Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Leila stood there, dumbfounded. How could a child raised in such an environment understand respect or decency?
At that moment, Wade wished he could just vanish.
Landon’s expression hardened. His next words sealed Wade’s fate. “If your son can utter such words, it implies how you’ve raised him. Now, he brazenly insults my wife in my presence. I shudder to think what he might say when I’m not around. Therefore, I’m granting you some time off to properly teach your son some manners.”
This “time off” was nothing more than a thinly veiled dismissal.
Yet, Landon had more to say. “It appears you struggle with interpersonal dynamics here. Perhaps it’s because you’re not from around here. I suggest you go back home and learn some manners.”
“No, no, no! Please!” Wade began to beg. He was all too familiar with Landon’s tactics. This was the end of his career.
Nearby, an onlooker remarked, “This family finally got what was coming to them. They’ve bullied other people countless times.”
Another onlooker shared the sentiment and swiftly chimed in, “Yeah, just the other day, my daughter was playing downstairs when this young boy took her toys and claimed they were his. When this elderly lady showed up, I had hoped we could resolve it, but instead, she slapped my daughter and said we were the ones in the wrong. Can you believe that?”
Someone else huffed, “And remember when this boy deliberately smashed my car window? They refused to take responsibility, acting as if their job at the Kensington Group made them superior to everyone else. If someone had a nicer car than theirs, they’d start spreading vicious rumors.”
Listening to all this, Leila realized this family truly deserved their fate. Initially thinking the punishment might be excessive, it seemed clear they had brought it upon themselves. Landon had actually helped the neighbors purge this group of troublemakers.
Despite this family’s incessant pleas for mercy, Landon didn’t spare them a look. Instead, he seized Leila’s wrist and pulled her along.
Leila nearly lost her balance and struggled to free her hand, shooting Landon a glare. Her eyes and expression clearly showcased her displeasure with his actions.
Landon’s expression remained cold and stern. “Last time you called me and gestured all those bizarre things, I let it slide. If it weren’t for me today, you’d be in shambles because of those people. You should be grateful. Is this how you show gratitude?”
For a moment, Leila was speechless. She clenched her teeth in frustration and gestured that those were two separate issues, emphasizing that just because he helped her today didn’t erase the wrongs he had committed in the past.
Landon chuckled, gripping Leila’s chin and forcing her to meet his gaze. “Wrongs? Tell me, what exactly have I done that was so terrible?”
Leila’s expression shifted slightly, her eyes growing dim. What was there to say? This conversation wasn’t going to yield anything substantial even if she explained.
Landon’s anger intensified. He hadn’t planned on explaining himself, but the words surged out like a tidal wave, demanding release. “Why did you assume I helped Sarah? Am I the only one with access to your room keys? And really, why would I bother with something as trivial as keys?”
Leila listened to Landon’s explanation with an unchanged expression. Stepping back, her demeanor turned cold and cautious, as if maintaining a safe distance. With gestures, she then demanded to know how Sarah got the keys.
Landon’s voice turned cold as ice. “She got them from the butler, and I was unaware of it.”
Persisting, Leila pressed further, her gestures swift and firm as she directed questions to Landon. “Why would the butler grant Sarah’s request readily? He works under your authority and likely assumed Sarah’s wishes mirrored your commands. Can you honestly claim no responsibility for Sarah’s intrusion into my room and the ensuing damage?”
Landon faltered momentarily and then hardened his tone, “You’re distorting the facts. This isn’t my doing.”
A soft, disappointed laugh escaped Leila. She chose not to argue anymore, turning away and walking off.
Landon hesitated, torn between following her and remaining rooted in place.
Eventually, with a grim expression, Landon pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
The butler answered with politeness, “Mr. Kensington, how may I assist you?” he asked respectfully.
“You’re fired,” Landon stated bluntly and coldly. “Collect your belongings and leave.”
The butler was shocked, his anxiety evident as he began to sweat. Before he could inquire further, Landon abruptly ended the call, leaving the butler stunned and struggling to maintain his composure.
Pale-faced, the butler muttered to himself, “It’s all over.”
