Layla made no secret of being married. She advised her sister, Olivia, "First, cut off all contact with them. If they actually show up at your school causing trouble, just call the cops." But she knew, knowing how shameless their parents were, the cops might not even make a difference. The only real fix was to cut all ties and vanish so they'd never find them.

Olivia nodded, her voice trembling with concern. "Sis, how's the hubby treating you now you're married? How old is he? What does he do? He's not gonna pressure you to pop out kids right away, is he?"

It caught Layla off guard for a second. But as she listened to her sister's questions, she realized she'd lucked out. Sure, her husband was older, but he was handsome—no receding hairline, no beer gut. He was loaded, and more importantly, a decent guy—didn't have any crazy expectations. Heck, they'd been married a few days and he hadn't pushed her into anything. A man like that was a rare find.

Layla put her sister's mind at ease. "He's ten years older than me, but he looks super young, and he's honestly a really good guy."

That seemed to ease Olivia's mind, though there was still a catch in her voice. "That's good, sis. Take care of yourself. If I can get out of this arranged marriage our parents are forcing on me, I'm gonna audition for a talent show. And when I get famous, you can be my manager, deal?"

It was a comfort, and Layla agreed. "Okay. Focus on school. Let me know if you need more for your living expenses."

When she hung up, the car was already pulling into Starview Manor. Layla got out with Avianna and spent some time playing with her and helping her practice reading and writing, but her mind stayed stuck on Olivia. Her sister was gorgeous, tall, with a voice like an angel. If she could keep studying at the conservatory, she'd go places. But if their parents forced her into marriage, her whole future would be toast.

Layla felt so helpless. How was she supposed to stop their parents from leeching off her and her sisters? She was still distracted through dinner.

Avianna lifted her round little face from her spiced honey cake, peering over at Sebastian. "Daddy, Mommy looks sad. You should cheer her up."

Layla jumped, quickly telling Sebastian, "Don't listen to her. I'm fine."

"Mommy, you're not fine," Avianna insisted, sounding way too mature for a five-year-old. "You were sad when we got home. If you have a problem, Daddy should help you fix it. What kind of husband is he if he doesn't?"

Layla was stunned, staring at the little girl beside her in disbelief. She couldn't wrap her head around a five-year-old saying something that insightful. Uneasy, she stole a glance at Sebastian, not knowing what to say.

Sebastian's face was usually hard to read, but right now it was clouded over, especially the way he looked at her—distant and impatient. "If you can't handle something, just spit it out. I never said I wouldn't help."

"There's nothing," Layla shook her head, denying it. How could she talk about her family situation? Her ex had dumped her because of her family. If her husband found out the kind of family she came from, he'd want nothing to do with her too. All she wanted was a place to hide from her parents and make some money in peace. No trouble for anyone, no one prying into her past.

Sebastian wasn't going to push it. He had no interest in butting into someone else's business uninvited—especially not when this woman seemed so conniving, so two-faced. She was married but still tangled up with other men. It was humiliating and a slap in the face for any husband, even one in name only.

After dinner, Sebastian stood up and made a clipped comment. "Your personal problems are none of my business. But from the second you asked me to marry you, you need to start acting like a wife—have some self-respect and do your duty."

Layla froze, not sure what he meant. She looked up at him, but he'd already turned away, his back to her, cold as ice. What was that about? Was it because of what happened at the hospital? Or had Margo fed him some lie?

She wanted to explain. But seeing him head upstairs, clearly not wanting to be anywhere near her, she swallowed the words. Some truths you just couldn't argue with, and she had no defense. Still, the way he treated her left her feeling kind of low.

The next day at the hospital, Margo Powell had muscled in on Layla's job, bringing meds to Mathias Knight's room. The second Mathias saw his cousin, he was clearly ticked off. "Who told you to come? Isn't Layla supposed to be looking after me?"

The cousins weren't tight. They barely talked except at family get-togethers. Mathias knew Margo had stolen Ryan from Layla, and he was well aware she liked to throw the family's weight around. He had zero love for her.

Margo, who never backed down, fired back, "It's not like I want to wait on you. But take my advice—don't get mixed up with someone like Layla. You'll just end up miserable."

