Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
A flicker of hope ignited in Leila’s weary eyes, a smile breaking through her tiredness. “That’s excellent. Have they set a date? Let’s arrange it for tonight and impress him with our finest hospitality.”
The director hesitated, his voice a whisper in the wind. “Miss Nixon, I don’t want to refuse. But with so many problems and people wanting to resign, I’m overwhelmed.”
Leila took a deep breath, considering his words. “You’ve done well in these tough times. Keep it up. You’ll be our hero when we weather this storm.”
The director was buoyed by her words. “Thank you.” After ending the call, the director sent over the assistant’s contact details.
Leila initially worried that arranging a direct meeting might seem too straightforward, but the client agreed surprisingly quickly. With the meeting set, Leila hurried home to change into something more appropriate.
Half an hour before dinner, Leila arrived at the restaurant. She was promptly guided by a waiter to a private room. As she pushed open the door, a thick haze of smoke enveloped her senses.
Leila’s brow furrowed. Forcing a polite smile, she asked, “Are you Frank Ingram, the one who reached out to me online?”
A portly man sat alone, with no one nearby to keep him company. Despite wearing a suit, it was oddly wrinkled, making him look strangely out of place-and almost comical.
The man tilted his head back, squinting as he stared at Leila, as if he was assessing a commodity. Leila felt a shiver of unease run down her spine, but she maintained her composure.
This could still be her potential client, and she wasn’t about to jeopardize the deal. Otherwise, she would have walked away without hesitation.
The man remained silent, his eyes fixed on Leila as he broke into a laugh. Leila found his behavior unsettling, but she remained courteous, sitting across from him with a polite smile as she poured him a cup of coffee. She was eager to conclude the business swiftly and leave this unsettling encounter.
Leila cut to the chase. “I understand you’re interested in placing a significant order but seem hesitant about signing the contract. Could you share what’s causing your hesitation? Rest assured, whatever the issue may be, we can resolve it through negotiation. Is it the price or the style?”
The man’s laughter echoed through the room, a grating sound that grated on her nerves. He stood up and sat beside her, his bulk pressing against Leila.
Leila gripped the cup tightly, her knuckles white, resisting the urge to douse the man with the scalding coffee. Then, his hand slithered around her waist, his touch slimy-a reptilian invasion.
Leila reacted swiftly, delivering a sharp slap to the man. With a steely gaze, Leila questioned, “Are we here to talk business or not?”
The man sneered, his tone dripping with condescension. “Business? What business are you talking about? You must be joking. I know women like you, playing this innocent role to get closer because I’ve got money. I’m not Frank, and you can drop the act.”
Under Leila’s shocked gaze, the man’s laughter grew more lewd and repulsive. “But I find you quite beautiful. Even though your approach is low, it’s not a problem; I can overlook it.”
Leila was baffled. This wasn’t her client, Frank? What had happened? Did she get in the wrong room? Impossible. There was only one VIP room in this restaurant.
Ignoring the disgusting man, Leila stood up and attempted to call the receptionist. The man’s hefty body leaned over her, accompanied by an overpowering, repulsive odor.
The man gasped, his hands roaming over her body with an unsettling urgency in his voice. “I’ve already said it doesn’t bother me. Cut the act and let’s wrap this up quickly; I have someone else to meet.”
“Let go of me!” Leila shouted, her voice a desperate plea, as she struggled.
But the man still refused to release her. Desperation flared within Leila as she lifted her knee sharply, her high heel digging into his shin.
The man finally released her, wincing in pain, and Leila seized the chance to fling open the door and escape. She burst into the hallway, only to collide with someone outside.
“Wait, my fans! Today I’m meeting with a big supporter from the fan group who has always been there for me. Everyone… Ouch!”
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In the ensuing chaos, the two almost tumbled to the floor. Leila steadied herself and recognized the person she had collided with immediately-it was Jenny.
Jenny was streaming live to her audience, her phone camera catching every detail. Leila’s hair was disheveled, her expression frantic..
The man’s panicked voice echoed from the room. “Baby, don’t run away!”
Then, the man emerged from the room. His face shifted when he saw Jenny. “Oh, Jenny, you’re here.”
Jenny’s face was a mask of disbelief, as if struck by lightning. Her hand trembled as she pointed at him, her voice barely a whisper. “You… Didn’t you say that you were a woman?”
The man’s eyes darted nervously. “I never specified or said anything about my…”
However, the man had used a woman’s profile picture and commented in a feminine tone online.
Jenny’s face turned pale with fear, realizing how close she had come to danger. She had planned to end the live stream as soon as she entered the private room. Had Leila not collided with her, who knew what would have happened?
Yet, Jenny was far from grateful to Leila. Beneath her feigned surprise, her mind was already churning with malicious intentions.
The man, noticing the camera and Jenny on the live stream, raised his voice even higher. “Hey, I’m a big fan of yours, Jenny! I’ve spent a lot of money supporting you!” He pointed accusingly at Leila. “And this woman, she was the one who tried to seduce me first!”
Leila seized the chance to reach out to the front desk. She first verified her booking for the correct private room, and the front desk staff assured her they would promptly call security to address the issue.
