Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Turning around, Leila realized Sophie was nowhere in sight. Sophie was gone.
In a surge of panic, Leila called out for Sophie.
Silence was the only reply.
The remnants of her nightmare intensified her fear. Leila stepped out of bed, her feet bare, and began searching.
Leila was in the hospital’s VIP ward, designed like a modest apartment. She scoured each room but found no trace of Sophie.
Leila paused to check the door, still closed but unlocked. A realization hit her hard. Someone had taken Sophie away. Could it be that it was really Landon who took Sophie away, just like her dream suggested? No, that couldn’t be right.
“Sophie!” In a frenzy, Leila bolted from the ward and scanned the hospital corridor.
Bystanders gave Leila curious glances, but she ignored them.
Leila’s inquiries about Sophie led nowhere. Determined, she decided to ask the dean for the surveillance footage. Just then, the echo of orderly footsteps approached from behind. A voice commanded, “Don’t just stand there. Go catch her.”
Within moments, hands seized Leila, restraining her movements.
They dragged Leila to Jennifer, who stood, arms crossed, eyeing Leila with a frosty gaze.
Leila had no time for this; her voice icy with contempt, she snapped, “I don’t care about your schemes. If you don’t want to infuriate me, let me go now! Sophie is missing, and I need to find her. Release me at once!”
Jennifer seemed to have heard something amusing. “Leila, this isn’t the time for pretenses. Bria’s surgery was unsuccessful. Are you happy now?”
There was a brief silence before Leila quickly collected herself. “The way you’re trying to pin this on me is just pathetic. I’ve never been involved with her. What does her situation have to do with me? I need to find Sophie. Let me go! Or else I’ll have to get the police involved to figure out who’s really behind what happened to Bria.”
Jennifer gave a mocking laugh and then commanded, “Check her phone.”
Leila, powerless, could only watch as they searched for her cell phone.
Finally, Jennifer seized Leila’s phone.
Jennifer tossed it into a trash can right in front of Leila. “You don’t seem ready to confess. Fine. You guys, take her back and lock her up. When she’s ready to admit her guilt, we’ll consider releasing her.”
Leila was utterly distraught. She quickly said, “Anything you want, I’ll do it. I can even leave the Nixon family for good. But right now, Sophie is missing. She’s my daughter. Jennifer, you have a child. You must understand how I feel, right?”
Jennifer’s expression softened for a moment, but then she steeled herself once again. She addressed Leila with a chilling tone, “Don’t worry about Sophie. We’ll ensure she’s well looked after. You, however, need to ponder your missteps. If you confess sooner, I can release you earlier.”
Leila, despite her struggle, was ultimately taken away. She was escorted back to the Nixon estate and roughly ushered into a room.
The door slammed shut, sealing off the last sliver of light. In the pitch-dark room, Leila curled up, clutching her knees, her mind not on fear but filled with concern for Sophie.
Suddenly, a thought struck Leila. She mulled over Jennifer’s words, and the more she did, the more something seemed off. Clearly, Jennifer was keen on pinning the blame on her, yet the rest of the Nixon family weren’t fools.
Leila reasoned that Ewing and his father would eventually return. They would undoubtedly rescue her and uncover the truth that she was innocent. The actions of Jennifer and Abram’s family seemed futile. Then what was their motive? Jennifer had assured her of Sophie’s safety and urged her not to be concerned. Realization dawned on Leila. She sprang to her feet and banged on the door with all her might.
“Let me go! This is wrongful confinement! Won’t you be scared that I’ll tell Ewing about your schemes when he returns? Open up! If you harm my daughter, I’ll make you regret it forever!”
Leila’s voice was raspy from tears, yet silence prevailed outside.
She tried every trick in the book but could only pace anxiously like a cornered animal.
Through her tear-streaked vision, Leila noticed a window up high. There were objects within the room she could use to scale the wall, yet there seemed to be nowhere safe to land outside.
Leila recalled this room was on the second story. A fall could likely result in a broken bone. But she didn’t dwell on it, her concerns for her daughter overwhelming.
With determination, Leila bit her lip and ascended using the room’s decor.
However, lacking any real climbing experience, she fell repeatedly.
Her hair was disheveled, and her body was filthy..
During one such fall, a sharp object gashed her arm, causing blood to stream forth. The pain nearly sapped her of all her strength.
Still, Leila clenched her teeth and persevered in her climb. The singular force driving her was her maternal devotion.
She eventually perched herself on the window’s ledge.
As she had anticipated, there was no platform outside.
Judging by the view, it was a three-story drop.
A wave of dizziness washed over Leila as she peered down, fear creeping in. Yet, the thought of Sophie’s cheerful smile brought her courage.
Leila had always regarded Sophie as her greatest blessing, even though her birth had been perilous.
When Sophie was born, the doctor had grim news for Leila. The severe uterine bleeding meant she would never have another child.
This made Sophie all the more precious to Leila.
Leila’s life was filled with regrets and poor choices. She was determined not to let Sophie endure the same hardships.
This resolve pushed Leila to take a leap of faith and start a business, aiming to provide Sophie with a better life.
Leila’s past was marked by poverty and powerlessness, leaving her vulnerable to others’ cruelty.
Leila had poured her heart into shielding her daughter, yet doubts lingered. Why was it still so hard to protect Sophie?
Leila bit her lower lip hard, tasting the blood that began to spread in her mouth, the sharp pain snapping her to alertness. She blamed herself for not being cautious enough to take more action in advance, leading to her daughter being taken away and her feeling compelled to escape this locked-up room.
Sitting on the window’s ledge, Leila couldn’t deny her fear of the height. Yet, she knew she couldn’t afford to be timid now.
Clenching her teeth, Leila shut her eyes and jumped.
Fortunately, she landed on a soft bed of grass below. Yet, the impact still sent a throbbing pain through her leg, causing her head to spin. She was in such agony that cold sweat broke out on her skin, and it took all her strength to stand upright.
After taking a few steps, Leila suddenly heard footsteps behind her. She quickly limped and took cover behind the nearby house.
The voices belonged to a few passing servants.
Leila was on Abram’s turf, a place where she needed to remain vigilant.
The servants continued their conversation as they walked.
“I heard a prominent guest arrived today.”
“Prominent guest? Folks who visit the Nixon family are usually here for favors. Could someone be more influential than the Nixons?”
“Actually, yes. I’ve heard this person holds sway in both the legitimate and the underworld. Ever heard of the largest black market in Yaeloth? That’s his. He controls numerous enterprises worldwide. His real name? Unknown, shrouded in mystery. He’s only emerged into prominence recently. Outsiders respectfully call him Mr. Lando.”
“Such esteemed guests deserve utmost attention. Everyone, listen closely. Guard this house vigilantly. Ensure no one inside disrupts our honored visitor.”
At that moment, Leila felt profoundly thankful for her earlier choice. Had she not dodged them, her painstaking efforts would have crumbled to nothing.
The voices dwindled as the group moved on.
Once they had departed, Leila emerged cautiously. Pain shot through her leg, draining the color from her face. Despite her attempts to quicken her pace, her body lagged behind.
Just as Leila neared the gate, a sudden cry rang out.
“There’s someone there!”
“It’s Leila. Quick! Bring her back!”