Chapter 1.

       Preview

"She can't find out about us, she is gullible but you? You are just perfect, why didn't i-  meet you before her?"  Lucas says in a low tone, he pauses at some point, he is talking to Lisa as he uses his fingers to trace the side of her face, his baritone voice does something to her, his hands moves to her neck as he chokes her, he winks at her. Lisa whose back is against the wall, her eyes fixed on his, gulping hard as she knew what would happen.   "At least you met me and trust me we will have the time in the world when she is out of the picture" Lisa says softly as she hugs Lucas while stroking him too, she leans in for a kiss. The kiss noises were very evident and loud.

  "This" He says, drawing the word as he raises his eyebrows, looking Lisa in the eye.  "As I was saying this is the recording that we found, this happened in the hallway close to the wine pantry the last floor, exactly around seven fifteen in the evening, an hour before dinner, we heard Layla's fiance, whose name is Lucas, and your voice, how and why did that conversation and scene come to life and also, what did you mean by "when she is out of the picture?" The tall brown skin detective who has a pen in his right hand, and his journal on the left, the room is a dark one, it has only one white light dropping down, the squeaky sound made it more tense.                                                             The ashtray is home as the cigar and the flame is visible, he is putting on a gray suit, his hat seems outdated, his boots are barely cleaned, he might be the best detective but he looks like someone who barely takes care of himself. Detective Brown that's his name.        "I presume I asked you a question Ma'am Lisa" he adds as he drops his pen and takes a puff from his cigar. 

A week ago.                                                                            Layla! Layla! Layla! What is this I am hearing? Grandfather is planning on giving you the heirloom? It better be a goddamn rumor" Lisa her elder sister who is dressed in a warm pink tight gown, that hugs her curves, it has an opening around her b**bs, being busty, she uses it to her advantage.    Swaying her hips as she sighted her younger sister who just walked in the door, she welcomed her with a harsh tone, walking down the stairs.                                                 

             Layla sighs as she rolls her eyes. “I have no business in whatever grandfather decides to do with his wealth, if I had it my way I wouldn’t want his wealth all to myself” Walking up the stairs she gives Lisa a cold glare. Layla shakes her head and walks up a few more steps “We are talking about Pa Santos Randolph, he is very strong willed and no one can change his mind, I understand how you feel about this, let’s both hope it’s a rumor Lisa." Layla adds as she reaches the top of the stairs. Lisa fumes, she throws her hands down and calls out to one of the maids in the house. An older lady apparently in her late 30s comes out of the kitchen “Listen, I have an assignment you’d have to carry out for me” she instructed.

 “Lay- la! Lay- la! Lay' la, her name was heard again but this time it wasn’t Lisa, there's only one person that calls her that way. She sighed and managed to open the door to her room, “what’s the issue now Eve? I don’t think I’ve been in your business all week long?” Layla managed to keep her voice and temper under control, she was slowly losing her composure but she wasn’t ready to be disrespectful to an elderly, especially not her step mother. “Listen brat, your father has been demanding to see you ever since he got back today. If I had it my way I’ll never want to see you anymore” Eve Randolph who was her stepmother had always been at her neck, dressed in her purple robe, her mouth is killing as always, she has a gum in her mouth and this time it's way louder. Layla scanned her, she doubts if she has seen the daylight today. Layla hasn't had a single day of peace and rest ever since her mother died. There are days when she wished she also died in the accident that claimed her mother’s life, some years ago. 

