Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“Well, I have time now. What do you want to do? I’ll join you.”
Elma immediately clapped her hands, her excitement palpable. Sophie’s eyes lit up as well.
Elma didn’t want to go out, so she suggested they spend some time by the backyard hot spring.
Though the weather was a little cool, the daytime sun kept the air warm. It was the perfect moment for a hot spring.
Once they decided, Sophie asked the servants to prepare their outfits, and the three of them joyfully headed to the backyard. They had a fantastic time. Leila felt her spirits lift. She realized how tense and burdened she must have been before losing her memory, likely weighed down by countless worries. But now, all that was forgotten. Her mind was free, and she could finally relax.
After soaking in the hot spring for a while, Leila leaned back against the pool’s edge, letting the warm water embrace her tired body, and she felt a deep sense of peace.
Leila felt a sudden heaviness in her eyes, her body sinking into unexpected drowsiness. Sleep was tempting, and she found herself teetering on its edge.
Nearby, Elma and Sophie splashed and giggled, lost in their own world, oblivious to Leila’s odd condition.
Despite the haze pulling her under, Leila remained conscious enough to remember she was still in the pool.
Leila noted that this strange fatigue had crept in at random moments lately, often accompanied by headaches that left her disoriented. One minute she was fine, and the next, she was fighting to keep her eyes open. If she drifted off completely, it would feel more like slipping into unconsciousness. It mostly happened at night, so she hadn’t taken it seriously until now. Yet now, Leila’s limbs felt like lead as her eyelids fluttered, and the world blurred. She knew she couldn’t afford to fall asleep here.
Leila tried to muster strength and fight back the pull of unconsciousness, but in vain. Her muscles gave out, and her eyes slipped shut. Slowly, she began to sink beneath the surface.
Just as the water threatened to cover her head, a sudden splash echoed nearby. A strong arm hooked around her waist, pulling her up. She was pulled from the water just in time.
The sudden shock jolted Leila awake. She gasped for air, her chest heaving as the realization hit that she had nearly blacked out in the pool.
Leila hadn’t even noticed she was leaning against a strong, comforting chest until a deep, slightly husky voice murmured near her ear, “Still not feeling better, huh?”
The familiar voice pulled Leila from her daze. She turned her head only to meet Landon’s handsome face up close.
Drenched and utterly disheveled, Landon gazed down at Leila, water dripping from his hair, tracing a path along his sharp features before landing on her hand, still pressed against his chest.
Leila’s face flushed deep red, and she instinctively tried to pull away from Landon’s arms, but her body was tense with embarrassment. In her attempt to pull away, she overexerted herself and cramped her foot.
“Ouch…” Leila hissed, wincing. The pain stole her breath, forcing her to lean closer to Landon instead of escaping his arms. Landon could feel the softness of her body in his arms, and his gaze hardened, turning dangerously intense.
With her head lowered, Leila missed the look in his eyes.
Landon, feeling a mix of annoyance and embarrassment, said, “Leila, what are you trying to do?”
Leila didn’t answer. Her focus remained on rotating her ankle, hoping to ease the cramp.
Yet, the cramp showed no signs of letting up, and her arms lacked the strength to support her as she kept slipping. Every time she adjusted, she found herself clinging to Landon more desperately.
Landon let out a low moan, his gaze growing more intense with desire.
From the corner of his vision, Landon spotted Elma and Sophie standing by the pool’s edge, their curious gazes locked on them as they watched.
Landon’s ears flushed red, anger and resignation crossing his expression. Was Leila putting on an act in front of him? But with the kids watching, it felt inappropriate.
Despite his irritation, Landon held Leila tightly, ensuring she didn’t lose her balance. He couldn’t bring himself to push her away. Clearing his throat awkwardly, Landon turned his back to Elma and Sophie and said, “It’s getting late. If you’re done, change and head back. Don’t catch a cold.”
Though Elma couldn’t quite make sense of Landon’s and Leila’s actions, she was just delighted to see her parents together. She winked at Sophie as if to say, “See? Our parents are getting along again.”
Sophie couldn’t suppress a smile and quickly replied, “Got it.” Grabbing Elma’s hand, Sophie chirped, “Come on. Let’s go.”
As soon as Elma and Sophie were out of sight, Landon exhaled sharply and said to Leila, “They’re gone. You can stop pretending now.”
Leila’s cramp finally eased, the pain slowly subsiding. At Landon’s words, she blinked up at him, confusion clouding her features.
“Huh?”
Landon hadn’t seen Leila like this for ages, and he was momentarily lost.
Despite being in her thirties and having three children, Leila looked no different from the young girl she once was.
