A Taste Of His Own Medicine

"What do I do?" Layla tugs on Gen's hand after the call, but the maid shakes her hand off roughly, surprising her. 

"Don't touch me." Gen hisses and Natalie stares at her incredulously. 

"I thought…"

"Nothing!" Gen says sternly. "Think nothing." She growls and Natalie looks at her shocked, unable to comprehend her hostility. 

"But…"

"But nothing. I'm working here and you should know this changes nothing Mrs. Dawson.

"I am not Mrs. Dawson!" Layla snaps, hating to be called by Simon's name.

"Well I don't know that." Gen says and Layla looks at her wide eyed wondering what the hell is wrong with her only hope of survival around here. She also wonders if she is on Caleb's side too.

"Look, around here I'm Gen, not Genevieve and I don't know you, you don't know me. Okay?" Gen says with gritted teeth. 

"What? But I thought…"

"Stop thinking for heaven's sake." Gen sighs loudly. "I'm here to protect you, but as far as Simon goes, that doesn't exist. Hence I don't know you. You are simply my boss's assignment to me. And by boss, I mean Simon." Gen explains slowly like Layla was some five year old that needed the simplest of explanations. 

But she is not complaining though because that makes her understand eventually. 

And while she should have a little comfort, knowing Gen still has to stay under cover leaves her panicking. Because then the maid can only do so much to protect her and she has no idea what Simon might do next. 

"I don't think I can do it." Layla blurts out. She's as nervous as hell. For a simple girl that has just wanted a simple life, this is too overwhelming and her little heart feels like it will stop beating any moment. And as if Gen can see the turmoil within her, she stops and just looks at her thoughtfully before sitting her down on a nearby garden chair.

"Look." Gen breathes in deeply before going on. "You love Simon…"

"Not anymore…" Layla says with gritted teeth.

"Right. You loved him not so long ago." An awkward smile crosses Gen's lips. "Use that."

"Use it? I don't understand." Layla regards the maid with confusion.

"We only need to keep this charade going just until Caleb can do what he needs to do or until your wedding. So until then, all you need is to make him happy enough to believe you want this too.

Layla cringes at the thought. She can't even begin to imagine what she needs to do to accomplish that. 

"Or you just need to make sure he is calm enough not to do stupid things." 

To Layla, all that sounds the same. What she really wants is to get the hell out of here and never see Simon ever again. Not to stay here and play house with the man who's bent on making her life miserable. 

"Can you do that?"

"I could try." She says nervously. 

"Good, now let's go before your fiancèe misses you." Gen says before showing her the way back to the house and Layla fights the urge to glare at the maid.

"What? He's your fiancèe for now, so you better act like it." 

And with that Gen dons her usual unfriendly look as they head back inside.

Layla is scared and her mind is racing trying to figure out what to do with every step she takes towards the house. 

In the end she decides to use her weakness. She has no idea how long she was a puppet in his hands, but if Simon could manipulate her with it, why not give him a taste of his own medicine? After all, he is broken too.

"Do you feel better?" Simon meets them by the door. His arms stretched out to her and she fights the urge to run from him.

"Feel better?" She wonders how he expects her to feel better after his attempted rape. If it wasn't for Caleb, she would have been pretty shaken up even now.

"He's your fiancèe, so you better act like it." Gen's words forces a smile out of her. But she makes sure to make it a weak one.

"Y...Yes." She walks into Simon's arms and once she awkwardly lays her head on his chest she breathes out. There is surprise, confusion and a hint of happiness on Simon's face and she knows Gen's plan might just work.

Simon leads her into the house. And a few steps later, she comes face to face with the person she should thank for saving her from what would have been a nightmare of a marriage. 

Now that she is standing face to face with Blake, her beauty is shining for all to see. In Layla's eyes, she's perfect.

She can't lie, even after moving on, seeing the person Simon cheated with stings a little. And she can't help but notice how confident the girl is too, making her wonder if she herself was not beautiful enough or that confident for Simon.

