Chapter 3: Chardonnay, Madame?

The following week had passed rather quickly. Layla had to take a couple of days off work and deal with the formalities of her new married status but also come to terms with the realization that magic and monsters were real. She wondered what on earth possessed her to accept that fresh reality of hers and seal it with a signature but the truth of the matter was that she no longer had any choice. What was done was done. All that was left was to try and get back to normal.

And that she did; for the first part of the morning, at least. As per usual, Layla woke up early, got dressed in one of her more elegant Isaia two-piece suits, stopped by her local coffee shop, and with a piping hot Americano in hand, she waltzed into her office building as if nothing worth of merit had happened the previous weekend. After saying hello to a few of her colleagues, she dropped her luxury bag on her desk and turned on her laptop, sipping on her customary morning brew. Nothing out of the ordinary until Maddison, her colleague and best friend since day 1 in London, suddenly appeared in her line of vision and slammed her hands on Layla's desk loudly.

"You little shrew! How dare you?" Maddison confronted her, visibly offended.

"A bit too early for pet names, don't you think, Maddie?" Layla questioned in return, placing her coffee on a safe, flat surface. The way Maddie was acting, perhaps it wasn't that wise to keep beverages too close to one's pristine white blouse.

"Oh, spare me the cute sarcasm, Layla! How could you get married and not tell me, your best friend? Not tell anyone, for that matter!?"

Straight to it, huh? Layla mused, thinking she shouldn't have been that surprised. This was Maddison she was talking about and that particular fiery redhead would not back down so easily. Everything about her was straight to the point. Maddison wore her crimson-dyed hair in a bob, thick bangs covering her large, black eyes which gave her the appearance of a chich feline, always on the prowl. She preferred wearing short skirts and expensive accessories, truly believing that no rich person would invest in their brokerage if the agents did not look the part. Luckily for everyone working at Bradfort & co. not only did the employees appear prosperous, but they were indeed so - a direct result of their hard work and intelligently established connections.

"I suppose I have no excuse," Layla said. "But I am sorry, Maddie. Trust me, I wanted to tell you more than anyone but it all happened so quickly, I felt that I had to become comfortable with the information first before letting everyone else know."

"What do you mean it happened quickly?" Maddie asked suspiciously. "Clearly, you've been keeping on to this secret for a while. People don't just wake up and get married."

"You'd be surprised," Layla sighed, a headache washing over her as she remembered the past weekend. "But you deserve an explanation so I'll tell you everything you need to know."

"You better!" Maddie pointed an accusatory finger at her friend. "Do you know how humiliating it was for me to find out about your marriage from Glenda in HR? From Glenda!"

Layla tried her best to withstand her chuckle, Maddie thrived in theatrics and drama. She could almost picture her mouth dropping unceremoniously as Glenda happened to, casually mention, Layla's transition from a single bird into a married woman.

"I'm sorry, Maddie. I really am. But you haven't missed out on anything, trust me. It's an arranged marriage so we only had an officiating ceremony with his parents and Uncle Aaron. It was short, simple and quite detached. If anything, attending it would have made you feel uncomfortable." Not to mention horrified, Layla added a mental note, the idea of objects levitating freely clearly scaring anyone out of their minds.

"An arranged marriage?" Maddie raised her eyebrows, something suddenly dawning on her. "This is your Uncle's fault, isn't it? Did he bully you into marrying this guy? I mean, it wouldn't be the first time you have to clean up his mess. But this? This is going too far, Layla."

"Yes, it is. However, it's the last favor I'm doing for him, we agreed."

"And you believe him?"

"No, but at least I won't feel guilty next time he asks for something and I refuse."

"You should have refused this as well. This is not just a favor, this is a lifetime commitment."

"Not quite," Layla whispered, leaning in conspiratorially. "Don't tell anyone but I'm only supposed to put up with this marriage for a year. Meanwhile, I'm free to do as I please. Apart from my last name, nothing else has to change. We don't even have to live together."

Maddie stared blankly at Layla, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. She was so easy to read and she was at war with Layla's explanations.

"And don't you find anything weird with that?"

"Oh, I find plenty. But his father did save my uncle's life, ergo saving me from ending up in the system so in a way, this is a debt that must be paid. One year is a small price."

"Maybe but, it's still strange. Why do they need a one-year marriage?"

