Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Pale, Leila asked, “What happened?”
The assistant stammered, “I… I wasn’t sure if I should say this, but Mr. Morgan wouldn’t leave. He insisted on waiting for you. When you didn’t come down after a while, he went up to look for you.”
“After finding you unconscious, he carried you down as quickly as he could. It’s strenuous, but it’s nothing for healthy adults. However, Mr. Morgan has a heart condition from his earlier injuries…”
The assistant’s words hung in the air, leaving Leila to grapple with a swirl of emotions. A wave of resignation and guilt washed over Leila, her chest tightening as she processed what she had just heard.
“This is my fault,” Leila said, a flicker of guilt crossing her face.
Leila hadn’t expected Clayton to actually wait for her on the mountain for so long. Not only had he waited, but he had also sensed something was amiss and rushed up the mountain to find her.
Leila was aware of her health risks. She had already instructed her people to call for an ambulance if they couldn’t contact her within ten minutes. Perhaps she should have mentioned this to Clayton earlier.
Noticing Leila’s troubled expression, the assistant cleared his throat.
“Miss Nixon, Mr. Morgan has done so much for you. Maybe you should…”
“Maybe what?” Leila interrupted, her eyes turning to ice.
The assistant immediately fell silent.
“I do owe Clayton a debt of gratitude, but that doesn’t mean I have to marry him. There are other ways to repay someone’s kindness. We’re just friends. If you ever say something like that again, I’ll report you to Clayton,” Leila continued coldly.
The assistant, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, nodded vigorously.
Thankfully, by evening, Clayton was out of danger. The first thing he did when he woke up was look for Leila. Leila was sitting right there beside his bed.
Clayton’s eyes lit up when he saw her.
“Leila…” he began.
Clayton trailed off when he noticed Calvin sitting next to Leila. Prompted by Leila’s subtle glance, Calvin greeted Clayton.
“Clayton, are you feeling okay? I finished school early today, so I came to the hospital with my mom to see you.”
Clayton’s initial joy evaporated, but he forced a smile and patted Calvin’s head.
“I’m fine, buddy, just a little under the weather,” he replied.
Calvin nodded seriously.
“You need to get better soon, Clayton. Elma said she is eager to meet your future girlfriend.”
Leila chuckled.
“That’s true. It’s time for you to settle down.” Leila’s words were a clear message to Clayton.
Clayton’s grip tightened on the white bedsheet, and his eyes reddened. He wanted to question Leila on why she treated him with such harshness despite everything he had done for her. But the sight of Calvin silenced him, a wave of resentment washing over him.
Leila’s children with Landon were a constant thorn in his side.
Leila rose from her chair and carefully adjusted Clayton’s quilt.
“The doctor stressed the importance of rest, but I feel that’s not enough. I’ll arrange for some private nurses and consult a specialist about your heart condition. You were always so healthy. There’s no reason for you to languish like this,” she said, her voice laced with concern.
The mention of another doctor triggered a wave of anxiety in Clayton, causing him to cough uncontrollably.
“There’s no need for that,” he rasped.
Calvin shot Clayton a curious look.
“Clayton, I understand you don’t want to be a burden, but your health is paramount. My mom’s just looking out for you. The doctors here keep hinting that something’s amiss, but with the advancements in medical technology and our vast resources, I refuse to believe there isn’t a solution out there.”
Clayton glared at Calvin, but he couldn’t muster a convincing counter-argument.
“I know my own body.”
“It’s simply not necessary,” he stated.
Leila glanced at her watch and gently patted Calvin’s head.
“Alright, sweetheart, you’ve been here long enough for today. I’ll have Gilbert drive you home.”
Calvin’s brow furrowed.
“Mom, aren’t you coming home with me?” he asked, disappointment tinging his voice.
Leila shook her head.
“Clayton needs someone to keep an eye on him. I’ll stay a little longer, but I’ll be back tonight. If you’re tired, go to bed early,” she explained.
Calvin reluctantly agreed.
“Okay.”
As Clayton watched Leila and Calvin leave, the facade of frailty vanished from his face, replaced by a mask of coldness and resentment.
Of Leila’s three children, he could tolerate the two girls, but Calvin was as loathsome as his father.
To make matters worse, as Calvin grew older, his resemblance to Landon became increasingly pronounced.
Sometimes, looking at Calvin felt like looking at Landon, a sensation that filled Clayton with unease.
Clayton felt he needed to find a way to permanently remove Calvin from his life.
As they left Clayton’s room, Leila gave Calvin a few more instructions. Then, she paused, remembering something.
She crouched down and playfully tapped his nose.
“Clayton might have overreacted a bit, but you shouldn’t be rude to a patient. Don’t do that again, okay?” she said with a gentle smile.
Calvin let out a small huff, his young face serious.
“Mom, don’t you think there’s something off about Clayton? He always seems to appear right when you need help, always swooping in to save the day and getting hurt for you.”
“Like this time, he knew he had a heart condition but still insisted on jumping in instead of letting the bodyguards handle it. I think he’s trying to make you feel sorry for him.”
Leila couldn’t help but chuckle.
Calvin’s words might have sounded a bit harsh, but she wasn’t angry. It was good to be cautious and not trust people blindly.
Leila ruffled his hair affectionately.
“I know what you mean, Calvin, but you don’t understand how dangerous it was at that time. The doctor said the knife was just inches from his heart. If he was faking, he wouldn’t risk his life like that,” she said.
That was why Leila couldn’t just brush Clayton off. After all, he’d risked his life for her, at least that was what she perceived.
Calvin’s lips pursed in thought.
“Wow, that does sound pretty dangerous,” he said.
Leila hadn’t told the kids the whole story. She’d just said that Clayton had been hurt while protecting her, without going into specifics. She didn’t want to scare them, especially Sophie. Sophie would likely be worried sick if she knew how close Clayton had come to being seriously injured. If it hadn’t been for Clayton, that knife would have been buried in Leila’s own chest.
“So, no matter what you think of Clayton, we can’t forget that he saved my life,” Leila said seriously.