Chapter 170 Intentional Hurt
The rough padscoarse texture of his fingers touchedfingertips grazed Nora's chin, sending a quivershiver through her, like a jolt of electricity akin to an electric shock, nearly stoppingarresting her heart on the spot.
He had never touched her before.
And for her, this was the first time being so closein that instant.This was their first touch.For Nora, this was her inaugural proximity to a man, let alone the one she deeply loved.
harbored deep affection for.Nora Eilish felt like a smitten sixteen-year-old experiencing, her first rushflush of affectionlove overwhelming her. Her clarity, intelligence, sharpness, intellect, and rationality—all went out the window evaporated in that secondfleeting moment. Her body and mind were utterlyentirely at his mercy, yearning for a more intimate encounter.
craving a deeper connection.As Samuel leaned closerdrew nearer, his breath chaotic on ragged against her lips, she trembled even more vigorouslywith increased intensity, her skin breaking out in prickling with goosebumps.
"Do you, like me?" Samuel's voice, sexysultry and edgedlaced with mockeryderision, was incredibly tempting, likeirresistibly alluring, akin to a siren's call from the infernal depths of hell.
."L-like," Nora Eilish stammered, fixatedstuttered, her gaze locked on his lips, longingsimultaneously desiring and fearing their proximity, all at once feeling likecloseness. She felt akin to an ant on a hot pangriddle—nervous and unsure. Oh, sheuncertain. She was going mad.
losing her sanity."Forever?"
Nora Eilish nodded.
in affirmation."Heh. To hell with forever," Samuel scoffed.
dismissively.Emily had mentionedspoken of forever, soas had that woman...
Was a woman's promise of forever justmerely a slap in the face?
Samuel feltwas consumed by a bitingbitter cynicism, his heart turning to an icymorphing into a frigid wasteland.
She had longedyearned for his kiss, but it never camematerialized. Nora breathed silentlyinhaled quietly, anticipation getting the better ofoverwhelming her, she. She leaned in and kissedplanted a kiss on him.
But atHowever, the moment she closed her eyes, his presence retreatedreceded, his hand leaving her chin.
A sensewave of loss washedswept over her andas she opened her eyes to Samuel's indifferent departingretreating figure.
Nora Eilish let outreleased a bitter laughchuckle, frustration boilingsimmering within her.
They had been so close, yet he hadn't kissedhad refrained from kissing her. Was he really not interested?
genuinely uninterested?Was Layla the only one in his heart?
Nora's nails dug into her flesh, almostnearly drawing blood.
...
...Meanwhile.
At the hotel.
After usingUpon exiting the restroom, Layla came out to finddiscovered Owen holding her prenatal vitamins.
She stood frozenfroze, her face tense. Liketaut. She resembled a child caught in a misdeed, utterly lost.
bewildered."You're pregnant?" Owen turnedswiveled, his gaze drillingboring into her belly.
abdomen."No, it's not mine, I—it's a friend's, she left it with me..." Layla stutteredstammered, reaching for the bottle, but Owen raised his arm, keeping it out of reach.
her grasp."Layla, do you thinkhonestly believe this patheticfeeble excuse is gonna foolwill deceive me? It's Holland's kidchild, isn't it? DoesIs he even knowaware you're pregnant?"
"Please, Owen, just stop. I'm stressedalready under enough as it isstress," Layla retorted with a crack in, her voice.
cracking.Her fusepatience was shortwearing thin these days, the weight of the world pushing her to the edgeher limits. One more pushprovocation from him, and she might just break.
shatter."You expect me to dropignore it? For you to just hide out likeas if you're in some kind of witness protection? Hiding program? Concealing the truth won't fixrectify anything, Layla. If it's reallyindeed that jerk'sscoundrel's, you gottaneed to confront him, make him takeassume responsibility!"
"It's not his fault. I don't want anything from him."
