Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
As she was wheeled out of Landon’s ward, tears of joy streamed down her face uncontrollably. The day she had longed for had finally arrived. All her years of effort had paid off. If she had known that poisoning Landon would bring her success, she would have taken that route much earlier.
Lacey was puzzled by Landon’s complex mindset, but did it really matter that he wasn’t genuine about his proposal? From this point on, she would be the only woman in Landon’s life. After their wedding, she would be his wife. By then, even Leila’s return posed no threat to her.
The nurse, who had previously shown some arrogance toward Lacey, immediately shifted her demeanor. She had overheard everything, including Landon’s proposal, when she had pushed Lacey’s wheelchair into Landon’s ward earlier.
“Congratulations, Miss Payne. Mr. Kensington has been single all this time. You clearly mean a lot to him.”
Lacey reveled in the words, flashing a proud smirk.
“Of course.”
Landon’s proposal boosted Lacey’s confidence in her significance to him. Despite Leila and Landon’s reconciliation and the deep affection they shared, they had never discussed remarriage. Therefore, Lacey believed Landon’s feelings for Leila were lukewarm at best. Leila might have been good at capturing Landon’s affection, but it was all in vain. Lacey was here to stay, and she was confident that one day, she would capture Landon’s heart completely.
The nurse continued with her string of flattering comments. Eventually, she broached the subject of Landon and Leila’s children.
“Even though you’ll marry Mr. Kensington and Miss Nixon doesn’t stand a chance, you should still be careful. After all, they have children together. You will be their stepmother, and that can’t be easy.”
Lacey’s smile vanished in an instant, and she subtly clenched her teeth. It was true-she had nearly overlooked the three annoying children. Elma was easily dismissed. She would die soon enough, regardless.
Lacey wasn’t concerned about Sophie either. Being just a girl, Sophie was manageable. But Calvin was a different story. As Landon’s only son, Calvin was likely held in the highest regard. Landon probably planned for Calvin to inherit his business empire. Despite Calvin’s intelligence, he was rebellious and didn’t always see eye to eye with Landon. Still, Calvin remained the prominent heir to the Kensington family’s fortune.
Lacey sighed, not getting along with Calvin. He could potentially have a few strategies of his own. She needed to figure out how to handle him, especially if she wanted to pave the way for her future child.
Landon had just proposed to Lacey, yet they hadn’t even discussed setting a date for their wedding or getting the marriage certificate. But here Lacey was, already plotting how to secure the inheritance for her future child.
Placing a hand on her flat belly, a spark of determination lit up her eyes. As a doctor, she had always prioritized her health and knew she was in perfect condition for pregnancy. She just hoped she would soon be carrying Landon’s child.
Lacey carefully mapped out her future, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction wash over her.
True to his word, Clayton didn’t hold Leila and Elma captive. After confirming Calvin and Sophie were safe, Leila had whisked Elma away from Clayton’s place, and they had left for overseas.
Clayton made no move to stop her, not even sending anyone to tail them.
Leila’s journey abroad with Elma was to seek the expertise of top medical professionals. They moved from country to country, and finally, they began to see progress. Clayton’s claims had been true.
The doctor looked at Leila with a grave expression.
“Madam, your daughter was indeed poisoned. Had it not been detected early, it could have been fatal, especially considering her already fragile health.”
Leila felt a pang of dread but didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she asked, “What kind of poison was it? Can you describe the symptoms? We hadn’t noticed anything.”
The doctor carefully explained, “The poison contains an addictive element. After being poisoned for some time, your daughter would appear energetic…”
and healthy. However, once she stopped taking it, she would become sluggish and constantly sleepy, as if her condition had deteriorated.”
With each word, Leila’s shock deepened. She couldn’t deny the truth in the doctor’s words. Under Lacey’s care, Elma had appeared to improve significantly. However, once the treatments stopped, Elma’s vitality dwindled. She seemed terribly sick.
Previously, due to the deceiving sighs of Elma’s recovery under Lacey’s treatment and Landon’s reassurances, Leila had never harbored any suspicions about Lacey’s prescription. Now, she realized she had been deceived all along.
Before this visit, Leila had initially planned to return and discuss matters with Landon once Elma’s health improved. As she saw through Clayton’s intentions, she began to suspect that her previous issues with Landon might have just been misunderstandings. But now, she saw no reason to go through with that plan.
