Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Leila shifted her gaze away.
Yvette, likely feeling ashamed of her attempt to seduce Leila’s husband and then seeking Leila’s help, turned to the butler instead. She murmured hesitantly, “Please…”
The butler, catching Landon’s silent cue, scoffed at Yvette. “If you’re innocent, prove it. Let’s see your phone and conduct a body search. Otherwise, we’ll involve the police. The choice is yours.”
The prospect of a body search was demeaning for Yvette, especially in front of Leila.
Yet, the alternative of involving the police seemed worse. Yvette was convinced Landon could manipulate the situation to have her detained. Even being detained briefly could stain her record and shatter her life.
So, with a clench of her jaw, Yvette conceded. “Alright, proceed with the body search.”
As she was escorted away by the butler, Yvette shot Leila a look filled with bitterness.
Soon, it was just Landon and Leila left on the staircase.
Leila, too nervous to meet Landon’s gaze or advance, waited for Landon to ascend first. Contrary to her expectations, he descended, step by step, stopping directly in front of her. “You saw everything from down here, didn’t you? Watching her approach me, and you did nothing to stop her? Leila, what the hell do you want?”
Leila was at a loss for words. Suddenly, Landon grasped her chin, compelling her to meet his gaze.
“Do you find pleasure in watching others try to seduce me? Did you realize her intentions and intentionally invite her here?” Landon questioned sharply.
Frantically, Leila shook her head. She had assumed Landon was accustomed to such situations and thought it wise to let him meet Yvette and decide for himself. What right did she have to turn people away on Landon’s behalf?
Yet, Leila lacked the courage to share her real thoughts with Landon. Tears began to pool in her eyes.
Landon studied her tear-streaked face briefly before his expression unexpectedly softened into a smile. “She’s your colleague, right? How do you think she’ll treat you tomorrow at the studio?” he prodded.
A sense of foreboding washed over Leila. Landon was correct. Regardless of the outcome, her relationship with Yvette was bound to become strained, likely earning her Yvette’s animosity. Particularly since there was someone at the studio close to Stella who might report back…
If Yvette was that informant, she would surely leverage Stella’s influence, perhaps even Sarah’s, to retaliate.
Leila wasn’t afraid, but she wanted to avoid causing trouble for Hayden.
Observing the shift in Leila’s expression, Landon realized she had grasped the gravity of the situation. Leaning closer, he whispered, “I can handle this for you, but you know what you need to do to please me, right?”
His fingers gently pinched her chin and then teasingly began to undo the buttons of her shirt, one by one.
Leila trembled all over, but this time, she didn’t resist. It wasn’t until Landon laid her on the bed that she suddenly remembered something important. Flustered, she raised her hand to stop him, gesturing that she was in her fertile days and he needed to use protection.
Embarrassment overwhelmed her as she struggled to meet Landon’s gaze, hinting at her concern through her gestures. Landon hesitated for a moment, then got up to rummage through the bedside drawer. When he returned and pressed down on her again, Leila heard him chuckle softly.
“We’re an old married couple. Why are you still so shy?”
The phrase “old married couple” stung Leila. While it might be true in some ways, she felt more like a stranger sharing space with Landon than his wife. Exhausted by their intimacy, Leila barely made it to the studio by noon the next day. Immediately, she noticed someone was missing: Yvette, the woman who had tried to seduce Landon the day before, was nowhere in sight.
Upon asking around, Leila discovered that Yvette had been fired. This was Landon’s way of resolving the issue, direct and uncompromising. But Leila couldn’t shake the unease creeping up her spine. Did Landon have this much influence over Hayden’s studio? Was Hayden being forced into these decisions?
Though Hayden had always been close with Roderick, Leila had no idea Landon had also built a private connection with him. Seizing the opportunity when Hayden had a free moment, she decided to approach him for answers.
She directly asked about Yvette’s sudden dismissal. Hayden explained that Yvette had been let go due to incompetence, answering her question as straightforwardly as it had been posed.
After a moment of contemplation, Leila asked if Landon had pressured him into making this decision. Hayden’s expression tightened slightly, but he didn’t offer a direct answer. Feeling uneasy, Leila pressed the issue, wondering if her presence at the studio was causing problems for Hayden.
Hayden reassured her that no one was pressuring him, and that her concerns were misplaced. He shook his head, trying to ease her worry. Still, Leila felt guilt gnawing at her. Was Hayden just being kind to her, refusing to hold her accountable for any trouble she might have caused?
Hayden smiled, insisting she wasn’t a burden. Then he reminded her to pass her payment details to Gregory for her bonus, praising her excellent performance on her first assignment.
Leila, still feeling she had caused issues for Hayden, was on the verge of refusing the money as a way to compensate him. However, Hayden quickly adopted a more serious tone, explaining that the studio had a rule: an apprentice’s income from their first task would never be reduced. The entire half-million was hers.
