Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Having accomplished her goal, Lacey didn’t linger, wary of irritating Landon.
Deep down, Lacey recognized that her feelings for Landon had waned. She just wanted to make one final effort. She wasn’t planning to fully align with Clayton. She was drawn to the Landon who was vibrant and ambitious. In her eyes, marrying a remarkable man like Landon was the best decision. If Landon were reduced to a prisoner, what good would he be to her?
Besides, Lacey had no interest in Clayton. He was too dark a character, and being with him felt like flirting with death.
As Lacey left, she kept her eyes down, looking obedient and gentle. But in her mind, she was already plotting. She was determined to use this moment to secure what she believed she deserved.
Meanwhile, Leila woke up in a room far more lavish than anything in the modest town hotel she remembered. Peering out the window, she saw several elegant villas dotting the landscape. This indicated that she was on some estate, but it wasn’t the Kensington family property she recognized.
Leila’s head was pounding as she pieced together her last clear memory. She had pleaded with Edgar to turn back, only for them to crash. She had reflexively protected Elma during the accident, but the force had knocked her unconscious.
Fully awake now, Leila realized she was in an unfamiliar place. A wave of panic quickly consumed her. The realization that Elma wasn’t by her side heightened her fear.
“Elma!” Leila called out. She attempted to rise from the bed to look for Elma, but her legs failed to cooperate. It was as if all sensation had left them. Could the accident have paralyzed her?
While despair and agony flooded through her, Leila’s foremost concern remained for Elma. With a surge of determination, she flung herself off the bed.
The impact of hitting the floor jarred her already confused senses, intensifying her discomfort.
Clenching her teeth, Leila dragged herself forward, shouting, “Is anyone there? Where am I? Where’s my daughter? Elma!” Her cries went unanswered.
Drained, she finally made it to the door.
Just then, it swung open to reveal a figure, a person she knew all too well-Clayton.
Leila was somewhat startled to see him but also felt it was within her expectations. From the moment she woke up in this unfamiliar place, she had suspected that Clayton might be behind it.
Leila’s memories had flooded back, including recent incidents with Landon.
Sadly, Clayton’s hypnosis still had its grip on Leila. Up to this point, Leila was convinced she had seen Lacey and Landon in bed together with her own eyes, talking about leaving Elma behind. She despised Landon but was well aware that Clayton wasn’t any better.
As Leila confronted Clayton, her eyes grew cold and cautious.
If not for her present physical limitations, Leila would have been anywhere but near Clayton. Her eyes, sharp and filled with a discernible edge of suspicion, met his unflinchingly.
“Where is my daughter?” she demanded sharply, her voice cutting through the tense air.
Leila bypassed any queries about her own circumstances, her mind completely fixated on Elma.
Clayton’s realization dawned swiftly-Leila had reclaimed her memories. Although he had foreseen this eventuality, the abruptness with which it unfolded startled him, knocking him slightly off his composed demeanor.
An eyebrow arched in intrigue, Clayton’s face softened into a restrained smile. He made no move to answer her question. Instead, he stooped down with the intention of helping her rise.
Leila recoiled instantly, trying to evade his approach. Trapped by her uncooperative legs, she could do nothing but watch as Clayton tenderly reached for her arm. Her body shivered involuntarily, and a glint of fear danced in her eyes.
Observing her reaction, Clayton’s features flickered with a trace of hurt.
“Leila, why are you afraid of me now?” he inquired, his voice a blend of mock confusion and sorrow.
With her jaw set firmly, Leila’s response came through gritted teeth, each word laced with bitter clarity.
“I remember each and every one of your betrayals. I know your machinations were the cause of Brysen’s suffering. You were the puppeteer in the shadows, manipulating the strains between Landon and me. Clayton! I trusted you, so why did you betray me like this?”
Leila’s voice cracked with profound disappointment. The sense of betrayal weighed heavily on her heart. Although she had never been romantically interested in Clayton, she had always seen him as a reliable friend. Throughout the years, Clayton had been a pillar of support for her. It was a bitter pill to swallow that the source of her recent adversities was the very friend she had leaned on.
Unruffled by her distress, Clayton guided her gently to the bed, his voice a soft whisper.
“I admit some of my actions have hurt you. But I have no regrets about causing misunderstandings between you and Landon. You may despise me, Leila, but it’s crucial you see Landon for who he truly is. His heart has a reserved spot for Lacey.”
“And there’s more you should know-Elma’s condition isn’t as grave as you’ve been led to believe. Lacey has been secretly drugging Elma. If Elma continues on this path for another ten days, she’ll be beyond the point of rescue.”
Leila’s heart twisted in turmoil, her face draining of color as she shook her head in fervent denial.