Taking a deep breath, Leila cast a chilly glance at the man and Jenny. She scoffed at the man. “I seduced you?” Her acting instincts kicked in, and tears welled up in Jenny’s eyes as she played along with the man to slander Leila. “Leila, how could you do this? I know your company is struggling financially, but it’s wrong to harbor ill intentions toward this gentleman. He’s my fan. This is crossing the line!”
The comments in Jenny’s live stream were venomous. “Typical. How could she be a genuine heiress? It’s hilarious, resorting to seduction when she’s broke.”
“Jenny mentioned in her live broadcast yesterday that she planned to treat a major fan to a meal, specifying the time and place, even the room number. Jenny had reserved the supreme VIP room at this renowned restaurant. Clearly, this woman watched the live broadcast and plotted to lure this man today.”
“Unbelievable! Successful or not, she might use this scenario to blackmail this man. Even if he refused to pay, Jenny would intervene out of concern for her fan.”
“No, the real issue here is that this man disguised himself as a woman online with suspicious motives. It’s absurd to claim he was-” Jenny’s face was wet with tears. “Leila, how could you do this to me? You’ve used your influence to bully me, and now you’re trying to set me and my fan up.”
After straightening her disheveled attire, Leila responded in a firm yet elevated tone, “First, I’m here specifically to meet with my client today. I reserved this room for that purpose. Second, the moment I walked in, he wouldn’t confirm his identity and began making advances toward me.
I can involve the police, and I’m confident they’ll look into this. Miss Patterson, did you say you had booked this private room? I made the reservation three days ago. Why not show me the invoice? Then we’ll see who’s telling the truth.”
Jenny stopped wiping her tears, her eyes wide with panic. She hadn’t actually booked the room. Someone else had reserved it in advance. However, her fan had assured her the room was unoccupied. Thinking it was empty, Jenny assumed she could use it temporarily. Given her prominent status, she expected the restaurant to accommodate her. Yet, she never anticipated that Leila would be the one who had reserved the room. Now, without any proof, Jenny found herself cornered.
“You claim you were here to meet a client, but shouldn’t you know your client’s name and what they look like beforehand? Didn’t it strike you that this wasn’t the person you were supposed to meet?” Jenny questioned, her voice filled with frustration.
Caught off guard, Leila was at a loss for words. Lately, she had been so overwhelmed that she hadn’t noticed a thing. The director had merely informed her that the other party wished to remain anonymous until they met face-to-face. This was why she had chosen to reserve this particular room.
As Leila remained silent, Jenny felt like she had caught Leila’s weakness and smirked victoriously. “Leila, if you’ve messed up, just own up to it. I’ll give you a chance to make things right, but you need to apologize to both me and my fan.”
The man next to Jenny nodded eagerly. “Exactly, apologize to us. My reputation would have been destroyed if Jenny hadn’t shown up when she did.”
“Why should I apologize?” Leila retorted, her voice steady. “The front desk and security are on their way. It’ll soon be clear who’s in the wrong.”
Leila remained composed while Jenny and the man exchanged glances. Without warning, the man seized Leila’s wrist and pulled her toward the room. “Fine. Let’s wait for them. But you’re not getting away. We’re going to settle this today. Come inside and explain yourself.”
Jenny shoved Leila forward, adding, “If you’re innocent, prove it. Come in and lay it all out.”
Leila panicked and struggled. She wasn’t naive; she knew the implications of being forcibly taken into the room. She couldn’t clarify things right then. However, the two of them, one in front and one behind, tried to push Leila in forcefully.
“What’s going on?” At that moment, a cold male voice pierced the crowd from behind.
With every step closer, a familiar chill and aura of authority washed over them. Jenny instinctively turned around, her eyes widening in surprise. She hadn’t expected to encounter Landon here.
Jenny’s mind raced. Had Landon seen her live broadcast yesterday and decided to show up intentionally? It seemed likely. Landon’s peculiar personality meant he probably regretted sending her away previously. As she entertained this thought, she relaxed her hold.
Seizing the moment, Leila managed to break free from the two. Landon rushed over to them.
Jenny quickly approached him, beaming, “Hey, you made it!” But Landon didn’t stop. He just walked right past Jenny.
Landon rushed over to Leila and took her hand gently. Despite wearing a mask, his eyes betrayed his concern. “Are you okay? Sorry. This is my fault. I shouldn’t have been late. Please don’t be mad. Go ahead and scold me. Just don’t shut me out.”
Leila pulled her hand away and scoffed. “Mr. Lando, haven’t you noticed? Miss Patterson seems eager to catch up with you. I’ll leave you to it.”
Landon quickly grabbed Leila’s hand, stopping her. Always mindful of his words around her, he said carefully, “Leila, something held me up. I apologize. And Miss Patterson, you said? Who is she, exactly? I don’t recall.”
At his words, Jenny’s stance faltered, and she swayed slightly. Her face drained of color, yet she persisted, stepping closer. “Sir, it’s me. You’re the one who rescued me the other day. You brought me into your home. You should know who I am. Did Miss Nixon speak ill of me to you? I’ve been curious about why you drove me off that day.”
Jenny’s misleading words confused her audience in the live broadcast.
“What? Jenny’s supposed lifesaver is connected to Leila? Ugh, he’s really worthy of Jenny.”