Chapter 66: Want me to let it go?
"That’s right," Miriam began, her voice low but filled with years of pent-up bitterness. "From the day you and your mother entered our house, I never knew peace. I was always afraid... afraid that whatever belonged to my daughter would end up in your hands." Her admission hung in the air, laden with resentment.
Layla’s gaze sharpened, her patience waning now. "And that’s why Orabela set her sights on the man I was dating? To prove some twisted point?" .
Miriam didn’t flinch, her bitterness bubbling to the surface. "If you really want to fix things, take your mother out of my house. Your husband has more than enough money to take care of her. Orabela never would have done what she did if you had never existed in our lives."
Layla’s eyes widened in shock, her pulse quickening as Miriam’s words sank in. "What?" she gasped, unable to hide her disbelief. It wasn’t the first time Miriam had blamed her for Orabela’s faults, but this? This was worse than she had ever imagined.
They were making her the villain again, excusing Orabela’s actions by painting Layla as the cause. It was always this way—any time Orabela faltered, they pointed the finger at Layla.
"You heard me, Layla," Miriam continued, her expression hardening as she dredged up old wounds. "My life was ruined the moment your mother stepped into it. And now, you’ve done the same thing to my daughter. Do you think it was easy for me, watching you grow up beside Orabela? Every time I looked at you, I was reminded of the betrayal your mother inflicted on me. You and your mother... you never let us live in peace." Her voice dripped with venom, her face twisted in a bitter scowl.
Layla sat frozen for a moment, struggling to comprehend the depth of the accusation. It wasn’t just about the past—it was as though Miriam had been holding her responsible for years, for every crack in their lives. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest, the weight of the blame crushing her spirit.
"And yet, none of you ever considered what was right in front of you," Layla said, her voice soft but laced with hurt. "You never saw the truth about Orabela because it was easier to make me the scapegoat." Her eyes darkened with the years of unfairness she had endured, but she held her composure, refusing to let Miriam see her break.
"Your husband is responsible for all of this. So you better ask him, not me," Layla snapped, her eyes blazing with fury. "I truly thought you’d feel some guilt over your daughter’s actions, but you don’t. Don’t ever contact me again, and don’t come near me. You deserve to suffer in that house because you’ve always shielded the wrong." Her voice trembled with anger as she rose from her seat, ready to walk away.
"Layla!" Miriam’s voice rang out, sharper now, but Layla was done.
"Shut your mouth, Mrs. Rosenzweig," Layla spat, her composure hanging by a thread. "I’m not someone you can shout at anymore. Leave, before I call security to kick you out." She trembled with rage, recalling how just last night, when Miriam had fainted, she had been genuinely worried for her.
But now?