Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Ewing, with a dismissive sneer, said, “This is what you call playing? I’m not a fool.”
Leila, eager to avoid further conflict, quickly stood up and moved to the side, bowing her head and making herself as inconspicuous as possible. Leila had seen Ewing before in the hospital and remembered his face well. He appeared to be Bria’s cousin, and they seemed to share a close bond.
Leila worried about what might happen if Ewing shared Bria’s malicious traits and targeted her. Ewing’s gaze shifted to Leila, scrutinizing her from head to toe. He had only glimpsed her briefly before. Her face seemed familiar, yet he couldn’t place where he had seen her. However, her eyes made a lasting impression on him.
From her demeanor, it was clear she had been subjected to mistreatment, a not uncommon occurrence around Bria. Ewing was well aware of Bria’s twisted nature. Although he could have turned a blind eye to this, the sight of Leila’s pregnant condition stirred a flicker of compassion within him. “Call Bria over. I need to speak with her,” he commanded.
At his words, fear washed over the servants’ faces. They hesitated, nudging each other, yet no one dared to step forward.
Finally, Leila mustered her courage, stood up, and walked directly to Bria’s room. She opened the door and entered.
Inside, the sounds of objects being thrown and faint slapping noises filled the air. Moments later, Leila emerged, her face devoid of emotion.
Trailing behind Leila was an enraged Bria. However, upon noticing Ewing waiting outside, Bria’s anger seemed to dissipate, and she quickly blinked her eyes, attempting to adopt a more innocent demeanor.
“Ewing, what brings you here? I had no idea you were around. I was just resting. These days, my mood has been quite foul, and I’ve lost my temper a few times. I hope you’re not offended,” Bria explained, her tone light but her eyes scanning the servants with a piercing intensity.
It seemed Bria had no plan of directing her anger at Leila. Leila exhaled a quiet sigh of relief and retreated further into the crowd.
Observing Leila’s cautious move, Ewing couldn’t quite grasp it. He had intended to intervene on her behalf, yet her demeanor disappointed him. She seemed resigned, almost too submissive.
Assuming Leila was a pushover based on her reaction, Ewing gave up the idea of defending her. Ewing turned to Bria and said coolly, “I just came to talk about our grandpa’s upcoming birthday celebration. Our grandpa is about to turn 70 years old, but sadly, most of our relatives and friends are overseas. Our grandpa and I agree that there’s no need for extravagance. Simplicity will suffice. You take charge of the birthday party since our grandpa and I need to track down our cousin and won’t have time to manage it.”
Bria was glad to have the opportunity to take charge of the celebration party. That could be her moment to show off and earn attention. Yet, Bria couldn’t shake off a touch of reluctance as she envisioned the efforts she needed to put in. She bit her lip and murmured, “Perhaps I shouldn’t have returned.”
However, noticing Ewing’s displeased look, Bria quickly adjusted her demeanor. “But I get it. You’re doing this to locate our cousin. Don’t worry about the party. Leave it all to me.”
Ewing’s expression softened a bit at her words, and he nodded. As Ewing rose to leave, he paused to issue a caution. “You know how our grandpa is. Avoid any repeats of today’s issues. Remember, we’re not overseas. We live in a lawful society. If you do something illegal, I can’t shield you.”
Bria retorted, clearly annoyed, “Fear nothing. Who would dare cross the Nixon family?”
Ewing fixed Bria with a stern gaze. In response, Bria pressed her lips together, a flicker of defiance crossing her features. After a moment of contemplation, she beckoned Leila forward from the back of the crowd. “Come here, Leila. Tell Ewing, did anyone here bully you just now?”
Leila lowered her gaze, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over her. She shook her head silently.
Oblivious to Leila’s inability to talk, Ewing frowned at her silence. How could she still keep silent after being mistreated? Anyway, it didn’t concern him. He had other things on his mind. Not only did he need to locate his cousin, but he was also on a mission to track down someone for Landon.
