Chapter 126
Holland was visibly angry, the air heavy with tension.
Unperturbed, Samuel gave a firm smile, pulled Layla into his arms, and declared emphatically, "For her, I wouldn't mind becoming enemies with the whole world!"
Taking on the entire Holland family as an enemy was not just a mere defiance; it was a declaration of war.
Layla's heart felt like it had been bombed with high emotions, churning with a mixture of awe and tenderness. The man in front of her stood taller and more handsome than ever before. He had always doted on her, but she never imagined that his affection would reach such monumental heights.
What had she done to deserve a man willing to defy the whole world for her?
She was so touched that her nose started to feel a bit moist.
"So, you mean that you would give up the CEO position at Holland Group for her?" Holland was furious yet heartbroken.
He began to question whether this man truly shared the Holland bloodline.
Little did he know that to Samuel, the Holland Group was insignificant. His own enterprise, King Corporation, established overseas, was expanding like wildfire - rapidly gaining ground to match the Holland Group and promising to surpass it. The Hollands were never Samuel's purpose; they were simply a means for revenge.
Jovan's mocking smile said it all without words - it dripped with disdain. "Let's go," he said calmly to Layla, taking her in his arms to leave.
"Stop, stop right there!"
"Scoundrel!" Holland staggered forward, suddenly gripped by a sharp chest pain. Pale-lipped, it seemed like he might keel over if he couldn't catch his next breath.
"Dad, are you okay? Don't get angry. Get your medication!" Lucy was genuinely concerned as she supported her father. She understood the stakes; as the current CEO of the Holland Group, Samuel was at the helm, and her father couldn't afford to die just yet, not before the passing of the reins was secure.
"Grandpa..."
"Dad..."
Holland clenched his chest, his steps faltering, yet he was stubbornly helped toward the banquet hall.
There, Samuel led Layla to the stage with a glass of champagne in hand, smiling at the gathered crowds. "Layla and I will be getting married at the end of this year. We would be honored to have you all at our wedding."
"Scoundrel!" Holland cursed, then fell unconscious.
"Dad...call a doctor, quickly!"
Jovan turned his back on Holland as Lucy, frantic, followed them upstairs.
A doctor was already on his way.
"Mom, Grandpa will be okay, won't he?" Vincent asked, worry lacing his voice.
"Dad's a tough old bird; he's not going anywhere," Lucy thought bitterly. She wouldn't let death snatch her father away, not before she and her younger brother had full control over the inheritance. If the Grim Reaper dared claim him, she'd wrestle her father back from his clutches.
"Uncle has gone too far. Trying to steal my girl and now he's angling to stress Grandpa to death."
"Serves Dad right, though," she continued with a sneer. "He knew that bastard had ambitions, and yet he handed the company over to an illegitimate son, thinking he could control him. Talk about backfiring."
"But this could work in our favor. If that bastard keeps infuriating Dad, he might just hand the company back to us. We have to seize this opportunity while Dad still has a say in the company. If we wait, it'll all fall into that bastard's hands."
"Yeah, I know, Mom. Once I'm in at the Holland Group, I'll do my part," Vincent said with conviction, a cold glint in his eye.
Layla, just you wait. You'll pay for looking down on me today.
I'll trample you underfoot, just as you've done to me!
"My dear son, you're my pride and joy. Everything I've done, it's all to see you take over the Holland Group someday. Don't let me down," Lucy soothed, caressing Vincent's face.
Her ex-husband, merely a charmer with a silver tongue, was good for little else. Had she not been pregnant with Vincent, she would've never married that man.
After catching him red-handed with models while she was pregnant, she finally had enough and filed for divorce, raising Vincent on her own. Her son was her life.
...
The moment Layla slipped into the car, she melted into the seat, letting out a heavy sigh of relief.
Hearing her exaggerated breathing, Samuel chuckled. "Was it that exhausting?"
"You have no idea. Confrontations with so many people... that's not usually my thing."
A few moments ago, she'd felt like a feisty bantam, fierce and unafraid, but now in safety, she had reverted to her gentler self.
"Do you think I'm like some kind of shrew?"
"Not at all, you did great," Samuel consoled her gently, fingers tracing her cheek and nestling behind her ear in a light caress, his eyes affirming his approval.
"Really? But don't guys usually dislike women who get into fights?" Even she wasn't happy to have acted so out of character. She preferred peaceful communications. Yet, in that environment, calm talks weren't an option.
"I don't like people who suffer in silence, who hide their weakness behind a veneer of kindness," Samuel said matter-of-factly. "Knowing how to defend yourself is fantastic! And..."
"And what?"
Teasingly, Samuel's eyes twinkled with mild amusement. "And it's about time my little wildcat learned to bare her claws at someone other than me."
In his words, she found deep solace.
Layla couldn't help but laugh with frustration, "Come on, have a little conscience! When have I ever picked on you?"
"Oh, plenty of times! You've given me the cold shoulder, snapped at me, stormed off without even trying to talk things out!"
Contemplating their past interactions, Layla realized it had indeed been that way.
"How is that my fault? It's because you're so infuriating! I'm normally a peace-loving gal, but you push me until I have to get scrappy. Maybe you're the one who should be doing some soul-searching."
"Yeah, my bad. You're the kindest, cutest little bunny," Samuel said, taking her hand and gently kissing the back of it.
The spot where his lips touched tingled with a soft sensation.
His gaze was even more disarming, rendering Layla numb with its intensity.
Part of her didn't want him to look at her that way; it was more than her heart could handle. Yet, those same looks filled her with such happiness that she felt bubbles of joy fizzing up inside her.
Was this that sweet, legendary thing called love?
A man in his thirties, possessing just the right blend of charm and affection, knowing how to pamper a woman perfectly-sweet but never overbearing.
"By the way, is your dad okay?" she asked.
"They're taking care of it, don't worry about him," Samuel replied indifferently. "Why that look? You think I'm heartless?"
Layla nervously bit her lower lip, "No, it's just that... he's still your father, isn't it unnecessary..."
"Heh, if you knew what he did to my mother and me back then, you wouldn't say that. I'm already being kind by not going after him." Samuel's eyes darkened, a hint of loathing mixing in.
While he would never commit patricide, he had other ways to make the Holland family pay for the past.
"The Hollands are quite a unique family. Lucy, Jovan, and your dad..." Layla sighed, her heart weighing heavy just thinking about it."
She had thought her own family's constant bickering was bad, but it was nothing compared to the turbulence within the Holland family.
The Holland clan was truly a storm of blood and battle.
"You scared? Want to back out?" Samuel asked, gripping her hand.