Chapter 8

Noticing where Samantha was looking, Wesley smirked and teased, "Oh, feeling a bit jealous, are you? If you want a shot at it, you'll have to put in some effort. Who knows? Maybe Leonardo will be in a generous mood today and grant you that chance." Overwhelmed by fear, Samantha kept her head down and chose to feign ignorance, refusing to utter a word. Wesley was disappointed by Samantha's sudden change. Just moments ago, she had been bold, but now she seemed timid. Losing interest, he turned his attention to Leonardo instead. "I heard you even brought her to your suburban villa, where your dog lives. So, is she your sugar baby now?" "It was my grandpa's doing." Leonardo gracefully swirled the wine glass, appearing indifferent. Samantha gripped the bottle tightly, her knuckles turning white. She was shocked that Layla had been taken to the villa due to the events that night. She realized that Leonardo probably mistook Layla for her, but she decided not to dwell on it. She would pretend she didn't know. That night had merely been an accident, and she had no intention of seeking anything from Leonardo. Layla had always been so kind to her, and she refused to cause any trouble for her because of this. Wesley was curious. "Why didn't you bring your sugar baby here?" "I don't see the point." Wesley was taken aback by Leonardo's response, and with a playful grin, he couldn't help but tease, "No way, Leonardo! You're usually the most responsible one among all of us. Turns out you're the real player here, huh? You're tired of her after just one night?" "Maybe." Leonardo remained indifferent, but he drained his glass in one go. Although he had sipped his drink before, never more than a mouthful at a time. This time, he downed half the glass in a single gulp. "Since you're already a scumbag, why not go all in and bring a woman home tonight to really live up to the title?" Wesley suggested. Leonardo cast a disdainful glance at him. "There's no need for that." "See? You just like to act cool." "I'm just afraid of catching something." "I'm perfectly fine." Leonardo arched an eyebrow. "Who said I was talking about you?" Wesley was thoroughly annoyed. Leonardo had a talent for delivering sharp remarks, and he never missed his mark. The gathering ended only when Wesley got drunk. Two bodyguards helped him away as he continued to tease Leonardo. "If you're interested in her, ask for her name, Leonardo. We can invite her to hang out with us next time." Leonardo ignored him. He took out some cash from his wallet, and placed it on the table. "Here's a tip for you." With that, he stood up and left without a second thought, not even bothering to ask for her name. Samantha didn't even get the chance to thank him. Without hesitation, she scooped up all the cash on the table, showing no pretense. She had gone above and beyond her duties that night, and the payment was well deserved. She couldn't help but think that Leonardo was truly generous. He had left a remarkably large tip. . As the last guests exited the private room, the noise gradually faded. The waitstaff lowered their heads and quietly began cleaning up, and Samantha followed suit. … In the empty corner of the corridor, by the locker room, Xenia left work early and secretly called Layla. It took several attempts before Layla finally answered. Xenia smiled and said, "It's been a while. I hope you're doing well." Layla scoffed contemptuously as she held the phone to her ear. If Xenia hadn't incessantly tried to reach her, she wouldn't have bothered to answer at all. They were both long-time employees who had joined the club at the same time, but their relationship had always been fraught with tension. Layla was acutely aware that Xenia's call carried ill intentions. "Spit it out if you have something to say. Stop beating around the bush," she said coldly. "Alright, then I'll get straight to the point." Layla remained silent on the other end of the phone, so Xenia continued speaking. "I already know your secret, so how do you plan to keep me quiet?" "You bitch! Don't try to trick me. It won't work." "You sure are lucky. Who would've thought the one who took you in was a Garrett? Everyone thinks you slept with Mr. Garrett, right? I heard it myself when I was delivering drinks to the private room today." "So what if you know about this?" "I don't just know about that. I know something else as well. I know that the person from that night wasn't you at all." Layla paused, her breath quickening slightly. The wealth and luxury before her were something no one could easily refuse. "Do you have proof?" Xenia smirked confidently. "I wouldn't dare speak recklessly without proof. I was working that night as well. I saw everything. After you got drunk, you passed out in an empty private room and slept like a log. I even snapped some embarrassing photos of you while you were asleep. They're still on my phone." "You little—" Layla was furious. She had thought she had hidden well enough, believing no one would ever find out. But as luck would have it, she was unfortunate enough to be caught by Xenia. Gritting her teeth, she asked, "So, what do you want?" "My dear, now that you've climbed your way up and are enjoying the good life, don't forget about me. I'm a bit short on cash lately. How about you give me two million dollars to spend?" "Two million? You've got some nerve asking for that! Where would I even get that kind of money?" "Come on! You're already living in a wealthy family. This amount should be nothing to you, right? Besides, if I tell Mr. Garrett the truth, do you think you still live in luxury? Do you think you'll be lucky enough to survive after deceiving him? So really, I'm doing you a favor here. Get it?" … At 3:00 am, Samantha found herself in the break room, eagerly counting the tips Leonardo had left her. To her delight, they totaled a remarkable 1,600 dollars. Juliet also wasted no time handing her the commission from the private room, which added up to 8,000 dollars. Earning nearly 10,000 dollars in a single night, Samantha felt like she could fall asleep smiling. With this, she could soon pay off her debt to Layla. After changing out of her uniform, she stepped out of the club, considering what to eat at the nearby night market. She deserved a little treat. Just as she looked up, she noticed a Maybach parked by the roadside. It wasn't far away and impossible to miss. Leonardo stood beside it, smoking. His long, well-defined fingers held the cigarette between them, its ember glowing faintly. The streetlights cast a soft glow on his face, accentuating his sharp, striking features. He looked like a masterpiece come to life.