Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Reassured by Sophie’s words, Elma finally stopped crying.
Back in his study, Landon poured himself a stiff drink and took a long gulp. But he still couldn’t shake the image of Leila from his thoughts. The scene of Leila, her beautiful eyes filled with tears, looking so vulnerable and delicate, replayed in his mind. He hadn’t seen that look on her face since their first divorce.
A strange unease settled over Landon, and he couldn’t seem to shake it off. Driven by a sudden urge, he called the bodyguard he had assigned to follow Leila.
“What’s she doing?”
“Doing?” he asked, his voice tight with worry.
“Has she gone back to the Nixon family’s estate?”
Landon’s temples pounded, and he could feel the veins in his forehead pulsing. He massaged his temples, trying to ease the tension.
“No, sir,” the bodyguard replied.
“She hasn’t gone back to the Nixon family’s estate. She seems lost, just wandering the streets aimlessly.”
Landon’s frown deepened.
“Why isn’t Leila coming back to the Nixon family estate?” he asked, his voice edged with suspicion.
“Is she going to meet someone?”
The bodyguard hesitated.
“I’m not sure, sir. She hasn’t met with anyone since leaving the Kensington family estate. I have no idea where she’s going.”
Pausing, the bodyguard added, “Wait. She’s stopped in front of a hotel. It looks like she’s going to stay there.”
“Why would she suddenly decide to stay at a hotel?” Landon wondered aloud, suspicion coloring his tone.
“Do you think she spotted you?”
The bodyguard felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead.
“No, sir, I don’t think so. I’m not a professional, but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t seen.”
Landon was even more confused now. After a moment of silence, he said, “Come back. I think she might be trying to mislead us.”
“Yes, sir,” the bodyguard replied. He took one last look at Leila as she disappeared into the hotel, then turned and left.
Leila found a modest hotel and went inside. She had just realized she didn’t have any money with her. She didn’t want to go back to the Kensington family estate and face those strangers. She needed a place to stay for the night. She had a plan. Since she couldn’t remember anything and didn’t want to contact the man who claimed to be her husband, she could go to the police. They would surely help her get home.
Without money on her, Leila took off her watch at the reception when she checked in. She had a feeling it was worth a lot of money.
“I don’t have any money, but I have this watch. Will this do?” she asked.
The hotel owner’s eyes widened when he saw the gold, gem-encrusted watch. He recognized the brand immediately. If it was real, it was worth a small fortune. But the woman standing before him, despite her beauty, didn’t look wealthy. He eyed her suspiciously.
“You’re not trying to con me, are you?” he asked.
“This watch must be fake.”
His eyes darted to the necklace Leila was wearing.
“Why don’t you give me that necklace, too?” he suggested.
Leila said calmly, “Even if it’s a fake, it’s clearly a high-quality replica. It must be worth a few hundred dollars at least. And your rooms are only sixty dollars a night. Even if the watch is fake, it’s enough to cover several nights. Besides, I’m not planning on going anywhere for a few days. You can have it authenticated anytime.”
The owner hesitated, his eyes flickering with a mix of greed and suspicion.
“Fine. Since you’re so insistent, I won’t cause any trouble. Here’s your key card. You can go to your room now.” He tossed the key card carelessly toward Leila, a sneer playing on his lips.
As Leila turned to leave, she failed to notice the predatory gleam in the owner’s eyes.
The moment she was out of sight, the owner produced his phone and dialed a number, his voice a hushed whisper.
“Did you see her on the security cameras? She’s stunning, a real beauty. We have a chance here. What’s there to be afraid of? If she were someone important, she wouldn’t be staying in this dump. I checked her jewelry. It’s the real deal. She’s probably some rich guy’s mistress, hiding out. We need to move quickly. Opportunities like this don’t come around often. She’s already in her room. Get everything ready.”
Leila’s hotel room was cramped and reeked of neglect.
Leila didn’t mind the room’s dingy appearance. She simply couldn’t fathom why the owner wouldn’t at least maintain basic cleanliness. The bed was covered in a layer of dust, and the sheets reeked of mildew. The sight made her stomach churn.
A wave of thirst washed over Leila. She eyed the stained cup on the nightstand and quickly changed her mind. She decided to forgo the water altogether. She sat down at the small table, her gaze drifting toward the window.
Her mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of her memory, to make sense of the events that had unfolded since she woke up in that strange hospital room. But every time she was close to grasping a memory, a sharp pain lanced through her head. The pain was excruciating, almost unbearable.
She felt lost, adrift in a sea of uncertainty. Who was she? Why was she in this unfamiliar place? Where did she belong? A wave of longing washed over her. She just wanted to go home. She was so tired.
Exhausted, Leila slumped over the table, drifting off to sleep. Her sleep was shallow and restless. A noise at the door jolted her awake. She sat up, her heart pounding, staring at the door. She could hear the distinct click of a key turning in the lock. But she had the key card. Who else could be trying to enter her room? A chilling realization dawned on Leila. It had to be the hotel owner. And he clearly had sinister intentions.
Her mind raced, adrenaline coursing through her veins. She grabbed a clothes hanger from the closet, her makeshift weapon, and cautiously backed toward the bathroom, her heart pounding in her chest. But Leila was too late.
The door swung open, revealing not the hotel owner, but a stranger.
Leila had never seen this man before in her life.
The man leered at Leila, his eyes glinting with malice. It was clear he had something wicked in mind.
The man’s eyes widened in surprise when he saw Leila was awake.
“You’re not unconscious?” he sputtered.
“You didn’t drink the water?”
The unspoken implication hung heavily in the air. Leila knew instantly that her drink had been spiked.
Without hesitation, Leila whipped the wire hanger toward his face, aiming for his eyes. Seizing the moment of confusion, she made a run for it.
The instant she was through the door, she sprinted down the hallway. But she’d grossly underestimated these people. The hallway was swarming with men, their faces obscured by shadows, their eyes gleaming with malice. They’d clearly been lying in wait, anticipating her escape.
The moment Leila stepped out of the room, they descended upon her like a pack of wolves.
Leila was caught completely off guard, trapped in a suffocating circle of assailants. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Rough hands seized her wrists and ankles, binding them tightly with their grip. A hand was slapped over her mouth, stifling her screams.
Frozen with fear, Leila watched as they closed in, their shadows looming over her.
The man Leila had struck emerged from the shadows, nursing his bruised face.
“Damn it! She didn’t drink the drugged water. Now she’s seen us. We can’t risk leaving her alive. It’s her or us.” A palpable wave of menace swept over the room as all eyes fixed on Leila, their expressions filled with predatory intent. A shiver of fear coursed through Leila as she struggled to speak, but her body remained frozen.
Through blurred vision, Leila saw a camera flash and felt a rough hand tearing at her clothes. Tears streamed down her face as she stared blankly at the ceiling, her eyes devoid of any emotion.
Suddenly, a sharp cry of pain pierced the tense silence.
The men who had restrained Leila and were poised to harm her now doubled over in agony, clutching their stomachs and writhing on the floor.
A surge of bodyguards burst into the room, swiftly overpowering Leila’s attackers and pinning them to the floor.
Landon led the group of bodyguards.
Landon’s eyes fell upon the scene, his face contorting with rage. He lashed out, delivering a powerful kick to the nearest assailant.
The assailant opened his mouth to hurl insults, but the words died in his throat as he met Landon’s murderous gaze. The weight of their transgression dawned on them. They had tangled with someone far more powerful than they had anticipated.