Chapter 66: The Sweetest of Games

The sun began its descent behind the hills, casting an orange hue over the De Luca household. The evening air was cool but inviting, the perfect kind of evening that made Isabella want to enjoy a walk outside, to spend time with her family, to enjoy the little moments.

She had just finished tidying up the living room, having tidied up after a small family gathering earlier in the day, and now she was in the kitchen, preparing a light dinner for the three of them. The soft hum of the oven was the only sound in the room, and the rhythmic chopping of vegetables was strangely soothing. She loved these peaceful, quiet moments. But peace, it seemed, was short-lived in the De Luca household.

"Mi amore, you look even more beautiful with each passing moment," came a familiar voice from the doorway.

Isabella’s hands paused, the knife hovering above the cutting board as she turned to see who had spoken. To her surprise, it wasn’t Antonio who stood there with a smirk on his lips, but rather little Luca, looking up at her with wide, innocent eyes. His small hands were clasped together, and his expression was filled with determination.

“Mama, you’re so pretty," Luca continued, his words tumbling out effortlessly, as though he had been rehearsing them for hours. "Like a princess. Just like papa says."

Isabella blinked, slightly taken aback by Luca's new, unexpectedly charming behavior. She couldn’t help but chuckle, both amused and flattered. "Luca, what is this?" she asked, trying to hide the smile that was slowly spreading across her face.

Luca, clearly enjoying his new role as the charming young man, tilted his head slightly, his gaze intense as he repeated one of his father’s favorite lines. "You’re my bella, mama. The most beautiful woman in the world," he said, and Isabella could practically hear Antonio’s voice in those words.

She raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Luca, you’re sounding a lot like your father."

Luca grinned proudly, clearly pleased with himself. "I’ve been practicing, mama," he admitted, his voice full of innocent confidence. "Papa taught me how to make a lady smile."

Isabella blinked again, a little speechless, as she tried to process the situation. It was both adorable and a little unnerving to hear the same flirty lines her husband often used on her coming from her three-year-old son. It was clear Luca had picked up more than just his father’s looks.

Before she could respond, Luca took another step closer and raised his hands, clasping them behind his back as he looked at her with those big brown eyes. “You’re so beautiful, mama. I love you more than anything.”

Her heart melted. Luca, despite his innocent age, was quickly becoming a little charmer. But what really caught her off guard was the way he looked at her—so full of admiration and affection. It reminded her so much of how Antonio looked at her, that same adoration in his eyes.

Isabella laughed, shaking her head. “Oh, Luca, you are too much,” she said, but her voice was soft, her heart swelling with love for the boy who had captured her heart since the moment she had met him.

Just then, Antonio entered the room, having overheard the last part of the conversation. He leaned against the doorway, watching the scene unfold before him with a grin tugging at his lips.

“Well, well, well,” Antonio said, his voice full of amusement as he crossed his arms. “Seems like someone’s been learning from the master.”

Luca looked up at his father, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Papa! I’m trying to make mama smile just like you do. I want her to know how much I love her.”

Antonio’s grin widened, and a sense of pride washed over him. "You’re doing great, Luca," he said, walking over to stand beside him. He reached out to ruffle his son’s hair affectionately, then turned to Isabella with that same smirk. “I taught him well.”

Isabella could only laugh, shaking her head as she placed the knife down on the counter. “Antonio, what have you done? Now I’ve got two of you calling me all these beautiful things.”

Antonio stepped closer to her, his expression turning slightly more serious. “I know you like it, bella,” he said, his voice lowering with that familiar sensuality she had grown so used to. “And Luca is only following in his father’s footsteps. I can’t help it if my son is as charming as I am.”

Isabella rolled her eyes in mock exasperation, though she was secretly thrilled by the attention. “You two are impossible.”

Luca, ever the innocent charmer, added, “I’m going to make mama blush just like you, papa.”

Antonio’s eyes darkened slightly as he looked at Isabella. “If you’re going to flirt with her, Luca, you’re going to have to do it with more style,” he teased. “You need a bit more Italian flair.”

Luca nodded eagerly, clearly taking the lesson seriously. “Like this, mama?” he asked, this time attempting to give her an exaggerated wink that made her laugh out loud.

Isabella couldn’t stop herself from laughing. “Oh my goodness, you two are ridiculous,” she said, shaking her head as she stepped back. "Both of you are giving me a run for my money."

Antonio chuckled, but his expression softened as he gazed at her. “You know you love it,” he said softly, his gaze softening as he took her hand in his. “You make it easy for us to adore you, bella.”

Isabella smiled, her heart swelling at the sincerity in his voice. She could tell Antonio was enjoying teasing her, but beneath the teasing was nothing but pure love and admiration for her. And Luca, though still so young, was clearly following in his father’s footsteps when it came to how to treat the woman he loved.

Antonio stepped closer, cupping Isabella’s face gently in his hands as he whispered in her ear, “You know, bella, you don’t need to blush anymore. Because to me, you’ve already won my heart. Always.”

Her breath hitched slightly as she looked up into his eyes. “Antonio,” she whispered, her heart racing. She could feel his love and his devotion in every word, in every action.

Just then, Luca interjected, his voice full of curiosity. “Papa, what does it mean to win someone’s heart?”

