Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Leila was momentarily stunned by the doctor’s words but then quickly reacted. Before Leila could say anything, Caitlin spoke up from the hospital bed.
“No, it wasn’t her. She didn’t do this to me.”
“Get some rest,” the doctor said before leaving.
Leila and Caitlin were left alone in the hospital room.
Caitlin looked at Leila, her eyes filled with unease.
“I’m so sorry, Leila,” she said.
“I’ve dragged you into this mess.”
Leila’s eyes were filled with concern.
“Don’t be silly,” she said.
“This is my fault too. I should have been more aware of what was going on.”
Caitlin smiled.
“I’m okay now. Really. Don’t worry about me.” Caitlin didn’t resent Leila as much as she had before.
Leila knew Caitlin well. Once Caitlin made up her mind, she wouldn’t speak up. Anyway, the most important thing now was Caitlin’s safety. As for other matters, they could be investigated slowly.
Leila looked at Caitlin seriously.
“Why don’t you come home with me? I promise, no one will hurt you if you stay with me.”
Caitlin hesitated. The idea was tempting. She wanted a peaceful life, more than anything. Staying with Leila seemed like the safest option. But she couldn’t help but worry about the future. What would happen when she wasn’t under Leila’s protection anymore? After all, they were just cousins, and their parents didn’t exactly get along. Who knew how long Leila’s generosity would last? She didn’t want to overstay her welcome and become a burden. It was better to be independent and not rely on anyone.
There was another crucial factor influencing Caitlin’s decision. She was indebted to Clayton, both financially and for his intervention at the bar. She had heard whispers about the strained relationship Leila and Landon had with Clayton. This was her problem, and she didn’t want to drag Leila into her mess, especially not with Clayton involved.
Caitlin’s eyes hardened with resolve. She said firmly, “While I appreciate your offer, I can’t stay with you. I know I’m in danger, but this house is my parents’ legacy. I have to…”
“Protect it. Don’t worry about me. Those thugs won’t bother me again. They know who I am now, and they know I’m connected to you.”
Seeing the resolve in Caitlin’s eyes, Leila chose not to push any further. There was no point-she understood how Caitlin felt. After spending some time with Caitlin and confirming that she had no other issues and was slowly drifting off to sleep, Leila finally left. But just as she reached the hospital’s main entrance, something made her pause. A familiar figure caught her eye. Her gaze narrowed in hesitation as she turned her head. There was no mistake-it was Clayton. But what was he doing here?
Before she could take a second look, he vanished-swallowed up by the passing crowd.
Leila shook her head, telling herself she was probably just overthinking it. Even if it had been Clayton, there must have been a reason for him to be in a place like this. She hoped things weren’t as bad as she feared.
Exhaling softly, Leila pulled out her phone and made a quick call. For now, she’d have a few people keep an eye on Caitlin-just in case. This wasn’t about spying. It was about keeping Caitlin safe.
Caitlin had fallen asleep, but her rest was far from peaceful. She found herself trapped in a nightmare-one where she hadn’t escaped her captors. Clayton had been there, but instead of rescuing her, he had merely stood by, watching as those men dragged her away.
The nightmare worsened. She was tormented by a sadist, and when it was over, she was thrown into a lavish banquet full of pristine, polished guests. In stark contrast, she was unrecognizable-broken, filthy, ruined.
Her captor, drunk on power, had ordered her to kneel. “Bark like a dog,” he had sneered. And she had obeyed. She felt humiliated, degraded, and utterly destroyed.
She hadn’t yet woken from the nightmare. Crawling across the cold floor, her dignity shattered, she lifted her head-and there was Leila.
Leila stood casually, sipping from a wine glass, poised and perfect. She stared down at Caitlin, as if she were nothing.
The shame, the horror-it all came crashing down at once. The sheer weight of it was too much, and with a sharp gasp, Caitlin jolted awake.
Her heart raced as she realized someone was sitting beside her bed. Fear surged through her, and she nearly screamed.
But before she could respond, a voice-low, familiar-cut through the darkness. “Relax. It’s just me.”
The tension in her chest slowly eased. She had just had a nightmare. Things hadn’t spiraled that far yet.
Strangely, Clayton’s presence in her hospital room made her feel safer. Still, she wasn’t about to let her guard down. She shot him a sharp look. “Why are you here? What do you want?”
Clayton got to his feet and flicked on the light, casting a warm glow over the room.
Leila had secured a VIP ward for Caitlin. It was quiet, private, and free from any unwanted interruptions. Knowing Caitlin hated being fussed over, Leila hadn’t posted a guard outside, making it all too easy for Clayton to slip in unnoticed.
Clayton stood at the bedside, a faint smirk playing on his lips. His smile wasn’t genuine, but for some reason, Caitlin didn’t find it annoying.
“Heard you were in the hospital,” Clayton said casually. “I thought it was serious. Since you still owe me money, I had to make sure you weren’t dead. Wouldn’t want to seem too heartless, right?”
Caitlin bristled, searching for a comeback. She settled on an irritated huff. “I’m not planning on dying anytime soon. And with Leila around, nothing’s gonna happen to me.”
Clayton arched a brow. “You really trust her, huh? Then tell me-how do you explain today’s little incident? If it weren’t for me, do you even realize what you’d be dealing with right now?”
