Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“Leila, it’s only because I love you so deeply that I became upset. It’s all my fault. I struggle to show my feelings properly, but I must admit I can’t see your love for me, and that makes it hard for me to commit.”
Leila had no other option but to signal Calvert to come nearer. With a victorious grin, Calvert extended his arm, only for Leila to swiftly bat it away.
Pretending to be shy, Leila whispered, “It’s wiser to keep under the radar for now. We’ll have plenty of opportunities to do this later. You’re looking for proof of my commitment, aren’t you? Well, I can transfer several of my shops to your name, and not just shops in the future, but also entire companies and properties. What do you think? Will this prove my sincerity?”
Calvert was ecstatic. Who would turn down such money? Though he had desired Leila for a long time, money was clearly his main interest. Pondering this, Calvert asked, “Which shops? What’s their yearly revenue?”
Leila internally cursed his relentless greed but nonetheless shared the specific details.
Calvert’s expression lit up with satisfaction. He was no longer interested in satisfying his desires. Instead, he was keen to leave the White family estate and head to Burmoos to inspect those shops. The assets Leila had transferred to him in this short span surpassed what he had earned from working for the White family. This was her way of showing her sincerity.
Calvert’s logic was simple. If a woman was willing to give him cash, she was clearly smitten. End of story. No further evidence required. Calvert’s earlier threat about needing Leila to take those medicines was pure theatrics, a tactic aimed at scaring her.
Sure, Leila had regained some sensation in her limbs, but she still needed help with practically everything. Basically, she was still very much paralyzed. And Calvert, frankly, wasn’t interested in a damsel in distress, especially one who couldn’t move. As long as he got her wealth, he was happy.
Just as Calvert, looking satisfied, was about to make his exit, Leila stopped him. He had to do something for her since he had taken assets from her.
Leila put on her best “offended” face.
“I’m stuck here, practically helpless. Please do something for me.”
Calvert, always eager to please her, beamed.
“Anything for you, Leila.” Leila then filled him in on the day’s drama. She claimed she was still smarting from Landon’s insults and wouldn’t stand for it.
Calvert’s eyebrows shot up. Landon was back? And he was already sucking up to Gracelyn?
Calvert snorted. That guy was clearly trying to weasel his way into Gracelyn’s good graces and live the high life.
Calvert puffed out his chest.
“Don’t worry. I’ll teach that leech a lesson. He’ll learn this isn’t his playground.”
Leila shook her head.
“No, don’t do anything rash. People might get suspicious. Besides, I’ve noticed he’s quite the charmer. He’s already got Gracelyn eating out of his hand. Just keep tabs on him for me. That’s all I need.”
Calvert readily agreed since he wasn’t looking for any trouble. But he wasn’t about to let this opportunity pass without squeezing a little more out of Leila.
“Now, now,” he said, rubbing his hands together.
“Following him around will take time away from my other duties. Plus, I haven’t exactly been keeping you medicated. Those nosy servants might notice something’s amiss. And then there’s the cost of dealing with them.”
The message was loud and clear. Leila seethed inwardly, but she nodded.
“Fine,” she said through gritted teeth.
“I’ll pay you fairly. Just bring me my bag.”
All of Leila’s belongings from that fateful day were still here, except for her phone and other electronics, which had been confiscated. Calvert fetched Leila her bag. She opened it and pulled out a black credit card, handing it to him.
Calvert’s eyes widened. He knew exactly what this card was. His grin could have lit up a stadium.
“Leila, you’re an angel!” he exclaimed.
“Don’t worry, no one will lay a finger on you. And I’ll make sure everything stays nice and quiet.”
Leila nodded, pleased.
“I know you can handle this or I wouldn’t have given you the money. I need to rest now, so don’t linger in my room for too long.”
Calvert left Leila’s room with a spring in his step, and plenty of people saw him.
The servants whispered amongst themselves, wondering what was going on between Leila and Calvert.
Florrie watched the whole thing from nearby. She was fuming, her eyes filled with jealousy and resentment.
