Chapter 32: Come closer

Chapter 32: Come closer Roderick shifted uneasily, scratching the back of his head as he faced the room. His hesitation was clear. "You disappear every time I come looking for you," Lucius remarked, adjusting his posture as he eyed his nephew suspiciously. "That’s not true, Uncle," Roderick replied quickly. "I was meeting an old friend. It’s been a while since we last saw each other." However, Lucius didn’t believe his lie. Under the table, he discreetly held Layla’s hand, running his fingers gently across her skin. She tried to pull away, but Lucius didn’t release his grip. "Roderick," Evelina interjected, her tone sharp, "why did you pull Layla into the room that day? What exactly is your relationship with her?" Before Roderick could respond, Fiona jumped in with a casual smile. "Oh, they know each other through Orabela. My son is dating her," she explained, clearly proud of the connection. ’He told his relationship with Orabela to his mother. But when I used to ask him when he would be open about their relationship, he would always give excuses,’ Layla thought. Lucius chuckled softly, though his amusement carried a subtle edge. "Ah, Orabela... quite the peculiar choice. You two do seem to complement each other. Just be careful you don’t cause any trouble for Layla." His tone held a thinly veiled threat, the warning was was not to harmed Layla. "We’re not here to discuss relationships," Alekis finally broke his silence, his voice stern as his gaze landed on Roderick. "You owe Layla an apology." Layla immediately shook her head. "That won’t be necessary, Father," she said. Roderick’s jaw tightened at her words, his frustration barely contained. "But it is necessary," Alekis insisted, his eyes narrowing. "Roderick needs to understand that his behavior was unacceptable. It’s not just about Layla—no woman deserves to be treated that way. Such conduct is intolerable to me." "Forgive me, Layla. I won’t ever do it again," Roderick said, his voice quiet and remorseful. Layla remained composed, but inside, she wasn’t ready to forgive so easily. Yet, with the family elder present, she knew better than to drag the situation any further. Pretending to accept the apology, she replied, "I hope you don’t repeat this." Her eyes locked with Roderick’s, her message clear. "Thank you," Roderick muttered, relieved yet uncomfortable under her gaze. Layla quickly turned to Lucius, seeking an escape. "I’m tired, Lucius. Can we leave early?" she asked, her eyes silently pleading for his understanding. "If that’s what you want, we can go," Lucius responded, his voice softening only for her. Alekis intervened gently, "Let the guests leave first. After that, you both can head home. Leaving before them would be impolite." Layla nodded, realizing her mistake. "Father is right. I apologize—I didn’t think of that." She forced a smile, grateful the ordeal would soon be over, though her mind was already far from the reception now. Finally, the reception was over and everyone left for their respective homes. Earlier, Lucius noticed how Layla massaged her feet. So, as soon as they exited the car, Lucius carried her up in a bridal style, thus startling her. But she didn’t ask him to put her down and rested her head on his shoulder while tightly holding him. Upon reaching the room, Lucius settled her on the bed and got on his knees. Lifting her gown, he looked at her feet. "They are fine," she said. "Stay quiet and don’t leave the bed," Lucius stood up and disappeared into the washroom. She wondered why he went there when Lucius finally emerged with a tub filled with lukewarm water. As he placed it before her feet, he asked her to lift her dress. "Lucius, I’ll do it. You don’t need to trouble yourself," Layla said. "It’s not a trouble." Lucius carefully put her feet into the water. "Just let them soaked for five minutes," he said and lifted his left hand to check the time. Layla’s heart began racing to feel that care and affection from Lucius. "When did I scold you?" she finally asked the question which had been bothering her since the time he said it in the reception. "You have a weak memory, Layla," Lucius said. "Have we met before?" she finally questioned while knitting her brows together. "I never scolded you. I remember well," she then added. "What kind of lie was that when your mother ask how we fall in love with each other? You could have told her some other logical lie," Layla affirmed. "But it wasn’t a lie," Lucius declared, his voice calm but firm as he wiped Layla’s feet gently with the towel. Once finished, he placed her soft feet on the rug and picked up the small water tub, heading toward the washroom without another word. Layla sat there, puzzled, her thoughts racing. "He knew me before the marriage... but how?" she muttered to herself. She quickly stood and made her way to the closet, changing into her comfortable night attire—a loose t-shirt and matching shorts. By the time she returned, Lucius was already in the bedroom. He had changed into his trousers but was shirtless, his toned upper body with tattoo on left side on full display. He was talking to Roger on the phone, leaving Layla no opportunity to ask him about what he’d said earlier. Resigned, she headed to the washroom, brushed her teeth, and prepared for bed. When she came back, Lucius had finished his call. Sensing her chance, Layla walked over to his side of the bed, curiosity evident in her voice. "When did I ever scold you?" she asked, sitting down in front of him. "What are you hiding from me? You married me because you were interested in me, didn’t you?" Lucius smirked, tempted to tell her the truth right away but deciding instead to tease her a little. "Come closer," he instructed. Layla, eager to finally get some answers, did as he said, inching closer to him, her anticipation growing. "I want no distance between us," he murmured, his voice low and intimate. She moved closer still, until he gently guided her onto his lap. Her knees pressed into the mattress, and her nose brushed against his. Layla was both confused and flustered. "Like this?" she asked, her breath catching. "Yes," Lucius replied, his hands settling firmly on her lower back as he felt the rapid beating of her heart. Hesitantly, she placed her hands on his bare shoulders, her gaze never leaving his. His one hand traced circles on her bare thigh as he watched her reaction. With a mischievous smile, Lucius finally spoke. "I snatched a flower from a boy once, and you scolded me for it. That’s when I fell for you." Layla blinked in surprise, her mind racing as she tried to recall the memory. ~~~~~ I’m a little sick. My head aching and eyes are in pain because of the cold. I may not be able to update tomorrow, so please be patient.