Real Heiress: Flash Marriage With Boyfriend's Uncle - Chapter 397

Chapter 397: My lady luck
“Welcome to my apartment, Layla and Lucius!” Ruby greeted them warmly, his smile bright and inviting. “Here, I got slippers for both of you!” he added, handing them over with a cheerful gesture.

Layla and Lucius accepted the slippers, slipping them on before following Ruby and David further inside. The apartment had a cozy yet elegant charm, reflecting Ruby’s personality.

“Please, have a seat,” Ruby offered. “I’ll bring some water for you both. David, help me out.”

“You don’t have to be so formal with us,” Layla remarked, linking her arm with Ruby’s. “I’ll help you instead. Let the men stay here.”

Ruby’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “That’s a wonderful idea!” he agreed, and the two headed toward the kitchen.

Lucius, ever the gentleman, placed Layla’s purse neatly on the couch before settling down. David, on the other hand, chose to sit at the far end, maintaining a noticeable distance from him.

“If it weren’t for our women, we wouldn’t be sitting on the same couch,” David muttered, breaking the silence.

Lucius didn’t even spare him a glance as he responded coolly, “If you have that much of a problem with me, then perhaps you should be the one to leave.”

David turned his head, glaring at him sharply. “This is my fiancée’s apartment. You can’t tell me to leave when you’re the problem here.”

Lucius finally met his gaze, his expression cold and unyielding. “You still haven’t learned how to respect others, have you? How old are you? A child? Or perhaps you think yourself a teenager?” He leaned back, unfazed. “Why don’t you take a lesson from Ruby and learn some manners?”

“Lucius, you’re talking as if you truly understand manners,” David sneered, his voice laced with mockery. “Let’s not forget the kind of man you are. Pointing a gun at someone’s head is second nature to you. If it weren’t for Layla, I wouldn’t even bother tolerating your presence.” He let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. “Honestly, it baffles me how you managed to end up with a woman like her.”

Lucius chose not to react. Engaging in a pointless argument with David would only serve to hurt Layla indirectly, and he knew Ruby might take offense if he stooped to David’s level. So, he held his silence, letting his indifference speak louder than any retort.

“David, why are you speaking to Lucius in that tone?” Ruby questioned firmly.

Both she and Layla had overheard the heated conversation. Layla’s expression darkened as she processed David’s words, her husband being indirectly reduced to nothing more than a man who thrived on violence. It stung her heart.

“It was nothing, Ruby,” Lucius replied with a small, reassuring smile, as if to brush it off.

“No, Lucius. Please, forgive me on David’s behalf,” Ruby said, her voice laced with regret. She then turned to glare at her fiancé, who had already risen to his feet.

“Excuse us for a moment. You two should drink some water,” she said before grabbing David by the wrist and pulling him toward the bedroom.

As soon as they were inside, Ruby shut the door behind them and turned to face him, her arms crossing over her chest.

“What was that, David?” she demanded, frustration evident in her tone. “Why did you say such hurtful things to Lucius? If you don’t know everything about him, you have no right to judge him. You promised me you wouldn’t do this, so why?”

Her fingers pressed against her temple due to embarrassment and frustration. This wasn’t what she had hoped for when she invited them over.

“Lucius has been involved in killings before, Ruby. You don’t know the weight his name carries in the business world,” David muttered, his voice unwavering. “People don’t run from him without reason. Even his own nephew despises him. And do you even realize there are speculations that Lucius killed his own brother?”

Ruby’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you even in your right mind, David? Why are you doing this?” she asked, shaking her head. “You don’t know the truth. Layla told me herself. It wasn’t Lucius. How could you just throw accusations like that?”

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “Lucius let those rumors spread for his own reasons. But that doesn’t mean they’re true. David, please… don’t hurt me like this. The man I love isn’t someone who deliberately hurts others.”

Her voice quivered, and her eyes glistened with tears as she turned away.

David felt a pang of guilt at seeing her like that. He hadn’t meant to upset her.