"It's…complicated," Layla said, not keen on revealing to Maddie any other alarming details. Her friend did not need to know about the magic, the wizarding world, or the sins the Malfoy family had apparently committed in the past. Some things were better kept under wraps.

"And I appreciate your worry, Maddie, but I know what I'm doing. I'll be perfectly fine, you'll see."

"If you say so," Maddie said, not believing her one bit. "Anyways, tell me about him. What's his name?"

"Draco Malfoy," Layla replied, content to have finally steered the subject in a safer direction.

"Sounds very…aristocratic."

"Well, he comes from a rich family and they seem to be very traditional," Layla offered, unsure of whether "traditional" was the right word to describe the Malfoys. Appelatives such as "deadly", "cold-blooded" and "haughty" were far better options but those would be met with less enthusiasm by her friend, Layla was certain of that.

"Good for you," Maddie praised. "And how is he? Your husband, I mean. God, it sounds so weird saying that out loud."

"Tell me about it," Layla chuckled. "As for him, he's pretentious, arrogant and indifferent so nothing we don't see around here on a daily basis."

"Hah! Well, with that, we do have plenty of experience. Will I get to meet him?"

"Probably not," Layla said sincerely. "He's veeery busy. I'll hardly see him myself and I'm supposed to be his wife."

Layla was certain that Hell would rather freeze over than Mr. Draco Malfoy setting foot into her office to meet her colleagues or worse, her friends. His family had made it abundantly clear they were not to engage in any activities apart from some formal events in the future which meant, they didn't have any reason to get to know each other. Their lives were still their own. And that suited Layla perfectly fine.

"Right. That's why you're not that miffed about this whole situation," Maddie said, her eyes darting towards a certain someone who had just entered their premises.

Layla also followed Maddie's example and now her own gaze was resting on who turned out to be a very tall and handsome man. Rafael Alvarez, a fellow colleague and potential love interest. Out of all the men Layla had the pleasure of encountering, Rafael was top of her list. Smart, charming and an ambitious go-getter, Rafael would make the perfect partner for her. He was also interested, he had made his intentions clear but had never asked her out. It was not good manners to date a colleague, especially in their firm however, the more forbidden something was, the more people wanted it. Rafael was no exception. And he was now headed their way.

"Good morning, Maddie, Layla," he greeted with his trademark seductive smile. "I suppose congratulations are in order, I had no idea you were an engaged woman, Layla."

Layla grinned in return, flashing the upper part of her teeth, teasing him with her playful attitude. They had been on and off, always flirting, always testing the waters, neither of them taking the first step yet both yearning for it to the point foreplay was just a dirty, painful chore.

"There are many things you don't know about me, Rafael. I told you, I'm a fountain of constant surprises. But thank you for congratulating me," Layla said sweetly, playing their regular game of cat-and-mouse.

"I should have paid more attention. Now here I am, sulking away, deprived of the chance to even compete for your attention."

"Oh, you had plenty of chances. But you lacked a bit of foresight, I suppose? Good things don't wait forever, you know?"

"I know now," he pressed, eyes locking with hers, looking serious for the first time in the long months they had been flirting with each other. "I am deeply devastated."

"Perhaps you shouldn't be."

"Oh?"

"Between you and me, my marriage is one of convenience not love."

"Now that is unexpected and old-fashioned. I like it."

"Too bad you can't do anything about it," she challenged, enjoying every word of their exchange.

"Are you sure?"

"Not really," Layla concluded, liking where the conversation was going. "Who knows what the future might bring?"

"Well, judging by your engagement ring, not a very long-lasting marriage, I'd say," Rafael revealed, a twinkle of challenge igniting in his eyes.

Layla looked down at her hand and then back at him, confusion blooming on her face.

"I never pegged you as an emerald enthusiast, Layla. If your husband knew you at all, he would have gotten you a proper diamond. As you so clearly deserve."

The tension between the two became unbearable and Maddie was starting to feel out of place in the middle of that conversation. It was either she was going to stop them or risk becoming physically ill by their shameless philandering. Luckily for her, their boss arrived right on time.

"Staff meeting, everyone. Now!" Mr. Bradfort ordered and entered his office, leaving the door open for the rest of his employees and partners to follow suit.

