Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
A shadow of disappointment crossed Landon’s features as his brow furrowed deeply.
Elma’s eyes brimmed with tears, her voice cracking as she accused Landon of undue harshness.
Pretending to try to ease the growing strain, Lacey chimed in tactfully, “Perhaps Elma could take a moment to herself in the back car? A little space might help.”
Elma, her tone dripping with irritation, said, “Sure, I’ll head to the back car. Anything to get away from you!”
The suggestion felt like a dagger to Landon’s heart, revealing the raw pain beneath his stern facade. Was his child truly that distant from him?
“Stop the car!” Landon commanded as he lifted Elma from the car and shifted her to another.
Returning to his seat, Landon’s eyes simmered with rage, emitting an intense aura of dominance.
Lacey, far from intimidated, appeared almost delighted. Elma’s naivety had quickly soured Landon’s mood. If this trend persisted, Landon’s patience with Elma could eventually wear thin. Once he grew weary of Elma, his affection for Leila’s other kids would also wane. And if he harbored no fondness for the kids, how could he possibly cherish their mother?
Observing Landon’s furrowed brow, Lacey said meaningfully, “Perhaps Elma didn’t intend it, Landon. Try not to hold a grudge. Moreover, I don’t believe the blame lies with the child. They’re like sponges, absorbing everything from their environment. Take Jeanette, for instance. She mirrors my own disposition.”
Landon’s mood deflated slightly.
“Is it possible that Elma’s disdain for me is a reflection of what she’s absorbed from those around her?”
Lacey seemed to overlook the subtlety of the situation, merely nodding her agreement as she said, “It’s not unthinkable, which is precisely why Elma should stay with you.”
Landon, visibly frustrated, pinched the bridge of his nose and said sharply, “Enough already.”
Lacey ceased speaking and edged closer to Landon, drawn by an unspoken tension.
They had scarcely shared a moment of solitude before Landon broke the silence with a worried tone.
“I’m still uneasy about Elma alone in the back car. Go and check on her, will you?”
A shadow crossed Lacey’s face, erasing her smile. She mustered a strained smile and replied, “Landon, it’s clear Elma doesn’t take well to me. If I show up now, it might just upset her more. Let’s drop it, please.”
However, Landon persisted, “But she’s by herself back there, and in her current state, she might do something rash. If she snaps at you, just take it in stride. I’ll have a word with her later. Besides, as her doctor, it’s important you build a rapport with her. How else will she cooperate during her treatments? Driver, please pull over.”
The car came to a halt.
Landon remained silent, his gaze cold as it locked onto Lacey.
Without a word, Lacey realized she had no other option but to leave. Reluctance tugged at her heart. Just when she had the chance to be alone with Landon, it slipped through her fingers. Bitterness toward Elma simmered within her, yet she masked her emotions.
With a sigh of resignation, Lacey stepped out of the car. She barely had time to voice her disappointment before Landon gave a curt nod to the driver, and the car surged forward.
As Lacey watched the taillights fade, a headache blossomed, and she reluctantly headed toward the following car.
At that moment, the car window slid down, and Elma flashed a mischievous grin at Lacey.
That grin sent an icy chill slicing through Lacey. She reached for the door handle, only to find it stubbornly locked.
Darkness crossed Lacey’s features as she figured it out. Her teeth clenched in frustration as she issued a sharp threat.
“Elma, your dad entrusted me to keep an eye on you. If you don’t unlock this door, do you realize the trouble you’ll be in?”
Elma’s response was a breezy chuckle.
“Like I am scared!”
Elma’s face was set with defiance, her lips curling into a mocking smile.
“Are you angry? Well, you should be. That’s exactly what you deserve for sneaking your way into my parents’ relationship,” she declared, her voice sharp with edge.
The chilly breeze swept through the street, and Lacey involuntarily shivered. She regretted dressing so lightly just to look polished. The cold gnawed at her, but Elma’s hostility stung even more.
