Chapter 181

Sarah's face was still etched with shock long after she had sobered up from Anthony's outrageous accusations. "Anthony, why are you making such a big deal out of this? I was only joking. What girl doesn't like to claim she's eighteen? You can't take drunken words seriously," she pleaded.

In her mind, she was grateful for Sophia's foresight in forging an ID for her. "Alright, alright, if you need to see my ID, here it is," she thought to herself. Her mother's meticulousness had once again come to her rescue.

"Here you go," she said, extending the ID to Anthony who quickly scanned the age listed.

Twenty-one.

How could this be?

"You believe me now, don't you?" she asked, a hint of triumph in her voice.

"Hah, these fake IDs, I could buy a dozen," a mocking voice echoed through the room.

"Layla?" Sarah gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, but it was too late.

"How do you know her name?" Anthony asked, his eyes narrowing.

"I... I..."

"Because she's my half-sister," Layla declared, striding over and seizing Sarah's wrist. "This bracelet? It's mine."

Anthony's mind went blank for a split second.

"You're talking nonsense. I don't know you!" Sarah blurted out, her words tumbling out in a desperate, disordered rush. "This bracelet is mine, Anthony. You believe me, right?"

She clung to Anthony's hand, but he shook her off, his expression hardening. "After all this, you're still lying?"

"I... I..." Sarah burst into tears. "Didn't I deceive you because I liked you? Anthony, even if I'm not an angel, doesn't our time together mean anything to you?"

"It does-it's shown me just how ugly your true colors are!" Anthony's gaze was piercing. "You've deceived me."

She had preyed on his gratitude towards the angel and manipulated him for her own gain.

The worst part? She had almost made him miss out on meeting his real savior.

"I'm sorry, Anthony. I... I didn't mean to," Sarah sobbed pitifully.

Layla jumped in, "After all you and your mom have plotted, you still claim it was unintentional? Scared of being exposed, you had dad fake his disappearance, leading me away-do you realize he almost died in G city because of you?"

"It wasn't me, I didn't-shut up, Layla!" Sarah tried to slap Layla, but Anthony was quicker, grabbing her wrist and pushing her away.

Teetering in her high heels, Sarah stumbled backward and fell to the ground, bursting into humiliated tears. "You pushed me away for her?"

"You should be thankful I'm not sending you to jail for fraud. For Layla's sake, I'll let you off this time but stay out of my sight from now on," Anthony said, his anger flaring in a way it rarely did.

"Layla, I hate you!" Sarah scrambled up and ran off, crying.

"You're an angel," Anthony said, his sternness melting away as he gazed at Layla with surprise, his earlier irritability vanishing because of her presence.

"Hey, William," Layla greeted her old friend with a warm smile.

They had weathered hard times together, and he had always held a special place in her heart.

"Angel" Anthony couldn't find the words to express his happiness. He stepped forward and embraced her tightly. "It's really you... I am so glad."

She was his savior, the first girl to ever stir his heart. He was grateful for the twists of fate that led to this moment of surprise.

"Yeah, it's great," Layla murmured, her eyes sparkling with joy. "It's crowded here. Let's go somewhere quieter to catch up."

"Sure."

"Sarah got a journalist to stake out the front entrance. Have your driver bring the car to the back, and we'll slip out that way."

"Got it."

As they headed out, a light drizzle fell from the nighttime sky. Layla didn't mind it much, but just as she stepped out, Anthony pulled her back in.

He took off his white suit jacket and draped it over her head.

Her heart warmed. He was still the considerate guy from her childhood.

The two got into the car from the back entrance.

"Did you get wet?" Anthony asked with concern, pulling out his handkerchief to dab away the raindrops from her.

"I'm fine," she replied.

As he wiped, Anthony's hand suddenly paused on her shoulder. His face flushed red, and he quickly looked away.

She was wearing a white gown that clung to her chest, now damp from the rain, revealing the fair skin beneath.

A sudden tension filled the car.

An inexplicable heat surged through him, spreading rapidly through his body.

His throat went dry.

For a man who had little experience with such desires and rarely interacted with women, the temptation was overwhelming. He was struggling to cope with his desires.

He felt his face grow hotter and his breathing became uneven.

"What's wrong? Why is your face red? Do you have a fever?" Layla reached out to touch Anthony's forehead with concern. At her touch, he shivered and instinctively push her hand away out of embarrassment.

"I-I'm okay"

Anthony managed to steady his heartbeat. He didn't want to have improper thoughts in front of her.

"Would you like to visit the orphanage?" he offered.

"Wasn't it torn down after the fire?"

His eyes shone warm and bright as he replied, "You'll see when you get there."

...

The night breeze caressed gently, carrying with it the scent of recent rain, the air damp and slightly chill. Layla found solace wrapped in Anthony's suit jacket, his comforting scent enveloping her.

Clad in a white shirt, Anthony exuded tenderness and grace, his boyish charm still evident from certain angles, his features gentle and handsome as ever.

Layla paused in her tracks, her eyes lighting up.

Standing before them was a spacious building, and each window glowed with a warm light. Every so often, the sound of children's laughter filtered through the air.

"It's just like when we were kids."

"Yeah." Anthony nodded. "Before I came back to the States, I had it rebuilt. The Eilish Group will be donating ten million a year to keep the orphanage running."

"That's wonderful."

The thought of more orphans finding a "home" filled Layla with joy.

Later, she'd coax someone into donating as well. After all, he could afford it.

Once again, Layla marveled at having a wealthy boyfriend who could make such impactful contributions to the world.

"Wanna go inside?" Anthony suggested.

Layla shook her head. "They'd be resting at this hour. Let's not disturb them. How about a stroll outside?"

"Sounds good."

They walked to the back garden where Layla took a seat on the swing. Her long dress fanned out, the window light softly reflecting off her face, making her look warm and bright, like a goddess bathed in moonlight.

Anthony found himself captivated by her presence. Among many beautiful women he knew, Layla's purity remained unparalleled. It seemed as though no darkness in the world could tarnish her luminance.

She drew him in like moonlight, her very presence causing his heart to flutter, even the faintest of her breaths sweet to him.

In that moment, Anthony knew he had fallen for her, not solely because of their shared past, but because of the present-the way she enchanted him now, invading his thoughts and dreams.

Caught in his reverie, Anthony looked at Layla, who met his gaze with a smile.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Layla looked up and smiled at Anthony.