Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“Leila fainted solely because of her mother-in-law. It’s honestly frightening. If it were up to me, I’d rush that woman to the hospital to have her head examined,” Gregory chimed in sarcastically.
Just then, the door to the hospital room creaked open, and the doctor entered. “Are you awake?” He glanced at Leila. “Who here is family? There’s something important I need to discuss.”
As the doctor spoke, a wave of seriousness washed over everyone in the room.
Linsey’s voice tensed up. “Is it some sort of terminal illness?”
“No, nothing so severe,” the doctor reassured her. “It’s just some physical conditions.”
“Then… Ethan, Gregory, please step outside,” Linsey instructed, her tone firm. “This doesn’t concern you.”
The two men nodded and left the room without a word. The doctor then laid a medical report in front of Leila. “You’ve been pregnant for three weeks. Were you aware?”
Holding the thin piece of paper, Leila’s head spun. The world seemed surreal to her.
Leila barely grasped what the doctor was saying next. “Based on her blood work, she’s been dealing with anemia and malnutrition, hasn’t she? She’s not fully recovered, and now with the baby, it’s pulling nutrients from her, which caused her to faint.”
“She did suffer from malnutrition before. What’s our next step?” Linsey seemed equally bewildered. She had barely come to terms with Leila’s decision to divorce, and now this unexpected pregnancy threw everything into further disarray. Her thoughts were scattered.
The doctor replied, “It’s your call. Her current health isn’t ideal for a pregnancy, but continuing with it isn’t out of the question.”
It was not at a hospital affiliated with the Kensington Group. It appeared Gregory had taken Leila to a facility where the Lyndon family had influence. The staff here were likely unaware of Steven or Landon.
Leila took her time assessing the situation. She figured the hospital staff wouldn’t likely share news of her pregnancy, so she just needed to ask Gregory to help keep this a secret.
“What do you think?” the doctor asked, noticing Leila’s prolonged silence.
Leila jolted back to the present, only then catching the doctor’s question.
“She’s wondering how she could be pregnant considering she thought she was not in her fertile days during… You know, that time.” Linsey stepped in to translate Leila’s sign language, her cheeks reddening slightly.
The doctor smiled reassuringly. “I know sign language. There really isn’t a foolproof safe period. Pregnancy can occur at any time if precautions aren’t taken.”
Leila’s eyes widened as a swirl of emotions enveloped her. While she harbored few regrets, the shock of finding herself pregnant with Landon’s child once again was undeniable. The memory of the past abortion lingered, and she had lost all hope of falling pregnant.
“Leila, what are you thinking?” Linsey inquired cautiously. “Do you want to contact Landon? Or, if you’d prefer, we could have the hospital inform him.”
Leila shook her head vigorously.
“Take your time to decide,” the doctor advised gently, pausing by the door. “If you choose to keep the baby, I’m here to offer guidance on how to care for yourself moving forward.”
With that, the doctor exited, leaving the room in a thoughtful silence.
The door opened once more, and Ethan stepped in, a slight frown creasing his forehead. “Gregory had to rush out for an emergency,” he explained, his gaze settling on Leila. “What’s the matter? Can I know?”
Leila exchanged a look with Linsey, the very one she trusted without reserve. Considering Ethan was Linsey’s brother, Leila felt safe to let Ethan in on the news and nodded.
“Leila’s pregnant,” Linsey said with a heavy sigh.
“This is quite unexpected…” Ethan remarked, his expression mirroring the surprise that had captured them all.
The room fell into a hushed silence as Leila mulled over her thoughts for a brief moment before gesturing for them to keep it a secret.
“Sure thing,” Linsey responded immediately, her assurance clear, while Ethan gave a confirming nod.
“You’re not planning on telling Landon either?” Linsey probed.
Leila nodded silently. She recalled the moment she shared with Landon the ultrasound of their first child. Her heart was brimming with hope, the joy of impending motherhood sprouting within her.
However, Landon’s reaction had doused her excitement like cold water on new shoots. His face, usually calm, had tightened into a frown as he studied the ultrasound. He exhaled sharply. “Why now? Why did this have to happen now?” His voice carried a mix of worry and discontent, lacking any trace of a father’s joy.
Following that day, Landon had a doctor visit their home to ensure Leila’s well-being, but his demeanor remained joyless throughout.
It was clear to Leila Landon did not want the baby.
