Was he jealous?

After Alessandra left, the house settled into a comfortable quiet. Rachel had gone to play with her toys, leaving Bella and Lucas alone in the living room. Bella stretched her arms with a soft sigh. "I should go and take a bath."

Lucas leaned back on the couch, smirking. "Want me to help?"

Bella shot him a glare, her cheeks instantly heating up. "No, thank you!" she huffed, standing up quickly.

He chuckled, watching her flustered reaction with amusement. "Just offering, sweetheart."

Rolling her eyes, Bella turned to gather her clothes from her room and then marched to Rachel's room to help the child take a bath and also herself. Lucas followed suit, heading to their bedroom to freshen up as well. After a while, they both emerged, looking refreshed. Bella had changed into a comfortable dress, while Lucas looked effortlessly handsome in his casual attire.

As Bella walked past him to check the clothes in laundry machine, Lucas couldn't resist. "You look cute, wife," he teased.

Bella nearly tripped, whipping around to glare at him. "Stop calling me that so suddenly!"

Lucas shrugged, an innocent expression on his face. "But you are my wife."

She groaned, shaking her head, and quickly escaped into her room, ignoring the way her heart fluttered.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Lucas moved to open it and was greeted by a delivery man holding a package. He signed for it and brought it inside.

Bella walked back into the living room, curious. "What's that?" Lucas smirked, setting the package on the table. "A little surprise."

She raised an eyebrow. "Another one? Haven't you given me enough surprises yesterday?"

He chuckled, unwrapping the package carefully. Then, he held out a document to her. "Take a look."

Bella took it, her eyes scanning the words. Property Registration Document. Her breath caught. "Lucas...what is this?"

Lucas leaned closer, his voice softer now. "I bought this house. It belongs to us now." Bella stared at him in shock. "You bought this place?"

He nodded. "You love this home, and it's where Rachel has grown up. I didn't want you to ever worry about having to leave it. So now, it's officially ours."

Her fingers tightened around the document, emotions swirling in her chest. "Lucas, this is too much..." Lucas gently cupped her cheek, making her look at him. "It's not too much if it makes you happy."

Bella swallowed, overwhelmed. She never imagined someone would go to such lengths for her. For Rachel. For their family. A small smile tugged at her lips. "Thank you."

Lucas grinned. "No need to thank me, wife." Bella groaned, lightly pushing his shoulder. "Stop calling me that so randomly!" He laughed, his eyes filled with warmth. "Get used to it, sweetheart."

After the emotional moment of Lucas gifting Bella the house, a sense of warmth settled between them. Bella was still reeling from the surprise, her fingers unconsciously brushing over the property papers as if to confirm it was real. Lucas, watching her with a smirk, leaned against the kitchen counter.

"You still don't believe it, do you?" he teased. She glanced at him, shaking her head with a soft laugh. "It's not that… I just—I don't know how to thank you."

Lucas stepped closer, tilting her chin up with a finger. "You don't have to. Seeing you happy is enough."

Before Bella could respond, the sound of the doorbell interrupted them. Rachel, who had been playing in the living room, ran toward the door excitedly. "I'll get it!"

When she pulled it open, Mark stood there, holding two neatly wrapped gift boxes. He grinned as he crouched down to Rachel's level. "Hey, sweetheart. I heard there was a big celebration, so I brought something for you and your mom."

Rachel's eyes lit up as she grabbed the gift. "For me?"

"Of course," Mark chuckled. "I couldn't forget my favorite little troublemaker." Bella smiled warmly as she approached. "Mark, you really didn't have to bring anything."

Mark shrugged playfully. "It's nothing much. Just a small token for the newlyweds." His gaze flickered toward Lucas, who stood silently beside Bella, his expression unreadable.

As Bella reached for her gift, her fingers accidentally brushed against Mark's, and she laughed softly. "Thank you, Mark. You've always been so thoughtful."

Lucas's eyes darkened slightly, his jaw tensing. He didn't miss the way Bella's voice softened or how easily she smiled at Mark. He knew she wasn't doing it intentionally, but it didn't stop the possessive streak rising within him.

Before Bella could say anything else, Lucas casually draped an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his side. "My wife appreciate the gifts, Mark," he said, his voice smooth but carrying an unmistakable edge. "But I need to borrow you for a moment."

Mark raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Sure." Bella blinked in confusion as Lucas led Mark towards the balcony before locking it. She caught the slight firmness in Lucas's grip, the way he called her his wife and the way his posture had shifted—protective, almost territorial. Her cheeks heated slightly. Was he… jealous?

Once on the balcony, Lucas shut the door and faced Mark with a serious expression. "You know I trust you," Lucas started, his voice lower now. "But I also know you're too damn friendly with Bella."

Mark smirked, leaning against the desk. "Relax, boss. She's married to you now, remember?" Lucas didn't smile. "That's exactly why I don't want you making her blush."

Mark laughed, shaking his head. He can't belive that such a day will come when his own friend will ask him to stay away from his wife and will threaten him like a cute kid who got jealous of his friend, getting his candies from his own parents. "You're really that possessive, huh?"

Lucas crossed his arms. "With her? Always."