Five

Chapter 5: The Stranger's Home 

 Layla's POV

 I held my bag tightly as the car drove through the quiet, private road. The further we went, the more I realized this wasn't just a house we were headed to-it was a world I had never been part of. 

 When the car finally stopped, I stepped out and stared. The house was... breathtaking. Not just beautiful, but grand. Modern glass walls, warm golden lights glowing from inside, and a water fountain dancing at the center of the driveway. Everything was clean, elegant, and luxurious.

 The kind of place you only saw in movies. Not even Grayson's home-with all its cold marble and pride-came close to this. I couldn't hide the way my lips parted in surprise. Chris stepped beside me and noticed the look on my face. "It's not too much, is it?" he asked softly. I shook my head. "It's... more than I expected."

 He gave a small smile. "You'll get used to it." I wasn't sure I would. Inside, the air was warm and smelled like fresh linen and something rich-like coffee and leather.

 The living room opened wide, with floor-to-ceiling windows showing the city lights. I felt like I had stepped into a different life. A better one. "Please, sit," he said, guiding me to a long beige couch. My fingers brushed over the soft cushion as I sat down, trying not to feel like I didn't belong here. 

 Chris came around and took my bag gently from me. "You okay?" I nodded slowly. "Is this... your house?" He smiled, just a little. "Yeah. You look surprised." "I thought you just returned from abroad," I said. "I did," he replied, leading me to the front door. "But I've always had a place here." "I feel like I'll stain something," I whispered, half-joking. 

 He glanced over his shoulder. "You won't." As I moved toward the couch, I whispered under my breath, "Is he richer than Grayson?" The thought hit me hard.

 Chris didn't show off the way Grayson did. No suits screaming 'I own the world.' No flashy cars lined outside for attention. But the house spoke louder than any of that. Maybe he was richer. And if he was... he never made me feel small. 

 We sat down in the living room, and just as I tried to settle into the softness of the couch, his phone rang. He stood quickly and picked it up. "Yes?" His voice changed. Serious. Firm. I didn't mean to listen, but his voice grew sharper. 

"What do you mean the servers were breached again?!" he said, turning his back slightly. "How? We just upgraded the security last week!"

 My heart skipped. Servers? My ears perked up. "We can't let this leak, Daniel. Find out how deep they got. Tell the team to shut access, NOW." My brows drew together. DCE? That name sounded familiar. Then it clicked. DCE Global. I had heard Grayson complain about it multiple times. A rival company. One he hated. One that always stayed a step ahead. I sat up straighter. Chris ended the call with a heavy sigh and rubbed his forehead. He looked frustrated-tired, even. I couldn't stop myself. 

 "DCE?" I asked gently. "Is that... your company?" He looked at me, surprised. "Yeah." I blinked. "I know that name. Grayson always talks about it. He hates how you keep staying ahead of him." Chris chuckled under his breath. "Doesn't surprise me." "But he never mentioned you by name," I added. "Of course he wouldn't," Chris said with a shrug. "Grayson hates anyone he can't control or outshine." I hesitated. Then I said softly, "I might be able to help." His brow lifted. "Help? With a server breach?" I nodded slowly. "I know he made me look like a useless housewife, but I'm not. I studied software engineering. 

I worked on systems before I married him. Before he forced me to stop." He blinked. "You studied tech?" "I was good at it," I said quietly. "Until I wasn't allowed to be anymore."

 He studied me for a second. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. Then, to my surprise, he stood and said, "Come with me." I followed him into a smaller room-an office. 

The setup was sleek. Clean. A large screen, a silver laptop, and some notes scattered across the table. He pulled out the chair. "Show me what you can do." My hands trembled a little as I sat. I hadn't done this in years. But once I saw the system open in front of me, it all came back-like breathing. I dug into the files. Reviewed the code. Looked for the loopholes. "Someone left an open port," I murmured, scanning faster. "That's how they got in." 

 Chris leaned forward, looking at me. His cologne assaulted me-warm and woody. "They used a ghost IP," I continued, fingers flying across the keyboard. "But they underestimate themselves." I held back the threat, followed the trail, and filled in the weak spot. 

My heart pounded, but it wasn't fear. It was power. It was me-finally myself again. I turned to him a few minutes later. "Done." He blinked. 

"What?" "I closed the gap, blocked the holes, and left a tracker to follow their next move." His mouth was open a fraction. "You... actually did it?" I nodded. "Yeah." He was quiet. Then he slowly sat down beside me. "I don't know whether to thank you... or 'wow.'" I smiled a bit. "You could do both." He grinned. "Wow." I moved my head, and for a moment, our eyes met. His eyes were gentle. Curious. And something more.

 "You've been hiding," he whispered. "No," I said. "I was hidden." There was stillness between us once more, but this time it was different. Like something was growing in the air. Not heavy... but real. "Layla..." I glanced up. "You don't have to return to that part of your life," he breathed. "You are more than what they led you to think." His words rooted themselves deep within me. And I felt something I hadn't felt in a very long time. Freedom. I smiled. 

Not because he was handsome. Not because he owned a big house. But because, for the first time in my life, someone saw me-not as a problem, not as a failure, not as a wife-but as a person. As Layla.