Chapter 2
Standing outside the door was Brian, who had been harassing her for months.
"Layla, I know you're there. Open up." Brian pounded on the door, making it rattle in its frame.
Layla's delicate eyebrows knitted together as she responded with icy detachment, "What do you want?"
Through the video intercom, she could see Brian swaying slightly—clearly he'd been drinking.
Since Susan took refuge with Layla, and began enjoying a better life. Brian had come to depend on her, too; he now lived with Susan and even called Layla his "little sister."
Her initial contact with Brian had been during those awkward dinners Susan would arrange, claiming to want to strengthen their mother-daughter bond. Layla knew better that Susan's only goal was to soften her up for more money.
Those dinners were how Brian had entered her life. At first, he'd simply looked at her with obvious lust, but when he learned she was married to Seth, he'd backed off.
However, as he gradually realized Seth didn't care about Layla, his advances had become more aggressive, even attempting to touch her on several occasions. She'd managed to avoid him each time.
After those incidents, Layla had stopped visiting her mother altogether. If Susan needed money, she would simply transfer it.
Tonight's unexpected visit from Brian left Layla perplexed. He obviously knew Seth wasn't home—but how did he know that?
As she was searching for an excuse to send him away, Brian spoke again. "You might not want to talk to me, but you should probably care about your mother. She got arrested last night for drunk driving and assaulting an officer. She's still locked up. Just thought you should know."
In an instant, Layla's pupils constricted, her mind going blank with a dull roar. She knew Susan all too well—she was absolutely capable of such recklessness.
Instinctively, she opened the door, asking urgently, "Which precinct is she in?"
Brian grinned maliciously as he forced his way inside, slamming the door behind him and quickly wrapping his arms around Layla.
"Ha! Mentioning your mom always works," He laughed.
Realizing she'd been tricked, Layla's eyes flashed with terror. She struggled with all her strength. "You bastard! Let go of me! Let me go!"
But Brian held her tightly, easily overpowering her attempts to break free. He dragged her to the sofa like she weighed nothing and threw her down. Layla scrambled to get up but was immediately pinned beneath him.
Brian began forcing kisses on her and groping her body. She screamed and fought wildly, her beautiful face contorted with hatred and desperation, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"You bastard! Let go! Let go!"
No matter how she struggled, it seemed futile. As Brian pushed up her blouse and started pulling down her pajama pants, Layla let out a desperate scream.
In her panic, she spotted an expensive crystal vase on the zen-inspired side table. She frantically reached for it and smashed it against Brian's head with all her strength.
The vase shattered with a crash. Brian howled in pain, clutching his head as he fell to the floor, blood streaming from his forehead and pooling on the hardwood.
Layla scrambled from the sofa, gasping for breath. She grabbed a fruit knife from the table and screamed, "Get out, you bastard!"
Brian staggered to his feet, blood dripping down his face. Seeing the knife in Layla's hand, he snarled, "You bitch! You'll pay for this! What? You're going to kill me? Go ahead! Try it!"
Layla gripped the knife tightly, her chest heaving. "There are security cameras here! Seth won't let you get away with hurting me!"
The threat didn't intimidate Brian. He laughed mockingly, "Everyone knows Seth doesn't give a damn about you. You think he cares?"
Layla's face went pale as she breathed rapidly. "Whether he cares about me or not, I'm still his wife! If you hurt me, you're disrespecting him! He'll destroy you for that!"
That finally seemed to register with Brian. A flash of fear crossed his face as his eyes darted around, seemingly looking for security cameras.
Afraid he'd call her bluff, Layla pressed her advantage. "Get out now, or I'll cut off my mother's money completely. You'll never see another cent. And you'll go to prison—rape carries at least a ten-year sentence! I mean it!"
Though Brian was seething with rage, the threat to his comfortable lifestyle was enough.
Cursing under his breath, he clutched his bleeding head and stumbled out of the house.
Layla rushed to lock the door, then slid down against it until she was sitting on the floor.
Her hand still gripped the knife, trembling violently—she was terrified to her core.
After a few minutes, her first thought in the aftermath was Seth. With shaking hands, she went upstairs for her phone and called him repeatedly.
Each call was disconnected. Just as she was about to give up, a text message came through:
Seth: [I'm busy. Call again and I'll block your number.]
Those few words nearly broke Layla. She crouched on the floor, her entire body shaking uncontrollably as she choked back sobs. "Seth, why do you treat me this way? What did I ever do wrong?"
Just then, a news alert popped up on her phone screen:
#Stanton Industries CEO Gifts Custom Pink Rolls-Royce to Girlfriend, Romantic Beachside Kiss Captured#
The headline seemed to blind Layla. She froze, then clutched at her chest as if physically wounded, gasping for air as large tears spilled down her cheeks.
So he was still with her...
As if on cue, Susan's call came through. Layla hadn't intended to answer, but her hand accidentally slid across the screen. Susan's urgent voice came through. "Layla! What's this news about? Why is Seth with that Jennifer Parker? What's going on? And that car must have cost millions!"
Her mother, and the first concern wasn't her daughter's well-being but money. Layla gave a bitter laugh, her eyes reflecting nothing but infinite sorrow and emptiness.
"Do you know what Brian did tonight?" She asked quietly.
The phone went silent. After about fifteen seconds, Susan's stammering voice returned. "I... I just told him to check on you. Maybe get some money. You know I just bought a car, and I'm short on cash."
"Between you and me, it's only ever about money, isn't it?" Layla's voice was hollow.
Susan's tone grew impatient. "I'm your mother, and you giving me money is only natural. Now tell me what's going on with Seth! That Rolls-Royce must have cost millions! You're his wife; you need to do something about this!"
Her mother's attitude left Layla feeling completely hopeless. With a bitter smile, she said, "Heh, seems like even as his legal wife, I'm worth less than his mistress."