Luca Hale was utterly captivated by the faint, sweet floral fragrance lingering on Naomi Monroe’s skin.

"Did you really miss me these past few days?" he murmured, resting his chin lightly against the silky cascade of her long hair as he held her close.

"Mm... I really did," she whispered.

Naomi closed her eyes and buried her face against the warmth of his neck, relaxing completely in his embrace. Only in moments like this, when they were alone, did she allow the polished, graceful mask she wore before the world to fall away. Around Luca, she could simply be herself. Soft. Honest. Vulnerable.

"Mmm..."

This wasn’t their first kiss, yet the warmth of her soft lips still left him reluctant to let go. He kissed her slowly, savoring every lingering second. Only when her breathing grew uneven and she trembled faintly from lack of air did Luca finally pull back.

A smug smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"You’ve improved a lot since our last lesson, little girl," he teased with shameless confidence. "But you still need daily practice."

"Hmph."

Naomi turned her face away as though offended.

"You really know how to use your position to bully me."

The tiny smile tugging at her lips and the rosy blush spreading across her ears betrayed her completely.

Everyone close to them knew exactly what Luca Hale was like. He shamelessly stole every advantage he could during moments like these, then somehow managed to wear the most innocent expression afterward. Looking at the satisfaction written all over his face, Naomi almost wanted to pinch him.

’He’s so full of himself... and somehow I still love that about him.’

Their eyes met again.

Almost without thinking, they leaned toward one another.

Their lips met once more, deeper and more passionately than before. Luca’s hands slid down the curve of her back, drawing her flush against his chest until there wasn’t the slightest gap between them. Naomi’s fingers curled tightly into his shirt as she melted into the kiss.

The living room fell silent except for their soft breaths and the quiet sound of lips meeting.

Luca’s kisses wandered from her lips to the delicate curve of her jaw before trailing slowly along the smooth side of her neck, drawing an involuntary shiver from her body. Naomi tilted her head instinctively, giving him easier access while her fingertips explored the broad lines of his shoulders and firm chest.

Days apart had only deepened the longing between them, and now every embrace carried all of that bottled-up affection.

They might have forgotten the rest of the world entirely...

If not for the gentle click of the front door.

The sound snapped them back to reality.

Elena Monroe stepped into the apartment carrying several grocery bags.

The couple separated almost instantly.

Naomi’s cheeks flushed scarlet the moment she met the amused, knowing look in her mother’s eyes. Even Luca, who was rarely embarrassed, cleared his throat and casually rubbed the bridge of his nose, pretending nothing unusual had happened.

Naomi couldn’t bear another second.

With a mortified squeak, she spun around and fled down the hallway before disappearing into her bedroom.

After the initial awkwardness faded, Luca rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt and offered to help Elena prepare lunch.

Although his cooking skills easily surpassed those of a professional chef, he wisely left the kitchen entirely under Elena’s command. Instead, he quietly handled the washing, chopping, and preparation, happily playing the role of assistant while following her instructions.

Even so, Elena found herself praising him at every opportunity.

"You cut vegetables so neatly."

"You even know how to prepare fish?"

"Luca, you’re far more capable than most boys these days."

The more time she spent with him, the more she liked him.

He was respectful, humble, hardworking, and surprisingly comfortable in the kitchen despite his extraordinary success. The image of a wealthy young man who looked down on others simply didn’t fit him at all.

When lunch was finally served, Elena constantly added more meat and vegetables to Luca’s plate.

"Luca, have another piece."

"And some vegetables too."

"Oh, you barely touched the fish."

By the time she was finished, the food on his plate had formed a small mountain.

Watching the scene unfold, Naomi puffed out her cheeks in exaggerated annoyance.

’Is she really my mother?’

At this rate, she felt like the guest while Luca had somehow become Elena’s long-lost son.

"Luca," Elena asked warmly over lunch, "how did you and my daughter first meet?"

"We met while Naomi was livestreaming in the downtown shopping district," Luca replied with a smile. "Speaking of which, how about we all go shopping together this afternoon?"

