2

Layla

Slipping into the Jacuzzi tub, I let my body submerge in the warmth of the water. My eyes were weary, and they had been so tired for the past week, babysitting Sofia.

Babysitting that girl was like watching over the devil.

I could hear Ethan's faint grumbles coming from the bedroom. I guessed he was frustrated by something he wouldn't naturally share with me.

Sporadically, I felt useless in my marriage. Other than my full participation in bed, I wasn't required to do anything else. I was so irrelevant, and it caused a sore feeling in me.

I shut my eyes, and then it came vividly to me... the day I was introduced to Ethan. He was quite handsome, I had felt a tingle within me, and he had not restrained from flirting with me, which made me feel that getting along with him was the best choice, not like I had the option to reject him if I wanted to.

I can remember what he told me when I told him about my desire to run the company after my father's demise.

"It's not that I find women incapable of running a successful business, but your mum and I think it is best that I manage the company in the meantime until you acquire more experience." Afterward, he merged the company with his less-flourishing establishment.

At that moment, merely staring into his charming pair of sepia eyes had assured me of a wonderful life with him. I had agreed, he would be my husband after all. After our marriage, he became the husband who made fellow husbands jealous. When we went out together, the women ogled around him, both married and single women. It had seemed more like a blessing to have such a man as my husband. However, as time passed, he often gave me a reason to love him less.

"Dammit!" A wild yell came from the bedroom, and it broke my thoughts with a startle.

"Ethan? Is everything okay?" I inquired but he didn't respond, only a smash came after. He must have broken his computer, I sighed. He frequently did that when he was mad. Ethan's anger was quite terrible.

Moments after, I began to hear the aggressive collision of things, and I was propelled to end my bath immediately of the fear of Ethan doing a stupid thing.

My hair was still dripping with water as I toweled the base. Walking inside the room, Ethan was dressing up for work. His eyes were bitter, and the broken computer was lying on the floor; the screen was already shattered.

"What's the matter? Are you all right?" I asked with concern, staring from the broken computer to his face.

"Well, do I seem all right to you?" He shot with a hard glare.

"You don't...so what's wrong? Is it about the company? Can I be of help to you?" I moved close to him, even though he looked like he could kill anyone at the moment.

"No, you can't. How can you be of any assistance when you hardly know the basics?" He snapped at me, and I quietly watched as he struggled with his cuff links.

"What are these basics? Tell me what's wrong? You can't say...I may have a solution--"

"I don't need you to provide a solution, Layla, this is my business, d'you get?"

I was hurt by his words because I was entitled to some shares in the company. I was entitled to get involved, but Ethan always finds a way to put me off.

"What I need you to help me with is this damn thing!" He yelled at his cuffs.

"Keep your voice down, Chloe might hear..."

"I don't fucking care about that or her!" He gnashed, and I let out a sharp gasp and took a step away from him, my hands suddenly tightening on the towel around my body.

"Come here, I'm running late." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

I ambled towards him and grabbed him by his collar, pulling him closer to me.

"You know, you don't have to be so angry..."

"Oh really?" He scoffed.

"Yeah, anger...it's terrible. You just raised your voice at me." I said as calmly as possible.

"What does that matter?" I saw the most condescending look on his face.

"I'm your wife, Ethan. You shouldn't raise your voice at me." I protested.

"Who the hell then should I raise my voice at Layla? What are you here for? Didn't you vow to stand by me during the worst of times? This is one for me...and you are only here about me raising my voice at you. Have you always been this unreasonable?" He retorted, and I let go of him, glaring at him.

I thought I might have misspoken, but I couldn't deny the fact that I was not at ease with his words.

"I am here for quite other things, Ethan, other things...that are healthy and practical...other things besides being your object of ridicule."

"Can't you see? I want to help." I spoke softly, holding his hand.

"Why don't you let me? Why do you cut me out all the time? You are shutting me out of any meaningful thing in your life, especially as regards the company..."

"I knew you'd mention the company," he angrily snatched his hand.

"I knew you'd talk about it...wow! I never imagined you'd become so ambitious and lustful."

"What? Lustful? Lustful, you say, Ethan? Lustful about what exactly? Is it now a crime to want to get involved in what I'm meant to be involved in? Is it?" I fired, can't believe he's just so unbelievable and arrogant.

"Hell, yes! Layla, hell yes! This is my business, stay out of it, I don't need you to proffer solutions, I don't need them!" He grabbed his wristwatch and hastily wore it. I couldn't even form another word, I just stood there like a fool.

"Are you being serious?" I heard my mouth whisper.

"Do I look like I was spewing nonsense?" He stared down at me.

'Yes, you are,'

Suddenly, my towel became loose and was about to slide down my body, but I caught it before it could. I guess he saw it all, for he bluntly added;

"I always need you for that." He attempted to kiss my lips, but I avoided it and the kiss landed clumsily on my cheek. And then he was gone.

Slowly, I found myself leaning on the wall. I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. I had sincerely mistaken Ethan for my fated heartthrob. Mrs. Carter couldn't have known, could she?

Did she know that Ethan was inclined to be an Idiot, or this was part of her plans all along?

"Here, eat more. You are starting to look skinny." I added more of the Greek salad to Chloe's plate.

We decided to eat out.

"I'm not." She protested.

"Have you finally gotten over him?" I chewed on a dried fruit.

"Absolutely. That fool has nothing on me now." She rolled her eyes, picking on her food.

"I like that." I smiled.

"Yeah... though I still can't forget the crazy things he did." She added, her eyes getting teary.

