Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Ewing’s voice turned icy. “Don’t even think about it, Bria. I won’t be a party to your dirty tricks. This woman stays put, under my watchful eye.”
A flicker of malice danced in Bria’s eyes as a sly smile spread across her face. “Fine by me! If I messed up, then I’ll face the consequences. Whatever you say, Ewing.”
In reality, Bria had already played her hand. The moment Leila got hauled out of the hall, the goons she had arranged would move to claim Leila’s life. Leila had to be gone. If the news spread, her reputation would go up in smoke.
Once Leila was silenced forever, Bria planned to hightail it back to Ferelden. By the time Ewing uncovered all her misdeeds, it would be too late to set things right.
Just as Bria basked in her self-assured smugness, the unexpected happened. With a forceful shove, Tyrone sent Bria sprawling and strode out from behind the partition.
At the sight of Tyrone’s unexpected arrival, Ewing’s pulse quickened. He subtly signaled to the bodyguards nearby to guide Tyrone back, fearing any stimulation.
Contrary to Ewing’s expectations, Tyrone shoved aside anyone in his path with fierce determination and a fiery glare. “Fuck off!” he barked.
Tyrone’s authoritative command was no surprise, given his history as the formidable leader of the Nixon family. The air tensed around him. Those nearby were visibly shaken, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads.
Leila’s anxiety deepened, a glimmer of despair flickering in her eyes. Was there truly no chance for her to escape? Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to give up yet.
Tyrone approached Leila, towering over her. As Leila looked up at him, a wave of recognition washed over her. This man… Wasn’t he the troubled elderly man she had seen at Sarah’s birthday party? Her eyes widened in surprise.
Today, Tyrone carried himself with an air of dignity and was notably without any hearing aids. Based on the murmurs from those nearby, Leila deduced he was once the patriarch of the Nixon family, named Tyrone.
Meeting Leila’s astonished gaze, Tyrone crouched down and embraced her tightly. Tyrone’s excitement was palpable, tears rolling down his cheeks as he repeatedly murmured a name unfamiliar to most. “Siena! Siena! Have you returned?”
Those nearby were baffled, yet only Ewing and Bria understood the significance of the name Tyrone had called out. She was their aunt, Siena Nixon, who had departed from the Nixon family years ago and never returned with her child.
Bria bit her lip. Could it be that Tyrone mistook Leila for his granddaughter?
Bria was adamant about not allowing such confusion to happen again. She murmured to Ewing, “Ewing, our grandpa’s confused again. You need to get someone to take him away quickly while I take Leila out of here. With so many eyes on us, we can’t afford to be the subject of ridicule.”
After the initial shock, Ewing responded with unexpected composure, “In the Nixon family, the only ones who recall what our aunt looked like are our grandpa and the older generation. I caught only a glimpse of her as a child, and you’ve never seen her at all. We don’t even have photos of her or her child in the house. Our grandpa may be unwell and his mind muddled, but his memories of our aunt and cousin have always remained vivid.”
Hearing his words, Bria’s unease deepened, and her voice involuntarily rose as she demanded clarification. “What are you implying? Are you suggesting Leila is our aunt’s child?”
Bria’s getting emotional made her forget to modulate her volume, allowing those nearby to overhear. Initially, they had been puzzled by Tyrone’s odd behavior, but now the pieces were falling into place.
“Leila always seemed to lack any family members. She had no relatives in Burmoos, which is probably why the Kensington family adopted her. Her parents and paternal grandparents are all gone, but I’ve never heard about her maternal grandparents. Actually, I feel she resembles the Nixon children. What do you think?” Edgar said deliberately after catching Landon’s cue.
Landon’s implication was clear. Regardless of whether Leila truly belonged to the Nixon lineage, they needed to stir up rumors to convince such a claim. Besides, it was Tyrone who had first acknowledged Leila, and if she turned out not to be his granddaughter, the fault wouldn’t lie with her.
More crucially, the Nixon family held a distinct status compared to the Hayes and Kensington families. With Tyrone’s support, nobody dared to bully Leila.
Wrapped in Tyrone’s warm embrace, Leila found something oddly familiar. She could tell Tyrone was convinced she was his granddaughter. Perhaps it was best to embrace that.
However, Leila resisted taking someone else’s place. She gently patted Tyrone on the back to offer comfort, then pulled away and signed to him. Her gestures practically said, “Sir, we’ve met before, and perhaps it’s fate. You think I look familiar, but you could be mistaken.”
Leila had grown up with her parents. Tales of her maternal grandfather’s family were absent from her childhood. All she knew was their disapproval of her mother’s marriage to her father, which led to unforgivable actions. Consequently, her parents departed with her and never looked back.
Later, as Leila’s parents died, none of the remaining relatives urged Leila to reconnect with her maternal grandparents. They remained silent about the past, yet Leila sensed her family’s inherent kindness and gentleness. Had her maternal grandparents’ transgressions not been so grave, her parents would never have chosen to sever ties.
With resolve hardening in her gaze, Leila shook her head decisively. Her gestures expressed her sole desire to leave, even willing not to hold Bria’s misdeeds accountable. She trusted Tyrone to be a reasonable man and would grant her wish.
Despite his tears, which continued to cloud his vision, Tyrone stared blankly at Leila.
“You are Siena’s daughter. I’m certain of it. You bear such a resemblance to how Siena looked at your age. How could I, your grandfather, be mistaken? After all these years, Siena still refuses to come home. She must despise me and the Nixon name.
Kid, my memory may falter these days, but the sight of you brings a sense of familiarity to me. I don’t even need a DNA test to know you are a Nixon. Please, stay. I want to make amends. I have lost Siena. I can’t bear the idea of not seeing you again.”
