The Liar

4.

Later that night, after a short nap, Layla stepped out of her room. The house was quiet, except for the faint glow coming from the living room. There, Eva sat on the couch, her phone screen lighting up her face as she scrolled through messages, the soft sound of a song playing in the background.

Layla hesitated at the doorway. She didn’t want to start a conversation, not tonight. Maybe it was because of the harsh words exchanged yesterday, or maybe she simply didn’t have the energy to pretend.

She walked straight to the kitchen, opened the cabinet, and poured herself a glass of water. The cold glass felt grounding against her palms.

From the corner of her eye, Eva noticed her. She locked her phone, placing it face down on the couch, and watched her sister with a small, knowing smile, one that held a hint of mischief and something unspoken.

Layla didn’t notice. She moved quietly, her footsteps soft against the tile floor. She sat down on the edge of the kitchen counter, sipping her water slowly.

“So,” Eva finally said, her tone teasing and light, “how was your little trip with your Mr.Commander?”

Layla didn’t respond. She wasn’t in the mood for her sister’s playful provocations, not tonight. She didn’t like when Eva spoke that way, turning something innocent into something suggestive.

When Eva got no reply, she smirked and leaned back against the couch. “Oh, come on. Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it,” she said, her voice laced with amusement. “He ignored me, obviously , as always, for you”

Layla lowered her glass, exhaling softly, her expression unreadable. She didn’t say anything, but the silence between them was louder than any argument.

Eva looked at her sister for a long moment, her teasing smile fading just slightly, enough to reveal the blankness.

Layla sank into the couch, trying to lose herself in the quiet of the room, but her thoughts kept circling around Rayan. She couldn’t focus on her sister’s teasing, on anything but the man who had somehow quietly occupied her mind.

She knew she shouldn’t think like that. Rayan was older, experienced, and had responsibilities she couldn’t even imagine. He is a Muslim, and she is a Christian. There were so many differences, yet somehow, she felt a strange alignment, a calm certainty in his presence.

The way he carried himself, the way he made decisions without hesitation. He knew how to communicate, how to respond, how to take care of things, how to understand without being told. He had boundaries. He had rules. And he never crossed them, not once. Not for himself, not for anyone.

And yet, she had been small when she first met him. She had been under her father’s watchful eye, unaware of the ways the world could test a young girl’s heart. She didn’t know if he felt the same. She didn’t know if he even noticed.

Her thoughts were interrupted by her sister’s sharp loud voice. Layla turned her head, startled, and found Eva standing in the doorway, her expression hard, her eyes flashing with a mix of jealousy and accusation.

“I know you act innocent,” Eva said, her tone cold, “but you’re not. I know what you’re doing. I see your charms. You show your innocence, when it suits you, but it’s not the first time. You have your father’s soldier friends, his students, all wrapped around your finger. You act innocent, aren't you?”

Layla’s chest tightened. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her own sister was accusing her, of manipulating Rayan and useless tactics.

“And did you see this morning?” Eva continued, her voice rising. “He didn’t even look at me. He ignored me, for you. Do you think, I am a fool?”

Layla’s eyes widened. Disbelief and shock clashed inside her. She thought, her sister knows her circumstances, because Layla always confined to the wheelchair, homeschooled, never able to mingle with other people because of her leg injury that happened in an accident, always under her father’s protection.

How could Eva accuse her of something like this? How could she twist her feelings for Rayan into a weapon? How could she use the wrong choice of words for her? Aren't they sisters?

Her mind flashed back to yesterday, the harsh words that had stung even then. And now, it was happening again.

Layla took a deep breath, steadying herself. She refused to respond immediately, refusing to give Eva the satisfaction of seeing her rattled. But inside, a storm raged, a mixture of disbelief, hurt, and quiet anger. Her sister’s jealousy was transparent, but it didn’t make it easier to endure.

Layla took a step closer, her hands trembling slightly but her voice firm, carrying the weight of disbelief and hurt.

“Eva,” she said, her tone sharp yet controlled, “do you even realize what you just said to me? Have you thought about your words? Have you really considered them?”

Her eyes searched her sister’s face, demanding acknowledgment, demanding understanding. “You need to think about what you’re saying, because I didn’t say anything this morning. And now, again, you’re accusing me of something… something that is pure. I can’t even think of him that way. How can you say that about him… about me?”

Her voice grew steadier, though the tremor of emotion lingered. “You know we have boundaries. You know we’re different. How can you just throw accusations like this? How can you disrespect me in this way? I may be younger, Eva, but that doesn’t mean you can say whatever you want. You’re tarnishing my image in my own eyes. Why are you doing this? Why now?”

