What was that about?

NAYLA’S POV.

I stood in front of my mirror, staring at my reflection. I wore a short red dress, while my long blonde hair fell in soft waves around my shoulders.

I rubbed my red lipstick together, making sure it was perfect, but nothing about my appearance felt right. I knew I looked good, but it didn’t fill the emptiness inside me.

Roy had instructed me not to come tonight….but here I was, ready to go against his will.

“Buzz! Buzz!”

I watched my phone light up with a text, I picked it up, seeing a message from my best friend, Ruby.

“THE PARTY HAS ALREADY STARTED, WHERE ARE YOU?” She wrote.

“ON MY WAY,” I replied, putting the phone inside my bag and glancing at my reflection once more.

I took a deep breath, and with that, I turned to leave.

******

The neon lights blared loudly as my cab pulled up in front of the private club. The building was daunting and everything in me screamed for me to run the other way.

I thought this was supposed to be a birthday party for Collin. Why did he book a private club? How would Roy react to seeing me here?

The thin material of my dress clung to me like a second skin. Cold air brushed across my thighs and I cursed the dress for being so short. I shouldn’t have listened to Ruby when she said I should wear this dress.

Once I got inside, I looked around nervously, searching for Ruby but I couldn’t find her. Instead, I spotted Roy making out with his new girlfriend, Laurel.

I felt my stomach tightened at the sight of them kissing.

I had made a big mistake by coming. I should have stayed home like he ordered me to. But I was so fed up with his control over me.

I turned away and headed to the bar. “Two shots of whiskey,” I ordered. I needed something strong, something that would knock my senses away and rid me of this pain that was digging a hole in my heart.

I swallowed the shots, pushing down the clog in my throat and enjoying the burning trail the alcohol left on its way to my stomach.

I turned to see Laurel straddling Roy and grinding against him. I almost choked on my drink. Jealousy and hurt coiled in my stomach, making me sick.

A tall man approached me from the side, pulling my attention away from my big brother. He had a strong jawline and a charming smile.

“Having a rough night?” he leaned in, yelling over the loud music.

“Yeah,” I nodded, forcing a smile.

“Want to dance?” he suggested. I agreed, eager to forget about Roy, even if it was just for this moment.

He took my hand and led me to the dance floor. I glanced back to see Roy still kissing Laurel, his hands roaming all over her.

I shook my head, turning to focus on the tall man who hadn’t even introduced himself.

He wrapped his arms around my waist, looking deep into my eyes as we swayed to the music.

I closed my eyes for a second, trying to enjoy the moment, but then, I heard shouting from the side.

I turned and gasped—Roy was pinning the man who I was just dancing with to the floor.

“How dare you lay your filthy hands on her?! How dare you!” Roy growled, raising his left hand to throw a punch, but I rushed towards him.

“Roy! Get off him!” I screamed.

He shot me a dead stare, his eyes dark and filled with rage, it sent cold shivers down my spine.

I had never seen him this angry before.

“Get to the car! Now!” he barked, his voice cold and commanding.

I froze, fear creeping in. What was happening? I didn’t know what to do.

“Common man! Get off me, I was only trying to dance with her, besides she looked so lonely,” The man struggled to say.

Roy threw a hard punch at the man's face, causing blood to splash out of his mouth.

The nearby crowd gasped loudly as they took in the sight of the horrible scene.

“Roy! Please, leave him alone!” I pleaded.

“I said go to the car!” Roy growled again, his voice louder and rougher.

I turned around, rushing my way outside. I didn’t even know where he parked his car, so I paced outside while I waited for him to come out too.

What the fuck had gotten into him? How could he just attack that man like that?

In less than a minute, he stepped out of the exit door, marching toward me.

I froze, clutching my bag tightly as he got closer to me.

“Baby! Roy! Wait! Are you just going to leave me like that?” Laurel called after him but he didn’t even acknowledge her desperate words.

Suddenly, a valet pulled up with Roy's black Bugatti Chiron, handing him the keys and bowing before leaving.

“Get in the car,” Roy commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.

“Roy! I am talking to you! What happened back there? And why are you leaving me when you were the one who invited me here in the first place?” Laurel stood between us, trying to talk to Roy.

“Look, I don't need your silly rants right now. Nayla! Let’s go!” He said, his gaze drifting from Laurel to me.

“I don’t want to go with you, I’ll just call a cab.” I said, trying to prove stubbornness.

But the way he looked at me with so much anger and rage…... I sighed and hurriedly climbed into the car with no choice.

Laurel watched in disbelief as Roy drove out….leaving her there, alone.

“Why did you do that? Why did you hit that guy?” I asked, my voice trembling.

Roy gripped the steering wheel hard. “You shouldn’t have come. I told you not to come and you disobeyed me,”

“But I am not a kid anymore,” I shot back. “You can’t tell me what to do all the time,” I said, frustrated.

He wouldn’t love me back, yet he wouldn’t let me try to move on and get over him. Why was he punishing me this way?

THE NEXT MORNING;

I sat across from Roy at the dining table, his eyes glued to his phone, his legs crossed and barely touching his food.

Despite his relaxed posture, I could see a worried look etched on his face, like someone was bothering him over a text.

I glanced down at my own untouched food, the memory of last night replaying in my head for the hundredth time or more.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, drifting both our attention toward the door.

I was about to get up, but he got up before me.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get it,” he said as he hurriedly walked toward the door.

I frowned, dumbfounded. He never gets up to open the door.

I walked slowly toward the door, curious to know who it was. But whoever it was, Roy wasn’t willing to let them in.

He stood by the door, his tall and muscular build blocking whoever it was. I moved in closer, straining to hear their conversation as it grew louder.

“Why would you do that to me last night? Do you know how embarrassing it was for me to watch you leave like that? And why did you attack that man just because he was dancing with your sister?” It was unmistakably Laurel’s voice. she was probably pissed about last night. She sounded so frustrated and in pain.

Suddenly, Roy turned to me, his eyes wide with anger as he growled.

“Go back inside now!” His voice caused me to jerk in fear. Was this about last night or something else?

Without hesitation, I turned around to leave, heading upstairs to my room, not bothering to finish the food I hadn’t even started. I had lost my appetite.

I decided to take my morning bath to calm my nerves and maybe watch some movies since it was Saturday.

I opened my drawer, taking out one of my raspberry-scented candles. I lit it, letting the sweet smell spread gradually.

I put on some jazz music, took off my clothes, and then hopped in the shower.

After taking my bath, which seemed to ease my anxiety a bit, I picked out my most comfortable clothes: an armless top and baggy jogging pants.

I settled in bed, ready to watch a couple of romantic movies. But a soft knock interrupted the peaceful moment.

“Come in!” I yelled, watching the door slowly open, revealing my big brother, Roy.

“Look, Nayla. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that., and about last night, I…..I’m sorry,” he said, scratching the back of his neck.

Somebody tell me I’m dreaming! Roy literally apologized to me for the first time ever!

I sat upright, unsure of how to react to his apology. This was strange… unlike him.

“It’s fine. Uhm… I understand,” I said, but he frowned, his eyes narrowing.

“You understand what?” he asked, leaving me confused.

“I—I meant….” I stuttered in confusion, not knowing what to say to him, but he shook his head.

“Don’t worry. Come downstairs. Mr. Thorian, Dad’s lawyer, said he’s on his way now. He has something important to discuss with us,” he said, and with that, he left, shutting the door.

What was that about?…