Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“Are you kidding? This guy isn’t into Jenny at all. It was Jenny who made the first move.”
“That’s hilarious. Jenny just got totally burned.”
It was only then that Landon turned to face Jenny, his sneer cold and calculated. “The only reason I kept you around is for your help in finding someone. But I can’t stand your flirty antics. I was the one who told you to leave, so if you want to cause trouble, direct it at me. Why drag Leila into this?”
Heartbroken, Jenny’s face was a portrait of betrayal, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she said, though reluctantly, “Fine. It’s all my fault. But today, everyone saw her seducing my fan and lying about meeting a client. How could she not recognize her client? And given the state of the Turner Group, who in their right mind would order jewelry from-“
Jenny’s words shifted the blame onto Leila, her eyes a pair of daggers. Landon was about to say something, but Leila silenced him with a gesture, her gaze as cold as winter ice. Just then, the restaurant manager arrived late, accompanied by a phalanx of security guards.
Jenny gestured, pointing a finger at Leila, her voice an evil hiss. “She’s causing trouble. You need to get her out of here immediately.”
To Jenny’s astonishment, the manager disregarded her, his steps as steady as a metronome. He approached Leila and bowed respectfully. “Miss Nixon, I apologize for the delay. Where is the troublemaker? Don’t worry. We’ll handle it immediately.”
Jenny’s eyes widened in disbelief. For a moment, she was rendered speechless, her finger still pointed at Leila. The netizens in the live broadcast room erupted in a heated discussion.
“So, Leila is the one who booked the room. How is that possible? Wasn’t it supposed to be Jenny?”
“Just stop defending Jenny. The VIP room in this restaurant isn’t easy to book. Only those with membership are eligible for reservations.”
Jenny read these comments, her face flushing with frustration. She swiftly pulled out her membership card and thrust it toward the manager. She snapped, “Take a closer look! I’m a member! This woman only arrived in Halstead recently and hasn’t spent a penny here. How could she possibly be a member?”
Though Jenny didn’t book this very room, she refused to believe Leila had done so. She was resolved to deny it even if Leila had indeed made the reservation. Besides, Leila’s supposed client hadn’t even arrived. Maybe the whole thing was just a bluff.
The manager regarded Jenny with disdain. “Miss, your membership doesn’t allow you to book this VIP room. Understandably, you made a mistake. Please refrain from causing any trouble.”
Jenny’s face flushed with anger. The manager gestured to Leila, his demeanor respectful. “Miss Nixon may not have spent any money here, but she does possess our membership card, which she used to reserve this room.”
Landon stepped forward, approaching Jenny, who stood there dejected. He looked at her with cold disdain. “Didn’t you claim that the story about her meeting her client was fabricated and that no one would buy the Turner Group’s products?
Well, let me set the record straight. The client she’s meeting is me, and I’m planning to make the purchase. Miss Patterson, you orchestrated this whole scene to tarnish Leila’s reputation. If Leila wanted to, she could call the police right now.”.
Jenny was speechless, her words caught in her throat. Her face flushed with embarrassment, and she felt the weight of the audience’s judgmental stares in her live stream. Her hand trembled, and she struggled to hold her phone to end the livestream.
Jenny watched as Landon and Leila disappeared into the private room. Jenny stood outside, enduring the ridicule of onlookers. The online viewers were even harsher, their comments biting, and they cursed even more vehemently.
Jenny, accustomed to the respect her well-crafted persona brought her, faced public humiliation for the first time.
Behind the closed door of the private room, Leila pulled her hand from Landon’s grasp, her face set in a hard, cold expression. She took a seat, crossing her arms.
Landon took a few steps toward her but maintained a respectful distance. “Are you still angry? I was late, and you were left to face that mess alone. I didn’t mean for you to get bullied.”
Leila sneered, “Bullied? I can handle myself just fine, even if you hadn’t shown up today. I don’t want to do business with you. Please leave.”
Panic flashed across Landon’s face. “Why? I genuinely want to purchase those items from you. I have no ulterior motives.”
Leila’s gaze was icy, her chest heaving slightly as she held back her frustration.
“The Turner Group is a company. You can ask the director for whatever you want. Why go through this charade with the director, putting on a show for me? Was it funny to you? Or did you think you were doing me a favor?
You were the one who made things difficult for me in the past, and now you suddenly want to be the one to solve everything? Is this some kind of test? Do you enjoy seeing me frustrated?”
Landon was consumed by anxiety, and in his haste, he removed his mask. His handsome face contorted with panic.
“I didn’t mean it that way. My intention was always to hand over the Turner Group to you. However, the Turner Group faces many challenges. Back then, I feared you’d recognize me and worried you wouldn’t be familiar enough with the company’s problems.
I thought if you solved these problems, the people in the company would trust you more. I never expected you would figure out who I was,” he hastily explained, his voice dropping to a near whisper.
“I’m sorry, Leila, I was desperate. You kept avoiding me, so I panicked and orchestrated this foolish idea.” The more Landon spoke, the more his expression clouded with frustration.
Leila remained silent, pursing her lips. A sense of unease lingered within her. Despite her resolve, she couldn’t help but feel annoyance at his pitiful demeanor. With steely resolve, she finally ordered Landon to leave. “This deal won’t work; you should leave now.”
Seeing Leila’s genuine fury, the light in Landon’s eyes faded. He didn’t protest. Instead, he turned and headed toward the door to leave.
