Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“Hello. May I ask who you are?”
Leila’s brow furrowed lightly, deepening the sense of alienation.
Sophie’s head snapped around, her eyes wide with disbelief as she gazed at Landon.
Landon’s mouth was a thin line, and he found himself speechless in the tense silence. Shock was evident on his face as well. Only moments before, Landon’s heart had swelled with relief at the sight of Leila safe and sound. She was unconscious, but as she stirred from her slumber, the room thickened with tension. When she opened her eyes, there was a stark void of recognition as she fixated on him with a distant look.
At first, Landon thought perhaps Leila simply didn’t want to see him. But the truth hit him harder when he realized she had amnesia and didn’t recall his face at all.
Sophie’s eyes flooded with tears, her voice cracking with desperation.
“Mom, please don’t terrify me like this. I’m your daughter. Don’t you know me anymore?”
Startled, Leila’s face twisted in confusion, her voice trembling.
“A daughter? How could that be? Who are you?”
Leila’s earlier calmness shattered, replaced by a surge of fear. She threw off her covers and made a feeble attempt to flee the bed, her voice rising in panic.
“I don’t recognize you. I don’t trust any of you.”
Gently, Landon enveloped Leila in his arms, his tone soothing as he tried to calm her fears.
“We’re here to help, not to harm. She is indeed your daughter. Your memories might be scattered, but we’re still your family. Please, don’t be afraid.”
“No,” Leila protested, her head shaking with a mix of defiance and confusion.
“I haven’t lost all recollection. I remember my husband, and his name is clear in my mind. His name is…” Her brows knitted together as she struggled to recall.
Landon’s face held no expression, yet there was an anticipatory glint in his eyes. His hands dangled at his sides, fingers twitching with nervous tension.
Suddenly, Leila exclaimed, “Clayton! That’s it-Clayton Morgan. Is my husband, Clayton, known to you? Where might he be?” At her words, both Sophie’s and Landon’s demeanors shifted.
Landon’s eyes darkened notably, a storm of anger brewing within. Sophie’s features sagged with sorrow.
“Mom, your husband isn’t Clayton. He’s a deceitful man!” Sophie declared, her voice heavy with urgency.
Glancing at Landon, Sophie hastily said, “Despite the current strife between you and my mom, I hope you can trust that she would never willingly associate with someone like Clayton.”
Landon’s expression remained stoic, yet turmoil echoed in the silent void of his response. With all that had unfolded recently, he found himself at a loss for words. He had held on to the hope that once Leila was safe, they could untangle their misunderstandings. Yet, he never imagined the situation would unravel as it did. Whether Leila’s memory remained intact or not, her assertion that Clayton was her husband deeply wounded him. Though he had sensed there was something between her and Clayton, witnessing them together was something he couldn’t bear.
Landon exhaled a weary sigh, his hands loosening their hold on Leila.
“Look, it doesn’t concern me anymore. We’re not together. If she’s chosen Clayton and wants to be with him, what’s left for me to do?” Landon said to Sophie.
As Landon finished, Leila’s legs faltered. Her complexion turned ashen, and she collapsed once more.
Luckily, Landon’s reflexes were sharp, and he caught Leila in time. He gently laid her back on the bed and rang for assistance before he made his way to the door.
Sophie clenched her teeth, stepping forward to block his path.
“You can’t just walk away. If you leave now, my mom will be in real danger. Didn’t you once care for her? Aren’t you worried about her?”
Landon offered Sophie a faint smile.
“Sophie, haven’t you noticed? She simply doesn’t want to see me. It’s clear she’s using fainting to drive me away.”
Sophie looked perplexed.
“Are you saying my mom is faking it?”
Landon’s face was etched with solemnity as he gave a slight nod. He had kept this from Sophie because he didn’t want to smear Leila’s reputation in Sophie’s eyes.
After Leila was rushed to the hospital, Landon had immediately demanded a comprehensive medical check-up. The results came back clear: no physical injuries whatsoever, yet she continued to lie there, unresponsive for reasons no one could pinpoint.
Upon awakening, Leila had seemed utterly lost, as if her memory had evaporated. Landon had discussed her condition extensively with the doctors. Their reports were perplexing. Her brain activity was normal, there were no signs of trauma, and her amnesia remained a medical mystery.
But just moments ago, Landon had a stark realization. Leila was protecting Clayton in this subtle way for their future reunion, ignoring the help he had extended.
Landon scoffed at his own foolishness, a wry smile twisting his lips. Still, he knew in his heart that if the situation arose again, he would not hesitate to save Leila.
Sophie pondered Landon’s words and then shook her head with firmness, her eyes shimmering with a mix of defiance and insight.