"Focus Layla."

Instead of wallowing in self pity, she turns to Simon, mastering some hurt in her tone of voice.

"W...What is she doing here?" Layla asks timidly as she slips out of Simon's  hold.

He lets her go surprisingly and she gladly stands back. The fleeting  moment of freedom feels like a breath of fresh air.

She looks up at Simon and finds him  looking conflicted as his eyes dart between his girlfriend and supposed fiancèe.

"I'll see you later Blake." Simon announces much to Blake and Layla's surprise.

"You've got to be kidding me." The girl exclaims.

"Later Blake." Simon says nonchalantly as he pulls Layla to himself. His hold is tighter this time, something that used to make Layla feel loved back then, but now all she can do is just endure his touch.

"You can show Miss Blake out." Simon turns to Gen and the maid is quick to carry out his order.

"Don't touch me!" Blake swats Gen's hand away. The girl is fuming and the grace she seemed to possess a moment ago is nowhere to be seen. 

"Why are you doing this baby?" The girl instead runs to Simon's side and grabs his free hand. She's now on the verge of crying or just pretending, but even Layla can see Simon couldn't care less.

"We talked about this, Blake." Simon shakes Blake's hand off easily. 

"We didn't talk about you being all lovey dovey with her." Blake glares at Layla and Layla almost rolls her eyes. The girl is clearly clueless to even think someone who cheated without remorse would stay true to her. 

"She's my fiancèe Blake."

"I'm your real fiancèe." This time the girl says with a pout while flashing a very beautiful stone on her finger. Layla would know that design from anywhere. It's after all one of the best pieces of Diamond Jewellers. The one she had wanted but Simon said the company couldn't release it as it was one of a kind meant to be displayed. 

Layla pulls back and looks at Simon questioningly but her answer comes from the talkative witch besides her.

"Did you think you were special?" Blake lets out a chuckle." You were nothing but a poor lonely orphan that needed shelter and my Simon was kind enough to give it to you."

"Enough!" Simon growls, startling Layla too. "Gen!"

"I'm gonna go. I don't need your filthy maid laying her filthy hands on me." Blake hisses before leaning in and kissing Simon full on the mouth.

"I'll see you later babe." Blake says as she flashes Layla an evil smile and even though Layla is just playing pretend knowing these two had been together behind her back stings and she feels like a damn fool.

"Come, let's eat." Simon's gentle voice surprises Layla after Blake leaves. If she didn't know better, Simon would pass for a very loving fiancèe right now. 

"How long?"

"That's not important. Eat." Simon replies flatly as he brings her round to her seat. 

"If I'm going to marry you at least you owe me that much, don't you think?"

"You are? Going to marry me, I mean?" Simon stops everything he's doing and turns to her. His eyes are shining like the sun suddenly. 

"Isn't that what you want?" Layla asks, feeling a little bold when she sees Simon's eagerness.

"It's all I've ever wanted baby." He cups her cheeks tenderly and she fights the urge to move away from him.

"To make you mine. Always." Simon smiles and for a moment the man Layla loved once, shines forth. But he only serves to remind her of the lie that made up her last couple of years.

"So, how long?" Layla presses on even though she knows that information will just hurt her even more.

"That's not important baby. Let's just forget about the past and focus on our future, hmmmm?

"Our future…" Once upon a time she believed they had a future together. The brightest, full of joy and a big happy family but now, her future lies with someone else. And she is doing this for that future only.

"Maybe we should." She forces a smile, much to Simon's excitement. 

"That's my girl!" Simon exclaims before hugging her happily. 

She hugs him back lovingly, her mind picturing the one who has her heart.

Gen gives her a knowing look and the smile tugging at the maid's lips feels a whole lot like a high five, making Layla's lips break out in a more genuine smile. It's only the first step but it's her little piece of victory. The first step to get back to him.

"Caleb...This is for you my love."