"It's always like that when they've succeeded in building our lives around them," I reasoned.

"You're having issues with Ethan?" She dropped her fork and looked up at me, her eyelashes flapping at me.

"It's sad, yeah." I went on.

"I heard you guys arguing this morning." She continued eating.

"I don't doubt that."

Chloe nodded.

"Don't think too much about it," she advised, and smiled half-heartedly at me.

"Yeah...so are you still planning to travel to the Netherlands?" I queried.

"I haven't decided...yet." She shrugged.

"You should, it would help you forget about that jerk," I advised. A vacation would help her get her mind off that jerk, and who knows a better fish over there?

"Maybe not. Remember, we were supposed to go together before we ended things?"

"Yes, I forgot, but you could change the destination. What about Asia, hmm, Vietnam?" I suggested.

"I'll think about it, Layla."

"Sure. I need you to get away from this mess." I reached out to her and held her hands.

She nodded.

"I'll be moving out tonight."

"So soon? I was hoping you could stay longer."

"Yeah, but I have some things I need to take care of at my apartment." She said.

"All right then."

"Yeah, so Mrs. Carter's going to be having some sort of get-together at her house...I believe next week. You are invited." I added.

"That's nice. I hope to see some hot stuff." She chuckled.

"Oh, Chloe, I bet you would." I chortled.

"Is there a particular dress code?"

"No, no..."

"Perfect!" She squealed.

"Hello, gorgeous ladies." A young man approached us. He was a tall blond and he looked very fit.

"Hi!" Chloe's enthusiasm was suspicious. Perhaps she wanted to find a replacement rapidly. I wouldn't mind if she did that.

"Can I join you?" He asked.

"Sure..."

"Yes, yes..." Chloe answered. Then he took his seat next to me. Looking closely at him, I noticed that he had a good face, strong and square. He was Chloe's type.

"I'm Dylan and I enjoy a good conversation with stunning ladies." He smiled.

"Chloe." She extended a handshake that lingered longer than usual. I could see she was flirting.

"I'm Layla." I introduced myself after she finally let go of his hand. I smiled.

"Could you smile once more?" He asked.

"Why..."

"Your dimples are the most beautiful...your smile, it's enchanting. I was over there, watching you, and I couldn't help myself...I mean, you are stunning." Dylan complimented in one breath.

"Oh, my goodness...thank you." I smiled again. Glancing at Chloe, I caught her wearing a slight frown. Gosh, it seemed I was already stealing the heart of the man she was apparently interested in, so I had to come up with something. I gently smoothed back a lock of hair, coyly showing off my wedding band. I did that whenever I wanted to discourage anyone who made a pass at me.

"I can't believe someone has taken you before I got to meet you...he's bloody lucky." He chuckled, slightly disappointed.

I was pleased he got the message.

My phone chimed, Mrs. Carter was calling, and I was relieved it couldn't have come at a righter moment.

"Excuse me. Chloe, I'll see you later. It's nice meeting you, Dylan." I took the initiative to leave both of them alone. Who knew, I could be cementing a lifelong commitment?

Sofia was livid because her non-binary friend couldn't make it to the amusement park. She had even flung away her Ice Princess tiara out of annoyance and, but Elsa, her Maltese cat, tried to cheer her up, but her temper only worsened. Mrs. Carter had shoved her into my care while her mother was far away in Africa, doing only what God knew.

"What do you want to do, Sofia? You can't sulk all day." I wondered if she would listen at all.

"Nothing." She folded her arms in defiance. She was an impossible child.

"Are you not hungry? Mrs. Carter asked me to have you take lunch."

"I am not." She frowned.

"What should we do then? Can we go home now?" I treasured my time, and I wouldn't waste it consoling a child with an ungovernable temper. Elsa purred on her lap, quite entertained by all the excitement going on in the park. Sofia said nothing.

"Would you like to talk to mummy?" I suggested.

"Mummy? Can I talk to her?" I was surprised at the spontaneous change in her mood.

"Sure...I mean, of course. Do you know her number? I don't have it."

"Yes, 1-406-772-5932. That's it." She recited brightly.

"All right. Dialed..." I put the phone on loudspeaker, and soon it redirected us to voicemail. Sofia immediately wore a down-cast look. I was beginning to figure something out; that Sofia was lacking parental love and care, and she had grown to be naughty and unkind because of that. Since she only lived with Georgina, I knew her parents were separated or, yes, divorced. I began to pity her.

"Come here. Let's go home. We can play Barbie in your tree house." I wanted to make her feel better.

"Adults are not allowed." She stated bluntly, and then she upped and left for the car.

I came home to meet Ethan slugging down Whiskey like a street drunk. His shirt was unbuttoned, and his jacket was lying carelessly on the tiled floor.

"You will be liverish if you don't stop drinking." I picked up his jacket. It gave off a medley of odor.

"Where have you been? Are you seeing someone now? Out with those tits hanging out?" He pointed at my heaving chest.

"Please, it's just a tasty amount of cleavage and would you stop talking, you are intoxicated."

He staggered up towards me. I felt he must have had a bad day at work, but I wouldn't ask, he didn't appreciate me doing that. He came much too close to me, his warm breath kissed my face, and he reeked of alcohol.

"I'll make you soup," I whispered against his firm chest.

"I don't need soup..." He breathed as he put his hand over my breasts. My nipples shot out to meet it. Though I was still upset with him from that morning, I succumbed to the excitement that erupted within me. Hastily, he got rid of the gingham go-go that held my ponytail in place, letting my hair cascade over my shoulders. Then he seized my lips with his.