Despite the anger simmering beneath her composure, Lacey knew she needed to tread carefully.
“Elma, you’ve got it all wrong,” she began, softening her tone with effort.
“Your parents were already separated before I came into the picture. I’m not some intruder ruining their lives. And let’s be fair. Your mom probably has admirers of her own, doesn’t she? I’m telling you the truth. I’m no homewrecker.”
Lacey’s voice grew more insistent as she gestured to the car.
“Please, let me in. I can explain everything if you just give me the chance. If you keep me out here, your dad is only going to get angrier. And trust me, you don’t want to see him when he’s mad, do you?”
Elma’s eyes sparkled with icy amusement, and she let out a cold laugh.
“Don’t bother trying to scare me,” she replied.
“I know my dad will be furious, but that doesn’t mean anything to me. My mom is what matters most, and seeing her happy is all I care about. If my dad gets upset, that’s his problem. I want them to reconcile because it will bring my mom happiness.”
Elma’s voice sharpened as she leaned forward.
“And you? You claim you’re not trying to worm your way into my family, yet you had the nerve to show up at my family gathering. What? Do you think I’m just a clueless kid who doesn’t understand what’s going on?”
Embarrassment mixed with rage coursed through Lacey as she raised her voice sharply.
“Elma, open the door right now!” Lacey’s mounting frustration erupted as she snapped at the driver, “Are you deaf or something? Open the door, immediately!” But the driver remained stoic, wisely choosing not to engage with Lacey’s demands. Lacey and Landon weren’t even officially an item, yet Elma, as Landon’s daughter, held all the influence. He would be foolish to ignore Elma’s wishes.
Elma, fueling the confrontation, sneered at Lacey.
“You scheming woman! No one here supports you. You’ll never fill the role of my stepmother. Even if my parents remain apart, you don’t stand a chance.”
With a scornful twist of her wrist, Elma rolled up the window and directed the driver to pull away.
As the vehicle picked up speed, Lacey’s temper flared. If not for the bystanders, she would have unleashed a torrent of curses at the departing car.
Stranded, Lacey attempted to wave down a taxi in desperation. However, it struck her that her phone was nestled inside her purse, which unfortunately remained in Landon’s car. Now, phoneless and penniless, her situation grew dire.
Resolute, Lacey stepped toward the road, trying to stop the occasional car, sharing her urgent need for help.
“My name’s Lacey, I’m associated with Landon Kensington. I truly am. Could anyone please drive me to the Kensington family home? I assure you a hefty reward for your troubles, any amount you deem fair. I’m not lying. My connection with Landon is solid. He’s a prominent figure.”
Everyone seemed to think she had lost her grip on reality.
“Surely, she’s not right in the head. None associated with Landon could end up in such a disheveled state!”
“Is she trying to pass herself off as Landon’s woman? I’ve seen the guy, wealthy and handsome. Why would he settle for her when he could have someone far more striking?”
Frustrated by the ineffectiveness of Landon’s name to sway opinions, Lacey reluctantly brought up Leila.
“You all know Leila Nixon, don’t you? She’s said publicly that I am a sister figure to her. I’m not making this up. Are you really going to dismiss me like this?”
But her words fell on skeptical ears. No one was buying her story.
Lacey was struggling to hold her tears back. Never had she felt such humiliation. With no other option, she continued down the street, her high heels clacking unsteadily with each painful step. Before long, her feet were aching terribly, and she nearly sprained her ankle.
On the brink of despair, Lacey sank to a squat by the roadside. Just then, headlights cut through the dusk.
A sleek black car pulled up beside her.
Thinking rescue had arrived, Lacey quickly stood. But as the window slid down, her heart sank. It was the last person she hoped to encounter.
“Miss Payne, my apologies for the intrusion,” Cody said, his smile stark against the iciness in his eyes.
“I couldn’t get ahold of you, so I decided to pay a personal visit.”