Chapter 151: Chapter 151 Breathtaking
"Too late, sit here," he said, guiding her back to the vanity chair. He rolled up his sleeves and looked at the makeup table like he was about to perform surgery.
Bella watched him, eyes wide, as he grabbed her phone and opened a video titled "Makeup for Beginners: Soft Look for Date Night" and played it at double speed.
Jay narrowed his eyes at the screen. "Foundation first..."
He unscrewed the lid and dabbed a tiny bit on the back of his hand, then took a sponge and gently patted it on her cheeks.
He was surprisingly gentle.
He held her chin carefully as he worked, even blowing softly on the sponge once when he thought it might feel too cold.
Bella tried to stay still but couldn’t help smiling as she watched his concentrated expression—tongue poking out slightly as he blended the makeup with the seriousness of a scientist in a lab.
"Okay... now... this stick thing... blush?"
"No, that’s lipstick," Bella whispered.
"Oh. Right." He blushed slightly and reached for the actual blush.
He brushed it lightly on her cheeks, and Bella’s face lit up with a shy smile.
"Pretty," he said softly, then cleared his throat quickly and added, "Not bad for my first try, right?"
Bella giggled and nodded. "Not bad at all."
"Now close your eyes, we’re doing eyeshadow," Jay announced proudly.
He carefully dabbed a soft brown shimmer across her lids, trying to copy the video exactly. Then he moved to eyeliner, which turned out to be a bit of a disaster.
He drew one line too thick and gasped. "Oops. Wait. Don’t move!"
Bella burst into laughter. "Jay!"
"I’ll fix it! I’ll fix it, I swear!"
They both laughed together, and even though the liner wasn’t perfect, Bella’s face glowed—her cheeks flushed from laughing, her lips curved with joy.
When he was done, Jay stepped back and tilted his head, pretending to be a fashion photographer.
"Now that... is a masterpiece," he said proudly. "Behold! The most beautiful women in all the land."
Bella looked at her reflection and touched her cheek gently.
Not bad at all..
"Thank you, Jay jay," she said softly, reaching out to hold his hand.
He smiled and gave her a small bow. "At your service, milady."
****
Leonardo glanced sideways at the girl sitting beside him in the car, and for a moment, even his thoughts paused. Bella sat quietly, her hands resting on her lap, the soft fabric of her deep green dress draping elegantly over her. The dress wasn’t revealing—it didn’t need to be but the way it hugged her body gently, outlining her curves with confidence.
Her skin looked even softer under the evening lights filtering through the tinted glass, and her open hair framed her face like a halo of silk.
Her makeup was subtle but enough to draw attention—her lips had a natural pink shine, her lashes curled up prettily, and her cheeks were dusted with a soft blush that made her look like a blooming rose.
She looked different today. Not like the usual Bella who ran barefoot in the house, who pouted over plushies, or excitedly talked about sweet things.
No, tonight she wasn’t just cute or innocent. Tonight, she looked like a woman. Confident, composed... quietly breathtaking.
Leonardo’s gaze lingered for a second longer than necessary before he turned his eyes away, jaw tightening as if to lock away whatever was stirring in his mind.
Bella sat beside him, trying not to fidget, though her fingers kept curling into the hem of her dress. Her mind was spinning in circles, repeating the same phrase like a chant—mean girl, mean girl, mean girl... But no matter how many times she told herself to act fierce, her heart kept thumping nervously, and her eyes kept sneaking little glances at Leo’s profile.
He looked so calm, so unreadable. Like always. His eyes were fixed ahead, one hand resting casually on the steering wheel, the other draped lazily across his thigh. He didn’t even bother to change out of his usual black shirt.
That same black shirt he wore so often, it might as well be stitched to his soul. The only way she ever knew it was a different one was by checking the buttons. Sometimes they were glossy. Sometimes matte.
Sometimes they had little silver rims around them. And today’s buttons? Matte, with tiny ridges. That’s how closely she’d been watching him lately... Ugh. Her cheeks flushed, and she looked out the window, hoping he wouldn’t notice.
She was sitting here feeling overdressed like some peacock in a garden party—while he looked like he just came from the shadows of a mafia meeting. The contrast made her feel silly. But at the same time... she couldn’t help but want him to look at her.
Just once. Maybe just one comment. One little "you look nice." Was that too much to wish for?
"...your makeup is pretty," Leonardo muttered, eyes fixed on the road ahead as the car slid smoothly along the asphalt. He never drove himself unless his mind was heavy or his mood was off, but today he needed to be behind the wheel. He needed to grip something. Control something.
Of course, several security cars trailed them at a respectful distance, but inside this quiet vehicle, it was just him and her. And for some reason, that should’ve calmed him. But it didn’t.
Bella turned to him, eyes wide in surprise, her brows knitting slightly as if unsure she heard him right. He didn’t repeat it at first, but then his voice came again, flat and unbothered on the surface. "I said your makeup looks nice." What he meant was that she looked nice. Stunning, even.
But he wasn’t about to say that out loud.
Bella smiled softly, a gentle little curve of her lips that made his chest feel tighter. "Jay did my makeup," she said with such innocent joy, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Leonardo’s jaw clenched. His knuckles turned pale against the wheel.
"Jay?" he repeated, his tone a notch lower, though he played it off with a slow blink.