Lucius took a slow sip of his morning coffee, the rich aroma filling the air as he skimd through the newspaper. After setting it aside, he reached for his phone to call Layla, intending to pick her up.
Before he could dial, a familiar, lodic voice called out to him.
"Lucius!"
His head lifted instantly. Seeing her, he rose to his feet, carefully placing the cup on the table.
"Why did you co by yourself?" he asked, his gaze shadowed with concern.
Layla smiled, setting her purse and a paper bag on the table. "I used to travel alone before marriage too," she reminded him playfully. She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips, the faint taste of coffee lingering between them before she wrapped her arms around him.
Lucius exhaled softly. "Now, this feels like real comfort. I missed you last night."
" too," she murmured, pulling back slightly to et his eyes. A bright smile followed. "And thank you for this night out. Ruby and I had a wonderful ti."
"I’m glad to hear that," Lucius said, his tone warm. "You should freshen up. Breakfast will be ready soon."
Taking her purse and the bag, he followed her upstairs, watching as she disappeared into the washroom. As soon as the door clicked shut, his phone buzzed in his hand.
It was Carlo and Lucius answered promptly.
"I’m in Italy," Carlo stated, skipping any formalities.
"Understood. I’ll text you the cafe where we’ll et," Lucius replied coolly before ending the call. Then, he dialed another number.
"Boss?" Chase’s voice ca through.
"Carlo is in Ro. I need you to check the cafe first. Make sure he hasn’t set anything up against ."
"Got it. Sa location as before?" Chase confird.
"Yes," Lucius affird before ending the call.
Just as he placed the phone down, it rang again. This ti, his father’s na flashed across the screen.
Lucius answered imdiately. "Good morning, Dad."
"Good morning," Alekis greeted in return. "I hope I’m not disturbing you?"
"Not at all," Lucius assured, settling into the recliner. "What happened, Dad?"
"Can you and Layla join for lunch today?" Alekis asked over the phone.
"Of course! I’ll book a table at a nice restaurant," Lucius replied without hesitation. "I’ll also send soone to pick you up. Is that alright?"
"Sure," Alekis agreed.
Lucius sensed sothing unspoken in his father’s tone. "Is everything alright, Dad?" he asked, his brows knitting slightly.
"Of course!" Alekis replied, his voice carrying a forced lightness. "I just thought we should have a al together," he added, as if that explained everything. "I’ll see you and Layla in the afternoon."
With that, Alekis ended the call, setting his phone down on the round table beside his reclining chair. A sigh escaped him as he reached for the dical reports resting nearby. His fingers tightened slightly around the pages as his eyes traced the diagnosis.
"Father, you should tell Lucius," Fiona spoke up.
"Not right now," Alekis stated, his tone resolute. "And you must keep this to yourself as well."
Fiona hesitated before nodding. "I won’t say anything. But you know it will hurt him even more if he finds out the truth on his own," she said softly in worry.
"He just has started feeling the real happiness. I don’t wish to ruin it for him and Layla by telling about this," Alekis replied with a smile.
"Father, after my marriage with Antoine, you kept as your daughter. You always saw like one. So, consider telling the truth to Lucius after Christmas," Fiona advised before leaving the room while holding the tray in her hands.
~~~~~
Layla had just taken a spoonful of cornflakes when Lucius spoke.
"Dad wants us to join him for lunch. I’ve booked a restaurant for the afternoon," he inford her. "If you have any etings scheduled, consider canceling or postponing them."
"Of course," Layla agreed, setting her spoon down. "He must be missing us. We barely visit him on weekends, Lucius."
Lucius exhaled softly, nodding. "I’ll make an effort to visit him more often," he said.
"That would be better," Layla replied with a small smile.
After finishing breakfast, they left for the office together in the sa car. Upon arriving at the company, Layla stepped out first, walking alongside Lucius toward the entrance.
As they entered, her gaze landed on Nora, who was working diligently at the reception desk.
"Wait for ," Layla said, briefly touching Lucius’s arm before making her way to the front desk.
Clearing her throat to catch Nora’s attention, she watched as the receptionist quickly looked up.
"Good morning, Ma’am!" Nora greeted, recognizing Layla imdiately.
Layla offered a polite nod. "Nice to et you, Nora. I’ve been observing your work for so ti now. You’re diligent. I hope you’re not having a hard ti here?" she asked in a professional tone.
Before Nora could respond, Maya approached, offering Layla a greeting as well. She then glanced at Nora with a jealousy. It surprised her that Layla not only knew her but had taken the ti to speak with her.
"Everything has been fine so far, Ma’am. Thank you for asking," Nora replied politely.
Layla gave a small nod, then glanced at Maya, offering her a brief smile before turning back toward Lucius.
"What was that about?" Lucius asked as they walked together.
"I forgot to ntion it to you, but Nora has been treated unfairly by so of her colleagues," Layla said with concern. She stepped into the elevator with him.
Lucius frowned. "What? Then we should do sothing about it." He studied her expression. "I thought you would have confronted the ones responsible already."
Layla sighed. "That might only make things harder for Nora. You know how it is—a woman is often blad more in workplace conflicts. I figured it would be best to observe a little longer before taking action," she explained.
Lucius pressed the elevator button, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Fair enough. I trust your judgnt. Whatever you decide will be in the Nora’s best interest," he said, giving her a reassuring look.
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