Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
I acted that way earlier to avoid alerting anyone.”
Clayton’s reaction was one of genuine shock, mixed with a measure of relief.
“Elma is missing?” he exclaimed, his hand flying to his chest as his complexion turned ashen.
Leila was quick to calm him.
“Ease your mind, Clayton.
My people are already on it, scouring for any leads.
I’m confident we’ll uncover something soon.
Clayton, you’re my friend.
Please, be frank with me.
Elma isn’t hiding here with you, is she?”
Clayton responded with fierce sincerity, “Believe me, if I had spirited Elma away, may I face a dreadful end and never meet you again.”
Leila, caught off guard, didn’t foresee such a grave promise from him.
Before long, the people combing through the Morgan family’s estate gave an update.
True enough, Elma was nowhere to be found.
They had even reviewed the Morgan family’s estate’s security footage at all entry points, which showed no evidence of foul play.
The footage demonstrated that Elma had not been on the premises.
Leila’s heart sank, the weight of her misunderstanding pressing heavily on her.
Guilt twisted in her chest, and she found herself unable to look Clayton in the eye.
“I’m so sorry,” she murmured, her voice thick with remorse.
“I thought Elma was with you…
I let my anxiety get the best of me.”
Clayton’s expression softened as he just dodged a bullet, a gentle smile easing the tension.
“There’s nothing to apologize for,” he said to her, his tone filled with understanding.
“You’re a mother, and when your child goes missing, it’s only human to feel frantic and desperate.
Now, let’s focus.
Tell me what you know so far.
Maybe I can help you track her down.”
Leila exhaled, the anxiety loosening its grip slightly as she nodded, a flicker of hope igniting in her heart.
As their conversation unfolded, Clayton leaned in slightly, his question laced with a hint of curiosity, almost as if he had been waiting for the right moment.
“By the way, where have you been these past few days? I tried to reach you but was told you were out of town.
Maybe that’s why they took Elma away, taking advantage of your absence.”
Saying this, Clayton scrutinized Leila’s face, his gaze steady and layered with meaning.
Leila paused, debating whether to reveal the truth.
Finally, she took a breath and spoke.
“I went to see Brysen, but I found out something awful.
Neal has been deceiving me for years.
He’s been mistreating Brysen, even abusing her.
I still don’t know about his motives, but there has to be someone pulling the strings behind him.”
Her voice wavered, and a shadow of sadness crossed her face.
“Brysen has suffered so much, and it’s my fault,” she whispered, the weight of her guilt pressing heavily on her.
Exhaustion washed over Leila, a reminder of how long she’d been trying to hold everything together alone.
Even the strongest hearts had limits, and she had felt dangerously close to breaking.
But she knew she couldn’t let herself fall apart now.
Clayton observed the vulnerability in her expression, and a wave of heartache washed over him.
His voice softened, sincerity shining in his eyes as he spoke.
“Leila, I’m so sorry.”
Leila looked up, puzzled.
“Why are you sorry?”
Clayton hesitated, a storm of emotions flickering across his face.
When he finally spoke, his words were carefully measured.
“Neal was once my employee, and even I was fooled by his facade.
He worked hard, always seemed sincere, and earned everyone’s trust.”
“When he started working for you, I later found out he was involved with Brysen.
Office relationships were strictly forbidden, and I didn’t want to complicate things for you, so I pressured him to end it.
Your escape begins with ga ln ov els . com
But instead of complying, he chose to resign.”
Clayton paused, a mixture of fake frustration and guilt clouding his eyes.
“At the time, I thought he truly cared for Brysen, and I never imagined it was all a carefully crafted lie.”
Clayton’s expression darkened, seemingly mad.
“Where is he now? Do you have any idea? We should report him to the authorities and let the law handle this.”
Leila shook her head, a bitter smile forming on her lips.
“On my way back, someone orchestrated a car accident and kidnapped Neal.
I have no clue whether he’s alive or dead.”