Between Love and Hate

Chapter 2

Layla quickly made her way to the table where her father was sitting. Her meeting had run longer than she initially thought, resulting in her now being late.

She smiled at her father, who looked pointedly at the time before embracing her.

"Sorry Dad, my meeting ran longer than I thought'

"hhhmmmm, you have to prepare for such things, Layla. What if I was an important client?" Layla nodded at her father, feeling like a little girl being chastened. After that, they sat down and greeted each other. It surprised Layla that as she got older she and her father had started to get along more. When she was young, they used to argue a lot. Then again, she had been a very difficult child. Sometimes she wished her mother was still alive. Maybe things would have been better for her. All the memories that Layla had of her mother were colored by the adoration of a child. To her she had been the most perfect woman in the world, unfortunately also to her father. Her childhood had been filled with how her mother had been the epitome of the perfect woman and no matter how much Layla had tried she never measured up. Layla imagined if her mother had lived it would have been different.

"How is Alex?",

"His great Dad just busy these days" Layla's voice was warm and she tried to inject as much of the love she felt for Alex into it. The last thing she wanted was for her father to know just how terrible things were. Most of the time, she suspected her father would side with her but she couldn't stand him knowing how much of a screw-up she was. She finally managed to do something her father was proud of, she didn't want to be a disappointment again.

"It's to be expected with his new position, but his handling it well" Layla listened for the next 30 minutes as her father sang Alex's praises and after that talked about her brother Nicholas and also how well he was doing in the company, nodding when appropriate.

"I am thinking of actually stepping down myself and giving your brother the reins." Layla's eyes widened and she looked at her father in shock.

"Really?" Layla's father frowned and a self-depreciating smile touched his lips, with a laugh he shook his head.

"No, I honestly wouldn't know what to do with myself. Maximus has been going crazy ever since he handed everything to Alex."

"Yes I talked to him the other day, he was talking about some business idea that he had. A company that he wanted to take over and fix" her father nodded.

"You are not drinking your wine? Is it not to your liking?" Seeing her opportunity to tell her father the news, Layla smiled.

"Dad I am pregnant", her father eye's widened and he put his fork and knife on the table and leaned towards Layla and then grinned from ear to ear. Layla was sure if there hadn't been in a public place then her father would probably have hugged her and twirled her around.

"Congratulations Layla, its wonderful news. You and Alex must be very happy." Layla wasn't sure about Alex's joy but made all the appropriate noises. They finished their lunch but it was obvious Layla's father , Lovemore, was failing to contain himself with the news. Layla suspected he meant to go straight to tell Alex's father. Excusing herself she went to the bathroom and decided to ask Alex if he had already told his father the last thing she wanted was for him to hear it from her own father. Dialing Alex's number she hoped he was not in a meeting. Alex picked up after the 6th ring when Layla was about to hang up.

"Layla, is everything ok?" At Alex's words Layla remembered why she now rarely called him. Alex had never been a man for small talk in person. On the phone his briskness and matter-of- fact attitude was intensified. The few times she had called she had been left feeling awkward and silly.

"I just told my Dad about the pregnancy. I was just wondering if you had told you."

"No, I hadn't". Layla knew not to expect Alex to explain himself. It was always difficult to get information out of him, especially if it was about his father.

"Are you going to? I can ask my Dad not to mention it until you tell him yourself"

"Lovemore can tell him" Layla wanted to argue with Alex about how he treated his father but it was an old argument and Layla knew it wasn't going to make any difference.

"I will go with father and tell him "

"Suit yourself". Alex hung up the phone and turned to see Cassandra standing at his office door looking at him curiously. She was 2 years younger than him, 34 and 3 years older than Layla. With her hair pulled back into a bun and her immaculate suit she was the epitome of the modern business woman, elegant and poised. The kind of woman a man like him should want and marry. No scandal to her name, and an established businesswoman in her own right. Even though they had all grown up in the same circles with Layla, Layla had always been a little bit wild and carefree and never really fit in into their group. The crazy daughter of Lovemore Balack, and now his wife.

"Hello Alexander" Cassandra's voice was even giving away no emotion.

"Cassandra, it's nice to see you come on in" Alex watched as Cassandra came into his office, looking at her. His chest tightened in regret as he thought about all that had happened between them.

"Take a seat. Would you like something to drink?" Cassandra sat down, relaxing in her chair.

"Yes, thank you. The usual", Alex called his secretary and ordered a coffee for Cassandra. It was still weird for him that they were still not together.