"That sounds wonderful!" Elena’s face lit up immediately. "I’ve been helping Naomi settle into the apartment for days now. I haven’t had the chance to properly look around the city."

...

Later that afternoon, Luca drove the mother and daughter out of Golden Water Bay and headed toward the famous San Fierro Commercial District.

The moment Elena settled into the spacious interior of the customized G-Class, she was reminded once again just how wealthy Luca truly was.

The SUV alone was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Not to mention he had casually bought Naomi that luxurious two-seater sports car.

Unable to suppress her curiosity any longer, Elena leaned closer to her daughter and lowered her voice.

"Naomi... is Luca’s family incredibly wealthy?"

She couldn’t help worrying.

In her eyes, aside from Naomi’s beauty and successful streaming career, almost everything else about her daughter seemed insignificant compared to Luca. She had heard countless stories about powerful old-money families looking down on ordinary people.

If Naomi married into a family like that one day...

Would she really be accepted?

"Mom, you don’t have to worry," Naomi whispered reassuringly as she squeezed her mother’s hand. "His mother is an incredibly kind woman. Besides..."

She smiled proudly.

"Everything Luca owns was earned by him."

Luca had already shared his background with her. He came from an ordinary family, much like her own. Everything he possessed today had been built through his own ability.

Even Naomi’s current success as one of the country’s top streamers existed because of the opportunities and support Luca had quietly given her.

After hearing the full explanation, Elena finally let out a long breath.

Her admiration for the young man rose even higher.

Handsome.

Capable.

Self-made.

And completely devoted to her daughter.

Where else could she possibly find a future son-in-law like this?

"Daughter."

Elena’s expression suddenly became serious.

"You must cherish him from now on. Don’t be so stubborn all the time, and try to be a little more accommodating. Understand?"

Naomi could only nod helplessly.

What else could she say?

Judging by the smile on her mother’s face, Luca had already secured the position of perfect son-in-law.

Fortunately...

Elena knew nothing about the other beautiful women in Luca’s life.

That particular secret would remain buried.

...

When the black Mercedes-Benz G-Class rolled to a stop at the grand entrance of the San Fierro Commercial District, the security team immediately recognized Luca.

The lead officer straightened his posture and offered a crisp salute.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Hale. Welcome back, sir."

Luca smiled warmly and returned the greeting with a nod.

"Good afternoon. It’s especially hot today, so don’t spend too much time standing outside. Take turns resting inside the security office where it’s cooler."

As he exchanged a few casual words with the guards, Elena looked on in confusion.

Noticing the expression on her mother’s face, Naomi leaned closer with a playful smile.

"Mom, there’s a reason they’re saluting him."

"What reason?"

Naomi pointed toward the endless rows of luxury boutiques stretching into the distance.

"The entire San Fierro Commercial District belongs to Luca."

Elena froze.

Every boutique.

Every storefront.

Every restaurant.

Every inch of the bustling commercial district.

It all belonged to him.

Only moments ago she had been impressed by his expensive SUV.

Now...

Her mind simply stopped working.

This wasn’t just wealth.

This was an empire.

Slowly, she turned to look at Luca before shifting her gaze toward her daughter.

Her expression became strangely complicated.

"Mom..." Naomi asked cautiously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

It was unmistakable.

Her own mother was looking at her with... disappointment.

To whom was she supposed to complain about this injustice?

Elena rested her chin in her hand and sighed.

"Naomi... I’m honestly just curious."

"What?"

"How did someone as outstanding as Luca ever fall for an ordinary, troublesome girl like you?"

Naomi: "..."

’This is unbelievable...’

’I’ve actually become the least favored person in my own family.’

She was still Elena’s biological daughter.

Wasn’t there supposed to be some kind of maternal loyalty?

The three of them continued chatting and laughing as they strolled leisurely through the elegant district. Their striking appearances attracted countless glances from passing shoppers, making them look every bit like a close, happy family.

But the instant Naomi stepped through the glass doors of the flagship Chanel boutique...

The smile on her beautiful face vanished completely.