INNOCENCE
“All right Maddox, let’s make you something!” Layla exhaled as they walked into the apartment.
“Woof!” Maddox barked and immediately ran off as if he saw someone. Layla walked slowly into the sitting room but was shocked to see Nolan there, sitting on a couch, dressed in black like a grim reaper. A good looking one.
With him was Maddox who was busy nudging at him.
“Where are you coming from?” He asked after dismissing Maddox.
“Uhh..” Layla stammered utterly shocked by his sudden appearance. He has been away for two days and just came in like a ghost, thank goodness she only went out to get Maddox some food.
“Are you deaf?” He catechized in a cold voice and the plastic bag Layla was holding suddenly fell to the ground out of shock. The devil was back.
“I went to get some food for Maddox..” She began convincing herself that she had done nothing wrong. So he won’t get mad at her or want to punish her.
“Okay..” he said softly and Layla’s face scrunched up in confusion. Just like that he was not mad at her.
Not wanting to waste anymore time she picked up the plastic bag that she had fallen to the ground by mistake and dashed away to make Maddox and herself food.
**********
After Layla had finished eating and serving Maddox, she proceeded back to the sitting room as she needed to speak with Nolan.
He disappeared for two days and just arrived and for those past two days she had not gone to work.
“Nolan..” she called out feeling relieved that he had not left, he was on the exact same spot where he was before.
“What is it?” He asked and she appeared in front of him.
“I…I…” she stammered looking for the best way to start her appeal. She was innocent and didn’t want to be punished for something she knew nothing about.
“You what?” He snapped at her his patience wearing thin.
“I wanted to ask you if I could return back to work?” She requested picking her words carefully.
“You can..” he accepted as Layla stilled. Just like that? He just accepted, does that mean he had found the culprit.
“I can?” She grilled feeling unsure, maybe she heard wrong. But he didn’t give her a reply and Layla immediately got the message. He would not answer her question. He was obviously done with the topic.
“I promise you Nolan, I did not destroy the reports..” she began, even though he had told her to return to work. That did not mean that he had forgiven her or even believed that she had nothing to do with it. So Layla was adamant to prove her innocence.
Nolan had never trusted her now it’s going to be a lot worse for her.
“Get out, I don’t want to hear about it” he waved her off.
Unfortunately, there were no CCTV cameras in his office and that of Layla, if not he would have checked already to see who destroyed his reports.
When he checked the footage taken from the hallways, it was only Layla and Carla that came into Layla’s office. That means the culprit was one of them.
“I’m Sorry Nolan, I had nothing to do with this. I will never ruin something I worked so hard on..” she uttered. She would be a very big fool to do that.
“Just leave Layla. I’ve taken care of it.” He dismissed her but Layla was adamant on proving her innocence.
“You must have taken care of it, but I know you still think that I did it! ” She protested.
“And that’s why I have to prove my innocence to you, that I had nothing to do with this..” she said. The only thing she wanted was to prove her innocence to Nolan. She wanted him to know and believe that she had nothing to do with the ruination of his reports.
“That day Carla came into the office..” she began but was interrupted by Nolan.
“Are you saying Carla did it?”
“No I’m not saying that but there might be a chance that she did it. She was the only one who came into my office after I left and I’m hundred percent sure that I placed the reports on my desk before I left, I didn’t even go near the shredding machine..” She explained her plight.
She never wanted to point fingers at anybody but after giving it a thorough thought, Carla was the only one she could blame for it.
As Carla never liked her from the start and only started being nice to her.
“There might also be a chance you did it. Just leave Layla..” he said curtly.
“You’re only denying this fact because Carla is involved..”
“I know if I was the only one involved you wouldn’t have hesitated to raise your hand on me..” She intoned, raising her voice this time.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.
“Get out of my sight Layla!” He yelled at her.
“No, I won’t leave. You should trust me more than anybody Nolan. I’m your mate!” She emphasized. All of these were pissing her off. It hurt to know that Nolan didn’t trust her at all and he would never.
“You said you felt all of my feelings Nolan, so tell me Nolan, listen to your heart and tell me, am I the one who destroyed your reports?” She asked as she looked him straight in the eye.
She could see denial flashing through those icy blue eyes of his.
“Please just answer me, Nolan. You know the truth already. You’re the only one I can rely on, so please believe me..” she pleaded with Nolan who just kept quiet as he pursed his lips.
Layla was right, she was innocent. He could feel everything going inside of her and the only thing he felt was sincerity which only meant that Carla was responsible for this. He’d definitely teach her a lesson.
“Nolan please answer..” she was suddenly interrupted when Nolan stood up from the chair.
“Since you’re trying so hard to be brave, why don’t we try something else instead?” He asked as his lips curved up with a mischievous glint in his eyes as Layla stilled.