Chapter 69

“So, tell me—what do you think?” I asked the girls as they all stared down at their plates. “I think we can you really can’t cook.” Luna spat out the food back onto her plate with a dirty look on her face.

“My God, I’m hopeless.” I sighed and slammed my head against the table. “I can’t clean, I can’t cook—wFaith collected the girls’ plates from the table and threw away the food before she walked towards me anhand on my shoulder. “You have people to do that for you—trust me, Christian doesn’t care.”

“Faith this is not something small, I couldn’t even follow a simple recipe? Don’t you think that’s sad?” I sof me failing to be a mom. No matter what, I couldn’t depend on maids I never even had in the first placto do things on my own.

“See, from now on I forbid you to watch these videos—we’re right here!” Olivia told me as Luna noddedshe says, and I also forbid you to learn Spanish through that toddler app—I’ll teach you!”

“You will?” I sighed relieved. “Yes, but you don’t need to be a perfect housewife for Christian—and you dpush yourself to learn a new language because of your parents!”

“They both learned to love you without it, so I promise you—they don’t care.” She reassured me. It was ntrying to help me, but I still felt useless. “Right,” I mumbled.

At that exact moment, the front door got opened and all of us stared at each other in shock. “Did you knthis early?” Faith asked, I shook my head. “Throw it all out, they can see this!” I spoke, referring to the buthe dozen cleaning supplies.

While the girls followed my orders I quickly walked to the front to keep them busy. “Christian!” I smiled ainto a hug as I stared at Matteo who was behind him.

“Why does it smell like a campfire?” Christian pulled away and scrunched his nose while thousands of ththrough my head. “Don’t ask, it’s much easier for everyone.” I walked past him and made my way to Ma“It’s like every time I see you—you end up looking prettier, let me look at you.” He held my hands and stlooked like I had just run a marathon.

He suddenly pulled out his phone, and took a picture of me—and there was nothing I could do about it. mother.” He explained with a satisfied smile on his face. Old people.

“What the hell is this smell?” Christian had still not finished, whatever he was doing—and made his way t“Oh hi, you guys smell that?” He asked the girls who all shook their heads in unison, all but Luna who noinstead.

“Serena tried to cook and clean, no big deal—we almost died in the process.” She told him. Matteo laugChristian frowned his eyebrows. “W-why?” He chuckled as I looked down embarrassed.

I liked the four of them better when they were still awkward with each other. “It’s because she wants to pLuna explained. If she could only keep her mouth shut for once. “I’m afraid she thinks you’ll leave her—buseless.”

“Serena—you couldn’t cook and clean since the moment I met you, and you transformed my room into —what’s the point of trying so hard when I already have my first impression of you?” He asked confusedcloser to place his hand on my belly.

“This can’t be good for the baby, let’s get out of here.” He suggested as we all followed him to the livingalso been pushing herself to learn Spanish.” Olivia exposed me this time. I tried to read the look on Mattalmost seemed embarrassed. Was it because of me?

“Serena, we’re so happy to have you back—and you not being able to speak Spanish is not the end of thus care about that.” He gave me a pitiful look. So in the end all of this work was for nothing.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your two friends?” He looked at Faith and Olivia. That’s right, they met yet.

“This is my…dad.” I hesitated to let out the last word. Calling him by his name had become something usthere was no other way to introduce him. The proud smile he had on his face, proved to me that it was wshould get over myself and try it more often.

“I’m sure you all have a lot to tell me about my daughter.” He leaned forward in anticipation. “While yousteal Serena for a bit—if you don’t mind.” Christian grabbed my hand to pull me up.

“Yes, go ahead,” Matteo smiled at him. “W-wait!” I whispered as he pulled me out of the room. While I dabout Olivia, leaving Faith and Luna in the same room as Matteo was not a great idea.

I followed him to the patio and took a seat next to him. “Why are you smiling at me?” I asked him whenword. All he did was smile at me.

“It’s because I like looking at you.” He smiled even more and grabbed my hand as I tried to avoid his gazat you.” He chuckled and lifted my head with his finger.

“How are you feeling?”

“Good, I’m good and the baby is good!” I remained positive. The truth was that I was suffocating and cooutside, but this was not the time to be selfish—not when everyone was ready to risk their lives for my bsee the pictures?”

“Yes, I did.” He nodded his head and sighed. “You can barely see anything, she looks like an alien—

doesnat all. Maybe you…but definitely not me.”

