Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Jenny’s temper flared even more. “Don’t push it. I’ve already given ground. You should set a better example for your daughter, lest she turn out like you!” she snapped.
Bystanders began to murmur their disapproval of Leila. “You’re being unreasonable.”
“I can’t believe such a well-dressed woman could act so cruelly.”
“Thank goodness Jenny is here, or Craig would’ve been mistreated today.”
Leila absorbed these baseless accusations without a word. As the crowd’s murmurs waned, Leila addressed Jenny and Craig with a smile. “Trying to slander my daughter, huh? I happen to have recorded her building the sandcastle. Want to check the footage that confirms she made the sandcastle on her own? My daughter’s talent is undeniable, but it seems envy is the burden of the ordinary.”
Her words stung, but no one could contest them. The area fell silent.
Jenny, pale with shock, muttered, “How is that possible? She’s so young.”
Leila’s laugh was sharp and mocking. “Just because you can’t do it doesn’t mean others can’t either. My daughter can achieve things beyond your imagination. And thankfully, her talents don’t include bullying or lying.”
Her tone was biting. Even Craig, previously impudent, seemed close to tears. Jenny, caught between shame and anger, retorted weakly, “Craig is just a child. Why do you have to be so harsh on him?”
Leila folded her arms and responded frostily, “I wasn’t looking for trouble and had intended to handle this quietly. But you refused to discipline Craig for his wrongdoings and even tried to frame my daughter. My daughter is where I draw the line. No one can harm her without consequence. With the truth undeniable, are you still unwilling to apologize? You claim to be decent. Is that just for show?”
Pausing, Leila added, “Honestly, if you’re as decent as the coverage describes, you won’t take the side of wrongdoers and justify their misdeeds. If you do, I’d have to question how you raise the children you’ve adopted.” Leila’s words cornered Jenny, highlighting her deep concern for her public image.
Indeed, as Leila had predicted, Jenny’s face flushed with embarrassment. Unable to face the situation, she turned to Craig with frustration.
“Apologize right now if you’ve done something wrong,” she commanded sternly. Craig recoiled, tears welling up as he confronted Jenny.
“You always said we were the most pitiful kids in the world and that the world owed us. You told me everything I did was right. So why am I wrong now? I didn’t think it was bad to bully her. You never corrected me before!” he sobbed.
“Enough!” Jenny’s voice cut through, her complexion turning ashen. She was caught off guard as Craig revealed so much.
Jenny believed the children were inherently unruly and difficult to manage, opting to let them do as they pleased rather than intervene, which was easier for maintaining her facade.
Leila observed Jenny’s guilty demeanor and added deliberately, “If you really can’t raise them properly, perhaps it’s better they be placed in a welfare home. You’re not helping them by letting them behave this way.”
“What do you know?” Jenny snapped, her anger flaring. “I do my best, but not all children listen. I never told him to lie and bully others, and I don’t know where he picked it up.”
Jenny then turned to Craig with a threatening glare. “If you don’t apologize right now, I’ll send you back to the streets!”
Frightened, Craig shuffled forward, trembling. “Get down on your knees and apologize now!” Jenny barked, her patience worn thin.
Craig knelt, his apology meek, his appearance that of a truly pitiful child, a child without guidance on what was right or wrong. Leila, however, remained unmoved by his plight. She had done nothing wrong.
Once the apology was made, Leila and Sophie prepared to leave. “Mommy, why didn’t we leave directly just now? They both seemed so awful. And, well… that boy, Craig, seemed kind of sad,” Sophie inquired, her voice tinged with curiosity.
Leila offered a wistful smile, remembering how her own agreeable nature had once made her a target for bullies without earning any kindness she had hoped for. Leila crouched down, her voice soft yet firm.
“Sophie, it’s important to stand up for yourself. If someone harms you, they need to make it right by apologizing. Never feel sorry for those who hurt you.”
Sophie found the concept challenging to grasp. Leila gently pinched Sophie’s cheek, reassuring her that there was no need to rush her understanding. Suddenly, Leila’s hand brushed her pocket where she had last placed the jade. A look of alarm crossed her face. It was missing.
Without hesitation, Leila rushed back to the beach, scanning the area for the lost item. The crowd had thinned. Jenny and Craig were nowhere in sight. Despite an extensive search, the jade was nowhere to be found. Leila was certain it hadn’t simply fallen out; it must have been stolen amid the chaos.
With a steely expression, Leila instructed her associates to monitor Halstead’s major antique markets closely. “The moment anyone tries to sell the jade, apprehend them.”
The intent to involve the police was clear in her tone. This jade wasn’t just valuable; it was a family heirloom, and Leila was determined to get it back.