"How have you been?" Alex and Cassandra moved in the same circles. So they had already gotten over the initial awkwardness after his marriage to Layla, but Alex couldn't help but wonder if there had always been this formal with each other. All his interactions with Layla were passionate. They always ended up in bed together or stomping away in anger.

"Good everything is great and you? How is married life?" The words were asked with a down-turned mouth and Alex's lips pressed together,despite his difficulties with Layla, he didn't like the way Cassandra was talking about his relationship. Before he got married to Layla, he and Cassandra had agreed that there was no need to get married early. Cassandra wanted to get married at 35 and he was okay with that. When his father started talking about retirement and the board members started to pressure him to get married , Cassandra had refused to change what they had agreed on. He hadn't minded then.

Suddenly, Alex felt the urge to tell Cassandra about Layla's pregnancy. Despite everything that had happened between them, they were close.

"Its good.... Layla is pregnant" Alex watched as Cassandra's face reddened , her eyes hardening. For a brief moment Alex could see the hurt and confusion on Cassandra's face before she, schooled her emotions. It pained him that he hurt her. She looked at him searchingly, probably looking for the panic that he usually experienced at the mention of having a child, but he knew it wasn't there. Cassandra opened her mouth to speak and then closed it.

"You don't want children." Cassandra's words were more statement than question .Alex was his father's only heir. A child had always been a necessity, not something he had ever expressed a desire for.

"I know you are angry about Casper and me lying to you,but don't you think you are taking this too far? We both know that this thing with Layla isn't going to last, Alexander, and now she is having your child. Why are you doing this? Are you still trying to punish me?" Alexander stood moving to the window. He understood Cassandra's confusion. Truth be told, he felt it too. When it came to Layla, he didn't understand his own feelings. Despite everything that was happening with Layla and the inevitability of them divorcing, he did not regret her pregnancy.

"This is not about you, Cassandra, Marrying Layla was never about punishing you." Despite his words, Alex knew they were partly a lie. In a perverse way, Alex had wanted to hurt Cassandra. Cassandra was rarely flustered, he had wanted to finally break her cold shell.

"So what is it? I can understand succumbing to Layla's charms. She is beautiful, so have a wild affair, but marriage Alexander? and now a child?" Alex stiffened at Cassandra's words and he glared at her. He did not like Cassandra's tone and her implications. He wasn't some weak-willed male who went crazy over s*x, even if it was really good. Alex did not appreciate Cassandra implying that.

" I didn't marry Layla because she is good in bed", Alex defended himself.

" So why did you?" Cassandra cried. Alex opened his mouth to answer but no words came out. How could he explain something he barely understood himself?

"I will not stand for this, Alexander. You have already embarrassed me enough as it is. Divorce her" Alex frowned at Cassandra's tone and for a moment he was tempted to tell her no, but in business he knew never to burn any bridges, especially when unsure of his next actions. . The way his marriage with Layla was going, divorce was inevitable. Alex knew he was a hard man to love and stay with, Layla would get tired of him and leave. He loved Cassandra and, despite everything, they had always been good friends. They knew each other very well. So if he had to swallow his pride now and make her think she had the upper hand, then he was willing to do it. If he was to divorce Layla, who else would he marry except Cassandra? Anyway, this way, Alex wouldn't have to grovel and ask for Cassandra's forgiveness later.

"Fine, after the baby" Cassandra gave him a crisp nod and her eyes glowed in pleasure and she couldn't quite hide the cocky smile she had.

"Hopefully it's a son then, then we won't have to have another baby" Alex nodded at her words. He knew it was best this way. Cassandra knew the kind of man he was, just as he knew the kind of woman she was. Wasn't that what people always said was the most important thing in a relationship?Acceptance? Alex felt a bit of guilt when he thought of Layla but he knew in a way she was using him too. Being married to him provided the respectability she always wanted and pleased her family.He knew she already had another lover and he would be quickly replaced. He thought about his future child. He wanted his children to grow up in a loving environment. It would have been ideal if he/she could grow up with both his/her parents. But the way he and Layla fought, Alex knew it might be better if they were not together. Them going their separate ways was the best thing for the baby. They would still make sure the baby was loved and taken care of. Feeling good about his plans , Alex vowed to talk to Layla and agree on what was best for their baby. He would make it work.

Despite his resolutions and as he continued his conversation with Cassandra , the thought of Layla moving on without him was constantly intruding on his thoughts. It made his chest tighten and his hands curl into fists. Alex tried to convince himself that at the end of this everyone would get what they needed and what he needed was his life back in order.

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