Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Leila emerged cautiously, holding her belly, to which Anna responded with a predatory smile.
“So, I was correct. White is actually Landon, isn’t he?” Anna stated more than questioned. Leila’s hands tensed, her exterior calm but internally fraught with anxiety.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” Leila responded.
Anna quickly closed the distance and seized Leila, her voice chilling.
“I know Ernesto brought you here, and I returned to witness your downfall. All the while, I’ve been watching Landon. Moreover, I’ve noticed when White appears, Landon disappears. It’s quite telling. Remember how your schemes drove a wedge between Landon and me and forced my exit from Avalon? It’s been a long time, and I sensed something was amiss, so I came looking for you.”
As Anna’s grip tightened, pain shot through Leila’s wrist, draining the color from her face.
“Anna, are you insane? Did you forget your medication today?” Leila inquired, knowing the decline in Anna’s mental health.
Leila was right in her assumption.
Anna had not only skipped her medication but had also ceased all psychological therapy since leaving Avalon.
The horrors Anna witnessed on the battlefield plagued her daily. She had hoped Landon might help her recover, but Landon’s unwavering love for Leila had stripped her of everything.
While away from Avalon, Anna monitored Landon and Leila closely. She heard their reconciliation and impending remarriage, which nearly drove her to madness. Anna’s mental state deteriorated as she abandoned her medication, leading to nightly bouts of insomnia.
Eventually, Anna found a disturbing form of solace. With a slight smile, Anna produced a blade and swiftly slashed at Leila’s wrist.
Leila reacted immediately but was overwhelmed by sharp pain. She screamed, clutching her bleeding wrist, her eyes wide with fear as she faced Anna.
Anna’s delight intensified upon seeing Leila’s distress. In the moonlight, holding the bloody knife, Anna resembled a ghastly figure.
“Landon came to spy on me last night. It scared me, and I thought maybe I was mistaken,” Anna said. “But then you visited him today. I knew he’d do anything for you. Yet, I recognized him. All your efforts are futile.”
Leila, cradling her injured wrist, retorted, “I just couldn’t tolerate White’s harassment anymore and mocked him for some fun. As for Landon, how would I know anything about him? I’m trapped here, unable to contact the outside world.”
Anna caressed Leila’s face with a chilling smile. “You won’t admit it? That’s fine. I always knew you were obstinate. I suspect Landon might have altered his appearance. Today, I brought experts to restore his original looks. If he truly is Landon, neither you nor your unborn children will survive today.”
Despite her trembling legs, Leila stood firm, meeting Anna’s menacing stare with calm resolve.
Anna sneered, “Aren’t you afraid yet? Leila, it’s impressive how composed you remain.” Anna then instructed her followers, “Go in.”
A group entered the dungeon.
Leila fought the urge to follow them, her despair mounting. She had hoped for a simple, peaceful life. What had she done to deserve this?
Sounds rustled from within and then silence ensued, causing Leila’s anxiety to spike rapidly.
Within three minutes, Leila was sweating profusely.
Suddenly, a voice from inside broke the silence. “Miss Perry, we’ve confirmed it. White died three minutes ago. His body is still warm.” The room fell silent.
Leila tensed and then gradually relaxed as a realization dawned on her. They had confirmed White’s death, not Landon’s. It seemed Landon might have escaped.
Anna’s scream suddenly pierced the quiet. “How can this be? Are you sure he’s really White, and not Landon? Look again, carefully!”
Anna’s subordinate answered with a trembling voice, “This is White. There’s no mask on his face. It’s actually him.”
Then, the air was split by the loud sound of a slap, followed by Anna’s uncontrollable screams.
Leila maintained her composure, steadied herself, and walked out with slow, deliberate steps.
Saniya remained by the door. As Leila approached, she whispered, “You’ve really done it now, getting White killed. Aren’t you worried Griffin will be livid and come after you?”
Leila gave a blink of feigned innocence and replied, “You’re accusing me unfairly. How could I possibly kill White? I don’t even know how to defend myself. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been brought here by you. White’s death is not on my hands.”
