Chapter 15

Layla's fingers trembled slightly at Seth's words, but her expression remained calm. "I haven't designed anything in years. I'm out of ideas. You'd be better off finding someone else, Mr. Parker." She stood to leave, but Seth grabbed her wrist and locked his eyes onto hers. "Is it that you don't want to draw anymore, or that you can't? Are you hiding something from me, Layla?" Her heart clenched at his question. The injury that had stolen her ability to draw had been Seth's indirect doing. It had crushed her dream. At the time, she had chosen to keep it from him because she hadn't wanted to burden him with guilt or added pressure. But the moment she recalled the words he said when they divorced, Layla felt like someone had rubbed shattered glass into her chest. Seth had said that Clarissa couldn't stand on stage anymore because of him, so he had to take responsibility. At the time, Layla wanted to tell him that she could never achieve her dreams because of him too. But she didn't. A man who had already fallen for someone else was tainted in her eyes. She refused to play the victim to gain his sympathy. She hadn't told him then, and she had no intention of telling him now. She wasn't about to reopen the door for him to worm his way back into her life. She gave a soft chuckle. "Designing takes inspiration. I'm sorry, but I don't have it anymore. If there's nothing else, please let me go, Mr. Parker." "Layla, was it the injury from four years ago? Is that why you can't draw? Tell me who hurt you. I'll bring them to justice." Layla wrenched her wrist free and gave him a sharp sneer. "Justice? Does such a thing even exist in your world? Tell me, Mr. Parker, where was your sense of justice when you used me as a shield for Clarissa? "Where was it when you schemed to make me pregnant and then used every dirty trick to take my child away? Or do you think my status is too low, that I don't deserve any justice in your eyes? "You used me, then tossed me aside like trash. Did you ever think that I deserved justice back then, Mr. Parker? Now, are you pretending to say all this to make me grateful to you? "I'm sorry, but even if you find the culprit and bring them to justice, my hand will never heal, and I won't be grateful to you. Because it's something you owe me." Seth's fists tightened as he listened. "Layla, believe it or not, the pregnancy was an accident. I didn't scheme against you. And divorcing you was because I had no other choice. I never intended to abandon you. I even set up work for you afterward, but you disappeared. "No matter what happened between us, you were my wife. Letting you get hurt was my failure. It's my responsibility to find the person who did this and to fix your hand. So tell me. Who did this to you?" Layla sneered. "There's no need to feel guilty, Mr. Parker. Didn't you marry me just to shield Clarissa from trouble? I've repaid your family's support with my hand. From now on, I owe you nothing, so please don't interfere in my life anymore." She shot him one last cutting look and walked out. Watching her stubborn figure disappear and recalling the words she had just said, Seth felt a sharp pain in his chest. Just then, his phone buzzed. He answered immediately. "Mr. Parker," Sean's voice came through the line, "I found out that Ms. Jenkins did indeed injure her wrist four years ago. The doctor's diagnosis was that she could hold things but would never be able to perform delicate movements again, such as drawing." Upon hearing the result, Seth painfully shut his eyes. Just as he had suspected, Layla had given up on her dreams because of the wrist injury. But why had she hidden it from him? She loved him so much back then and told him everything. Why, then, had she kept this from him? What had he missed? Seth's voice grew deeper. "How did it happen?" "It was a knife wound, likely from encountering an assailant. The knife damaged her nerves, which led to this outcome. But I checked with the police during that time. Ms. Jenkins didn't file any report. "For someone like Ms. Jenkins, who has always stood up for herself, not choosing to use the law to protect herself is out of character," Sean replied. Seth clenched his teeth tightly. "Find that culprit, no matter what." "Understood, Mr. Parker. I'll handle it right away." After hanging up the phone, Seth felt uneasy. Layla had always been clear about right and wrong. Even if she hadn't seen the assailant's face, she should've reported it to the police. Why had she chosen to stay silent? What was she trying to hide? Seth immediately took out his phone and called Daniel Reid. "Busy?" Daniel's dry laugh came through. "Well, well. Seth Parker calling me first? What's the occasion? Need a favor?" "It's about an old case from four years ago. The victim didn't report it. Can you still find the culprit?" Daniel's expression darkened. "Who hurt you? If it's about you, I'll find out, no matter how long it takes." Seth pinched the bridge of his nose and said in a strained voice, "It's about Layla." Upon hearing the name, Daniel paused for a moment. "Layla? Weren't you two divorced? Why is this coming up now?" "She was attacked four years ago. Someone stabbed her wrist, and it ruined her ability to draw. She never reported it, and she won't cooperate to reveal what happened. I need your help to find the person responsible." Daniel's voice sharpened. "Hold on. She had such a serious injury, and you didn't know?" "I was overseas for work. She didn't tell me," Seth explained. "Seth, even if you were away, how could you come back and not notice when your wife's wrist was so badly hurt? Or was it that you never cared enough to pay attention to her?" The words struck Seth like a thunderclap, hitting him hard. At the time, Clarissa had been threatening to kill herself, and he stayed by her side the whole time. He didn't have the time to ask about Layla's situation. When he returned, she'd downplayed the injury as something minor, and he'd believed her. But now, as he looked back, the signs had been there. Seth clenched his fist in frustration. His voice was low and cold as he ordered, "Find that person. I want to know who had hurt her."