Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Clayton watched their interaction, his heart heavy. “You two have an uncanny understanding of each other.” Landon said nothing, gently lowering his head to plant a soft kiss on Leila’s forehead.
Leila blushed, quickly stepping away from Landon and shooting him a disapproving look. Clayton was standing right there, and such a gesture felt inappropriate. Neither Landon nor Leila noticed the depth of emotion flickering in Clayton’s eyes as he watched them.
Three months passed, and Leila’s babies were thriving. Though still tiny, they were healthy and growing strong. Life had settled into a semblance of normalcy, yet Leila’s longing for Sophie kept her awake at night. She and Landon decided it was time to return.
After an emotional farewell to Clayton, Leila and Landon embarked on their journey back.
Concerned about potential threats along the road, Clayton arranged for a group of bodyguards to escort them.
Grateful for Clayton’s help, Leila promised to increase their business partnership’s profit margin once she was home. It was the least she could do.
Clayton, slightly amused, draped her coat gently over her shoulders. “There’s no need for that. Our friendship is worth more than money.”
Leila, eager to reunite with Sophie, was so deep in her thoughts that she failed to notice the inappropriateness of Clayton’s behavior.
Landon, however, noticed and his face suddenly darkened. He pulled Leila closer, subtly distancing her from Clayton’s touch.
They were currently staying in one of the Morgan family’s desert mansions in a small town. Despite the arid surroundings, the presence of a freshwater spring turned the barren landscape into a desert oasis.
Though small, the town thrived with the Morgan family owning eighty percent of the land. The town boasted modern resources and top-notch facilities, including excellent medical equipment. Clayton had chosen this isolated spot to keep them hidden from the Perry family’s search.
The desert sprawled endlessly around them, a vast sea of sand that made it nearly impossible to find the way in or out without a local guide. Moreover, sandstorms swept through with alarming regularity, transforming the serene landscape into a chaotic whirl of grit and obscured visibility.
For that reason, flying out had become risky, and Landon had opted for a safer, though slower, route by car.
While on the road, Leila drifted off, her head resting against Landon’s shoulder. The past few days had been stressful for their babies as they experienced minor health scares that left Leila anxious and sleepless. She had spent every waking moment with them before leaving here.
Landon wished he could take the burden off Leila’s shoulders. They both felt drained, their bodies heavy with fatigue.
As Landon felt Leila’s rhythmic breathing beside him, a wave of drowsiness washed over him.
Suddenly, the car screeched to a halt. Shouts erupted outside, followed by the deafening crack of gunfire. Leila jolted awake.
Without a second thought, she scrambled out of the car, her heart racing as she ran to check on her children in the vehicle behind, where the nanny and bodyguards were with the kids.
Immediately, Leila got out, and the stench of blood hit her. Panic surged through her.
“Get down!” Landon’s voice rang out urgently.
Before Leila could react, Landon shoved her aside, just as a bullet shattered the window near where she’d been standing.
The glass rained down like shards of ice, and Leila’s body went numb. The bullet struck precisely where she had been standing moments before. She couldn’t even imagine what might have transpired if Landon hadn’t pushed her away in time.
“Leila!” Landon’s voice wavered with fear as he pulled her into his arms, checking her for injuries.
“I’m okay. Go check on the babies.” Leila’s voice quivered as she spoke, her body still shaking from the adrenaline of the moment.
Landon took a deep breath and steadied himself amidst the chaos. “Stay put in the car, Leila,” he instructed firmly.
“Lie down in the backseat. I’ll check on the kids. No matter what you hear, don’t move. Promise me you won’t do anything reckless.”
Leila nodded. She understood that trailing behind Landon would only be a burden to him and even put him at greater risk.
If the worst happened, Landon would be forced to split his focus between their babies and her. The best thing she could do now was stay hidden and wait for the situation to subside.
After making sure Leila was safe, Landon turned and ran through the swirling sandstorm toward the other vehicle, gunfire still echoing in the distance.
The attackers had chosen the perfect moment to strike, using the sandstorm to mask their movements. They had clearly studied the local weather patterns.
Initially, Landon suspected the Perry family was behind this, but now he wasn’t so convinced it was them.
