Chapter 326: A Vixen in Causal Clothing

Although Daisy’s appearance had left Valerie somewhat bewildered, she didn’t let it show for long. She smiled, gently patted the little girl’s head, and invited everyone into the living room.

"Viv, what’s going on? And Luca... where did this child come from?"

Valerie finally found an opportunity to pull Vivienne aside near the bathroom. Taking her daughter’s hand, she lowered her voice and asked the question that had been bothering her since their arrival.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t accept Luca having a child with another woman. Valerie was no longer the naive young woman she’d once been. Living in one of San Fierro’s wealthiest neighborhoods, she’d seen more than enough powerful men keeping mistresses and raising children outside their marriages.

Unfortunately, such things weren’t particularly unusual among the wealthy.

Her concern came from knowing just how deeply Vivienne had fallen for Luca. She didn’t want her daughter to end up heartbroken because of a relationship in which she had invested so much.

"Mom, don’t worry. Daisy is..." Vivienne began explaining the situation.

By the time she’d finished, the worry in Valerie’s eyes had given way to sympathy.

"I never imagined that poor child had been through so much."

She glanced toward the living room, where Luca was spending time with Daisy, and her expression softened.

"Still, Luca really is a good man. Not everyone would be willing to take on that kind of responsibility."

There was a significant difference between sponsoring a child and adopting one. Financial assistance could provide food, shelter, and an education, but raising a child meant much more than paying the bills. It meant offering them a home, making them feel wanted, and giving them the love and security every child deserved.

And Daisy’s circumstances made that responsibility even more important.

Luca and Vivienne might be able to manage things comfortably for now, but once their own baby arrived, the family dynamic would inevitably change. Valerie hoped they would remember to pay attention to Daisy’s feelings rather than assuming that providing for her material needs would be enough.

In truth, she understood the matter better than most.

For years, Valerie had deliberately chosen not to have a child of her own because she wanted to devote herself to Vivienne. When she married Vivienne’s father, she knew that becoming a stepmother would require patience. She’d gradually earned the girl’s trust, allowing their relationship to grow until Vivienne finally accepted her as family.

Even then, Vivienne had still enjoyed her biological father’s love.

Daisy’s situation was different. She’d lost both her parents in a car accident, leaving her with a wound that no amount of money could heal. Children who experienced such losses could become especially sensitive to rejection, and a lack of affection might leave them struggling with feelings of abandonment.

Valerie looked at her daughter seriously.

"When you and Luca have your own child, don’t forget about Daisy. She needs to feel that she still belongs in the family."

"I know, Mom."

"You don’t have to treat every child in precisely the same way. Every child has different needs. But never let Daisy feel as though she’s been pushed aside because a new baby has arrived. Make sure she knows she’s loved, too."

Valerie paused before adding, "I know you wouldn’t deliberately hurt her. I just want you to keep this in mind."

Vivienne nodded. She understood her mother’s concerns and had no intention of neglecting Daisy.

After their conversation, she changed into a more relaxed outfit before rejoining everyone.

The moment she appeared, Trish stood up and stared at her in admiration.

"Vivienne, you look so beautiful!"

Vivienne was usually seen wearing her signature red dresses, so catching her in casual clothes was a rare treat. She didn’t often dress this way when other people were around, which made the change all the more noticeable.

Valerie, who lived with her and saw her at home regularly, was probably the only person present who was accustomed to this side of her.

Luca had certainly seen Vivienne in plenty of different outfits. Some of those looks, however, were reserved for moments when the two of them were alone.

They weren’t exactly the sort of clothes she’d wear when entertaining guests.

"Mom Vivienne is so pretty! Daisy likes her!"

Even Daisy, standing beside her, couldn’t take her eyes off Vivienne.

The praise naturally pleased Vivienne, but there was one person’s opinion she cared about more than anyone else’s.

She turned toward Luca, tilted her head slightly, and smiled.

"Do you like it?"

"Of course."

Luca approached without hesitation and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a gentle embrace.

"You look beautiful. I like it very much."

The faint scent of roses lingered in her hair. Holding her close, Luca couldn’t help feeling fortunate.

’What did I do to deserve a woman like her?’

He’d met plenty of beautiful women in his life, but Vivienne’s affection still managed to make him feel like the luckiest man around.

"That’s good."

