Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Everyone present could see through her declaration-this university promotional shoot was clearly just a convenient way for Sarah to overshadow Leila.
And Landon, doing nothing to stop her, seemed to support Sarah’s move.
Turning to Leila with a forced smile, Sarah proposed, “Since I’m not skilled in restoration, I’ll handle the broader scenes. For the detailed close-ups, Leila, could you fill in?”
Sarah’s proposal caused Irene to draw a sharp breath, visibly shocked by the audacity of it. If she hadn’t been holding herself back, Irene might have launched into a full-blown tirade right then and there.
Leila turned to Landon, her expression unreadable. The thought of merely acting out hand movements, while her rightful role was being usurped without her consent, was a blatant insult to her dignity.
In the past, Leila might have tolerated such slights, thinking that pleasing Landon would justify her discomfort. But she had learned that passivity only invited more disrespect and manipulation.
Despite her growing realization, a small part of Leila still hoped Landon would intervene, that he would finally stand up for her against Sarah’s overreach.
For a moment, their eyes met in a silent exchange. Leila searched for any sign of support from him, but there was none.
Finally, Landon spoke in a neutral tone, “That sounds nice. Leila, come over.”
“How dare you!” Irene blurted out, her anger uncontained, her fiery gaze locked on Landon.
Leila, however, responded with a calm smile-a rare, bitter smile that left even Landon momentarily stunned by its beauty.
With a decisive motion, Leila made her choice: she quit the shoot.
“She’s not doing it!” Irene quickly voiced Leila’s decision, her eyes flashing toward Sarah. “No one ever said Leila had to participate. She’s here to assist, not to be forced into something she doesn’t want to do.”
Taking Leila’s arm firmly, Irene led her toward the exit.
The studio fell into silence. Landon’s irritation was growing, while Sarah, thrown off by the sudden turn of events, forced a tight smile and said to the director, “I’ll gladly do it then.”
“Alright,” the director responded smoothly, already adjusting the camera settings for the next shot.
As Sarah reached for the tweezers, the director paused her with a raised hand. “Hold on, your grip is off. It’s too clumsy. You could damage the artifacts holding the tweezers like that,” he said, echoing Leila’s previous advice.
Sarah looked up, a mix of confusion and embarrassment in her eyes. “How do you want me to hold them then?”
The director pulled up a clip from the previous day’s footage, showing Leila’s technique. He played the video, emphasizing her precise movements.
Sarah watched, her face tightening as she saw Leila’s skill. The comparison clearly stung, her expression souring.
When she tried to proceed by picking up a magnifying glass, the director stopped her again, pointing out another mistake. “Your positioning is still wrong. Do you even know how to use these tools? We didn’t cover this yesterday.”
Sarah glanced at the unfamiliar tools, realizing she didn’t know where to start. Flustered, she turned to Landon, seeking help. “What should I do?”
“I’ll find someone to handle this,” Landon said flatly, reaching for his phone without any sign of concern.
“Alright, Mr. Kensington,” the director replied professionally. “We only have this morning to shoot. This afternoon, the studio will be used by another crew, and I have other commitments.”
The director took a seat, waiting patiently for Landon to resolve the issue.
As time ticked away, it became apparent that Landon couldn’t find a replacement quickly enough to instruct Sarah.
“Landon…” Sarah’s voice wavered, her eyes filling with tears as she tried to look pitiful. “Can you please call Leila back to film the hand movements for me? She’ll listen to you.”
Landon hesitated, recalling Leila’s firm stance during their recent conversations about divorce. Would she really obey him now?
He sensed a change in her-she was no longer the compliant Leila who would always bend to his will.
Without a word, Landon left the studio.
Leila and Irene hadn’t gone far, waiting nearby for their ride.
“Leila,” Landon called out as he approached.
“What do you want now?” Irene snapped, her voice wary and defensive as she stepped in front of Leila.
“She’s my wife,” Landon said firmly, locking eyes with Irene as he tried to contain his frustration. “I need to speak with Leila. This doesn’t concern you.”
Irene glared at him, her jaw clenched, but after a brief nod from Leila, she stepped aside, though her frustration was still evident.
“I need you to film the hand movements,” Landon stated, trying to impose his will on Leila.
Leila stood firm, refusing to move. She gestured her refusal without hesitation.