The roar of the wind and gunfire slowly faded, leaving the world outside the car eerily silent.
Silence settled over the convoy, making Leila even more anxious.
Ignoring Landon’s warning, Leila cautiously cracked open the car door and peeked outside. The world around her seemed desolate.
Once she was certain the coast was clear, she hurried to the car where her children were, her gut twisting in fear.
A chilling sight greeted Leila as she reached the car. There was blood smeared across the seats, sending her heart into a frantic gallop. “Landon!” she yelled, her voice shaky, but there was no response.
Suddenly, a faint cry pierced through the silence. It felt like a flicker of hope for Leila as she hurriedly got into the car.
The nanny and bodyguards who had been protecting the children lay lifeless, while the cry echoed from the crib. Calvin’s tiny face stared back at Leila, his big eyes wet with tears. But Chloe was nowhere to be seen.
Leila scooped Calvin into her arms, the familiar scent of his mother calming him down as he gazed around with wide, curious eyes.
Frantically, Leila searched the rest of the convoy, but all she found were a few surviving bodyguards. Landon and Chloe were still nowhere to be found.
“Landon!” Leila screamed, desperation tearing at her voice. A surviving bodyguard approached, trying to calm her.
“The sandstorm was too strong. Mr. Kensington might’ve taken Chloe somewhere safe. Please, don’t worry.” But Leila’s hands quivered as she cradled Calvin, her grip faltering under the fear and uncertainty. How could she possibly not be worried? She had been so close to the peaceful life she’d dreamed of, and now everything had unraveled instantly.
Leila’s eyes darted around. Chloe was missing. And so was Landon.
Just then, the sound of honking vehicles reached Leila’s ears.
Another convoy of vehicles was approaching.
Leila’s instincts kicked in, and she watched them with suspicion. She held Calvin close. If anything seemed amiss, she was ready to bolt.
Thankfully, it was Clayton and his crew. He looked worried, like he’d raced over without a second thought.
Sweat dripped from his brow.
“Leila!” Clayton shouted as he ran to her.
When Clayton saw Leila standing there unharmed, he let out a relieved sigh. “Not long after you left, I heard about the incident. I came as fast as I could. But there was a massive sandstorm, and I couldn’t find a guide willing to risk it. Am I too late?”
Clayton’s eyes were filled with guilt as he looked at Leila. Leila fought back tears, her voice thick with emotion. “Can you please ask the guides to help me search? Landon and Chloe are missing.”
Clayton sprang into action the moment he heard her words.
Clayton took Leila and Calvin to the closest town to keep them safe, just in case another sandstorm hit.
They searched tirelessly from sunset to sunrise but found nothing. Not even a single body turned up.
Leila remembered the terrifying sandstorms she’d read about online. Her legs nearly gave out from under her. She was filled with regret. “If I had known this would happen, I would’ve stayed with Landon. This is all my fault.”
Clayton’s heart ached for Leila, seeing her in such agony. “Don’t beat yourself up about it. If you’d disappeared with Landon, what would have happened to Calvin? He’s just a baby. He can’t survive without his parents. Don’t worry. I’ll expand the search. We’ll find them.”
Leila looked at Clayton with gratitude. “Thank you. You’ve really helped me out a lot lately.”
Clayton shook his head. “Don’t mention it. Your distress reminds me of my sister. If only someone had helped her back then, things might have turned out differently.” Clayton’s expression turned somber as he talked about his sister. The mood grew heavy.
Leila tried to change the subject by asking Clayton if he could find out who attacked them.
To her surprise, Clayton already had the answer. “It was the Perry family,” he said gravely. “I didn’t think they’d move so fast. They must’ve had people lurking on the island for you to leave.”
“The Perry family, huh?” Leila’s voice dripped with hatred as she clenched her jaw. “I’ll destroy them, even if it’s the last thing I do!”
Before leaving the island, Landon had sent his men to rescue Saniya. It wasn’t easy, and Saniya was badly hurt, but at least she was alive. Now, Saniya was back home, getting medical care.
Even if the Perry family knew where Saniya was, they wouldn’t dare make a move. Not yet, anyway. They must be panicking, though. That was why they chased them here.