Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
But before Landon could say anything, his head throbbed, harder this time. The pain was excruciating, and blood filled his mouth. Landon swallowed it back, forcing himself to act as if nothing had happened.
Leila saw the look on Landon’s face and drew the wrong conclusion. She bit back a bitter smile, pretending not to notice. Her hands slowly tightened into fists.
Leila analyzed the situation: if Landon was telling the truth, then it all made sense. It explained why he hadn’t returned to the Kensington Group and taken charge-he had amnesia. She knew Landon wouldn’t take control of such a massive company until he truly knew who he was.
But now, it was clear Landon was starting to regain his memories. If he took over the Kensington Group and decided to shield Cara despite her repeated wrongdoings, Leila knew she wouldn’t stand a chance against him.
But Leila wasn’t backing down. Cara had gone too far, too many times. Cara was going to pay for what she’d done. The car soon pulled up to the suburban villa where Cara stayed. The security guard at the gate seemed to be expecting them and opened the gate before they even reached it.
Keely came out to greet Leila and was taken aback to see Landon and Leila arrive together. If Cara saw them together, she’d lose it.
Keely shrugged. It wasn’t her problem.
Keely gave Leila a pitying look and gestured toward the house. “Please come in. Miss Morgan only wants to see you.” Leila stood her ground. “Tell her to come out here,” she said firmly. “I’ll wait. If she refuses, I’ll call the police. She wouldn’t want to cause a scene, would she?”
Keely laughed. “Miss Nixon, Miss Morgan’s already caused a scene. You think she’s afraid of the police? Don’t forget she’s mentally unstable. Even if she killed someone, you couldn’t touch her.”
Though furious, Leila knew Keely was right. “Fine,” she said through gritted teeth. “I’ll go in.”
Keely led Leila toward the house. Before going inside, Leila glanced back at Landon.
Landon watched them go, his hands clenching into fists. Trailing behind Keely, Leila stepped into a dimly lit room that resembled a basement.
Straining her ears, Leila detected the distinct gurgling of water.
She didn’t expect a hidden door to be concealed within the basement walls.
Keely pushed the door open, revealing a lengthy passage that stretched into darkness.
Cara had no fear of Leila discovering her hideout. No one would ever suspect such a place.
As they ventured deeper into the passage, the narrow confines gradually gave way to a larger expanse. It resembled a cavernous chamber, hidden deep beneath the earth.
An underground river flowed through the cave, its waters churning and swirling with ferocious energy. Suspended above the raging current were two bound figures.
Leila’s heart sank as she recognized the captives as Elma and Sophie. Both girls were blindfolded, their fates uncertain. Sophie showed signs of life, but Elma’s limp figure and lifeless posture filled Leila with dread. Leila wondered if Elma was still alive.
A wave of terror washed over Leila, her heart pounding in her chest.
A chilling touch suddenly fell upon Leila’s shoulder, sending a jolt of fear through her. Goosebumps erupted across her skin as a wave of fear coursed through her.
Whirling around, Leila found herself face to face with Cara, a sinister smile twisting Cara’s lips.
Cara’s appearance had drastically changed in a matter of days. Her face was gaunt and pale, her eyes sunken. Her eyes were devoid of warmth, as cold and lifeless as ice. A terrifying blend of madness and malice burned within them. They held a chilling, otherworldly quality, like the eyes of a vengeful spirit returned from the depths of hell.
Leila shuddered, instinctively retreating from Cara’s chilling presence.
“Leila, didn’t I warn you against crossing me?” Cara hissed, her voice low and menacing.
Cara’s eyes remained cold, piercing Leila with their intensity.
Cara continued, her voice dripping with venom, “Look at those two girls hanging above the river. Their suffering is entirely your fault.”
Hearing Cara mention the kids, Leila was snapped out of her fear. She lunged forward, gripping Cara’s shoulders with desperate urgency. “If you have a grievance, take it up with me! They’re just innocent children!”
Cara violently shrugged off Leila’s grasp. “Innocent?” She scoffed. “What makes them so innocent?”
Before Leila could retort, a bodyguard materialized and seized her, pinning her arms behind her back. A chair was swiftly brought forward for Cara.
Cara settled into the chair with an air of haughty elegance. “I’m going to give you two choices, Leila,” she announced, her voice dripping with malice. “You can save either Sophie or Elma.”
Leila stared at Cara, her face a mixture of disbelief and disgust. “Are you out of your freaking mind?” she spat. “One of them is your own daughter! Why the hell are you making me choose?”
