Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
The manager grabbed desperately at Edgar’s sleeve, his voice filled with abject humility. “Please, I need to understand. How did I offend Mr. Kensington? Today, for this plan, I even betrayed my former boss and risked my career, all for Kensington.”
Edgar looked down at him with scorn. “Had you remained silent tonight, perhaps things would be different. But hearing your nonsense, I think you’ve earned what’s coming. As you face the consequences, you fail to see your mistake. You’ve crossed someone far worse than Mr. Kensington.”
The manager probably wouldn’t understand for the rest of his life. The individual Edgar was referring to was Leila, whom the manager had dismissed as merely a plaything.
Boris saw everything, his legs wobbling with terror. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing, a mere slip of the tongue sparking such drama.
The manager had bent over backward to accommodate Landon, but Landon was merciless.
Boris, recognizing the severity of the situation, knew better than to challenge Landon’s extreme reactions.
Boris was a clever man and understood instantly that trying to win Landon over with flattery was futile. After all, Landon was never short of flatterers. Constant attempts to butter him up might only lead to disaster.
Boris realized he had to find a different strategy.
Leila, too, sensed the tense atmosphere. She avoided Landon’s gaze, her eyes flickering toward Brent, filled with concern.
Landon noticed Leila’s subtle gestures but remained silent. His impatience, however, was betrayed by his increasingly rapid tapping on the table.
Brent began, “Well…”
Brent was cut off mid-sentence.
Leila sprang from her seat so abruptly that all eyes turned toward her.
Landon had anticipated her reaction. His smile widened, but his eyes hardened.
Brent, visibly anxious, said to Leila, “Leila, this isn’t your concern. Sit down.”
Ignoring Brent, Leila marched up to Landon, her expression resolute.
Landon observed her approach, each step seemingly charged with determination.
It was jarring for Landon. Leila’s eyes, which once radiated warmth, now glinted with coldness.
Landon reminisced about how Leila had once been so tender and tolerant. No matter how poorly he treated her, she would respond with a soft, helpless smile and accept it. Perhaps occasionally a bitter smile crossed her lips, but she had never given him such a cold look before.
Landon had always been frustrated by Leila’s gentle nature, wishing she would toughen up so he wouldn’t have to worry about her as much. She had clearly toughened up, but now all her sharp edges seemed aimed directly at him.
Lost in his thoughts, Landon didn’t immediately register that Leila had closed the distance between them.
Leila took a deep breath and began signing, indicating she would leave with him, but he must keep his promise to explain to Brent why the client was so upset. She stressed her compliance was only for one night, a condition he had to accept.
Leila’s hands trembled slightly, a detail not lost on Landon, who frowned with concern.
Landon wondered whether her fear was rooted in him or stemmed from deeper anxieties.
Currently, Leila’s mind seemed preoccupied with thoughts of Brent, leaving Landon in search of clarity.
Landon desired to know if she saw him as a monster prone to fits of anger.
With a forced smile that failed to mask the underlying tension, Landon spoke again, his words cutting through the air with icy precision, “Negotiations aren’t in the cards for you or him. Do you grasp the reality of your situation, Leila?”
Leila’s face blanched at his words.
Before she could protest or plead, Landon was already on his feet, seizing her wrist with a firm grip. He propelled her toward the door.
“Leila?” The voices of Irene and Brent echoed in unison, laced with anxiety as they scurried after Landon and Leila.
Their urgent strides brought them to the doorway just as they encountered Edgar, who had just wrapped up his own affairs.
Surrounded by a cadre of bodyguards, Edgar stood like a barricade, effectively blocking their way.
Edgar kept a courteous smile on his face, speaking with calm reassurance, “Rest assured, they are still legally bound by marriage. Mr. Kensington wouldn’t bring her harm.”
Brent’s hands formed tight knots, his words laced with a stern warning. “He’d best remember that.”
Landon briskly ushered Leila into the car. “Strap in,” he said before turning the key in the ignition.
Panicked, Leila hurriedly fastened her seatbelt, her eyes flitting anxiously toward Landon.
Before she could gesture anything, the car bolted forward, shooting through the streets like a released arrow.
As the dense urban landscape gave way to expansive countryside, the traffic dwindled until only occasional cars appeared.
Landon’s foot pressed heavily on the accelerator, turning the ride into a headlong dash through the less traveled roads.
The car surged like a wild beast unleashed, causing Leila to dissolve into tears, overwhelmed by fear.
Leila wanted to scream and demand if Landon had completely lost his senses. With their unborn child within her, was he trying to endanger their lives?
Fortunately, Landon’s driving skills were exceptional. Despite the terrifying speed, he maintained a smooth ride.
When the car finally halted, Leila flung open the door and stumbled out, legs shaky and almost insubstantial. She nearly toppled over, catching herself on the car to stay upright.
Before she could even take a breath to steady herself, Landon was upon her, gripping her chin.
The force felt like it might dislocate Leila’s jaw, pain shooting through her face.
Landon was oblivious to the tears brimming in her eyes, his focus unyielding.
Landon’s eyes revealed a flash of something seldom seen-it was pain. “Why are you doing this, Leila? Do you really think so little of me?”
Leila was confounded by his reaction. He had driven dangerously, seemingly careless about the risk to both her and their unborn child, yet he stood before her, looking hurt as if he was the one betrayed.
In a desperate bid for freedom, Leila signed rapidly, her gestures filled with urgency. It was the first time she ever truly begged. She promised him that if he let her go, she would disappear from his life for good.
Landon froze, clearly taken aback, and slowly loosened his grip. He seemed momentarily adrift in his own emotions.
With a heavy sigh, Landon turned away from Leila, concealing his face from her. His voice, cold and detached, resonated through the darkness. “Fine. I can agree to that. But on one condition. If you end the pregnancy, I’ll let you go immediately.”
The words struck Leila with brutal force, sending a pang of pain through her heart, triggering intense physical spasms.
She had anticipated he might demand this, yet hearing the ultimatum aloud was excruciating.
Reeling from the impact of his words, Leila stumbled forward, struggling to maintain her balance.
Leila’s first instinct was to grasp Landon’s wrist and ask him what she had done to deserve this. This was his child-why didn’t it have a chance to live?
Yet, as her hand extended toward him, she hesitated and withdrew. She feared his potential responses could be even more heartless, and she doubted her ability to withstand them.
Quickly drying her tears, Leila approached Landon with resolve etched across her face. She communicated through sign language, adamant in her decision not to terminate the pregnancy.
She declared that she would raise the child herself. She asserted her independence, emphasizing that she was not his property and that he had no right to dictate the fate of her or the baby.
Leila placed her hand protectively over her belly, reinforcing her resolve.
Landon’s response was a smile, but his eyes narrowed dangerously. “Leila, do you know what happened to the last person who defied me like this?”
Landon’s voice carried a veiled threat, but Leila maintained her posture, standing tall and unyielding, refusing to betray any hint of fear.
Observing her resolve, Landon’s menacing smile gradually dissolved. “Fine, have it your way,” he conceded.
A wave of relief washed over Leila, and she allowed herself a deep breath.