Chapter 108

The hallway was quiet.

Following Mr. Vandella's imposing figure, Layla felt nervous.

Perhaps it was Samuel's stern demeanor that made all his assistants seem severe and high-strung.

Mr. Vandella pressed the elevator button.

"Um..." Layla scratched her head, still unsettled by Nathan's earlier clasping of her hand, "Mr. Marley and I just have a professional relationship."

Mr. Vandella responded with a noncommittal "Hmm."

"..." He wouldn't tattle, would he?

Knowing how petty Samuel could be, would he chop off her hands if he found out? She needed her right hand for drafting her design sketches.

But Layla couldn't bring herself to explicitly ask Mr. Vandella not to snitch; that would be even more suspicious.

She had no choice but to play it by ear.

In the underground parking garage,.

The Bentley stood out conspicuously in the garage.

Layla slipped into the backseat, the air inside the car cool and distant.

Samuel was scrolling through his emails, the dim light from his phone inside the car casting an eerie glow on his face, accentuating his sharp features.

She waited beside him, feeling a sense of obedience. After what felt like an eternity, he pocketed his phone, and his chilly voice shattered the silence. "Didn't I say something last night? Forgotten?"

The brooding tone sent shivers down Layla's spine. Clearing her throat, she said haltingly, "You... you shouldn't have sent Mr. Vandella."

Samuel cast a cold glance her way, a chill tracing the curve of his lips, "Should I have gone myself?"

At that smile, Layla felt an involuntary shudder.

"Answer me, what did I say last night?"

"You said so much, how am I supposed to know which statement?" Layla attempted to play dumb, trying to avert her gaze out the window, but Samuel caught her chin, forcing her to look into his dark eyes.

"Flirting with disaster!"

"I did not," her soft lips denied as she insisted, "I was just expressing gratitude."

"You smiled at him?" Samuel's fingertips pressed a bit harder.

Layla's throat was painfully dry as she managed a smile uglier than a cry, "I can't exactly talk to someone with a stone face."

"Still denying the flirting?" Samuel's voice dropped lower, his gaze turning frostier.

"Just a smile means flirting?" Layla protested loudly.

"Indeed, don't you know how adorable you look when you smile?"

What? Was that a compliment? But Layla couldn't bask in it, mumbling, "I'm cute even without a smile..."

Samuel's grip tightened, his expression growing more somber, "You think I'm joking?"

Layla was torn between crying and laughing, expressing in utter frustration, "I was just telling him I was discharged from the hospital, is that wrong too?"

"What does your discharge have to do with him needing a special announcement?"

"He saved my life."

"He's nothing; I'm your savior."

Wow, the authority in his voice!

Layla's heart skipped a beat.

Hearing this man curse for the first time, she didn't take offense; instead, she found it incredibly masculine.

His gaze was mesmerizing, leaving her dazed and lightheaded.

Her heart was fluttering.

"Count for yourself, how many times have I saved you? He does it once and you treat him like a hero. What about me? Huh? Layla, did your conscience get eaten by a dog?"

Samuel bombarded her with questions, his voice loaded with an ominous tone, and Layla couldn't hold up against his petty jealousy that seemed overwhelmingly frightening. He had to compete over everything.

"I didn't say I wasn't grateful to you."

"Then show it with some real action."

Layla inquired with restrained curiosity, "Like what?"

"Be a good girl, clean up, and get in bed with me."

Men's thoughts can be so straightforward. Is sex all he thinks about? Her innocent eyes were a temptation to Samuel, a lure that echoed how pitifully she had once gazed upon Nathan, flashing him such a tender smile. The surge of rage within Samuel couldn't find an outlet, causing him to forcefully bite down on her lip.

"Ouch..." Pain.

This time, it wasn't a gentle nibble as punishment but a bite that broke the skin of her lip.

A metallic taste of blood spread through Layla's mouth as she pushed against Samuel's chest with all her might. By the time she managed to shove him away, her lower lip was already wounded.

Grimacing in pain, she hissed, "You bit me! Who wouldn't notice this?"

A hint of blood adorned Samuel's lips, adding a strangely attractive yet wild edge to his otherwise cold demeanor. "I want it to be noticed so that nobody will mistake you, you damn woman, for a flirt," he sneered.

Layla finally understood that when someone wanted to accuse you, they'd find any reason to. Despite always being proper in her relationships, to him, she was now labeled as frivolous, completely unreasonable.

"Just drive, I need to get to work."

Fifteen minutes later, the Bentley came to a stop at the rear entrance of the Holland Group.

Gathering her courage with a hand on the car door, Layla yelled, "Samuel, you jerk, I hate you!"

She then tried to dash out of the car with sprinter's speed, but Samuel, swift as a raptor, seized her back, pressing her firmly into the car seat. His strong form loomed overhead, casting a shadow that blocked much of the light.

Curling up, Layla trembled and looked up at him, feeling defeated.

"I must admit, I admire your guts," Samuel said, his eyes burning with intensity. "But you've overestimated your own speed. Did you think you could insult me and then just run away? Not so fast."

"Don't you dare, I'm pregnant," Layla declared, puffing out her belly. Surely he wouldn't dare harm a pregnant woman.

"Don't worry, I have plenty of ways to punish you without harm. Seems like I shouldn't go on a business trip for the next three days. Instead, maybe I should keep you tied to the bed," he threatened.

A business trip? Layla felt as if she'd just received a pardon.

"You can't skip it; how else will you provide for me and the baby?"

His laughter revealed the absurdity of her concern.

He was one of the youngest top billionaires in the world, with a global empire worth countless billions. And this woman was worried he couldn't support his family? He was genuinely amused by her imagination.

"Don't worry, supporting three or four wouldn't be a problem," he said with an indulgent smile.

"What? You want mistresses on the side? You cheater!"

"I meant three or four kids. Keep your thoughts pure!"

"..." Was she the one being impure?

"I'm not having that many kids. Aren't you supposed to be on a business trip? Just go."

"Join me on the trip?" Samuel mused, intrigued by the sudden and impulsive thought. Once it took hold, he couldn't contain this urge.

She was so small, perfect for tucking into his pocket and keeping with him all the time. Aside from meetings and work, he wanted her by his side every second.

"Absolutely not. You have your job, and I need mine. I'm busy, okay?"

It was the first time a woman had seriously claimed to be busy in front of Samuel. The others seemed to yearn to be glued to him at all times.

Was she too independent, or... did she just not like him?

Even the most self-sufficient women liked to be with their boyfriends constantly, right?

Feeling a pang of discomfort, Samuel couldn't help but ask, "Do you like me?"