Chapter 444
Layla got to the office early, sorted some materials, and waited for Luna to continue the handover.
"About what we talked about last night, you're not mad, right?" Luna asked, a bit nervous.
Layla shook her head, looking indifferent.
"You didn't tell Mr. Evans, did you?"
"No."
"Good." Luna sighed in relief.
They were in the middle of the handover when the office vibe suddenly shifted.
"Mr. Evans."
"Morning, Mr. Evans." Everyone glanced at Layla, then back at Brian.
Brian walked straight to Layla. "Come to my office."
Layla acted like she didn't hear him.
Brian knocked on the desk. "Office. Now."
"I've basically handed over the project to Luna. If you have any questions, ask her."
"I'm looking for you."
"I'm busy."
The tension was thick.
Luna stood up nervously, forcing a smile. "Mr. Evans, I understand the project well. How about I report to you?"
"I'm looking for her." Brian's smile was gentle, but his eyes were sharp. He reached out to grab her.
"Don't touch me!" Layla swung her hand back, scratching Brian's face with her nails, leaving five marks.
Though Layla didn't mean it, to everyone else, it looked like she had slapped Brian in public.
Everyone gasped; you could hear a pin drop.
A moment of silence.
In the stiff atmosphere, Brian's face turned cold, but Layla said nothing and didn't even look at him. She went back to her workstation, the awkwardness hanging in the air.
Brian stormed back to his office, looking furious.
"Layla, you went too far. Making Mr. Evans look so bad in public, aren't you afraid he'll..."
"I've already resigned. What can he do to me?" Layla had lost her patience. She had tolerated enough, but her temper had its limits. Brian's constant pestering was his own fault.
"That's true, but he's still our boss for now..."
Layla cut her off, "I sent two documents to your email. Check them."
"Okay, okay."
For the next hour, no one in the office dared to move or speak. Even if they needed to cough, they held it in.
As the "offender," Layla showed no sign of the tension that others felt. She continued her work calmly.
It wasn't until she got thirsty that she stood up to get some water.
But as soon as she entered the break room, the door behind her closed. She turned around and bumped into Brian, whose face was extremely tense, radiating danger.
Layla felt a sense of caution but said nothing and walked straight out.
As they brushed past each other, Brian grabbed her wrist, causing the water in her cup to spill.
"What are you doing?" Layla shouted, resisting. "This is the office."
"You know it's the office? You embarrassed me in front of everyone."
"I didn't mean to embarrass you; you were deliberately causing me trouble."
"I just asked you to come to my office." Brian tightened his grip on her wrist, hurting Layla.
"I said I didn't want to."
"As the CEO, I asked you to come to my office. You have no right to refuse."
Layla sneered. " You gonna fire me?"
"Don't try that reverse psychology on me. I haven't accepted your resignation yet."
"Doesn't matter if you accept it or not. I'll finish the handover in two days. If I want to leave, no one can stop me."
"You hate me that much?" Brian's face was twisted with anger.
Layla's gaze was sharp, unyielding. "Yes, I hate you. I hate the person you've become. You're sick. To me, you're a paranoid maniac, a lunatic."
Brian's temple twitched.
Did she just call him a lunatic?
"Your boyfriend is the paranoid one. He's controlling you, and I'm trying to save you. How can you be so stupid?"
"I don't need your saving. Stay away from me."
"Let go."
"Brian, let go!"
Being pregnant and in the office, Layla held back from fighting. If it were before, she would have shaken him off long ago.
"Brian."
"If you don't let go, I'll call for help. This is my last warning."
Layla's eyes were filled with disgust as if she were staring at a repulsive cockroach.
Brian's self-esteem was severely trampled.
He was doing it for her good, so why was she so ungrateful? Just because that man had more money? So she was willing to be controlled by him? Are all women so cheap?
"Let go." Layla kept twisting her wrist.
"Stop telling me to let go." Brian pinned her wrist against the door. Layla couldn't move that hand, so she used the other to push him. "Let go of me."
"Get away, Brian."
Every word "get away" infuriated Brian. His mind was completely taken over by anger for a moment, and he lowered his head to find her lips.
He had really gone mad.
In a panic, Layla slapped him the moment he tried to kiss her.
A loud slap.
Layla used all her strength.
Half of Brian's face burned, leaving five crimson finger marks.
He couldn't hear anything for a while.
After a long time, Brian stiffly turned his face, his eyes burning with a flame. "You slap me?"
"You harassed me. You deserved it. Your behavior now is no different from a rapist. If you dare do this to me again, I'll call the police."
With this warning, Layla shook off Brian's hand and grabbed the door handle, opening a crack.
"Don't you regret treating me like this?"
Layla sneered, "I regret not doing it before."
Outside, a dozen pairs of eyes were staring, and they saw the finger marks on Brian's face.
They had heard the commotion in the break room. Layla had really slapped him. A CEO harassing a subordinate in the office like this was blatant sexual harassment. It was terrifying.
Everyone's gaze at Brian became strange, a bit fearful.
Brian stood there, anger rolling in his chest, his throat moving up and down. His pupils became narrower, deeply squinting, emitting a cold light.
"Layla, I did my best to look out for you, but you didn't appreciate it. You slapped me for that man and treated me like a criminal. Since you're so heartless to me, I don't need to be kind to you anymore. What happens next is on you."