Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
During a stormy night, relentless winds hurled rain against the floor-to-ceiling windows. In the grand villa, light shone only from a single bedroom.
Leila Sinclair propped herself against the headboard, her eyes skimming through a book as drowsiness crept in.
Abruptly, the bedroom door swung open. Startled, Leila glanced up to find her husband, Landon Kensington, standing in the doorway.
Landon loomed there, impeccably dressed in a sharp suit, his attractive features marred by a scowl. Before Leila could utter a word, Landon pressed his lips to hers, the smell of alcohol mingling with the freshness of the rain. His cold hand slid under her skirt, pressing firmly against her resisting leg.
In a thick, persuasive tone, Landon commanded, “Don’t move.”
Leila ceased her struggles, the pain escalating as she emitted faint, distorted noises. At her sounds, Landon frowned and placed his hand over her mouth. Silenced, Leila clung to Landon’s muscular arm, her grip desperate, as if anchoring herself in a tumultuous sea. She was overwhelmed by the time Landon released her and headed for the shower.
Moments after Landon disappeared behind the bathroom door, his phone on the nightstand came to life. Out of reflex, Leila glanced at it and saw a new message flash on the screen: “Landon, I’m sorry, okay? Can you stop going back to your mute wife every time we fight? It’s really hurting me.”
The light faded from Leila’s eyes. She realized she would never master the art of playful scolding or the tender grievances shared softly in the quiet of night.
Due to a childhood illness, Leila’s voice had been stolen from her, leaving her unable to speak. She could only produce fragmented sounds, which even her own husband found unbearable to hear.
Through the frosted glass of the bathroom window, Leila could see Landon’s tall silhouette. She quickly averted her gaze.
Landon was carelessly drying his damp hair, looking down at her with a dismissive stare. “Did you just look at my phone?” he asked.
Leila tensed, shook her head swiftly, instinctively denying it. She wanted to clarify that it was an accidental glimpse.
But Landon’s patience had worn thin. He declared icily, “Don’t touch my phone again.”
Leila forced a smile, biting her lip as she nodded. Landon’s love was not hers to claim. Their marriage had been arranged by his grandfather. Landon had bluntly stated he married her solely because she was the adopted daughter of the Kensington family, and he didn’t want to defy his grandfather’s wishes.
For five years, Leila had never overstepped, fully aware of Landon’s affairs, yet she remained silent, fearing he would find her bothersome.
Taking a deep breath, Leila gestured to fetch a glass of milk for him. Without the courage to meet Landon’s indifferent gaze, she hastily exited the room.
Behind her, Landon picked up his phone and dismissively deleted the message without even checking its content.
Leila got up early the next morning. Landon, notorious for his picky eating habits, had a delicate stomach. For years, Leila had meticulously prepared his breakfast every morning.
As Landon descended the stairs, the first thing that caught his eye was Leila, bustling about the kitchen. The strings of her apron accentuated Leila’s slender waist, while faint hickeys lingered on her neck from the night before. She was the epitome of gentleness, always serene and avoiding making a fuss, truly an exemplary wife.
A subtle softening touched Landon’s usually impassive features. He broke the silence. “Let’s have breakfast together.”
Overjoyed, Leila nodded vigorously and signed her gratitude. She removed her apron and seated herself carefully next to him, closer than they’d ever been. Landon passed her a sandwich, which Leila accepted with a cautious, grateful smile.
In a nonchalant manner, Landon mentioned, “Tomorrow’s my brother’s baby’s hundred-day celebration. You should come with me.”
Leila nearly let the sandwich slip through her fingers in astonishment. He seldom invited her to public gatherings. Yet here he was, asking her to join him for such an occasion. Her eyes flickered with hesitation and conflict, a trace of reluctance crossing her expression, unnoticed by Landon.
Nonchalantly, Landon added, “I’ll have my assistant drop off some clothes tomorrow and pick you up at noon.”
Leila had no other option but to agree.
The Kensington family held immense influence in Arcpool, and Dean Kensington, the eldest son, was celebrating his firstborn’s hundred-day milestone with a lavish affair. Dean had reserved a premier hotel for the occasion, now buzzing with excitement.
Leila, dressed in a beige gown complemented by subtle makeup, looked radiant. Her fine features and bright eyes made her the center of attention. However, the gazes that swept over her were critical, not admiring.
“How fortunate she is! Born unable to speak, yet she married so well. Why can’t I be that lucky? Is it because I can talk?”
