Chapter 128: Are You Going To Get In?
Luca Hale was, of course, completely unaware of the bizarre predicament Austin Silva was dealing with back at the airport terminal.
Even if he had known, he probably wouldn’t have gone back to rescue him. At the moment, Luca had a rather delicate situation of his own to deal with.
He stood in front of a sleek Porsche and fell into thoughtful silence.
On the walk over, he’d been wondering why Vivienne hadn’t driven her signature Ferrari 599.
Now he knew exactly why.
"What are you standing there for?" Vivienne called from the driver’s seat, her lips curling into an amused smile. "Get in."
If the rear passenger door hadn’t already been open...
And if Naomi Monroe weren’t sitting inside with those bright, expectant eyes fixed on him...
Would he really be standing here hesitating?
Luca rubbed the bridge of his nose with a helpless smile.
"So... where exactly am I supposed to sit?"
"That’s entirely your decision now~"
Vivienne rested one hand on the steering wheel, looking every bit like someone settling in to enjoy a live performance.
She genuinely regretted not grabbing a bag of popcorn and a cold drink before leaving the airport.
Seeing Luca frozen outside the car, Naomi lowered her head slightly and spoke in her usual gentle voice.
"Sister Vivienne... let’s not make things difficult for him."
’Thank goodness...’
Luca secretly let out a long sigh of relief.
As expected, Naomi always looked out for him.
Unlike a certain mischievous red-haired fox sitting in the driver’s seat.
’Vivienne... you’d better not let me catch you off guard tonight. I’ll make sure you regret teasing me like this.’
"Luca," Naomi said with a soft laugh, "why don’t you sit in the front beside Sister Vivienne?"
For a brief moment, Vivienne almost felt sorry for her.
Luca had only been in San Fierro for a short while, and Naomi hadn’t even had much time to enjoy being with him yet.
Then an idea flashed through her mind.
Just as Luca stepped toward the passenger door, Vivienne suddenly blocked his path.
"Oh, no."
She smiled innocently.
"How could we possibly leave our adorable little sister sitting all alone in the back?"
She tilted her head.
"You belong back there."
Luca stared at her.
"..."
’So that’s the game you want to play.’
Without saying another word, he calmly walked around the front of the Panamera and headed straight for the driver’s side.
Vivienne frowned in confusion.
Luca opened the driver’s door and looked at her.
"You and Naomi can sit together in the back."
"I’ll drive."
"No way!"
Vivienne hugged the steering wheel possessively.
"I’m not moving."
"Very well."
Luca nodded as though he’d expected that answer.
The next moment, he leaned into the car, unbuckled her seat belt in one smooth motion, slipped an arm beneath her knees, and lifted her cleanly into his arms.
"Hey!"
Vivienne squealed.
"That’s cheating!"
She playfully pounded his chest with both fists, but to Luca, the blows felt no stronger than a kitten batting at him.
Without giving her another chance to protest, he leaned down and captured her rosy lips in a lingering kiss.
"Behave."
Right there in the airport parking area.
Right in front of passing travelers.
And with Naomi watching from the back seat with wide, astonished eyes.
Even someone as bold as Vivienne couldn’t withstand that level of embarrassment.
Her face turned scarlet.
She immediately buried it in her hands, her crimson hair spilling over her cheeks as she refused to look at anyone.
Satisfied, Luca carried her around the car and gently set her down in the rear seat beside Naomi.
When he finally settled into the driver’s seat and adjusted the mirrors, his eyes met Vivienne’s through the reflection.
A victorious grin spread across his face.
Vivienne shot him an exasperated glare before pretending he no longer existed. Turning away, she slipped her hand into Naomi’s and happily resumed their conversation.
"Little Sister Naomi, those things you told me last time were honestly incredibly useful."
Naomi’s face instantly turned bright red.
"M-My mother was the one who taught me..." she mumbled shyly. "And... Luca seems to like them..."
She lowered her head so far her chin nearly touched her chest, nervously twisting her fingers together.
’Her mother taught her those?’
’And She taught Vivienne them?’
Luca’s eyes widened.
Everything suddenly clicked.
That memorable night with Vivienne...
The cat ears.
The unexpected little surprises.
So that was where she’d gotten all those ideas.
’Naomi...’
’You’re far too innocent to be discussing things like that so casually.’
Then another thought quietly drifted into his mind.
’Although... if you’re ever passing along lessons like those again... maybe teach Sophie too.’
Watching the two women laugh together in the back seat, the last traces of tension in Luca’s chest gradually melted away.
He silently hoped that one day, when the others inevitably met them, the atmosphere would be just as peaceful.
Then another question surfaced.
’Wait...’
’How did these two become so close in the first place?’
Several more questions followed.
Fortunately, Luca was wise enough to keep every single one to himself.
Sooner or later, everyone would meet anyway.
Perhaps this was simply the beginning of something much bigger.
...
Following Vivienne’s directions, Luca drove away from the airport and headed toward Golden Water Bay.
Ordinarily, every outside vehicle entering the prestigious residential district had to stop for security registration.
This time, however, the gates recognized the Porsche immediately.
Without a single checkpoint, they slid open.
Clearly, this wasn’t Vivienne’s first visit.
When the three of them stepped out together, they instantly became the center of attention.
Naomi and Vivienne were breathtaking enough on their own.
Walking side by side, they looked like two completely different masterpieces.
One possessed a pure, elegant beauty that reminded people of a lotus blooming in still water.
The other radiated mature confidence and irresistible charm, like a crimson rose covered in thorns.
Countless men couldn’t help stealing glances.
Yet almost none of them dared approach.
Especially Vivienne.
Every graceful movement she made carried the unmistakable aura of a woman accustomed to power and privilege.
Anyone with even a little common sense could tell she wasn’t someone to provoke.
As the saying went, lust is a blade hanging above one’s neck.
Admiring from afar was one thing.
Acting on it was another entirely.
Still...
Everyone’s attention eventually shifted elsewhere.
Specifically...
To the handsome man walking between them.
Right there in the lobby, Naomi naturally slipped her hand around one of Luca’s arms.
Vivienne casually claimed the other.
The three of them chatted and laughed together as they disappeared into the waiting elevator.
"Handsome," Vivienne whispered with a playful smile, leaning lightly against his shoulder, "how does it feel walking arm in arm with both Little Sister Naomi and me?"
Luca smiled.
"Not bad."
That was putting it mildly.
Walking beside Naomi filled him with an indescribable sense of peace and fulfillment.
Being beside Vivienne, meanwhile, was exhilarating in an entirely different way.
One was gentle and graceful.
The other was passionate and captivating.
Two completely different kinds of beauty.
What more could a man reasonably ask for?
...
When they arrived outside the penthouse, Naomi stepped forward and unlocked the door.
The moment it opened, a rich aroma drifted into the hallway.
Savory.
Warm.
Comforting.
It was the unmistakable scent of a carefully prepared home-cooked meal.
Luca had tasted Naomi’s cooking before.
She was genuinely talented.
But compared to the incredible fragrance now filling the apartment...
There was only one possible chef.
Vivienne.
He had always known she could cook.
What surprised him was just how extraordinary her cooking actually was.
Judging from the aroma alone, her skills were on par with those of a professional chef.