Without knowing the exact reason for his dismissal, the butler could discern from Landon’s tone that he had somehow deeply offended him.
Leila stormed back to her house, only to face another infuriating hurdle.
Thanks to that troublesome family and Landon, she hadn’t been able to purchase what she needed. Now, hunger gnawed at her, weakening her limbs and spinning her head.
Adding to her distress, emotional turmoil left her feeling unsteady.
Then, a knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.
Glancing through the peephole, Leila spotted Landon standing outside. She had no desire to speak to him.
Landon, seemingly reading her mind, spoke in a cold tone. “Don’t play games. I know you’re inside. If you don’t open the door, I have plenty of ways to get in.”
Furious but feeling cornered, Leila reluctantly faced the inevitable. She knew Landon was capable of such actions. With a glare, she reluctantly opened the door. Her gestures asked, “What will it take for you to stop bothering me?”
Landon’s tone was commanding. “Let me in.”
Leila clenched her teeth, shaking her head firmly.
Ignoring her protest, Landon stepped forward and hoisted Leila onto his shoulder.
Leila let out a yelp, clinging tightly to his neck, afraid he might harm her. She trembled all over, especially wary of any pressure on her stomach.
Landon could feel Leila’s resistance, sensing her aversion to his touch more keenly than before. But he hadn’t realized the extent of her discomfort. How could such a simple gesture make her so upset? It was evident she harbored a deep dislike for him.
At the thought of this, Landon’s expression darkened further. He walked into the house and closed the door behind him, gently placing Leila on the couch.
Although he hadn’t used much force, Leila curled up instinctively, her hand protectively clasping her stomach.
Leila appeared frail and diminished, like a frightened kitten.
Landon, typically not one to indulge in sentimentality, found himself wrestling with an unusual tenderness. Seeing Leila in such a state tugged at his heartstrings, despite his usual disposition to remain detached.
“What happened?” Landon asked, furrowing his brow. “Does your stomach hurt?”
As he reached out toward her, Leila quickly dodged his touch and sat up, gesturing with her hands that she merely suffered from a stomachache.
Her anxiety was palpable. She feared Landon might discover her pregnancy.
Landon scanned the room with a suspicious look, and when he turned back to face Leila, his expression had darkened even further. “Haven’t you been eating properly these past few days?”
Leila felt a twinge of embarrassment but bristled at the need to justify her actions. She responded through sign language that she had been busy and inadvertently neglected it. She emphasized that it was none of his business.
Surprisingly, Landon softened, asking, “Do you want me to get some groceries and cook for you?”
Leila was taken aback. She raised an eyebrow, wondering whether she had heard him correctly.
His expression slightly rigid, Landon asked, “Well, what would you like?”
Leila shook her head vigorously, dismissing the offer and gesturing that she could cook without imposing the task on him.
Landon’s demeanor hardened, his jaw clenching as his eyes darkened with a hint of a threat. “If you don’t want to eat, that’s fine by me. Let’s see how you like being in a hospital with a glucose infusion.”
When Leila heard Landon’s words, a sudden panic propelled her to her feet. She hastily gestured for him to just whip up something easy for her.
Landon felt his anger ebb away at her reaction. He moved to the kitchen, noting its tidiness, and called for ingredients to be delivered.
When Edgar got the call, he double-checked the caller ID to confirm it was indeed Landon’s number. He even speculated whether Landon’s phone had been snatched. Although it was Landon’s unmistakable voice on the line, the request seemed uncharacteristic of him.
“Mr. Kensington, you’re asking me to pick up groceries so you can cook?” Edgar asked, a hint of amusement playing at the corners of his mouth.
Landon grunted softly, picking up on Edgar’s skepticism, his patience thinning. “Is there an issue?”
“No! Of course not! I’ll bring them right away!” Edgar blurted out, regaining his focus.
After ending the call, Edgar directed his team to handle the shopping. He made sure to remind them, “Once you deliver the groceries, leave right away. Don’t bother Mr. Kensington, understood?”
Landon had full confidence in Edgar’s capability to follow through efficiently. Less than fifteen minutes later, all the ingredients Landon required were delivered.