“Just do as I say,” Landon responded, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face at her defiance. “If you cooperate this time…”
Before he could finish, Leila gestured quickly, asking if he would agree to the divorce if she complied with the shoot. She made it clear she would help only if he agreed to divorce.
Landon was taken aback by her audacity to use the divorce as leverage. He let out a disbelieving laugh.
“Divorce? Are you trying to negotiate with me?” His laughter faded as he grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer in a show of intimidation. “Just because you work for the Hayes family, don’t think you can do whatever you want. How long do you think they’ll protect you? If I go after them, do you really think they’ll stand by you?”.
Leila clenched her jaw, her eyes subtly quivering as she faced the reality of her situation. She understood all too well that wherever she went, complications seemed to follow. But did that mean she should resign herself to being controlled by Landon for the rest of her life?
Leila lifted her gaze to meet Landon’s, her eyes blazing with a fierce determination and anger that refused to fade. The intensity in her stare was something Landon hadn’t seen in her before, leaving him momentarily taken aback.
“Landon, let’s not force her. If Leila isn’t willing, I’ll step back from the shoot. We should give her the choice,” Sarah interjected, her voice dripping with feigned concern.
Leila looked at Sarah with a blank expression and gestured that she didn’t mind Sarah leaving and could handle the shoot alone.
“Leila says you can leave. She’ll start filming as soon as you’re out of here,” Irene relayed, her voice tinged with irritation.
“Alright, let’s have Leila take over then. We’re ready to go,” the director chimed in, quickly moving to prepare the set. It seemed everyone in the room was subtly urging Sarah to exit.
Surprised by the turn of events and feeling sidelined, Sarah looked to Landon for support. However, Landon’s eyes remained fixed on Leila, his expression intense and thoughtful, showing no inclination to come to Sarah’s aid.
After the successful shoot, Leila’s professionalism was recognized by the university, which sent her a letter of appreciation. Feeling proud, Leila snapped a picture of the letter and posted it on her social platform, smiling broadly in satisfaction.
Leila was discovering a new sense of happiness-a stark contrast to the subdued existence she had endured under Landon’s control, where she often felt more like a possession than a partner. Back then, she lived in constant anxiety, tiptoeing around Landon’s temper and the delicate dynamics between him and Sarah. But why should she continue to consider their feelings when hers were consistently ignored?
“It’s said that Miss Hayes is coming to the company later for an inspection!”
As Leila focused on her work at the Hayes Group, snippets of conversation floated around the office. Normally, office gossip didn’t catch her attention, but a familiar name sparked her curiosity this time.
“Stella? She always stirs up drama during inspections,” someone commented dismissively.
“Yeah, she makes a big show of it, but no one really takes her seriously. She doesn’t have any real power,” another voice added with a chuckle.
“Besides, she won’t even come to our department, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
Despite these reassurances, Leila couldn’t help but feel a twinge of apprehension about Stella’s impending visit. Stella had a personal grudge against her, and Leila wondered if she might stir up trouble. However, considering that Brent and Jerome had personally invited her to the company, she hoped Stella wouldn’t dare challenge their authority.
But Leila soon realized she had underestimated Stella’s audacity.
A disturbance in the corridor broke the morning calm, followed by Stella’s piercing voice.
“A new department, you say? I’ve had experience in antique restoration. Maybe I should drop in for a lesson,” Stella declared confidently.
Leila’s heart raced. It seemed Stella was heading her way, intent on causing trouble. Stella’s previous attempt to sabotage Leila’s work had backfired, with Stella publicly exposed and humiliated for breaking an antique that Leila had restored.
While the incident cleared Leila’s name, it left Stella bitter. Despite being reprimanded by Jerome, Stella’s grudge against Leila hadn’t waned. Now that she had learned of Leila’s position at the Hayes Group, Stella seemed determined to cause more trouble.
The clicking of high heels grew louder, announcing Stella’s approach. She finally appeared in the doorway, dressed in a strikingly bright pink outfit that made her impossible to ignore.
“Leila, so we meet again!” Stella exclaimed with false surprise, though she had clearly known Leila was working there. “So, this is where you’re employed now. It explains the noise I’ve been hearing since I arrived. It seems your ability to disrupt peace remains unchanged!”