Vivienne’s eyes curved into happy crescents.

Her husband liked it. That was all she wanted to hear.

She glanced down at her slightly rounded belly and began thinking about the future.

’Once our baby is born, perhaps I should buy them some nice clothes, too.’

The thought made her smile even more.

After everyone had finished getting ready, Vivienne slipped on her shoes and turned toward her stepmother.

"Mom, aren’t you coming with us?"

"No, I still have some work to finish." Valerie shook her head. "You all go ahead and enjoy yourselves."

Vivienne didn’t insist. After exchanging their goodbyes, she followed Luca and the others outside.

It wasn’t until they were on the road that Luca finally asked about Valerie’s mysterious task.

"What kind of work was she talking about?"

"My mom enjoys embroidery," Vivienne explained. "She takes on freelance commissions online whenever she has time."

Luca glanced at her in surprise.

He’d never known that about Valerie.

Ever since marrying Vivienne’s father, she’d received a generous allowance from him every month. However, Valerie was naturally frugal and rarely spent much of it, preferring to save the money instead.

When the family hired another nanny, Valerie suddenly found herself with more free time than she knew what to do with. Rather than spending her days idly, she decided to learn embroidery as a hobby.

What began as a way to occupy herself gradually developed into something more.

Through years of practice and persistence, she’d built a reputation for her work and attracted customers willing to pay for her pieces. Over time, the commissions had brought in a surprisingly respectable amount of money.

"I never expected her to have a talent like that," Luca remarked.

From the back seat, Trish’s eyes suddenly lit up.

"Bro, what if I learn embroidery, too?"

The thought of earning money online had clearly caught her attention.

Although she already had a healthy amount of savings, Trish had never been the sort of person to turn down an opportunity to make more money.

Besides, she couldn’t keep asking her brother for money forever, could she?

Luca glanced at her through the rearview mirror.

He could practically see the little money signs appearing in her eyes.

’She’s not interested in embroidery. She’s interested in the income.’

Knowing his sister, he’d wager that she’d barely given the craft a second thought before hearing how much Valerie could earn from it.

Still, he wasn’t about to discourage her from picking up a useful skill.

"If you’re interested, go ahead and learn. Just remember that university starts soon. You can practice in your spare time, but don’t let it interfere with your studies."

"I know! I’ll study hard."

Trish answered with such confidence that Luca couldn’t help smiling.

He didn’t expect her to become a top student, nor did he intend to pressure her into earning scholarships throughout her university years. What he wanted was for her to enjoy the experience, make friends, explore her interests, and graduate with a decent education.

But that didn’t mean he expected her to spend four years doing absolutely nothing.

’Getting good grades would be nice, but at the very least, she should be able to manage a sixty.’

It was a reasonable expectation. Her primary responsibility was still to study, and everything else could come afterward.

"I’m serious! I’ll work hard!"

Luca gave a quiet chuckle but didn’t argue.

He knew Trish’s level of self-discipline all too well.

Her good grades in high school hadn’t come entirely from her own efforts. Rachel had spent plenty of time pushing her to study and making sure she didn’t slack off.

Without Rachel’s constant supervision, Trish might have ended up with grades much closer to Luca’s own from his school days.

In that sense, Luca trusted Rachel’s influence more than Trish’s promises.

For all her love of gaming, Rachel was remarkably disciplined when it came to her responsibilities. She understood her priorities and rarely needed anyone to remind her of them.

With Rachel attending the same university and keeping an eye on Trish, Luca felt he could relax a little.

The conversation continued as they drove through the city, and before long, they reached their destination.

Luca pulled up near the mall entrance.

"You three go in first. I’ll find a parking space and catch up with you."

"Okay!"

Trish immediately picked Daisy up and turned toward Vivienne.

"Come on, Vivienne. Let’s go inside."

Perhaps because it was the weekend, the mall was packed with shoppers. Cars filled the underground parking lot, and after driving around for several minutes without finding an available space, Luca had no choice but to park outside.

Once he’d secured the car, he made his way into the mall.

The cool air-conditioning washed over him as he stepped inside, offering welcome relief from the warmth outside.

He hadn’t gone far when a familiar voice rang out from somewhere ahead.

"You bumped into someone, and you still think you’re in the right? Forget everything else. Is apologizing really that difficult?"