Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Elma’s response was defiant. “I view him as an elder brother. Is there a problem with that?”
“Enough!” Cara exploded, her sanity fraying. “How dare you treat him as your brother! Are you asking for trouble?” Cara lifted the whip again, targeting both children.
Elma continued to shield Calvin with her own body, unwavering. The two children held each other tightly, their injuries growing more gruesome by the moment.
Upon receiving Calvin’s distress signal, Leila didn’t hesitate. She immediately instructed the tech team to pinpoint Calvin’s location.
Leila soon located Calvin. He was at the Morgan family’s residence. Upon spotting the address, she nearly stumbled. Without delay, Leila rallied a group and hastened to the Morgan family’s residence.
As Leila had anticipated, the entrance was barred. Prepared for her arrival, a wall of strong bodyguards formed, obstructing her path.
Instantly, Leila knew Calvin was in trouble. Her anxiety didn’t diminish her resolve, her tone cold as she declared, “If you persist in this way, you’ll leave me no choice but to be harsh. Bring Cara out.”
The bodyguards shared uneasy looks. One stepped forward, hesitating before saying, “This puts us in a tough spot. We haven’t seen your son. There might be some confusion here.” Leila had expected their denial and remained calm. “If this is merely a confusion, then let me in. Why stand in my way? If you refuse entry, at least summon Cara. Crossing me will benefit you in no way. Where’s Clayton?”
As turmoil swirled at the gates, the situation inside the villa was tumultuous.
Before Leila’s arrival, Landon had already been alerted and hastily made his way back. As soon as he stepped into the house, he was greeted by the horrifying sight of two bloodied children and a whip lying on the floor. Rage flared within him instantly.
For the first time in his life, Landon found himself unable to hold back his anger. He struck Cara with a forceful slap, sending her tumbling to the floor.
Cradling her face, Cara looked up at Landon, her eyes wide with shock. “You hit me!” she exclaimed.
Ignoring Cara, Landon gently lifted the unconscious Elma, his eyes cold as he stared at Cara. “So what if I did? I wish I could do worse. You’re mad at me, but what have the children done? They’re innocent!”
Cara glanced around nervously, struggling to justify her actions. “I didn’t mean to lash out. They were misbehaving. He took something of mine, and your darling daughter defended the thief while I was disciplining him. I just lost control.”
Despite his pain, Calvin limped over to Landon’s side, shaking his head. “I didn’t take anything.”
Landon vividly remembered Calvin. His heart sank at the sight of Calvin’s pale face, and an instant sense of pity washed over him.
“I believe you,” Landon said firmly, positioning himself between Calvin and Cara.
Cara, witnessing this, was consumed by madness. She trembled violently as she reached for the whip again, only to find someone else had already grabbed it first.
Clayton appeared unexpectedly, swiftly grabbing the whip from Cara’s hand. His glare was cold and unforgiving as he stared her down.
Clayton didn’t give Cara a moment to react. Before she could do anything, he swiftly turned, his tone cutting through the tension like steel. “Take her away. Don’t let her out until she comes around.”.
Cara’s wild screams echoed down the hall as she was dragged away.
Landon readied himself to leave with Calvin and Elma. Considering the urgency of the situation, the two children needed to be rushed to the hospital fast.
But Clayton halted Landon. “I’ll take the kids to the hospital. You stay and watch over Cara. If she escapes, there’s no telling what chaos she’ll unleash. Moreover…”
Clayton’s gaze shifted to Calvin, and with a meaningful look, he added, “Calvin’s Leila’s son. It wouldn’t be right for you to take him away.”
Landon felt trapped by Clayton’s reasoning, unable to find the words to protest. Yet, he was concerned about Calvin and Elma. After a moment of hesitation, he finally entrusted the children to Clayton.
With a heavy heart, Landon said quietly, “Make sure they’re safe. They’re just kids. They shouldn’t be caught up in all of this.”
“I understand,” Clayton replied earnestly. “One is my niece and the other is Leila’s child. I’ll protect them, no matter what. You have my word.”
Landon’s jaw clenched as bitterness flickered in his eyes, but he had no choice but to trust Clayton’s promise.
Meanwhile, at the gate, Leila was being held back by the bodyguards.
When Clayton drove out, the bodyguards quickly stepped aside. Clayton rolled down the window, urgency lacing his voice. “Leila, get in.”
From where she stood, Leila caught a glimpse of the children in the backseat, and her heart nearly stopped. She clenched her fists, struggling to calm herself.
