Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“Oh, acting tough?” the man sneered, his smile twisting cruelly. “Let’s see how tough you are later.”
With one hand, the man seized Leila’s wrist, while his other hand was poised to strike her.
Suddenly, a forceful kick landed on the man’s back.
The man let out a cry of pain and spun around to hurl insults, only to clamp his mouth shut upon recognizing his assailant.
Landon stepped forward without hesitation and struck the man directly in the face. “Do you realize where you are? Looking for trouble here seems like a death wish.”
Landon’s presence was imposing, his cold gaze seemingly capable of freezing the man in his tracks.
Subdued and fearful, the man dropped to his knees, clutching his face. He remained silent, his eyes wide with fear as he stared up at Landon.
Seeing Landon caught Leila off guard. He had left abruptly earlier that day, and she hadn’t expected him to reappear so soon. Memories of the previous night flickered through her mind at the sight of him.
Landon sensed Leila’s eyes on him but didn’t return her gaze.
His distant demeanor left Leila feeling a pang of disappointment. Perhaps his behavior the night before was because of the alcohol. She doubted his intervention was driven by concern for her. It seemed more likely that he was motivated by the fact that they were at Sarah’s birthday celebration.
Leila reasoned that Landon was determined not to let anyone spoil Sarah’s birthday celebration. Clearly, the man had encountered the worst person to cross.
Leila shifted her focus from the conflict, assisting the woman and her child to their feet.
Then, unexpectedly, the man attempted to deflect the blame. “Mr. Kensington, this wasn’t my doing. That woman came up to me first. I urged her to show some dignity, but she ignored my advice and started making a scene. It was her fault, not mine.”
“Really?” Upon hearing this, Landon glanced at Leila.
Leila, unfazed by the accusation, didn’t even turn to justify herself.
After helping the woman and the child up, Leila offered the woman a comforting smile. She typed a message on her phone: “Take your child and find a quiet place to rest. We’ll take care of this situation.”
The woman nodded in appreciation but then shook her head with a bitter smile. “I can’t just walk away. My husband is still here, despite his faults. I can’t leave him behind. Miss, you seem so kind. Would you mind taking my child to a nearby room to rest? I’ll return in ten minutes. Here, please accept this as a token of my gratitude.”
The woman pulled a jade bracelet from her bag and placed it in Leila’s palm.
Leila shook her head, her expression conveying that the gift was far too precious for her to accept.
“Miss, please, it’s nothing. Just promise me you’ll look after my little one well,” the woman pleaded.
Leila, touched by her earnest request, typed a message on her phone: “I’m more than willing to care for your child, but I can’t take this. It’s not difficult for me to help, and I don’t need any reward. I truly can’t accept this.”
Despite Leila’s refusal, the woman persisted in giving the bracelet to her.
Amid their exchange, the bracelet almost slipped to the ground.
Leila, to avoid any further risk to the delicate bracelet, reluctantly agreed to keep it, vowing to return it once the woman reclaimed her child.
The child’s soft cries lingered in the air.
Leila, perhaps feeling a deeper connection as she herself was soon to be a mother, felt a surge of compassion.
She stroked the child’s head tenderly, trying to calm him, and then led him to a nearby room.
Before they walked away, Landon smirked. “I see you’re playing the good person now. Never thought of you as the kind-hearted type.”
Leila paused, her face a mask of ice. She pointed out that it was Sarah’s party and she was merely sorting out the mess, so Landon and Sarah should be thanking her, not dishing out sarcasm.
Landon’s laugh was sharp and mocking. “Just a friendly reminder not to trust people too easily.”
After that, he shot a cold glance at the child.
The child, terrified, clung to Leila and sobbed louder.
Leila shot Landon a fierce look. This man was intimidating a child. Had he no compassion? She dismissed him and escorted the child away.
Landon shifted his focus back to the bruised man, his dark eyes narrowing as he prepared to resume his interrogation.
Just then, a waiter approached hastily. “Mr. Kensington, Miss Miller is asking for you. It’s urgent, and she needs you to come immediately.”
Landon arched an eyebrow and instructed his men, “Keep an eye on this one.”
With a final glance at the couple-the man restrained by Landon’s bodyguard and the woman in tears-Landon frowned and turned away. Perhaps he was making too much of it.
The room contained a television and a computer.
Leila figured cartoons might divert the child’s attention.
Once inside, the child chose a quiet corner and settled down, a stark contrast to his previous tearful behavior.
Leila suspected he was concerned about his parents, so she set aside her belongings and approached him, typing on her phone: “Don’t worry about them. They’re grown-ups. They can handle things. What cartoons do you enjoy? Come on, don’t be shy. Tell me.”
Suddenly, the child turned around and splashed a cup of water into Leila’s face.
Caught off guard, Leila jumped to her feet, staring at him in bewilderment. She noticed his head was bowed, his demeanor seemingly reflecting sorrow. Struggling to keep her anger at bay, she typed out another message: “If you think I’m terrible, leave right now.”
Leila began to walk away, but only a few steps later, her surroundings started to blur. She grew weak and her head spun, not from low blood sugar but as if she had been drugged.
Realizing something was wrong, Leila whirled back to face the child.
There the child stood, a chilling smile playing across his lips, his eyes gleaming with a sinister gleam.
Leila had never encountered a child with such a sinister smile before. She realized she had been deceived.
Frantically trying to escape, Leila had just reached the door when she collapsed, losing consciousness entirely.
Elsewhere, Landon arrived at the venue and immediately noticed Sarah.
Spotting Landon, Sarah hurried over to him, her excitement palpable. “Landon, did you forget? You still haven’t given me my birthday gift.”
Landon’s mouth quirked up in a hint of a smile. “Of course, I haven’t forgotten. Your gift is quite special. I’ll give it to you later tonight, alright?”
“That won’t do,” Sarah responded with a pout. “I want it now, in front of everyone, so they can see how much you cherish me.”
A spark lit up in Landon’s eyes. “And where would you like to open it?”
Sarah gestured toward the rear of the hotel. “There’s a large grassy area out back. Let’s head there. I can’t wait to see what you’ve gotten me.”
Landon nodded in agreement.
Thrilled, Sarah quickly assembled the guests in the backyard.
Meanwhile, Landon seized the moment to send a swift text to Edgar.
By now, the backyard was bustling with nearly everyone.
Irene and Linsey noticed Leila’s absence and grew anxious.
Linsey was ready to search for Leila, but Irene held her back. “Announcing Leila’s absence now will only play into Sarah’s hands and embarrass Leila further. Do you honestly believe Landon would support Leila by then?”
With reluctance, Linsey conceded, her anger simmering. “It’s unbearable seeing Sarah so complacent. Everyone seems to be ignoring the truth. Leila and Landon are still married, yet Sarah is clearly overstepping. She’s parading around as if she’s untouchable.”
Irene exhaled a weary sigh. “We’re powerless right now. But Leila’s nearly free from this turmoil. I heard from Mr. Hayes that Landon has been hesitant about the divorce papers. Mr. Hayes has been helping Leila collect evidence so her lawyers can push for a divorce.”
Linsey looked at Irene with a raised eyebrow. “Mr. Hayes went to all that trouble for Leila? Does he have feelings for her?”