Layla's POVIt was my last day at work today and my colleagues threw me a farewell party. It was heartbreaking saying goodbye to everyone, as they wished me the best of luck on my future endeavors.Mrs Rogers, my boss made a toast about me, claiming that I was one of the best editors she's ever had, and it was hard letting me go again. Some of my colleague also made some heartfelt speeches and I tried my level best not to cry. I thanked them all for showing me kindness over the years and making the workplace tolerable.After the party, Mrs Rogers insisted I leave early so that I could finish up preparing for the move. When I stepped outside into the parking lot, Damon was outside, leaning on his car with his hands on his pockets.“Are you here to make sure that I'm actually leaving this place?”, I laughed, walking up to him and placed a kiss on his lips“No, I'm here to pick you up”, he opened the car door for me. “I'm taking you back home”“I'm not finished clearing the apartment”, I
Six months later....Layla's POV“I feel fat”, I mopped, looking at myself in the mirror and Damon walked behind me to kissed me on the cheek“Nonsense, you look beautiful”, he spun me around in a circle then hugged me from behind, and we looked at our reflections on the mirror. He placed both his hands on my baby bump.“You're breathtaking”, he smiled, and I couldn't help but to smile back at him. “How are you feeling? Are you in any pain?”, he asked, and I shook my head no. The level of attention I've been getting from him these past few months was just wow. Even hiccups were a big deal. I was even guided down the stairs like I'm a child. Mary monitored me 24/7 whilst he was at work and when he got back, I couldn't even breath in peace. He sometimes decided to work from home when Mary had other errands to attend to. But he was better. My father visited last month and he was worse. The constant breathing down my neck about my well-being, making sure I was eating well, exercising and
Damon's POV"I'm looking for my wife, she was rushed here a while ago, apparently she's in labor or something", I said to the receptionist still trying to catch my breath as I rushed here immediately after I got the call from my mother"What's your wife's name, Sir?", she asked as she paged through something that seemed like a records book"Layla. Layla Kingsley", I took my tie off and unbuttoned the collar button so that I could breathe properly. The receptionist scanned through the book as quickly as she could."She's in the maternity ward on 3rd floor, second door on your left", she directed, and I thanked her before running towards the elevator, frantically pressing on the up buttonWhen I got off the elevator, my mother was pacing down in the waiting area and the closer I got, I saw that Layla's door was closed, and she stopped me just when I was about to walk in"You can't go in there", she warned"Why not? My wife is in there", I prompted, but she shook her head."Because I was
Damon's POV“Have you thought of a name yet?”, my mother walked besides me as we stood by my little angels nursery window, admiring her from afar and I wiped off the tears that were streaming down my cheek before shaking my headI felt her hands brushing me on my shoulder. “You'll have to name her soon. She needs a birth certificate”.“I know”, I folded my arms and shrugged.” I feel like it's something Layla and I have to do together. I don't know if I can-”I couldn't continue as I felt a lump growing in my throat, and I was close to crying, but I quickly composed myself.“Layla and I were thinking of naming the baby Ava if it was a girl”, I said as I turned to look at my mother, and she smiled warmly“It's a beautiful name”It's been three weeks since Layla fell into a coma. The doctors are not sure if she'll ever be able to wake up again. There's been speculations about possible swelling in the brain, but they haven't confirmed it yet. I've never felt so empty and useless in my lif
Damon's POV"W- what?" , I stuttered as I sat down, feeling like my legs couldn't carry me any longer. "But how? I was here just an hour ago""We don't have the exact time she was taken, but it's in the time frame between 20 and 30 minutes ago""What are you doing about it? She barely just got out of the intensive care unit, she's still fragile. She still needs medical attention", I didn't have the strength to fight anymore. I just feared for my daughters life. Who knows what can be going through the psychopath that took her, her life could be in real danger."We're doing the best we can to find her", the detective said and the monster in me awakened as I stood up to meet his gaze"How are you doing the best you can whilst you're still standing here while you're supposed to be out there looking for the person who took her?", I fired up, and he nodded his head as he motioned with his hands that I must cool down"I understand your frustration Mr Kingsley-""I don't think you do. This is
Damon's POV"Layla?", I said softly and her gaze diverted to mine, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion for a second before she opened her mouth to speak"Who are you?"My jaw dropped, and I stared blankly at her, trying to speak, but no words were coming out of my mouth and my throat went dry."It's me", I breathed out, and she was giving me that Am I supposed to know you? Look. I felt my heart starting to beat slow. "It's me, Damon"She regained that look on her face, before I saw her lips purse into a straight line, trying to hold back a laugh, I quickly realized what she did."Very funny Layla", I faked laughed, and she laughed softly"I couldn't help it, I'm sorry", she continued laughing, and I clicked my tongue. I nearly had a reverse heart attack from that stunt. She cupped my face in her hand and caressed my cheek and smiled lazily."You look terrible", she said quietly before chuckling softly and shook her head. I laughed, taking her hands in mine and turned my head to kiss th
