Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“Miss Nixon, is something bothering you?”
Leila motioned for Amoura to come closer.
When Amoura hesitated, Leila gently pulled Amoura to sit down beside her.
Amoura seemed taken aback, a hint of flattery in her smile as she shook her head.
“This doesn’t feel right.”
Despite her decades-long service in this household, Amoura had never sat down with Landon or Leila, an act that crossed the boundaries of a servant and an employer.
Landon had always been stern, his poker face a signature even as a child. While Leila was far more approachable, her reserved nature often made her retreat into herself.
Leila offered Amoura a reassuring smile.
“There’s nothing wrong with it. You’re older than me, after all. Besides, I have something to ask you.”
Amoura gave Leila a curious look but didn’t argue.
“What is it that you want to know?”
Leila hesitated, her words coming out slower.
“It’s nothing substantial. I just thought with your rich experience, you might have some wisdom to share.”
Leila’s words were vague, hinting at something deeper, but she avoided specifics. She glanced at Amoura, her confusion evident.
“I just don’t know how to handle things right now.”
Amoura studied Leila closely, sensing there was more to what Leila wasn’t saying.
Amoura racked her mind for the right words. In the end, she let out a quiet sigh and smiled.
“Sometimes, it’s best not to overthink things. Just follow your heart and trust your instincts.”
Leila frowned, her worry still lingering.
“But what if I regret it later?”
Amoura tilted her head slightly, her tone thoughtful.
“And if you don’t take a chance now, won’t you regret that too?”
Leila didn’t respond immediately, her silence answering the question for her. She knew the regret would come either way.
Amoura rested a gentle hand on Leila’s shoulder.
“You young people tend to overthink things. When you reach my age, you will realize regrets are inevitable. The only mistake is waiting too long to act. It’ll be too late by then.”
Leila felt herself exhale, the unease in her chest loosening.
“I understand.”
The warmth in Amoura’s words brought Leila a sense of peace. Leila’s spirits lifted, her heart feeling lighter.
Leila decided to take her time and give herself the space to sort through her emotions in the days ahead.
Leila had planned to speak with Landon the following day. Yet, she hadn’t anticipated that Elma, who had seemed perfectly healthy the day before, would suddenly develop a high fever. And it was quite severe.
Upon hearing the news, Leila rushed over immediately. When she reached the door, however, she was stopped.
“Who are you?”
Leila stared at the woman barring her entry, her face filled with confusion.
Leila scrutinized the woman, who had delicate features and a certain charm about her, though her aloof demeanor was hard to miss.
When Leila questioned her presence, the woman raised an eyebrow and replied coolly, “Leila, what game are you playing?”
Leila didn’t have the time or patience for this. Her voice was urgent as she said, “You seem to know me and have something more to say to me, but now isn’t the time. My daughter is sick. Let me in.”
Leila glanced at the servants and added, “The girl inside with the fever is my daughter.”
One of the servants quickly stepped forward and addressed the woman politely, “Miss Payne, if Mrs. Kensington wants to see her daughter, you have no right to stop her.”
The moment the servant referred to Leila as “Mrs. Kensington,” Lacey’s expression darkened. She let out a cold, almost mocking laugh.
“You’re right. I can’t stop Leila. But Elma is my patient. She’s unwell, and I’m here to treat her. However…” Lacey’s sharp gaze landed squarely on Leila.
“You’re delaying my treatment of Elma. If her condition worsens, could you handle the consequences?”
It was then that Leila understood the woman before her, Lacey, was Elma’s doctor. But the realization brought a question. Why did Lacey have to stick by the hot spring pool the night before, even refusing to leave after Landon told her so?
The hostility in Lacey’s eyes wasn’t lost on Leila. And it didn’t stem from caution but jealousy.
Just then, Elma’s faint coughing from the room reached Leila’s ears, snapping her back to the present.
Despite her frustration, Leila stepped back, gazed at Lacey, and said sincerely, “Miss Payne, please treat Elma and lessen her discomfort.”
Lacey’s lips curled into a sneer, and her tone carried an edge of mockery.
“I don’t need you to remind me of this.”
Then, as if to make a point, Lacey added, “Landon has entrusted Elma’s care to me and stressed her condition to me privately several times.”
The way Lacey uttered Landon’s name held an unsettling closeness. And the word “privately” lingered in the air, sharp and deliberate.
Leila’s expression shifted subtly, a bitter emotion stirring within her for reasons she couldn’t quite place.
Barred from entering, Leila stood at the door, waiting patiently for nearly four hours. Logically speaking, Elma should have been feeling better by now.
Yet, despite the passage of time, Lacey still refused to let Leila in.
Every attempt Leila made to enter was met with the same cold response, with Lacey quoting that the ongoing treatment shouldn’t be disturbed.
The servants filled Leila in about Lacey’s unique role in delivering medical treatment to Elma, explaining why Landon had allowed Lacey’s presence in this household despite her somewhat arrogant demeanor.
If it were an ordinary fever or cold, a hospital visit should have been enough. However, Elma’s condition was unique, rendering any ordinary treatment without delving into the root cause of her illness pointless.
Therefore, upon grasping the situation, despite Lacey’s arrogance and lack of due politeness, Leila was left with no choice but to endure it.
As the sky darkened, Leila began to wonder how much longer she’d have to wait.
Soon, Landon showed up. He appeared to have just returned from the office. His steps were brisk as he approached the door. Landon’s gaze flickered toward Leila, and their eyes met briefly. For a moment, neither spoke. Then, as if by mutual agreement, they both looked away.
Landon noted Leila’s calm falter a bit, her cheeks tinged with a quiet shyness. Her lack of anger or disgust surprised him.
Instantly, he felt his heart flutter, like ripples disturbing an otherwise calm lake.
Quickly regaining control of his emotions, Landon stepped forward and knocked on the closed door.
Lacey opened the door soon, her expression brightening instantly at the sight of him, and she even flashed a smile.
“Mr. Kensington.”