Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
But as Sophie pushed the box, they heard a clicking noise.
The three children exchanged curious glances.
“Should we open it?” Calvin asked. “I’m curious what she gave you.”
Sophie shook her head, worried. “Maybe not,” she said. “That woman is bad news. Who knows what she might have done to that gift?”
Calvin carefully moved the box away from Elma and Sophie.
“If you’re worried about it, then we definitely need to open it,” Calvin suggested. “If she did something to it, I’ll make sure she goes to jail and can’t say those things about you anymore. I’ll open it. You two stay back.”
“Calvin, maybe we should let the bodyguard open it,” Sophie said.
But Calvin was too quick. He opened the box before anyone could stop him.
Sophie, ever the protective older sister, instinctively pulled Elma close, shielding her with her own body. But nothing happened. No explosions, no hidden traps, no sinister surprises.
Calvin cautiously lifted the lid, and a few glittering fragments tumbled out. Inside, nestled amongst the fragments, lay a treasure trove of valuables. Sparkling jade ornaments, shimmering gemstones, and intricate jewelry sets winked at them from the velvet lining. Each piece seemed to be part of a carefully curated set, designed to complement the others.
Even though they were just kids, they weren’t clueless. They’d seen enough jewelry in their lives to know that these pieces were the real deal, worth a small fortune.
Calvin’s jaw dropped. “Holy crap! Why would she give Sophie all this stuff? It’s insane!”
Sophie was equally bewildered. Most of the jewelry was clearly designed for an adult, not a young girl like her.
Nestled amongst the glittering gems, two gold pieces caught their eye. Calvin gingerly lifted them out of the box and held them up to the light, where they shimmered with a warm, golden glow.
They were amulets, intricately crafted, and clearly meant to ward off evil. The kind of thing little kids wore for protection.
Upon closer inspection, they noticed delicate inscriptions etched into the gold. Sophie gasped. “These are just like the amulet I had when I was little!”
And the inscriptions? They were none other than Calvin’s and Elma’s names.
The three children exchanged puzzled glances. Even with their combined brainpower, they couldn’t figure out what Lacey was playing at.
Just then, Leila walked into the ward and found the three children huddled together, their voices buzzing with excitement as they peered into the box.
“What’s all the commotion?” Leila asked curiously, joining the huddle.
Calvin held up the amulets. “Mom, check these out. That bad woman gave these to Sophie yesterday.”
Leila’s face blanched as she recognized the distinctive design of the amulets. Her hands trembled, and her breath caught in her throat.
“Did she really send these two?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Calvin nodded grimly.
Sophie, sensing her mother’s distress, felt a wave of concern wash over her. “Mom, what’s wrong? Are you feeling okay?”
Leila fought back the torrent of emotions surging within her and handed the amulets to Sophie. “Sophie, think carefully. Who gave you your amulet?” she said, her voice trembling.
Sophie’s brow furrowed in concentration as she struggled to remember. Suddenly, it hit her, and her face went pale. It was her father who had given her the amulet.
Back then, Leila had explained to Sophie that although Landon hadn’t been present at her birth, he had commissioned a designer to create a special amulet for her. Wanting the design to be unique, Landon had purchased the exclusive rights to it.
This meant that no one else could ever use the same design. It was one of a kind. Later, when Leila became pregnant with Elma and Calvin, Landon had two more amulets made. But before he could give them, he had vanished.
This was a secret known only to their family. Even Elma and Calvin were unaware of the amulets’ secrets.
Lacey’s possession of these two amulets raised an eyebrow. Why would she present such a significant gift at Sophie’s birthday party? What was she playing at?
Sophie clutched Leila’s hand, her voice filled with urgency. “Are they from my dad?”
Leila’s heart pounded in her chest. The truth dawned on her. Landon was alive, and he knew Lacey. The realization shattered Leila’s composure. She pulled Sophie into a tight embrace, trying to soothe her daughter’s anxieties.
“Sophie, sweetheart, I need you to stay strong and look after your brother and sister at the hospital. I’m going to find out what’s going on. And if your father is truly alive, I’ll bring him home.”
Sophie nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. Her gut feeling had been right all along. Her father was alive! But why was he with that awful woman? Maybe it was all just a big misunderstanding. Surely, once her dad saw her mom, he would want to come home with them.
