Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
As Landon neared them, he overheard Rachel’s questioning tone. “Only kindness?”
Landon caught his breath, his expression unreadable as he observed Leila.
Leila remained quiet for a moment and then lifted her gaze with a gentle smile. Her phone articulated her masked thoughts. “Yes, only kindness. Anything more is like the affection between siblings. I’ve been mixed up about this before and it led to some misunderstandings. But really, don’t worry about me. I’m doing okay.”
Leila had made peace with her thoughts. She knew her path with Landon would diverge, and that Landon and Sarah were destined for each other. She no longer wanted to be tangled in this love triangle. It was best to bury that embarrassing love deep within. After all, it seemed to be a mistake from the very beginning.
Unseen, Landon’s hands balled into fists at his sides.
Just then, his phone buzzed. It was a call from Edgar.
Landon hit the answer button but remained silent.
Edgar’s voice carried a note of urgency. “Mr. Kensington, Miss Miller is currently at the hospital and refuses treatment. She insists on seeing you. The entire Miller family is there as well, creating quite a commotion. They suspect your wife had a hand in this…”
“I’ll head there immediately.” Landon cast a lingering glance at Leila before departing.
Once Landon was gone, Leila sensed something and turned around, only to discover no one was there.
Rachel hesitated, suspecting Leila wasn’t entirely honest. Yet, their recent interaction had softened her feelings. She no longer harbored as much resentment toward Leila.
Now, Rachel was beginning to appreciate Leila’s quiet beauty and grace.
Rachel smiled warmly and placed a hand on Leila’s shoulder. “I’ll entrust you with my mother’s clothes. I plan to organize an exhibition featuring her items. She had many devoted students. As Hayden’s apprentice, this will be a perfect chance for you to demonstrate your abilities.”
Leila was taken aback. She hastily typed down her answer. “No, no, that’s not needed. It’s my job to restore them. If there’s an exhibition, there’s no need to mention it was my work.”
Rachel smiled and shook her head. “I got turned down by Hayden, and it hurt my pride. It’s always been a sensitive issue for me. Leila, I should be thanking you for helping me sort it out.”
At Rachel’s words, Leila ceased declining any further.
After bidding farewell to Rachel, Leila left the Simpson family estate.
Most guests had already departed, but a few lingered, still buzzing about the banquet’s events.
Sarah might manage to silence Leila, but she couldn’t control the gossip.
Donovan, by this point, had likely convinced the officials at Eastanville University to expel Vernon and vindicate Leila.
Everything seemed to be settling down.
The cool air cleared Leila’s thoughts. She pulled out her phone to call a cab, oblivious to the familiar black sedan parked nearby.
Leila was about to walk past it when a honk halted her.
The sound jolted Leila, and her heart tightened at the sight of the car model. Could it be Landon?
The driver’s side door swung open, and Ethan emerged.
Disappointment flickered across Leila’s face, swiftly masked by her composed expression.
Ethan greeted her with a bright, cheerful smile.
Leila regained her composure and walked over to Ethan to explain the incident at the banquet, telling him that it had all been taken care of.
Ethan nodded. “I know, and I really owe you for stepping in.” In his eyes lingered a trace of sympathy as he regarded Leila. “It’s been quite the ordeal with Landon recently, hasn’t it?”
Leila shook her head dismissively. She gestured that apart from Sarah causing issues, it had been manageable. Plus, she had even managed to secure some crucial evidence amid the ordeal. If faced with the same situation, she wouldn’t hesitate to live under the same roof with Landon again.
Ethan moved to open the car door for her. “There’s no need for you to go back to Landon’s place. I’ve arranged a safer, more private location for you. It’s secure, and you won’t have to deal with any similar disruptions.”
Leila paused by the roadside, making no move to enter the vehicle. She shook her head, gently declining his offer. It was more than just a refusal of his gesture.
Seeing her response, Ethan’s complexion faded slightly, and his voice carried a note of urgency. “Leila, please, that’s not what I meant. I don’t want you to feel obligated. I’m just trying to look out for you, purely as a friend.”
Despite his assurances, Leila remained firm in her decision to refuse. She explained that her reluctance to trouble Landon was because they were heading toward a divorce, and it was likely they wouldn’t even stay friends, choosing to avoid each other. She added that friends shouldn’t burden one another like that, or it could hardly be counted as friendship.
A bitter sensation welled up in Ethan’s throat. “Let me at least drive you home. I’m worried about you. After seeing Landon dash off to the hospital where Sarah’s been admitted, I guessed he must have left you stranded.”
Yet, Leila appeared unfazed. She shook her phone, gesturing that she had already booked her ride.
Just then, a taxi stopped at the curb.
Ethan extended his hand, as if to hold Leila back, but paused and reluctantly let his arm fall. Linsey had a point. He should have moved on earlier. He was the one stuck in the past, refusing to face forward.
At that moment, Ethan’s phone rang. It was Linsey.
“Hey, where are you right now?” Linsey’s voice was cluttered with background noise. “Can you head back?”
Ethan’s forehead creased slightly. “What’s happening? Is it urgent?”
Linsey sounded uneasy. “Just come back, and you’ll see why. I can’t manage this by myself.”
Ethan had an inkling. “Have they lined up another woman for me, or is it another childhood engagement?”
Linsey’s silence was all the confirmation Ethan needed.
Ethan massaged his temples as a headache began to surge.
Linsey’s voice dropped to a whisper. “If you’re not up for coming back, that’s fine. I’ll make up an excuse for you. I only called because they pressured me to, right in front of everyone.”
Looking upward, Ethan pressed his lips together tightly. The car carrying Leila had already departed. He exhaled heavily. “Tell them I’ll be back shortly.”
“But…” Linsey’s voice held a note of confusion. “You…”
“Twenty minutes, I’ll be there,” Ethan interrupted firmly and then hung up.
Linsey stared down at her phone, her face reflecting a mix of emotions.
Meanwhile, Leila headed back to Landon’s place quickly, aware there were still items she needed to collect.
Knowing that Sarah was likely still at the hospital, and with Landon there too, Leila was confident she wouldn’t encounter either of them. She found herself unexpectedly cheerful.
Upon returning to the place where she had stayed for the past few days, Leila was greeted by an unsettling sight. The door stood wide open. A wave of dread engulfed her as she crossed the room.
Inside, chaos reigned. Two gift boxes lay ripped open, their contents strewn and shredded across the floor.
The image of Sarah’s earlier, smug smile flashed in Leila’s mind.
Leila had suspected Sarah might meddle with the clothes during their trip to the Simpson residence, but she hadn’t realized Sarah had orchestrated her sabotage well in advance.
Yet, that raised a troubling question: how had Sarah managed this? Leila was certain she had locked the room before leaving.
The only plausible explanation was that Sarah had somehow acquired a key to her room.
Shaking, Leila tried to steady her nerves and dialed Landon’s number.
The first call was abruptly disconnected.
Persistent, she dialed again and again.
It wasn’t until her fourth attempt that Landon finally answered, his voice laced with derision. “Why do you keep calling? You can’t say anything useful, can you? Or is Ethan there, wanting to speak with me? Sorry, I’m swamped right now, and can’t talk.”
Refusing to be dismissed, Leila activated the video function, her gestures frantic as she tried to communicate her distress. Tears began to gather in her eyes, though she was too distant from the camera for Landon to notice them clearly.