Real Heiress: Flash Marriage With Boyfriend's Uncle - Chapter 75

Chapter 75: A part of his childhood

Layla tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a soft smile gracing her lips. “Shall we?” she asked, her voice warm and inviting.

Lucius stepped closer, his gaze lingering on her. “Why do you look so beautiful today?” he murmured, his fingers gently trailing down her bare arm before taking her hand. With a gentle tug, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly, the gesture tender yet possessive.

The maids, sensing the moment, discreetly left the room, allowing them some privacy.

Lucius brushed his nose against hers, his lips curving into a smile before capturing her lips again. Layla, feeling the warmth of his closeness, rested her hand on his shoulder. The diamond on her wedding band glistened in the soft light as his other hand found the nape of her neck, his fingers caressing her skin with a delicate touch.

Their kiss was interrupted by the sharp ring of her phone. Layla pulled back, breathing unevenly, and glanced at the screen, amused by the caller ID. She quickly answered, lifting the phone to her ear. “Good morning, Aunt Smith. How are you?” A surprising look was evident in her eyes.

As she turned her back to Lucius, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close once again. His lips brushed against the sensitive skin of her neck in featherlight kisses. Layla tried to suppress a smile, attempting to focus on the call, but Lucius held her firmly, refusing to let her go.

“Really? No worries at all. I can definitely take care of him. Yes, I’ll pick him up. I’m on my way,” Layla reassured, her voice calm. Lucius paused, his hand momentarily still on her waist.

As soon as she ended the call, he asked, “Who was that?” His grip had loosened, a subtle shift in his demeanor.

Layla turned to face him, her expression slightly hesitant. “It was Aunt Maggie Smith,” she began, carefully choosing her words. “She’s an older woman I used to work for at her flower shop. She needs me to take care of her grandson today, and I couldn’t say no. Would it be alright if we brought him with us?” she asked, knowing full well that today had been planned for just the two of them. “Her friend was admitted to the hospital, and she can’t bring her grandson along,” she explained further, hoping he would understand.

Lucius frowned slightly, his curiosity piqued. “What about the boy’s parents?”

Layla sighed softly. “They passed away three years ago in a tragic accident.”

Lucius’s expression softened at that. “Oh. Well, let’s go pick up the boy,” he said after a brief pause, turning towards the door.

“Aren’t you upset?” Layla asked, following him, her voice tinged with concern.

“Why would I be?” Lucius responded, though there was a hint of disappointment beneath his words. In truth, he was upset that their plans for time alone together had been disrupted, but seeing how much Layla had been preparing for the day, he didn’t want to let his frustration show.

“Thank you,” she said gratefully as they both got into the car.

Lucius started the engine, and soon they were on their way. When they arrived outside Aunt Maggie’s house, they saw the elderly woman standing with her grandson, waiting for them.

“Aunt Maggie!” Layla called out as she stepped out of the car, rushing to embrace her. Maggie smiled warmly and patted her back in return.

“Sister Layla!” The boy’s face lit up with a broad smile as he saw her.

The old woman’s eyes landed on Lucius, and before she could ask, Layla quickly stepped in. “This is my husband, Lucius,” she introduced with a warm smile.

Lucius greeted Aunt Maggie with a polite nod and assured her, “Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of August.”

Maggie’s eyes widened with playful surprise. “Oh my! You got married and didn’t even tell this old lady?”

Layla chuckled softly. “It all happened so quickly that I didn’t have a chance to tell you,” she explained apologetically. Glancing at the time, she added gently, “You must be in a hurry, Aunt Maggie. We’ll take August from here—don’t worry about a thing. You should head to the hospital.”

“Thank you so much,” Maggie said with a sigh of relief.

Lucius crouched down to the boy’s level. “Come on, August,” he said warmly. August immediately reached for Lucius’s hand, and with a playful swoop, Lucius lifted him into the air, earning a delighted laugh from the boy. Layla followed as Lucius buckled August into the backseat.

“Where are we going?” August asked excitedly as soon as the car started moving.

“We’re going on a picnic,” Layla answered, turning in her seat to smile at him.

“Oh wow! I’ve heard about picnics from my friends. They all go with their parents,” August shared, his eyes wide with excitement.

“Really?” Layla asked, her heart softening.

“Yes, but Grandma is always busy with the flower shop, so I don’t ask her,” August explained innocently.

Lucius listened silently, the boy’s words bringing back memories of his own childhood. Though he had parents, he never experienced those simple joys. He spent much of his youth in a boarding school in London, far from family and those carefree moments. A part of his childhood, like August’s, felt incomplete.

“You’re a big boy then,” Lucius chimed in, wanting to lift August’s spirits.

“Like you, Brother Lucius?” August asked, his eyes sparkling.

“Exactly,” Lucius replied, a smile tugging at his lips. “Big boys don’t need to have fun like other kids. They find fun in everyday things, like helping people or learning new things.”

Layla watched quietly, her heart swelling at the sight of Lucius interacting so naturally with August. She hadn’t realized before just how good he was with children, and it warmed her to see him handle the boy’s questions with such care.

She was falling for Lucius without knowing about it.

••••

“Shut up! When I say I need to see Lucius, I mean it!” Sylvia snapped at the house guard standing by the gate of Lucius’ mansion. Her voice dripped with impatience. Just then, the screech of tires caught her attention, and she turned to see the gate opening as a car pulled in.

Her eyes narrowed as she recognized Roger behind the wheel. She crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on him as he exited the vehicle.

“Tell Lucius to let me in,” Sylvia demanded, her tone sharp and unyielding.

Roger walked towards her, his expression calm but firm. “Boss isn’t home,” he replied evenly. “You should leave.”

Sylvia’s jaw tightened, but before she could retort, Roger took a step closer, closing the space between them. His voice dropped as he continued, “And stop messing with his life. I know how you keep blaming him for what happened to your brother.” His eyes hardened as he added with a quiet warning, “Unlike Lucius, I won’t be so lenient with you.”

As Roger stepped back, Sylvia’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “A dog shouldn’t bark,” she hissed. “You seem to have forgotten who you used to be. Or do I need to remind you?” Her voice was low, dripping with contempt. “Matteo was too kind for his own good, helping people like you.”

With that, she turned sharply, brushing past Roger and intentionally hitting his shoulder with hers as she walked away.

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