Calvin and Elma didn’t quite understand what was going on but could sense the tension in the air.
Calvin quickly pulled himself together, his eyes filled with worry as he watched Leila rush off.
“If that woman is doing this deliberately, it could be a trap,” he said, a sense of unease creeping in. “Something doesn’t feel right.”
Calvin started to follow Leila, but Sophie stopped him, grabbing his hand.
“Don’t worry, Calvin. Our mom knows what she’s doing. We’re just kids. If we follow her and get caught by those people, it will only make things worse. Let’s stay here and wait for her to come back.”
Calvin nodded. Sophie was right. Yet, he felt a surge of frustration as he wished he could do more. If only he were older and stronger, shielding his family.
Leila called Lacey, who answered on the first ring. Lacey didn’t seem surprised to hear from Leila.
“Leila, what a surprise to hear from you.” She spoke as if they hadn’t had a falling out the day before.
Leila’s eyes narrowed. “Where are you?” she demanded. “I need to see you. Now.”
“Of course,” Lacey agreed easily, sending Leila an address.
Leila rushed over to the address immediately. When she arrived, she was surprised to find herself in front of a bridal shop. Confused, Leila called Lacey again to double-check the address.
After confirming she was at the right spot, Leila stepped into the bridal shop. The shop was filled with exquisite wedding gowns, renowned for its stunning collection and excellent service. Young couples were scattered throughout the store, excitedly trying on dresses and envisioning their big day.
A pang of sadness struck Leila as she watched the happy couples. She and Landon had planned to remarry and have a proper wedding ceremony. They had even planned to buy their wedding outfits from this very shop. But today, she wasn’t here to try on dresses. She was here to confront Lacey.
The shop was quite spacious, and it took Leila a while to find Lacey. She was standing in front of a mirror, admiring herself in a beautiful wedding gown. Lacey held up the hem of the dress, a delighted smile on her face.
Leila suddenly remembered Lacey had mentioned her upcoming wedding at Sophie’s birthday party. Lacey must be here to plan her wedding. This made Lacey’s behavior even more baffling to Leila. Why choose to meet her at such an important time in her life?
“Miss Payne,” Leila called out, approaching in her high heels.
Lacey turned around, a sweet smile on her face. “Why so formal, Leila? Have you stopped thinking of me as your little sister?” she asked playfully.
Leila frowned, her patience wearing thin. “After everything that’s happened, do you really think we need to keep up this charade?”
Lacey’s face fell slightly, as if she had been wounded by Leila’s words. “Don’t be like that, Leila. We just had a little disagreement.”
“It’s perfectly normal for people to disagree sometimes. Besides, I told you I only had suspicions. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for not explaining things properly. You didn’t say anything, so I assumed your silence meant yes.”
Lacey usually carried herself with an air of elegance and aloofness. But now, she was putting on a cutesy, innocent act. It was a stark contrast to her usual demeanor, and it didn’t suit her at all.
Leila rubbed her temples in frustration. “Lacey, why not just be yourself? This whole innocent act doesn’t suit you at all.”
Lacey’s grip tightened on the hem of her dress, and her chest heaved with indignation. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she retorted. “Why are you allowed to play the victim, but I’m not? Leila, maybe you should take a look in the mirror before you start criticizing me.”
Leila’s frown deepened. She found Lacey’s sensitivity rather excessive. Lacey seemed to take offense at the slightest provocation.
“Think what you like,” Leila said dismissively. She hadn’t come here to offer fashion advice. Leila retrieved the amulets from her purse and held them out in front of Lacey. “Perhaps you can explain the meaning of these items,” she said, her voice devoid of warmth.
Lacey’s eyes fell upon the amulets, but instead of appearing apprehensive, she let out a laugh. “It means nothing. I was simply wishing your daughter good luck,” she replied casually.
Leila crossed her arms, Lacey’s response not surprising her in the least. She stated, her voice laced with menace, “Let me be frank, this entire shop is surrounded by my men.”
“If you don’t tell me the truth, you won’t be leaving here today. I know you must have controlled Landon in some way. I don’t know how you found him or what you’ve done to control him, but I’ll pay any price to get him back. Name your terms. I’ll give you whatever you want. Just return Landon to me unharmed.”