Her words hit Layla's ears just as she was walking up with a tray of meds. She felt sick inside, but what could she do? She was a country girl who'd finally snagged a city job. One wrong move and she could lose it all.

Swallowing her pride, she stepped up and took care of Mathias's wounds.

Mathias tried to comfort her. "Don't let her get to you. She's a real piece of work, no shame."

"Cousin, what the heck?" Margo snapped, glaring at Mathias. "I'm gonna tell Aunt and Uncle you're bullying me."

Mathias didn't flinch. "Go ahead. Everybody knows what you're really like. Ryan wouldn't have chosen you unless there was something in it for him."

"You—" Margo's face went white. Unable to lash out at her cousin, she turned her venom on Layla. "You think hooking up with my cousin is gonna lift you up? My aunt and uncle will never allow it."

"Are you asking for a fight, Margo?" Mathias, scared she'd hurt Layla, threatened, "Get out. If I see you in my room again, I'll throw you out myself."

Margo shot Layla a poisonous glare and stormed out. Once she was gone, Mathias said, "Don't pay attention to her crap."

Layla shook her head, finished with Mathias's meds, and made to leave. Mathias stopped her. "Why haven't you been bringing me food? And why haven't you taken the money I sent?"

He knew how desperate she was for cash, but lately she'd been turning down his help. He'd heard her shifts at the hospital had been cut back and made super convenient—someone had to be pulling strings.

Mathias had a feeling Layla had connections he didn't know about. She explained, "I don't need the money right now, and I've got other stuff on my plate, so I can't bring you meals. You should find someone else."

Thinking back on Sebastian's words last night, Layla knew she had to carry herself with the poise of a wife and keep her dignity, even if love wasn't in the cards. The last thing she wanted was to make things awkward for anyone.

"Layla, are you avoiding me because of Margo Powell?" Mathias's voice was laced with disappointment as he watched her slim figure retreat.

He couldn't shake that letdown. From the second he'd laid eyes on Layla with Ryan, he'd been hooked. If not for the bro code, he would've gone after her himself. Now, it was clear Layla wasn't about to give him a shot.

Layla paused, turning to face him, fully aware of his feelings. She said, tone firm, "Thanks for the kindness, but Margo or not, I'm keeping my distance from men. I'm done falling for anyone."

"Just focus on getting better. Don't waste your sympathy on me—I'm not worth it," she added before walking away. She hoped he'd leave after he recovered, not stick around to see her struggles. But the harder she pushed him away, the more hell-bent he seemed on being there for her.

Back at the nurses' station, Layla was prepping meds for her next patient when Margo came at her with purpose. She snatched up an expensive bottle of medication from beside Layla and deliberately let it fall.

Glass shattered across the floor, medicine scattering everywhere. The head nurse rushed over at the noise.

"Oh no, Layla! How could you be so careless? That medicine costs a fortune!" Margo exclaimed, trying to pin it on Layla.

Staying cool, Layla met the head nurse's eyes. "It wasn't me. Check the security footage."

Stepping around the broken glass, she kept walking. Margo's face fell when she spotted the security camera in the med room. Under the head nurse's suspicious stare, she didn't bother denying it. "Fine, I was clumsy. It's not like I can't afford it."

The head nurse sighed. "Miss Powell, maybe you should just worry about your own work. Layla has connections. We're not sure if they're as powerful as your uncle's, but they're nothing to mess with either."

Realizing her scheme flopped, Margo brushed off the head nurse's words. She kept gunning for Layla, attitude arrogant and cocky.

"By tomorrow, you'll be out of this hospital. Just wait," Margo threatened.

Layla, totally unfazed, almost smiled at Margo's arrogance. If this was the crap Ryan would have to put up with later, she wasn't jealous.

"You run your mouth like you're all that, but you're just a nurse, same as me. If you had real power, wouldn't you be running this hospital by now?" Layla shot back, still cool.

Margo's face twisted with rage. "Just you wait. Tomorrow, you'll see!"

"I'll be waiting. If I'm not fired by tomorrow, keep your distance from me. Even a cornered animal will fight back," Layla replied, holding her head high as she walked off, refusing to be cowed by Margo's family connections.