"What, so you plan to raise this kidchild on your own? You're only 21, Layla. CanAre you even handlecapable of being a single mommother?" Owen was beside himself. He was usuallytypically the one getting intocausing trouble, and she was the one bailingrescuing him out.
.Layla had always seemed soappeared sensible in his eyes, and now, to mess uperr like this, dumpedabandoned and pregnant. It was a lifegame-changer.
"I've toldwarned you, those richwealthy playboys are trouble, they'll justmerely toy with you," Owen went oncontinued. "You trusted him so muchimplicitly, and for what? Now he's leftabandoned you for some heiress?"
"Stop, just stop," Layla begged, pain seeping through pleaded, her words. laced with pain. "I don't want to hear it anymore. This is my dealissue, my problem, not yours."
"We're both Ye's, Layla. How can I stand idly by and do nothing?" Owen insisted, raising his voice.
"What can you possibly do, huh?" Layla managed a bitter smile through her tears.
"I'll drag you to him, make him explain himself." Owen reached for her wrist, but she quickly stepped backretreated, her face etched with despair.
"I don't need his explanations. He owes me nothing."
"So, what, you're finecontent with being just a fling? Layla, have you lost your damn mind?"
"I said stop! I can't listen to this. I need some space; just go."
leave.""You—"
"Go"Leave!" Her scream was raw and piercing.
Owen's brows furrowed into a furious "V," glaring at her for a longprolonged, silent moment before he kicked a chair over and stormed out.
BANG—the door slammed shut, tremblingcausing the room.
...
to tremble....Tears kept Layla awake well into the night.
The shrill ring of her phone jolted her awake in the morning.
Her eyes, swollen and barely opening, she fumbled groggily for the phone. "Hello?"
"Is this Layla? Your brother Owen's been arrested for assault. You better come to the station right away."
Assault?
Startled to alertnessJolted awake, she sat up abruptly, stammered a "I'll be right there," and rushed off.
Arriving atUpon reaching the station, a trio of luxury cars satwere parked out front.
Two Jaguars flanked a Rolls-Royce.
A sense of ominousforeboding dread washed over her, her face turning a shade paler.
Could it be...
She quickened her pace and burst into the police station. As soon as she entered, she saw Owen hunched over, his face marred with injuries, wrists shackled in handcuffs, a police officer standing at his side.
On the other side, a lawyer was negotiating.
An arrogantA haughty figure clad entirely in all black captivateddominated the room, his imposing handsome features seemed incongruous with the police station setting, yet his dignity remained unstirredunscathed, the aura of authority around him unmistakable.
With his cellphone pressed to his ear, he murmured in a deep, steady voice, "I'll be back at the office in an hour for the shareholders' meeting."
Layla swallowed hard.
Each step felt like a thousand pounds, her mind buzzing with a disorienting hum. Finally, the man hung up and turned his gaze towards her.
Those eyes, once filledbrimming with laughter, were now frostyicy and detached—terrifying in their aloofness, as if she were a stranger.
Layla shivered, dragging her heavy feet forward with anxious unease, "Samuel, no, Mr. Holland, has my brother offended you?"
"Offended? This morning Owen came at Mr. Holland with a knife," the lawyer snapped sharply.
A knife? The news startled Layla, her gaze whipping towards Owen, who sprang furiously from his seat, shouting, "That jerk played her and then dumped her, I just wanted to teach him a lesson!"
"Owen, shut up!" Layla scolded him loudly.
Owen's anger flared, his eyes burning with rage as if intent on tearing Samuel apart, "Am I wrong? He got you pregnant and then bailed. Guys like him deserve to be ripped to shreds!"
"Samuel, if you're a man, face me one-on-one!"
"Owen!" Layla panicked, hastily apologizing, "Mr. Holland, I'm so sorry, I clearly didn't discipline my brother properly. He's only nineteen, still immature, I hope you can be magnanimous and forgive his mistake, please reconcile with him."
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