Mrs. Carter.Liam's mother.
Layla stared at it as it rang again and again.
She hesitated before answering.
"Hello?"
"Layla, sweetheart," Mrs. Carter's voice came warm and syrupy through the speaker. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," Layla replied cautiously.
"That's good. That's very good."
There was something strange in her tone,too bright and too deliberate.
"I was wondering," Mrs. Carter continued, "if you could come by tomorrow. After class."
Layla blinked.
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes. We haven't seen you in a while and Liam misses you."
The words landed wrong.
Miss you.
"I… I have a lot of assignments," Layla said carefully as her jaw tightened slightly.
"Oh, it won't take long," Mrs. Carter insisted. "Just dinner and we'd love to talk."
We.
That word felt heavier.
"Is Liam there?" Layla asked before she could stop herself.
"Yes," Mrs. Carter said. "He's here."
Of course he was.
Layla's pulse began to climb.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Layla said slowly.
"Why not?"
Because your son cheated on me,because your son cornered me,because he grabbed me and because I'm lying to everyone and I don't even recognize myself anymore.
Instead she said, "We broke up."
"Yes," Mrs. Carter replied softly. "Liam mentioned there was… confusion."
Confusion.Layla almost laughed.
"He said you've been distant," Mrs. Carter continued. "And that maybe someone has been influencing you."
Layla's throat went dry.
Influencing you.
"What does that mean?" Layla asked quietly.
"Oh, you know how boys are. They get insecure." Mrs. Carter said as she gave out a soft sigh. "But I'd hate for rumors to start over something that could be cleared up with a simple conversation."
Rumors.
The word sent a chill through her spine.
"What rumors?" Layla pressed.
"I think it's better we speak in person," Mrs. Carter said gently. "Tomorrow,after class. Around five."
Layla's fingers tightened around the phone.
Something was wrong.This wasn't just about dinner.
"Layla?" Mrs. Carter prompted.
"I… I'll think about it."
"I'd prefer a yes."
The sweetness was gone now replaced with something firmer.
"I'll let you know," Layla said.
"Good girl," Mrs. Carter replied.
The line went dead.
Layla stared at her phone,her reflection on the black screen looking pale.
Influencing you,rumors,conversation,dinner.
Layla's mind raced.
Did Liam say something?
Did someone see her get into Elias's car?
No.
He stopped at the far end of the street.
Unless—
Unless someone was watching before she got home.
Her chest tightened.Slowly, she stood and walked to her window and pushed the curtain aside slightly.
The street was quiet and empty,no headlights,no black car waiting in the distance.
Elias was gone.Of course he was.
He would never linger where he didn't control the space.
Layla lowered the curtain as her phone buzzed again and this time it was a text.
Unknown number.
Her heart pounded as she opened it.
A single grainy, dark image taken from a distance loaded.
It was her,leaning into a car,kissing someone through the driver's window.
Her breath left her in a sharp, silent gasp.
The image wasn't clear enough to see his face but it didn't need to be.
She knew that car and that posture.
Another message followed:
"You should be more careful."
Layla's hands began to shake as a third message appeared.
"See you tomorrow."
The number wasn't saved but she didn't need it to be because she already knew it was Liam.
Layla's stomach dropped violently.Someone had been watching.Someone had been waiting.
She wasn't sure what terrified her more—that Liam had seen or that Elias would find out Liam had seen because if there was one thing she understood now—
It was that Elias did not tolerate threats and Liam had just become one.
The next morning felt heavier.Layla barely slept. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the photo again—grainy, distant, incriminating,her leaning into the car,the angle of her body and the implication.
By the time her alarm rang, she was already awake.Milo stirred at the foot of her bed, lifting her head as she sat up.
"Morning," she whispered, reaching down to scratch behind his ears.
She wagged once, lazy and unaware of blackmail or rumors or men who watched from shadows.
Downstairs, breakfast was routine. Her mom chatted about grocery prices and her sister complained about work. Layla nodded at the right times, responding automatically but inside, her thoughts spiraled.
By the time she stepped out of the house with her backpack slung over her shoulder, she felt like she was walking into a battlefield.
School buzzed with its usual morning noise—lockers slamming, students laughing, the hum of gossip weaving through corridors.Layla kept her head forward.
No one looked at her differently and that brought relief flickering over her briefly.
But maybe the photo hadn't spread or maybe Liam was just trying to scare her.
She reached her classroom and slid into her seat beside Chloe.
Chloe turned immediately.
"You look like you fought a ghost last night," Chloe whispered dramatically.
Layla managed a small smile. "I didn't sleep much."
"Because?" Chloe's eyes sharpened.
"Because of him?"
Layla didn't answer right away.
"No, because of Liam. He won't allow me to rest. He keeps stalking me."
Chloe gasped."What the hell? It's getting creepy"
"Lower your voice," Layla muttered."He sent me a picture."
Layla opened her phone and showed Chloe the picture.
"Is that you and Mr. Elias?" Chloe said as she murmured.
Chloe leaned closer anyway, eyes gleaming with scandal. "Tell me everything."
"There's nothing to tell."
"That's a lie."
Layla glanced around the classroom. Students filtered in, unaware of the earthquake building beneath her calm expression.
Chloe nudged her. "Did you kiss him again?"
Layla's breath hitched involuntarily.
Chloe froze.
"You did."
"It wasn't like that."
"Oh, it was exactly like that," Chloe whispered fiercely. "Layla, you're glowing and panicking at the same time. That's illegal."
