Semua Bab From My Ex's Betrayal To His Father's Bed: Bab 121 - Bab 129

JULIAThe sunlight spilled through the tall windows of the Lucchesi manor, painting everything in warm gold, but it didn’t make me pause in awe the way it used to. I was no longer a visitor here, no longer someone tiptoeing through a world that intimidated me. This was my home now, or at least, a home that Marcus had opened to me.I laughed softly as Phoebe fussed over my hair, brushing stray strands that had escaped my bun. “You’re too stiff,” she scolded lightly. “Relax, Julia. You’re not standing in front of a king yet.”I smiled, shaking my head. “I feel like I am sometimes.”Phoebe raised an eyebrow, playful and sharp. “Oh, don’t flatter him too much. He might actually hear you and expect courtly behavior at breakfast.” She tickled my shoulder. I giggled, feeling the first traces of normality in weeks.The doorbell rang, and Phoebe’s eyes sparkled. “Ah, that must be your mother.”“Mama,” I murmured softly, heart skipping. Scribonia never called me anything but Julia now, as she i

JULIA The morning sunlight spilled across the Lucchesi manor library, warm and golden, filling the vast room with a rare calm. I had never seen a space so intentionally inviting for learning and planning. Marcus had excused himself for a series of high-level meetings, leaving me free to breathe, to move, and to my quiet delight, to finally spend uninterrupted time with my mother.Scribonia entered, carrying a tray with fresh tea and pastries, her face lighting up when she saw me.“Julia,” she said, voice catching slightly, “I can’t tell you how proud I am. Truly.”I felt my chest tighten. Pride. Relief. Happiness. Things I hadn’t felt freely in years.“I… I just didn’t want to fail,” I murmured, taking a seat at the polished mahogany table. Phoebe, ever vigilant, pulled a chair to join us, already smirking like she knew something I didn’t.“Fail?” Phoebe raised an eyebrow. “Look at you. You just commanded the Lucchesi hall. And you didn’t faint once.”I laughed, the sound light and u

JULIAThe sunlight streamed through the tall windows of the Lucchesi manor, warm and soft. For once, I didn’t feel the usual weight pressing down on my chest. I stretched, yawning, and glanced at Phoebe, who was humming in the kitchen as she set down breakfast. It smelled of fresh pastries and something sweet I didn’t recognize. Marcus’ suggestion, apparently. She looked up, eyes twinkling.“You’re actually up before noon,” she teased, placing a cup of coffee in front of me.“I could say the same to you,” I muttered with a small smile, feeling a flicker of happiness I hadn’t allowed myself in years.Phoebe chuckled and slid into the chair across from me. “Well, when you live here, you learn fast. Breakfast is sacred. Don’t forget, the master isn’t fond of people dawdling.”I laughed softly, feeling the warmth of normalcy. This place, this life, wasn’t perfect, but it was mine now. I wasn’t hiding anymore.Halfway through the meal, a soft knock echoed, followed by the gentle swish of t

JULIAThe morning sun poured through the tall windows of the Lucchesi estate, painting golden streaks across the polished floors. I had long since stopped being startled by the grandeur. It was no longer foreign to me. It was home. My home.I sipped tea in the sitting room, with Phoebe perched on the armrest beside me. Her notebook was open, filled with meticulous notes of today’s plans. She hummed quietly, clearly amused by the thought of me practicing etiquette yet again.“Try not to glare at your glass,” she teased, watching me adjust my posture for the fifth time. “Remember. Small movements. Calm hands. Graceful gestures.”I rolled my eyes but smiled. These were lessons I never imagined I would enjoy. Small victories. Slowly, I was shedding the years of fear that had weighed on me. Marcus had insisted that I learn these things not to impress him, but to navigate a world where appearances mattered as much as actions.“Julia,” Phoebe said with mock seriousness, “your pinky is sticki

PHOEBEI never thought my days could be this busy and yet so… warm. Between keeping Marcus’ world running smoothly and making sure Julia survived his subtle intensity, I often felt like I was managing two lifetimes at once. But seeing her smile, laughing freely, made all the chaos worth it.Julia had grown in ways I could barely put into words. She walked differently now, head held high, shoulders relaxed, yet there was a quiet steel beneath her movements. Every step she took at the manor reminded me of the girl I had seen cowering in the shadows of that decavalcante mansion. And every time she caught me watching, she’d flash that tentative smile, and I would swear my chest could burst from relief.One afternoon, I found her in the library, books stacked haphazardly around her. She was scribbling notes with that intense focus she got when she was plotting, but it wasn’t fear this time. No, it was curiosity, eagerness even, as if she was finally tasting the sweetness of choosing her ow