Layla Nathan, out of the blue, grew dull and fell ill. He wouldn’t even take a bite of his favorite peanut butter sandwich, and he became averse to ice cream. On Saturday, the day Henry and I were supposed to attend the wedding at the Chapel, his health worsened, and I was forced to take him to the hospital. The doctor put him on the drip as he lay on the hospital bed, his glum face staring into nothingness. He was awfully quiet and it made me uneasy. “Hey…” Henry came in, stroking my back as I clutched Nathan’s hands. “Are you okay?” He was worried. I nodded. I was grateful I always had him to lean on. He kissed my forehead, brushing back my hair affectionately. “It’s going to be fine,” he assured me. “Nathan’s a strong boy. Aren’t you Nathan?” He smiled at Nathan. But Nathan wouldn’t budge or say a word. I feared he must have become irrevocably reticent about the way he had been behaving since he fell ill.
LaylaNathan was discharged earlier than the doctor had predicted, and the man was so sure that it was thanks to Leo that his son was healthy and cheerful once again. I wasn’t surprised when Leo brought him gifts on the day he was to be discharged from the hospital, despite the fact that I had told him his presence wasn’t required. He seemed as obstinate as Nathan himself. Henry wasn’t here yet, he had told me he was going to be late. And while I thought about the situation, about how I was going to separate Nathan from Leo, my phone beeped. It was a strange number. I didn’t use True Caller, so I didn’t know who it was. It was when I stepped outside to answer that I knew who was talking. William Gould. I had thought we would have nothing to do together ever again, but here he was calling me and saying we had to meet. As the call ended, I felt sour within me. I felt incapable of carrying out my revenge plan, I began to feel it wasn’t something I was cut out for. But whenever I
Tuesday morning set a phase in my life. A phase that seemed like it was revisiting me from my past. My past. Coincidentally, Henry went out of the country even while I struggled to tell him about Leo.He came. Indeed, he came, not like the thief at night. He knocked on my door and yes, a part of me had been expecting him.“Hi.” He was holding a large bouquet and a food basket. A cool smile which I found awkward was on his face.“Do you think I will let you in?” I asked, a shocked look on my face with the gifts he brought with him.He was a joker. A silly joker, in fact.“I do not think, I know, so.” He confidently replied.I bit my lip, he was trying his best to annoy me, I won't give grounds for it.“I'm going to call the cops on you.” I threatened.“You can go ahead…” His sharp gaze bored into mine, and I knew where his confidence was coming from. His affluence. Which cop would be cold for Leo Cooper? I wasn't taking this in the right direction. The look on his face was giving th
“It was accidental… everything.”I doubted she'd believe me, but she turned around and faced me. Her pale eyes piercing into my soul. She said nothing.“It's coincidental that you are Nathan's mum…I didn't know before that press conference… but you knew, didn't you? That I was the man he had been meeting.”It came as a confrontation, but I guessed she was too weak to stand up.“I didn't know it would come to all this... I never planned to disclose my identity.” Her confession came as weak and lethargic. Was she okay?“Are you fine? Do you need anything?” I didn't know whether she was on medication or not.“Could you just stay away?” It wasn't her first time of saying this to me, yet I was disappointed.“That's okay. Take care of yourself.” ***LaylaHis footsteps receded outside the door, and then he was gone. I hoped he was gone for good. It was the best he could do for both me and Nathan. We shouldn't have him in our lives. Now, I thought the rest of the work remained on me and t
LeoI got there as soon as I got the call. My mind was displaced and I was unsettled. At some point, I began to feel guilty for not keeping to my promise to him. Where could he be? Layla was inconsolable as the cops queried the Proprietor and the staff. I didn't know what to do or say to console her, but I approached her nevertheless.“It's going to be fine…" I wanted to stroke her hair, but I restrained myself. She looked up at me, with eyes teary and sorrowful. She opened her mouth to speak, but her phone rang.“Henry?” Her voice shook, and her fingers trembled while holding the phone.“Henry, Henry…" She kept on saying and whimpering. I stepped back.“Yes, yes…" Her voice choked with tears. I decided to ask the cops whether there was a new development or not.“We are still unable to access the CCTV. It is quite a professionally orchestrated plan.” The Sergeant responded.“Please, try harder. This boy is important to me.” I said and ran my fingers through my hair in frustration.He
Around eight p.m., I heard from My mum that Aunt Layla had returned home but without Nathan. He was still missing. I closed my door and went downstairs. Mrs. Carter had dozed off on the sofa, her phone almost falling from her hand. Her stomach was heaving heavily, like her baby was about to pop out at the moment. She was obviously tired from all the worry.I decided to get a bowl of ice cream from the kitchen. However, I heard the doorbell ring. Who could it be at this late hour? Aunt Layla? Or the cops? Could they have Nathan with them? I ran to the door.“Hello…”At the door was Mr. Cooper, standing smartly dressed in a three-piece burgundy suit, with his hair neatly permed back. What was he doing here? Last time, Mrs. Carter had warned me not to let him in.“Hello, sir.”“Hi, Sofia…right?” He said with a smile.“Yeah.”“Is Hannah… I mean Mrs. Carter in?” He asked.I didn't know whether to tell him she was home, sleeping in the living room, or not. He blinked.“Well, she's…
LeoI deepened the kiss, ignoring her gasp of excitement as I parted her lips with my tongue. I wanted even more, I wanted to feel her, her warmth. I slid my hands around her, settling one on her upper back, while my other hand reached for the luscious curve of her bottom. I pressed her hard against me. It had been so long. Damn long and I felt her so soft in my arms. “Oh Leo,” She moaned.I wanted more of her, and I could remain hypnotized by her. Passion clouded my reason, and I was determined to have the best of her. To feel the sensation of her in my arms and beneath me. The heat of her tickled my skin as she spread out her legs…The chiming of my phone startled me out of my reverie. I immediately switched off the shower and slipped out of the bathroom. I toweled my hair, reaching for my phone. It was a strange number…who could be calling late at night? I tossed away the phone and settled on the bed, my mind wandering back to Layla. This was the first time in many years I wou
LeoTony most probably then only loved to discuss Ariadne and it was starting to give me much more peace of mind than ever before, but I couldn't stop thinking about Layla and Nathan. The cops had not provided anything that could point to the criminal, and I was starting to think that they were not taking the case seriously for one reason or another. My contacting the IP didn't seem to be having the supposed effects.“It's time for the meeting, sir…" Celine walked in.“So what do you think? Do I proceed?” Tony queried. What was he even talking about?“Ah, yeah, yeah… it's… it's fantastic.” I pretended to have heard all of what he had said from the beginning to the end, whereas it was totally otherwise.“You don't have any idea of what I'm talking about, do you?” He frowned.“You caught me!” I admitted. “I'm sorry…I…"“You are overwhelmed.” He said as a matter of fact. I knew.“I'll be there in a minute.” I turned to Celine.“Sure sir.” She smiled and walked out.“Have they not caught