Chapter 4

Layla

For someone living in a small neighborhood, Louis seems like he can afford to rent out the most expensive suite.

I don't want to be nosy, so I don't even point that out.

Jogging with him is pleasant and it feels great to have some company that doesn't throw sexual comments at me.

When I can't jog anymore, I pause to catch my breath and he stops, too.

"Giving up already?" He shakes his head.

"Yes."

"I can tell." He chuckles.

My throat is so dry that the water I have isn't enough to quench my thirst and it seems I'm too obvious because he offers to buy more for me.

Though I want to decline, I need it so I agree.

Because we've been jogging for a long time, we're already close to a convenience store so he leads the way.

He's so tall that I have to look up just to take a look at his silky blond hair. He also has the perfect muscle tone.

Once in the store, I take my water bottle and it's time for him to pay the salesperson, a young lady like me, but he rummages through his pockets for a long time.

Please don't let this be one of those moments where someone has no money and is embarrassed by it.

"It seems I don't have any cash on me," he says to her. "However, do you accept payments with this?"

He asks, taking out his wallet and when he presents a black card with a gold line, my eyes widen just as much as the sales person.

Those cards are exclusively for the elites of society.

She nods and reaches for the card, her hand even trembling a little.

I look on in shock as I begin to wonder how someone like Louis is living in such a small and simple neighborhood.

"Anything else I can get you before I put my card away?" He turns to me.

I'm still in so much shock that I only shake my head.

That card is still on my mind because Nathan also had one.

As soon as he comes to my mind, I squeeze the water bottle and it crunches a little while it's still sealed.

"Whoa! Are you alright?" His voice is laced with concern.

"Oh...yeah."

I lead the way as we leave the store and slowly open my bottle, but he goes ahead of me and smiles.

"Allow me," he says, opening the door for me. What a gentleman.

Nathan stopped opening doors for me not long after I lost the baby. The few times he did, it was only so he could pretend to be a good husband.

I try to block him out of my mind when Louis and I step outside the store.

"I can't help but wonder, who exactly are you?" I tilt my head with curiosity.

He stops in front of me and crosses his arms.

"I told you that already. I'm Louis."

"I know, but really, who are you? That black card is-"

"So that's what this is about. I see. Well, I don't want to tell you who I am. I prefer showing you, only if you agree to come with me. Is that okay?"

I'm so curious that I nod. Nathan and his siblings all had black cards.

I find myself thinking about him again and how he treated me like I was nothing and it makes my blood boil, so much that I squeeze the bottle again.

"Easy with that. Is there something on your mind?"

"Uh..not at all." I lie to him.

Nathan's a thing of the past. The only reason he first crossed my mind was because of the black card.

But just like I promised myself before, if I ever cross paths with him again, things will be very different between us.

In silence, Louis and I jog back home together. His house is nearer so he arrives first and I expect him to turn and go up the stairs but instead, he accompanies me and walks right beside me.

"What are you doing? You're home." I point at his house.

"But you're not."

"I'll be there soon."

"And I want to know where that is. Also....your phone number."

I chuckle. "Seriously?"

"You didn't think that was it, did you?"

He takes out his phone and hands it to me as we keep moving and I type it in with ease.

This is the first time I'm giving out my number in a long time.

"Here you go." I hand him back the phone and he looks at me with raised eyebrows.

"How should I save it?"

"My name, which you already know."

"Well, I see. Just curious in case you had something else in mind."

I roll my eyes at him.

"I know you said you'd show me who you are, but can you at least tell me part of it?"

"All I can tell you for now is that I lived in this neighborhood for five years. That was a very long time ago but it's special to me."

I expect him to keep talking but he stops right there, leaving me disappointed.

"If this is your attempt at making me tell you everything so you don't come with me, you're already busted." He waves his finger with a smile.

"That wasn't my plan at all."

"Which means you still want to come with me?" He's excited.

"Of course." I smile at him.

After everything I've been through because of Nathan, I feel like I've isolated myself for so long that I shouldn't do it anymore. I need to live my life now.

~

That same day, later in the afternoon, I'm all dressed up with a touch of some simple makeup.

I haven't worn one of my favorite body hugging white dresses in a long time and it fits me perfectly.

I feel so gorgeous that I can't stop checking myself out in the mirror.

When Louis gives me a call and tells me he's outside, I step out to meet him and he's in a similar outfit from earlier.

I even feel overdressed.

"Maybe I should go back inside and change." I look at myself with disapproval.

"Not at all. You look absolutely gorgeous." His eyes are filled with admiration.

He makes me feel flattered. I don't think anyone's ever looked at me like that before.

"Shall we?" he says, opening the car door to the backseat for me.

Because I'm someone who's familiar with cars, I can tell that this is a limited edition and extremely expensive.

As we ride in the car for thirty minutes, he showers me with respectful compliments and I feel so comfortable around him.

When we arrive at the airport, we travel using his private jet and while we're up in the sky and engaged in conversation, I make a shocking discovery about him.