home, prepared a feast, and even ordered a cake to celebrate the news. But she ended up waiting until midnight for Seth to return.
When Seth finally walked through the door, Layla pushed aside her exhaustion and ran to greet him. Before she could say a word, he handed her divorce
papers
Her gaze fell on his arm, marked with needle tracks that silently testified to countless injections.
Layla stared at him in disbelief. “Seth, what does this mean?”
Seth had spoken with sincere conviction, “Layla, Clarissa is paralyzed. She’ll never dance again and can’t have children. I have to take responsibility for her. Let’s divorce. I’ll give you anything you want, as long as you leave me our son.”
It took her a long time to grasp the full meaning of his words. Her husband wanted to leave her for his first love and take her son with him.
Even until now, the memory of that moment was etched into her soul.
It felt
she had plummeted from the highest cloud into the darkest abyss. Only someone who had lived through such agony could understand that Icind of pain
Layla’s gaze settled on her sleeping daughter, and her voice hardened with resolve, “No one will ever take you
away from me.”
The next morning, Layla walked downstairs with Daisy, humming a nursery rhyme. Daisy chapped along, her little hands,keeping perfect time.
As they stepped out of the building, Layla froze at the sight of a familiar figure. Seth stood by his car, dressed in black, like a shadow come to life.
His once–handsome face was lined with weariness, and a few buttons of his shirt hung undone, revealing the curve of his collarbone. When Seth saw thom, he stubbed out his cigarette and walked toward them, his gaze fixed on Layla
His voice, rough and low, whispered one word, “Layla”
Layla’s eyes stayed cold, devoid of warmth. “Mr. Parker, is there something you need?”
Her indifference cut through him like a blade.
Without thinking, Seth pulled Layla and Daisy into his arms, holding them as if afraid to let go. His voice cracked with raw regret. “Layla, I’m sorry.” Those three words carried a weight of emotion too heavy to ignore.
