I pulled a white, wet cloth out of the washing machine and twisted it,
"Keep coming, and you'll know," I playfully taunted, smiling as I held it.
Suddenly, they stopped and stared at each other in confusion, before cautiously stepping forward until we were just a few steps apart.
"Do it already," the lady I had slapped demanded, still clutching her red cheek.
Without warning, they blew something white into my eye, causing me to groan in pain. The stinging sensation intensified, all the ladies started laughing, oblivious to my discomfort. I frantically searched for water to soothe my throbbing eye, blinking and rubbing it as they continue to laugh.
"Just you wait, I'll teach you a lesson," I vowed.
"So foolish, you even dare say that in your condition," one lady mocked, her laughter echoing in the room. "We'll teach you a lesson," another chimed in.
"Give me the scissors," a lady demanded, sending a shiver down my spine. Scissors? Was she planning to cut my hair?
I tightened my grip on the cloth and began swinging it in every direction, striking them with the wet fabric. Their screams filling the room, but I pressed on, fueled by a mix of pain and adrenaline.
As I continued to swing, someone finally managed to grab hold of the cloth, forcing me to let go. "You crazy witch," she hissed before kicking me, causing me to crash into the washing machine.
I heard the sounds of the scissors above my head, cutting through my long locks. Panic surged through me. But before I could do anything about it, somebody held both my arms, pushing me back.
"Let go of me!" I yelled with a mixture of anger and fear.
"I'll make you even uglier," the woman threatened as she continued to snip away at my hair.
"What do you think you're doing?" a voice interrupted, causing the scissor-wielding woman to freeze in her tracks.
"Oh, uhm, Hannah. What are you doing here?" she stuttered, clearly caught off guard by the unexpected interruption.
The pain in my eyes was still there, and the ladies blocked my view, presumably to shield Hannah from witnessing whatever was unfolding before her.
"What are you hiding?" Hannah asked, sounding a bit angry.
"Oh, uhm, it's nothing, nothing," one of the ladies replied nervously.
"Step aside," Hannah commanded.
"Oh, come on, Hannah, it's nothing. You don't have to worry, okay? Now, just leave," the lady insisted.
"You heard me, step aside," Hannah reiterated, her patience wearing thin.
"Seriously? I me-" the lady tried to reason, but she was suddenly silenced, and they slowly obeyed, revealing me sitting on the floor, hands rubbing my eyes in discomfort.
"Layla?" Hannah's concern was evident as she knelt beside me. "What happened here?"
"What happened to you?" she asked softly.
"Ask them what they did," I said.
"What happened here!" Hannah's demand was directed at the ladies who had been standing in the way.
"She was just messing with us, so we taught her a lesson. It's no big deal, is it?" one of the ladies attempted to justify their actions nonchalantly.
"You serious? This is no big deal?" Hannah's disbelief was palpable.
"Uhm, yeah," the lady responded.
"I'm reporting you to His highness," Hannah declared, her voice firm as she helped me up and led me outside to a tap for water.
"Here, rinse it off," Hannah instructed gently, turning on the faucet for water to cascade out, allowing me to start rinsing off the soap from my eyes.
Despite my efforts, the itchiness and burning sensation persisted, refusing to subside.
"I'll take you in," Hannah said worriedly, supporting me as she guided me towards the mansion.
"I'll call a doctor," she promised as she settled me into a chair and hurried off.
I heard her rushing back to me, her voice filled with urgency ad She reassured me, "The doctor will be here soon, okay? Stay calm and don't rub too much."
I heard a man's voice moments later, asking, "What's the problem?"
"Oh, doctor, you're here. I don't know what happened, but I think they blew detergent into her eyes," Hannah explained to the man who had arrived.
"How did that happen?" the doctor inquired, his concern evident as he joined us.
"I don't know, but please, do something about this before His Highness gets back."
"This is pretty serious. How are you feeling, dear?" the doctor asked me.
