Chapter 221
"Sorrow?" The question slipped softly from Samuel's lips, followed by a dismissive smile. "I feel nothing but relief."
Relief!
A life had been extinguished, and all he felt was relief?
Could Samuel truly be this callous?
Layla found herself grappling with the reality that the man she had once given her heart to could be so frigid, so merciless.
Had Samuel been wearing a mask all this while? Was their shared past nothing more than a well-orchestrated charade?
"You were the one who set the stage for the pregnancy..."
"That was part of the strategy initially."
"Strategy?" Layla's brows furrowed in confusion.
"Yes, the strategy," Samuel responded, a chilling laugh escaping his lips. His inscrutable dark eyes bore into hers. "I had intended for you to bear the child, to free myself from the clutches of the Eilish family. But now, I see that Nora is the woman best suited for me."
Tears threatened to choke Layla. "So, I was merely a pawn in your game?"
Samuel's laughter echoed around them, a chilling sound that sent shivers down her spine.
Moments ticked by before Samuel finally broke the silence, his gaze taking in the torment etched on Layla's face. "Now that the strategy has shifted, there's no need for the child to exist. In a sense, you've resolved a problem for me."
Layla's fingers curled into tight fists, her heart aching as if it were being torn apart, the pain almost unbearable.
"So... even if I hadn't terminated the pregnancy, you would have compelled me to, correct?"
"Yes." Samuel's reply was curt, devoid of emotion.
In that moment, the knife that had been lodged in Layla's heart was thrust deeper, shattering it into a million pieces.
She had tasted the bitterness of despair, experienced the dull, ashen taste of hopelessness. Layla had always held on, trusting in Samuel's good intentions, believing in his love for her, convinced their shared history was real. But now, the small spark of hope in her heart was snuffed out, her last vestiges of strength depleted.
Samuel suddenly seemed like a stranger, a terrifyingly unfamiliar figure.
"Are you speaking the truth?" she managed to ask.
"Of course." Samuel turned away, unable to meet the anguish in Layla's eyes.
Samuel had forced himself to do many things in his life, but this moment was the hardest. It took every ounce of his willpower to keep from retracting his words, to tell Layla how much he truly loved her.
His pain was a thousand times more intense than hers!
"Here, take this back." Layla removed her wedding ring, and Samuel glanced at it evasively. He took it from her, opened the window, and flung it out.
With that single act, Samuel discarded their shared past and their potential future.
"Let's pretend I never knew you." Layla's expression hardened as she pushed open the car door and stepped out.
In that moment, panic seized Samuel. He reached out to grab her, "Layla..."
But it was too late. His fingers closed around nothing but air as Layla's figure disappeared into the throng of traffic.
Samuel's hand clenched, gripping the ring tightly, his teeth biting down on his knuckle as his eyes reddened, a wave of blood spreading slowly until his entire eye was suffused with a crimson hue.
A single tear glistened at the corner of Samuel's eye.
The following day found them at the office. Alice approached Layla with a brisk stride, her face etched with concern. She placed a comforting hand on Layla's shoulder, her voice laced with worry. "Layla, didn't you sleep last night? Did you meet Samuel? How did it go?"
Her words hung in the air, a testament to the sleepless night she'd spent worrying. "You didn't respond to my Facebook messages. I was so worried about you."
"I'm fine now," Layla responded, her voice barely above a whisper. She attempted a feeble smile, her pale face a stark contrast to the strength she was trying to portray. Her effort only served to evoke more sympathy from Alice.
"Fine? What... what does that mean?" Alice gently guided her towards the break room, her voice low and soothing. "What happened between you and Samuel?"
Layla's response was a wistful smile, her eyes distant.
"Did you two break up?"
"Yes."
"Have you decided to let go?"
"He let go first. I found no reason to keep holding on."
The baby had been her last glimmer of hope, but now even that was extinguished. Layla felt as if her heart had died. Yet, amidst the pain, there was a newfound clarity. No more entanglements, no more second-guessing or making excuses for Samuel. All those actions had only served to inflict more wounds on herself.
"What about the child you're carrying?"
"I'll have it and raise it myself."
"You're going to be a single mum? But raising a baby is really tough, especially when you don't have any savings..."
"I'll work hard to save money," Layla responded, her smile wry. "Alice, roads are paved by humans. I'll find a way."
She had spent the entire night thinking it through. She planned to stay on her project with the Eilish Group for another two months, but without the chance for a commission, only drawing her standard salary.
Fortunately, as the lead designer, she earned around eight thousand dollars, so by living frugally, she could save up to fifteen thousand in two months. Then she planned to leave, find a small city where she could take on odd jobs and save money, and have her baby on her own.
"Alice, if you have any friends or relatives who need renovations, could you refer them to me? I can charge them half the usual rate."
"You want to take on side jobs? But you're pregnant and your job here is already demanding. It might be too much for you."
"I'm still young. I can handle it. Please, Alice, I really need the money."
"Okay, I'll refer anyone I can. But Layla, you have to promise me you won't overdo it. Remember, you're pregnant now, and your health comes first."
"I know." Layla nodded, adding gratefully, "Thank you, Alice."
Just as Layla and Alice returned to the office, a buzz of excitement filled the room.
"Anthony's here."
"Wow, it's Anthony. He's so charismatic."
"He's like a prince charming." The female employees' eyes sparkled with admiration.
Accompanied by his assistant and manager, Anthony walked in, his sharp gray suit setting him apart from the crowd.
Anthony's gaze settled upon Layla, his eyes, clear and filled with concern, briefly met hers. In response, Layla offered him a nod before calmly averting her gaze.
"Anthony is present today to monitor the progress of the resort project," announced the assistant.
"Thanks to Anthony, everything is progressing without a hitch," came a voice from the crowd.
"Indeed, we've all been diligently working. We won't let Anthony down," another voice chimed in.
"Thank you, everyone. The Eilish Group will ensure your hard work is rewarded with generous bonuses," Anthony assured.
A cheer erupted from the crowd.
"That's fantastic!"
"Thank you, Anthony."
"Long live Anthony!"
"Layla, may I have a word with you in your office?" Anthony asked, his tone as even as always.
"Of course, please come in," Layla responded.
The two then retreated into the office, leaving the crowd to their speculations.
"Hmm, going to talk in the office, huh? I thought Anthony would want to speak with each of us individually. Why just Layla?" a voice mused.
"Why do I get the feeling that Anthony's visit was specifically for Layla?" another voice dripped with envy.
"Could Anthony be Layla's powerful backer?"
"It's hard to say. It could be possible," someone else speculated.
"Stop with the nonsense. Layla is the lead designer. It's perfectly normal for Anthony to consult with her directly about the project," Alice interjected.
"But Layla has such a charm about her, anyone she talks to seems unusual, right?"
"That's right, the way Anthony looks at her is different. Alice, you probably don't know the whole story, and that's why you're quick to defend," someone countered.
The conversation was filled with pointed remarks.
"I may not know any inside story, but what I do know is that we're on a tight deadline for the project. Every minute spent gossiping is a minute wasted. Didn't we all agree to give this project our all? Or was that just lip service to keep Anthony appeased? Who's going to be responsible if Anthony blames us later, you guys?" Alice retorted.
The colleagues who had been gossiping had no retort and walked away with sour expressions.
"We were talking about Layla, what's it got to do with her? Alice always has to step in and share her views," one of them grumbled.
"That's not just sharing views; Alice is Layla's close friend."
"Close friend? More like a little follower, haha."