Chapter 29 How Do You Plan To Repay Me?

The contract was signed and by the time everyone said their goodbyes, it was already past eleven. Lyla had a little too much to drink. She was feeling a little tipsy. When she got out of the hotel. Her spinning head made it hard for her to stand still. Lo and behold, she slipped and almost fell. When she was almost about to get intimate with the pavement, a pair of firm, large arms wrapped around her. When she entered his warm embrace, she felt something weird inside her, towards Mark Pattinson. “Are you alright?” Mark asked, arching an eyebrow. “I’m fine. Thank you, President Pattinson,” said Lyla frantically. She could not even look him in the eye. “Hmph. Why did you force yourself to drink if you can’t drink in the first place?” Mark scoffed. Lyla lowered her head and noticed how she was still in Mark’s embrace. She could feel the honed muscle in his chest. The smell of alcohol mixed with a faint smell of cigar actually intoxicated her even more. The man was truly dangerous; Lyla was confident of her own self-control but when the man was just hugging her like that, she feared that even she would lose control. She was afraid that she had to retreat away from him. Her frantic, terrified look made her look like a petrified little fawn. “Hmph.” Mark Pattinson frowned hard after Lyla showed such reserve. “Wait here,” he said before he left in a hurry. Lyla stood by the roadside curb, not knowing what to do. Mark drove the car over and slowly drove closer to her. “Get in!” he said. The tone was commanding. “Thank you, President Pattinson. I’ll take the cab,” said Lyla. She was still looking around, waiting for a cab to drive by so she could hail them. “Where’s the bravery from before? Are you really scared now?” said Mark condescending. “Huh?! Who’s scared?!” Lyla pulled the door open and got into the car. To be honest, Lula was really scared. However, the reality was that she was drunk. Rather than getting into a stranger's car, she would rather sit in Mark Pattinson’s car. As soon as Lyla got into the car, Mark stepped on the accelerator and zoomed down the road. Lyla was feeling carsick and to make things worse, she had alcohol on her. “President Pattinson, could you please drive slower?” Lyla was made nauseated by the speed to the point of vomiting. “Is that it? I thought you’re not scared of anything!” Mark said. “How could you go that far for the sake of a contract?” His statement was either a praise or a taunt. “I was afraid! But did you think I could back out of there?” Lyla answered with a question. “What would you do if I wasn’t there?” To be honest, Mark Pattinson was not the kind of person that could do anything to achieve his goal. At the very least, he did not agree that one should sell one’s dignity out just for work. That was the reason why M.K and Riddleson never got their contract sealed in. “But, you’re here, aren’t you?” To be honest, Lyla was merely gambling her luck. She was not sure if Mark would actually come. “So, how are you going to repay me?”” Mark’s tone suddenly became relaxed. ‘Ugh. Is that how an employer should talk? How childish!’ “President Pattinson, you should know that I’m doing this for the benefit of the company!” “Why didn’t you find someone else to do instead?” Mark Pattinson was interested to know. “Do you really want to know?” “Say it,” Mark pressed on. To be fair, even he did not know what he was going to ask. “Because the person behind all of this is your fiance, Kathleen Turner! And! Someone with power like you would be perfect to show up at the scene!” To be honest, Lyla had merely acted on instinct. If she wanted to find someone for help, Mark Pattinson would be the first person she would seek for. “Just like that?” “Just like that.” Mark turned over to look at Lyla. He was frustrated that he could not see through her at all. After that, he started laughing bitterly all of the sudden. “How could you be so sure that I would be there?” “But the truth was you’re there.” “Do you know what that means then?” Mark asked. Lyla suddenly went quiet. She could not find the words to say. What did he mean by that? Was he worried for her? ‘Impossible!’ That mere thought was quickly discarded away. “It means President Pattinson and Director Turner are two different people. One of you wouldn’t throw away their employee for the sake of achieving their goal,” said Lyla, emphasizing each word clearly. Mark Pattinson could not say anything to refute her words. He could not find a way to agree nor could he disagree. And because of that, he felt a tad bit disgruntled. At that moment, Lyla’s phone rang. She looked into the phone and smiled. “I’m on my way back now,” said Lyla sweetly. “Mummy, it's very late and you should know that all of us are worried for you!” said Hansel, very maturely. After listening to her darling, Lyla felt happy. “Don’t worry. I’m fine!” Suddenly, she heard Mark Pattinsonm scoff. She turned over to Mark and saw, with the illumination of the fleeting street light, saw his face darkening. ‘What a temperamental man!’