Chapter 86

Layla was rushed into the emergency room.

Outside, Samuel paced back and forth, his mind a whirlwind of agitation, an emotion he seldom felt.

"Don't worry, Boss. Miss Adkins will be fine," Mr. Vandella comforted him.

She needed to be. Samuel forced himself to stay calm.

The moment the emergency room doors swung open, he strode forward, "How is she?"

She was all that mattered to him.

"The patient just had a scare; nothing serious. But we recommend that she stays in the hospital for a couple of days for rest and to ensure stability before being discharged."

Samuel let out a huge sigh of relief. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so tense. Ever since the incident, he felt like he was suffocating, as if he were awaiting a dire verdict.

"Can I see her?"

"Yes, but she needs good rest now. Above all, she must avoid emotional stress, so try not to upset her."

...

Layla awoke from a brief slumber, startled by a nightmare. "The baby..."

Her eyes snapped open.

Samuel gripped her cold, sweaty hands. "The baby's fine."

"You're not... not lying to me?" Her gaze was fraught with unsettled fear. The nightmare had been terrifying, and she couldn't immediately discern it from reality.

"I'm not lying," Samuel shook his head. "The doctor said a couple days of rest here, and you'll be good as new."

Relief washed over Layla, but her pale face quickly turned cool as she withdrew her hands from his, her eyes filling with resistance and defiance, "Get out. I don't want to see you."

"I was wrong today, and I'm sorry." It was rare for Samuel to sound so humble.

But to Layla, it sounded like nothing more than irony. Was his apology supposed to be so valuable that she was expected to forgive him just because he uttered it?

Not all apologies warranted forgiveness, especially not with her.

"I don't need your apology. I want you to disappear from my sight."

"You need care while you're in the hospital."

"I'm perfectly fine," Layla retorted stubbornly.

"Your complexion says otherwise." Concern softened Samuel's words. He regretted how his anger had taken over, making him lash out at someone so delicate.

"Just rest and take care of yourself."

His words touched a nerve, and "take care of yourself" struck her sharply. "I might get an abortion."

"If you were that heartless, you wouldn't have been so panicked before."

"I..." Layla's heart was a mess. Hadn't she made up her mind? But why had panic seized her so completely at that critical moment? She consoled herself that it must have been because...

"It's just human instinct; I'm a rational person."

"No, you're an emotional person, and you're kind-hearted," Samuel asserted with confidence. He had an undeniable knack for seeing through people. She might act tough but he knew she had a tender heart.

Layla bristled with indignation. "My kindness is not a weapon for you to use against me."

Did he think that just because she was kind-hearted, she would agree to bear his child? Despicable man! She wanted to tear him to shreds!

"I don't want to hurt you."

Don't want to hurt me? Layla scoffed. A hangman's false sentiment couldn't be more hypocritical.

His betrayal hurt her more than Vincent ever had.

When Vincent was caught with a prostitute, she was only briefly saddened, and time would heal that wound. But the scars left from aborting their first child would last a lifetime, like a brand that would cause her pain whenever it crossed her mind.

She wanted to lash out at him, "Samuel, you-"

"Calm down, rest up. You can vent all you want once you're feeling better."

"Get out!" Layla hurled a pillow at him and closed her eyes.

She heard the soft sound of a closing door and when she opened her eyes again, Samuel was gone.

A single tear slid down from her eyes.

Unable to sleep, Layla thought of getting some fresh air, only to run into Vincent dragging Emilia by the arm downstairs in the maternity ward. The two were scuffling.

"I don't want it; I don't want to do this!" Emilia pleaded in terror, her head shaking vehemently. "Vincent, please let me keep our baby?"

"Keep it? And have it grow up as a bastard ? You must be joking," Vincent replied, his face a mask of icy cruelty.

"Let's get married."

"My mother would never approve of me marrying a girl with your kind of background. Dream on."

"Is it just because my family's poor? What's wrong with me?" Emilia cried out in exasperation, "Vincent, this is your child too; how can you be so heartless?"

"Heartless? This is your own doing. I told you to take the pill and you refused. You're always causing me trouble. Besides, it was you who seduced me to your bed. For all I know, it might not even be my kid; I can't take that risk."

"You-" Emilia's furious gaze suddenly landed on Layla. She then accusingly pointed her finger at her, "It's because of her, right? You're still into this tramp?"

Layla frowned. How did she get entangled in such a mess?

She turned to leave, but Emilia, in a fit of rage, grabbed her arm.

"Let go!" Layla, not feeling well, couldn't muster the strength to push her away, and Emilia, blinded by fury, seemed intent on tearing her apart, gripping her so viciously she couldn't break free.

"You're after Vincent, aren't you? You're here to gloat, right?"

"Layla, are you trying to get back at me?" Emilia's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets with rage.

"I'm not that bored or desperate, and I'm certainly not going dumpster diving for losers. Let go of me." Layla wrestled Emilia's grip from her, snapping, "Vincent, are you dead or something? Get your girl under control."

Vincent finally snapped to attention and reached for Emilia, but she was relentless, her hand flying up to slap Layla. "I'll kill you!"

Vincent intervened, but Emilia's sharp nails left deep scratches on his face.

Furious, Vincent couldn't contain himself any longer. He struck back, knocking Emilia to the ground with a backhand across her face. "Have you lost your mind?!"

The slap dazed Emilia. As she sat on the ground while clutching her face, she burst into tears after a few seconds of shock. "Vincent, you hit me?"

"I'm carrying your child, and you hit me for some homewrecker? Are you even human?"

Bystanders cast disdainful looks at the pair and began muttering accusations, "The youth today are so out of control."

"A mistress at such a young age."

"So irresponsible!"

"If I were her mother, I'd punish her myself."

Layla laughed off the irony. The mere idea that she would defend herself in this ludicrous situation was below her.

Vincent dragged Layla away, leaving Emilia behind.

"Let go. Don't touch me with your filthy hands. It disgusts me," Layla yanked her hand free.

Vincent was clearly annoyed. "I just stuck up for you, and you're calling me disgusting?"

"Stuck up for me? Ha! This whole mess was caused by your philandering in the first place. Should I thank you for that?"

"Enough about that," Vincent snapped, visibly frustrated. "You think I've had it easy? I've got enough trouble without this. If my mom hears about it, she'll have my head. I wish I never got involved with her. It was just a fling, and she took it seriously."

"Oh, and why are you at the hospital? Did you get rid of the baby?"