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Layla

I dragged myself out of the hotel, and everyone seemed enthusiastic about returning home. I was excited to start working with dad. It's been so long since I've visited the company, and I was really looking forward to it. The only thing that worried me was his thoughts on this situation. I let him down; this is not how I had pictured ever being married.

I wanted the big wedding, with the long white gown, the fancy napkins, the big beautiful arrangements, bridesmaids, everything. Not be married by Elvis in the little chapel of Vegas while being highly intoxicated.

I sat shotgun, it was Daniel's turn to drive, and I guess the proper thing to do was sit next to him. I tried falling asleep, snuggling on my seat, but I just couldn't.

I was unease. I began feeling horrible for telling him I didn't want this marriage. There was a look in his eyes that told me my words had hurt him. Yet, he continued to caress me, squeezed my hand from time to time, and held my hand, kissing my knuckles. I sighed, looking at him with my sweater covering my face. He looked back, giving me a barely noticeable side smirk, which made me feel worse.

After about three hours, we finally made a stop to rest. He got off the car, stretched his back, and walked towards a small miscellaneous store. I took advantage and used the restroom, then headed back while they finished filling the cars with gas. Everyone was ready to leave again. "Here, I got you a drink in case you get thirsty," he says, handing me a bottle of lemonade. It surprised me that even though he had been reticent to talk the whole ride, he was still so caring.

"Thank you," I replied, placing my seat belt on and sighing. "Danny, I -"

"Don't. We can talk once we've talked to Felix," he says, pulling out of the place and back on the freeway.

The rest of the ride was just the same. We finally made it home, and everyone said goodbye, leaving to their homes.

"I'll see you tomorrow at work. Bye guys." Steph and Ingrid said as they got in the car with Nico and left.

This is it; time to face my dad.

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"How can you two have been so careless? I thought better of you, Daniel. I trusted you to take care of my daughters, not come back married to one!" Dad yelled at Daniel. I sat in the kitchen with mom and Karla. We could hear dad yelling at Daniel and scolding him for the last twenty minutes.

This was all my fault. He and Dad are partners at work, but giving their age difference, dad still saw Daniel like a son. And Daniel respected him like a father. After a while, dad finally stopped yelling. They talked fit what seemed ages, making my nerves uneasy.

"Layla, what were you thinking, honey? This is so unlike you!" mom said in a calm voice. I knew she was worried; it was all over the news. Plus, the fact that the company was under pressure only mounted to their worries. If I had just stayed home and surprised Karla with the news I was not leaving, this would have never happened.

"I know, mom. Believe me; I tried telling Daniel that this is all a big mistake."

"Darn right it is."

"I already told him we should an-"

"If you two were planning on getting secretly married, you should have told us. We could have taken the weekend off with you guys to be there." my eyes widened in shock. "MOM?" is she listening to herself? This whole wedding should not have happened, EVER! Yet here she is talking as if they have been waiting for this to happen.

"I'm serious. The dress you wore was pretty, but Hugo could have styled a much prettier one, sweety." mom continues to rant while Karla is laughing her head off while eating a blueberry muffin.

"Oh, my God! Mom. Daniel and I were drunk. We got married while being drunk. This whole wedding should not have happened. Daniel and I never have even dated. How can you be ok with us being married?"

"Well, if you ask me, he's a better suitor than the lying, cheating, conniving piece of shit, Trevor." my eyes went wide in shock. I had never heard mom saying curse words before, besides the time when a crazy lady yelled at Karla and me when we were small.

"Mother!" Karla says, shocked by mom's words. Mom shrugs her shoulders, looking between us, "What? Its true."

This whole thing is a disaster. But then, I think, if I hadn't gone, maybe Daniel would have come back married to someone else? God, why am I even bothered by this thought? It shouldn't bother me. He's a grown man; he can go off and do whatever he wants. Besides, if he had married someone else, it meant I didn't have to beg him for an annulment.

I bet dad will knock some sense into Daniel. Dad will definitely agree with me and tell him to annul our marriage. Then, we can both go back to how things were. I will help dad with the company and go back to Mexico in a few months and forget this whole thing ever happened.

The door to dad's study opened, making the three of us turn. "Layla!" dad's voice thundered, making my eyes widen in shock. I became increasingly nervous. "Yes," I said, standing up from my stool. "Good luck," Karly whispered, taking a big bite of her muffin. Mom gave her an annoyed look, grabbing a chunk of her muffin and stuffing it in her mouth.

"Why did I have girls? Why couldn't I give birth to boys? You girls are driving me crazy!" mom says, making Karly gasp, holding her chest. I giggled, nodding my head. "Layla!" Dad yells for me again, making my eyes widen.

"Coming," I reply, running toward his study. I stop before him; his face looks mad, serious, and menacingly. Daniel sits with his arms resting on his knees, looking like a sad puppy.

Dad sighs, closing his eyes and gesturing for me to go inside, "Get in here, Layla." he says as he nods in disbelief. God, I just let him down badly! Didn't I?

