Page 30 of In the Lonely Hour

Carlos made his exit, and his parents immediately began to question him. Not bothering to answer them right away, Andres pulled his phone out and dialed Layla’s number. After three calls back to back didn’t go through, he texted her again. And again, he did not get the notification that it was delivered. Refusing to believe Layla had blocked him, he used the phone in the center of the table to call her. Though she didn’t answer, it did ring, which it hadn’t done from his line.

“Will you stop and tell us what the hell is going on?” Marilyn demanded.

“Apparently nothing now.”

“Were you having an affair with a married woman? A married client?”

“She wasn’t a client. She’s not in our system. I was paying the team out of my own pocket.”

“Why?”

“Because I felt something for her the moment I met her. When she agreed to my help, something told me not to finalize it because I didn’t want the foundation involved if things did turn personal between us.”

“So she is married?” Dedrick confirmed.

“They are separated.” Dedrick groaned while his mother shook her head. “She was supposed to be meeting him this afternoon to let him know she was ready to sign the divorce papers so we could be together.”

“Well obviously something has changed.”

Andres didn’t want to admit that, but what else was it? Carlos had obviously gotten Layla to give him a second chance, and she didn’t even have the decency to tell him to his face. So this was why she said not to wait for her. As his parents words went in one ear and out of the other, all Andres could think about was how wrong he’d been about Layla. How could he think she felt just as strongly as he did about her?

One week.

Seven days.

That was how long Layla had gone without seeing or hearing from Andres.

It was one thing for him to ghost her, but it was something altogether different for him to do that to Dior.

She never thought Andres would be the type to end things with no explanation, but obviously she was wrong.

No matter how much she didn’t want to admit it, he’d walked out of their lives… and Carlos had been trying to fill that space as best as he possibly could.

Dior had been asking about Andres at least ten times a day, and every time she did, it made Layla’s heart burn. After a day of not hearing from him, Layla finally put her pride aside and called him for Dior. When he didn’t answer, she accepted theloss and began to prepare to move on. It still didn’t make any sense to her why he’d randomly cut them off… unless he thought that was the easiest way to handle Layla replacing him as Dior’s aide.

Whether she did or she didn’t, Layla thought they had an understanding that things would remain personal between them, but obviously she was wrong. Maybe Andres didn’t believe they stood a real chance and that she would go along with whatever Carlos demanded. Whatever the case, it was time she accepted the fact that Andres had moved on.

“Mommy?” Dior called sweetly, standing at the doorframe of Layla’s bedroom.

“Yes, baby girl?”

“Can you call Andres again?”

Layla smiled softly as her eyes watered. Her own shattered heart she could handle, but Dior’s? There was no coming back from that.

“He’s not going to answer, Dior.”

“But he said I could call him if I needed him. Maybe if he knew it was me he would answer.” Clenching her jaw, Layla’s head hung. “Can we go to the community center and see him?”

Layla’s head shook as she fought her tears. After releasing a shaky breath she almost whispered, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Well when can I see him again?”

Layla hadn’t had the courage to tell Dior the truth, but she knew she would have to tell her eventually. Honestly, Layla didn’t want to say the words aloud because then she’d have no choice but to accept them.

The sound of the front door opening and closing was the distraction Layla needed. She stood from the bed, walking over to the door as Dior stepped into the hall.

“Daddy’s home.”

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