"I heard you called for me, father."
"Hmm"
Layla stood in front of the big work table. The butler just went out to give them some privacy.
Father was doing paperwork. Since she entered the room, he hadn't once looked away from his paperwork. The quill's scratch on the paper reverberated throughout the silent room. The room was large and lavishly decorated with expensive items. Large chandeliers were used to embellish the ceiling, which also had gorgeously designed tapestry on them. There are a lot of bookshelves with a variety of books on various types of subjects. Even in her prior life, her father seldom ever permitted her to touch any of those. Though for her stepbrother, it was a very different situation.
She had visited his office numerous times in her previous life before, but she was especially anxious this time. Her mind was already preoccupied with the thoughts of Henni's injuries. And now her father's calm demeanor was making her more worried.
Layla really didn't predict anyone to be listening in on their conversations. Moreover, the conversation was just for a brief moment, before Jane hushed Henni. Any normal person who has let it go. Since they not only told her father about them but also severely punished Henni.
That only meant one thing- someone who held a grudge against Henni. But given Henni's upright personality, she would end up making many enemies.
How was Henni? Was she still in pain? Layla wanted to be with them and she could assist Jane with treating Henni's wounds, but she was now stuck here. She still internally cursed herself for failing Henni. "You do know why you are here, right?" the first word her father spoke to her since she entered his office.
"Yes" Layla said in a meek voice. Her attention was elsewhere as she fixed her gaze on her feet.
She heard the sound of the quill snapping. Before she had the chance to figure out the source of the sound, out of nowhere something hard collided against her head. So hard that her whole weight fell on the ground. She was at first confused, then she looked to her side for the colliding object that made her fall. A thick book, with a hard cover. It must be from the bookshelves she saw earlier. Then she felt something watery trickling down her temples. Upon touching her forehead, it hurt. And her fingers that had touched her forehead had crimson blood on them.
Layla looked up at the person responsible for inflicting such injury on her. Unlike when she first entered the room, her father was now standing up and angry. "You useless brat. You're not just useless; you're also biting the hand that fed you. You seemed to have gotten ahead of yourself. You can disrespect me just because you believe you are my daughter."
Same old man, same personality and the same fragile ego. It just all matches perfectly. She did returned back in time and her father was the same man she knew from her previous life. It's funny how she used to be afraid of such a cowardly man.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance. Once his rage subsided, he spoke again, in a normal voice. "Seems to me you needed some punishment for your behaviour so that this will not be repeated again,"
"Just because you're a daughter of a noble, you think you're better than everyone else," he said as he sat back down in his chair and exhaled. "I discussed this with the head maid, and she will give you a task. From now on, you will help around the house."
He picked up another piece of paperwork. "Now go and make sure you never do this again."
He went back to completing his paper as if he wasn't just his own daughter. Somewhere she was glad. Glad that her father was the same selfish man she knew from her previous life. That way it would be easier for her to dispose of him.
Layla got up from the ground, dusted her dress and bowed down. "Yes father"
Layla walked out the door, as the butler entered after seeing their conversation ending. The wound didn't seem to have shocked the butler at all, as he just bowed to her and went inside.
Unlike in her room, where the corridors were typically deserted most of the time, her father's office had servants to attend to him. As soon as she walked out the door, some servants reacted horrified and some started to gossip.
"Lady, are you alright?" one of the maids said.
"Yes", though it was a lie, but Layla didn't care and so did they.
The servant knew helping her would only put them in a rough position, since her father was not happy with her.
"Here" the maid handed her a handkerchief.
That was unexpected. Layla stared at the maid trying to find her intension. She hesitantly took it, she wasn't going to turn it down, since the blood was too much and it was now getting into her fresh clothes. "Thank you"
The maid's brown eyes brightened up as a smile played on her lips. She tucked her brown hair behind her ears as her cheeks warmed. She then bowed down and then she went away.
Layla pressed the handkerchief against her head, which was still bleeding. She increased her pace and then started to run. She only stopped after she reached Jane's room.
Jane had already bandaged Henni up and was sitting on the chair near the bed. Her eyes went to Layla as she came barging in through the door. Jane's worried eyes became horrified as she saw the bloody clothing. Jane ran up to her.
"What is this Layla?" Jane's hand touched Layla's hand which was pressing onto the handkerchief.
"Nothing, just a scratch. How's Henni" Layla said, worried, not caring about her own injury.
"Nothing? Do you even see yourself!" Jane bit her lip in an effort to restrain and suppress her anger. She knows damn well what happened without Layla explaining anything. Layla went to the master's room and came back with a wound. Two of Jane's important people were injured in just a single day.
"Sit here" Jane said to Layla, showing her the chair Jane was sitting before.
"How's Henni?"
"Layla sit down!".
When Layla heard Jane raise her voice, she was shocked. It was something that was bound to happen. How much can a woman on the verge of retirement can take? She should be having fun with her family not worry about whom she might lose next.
"Sorry" Layla apologised, realising her mistake and sat down on the chair.
Jane opened her wardrobe and got a first aid box which she had previously used to treat Henni.
Layla was looking at the first aid box. Where did Jane get it from?
Once she saw an alphabet curving as 'H.M' she was sure whom it belonged to.
"Hey Jane, where did you get this from", Layla questioned Jane, pointing her finger at the box.
Layla knew the answer but just wanted to be sure.
"Ah, this one is Henni's. I found it in her suitcase."
Then Layla was certain who this was.
As Jane treated the fresh cut with antiseptic, she could feel the burning in her skin. She could tell that Jane was taking great care to avoid hurting her. She took her time and was cautious with every step. Maybe that is why it took so much longer time than necessary.
"Ah, done" Jane said, relieved.
"Thank you, granny Jane"
Layla's eyes went towards the girl who was sound asleep in bed. Her forehead was all bandaged up. Even her arms and neck had sustained injuries, which were also covered up in bandages.
"She would be fine. Let her rest. She would be back like nothing ever happened. That's how Henni always is" Jane said after seeing Layla, who looked sad.
Layla took Henni's hand into hers and took it to her head. Seeing such a lively girl, unconscious on the bed broke Layla's heart.
"I will bring you coconut cookies that you so badly wanted to eat. So please open your eyes", Her voice pleaded to her.
She had promised to live this life without any regret, then why was she making such mistakes? She thought, since she knew the future, she believed she had an advantage. But this incident just proves nothing was stable, nothing was under her control. Things change with just one little action.
Will she lose everybody again?
A tear ran down her cheek. Will the people who genuinely love her leave her, just like her mother did? She doesn't want to lose anyone anymore.
Jane hugged the sobbing Layla from behind. She tightly embraced the trembling girl.
"She will be fine honey. Henni would be worried if she woke up and saw you injured like this. Just take care of yourself for now."
Jane was right. Knowing Henni, she would curse Layla's father once again, if she saw her bandaged up forehead. That girl was always wild like that.
Defence doesn't always work. Her meeting with the head maid wasn't in the past. Since she changed the present, and that will bear some consequences as well.
And this wasn't even the worst thing that could have happened to her. As long as she was not dead, she could strike again. She just needed to work a bit harder and be more cautious.
Jane's thought her reassuring words seemed to have worked as Layla stopped shaking.
"You're right, granny. If she sees me like this, this idiot will get into another fight". Layla gazed up at Jane and gave her a reassuring smile.