Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Leila sighed at the thought.
As Leila stepped out of the car, the driver couldn’t resist cautioning her, “Madam, the rain’s light now, but it’s likely to pour later. You might want to hurry.”
Leila nodded, pulling out her phone to type. “Don’t worry. I’m just here for a quick word with Roderick. It won’t take long.”
Umbrella in hand, Leila then ventured into the drizzle.
But as Leila neared the grave, she noticed a man in black loitering ahead. Something about him felt off. He didn’t strike her as someone visiting to pay their respects. He looked like a complete stranger. Who else but a Kensington would visit Roderick’s grave?
Her curiosity piqued, Leila nearly lost her footing while staring at him.
Surprisingly, the man spun around with a swift motion and caught Leila just in time to prevent a fall, as though he had eyes in the back of his head.
Leila expressed her gratitude, catching her breath from the shock.
“You’re welcome,” the man responded, his voice calm and reassuring.
But when Leila caught a clear glimpse of the man’s face, she couldn’t hide her surprise. The right side of his face was, admittedly, a bit unnerving.
Noticing her reaction, Leila quickly looked away.
Stan, however, merely smiled without taking offense. “Don’t worry. It’s common for people to be taken aback by my appearance at first sight. Your response is entirely normal.”
Leila felt a twinge of guilt and quickly typed a message on her phone. “Nobody’s perfect. For instance, I could never match your patience and generosity.”
Stan’s smile lingered, his eyes twinkling with a meaningful glint as he replied, “I appreciate your kind words.”
As the tension in the air dissolved, Leila’s curiosity piqued. She realized she had never met him before. Although his unscarred side bore some resemblance to the Kensington family, he remained a stranger to her memories.
Catching her puzzled look, Stan decided to clear the air. “My name is Stan Kensington. I belong to the Kensington family as well. It’s understandable that you don’t recognize me. I’ve never really been around.”
Leila quickly pieced it together. She typed down her suspicions. “Are you from a collateral branch of the family?”
Stan stood still for a moment and then abruptly fixed his gaze on Leila.
Though Stan remained silent and unmoving, Leila couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat under his intense stare.
“What’s wrong? Do I not remind you of anyone from the Kensington family?” Stan’s voice was calm as he approached Leila.
Leila returned his gaze. Uncertain if her mind was playing tricks, she suddenly noticed a striking resemblance to Landon in his features. The resemblance might have been even stronger if only the other half of Stan’s face hadn’t been scarred.
Leila thought she had unintentionally offended Stan and hurriedly typed down her explanation. “Although I have been part of the Kensington family since I was young, I have always stayed close to Roderick and rarely socialized. So, I don’t know much about you. If I have offended you, I apologize.”
But Stan’s smile suddenly took on a strange twist. “No need to apologize. It’s understandable you don’t know me. After all, I’m just the hidden, illegitimate son. My existence is frowned upon, and I’m not welcome in the grand halls of the Kensington family mansion.”
Leila’s eyes widened in shock when she heard his words. A hidden illegitimate son? Since when did the Kensington family have an illegitimate child?
Stan watched Leila’s reaction with a hint of amusement. “Are you surprised, Leila? Your husband, Landon, has known about me for quite some time. However, he has never paid me any mind, always looking down on me. Technically, in terms of seniority, you are my sister-in-law. I know you are having issues with Landon right now. How about we work together on this? I can help you settle the score with Landon and Sarah if you give me the information I need. What do you say?”
With each word from Stan, Leila grew more unnerved. She instinctively took a step back, putting some distance between them. She sensed Stan was incredibly dangerous.
A shiver ran down her spine the moment she laid eyes on him.
Earlier, Leila was bewildered by the thoughts swirling in her mind. Suddenly, everything clicked into place.
Shaking her head, Leila typed down her reply firmly. “Actually, there is no animosity between Landon and me. You’ve got the wrong person.”
After expressing her thoughts, Leila turned to walk away.
But before Leila could take more than a few steps, Stan grabbed her wrist. “I think you’re the person I’ve been looking for. Moreover, you are not going anywhere today.”
These words made Leila shiver. She couldn’t help but glance back at Stan, only to see a sinister smirk spreading across his face.
