• Assurance •

Layla's POV

He sat adjacent to me on the armchair, his legs spread apart as he leaned forward.

"It's just as we discussed earlier with those two," he referred to Leo and Yuri.

"Follow my lead and we'll succeed."

We.

I couldn't help but focus on that specific word.

His hand traveled to his side and he put forward a gun on the coffee table.

"Here, keep this with you." I stared at the gun for a while and then back at him. He was already looking at me.

"I, I don't need this I have my dagger with me," I told him. I'm more comfortable fighting with my dagger.

Sinn continued staring at me with a clenched jaw. "It's an order. You don't know what situation we might be in once we enter the ballroom." He started and I felt lost in his gaze as it stared at me intensely.

"I don't want anything happening to you."

His words made butterflies erupt in my stomach. But I didn't let these words get to me as I broke eye contact with him.

"Why is that so? You could have someone else replace me if anything happens to me. You guys are not short on candidates."

I told him truthfully. There's no denying the fact that they're not short on people who would be dying to get into this unit, and that in my spot under Sinn himself.

So, even if something were to happen to me, they'll have hundreds of people to choose from to replace me.

"No one can replace you, no one. Never will. I won't allow it." His words left me out of breath. I would've taken it as a joke but I couldn't. They were clear and made my heart skip a beat.

I was rendered speechless.

I always have an answer no matter how annoying, irritating, or irrelevant it may be. But I couldn't find an answer to this.

No one has ever told me words like this. I received compliments on my looks and abilities but this was different.

It made me feel important which I never felt.

When I didn't say anything he took the gun back from the coffee table and grabbed my hand, placing it on top of my palm.

"If you have it I can rest assured even if you're out of my sight, which is rare but I don't take chances."

I could feel the coolness of his rings against the skin on my wrist. I gripped the gun which he placed on top of my palm, my fingers grazed his hand which remained on top of the gun.

That gesture of mine was enough to let him know that I have accepted it.

The knock on the door made us break eye contact as Sinn's hands left mine leaving their warmth lingering. I put away the gun and stood up walking towards the door.

One of the maids who showed us our room was standing in front of me and smiled looking down at her feet, "Young master has arrived. They're calling you downstairs."

She spoke softly and I noticed how none of the maids here met eye contact with anyone and always kept their gaze down. Was it out of respect or were they trained to do it? I guess the latter was a much more reasonable explanation.

"We'll be there shortly." I smiled at her while she didn't even look at me and I closed the door after she bowed and left.

I turned around and saw Sinn standing, it amazes me every time how tall and muscular he is. That's what you call God's favorite creation.

"Young master's here," I told him sarcastically and saw a slight smirk lingering on his lips.

"Let's go."

________________________

"Here they are!" Beth exclaimed as we descended the stairs and walked over to where they were, side by side.

I saw a man in his mid-thirties wearing a suit standing with a woman who looked like she was in her late twenties. The woman was attractive that you would stare at her and admire her beauty. But she had a grim look on her face that told she was unhappy.

"Rosie and Victor," Beth said Victor cautiously as she didn't make eye contact with Sinn and I couldn't help but bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling.

"Meet my son, Adrian, and his wife," she continued turning towards the attractive woman beside him, "Veronica."

I gave a genuine smile to her and she smiled at me weakly as if she was tired and hadn't been able to rest well.

Adrian on the other hand gazed at me from top to bottom, lingering his eyes on my chest a little longer and I rolled my eyes internally. Fucking men.

"What a lovely young woman we've got here," Adrian blurted out ignoring the fact that his wife was standing just beside him.

He continued ignoring her as he focused his full attention on me and I noticed his every action while controlling the urge to slash his throat with my dagger.

I'm 18 you fucking pedo.

I didn't even consider giving him a fake smile and glared at him instead.

But this man wasn't taking the sign and advanced while having a hideous smirk on his face.

He pushed away his wife as she stood in front of me and I noticed she stumbled but balanced herself like she's used to him treating her this way.

I was on the verge of losing control when he put forward his hand and grabbed mine, taking it to his lips to peck them.

It was too sudden for me to react and before I could even move a muscle, a strong hand pulled away from his dirty hand from mine and shook it.

A bit too tightly cause of the look Adrian now had on his face laced with pain.

"Who the hell are you?!" Adrian questioned, his tone laced with pain as his pitch increased.

"Her fucking fiancé," Sinn gritted, his tone much more aggressive than I would've expected him to be over this.

Leo and Yuri did talk about this young master right here and his sick ways of making other women uncomfortable. Now that I'm seeing this fucking bastard I feel like torturing him.

Or maybe, Sinn should do it instead as he did with those traitors.

I noticed Adrian backing off cause Sinn was glaring at him like he'll kill him with his gaze.

I wanted Sinn to break his bones but I noticed Veronica gazing at Sinn with a horrified look on her face which made me scoot over towards him.

"Stop it, you're scaring the poor woman." I placed my hand on his upper arm and Sinn glanced at it. He slowly let go of his hand and Adrian withdrew it, backing a few steps away from us as he massaged his wrist.

Beth stared in between all four of us as she tried to keep her smile on her face, "I'm glad you all are getting along!" She said cheerfully, it was a white lie as we all knew, none of us were getting along or will except Veronica of course. I like her.

"I'll leave you guys to chit chat, I have a lot to prepare for the ball tomorrow," Beth said pretending to be oblivious of the fact that instead of chit-chatting there's only going to be death stares thrown at Adrian by Sinn.

"Veronica, I want you to accompany me." She told her with a smile and she nodded her head weakly as she followed Beth.

Adrian was long gone and it was for the better cause I didn't want to even exist in the same space as that fucker.

So I decided to roam around the living room and explore it without Beth accompanying us every step.

I stopped by one of the pillars cause I heard someone mumbling, "It's because of you that my son looks at other women. What would you have done if Victor Vinci broke his hand?"

It was Beth's voice. I moved to my left and Veronica came into view, standing with her head hung low.

"Answer me god dammit! Woman like you could never please their man. Not when you roam around with that depressed look on your face. Smile, you're married into the Astor family. You have no reason to be sad."

My blood boiled as Beth uttered those venomous words at her. I was about to walk over to them when a hand grabbed me from behind and made my back collide with the pillar.

I looked over at them with frustration cause they just stopped me from grabbing that bitch by her hair.

"Don't." Sinn's deep voice said and I opened my mouth to argue back but he tilted his head and I closed it knowing well that I can't do it.

While one of his hands grabbed my wrist, the other was placed beside my face on the pillar.

"How could she say those vile words to her? Isn't she a woman herself?" I questioned him not knowing who else to rant out to except him whose standing right in front of me.

Beth right now reminded me of my father who wouldn't let an opportunity slip away of disrespecting women. He searched for them so he can ridicule us.

I don't know how my mother is living with him right now. But I made a promise to myself that I'll take her away from him once and for all.

Her hell would end that day.

He stared at me as I breathed, my chest rising and falling out of anger.

"I'll take care of her." That's the only thing he said as he stepped back.

An; what should you do in order to love yourself?