Layla's POVIt was Ava's first birthday today. She was in my arms as I stood by her nursery window, looking at the event coordinator & catering team busy decorating the backyard into a red and white Minnie Mouse theme party, and by the looks of things, they were not holding anything back, this was definitely going to be one heck of a celebration.I didn't see why we had to throw such a big party for a one-year-old, she won't remember anything and will probably be asleep most of the time. But hey, who am I to say anything?. Damon started making arrangements for this day when she was barely even six months old. Pecks of being a daddies' girl huh?"Happy birthday my angel", I kissed her temple as she tugged on her red and white dotted skirt as she looked up on me and tried to pull her pacifier out her mouth. She was always doing something with her hands, like couldn't keep still for a long time. It was the fourth time today she took of her headband and threw it on the floor and then have
Damon's POVLayla and I were slowly drifting away from each other. Between our demanding jobs and raising two children, we hardly had time for ourselves, so that could be together. We were even just too busy just to sit down and have a decent conversation or catch up over dinner or a glass of wine. Things got worse when I started working at nights so that I could meet the deadlines and sent out reports and prep for meetings for the next day. By the time I got home, she was already asleep.I was really frustrated by this and there was nothing I could do about it. She loved her job, and I love when she does things that make her happy. I felt neglected, and I know I also neglect her sometimes, we were both to blame.I decided to grab lunch at a small deli across the street today, I just didn't feel like eating sandwiches for lunch. I could do with a proper double cheeseburger, and some air. Being cupped up all day in the office was tiring and suffocating. I asked Carla to take messages o
Damon's POVLayla and I were slowly drifting away from each other. Between our demanding jobs and raising two children, we hardly had time for ourselves, so that could be together. We were even just too busy just to sit down and have a decent conversation or catch up over dinner or a glass of wine. Things got worse when I started working at nights so that I could meet the deadlines and sent out reports and prep for meetings for the next day. By the time I got home, she was already asleep.I was really frustrated by this and there was nothing I could do about it. She loved her job, and I love when she does things that make her happy. I felt neglected, and I know I also neglect her sometimes, we were both to blame.I decided to grab lunch at a small deli across the street today, I just didn't feel like eating sandwiches for lunch. I could do with a proper double cheeseburger, and some air. Being cupped up all day in the office was tiring and suffocating. I asked Carla to take messages o
Layla's POVIt was Ava's first birthday today. She was in my arms as I stood by her nursery window, looking at the event coordinator & catering team busy decorating the backyard into a red and white Minnie Mouse theme party, and by the looks of things, they were not holding anything back, this was definitely going to be one heck of a celebration.I didn't see why we had to throw such a big party for a one-year-old, she won't remember anything and will probably be asleep most of the time. But hey, who am I to say anything?. Damon started making arrangements for this day when she was barely even six months old. Pecks of being a daddies' girl huh?"Happy birthday my angel", I kissed her temple as she tugged on her red and white dotted skirt as she looked up on me and tried to pull her pacifier out her mouth. She was always doing something with her hands, like couldn't keep still for a long time. It was the fourth time today she took of her headband and threw it on the floor and then have
Damon's POV"Layla?", I said softly and her gaze diverted to mine, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion for a second before she opened her mouth to speak"Who are you?"My jaw dropped, and I stared blankly at her, trying to speak, but no words were coming out of my mouth and my throat went dry."It's me", I breathed out, and she was giving me that Am I supposed to know you? Look. I felt my heart starting to beat slow. "It's me, Damon"She regained that look on her face, before I saw her lips purse into a straight line, trying to hold back a laugh, I quickly realized what she did."Very funny Layla", I faked laughed, and she laughed softly"I couldn't help it, I'm sorry", she continued laughing, and I clicked my tongue. I nearly had a reverse heart attack from that stunt. She cupped my face in her hand and caressed my cheek and smiled lazily."You look terrible", she said quietly before chuckling softly and shook her head. I laughed, taking her hands in mine and turned my head to kiss th
