Author POV-

Chapter: A Week Without Daddy and Bubba

The day began with bright sunshine spilling across the mansion’s garden, golden light streaming through the tall glass windows. Birds chirped cheerfully, fluttering about the flowers that Iris had planted with care. Their melodies carried into the dining hall, where the family was gathered around the long wooden table for breakfast.

Plates clinked, chairs scraped, and the chatter of children filled the room. But in the middle of all this warmth sat a little girl with puffed cheeks and droopy eyes, her spoon dragging lazily through her cereal bowl. Bella, the youngest of the Alexander household, was not her usual bubbly, dramatic self this morning. Her bright eyes were clouded with gloom, and her lips formed a sulky pout.

Alexander, her father, sat at the head of the table in his crisp black shirt, his presence commanding even when he was relaxed. Beside him was Aris, the eldest son, calm and composed as ever, quietly sipping his coffee. Both men were already dressed sharply, suitcases waiting by the door. They had a business trip to attend.

“Princess,” Alexander leaned toward Bella, trying to catch her eyes. “It’s only a matter of a week.” His voice was gentle, as though he were trying to coax a kitten out from under the bed.

Bella didn’t budge. Her spoon clattered against the bowl as she crossed her arms. “Noooo!” she whined, her small voice filling the room with drama. “Why are both of you going? You can call your business clients here. Simple!” She looked at her father with big eyes, convinced her logic was flawless.

Alexander chuckled, amused by her stubbornness. Before he could reply, Aris placed his cup down. “We can’t, Bella.” His tone was even, but his heart clenched. He wanted to tell her the truth—that they weren’t just meeting clients, that danger awaited them. We’re not going for business, but to kill some bastards, he thought silently. But instead, he forced a calm smile for his baby sister.

Bella huffed, puffing her cheeks like a little balloon. Her eyes began to glisten. The thought of her daddy and her beloved Bubba (her nickname for Aris) leaving her for seven whole days was unbearable. For Bella, even a single day without their presence was enough to make her cry.

Alexander sighed. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “My little princess, we’ll be back before you know it. And…” He tapped her nose lightly. “I’ll call you every single day. Video calls, not just voice. You can see my handsome face, hm?”

“Mine too,” Aris added with a faint smile.

Bella tilted her chin stubbornly. “Promise?”

“Promise.” Both men answered in unison, nodding their heads quickly like obedient students being scolded by their teacher.

After much persuasion, Bella agreed—but only halfheartedly. “Fine. But don’t you dare forget, Daddy. And Bubba, if you miss even one video call…” She lifted her tiny finger as a warning. “…I’ll be very angry.”

Alexander couldn’t help but laugh. “Understood, boss.”

Soon, breakfast ended. The sound of suitcases rolling down the stairs echoed as Alexander and Aris prepared to leave. Alexander, ever the shameless man, pulled Iris close and kissed her on the lips before stepping out.

“Ugh!” Domino groaned, covering his face dramatically. “Do you two have to do that in front of us?”

“Seriously, Dad,” Lucas gagged loudly, making a show of pretending to vomit.

Even Marco, usually quiet, muttered something under his breath while Enzo just chuckled cheerfully.

Aris cleared his throat awkwardly and looked anywhere but at his parents.

Bella, however, giggled uncontrollably. “Hehe, Daddy kissed Mommy!”

Alexander rolled his eyes, tightening his hold around Iris. “What? These idiots act as if it’s something new. We’ve worked hard to make these… idiot products of ours.” He gestured at his children dramatically.

“DADDD!” All the boys whined in unison.

“Alexander!” Iris smacked his arm with a blush on her cheeks. “There’s no filter in your mouth.”

“Ah, stop, my queen,” Alexander laughed, clutching his chest in mock pain.

Despite his teasing, he pulled each child into a hug and pressed kisses onto their foreheads. He looked at them with eyes full of pride and love. No matter how much he mocked them, he would give his life for every single one of them.

At last, Alexander and Aris stepped out of the mansion, suitcases in hand. A sleek black car waited to drive them to their private jet. Bella stood on the porch, clutching Leon’s hand tightly, her eyes shimmering as she waved.

“Bye-bye, Daddy! Bye-bye, Bubba! Don’t forget me!” she shouted, her small voice breaking with emotion.

“We could never forget you,” Aris called back with a rare, soft smile.

Alexander blew her a kiss. “Take care of Mommy and don’t bully your brothers too much.”

Bella sniffled but managed a brave smile. As the car pulled away, her hand slowly dropped to her side.

---

At School

By the time Bella reached her school, her usual energy still hadn’t returned. Her teacher welcomed her warmly, but Bella trudged into the classroom, dragging her little backpack. Leon, her ever-loyal bodyguard, stood outside the door, arms folded, keeping watch.

Inside, the classroom buzzed with laughter and chatter. Children compared lunchboxes, traded stickers, and told each other stories. Bella, however, sat quietly at her desk, her chin resting in her hands. Her bright curls framed her face as her big brown eyes stared blankly at the window.