“I’m sorry, Ruby,” he murmured, stepping closer and gently taking her hands in his.

“Say sorry to Lucius,” she insisted, her voice softer but firm. “He doesn’t deserve to be treated like that. He’s a good man.”

David hesitated for a moment before giving a small nod. “Hmm,” he nodded in agreement.

“Let’s go out,” he said.

~~

Meanwhile, in the living room, Layla gently placed her hand on Lucius’s shoulder. “I’m sorry,” she whispered with guilt.

Lucius turned to her, his gaze softening as the back of his fingers brushed against her cheek. “Hey, why are you apologizing to me, huh?” he asked gently.

“You weren’t supposed to hear that,” Layla murmured, lowering her eyes.

Lucius let out a chuckle, shaking his head. “David and I have been rivals for a long time. His words don’t bother me, sweetheart,” he reassured her. “You know this well.”

Layla sighed, her fingers unconsciously gripping his sleeve. “Still… it wasn’t right,” she insisted.

Lucius cupped her face, tilting it up so she’d look at him. “The only thing that matters to me is you and the others who are close to me,” Lucius said, his voice steady. “Let David say what he wants. He doesn’t define me. And I’m no longer the man who gets angry over such remarks. I’ve risen above all that.”

Layla smiled, her eyes shining with warmth. “That’s why I love you… I love you so much, Lucius. You’re just… so good.”

Lucius smirked, his gaze dropping to her lips. “I wanna kiss you,” he whispered, leaning in, his lips just inches away from hers. But before he could close the distance, the sound of approaching footsteps made him pause. In an instant, both he and Layla straightened, maintaining a composed posture.

Ruby walked in with an easy smile. “I’m going to cook lunch. Lucius, is there anything special you’d like to eat? As for Layla, I already know her favorite dishes.”

David entered behind her, quietly taking a seat on the sofa chair. Lucius cast him a brief glance before turning his attention back to Ruby. ”

“Layla’s favorite is mine,” Lucius said smoothly, his gaze warm as he looked at his wife.

Ruby chuckled and gave Layla a teasing glance. “Look at you, Layla. You’ve got such a romantic husband who doesn’t hold back from showing his love in public.”

Layla grinned, pride evident in her expression. “Yeah, I admit it. I’m lucky to have Lucius.”

Standing up, she stretched her hand toward Ruby. “I’ll help you out.”

As they turned to head toward the kitchen, Ruby glanced over her shoulder and gave David a firm look. “David, don’t start another argument,” she warned before disappearing with Layla.

“Sorry, Lucius. I shouldn’t have said that,” David admitted, his voice carrying genuine sincerity.

Lucius studied him for a moment before nodding. “I forgive you. What I was in the past doesn’t define me anymore. I waited a long time to be with Layla. Since you and I aren’t close, I understand the prejudices you hold against me. And honestly, I agree. I probably don’t deserve Layla. But you could say it was fate that brought us together. More than that, though, I worked hard to be with her.”

David exhaled slowly, realizing how little he truly knew about Lucius’s past beyond rumors. He had spoken carelessly, and now he understood the weight of his words. “I get it now,” he murmured.

Lucius’s lips curled into a knowing smirk. “By the way, you were quite arrogant in the past. I’m guessing Ruby had something to do with your change. If a man’s behavior changes for the better, it’s usually because of a woman.”

David let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. “You’re right. Ruby brought a lot of changes in me. And I’ve noticed that Layla brought a sense of calmness to you.”

Lucius’s gaze softened as he nodded. “She’s my lady luck.” There was undeniable pride in his voice.

“I can see that. It was quite surprising to see Layla become the Chairwoman,” David remarked.

“Because she deserved it,” Lucius said without hesitation. Then, after a brief pause, he added, “It would be good if we got on better terms for the sake of our women. They don’t like it when their men fight like children.”

David considered his words before giving a small nod. “Sure.” He had to admit, he was surprised to see this side of Lucius, the composed and rational man who spoke with such a gentle tone.