Damon's POV"W- what?" , I stuttered as I sat down, feeling like my legs couldn't carry me any longer. "But how? I was here just an hour ago""We don't have the exact time she was taken, but it's in the time frame between 20 and 30 minutes ago""What are you doing about it? She barely just got out of the intensive care unit, she's still fragile. She still needs medical attention", I didn't have the strength to fight anymore. I just feared for my daughters life. Who knows what can be going through the psychopath that took her, her life could be in real danger."We're doing the best we can to find her", the detective said and the monster in me awakened as I stood up to meet his gaze"How are you doing the best you can whilst you're still standing here while you're supposed to be out there looking for the person who took her?", I fired up, and he nodded his head as he motioned with his hands that I must cool down"I understand your frustration Mr Kingsley-""I don't think you do. This is
Damon's POV“Have you thought of a name yet?”, my mother walked besides me as we stood by my little angels nursery window, admiring her from afar and I wiped off the tears that were streaming down my cheek before shaking my headI felt her hands brushing me on my shoulder. “You'll have to name her soon. She needs a birth certificate”.“I know”, I folded my arms and shrugged.” I feel like it's something Layla and I have to do together. I don't know if I can-”I couldn't continue as I felt a lump growing in my throat, and I was close to crying, but I quickly composed myself.“Layla and I were thinking of naming the baby Ava if it was a girl”, I said as I turned to look at my mother, and she smiled warmly“It's a beautiful name”It's been three weeks since Layla fell into a coma. The doctors are not sure if she'll ever be able to wake up again. There's been speculations about possible swelling in the brain, but they haven't confirmed it yet. I've never felt so empty and useless in my lif
Damon's POV"I'm looking for my wife, she was rushed here a while ago, apparently she's in labor or something", I said to the receptionist still trying to catch my breath as I rushed here immediately after I got the call from my mother"What's your wife's name, Sir?", she asked as she paged through something that seemed like a records book"Layla. Layla Kingsley", I took my tie off and unbuttoned the collar button so that I could breathe properly. The receptionist scanned through the book as quickly as she could."She's in the maternity ward on 3rd floor, second door on your left", she directed, and I thanked her before running towards the elevator, frantically pressing on the up buttonWhen I got off the elevator, my mother was pacing down in the waiting area and the closer I got, I saw that Layla's door was closed, and she stopped me just when I was about to walk in"You can't go in there", she warned"Why not? My wife is in there", I prompted, but she shook her head."Because I was
Six months later....Layla's POV“I feel fat”, I mopped, looking at myself in the mirror and Damon walked behind me to kissed me on the cheek“Nonsense, you look beautiful”, he spun me around in a circle then hugged me from behind, and we looked at our reflections on the mirror. He placed both his hands on my baby bump.“You're breathtaking”, he smiled, and I couldn't help but to smile back at him. “How are you feeling? Are you in any pain?”, he asked, and I shook my head no. The level of attention I've been getting from him these past few months was just wow. Even hiccups were a big deal. I was even guided down the stairs like I'm a child. Mary monitored me 24/7 whilst he was at work and when he got back, I couldn't even breath in peace. He sometimes decided to work from home when Mary had other errands to attend to. But he was better. My father visited last month and he was worse. The constant breathing down my neck about my well-being, making sure I was eating well, exercising and
Layla's POVIt was my last day at work today and my colleagues threw me a farewell party. It was heartbreaking saying goodbye to everyone, as they wished me the best of luck on my future endeavors.Mrs Rogers, my boss made a toast about me, claiming that I was one of the best editors she's ever had, and it was hard letting me go again. Some of my colleague also made some heartfelt speeches and I tried my level best not to cry. I thanked them all for showing me kindness over the years and making the workplace tolerable.After the party, Mrs Rogers insisted I leave early so that I could finish up preparing for the move. When I stepped outside into the parking lot, Damon was outside, leaning on his car with his hands on his pockets.“Are you here to make sure that I'm actually leaving this place?”, I laughed, walking up to him and placed a kiss on his lips“No, I'm here to pick you up”, he opened the car door for me. “I'm taking you back home”“I'm not finished clearing the apartment”, I
Layla's POVDamon left a couple of days after New Years, there was an urgent meeting to discuss the years budget plans. Dylan stayed behind and insisted on spending his last remaining days of his holidays with me. Harry would pick him up on Sunday because I was due back to work on Monday. I decided to spend the last couple of days back home with my father and grandfather. I missed them terribly.Dylan and I just finished packing our bags and were now preparing sandwiches and snacks for the road“What kind of fruits do you want me to pack for you?”, I opened the fridge“Apples and pears”, he said, and I laughed to myself. This had Lelo and James written all over it. Apples were Lelo's favorite and pears were obviously James favorites. I know this because Dylan wasn't a fan of eating fruits that much, I had to literally beg him to at least eat a fruit a day.“Since when do you like apples and pears?”, I questioned, and he rested his face on his tiny fingers on the counter“Auntie Lelo a