"Uncle, you’re here?" Roderick said in surprise as he stepped into the house earlier than usual. His gaze swept across the room, and a familiar presence made him pause. ’Layla’s here too?’ he thought, suppressing a sigh. "I hope you’ve prepared a nice birthday present for this ti," he added, attempting a light-hearted tone.
Lucius, seated with an air of authority, raised an unimpressed brow. "If you’re thinking I’ll hand over the land, then you’re sorely mistaken, nephew," he replied curtly. "You already have more than most could dream of. I’ve given you plenty of gifts in the past, but did they ever matter to you? You toss them into the trash bin without a second glance."
Roderick stiffened, caught off guard by the accuracy of Lucius’s observation. ’How does he know that?’ he wondered. ’Who’s feeding him these small, insignificant details?’
Lucius leaned forward, his piercing gaze locking onto Roderick’s. "And for the last ti, I didn’t kill your father," he said firmly. "If you still believe those ridiculous rumors, then listen carefully: I was in the sa car that day. Your father wasn’t just my brother—he was my family. I would’ve given my life for him, but I could never take his. I need you to understand that."
The room seed to grow heavier with the weight of Lucius’s words. He continued, his tone unwavering. "I’m addressing this now because you had the audacity to approach Layla about it. Don’t overstep your boundaries, Rick. She’s not your pawn to manipulate. To her, you’re nothing more than a selfish ex who toyed with her emotions for far too long. Rember that."
Lucius’s words struck like a hamr, leaving Roderick speechless. He clenched his fists but said nothing.
"And you snatched her from ," Roderick said after a long, tense pause, his voice tinged with bitterness.
"Did I?" Lucius replied, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.
"Of course! I still can’t fathom how my uncle could suddenly take an interest in Layla," Roderick shot back, his anger rising. "Whatever happened between and her was our business. Why did you have to intervene?"
Lucius’s eyes narrowed slightly, his calm deanor unshaken. "You aren’t remorseful for your actions, are you?" he murmured, almost to himself.
"Uncle, stop twisting my words!" Roderick exclaid, frustration dripping from his tone. "Fine, I admit I wronged her. I was swayed by Orabela, her half-sister, but that doesn’t justify what you did. Sending a proposal to Layla? Forcing her to marry you? You stole what might have been my chance to make things right."
Lucius’s expression hardened, and his voice turned cold. "You lost your chance the day you cheated on her, Rick," he said, each word sharp and deliberate. "And if you weren’t Antoine’s son, I wouldn’t even entertain this conversation. You’d be beneath my notice."
Roderick’s jaw tightened as he absorbed the scathing remark. "So that’s it, then? You were stalking Layla, waiting for the perfect mont to snatch her away from ?" he accused, his voice laced with venom.
Lucius smirked faintly, unbothered by the harsh allegation.
"Answer !" Roderick demanded, his voice echoing in the room.
Before Lucius could reply, another voice broke through the tense atmosphere. "I was his crush before I t you," Layla said, her tone firm and clear as she stepped into the room. Both n turned to face her.
Roderick, startled by her sudden appearance, left his seat and took a step toward her.
"Roderick, were you always like this?" Layla asked, her gaze piercing. "Blaming others for your own mistakes? Now I understand why you and Orabela were drawn to each other—you both thrive on pointing fingers and avoiding accountability."
Her words were like a slap, and Roderick flinched slightly.
Layla shifted her gaze to Lucius, who was now standing, his expression unreadable. "Let’s go," she said to him, her voice softening slightly.
"Layla, wait!" Roderick interrupted, desperation creeping into his tone. "You never even let explain my side of the story."
Layla turned back to him with a glare. "I have no intention of listening to your nonsense," she declared. "You better not create any drama. Also, why are you so obsessive of proving now what you did in the past? I’m not interested in knowing anything because the truth is clearly before my eyes. Don’t make hate you more," she pronounced.
Glancing at Lucius, she held his hand and walked out with him.
Lucius couldn’t help but admire Layla’s aggressiveness. She slowed down once they were out of the mansion.
"I’m sorry that—" Layla’s words ca to an abrupt halt as Lucius cupped her head and pulled her into a sudden, fervent kiss. His fingers wove into her silky hair, holding her gently but firmly, as his lips claid hers with an unexpected hunger.
Layla froze montarily, stunned by his bold move, but as the warmth of his kiss deepened, she let her eyes flutter shut and leaned into him, responding with equal tenderness. After a mont, Lucius drew back, his thumb softly tracing the curve of her lips.
"I like it when you speak with such confidence," he murmured with a smirk. "It makes proud."
Layla opened her eyes, her cheeks flushed but her gaze remained steady. "I’ve learned that being too kind can be a disadvantage," she replied with quiet determination.
Unbeknownst to them, Roger stood at a respectful distance, a subtle smile tugging at his lips. Though he had turned his back to give them privacy, he couldn’t resist taking out his phone and typing a quick ssage. "Boss is quite romantic with his wife," he wrote, a teasing grin forming as he hit send.
"What are you doing, Roger?" Lucius’s deep voice cut through the mont like a blade.
Startled, Roger fumbled with his phone, quickly lowering it before turning around, his face a picture of forced innocence. "N-nothing, sir," he stamred, shaking his head.
Lucius’s eyes narrowed slightly, a glint of amusent flickering within them. "Hmm," he humd before opening the door for Layla. As she entered in, he closed the door from her side.
"Roger, find out what’s Sylvia upto these days," Lucius said.
"Why, Boss?" Roger furrowed his brows together.
"I want to find out sothing," Lucius replied, but didn’t go into details.
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