Leyla stood at the entrance of Gray's villa, as she contemplated her options, she had come unannounced and pondered if she would even be let in as she was almost certain that Nixon was in the office and with Shaelyn's absence the house was probably empty,
It had been weeks since she last heard from Nixon, and to her this silence was deafening. She had almost been overwhelmed by her chaotic thoughts, as she wondered what the source of this sudden and weird act could be,
But after much thought, she concluded that it could only be related to the major upcoming event of the Gray's, and considering the numerous tasks required to plan his father's grand birthday banquet,
Leyla admitted that it was not surprising that he had been too occupied to check up on her; the event, after all, was not just any celebration; it demanded meticulous attention to detail.
"I'll just tell him that I came to offer my help," Leyla muttered to herself, trying to quell the rising frustration at the fact that she needed such a justification to be allowed in.
And it would work as after all, she was one of the few women who had ever participated in planning a Gray family event, and she knew very well it was a great responsibility.
One which Nixon could not fulfil while simultaneously running the Gray Corporation,
With a determined sigh, Leyla pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside. The air, thick with the scent of fresh flowers and polished wood, was a stark contrast to the turmoil currently brewing within her.
As she made her way through the lavishly decorated foyer, Leyla noticed that Shaelyn, Nixon's wife was present. Shaelyn was seated at a large mahogany table strewn with papers, colour swatches, and an array of decorative items.
Leyla's stomach twisted at the sight; Nixon hadn't mentioned that Shaelyn had returned.
"Leyla," Shaelyn stated calmly, looking up from her chaotic workspace with a blank expression. "What a surprise, I didn't expect to see you here."
"Hey, Shaelyn," Leyla replied, forcing a smile despite her inner turmoil. "I thought I'd check in on Nixon and see if I could be of help with… you know… everything."
"Oh, did you expect to see him buried underneath all this work," Shaelyn said with a gesture towards the mess on the table. "Don't worry! I've got this...it's mostly under control."
Leyla crossed her arms defensively as she observed Shaelyn flipping through pages filled with seating arrangements and catering options.
"Really? Because to me it looks like there's still so much left to do," she said casually, trying to mask her irritation.
Shaelyn chuckled lightly but continued working diligently. "Well, I've only been back for a few days now. You know how my family is about this kind of event; everything just has to be perfect."
Leyla nodded slowly but couldn't shake off the feeling that she should have been informed about Shaelyn's return.
"I just wanted to make sure he wasn't stressed out and drowning in silence," Leyla said softly.
"Oh! He is stressed," Shaelyn admitted candidly while scribbling notes on a pad beside her. "However, he'll be fine once it is all sorted out."
"You know what? Why don't I join you? After all, two heads are better than one." Leyla asked, looking at Shaelyn tentatively.
'If she disagrees, I have a good reason to call Nixon. However, if she agrees I can see Nixon regularly and maybe suggest moving in for convenience on a later date.' Leyla thought her eyes gleaming with mischief,
Shaelyn hesitated for just a second before nodding, this was exactly what Leyla had come here for after all.
'After I leave someone will have to be in charge of this anyway, and considering her bond with the Gray's, Leyla was probably going to be her replacement and the next Mrs. Gray.' Shaelyn thought bitterly, as she stared pointedly at Leyla,
"Sure. What can I say?" Shaelyn muttered under her breath,
"Great!" Leyla beamed as she joined Shaelyn at the table laden with some fabric swatches for table linens. "Let's start by picking out colours for the tables."
They began discussing shades of blue and gold and colours that would complement each other beautifully.
Leyla couldn't shake off the tinge of resentment towards Nixon for not informing her about Shaelyn's return or their plans.
"Do you think Mr. Gray will like this?" Leyla asked tentatively as they held up two contrasting fabrics against each other.
"I hope so," Shaelyn replied, but then added thoughtfully, "He trusts me, so we'll make this work."
Leyla forced another smile while internally grappling with mixed emotions about being sidelined in Nixon's life decisions lately.
"Okay, Leyla let's get started on this guest list," Shaelyn said, as she felt that this was the best way to include Leyla in the planning of this event as the Downey family were also affluent and influential,
Their only daughter Leyla obviously would be very familiar with and knowledgeable in this aspect,
"We need to think about who should be invited," Shaelyn said, spreading out her notes on the dining table.
Leyla her self-appointed assistant, nodded in agreement. "Absolutely! We should include all the dignitaries from last year's gala. They were a big hit."
Shaelyn scribbled down names as Leyla continued, "And don't forget about our business associates. It's important to keep those relationships strong."
"Right," Shaelyn replied thoughtfully. "I'll add the key partners from our recent projects. Family is also crucial; we can't overlook them."
Leyla chimed in, "What about close friends? They bring a personal touch to these events."
"Good point!" Shaelyn smiled as she added a few more names to her growing list. "Let's make sure we have a good mix of everyone who matters to us and the company."
Shaelyn sighed internally; Miss Leyla Downey, from all ramifications, was indeed the perfect candidate for Mrs Gray; her noble upbringing ensured that she would surpass her predecessor, the "Cinderella", would be easily forgotten.
'Can't you see? Shaelyn Maher to Nixon, you are just Mrs. Gray, so you are just this easily replaceable.' Shaelyn's chest felt a bit stuffy at the thought, however she shook off the feeling,
Having held on to love for this long only to end up bruised and scarred Shaelyn knew it was time to let go and heal.