Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Brysen bit his lip, his eyes glittering with uncertainty.
Although Leila had quickly suppressed the news of Landon’s death, as Leila’s assistant, Brysen knew about it.
It was strange to him. Landon’s body had been found, but Leila was still looking for him.
Leila seemed to be clinging to the past.
Without a word, Neal pulled her to him, hugging her tightly.
Out of nowhere, he looked at her intently.
‘Brysen, tell me, do you like spending time with me?’
Surprised, Brysen nodded, her cheeks flushing slightly.
‘Yes, of course. Why else do you think I’d stay?’
Neal’s brow furrowed slightly as he spoke.
‘You seem happy with how things are between us.’
But what about Miss Nixon, do you really see her spending her life alone? Let’s be honest. We both know Mr. Morgan is a good man. He keeps everything together for a big family and he treats Miss Nixon wonderfully. How about we give them a little push? I’ll pass on the details of Miss Nixon’s schedule to Mr Morgan. It’s nothing to worry about. But if you don’t agree, I’ll drop the idea. If Miss Nixon ever finds out and gets upset, I’ll take the blame. You know how much I respect your feelings for her. I’ll take care of everything for you.’
Touched by Neal’s gesture, Brysen replied, softening her voice, ‘Neal, why are you always so considerate of me?’
Tears began to form in Brysen’s eyes, a testament to her belief in Neal’s love for her.
Gently, Neal touched her nose, his voice warm. ‘Because I love you. So what do you say, shall we go ahead with the plan?’
Brysen bit her lip, pondering deeply. Finally, he looked up, his expression determined. ‘I think it’s a good plan. Let’s do it.’
After reassuring Brysen and making sure he had passed along all the necessary details about Leila’s travels, Neal’s smile widened with a sense of accomplishment.
He quickly devised an excuse to leave. While Brysen’s attention was diverted, Neal wasted no time. Discreetly, he sent all the details to Clayton and even managed to call him stealthily.
Neal said, ‘Mr. Morgan, did you get my message? I did everything I could to get that information. If I get caught, I’m out of a job. You have to take advantage of this. Something special might come up when you’re alone in the field.’
Clayton’s voice on the phone had a menacing subtlety, but he didn’t voice accusation when he replied, ‘Let’s not talk like that again.’
With a wary smile, Neal changed the subject. ‘Mr Morgan, regarding the overseas training programme you mentioned earlier, could I be one of those chosen to join?’
‘If you do a good job and maintain a good relationship with Leila’s assistant, you could end up running one of our international branches,’ Clayton said without hesitation.
Excited, Neal eagerly accepted.
As the call ended, Neal looked up to see Brysen walking towards him, his face lit up with a smile, oblivious to their earlier conversation.
With a playful grin, Brysen said, ‘Who was that on the phone, did you run off to call another woman?’
Neal’s smile softened as he looked at her.
‘You’re the only one for me. How could there be anyone as beautiful as you?’
Her eyes lit up with joy and she hugged Neal tightly.
‘I really love you. We’re going to be together forever, aren’t we?’ she murmured into his chest.
‘Absolutely,’ Neal replied, his voice soft as he stroked her back.
When Brysen pulled away, however, a cold, teasing spark crossed Neal’s face.
Leila was ready and on her way.
She got off the plane and needed to rent a car to head for the county.
The roads through the mountains twisted and turned.
Although Leila was an experienced traveller, she was almost at her limit.
Her complexion became ghostly.
Glancing at Brysen, Leila saw that her companion was even worse.
Brysen’s eyes were grim, his body swayed slightly, but his fingers were still busy typing answers into his phone.
‘Brysen.’ Leila’s voice echoed, the concern clear on her face.
Brysen seemed oblivious, absorbed in her phone.
It wasn’t until Leila reached out and gently took the device from his hands that Brysen came back to reality.
Startled, Brysen finally acknowledged Leila, stuttering, ‘Miss…. Miss Nixon.’
Leila sighed, feeling somewhat defeated.
‘You’re falling in love with someone, aren’t you?’
This only made Brysen feel more embarrassed.
She lowered her head, too shy to look Leila in the eye.
‘It’s perfectly fine to be in love. I’m not keeping you from seeing anyone,’ Leila assured Brysen, though her voice carried a hint of concern.
‘But look at you, you’re clearly not feeling well. Why keep writing? Just tell him you’re in the car and you’re in no condition to talk right now.’
Brysen nodded, feeling his stomach twist.
Without hesitation, Leila passed him an orange.
The scent steadied Brysen a little.
With a grateful smile, Brysen explained, ‘I warned him before I got in the car. However, he insisted on continuing the conversation. If I don’t respond, he might worry.’
Leila frowned, sensing something wasn’t right.
‘You don’t feel bad, you don’t mind?’
Shaking his head, Brysen immediately replied, ‘It’s not that.
He doesn’t know I suffer from dizziness. He just misses me, and the feeling is mutual.’
Leila watched Brysen, clearly captivated, and chose her words carefully.
Love could be blinding.
Still, Leila gently warned Brysen.
‘It’s wonderful to be in love, but remember to take care of yourself first.
You’re the most important thing.
You know what I mean, don’t you?’
As Leila spoke, she handed the phone back to Brysen.