Shirley was concerned Leila’s muteness might be inherited by the child. Landon likely shared the sentiments, though he never voiced them explicitly.
Later, when Landon was away on a business trip, Shirley seized the chance to visit Leila and pushed for an abortion, making Leila feel as though Landon had sanctioned it.
After being forced to end her pregnancy, Leila was sent to the Kensington family mansion, ostensibly for her health. However, Leila knew Shirley was watching her closely, possibly to ensure she kept this whole forced abortion a secret.
During a medical check-up later, the doctor had grim news. Leila’s uterine lining was thin, which could make future pregnancies difficult.
Despite these odds, Leila was pregnant again, feeling it was a miraculous stroke of luck. She resolved to protect this baby, believing it might be her only chance at motherhood.
Leila discreetly signaled to Linsey and Ethan, imploring them to keep her pregnancy from Landon as she would later pose the same request to Gregory.
“Alright, but…” Linsey hesitated, her sigh heavy with empathy. Being a single mother was challenging, particularly with a child the Kensington family disapproved of. The road ahead would be tough for Leila.
Yet, Linsey offered her support, draping an arm around Leila’s shoulders. “Don’t worry, Leila. As your baby’s godmother, I’ll be here for both of you.”
Leila grinned.
“Damn it!” Ethan suddenly cursed as he stared at his phone, startling them.
“What happened?” Linsey asked, concerned.
“It’s nothing. I need to call the doctor about something,” Ethan replied, hastily trying to divert attention.
Yet, the same alert buzzed on Linsey’s phone. As she checked it, Leila leaned in, and both saw the news that felt like a blow. “Kensington Group announces press conference. CEO Mr. Landon Kensington appears with Miss Sarah Miller!”
Linsey tried to stop Leila from seeing the news. “Leila, don’t…” But it was too late.
Leila shook her head with a bitter smile. She had already seen Landon and Sarah’s intimate display, so the news barely affected her.
Nevertheless, the headlines were sensational. The report included a video showing Landon, who was allegedly ill. The Kensington Group swiftly responded to the rumors, promising an explanation. True to their word, Landon appeared at a press conference at the Kensington Group’s briefing hall later that day.
Landon stood there, radiating a coldness that seemed to reach through the screen. Netizens quickly commented on how healthy he appeared, contradicting the rumors.
To put an end to any doubts, Landon presented his medical report during the conference. This silenced the skeptics and reassured the investors. As he spoke, the company’s stock began to rise.
But the surprises weren’t over yet.
Landon then revealed a new patent from the Kensington Group. It was groundbreaking technology, set to revolutionize the industry. With that announcement, the company’s stock skyrocketed, reaching new heights.
Those who had sold their shares too soon were filled with regret, while others, who had bought shares at the lowest point, rejoiced as they made more profits in one morning than they had in the last six months.
Amid all of this, Sarah was noticeably absent. The conference had just ended, and Landon was about to leave when she finally showed up. She lingered by the door before walking over to him, and they left together. The media sensationalized their exit, portraying them as being unusually close.
After watching the entire video and reading the coverage, Leila breathed a sigh of relief. At first, she had worried that her comment about one family member being ill might have caused trouble for Landon. But it seemed that this incident wouldn’t harm the Kensington Group after all.
Roderick had once told Leila that, in business, negative publicity wasn’t always a bad thing. If managed properly, it could generate valuable attention and profits.
“Leila,” Linsey called, pocketing her phone and eyeing Leila with concern. “You…”
Leila shook her head to indicate she was fine. Using sign language, she told Linsey that she would take better care of herself going forward. She explained that after the fire, where she had almost lost her life, her mindset had changed drastically. She realized she needed to live for herself, not just revolve around Landon. Now, with a baby on the way, she felt a renewed determination to be strong, not only for herself but for her child.
“Smart decision! I’m totally behind you!” Linsey exclaimed enthusiastically. “I’ll call the doctor right away to get more advice on how to take care of yourself.”
After Linsey left, Leila took out her phone and sent a message to Gregory. She urged him to keep her condition confidential, suspecting that if the hospital had any ties to his family, he might already know about her pregnancy.
Leila didn’t explicitly mention her pregnancy, and Gregory didn’t press her on it. He simply replied, “Don’t worry. Everything at the hospital is kept confidential. My family takes privacy very seriously. Even if you hadn’t brought it up, the medical staff would keep your information safe.”
Leila sighed with relief and thanked him.