Real Heiress: Flash Marriage With Boyfriend's Uncle - Chapter 332

Chapter 332: Surrendered to his touch
Layla dabbed the napkin across her mouth, glancing at her parents as they sat across from her. They had invited both her and Lucius out for lunch, but Lucius, tied up with an important meeting, hadn’t been able to join them.

As she took a sip of water, her mother, Miriam, finally spoke, her voice laced with concern. “How have you been lately? We heard things… and it seems like a lot has been happening with you and Lucius.” Her worried eyes met Layla’s.

Layla set her glass down, her expression calm yet firm. “Seraphina aided a mafia leader from Russia,” she stated. “She’s dead.”

“What?” Both Miriam and Darius exclaimed in shock in unison.

Miriam leaned forward, her brows furrowed together. “Why didn’t you tell us this sooner?”

“It was a stressful situation,” Layla admitted. “My main priority was bringing Lucius back safely.” She then explained how Seraphina had assisted Tsar in kidnapping Aiden, detailing the events that had unfolded.

Miriam turned to her husband. “You need to inform Orabela about this.”

Darius nodded, a deep frown settling on his face. “Yeah, I will. I just wonder how she’ll react.”

“Dad, now you see why it was a mistake to keep Seraphina by your side all this time,” Layla said. “She was a threat to the Rosenzweig family from the very beginning. Even after serving time in prison, she didn’t learn her lesson. If things had gone any further, she could have completely destroyed my life.”

Miriam sighed, glancing at her husband. “She deliberately tried to ruin our daughter’s family, without any care for the consequences that would follow.”

Darius remained silent. Seraphina hadn’t always been this way—so what had turned her into such an enemy? He couldn’t help but wonder. But now, with her gone, assigning blame felt futile. Nothing could change the past.

“I just hope Orabela doesn’t turn out like her,” Layla murmured. “She never hated me any less.”

Darius shook his head. “Orabela has changed for the better. I talk to her often.”

Layla nodded slightly. “That’s good then. As for Seraphina… her body couldn’t be retrieved. Tsar ordered it to be dumped somewhere far, and we have no idea where. If Orabela asks about her mother, you can tell her that.”

Darius exhaled deeply and gave a small nod, lowering his gaze in thought.

Layla raised her hand slightly, and within moments, a waiter approached. Without another word, she settled the bill. Soon after, the three of them left the elegant restaurant.

The waiting driver promptly stepped forward, opening the car door for Darius and Miriam.

Before getting in, Darius gently patted Layla’s head—a silent gesture of his affection. Then, without a word, he slid into the backseat.

Miriam, however, lingered for a moment, pulling Layla into a warm embrace. “Just take care of yourself,” she murmured. “Don’t stress too much.”

Layla simply nodded. “Hmm.” She didn’t say anything more.

With a final glance at her daughter, Miriam settled into the car beside Darius. Layla took a step back, watching as the driver shut the door. She lifted a hand in a small wave, but within seconds, the car pulled away, disappearing down the road.

Aiden pulled up smoothly in front of Layla, bringing the car to a stop. He stepped out and walked around to open the door for her.

“Get in, Layla,” he said with a slight nod.

Layla met his gaze briefly before stepping inside, settling into the seat as Aiden closed the door behind her.

As Aiden drove away, he glanced at Layla through the rearview mirror. “I’ll drop you home. Boss will return in the evening. He still has two more meetings to attend.”

“Okay,” Layla acknowledged before adding, “By the way, I’d like to visit my friend, Ruby. Can you take me to her apartment?” Her tone was soft yet certain.

“As you wish, Layla,” Aiden replied without hesitation. He asked for the directions, and after she guided him, he entered the address into the GPS.

For a moment, silence filled the car, broken only by the steady hum of the engine. Then, Layla turned to him. “Aiden, do you plan to settle down?”

Aiden kept his eyes on the road, his expression thoughtful. “I would, if I found the right person,” he admitted. “Boss mentioned that he wanted to withdraw from the mafia business now that he knows the truth. He wants all of us to settle down. But finding the right partner isn’t easy these days.”

“Hmm,” Layla mused. “But sometimes, you have to take a risk and explore.”

Aiden let out a small chuckle. “Of course.”

A short silence stretched between them again before Layla spoke in a softer tone. “You don’t blame yourself for everything that happened recently, do you?”

