Lucius carefully slid the album back onto the shelf, a small smile lingering as he thought of the mories he and Layla had just shared over coffee. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her cheek gently against his back, drawing him into her warmth.
"Are you really leaving in the morning?" she asked softly, her voice a blend of concern and acceptance.
He nodded. "Yes."
Layla took a breath, her arms tightening around him. "Promise you’ll be safe. I may not know the risks you took before we were married, but you have a wife now, waiting at ho." Her voice wavered slightly because of the concern.
"If things get dangerous, take your n with you. Don’t go alone." She knew that, as his wife, she could have asked him to stay. But she understood how deeply he needed closure—to uncover the truth behind Matteo’s death and free himself from the weight of guilt he’d carried for so long.
Lucius turned to face her, loosening her hands just enough to et her eyes. He cupped her cheek, his gaze sincere. "I promise, I won’t take any unnecessary risks," he said softly, brushing a thumb across her cheek before pinching it playfully, as if to lighten the weight of their parting. "I’ll co back to you safely, no matter what."
"My husband," Layla said with a playful glint, "when you co back, bring a souvenir from Spain. If you co ho empty-handed, I might just ignore you completely."
Lucius chuckled and nodded. "Consider it done."
As she moved to pull her arms back, intending to check on dinner preparations, Lucius gently held her hands, his expression softening as he looked into her eyes. "Tell what’s really on your mind," he murmured. "I keep wondering if I was wrong to reveal everything the way I did. Was it foolish of ?" His brows furrowed, and he studied her, sensing an inner storm despite her composed exterior. "You may look calm, but I know there’s a lot more going on inside."
Layla’s gaze fell, a flicker of pain crossing her face before she lifted her chin, her voice edged with a quiet fury. "Rage. That’s what I feel. They didn’t believe . My own family thought I lied, that I was fabricating it all. That’s why no one reached out to ." She took a steadying breath, her voice tightening with the weight of years of hurt. "Seraphina made my life a living hell for so many years. I lived under a false identity, enduring abuse day after day. And now, even with the truth finally out, my real mother didn’t think to reach out, to co to , to...to talk to ...to hold ."
Her voice broke, and she lifted a hand to her hair, her fingers trembling slightly. "But this isn’t over, Lucius. I refuse to live under a false identity any longer. I’ll make sure the truth cos out with all evidence."
"It will happen," Lucius reassured. "Your real mother won’t stay silent forever. She may reach out to you soon."
Layla gave a small nod, her gaze falling as her fingers traced the edge of the table. "I hope she does, but I keep wondering... what will I even say to her? There’s no love or respect between us, not really. All these years, she saw only as the daughter of a mistress. She never stood up for in that house, never defended ." She let out a quiet sigh, feeling the weight of years of bitterness settle over her.
But a mont later, she straightened her shoulders, her eyes hardening with resolve. "It doesn’t matter now. What matters is my dream, Lucius. I want to be nad the rightful heiress of the Rosenzweig Family—the future chairwoman of my father’s company. That’s the revenge I’ve planned, to finally take my place and ensure Orabela has no claim. Seraphina is already behind bars, but my father... he’s the real culprit of all this. I’ll never forgive him for casting aside, treating as if I were invisible."
Before Lucius could respond, a firm knock on the door interrupted them.
"Co in," Lucius called, his gaze flickering to Layla.
The door opened, and a servant stepped inside. "Madam, your mother has arrived," she inford them.
Lucius turned to Layla "Shall we go?"
"Yes." Layla replied softly, and Lucius gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as they made their way to the living room together.
When they entered, Miriam stood up, her expression unreadable as she t Layla’s gaze.
Lucius turned to Layla with a gentle nod. "You two should talk," he suggested, stepping back. Although he had little affection for Miriam, he knew that this conversation could offer Layla the peace she deserved. With a final glance at Layla, he quietly exited, leaving mother and daughter alone.
As he left, Layla looked at Miriam, her expression guarded this ti. "I wonder why you’re here," she began, her tone steady but laced with hurt. "I don’t think any of you believed ."
Miriam’s gaze softened, and to Layla’s surprise, she replied, "I do."
Layla’s eyes widened, unable to mask her shock. For a mont, she questioned if she’d misheard, but then Miriam repeated, her voice calm and certain, "I trust the report."
Layla’s defenses wavered, and she stared at Miriam, searching her face for any trace of insincerity. "You really believe it? That I’m...your daughter?"
Miriam nodded slowly, stepping closer. "Yes, I do. I was a fool to not see that Seraphina never treated with you love while she showered all the love on Orabela. If not for Lucius, I had never realized it. But don’t worry, Layla. I will bring the truth out. We will do the DNA test again so that everyone believes the legitimacy of the first report," she asserted.
Layla snickered to hear that. "You want a second test because you don’t believe . Also, where’s Dad? Shouldn’t he co and take the responsibility of what he has done to us, to ?" Her anger suddenly burst at her mother.
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