Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Her heart sank at the sight before her. Clayton’s face was ghostly pale, his features drawn and lifeless. If not for the faint rise and fall of his chest, she might have thought it was already too late.
Her stomach churned. Landon didn’t understand Clayton’s fragile condition, but Landon should’ve known better than to go this far. Heavy-handed or not, manslaughter was still murder.
There was no time to dwell on it. Leila dropped to her knees, her fingers trembling slightly as she tried to figure out how to help Clayton up.
Seeing Leila struggling, her face damp with sweat as she worked to help Clayton, Landon’s restraint snapped. His voice thundered, raw and filled with anger.
“Do you even know that Sarah acted on his orders? He’s the one who wanted to set our daughter on fire! Leila, do you care about him so much that you’ve forgotten your own kids?” Landon’s chest heaved as his frustration boiled over.
“If you can’t be the mother they deserve, then let them come back to me! Stop holding them back with your selfishness!”
As the words left his mouth, a pang of regret shot through Landon. But the storm of emotions swirling within him refused to let up. He was furious-though deep down, he knew it wasn’t just anger. It was jealousy. A dark, corrosive jealousy that ate away at him like a poison, leaving no part of him untouched.
Landon had never truly understood how love could twist people into something unrecognizable and how it could strip away reason and turn them into monsters. But now he knew.
Love could break a person and leave them clawing at the edges of their own sanity.
And in that moment, Landon knew he was no different from those he once condemned.
When he’d gone after Clayton earlier, his rage had been fueled by two things: the hurt of what Clayton had done to their child and the maddening jealousy that he could never suppress.
Landon thought his words might wake Leila up and shake her from whatever hold Clayton had on her.
But her icy gaze pierced through him like a dagger. She said, her voice cold enough to freeze the air between them, “Landon, stop blaming others for the consequences of your own actions. I’m done believing your lies.” Without waiting for a response, Leila turned back to Clayton, slipping her arm under his to support him. Her steps were slow but determined as she helped him leave.
Landon stood there, frozen, his face draining of all color. The silence was deafening. His vision blurred as tears welled in his eyes. A sharp, relentless ache gripped his chest, making it hard to breathe. It felt like swallowing shards of glass-the bitterness clawed at his chest, rising in relentless waves.
As Leila’s footsteps faded into the distance, Landon’s towering frame seemed to crumble. He sank to the floor, his knees hitting the cold surface with a hollow thud. For the first time, the strength he had always carried so effortlessly was gone. He didn’t care about the curious stares from those around him. None of it mattered anymore.
The bodyguards exchanged uneasy glances, their silent sighs heavy with pity. Having stood by Landon’s side through countless storms, this was the first time they’d seen him unravel like this-so raw, so utterly defeated.
Meanwhile, Leila and the butler wasted no time rushing Clayton to the hospital.
By some stroke of luck, they made it in time.
The doctor reassured them that, while the amount of blood had been alarming, the injuries weren’t as critical as they had seemed.
Still, Clayton’s condition wasn’t something to take lightly. He needed complete rest for the next few days.
The butler turned to Leila, his eyes shimmering with gratitude.
“Miss Nixon, today was far too close. If not for you, Mr. Morgan might not have made it.”
Leila shook her head slowly, her expression clouded with doubts.
“Clayton isn’t reckless, and neither is Landon. What on earth drove them to this point?”
The butler hesitated, his gaze darting away for a brief moment before settling back on her. There was a faint trace of guilt in his eyes.
“Mr. Kensington accused Mr. Morgan of orchestrating the explosion the moment he arrived. Mr. Morgan got agitated and tried to defend himself. That’s when things escalated.”
Leila stared at the butler for a moment before averting her gaze. She decided she would speak with Clayton once he was awake.
Leila was baffled as to why Landon would think Clayton was involved. Could it be that Landon wasn’t actually responsible? But Clayton had no reason to do such a thing. Or was it possible that Landon was attempting to pin this on Clayton by exploiting the situation? Yet, out of all the possible ways to set someone up, Landon had picked the most ineffective. Not only was it a poor plan, but it also put him at risk of becoming a suspect himself.
