Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Landon sneered and texted back, “Does she think she can escape by fleeing abroad? Have our men monitor her movements.”
Upon receiving the news, the bodyguards released Leila as Joanna had promised. The moment they let go, Leila collapsed to the floor like a lifeless doll.
As others dispersed, Landon hurried over and lifted Leila from the floor. “Leila? Leila?” His anxiety was palpable as he inspected the wound on her neck.
Fortunately, the wound wasn’t deep. She just needed to go to the hospital for disinfection. But when Landon looked into her dull pupils, he felt as if he had lost everything.
“Leila?” He shook her gently. But there was no response. Leila was unresponsive, as if she were merely a piece of furniture.
“Hurry, get her to the hospital. And you, call Lenny here right now,” Landon ordered.
At the hospital, the doctor conducted a thorough examination and quickly identified the issue. “I suspect she was drugged with a neurotoxin I haven’t encountered before. Don’t worry. We’ll formulate a treatment plan.”
Landon nodded and returned to the ward.
Leila was awake. She sat up and stared blankly out the window. After some rest, her complexion seemed less pale. Yet, she didn’t acknowledge anyone around her.
The nurse attempted to gauge Leila’s responsiveness, but it appeared she had lost all perception, as if her soul had departed, leaving only her body behind.
Landon wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he noticed a slight frown on her face. He motioned to the nurse and said, “You can take a break. I’ll stay here and look after her.”
After everyone else had left, only Landon and Leila remained in the ward.
Landon remained silent, sitting beside her in the quiet room. The wind outside could be heard clearly. It was sunny today, yet not overly warm. Outside the window, green trees swayed. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting speckled patterns on the windowsill.
It had been a long time since Landon had sat quietly beside Leila like this.
Reminiscing, Landon said, “When we were kids, I liked to sit alone like this. You always came over. I told you that you were annoying. You said you couldn’t speak and wouldn’t bother me. In truth, I never found you annoying. I just had a short temper and was afraid of lashing out at you. Besides, I was always secretly happy when you visited. You might not have said much, but just hearing you call my name… it was comforting.”
“Landon… Landon…” As Landon paused, Leila unexpectedly spoke his name.
Landon halted abruptly and turned to look at her in disbelief.
Leila was gazing at him, a new spark in her eyes. She called out again, “Landon.”
At that, Landon’s pupils dilated, and he reached out to grasp her hand. “Have you recovered? Can you understand me?”
Without responding directly, Leila continued to utter his name. Her voice was mechanical, almost robotic.
Landon’s heart surged with a mix of emotions. The doctor had warned that before treatment, Leila might be like an inanimate object. Yet now, she was responding to him.
For days, Leila remained in a catatonic state, seemingly lost in her own world, completely oblivious to everything and everyone around her. The only exception was Landon; she seemed to respond to him, albeit faintly.
The doctor had tried everything he could think of, but nothing seemed to work. Finally, he threw up his hands. “This drug is a bit of a mystery,” he said.
“I’ve done all we can for now. She’s stable, but her memory-that’s a different story. I recommend keeping her in a familiar environment; it might help jog her memory.” After some consideration, Landon decided to bring Leila home.
Sophie was over the moon when she heard her mom was coming home. She hadn’t seen Leila in days and had been busy getting everything ready, even picking out a special gift for her.
The moment Sophie heard the car pull up, she bolted out of the house, excitement bubbling inside her. Landon was just helping Leila out of the car when they saw Sophie racing toward them.
Before Landon could react, Sophie threw her arms around Leila. “Mommy! Mommy!”
Sophie stumbled, but Leila instinctively reached out to steady her. Landon’s jaw dropped. At the hospital, Leila had recoiled from everyone’s touch.
That was why the doctor had suggested bringing her home. Maybe the mother-daughter bond was stronger than the drug’s effects.
Landon felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps bringing Leila home would be the key to her recovery. The thought lifted the weight that had been pressing down on him these past few days.
Even though Sophie was just a kid, she could sense something wasn’t right. She looked up at Leila with a worried frown.
“Are you mad at me? Why won’t you talk to me?” Sophie tugged at Leila’s sleeve, her big eyes pleading for a response. “Mommy, please, don’t you want to talk?”
Landon knelt down, gently stroking Sophie’s hair. After a moment’s hesitation, he decided honesty was the best policy. “Sophie, your mommy’s sick. She’s not feeling well right now, but she still knows who you are. You just need to be a little patient with her, okay?”
Sophie nodded, though confusion clouded her young face. She didn’t quite grasp the full extent of her mother’s condition, but she trusted Landon. “Okay,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “It’s like when I’m sick, right? When I have a cold or fever. I don’t want to talk or play either.”
