CHAPTER 106: ERICA IS MISSING

~LAYLA~

"Axel?" I murmured in a sleepy voice.

He was sitting on the edge of the bed, still in his travel clothes, looking tired but clearly relieved. In the dim light filtering through the curtains, I could see the tension in his shoulders and the weariness around his eyes.

"Hey," he said softly, brushing his thumb across my knuckles. "Sorry if I woke you."

"You didn’t. I just..." I struggled to sit up, feeling the exhaustion in every bone in my body. "You came."

"Of course I did." His voice was simple, matter-of-fact, as if there had never been any other option.

We’d only been apart for a few days, but it felt longer. So much longer... like weeks had passed instead of days. I reached out instinctively, and he took my hand, his warm fingers wrapping around mine.

"What time is it?" I asked groggily.

"Just past eight. You were completely out when I got here. I tried calling your room phone, but you didn’t answer, so I got a key from the front desk." He smiled slightly. "You can sleep through anything, apparently."

"I was exhausted," I admitted, finally managing to sit up properly. "Today was... a lot."

"I know. We’ll talk about it." He squeezed my hand. "But first, are you hungry? Have you eaten?"

"We had room service earlier, but I don’t remember if I actually ate anything."

"That’s a no, then." He stood up. "Let me order something..."

"Wait," I said, catching his wrist. "Don’t go. Not yet."

He eased himself back down next to me, looking concerned. "I’m not going anywhere, Layla. I’m here now."

"I know, I just..." I took a shaky breath. "I needed to see you. To know you’re really here."

"I’m here," he repeated, reaching up to cup my face. "And I was worried sick about you."

"I’m fine..."

"You’re not fine. The deal with the distribution company didn’t go through. You confronted Charles about your birth, and he threatened you. You had to deal with all of this on your own." His jaw tightened. "None of that is fine."

I looked down at our joined hands. "How are things back home?"

He hesitated, and my stomach dropped.

"What is it? What happened?"

"There’s something I need to tell you. About Erica."

My head snapped up. "What about Erica?"

"She showed up at the house yesterday. Said she came to pick up something she’d forgotten."

"And?"

"When I thought she’d left, I came back to see her in the kitchen in a silk robe. She practically threw herself at me and tried to seduce me in our own home."

I could feel my face getting hot, not from embarrassment, but from pure, white-hot rage. "She what?"

"I turned her down immediately. Told her to leave, threatened to call the police for trespassing..."

"That manipulative bitch!" I pulled my hand away, standing up abruptly. "After everything? After pretending to be my friend and working with Cassandra, now she tries to seduce my husband?"

I didn’t mean for it to come out so strongly, but when I said ’my husband,’ it sounded more possessive than I expected. Almost as if I was... jealous?

Whatever the emotion was, it caught me off guard.

"Layla...," Axel tried to say something, but I cut him off.

"I’m going to kill her. I swear to God, Axel, when I get back, I’m going to..."

"Layla." He stood up, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Look at me."

I met his eyes, my chest heaving with anger.

"You have nothing to prove," he said firmly. "I’m yours, Layla. Always. Erica throwing herself at me doesn’t change that. Nothing changes that."

"But she..."

"She tried. And she failed. Spectacularly." His hands moved to frame my face. "The only woman I want is standing right in front of me. The only woman I’ll ever want."

My anger began to dissolve, replaced by something deeper, more vulnerable. "You mean that?"

"Hmm hmmm."

I felt tears prick my eyes, and before I could stop myself, I stepped into his arms. He pulled me close immediately, wrapping me in his warmth, his strength. I pressed my face against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

"I’m so tired of people betraying me," I whispered. "It feels like everyone in my life has been lying to me."

"Not everyone," he murmured against my hair. "I’m here. Henry and Helena are on your side. We’re not going anywhere."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

The hug lingered longer than necessary. I could feel every breath he took, every beat of his heart against my cheek. When he started to pull away, panic fluttered in my chest.

"Don’t go," I whispered.

He froze, his arms still around me. "Layla..."

"Just... stay. Please."

He leaned down and kissed my forehead softly, his lips warm against my skin. The gesture was tender, protective, and it made my heart ache.

"I’m not going anywhere," he repeated.

He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, his thumb gently resting close to my lips. The atmosphere around us felt heavy, filled with unspoken feelings. I could see the struggle in his eyes: desire fighting against self-control.

"You don’t have to be strong all the time, Layla," he whispered.

"I’m trying," I whispered back. "I’m trying so hard, but I’m so tired of fighting alone."

"You’re not alone. Not anymore."

He leaned in slowly, giving me time to pull away if I wanted to. But I didn’t want to. I’d never wanted anything less.

When his lips met mine, it was like coming home. The kiss started softly, cautiously, as if we were testing the waters. Then it deepened, growing more intense and desperate. Every fear, every sense of relief, and every emotion we’d been suppressing burst forth in that one moment.

His hands tangled in my hair, while mine clutched his shirt, pulling him even closer. The kiss was everything: a blend of comfort, passion, safety, and desire, all rolled into one moment.

When we finally broke apart, both breathing hard, he rested his forehead against mine.

"That was..." I started, unable to find the words.

"Yeah," he agreed in a hoarse voice. "It was."

We stayed like that for a long moment, just breathing each other in. Then reality began to creep back in, and I remembered what he’d said.

"Uhmm," I said, pulling back slightly. "So where is she now? Erica."

Axel’s expression darkened. "That’s the other thing I need to tell you."

"What?"

"After she tried to seduce me, I caught her. She’d planted listening devices all over the house. I found five of them."

"What?" My voice rose. "She bugged our house?"

"I confronted her with the evidence. And when I had to answer a call, she slipped away. Then..." He paused. "The safe house got raided."

My blood ran cold. "Raided? By who?"

"I don’t know yet. Someone got to her. The place was torn apart, and Erica..." He met my eyes. "Erica is missing."

"Missing? As in gone? As in taken?"

"As in vanished. There were signs of a struggle. Blood on the floor. But nobody, no witnesses, nothing."

I sank back down onto the bed, my mind reeling. "Who would take her?"