In the past, Leila had always carried herself with a mature and aloof demeanor, which made her seem distant and unapproachable.
Right now, Leila’s porcelain skin glowed under the soft light, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Her beautiful eyes gazed at Landon with confusion and a hint of mist, making her…
She looked almost ethereal. She appeared lost in thought, as if Landon’s words hadn’t fully registered. Her long hair tumbled over her shoulders, accentuating her dazzling beauty.
Landon’s heart pounded against his chest, and his grip around Leila’s waist instinctively tightened. Leila let out a soft moan, not out of frustration, but more like an involuntary sound escaping her lips.
Landon wasn’t the only one whose composure was slipping away. Locked in Landon’s arms, Leila shared the sentiment. After all, Landon was undeniably handsome.
From Landon’s jumping in to save her, Leila instantly deduced their past relationship must have been anything but ordinary.
The first impression was crucial. Landon was exactly the type of man Leila found herself drawn to. Questions popped into her mind. Why hadn’t she chosen Landon as her partner before, opting instead for Clayton, whose face now seemed like a distant blur? Or perhaps she and Landon had been together once, and the children might even be his. But Landon had never acknowledged he was the father. Since he didn’t dislike her, why did he refuse to acknowledge that? This didn’t add up.
These riddles swirled in Leila’s mind, leaving her momentarily lost in thought. To Landon, it seemed as if she was clinging to him in a daze.
The warm mist rising from the hot spring wrapped around them, deepening the intimate atmosphere between them.
Landon’s throat tightened, his body tense as he fought to hold back the overwhelming emotions threatening to break free. After a while, he couldn’t control himself anymore and lowered his head for a kiss.
His kiss was sudden, yet gentle, carrying a tenderness that spoke more of longing than of force.
They both froze. Leila hadn’t expected the kiss, and Landon hadn’t expected his impulsiveness. But if they pulled away now, the silence that followed would only make things more awkward. Landon didn’t have time to think, his instincts taking over. He freed one hand, gently cradling Leila’s head, and deepened the kiss. Leila moaned softly, her body growing submissive in his embrace, but she didn’t pull back.
The tension in the air around them intensified.
Leila’s face flushed even deeper. She followed her instincts and kissed Landon back. She could feel his body heat intensify, like a lion preparing to pounce, and it was slightly intimidating.
She wanted to pull away, but Landon, finally relishing their closeness, hesitated to release her. The desires he had kept buried for so long were finally unleashed. Once the floodgates opened, he couldn’t stop them.
Just as Landon was about to lift Leila and carry her back to the room, Lacey’s voice suddenly rang out from the shore.
“Mr. Kensington, are you there?”
After safely seeing Clayton back to Burmoos, Lacey hurriedly returned to the Kensington family estate.
Upon arriving, Lacey wasted no time in asking about Landon’s whereabouts, despite the servants at the villa showing their disdain for her.
Despite the servants’ dislike for her, Lacey knew the magic of money all too well, granting her the chance to have things her way if possible.
Lacey’s presence in the Kensington household had become a fixture over time, and Landon regarded her with respect for her expertise, allowing her to weave her own web of connections within the family’s estate. However, the ones she managed to influence were far from Landon’s trusted circle. The best she could gather was his whereabouts.
Upon returning, Lacey heard Landon was at the hot spring pool in the backyard. Everyone deliberately left out Leila’s presence there. After all, matters concerning Leila were strictly off-limits, and no one wanted to cross that line for a mere few thousand dollars of salary each month.
Lacey’s curiosity about Landon’s visit to the hot spring burned brighter than ever. As soon as she got the news, she hurried over, hoping to catch a glimpse of him in the hot springs. The idea that she might be able to exploit the moment to bring her closer to him thrilled her. She never let an opportunity slip past her when it came to getting closer to Landon.
From a distance, Lacey spotted a figure moving through the steamy haze that rose above the hot spring. Her heart raced as she quickened her steps, calling out Landon’s name..
A plot already took form in Lacey’s mind. She intended to stage a clumsy fall into the pool. Even if Landon didn’t immediately jump in to rescue her, she bet he would come to her aid. It was all about creating a moment where their proximity might trigger something within him.
As Lacey approached, ready to execute her plot, Landon’s voice rang out, cutting through the humid air like a knife.
“What are you doing here?”
His tone was sharp and unyielding, filled with an anger that left no room for misinterpretation. The icy edge in his words stunned Lacey.
For a moment, Lacey could hardly breathe.
Then, a sudden gust of wind swept through the area, thinning the steam that blanketed the spring.