Aiden hesitated briefly before responding, “Uh… no.”

“Good,” Layla said, her gaze warm with understanding. “From what I’ve seen, you’ve always been calm and steady in most situations. This was the first time you felt everything was out of your hands. But don’t forget—you’ve been a wonderful supporter to Lucius all these years.”

Aiden remained quiet for a moment before exhaling lightly. “Thank you, Layla. That means a lot.”

~~~~~

“Boss, I tried contacting Sylvia earlier, but she hasn’t answered any of my calls,” Roger informed Lucius as he stepped into the office, looking slightly concerned.

Lucius, still loosening his tie after back-to-back meetings, exhaled sharply. “I was planning to tell her the truth about Matteo’s death,” he murmured, his gaze distant. After a brief pause, he shook his head. “Never mind. I’ll see when I can meet her.”

“Boss, you don’t need to see her yourself,” Roger declared firmly. “I can deliver your message to her.”

“Don’t do that,” Lucius said firmly. “She’ll only yell at you and demean you. And after what she said that day, I don’t want you to see her.”

He reached for the water bottle on his desk, uncapped it, and took a slow sip. His expression remained unreadable, but there was a cold edge to his words.

Roger hummed in response but couldn’t shake off the memory of Sylvia getting into trouble a few weeks ago. He wasn’t particularly fond of her, yet a lingering concern still sat at the back of his mind.

Lucius, perceptive as always, caught the shift in Roger’s expression as he put back the water cap. “What are you thinking?”

“Nothing, Boss,” Roger replied quickly, schooling his features.

Lucius narrowed his eyes slightly but didn’t push. Instead, he simply said, “Don’t empathize with her. I know Matteo did a lot for all of us. But Sylvia never understood any of us. That’s why staying away from her is best. Sylvia never even understood my efforts, let alone yours. Last time what she did in the home truly saddened me. I hoped she would have gotten mature.”

“Understood, Boss,” Roger responded.

“I’ll leave now. Bye. See you tomorrow,” Lucius said, grabbing his keys from the desk before walking out.

Sliding into the driver’s seat, he started the car and headed straight to a nearby flower shop. As he stepped inside, the subtle fragrance of fresh blooms filled the air.

His eyes landed on a bouquet of white and orange lilies—a perfect balance of purity and passion. Satisfied with his choice, he made the purchase before making another stop at a bakery.

Scanning the display case, he picked out two pastries, carefully selected for the person waiting at home. With everything in hand, he finally set off toward home.

After beating the heavy traffic of the evening, he arrived home. Carrying the bouquet and the small pastry box, he made his way straight to the bedroom.

Layla was on the laptop, working on something when she heard the footsteps and lifted her head.

“Lucius!” She called his name out with an affectionate gaze.

As she put away the laptop, Lucius presented her the same bouquet he had purchased. “For you, my wife,” he said.

“Thank you.” Layla accepted the bouquet from him, bringing the lilies close to her nose as their delicate fragrance filled her senses. She watched as Lucius placed a pastry box on the table, a curious smile tugging at her lips.

“Is today special? Did I forget something?” she asked, tilting her head.

Lucius arched a brow, unbuttoning his blazer before shrugging it off. “No. Can’t I buy flowers for you just because I want to?”

As he reached for his tie, Layla suddenly grasped it, pulling him toward her with a playful tug. She was already on her knees, her face mere inches from his, her warm breath ghosting over his skin as their noses brushed.

Lucius smirked at her boldness, his eyes darkening with intrigue before his arms wrapped around her, drawing her against him. He claimed her lips in a fervent kiss, one that sent a shiver down her spine.

Her fingers moved instinctively to his shirt, nimble as they worked the buttons open, revealing the warmth of his skin beneath. As her palm pressed against his bare chest, a deep groan rumbled in his throat. Without breaking the kiss, he eased her onto the mattress, hovering over her as he pulled off his shirt, the tie slipping away along with it.

His lips found hers again, but this time, they trailed lower, pressing against the curve of her chin before peppering slow, lingering kisses along her jawline. Layla’s fingers tightened against his back, her body arching slightly beneath him as she surrendered to his touch.

When his teeth grazed her earlobe, a sharp gasp escaped her lips, followed by a sweet, breathy moan.