Leila suddenly felt all her strength drain away, nearly causing her to lose her balance. She had been receiving treatment abroad, and her leg had healed. She looked fine but couldn’t run for extended periods.
The nurse beside Leila quickly stepped in to support her.
Leila clenched her fists, channeling the pain to anchor herself and regain her composure. It dawned on her that she could only trust herself in this world.
Leila steadied herself and gathered the strength to talk through Elma’s treatment options with the doctor.
When Leila found out that Elma should be healed by next spring, she couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down her face. She was overjoyed. As soon as she heard the news, she rushed to find Elma.
Leila had decided to handle everything alone, fearing that any bad news might reach Elma and crush her hopes.
At that moment, Elma was sitting quietly by the door, a look of anxiety still visible on her face.
Upon seeing Leila, Elma ran toward her.
Without Lacey’s medication, Elma was actually faring much better. She still experienced occasional relapses, but most of the time, she could run and jump freely.
Elma, always observant, noticed Leila’s swollen eyes and began to suspect that her chances of recovery might be slim. But she didn’t shed a tear. Instead, her first instinct was to comfort Leila.
“Mom, don’t cry,” Elma said gently. She stood on tiptoe to reach Leila’s face, wiping away her tears. She tilted her head to one side and flashed a playful smile.
“It’s okay. I’m right here with you. It’s great that I don’t need injections or have to stay in the hospital anymore. We can enjoy our time outside. It’s just you and me, no Sophie or Calvin. It’s so nice to be your only child here.”
Leila knew Elma was trying to comfort her, but she couldn’t hold back. She wrapped her arms around Elma and sobbed uncontrollably.
“Elma, you can be cured.”
Elma gazed at Leila, her face a blank mask as the shock of the sudden news settled.
After a lengthy silence, Elma spoke, her voice tinged with disbelief.
“Mom, can this be true? There’s no need to make up stories to make me feel better. I’m perfectly content just being with you.”
Tears welled up in Leila’s eyes, but her expression was one of pure joy.
“It is true, Elma. I’ve never deceived you. There’s a cure for you. Once you’re recovered, you can grow up healthy.”
At her mother’s words, Elma burst into tears, overwhelmed by emotion. She was, after all, just a little girl. Her calm facade was nothing more than a brave front. Fear of death was universal, a truth known to both adults and children alike.
Eventually, after a moment of emotional release, both Leila and Elma regained their composure. They shared a tearful glance, their eyes red and puffy, and then, unexpectedly, they laughed together.
Elma’s illness had forced Leila to remain abroad to oversee Elma’s treatment.
Calvin kept Leila updated with news from home, though he never spoke of Landon.
Yet, the news that Landon and Lacey were to be married had already become a major talking point in both entertainment and business circles.
The speculation about their wedding was rampant.
Media reports were notoriously unreliable, but it was Clayton who confirmed it to Leila first.
“I warned you Landon and Lacey were scheming against Elma, but you didn’t believe me. Yes, I may have misled you, Leila, but I’ve never hurt you, have I? Remember how I nearly died to protect you?”
He gestured to the scar on his chest as he spoke.
Leila was at a loss for words. Having regained her memories, she now vividly recalled that Clayton had nearly sacrificed his life for her, resulting in a permanent ailment. Yet, this realization did little to soften the blow of his earlier deceit. What she craved most was transparency.
The news of Landon and Lacey’s upcoming reunion saddened Leila slightly, but she had processed those feelings already.
Leila’s phone buzzed continuously with messages from Clayton, leading her to make the decisive move to block him. Currently, her primary focus was on staying with Elma to oversee her treatment. She hoped for all her children to lead healthy lives, believing it to be the best course for her family.
Leila reached out to Calvin and Sophie, wishing for them to join her abroad to be with Elma. Her heart lightened considerably when they all gathered around her. Abroad, she knew she could find superior educational opportunities for them.
However, both Calvin and Sophie opted to stay in Avalon, preferring to shape their futures there.
Despite their youth and the long road ahead, Leila honored their decisions. She held onto the hope that Elma’s swift recovery would soon allow them to reunite back home.
During a family video call one day, Elma dozed off unexpectedly. Calvin, preoccupied with his design competition, excused himself quickly after only brief exchanges.
The call then continued with just Leila and Sophie.
Sophie had matured, embodying both Leila’s beauty and Landon’s dignified coolness. Her occasional aloofness when not smiling added to her mystique. Her anger could be imposing, marked by a slight frown that gave her an intimidating presence.