Layla’s chest tightened, her words tumbling out faster now, raw and honest. “A few days ago, you were so kind, so lovely. What changed? Why are you doing this to me now? Is it… is it because of Rayan? Do you like him? If you do, then just say it! I can listen. I can talk to him about you. But accusing me… accusing both of us… that’s unfair. We’re different in so many ways, age, experience, faith. You can’t just erase that and throw words lik-”

Eva’s eyes darkened, and her voice rose and cut Layla mid sentence.

“Oh, you think you can shout at me now?” she snapped, her tone trembling with fury. “You think if you raise your voice, I’ll be scared? Sorry, little sister—” she laughed bitterly, “but you’re in denial.”

She stepped closer, her expression twisting between anger and heartbreak. “What do you think of yourself, huh? That everyone likes you? That everything revolves around you? What about me, Layla?” Her voice is still and firm, but she didn’t stop. “Have you ever looked at me, really looked, and seen me the way they all see you?”

Her words felt like broken glass, sharp and desperate. “Everyone cares for you. Everyone protects you. Because you’re the youngest, because you’re delicate, because you’re the ‘sweet one’ of the family?.And what does that make me?” She laughed again, hollow and bitter. “The angry one? The jealous one? The one left behind?”

Layla opened her mouth to respond, but Eva’s voice only grew stronger

“You’re proud of being young, of being innocent. But you don’t even understand the world you live in. You know nothing about it, Layla. Nothing. You think life is soft, kind, and fair, but it’s not.”

Layla immediately said, "When I said this?"

Now you are making me villain Eva.

Eva replied to her with a mocking chuckle, "I make you, or you really are."

Layla's breathing grew unsteady, her anger beginning to collapse under the weight of her sister's uncanny words. She turned slightly, as if she couldn’t bear to face Eva any longer.

“You think you’re innocent,” she whispered, her voice breaking into knife. “Or maybe you’re just act blind… as you always been.”

With that, she turned away, her silhouette trembling in the dim light, leaving Layla standing in silence torn between disgust and disbelief.

Layla sat frozen in the chair, her mind still swirling with Eva’s words and the weight of disbelief pressing against her chest. The room felt suffocating, the silence stretching endlessly. She thought of tomorrow, her college entrance, the preparations, the nerves,but even that couldn’t pierce the fog of shock that held her in place.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated sharply on the counter, breaking the stillness like a crack of thunder. She flinched, eyes darting toward the screen. The name flashing made her stomach twist: “Dad.”

Her heart skipped a beat. Hands shaking slightly, she answered.

“Layla,” her father’s calm, deep voice came through the line. She becomes frozen, steady and grounding. He said in a cool way,“I’m outside.”

Confusion mixed with relief as she rushed to the front door, her thoughts racing. When she opened it, there he stood, tall, composed,clad in uniform and impossibly calm, holding a bouquet of her favorite flowers. The night just begins behind him, casting a warm glow that softened the sharp edges of the day.

“Dad…” she whispered, a mixture of surprise and something else she couldn’t name catching in her throat.

He offered a small, gentle smile, but stopped mid way by seeing her condition.“Did something happen?” he said worriedly, extending the bouquet toward her. His eyes, though steady, carried the faintest shadow of concern.

Layla’s hands trembled as she took the flowers. The scent of fresh blooms seemed to momentarily dissolve the weight of the day, the arguments, the confusion, and left only the quiet presence of someone who had always been her anchor.

“Not…nothing, it's just I was missing you, because Tomorrow is my submission of a project". She began, voice faltering.

“O, my bad,” he interrupted gently. “Then I guess, I disturbed you?.

He said jokingly, unknown to the storm that was just there,a few moments ago.

She looked up at him, her chest tightening, her eyes glistening. The bouquet, the presence, his calm voice, it was almost too much to hold back. For the first time in hours, the tension inside her eased slightly, replaced with a fragile warmth.

“I have a presentation tomorrow,” she whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face, “and… I don’t even know if I’m ready.”

He smiled again, softer this time, as though he already knew the answer. “You’ll be ready, Layla. You always are. Just focus on yourself. Everything else… will be good.”

"Where is your sister?"he asked after a moment. "She is in her room, she doesn't feel well , so goes to her bed early."

"oh." "I also brought her some flowers,then she can see it tomorrow ". He said, and gave a pet on her head and told her to go to sleep.

For the first time that evening, Layla felt a sense of grounding. The day hadn’t ended, the problems hadn’t vanished, but in that moment, with her father there, the tension with Eva seemed… just a little lighter.

And yet, deep inside, she knew the storm hadn’t fully passed. But at least, for now, she had someone steady to lean on.