Breaking eye contact with Layla, Rafael had detached himself from her desk and was among the first to enter the boss' office, with Layla and Maddie following close behind.

"I can't believe you two! Flirting in the open like that!" Maddie scolded, digging her nails in Layla's arms.

"I can't help it, you know how he makes me feel."

"Yes, well, that usually wouldn't be a problem but you're married now, remember?"

"So what? Both parties agreed we're free to do whatever we want. I don't plan on losing opportunities with Rafael just because I signed a piece of paper."

"You're unbelievable. And this is so wrong!"

Was it? Layla felt as if she had been robbed enough of her life and she was not about to let Rafael escape through her fingers just like that. If the two of them were together, they would become an instant power couple and she had a feeling Rafael knew that all too well. Too bad his timing had been off. Perhaps if neither of them had focused on games and pursued a proper relationship, her uncle wouldn't have even suggested that marriage to her. With those thoughts still lingering in her head, Layla took a seat around the table, trying to pay attention to what Richard Bradfort was saying.

"Alright, everyone. Let's jump right in and discuss our quarterly earnings and prioritize the portfolios for next month. Let's start with you, Sinclair."

"She's Malfoy, now," Maddie corrected, much to Layla's dismay.

"Ah, right, I did hear about your wedding, Layla. Congratulations. I had hoped I'd be invited to the happy occasion but perhaps having your boss attend is not that popular anymore," Richard said, in a voice that was both amused and resentful.

"I apologize, Richard. But it was very intimate, only family members attended," Layla said, sounding as apologetic as she could. One week into her marriage and the Malfoys were already causing her trouble.

"Well, in that case, you are forgiven. But I do expect you to bring your husband round the office sometime, I'd like to meet him," Richard added.

"Of course," Layla agreed, hoping such an occasion would never come. In fact, she would make sure of it. If she wanted any other chance at pursuing Rafael, bringing Draco to meet him and the rest of her colleagues was simply bad business in the romance department.

Her head turned in Rafael's direction, taking one last look at his profile before starting to present her updated portfolio. Rafael was completely different from Draco. He was just as fetching as the Malfoy heir, with his dark chestnut hair and alluring green eyes only that his personality was far more accessible. His whole being was inviting and radiated a pure and raw sensuality etched in a strong jaw and well-built frame. Women could simply not resist him and Layla too, had fallen victim to his good looks. The fact that he had great character, only added more fuel to her fire.

On her finger, her engagement ring seemed to burn in resentment. It shouldn't have bothered her, what Rafael said. After all, his mother had picked the ring out. As a matter of fact, it was a family heirloom so it was not as if they went to Cartier or Tiffany's to buy it. Consequently, she had an expensive and unique piece of jewelry. And yet, Layla agreed with Rafael. She absolutely adored diamonds.

OOO

By the end of the day, Layla felt drained. For the first time in a long time, she had to say pass to drinks after work because she was truly exhausted, not to mention, worried she might have to go through another round of interrogations and answer questions such as: "Where did you and your husband meet? and "How long have you been dating?" or "Where will you spend your honeymoon?"

She promised Maddie she would tell her more next time they met but until then, she needed to get home, open a bottle of Chardonnay and collapse on her couch watching a silly romcom in prelude to sleep. And she planned to sleep a lot, especially since the next day was Saturday and she was allowed to stay in bed as late as noon. However, Layla failed to enjoy that particular luxury because early in the morning, a peculiar sound rose her from her sleep.

At first, she couldn't identify it. But the more she heard it, the quicker sleep evaded her and she was forced to drag herself out of bed and chase the source of the racket. It sounded like a loud tap against something. And it came from the living room. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust and when they did, Layla thought she was going to faint. Or pinch herself because she was clearly still dreaming.

On one of the doors leading to her rooftop terrace, an owl was busy tapping on the glass with its beak, almost asking to be let in. Layla rubbed her eyes, shook her head in disbelief, and watched with horror as the giant bird continued to peck at her glass doors, flapping its wings in protest. With trembling hands, she reached for her phone and called the person who would most likely run to her aid. On the second ring, the person picked up.

"Uncle?" Layla shakily asked Aaron, hoping that the sound of his voice would dispel the panic. She would have no such luck.

"Good morning, Layla! How are you this fine morning?"

"Mortified," she answered, keeping her gaze fixed on the bird. "There is an owl at my window."

