Chapter 41
“Layla, you didn’t get into another fight with Mr. Yates, did you?” one of her friends asked.
“If you say you’re the second bravest person in Somersia, Layla, no one would dare say they’re braver,” another person in the group chat commented, tagging Layla
“Can you explain?” someone else in the group asked.
“Mr. Yates is a really formidable guy. Even older people show him deference. But Layla? She’s argued with him, hit him, and insulted him. Even Mr. Murray Senior wouldn’t treat Mr. Yates like that. Only Layla would, and Mr. Yates still has to put up with it.”
Layla was dumbfounded
Austin, who was a big fan of Stephen now, added, “Mr. Yates is a big deal. People avoid arguing with him, and if someone yells at him, they’re in big trouble. Layla has been causing trouble for over 20 years. Mr. Yates turned the Murray Group from a well–known local business into a top company. So, why does he still put up with Layla?”
Skyler jumped into the chat and asked, “Mr. Yates isn’t actually interested in Layla, is he?”
Layla quickly looked toward the bathroom and typed back, “No way.‘
A bunch of question marks popped up right after her message.
I hit him.”
Layla then tried to explain, typing, “It’s because my grandfather helped him out. That’s why he doesn’t fight back when I h
Someone else responded, “Your grandpa helped him, but you didn’t. So, why does he put up with you?”
Layla typed a long response but quickly deleted it. She tried again but felt it was too fake, so she deleted that one too.
“Layla, are you speechless?”
As Stephen came out of the bathroom, his hair was a bit messy.
Layla asked him directly, “Stephen, why don’t you ever punish me when we fight?”
Stephen looked at her calmly and said, “Punishing you just makes you more stubborn. It’s better to let you vent your trustrations. At least that way, things are quieter afterward.”
Layla didn’t know how to respond.
She quickly sent Stephen’s words to her friends in the group chat. One of them replied, “Layla, if you were treated badly in someone else’s home, would you stay? Would you let it happen again?”
Of course, the answer was no
Layla looked at the couch, then turned her gaze away. “I need to wake up early tomorrow. I’m going to bed. You guys can continue without me.”
she turned off her phone, set it aside, and lay down, trying to sleep.
Layla’s eyes were closed, but she couldn’t fall asleep. She stared at the ceiling, wondering why Stephen kept coming back to her when he could easily avoid her. Why did he always speak so highly of the orphanage? And why did Lucy say she had Stephen’s heart?
bt with so
so much? And what was the big deal about
Regina had said that nobody could change Stephen’s mind. So, why did he agree to marry her, someone he fought turning 25?
Layla kept tossing and turning in bed, unable to get comfortable.
In the middle of the night, Stephen asked, “What job do you want to do?”
Layla answered sleepily, “I want to be a boss.”
Steplen smiled a little. Then, he fell silent.
After a whille, Layla finally stopped moving around and fell asleep. Stephen got up from the couch, went to her bed, and looked at her. He didn’t adjust her position but gently covered her with a blanket before leaving the roo
The computer in the study was still on, with work waiting to be finished.