Antonio chuckled, stepping back slightly, but not before giving Isabella a final, lingering kiss on the cheek. “It means you love them more than anything,” he said, looking at Isabella with a smile that could melt the coldest of hearts. “You make them your world.”

Luca nodded seriously, taking the lesson to heart. “I love mama more than anything,” he declared. “She’s my world.”

Isabella’s heart melted all over again as she looked at her son, so full of love and innocence. “You’re both so sweet,” she said, her voice trembling slightly as she leaned down to kiss Luca’s forehead.

Antonio, watching the exchange with pride, stepped closer to Isabella, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. “I love you both so much,” he whispered against her ear.

Isabella smiled softly, her heart full. “I love you too,” she said, turning in his arms to face him. “More than anything.”

And as they stood there, their family wrapped in warmth and love, Isabella realized that no matter what happened, no matter the challenges that lay ahead, this—this family, this love—was the most precious thing in her life.

Antonio leaned down to kiss her softly, his lips brushing against hers in a tender, lingering kiss that promised even more love, more memories to come. And as he pulled back, he whispered in her ear, “I love you, bella. Forever.”

Luca, ever the innocent observer, sighed dramatically as he watched his parents. “You two are so romantic,” he said, rolling his eyes but with a smile that showed he was more than happy to see his parents so in love.

Antonio chuckled, giving Luca a wink. “You’ll understand when you’re older, Luca.”

And Isabella, still wrapped in Antonio’s arms, couldn’t help but smile at the love that surrounded her. No matter what the world threw their way, she knew that with Antonio and Luca by her side, they would always be okay.

The next day, Isabella was going about her usual routine, cleaning the kitchen and humming to herself, when she couldn't help but smile at the way Antonio had been calling her by all sorts of cute Italian pet names throughout the day. Every little “Bella,” “Amore,” and “Tesoro” made her heart flutter. It was clear that he was doing it on purpose, but she couldn’t help but enjoy the attention.

"Isn't it a bit too much, Antonio?" she teased, laughing lightly as she wiped down the counter.

Antonio raised an eyebrow, his playful smirk only growing wider. "Not enough, amore," he replied, his voice soft and low. "I should remind you every second how much I adore you."

Isabella couldn’t help but blush at his words. The teasing tone, the warmth in his voice—it was as if they had just started their relationship again, fresh and new. But it wasn’t just Antonio. She turned and saw Luca, standing there with his innocent, wide eyes.

“Momma,” Luca said, with all the sweetness and charm of his father. He placed his tiny hands on his hips, attempting to mimic Antonio’s confident demeanor. "You’re so beautiful, bella." He paused for effect, like he was practicing something.

Isabella froze, her face turning even redder. “Luca!” she laughed, feeling embarrassed and charmed all at once. The little boy had definitely inherited his father’s charisma, and now he was using it on her. "You’re too cute," she said, bending down to his level and cupping his cheek.

Luca smiled proudly, as though he had just learned something great. Antonio, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, watched the scene unfold with a mixture of amusement and pride.

“Well, I can’t say I didn’t teach him well,” he said, his voice full of humor as he approached Isabella and Luca. He winked at Isabella. "My son has my charm," he teased, earning a laugh from her.

Isabella couldn’t help but smile, but she was definitely blushing now, her cheeks flushed with warmth. "I see that," she replied, her voice soft. “He’s got you wrapped around his little finger, just like you do with me.”

Antonio walked over, his hands finding their way to her waist as he stood behind her. “Only because I’m lucky enough to have both of you wrapped around mine,” he whispered in her ear before giving her a soft, lingering kiss on her cheek.

Luca, watching his parents with the wide-eyed innocence only a three-year-old could have, leaned in closer and said, “Momma, you’re my bella too!” His voice was sincere, like he was making a grand gesture.

Antonio chuckled softly, bending down to pick up his son. “You’re my little charmer, aren’t you?” he said, grinning at Isabella.

“Seems like it,” she replied, her smile widening. "And I’m going to need to be careful, aren't I?"

“You know,” Antonio said thoughtfully as he gently kissed the top of Luca’s head, “I think Luca's already got a good start on winning hearts.” He turned to Isabella, his gaze softening. "Maybe we can teach him more of our ways."

“More?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Antonio's lips curved into a wicked smile as he leaned in closer. “Oh, trust me. There's so much more,” he said in a low whisper, just for her. Then he kissed her softly, his lips lingering on hers for a brief moment.

Luca giggled from his father's arms, clapping his tiny hands together. "Momma and Daddy kiss!" he exclaimed, as if it was the most exciting thing he had ever witnessed.

Isabella laughed, her heart swelling with affection for both of them. “Yes, Luca,” she said, her voice warm. “Momma and Daddy kiss because we love each other very much.”

Antonio smiled, kissing her once more before softly speaking in Italian, “Ti amo, amore mio,” (I love you, my love) as he pulled her closer, holding her against him for just a moment longer.

Isabella’s heart melted as she gazed up at him, seeing the tenderness in his eyes, a contrast to the strong, confident man he often showed the world. In that moment, she realized how lucky she was. How much had changed since they had first gotten together. And how, even with all the ups and downs, they had created something truly special—not just for themselves, but for their little family.

As she smiled up at him, she whispered back, “Ti amo, Antonio. Always.”