Cara’s smile was cold and enigmatic. She said dismissively, “You’ll see soon enough why I force you to make a choice. So, you’re choosing Sophie, then? You don’t care about Elma?”
Leila’s hands balled into fists, her knuckles white. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Cara, you can hate me all you want. But Elma is your daughter! How can you do this to her?”
Cara ignored Leila and turned her attention to Elma. “You heard that, Elma?” she shouted. “The woman you adore, Leila, only cares about her own daughter. You’re nothing to her, just a charity case. Your parents abandoned you. You’re destined to suffer.”
“You’re insane!” Leila shook her head in disbelief. “You’ve completely lost it!”
Cara threw back her head and let out a chilling laugh. “Yes, I’m crazy!” she shrieked. “I’m a madwoman! So, Leila, once you’ve made your decision, go stand next to the one you want to save. You have one minute to decide. But I think I already know who you’re going to choose.”
Cara added, as if just remembering a minor detail, “Oh, and one more thing, there’s an underground river flowing beneath us. If someone falls in, who knows where the current will take them?
They might never be found, not even their bodies. Elma, if you die today, it won’t be my fault. It will be Leila’s.”
Elma trembled, her eyes wide with terror, but she remained silent. She knew she had no right to speak. Sophie was Leila’s daughter. They were a real family, a happy family. They had all been so kind to her. She didn’t deserve to live under these circumstances. But even so, she was terrified. All she wanted was to grow up, to have a good life, and to get the hell out of this place with her dad.
Elma was consumed by fear. Where was her dad? Why hadn’t he come to rescue her? Despite her terror, she didn’t make a sound.
Leila was torn. She knew she should save Sophie, but Elma was just an innocent child. If it weren’t for Cara, Elma wouldn’t be dangling there, at the mercy of her upcoming choice.
Leila never thought anyone would do something so cruel. But then again, this was Cara. Cara was capable of anything.
Sophie’s mouth was taped shut. She could hear Cara and Leila talking. She whimpered, desperately trying to tell Leila that Elma was her long-lost sister. But the gag prevented Sophie from making a sound. All she could do was struggle against the ropes that bound her. Leila thought Sophie struggled out of fear. Her heart ached with the uncertainty of what to do.
Cara sneered, “Ten seconds left. Time’s almost up. Have you decided yet?”
“Yes,” Leila said, her eyes hardening with resolve.
“Really?” Cara’s eyebrow arched with intrigue as she studied Leila. “Who did you choose? Was it Sophie?”
Leila gestured to Cara. “Come here, and I’ll tell you.”.
Cara responded with a cool tone, “I’m warning you, don’t try any tricks.”
Leila scoffed. “Everyone here is loyal to you. What harm could I possibly do to you?”
Prompted by Leila’s remark, Cara stood and approached her, maintaining a careful distance. She crossed her arms and pressed, “So, who have you chosen?”
Leila glanced again at Sophie, then at Elma, and declared, “I choose Elma. She is innocent, and you should release her.”
Cara’s eyes widened, a mix of amusement and disbelief coloring her tone. “You would forsake your own daughter, Leila? Are you out of your mind?”
Pain flickered across Leila’s face. “Sophie understands why I made this decision because she is my daughter.”
Upon hearing this, Sophie ceased her struggles and released a relieved sigh. She was grateful her mother had chosen to save her sister. Elma had endured too much, and she shouldn’t die this way.
Sophie harbored no resentment toward Leila. Leila’s love for her was real, and Leila must have her reasons for making this choice.
Cara’s interest waned, her gaze turning colder. She had anticipated Leila would choose Sophie.
Should Leila choose Sophie and Elma die because of this, Cara planned to reveal to Leila that Elma was actually the daughter Leila had lost years ago. In that scenario, Leila would have unknowingly been responsible for her own daughter’s death.
Cara had been eager to watch Leila’s painful expression, intending to derive pleasure from it. However, she hadn’t expected Leila to choose Elma over Sophie.
Cara was somewhat frustrated. Was the bond of blood truly that influential? Even without mutual recognition of their relationship, there was still an inexplicable pull between Elma and Leila. “Why? She wouldn’t allow it.”
“Cara, I’ve made my choice. Can you let Elma go now?” Leila said.
“Alright.” Cara’s smile twisted oddly as she turned and signaled to her men.
Elma was immediately freed.