Chapter 42: Can’t live without

Chapter 42: Can’t live without Lucius let out a laugh at Layla’s seemingly naive response. "I thought you enjoyed the meals I cook for you," Layla remarked, her words making Lucius stop laughing. "Tell me, what do you need? If it’s within my ability, I promise I’ll give it to you," she added, her tone more assertive. Lucius grinned. "Oh, it will definitely be within your ability, Layla." "Then what is it?" she asked, her fingers absentmindedly curling around the back of his neck. "I’ll tell you once we’re back in Italy," he responded with a teasing smile. "Alright then," Layla sighed, stepping back slightly. "Now, can you let me go? I still need to take a bath. I must look a mess after last night. Sorry for bothering you again after drinking." Her eyes lowered in mild embarrassment. Lucius tilted his head, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, you definitely did more than just bother me last night. You seduced me. Again. What if I had been a bad guy and taken advantage of you?" He arched an eyebrow. "Tell me, were you like this with Roderick too? I think I’m getting a bit jealous." Layla’s face flushed. "No, never. I used to drink with a friend, but with you... things always seem to go differently," she murmured, nervously biting her lip. "Maybe because you want me," Lucius said softly, his fingers brushing gently against her cheek. "But from now on, no more drinking." He flicked the tip of her nose playfully before standing up. "Go on, take your bath. Afterward, we’ll have breakfast together before heading out." "Where are we going?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. "You’ll find out soon," Lucius replied, his smile lingering as he watched her. Layla quickly grabbed a dress from the cupboard and dashed toward the bathroom, excited for what to come ahead. Lucius retrieved his phone from his pocket, his fingers swiftly dialing a familiar number. "Is everything set for tonight?" he asked, his voice calm but tinged with excitement. A brief pause followed before he nodded, satisfied. "Perfect. Thank you." Ending the call, he slid the phone back into his pocket, a smile lingering on his lips. His mind was already racing ahead, picturing the evening unfolding exactly as planned. ~~~~~ In her room, Orabela nervously bit her nails, her eyes glued to her phone screen, anxiously waiting for Roderick’s call. She had messaged him countless times since yesterday and even tried calling him, but he hadn’t bothered to respond. The sleepless night was spent crying, her mind consumed by the growing fear of his silence. "Why is this happening to me?" she muttered under her breath, her voice fragile with frustration. Just then, a knock interrupted her thoughts. It was one of the maids, checking to see if Orabela had woken up. Initially, Orabela ignored her, the weight of her emotions too heavy to deal with the intrusion. But when the knocking persisted, she snapped, her voice rising in anger. "Don’t disturb me!" The maid hesitated for a moment before quickly retreating downstairs to inform Miriam. "She’s still in her room," the maid reported. "Let her rest, then," Miriam said, her tone dismissive. She glanced at her husband, who was preparing to leave. "I’ll be gone on a business trip for two days," he reminded her. Seraphina was absent from the breakfast table. "I expect everything to run smoothly while I’m away. Darling, make sure Orabela doesn’t cause any trouble this time. We can’t always rely on Lucius to bail us out." His words carried a warning, and Miriam nodded in silent agreement. "Where is Sera?" Darius asked, his brow furrowed with concern. "She left early this morning," Miriam replied, her tone flat. "Where to?" he pressed. "She didn’t say," Miriam answered, irritation lacing her voice. Darius sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I just hope she doesn’t do something that will cost me my reputation. There’s already been too much damage." Miriam glanced at him, her gaze hard. "Honey, why don’t you send Seraphina away? You’ve kept her with us all these years, but it’s time she leaves. You saw what happened after Seraphina reprimanded her own daughter, and we all had to suffer for it. That night, Lucius could have done anything to us." Her voice sharpened with old bitterness. "I’ve endured her presence for so long, but now, it’s enough. Give her a new place to live, Darius. It’s time." Miriam’s words carried a deeper edge, a challenge to see if Darius would finally choose her over Seraphina. Darius studied her for a moment before nodding. "Fine. I’ll send her away after I return from this trip," he agreed with a tone of resignation. Even he didn’t want any kind of troubles falling upon his family. "Also, Orabela should stay out of Layla’s life. Lucius was quite mad that night. If not for his father, anything could have happened. Orabela never acted in such a way before. I hope you talk to her regarding this," Darius stated . "Dad, Mom!" Orabela’s voice cut through the air, startling both Darius and Miriam. They turned in unison, shock etched on their faces. "What happened to you?" Miriam gasped, her eyes wide as she abandoned her meal. Darius quickly stood, concern overtaking his features. "Roderick broke up with me," Orabela confessed, her voice shaky. "He refuses to marry me. I’m pregnant with his child." "What?" Darius’ voice boomed like thunder, his shock quickly turning to rage. But before he could lash out further, Miriam stepped in, placing a calming hand on his arm. "Please, calm down," Miriam urged, though her own voice trembled. Tears streamed down Orabela’s face, and her words were a mix of desperation and plea. "I-I don’t know what to do. Should I die? Please... save me. I can’t live without Roderick." Her tears flowed freely, though it was hard to tell if they were genuine or manipulative. Miriam wrapped her arms around her daughter, pulling her into a tight embrace. She stroked Orabela’s hair gently, whispering, "Calm down, darling. We’ll figure this out." Looking up at Darius, Miriam’s own eyes filled with tears. "We need to talk to Roderick’s mother. He can’t just leave her like this." Darius, however, was beyond reason, his voice laced with fury. "Why did you do this before marriage? Do you have any idea what people will say?" His anger burst, and before anyone could respond, he stormed out, leaving the room tense and suffocating.