Saniya responded with a scoff, “It better be unrelated, or I’ll find myself in trouble too. Leave now. I regret bringing you here. What a disaster this has become.”
Leila’s wound continued to bleed, though the pain had subsided significantly. She moved a few steps away, paused, and then turned to look at the dungeon, addressing Saniya abruptly, “What if I help you replace Anna?”
Taking a deep breath, Saniya said, “You might have screwed Griffin’s life, but taking Anna’s place? Stop joking around. She and Griffin are Ernesto’s children.”
Leila placed a comforting hand on Saniya’s shoulder. “Do you trust me?” she asked.
Saniya pressed her lips together, offering no reply to Leila.
Leila kept trying to convince Saniya. “It’s alright if you don’t believe me. You can dismiss what I said. But it’s clear Anna and I will never get along.”
News of White’s death in the dungeon became common knowledge the next day.
While Ernesto and Griffin suspected Leila of being the murderer, the autopsy revealed White had succumbed to an infection from a wound inflicted earlier that day. Leila was not involved.
Meanwhile, Anna became extremely disturbed, wreaking havoc for days by smashing objects and lashing out at others.
The building where Anna resided seemed to become quite lively.
Ernesto, realizing something was amiss, discovered Anna had a mental health history. His concern for his reputation outweighed all else, and he was incensed, eager to distance himself from Anna.
Yet, for reasons unknown, Anna made a swift recovery overnight, and her relationship with both Ernesto and Griffin saw remarkable improvement.
Leila noted all these developments with a keen understanding. Anna likely informed Ernesto the illness was manageable and would not pose any issues. Moreover, Anna seemed to have acquiesced to an extreme request from Ernesto.
Ernesto had gone to considerable lengths to bring Anna back, not with the expectation that she would care for him in his later years. The banquet soon arrived.
The event was attended by many wealthy individuals, including at least several hundred people. Among them, each was a billionaire CEO, and some were even nobles from royal lineages.
Ernesto, moving through the crowd in his wheelchair, had his aged, wrinkled face contorted into a series of smiles that appeared rather sinister.
On this particular day, Leila realized the grim reality of why she and her unborn children had been selected and confined. She finally understood the reasons behind the wealthy elite’s willingness to conspire with Ernesto.
It turned out Ernesto had invested years ago in a clandestine lab known for conducting experiments on human beings.
Three years prior, this lab had pioneered a disturbing technology, akin to performing a brain transplant by transferring one individual’s brain waves into another’s. The individual replaced would inevitably perish.
Griffin, as it turned out, was not Anna’s younger brother but her elder.
Griffin possessed the body of an innocent boy who had been chosen for this fate.
Griffin was nearly forty, explaining why Leila occasionally found his actions and mannerisms peculiar. The children Leila was carrying were central to Ernesto’s plans for brain replacement.
The revelation sparked excitement among the wealthy attendees, all of whom possessed vast fortunes but no promise of eternal life. Faced with such a groundbreaking experiment, they saw no reason to decline.
Numerous affluent guests approached Ernesto to undergo the procedure. About half of these operations proved successful.
Despite the moderate success rate and inherent risks, the allure of potential rejuvenation was irresistible.
How did Leila come to understand all this? At that moment, Anna was before her, disclosing every detail.
Anna watched Leila’s face lose color and smirked. “You don’t seem very brave. One day, your children will carry on my father’s legacy, which should be an honor for you. Do you understand?”
Leila was stunned. It took her a while, but she finally managed to ask, “Why was I chosen?”
Anna scowled.
“To be honest, I’m not sure myself, but my father has been watching you for years and thinks you’re intelligent. Landon is also smart. It’s likely your children would inherit that intelligence.
Remember Sophie? It’s just a pity that she’s a girl. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be any need to abduct you and ensure your survival. It’s ludicrous to think that trying to appease my father would protect you or your children. He merely sees you as an animal he owns.”
Leila felt nauseous. She stared at Anna, overwhelmed with emotion. “What you’re doing is illegal!”