Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Lost in her thoughts, Lacey pondered whether she had made the right choice to abandon her stable life to chase after Landon. Peering out the airplane window, Lacey observed the city’s skyscrapers shrinking to the size of ants below her. A peculiar thrill coursed through her. This was the exhilaration of towering heights.
Having tasted this new life, she had no desire to return to her old one. She resolved to strive for a brighter future, both for herself and for Jeanette.
Leila never heard back from that mysterious caller. Attempts to return the call hit a dead end with a disconnected number, making it seem like a mere prank. However, Leila remained skeptical and enlisted her tech team to track the number. Its last active signal came from the airport, confirming it was no prank call at all.
Leila’s curiosity gnawed at her, yet she hesitated, fearing it would yield nothing. Life plodded on in its typical, unremarkable way, hinting at subtle improvements. Despite this, an inner turmoil consumed Leila. She couldn’t release the haunting memory of Landon. Lately, he appeared less frequently in her dreams, a change that brought her more sorrow than relief.
If Landon had truly passed away, why then did he no longer visit her in her sleep? Was he deliberately avoiding her? Driven by an invisible force, Leila found herself stepping through the doors of a local church.
The pastor’s gaze upon her was peculiar.
“Sorry, ma’am, I don’t do rites for the living,” he remarked.
“Living?” Leila echoed in shock, itching to ask more, but the pastor had already walked away.
Clayton, who had tagged along, shook his head in disbelief.
“What kind of pastor acts like that? He’s nothing but a sham. You’ve wasted eighty thousand on this farce. I’m calling the police.”
“No,” Leila interjected firmly, her voice a whisper, as she clutched Clayton’s hand.
Leila repeated the pastor’s enigmatic hint.
“Living? Landon is still alive. He’s out there, somewhere.”
Clayton tightened his grip on her hand, his denial palpable.
“Leila, it’s time to face reality. Landon is dead. We both stood over his body; the DNA tests confirmed it.”
As Leila’s tears streamed down her face, Clayton experienced a surge of compassion but maintained his stance.
“I’ve spared you the harshness of reality, fearing it would shatter you. But this avoidance can’t continue. It’s time we accept the truth and find a way forward.”
Leila, her composure intact, met Clayton’s gaze. The coldness in her voice was unmistakable as she commanded, “Release my hand.”
Clayton’s jaw clenched in frustration, but he obeyed, letting her hand slip away.
Leila’s voice softened slightly.
“If he’s out there, my only wish is for his safety. Even if he never comes back to me.”
Her words struck Clayton with profound force. Clayton struggled to fathom the depth of Leila’s devotion to Landon. Her love was so profound that it ignited a fierce jealousy in him.
Distracted by his own thoughts, Clayton didn’t notice Leila slip away to seek guidance from other pastors in the area.
Other pastors advised Leila that true prayer required genuine sincerity. A tall tower loomed ahead, with 810 steps winding to the top. If she could reach the top and fasten a red ribbon, it would allow her to offer a prayer for someone dear.
Aware of Leila’s resolve, Clayton knew she would attempt the climb, yet he still underestimated the sheer force of her will.
With every step, Leila knelt and bowed deeply, a solemn expression etched on her face as she ascended the tower.
Clayton kept close behind Leila, matching her pace. Stubbornness ran in Clayton’s veins. The eight-hundred-step climb was grueling enough, and adding a bow at every step made it almost unthinkable. He bet Leila’s strength would waver before long, and by then, he’d carry her down.
He doubted Leila’s unyielding devotion to Landon, refusing to believe her profound love for Landon could actually run this deep despite the passing months and the evidence of Landon’s “demise.”
Watching Leila’s determined progress, though, Clayton felt a chill wash over him. Halfway up, Leila was drenched in sweat, blood trickling from a nasty cut on her forehead. Her knees scraped raw, making walking upright nearly impossible. But Leila pressed on, her jaw clenched in resolve.
When she could no longer stand, she crawled, still pausing to bow despite the bruises blooming across her forehead. Clayton’s eyes turned red, a mix of worry and exasperation knotting in his chest.
“Leila, why are you doing this?”
