Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Both Leila and Sophie were baffled.
With no other choice, Leila whispered to Sophie, “Brysen’s current condition is understandable. Have the bodyguards take you back to the hotel and ask my assistant to dispatch a few psychologists. If that doesn’t work, find some trustworthy doctors here.”
“Don’t worry,” Sophie said with determination.
“I’ll take care of it.” With that, Sophie hurried away.
Shortly after Sophie left, Leila saw a familiar face. It was Neal, whom she hadn’t seen in ages.
Leila had been searching for Neal everywhere and never expected to find him here.
Leila was immediately alarmed and rushed forward, grabbing Neal’s hand.
“Neal!” she exclaimed.
“Who brought you here? Where do you think you’re going?”
Neal turned around, and Leila gasped. He looked awful. Neal let out a dazed, confused laugh. His eyes were vacant, his clothes were a mess, and he was clearly not all there.
Leila quickly pulled Brysen behind her, afraid that Neal might try to hurt Brysen.
But instead of attacking, Neal’s face twisted in fear at the sight of Leila. He fell to his knees, trembling and mumbling to himself, “Please, stop hitting me. Don’t torture me anymore. I won’t tell her anything. Just please cease attacking me.”
Leila stared at Neal in shock. She couldn’t believe how broken he seemed.
Leila hesitated, wondering if she should call her bodyguards to restrain Neal. Suddenly, a figure darted out from the shadows. The figure dropped to her knees in front of Leila, pleading, “Miss, please, look at how pathetic he is. Just let him go. Don’t take him away, please.”
The woman appeared to be in her fifties, with graying hair and a tired, worn face.
Leila instantly recognized her as Neal’s mother, given their resemblance in appearance.
Leila frowned and took a step back.
“Get up. We can talk without you kneeling.”
The woman nodded and shakily got to her feet, helping Neal up. Leila noticed how small and frail the woman was. The woman stood next to the clearly disturbed Neal, and they both seemed harmless.
Before Leila could say anything, the woman spoke up.
“I know who you are and why you’re looking for him. I thought we could finally have some peace here. I never thought you’d find us.”
Leila realized it wasn’t just a random place Brysen wanted to visit. She had brought them here because it was Neal’s hometown..
Though Brysen couldn’t express her thoughts clearly, she was still trying to help Leila find out the truth.
Even though seeing Neal again might bring back terrible memories for Brysen, she still brought Leila here.
When Leila turned back, she saw Brysen trembling violently behind her, too afraid to even look at Neal.
Leila’s heart ached for Brysen. Any sympathy she might have had for Neal and his mother evaporated. Neal might be a pathetic sight, but Brysen was the real victim.
Leila glared at Neal’s mother.
“You know who I am,” she said coldly.
“And now that I’ve found you, you can’t run anymore. You better cooperate and tell me what I want to know. If you do, maybe I’ll let your son live.”
Tears welled up in Neal’s mother’s eyes, and she dropped to her knees in front of Leila.
“Please, just spare my son. I’ll tell you anything you want to know. I know all about his dirty dealings. He can’t talk right now, but I can.”
Leila’s face softened a little.
“Give me a few minutes,” she said coldly. She needed to take care of Brysen first.
Leila sent Brysen back to the car and returned with a couple of bodyguards to where Neal and his mother were waiting.
Neal’s mother was still there. She insisted they go back to her place to talk. She looked terrified.
“I’m trapped,” she whispered.
“We’ve been watched for years. Your being here has already made that man suspicious. If I tell you the truth out here in the open, he’ll kill me before I can even say his name.”
Leila nodded.
“I understand,” she said.
“Let’s go to your place.” They walked to a rundown apartment building and went inside. Neal’s apartment was a dump. There was hardly any furniture, and the place looked like a bomb had gone off.
The rooms were tiny and dark. Leila figured no wonder Neal had gone crazy. It was enough to drive anyone insane.
Leila’s subtle frown did not go unnoticed by Neal’s mother.
Neal’s mother offered a timid smile tinged with anxiety.
“Forgive me for not tidying up the house today. I’m afraid all I can offer is that chair over there.”
“It’s fine,” Leila said, her tone reflecting surprise rather than scorn, as she digested the stark reality of Neal’s situation.
Leila had been actively locating Neal and assumed he had adopted a low profile, perhaps overly cautious about being exposed.
Previously, at prestigious firms like the Morgan Group and Nixon Group, Neal had occupied senior management roles.
Later, Leila had entrusted Brysen to Neal’s care along with hefty financial backing. Therefore, it was baffling for Leila to see Neal in such dire straits. How had he become like this? It felt as if the mastermind behind the scene desired Neal’s absolute silence yet wanted their hands to stay clean of any murder.
Regardless, Leila felt no pity for Neal.
To guarantee her own security, Leila had brought her bodyguards along, who now crowded the small living space even more.
Standing at the threshold, Leila surveyed Neal’s mother with a frosty glare.
“If there’s anything you need to disclose, do it now. And if distrust clouds your judgment, know that I can provide a generous amount that will secure your future comfortably,” she stated firmly. Her voice hardened.
“But remember, I require the truth first. Fail to provide that, and I will not hesitate to commit you and your son to an asylum.”
Neal’s mother shuddered under the weight of Leila’s icy threat, her expression painted with fear. With a heavy sigh, she conceded.
“I’ll tell you everything. The person behind all this is…” Before she had a chance to finish, Neal erupted in a fit of shouting from inside the room. The sound was soon accompanied by a jarring symphony of crashes, jolting everyone gathered outside.
This explosion of noise wasn’t unexpected. Neal’s voice, sharp and haunting, sliced through the air, leaving a chilling echo that sent shivers crawling down their spines.
The bodyguards exchanged worried looks, their eyes wide with apprehension.
Leila swallowed hard, her gaze shifting to Neal’s mother, whose face was painted with anguish and fear.
“Maybe you should see what’s wrong?” Leila suggested, her voice soft yet firm.
Acknowledging with a hesitant nod, Neal’s mother mustered a weak smile for Leila.
“Just a moment, please. I’ll check on him. He might be having one of his episodes,” she murmured before turning to enter the room.
If one strained their ears, they could catch the faint, calming tone of Neal’s mother attempting to pacify him behind the closed door.
This ordeal stretched on for a dragging half-hour.