He was my childhood best friend," Chiara argued.
Elena laughed outright. "He was not your friend."
"He was!"
"He barely tolerated you," Elena corrected. Chiara crossed her arms. "That still counts."
"No," Elena said flatly. "It does not. He used to hide behind Roo to avoid you."
"That is a lie."
"He once pretended to be on guard duty for six hours just so he wouldn’t have to listen to you talk an he wasn’t even of age then"
Chiara gasped, offended. "That’s dedication. You don’t do that for soone you don’t care about."
Elena rolled her eyes. "You were loud. He was desperate."
I stared at the floor, my pulse loud in my ears. Their version of Jas didn’t match the man I rembered—controlled, unreadable, efficient. The one who’d looked at like I was already restrained before the cuffs ever touched my skin.
"You know him?" Chiara asked suddenly, tilting her head at . The question hit .
"I—" My voice faltered. I forced it steady. "I’ve... seen him."
That wasn’t a lie. Chiara brightened instantly. "Wasn’t he hot?." She wiggled her brows while Elena gave a sideways look, sothing perceptive flickering behind her eyes.
She didn’t press. Just turned back to the stove and stirred slowly. "For the record," Elena said mildly, "Jas has the emotional range of a locked door."
Chiara grinned. "Exactly my type." I didn’t smile, not because I didn’t find the their banter amusing but because I wouldn’t wish for Chiara to be with soone that’s close to Roo.
††
Jas and Chiara huh?
A chaotic Duo lol
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