Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Anna watched Landon’s retreating figure, tears forming in her eyes. She said to Lenny, “Can’t you see, Lenny? I don’t stand a chance.”
Lenny didn’t know what to do as he saw Anna on the verge of tears. “Please, don’t cry. Just stay close to him. He’ll fall for you eventually. You’re a wonderful person, and many people adore you. I’m certain he’ll come to love you.”
Anna smiled, pleased. “My brother did the right thing of taking you in. He supported your studies and granted you a job in the black market. Although you didn’t have the chance to repay him while he was alive, repaying me is the same as repaying him.”
Lenny nodded. “I will.”
When Leila got home, she started packing her belongings.
Sophie was intrigued. “Where are we headed?”
Leila smiled as she spoke. “Sophie, how about we go on a trip together, just you and me?”
Sophie nodded, her eyes filled with anticipation. “Mommy, can Landon come along with us?”
The smile slipped from Leila’s face, her voice still gentle. “Sweetheart, this time, it’s just going to be the two of us. Let’s go have fun, and then we’ll come back. Landon has a girlfriend. It’s best if we don’t tell them anything about me, okay?”
Sophie’s expression fell slightly. “But Landon doesn’t have any girlfriends. He told me himself.”
Leila soothed her with patience. “Sophie, whether Landon has a girlfriend or not, he has nothing to do with me from now on. You wouldn’t want to see him upset, would you?”
Sophie fidgeted with the hem of her clothes. “I definitely don’t want you to be upset.”
Leila gently pinched Sophie’s cheek and asked, “Do you remember what I told you just now?”
Sophie nodded solemnly. “Yes. I remember.”
Just then, Trent entered the room with a look of concern.
“Miss, why the rush? Perhaps you should rest for a while before leaving for a trip? Moreover, we’re still unclear about the side effects of the drug in your system. Leaving now might be risky.
Remember how unwell you were recently? You should either visit the hospital or return to the Nixon estate. That way, if anything goes wrong, you’ll have support.”
Leila shook her head, dismissing his concerns. “Trent, really, I feel much better now. Besides, I need to resolve this issue quickly. I don’t want to be indebted to anyone. It could lead to more problems down the road.” Leila didn’t elaborate, but Trent suspected it involved Landon, who had recently stayed with them.
Seeing her determination, Trent no longer tried to dissuade her. Instead, he made a firm request. “Please, let me accompany you.”
Leila was reluctant, but Trent persisted.
“Miss, I understand you don’t want to wear me out, given my age, but please, let me tag along. I could tell you must have found some leads on your grandfather’s whereabouts.
Otherwise, you wouldn’t be in such a rush. I won’t be at ease unless I go with you. Perhaps we might find him somewhere along the trip.”
Convinced by his plea, Leila yielded. “Alright, prepare yourself. We’re leaving tonight.”
“Okay.”
Once Landon finally got rid of Anna, he rushed to Leila’s villa to see her, only to discover she had already departed. He questioned the villa’s staff, but none of them knew where she had gone.
Landon was skeptical of their ignorance but chose not to press the issue. After some contemplation, he sought out Anna.
Anna had been feeling downcast due to Landon’s distant demeanor. Seeing him approach her of his own accord brought a faint smile to her face. “Landon, I thought you didn’t want to see me anymore,” she said, a mixture of joy and complaint in her voice.
Landon didn’t beat around the bush. “Are you pleased that she left because of you?”
“Who?” Anna’s face registered confusion, which quickly cleared as she realized who Landon was referring to. Anna couldn’t contain her frustration.
“Can’t you see? She has no feelings for you. Why do you continue to chase after her? She left that evening, not wanting to say goodbye to you. She’s clearly avoiding you. Why bother to find her?”
Landon’s eyebrows shot up. “So, you had someone keep tabs on her.”
Realizing she had let something slip, Anna replied honestly, “Yes, I did have her watched. I didn’t interfere, though; I am just curious about what’s so special about her that you can’t stop thinking about her.”
Landon had no desire to continue the conversation. “If you don’t want me to send you packing, just tell me where she is.”
Anna stubbornly refused, turning away. “If you want to know her whereabouts, find her yourself. It should be easy for you.”
Landon confronted her bluntly. “It might be if you hadn’t gone out of your way to hide her whereabouts and erase her trace.”
Landon was well aware of Anna’s tactics. She could easily make him spend months searching for Leila in vain. Anna felt both angry and wronged over Landon’s threats. She pulled a long face, tears glistening in her charming eyes.
“Landon, do you realize what you’re doing and what you’re saying? You’re using my brother’s name. Don’t forget that you owe my brother a favor. How can you treat me like this?”
“I owe nothing to your brother,” Landon replied calmly. “My promise was not out of debt but out of kindness at the time.”
