I ended the call and grabbed my bag before rushing out of my room, i ran downstairs to bump into someone's heavy chest, i looked up to see a confused Toni looking down at me, tears fell from my eyes even more. "What's wrong?" He asked, as i slowly moved away from him.

I sniffed and looked down at my hands. "M-my father he's weak." I cried, Toni looked at me with a expression that i couldn't ready. "I need to go see him." I walked towards the door but was stopped by a hand grabbed onto my wrist.

He slowly let go of my wrist and stood in front of me again. "I'll take you." I nodded and we both rushed out of the house and got into his car.

Once he drove, i started texting my mom telling her if he has gotten a little better or something but her reply was no, which caused my heart to speed up, i looked out the window and tried stopping my uncontrollably tears coming from my eyes, the car came to a stop in front of a big hospital, i opened the door and ran into the hospital.

I went to the front desk. "Hi, do you know where Mr. Montgomery's room is?" Toni asked putting a hand on my shoulder.

The woman looked at us. "What are your relations with Mr. Montgomery?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"He is my father." I said.

She nodded. "He is in room 309." Me and Toni thanked her before entering the elevator and Toni clicked number eight on the button i ran a hand through my hair as the door opened.

We both stepped out and looked around once my eyes landed on the number i rushed to the door to see my mom kissing his hand and crying her eyes out, i slowly opened the window to make my mom look up at us, i stood there in shock to see my biological father on that terrible bed with tubes on him.

I cupped my mouth to hold my sob, i was to scared to walk up to him, i was gonna turn around and walk out but he looked turned his head looking at me with a smile. "Layla." His rough weak voice called out, I looked up at him and sobbed. "Don't cry." He mentioned me to come.

I slowly walked towards him and grabbed onto his hand. "I'm sorry." He looked at me confused. "I'm sorry for not coming earlier." I cried, he opened his arms which made me fall in them and hug him tightly.

He rubbed my back. "You don't have to apologize, you are my daughter and i finally got to see you and how beautiful you look." Tears dripped from my eyes, we pulled away and he looked at my face giving me a sad smile, he slowly wiped them away. "I don't want you to cry if i die, i don't want to see one tear fall from your eyes to your cheek." He said but how can you not cry when you lost someone you love.

I shook my head. "Don't say that, you won't die." I said, he looked down and didn't say anything.

He looked at Toni who was standing behind me and mention him to come closer with his hand. "Come here boy." Toni walked closer. "I want you to promise me something." Toni nodded immediately. "I want you to promise me that, you will take care of my daughter and always protect her for anything, more importantly i need you to love her more than me and my wife do." He stood there speechless before nodding.

He looked down at me before looking back at my dad. "I will, i promise." He promised making my heart flutter.

My dad gave me a short smile and stoked my cheek with his thumb. "I love you." He kissed my forehead.

I gave him a small smile. "I love you too." Should i say it? "Dad." I said which caused him to smile brightly as i kissed his hand, but then my smile soon dropped when his eyes slowly shut and he was breathing heavily his heart monitor slowed down making my heart stop myself. "Dad!?" I cried in panic, Doctors came rushing in Toni grabbed me and pulled me out of the room.

I cried, screamed and sobbed in his chest, my mom did the same but fell to the floor, Toni rubbed my back, i clutched onto his shirt hard. "T-toni m-my da-dad!" I cried harder, we both slowly sunk to the floor, as he held me tightly.

A woman came rushing in and looked at my mom in tears as she pulled her into a tight hug, she glanced at me and sent me a sad look, before looking at my screaming mother, Toni helped me stand up when the doctors came out, they looked at each of us with a sad expression i know what they are gonna say, and they said it.

