Chapter 307: Chapter 307 Did I just say code update?
Bella gasped. "What?! Nine?" She jumped slightly, her blanket slipping off as she looked around in panic. "I’m late! I had to check the code update and—"
Her words froze halfway out of her mouth as Leo’s hand caught her wrist. In a smooth, effortless motion, he tugged her toward him, and before she could even blink, she was sitting on his lap.
"C–code update?" he repeated softly, one eyebrow arching as amusement flickered through his eyes. "What’s that, bunny?"
Bella’s entire brain short-circuited.
Oh no.
She felt her heart leap into her throat. Her hands, completely frozen, landed awkwardly on his shoulders, and she stared at him like a deer caught in headlights. Did I just say code update? In front of my husband? Out loud?
Great job, Bella, her inner voice screamed. Why don’t you confess your secret hacker identity next? Maybe tell him your password too?!
Her bad angel appeared dramatically in her mind, waving a stick. "WHAT ABOUT MY REPUTATION, HUH?! You’re supposed to be a soft wife, not some coding ninja!"
"Don’t scold her!" the good angel wailed, clutching a tiny handkerchief. "She’s just sleepy! She didn’t mean it! Humans make mistakes!"
"Ooooh, but this is fun," the bad angel said, smirking wickedly. "You know what you should do? Kiss him. Boom. Distraction level: divine."
"No!!" the good angel gasped, horrified. "You can’t just—well... maybe—if it’s just a small one..."
"Ha! Even you’re on my side now!" the bad angel howled, laughing maniacally.
Bella’s face turned pinker by the second as her two imaginary angels argued above her head. Her lips parted slightly, and she blinked at Leo, her brain spinning in circles while trying to come up with a logical excuse.
Meanwhile, Leo sat there, watching her entire range of expressions change in seconds—shock, guilt, confusion, internal war, and what looked like the faint horror of divine revelation.
He didn’t say a word.
He just leaned his chin on his hand, pretending to look serious while his eyes sparkled with laughter. What in the world is she thinking? he wondered. She looks like she’s fighting an invisible army.
"Bunny?" he asked finally, voice low and teasing. "You look like you just saw a ghost."
"N–no! I’m fine! Totally fine!" Bella squeaked, waving her hands frantically. "I—I just remembered I had to update my... uh... cooking recipe book! Yeah! That! Code means recipe! In, uh... housewife language!"
Leo raised a brow, trying not to laugh. "Recipe book, huh?"
"Yes!! Cooking is very complex these days," Bella blurted, nodding too fast. "Like code! You have to write it down before the food explodes! Hehe..."
Her nervous giggle faded into silence.
Leo tilted his head slightly, his lips twitching as he said, "Exploding food sounds... fascinating."
Bella froze again. Her bad angel fell off its cloud, howling with laughter. "GREAT SAVE, CHEF BELLATRIX!"
Her good angel covered her face. "We’re doomed."
Leo’s gaze softened as he watched her stammer and blush, trying to cover her own tracks like a kitten who spilled milk but still insists it wasn’t her.
Finally, he let out a quiet chuckle, one that made her heartbeat stumble. "Alright, my little chef," he said, gently tapping her nose with his finger. "Just don’t make breakfast explode too, hm?"
Bella pouted, cheeks puffing up adorably. "You’re making fun of me..."
"Maybe," Leo said, his lips curving into that dangerously charming half-smile, "but you’re cute when you lie."
"W–what lie?" she protested, flustered.
He didn’t answer. He just chuckled again, his thumb brushing her chin lightly before setting her down beside him on the bed. "Go freshen up, bunny. I’ll wait downstairs."
Bella sat there for a moment, stunned and blushing so hard she thought her face might melt. As soon as he walked out, she threw herself onto the pillow and groaned.
"Ughhh, I almost confessed..." she mumbled, burying her face in the sheets.
"Maybe next time just say ’I was dreaming,’" her good angel sighed.
"Or kiss him," the bad angel snickered. "Always my favorite plan."
By the time Bella came downstairs, she had splashed her face with water, brushed her hair into some kind of order, and practiced her best I-am-totally-calm-not-a-hacker expression in the mirror.
It didn’t help much.
Aunt Clara was already setting the breakfast table, humming softly, while Leo sat at the head of the table reading something on his tablet, a faint smile tugging at his lips. The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, painting him in soft gold—too handsome, too composed, too unfair.
"Good morning, dear," Aunt Clara greeted warmly. "Come, sit. You look a little flushed—did you sleep well?"
"Y-yes! I’m fine," Bella said, sitting down quickly. She could feel Leo’s gaze on her the moment she touched her chair.
He didn’t say anything, not a word, but she could feel the amusement radiating off him like silent laughter.
She reached for the toast. Her hand trembled. She reached for the butter knife and nearly dropped it when Leo’s voice broke the silence.
"So, bunny," he said casually, still looking at his tablet. "Did you finish your... recipe updates?"
The knife clattered on the plate. Bella froze mid-breath. "Wh–what?"
He looked up slowly, eyes calm but gleaming with mischief. "You said something about codes and exploding food, didn’t you? I’m just curious what kind of cooking project that was."
Aunt Clara blinked between them, confused. "Exploding... food?"
Bella’s mind went blank. Abort mission, Bella. Abort!
"Ah! Haha! It’s nothing! Just a... silly dream!" she said too loudly, waving her hand. "I—I was dreaming about... food technology! Yes! That!"
"Food technology," Leo repeated, leaning his chin on his hand, his eyes half-lidded and amused. "Sounds advanced."
"Yes!" Bella said, determined to stick with her new lie. "Very advanced! You mix ingredients like algorithms and—boom! Breakfast success!"
Leo raised a brow. "Boom?"
Bella froze again. Why am I like this?! she screamed internally.
Aunt Clara chuckled kindly. "Ah, you young people and your strange ideas. Back in my day, we just used recipes."
"See!" Bella said quickly. "Exactly! I’m just modernizing old recipes!"
"Hmm." Leo set down his tablet and reached for his coffee, his tone light but teasing. "Then maybe you should join my company’s tech department. You’d fit right in."