**Chapter 83: Mother**

Luca's suspicion didn't last more than a day. By the next morning, he was finally certain that Jinna was a girl—no, a tomboy.

Around seven in the morning, Luca walked into the gym wearing his workout T-shirt. Like always, he planned to run four kilometers before doing a few sets of upper body stretches.

However, as he passed by the multi-function training machine, he suddenly noticed someone doing bench presses, breathing heavily with an intense workout pace.

"How could there be someone else in the apartment?" 

Luca frowned for a moment, then remembered Jinna, who had thrown him onto the couch last night.

Jinna had short, neat hair, was dressed in a sports vest and shorts, and had bronzed skin. Her upper body muscles were quite toned. If it weren't for the curves on her chest, Luca wouldn't have been sure she was a woman.

"Good morning, Mr. Kelly!" 

Seeing him enter, Jinna immediately stood up from the bench press rack, her short hair dripping with sweat, and her vest completely soaked through.

"Good morning, Jinna. Just call me Luca." 

"Sure, Mr. Kelly!" 

"Uh, okay then... carry on with your training." 

Luca smirked slightly, put on his headphones, and got on the treadmill. After running four kilometers, Jinna was no longer in the gym. All the equipment had been wiped down and cleaned.

By the time he finished his four sets of stretching exercises and was about to leave, a figure quickly rushed into the gym again. Shortly after, the sound of weights clanking echoed through the room once more.

Luca shook his head and walked into the kitchen.

The kitchen window faced east, and the early morning sunlight poured over the windowsill, filling the space with bright light.

Kate had tied her long hair up with a golden ribbon and was wearing a yellow apron, busy moving between the cabinets. She was toasting bread and making a fruit salad. In the pan she held, two steaks were sizzling, filling the kitchen with a mouthwatering aroma.

"Kate, let me do the cooking from now on. Your wrist is injured; you should rest more," 

Luca said as he took the tongs from her.

"No!" 

Kate quickly grabbed the tongs back, grinning. "Luca, do you know what I missed the most while I was away?" 

"Wasn't it me?" 

Luca asked earnestly.

"Definitely not!" 

Kate shook the tongs, laughing. "I missed the kitchen, the big bathtub, the couch... and lastly, you." 

"Oh, Kate, you can't say that. I'm heartbroken!" 

Luca said, clutching his chest dramatically.

Kate chuckled and popped a golden pudding into his mouth. "Taste it and tell me what kind of pudding it is!" 

"Mmm..." 

Luca chewed thoughtfully, savoring the flavor. "There's tapioca, yogurt, and coconut milk, right?" 

"Yes, and aloe vera," 

Kate smiled as she gave him another bite.

Indeed, there was a hint of aloe vera, but the yogurt flavor was so strong that it was easy to overlook.

"Luca, go change your clothes. Breakfast is almost ready." 

"Alright!" 

Luca took a couple of steps but then remembered something about Jinna. "Kate, are we letting Jinna stay with us? She seems so uneasy, like she's not used to it." 

"No, it's only temporary. I'm flying to Paris soon, and Jinna's coming with me. Once we get back, I'll find her an apartment." 

"You're going to Paris?" 

Luca paused.

"Yes, but let's talk about it at the table." 

"OK!"

After showering, Luca changed into casual clothes and walked into the dining room.

Breakfast was already on the table: fruit, bread, and two large plates of sizzling steaks.

"Jinna, breakfast is ready!" 

Kate placed four steaks on Jinna's plate—nearly a pound and a half of meat. But Jinna didn't hesitate. She picked up her knife and fork, expertly cutting the meat into small pieces, and devoured nearly half of it in no time.

"Haha, Luca, are you scared?" 

Kate giggled, resting her cheek on her hand. 

Luca shrugged, "Being able to eat is a blessing. Kate, you should eat more too." 

"Of course. I've been eating a lot lately. I've even gained a kilogram. Nina told me I have to lose it before Paris Fashion Week." 

Kate sighed.

Luca raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to Paris for Fashion Week?" 

"Yes, don't forget, I'm still a model!" 

Kate said seriously. 

"But 'Twilight' is a big hit now. You don't have to keep modeling." 

"Of course I do! I still have eight major endorsements. I took the endorsement fees, so I have to fulfill my obligations as a spokesperson. A few of them are showcasing at Fashion Week, and I need to be there." 

