The Plutocrats' Lovers

Chapter 42

Laura Conti's POV

I sighed inwardly as I was making some coffee for my in-laws as well as my sister-in-law. I was putting the teapot and the cups on the tray before I was about to carry them outside before Lucca was beside me.

"Allow me, cara mia," he said as he smiled at me before he perked my nose. I smiled as I was looking at my sweet husband who was carrying the tray to the living room where my mother and father were as well as Talia.

Here goes another confrontation with mother dearest.

I walked back into the living room with a tray of assorted desserts and biscuits that I made when I was stressing out over the classes and papers that I need to read. I was smiling as I put down the tray before I took my seat on the sofa next to Lucca.

"So, will you be telling us what are you doing here?" Lucca started as I was pouring the coffee on the cups before I was putting it in front of our guests.

"You know why we're here. We were trying to get this girl to come home at the airport but she beat us to it by coming here instead. I thanked the head of security to report this little missy here that was not staying at the airport last night," Lucca's mother said as I was hearing all this. Lucca sighed.

"Well, I don't even know that she was coming home last night. I thought she was not in Italy yet. And then this morning, we just found out that Talia was here," Lucca said before he took the cup and sipped on his coffee. I hoped it was okay.

"Hmm," his mother said before she took her cup and she was sipping on it. She was furrowing her eyebrows before she was putting them down.

I think I just made it worst or did she just smiled a bit?

I was putting out the desserts on the mini plates that we have and putting them next to the coffee. I was smiling at my father-in-law as well as Talia before I was smiling at my mother-in-law as well. I don't know what to call her still when I was talking to her but of course, that was not happening soon enough.

She hardly spoke to me.

Lucca put his hand on my knee before I was looking at the gesture. My heart warmed up before I felt the familiar dagger stare that was coming my way. I can see that in my peripheral view that my mother-in-law was glaring at me and my husband's gesture right now.

"So, will you come home with us today, Talia? I think you would be much comfortable staying in your bedroom back at the mansion in Rome," my father-in-law said before Talia was tapping her finger on her chin. Then, she looked at her father.

"Nope,"

"No? Why not?"

"I want to talk with my sister. And she has been helping me a lot with this assignment that I have to describe this one ancient castle that I love to go to every weekend when I was in France. It was so magi—"

"Enough of this castle talk. You need to start focusing on your studies, Talia. You will be taking a Business Studies degree. It will help you to take over the company someday," her mother said as I was sipping on my coffee. I felt something different when I was drinking it as my stomach was churning but I ignored that feeling before I was putting down the cup.

"Look, mom. I don't want to do business, I want to be a castle historian. That is my passion," Talia argued as I know how this turned out to be.

"No, you will not be doing so, young lady. Our decision is final," her mother said before my father-in-law was putting his hand on his wife's knee.

"Cara," he warned as my mother-in-law looked at her husband before I felt the churning was now coming up into my throat. I needed to go now. I was putting my hand on my throat before Lucca noticed it.

"What's wrong?" He asked me before I smiled as the feeling would not go away.

"Excuse me," I said as I was standing up and I was rushing to the bathroom. I was holding my hand to my mouth before I was kicking open our bedroom door and rushed to the en suite bathroom. I was stumbling over the toilet as I was throwing my morning content that we ate on the way home before I was gripping the toilet bowl.

It was not the best feeling ever.

I was sticking my head inside the bowl for as long as I can remember when I felt the familiar hand that was soothing my back. I was grateful to know that Lucca was here with me when I was at my worst moment right now.

"Breath in, breathe out, cara mia," he said as I was trying not to gag when I was breathing in and out of the toilet bowl.

"You know, it was hard to breathe in when your face stuck in the toilet bowl," I said as I was pulling my head up and I can see that Lucca was smirking at me.

"Haha, very funny. I know. You love it when I am suffering right now," I said as I was trying to smooth my hair as I know it was probably stinking right now.

"Well, as much as your speech was enlightening as ever, dolcezza, I think I don't want to see you be sticking your head inside the bowl now and then," my husband said as I was smiling at his statement. My heart was blooming before I was sighing.

"Are they gone?" I asked as I was leaning against Lucca. He was wiping my mouth with the toilet paper.

"Nope. They're still here. They must be wondering why you took off so suddenly," he said as I was rolling my eyes at him. He was still soothing my back as I was taking a deep breath.

