**Flashback Started**
"Does the Boss like that girl?" Roger asked, glancing at Lucius, whose eyes were glued to Layla. She was on the dance floor, moving clumsily, yet sohow, she still stood out—captivating and effortlessly charming.
"She looks young," Roger noted.
"She’s above 18... about to turn 19 soon," Lucius replied, his voice calm but distracted.
"Even so, Boss, that’s..." Roger trailed off when Lucius shot him a sharp look.
"Two months ago, she said sothing to ," Lucius began, his tone thoughtful. "And it’s stuck with —made think a lot," he added, his gaze never leaving Layla.
"I’ve noticed. Since then, you’ve been buying different kinds of flowers from the shop, where she works part-ti," Roger pointed out. "But they just end up in the bin every second day. Sa with the cakes you get from the bakery where she works part-ti. It’s like all that the money and items, both go to waste."
"And still... she hasn’t noticed . Am I really that unattractive?" Lucius muttered, his fingers lightly tracing the rim of the glass in front of him. "I don’t want flattery. Just tell the truth."
"Boss, with your looks, it’s impossible to ignore you. Hell, even now, there are won in the bar eyeing you, wishing they could share a drink," Roger said with a shrug.
"But not her," Lucius murmured, frustration and disbelief flickering across his face. "She doesn’t even spare a glance."
**Flashback Ended**
In the present mont, Layla snapped her fingers in front of Lucius, pulling him out of his deep thoughts. "Were you even listening to ?" she asked, still swaying her body to the rhythm of the music.
Lucius blinked, his focus shifting back to her. "I’m sorry, I was lost in thought," he admitted, a hint of apology in his voice. His gaze softened as he added, "You still dance the sa way."
"What?" Layla tilted her head, confused by his words.
"Nothing," Lucius quickly shook his head, brushing it off. Without another word, he placed his hands on her waist as the music shifted into a slower, more romantic tune. The lights in the bar dimd, casting a softer, more intimate glow over the room.
Lucius pulled her closer, his nose gently brushing against hers. "Maybe we should get to know each other more," he suggested, his voice low and warm. The closeness between them sent a flush of heat to Layla’s cheeks, and for a mont, she hesitated before nodding.
"Why not?" she agreed, her voice just above a whisper.
Lucius’ first question was direct, but it hit a nerve. "Why did you fall in love with Roderick?" he asked, watching as discomfort flickered across her face. "If you don’t want to answer—"
"I can," Layla interrupted, eting his gaze. She took a deep breath, as if gathering the strength to revisit painful mories. "I t him at a college event. He was two years ahead of and helped out when I was struggling. I never had anyone pamper at ho, and no one really celebrated my small achievents. I was young... I craved love and attention. Roderick made feel like soone cared, like he loved ."
Her words were filled with a sense of sadness, recalling a ti when she had foolishly believed in a love that wasn’t real. "But that’s all it was—my imagination. He never truly loved ."
Layla’s voice grew quieter as she continued, her eyes distant. "Orabela slept with him... multiple tis. I guess that’s how n are sotis, chasing after their own desires without thinking about what their partner really wants. I wasn’t ready for a physical relationship before marriage, and I made that clear to Roderick. But sohow, I still ended up brokenhearted, wondering what went wrong."
As she explained her past, Lucius listened in silence, though inside, his anger was simring. Hearing her speak about Roderick, the man she once loved, only deepened the frustration that had been brewing inside him for months.
How could she have been so blind to him, to the lengths he had gone to be near her, while she wasted her love on soone who had never truly cared?
Lucius clenched his jaw, struggling to contain the jealousy that stirred within him.
"But my experience with Roderick taught a lot," Layla said softly in a reflective tone. "Don’t think for a second that I feel the sa about you as I did for him." She looked up at Lucius, her eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and clarity. "Roderick was always afraid to show to his friends and family. That’s why no one in the De Salvo family even knows I dated him."
She paused, letting her words settle between them before continuing. "But you... you changed everything in such a short ti. You gave more than just your na. You gave things I could have only dread of—respect, protection, and acceptance. My identity as the illegitimate daughter, sothing I always thought would hold back, never fazed you. And you stood by when no one else would."
Layla’s eyes softened as she recalled her past. "Even Roderick wasn’t there for when I faced injustice. It wasn’t like I wanted him to defend every ti, but no one believed . I felt alone." She shook her head slightly as if brushing off old wounds. "But you, Lucius... you chose . And I’m so grateful for that."
A sweet smile began to tug at her lips, her tone lighter now. "And to think, you had a crush on all this ti," she teased gently, her words carrying a warmth that made Lucius’s heart stir.
"Well, I chased for months. You never noticed ," Lucius revealed to her.
"What? When?" Layla was completely taken aback by that revelation.
"A long ti ago. Then, I got busy in my work. So, I had to stop," Lucius said.
"How did you chase ?"
"I bought flowers and cakes from the places where you used to work part-ti," Lucius replied.
"What?" Layla tried recalling, but she had no such mory. "Because I was always in stress because of my family, I hardly used to look at the others. Every day there was a new drama in the family and my mind would usually occupied with those thoughts," she murmured. "I’m sorry. You could have spoken once to ."
"I had never approached won before. Second, you were in college that ti. I believed you should complete your studies before I make you mine," Lucius affird. The possessiveness in his tone was clear, which made Layla’s heart skip a beat.
Her eyes lingered between his lips and orbs. She curled her fingers and pressed a kiss on his lips. She smiled at him and stepped away from him before going to the bar counter to have one drink as she promised.
Because a small communication barrier, she ended up ordering a strong one and drank it. Lucius followed her, and ordered one for himself.
The drink was quick to show its effect and Layla felt a little tipsy. She leaned against the counter, confusing Lucius and said, "You know I am a good stage dancer. Do you want to see dance?"
Lucius was confused to hear her. But before he could stop her, she already left his sight and went straight to the stage.
"Don’t tell she’s drunk!" Lucius muttered and decided to stop
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