He hadn’t realized he’d been waiting for sothing from her. A comnt. A small smile. Maybe even a shy little update like she gave Jay every day. "I bought sothing cute today!"
But she said nothing.
She treated him like... just a man in the house. Not even worth ntioning her day to. Not even worth a glance of pride.
His fingers curled tightly into a fist, his knuckles whitening.
Why was he feeling this way?
That sa uncomfortable emotion—the one he couldn’t na—clawed up his chest like a hot wave. Boiling. Stinging.
Jealousy? Hurt? Sothing worse?
He hated this feeling. It made his heartbeat uneven. His calm crack.
Why was she treating Jay like a best friend, telling him everything, and acting so cold toward him?
She was his wife.
Not Jay’s.
His brows drew together as he sat forward, elbows resting on his knees, his eyes still on the space where she’d stood just monts ago.
Sothing was changing inside him and he didn’t like how powerless it made him feel.
*****
Years ago, Bella would’ve never imagined a life like this.
Not even in her wildest, most foolish dreams.
She stood in front of the mirror now, her hands nervously brushing down the smooth fabric of the green dress that hugged her body just right. The soft silk shimred under the golden lights of her room—her room. A room she could call her own. With a bed that didn’t creak when she moved. With warm lights instead of a flickering bulb. With curtains so soft they felt like clouds between her fingers.
Everything here was beautiful.
But what made it feel like ho wasn’t the luxury. It was the people.
Marrying Leonardo... maybe it wasn’t love at first, and maybe it still wasn’t love but it had beco the turning point in her life. The mont she was thrown into a world that finally gave her sothing she never had: family.
Lina’s calm, motherly warmth. Alessandro’s quiet protection. Jay’s constant teasing, like a real brother. And maybe even... Leonardo himself. In his own cold, distant way.
She had never experienced any of this before.
Not growing up bruised and scared, hiding in corners, flinching at every raised voice. Not when secondhand clothes were considered treasures, and als were inconsistent, and the feeling of being unwanted hung in the air like a bad sll. She rembered how her body never grew the way others did. Malnutrition had stunted her. At eighteen, people often mistook her for a twelve-year-old. Small. Frail. Unnoticeable.
She used to think she was ugly.
The mirror back then only reflected her hollow cheeks, her dry hair, her big eyes full of fear.
But now...
Now her skin had a glow she never imagined could belong to her. Her face had slowly started filling out with softness. Her hair was thicker, her cheeks held a touch of color, and her figure—though still petite—was developing curves that made her look and feel more like a young woman and less like a forgotten girl.
She hadn’t done anything magical. Just lived here. Ate three als. Slept in peace. Smiled more than she cried.
And it changed her.
Even her height—though only a little—had caught up, making her feel stronger on her feet.
She stood straighter now.
And today, as she looked at herself in the mirror wearing that silky green dress Scarlett helped her choose—pretty, modern, soft but bold—she felt sothing she hadn’t felt in a long ti.
Pride.
Not for the dress, not even for her appearance.
But for the way she had quietly, stubbornly survived.
And for the first ti, maybe... she was starting to beco the kind of girl who didn’t hide.
***
Bella sat in front of the vanity table, staring at the colorful array of makeup products like they were ancient relics from another world. Lipsticks, foundations, little brushes with fluffy ends... She didn’t even know what half of them were for. All she had ever used was sunscreen during the day and a soft night cream before bed.
She sighed again, puffing out her cheeks, her long hair falling over her shoulders like waves of soft brown silk. Her dress was ready. Her heels were chosen. But her face... well, she felt like it looked too plain.
Another sigh.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
She blinked and stood up, padding over to the door and opening it.
And there he was.
"Jay jay?" she asked, surprised.
He grinned wide, his pink hair slightly tousled, hands in his pockets like he wasn’t up to anything but his eyes were shining.
"Looking pretty, little sister in law," he whistled playfully, and before she could react, he twirled her around like she was a princess. Bella’s face flushed as a shy smile crept up her lips, and she laughed softly.
"Jay!" she scolded half-heartedly, holding her hands to her cheeks.
But the smile quickly faded. Her shoulders drooped a little, and she plopped onto the edge of the bed with a small frown.
Jay imdiately noticed.
"Hey," he said, walking over to her. "What’s wrong, Bella Bell?"
She fiddled with the edge of her dress. "Umm... I don’t know how to do makeup," she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.
Jay blinked.
"Oh," he said simply, then raised an eyebrow. "That’s all?"
Bella frowned harder and gave him a pout. "Don’t tease ! I’m serious, Jay jay!"
He chuckled and held up both hands in surrender. "Alright, alright! No teasing. Co on, let help you then."
Bella’s eyes widened. "No! Don’t call so big team or stylist for this... it’s just dinner," she said quickly, waving her hands.
Jay laughed. "Team? Bella, I ant ."
Bella gave him a look. "You?"
Jay placed a dramatic hand on his chest. "Don’t doubt , woman! I may not look like it, but I’ve watched thousands of makeup tutorials... by accident. Thanks to scrolling on social dia for hours."
Bella giggled. "I don’t trust you at all."
"Too late, sit here," he said, guiding her back to the vanity chair. He rolled up his sleeves and looked at the makeup table like he was about to perform surgery.
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