“That’s not the case. My mom would never fake ignorance to me and you. If she truly wanted you to leave, she would have told you directly instead of resorting to such tricks. Moreover, she’s my mom. I can spot her lies in an instant. She genuinely doesn’t recognize me. If you leave now, what becomes of her? She needs you. I can’t fathom you’ve genuinely let go of your love for her.”
Landon felt a pang of heartache at Sophie’s pleading and earnest look, his expression mirroring the depth of his turmoil. In days gone by, he would have stayed by Leila’s side without a second thought. Yet, times had shifted irrevocably. Leila’s past actions told him she harbored intentions to end his life, and her love for him had evidently evaporated.
Landon figured Leila’s disdain toward him must have remained unchanged even with her memories gone. Logically speaking, disgust and caution should have clouded her eyes at the mere sight of him upon waking up.
However, Landon clung to a recent memory-the moment Leila had first awakened and looked up at him. Her eyes, imbued with trust, had met his. It was a look he hadn’t seen from her in ages. Moreover, Leila had even claimed that although she did not recognize Landon, there was a familiarity in his presence. She felt certain they had once shared a close connection.
Landon instantly felt she was putting on an act, and worse, her acting was far from convincing.
Firm in his resolve, Landon declared to Sophie, “I have pressing commitments elsewhere and cannot linger here. Yet, I will not forsake you. Leo, who has long served me, will remain here in my stead. Rest assured, he is dependable and will look after you with great care.”
With these words, Landon turned on his heel and departed.
Sophie felt her heart pound with anxiety. How could Landon just walk away like that? Did he no longer harbor any affection for Leila? If that was indeed the case, it would be pointless for her to try and persuade him to stay.
Returning to the ward, Sophie let the tears cascade down her cheeks as she sat by Leila, who was still lost in unconsciousness.
Sophie leaned close, her voice trembling.
“Mom, is what Landon said true? That you haven’t really lost your memory, that you haven’t forgotten me? Are you just feigning amnesia for his sake? Oh, how I wish his claims were true.”
When Leila’s eyes finally opened, the soft glow of dusk had already filled the room.
Leila blinked. The figure by her bedside was the same girl she’d seen earlier, youthful and radiantly beautiful. Before she slipped into darkness, the girl had professed to be her daughter. Yet, to Leila, such memories were like wisps of smoke, having vanished without a trace. She was devoid of any memories of her past life, her identity, or her origins. Everything around her was enshrouded in mystery, including the sudden appearance of a daughter she didn’t recognize.
In that instant, Leila felt as though she were teetering on the edge of madness, overwhelmed by a tidal wave of shock that pounded relentlessly at her temples, sparking a fierce, splitting headache.
Initially, Leila had resolved to approach the situation with calmness and poised questions, but the torrent of emotions washed away her composure. Her heart pounded with uncertainty. Had her intense outburst terrified the girl, who claimed to be her daughter?
Across from Leila, Sophie seemed to detect the turbulence stirring within her. Sophie’s eyes, wide and alert, captured Leila’s conflicted gaze, clouded by an unreadable expression.
Tears welled up in Sophie’s eyes as she reached out, her small hand trembling as it found Leila’s. With a voice choked by emotion, she stated, “Mom, you’re just pretending, right? You remember everything, don’t you?”
Facing Sophie, whose tears now streamed down her cheeks, Leila felt a pang of unexplained sorrow. Despite not recognizing Sophie, the sight of her crying tugged at Leila’s heartstrings. Sophie’s visage, delicate and doll-like, stirred something within her.
Leila exhaled a troubled sigh, her voice soft yet laden with an inescapable truth.
“I’m not deceiving you. My memories are truly gone. I don’t think I have any children. Maybe I merely resemble your mom.”
Sophie’s sobs deepened, her disbelief tangible as she shook her head, her beautiful eyes swimming with sadness.
“No, it’s not like that. You are my mom. I’m certain of it. I am your daughter. Is it because you despise my dad and me? Do you wish to abandon us for Clayton? Tell me, does your heart no longer hold a place for me?”
“Clayton?” Leila murmured, a puzzled frown creasing her forehead as a distant memory began to stir in the depths of her mind.
“You know my husband, Clayton Morgan? If you do, then please, bring him here. We need to sort this out once and for all. I honestly can’t recall ever having a daughter like you. It’s not that I’m rejecting you intentionally-it’s just impossible for me to blindly accept this without any real connection.”
Sophie’s response was swift and desperate, her voice quivering with emotion.
“He’s not your husband. He’s a villain, a complete deceiver. Mom, he’s certainly spun a web of lies around you. I’ll step aside if you truly want to stay with him, but please, don’t erase me from your life. Mom, my world is incomplete without you.”