         “I’ll be with him in a minute” she slams her door on Eve and stares back into her room wondering what it was that her father wanted to see her about. It’s a big house and a long walk from her room to her father’s in-house office, Layla didn’t want to be accompanied all the way back with her cruel and arrogant step mother. “I’ll just wait till she’s gone, I’ll join them after she’s gone” Layla finally got out of her room and shut her door quietly, she headed straight for her father’s office before she stumbled upon one of the maids, Belle. "I am sorry ma’am, I di- I didn’t mean to run into you, madam Eve ordered me to be hasty with her chores”  The maid says in a polite way, it's obvious the maid is being pressured, her hands are fidgeting and her face is down, you can see the lines of sweat dripping down, Layla wants to ask her, just then she heard her name again. "Lay-la!" Yep you guessed right, it's her step mother again. Layla pauses and asks the maid to go "I will see you later." Layla got to the hallway of her father's office, Her step mother is there waiting for her outside the door.  "You intentionally like to make me wait DON’T you?" Eve asks as she looks at her, she raises her hand with her finger pointing at her, she abruptly takes her finger down and re adjusts her robe. Layla confused gave her a weird look.  "Dad?! I am here, can I come in?" Layla asks, ignoring her step mother.            "Yes, darling, please come in. I have been waiting for you" Douglas, her father replies. A man in his mid fifties dressed in his casual white tee and a pair of black trousers, his glasses perfectly seated on his nose, his Hazel nut eyes shined whenever, a distinct feature only he, Layla and his late wife shared.  "I am sorry I am late, I just got home, it was a little busy at work today" Layla says as she enters his office, she has already changed her clothes to a jumpsuit, a floral patterned one. One of her favorite jumpsuits to wear at home. Her fathers office is painted in brown, the window is right behind him, his wooden table and the sets of books and files that never seem to reduce, the warm white couch, on the left hand side that is there for anyone who is waiting, the set of book arranged in a shelf on the right, his Ashtray in front of him, there's someone else present.  It's Helen, the family doctor. 

       "She is lying, she has been home for hours now, she just-" Eve says as she sits down on couch, adjusting her robe, the gum she had before is suddenly not there, Layla had always known Eve was being a two timer whenever she sees Douglas but she never told anyone, it would only create more drama. "Eve, this is a closed door meeting, you shouldn't be here, so if you can, please take your leave already."  Douglas interrupted her and sent her out, she stood up embarrassed and moved out. Slamming the door hard, they all felt it, the doctor and Layla are opposite Douglas.                                         "Eve, why aren't you inside, what are you waiting for?" Lisa asks as she sights Eve outside the door.  "Can you believe he just sent me out?" Eve says as she turns to the door one more time. "He did that! That's unusual of him, that Layla must be up to something, Helen hasn't left as she?" Lisa asks as she glares at the door and imaginary Layla.  "She hasn't, and I wonder what they are talking about. I mean, what could they be saying, is she sick? Is grandfather sick? Is dad sick? Oh dear I don't want that" Eve replies as they both telepathically decide to walk down the hall, Eve has an evil look on her face, her mouth might say she cares but her face sure is saying something else.

  "It might either be Layla or grandfather, Dad rarely gets ill, it wouldn't hurt if Layla actually dies, who cares anyway and the share of the inheritance will be fair and nicer" Lisa says as she ponders on why the doctor would be there with Layla.  "Layla, so how are you feeling? You complained about yourself a few days ago and you went to the doctor, right?" Douglas asked awkwardly as he fiddled his pen, he brought out a file.  "Yeah, I think it's stress related and you know I had meetings all week long, Christmas is just five days away or so, I think I will just stay at home for the holiday and I might just have to-" Layla says looking down, and tapping her feet.               "You will have to see him? Huh, what's his name Lucas? Just bring him here tomorrow" He says with a stern look, he didn't yell though, he just had his protective cover on his face, asides that he took a very deep breath and closed his eyes.   "He is your fiance after all" Douglas blurted out, Layla's face expressed shock as she raised her head.

"You are- you are accepting him? Really? Are you serious dad?" Layla asks as she couldn't believe her eyes, the doctor just watched the scene between the father and daughter.  "Yes, and before that your test results came out, she came to deliver it personally, she told me the results but I felt it would be better if you read it yourself." Douglas said as he stretches the file to her, the doctor has a smile on her face.   Layla is unsure of what she would expect, she tries to read their faces but she can't guess what it is, she looks at them several times with a suspicious mindset, could she be ill? No she can't, it's probably just some things, right? She asks herself in a fast tone as she needs to know what the result could be.             