Leila got into the car and joined Clayton to take the children to the hospital, where the children’s injuries were quickly assessed. Most of the damage was superficial, but Elma’s condition was worse. She had been beaten so badly that she was bleeding. When the doctor said Elma needed an O-type blood transfusion, Leila didn’t hesitate to volunteer. “My blood group is O-type,” she said firmly.
To her surprise, Clayton immediately objected. “No!”
Confused, Leila stared at him. “Why not? We can’t worry about anything else right now. Her life is at stake.”
Clayton’s gaze flickered, evasive. “You know how Cara is. If she learns about this, Elma will face even worse when she returns.”
Fury surged through Leila. She pointed at Elma, battered and bruised. “Elma’s Cara’s mother. How can Cara be so heartless? Even though Elma is adopted, this is beyond cruelty. Clayton, I usually avoid family issues, but the way your family treats Elma is too much.”
Clayton pressed his lips together, his expression conflicted, but his resolve remained firm. “You can’t give her blood. There’s more at play here than you realize. I have my reasons. Please, trust me.”
Clayton was Elma’s uncle. With his insistence, Leila had no choice but to back down. She frowned and asked, “Then how should she get suitable blood?”
“I’ll handle it,” Clayton said, not daring to meet Leila’s gaze. “Elma is my niece. I won’t let anything happen to her.”
With no other options, Leila reluctantly let it go. She turned away, focusing on Calvin’s condition instead.
Somehow, Clayton managed to secure the blood, and while Elma’s blood loss wasn’t life-threatening, it had been a close call.
When Leila heard the news that Elma was finally stable, her face remained expressionless. She was applying medicine to Calvin, her mind preoccupied with the rage she was suppressing. Seeing the bruises on his small frame, her heart ached.
Calvin winced under her touch but sensed his mother’s turmoil. “Mom, please don’t be mad at me. I shouldn’t have gone to Elma’s house alone and ended up in danger. I’m sorry for making you worry.”
Leila sighed, gently patting his head. “Why would I be mad at you? I know you mean well. I’m just angry about what they did to Elma.”
Calvin shivered at the mention of Cara. “She’s terrifying. I saw that Elma has scars all over. I think she’s been suffering like this for a long time. Can’t we help her?”
Leila hesitated, torn between her desire to protect Elma and the complexities of intervening in someone else’s family matters. She wanted to help, but she couldn’t. Elma wasn’t her daughter. She was Landon’s, with another woman. If Leila got involved, it would only stir up more trouble and spark gossip. Maybe Elma and Cara would find a way to reconcile in time. If Leila interfered, it would only escalate the conflict between them. Taking a deep breath, Leila offered the only comfort she could. “I’ll help however I can, but some things are out of my control. You can be there for Elma, at school, as a friend. But…”
Leila said gently as she caressed Calvin’s face, “Even if you want to protect those who are vulnerable, you need to prioritize your safety first. Just look at you. If your sister saw you like this, it would break her heart.”
Calvin hung his head. “I didn’t see all this coming.”
A protective fire ignited within Leila. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure those who bully you face the consequences.”
After having his injuries treated, Calvin remained in the hospital for further observation.
Leila watched over Calvin until he fell asleep.
Calvin’s back was covered in injuries. Even sleeping caused him pain.
As Leila watched Calvin, her eyes filled with tears.
Once Calvin was settled, Leila left the room, her mind swirling with unresolved questions. Instead of heading straight to Clayton and Elma, she sought out a nurse. “May I know under what conditions someone with the same blood type would be unable to donate?”
The nurse patiently explained, and one detail caught Leila by surprise. “If they’re immediate family members, it’s not allowed. There’s a risk of an immune reaction or other complications.”
Shocked, Leila pressed further. “So, by immediate family, you mean the child’s parents?” The nurse nodded.
Leila was overwhelmed by an inexplicable emotion. But soon, she suppressed it. What an insane thought. Elma couldn’t possibly be Chloe. If Chloe were alive, she wouldn’t be the same age as Elma. The ages just didn’t match. Perhaps Clayton was onto something-he wanted to prevent Elma and Cara’s relationship from deteriorating any further.
Brushing aside her unease, Leila made her way to Elma’s room.
Elma was still unconscious, but her condition had stabilized. Gazing at the small figure on the bed, Leila couldn’t shake the wave of heartache that washed over her.
Clayton was by Elma’s bedside, watching over her with quiet intensity, occasionally adjusting her blanket or smoothing her hair. He seemed genuinely concerned for her..
When Clayton noticed Leila, he stood up and asked, “Is Calvin feeling better?”
Leila’s face remained unreadable, but she nodded.
Clayton let out a breath of relief. “Good.” Then, as if remembering something, he added apologetically, “Cara is at fault. You can take your anger out on me, but please don’t hold a grudge over this.”
