The following morning, the mansion awoke to the gentle hum of life.
The smell of fresh coffee drifted through the air, mingling with the faint sweetness of pancakes coming from the kitchen. Sunlight spilled across the dining room table, where Bella sat with a mug in hand, scrolling through her tablet while Liora, still in her pajamas, attempted to stack blueberries into a tiny tower on her plate.
Lukas emerged from his study in a crisp white shirt, sleeves rolled casually to his elbows. There was an unmistakable lightness in his step—a quiet joy that hadn't left him since Bella's news the night before. As he leaned down to kiss Bella's cheek, she looked up at him with a knowing smile.
"Big day?" she asked.
"Not for the company," he said, pulling out a chair beside her. "For us."
He turned to Liora, who was now eyeing him with blueberry-stained lips. "What's my little star working on?"
"Blueberry castle," she declared proudly. "It's for the baby so they can play when they come."