Calvert’s unusual gentleness over the past few days had made Florrie start to feel a twinge of regret over rejecting his suggestion so harshly that day, embarrassing him. For a moment, she almost approached Gracelyn to agree to that absurd plan of Calvert and Leila having a child under the condition that she would be the mother and raise the child along with Calvert. After all, as long as Calvert loved her, nothing else really mattered. Besides, she still coveted the White family’s fortune. Agreeing to that plan would surely curry Gracelyn’s favor.
But now, Florrie was glad she hadn’t gone to Gracelyn. Calvert’s love for her had all been an act. A bitter reality sank in. Even with all these years of marriage, he had never flashed her a smile as bright as the one he had put on when exiting Leila’s room. If he and Leila were to have a baby, she didn’t need to guess to know her fate would be doomed. She would likely end up with nothing-no child, no husband, no money.
Florrie knew she had to act fast and drive a wedge between Leila and Calvert.
Just then, two servants walked by, gossiping.
“Did you see that new guy?” one whispered.
“He’s rather handsome, like a movie star.”
“What’s his deal? Why’s he so eager to take care of Mrs. White?”
“Can’t you tell? He’s obviously trying to suck up to Mrs. White so he can have a cushy life. His family’s probably dirt poor.”
“But he’s so dashing! How could he be poor?”
“How naive of you. If he was rich, why hadn’t anyone come looking for him when he recovered here earlier? Mrs. White once thought he was from a wealthy family, but he’s not. He’s just a nobody. He’s probably in debt up to his eyeballs, and that’s why he’s so desperate. Guys like him are all looks and no substance. And probably a player.”
“You’re right. We should stay away from him.”
“I think he’s got the hots for Miss Nixon.” The first servant giggled.
“But with her temper these days, who knows? Maybe he pissed her off and blew his chance.”
“Hey, don’t jump to conclusions. He’s hot, and Miss Nixon might fall for him. By the way, isn’t she already messing around with Calvert? I don’t get it. I mean, he’s an ugly man in his fifties! Only someone like Florrie would fall for Calvert.”
Florrie was about to lose it when she heard someone making fun of her taste. She was about to give them a piece of her mind when she heard more of their conversation.
“I think Miss Nixon just desires being kept company by a man. Before, Calvert was the only man around, but now things are different.”
Florrie’s anger abruptly cooled. An idea came to her, and a sly smile spread across her face. She thought she had found a way to fix everything. Calvert was nothing compared to Landon, and it would take no time before Leila fell head over heels for Landon.
Later that night, when assigning rooms, Florrie made sure to put Landon in the room next to Leila’s.
“Mr. Collins, is this room to your liking? Miss Nixon is on the next door. The rooms around Miss Nixon’s are the best in the house, a testament to Mrs. White’s value over Miss Nixon.”
Landon snuck a glance at the tightly closed door of Leila’s room and noticed a lot of servants and bodyguards stationed at the doorway, though they didn’t seem to be paying much attention. They probably slacked off, thinking Leila was unable to move around. This was his chance.
Landon might have been thinking a lot, but none of it showed on his face. He nodded in satisfaction.
“Not bad. I like this place.”
As Landon stepped inside, his smile widened. The room was pure luxury, every detail exuding wealth and refinement.
Landon said delicately, “The White family sure knows how to live. This place is like a treasure trove. I can’t even imagine what all this would sell for.”
This time, Landon had come prepared. His persona was that of a desperate man drowning in debt, willing to do whatever it took to curry favor with Gracelyn. After all, Gracelyn would never go online to check his background or photos.
To sell the act, Landon even had his bodyguards occasionally pose as relentless debt collectors.
Watching Landon’s greedy display, Florrie felt oddly satisfied. She could only feel less angered when Leila ended up with a man like this.
Florrie started sharing information with Landon in a casual manner.
“By the way, that woman next door to you is Miss Nixon. She might have a bit of a temper, but she’s stunning, and her family’s insanely wealthy. Her grandfather’s side is loaded, her husband’s got money, and she runs her businesses. She’s practically a billionaire. She came here to hike that mountain, had an accident, and ended up like this. She’s been recovering ever since. Her marriage isn’t perfect either. I heard they’re close to divorcing.”