Chapter 404

At hotel.

Evelyn took a bath and went out, sitting blankly in front of the mirror.

Layla brought a hairdryer and helped Evelyn dry her hair, the strands slipping through her fingers.

"Your hair is really nice, straight and smooth. Your features are also very beautiful." Layla praised. But the past year's torment had left Evelyn haggard, with deep-set eyes.

"Get a good night's sleep and take some time to recuperate, and you'll be healthy again," Layla added.

Most importantly, Evelyn needed to heal her emotional wounds.

"Why are you helping me? Shouldn't you be hoping for me to be as miserable as possible?" Evelyn glanced at Layla in the mirror. Layla was young enough to make her jealous, yet mature enough to earn her respect.

"How would your misery benefit me? Why would I want you to suffer?" Layla smiled. "I never do things that harm others without benefiting myself."

"Then helping me doesn't benefit you either," Evelyn added.

"It does. It makes me feel a bit better. Don't get me wrong. I don't see myself as a saint, and I'm not Mary. I just feel that if you continue to suffer like this, I would feel regretful. I've always believed that women should live for themselves. Because we're the same gender, there's a natural sense of empathy. I can't say I feel exactly what you feel, but I understand your entanglement with Brian, your unwillingness, your fear, your hysteria, your suicidal thoughts. I understand them all," Layla said.

Evelyn smiled bitterly. "Others just think I'm crazy."

"Love itself is crazy," Layla replied.

"Brian told you everything, didn't he?" Evelyn's smile grew more bitter. "I once had a wonderful lover. Because I couldn't stand the loneliness, I betrayed the man who was so good to me. Back then, I wanted sweet words and grand promises, but I ignored his silent contributions. No matter how busy or tired he was, he would come home every day and kiss me goodnight. Every morning when I woke up, there was always a glass of water on the nightstand. He never made any verbal promises to me, but he always tried his best, giving me all his salary." Evelyn was full of regrets.

Evelyn spoke quietly, as if telling someone else's story, but her eyes were moist. "Why didn't I understand these things when I was young? I was deceived by a few sweet words from a bad man. It's my own stupidity, maybe it's punishment. After that, I only met bad men who took all the money Brian gave me and ran away. One even hit me while I was pregnant. If I could have endured the loneliness and stayed with him, he would have treated me well, and I would have been very happy. But life is absurd like that. There's no turning back, right?"

Layla didn't know what to say. What she needed to do now was listen to Evelyn's outpouring. Letting out all the bitterness inside would make her feel better.

Evelyn talked a lot, and finally wiped her eyes, giving a sorrowful smile. "I never thought the first person I would confide in would be my rival in love. Even more unexpected, the person saving me is you."

"It's not me, it's yourself. If you hadn't changed your mind, you would have remained trapped in pain, and nothing I said would have helped," Layla explained.

Evelyn asked, "I have no choice but to move on. He doesn't love me anymore. Clinging to him will only exhaust the feelings we once had. Although we can't get back together, there's no need to end up hating each other, right?"

Evelyn sighed long and regretfully. "Once, I had a sincere heart from Brian, but I didn't cherish it. Now I regret it deeply. Looking back at the past few years, it feels like a long nightmare. I'm glad it's finally coming to an end."

Evelyn looked up, her eyes still a bit moist, but she managed a relaxed smile. "Thank you."

Seeing Evelyn finally let go, Layla felt happy for her and returned the smile.

Helping others brought joy, at least for her.

At that moment, the doorbell rang.

Layla opened the door for Brian. "You two talk, I'll head back."

Layla returned to her own room, giving them space.

She didn't ask Brian what he and Evelyn talked about. The next day, on the way to the airport, Brian looked relaxed, as if he had a good night's sleep.

At the airport, people were rushing about.

"I'll go get you some coffee," Layla said.

"Black coffee, three sugars. Thanks." Brian nodded and smiled at Layla.

After boarding the plane, Brian worked for about an hour before closing his laptop.

Layla took off her headphones and teased him. "I thought you'd be busy until we landed."

"I'm a robot now," he replied.

"What's the difference from before?" Layla asked, puzzled.

"Before, I was a machine. Now, I'm a robot. Half machine, half human," he replied.

Layla was taken aback for a moment, then laughed. "That joke is pretty boring. But it's good that you're making jokes. Keep it up." Layla smiled as she put away her documents.

"Luckily, you're not busy now, so I can take a nap. You know, when the boss is busy and the subordinate sleeps, it looks really lazy." She playfully stuck out her tongue.

"I'm going to sleep now. Wake me when we arrive," Layla said, putting on her eye mask.

After a while, as Layla was drifting off, she heard a low, soft voice. "Thank you."

Layla's lips slowly curled into a smile.

Four hours later, finally home! Layla rushed into her house, eagerly throwing herself onto the bed and rolling around with the blanket.

"My dear bed, I missed you so much!" Layla inhaled deeply, savoring the scent of Samuel on the blanket. This was what she missed the most.

When Layla was away on business trips, she missed Samuel. Returning to this place filled with their shared memories made her miss him even more intensely. The desire to see him felt like hundreds of cat claws scratching at her heart, making her restless.

Layla picked up her phone. "He should be busy right now."

"Whatever, I don't care." Layla dialed a video call.

A second later, Samuel's handsome face appeared on the screen, looking pleasantly surprised. "Why are you calling me first today?"

"Isn't it obvious? I miss you. Guess where I am?" she asked.

"You're home."

"Yes. The bed at home is so comfortable, even better than a five-star hotel bed." Layla rolled around happily.

Samuel's gaze turned heated. "Are you seducing me?"

"What?" Layla followed Samuel's heated gaze downward and realized her skirt had ridden up, exposing some skin. She shyly pulled it down. "Where are you looking? You pervert."

"Of course, I'm looking where I should be." Samuel's smile was wicked and suggestive.

Layla's ears turned red again. "You're so annoying, teasing me. Thinking about those things in the office, that's not good, is it?"

"If I weren't in the office, I wouldn't just be thinking about it," he said.

"It's still daytime over there. Mr. Holland, please behave yourself!"