7 Dubai, Burj khalifa

Layla thought about her life and how rough it had been. She remembered when she had nothing and had to stay far away from the city because they couldn’t handle the expenses. Life in the city was an expensive one but now she had fully adjusted thanks to her fathers knowledge of business. Who could have known that her father who was rejected by a lot of people and framed by his own manager of stealing, would turn out to be someone of great importance. Her father slowly rose from the ground and found his way to the top. She was so proud of him. Layla remembered when her mother used to yell at him for being so lazy and stuck in his study room reading books that didn’t put food on the table. She couldn’t blame her mother because at that time, it was the right thing to do. Mrs. Raymond had sacrificed her time to provide for the family although her husband was not working, she worked too hard and often came back to the cottage exhausted and sometimes she would still work when she was weak and sick. Layla remembered when her father scolded her for the first time. “How would you continue to provide for our daughters if you don’t have enough strength? Take a break for today woman! We have enough food to last us few more days, so please rest.” She couldn’t forget that day, her mother had no other choice than to respect her husband’s pleadings. He almost shed tears that day, he regretted his decision for not working. He promised us that day that he would take us out of lack. He wasn’t kidding, he did and each day Layla thought about it she smiled. A life of luxury was given to them in less than six years. As Layla sat in her office, a sense of unease washed over her. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, that something wasn't right. It had been long since she saw her older sister. She missed her badly but she couldn’t find anytime in her schedule to pay a visit. She only hoped that her sister would someday remember to see her. Layla glanced at the clock on her desk and sighed. It was late, and she was tired. But she knew she couldn't rest until she figured out what was going on. She stood up from her desk and walked over to the window, gazing out at the city below. It was quiet now, the streets empty, but she knew that danger lurked in the shadows. As she turned back to her desk, she heard a knock at the door. She frowned, wondering who it could be at this hour. "Come in," she said, her voice firm. The door opened, and a lady walked in, her eyes downcast. It was Layla’s personal assistant, Jennifer. Layla's frown deepened. "What's going on?" she asked. Jennifer looked up, her face pale. "I...I have to tell you something," she whispered. Layla waited, her heart beating faster. She had a feeling she knew what was coming. "I've been thinking about Malik lately," Jennifer said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. Layla felt a surge of anger and betrayal. She had warned Jennifer about Malik, about his ability to manipulate women into doing his bidding. And here Jennifer was, wishing she was sleeping with him. "I told you to stay away from him," Layla said, her voice cold. "I warned you about what he's capable of." She wondered why it was so difficult for ladies to leave Malik alone, there were a lot of handsome men out there that were approachable, why Malik? Jennifer looked up, tears streaming down her face. "I know," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." Layla shook her head, her anger turning to sadness. "It's not about hurting me," she said. "It's about you putting yourself in danger." Jennifer nodded, her face filled with shame. "I know," she whispered. "I'll break things off with him. I promise." Layla sighed, her heart heavy. She knew that Jennifer was in a vulnerable position, and that Malik had taken advantage of her. But she also knew that she couldn't let this slide. "You need to be careful," she said, her voice firm. "You need to watch your back, and you need to make sure that Malik doesn't try to come after you." Jennifer nodded, her eyes filled with fear. "I will," she whispered. "I'll do whatever it takes to stay safe." Layla looked at Jennifer, her heart breaking. She knew that she couldn't protect everyone, that she couldn't save everyone from their own mistakes. But she also knew that she had to try. "Stay strong," she said finally, her voice filled with compassion. "And remember that you're not alone." Jennifer nodded, a faint smile on her face. "Thank you," she whispered. Layla watched as Jennifer left the room, her heart heavy with worry. She knew that the danger was real, and that it was up to her to protect those she cared about, no matter the cost. That was Layla for you… she’d never have a positive review to give to men. She just hated most of them. She only respected two men in her life. One was her father, and the other was Malik. Although she was trying to keep every lady away from Malik at all cost, she wanted to have him all for herself. He is dark skinned and muscular with neatly cut hairs. Malik had a beautiful jawline that got ladies weak in their knees when he smiled. “He’s so hot.” Layla found herself daydreaming about him. She had an eye for Malik when she first met him but soon she noticed her older sister found favour in his sight. Between herself and Ria, she was supposed to attract more men to herself. She needed men who truly loved her, not those that were trying so hard to hit and run. Malik seemed like he was different, he wasn’t that kind to do that. She loved him, she wanted him. Two sisters cannot be seen fighting for the same man, either of them had to let go of him and Layla wasn’t going to back down. She wanted him so bad that she could cut ties just to be with him but why was he looking at her sister? It made her jealous. She loved her sister, but she wasn’t ready to give up on him. Just then she got a text message from her father. He urged her to return home immediately. She wondered what was so urgent that he’d tell her to come back.