Billionaire's baby mama

Chapter Thirteen

She had just agreed to call Luke over for dinner, and the moment she uttered those words, Olivia had nearly exploded with excitement.

“Mom! You mean it? Daddy’s coming over?” Olivia’s eyes shone, her little hands clenched into excited fists as she bounced on her toes. "You'll really call him over?" She added.

Bella stared at her daughter, surprised at just how much joy the news brought her. Had she been hindering her children's happiness? seeing Olivia so elated made Bella’s chest tighten. How long had Olivia been hoping for this moment?Bella sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Meanwhile, Oliver stood a few steps behind his sister, his reaction much more reserved. He was calm and composed. Bella studied him, searching for signs of excitement, but his expression remained neutral. Still, there was a quiet flicker in his blue eyes, betraying the emotions he was trying to keep hidden. Bella sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yes, but only if you both behave and go clean up before dinner.”

“I will, I promise!” Olivia squealed, already spinning toward the staircase. “Come on, Oliver! Let’s get ready. Daddy is coming over!!''

Oliver hesitated, his gaze flickering between his mother and sister. Then, with a small nod, he turned and followed Olivia upstairs.

After Bella had agreed to call Luke over, she didn't know where to start frim. She watched the kids go up the stairs and inhaled. What has she agrees to?. She picked her phone and walked into the kitchen. She took out the card he gave her earlier and input the number into her phone. her heart was pounding so much she thought her chest would burst.

Bella exhaled and leaned against the kitchen counter. Inviting Luke over for dinner was a step she wasn’t sure she was ready for. But she knew deep down it was inevitable. Their children needed this. They needed him. And, she needed him if she was going to make her step mother and sister pay for what they had done to and her mother.

With another deep breath, she grabbed her phone and dialed Luke’s number. It rang twice before he picked up.

“Bella?” His voice was deep, smooth, and there was an edge of surprise in his tone.

She closed her eyes briefly. “Hey...I...um...I was wondering if you’d like to come over for dinner tonight. The kids… they want to see you.”

There was a pause, then a sigh. “Are you sure about that? Wait! You told them about me?”

Bella swallowed. “yes to both questions. I told them about you and was surprised to hear you've already met. They asked me to do this.”

Luke was silent for a moment, and Bella could picture him running a hand through his dark hair, contemplating the invitation.

“Alright,” he said finally. “What time?”

“Seven,” she replied, her voice steadier than she felt.

“I’ll be there.”

She hung up, her heart still hammering. Shaking her head, she turned to the stove, determined to keep herself busy. Cooking would help keep her mind off the emotions swirling inside her.

As she prepared the meal, the house remained mostly quiet, aside from the occasional sound of Olivia’s excited chatter drifting down from upstairs. She smiled to herself. Olivia was always the talkative one, while Oliver was more reserved and always acting too mature. Maybe he got those from his father.

By the time six-thirty rolled around, Bella had prepared a meal she felt Luke would like, roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and a fresh salad. She added jellof rice to it because, the children love it. She set the table with an extra plate, her hands lingering over the silverware as another wave of uncertainty washed over her.

Would this go well? Would it be awkward?

Before she could overthink it further, Olivia and Oliver came bounding down the stairs, freshly cleaned up. Olivia wore a bright dress, her hair neatly combed, and her face practically glowing with excitement. Oliver had changed into a clean button-up and jeans, looking like a miniature version of his father.

“You both look nice,” Bella said softly, smiling at them.

“Thanks, Mom,” Olivia chirped. “Do you think Daddy will like my dress?”

Bella hesitated. “I think he’ll love it.”

Oliver crossed his hands over his chest and said. "You shouldn't be the one who is worried over that. He'll surely love it. Does he have a choice?"

The sound of the doorbell ringing interrupted them, and Olivia gasped, grabbing her brother’s hand. “He’s here!”

Bella’s stomach clenched, and she wiped her hands on a towel before heading for the door. Taking a deep breath, she opened it.

Luke stood there, looking as handsome as ever in a fitted dark shirt and jeans. His gaze met hers, unreadable at first, but then it softened as his eyes flickered past her to the children who stood behind her.

