Layla made no secret of being married. She advised her sister, Olivia, "First, cut off all contact with them. If they actually show up at your school causing trouble, just call the cops." But she knew, knowing how shameless their parents were, the cops might not even make a difference. The only real fix was to cut all ties and vanish so they'd never find them.
Olivia nodded, her voice trembling with concern. "Sis, how's the hubby treating you now you're married? How old is he? What does he do? He's not gonna pressure you to pop out kids right away, is he?"
It caught Layla off guard for a second. But as she listened to her sister's questions, she realized she'd lucked out. Sure, her husband was older, but he was handsome—no receding hairline, no beer gut. He was loaded, and more importantly, a decent guy—didn't have any crazy expectations. Heck, they'd been married a few days and he hadn't pushed her into anything. A man like that was a rare find.
Layla put her sister's mind at ease. "He's ten years older than me, but he looks super young, and he's honestly a really good guy."
That seemed to ease Olivia's mind, though there was still a catch in her voice. "That's good, sis. Take care of yourself. If I can get out of this arranged marriage our parents are forcing on me, I'm gonna audition for a talent show. And when I get famous, you can be my manager, deal?"
It was a comfort, and Layla agreed. "Okay. Focus on school. Let me know if you need more for your living expenses."
When she hung up, the car was already pulling into Starview Manor. Layla got out with Avianna and spent some time playing with her and helping her practice reading and writing, but her mind stayed stuck on Olivia. Her sister was gorgeous, tall, with a voice like an angel. If she could keep studying at the conservatory, she'd go places. But if their parents forced her into marriage, her whole future would be toast.
Layla felt so helpless. How was she supposed to stop their parents from leeching off her and her sisters? She was still distracted through dinner.
Avianna lifted her round little face from her spiced honey cake, peering over at Sebastian. "Daddy, Mommy looks sad. You should cheer her up."
Layla jumped, quickly telling Sebastian, "Don't listen to her. I'm fine."
"Mommy, you're not fine," Avianna insisted, sounding way too mature for a five-year-old. "You were sad when we got home. If you have a problem, Daddy should help you fix it. What kind of husband is he if he doesn't?"
Layla was stunned, staring at the little girl beside her in disbelief. She couldn't wrap her head around a five-year-old saying something that insightful. Uneasy, she stole a glance at Sebastian, not knowing what to say.
Sebastian's face was usually hard to read, but right now it was clouded over, especially the way he looked at her—distant and impatient. "If you can't handle something, just spit it out. I never said I wouldn't help."
"There's nothing," Layla shook her head, denying it. How could she talk about her family situation? Her ex had dumped her because of her family. If her husband found out the kind of family she came from, he'd want nothing to do with her too. All she wanted was a place to hide from her parents and make some money in peace. No trouble for anyone, no one prying into her past.
Sebastian wasn't going to push it. He had no interest in butting into someone else's business uninvited—especially not when this woman seemed so conniving, so two-faced. She was married but still tangled up with other men. It was humiliating and a slap in the face for any husband, even one in name only.
After dinner, Sebastian stood up and made a clipped comment. "Your personal problems are none of my business. But from the second you asked me to marry you, you need to start acting like a wife—have some self-respect and do your duty."
Layla froze, not sure what he meant. She looked up at him, but he'd already turned away, his back to her, cold as ice. What was that about? Was it because of what happened at the hospital? Or had Margo fed him some lie?
She wanted to explain. But seeing him head upstairs, clearly not wanting to be anywhere near her, she swallowed the words. Some truths you just couldn't argue with, and she had no defense. Still, the way he treated her left her feeling kind of low.
The next day at the hospital, Margo Powell had muscled in on Layla's job, bringing meds to Mathias Knight's room. The second Mathias saw his cousin, he was clearly ticked off. "Who told you to come? Isn't Layla supposed to be looking after me?"
The cousins weren't tight. They barely talked except at family get-togethers. Mathias knew Margo had stolen Ryan from Layla, and he was well aware she liked to throw the family's weight around. He had zero love for her.
Margo, who never backed down, fired back, "It's not like I want to wait on you. But take my advice—don't get mixed up with someone like Layla. You'll just end up miserable."
Her words hit Layla's ears just as she was walking up with a tray of meds. She felt sick inside, but what could she do? She was a country girl who'd finally snagged a city job. One wrong move and she could lose it all.
Swallowing her pride, she stepped up and took care of Mathias's wounds.
Mathias tried to comfort her. "Don't let her get to you. She's a real piece of work, no shame."
"Cousin, what the heck?" Margo snapped, glaring at Mathias. "I'm gonna tell Aunt and Uncle you're bullying me."
Mathias didn't flinch. "Go ahead. Everybody knows what you're really like. Ryan wouldn't have chosen you unless there was something in it for him."
"You—" Margo's face went white. Unable to lash out at her cousin, she turned her venom on Layla. "You think hooking up with my cousin is gonna lift you up? My aunt and uncle will never allow it."
"Are you asking for a fight, Margo?" Mathias, scared she'd hurt Layla, threatened, "Get out. If I see you in my room again, I'll throw you out myself."
Margo shot Layla a poisonous glare and stormed out. Once she was gone, Mathias said, "Don't pay attention to her crap."
Layla shook her head, finished with Mathias's meds, and made to leave. Mathias stopped her. "Why haven't you been bringing me food? And why haven't you taken the money I sent?"
He knew how desperate she was for cash, but lately she'd been turning down his help. He'd heard her shifts at the hospital had been cut back and made super convenient—someone had to be pulling strings.
Mathias had a feeling Layla had connections he didn't know about. She explained, "I don't need the money right now, and I've got other stuff on my plate, so I can't bring you meals. You should find someone else."
