Chapter 120: Chapter 120 Distance
A moment later, she felt the faint dip of the cushion beside her as someone sat down. She didn’t have to look to know who it was. Leonardo’s tall frame shifted the whole seat slightly. Even without a single word, his quiet, cold presence filled every inch of space between them.
Bella’s shoulders stiffened, her lashes fluttering as she stared straight ahead at the back of the seat in front of her. She didn’t dare move, didn’t dare speak. The only sign of her nerves was the tiny tremble at the corner of her lips.
Leonardo didn’t say anything either. He leaned back against the leather, long legs stretching slightly, one arm draped casually on the armrest between them — so close that the faint brush of his sleeve made her heartbeat trip.
She could feel the warmth radiating from him... She wondered if he could hear how her small breaths were just a bit shaky, how she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from doing something stupid like apologizing for things she didn’t even know she’d done wrong.
Outside the tiny oval window, the runway lights blurred as the plane rumbled forward. She gripped the edge of her seat, holding her breath.
Leonardo’s eyes slid to the side just once watching her small hand clutching the armrest so tight her knuckles turned pale. His jaw flexed, an odd heat tightening in his chest at how easily she looked breakable. At how she never complained, not even once.
"Relax," he said suddenly, his deep voice rumbling low.
Bella flinched, her lashes flicking up to his cold gray eyes. But he didn’t look at her fully, he just leaned back, gaze sliding to the window as the jet lifted off the ground.
And beside him, Bella let out the tiniest, shaky breath, wishing she knew how to relax when he was this close.
***
The ride from the airport was quiet. Bella sat beside Leonardo in the backseat, her small hands resting on her bag, her eyes lowered to her lap the whole way. She didn’t say a word, and he didn’t either. The sound of the car engine and the distant city sounds outside their tinted windows filled the silence between them – an invisible wall neither of them dared to push through.
When the tall iron gates of the mansion finally came into view, Bella felt something small and warm flutter in her chest. Home or at least, the closest thing to it now. She clutched her bag a little tighter, her heartbeat quickening.
The car hadn’t even fully stopped before she spotted him . Jay, standing at the entrance like an excited puppy, his arms spread wide open. His big smile was so warm that it made her eyes sting all over again, but this time for good reasons.
The moment the car door opened, Bella practically scrambled out, her sandals pattering against the driveway stones as she ran straight to him.
"Jay Jay!" she called, her small voice cracking with relief.
Jay laughed and scooped her up into his arms, lifting her clear off her feet. "There’s my favorite little sister-in-law! You’re back!" he said, spinning her around just once, making her giggle breathlessly.
When he set her down, Bella’s eyes sparkled softly as she turned and saw Lina standing beside them. The older woman’s elegant face carried that same composed elegant beauty, but today there was a faint, gentle smile tugging at her lips that made her look almost motherly.
"Welcome home, Bella," Lina said quietly, her tone warm but restrained. She reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind Bella’s ear with graceful fingers.
Bella’s smile wobbled as she lowered her head, hugging her bag tighter. "I missed you, Mom," she whispered honestly, her voice small but sweet.
Behind them, Leonardo watched the reunion in silence, his cold eyes flicking between his little brother’s beaming grin and Bella.
For a moment, something almost unfamiliar tugged at his chest but he quickly shoved it back down, slipping his hands into his pockets and turning away as if he hadn’t been watching at all.
Bella walked inside the warm, familiar halls with Jay and Lina at her side. Jay, full of his usual sunshine, kept chattering as he carried her small suitcase up the stairs for her.
"So, Bell Bell! Tell me how was the honeymoon? Did you guys see dolphins? Did you swim? Did you eat lots of yummy food? Huh?" he asked, his grin so wide and bright that it almost hurt her heart.
Bella turned to him, hugging her bag tight to her chest. She tried so hard to lift the corners of her lips, to make her eyes curve in that soft way she knew made people relax around her. But the smile didn’t reach the ache behind her lashes.
"It was... good. Very pretty ocean. Just... I’m a little tired," she said, her voice small but sweet, her eyes flickering down to the floor. She pressed the fake smile in place like a fragile bandage.
Jay blinked, his grin faltering a little when he caught that tiny crack in her voice. "Oh! Ops — sorry, sorry! You must be exhausted. I’ll stop grilling you. Rest, okay? You’re home now," he said, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze.
She nodded, bowing her head in thanks to him and Lina, who only watched her with those unreadable eyes as if she could see straight through every smile Bella tried to hide behind.
When Bella stepped into her room, she closed the door gently behind her. The soft click of the lock felt like the final stone dropped on her little heart.
She let her bag slide from her hands and hit the floor with a muted thud. Her feet carried her to the edge of her bed almost on their own and when she felt the familiar softness of her blankets under her fingertips, the last of that fake smile crumbled.
Her knees hit the edge of the bed and she sank down slowly, her shoulders trembling as her chest tightened painfully.