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Crystal OduwaA/N: Thoughtsssssss guyss! I'm excited for the next few chapters!(◕ᴗ◕✿)
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LAYLA 47/60WEDNESDAY A guilty conscience. They ingrained it in everyone. From birth. Some people spend their entire lives suppressing it. Not feeling that pain in your heart when you don't scan an item at the grocery store. Neglecting the tightness in your chest when you grab something the other person desperately wants. To take it up a notch - pulling a trigger on another human being and still laying down at night. My father expected me to take whatever I wanted. That's how he raised me, so my conscience has always been secondary. I'd never felt it so intensely until this moment. Hiding the guy who hurt your friend from her then going to the park with said friend.Freya and I arrived at the park. We used my car, and she hopped in the back instead of the passenger seat. Not much of a deal, but it made me pause for a few seconds and stare at her. She buried her eyes in her cell phone. I kept my eyes on the road, but sometimes my mind came up with a scenario like this - "You bit
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LAYLA49/60FRIDAY Wedding rehearsals. That was still happening. Traditional parents, I suppose. Pen and Quentin were around and, with less than a week to the wedding, they liked the rehearsal and dinner conducted efficiently. Had to keep the buzz going. Their children had to remain at the center for longer. The dinner was the day before, while the rehearsal was today. They had dresses and vows written out. I don't regret getting them hitched because this sham wasn't a wedding. Like they were role-playing with scripts.They didn't have any say in how it unfolded. Neither did I. Adam texted me with an index of stuff to bring to the event, which was at Quentin's family home. They included wine. It even had a specific dress code. A purple strapless gown for Penelope's close friends. Six pm tonight. Two days after the Freya outing. Brief texts and succinct calls, but she hadn't left. At first, I was quirky about her being too close and uncovering something, but now I'm weary of her
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LAYLA50/60SATURDAYThe Cruz shut down the mall for their daughter's outfit trial. Dramatic. Well, aware. We were interested in one shop, but they shut it down.When she said dress shopping, I expected just us and maybe a few other girls.I was wrong. Picture a stall filled with a dozen girls. Then there's the bride and me.The worst part? There were only a few of them that Penelope was acquainted with. Parents selected the others. In fact, they were offered the "position" Models and daughters of influential people.Creepy. All we needed were two dresses for the after-party. I figured an hour would do and Pen and I could slip out and enjoy the weekend. Grab a few drinks.Wrong again. We got here before noon, and it was almost two pm.The girl number one has tried half a dozen dresses, but they aren't "giving wedding" as she would like them to be.You'd think the bride would be more concerned. Her wedding. Big day and all. Pen and I tried less than five dresses before deciding on a few
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LAYLA50/60SATURDAY"I am going to make a call.""Oh..."He rotated, taking sharp strides away from me. Uh - Was he waiting for someone? Finally, what?"Layla, come on! Let's go check out the bar."My eyes were on his retreating figure as Bella dragged my arm despite resistance.I etched his face look in my mind. Anguish. ****"What's on the menu?”I glanced back every half second for Aiden. The mystery call wasn’t done. “It’s special today. Sipsmith Strawberry Smash Gin. It is flavored and contains alcohol. We’re trying to see how well it will perform in the market.”“Layla!”I almost steered my balance. Bella jeered my shoulders, drawing my attention to the bar.“What do you think, girls?”Another shoulder peek. He was gone.“Let’s try it.”We chorused, pulling out a bar stool to sit on.***“I can get my own Uber, thank you.” I boasted, put in place by Aiden.When did he come back again?We purchased an entire bottle and had a glass full of each. However, it was too sweet. It di
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LAYLA 50/60 SATURDAY We should stall. Slow down. I twitched at the bump. Why does he have so many clothes on? What happened to shirtless Aiden? Who gave him a fricking shirt? Can I strangle said person? “Take it off.” I murmured, turning sideways, and tugging at a free button. “Layla.” “Stop talking,” I whisper, pressing a finger against his lips. My back would hurt from these movements. I took my head off his lap, sliding to sit beside him, steadying my body with a firm grip on his arms. “You’re drunk, love.” “Do you enjoy blow jobs?” I grazed my bottom lip as my eyes trailed to his shorts. “No. This isn't good..." “No, you don’t enjoy blow jobs?” I squirmed, batting my lashes at him. He was so close; I reached out and kissed his lower lip. “Fuck.” Palming him through his shorts, I cupped a fist full and pumped gently. “Layla. You’re drunk.” “Forgive me if I’m sloppy." I palmed his face with the other, my lips tracing his cheeks. I guess I can kiss his whole face.
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LAYLA 52/60MONDAYDid I text the man who covered me that night? Nope. Did I discuss the topic when Penelope, Bella, and I met up? Not a chance. I’m delusional. I comforted myself that it was a dream. God knows how I wound up in my bed, shoes off, duvet wrapped, definitely not Aiden Smith.It was simpler that way since I also had to bring up what transpired in the back of Quentin’s car. I assumed I was quiet. The girls didn't bother me, thankfully. Having to justify to Bella that I wasn’t evading him as I promised was enough. However, telling Penelope everything would leave me in a coma. Two days without him were nice. No contact if you must. Two texts came together. One broke said no contact, and the other was intriguing. My father and Aiden Smith. I opened the former first, believing it was less risky.Related. “You and the Smith boy had them married? Do you realize what you’ve done?”Hold. I held my keys in the air. I just drove home from the office, and this is my greeting.
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LAYLA52/60MONDAY“Are we set?”We swapped items. My phone for a juice pack.“Ouch.”I grieved in pain, observing the mark on my palm. Her finger grazed mine while collecting it.“Sorry. I guess my nails are too sharp.”I smiled weakly, noticing what she was holding in her other hand. Cellphone.“Uh, it’s okay. Just a scratch."I soothed the spot with my fingers. Her gaze loomed over me as I did. She smiled, but it felt strange. Like how she twitched the edge of her lips instead of pressing in a straight line, as always.Am I overthinking? Most likely. She scraped me when we passed stuff around. It happened. Not like she would try to hurt me on purpose.“Can I use the charger in your room?”I nodded a few times, and she turned away.I filled the table with snacks and inserted a random movie to watch.Sipping my juice on the couch, I took deep breaths, unable to shake the feeling off my chest. The kind you get when you eat bad sushi. Nauseating. As though you could toss your entire bel
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LAYLA 56/60FRIDAY “Is it hot here?"“You’re wearing my jacket.”“Right. We should get back. Just in case they look. We also have that thing back at Bella's.”He popped the final cherry, lifting himself off the chair while keeping a steady glance at me. I clutched the material to stop my fingers from trembling. “Let’s go, love.”His love. He called me his love. That tingling happy dance in my belly? Yeah, that’s not okay. ***“Did you have to sneak out?”Bella joked, pouring wine into each glass. “My parents wanted us to sit around a fireplace and talk about the alliance's future."Quentin responded, grabbing a glass. “On the eve of your wedding?”“I know.”Penelope snorted, resting her head on his. Drew and Bella were snuggling on the couch, and that left me and the green-eyed man whose hands whirled my thigh. He does that a lot. Unconsciously too. It’s gentle yet soothes me inside. I like it. A lot more than it should.“Man, I can’t wait to get drunk tonight and see you walk
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