Seven Mothers: All Seven Of My Mothers Are Heavenly Goddesses?!

"Well..." I began, my voice slow and deliberate. "There's a story I once read. A tale of a goddess." I watched her eyes flicker with interest, her curiosity piqued.

"A goddess?" She asked softly, tilting her head.

I nodded, letting my tone take on an air of mystique. "Yes, a goddess so radiant and powerful that no man dared approach her. She was revered, worshipped, placed on the highest pedestal, untouchable in every way. But then…her son came of age."

I paused for effect, watching as she hung on every word.

"This son..." I continued. "He wasn't just any ordinary man. He was charming beyond words, magnetic in ways that even the gods envied. His wit, his confidence, his undeniable allure—they all made him irresistible. Even to his own mother."

Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink, but she didn't interrupt, her gaze locked on me.

"The goddess tried to resist." I said, leaning forward slightly, my voice dropping to a near whisper. "She told herself it was wrong, that it couldn't happen...But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't ignore the way her heart raced every time he looked at her. It wasn't about power or status. It was simply him—his presence, his charisma, his ability to make her feel like she was the only woman in the universe."

I paused, letting the weight of the tale settle between us. Then, with deliberate slowness, I locked eyes with her, a small smirk tugging at the corner of my lips.

"You understand what I mean by that…don't you?"

Her eyes widened ever so slightly, and I saw the faintest tremor in her composure. The blush on her cheeks deepened, and she averted her gaze, her fingers brushing her hair in an attempt to look unaffected. But the way her lips parted slightly and the faint flicker of nervousness in her movements betrayed her.

"Luca…" She began, her voice unsteady, before trailing off.

But then suddenly, she seemed to catch herself, her eyes narrowing slightly as if realising she was letting me have too much control of the conversation. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and then she scoffed, crossing her arms tightly over her chest.

"There's no way!" She said, her voice dripping with exaggerated disbelief. "Me? Have feelings for you? A brat who's spent his whole life annoying me?...You're all talk, Luca. Nothing more."

I tilted my head, letting a slow, knowing smile stretch across my face. "If that's what you think, Mom..." I replied calmly. "...then that's fine." I shrugged, as if her doubts meant absolutely nothing. "After all, what does it matter what you believe? I already know the truth."

And just like I had thought, that was all it took to push her over the edge. Her scoff turned into a sharp inhale as she straightened up, glaring at me like I'd just declared war.

"Luca..." Se said slowly, her voice too sweet, her smile too big—warning bells if I'd ever heard them.

I raised an eyebrow but didn't say a word. I'd seen this look before. She was plotting something, and it was going to be trouble.

"You think you're so confident, don't you?" She asked, leaning forward ever so slightly, her tone deceptively calm. "You honestly believe you could make me—me—feel something for you?"

I met her gaze, my smirk never faltering. "Yes." I said plainly, as if the answer was obvious.

Her smile widened, though there was a dangerous glint in her eyes now. "Alright then." She said slowly, deliberately. "Let's make a bet."

"A bet?" My eyebrow arched higher, but I kept my cool.

She nodded, leaning back slightly and folding her hands but keeping her gaze locked on mine. "That's right." She said, her voice carrying a mixture of mischief and determination. "You're sitting there acting like the world's most charming man, full of confidence, and it's starting to irritate me...So why don't you put that charm of yours to the test?"

I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes at her as I asked, "And how exactly do you propose I do that?"

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, her smile growing sharper. "By making me feel something for you. You claim you can make any woman fall for you, don't you?"

"...Well, prove it. Show me this other side of you, the one you keep bragging about. You have until the cyclone ends."

I stared at her, trying to gauge if she was serious or just teasing me again. Her expression didn't waver, though. She was completely serious.

"And what happens if I win?" I asked carefully, my tone neutral but my mind already working.

Her smile softened, and for a moment, she almost looked proud. "If you win." She said slowly. "I'll let you ask for anything. Anything at all. You name it, and it's yours."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite myself. "Anything?"

She nodded, her gaze unwavering. "Anything."

Her confidence was almost unnerving, but I wasn't about to back down. "And if I lose?" I asked, the words coming out cautiously.

Her smile shifted into something more cunning, almost like she'd been waiting for that question. "If you lose…" She began, her voice dropping slightly, "...you come back home with me."

"W-What?" I blinked, the room suddenly feeling heavier.

"You heard me." She said firmly, her eyes locking with mine. "You pack your things and come back to live with us. No more hiding out here, no more excuses, no more avoiding us...You're coming back home for good."

For a moment, the only sound was the rain pounding against the windows. Her words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. I could see it in her eyes—this wasn't just about proving a point or teasing me. This was about something deeper.

She then leaned forward again, her voice softening but not losing its intensity.

"You think you've got it all figured out, Luca. You think you've grown so much that you don't need us anymore. But we miss you. I miss you...And I'll be damned if I don't at least try to bring you back where you belong."

Her words struck a chord, and I could feel my resolve faltering for a moment. But I quickly composed myself, straining myself into the couch and crossing my arms.

"That's a pretty bold condition." I said finally, my voice low but steady.