“Bella?” a classmate whispered, noticing her silence.

But Bella only shook her head. She had already begun missing Daddy and Bubba. Her heart felt heavy.

A boy sitting beside her studied her carefully. His name was Adem. He was usually a cheerful boy, and today he couldn’t stand seeing Bella—his lively friend—looking so gloomy.

( A/N-: ok so who remembers adem, Those people mark their attendance)

After a moment’s hesitation, Adem dug into his school bag. He pulled out a folded piece of paper and a big chocolate bar. He scribbled something quickly on the paper, his small fingers gripping the pencil tightly. His cheeks warmed slightly as he wrote, but determination filled his little eyes.

When he was done, he carefully folded the note around the chocolate bar and slid it onto Bella’s desk.

Bella blinked at it. She looked up at Adem, who gave her a small smile and mouthed, Open it.

Curious, Bella unfolded the paper. Inside was the chocolate bar, along with a little letter written in Adem’s uneven handwriting.

The letter read:

---

It doesn’t look good to see sadness on the face of such a beautiful girl like you.

And let me tell you a secret: seeing your smile keeps my heart healthy.

I read somewhere that eating chocolate improves your mood, so here is mine. It’s my favorite. I don’t know which one you like, so tell me, okay? That way, next time if I see you sad, I’ll give you the one you love most.

So… can you smile for me? To keep my heart in good condition?

Because my heart beats with your smile.

— Adem 🙂

---

Bella’s eyes widened as she read. Her little lips slowly curved into a smile, her sadness melting away. Her cheeks turned pink, but her heart felt lighter, warmer.

She looked at Adem, who was watching her nervously, waiting for her reaction. “Thank you, Adem,” she said softly, her voice full of genuine gratitude.

Adem’s grin widened.

Without a second thought, Bella broke the chocolate bar in half. She slid one half back to him. “You have some too.”

Adem blinked, surprised. “Really?”

“Mm-hm.” Bella nodded firmly. “Sharing makes it taste better.”

They both munched on the chocolate together, giggling quietly as the teacher began the lesson. All through the day, Bella found herself smiling more and more whenever Adem whispered something funny to her or passed her another little doodle on scraps of paper.

By the time school ended, Bella’s gloomy mood had lifted entirely. As she walked out, hand in Leon’s, she turned back to wave at Adem. “Bye-bye! See you tomorrow!”

“Bye, Bella!” Adem called after her, his grin so wide it nearly reached his ears.

Leon picked up Bella’s bag and looked down at her, a small smirk tugging at his lips. “Looks like someone had a better day after all.”

Bella puffed up proudly. “Mm-hm! I did! Because Adem is really nice!”

Leon raised a brow but said nothing, though his protective instincts bristled. Still, seeing Bella smile again made him relax.

After all, her happiness was what mattered most.

Together, they headed back home, the sunlight painting golden streaks across the sky.

🏘️🏘️🏘️🏘️🏘️🏘️🏘️🏘️🏘️🏘️

The drive back home was quiet at first, the hum of the car filling the silence. Bella sat in her car seat, legs swinging, her small fingers holding onto the folded note Adem had written. She peeked at it every now and then, the words making her smile all over again.

Leon glanced at her from the rearview mirror. “You’ve been staring at that paper like it’s treasure.”

“It is treasure,” Bella said with conviction, clutching it to her chest. “Because it made me smile when I was sad.”

Leon’s brow arched, his mouth twitching. “Ah, so that boy… Adem, right? He’s the one who made you happy again.”

Bella nodded proudly, curls bouncing. “Yes! He gave me chocolate. And a letter. Do you want to see it?”

Leon hesitated. Part of him wanted to say yes, but another part—the protective, possessive side of him—bristled at the thought. He cleared his throat. “Maybe later, Princess. Keep it safe for now.”

Bella shrugged and went back to admiring the note, humming softly.

---

Evening at the Mansion

When they reached home, the mansion was alive with noise as usual. Enzo and Lucas were arguing over who ate the last cookie, Domino was practicing his boxing routine in the gym, and Marco was sitting on the sofa with a book in hand, pretending not to hear the chaos.

Iris came out from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. She smiled as soon as she saw her daughter. “Bella, you’re back. How was school today, darling?”

Bella dashed forward and wrapped her arms around Iris’s waist. “Mommy! Today was the best school day ever!”

Iris blinked in surprise, glancing at Leon who was following with Bella’s bag. “Oh? I thought you were sad because Daddy and Bubba left?”

“I was!” Bella said dramatically, placing her hand over her heart. “I was soooo, sooo sad. My face was like this—” She exaggerated a pout, her lips trembling, eyes wide with fake tears. “But then… something happened!”

The commotion in the living room paused. Enzo leaned over the back of the sofa, curious. “What happened?”

Bella straightened, lifting the folded note high like a priceless artifact. “I got… a letter!”