Anna refused to believe Landon didn’t have an ounce of feelings for her. “Is there any other reason? Like you feel sorry for me and sympathize with me? Or perhaps you couldn’t help but soften your heart for me?”
Landon’s smile was devoid of warmth. “Anna, stop pushing me. My patience is wearing thin.”
Anna met his gaze, and the absence of any gentleness and concern in his eyes caused a sharp ache in her chest. After a tense pause, she managed to say, “I’ll disclose her location. But I have a condition.”
“Go on,” Landon responded flatly. “But if your demand is unreasonable, I’ll reject it.”
Anna clenched her teeth. “I realize you desperately want to find her. My condition is quite simple. Take me with you. I’m in peril now. I can’t be certain if those pursuing me will track me down here. I need to ensure my safety.”
Landon scowled. Deep down, he was reluctant to have her tag along, but given his ties and the friendship with her brother, he couldn’t simply ignore her plight. He compressed his lips and issued a stern warning.
“Don’t cause any trouble. She suffers because of your actions, and I’ll hold you accountable.”
After Landon departed, tears streamed down Anna’s cheeks as her mind shifted back to the year they first met. Actually, Landon had always been distant and cold toward her. But at that time, Anna thought she still had a chance, consoling herself that he was just naturally aloof and would warm up to her someday.
But she was faced with a reality check on the day of her return to the country. She noted Landon’s tenderness toward Leila. So, he wasn’t born aloof. He was just cold to her.
As Landon was around Leila, he was gentle, his eyes affectionate and warm. Anna had never seen this side of Landon. Saddened yet unreconciled by the fact that his love and soft side were reserved solely for Leila, Anna figured she had been around Landon’s side for some years, and he should have developed feelings for her, though he might not realize it himself.
After Landon stepped into Mr. Lando’s role, he had faced numerous challenges, most of which were tackled by himself, while few were taken care of by Anna.
Anna took pride in how well she cooperated with Landon in handling things, constantly hearing comments of them making a perfect match. Such words undoubtedly cheered her up, and over time, she was convinced of it, feeling she was the most suitable one for Landon.
Anna was displeased with Landon’s devotion and unwavering love for Leila; therefore, she had someone monitor Leila’s activities for some time. Hearing the reports, Anna couldn’t fathom what Landon saw in Leila.
Anna felt she was far better than Leila in every aspect. In Anna’s eyes, Leila was nothing more than an ordinary businesswoman, standing out only due to her striking beauty. Anna didn’t feel inferior to Leila in terms of appearance.
After some digging, Anna discovered Leila hailed from the wealthy Nixon family, deepening her disdain for Leila and leading her to assume Leila was born with a silver spoon.
Anna always took pride in having carved her own path through sheer determination and hard work. She believed she was far superior to Leila, who merely relied on her family’s influence.
Even after some thought, Anna still couldn’t figure out why Landon was so infatuated with Leila. Determined to fight for her happiness, Anna reminded herself that Landon and Leila weren’t married yet, which meant she still stood a chance to win Landon over. Even if Landon and Leila got married, who could tell whether they would divorce someday? Anna’s confidence in her own charm remained unshaken.
Meanwhile, upon arriving in Halstead, Leila didn’t immediately visit the Turner Group, the company she promised to handle for Landon.
Instead, she and Sophie explored the city, enjoying a brief respite. Leila’s caution was deliberate; an early visit might alert Landon to her presence, disrupting her much-sought-after peace.
Leila’s priority was to locate Tyrone, whose last known sighting was in Halstead according to her sources. Leila’s team had been monitoring all city exits, and since no one had seen him leave, they suspected Tyrone might still be in Halstead.
The good news was that when Tyrone was last spotted, he appeared well-kept, as if under someone’s care. Strangely, no one had reported Tyrone to the police or taken him to any hospital. For the moment, it seemed Tyrone had not encountered harm.
Lost in thought, Leila clutched the jade token Tyrone had given her long ago. It still radiated warmth, as if keeping their connection alive. Suddenly, Leila felt a wave of unease. She worried about the experiences he might have faced alone since his disappearance. Leila had confided in Ewing at that time.
Ewing had remained silent for a long spell before finally speaking. “Don’t burden yourself with guilt. It’s my problem. I insisted on letting him follow you.
You’ve done everything you could. Remember, no one would dare harm our grandfather. He’ll be alright. Let’s keep this within us. No need to alarm the Nixon family or my father just yet. I’ll handle the arrangements. Trust that all will be well.”
Leila understood Ewing intended to reassure her. She recognized the gravity of the situation. The Nixon family remained oblivious to Tyrone’s disappearance, maintaining their facade of normalcy. She could imagine the immense pressure Ewing must be under.