“And what good does talking do you? Can you evoke sympathy the way she does?”
“What are you implying?”
“Remember, she seemed so forlorn that Roderick Kensington took her in as his foster daughter and married her off to Landon. Such a pity play!”
“People call it luck, but it’s all calculated. You should learn from her!”
Leila inwardly protested, wanting to argue that Roderick simply sympathized with her. Yet, she knew her silent rebuttal fell on deaf ears.
“Leila, there you are! We’ve been waiting for you.”
A sweet, melodious voice filled the air. It belonged to Leila’s sister-in-law, Melinda Kensington, who was cradling her baby and smiling warmly at Leila.
“Come hold the baby for some good luck,” Melinda urged. “You and Landon have been trying for five years without any news. It’s time to pick up the pace.”
All eyes suddenly fixated on Leila, sharp as knives. Leila’s hands began to sweat with anxiety.
Melinda continued, “Look, no one blames you for your disability. But sweetness alone won’t suffice as a wife. How can you meet your responsibilities if you can’t bear children?”
Crushed by embarrassment, Leila moved to take Melinda’s baby. However, she was abruptly stopped by another hand.
Her mother-in-law, Shirley Kensington, quickly took Melinda’s baby away. “This child is healthy. We can’t let her risk being affected by bad luck or sickness once you hold her.”
Leila’s heart sank. She tried to explain that it wasn’t that she couldn’t bear children. The thing was…
The crowd was puzzled by Leila’s sign language, and Shirley interrupted her sharply. “Even if you could have children, we’d rather you didn’t. What if your child inherits your problems? We can’t allow that!”
The crowd murmured in agreement, “Exactly, we must think of the children’s well-being!”
Leila felt a cold dread. If she couldn’t have children, then surely that other woman could? She wasn’t as infertile as Melinda implied. Leila had once fallen pregnant unexpectedly. However, Shirley, insisting that the child might inherit her muteness and that Landon wouldn’t want such a child, coerced her into having an abortion.
Leila was unable to convey that her muteness was caused by an illness, not heredity. Thus, with heavy tears, she aborted the child. The pain of that decision lingered, sharper than she ever imagined it would.
Melinda remarked softly, “Shirley, I hear your concerns. However, I’ve only been able to have one daughter, and I faced complications that may prevent me from having more children. If Leila is unable to have children, our family line could end here.”
Turning to Landon with a soft expression, Melinda asked, “Landon, what are your thoughts on this?”
The room’s attention pivoted to Landon, many anticipating a scene.
It was common knowledge that Landon was not fond of his arranged marriage. A public rejection of Leila would certainly stir up headlines.
Yet, a frosty demeanor overtook Landon’s stern features as he retorted sarcastically, “You’re speaking too much. What’s your point?”
Melinda’s expression faltered, realizing she had inadvertently crossed a line with the wrong person.
Shirley intervened, attempting to smooth things over. “Your sister-in-law was only expressing her concern out of care for you. It was out of line for you to respond so harshly.”
Melinda cast her eyes down, her voice tinged with remorse. “Dean is away on business, and I’ve been handling everything on my own since the baby came. I meant only to show I care, but I apologize if I’ve caused any offense.”
Landon’s skepticism was palpable, his voice frosty as he said, “If managing the household feels overwhelming, you don’t have to force yourself to do it.”
He gestured to his assistant, instructing him to set aside the gifts. “My personal life is off-limits,” he declared firmly.
In the stunned silence that followed, filled with astonished and perplexed gazes, Landon escorted Leila away from the party.
Leila was dumbfounded, barely registering the events until they were seated in the car. She hadn’t anticipated Landon defending her so openly.
Landon’s brow creased slightly, annoyance tinging his voice as he said, “Ignore what they said.”
Leila shook her head, indicating the comments hadn’t affected her.
Landon’s frustration grew. “So, in all these five years, have you really never considered the idea of us having children?”
Leila had always been compliant and kind, her love for Landon unquestionable. Yet, her apparent indifference to the idea of children now made him doubt her feelings.
Ever since their wedding, Leila had harbored dreams of them sharing a child. However, she knew that as long as Shirley was in the picture, it would remain just that-a dream. She wondered if Landon was testing her desire for motherhood.
Pausing briefly, Leila finally gestured to let the incident slide. She feared, as Shirley had said, that her child might inherit her inability to speak.