Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“What on earth do you think you’re doing?” Just then, a man’s stern voice rang out.
Only then did Cara grudgingly release her grip on Elma’s ear.
Betty quickly shielded Elma behind her. Finally, Elma let out a wail.
Clayton rushed over, his face hardening when he saw the blood still trickling from Elma’s ear. He fixed Cara with an icy stare.
Cara’s previous cockiness evaporated. She was a bit scared of Clayton, and her voice came out small. “Clayton, don’t look at me like that. It wasn’t me.”
Clayton scooped Elma up, soothing her gently. “Shh, it’s okay, sweetheart. Uncle’s here. No one’s going to hurt you now.”
Cara stamped her foot, clearly frustrated. “Clayton, what are you implying? I was just disciplining Elma, not bullying her. She could’ve gotten hurt wandering off like that! I scolded her when she got back, and she wouldn’t listen. What was I supposed to do?”
Cara was about to blow her top. Clayton quickly passed Elma to Betty, silently urging Betty to take Elma away.
Cara felt unfairly accused, tears welling up in her eyes. Clayton sighed.
“Elma’s just a little girl. She doesn’t know any better. Kids her age are bound to be mischievous.”
“No, you don’t get it at all!” Cara’s voice rose, bordering on hysteria. “She’s never bonded with me. After all these years, I realize I’d have been better off raising a dog. I shouldn’t have adopted her in the first place.”
Clayton’s anger flared. “You regret it, huh? Fine, I’ll send her back. She can go wherever she came from and you won’t have to deal with her anymore.”
Panic flashed across Cara’s face, and she grabbed Clayton’s arm. Her voice softened. “Clayton, that’s not what I meant at all. I was just upset.”
Clayton inhaled deeply, trying to rein in his frustration. “Cara, you’ve been on edge lately. Maybe you need to take a step back and look at yourself,” he said, his voice strained.
Cara’s voice quivered with hurt. “How can I not be upset? He’s left again and refused to come back! I’m struggling to cope with Elma on my own. All I ever wanted was a normal, happy family. What did I do to deserve this? Did he say anything to you about coming back?” Clayton hesitated, unable to meet her gaze.
Cara’s heart sank. She knew what his silence meant. A wave of sadness and confusion washed over her. “Why?” she choked out, tears welling up in her eyes. “Why is he doing this to me?”
“Cara, calm down. Take it easy. Some things take time,” Clayton said gently, guiding her to a seat beside him.
Cara bit her lip, tears flowing freely. She remained silent, but her eyes blazed with a mixture of resentment, hurt, and a flicker of something darker, hatred.
Clayton sighed, giving her shoulder a comforting pat.
“You can’t force someone to love you. Think about it, Cara.”
With that, he stood up and left.
Cara watched him go, her eyes filled with bitterness. She refused to accept it. She had fought tooth and nail for the life she had now. She couldn’t accept that man felt nothing for her.
Meanwhile, back in the room, Elma’s tears finally overflowed. She began to sob uncontrollably. “I want my daddy!” she yelled. “Please, can we go find him?”
Betty looked at Elma with a worried expression, squatted down, and gently stroked her head. “Elma, please stop crying. If your mother hears you, she’ll get mad,” she whispered.
Even though Elma could be moody and spoiled, everyone in the house understood why she was like that.
Elma sobbed, holding onto Betty’s hand tightly. “Please, take me to my daddy. Don’t worry. My uncle will keep us safe. I just miss my daddy so much.”
Betty shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I can’t do that. I don’t have the power to.”
Elma’s eyes lost their sparkle, and she pointed at the door. “You can go now. I don’t want to see anyone. I need to be by myself for a bit.”
Betty sighed, glancing at Elma with worry several times before finally leaving the room.
Elma was all alone in the big, empty room.
Cara had a need to control everything Elma did. Cara didn’t want Elma getting close to any of the other servants.
So, ever since Elma was little, she had always slept by herself.
Cara didn’t want to be with Elma.
Truth be told, Elma felt a bit uneasy around Cara and didn’t want her anywhere near her. It was a weird feeling. Elma couldn’t quite put her finger on why she felt that way.
Elma yearned for her mother’s affection, but every time she got near Cara, a shiver of fear ran through her.
There was a missing piece in Elma’s memory. A dark, scary piece. Even though she couldn’t recall what it was, just being around Cara set off alarm bells in her mind.
Out of the blue, Elma’s thoughts drifted back to Leila and her children. A sharp stab of envy pierced her heart as she thought about Leila’s children.
Why did they get to have a mom who loved them? Leila was so warm and caring. If only Leila was her mom.
Elma’s thoughts drifted as she grew tired, finally succumbing to sleep and crawling into bed.
In the dead of night, someone crept into her room, unnoticed. The person pulled the blanket off her and flung the window open.
The icy wind whipped through the room, and by morning, Elma was burning up with a fever.
Clayton rushed to drive Elma to the hospital, Cara in tow. Cara was a nervous wreck, but all she talked about was, “Clayton, did you tell him Elma’s sick? Her fever’s really bad this time. He’s her father. He should come back and see her. Come on, Clayton, just text him! He can’t be that…”
Cara whined, her voice grating on Clayton’s nerves. Clayton’s head was throbbing. He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.
“Clayton, we need to get Elma to the hospital now. I’ll let him know what’s going on later. He’s her father. He’ll come back.”
Cara’s voice rose to a shriek. “I don’t believe you!” She actually tried to yank the car door open, Elma in her arms.
They were on the freaking highway!
Clayton’s heart pounded with anxiety. He slammed the locks down just as Cara started kicking the door. “Stop it!” Clayton yelled, on the verge of losing it. “I’ll call him the second we get to the hospital, I swear!”
Cara finally settled down, a smug look on her face. “You better,” she said, her tone dripping with satisfaction.
All the commotion was making Elma, who was already feeling sick, even worse. She started to gag, and Cara shoved her away with a disgusted look.
Elma was burning up with fever, her cheeks flushed. She usually didn’t let Cara hold her, but her weak state granted this exception. She’d been sleeping peacefully until Cara shoved her.
Elma’s eyes fluttered open, confused. When she saw the look of disgust on Cara’s face, her heart sank. All the warmth she’d felt earlier vanished.
At the hospital, Cara refused to budge and take Elma inside until Clayton sent the text.
The doctor took one look at Elma and said she needed an IV immediately.
But Cara was in no rush.
Clayton was frantic. He had to carry Elma himself, searching for a doctor.
Clayton was sweating profusely when, in the elevator, he bumped into Leila. Of all people.
Leila was at the hospital with her two kids in tow. They had had a blast the day before, but Calvin had gotten a little too wild and sprained his ankle.
Now, Calvin was hobbling around, trying to take it easy. Leila and her two children were just leaving the doctor’s office.
Leila offered to carry Calvin, but Calvin, feeling all grown-up, insisted on walking himself.
Clayton’s eyes went wide when he spotted Leila. His first instinct was to bolt with Elma, but it was too late. Leila had already seen him.
“Clayton?” Leila’s voice, laced with confusion, made him freeze.
Clayton hesitated and then turned around, plastering a surprised look on his face. “What are you doing here?”
Leila responded, a smile playing on her lips, “I’m on vacation with the kids. Didn’t expect to bump into you. Are you on holiday too? Is this your little one?”