Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Anna’s eyes widened in surprise. “You’ve grown up so much,” she remarked. “The last time I saw you in a photograph, you were just a little boy. All these years, it was just you by our dad’s side. Mr. Lando and I never had to worry about our dad. But…”
Anna’s face clouded over with sadness as she spoke of Mr. Lando.
Ernesto’s smile faltered. “If he doesn’t want to return, so be it,” he said with a hint of bitterness. “He never saw me as his father, anyway. What use is a son who doesn’t respect his own father?”
Griffin, his voice tinged with curious excitement, asked, “So, he’s gone for good then?”
Anna’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, lost in a painful memory.
Ernesto’s expression hardened. He shot Griffin a look that could kill.
Griffin immediately backed down. But his eyes remained fixed on Anna, cold and calculating, not the way a younger brother should look at his older sister. Leila and Landon shared a quick, meaningful look. Leila could see the surprise etched on Landon’s face.
It was clear to Leila that even Landon was unaware of Mr. Lando’s and Anna’s ties to the Perry family.
Ernesto summoned everyone to meet Anna. Naturally, Leila was included.
With a forced smile, Leila stepped forward. “Anna, it’s been a while.”
Leila made no attempt to feign ignorance.
Anna’s gaze lingered on Leila, her expression unreadable.
Anna remained composed, neither confirming nor denying any prior connection.
Leila’s heart hammered in her chest under Anna’s intense scrutiny.
Anna offered no response to Leila’s greeting.
Anna engaged warmly with everyone else, but Leila was treated as if she were invisible.
Anna’s peculiar behavior sparked curiosity among the onlookers, leaving them to wonder about the history between her and Leila.
Ernesto observed this with a puzzled frown but chose not to pry.
Anna’s attention was suddenly drawn to White, who was standing beside Griffin. She swiftly made her way over. “Hello there,” Anna said, her voice friendly. “You seem familiar. Have we crossed paths before?”
Griffin gave Landon a quick, meaningful smile before turning to Anna. “Anna, you’re mistaken. He used to work for a friend of mine. Besides, he’s an OB/GYN. You wouldn’t know him.”
Anna arched an eyebrow, a playful smile on her lips. “Maybe. But there’s something about him… Not his looks, but his vibe. He reminds me of someone. Maybe it’s just my imagination.”
Anna held out her hand, her eyes boring into Landon’s. “Nice to meet you. I’m Anna.”
Landon snapped to attention, plastering on a sycophantic grin. “I’m White, ma’am.”
Leila gazed at the phony smile on Landon’s face. He didn’t seem nervous, but just off..
Anna gave a mysterious smile and withdrew her hand, saying nothing more. She completely ignored Leila, not even acknowledging her presence.
After the banquet, Leila went to her room to relax. Landon slipped in a few minutes later. The moment he closed the door, his face hardened.
Leila made sure they were alone and then signaled to Landon to ask, “Did she recognize you?”
Landon shook his head, signaling. “Doubt it. But something was definitely weird about her.”
Both Leila and Landon felt uneasy. Something was wrong, but they couldn’t quite put their finger on it. Logically speaking, Anna couldn’t recognize Landon, given his mask and the shift in his demeanor.
Leila and Landon had been practically joined at the hip growing up, which was why Leila recognized Landon despite his mask.
Landon chewed on it for a bit, and then a thought hit him. He used sign language to express his thoughts.
“Anna used to be a war correspondent. She’s damn sharp and remembers every little detail, even including people she interviewed briefly. She can spot a lie a mile away, just from a look or a twitch. Maybe I let something slip, and she picked up on it.”
A wave of anxiety washed over Landon. If his guess was right, they had to speed up their plan. Anna was a ticking time bomb.
Landon’s gaze locked onto Leila’s, serious as heck. He gestured with his hands. “I might have to do something I don’t want to do. You get me?”
Leila saw the resolve in his eyes and knew exactly what he was implying. A bitter taste filled her mouth, and there was little they could do to change the situation.
If they didn’t act, and Anna blew their cover, they’d all be screwed and stuck here forever.
Leila stepped closer, taking Landon’s hand in hers. A slight shake of her head told him she understood and wouldn’t stand in his way.
