CHAPTER 140: I LOVE YOU

~LAYLA~

"How long?" I demanded. "How long have you been keeping her? Where was she?"

Before Axel could answer, Judge Reynolds banged her gavel.

"Given the significant testimony presented today, the court will adjourn until Friday at nine AM for closing statements." She surveyed the courtroom with stern authority. "Jury, you are reminded not to discuss this case with anyone or consume any media coverage. Court is adjourned."

Another bang of the gavel, and the room erupted into movement, with the jury filing out.

Reporters scrambled for the exits, already typing on their phones. Cassandra was frozen at the defence table, looking pale, while Charles Watson leaned in to whisper something to her.

I stood on shaky legs, feeling like the ground might give way beneath me. Axel’s hand grazed my elbow, trying to steady me, but I pulled away sharply. His secrecy felt like a fresh wound.

How could he? How could he hide Erica from me all this time?

"Layla, we need to talk about this," Axel said quietly.

"Not here." My voice came out colder than I intended. "Not now."

Brennan appeared beside us with a wide grin. "That was incredible. Erica’s testimony sealed it; Cassandra’s done. Between the dashcam footage, the brake sabotage report, and now documented proof of corporate espionage and defamation, there’s no way she walks away from this."

"That’s good," I said mechanically. "That’s... good."

"Good? Layla, this is better than good. We’ve got her on multiple felony counts. She’s looking at serious prison time." Brennan’s enthusiasm faltered when he saw my expression. "Are you okay?"

"I’m fine. Just tired."

"Of course. It’s been a long day. Get some rest, and we’ll reconvene for closing statements. This is almost over."

Axel shook Brennan’s hand. "Thank you for everything."

"Just doing my job. And having a witness like Erica? That made my job a whole lot easier." He glanced between us, sensing the tension. "I’ll see you both soon."

As we made our way through the courthouse hallway, I kept my eyes forward, refusing to look at Axel. Our security team formed a protective barrier around us, keeping the remaining reporters at bay.

"Layla!"

The voice stopped me cold. I turned to see Erica standing a few feet away, flanked by two federal marshals. Her face was pale, her eyes red-rimmed from crying.

"Layla, can we talk? Please? Just for a minute?"

I froze, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears. Part of me wanted to leave, to never see her face again. But another part... the part that remembered our friendship, the good times before everything fell apart... that part couldn’t just walk away.

"You have one minute," I said.

Axel started to object. "Layla, you don’t have to..."

"One minute," I repeated, cutting him off.

Erica took a hesitant step closer. "I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I know what I did was unforgivable. But I need you to understand..."

"I always knew you betrayed me," I interrupted. "For a long time now, I knew. But hearing it today, hearing you say that you believed Cassandra’s story about me ruining your father’s business..." I shook my head. "I’m disappointed, Erica. In you. In how easily you believed I could do something like that."

Her eyes welled up with fresh tears. "I was angry. My dad lost everything, and I needed someone to blame. When Cassandra gave me a target, I took it. I didn’t question it because I didn’t want to."

"That’s the worst part. You didn’t even try to ask me. To give me a chance to explain. You just decided I was guilty and went after me."

"I know. I know, and I’m sorry. God, Layla, I’m so sorry."

"Your sorry doesn’t fix what you broke." I took a step back. "You invaded my home. You pretended to be my friend. You tried to destroy everything I built. And for what? A lie someone told you?"

"I was wrong—"

"You were wrong, and now you’re here trying to save yourself by testifying against Cassandra. That’s not redemption, Erica. That’s self-preservation."

Her face crumpled. "I know. But it’s the truth. Everything I said in there was the truth."

"I don’t doubt that. But it doesn’t change what you did to me." I turned away. "Goodbye, Erica."

"Layla, please..."

"Goodbye."

I walked away before she could say anything else, before the tears threatening to fall could actually escape. Axel followed silently, and I was grateful he didn’t try to comfort me. I wasn’t ready for comfort from him either.

Outside the courthouse, the afternoon sun was too bright, too cheerful for how I felt. We climbed into the car, and the moment the door closed, silence settled over us.

The city blurred past the window as we drove home. I watched the buildings and people without really seeing them, my mind replaying Erica’s testimony over and over.

At home, I dropped my bag by the door and turned to face Axel, the question that had been burning inside me finally erupting.

"You hid her, Axel. Erica. You had her in your custody for weeks, and you didn’t tell me. Why?"

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in every line of his body. "I was protecting you."

"Protecting me?" I repeated incredulously. "From what?"

"From this. From exactly what’s happening right now." He stepped closer. "You were drowning in the trial, in Cassandra’s lies and Charles’s threats. I didn’t want her betrayal to break you when you needed to stay strong."

"Break me?" I laughed, but there was no humour in it. "You broke me by lying. We’re supposed to be a team now... after the retreat, after the vows we made to each other... and you kept this from me like I’m some fragile thing that needs protection!"

"I never thought you were fragile," Axel snapped. "I thought you needed focus to win this trial. To beat Cassandra. And I was right, you were incredible today because you weren’t distracted by Erica’s presence."

"Distracted?" My voice rose. "You think keeping secrets is the same as helping me focus?"

"I made a strategic decision..."

"No, you made a decision for me without asking what I wanted. Without trusting me to handle the truth."

"I was trying to protect the case. If you’d known we had Erica, you might have..."

"I might have what? Demanded to confront her? Refused to let you use her as a witness? Is that what you thought?" I shook my head. "You didn’t trust me, Axel. That’s what this comes down to."

"That’s not true..."

"Then what is it? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you decided I couldn’t handle knowing she was being held somewhere, being questioned, and being prepared to testify. You took that choice away from me."

Axel’s jaw clenched. "I did what I thought was necessary."

"For the case or for us?"

"For both!"

"Well, you were wrong." I crossed my arms, feeling suddenly exhausted. "We’re winning the trial, Axel. You just didn’t trust me enough to tell me the truth, which is fine, actually. I just thought after everything... after the retreat, after last night, after all the promises we made... I thought we agreed to no more secrets."

The words hung between us.

"Layla..."

"I need some space." I headed toward the stairs. "I’m going to my room."

"Your room?" He followed me. "You mean our room. You’ve been sleeping in our room."

"Not tonight." I didn’t turn around; I couldn’t bear to see the hurt on his face that would mirror my own. "Tonight, I need to be alone."

"Layla, please. Let me explain..."

"Explain what? That you thought I was too weak to handle the truth? That you made...

"I love you."