Layla tore off the strap on her clothes and then tied the phone to the railing.
Then she turned to look over the railing. Her hair fluttered as the wind blew, and it showed her beautiful side profile.
She faced the wind. Her voice was not loud, but those who watched the live broadcast could still clearly hear her.
“I didn’t bully Mia. She uploaded the videos out of context and used that to slander me.”
Her remark was short, but it triggered another discussion.
“You’ve beaten her up, and you still want to argue about this?”
“Her suicide attempt nearly succeeded, and you still broke into the hospital to bully her. You’re a monster!”
“Layla, shut your mouth. Go to hell, and maybe you can redeem your sins once you’re dead!”
“Exactly. Why do you need to talk so much? Just hurry up and die already!”
“Is that the rooftop? Great, you can jump down from the rooftop! Go on then, jump!”
“The wicked will face retribution, and when you die, your body will never be found!”
Layla kept her gaze on the horizon instead of the phone screen.
No one knew if someone had called the police, but the hospital staff got wind of the news. Soon enough, a hoard of people filled the rooftop.
Even Mia’s friends hid within the crowd, and they held their mobile phones while they waited for an opportunity to strike.
“Don’t come near me!” Layla roared, and those who stood near her backed off immediately.
Discussions on the live broadcast platform were still ongoing and had not subsided.
“Oh, she’s really considering suicide.”
“Seriously? She should die further away. Isn’t this bad for the hospital?”
“Which hospital is so unlucky? It’s a bargain!”
Layla suddenly turned toward the camera and shouted, “Listen, I did not bully Mia. It was Mia who deliberately framed me.”
“Mia did not commit suicide. When I went to see her today, she was still fine.”
“She deliberately fought with me and asked her friend to take those videos, edit the clips in her favor, and frame me for the beatings.”
“I hope that the police will investigate this matter. I hope that my death will urge all of you to evaluate everything thoroughly and clear my name.”
After that, she climbed up onto the railing.
“Layla!” Elena rushed out of the crowd and called out to her. “Layla, listen to me, stop messing around!”
“Elena…” Layla did not expect Elena to appear out of the blue. Layla’s eyes reddened, and she froze immediately.
“Elena, I was framed. I didn’t hit her. She hit me.”
Layla only felt comfortable enough to talk when Elena was present-her friends were the only people who believed her.
“I know, I know!” Elena took a few careful steps forward.
“Don’t do anything foolish. Believe me, this entire thing will come to light. I’ll make sure you get justice. Please trust me.”
“But I’ve burdened my family, and I’ve burdened you …”
“You didn’t! You didn’t do any of that. As long as you come with me, everything will be fine again!”
Elena took another two steps forward and softened the tone of her voice even more. “Listen to me and follow my advice. Come down, let’s go home and talk.”
“There’s no turning back,” Layla cried.
Her elder sister was dumped, and her brother’s business was ruined. Her dad-who never liked her to begin with-would hate her even more.
She was an illegitimate daughter with a difficult life in the Miller family. It took a lot of effort from her family members even to accept her existence.
She had caused so much trouble. Her family must have hated her even more!
“You can turn it around! You can.” Elena continued to move forward to approach her gradually.
“Layla, listen to me. When have I ever lied to you? There’s still hope as long as you come back.”
“I will help you. I will clear your name and everything will be okay!”
Layla looked at her. She had always been willing to believe in Elena because she was her best friend.
On that occasion, however, she had burdened Elena too. “They said that you’re next. You’ll be affected by me…”
“She won’t,” a deep voice suddenly said.
He emerged from the crowd and stood proudly under the sun with an imposing manner that was hard to ignore.
Michael stared at the girl who sat on the railing. His blank face remained indifferent, but no one would question his conviction.
“You will not burden anyone, I promise you.”
Elena glanced back at him as her heart thumped madly.
If there was anyone in the world who could make someone trust them unconditionally, that person was none other than Master Williams.
He meant it when he said that she would not burden Elena.
Elena locked her gaze onto Layla once again and nodded. “Mr. Williams promised that you wouldn’t. Are you going to doubt his words too?”
Layla looked at Michael with tears from the corner of her eyes. That man gave her the kind of peace that she had never felt before.
He was Elena’s fiance, and he promised that she would not burden Elena. Suddenly, even Layla had confidence in his words.
She was still a little shaken.
No one would die willingly because everyone feared death.
“Elena …” She looked at Elena with some feelings of uncertainty.
“Please come back, Layla. Are you really not going to believe what he just said?”
Elena said that despite the cold shoulder and silent treatment between Master Williams and herself.
At that moment, however, Master Williams had helped her a lot.
If it were not for him, Layla would not have dropped her suicidal intent so soon.
She was astonished by Master Williams’s effect on other people.
Layla bit her lip, and finally, she decided to crawl her way back to the roof slowly.
Her eyes darted off to the side and landed on her mobile phone that was still tied to the railing.
She was still broadcasting, and she almost forgot about it!
Someone spoke, and every word was clearly reflected in her eyes. “Who’s the guy who just spoke? Is he the powerful man behind the bitch?”
“No wonder Mia said that she has someone powerful behind her. It must be the man who just spoke.”
“But the man’s voice sounded so amazing!”
Since the camera faced the railing, the viewers could not see Elena and Michael, but they would still hear their voices.
“We have to make sure that the guy knows how many men that bitch Elena had slept with in the past. She’s been used many, many times!”
“Yes, you can’t keep your family in the dark about this…”
Layla gritted her teeth and smacked the phone to send it flying.
They even wanted to tarnish Elena’s name! All they wanted to do was to cause chaos in the world. Their actions were simply too much!
Layla did not expect that she would slip after her rather forceful movements earlier. Her body started to tumble over the railing.
“Layla!”
Elena stood closest to Layla, and she was startled when she realized what was about to happen. She did not have time to think about anything else as she rushed forward. She grabbed Layla and pulled her friend with all her might.
No one expected the unmaintained railings on the hospital balcony to be so fragile.
As she pulled Layla’s body toward her, Elena’s body slammed into the railing.
The railing tilted slightly before Elena rolled off it because she could not cushion the impact.
“Argh…” There was a loud scream.
The people who had watched the drama from the balconies could only scream in horror. Meanwhile, the security guards were still so stunned that none of them could reach her in time.
They could only watch as Elena’s slender figure hit the railings and then fell forward from the sky-high balcony.