Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Hearing this, Leila felt like saying something but ultimately opted for silence. She wanted to ask him if he was indeed Landon. Yet, at the same time, she felt it didn’t matter anymore.
If he was Landon and had chosen not to reveal his true identity, it implied he had moved on from their past. If she dwelled on it, she would be the one trapped by old memories.
After Mr. Lando left, the doctors agreed to let Leila visit Sophie, as Leila had persistently requested.
Sophie had awakened and was sitting up in bed, surrounded by caregivers trying to coax her into eating. However, Sophie remained silent, refusing their attempts, which only heightened their concern.
At that moment, Leila was wheeled into the room. “Let me try,” she said, taking the bowl from the caregivers.
Only upon hearing Leila’s familiar voice did Sophie turn her head. Her eyes lit up at the sight of Leila, and she started to rise from her bed, only to be gently restrained by the caregivers.
“Sophie, please don’t move. The doctor has instructed you to stay still, or you’ll need an injection.”
“That’s right, Sophie. You’ll only get better if you listen to the doctor and rest.”
Sophie was unusually stubborn today, her struggle evident as she insisted on approaching Leila, desiring Leila’s embrace.
Leila’s heart sank as she eyed the drip tube set to draw blood. With a feigned sternness, she said, “Sophie, if you don’t behave, I’ll get angry.”
At Leila’s words, Sophie froze, tears streaming silently down her cheeks.
Leila approached Sophie’s bedside, reaching out to caress Sophie’s tear-streaked face, attempting a comforting smile. However, her smile quickly gave way to tears. “I’m sorry, Sophie. This is all my fault,” overwhelmed with guilt, Leila said, “I should have protected you better.”
Sophie shook her head, her voice raspy and hoarse as she spoke. “It’s not your fault. It’s mine. Mom, please don’t cry. Stay strong, too.”
The caretakers exchanged surprised glances.
“It seems her mother really does help. We were curious about how her voice was recovering, but she hardly spoke.”
Dabbing at her eyes, Leila said to the caretakers, “Thank you all for your work. Sophie might be young, but she has strong self-esteem. Her current state must be hard for her to accept. Please, show a little more patience.”
The caretakers rushed to praise Sophie’s maturity despite her young age.
“It’s not a problem at all. Sophie behaves well, although she’s not keen on talking or eating. Particularly when it’s time for her injection, she’s remarkably cooperative. It’s her maturity in these moments that really tugs at the heartstrings.”
“Oh, it’s heartbreaking. What was the attacker thinking? She’s such a darling little girl…”
Leila’s heart sank upon hearing this. Even these outsiders sympathized with Sophie.
After gentle coaxing, Sophie finally smiled.
Once a vibrant child, Sophie had become predominantly reserved, still affected by her recent ordeal.
While the specifics of that fateful day remained unspoken to Leila, she could piece together the likely events. Clearly, Sophie had been terrified.
Leila, having spent a few additional days recuperating at the hospital, decided against returning to the Nixon family. Instead, she planned to head to Avalon once Sophie was discharged. Ewing seemed somewhat displeased by this decision.
In the hotel, the bodyguard ushered Leila into a room. Inside, Ewing awaited her arrival.
Unexpectedly, Tyrone was also present. His eyes brightened upon seeing Leila, and he quickly approached her. “Leila, where have you been all this time? I’ve missed seeing you around.”
Leila was taken aback by what she heard, her eyes shifting to Ewing as she sought an explanation.
Ewing simply shrugged, a look of helplessness on his face. Tyrone was having one of his episodes again.
Now, Tyrone was only conscious half the time. Even when he was conscious, he preferred not to speak to anyone. The silent treatment was always a sign that his illness had flared up again.
But what really puzzled Leila was why Ewing had brought Tyrone here.
After spending a few moments soothing Tyrone, Leila pulled Ewing aside. “I know my decision seems sudden, and it’s likely to upset you, but I don’t have a choice. It’s not just my disappointment toward the Nixon family. I have other matters I need to take care of.”
Ewing cleared his throat softly.
“I do think your decision is a bit sudden. But what concerns me more is Tyrone’s condition. You should say goodbye to him, Leila. Whether he’s fully conscious or not, he listens to you more than anyone else. Even when he doesn’t want to talk to others, he’s always willing to hear you out. What will his condition be if you leave?”
