Between Two Hearts

" I'm sorry Miss but you can't go in there. Mr. Wilson is having a very important meeting" The maid called out as a silhouette walked past ignoring her completely with a straight face.

Layla Jones was very upset about the news she heard this morning. Her stepmom had told her she was getting married to Damian Wilson in a few days and although Layla did not have a boyfriend she was not ready to get married at nineteen.

Damian is the only son of her late dad's friend Mr. Wilson.

Layla has known Damian since she was a kid, Damian was older than her by six years and back then anytime Layla came around to play with Kendra, Damian's sister, He usually hides in his room because of his body. Most kids in his school back then do call him " fatty" Damian was a plus size back then and was always ashamed to associate with others but it all came to a halt when he traveled abroad to further his education.

Damian came back looking like a hot celebrity and his physical features were like that of a model.

She pushed the door and froze instantly, the courage and boldness she had summoned to confront Damian seem to have left her immediately her eyes met his gaze.

Damian who lost his father two weeks ago was having a very important meeting with the board members and his lawyer in his private sitting room at home.

He has not gotten over his father's death and was not ready to resume work either but this meeting seems to be a very important one thus he asked his board members to meet him at home.

" I told you, Miss, you can't come in" The maid walked up to her, and Layla's face was covered in sweat and her cheeks were changing from different shades of pink to red at the same time.

" Did I not tell you I do not want any form of disturbance?" Damian asked the maid angrily, ignoring Layla who looked like a lost puppy now.

His rich and sophisticated voice made Layla lose the little confidence she had left in her and she could only wish she never came here in the first place.

" I'm sorry Mr. Damian I tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen" Grace the maid replied to Damian with her head bowed to the ground and she cursed Layla for not listening to her in the first place.

" Get her out of my sight this instance" Damian spat coldly ignoring Layla's presence.

" I'm very sorry for the rude interruption, can we continue, please" he added but this time referring to his board members.

Layla did not move an inch even when Grace the housemaid gestured for her to, she stood still staring at Damian with disgust, "Is this the reason he acted cold when he saw her on the day of his dad's funeral?" She asked herself in her mind.

" Miss, can you leave already please" Grace pleaded seeing that Layla was adamant to do so.

Damian who was trying to focus had lost all form of patience he had in him, He ignored Layla because he was not ready to deal with her yet but since she doesn't want to leave he was forced to speak to her.

" Are you deaf, did you not hear her ask you to leave?" He said, this time around he lifted his head and made eye contact with her and Confusion distorted her face instantly as she caught a proper vision of the man in front of her.

Damian was looking very handsome and even with his cold demeanor he still looked very cute.

He was no longer the timid chubby boy she knew while she was growing up. Damian had the physical features of a model and the aura emanating from him was intimidating.

" leave already Miss" Grace sounded rude this time around. She understood that Damian was very upset and did not want to lose her job because of Layla's' abrupt display.

The board members were already murmuring and anger flashed through Damian's face, if there is one thing he hates passionately is for his workers to have something to gossip about his personal life.

" Young lady, I advise you to leave already or I will be forced to... " I will not Marry you!!" Layla yelled cutting him short from completing his statement.

Damian was not expecting Layla to be this childish, if she was not comfortable with the marriage arrangement made by both parents then she could have waited for him to finish his meeting and who knows both of them would reach an agreement on the matter. But no, she chooses to be stupid and interrupt his meeting, announcing to the whole world that she will not marry him. "How childish"

" Young lady, this is a very important board meeting and we are running out of time. And don't you think it's very wrong of you to interrupt such with your problem?" one of the board members scolded Layla. He was greatly annoyed by her rude outburst.

Damian was furious but tried to play cool about the whole situation, he would rather die than give Layla the satisfaction that her words got to him. " And who asked you to Marry me?" he asked coldly with a wicked smile across his face.

Layla had never felt this intimidated all her life and she cursed herself for being stupid to have come here in the first place, what was she even thinking?

Trying not to look stupid she repeated what she said trying to sound confident,

" I will not marry you and don't think because you have the money you can force me to" Damian's glare turned piercing and even though she wasn't looking at him she could feel it.

Her legs wobbled as he asked her in a mocking tone, " Did I ask you to marry me?"

Layla's head was still lowered and her nails dug into her palm, in an attempt to stop her hands from trembling.

Damian glared at her coldly and looked at his board members apologetically, they took the clue that the meeting has automatically come to an end because of Layla's disruptions, and one after the other, they troped out of the beautifully decorated and comfortable sitting room where the meeting was held.

Some of the board members ignored Layla on their way out while others stared daggers at her and hissed, but none of them dared to pass a silly comment verbally to her because they all knew Damian, he was the youngest among them but the most feared, most importantly he was so unpredictable.

