Layla hesitated for a moment before finally pulling out her phone to swap contact info with him. She was flat broke and desperate. After that $28,800 Sebastian had just handed over, she swore to herself she'd save every penny. If he kept his word and didn't lay a finger on her, she'd pay him back and bolt from this marriage as soon as humanly possible.
Work swallowed her whole. The morning flew by in a blur, and before she knew it, lunch break hit. She slumped into a chair in the cafeteria, exhausted. Right then, her phone buzzed. It was Abby, her younger sister who'd just started college. The second Layla answered, Abby's panicked voice came through, crackling with worry.
"Sis, Mom and Dad cut me off—won't give me a dime for food or anything. I can't even afford to eat. Can you spot me some cash?"
Layla's chest clenched. She had two younger sisters and a brother. Abby was nineteen and totally new to university; her other sister Chloe was seventeen and still grinding through high school; her brother Jason was fifteen. Their parents worshipped the ground Jason walked on, typical boy-obsessed mentality. Layla and her sisters got brushed aside to make sure their precious son never felt a second of discomfort. At fifteen, Jason lived like a little king, getting whatever his heart desired—he even had his own apartment bought for him back in middle school, all paid for with Layla's bride price.
Layla's biggest fear was that her sisters would get forced onto the same twisted path she was. She'd drilled it into them to finish their degrees no matter what, promising she'd back them up financially if their parents bailed. Now Abby was calling for help—how the hell could she say no?
She glanced at her phone, checking her balance: a measly $500 left. Without a second thought, she sent every last cent to Abby.
"Here, take this for now. If it's not enough, I'll figure something out."
Abby thanked her and hung up. Layla scarfed down a bland, hurried lunch and rushed back to the nurses' station. A message from Mathias Knight was waiting. He wanted her to bring him lunch—and had already wired over $1,000 for the errand.
Mathias: “Grab me something tasty, with some fruit on the side. Keep the change as a tip.”
At the sight of that cash, Layla's eyes lit up hard. She remembered the hospital had an employee kitchen where staff could cook. So she hustled her butt to a nearby grocery store on her lunch break, grabbed fresh ingredients, and whipped up a meal herself. Mathias had a leg injury—probably from a bike wreck—so Layla made dishes meant to speed up his recovery.
She bolted to his room just before her shift started again, completely breathless.
"I'm so sorry I'm late."
Then she froze. The room wasn't empty. Standing right beside the bed was the man she'd just married—Sebastian Knight. The one who'd made it crystal clear that their marriage had to stay secret. He was decked out in an impeccable suit, his gaze as cold and cutting as ever.
Guilt punched her in the gut. Layla set the food on the bedside table, her voice shaky. "If you need anything else, let me know. I have to get back to work."
She practically ran out of that room, her mind spinning like crazy. Her ex-boyfriend's roommate knew her new husband. And both men shared the Knight surname—could they actually be brothers? Her anxiety skyrocketed. If Mathias slipped and told Sebastian about her past with her ex, Sebastian might demand every penny back immediately. And then she'd be completely screwed.
Even with her mind reeling, Layla forced herself to focus on her duties.
Inside the hospital room, Sebastian's face stayed unreadable. "What's your deal with that nurse? Why'd she bring you food?"
Mathias laughed. "Oh, her? Friend of a friend. She's down on her luck, the kind who'd do anything for a buck."
Sebastian didn't respond, but that description felt like it fit. Still—was she really in a tight spot, or was all this just an act to milk sympathy for cash?
In a cold, flat tone, Sebastian warned, "Stay away from people like her, or you'll end up with nothing."
Mathias chuckled again, shooting Sebastian a look. "But Uncle, you gotta admit she's pretty cute. Even if she was running a con, I wouldn't mind. The Knight family can afford it, right?"
Sebastian's expression darkened. His voice turned razor-sharp. "As soon as you're healed, you're going abroad. Immediately."
After her shift finally ended, Layla rushed to catch the subway back to Starview Estate—the mansion Sebastian called home. Monica had once told her that Sebastian built the whole place for his daughter Avianna, even naming it after her. Layla figured he must love that kid more than anything.
Knowing Sebastian's schedule was insane, she doubted he got much time to help Avianna with schoolwork. So she decided to tutor her after work. But Avianna had been in school all day and was totally over it. She looked up at Layla with huge, pleading eyes.
"Mommy, can we go play outside?"
Layla couldn't stand forcing the child into more studying. She nodded, a soft smile on her lips. "Alright."
But then she remembered Sebastian's earlier warning. Gently, she said, "Sweetie, when we're outside, try not to call me 'Mommy.' Let's keep it as our special word just when we're home, okay?"
If Avianna called her "Mommy" in public and someone connected her to Sebastian, he'd lose it. She couldn't afford to piss off her only lifeline now.
"Why? You're my mommy now. Why can't I say it?" Avianna looked genuinely confused, blinking those bright eyes.
Layla explained as patiently as she could. Avianna still didn't quite get it, but she eventually agreed to call her "Sister" when they were out and about.
The two of them roamed the neighborhood garden, hitting the swings and slides, chasing each other till they were breathless with giggles. For the first time in ages, Layla felt light—genuinely light. She had no idea Sebastian was watching them from a car parked a little ways off.
From the driver's seat, his assistant Thatcher twisted around. "Mr. Knight, should I call Miss Knight and Mrs. Jensen over to give them a ride home?"
Sebastian shook his head firmly. "No. Let them play. I haven't seen my daughter this happy in forever."
He watched Layla, a full-grown married woman, play like a carefree kid. She seemed so damn innocent to him, almost sweet.
The car pulled away. Layla glanced over but didn't think twice about it, too wrapped up in their game of tag. When Avianna finally got tired, she panted, "Sister, I'm thirsty. I want ice cream! Can we get some?"
Worried about Avianna's stomach, Layla gently coaxed, "Let's go home and drink some water. Ice cream's too cold—it might upset your tummy."
Avianna wasn't having it. She had zero understanding of why it was bad, but she was dead set on hitting that self-service store nearby for ice cream. Blowing off Layla's advice, she marched over, grabbed a cone, and served herself like a pro.
Layla knew she didn't have the authority to be overly strict, so she caved. Watching how smoothly Avianna handled the ice cream machine, it was clear she ate this stuff all the time and never had a problem.
Then Avianna did something that caught Layla off guard: the first cone she made, she handed right to Layla, her voice sugary sweet. "Sister, try it—it's so yummy."
Layla didn't refuse. She whipped out her phone, scanned to pay, and they headed home, licking their cones and grinning.
Right before they reached the doorstep, Avianna tugged her to a stop, giggling. "Sister, finish it now! We can't let Daddy see—he'll be super mad."
Layla got it. They both polished off their ice cream outside before stepping in. And sure enough, Sebastian was already home.
Layla walked in with Avianna and greeted him, nerves prickling up her spine. "Mr. Knight, you're back."
