Chapter 11
Layla replied, “The resentment has been building up for too long. To him, I’m an obstacle that stood in the way of his takeover of Murray Group. How could I ever per him as a good person?”
“But Stephen always speaks of you with affection to others. He looks so happy whenever he mentions you at the orphanage.”
If it weren’t for this recent encounter with Layla, Lucy would have believed Layla was just as Stephen described a little spoiled but otherwise tine
She never expected Layla to be so guarded against Stephen.
When she heard Lucy’s words, Layla suddenly remembered their previous conversation, which ended up being interupted. “Lury, you said before that I’m the envy of everyone. What did you mean by that?”
Layla had a nagging spicion that Stephen hadn’t been entirely honest with her
Lucy smiled wealdy. Her frailty added a touch of softness and sadness to her expression. “Because you don’t understand the kind of hurt we, who were abandoned, have gone through. From birth, we were discarded, unloved, ancared for, and left feeling like we didn’t belong anywhere.
“When i first saw you, you were with Stephen at the orphanage. You had maids attending to you, your grandfather holding you, and Stephen doting on you. We watched from the window, led with envy.”
Layla scratched her eyebrow winwandly. She didn’t even remember visiting an orphanage before. But she had always know she was spoiled, which explained her
bad temper
“People like desperately crave a family. That’s why, even knowing Dylanwasn’t healthy, I selfishly wanted to have him to give myself a family.”
Lucy recalled, “Stephen had his dark moments too. The first time I saw him, he was four years old. After arriving at the orphanage, he would sit silently in a comer and always gravitate toward dark places. If any of the other lads came near him, he would lash out and hurt them.
your grandfather adopted him. When I saw him again, he had
“Even the teachers and director were afraid to approach him. But after two years at the orphanage, your started to come out of his shell. He even carried you around to greet and play with the other kid
“Layla, did you know? You were once the light that healed Stephen.”
Layla stared at Lucy. She was shunned by her words.
“That’s impossible.” She denied it, but she couldn’t find a reason to cetute what Lucy had said.
Lucy soiled gently. “If you don’t believe me, you could visit the orphanage with Stephen in the middle of the month. He visits every month to spend time with the kids and provide them with financial support. Everyone there knows who you are.”
Dylan nodded in agreement. “It’s true, Aunt Layla, 1 kw about you too.”
Layla scoffed, “I’m not going,”
When it was time for Lucy to rest, Layla grabbed Dylan’s hand. “Come on, let your mom get some sleep. Let’s go shopping.”
After glancing at Lucy, Dylan bugged her neck one more time. “Momy, I’ll come to see you again tomorrow. Be sure to listen to the doctors and get better soon so you can take me back I don’t want to keep bothering Aunt Layla and Daddy.”
Lucy held him tightly. “ley, I promise.”
That evening, when Stephen returned home, he was surprised to find that Layla wasn’t giving him the cold shoulder. “Where did you two go today? he asked.
“What does it have to do with you?”
Dylan was now used to Layla’s sharp tongue. He kneeled on the floor and started setting up his toys on the coffee table.
Each time Stephen asked a question and was met with Layla’s harsh words, Dylan would sweetly explain, “We went to the hospital to see my mom today.”
Stephen glanced at Layla. “What did she say?
Layla raised her eyebrows at Dylan, signaling for him to sprak
However, Dylan’s little mind could only hold so much. He frowned in frustration “She said many things. I couldn’taememberi
Layla burst into laughter. Her eyes were bright, and her natural smile was stunning
When he saw her laughing, Stephen couldn’t help but smile.
As the night wore on, bedtime rolled around. Stephen stood in the living room while looking down at Dylan, “Put your boys back where you got them from before going to bed.”
Passing by Stephen, Layla muttered, “Such a stickler.” He used to discipline her like that when she was a child, and now he was doing the
But Dylan was far more obedient than she had been.
the same with
Young Layla was incredibly stubbom. When she refused to put taway her toys, she meant it. The maid tried to cleanup, but Stephen insisted on matching her stubbornness. He’d drag the standoff into the night.
In the end, Layla lost the battle and obediently put her toys away each time.
Dylan, on the other hand, quickly followed Stephen’s instructions without a tuss
Later that night, as Stephen lay on the couch, Layla wandered around the bedroom. She occasionally glanced at him with a pout, while holding a cup of water that she didn’t take a single sip from for half an hour.
“If you have something to say, just say it, Stephen said with his eyes closed.
Layla stopped pacing and walked over to the couch. “Did you rally take me to the orphanage when I was a kid?”
Chapter 11
Stephen opened his eyes to look at Layla. “What did Lucy tell you?”
Layla shook her head. “Not much. But why did you take me to the orphanage?
“Because you wanted to trade me for another brother.”
“Really? Was I that insightful as a child? What happened next?”
Stephen, who was imitated by her playtul look, refused to say more and simply closed his eyes again. “Good night.”
“Don’t sleep! Get up, Stephen! If you don’t get up, I’m going to steal your credit card.”
It seemed like Stephen was really asleep, but Layla knew he was pretending
Annoyed, she punched him lightly in the stomach. “Keep pretending.”
She put down the cup of water, still untouched, and climbed into bed before pulling the covers over herself.
On the couch, Stephen turned over with a smile.
The next moming, when Layla finally woke up, Stephen was nowhere to be found, Only Dylan was sitting in the dining room. He was patiently waiting for her to Join him for breakfast.
The elderly maids, who had been with the Murray family since Layla was a child, adored Dylan. Having a child in the house again filled them with joy.
“Morning, Ms. Murray, Come have breakfast. Dylan’s been waiting for you.”
“Why is he waiting for me? He can eat on his own.” Layla wrapped a coat over her pajamas and sat down beside Dylan. “Hurry up and eat. No picky eating.
“Aunt Layla, are we going to visit my mom at the hospital again today?”
Layla suddenly looked at him. While tearing a piece of bread, she casually asked, “Dylan, you lived in the orphanage, right?”
Lucy’s health had never been good, and as a single mother, she struggled to find work. The orphanage, where she had grown up, happened to need help, so she decided to move back and work there as a caregiver.
She helped the director take care of the children.
