Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
The sight of her tears tugged at Tyrone’s heart. He let out a heavy sigh, the weight of her sadness pressing on him. “Alright, I’ll take you back to the Nixon family, but first, I need to visit an old friend.”
Though Tyrone’s memories were hazy, seeing the jade had triggered something. He vaguely remembered having returned with his granddaughter and given her this jade, telling her it would be a token to recognize his friend if they ever crossed paths.
Tyrone struggled to recall what his granddaughter looked like, the memories slipping through his mind like sand.
Jenny quickly dried her tears and pulled out her phone, searching for “the Nixon family.” Her heart raced as she scrolled through the results, her eyes widening in disbelief.
If Tyrone’s words were true, she was on the brink of unimaginable wealth and power. But then it hit her-the real granddaughter of Tyrone was none other than Leila, the woman who had humiliated her by the seaside.
Jenny’s face hardened. She was done with maintaining a facade of a golden-hearted woman. She aimed for Tyrone to never reunite with his family.
They could stay strangers forever, for all she cared. Blood ties didn’t matter. What mattered was that Tyrone believed in her story. If she could get him to officially recognize her, she’d step into the role of the Nixon family’s heiress, no questions asked.
Jenny left in high spirits, humming a tune as she departed.
Meanwhile, after a few more days of leisure with Sophie, Leila decided it was time to visit Landon’s company and see what was going on. Though Leila had enjoyed her time off, she hadn’t been idle. She had taken the opportunity to research the local market in Halstead.
The city, steeped in history, was known for its antiques. With its proximity to the sea, it also boasted a thriving pearl fishing industry, giving rise to numerous jewelry companies.
Landon’s business was one of them. A few years back, his company had been a significant player in the industry, well-regarded and successful.
But recently, it had been dogged by scandal after scandal, leading to a catastrophic mistake that brought it to the brink of collapse.
Reflecting on her bold words earlier in front of Landon, Leila suddenly felt a twinge of regret. Landon likely had alerted the director before Leila’s arrival, and as she stepped into the office, the director guided her through the company’s operations.
Each employee was diligently focused on their tasks. Despite the company’s expansive layout, there were noticeably few people around.
Before Leila could voice her observation, the director cleared his throat with an uncomfortable cough. “Things haven’t been great lately, so we’ve had a few resignations,” he said.
Her brow furrowed in concern, she pressed further, “How many have left this month?”
With a helpless shrug, the director replied, “At least thirty.”
Leila’s eyes widened in surprise. The number was indeed staggering. If this trend continued, the company might face bankruptcy in less than two months. With such a high turnover, attracting new talent seemed increasingly challenging.
“Is there anything else contributing to this?” Leila inquired.
She recalled Landon hadn’t brought it up before her arrival-he had no reason to hide it from her. The director hung his head, his voice tinged with remorse.
“Miss, I never intended to hide this from you, but I was left with no choice. The company is hemorrhaging money every month. If this continues, we’ll all be out of jobs.
I’ve been forced to coax some employees to resign because we simply can’t meet the payroll. I’m certain Mr. Kensington would shut us down immediately if he found out. I’m just trying to keep us afloat.”
Leila’s suspicions had been nearly on point. Hearing the director’s words, her emotions were a tangle. “I understand. Let me know if anything else comes up.”
The director asked cautiously, “Miss, even if you decide to let me go, I need an answer from you first. Can you do anything to help the company? I’ve dedicated ten years to this place since graduating. The benefits are great, and I’ve never had to work late. I truly love it here. It has been running for so long.”
Leila murmured, lost in thought, “That’s exactly why I can’t let it go.”
Leila hesitated to commit. “I’ll do what I can.”
According to the information she read, the company was on a downward spiral due to a scandal. However, the details of the scandal were vague. Today, the director filled her in on everything.
“It’s because of plagiarism,” he said, annoyance and embarrassment tinging his voice. “We once hired a young designer whose creations were beautiful and stylish and fetched high prices. She quickly became the company’s top designer.
But it came out later that she had copied the designs of an undergraduate who had yet to finish college.”
He continued, “The student came forward with compelling evidence. Initially, the situation seemed manageable. We reached out to the student and compensated her handsomely. While the designer was dismissed, she stubbornly claimed she was innocent and refused to apologize.
Then, accusations flew that we had orchestrated the plagiarism intentionally. Rumors also surfaced about previous works being copied and employee mistreatment. Miss, as you know, information spreads like wildfire these days. With enough public outcry, the reputation of an individual or even a company can be shattered.”
Leila nodded in understanding. People often saw only what they chose to see. Sometimes, the truth mattered little. Once branded, every word a person said could be dismissed as false. Even if someone spoke on their behalf, they would face criticism. After all, tarnishing someone’s reputation had become all too easy and cost-free nowadays.
“What’s the current situation?” Leila asked, taking a deep breath to calm her racing thoughts. “It’s been two or three years since that incident. It should have been forgotten by now.”
