Ever After Awaits (Layla) novel Chapter 79

Chapter 79: Layla POV

The silence in the kitchen is deafening as I watch my mom rasually stand before me as if she didn’t just fight a referred to as our relationship

The dainty teacup in my hand suddenly feels ten times heavier, and I force myself to gently place it on the commter before the lo heart is breaking at that moment. Because we’ve had this discussion, and I made it perfectly clear to her where I stood

You mixed meeting your future fiancé last night

The sentence repeats in my head on a loop that rivals the best loop–de–loop rollercoaster at the local fairground. Her tone is casual and lightly like she’s reprimanding me for an appointment I had forgotten to write down in my planner.

Moira stills on the other side of the counter, and the warmth in her expression from our earlier amusing conversation flickers out like a candle in open window

Xavier’s chair next to me creaks, and for one second 1 silently hope he gets up and tosses her out on her ass. But that’s not me. I don’t let other people t my battles for me.

My eyes slide to my mother’s. In my moment of stunned silence, she’s moved to the fridge and is now pouring herself a glass of cucumber–infused, filtered water. Of course, that’s what she would drink, and of course, she’d demand it always be available to her. Most likely, in her eyes, only plebs would drink something as ordinary as bottled water.

“I’m sorry,” I say, my voice calm and flat, “Did you just say I missed meeting my future fiancé?”

She hums like she’s answering a trivia question, not like she’s dropping a nuclear bomb on my life. “Well, he’s not officially your fiancé yet. But Michael and I think it would be a smart match. His father’s in corporate law. He’s studying finance. You two would make…”

“…a good merger,” I finish for her, not caring that I interrupted her. “Just say it.”

Her lips purse, making her look like those ‘duck face‘ memes on the internet, “You don’t need to be dramatic, Layla.”

“No. You’re right,” I say, pushing back my chair and slowly rising to my full height. “I’m being completely unreasonable. How dare I have expectations about choosing who I spend my life with?”

“Sit down,” she snaps, her voice sharp for the first time in front of other people. It seems the façade of the perfect mother she’s curated is slipping from her manicured grasp.

For the first time in my entire life, I disobey her and don’t sit down again. Instead, I step around the corner of the counter and stop about three feet from her. I don’t trust her not to get physical with me again, so leaving the gap between us gives me a chance to back away if she decides to lunge forward.

“You do this every time,” I say, “You spin your web of manipulation and control, and when I pull away, I’m ‘dramatic‘, ‘ungrateful“, or even ‘emotional“. But this? This isn’t parenting. This is ownership.”

Xavier still hasn’t moved. He’s watching me with that unreadable expression I used to hate. Now though? Now it feels like his supportive silence might just be what I need to get through this life–changing conversation.

Moira shifts closer to me, and her hand comes to rest near mine on the kitchen island’s edge. It’s her way of showing her support without being intrusive, which means more to me than I can ever express.

My mother scoffs, “You think you have it so hard, Layla? I’ve done everything to give you options.”

“No,” I say, leaning forward just slightly, “You’ve done everything to control the outcome so it’s in your favor.”

Her eyes narrow at me as she says, “That’s not true.”

I smile, but it’s cold and resolute. It’s the only smile I can muster as I decide in that moment on the direction of my mother and my relationship

on out.

“You lost my college fund and didn’t tell me until I confronted you. You moved us into a stranger’s mansion and called it ‘daing what’s arranged a marriage like we’re in The Bachelor: Hostage Edition. And now you’re standing here trying to tell me that none of those things

Chapter 79 Layla POV

where you were smiling all the way to the bank?” I pine, let my words sink in frater, then dine, 1 don anymore, or your this will be the best thing for your future spiels. As of today, I want you as far away from e as humanly posible.”

The silence that follows my words in heavy and pulses around the room like sonic waves

Maire finally speaks firmly but still respectfully, “Mrs. Reed, I think it might be best if you leave. In any case, you have that salon appartient you fu want to be late for.”

My mother looks between the three of us. I am standing with my back straight, Moira beside me, acting as my silent supporter, and Xavier is stil his chair, watching this play out, not having moved a muscle and unreadable as ever.

She scoffs again before warning me, “You’ll regret this.”

“I’ve already regretted everything that led me here,” I say, “This? This is me saying no more and taking my future back, without you in it”

She grabs her purse and then walks out like she didn’t just set fire to whatever morsels remained of our relationship, with no apology or second look back few seconds later, the front door shuts behind her like a final period on a sentence I’m never rereading.

After two beats, I finally exhale. And only then do I realize I’m shaking, and I hate that she got so deep under my skin that this is where I’m at right runt

Moira reaches for my hand, and her skin’s warmth envelops not just my hand but also my heart and soul as she says, “You did good, sweetheart.”

“I was just trying not to fall apart,” I whisper, my head hanging down in equal parts defeat and heartbreak.

The gentle squeeze she gives my hand causes me to lift my head and lock eyes with hers. “Sometimes they look the same.”

I nod at her, but speaking is difficult right now as my throat feels raw with unshed tears and emotions I’m afraid to name.

I turn around and silently walk out the patio doors. The summer air is balmy and quiet, precisely what my soul needs right now. The sound of birds chirping and bees buzzing feels oddly normal amid my chaotic thoughts. And I’m not quite sure where I’m supposed to go from here.

After walking around the garden for several minutes with my eyes open but not truly seeing anything, I head back to the patio and sit on one of the steps that lead to the pool area. I am deep in thought and lost in a jumble of emotions when I hear footsteps approaching.