The elevator's beep broke the silence, snapping Layla out of her thoughts. She looked pale and gaunt, like someone suffering from a long term illness that had taken a toll on her overall health. Her appearance betrayed her emotional state. it was clear she had been crying and was deeply stressed. The dark circles under her eyes and her sunken cheeks told a story of pain and struggle.
She walked straight towards her apartment, but from a distance, she noticed two men carrying her belongings out of her unit. She was perplexed, wondering how this could be happening. As she approached her apartment, she realized the door was wide open, and the men were removing her possessions.
"Heyyyyyyy!" she exclaimed, rushing into the house and confronting the men. Her anger was palpable, fueled by the audacity of these strangers who had invaded her home without following proper procedures. She demanded answers, her voice firm and assertive.
"Who gave you the right to walk into someone's apartment without permission and remove their belongings?" she shouted, but her words seemed to fall on deaf ears. The men continued their task, ignoring her protests. She spotted one of them reaching for a flower vase and couldn't help but intervene. "Don't touch that!" she exclaimed, quickly snatching the vase from the man's hands. Finally, she had their attention, and she demanded an explanation. "What is going on here? Who authorized this?"
"I remember telling you this morning, but you didn't take me seriously," Luca said, his voice firm and authoritative. Layla turned around to face him, but her initial courage was replaced by a wave of fear. Her body trembled, and she felt weak, but she tried to hide her vulnerability.
Despite her fear, she couldn't help but admire Luca's handsome features, from his hair to his lips. "I told you I would leave when I found a place to stay," she said, trying to sound firm and confident, but her words and tears betrayed her. She struggled to maintain a strong facade, refusing to let Luca see her weakness, knowing he didn't deserve to see her vulnerable.
She recalled Thea's words of wisdom, "To survive in this cruel world, you must be strong as steel, impenetrable and unyielding. No one deserves to see your fear or your tears. Instead, you must instill fear in them." Those words echoed in her mind, emboldening her. With newfound courage, she stood up straight and declared, "You can't kick me out!" Her voice was firm and resolute, hiding the vulnerability she had felt just moments before.
She locked gazes with Luca, her eyes flashing with a defiant spark. Despite her inner fear, her expression was daring and confident, leaving Luca wondering how he had ever considered letting her go. He couldn't help but admire her, his gaze lingering on her features.
Layla had always been beautiful, but today she radiated a captivating glow, her loveliness leaving Luca mesmerized. He pondered what it was about her that made her seem even more stunning today, his thoughts betraying his attempts to remain indifferent.
"Tell your men to bring my belongings back inside," she commanded, gesturing with her hand. Luca was torn between not wanting to offend her and not wanting to upset his new girlfriend, Harper. "Harper wants you out of this place," he said, his voice firm but cautious, trying to navigate the situation without escalating the tension.
"If only you were this obedient, we wouldn't be having this conversation," she said, moving back and sitting down in the chair. "I guess you never loved me." The words hung in the air, and Luca wanted to respond, but he restrained himself, knowing that anything he said would only make things worse. Just then, Layla's phone rang, breaking the awkward silence. She hesitated, not wanting to answer it, but the ringing persisted. She finally relented, hoping the call would provide a welcome distraction from the tense moment. To her surprise, it was Thea on the other end.
"Hey, how is your first day going?" Thea's cheerful voice came from the other end of the call, oblivious to the tension that had just unfolded. Layla's gaze fell on the chicken she had ordered, now lying uneaten on the table, a painful reminder of her evening plans. She had thought it would be her only companion for the night, not expecting Luca to show up.
"Those are mine, don't take them out!" she exclaimed, as Luca began to separate their belongings, directing the men to distinguish between what was hers and what was his.
"Was that Luca's voice?" Thea asked, her curiosity piqued. It seems like Layla was caught off guard by Thea's question and quickly tried to brush it off, not wanting to discuss Luca or the situation further. "you are at home", Thea asked .
"Yes, well... I'm home." She hated the way she sounded, like a defeated person. The call ended abruptly, leaving Layla wondering what Thea was planning on doing.
After a heated argument with Luca, Layla stood firm at the entrance, determined to assert her control over the situation. "You won't kick me out like a loser," she declared, her voice steady and resolute. She knew she had to be strong and brave, hiding her vulnerability from Luca's prying eyes.
I am no longer interested in you once I found a place I will gladly kick myself out of here" she just kept a strong face while saying it without blinking. "Don't you get it". Luca was now frustrated, deep down he knows what he is doing is wrong, he wanted to hug her and tell her all is fine but he could not move. He can't spoil and ruin his plans now. He had gone too far to quit.
Just as the tension between Layla and Luca was reaching a boiling point, a figure burst into the room, pushing Layla aside. It was Thea, her eyes blazing with a fierce intensity as she swept the room with a deadly stare. Her gaze lingered on Luca, and she flipped him off with a defiant middle finger. Three burly men followed close behind, their imposing presence radiating an aura of authority. "Get every single thing out of this room to the van," Thea barked, her voice firm and commanding. Layla, still reeling from the sudden turn of events, stood frozen in uncertainty, unsure of what to do next. The room was suddenly alive with activity, as Thea's men began swiftly gathering Layla's belongings and hauling them out to the waiting van.
Thea's gaze swept the room, her eyes lingering on Luca and the men he had brought, before she spoke again, her voice dripping with disdain. "Except for all these things called men," she said, her finger jabbing accusingly at Luca and his allies. Luca, attempting to assert his control, protested, "Some things here are mine!" as he tried to stop Thea's men from carrying away the dishwasher.
