Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“Take off your clothes now, or I swear I’ll cut you,” he said menacingly.
With the sharp blade chilling her neck, Leila knew better than to make any sudden movements. She began to undress slowly, the multiple layers of her dress delaying the inevitable.
As Leila shed each layer, the man watched her, his eyes betraying a vile mix of lust and disgust. He sneered, his words dripping with condescension. “Despite being over thirty and a mother, your figure and skin are quite remarkable. Why not stick by my side from this moment forward? Choose me, and both your children’s and your lives will be safe. Sounds like a fair deal, doesn’t it?”
A spark of strategy ignited in Leila’s eyes. She stopped, lifting her gaze to meet his, her eyes brimming with tears. In a voice barely above a whisper, she asked, “Do you truly mean that?” Her vulnerable act effectively lowered his guard.
Leila, who was typically distant and composed, had effortlessly broken through his defenses with a mere performance.
The knife at her throat loosened slightly as he stammered in surprise, “You… You would consider being with me?”
Masking her determination with a facade of surrender, Leila responded, “What choice do I have at this moment? I’ve been on my own for so long, and frankly, I’m exhausted. That night at the bar, I was drunk and upset. That’s why I was rude to you. I promise, I won’t run away or fight back. Just tell me, whom have I upset?”
The man nearly let the secret slip. Yet, the butler’s earlier caution remained fresh in his mind. He regarded Leila with suspicion. “You’re not trying to coax me into revealing secrets, are you? I’m not telling you anything. You might as well stop trying.”
Leila clenched her teeth discreetly. She was fully aware she couldn’t rush things.
With a subtle beckoning gesture, she drew him in.
His fleeting hesitation gone, he advanced toward her confidently, the blade withdrawn from her neck.
Leila let out a soft sigh, her presence alluring. She inquired with a flirtatious tilt of her head, “Do you find me attractive?” The man responded with an eager nod, “Absolutely, you’re as stunning as a movie star. It would be a tragedy for your life to end here.”
“Is that so?” Her tone stayed sweet, yet her eyes turned frosty. In a swift move, she grabbed the blade from his grip.
Before he could grasp what had transpired, Leila was already pointing the blade at him.
The glint of lethal determination in her eyes made the man angry. “I was prepared to let you live! Now, you’re merely sealing your fate.”
Leila smirked dismissively. “Your pity is the last thing I need. I prefer to take my chances than to live at your mercy.”
The man retorted icily, “Even if you get out of this room, you won’t make it out of here.”
Undeterred, Leila sprinted toward the door.
However, she was met by several imposing guards.
They paused momentarily at the sight of the blade in her hand. Leila realized then that her odds of escaping were slim. Cornered, she made up her mind to stir things up. She swiftly yelled, “Help! There’s a fire! Help!”
Her voice sliced through the air, her shrill screams creating chaos outside.
The man was close behind. He coordinated with the guards to disarm Leila.
One guard sneered, “You can’t even manage a woman. Pathetic.” Humiliated, the man lashed out and kicked Leila in his frustration. “She’s sly. She’s definitely had training. Help me hold her down and cripple her. Then she won’t run off.”
After a pause, the man continued, “The boss just wants to scare her straight. If you pitch in, we’ll all get our chance…” The man left his words unfinished with a lewd laugh.
The rest of the men caught his drift and shared a cruel laugh as they gazed at Leila sprawled on the ground.
Leila felt a chill run through her. Her eyes widened in terror.
The guards exchanged knowing looks, eager for their chance with her. Guard duty had been dull, but now an opportunity for excitement had presented itself. How could they resist? They immediately returned to the room with Leila. There were six men in total.
They restrained Leila forcefully. Despair washed over her. Escape seemed impossible. Who could despise her so deeply to arrange such a scenario?
The men sneered viciously as they cut through her clothing with a blade, poised to slash her wrist next.
Just then, the door flew open from a forceful kick. At the sound, everyone turned to the door.
The man with the blade froze mid-motion.
Leila, still gripped by fear and her vision blurred by tears, could only discern a tall, imposing figure at the door. It appeared to be a man.
In a desperate struggle, Leila bit down hard on the hand muffling her cries.
The man recoiled in pain, retracting his hand quickly.
Seizing the opportunity, Leila started to yell, “Ja…”
But before she could finish, a sharp blow to her neck rendered her unconscious.
The guards quickly assessed that Leila would be out for a while. They rose to their feet, eyeing the figure approaching them step by step.
Recognition dawned on the guards, and their expressions shifted to one of ingratiating caution. “Mr. Kensington… What brings you here all of a sudden? Do you have something to tell us? Ms. Morgan assigned us this task. It’s best you don’t linger, or it might upset her. That wouldn’t be good for you either.”
