Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Landon stared at Leila with intense agitation. “Tell me the truth, Leila. Whose child are you carrying?”
Caught completely off guard by Landon’s question, Leila stood frozen in shock. She looked at him in disbelief, trembling uncontrollably.
For a moment, Leila was engulfed in a whirlwind of emotions. Was it hurt? Was it anger? Disappointment? Perhaps it was all of them.
Leila had believed that Landon harbored some dislike toward their unborn child, but she never expected it to run so deep that he didn’t want the child to be his altogether.
Leila wrenched herself free from Landon’s grasp. Then, with a surge of anger, she slapped him hard across the face.
Landon recoiled from the impact, his expression shifting through a tumult of emotions, finally settling on surprise and something akin to delight.
He turned his head, showing no signs of anger but with a faint smile.
Seeing the tears of sorrow, the raw anger, and the deep disappointment in Leila’s eyes, Landon felt a sharp pang of remorse. He felt like slapping himself. How blind he had been all this time! Why had the truth dawned on him only now?
Landon embraced Leila tightly, his hands trembling as he murmured in her ear, “I’m sorry, Leila. It’s all my fault. I completely misunderstood you.”
Leila stood there, puzzled. She thought she ought to have touched Landon’s face to check if he was intoxicated when she brought him in. What was the meaning of his words? Was he trying to convey that he had misunderstood her in the past? What exactly had he misunderstood?
Despite all her self-warnings to keep her distance from Landon, Leila found herself softening in this moment. She even entertained the idea of having a serious conversation with him.
However, before Landon could complete his apology, his body suddenly went limp.
Then, all his strength ebbed away, and he collapsed to the floor.
Leila was taken aback by the sudden turn of events. She quickly sent a message to Edgar, urging him to come over right away.
Next, she swiftly began to move Landon into the bedroom.
Leila exerted all her strength, feeling a dull ache in her lower abdomen as she struggled to shift him. She had to be careful not to overexert herself. Therefore, she moved him slowly.
After strenuous effort, Leila managed to get Landon onto the bed, sweat pouring down her face.
She took a deep breath and lay down beside Landon.
Even though Landon was unconscious, his lips moved as if he were saying something. It sounded like he was murmuring someone’s name.
Intrigued, Leila leaned in closer to listen.
Leila barely caught the name Landon was whispering when the door swung open.
Edgar burst in, breathing heavily. His eyes landed on Landon, unconscious on the bed, and a sharp headache threatened to overwhelm him.
Relief washed over Leila as she saw Edgar.
Leila quickly moved aside, pulling out her phone to type a message. “I noticed something off about him. I can’t pinpoint what it is. I knew Landon’s condition had to remain confidential, so I refrained from calling an ambulance.”
Edgar nodded appreciatively at Leila. “Madam, your assistance today has been invaluable. Thank you. I’ll handle everything from here.”
As Edgar began to take charge of the situation, Leila couldn’t contain her curiosity any longer and hastily typed her questions on her phone. “Could you possibly share what’s going on with Landon? You don’t need to disclose every detail. I just need to know if it’s serious.”
After a brief pause, Leila typed again. “I don’t mean to pry. We aren’t divorced yet, and he was part of my family. It’s only right that I show some concern for his well-being.”
Edgar appeared slightly embarrassed as he addressed Leila, “I’d like to tell you, but sharing this information might bring you problems.”
Leila offered him a smile, understandingly. “It’s okay. If it’s inconvenient to tell me, then you don’t have to.”
With a heavy sigh, Edgar signaled to the bodyguards to escort Landon away swiftly.
Just then, Landon’s eyes fluttered open.
The bodyguards rushed to inform Edgar, who hurried over, visibly thrilled to see Landon conscious.
“Mr. Kensington, you’re awake. How are you feeling? Any pain or headache?” Edgar asked eagerly.
Landon’s frown deepened as he surveyed the room, his dark eyes clouded with confusion. “What’s going on? Why am I here? Why am I in a hospital gown? Did you bring me here?”
Landon’s questions seemed directed at Edgar and the others, but his eyes stayed intently on Leila.
Leila looked back at Landon, confused by his intentions.
Only Edgar knew the reason behind Landon’s strange reactions. He sighed internally.
The doctors had warned that Landon, having been drugged for an extended period without proper treatment, might suffer from memory loss or confusion in the future.
Now, it appeared Landon had forgotten why he visited Leila.
In a way, this was fortunate.
Edgar was aware that Leila’s unborn child was Landon’s, not Brent’s. Letting Landon get the wrong idea seemed prudent for the time being. If Landon was misled about the paternity, others would also easily be deceived.
With this in mind, Edgar quickly intervened, saying, “Mr. Kensington, you overindulged at Miss Miller’s birthday party and had a minor incident. Let me take you out of here, and I’ll fill you in on the details.”
Landon nodded in agreement and rose to his feet.
Leila watched Landon intently, noting the absence of the warmth in his eyes that was evident just moments before. It seemed the vulnerable, subdued Landon she had seen an hour earlier was merely an illusion.
As Landon and his entourage departed, they unexpectedly encountered Brent, who had come to visit Leila.
Departing from his usual formal attire, Brent was dressed down, holding a bag of fruits.
“Leila, my grandpa mentioned you liked these fruits. He sent me to check on you, so I picked these up on a whim…” Before Brent could finish speaking, he caught sight of Landon, whose icy demeanor was too evident.
Landon was still clad in a hospital gown, surrounded by a large entourage.
Observing Landon in this condition made Brent instantly tense up. He quickly stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Leila. His gaze fixed on Landon with suspicion, he asked, “What do you want?”
Landon observed Leila and Brent standing close together and scoffed. Had he not unexpectedly shown up, Brent and Leila might have been enjoying a peaceful, ordinary moment like any other couple.
This mere thought stirred a surge of anger in Landon. He offered Brent a faint, chilly smile and responded, “Mr. Hayes, your question strikes me as odd. I’m here to visit my wife. It sounds like you think I’ve intruded forcefully. Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that question?”
Brent’s hands formed tight fists. “Landon, remember what you did to Leila. If you’re set on being with Sarah, then agree to the divorce and set Leila free. Why keep her tied to you and prolong the misery?”
Landon, unflustered, countered casually, “Brent, have you forgotten the advice your grandfather gave you?”
Brent instantly grasped Landon’s implication, and his expression subtly shifted.
Just a few days earlier, Jerome had summoned Brent to his study with a single request.
Jerome urged Brent not to meddle in Landon and Leila’s relationship. While Brent could support and defend Leila, getting involved in their personal issues was off-limits.
Brent was not convinced. He expressed his concern, stating he didn’t want Landon to mistreat Leila.
Jerome’s response was sharp and clear. “You know very well why you’re meddling. Brent, I want to avoid another tragedy like what happened before in the Hayes family. By asking this of you, I’m also reminding you that Leila can make her own decisions, and you need to respect that.”
Jerome’s words lingered in Brent’s mind.
Brent lowered his hand and turned around to set aside the fruits he was holding. “My grandpa would like to spend more time with you. Perhaps you can join him for a meal when you’re available.”
Hearing this, Leila nodded with a smile. She expressed her gratitude for Jerome’s concern for her and vowed to visit him whenever she had the time.
Brent nodded and approached Landon. “Mr. Kensington, I see you’re ready to leave. Mind if I join you on your way out? It’s on the way. It’d be great to have some company and chat along the way.”
Landon didn’t refuse and signaled for Brent to lead the way.