Tyrone’s aged tears moved Leila, yet she held firm to her stance, recalling her mother’s tears whenever her grandfather was mentioned.
Regardless of whether Tyrone was her biological grandfather, Leila had no interest in the Nixon family fortune.
Leila placed a hand on her abdomen, mustering the strength to stand up. Using sign language, she communicated her gratitude to Tyrone. She expressed her appreciation for his kindness in granting her to leave and vowed not to hold Bria accountable for the latter’s misdeeds in the past few weeks.
Bria and Leila continued their conversation, each gesture heavy with unspoken emotion.
Bria was visibly the most nervous of them all. She no longer expected Ewing to intervene and reasoned that they had yet to do the paternity test, and perhaps Tyrone was just temporarily confused. She felt compelled to get rid of Leila as soon as possible. If not, the complications would never end.
With these thoughts, Bria quickly approached Leila, who was on her way out.
“Where do you think you’re going? You wrecked my gift, set me up, and now you’re deceiving my grandfather! You think you can just walk away? No way!” Bria yelled.
Leila’s gaze was icy as she locked eyes with Bria, noticing a glint of murderous intent in Bria’s gaze.
Leila chuckled wryly. She had been willing to let Bria off the hook, but Bria’s continual antagonism changed her mind.
Meanwhile, Linsey, after struggling through the crowd, finally made it to the front. Seeing Leila, she couldn’t hold back her tears.
It was the first time Linsey had ever lost her composure in public.
Linsey’s concern for Leila was deep and constant. No matter what she was engaged in, thoughts of Leila lingered in her mind, overshadowing all else.
Knowing Leila’s condition, unable to speak and bearing a child, Linsey felt her friend must be enduring immense struggles. Linsey’s disdain for the Hayes and Kensington families grew as she considered their empty promises. They had professed their commitment to protect Leila, yet their actions, or lack thereof, proved them unreliable.
Linsey’s frustration extended even to her own brother, Ethan, who failed to offer the support and dependability Leila desperately needed.
Linsey’s emotions were overwhelming as she approached Leila, tears streaming down her face. “Leila, you look like you’ve lost a lot of weight. What happened to you? It’s Bria, isn’t it? How dare she keep you confined? I’m calling the police right now!”
Bria, caught off guard, widened her eyes in shock and quickly retorted, “What are you talking about? I’ve already explained to you. Leila has been well cared for under my roof. How can you call that confinement?”
As this exchange unfolded, Leila struggled to free her hand from Bria’s firm grip but failed. With her free hand, Leila tenderly wiped away Linsey’s tears, a silent gesture of comfort.
Unable to use sign language due to her restrained hand, Leila turned her head and fixed Bria with a cold, intense glare.
The fierceness in Leila’s eyes was a stark departure from her usual subdued nature, and it caught Bria off guard. Guilt began to seep into Bria’s conscience, remembering that Leila was the pathetic victim of human trafficking.
Despite this, a part of Bria felt not reconciled and regretted acceding to Leila’s earlier request. “I demand an explanation!” Bria’s response was swift and controlling as she tightened her grip on Leila. “You’re not going anywhere until we clear this up.”
Linsey, having regained her composure, fixed Bria with a steely gaze. “Miss Nixon, while the full truth may be murky, it’s clear Leila has been locked up against her will. You claim to pity her, yet everyone in Burmoos knows she’s Landon’s wife and a friend of my family. Mr. Jerome Hayes has even publicly vowed to protect her. Given her connections, how can you consider her pitiful? If she is, what does that make ordinary people?”
Leila was kidnapped by criminals on her way to pay respects at Mr. Roderick Kensington’s grave. While I don’t suspect the Nixon family’s involvement, if you truly rescued her, why wasn’t she taken to the police or a hospital? Why label her a vagrant instead?”
Linsey’s voice sharpened with accusation. “Do you have ulterior motives? Do you think because Leila can’t speak for herself, you can do whatever you wish?”
Stunned into silence, Bria found herself at a loss for words, reeling from the directness of Linsey’s interrogation. The irony of the situation twisted a knot in Bria’s stomach. Leila, seemingly meek and having been bullied by Sarah, was in fact Landon’s wife.
Bria couldn’t help but feel a sting of jealousy. Sarah had tried so hard and failed to marry Landon, yet Leila, whom she deemed pitiful, had succeeded. Despite the harsh look Bria gave Leila, Bria eventually let Leila go, her mind racing with thoughts of future retribution after bidding the right moment.
Leila, sensing a fleeting yet unmistakable murderous intent in Bria’s eyes, felt a surge of worry. Would her departure with Linsey implicate and bring trouble to the Brooks family?
It was at this critical juncture that Ewing chose to step in. He offered Leila a sympathetic smile and spoke soothingly.
“I’m really sorry. My cousin can be thoughtless and impulsive. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure she learns from this. You have heard my grandfather say that you are his granddaughter, which I find quite plausible.
He’s too old for any shocks now. I hope you can stay a bit longer for his health. I assure you, once he’s more stable, we can have a proper discussion.”
Ewing continued reassuringly, “Your safety here is my priority. Everyone present is a witness. If anything happens to you, I take full responsibility.”
Linsey, still visibly upset, was quick to counter. “Promises mean nothing without action.”
Ewing didn’t hesitate. He immediately called for a lawyer to draft a legal agreement and suggested that Landon, as Leila’s husband, should co-sign it to formalize the responsibilities.
“This agreement will ensure Leila’s safety,” Ewing explained as he orchestrated the documentation.
When Landon reviewed the agreement, he was taken aback by one particular clause. “She has to report to you whoever she meets during her stay? Doesn’t she even have the freedom to see others?”