-ˋˏ ༻Chapter 9༺ ˎˊ-

"Sean, what happened? Why is there blood on your face?" Layla asked, her voice laced with worry. She reached out to touch his injured face, but he subtly stepped back, avoiding her touch.

"It's nothing"

"Nothing? Your lips is bleeding," she said, trying to get closer and examine the injury.

But Sean averted his gaze, not wanting her to see the mix of pain, humiliation, and anger in his eyes.

"I'm fine. It's nothing to worry about." he said nonchalantly.

Layla frowned at his dismissive response, clearly not convinced by his assurance.

"Did... father did this to you?" she asked, her eyes searching his face, trying to assess the situation further.

The answer was obvious, but Sean didn't want to admit it. He simply looked away, avoiding her gaze. He let out a weary sigh, the fatigue and pain starting to catch up to him.

"It doesn't matter," he said gruffly, brushing off her concern. Think this is one of her game by acting worries. He sighed once again and started to walk passed her.

Layla's frustration grew as Sean brushed past her, his dismissive attitude and injured face stirring up a mix of worry and annoyance within her. She hurried after him, her gaze fixed on his back as he walked away.

"How can you say it doesn't matter when you're bleeding, Sean?" she protested, her voice rising slightly in her frustration.

"Pfft— since when do you even care? There's no one here, just drop the act already."

Sean's dismissive words struck Layla like a dagger, her eyes widened in surprise at the harshness in his tone, a mix of hurt and anger welling up inside her.

"What do you mean 'act'?" she retorted, her voice wavering slightly.

"I'm being genuinely worried about your wellbeing, and you're accusing me of acting? Unbelievable!"

Sean let out a dry, bitter laugh as Layla claimed to be worried about him. The memories of her past mistreatment and his current state flashed through his mind, causing a pang of pain in his chest.

"Worry for me? Right," he retorted, the sarcasm in his tone biting.

"After all the times you've put me through, you suddenly care now?"

Layla's face fell at his words, hurt and guilt mixing in her expression. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. The weight of her past actions was something she couldn't deny, and his reminder only added more fuel to her shame and regret.

"Sean..." she managed to say, her voice softer now.

"I...."

"Save it," he cut her off, his voice filled with a mixture of exhaustion, anger, and perhaps a hint of resignation.

"I don't need your half-hearted apologies or empty promises," he said, his eyes fixated straight ahead, avoiding her gaze.

Layla's heart ached at his dismissive tone, the knowledge that he had every reason to distrust her making it even harder to find the right words.

"It's not half-hearted..." she insisted, her voice barely above a whisper, pleading for him to believe her.

"I... I'm genuinely sorry for everything, Sean. I've been trying to change, I really have."

Sean didn't spare her another glance before walking away, his back straight and shoulders tense. The pain from his cheek and lip mixing with the emotions bubbling within him, making it hard for him to focus. He wanted nothing more than to just go home and rest.

Layla watched as he walked away, her heart heavy with a mix of emotions. Regret, guilt, and hurt all swirled together, making it hard for her to think straight. However, she knew she couldn't force him to listen to her apologies or explanations at this moment.

Sean was preparing to leave when he felt a tug on his shirt. He turned to find Layla standing behind him.

"What?" he asked gruffly, not bothering to hide the irritation in his voice.

"Let's... go home together" she muttered the words quietly as she looked up at him pleadingly.

Sean's expression hardened, conflicted. Part of him wanted to just walk away and ignore her, but the sight of her pleading look tugged at his heart, despite his anger.

"It's alright" he replied, his voice cold.

"I can take taxi just fine."

Layla shook her head, her grip on his shirt tightening slightly.

"Please..." she said, her voice soft but insistent. Her eyes held a mix of worry and something more, an underlying plea for connection despite their strained relationship.

"Let me drive you. I'll make sure you reach home safely."

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Sean slumped in the car's passenger seat, his body weary from the day's events. His cheek and lip still throbbed, but he was too tired to care at this point. The passing scenery outside the car window merged into a blur as he stared blankly, lost in his thoughts.

Sean's mind drifted back to the past, to a time when he was young and naive, and his world was turned upside down. The memory of being left behind in a massive debt, abandoned by his own parents while they took his younger brother away, still weighed heavily on him.

The bitter taste of betrayal and abandonment mixed with the pain of having to bear the weight of all the financial responsibilities. He had to work hard day and night, taking on extra shifts, just to keep up with the mounting debts.

The memories continued to flood his mind, and the bitter truth resurfaced. Desperate and with no other options, he had agreed to Layla's proposal, hoping it would be a way out of his financial mess.

But what he didn't expect was the nightmare that unfolded after their marriage. Having kind and gentle wife was just a wishful thinking. Layla wasn't kind to begin with, but thinking about her persistent approach to be his lover, he thought it wouldn't be bad at the very least. And turned out she's a cruel and abusive wife, making his life a living hell.

He had hoped that their marriage would bring some stability and relief to his life, but instead, it had become another source of stress and pain. Layla's cruel treatment and constant demands made him feel trapped and suffocated. She treated him more like a punching bag than a husband, her sharp words and physical abuse taking a toll on his mental and emotional well-being.

He wanted to break free from this hell, but he didn't see way out. He's too exhausted now, all he wants is just to run far away or disappear so he rest comfortably.

On the other hand, Layla sat in the driver's seat, the silence in the car only broken by the soft hum of the engine. Her gaze drifted to the empty seat next to her, a pang of disappointment and loneliness settling in her chest. Despite offering to drive him to home, Sean still choose the taxi over her. Her heart ached at the reminder of the distance between them, a distance she knew she herself was partially responsible for.

¸¸♫·¯·♪♩•°

Layla was jolted out of her thoughts as her phone suddenly rang. She fished it out from her bag and glanced at the screen, her brow furrowing at the sight of the unknown caller. With a hint of trepidation, she pressed the answer button and put the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

Layla felt her blood run cold as the other party informed her about Sean's car accident. The news hit her like a punch in the gut, her heart racing and her lungs constricting.

"What..?!?" she managed to say, her voice trembling.

"Is he... Is he okay?"

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