Leila’s eyes widened in shock. She wanted to refuse, but Hayden had already signaled Gregory to process the payment and returned to his work.
It seemed Hayden was deliberately steering the conversation away from their earlier discussion, choosing not to delve deeper into it.
“Moving forward, the studio will take a five percent commission on each task,” Gregory informed her as he completed the transfer. “I’m not sure if Hayden mentioned it, but a lot of clients come to us because of his reputation.”
Leila nodded, impressed by the studio’s reasonable commission rate. Still concerned about potential issues, she hesitated before asking Gregory if Hayden could protect himself from being pushed around by clients like Stella or even by Landon.
Gregory seemed surprised by her question and then laughed. “Are you worried about people like Stella causing more trouble?”
Leila pondered this for a moment before nodding. But she was more concerned about the problems Landon might create, which could be far more damaging than Stella’s antics.
“Jerome already promised to explain everything and apologize to Hayden in person,” Gregory reassured her. “Anyone who stirs up trouble here is just asking for it. In fact, I heard Stella’s allowance got cut off, and she’s struggling now.”
Gregory continued, shrugging. “Hayden’s reputation is solid. You’ve got nothing to worry about. If any trouble comes our way, we’ll handle it.”
With his reassurances, Leila felt more at ease, at least for now.
That evening, Leila had dinner alone. Landon hadn’t returned yet. Her mind wandered to an article she’d read earlier about the grand opening of a romantic restaurant in South Harbor, the kind of place that would attract their social circle.
She figured Sarah would be eager to check it out, which meant Landon probably wouldn’t be home tonight. Deciding to clear her mind, Leila changed clothes and instructed the driver to take her to the bookstore where she could meet Linsey.
As soon as Leila arrived, Linsey could sense something was off. “Sweetheart, what’s bothering you?” she asked. “Has Landon done something again?”
Leila shook her head and briefly explained her suspicions about Landon complicating things for Hayden, asking for Linsey’s advice.
Linsey, always pragmatic, waved off her concerns. “Honestly, it’s probably nothing. Hayden and Roderick were close. Even if Landon acted recklessly, he wouldn’t risk offending his grandfather’s friend. Maybe Hayden didn’t even feel threatened and just let that woman go to appease Landon.”
Leila expressed her doubts, unsure why Hayden hadn’t been more direct with her.
“Maybe he didn’t think it was worth mentioning,” Linsey suggested. “Don’t overthink it. Hayden’s not going to put himself in harm’s way over this.”
Leila nodded, her worries easing slightly.
“I found some restoration books here earlier. Want to take a look?” Linsey offered, but before she could finish, a loud crash startled them both.
They spun toward the noise, and through the bookstore’s wide windows, they saw a group of menacing figures wielding baseball bats.
“This the place?” one of them asked.
“Yeah, this is it. Wreck it!” another replied.
Suddenly, a large rock flew through the air, shattering one of the bookstore’s windows.
“What do you think you’re doing? Stop it! I’m calling the police!” Linsey’s frantic voice filled the room as she reached for her phone.
But the menacing figures paid no heed. Some continued to ransack the room while others advanced toward Leila and Linsey, their intentions clear. Linsey screamed, grabbing Leila’s arm, dragging her toward the back of the bookstore.
Both women knew the layout well, dodging through the maze of shelves. But their escape was cut short-there was only one exit, and it was blocked. No matter how they maneuvered, they were trapped.
“I’ll call my brother to get us out of here!” Linsey said urgently, guiding Leila into a cramped nook beneath the staircase.
In the tight space, Linsey whispered, “These guys aren’t here to negotiate. The police won’t stop them in time.” She frantically called her brother, Ethan, while Leila discreetly alerted the authorities through her phone.
Leila’s heart raced, realizing this attack might be aimed at her, not Linsey. Maybe it was retribution from Stella, Yvette, or even Sarah. Had she inadvertently dragged Linsey into this danger?
The voices of their attackers echoed through the bookstore. “Those girls are hiding, but there’s no way out.”
“Let’s finish this before the cops show up!”
Leila froze as the acrid scent of gasoline filled the air. Panic gripped her, and she clutched Linsey’s hand just as a flick of a lighter set the exit ablaze. Flames erupted, sealing them inside.
“Ugh… Ugh…” Linsey coughed violently, her eyes watering from the smoke. “I’ll grab the fire extinguisher!” she cried, rushing toward it.
But Leila knew it was futile. The fire was growing too fast. If they tried to fight it, they might only make things worse. The flames were no accident-this was a deliberate act of malice. Leila felt the crushing weight of guilt. It wasn’t the Brooks family who had enemies-it was her. Her involvement with Stella, Yvette, and Sarah had put them in this perilous situation. Linsey was caught in the crossfire of someone else’s vengeance.