4

Layla's eyes opened slowly as she was welcomed with a splitting headache. She looked around the room, noticing that the man from the previous night was still there.

The man remained tranquil as Layla screamed her lungs out. 'What the hell am I doing here?' Layla gasped, covering her mouth in shock.

He stayed calm, his cold, wicked eyes sending chills down her spine. Layla screamed even more, yet he didn't blink; he just kept staring at her with those icy blue eyes.

"You... how did we... how did I end up here?" Layla stammered, remembering everything from the previous night. It was her idea to get back at Mike, so she chose to spend the night with a gorgeous man.

"Really!" The man raised a brow at her. She was the one who suggested a one-night stand after sharing an emotional life story.

"Oh, sorry, then we are done here," Layla hurriedly said as she slid out of the bed.

The room was a total mess. The man's shirt lay helplessly on the window railing, Layla's gown crumpled at the foot of the bed, and her panties and bra were on the other side of the room. The bed looked like it just survived a war.

Layla was surprised by his calm demeanor as he remained unblinking while she searched the room for her belongings like a madwoman.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she found her panties, tossing her makeup and money into her purse. She was in a hurry to leave the room.

"I'll be leaving now," Layla announced, glancing at his face. He was even more handsome in the morning sun. Layla found herself ogling at his body, wondering how a man could be so hot and handsome at the same time.

'Too bad we won't be meeting again,' Layla thought, leaving the room as fast as she could.

---

Layla walked briskly into the hospital, with her father's welfare the only thing on her mind now.

She was certain that they would have already performed the surgery since the last time they called, informing her that they'd found a donor.

She inquired about her father, and the nurse informed her that the surgery was successful, and her father would soon be discharged. She muttered a thank you to the nurse and left for her father's room.

Layla opened the door to her father's ward slowly with enthusiasm, feeling happier than the last time she visited. However, all of her happiness died down the moment she saw the people in the room – Rosalie, Scarlett, and the last person she ever wanted to meet, Mike, her scum of a boyfriend.

Her father was in there, fully awake, as it seemed like they were all in a happy family reunion. But Layla didn't care about them at all at that moment; all she wanted was to make sure her father was faring well.

"Papa," she uttered softly as tears of joy filled her eyes. Everyone in the room turned instantly to face the intruder.

Rosalie scrunched her face in disgust, Scarlett and Mike pretended as if nobody was there.

"Papa, how are you feeling now?" Layla asked, but her father ignored her, holding a passive face.

"Papa, what's wrong?" Layla asked with the feeling that her father was not happy to see her.

"I am so disappointed in you, Layla," Markos said, utterly disappointed after being fed with lies about her. Layla had not shown up for days until now.

"Papa, I am so sorry; I couldn't come earlier than this. I never planned for all these; it was never in my power to stay away. It was all of..."

"You see, Markos, that's all she does after doing something bad – making up flimsy excuses," Rosalie interrupted Layla from saying whatever she wanted to say.

Scarlet stood tall, enjoying the view in front of her. Her lips curved up in mischief, watching Layla beg for forgiveness. She was still enjoying the show when she noticed something unusual on Layla.

'Where did Layla get a hickey?' Scarlett wondered. 'But Layla's a virgin; she was not home last night. Did she...?' Realization struck Scarlett, who thought about how to use Layla's situation to her advantage.

Their father, Markos, would never forgive Layla if he found out that she did not come to visit because she was with a man.

"Layla, you ingrate, you've been with a man all this while," Scarlett stormed at her, grabbing her shoulder, which resulted in Layla's fall.

"What's wrong with you?" Layla yelped in pain as she made her way to stand up.

"What's that on your neck? You've been with a man all this while?" Scarlet asked in a cold steel voice, a tone she had never used with Layla before. 'It was her true nature after all.'

"What…?" Layla stammered, but Scarlett wouldn't give her the chance to speak.

"You were out all night, and you return with a hickey."

"She obviously had sex with another man," Rosalie fired.

"How could you, Layla? Look at how tired you look." This time it was Mike who spoke. The thought of Layla with another man annoyed him; he didn't even have the chance to ravage her first.

"But I caught you in bed with Mike too," Layla retorted back. They only found faults with her. At least she didn't cheat since she was no longer in a relationship with Mike. In fact, it was Mike who cheated on her, and with her sister of all people in the world.

"How dare you! You're such a mess like your useless mother," Rosalie spat, as anger suddenly fueled in Layla.

"Don't you ever drag my mother into this; it's your daughter that is a mess. I mean, who goes around sleeping with people's boyfriends?" Layla asked, already upset with Rosalie's bullying.

"How dare you?" Rosalie yelled, landing a slap on Layla's cheek as Layla froze.