Layla knew Margo could easily get her canned using her family's pull. If it came to that, she'd have to suck it up and ask her distant husband for help.

Later that afternoon, after picking up Avianna from school, Layla hoped Sebastian would be home soon so they could talk about the hospital mess. She couldn't let Margo win.

After waiting with no sign of him, she decided to shoot him a message. Knowing she needed his help, she added a sweet touch:

"Honey, Monica has dinner ready. When will you be home? Avianna and I are waiting for you."

Meanwhile, Sebastian was at the family estate. Set in a stately, old-English manor, the Knight clan had gathered for their monthly reunion. Everyone who could make it was there.

Sebastian's mother presided at the head of the table, her grown kids and their spouses around her, grandchildren at another table. Widowed for years, she had three sons and two daughters. Sebastian, the youngest and most successful, was the sole unmarried one.

Every get-together, his mother would bring up his bachelorhood, pleading, "Sebastian, you're in your thirties. Can't you think about settling down? If you're too busy to find someone, I can help."

Sebastian's phone screen lit up with Layla's message, pulling his focus. Oddly, he didn't mind the way she called him 'honey.' A soft warmth spread through his chest.

His brother elbowed him, dragging him back to reality. "Sebastian, Mom's talking to you."

He looked at his mother. "Avianna is more than enough for me. I don't see the point in getting married."

She sighed, still not satisfied. "But she isn't actually—"

"Mom," Sebastian cut in, voice firm. "Avianna is my daughter, and I'll only ever have her. Can we please bury the marriage talk? I have zero plans for a wedding."

His mother shook her head, exasperated. She wished he'd change his mind, but she respected it—especially since he'd grown the family business so much, multiplying its value.

After dinner, the family moved to the lounge, and Sebastian caught Margo talking to his brother and sister-in-law. "Auntie, Uncle, there's this girl, Layla Jensen. She's a real piece of work, always trying to cozy up to Mathias so she can weasel her way into the Knight family. You need to put a stop to it."

Sebastian halted, his eyes going cold. "Margo, if your legal knowledge is lacking, I'm happy to pay for some extra schooling. Spreading false information is a crime."

Margo startled, quickly stepping back, cowed by Sebastian's natural authority. Still, she pushed on. "It's true! Layla was my classmate, from a poor family. She was always stealing stuff."

"She knows Mathias is my cousin and tried getting close to him for his money. Look at his bank records—he's transferred a ton to her."

She faced Sebastian, pleading. "Uncle, you need to fire Layla before she pulls some stunt on Mathias."

Sebastian's face stayed unreadable as he processed this. Layla hadn't seemed like the kind of person Margo painted, but maybe he'd underestimated her. Still, he wasn't about to jump to conclusions without solid proof.

Sebastian Knight had never been fond of Margo Powell. Overhearing her gossip about Layla Jensen's so-called intentions only grated on his nerves. With a cold, cutting stare, he addressed her, his voice icy and clipped.

"Mathias's business is none of your concern. Bring it up again, and don't bother coming back to work."

Margo, all too aware of her uncle’s rigid temperament, felt a chill run down her spine. Sebastian was legendary for his no-nonsense attitude, his aversion to romantic entanglements, and his zero patience for insolence. She shut up fast, sinking back into her seat without another word.

Sebastian got home at eight that evening to an oddly quiet house. He asked sharply, "Where are Layla and Avianna?"

Monica, the housekeeper, gestured upstairs, explaining, "Mrs. Jensen is teaching Miss Avianna to dance. They’re in the studio."

Sebastian's brows knitted, curiosity flickering as he climbed the stairs. Could Layla really dance? Hadn’t Margo mentioned she came from humble roots? How on earth could she have learned?

At the door of the dance studio, he paused, caught off guard by the captivating melody drifting out. Through a narrow gap, he caught a glimpse of Layla in a simple vintage dress, twirling gracefully with his daughter under the soft lights. The steps were simple, but Layla’s fluid grace and natural rhythm made it look effortless, the glow casting an almost ethereal radiance around her. She looked so vibrant, so radiant, her simple beauty amplified by the movement.

Sebastian found himself hesitating to interrupt.