And yet, Landon hadn’t even provided a photo of this person, claiming it was inconvenient and promising to send it in a few days. Ewing had never encountered such a situation. It seemed to him that Landon was merely making excuses.
Ewing decided not to dwell on the chaos. No sooner had Ewing left the room than the servant who had tormented Leila most harshly began to grumble, “Miss Nixon, didn’t you notice how pitiful Leila looked in front of Mr. Nixon just now? It was as if we were all ganging up on her. Mr. Nixon only asked her to wake you and she hurried over like a loyal puppy, completely disregarding your orders, Miss… Ah!”
The servant’s complaint was cut short by a sharp slap across her face. The servant, shocked and frightened, dropped to her knees, her eyes wide with horror as she stared at an infuriated Bria.
“Why didn’t you have the guts to wake me earlier? If it weren’t for Leila, Ewing would have berated me to no end. What is it? Do you think I’m too harsh? Or did my temper scare you off?” Bria roared.
Being embarrassed in front of Ewing, Bria’s anger was now at a boiling point. She could easily take her anger out on Leila. Yet, it was Leila who had endured the grievance silently, indirectly helping her diffuse the tension. This realization only fueled Bria’s fury further. Leila was smarter than those who had been around her for years. Why couldn’t any of them show a shred of intelligence?
Exhausted, Leila didn’t bother to look up to witness Bria’s anger toward the servant. She found no comfort in this scene. She understood the root of the turmoil. Leila expressed her desire for a rest.
This time, Bria consented, though she issued a stern reminder as Leila departed. “Remember, there is not much time left for you. If you fail to meet my expectations, you know the consequences.”
Leila nodded, departing without a backward glance.
Meanwhile, Ewing had just returned to his study when he noticed an email from Landon. It contained a photo of Landon’s wife. Staring at the image, Ewing was taken aback by the resemblance. How could she look so much like the woman he had seen at Bria’s?
Yet, there were differences. The woman in the photo smiled warmly, her eyes bright and inviting, radiating beauty. In contrast, the woman Ewing had encountered at Bria’s seemed distant, her eyes hollow and filled with bitterness. Why would Landon’s wife choose to stay with Bria? Hadn’t Bria described that woman as a pitiful soul?
Ewing mused, feeling increasingly perplexed by the situation. He promptly summoned the butler. “Inform Bria that I need to speak with her new servant. I have a task for her. Ask Bria to send her over.”
However, Bria flatly refused. Not only did she reject the request, but Leila was quickly reassigned elsewhere.
When Ewing approached Bria again, Bria eyed him with suspicion. “Ewing, since when are you so interested in taking what’s mine? I think she’s clever enough to stay by my side. Are you trying to poach her from me?”
Ewing’s face remained impassive, though a frown creased his brow. “Why would I want to take her away? It’s just that she seems somewhat familiar to me.”
A flicker of panic crossed Bria’s eyes. “Have you met her before?”
Ewing’s response was charged with a surge of indignation. “Indeed, I have! When I was overseas, someone stole from me. I’ve been trying to figure out why she looked familiar. The thief bore a striking resemblance to her.”
Most of Bria’s suspicions dissipated with Ewing’s words. After all, Ewing’s things being stolen six months prior was no secret. It seemed his story wasn’t concocted on the spur of the moment. Having anticipated Bria’s suspicions, Ewing presented some screenshots from the footage of the theft scene.
Unbeknownst to Bria, Ewing had previously modified the photos, replacing the face in the images with that of Leila. Thus, based on these photos, it made sense for him to be suspicious of Leila.
To further expel Bria’s doubts, Ewing added, “Didn’t I mention that we should scrutinize everyone who comes here? I don’t intend to blame this suspect, but it might be best to send her away immediately.”
Her guard lowered, Bria responded with a warm smile, “Her past was filled with hardships. She was once a wanderer. Now that she’s with me, she’s made a fresh start. Perhaps we should give her a chance. How much did she take from you? I’ll pay it back.”
