A part of his family

Bella chuckled. "Something simple."

Rachel, who had been watching curiously, tugged on Lucas's sleeve. "Mr. Handsome, can I pick something for Mama?"

Lucas's smirk returned. "Go ahead, princess."

Rachel eagerly scanned the jewelry and picked out a delicate pendant with a small gemstone in the center. "This one!"

Bella smiled at her daughter. "It's perfect."

Lucas didn't argue this time, signaling the salesperson to pack the pendant instead.

Vivian, however, remained thoughtful. This was the second time Bella had done something that didn't align with her expectations. Could she have been wrong about her?

Later, as they waited for Rachel to finish her ice cream, Vivian sat beside Alessandra, her gaze flickering toward Bella, who was playfully wiping chocolate from Rachel's cheeks while Lucas watched with amusement.

"I thought she'd jump at the chance to take the necklace," Vivian muttered.

Alessandra glanced at her. "You thought wrong, Viv."

Vivian exhaled. "I don't understand her. If she were like—" She stopped herself before finishing.

"Like the woman from your past?" Alessandra guessed. "Vivian, I know you're afraid of history repeating itself, but Bella isn't her." Vivian stayed silent.

"She genuinely cares for Lucas, not his wealth," Alessandra continued. "And she loves Rachel. You saw how she refused that necklace—because she values meaning over money."

Vivian looked over at Bella again, watching the way she laughed softly as Rachel fed her a spoonful of ice cream. Maybe… just maybe, she had been wrong.

She let out a slow breath. "I might owe her an apology."

Alessandra smiled knowingly. "It's never too late."

As the evening wrapped up, they all made their way to the parking lot. Alessandra and Vivian were heading home separately, while Lucas, Bella, and Rachel were leaving together. Rachel, tired from all the shopping and excitement, held Bella's hand while chattering about her new dress.

Vivian lingered near her car, hesitating for a moment before finally stepping toward Bella.

"Bella," she called.

Bella turned, slightly surprised. "Yes?"

Vivian inhaled deeply, choosing her words carefully. "I owe you an apology."

Bella blinked. "An apology?"

Vivian nodded, glancing away for a moment before meeting Bella's eyes again. "I misjudged you. I thought… I assumed things about you that weren't fair. But today, I realized that I might have been wrong."

Bella remained quiet, sensing the weight behind Vivian's words.

Vivian sighed. "You're not the kind of person I thought you were. And I can see that you genuinely care about Lucas and Rachel." Her voice softened. "I let my past experiences cloud my judgment, and for that, I'm sorry."

Bella processed her words carefully. She had always felt the distance in Vivian's behavior, the subtle wariness, the unspoken doubt. And yet, here she was, acknowledging it openly.

A small smile touched Bella's lips. "Thank you for telling me this, Vivian. I appreciate it."

Vivian exhaled, relieved. "I know it might not mean much, but I'll try to see you for who you really are, not who I feared you might be."

Bella nodded. "That's all anyone can ask for."

Lucas, who had been silently watching the interaction, smirked slightly and crossed his arms. "I think this is the first time I've seen you admit you were wrong, Aunt Vivian."

Vivian shot him a sharp look but then chuckled. "Don't get used to it."

Alessandra placed a hand on her sister-in-law's shoulder. "See? That wasn't so hard."

Rachel, still holding Bella's hand, looked up curiously. "Did you fight?"

Bella laughed. "No, sweetheart. We just had an important talk."

Rachel tilted her head. "So now we are friends?"

Vivian glanced at Bella before offering a small smile. "I'd like that."

Rachel beamed. "Good! Because Mama says friends are like family!"

Bella felt warmth spread in her chest at Rachel's words. Lucas reached out, squeezing Bella's hand briefly before stepping forward. "Well, now that that's settled, I think we should head home before Rachel falls asleep standing up."

Rachel pouted. "I'm not sleepy."

Vivian chuckled. "Of course not."

With that, they parted ways, a new sense of understanding settling between them. And for the first time, Bella felt that she was truly being accepted—not just as Lucas's fiancée, but as part of his family.