CHAPTER 2

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The morning sun seeped into the bedroom, casting soft rays across the sheets and landing directly on her face.

“Why does my head hurt?” a lady grunted lazily, rubbing her temples as she opened her eyes. “Where… is this?” she muttered, her voice groggy.

Her body ached all over, sore, heavy, unfamiliar. She blinked, trying to focus. The room wasn’t hers. Her eyes widened when she realized the truth.

“Why am I here? How did I get here?” she whispered to herself, panic setting in.

She looked down, and froze. Her heart skipped a beat. She was naked.

Layla’s breath hitched. She scanned the room quickly and spotted her dress and underwear scattered across the floor. Her trembling fingers clutched the sheets tighter.

“How did this happen?” she mumbled, shaking her head as she fought back the rising dread.

She tried to stand, but her legs betrayed her, weak, trembling, too sore to hold her. She stumbled back onto the bed, panting softly. But she refused to stay there. Her heart was pounding; her mind screamed at her to run.

With trembling hands, she pulled on her dress, grabbed her things, and staggered toward the door.

“How irresponsible of him to run away after ruining my life,” she muttered bitterly under her breath.

She slipped out of the hotel quietly, hiding her face as she rushed through the hallway, praying no one would recognize her. Her heart was in chaos, her throat dry from shame and confusion.

Luckily, she still had her phone. She hailed a cab, anxious and restless, praying to get home before anyone noticed her absence. If her father found out she wasn’t home till daybreak, she was doomed.

Her phone buzzed, a message from Amara:

“You just left me at the bar alone! What’s wrong with you?”

Layla sighed deeply, her chest tightening. She didn’t know how to explain, she didn’t even understand it herself. She rested her head on the window, the city lights blurring into streaks of gold and gray.

When she finally arrived home, she tried sneaking in through the side entrance. But before she could even breathe in relief…..

“Why don’t you walk with your head up?!”

Her father’s voice thundered through the living room. Layla froze.

She looked up, trembling. Her father, stepmother, and Vanessa were all waiting.

“I—I…..”

“How could you disgrace me like this?!” Her father’s voice shook the air.

Layla’s throat went dry. She hadn’t even said a word, but from the look in his eyes, she knew, they already knew something.

Her gaze slowly turned toward Vanessa. The devilish smirk curling at the corner of her sister’s lips said it all.

Layla’s heart sank. She didn’t need to explain, her father would never believe her over Vanessa. He never did.

“Since you’ve decided to disgrace me this way,” her father declared, his tone like steel, “I’ll make you pay. You’re banned from leaving this mansion for three months!”

Layla’s eyes widened. “Dad, please! School is resuming soon, I’m almost in my final year. I can’t miss my classes!”

“Enough!” he roared. “You should’ve thought about that before bringing shame to this family! Lock her in her room! And no phone!”

The maids stepped forward, hesitant but obedient.

“Please, Father!” Layla cried, her knees hitting the marble floor. But his expression didn’t soften.

Tears blurred her vision as the maids dragged her away.

************

Three weeks later.

Layla sat in her locked room, her hair messy, her eyes hollow from silent tears.

“This is your breakfast,” a maid said softly, placing the tray on the floor.

“Thank you,” Layla murmured. She walked over, but as soon as she smelled the food, nausea twisted her stomach. She rushed to the bathroom and vomited violently.

“Are you okay, ma’am?” the maid asked, worry etched on her face.

“I’m fine,” Layla whispered faintly, rinsing her mouth.

“You’ve been like this for days. You should see a doctor,” the maid insisted.

Layla’s heart skipped. “N-no… I’m fine,” she said quickly, shaking her head.

But deep down, fear started to claw at her. Her morning sickness had gotten worse. And she hadn’t seen her period that month. She’d been trying to ignore it, praying it wasn’t what she thought it was.

The maid, however, didn’t listen. She rushed out before Layla could stop her.

‘I don’t need a doctor,’ Layla told herself, pacing in panic.

A few minutes later…..

Knock knock.

Her brows furrowed. “Come in,” she said weakly.

