Layla drove past the tree, looked back, and reversed. She parked at the road side and picked up her phone before she walked under the tree. She sat down and put her phone beside her. She rested her head on the chair headrest and closed her eyes, her hands across her chest. “I’m tired…” she sighed, confessing to no one’s present. Lost in thought of the past, a little cute smile displayed on her face, remembering how she lived happily with her family before she traveled to Spain. Getting to the middle of the memory, the smile faded away in a second, and recollecting Ivory’s condition when she arrived in America and everything that happened after then till the present ones, tears rushed out of her eyes and rolled down to her cheeks before some followed her face line to her mouth while others landed on her laps. “Layla!” “Layla!” “Layla!” Layla heard Ivory's thunderous fear and pain tone calling her name continuously. She wanted to open her eyes, but she couldn’t. She tried
6:30 AMNancy got down from the car with a food basket in her left hand. The cab man drove away, and she crossed the road to the other side.She stood in front of the big gate and discharged a deep breath."Calm down, Nancy. Be positive Asher will collect the meal. He is a great guy. He is generous."She opened the gate and entered Asher's big mansion. She walked to the mansion door and pressed the button.The button made a sound, but the door didn't open.She pressed the button again, and the same thing.She stretched out her hand towards the door button, but she quickly cautioned herself before her hand could reach it."He might be busy." She thought and waited for him.She turned back to the gate direction and sat on the second of the small three stairs before the mansion door.7:49 AMNancy looked at her wristwatch, and her eyes widened in surprise."Time has gone!" She stood up in a flash and picked up the food basket. She moved closer to the door and pressed the button, but no
Three months ago, when Layla returned to America, sadness became an ocean, but she forced herself to swim so she could see Ivory being happy again. And after Ivory died, Layla drowned. “Dear Layla, we are sorry. Maximo Investment can’t accept your submission despite your good qualifications. Try again next year. Thank you.” A long blonde-haired lady read out, sitting in front of her laptop. She took a deep, disappointed breath, her eyes withered sadly. Maximo investment was her last hope because it was the fifteenth company she applied to, and the other fourteen companies had rejected her. Layla shifted the chair back a little and rested her head on the table, her head touching the laptop keyboard. When Layla was twelve, she won a scholarship from an unknown organization, which sponsored her throughout her educational years. After she graduated from the most expensive university in New York as the best student of the year, the organization secured her a job in Spain, and she move
To President Mason, Layla was about to kill two birds with one stone, but to Layla, she was about to use one stone to kill as many birds as she could. She was determined to pay the price for success, to let the public know the truth, and to find the answer to the questions that Ivory left her with. It had been an hour since Layla had been waiting for President Mason in his office. She looked at her wristwatch and it was already 3 p.m, so she decided to leave. She picked up her bag beside her, and as she stood up to walk out, President Mason walked in, smiling. He walked to the chair in front of Layla and sat down, and Layla sat back in her seat. “Good afternoon, sir.” She welcomed him. He beamed at her, appeasing. “Good afternoon, angel. I am sorry for keeping you waiting. An emergency came up.” “Okay, sir.” President Mason changed his sitting posture and sat comfortably, his back relaxed on the couch's back support. “Have you spoken with your sister?” “Yes,” she responded. “Tha
Layla walked out of her mansion elegantly in a beautiful short silver lace gown and black stiletto heels, with a black purse in her hand. Her face was layered with a light powder and a white lip gloss was applied to her round dried pink lips to make them a little wet.She took her step slowly because she wasn’t comfortable in the gown and heels. It was her first time wearing such a dress, but since it fitted for the outing, she had no option.Mia opened the car door and Layla got inside.Mia closed the door and entered the front seat.Layla put the bag beside her and had a second look at herself in the car's front mirror. “What’s the schedule for today?” Layla asked. Mia turned back to her a little. “We are heading to President Mason’s office now and we will attend Asher and Avery’s engagement party later in the day.”Layla frowned her face, surprised. “Engagement party?!”The sadness that struck Layla didn’t let her log into her social media account for the past weeks, so she didn’
Layla woke up. Her body was weak, and she felt a slight pain in her body. She stood up with her eyes half opened and sat on the bed for a few seconds before she crawled backward and relaxed her back on the wall.She yawned and brushed her hand over her face.She looked around the room and opened her eyes, amazed. “How did I get home?”She tapped her head three times, trying to think back about what happened after she excused herself to the toilet last night, but she remembered nothing.“Did I?!” She screamed, her eyes widened in disbelief, thinking she drank into a stupor last night and fell in the toilet.Mia rushed out of the bathroom, dressed corporately. She curved her head, smiling. “Good morning, ma. How’s your night?”“Good morning,” Layla beamed insincerely. She looked at Mia’s face as she let the smile slowly fade away. “I don't know what my night was like because I can't even remember how I got home last night.”“How did I get home?” Layla oppugn.Mia raised her eyebrows in
President Mason wrapped up the file he spent hours correcting. He placed it on the right side of his desk and took another file from the left side and put it in front of him on the desk. He opened the first pages, and as he laid the pen on it to work, he halted and tapped his forehead.“What's next?”He thought for a minute and let out, “I should call Evelyn; this is unusual of her.”He took out his phone, and just when he wanted to dial her number, Mrs. Evelyn entered.Mrs. Evelyn bent her head. "Good morning, sir. How’s your night?""It's fine,” he replied with simplicity. “Why are you late? I have been so worried.""I am sorry for troubling you, sir," she apologized. “I went to bed late last night and ended up waking up late. I'm sorry, sir.”"It's fine. You have been my secretary for over nineteen years, and this is the first time you are late. So, if I am not worried about you, I am not human," he pointed out, smiling.He put his phone down. "How's where you went? Any good news a
Layla woke up early. She took her bath and dressed up quickly before Mia would arrive to pick a dress for her. As she stepped out of the mansion, Mia rushed in.Mia looked at her from head to toe in surprise, and she quickly bowed her head, apologizing, "I am sorry for coming late, ma. I didn’t know you were going out early."Layla beamed lightly. "It’s fine. Picking a dress isn’t hard. Besides, I decided to wear what I am comfortable with.""You should have called me, ma. I am always at your service." Mia let out in guilt."It’s fine." Layla grinned.Mia stretched out her hand to collect the bag that Layla was holding, but Layla didn’t give it to her."Don’t worry, I am going out alone. You won’t follow me around anymore." Layla announced."Why ma?!" Mia asked in shock. "Did I do anything wrong?""Not at all. You did nothing wrong. It’s just that some things are better done alone," Layla smiled, comforting. "I have discussed it with the chairman, so you don’t need to worry about it.