As expected, it was exactly something Christian would say. His words were always unpredictable and did anymore.

“You’re unbelievable.” I glared at him, making him laugh. His laughter sounded like drugs to my ears —ahelp but join him. If there was one thing I loved about him, it would have to be his laugh.

“Why are you laughing?” He laughed even louder and gave me a slap against my shoulder.

“I’m laughing because you’re laughing.” I managed to get out, with tears almost threatening to spill from“Your laugh is addictive.” I giggled and tried to calm down as he did the same.

“Dana told me you missed your meeting because you went out partying all night.” I wiped away the tearand tried to change the subject. The smile on Christian’s face had vanished and he seemed bothered by “I’m sorry, I’m not judging you!”

“I know.” He chuckled and reached his hand out to hold mine. “Let’s talk about something else.”

“I heard you had a request for Johnny?” He asked me. A request?

I went into deep thoughts and was wondering what he could be talking about.

“Ah, about Vincenzo and Luis?” I refreshed my memories. It hadn’t even been an entire day, but Johnny tell Christian.

“Is it because of Beau?” Christian wondered, but I immediately shook my head. Originally I had also thoufeelings were because of Beau, but they weren’t. “No, it’s because despite everything, we genuinely had together. They were there when I needed someone—“

“They were there when I wasn’t.” He finished my sentence. I felt bad and did not know what to say, becawould be a lie and we both knew that. “Serena, I promise you that no one will touch them.”

“That’s quite some promise.” I snickered, thinking about his previous promises. “Then I’ll promise you thchanged his statement. “Trust me or not, I have once considered him my friend.”

“That sounds better.”

“Wait, I have something to show you.” Christian suddenly pulled out his phone and scrolled through it bit to me. “Oh my god,” I spoke in disbelief as I looked at the pictures of the baby room.

He had already made so much progress. The walls were painted in the glitter paint I wanted and the roomfurniture. “I even organized her closet.” He spoke with a proud look on his face. It had turned out he hadmore stuff. There were probably enough diapers to last for at least a year.

“And I did it all on my own.” He reminded me, almost sounding as if he was expecting a sticker. At times macho personality he was always trying to show, would vanish and made him look like the child instead. know any better I’d say you’re fulfilling your duties.” I sarcastically spoke as he rolled his eyes.

“Have you already decided on a baby name?” I asked him as my mind went to my daughter who still didname. Until now she was still called, ‘the baby’ and did not have a name yet.

“No, I’ve been looking—but not yet.” He spoke embarrassed, while I ruffled my hand through his hair. “Ityour time.”

“What is the first thing you plan on doing when you get out of here?” Christian asked me. That was a ver“I once told you about the woman I got my surname from, I think it’s time to visit her grave,” I told him. I had tempted to avoid, but after the Alfonzo’s requested me to change my last name I felt like a part of betraying her, and I would not be ready to take that

“So you are going to become an Alfonzo?” Christian chuckled and rested his hand on my knee. “I thoughsomething about the baby—but you want to run off to change your surname instead?” He teased me. “Wpoint, we’re getting married.”

“You know, you’re extremely annoying.” I sighed and got up from the couch. “We should head back, whokind of lies they’re telling Matteo.”

It seemed as if that was exactly what they were doing because the mischievous look on their faces when back in could not have been missed.

“Princess, your friend has just told me how you got expelled several times for beating up half the school—living your life as an Alfonzo all this time,” Matteo spoke with a proud smile on his face while I glared at Even though we weren’t extremely close back then, we went to the same high school so she was the onlycould’ve told him. “Sorry.” She mumbled.

“It’s true though, she appears to be quiet—but the quiet ones are always the craziest ones.” Luna laughehad joined her and laughed along was enough to make me run away.

“And I heard you were captain of your school dance team, they’ve shown me some of your videos.

Have Christian?” He asked as I ran over to grab his phone from his hands.

“No he hasn’t, and he doesn’t care,” I spoke annoyed and looked at Christian’s smirking face. “I’ve seen times.” He spoke as I rolled my eyes, knowing he was referring to the strip club.

“You guys are all being very annoying,” I called them out and looked at the guilty look on Matteo’s face.wanted to get to know you better.”

“No, no—not you!” I held both of his hands. The last thing I wanted to do was to ruin the bond with my “Now who wants to hear more embarrassing stories about Serena, because I think I have a lot!”

Luna looShe never knew when to stop.

“I do.” Christian raised his hand and pushed me aside so he could sit down.

What did I get myself into?