Chapter 186
The quartet made their entrance into the Eilish Group's Western-style restaurant.
"Layla, you must try this matcha cake," Alice urged, pushing the delicacy towards her. "You have a fondness for matcha-flavored treats, don't you?"
Anthony quietly made a mental note: Layla's likes matcha.
"What else do you enjoy, apart from matcha?" Anthony ventured to ask.
"I'm not particularly fussy, I can eat almost anything," Layla responded.
"Besides matcha, Layla doesn't favor milk tea, she leans towards plain water, and she has a sweet tooth-she adores candies and spicy hot pot," Alice rattled off.
Layla appeared helpless. Was Alice truly revealing all her secrets?
Turning to Phillip, she inquired, "Phillip, do you have any specific preferences for the hotel's design?"
In a blink, she switched gears to work mode, deeply engaging Phillip in conversation. Anthony found her focus and professionalism captivating.
In work mode, she shed her youthful innocence and appeared far beyond her 21 years, more like a seasoned designer.
Alice, unable to interject, quietly nibbled on her cake, her eyes darting between Layla and Anthony.
Two hours elapsed, and Layla's laptop was brimming with comprehensive notes.
"Alright, I believe I have a solid understanding of this. I need to return for a meeting, but I'll contact you later," Layla announced, glancing at her watch, surprised by how swiftly two hours had passed-with Anthony still present.
His time was incredibly precious, and yet he had patiently waited for her for two hours without her acknowledging him.
"I apologize, Mr. Eilish" she began.
Anthony shook his head, his smile filled with contentment, "Have some water."
She had been so engrossed in her work, she hadn't even taken a sip of water.
"Thank you, Mr. Eilish." Layla took a drink. "We should return to our office now."
Anthony had intended to invite her for dinner, but observing her preoccupation with work, he decided to postpone, "Let's arrange dinner another time."
"That sounds agreeable. Let's depart, Alice."
They hadn't traveled far when Alice seized Layla's arm, her voice laced with excitement, "Oh, you're in hot water now, Layla! Mr. Eilish is completely smitten with you. You're on the verge of igniting a love triangle, and Holland's going to lose it!"
"Have you been indulging in romance novels again?"
"It's the truth! Mr. Eilish is invested in this project because of you, isn't he?"
"...Yes."
"You conversed with Phillip for two hours, and Mr. Eilish? He observed you the entire time, without so much as a blink. The way he gazed at you... It was so intense, I thought I'd melt."
"He's merely invested in the project."
"Please, not a chance. The CEO of Eilish Group caring about such a minor project? Can you even convince yourself? Oh wait, didn't that psychic predict you'd have three love interests? Mr. Marley, Holland, and now Mr. Eilish, that's the third one! He's totally into you. But you're already with Holland. You should clarify things quickly. Mr. Eilish is such a catch; it would shatter my heart to see him hurt."
Layla sighed, feeling helpless. "What should I say? 'I apologize, Mr. Eilish, but I'm taken'? What if he isn't interested at all? Wouldn't I appear conceited? Anthony and I are merely friends-good friends, nothing more."
"Laugh it off if you wish. But when Mr. Eilish makes his move, don't say I didn't warn you."
...
Upon returning to the office, Layla plunged into another three-hour meeting. By the time she arrived home, it was already 8 o'clock.
"Miss Adkins, have you had dinner?" Mr. Morris inquired.
"Yes, I grabbed some takeout at the office."
"Would you care for some dessert?"
She thought of the cake from the afternoon and shook her head, "No, thank you."
She'd already consumed her sugar quota for the day. The last thing she wanted was to gain a significant amount of weight during her pregnancy.
"Your bodyguard is in the room."
"Understood."
Layla ascended the stairs. The door to her room was slightly ajar. She gently pushed it open to find Samuel, his back to her, engrossed in his computer, his long fingers dancing over the keyboard.
Focused men are the most appealing.
She smiled to herself, held her breath, and tiptoed behind him, playfully covering his eyes with her hands and disguising her voice, "Guess who?"
Beneath her hands, his lips curved into a sly smile, "I haven't the slightest idea."
"Dummy, it's me!" Layla giggled.
"It's my adorable fiancée," Samuel said as he pulled her onto his lap, his robe loosely draped over him, revealing a chest of chiseled abs that made Layla's ears flush with shyness.
Such a hunk, she thought.
His physique was almost illegally attractive.
And the highest compliment for a man's body? Two words-irresistible!
Samuel's build was the kind that made women fantasize about being beneath him. And his skills? They kept improving; sometimes she climaxed multiple times a night.
"Lost in thought again?" Samuel teased, gently pinching her chin.
"Not at all," she protested.
"But you are. Fortunately, I'm on the same page," he whispered before pressing his lips to hers in a fiery kiss that left her breathless. "Your breathing technique is improving," he said with a satisfied nod.
"Why are you still busy today?" Layla asked, wrapping her arms around his neck, cuddling into him like a cute little otter. Her voice was soft and sweet.
"The company's been swamped lately. Did you stay late at work too?"
"Yes. You know, I just secured a major contract with a five-star hotel."
"That's fantastic!"
"You don't seem too thrilled, though?"
"It's not that I'm unhappy, I'm just concerned about you overworking. Projects like that can span years. You mentioned wanting to start maternity leave in your fourth month, and you're already a month along."
"I'm aware, I'm handling the initial phase. Once the design's complete, the construction crew and my colleagues can take over. Don't worry, I'll be home resting when it's time. So, you need to hustle too-earn some extra to support us," Layla said with a playful grin.
"What, you think your husband can't provide for you?"
Pretending to be serious, Layla nodded, "A little worried since I have quite the appetite."
Samuel laughed, "My little foodie. As if you could eat that much."
"Um... there's something else I need to tell you. The project is for the Eilish Group."
At that, Samuel's expression hardened, and he said without hesitation, "Hand it off to someone else."
"But I've already accepted it."
"You still want ties with the Eilish family? There's not a single straightforward person in that bunch; they're always scheming."
"But Anthony's different. He offered me the project-it's that 'big brother' from the orphanage I told you about. I'm certain he bears no ill will towards me."
Samuel didn't believe in coincidences, especially not ones he disliked.
"Even more reason to step away."
"Why?"
Because Samuel knew better than to trust the Eilish family, a lesson Layla was about to learn the hard way.
"Because I get jealous," Samuel said, plain and simple. "When a man gets close to a woman, is nice to her, I know all too well what his intentions are. So it's absolutely not okay."