After Us

Present Day—Heated Moment

“Daniel…” She finally begins, “I think I owe you some answers.” Layla exhales with so much energy, her fingers still entangled with Daniel’s as they sit side by side on the couch.She didn't plan on letting him in this deeply, yet the events of the evening leave her no choice.The envelope on the table seems to pull all her attention, but Daniel’s steady eye grounds her.And for a second thought, she’s not sure she can do this. His shady eyes don't waver, calm but probing. There’s patience there, and something else she doesn’t want to name—something maybe raw.“You’re right.” She swallows, meeting his gaze. “I should’ve told you sooner, but…” “You’re telling me now, it sure does matter” he cuts in calmly , though his jaw drops just slightly.She stills herself, her gaze briefly lowering to their interlocked hands before flicking back to his eyes.“Evan…” she begins, the name foreign on her tongue even now. “The guy you met up with at the gala…”“I just knew he’s the reason for this sudden swing.” Daniel murmurs under his lips more to himself than to Layla.“He used to be someone I cared about. A long time ago—before Sophia, before New York, before us, before…” Her voice drops. “Before everything.”Daniel doesn’t flinch. His features remain controlled, but his silence is heavy, loaded with unspoken questions. She’s used to his stillness, but tonight it unnerves her.“What happened?” he asks finally, voice low and even but carrying a sharp edge.Layla delays, unsure how much to say. How much was safe to reveal? How much would push him away or make him question everything she had worked years to build?“We had dated years ago, but it ended badly,” she says carefully. “He wasn’t who I thought he was.”. “I hate to say I was too naive, too caught up in what I thought was love to see the truth. And when I did, it was too late.”Daniel takes a deep breath, leaning back just enough to meet her eyes fully. “What truth?” he asks, his voice low and steady.“That he never really cared about anyone but himself,” she admits. “He uses people, Daniel. Me, my head—anyone who could get him ahead.”There’s a beat—a pause so brief it’s almost invisible, but she sees it. His lips press into a line, and his shoulders go just a fraction more rigid.“And now he’s back?” Daniel asks, his tone casual, too casual.She meets his gaze head-on. “Yes. That’s what it seems like.”Daniel nodded slowly, though a flicker of something—was it jealousy?—passed across his face. Still, he didn’t push.“Why?” His question cuts through the air between them. It’s sharp but not accusing. It’s not jealousy—she can tell—but something more cautious, protective.“I don’t know yet,” she admits. Her eyes flicker to the envelope. “But if he thinks he has a place in my life now, he’s wrong. I need you to know that.”Daniel’s expression softens slightly, though the tension doesn’t fully leave him. “You mean that?”She tightens her grip on his hand. “Of course I do,” she says firmly. “It’s you, Daniel. It’s always been you.”A small smile tugs at his lips—not quite reaching his eyes but offering her a drop of relief. “Okay,” he says, exhaling slowly. “I hear you.”“You came into my life and taught me patience; you taught me true love, and I love you more than you think.” She leans closer, her hair brushing his shoulder.“Neither am I going to let a ghost from your past control our present, “ he rubs her hair softly.Silence hangs for a moment as they sit there, the unspoken questions still thick between them. Daniel shifts slightly, his gaze moving past her to the coffee table.Just when Layla thinks the storm is calm, it comes up again.“So,” he says, a subtle edge creeping into his voice, “what’s in the envelope you got tonight?”Her chest tightens, and she pulls back. “Oh, that, I—I don’t know yet.”“You don’t know?” he repeats, one brow arching. His tone is steady and measured, but the disbelief is clear.She bristles just slightly, her nerves fraying. “I didn’t get a chance to look. Everything… it happened too fast.”“Well,” he says, leaning back against the couch, crossing his arms over his chest. “Maybe it’s time we find out.”His words are a challenge—a direct one—and it sends her pulse racing.“I’m not sure I’m ready for that right now,” she whispers, her gaze glued to the envelope as though it’s a grenade about to detonate.“Layla.” His tone softens, but his resolve doesn’t waver. “Whatever’s in there, we’ll deal with it. Together. But you can’t ignore it.”Her throat feels tight, her mind spinning with possibilities she’s too afraid to articulate. But Daniel’s steady gaze anchors her. She glances at him, her fingers trembling as she finally reaches for the envelope.Her fingertips brush the coarse paper, and her heart hammers in her chest.“You don’t have to do everything alone,” Daniel murmurs, his voice low and reassuring.The words give her just enough courage to slip her nail under the sealed edge. She tears it open slowly, almost painfully. The room feels unbearably quiet except for the faint rustle of paper.Daniel leans closer, his breath brushing against her cheek as he watches her unfold the letter inside. Her hands tremble as her eyes scan the page.And then, in an instant, her face freezes. Her breath catches, and the blood drains from her cheeks.“What?” Daniel asks sharply, his voice cutting through the heavy silence.Layla doesn’t answer. She can’t. Her pulse roars in her ears, her stomach twisting into knots.“Layla,” he urges again, his voice more demanding this time. “What is it?”She swallows hard, her grip tightening on the paper as she stares at the words scrawled across the page.And then, when she finally opens the smaller envelope inside, she sees what she had never expected.