Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Their journey here was to address Elma’s health issues. Should Leila fall sick, it would worsen the situation.
Elma soothed Leila by gently patting her back.
Landon, too, was there to comfort Leila, helping her settle into his embrace comfortably.
At that moment, a bodyguard came up to Landon, informing him that Lacey was feeling carsick and her condition was deteriorating.
Leila breathed deeply and patted Landon’s arm.
“You should check on her. We still need her to show us the way later. If she collapses, we won’t make it today.”
Landon’s face showed slight impatience.
“Why should I check on her? I’m not a doctor.”
Leila gave him a reproachful look.
“You should at least see how she’s doing.”
Reluctantly, Landon let go of Leila, kissing her forehead as he departed.
“Rest more if you’re feeling unwell. There’s no hurry,” he advised.
Elma agreed.
“That’s right. Mom, let’s not rush.”
Amused, Leila pinched Elma’s cheek gently.
“Let’s take a nap while we have the chance.”
Elma agreed with a nod. Although not carsick, the lengthy trip had tired her.
Elma and Leila leaned against each other and fell asleep in the car. Meanwhile, Landon located Lacey. Initially, he suspected Lacey of feigning her sickness. However, seeing her condition left him quite taken aback. Lacey appeared in worse shape than Leila.
Lacey, drenched in sweat with a pale face and shut eyes, seemed almost lifeless except for her faint breathing.
Landon, puzzled, turned to the bodyguard.
“What’s happening here? Isn’t this just carsickness? Why so extreme?”
The bodyguard, coerced by Lacey into exaggerating her condition, began his act.
“She initially had just carsickness, but now it’s compounded by hypoglycemia. The lack of rest from her ongoing care for Elma and her existing injuries have worsened her condition.”
Landon’s gaze turned icy as he stared at the bodyguard.
“Do you really need to tell me all this?”
The bodyguard flinched, avoiding Landon’s gaze, and stammered, “Mr. Kensington, I didn’t mean anything by it. I merely wanted to explain the situation.”
With that, the bodyguard fell silent. Previously, he had conspired with Lacey to dramatize her suffering upon Landon’s arrival. To his surprise, Landon caught on to their collusion sooner than expected, and he found himself too nervous to say anything more.
Lacey, feigning unconsciousness on the ground, clenched her teeth in frustration. Her discomfort was real but was exacerbated by the medication she had taken, all for garnering Landon’s empathy. Even if she failed to win his sympathy, she was determined to achieve her goal by pulling off such a stunt. The grand scheme she and Clayton had crafted couldn’t fall apart.
Knowing continuing her act might expose her, Lacey coughed dramatically and weakly opened her eyes. At the sight of Landon, her eyes lit up with affection, only to be soon replaced by pain and sorrow as her acting skills kicked in.
In a soft voice, Lacey apologized, “I’m sorry, Mr. Kensington. I didn’t anticipate this severe discomfort from myself. I apologize for the inconvenience.”
Landon pressed his lips together, feeling responding to her words with harshness was unnecessary. After all, Elma still required medical treatment from Lacey’s mentor, and Lacey appeared genuinely drained from treating Elma’s condition over the past few months.
Landon softened his tone slightly.
“It’s understandable. Leila is also unwell from the carsickness. Take a longer break if needed.”
Lacey, her lip quivering slightly, suggested, “Perhaps I should tell you the way ahead, and you can go on without me. I doubt I can manage the journey ahead. Despite my own medical knowledge, I can’t treat myself, not in this shape. I plan to see a doctor nearby later on.”.
Lacey’s suggestion to return was logical, and Landon was inclined to agree. He inquired, “Is the hospital far? Should I send someone along with you?”
Lacey declined his offer and proposed deliberately, “If you don’t mind, we could find a place to rest for the day and continue the journey tomorrow. Still, if you’re in a rush, I can guide you now, but it may still be a full day’s drive. Although my condition seems serious, I can manage to pull myself together.”
Upon hearing this, Landon’s mind shifted to Leila’s severe carsickness. With such a long journey ahead, he decided it was best to rest for a night before setting off.
“Is the hospital you mentioned located in the town? Is there another town nearby?” Landon asked.
Lacey, barely hiding her smug smile, nodded.
“It’s in town, about a half-hour away.”
Landon agreed.
“Alright, I’ll bring Leila to the hospital as well.” He then left to find Leila.
Lacey watched him leave, a hint of disappointment in her gaze, but she quickly regained her composure. Regardless, she had reached her objective. Even if Leila hadn’t been plagued by carsickness, Lacey would have made sure Leila ended up in the hospital using drugs if needed. After all, the unfolding of her and Clayton’s plan depended on this hospital visit.
Dreading the hospital visit, Leila protested, “It’s merely carsickness. Let’s not overreact.”
Landon, serious, countered, “We should have it checked regardless. Plus, even if we skip the hospital, we still need a good rest today given we have another full day of travel tomorrow.”
Convinced by the long drive ahead, Leila agreed with a sigh.
“Then let’s head to the hospital.”
The group made their way to the town’s hospital.
To their surprise, the small town appeared neglected, and the infrastructure was underdeveloped. However, in contrast, the hospital itself was new, standing out starkly against the dilapidated surroundings.
Landon, ever cautious, had someone inquire about the facility.
It was revealed that the hospital had been funded by a wealthy individual seeking a good reputation and had only been constructed two years prior.
Landon’s doubts evaporated instantly. Two years ago, no one could have predicted he would bring his family here.
The day’s events seemed merely accidental to Landon and Leila. Both Lacey and Leila ended up visiting the doctor.
Lacey’s condition was indeed more serious than Leila’s. She required an IV drip, yet the procedure was brief.
Landon, concerned for her well-being, assigned bodyguards to ensure her safety.
After the doctor had prescribed medication for Leila, their next plan was to rest at a hotel in town.
Just then, Landon’s phone buzzed. Seeing Lacey’s name on the display, he excused himself to take the call outside.
Meanwhile, Leila, having gathered her medication, turned to find Landon missing and decided to wait.
During her wait, a man in a baseball cap swiftly approached her.
Leila’s brow furrowed, a strange familiarity with the man unsettling her. As he drew nearer, her anxiety grew, not from excitement but from a deep-seated unease..
The man reached out and took Leila’s hand abruptly. Her first impulse was to summon the bodyguards, but as the man looked up, revealing an unfamiliar face, she unexpectedly blurted out, “Clayton?”
Clayton was taken aback, not expecting Leila to recall his name despite her memory loss, signaling the success of the prior hypnotic session. This gave him confidence that his schemes might succeed. A cautious smile briefly passed over his face as he feigned a look of nervous excitement. His eyes brimming with tears, he softly spoke.
“Leila, I finally get to see you. I’ve risked so much just for this moment.”