Chapter 79
Laylasat by the window, leaning against the plush sofa. She watched the man across from her, who exuded a mature charm, as he removed his suit jacket.
If Stephen hadn’t betrayed her, she might have really liked him in a romantic way. Growing up with only Stephen around, she had trouble seeing any man who didn’t measure up to him.
“Who told you that?” she asked.
This restaurant was one of Layla’s favorite spots. She often came here for lunch with friends and had recommended it numerous times in her friend group. The table was in her favorite quiet corner by the window. The restaurant was quiet at lunchtime.
Stephen had chosen the last two restaurants that perfectly matched her taste. This made Layla wonder how he always managed to pick places she loved. “A business partner,” Stephen replied.
Stephen removed his jacket and casually undid the cufflinks on his shirt. His nonchalant movements made Layla momentarily lose her focus.
He handed the menu to Layla. “You order.”
Layla didn’t look at the menu but handed it to the nearby server instead. “The usual.”
“You must be a regular here,” said Stephen, though he already knew about it.
Layla leaned back against the sofa. “You probably found this place through my spending records.”
Layla had gotten into trouble with Stephen, which led him to take away all her cards and give her one of his own instead.
She never received any text notifications for her expenditures. Instead, Stephen’s phone was always buzzing with alerts.
Layla would spend a thousand dollars bere and ten thousand there without batting an eye or having any sense of the money she was spending.
Stephen said, “That’s actually a good idea. If I ever want to know your interests, I’ll just have someone study your bills.”
“You’re not allowed to do that.”
Stephen’s face wore a gentle smile. “What were you doing this morning? Were you busy?”
“I was in a meeting, Sally was talking about industry pitfalls and new regulations while Benson and I listened to stories. Did you know, Stephen, that in this Industry, some people flirt with clients over WhatsApp to sell houses? They even promise sex if you buy a property. It led to quite a scandal.” Layla and Benson were particularly attentive during these stories. “And it’s not just one–off incidents. Men do it too,”
Stephen, who had seen it all, wasn’t surprised. He poured water for Layla and said, “Try to avoid interacting with people who use such evil means to achieve their goals. One day, someone might try to use you as a stepping stone to get ahead.”
“Ha, then there’s only one possibility. Those who want to step on me to become your mistress.”
Stephen put down the glass of water. “There’s only one type of woman who meets the standard of attractiveness to be my mistress.”
“Who?” Layla had to listen.
Stephen lifted his head and raised an eyebrow. “You.”
Layla rolled her eyes. “That’s quite a high bar.”
During lunch, Stephen casually asked Layla about the vibe of their morning meeting “How was the meeting this morning?”
“I didn’t really pay attention,” Layla said as she reached for a piece of pork chop in front of Stephen and took a bite. “What’s the matter? She had been engrossed In the stories during the meeting.
Stephen passed a prawn to Layla’s. “If you’re ever in charge of personnel changes at the company, don’t make hasty decisions. Normally, the company would appoint an external leader to manage the situation rather than selecting someone from among the existing employees.”
What do you mean?” Layla suddenly found the food less appealing.
Stephen explained, “Why did she become the manager and not another colleague, even though you all have sales backgrounds When it came time to vote, people clinse you because they how you had a supporter, so no one contested the position. The reason your colleague, who gets along well with you, was selected for the manager mde is because I made the call *
