Real Heiress: Flash Marriage With Boyfriend's Uncle - Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Her damp hair

“Father, why don’t you stay for dinner with us?” Layla asked warmly, a hopeful smile on her face.

“Maybe next time,” Alekis replied, his gaze shifting to Lucius before he prepared to leave.

“I’ll walk Dad out,” Lucius offered, stepping forward to accompany his father, leaving Layla waiting in the living room.

Once at the car, Lucius opened the backseat door, and Alekis placed a firm, reassuring hand on his son’s shoulder. “I know you’ve been wondering why I visited today,” Alekis began. “I wanted to check on you and Layla, and I realized I can’t remain impartial between you and your wife. Offering a small portion of the shares to Layla felt right; she’s looking after you well, and I didn’t expect her to be such a good wife,” he admitted, a hint of admiration in his tone.

Lucius nodded, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders. “I’m glad you see her for who she truly is, Dad. You once carried doubts about Layla, but it’s a relief to know they’ve finally cleared,” he replied, his earlier reservations now fading.

Alekis looked thoughtful for a moment before adding, “I didn’t mention it inside, but I learned that Sylvia has returned. I hope she’s not causing you any trouble,” he said, his gaze filled with quiet concern.

“She isn’t,” Lucius replied evenly, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of caution.

“Good to know. I’ll be on my way, then.” With a final nod, Alekis stepped into the car, and as it pulled away, Lucius tucked his hands into his pockets, watching until the car faded down the drive. Then, with a contemplative expression, he turned and headed back inside.

“Madam is in the garden,” the maid informed him as he entered the house.

Lucius nodded, heading outside to find Layla carefully watering the plants. He paused to observe her, a soft smile tugging at his lips. Usually, the gardeners handled this task, but ever since they’d married, Layla often enjoyed doing it herself.

As he watched, Lucius took his phone from his pocket and dialed Roger. “Did you get everything ready for tonight?”

“Yes, Boss. You’ll be impressed with the setup,” Roger assured him, a hint of pride in his voice.

Satisfied, Lucius ended the call, slipping his phone back into his pocket before walking up to Layla. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “Look at how well the flowers are growing. You don’t need to keep bringing me bouquets—we have a whole garden here.”

Lucius chuckled, nodding in agreement. Layla set down the watering can, a thoughtful look crossing her face. “It meant a lot to hear your father acknowledge my efforts. I was never really praised for small things by my own dad, but your father… he’s kind.”

“Yeah, he is a good man,” Lucius replied, his tone a bit distant. “But he wasn’t around much when I was young—when I needed him most. I learned to look out for myself over time. Still, he’s leagues better than my mother, who hardly ever cared at all,” he added with a quiet chuckle.

“Oh, we shouldn’t be talking about all this,” Lucius said, reaching out to take the water hose from her. But Layla, with a mischievous smile, quickly pulled her hand away and aimed the hose at him, spraying him with water.

“Are you really going to play like this?” Lucius wiped his face, a playful glint in his eyes as he started toward her. Layla squealed, laughing as she tried to keep her distance, splashing him with water each time he got closer.

Her giggles filled the garden, mingling with her breathless cries as she darted away, teasing him with playful glances over her shoulder.

Finally, he caught up to her, gently grabbing her by the waist. In one swift move, he turned the water pipe on her, making sure she got just as drenched as he was.

Layla laughed even harder, her hair and clothes soaked as she tried to shield herself from the spray.

Lucius let the water hose drop to the ground, but his arms stayed firmly around her waist, holding her close. He brushed a few wet strands from her cheek, his gaze softening as he nuzzled his nose against hers.

“And who’s going to take responsibility for all this?” he murmured.

Layla smiled, mischief dancing in her eyes. “You, of course.”

He leaned in to kiss her, but she pulled back just enough to tease him, leaving him with a smirk. Undeterred, Lucius’s hand slid gently up to her neck, his fingers threading into her damp hair. He held her there, closing the distance between them, as their lips finally met in a tender, lingering kiss.

Their smiles grew as they gently nibbled on each other’s lips, savoring the moment. Layla’s hands drifted up, wrapping around his neck, pulling him closer.

When they finally pulled back, their eyes met, both smiling, as though they shared a quiet, unspoken joy. In a swift, easy motion, Lucius hoisted her up into his arms, cradling her against him as he carried her into the house and up to their room.

Carefully, he set her on her feet, his hands lingering for just a moment. “Get changed before you catch a cold,” he whispered, his voice low, his gaze warm.

Layla smiled, brushing a hand along his arm. “You too,” she replied softly. Before he could say more, she leaned up, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek, and hurried toward the closet.

As he watched her, Lucius instinctively touched the spot on his cheek where her lips had been, feeling a warmth spread from that small touch. His heart fluttered gently as he stood there, a wide smile lingering on his face.

“Layla, I hope you keep smiling like this always,” he prayed in a low voice and pulled out the drenched shirt before heading to the washroom. He took out his phone from the pocket and placed it on the counter when a message reflected on it.

As he read the message, his jaw tightened.