Chapter 123 To love or Not
ARYA’S POV
"Turn around! Let me see the whole thing!"
I rotated slowly in front of my phone, which was propped up on the dresser, showing Cherry's eager face on the video call.
"Oh my God, Arya, you look gorgeous!" Cherry squealed from her apartment in Milan. "That dress is perfect. The empire waist hides the bump without looking like you're trying to hide it, and that color makes your skin glow."
I looked down at the soft blue dress Marco had bought me last week. At eight months pregnant, finding anything that fit properly was a challenge, but this one actually made me feel pretty instead of just large.
"You really think so? I feel like a whale."
"You're a beautiful, glowing whale then." Cherry grinned. "Where's Marco taking you tonight?"
I shrugged. "Dinner and a movie, I think. He's been cryptic about it." I sat on the edge of my bed, one hand automatically going to my stomach. "How's Milan? Still loving it?"
Cherry's expression softened. "It's amazing. The club is ten times better than the one here, the money is incredible, and my apartment actually has hot water that works every day. But..."
She paused. "I miss you a lot. It's weird not being able to just knock on your door.”
My throat tightened. "I miss you too. So much. This past three months has been…" I stopped, not wanting to get emotional. "It's just been really different without you."
She smiled in understanding. "How are you feeling?”
"Some Braxton Hicks, but nothing serious.” I said with a sigh. “The doctor says I'm right on track for delivery in about three weeks."
"And I'll be there," Cherry said firmly. "I already bought my train ticket. I'm coming back a week before your due date, and I'm not leaving until the baby is here and you're settled."
"You promise?"
"I swear on my entire shoe collection, which you know is sacred." Cherry leaned closer to the camera. "Now, more importantly… are you going to tell Marco how you feel tonight?"
I blinked. "Feel about what?"
"Oh, come on. You know what. The man has been courting you for months. Taking you on dates, buying you things, treating you like a queen.” She said with a sly smile. “And you've been dodging the conversation about what this all means."
I rolled my eyes. "I'm not dodging anything."
"You literally changed the subject when he tried to say 'I love you' last week." She pointed out, repeating the same thing I told her last week.
My entire face flushed with heat that traveled down to my neck. "He didn't say it!"
"He said 'Arya, I really-' and you interrupted him with a random fact about penguins you'd read online.” She said with a cackle, shaking her head. “Penguins,
Arya."
"They're monogamous!" I defended weakly. "It was relevant to the conversation we were having about…" I stopped. "Okay, fine. Maybe I panicked a little."
She shook her head but there was a soft look on her face. “How long will you keep running from him, darling?”
As long as it would take. But I didn’t say it out loud. I just forced a smile on my face.
Thankfully, a knock at my door interrupted us and I sat straighter.
"That would be him," I said, my stomach fluttering with nerves.
"Go! Have fun! Be open to possibilities!" Cherry made shooing motions. "And text me later with all the details!"
I huffed but blew her a kiss. "I will. Love you."
"Love you too, mama." She said with a wink.
I ended the call and took a deep breath before walking to the door and pulling it open.
Marco stood in the hallway looking unfairly handsome in dark jeans and a fitted button-down shirt.
My heart stuttered at the flowers he was holding, a bouquet of white roses and baby's breath.
"For you," he said with a warm smile. "You look beautiful, by the way."
"Thank you." I accepted the flowers, burying my face in them to hide my blush. "Let me just put these in water."
I set them in a glass while Marco waited patiently in the doorway. When I turned back, he offered his arm.
"Ready?"
I nodded, skipping my hand into his arm. "Ready."
As we walked down the narrow hallway, I found myself studying his face. I couldn’t look away from his strong jaw, those kind eyes, and the easy smile that seemed to come so naturally around me.
Why was he doing all this? What did he want from me?
More importantly… could I ever love him the way he seemed to love me?
"Arya! Marco!"
Mrs. Marta stood at the bottom of the stairs, her stern expression replaced with something almost fond.
She had softened toward me considerably over the past months, especially after Marco had paid three months' rent in advance without me knowing.
"Off on another date, I see," she said, her eyes twinkling. "You two make such a lovely couple."
My hackles rose immediately and I rushed out. "Oh, we're not a couple!"
Marco pulled me closer and kissed my cheek, his lips warm against my skin. "Thank you, Mrs. Marta. We try our best."
I stood frozen, my heart hammering, as Mrs. Marta beamed at us and Marco guided me toward the exit.
"Why did you do that?" I whispered once we were outside.
"She thinks we're together anyway," he said lightly. "Easier to just play along than constantly correct her. Besides…”
He opened the car door for me. "Would it really be so bad? People thinking we're a couple?"
I didn't know how to answer that so I just turned my face away.
Getting into the car was its own adventure. At eight months pregnant, nothing about my body worked the way it used to.
"Here, let me help." Marco reached across me to grab the seatbelt, his face close to mine as he tried to maneuver it around my substantial bump.
I shifted self consciously. "I can do it.”
"You can barely reach it." His tone was amused. "Just let me help."
After some awkward maneuvering that involved both of us laughing as the seatbelt refused to cooperate, he finally got it clicked into place.
"There. Safe and secure." He grinned at me from the driver's seat. "Ready for our adventure?"
My brows puckered and I shook my head. “What adventure? You still haven't told me where we're going."
"Patience." He started the car, and music immediately blared from the speakers, it was some heavy metal band that made me wince.
"Absolutely not," I said, reaching for the controls.
His eyes widened. "What? This is a classic!"
"This is noise." I scrolled through his presets. "Don't you have anything... I don't know, less angry?"
He huffed and shook his head. "I'm not angry. This is motivational."
"It's motivating me to jump out of a moving vehicle." I shot back.
He laughed and gestured to the controls. "Fine. You pick."
I found a station playing old love songs and settled back with a satisfied smile.
When the next song came on, I couldn't help but sing along softly. It was one I remembered from childhood, Christabel and I used to play it at the time.
In fact we played it so much that Dad had to ban the music from being played in the house till date. The memory caused my lips to curl up into a smile.
"You have a lovely voice," Marco said, glancing at me with that soft expression that made my chest tight.