Sophie’s eyes darted around before she grabbed Landon’s hand, pulling him closer. She leaned in, her voice a whisper against his ear.
“Can you stay here? I know a bad guy hurt my mommy and made her sick. Bad guys are always hurting my mommy, and I can’t do anything to stop them. Please, can you stay and protect her?” Sophie’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she ducked her head. “When I’m big, I’ll protect my mommy myself. I won’t need anyone else’s help.”
Landon’s heart twisted in his chest. What a brave little girl, shouldering so much worry. He pulled Sophie into a tight embrace. “You’re a wonderful girl, Sophie,” he murmured. “This is my fault. I won’t let you or your mom get hurt again.”
Sophie looked up at him, confusion etched on her face. “But… you don’t have to. My mommy says only family protects each other forever. You’re her friend. You only have to protect her for now.”
A pang of hurt shot through Landon. “Your mom said that?” he asked, his voice tight. “She said I was just a friend? Did she say anything else about me?”
Sophie blinked, puzzlement clouding her face. Landon’s words were a mystery to her.
“It’s okay,” Landon said, masking his disappointment. “Take your mom into the house and get some rest.”
Sophie nodded, leading Leila away by the hand. Leila took a few steps, a flicker of something unreadable passing through her eyes. She glanced back at Landon, noting his dejection. Then she turned away and continued walking.
Landon watched them go, a wave of loneliness washing over him. He had briefly entertained the idea of using Leila’s amnesia to his advantage, to build a connection with her.
But he quickly dismissed the thought. It felt wrong and manipulative. He couldn’t take advantage of her vulnerability; when her memory returned, she would be disgusted with him. All he could do now was be there for her, no strings attached.
Meanwhile, Landon was relentless in his search for Joanna. He activated every contact he had. Joanna had vanished into thin air the moment she left the country.
That evening, Landon found himself at a social gathering, face-to-face with a renowned investigator-a man rumored to find anyone, anywhere.
They said the man could track down a person with nothing more than a verbal description. But this man was a real oddball and wouldn’t take the job if he wasn’t in the mood, even if all the money in the world was thrown at him.
Right then, the man signaled for a few hired girls to go over and flirt with Landon, proposing a toast to him. Landon had built up quite a tolerance over the years; he could hold his liquor.
After a few bottles, Landon was still going strong, but the man was getting impatient. He waved one of the girls over.
The girl sashayed over, all hips and smiles. The man leaned in and whispered something in her ear. The girl nodded and gave Landon a seductive look. She sidled up to him and purred, “Hey there, handsome. You’ve got a great figure. Why hide your face behind that mask? What’s the mystery? C’mon, take it off. We want to see your face.”
But before her fingers could even graze Landon’s mask, he shoved her away, sending her sprawling to the floor. She let out a yelp and then burst into tears, looking utterly pathetic.
Landon didn’t even flinch. His eyes were cold, almost murderous. His voice was like ice. “Anyone who sees my face dies. That’s the rule. You still want to see it?”
Landon’s words were directed at the man across the table. He wouldn’t be here if he didn’t need this man’s help to find Joanna and get revenge for Leila.
Seeing the man’s demeanor, Landon felt this man didn’t deserve another second of his time. He ignored the man’s sour expression and headed for the door.
But the man wasn’t letting Landon off that easy. He stepped in Landon’s way. “What the hell? That’s how you ask for a favor?”
Edgar had had enough. He stood up, clearing his throat with a forced smile.
“Sir, I think you’re confused. Mr. Lando’s here to offer a partnership, not beg for help. He’s perfectly capable on his own, but he’s a busy man. And a word of advice: don’t get too cocky.”
The booze had clearly gone to the man’s head. “Partnership, my ass!” he slurred. “You need me, not the other way around. Big shot on the outside, but you’re here begging. I’m just testing your patience, and you’re already failing. So much for the great Mr. Lando.”
Edgar’s smile vanished. “Do you want to die?” he asked, his voice deadly calm.
The man was slightly unnerved. Yet, a spark of realization seemed to ignite within him, and he lifted his gaze with newfound confidence. “You’ve been searching for someone,” he declared, his tone laced with a hint of taunt.
“You’ve spilled all the details to me. She must mean the world to you. Watch as I find her first, and then you’ll never see her again.”
Landon scoffed, his gaze a frigid glare. “Do you truly believe I wouldn’t take action against you?” As Landon advanced toward the man, his voice remained even, but it carried an icy detachment that was more intimidating than any show of emotion.
The room was charged with an unsettling calm that made the skin crawl.