Kate explained in detail that her endorsement contracts were at least three years long, so she couldn't completely leave the fashion industry anytime soon.

However, since becoming a bestselling author, her endorsement fees had increased by at least 30%, and several top brands were vying for her to represent them. She was in the midst of signing multiple endorsement contracts, significantly increasing her income and efficiency. Stepping away from fashion now would be a poor financial move.

"Alright," 

Luca said as he began eating breakfast.

"Besides, this trip to Europe, I'll also be holding several book signings in Paris and London." 

Kate mentioned as she ate.

"Oh, has 'Twilight' been released in Europe?" 

"Yes, it went on sale last week. Didn't you know?" 

Kate looked at him, puzzled.

Luca shook his head. He had been busy filming and hadn't been paying attention to the sales of "Twilight." He only knew that it had been on the New York Times bestseller list for four weeks, climbing from eighth to fifth, and was ranked sixth on the Amazon bestseller list. In just one month, nearly two million copies had sold across the U.S.

"How's it doing in Europe?" 

"The numbers are fantastic!" 

Kate said excitedly, "In the first week alone, it sold over 900,000 copies and topped the Times Bestseller List and the Dutch Bestseller List." 

"That's wonderful news, isn't it?" 

Luca raised his juice glass.

"Absolutely!" 

Kate clinked glasses with him.

"Kate, Mr. Kelly, I'm done. Please enjoy the rest of your meal!" 

Jinna quickly finished her plate of steak and a small fruit salad, greeted them, and took her plate to the kitchen.

"Jinna, just leave it in the sink." 

"Oh, okay, Kate!" 

Jinna called from the kitchen, and the sound of her washing dishes echoed out.

Kate shrugged helplessly. "Jinna doesn't like to trouble others." 

Luca smiled slightly. That was common for people from her country.

After a minute, Jinna came out of the kitchen. Kate stopped her. "Jinna, you can make international calls from the room. Feel free to call your family." 

"Really?" 

Jinna asked excitedly. 

"Yes, go ahead and let them know you're doing well. And please say hi to the little one for me," 

Kate said gently with a smile. 

"Thank you, Kate!" 

Jinna bowed and quickly left the dining room.

Kate sighed softly as she watched her go. 

"What's wrong?" 

Luca asked curiously.

"Did you know that Jinna is a single mother? She has a four-year-old daughter back home." 

Kate said, toying with a strawberry on her fork, looking like she'd lost her appetite.

"Really?" 

Luca was surprised. "Why would she leave her child and come abroad?"

Kate shrugged. "Six years ago, she retired from the military at twenty-six. The next year, she got married, and the following year, she had a baby girl. It should have been a joyous occasion, but the baby was diagnosed with congenital heart disease right after birth.

"In her hometown, children with that condition usually don't live past eighteen. The doctors advised Jinna to give up on her daughter, and her husband agreed because the child was a girl. 

But Jinna refused. She took her baby home and began a year-long treatment, draining all their savings. Her husband didn't want to continue and chose to divorce.

Jinna still refused to give up. She borrowed as much money as she could for her daughter's treatment until there was nothing left to borrow. That's when she snuck into New York, determined to make a lot of money to save her child."

Kate sighed again, taking his hand. "Jinna may seem strong on the outside, but deep down, she's a fragile mother—an incredible mother." 

"Yes, an amazing mother," 

Luca muttered. He wasn't sure whether to believe the story, as there were so many similar tales from her country. Some were real, but most were exaggerated. 

Sometimes, playing on people's sympathies was a way to survive.

As he left the dining room and passed by the guest room, he heard a gentle voice speaking i: "Sweetheart, Mommy's doing great here. I just had a big bowl of beef... Did you miss Mommy? You did? Haha, Mommy misses you too, so much..." 

Then came a soft, muffled sob. Luca never imagined that such a tough woman could have such a tender voice or that she would cry quietly in her room.

"Haha, sweetheart, Mommy's fine. I just choked on some sweet tea. Don't worry about me. Mommy's found a great job now and will make lots of money. In two years—no, next year—Mommy will bring you here. I'll get you the best treatment and buy you all the pretty dresses and yummy food you want. We'll eat together, okay?"

The room was filled with comforting words. Luca didn't want to listen anymore. He walked over to the window, looking out at the blue sky, white clouds, and bustling city. Silently, he said to himself:

"Everything will be alright."

(End of Chapter)