"I think your mother was scoffing even more at me these days. I don't know how to get her to like me," I said quietly as Lucca was kissing my hair. He chuckled before I turned to look at him over my shoulder.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing, just the news that I told her you were carrying her grandchild," he said as I was turning my body toward Lucca. My eyes were wide as saucers before I was blinking at him.

"But you said—"

"I know what I said and I was not having her to dictate our lives. But when you get out of the living room, she was saying that you were being rude to your guests and I have been keeping this anger that she still insults you even you were a part of the family now. I cannot stand idly and did nothing. You're my wife and I will protect your honor in your weakness," Lucca said huskily as I was feeling the tears that were brimming my eyes before he was kissing them.

"Hush now. Everything will be okay. Even she did not approve of us, just know that you will always be in my heart, Laura, cara mia," he said as he was kissing my forehead when I was hugging him, taking in the warmth that he has to offer. I think my love grew for him as time passed.

I sighed before we were looking at each other. I smiled weakly before I was closing my eyes as I was feeling Lucca's hands on my strands of hair before he tucked them behind my ears.

"So, are you all better now?'' He asked me as I was nodding at him. I was smiling before I was cupping his hands on my cheeks as I was smiling happily at him.

"Thank you," I said before he was arching his eyebrows. "For what?" He asked.

"For being here, with me when I was at my weakest, and thank you for standing up to me against your mother," I said as Lucca was pulling my head closer to his.

"I would do it over and over again as I know that you are the most precious thing that happened in my life, dolcezza, cara mia," he said before we kissed. It was sweet and tender as I can feel the love that Lucca was putting in it and I was happy that my heart was soaring right now.

"And I love you, Lucca Giovanni, with all my heart," I said huskily as his slate orbs were glistening with mischief.

"I thought you already did that when you vowed to be mine and having my rings on your fingers?" He asked as I was smiling at his banter.

"Well, that was for society to know and this moment, this little speech that I told in your ears, it was only meant for you," I said as I was putting my forehead to his. It was perfect and I knew that we have to break this perfect moment as I know we have to face our guests in the living room after this. I was sighing when Lucca was staring at me as I was looking at his face. I think he knew that I don't want to get out of this moment right now.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked me as I was smiling at him. I was playing with the buttons on his shirt before I was shaking my head.

"I don't think I can ever mend the relationship with your mother. It was so...unnerving actually. She was not fond of me even when I was trying to make amends with her," I said as I was sighing before Lucca chuckled. I glared at him before he was pinching my cheeks.

"Ow! Stop it," I said as my mouth was in a weird position because of the pinching that he was doing to me. He smirked at me before he perked my lips and released his attacks on my cheeks. I rubbed my face as I was frowning at him.

"Well, I think we have to get out of here now. I don't think my parents want to be here as much as I want them gone right now," he said as I was slapping his chest playfully.

"Ow? Okay, why did you slap me?" He asked me as I was glaring at him. I don't think that my husband should be saying that when his parents were alive and healthy.

"Do not ever utter that word. It's good that they were healthy and alive. Unlike my parents..." I trailed off before Lucca was taking my hands and kissed the knuckles.

"I'm sorry, cara. I was being insensitive," he said as I was nodding at him.

"I just wish that I can spend some more time with them, you know? But of course, I have your parents now. I know it's not the same but I always think of them as my parents because we're family," I said as I was staring at his slate orbs. Lucca smiled before he was kissing my forehead. We were on the bathroom floor as I was calming down from that vomit that I was earning from being pregnant.

I just hope I don't have the strength so that I can escape from saying goodbye but of course, my mother-in-law will be judging that as well. I sighed.

"I think we have gone long enough. They might be thinking that we were doing something naughty right now in the bathroom," Lucca said as he was wiggling his eyebrows. I was blushing before I was slapping his arm playfully. He laughed.

And it was music to my ears.

"Okay, come on, dolcezza. We have to go know," he said as he was helping me to stand up. I was clinging myself to him as I was smiling at my husband. He was kind, sweet, and protective. And I know that I will be protecting this man with my whole life.

Heck, he even risked his life to save mine in the past.

"Now, shall we, cara mia?" Lucca asked me as I was giggling before he was putting his hand on my lower back as we were walking into the bedroom that we shared before we were going to the door. I took a deep breath as we were walking outside the bedroom and into the living room.

Uncle Lorenzo has been talking with his wife before he realized that we were approaching them. He stood up as well as Talia was looking at us. She smiled before Aunt Amara was looking flushed.

