Unfinished Business

Chapter 18: Layla's POV

Layla leaned back, eyein' herself in the mirror as she adjusted her hair. The bump was showin' now, just enough to remind everyone around her that she was expectin'. It wasn't like she was new to this game; she'd been in and out of scenes like this before, but this time, she had her sights set on somethin' bigger. Que.

Que was always different. He was more than just some guy in the crowd—he had money, power, and respect. She'd watched him from a distance, always lookin' for an openin', waitin' for her chance to get close. And a few months back, she'd finally found it. She'd heard about him breakin' up with that girl of his, so she saw her chance and took it. A few drinks later, he was in her hands, and that was all she needed.

But when she found out she was pregnant, things got... complicated. She wasn't sure who the father was. Layla had been with a few guys around the same time, but none of them were Que. They didn't have his status, his money. One of them even told her straight up that he wanted nothin' to do with her or the baby. So, she'd kept quiet about it—until now.

Seeing Que Again

Layla had spent the last couple of months keepin' to herself, plannin' her next move. She'd wanted to wait until she was showin' enough for Que to take her seriously. When she finally spotted him around, she didn't waste any time. Walkin' up to him, she watched his eyes narrow, tryin' to piece together what she was doin' there.

"We need to talk, Que," she said, her voice steady as she placed a hand on her belly, lettin' the bump do the talkin' for her.

Que's face changed, brows furrowin' as he took in what she was sayin'. "Wait... you're pregnant?" he asked, almost like he was tryin' to connect the dots.

Layla nodded, keepin' her expression calm. "Yeah. And it might be yours."

Que's whole demeanor shifted, goin' from shock to frustration in an instant. "Why the hell are you just now tellin' me?"

She shrugged, pretendin' like it wasn't a big deal. "I wanted to be sure. And now I am. But you can go ahead and be sure too—take the paternity test when the baby's here if that's what you want."

They talked for a bit, with Que layin' out his terms and his demands. He wasn't happy about any of it, and he made that clear. But Layla didn't care; she'd gotten what she wanted—the acknowledgment. They'd agreed on the test, and to her, that was all she needed to keep him around until the baby arrived.

Later That Day

Back at her place, Layla was feelin' restless. She'd spent the last few months plottin' this out, and now that she had Que's attention, she wasn't gonna let him go that easily. She picked up her phone, scrollin' through her contacts before finally dialin' his number. He picked up after a few rings, his voice cool and detached.

"What's up?" Que asked, soundin' more irritated than interested.

Layla took a breath, tryin' to keep her tone casual. "So... are you still with her? Your ex, or whatever? You two tryna get back together or what?"

Que's answer was sharp. "That ain't your business, Layla."

Layla rolled her eyes, leanin' back on her couch. "If this baby's yours, why can't we try to be a family? I mean, what's stoppin' us from makin' this work?"

Que let out a short laugh, his tone cold. "Look, that ain't happenin'. Ever. And we don't even know if this baby's mine. We'll do the test, and we'll see then."

His words cut, and Layla's frustration flared. He was bein' rude, dismissin' her like she was nothin', and she wasn't about to take that without a fight.

"Oh, so that's how it's gonna be?" she shot back, her voice tight. "Well, if you keep treatin' me like this, I might just have to let a few things slip. Maybe your little ex would like to know about that night. Or maybe I could take this online—see how your 'happy family' holds up then."

Que's voice dropped, his tone deadly serious. "You don't wanna play that game with me, Layla. Trust me."

Her heart skipped a beat, feelin' the threat behind his words. She swallowed, tryin' to keep her composure, but a small chill went down her spine. "Fine," she muttered, lettin' the anger simmer in her voice. "Whatever. Guess I'll just see you when the baby's here."

Without waitin' for his response, she hung up, takin' a breath as she tossed the phone aside. She'd pushed him, and maybe that wasn't the best move, but she wasn't backin' down. She was determined to get what she wanted, one way or another.

As she sent Que a text, lettin' him know she'd see him when the baby arrived, she settled back, plannin' her next steps. She'd gotten under his skin, and now it was only a matter of time before she figured out how to get what she wanted.