"It itches, it's still burning," I managed to reply, trying not to give in to panic.
"Let me examine you," he said, preparing to assess the damage.
"Please do," Hannah chimed in.
As the doctor proceeded to check my eyes, he placed some instruments over them and gave instructions. "How's your vision?" he then asked.
"Blur," I responded.
"It has really gone deep. The chemicals already penetrated before you washed it off. It's really serious," the doctor informed us solemnly.
"What are we to do now, doctor?" Hannah asked, her voice trembling.
"Bring her in," he instructed decisively. "My car's outside, you can come along," he offered.
"Of course," Hannah agreed, as she helped me up and guided me out of the mansion. She stayed by my side until we reached the doctor's car, and then we drove away.
The car finally came to a halt in front of a building, and Hannah kindly assisted me as I stepped out, the doctor following closely behind. Amidst the blur of my vision, I could sense their presence guiding me inside.
We moved through the corridors with Hannah's reassuring grip, until the doctor found a room and pushed the door open.
"Lie down here," he instructed, his voice steady and calm, as he prepared for the examination.
My eyes felt hot and itchy, straining to see through the haze that clouded my vision.
As the doctor began to work on my eyes, I felt other people entering the room.
"Does it hurt?" he asked gently, his hands deftly addressing the discomfort in my eyes. The itching subsided, yet my surroundings remained a blur of colors and shapes.
With precision and expertise, the doctor continued his procedures, administering medications and treatments to alleviate the strain on my eyes. Suddenly, drowsiness crept over me, my vision dimming further as I struggled to keep my eyes open.
"You will now rest, and when you wake, your vision will be restored," the doctor's voice echoed in my ears as I succumbed to the pull of sleep, my consciousness slipping away as I drifted into a dreamless slumber. With a deep breath, I let go.
I slowly opened my eyes, blinking to adjust to the light around me. The familiar surroundings of the building confirmed that I was still there. As I tried to sit up, I felt a warm hand holding mine. Turning, I saw Liam, his gaze fixed on me, his face adorned with a gentle smile.
"How do you feel?" he inquired.
"Fine," I replied softly, managing to sit up more comfortably.
"Stop staring," I said, noticing how he was still watching me intently.
Liam moved to the edge of the bed and gently cupped my cheek in his hands. "Let's go home," he suggested, his tone soothing. "You can rest there."
"Okay," I agreed, allowing him to assist me as I stood up.
"I can walk by myself," I insisted as he keeps holding me.
"No, you can't. I'll help you," he replied, lifting me up in his arms and carrying me towards the door.
"Put me down, I can walk," I protested, feeling self-conscious as we drew the attention of those around us.
"Let go, people are watching"
"Let them. In that way, they'll know who owns you."
I felt the heat rising in my cheek, but I looked away, trying to hide my face.
He continued on his way out of the building. People around us bowed respectfully as we passed.
"let me down" I urged as he carried me outside.
He leads us to a sleek black car with men following closely behind. Liam settled into the car, holding me on his lap with his arms securely around my waist.
"You, let go already," I insisted, trying to shift off Liam's lap.
Liam's fingers gently lifted to stroke my hair, which was now short, indeed different from its previous length that had hung below my shoulders.
"I'll fix it," Liam reassured me.
"You can't. I'll have to wait for it to grow back," I sighed.
"If I get my hands on them, I'll make sure I cut all of their hair until they become bald and ugly. I'll..." But I paused, catching the way Liam was regarding me with such attention. "What?" I questioned.
He simply smiled, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into a hug, his warmth enveloping me.
"Hey, yo..." I tried to protest.
"Shhh," he hushed me softly.
Finally, the car came to a stop at the compound, and as the doors opened, Liam lifted me in his arms, setting me gently on the ground before walking by my side.
Together, we stepped into his house, where all the guards and maids lined up, bowing with a palpable sense of fear. What's up with them?
Liam tugged at my wrist, guiding me through the corridor until we reached the dining room, his protective grip not wavering.