Leila sensed that the issue was more complicated than it appeared.
“Miss Nixon,” the butler suddenly said, breaking Leila’s chain of thought.
He hesitantly proposed, “It might take some time for Mr. Morgan to wake up. Perhaps you should stay here with him? If you’re not here and Landon returns causing problems, what should we do?”
Leila’s expression darkened a bit.
“Why should I stay? The hospital staff are here to look after him. Besides, Landon wouldn’t go that far.” Leila knew Landon had no intention of causing any fatalities. His aim was simply to let off some steam by bringing people to teach Clayton a lesson.
Resolute in her stance, Leila left. Before she took her leave, she told them to inform her when Clayton regained consciousness.
The butler watched as Leila left without a backward glance and sighed softly. He then turned to enter the ward.
Clayton, who was supposed to be unconscious, was now sitting up, still looking pale.
To ensure his injuries appeared real, Clayton had indeed inflicted significant pain on himself.
As the butler entered, Clayton’s brow furrowed.
“Did she leave?” The butler nodded.
Clayton clenched his fists, and his face showed a trace of bitterness.
“I thought her coming to my place so quickly meant she cared somewhat. It appears she showed up merely for the sake of the lifesaving favor. See? She doesn’t love me.”
The butler sighed.
“Mr. Morgan, now that you see it, let’s not dwell on Miss Nixon anymore. She is emotionally distant. Despite all your kindness over the years, she only recalls your betrayal. She’s bound to end up alone.”
“Shut up!” Clayton barked. His expression was cold as he fixed his gaze on the butler.
“No matter her faults, you have no right to speak ill of her.”
The butler immediately zipped his lips, realizing his mistake. Clayton turned to look out the window just in time to see Leila getting into her car and driving off. His expression was stern and cold.
“I do regret the time I’ve spent on cooing her. But she’s not the emotionally detached woman you claim. She has feelings. It’s just that they’re all for Landon. What am I to her? Still, if you ask me to move on, I can’t. I’d rather cling on and get something out of this.”
Seeing Clayton’s demeanor, the butler knew he was guilty of his past doings and felt a bit of relief.
“Mr. Morgan, if there’s anything you need, just tell me,” the butler said.
Clayton thought for a moment.
“Isn’t my birthday fast approaching?”
The butler confirmed, “Yes, it’s in about a week.”
A smile crept across Clayton’s face.
“It’s been years since I last had a birthday celebrated. I think it’s time for a proper party this year.” Understanding Clayton’s intentions, the butler left to handle the preparations.
Elsewhere, Landon stood by the car, lighting one cigarette after another. His silence was deep, but his eyes were laden with overwhelming sadness. The cold wind blew against him, yet he appeared unfazed. Blood from his fingers dripped to the ground.
This caused Leo, who was standing close by, to grow increasingly nervous.
Unable to contain his concern, Leo muttered, “Mr. Kensington, you’re hurt. We should head to the hospital.”
Landon looked down at his injuries and a wry smile formed on his lips.
“These cuts won’t kill me. Why bother with a hospital? To sour my mood further? To bump into faces I’d rather not see?”
Leo knew exactly who Landon was referring to. He sighed inwardly but persisted.
“Mr. Kensington, even so, taking care of your health is paramount. Moreover, I’ve just asked around at the Morgans’. There’s a reason Miss Nixon was so attentive to Clayton. Years back, she was in danger when someone attempted to end her life. Clayton jumped in front of her, taking a near-fatal stab close to his heart. He barely survived, and he hasn’t fully recovered. Miss Nixon felt indebted to him for saving her life. She merely acted out of the lifesaving favor. She hasn’t forgotten what she owed him.”
Despite the logical explanation, Landon found no comfort. His eyes were still shadowed with sadness as he said, “I know, and I do understand. But what truly pains me is her…”
“Her unwillingness to trust me… Maybe she sees me as just a villain. What more is there to say?”