Unexpected guest

Laila had felt a weight fall off of her shoulders and she felt like her breaths were lighter. While feeling a sense of love that one can only feel for ones own child, Laila stroked her stomach and connected with her unborn baby. After a few seconds of that bliss, she was ready to leave the room. After she closed the door behind herself and let out a deep breath, she looked ahead with a bright smile and a confident stare. This day was beginning to feel like it couldn't get any better. But she had barely finished that thought when she heard the doorbell ring.

Laila was surprised as she didn't know who to expect and any new introductions in her current life, was another person who might notice something was off and back her into a corner she couldn't get out of. From the top of the stairs she watched how one of the staff members walked to the door. Laila's breathing had stopped as she was waiting for the revealing of the person on the other side of the door. In slow-motion she watched as the door was opened and a beautiful tall woman was revealed. As Laila looked her unexpected guest up and down, she wondered if the woman was here for her or for Noah. She was sure it wasn't someone she had known in her previous life but she knew far too little of her current life to be sure of who she had come to see.

The blond haired woman was dressed to the nines and exuded an air of elegance mixed with arrogance. Laila watched as she walked inside and looked around with cold eyes. Laila's curiosity to the identity of the woman grew even more as she observed her behaviour in the foyer, waiting for whoever she had come to see. She walked around with stiff, loud steps. Clicking and clacking her high, stiletto heeled, white pumps over the marble floor. She walked over to the high vase near the staircase, touched the flowers in it with a look of disdain before snapping one of the tall flowers at the edge of the bouquet. Laila held back the curse words that welled up inside of her as she watched this, before she quickly changed her expression when the woman suddenly stopped in her movement and looked up.

When the unknown woman spotted Laila, it became clear who she had come to see as her face turned all smiles and she waved at Laila for her to come down. Laila was glad she had changed her expression just in time and that her gut feeling had prevented her from giving herself away. She might not know who the woman with the fake smile was, she certainly knew that she couldn't be trusted. But when it comes to shady people in your life, it is best to play dumb in order to find out their real motive. So, that is what Laila planned to do.

With an equally bright and fake smile, Laila descended down the steps and grabbed the extended hands of the woman. Laila greeted her with as much energy as she could muster up and accepted the insults that were disguised as compliments. "Oh darling, you look absolutely ravishing! How could you look this good while sporting this fresh out of bed look? I could never have the confidence to walk around in clothes like that while knowing that my husband was at home. Especially not if my husband was a man of Noah's calibre." As she said those words she let out a snobbish airy laughter before she continued, "But then again, all women let go of themselves a bit when they get married, don't they? You already have a ticket for life in there, so no need to give a 100% all the time, am I right?" She even placed her hand on her barely present baby bump as she said those last words. After that she let out another fake, pitchy laughter in order to pass her words off as a joke, while it was clear she meant every word.

Having spent enough time with this kind of stuck up, wannabe socialite, in her previous life, Laila didn't need to know who the woman was in order to give her the proper response. She had noticed that the woman wasn't wearing a ring, meaning she wasn't married. Otherwise she would have flaunted that thing any chance she got. Her being dressed to perfection, with flawless make-up and teeth, proved that she was still on the hunt for her rich man to cling onto. So, Laila just let out an equally fake, hearty laugh before stabbing the woman in question back with her response. Using just the places where it hurts to aim her words at, Laila gave the woman a taste of her own medicine.

"You are right. There is no need for me to look as perfect as you do everyday but then again I got my ring without being perfect to begin with. Luckily for me, there is no need for a "ticket" or tricks when you find someone who actually loves you dear. I guess that just means Noah saw something in me aside from my looks. But I can imagine that must be hard when that is your strongest feature." Laila left a pause here for a moment before she added, "That isn't you of course. I am sure there is a wonderful and wealthy man looking for someone like you right this second. If not, there is always being a trophy wife right?" Here Laila added the hearty laugh that the woman in front of her had used just moments before.

"But no, your mister right is out there somewhere. I am sure of it. But maybe you should lower your standards a bit. After all, not everyone can be like Noah. You are beautiful now but looks don't last forever. Aging is a scary thing when you are in a relationship based on looks. Or maybe you should get yourself pregnant by a rich guy and get that "ticket for life" for yourself. After all, you can't have him trading you in for a younger model just when you get comfortable." Laila finished this final blow with a forced, polite smile and the woman in question returned this with an awkward laugh of her own. Seemingly not fully realizing what had just happened.