Chapter 59

It seemed like this girl had a deep misunderstanding of him.

Samuel wasn't impatient. Instead, he found it amusing. Leaning on one hand, he lowered his head and looked at her angry yet speechless face, appearing composed and alluring as he calmly said, "Go on."

Layla bit her lip. She would say it, who was afraid of whom.

"You are a fickle person." Layla hmphed. "Haven't you heard of a saying? I thought I swam into your pond, but I didn't expect you to control the entire ocean."

A few seconds later, Samuel laughed. Even though it was a faint smile, it was extremely rare to see it on his face.

This was the second time Layla had seen his smile, and that completely relaxed expression in his eyes.

Even when he had no expression, his forehead was always slightly creased with worries or a strong sense of caution, rarely ever relaxed.

"Darling..."

Layla's heart trembled at this affectionate term of endearment.

His deep and tender voice was like the love between lovers.

She couldn't control her heartbeat.

This had nothing to do with love, but she couldn't deny that her heart was fluttering.

"You are the first woman to spend the night on this bed."

" I don't have so much time to lure women into bed." Samuel explained casually, but it stirred up waves in Layla's heart.

"The first one?"

That was a sentence that would have made women easily fall. Her heart involuntarily believed his words, but reason reminded her that maybe he said the same thing to every woman.

She steadied herself.

"Of course, you don't need to lure anyone when so many women are dying to be in your bed."

"Uh, yes, many would like to try," Samuel added, "but I won't give them that chance."

While she slept soundly next door, refreshed every day, he was restless and took multiple cold showers each night. Samuel felt a bit resentful at times too.

If he wanted, he could easily make her willingly submit, but he didn't do it.

Not because he was a gentleman, on the contrary, he was a genuinely bad person.

He just didn't want to treat her that way.

Even the devil would have someone they wanted to protect. That was the realization he had after she appeared.

She was stubborn, yet also small, naive, and tender. For the first time in his life, he wanted to shelter a woman from the wind and rain, and she could always be that girl who knew nothing of the world, under his wings.

Layla didn't buy into it and said, annoyed, "Do I have to thank you then?"

It seemed too domineering, as if she ought to be "devoured" by him.

"If offering my body as thanks is what you desire, I will gladly accept." Samuel's gaze was intense.

"Not happening. Just because you're the CEO doesn't mean I'll throw myself at you." At most, she would show him more respect in the company and control her words in daily interactions. She wouldn't be as uninhibited as before.

Precisely because she wouldn't, she was particularly special to Samuel.

She was the first woman he had encountered who wasn't afraid of him, and his desire to conquer her grew.

"Mr. Holland, could you please get off me?" Layla tried pushing him away, but he remained unmoved, his muscles harder than stone.

"Did I mention before that your body is alluringly feminine and smells amazing? Holding you is very comfortable." Samuel toyed with her hair. He rarely spoke such cheesy words.

Samuel chuckled. Did he also have sentimental moments?

But when he was with her, he felt relaxed.

The door that had been tightly closed in his heart for many years was slowly opening to her.

A gentle breeze blew in.

Despite Layla's struggles, she couldn't get free from his embrace. Moreover, his breath continued to brush against her ear, making it hot and tingly, and her heart raced in response.

With wide eyes, she spoke in a displeased tone, "Did I mention before that your body is hard, like hugging a piece of stone that's uncomfortable?"

When she widened her eyes like that, she looked like a cute doll.

"Yes, it's hard. Whenever I'm with you, it's always hard."

"Are you, the esteemed President of the Holland Group, always so frivolous in your speech?" Layla said displeased. What she wanted to say was vulgar, but she softened her words.

"It depends on the person." Samuel replied succinctly.

"Mr. Holland, don't think that I'm easily fooled just because I'm young."

Young girls are easily deceived by experienced "older men" and she knew it. Coupled with his wealth and power, ninety-nine percent of women would fall into his trap.

"No one is as difficult as you." he retorted.

He had no interest in someone who was easily deceived.

He swallowed and lowered his head, taking a light bite on her lips, lingering near them as he murmured, "I still have a meeting to attend. We'll talk about the rest at home."

Layla thought to herself that she wouldn't see him once he got home. As she sat up and tried to wipe off the taste from her lips, he grabbed her wrist.

"Leave it, don't think about wiping it off and leaving through that door today."

He liked leaving his scent on her.

Layla was displeased, but she had no choice. Fine, she would wipe it off after leaving through that door.

"Mr. Holland, it's better for us to maintain a distance at the company. I'm just an ordinary employee pursuing my dreams. If your presence attracts attention or criticism towards me, it will undermine all my effort and hard work."

Looking at her retreating figure, Samuel frowned faintly.

When did he ever stop her from pursuing her dreams?

Her words to maintain a distance ruined his originally good mood.

Samuel could sense the barrier she had set up against him.

He lit a cigarette.

Mr. Vandella knocked on the door and entered, "Boss, the meeting will start in ten minutes."

Samuel brushed his fingers against the cigarette in his hand.

"What are young people into these days?"

Suddenly, an unrelated question came up, but Mr. Vandella quickly responded, "Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok."

Samuel had heard of them, but he never liked wasting time on these mobile entertainment platforms.

But he didn't want to have a generation gap with the young girl either, or he would really become an "old man".

When Layla left the office, she remained calm under everyone's gazes, keeping her back straight.

As soon as she entered the elevator, she hurriedly wiped her lips, but she accidentally wiped off all the lipstick, unable to remove his presence, as if it were branded on her lips.

She raised her arm and sniffed, smelling his scent all over her body. Was it just her imagination?

What a domineering man!

Back in her cubicle, as soon as she opened Facebook, she received a friend request.

Holland.

Blank profile picture.

Samuel?

Layla's finger trembled, and she was about to decline, but she restrained herself in the moment she clicked on it.

She didn't want to accept, but his position as the CEO made her hesitate, and she didn't dare refuse.

Deep down, she didn't think Samuel would use such platforms.

A man of such great stature, yet he can entangle himself to death.

"Holland? Is it the president?" Alice leaned her head closer, seemingly out of nowhere.

Layla quickly placed her phone on the table and replied, "No way, he's just a real estate agent."

She wasn't good at lying, so she lowered her head and pretended to fiddle with some documents.

"Oh, I thought Mr. Holland took a liking to you." Alice giggled.

"Then I should be working on the top floor now." Layla smiled awkwardly.

"True, but being noticed by Mr. Holland might not necessarily be a good thing."