Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Learn to share your space with your wife She tried to speak, but all that came out was a quiet, breathy, "Uhm..."
Lina raised an eyebrow, her stare deepening.
Isabella was about five seconds away from pretending to faint when she whispered, "He... he seems to like silence?"
šÆš§š®š®šš®šš£ššššµ.š¬šøš Leonardo turned his head toward her, blinking slowly.
A pause.
Then... one corner of his lips twitched.
Lina, however, remained perfectly unreadable.
Isabella stood awkwardly, her cheeks glowing, convinced she had just dug her own grave with a velvet shovel.
"Good," Lina said, her voice finally warming just the slightest bit as she stood up and crossed her arms gracefully. There was a glint of satisfaction in her sharp blue eyes.
Isabella blinked, stunned.
Wait... did I just survive that? She stood stiffly, her lips parted in surprise, her wide eyes even wider now. Her heart, which had been thudding like a hammer, finally began to slow down.
Iām alive?! Lina gave a small approving nod. "Good. I like her."
Leonardo, who had been silently holding his breath, felt a flicker of relief pass through his chest.
His mother...impossible to read, impossible to argue with was finally pleased.
Lina stepped closer and circled Isabella once, examining her like a rare gemstone. "Facial features..lovely. Polite manners. Innocent personality. Looks good next to my vampire-like son."
Leonardo gave her a sideways glare at the jab, but Lina ignored him completely.
Then her lips curved into a calm smile. "Since I now have a new daughter-in-law, Iāll be spending a few days here with her."
She raised her fingers with elegance and snapped them once.
A maid instantly appeared at the hallway entrance.
"Bring my luggage in," Lina instructed, her tone still as regal as a queen addressing her court.
Then she turned back to Isabella, her smile still in place. "I hope you donāt mind, dear?"
Her voice was calm, soft even. But there was an underlying tone that said this is not really a request.
Isabella quickly shook her head, nervous but sincere. "N-No, of course not! I donāt mind at all," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. In truth, she felt... better. A bit surprised, yes, but Lina didnāt seem cruel like sheād first feared. And if there was no yelling or weird rules, she could manage.
Besides, she thought, sheās so pretty... her perfume smells expensive... and her nails are perfect.
Meanwhile, Leonardoās expression twitched slightly.
His mother wanted to move in for a few days?
To "bond" with her daughter-in-law?
Am I the one who married Isabella or is it her?! He clenched his jaw slightly, hiding the irritation under a blank stare. He wasnāt scared of his mother, no..not exactly. But even the strongest men in the Moretti family knew better than to cross Lina. Especially his father, who always agreed with her before she even finished speaking.
And now... she was here to "spend time."
With his wife.
Leonardo sighed internally.
It was fine. Leonardo told himself that.
He didnāt care.
He didnāt like Isabella. She was just an innocent, wide-eyed girl with bunny cheeks and wandering thoughts who didnāt even know his name until after the wedding. Letting his mother stay for a few days? Whatever. Heād survive.
After all, this was just a contract marriage.
But as they reached the second floor, things took another unexpected turn.
"Is Isabella staying on the second floor?" Linaās voice called out from behind them.
They both paused mid-step.
Leonardo turned his head slightly. "Yes," he said, short and firm.
But he shouldāve known better.
Linaās heels clicked as she caught up, her beautiful face slightly pinched with disapproval. "Youāre married now, Leonardo," she said coolly. "But youāre still acting like a stingy bachelor."
Leonardo didnāt react, but a small nerve in his jaw twitched.
Linaās gaze shifted to Isabella, who stood frozen with wide, round eyes.
"Now learn to share your space with your wife," Lina continued, smoothing her hands over her elegant blue dress. "Take her to your bedroom."
She said it so effortlessly... so sweetly.
And then came the quiet threatāso elegantly wrapped in class, it was more terrifying than a direct order.
"If I find out Isabella is sleeping anywhere other than your room," Lina said with a gracious smile, "I will break your legs."
She gave her son one last approving nod and walked off, her long earrings swaying as she headed toward her own prepared room at the end of the hall.
Silence fell.
Isabella stood there like a frozen doll, her eyes comically wide. His room? she screamed inside her head. Iām going to sleep in his room?! With him?! She didnāt dare say it out loud. Her legs wobbled just thinking about it.
Leonardo looked down at her, face expressionless... but the fire in his eyes said he was absolutely going to kill someone the moment Lina left.
Without a word, Leonardo turned and began walking up the stair to the third floor.
Isabella blinked, standing there at the foot of the staircase, unsure. Wait... third floor? Wasnāt that the forbidden space he had just written into the contract? She looked down at her hands nervously, playing with her fingers as her mind raced. Should I follow him? He didnāt say anything... What if itās a test? What if I get scolded? Her eyes lifted toward the steps again, still hesitating.
Then his voice, deep and calm but filled with unmistakable annoyance, echoed down toward her.
"Now do you want me to invite you specially?"
She flinched slightly, her eyes widening.
"N-No!" she stammered, lifting her dress slightly and hurrying after him, her small feet tapping up the stairs quickly. "Iām coming!"
The third floor was... different.
The moment she stepped onto it, she felt it.
It was quiet. Too quiet.
The air was cooler, the lights dimmer. Everything had a sleek, expensive feel..walls lined with dark wood, soft lighting that glowed from hidden corners, and long hallways that seemed to stretch forever. No family photos. No warmth. Just polished elegance and shadows.
It felt like Leonardo himself.
He led her without a word to the far end of the floor and pushed open a large, dark-wooden door.
Isabella stepped inside, and her mouth parted slightly.
His room was huge.
Far bigger than she imagined.