Robert sat across from Layla and sipped on a bowl of soup.
"You feel sick? Really? You look fine to me." She glanced at him.
"I... I am sick on the inside," he muttered.
"Oh!" she said. "You are staying hfor the ."
"Don't you want my help? If you don't want it, | can just go." Though she was not entirely wrong, he had mostly stayed to help her.
They grew up together, after all, and the bond between siblings was strong.
"You are not so heartless after all." She finished her pasta and felt as though her stomach was about to burst, so she poured herself
a glass of water. "I will go up to my room to grab my phone."
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"Layla, are you sure you don't want to shower first?" Robert reminded her. "If you argue with Mom and Dad looking like this, they
will think that you've gone mad."
She lowered her gaze and noticed that her clothes were all wrinkled. She had not washed her face or brushed her hair before
heading downstairs, so she knew that she looked like a mess.
"l just don't want to keep them waiting," Layla whispered. "Go grab my phone for me."
"Sure!" Robert hurried upstairs and entered Layla's room.
By the tRobert returned with her phone, she had finished her water and was feeling much more refreshed.
She took the phone from Robert and turned it on to find countless unread messages.
Eric was asking if she had returned to Aryadelle, Mike was asking if she had reached hsafely, and Ivy had texted to tell her
how she had told their parents everything.
Layla was not upset with her sister, since she had planned to talk to her parents soon anyway. Since Ivy had told their parents
everything the night before, Avery and Elliot would be prepared.
Layla replied to Mike's message and stared at Eric's message hesitantly before deciding not to reply.
Eric had gone to the extent of finding a fake girlfriend precisely because he did not wish to be in conflict with Avery and Elliot, so
Layla decided that it would be best for her to discuss this matter with her parents on her own.
She set her phone down and headed toward the living room.
"Mom, Dad, I've thought things through these past few days." She sat down next to Avery since she felt like Avery would not be
aggressively against her decision.
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"Just a few days? What can you decide in just a few days?" Elliot retorted.
"To be more precise, I've been thinking about what kind of man I'd like to marry ever since | went searching around the globe for a
partner," Layla corrected herself. "Mom, Dad, | want someone who givesa sense of security, and | don't care about the rest. If
I'm wrong, and | end up unhappy, | can always leave. | won't be a resentful woman because of my marriage."
Avery nodded and wanted to say something but was interrupted by Elliot: "If you can accept getting divorced afterwards, why not
try being with another man? You only feel how you feel for Eric Santos because you haven't spent enough twith other men.
Your mother and | only started falling for each other after spending ttogether."
Avery nodded again, since what Elliot said was reasonable.
"Layla, | don't want to fight with you over this. Since the day you appeared in my life, you've always been my most precious
treasure, and | want you to have the best of everything. | am just sharing my experience with you so you won't have to suffer as
much as | did. All we want is for you to be happy," Elliot continued earnestly.
Robert was moved by his words, and Avery was instantly rendered speechless, as she had not expected Elliot to give such an
impressive speech.