Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
At this revelation, Landon realized who might be orchestrating this.
“Is Clayton directing you?”
Indeed, few were privy to Elma’s condition, and Clayton was among the scant outsiders informed. Clearly, this wasn’t a ploy by Leila or her allies. This had to be Clayton’s doing. Plus, Lacey had claimed to have spotted Clayton at the hospital during the earlier call. Still, Landon couldn’t grasp Clayton’s endgame. What was his aim?
Landon felt no immediate danger from this masked man. Approaching the masked man, he queried, “What’s Clayton paying you? Forget about it. Maybe you won’t even see that money, risking your life instead.”
The masked man, seeing through Landon’s tactic to divide, retorted sharply, “You’re wrong. My commitment is based on loyalty.”
“Loyalty?” Landon’s voice was tinged with amusement and sarcasm.
“That just makes you seem even more pathetic. You loyally serve him, yet he only uses you for these minor tasks. So what if your actions could cause me to lose a daughter? I have three children, after all. Besides, Elma is just a sickly child. Her illness may be incurable. I see no point in dwelling on it. If Lacey dies and Elma can’t be treated, it just means that fate allowed her only a few more years. There’s nothing I can do.”
The masked man’s surprise at Landon’s words quickly turned into anger.
“Do you have a heart? She’s your daughter. Don’t you care about her at all?”
Landon watched the masked man closely, his eyes narrowing, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
“Judging by your reaction, you must have a family too, right? Perhaps a daughter or a son? It seems you don’t care about them. You’re sacrificing your life for this pointless task. Have you ever thought about what would happen to your children if you were gone?”
Unmoved, the masked man sneered, “Mr. Morgan wouldn’t be as heartless and merciless as you. He will take good care of my children if anything happens to me.”
Landon chuckled and sat down, seemingly unfazed by the tense atmosphere, as if he were merely engaging in casual conversation.
“You’re right. I am heartless and merciless. I may not be concerned about Elma’s fate, but I do care about my reputation. I won’t bother Clayton over such trivialities, but troubling you is easy for me. Discovering your family’s activities is trivial.”
The threat visibly alarmed the masked man, his eyes widening.
“We live under the law, Landon! Are you suggesting you’ll break them?” Landon, amused, gestured toward the knife still pressed against Lacey’s neck.
“And what you’re doing-is it legal?”
Overwhelmed, the masked man struggled to find words. Meanwhile, Lacey, on the brink of tears and watching Landon, felt a deep despair. It seemed he truly did not care about her well-being. Why else would he antagonize the masked man?
Lacey had conspired with Clayton to stage a dramatic scene to shake off any suspicion Landon might harbor about her. She hadn’t expected, however, to be threatened with actual violence. Initially frightened, her fear intensified when he pressed the knife against her neck, drawing blood. Now, seeing the broader context, she realized she was merely a pawn in Clayton’s grand schemes against Landon.
The masked man was clearly nervous, his breathing uneven, his focus not really on Lacey.
Determined to survive, Lacey knew she had to act. Resolute, she clenched her teeth and stomped forcefully on the masked man’s foot. The masked man yelped in pain and released his grip, giving Lacey a chance to escape.
Lacey was elated, believing she had escaped danger.
However, Landon’s face darkened. Internally, he berated Lacey for her naivety. He had been distracting the masked man with those annoying words, hoping the masked man wouldn’t notice his men sneaking up from behind.
But with the masked man finally emotionally volatile, a step closer for Landon’s men to act, Lacey chose this moment to flee.
Unsure of what the masked man might do next in his agitated state, Landon’s worst fears came true as the masked man quickly regained his composure and seized Lacey by the hair just as she reached Landon’s side. Her scream of pain echoed, her face twisted in agony.
At this point, the masked man noticed Landon’s men, who had been waiting in ambush.
The masked man sneered.
“Landon, I almost fell for your ruse. Didn’t you claim your daughter’s life was inconsequential to you? Well, I’ll just kill her doctor instead. Your vengeful desires against my family are futile. In the end, my family will meet me in the afterlife!” The masked man cackled wildly.
Landon lunged to intervene, but it was too late.
The masked man did not use the knife. Instead, he forced a pill between Lacey’s lips, clamping her mouth shut to ensure she ingested it.
By the time Landon managed to drag the masked man away, the damage was done.
