Chapter 62
"Let go!" Layla cried out, trying to pull her hand away., but Vincent's grip was ironclad, nearly crushing her wrist.
Unable to hold back her pain, she yelled, "Let me go, Vincent, you're hurting me!"
"Hurting you?" Vincent roared furiously. "Do you have any idea how much you're breaking my heart? I've been drinking every night to forget you."
He had sought the company of other women, but no matter how attractive, none could spark his interest. Was it true that men are especially haunted by women who cheat on them? Especially when the woman had cheated with his own uncle.
When had Vincent ever suffered such humiliation? He wanted to tear her apart.
"It's all your fault!"
"Bitch!"
Layla couldn't push him away and desperately looked around for help, "Please, someone help me..."
A man with a gold chain seemed disapproving, "Bro, it's not cool to bully a girl like that."
"Ha, you think she's some saint? She dumped me for my uncle!" Vincent spat out, cursing loudly. "She's the most shameless woman in the world!"
Layla didn't want to make a scene in public but was infuriated by his harassment. She couldn't help but retaliate, "Vincent, stop twisting the truth. You're the one who visits prostitutes!"
"So what? You wouldn't sleep with me, but you did with my uncle! What, you want to be my aunt? You think you can marry into the Holland Group? Dream on!"
"I don't want to argue, let go!" Layla struggled fiercely, pushing and shoving, but Vincent was relentless and even tried to force a kiss on her.
"Don't touch me-" Layla screamed, struggling so violently that she blacked out and fainted.
...
She wandered in a fog for what felt like an eternity until a small cradle appeared before her.
Pulling back the curtain, she saw a baby that looked remarkably like Samuel.
"Ah!" Layla woke from the nightmare, drenched in cold sweat.
A figure sat upright beside her, causing a second wave of shock.
"Vincent, what... what are you doing here? Get out-" Layla pointed to the door and yelled furiously.
But Vincent just stared at her darkly, silent and more terrifying than if he were angry, as if he could pounce and strangle her at any moment, making Layla clutch the sheets in fear.
"Don't think for a second that I'll be scared by your stare. Leave now, or I'll call the nurse!"
It took a while, but Vincent finally ground out a resentful voice, "Layla, you're more capable than I thought, pregnant with my uncle's child. But if you think this will get you into the Holland family, you're too naive."
Layla's face turned pale, a buzzing in her ears.
A child?
She widened her eyes, clutching Vincent's sleeve anxiously, "You... you mean, I'm carrying Samuel's child?"
Her worst fears had materialized. The shock was as if the sky had fallen.
What was she to do?
Her mind was a mess, unable to think straight.
"You don't know the nasty things you've done?" Vincent truly despised her now. He had thought she was the purest girl in the world, but without some tricks, could she have stolen Samuel's seed? She was not only cunning but also ambitious.
But such ambition was laughable to Vincent. She had no idea how ruthless the Holland family's struggles were. Her little schemes were nothing.
Layla sat there, ashen-faced, her hands falling limply.
"Layla, if you think this child will get you into the Holland family, you're signing your own death warrant. The Holland family has arranged a fiancée for my uncle, and the old man will kill the bastard in your womb."
"Don't even hope for Samuel. He's ruthless, aiming for the Holland family's wealth, and he will marry Nora Eilish. His trip to France was to discuss the marriage."
Vincent pinched her pale face, his gaze deep and dangerous, "Do you know what kind of man Samuel is? He's just a bastard of the Holland family wandering outside. My great uncle, bless his soul, wanted to bring him back to the Holland family, but he killed him instead."
"They had a car accident together, but he survived, my great uncle died. On the road, they switched seats, otherwise, the dead man would have been him. My second uncle was also framed by him, nearly went to jail. He wants not only the entire Holland family's wealth but also revenge."
"Such a ruthless man, can you expect him to be kind to you and the bastard in your womb? What you're carrying is a little devil!"
Layla angrily slapped his hand away, "I won't let you insult my child."
"Ha, so you really plan to have it. Delusional!" Vincent sneered, "If it weren't for me covering for you, the Holland family would have killed you by now. While I still have a shred of pity for you, take care of it yourself, otherwise, when the Hollands come after you, both you and the baby are in danger.!"
Vincent stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Layla walked out of the hospital, her mind in disarray, unsure of what to do with the child.
Was Samuel really the man Vincent described?
"Miss Adkins, are you alright?" Mr. Vandella hurried over, "You look very pale, are you feeling unwell?"
The president had instructed him to keep a close eye on Miss Adkins, but he had been tied up with important work today, a serious dereliction of duty.
"I... I'm fine," Layla chattered her teeth, feeling cold despite the warm weather.
"Did you visit the hospital? Are you unwell? Do you need me to call a doctor to the house?"
"No need. I... I've just been overworking lately. I need to eat something..." Layla spoke numbly, as if her soul had left her.
Mr. Vandella, sensing it wasn't that simple, was about to contact the hospital.
Layla suddenly looked up, catching his eye in the rearview mirror.
"Mr. Vandella, please don't tell him about my hospital visit." She hadn't decided how to handle the child yet.
"But the boss asked me to keep a close watch on you, to report everything to him," Mr. Vandella confessed honestly.
"Is he spying on me?" Layla frowned.
"The boss is just concerned about you."
Concern or surveillance? Such a domineering man, treating her like an object to control.
She couldn't live with such a man.
Whether he had a slight liking for her or it was just novelty and desire, she wasn't sure. But she knew Samuel's interest in her was intense, and it would last for a while, and that was enough time for him to ruin her life.
To him, she was just an interesting prey, to be discarded for the next one. But what about her? Her life had just begun; was it to be destroyed by him?
If he were an ordinary man, she wouldn't be so conflicted. But he was Samuel, the heir to the Holland family! A man with intricate schemes, even, as Vincent said, a man with wild ambitions...
a paralyzing fear gripped Layla's heart, the more she thought about it, the more suffocating it became. She must not let him know about the child.
"Please don't tell him, Mr. Vandella, please..." Layla begged with teary eyes.
Mr. Vandella, always clear-cut in his duties, found it hard to refuse her pleading gaze... his heart softened, "I won't say anything for now. You tell him when the boss comes back."
"Thank you," Layla sighed with relief, leaning tiredly against the car window, staring blankly outside.
The phone screen lit up, flashing "Samuel"-a name he had saved last time.
She felt like she was holding a hot potato.