Chapter 107: What Are You Waiting For?
Luca Hale nodded.
Vivienne was two years older than him, so it was perfectly normal for her to have had a relationship before they met.
"It’s really not a big deal," Luca said casually.
Vivienne lowered her gaze, unable to meet his eyes. She hesitated for a moment before speaking, her voice carrying an unusual hint of nervousness.
"Actually... before we met, I’d just gotten out of a relationship." She paused, fidgeting with a strand of her red hair. "The thing is... I was the ’boyfriend’ in that relationship."
Luca blinked.
"Huh?"
Vivienne bit her lip and took another deep breath.
"I mean..." she said softly, "I was the one playing the boyfriend’s role."
"...You what?"
The unexpected revelation left Luca completely stunned.
He stared at her with wide eyes, frozen in place, his mouth hanging slightly open.
Unable to bear his gaze, Vivienne lowered her head even further and brushed her silky red hair over her shoulders, hoping it would hide the heat spreading across her cheeks.
After several seconds of silence, Luca finally found his voice.
"So... your ex..."
"...was a girl?"
"Mmm..."
Her response was barely above a whisper.
She gave the faintest nod. If they hadn’t been standing so close together, Luca would have missed it entirely.
Luca slowly let out a long breath.
Now everything finally made sense.
No wonder Valerie had reacted so strangely several times today.
She hadn’t been surprised that Vivienne was dating.
She had been shocked that Vivienne was dating... a man.
So when Vivienne proudly introduced Luca as her boyfriend, Valerie’s immediate reaction had practically screamed:
"You actually found a boyfriend?"
The emphasis had never been on the relationship itself.
It had been on the word boyfriend.
’So my girlfriend used to play for the other team...’
’And she was the aggressive one at that...’
The thought was so absurd that even Luca couldn’t help feeling a little dazed.
"...So where is your..." He awkwardly scratched his cheek. "...ex-girlfriend now?"
Even asking the question felt surreal.
Vivienne smiled faintly.
"You don’t have to worry."
"She’s already married."
Luca frowned.
"Who said I was worried?"
The words had barely left his mouth before something suddenly occurred to him.
Wait...
His expression stiffened.
’Could my beautiful angel actually be bisexual?’
His thoughts immediately wandered to Naomi, Sophie, Arabella and even Amelia.
’If I’m not careful... won’t this enchantress charm them away too?’
The more he thought about it, the more alarmed he became.
For the first time, he genuinely felt as though he had another rival.
"What?" Vivienne asked, unable to hold back a laugh after seeing the wary look in his eyes. "Scared?"
Luca immediately coughed to cover his embarrassment.
"Cough... not at all."
Vivienne smiled knowingly.
Standing on her tiptoes, she gently pressed her lips against his.
It was only a brief kiss, gone almost as soon as it began.
She wrapped her smooth, fair arms around his waist before resting her head against his chest, listening quietly to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
"In all seriousness..." she murmured softly.
"You really don’t need to worry."
Her former partner had once been her closest friend.
Now she was happily married, and the two of them hadn’t spoken in years.
More importantly...
Just as she’d told him earlier that morning...
The only person she wanted to spend her life with now was him.
Luca finally understood.
So that was what she had meant.
After all, if Vivienne hadn’t truly made up her mind, she would never have brought him home to meet Valerie.
A gentle smile appeared on his face.
He cupped her delicate cheek, his thumb softly brushing her skin before his hand slid to the back of her neck.
Without another word, he kissed her again.
Vivienne’s beautiful eyes curved into crescents.
She happily lifted both arms around his neck and returned the kiss just as passionately.
The room gradually fell silent, filled with nothing but the sound of their increasingly uneven breathing.
Thump... thump... thump...
A soft knock suddenly sounded at the bedroom door.
The two separated almost instantly.
Opening their eyes at the same time, they both looked toward the entrance.
"Luca, Vivienne," Valerie called from outside, her voice gentle. "I was worried you young people might have forgotten, so I hung the protection I bought on the doorknob. Don’t forget to take it."
A moment later, the soft tapping of her slippers gradually faded down the hallway.
Luca rubbed the tip of his nose awkwardly.
"Uh..."
To be honest, Valerie’s concern was unnecessary.
While shopping for her gift earlier that day, the two of them had already stopped by a convenience store.
"So..." Luca asked sheepishly.
"What do we do now?"
Vivienne rolled her eyes at him, looking both amused and speechless.
"What else?"
"My mom already bought them."
"We might as well take them inside."
Although Valerie had returned to her own room, she quietly left her bedroom door slightly open.
She listened carefully.
Only after hearing Vivienne open the bedroom door, followed by the unmistakable rustle of a plastic bag being brought inside, did she finally smile in relief.
With complete peace of mind, she gently closed her own door for the night.
...
Back inside the bedroom, Luca immediately stepped forward, intending to pull Vivienne into another embrace.
However, she lightly pressed a hand against his chest and stopped him.
"Go take a shower first."
She smiled mischievously.
"Don’t tell me you don’t plan on sleeping tonight."
"Fine."
Luca grinned.
"Then let’s shower together."
"No."
Vivienne shook her head firmly.
"Use the bathroom outside."
"Aren’t they basically the same?"
She narrowed her beautiful eyes.
"Are you going..."
"...or not?"
"Alright, alright."
Luca raised both hands in surrender before reluctantly leaving the room.
The moment the bedroom door closed behind him, Vivienne quietly walked over and listened for a while, making sure he had really gone.
Only then did a mysterious smile appear on her face.
She opened her handbag.
Inside were a striking crimson sailor uniform, a pair of adorable cat ears, and a matching cat tail.
...
Several minutes later, Luca returned while casually drying his damp hair with a towel.
The moment he stepped through the doorway...
He froze.
Vivienne slowly emerged from the bathroom.
She was wearing the red sailor outfit.
A pair of soft cat ears rested atop her crimson hair, while the matching tail swayed gently behind her.
Every graceful step she took seemed carefully measured.
She was like a crimson rose blooming beneath the night sky, breathtakingly beautiful and irresistibly enchanting.
Gulp...
Luca’s throat bobbed involuntarily.
His eyes were completely fixed on her.
Seeing his stunned expression, Vivienne smiled in satisfaction.
The corners of her red lips lifted ever so slightly as she gave him an irresistibly flirtatious glance.
"Luca..."
"Do you like what you see?"
Luca couldn’t look away.
"Angel..."
"...you’re absolutely stunning."
Vivienne slowly opened her arms.
"Then..."
"What are you waiting for?"
Without another word, Luca strode forward, bent down, and effortlessly swept her into his arms.