Keeping A Promise

Months ago, Layla would have been the happiest staring at a reflection of herself, dressed in all white. Becoming Mrs. Dawson was everything she wanted once, but now, the mere thought only brings a bitter taste in her mouth. Especially now that Simon decided he couldn't wait to wed her. 

She thought she still had a few more days. Enough for Caleb to stop the wedding and keep her from stepping a foot on that aisle. But that changed in a blink of an eye. 

It took her a couple of seconds to wrap her head around Simon's announcement. He waltzed into her bedroom earlier and with a huge smile on his face, told her that their long awaited nuptials would be held in less than two hours. 

Having just woken up after struggling to get herself to sleep the night before, Layla was beyond shocked and almost threw her plan to go along with him out of the window. Only Caleb's promise made her fake a smile and give Simon a hug. She decided to stick to the plan and hoped Caleb would keep his promise.

"You make the most beautiful bride, ma'am." 

Layla fakes one more smile at the compliment. She's been getting a lot of those from the squad that Simon assembled to get her ready for the ceremony. She can tell they are genuine, but the compliments mean nothing to her. All she wants is to get out of this dress, this house and Simon's life.

"I can do this." She breathes in deeply while repeating those few words in her head like a mantra. They are not helping much, but anything to remind her to stick to the plan.

"Ma'am, I don't mean to be pushy, but you really need to pick a bouquet. It's almost time for the ceremony."

Layla just stares at the florist, wishing this whole squad could give her a moment without reminding her of her doom.

For this sham of a wedding, Simon finally gave her the freedom to choose what she wanted.

"Whatever you need, baby." He had flashed her that smile she used to love, passing himself off as a loving fiancèe. 

But like with everything else, Layla finally smiles and turns to the wedding planner for her opinion. That way, no one gets to suspect that she has no intentions of getting married and makes sure every decision made is not hers. She's about to ask what the planner thinks when someone interrupts her.

"She already picked her bouquet."

Layla turns at the sound of Gen's voice. Happy to have someone she actually wants in the room, she can't wait to get them alone. She hopes that by some miracle Gen's appearance means Caleb is close.

"I'm sorry, but I wasn't informed about collaborating with another florist."

The florist's statement has Layla finally noticing the bouquet in Gen's hands.

"White roses. His favorite flowers."

Instantly the rhythm of her heart changes. "Caleb."

The bouquet has the man she loves written all over it and suddenly her whole world is a shade brighter. "Thank you, Gen." Layla holds out her hands impatiently.

"But ma'am, Mr Dawson didn't--"

"Excuse me, I am under the impression that this is my wedding and that Mr. Dawson is my fiancèe." Layla snaps at the florist, a first from her since she was forced into getting ready for the wedding.

"Of course ma'am. Forgive me ma'am."

"I'd like to be left alone, please." Layla dismisses everyone. The florist is the most unhappy of the bunch and Layla has no doubt she'll be heading straight to Simon. But not even that will keep Layla from having this moment.

Heart still pumping at an insane speed, Layla focuses on Gen. "Please, let me have them."

"If he asks, tell him you asked me to pick these for you, just because you want something that reminds you of this place that has been your home."

Layla nods at Gen, while her eyes stay on the flowers. They are beautiful and they are the comfort she didn't know she needed. "Did Caleb send these?"

"No ma'am, but he did ask me to get them for you. He told me to tell you to hold on."

"He knows?" Layla asks, surprised. She hoped he knew about Simon's new plans and hearing that he actually does leaves her feeling hopeful.

"I had to tell him."

"Thank you." Layla brings the roses to her face, eager to breathe in its floral scent, but something else catches her attention. It's a white paper rose, hidden among the fresh ones.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Layla mumbles as she wipes her tears that just made their way down her cheeks. More keep falling though and she has no way of stopping them. 

The two tiny initials written on the petals of the paper flower have her heart fluttering like crazy. "C.Y"

She looks up at Gen, her eyes more hopeful since she woke up. "He's coming."

"I'm sorry, but it's time to go. You don't want Simon thinking that you've changed your mind." 