Landon’s gaze was shadowed as he regarded them, an unmasked lethal intent flickering in his eyes. “She made it clear I have free reign over the manor. No one is to challenge that. Isn’t that the…”
The chief guard was visibly unnerved, breaking into a cold sweat. He nodded, his voice faltering as he explained, “Yes, that’s precisely the rule. However, Ms. Morgan gave us strict orders to handle this woman swiftly. She has offended Ms. Morgan. Ms. Morgan specifically demanded that no one, including Mr. Morgan, should let her off the hook.”
Landon’s eyes narrowed slightly. He had long suspected that Cara intended to drug him. Consequently, in the garden, he had abstained from drinking the wine. Later, as Cara was escorting him to the room, he seized the moment to incapacitate her. Even if she regained consciousness now, she found herself locked in the room, stripped of her phone by him.
Landon felt a grim sort of gratitude toward Cara for choosing such a secluded spot and for dismissing the servants and Elma. Even if Cara were to scream at that moment, no one would be there to hear her.
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Landon had initially planned to use this quiet moment to locate Elma and escape with her. Over the years, he had cultivated a network of allies. While his resources couldn’t match those of the Morgan family, they would suffice to keep him hidden for a time. After uncovering his true identity and gaining strength, he was ready to challenge the Morgan family directly.
Despite the solid strategy, Landon harbored concerns about potential complications. While on his way to Elma’s location, he spotted Leila being escorted into a dimly lit room by several guards. He recognized her instantly as the woman he had encountered at the bar. Though he could have overlooked Leila’s situation, her tear-streaked, pleading expression moved him to act without hesitation.
Landon kept his cool, adopting a commanding presence. “Is this what Cara ordered? She mentioned quite the opposite to me. She explicitly instructed me to bring this woman to her for an urgent matter.”
The others were clueless, but the butler’s nephew, well aware of Cara’s intentions for Leila, questioned Landon’s claim. Still, remembering Cara’s high regard for Landon and her intolerance for disobeying him, he hesitated to oppose Landon directly. Moreover, he was moments away from proceeding with his plans for Leila and was reluctant to let her go.
With caution, the nephew responded, “Mr. Kensington, it’s not that we disregard your authority, but this issue is sensitive. If Ms. Morgan indeed instructed this, perhaps you should call her now? We can confirm her orders directly and then comply.”
Landon’s expression grew frostier. “What are you implying? That I would lie about a woman? I intended to build a happy life here with her, yet you clearly lack respect for me. Do you all view me merely as her plaything? If so, I’ll inform her this instant that I won’t linger here any longer.”
Landon acted like he was about to pull out his phone to call Cara. The guards were visibly alarmed. They had been employed by Cara for several years, and everyone understood that after her rescue, she had transformed profoundly. Her moods were now unpredictable.
With Clayton’s protection, Cara had grown even more haughty and callous toward others’ lives. The grim fates of those who had offended her were well remembered by all.
Furthermore, it was common knowledge within the manor how crucial Landon was to Cara. She would always put him ahead of her own daughter.
Previously, after Landon departed the manor, a palpable sense of dread had hung over everyone. Some had even cautioned Cara against investing her time in Landon, believing it was in her best interest.
Cara had remained silent then. However, the following day, a body was discovered in the sea, incomplete and battered. She bluntly declared that this was the direct result of meddling in her relationship with Landon.
The group understood that if Landon indeed called Cara, they would find themselves in grave danger, with survival unlikely. A palpable fear took hold, reflected in their wide-eyed expressions.
One of the guards quickly covered the nephew’s mouth while the others offered deferential bows to Landon. “Mr. Kensington, there’s no reason for us to question you. Since Ms. Morgan asked you to take her away, we wouldn’t dare stop you. Please, take her quickly.”
With that, they cleared a path for Landon.
Landon’s features softened slightly. He let out a light smirk. “That’s more like it.”
Landon approached Leila, who was sprawled on the floor, casting a complex gaze upon her. Her wrists and ankles bore the harsh red marks of ropes. Her clothes were in tatters, and her once meticulous hairstyle was now in disarray. The extent of her suffering was unimaginable-had Landon not arrived when he did.
Landon had been baffled before. He couldn’t grasp why Cara targeted Leila. But now it clicked. Cara had probably seen him entwined with Leila at the bar. Thus, what almost befell Leila could be traced back to him.
Landon rationalized his sudden surge of compassion. Given what Cara had done, helping Leila was the right thing to do.
Landon stooped down and gently lifted Leila off the ground. The sensation was odd. He felt a softness that was somehow comforting. It was as if a void in his heart had been filled.
Landon looked down at Leila, who was still unconscious. She seemed to stir slightly, whispering his name. Tears trickled from her eyes, falling onto his hands.