Before he could fully step out, Leila’s voice cut through the silence. “Are you free tonight? Sophie hasn’t seen you in ages, and she’s been saying how much she misses you.”
A smile slowly spread across Landon’s face. He rarely smiled so genuinely in front of others. “I’ll be waiting downstairs. Let’s head back together.”
Leila shook her head, still refusing to meet his eyes. “No, I have other things to take care of.”
Landon hesitated, recalling the whispers lately. He deduced she was planning something, but he held back whatever was on the tip of his tongue and walked out quietly.
Barely five minutes after Landon left, a knock echoed through the door. Leila had already devised a backup plan. Despite the reassuring words the director had given her, she remained skeptical as she knew nothing concrete.
She suspected the individual might be jacking around, or perhaps it was someone she knew who wanted to help her discreetly without facing rejection from her. She realized she was right the moment she heard Landon was the client wanting to meet her.
“Come in, please,” Leila said, regaining her composure. The door opened, and a man stepped in, dressed in a tailored suit.
The man had a handsome, gentle demeanor, carrying a folding fan. His folding fan seemed out of place in the modern setting.
As the man entered, he nodded courteously to Leila and offered a smile. “I apologize for any inconvenience. My schedule is tight, so if you have any business to discuss, please get straight to the point. If I sit down, I’ll be your guest, which means engaging with you, and that’s not exactly in my best interest.”
Leila wasn’t surprised by his words. She had done her research on this man. His name was Clayton Morgan, and he appeared to be a gentle soul. Clayton belonged to the biggest jewelry-selling family in Halstead, possibly even in Avalann. His family owned several mines and pearl-plucking ports.
For the future growth of the Turner Group, Leila grasped that she needed to cultivate a positive relationship with Clayton.
Despite Clayton’s refusal to sit down and preference for direct and concise talk, Leila still poured him a cup of coffee. Clayton seemed intrigued by her calm and composed demeanor. Something about how she carried herself caught his attention, and he found himself stealing a few extra glances at her.
“It smells so good,” Clayton couldn’t help but sigh, his voice tinged with appreciation. Pointing at the coffee, Leila offered a warm smile. “Want to give it a try?”
Clayton hesitated briefly before taking a seat opposite her. As they sipped their coffee, the tension that had lingered between them began to dissipate. With a sincere smile, Clayton gave Leila a meaningful look. “I never thought of you as someone who knew how to brew a good cup of coffee. It’s rare these days, you know. Most people of wealth don’t bother to learn such skills.”
His words carried an implied weight, suggesting there might be more to her sudden expertise. Leila, far from feeling offended, simply reached into her bag and presented something to Clayton: her certification as a senior coffee expert.
Caught off guard, Clayton coughed awkwardly. Leila remarked, hoping to lighten the moment, “I was mute once, but after my throat healed, I returned to the Nixon family, eager to pursue all my interests. This certificate might not mean much, but I wanted to use this skill to get closer to you today.”
At Leila’s candid admission, Clayton felt a mix of embarrassment and admiration. He furrowed his brow and shook his head at her.
“My family used to work with the Turner Group, but the reputation of the Turner Group has really tanked lately. To be frank, most folks in the industry are betting they’ll go under soon.”
Leila nodded understandingly. “I get your concerns, but take a look at this first.” She handed a design sketch to Clayton.
Clayton examined it, his expression shifting from curiosity to awe. “Who did you get to draw up this masterpiece? It’s heads and shoulders above the person who got caught plagiarizing others’ work.” A flicker of emotion crossed Leila’s eyes.
“Truth be told, it is the same designer who got embroiled in that plagiarism mess.”
Clayton looked even more astonished but remained silent, and a pause fell between them. Leila sipped her coffee with serene patience. By the time she reached her third cup, Clayton stood up. “I’ll mull it over, Miss Nixon,” he replied before heading out.
It wasn’t until the Morgan family car had left the underground garage that Edgar started the engine. He glanced at Landon, who was resting with his eyes closed in the back seat. “Mr. Kensington, should we tail him?”
Landon massaged his temples and replied, “No need. How long was he with Leila?”
Edgar glanced at his watch and replied, “Only twenty minutes. That’s hardly enough time. I doubt they struck a deal.”
Yet, Landon grinned. “You obviously don’t know Leila well enough.”
Landon’s smile lingered briefly before a thought seemed to erase it. “I was with her for just five minutes before getting kicked out. Who am I to judge?”
Edgar almost replied but thought better of it, feeling Landon was sounding quite like a disgruntled partner now. Then, a notification chimed. It was a text from Leila. The sullen look on Landon’s face vanished instantly. Her message was brief: “Pick up the kid.”
Landon immediately asked Edgar to drive fast. It felt less like he was following an order and more like he was accepting a personal favor.
During their stay in Halstead, Leila had previously arranged a class here catering to Sophie’s interests, fearing she might get bored at home. Trent normally arrived an hour early to collect Sophie. Today, however, Leila had requested Landon’s presence specifically, sparing Trent the need to mobilize the bodyguards.
Despite Landon’s past mistakes, Leila had maintained her belief that he was a good father. However, her confidence in this belief would soon falter. Within thirty minutes of receiving Leila’s message, Landon was outside the building. He scanned the area, but Sophie was nowhere to be seen.