CHAPTER 425: YOU’RE TORTURING ME

"Dad, Roger’s going to be fine. He just needs a few days to fully recover," Lucius said, gently placing the medicine into Alekis’s open palm.

Alekis let out a small breath of relief, though a deep crease still lined his forehead. "That’s good to hear... but why was he attacked in the first place?"

Lucius hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "It’s connected to Sylvia. Some time ago, she got involved with a man named Josh. At first, things seemed normal, but it quickly turned toxic. He became obsessive, possessive, and when Sylvia tried to distance herself, he refused to back off. Roger eventually confronted him, and ever since then, Josh held a grudge. Sylvia even moved to a different apartment just to avoid him. But Josh blamed Roger for tearing them apart, so he targeted him," Lucius explained.

Alekis lowered the glass after taking his medicine. "I hope Josh gets punished for his crime. Some men don’t understand. If a woman is saying no, then they should stop," he muttered.

"Yes, Dad." Lucius took the glass from him and placed it on the bedside table. "Dad, are you feeling good? I mean... Compared to earlier?" His eyes searched for any sort of vulnerability in his eyes.

"I am so happy that you are here," Alekis said, patting his hand. "I did have a fear earlier, but not anymore. I know I’ll make it."

Lucius hugged his father and his throat tightened with an uncertain feeling of fear. He didn’t want to lose his father, not like this.

~~~~

"Chairwoman Layla, I’ve been reviewing the numbers for the new R\&D initiative—the one I’ve also invested in. Frankly, they’re not very reassuring," said Avery Lexington, one of the chief investors in the De Salvo Group, her voice sharp and discerning over the phone.

"I completely understand your concern, Mrs. Lexington," Layla replied smoothly, her tone steady and composed. "However, these figures reflect a short-term dip. We’ve already implemented internal restructuring, and the results will begin to show in the upcoming quarter. I’m confident the performance curve will shift significantly."

"I see... The market’s unpredictable these days," Avery muttered, though her tone had softened a little.

"It is," Layla agreed. "But I don’t believe in offering empty reassurances. What I can promise is that the results will speak for themselves, and I believe you’ll be more than satisfied when they do."

There was a pause before Avery responded, "I trust your leadership, Chairwoman. I’ll be watching the next report closely. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Mrs. Lexington. And thank you for your continued trust in us," Layla said graciously before ending the call. She lowered her phone and let out a soft sigh, stepping out onto the balcony for some air.

Moments later, a familiar warmth enveloped her from behind. Lucius’s arms circled her waist, and his chin rested lightly on her shoulder.

"You’re still working late night," he murmured, his breath tickling her skin.

"Not working, technically," she replied, smiling faintly. "Just wrapped up a call with an investor."

"Was she worried about the returns?" he asked, his voice low.

"Not worried. Just impatient," Layla said, leaning into his touch as his hands drifted to her abdomen, caressing her gently.

"You’ve been working so hard for the company. I’m proud of you," Lucius whispered, pressing a kiss to her neck. His lips trailed upward, skimming along her jaw as she tilted her head to give him more access.

"You didn’t visit Roger in the evening," she whispered, shivering slightly as his hand traced beneath her breast.

"Varya insisted he’s recovering well. We’ll stop by their place tomorrow," he murmured. His mouth closed around her earlobe, gently sucking, drawing a soft moan from her lips.

Layla turned to face him, her fingers slipping around his neck. Their lips met in a searing kiss, heat pulsing between them as their bodies pressed close. Her knees weakened beneath her, and before she could say about it, Lucius lifted her, her legs instinctively wrapping around his waist.

He carried her inside, laying her gently on the bed without once breaking the kiss. His hands roamed over her, tracing the curve of her breasts, the dip of her waist, and the sensitive insides of her thighs, thus making her squirm beneath him.

"Stop teasing me," Layla gasped, pulling back slightly as her phone slipped unnoticed onto the mattress.

Lucius smirked and his eyes darkened with hunger. "You seem desperate tonight," he whispered, capturing her lips once more before his hand slipped past the waistband of her trousers, touching her where she throbbed for him.

A breathless moan escaped her as her cheeks turned crimson. She arched into him, completely undone beneath his touch.

And before she knew, her trousers were pulled off. Lucius was on his knees, holding her legs to the one side, grinning at her. He trailed kisses up her leg to her thigh while his hand moved to her belly, drawing gentle circles over it.

"This is wrong. You always undress me first. Ahhh...!" Layla complained and her hands instinctively clutched the sheets as his teeth grazed her inner thigh, leaving a red bruise in its wake.

He stopped and got on his knees, telling her to undress him.

Layla breathed heavily as she thought he wouldn’t stop in the middle like that. Sitting up, her hands caught the hem of his t-shirt and she pulled it up. He let it fall down the bed and felt her soft hands on his chest.

"Fuck!" He cursed and groaned in the building pleasure when Layla kissed the center of his chest. She climbed into his lap, straddling him, her hips settling perfectly against his.

His hands immediately gripped her waist, pulling her closer as she pressed a line of kisses along his neck, her mouth working its way to that sensitive spot just beneath his jaw. Her fingertips danced along his torso, driving him to the edge already.

"You’re torturing me," Lucius muttered against her skin.

"And what about you? You began it," Layla murmured, looking into his ocean-blue eyes.