"Do you really think showing up at my workplace with that pathetic lunchbox and innocent face is going to make forgive you?" Roderick spat, his jaw clenched tightly. "I told you, Orabela, I don’t want anything to do with you. We’re done."
Orabela’s fury flared at his words. With a bitter scoff, she ran her fingers through her hair, eyes narrowing. "You think you can just toss aside like trash, Rick? I’ll drag you to your grave if I have to—along with Layla." Her hands clenched his shirt collar, her voice a low, dangerous growl as she locked eyes with him.
"Why, Rick? Why are you doing this to ? Is it because of her? Because of Layla?" she demanded, her voice wavering slightly as she searched his eyes for the truth.
"No, Orabela! It’s because of your deceit, the way you manipulated !" Roderick shot back, his voice strained.
"Manipulated you?" Orabela’s laugh was sharp and bitter. "You’re the one who ca to , frustrated that Layla wouldn’t even let you touch her until you were married. You said I was better than her! You wanted this, Rick. Don’t turn around and act like the victim now." Her confusion and anger simred beneath the surface as she glared at him, demanding an explanation he wasn’t ready to give.
"And what about the lies you told ?" Roderick snapped, his voice rising in frustration. "You claid yesterday you were pregnant! Who told you to go to Layla and spill everything about us? Did you even think to discuss it with first? You made look like the villain in front of everyone!" He shifted the bla onto Orabela, conveniently ignoring the fact that his actions were far worse.
Orabela’s fists clenched, the urge to hit him surging inside her. "So, what was your plan, Rick? To keep as your mistress, hidden away in the shadows?"
"No, that’s not what I’m saying," Roderick replied, his tone defensive. "You demanded a ring from while I was drunk. I wasn’t in my right mind that night. And you didn’t even tell that Layla was betrothed to my uncle before you went and told her everything. At least, you could have let breakup with her. Now my uncle’s out to destroy , and if we get together, how am I supposed to protect you from all of this?" His tone softened as he slowly pried her hands from his collar, turning away from her.
It was a weak excuse, the only one he could muster to push Orabela out of his life. Deep down, Roderick regretted ever letting himself be drawn to her, but he refused to acknowledge the real cri—his betrayal.
Orabela furrowed her brows together as she finally felt the turmoil Roderick was undergoing. She hugged him from behind, apologizing to him.
"We can fight with this together, Rick. You see, if you and I get married, my Dad will transfer many things in your na too. I am the heiress of Rosenzweig Family, after all. It will benefit you before the succession as the chairman. Your uncle won’t be able to touch you."
Roderick realized that escaping Orabela’s grasp wouldn’t be easy. He needed a smarter plan, one that would make her walk away on her own terms. For now, he had to diffuse the tension.
"I won’t get married until I beco the chairman," Roderick said, turning to face her with a carefully asured tone. "I hope you understand, Orabela. It’s not about the money you hold as an heiress."
"But why?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Orabela, we need a break," Roderick continued, injecting a sense of vulnerability into his voice. "I’m under so much stress... more than you could ever imagine. Ever since Uncle Lucius broke my wrist, I’ve been living in fear. He’s not just anyone—he’s a mafia boss. I’m terrified of what could happen to both of us. I just want us to survive this."
Orabela hesitated, knowing full well that Lucius was no ordinary man. The night he showed up at their ho, he hadn’t flinched while pulling the trigger. The danger was real. But deep down, Orabela knew all this turmoil had begun because of Layla—her half-sister. Even now, their breakup was rooted in Layla. For the first ti in her life, Orabela wasn’t getting what she wanted. Worse yet, rumors about her had already spread across the country.
Roderick, inwardly tense, prayed that his emotional manipulation would work, that she would finally leave.
To his relief, she did.
"Fine," Orabela said coldly. "But you’ll regret losing ." With that, she stord out of his office, leaving him standing there in silence.
"That was insane," Roderick muttered to himself as he collapsed into the swivel chair, trying to shake off the tension.
His eyes landed on his phone, and he picked it up, scrolling through the unread ssages he had sent to Layla. Every one of them had been ignored, and it only fueled his frustration.
The silence from Layla was unbearable, but he knew he had a plan—one that could destroy Lucius and drive a wedge between him and Layla.
"I need to tell Layla the truth," Roderick murmured, his thoughts darkening. "If she knew the cris my uncle has committed, she wouldn’t be able to handle it. A gentle, innocent woman like her—she’d be horrified. She’d leave him."
He leaned back in his chair, the mories from a decade ago rushing back. His father’s death had never felt like an accident.
Lucius had been involved from the start, pulling the strings from the shadows.
Though the details were murky, Roderick had pieced together enough over the years to know that Lucius wasn’t just a ruthless businessman—he was a murderer.
His father had been nothing more than an obstacle in Lucius’s rise to power, eliminated without a second thought.
Layla, so far, had no idea what kind of monster she was married to.
But Roderick knew the truth, and now he needed to find a way to expose it to her. He pictured Layla’s reaction—shocked, betrayed, devastated. She would leave Lucius; Roderick was sure of it. Once she knew what Lucius had done, she would never stay married to him.
"All I need is the right mont," Roderick muttered, his mind racing with possibilities. Layla would be the key to tearing Lucius’s life apart. Roderick’s only regret was that he hadn’t acted sooner, but this ti, he would make sure the everything would co to light.
~~~~~
As the evening sky darkened, Layla and Lucius finally stepped off the plane, returning to their ho country after their honeymoon.
For the first ti in a while, she felt like she had taken a real break, distancing herself from the toxic relationships and exhausting demands that had surrounded her before. She felt lighter, like a burden had been lifted from her soul.
As they pulled up to the mansion, Roger and Aiden were there to greet them, their expressions respectful as the car door opened.
Lucius stepped out first, his sharp gaze imdiately catching Roger’s, who looked as though he had sothing important to say. However, Lucius wasn’t in the mood for business.
"We’re exhausted. We’ll talk later," Lucius said, holding up a hand to cut Roger off before he could even begin. He could sense there was news, but for now, all he wanted was to unwind.
"Of course, Boss," Roger replied, stepping back.
Lucius turned, reaching for Layla’s hand. She smiled softly as they walked hand-in-hand into the mansion, their steps synchronized after weeks of being so close.
The mont they crossed the threshold, Lucius led her straight to the bedroom, knowing how tired she was.
Layla sighed with relief, kicking off her heels the second she entered the room, and practically dove onto the bed. The soft mattress welcod her as she collapsed onto her stomach, face buried in the plush pillow.
"I feel so sleepy," she mumbled, her voice muffled as she turned onto her back, closing her eyes. The trip had been wonderful, but now the exhaustion hit her all at once.
Lucius smiled as he watched her, pulling the duvet over her with a quiet, gentle motion. His expression softened, sothing that rarely happened around anyone but her. "You should sleep," he said in his low, soothing voice. "I’ll take a shower, and I’ll join you soon."
He began unbuttoning his shirt, watching as Layla’s breathing slowed, her body sinking further into the bed. She was already halfway to sleep.
Lucius walked away when Layla’s phone rang. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the phone, which was lying next to her inside the blanket. Taking it out, she saw an unknown number flashing on the screen.
She answered it and heard Orabela from the other side, "Layla, are you happy by destroying my relationship with Roderick? I’ll make sure you won’t be at peace."
"Shouldn’t I say that to a cheater? I don’t know what happened between both of you, so stop bothering . Before my peace, you should think about you own," she snapped at Orabela and hung up the call before switching it off.
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