Chapter 50

Layla couldn't help but laugh at his comment, teasing him in a relaxed manner, "If you were actually the President, I definitely wouldn't dare to speak in front of you so freely. I wouldn't be this at ease."

"I wouldn't change my feelings for you because of our status." Samuel said, solemnly and attentively, his eyes filled with tenderness and charm.

Layla's heart skipped a beat, turning her face red.

His gaze and his words seemed to tell her that she was important to him.

It must be an illusion. How could someone as cold-hearted as him have someone occupying a place in his heart? It was probably just one of his tactics to flirt with girls.

But it was quite effective; she almost fell for it.

"Have some fried chicken wings." Layla brought the fried chicken close to his mouth, changing the topic.

"I don't like them." he wasn't a fan of fried food.

"True, most rich people wouldn't eat this kind of fast food." Layla casually muttered, but Samuel said seriously, "Everything I have today is the result of my own hard work. On the contrary, not everyone can endure the hardships I've gone through."

His tone was grave.

Layla dared not joke anymore and said seriously, "But it is the hardships we've experienced in the past that shape who we are today, isn't it? We shouldn't be grateful for the pain, but we should be grateful to ourselves for persevering."

Samuel took another sip of wine. The wine tonight tasted particularly mellow and refreshing, seeping into his heart. It seemed like his mood was only relaxed when he was with her.

Layla was in a good mood. The gentle night breeze blew, standing in a high place, her heart filled with ambition yet incredibly peaceful, full of beautiful expectations for the future.

It's hard to imagine being in such a comfortable relationship with him.

Lifting a bottle of mineral water, she said, "Holland..."

"Samuel."

"Isn't that the name of our CEO? Seriously, enough is enough! No matter what you're called, listen carefully, I will overcome this difficulty, as well as many more in the future, and make a name for myself in the world of design. I want everyone to know the designer, Layla Adkins. Cheers!"

Samuel smiled. She emitted that radiance of chasing dreams once again.

The mineral water bottle collided with the tall glass.

Both of them smiled at the corners of their mouths.

"My drawing!" Layla woke up from a nightmare of never finishing her drawing, jolting up to find herself lying in a big bed with Samuel, having slept in his arms the whole night.

Where are we?

Such a luxurious room.

"Wake up, wake up!" Layla hurriedly shook the man beside her, asking anxiously, "Where are we?" Weren't they eating chicken on the terrace last night?

Samuel, still drowsy, sat up and rubbed his tense shoulders, answering, "In the CEO's office."

"The CEO's office?" Layla exclaimed, "Are you crazy? It's one thing to eat the CEO's fried chicken on the CEO's terrace, but now you've brought me to his office for the night? Let's get up quickly before everyone starts working."

Layla rushed off the bed, grabbed her shoes, and put them on.

Samuel, however, was quite lazy.

"Get up quickly, we can't stay here for long," Layla urged, her voice filled with unease.

Samuel finally stood up, wearing a gentle smile, "Relax, no one will disturb us. We have some time before the workday begins. We can enjoy the peace for a little longer."

"Come on!" Layla was so anxious that she could almost step on Samuel's heels.

Samuel threw her a bag of clothes and pointed to the bathroom. "Go take a shower first."

"Hurry up and wake up!" Layla grabbed a pillow and tapped him on the head. "I'm leaving first."

She rushed out as if her tail were on fire.

Samuel chuckled. So what if he had spent the night with his woman in his own office?

There was still a faint fragrance lingering in the air from her. Samuel pinched a strand of her hair from the pillow and brought it to his nose, savoring the scent.

"What are you still dawdling for?" Layla came back again, her eyes filled with urgency as if she were urging him to escape. She grabbed the bag of clothes and ran off once more.

This time, Samuel couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

Layla returned to the design department at seven o'clock, changed into a different outfit, and spent an hour sketching before starting work.

By eight-thirty, her colleagues started to arrive one by one.

Grace and Julia came in together. "That king crab last night was good, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, very fresh. It was air-freighted from Japan. Want to go again tonight?"

"Sure. There's nothing urgent today. How about having afternoon tea at the café downstairs at three?"

The two chatted and laughed, throwing a mocking glance at Layla in passing.

Layla stepped forward and placed the project proposal on Grace's desk. "Please take a look at it. Give me the initial draft before the end of today."

"Huh? Am I hearing this right? Are you assigning me a task?" Grace replied with a teasing look.

An assistant giving assignments to a designer; is she even qualified?

Grace crossed her arms, wearing high heels that made her taller than Layla. With an air of arrogance, she said, "If what I said yesterday wasn't clear enough, let me make it clear now. You're doing this project alone. I won't waste a second on it. Do you understand?"

Just as she was about to go downstairs to buy breakfast, Layla blocked her way. "Projects at this company are completed by the team, not individuals."

"That's because others aren't as keen on showing off as you!" Julia sneered. "What's the matter? Can't deliver what you promised? That's your problem, you solve it yourself. We have other projects and no time for this."

Layla spoke seriously, "The company allocates sufficient time for each project. You guys don't have much on your plates anyway. Even if you do, you can ditch afternoon tea to make time. Since Mr. Marley is paying attention to this project, he will continue to monitor it. If anything goes wrong, can you take responsibility?"

"I..." Grace started to say.

"I'll take responsibility for them." Molly walked in.

"Molly." Layla smiled and asked in return, "So, you're going to take responsibility for me?"

Only then did Molly remember what she had said yesterday, that if the project failed, Layla would take the blame. She had walked right into Layla's trap.

Her face turned pale. "Don't use Mr. Marley to intimidate us. I'm not afraid."

"I didn't mean to pressure anyone, I just want us all to be on the same page. If I fail, it won't bode well for our entire team. I am just a small intern, with a low salary, and if I don't perform well, I can easily switch to another company without much loss. But it's different for you all, you earn high salaries and have more experience. Your losses would be greater. Are you sure you want to risk your futures for me?" Layla responded, her gaze as sharp as a torch.

This question left Molly and the other four in a bind, striking a chord with their vulnerable spots. They turned pale, unable to retort.

Indeed, it wasn't worth it.

They all held on to the idea of working at the Holland Group for their entire careers, with plenty of room for promotion. If they were dismissed, all their previous efforts would be in vain.

Layla handed the task book to Julia. Julia glanced at Molly and reluctantly took it.

"I know you don't like me, but there are no permanent enemies, only eternal interests. This project is highly profitable, and no one would turn down money, right? For the next month, please work together with me and give it your all. Let's do our best!" Layla smiled with humility and friendliness.

Behind her, Alice gave her a secret thumbs up.

Nathan, who had somehow appeared at the door, gave her an approving smile.

Looking at the delicate and gentle girl, Layla was even smarter and more assertive than he had imagined. He hadn't misjudged her. He had confidence in her and looked forward to her achievements. She was young, and her future was promising.

Layla smiled back, feeling more confident.