~LAYLA~
"Layla!" Erica’s voice rang out as she stepped out of her shiny silver sedan. Her smile was almost too wide, too excited. I frowned and looked over at Axel, who was standing next to me.
"I told you tomorrow afternoon," I said, crossing my arms.
She waved a hand dismissively, her eyes flicking toward the armoured SUV. "I know, I know. But I just had to make sure you were okay after that crash. I couldn’t wait until tomorrow." Her gaze lingered on the vehicle and what we were wearing. "Are you going somewhere?"
I shook my head. "Just got back, actually."
Axel tossed me the keys, his face pretty blank as he watched Erica closely. She saw the exchange and immediately turned her attention to the SUV.
"Is that yours?" she asked, moving closer to examine it.
"Yes, Erica." I nodded, allowing myself a spark of pride. "My husband got it for me."
"Layla, that car is insane!" Her enthusiasm seemed a bit forced, her voice pitched just a little too high as she gushed over the car. "Armoured, high-tech, everything! God, you’re so lucky to have someone who cares about your safety like that."
The words felt empty. She kept glancing back and forth between Axel and me, trying to figure something out that I just couldn’t understand.
Axel cleared his throat. "I’ve got a call I need to take. Make yourselves comfortable." He headed inside, leaving us standing on the driveway.
The moment he disappeared, Erica’s demeanour shifted subtly. We walked inside together, and she settled onto the couch with practised ease, like she belonged here.
"So," she began in that probing tone I’ve come to recognise over the weeks, "is it true what the news is saying? That you caused Cassandra’s accident?"
I raised an eyebrow, studying her face. "What do you think?"
She hesitated for just a fraction of a second before scoffing. "Oh, please, you and I know that Cassandra is a lying, manipulative bitch. I’ve known her long enough to see through her games."
Then why are you working with her? The question screamed in my mind, but I bit my tongue, keeping my expression neutral and my mouth shut. I simply shrugged as she answered her question.
"So what would you do about her?" Erica asked, leaning closer.
I looked her in the eye and spoke in a calm tone. "If someone faked a rumour to ruin your company, tried to breach your company data, rammed your car off the road, then lied caused an accident that led to a miscarriage, just to frame you for assault..." I paused, watching her reaction. "What would you do?"
Erica was silent, her smile frozen on her face.
I continued, emphasising on every word. "If it was me, I’d bury them in court. Them and their accomplice." I let that word hang in the air. "Charges for assault, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and damages. The whole nine yards. And I wouldn’t stop until everyone involved paid for what they did."
Erica’s smile faltered, just slightly. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak, the front door opened.
Henry walked in, briefcase in hand, looking every bit the polished businessman. "Layla," he greeted with a nod, "Mr O’Brien," I looked up to see Axel walking in and then noticed Erica on the couch. "Oh, I didn’t realise you had company."
Erica stood quickly, smoothing her dress. "Actually, I should give you guys some space. I just wanted to check on Layla." She grabbed her purse. "I’ll see myself out. Call me later?"
"Sure," I said, watching her leave.
The door clicked shut behind her, and Henry turned to me with a serious expression. "We need to talk numbers."
"What’s going on?"
"Eclipse Beauty hit 160,000 pre-orders as of this morning," he said, setting his briefcase on the coffee table and pulling out reports. "That’s phenomenal, but we have a problem."
"What kind of problem?"
"We need more warehouse space. Projections are showing we’ll have triple of this before the month ends. Our current facilities can’t handle that volume, especially with the holiday season approaching."
He spread out several documents. "Also, there’s a major distributor in Chicago who’s pressing for a meeting. They want to discuss expansion into their market, potentially getting Eclipse products into their retail chain."
My heart raced. "That’s huge."
"It is. But we need to move fast. They’re looking at other brands too."
"I’ll go with you to Chicago."
Henry nodded. "Good. I’m coming as well as I have a good relationship with them."
"You, me, Helena, and Axel. We need to present a united front." I said, paused and then asked. "When’s the meeting?"
"They can do it in two days, but I think we should go tomorrow. Get there early, scout the location, and prepare properly."
"Tomorrow?" I glanced at Axel. "That’s fast."
"The early bird gets the worm," Henry said. "And in this case, the worm is a multi-million dollar distribution deal."
Axel considered this. "Alright. We leave tomorrow morning. Layla, you should start packing."
"How long will we be gone?"
"Two days, maybe three depending on how negotiations go," Henry said.
"I’ll coordinate with my assistant to book our flights," Axel said, already pulling out his phone while Henry gathered his papers.
"Of course," I echoed with a slight smile.
After Henry left, I headed upstairs to our bedroom to start packing. I pulled out my suitcase from the closet and began selecting outfits. Professional but stylish. Powerful but approachable. This meeting could push things forward for Eclipse Beauty.
I was halfway through folding a blazer when Axel appeared in the doorway with a troubled expression.
"What’s wrong?" I asked, setting down the blazer.
"There’s been a change of plan."
My stomach dropped. "What kind of change?"
"I have a meeting I can’t miss, cancel, or reschedule." He ran a hand through his hair, obviously frustrated. "I tried everything, Layla. Called in every favour. But this meeting’s been on the books for months, and if I don’t show up, we lose a critical contract."
"So what are you saying?"
"You’ll have to go to Chicago without me."