Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
He paused, his tone resolute. “And don’t worry about me being with Leila. I’m leaving Avalon tomorrow, and where I go is no longer your concern.”
“No!” Joanna yelled, trying to cling to Ethan as he turned away. Desperation surged through her as she tried to hold Ethan back, but Leila intervened, signaling for others to restrain Joanna.
Joanna screamed in anguish as Ethan disappeared from view. Her strength spent, she crumpled to the floor, utterly defeated. Leila stepped forward, her voice cold and cutting. “How does it feel, Joanna?”
Joanna’s tear-streaked eyes burned with hatred. “Are you satisfied now, Leila? I know it! There’s something between you and Ethan. He’s leaving me because of you!”
Leila clicked her tongue, her words sharp and deliberate.
“Maybe your marriage had its flaws, but have you ever stopped to consider why it’s fallen apart? You blame everyone else, but you never look in the mirror. And honestly, is this the life you want-fighting tooth and nail for a man?”.
Joanna’s eyes flickered with a moment of doubt before hardening with renewed rage. “Don’t act like you’re better than me, Leila! If you’re so powerful, end me now! Kill me! Because if you don’t, I swear I’ll make your life a living hell. You should have died abroad! Why did you even come back? You’re vile, and your daughter is just as repulsive.”
Leila’s expression hardened, her gaze turning icy as she stared down at Joanna. “In that case, I really shouldn’t have shown you any mercy,” she said, her voice cold and sharp. “Joanna, do you honestly believe this is all I can do?”
Joanna, still on the floor, sneered with defiance. “If you think you’re so powerful, then prove it! I’ve already lost Ethan; I’ve got nothing left to lose.”
Leila offered a faint, knowing smile, choosing not to dignify Joanna’s challenge with a response. She simply turned and left the room.
In the adjoining room, a group of reporters stood nervously, their cameras clutched tightly. These were the very people Joanna had hired to smear Leila’s reputation.
Leila gestured for one of them to approach. The reporter stepped forward eagerly, his smile ingratiating. “Ms. Nixon, rest assured, I’ll handle everything as you’ve asked.”
Leila gave a slight nod, her expression unreadable. “Did you record everything?”
“Yes, I did,” the reporter said with enthusiasm.
“I can edit the footage to portray Joanna as a paranoid woman, constantly accusing her husband of infidelity, which leads to her mental breakdown. We’ll make it look like she even tried to imprison him at home. And every woman who got close to Ethan, we’ll frame it as them under Joanna’s obsessive control.”
The reporter paused, his grin growing wider. “With the Martel family’s status, this story will be massive. Once it’s out, it’ll be the talk of the town. I’ve already coordinated with my colleagues. Everyone will push the same narrative-Joanna’s reputation will be in ruins.”
A chilling laugh escaped Leila’s lips, her eyes devoid of any warmth. “You seem to be an expert at doing such a thing. How many people have you screwed over with your approach?” Her voice dripped with disdain.
The reporter remained unfazed. “Screwed over? Please. If those people I report on didn’t mess up, I wouldn’t have a story.” A smug grin spread across his face.
Leila’s mockery intensified. “So, how about we turn the tables, huh? Let someone dig up all your dirty laundry and splash it across the headlines. How would you like that?”
The reporter’s smirk vanished, replaced by wide-eyed shock.
Before he could stammer out a response, Leila dismissed him with a wave of her hand and said to her bodyguards, “Get him out of my sight. And make sure he never shows his face around here again.”
The reporter was unceremoniously hauled away, his pathetic whimpers echoing down the hall. He seemed genuinely baffled by his sudden downfall.
The room fell into tense silence, broken only by the reporter’s fading cries. The remaining reporters hardly dared to breathe.
Leila sank onto the sofa, massaging her temples wearily. “Did you all get the footage?”
The remaining reporters exchanged nervous glances. Finally, one spoke up, his voice hesitant. “We understand. We’ll report the truth about today’s events. The whole city will know.”
“Good,” Leila’s tension eased slightly. She instructed her security team to keep a close watch on Joanna. She wasn’t trying to be cruel, but Joanna wasn’t going anywhere until this was resolved.
Joanna remained under guard until the following morning.
Finally released, Joanna rubbed her sore wrists and stalked out of the restaurant, muttering curses.
“What the hell? Leila, I thought you were some big shot. But clearly, you didn’t have the guts to hurt me. You’d better pray you don’t cross my path again. You’ve let me go this time, but I’ll never let you go.”
