As Layla approached the car, a man in a mask discreetly snapped photos of her. Pulling his cap down to obscure his face, he quickly ducked behind a nearby vehicle. Once Layla’s car drove off, the man checked his cara, satisfied with the shots. He tapped the Bluetooth device in his ear.
"I’m almost done. I’ll inform you once the job is complete," he muttered, tapping the device again before slipping into his car and driving away.
anwhile, inside Layla’s car, she focused on reviewing a proposal for Lucius’ early morning eting. Before she could absorb the details, Lucius reached over, snatching the file from her hands and shutting it. Layla raised an eyebrow in annoyance.
"Give it back," she demanded firmly.
"No," he replied with a teasing smile. "Leave work at the office."
"But I need to prepare for your eting tomorrow. It’s my first day, and there’s still so much to learn," she argued.
"Ask , and I’ll tell you," he offered.
Layla frowned. "Shouldn’t it be the other way around? I’m your assistant, after all."
Lucius chuckled. "Then let’s switch roles. You be the boss, and I’ll be your assistant."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Absolutely not," she protested, leaning forward to grab the file, but Lucius quickly tucked it behind him, keeping it out of reach. The driver, though aware of the exchange, kept his eyes strictly on the road.
"Why not?" Lucius asked, his hand drifting to rest gently on her thigh.
Layla glanced down at his hand, her voice softening. "Because I can’t picture myself as your boss. Don’t spoil with your pampering."
Lucius’ lips curled into a smile at her words. He withdrew his hand and leaned back, propping his elbow on the armrest, his gaze still lingering on her with quiet amusent.
Layla glanced at her phone, noticing the unread ssages from Ruby and a few others. Orabela and Roderick were no longer bothering her, leaving her with a brief mont of peace.
"Take us to Hotel Luna Di Amore (Moon of Love)," Lucius instructed the driver, his tone firm but relaxed.
"Why there?" she asked, a bit surprised.
"I thought we could have dinner out tonight," Lucius replied smoothly, his gaze still fixed on her, filled with warmth. Layla felt her heart skip a beat as she turned to et his affectionate stare. Her fingers tightened around her phone as a blush crept across her cheeks, a small smile playing on her lips.
When they arrived at the elegant restaurant, they were just settling into their seats when a voice called out from across the room.
"Lucius De Salvo!"
Both Layla and Lucius turned toward the source of the voice.
"Paul Zeister!" Lucius greeted with a friendly smile. The two n shared a firm handshake before Paul’s gaze landed on Layla, his eyebrows arching in curiosity.
"So, this is the lucky woman who beca your wife?" Paul said, looking intrigued.
"Yes," Lucius nodded proudly, "et my wife, Layla." He gestured toward her. "Layla, this is Paul."
Layla offered a polite smile and extended her hand for a handshake. Paul took it, but before he could press a kiss to the back of her hand, Lucius gently but firmly stepped in, halting the gesture.
"That’s not allowed, Paul," Lucius said with a hint of sternness, causing Paul to withdraw, taking a step back with a sheepish grin.
"Of course, of course," Paul chuckled, sensing the clear boundaries Lucius had set.
"Dude, I thought you’d stay single forever. It’s great to see you’ve finally settled down with a wife," Paul remarked with a teasing grin. "What happened to Sylvia? Did she finally stop bothering you?"
Layla’s eyebrows furrowed as she turned to Lucius, curiosity and slight confusion evident in her eyes. "Who’s Sylvia?" she asked softly, her gaze searching his face.
Paul, catching her question, raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Mrs. De Salvo doesn’t know?" He shot a questioning glance at Lucius, clearly unsure of how much Layla had been told.
Before Paul could say more, Lucius’s expression darkened, his voice dropping to a cold, commanding tone. "Paul, will you excuse us?" The weight of his words was enough to make Paul imdiately step back, apologizing for the interruption before hastily retreating.
Once they were alone, and after the brief tension had settled, Layla turned to Lucius again. "Who is Sylvia?" she repeated. "I thought you didn’t have any close female friends."
Lucius let out a quiet sigh, his fingers brushing over the table as if he was gathering his thoughts. "Sylvia is the sister of my late friend," he began. "She’s liked for a long ti, but I never felt the sa way."
Layla’s expression softened as she listened intently, though her curiosity was still piqued.
"She’s been living in the U.S. for the past four years," Lucius continued. "But she visits Italy twice a year to pay respects at her brother’s grave. That’s the only ti we cross paths now."
Lucius’s voice remained calm, though there was an unmistakable seriousness in his tone. He looked directly at Layla, as if reassuring her that Sylvia was firmly in the past. "She’s never been important to in that way, Layla," he added, leaning closer. "My focus is on you."
Layla humd softly, her gaze lingering on Lucius. Despite his composed expression, she could sense a flicker of unease in his eyes—a subtle regret, though she couldn’t quite pinpoint its cause.
"Lucius," she began gently, "one day, tell what happened four years ago." Her voice was soft, almost coaxing. "Maybe it’ll help you feel a little better."
He gave a noncommittal hum in response, but the subject hung in the air between them, heavy with untold truths. Before the conversation could go further, the waiter arrived to take their orders, offering a brief pause from the weight of their words.
Lucius shifted the topic as their nus were collected. "Your birthday is coming up," he said, his tone warr. "You’ll be 23 soon. What would you like for your birthday?"
Layla hesitated, her fingers playing with the edge of the tablecloth as mories surfaced. Birthdays had never been a significant event for her. Her lips twitched with a faint, almost bitter smile as she recalled that her birthday always coincided with Orabela’s, leaving her own celebration overshadowed and forgotten.
"I... I’m not sure," Layla replied, her voice trailing off. "It’s never really been a special day for ."
Lucius tilted his head slightly, catching the fleeting sadness in her voice. He reached across the table, placing his hand gently over hers. "That changes this year," he said firmly, his thumb brushing over her knuckles in a reassuring gesture. "This year, it will be about you, Layla Rosenzweig De Salvo."
Layla glanced up, her heart warming at his words, though she couldn’t help but wonder if, for once, things might be different.
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