“Forget it,” Ewing grumbled. “Just make sure she stays out of my sight from now on. Her mere presence irritates me.”
With a smile still on her face, Bria watched as Ewing left her room. After exiting, Ewing sighed heavily. What was Bria really planning? He hoped it wasn’t what he suspected. Yet, things were becoming increasingly complicated.
The butler, confused, inquired, “Why didn’t you just bring the woman back? Miss Nixon might be scheming something, but she’s still intimidated by you.”
With a scoff, Ewing replied, “She suffers from a heart condition. It’s risky to confront her directly. We must proceed cautiously. Besides, I only asked you to pose a question to her, and she swiftly hid that woman. I’m not sure what might happen if I press further. But for now, at least we know where she is.”
Tyrone’s birthday party arrived in no time. Leila completed the birthday present the night before and showed it to Bria, who seemed pleased.
“Looks great. You’ve clearly got skills. You must have had thorough training, and your relationship with Hayden must be pretty intricate.” Though Bria’s words were full of praise, she gazed at Leila with a glint of ulterior motive. A trace of inquiry flickered in her eyes as she studied Leila.
Leila quickly explained as she typed on the phone. “I only learned from Hayden for a short time. He probably doesn’t even remember me.”
“Really?” Bria raised an eyebrow and said nothing more.
Bria was caught up with Tyrone’s birthday party preparations. Once she finished tidying up, she hurried to the hotel. It was the most opulent hotel in Burmoos. To make a lasting impression on Tyrone, Bria had rented out the entire building. Even Roderick’s grand birthday celebration years ago had only warranted the top ten floors.
In Ewing’s view, keeping the birthday party warm and simple would have been wiser. Hearing about Bria’s extravagant style left him speechless and fuming.
Ewing’s assistant leaned in and whispered, “Miss Nixon has invited every prominent family in Burmoos, extending invitations to all, even those who aren’t acquaintances. It feels more like her party than Tyrone’s.”
Ewing ground his teeth together. “If I weren’t buried in work, I’d have never allowed her to pull this off. Forget it. The invitations are already out, and there’s no stopping them now. Despite the Nixon family’s wealth and influence, the operations have been mainly abroad. We’re not well-acquainted with many of the local rich families. If things aren’t handled delicately, it could ruffle some feathers.”
The assistant tried to reassure Ewing. “No one will dare to cross the Nixon family. Don’t worry, sir.”
Ewing sighed. “From your perspective, the Nixon family might seem prosperous, but things are complicated. Make sure to remind everyone not to cross the Kensington family, and if possible, try to build a closer relationship with the Hayes family.
If Bria is throwing a party like this, things might likely go awry. But it’s a good opportunity for us, as I can use the chaos to my advantage and find someone.”
The assistant nodded. “Understood.”
Just as the assistant was about to carry out Ewing’s instructions, a sudden thought made him pause. “Miss Nixon has invited Landon from the Kensington family. Should I arrange for you to meet him in person? I’m not sure if Miss Nixon will receive him properly.”
“Did Bria actually invite Landon?” A sinking feeling washed over Ewing. He asked instinctively, “Did she invite Sarah as well?”
“No, she didn’t.” The assistant shook his head.
Suddenly, it dawned on Ewing what Bria was planning. Inviting Landon was one thing, but the omission of his female companion was another matter entirely. He should have seen it coming. Whenever Landon visited the Nixon family, Bria was always the most enthusiastic and engaged.
Previously, Ewing had warned Bria about Landon’s apparent likeness toward Sarah, making Bria’s chances with Landon slim. Ewing’s sources had also confirmed that Landon was cold toward Bria.
In Ewing’s view, given how things had unfolded, Bria should have given up. However, he hadn’t anticipated that not only would she not give up, but she seemed to be pushing the boundaries even further.
“Increase surveillance on them and report back immediately if anything happens,” Ewing instructed, feeling a wave of helplessness.
Once Bria had everything in place and confirmed that all her guests would attend, she eagerly began to get dressed.