“No, that can’t be true. You’re just trying to trick me again,” she whispered, disbelief clouding her eyes. If Landon believed Elma couldn’t be cured and this trip was merely a pretext for him to get rid of Elma under the guise of a hopeless prognosis, Leila might find the logic reasonable. But the idea that Landon would intentionally harm Elma, his own flesh and blood, was unthinkable to her.
Clayton observed her reaction, his eyes reflecting a mix of sadness and understanding, as he anticipated her disbelief.
Clayton remained composed. His earlier narrative was skillfully woven with elements of truth and deception. Once a sliver of his fabricated story was validated, the rest would likely be accepted without question. His goal was simple: to instill a seed of doubt in Leila. He could accept that Leila didn’t love him. His primary concern was ensuring she wouldn’t end up with Landon.
With a calculating look, Clayton advanced, observing Leila’s confused expression intently.
“Have you heard? Landon was poisoned-my people orchestrated it. Without Lacey’s timely rescue, he could have met a grim fate. Lacey turned out to be Landon’s guardian angel, yet all that lies between you and Landon is the shadow of a failed marriage. How can you still believe he holds any love for you?”
Leila’s hands balled into fists, a physical anchor to steady the storm within.
“Honestly, I never felt that Landon’s love for me was that profound.” Deep down, she was determined not to rely on any man or trust in romantic promises.
Clayton showed no sign of shock at her words. He smirked subtly.
“Consider this-why wouldn’t Landon be drawn to someone like Lacey?”
Leila’s brow furrowed in confusion. She bit her lip gently, silent, her mind racing as she dissected Clayton’s insinuations. She resolved not to take his words at face value. She would uncover the truth on her own terms.
Leila was now grappling with an urgent dilemma. How could she whisk Elma away from this ominous place?
Out of the blue, Clayton declared, “I have no intention of holding you captive, but let’s not forget your leg was seriously injured in the car accident. Feel free to leave if you wish. Elma, though not my flesh and blood, has been like a daughter to me since I have watched her grow up. I’ll ensure she receives the finest medical care. However, I must caution you-since you intoxicated Landon and he ended up being poisoned, you stand out as the suspect, and he hates you to your core. Should you decide…”
To take Elma and discover your whereabouts, even I might be powerless to protect you.” With those words, Clayton exited the room.
Shortly after, a servant appeared, pushing a wheelchair.
Once assisted into the wheelchair, Leila promptly asked to be taken to see Elma. Her request was met without objection, and she was smoothly guided toward Elma’s hospital room.
During the car accident, Leila had instinctively protected Elma, covering her with her own body. As a result, Elma only sustained minor injuries. Her adorable face was smeared with blood, and her pale forehead bore a bruise. Though the injuries weren’t severe, the sight of Elma in such a state pierced Leila’s heart with profound sorrow.
“I’m sorry, Elma,” Leila whispered, her fingers gently tracing Elma’s delicate cheeks as tears cascaded down her own face.
“I feel so helpless, having dragged you into this peril.”
Bitterness welled up within Leila. Landon couldn’t be trusted, and Clayton was even more questionable. She knew they had to flee-she and Elma-but the timing had to be right, not yet.
At the same time, Leo and his team swiftly discovered Edgar, bloodied and unconscious.
The scene of the car accident was a grim tableau of tragedy. Leila and Elma had vanished, leaving Edgar alone in the driver’s seat, clinging to life by a thread.
Leo had heard of Edgar, aware that he had once been Landon’s most reliable assistant. There was a time when Landon and Edgar had been a formidable team, with Edgar being one of the few Landon had deeply trusted.
As Leo gazed upon the pale Edgar, a wave of pity washed over him. Without hesitation, Leo commanded that Edgar be rushed to the hospital for urgent care.
As consciousness flickered back to Edgar on the way to the hospital, he saw an unfamiliar young man standing over him. The young man’s clothing and demeanor were telling. Edgar could piece together who he was.
Without needing to be pressed, Edgar gathered the last remnants of his strength to address Leo.
“Inform Mr. Kensington-Miss Nixon and Elma have been seized by Clayton’s people.”
With these grave words, Edgar’s hand fell slack by his side.
This startled Leo, but fortunately, a faint breath still fluttered from Edgar.
Quickly stabilizing Edgar, Leo rushed to convey the dire news to Landon.
As Landon absorbed the words, his complexion turned ghostly pale.
The poison’s side effects hit hard, leaving a noticeable impact on Landon. Driven by a desperate desire to recover swiftly, he had ingested an array of medications, but the excessive dosages were taking their toll. His appetite had dwindled, leaving his frame gaunt, though his eyes still burned with an undiminished intensity, maintaining a semblance of his usual formidable aura.
