Chapter Four: Nightly Rendezvous

Right after the event wrapped up, guests began trickling out of the venue one by one. The night was cloaked in darkness, with a brisk wind gusting through the air. Layla stood at the hotel entrance with her assistant Sally, awaiting their ride. Getting a taxi at this hour was hard, and the one they had booked was nowhere in sight, leaving them shivering in the cold breeze. Just then, a sleek black Bentley zoomed past them. Catching a glimpse of the license plate, Sally couldn't contain her excitement and whispered, "Hey, isn't that Mr. Frucht's car?" Layla lifted her gaze and observed the black Bentley that resembled a dormant beast in the enveloping darkness of the night. As the window rolled down, Tristan's profile in the back seat appeared like a meticulously sculpted piece of art, radiating sophistication and elegance. Even from a distance, his commanding presence made people think twice about approaching him easily. Layla had a vague recollection of Tristan. They had first crossed paths many years ago, and in her memory, he had always exuded the same air of handsome aloofness that made him seem unapproachable since his teenage years. At that moment, Sally chimed in, "Wow, he's really good-looking. Anyone who ends up with him will be the luckiest person in the whole world." Layla chuckled at Sally's mention of Tristan, playfully tapping her on the head. "With his frosty vibe chilling everyone to the bone, why would anyone want to marry that guy? His future wife's in for a rough ride." Sally nodded in agreement, her expression mirroring Layla's sentiments. Just as Tristan moved towards Layla to offer her a ride, her lighthearted comment caught his attention, causing him to furrow his brows. He paused briefly, then suddenly turned back to the car, leaving Bruno shivering in the backseat. Layla's untimely remark had just made the situation worse. Bruno handed Tristan an envelope nervously, saying, "Mr. Frucht, Miss Hammond wanted me to give you this as a thank-you for your service last night. She was delighted with how things went." Witnessing Tristan's icy facade soften at this news, Bruno gathered his courage and asked, "But, you know, she's divorced already. Why are you beat around the bush? You're the big-shot CEO of the Frucht Group. Why not just make a direct move instead of pretending to be a model?" Bruno thought the whole situation was absurd. If word got out, everyone would indeed have a good laugh. Tristan, on the other hand, seemed unfazed. He traced his fingers over the pink envelope as if it were her soft skin. A faint smile graced his lips, but he remained silent in response to Bruno's question. Tristan stared out into the menacing darkness beyond the car window while thinking about Layla, who was shivering in the night breeze. "Take her home," he instructed, then added, "But don't mention that it was me who sent you." With that, he tossed a set of car keys to Bruno from the drawer. Bruno caught the keys skillfully and couldn't help smiling. "You're very thoughtful of her." After receiving a stern look from Tristan, Bruno quickly straightened up and said, "Of course, Mr. Frucht. I'll get on it right away." Bruno then got out of the car, leaving only the driver and Tristan inside. The atmosphere instantly grew quiet. Above in the dark night sky, stars twinkled just as they had the first time Tristan laid eyes on her. He quietly smiled to himself. He swore to himself not to let her slip away again. -- After the charity gala, Layla found herself swamped with work, often staying late into the night. She was so busy that she didn't have time to see "Simon." Ever since her divorce from Ashton, the company had been dealing with challenges, some out in the open and others kept under wraps. Layla had a hunch that Ashton was behind these issues. She knew he was doing it to force her to apologize and bend to his will. But she stood her ground and refused to give in. Layla, as the leader of the company, believed in her ability to address these issues. She just needed some time. Despite knowing it would take time to sort things out, it was clear that the shareholders didn't share her optimism. "Wait a minute, didn't that company named Memphis Company belong to the Hayes family? What's the deal with them pulling out their investment all of a sudden? Are you and Mr. Hayes having some falling out?" "If you're having trouble steering the ship, we might need to start looking for someone else to take the helm. Do you have the confidence to lead us through these challenges?" Layla shot a steely look at the faces in the meeting room. This wasn't her first rodeo dealing with their attempts to push her out. But Layla wasn't about to give in. She assured them that she had a plan to tackle the issues head-on and prove she was the right person for the job. Among them was Henry, a long-time shareholder of the Hammond Group. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the table and remarked, "So, you've been married for three years now and still no baby? The Hayes family must be mad about it. Remember your mother's will – to officially take the reins of the company, you have to have a Hammond offspring. But..." All eyes in the room shot towards Layla's non-pregnant belly. Everyone knew that even if she did get pregnant, the Hayes family wouldn't allow the firstborn to bear her surname. With a deep breath, Layla's hand tightened into a fist in her lap, her face resolute and composed. "No worries. I'll honor my mother's wishes and have a little Hammond heir before I turn 26. I'll sort out these issues, too." The shareholders exchanged knowing looks, containing smirks, clearly not entirely convinced by her promise. Since Layla was adamant about taking on this risky challenge, they were excited to witness her potential downfall. Some of them were even starting to find amusement in her difficult situation. After the shareholder meeting ended, Layla sat alone in the empty conference room, feeling anxious. She did her best to come up with a solution. It had been about two weeks since she had last been intimate with the model known as Simon. A few days ago, she took a pregnancy test that came back negative, leaving her frustrated. Calling up Bruno, Layla started complaining, "Who did you set me up with? Did you even take him for a medical check-up? Is there a possibility that he's infertile?" Bruno reassured her, saying, "No way! I made sure he had a full health check. He's completely fine." Layla rubbed her temples with a determined expression and declared, "Starting next week, I want him to come every day and stay until I get pregnant." Bruno's eyes widened in astonishment.