The Contract

Chapter 133-The Piggyback Ride

I hopped down the stairs, hands tucked behind my back. Peeking into the kitchen, I saw Rosa standing behind the stove, her movements as graceful as ever. She was making magic again, as usual.

I always wondered why she chose to cook herself, even with all the staff bustling around the house. Maybe it was her passion for it—an unspoken love she nurtured for the art of creating meals. No one else was allowed in her kitchen, and honestly, I admired her for it.

I walked in quietly and stopped just behind her. She must have felt my presence because she turned with a warm smile. "Pearl."

"Good morning, Rosa," I greeted, leaning forward to steal a peek at what was steaming in the pot. "That smells amazing."

"It's almost done. You'll love it," she assured, closing the lid before moving to the sink. I followed her like a little shadow, a child trailing her mother.

The day already felt promising, and it was only 9 a.m.

"How was the ball last night?" Rosa asked as she washed her hands, her voice light but curious.

"It was good," I replied simply.

"I thought he was adamant about not attending," she muttered, more to herself than to me.

I grinned. "I convinced him."

She dried her hands and turned back to me, her expression playful but knowing. "You convinced him," she repeated, arching a brow. My grin widened in response.

"It wasn’t that much convincing, really. I think he had a business meeting, so it became important to him."

She nodded thoughtfully. "That’s good."

Her movements were effortless as she walked to the other side of the kitchen, and, as expected, I followed again. "You seem to be in a good mood," she observed, glancing at me briefly.

"I guess. I love my time here; it’s been calming," I admitted, leaning against the counter.

Her gaze softened. "You and Travis could consider living here," she began, and I immediately saw where this conversation was headed.

"Since you’ll both be starting a family soon, it’s only proper that your children learn their father’s language, culture, and heritage," she continued.

I bit the inside of my cheek, forcing a polite smile. If only that were possible.

"Italy is a wonderful place for that. Besides, I’d like to be close to my grandchildren," she added with a wistful sigh.

I let out a short laugh, though it felt a little forced.

"I’ve noticed some changes this time," Rosa said, her tone more pointed. Her eyes studied mine.

"Changes?" I echoed, feigning nonchalance.

"You’ve both gotten closer," she noted, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Come on, Rosa," I said, waving it off. "We’ve always been like that."

She chuckled knowingly. "I wasn’t born yesterday, Pearl. I know what I’ve seen."

My lips curved into a small smile despite myself. She wasn’t wrong. Rosa had always been observant. She noticed when we used to fight constantly, and now, she noticed this shift.

Truthfully, I couldn’t even pinpoint what had changed. We had grown closer, sure, but I couldn’t put my finger on how or when.

"This feels different," she remarked softly. "Let me agree with you on that," I teased lightly.