I sat at the dining table with Liam beside me. As the lady brought us our food, I noticed the tremble in her hands and the fear in her eyes.
What is wrong with these people?. Ah whatever.
I awaited the reveal of the dishes she had prepared for us.
Slowly, she reached out to open the lids, her hands shaking. I look up at her, but she's obviously avoiding my gaze. She served Liam and me, her fear extremely evident.
As she finished serving us, she bowed politely and excused herself, retreating quickly from the room.
I took up my spoon and began to eat. I could feel Liam's gaze on me, watching my every move. I ignored his silent observation, focused solely on the food before me. Something's wrong here.
After eating, I stood up "I'm going to my room." Liam merely nodded in acknowledgment, his attention already back on his own meal.
Without a word of protest from him, I made my way out of the dining room and headed towards my bedroom.
I sat on my bed, feeling a pang of worry for Mariam, Jackson, and the rest. I wish I could see them, make sure they're all right.
I stood up, pacing the room as I thought about them. Liam, on the other hand, was a mystery. All I knew was that Hannah had mentioned he was a white wolf, and nothing seemed to work on him. Frustration bubbled up inside me.
As I turned around, I was startled to find Liam leaning casually against my door. "Hey!" I exclaimed, suprised "What are you doing here? How did you get in?"
"Your hair" he simply said.
Confusion mixed with annoyance in my voice as I ask, "What do you want with my hair?"
He stepped closer to me. "I told you I'll fix it," he said, reaching out a hand towards my cheek as he looked into my eyes.
Frustration turned to defiance as I pulled away. "And I told you, you can't. I'll just have to wait for it to grow back," I countered, standing my ground as he closed the distance between us.
"I'll fix it," Liam repeated, his hand still raised to touch my cheek as our eyes locked.
"You know, instead of showing me fake love, why don't you show it to someone who wants it? I'm set on killing you, don't you understand that?"
"There's simply no reason for you to desire killing me, and even if you want to, Layla, you simply can't," Liam's voice was gentle and soft, his smile unwavering.
"I can, and I will," I shot back.
As I spoke, I watched as a flicker of pain flashed across Liam's eyes.
"Like I said before, give your fake love to someone else. I don't want it, someone else does."
"Let me fix your hair," Liam offered, his voice softer now, a hint of gentleness creeping into his tone.
"Don't you get it? There's a lady in your mansion that really loves you. You should give your love to her!" I implored. "Her name is Diana, by the way. She's indeed well-built and a lot prettier than me. She's kind, gentle, not rude like me. So you should give her a chance and let me do what I'm here for."
Liam's gaze held mine, a storm of conflicting emotions swirling in his eyes. And then, with a quiet determination, he took my hand and led me out of the room, along the corridor, until we reached a door that he pushed open without a word.
Inside, the room was filled with bottles neatly arranged on shelves, a large mirror standing proudly by the side, a long desk holding various equipment meticulously arranged.
"Take a seat," Liam instructed as he moved to gather something. His movements were tense, his jaw set with anger and pain that he didn't vocalize.
I slowly made my way to sit down in front of the mirror as Liam came to stand behind me. When I caught his reflection, his usual smile was nowhere to be seen. Instead, his expression was etched with anger and pain as he started applying something warm to my scalp.
I closed my eyes and let him work, feeling the gentle brush strokes and soothing massage on my hair. He trimmed it meticulously until it cascaded down my shoulders like silk, gleaming in the light.
"Here," Liam's voice broke the silence, offering me a bottle. I took it from his outstretched hand without a word.
"Rub that every night on your hair. It'll grow faster than normal," he advised before setting down the brush he had been holding.
"Let's go," Liam stated, leading the way out of the room. I stood up and followed him, the air heavy with unspoken tension.
As we walked, he remained silent and I trailed behind him, lost in my thoughts. Eventually, he disappeared into a corner, leaving me to continue walking alone, and I decided to go downstairs.