Chapter 48

Layla responded with a gesture of shaking her head and spreading her hands. Nathan had given her an opportunity, and she had to seize it. Relying on others for everything would only showcase her incompetence.

After a while, Alice walked over and asked, "I'm done with my tasks, is there anything I can help with."

"Alice" Layla gratefully looked at her, appreciating the help in her time of need. It was a warm gesture.

"Don't look at me like that," Alice offered, "let me help you with the project proposal."

As Alice reached for it, Molly angrily snatched it away.

"Alice, since when should you intervene in our team's project? Don't you want to work here anymore?" Molly interrogated Alice.

Alice was scared off.

"Layla, I told you to complete this project on your own. Do you not understand?" Molly scolded.

"But I can't possibly finish so much in just three days. The project will fail." Layla expressed her difficulty.

"Well, that's your responsibility. It's because you lack the ability. You made promises to Mr. Marley but now you're acting all pitiful. If you think you can't complete it, then you can leave right now." Molly intentionally provoked her.

However, Layla was not affected by Molly's attempts to provoke her. Resigning was not an option now. Even if she couldn't handle so much work alone, she would persevere until the very last second.

"Molly, I'll start drawing the design," Layla said.

Molly wouldn't make things easy for her. "The copying machine is broken, fix it right away. Also, we're out of water, go bring ten bottles. And also..."

Molly assigned a bunch of menial tasks, leaving Layla with no time to rest or do her project. It wasn't until the end of the workday that she finally had a moment to touch the design.

Other colleagues left in pairs or groups, discussing where to eat.

Alice gave Layla a sympathetic look and then left as well.

Soon, Layla was the only one left in the office.

She sighed at the pile of work in front of her. It seemed like tonight she could only take a nap in the lounge.

"Layla, keep going!" She encouraged herself.

In the dead of night, at midnight, people working overtime gradually left.

After finishing the last contract, Samuel smoked a cigarette in his office.

Whenever he worked late into the night and finished his tasks, he would habitually smoke a cigarette to clear his mind. However, at this moment, his mind wasn't empty, but rather filled with thoughts of Layla.

What is that girl doing now?

If he didn't "catch" her, she definitely wouldn't obediently return to the villa.

Would she be bothered by Vincent again if she went back to school?

Samuel frowned slightly. He had an extreme personality and was completely indifferent to most things. But when it came to something that he cared about, his desire for ownership was very strong. He didn't like anyone else getting involved with what belonged to him. If Vincent laid a finger on her, he would want to chop off his entire hand.

He extinguished the cigarette halfway through and got up, leaving the office. Mr. Vandella was waiting for him, and they went to the parking lot together.

As the floor indicator buttons lit up and the floors passed by one by one, Samuel pressed the button for the 30th floor..

"Ding." The elevator doors opened.

"You go down and wait for me." Samuel's cold, calm voice dropped as he walked out of the elevator.

Mr. Vandella nodded. Going to see Miss Adkins so late at night, Boss must really care about her.

A person who is usually disinterested, once interested in something, will burn passionately like wildfire.

It is Miss Adkins' honor, but can she bear such intense feelings?

At the entrance of the design department, Samuel saw from a distance that only one small light was lit in the entire office. A small figure was hunched over the desk, occasionally lifting their head to stretch their neck, then bowing down to continue drawing.

He actually watched for five minutes.

Once Samuel came back to his senses, he saw his face reflected in the glass window, a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.

After working continuously for a few hours, Layla's back was in a lot of pain. Wearing headphones, she was curled up like a little cat, resting her chin on her left hand, while the other hand drew.

A face suddenly came close to her.

Layla was startled and quickly took off her headphones, looking at the man who had suddenly appeared, still shaken.

"How... how did you get in here?"

She quickly looked around, fortunately, it was already very late, and she was the only person in the office.

Samuel picked up her design sketch and raised it to look under the light. "Not bad."

"Do you understand what I drew?" Layla was startled by this and snatched it back abruptly.

"I studied design before."

"You're just boasting. How could you know everything?"

"You're working late like this?" To him, it was a pleasant surprise.

"Yeah. I'm meeting with a client the day after tomorrow, and the design sketches for the project proposal are not ready yet." Layla felt frustrated just thinking about it.

Even if she worked 24 hours a day, she couldn't finish the work of five people. It was a headache.

"Isn't the project supposed to be completed by a team? How come you're the only one here?"

Layla pouted and didn't explain.

"What? Being bullied?" Samuel looked at her gloomy face, feeling a bit amused. It's rare to see her look so frustrated. Has she only dared to be fierce in front of him?

"I'm quite familiar with your department's manager. Should I...?"

"No, please don't!" Layla hurriedly said, "Because of your JR thing, I've already been mistaken for entering through connections. If you ask the manager for help, won't that just confirm the accusation?"

"As long as they think so, is it important whether you entered through connections?" Samuel leaned against her desk, wearing only a shirt, showing a bit of laziness and casualness after a day of work.

"Although that's true, it's still best not to give them any leverage. Thanks to Mr. Marley's influence, I'm already a target now."

"What's your relationship with him?" Samuel's gaze became serious, and even someone with strong mental resilience would be unable to lie under such sharp black eyes.

Fortunately, Layla was innocent and open-minded, saying, "It's okay. He is my idol, and I am just his fan, nothing more."

"I don't believe he would hand over an entire project to you just because you are his fan."

"How do you know about that?"

"You said it last night when you were drunk."

"Did I?" Layla tilted her head and thought, "She had forgotten."

How could she get drunk and blurt out everything? She didn't like this man knowing her so well, as if he had control over every move she made.

Changing the subject, Layla asked, "Why haven't you left yet? Are you also working overtime?"

"Mhm."

Layla raised an eyebrow teasingly, "I didn't expect you, as a high-level executive, to not be so idle. Just when I thought your conscience had awakened and you decided to do legitimate work."

Samuel crossed his arms and calmly replied, "Is that so? Would you not resist me then?"

"What makes you think you're that important?" Layla countered.

"What matters is what you think is important." Samuel answered decisively.

Layla froze. She had just casually asked, thinking he would mock her self-importance. Unexpectedly, he had given an answer that she was not expecting.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Samuel pinched her chin, leaned in close, and his ambitious gaze burned: "After all, I still want to sleep with you."

Not just an ordinary desire, but an extremely strong one. Every cell in his body was clamoring for her. Once wasn't enough, he wanted her many, many times, completely possessing her for three days and three nights.

He was addicted to her. Next time, he would definitely make sure she wouldn't leave the bed for three days and three nights.