"A pregnancy result?" She asks in a low tone as she is shocked, soon she starts having the hiccups while simultaneously looking at the doctor and her father. "How is that possible?.hiccup It can't be what will people think of me? A child outside of wedlock?" She takes a very breathe and takes it out again. Her father uses his hands to calm her down, "I already accepted Lucas, He is the father so there's no problem, I just never liked the boy nor do I like him now but you are already pregnant and the deed is done" Douglas says looking at his daughter while holding her hands.   "You see, you need not to do any more stress or go out more than you should, you are carrying a baby and you see, there's no way you can go through office stress at least not now, so whatever is making you tensed, you have to reduce it" the doctor says as she is adjusting her glasses and writing some medication for Layla. "Yes, I would like for you not to go to the office or attend to any work for now, all you need to do is bring Lucas home and we make it more official, I promise I wouldn't hold my gun or threaten to set him on fire when I see him okay?" Douglas says with a smile on his face, a deceptive smile. 

"Okay dad, I- I will tell him, I feel excited and scared, I don't know there's a rush of emotions I mean, I am not sure if you get me." Layla says with a huge smile on her face, she is truly happy. "Yes, I understand Layla, I really do" The doctor says as she hands her the paper.  "So are you going to tell the family? Or am I?" Douglas asks as he needs to know so he won't spill the beans. "I will dad, maybe at the family gathering on Christmas day, it would be nice you know." Layla says while nodding her head. "Alright then, so it's a secret between the three of us, congratulations baby girl even though I really don't like that Lucas, He seems to have other intentions" Douglas says with a sore face.  "Are you saying I am unlovable?" Layla shoots back at her father while folding her arms and raising her brows.

 "Princess, no I didn't mean that I just don't like him, and I love you with all my heart, don't forget that" Douglas says while shaking his hands and replying to his favorite daughter. "If that would be all, I have something to say privately tho" Layla says to her father.  "That's my cue to take my leave, Mr and Miss Randolph, I will get in touch, don't hesitate to call me whenever you feel something isn't okay? I am always at your service" The doctor, wearing a pair of dark blue trousers with a powered blue shirt, her royal blue bag too, seems like a blue day for her literally.   Just as she reaches the door, Layla starts talking.

"Lisa told me a rumor about grandfather passing down the heirloom to me, it's only a rumor and she is already giving me a very hard time." Layla says in a low sad tone. "I heard the same but you need not to worry, at least not now, he will be here by tomorrow and we will ask him, leave Lisa to her drama okay?" Douglas says trying to change the topic and closing that chapter, he is aware his father will give Layla but talking about it now isn't the best, he prefers she hears it from the horse's mouth.  "Okay dad, I will call Lucas now" Layla says with a big smile as she stands up. "Wait, drop the test results here, I want to keep it to myself" Douglas says just when she is about to reach the door. He knew his eldest daughter Lisa, would snoop around her room.

  Layla doesn't see anyone outside the hallway, she walks to her room with a big smile.                             She enters her room, it's painted in light blue color, her room is quite spacious, her cinderella themed bed with the blue cottons that has polka dots, a little table where her bible, book, and some other things are, her mirror is opposite to her bed, she has a table in front of it, her skin care products alongside her hats, jackets and caps, next to the wall of her mirror, her wardrobe is six feet tall, it has a space to keep folded clothes, hangers, a spot for shoes and spaces for jewelry although she doesn't use that space. She has a window space and a little bed beside it, she sleeps there whenever it's pouring, or days when she counts the stars, it seems odd for a twenty six year old lady but it's the memory she remembers of her and her mum, they always slept in that bed beside the window, they would count stars there most times. Under her bed, she has a big box that has three other boxes in it, it is always locked, she uses the key as her necklace, although only her sister is aware. She locks her door and goes straight to the box, she brings it out and writes in it.

    "Dear diary, today is the 20th of December 2021, I found out today that I am pregnant with Lucas's child, although I haven't told him yet, I will. Grandfather has said he will give me the heirloom, that would boost the status of lucas and I, we would travel and see the world, I am so happy right now".