Meanwhile, secluded in the back of a car, Craig clutched the jade, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Jenny’s anger flared, only registering Craig’s movements in her peripheral vision. She snatched the jade quickly, its cool surface surprising her. “Where did you get this?” she asked.
Craig’s eyes gleamed with the thrill of payback. “I stole it from that nasty woman just now.”
Craig’s years on the streets had taught him this skill, but he never thought he’d use it today. “She deserves it,” Craig added, clenching his fist. “She made me apologize.”
Jenny studied him, her expression a mix of emotions. She didn’t scold him for his misdeeds and only warned, “We need to steer clear of her from now on. She’s rich, not someone we can afford to cross.”
Craig wiped away his tears, his gaze fixated on the jade in Jenny’s hand, his eyes filled with greed. “Jenny, is this valuable? I’ve seen things like this at the antique market selling for tens of thousands!”
Jenny turned the jade over in her hand, clicking her tongue in appreciation. “With this color and shape, it’s worth even more.”
Craig’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Give it back to me. I’ll take it to the antique market and get us some cash!” he said, his voice urgent.
Jenny dodged his hand, her tone icy. “No, this stays with me. You’re too young to worry about money like that, and don’t breathe a word of this to anyone. Understood?”
Craig’s fists clenched at his sides. He had risked everything to steal it. Why should Jenny have the final say? But he bit back his anger, knowing he couldn’t afford to lose the roof over his head. He consoled himself that he’d make everyone pay for treating him like this one day.
As Jenny turned away, Craig’s eyes burned with silent resentment.
Moments later, a pack of children swarmed Jenny, begging for food and toys.
Jenny’s patience snapped. “Out of my way! Can’t you see I’m not in the mood for this?”
The children scattered, afraid to challenge her any further.
Jenny marched into her office and stopped short. An elderly man sat there, his eyes closed, radiating calm. There was an aura of quiet authority around him-if Leila were here, she would have recognized him instantly. It was none other than Tyrone.
Jenny crossed her arms, her gaze locking onto Tyrone with a mocking smirk. “Have you recalled who your family is? Or has that slipped your mind along with everything else? If you weren’t dressed like someone important, I wouldn’t have wasted my time on you.”
Jenny paced around him, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “You’ve been living off me, eating my food, wearing the best I can offer, and I’ve kept track of every penny and every meal. You think that comes for free?”
Tyrone remained silent, his expression unmoved.
Jenny was used to his lack of response, but a flicker of something cold flashed in her eyes as she looked at him. A few days earlier, Jenny had attended an auction in Burmoos and found Tyrone on the roadside.
Judging from his outfit, she had immediately recognized that he wasn’t just some random elderly man, so she decided to take him with her.
Jenny hadn’t bothered looking for his family. Instead, she’d hoped that with time, he might warm up to her and even consider making her his heiress.
But Tyrone had remained stone-faced, offering nothing.
Jenny had finally accepted that he had no intention of forming any bond with her. Her plan had failed. Now, she was thinking of finding his family, or if she could, she’d simply dump him back where she found him.
As far as she was concerned, she’d already done more than enough for him. She had been taking care of him for so long, feeding him well and keeping him under her roof.
As Jenny sat down, she pulled out the jade, turning it over in her hands with a mix of curiosity and greed. “What is this thing, anyway? I wonder how much it’s worth…”
Suddenly, Tyrone moved over with surprising speed, snatching the jade from her grasp. His eyes glazed over as he held it tightly, whispering, “Leila, my Leila, my granddaughter…”
Jenny’s temper flared, and she shoved Tyrone aside, her voice harsh. “What do you think you’re doing? That’s mine! Give it back!”
Tyrone stumbled but clung to the jade, his grip unyielding.
Jenny narrowed her eyes, a sly thought forming. She softened her tone, probing, “You recognize this, don’t you?”
Tyrone nodded slowly, his voice filled with longing. “This was my gift to my granddaughter. I love her so much…”
Jenny observed the distant look in Tyrone’s eyes, realizing his mind wasn’t always clear. A sly smile crept across her face as she saw an opportunity. “I’m your granddaughter,” she said, her voice softening as she leaned in. “Tell me your name, Grandpa.”
Tyrone looked at Jenny with a mix of hope and confusion. “Are you really my granddaughter?”
Jenny smiled sweetly and gestured toward the jade in his hand. “Of course, I am. Why would I have this? Grandpa, you’ve just gotten too old to recognize me. I’ve been searching everywhere for you.”
Tyrone’s brow furrowed, a flicker of doubt crossing his face. Something didn’t feel right, but he couldn’t quite place it.
Seeing his hesitation, Jenny’s expression trembled as she forced tears into her eyes. “Grandpa, why won’t you acknowledge me? I tried so hard to help you remember, but it’s never enough. Just take me home. I just want to return home with you.”