Chapter 331: Yes I Will!

"It’s alright. Anyone would have done the same." Luca waved a hand dismissively.

To him, helping the woman had been a small favor, nothing worth making a fuss over.

"Since you’re already here, why don’t we exchange contact information? I’ll come and thank you properly in person another day."

The middle-aged man reached for his phone, but Luca had already turned toward the elevator.

[Ding!]

[Money spent on female healthcare! Critical Reward Triggered: Domaine des Roses Villa Complex, Paris, France!]

’Another villa? And this time, in France?’

Luca couldn’t help wondering why the system rewarded him with properties in the most unexpected places.

"No need. It was just a small favor."

His voice drifted down the corridor as he continued toward the elevator. By the time the middle-aged man looked up again, Luca had already disappeared around the corner.

Hank remained where he was for a moment, staring at the now-empty corridor. A faint look of regret crossed his face.

"This young man is quite something. Handsome, kind-hearted, and polite. What a pity he’s already married."

’My daughter isn’t getting any younger, either.’

As a father, Hank had spent years worrying about his daughter’s marriage. It wasn’t every day he came across a young man who ticked so many boxes.

He hadn’t expected to discover that the fellow was already married with a child.

Otherwise, he would certainly have tried to introduce Luca to his daughter. If the two hit it off, he might even be laughing in his sleep.

"Hehe..." Rosemarie let out a mocking chuckle at her husband’s disappointed sigh.

She knew something he didn’t, but she had no intention of explaining it just yet.

After another glance in the direction Luca had gone, Hank turned to his wife.

"Come on. We’ve been held up for so long that my sister is probably getting impatient."

"Alright! Whatever my wife says goes."

...

When Luca returned to the mall empty-handed, Vivienne immediately noticed something was missing.

"Where’s your wheelchair?" she asked with an amused smile.

Luca froze.

Then he slapped a hand against his forehead.

"Oh, right! The wheelchair! I completely forgot about it!"

Vivienne covered her mouth, laughing as though she’d expected exactly this to happen.

"Come on. I’ll have a word with that Jermain Schneider later. We might as well make him pay for the trouble."

She rose from her seat and slipped her arm through Luca’s with practiced ease. Meanwhile, Trish took Daisy’s hand, and the four of them headed back into the mall.

At the vegetable section, Vivienne carefully inspected the produce before choosing what she wanted. She was particular about the ingredients they brought home, so she usually handled the shopping decisions herself.

Luca’s role was much simpler: follow her around and carry the bags.

Trish, on the other hand, had already taken Daisy to ride a rocking horse. Rather than helping with the shopping, she was perfectly content to spend her time playing with the little girl.

By the time Vivienne had finished choosing everything, Luca was left carrying the bags as usual.

"That’s everything. Let’s go."

He took the small bag of mushrooms from her hand, and the two walked out side by side.

Once they were in the car, Trish helped Daisy settle into her child seat and fastened the straps securely. She then reached over and gently pinched the little girl’s chubby cheek.

"Daisy, did you have fun?"

"Fun!"

"Then Auntie will bring you back next time."

"Okay!" Daisy replied with an obedient nod.

The trip home passed without further incident.

As soon as the door opened, Valerie emerged from her room, her hair tied up neatly out of the way.

"I was just about to call you. What took you so long?"

Vivienne explained what had happened at the mall, including the incident with the injured woman and how they’d ended up delayed at the hospital.

Valerie listened, then finally let out a quiet breath of relief.

She had been worried something might have happened to them on the way home.

Things were different now. With Vivienne pregnant, Valerie couldn’t afford to be careless about her daughter’s safety.

"Take everything into the kitchen. I’ll start cooking."

The family employed a housekeeper to handle the cleaning, but they hadn’t hired a cook. Valerie preferred keeping the number of outsiders in the house to a minimum, and she genuinely enjoyed preparing meals herself.

Besides, she was perfectly capable of looking after her own meals. There was no need to have someone hovering over her three times a day.

"Let me help you," Luca offered.

"Grandma, Daisy wants to help too!"

Valerie’s face lit up at the little girl’s enthusiasm.

"Alright, alright. You can help Grandma another time, Daisy."

She turned to Trish and Vivienne.

"You two can watch TV and chat in the living room. There’s fruit in the fridge that I’ve already washed, so help yourselves whenever you want."

Before long, the kitchen filled with the rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables and the occasional clatter of cookware.