Layla swallowed.
"It's complicated."
"Of course it is. He's older,he's intense and he probably stares at you like he knows secrets about your soul."
Layla's silence confirmed too much.
Chloe slapped a hand over her mouth. "He does."
"I know."
" Now how did Liam get that picture?." Chloe asked as her face turned serious.
Before Layla could respond, the classroom door opened.The teacher walked in and conversation died instantly.
Chloe shot her one last conspiratorial look before facing forward.
Layla tried to focus on the lesson but she felt a shift now.A few glances lingering too long,a whisper behind her but she didn't turn because if she turned, it would mean she was looking for it.
By break time, the tension under her skin felt unbearable.
"I'm going to the restroom," she muttered to Chloe.
Chloe nodded. "Okay"
The restroom was quiet when she entered. The fluorescent lights hummed faintly overhead. Two girls stood near the mirrors applying lip gloss, but they left without a word when Layla walked in.
Layla washed her hands slowly, staring at her reflection.Her phone buzzed in her pocket but she ignored it.
She dried her hands and turned toward the door.
It opened before she reached it.Three girls walked in deliberately and blocked her way.
Layla stopped as she recognized them immediately.
In the center stood Lina,the principal's daughter with her tall and perfect posture. Long dark hair falling effortlessly down her back,flawless skin and calculated expression.
The obvious beauty,the obvious queen and the most feared girl in school.Her two friends flanked her like silent guards.
Lina's lips curved slightly when she saw Layla.
"Well," Lina said lightly. "There she is."
Layla's spine straightened instinctively.
"I didn't know this was reserved," Layla replied calmly.
One of the girls snorted while Lina stepped closer.
"Playing dumb doesn't suit you," Lina said softly.
Layla held her gaze. "I'm not playing."
Lina's eyes flicked briefly over Layla's face, then down, then back up.
"You're trending," Lina said.
Layla's pulse spiked.
"What does that mean?"
Lina tilted her head slightly.
"It means," she continued, voice still smooth, "that people are talking."
About what.
Layla didn't ask because she already knew.
One of Lina's friends pulled out her phone and turned the screen.
Layla's stomach dropped as she stared at the photo.
"Care to explain?" Lina asked softly.
Layla's throat tightened—but she forced her voice steady.
"It's none of your business."
"Everything that affects the school's reputation is my business,"Lina said as she smiled.
Layla almost laughed.
"Your father's the principal," she said quietly. "Not God."
The room went still.One of the girls gasped softly.
"You're bold for someone who's about to get expelled."Lina said as her smile thinned.
Expelled.
The word echoed.
"For what?" Layla demanded. "Kissing someone?"
"For inappropriate relationships," Lina replied coolly. "For bringing scandal onto campus."
"You don't even know who that is."
Lina stepped closer.
"I know it's not Liam."
The name struck like a slap as Layla's jaw tightened.
"And I know that the car in that picture doesn't belong to a student." Lina continued, lowering her voice." Last time was Liam's uncle. This might be a man much older than Liam's uncle."
Layla's heart pounded violently now.
How much did she know?
Who told her?
Lina leaned in slightly.
"Older men are dangerous," she murmured. "Especially when they think they can touch what isn't theirs."
The insult was deliberate.Layla's anger flared before her fear could contain it.
"He doesn't belong to anyone," Layla shot back.
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Lina's eyes sharpened.
"Oh," she said softly. "So you admit it."
Layla realized too late—
One of the girls laughed under her breath.
"So it's true," she whispered. "She's sleeping with some rich creep."
Layla's vision flashed hot.
"I'm not—"
"Don't bother denying it," Lina interrupted.
"You always thought you were better than everyone. Guess this is how you prove it?"
Layla's fists clenched.
"I didn't do anything wrong."
Lina's hand shot out suddenly, grabbing Layla's wrist.
"Don't lie to me."
The contact snapped something inside her.Layla yanked her hand back sharply.
"Don't touch me."
The room exploded in tension.Lina's expression hardened instantly.
"You think you're special because some older man picked you?" Lina snapped.
"You're not special. You're easy."
That did it.Layla didn't think or calculate.
Her hand moved before her mind caught up. She gave out a hot slap to Lina.
The slap echoed sharply in the tiled room as heavy silence followed.
Lina's head turned slightly from the impact as her cheek reddened slowly.
The two girls gasped in shock.
Layla's chest heaved.She hadn't meant to—
Lina turned back slowly,her expression was no longer amused and calm.
"You just ruined your life," Lina said quietly.
She lunged first.The fight was messy,untrained and raw.Hands grabbing hair and nails scraping skin.
Layla stumbled backward against a sink as Lina shoved her.One of the girls tried to pull them apart, but it only added chaos.
Layla shoved back instinctively while Lina lost her balance for a second.
Just then a stall door slammed loudly as someone ran out screaming for a teacher.
Footsteps thundered in the hallway.
"Stop!" a voice shouted.
Hands grabbed them—pulling and separating them.
Layla's heart pound
ed violently in her chest as she was yanked backward.
Her hair was disheveled,her lip stung.
Lina stood across from her, breathing hard, cheek flushed.
Teachers flooded the doorway.
"What is going on?" one demanded sharply.
No one answered immediately as all eyes turned to Lina,the principal's daughter who was untouchable.
Lina wiped at her lip delicately.
"She attacked me," she said evenly.
Layla stared at her in disbelief.
"She grabbed me first—"
"Enough," the teacher snapped. "Both of you. Principal's office. Now."