Leila’s heart tightened, a wave of distress washing over her. She hadn’t even considered this.
Just then, Tyrone approached them, his expression filled with uncertainty. “Leila, are you going somewhere? Can I come with you? Please don’t leave me here with the Nixon family. I don’t know anyone, and I don’t want to.”
Leila turned to face Tyrone, ready to comfort and convince him to stay.
But before she could speak, Ewing gently took her hand, shaking his head subtly, signaling her to hold back.
Then, Ewing smiled awkwardly. “I hope you can take our grandpa to your homeland. I wouldn’t have brought him here today if I had thought otherwise.”
Tyrone’s eyes flared with irritation as he said to Ewing, “Don’t call me that! Brat, how could I be your grandpa? I look way too young for that!”
Blue veins could be seen on Leila’s forehead, and her expression turned serious.
“Ewing, are you serious about this? It’s not that I don’t want to take Tyrone with me, but I don’t want to leverage the Nixon family’s influence. I doubt I could take care of him properly, given my tight schedule. What if something happens to him? That’s a scenario all of us would like to steer clear of.”
“Besides…” Leila’s gaze dropped, the light in her eyes dimming. “I can’t even protect Sophie, let alone-“
“You don’t need to worry about that. I’ve taken care of everything,” Ewing reassured her, his voice steady.
“Tyrone was quite a figure in the old days and had helped quite a few, earning him connections and admiration. It is no exaggeration to say he had dealt with half of the people in Burmoos, with his friends from all walks of life in Avalon. I’ve already spoken to them. If you ever need assistance, just show them this.” Ewing produced a jade pendant and placed it in Leila’s palm.
Leila studied it, feeling its smooth, cool surface. This piece was undoubtedly top-notch, far too extravagant to be used as a simple token.
Leila’s mind flashed back to years ago when she stumbled upon a small piece of jade in an underground market. It was barely the size of a fingernail, yet it had fetched 50 million.
As for the value of this piece, Leila figured it was far from affordable for many. She frowned and gave the jade back to Ewing, “Give me a substitute instead. This is too valuable to carry around.”.
Ewing shook his head firmly. “This belonged to Tyrone. Just keep it with you. If you ever need money, sell it. It’s worth at least hundreds of millions. It’ll see you through whatever comes your way.”
Leila’s lips twitched in disbelief. “Seriously? Suggesting I sell this for money in Tyrone’s presence?”
Ewing waved his hand dismissively. “He’s got plenty of treasures. This is no big deal for him. Kindly take care of him.”
Ewing then handed her a stack of black cards from various banks and a set of house keys.
Leila was about to refuse when Ewing’s expression darkened, his tone turning icy. “If you don’t take them, I’ll make sure you can’t leave Ferelden.”
Leila didn’t doubt his abilities.
With a resigned sigh, Ewing’s tone softened as he continued, “As your cousin, I haven’t done nearly enough for you. My life’s busy, and there’s little I can give. If you don’t accept this, I won’t be able to rest.”
Leila felt a tightness in her chest, a swell of emotion rising. She felt like crying.
Memories of her old days with the Kensington family, where she’d still felt the warmth of family when Roderick was still around and she was still married to Landon, came rushing back. But the passing years had made her memory somewhat faint.
Later on, quite a few kind souls entered her life. She still remembered the warmth she received from the Hayes and Brooks families. Hayden hadn’t escaped her mind.
Leila appreciated their kindness deeply. Perhaps it was because she had spent so much of her life under the Kensington family’s roof as an adopted daughter, often looked down upon, that she had never allowed herself to rely on anyone.
Before Leila knew it, tears welled up in her eyes and began to fall.
Ewing noticed and quickly wiped her tears away. “Hey, don’t cry. That’s on me. I shouldn’t have said all that. Everything’s been arranged for you. You can take my private plane tomorrow. Just rest for now, okay?”
Leila sniffled, forcing a small smile. “Okay.”
After a much-needed rest, Leila returned to her home country with Sophie and Tyrone.
True to his words, Ewing had made thoughtful arrangements.