After a few minutes of silence, Isabella finally looked away, her eyes flickering with emotion. Then, as if deciding to let go of her thoughts, she turned to Leonardo with a soft smile.
After a few competitive rounds of basketball, the game finally settled into a break. The sun had begun its descent, casting golden rays across the pavement. Isabella wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and glanced at Leonardo, who stood across from her, holding the ball loosely in one hand. Their eyes met for the briefest moment before she quickly looked away, a small smile playing at her lips.
The game had been a two-on-two match: Isabella and Leonardo on one side, Lucas and Zayn on the other. Despite the history between Isabella and Leonardo, they played like strangers—no familiar gestures, no inside jokes. Their coordination was impressive, but the silence between them said more than words. They passed and ran in sync, but any personal connection was carefully hidden beneath neutral expressions.
"Let's start afresh," Isabella had said at the beginning, clapping her hands together lightly.
Though Leonardo hadn't replied, he simply nodded and adjusted his stance beside her. Together, they worked fluidly, gradually overwhelming Lucas and Zayn with well-timed plays. The game wasn't just fun—it was a silent expression of trust, disguised under competition.
Eventually, Zayn's phone rang. He glanced down and then nudged Lucas.
"We've got to head to the office for a bit," Zayn said. "Lucas, you good to drive?"
Lucas grabbed a towel, wiped his neck, and nodded. "Yeah."
He turned to Leonardo. "You coming?"
Leonardo shook his head. "Nah, I'll stay here."
Just as they were heading out, Jayden suddenly remembered something. He grabbed his jacket from the bench. "Actually, I'll head out too—gotta pick Riley up."
With that, the three of them exited the driveway, leaving Isabella and Leonardo standing quietly in the afternoon calm.
They walked toward the house side by side, not saying much. It wasn't awkward, just... distant. As if both were pretending not to know each other as well as they did.
Inside the house, the quiet was calming. Isabella walked through the hallway into the living room, with Leonardo following slowly behind.
"Bella…" he began, his voice low and unsure.
She turned around to face him, waiting.
"I got into a small accident on the way back. Nothing serious, but my phone was destroyed. I couldn't reach anyone. I didn't know your house address either. I went to Chloe's place, but she'd already traveled abroad for her dad's treatment."
He sighed slightly. "I didn't know what else to do."
Isabella's gaze softened. Without a word, she stepped forward and hugged him—tight, like she'd been holding back for too long. Leonardo blinked but slowly wrapped his arms around her, returning the embrace.
After a quiet moment, she leaned back and looked up at him. "You're really okay?"
He nodded. "Just a small injury to the head. It's gone now."
He tilted his head to show her the healed spot. "No bruises left. Just... the faint memory of lemons," he joked, smiling slightly. He had always associated her with that fresh citrus scent—light, clean, unmistakably her.
Isabella looked relieved but frowned again. "What about your abdomen? You were hurt there too."
Leonardo gently lifted his shirt to reveal the skin—smooth, unscarred. "All healed."
"Good," she whispered, then sat down on the couch, motioning for him to join her.
They sat quietly beside each other, not touching but not apart either, the television flickering in front of them with no one really watching. Their silence wasn't heavy. It was filled with the kind of understanding only shared between people who have known each other for a while but are pretending they haven't.
Moments later, the front door opened again. Lucas, Jayden—now carrying Riley in his arms—and Ryan stepped in, their laughter bouncing off the walls.
Riley shyly wriggled out of Jayden's hold and walked over to Isabella. She knelt down, cupping his small face in her hands and gently running her fingers through his soft curls.
"How are you, my love?" she asked warmly.
He didn't answer, just stared up at her with wide eyes. Then, without warning, he gave her a quick peck on the cheek and scurried upstairs, clutching his toy like treasure.
Leonardo watched the exchange in silence, observing the bond, the ease, the natural warmth Isabella carried with children. But no one commented on anything—they were too used to it.
Soon, everyone gathered around the dining table. A warm, delicious aroma had filled the room, and the dishes looked almost too good to be homemade.
"Who cooked this?" Isabella asked after a few bites, genuinely impressed. "This tastes amazing."
Jayden raised a brow. "You think Lucas made it?"
"If anyone told me that," Isabella said with a playful scoff, "I would never believe them."
Lucas frowned. "Hey, I'm not that bad!"
Zayn chuckled. "It was Leonardo."
Isabella blinked. "Really? It's… really good. I didn't expect— I mean…" She trailed off, and Leonardo gave a slight smile.
"I like cooking," he said simply.
As the meal continued, Isabella suddenly paused. "Wait, where's Mac?"
Jayden swallowed his food before answering. "Gym. He's been going a lot lately. Checks in on you sometimes when you're asleep."
Isabella pulled out her phone and called him. Within a few minutes, Mac stepped into the dining room. Towering and broad-shouldered, he was dressed in a black fitted top and joggers. His posture was straight, and his face calm—classic Mac. He looked like someone in his late thirties, confident and quiet.
Without saying much, he walked over and handed Isabella a medium-sized black bag.
"Thanks, Mac," she said, offering a grateful smile.
Then she turned to Jayden and passed him a neatly wrapped gift bag.
"What's this?" he asked curiously as he opened it. His expression lit up in disbelief. "No way… this is the limited edition black watch!"
"Only ten in the world," Zayn added in awe, leaning over to peek.
Jayden stared at the watch. "Bella… how?"
Riley tugged at her shirt. "Did you get something for me too?"
"Of course I did!" she said, handing him a large, colorful bag.
He opened it and let out a joyful shout. "It's the game box I wanted! Thank you, Bella!"
Zayn and Lucas exchanged amused looks as Isabella handed them their gifts—two stylish, slim gift bags.
They opened them at the same time.
Zayn's jaw dropped. "This fragrance… there are only ten bottles worldwide."
Lucas blinked in disbelief. "Bella… how did you even—?"
Zayn looked up at her. "Where did you get the money for all this?"
Lucas leaned back with a grin. "You clearly don't know my sister well enough. She's one of the richest kids alive."
Isabella chuckled. "I sold off some of my old stuff. You'd be surprised what collectors will pay for limited pieces."
Lucas nodded. "Her wardrobe alone could fund a small country."
As the laughter died down, Lucas suddenly remembered something.
"Right—I've enrolled you in school here."
Isabella looked up, surprised but curious. "Really?"
"Yep. You can pick your class."
She didn't hesitate. "Put me in the same class as Jayden."
Lucas narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure?"
She nodded firmly.
"Will you be okay?" he asked again, this time more gently.
Jayden leaned back in his chair. "She'll be fine."