I was right.

~~~~~~~~

~Four Days Later~

I looked at myself in the mirror, i smoothed out my black dark dress , i scanned my pale lifeless face and felt tears build up in my eyes, i lost someone who made me and i didn't get to fully meet him or talk to him normally. I felt a warm hand on my shoulder making me look behind me in the mirror to meet beautiful blue eyes. "Let's go." He said softly, i nodded turning around hooking my arm to his.

We made it downstairs to see everyone piled up waiting for us, when we made it to the last step everyone looked at us and Jennifer walked up to me pulling me into a hug. "I'm sorry for your loss." She whispered then kissed my head before pulling away.

I nodded, i was scared to talk because i knew if i did my voice would crack and i would burst into tears, Toni walked me out of the house, we got into his car and he drove off to the grave yard, once we made it i see my mom standing there, i got out of the car to hear her cries which made my heart tighten, i walked towards her with watery eyes.

She turned around and looked at me then pulled me into a hug as she sobbed onto my shoulder, i felt her tears hit my shoulder, i gently rubbed her back trying to calm her down, when we pulled away i wiped her tears away remembering my father's words. I don't want you to cry if i die, i don't want to see one tear fall from your eyes to your cheek. I tried my best not to cry, as i looked at them bringing his casket.

Toni grabbed my hand and i leaned my head on his shoulder swallowing the lump on my throat, don't cry, don't cry. I tried when i walked towards the casket that slowly went down, i threw the rose in my hand on his casket i tried controlling my tears but i couldn't tears automatically came down, i stumbled away from the grave to be held by Toni. "Shh." He whispered in my ear wrapping arms around me.

People i didn't know, i'm guessing some of them are my relatives and some of them are family friends, i leaned my head on his chest, as tears fell from my eyes, looking at them putting mud hiding his casket, i looked at the tombstone.

Nate Montgomery.

Best husband and Best dad.

1966 - 2017

I looked away from it and put my face into Toni's chest. "Let's go, it's time to." We walked towards the car getting, i looked back at my dad's grave yard before Toni drove off.

I wiped the tears that streamed down my face, and looked out the window. "Why am i slowly losing people?" I muttered, making Toni glance at me and back at the road. "Why is my life slowly falling apart?" I sniffed. "I shouldn't even be alive, i feel like i'm a problem for everyone." I sniffed.

Toni clutched onto the steering wheel making his knuckles go white. "Don't say that." He said glancing at me. "You aren't a problem for anyone." He stopped the car and got out, as did i. We walked into the house in silence to see a lot of relatives and family friends there, everyone was standing there eating and talking.

I really didn't want to be around anyone right now, so i turned around and went towards the stairs but soon was stopped my Sara's voice. "Layla sweetie aren't you going to welcome anyone?" She said, making me turn around and look at her.

I ran a hand through my hair and looked at her, why is she acting like this? "Welcome everyone, i'm gonna go rest because i just lost my father, i didn't even get to meet him fully and i'm tired." With that i turned around with watery eyes and ran upstairs to my room.

I took off my shoes and opened the covers of my bed laying down and putting the covers over me closing my eyes slowly drifting to sleep.

When we entered the house i went directly to my office welcoming some people i walked by, i shut the door behind me, and stuck my hands in my pocket sighing deeply. "Why would she think she's a problem?" I muttered to myself as i grabbed some alcohol that was in a bottle sticking it in a glass cup staring down at it not sure if i should drink it.

She needs you Toni! She doesn't need a drunk Toni comforting her! Dammit Toni her dad just died and your planning on drinking!? What a shame.

I sighed from my nose and split it back in the bottle, i turned around opened the door of the office walking out, i looked for Layla and see she is nowhere around these people, she must be in her room, i walked towards the stairs but soon was stopped by Serena. "Toni! Hi." She gave me a sad smile. "I'm sorry for your wife's loss." I nodded, i really want to walk upstairs and go to Layla.

I put my hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for coming, but i need to comfort my wife." I sent her a small smile before walking past her and going upstairs to our room, i opened the door slowly to see her fast asleep, i shut the door before quietly walking towards her.

I sat on the bed staring at her pale face, she's went through hell and i'm showing no support, all i did was ignore her and i regret it, now she probably thinks she is useless and doesn't have anyone, i didn't even realize my hand was on her cheek, i slowly removed my hand from her face.

This girl has been through a lot, i stood up and quietly walked out of the room shutting the door behind me, i walked downstairs to be greeted by Sara and Serena murmuring something to each other which confused me, i was gonna walk up to them but Anna came towards me. "Toni, can we talk for a minute?" She asked and i nodded.

We both walked towards a quiet room and shut the door behind us. "Yes?" I said leaning against the wall with my arms crossed.

She ran a hand through her hair sighing. "I would like to apologize for being mean to your wife, and i'm going to apologize to her face to face when she wakes up but that's not why i got you here?" I looked at her waiting for her to go on. "I think Serena was the one apart of the Poisoning." I shook my head.

"Serena isn't that type of person, Anna." I said, knowing that Serena isn't like that, i mean i've known her my whole life.

