Chapter 207 Two Families
Samuel didn't respond directly, but smiled lightly,Samuel's response was not direct, but rather a light smile. "I'm prepared."
," he said."Prepared for what?"
Layla asked."I’m ready to be scolded. You hate it when I meddledetest my interference in your affairs, don’t you?"
Samuel responded, his tone laced with a hint of amusement.Layla couldn’t help but laugh at his mockfeigned self-defense. "Am I really that unreasonable?"
she asked, her eyes twinkling with mirth."Am I reallytruly that unwise?"
Samuel retorted, a playful glint in his eyes. "It's not that she wasn't smartyou lack intelligence, it's just that she wasyou're stubborn, wanting to rely on herself for everything."
solely on yourself.""People, of course, should rely on themselves. But I've come to realize that having someone to lean on feels pretty darn good too."
rather comforting too," he added, his tone softening.Layla was not yet at the level of being indifferent to everything, so until then, taking Gioanna down a pegnotch was quite satisfying for her. After all, it spared her a lot of hassle downin the line.
future."But aren't you afraid of spoiling me too much?"
Layla asked, her eyebrows raised in query."When I love a woman, I spoil her rotten, so nobody dares to mess with her."
," Samuel declared, his voice firm and resolute."Ha-ha. What if I start bullying you, though?"
Layla teased, a mischievous smile playing on her lips."I'd kind of like it if you did."
Layla knew," Samuel responded, his eyes twinkling with mischief.Layla recognized Samuel's mischievousplayful side in a heartbeat.instantly. With both hands, she playfully slapped his sturdy chest, "You are such a dirty thinker."
"And you're not much better than me now."
," Samuel retorted, a smirk on his face.Layla found herself at a loss for words. Just a month ago, she had been innocent, a young girl unaware of such things. It was frightening how much had changed.
"I have my own selfish reasons too. If we don't get these nuisances out of the way soon, you won't have time to deal with wedding arrangements. Even though we hired one of the biggest event planning companies, there are still many decisions that need your touch."
," Samuel explained, his tone serious."Planning a wedding and working at the same time, I'm so busy," Layla sighed, shaking her head.
"Are you ever? Busier than the CEO of the Holland Group."
"Mmm-hmm,"," Samuel joked, causing Layla chuckled.
to chuckle.Meanwhile, Susan had originally just gone out for a dinner meeting, but with the client insisting on drinking, it dragged on until ten o'clock.
Susan gotUpon returning home, notSusan didn't even havinghave the chance to set down her laptop before she gently pushed the bedroom door open.
Victoria turned around and whispered, "Oliver has fallen asleep."
Susan looked at her sleeping son's cherubic face, her heart softening. Very quietly, she placed her laptop on the desk and took off her coat.
"Did you drink again?" asked Victoria.
asked, her tone laced with concern."Just two glasses of wine, not much," Susan replied softly. "Did Oliver fuss for me?"
"SheHe fussed for a while but then got too tired and fell asleep. I told herim you'd be back by eight, and she was waiting."
," Victoria explained, her voice filled with sympathy.Susan felt a pang of guilt. She wished she could spend more time with her daughterson, but she couldn't finish her work if she did. The savings she had before were used as a down payment for the 750-square-foot apartment, and although her salary was three thousand a month, with the mortgage, raising a child, and paying for a babysitter, money was tight, and life was not easy.
"Thank you for taking care of everything."
," Susan said, her voice filled with gratitude."It's nothing."," Victoria replied, her tone dismissive. She found it not too troubling as she had no children of her own; in fact, she felt a bit sorry for Susan, a single mother with her hands full. Moreover, Susan paid her more than other employers did, even giving her bonuses during the holidays, which made the occasional extra work worth it.
"You go get some rest."
," Susan suggested, her voice filled with concern."Alright. Oh, by the way, hasn't Oliver been complaining about her knee and hand joints hurting lately? Should we take her to the hospital for a check-up?"
Victoria asked, her tone filled with worry."I'll take her in for a checkup early next month. We've got a three-day break, and I promised to take her to the zoo to see the penguins."
," Susan reassured Victoria."Yeah, her gums even bled today."
," Victoria added, her voice filled with concern."Was it a lot? Is it serious?" Susan immediately asked, her tone filled with concern.
worry."It wasn't much, just a little. She probably bumped it. She didn't want me to tell you because she was afraid you'd worry."," Victoria explained, her voice filled with sympathy.