I don't know what they were talking about but I don't want to know. It was none of my business anyway.

"So, is everything alright?" My father-in-law asked me as I was smiling at him when Lucca was gripping my waist.

"Yup. She's fine. Just a little nauseous was all. She will be doing the check-up tomorrow," Lucca said as I was turning to look at him. We just went for the scanning 2 weeks ago when I first got the news. And now he wanted me to go again?

Unbelievable!

"Well, we better get going then. We don't want to interrupt the resting time for you guys since Talia said that you just got back from the camping trip that you guys went to last night," Uncle Lorenzo said as he was standing and getting ready to get out there. Talia was protesting something but when her father was giving the stare, she shut up.

Aunt Amara was quiet before Lucca was talking to his father and they went to the study room. Talia excused herself to the bathroom as she wanted to pee. I was left with my mother-in-law. And I can feel the chills in the room were increasing a bit.

"Laura, can we talk?" Aunt Amara said before I was looking at her. She was patting the space on the sofa that she was sitting on before I was making my way to her side.

"Sure, what is it?" I asked as I was putting my hands on my laps. I was nervous, I'm not going to lie as I was waiting for what she will be saying to me right now.

"I'm sorry," she said that made me blink at her. I think I was not hearing it right.

"What?" I repeated as I was looking at her. She turned to look at me before she was taking my hands and she was squeezing them.

"I know that I have been hard on you ever since you came back from Albania after 3 years of no words and all. But I know the moment that you have stepped into this country, Lucca has changed. He was not...distancing himself as he would when you were away," she said as I was listening to this. I knew it sounded weird when I was talking sensibly with my mother-in-law right now and she did not have any anger or any disgust in her voice right now.

No, she was now turning 180 degrees into a completely different person. The person that would laugh with my mum whenever they visited our house when I was younger.

Could it be...

"You were so much like her, you know," Aunt Amara said as she was looking at me when I was blinking my eyes at her. Okay...this was awkward now.

"Um, who are you referring to?" I asked her as I was not sure who she was referring to. She chuckled before I was looking at her. She was caressing my hair now and I knew this was all weird to a whole new level.

What the heck was going on here?! Where is that mean Aunt Amara and who is this nice woman right here?!

"I have always wondered what she would say when you grew up so much to be like here. The uncanny violet eyes, the black hair, and the smile that could make anyone stop and stare at you. I think she would be proud," she said as I was smiling at her.

"Um, thank you, Aunt—"

"Ah, ah. I thought we were family? Why did you call me Aunt still?" She asked me as I was blinking at her. Because I was afraid of you and your disapproval was not helping me at all?!How about we go with that? I thought in my mind as I was blinking my eyes at her.

"Okay, look. I know we were getting on the wrong foot when you're an adult now. But I want to say that I am sorry that I have been bitter to you all this time. I can see that's the reason why my son was so enchanted by you. You're kind, Laura, sweet and patient. You are nothing like any other girls that he ever dated before," Aunt Amara said.

And f****d, why don't you put that on the list as well?

"Aunt—"

"Call me mum," she said as I was blinking at her. She was smiling and I don't know what but I was calling her 'mum' then.

"Okay, um, mum, would you like to stay for dinner and such? It would be a long way back from Milan to Rome," I said as I was smiling at her. She chuckled before Lucca spoke in the living room.

"That would be a terrific idea but I think Talia has to go home immediately since she has to prepare for her university entrance examination," Lucca said before Talia scoffed.

Yup, I think I am right where I belong.

"I hate exams, why do I have to prepare for an exam when I can just go to a local university?'' She asked her brother before I was smiling. I don't know when this will last but at least, I have mended the relationship with my mother-in-law.

I wondered what changed.

We were having a blast dinner where I was cooking in the kitchen with the help of Mum and Talia. They were a blast and I was laughing so much before Mum was asking something out of ordinary.

"So, do you already know what was the gender of the baby?" She asked as she was washing the veggies and I was cutting the carrots when we will be doing beef ragu with pasta for dinner.

"No, it will be showing in the third trimester,'' I said as I was smiling at her. She was beaming at me.

"I hope it was a boy. That would be good for your heir,"

"Well, we can only hope then," I said before we prepared for dinner. The gentlemen set up the table and we were talking and laughing as the traditional Italian household should be.

And I don't want this moment to end.