"Well maybe she is, she just hasn't shown it because she is acting." Anna said quiet annoyed.

"Katherine first and now you?"

I went towards the door but she grabbed my arm stopping me. "You are going to regret it at the end when you find out she was apart of the poisoning, that's your wife! Toni! At least find something out about her, no one is this nice, well Layla is but she's been through a lot in her life, protect Layla not Serena, Toni." She moved my hand away and opened the door herself.

Walking out leaving me there to think, i sighed and walked out of the room to be greeted by Sara. "Hi my darling." Sara said smiled, i nodded at her as i stuck my hand in my pocket. "Don't you think you should give Serena a chance?" She said nodding over at Serena who was laughing with a couple of people.

I looked at her raising an eyebrow, this is a funeral not a party, why the hell are they laughing!? I turned to Sara. "Look, i'm a married man, and even if i was forced into this marriage, i'm not the one that does stuff like that, forced or not i'd rather be loyal than a dirty cheater." I whispered to her angrily, then walked away from her towards Lori who was sitting there emotionless. "Lori?" She snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at me.

She sniffed. "Hi." Her voice was raspy, her eyes started watering again. "Where is Layla?" She asked looking around to look for her.

"She is upstairs asleep, and i believe you should get's some sleep too."

"What about these people?"

"Your health is more important."

She nodded and stood up, i lead her upstairs to the guestroom, i opened the door for her. "Get's some rest it will help." She nodded and i turned around walking towards my room opening it to see Layla sitting up with her head in her hands.

I heard her sniffing which i knew she was crying, i shut the door walking up to her grabbing her arm and pulled her to my chest rubbing her back. "I'm such an idiot." She whispered in my chest. "Why didn't i go sooner to see him? Why did i have to go when he was dying." She cried and sobbed into my chest, i had a stinging pain in my heart seeing her like this.

She looked miserable, and lifeless, obviously she would look like that she lost her biological dad who died before he could even know her or spend time with her and it's all because of those two disgusting human beings, i rubbed her back in comfort.

i opened my mouth to speak but there was a knock on the door making me close my mouth. "Come in." I called out to the other person as i held onto my crying wife.

The person opened the door reveling my aunt Sara, she entered walking in looking at Layla with a look of disgust. "Your visitors are wondering where you are, and i'm sorry for your loss." She said with a not caring tone.

Layla lifted her head off my chest looking at me with watery eyes, i can tell she didn't want to go.

"Get some rest i'll take care of it." I told her, as she nodded in response, i got up from the bed walked towards the door while Sara gave Layla one last dirty look before walking out, i shook my head ignoring it. I turned around and looked at Layla who was laying down, playing with her infinity necklace.

I sighed before walking out shutting the door behind me, i went downstairs and see everyone standing near the entry way, i walked up to Layla's family members that she doesn't even know. "Sorry, you couldn't meet Layla, she is devastated because she lost her father, but thank you all for coming maybe you can come next time to meet her." Everyone smiled at me as i said that nodding.

A man came up to me patting my shoulder. "You're a right man for Layla, my niece has found the right one for herself." Everyone else chuckled. "Please promise me you wouldn't hurt her and you will love her, well try to love her since this was a forced marriage but I know Layla is a sweet innocent girl even though i haven't met her." He whispered so only the two of us can hear, i looked at him not sure if i could promise.

But her father's words rang in my head, i promised her father before he died i will love her and protect her, i can't break that promise that was his last words to me, to love his daughter more than him and Lori. I looked at the man and nodded. "I promise." I shook his hand.

He smiled at me before turning around with the other families then walked out of the house, i felt someone touch my shoulder i turned around to see Sara. "You're not going to keep that promise are you?" She asked, i looked at her smiling.

"I will." I said looking up at her shocked face. "I promised her father before he died." I turned around walking upstairs going to my wife, i opened the door to see her this time asleep, i shut the door, quietly walking to her, i sat on the bed looking at her sleeping, i'd be lying if i said she doesn't look beautiful.

I moved a stray of hair that fell on her face and moved it behind her ear, how can an innocent kind hearted girl be tortured so badly and hurt so bad? She doesn't deserve it any of it! I even gave her hell and i feel like such a dick doing that to her.

"Toni?" Her broken voice called out making me snap out of my thoughts.

I looked down at her, as she stared at me with squinting eyes. "Go to sleep, i'll be right here." I said, she closed her eyes but then opened them again.

"Can you lay with me?" She asked, i looked at her for a bit.

I took off my black suit jacket throwing it on the bench in front of our bed, i slipped off my shoes before laying in bed next to her, she scooted close to me, i know she didn't want to be alone and she didn't want to feel lonely so i wrapped my arms around her waist pulling her close to me.

I would be lying if i said i didn't feel anything, i heard her mumble something but i didn't catch it. I closed my eyes wondering what she said, my mind was filled with thoughts about her until i slowly drifted to sleep.

~~~~~~