Joanna rushed home, frantic. She’d heard Charlee was there. Tears streaming down her face, she burst through the door, calling out for Charlee.
Joanna cried out, “Mom! Ethan’s been seduced by some hussy! He wants a divorce! She came to taunt me and then locked me up all night. I thought I’d never see you again!”
Joanna was the Martel family’s precious only daughter. Despite her strict upbringing, she was still the apple of everyone’s eye. She’d never been treated so poorly in her life.
Charlee adored Joanna. Joanna assumed Charlee wouldn’t let Leila off the hook. In Joanna’s mind, Leila would be kicked out, humiliated, and defeated.
At the sight of Charlee, Joanna sobbed and ran toward her.
But Charlee turned, her face cold and hard. There was no sympathy in her eyes.
Before Joanna could react, Charlee slapped her across the face. Hard.
Charlee snapped, “Joanna, I’ve spoiled you rotten. You’ve lost all sense of right and wrong. What happened to all those lessons I taught you about dealing with people?”
Joanna covered her stinging cheek, feeling utterly wronged. “Mom! What are you doing? What did I do? Why did you hit me?”
Charlee, seething with rage, whipped out her phone. The video showed Joanna and Ethan having a heated argument in a restaurant.
It was raw, with no explanation provided. But anyone with half a brain could see what was happening. The comments section was blowing up, with thousands of opinions flying around.
“Is that Joanna from the Martel family? Is it the Martel family on my mind?”
“Yeah, you got it. She’s the daughter of the deputy mayor. Can you believe she acts like that behind closed doors? Her poor husband.”
“Is she nuts? Accusing her husband of cheating. Honestly, I feel bad for the guy.”
“Come on, he’s not perfect either. He doesn’t exactly make her feel secure.”
The comments were a mixed bag. Some people were tearing Joanna apart, others defending her. It wasn’t exactly a full-blown scandal, but it was definitely causing a stir.
Joanna, however, was not one to take criticism lightly. She had an ego and considered herself above the common folk, a breed apart. Now, being the subject of gossip and speculation among so many people? It was unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable.
“That bitch!” Joanna snarled, hurling the phone to the floor, completely ignoring Charlee’s furious expression. Charlee’s disappointment was palpable. “Someone has told me the truth today. I have learned what you have done. Joanna, I want you to tell me what happened. Why did you do this?”
Joanna felt a pang of guilt but quickly regained her composure. “Mom, I’m your only daughter. What are you going to do without me?”
“I said get out!” Charlee snapped.
Joanna was shocked. Charlee marched out and told the servants to pack Joanna’s stuff.
Joanna felt like her world was crumbling. She trembled and then broke down, defeated. She couldn’t fathom what she’d done wrong.
She was only trying to protect her marriage, to get rid of the woman who was after her husband. What was so wrong with that? Why did everyone think she was in the wrong? She couldn’t be wrong.
Overwhelmed by emotions, Joanna felt broken. She stood up and stormed out of the study.
Joanna caught Charlee in the act, ordering the servants to remove her belongings, Charlee’s face a mask of anger. Charlee was fuming. She didn’t actually want her daughter to leave. But she saw Joanna standing there, cold and unrepentant.
Charlee hardened her heart. Joanna needed a wake-up call, or she’d end up in serious trouble one day. Charlee couldn’t bear the thought.
Charlee’s voice rose sharp with anger. “Get rid of all her things! I don’t want to see a trace of her in this house by this afternoon! I don’t give a damn where she goes. After what she’s done, she wouldn’t dare show her face here anyway. I refuse to acknowledge her as my daughter!”
Charlee’s words were cut short by a sudden shove from behind, sending her tumbling to the floor with a cry of surprise.
Elsewhere, Leila watched Landon, stubborn as ever. She understood he was not going to leave. She took a deep breath, her patience wearing thin. It was time to lay down the law.
“So you’re not leaving, huh?” Leila said, her voice tight. “Fine. Then Sophie and I will head out.”
Landon remained silent, his gaze on Leila tinged with hurt.
Edgar cleared his throat. “Here’s the situation, Ms. Nixon: Mr. Kensington is without alternatives for accommodation in Burmoos.”
“What?” A faint smirk crossed Leila’s lips. “Isn’t it a bit ridiculous for you to make such a claim?”
Edgar wiped the sweat from his brow and continued with a blank expression.