An Easy Prey

"What rumors?" he inquired.

Her father raised his eyebrows. Now he sat up straight, putting down his papers. Moving her gaze to the third person in the room, Layla continued, "Well, I can't speak in front of others."

"Butler, leave us," He said as he waved his hand to the butler to exit. The butler bowed and exited without any further questions.

"Now tell me," her father commanded.

"You see Father, I overheard rumors circulating the house while working with the servants." Layla looked down at her feet, breaking eye contact. She continued, " That you have become useless, mainly after our fall from the nobility. You were able to survive so far thanks to your stepmother, too."

A loud thud resonated throughout the room. She raised her head to look at her father, who was pressing his fist into the desk. His face was distorted due to anger.

He knocked everything on the table to the ground. The ink spattered across the ground, and the papers flew into the air.

"Useless. useless, huh? These insignificant things dared to call someone like me Useless!". Then, he clenched his hand so tightly that she could see his skin's veins protruding.

Jonas Syanders, Layla's father, is known throughout the empire as the descendant of Syanders, one of the major names in the Empire. The Syanders family had a long history with the royals, assisting them in their diplomatic efforts and conquests. But all that glory was in the past. After her great-grandfather, the family name began to decline. The majority of their fortunes had been lost due to poor choices and debts, and the Syanders family is now only noble in the name.

But Layla's stepmother did help this house to survive from such depts. However, it was challenging to satisfy the fallen noble's aristocratic tastes. And that's why in her past, her father forced Layla to work underhanded work. He would be dressed in pure silk and gem-encrusted attire, and Layla would be working hard to suit their aristocratic preferences.

Quite a funny sight. The glorious man, painted in those hallway walls with a big sword, gemstones draped across his neck, and his chin pointed upward as if he had something to be proud of. When Layla looks at the messy-looking man in front of her, she sees no elegance or an ounce of nobility that the commoner describes in their story.

The comical sight in front of her was making her laugh but she held on. Didn't let her internal thoughts act out.

"Father, calm down, please. These are just some rumors. And I know how kind-hearted father is. For such a long time, you looked after my mother and me. How could strangers be aware of father's generosity?" Layla spoke out in her sweetest tone.

"Perhaps some envious individuals are spreading false rumors to hurt your reputation. So, please, don't let this upset you, Father" Layla put on her 'concerned face'. Hopefully, that deceives him.

Her father inhaled deeply. "Tsk" He clicked his tongue and ran his finger through his hair.

"Ha. you're right. It must be someone jealous of me. Can't believe I let something like that shake me up" Jonas murmured with his brows furrowed as he searched his mind for the individuals who might have originated these stories.

Layla averted her eyes, on the edge of crying, "It's more painful to see these betrayals coming from someone close to us."

"What did you say?" said her father with wide eyes as he immediately turned to face her. He asked, "What do you mean by someone close to us?"

Layla fidgets with her hands, "Um. How can I say this? It's- Its". She let the confusion build up before speaking again. "It's Fred and other servants." Layla pulled her hands up to conceal her alleged 'distressed face'.

"What? The servants. Damn, these cockroaches. I should have executed them all. I provided them with housing and food, and that's how they backstab me"

After a brief pause, Layla said, "But father, we can't let these rumors spread further than they already have."

"As much as I love those servants I can't bear my father's name being trampled and mocked around". She lowered her gaze and murmured, "I trusted them like a family," she said in a broken and low tone, low enough to be heard by the other party and be taken as a distress sign for being betrayed.

He tightened his teeth in annoyance. They both understood how damaging these rumors would be to their family and their honor. For one, it was an insult against their honorable reputation and immense pride, and for the other, it was a means of controlling the 'noble man'.

"Allow me to suggest something Father. I too am a descendant of the Syanders family. I can't just sit around and let something like this happen". Whether or not her father paid attention to her words was irrelevant to her; he simply nodded.

"We should prove them wrong"

Her father gave her a questioning look.

"We should show them that you are capable of supporting this house on your own, without the assistance of stepmother."

He raised his eyebrows, interested in her speech. "How about we send stepmother for a few days away from the house for a business trip and while she is away you could show them your potential by working alone. And if you succeed, you can prove to them that you can handle all of this job on your own."

A broad smile shot on his face. Yes, that was it, he thought.

The beaming smile told Layla that she succeeded in her quest. But it's not over yet.

"But father it's not over yet"

"What"

"The offender is still free and probably spreading more rumors as we speak. To shut their mouth, we need to do something more". Layla's face became serious, "Like punishing the perpetrator and better yet throwing them out of the household"

"Throw them out? that's too much"

Layla walked near a table, turning away from the male. "Is it father? Even when they harm the hand that fed them".

"Wasn't it, Father who said to cut the weed before it grows roots?" she spoke.

There was silence. A long one, that Layla thought her manipulations didn't work and then he spoke. "But why are you suggesting such a thing?" he inquired. He spoke in a cautious and skeptical manner. The more he spoke the more on guard he seemed.

"After mother, father's all I have now. I don't have anyone else in this world." Tears welling up in Layla's eye's corner. "That's why I have to help you as much as I can. I know I am not great like stepmother but I will do my best to help Father" Layla said with a determined smile.

"Ha. That's right. After your mother you have no real family other than me" He seemed content with his answer.

Then Layla walked towards the papers that were lying on the ground. "Father, all these documents are destroyed. We should call a servant to clean all this up" she said, before walking over to the table's bell and ringing it.

As soon as the ringing sound resonated through the room a maid came running inside and bowed. "Yes, Lord"

"Clean all this up, quickly" Layla ordered.

"Ah. Y-yes, Lady". The maid took a second look at the person ordering her instead of the master, she was taken aback by it. The maid made a hasty attempt to tidy up the unkempt space.

"Then Father, I will be going back to my room. And please take some rest and don't let these rumors stress you down" she smiled. With a curtsy bow, she left him.

Outside the butler was standing and was a bit surprised to see Layla. It was rare for Layla and the master to chat for such a long time. He bowed to her and she just smiled and motioned for him to enter. He promptly went inside.

The hallway was big and magnificent as always. Sky was dark, studded with bright stars that were shining with various hues of blue, red, and white. The night sky was indeed beautiful to look at.

Or maybe it was her heart that was romanticizing this common night sky. She can't believe how simple it was to control him. A few compliments and the job is done.

Moreover, she had knowledge of her past life, she knew too how to flatter him. Just a prideful man with a big ego, if she keeps feeding his ego then she will be able to control him.

And she used to seek this man's affections in the past, how foolish.