Unwanted images flooded Caitlin’s mind, sending a cold shiver down her back.
Caitlin’s eyes narrowed as she studied Clayton. “Are you telling me this? Are you trying to turn me against Leila? I remember you liked her. If that’s true, why talk shit about her now?”
Clayton let out a chuckle, clearly amused by her reaction. “Relax, I’m not trying to mess with your relationship with her. Just giving you some unsolicited advice-at the end of the day, you can only count on yourself. Not Leila, not anyone.” He leaned in slightly. “I saw you try to save yourself earlier. Ballsy move. But not smart enough. If I’d really meant harm… Well, let’s just say you wouldn’t be resting here right now.”
His tone shifted, catching Caitlin off guard. A small blush crept up her face. “So, that’s what you meant… My bad. Guess I misunderstood.”
Clayton shrugged. “No big deal.”
“Just focus on getting better. Now that I know you’re fine, I can sleep easy. Oh, and don’t forget…” He smirked. “You still owe me money. Good luck with that.”
With that, Clayton turned on his heel, ready to leave. From the moment he walked in to the second he turned away, he kept his distance-not too close to suffocate her, but just near enough to keep her guessing.
Caitlin’s eyes lingered on his retreating figure, even though she wasn’t sure why.
The moment Clayton disappeared through the door, a nurse walked in, a steaming bowl of chicken soup in hand.
Not used to people fussing over her, Caitlin quickly told the nurse to leave the soup on the table. “I got it. I can manage on my own.” The moment the nurse stepped out, Caitlin tried to lift the bowl, only to realize her hands were too shaky to hold it properly. She had seriously overestimated her own strength.
Clayton hadn’t actually left. He had been hovering by the door, watching. After a few moments, he stepped back in. Without a word, he reached over and took the bowl from her unsteady hands. Caitlin blinked, caught off guard. “Why did you come back?”
Clayton let out a dramatic sigh. “If I leave you alone, you’re just gonna spill this all over yourself. At this rate, I’ll never get a dime from you.”
Her face went hot. She wanted to fire back, to tell him she could handle herself, but one look at her trembling hands shut her up. After a pause, she muttered, “Fine. Just leave it on the table. I’ll eat it when it cools down a bit.”
But he had already dipped the spoon in and held it up to her lips. “Soup’s meant to be eaten warm,” he said, matter-of-factly. “It tastes like crap when it’s cold.”
Caitlin felt her face heat up even more. She probably looked like a tomato. She shook her head quickly, trying to back out. “No, seriously, I got it.”
Clayton didn’t say a word. He just raised a brow, like he was calling her bluff.
Under his intense stare, Caitlin hesitated. Then, with a sigh, she parted her lips.
Neither of them spoke nor made eye contact. And yet… The air between them shifted, growing more intimate.
Caitlin’s fingers clenched around the blanket, her heart hammering for reasons she didn’t quite understand. She hated to admit it, but… It was kind of sweet.
She shook herself internally. No. She needed to get a grip. Nobody did things like this for free-especially not Clayton. He wasn’t a good guy. That much, she knew. She couldn’t afford to be naive.
And yet… deep down, she was kind of grateful, which was exactly why she couldn’t bring herself to push him away.
Luckily, Clayton didn’t try anything. Once she had finished eating, he got up and left without a word.
Caitlin stared at the empty bowl sitting on the table. After a moment’s hesitation, she reached out and ran her fingers over the spoon.
As Leila stepped back into the house, she felt a strange tension in the air. Something wasn’t right. All three children were present.
Calvin’s face was clouded with worry, Sophie’s lips were pursed into a thin line, and even the normally cheerful Elma was unusually subdued.
Elma sat with a frown creasing her forehead, seemingly deep in thought.
Usually, the children would rush to greet Leila with hugs and excited chatter when she returned home. But today, they were strangely quiet and withdrawn.
Confused, Leila sat beside Sophie and gently stroked her hair. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice filled with concern. “You all seem upset.”
Sophie looked at Leila with a troubled expression. “Mom, didn’t you see the visitor at the door when you returned?” she asked.
“Visitor?” Leila was even more bewildered. “I didn’t see anyone.”
“She must have left by now,” Elma added quietly.
Elma asked, her voice tinged with worry, “Sophie, do you think we were too mean to her?”
Sophie opened her mouth to speak but then hesitated, a flicker of unease crossing her face. It seemed she shared Elma’s sentiment. Leila’s puzzlement deepened. “What happened? What do you mean, ‘too mean to her’?”
Calvin sighed. “We had a visitor today. But none of us wanted to see her, so we sent her away.”
Leila’s brow furrowed in concern. Her children were always courteous and respectful. It was unlike them to turn away a visitor. Who could possibly have elicited such a strong reaction from them, and why did they seem to regret their actions?
“It was Jeanette, Lacey’s sister,” Calvin said, meeting her gaze. Leila’s surprise was evident.
“Jeanette?” she echoed, needing confirmation. “Are you sure it was her?”
For Leila, the name felt both foreign and familiar at the same time. She vaguely recalled meeting Jeanette on a previous occasion. Jeanette possessed a resilient, stubborn streak, reminiscent of Lacey in her earlier years, before greed had taken root. But Jeanette was more level-headed and obedient than Lacey.
Next Chapter coming soon. Comment below if you love this story.