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Private Reaction

Layla had always known that being born into the Cladwell family meant her life was not entirely her own. Expectations, responsibilities, and sacrifices had been drilled into her since childhood.

But this?

This was a new level of betrayal.

She kept the dazzling smile on her face as the cameras flashed, as congratulations poured in from all directions. Nathan stood beside her, playing his role just as perfectly, though she could feel the tension radiating from him.

She didn’t blame him. She felt the same way.

Her mother’s hand remained on hers, a silent reminder to behave. “We’re so proud of you, darling,” her mom murmured.

Layla forced a soft laugh. “Oh, I’m sure you are.”

Joseph cleared his throat. “Why don’t you two step away for a bit? I’m sure you have plenty to talk about.”

Translation: Go process this privately so you don’t embarrass us in public.

Layla turned to Nathan, whose jaw was still clenched. Without waiting for him, she pulled him toward a quieter corner of the venue, away from prying eyes.

As soon as they were alone, she dropped his arm and exhaled sharply, letting go of the fake smile. “Unbelievable.”

Nathan ran a hand through his hair, looking like he was barely holding himself back from storming out. “What the hell just happened?”

Layla folded her arms. “Oh, you know, just a casual engagement announcement at my event, without my permission. Pretty standard, really.”

Nathan let out a humorless chuckle. “Standard? This is insane.”

“Tell me about it.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The weight of their situation settled between them, suffocating in its inevitability.

Nathan finally turned to her, his dark eyes sharp. “Did you know?”

Layla frowned. “Excuse me?”

“Did you know they were planning this?” His voice wasn’t accusatory, but there was an edge to it.

Layla’s fists tightened. “If I did, do you really think I’d let them h****k my launch for it?”

Nathan exhaled through his nose, looking away. “Right.”

She sighed, rubbing her temples. “Look, I knew my parents were up to something. My mother was practically glowing with excitement all week, and my father kept talking about legacy. But I didn’t think they’d go this far.”

Nathan scoffed. “Guess we both underestimated them.”

Layla leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms. “So what now? Are you going to throw a fit in front of everyone?”

Nathan’s gaze darkened. “Tempting.”

She smirked despite herself. “I’d pay to see that.”

Nathan shook his head, turning serious again. “Layla, I don’t do forced commitments.”

Her smirk faded. “Neither do I.”

He studied her for a moment before asking, “Then how many arranged matches have you actually managed to avoid?”

Layla hesitated. She wasn’t sure why she wanted to be honest with him, but she found herself saying, “Three.”

Nathan’s brows raised. “Three?”

She shrugged. “One was when I was barely out of high school, so that hardly counts. The second was last year—some old-money heir from France my parents thought would be perfect. And the third?” She sighed. “Well, let’s just say I got creative with that one.”

Nathan tilted his head slightly. “Creative how?”

Layla gave him a small, mischievous smile. “I might have started a fake scandal to make sure he lost interest.”

For the first time that night, Nathan let out an actual laugh. It was brief, but real. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”

She smirked. “Too late.”

His smile faded slightly, his expression turning thoughtful. “So how do you plan to get out of this one?”

Layla’s smirk faltered. Because for the first time, she didn’t have an answer.

She looked away. “I don’t know.”

Nathan didn’t respond immediately. When he finally did, his voice was quieter, more controlled. “Neither do I.”

They stood there, two people who had spent their entire lives fighting for control—now realizing they had none.

The weight of it settled on Layla’s shoulders. She had spent years proving she was more than just Joseph Morioh’s daughter. She had built her own brand, her own vision.

And yet, tonight, her name had been reduced to nothing more than a piece in a family deal.

She turned to Nathan, watching as he stared off toward the crowd, jaw tight.

“We’re going to have to figure this out,” she said.

Nathan finally looked at her. “Yeah. We are.”

But the unspoken truth hung between them.

Neither of them knew how.