Thea's smirk was merciless as she retorted, "It's not bad for a compensation for what you made her go through." Luca's face reddened as he tried to respond, but Thea cut him off, her voice firm and authoritative. "Anyone tries to stop you, deal with them. I'll pay the medical bills." She flashed a triumphant smile at Luca, who stood dumbfounded, his face a picture of shock and impotence. Thea's men continued their task, efficiently gathering Layla's belongings, while Luca's men seemed to shrink under Thea's fierce gaze, reluctant to intervene.
Thea approached Layla, who stood frozen in uncertainty, her eyes fixed on the men carrying out her belongings. "What do you think you're doing?" Layla asked through gritted teeth, her attention still on the men, not on Thea. Thea let out a mocking laugh and walked away, saying, "Helping you forget a soul." She then began directing the men, her voice firm and authoritative. "Just move every single thing out. If possible, you can even move the toilet." With a flick of her wrist, she gestured to the men to continue their task, her eyes never leaving Layla's face. Thea's men continued to efficiently gather Layla's possessions.
After what seemed like an eternity, the men finally finished clearing out the room, leaving not a single item behind. Thea handed one of them a card and nodded, "I'll be on my way too." The man acknowledged and they departed, leaving Luca standing alone, his frustration palpable.
"You won't even let me get a single thing!" Luca exclaimed, his voice laced with desperation. Thea turned to him, her expression unyielding, and grasped Layla's hand, preparing to exit. "Layla," she said, and Layla halted, her eyes fixed on Luca, anticipating his next move. The silence was oppressive, heavy with unspoken words.
Just as Luca opened his mouth to speak, his phone rang, shattering the tense moment. Layla seized the opportunity to break free from Thea's grip and walked away, leaving Thea standing alone. Thea's eyes never left Layla's retreating figure, her gaze a mixture of concern and understanding.
"Don't ever come back, she's done," Thea said, her voice firm and resolute, without looking back as she walked away. Luca's face contorted in anguish, his eyes pleading for another chance, but he restrained himself from chasing after her. Instead, he slammed his fist against the wall, his head hitting the surface with a loud thud. "What have you done, Luca?" he muttered, his words laced with self-reproach, as a trickle of blood ran down his forehead.
Back in the car, where Thea drove in silence, her eyes flicking towards Layla, who stared blankly outside, her gaze fixed on nothing in particular. The music played in the background, but neither of them seemed to notice. Thea finally broke the silence, her voice gentle but concerned, "Hey, are you okay?" she asked, her eyes still on the road ahead.
"You came back from work earlier," Thea observed, her eyes fixed on the road as she drove carefully. "Where you fired on your first day," she added with a hint of humor. Layla chuckled and responded, "You wish."
Thea laughed, but her mind wandered to the possibility that if Layla hadn't been fired, she might not be with her now, and in her current fragile state. "He said I should take a week's break," Layla mentioned, her voice trailing off. Thea's curiosity was piqued, and she shot Layla a questioning glance, seeking clarification. "My boss," Layla elaborated, but Thea was still unsure who she meant . " the top boss or your manager". "Mr. Logan," Layla confirmed with a nod, answering Thea's unspoken question.
"Maybe he saw me and pitied me," Layla said, her voice laced with a mix of emotions. Thea's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly composed herself and pulled out her phone. She dialed a number, and the call connected immediately, switching to speaker mode.
The person on the other end answered with a loud, stern tone, "Why did you leave the office without informing me?" The anger in his voice was palpable, and Thea's eyes met Layla's, sharing a moment of understanding.
"Mr. Wilson, I'm really sorry, I had an emergency," Thea explained, her eyes fixed on the road as she drove carefully to avoid any mistakes. Layla sat beside her, gazing out the window, her expression distant. "An emergency that can't wait till after you report?" Mr. Wilson's voice was laced with skepticism, and Thea knew she had to think fast. As a news reporter, she was aware of the consequences of her actions, especially since she was supposed to go live on air in just five minutes.
"My mom is in a coma right now, and her condition is very critical," Thea said, her voice barely above a whisper, trying to sound as convincing as possible. She knew she was taking a risk by lying, but she had to stay with Layla, who was clearly going through a tough time.
Thea's heart raced as she waited for Mr. Wilson's response, hoping her impromptu excuse would be enough to defuse his anger.
Thea kept her voice low and husky, pouring on the sympathy, "I don't want to lose my mom..." She sounded like she was on the verge of tears, and Mr. Wilson fell for it hook, line, and sinker. "Oh," he said, his tone softening. "Can I get a week or so off?" Thea asked, her voice still trembling. Layla stared at her, amazed by the audacity of the lie.
"I promise I'll get you some interesting stories," Thea continued, her voice still laced with fake emotion. "I'll make it up to you, I swear." Mr. Wilson's anger seemed to dissipate, replaced by concern and sympathy. "Okay, take all the time you need, Thea. I hope your mom pulls through." Thea let out a sigh of relief, her expression still somber, while Layla shook her head in disbelief, wondering how Thea had managed to spin such a convincing web of deceit.
"Take good care of your mom and yourself too," Mr. Wilson said, completely buying into Thea's lie. "Don't go around looking for stories, just focus on taking care of her." Thea smiled at Layla, giving her a "mission accomplished" look, and ended the call.
Layla was still in disbelief. "What if something really happens to your mom?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. Thea's response was untroubled "Nothing will happen to her, she's a strong woman." Thea seemed completely unbothered by the fact that she had just used her mom as a prop to get out of work.
Thea's focus had already shifted to their upcoming adventure. "We have a week to ourselves, from clubbing to the beach, I'll make sure you forget all about your troubles," she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. As she put the pedal to the metal, the engine roared to life, and the car sped down the highway, leaving all worries behind......