The last to leave the room was his assistant, Amy, she was dressed seductively and swayed her waist trying her possible best to get Damian attention. Layla noticed Amy and felt ashamed on her behalf, " why will a lady try to make herself noticeable by a man, he should be the one trying to get her attention not the other way round," Layla thought When Amy got to the door, she cast a pissed glare on Layla, and seeing that the latter did not retaliate she pushed Layla by the shoulder and pretended to fall, making it look like Layla was the one who pushed her. " Can't you see you simp!!" Amy shouted at Layla while looking in Damian direction hoping he would speak up and scold Layla but Damian behave like he was not present in the room. " You should watch where you are going Miss," Layla said unapologetically and Amy did not miss the aversion in her voice. Amy was angry at Layla's words, even though she did what she did to get Damian attention she didn't expect Layla to sound the way she did. Amy was about to speak out when Damian told her to get out coldly and her cheeks went red with embarrassment instantly, Layla's couldn't help but giggle as Amy made her way out.

" Now I ask you again and for the last time, did I ask you to marry me?" Damian asked her, his countenance indifferent and his sophisticated voice made her more embarrassed and afraid too.

Layla's voice was very low and if one did not pay close attention you won't hear what she was saying. "My mom told me that you asked to marry me and I am only here to let you know that I don't want to marry you"

Damian took a deep breath and cast his gaze on her making Layla feel more afraid now, He stood up and walked in her direction, the tapping sound of his feet like drums in her chest.

" What did you say again," He asked Layla was beginning to look like a fool before Him now, how many times does she have to repeat what she said to him?

" I said I do not want to marry you and you won't force me to!!" she responded quickly as If any pause will drain the life out of her.

Damian laughed out loudly for a few seconds then said to her after regaining his composure, " Then go and tell your mom you don't want to marry me because I also do not want this marriage" His response took her unawares because he never asked her to marry him and the last time she saw him was at his dad's funeral and he did not mention anything about marriage to her.

Layla's voice became thin now " But my mom told me you asked to marry me"

" So go back and tell her you do not want to Damian Wilson my dear Layla Jones" Damian spat coldly.

He knew this was bound to happen that was why he kicked against it when his late father told him about this arranged marriage.

Compared to Damian, Layla was not his type, he had a thing for older women because he feels he doesn't need to tell them what to do.

They are already mature and have a good experience in relationships unlike Layla, imagine she bumped into a board meeting to disclose such news to everyone, older ladies would never do such.

Damian knew Layla to be a smart girl, not expecting her to be this stupid to interrupt a board meeting. From the gown she wore to her petite form, she looked like a teenager. Her face was still bowed down to the ground but he didn't care, she has just embarrassed him in front of his board members and he was still upset.

" But.. " You may leave, I am busy at the moment" He cut her sharply. Layla lost every follicle of adrenaline she gathered and didn't say more. She would do as he said and see the outcome, who would have thought that refusing him was going to be this easy? Her tiny legs carried her out of the sitting room and Damian gnashed his teeth.

He dialed his mother's number. " I'm sorry to disappoint you Mom but you have to cancel the wedding plans, I told you and Dad that this was a bad idea"

His mother Karen was both surprised and upset.

" you have to give me a reason," She said from the other end of the line, both she and Damian's dad were close to signing a business partnership with Layla's stepmom before his dad passed away, but his mom was bent on finalizing everything despite the demise of her husband because this was not just an arranged marriage but a business collaboration.

Damian was feeling a pending headache which could grow worse if he tried to explain. His mom is not an easygoing woman.

" I'll explain later Mom"

" How did the board meeting go," his mother asked just before he hung up.

Events of what transpired a few minutes ago flashed back and Damian cursed Layla in his mind.

" it went well Mom, we will talk about it later" he replied and hung up immediately to avoid further questions, he knew his mom, she is a persistent woman and will stop at nothing till he let his reasons for the annulment of the marriage known to her.

Damian put a call through his office intercom and ordered Amy, his secretary to summon the board members into the conference room while they continue their meeting while he starts a video chat on Skype.

He was upset but work has to go on, especially now that the company is about to go bankrupt. Layla didn't return home immediately, she stopped at her best friend, Ava's house since both Ava and Damian lived in the same estate.

Ava was three years older than Layla but she loved Layla's company a lot and age was not a factor in their friendship since Layla thinks and acts more mature than her age.

" How did it go," Ava asked eagerly.

" He asked me to tell Isabella I am not interested in marrying him"

Ava's eyes opened in surprise, " Just like that?" she inquired.

Layla nodded in affirmation.

" That was easier than I thought, so what if Isabella gets mad at you for this" Ava asked "

I don't know, let's just wait and see what her reaction will be"

The two spoke about other things over a glass of orange juice and cookies Ava's mom prepared for them, Layla left after a while with mixed feelings, she hopes Isabella won't get mad at her for confronting Damian.

Layla walked her way back home with Damian's words still imprinted in her mind.

The sound of boxes and packing met her at the entrance of the house as soon as the door was pushed open.

" What's going on here" she panicked.

" Go upstairs and pack your belongings, we don't have much time left," Her stepmom said not sparing her daughter a glance.

"What's going on Mom," Layla asked with tear-filled eyes, she didn't know where they were going.