There was silence on the other end, for a few seconds at least.

"An…owl?"

"Yes, Uncle Aaron, an owl! The giant predatory bird with silent flight and eyes that stare into your soul! Sounds familiar?"

"Yes, yes, I understand," he tried to calm his niece to the best of his ability. "What is it doing?"

"I think it's trying to get inside my flat, it keeps pecking at the glass."

"Oh, is it holding something by any chance?"

"What?" Layla asked, wondering why her uncle was asking her silly questions instead of rushing over to save her. She should have called animal control instead.

"In its claws, is it holding something?"

Seeing no other end to her issue, Layla decided she would humor her uncle and peered at the bird's claws. He had been right.

"Not holding but…I can see something attached to one of its legs."

"Oh, I see!" Uncle Aaron sounded suddenly relieved. "That is a messenger owl from the Malfoys no doubt; this is a wizard's preferred communication channel."

"You've got to be kidding me! Haven't these people heard of smartphones?"

"I'm sure they have but they probably think owls are safer when sending messages. Now open the window or the door and let the poor bird in."

"Absolutely not!" Layla raised her tone almost to a shriek. It was enough her morning was ruined, she was not about to let a wild animal loose into her home. What if it attacked her?

"Layla, listen to me, it's perfectly safe. These creatures are well-trained and they will not harm you. Just let the bird in and read the message, I'm sure it's important."

She didn't care if it was important, it was unacceptable for them to contact her in that absurd manner, secrecy be damned. For a brief moment, Layla wondered if owls could be intercepted as well but realized she was not that interested to know the answer. A bit fearful and hesitant, Layla neared her glass doors.

"If it plucks my eyes out, it's on you, Uncle Aaron," she said begrudgingly and opened the doors with a swift pull, removing herself from what, just moments later, became the bird's trajectory. Unfazed by the new location, the owl flew in quite gracefully, perching itself on top of one of Layla's kitchen chairs.

"Alright, the bird is inside my kitchen now. What do I do next?"

"Take the roll of parchment attached and read it," her uncle instructed her calmly.

"I was afraid you were going to say that," she sighed and building up courage, Layla approached the feathered creature. The owl blinked at Layla, almost stretching the leg in question and in the process, convincing her that maybe, she would survive the encounter after all. She measured her breathing, touched the owl tentatively and then began removing a small roll of paper from the bird. With precise movements, she opened the roll and began reading the beautifully written words:

Dear Layla,

I hope my letter finds you well. It is with great regret that I must inform you of a family function you are required to attend next week. Draco has also been informed and we shall return with more details pertaining to the event. It goes without saying that your presence is mandatory.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Best regards,

Narcissa Malfoy

"Well?" Her uncle prodded her from the other line.

"You were right, it is a letter from the Malfoys. Narcissa, specifically," Layla said, analyzing the letter. It was the most formal and icy piece of writing she ever had the privilege of reading. "It seems I have to go meet them sooner than I expected. They have an event and I must attend, 'my presence is mandatory', to quote my dear mother-in-law."

"I see. You sound displeased."

"Well, I am. I had hoped that the next time I see the Malfoys would be…never."

"Layla…you know the deal…"

"You mean the deal you made?" Layla questioned, putting Uncle Aaron on the spot again. He remained silent at her words and somehow, that made Layla feel guilty and ungrateful despite the positions being reversed. She tried to enter his good graces again, pointing out something that was bothering her.

"Uncle?"

"Yes, Layla?"

"That bird is still here."

"Oh."

"Why is it still here?"

"Hmm, I believe it's expecting a reply from your part?"

Layla frowned, looking at the bird, trying to see if she could get a more satisfactory reply from the creature instead. Unfortunately, the bird was busy tending to her feathers, ignoring Layla's predicament completely.

"You mean I need to write Narcissa back? What would I even say?"

"Well, let her know you will attend, it's common courtesy. Just keep it simple and polite."

Simple and polite, huh? Layla thought to herself, hands reaching for a white sheet of paper. That I can do.

OOO

Author's note: Hey, guys! Yes, I know, there was no Draco in this chapter but I'm trying to build the world and create tension and the best way I can do that is through establishing backgrounds and personalities for my characters. I promise it's going to be worth it. Thank you for reading and I would really appreciate a comment and a follow! Hugs! 3