Chapter 10

Layla sat in the living room, staring at Mike's family portrait on the wall. She had loved being a part of this family, butnow she felt like an outsider. Carolina and Betty had made it clear that they didn't approve of her. And Mike, the man she had loved for years, seemed to have turned against her.

When Layla demanded a fair divorce settlement, Carolinaand Betty had convinced Mike that Layla was only after his money. They had called her a fraud and a scam, and Mike had listened to their words. Layla had tried to reason with him, telling him that she just wanted what was rightfully hers. But he had refused to budge.

Layla went back upstairs to their bedroom and called her mother, Mariana. "They won't give me what I deserve," she said. "I won't accept this divorce if they won't give me a fair settlement. I'm not going to let them win."

Mariana smiled on the other end of the phone. "You're a smart girl," she said. "I always knew you would fight for what you deserve. Don't back down."

D