" My dear, our company, or better still your late father's company which will soon be yours in a couple of days is bankrupt and we tried to ask the Wilsons to help us again. Mr. Wilson agreed to help us out but gave a condition before his death that you marry his only son, Damian, at first the Wilson had no problem with this arrangement but Karen called me this afternoon to cancel the plans, I don't know why she said that but we do not have much time. Go get your things, we are leaving" Isabella replied, and Layla was lost but grateful that Damian has not told Isabella what transpired earlier today.

" If the company has been going through some challenges why didn't I know before now," Layla asked Isabella walked close to her and held her hands

" Layla darling, You have school to worry about and I didn't want to bother you, that's why I accepted Mr. Wilson's offer" Layla understood she was in a big mess already, Isabella won't be this nice if she finds out what she did earlier at Damian's house.

" Where to now Mom, what about my school," Layla asked with tears rolling down her face.

"To the countryside, I'm thinking about starting a petty trade business, maybe selling vegetables" Isabella responded calmly, although she is not the nicest person she took care of Layla well so Layla knew she would never lie to her but then again,

" Mom, what about our shares in the company, can't we sell them and start something from the money we get from selling the shares?" Layla asked desperately.

Isabella held her hand and led her to the sofa and explained things to her.

" Layla darling, I'm sorry not to have told you this earlier but a friend of mine introduced me to a new business in which I invested a lot, I sold most of our company shares hoping to replace it once the new business paid off, little did I know that I was been scammed. I'm sorry sweetheart, I took a bad risk and now we have lost everything" she said sadly and Layla was restless

" So it means there's no way out"

" The Wilsons were willing to help but Mrs. Karen called and said Damina was no longer interested in marrying you and canceled everything. I tried my best Layla, but this is reality" Layla panicked from guilt, she had no idea that the arranged marriage was so important to their family business. Layla was also curious to know if Damian will expose her bad behavior, she had always kept to herself and remained in her shell so what she did today was unthinkable.

" And Aunt Karen did not say why Damian refused the marriage"

" No, she only said Damian wasn't ready to talk about it" Layla knew she had to act fast, so she decided to seek Ava's help. Ava was the one who advised her to confront Damian in the first place.

"I think I know what to do, wait here Mom, don't move. I will sort out everything" she said running upstairs and a smile of hope radiated Isabella's face.

In Layla's room, she video-called Ava, and seeing Layla's face red and puffy her heart sank, she knew something was wrong. " What happened"

Layla narrated everything to her in tears and when she was done two unexpected words came out from Ava, words that Layla did not expect,

" Marry him" Layla was astounded and awed by her best friend's suggestion,

"What!! Are you out of your mind, don't you understand, I hate him and don't want to marry him" she yelled and Ava explained further,

"But you can't let your father's business go down the drain, you are his only hope, even Isabella is looking up to you, listen Layla, marry him and once you are sure that your company is fully merged to his, you file for a divorce. That way you will have fifty percent of his wealth and assets, you won't be broke again"

Layla thought it was a smart idea but somehow it made her feel like a gold digger.

" You are right but... " no further but Layla, now I need you to get up and do the needful before Isabella finds out about what you've done" Ava ordered and hung up. Layla made a mental note to agree to Ava's advice but promised to make Damian miserable all through their marriage till he is forced to divorce her.

She quickly changed into something nice and walked downstairs where Isabella was sitting, patiently waiting for her arrival. " I'll be right back Mom," she said and dashed off even before Isabella could ask her any questions.

Back in Damian's luxury home, a man lay on the bed half-covered with a duvet, the phone by his side vibrating but he muted it and turned to the other side of the bed, he has not slept for a while and it was beginning to take a toll on him.

At the gate was Layla, trying to find her way inside but was sent away by the security because of the instruction given by Damian that he does not want any disturbance.

Layla waited hopelessly and left after a while, she was too exhausted and made up her mind to see him by all means the next day.

She got home after a fruitless effort to see Damian and went off to bed instantly, not knowing the fate that awaited her the next day, will Damian be kind enough to forgive and marry her, or will he refuse because of the embarrassment she had caused him?

Early the next morning, Layla found her way to the Wilson's company, it was quite early but Layla didn't care, she made up her mind today to see Damian by any means possible so she has to be in his office very early if she was determined to. She walked quietly to the lady at the reception and introduced herself.

" How can I help you miss," the lady asked politely,

" I'm here to see Damian, I know I don't have an appointment but it's very urgent and I need you to help me please" Layla pleaded.

The lady took pity on her and also admired how humble Layla was so she decided to help her out. The receptionist led the way and together they walked to Damian's office with Layla following her closely.

When they arrived at his floor, Amy saw Layla and tried to dismiss her but luckily for Layla, Damian walked into the office together with a young man almost his age.

When Damian saw Layla he stopped and asked her with traces of anger in his voice,

" What are you doing here"

Speaking to Damian alone wasn't going to be easy and now that he was in another's company she just had to state her reason for coming , Layla took a deep breath and said

" I'm sorry for what I said yesterday, I'll marry you"