Luca made sure Daisy stayed out of the kitchen while Valerie prepared dinner. With the knives and hot pots around, it was safer to let Trish and Vivienne keep her entertained in the living room.

As Valerie returned a lid to the pot, she casually brought up something that had been on her mind.

"Luca, Vivi is pregnant now. Have you thought about what you’re going to do?"

Her tone was light, almost as though she were asking about their plans for the weekend. Still, beneath that casual question lay a hope she couldn’t quite hide.

She wanted Luca to give her a reassuring answer.

Vivienne was two years older than him. With a child on the way, it was only natural for them to start thinking seriously about their wedding.

Luca’s hands paused for a moment.

If Vivienne were the only woman in his life, he wouldn’t have needed even a second to answer.

But she wasn’t.

There were other women he cared about, and that complicated everything.

It wasn’t as though he had never imagined marrying Vivienne. Quite the opposite. He had pictured her in a wedding dress countless times, sometimes even dreaming about the day they would finally stand together at the altar.

The trouble was that his dreams rarely went as planned.

Just when he and Vivienne were about to kiss, Arabella and the others would suddenly appear, all dressed in wedding gowns of their own, each rushing toward him as though determined to claim her place beside him.

He would wake up the following morning with a strange mixture of longing and helplessness.

The dreams were ridiculous, yet they reflected a very real problem he hadn’t figured out how to resolve.

"You don’t have to give me an answer right away," Valerie said when she noticed his hesitation. "But Vivi is a little older than you, and now that she’s pregnant, I hope you’ll give this matter some serious thought."

There was no anger in her voice, only the earnest concern of a mother who wanted to protect her daughter.

She wasn’t trying to force Luca into anything. She simply didn’t want Vivienne to end up hurt.

And from the look in his eyes, Valerie could tell that he was struggling with more than just uncertainty. There was confusion, certainly, but also a trace of guilt.

She sighed inwardly.

Luca clearly wanted to marry Vivienne. She could see that much.

But something was holding him back.

Perhaps that wasn’t entirely surprising. A young man who was handsome, wealthy, and capable would naturally attract plenty of attention from women. Valerie would have found it more unusual if Luca had somehow managed to avoid every other woman in his position.

Even so, she was Vivienne’s mother. Whatever the circumstances, she wanted her daughter to have something solid to rely on.

If Luca and Vivienne’s relationship ever fell apart in the future, she didn’t want Vivienne to be left with nothing but heartbreak and regret.

At the very least, she deserved some assurance that Luca was serious about her.

"I will marry Vivi!"

Luca’s firm declaration interrupted her thoughts.

Valerie blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

"Really?"

He turned to face her, his expression serious.

"Yes. I will marry Vivienne."

If someone asked Luca which of the women in his life he wanted to marry, his answer would have been simple.

’Only children make choices. I want them all!’

But that wasn’t the question Valerie had asked.

She wanted to know whom he most wanted to marry, the woman he couldn’t imagine leaving behind.

And the answer came to him without hesitation.

Vivienne’s beautiful face appeared in his mind.

Of all the women in his life, she was the one with whom he felt most at ease. He didn’t always have to think about what to say or how to act around her. He could simply be himself.

They had become each other’s support, standing beside one another through the good times and the bad.

Without Vivienne, his life wouldn’t be nearly as comfortable as it was now. For all he knew, he might never even have awakened the system that had changed his fate.

Whatever complications surrounded his relationships, his feelings for her were genuine.

"Good boy!"

Valerie’s face finally relaxed into a satisfied smile.

As the saying went, the eyes were the windows to the soul. She had seen the determination in Luca’s gaze, and his answer had eased much of her worry.

Of course, if she had a choice, she would prefer her daughter to marry a man who belonged to her alone. No mother wanted to see her child share her husband with other women.

But over the years, Valerie had come to accept that the world of the wealthy operated by different rules. Powerful men keeping mistresses was hardly unheard of in their circles.

Besides, she knew how deeply Vivienne felt about Luca. Her daughter had chosen him with her whole heart, and Valerie had no desire to become the person who tore them apart.

She could only hope Luca would respect Vivienne, remain mindful of his responsibilities, and avoid bringing trouble into their lives through reckless behavior.

As long as he didn’t go too far or frequent places that could put his health and their relationship at risk, Valerie could turn a blind eye to certain things.

It wasn’t an ideal arrangement, but for her daughter’s sake, she was willing to accept it.