"Yeah." Layla reaches for a couple of tissues and dries her eyes. Her makeup is still intact. Not the shades she would have liked, but for the first time she smiles at her reflection.

"You didn't like any of the bouquets the florist arranged?" Simon appears out of nowhere, startling her. She is barely out of her bedroom.

"Good morning sir." Gen's greeting gives Layla enough time to compose herself after the shock of seeing her fiancèe here.

Simon doesn't bother to answer his maid. He seems preoccupied, almost as if he can't wait for this to be over...before Caleb shows up, maybe.

"He knows." Layla panics, realizing that the ceremony will be rushed too in hopes of beating Caleb. She can't let that happen.

"Are you okay?" She brings her hand to Simon's cheek, cupping it as firmly as she can without letting her nervousness show. She hopes her fake concern will buy her some time to slow everything down.

"I'm okay." Simon surprisingly leans into her touch while his own hand rests on hers. "You haven't changed your mind?"

"Of course not. The bouquets were beautiful, but you know how much I love our garden. I just wanted something from there, something close to my heart. So I asked Gen to get me these."

A grin graces his lips and Layla knows she just lied convincingly.

"Sold." She smiles, genuinely this time, but not for the reasons a now grinning Simon is thinking. She's happy to notice her fiancèe so drunk on his own lie, he actually believes it.

"Let's do it, I can't wait to fly us out of here." Simon steps back and holds her at arm's length. 

"Wait, fly out?"

"You've been through so much lately and I plan on giving you the best honeymoon ever. Right after the ceremony."

"R...Right after? What's the rush?" Layla can't help but glance at Gen, her composure completely cracked. The fake maid is just as surprised as Layla is. 

"I can't wait to have my wife all to myself." Simon whispers. 

If he has noticed her change in mood and the shaking in her hands, he doesn't show it. He only gently pulls her to himself and leads her down the hallway. 

She needs to relax, but Layla can't keep calm anymore. And as they walk towards the staircase leading to the large sitting area of the mansion, she prays for Caleb to get here.

"Smile baby. We don't want our guests thinking that I have you at gunpoint."

Layla instantly pales at Simon's words. She knows his threats when she hears one and her eyes scan their venue in panic. Nothing looks out of the ordinary, though. Except for the furniture that has been rearranged to accommodate their wedding ceremony. The room is perfectly decorated too and everyone is looking up at them, smiling. It's a small crowd with Simon's family seated up front. His mother is already in tears while Mr. Dawson Sr. holds her hand.

The wedding march starts playing and Simon leads her down the stairs. Layla doesn't protest. She spends that time looking at the different faces present hoping to find one belonging to Caleb. She comes up empty, making all the hope she felt earlier slip away.

"Dearly beloved--"

Like clockwork the priest begins the ceremony the moment Layla and Simon get down the last step. 

"Where are you Caleb?" Layla fights the tears pooling in her eyes as her nightmare slowly turns into a reality with every word spoken by the priest. 

Simon is beaming, the biggest smile plastered on his face.

"Smile baby." His tight grip on her hands makes for another warning from him.

"I see you are still the same selfish bastard you've always been?"

"Caleb?" His name slips out of Layla's mouth without thinking while her poor heart races as relief floods her soul.

She wants nothing but to run to him. To collapse in his arms and have him tell her that everything will be alright. That it's all over. But she guesses all that will have to wait. Caleb doesn't even spare her a glance and one look at him makes Layla nervous. 

This is not the Caleb she knows. 

Looking dashing in a tight fitting suit, one would think he is a happy witness to hers and Simon's union, but the color of his outfit and the look of death spread on his face speaks of something else. He's dressed in all black and all of his menacing steps as he walks further into the room make Layla realize that she doesn't know this person at all. He may have a resemblance to her sweet doctor but that is all.

"I'm pretty sure your name is not on the guest list, Young." Simon bites, not caring about his guests.

"It's not, but I would expect that that list would at least include your future wife's family."

Despite the air of murder surrounding him, Caleb's tone is surprisingly calm.

His answer makes Layla frown though. Caleb has to know that she has no family, right? No family that would care enough to attend her wedding. And yet the expression on his face is dead serious and it leaves her a little confused. She turns to her fake fiancèe and finds him fuming, surprisingly. Layla wonders if she's missing something. 