The door opened, the maid returned, and behind her was a doctor.

“What are you doing here?” Layla mumbled, unease crawling up her spine.

“I’m here to check your health,” the doctor said gently. “Your father sent me.”

Her breath caught. Her fingers trembled. She nodded, praying her fears wouldn’t come true.

“How have you been feeling lately?” the doctor asked as he began his examination.

“I’ve been fine,” she replied quickly, avoiding his gaze.

“She vomited this morning,” the maid interjected. “And she’s been dizzy and irritated.”

“Like morning sickness?” the doctor asked.

The maid nodded.

Layla’s heart began to race.

“When was your last period?” he asked.

She hesitated, then answered honestly.

Minutes later, the test result lay in his hand. The silence was heavy, suffocating.

The doctor sighed. “She’s pregnant.”

The world stopped. Her fingers trembled. The doctor’s lips kept moving, but no sound reached her.

Layla’s knees hit the ground. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. “Father… I can explain… it wasn’t intentional!” she sobbed.

Her father’s face twisted in disgust. “Explain? You got pregnant out of wedlock, and you dare stand there crying? You’re a disgrace to this family!”

“Please!” Layla crawled toward Margot, clutching her dress. “I don’t even know how it happened!”

“You liar!” Margot spat. “You’ve always been wayward. Now you’ve shown your true colors!”

Her father’s voice boomed again. “Get out of my sight! From this day onward, you’re no daughter of mine!”

“Father, please!” she begged.

But he turned to the guards. “Take her out. And make sure she never comes near this mansion again! Let her go to the bastard who impregnated her!”

Layla’s tears fell faster. “What do you want me to do? Go to a man I don’t even recognize?”

“You don’t even know who it is?” Margot laughed cruelly. “Pathetic.”

Layla’s voice broke. “You always curse me. You say terrible things about my mother, and you never listen. Are you really my father?”

“You brat!” he roared.

Margot put a hand on her chest dramatically. “She’s out of her mind,” she said in mock concern.

And then came Vanessa’s voice, soft but dripping with venom. “Sister, you shouldn’t talk to Father like that.” She giggled.

Layla stared at her, disbelief clouding her expression. “You…”

“From now on,” her father’s voice cut through again, “I don’t want to see you near my surroundings, ungrateful brat!”

“Ungrateful?” Layla whispered bitterly. Her heart broke all over again.

“Security!” he barked.

The guards hesitated, Layla had always been kind to them. “Sir, it’s raining.....”

“Are you deaf?!” he snapped, his glare sharp enough to silence them.

“Yes, sir.”

“Miss Layla, please forgive us,” one of the guards murmured as they carried out her luggage and dragged her toward the door.

Layla struggled. “You can’t chase me out! This is the only place that holds my mother’s memory! You can’t do this to me!”

But her words were drowned by the thunder outside.

Margot’s lips curled into a smirk. “That was too easy,” she whispered.

Vanessa smiled, watching from the stairs. “Now I can finally sleep in peace,” she muttered.

Her father called a meeting with all the staff. His voice echoed like thunder. “You all know my eldest daughter, Layla?”

“Yes, sir,” they chorused, voices trembling.

“From today onward, she is forbidden from entering this mansion. No one is permitted to let her in unless I say otherwise. Am I clear?”

“Yes, sir!”

The room fell silent.

**********

Outside, the thunderstorm raged. Lightning flashed across the dark sky, splitting it open for a second before vanishing again.

Maybe the sky was crying for me, because I couldn’t anymore. she thought.

Layla walked along the roadside, drenched and shaking, her thoughts blank.

The rain lashed against her skin like punishment. Her hair clung to her face, her dress soaked through. Every step felt heavier than the last.

She finally reached Amara’s house, shivering as she rang the bell again and again.

No answer.

Minutes later, a maid appeared, holding an umbrella. “Miss Layla,” she said softly, “Miss Amara… left the country.”

Layla stood frozen, her lips trembling.

“It’s over,” she whispered. Then she screamed it in her head.

It’s over!

Rain washed over her face, but she couldn’t feel it anymore.

The rain drowned her sobs.