Chapter 272: Chapter 272 Nonna
Bella had just dragged herself out of bed, her hair slightly messy from sleep, and slipped into her light yellow dress. It was soft, airy, and comfortable, paired with her favorite rabbit slippers that squeaked with every step, puchi, puchi, as she made her way down to breakfast. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, still yawning, when a voice stopped her in her tracks.
"You’re Isabella?"
Her head snapped up, and her eyes widened. An old lady sat gracefully in the chair, a tablet in her hands as if she had been scrolling through emails or reading the news. Her gray hair was arranged in soft curls that framed her face, elegant yet casual, and around her neck hung a necklace with a single stone that glowed faintly blue under the morning light. Her posture was regal, but her sharp, stormy gray eyes just like Leo’s studied Bella with the weight of decades.
Leo’s grandmother.
Bella’s heart leapt. She had imagined a scary, strict matriarch who would scold her for everything, but the woman in front of her radiated something else: intelligence, authority, and a kind of unpredictable aura.
"You’re Isabella," the old lady said slowly, her voice steady and filled with wisdom. "Nardo’s wife?"
Bella’s lips parted. Nardo... She almost giggled hearing the nickname, but she quickly pressed her lips together and nodded.
"Yes, ma’am," Bella said politely, her voice a little shaky.
The old lady’s eyes softened just slightly, but her tone remained serious. "Don’t call me ma’am. Makes me sound like some dusty painting. Call me Nonna."
"Nonna..." Bella repeated, her cheeks warming.
"Mm," the old woman said with a small smile that quickly turned sly. She set her tablet down on the table, folded her hands, and tilted her head. "You walk loudly. That puchi puchi sound nearly gave me a headache. Are you always this clumsy in the morning, or is today a special performance?"
Bella’s eyes went wide, her face turning pink. "I—I didn’t realize..." She looked down at her slippers guiltily.
But Nonna chuckled, a surprisingly youthful laugh escaping her lips. "Relax, child. It’s cute. Just don’t fall and break your neck; I don’t want to explain that to my grandson."
Bella blinked at her in shock, then couldn’t help but smile. Her words were sharp, but her tone had warmth in it, like she was teasing and testing her at the same time.
The old lady, Victoria reached for her tea, her rings clicking softly against the cup. "So, Isabella, tell me something. Why did you marry my grandson? For love? For money? Or because you were tricked into it like I suspect?"
Bella froze, her heart hammering in her chest. She bit her lip nervously. That piercing gaze didn’t waver, it was like she could see through every layer of her.
"Relax," Victoria said, her tone calm yet commanding as she gestured to the chair opposite her with a wave of her elegant hand. Bella quickly nodded and sat down, her rabbit slippers squeaking as she tucked her legs nervously under the chair.
Victoria leaned back in her seat as she studied Bella with sharp gray eyes that reminded her so much of Leo’s. But whereas Leo’s gaze was intense and dangerous, Victoria’s had a mix of mischief and wisdom, as if she already knew the answer to every question she asked.
"Tell me," Victoria began, her lips curving with the faintest of smirks, "my grandson said he fell in love with you at first sight and married you. Hm. That sounds dramatic enough to be in a cheap romance novel." She gave a light chuckle, clearly amused at her own words. "What about you? Did you fall head over heels too? Or did he have to drag you down the aisle?"
Bella’s cheeks turned pink. She looked down at her lap, fumbling for words. "I—I..."
Before she could stammer out more, Victoria leaned forward, her eyes narrowing knowingly. "Ah, I see. You were forced by your mother."
Bella’s head snapped up, eyes wide. "How... how do you know that?"
Victoria chuckled, low and cold, but not at Bella, more like she was laughing at a joke only she understood. "Well, what’s her name again? Jessica, right? Or whatever pretentious name she goes by. I hate women like her." She waved her hand dismissively, as if brushing Jessica’s entire existence out of the air. "Always scheming, always pretending. Hah! Annoying pests."
Bella blinked, stunned, and then whispered, "You know everything..."
"Of course I do," Victoria said, sipping her tea with elegance before fixing Bella with a piercing stare again. "But I don’t waste my time on women like Jessica. I’m more interested in you." Her lips twitched upward, almost like she was suppressing another smile. "You’re not bad, Isabella. You look far too young for all this madness, but tell me, are you really okay with my grandson?"
Bella hesitated, but then nodded softly. "I am... okay." For some reason, she felt comfortable, like she didn’t need to hide anything from this old lady.
"Great!" Victoria said suddenly, clapping her hands once with surprising energy, her face lighting up. "That’s all I need to hear." Her sass returned as she leaned back again. "If you’d said you were miserable, I’d have dragged that stubborn grandson of mine back by his ear. Don’t think I wouldn’t."
Bella giggled, covering her mouth.
"Oh..." Victoria drawled, lifting the tablet from table and wiggling it slightly in her hands. Her lips curved into a playful pout as she tilted her head at Bella. "I heard you love your digital gadgets. Look, I even brought this tablet just so I could look cool in front of you." She gave an exaggerated sigh, her gray eyes twinkling with mischief. "But the truth is, I don’t even know how to use the damn thing."
Bella covered her mouth, giggling. "I’ll teach you," she said brightly, leaning forward, her eyes sparkling with eagerness.
Victoria smirked, clearly pleased by the response, but she quickly waved her hand. "Hah! Lessons later. First go and have your breakfast." She narrowed her eyes and wagged a finger at Bella. "And don’t you dare ask me to join. I’m on a diet. A serious one. My doctor says no sugar, no oil, no fun."
Her mock-dramatic tone made Bella laugh again.