The music finally ended, leaving only Avianna's enthusiastic applause. "Wow, Mommy, you danced like a fairy from a storybook! You're so pretty!"

Layla blushed, completely unaware of Sebastian watching from the doorway. She pulled Avianna close, answering modestly, "I just picked it up from some videos online. You have a real teacher, sweetheart—you dance beautifully."

"No, no! I think Mommy dances way better than my teacher. Mommy, will you be my new dance teacher?" Avianna asked, eyes sparkling with excitement.

Spotting her father at the door, she rushed to him, clinging to his leg with her usual exuberance. "Daddy! Mommy just danced so beautifully. Can she be my dance teacher?"

Sebastian felt an unfamiliar awkwardness creep in, but he couldn't deny Layla had some unexpected talents. Not only could she cook, but she'd taught herself to dance? That genuinely surprised him. Then Margo's earlier words echoed in his mind, and he quickly stamped down any budding admiration. With a stern look, he called out, "Layla. My study. Now."

A chill ran through Layla. Had she screwed up by talking so casually online? If so, she had no one to blame but herself for overstepping boundaries he was so prickly about.

She steadied her breath before following him into the study. Sebastian sat behind his desk, eyes cold as they scrutinized her, voice like ice. "I hear Mathias sent you quite a bit of money."

Layla’s heart plummeted, a nervous throb echoing in her chest. She knew she couldn't deny it. Her voice came out tight as she admitted, "Yes, he transferred $6,700 to me."

Although her actions might look shady, she'd stopped taking money the moment she realized he was Sebastian's nephew. The cash she had received was generous pay for her work.

Hearing the amount, Sebastian felt like his time was being wasted. Still, since it had come up, he pushed on. "Why did he give it to you? Why did you take it? If you're into him, why not just be with him? Why drag me into this?"

Grasping how serious this was, Layla's pulse raced with anxiety. She spoke earnestly, "His leg was hurt, and he asked me to bring him meals, so he paid me for it. I know I shouldn't have taken so much, but the moment I realized he was your nephew, I cut it off."

She fumbled with her phone, offering it to Sebastian with trembling hands. "I can pay it back, Mr. Knight. I just wanted to make some extra cash through my work—I wasn't trying to con your nephew."

Sebastian remained unreadable, unmoved by her fear. Though he saw no point in belaboring this, a thought crossed his mind: if Layla and Mathias had something going on, it might be the perfect excuse to end this farce of a marriage.

"Please, Mr. Knight, just open your payment app. I'll send the money right back. I swear I won't try to profit off your nephew again."

Terrified he might fire her on the spot, Layla's eyes glistened with unease as she held out her phone, hand shaking slightly.

Sebastian ignored the gesture, pressing further. "Are you really that broke? If so, why didn't you take me up on my offer to stay home and care for Avianna full-time?"

Not to mention he'd made it crystal clear that if she willingly shared his bed, doing her wifely duty, he'd compensate her generously. If money was so tight, why not go for that?

He couldn't figure out what game she was playing. Layla's voice stayed steady, but vulnerability seeped through. "I just want a stable job. And yeah, I need the money. If that weren't the case, I wouldn't have asked for those things at the start."

But seeing him ignore her outstretched phone, she quietly withdrew it. Her blunt honesty about her money troubles did pique Sebastian's interest. Did she actually think admitting the truth would earn his sympathy—or his help? Fat chance. He never gave a thing without getting something of equal value in return.

"As for the money Mathias gave you, I'll let it slide this once. Just remember: do your part, or you're out."

Sebastian's words cut like a blade, his face a mask of unyielding resolve. He dismissed her with a flick of his hand.

Layla left, breathing heavily as she shut the door behind her, feeling like she'd dodged a bullet. No matter what she did, Mr. Knight always seemed to know. But she didn't have any shady motives. She just wanted to stay off her parents' radar and earn her own living.

Did Sebastian think she was messing around with Mathias? No way—she was a married woman and knew better than to get tangled up in that kind of trouble. From now on, she vowed to have zero contact with Mathias.

The next morning, Layla arrived at the hospital early, still on edge about her future. Margo had promised to get her fired, and after Sebastian's outburst, he might have made it happen. She steeled herself for the nurse manager's announcement, bracing for the worst.