Landon pulled her close, his hands gently massaging her lower back, trying to ease the knot of worry there. He gestured, his demeanor soft.
“I might not be able to come see you for a few days. Just in case Anna finds out about us too soon.” Before leaving, Landon turned around, his eyes filled with a longing that tugged at Leila’s heart.
Leila gave him a reassuring smile and signed, “I’ll be fine. Take care.”
Landon nodded, then reluctantly turned and disappeared into the shadows.
The following morning, the manor was abuzz with gossip. The whispers told a shocking tale-that White had broken into Anna’s room in the dead of night and tried to force himself on her. He’d been caught in the act.
Ernesto was livid, ready to have White’s head.
Leila’s hand trembled, nearly dropping the bowl she was holding. Her stomach churned with a cold dread. A dull ache pulsed in her belly, mirroring the anxiety that gripped her.
Leila took a deep breath, forcing herself to appear calm. “No way,” she said, her voice strained. “White’s asking for a death wish.”
The servant who’d brought the news explained, “It’s not what you think, ma’am. Apparently, White was smitten with Miss Perry the moment he saw her yesterday. He just wanted to… Well, to get a glimpse of her. But she caught him, and things got out of hand. If Miss Perry hadn’t screamed for help, who knows what would have happened? White’s always been arrogant, thinking he could get away with anything because of Mr. Griffin Perry. But this time, even Mr. Griffin Perry is washing his hands off White. To avoid being implicated, Mr. Griffin Perry even advised Mr. Ernesto Perry to kill White.”
A wave of dizziness hit Leila, and the bowl tumbled from her grasp, smashing into a thousand pieces on the floor. The servant eyed Leila’s pale face and asked, “Miss Nixon, are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Leila lied, digging her nails into her palms to steady herself. “Just clumsy.” She looked down, trying to mask the fear in her eyes. “What’s going on? Is White dead?”
The servant shook his head. “I’m not sure. But he’s probably locked up in the dungeon.”
Leila rose to her feet, protectively cradling her bump. “I’m going to see what’s going on.”
The servant blocked Leila’s way. “Miss Nixon, it might not be a pretty sight. You shouldn’t go.”
Leila plastered on a fake smile. “Sure, White helped with the pregnancy stuff, but he was a real jerk to me most of the time. Now that he’s in trouble, I’m kinda happy about it. I wanna see him squirm. Why can’t I go?”
In the end, Leila got her way and went to the dungeon. Landon was nowhere in sight, but a large bloodstain painted the floor. It looked like they’d given him a real beating. Anna was sobbing next to Ernesto, putting on a pitiful act.
Ernesto put on a show of comforting Anna, and his rage was directed at Griffin. “You brought that bastard into our lives!” he roared. “You swore he was brilliant, but he’s just a piece of shit!”
Ernesto didn’t give a damn about Anna’s feelings. He was pissed purely because of the public humiliation. He saw himself as the king of the hill, untouchable. And some bastard dared to do this to his daughter? It was a direct insult, a challenge to his authority.
Griffin was consumed by a mix of remorse and rage. His hands balled into fists. “Don’t worry. I’ll make that son of a bitch pay! He’ll beg for death before I’m through with him.”
Leila was offered a chair. She sank into it, her face a blank mask. Inwardly, she was freaking out.
Ernesto’s breathing was still ragged. He shot a suspicious look at Leila. “What are you doing here?”
Leila plastered on a smile. “I heard what happened and came to see for myself. How could that bastard do that to Miss Perry?”
Anna’s sobs continued, but she looked up at Leila with a strange, almost searching, expression.
Leila continued, “This is Griffin’s fault. If he had been more careful about who he brought along, none of this would have happened. After all, White just worked here. Miss Perry is Mr. Ernesto Perry’s daughter. How could White dare do something like that?”
Griffin flew into a rage. He glared at Leila with a murderous look in his eyes. “What are you saying? Are you suggesting that I told White to do it? Why would I do such a thing?”
Leila pretended to be frightened. Her face went white. Looking down, she said in a small voice, “I was just guessing. I never said you actually ordered White to do so.”