“A letter?” Marco repeated, finally looking up from his book.

Lucas smirked mischievously. “What kind of letter? Did the teacher scold you already, Bella?”

“Nooo!” Bella stomped her foot, cheeks puffed. “It was a special letter! From my friend Adem.”

At the mention of the boy’s name, Domino, who had been punching the air in his corner, froze. He slowly turned. “Who. Is. Adem?” His tone was sharp, protective, as though Bella had just announced she had a secret fiancé.

Bella, oblivious to the storm she was stirring, climbed onto the couch and unfolded the note proudly. “He’s my classmate! He saw me sad, so he gave me this!” She cleared her throat with all the seriousness of a storyteller, then began to read the letter aloud.

Her small voice carried each word—about her sadness, about her smile keeping his heart healthy, about chocolate, and about his heart beating with her smile. By the end, Bella pressed the note to her chest, sighing dramatically. “See? Isn’t it beautiful?”

For a moment, there was stunned silence.

Then all hell broke loose.

“WHAT?!” Lucas shrieked, almost falling off the sofa. “Did that brat just confess his love to my baby sister?!”

Iris slapped a hand over her mouth, trying to contain her laughter. “Ohhh, Bella’s got a secret admirer. This is gold.”

Marco frowned, setting his book down. “That’s… a very bold letter for a schoolboy.”

Domino, however, stormed forward, fists clenched. “Where does this Adem live? Which class? Which desk does he sit at? I’ll break his teeth for daring to write this to my Bella.”

“Domino!” Iris scolded sharply, though she was struggling to hide her own smile.

Leon leaned against the wall silently, watching the chaos unfold with unreadable eyes. Inside, though, his jaw tightened. He didn’t like this Adem boy already.

Bella, unaware of the dark clouds forming around her brothers, twirled on the sofa happily. “Isn’t he nice, Mommy? He gave me chocolate too! And then I shared it with him.”

Domino’s face turned red. “YOU SHARED FOOD WITH HIM?!”

“Domino,” Iris warned again, shooting him a glare.

Lucas was already laughing so hard he could barely breathe. “Ohhh, wait until Daddy hears this. Bella has her first suitor. I’m going to tell him!”

“No!” Bella yelped, jumping down and tugging at Lucas’s sleeve. “Don’t tell Daddy! He’ll get angry at Adem, and Adem was so nice to me. I don’t want him to get in trouble!”

Enzo ruffled her curls gently. “Relax, Bella. We won’t tell Daddy… yet. But you know, you’ve officially made history. You’re only three, and already boys are writing you love letters.”

Bella puffed her cheeks again, stamping her foot. “It’s not a love letter! It’s a friendship letter. And Adem said he wants me to smile, that’s all!”

“Mm-hm,” Lucas teased, waggling his brows. “That’s how it starts.”

“Lucas!” Bella whined, smacking his arm with her tiny hand.

Iris finally intervened, scooping Bella into her arms. “Enough, boys. Don’t tease her too much.” She kissed Bella’s cheek softly. “I think it was very sweet of Adem to cheer you up. Right, Bella?”

Bella nodded eagerly, snuggling into her mother’s warmth. “Yes, Mommy. He made me happy when I was missing Daddy and Bubba.”

Iris’s expression softened. She stroked her daughter’s curls. “Then he’s a good friend. But remember, Bella, Daddy and Bubba will be back soon. Until then, you can keep smiling for them too, hmm?”

Bella’s eyes sparkled. “Okay, Mommy.”

From the corner, Leon finally spoke, his voice low but steady. “As long as Adem remembers he’s just a classmate.”

Iris shot him a look, but he only shrugged. The boys nodded in agreement, their protective instincts blazing.

Bella, of course, remained blissfully unaware of the storm her tiny chocolate-and-letter exchange had created. She wriggled down from Iris’s lap, spreading her arms dramatically. “Anyway, everyone should smile now! Because Bella’s smile is contagious, and I want all of you to have healthy hearts too!”

Her brothers groaned but couldn’t resist her charm. Slowly, one by one, they cracked smiles. Even Domino softened, crouching down to press a kiss to her forehead.

“Fine,” he muttered. “But if that Adem makes you cry even once, I’ll—”

“DOMINO!” Iris scolded again.

“—give him a very stern lecture,” Domino finished quickly, though his eyes betrayed his true intentions.

The evening settled into warmth after that. Dinner was filled with laughter, Bella chattering endlessly about Adem, chocolate, and her plans to show her letter to Daddy during the next video call. The brothers groaned, already dreading Alexander’s reaction, while Iris only shook her head fondly.

And as Bella finally drifted off to sleep, clutching the folded note under her pillow, Leon lingered by the doorway. His eyes softened as he watched her. She was smiling even in her dreams, and though he still didn’t trust this Adem boy, Leon silently vowed to make sure no one—not even a sweet classmate—would ever hurt his little princess.

*************************

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