Layla's POV
The last thing I remember…
Was Aster reaching for me.
His hand covered in blood.
His lips moving—saying something I couldn't hear.
And then everything went dark.
There was no light. No sound.
Just the distant feeling of being ripped away from my body. Like I was floating somewhere above it.
Time didn't exist in that in-between place.
Only the aching sensation of something breaking.
Me.
The steady beep of a heart monitor brought me back.
At first, I thought I was dreaming again. Until the blinding white lights above me flickered.
I tried to sit up.
Big mistake.
Pain surged through my chest like knives dragging across my ribs. I gasped, falling back into the pillows, and that's when I noticed the bandages, the wires taped to my skin, and the dull ache in the side of my head.
I blinked, trying to breathe through the stabbing pain and then I heard a familiar voice.
"Layla?"
I turned my head slowly and saw Noah standing in the corner, arms crossed, eyes red.
And beside him—Valerie. Her perfect hair was a mess. Her designer jacket hung off her shoulders like she hadn't slept.
The moment our eyes met, hers filled with tears.
"You're awake," she whispered, rushing over. "Thank God. You've been unconscious for almost two days."
Two… days?
My brain reeled. "Where's Aster?" I rasped.
They didn't answer immediately.
Valerie bit her lip, and Noah rubbed the back of his neck before answering quietly, "He's in the ICU. It was bad, Layla. The car hit directly into his side."
My breath caught. "But he's alive?"
Valerie nodded. "Yeah. But they don't know when he'll wake up."
No.
No. That couldn't happen. Not again. Not after everything.
I closed my eyes, chest aching with more than just broken ribs.
I had almost lost him.
Again.
It all came back like wildfire.
The crash.
The attack on Vallis Luxe.
The lies flooding the internet.
I sat up with a grunt, ignoring the protests of my body. "Where's my phone?"
Valerie handed it to me silently. The moment it was in my hand, I opened it and was bombarded.
Missed calls. Messages. News alerts.
LAYLA FORBES HOSPITALIZED IN MYSTERIOUS CRASH IN VALENCIA
Vallis Luxe CEO Under Fire: Sabotage or Scandal?
#SaveLaylaornot trending across Europe and the U.S.
Ace had texted.
So had my sisters and brother
And Luna.
Her message was waiting at the top.
"Ace told me. I'm so sorry. We're handling things here. James made a public statement. Don't worry about the company right now. Just focus on recovering."
Another message followed right after.
"Layla… someone leaked the footage of the crash. It's everywhere now."
I stared at the screen, the blood draining from my face.
Valerie leaned closer. "It's viral. It's all over Spanish and American news. Some say it was an accident. Others are saying… it was attempted murder."
"They're not wrong," Noah added grimly. "The driver disappeared before anyone could ID him. Police said the plates were fake. It was a professional hit."
Someone wanted me gone.
Not just my company.
Me.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., things were spiraling.
James—my company manager, my strategist, my protector stood outside the Vallis Luxe headquarters in Los Angeles, surrounded by press.
Cameras. Lights. Microphones.
"Mr. James Cole," one reporter said, "can you confirm whether Layla Forbes is stepping down as CEO following the crash and scandal?"
James didn't flinch. "No, she is not stepping down. And let's make one thing clear—Layla is not just a CEO. She's a creator, an innovator, and a survivor."
The reporters clamored.
"Survivor? So you're saying this wasn't an accident?"
James paused, glanced toward the flashing cameras, then leaned forward.
"I'm saying sabotage is real. And whoever's behind this made a mistake by going after her. Because Layla Forbes doesn't break. She rebuilds and when she does, she comes back stronger."
Back in Spain, I stared at the screen in shock as I watched James defend me with more loyalty than some people I'd called family.
Tears burned in my eyes.
Luna's next message came in:
"There's more. We traced the fake reviews flooding the product sites. They all connect to one private server. Someone is coordinating this. And it's not just business. It's personal."
Of course it was.
Someone wanted to erase me. Erase everything I'd built. And now… they were going after my family too.
Later that night, the hospital was quiet. Cold. Still.
I snuck out of my room, barefoot and in a hospital robe, and walked down the hallway to the ICU.
There, behind the glass, was Aster.
So still. So pale. Tubes and machines keeping him tethered to this world.
I pressed my hand against the glass and whispered, "I'm sorry I left. I'm sorry I hurt you. But please, come back. I need you."
He didn't move.
But the heart monitor beat steadily on.
A sign.
A hope.
Three more days passed. The doctors said I could leave.
Valerie helped pack my things.
Noah argued with the nurse about how many painkillers I could take with me.
And Ace?
He came to walk me out.
He looked tired. Haunted. But strong.
"I've told Luna everything. She's working with James. They hired a PI. It's someone big, Layla. Someone connected."
"Valemont, my mom's family? " I whispered.
Ace didn't answer.
But the look in his eyes said maybe yes.
As I stepped outside the hospital gates, I saw the media swarm waiting in the distance.
But what caught my attention wasn't the cameras.
It was a figure across the street.
Dressed in ivory.
Long white gloves. Red lips. Silver crest on her coat.
The Valemont insignia.
She didn't say anything. Just stood there.
Watching me.
And then she smiled.
Turned.
And vanished into the crowd.
The war had only just begun.
But this time, I was ready for it.
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Part 1 has officially come to an end….
Part 2 is still in the writing process and will come out after 6th may.
Bye for now :)