Chapter 440

Was he seriously trying to make she stay?

Layla couldn't believe Brian's nerve. Her face twisted in frustration. "Forcing me to stay is pointless."

"It's not pointless. I'm guiding you through this because you're not thinking clearly. I can't allow you to take unnecessary risks."

Layla thought Brian was delusional, acting like some self-righteous savior.

"I want to quit."

"Let's talk in twenty-three days. I bet you'll change your mind by then."

"If you push this, I won't even do the handover. I'll leave right now."

"Who'd be breaking the contract then?" Brian chuckled. "Besides, you're not the type to leave things unfinished. Can you really walk away without wrapping up your work?"

He had her figured out; she couldn't just abandon her responsibilities.

Layla felt trapped. "Do you have to make this so miserable for both of us?"

"Could it get any worse?" Brian said coolly. She was already mad at him, but he was sure he could turn things around.

"I want to quit, and you can't stop me."

"I know your boyfriend's influential, but Brightness Design is my turf. Even if he wrecks my company, I won't change my mind."

Their eyes locked, Layla fuming while Brian stayed calm.

In the end, Layla clenched her fists, resisting the urge to storm out, and went back to her desk. She picked up her phone, ready to call Samuel.

But she couldn't ignore her coworkers. They weren't friends, but she didn't want them to lose their jobs because of her.

Brian had banked on this.

Layla simmered in her anger and eventually put down her phone.

She glanced at the CEO's office, where Brian was smiling smugly, making her even more frustrated.

She couldn't stand his fake smile for another second.

At six o'clock, it was time to leave.

The secretary came out. "Layla, Mr. Evans wants to see you."

Layla said, "I'm busy," and walked out quickly.

As soon as she left the building, her phone lit up with Brian's name. Layla hung up and shoved the phone back into her bag, heading home.

When Layla stepped out of the elevator, she smelled a familiar aroma. Her anger melted away, and she hurried to open the door.

The living room was small, and she could see Samuel cooking in the kitchen. He wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off his long arms, and an apron. Even in the tiny kitchen, he looked like a five-star chef.

Layla quietly put down her bag, crouched, and sneaked into the kitchen, hugging Samuel from behind. "Did I scare you?"

Samuel, holding a spatula, looked down at her hands around his waist and smiled. "With your skills, you'd make a terrible spy."

"You're annoying." Layla giggled and pinched his waist. "Damn, you're all muscle, no fat."

"Yeah, unlike you."

"Do I have fat on my waist?" Layla pinched her waist, finding more than she liked. "I've gained weight."

"Then no dinner?"

With delicious food in front of her, Layla wasn't about to starve herself. "No way, I need energy to lose weight. I'll start dieting tomorrow."

"Dummy." Samuel turned and pinched her nose, giving her a kiss. "Go wash your hands, dinner's almost ready."

"Okay, okay."

Layla kept eating.

"Slow down, you weren't starving."

"Who says I wasn't? How long has it been since I ate your cooking? At least three weeks. I've been mad for so long." Layla bit into an omelet and made a face at him.

"Aren't I making it up to you now?"

"It's all your fault for cooking so deliciously; I want to eat every dish. Even though I'm a bit full, I still want to keep eating." Layla regretted not having three stomachs.

"Little glutton, slow down. We have a lifetime, what's the rush?"

Layla took another bite of candy, very sweet.

"True, it's really delicious, I just can't stop." She handed him the empty plate. "Give me some more, please. Thank you."

"This is already your third plate."

"I'll start dieting tomorrow. Eating more today is fine."

"Then if you get too full, I'll exercise with you." Samuel handed her the half-filled plate.

Layla was unhappy. "Just half a plate? Are you looking down on me? Fill it up. Now."

Samuel had to add another scoop.

After dinner, Layla, with her belly round and full, walked around the living room, one hand on her stomach to aid digestion, the other on her waist, complaining, "I'm so full."

"It's your fault for giving me that extra scoop. That one scoop made me too full."

Samuel was well aware of Layla's unreasonable complaints, but he loved to spoil her. "You asked for the extra scoop. If I didn't give it to you, wouldn't I be looking down on you?"

"Why did you have to add just because I told you to? Do you have to be so obedient?" Layla's eyes were full of complaints.

"When my baby speaks, when do I not listen?"

"It's all your fault. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be this full."

Watching Layla walk back and forth, Samuel found it amusing. "You're starting to look like a little pregnant woman."

Layla glared at him. "Am I pregnant with a belly full of food?"

"My little pregnant woman, even if you were pregnant, you'd be the cutest."

"Don't think that sweet-talking me will make me any less full. I'm condemning you. Condemning, strongly condemning." She pointed at him accusingly, one hand on her waist.

Samuel took her small hand. "Alright, alright, however you want to condemn me, it's all my fault. I plead guilty."

"If I stop working and stay home eating your food every day, I'll definitely become a 400-pound fatty." Layla was starting to worry about her figure. Samuel was considered a heartthrob, with many women eyeing him. If she got fat, it would be terrible. She couldn't let that happen.

"Isn't a 400-pound fatty cute?"

"That's a dinosaur, not cute at all." Layla didn't believe his sweet words. Even though she had a good foundation, not wearing makeup and gaining a lot of weight would have terrible consequences. No man would like a fat and ugly dinosaur.

Her face fell.

Looking pitiful, she seemed even cuter to Samuel, like a round little doll.

Samuel grabbed her small hand and pulled her into his arms. "Why are you unhappy?"