I sit next to Daniel, waiting for my turn to be yelled at. "Layla." dad takes a seat on his chair. He looks at me, then at Daniel before sighing, placing his hands on his face.

"Sshhh, I can't hear."

"Mom!"

"Move, Karly. Be quiet!" dad, Daniel, and I look at each other as we hear my sister and mom whispering a little too loud. Daniel can't help but snicker as he hears them trying to eavesdrop on us. Dad sighs, getting off his seat. "Hold on."

He opens the door making mom and my sister stumble. Mom crashes onto dad and looks at him, embarrassed.

"What in the world are you two doing? Get out of here. Or would you like to get yelled at too, Karla?" he says, making my sister's face turn red. "No, no, sir," she says, grabbing mom's hand and running off.

I look back, turning to Daniel, who's getting a kick at the scene. "Ok, where were we?" Dad says, sitting down again.

"Ah, yes. Layla." I don't know what to say; I feel like I just committed a crime, and I'm going in front of a ruthless judge.

"Dad, I know what you're thinking. We hesitated, I know. But that's why I told Daniel that we should go forth and annul the marriage. It was a mistake, I know. And I'm sorry, I -"

"Annulment?" he says, looking at me confused. "Like, you are not getting an annulment. Whether drunk or not, you and Daniel are adults. And as adults, you are well aware of your actions. Thus- I feel that what Daniel proposed to you is the most reasonable thing to do." my eyes widened.

Did my ears deceive me? Is everyone around me going mad? Why does everyone think that this marriage could work? We were drunk, for Gaia's sake!

"Wait, what? Dad, you can't be serious! No. I want an annulment."

"And I already told you, I am not giving you an annulment, Layla. We're married whether you like it or not."

"Well, I don't!"

"That's too darn bad!"

"Daniel, for God's sake, you can't be serious!" I was becoming frustrated with our bickering.

"Oh, I am."

"ENOUGH!" Dad yells at both making us shush.

He sighs, closing his eyes and pinching the curve of his nose. Daniel looks away, clenching his jaw, and I'm left frustrated.

"Layla, we are not in a stable situation with the company. The media has eyes everywhere on you and Daniel is the center of attention right now. Do you have any idea how bad it will look on you and Daniel if you file for divorce just a day after being married? This can ruin a lot of lives, including yours, Layla. Now, I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I'm afraid you will take responsibility for your action." My eyes probably looked ready to pop out of the their socket. I can't believe dad is saying this.

"But, Dad! You can't be serious; you can not obligate me to stay married!"

"Layla, for God's sake, listen to yourself. You are acting like a spoiled brat. I'm sorry, baby, but maybe you should have thought it through before deciding on getting too drunk to realize what you had done. Daniel has a lot more to lose than you. If you really want to help, than maybe you can reason with him. Sweetheart, I know for a fact that the two of you like each other more than you want to admit." God, I hate when he's right. But that doesn't mean this marriage is still standing.

"Give it a try. Sign the contract Daniel proposed and give him a year. Once the year is over if you haven't changed your mind, he is willing to file for divorce, no questions asked. Right, son?" he says, looking at Daniel.

"By that time, the period his grandpa gave him to have a wife will be over, and he won't have to forfeit the company. You can get a divorce and go back to...Mexico or whatever."

I look at both in disbelief. Why the hell do I feel like this was all planned out by these two? Dad never liked Trevor, and Daniel is reluctant to make me stay. Plus, if he didn't get married, he would surely lose the company.

"I see what you're doing. This was a plan between you two. Wasn't it?" I point towards the two.

"What? To let you go to Vegas, get drunk, and get married? Layla, listen to yourself? Why would I do such a thing? You had already agreed to stay a few months to help bring the company back to its feet; why would I try and sabotage the idea?" Daniel looks at me confused, turning his body toward me.

"Wait. You're staying? Why didn't you tell me this?" he says, smiling. I roll my eyes and sigh. "Because it was supposed to be a surprise, ok?" The way I saw it, there was no getting out of it.

We argued, but the more we talked, the more I realized that... Maybe it's not a bad idea. This marriage will surely be complicated, but at least I'll be away from Trevor, and I won't have to deal with him anymore.

There's a lot to still go over, and if we are going to make a contract for this marriage, than surely he'll have to deal with my terms and conditions as well.

"Fine. It's a deal. One year, no more." I say, holding my hand out to shake Daniel's. His face lights up, and he gives me a big kool-aid smile.

"One year. We'll see about that," he says, winking.

"Great. Now- Daniel, you can go ahead and help Layla pack her stuff to move in with you." dad says, making me turn and look at him in horror.

"WHAT?" he and Daniel burst out laughing.

"Baby, deal with it; you can't expect to live separately, do you? You're married; people will speculate. You have to live together. Now go on, get out of here. I'll talk to mom so she can go and help you pack."

Oh, god. This day just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?

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