Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“Hey, let’s not crowd around,” Brent interjected, noticing Leila becoming overwhelmed.
Brent laughed, “Leila and I go way back. If you want to get closer to her, you might have to join the queue!”
“That’s selfish of you! How could you not introduce us to someone as remarkable as Leila sooner?”
“I once considered majoring in archaeology during college! I must share some interests with Leila!”
When Leila had first arrived at the Hayes household, these same individuals had looked down on her. Now, they were lavishing her with flattery, conveniently recalling her interests and status.
The banquet unfolded in a lively atmosphere, with Leila becoming the star of the evening, seated right next to Jerome.
Even as the event wound down, the conversations with her continued nonstop.
“If you all keep this up, I might just have you take numbers,” Brent teased, seeing how eager everyone was to talk to Leila. “There will be plenty more opportunities to get to know her. Why the rush today?”
Amused, Leila shook her head with a gentle smile, signaling that she was fine.
Just then, Landon arrived to pick Leila up. He spotted her smiling-not at him, but at another man.
Disturbed by what he saw, Landon approached with a stormy expression and seized Leila’s wrist. “My wife is my responsibility,” he declared, his stern face and commanding presence prompting the crowd to give them space.
Jerome’s voice cut through the tension. “Landon, hold on.”
Emerging from the villa with a smile, Jerome fixed Landon with a knowing look.
“Mr. Hayes,” Landon acknowledged him.
“I’ve made it clear in front of everyone today that Leila is my sworn granddaughter,” Jerome announced, clapping Landon on the shoulder. “You’ll be looking after her from now on!”
Both Landon and Leila were taken aback by his words. The moment seemed like a reflection of the past, before their marriage, when Roderick had expressed similar sentiments.
Sadly, Landon had failed to live up to those expectations.
“I understand,” Landon responded solemnly. “You don’t need to worry.”
Jerome turned to Leila and presented her with a set of keys. “This is the house I’ve arranged for you. From now on, it’s yours. Feel free to move in whenever you like!”
Leila, taken by surprise, glanced at Landon instinctively. He now knew about the house. How would he react?
Earlier, Jerome had promised to notify Leila when the house was ready so she could move in. Leila figured it might take a month or so. She was astonished when it only took a few hours.
As Landon watched Leila intently, the keys felt like burning coals in her hand. She hesitated to take them, but Jerome grasped her arm and pressed the keys into her palm forcefully.
“Don’t worry. From now on, I’ve got your back.” Jerome’s words were clearly meant for Landon, who couldn’t ignore the implication. Landon’s face tightened, his jaw clenched as if resisting an urge to argue.
“Be assured. I’ll take great care of Leila,” Landon asserted under Jerome’s scrutinizing gaze.
Once they were in the car, with Landon behind the wheel, he drove away from the Hayes estate. A short while later, he pulled over to the side of the road.
Leila felt a wave of nervousness as she noticed Landon’s eyes on her.
“What does Jerome know?” Landon demanded. “Have you told him?”
Leila couldn’t admit to Landon that Jerome knew about her wish for a divorce and even supported it. She simply shook her head, avoiding his probing gaze.
“He’s backing you up?” Landon continued, his voice growing tense. “Haven’t I been good to you? Why would you need support from anyone else?”
Leila faced Landon, her expression complicated. He had indeed been generous, providing her with an unlimited black credit card, the latest fashion, jewelry, and luxury items each season.
But the situation was more complicated than just material gifts. Landon had provided her with everything she could use-except for affection. He refused to spend time with her and openly flaunted his affairs and public mistresses. Was this considered treating her well?
Leila preferred to avoid discussing these issues.
Suddenly, she blinked as another memory from earlier in the day emerged, prompting her to gesture to Landon about her gratitude for gathering the evidence and forwarding it to Jerome.
Leila’s gaze was genuine, filled solely with gratitude. There was no hint of the feelings a wife might typically hold for her husband.
Suddenly, Landon felt a wave of anger swell within him. He unfastened his seatbelt, leaned forward abruptly, and grasped Leila’s chin, pressing his lips against hers.
Initially, Leila resisted, which made him press harder.
However, after a moment, Leila ceased resisting.
The kiss intensified, and Leila shut her eyes, her mind empty.
At that moment, she was uncertain of her feelings for Landon. She had resolved to leave him and stop loving him, aware of his lack of affection and the mistreatment he had caused. Yet, when he kissed her, she found herself yielding to him.
Abruptly, Landon pulled away, pinching Leila’s chin and peering into her eyes.
Caught off guard by his sudden stop, Leila didn’t want to show her embarrassment and tried to manage her emotions.
Landon saw clarity in her eyes, a calmness that seemed unaffected by his kiss. And the reason she hadn’t resisted… It dawned on him that it might be due to the gratitude she had shown earlier. His help had led her not to resist his advance. It felt like an exchange, a transaction of favors and gains.
Filled with renewed anger, Landon released her, resettled into his seat, and refastened his seatbelt. He asked in a cold, somewhat mocking tone, “Where to? Back home with me, or to the new place Jerome has gifted you?”
Feeling the waves of anger radiating from him, Leila dared not react.
Landon ignited the car’s engine, his forceful press on the accelerator betraying his foul mood.
Leila found herself passively carried back to their home.
As they halted at the mansion’s grand entrance, Leila lingered in her seat even after unbuckling her seatbelt. She hesitated, wary of further provoking Landon.
Landon, still facing forward, broke the silence with a deep, firm invitation. “Join me at my mom’s birthday celebration.”
Just days before, Leila had vowed to avoid the menial tasks that came with it. She prepared to decline, but Landon cut her off. “This time, no one will mistreat you. I’ve spoken to my mom. I’m aware of her past actions.”
It emerged that Landon had recently visited the mansion and learned from Mateo about how Shirley had mistreated Leila.
Leila blinked, her disbelief evident. Tentatively, she gestured to ask him why.
“Why what?” Landon looked puzzled.
Leila gestured with a raised eyebrow, asking why he was being so kind to her now and the reason for the sudden change.
Leila just couldn’t fathom his motives.
Landon chuckled, seemingly amused by her confusion. “Kind? Because you’re my wife. Isn’t it normal for me to treat you well?”
Leila had a strong urge to point out how bizarre the situation was. She found it hard to believe that Landon had spoken to Shirley on her behalf. Yet, she held her tongue and merely nodded in silence.
After Jerome had openly named Leila as his god-granddaughter, her status within the Hayes Group had significantly shifted. Where respect was once the norm, she now received looks of near reverence. Several members of the Hayes family began appearing on Leila’s regular route to work, eager to introduce themselves and forge a connection.
This newfound attention made Leila uncomfortable. She felt they held her in high regard for her title rather than her talent.
Resolved to earn genuine respect for her capabilities, Leila vowed to redouble her efforts at work.
One particular day at the office, just as the elevator doors were beginning to close, a woman hurriedly entered, catching Leila off guard.
It was the same woman who had staunchly supported Stella at the recent Hayes family banquet.
“Hello, Leila,” the woman said, catching her breath. “I’m Leah Vance. My mother’s aunt married into the Hayes family, so I’m sort of related.”
Leila looked at Leah blankly. The tenuous family tie did not impress her, and Leah’s earnest manner bore an uncomfortable resemblance to Stella’s.