After resting for ten minutes to catch her breath, Leila averted Clayton’s gaze and looked fixedly ahead, a faint smile touching her lips as though she could see Landon waiting for her.
“Clayton, you just don’t understand. You haven’t met that person yet, the one who makes you crazy with love. When you do, you’ll see.”
Clayton shot back without hesitation, “Who says I haven’t?”
Leila merely sighed.
“Right now, you only feel possessive. That’s not love.”
True love means wanting the best for them, even if it means letting go.
Clayton’s fists clenched.
“No, I know what love is. I love her deeply. It’s just that everyone expresses love differently.”
Leila closed her eyes, unwilling to argue further.
Clayton reached out to help her up, but Leila dodged away. Her tone went cold.
“If you don’t want me to be mad at you, don’t try to help. This is between Landon and me. As a friend, you need to respect that.”
Clayton inhaled sharply.
“Leila, do you really have to be this harsh?”
Leila didn’t respond, but her silence made everything clear.
Clayton held her gaze a moment longer before storming away. As his footsteps faded, Leila felt a wave of relief. She took a deep breath, rested briefly, and continued climbing.
From dusk till dawn, Leila finally reached the top as the first light crept over the horizon. A sense of calm washed over her. She knew her actions might be pointless, but still, she sought comfort in them.
She had no idea where Landon was or if he was safe. All she could do was pray, hoping her determination might persuade the gods to shield him from harm.
Leila felt she owed Landon too much. If he truly was gone, she wouldn’t want to keep going. But then, the thought of their three children gripped her heart with a deep ache.
As Leila bowed once more, tears slipped down her cheeks, falling silently to the ground. Her voice, hoarse and raw, broke through the quiet.
“Landon, if you’re gone, wait for me. When the kids are grown, I’ll come to you. Please, don’t leave me behind. But… I hope you’re still alive.”
She knew it was selfish, but life without him felt unimaginable. Using her last bit of strength, Leila tied a red ribbon as a symbol of her wish. Then, exhaustion overwhelmed her, and she collapsed.
In a daze, she sensed Clayton nearby. Clayton’s concern was palpable, but beneath it, there was a simmering anger. He couldn’t fathom why she’d go to these lengths for Landon. He had thought that if Landon were out of the picture, Leila might finally look his way. But now he knew that even if Landon were gone forever, Leila’s heart would remain locked on Landon. She would never move on.
A question popped into Clayton’s mind. Should he really give up after all those schemes he had carried out? No, he couldn’t accept that. Perhaps there was some way to change her feelings.
In a world of advancing technology, in time, science would invent a way to make someone fall in love at first sight. There wasn’t much “true love” in this world anyway. It was all just chemicals and hormones at play.
Clayton lifted Leila in his arms, struck by how light she felt. Sadness gnawed at him. Leila’s therapist had been his connection, though Leila never knew. He’d instructed the therapist to persuade her to let go of Landon, but Leila resisted, rejecting all advice and medication, and her health had suffered for it.
Clayton gazed at Leila’s pale yet pretty face, a fragile blend of illness and vulnerability. Something stirred within him, and on impulse, he leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. He knew she’d be furious, but maybe this was his opportunity. He wasn’t ready to give up.
Instead of rushing Leila to the hospital, Clayton held her close, whispering, “Leila, you don’t acknowledge my love for you, but that’s fine. I’ll prove my love in my way. I’ll prove that no one loves you more than I do. If there were no trace of Landon in your life, would you finally consider me?”
An absurd thought crept into Clayton’s mind. Leila couldn’t move on from Landon partly because of their children. What if those three children were no longer there? She wouldn’t consider committing suicide by then, would she? How could that be? No one with so much to live for would willingly choose death.
Perhaps it was time to change his strategy.
As Clayton pondered this, dawn approached, and an ambulance finally arrived. Though Leila was just exhausted and battling a cold, Clayton collapsed. When Leila woke up, she learned Clayton had found her, but the details were unclear as to how they’d gotten down.
Now, his assistant shared the grim news.
“Mr. Morgan was rushed to the ICU. His condition is critical.”