“Hey,” he greeted.

Before Bella could respond, Olivia dashed forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Daddy!”

Luke chuckled and lifted her into his arms, holding her close. “Hey, princess. We finally get to meet officially.”

“yeah. We finally meet!” Olivia giggled, pulling back to beam at him.

Bella glanced at Oliver, who stood a few steps away, his expression unreadable. But then, after a few seconds, he walked up to Luke and gave him a small nod. “Hey, Dad.”

Luke’s expression turned more serious as he reached out and placed a hand on Oliver’s shoulder. “Hey, buddy. It’s good to see you.”

Oliver didn’t say anything, but Bella could tell he was happy. It was in the way his shoulders relaxed, the way he didn’t pull away from Luke’s touch.

“Come in,” Bella said, stepping aside.

Luke walked in, taking in the house. It was warm, inviting, and filled with little touches that made it clear Bella had worked hard to create a home for the kids. His gaze landed on the dinner table, and a look of something unreadable flashed in his eyes.

“You cooked,” he said.

Bella rolled her eyes. “Obviously I did.”

A smirk played at his lips. “It smells good.”

“Well, come sit before it gets cold,” she muttered, leading them all to the table.

Dinner started off a little awkward, but Olivia’s excitement filled the air, making it easier. She talked animatedly about school, her friends, and everything in between. Luke listened intently, smiling at her enthusiasm.

Oliver remained more reserved, but when Luke asked him about computer, his eyes lit up, and soon they were engaged in a quiet conversation of their own.

Bella watched them, her heart tightening. This… this was what she had always wanted for them. A family.

As the meal went on, she found herself stealing glances at Luke. He looked more handsome. Or maybe, he had always been this way, and she had just never given him the chance to show it. He has been coming to see her for almost a month now and she had never really looked at him or speak with him in a way to know him.

When dinner ended, Olivia dragged Luke to the living room, insisting on showing him her latest drawings. Oliver followed, and Bella lingered in the kitchen, cleaning up.

A few minutes later, Luke appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

“Thanks for inviting me,” he said quietly.

Bella glanced at him before returning to the dishes. “They wanted to see you.”

He nodded. “I know. But still… thank you.”

She didn’t respond, and for a moment, silence stretched between them.

Then, Luke spoke again, his voice softer this time. “Bella… I want to be in their lives. I don’t want to just be someone they see every now and then.”

Bella closed her eyes briefly before turning to face him. “We’ll see, Luke. Tonight was a start.”

A small smile tugged at his lips. “Yeah. A start. And the other issue? Have you thought about it?”

And for the first time in a long time, Bella felt like maybe, just maybe, they could find a way forward.

Together. "I'll give you my answer later. Let's not rush things."

"As much as I would love to give you all the time in the world, we don't have time." He didn't want to rush her but, she needed to go back as soon as possible. Her step mother and sister are becoming aggressive with their approach.

"I'll think about it." She had made up her mind already but, she won't tell him just yet. There are somethings she needed to take care of before going to LA with him. And the thought of leaving her grandmother behind was one thing that was weighing down on her mind.

"Don't take too long." He sighed out. He went back into the sitting room and his hearth melted over again. His son is a genius and his daughter is an angel. What had he done to be blessed with treasures like these? He bent to Olivia's level and said to them. "We'll see each other again. Good night kids."

"Already? Stay a little bit longer." Olivia whined.

"You need to go to bed and I have something I need to do as well. I'll come see you another time." He pacified her.

"When?" Olivia asked like she was about to cry.

"He said he'll come so don't whine. If he doesn't then we'll make sure he never sees us again." Oliver who had not spoken a words since said.

Luke looked at Bella for help. He son wss just too good at making one feel scared. Why did he feel like he was being warned? While he was still thinking of how to respond, Bella came to his rescue. "Don't worry Olivia, you'll see him tomorrow. It's a promise."

Olivia's mind was finally put at ease. She looked at her brother and they shared a secret smile. Their plan had worked. "Okay! Good night Daddy" she smiled and gave him a hug then, whispered into his ear. "You better make good use of tomorrow."