By the time Landon reached the base of the mountain, the rain had intensified, drumming heavily against the ground.
Concern for Leila gnawed at Landon, stirring his restlessness. If Dean hadn’t unexpectedly approached him this morning to discuss Shirley’s situation, he wouldn’t have been delayed. Now, he had no idea about Leila’s current predicament.
Even though this mountain was the property of the Kensington family, Landon couldn’t shake off his anxiety since Leila wasn’t in sight.
Suddenly, the car screeched to a halt.
Edgar, their driver, leaped out into the rain and dashed ahead to assess the road conditions.
Five minutes later, Edgar hurried back, his face a mix of concern and confusion as he approached Landon. “There are a bunch of unfamiliar cars parked up ahead with license plates I don’t recognize. They definitely aren’t from the Kensington family,” he reported.
Landon scowled. “Not from the Kensington family? What’s going on? Didn’t I make it clear any outsider had to let me know beforehand if they were coming to pay their respects?”
Equally puzzled, Edgar said, “I’ll try contacting the owners of those cars to move them quickly.”
Filled with impatience, Landon couldn’t wait any longer. He resolved to exit the car and walk ahead through the rain.
While still on the phone, Edgar grew anxious when he saw Landon’s actions. Without hesitation, he stepped forward to intervene. “Mr. Kensington, I understand your concerns, but your health is paramount right now. The doctor emphasized your need to care for yourself before the surgery.”
With a cold glare and a voice that brooked no argument, Landon retorted, “Edgar, can’t you see through this? Do you think it’s a mere coincidence that these cars suddenly blocked the road?”
Edgar was at a loss for words.
Everything seemed too coincidental.
As the anniversary of Roderick’s death drew near, Edgar noticed a growing number of people keeping an eye on Landon and his men.
Consequently, Landon decided against accompanying Leila and instead had Edgar dispatch additional guards to protect her. However, those guards mysteriously went out of contact.
Ignoring Edgar, as Landon hurried up the mountain, he encountered another car blocking the road. Who dared to pull such a stunt in the Kensington family’s territory?
Suddenly, a face flashed across Edgar’s mind, and everything clicked into place.
While Edgar’s face registered shock, Landon snorted, his lips curled into an icy smile. “I also guess it was Dean. I never doubted him because I thought we were family. I knew he envied me and wanted to compete for power and possessions, but I never imagined he would go so far as to want me dead. Leila is innocent. She shouldn’t be dragged into this. It’s my fault for not seeing Dean’s hand in all of this.”
If those cars hadn’t suddenly appeared on the road today, Landon wouldn’t have even entertained the thought of Dean’s involvement.
Yet, even with his suspicions pointing toward Dean’s involvement, Landon still felt uneasy.
Landon knew Dean’s limited strengths well. Though Dean was ambitious and keen to seize control of the Kensington Group, Landon never rated him as sophisticated enough to pull off all these. It suggested there was a puppeteer behind Dean, someone exceedingly astute and ruthless.
Landon’s worry surged, and he brushed off Edgar’s hand decisively. “Nevertheless, I must head up the mountain at once. Leila is undoubtedly in danger.”
With no alternative, Edgar trailed behind Landon.
As they walked forward, they noticed cars strategically positioned at intervals along the road. It was evident these obstacles had been purposefully arranged to impede Landon’s swift ascent up the mountain.
Although the Kensington family owned this land privately, patrols were usually a regular sight here. However, not a soul had crossed their path so far. It was likely that they had all been subdued and controlled.
Thinking of this, Landon was burning with anxiety.
Meanwhile, as Leila slowly regained consciousness, she found herself lying in a small cabin, warmed by the crackle of a wood fire nearby. Her eyelids felt heavy as she struggled to open them, her body weak and disoriented.
Confusion clouded her mind as she tried to piece together how she ended up here. She felt like she had lost part of her memory.
“Awake?” A male voice abruptly startled Leila, causing her to jump.
Leila gazed at the menacing visage of the man, and gradually, memories started flooding back.
Shortly after Stan brazenly disclosed his motives, he launched an assault on Leila.