CHAPTER 187: CHAPTER 187 MY WIFE IS IGNORING ME

Bella sat curled up on the end of the couch, wrapped in her pale blue shawl like a sleepy cat, listening half-heartedly as Jay excitedly spilled the latest gossip.

"Bella, do you know Alexa’s mom finally refused to accept her as her own daughter?" he said, voice bubbling with dramatic flair. "She gave her the big white house and some money, then left their old place completely! She’s gone to live with her side of the family for good. And Alexa? Guess where she’s living now—she moved in with Archer!" His face was lit with shock and entertainment, the kind of expression that made Bella giggle even when she didn’t want to.

"Really? I think it’s for the best," she said, smiling softly. But her smile froze a little when her eyes accidentally landed on the man sitting across from her.

Leonorado, dressed in dark grey slacks and a loose black shirt, sat with one leg crossed, his fingers tapping slowly on the screen of his phone.

His face was calm, unreadable but something about the way his brow twitched or how tightly he gripped his phone gave away the truth.

He had been quiet all day, ever since Bella stopped looking at him the way she used to.

"Jay jay," Bella said suddenly, still looking down at her lap, "can I ask you something?"

Jay, ever cheerful, leaned toward her with a wide grin.

"You can ask me anything. Even my heart."

Bella chuckled, while Leo’s hand froze mid-tap. His jaw clenched, lips pressing in a line.

He hated how that made his chest twist. Why was she still ignoring him? Why wasn’t she yelling at him like before, chasing him around the house with silly curses, puffing her cheeks and calling him things she didn’t even understand? Why did it hurt more now that she was being quiet?

"My friend is homeless," Bella said softly, biting her lip. "I told him he could stay with me for a few days."

Jay’s smile dropped. "What?!"

Even Leo looked up sharply, eyes narrowing slightly. But before he could say a word, Jay turned to him. Leo gave a small, wordless nod. Jay blinked, a little stunned, but nodded too.

"O-okay... then that’s fine, I guess."

"Thank you, Jay Jay," Bella said sweetly, her voice sugary as she gave a grateful smile. "He eats old pizza and sleeps under bridges. He’s really poor."

Leo ran a hand over his face with a long breath. If it was a homeless guy... well, how dangerous could he be?

Jay’s phone rang. After a brief conversation, he left the room, leaving behind a silence that felt too loud. Bella sat still, tapping her knee softly, eyes avoiding Leo’s.

Leo, meanwhile, kept glancing at her from the corner of his eye, chest tight with an ugly, unfamiliar feeling. It was stupid—he was acting like a jealous teenager. He didn’t know what he wanted to do first—kiss her, scold her, or tie her to the couch until she stopped pretending he didn’t exist.

But instead of saying anything, he unlocked his phone and opened the BellaZone site.

He typed slowly.

SweetTooth: hi.

Bella’s eyes lit up the second the notification appeared. Her pout disappeared, replaced by a soft glow that stretched across her face. A tiny sunbeam breaking through the clouds.

BellaZone: hi

SweetTooth: what are you doing?

She smiled, warmth creeping back into her chest.

BellaZone: Nothing. Maybe just sitting and talking to you...

Leo turned his face slightly, hiding the smile that tugged at his lips.

SweetTooth: me too.

She tilted her head. Something felt different today.

BellaZone: You want to ask me something?

He stared at the screen for a second, his thumb hesitating.

SweetTooth: yes.

BellaZone: You can ask me anything.

Leo bit his lower lip, something soft flickering in his eyes.

SweetTooth: My wife is ignoring me... do you know what I should do to get her attention?

Bella’s hand froze mid-typing. Her eyes slowly widened.

And from the opposite couch, Leo slowly lowered his phone, still not looking directly at her, but with a flicker of amusement tugging at the corner of his lips and the faintest redness brushing his cheekbones.

Like he didn’t know how to say: Don’t ignore me. Please look at me. Just once more.

Bella hugged her knees closer, reading the message again. My wife is ignoring me... It was funny, and somehow... heartbreakingly sweet. Like someone standing in the rain, not asking for shelter, but quietly hoping the door would open.

She didn’t know who this "SweetTooth" was exactly. They had only messaged a few times, just light things, but this question felt different. A little more real. Maybe that’s why her chest felt warm all of a sudden.

She rested her chin on her knees, thought for a second, and then started typing — slowly, carefully, the way she always did when she was trying to make someone feel better.

BellaZone:

Hmm... maybe you should try giving her small hints first. Like... leaving her favorite snacks nearby, or sending a cute message. Nothing big, just soft things. Quiet things.

She paused, her smile growing as she thought deeper — how would she want someone to get her attention?

BellaZone:

And if that doesn’t work... maybe you should just sit beside her and whisper, "I miss you."

Sometimes, girls pretend not to care, but their hearts are listening very carefully.

And after pressing send, Bella gently hugged her iPad to her chest again, not knowing that the very person she was talking about... was sitting just across the room, pretending not to breathe.

And when he read those words — every single one of them — something deep inside Leonorado softened in a way he couldn’t explain. His lips twitched, almost into a smile, and the hand holding his phone tightened just a little.

His eyelashes lowered slightly, casting a faint shadow over his sharp gaze as he peeked at her from the corner of his eyes. His fingers curled around the phone, and he bit down gently on his bottom lip that same soft pink curve that always looked a little too perfect, like it was carved to be kissed.