"What low life did you pay to pose as my future wife's relatives?" 

"I'm a businessman, Dawson. And unlike you, my money is too precious to spend on keeping your future wife from having the one thing she would give this world up for." Caleb finally looks up at her as he takes a seat next to Simon's parents. A bitter look crosses his face when his eyes take her figure in but by the time they come back to her face, only a smile remains. 

"As her fiancèe, you should know that family is everything to her."

Layla's eyes move from one man to the next. She is lost, no clue as to what this deadly conversation is about even though she is in the middle of it. She also didn't miss how the words 'future wife' left Caleb's lips like they were vermin.

"Should I be the one to tell her or you prefer to be a man for once in your life?"

"S...Simon what is he talking about?" Layla surprises even herself with that question. She knows she has no relatives who would bother to attend her wedding, but she trusts Caleb and something feels off.

"It's always been you, she is just a means to an end." 

Simon's words to Blake the day she caught them echo in her mind.

Layla still doesn't understand what he meant. What end? It's not like she has anything to offer the billionaire in front of her. He even admitted that she wasn't a woman enough for him.

"Nothing baby, let's just get married. We can talk about this when--"

"I want to talk about it now!" Layla snaps, another surprise. "I won't marry you until we do." She steps back but Simon reaches for her hand before she can go further.

"Then you leave me no choice."

Gasps instantly erupt around the room, making Layla turn around in a flash. There is a man, a very scary man, dressed as a waiter and carrying a gun on a platter. And before Layla can get a word out of her trembling lips Simon reaches for the gun and points it at her.

"What was that baby? You won't marry me until what?"

"Son, what in the world are you doing?!" Mrs Dawson's sharp cry fills the room but Simon pays no attention to his own mother and keeps staring at Layla. 

"Surprised?" 

Layla flinches when Simon runs the end of the gun on the side of her face. The metal is as cold as the look now painted on her ex fiancèe's face.

"I've got to hand it to you though, I didn't think you would be able to play this far, Layla dear. 

"Play?" Layla stares at him wide eyed.  

"Of course I knew. It was entertaining too. And as impressed as I am, I hate having more players in this little game of ours."

"No!" A scream escapes Layla's lips when Simon turns the gun on Caleb. "He has nothing to do with this!"

"Oh, but he does." 

A click from the gun makes Layla shut her eyes tightly expecting a shot.

"What the hell?!"

Simon's roar has Layla opening her eyes, while her heart refuses to calm down. 

"Is this supposed to be a joke?" Simon glares at the man that delivered the gun. "Why is this damn thing not loaded?!"

"I'm sorry, my boss' orders." The scary man replies in a cold tone that makes him look even scarier.

"Do you happen to have another boss apart from me?!" Simon growls while his hands land on the man roughly.

"Actually, he does, they all do." Caleb gets up from his seat while all the people Layla thought were Simon's men stand up straighter, including Gen.

"What is this?!" 

"That would be me keeping a promise as a real man should." Caleb walks towards Layla and his aura makes her go weak at the knees. With only Simon being the nearest person she can lean on she opts for her dress. Taking a fist full of the material for support.

A few more steps and Simon jumps in to block him but the scary man holds her ex fiancèe back effortlessly, shutting his mouth while at it. 

"Thank you V." Caleb nods to the scary man while Layla looks on, shocked at the exchange. 

"I don't understand. What is going on here? Who are you?" Layla asks when Caleb comes up to her. 

Sneaking Gen into Simon's mansion was something, but to have all these men acknowledging Caleb as their boss has Layla's head spinning. "You are supposed to be a doctor."

Caleb only smiles, making her frown. "How about we hold that thought for now and meet someone who's been itching to meet you for a long time."

Layla's frown deepens but when the door to the mansion opens, she freezes while her heart hammers in her chest. It's the biggest surprise of all. "I'm not crazy." She mumbles as she blinks at the figure that has just walked in. "I'm not cra--"

Suddenly the ground below her shifts and she loses her balance, making her panic.

"No, no, no, not again. Mom!"