Distraught and indifferent to how she appeared to Landon, Lacey scrambled to the side, frantically attempting to induce vomiting.
Struggling vainly, Lacey could only widen her eyes in horror as the deadly poison trickled down her throat. With a feeble tremor, she collapsed onto the cold, unforgiving floor, her eyes vacant with overwhelming despair.
Meanwhile, the masked man had been subdued by Landon’s men.
As the masked man gazed upon Lacey’s chaotic condition, a wicked grin spread across his face. He erupted into a derisive, bitter laugh, taunting Landon mercilessly.
“Look at us! I guess I won’t be wandering the shadows of the afterlife by myself!”
The masked man shot a piercing look at Landon, his smirk laden with malevolence.
“You think you’re clever, but I’ve been alone in this world far longer than you know. Prepare yourself for the storm that’s coming.” The masked man paused, his eyes narrowing.
“If you have any hope of saving her, you’d better satisfy Mr. Morgan’s demands. It’s your move now.”
With a defiant glare, the masked man consumed the poison, sealing his own fate.
The poison the masked man ingested was mercilessly quick, sending him to the floor in violent convulsions almost immediately.
Lacey, shocked by his rapid decline, frantically checked her own pulse. Her heart raced as panic clouded her judgment, rendering her helpless. In a desperate, tearful heap, she too succumbed to the floor, overwhelmed.
Landon watched the tragic scene unfold, his heart heavy with regret. He cursed under his breath, angry at the cruel twist of fate. Lacey’s impulsive actions had doomed her, a mistake that sealed her fate.
Lacey, indifferent to everything else, dashed toward Landon, grabbing at his clothes in desperation. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she looked up at him, the image of vulnerability.
“Mr. Kensington, I don’t want to die. Please, help me. Elma needs me to treat her. Oh, no! I can already feel my health failing. You have to help me!” she pleaded through sobs.
Landon inhaled sharply, his gaze dropping to where Lacey’s fingers clung to him.
“Release your grip first and then we can think about what to do next.”
But Lacey, shaking her head, her voice a mix of fear and resolve, implored, “You must promise to save me, Mr. Kensington. If you don’t commit, I’d rather end things on my own terms than endure this torment.”
Landon attempted to soothe her.
“Don’t worry, we’re at the hospital now. I’ll make sure someone sees you immediately. Let’s consult a doctor first.”
However, Lacey’s eyes, consumed by despair, met his as her voice shook.
“And if the doctor can’t help? Will you just abandon me?” Landon’s momentary hesitation spoke volumes, and Lacey’s heart sank.
She remembered the masked man’s words-that Landon needed to comply with Clayton’s demands to obtain the antidote. What else could Clayton desire but Leila? It was clear Clayton aimed for Landon to choose between saving her or Leila. She didn’t need to think to know Landon would choose Leila over her.
Teeth clenched, Lacey resolved to press harder.
“If you disregard my life, Mr. Kensington, I’ll keep my mentor’s location a secret. Without that information, I fear for what might become of Elma.”
Upon hearing this, Landon’s face twisted into a scowl.
“Are you threatening me?” he demanded, his voice sharp.
Lacey averted her gaze, her head bowed, unable to look at him. Her voice was a mix of sobs and bitterness as she said, “I have no choice, Mr. Kensington. I’m just trying to survive. I got pulled into this against my will. Believe me, if I had any other option, I wouldn’t have chosen this path.”
Landon found himself at a loss for words in response to her plea. She did seem a victim in this ordeal. Yet, unbeknownst to him, Lacey had orchestrated their arrival at the hospital precisely for this confrontation. It was just that Lacey herself hadn’t anticipated that Clayton would escalate matters to such a perilous extent. But she was too frightened to disclose the full truth to Landon. Remaining silent offered her a fragile hope of staying alive. Revealing the full truth would undoubtedly turn Landon against her, driving him to a point where he could seek her end. Despite her deep-seated resentment toward Clayton, Lacey clung to a sliver of rational thought.
Landon exhaled deeply, his demeanor softening.
“Calm down. The poison hasn’t taken effect yet, so it’s probably not as lethal as you fear. I promise, I’ll make sure you’re safe,” he assured her. At his words, Lacey allowed herself a small, relieved exhale.
As Landon and his men departed, Lacey wasted no time. She swiftly pulled out her phone and dialed Clayton’s number, her fingers trembling with urgency.
The connection was swift.