Susan felt even more guilty.was consumed by a wave of guilt. Her daughterson, Oliver, had been so shown an extraordinary level of understanding and maturematurity from such a young age that it painedtugged at her heartheartstrings. She was always busyperpetually swamped with work and had to leave, often leaving herim within the care of a nanny, butyet Oliver never complained once.
The time Oliver broughtuttered a word of complaint.A particular memory of Oliver bringing her warm water to soak her feet had movedreduced Susan to tears. Years of hard workrelentless labor and personal grievances seemed worth it, including the profoundworthwhile in that moment, even the deep-seated pain thatinflicted by a certain man had caused her, which suddenly felt trivialinsignificant in comparison.
In this lifetime, Susan resolved, she wouldn't marrywould neither remarry nor havebear any more children. She had Oliver was her world, and that was enough.
"Mom, Mommy..." Oliver opened herOliver's dark eyes, blurry fluttered open, clouded with sleep, "Mommy, you're back."
"Mommy's"I'm late again, I'm sorry." Susan heldclasped her daughterson's hand.
gently."Mommy, I love you."
"Baby, Mommy loves you too. Go to sleep. Good night." Susan bentleaned down and kissedto plant a tender kiss on her daughterson's forehead tenderly.
Oliver looked at her blissfully and .A blissful smile graced Oliver's face as she slowly closed heris eyes.
...
The ...Later that same night.
In, in the upscale Cloud Creek Villa community.
A, a man clad in a black shirt stood on thea balcony smoking., puffing on a cigarette. His nearly six-foot-three silhouette was striking.
strikingly noticeable."Why are you smoking again?" A woman approached, tookplucked the cigarette from his hand, and snuffedextinguished it out, "Your daughter is looking for you. If she smells the smoke on you, she'll scold you again."
"Hmm." The man camesnapped back to reality, his demeanor still somewhat distracteddistant, as if deeplost in thought, and somewhat distant towardaloof towards his wife.
It was only when his daughter rushed into his arms that his face broke intolit up with a smile, and he kissed her.
"Daddy, why are you smoking again? My teacher says it's bad for your health."
"Daddy's wrong. I won't smoke anymore. It's bedtime. Should Daddy tell you a story?"
"I want to hear the story of Snow White."
"Alright. Whatever Babe wants to hear, Daddy will tell."
"Daddy's the best, Babe loves Daddy the most."
"Babe loves Mommy too."
...
...The nextfollowing afternoon.
, Layla went tovisited the cafe under the companycafé located beneath her office building to buypurchase some fresh-freshly squeezed orange juice.
Just as she turned around.
A, a figure, impeccably dressed in a suit, elegant and refined, stood before her.
"Ashton?"
Beside the floor-to-ceiling window.
The, a waitress delivering coffee couldn't help but sneaksteal glances at the strikingly handsome man in front of her, her heart fluttering. She'd seen plenty of good-looking guys, but none hadpossessed the charmallure of Anthony, not by a long shot.
Layla casually pokedfiddled with the disposable cup, occasionally bitingnibbling on the straw.
It was clearevident that Laylashe was a bitsomewhat uncomfortable.
"Sorry, I was a bit drunk that night and I offended you."
"Not at all," Layla quickly waved her hand dismissively, "It's nothing."
"I wanted to talk to you today because I hope you won't avoid me or feel awkward because of what happened that night. Despite some regrets, I still hope we can continue to be friends," Anthony said, his tone laced with sincere eagerness in his tone.
."I feel the same way," Layla nodded. After all, Anthony had always held a special place in her heart.
"I'm not very familiar with your relationship with Samuel, so I can't comment, but I believe that you like him and that he must have qualities that are worth your affection. As long as he makes you happy."
"I am very happy," Layla said sincerely.
Falling asleep in his arms every night and waking up to his arm as her pillow, Layla had never felt so secure and happy.
She was immersedreveled in their shared sweetness, looking forward toeagerly anticipating their future, eager for and the birth of their children. Never before had her life been so joyfulfilled with joy; the sadness of the past twenty years had vanished.
dissipated.Samuel was her shining sun.
beacon of light.Anthony felt a pangtwinge of sadness. Even though he tried hard to adjust his mindset to wish her happiness, she was still the woman he likedcared for, and he wished her happiness had been because of him. Alas... he was too late.
"While I can't be the first person you think of when something happens, I hope I can be someone you share joy, anger, sorrow, and thoughts with, a most special friend."
"Of course, you always have been."
"Thank you, Layla."
In his heart, Anthony thought: I'm, 'I'm sorry, I still can't give up on you completely. But I will control my emotions.
You go and protect your love, and I will always be behind you, guarding you, ready to appear when you need me.'
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