CHAPTER 173: CHAPTER 173 I’LL TEACH YOU

After leaving the boutique, Leonardo didn’t even bother explaining where he was going. He simply walked off with his usual cold expression and a single glance toward Bella, as if to say, Behave.

Bella didn’t say a word either. Her cheeks were still hot, her pride still injured. So when Lina offered to take her along to finish the rest of the shopping, she agreed without protest—even though, deep inside, she wanted to stomp her feet and yell at someone.

Lina, of course, had already picked her dress.

By the time they returned home, Bella was boiling again.

She slammed her bedroom door—not too hard, but just enough to let the world know she was not okay.

She paced in circles like a grumpy kitten, muttering under her breath.

"Bad Leo! Hmph!" she huffed for the tenth time, stomping her foot lightly on the floor.

She plopped down onto the bed, still grumbling to herself.

"Stupid Leo... mean Leo... worst husband Leo..."

She rolled over, face-first into the pillow and froze.

Sniff sniff...

She blinked. Then sniffed again.

Her face turned bright red.

Oh no. This pillow smells like him.

That faint, masculine scent—something like musk and warm soap. It was a Leo-scented pillow.

"Aaah!! Nooo!!" she cried, sitting up quickly and tossing the pillow to the other side of the bed like it had betrayed her. "Mr. Pillow, you traitor!!"

She sat there for a few seconds, flushed and dramatic... then mumbled to herself, "I wasn’t hugging it... it just... attacked my face..."

And yet, even in her most furious state, Bella couldn’t stay angry for long.

She just wasn’t built that way—even when someone deserved it. Especially not after spending time with Theo during guitar class, which had cheered her up more than she’d expected. He was always lighthearted and playfully dramatic, and somehow, he made her feel like a rockstar even when she hit the wrong notes. His goofy compliments and teasing chipped away at her bad mood like soft raindrops tapping on a window.

⋆˚𖥔 ݁ ˖𓂃.☘︎ ݁˖

Later that evening...

Bella was curled up like a little dumpling on the living room sofa, flipping through cartoon channels with the remote in one hand.

The front door opened and closed, and within moments, Jay wandered into the living room. He barely mumbled a greeting before dragging himself upstairs for a shower. Bella waved lazily from the couch.

Leonardo still hadn’t returned.

Ten minutes later, Jay came back down—his hair freshly washed and damp, with soft pink strands clinging to his forehead. He wore a loose grey T-shirt and sweatpants, yawning as he flopped down next to her with a groan.

Bella blinked.

He smelled like strawberries.

"Jay-Jay," she said suddenly, her eyes lighting up with curiosity, "do you use strawberry shampoo?"

Jay gave her a side-eye, then flicked her forehead with a soft thwap.

"Little Bella Bell," he muttered, resting his head against the back of the couch, "shampoo is for using, hmm? Don’t make fun of me." He added something else in Italian that she didn’t catch.

"What did you just say?" Bella asked, blinking in confusion.

"I said nothing," Jay replied smoothly with a chuckle, already focused on the cartoon playing on TV.

Bella leaned back, arms crossed. But then... a lightbulb went off in her mischievous little head.

Her eyes sparkled.

If she couldn’t curse Leonardo directly... maybe she could learn something sneaky.

"Jay-Jay," she said sweetly, turning to him with her most innocent expression.

He raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Can you... teach me a few curse words in your language?" she asked softly, tilting her head like a curious kitten.

Jay’s eyes widened. "Wait, what?! You want to curse someone? You?! My pure little Bella Bell?!"

Bella’s face turned crimson. "N-Not like that! I mean... I won’t say them out loud. I just... kind of... maybe want to yell them in my head at someone who made me angry!"

Jay gasped. "Is it... my brother?" he asked dramatically.

Bella’s silence and her red cheeks said everything.

Jay’s mouth dropped open. Then he burst into laughter and gently turned her toward him on the couch.

"You want to curse him?! That cold-faced block of ice? Oh, little Bella Bell," he said, placing a hand on her head, his voice half amused, half impressed, "I never thought I’d live to see this day."

"Don’t be mad," Bella mumbled, poking his arm. "I’m still a good girl, okay?"

Jay smirked. "I’m never mad at you."

Then his eyes narrowed, sparkling with mischief.

"In fact... I’ll teach you."

Bella gasped. "Really?!"

"Of course! I’ll teach you one new word every day. And when that cold-blooded brother of mine comes home, you can greet him like a sweet little storm."

Bella clasped her hands together, her eyes glowing. "You’re the best, Jay-Jay!"

Jay leaned back, folded his arms, and said with a sly grin, "Let’s begin."

He cleared his throat. "Repeat after me: Ciao, bellissimo!"

Bella tried to copy him, squinting. "Chow... bell-liss-emo?"

Jay chuckled. "Close enough."

"What does it mean?" she asked, growing suspicious.

Jay leaned back with an innocent shrug. "You said you didn’t want to know the meanings, remember?"

Bella narrowed her eyes. "Is it a curse?"

"Definitely," he said with a completely unserious expression.

And Bella believed him.

Jay ruffled her hair with a laugh. "You’re gonna be fluent by the end of the month."

Just as Jay was about to teach Bella a second mystery phrase—something even more ridiculous than the first—there was a sudden noise outside.

Thunk.

Car door.

Footsteps.

Jay froze mid-sentence.

His eyes widened as he slowly turned his head toward the front door. "Oh no," he whispered, voice full of giddy panic. "Looks like bro is here!"

Bella gasped, clutching the pillow in her lap like it was a weapon. "He’s home?! Now?!"

Jay nodded fast, already sitting up straight like this was a live mission.

"Okay okay okay—Bella," he said quickly, turning to face her and placing both hands on her shoulders, "do you remember what you have to say?"

Bella nodded just as fast, her eyes huge, sparkling.

"Yes! Yes! I memorized it!"

Jay grinned like an evil little mastermind. "Good. This is your moment. Make it count."

They both turned toward the hallway like actors waiting for their cue....