"It is." She agreed, her voice steady but with an undercurrent of emotion. "But your claim is bold too, isn't it? You're the one saying you can charm anyone, so here's your chance...So, show me, Luca. Prove it."

Her words hung in the air like a gauntlet thrown, and for a moment, I could see the flicker of doubt in her eyes. She was trying so hard to appear composed, but I knew her better than that...She was scared.

Not because she thought I'd win, but because she thought I wouldn't even try. I could practically hear the thoughts racing through her mind, the fear that I'd back out, that I'd laugh it off and call the entire thing ridiculous.

She even shifted slightly, her lips parting as though she was about to say something more, probably to taunt me into action.

But before she could, I relaxed myself, resting against the sofa with deliberate ease. A slow, deliberate smile curled at the edges of my lips, and I could feel her watching me, trying to decipher what I was thinking.

"Alright." I said, my voice calm but carrying just enough weight to make her pause. "If you're questioning my words, then it's my responsibility to prove you wrong." My gaze locked with hers, steady and unflinching. "That your son isn't a liar."

Her expression froze, and I caught the way her breath stopped. The faint flicker of confidence she had before now wavered, replaced by something else—shock, confusion, maybe even a hint of disbelief. She wasn't expecting that. Not from me.

She blinked, her lips pressing together as though she was trying to think of what to say next. "You accepted…just like that?" She finally managed, her voice quiet but incredulous.

I shrugged, letting my smile widen slightly. "Just like that."

But I was...More serious than she probably realised.

For a moment, there was silence. The air between us felt heavier, charged with something unspoken. Her sharp eyes scanned my face, narrowing as if trying to catch me in a lie, trying to figure out what game I was playing. I held her gaze, unflinching, my expression calm but undeniably serious.

I wanted her to feel it—that I wasn't joking, that I wasn't just trying to entertain myself. I was in this, fully and completely, in ways she didn't yet understand.

Finally, to seal the deal, I leaned forward slightly, my elbows resting on my knees, and let my voice drop into something softer, yet filled with weight. "You know..." I began, my tone measured. "...if I win this bet, our relationship might not stay the same." I tilted my head, watching the flicker of hesitation in her eyes. "Are you sure you don't want to call it off now? Before things…change forever."

For a moment, she hesitated. Her lips parted like she was about to say something, but no words came out. Her eyes scanned my face, searching for any sign of hesitation, anything that might suggest I was bluffing. But when she found none, she straightened up, shaking off her unease like she'd made a decision.

Then, as if my words had finally sunk in, she let out a soft laugh—one that carried a confidence I hadn't expected.

"Our relationship might change forever?" She repeated, her voice steady now, her earlier hesitation gone. "You're really trying to make this sound more dramatic than it is, aren't you?"

I raised an eyebrow, smiling casually. "I'm just being honest. You wanted this bet, not me. I'm just saying—you might not like what happens when I win."

Her laughter grew, this time with a hint of defiance.

"Win? Luca, do you even hear yourself? This bet is so one-sided it's practically unfair." She gestured between us, her hand slicing through the air. "You're my son. Do you really think you can make me feel something beyond that?"

I shrugged, keeping my expression unreadable, which only seemed to fuel her determination. "You're the one who challenged me." I said simply. "If it's so one-sided, you could still call it off."

She scoffed, waving off the suggestion with an almost theatrical flourish. "Call it off? Why would I do that? I'm the one holding all the cards here." Her confidence was palpable now, her earlier doubts replaced with a certainty that almost made me smile. "You're coming home, Luca. You might not see it yet, but this is as good as done."

I chuckled, playing with the cushions with a casual air that only made her eyes narrow further. "Alright then." I said, my voice calm but with a hint of mischief. "If you're so sure, let's see how this plays out."

"...Let's see if I end up going back home…Or if our relationship changes forever. Like the goddess and her son in the story."

When she heard my ominous words, her smirk faltered just slightly at that, her confidence flickering for a brief moment. "Luca…" She began, her voice lower, a touch of unease slipping in.

I raised an eyebrow, my expression unreadable. "What's wrong?" I asked innocently. "Second thoughts already?"

Seeing me taunting her, she quickly shook her head, the motion a little too quick, like she was trying to convince herself as much as me. "Of course not." She replied firmly. But I caught the way her fingers fidgeted with the edge of the cushion, her grip tightening just a little. "Don't get ahead of yourself. This is just a silly bet, and you're going to lose."

"Hmm." I mused, my gaze drifting back to the television as if I wasn't entirely interested in the conversation anymore. "If you say so...Just don't be surprised if things don't turn out the way you expect."

She shot me a glare, her confidence returning in full force as she leaned back, crossing her arms.

"The only thing that'll surprise me is how fast you'll be packing your bags to come home."

Her words were strong and decisive, but I could tell they were a defence against the faint foreboding that lingered in her mind.

I'd planted the seed, and I could already see it taking root, even as she tried to brush it off.

She shook her head again, as if to physically rid herself of the lingering unease, before turning her attention back to the screen. But even as the movie played on, I could see the way her expression flickered now and then, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.

Either way, it didn't matter. The game had already begun and she was mine for the taking...