The director chuckled, his laughter tinged with helplessness and bitterness. “Things should have gone as you just said. However, the person who accused us of plagiarism is still at it. I’m not sure when we crossed her or why she’s still holding a grudge.”
Leila nodded. She was puzzled. Why hadn’t this person moved on after all these years?
After pondering for a moment, she suggested, “Maybe you could try to arrange a meeting? Tell this person I’d like to have a talk.”
The director hesitated and then said, “Or maybe we should just let it go. She’s unlikely to agree.”
“It’s her decision to agree or not. Your part is simply to convey my message to her. Are there any other issues?”
The director nodded solemnly. “Yes, there’s been a complication. We attempted to approach her, but then she accused our vice president of harassment and later claimed we tried to intimidate her.”
Leila’s expression hardened with suspicion, prompting the director to quickly gesture dismissively. “None of it is true. It seems she’s just trying to stir up trouble deliberately. Given her antagonistic approach, we chose to cut off the conversation.”
Leila scoffed. “She’s cunning, using the court of public opinion to her advantage. She’s aiming to bring the company down while it’s vulnerable. After all, if the company recovers, she knows she’ll be the first one you take action against. Schedule a meeting. I want to hear directly from her what her grievances are.”
Acknowledging Leila’s insistence, the director agreed and set up the meeting. The dinner was arranged for the weekend.
Leila took Sophie with her.
When the appointed time arrived, Leila intentionally made the other party wait an extra ten minutes before she opened the door, stepping in with Sophie by her side. The moment Leila touched the doorknob, a voice filled with discontent spilled out from inside.
“What do you mean? You think you can intimidate me? If that’s your approach, then forget it, I’m done talking. I’m out of here!” A chair screeched across the floor.
As Leila swung the door open, she nearly bumped into Jenny exiting the room.
They paused, surprised.
Realizing the situation, Jenny huffed, “A coincidence indeed!”
“Hello, Ms. Patterson,” Leila greeted her, a polite smile on her face. “What a small world! You slandered my daughter at the beach, and here you are, targeting my company.”
Jenny’s expression turned icy. “Targeting? What your company has done is reprehensible! Your staff has been caught plagiarizing and trying to hush it up with money. Think I’ll just let it slide and drop the charges? Not a chance!”
Leila shook her head firmly. “I’m not here to bribe you. Whether you drop the complaint or not has nothing to do with me.”
Jenny was momentarily at a loss for words. She glanced at the director of the Turner Group and gave a sarcastic smile. “So, she is the new president, huh? Not exactly impressive, is she? More of a fool than her predecessors. You’ve really offended me; I won’t let this slide.”
The director, visibly uneasy, approached Leila and whispered, “Miss, this woman is no ordinary person. She’s a philanthropist with a solid reputation in Halstead. It would be wise to soothe her. While you may not be able to resolve this matter, provoking her further is not advisable.”
Leila noted the blatant hostility in Jenny’s gaze and scoffed, “If you give in once, you’ll find yourself retreating endlessly. It will only embolden her and make her more demanding. Do you think if I apologize now, she’ll let it go? As soon as I heard the backstory, I knew it wasn’t simple. There’s more to her than meets the eye.”
The director exhaled deeply, resigned to align with Leila’s approach. The higher-ups had made their expectations clear to him long ago. If Leila failed to resolve the issue this time, the company would inevitably close.
The director remained silent, merely observing from the sidelines. Leila, hand in hand with Sophie, entered and seated themselves.
Jenny, feeling overlooked by Leila’s dismissive behavior, bristled with irritation. She snapped, “What are you trying to say? By summoning me here, are you trying to insult me? If that’s the case, don’t expect me to play nice.”
Fuming, Jenny pulled out her phone and initiated a live stream. Thanks to her facade as a golden-hearted woman and the coverage of her past as an exemplary student, she had amassed a significant following. Within moments of going live, thousands tuned in.
Jenny’s demeanor shifted instantly. Her eyes welled up, portraying a picture of distress. “Hello, everyone. Today, that same company approached me again.
I assumed they wanted to bribe me into dropping my complaint. Naturally, I refused. Such a company in Halstead is a detriment to us all. However, they didn’t come for that. They invited me out just to degrade me.”
Her acting instincts kicked in, and Jenny choked with sobs. “I can’t grasp it. All I want is justice for the wrongdoing. Why do they get to continue their operations?
Plagiarism, exploitation of their workers, and using their influence to bully others. If I keep silent, who will have the courage to speak up? I’m trying to do what others are too afraid to. What did I do to deserve this?”
The online comments were a mix of support for Jenny and disparaging remarks about the Turner Group. Jenny glanced at Leila, searching for some reaction, but found Leila still as a statue, her face unreadable. A flicker of anger passed through Jenny’s eyes. Jenny turned her phone screen toward Leila and Sophie. Leila quickly moved to shield Sophie’s face.